title: Walloon language

text: Despite its rich literature, beginning anonymously in the 16th century and with well-known authors since 1756, the use of Walloon has decreased markedly since France's annexation of Wallonia in 1794. This period definitively established French as the language of social promotion, far more than it was before. After World War I, public schools provided French-speaking education to all children, inducing a denigration of Walloon, especially when accompanied by official orders in 1952 to punish its use in schools. Subsequently, since the middle of the 20th century, generational transmission of the language has decreased, resulting in Walloon almost becoming a dead language. Today it is scarcely spoken among younger people, with vast majority of its native speakers being the elderly (aged 65 and over). In 2007, the number of people with knowledge of the language was estimated at 600,000.


title: Walloon language

text: Numerous associations, especially theatre companies, are working to keep the language alive. Formally recognized as a "" (regional indigenous language) of Belgium since 1990, Walloon has also benefited from a continued corpus planning process. The "Feller system" (1900) regularized transcription of the different accents. Since the 1990s, a common orthography was established (the ), which allowed large-scale publications, such as the officially in 2003. In 2004, a Walloon translation of a "Tintin" comic was released under the name "L'èmerôde d'al Castafiore"; in 2007 an album consisting of Gaston Lagaffe comic strips was published in Walloon.


title: Walloon language

text: Walloon is more distinct as a language than Belgian French, which differs from the French spoken in France only in some minor points of vocabulary and pronunciation.


title: Walloon language

text: Linguists had long classified Walloon as a dialect of French, which in turn is a ". Like French, it descended from Vulgar Latin. Arguing that a French-speaking person could not understand Walloon easily, especially in its eastern forms, Jules Feller (1859–1940) insisted that Walloon had an original "superior unity", which made it a language.


title: Walloon language

text: The phonological divisions of regional languages of southern Belgium were studied by the contemporary linguist E.B. Atwood. He defined the precise geographical repartition of the four chief dialects of Walloon. In addition, he defined them against the dialects of Picard, Lorrain and Champenois.


title: Walloon language

text: Since then, most linguists (among them Louis Remacle), and gradually also Walloon politicians, regard Walloon as a regional language, the first in importance in Wallonia. It is the only one to have originated from that part of Belgium. The eleventh edition of the "Encyclopædia Britannica" identified Walloon as the "northernmost Romance language".


title: Walloon language

text: Although Walloon was widely spoken until the mid-20th century, today only a small proportion of the inhabitants of the region are fluent in the language. Those born since the 1970s usually know little more than a few idiomatic expressions, often profanities. The Walloon language is still part of the Walloon heritage; it is one component of Walloon identity.


title: Walloon language

text: Despite local phonetic differences, there is a regional movement towards the adoption of a common spelling, called the . This orthography is diasystemic, reflecting different pronunciations for different readers, a concept inspired by the spelling of Breton. The written forms attempt to reconcile current phonetic uses with ancient traditions (notably the reintroduction of "xh" and "oi" that were used for writing Walloon until the late 19th century) and the language's own phonological logic.


title: Walloon language

text: The Picard, Lorrain and Champenois dialects spoken in Wallonia are sometimes also referred to as "Walloon", which may lead to confusion.


title: Walloon language

text: The Walloon alphabet generally consists of the basic ISO Latin Alphabet, and six types of diacritic. It also makes frequent use of digraphs. Various orthographies have been used, most notably the Feller system () and Unified Walloon ( or ).


title: Walloon language

text: Walloon is distinguished from other languages in the "langue d'oïl" family both by archaism coming from Latin and by its significant borrowing from Germanic languages, as expressed in its phonetics, its lexicon, and its grammar. At the same time, Walloon phonetics are singularly conservative: the language has stayed fairly close to the form it took during the High Middle Ages.


title: Walloon language

text: From a linguistic point of view, Louis Remacle has shown that a good number of the developments that we now consider typical of Walloon appeared between the 8th and 12th centuries. Walloon "had a clearly defined identity from the beginning of the 13th century". In any case, linguistic texts from the time do not mention the language, although they mention others in the "langue d'oïl" family, such as Picard and Lorrain. During the 15th century, scribes in the region called the language "Roman" when they needed to distinguish it. It is not until the beginning of the 16th century that first occurrence of the word "Walloon" appeared in the current linguistic sense. In 1510 or 1511, Jean Lemaire de Belges made the connection between ' to ':


title: Walloon language

text: The word "Walloon" thus came closer to its current meaning: the vernacular of the Roman part of the Low Countries. One might say that the period which saw the establishment of the unifying supremacy of the Burgundians in the Walloon country was a turning-point in their linguistic history. The crystallization of a Walloon identity, as opposed to that of the "" (i.e. Dutch-speaking) regions of the Low Countries, established "Walloon" as a word for designating its people. Somewhat later, the vernacular of these people became more clearly distinct from central French and other neighbouring "langues d'oïl", prompting the abandonment of the vague term "Roman" as a linguistic, ethnic, and political designator for "Walloon".


title: Walloon language

text: Also at this time, following the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts in 1539, the French language replaced Latin for all administrative purposes in France. Established as the academic language, French became the object of a political effort at normalization; "" posited the view that when two languages of the same language family coexist, each can be defined only in opposition to the other. Around the year 1600, the French writing system became dominant in the Wallonia. From this time, too, dates a tradition of texts written in a language marked by traces of spoken Walloon. The written language of the preceding centuries, "scripta", was a composite language with some Walloon characteristics but it did not attempt to be a systematic reproduction of the spoken language.


title: Walloon language

text: Walloon was the predominant language of the Walloon people until the beginning of the 20th century, although they had a passing knowledge of French. Since that time, the use of French has spread to the extent that now only 15% of the Walloon population speak their ancestral language. Breaking the statistics down by age, 70–80% of the population aged over 60 speak Walloon, while only about 10% of those under 30 do so. Passing knowledge of Walloon is much more widespread: claimed by some 36–58% of the younger age bracket. Laurent Hendschel estimates there are 1,300,000 bilingual people in Wallonia (Walloon-French, Picard-French...). Many French words that pertain to mining and to the textile trade derive from the Walloon-Picard complex.


title: Walloon language

text: Legally, Walloon has been recognized since 1990 by the French Community of Belgium, the cultural authority of Wallonia, as an "indigenous regional language" which must be studied in schools and encouraged. The Walloon cultural movement includes the "Union Culturelle Wallonne", an organization of over 200 amateur theatre circles, writers' groups, and school councils. About a dozen Walloon magazines publish regularly. The "", founded in 1856, promotes Walloon literature and the study (dialectology, etymology, etc.) of the regional Roman languages of Wallonia. There is a difference between the Walloon culture, according to the Manifesto for Walloon culture, and the Walloon language (even if the latter is a part of the culture).


title: Walloon language

text: Walloon-language literature has been printed since the 16th century, or at least since the beginning of the 17th century. It had its "golden age" during the peak of the Flemish immigration to Wallonia in the 19th century: "That period saw an efflorescence of Walloon literature, plays and poems primarily, and the founding of many theaters and periodicals."


title: Walloon language

text: The New York Public Library holds a large collection of literary works in Walloon, quite possibly the largest outside Belgium, and its holdings are representative of the output. Out of nearly a thousand works, twenty-six were published before 1880. Thereafter the numbers rise gradually year by year, reaching a peak of sixty-nine in 1903. After that, publications in Walloon fell markedly, to eleven in 1913. Yves Quairiaux counted 4,800 plays for 1860–1914, published or not. In this period, plays were almost the only popular entertainment in Wallonia. The Walloon-language theatre remains popular in the region; theatre is flourishing with more than 200 non-professional companies playing in the cities and villages of Wallonia for an audience of over 200,000 each year.


title: Walloon language

text: During the 19th-century renaissance of Walloon-language literature, several authors adapted versions of "Aesop's Fables" to the racy speech (and subject matter) of Liège. They included (in 1842); Joseph Lamaye (1845); and the team of (1847, 1851–1852) and François Bailleux (1851–1866), who covered books I-VI. Adaptations into other dialects were made by Charles Letellier (Mons, 1842) and Charles Wérotte (Namur, 1844). Decades later, Léon Bernus published some hundred imitations of La Fontaine in the dialect of "Charleroi" (1872); he was followed during the 1880s by , writing in the "Borinage" dialect under the pen-name "Bosquètia". In the 20th century, Joseph Houziaux (1946) published a selection of 50 fables in the "Condroz" dialect. The motive among Walloon speakers in both France and Belgium was to assert regional identity against the growing centralism and encroachment of the language of the capital, on what had until then been predominantly monoglot areas.


title: Walloon language

text: There are links between French literature and Walloon literature. For instance, the writer Raymond Queneau set the publication of a Walloon Poets' anthology for Editions Gallimard. "Ubu roi" was translated into Walloon by André Blavier, an important 'pataphysician of Verviers, and friend of Queneau, for the new and important Puppet theater of Liège of Jacques Ancion. The Al Botroûle theater operated "as the umbilical cord" in Walloon, indicating a desire to return to the source. Jacques Ancion also wanted to develop a regular adult audience. "From the 19th century he included the Walloon play "Tati l'Pèriquî" by E. Remouchamps and the avant-garde "Ubu roi" by A. Jarry." The scholar Jean-Marie Klinkenberg writes, "[T]he dialectal culture is no more a sign of attachment to the past but a way to participate to a new synthesis".


title: Walloon language

text: Walloon is also being used in popular song. The most well-known singer in Walloon in present-day Wallonia is William Dunker ( 15 March 1959).


title: Palakkad

text: Palakkad (), formerly known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery is a city and municipality in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the Palakkad District. Palakkad is most densely populated municipality and fourth densely populated city in Kerala. It was established before Indian independence under British rule and was known by the name Palghat. Palakkad is famous for the ancient Palakkad Fort, which is situated at the heart of the city and was captured and rebuilt by Hyder Ali in 1766. The city is situated about northeast of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.


title: Palakkad

text: The 18th-century Palakkad Fort has sturdy battlements, a moat, and a Hanuman temple on its grounds. North on the Kalpathy River, the 15th-century Viswanatha Swamy Temple is the main venue of the Ratholsavam chariot festival.The river Bharathappuzha flows through Palakkad. Palakkad is located on the northern bank of Bharathappuzha River.


title: Palakkad

text: Palakkad was included in the South Malabar region of Malabar District during the British Raj. The municipality of Palakkad was formed on 1 November 1866 according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850) of the British Indian Empire, along with the municipalities of Kozhikode, Kannur, Thalassery, and Fort Kochi, making them oldest modern municipalities in the state of Kerala.


title: Palakkad

text: Indian Institute of Technology, Palakkad is the first and only Indian Institute of Technology in Kerala. It is also home to Government Victoria College, one of the oldest institutes of higher education in the state, opened in 1888, and NSS College of Engineering, which was the fourth engineering college in Kerala, opened in 1960.


title: Palakkad

text: Palakkad Railway Division of Southern Railway Zone, one of the oldest Railway Division in India is headquartered here. A residential colony of the railway employees of Palakkad Railway Division known as Hemambika Nagar Railway Colony,one of the residential colonies under Southern Railway is also located near the office. The only school in the state run by Southern Railways is also located within the colony. Multi Disciplinary Divisional Training Institute (MDDTI) for Group C and D employees of the division,is also situated inside the colony.


title: Palakkad

text: The commonly held belief is that the name Palakkad is a fusion of two Malayalam words: "pāla", which is the local name for blackboard tree ("Alstonia scholaris"), and "kāṭŭ", which means forest.


title: Palakkad

text: The region around Coimbatore was ruled by the Cheras during Sangam period between the. first and fourth centuries CE and it served as the eastern entrance to the Palakkad Gap, the principal trade route between the Malabar Coast and Tamil Nadu. Palakkad city was ruled by the Palakkad Rajas ("Tarur Swaroopam"). "Palakkad Raja" had the right over the Taluks of Palakkad, Alathur, and Chittur. The original headquarters of "Palakkad Raja"s were at Athavanad, Tirur Taluk, in present-day Malappuram district. It is said that their lands at Athavanad area were given to the "Azhvanchery Thamprakkal" and the Palakkad-Chittur areas were bought from them instead. The territory of Palakkad Rajas had been under the Zamorin of Calicut for sometime.


title: Palakkad

text: In 1757, to resist the invasion of the Zamorin of Kozhikode, the Palakkad Raja sought the help of the Hyder Ali of Mysore. In 1766, Hyder Ali defeated the Zamorin of Kozhikode – an East India Company ally at the time – and absorbed Kozhikode into his state. The Hyder Ali rebuilt Palakkad Fort in 1766. The smaller princely states in northern and north-central parts of Kerala (Malabar District) including Kolathunadu, Kottayam, Kadathanadu, Kozhikode, Tanur, Valluvanad, and Palakkad were unified under Mysore and were made a part of the larger Kingdom of Mysore. His son and successor, Tipu Sultan, launched campaigns against the expanding British East India Company, resulting in two of the four Anglo-Mysore Wars.


title: Palakkad

text: Tipu ultimately ceded the Malabar District and South Kanara to the company in the 1790s as a result of the Third Anglo-Mysore War and the subsequent Treaty of Seringapatam; both were annexed to the Bombay Presidency (which had also included other regions in the western coast of India) of British India in the years 1792 and 1799, respectively. Later in 1800, both of the Malabar District and South Canara were separated from Bombay presidency to merge them with the neighbouring Madras Presidency. Palakkad was under British Raj until 1947.


title: Palakkad

text: The municipality of Palakkad was formed on 1 November 1866 according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850) of the British Indian Empire, along with the municipalities of Kozhikode, Kannur, Thalassery, and Fort Kochi, making them the first modern municipalities in the modern state of Kerala.


title: Palakkad

text: At the time of 1951 Census of India, Palakkad was the second-largest city in the erstwhile Malabar District after Kozhikode. At that time only two towns in Malabar was treated as cities: Kozhikode and Palakkad. Following the formation of the state of Kerala in 1956, the erstwhile Taluk of Palakkad in Malabar District was divided into three: Palakkad, Alathur, and Chittur, and Palakkad district was formed by taking parts of erstwhile Malabar District.


title: Palakkad

text: Palakkad is the gateway to Kerala due to the presence of the Palakkad Gap in the Western Ghats. The city is located in central Kerala. Malayalam is the official language in Palakkad. Two main tributaries of Bharathapuzha, Kalpathi River and Kannadi River flows through the city. Of the numerous dams in Palakkad district, the largest Malampuzha dam is from Palakkad city.


title: Palakkad

text: City is situated about northeast of state capital Trivandrum, of Kochi, southwest of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, northeast of Thrissur, and southeast of Kozhikode, which are mainly connected by National Highways namely, Salem-Kochi National Highway NH 544, and Kozhikode-Palakkad National Highway NH 966


title: Palakkad

text: Palakkad has a tropical wet and dry climate. Temperatures remain moderate throughout the year, with the exception being March and April, the hottest months. A very high amount of precipitation is received in Palakkad, mainly due to the South-West monsoon. July is the wettest month, and the total annual rainfall is around .


title: Palakkad

text: The nearest international airport is Coimbatore International Airport, which is about from Palakkad. However, Cochin International Airport and Calicut International Airport serve the city as well.


title: Palakkad

text: There has been a proposal for a mini domestic airport at East Yakkara with respect to setting up domestic airports for enhanced air connectivity by the civil aviation ministry of India. 60 acres has been identified for the project at East Yakkara Palakkad.


title: Palakkad

text: The Palakkad railway division is one of the six administrative divisions of the Southern Railway zone of Indian Railways, headquartered at Palakkad. It is the smallest railway division in Southern Railway. It was formed by dissolving the Podanur division. Managing 588 route kilometers of track in the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Mahé (in the Union Territory of Puducherry), it is one of the oldest railway divisions in India. The major stations under this railway division are , , , Tirur, , , , , , Mangalore Junction and .


title: Palakkad

text: The terminal facility of Palakkad division is situated in Shoranur Junction & Mangalore Central of Karnataka state.


title: Palakkad

text: The city is served by two railway stations – Palakkad Junction is a broad gauge railway junction (located at Olavakkode, about 4 km from Municipal bus stand) and Palakkad Town railway station located in the heart of the Palakkad city. The cities of Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam,Kozhikode,Coimbatore,Mangalore,Tiruppur,Erode, Salem, are connected by the broad gauge line. Train services to Pollachi, Dindigul and Madurai are through the broad gauge line through Palakkad Town station. Shoranur Junction Railway Station also has rail connections to Mangalore and the Konkan Railway, enabling travel towards Goa and Bombay. The trains coming from other parts of India are diverted to the north and south Kerala from Shoranur Junction in Palakkad District. From here, there is train service to Calicut, Ernakulam, Trivandrum, Shoranur and Nilambur.


title: Palakkad

text: Palakkad has a medium-grade network of roads. The National Highway 544 from Salem to Ernakulam passes through the outskirts of the city. National Highway 966 starts from Ramanattukara in Kozhikode and joins National Highway 544 at Chandranagar, one of the suburbs of the city. Other important roads are the Palakkad – Ponnani road which connects NH 66 and Mumbai-Kanyakumari coastal NH 66. State Highway 52 begins near Chandranagar, which is 2.6 km from the city centre, which connects to Pollachi, and State Highway 27 begins at the Civil Station and connects to Meenakshipuram (Kerala-Tamil Nadu State Border).


title: Palakkad

text: Palakkad City has four Bus Stations includes Palakkad KSRTC bus terminal and three Private Bus stands named Stadium Bus Stand, Municipal Bus stand, and Town Bus Stand.


title: Palakkad

text: As per Census 2011, population of Palakkad in 2011 is 130,955; of which male and female are 63,833 and 67,122 respectively.


title: Palakkad

text: Total literates in Palakkad city are 112,479, of which 56,065 are males while 56,414 are females. The average literacy rate of Palakkad city is 94.20 percent of which male and female literacy was 96.83 and 91.73 percent. The literacy rate of the Palakkad Metropolitan Area is 92.14%, much higher than the national average of 59.5%.


title: Palakkad

text: Hindus form 68% of the population with 89098 members. Muslims constitute 27.9% of the population with 36620 members. Christians constitute 3.8% of the population with 5006 members.


title: Palakkad

text: Palakkad city is represented in the Kerala State Assembly by two elected members, one from Palakkad Assembly constituency and another from Malampuzha Assembly constituency, however Palakkad Municipality forms part of Palakkad Assembly Constituency. As of 2021,Shafi Parambil is the representative of Palakkad Assembly Constituency and A. Prabhakaran is the representative of Malampuzha Assembly Constituency.


title: Palakkad

text: The city is also a part of the Palakkad Lok Sabha constituency and elects a member to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India, once every five years. The current MP is V. K. Sreekandan of the Indian National Congress.


title: Palakkad

text: Collectorate of Palakkad district is located in the city and Mrunmai Joshi IAS is the District Collector currently. Many other offices including District Court Complex and District Panchayat Office is also situated within the city. Palakkad taluk office is also located in civil station which administers an area of 713 km with a population of 6,21,622 making it most populous taluk of the district.


title: Palakkad

text: The city is the headquarters of Palakkad District Police. Mainly, there are three police stations that serve the city, which are North, South and Traffic police stations. However, Hemambika Nagar, Palakkad Kasaba,Malampuzha and Walayar Police Stations also serve the city. Kerala Armed Police 2 Battalion is situated at Muttikulangara, one of the suburbs. District Armed Reserved Police Camp of Palakkad district is located at Kallekkad, located about 10 km from the centre of the city.


title: Palakkad

text: The presence of Palakkad Gap and proximity to Coimbatore makes Palakkad economically important. British Physical Laboratories(BPL) was founded in 1963 in Palakkad. Market Road is one of the oldest and longest roads devoted for trade and commerce. It stretches from Melamuri Junction on the west to Shakunthala Junction on east covering a distance of 3 km, was the commercial centre of Palakkatussery and a major market place for buying and selling of goods. These stretch of the city is known by Valiyangadi or Big Bazaar. Many wholesale shops are along this road. Kanjikode area of Palakkad city is second largest industrial hub in Kerala after Kochi. Kanjikode has many companies like Indian Telephone Industries Limited (ITI), Instrumentation Limited, Fluid Control Research Institute(FCRI),Saint-Gobain India Private Limited "(formerly SEPR Refractories India Private Limited)", Patspin India Ltd, Pepsi, PPS steel (Kerala) PVT Ltd, United Breweries, Empee Distilleries, Marico, Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), Rubfila International Ltd, Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala have production facilities. There are also many other steel manufacturing units and other production centres making it second largest industrial area in Kerala.


title: Palakkad

text: The commercialization of Palakkad city is Picking up and growing at a steady pace in recent years, Nowadays Palakkad city and the suburbs are witnessing a rapid amount of commercial and public development activities. The developments are mainly concentrated on the bypass roads, Both Stadium and Calicut bypass roads passing through the city are getting major commercial projects. Major national and international branded Retail chains, food chains, Restaurants, Hotels, Shopping complexes, Textiles, branded jewelers,and Vehicle Showrooms, are functioning in and around the city. There are many housing colonies consisting of Villas and apartments also present in Palakkad City and its suburbs.


title: Palakkad

text: On 3 July 1866, the Governor of Madras declared Palakkad as a city. The municipality of Palakkad was formed on 1 November 1866 according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865. (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850). On 11 September 1912, the system of electing the city father by the councillors began. City Council expanded to 28 wards in 1938, 32 wards in 1973 and 36 wards in 1978. During the period 1995-98 and in 2015 when Municipality celebrated 150 years, there were proposals to upgrade Palakkad Municipality to a Municipal Corporation. Palakkad Municipality has 52 wards now, headed by Municipal Chairperson. The current Chairperson of Palakkad Municipality is K.Priya Ajayan and E. Krishnadas is the deputy chairman.


title: Palakkad

text: The metropolitan area of Palakkad includes Palakkad Municipality, Hemambika Nagar, Marutharode, Pirayiri, Pudussery West, Pudussery Central and Puthupariyaram. Its urban / metropolitan population is 293,566 of which 143,650 are males and 149,916 are females. The proposed Palakkad Municipal Corporation has an area of 197.566 km. Following local bodies are the local bodies which supposed to be the part.


title: Palakkad

text: Thd city of Palakkad has number of Prominent Educational Institutions which provide a great platform for higher education.Government Victoria College, Palakkad was established in the year 1866, making it one of the oldest institution of higher learning in Kerala. First and the only Indian Institute of Technology in the state of Kerala, Indian Institute of Technology, Palakkad is located in the city. The campus currently functions in two campuses-temporary one at Ahalia Campus and the Nila campus which are separated by 13 km. It is one of the five new IITs proposed in the 2014 Union budget of India.


title: Palakkad

text: Government Medical College, Palakkad, started in 2014 is the first Government medical college in the district. It is the first medical college in country under Scheduled caste Development Department. NSS College of Engineering at Akathethara, is the fourth Engineering Institution established in Kerala, India. It was founded in 1960 by Nair Service Society.The college is one among the only three Govt-Aided Engineering college in Kerala and is the first Govt-Aided Engineering college accredited by NBA of AICTE. Chembai Memorial Government Music College is one of the main center of excellence in teaching Carnatic music in the state. It was given the name of the legendary Carnatic musician Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar from Palakkad. Mercy College is a women's college located in the city which was established in 1964. It is the first Women's college in the Palakkad District. The college is organized by the University Grants Commission.


title: Palakkad

text: Ahalia Campus is the largest edu-health campus in Kerala. It is located about 18 km from the centre of the city consisting of a number of educational institutions and medical institutes. It has three hospitals,one medical college, one school and five colleges which includes an engineering college, college of pharmacy, college of optometry, college of paramedical sciences and college of management. Basel Evangelical Mission Higher Secondary School, located in the city was established in 1858 making it one of the oldest schools in Kerala. Government Moyan Model Girls Higher Secondary School located in College Road was founded in 1917 and is one of the largest government schools in the state and one of the schools having large strength of students studying.


title: Palakkad

text: First government medical college in the district,Government Medical College, Palakkad is located in the city. District Hospital located in Court Road is one of biggest district hospitals in Kerala. There are also some private hospitals for serving the city. Rajiv Gandhi Co-Operative Multispeciality Hospital is a Coperative Hospital located at Kallekkad, one of the suburbs of the city.Ahalia Campus is the largest edu-health campus in Kerala located about 18 km from centre of the city, consists of 3 hospitals and 1 medical college including Ahalia Foundation Eye Hospital, Ahalia Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital, Ahalia Diabetes Hospital and Ahalia Women and Children's Hospital.


title: Palakkad

text: Palakkad is a city where people from all the religion live together with peace. Many temples,mosques churches and other religious centres are located in and around the city.Manappullikavu Vela is one of the largest fests that takes place in the city. It is hosted by 8 sets of commities or deshams. Large crowd gathers in front of the fort for witnessing the fest. Elephants and the fireworks are the highlights.Kalpathi Ratholsavam is an annual fest that takes place in Kalpathy, which is the first heritage village in Kerala. Chariot is the main attraction of the fest. There are also many other festivals in the city where people come and enjoy with unity by forgetting about religion.


title: Palakkad

text: Heritage villages or mostly called by agraharams are important as far as the city is concerned. There are around 24 heritage villages in and around the city where the Tamil Brahmins migrated from parts Tamil Nadu many years before live together. A Jain temple is located at Jainamedu, one of the suburbs of the city and is one of the few places in Kerala where the vestiges of Jainism in Kerala have survived. Sree Emoor Bhagavathy temple located at Kallekulangara, another suburb of the city is believed to be consecrated by Parasurama for the safety of Kerala. Holy Trinity English Church located near Palakkad Fort was established in the year 1855. The only Urdu Juma Masjid in Kerala is located at Diara Street.


title: Palakkad

text: Some of the major Malayalam and English newspapers from Kerala including "Malayala Manorama", "Mathrubhumi",


title: Palakkad

text: "Deshabhimani", and "Suprabhaatham Daily", have printing centers in the city and there are also few evening newspapers published in the city. Local news channels like (ACV) are also functioning in the city. Palakkad Press Club is located on Robinson road, Sultanpet. A private FM Station operating in Palakkad at Ahalya Campus. There is a long-term demand for setting up a government FM Station in Palakkad. At present total number of 8 cinema halls are operational in Palakkad which screens Malayalam, English, Tamil, and Hindi movies, there are few other multiplex screens are under construction and expect to open near future in and around the city.


title: Palakkad

text: Palakkad has a rich history of producing some world class athletes in the state, Palakkad, Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium in the center of city was once used for Major sports meets and football matches in state, now the stadium is not in condition for conducting games due to the lack of maintenance, There is a proposal for the renovation of the stadium with international facilities by the Municipality, The city has Fort Maidan also known as Kota Maidanam, is a multi-use stadium in the center of the Palakkad, India. It is currently used mostly for cricket matches. Fort Maidan holds a maximum capacity of 10,000 people at a time. Up until 2002 the ground was considered for local cricket only. In 2003, Ranji Trophy was introduced in Fort Maidan. The city has an indoor stadium located near Government Victoria College, Palakkad with a total area of 1 Lakh Sq.ft with commercial establishments is still unfinished & incomplete. There is a Synthetic Track with Eight lines operational in the ground of the Government Medical College, Palakkad.


title: Jack Scanlon

text: Jack Charles Scanlon (born 6 August 1998) is an English former child actor who is best known for his role in the 2008 Holocaust film "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas".


title: Jack Scanlon

text: Jack Charles Scanlon was born in Canterbury, Kent, and now lives in Deal with his parents and younger brother. He attended Sir Roger Manwood's School in nearby Sandwich. He also attended Bath Spa University, where he studied Commercial Music.


title: Jack Scanlon

text: He auditioned for "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" through his drama club and was eventually cast as Shmuel after director Mark Herman narrowed his choice down to about three possible candidates and paired each with Asa Butterfield for a final audition together. According to Herman: "Jack and Asa played very well against one another."


title: Jack Scanlon

text: Although "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is Scanlon's feature film debut, he did act before. He appeared in a 10-minute short film titled "The Eye of the Butterfly" (which led to him being suggested to the casting director of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas") and in a 2007 episode of the "Peter Serafinowicz Show".


title: Jack Scanlon

text: Scanlon also played the younger brother of main character Sean (William Miller) in the 2009 British children's miniseries "Runaway", broadcast on BBC One, which was part of the CBBC season about homelessness.


title: Gai lan

text: Gai lan, kai-lan, Chinese broccoli, Chinese kale, or jie lan (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra) is a leaf vegetable with thick, flat, glossy blue-green leaves with thick stems, and florets similar to (but much smaller than) broccoli. A "Brassica oleracea" cultivar, gai lan is in the group "alboglabra" (from Latin "albus" "white" and "glabrus" "hairless"). When gone to flower, its white blossoms resemble that of its cousin "Matthiola incana" or Hoary Stock. The flavor is very similar to that of broccoli, but noticeably stronger and slightly more bitter.


title: Gai lan

text: "Gai lan" can be sown in late summer for early-winter harvesting. Seedlings planted in autumn will last all winter. As with other brassicas, gai lan is harvested and consumed just as its white flowers start to bloom, as the stems can become woody and tough when the plant bolts.


title: Gai lan

text: "Gai lan" is eaten widely in Chinese cuisine, common preparations include gai lan stir-fried with ginger and garlic, and boiled or steamed and served with oyster sauce. It is also common in Vietnamese, Burmese and Thai cuisine.


title: Gai lan

text: In Americanized Chinese food, gai lan was frequently replaced by broccoli, when gai lan was not available.


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: Marcus Anthony Lemonis (born November 16, 1973) is a Lebanese-born American businessman, television personality and philanthropist. He is currently the chairman and CEO of Camping World, Good Sam Enterprises, Gander RV and The House Boardshop, in addition to being the star of "The Profit", a CNBC reality show about saving small businesses.


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: He was born to parents Abdallel (from Lebanon) and Nadia (from Baniyas, Syria) in Beirut, Lebanon, during the chaos of the Lebanese civil war and foreign invasions. He was given the name Ricardo but was abandoned at an orphanage four days after his birth. He was adopted during his infancy on July 29, 1974, by Leo and Sophia Lemonis, a couple living in Miami, Florida. His adoptive father was Greek, and his adoptive mother was Lebanese.


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: Throughout his upbringing, Lemonis was exposed to the automotive industry, with his great uncle (Anthony Abraham) owning two of the largest Chevrolet dealerships in the United States. Lee Iacocca was a family friend who became a mentor to Lemonis and also a financial investor, loaning him millions to start a recreational vehicle business.


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: Lemonis graduated in 1991 from Christopher Columbus High School in Miami-Dade County, Florida. In 1995, he earned a bachelor's degree in political science, with a minor in criminology, from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He unsuccessfully ran as a Democrat for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives shortly after his graduation, whereupon he refocused his career on the automotive industry.


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: Lemonis, appearing on the ballot as Marc Anthony Lemonis, lost to two-term Republican incumbent Bruno Barreiro, 42.44 percent to 57.56 percent. The "Miami Herald" called Lemonis, a Democrat, a "political neophyte" but endorsed him because "he exudes energy and ideas."


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: Lemonis worked for his great uncle's car dealership in South Florida, Anthony Abraham Chevrolet. That dealership was acquired by AutoNation in 1997, and Lemonis subsequently held several sales and managerial roles under the new ownership. A family friend, Lee Iaccoca approached Lemonis and told him he wanted to "Create the largest RV chain" as the RV business model in the United States was "fractured". Iaccoca helped Lemonis start and acquire Holiday RV Superstores. From June 2001 to February 2003 he served as CEO of Holiday RV Superstores Inc. Following that, he co-founded a company called FreedomRoads and began acquiring RV dealerships. In 2006, the company merged with Camping World with Lemonis as CEO, and then, in 2011, merged with Good Sam Enterprises, with Lemonis again at the helm.


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: As the CEO of Camping World, Lemonis sponsored NASCAR driver John Andretti in 2004. In 2007, Lemonis and Camping World announced they were taking over sponsorship of the NASCAR East Series from Busch Beer for the 2008–2009 seasons, rebranding it the NASCAR Camping World Series. Later that same year, they also announced sponsorship of the then Craftsman Truck Series, rebranding it the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, making the company one of the sport's top three sponsors. They renewed their sponsorship in 2014.


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: Crain's Chicago Business featured him in their 2005 edition of "40 under 40"; and in 2008, Ernst & Young named him "Entrepreneur of the Year".


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: In October 2016, Camping World went public on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CWH) at $22 a share, giving the company a market value of approximately $2 billion. As of December 24, 2021, Camping World was trading at $39.56 per share.


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: In April 2017, Camping World announced the acquisition of the assets of Gander Mountain, a camping, fishing and hunting gear retailer.


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: In July 2017, Camping World announced the acquisition of The House Boardshop, an online retailer specializing in bikes, sailboards, skateboards, wakeboards, snowboards and outdoor gear.


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: Lemonis appeared on two episodes of NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice". In 2012, Lemonis appeared on an episode of ABC's "Secret Millionaire", returning to his hometown of Miami to help local charities.


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: In 2013, Lemonis became the star of the CNBC reality show "The Profit", which features Lemonis on the hunt for promising yet faltering small businesses. In the show, Lemonis invests his own money for part ownership in the businesses to make them profitable.


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: In 2017, Lemonis starred in, and co-produced, the CNBC program "The Partner", in which he searches for a business manager to assist him with running the businesses that he invests in on "The Profit".


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: In August 2021, NBCUniversal, Machete, and Lemonis were accused of harmful business practices by over 50 small businesses that appeared on "The Profit".


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: In 2021, it was announced that Lemonis and Nancy Glass had acquired the rights of the game show "Let's Make a Deal".


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: In 2022, it was announced that Lemonis would star in a new HGTV show called "The Renovator". The show debuted on October 11, 2022, and two episodes aired before it entered a hiatus.


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: Lemonis founded the Lemon-AID Foundation in 2020. The foundation supports women and minority entrepreneurs as well as small businesses. Lemonis also founded the Business Learning Center, a virtual platform for resources and business tools for those struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lemonis's foundation started the "Plating Change" initiative to combat food insecurity through a partnership with Grubhub and the World Central Kitchen. Lemonis has donated to his alma maters, including Christopher Columbus High School and $15Μ dollars to Marquette University. He has supported the Joffrey Ballet Bridge Program in the Chicago public school system. In 2016–17, Lemonis launched a matching campaign to support the sports program at University of Miami. After the 2020 Nashville bombing on Christmas Day, Lemonis established a fund to support the business owners affected by the event. In 2021 Lemonis gave $3.1 million to the staff of Christopher Columbus High School ($18,000 to each staff member).


title: Marcus Lemonis

text: In November 2021, Pamela Perry sued Camping World, Inc. and Lemonis for Breach of Contract, after defendants made a "promise to the citizens of Nashville for information identifying" the bomber in the 2020 Nashville Christmas bombing but refused to pay. A spokesman for Lemonis replied that the reward offered was for information leading to the "capture and conviction" of the person responsible for (and killed in) the bombing.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: The 2012 United States elections took place on November 6, 2012. Democratic President Barack Obama won election to a second term, though the Republican Party retained control of the House of Representatives. As of 2020, this is the most recent election cycle in which neither the presidency nor a chamber of Congress changed partisan control.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: Obama defeated Republican nominee Mitt Romney to win a second term, taking 51.1 percent of the popular vote and 332 of the 538 electoral votes. Romney defeated Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, and several other candidates to win his party's nomination in the 2012 Republican primaries.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: Democrats won a net gain of two Senate seats, retaining control of the chamber. In the first election held in the House of Representatives since the round of redistricting following the 2010 United States Census, Democrats picked up eight seats but failed to gain a majority, despite winning the popular vote. In the gubernatorial elections, Republicans won a net gain of one seat. As of 2022, this is the last time that the winner of the presidential race provided coattails for their party in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This was the first time since 1936 where a Democratic presidential candidate who won a second term also had Senate coattails in both occasions (although Franklin Roosevelt won a third and fourth term in 1940 and 1944 respectively, he lost Senate seats on both occasions). This is the third straight presidential election where the winner had coattails in both houses of Congress.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: Various other state, territorial, and local races and referendums were held throughout the year. Three state referendums passed legalizing same-sex marriage, while Minnesota became the first state in history to reject a proposed state-level constitutional ban of same sex marriage. Two states approved and one rejected the legalization of recreational marijuana, and one more state voted to legalize marijuana for medical use. A referendum was also held in Puerto Rico regarding the future political status of the U.S. unincorporated territory. Following the Supreme Court's "Citizens United" decision, the 2012 election season became the most expensive in American history.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: Despite various issues during this election cycle, ultimately little overall change occurred on both the Federal and the gubernatorial level.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: Many of the major issues of the 2012 election were the same as in both 2008 and 2010. Candidates and voters in 2012 were again focused on national economic conditions and jobs, record federal deficits, health care and the effects of the controversial Affordable Care Act, national security and terrorism, education, and energy.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: Immigration reform and the controversial Arizona Senate Bill 1070, passed by the state in 2010 to enhance the power of Arizona's law enforcement agencies to investigate the immigration status of suspected illegal immigrants, also remained important issues. On June 25, 2012, the Supreme Court delivered its decision in "Arizona v. United States", striking down three of the four provisions of Arizona's law.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: In 2011, there were a series of demonstrations in Wisconsin, involving at its zenith as many as 100,000 protestors opposing the 2011 Wisconsin Act 10, also called the "Wisconsin budget repair bill." The legislation, passed by the Wisconsin Legislature on June 29, 2011, primarily impacted the following areas: collective bargaining, compensation, retirement, health insurance, and sick leave of the state's public sector employees.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: These protests became a major driving force of multiple recall elections, including state senators in 2011 and 2012, Governor Scott Walker in 2012 and a contentious Wisconsin Supreme Court election in 2011.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: Starting in August 2012, a series of controversies occurred involving comments made by a number of socially conservative Republican candidates regarding issues regarding rape, pregnancy, and abortion, bringing these issues to the forefront. The first most notable was Republican House Representative Todd Akin of Missouri, who was the Republican nominee for a U.S. Senate seat. He stated that pregnancy from rape rarely occurs as a result of what he referred to as "legitimate rape." Akin's comments had a far-reaching political impact, changing a focus of campaigns across the country onto the so-called "War on Women." Another widely covered comment was that of Indiana State Treasurer and U.S. Senate candidate Richard Mourdock, who said that pregnancy from rape was "something that God intended". A number of observers later identified Mourdock's and Akin's comments as a principal factor in their respective election losses. The comments are also credited for having a larger national effect.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: The major foreign policy controversy during the final weeks of the campaign was the September attack on the American diplomatic mission at Benghazi, Libya by a heavily armed group. Four people were killed, including U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, and ten others were injured. This was initially blamed on a series of protests and violent attacks began in response to a YouTube trailer for the controversial film "Innocence of Muslims", considered blasphemous by many Muslims. According to critics, the consulate site should have been secured better both before and after the attack. Republicans further criticized the Obama administration's response to the attacks, ranging from accusations that they incorrectly attributed the role of anger over the film instead of suspecting it more as a coordinated attack by a terrorist group like al-Qaeda; to complaints with delays in the administration's investigation.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: Democratic incumbent President Barack Obama was re-elected, defeating Republican former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. This was the first presidential election since the 2010 Census, which changed the Electoral College vote apportionment.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: With the advantage of incumbency, Obama faced no major challengers in the Democratic Party primaries. Several candidates competed in the Republican Party primaries; by late April, Romney, a former Governor of Massachusetts, was declared the "presumptive" Republican nominee. Among the third party candidates, former Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson was the Libertarian Party nominee, Jill Stein was the Green Party nominee, former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 5th congressional district Virgil Goode was the Constitution Party nominee, and former Mayor of Salt Lake City Rocky Anderson was the Justice Party nominee.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: The 33 seats of Class I of the United States Senate were up for election. Democrats were expected to have 23 seats up for election, including 2 independents who caucus with the Democrats, while Republicans were only expected to have 10 seats up for election. The Democrats ended up retaining majority control of the Senate, picking up two net seats. One of the Democratic winners was Wisconsin's Tammy Baldwin, who became the first openly LGBT member of the US Senate.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: This was the first congressional election using the congressional districts that were apportioned based on the 2010 Census. Elections were held for all 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives. Elections were also held for the delegates from the District of Columbia and five major U.S. territories. Although House Democrats won a plurality of the popular vote (48.8% vs 47.6%), House Republicans were still able to retain a 234 to 201 seat majority.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: A special election in Oregon's 1st congressional district was held on January 31 to determine a replacement for David Wu, who resigned in August 2011. Another special election in Arizona's 8th congressional district was held on June 12 to elect the replacement of Gabby Giffords, who resigned in January 2012. The winners of these two special elections (Suzanne Bonamici from Oregon, Ron Barber from Arizona) both ran in attempts to keep their seats.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: As a matter of convenience and cost saving, the special election in New Jersey's 10th congressional district and the special election in Michigan's 11th congressional district were held in conjunction with the regularly-scheduled general election on November 6, 2012. New Jersey congressman Donald M. Payne died in March 2012 while Michigan's Thaddeus McCotter resigned in July 2012. In both districts, voters were asked on the November ballot to select two candidates: one to serve the remainder of Payne or McCotter's term, respectively, and the other to serve their respective district's full 2-year term beginning in January 2013.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: 12 state and two territory governorships were up for election. In addition, Scott Walker of Wisconsin survived a recall election on June 5. Only one state governorship changed hands: In North Carolina, Republican Pat McCrory was elected to replace the retiring Democratic Governor Bev Perdue.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: In many states where if the following positions are elective offices, voters will cast votes for candidates for the state executive branch offices of Lieutenant Governor (though some will be voted for on the same ticket as the gubernatorial nominee), Secretary of state, state Treasurer, state Auditor, state Attorney General, state Superintendent of Education, Commissioners of Insurance, Agriculture, or Labor, etc., and state judicial branch offices (seats on state Supreme Courts and, in some states, state appellate courts).


title: 2012 United States elections

text: Many states across the nation held elections for their state legislatures. Ten chambers shifted party control, with seven turning Democratic while three(not including the de facto only control in the WA senate) turned Republican. Republicans had gained many chambers in the 2010 mid-term elections, and this was seen as a modest rebalancing.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: The Colorado House, Maine Legislature, Minnesota Legislature and New Hampshire House had all flipped to Republican rule in 2010 elections, only to flip back to Democratic control in 2012. The Oregon House regained the democratic majority that it had lost in 2010 elections, which produced a 30-30 party split.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: The transition in the Wisconsin Senate was notable since it undid a brief period of Democratic control following contentious recall efforts in 2011 and earlier in 2012. The Arkansas chambers had been under Democratic control since the end of the Reconstruction Era.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: A referendum regarding the political status of Puerto Rico was held. Puerto Rican voters were asked two questions: First, whether they prefer the status quo of remaining a U.S. unincorporated territory—a majority (54%), rejected the status quo. The second question asked whether they prefer statehood, independence or free association—a majority (61% of votes cast) supported statehood for Puerto Rico.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: However, one-third of all votes cast left the second question blank. Governor-elect Alejandro García Padilla, who had been critical of the process, then sent a message to President Obama, asking him to reject the results because of their ambiguity. On November 8, 2012, Washington, D.C. newspaper "The Hill" published an article saying that Congress will also likely ignore the results of the referendum due to the circumstances behind the votes.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: Maine, Maryland and Washington approved same sex marriage by popular vote, the first time any states have done so, bringing the number of states that allow same sex marriage from 6 to 9 states. In Minnesota, a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriage was defeated, the first time such an amendment has not passed.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: A measure in Massachusetts resulted in that state becoming the 18th US state to allow medical cannabis. By ballot measure, voters in both Colorado and Washington chose to legalize cannabis outright, the first states to do so, whereas voters in Oregon chose to reject it.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: The 2012 election cycle was the first to be impacted by the Supreme Court's "Citizens United" decision, which prohibited the government from restricting independent political expenditures by corporations and unions. The projected cost of the 2012 federal election races is estimated to be over 5.8 billion dollars, with approximately $1 billion of that coming from "outside" groups (groups not directly controlled by the candidate's campaign or officially controlled by the party). During the elections there was much spending by the lobbies, particularly the fossil fuels lobby.


title: 2012 United States elections

text: Bold indicates a change in control. Note that not all states held gubernatorial, state legislative, and United States Senate elections in 2012.


title: Engine displacement

text: Engine displacement is the measure of the cylinder volume swept by all of the pistons of a piston engine, excluding the combustion chambers. It is commonly used as an expression of an engine's size, and by extension as a loose indicator of the power an engine might be capable of producing and the amount of fuel it should be expected to consume. For this reason displacement is one of the measures often used in advertising, as well as regulating, motor vehicles.


title: Engine displacement

text: It is usually expressed using the metric units of cubic centimetres (cc or cm, equivalent to millilitres) or litres (l or L), orparticularly in the United States cubic inches (CID, cu in, or in).


title: Engine displacement

text: The overall displacement for a typical reciprocating piston engine is calculated by multiplying together three values; the distance travelled by the piston (the stroke length), the circular area of the cylinder, and the number of cylinders in the whole engine.


title: Engine displacement

text: Using this formula for non-typical types of engine, such as the Wankel design and the oval-piston type used in Honda NR motorcycles, can sometimes yield misleading results when attempting to compare engines. Manufacturers and regulators may develop and use specialised formulae to determine a comparative nominal displacement for variant engine types.


title: Engine displacement

text: In several countries fees and taxes levied on road vehicles by transport authorities are scaled in proportion to engine displacement. In countries where this is practised, vehicle manufacturers often seek to increase power output through higher-revving engines or turbocharging, instead of increasing the displacement.


title: Engine displacement

text: Wankel engines are able to produce higher power levels for a given displacement. Therefore, they are generally taxed as 1.5 times their stated physical displacement (1.3 litres becomes effectively 2.0, 2.0 becomes effectively 3.0), although actual power outputs can be higher than suggested by this conversion factor.


title: Engine displacement

text: Historically, many car model names have included their engine displacement. Examples include the 1923–1930 Cadillac Series 353 (powered by a 353 Cubic inch/5.8-litre engine), and the 1963–1968 BMW 1800 (a 1.8-litre engine) and Lexus LS 400 with a 3,968 cc engine. This was especially common in US muscle cars, like the Ford Mustang Boss 302 and 429, and later GT 5.0L, The Plymouth Roadrunner 440, and the Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 and 454.


title: Engine displacement

text: However, trends towards turbocharging and hybrid/electric drivetrains since 2010 have resulted in far fewer model names being based on the engine displacement.


title: Silphium

text: Silphium (also known as silphion, laserwort, or laser) is an unidentified plant that was used in classical antiquity as a seasoning, perfume, aphrodisiac, and medicine. It also was used as a contraceptive by ancient Greeks and Romans. It was the essential item of trade from the ancient North African city of Cyrene, and was so critical to the Cyrenian economy that most of their coins bore a picture of the plant. The valuable product was the plant's resin ("laser", laserpicium, or lasarpicium).


title: Silphium

text: Silphium was an important species in classical antiquity, as evidenced by the Egyptians and Knossos Minoans developing a specific glyph to represent the silphium plant. It was used widely by most ancient Mediterranean cultures; the Romans, who mentioned the plant in poems or songs, considered it "worth its weight in denarii" (silver coins), or even gold. Legend said that it was a gift from the god Apollo.


title: Silphium

text: The exact identity of silphium is unclear. It was claimed to have become extinct in Roman times. It is commonly believed to be a fennel relative in the genus "Ferula", perhaps a variety of giant fennel. The extant plants "Margotia gummifera", "Ferula tingitana", and "Ferula drudeana" have been suggested as other possibilities. Another theory is that it was simply a high quality variety of asafetida, a common spice in the Roman Empire. The two spices were considered the same by many Romans including the geographer Strabo. In 2021, a study from Istanbul University identified "Ferula" "drudeana" as a likely candidate for Silphium, matching both the appearance of Silphium in descriptions and the spice-like gum-resin of Silphium, though without a surviving sample no genetic analysis can be made.


title: Silphium

text: The identity of silphium is highly debated. It is generally considered to belong to the genus "Ferula", as an extinct or living species. The currently extant plants "", "Ferula tingitana", "Ferula narthex", "Ferula drudeana", and "Thapsia garganica" have been suggested as possible identities. Theophrastus mentioned silphium as having thick roots covered in black bark, about 48 centimeters long, or one cubit, with a hollow stalk, similar to fennel, and golden leaves, like celery.


title: Silphium

text: The cause of silphium's supposed extinction is not entirely known but numerous factors are suggested. Silphium had a remarkably narrow native range, about , in the southern steppe of Cyrenaica (present-day eastern Libya). Overgrazing combined with overharvesting have long been cited as the primary factors that led to its extinction. However, recent research has challenged this notion, arguing instead that desertification in ancient Cyrenaica was the primary driver of silphium's decline.


title: Silphium

text: Another theory is that when Roman provincial governors took over power from Greek colonists, they over-farmed silphium and rendered the soil unable to yield the type that was said to be of such medicinal value. Theophrastus wrote in "Enquiry into Plants" that the type of "Ferula" specifically referred to as "silphium" was odd in that it could not be cultivated. He reports inconsistencies in the information he received about this, however. This could suggest the plant is similarly sensitive to soil chemistry as huckleberries are, which when grown from seed are devoid of fruit.


title: Silphium

text: Similar to the soil theory, another theory holds that the plant was a hybrid, which often results in very desired traits in the first generation, but second-generation can yield very unpredictable outcomes. This could have resulted in plants without fruits, when planted from seeds, instead of asexually reproducing through their roots.


title: Silphium

text: Pliny reported that the last known stalk of silphium found in Cyrenaica was given to Emperor Nero "as a curiosity".


title: Silphium

text: A 2021 paper made the case that "Ferula drudeana", an endemic species found in Turkey, is the true identity of Silphium based on similarity of appearance and production of a resin with supposedly similar properties to Silphium. However, this hypothesis has not, as of 2022, gained traction. One problem with this hypothesis is that "F. drudeana" appears to be much more closely related to other Anatolian species than to North African "Ferula" species, which would not be consistent with the origin of Silphium in North Africa.


title: Silphium

text: Many medical uses were ascribed to the plant. It was said that it could be used to treat cough, sore throat, fever, indigestion, aches and pains, warts, and all kinds of maladies.


title: Silphium

text: When the gut protrudes and will not remain in its place, scrape the finest and most compact silphium into small pieces and apply as a cataplasm.


title: Silphium

text: The plant may also have functioned as a contraceptive and abortifacient. Many species in the parsley family have estrogenic properties, and some, such as wild carrot, are known to act as abortifacients.


title: Silphium

text: Long after its extinction, silphium continued to be mentioned in lists of aromatics copied one from another, until it makes perhaps its last appearance in the list of spices that the Carolingian cook should have at hand— ("A short list of condiments that should be in the home")—by a certain "Vinidarius", whose excerpts of "Apicius" survive in one 8th-century uncial manuscript. Vinidarius's dates may not be much earlier.


title: Silphium

text: There has been some speculation about the connection between silphium and the traditional heart shape (♥). Silver coins from Cyrene of the 6th–5th centuries BCE bear a similar design, sometimes accompanied by a silphium plant, and is understood to represent its seed or fruit. Some plants in the family Apiaceae, such as "Heracleum sphondylium", have heart-shaped indehiscent mericarps (a type of fruit).


title: Silphium

text: Contemporary writings help tie silphium to sexuality and love. Silphium appears in Pausanias' "Description of Greece" in a story of the Dioscuri staying at a house belonging to Phormion, a Spartan, "For it so happened that his maiden daughter was living in it. By the next day this maiden and all her girlish apparel had disappeared, and in the room were found images of the Dioscuri, a table, and silphium upon it."


title: Silphium

text: Silphium as "laserpicium" makes an appearance in a poem () of Catullus to his lover Lesbia (though others have suggested that the reference here is instead to silphium's use as a treatment for mental illness, tying it to the "madness" of love).


title: Silphium

text: In the Italian military heraldry, ("Silphium of Cyrenaica, smoothly cut and printed in gold; in blazon: "silphium couped or of Cyrenaica"") is the symbol granted to units that distinguished themselves in the Western Desert Campaign in North Africa during World War II.


title: Mr. Bad Guy

text: Mr. Bad Guy is the only solo studio album by British musician Freddie Mercury, lead singer of Queen. Released in 1985, during a period in which Queen were on hiatus from recording, it contains eleven songs, all written by Mercury himself.


title: Mr. Bad Guy

text: The album was reissued on 11 October 2019, in newly remixed form, on CD, vinyl, digital and streaming services, via Mercury Records.


title: Mr. Bad Guy

text: In contrast to Queen's typically rock-oriented work, Mercury and co-producer Reinhold Mack drew on disco, dance music and pop influences for "Mr. Bad Guy", all of which had surfaced on Queen's previous studio album, "Hot Space" (1982), also produced by Mack. Mercury stated, "I had a lot of ideas bursting to get out and there were a lot of musical territories I wanted to explore which I really couldn't do within Queen." Co-producer Mack added, "he used to get pretty annoyed working with the others, because there was always Brian saying, 'It needs to be more rock 'n' roll.'" "Mr. Bad Guy" took nearly two years to record, as Mercury had to gather enough material together while committing to band activities.


title: Mr. Bad Guy

text: However, other sources state that personal conflicts were to blame for unfinished tracks. Mercury reportedly dropped out of any further collaboration after feeling uncomfortable working with Jackson's pet llama in the studio. One track from these collaborative sessions, "There Must Be More to Life Than This", was reworked for the "Mr. Bad Guy" album, although the original recording featuring Jackson was eventually released on "Queen Forever" in 2014.


title: Mr. Bad Guy

text: Recording was taxing on Mercury, as he took part in everything from performing the tracks (including vocals, piano and synthesizer), arranging the orchestration and working with the sound engineers. Mercury's use of synthesizers and orchestration in track development added to the diversity of each piece.


title: Mr. Bad Guy

text: The album's original title was "Made in Heaven", but Mercury changed his mind weeks before the album went to press.


title: Mr. Bad Guy

text: Originally released on Columbia/CBS, copyrights for "Mercury Songs", a company owned by Freddie Mercury's estate, had been revoked following his death in 1991. "Mr. Bad Guy" would remain out of print on CD until 2000, when it was included on The Solo Collection, and in 2019, when it was reissued and remixed due to the commercial success of "Bohemian Rhapsody", a biographical film about him.


title: Mr. Bad Guy

text: Lead single "I Was Born to Love You" with the non-album B-side "Stop All the Fighting" debuted at number 50 on 14 April 1985, peaking at number 11 on 5 May 1985. It also reached number four in South Africa and number 20 on 1 June in Austria. "Made in Heaven" peaked at number 57 on the UK Singles Chart on 21 July 1985 and charted for four weeks. "Living on My Own" charted at number 50 in the United Kingdom, while the fourth and final single, "Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow," debuted and peaked at number 76 on the UK chart on 24 November 1985.


title: Mr. Bad Guy

text: "Living on My Own" was re-released in 1993 in a remixed form by No More Brothers, while "I Was Born to Love You" became Mercury's only solo chart success in Australia, reaching number 13. That song and "Made in Heaven" were later reworked by the three surviving Queen members and included on the 1995 studio album "Made in Heaven".


title: Chiney Ogwumike

text: Chinenye "Chiney" Ogwumike (born March 21, 1992) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In 2020, she became the first Black woman and the first WNBA player to host a national radio show for ESPN. She was one of the first and youngest commentators ever to be named an NBA analyst for the network covering the NBA, WNBA, and variety of sports, while simultaneously playing in the WNBA. Chiney is a graduate of Stanford University, where she majored in International relations. She played in three Final Fours and finished as the conference leader in scoring and rebounding as of January 3, 2014. As of 2016, Ogwumike was elected Vice-President of the WNBA Players Association, and signed an endorsement deal with Adidas. In May 2018, Ogwumike signed a multi-year contract with ESPN to become a full-time basketball analyst.


title: Chiney Ogwumike

text: Born in Tomball, Texas, Ogwumike attended Cypress Fairbanks High School in nearby Cypress, Texas, winning the 5A State Championship in her sophomore and senior seasons. Ogwumike was named a WBCA and McDonald's All-American. She participated in the 2010 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored 24 points, and earned MVP honors for the White team.


title: Chiney Ogwumike

text: Ogwumike ended her Stanford career in 2014 as the all-time career scoring leader for either sex in Pac-12 Conference history, a record that fell in 2016 to Kelsey Plum of Washington.


title: Chiney Ogwumike

text: Ogwumike was named to the USA Basketball U18 team. The USA team was one of eight teams from North, South and Central America, along with the Caribbean, invited to participate in the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship For Women, held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team was coached by Jennifer Rizzotti. Ogwumike started all five games and was the leading scorer with 13.2 points per game. She was also the leading rebounder with 7.4 rebounds per game. The USA team won all five games and captured the gold medal.


title: Chiney Ogwumike

text: The usual sequence is for the players on the U18 team to move to the U19 team. However. Ogwumike played so well as a U18 that she was promoted to the World University Games team for the 2011 World University Games held in Shenzhen, China. Chiney was not the only Ogwumike on the team, as her sister, Nneka Ogwumike, was also on the team. Both started every game, with Chiney scoring almost ten points per game. She hit 25 of 37 shot attempts for a team leading 67.6% shooting percentage. She helped the USA win all six games and earn the gold medal.


title: Chiney Ogwumike

text: In the 2014–15 European season, Ogwumike played in Italy for Famila Schio. During the 2016 WNBA season, Ogwumike had signed with Henan Phoenix of the WCBA for the 2016–17 Chinese season. In her fifth game with the team, Ogwumike scored 56 points (on 23 of 24 field goal shooting) along with 12 rebounds She would end up winning first round MVP, averaging 33.6 points per game and 12.4 rebounds per game, prior to her achilles injury.


title: Chiney Ogwumike

text: Ogwumike was drafted first overall in the 2014 WNBA draft by the Connecticut Sun. In her rookie season, Ogwumike became a starter, averaging a career-high 15.5 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game. She was named a WNBA All-Star along with her sister Nneka Ogwumike, becoming the first pair of sisters to be selected into a WNBA All-Star game. Ogwumike would also win the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2014.


title: Chiney Ogwumike

text: Ogwumike sat out the entire 2015 season while recovering from a micro-fracture on her right knee that she sustained months before the season.


title: Chiney Ogwumike

text: Ogwumike came back healthy for the 2016 season, playing 33 games with 18 starts while averaging 12.6 points per game. She had scored a career-high 26 points along with 15 rebounds in a regular season game win against the Dallas Wings. In December 2016, it was announced that Ogwumike had undergone surgery after injuring her achilles while playing overseas in China during the WNBA offseason. She was ruled out with an estimated recovery period of 6–9 months, which caused her to miss the 2017 WNBA season.


title: Chiney Ogwumike

text: In April 2017, Ogwumike was suspended by the Sun for the entire 2017 season to free up a roster spot due to her injury and that same month she also signed a contract extension.


title: Chiney Ogwumike

text: On May 20, 2018, Ogwumike made her return to the Sun in their season debut, playing her first WNBA game in two years. In 17 minutes of play, she scored 9 points in the starting lineup in a 101–65 victory over the Las Vegas Aces. On June 30, 2018, Ogwumike scored a new career-high of 30 points in a 103–92 loss to the Seattle Storm. Later on in the 2018 season, it was announced that Ogwumike was voted into the 2018 WNBA All-Star Game, making it her second all-star appearance. The Sun finished as the number 4 seed in the league with a 21–13 record, receiving a bye to the second round elimination game. The Sun would lose 96–86 to the Phoenix Mercury.


title: Chiney Ogwumike

text: On April 28, 2019, Ogwumike was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks for a 2020 first round pick, reuniting her with her sister Nneka. The Sparks finished as the number 3 seed with a 22–12 record, receiving a bye to the second round. In the second round elimination game, the Sparks defeated the defending champion Seattle Storm 92–69. In the semi-finals, the Sparks were eliminated by her former team, the Connecticut Sun in a three-game sweep.


title: Chiney Ogwumike

text: In June 2020, Ogwumike announced she would sit out the 2020 WNBA season due to health concerns of playing in the bubble during the COVID-19 pandemic. Without Ogwumike, the Sparks finished the season 15–7 as the number 3 seed with a bye to the second round but would get eliminated by the Connecticut Sun in the elimination game.


title: Chiney Ogwumike

text: In May 2018, Ogwumike signed a multi-year contract with ESPN to become a full-time basketball analyst. In August 2020, she became the first Black woman to host a national radio show for ESPN, while also becoming the first WNBA player to do so as well. She is one of the youngest commentators to be named a full-time NBA analyst for ESPN, while simultaneously playing in the WNBA. Ogwumike was partnered with Mike Golic Jr., as the co-host of the ESPN radio show "Chiney & Golic Jr.". After the re-organization of ESPN's NBA coverage, she joined the daily series "NBA Today" as a rotating in-studio analyst.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled sac within the ovary. Often they cause no symptoms. Occasionally they may produce bloating, lower abdominal pain, or lower back pain. The majority of cysts are harmless. If the cyst either breaks open or causes twisting of the ovary, it may cause severe pain. This may result in vomiting or feeling faint, and even cause head aches.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Most ovarian cysts are related to ovulation, being either follicular cysts or corpus luteum cysts. Other types include cysts due to endometriosis, dermoid cysts, and cystadenomas. Many small cysts occur in both ovaries in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Pelvic inflammatory disease may also result in cysts. Rarely, cysts may be a form of ovarian cancer. Diagnosis is undertaken by pelvic examination with an ultrasound or other testing used to gather further details.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Often, cysts are simply observed over time. If they cause pain, medications such as paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen may be used. Hormonal birth control may be used to prevent further cysts in those who are frequently affected. However, evidence does not support birth control as a treatment of current cysts. If they do not go away after several months, get larger, look unusual, or cause pain, they may be removed by surgery.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Most women of reproductive age develop small cysts each month. Large cysts that cause problems occur in about 8% of women before menopause. Ovarian cysts are present in about 16% of women after menopause and if present are more likely to be cancer.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Some or all of the following symptoms may be present, though it is possible not to experience any symptoms:


title: Ovarian cyst

text: A ruptured ovarian cyst is usually self-limiting, and only requires keeping an eye on the situation and pain medications. The main symptom is abdominal pain, which may last a few days to several weeks, but they can also be asymptomatic. Rupture of large ovarian cysts can cause bleeding inside the abdominal cavity and in some cases shock.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Ovarian cysts increase the risk for ovarian torsion; cysts which are larger than 4 cm are associated with approximately 17% risk. The torsion can cause obstruction of blood flow and lead to infarction.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Functional cysts form as a normal part of the menstrual cycle. There are several types of functional cysts:


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Ovarian cysts are usually diagnosed by ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI, and correlated with clinical presentation and endocrinologic tests as appropriate.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Follow-up imaging in women of reproductive age for incidentally discovered simple cysts on ultrasound is not needed until 5 cm, as these are usually normal ovarian follicles. Simple cysts 5 to 7 cm in premenopausal females should be followed yearly. Simple cysts larger than 7 cm require further imaging with MRI or surgical assessment. Because they are large, they cannot be reliably assessed by ultrasound alone; it can be difficult to see posterior wall soft tissue nodularity or thickened septation due to limited ultrasound beam penetrance at this size and depth. For the corpus luteum, a dominant ovulating follicle that typically appears as a cyst with circumferentially thickened walls and crenulated inner margins, follow up is not needed if the cyst is less than 3 cm in diameter. In postmenopausal patients, any simple cyst greater than 1 cm but less than 7 cm needs yearly follow-up, while those greater than 7 cm need MRI or surgical evaluation, similar to reproductive age females.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: For incidentally discovered dermoids, diagnosed on ultrasound by their pathognomonic echogenic fat, either surgical removal or yearly follow up is indicated, regardless of patient age. For peritoneal inclusion cysts, which have a crumpled tissue-paper appearance and tend to follow the contour of adjacent organs, follow up is based on clinical history. Hydrosalpinx, or fallopian tube dilation, can be mistaken for an ovarian cyst due to its anechoic appearance. Follow-up for this is also based on clinical presentation.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: For multiloculate cysts with thin septation less than 3 mm, surgical evaluation is recommended. The presence of multiloculation suggests a neoplasm, although the thin septation implies that the neoplasm is benign. For any thickened septation, nodularity, vascular flow on color doppler, or growth over several ultrasounds, surgical removal may be considered due to concern of cancer.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: There are several systems to assess risk of an ovarian cyst of being an ovarian cancer, including the RMI (risk of malignancy index), LR2 and SR (simple rules). Sensitivities and specificities of these systems are given in tables below:


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Ovarian cysts may be classified according to whether they are a variant of the normal menstrual cycle, referred to as a functional or follicular cyst.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Ovarian cysts are considered large when they are over 5 cm and giant when they are over 15 cm. In children, ovarian cysts reaching above the level of the umbilicus are considered giant.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: In juvenile hypothyroidism multicystic ovaries are present in about 75% of cases, while large ovarian cysts and elevated ovarian tumor marks are one of the symptoms of the Van Wyk and Grumbach syndrome.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: The CA-125 marker in children and adolescents can be frequently elevated even in absence of malignancy and conservative management should be considered.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Polycystic ovarian syndrome involves the development of multiple small cysts in both ovaries due to an elevated ratio of leutenizing hormone to follicle stimulating hormone, typically more than 25 cysts in each ovary, or an ovarian volume of greater than 10 mL.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Larger bilateral cysts can develop as a result of fertility treatment due to elevated levels of HCG, as can be seen with the use of clomifene for follicular induction, in extreme cases resulting in a condition known as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Certain malignancies can mimic the effects of clomifene on the ovaries, also due to increased HCG, in particular gestational trophoblastic disease. Ovarian hyperstimulation occurs more often with invasive moles and choriocarcinoma than complete molar pregnancies.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: A widely recognised method of estimating the risk of malignant ovarian cancer based on initial workup is the "risk of malignancy index" (RMI). It is recommended that women with an RMI score over 200 should be referred to a centre with experience in ovarian cancer surgery.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: There are two methods to determine the ultrasound score and menopausal score, with the resultant RMI being called RMI 1 and RMI 2, respectively, depending on what method is used:


title: Ovarian cyst

text: An RMI 2 of over 200 has been estimated to have a sensitivity of 74 to 80%, a specificity of 89 to 92% and a positive predictive value of around 80% of ovarian cancer. RMI 2 is regarded as more sensitive than RMI 1.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: In case an ovarian cyst is surgically removed, a more definite diagnosis can be made by histopathology:


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Cysts associated with hypothyroidism or other endocrine problems are managed by treating the underlying condition.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: About 95% of ovarian cysts are benign, not cancerous. Functional cysts and hemorrhagic ovarian cysts usually resolve spontaneously. However, the bigger an ovarian cyst is, the less likely it is to disappear on its own. Treatment may be required if cysts persist over several months, grow, or cause increasing pain. Cysts that persist beyond two or three menstrual cycles, or occur in post-menopausal women, may indicate more serious disease and should be investigated through ultrasonography and laparoscopy, especially in cases where family members have had ovarian cancer. Such cysts may require surgical biopsy. Additionally, a blood test may be taken before surgery to check for elevated CA-125, a tumour marker, which is often found in increased levels in ovarian cancer, although it can also be elevated by other conditions resulting in a large number of false positives.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Although most cases of ovarian cysts involve monitoring, some cases require surgery. This may involve removing the cyst, or one or both ovaries. Technique is typically laparoscopic, unless the cyst is particularly large, or if pre-operative imaging suggests malignancy or complex anatomy. In certain situations, the cyst is entirely removed, while with cysts with low recurrence risk, younger patients, or which are in anatomically eloquent areas of the pelvis, they can be drained. Features that may indicate the need for surgery include:


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Most women of reproductive age develop small cysts each month, and large cysts that cause problems occur in about 8% of women before menopause. Ovarian cysts are present in about 16% of women after menopause and if present are more likely to be cancer.


title: Ovarian cyst

text: Benign ovarian cysts are common in asymptomatic premenarchal girls and found in approximately 68% of ovaries of girls 2–12 years old and in 84% of ovaries of girls 0–2 years old. Most of them are smaller than 9 mm while about 10–20% are larger macrocysts. While the smaller cysts mostly disappear within 6 months the larger ones appear to be more persistent.


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: Rei Kawakubo was born on 11 October 1942 in Tokyo. Her early life in Japan was summarized by Judith Thurman in a "New Yorker" article from 2005 stating: "She was the oldest of her parents' three children and their only daughter... Their father was an administrator at Keio University, a prestigious institution founded by the great Meiji educator and reformer Fukuzawa Yukichi, a champion of Western culture and, according to Kawakubo, of women's rights."


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: Although not formally trained as a fashion designer, Kawakubo did study fine arts and literature at Keio University. As reported by Thurman, "In 1960, Kawakubo enrolled in her father's university and took a degree in 'the history of aesthetics', a major that included the study of Asian and Western art." After graduation in 1964, Kawakubo worked in the advertising department at the textile company Asahi Kasei and she went on to work as a freelance stylist in 1967. Two years later, she began to design and make her own clothes under the label "Comme des Garçons", French for ""like the boys"", before incorporating the label in 1973.


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: In 1969, she established her own company, Comme des Garçons Co. Ltd in Tokyo and opened up her first boutique there in 1975. Starting out with women's clothes, Kawakubo added a men's line in 1978. Three years later, she started presenting her fashion lines in Paris each season with Vladislav Bachinskyy, opening up a boutique in Paris in 1982. Comme des Garçons specialises in anti-fashion, austere, sometimes deconstructed garments. After the end of her first decade with Comme de Garcons, in 1982, Kawakubo began to express her dissatisfaction with the early direction of some of her design ideas stating: "Three years ago I became dissatisfied with what I was doing. I felt I should be doing something more directional, more powerful. In fashion we had to get away from the influence of what had been done in the 1920s or the 1930s. We had to get away from the folkloric. I decided to start from zero, from nothing, to do things that have not been done before, things with a strong image."


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: By 1980, CDG had flourished and according to Thurman, "had a hundred and fifty franchised shops across Japan, eighty employees, and annual revenues of thirty million dollars." During the 1980s, her garments were primarily in black, dark grey or white. The emphasis on black clothing led to the Japanese press describing Kawakubo and her followers as 'The Crows'. The materials were often draped around the body and featured frayed, unfinished edges along with holes and a general asymmetrical shape. Challenging the established notions of beauty she created an uproar at her debut Paris fashion show where journalists labeled her clothes 'Hiroshima chic' amongst other things. Since the late 1980s, her colour palette has grown somewhat.


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: Kawakubo likes to have input in all the various aspects of her business, rather than just focusing on clothes and accessories. She is greatly involved in graphic design, advertising, and shop interiors believing that all these things are a part of one vision and are inextricably linked. Her Aoyama, Tokyo, store is known for its sloping glass facade decorated with blue dots. This was designed in collaboration between Rei and architect Future Systems and interior designer Takao Kawasaki.


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: Kawakubo published her own bi-annual magazine, 'Six' (standing for 'sixth sense'), in the early 1990s. It featured very little text and consisted mainly of photographs and images that she deemed inspiring. In 1996 Rei was guest editor of the high art publication Visionaire. Kawakubo is known to be quite reclusive and media shy, preferring her innovative creations to speak for themselves. Prior to 2002, Kawakubo has continued support for the use of LGBT references and cultural themes in the photography used in her advertisement and marketing campaigns promoting her clothing and accessories.


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: Since 2003, Kawakubo has been referenced and cited by other major designers for her originality and contribution to fashion and design marked by a nationally broadcast program of interviews concerning her work by NHK (Japan Broadcasting Company). During the interviews broadcast, Alexander McQueen stated: "When Kawakubo designs a collection, it seems kind of absurd, not just to the general public. But when you watch someone's challenging themselves like she does every season, it makes you understand why you are in fashion in the first place because of people like her." During the same broadcast, Viktor & Rolf added: "The first time we became aware of "Comme de Garcons" was in the 80s. I think we were 12 or 13. It made a very strong impression because fashion in general was something that we were starting to discover and Rei Kawakubo was part of this ... an enormous outburst of creativity in the beginning of the 80s. So for us she was part of the way we started to think about fashion."


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: Two other early supporters of Kawakubo were Jean-Paul Gaultier and Donna Karan. During the NHK broadcast for Kawakubo, Gaultier stated: "I believe that Kawakubo is a woman with extreme courage. She is a person with exceptional strength. Moreover, she has a poetic spirit. When I see her creations, I feel the spirit of a young girl. A young girl who still has innocence and is a bit romantic. Yet she also has an aspect of a fighting woman, one who fears nothing as she thrusts forward." During the same broadcast of interviews in Japan, Donna Karan added: "Rei Kawakubo is a very interesting designer to me as a woman and a female designer. As a person, she is very quiet and rather withdrawn, yet her clothes make such an enormous statement."


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: According to "Women's Wear Daily", she is a fashion icon but, during an interview, she said she does not think of herself as an icon. Her designs have inspired many other designers like the Belgian Martin Margiela and Ann Demeulemeester, as well as Austrian designer Helmut Lang. Comme des Garçons collections are designed in the Comme des Garçons studio in Aoyama, Tokyo and are made in Japan, France, Spain, and Turkey. The 2006 autumn/winter collection dealt with the concept of the "persona", the different ways we present ourselves to the world. Fusing tailored menswear with more feminine elements such as corsets and flower printed dress fabrics, "Persona" was another collection that combined the feminine with the masculine by Comme des Garçons.


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: Junya Watanabe and, more recently, Tao Kurihara have started their own sub-labels under the Comme des Garçons name to much acclaim. Both also were involved in designing for the casual women's knitwear line "Comme des Garçons Tricot". Comme des Garçons have collaborated with various other labels over the years including Fred Perry, Levi's Converse All Star, Speedo, Nike, Moncler, Lacoste, Cutler and Gross, Chrome Hearts, Hammerthor, S. N. S. Herning, Louis Vuitton, Supreme, and many others. Comme des Garçons and H&M collaborated on a collection which was released in the fall of 2008. Kawakubo created the 2008 autumn "guest designer" collection at H&M, designing men's and women's clothing along with some children's and a unisex perfume. Rei is also known for establishing Dover Street Market, whose design ethos can be described as a Comme Des Garcons version of a department store. Originally created in 2004 in London's Dover Street, more DSM locations have opened in Tokyo, Beijing, Singapore, New York and Los Angeles. A multi-brand store, Dover Street Market puts particular emphasis on visual marketing and on emerging talents; DSM was the first international stockist for Russian Designer Gosha Rubchinskiy and now handle Rubchinskiy's marketing, production and operations. In an article for "Business of Fashion" in April 2017, Tim Blanks reported generated revenue for CDG and its affiliates as "over $280 million a year".


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: "Vogue" magazine and the Metropolitan Museum in New York have announced that an exhibition dedicated to Kawakubo is scheduled for its 2017 season between 4 May 2017 and 4 September 2017. In an interview with "Vogue" in April 2017, Andrew Bolton, the curator for the Kawakubo exhibit at the Met stated: "I really think her influence is so huge, but sometimes it’s subtle. It’s not about copying her; it’s the purity of her vision... Rei was really involved in the design of the exhibit". Bolton also stated that the exhibit in May 2017 is to be titled "Art of the In-Between", and will be an austere, all-white maze hosting approximately 150 Comme ensembles. Both the exhibit and accompanying book by Bolton are based upon the recurrent fashion dichotomies concentrating on nine thematic conceptual pairings listed as: (1) absence/presence; (2) design/not design; (3) fashion/antifashion; (4) model/multiple; (5) high/low; (6) then/now; (7) self/other; (8) object/subject; and (9) clothes/not clothes. In an early positive review of the exhibit at its opening, Matthew Schneier writing for "The New York Times" on 1 May 2017 referred to it stating that: "The exhibition, 150 outfits in all, is overpowering." Writing for "The New Republic" on 3 May 2017, Josephine Livingston stated: "The clothes... are undeniable. Their presence felt like a statement: "Here we are, the most influential forms from the least compromising genius." The exhibition shows about 150 pieces of Kawakubo’s women’s wear for Comme des Garçons, from the early 1980s to the present day."


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: Being one of fashion's most influential designers, Rei Kawakubo strives to challenge the form the traditional garment. Kawakubo is the second living designer to be honored for an exhibition at the Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This Comme des Garçons exhibition in particular highlights key themes that have inspired and continue to inspire her creativity as a designer. In the context of the human form, the body is radically reconsidered. She proposes new ideas of beauty by creating organic forms and protrusions in her garments, creating outfits that discard standard sizes. An example of an exhibition in which she radically questions form is her spring/summer 1997 collection, known as "Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body". Through this exhibition Kawakubo is targeting body modification through dress, generating unstructured dresses and forms that don't highlight on erogenous zones of the body. By doing this, she is also questioning ideas surrounding gender and the body creating transgressive forms, discarding stereotypes surrounding the female. One of her latest collections in which these themes are seen is her fall/winter 2017 collection – which she called "the future of silhouette". Though Kawakubo is a female designer, she has made a point to state how her femininity doesn't at all influence her work. By generating transgressive forms she strives to completely disregard gendered stereotypes, even in context of the male.


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: In an interview with Vanessa Friedman for "The New York Times" following the opening of Kawakubo's 2017 exhibition for the Met, Adrian Joffe, her husband, indicated in a taped 70-minute interview that this exhibition would likely be the last one which Kawakubo, now 74, would participate in personally. Joffe stated that Kawakubo might remain open to the possibility of allowing the current exhibition at the Met to be moved to other locations and museums around the world after it ends its venue in New York on 4 September 2017, though a newly designed exhibition on other themes or concepts was strongly discounted.


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: Between the 1980s and 1990s, Kawakubo was in a relationship with fellow Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto, but the relationship ended. Kawakubo later went on to marry Adrian Joffe, the current CEO of Comme des Garçons and Dover Street Market. She lives in Tokyo but often travels to Paris to visit her companies' head offices in the Place Vendôme. She occasionally makes visits to her fashion shows.


title: Rei Kawakubo

text: An article in "Vogue" magazine in April 2017, summarized her relationship with Joffe, stating: "Joffe, South African by birth and ten years Kawakubo’s junior, joined the company in 1987. He and Kawakubo married in 1992, at the Paris City Hall. It is a partnership with its own rhythms—while Joffe is based in Paris, his wife lives in Tokyo, in the upscale Aoyama neighborhood, walking distance to CDG’s flagship. (Kawakubo is reportedly the first one in the office in the morning and the last to leave at night.) When you see them together, he seems to serve as her protector—not just translating for her, but also shielding her from inquiries deemed too prying."