title: Sophia Duleep Singh

text: After the 1918 enactment of the Representation of the People Act, allowing women over age30 to vote, Singh joined the Suffragette Fellowship and remained a member until her death. Her arrangement of a flag day that year for Indian troops generated significant interest in England and New Delhi. In September 1919 Singh hosted the Indian soldiers of the peace contingent at Faraday House. Five years later, she made her second visit to India with Bamba and Colonel Sutherland. Singh visited Kashmir, Lahore, Amritsar, and Murre, where they were mobbed by crowds who came to see their former maharaja's daughters, and this visit boosted the cause of female suffrage in India. The badge she wore promoted women's suffrage in Britain and abroad.


title: Sophia Duleep Singh

text: Singh eventually received a place of honour in the suffragette movement alongside Emmeline Pankhurst. Her sole aim in life, which she attained, was the advancement of women. Queen Victoria had given Singh an elaborately-dressed doll named Little Sophie, which became her proud possession, and, near the end of her life, she gave the doll to Drovna, her housekeeper's daughter.


title: Sophia Duleep Singh

text: In 1928 royal consent was given to the Equal Franchise Act enabling women over age21 to vote on a par with men. In 1930, Sophia was President of the Committee tasked with providing flower decorations at the unveiling of the Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst Memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens. Despite some reports, Sophia was not the President of the Suffragette Fellowship, which was established in 1930, after the death of Emmeline Pankhurst. In the 1934 edition of "Who's Who", Singh described her life's purpose as "the advancement of women". She espoused causes of equality and justice far removed from her royal background, and played a significant role at a crucial point in the history of England and India.


title: Sophia Duleep Singh

text: Singh died in her sleep on 22 August 1948 in Rathenrae (now Folly Meadow), in Penn, Buckinghamshire, a residence once owned by her sister Catherine, and was cremated on 26August 1948 at Golders Green Crematorium. Before her death she had expressed the wish that she be cremated according to Sikh rites and her ashes spread in India. Her will was proven in London on 8 November 1948, with her estate amounting to £58,040 0s. 11d. (roughly equivalent to £ in ).


title: Sophia Duleep Singh

text: She is featured in the Royal Mail's commemorative stamp set "Votes for Women", issued on 15 February 2018. She appears on the £1.57 stamp, selling "The Suffragette".


title: Sophia Duleep Singh

text: Her name and picture (and those of 58 other women's suffrage supporters) are on the plinth of the statue of Millicent Fawcett in Parliament Square, London, unveiled in April 2018.


title: Sophia Duleep Singh

text: She was featured in the documentaries "Sophia: Suffragette Princess" (2015) and "No Man Shall Protect Us: The Hidden History of the Suffragette Bodyguards" (2018), portrayed in the latter production by actress Aila Peck.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: "Anthem of Europe" is the anthem of both the European Union (EU) and Council of Europe. It is used to represent both the European Union and the whole of Europe; its purpose is to honour shared European values. The EU describes it as expressing the ideals of freedom, peace and solidarity.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: It is based on "Ode to Joy" from the final movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony composed in 1823. The anthem is played on official occasions such as political or civil events.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: Friedrich Schiller wrote the poem "An die Freude" ("To Joy") in 1785 as a "celebration of the brotherhood of man". In later life, the poet was contemptuous of this popularity and dismissed the poem as typical of "the bad taste of the age" in which it had been written. After Schiller's death, the poem provided the words for the choral movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's 9th Symphony.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: In 1971 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe decided to propose adopting the prelude to the "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven's 9th Symphony as the anthem, taking up a suggestion made by Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi in 1955. Beethoven was generally seen as the natural choice for a European anthem. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe officially announced the European Anthem on 19 January 1972 at Strasbourg: the prelude to "Ode to Joy", 4th movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's 9th symphony.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: Conductor Herbert von Karajan was asked to write three instrumental arrangementsfor solo piano, for wind instruments and for symphony orchestra and he conducted the performance used to make the official recording. He wrote his decisions on the score, notably those concerning the tempo. Karajan decided on minim (half note) = 80 whereas Beethoven had written crotchet (quarter note) = 120.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: The anthem was launched via a major information campaign on Europe Day in 1972. In 1985, it was adopted by EU heads of state and government as the official anthem of the then European Communitysince 1993 the European Union. It is not intended to replace the national anthems of the member states but rather to celebrate the values they all share and their unity in diversity. It expresses the ideals of a united Europe: freedom, peace, and solidarity.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: It was to have been included in the European Constitution along with the other European symbols; however, the treaty failed ratification and was replaced by the Treaty of Lisbon, which does not include any symbols. A declaration was attached to the treaty, in which sixteen member states formally recognised the proposed symbols. In response, the European Parliament decided that it would make greater use of the anthem, for example at official occasions. In October 2008, the Parliament changed its rules of procedure to have the anthem played at the opening of Parliament after elections and at formal sittings.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: "Ode to Joy" is the anthem of the Council of Europe (CoE) and the European Union (EU). In the context of the CoE, the anthem is used to represent all of Europe. In the context of the EU, the anthem is used to represent the union and its people. It is used on occasions such as Europe Day and formal events such as the signing of treaties. The European Parliament seeks to make greater use of the music; then-Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering stated he was moved when the anthem was played for him on his visit to Israel and ought to be used in Europe more often.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: The German public radio station Deutschlandfunk has broadcast the anthem together with the Deutschlandlied shortly before midnight since New Year's Eve 2006. The two anthems were specially recorded by the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra in versions characterized by "modesty and intensity".


title: Anthem of Europe

text: At the 2007 signing ceremony for the Treaty of Lisbon, the plenipotentiaries of the European Union's twenty-seven member states stood in attendance while the "Ode to Joy" was played and a choir of 26 Portuguese children sang the original German lyrics.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: In 2008 it was used by Kosovo as its national anthem until it adopted its own, and it was played at its declaration of independence, as a nod to the EU's role in its independence from Serbia.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: "Ode to Joy", automatically orchestrated in seven different styles, was used on 18 June 2015 during the ceremony celebrating the 5000th ERC grantee as anthem of the European Research Council to represent achievements of European research.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: "Ode to Joy" is used as the theme song to the 2016 UEFA Euro qualifying and the European qualifying of the 2018 FIFA World Cup football competition at the introduction of every match.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: In 2017, members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from the Scottish National Party first whistled and then sang "Ode to Joy" during a vote at the House of Commons to protest against Brexit.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: In 2018, the anthem of Japan and the anthem of the EU were performed in Tokyo during the official signing of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement. The European anthem is often played at the signing of official economic or political agreements with foreign governments.


title: Anthem of Europe

text: While the anthem has no official lyrics, unofficial Latin lyrics have been written and translated into all of the EU's official languages.


title: Marcelo Martins Moreno

text: Marcelo Martins Moreno (born 18 June 1987), known as Marcelo Martins in Bolivia and as Marcelo Moreno in other countries, is a Bolivian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Paraguayan Primera División club Cerro Porteño and captains the Bolivia national team. He is considered one of the greatest Bolivian players of all time. With 30 goals, he is the national team's all-time top goalscorer.


title: Marcelo Martins Moreno

text: Moreno was born in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. He began his career at Oriente Petrolero. In 2003, Martins debuted for the club as a 16-year-old in Bolivia's Primera División.


title: Marcelo Martins Moreno

text: He moved to Vitória, becoming first choice in 2006, at the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C. He scored 12 goals in the competition, four less than the top goalscorer. In the middle of 2007, he moved to Cruzeiro, becoming first choice only in the next year, when he scored 8 goals at the 2008 Copa Libertadores, being the top goalscorer, alongside Salvador Cabañas.


title: Marcelo Martins Moreno

text: On 27 May 2008, he signed a five-year contract with Shakhtar Donetsk. The Ukrainian club agreed to pay €9 million for the player. On 1 November, he scored a brace in a 3–1 league match win against Zorya Luhansk. Even though he had won the 2008–09 UEFA Cup, on 29 May 2009, unable to establish himself in Donetsk, Moreno joined German club Werder Bremen on loan. Bremen had initially attempted to sign Moreno the previous summer, but the player opted for Shakhtar.


title: Marcelo Martins Moreno

text: In a 2009 interview, Martins remarked that he didn't want to go to Ukraine at the moment of signing with Shakhtar, but that was the way the negotiation was produced. He commented that it was a difficult moment but it was a moment of adaptation to a new football.


title: Marcelo Martins Moreno

text: In 2009, he said that when speaking in Portuguese with team mates Naldo and Hugo Almeida that he would feel Brazilian, that Brazil was an important country in his life cause he lived in it for half of his life.


title: Marcelo Martins Moreno

text: On 2 August 2009, he scored a double in a 2009–10 DFB-Pokal match that ended in a 5–0 victory against Union Berlin. On 29 January 2010, Bremen terminated his contract and he returned to Shakhtar Donetsk. On transfer deadline day, a six-month loan deal between Shakhtar and Wigan Athletic was agreed to take the player to the Premier League. He signed for them on 1 February on loan. After returning to Shakhtar, he made a decent impression, scoring 7 times in 23 appearances. However, after being listed as a reserve the next season, Moreno joined Grêmio in late December 2011 and signed a five-year contract with the Brazilian team starting in 2012. He was then loaned to Flamengo in the 2013 season and Cruzeiro in 2014.


title: Marcelo Martins Moreno

text: In February 2015, Moreno transferred to Chinese Super League side Changchun Yatai. His first season in China was successful, scoring 20+ goals in 53 games. In 2017 he signed for Wuhan Zall in the Chinese League One being the joint top scorer in his first season with 23 league goals, along with Colombian Harold Preciado. In 2019 Moreno signed with Shijiazhuang Ever Bright. Although he only played 12 games with them, he scored 7 goals.


title: Marcelo Martins Moreno

text: On 30 January 2022, ABC Color announced that Martins would join Primera División Paraguaya team Cerro Porteño. He would be the attacking replacement of Argentine Mauro Boselli. The transfer took effect on 9 February 2022 of Paraguay's summer transfer window. On 10 February, Martins arrived to Paraguay and was officially presented at Cerro Porteño. He signed for 2 years. He was presented with the number 9 shirt. His salary would not be paid by the club, instead by a private company would. Before signing, Martins spoke with Cerro Porteño coach Francisco Arce, who sent him videos so he can adapt to his play as quick as possible. Martins remarked that Arce was important so that he could join Cerro Porteño. His arrival into Paraguay was made through Cerro Porteño's director, Miguel Carrizosa, who lent his airplane to bring Martins. He became Cerro Porteño's 5th signing ahead of the 2022 Primera División season, following William Riveros, Robert Piris Da Motta, Sergio Díaz and Alfio Oviedo.


title: Marcelo Martins Moreno

text: Born in Bolivia to a Brazilian father (Mauro Martins, former footballer) and Bolivian mother, Moreno played for the Brazilian under-18 and under-20 sides at the youth level, becoming the first foreign player to be part of this youth setup and the fifth foreign player to wear the Brazilian national team's shirt in an official match, but chose to represent the Bolivian senior national team as a professional.


title: Marcelo Martins Moreno

text: Due to his success playing for Cruzeiro, Moreno received his first call-up for a friendly match against Peru on 12 September 2007. He scored his first two international goals on 20 November 2007, during a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Venezuela. On 14 October 2008, he scored both of Bolivia's goals against Uruguay in a 2–2 draw. He also opened the scoring in Bolivia's historic 6–1 victory over Diego Maradona's Argentina on 1 April 2009. A few months later, in October, he scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory against powerhouse Brazil at Estadio Hernando Siles.


title: Marcelo Martins Moreno

text: Moreno was included in the Bolivia squad for the 2015 Copa América in Chile. On 15 June, he scored the decisive goal in the team's second group match – a 3–2 defeat of Ecuador – to give "La Verde" its first win at the Copa América since the 1997 tournament. He was Bolivia's top scorer at the tournament with two goals, also being the only Bolivian player to score in the knockout stage as the side lost 3–1 to Peru in the quarter-finals. Moreno announced his retirement from the national squad on 15 September 2015 together with then captain Ronald Raldes, claiming divergences with head coach Julio César Baldivieso.


title: Marcelo Martins Moreno

text: On 12 November 2020, Moreno scored his 20th international goal in a 3–2 defeat to Ecuador, equaling Joaquín Botero's all-time top goalscoring record for Bolivia.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Luzerne County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water. It is Northeastern Pennsylvania's second-largest county by total area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 325,594, making it the most populous county in the northeastern part of the state. The county seat and largest city is Wilkes-Barre. Other populous communities include Hazleton, Kingston, Nanticoke, and Pittston. Luzerne County is included in the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a total population of 555,426 as of 2017.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: On September 25, 1786, Luzerne County was formed from part of Northumberland County. It was named after Chevalier de la Luzerne, a French soldier and diplomat during the 18th century. When it was founded, Luzerne County occupied a large portion of Northeastern Pennsylvania. From 1810 to 1878, it was divided into several smaller counties. The counties of Bradford, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and Wyoming were all formed from parts of Luzerne County.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The county gained prominence in the 19th and 20th centuries as an active anthracite coal mining region, drawing a large portion of its labor force from European immigrants. At its peak (in 1930), the county's population was 445,109. Many factories and coal mines closed by the early 21st century. Like most regions in the Rust Belt, Luzerne County witnessed population loss and urban decay. However, in recent years, the economy has grown moderately; warehousing has replaced manufacturing as the main industry.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The Luzerne County Historical Society maintains the storehouse for the collective memory of Luzerne County and its environs. It records and interprets the history, traditions, events, people, and cultures that have directed and molded life within the region.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Long an area occupied by indigenous peoples, by the 1700s the Wyoming Valley was inhabited by several historical Native American tribes (including the Susquehannock, who spoke an Iroquoian language, and the Delaware, who spoke an Algonquian language). In the mid-18th century, Connecticut settlers of primarily English ancestry ventured into the valley. These were the first recorded Europeans in the region. Some came to conduct missionary work with the Native Americans, while others came to farm the fertile land near the Susquehanna River. Ultimately, the violence of the French and Indian War (the North American front of the Seven Years' War between Great Britain and France) drove these Connecticut settlers away.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The British colonies of Pennsylvania and Connecticut both claimed the Wyoming Valley as their own. King Charles II of England had granted the land to the Colony of Connecticut in 1662, and also to William Penn (the founder of Pennsylvania) in 1681. By 1769, Yankee settlers from Connecticut returned to the valley and founded the town of Wilkes-Barre. However, they were not alone. Pennsylvanians (Pennamites) were also in the region. Armed bands of Pennsylvanians harassed the Connecticut settlers in what is known as the Pennamite-Yankee Wars. While the land dispute continued, a much larger conflict began. The Thirteen Colonies were waging a war of independence against Great Britain (the mother country). Most residents of both Pennsylvania and Connecticut were largely loyal to the cause of American independence.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: On June 30, 1778, British (Tory) forces, under the command of Colonel John Butler, arrived in the Wyoming Valley to confront the American settlers. The following day – July 1 – the American militia at Fort Wintermute (Wintermoot) surrendered. Several miles away, Fort Jenkins (a Patriot stockade in present-day West Pittston) also capitulated. It was later burned to the ground.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: On July 3, the British spotted the American militia near Forty Fort. Butler wanted to lure the Americans away from their fortifications. He ordered for Fort Wintermute to be set ablaze. The Patriots, believing it signified a British retreat, advanced rapidly. British soldiers, with the assistance of about 700 Native American allies, mostly from Iroquois nations, ambushed the oncoming American militia. In the end, nearly 300 Wyoming Valley settlers were killed in what would be known as the Wyoming Massacre. Today, in the Borough of Wyoming, a monument marks the gravesite of the victims from the battle.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: On July 4 – the following morning – the American colonel, Nathan Denison, agreed to surrender Forty Fort along with several other posts. A portion of Fort Pittston (located in present-day Pittston City) was destroyed when it surrendered to the British. Two years later, the Americans stormed the fortification and recaptured it. From then on, it was under Patriot control until the end of the war.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: In September 1778, revenge for the Wyoming defeat was taken by American Colonel Thomas Hartley. He and his 200 soldiers burned roughly one dozen Iroquois villages along the Susquehanna River (in both Pennsylvania and western New York).


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Two years later, in September 1780, reports of British (Tory) activity in the region caused Captain Daniel Klader and a platoon of 40 to 50 Patriots (from Northampton County) to investigate. Captain Klader's men made it as far north as present-day Conyngham, when they were ambushed by warriors of the Iroquois Seneca nation and Tory soldiers. Eighteen of Klader's men were killed in what is now known as the Sugarloaf massacre.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The American Revolutionary War ended three years later (in 1783) with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. With the signing of the treaty, Great Britain finally recognized the sovereignty of the United States of America. The land dispute between Pennsylvania and Connecticut continued after the war. Connecticut established its own county (by the name of Westmoreland) in the Wyoming Valley. However, Pennsylvania insisted that they owned the land. The Congress of the Confederation was asked to resolve the matter. With the Decree of Trenton, on December 30, 1782, the confederation government officially decided that the region belonged to Pennsylvania; the Wyoming Valley became part of Northumberland County.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Pennsylvania ruled that the Connecticut settlers (Yankees) were not citizens of the Commonwealth. Therefore, they could not vote and were ordered to give up their property claims. In May 1784, armed men from Pennsylvania force-marched the Connecticut settlers away from the valley. By November, the Yankees returned with a greater force. They captured and destroyed Fort Dickinson in Wilkes-Barre. With that victory, a new state (which was separate from both Connecticut and Pennsylvania) was proposed. The new state was to be named Westmoreland. To ensure that they didn't lose the land, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania worked out a compromise with the Connecticut (Yankee) settlers. The Yankee settlers would be allowed to become citizens of Pennsylvania and their property claims would be restored (prior to the Decree of Trenton). As part of the compromise, Pennsylvania would establish a new county in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Yankees agreed to the terms.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: On September 25, 1786, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed a resolution which created Luzerne County. It was formed from a section of Northumberland County and named after Chevalier de la Luzerne, a French soldier and diplomat to the American rebels and new government of the independent United States of America during the late 18th century. Wilkes-Barre was designated as the seat of government for the new territory. This resolution ended the idea of creating a new state. When it was founded, Luzerne County occupied a large portion of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The future counties of Bradford, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and Wyoming were all part of the original Luzerne County.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: In the following years, elections were held, the courts were established, a courthouse was constructed, and a government was formed. In 1787, Lord Butler was elected the first sheriff of Luzerne County. A board of commissioners was also assembled to manage the county government. Some of the first county commissioners included Jesse Fell, Alexander Johnson, John Phillips, John Jenkins, and Thomas Wright (from 1794 to 1796). The population of the new county grew rapidly. In 1790, fewer than 2,000 people resided within the Wyoming Valley. By 1800, the number of residents increased to nearly 13,000.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The county gained prominence in the 19th century as an active anthracite coal mining region. In 1791, German immigrant Philip Ginder stumbled across anthracite (or "hard coal") near Summit Hill. This resulted in the creation of the Lehigh Coal Mine Company. The company had a slow start because of the difficulty in igniting anthracite coal and the inability to transfer it to urban markets. In 1807, Brothers Abijah and John Smith were the first to successfully transport anthracite down the Susquehanna River on an ark. In 1808, Judge Jesse Fell of Wilkes-Barre discovered a solution to ignite anthracite with the usage of an iron grate; it allowed for the coal to light and burn easier. This invention increased the popularity of anthracite as a fuel source. This led to the expansion of the coal industry in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Throughout the 1800s, canals and railroads were constructed to aid in the mining and transportation of coal.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: As the mining industry grew, a large region north of the Wyoming Valley – close to the New York border — sought independence from Luzerne County. On February 21, 1810, the counties of Bradford — originally called Ontario – and Susquehanna were created from parts of Luzerne County. The two counties were officially formed in 1812. Thirty years later, on April 4, 1842, Wyoming County — the region in and around present-day Tunkhannock — was also formed from a section of Luzerne County.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The County of Luzerne witnessed a population boom as a result of the growing coal mining industry. Carbondale, with a population of nearly 5,000 residents, was incorporated as a city on March 15, 1851. Scranton, with a population of nearly 35,000, was incorporated as a city on April 23, 1866. And Wilkes-Barre, with a population of just over 10,000, was incorporated as a city in 1871. By 1875, anthracite coal from Luzerne County alone represented half the anthracite produced in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Since 1839, the people in and around the cities of Scranton and Carbondale sought independence from Luzerne County. Wilkes-Barre was determined to preserve the integrity of the county; it did not want to lose its assets in the region. Decades later, in the 1870s, residents of the proposed territory were allowed to vote for independent status. Voters favored a new county by a proportion of 6 to 1, with Scranton residents providing considerable support. Lackawanna County was finally created from a portion of Luzerne County in 1878.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Even through Luzerne County lost a vital region (the coal mining cities of Scranton and Carbondale), its boroughs and townships continued to grow. Hazleton (in 1891) and Pittston (in 1894) were both incorporated as cities due to their expanding populations. Thousands of European immigrants poured into Luzerne County due to the booming coal industry. The growing population quickly attracted the attention of factory owners in New York City and Philadelphia. Dozens of factories throughout Luzerne County were established to take advantage of the ever-increasing pool of available labor.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: With an increasing population and the build-up of industry in the region, tragedies became more frequent in the second half of the 19th century. Sixteen people were killed – largely in factories – when a devastating F3 tornado struck Wilkes-Barre on August 19, 1890. It was the deadliest tornado in the county's history. The region's first significant mining disaster occurred on September 6, 1869, when a massive fire at the Avondale Colliery in Plymouth Township killed 110 people. Another consequential mining accident occurred on June 28, 1896, when the Newton Coal Company's Twin Shaft Mine in Pittston City caved-in and killed 58 miners.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Towards the end of the 19th century, labor unrest and union activity intensified in the region. Miners protested poor working conditions and unfair pay. This revved up tensions throughout the county. One of the most notable and deadly confrontations occurred on September 10, 1897 (near Hazleton). Luzerne County Sheriff James Martin formed a posse and fired on a group of unarmed striking miners in what is now known as the Lattimer massacre. Roughly nineteen people were killed and dozens more were wounded. Luzerne is infamous for being the last county whose sheriff legally formed a posse to restore order in a time of civil unrest.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: At the beginning of the 20th century, Luzerne County was in the midst of an economic boom. Industry, which included manufacturing and coal mining, drew thousands of immigrants (mostly from Europe) to the region. However, there were several drawbacks to the industrial boom. Labor unrest, mining accidents, and child labor were just a few problems facing the county. Labor disputes led to miners striking in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Great Strike of 1902 gained national attention when it threatened to shut down the winter fuel supply for major U.S. cities. At that time, residences were typically heated with anthracite (or "hard coal"). The United Mine Workers of America protested for higher wages, shorter workdays, and the recognition of their union. President Theodore Roosevelt became involved and set up a fact-finding commission that suspended the strike. The strike never resumed, as the miners received a ten percent wage increase and reduced workdays (from ten to nine hours). It was the first labor dispute in which the U.S. federal government intervened as a neutral arbitrator.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Also, in the early 1900s, the anthracite coal mining industry – and its extensive use of child labor – was one of the industries targeted by the National Child Labor Committee and its hired photographer, Lewis Hine. Many of Hine's subjects were photographed in the mines and coal fields in and around Pittston and Wilkes-Barre. The impact of the Hine photographs led to the enactment of child labor laws across the country.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Despite the better working conditions, industrial accidents were still commonplace. On December 6, 1915, an underground mine fire started in the Red Ash Coal Mine near the communities of Laurel Run and Georgetown. Hundreds of residents living near the mine fire were later relocated. The fire continued to burn well into the 21st century. On June 5, 1919, another major mining accident occurred nearby. An explosion killed 92 miners at the Baltimore Colliery in Wilkes-Barre.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Regardless of the industrial setbacks, the region continued to grow economically. In 1906, construction began on a new county courthouse in Wilkes-Barre. Twenty years later (in 1926), Nanticoke, with a population of just over 22,000, was incorporated as a city. It was the last city established in the county. By 1930, the county's population peaked at 445,109. It was obvious that industry was the driving force behind the expanding population. From the 1930s to the 1980s, Pittston City emerged as a national center for clothing manufacturing. Thousands of workers, mainly women, labored in many factories throughout the Greater Pittston area. Most were members of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU). It advocated for higher wages, improvements in workplace health and safety, and employee rights. The ILGWU was active in civic and political life throughout Pennsylvania.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Railroad accidents were common throughout the United States in the 1800s and 1900s. In 1934, the right arm of Hughestown resident Harry Tompkins was crushed by an Erie Railroad train. This resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court case "Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins", which laid the foundation for a large part of modern American civil procedure.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: As the United States entered the age of mass air transportation, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre (the largest cities in Northeast Pennsylvania) recognized the need for a large-scale airport. Despite the Great Depression and hard times affecting the local coal mining industry, a windfall multimillion-dollar opportunity to plan and build a regional airport was presented to the counties of Luzerne and Lackawanna through the federal government's Public Works Administration. It became apparent that a modern airport would be needed for the economic survival of the region. The site in and around Pittston Township was first surveyed in 1939 by the county commissioners of both counties.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: In 1941, John B. McDade, president of the Heidelberg Coal Company and father of Congressman Joseph M. McDade, donated 122 acres on which part of the airport now sits. Most of the land was previously owned by various coal companies. By 1945, the two counties entered into a legal agreement to co-sponsor and operate the airport. Between 1945 and 1947, construction of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport took place in and around Pittston Township. Today, the airport is known as the "Gateway to Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Pocono Mountains." It is the fifth busiest airport in Pennsylvania.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: By the mid-20th century, anthracite production was declining at a steady rate. Consumers were gradually switching from coal to other forms of energy (e.g., oil, natural gas, and electricity). The Knox Mine Disaster was the final blow to the industry. On January 22, 1959, the Susquehanna River broke through the River Slope Mine in Port Griffith, Jenkins Township; it claimed the lives of twelve people. In the following months, two of the area's largest coal companies announced a full withdrawal from the anthracite business. Thousands of jobs were lost and the mining industry never recovered in Luzerne County.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The Wyoming Valley witnessed historical flooding from the Susquehanna River in the past. In June 1972, Hurricane Agnes devastated much of the Eastern Seaboard (including Pennsylvania). The Susquehanna River rose to 40.9 feet and breached the levees of several communities in the Wyoming Valley. In Wilkes-Barre, hundreds were trapped in their homes; nearly nine feet of water inundated Public Square. At the historic cemetery in Forty Fort, 2,000 caskets were washed away, leaving body parts on porches, roofs, and in basements. In Luzerne County alone, 25,000 homes and businesses were either damaged or destroyed. Losses in the county totaled $1 billion.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Luzerne County's economy was hit hard with the collapse of the mining industry and the devastating Agnes flood. To make matters worse, factories throughout the county were shutting down. They could not compete with lower labor costs elsewhere. By the end of the 20th century, Luzerne County was in the midst of a recession.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Following the Agnes flood (from the 1980s to 2000), two notable tragedies occurred in Luzerne County. The first took place on September 25, 1982, when George Banks killed thirteen people in a shooting rampage in Wilkes-Barre and Jenkins Township. The second incident took place on May 21, 2000, when a plane crash in Bear Creek Township (near the intersection of Bear Creek Boulevard – PA Route 115 – and the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike) killed the pilot as well as all nineteen passengers.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Many factories and coal mines were long since closed by the turn of the 21st century. Like most regions in the Rust Belt, Luzerne County witnessed population loss and urban decay over many decades beginning in the mid-20th century. Luzerne County in particular had reached the apex of its population around 1930. However, despite continuing population loss in recent years, the economy has grown moderately; warehousing has replaced manufacturing as the main industry.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: In the late 2000s, several scandals related to public corruption, cronyism, patronage hiring, and wasteful spending affected the county. The "kids for cash" scandal unfolded in 2008 over judicial kickbacks at the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas in Wilkes-Barre. Two judges, President Judge Mark Ciavarella and Senior Judge Michael Conahan, were convicted of accepting money from Robert Mericle, builder of two private, for-profit youth centers for the detention of juveniles, in return for contracting with the facilities and imposing harsh adjudications on juveniles brought before their courts to increase the number of residents in the centers. In the following years, additional county officials faced criminal charges (e.g., a clerk of courts, a deputy chief clerk, a director of human resources). County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak resigned in 2009; he was ultimately sentenced to prison for accepting money from a developer who received government-backed financing.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: In May 2009, voters approved the creation of a government study commission. The commission proposed and wrote a home rule charter for Luzerne County. On November 2, 2010, the voters of Luzerne County held a referendum on the question of home rule. A total of 51,413 (55.25%) voted in favor of home rule, while another 41,639 (44.75%) voted against the move. The home rule charter would eliminate the positions of the three county commissioners; they would be replaced by an eleven-member county council (who will appoint and work alongside a county manager). This referendum "starts a new chapter in Luzerne County history," remarked James Haggerty, the chairman of the commission that wrote and proposed the charter. The first election for the new government was scheduled for 2011 – which ended up becoming an eventful year for Luzerne County.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: From March to June of that year, the Borough of Duryea received national attention for its role in the landmark Supreme Court case "Borough of Duryea v. Guarnieri", in which the court stated that "a government employer's allegedly retaliatory actions against an employee do not give rise to liability under the Petition Clause unless the employee's petition relates to a matter of public concern."


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The second major event occurred in September 2011, when Luzerne County witnessed historical flooding from Tropical Storm Lee. The Susquehanna River reached a record high of 42.6 feet (13 meters) in Wilkes-Barre. The river topped the 40.9-foot (12.5 meters) level in flooding caused by Hurricane Agnes in 1972. However, unlike 1972, the levee system in Wilkes-Barre and several other communities held. Those municipalities without a levee system witnessed severe flooding.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The first general election for Luzerne County Council was held on November 8, making it the third and final consequential event of 2011. In the end, six Democrats, four Republicans, and one independent politician were elected.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The home rule charter took effect on January 2, 2012. The Luzerne County Board of Commissioners was abolished and replaced with the new form of government (council–manager government). The last three commissioners were Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla, Stephen A. Urban, and Thomas Cooney. The first eleven council members were sworn in that same day. According to the charter, the council chair is "recognized as head of the county government for ceremonial purposes." The first council chair was Jim Bobeck. During the first council meeting, Tom Pribula was appointed interim county manager. Several weeks later, the council officially appointed the first permanent manager (Robert Lawton).


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: During the 2019 county council election, Republicans secured a majority on the county's governing board for the first time since 1989.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.8%, is water. The highest point in the county is Cherry Ridge in Fairmount Township. The ridge is above sea level. The lowest point, of about , can be found near Shickshinny.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Luzerne County consists of 76 independently governing municipalities (which includes 4 cities, 36 boroughs, and 36 townships). Wilkes-Barre is the largest city; it has a total area of . Pittston, with a total area of , is the smallest city. Harveys Lake is the largest borough; it has a total area of . Jeddo, with a total area of , is the smallest borough. Bear Creek is the largest township; it has a total area of . Wilkes-Barre Township, with a total area of , is the smallest.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The Wyoming Valley, also referred to as the Anthracite Valley Section of Pennsylvania, runs directly through Luzerne County. It extends from the northeastern border (with Lackawanna County) to the western border (with Columbia County). The valley is flat (at the Susquehanna Basin) and rises from to in some places. Bear Creek, on the eastern side of the valley, has a mean elevation of about , while Shickshinny, on the Susquehanna Basin, is about . The county is crossed by a series of east-to-west mountains (e.g., Buck Mountain, Nescopeck Mountain, Penobscot Knob, and Red Rock Mountain). They are all part of the Appalachian Mountain Range.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The Susquehanna River is the largest river in the county. There are several islands located within the river; for example, Scovell Island (near Pittston), Monocanock Island (near Wyoming), and Richard Island (near Wilkes-Barre). The Susquehanna drains most of the county (including Bowman Creek, Huntington Creek, the Lackawanna River, Nescopeck Creek, Solomon Creek, and many other streams). The Lehigh River, which forms part of Luzerne County's southeastern border, drains the easternmost region. Dozens of lakes and ponds are also scattered throughout the county (e.g., Harveys Lake, Lake Jean, Lake Louise, and Long Pond).


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Luzerne County consists of several urban areas. The first is a contiguous quilt-work of former anthracite coal mining communities (including the cities of Pittston, Wilkes-Barre, and Nanticoke). It is located in the northeastern and central part of the county (in the Wyoming Valley). The second is Hazleton and it is located in the southern portion of the county. Other urban areas include the Back Mountain (in northern Luzerne County) and Mountain Top (between Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton). Thick forests and small farming communities are located just outside the urban centers.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Luzerne County has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification "Dfa"/mostly "Dfb") with four distinct seasons. Winters are cold with a January average of . The surrounding mountains have an influence on the climate (which includes both precipitation and temperature). This results in a wide array of weather conditions throughout the county. On average, temperatures below are infrequent, occurring three days per year, and there are 36 days where the maximum temperature remains below . In the Wilkes-Barre area, the average annual snowfall is during the winter (in which severe snowstorms are rare). However, when snowstorms do occur, they can disrupt normal routines for several days.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Summers are warm with a July average of . In an average summer, temperatures exceeding occur on nine days and can occasionally exceed . Spring and fall are unpredictable, with temperatures ranging from cold to warm (although they are usually mild). On average, Wilkes-Barre receives of precipitation each year, which is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year (though the summer months receive more precipitation).


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Extreme temperatures range from on January 21, 1994, to on July 9, 1936. The hardiness zone in most of the county is 6a and ranges from 5a to 6b. Wilkes-Barre averages 2,303 hours of sunshine per year, ranging from a low of 96 hours in December (or 33% of possible sunshine) to 286 hours in July (or 62% of possible sunshine). Despite being at the south end of the county, Hazleton's temperatures average lower than those of the Wyoming Valley due to its elevation.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: As of the 2020 census, the county was 89.3% White, 6.6% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 1.4% Asian, and 2.0% were of two or more races. 13.8% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: According to the 2010 census, the county was 90.7% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.3% other race, and 1.5% were of two or more races. 6.7% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: According to the census of 2000, there were 319,250 people, 130,687 households, and 84,293 families residing in the county. The population density was 358 people per square mile (138/km). There were 144,686 housing units at an average density of 162 per square mile (63/km). The racial makeup of the county was 96.63% White, 1.69% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.43% other race, and 0.57% from two or more races. 1.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino. 22.2% were of Polish ancestry, 15.6% of Italian ancestry, 13.8% of Irish ancestry, 12.1% of German ancestry, and 5.3% of Slovak ancestry. Luzerne County is the only county in the United States with a plurality of citizens reporting Polish as their primary ancestry; the plurality of Pennsylvanians report German or Pennsylvania Dutch.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: There were 130,687 households, out of which 48.80% were married couples living together. 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present. 35.50% were non-families. 31.30% of all households were made up of individuals. 16% of those age 65 years and older lived alone. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.95.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: In the county, the population consisted of 21% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 24% from 45 to 64, and 19.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 93 males. For every 100 females (age 18 and over), there were 89.50 males.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The median household income (in 2015 dollars) was $45,897. 15.1% of the population lives in poverty. 60.4% of those 16 years of age or older are in the civilian labor force. There are more white collar jobs in Luzerne County than blue collar jobs. In total, there are 91,801 white collar jobs and 62,813 blue collar jobs. The mean travel time to work (for those 16 years of age or older) was 22.1 minutes. In terms of education, 88.9% (of those 25 years of age or older) are high school graduates or higher. 21.4% (of those 25 years of age or older) have a bachelor's degree or higher. In terms of healthcare, 10.8% (for those under the age of 65) are living with a disability. As of 2015, 25,317 veterans are living in Luzerne County.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The two major languages spoken in Luzerne County are English and Spanish. 5.8% of the population speaks Spanish at home. Most of the Spanish speaking population can be found in and around the City of Hazleton.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: 59.27% of the people in Luzerne County are religious, meaning they affiliate with a religion. 43.77% are Catholic; 0.28% are LDS (or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints); 0.51% are Baptist; 0.55% are Episcopalian; 1.05% are Pentecostal; 3.11% are Lutheran; 4.40% are Methodist; 1.95% are Presbyterian; 2.33% are of some other Christian faith; 0.78% are Jewish; 0.00% are of an eastern faith; and 0.51% practice Islam.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Grains, seeds, beans, and peas make up about one third of the county's farm revenues. Due to its position as a somewhat less populated area near much larger metropolises, Luzerne's agritourism business is one of the larger in the state.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Through 2019 the Spotted Lanternfly ("Lycorma delicatula") was quarantined in neighboring counties, and there was tremendous concern that it would spread here. This was considered to be inevitable. In 2020 the state Ag Department added the county to the SLF quarantine zone. In October a homeowner noticed an adult on his house siding and recognized it from Penn State Extension's education campaign. He reported it and the state began efforts in Luzerne. An economic analysis for the General Assembly shows the effects on the county's economy will be severe.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Luzerne is both a productive farming county and a commuter location for nearby large cities. As such farmland is often converted to other real estate uses, and the county has created the to encourage conservation. The Luzerne CD runs the to encourage farmland to be set aside instead of turning it into construction and development.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Garlic Mustard ("Alliaria petiolata") is an invasive weed here, first known from 2001. Kunkel & Chen 2022 find that, contrary to what has been found elsewhere, here it thrives in shaded habitats and is not helped by light exposure.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Luzerne County voters rejected home rule proposals in the past (once in 1974 and again in 2003). However, from 2008 to 2010, corruption plagued the county government. Three county judges, a county commissioner, a clerk of courts, a deputy chief clerk, and a director of human resources faced criminal charges. These events persuaded the voters of Luzerne County to adopt a new form of government. On Tuesday, November 2, 2010, a home rule charter was adopted by a margin of 51,413 to 41,639.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The following year (in 2011), the first election for the new government was held. On Monday, January 2, 2012, the previous government (the board of county commissioners) was abolished and replaced with the new form of government (council–manager government). The first members of the Luzerne County Council were sworn in that same day. The council's highest-ranking officer is the chair; he or she is also the head of county government for ceremonial purposes. The first council chair was Jim Bobeck. The assembly consists of eleven elected members. They appoint and work alongside a full-time manager. The manager oversees the county's day-to-day operations. The first manager was Robert Lawton.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Luzerne County Council is the governing body of the county. The council meets at the Luzerne County Courthouse. There are eleven members on the assembly – ten Republicans and one Democrat. Each member is duly elected by the voters of the county. The chair is appointed by his or her fellow council members. The chair is both the highest-ranking officer on the council and the head of county government for ceremonial purposes. He or she sets the agenda for the council and administers the meetings. When the group is not in session, the officer's duties often include acting as its representative to the outside world and its spokesperson. The current chair is Kendra M. Radle.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The executive branch is headed by the Luzerne County Manager. The manager supervises the county's day-to-day operations. According to the home rule charter, he or she "shall serve at the pleasure of county council." In other words, the council has the power to appoint and remove the manager. Each ordinance, resolution, and policy established by county council should be faithfully executed by the county manager. The manager may make recommendations to the council; however, he or she does not have the authority to vote on or veto any legislation originating from the assembly. The current acting manager is Brian Swetz.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The Democratic Party has been historically dominant in county-level politics. However, during the 2019 Luzerne County Council election, Republicans – for the first time – secured a majority on council, the county's governing body. Thomas Baldino, professor emeritus of political science at Wilkes University, suspected that the 2019 Luzerne County Council election results were due to the trending Republican preference in the county (mostly due to then-President Trump's popularity in the region).


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: During presidential elections, the county is considered a bellwether of the state. Until 2020, it had voted for the presidential candidate who carried Pennsylvania in every election since 1936. Luzerne County has leaned Democratic in past presidential elections; however, that trend has changed in recent years. During the 2000 U.S. presidential election, Democrat Al Gore won 52% of the vote to Republican George W. Bush's 44%. In 2004, it was much closer, with Democrat John Kerry winning 51% to Republican George Bush's 48%. Democrat Barack Obama carried the county twice (once in 2008, and again in 2012). During the 2016 presidential election, the county swung dramatically to Republican Donald Trump, who won it with 58% of the vote, the largest margin since President Richard Nixon in 1972. It was the first time a Republican presidential candidate carried the county since 1988. Trump won the county almost as easily in 2020.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: In recent years, Luzerne County has witnessed mixed results in U.S. senate elections. In 2000, 2004, 2016, and 2018, the Republican candidates for U.S. senate won the county. However, Democratic candidates for U.S. senate carried the county in 2006 (with 60.6% of the vote), 2010, and 2012.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Democratic candidates for Pennsylvania governor won Luzerne County in 2002, 2006 (with 67.5% of the vote), 2014, and 2018. In recent years, the county voted for a Republican gubernatorial candidate only once (in 2010).


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: There are many fire and police departments scattered throughout Luzerne County. Each individual community (city, borough, and township) determines the boundaries of each department. The firefighters provide fire protection for its citizens. Most fire departments are headed by a fire chief and are staffed by a combination of career and volunteer firefighters.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The police provide full-time protection to its citizens, visitors, businesses, and public property. Most departments are headed by a chief of police and operate out of their local municipal building. The Luzerne County Sheriff's Office operates out of Wilkes-Barre's Luzerne County Courthouse. The sheriff is an official who is responsible for keeping the peace and enforcing the law throughout the county.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: After Luzerne County adopted a home rule charter, the office of sheriff became an appointed position (and was no longer an elected one). The Pennsylvania State Police also have a presence in the county. Troop P operates out of the northern half of Luzerne County and is headquartered in Hanover Township as PSP Wilkes-Barre. Troop P also has a barracks in Salem Township—PSP Shickshinny. Troop N operates out of the southern portion of the county and is headquartered in West Hazleton as PSP Hazleton.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area is the 55th-largest U.S. television market. Local television stations include: WNEP-TV (ABC affiliate), WBRE-TV (NBC affiliate), WYOU-TV (CBS affiliate), WVIA-TV (PBS affiliate), WOLF-TV (FOX affiliate), WQMY (MyNetworkTV affiliate), WSWB (CW affiliate), WQPX (Ion Television affiliate), and WYLN-LP (Youtoo TV affiliate).


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: "Times Leader" and "The Citizens' Voice" are the two largest daily newspapers in the Wilkes-Barre area. Wilkes-Barre's radio market is ranked No. 69 by Arbitron's ranking system. There are news, adult alternative, and music radio stations which are receivable in the area.


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Luzerne County contains the second highest number of independently governing municipalities in the state of Pennsylvania, with 76; only Allegheny County has more. Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in the case of Bloomsburg, towns. The following cities, boroughs, and townships are located in Luzerne County:


title: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

text: Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: William Edward Joyce (born December 11, 1957) is an American writer, illustrator, and filmmaker. He has achieved worldwide recognition as an author, artist and pioneer in the digital and animation industry.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: He has written and illustrated over 50 bestselling children’s books and novels which have been translated into over 40 languages.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: He began his film career on "Toy Story" and has since been a producer/director/screenwriter/production designer in both animation and live action.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: Among his many awards, Bill has won 6 Emmys, 3 Annies and an Academy award for his short film "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" (2011).


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: Bill was named by "Newsweek magazine" as “one of the 100 people to watch in the new millennium. His feature films, all based on his books, include "Epic", "Rise of the Guardians", "Robots" and "Meet the Robinsons". His television series include the groundbreaking computer animated "Rolie Polie Olie" for which he was creator and showrunner.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: His new company, Howdybot Studios, is focused on Bill’s stories in a variety of mediums and media. Mr. Joyce’s newest short film "Mr. Spam Gets a New Hat" (2022) has won awards at a number of film festivals in the U.S. and abroad. He is also in pre-production on an animated version of "The" "Great Gatsby" from Apple TV+ and Apple Studios. Both projects are in collaboration with DNEG Studios and Epic Games.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: His novel “Ollie's Odyssey” will be aired as a live action/CG limited series on Netflix in August 2022.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: He has written and illustrated over 50 children's books including "George Shrinks", "Santa Calls", "Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures with the Family Lazardo", "Rolie Polie Olie", "The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs" and "A Day with Wilbur Robinson, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, The Guardians of Childhood" series and many others.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: His first book "“Tammy and the Gigantic Fish”" by James and Katherine Gray was published by Harper & Row (now Harper Collins) in 1983. After the retirement of his longtime editor there Laura Gerringer, in 2011 Joyce moved his backlist and all subsequent books to Simon & Schuster where his editor is Caitlyn Dlouhy.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: Since being at Simon & Schuster Mr. Joyce has produced a number of bestselling titles, including "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" which debuted at Number 1 on the "New York" "Times" bestseller list in July 2012, a position it held for several weeks. "Morris Lessmore" has been translated into over 40 languages and was named by "Time Magazine" as one of the 100 best children's books of all time. "Morris Lessmore" is the most expansive and experimental of Joyce’s stories. With his company Moonbot Studios, Joyce along with his partners, produced the "Lessmore" story in a variety of media and mediums simultaneously. A short film was in production (using handmade miniature sets) while the book was being illustrated (along with Joe Bluhm) and an interactive story app was being devised.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: The story app of "Morris Lessmore" received overwhelmingly positive attention and in August 2011 briefly dislonged Angry Birds as the bestselling app in the world. It was voted into the app hall of fame soon after.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: Joyce has received three Emmys for "Rolie Polie Olie", a Canadian animated television series based on his series of children's books that aired on Disney Channel (part of Playhouse Disney block) and is currently on Disney+. His second television series, "George Shrinks", used to air daily on PBS stations. He has received three additional Emmys for other animated projects.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: Joyce created conceptual characters for Disney/Pixar's feature films "Toy Story" (1995) and "A Bug's Life" (1998). In 2001 Pixar founder John Lasseter introduced Joyce to animation director Chris Wedge. At this time Wedge’s fledging animation studio Blue Sky was completing its Oscar winning short film "Bunny" and hoped to begin developing feature animated films, which they soon did with the "Ice Age" franchise.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: In 2002, after Joyce and "Ice Age" director Chris Wedge attempted to adapt one of Joyce's book "Santa Calls" into a feature film "Santa Calls", during that process they both came up with the idea for the computer-animated feature film "Robots" (2005). Besides being one of the creators, Joyce also served as a producer and production designer.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: In 2005, Joyce and Reel FX launched a joint venture, Aimesworth Amusements, to produce feature films, video games and books. The new company announced plans to make three feature films: "The Guardians of Childhood", "The Mischevians", and "Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures with the Family Lazardo". The first of those projects, "The Guardians of Childhood" was developed by DreamWorks Animation into the feature film, "Rise of the Guardians". It was released in 2012 and is based on Joyce's book series and the short film "Man in the Moon", directed by Joyce. Joyce was originally slated to direct the film, however early in the production his daughter Mary Katherine, his wife Elizabeth and his sister Cecile were diagnosed with terminal illnesses. He continued on as an executive producer along with his friend Guillermo del Toro. At the beginning of the end credits Dreamworks dedicated the film to Joyce’s daughter who died before the film's release.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: In 2007, Disney released "Meet the Robinsons", a feature film based on his book "A Day with Wilbur Robinson", to which Joyce served as one of the executive producers of the film along with John Lasseter and Clark Spencer. Joyce had written several drafts of the screenplay and did production design on a number of key characters and sets for the final film.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: In August 2009, Joyce and Reel FX co-founder Brandon Oldenburg and producers Lampton Enoch and Alyssa Kantrow founded a Shreveport-based animation and visual effects studio MOONBOT Studios. The studio produced an Oscar-winning animated short film and an iPad app "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore". The short film went on to win an Academy award. A book adaption was released in summer 2012. The studio released in January 2012 another app, "The Numberlys." A short film and a bestselling book followed soon after. "The Numberlys" film was short listed for the 2012 Academy Awards animated short film Oscar.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: His book "The Leaf Men" was adapted by Blue Sky Studios into a 2013 feature film titled "Epic", with Joyce as writer, executive producer, and production designer.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: In 2021, Joyce wrote and directed the short film Mr. Spam Gets a New Hat with the visual effects company DNEG. DNEG also announced they would be producing a feature animated film adaptation of "The Great Gatsby" directed by Joyce and written by noted author Brian Selznick ("The Invention of Hugo Cabret)".


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: Joyce’s acclaimed young adult novel “Ollie’s Odyssey” has been adopted as a live action/CG hybrid show by Netflix and premieres August 24, 2022. It is the second of Joyces works to be adapted by Peter Ramsey ("Rise of the Guardians", "" 2018).


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: Joyce received the 2008 Louisiana Writer Award for his enduring contribution to the "literary intellectual heritage of Louisiana." The award was presented to him on October 4, 2008, during a ceremony at the 2008 Louisiana Book Festival in Baton Rouge. On February 26, 2012, he won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore".


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: William Joyce lives with his son Jackson Edward Joyce in Shreveport, Louisiana. His daughter, Mary Katherine, died on May 2, 2010 at the age of 18, from complications of brain tumor. "Rise of the Guardians", a film inspired by stories Joyce told her while young and later resulted in "The Guardians of Childhood" book series, was dedicated to her memory, reading “For Mary Katherine Joyce, a Guardian Fierce and True” during the credits. The main character of "Epic", which is also based on Joyce's book, "The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs", was named after her. His wife, Frances Elizabeth Baucum Joyce, who was a Shreveport attorney, died on January 20, 2016 at the age of 55, from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: In 2006, Joyce founded the Katrinarita Gras Foundation to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. He is selling prints of his unpublished Mardi Gras "The New Yorker" cover through the foundation with all profit going to Louisiana artists and arts organizations.


title: William Joyce (writer)

text: In May 2017, Atheneum Young Readers released the picture book "Bently & Egg", "A Day with Wilbur Robinson", of which the film version is entitled "Meet the Robinsons", and "Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures with the Family Lazardo". All are under the label "The World of William Joyce".


title: Khadijah Farrakhan

text: Khadijah Farrakhan (born Betsy Ross) is the wife of Louis Farrakhan, the Supreme Leader of the Nation of Islam. She is known as the "First Lady of the Nation of Islam".


title: Khadijah Farrakhan

text: Khadijah Farrakhan converted to Nation of Islam with her husband Louis Farrakhan, then Louis Eugene Wolcott, in 1955, when they had been married for two years. As Supreme Minister, Farrakhan enrolled in the Fruit of Islam while his wife also enrolled in the Muslim Girls Training (MGT) and General Civilization Class (GCC) under the direction of Sister Captain Anna Lois Muhammad in New York City. The Muslim sisters in Mother Khadijah's class would include many important figures such as Dr. Betty Shabazz, the late wife of Malcolm X. Mother Khadijah, as she is often called, was an eager student and quickly rose to the top of her class. She was trained by Elijah Muhammad.


title: Khadijah Farrakhan

text: Minister Farrakhan was subsequently promoted to be the minister of Boston's Temple No. 11. Since both husband and wife had Boston backgrounds, they were right at home with the new posting and worked tirelessly, eventually building the New England area into one of the Nation of Islam's key developments between 1956 and 1965. In 1965, after Minister Farrakhan was promoted to the National Representative of the Hon. Elijah Muhammad and relocated to Mosque No. 7 in New York City, this husband and wife team began working to convert followers and extend the Nation of Islam's influence throughout New York City from Harlem to New Rochelle.


title: Khadijah Farrakhan

text: By 1975, Farrakhan and her family had relocated to Chicago. After Minister Farrakhan decided to rebuild the Nation of Islam under the teachings of Elijah Muhammad in 1977, she became the “new” Nation's first treasurer and secretary when the couple opened their Chicago home to host “study group” meetings. She shared her skills in office systems and communications, particularly in developing the secretarial department that helped launch many of the Nation of Islam's programs and thrusts that have become popular in mosques across the globe. As Minister Farrakhan's popularity grew, her responsibilities expanded to fund-raising, converting new members, humanitarian aid for the flood victims in the south, heading Nation of Islam delegations overseas at the opening of mosques, schools, foreign policy missions in Africa, addressing the Million Woman March in 1997, receiving and hosting visiting First Ladies of African countries, and directly helping one of the century's most important figures in Nation of Islam, her husband, Minister Louis Farrakhan. At a Saviour's Day Believer's meeting, the Minister described her as “his best friend.” On 2 June 2018 Minister Louis Farrakhan and his wife Khadijah announced the passing of their eldest son Louis Farrakhan Jr. He was 60 years old.


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: The Colt Army Model 1860 is a cap & ball .44-caliber single-action revolver used during the American Civil War made by Colt's Manufacturing Company. It was used as a side arm by cavalry, infantry, artillery troops, and naval forces.


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: The Colt 1860 Army uses the same size frame as the .36 caliber 1851 Navy revolver. The frame is relieved to allow the use of a rebated cylinder that enables the Army to be chambered in .44 caliber. The barrel on the 1860 Army has a forcing cone that is visibly shorter than that of the 1851 Navy, allowing the Army revolver to have a longer cylinder. Another distinguishing feature of the Colt 1860 Army, first introduced on the Colt 1855 Sidehammer Revolver, is the "creeping" loading lever.


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: More than 200,000 were manufactured from 1860 through 1873. Colt's biggest customer was the US Government with no less than 129,730 units being purchased and issued to the troops. The firearm was a single-action, six-shot revolver accurate from 75 up to 100 yards, where the fixed sights were typically set when manufactured. The rear sight was a notch in the hammer, only usable when the revolver was fully cocked.


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: The Colt .44-caliber “Army" Model was the most widely used revolver of the Civil War. It had a six-shot, rotating cylinder, and fired a round spherical lead ball, or a conical-tipped bullet, typically propelled by a 30-grain charge of black powder, which was ignited by a small copper percussion cap that contained a volatile charge of fulminate of mercury (a substance that explodes upon being subjected to a sharp impact). The percussion cap, when struck by the hammer, ignited the powder charge. When fired, balls had a muzzle velocity of about 900 feet per second (274 meters/second), although this depended on how much powder it was loaded with.


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: The unfluted cylinder was "rebated", meaning that the rear of the cylinder was turned to a smaller diameter than the front. The barrel was rounded and smoothed into the frame, as was the 1861 Navy Model. The frame, hammer, and rammer lever were case-hardened, the remainder blued; grips were of one-piece walnut; and the trigger guard and front grip strap were of brass while the backstrap was blued."


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: A distinguishing feature of the Model 1860 was that its frame had no top strap, or no component running above the cylinder. Instead, its strength came from the lower frame and the massive fixed cylinder pin. This made the gun slimmer and lighter than its main competitor, the Remington Model 1858, but the fixed cylinder pin meant that the barrel had to be removed to remove the cylinder, unlike the Model 1858, which only required removal of the cylinder retaining pin.


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: There are very few variations on the 1860 Army Revolver, but there was limited production of a 7.5-inch barrel model below serial number 3500, and a lightened model with cylinder flutes below serial number 8000. According to importer Cimarron Arms Company, this was called the "Texas Model" because a number of them came into Texas shortly after secession. The goal was to make use of silver spring steel of controlled carbon content and greater strength, but the thinned cylinder proved inadequate and sometimes exploded.(ibid Wilson) Patent inscription in cylinder flute: PATENTED SEPT. 10th 1850. Rebated cylinders above serial number 8000 were roller indented with a Texas Navy and Mexican battle scene and stamped with COLT PATENT NO followed by the last four digits of the serial number.


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: Military 1860s had elongated screw lugs on the side of the frame to mount a detachable shoulder stock. Some shoulder stocks were also hollow on the inside and intended to be used as canteens and were, unsurprisingly, called "canteen stocks". Stocks were typically made of wood, but other materials were also used, such as, in rare examples, pewter.


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: Pietta makes a Replica of the 1860 Colt Army with a 5 1/2 inch barrel, coined as the "sheriff's model. Although Colt did not produce this model during regular


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: production runs, that is not to say they did not produce some as a special order piece. Moreover, undoubtedly some were modified by cutting the barrel down to


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: By April 1861, 2,230 of Colt's earliest production went to dealers south of the Mason–Dixon line. The United States Navy ordered 900 fluted cylinder revolvers in May 1861 later issued to ships enforcing the Atlantic and Gulf blockade. United States Army orders also began in May, and 127,157 had been delivered before a February 4, 1864 fire put Colt's factory out of operation for the remainder of hostilities.


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: Loading is a somewhat lengthy process, with each of the six chambers drilled into the revolving cylinder being loaded from the front, or "muzzle" end. A measured amount of black powder is poured into a chamber. Next a lead ball is placed at the opening of the chamber and seated by firmly pressing it in with the pivoting loading lever which is attached beneath the barrel of the revolver. For sealing each chamber, an oversize lead ball is trimmed slightly by the rim of the chamber as the rammer forces it inside. Cap and ball shooters also often place a lubricated wad between balls and powder, or, alternatively, pack lard or a commercially-sold bore lubricant at the mouth of each chamber in an attempt to prevent powder in an adjacent chamber from being ignited by when the gun is fired, which is known as a chainfire.


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: When the Colt Model 1860 was used by 19th century soldiers, they most often loaded the gun using paper cartridges. These cartridges consisted of a pre-measured load of black powder and a ball, wrapped in nitrated paper (paper that had been soaked in potassium nitrate and then dried, to make it more flammable). To load each chamber, one only had to slip the cartridge into the front of the chamber and seat the ball with the loading lever ram. Then a percussion cap was placed onto the raised aperture, called a nipple, at the back end of the chamber.


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: The Colt 1860 cost approximately $20 per revolver. This was rather expensive during the 1860s, both for the United States Army and private citizens. Colt had been criticized for this high price, and by 1865 the revolver was reduced to $14.50.


title: Colt Army Model 1860

text: The Colt "Army" revolver is to be distinguished from the Colt "Navy" revolver of which there were two models, the octagonal barrel Model 1851 Navy, and the round-barreled Model 1861 Navy, both Navy models being in the smaller .36-caliber. Replica Navy revolvers sold today are often sold in the historically incorrect .44-caliber; originally, all Navy revolvers were manufactured only in .36-caliber.


title: Battle of Mirbat

text: The Battle of Mirbat (9 July, 1972) was an attack by Communist guerrillas targeting an Omani government position during the Dhofar Rebellion in the town of Mirbat, Oman. During the Dhofar Rebellion, Britain assisted the Omani government by sending elements of its Special Air Service (SAS) both to train soldiers and fight against the Popular Front for the Liberation of the Occupied Arabian Gulf (PFLOAG) guerrillas, also known as the Adoo. The assault was defeated after the arrival of several BAC Strikemaster jetfighters belonging to Oman, firing rockets at PFLOAG's positions which forced the guerrillas to retreat.


title: Battle of Mirbat

text: Despite only 38 bodies of the attacking PFLOAG guerrillas being recovered, many British sources have inflated PFLOAG casualties to as high as 200, and have also greatly exaggerated both the role of the SAS and the greater effects of the battle. Some historians have argued that the battle was used by the British as an ideological tool to mythologise the SAS, validate British manhood, and to save face during the decline of the British Empire.


title: Battle of Mirbat

text: At 6am on 19 July 1972 the PFLOAG attacked the British Army Training Team (BATT) house based just outside the Port of Mirbat which housed nine SAS soldiers. The PFLOAG (locally known as the Adoo) attacked the SAS BATT house knowing that to be able to reach the Port of Mirbat they would first have to defeat the SAS guarding the approach to the town in Jebel Ali, a series of small desert slopes leading to the Port.


title: Battle of Mirbat

text: The Officer in Command, Captain Mike Kealy, observed the waves advancing on the fort, but at first did not order his men to open fire because he thought it was the "Night Picket" coming back from night shift. The Night Picket were soldiers from the Omani Army positioned on the slopes to warn the BATT house of Adoo troop movements. Realising that the Night Picket must have been killed, Kealy ordered his men to open fire. Kealy and other members of the team took up positions behind the sand-bag parapet on the roof of the BATT house, firing at the Adoo with L1A1 SLR battle rifles, with one man firing the Browning M2HB heavy machine gun, with a further two men on ground level operating and firing an infantry mortar surrounded by sand-bags. The Adoo were armed with AK-47 assault rifles, and were mortar bombing the area around the BATT house. Kealy ordered the signaller to establish communications with SAS Headquarters at Um al Quarif, to request reinforcements.


title: Battle of Mirbat

text: There were also a small number of Omani Intelligence Service personnel in the BATT House, a small contingent of Pakistani soldiers and a member of British Military Intelligence seconded to the OIS. They joined the team on the roof and fired on the Adoo with SLRs and other small arms. Initially some of the Pakistani soldiers were reluctant to join the defence of the fort because their roles with the BATT were largely administrative, but they obeyed orders from Mike Kealy and the British Military Intelligence Corporal.


title: Battle of Mirbat

text: Knowing that the SLRs would not be of full use until the Adoo were closer than the weapon's range of 800 metres, and lacking heavier firepower, Sergeant Talaiasi Labalaba made a run for the 25 Pounder Artillery Piece, which was positioned next to a smaller fort manned by nine Omani Army Special Forces soldiers, who had not played a part in the battle. The Omani policeman who was guarding the weapon had been seriously wounded. Talaiasi Labalaba managed to operate the weapon, which is a six-man job, by himself and fire a round a minute at the approaching Adoo, directing their attention away from the BATT house. Kealy received a radio message from Talaiasi reporting that a bullet had hit his face, he was badly injured, and was struggling to operate the gun on his own. At the BATT house Kealy asked for a volunteer to run to Talaiasi's aid. Trooper Sekonaia Takavesi volunteered to go.


title: Battle of Mirbat

text: Sekonaia Takavesi ran from the BATT house, with the remaining men providing covering fire, in an attempt to distract the Adoo. Sekonaia ran the 800 metres through heavy gunfire, and reached the gun emplacement. Sekonaia tried to give aid to his injured friend, while firing at the approaching Adoo with his personal weapon. Realising that they needed help, Sekonaia tried to raise the small number of Omani soldiers inside the smaller fort, and Walid Khamis emerged. The remaining Omani soldiers in the fort engaged the enemy with small arms fire from firing positions on the roof and through the windows of the fort. As the two men made it back to the emplacement, the Omani soldier fell wounded after being shot in the stomach with a 7.62 mm bullet. Adoo continued to advance upon both the BATT house and the artillery emplacement. At one point, the Adoo were so close that Sekonaia and Talaiasi fired the weapon at point blank range, aiming down the barrel. Talaiasi crawled across a small space to reach a 60 mm Infantry Mortar, but fell dead after being shot in the neck. Sekonaia, also shot through the shoulder and grazed by a bullet to the back of his head, continued to fire at the approaching Adoo with his personal weapon. The squad signaller sent messages through to the main Forward Operating Base, to request air support and medical evacuation for the men in the gun emplacement.


title: Battle of Mirbat

text: Captain Kealy and Trooper Tobin made a run to the artillery piece. Upon reaching it, they dived in to avoid increasingly intense gunfire from the Adoo. Sekonaia continued to fire on the attackers, propped up against sand bags after being shot through the stomach (the bullet narrowly missing his spine). The Adoo threw several hand grenades, but only one detonated, exploding behind the emplacement with no one injured. During the battle, Trooper Tobin attempted to reach over the body of Talaiasi. In so doing, Tobin was mortally wounded when a bullet struck his face. By this time, BAC Strikemaster light-attack jets of the Sultan of Oman's Air Force had arrived and began strafing the Adoo in the Jebel Ali. With a low cloud base making for low-altitude attack runs, only machine-guns and light rockets were used. One of the Strikemasters was sufficiently damaged by Adoo fire that it had to return to base before using up all its weapons. Reinforcements arrived from G Squadron and, defeated, the PFLOAG withdrew at about 12:30. All wounded SAS troopers were evacuated, and given medical treatment. Trooper Tobin eventually died in hospital, directly to the gunshot wound to his face.


title: Battle of Mirbat

text: The 25-pounder gun (now known as the "Mirbat gun") used by Fijian Sergeant Talaiasi Labalaba during the siege is now housed in the Firepower museum of the Royal Artillery at the former Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. Before being killed in action, Sgt Labalaba singlehandedly operated the 25-pounder gun, a weapon normally requiring four to six soldiers to operate. Labalaba's actions were a key factor in halting the Adoo's assault on the emplacement, allowing time for reinforcements to arrive. Labalaba was posthumously awarded a Mention in Dispatches for his actions during the Battle of Mirbat, though some of his comrades have since campaigned for him to be awarded the more prestigious Victoria Cross.


title: Battle of Mirbat

text: After the battle the British and their allies managed to recover the corpses of 38 PFLOAG (Adoo) guerrillas who had attacked Mirbat. Some of these corpses were taken to be put on public display and used as tools of terror and act as warnings to anyone who would resist the Sultan.


title: Battle of Mirbat

text: Kealy received the Distinguished Service Order, Takavesi the Distinguished Conduct Medal, Bennett and Taylor the Military Medal. These were announced three years after the event. An Omani from the fort, Walid Khamis, was injured during the battle and received the Sultan's Gallantry Medal - Oman's highest award. The British Military Intelligence Corporal received a medal for gallantry from the Sultan (for this action and others), but was threatened with disciplinary action by the British Army for being directly involved in the action at Mirbat.


title: Usman Garuba

text: Destiny Usman Garuba Alari (born 9 March 2002) is a Spanish professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Listed at , he plays the power forward and center positions.


title: Usman Garuba

text: Garuba was born in Madrid, Spain to Nigerian parents and joined the youth academy of Real Madrid at age 11. In 2019, when he was 17 years old, he became the youngest starter in Real Madrid history. In the 2020–21 season, Garuba was named EuroLeague Rising Star and ACB Best Young Player. He earned most valuable player (MVP) honors at the 2016 FIBA U16 European Championship at age 14. In the 2021 NBA Draft, he was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the 23rd overall pick.


title: Usman Garuba

text: Born in Hospital 12 de Octubre in Madrid, Garuba was raised in the neighborhood of Villaverde Bajo (Madrid) and the municipality of Azuqueca de Henares (province of Guadalajara). He grew up playing football, his original passion, but switched to basketball because his exceptional height limited his success in the former sport. Garuba idolized former National Basketball Association (NBA) player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In November 2011, he joined Escuela Municipal de Baloncesto de Azuqueca (Municipal Basketball School of Azuqueca), where coach and coordinator David Serrano helped him start his basketball career.


title: Usman Garuba

text: In 2013, Garuba joined the lower categories of Real Madrid. He stood and weighed 81 kg (179 lbs) by the time he was 12 years old. In 2015, Garuba helped his team win the , an under-14 Spanish club tournament. He debuted by posting 24 points and 16 rebounds in a win over Valencia. In the following year, Garuba led Real Madrid to another Minicopa title and was named MVP of the competition. He averaged 22.8 rebounds per game in the tournament, grabbing 32 against Joventut Badalona in the final.


title: Usman Garuba

text: In February 2018, Garuba gained his first Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT) experience with the Real Madrid under-18 team at the Munich qualifying tournament, after missing the previous edition with a quadriceps injury. He was selected to the All-Tournament Team, despite being one of the youngest participants. In the final tournament, Garuba averaged 12 points and 6.5 rebounds per game and was named ANGT Rising Star. In January 2019, he was named MVP of the ANGT Munich tournament after averaging 16.5 points, seven rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. Garuba helped Real Madrid win the final tournament and joined MVP Mario Nakić on the All-Tournament Team.


title: Usman Garuba

text: In the 2017–18 season, Garuba played for Real Madrid B, the reserve team for Real Madrid in the Liga EBA, the fourth-tier league in Spain. In 11 games, he averaged 11.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. In the 2018–19 season, he continued to primarily play for Real Madrid B, averaging 14.6 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game over 22 Liga EBA appearances. On 28 October 2018, at 16 years and seven months of age, Garuba debuted for Real Madrid in the Liga ACB, the first-tier league in Spain, against Miraflores. He became the youngest center in ACB history, surpassing José Ángel Antelo, and the third-youngest Real Madrid debutant, behind Luka Dončić and .


title: Usman Garuba

text: In the 2019–20 season, Garuba became a full-time member of Real Madrid's senior team. In his season debut against Joventut Badalona, at 17 years, six months, and 19 days of age, he eclipsed Dončić as Real Madrid's youngest-ever starter. On 29 September, Garuba recorded 13 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Murcia to become the youngest player with a double-double or 10 rebounds in ACB history; Dončić had previously held both records. He was also the second-youngest player to post an efficiency rating of 24 in the ACB, behind only Ricky Rubio. On 30 October 2019, Garuba made his EuroLeague debut, recording 12 points, four rebounds, three steals, and a Performance Index Rating (PIR) of 20, against Bayern Munich. He finished the season averaging 4.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 15 minutes per game in the ACB and EuroLeague and was an ACB All-Young Players Team selection.


title: Usman Garuba

text: On 22 December 2020, Garuba recorded 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and 25 PIR in a 91–62 win over Alba Berlin. On 18 April 2021, he posted 14 points and 12 rebounds in a 101–92 victory over Joventut Badalona. Garuba won the ACB Best Young Player Award and was named to the ACB All-Young Players Team for his second straight season. On 29 April, he recorded a career-high 24 points, 12 rebounds and 30 PIR, leading Real Madrid to an 82–76 win over Anadolu Efes in Game 4 of the EuroLeague Playoffs. Garuba earned EuroLeague Rising Star honors after averaging 3.9 points and four rebounds per game in the competition.


title: Usman Garuba

text: In the 2021 NBA Draft, he was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the 23rd overall pick during a run in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He made his 2021 NBA Summer League debut in a 92–76 loss versus the Toronto Raptors where he went scoreless along with six rebounds and one steal. On August 16, he officially signed his rookie contract. On October 5, he made his preseason debut off the bench against the Washington Wizards in a 125–119 loss with five points and a rebound in six minutes of action. On January 26, 2022, the Houston Rockets announced that Garuba had undergone successful surgery to repair his fractured left wrist and was expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.


title: Usman Garuba

text: Garuba made his junior national team debut for Spain at the 2016 FIBA U16 European Championship in Radom, Poland. He was named MVP after leading his team to a gold medal and averaging 16.3 points, 12.4 rebounds, and a tournament-leading 2.9 blocks per game. A 14-year-old and the second youngest player in the tournament, Garuba became the first player from a lower age group to ever win MVP at the event. After recording 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 blocks in the final against Lithuania, he joined Dario Šarić and Ricky Rubio as the only players in history with a triple-double in the final of the tournament.


title: Usman Garuba

text: In the summer of 2017, Garuba was unable to return to national team duty because he was recovering from a knee injury suffered earlier that year. At the 2018 FIBA U16 European Championship in Novi Sad, Serbia, he averaged 16.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game and led Spain to a silver medal, earning a spot on the All-Star Five. Garuba helped Spain win a gold medal at the 2019 FIBA U18 European Championship in Volos, Greece, joining his teammate and MVP Santi Aldama on the All-Star Five after averaging 15.6 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game.


title: Usman Garuba

text: In 2021, Garuba played on Spain men's national basketball team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which were delayed by one year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While there, he was drafted as the 23rd overall pick by the Houston Rockets during the 2021 NBA draft.


title: Usman Garuba

text: Garuba's parents are from Benin City, Nigeria but left to escape conflict in their hometown. After initially moving to Brussels, they settled in Madrid in the 1990s without work permits. His father, Mustapha, works for manufacturing company Bimbo in Azuqueca de Henares, and his mother, Betty, works for the Azuqueca employment program. Garuba has one younger brother, Sediq (b. 2004) and a younger sister, Uki (b. 2010).


title: The Resort (film)

text: The Resort is a 2021 American horror film written and directed by Taylor Chien. It stars Bianca Haase, Brock O'Hurn, Michael Vlamis, and Michelle Randolph. The movie was shot in 2019, and hip-hop artist Quavo helped produce it after being encouraged by main producer Will Meldman.


title: The Resort (film)

text: The film focuses on four friends who head to Hawaii to investigate reports of a haunting at an abandoned resort in hopes of finding the infamous "Half-Faced Girl".


title: The Resort (film)

text: A writer that studies horror fiction and her three friends travel to a Hawaiian island to investigate reports of a haunting at an abandoned hotel resort. When her friends surprise her for her birthday, Lex flies to a private and haunted island off Hawaii to get a story for her new book. The group starts off joking and playing in a scenic waterfall, but it quickly turns into a night of horror when they can't find the way they came, their flashlights are dying, and what can be only known as the Half-Face Girl from those very same ghost stories begins coming after them.


title: The Resort (film)

text: Bree is the first death, when a security car locks everyone but her out of it, the engine starts on its own and drives her off the resort balcony. After Chris confirms Bree's state, the three take off in order to exit and escape the Half-Face Girl. Sam is then possessed, causing concern for the rest of the group. He tries to strangle Chris, only for Lex to stab him in the neck with scissors. Due to his new nature, he doesn't quite die, and the Half-Face Girl rips off Sam's face. The latter, now on her side, stalks after Lex and Chris, who attempt to exit in an elevator. Chris sacrifices himself so that Lex can get up the elevator as the Half-Face Girl tries to climb up and reach her.


title: The Resort (film)

text: Upon exiting, she finds Bree, who is badly injured and blinded from the crash. She, seemingly possessed, sings happy birthday to Lex, before igniting a flame beneath herself. Lex narrates this all from a hospital bed to a skeptical detective, who's unsure how to take all that she's saying, especially since the photos she took aren't on her phone anymore. She claims back that it's also hard to watch all your friends die to something so unbelievable as well. When the detective gets up to make a call to his station, under the guise of scouring the island to help find whoever caused the deaths of her friends, Lex starts fooling with her camera. After taking a picture of the detective, she notices that he has similar veins to that of the possessed, and lowers her phones. The place around her crumbles, and it reveals she's still back at the resort. She never left.


title: The Resort (film)

text: The film received a limited release in the United States on April 30, 2021, by Vertical Entertainment.


title: The Resort (film)

text: Bobby LePire of "Film Threat" gave it a 7.5 out of 10 and wrote: ""The Resort" takes a while to get to the good stuff, and the rhythm is interrupted every now and then. But the scares are effective, the cast does what they can with the material, and the cinematography is great.


title: Direct3D

text: Direct3D is a graphics application programming interface (API) for Microsoft Windows. Part of DirectX, Direct3D is used to render three-dimensional graphics in applications where performance is important, such as games. Direct3D uses hardware acceleration if it is available on the graphics card, allowing for hardware acceleration of the entire 3D rendering pipeline or even only partial acceleration. Direct3D exposes the advanced graphics capabilities of 3D graphics hardware, including Z-buffering, W-buffering, stencil buffering, spatial anti-aliasing, alpha blending, color blending, mipmapping, texture blending, clipping, culling, atmospheric effects, perspective-correct texture mapping, programmable HLSL shaders and effects. Integration with other DirectX technologies enables Direct3D to deliver such features as video mapping, hardware 3D rendering in 2D overlay planes, and even sprites, providing the use of 2D and 3D graphics in interactive media ties.


title: Direct3D

text: Direct3D contains many commands for 3D computer graphics rendering; however, since version 8, Direct3D has superseded the DirectDraw framework and also taken responsibility for the rendering of 2D graphics. Microsoft strives to continually update Direct3D to support the latest technology available on 3D graphics cards. Direct3D offers full vertex software emulation but no pixel software emulation for features not available in hardware. For example, if software programmed using Direct3D requires pixel shaders and the video card on the user's computer does not support that feature, Direct3D will not emulate it, although it will compute and render the polygons and textures of the 3D models, albeit at a usually degraded quality and performance compared to the hardware equivalent. The API does include a "Reference Rasterizer" (or REF device), which emulates a generic graphics card in software, although it is too slow for most real-time 3D applications and is typically only used for debugging. A new real-time software rasterizer, "WARP", designed to emulate the complete feature set of Direct3D 10.1, is included with Windows 7 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 with the Platform Update; its performance is said to be on par with lower-end 3D cards on multi-core CPUs.


title: Direct3D

text: As part of DirectX, Direct3D is available for Windows 95 and above, and is the base for the vector graphics API on the different versions of Xbox console systems. The Wine compatibility layer, a free software reimplementation of several Windows APIs, includes an implementation of Direct3D.


title: Direct3D

text: Direct3D's main competitor is Khronos' OpenGL and its follow-on Vulkan. Fahrenheit was an attempt by Microsoft and SGI to unify OpenGL and Direct3D in the 1990s, but was eventually cancelled.


title: Direct3D

text: In 1992, Servan Keondjian and Doug Rabson started a company named RenderMorphics, which developed a 3D graphics API named Reality Lab, which was used in medical imaging and CAD software.