title: Jonathan Lethem

text: In 1996, Lethem moved from the San Francisco Bay Area back to Brooklyn. His next book, published after his return to Brooklyn, was "Girl in Landscape". In the novel, a young girl must endure puberty while also having to face a strange and new world populated by aliens known as Archbuilders. Lethem has said that "Girl in Landscape"s plot and characters, including the figures of a young girl and a violently protective father figure, were "very strongly influenced" by the 1956 John Wayne Western "The Searchers", a movie with which he is "obsessed".


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: The first novel Lethem began after returning to New York City was "Motherless Brooklyn", a return to the detective theme. He maintained objective realism while exploring subjective alterity through Lionel Essrog. His protagonist has Tourette's syndrome and is obsessed with language. Lethem later said that Essrog


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: ... obviously [is] the character I've written with whom I most identify ... [the novel] stands outside myself ... It's the only one which doesn't need me, never did. It would have found someone to write it, by necessity.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: Upon its publication in 1999, "Motherless Brooklyn" won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, The Macallan Gold Dagger for crime fiction, and the Salon Book Award; it was named book of the year by "Esquire". In 1999, actor Edward Norton announced that he was planning to write, direct and star in a film adaptation of the novel. Norton's film was released in 2019.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: According to "The New York Times", the mainstream success of "Motherless Brooklyn" made Lethem "something of a hipster celebrity", and he was referred to several times as a "genre bender". Critics cited the variety of Lethem's novels, which were alternately hard-boiled detective fiction, science fiction, and autobiographical. Lethem credited his comfort in genre-mixing to his father's art, which "always combined observed and imagined reality on the same canvas, very naturally, very un-self-consciously." In "Time" magazine, Lev Grossman classed Lethem with a movement of authors similarly eager to blend literary and popular writing, including Michael Chabon (with whom Lethem is friends), Margaret Atwood, and Susanna Clarke.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: The fact is, I used to get very involved, six or seven years ago, and before that, in questions of taxonomy of genre, and in the idea—which is ultimately a political idea—that a given writer, perhaps me, could in some objective way alter or reorganize the boundaries between genres. ... Nowadays, I've come to feel that talking about categories, about "high" and "low", about genre and their boundaries and the blurring of those boundaries, all consists only of an elaborate way to avoid actually discussing what moves and interests me about books—my own, and others'. What I like are books in their homely actuality—the insides of the books, the mysterious movements of characters and situations and the emotions that accompany those movements. The play of sentences, their infinite variety.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: In the early 2000s, Lethem published a story collection, edited two anthologies, wrote magazine pieces, and published the 55-page novella "This Shape We're In" (2000). "This Shape We're In" was one of the first offerings from McSweeney's Books, the publishing imprint that developed from Dave Eggers' "McSweeney's Quarterly Concern".


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: In November 2000, Lethem said that he was working on an uncharacteristically "big sprawling" novel, about a child who grows up to be a rock journalist. The novel was published in 2003 as "The Fortress of Solitude". The semi-autobiographical "bildungsroman" features dozens of characters in a variety of milieus, but features a tale of racial tensions and boyhood in Brooklyn during the late 1970s. The main characters are two friends of different backgrounds who grew up on the same block in Boerum Hill. It was named one of nine "Editor's Choice" books of the year by "The New York Times" and has been published in fifteen languages.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: Lethem's second collection of short fiction, "Men and Cartoons", was published in late 2004. In March 2005, "The Disappointment Artist", his first collection of essays, was released. On September 20, 2005, Lethem received a MacArthur Fellowship.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: I'm writing short stories right now, that's what I do between novels, and I love them. I'm very devoted to it. You know, it's funny. There seems to be some sort of law that you only get to be celebrated for one or the other. And then a couple of people will break it. Updike did. They didn't review his story collections by saying, "Well, these are nice, but he's a novelist." Or review his novels by saying, "Well, too bad he can't do the longer stuff." Other people tend to get patronized on one end or the other—and I'll take it. I have a very happy life as a novelist. But the story collections I've published are tremendously important to me. And many of the uncollected stories—or yet-to-be-collected stories—are among my proudest writings. They're very closely allied, obviously, to novel writing. But also very distinct, and, you know, there's no need to choose.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: In September 2006, Lethem wrote the article "The Genius of Bob Dylan", a lengthy interview with Bob Dylan, which was published in "Rolling Stone". The interview contained Lethem's reflections on Dylan's artistic achievements. It revealed Dylan's dissatisfaction with contemporary recording techniques and his thoughts on his own status.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: After "Motherless Brooklyn" and "The Fortress of Solitude", Lethem decided that "[i]t was time to leave Brooklyn in a literary sense anyway ... I really needed to defy all that stuff about place and memory." In 2007, he returned as a novelist to California, where some of his earlier fiction had been set, with "You Don't Love Me Yet", a novel about an upstart rock band. The novel revolves around a woman in the band, Lucinda, who answers phones for her friend's complaint line and uses some of a caller's words as lyrics. According to Lethem, the book was inspired by the years he spent as the lead singer in an upstart California band in the late 1980s and early 1990s, during what he called "the unformed posturing phase of life". The novel takes its title from two (otherwise unconnected) songs of the same title by Roky Erickson and The Vulgar Boatmen. The original title was "Monster Eyes", but Lethem was convinced to change it by his publisher. He later admitted to an interviewer that the association with the two songs "made it feel very lucky to me to put it on the book," and that even though the new title "isn’t my phrase, for a book about appropriated language and the way things can be repurposed, it seemed okay. And, it’s a beautifully passive-aggressive title." The novel received mixed reviews.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: In 2005, Lethem had announced that he was planning to revive the Marvel Comics character Omega the Unknown in a ten-issue series to be published in 2006. After hearing of the project, Omega co-creator Steve Gerber expressed personal outrage over the use of the character without his participation, though he later discussed the project with Lethem and admitted that he had "misjudged" him. In May 2006, Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada explained that the series had been delayed to 2007, saying that "winning the MacArthur Grant put additional and unexpected demands on [Lethem's] time." The revamped "Omega the Unknown" series was published in ten monthly issues from October 2007 to July 2008; the issues were published in a single volume in October 2008.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: In early 2007, Lethem began work on "Chronic City", which was published on October 13, 2009. In July 2008, Lethem said that "Chronic City" is "set on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, it's strongly influenced by Saul Bellow, Philip K. Dick, Charles G. Finney and Hitchcock's "Vertigo" and it concerns a circle of friends including a faded child-star actor, a cultural critic, a hack ghost-writer of autobiographies, and a city official. And it's long and strange."


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: His essay, "The Ecstasy of Influence: A Plagiarism" (2007), is a passionate defense of plagiarism and a call for a return to a "gift economy" in the arts. He writes,


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: The kernel, the soul—let us go further and say the substance, the bulk, the actual and valuable material of all human utterances—is plagiarism ... Don't pirate my editions; do plunder my visions. The name of the game is Give All. You, reader, are welcome to my stories. They were never mine in the first place, but I gave them to you.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: In 2011, "The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick", edited by Pamela Jackson and Lethem, was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Among other projects, Lethem published short books about John Carpenter's film "They Live" (published in October, 2010 as "They Live") and the Talking Heads album "Fear of Music". Starting in 2011, he served as the Roy E. Disney Professor in Creative Writing at Pomona College, a position formerly held by the late David Foster Wallace.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: Lethem's ninth novel, entitled "Dissident Gardens", was released on September 10, 2013. According to Lethem in an interview with the "Los Angeles Times", the novel concerns "American leftists", very specifically "a red-diaper baby generation trying to figure out what it all means, this legacy of American Communism." Regarding the novel's setting, Lethem said in the same interview that it is


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: set in Queens and Greenwich Village, another New York neighborhood book, very much about the life of the city ... writing about Greenwich Village in 1958 was really a jump for me, it was as much of an imaginative leap as any of the more fantastical things I've done. But really exciting, too.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: "Dissident Gardens" was quickly followed up in February 2015 with "Lucky Alan and Other Stories", Lethem's fifth short story collection.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: Lethem's tenth novel, "A Gambler's Anatomy" (or, alternatively, "The Blot" in the United Kingdom), published in October 2016, concerns "an international backgammon hustler who thinks he's psychic". After changing publishers from Doubleday to Ecco, Lethem followed "A Gambler's Anatomy"/"The Blot" with "The Feral Detective" in November 2018, Lethem's first foray back into the detective novel genre since the acclaimed "Motherless Brooklyn".


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: Lethem's twelfth novel, "The Arrest" - an "utterly original postapocalyptic yarn about two siblings, the man that came between them, and a nuclear-powered super car," according to the publishers - was published in November 2020.


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: Lethem co-wrote six out of nine songs on the Lee Ranaldo album "Electric Trim", released in 2017. He wrote the introduction to David Bowman's 2019 novel, "Big Bang".


title: Jonathan Lethem

text: In 1987, Lethem married the writer and artist Shelley Jackson; they were divorced by 1997. In 2000, he married Julia Rosenberg, a Canadian film executive; they divorced two years later. As of 2007, Lethem lived in Brooklyn and Berwick, Maine, with his third wife, the filmmaker Amy Barrett. He has two sons.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: Pavlo Petrovych Skoropadskyi (; – 26 April 1945) was a Ukrainian aristocrat, military and state leader, decorated Imperial Russian Army and Ukrainian Army general of Cossack heritage. Skoropadskyi became Hetman of Ukraine following a coup on 29 April 1918.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: Pavlo Skoropadskyi was born into the Skoropadsky family of Ukrainian military leaders and statesmen, that distinguished themselves since the 17th century when Fedir Skoropadsky participated in the Battle of Zhovti Vody. His grandson Ivan Skoropadsky (1646-1722) was Hetman of the Ukrainian Cossacks from 1708. The present Skoropadskys descend from his brother.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: His patrilineal great-grandfather was Mikhail Yakivich Skoropadskyi, son of Yakiv Mikhailovich Skoropadskyi and wife, and his patrilineal great-grandmother was Pulcheria ...vna Markevicha.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: Skoropadskyi's father Petro Ivanovych Skoropadsky (1834–1885) was a Cavalry Guard Colonel and a veteran of the Caucasian War (Subjugation of Circassia, 1863). Afterwards he served as a speaker (marshal) for the Starodub County Council (zemstvo) (1869–1885) until his death.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: Skoropadskyi's aunt Countess Yelyzaveta Myloradovych (née Skoropadska) (1832–1890) was a Ukrainian public activist. She was one of the main sponsors for foundation first Ukrainian scientific institution Shevchenko Scientific Society in Lviv. Her husband was Count Lev Myloradovych whose mother was from the Kochubey family.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: His paternal grandfather Ivan Mikhailovich Skoropadskyi (30 January 1804 – 8 February 1887) also served as a speaker for the Pryluky County (1844–1847) and Poltava Governorate (1847–1852) councils. He also was known for building the Trostyanets Arboretum (today in Chernihiv Oblast). He married in 1829 his paternal grandmother Elisaveta P...vna Tarnovska. Skoropadskyi's father Petro Ivanovych Skoropadskyi (6 March 1834 - 30 June 1885) was also a descendant of the Tarnovsky family, while Skoropadskyi's mother Maria Andreievna Miklaszevska, daughter of Andrei ...vich Miklaszevski and wife Daria ...vna Olsufieva, was a descendant of Miklashewsky and Olsufiev families.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: Skoropadskyi grew up at his father's estate in Trostianets, Pryluky County, Poltava Governorate. He attended a gymnasium in Starodub and later graduated from the Page Corps cadet school in Saint Petersburg.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: In 1893, Skoropadsky graduated from the Page Corps and was assigned as a cornet (meaning the 2LT in cavalry) to the Chevalier Guard regiment where he was given command of a squadron. After two years he was assigned a duty of the Regimental adjutant in the same regiment. In December 1897, he was promoted to "Poruchik" (1LT). In 1897 Skoropadsky also married Aleksandra Petrovna Durnovo, a daughter of Pyotr Pavlovich Durnovo, the Governor General of Moscow (see Durnovo).


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: Skoropadsky's first major assignment was a "sotnia" (company) commander in the 2nd Chita Cossack Regiment of the Trans-Baikal Cossack Host in Chita during the Russo-Japanese War. Later he became an adjutant to the commander of the Russian forces on the Far East General Nikolay Linevich. During the war Skoropadsky was awarded the "" and several orders. In December 1905 Tsar Nikolai II made him a Fliegel-Adjutant in a rank of Colonel. On September 4, 1910 Colonel Skoropadsky was commissioned as the commander of the 20th Finnish Dragoon Regiment still continuing to be a Fliegel-Adjutant of the H. I. M. Retinue. On April 15, 1911 he was reassigned to the Leib-Guard Cavalry Regiment. Leib-Guards were the elite Russian military forces assigned for a personal protection of the emperor. On December 6, 1912 Skoropadsky was promoted to the Major General of the H. I. M. Retinue.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: At the start of World War I, Skoropadsky was given command of the reorganized 1st Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Guard Division (General Nikolai Kaznakov) as part of the 1st Army commanded by General Paul von Rennenkampf. Skoropadsky already worked for von Rennenkampf during the Russo-Japanese War when the last was commanding Trans-Baikal Cossack Host. On August 6, 1914, his regiment distinguished itself in battles near Kraupishken as part of the Russian invasion of East Prussia. Later he was appointed as a commander of the United Cavalry Guard Division which distinguished near Kaushen. General Skoropadsky also commanded the 5th Cavalry Division. On April 2, 1916, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and was commissioned the 1st Cavalry Guard Division. From January 22 to July 2, 1917, he was in charge of the 34th Army Corps. In July 1917, the decommissioned 34th Army Corps was transformed into the 1st Ukrainian Corps. In October 1917 at the first Congress of the Free Cossacks, he was awarded a title of the honorary Otaman. From October to November 1917 his 60,000-man Army Corps successfully defended the railway corridor stretching through Podolie to Polissya, Vapniarka – Zhmerynka – Koziatyn – Shepetivka and defended against the attacks from the Romanian front particularly the 2nd Guard Corps that was headed by Yevgenia Bosch.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: In April 1918, the invading Germans forced the army of the Bolshevik Ukrainian People's Republic to retreat, and made Skoropadsky Hetman of Ukraine. According to Peter Kenez, "German troops occupied the Ukraine in order to extort as much food and raw material as possible, but the German high command was wary of penetrating deeper into Russia for fear of spreading their army too thin."


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: Skoropadskyi was chrismated by bishop Nykodym in Saint Sophia Cathedral. Some Ukrainian nationalists denounced him as a German collaborator supported by wealthy landowners. Some other Ukrainians considered him too pro-Russian and dictatorial. Among other things, Skoropadsky formed a cabinet of mainly Russian-speakers, Tsarists, and Slavophiles. Simultaneously, he committed Ukraine to federation with a restored Russian Empire. Despite these criticisms, by contrast with the earlier "Rada", his government was given credit in certain circles for forming an effective administrative organization, establishing diplomatic ties with many countries, concluding a peace treaty with Soviet Russia, and founding many schools and universities, including the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: On 11 November 1918 Germany signed an armistice with the Entente - this left the Hetmanate's military and international support in doubt.. In the same month an uprising led by the social democrat Symon Petliura started to take power in Ukraine. The uprising nominally restored the Ukrainian People's Republic, but power was vested in a Directoria, a provisional government of five directors chaired by Volodymyr Vynnychenko. Skoropadskyi signed an abdication document on 14 December 1918.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: After going into hiding in Kiev, Skoropadskyi retreated with the withdrawing German forces. He went into exile in Germany in 1919 and settled in Berlin's Wannsee district


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: near Potsdam. While living in Weimar Germany, Skoropadskyi maintained close personal friendships with senior government and army officials originating as far back as his military-college days. In later years, however, he consistently refused offers to collaborate with the Nazis.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: In the final weeks of World War II in Europe, Skoropadskyi fled from advancing Soviet forces with the retreating German army. He died at Metten Abbey in Germany on 26 April 1945 after being wounded (16 April 1945) in Allied bombing of Plattling near Regensburg, and was buried in Oberstdorf.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: His movement continued into the early 1980s, influencing a Ukrainian monarchist program based on the Cossack State model. It ended gradually with the aging of eastern-Ukrainian émigré communities.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: Skoropadsky's daughter, Olena Skoropadska-Ott (died 2014), resided in Switzerland, visited Ukraine several times, and was honoured for her historical writings.


title: Pavlo Skoropadskyi

text: On 11 January 1897/8 in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Skoropadsky married the Russian noblewoman Aleksandra Petrovna Durnovo (23 May 1878 - 29 December 1952), a daughter of the Russian soldier and statesman Pyotr Pavlovich Durnovo (6 January 1835 - ?) (of a notable family of Russian statesmen and landowners) and wife Princess Maria Vasiliyevna Kochubey (Saint Petersburg, 17 September 1848 - Saint Petersburg, 15 February 1894) (of Ukrainian Cossack Kochubey noble family), paternal granddaughter of Pavel Dimitreievich Durnovo (Saint Petersburg, 6 March 1804 - Saint Petersburg, 12 March 1864) and wife (Saint Petersburg, May 1831) Princess Alexandra Petrovna Wolkonskaya (Saint Petersburg, 7 June 1804 - Saint Petersburg, 2 June 1859) and maternal granddaughter of Prince Vassili Victorovich Prince Kochubey (1 January 1812 - 10 January 1850) and wife Elena Pavlovna Bibikova (September 1812 - Saint Petersburg, 15 February 1888); and great-granddaughter of Dmitri Nikolaievich Durnovo (Saint Petersburg, 14 February 1769 - 11 February 1834, son of Nikolai Dmitrievich Durnovo and wife ...) and wife (Saint Petersburg) Marija Nikitichna Demidova (Saint Petersburg, 2 June 1776 - 25 May 1847, daughter of Nikita Akinfievich Demidov and wife Alexandra Evtikhieva Safonova), of Prince Petr Mikhailovich Wolkonsky (Saint Petersburg, 26 March 1776 - 27 August 1852, son of Prince Mikhail Petrovich Wolkonsky and wife Elisaveta Petrovna Makulova) and wife and relative Princess Sophija Grigorievna Wolkonskaya (? - Saint Petersburg, 26 March 1868, daughter of Prince Grigori Semenovich Wolkonsky and wife Princess Alexandra Nikolaievna Repnina), of Noble then Count then Prince Victor Pavlovich Kochubey, 1st Count Kochubey since 4 April 1799 and 1st Prince Kochubey since 6 December 1831 (11 November 1768 - Moscow, 3 June 1834, son of Pavel Vassilievich Kochubey and wife ...) and wife Maria Vassilievna Vassilshikova (10 September 1779 - Paris, France, 12 January 1844, daughter of Vassili Semenovich Vassilshikov and wife Countess Anna Kirillovna Razumovskaya) and of Pavel Gavrilovich Bibikov and wife Elisaveta Andreievna Zakharievskaya. The couple had six children:


title: Priyanka Dutt

text: Priyanka Dutt Chalasani (born 19 December 1984) is an Indian film producer known for her work in Telugu cinema. She is the daughter of C. Ashwini Dutt, a well known Indian film producer and the founder of Vyjayanthi Movies. Dutt studied film making from University of California, Los Angeles. She made her debut as a filmmaker at the age of 20 by co-producing the film "Balu" in 2004. She is the founder of Three Angels Studio, and has produced a short film titled; "Yaadon Ki Baraat" which was screened at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.


title: Priyanka Dutt

text: Dutt began her career in the film industry by assisting the Bombay based director and admaker Shoojit Sircar in many of his ad films for various brands. She moved to Hyderabad to co-produce movies with her father's banner Vyjayanthi Movies. She co-produced three films: "Balu" (2005), "Jai Chiranjeeva" (2005), and "Shakti" (2011).


title: Priyanka Dutt

text: Dutt launched her own production house, Three Angels Studio in the year 2009 to encourage New age cinema. The studio produced its first film "Baanam" (2009) which explores the story of an IPS officer who is the son of a Naxalite. The film was critically acclaimed for the way it dealt with the issue. The film won Priyanka the Silver Nandi Award in the best film category in 2009. She also produced corporate films for premium clients in India under Three Angels Studio.


title: Tobacco industry

text: The tobacco industry comprises those persons and companies who are engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, shipment, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products. It is a global industry; tobacco can grow in any warm, moist environment, which means it can be farmed on all continents except Antarctica.


title: Tobacco industry

text: According to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the “tobacco industry” encompasses tobacco manufacturers, wholesale distributors and importers of tobacco products. This evidence-based treaty expects its 181 ratified member states to implement public health policies with respect to tobacco control "to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke."


title: Tobacco industry

text: Tobacco, one of the most widely used addictive substances in the world, is a plant native to the Americas and historically one of the most important crops grown by American farmers. More specifically, tobacco refers to any of various plants of the genus "Nicotiana" (especially "N. tabacum") native to tropical America and widely cultivated for their leaves, which are dried and processed chiefly for smoking in pipes, cigarettes, and cigars; it is also cut to form chewing tobacco or ground to make snuff or dipping tobacco, as well as other less common preparations. From 1617 to 1793, tobacco was the most valuable cash crop export from British North America and the United States. Until the 1960s, the United States grew, manufactured and exported more tobacco than any other country.


title: Tobacco industry

text: Tobacco is an agricultural commodity product, similar in economic terms to agricultural foodstuffs: the price is in part determined by crop yields, which vary depending on local weather conditions. The price also varies by specific species or cultivar grown, the total quantity on the market ready for sale, the area where it is grown, the health of the plants, and other characteristics individual to product quality.


title: Tobacco industry

text: Since 1964, conclusive medical evidence of the deadly effects of tobacco consumption has led to a sharp decline in official support for producers and manufacturers of tobacco, although it contributes to the agricultural, fiscal, manufacturing, and exporting sectors of the economy. Policy and law restricting tobacco smoking has increased globally, but almost 6 trillion cigarettes are still produced each year, representing an increase of over 12% since the year 2000. Tobacco is often heavily taxed to gain revenues for governments and as an incentive for people not to smoke.


title: Tobacco industry

text: For a history of how tobacco has been grown and marketed, see tobacco, smoking and articles on similar topics.


title: Tobacco industry

text: The phrase "tobacco industry" generally refers to the companies involved in the manufacture of cigarettes, cigars, snuff, chewing tobacco and pipe tobacco. China National Tobacco Co. has become the largest tobacco company in the world by volume. Following extensive merger and acquisition activity in the 1990s and 2000s as well as the spinoff of Altria's international tobacco holdings as Philip Morris International in 2008, four firms dominate international markets - in alphabetical order:


title: Tobacco industry

text: Altria still owns the Philip Morris tobacco business in the United States, but Philip Morris International has been fully independent since 2008. In most countries these companies either have long-established dominance, or have purchased the major domestic producer or producers (often a former state monopoly). Until 2014 the United States had one other substantial independent firm, Lorillard, which Reynolds American, Inc. acquired. India has its own major player, ITC Limited (25.4%-owned by British American Tobacco). A small number of state monopolies survive, as well as some small independent firms.


title: Tobacco industry

text: Tobacco advertising is becoming increasingly restricted by the governments of countries around the world citing health issues as a reason to restrict tobaccos appeal


title: Tobacco industry

text: The tobacco industry in the United States has suffered greatly since the mid-1990s, when it was successfully sued by several U.S. states. The suits claimed that tobacco causes cancer, that companies in the industry knew this, and that they deliberately understated the significance of their findings, contributing to the illness and death of many citizens in those states.


title: Tobacco industry

text: The industry was found to have decades of internal memos confirming in detail that tobacco (which contains nicotine) is both addictive and carcinogenic (cancer-causing). The industry had long denied that nicotine is addictive.


title: Tobacco industry

text: The suit resulted in a large cash settlement being paid by a group of tobacco companies to the states that sued. Further, since the suit was settled, other individuals have come forth, in class action lawsuits, claiming individual damages.


title: Tobacco industry

text: The tobacco industry has historically been largely successful in this litigation process, with the majority of cases being won by the industry. During the first 42 years of tobacco litigation (between 1954 and 1996) the industry maintained a clean record in litigation thanks to tactics described in a R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company internal memo as "the way we won these cases, to paraphrase Gen. Patton, is not by spending all of Reynolds' money, but by making the other son of a bitch spend all of his." Between 1995 and 2005 only 59% of cases were won by the tobacco industry either outright or on appeal in the US, but the continued success of the industry's efforts to win these cases is questionable. In Florida, the industry has lost 77 of the 116 "Engle progeny" cases that have gone to trial. The U.S. Supreme Court has


title: Tobacco industry

text: In June 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act which has been called a "sweeping anti-smoking" bill. Among other restrictions, this Act banned the use of any constituent, additive, herb or spice that adds a "characterizing flavor" to the tobacco product or smoke (Section 907)(a)(1)(A). The aim of this ban is to prevent children and teenagers from becoming addicted to cigarettes at a young age with the US Department of Health and Human Services citing that "studies have shown that 17 year old


title: Tobacco industry

text: smokers are three times as likely to use flavored cigarettes as are smokers over the age of 25". This ban however does not apply to menthol cigarettes, which are exempt from the bill.


title: Tobacco industry

text: Lawsuits against the tobacco industry are primarily restricted to the United States due to differences in legal systems in other countries. Many businesses class ongoing lawsuits as a cost of doing business in the US and feel their revenue will be only marginally affected by the activities.


title: Tobacco industry

text: Large tobacco companies have entered the electronic cigarette market by either buying some of the small e-cigarette companies or by starting their own e-cigarette companies. By 2014 all the major multinational tobacco companies had entered the e-cigarette market. They did so either by buying existing e-cigarette companies (including Ruyan, the original Chinese e-cigarette company, which was bought by Imperial Tobacco) or by developing their own products. A 2017 review states, "The tobacco industry dominates the e-cigarette market." All of the large tobacco companies are selling e-cigarettes. A 2017 review states, "Small companies initially dominated the electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) market, and these firms had no links to the tobacco industry. Today, however, all transnational tobacco companies sell these products. Increased concentration of the ENDS market in the hands of the transnational tobacco companies is concerning to the public health community, given the industry's legacy of obfuscating many fundamental truths about their products and misleading the public with false claims, including that low-tar and so-called "light" cigarettes would reduce the harms associated with smoking. Although industry representatives are claiming interest in ENDS because of their harm-reduction potential, many observers believe that profit remains the dominant motivation."


title: Tobacco industry

text: Major tobacco companies are dominating the political and policy-making environments just as they have in conventional cigarette policy making. As they have done to influence tobacco control policies for conventional cigarettes, the large companies often try to stay out of sight and work through third parties that can obscure their links to the tobacco industry. The one difference from the historical pattern of industry efforts to shape tobacco policy from behind the scenes is that there are also genuine independent sellers of e-cigarettes and associated users (so-called vape shops) who are not necessarily being directed by the cigarette companies. These smaller operators are, however, losing market share to the big tobacco companies, and the real political power is now being exercised by the cigarette companies. The cigarette companies try to take advantage of the existence of independent players while acting through the industry's traditional allies and front groups.


title: Tobacco industry

text: On May 11, 2004, the U.S. became the 108th country to sign the World Health Organization's Global Treaty on Tobacco Control. This treaty places broad restrictions on the sale, advertising, shipment, and taxation of tobacco products. The U.S. has not yet ratified this treaty in its Senate and does not yet have a schedule for doing so.


title: Tobacco industry

text: Most recently, there has been discussion within the tobacco control community of transforming the tobacco industry through the replacement of tobacco corporations by other types of business organizations that can be established to provide tobacco to the market while not attempting to increase market demand.


title: Tobacco industry

text: On February 20, 2007, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Altria Group (formerly Philip Morris) did not have to pay $79.5 million in punitive damages awarded to Mayola Williams in a 1999 Oregon court ruling, when she sued Phillip Morris for responsibility in the cancer death of her husband, Jesse Williams. The Supreme Court's decision overturns a ruling made by the Oregon Supreme Court that upheld the award.


title: Tobacco industry

text: On April 3, 2008, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit threw out an $800 billion class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of a group or class of people who smoked light cigarettes. The plaintiffs' lawyers were confident that they would be able to win this suit due to the success of "Schwab v. Philip Morris" wherein tobacco companies were found guilty of fraud-like charges because they were selling the idea that light cigarettes were safer than regular cigarettes. The ruling by the three-judge panel will not allow the suit to be pursued as a class, but instead need proof for why individual smokers chose light cigarettes over regular cigarettes.


title: Tobacco industry

text: The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates the following production of unprocessed tobacco by country/region in 2000. (Figures are in thousands of tonnes.)


title: Tobacco industry

text: Much of global tobacco production is used in the manufacturing of cigarettes. The following is a chart compiled by Dr. Robert Proctor detailing the largest cigarette factories, accompanied by their estimated annual death toll due to the harms of cigarettes to health.


title: Tobacco industry

text: The tobacco industry has had a long relationship with the entertainment industry. In silent era movies, back-lit smoke was often used by filmmakers to create sense of mystery and sensuality in a scene. Later, cigarettes were deliberately placed in the hands of Hollywood stars as an early phase of product placement, until health regulating bodies tightened rules on tobacco advertisement and anti-smoking groups pressured actors and studio executives against such tactics. Big Tobacco has since been the subject focus of films such as the docudrama "The Insider" (1999) and "Thank You For Smoking" (2005).


title: Tobacco industry

text: These issues have also constituted a recurring storyline in the AMC series "Mad Men", from season 1 beginning with the pilot episode ("Smoke Gets In Your Eyes") through season 7's midseason finale, "Waterloo".


title: Cherie Johnson

text: Cherie Johnson (born November 21, 1975) is an American actress, writer, film producer, and author. She is known for her roles on "Punky Brewster" as Punky's best friend Cherie and "Family Matters", where she played Laura Winslow's best friend Maxine Johnson for eight seasons (1990–1998).


title: Cherie Johnson

text: In 2009, she wrote, starred in, and produced the independent film "I Do... I Did!", playing Vivian. Johnson has so far produced eight films. In 2010, she made writer debut when she released her book "Around The World Twice". In 2011, she released her second, writing, "Two Different Walks Of Life A Celebrity and Average Housewife". Her third novel "Peaches and Cream" is available. Her book "Stupid Guys Diary" was released in August 2013.


title: Cherie Johnson

text: Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Johnson is of mixed African-American and Puerto Rican heritage. Johnson's beginnings in show business are attributed to her uncle, David W. Duclon, a successful screenwriter and TV producer, who was known for his work on "Happy Days" in the 1970s. Duclon encouraged his niece's desire to act, and secured her an audition. In 1984, after two seasons as executive producer of NBC's "Silver Spoons", Duclon successfully pitched a new pilot to the network about an orphaned young girl who is taken in by a curmudgeonly older man. The concept won the approval of NBC programming chief Brandon Tartikoff, who named the titular character, and series, "Punky Brewster" (after a girl he had known in his youth). Johnson was cast by NBC in the role of Punky's (Soleil Moon Frye) best friend, the character modeled and named after herself. "Punky Brewster" was an immediate success among young audiences, and Johnson continued as the fictional Cherie throughout the series' run (1984–86 on NBC, and 1987–88 in first-run syndication).


title: Cherie Johnson

text: In 1990, Johnson began playing Maxine "Max" Johnson, the best friend of Laura Winslow (Kellie Shanygne Williams) on "Family Matters", appearing in the recurring role until the series' end in 1998. Duclon was again her employer, as he served as one of the executive producers of "Family Matters" during Johnson's run on the show. In addition to her starring roles, Johnson has made guest appearances on "The Parkers", and voiced a guest role on the Disney Channel animated series "The Proud Family". She has also appeared on "Days of Our Lives". In the early 2000s, Johnson began producing films. In 2009, she wrote, starred in, and produced the film "I Do... I Did!". In 2010, she starred in many films "Lights Out", "Nobody Smiling" and "Guardian of Eden". She then signed on to appear in the romantic film "Fanaddict", which was shot in 2011 and is slated for release later in 2013.


title: Cherie Johnson

text: In 2020, NBC confirmed a 10-episode revival of "Punky Brewster" on its Peacock streaming service. Soleil Moon Frye and Johnson will reprise their roles.


title: Cherie Johnson

text: Her first novel, "Around The World Twice", was released August 10, 2010. On April 14, 2011, Johnson also released a poetry book with her "I Do...I Did!" co-writer, entitled "Two Different Walks of Life". Her second novel was "Peaches and Cream", and her book of diary entries "Stupid Guys Diary" was released August 2014 . "Little Cherie Dresses Herself", a children's book, was released 2016. Writing has become Johnson's second career choice; she is also the assistant editor of "Fever" magazine and was formerly the executive director for "Dimez" magazine, and was contributing writer for "Temptation" magazine and "Glam Couture" magazine, where she did a monthly article titled "Cherie Picking". In 2016, she accepted a position at "Fever" magazine and will be writing the "Pulse" article.


title: Cherie Johnson

text: Johnson is the assistant editor at "Fever". In 2019, she started Cherie's World Podcast. Her notable guests include her cousin Shar Jackson, Raz-B, Dawn Robinson, Chris Haynes, Soleil Moon Frye, DL Hughley, from Family Matters: Darius McCrary, Jaimee Foxworth, Kellie S Williams, and Shawn Harrison.


title: Cherie Johnson

text: In February 2020, the Cherie’s World Podcast interview with Big Daddy Kane went viral when Cherie’s co-host asked Big Daddy Kane, "Who is the Kobe Bryant of hip-hop?" Kane’s response was Eminem.


title: Cherie Johnson

text: Johnson joined Shadow Play Entertainment's literacy campaign, called "Take Time to Read", as the national spokesperson, sharing her thoughts on why reading is so important no matter what career people choose. She has said that her favorite artists are Prince and Dr. Dre. Johnson has also explained that she is a big sports fanatic; her favorite team is the Pittsburgh Steelers, and she is a fan of former NBA player Paul Pierce. During an interview, Johnson described herself as somewhat of a nerd and a homebody and that she loves to read, write, paint, eat and travel. She also explained she doesn't watch any TV or many movies, but she loves music and her family. She has also stated she is somewhat of a "Twitter-holic" and is often tweeting.


title: Cherie Johnson

text: Johnson spends her free time working with many children's charities, and she is also on the Alzheimer's Association board.


title: Traci Bingham

text: Traci A. Bingham is an American actress, model, and television personality. Beginning her professional career in the early 1990s, Bingham is best known for her role as Jordan Tate on the NBC action drama television series "Baywatch" (1996–1998).


title: Traci Bingham

text: Bingham was the youngest of seven children born in North Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Betty, a librarian, and Lafayette Bingham, an aircraft technician who served in World War II. For high school, Bingham attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin School; graduating in 1986.


title: Traci Bingham

text: Bingham began her career in minor acting roles. Aside from "Baywatch", Bingham's appearances include the television series "D.R.E.A.M. Team" and "Beverly Hills, 90210", and the film "Demon Knight". She also played minor roles in the popular American sitcoms "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and "Married... with Children". In 1991, Bingham appeared in the video for "Good Vibrations" by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. Eight years later, she appeared in the video for "I Really Like It" by Harlem World featuring Mase and Kelly Price.


title: Traci Bingham

text: In June 1998, Bingham posed for a "Babes of "Baywatch"" pictorial in "Playboy" magazine. Bingham has appeared on a number of reality television programs. In 2004, she was in the second series of "The Surreal Life". Her castmates included Ron Jeremy, Vanilla Ice, Erik Estrada, Tammy Faye Bakker, and Trishelle Cannatella. Two years later, she flew to England to appear in "Celebrity Big Brother", where she made it to the final six contestants and was evicted on the final night of the show. She selected Families of SMA as the charity to receive a donation from her participation in the show because her niece had died from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).


title: Traci Bingham

text: In 2005, Bingham was hired as a spokesmodel by Empire Poker, an online gambling site that ceased operations in 2006.In 2007, Bingham appeared on VH1's "" and won the $100,000 grand prize. In 2008, Bingham appeared on Fox Reality's "Gimme My Reality Show!" competing with six other celebrities to get their own reality show. Bingham appeared on "The 2008 World Magic Awards" television show.


title: Traci Bingham

text: In May 2002, Bingham appeared in an advertisement wearing a bikini made of lettuce, and in May 2006 she appeared nude in an ad as part of PETA's "I'd Rather Be Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign.


title: Traci Bingham

text: Bingham has been married once and has no children. From August 29, 1998 until January 18, 2001, Bingham was married to songwriter and musician Robb Vallier. In 2014, A Massachusetts court issued an arrest warrant for Bingham after she failed to appear in court regarding a breached XXX adult contract. After taking the money, Bingham did not show up for the production.


title: Begusarai

text: Begusarai is the industrial and financial capital of Bihar and the administrative headquarters of the Begusarai district, which is one of the thirty-eight districts of the Indian state of Bihar. The district lies on the northern bank of the river Ganges in the Mithila region of Bihar.


title: Begusarai

text: Begusarai is located at . It has an average elevation of 41 metres (134 feet). Begusarai lies in North Bihar and is surrounded by Khagaria in the north-east, Munger in the south-east, Patna in the west and Samastipur in the north-west.


title: Begusarai

text: Begusarai lies in the middle of the mid-Ganga plain and generally has low-lying terrain with a south to south-easterly slope. Begusarai is basically divided into three floodplains:


title: Begusarai

text: In 1989 Begusarai district became home to the "Kanwar jheel", or Kanwar Lake Bird Sanctuary, with an area of .


title: Begusarai

text: As per the 2011 census, Begusarai Municipal Corporation had a total population of 251,136, of whom 133,931 were male and 117,205 were female with a sex ratio of 875. The population younger than 5 years of age was 37,966. The literacy rate of the 7+ population was 79.35%.


title: Begusarai

text: Hinduism is the major religion in Begusarai city, with 224,282 followers (89%). Islam is second, with 26,531 Muslims (10.53%). Other religions include 325 Christians (0.13%), 134 Sikhs (0.05%), 31 Jains (0.01%), 29 Buddhists (0.01%), 14 other religions (0.01%) and 662 (0.26%) non-respondents


title: Begusarai

text: Begusarai has traditionally been a communist stronghold and was once referred to as the "Leningrad of Bihar". It is the karmabhoomi of the independence movement veteran, first chief minister and architect of modern Bihar, Dr. Shri Krishna Sinha.


title: Begusarai

text: Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy. The main cash crops of the Begusarai district are oilseeds, anis seed/ tisi, tobacco, jute, potato, red Chile, tomato and rape-seed. In fruit farming, Begusarai has recently become a major contributor in producing litchi, mango, guava and banana. Recently basil leaves and pearl farming have attracted local farmers.


title: Begusarai

text: Even today, only the Barauni refinery contributes around Rs 500 crore () to the state exchequer yearly. Begusarai also has an inactive airport in Begusarai Ulao. Begusarai had the second highest per capita income in financial year 2019–20 in Bihar, after Patna.


title: Begusarai

text: The culture of Begusarai is the cultural heritage of Mithila. Begusarai is also famous for Simaria, a fair of devotional significance every year in the month of Kartik according to the Indian Panchang, (usually during November). Men and women in Begusarai are very religious and dress for the festivals as well. The costumes of Begusarai stem from the rich traditional culture of Mithila. Panjabi Kurta and Dhoti with a Maroon Gamchha with Mithila Painting Border and Red Bengali Gamchha are common clothing items for men. Men wear gold ring in their nose which symbolizes prosperity, happiness and wealth inspired by Lord Vishnu. Also wear Balla on their wrist. In ancient times there was no colour option in Mithila, so the Maithil women wore white or yellow Saree with red Border but now they have a lot of variety and colour options, and wear "Laal-Paara" (the traditional red-boarded white or yellow sari) on some special occasions, and also wear "Shakha-Pola" with lahthi in their hand. In Mithila culture, this represents new beginnings, passion and prosperity. Red also represents the Hindu goddess Durga, a symbol of new beginnings and feminine power. During Chhaith, the women of Begusarai wear pure cotton dhoti without stitching which reflects the pure, traditional Culture of Mithila. Usually crafted from pure cotton for daily use and from pure silk for more glamorous occasions, traditional attire for the women of Begusarai includes Jamdani, Banorisi and Bhagalpuri and many more.


title: Begusarai

text: Many festivals are celebrated throughout the year in Begusarai. Chhaith and Durga Puja is celebrated as perhaps the most important of all the celebrations of Begusarai.


title: Woody Boyd

text: Woodrow Tiberius Boyd is a character on the American television show "Cheers", portrayed by Woody Harrelson. Woody came to Cheers at the beginning of the fourth season of "Cheers" in 1985 in the episode "Birth, Death, Love and Rice".


title: Woody Boyd

text: Woody appeared in 200 episodes of "Cheers" between 1985 and 1993. He also made a guest appearance on "Frasier" in the episode "The Show Where Woody Shows Up". He is portrayed as simple-minded but good-hearted.


title: Woody Boyd

text: Woody was born on July 23 (like the actor who played him) and hails from Hanover, Indiana, where he was voted the smartest student in school. His mother's name was Margaret and his father's name is Edgel.


title: Woody Boyd

text: He and his childhood sweetheart, Beth Curtis, were also voted "Couple Most Likely to Explode," as they were both obese at the time. It was later revealed that they always ate, to excess, around one another due to their palpable sexual tension.


title: Woody Boyd

text: Woody followed in Coach's footsteps in many ways, failing to understand the most obvious jokes, concepts, and situations. Woody was essentially a straight man for all of the other characters at Cheers, though his humor stemmed from his misunderstandings.


title: Woody Boyd

text: Woody seemed to have an off-center mentality, misunderstanding others' comments much as Coach had done. For example, when Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers appears and starts singing "You've Lost That Loving Feeling," Woody asks him, "How come you changed your name from Righteous?" With the exception of Carla, Eddie, and Sam, Woody always addresses other characters by their honorific. Sometimes this leads to awkward phrasing such as referring to Lilith as Mrs. Dr. Sternin-Crane.


title: Woody Boyd

text: Woody arrived at Cheers expecting to meet his "pen pal" Coach, with whom he exchanged pens instead of letters. Upon learning of Coach's death, he filled the open bartender position, and was quickly accepted by the staff and regulars. He also developed a "big brother/little brother" relationship with Sam Malone, the owner of Cheers. In the coming years, he filled the void left by Coach and eventually married the wealthy Kelly Gaines (Jackie Swanson), overcoming her father's objections to Woody's lowly station in life as well as conflicting religious views: he's Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, she's "Evangelical Lutheran Church of America" (in the episode America" is used, but the real denomination name ends America").


title: Woody Boyd

text: In the final season, Frasier Crane orchestrated an experiment that went awry and resulted in Woody's election to the Boston City Council. He and Kelly were expecting their first child when "Cheers" ended. Frasier extrapolates on Woody's interest in a political career to the point that Woody becomes President of the United States and shows his displeasure with another country by using "The Bomb" (illustrated twice in Frasier's imagination as a mushroom cloud).


title: Woody Boyd

text: Woody Harrelson reprised his role in the 1990 Walt Disney anthology television series episode "Disneyland 35th Anniversary Celebration", where his young self in a flashback is played by Branden Maciel. The character also appeared on "The Simpsons" episode "Fear of Flying".


title: Woody Boyd

text: Woody makes a guest appearance on "Frasier", the spin-off show from "Cheers", in the season 6 episode "The Show Where Woody Shows Up". During a visit to Seattle he reconnects with Frasier Crane, who had since moved there from Boston. After a one-night reunion, the two begin to spend a great deal of time with each other – which gradually turns into an ordeal for both, as they quickly realize they have moved on from their past and settled into new lives, with neither man seeing the other's life as being particularly fulfilling. The two men decide to part company on good terms, after sharing a final drink with each other, leading Woody to utter his final line: "Cheers".


title: Woody Boyd

text: Although this is Woody's only appearance on the show, he is referenced both prior to and after this. When Sam visits Frasier in the season 2 episode, "The Show Where Sam Comes Back", he reveals that Kelly and Woody's first child was a boy, who is of normal intelligence. In the season 9 episode "Cheerful Goodbyes," Frasier reveals that at his going-away party at Cheers before returning to Seattle, Woody grabbed onto his legs and begged him not to go. Woody's political career was not mentioned in "Frasier"; he states at the beginning of the season 6 episode "The Show Where Woody Shows Up" that he is still tending bar at Cheers.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: Redneck Revolt is an American far-left socialist political group that organizes predominantly among white working-class people. The group supports gun rights and members often openly carry firearms. Its political positions are anti-capitalist, anti-racist and anti-fascist. Founded in Kansas in 2009, members were present at several protests against Donald Trump and against the far-right in 2017.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: Redneck Revolt was founded in 2009, partly in response to the perceived contradictions of the Tea Party movement, as an offshoot of the John Brown Gun Club, a firearms training and community defense project that was itself founded in Lawrence, Kansas, in 2004. Founding member Dave Strano was previously part of the Kansas Mutual Aid Network which was involved in organizing protests against the Republican National Convention in 2004, in relation to which he and others began to train with firearms and engage in Second Amendment advocacy. In the early 2000s, John Brown Gun Club members operated anti-racist stalls at gun shows in Kansas. The John Brown Gun Club sought to "demystify" firearms and to distinguish their commitment to community self-defense from clandestine groups that advocated guerrilla warfare. Its first major mobilization was a protest against the 2005 national conference of the Minuteman Project.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: Following a hiatus, the group was re-formed as a national organization in summer 2016, using both the Redneck Revolt and John Brown Gun Club names, with the intention of responding to the growth of right-wing populism, particularly among rural, working-class white people.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: The group attributes their use of the word "redneck" to the time of the Coal Wars, a series of labor disputes in the United States occurring from around 1890 to around 1930, when the word became popular among coal-miners. The use of the term is also intended as a form of subversion or reappropriation. The group's name also refers to the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain and the red bandanas worn by members emulate those worn by striking coal-miners during that conflict. A member has said that the group tries "to acknowledge the ways we've made mistakes and bought into white supremacy and capitalism, but also give ourselves an environment in which it's OK to celebrate redneck culture".


title: Redneck Revolt

text: Their political influences include the 19th-century abolitionist John Brown, the Young Patriots Organization the Deacons for Defense and Justice and the Rainbow Coalition, an alliance formed in Chicago in the 1960s between the Black Panther Party, Young Lords and the Young Patriots. The group sees itself as part of a tradition of white working-class "rebellion against tyranny and oppression".


title: Redneck Revolt

text: Redneck Revolt is an anti-capitalist, anti-racist and anti-fascist group that uses direct action tactics. Redneck Revolt supports the rights of Muslims, immigrants and LGBT people and is opposed to economic inequality. The group's literature does not argue for prioritizing economic injustice over racism or vice versa, but rather argues that both should be fought simultaneously. Members also support the Black Lives Matter movement.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: The group's website includes statements in opposition to capitalism, the nation state, white supremacy and "the wars of the rich" and advocates a "right of militant resistance". They advance a critique of white supremacy which they describe as "a system of violence and power that ensures that political, economic, and social power is withheld from people who aren't white". They describe their purpose as follows:


title: Redneck Revolt

text: We hope to incite a movement amongst working people that works toward the total liberation of all working people, regardless of skin color, religious background, sexual orientation, gender, country of birth, or any other division that bosses and politicians have used to fragment movements for social, political, and economic freedom. The website also argues for the necessity of revolution. A spokesperson for the Phoenix, Arizona John Brown Gun Club said in April 2017 that the group includes anarchists, communists, libertarians and Republicans.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: The group does not identify itself as part of the political left, nor as politically liberal. The geographer Levi van Sant has argued that the group's ideology is a form of libertarian socialism. They also do not consider themselves an antifa group. Although their goals are similar, Redneck Revolt members do not cover their faces and seek to be "as upfront about who [they] are and what [they]'re doing as possible". Redneck Revolt does not have leaders and does not offer a detailed blueprint for political action. In June 2017, a spokesperson said that "[w]e don't have some grand plan for how we want to remake the world. We're tackling a specific problem, which is white supremacy, which we find to be built into capitalism".


title: Redneck Revolt

text: The group supports gun rights and runs firearms training events. Members view the right to bear arms as connected to the necessity of overthrowing the state. Members often view the practice of openly carrying guns as a political statement that intimidates opponents and affirms gun rights. In a May 2017 interview, a member said the group uses guns only in self-defense and in "response to a rise in politically motivated violence and intimidation against vulnerable communities". In September 2017, a member said: "It's not about seizing the gun culture or becoming obsessed about guns. It's only recognizing it's useful to know how to field strip and clean a rifle as much as it is to know how to fix wiring in your house and use a circular saw". The increased visibility of Redneck Revolt in 2017 has sparked debate among activists over the effects of armed protest and the possibility that the use of guns may lead to heightened violence.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: In May 2017, a member said that Redneck Revolt had reached out to groups such as the 3 Percenters, a predominantly right-wing group, with whom they have some common ground. The practice of openly carrying firearms and a shared interest in guns has led to dialogs with right-wing militias. Van Sant wrote in March 2018 that "[t]hrough patient dialogue and popular education, several Redneck Revolt chapters have been able to challenge the white nationalist ideologies of these right-wing libertarian militias and flip them away from anti-immigrant and pro-capitalist positions".


title: Redneck Revolt

text: The group argues that the white working-class have more in common with working-class people of color than with the wealthy. Dave Strano, a founding member, has argued:


title: Redneck Revolt

text: The history of the white working class has been a history of being an exploited people. However, we've been an exploited people that further exploits other exploited people. While we've been living in tenements and slums for centuries, we've also been used by the rich to attack our neighbors, coworkers, and friends of different colors, religions and nationalities.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: Redneck Revolt is a national network. Local groups use both the Redneck Revolt and John Brown Gun Club names. There is no official count of the number of chapters, but as of December 2017 the group had around 45 such local chapters across more than 30 U.S. states. The group's membership grew during the 2016 presidential election and following the August 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. In 2018, local groups in Shelby, North Carolina, Portland, Oregon, and Asheville and Boone, North Carolina, disaffiliated from the national network.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: The group focuses on anti-racist organizing among white poor and working-class people, although members are not exclusively white. For instance, around 30 percent are people of color. In May 2018, a member said that at least one third of the group's membership were women, people of color or non-binary people. Administrative and communications activities are divided equally along lines of gender. Speaking to Mark Bray, author of "", one of Redneck Revolt's co-founders said the group's membership includes veterans, former Republicans and former members of the 3 Percenters.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: Redneck Revolt is active in spaces in which white supremacist groups also often recruit, including country music concerts, flea markets, gun shows, NASCAR events, rodeos and state fairs. Chapters provide firearms and first aid training, food and clothing programs and community gardens and host needle exchanges, potlucks and educational events. Activities around racial justice and transgender rights are predominantly oriented toward rural white people, while firearms training events are oriented toward women and people of color. In a September 2017 interview, a member said that the group was exploring ways to respond to health care challenges and food shortages. Some of the group's activities are modeled after the Survival Programs pursued by the Black Panther Party and the Young Patriots Organization in the 1960s.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: During the Dakota Access Pipeline protests in 2016, Redneck Revolt published a pamphlet addressed to members of right-wing militias that argued there was no reason why "the white working-class ... [should] find solidarity with rich white ranch owners against the government, but not working-class people of color defending their own land and community".


title: Redneck Revolt

text: The Phoenix, Arizona chapter of Redneck Revolt openly carried firearms outside of the Arizona State Legislature on the day of the inauguration of Donald Trump in January 2017. They declared support for those opposing Trump, including immigrants, LGBTQ people and Muslims.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: In April 2017, members attended a counter-protest against groups including the League of the South, the Traditionalist Worker's Party and the National Socialist Movement in Pikeville, Kentucky. Later in April, members hosted a barbecue in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where Trump was marking his 100th day in office.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: Silver Valley Redneck Revolt, a local chapter, organized a counter-demonstration against a Ku Klux Klan rally in Asheboro, North Carolina, in May 2017. In a Facebook post, the group said: "We need to let the Klan know that if they leave their enclaves there will be a broad response from the community. ... This event is to publicly denounce the Klan, their beliefs, and show that we will not back down".


title: Redneck Revolt

text: A local chapter of Redneck Revolt was part of a counter-protest against a June 2017 rally in support of Trump in Portland, Oregon. Also in June, members were part of a protest against the Christian conservative organization Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which coincided with a speech by Mike Pence to celebrate the group's fortieth anniversary. On June 23, armed members of Redneck Revolt attended a protest in Kalkaska, Michigan, in response to anti-Muslim comments made by Jeff Sieting, the village president. Members carried a banner in support of Muslims and said they were there to protect the protesters from counter-protesters supporting Sieting.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: In August 2017, members participated in protests against Trump's speech in Phoenix, Arizona. In February 2018, Dwayne E. Dixon, a member of Redneck Revolt and a teaching assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was found not guilty of misdemeanour gun charges for his role in a protest against a Ku Klux Klan event in Durham, North Carolina, the previous August. In September 2017, Redneck Revolt supported the Juggalo March on Washington, a protest by juggalos against their designation as a gang. Redneck Revolt's statement said the march aligned with their "belief in the right to community self-determination and self-defense".


title: Redneck Revolt

text: In October 2017, a branch of Redneck Revolt in Suffolk County, New York, was involved in organizing a candlelight vigil for people suffering from opioid addiction and families affected by the opioid epidemic.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: At the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 11–12, 2017, several Redneck Revolt chapters provided armed security and medical assistance for counter-protesters. Days later, members provided security at a "Hate Is Not Welcome in Lane County" march in Eugene, Oregon, in response to the events in Charlottesville.


title: Redneck Revolt

text: In October 2017, Redneck Revolt was one of a number of groups named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed on behalf of the city of Charlottesville and several Charlottesville-based businesses and neighborhood associations which sought to prohibit militia and paramilitary activity in Virginia. The groups and individuals named as defendants which also included the white supremacist activist Jason Kessler were accused of unlawful paramilitary activity, falsely assuming the role of law enforcement officers and being a public nuisance. The lawsuit identified Redneck Revolt and the Socialist Rifle Association, an anti-fascist group that defends working-class people's right to bear arms, as "private militia groups ... [that] helped create and secure a staging area for counter-protestors".


title: Redneck Revolt

text: Mary McCord, a former federal prosecutor who played a leading role in the lawsuit, described the decision to include Redneck Revolt among the defendants as "painful" and said: "This case was not conceived of because of Redneck Revolt, that's for sure. They fit the description, so it was pretty hard not to include them". In June 2018, a group of members of clergy asked the city and the other plaintiffs to remove Redneck Revolt from the complaint. They argued: "There is a marked difference between the armed white supremacist groups who invaded Charlottesville with the intent to do harm and the armed anti-racist groups who came to Charlottesville to assist in supporting and protecting our most marginalized communities". A lead attorney for the plaintiffs responded as follows: "The basis for this lawsuit is not about motives – it's about engaging in paramilitary activity. That's why Redneck Revolt was named as a defendant, and why they remain in the suit". Redneck Revolt and Kessler signed consent decrees to end paramilitary activity in Charlottesville to resolve the lawsuit when they were left as the only defendants in early July 2018. The consent decree prohibits members from returning to Charlottesville "as part of a unit of two or more persons acting in concert while armed with a firearm, weapon, shield or any item whose purpose is to inflict bodily harm, at any demonstration, rally, protest or march". Redneck Revolt issued a statement saying that it had chosen to end the lawsuit and to "focus our energies on the many important fights ahead".


title: Redneck Revolt

text: In September 2017, the historian Noel Ignatiev expressed concern regarding Redneck Revolt's commitment to "defense of our communities". Ignatiev argued that "in this society those who share our material conditions, our neighbors, our family members, our friends, the people working alongside us, usually reflect which race they (and we) are assigned to" and contended that "[t]he goal is not to defend the white community but to abolish it, and along with it all communities defined by racial preference or oppression". He also criticised the group for failing to challenge "institutions that reproduce white supremacy—neither the criminal justice system, nor the schools, nor employment discrimination, nor real estate lending and renting policies" and concluded that "white people organized as whites are dangerous to the working class and to humanity, and white people with guns organized as whites are doubly so—and this is true regardless of the intentions of the organizers". Gabriel Kuhn responded to Ignatiev in a 2018 article. Kuhn argued that "organizations with the aim to primarily mobilize and organize among the white working class ... are mandatory if we don't want to simply abandon this part of the population and hand it to the right on a silver platter".


title: Redneck Revolt

text: [T]he Redneck Revolt model of Libertarian Socialism reveals important things, and should be an important part of the U.S. Left. Of particular importance is their Gramscian effort to read for the 'good sense in the common sense' of right-wing populism through radical and grassroots engagement. Van Sant has also identified three lessons that Redneck Revolt offers to the American left, namely that working-class white people "are not inherently conservative"; that the group's success is drawn from their critique of modern American liberalism, including on firearms issues; and that they do not employ the rhetoric of white privilege, diversity or inclusion, but instead "position themselves as part of working class and white rural communities" and "act in solidarity with oppressed peoples". Van Sant concluded that "[t]he case of Redneck Revolt suggests there are promising alternatives to Trumpism emanating from the U.S. countryside too often ignored by the U.S. left".


title: Redneck Revolt

text: In 2019 the sociologist Teal Rothschild wrote that "Redneck Revolt brings venerable activist traditions to bear on very contemporary issues, including 21st century identity politics." Rothschild argued that while Redneck Revolt members see both anti-racism and bearing arms as part of a strategy of aiding marginalized people, media representations tend to depict them "as an oxymoron—as if gun carrying and anti-racism are not two positions, but two opposing poles." Rothschild noted that "contemporary social movement studies have begun to center groups that span multiple identities and causes, and movements like Redneck Revolt suggest exactly why that matters. ... [Redneck Revolt] reminds us of the capacity for a single organization to hold a multiplicity of meanings, aims, and practices."


title: Garnet (Steven Universe)

text: Garnet is a character from the animated series "Steven Universe", created by Rebecca Sugar. She is a Gem, a fictional alien being that exists as a magical gemstone projecting a holographic body. Garnet is a fusion — i.e., two Gems combining personalities and appearances as one shared holographic body — formed by two Gems named Ruby and Sapphire, who choose to remain permanently fused out of love for each other.


title: Garnet (Steven Universe)

text: Garnet is voiced by Estelle, a British singer. Estelle's performance has seen a positive reception, particularly for her songs "Stronger than You" and "Here Comes A Thought." Garnet has been frequently praised for being a depiction of a positive sapphic relationship.


title: Garnet (Steven Universe)

text: The de facto leader of the Crystal Gems, who protect humanity and the Earth from danger, Garnet is initially presented as stoic and unfeeling but pragmatic and capable. The show's writers have described Garnet as characterized by great self-confidence; they represent this through the fact that she never asks questions. Eric Thurm of "The A.V. Club" described Garnet as "initially the most reticent, distant, and simply alien" of the Crystal Gems. After the Crystal Gems' original leader Rose Quartz gave her life to create her son Steven Universe, Garnet took on the role of the group's "de facto" leader. Early in the series, she appears relatively distant, as she rarely speaks out. As the story of "Steven Universe" progresses, however, she becomes more relatable. Writing for "Minnesota Daily", Cecilia Mazumdar Stanger pointed out that Garnet is far from a perfect leader and can make mistakes.


title: Garnet (Steven Universe)

text: From the gemstones in her palms, Garnet can summon two powered gauntlets. Her "future vision" allows her to view different possible outcomes to predict future events, and she can temporarily share this ability with Steven, by kissing him on the forehead . Eric Thurm noted that scenes in which Garnet uses her future vision are among the show's best visual accomplishments. Garnet also appears in the "OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes" crossover episode "Crossover Nexus", in which she says that her visor helps her channel her future vision.


title: Garnet (Steven Universe)

text: According to Rebecca Sugar, Garnet was intended to be a fusion since the pilot episode, though Ruby and Sapphire came into focus while Sugar was writing for Garnet. Sugar described the process as "reverse engineering" the two personalities based on what the production team brought to the show.


title: Garnet (Steven Universe)

text: Viewers learn that Garnet is a fusion in the first-season finale, "Jail Break", but foreshadowing in earlier episodes led many viewers to suspect it before it was revealed. Ruby is characterized as a feisty and aggressive fighter, while Sapphire is a stoic and contemplative oracle, resulting in a complex dynamic between them. Garnet's stable relationship while fused is used as a metaphor for the power of healthy relationships, as Ruby and Sapphire together are stronger than any one Gem on their own. Garnet is described as being made of "literal love, the romantic love of two queer individuals," as most Gems, including Ruby and Sapphire, present in a feminine manner.


title: Garnet (Steven Universe)

text: The second-season episode "The Answer" features a flashback of Ruby and Sapphire's first meeting: Sapphire was a member of Blue Diamond's court who came to Earth to assist in the capture of Rose Quartz, and Ruby was one of her bodyguards. Ruby and Sapphire accidentally fuse for the first time when Ruby pushes her out of the way of danger, and they flee to escape execution for the taboo of mixed-Gem fusion. Garnet joins the Crystal Gems after encountering Rose Quartz, who tells her that Ruby and Sapphire's love is "the answer" to all her questions. A later episode, "Now We're Only Falling Apart", reveals how Garnet's creation influenced Rose Quartz's ideals to fight for her right to exist.


title: Garnet (Steven Universe)

text: In a story arc late in the fifth season, Garnet unfuses when Sapphire feels betrayed by Rose, who had encouraged their fusion in the first place, and parts ways with Ruby, saying that their relationship is based on a lie. As Sapphire learns Rose's full story from Pearl, Ruby realizes she has never spent any time exploring her identity apart from Sapphire, and leaves to embark on a quest of self-discovery. Eventually the two both realize that they still want to be together, and in the episode "Reunited", they are married as their way of being together on their own terms, rather than just because of Rose Quartz.


title: Garnet (Steven Universe)

text: Garnet is voiced by Estelle in the original dub of "Steven Universe". Estelle's vocal performance is commonly praised by critics: Vrai Kaiser of "The Mary Sue" commended Estelle's voice work in "Jail Break" by stating that "the amount of love, layers, and history she packs into so few words goes right to the heart no matter how many times you watch it." Garnet's narration in "The Answer" was praised by Eric Thurn because Estelle got the opportunity to do voice work that was more fun and "soft". AJ Adejare of "The Fandom Post" criticized the voice director of "Steven Universe" for under-utilizing Estelle's talents, as Garnet is mostly silent in the show. Garnet is Estelle's first voice-over role, and the character was designed by Rebecca Sugar while she was listening to Estelle's music.


title: Garnet (Steven Universe)

text: Garnet has commonly been praised as a depiction of a romantic lesbian relationship in an animated series. Since 2010, animated television series such as "The Loud House" and "The Legend of Korra" have shown a larger amount of LGBT representation. "Steven Universe" makes frequent use of LGBT-related themes: Pearl has strong romantic feelings to Rose Quartz, and Stevonnie is a genderqueer character. Writing for "The Lawrentian" in January 2016, Bridget Keenan described Garnet as "first canon lesbian couple on Cartoon Network". However, Keenan also criticized Garnet for portraying as healthy a relationship that would realistically be "unhealthy, unstable and controlling," as Ruby and Sapphire seemed completely controlled by the relationship.


title: Garnet (Steven Universe)

text: Some of the romantic interactions between Ruby and Sapphire have been censored during localization to other countries. In the Swedish translation of the episode "Hit the Diamond", flirting between the two characters was replaced with more neutral dialogue, causing controversy in Sweden; some fans of the series demanded that Cartoon Network Sweden not censor Ruby and Sapphire's relationship again.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: Exploria Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in downtown Orlando, Florida. The stadium is located along West Church Street in the Parramore neighborhood west of Downtown Orlando. It is the home of Orlando City SC, which entered Major League Soccer (MLS) as an expansion franchise in 2015, and their National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) affiliate club, the Orlando Pride. The stadium was completed in time for Orlando City's home opener of the 2017 season on March 5 and it became the first ever venue to permanently host MLS, NWSL, and USL teams all in the same location that year. Originally known as Orlando City Stadium, on June 4, 2019, it was announced that Exploria Resorts (a timeshare entity based in nearby Clermont) had acquired naming rights to the stadium.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: As well as home matches for Orlando City, Orlando Pride, the stadium has also been used as a host venue for both the United States men's and women's national teams, the finals for both the NWSL Championship and NCAA Women's College Cup, numerous Florida Cup games, the MLS Combine in 2018 and 2019, and the 2019 MLS All-Star Game.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: Aside from soccer, the stadium hosted the 2019 and 2021 Cure Bowl, a college football bowl game, as well as the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games opening ceremony.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: In April 2013, the City of Orlando purchased downtown land for $8.2 million to be used towards the construction of a $110 million MLS soccer stadium. However, in May, the Florida House of Representatives failed to vote on a bill that had passed the Senate that would have provided up to $30 million in state funds towards the stadium project. Orlando City SC President Phil Rawlins responded by expressing his intent to find alternative funding and keep seeking MLS expansion.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: The Orlando downtown soccer stadium moved closer to securing funding on August 8, 2013, when Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer reached an agreement on a deal to provide financial support for a variety of Orlando projects including the new MLS soccer stadium. The last piece in stadium funding was an October 2013 vote on using an existing tourism tax to fund the final quarter of the $80 million stadium project. On October 22, 2013, the Orange County Board of Commissioners voted 5–2 to approve the use of $20 million in tourist development tax funds to build an $84 million multi-purpose soccer stadium in downtown Orlando.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced on December 11, 2013, that the 2016 and 2017 NCAA Women's College Soccer Championship would be held at the new stadium.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: On August 4, 2014, the team announced that the stadium location would be moved one block west, to avoid having a delay to the opening day, due to Faith Deliverance Temple fighting the city's eminent-domain claim. The new location resulted in the closure of Parramore Avenue between Church Street and Central Boulevard in February 2015, as the stadium was built right on top of where the road currently runs.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: The club played their 2015 MLS inaugural season home matches at Citrus Bowl. On January 13, 2016, club president Phil Rawlins announced that construction of the team's stadium was taking four months longer than expected and that the team would remain at the Citrus Bowl (since renamed Camping World Stadium) for the 2016 season.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: On March 5, 2017, Orlando City began the 2017 season by hosting New York City FC in the stadium's inaugural match. Cyle Larin scored the first goal in stadium history as Orlando won 1–0 in front of a sellout crowd of 25,550.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: On July 10, 2019, Orlando City progressed to their first U.S. Open Cup semi-final, defeating New York City FC on penalties after a 1–1 draw. The game received viral media coverage for what became known as "The Running of The Wall" when NYCFC won the coin toss for the penalty shoot-out and elected to kick the penalties in front of an empty South Stand, the opposite side of the stadium to The Wall where the Orlando City supporters were located. The Orlando supporters took it upon themselves to run en masse down the length of the concourse and fill up the stand directly behind the goal the penalties were being taken. Adam Grinwis saved two penalties during the shootout win.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: On May 12, 2021, Orlando City majority owner Flavio Augusto da Silva announced he was in advanced negotiations with Zygi and Mark Wilf, owners of the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL, for the sale of the club including the stadium and other related soccer assets. The combined value of the deal was estimated at $400-450 million. The sale was completed on July 21, 2021.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: Orlando City SC's owners announced on May 29, 2015, that the stadium would be privately funded by Orlando City SC and not the city. They also announced they would upgrade the stadium's capacity from 19,000 seats, to somewhere between 25,000 and 28,000 seats. The new plan was unveiled on July 31, increasing capacity to 25,500 by adding seats to the south end to maximize seats without major design changes that would set back the project by an additional year. Costs also rose from $110 million to $155 million.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: As part of the private funding venture for the new stadium, at least $15 million has come from 30 foreign investors in countries such as Brazil and China via the EB-5 investment program, which grants American visas in exchange for a $500,000 investment in the project.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: More foreign investors looking to obtain green cards through the EB-5 program are joining this project, which has already created around 1000 jobs and is expected to create around 1000 more in an area that much needed its economic growth.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: The team released artistic renderings of the stadium on December 11, 2012. On September 30, 2013, the architectural firm Woods Bagot released their drawings of the stadium on their website. The team announced that these drawings were released without their knowledge or input, and that they had not selected an architect yet. Woods Bagot proceed to remove the images from their website. The design phase began on January 7, 2014, when Mayor Buddy Dyer and some of the Orlando City SC staff traveled to Kansas City to begin working with the design firm Populous.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: The original renderings of the stadium proposed 18,000 seats, including 2,500 club seats. It would also have 300 seats in specialty suites. The stadium's square footage is about , with devoted to the bowl. It was also supposedly going to have bars, retail shops, and restaurants.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: Additional renderings and information about the stadium were released on June 10, 2014. The stadium has an open plaza, where those passing by can see inside, since the field is below street level. It was initially planned to have a seating capacity of 19,500, with the structural ability to expand to 25,000 in the future. This was changed in May 2015 to simply building room for 25,000 in the initial construction, rather than waiting for another construction period. The field is grass, with canopies over fans to protect them from the elements and to increase noise levels. A four times life size lion sculpture was planned to overlook the entrance. Just before a game began, the lion would rotate 180° to "watch" the action. A festival plaza lined with palm trees on the south end of the plaza, just outside the main entrance at Church Street and Terry Avenue was built (the streets are closed to vehicles during events).


title: Exploria Stadium

text: A balcony-style bar just below the video scoreboard with a 360° view was planned as well. A seating section on the north end is dedicated to members of supporters' clubs. As proposed — and if building codes allow — it has no seats, but rails and extra room for "safe standing". The 3,811-capacity section, known as "The Wall" began as a small but ardent collection of fans from the two main supporter groups, The Ruckus and Iron Lion Firm. The supporters' section would also have its own "pub-style" area.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: Heineken announced a partnership with multiple MLS teams on November 12, 2014, including Orlando City, making Heineken the official beer of the team as well as giving Heineken naming rights to the ground level bar on the south side of the stadium. In addition to the announcement, a new rendering of the south side from inside the stadium was released.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: Panasonic was announced as the team's "Official Technology Partner" on December 17, 2014, in exchange for Panasonic providing on-field and fascia LED boards, the main scoreboard on the south end of the field, and dozens of flat panel TV screens throughout the stadium in suites, offices and work areas. In addition, Panasonic provides security cameras, control room and other key components for the new stadium.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: The stadium includes 49 rainbow-colored seats in Section 12 as a memorial that honors the victims of the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, CONCACAF selected Exploria Stadium to host the latter stages of the delayed 2020 CONCACAF Champions League in one centralized and neutral location. With the competition paused in March at the quarter-final stage, three of the four ties had already had the first leg contested. Los Angeles FC vs Cruz Azul was the only outstanding first leg and was changed to a single-leg match as a result. All games were played behind closed doors.


title: Exploria Stadium

text: In May 2019, Cure Bowl officials announced the college football game would be moved to Exploria Stadium from Camping World Stadium. It was the stadium's first non-soccer event. It moved back to Camping World Stadium in 2020 after it was acquired by ESPN Events but returned the following year.


Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands is a terrestrial biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. The predominant vegetation in this biome consists of grass and/or shrubs. The climate is temperate and ranges from semi-arid to semi-humid. The habitat type differs from tropical grasslands in the annual temperature regime as well as the types of species found here.


title: Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands

text: The habitat type is known as prairie in North America, pampas in South America, veld in Southern Africa and steppe in Asia. Generally speaking, these regions are devoid of trees, except for riparian or gallery forests associated with streams and rivers.


text: Steppes/shortgrass prairies are short grasslands that occur in semi-arid climates. Tallgrass prairies are tall grasslands in areas of higher rainfall. Heaths and pastures are, respectively, low shrublands and grasslands where forest growth is hindered by human activity but not the climate.


text: Tall grasslands, including the tallgrass prairie of North America, the north-western parts of Eurasian steppe (Ukraine and south of Russia) and the Humid Pampas of Argentina, have moderate rainfall and rich soils which make them ideally suited to agriculture, and tall grassland ecoregions include some of the most productive grain-growing regions in the world. The expanses of grass in North America and Eurasia once sustained migrations of large vertebrates such as bison ("Bos bison"), saiga ("Saiga tatarica"), and Tibetan antelopes ("Pantholops hodgsoni") and kiang ("Equus hemionus"). Such phenomena now occur only in isolated pockets, primarily in the Daurian Steppe and Tibetan Plateau.


text: Temperate savannahs, found in Southern South America, parts of West Asia, South Africa and southern Australia, are a mixed grassy woodland ecosystem defined by trees being reasonably widely spaced so that the canopy does not close, much like subtropical and tropical savannahs, albeit lacking a year-round warm climate. In many savannas, tree densities are higher and are more regularly spaced than in forests.


text: The floral communities of the Eurasian steppes and the North American Great Plains have been largely extirpated through conversion to agriculture. Nonetheless, as many as 300 different plant species may grow on less than three acres of North American tallgrass prairie, which also may support more than 3 million individual insects per acre. The Patagonian Steppe and Grasslands are notable for distinctiveness at the generic and familial level in a variety of taxa.


title: Weasel word

text: A weasel word, or anonymous authority, is an informal term for words and phrases aimed at creating an impression that something specific and meaningful has been said, when in fact only a vague or ambiguous claim has been communicated. Examples include the phrases "some people say", "it is thought", and "researchers believe". Using weasel words may allow one to later deny any specific meaning if the statement is challenged, because the statement was never specific in the first place. Weasel words can be a form of tergiversation and may be used in advertising, (popular) science, opinion pieces and political statements to mislead or disguise a biased view or unsubstantiated claim.


title: Weasel word

text: Weasel words can harshen or over-state a controversial statement. An example of this is using terms like "somewhat" or "in most respects", which make a sentence more ambiguous than it would be without them.


title: Weasel word

text: The expression "weasel word" may have derived from the egg-eating habits of weasels. An article published by the "Buffalo News" attributes the origin of the term to William Shakespeare's plays "Henry V" and "As You Like It", in which the author includes similes of weasels sucking eggs. The article said that this was a misnomer, because weasels do not have a mandible suitable for sucking eggs.


title: Weasel word

text: Ovid's "Metamorphoses" provides an earlier source for the same etymology. Ovid describes how Juno orders the goddess of childbirth, Lucina, to prevent Alcmene from giving birth to Hercules. Alcmene's servant Galanthis, realizing that Lucina is outside the room using magic to prevent the birth, emerges to announce that the birth has been a success. Lucina, in her amazement, drops the spells of binding and Hercules is born. Galanthis then mocks Lucina, who responds by transforming her into a weasel. Ovid writes (in A.S. Kline's translation) "And because her lying mouth helped in childbirth, she [as a weasel] gives birth through her mouth."


title: Weasel word

text: Definitions of the word 'weasel' that imply deception and irresponsibility include: the noun form, referring to a sneaky, untrustworthy, or insincere person; the verb form, meaning to manipulate shiftily; and the phrase "to "weasel out"", meaning "to squeeze one's way out of something" or "to evade responsibility".


title: Weasel word

text: Theodore Roosevelt attributed the term to his friend William Sewall's older brother, Dave, claiming that he had used the term in a private conversation in 1879.


title: Weasel word

text: The expression first appeared in print in Stewart Chaplin's short story "Stained Glass Political Platform" (published in 1900 in "The Century Magazine"), in which weasel words were described as "words that suck the life out of the words next to them, just as a weasel sucks the egg and leaves the shell". Roosevelt apparently later put the term into public use after using it in a speech in St. Louis May 31, 1916. According to Mario Pei, Roosevelt said, "When a weasel sucks an egg, the meat is sucked out of the egg; and if you use a weasel word after another, there is nothing left of the other."


title: Weasel word

text: A 2009 study of Wikipedia found that most weasel words in it could be divided into three main categories:


title: Weasel word

text: "Generalizing" by means of quantifiers, such as "many", when quantifiable measures could be provided, obfuscates the point being made, and if done deliberately is an example of "weaseling".


title: Weasel word

text: "Illogical or irrelevant statements" are often used in advertising, where the statement describes a beneficial feature of a product or service being advertised. An example is the endorsement of products by celebrities, regardless of whether they have any expertise relating to the product. In non-sequitur fashion, it does not follow that the endorsement provides any guarantee of quality or suitability.


title: Weasel word

text: "False authority" is defined as the use of the passive voice without specifying an actor or agent. For example, saying "it has been decided" without stating by whom, and citation of unidentified "authorities" or "experts", provide further scope for weaseling. It can be used in combination with the reverse approach of discrediting a contrary viewpoint by glossing it as "claimed" or "alleged". This embraces what is termed a "semantic cop-out", represented by the term "allegedly". This implies an absence of ownership of opinion, which casts a limited doubt on the opinion being articulated. The construction "mistakes were made" enables the speaker to acknowledge error without identifying those responsible.


title: Weasel word

text: However, the passive voice is legitimately used when the identity of the actor or agent is irrelevant. For example, in the sentence "one hundred votes are required to pass the bill", there is no ambiguity, and the actors including the members of the voting community cannot practicably be named even if it were useful to do so.


title: Weasel word

text: The scientific journal article is another example of the legitimate use of the passive voice. For an experimental result to be useful, anyone who runs the experiment should get the same result. That is, the identity of the experimenter should be of low importance. Use of the passive voice focuses attention upon the actions, and not upon the actor—the author of the article. To achieve conciseness and clarity, however, most scientific journals encourage authors to use the active voice where appropriate, identifying themselves as "we" or even "I".


title: Weasel word

text: The first of these also demonstrates false authority, in that anyone who disagrees incurs the suspicion of being unreasonable merely by dissenting. Another example from international politics is use of the phrase "the international community" to imply a false unanimity.


title: Weasel word

text: "Euphemism" may be used to soften and potentially mislead the audience. For example, the dismissal of employees may be referred to as "rightsizing", "headcount reduction", and "downsizing". Jargon of this kind is used to describe things euphemistically.


title: Weasel word

text: "Restricting information" available to the audience is a technique sometimes used in advertisements. For example, stating that a product "... is now 20% cheaper!" raises the question, "Cheaper than what?". It might be said that "Four out of five people prefer ..." something, but this raises the questions of the size and selection of the sample, and the size of the majority. "Four out of five" could actually mean that there had been 8% for, 2% against, and 90% indifferent.


title: Weasel word

text: In "Report on Unidentified Flying Objects" (1956), US Air Force Captain Edward J. Ruppelt described astronomer Dr. J. Allen Hynek's report on the death of pilot Thomas Mantell in pursuit of a UFO as "a masterpiece in the art of 'weasel wording'".


title: Weasel word

text: Australian author Don Watson devoted two volumes ("Death Sentence" and "Watson's Dictionary of Weasel Words") to documenting the increasing use of weasel words in government and corporate language. He maintains a website encouraging people to identify and nominate examples of weasel words.


title: Weasel word

text: Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic strip, talks much about 'weasels' as being conniving businesspeople in one of his books, named accordingly: "Dilbert and the Way of the Weasel" (2002).


title: Succession of states

text: Succession of states is a concept in international relations regarding a successor state that has become a sovereign state over a territory (and populace) that was previously under the sovereignty of another state. The theory has its roots in 19th-century diplomacy. A successor state often acquires a new international legal personality, which is distinct from a continuing state, also known as a continuator or historical heir, which despite change to its borders retains the same legal personality and possess all its existing rights and obligations (such as a rump state).