title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: There have been many interpretations of the Buddhist crisis and the immolation of Thích Quảng Đức in 1963. Relating the events to the larger context of Vietnamese Buddhism in the 20th century and looking at the interactions between Diệm and Buddhist groups, the Buddhist protests during Diệm's regime were not only the struggles against discrimination in religious practices and religious freedom, but also the resistance of Vietnamese Buddhism to Diệm's nation-building policies centered by a personalist revolution that Buddhists considered a threat to the revival of Vietnamese Buddhist power. Until the end of his life, Diệm, along with his brother Nhu still believed that their nation-building was successful and they could resolve the Buddhist crisis in their own way, like what they had done with the Hinh crisis in 1954 and the struggle with the Bình Xuyên in 1955.


title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: Jerema Słowiak of Jagiellonian University notes that the American media coverage skewed the true background of the conflict, spreading the "narrative of evil dictator Diệm oppressing good, peaceful Buddhists". Because of this, Diệm was considered a brutal and corrupt dictator in the United States at the time of his assassination. However, Diệm enjoyed relatively good relations with the Buddhists until 1963, and sponsored numerous Buddhist temples, especially Xá Lợi Pagoda in 1956. Vietnamese Buddhists had a nationalist vision for Vietnam of their own, and were political enemies of Diệm, engaged in "a clash of two competing visions of Vietnam". The Buddhist challenge to Diệm was politically motivated and constituted struggle for power rather than a religious conflict – the Buddhists protested mainly against the Ngo family and rejected Diệm's concessions, as their explicit goal was removal of Diệm. Thích Trí Quang, the leader of the Buddhist movement, insisted that the agitation must not stop until the South Vietnamese government is overthrown, and stated his intention to "call for suicide volunteers" if necessary. Edward Miller also argues that the primary cause of the protests was the opposition to Diệm and his agenda rather than the discriminatory policies, as the Buddhist movements of Vietnam had their own political goals that starkly contrasted with Diệm's. Diệm reacted to the Buddhist resistance the same way he reacted to the Sect Crisis of 1955, and Xá Lợi Pagoda raids successfully broke the protesters' movement. The military supported Diệm, and army leaders helped plan the raids and advocated for a forceful response to the protests, and only American disapproval drove military cliques to reconsider their support for Diệm.


title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: The foreign policy of the Republic of Vietnam (RVN), according to Fishel, "to a very considerable extent", was the policy of Ngo Dinh Diem himself during this period. He was the decisive factor in formulating foreign policies of the RVN, besides the roles of his adviser – Ngô Đình Nhu and his foreign ministers: Trần Văn Độ (1954–1955), Vũ Văn Mẫu (1955–1963) and Phạm Đăng Lâm (1963) who played subordinate roles in his regime. Nevertheless, since Diệm had to pay much attention to domestic issues in the context of the Vietnam War, foreign policy did not receive appropriate attention from him. Diệm paid more attention to countries that affected Vietnam directly and he seemed to personalize and emotionalize relations with other nations. The issues Diệm paid more attention in foreign affairs were: the Geneva Accords, the withdrawal of the French, international recognition, the cultivation of the legitimacy of the RVN and the relations with the United States, Laos (good official relations) and Cambodia (complicated relations, especially due to border disputes and minority ethnicities), and especially North Vietnam. Besides, the RVN also focused on diplomatic relations with other Asian countries to secure its international recognition.


title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: Diệm's attitude toward India was not harmonious due to India's non-alignment policy, which Diệm assumed favored communism. It was not until in 1962, when India voted for a report criticizing the communists for supporting the invasion of South Vietnam, that Diệm eventually reviewed his opinions toward India. For Japan, Diệm's regime established diplomatic relations for the recognition of war reparations, which led to a reparation agreement in 1959 with the amount of $49 million. Diệm also established friendly relations with non-communist states, especially South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, Laos and the Federation of Malaya, where Diệm's regime shared the common recognition of communist threats.


title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: Regarding the relations with communist North Vietnam, Diệm maintained total hostility and never made a serious effort to establish any relations with it. In relations with France, as an anti-colonialism nationalist, Diệm did not believe in France and France was always a negative factor in his foreign policy. He also never "looked up on France as a counterweight to American influence".


title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: Concerning relations with the US, although Diệm admitted the importance of the US-RVN alliance, he perceived that the US's assistance to the RVN was primarily serving its own national interest, rather than the RVN's national interest. Keith Taylor adds that Diệm's distrust of the US grew because of its Laotian policy, which gave North Vietnam access to South Vietnam's border through southern Laos. Diệm also feared the escalation of American military personnel in South Vietnam, which threatened his nationalist credentials and the independence of his government. In early 1963, the Ngô brothers even revised their alliance with the US. Moreover, they also disagreed with the US on how to best react to the threat from North Vietnam. While Diệm believed that before opening the political system for the participation of other political camps, military, and security matters should be taken into account; the US wanted otherwise and was critical of Diệm's clientelistic government, where political power based on his family members and trusted associates. The Buddhist crisis in South Vietnam decreased American confidence in Diệm, and eventually led to the coup d'état sanctioned by the US. Ultimately, nation-building politics "shaped the evolution and collapse of the US-Diem alliance". The different visions in the meanings of concepts – democracy, community, security, and social change – were substantial, and were a key cause of the strains throughout their alliance.


title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: As the Buddhist crisis deepened in July 1963, non-communist Vietnamese nationalists and the military began preparations for a coup. Bùi Diễm, later South Vietnam's Ambassador to the United States, reported in his memoirs that General Lê Văn Kim requested his aid in learning what the United States might do about Diệm's government. Diễm had contacts in both the embassy and with the high-profile American journalists then in South Vietnam, David Halberstam ("New York Times"), Neil Sheehan (United Press International), and Malcolm Browne (Associated Press).


title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: The coup d'état was designed by a military revolutionary council including ARVN generals led by General Dương Văn Minh. Lieutenant Colonel Lucien Conein, a CIA officer, had become a liaison between the US Embassy and the generals, who were led by Trần Văn Đôn. They met each other for the first time on 2 October 1963, at Tân Sơn Nhất airport. Three days later, Conein met with General Dương Văn Minh to discuss the coup and the stance of the US towards it. Conein then delivered the White House's message of American non-intervention, which was reiterated by Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., the U.S. ambassador, who gave secret assurances to the generals that the United States would not interfere.


title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: The coup was chiefly planned by the Vietnamese generals. Unlike the coup in 1960, the plotters of the 1963 coup knew how to gain broad support from other ARVN officer corps. They obtained the support of Generals Tôn Thất Định, General Đỗ Cao Trí, General Nguyễn Khánh, the III, II Corps, and I Corps commanders. Only General Huỳnh Văn Cao of IV Corps remained loyal to Diệm.


title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: On 1 November 1963, Conein donned his military uniform and stuffed three million Vietnamese piastres into a bag to be given to General Minh. Conein then called the CIA station and gave a signal indicating that the planned coup against President Diệm was about to start. Minh and his co-conspirators swiftly overthrew the government. With only the palace guard remaining to defend Diệm and his younger brother Nhu, the generals called the palace offering Diệm exile if he surrendered. That evening, however, Diệm and his entourage escaped via an underground passage to Cha Tam Catholic Church in Cholon, where they were captured the following morning. On 2 November 1963, the brothers were assassinated together in the back of an M113 armored personnel carrier with a bayonet and revolver by Captain Nguyễn Văn Nhung, under orders from Minh given while en route to the Vietnamese Joint General Staff headquarters. Diệm was buried in an unmarked grave in a cemetery next to the house of the US Ambassador.


title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: Upon learning of Diệm's ouster and assassination, Hồ Chí Minh reportedly stated: "I can scarcely believe the Americans would be so stupid." The North Vietnamese Politburo was more explicit:


title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: The consequences of the 1 November coup d'état will be contrary to the calculations of the US imperialists ... Diệm was one of the strongest individuals resisting the people and Communism. Everything that could be done in an attempt to crush the revolution was carried out by Diệm. Diệm was one of the most competent lackeys of the US imperialists  ... Among the anti-Communists in South Vietnam or exiled in other countries, no one has sufficient political assets and abilities to cause others to obey. Therefore, the lackey administration cannot be stabilized. The coup d'état on 1 November 1963 will not be the last.


title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: After Diệm's assassination, South Vietnam was unable to establish a stable government and several coups took place after his death. While the United States continued to influence South Vietnam's government, the assassination bolstered North Vietnamese attempts to characterize the South Vietnamese as "supporters of colonialism".


title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: Diệm's assassination led to the collapse of his regime and to the end of the first Republic of Vietnam. Nevertheless, his contribution over his nine years of power from 1954 to 1963 can be appreciated at many levels by his part in resolving the northern refugees issue, establishing and consolidating the power of his regime, subduing the sects, and pacifying the country. Diệm stabilized an independent South Vietnam, which had suffered in the First Indochina War, and built a relatively stable government in Saigon in the late 1950s. The normality and domestic security created conditions for economic recovery and the development of education in South Vietnam, which contributed educated human resources to serve the nation.


title: Ngo Dinh Diem

text: According to Philip Catton, Diệm was first and foremost a Vietnamese nationalist who was wary of American dependence and "feared the Americans nearly as much as the Communist insurgents". Diệm constantly clashed with his American advisors over policies and had a completely different understanding of both democracy and Catholic values in comparison to the West. Keith Taylor argues that while Diệm's rule was authoritarian, it was also necessary given the precarious situation of the south. The South Vietnamese army would gradually gain experience and skill in both warfare and intelligence under Diệm's command, and his assassination turned the tide in favor of the north, with the consequent governments proving inefficient and incapable of organising successful resistance to Viet Cong advances. According to Edward Miller, Diệm was greatly autonomous from the United States and that Diệm was neither an outstandigly authoritarian nor excessively corrupt leader, questioning the notion that Diệm's main agenda was to increase his family's power.


title: Badlands

text: Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded. They are characterized by steep slopes, minimal vegetation, lack of a substantial regolith, and high drainage density. Ravines, gullies, buttes, hoodoos and other such geologic forms are common in badlands.


title: Badlands

text: Badlands are found on every continent except Antarctica, being most common where there are unconsolidated sediments. They are often difficult to navigate by foot, and are unsuitable for agriculture. Most are a result of natural processes, but destruction of vegetation by overgrazing or pollution can produce anthropogenic badlands.


title: Badlands

text: Badlands are characterized by a distinctive badlands topography. This is terrain in which water erosion has cut a very large number of deep drainage channels, separated by short, steep ridges ("interfluves"). Such a drainage system is said to have a very fine drainage texture, as measured by its "drainage density". Drainage density is defined as the total length of drainage channels per unit area of land surface. Badlands have a very high drainage density of 77 to 747 miles per square mile (48 to 464 kilometers per square kilometer). The numerous deep drainage channels and high interfluves creates a stark landscape of hills, gullies, and ravines.


title: Badlands

text: In addition to a dense system of drainages and interfluves, badlands often contain buttes and hoodoos ("mushroom rocks"). These are formed by resistant beds of sandstone, which form the caprock of the buttes and hoodoos.


title: Badlands

text: Badlands arise from a combination of an impermeable but easily eroded ground surface, sparse vegetation, and infrequent but heavy rainfall. The surface bedrock is typically mudrock, sometimes with evaporites, with only occasional beds of more resistant sandstone. Infrequent heavy rains lead to heavy erosional dissection. Where sudden precipitation cannot penetrate impermeable clays, it is channeled into a very dense system of streamlets that erode a dense system of ever-enlarging, coalescing gulleys and ravines. Erosion is enhanced by pelting raindrops that dislodge soft sediments. The presence of bentonite clay further increases erodability, as can rejuvenation of the drainage system from regional uplift, as occurred at Badlands National Park.


title: Badlands

text: In addition to surface erosion, badlands sometimes have well-developed "piping", which is a system of pipes, joints, caverns, and other connected void spaces in the subsurface through which water can drain. However, this is not a universal feature of badlands. For example, the Henry Mountains badlands show very little piping.


title: Badlands

text: The precise processes by which the erosion responses take place vary depending on the precise interbedding of the sedimentary material. However, it has been estimated that the badlands of Badlands National Park erode at the relatively high rate of about per year. The White River draining Badlands National Park was so named for its heavy load of bentonite clay eroded from the badlands.


title: Badlands

text: Badlands are partially characterized by their thin to nonexistent regolith layers. The regolith profiles of badlands in arid climates are likely to resemble one another. In these regions, the upper layer (~) is typically composed of silt, shale, and sand (a byproduct of the weathered shale). This layer can form either a compact crust or a looser, more irregular aggregation of "popcorn" fragments. Located beneath the top layer is a sublayer (~), below which can be found a transitional shard layer (~), formed largely of loose disaggregated shale chips, which in turn eventually gives way to a layer of unweathered shale. Badlands such as those found in the Mancos Shale, the Brule Formation, the Chadron Formation, and the Dinosaur Provincial Park can be generally said to fit this profile.


title: Badlands

text: In less arid regions, the regolith profile can vary considerably. Some badlands have no regolith layer whatsoever, capping instead in bare rock such as sandstone. Others have a regolith with a clay veneer, and still others have a biological crust of algae or lichens.


title: Badlands

text: In addition to lacking significant regolith, they also lack much vegetation. The lack of vegetation could very well be a result of the lack of a substantial regolith.


title: Badlands

text: Although most badland topography is natural, badlands have been produced artificially by destruction of vegetation cover, through overgrazing, acid rain, or acid mine drainage. An example of badlands created by mining is the Roman gold mine of Las Médulas in northern Spain. The Cheltenham Badlands in Caledon, Ontario, is an example of badlands produced by poor farming practices.


title: Badlands

text: The word "badlands" is a calque from the Canadian French phrase , as the early French fur traders called the White River badlands or 'bad lands to traverse', perhaps influenced by the Lakota people who moved there in the late 1700s and who referred to the terrain as , meaning 'bad land' or 'eroded land'.


title: Badlands

text: The term "malpaís" means 'badlands' in Spanish, but refers to a terrain of lava flows that is unlike the eroded badlands of the White River.


title: Badlands

text: Badlands are generally unsuitable for agriculture, but attempts have been made to remediate badlands. For example, reforestation is being attempted in the Garhbeta, Eastern India, badlands Revegetation and reforestation have been studied in the black marl badlands of the French Alps. Austrian black pine can become established and then be gradually replaced by native deciduous species. However, the time scale for this process is many decades.


title: Badlands

text: Badlands are found on all the continents except Antarctica. The presence of unconsolidated sediments is a strong control on their locations.


title: Badlands

text: The Valle de la Luna ("Valley of the Moon") is one of many examples of badland formations in midwestern Argentina.


title: Badlands

text: There is a large badland area in Alberta, particularly in the valley of the Red Deer River, where Dinosaur Provincial Park is located, as well as in Drumheller, where the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology is located.


title: Badlands

text: Garhbeta, Eastern India is a badlands located in a monsoon climate. Chambal spread across northern parts of Madhya Pradesh, northeastern Rajasthan and Southern parts of Uttar Pradesh known for it's lawlessness and dacoity is another example of badlands. Small strip of badlands is also found in Western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana


title: Badlands

text: In Italy, badlands are called "calanchi". Some examples are Aliano (Basilicata), Crete Senesi (Tuscany) and Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio).


title: Badlands

text: A well-known badlands formation in New Zealand – the Putangirua Pinnacles, formed by the erosion of the conglomerate of an old alluvial fan – is located at the head of a small valley near the southern tip of the North Island.


title: Badlands

text: The Bardenas Reales near Tudela, Navarre, the Tabernas Desert in Tabernas, Almería, parts of the Granada Altiplano near Guadix and possibly Los Monegros in Aragon are examples of Spanish badlands.


title: Badlands

text: In the U.S., Makoshika State Park in Montana and Badlands National Park in South Dakota are examples of extensive badland formations. Also located in this region is Theodore Roosevelt National Park, a United States National Park composed of three geographically separated areas of badlands in western North Dakota named after former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona which is part of Navajo County encompasses numerous badlands that also abuts the Navajo Indian Reservation and is directly North of Joseph City, Arizona. Many dinosaurs are believed to be buried in the immediate area and exploration has been ongoing since the early 20th century.


title: Badlands

text: Among the Henry Mountains area in Utah, about above sea level, Cretaceous- and Jurassic-aged shales are exposed. Another popular area of badland formations is Toadstool Geologic Park in the Oglala National Grassland located in northwestern Nebraska. Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado and Utah are also badlands settings, along with several other areas in southern Utah, such as the Chinle Badlands in Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. A small badland called Hell's Half-Acre is present in Natrona County, Wyoming. Additional badlands also exist in various places throughout southwest Wyoming, such as near Pinedale and in the Bridger Valley near the towns of Lyman and Mountain View, near the high Uintah Mountains. Pinnacles National Park in California also has areas of badlands, as does the Mojave Desert in eastern California.


title: Tall poppy syndrome

text: The tall poppy syndrome is a cultural phenomenon in which people hold back, criticise or sabotage those who have or are believed to have achieved notable success in one or more aspects of life, particularly intellectual or cultural wealth; "cutting down the tall poppy".


title: Tall poppy syndrome

text: Commonly, in Australia and New Zealand, "cutting down the tall poppy" is used to describe those who deliberately put down another for their success and achievements.


title: Tall poppy syndrome

text: In Japan, a similar common expression is "the nail that sticks up gets hammered down". In the Netherlands, this expression is "don't put your head above ground level" ("boven het maaiveld uitsteken"), with the cultural phenomenon being named " ".


title: Tall poppy syndrome

text: In Chile, this expression is known as ""chaquetear"" ('pull the jacket'). In Sweden, this expression is known as Law of Jante. The Law of Jante comes with "rules" such as "you're not to think you are anything special".


title: Tall poppy syndrome

text: The concept originates from accounts in Herodotus' "Histories" (Book 5, 92f), Aristotle's "Politics" (1284a) and Livy's "Ab urbe condita libri" (Book I, ch.54), with reversed roles, referring to Periander's advice to Thrasybulus of Miletus via a herald.


title: Tall poppy syndrome

text: The specific reference to poppies occurs in Livy's account of the tyrannical Roman king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus. He is said to have received a messenger from his son Sextus Tarquinius asking what he should do next in Gabii, since he had become all-powerful there. Rather than answering the messenger verbally, Tarquin went into his garden, took a stick and symbolically swept it across his garden, thus cutting off the heads of the tallest poppies that were growing there. The messenger, tired of waiting for an answer, returned to Gabii and told Sextus what he had seen. Sextus realised that his father wished him to put to death all of the most eminent people of Gabii, which he then did.


title: Fisker Karma

text: The Fisker Karma is a luxury plug-in range-extended electric sports sedan produced by Fisker Automotive in 2012. The cars were manufactured at Valmet Automotive in Finland.


title: Fisker Karma

text: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rated the Karma's combined city/highway fuel economy at equivalent (MPG-e) in all-electric mode, and at in gasoline-only mode. EPA's official all-electric range is . Due to the very small cabin interior volume, the EPA rated the Fisker Karma as a subcompact car.


title: Fisker Karma

text: The first deliveries took place in the U.S. in late July 2011, and deliveries to retail customers began in November 2011. Pricing in the U.S. started at for the base model (EcoStandard), US$110,000 for the intermediate EcoSport model and for the top model (the "Animal Free" EcoChic). Around 1,800 units were delivered in North America and Europe through December 2012. The U.S. was the leading market, with about 1,600 units sold.


title: Fisker Karma

text: Production was suspended in November 2012 when the sole battery supplier to Fisker Automotive, A123 Systems, filed for bankruptcy following two battery recalls. Fisker Automotive was unable to carry on production of the Fisker Karma in the absence of its sole battery supplier, with about 2,450 Karmas built since 2011. After furloughing its US workers in late March 2013, Fisker Automotive filed for bankruptcy in November 2013, after the United States Department of Energy auctioned its debt and sold it to Hybrid Technology LLC for .


title: Fisker Karma

text: Following the sale of some of the assets of the company, the designs, rights to a plug-hybrid powertrain and a manufacturing facility in Delaware to the Chinese company Wanxiang, the new owners re-commenced production in September 2016 under the brand name Karma Automotive. After several announcements by the Wanxiang Group to reintroduce an upgraded version of the Fisker Karma, the car was renamed the Karma Revero and Karma Automotive started taking orders in September 2016.


title: Fisker Karma

text: It was the first car from Fisker Automotive, a then new auto maker based in Anaheim, California, founded on September 5, 2007.


title: Fisker Karma

text: Production began in July 2011, and the first two deliveries took place in the United States on July 26, 2011. In October 2011 the first Karma delivered in the UK was auctioned to benefit Pratham UK and raised a bid of (around ).


title: Fisker Karma

text: Following the sale to Chinese company Wanxiang of assets, designs, rights to a plug-hybrid powertrain, and a manufacturing facility in Delaware, the new owners in September 2016 commenced production under the name Karma Automotive. After several announcements by Wanxiang Group to reintroduce an upgraded version of the "Fisker Karma", it has been renamed the Karma Revero and .


title: Fisker Karma

text: The Karma is a range-extended electric vehicle or series hybrid driven by a pair of electric motors that receive power from a 20.1 kWh lithium ion battery supplied by A123 Systems and/or an engine powered generator. The battery pack runs down the center of the car, between the pairs of left-hand and right-hand seats, preventing a rear bench and seating four rather than five passengers. Once the battery is depleted, or when the driver activates the "Sport" paddle on the steering wheel, the front-mounted 260-hp, 2.0-liter Ecotec four-cylinder direct-injection turbocharged gasoline engine powers a generator that sends electricity directly to the drive motors. The engine is sourced from General Motors. The battery can also be charged from the grid, making the vehicle a type of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).


title: Fisker Karma

text: The Karma's engine is mated with a generator to provide an electrical connection to the motors and also recharge the batteries, and as such the electric motors are the only mechanical driving force connected to the wheels. However, in all-electric mode, the Karma is around half as efficient as the Chevrolet Volt. The proprietary Q-Drive hybrid drive train is supplied by Quantum Technologies, which operates in a joint venture with Fisker Coachbuild known as Fisker Automotive. The Karma's curb weight is .


title: Fisker Karma

text: The Karma includes as standard a solar paneled roof manufactured by Asola Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH, a Quantum Technologies affiliate, to aid the cabin climate control system. The solar roof is capable of generating a half kilowatt-hour a day and was estimated to provide up to of additional range a week assuming continuously sunny days; however, the solar panels as delivered only recharge the 12-volt lead-acid accessory battery.


title: Fisker Karma

text: The base model features an "eco-friendly interior", including salvaged/reclaimed lumber. The interior space is rated as subcompact by the EPA. Optional leather seating is available, but it will use much more of the cow hide than would customarily be found on luxury models; hides with scratches and other marks (which should not affect functionality) will be used. The EcoChic features a natural fabric interior with an ultra-suede dash, as part of Fisker's ecological "animal-free" offering and real leaf fossils embedded in door and central console glass inserts.


title: Fisker Karma

text: The Karma has a warning sound system designed to both alert pedestrians of its presence and enhance the driver experience. The sound is emitted through two external speakers, one located under the front bumper and the other located behind a grill under the rear bumper. The sound-generator was developed by Fisker Automotive. The warning sound is emitted automatically and activated only when the car is traveling in all-electric mode at less than .


title: Fisker Karma

text: The Karma's two electric motors produce each for a quoted total of and of torque. The Karma features a top speed and is capable of reaching from a standstill in 5.9 seconds in Sport Mode according to Fisker.


title: Fisker Karma

text: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official all-electric range for the Fisker Karma is under the agency's five-cycle tests using varying driving conditions and climate controls. EPA's estimated energy consumption is 65 kWh per 100 miles (1462 kJ/km). The total range with a full tank of gasoline and a fully charged battery is . EPA's official rating for combined city/highway fuel economy in all-electric mode is 52 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPG-e) (4.5 L gasoline equivalent/100 km; 62 mpg-imp gasoline equivalent). The EPA rating in gasoline-only mode is . Regarding EPA's rating Henrik Fisker, CEO and co-founder of Fisker Automotive commented that "...as with all electric vehicles, range varies greatly on the conditions of the road and how you drive the car. We firmly believe that most owners will get up to 50 miles of driving range on a single charge."


title: Fisker Karma

text: The German Technical Inspection Association (TÜV) found through independent tests that the Fisker Karma has an all-electric range of in stealth (all-electric) mode. TÜV found that in charge-sustaining sport mode the Karma achieves a fuel economy of 26 mpg (9.2 L/100 km). The combined fuel economy was rated at 112 MPG-e (2.1 l/100 km equivalent) and the emissions level is 51 g/km CO.


title: Fisker Karma

text: Fisker Automotive and Valmet Automotive reached agreement in 2008 to manufacture the Karma in Uusikaupunki, Finland, with the final assembly contract signed by both parties on November 13, 2008.


title: Fisker Karma

text: In 2008 Fisker Automotive began accepting pre-orders in the United States, and Europe and initially scheduled sales of its Karma PHEV by the fourth quarter of 2009 in the United States, and starting in 2010 in Europe. In 2009 Henrik Fisker reported 1,300 orders for the Karma. Henrik Fisker showed the first production model Karma at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. In July 2011, Fisker stated that it had received 3,000 pre-orders and that the plug-in hybrid was sold out until early 2012.


title: Fisker Karma

text: After re-scheduling the Karma market launch to September 2010, and missing its target to build 70 to 100 test cars in 2010, production began in July 2011, and the two first deliveries took place in the United States during the same month. The Valmet plant in Finland began production with five cars a week. By December 2011 the production rate was 25 units a day. Production was suspended in November 2012 due to financial difficulties, with about 2,450 Karmas built since 2011. As a result of flash floods caused by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, 16 Karmas caught fire and another 330 units were lost when an entire shipment from Europe was flooded while being parked at Port Newark–Elizabeth Marine Terminal.


title: Fisker Karma

text: Deliveries to retail customers in the U.S. began in November 2011. In the United States the first vehicles were sold for for the basic model, and for the top model. In December 2011 prices were raised to for the base EcoStandard model, and for the top model, the EcoChic.


title: Fisker Karma

text: Over 2,000 Karmas were delivered to customers in North America and Europe through December 2012, of which, around 200 were delivered in 2011 and approximately 1,800 in 2012. About 1,600 units were sold in the United States through December 2013. A total of 533 units were sold in Europe through December 2014. The Netherlands was the top selling European market for the Karma, with 166 units sold through June 2013. A total of 55 Karmas were sold in Switzerland through June 2013, 52 in Belgium through November 2012, and 44 in France through December 2014.


title: Fisker Karma

text: In 2010, the United States Department of Energy awarded Fisker a US$529 million green-energy loan, primarily to assist the company in transitioning the Karma, which is assembled in Finland, into the American markets. Fisker collected nearly US$200 million until February 2012, when the government froze the loan, because the company was failing to meet the government's milestones. Three months later, in May, Fisker spokesman Roger Ormisher told ABC News that negotiations with the DOE were ongoing, and "We're hoping for a conclusion fairly soon."


title: Fisker Karma

text: The Karma was praised on the British television series "Top Gear" for its looks and hybrid technology while being road-tested by presenter James May and special guest, AC/DC front-man Brian Johnson. Johnson noted that it is probably one of the first production cars that actually looks like the concept version that is sketched beforehand, saying, "It's a cracking looking jam-jar". May noticed similarities in the hybrid-powertrain to his own idea that was used in a segment for "Top Gear" a few years earlier (The "Hammerhead Eagle i-Thrust"), though he admits that his idea was very crudely executed. He joked that Fisker would be hearing soon from his lawyers. After his test of the Karma EcoChic, James May awarded it his Top Gear "Car of the Year Award" for 2011.


title: Fisker Karma

text: In December 2011, Fisker recalled the first 239 Karmas built from July through November 3, 2011, and delivered to the USA, due to a risk of battery fire caused by coolant leak. Of the 239 cars, fewer than fifty had been delivered to customers, the rest were in dealerships, and at that time no car had been involved in a fire. In the report filed by Fisker Automotive with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the carmaker said some hose clamps were not properly positioned, which could allow a coolant leak. "If coolant enters the battery compartment an electrical short could possibly occur, causing a thermal event within the battery, including a possible fire in the [worst] case." The problem was discovered on December 16 at the Valmet Automotive assembly plant in Finland when workers noticed coolant dripping.


title: Fisker Karma

text: On January 2, 2012, Fisker announced that most customer cars and cars stocked in dealerships affected by the recall involving A123 Systems-supplied battery packs are back in service. The vehicles have either had brand new battery packs installed or the confirmed repair to the hose clamp assembly undertaken. The remaining customers have been contacted and appointments were made for their replacement battery installation.


title: Fisker Karma

text: On August 18, 2012, Fisker announced it is recalling about 2,400 Karma plug-in hybrids to repair a faulty cooling fan unit.


title: Fisker Karma

text: On March 7, 2012, a Fisker Karma purchased for US$107,850 by "Consumer Reports" magazine was taken out for a test drive at the "CR" test track facility in Connecticut. The Karma had fewer than on its odometer. While performing a routine speedometer calibration check prior to actual road testing, the car broke down and could not be restarted. "We buy about 80 cars a year and this is the first time in memory that we have had a car that is undriveable before it has finished our check-in process."


title: Fisker Karma

text: The fault was traced to a defective battery caused by a misaligned welding robot at the A123 factory. The battery was replaced in a week. A123 is replacing affected batteries in the Karma and four other customers to a cost of $55 million. Warranty for the Karma will be extended to 60 months and 60,000 miles in North America.


title: Fisker Karma

text: A Fisker Karma was involved in a home fire that also burned two other cars in Fort Bend County, Texas in May 2012. The chief fire investigator said the Karma was the origin of the fire that spread to the house, but the exact cause is still unknown. The plug-in electric car was not plugged in at the time the fire started and it was reported that the Karma's battery was intact. The carmaker released a public statement saying that there was uncertainty and conflicting reports surrounding the event. Fisker Automotive also stated that the battery pack "does not appear to have been a contributing factor in this incident." The NHTSA is conducting a field inquiry of the incident, and is working with insurance adjusters and Fisker to determine the fire's cause.


title: Fisker Karma

text: A second fire incident took place in August 2012 when a Karma caught fire while stopped at a parking lot in Woodside, California. According to Fisker engineers, the area of origin for the fire was determined to be outside the engine compartment, as the fire was located at the driver's side front corner of the car. The evidence suggested that the ignition source was not the lithium-ion battery pack, new technology components or unique exhaust routing. The investigation conducted by Fisker engineers and an independent fire expert concluded that the cause of the fire was a low temperature cooling fan located at the left front of the Karma, forward of the wheel. An internal fault caused the fan to fail, overheat and started a slow-burning fire. Fisker announced a recall to repair the faulty cooling fan unit.


title: Fisker Karma

text: In separate incidents during the storm and flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy on the night of October 29, 2012, 16 Karmas and one Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid caught fire while parked at Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal. The vehicles were partially submerged by flash floods caused by the hurricane. Initially, a Fisker Automotive spokesman said the company "can't be certain exactly what happened at the port" but "we think being submerged in 13 feet of saltwater had something to do with it". The carmaker clarified that the Karmas were not charging at the time of the fire and there were no injuries. In the case of the Toyota's incident, a Prius PHV burned and two other Prius, a conventional hybrid and a plug-in, just smoldered. A Toyota spokeswoman said the fire "likely started because saltwater got into the electrical system". She also clarified that the incident affected only three cars out of the 4,000 Toyotas that were at the terminal during the storm, including more than 2,128 plug-in or hybrid models. After an investigation by Fisker engineers, witnessed by NHTSA representatives, the company said that the origin of the fire was "residual salt damage inside a Vehicle Control Unit submerged in seawater for several hours. Corrosion from the salt caused a short circuit in the unit, which led to a fire when the Karma's 12-Volt battery fed power into the circuit". The company explained that Sandy's heavy winds spread that fire to other Karmas parked nearby, and also ruled out the vehicles' lithium-ion battery packs as a cause of, or even a contributing factor to, the blaze. Fisker reported a loss of around 330 additional Karmas when an entire shipment from Europe was flooded in the port terminal, the estimated value of the flood loss is in excess of million.


title: Fisker Karma

text: On April 14, 2008, Tesla Motors filed a lawsuit against Fisker Automotive, alleging that Henrik Fisker stole Tesla's Model S hybrid technology and was using it to develop the Karma. Tesla's suit claimed that the design work done for the Model S sedan by Fisker Coachbuild was substandard, and that Fisker Automotive diverted its best ideas to the Karma.


title: Fisker Karma

text: On November 4, 2008 CNET News reported that Tesla Motors would discontinue its suit after an interim ruling in favor of Fisker et al. A news release on the Fisker Automotive website stated that Tesla was ordered to pay US$1,144,285 in costs.


title: Fisker Karma

text: Fisker previewed the Karma S "Sunset", which is based on the regular Karma, at the 2012 North American International Auto Show, Fisker has said that the Sunset only has minimum weight increases, when compared with the Karma. It was expected to be produced after the Surf, which was expected to be sometime after late 2013. The Fisker S Sunset was to be the world's first plug-in hybrid convertible, with a folding hardtop, as well as the first convertible/roadster by Fisker.


title: Fisker Karma

text: The Fisker Surf was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show – described by "Automobile" as a station wagon or as a shooting-brake. Sales of the four-door plug-in hybrid, which has the same range as the Karma, were scheduled to begin in 2013. The production version was scheduled to be unveiled at the 2012 Paris Auto Show.


title: Fisker Karma

text: The Surf's entire powertrain, chassis, and interior are identical to the Karma sedan, with the only major cabin change being the additional room in back for a couple of adults, and expandable room in the back is up from to anywhere from to . Overall weight on the Surf versus the Karma increased by just .


title: Fisker Karma

text: Retired General Motors Vice-Chairman Bob Lutz and his business partner Gilbert Villarreal announced the debut of VL Automotive at the 2013 North American International Auto Show. VL has acquired 25 unsold Fisker Karmas and is remaking the cars by taking out the hybrid electric powertrain and installing a Chevrolet Corvette LS9 supercharged V8 gasoline engine with 638 hp (476 kW; 647 PS) and 604 lbf·ft (819 N·m) of torque and a 6-speed automatic transmission. Lutz told Automotive News that he'll also change the grille, make it "silky and buttery to drive," and sell them at prices beginning around $200,000. The resulting vehicle will be called the VL Destino.


title: Fisker Karma

text: In May 2014 VL merged with WM GreenTech Automotive, and resulted in the car being renamed WM Destino by its new owners.


title: Fisker Karma

text: In January 2016, the car was renamed as the VLF Destino V8, to mark the creation of the new company VLF Automotive. Deliveries of new VLF Destinos began in mid-2016.


title: Fisker Karma

text: The Karma Revero is the revamped, and updated version of the Fisker Karma, from Wanxiang's Karma Automotive, the rebranded successor to Fisker Automotive.


title: Fisker Karma

text: 2009 marked the first time that an electric vehicle was named a North American Production Preview Vehicle of the Year by the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards. The award went to Fisker Automotive for the Fisker Karma Sunset.


title: Fisker Karma

text: The Fisker Karma was listed among the "Green Design 100" of 2009 by "Time" magazine. Also, Time listed the Karma among "The 50 Best Inventions" of 2011. In November 2011 the Fisker Karma won "Automobile Magazine's" 2012 Design of the Year Award.


title: Fisker Karma

text: In December 2011, Karma was chosen as "Luxury Car of The Year" by "Top Gear Magazine", and "Car of The Year" by James May of "TopGear".


title: Fisker Karma

text: In 2012, the German car magazine "Auto Bild" awarded the Fisker the "Golden Steering Wheel Award" as "Classic Car of the Future.


title: Fisker Karma

text: Producers of the TV show "Two and a Half Men" chose the Karma as the vehicle for the character Walden Schmidt, a young and successful tech entrepreneur. The car was chosen to represent both Schmit's wealth as well as his eccentricity.


title: Fisker Karma

text: In the 2013 drama film "Paranoia", a communications titan (played by Harrison Ford) gives his young associate (played by Liam Hemsworth) the keys to a brand-new Fisker Karma as a symbol that he has "made it" in the corporate world.


title: Fisker Karma

text: In the 2013 video game "Grand Theft Auto Online," there is a vehicle manufactured by a fictional company called "Hijak" called "Khamelion", which is nearly identical to the Fisker Karma.


title: Fisker Karma

text: In the TV show "Lab Rats" the Karma is used as a self-driving car in Season 2 Episode 1: "Speed Trapped".


title: Sterling silver

text: Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by weight of silver and 7.5% by weight of other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925.


title: Sterling silver

text: "Fine silver", which is 99.9% pure silver, is relatively soft, so silver is usually alloyed with copper to increase its hardness and strength. Sterling silver is prone to tarnishing, and elements other than copper can be used in alloys to reduce tarnishing, as well as casting porosity and firescale. Such elements include germanium, zinc, platinum, silicon, and boron. Recent examples of these alloys include "argentium", "sterlium" and "silvadium".


title: Sterling silver

text: One of the earliest attestations of the term is in Old French form , in a charter of the abbey of Les Préaux, dating to either 1085 or 1104. The English chronicler Orderic Vitalis (1075 – 1142) uses the Latin forms and . The word in origin refers to the newly introduced Norman silver penny.


title: Sterling silver

text: According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the most plausible etymology is a derivation from a late Old English (with (or like) a 'little star'), as some early Norman pennies were imprinted with a small star.


title: Sterling silver

text: Another argument is that the Hanseatic League was the source for both the origin of its definition and manufacture, and in its name is that the German name for the Baltic is , or 'East Sea', and from this the Baltic merchants were called "Osterlings", or "Easterlings". In 1260, Henry III granted them a charter of protection. Because the League's money was not frequently debased like that of England, English traders stipulated to be paid in pounds of the Easterlings, which was contracted to "sterling".


title: Sterling silver

text: Their Kontor, the Steelyard of London, was called Easterlings Hall, or . The Hanseatic League was officially active in the London trade from 1266 to 1597. This etymology may have been first suggested by Walter de Pinchebek (c. 1300) with the explanation that the coin was originally made by moneyers from that region.


title: Sterling silver

text: The claim has been made in Henry Spelman's glossary () as referenced in "Commentaries on the Laws of England" by William Blackstone. Yet another claim on this same hypothesis is from William Camden, as quoted in "Chamber's Journal of Popular Literature, Science and Arts", Volume 4. By 1854, the tie between Easterling and Sterling was well-established, as Ronald Zupko quotes in his dictionary of weights.


title: Sterling silver

text: The British numismatist Philip Grierson disagrees with the "star" etymology, as the stars appeared on Norman pennies only for the single three-year issue from 1077 to 1080 (the Normans changed coin designs every three years). Grierson's proposed alternative is that "sterling" derives from "ster" meaning 'strong' or 'stout', by analogy with the Byzantine solidus, originally known as the meaning 'solid gold' or 'reliable gold'. In support of this he cites the fact that one of the first acts of the Normans was to restore the coinage to the consistent weight and purity it had in the days of Offa, King of Mercia. This would have been perceived as a contrast to the progressive debasement of the intervening 200 years, and would therefore be a likely source for a nickname.


title: Sterling silver

text: S.E. Rigold disputes the origin being Norman, stating, "that, while medieval British coins seldom copy or are copied by those of France, they have many typological connexions with the lands to the east—the Netherlands, the Baltic, Germany, and even deeper regions of central Europe."


title: Sterling silver

text: The sterling alloy originated in continental Europe and was being used for commerce as early as the 12th century in the area that is now northern Germany.


title: Sterling silver

text: A piece of sterling silver dating from Henry II's reign was used as a standard in the Trial of the Pyx until it was deposited at the Royal Mint in 1843. It bears the royal stamp "ENRI. REX" ("King Henry") but this was added later, in the reign of Henry III. The first legal definition of sterling silver appeared in 1275, when a statute of Edward I specified that 12 troy ounces of silver for coinage should contain 11 ounces  pennyweights of silver and  pennyweights of alloy, with 20 pennyweights to the troy ounce. This is (not precisely) equivalent to a millesimal fineness of 926.


title: Sterling silver

text: In Colonial America, sterling silver was used for currency and general goods as well. Between 1634 and 1776, some 500 silversmiths created items in the "New World" ranging from simple buckles to ornate Rococo coffee pots. Although silversmiths of this era were typically familiar with all precious metals, they primarily worked in sterling silver. The colonies lacked an assay office during this time (the first would be established in 1814), so American silversmiths adhered to the standard set by the London Goldsmiths Company: sterling silver consisted of 91.5–92.5% by weight silver and 8.5–7.5 wt% copper. Stamping each of their pieces with their personal maker's mark, colonial silversmiths relied upon their own status to guarantee the quality and composition of their products.


title: Sterling silver

text: Colonial silversmiths used many of the techniques developed by those in Europe. Casting was frequently the first step in manufacturing silver pieces, as silver workers would melt down sterling silver into easily manageable ingots. Occasionally, they would create small components (e.g. teapot legs) by casting silver into iron or graphite molds, but it was rare for an entire piece to be fabricated via casting.


title: Sterling silver

text: More commonly, a silversmith would forge an ingot into the desired shape, often hammering the thinned silver against specially shaped dies to "mass produce" simple shapes like the oval end of a spoon. The hammering occurred at room temperature, and, like any cold forming process, caused work hardening of the silver, which become increasingly brittle and difficult to shape. To restore the workability, the silversmith would anneal the piece—that is, heat it to a dull red and then quench it in water—to relieve the stresses in the material and return it to a more ductile state.


title: Sterling silver

text: Hammering required more time than all other silver manufacturing processes, and therefore accounted for the majority of labor costs. Silversmiths would then seam parts together to create complex and artistic items, sealing the gaps with a solder of 80 wt% silver and 20 wt% bronze. Finally, they would file and polish their work to remove all seams, finishing off with engraving and stamping the smith's mark.


title: Sterling silver

text: The American revolutionary Paul Revere was regarded as one of the best silversmiths from this "Golden Age of American Silver". Following the Revolutionary War, Revere acquired and made use of a silver rolling mill from England. Not only did the rolling mill increase his rate of production—hammering and flattening silver took most of a silversmith's time—he was able to roll and sell silver of appropriate, uniform thickness to other silversmiths. He retired a wealthy artisan, his success partly due to this strategic investment. Although he is celebrated for his beautiful hollowware, Revere made his fortune primarily on low-end goods produced by the mill, such as flatware. With the onset of the first Industrial Revolution, silversmithing declined as an artistic occupation.


title: Sterling silver

text: From about 1840 to 1940 in the United States and Europe, sterling silver cutlery (US: 'flatware') became "de rigueur" when setting a proper table. There was a marked increase in the number of silver companies that emerged during that period. The height of the silver craze was during the 50-year period from 1870 to 1920. Flatware lines during this period sometimes included up to 100 different types of pieces.


title: Sterling silver

text: This was especially true during the Victorian period, when etiquette dictated no food should be touched with one's fingers.


title: Sterling silver

text: Serving pieces were often elaborately decorated and pierced and embellished with ivory, and could include any or all of the following: carving knife and fork, salad knife and fork, cold meat fork, punch ladle, soup ladle, gravy ladle, casserole-serving spoon, berry spoon, lasagna server, macaroni server, asparagus server, cucumber server, tomato server, olive spoon, cheese scoop, fish knife and fork, pastry server, "petit four" server, cake knife, bon bon spoon, salt spoon, sugar sifter or caster and crumb remover with brush.


title: Sterling silver

text: Cutlery sets were often accompanied by tea sets, hot water pots, chocolate pots, trays and salvers, goblets, demitasse cups and saucers, liqueur cups, bouillon cups, egg cups, plates, napkin rings, water and wine pitchers and coasters, candelabra and even elaborate centerpieces.


title: Sterling silver

text: The interest in sterling silver extended to business (paper clips, mechanical pencils, letter openers, calling card boxes, cigarette cases), to the boudoir (dresser trays, mirrors, hair and suit brushes, pill bottles, manicure sets, shoehorns, perfume bottles, powder bottles, hair clips) and even to children (cups, cutlery, rattles).


title: Sterling silver

text: Chemically, silver is not very reactive—it does not react with oxygen or water at ordinary temperatures, so does not easily form a silver oxide. However, it is attacked by common components of atmospheric pollution: silver sulfide slowly appears as a black tarnish during exposure to airborne compounds of sulfur (byproducts of the burning of fossil fuels and some industrial processes), and low level ozone reacts to form silver oxide. As the purity of the silver decreases, the problem of corrosion or tarnishing increases because other metals in the alloy, usually copper, may react with oxygen in the air.


title: Sterling silver

text: The black silver sulfide (AgS) is among the most insoluble salts in aqueous solution, a property that is exploited for separating silver ions from other positive ions.


title: Sterling silver

text: Sodium chloride (NaCl) or common table salt is known to corrode silver-copper alloy, typically seen in silver salt shakers where corrosion appears around the holes in the top.


title: Sterling silver

text: Several products have been developed for the purpose of polishing silver that serve to remove sulfur from the metal without damaging or warping it. Because harsh polishing and buffing can permanently damage and devalue a piece of antique silver, valuable items are typically hand-polished to preserve the unique patinas of older pieces. Techniques such as wheel polishing, which are typically performed by professional jewelers or silver repair companies, are reserved for extreme tarnish or corrosion.


title: Phil Morris (actor)

text: Phil Morris (born April 4, 1959) is an American actor. He played Jackie Chiles on "Seinfeld", John Jones on The CW series "Smallville" and Silas Stone in "Doom Patrol". He also voiced Doc Saturday on "The Secret Saturdays" and Dr. Joshua Strongbear Sweet in "" and related media.


title: Phil Morris (actor)

text: Morris is the son of actor Greg Morris (1933–1996). His paternal grandfather was jazz trumpeter Francis Williams. Phil Morris has two siblings, one of whom is actress Iona Morris.


title: Phil Morris (actor)

text: His father was best known for appearing in the TV series "", during the show's full run from 1966 to 1973. His father was friends with other successful African American actors, including Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby, and Phil grew up viewing them as role models. His father was also good friends with "Mission: Impossible" lead Peter Graves, whom Morris came to consider his acting mentor. Through his childhood, Morris knew Graves' real-life children. The friendship continued, until Peter Graves' death on March 14, 2010, which devastated Morris.


title: Phil Morris (actor)

text: Morris's first acting role was as a child when he appeared in the 1966 "" episode "." "Star Trek" was, at the time, shot at the same studio (Desilu Productions) that produced "Mission: Impossible".


title: Phil Morris (actor)

text: He made his feature film debut in "" in a small role and later guest starred on "Babylon 5", "", and "".


title: Phil Morris (actor)

text: In the mid 1980's, he portrayed law student (later attorney) Tyrone Jackson in "The Young and the Restless". During a major story line, his character used heavy theatrical makeup to appear Caucasian, in order to go undercover to expose an organized crime organization. In the 1990's, Morris played a recurring character, the Johnnie Cochran-inspired defense attorney Jackie Chiles, on the comedy "Seinfeld." The episode "The Abstinence" depicts Chiles suing a tobacco company, which Morris said he took great pleasure in, having been made fun of his whole life due to having the same name as the tobacco brand Philip Morris. Morris also co-starred in the TV remake of "" as tech wizard Grant Collier (son of Barney Collier, who was played in the by Morris's real-life father Greg Morris). He voiced the supporting role of Dr. Sweet in Disney's 2001 film "" as well as its 2003 sequel, "". He played one of Will Smith's college professors on the NBC show "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and played Dr. Clay Spencer on the then-UPN television show "Girlfriends".


title: Phil Morris (actor)

text: Morris portrayed the DC Comics superhero Martian Manhunter on the TV series "Smallville", starting in the sixth-season episode "Labyrinth" in 2007. He reprised that role on the show's sixth-season finale, as well as the episodes "Bizarro" and "Cure" in the seventh season, the episodes "Odyssey", "Prey" and "Bulletproof" in the eighth season, and the episodes "Absolute Justice", "Checkmate" and "Salvation" in the ninth season.


title: Phil Morris (actor)

text: As a voice actor, he portrayed the villains Imperiex on "Legion of Superheroes", and as the Immortal Caveman Vandal Savage on "Justice League" and "". He voiced W'Kabi in the animated series "Black Panther". He appeared on one episode each of the series "" and "Seven Days". Though largely unnoticed, Morris also was the voice of Paul the Apostle in Zondervan's "The Bible Experience". Morris also made a cameo appearance as Miles Dyson in photographs in the television series "". He provided the voice of the character Doc Saturday in the animated show "The Secret Saturdays". He also played a major supporting role in the PlayStation 2 game "", as Merc, one of the combat bots that accompany the main character Ratchet. He also worked as a voice actor on "The PJs"; according to Morris, co-creator and star Eddie Murphy didn't want to show up on some days to record the voice of Thurgood Stubbs, so the producers hired Morris to record Thurgood's lines, where he worked in a separate booth with the other actors, allowing the producers to replace Morris' recordings with Murphy's voice in case Murphy decided he wanted to record his dialogue. He did several voices in the animated film "" as Hansen and Glenn. He played Delroy Jones on the TV One series "Love That Girl!," Saint Walker on the Cartoon Network series "", and Ultra Richard on the Cartoon Hangover series "SuperF*ckers". He also voices Plank in the "Sofia the First" episode "The Floating Palace", Green Arrow and Hawkman in the film "" and Vandal Savage in the film "".


title: Phil Morris (actor)

text: Morris has been married to interior designer Carla Gittelson since 1983. Together they have two children. He is a practitioner of Wing Chun under Sifu Hawkins Cheung.


title: Keir Gilchrist

text: Keir David Peters Gilchrist (; born 28 September 1992) is a Canadian actor and musician. On television, he portrayed Marshall Gregson on the Showtime comedy-drama "United States of Tara" (2009–2011) and headlined the Netflix comedy-drama "Atypical" (2017–2021). His film roles include the comedy-drama "It's Kind of a Funny Story" (2010) and the supernatural horror "It Follows" (2014). Outside of his acting career, Gilchrist is the vocalist of grindcore band Whelm and death metal band Phalanx.


title: Keir Gilchrist

text: Gilchrist was born in Camden Town, London, to Canadian parents Catherine (née Peters) and Ian Gilchrist. His maternal grandfather was banker, economist, and politician Douglas Peters, and his uncle is economist David Wilfrid Peters. Gilchrist spent his early years in London, before relocating to Boston, Massachusetts, during his childhood, then to New York City, before finally settling in Toronto, Ontario.


title: Keir Gilchrist

text: Gilchrist attended the Annex Children's Theatre. Gilchrist's first significant television role was that of Josh McKellar on Fox's short-lived television sitcom "The Winner", which aired in 2007. From 2009 until its ending in 2011, Gilchrist co-starred as Marshall Gregson, the son of the lead character, on the Showtime comedy-drama series "United States of Tara".


title: Keir Gilchrist

text: In 2009, Gilchrist won the lead role of Craig Gilner in the film "It's Kind of a Funny Story", which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2010.


title: Keir Gilchrist

text: In 2015, he played the lead role of Daniel Austin in the film "Dark Summer", starred as John Lovett in "The Stanford Prison Experiment" and William in "Len and Company", and had a role in the short drama film "Share".


title: Keir Gilchrist

text: In August 2017, he began starring as Sam Gardner, a teen on the autism spectrum, in the Netflix comedy-drama "Atypical". The fourth and final season of "Atypical" was released on 9 July 2021.


title: Dipangkorn Rasmijoti

text: Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti Sirivibulyarajakumar (born 29 April 2005; ; ; ) is a member of the country's Chakri dynasty and heir presumptive to the throne of Thailand. He is the fifth son and seventh and youngest child of King Vajiralongkorn; his mother is Srirasmi Suwadee, the king's third legal wife. His father also has a daughter by his first wife, and five children (four sons and a daughter) by his second wife; all the children of the second wife were born before the then-Crown Prince married their mother but were legitimised by their marriage. After the Crown Prince divorced his second wife in 1996, he disowned their four sons. Thus, Dipangkorn is the only recognised son of the king.


title: Dipangkorn Rasmijoti

text: Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti was born by Caesarean section on 29 April 2005 at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok. On 15 June 2005, King Bhumibol Adulyadej proclaimed the prince's name.


title: Dipangkorn Rasmijoti

text: The prince is styled His Royal Highness. A royal ceremony, called Phra Ratchaphithi Somphot Duean Lae Khuen Phra U (), to celebrate the prince's first month was held on 17 June 2005 at Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in Bangkok.


title: Dipangkorn Rasmijoti

text: Prince Dipangkorn started his education at in Dusit Palace, before going to study abroad at Bavarian International School (BIS) in Bavaria, Germany.


title: Dipangkorn Rasmijoti

text: Prince Dipangkorn is the heir presumptive to his father and first in line to the throne. However, because of Vajiralongkorn's December 2014 divorce from Srirasmi Suwadee, Dipangkorn's position in the line of succession is uncertain. The 1924 Palace Law of Succession lists "the order in the line of succession", following the first-born son of the king to be "the first-born son of the said prince and his royal consort" followed by "younger sons, in order, of the said prince and his royal consort." When Vajiralongkorn ended his relationship with his second wife in 1996, he disowned their four sons and said they had renounced their royal titles. However, the Royal Palace continued to recognize their right to use the style HSH, or His Serene Highness.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: The Stridsvagn 103 (Strv 103), also known as the Alternative S and S-tank, is a Swedish post-World War II main battle tank, designed and manufactured in Sweden. "Strv" is the Swedish military abbreviation of "stridsvagn", Swedish for chariot and tank (literally "combat carriage"), while the "103" comes from being the third tank in Swedish service to be equipped with a 10 cm gun.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: Developed in the 1950s, it was the first main battle tank to use a gas turbine engine and the only mass-produced tank since World War II to dispense with a turret besides the German Kanonenjagdpanzer. It has an unconventional design with a unique gun laying process: it is turretless with a fixed gun traversed by engaging the tracks (like the 75 mm gun on the 1930s French Char B1) and elevated by adjusting the hull suspension.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: The result was a very low-profile design with an emphasis on survivability and heightened crew protection level. Strv 103s formed a major portion of the Swedish armoured forces from the 1960s to the 1990s, when, along with the Centurions, it was replaced by the Leopard 2 variants Stridsvagn 121 and Stridsvagn 122.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: While most turretless armoured fighting vehicles are classified as assault guns or tank destroyers, the Strv 103 is considered a tank since its designated combat role matched those of other tanks within contemporary Swedish doctrine.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: In the mid-1950s, the Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration's Ordnance Department put out a contract tender for next generation tank design to replace their Centurions. A consortium of Landsverk, Volvo and Bofors responded with a suggestion to revive an earlier domestic heavy tank design, known under the codename KRV, fitted with a 155 mm smoothbore gun in an oscillating turret. However, this configuration was deemed too expensive in comparison to the alternatives: "A" ("Anglo-American"), which was to purchase a 50-ton tank with high protection and mediocre mobility from either the UK or US; or "Alternative T" (""Tysk-Fransk"", or "German-French") was a 30-ton tank with low protection and good mobility. Then, in 1956, Sven Berge of the Swedish Arms Administration proposed "Alternativ S", a domestic alternative ("S" standing for "Swedish").


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: Studies of casualty reports from World War II and the Korean War revealed that the risk of being hit in combat was strongly related to height, with more than half of tank losses being the result of the turret being penetrated. Berge therefore concluded that any new design should be as low as possible. The radical solution was to eliminate the turret, which would also dispose of a vulnerable target area and make the tank much lighter. In terms of absolute height, the final design did not give the Strv 103 any significant advantage over its most likely opponent, the T-62. The latter was just slightly taller with in height with its turret versus the of the Strv 103. On the other hand, the Swedish Centurions towered over both with their – in height. However, the T-62 paid for its low profile with an extremely cramped interior and lack of gun depression. Tanks are often deployed in hull-down firing positions, either behind dug entrenchments or using the crest of a hill, in order to reduce the exposure of the vehicle to enemy fire. In this firing position, the level of exposure is determined by the distance between the bottom of the gun barrel and the top of the turret or vehicle, and the angle to which the vehicle is able to depress the gun barrel. Since the Strv 103 orients the entire tank to depress and elevate the barrel, in a hull down position it has very little apparent height and subsequent visual profile to the enemy. It could also lower the hull a further by adjusting the suspension.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: Being familiar with both the French Char B1's precision transmission, the exceptional turning performance of the short tracked assault guns, and the combat performance of the German StuG and Jagdpanzer series inspired Berge's design to solve the aiming problem through the use of a fully automated transmission and suspension system, which precisely turned and tilted the tank under the gunner's control. The gun itself would be fixed to the hull. This made it impossible to use a stabilised gun. As a result, the tank could not accurately move and fire at the same time, but the Swedish experience with Centurions suggested that, in order for tanks to reach acceptable accuracy, they would need to come to a halt anyway, and wrongly estimated that no breakthrough in stabilisation technology was likely within the foreseeable future.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: Other features of the tank were also quite radical. The rifled gun, a Bofors 105 mm L74 with a barrel length of 62 Calibers, was able to use the same ammunition as the British Royal Ordnance L7, and would be equipped with an autoloader allowing a rate of fire of one round every three seconds, also allowing the crew to be reduced to two; a gunner/driver and the commander (most designs of the era used a crew of four), with one person being able to handle all functions of the tank from the ordinary position due to duplicate controls. This would of course only be used in emergencies, as the workload would be overwhelming, but apart from providing redundancy it also allowed the crew to shift tasks between them as situation required. The concept went through practical tests, that quickly revealed that a two-man crew would not be self-sufficient when considering the many tasks not directly related to handling the tank: in particular, routine maintenance, bivouacking, track-changes and reloading in field. While the last issue could have been solved by adding staff to the ammunition crews, it was decided that a third crew-member was needed. To enhance combat effectiveness, the third man was to be assigned as a rear driver/radio operator, facing the rear of the tank and equipped with a complete setup for driving. This allowed the tank to be driven backwards at the same speed as forwards, keeping its frontal armour pointed at the enemy, while relieving the commander of routine radio duty. The commander and gunner/driver both had the same set of sights and controls to fire the gun and drive the tank.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: The tank was uniquely powered by two different kind of engines, a Rolls-Royce K60 opposed-piston diesel for slow cruising and manoeuvring the tank in aiming, and a Boeing 502 turbine for more power when travelling at higher speed or in severe terrain. The turbine was quickly found to be underpowered, and was replaced by a Caterpillar turbine delivering after no more than 70 tanks had been produced, and retrofitted to all previous vehicles. This was the first use of a turbine engine in a production tank; the Soviet T-80 and US M1 Abrams would later be built with gas turbines for main propulsion. The concept was interesting enough that Bofors was asked to build a prototype of the suspension/drive train, which they completed successfully.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: The Strv 103 was fully amphibious. A flotation screen could be erected around the upper hull in about 20 minutes, and the tracks would drive the tank at about in water.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: One tank in each platoon was fitted with a dozer blade under the front hull, which was from outside the tank manually dropped and locked into working position with pins and support struts. The blade allowed it to do simple engineering task, like digging fire pits for the platoon, filling trenches for ease of passage and so forth. Once the task was completed, the blade was again manually returned to the position under the front hull and locked in place. Upon the introduction of the 103C model all tanks had a bulldozer blade fitted, both to speed up operations and for the increased protection of the lower hull.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: In preparation for the defence plan of 1958 ("Försvarsbeslut 1958 (FB58)") in Riksdagen (Swedish parliament), the procurement set "Alternativ S" against the two foreign alternatives "Alternativ A" and "Alternativ T". While the domestic alternative was going to be more expensive, the defence committee report recommended "S" when weighing in the symbolic value of a domestic tank for a neutral country as well as the spin-off effects on Swedish industrial competence.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: Riksdagen made the formal decision regarding FB58 on 4 February 1958, and a follow-on contract called for two production prototypes, which were completed in 1961. By this point, the army was so satisfied with the design that an initial pre-production order for 10 was placed in 1960.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: With minor changes, the "Alternativ S" was adopted as the "Stridsvagn 103" ("103" from being the third tank with a 10 cm calibre gun accepted into Swedish service). Full production started in 1967 and ended in 1971 with 290 delivered. The changes included a new gyro-stabilised commander's cupola armed with a 7.62 mm KSP 58 machine gun, and upgraded frontal armour. A unique slat armor grid could be mounted at the front to help defeat high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds; however, it was kept secret for many years and was to be fitted only in the event of war.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: Despite its design, the Strv 103 was intended for offensive operations. The armoured brigades of the Swedish Army, which operated the Strv 103, were designated "anfallsbrigader" (assault brigades) and tasked with launching counter-offensives on enemy beachheads and airborne landings. The stated Swedish armoured doctrine contemporary to the tank describes an aggressive approach to armoured warfare, even in defensive situations. The design of the Strv 103, with its low profile, was based on protection rather than defensive battlefield behaviour.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: In 1980, the Swedish Army requested all tanks in the inventory to be scrapped and replaced with an unspecified Stridsvagn 2000 (tank for usage past year 2000). In 1982, the Riksdag decided for severe reduction of the military budget in Defence Act of 1982, and instead decided the tank-fleet should go through a renovation and modification (REMO) to at least somewhat bring them up to standard while within the economic limits imposed.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: The Stridsvagn 103 never saw combat and so its design remains unproven. However, for its intended role in the 1960s, it had numerous advantages. In 1967, Norway carried out a two-week comparative observation test with the Leopard 1 and found that, with closed hatches, the 103 spotted more targets and fired faster than the Leopard while the situation was reversed when operating with hatches open. In April to September 1968, two 103s were tested at the British armour school in Bovington, which reported that "the turretless concept of the "S"-tank holds considerable advantage over turreted tanks". In 1973, the BAOR tested the 103. British crewmen received six weeks training and the vehicles were serviced by Swedish engineers. Over nine days of manoeuvres alongside the Chieftain tank, availability never fell under 90% and the final report stated, "It has not been possible to prove any disadvantage in the "S" inability to fire on the move." In 1975, two 103s were tested at the American armour center at Fort Knox. The trial demonstrated that the 103 fired more accurately than the M60A1E3, but on an average of 0.5 seconds slower.


title: Stridsvagn 103

text: In comparison with the Centurion, the shorter track of the Strv 103 meant it performed worse on soft ground (mud and snow), and its trench taking and vertical obstacle capabilities were also significantly lower: where the Centurion climbed a 100 cm wall, the 103 was barely able to climb an 80 cm wall. On hard terrain, the 103 on the other hand was far more manoeuvrable.


title: Mickey Mouse Funhouse

text: Mickey Mouse Funhouse is an American CGI-animated children's television series created by Phil Weinstein and Thomas Hart and is the successor to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures. The series debuted with a special on July 16, 2021, and was followed by the official premiere on Disney Junior on August 20. In October 2021, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on November 4, 2022. In June 2022, the series was renewed for a third season.


title: Mickey Mouse Funhouse

text: Disney Junior created the series to continue its pattern of original pre-school animated series set within the Mickey Mouse universe. Many key members of the creative team of "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" and "Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures" developed the series.


title: Mickey Mouse Funhouse

text: Mickey Mouse returns with his friends Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto. The friends meet Funny, an enchanted, talking, and energetic playhouse. Funny magically transports the group of friends to a range of destinations which allows them to embark on adventures unique to that land. He can also change his shape and appearance to match the new surroundings, and can even project his face on any surface to communicate with Mickey and friends.


title: Mickey Mouse Funhouse

text: "Mickey Mouse Funhouse" begun production in 2020, a new animated series which was to premiere on the network Disney Junior in 2021. Produced by Disney Television Animation, the series was developed by executive producer Phil Weinstein, as well as co-executive producer Thomas Hart, and story editor Mark Drop, who had previously worked on "Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures" as part of the creative team. The new series introduced an additional character, Funny. Each episode of the series features two 11-minute stories separated by a regular "dance break" interlude. On October 19, 2021, Disney Junior renewed the series for a second season. On June 15, 2022, Disney Junior renewed the series for a third season.


title: Mickey Mouse Funhouse

text: The main cast from the previous show, including Bret Iwan, Bill Farmer, Kaitlyn Robrock (replacing Russi Taylor due to her death in 2019), Tress MacNeille, and Tony Anselmo (replacing Daniel Ross after being replaced himself in "Mixed-Up Adventures"), return. Joining them is Harvey Guillén, voicing the character Funny, an enchanted talking playhouse, among others. This show notably marked the last time that Will Ryan voiced Willie the Giant before his death in November 2021. In 2022, Debra Wilson and Jan Johns replaced Tress MacNeille as the voice of Daisy and Chip respectively, due to MacNeille becoming occupied with other projects. MacNeille still voiced Chip along with Corey Burton as Dale. He also voiced Ludwig Von Drake.


title: Mickey Mouse Funhouse

text: Alan Bodner, who worked on "Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure", serves as the series' art director. For his direction of "Mickey the Brave!", Bodner stated that he drew inspiration from "The Mickey Mouse Club", recalling the colourful and imaginative sets. The animation was also influenced by the colourful and fantastical artwork featured in "Alice in Wonderland".


title: Mickey Mouse Funhouse

text: "Mickey Mouse Funhouse" premiered with a prime time special entitled "Mickey the Brave!" on July 16, 2021 on Disney Junior. This episode was released on Disney+ on July 23. It was also released on September 30, 2021, in Southeast Asia, but only lasted a day prior to the shutdown of the channel on October 1, 2021.In Vietnam, after Q.net television recreated the animation structure, It was released on 1 October, 2021 on SKTV Kids at 18:00 p.m.


title: Mickey Mouse Funhouse

text: The full series premiered on August 20 with a simulcast on Disney Junior and Disney Channel. The series was released on Disney+ on November 10, 2021.


title: Mickey Mouse Funhouse

text: A prime time special entitled "Pirate Adventure" premiered on August 19, 2022 with a simulcast on Disney Junior and Disney Channel.


title: Mickey Mouse Funhouse

text: Joly Herman of "Common Sense Media" rated the television series 3 out of 5 stars, complimented the presence of educational value and positive messages, citing creativity and social-emotional lessons dealing with friendship, while saying the show manages to be entertaining.


title: M198 howitzer

text: The M198 is a medium-sized, towed 155 mm artillery piece, developed for service with the United States Army and Marine Corps. It was commissioned to be a replacement for the World War II-era M114 155 mm howitzer. It was designed and prototyped at the Rock Island Arsenal in 1969 with firing tests beginning in 1970 and went into full production there in 1978. It entered service in 1979 and since then 1,600 units have been produced.


title: M198 howitzer

text: The M198 155 mm howitzer weighs less than , allowing it to be dropped by parachute or transported by a CH-53E Super Stallion or CH-47 Chinook. The M198 is a towed howitzer that is transported tail first. The gun tube can be rotated over the howitzer's trail legs to reduce its length, though this requires removal of the muzzle brake, or left in the firing position for faster deployment. When firing, the weapon is lowered onto its baseplate rather than being anchored to the ground, allowing for rapid emplacement. The breech is operated manually via a screw type mechanism that rests low in an ergonomic position.


title: M198 howitzer

text: The M198 fires separate-loading (non-fixed) ammunition and can be loaded with a variety of propellants and projectiles. The effective range is 18.1 kilometers when firing standard projectiles, which increases to 30 kilometers when firing rocket-assisted projectiles and guided ammunition. With the 52-caliber modification the range can surpass 40 kilometers. The weapon system requires a crew of 9 and is capable of firing at a maximum rate of four rounds per minute, two sustained.


title: M198 howitzer

text: The M198 was deployed in separate corps- and army-level field artillery units, as well as in artillery battalions of light and airborne divisions. It provided field artillery fire support for all Marine Air-Ground Task Force organizations until the adoption of the M777 howitzer.


title: M198 howitzer

text: BAE Systems won the contract to replace the M198 in the US Army and Marine Corps with its M777 155 mm/39 cal towed howitzer, which weighs less than . It was introduced in 2005.


title: Konkani language

text: Konkani () is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Konkani people, primarily in the Konkan region, along the western coast of India. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages mentioned in the Indian Constitution, and the official language of the Indian state of Goa. It is a minority language in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat & Damaon, Diu & Silvassa.


title: Konkani language

text: Konkani is a member of the Southern Indo-Aryan language group. It retains elements of Vedic structures and shows similarities with both Western and Eastern Indo-Aryan languages. The first Konkani inscription is dated 1187 A.D.


title: Konkani language

text: There are many Konkani dialects spoken along and beyond the Konkan region, from Damaon in the north to Carwar in the south, most of which are only partially and mutually intelligible with one another due to a lack of linguistic contact and exchanges with the standard and principal forms of Konkani. It is also spoken by migrants outside of the Konkan proper; in Surat, Cochin, Mangalore, Ahmedabad, Karachi, New Delhi etc. Dialects such as Malvani, Chitpavani, East Indian, Koli & Aagri in coastal Maharashtra; are also threatened by language assimilation into the linguistic majority of non-Konkani states and territories of India.


title: Konkani language

text: Konkani belongs to the Indo-Aryan language branch. It is part of the Marathi-Konkani group of the southern Indo-Aryan languages. It is inflexive, and less distant from Sanskrit as compared to other modern Indo-Aryan languages. Linguists describe Konkani as a fusion of variety of Prakrits. This could be attributed to the confluence of immigrants that the Konkan coast has witnessed over the years.


title: Konkani language

text: It is quite possible that Old Konkani was just referred to as "Prakrit" by its speakers. Reference to the name "Konkani" is not found in literature prior to the 13th century. The first reference of the name "Konkani" is in "Abhanga 263" of the 13th century Hindu Marathi saint poet, Namadeva (1270–1350). Konkani has been known by a variety of names: "Canarim, Concanim, Gomantaki, Bramana," and "Goani". Learned Marathi speakers tend to call it "Gomantaki".


title: Konkani language

text: Konkani was commonly referred to as "Língua Canarim" by the Portuguese and "Língua Brahmana" by Catholic missionaries. The Portuguese later started referring to Konkani as "Língua Concanim". The name "Canarim" or "Língua Canarim", which is how the 16th century European Jesuit Thomas Stephens refers to it in the title of his famous work "Arte da lingoa Canarim" has always been intriguing. It is possible that the term is derived from the Persian word for coast, "kinara"; if so, it would mean "the language of the coast". The problem is that this term overlaps with "Kanarese" or Kannada. All the European authors, however, recognised two forms of the language in Goa: the plebeian, called "Canarim", and the more regular (used by the educated classes), called "Língua Canarim Brâmana" or simply "Brâmana de Goa". The latter was the preferred choice of the Europeans, and also of other castes, for writing, sermons, and religious purposes.


title: Konkani language

text: The substratum of the Konkani language lies in the speech of Austroasiatic tribes called Kurukh, Oraon, and Kukni, whose modern representatives are languages like Kurukh and its dialects including Kurux, Kunrukh, Kunna, and Malto. According to the Indian Anthropological Society, these Australoid tribes speaking Austro-Asiatic or Munda languages who once inhabited Konkan, migrated to Northern India (Chota Nagpur Plateau, Mirzapur) and are not found in Konkan any more. Olivinho Gomes in his essay "Medieval Konkani Literature" also mentions the Mundari substratum. Goan Indologist Anant Shenvi Dhume identified many Austro-Asiatic Munda words in Konkani, like "mund", "mundkar", "dhumak", "goem-bab". This substratum is very prominent in Konkani.


title: Konkani language

text: The grammatical impact of the Dravidian languages on the structure and syntax of Indo-Aryan languages is difficult to fathom. Some linguists explain this anomaly by arguing that Middle Indo-Aryan and New Indo-Aryan were built on a Dravidian substratum.


title: Konkani language

text: Some examples of Konkani words of Dravidian origin are: "naall" (coconut), "madval" (washerman), "choru" (cooked rice) and "mulo" (radish). Linguists also suggest that the substratum of Marathi and Konkani is more closely related to Dravidian Kannada.


title: Konkani language

text: Migrations of Indo-Aryan vernacular speakers have occurred throughout the history of the Indian west coast. Around 2400 BC the first wave of Indo-Aryans dialect speakers might have occurred, with the second wave appearing around 1000–700 BC. Many spoke old Indo-Aryan vernacular languages, which may be loosely related to Vedic Sanskrit; others still spoke Dravidian and Desi dialects. Thus the ancient Konkani Prakrit was born as a confluence of the Indo-Aryan dialects while accepting many words from Dravidian speech. Some linguists assume Shauraseni to be its progenitor whereas some call it Paisaci. The influence of Paisachi over Konkani can be proved in the findings of Dr. Taraporewala, who in his book "Elements of Science of Languages" (Calcutta University) ascertained that Konkani showed many Dardic features that are found in present-day Kashmiri. Thus, the archaic form of old Konkani is referred to as Paishachi by some linguists. This progenitor of Konkani (or Paishachi Apabhramsha) has preserved an older form of phonetic and grammatic development, showing a great variety of verbal forms found in Sanskrit and a large number of grammatical forms that are not found in Marathi. (Examples of this are found in many works like "Dnyaneshwari", and "Leela Charitra".) Konkani thus developed with overall Sanskrit complexity and grammatical structure, which eventually developed into a lexical fund of its own. The second wave of Indo-Aryans is believed to have been accompanied by Dravidians from the Deccan plateau. Paishachi is also considered to be an Aryan language spoken by Dravidians.


title: Konkani language

text: Goa and Konkan were ruled by the Konkan Mauryas and the Bhojas; as a result, numerous migrations occurred from north, east and western India. Immigrants spoke various vernacular languages, which led to a mixture of features of Eastern and Western Prakrit. It was later substantially influenced by Magadhi Prakrit. The overtones of Pali (the liturgical language of the Buddhists) also played a very important role in the development of Konkani Apabhramsha grammar and vocabulary. A major number of linguistic innovations in Konkani are shared with Eastern Indo-Aryan languages like Bengali and Oriya, which have their roots in Magadhi.


title: Konkani language

text: Maharashtri Prakrit is the ancestor of Marathi and Konkani, it was the official language of the Satavahana Empire that ruled Goa and Konkan in the early centuries of the Common Era. Under the patronage of the Satavahana Empire, Maharashtri became the most widespread Prakrit of its time. Studying early Maharashtri compilations, many linguists have called Konkani "the first-born daughter of Maharashtri". This old language that was prevalent contemporary to old Marathi is found to be distinct from its counterpart.


title: Konkani language

text: The Sauraseni impact on Konkani is not as prominent as that of Maharashtri. Very few Konkani words are found to follow the Sauraseni pattern. Konkani forms are rather more akin to Pali than the corresponding Sauraseni forms. The major Sauraseni influence on Konkani is the "ao" sound found at the end of many nouns in Sauraseni, which becomes "o" or "u" in Konkani. Examples include: "dando", "suno", "raakhano", "dukh", "rukhu", "manisu" (from Prakrit), "dandao", "sunnao", "rakkhakao", "dukkhao", "vukkhao", "vrukkhao", and "mannisso". Another example could be the sound of "ण" at the beginning of words; it is still retained in many Konkani words of archaic Shauraseni origin, such as णव (nine). Archaic Konkani born out of Shauraseni vernacular Prakrit at the earlier stage of the evolution (and later Maharashtri Prakrit), was commonly spoken until 875 AD, and at its later phase ultimately developed into Apabhramsha, which could be called a predecessor of old Konkani.


title: Konkani language

text: Although most of the stone inscriptions and copper plates found in Goa (and other parts of Konkan) from the 2nd century BC to the 10th century AD are in Prakrit-influenced Sanskrit (mostly written in early Brahmi and archaic Dravidian Brahmi), most of the places, grants, agricultural-related terms, and names of some people are in Konkani. This suggests that Konkani was spoken in Goa and Konkan.


title: Konkani language

text: Though it belongs to the Indo-Aryan group, Konkani was influenced by a language of the Dravidian family. A branch of the Kadambas, who ruled Goa for a long period, had their roots in Karnataka. Konkani was never used for official purposes. Another reason Kannada influenced Konkani was the proximity of original Konkani-speaking territories to Karnataka. Old Konkani documents show considerable Kannada influence on grammar as well as vocabulary. Like southern Dravidian languages, Konkani has prothetic glides "y-" and "w-". The Kannada influence is more evident in Konkani syntax. The question markers in "yes/no" questions and the negative marker are sentence final. Copula deletion in Konkani is remarkably similar to Kannada. Phrasal verbs are not so commonly used in Indo-Aryan languages; however, Konkani spoken in Dravidian regions has borrowed numerous phrasal verb patterns.


title: Konkani language

text: The Kols, Kharwas, Yadavas, and Lothal migrants all settled in Goa during the pre-historic period and later. "Chavada", a tribe of warriors (now known as "Chaddi" or "Chaddo"), migrated to Goa from Saurashtra, during the 7th and 8th century AD, after their kingdom was destroyed by the Arabs in 740. Royal matrimonial relationships between the two states, as well as trade relationships, had a major impact on Goan society. Many of these groups spoke different Nagar Apabhramsha dialects, which could be seen as precursors of modern Gujarati.


title: Konkani language

text: An inscription at the foot of the colossal Jain monolith Bahubali (The word "gomateshvara" apparently comes from Konkani "" which means "beautiful" or "handsome" and "īśvara" "lord".) at Shravanabelagola of 981 CE reads, in a variant of Nāgarī: The language of these lines is Konkani according to S.B. Kulkarni (former head of Department of Marathi, Nagpur University) and Jose Pereira (former professor, Fordham University, USA).


title: Konkani language

text: Another inscription in Nāgarī, of Shilahara King Aparaditya II of the year 1187 AD in Parel reportedly contains Konkani words, but this has not been reliably verified.


title: Konkani language

text: Many stone and copper-plate inscriptions found in Goa and Konkan are written in Konkani. The grammar and the base of such texts is in Konkani, whereas very few verbs are in Marathi. Copper plates found in Ponda dating back to the early 13th century, and from Quepem in the early 14th century, have been written in Goykanadi. One such stone inscription or "shilalekh" (written Nāgarī) is found at the Nageshi temple in Goa (dating back to the year 1463 AD). It mentions that the (then) ruler of Goa, Devaraja Gominam, had gifted land to the Nagueshi Maharudra temple when Nanjanna Gosavi was the religious head or "Pratihasta" of the state. It mentions words like, "kullgga", "kulaagra", "naralel", "tambavem", and "tilel".


title: Konkani language

text: A piece of hymn dedicated to Lord Narayana attributed to the 12th century AD says: A hymn from the later 16th century goes


title: Konkani language

text: Early Konkani was marked by the use of pronouns like "dzo", "jī", and "jẽ". These are replaced in contemporary Konkani by "koṇa". The conjunctions "yedō" and "tedō" ("when" and "then") which were used in early Konkani are no longer in use. The use of "-viyalẽ" has been replaced by "-aylẽ". The pronoun "moho", which is similar to the Brajbhasha word "mōhē" has been replaced by "mākā".


title: Konkani language

text: This era was marked by several invasions of Goa and subsequent exodus of some Konkani families to Canara (today's coastal Karnataka), and Cochin.


title: Konkani language

text: These events caused the Konkani language to develop into multiple dialects with multiple scripts. The exodus to coastal Karnataka and Kerala required Konkani speakers in these regions to learn the local languages. This caused penetration of local words into the dialects of Konkani spoken by these speakers. Examples include "dār" (door) giving way to the word "bāgil". Also, the phoneme "a" in the Salcette dialect was replaced by the phoneme "o".


title: Konkani language

text: Other Konkani communities came into being with their own dialects of Konkani. The Konkani Muslim communities of Ratnagiri and Bhatkal came about due to a mixture of intermarriages of Arab seafarers and locals as well as conversions of Hindus to Islam. Another migrant community that picked up Konkani are the Siddis, who are descended from Bantu peoples from South East Africa that were brought to the Indian subcontinent as slaves.


title: Konkani language

text: Contemporary Konkani is written in Devanagari, Kannada, Malayalam, Persian, and Roman scripts. It is written by speakers in their native dialects. The Goan Antruz dialect in the Devanagari script has been promulgated as Standard Konkani.


title: Konkani language

text: Konkani language was in decline, due to the use of Portuguese as the official and social language among the Christians, the predominance of Marathi over Konkani among Hindus, and the Konkani Christian-Hindu divide. Seeing this, Vaman Raghunath Varde Valaulikar set about on a mission to unite all Konkanis, Hindus as well as Christians, regardless of caste or religion. He saw this movement not just as a nationalistic movement against Portuguese rule, but also against the pre-eminence of Marathi over Konkani. Almost single-handedly he crusaded, writing a number of works in Konkani. He is regarded as the pioneer of modern Konkani literature and affectionately remembered as Shenoi Goembab. His death anniversary, 9 April, is celebrated as World Konkani Day (Vishwa Konkani Dis).


title: Konkani language

text: Madhav Manjunath Shanbhag, an advocate by profession from Karwar, who with a few like-minded companions travelled throughout all the Konkani speaking areas, sought to unite the fragmented Konkani community under the banner of "one language, one script, one literature". He succeeded in organising the first All India Konkani Parishad in Karwar in 1939. Successive Adhiveshans of All India Konkani Parishad were held at various places in subsequent years. 27 annual Adhiveshans of All India Konkani Parishad have been held so far.


title: Konkani language

text: Pandu Putti Kolambkar an eminent social worker of Kodibag, Karwar was a close associate of Shri Waman Raghunath Shennoi Varde Valaulikar, strove hard for the upliftment of Konkani in Karwar (North Kanara) and Konkan Patti.


title: Konkani language

text: Following India's independence and its subsequent annexation of Goa in 1961, Goa was absorbed into the Indian Union as a Union Territory, directly under central administration.