title: BFGoodrich

text: BFGoodrich was not the only tire manufacturer in the United States at the turn of the 20th century. Among its competitors were Goodyear, Firestone, General and Uniroyal. Due to extensive research and scientific methods, such as tire wear evaluation and longevity testing, BFGoodrich was at the leading edge of the industry. Ford Motor Company, then owned by Henry Ford, chose BFGoodrich tires to be fitted in the new Model A Ford in 1903. That same year, the Model A, equipped with the tires, became the first car to cross the United States from east to west. This event made BFGoodrich a household name.


title: BFGoodrich

text: The Goodrich Corporation, formerly called B.F. Goodrich Company, stopped making tires in 1988 and sold the business and the B.F. Goodrich name to Michelin.


title: BFGoodrich

text: Aside from being the first company in the United States to manufacture pneumatic automobile tires, BFGoodrich is also credited for introducing the rubber-wound golf ball, the first pressurized space suit and the use of synthetic rubber. Although significant, these innovations are not as well known as the company’s contributions to the tire industry.


title: BFGoodrich

text: In 1947, BFGoodrich developed the first tubeless tire in the United States. The tubeless tire eliminate the need for an inner tube, which improves performance and safety, as well as enhanced comfort for the car's occupants.


title: BFGoodrich

text: BFGoodrich produced the first radial tires in the United States in 1965. This innovation made tires even safer as radial tires have longer tread life and permit better absorption of road bumps. The company patented an early sort of run-flat tire two years later, in 1967. This technology enables the vehicle to continue to be driven in emergencies by avoiding that the tire becomes flat instantly.


title: BFGoodrich

text: In 1909, BFGoodrich tires were fitted on a Curtiss airplane, thus marking BFGoodrich's entry in the aviation tire market. In this particular event, the plane, fitted with BFGoodrich tires, set a speed record of 75 kilometers per hour in Reims at the first international air race. BFGoodrich tires were also fitted to Charles Lindbergh’s plane, "Spirit of St. Louis", when he completed the first solo non-stop transatlantic flight.


title: BFGoodrich

text: In 1934, BFGoodrich produced a prototype for a pressure suit to be worn by airplane pilot Wiley Post at high altitudes. This first prototype was made mostly of rubber, with the exception being the metal helmet and waist strap. The prototype suit was pressurized in an initial test, but it did not hold pressure as it was expected to. With improvements to the concept, a second prototype was made, using the same helmet, which successfully maintained pressurization. The second suit was successful, at least in holding pressure. The suit had shrunk around Post's body and was removed by cutting the suit apart. One year later, in 1935, another prototype was produced and is said to be the first practical pressure suit in the United States. Piloting his plane, the “Winnie Mae”, Post was able to fly to an altitude of approximately 50,000 feet, where he discovered the jet stream, paving the way for modern flight procedures. From this point forward, the suit created by BFGoodrich served as pattern for modern pressurized space suits.


title: BFGoodrich

text: BFGoodrich is also known for their performance and racing developments and achievements. Its roots in racing can be traced as far back as 1914, when BFGoodrich tires were used by the winning car of the Indianapolis 500. This was just the beginning of victories in several competitions including the Baja 1000, Paris-Dakar Rally, World Rally Championships and many other prestigious racing competitions.


title: BFGoodrich

text: BFGoodrich has been active on the competitive off-road scene in the USA since 1973, but it was only two decades later that the American brand got its first taste of the world’s longest and toughest cross-country rally – the Dakar. BFGoodrich, Official Sponsor and exclusive tire partner of the Rallye du Dakar since 2002’s edition, proposes to all competitors access to premium tires and to its racing service present on all the Rallye’s duration.


title: BFGoodrich

text: BFGoodrich developed and markets its flagship All-Terrain T/A and Mud-Terrain T/A tires. Due to its unique tread design and known raised white letters on the tire sidewall, the tire consolidated a loyal customer base, especially among off-roading enthusiasts, its main application is pickup trucks and body-on-frame SUVs.


title: Rec 4: Apocalypse

text: Rec 4: Apocalypse (stylized as [•REC]⁴, subtitled in some countries as "Apocalypse") is a 2014 Spanish horror film, and the fourth and final installment of the "Rec" film series. The film is a direct sequel to "Rec 2", taking place immediately after the events of the second film. Jaume Balagueró, the director of the first two installments, returns alongside actress Manuela Velasco, who reprises her role of the imperiled reporter Ángela Vidal. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2014 and screened at the 2014 Sitges Film Festival on 3 October, before being released in Spain on 31 October.


title: Rec 4: Apocalypse

text: The film was released in the United States by Magnet Releasing on 2 January 2015, both theatrically and on VOD.


title: Rec 4: Apocalypse

text: A Special Forces Team is sent to an apartment complex to rescue a reporter named Ángela and destroy the building. Following an attack by infected firefighters and residents, the team's survivors, Lucas and Guzman, complete the assignment. Ángela awakens on a ship, chained to a bed and remembering nothing. Dr. Ginard takes a sample of Ángela's blood for testing. Lucas and Guzman are also on board the vessel, which has been effectively quarantined by its isolation. After a failed escape attempt, Ángela is informed by Dr. Ricarte that she is not infected. Meanwhile, Guzman makes acquaintances with the ship's captain Ortega and the technician Nic, who reconstructs the events within the apartment complex with the aid of Ángela's camera. Nic sends the film to the doctors in their laboratory, where they begin experimentation with the pathogen.


title: Rec 4: Apocalypse

text: The doctors discover that their test subject, an infected monkey, has been released during a power outage the previous night. The monkey infects the ship's cook, who in turn contaminates the food. Ingestion infects the majority of the crew and guards. After an unsuccessful attempt by the doctors to cure the cook with an antidote, Ángela, Guzman, Lucas, and an elderly woman who survived make for the bridge. On the way, the elderly woman is separated from the group, and Lucas stays behind to rescue her, only to find her infected, which forces him to shoot her down. Ricarte recognizes that the attempt to find an antidote has failed because it requires an unmutated strain of the pathogen. Shortly before he can initiate a self-destruct sequence, his assistant informs him of the reconstructed film, which shows Ángela being orally infected with a worm-like parasite by the pathogen's original carrier. Ricarte attempts to extract the parasite by forcing surgery on Ángela, who is saved when an attack by the now-infected Ginard allows her escape. Ricarte searches for Ángela, who ambushes him and bites him. Despite a scan of his blood reading negative, Ricarte is convinced that Ángela is tricking him. It is revealed that during Ángela's rescue, the parasite transferred to Guzman, who traps Ángela within the ship's bowels as Ricarte launches the ship's self-destruct sequence.


title: Rec 4: Apocalypse

text: Lucas and Nic try and fail to start the ship's auxiliary engine, and Lucas is killed by the infected. Nic finds Ricarte attempting to flee in a lifeboat. Nic knocks Ricarte out, takes the lifeboat for himself, and searches for Ángela. Nic finds her on the run from infected monkeys, which they manage to kill with an outboard motor. They are then attacked by Guzman, who attempts to transfer the parasite back into Ángela. Shortly before he succeeds, Nic and Ángela kill Guzman with a harpoon gun. Ángela and Nic leave the boat as all the infected chase after them. Ángela jumps into the ocean and Nic follows, escaping as the ship explodes. Underwater, the parasite slowly twisting is swallowed by a fish. During the credits, Ángela and Nic are shown in a cab, having made it home.


title: Rec 4: Apocalypse

text: On 3 May 2010, Bloody Disgusting announced that "...Filmax will produce two new "[REC]" films in the next couple of years called "[REC] 3: Genesis" and "[REC] 4: Apocalypse" with the same directors as the first two films". "Genesis" was released on 30 March 2012. It was directed by the co-founder of the REC franchises, Jaume Balagueró, who co-wrote the script along Manu Diez. Carlos Fernández, Julio Fernández and Alberto Marini returned 4th time as executive producers.


title: Rec 4: Apocalypse

text: In an interview with "Fangoria", director Balagueró stated that the film would not have an apocalyptic style presumed by its title, stating, "All of the movies in the "[REC]" series have the same budget, so you’re not really going to see big scenes of Barcelona full of zombies; they’re just not intended that way. There has to be a story that’s controlled and strong." "Apocalypse" is set to follow the events of the second film, and will not be made in the "found footage" style. Production was scheduled to begin in 2013. At the 2012 Sitges Film Festival, it was announced the film would have its world premiere there in October 2013. An announcement trailer was released in late November, confirming the return of Manuela Velasco.


title: Rec 4: Apocalypse

text: However, in early May 2013, Balagueró stated that the film's production had been delayed and the film would now premiere sometime in mid-2014, but did confirm that Manuela Velasco would be starring in the fourth film. Teaser posters and an updated premise were released early May. Filming began on 13 July 2013 in Gran Canaria, aboard a Russian merchant navy ship. A theatrical trailer for the film was released in April 2014.


title: Rec 4: Apocalypse

text: The film premiered on 9 September 2014 on the Toronto International Film Festival and screened on Sitges Film Festival on 3 October 2014. Entertainment One released the film 2 March 2015 on Blu-ray and DVD, the Blu-disc featured the Making-of feature "The Making of [REC] Apocalypse" in the United Kingdom. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the film on 14 April 2015 in the United States, as direct to video production.


title: Rec 4: Apocalypse

text: The film received mixed reviews, with some praising the return of Manuela Velasco. Spanish website "ALT104" claimed that the film proves to be a worthy sequel to the franchise, but a weak way to end the series.


title: Rec 4: Apocalypse

text: The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 68% with an average rating of 5.33/10, based on 22 reviews. The site's critics consensus reads, "After a lackluster third entry, "[REC] 4" gets the series back on track, at least to the level of the first sequel."


title: Rec 4: Apocalypse

text: "REC: El Libro Oficial" is a companion book to the films, which contains several behind-the-scenes pictures, storyboards, and production stills. The book also offers some insight into the series' overall mythology and provides answers to questions left unanswered by the films. It was released in Spain in October 2014.


title: Last Train to Christmas

text: Last Train to Christmas is a 2021 Christmas fantasy comedy-drama film written and directed by Julian Kemp. The film was released on 18 December 2021 in the United Kingdom via Sky Cinema and Now.


title: Last Train to Christmas

text: In 1985, Anthony "Tony" Towers, a successful nightclub manager, is engaged to his girlfriend Sue Taylor. While travelling to Nottingham for a family reunion with his brother Roger, Tony discovers that he can travel through time via the number of carriages: Whenever he enters the next carriage in the direction the train is heading, he leaps 10 years forward. Whenever he enters the previous carriage, it's 10 years back.


title: Last Train to Christmas

text: Not only can he travel through the decades: He discovers that he also is able to change the history of the people travelling with him in the train, by changing former decisions in his life. But no matter when or how he changes his decisions, they always seem to come to desperate endings.


title: Last Train to Christmas

text: During one of these instances, Tony finds out from his depressed aunt that his marriage to Sue became strained due to his celebrity life. In desperation, Tony unwittingly travels back between the 1950s and 60s, accidentally creating an alternate timeline where Roger has succumbed to the temptations Tony has endured. After a falling out with Roger in an alternate 1995, Tony manages to change the timeline that ends with Roger getting arrested in 1975.


title: Last Train to Christmas

text: Upon entering an alternate 1985, Tony reunites with Sue. He encourages her to live out the life she deserves before bidding farewell. By travelling back to 1945 during his childhood, Tony is able to stop his aunt from abandoning Roger.


title: Last Train to Christmas

text: Returning to the present day as an old man, a relieved Tony reunites with Roger, who plays on a piano at Nottingham station an original song they had written in their youth.


title: Last Train to Christmas

text: The film, written and directed by Julian Kemp, was announced on 20 October 2021 ahead of its December release. It was produced by Sky Studios, Matt Williams of Future Artists Entertainment, and Matthew James Wilkinson of Stigma Films.


title: Last Train to Christmas

text: Michael Sheen and Nathalie Emmanuel were announced as the film's stars, followed by an announcement that Cary Elwes had also boarded the project.


title: Lou Barletta

text: Louis John Barletta (born January 28, 1956) is an American businessman and politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he served as mayor of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, from 2000 to 2010.


title: Lou Barletta

text: As mayor, he came to prominence due to a high-profile immigration ordinance. During his tenure, he challenged longtime Democratic incumbent Paul Kanjorski of the 11th congressional district three times, eventually defeating him in 2010. Barletta was re-elected three times to serve in Congress.


title: Lou Barletta

text: In 2018, Barletta was the unsuccessful Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate, losing to Democratic incumbent Bob Casey Jr. by a 13-point margin. He also ran unsuccessfully in the 2022 Republican primary for governor of Pennsylvania, losing to Doug Mastriano.


title: Lou Barletta

text: Barletta was born on January 28, 1956, in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, the son of Angeline (née DeAngelo) and Rocco Barletta, who married on September 6, 1943, and were both of Italian ancestry. Rocco Barletta helped manage several of the family's businesses, including Angela Park, which operated in nearby Drums until it closed in 1988, and served on the executive committee of the Democratic Party of Hazleton. Rocco and Angeline passed away in 1994 and 1999, respectively.


title: Lou Barletta

text: At 18-months-old, Barletta was involved in a car crash, suffering a minor bruise to his left ear and to the right side of his head. After high school, he attended Luzerne County Community College and Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. He graduated with a major in elementary education and made an unsuccessful tryout for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team, having been cut after failing to hit a curveball. Barletta then went to work for his family's construction and heating oil business.


title: Lou Barletta

text: In 1984, Barletta founded a pavement marking company, Interstate Road Marking Corporation, which he sold in 2000. At the time of the sale, his firm had grown to become the largest of its kind in Pennsylvania.


title: Lou Barletta

text: Republican Barletta was defeated for a seat on the Hazleton City Council in 1995, but won two years later. In 1999, the incumbent Democratic mayor, Michael Marsicano, was beleaguered by the city's growing deficit, topping off at $855,000, and was primaried in an upset by Jack Mundie. Barletta would defeat Mundie in the general election, overcoming a Democratic voter registration edge in the city (estimated at 5,771 to 3,509 in 2007). Barletta took office January 3, 2000.


title: Lou Barletta

text: Barletta was reelected in 2003, defeating Democrat Jack Craig and Socialist Tim Mailhot, who campaigned on opposition to the Iraq War. In 2007, Barletta received 1,007 votes as a write-in candidate in the Democratic mayoral primary, enough to defeat former Mayor Marsicano, and be listed under both the Republican and Democratic parties in the general election.


title: Lou Barletta

text: During Barletta's first term, Hazleton received the Governor's Award for Fiscal Accountability and Best Management Practices. In 2004, Barletta was appointed to the United Nations Advisory Committee of Local Authorities by President George W. Bush. Crime statistics in Hazleton showed a drop in crime every year between the years 2006 and 2011.


title: Lou Barletta

text: During Barletta's tenure, the Hispanic population of Hazleton climbed from 5 percent in 2000 to 30 percent in 2006. That year, Barletta made headlines for his efforts opposing illegal immigration in Hazleton, vowing to make the city "one of the toughest places in the United States" for illegal immigrants. Barletta introduced and the city council approved the Illegal Immigration Relief Act. The ordinance allowed the city to deny a business permit to employers who hired illegal immigrants and gave the city authority to fine landlords up to $1,000 for leasing to illegal immigrants. The act also made English the official language of Hazleton, prohibiting city employees from translating documents into any language without official authorization. The widespread publicity saw support for Barletta emerge from Republican politicians like former mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani, and conservative figures such as Tucker Carlson and Neil Cavuto. In response to the law, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund sued in federal district court to block the ordinance.


title: Lou Barletta

text: In July 2007, Judge James Martin Munley ruled that the act was unconstitutional, claiming it interfered with federal immigration laws and violated the due process of individuals, employers, and landlords. The ruling was upheld on appeal to the United States court of appeals on September 9, 2010. In a public statement shortly after the decision, Barletta vowed to appeal once more. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case. In 2014, four years after Barletta had left office, the town of Hazleton received a court order to reimburse the ACLU $1.4 million in legal fees, and the town, which was already $6 million in debt due to tax anticipation notes it had secured in 2010 and 2011, had to take additional loans to pay the fees.


title: Lou Barletta

text: In 2002, Barletta ran as the Republican candidate in the 11th congressional district against nine-term Democratic incumbent Paul Kanjorski. The 11th had long been considered the most Democratic district in Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. However, Barletta was viewed as a very strong candidate—the first credible Republican challenger Kanjorski had faced since his 1986 reelection bid—since he was a very popular Republican mayor from a heavily Democratic city. Barletta lost, taking 42 percent of the vote, losing the district's share of Lackawanna County, home to Scranton, by 32 points.


title: Lou Barletta

text: Barletta faced Kanjorski again in 2008. He denounced the endorsement of David Duke in this race. Despite Kanjorski being easily reelected with 72 percent of the vote two years earlier, multiple polls had shown Barletta leading Kanjorski by as much as 5 percentage points, and the race was pegged as one of the nation's most competitive leading into the November elections. It was also one of very few nationwide where a Republican challenger had a credible chance at unseating a Democratic incumbent. Barletta lost to Kanjorski 48-52 percent, largely due to losing Lackawanna County by 12,800 votes and the downballot coattail advantage bestowed to Kanjorski thanks to the presence of Barack Obama on the mainline ticket. Barletta won the territory that had been in the district prior to the 2000s round of redistricting by almost 4,000 votes.


title: Lou Barletta

text: Barletta announced on December 9, 2009, that he would once again challenge Kanjorski in 2010. He won his party's nomination on May 18, 2010. Kanjorski was again seen as one of the country's most vulnerable incumbents, with forecasters rating it a toss-up or a possible Republican pick-up. Barletta won the general election on November 2, 2010, beating Kanjorski by a 55-45 percentage margin. City Council President Joe Yannuzzi succeeded Barletta as mayor of Hazleton on December 15, 2010.


title: Lou Barletta

text: In the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama carried the 11th congressional district with 57 percent of the vote. However, after a gerrymander by a Republican-led delegation, the 11th was redrawn into a district Obama would've only received 47 percent of the vote in.


title: Lou Barletta

text: Michael Marsicano, a fellow former Hazleton mayor, ran against Barletta in the general election. Barletta was again reelected with a 63-36 percentage margin.


title: Lou Barletta

text: He proposed the Mobilizing Against Sanctuary Cities Act of 2011 that would have denied federal funding to cities or municipalities that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, it was referred to some committees and subcommittees but was never voted on. He introduced the 1986 Amnesty Transparency Act and the Visa Overstay Enforcement Act of 2013, which sought to reexamine the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 and prevent visa fraud by increasing prison terms and fines, respectively.


title: Lou Barletta

text: In 2014, Barletta introduced a bill to repeal a provision in the Affordable Care Act which required that volunteer emergency responders be offered healthcare by the organization they volunteer with. Barletta argued that the bill was necessary because it would be prohibitively expensive for some of organizations to provide insurance.


title: Lou Barletta

text: In 2016, Barletta joined 18 Republicans in co-sponsoring legislation that would block Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients from enlisting in the military. Barletta proposed the Disaster Recovery Reform Act in 2017, intended to amend the 1988 Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to use federal disaster assistance to directly administer both permanent and temporary housing for disaster victims, increase assistance to victims with disabilities and provide incentives for preventive preparedness of future natural disasters. It was merged into the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, which passed 398 to 23 in the House and 90 to 7 in the Senate. President Donald Trump would sign it into law on October 5, 2018.


title: Lou Barletta

text: On July 31, 2017, the Associated Press reported that Barletta was preparing to run for the U.S. Senate, seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic incumbent Bob Casey Jr. for his seat in the 2018 midterm elections. He officially announced on August 29. Barletta had been a staunch supporter of Donald Trump. Barletta endorsed Trump for president in March 2016. According to NBC News, "Barletta is a favorite of Trump. ... Trump asked Barletta to run for Senate." Barletta was reportedly considered for a position in the Trump administration. In his 2018 Senate campaign, Barletta pledged to "give President Trump the help he needs".


title: Lou Barletta

text: He later secured the Republican nomination, but ultimately lost to Casey in the general election on November 6, 2018. Barletta's campaign had been consistently outraised throughout the election, which he attributed to his loss, alongside Casey's recognizable name advantage.


title: Lou Barletta

text: Barletta declined to return to Congress following his U.S. Senate bid, instead focusing on his newly formed consulting firm, Pioneer Strategies. He joined the board of directors of World for Brexit, an organization seeking to see Brexit passed in the United Kingdom,


title: Lou Barletta

text: Barletta was named chairman of the Pennsylvania delegation to the 2020 Republican National Convention. Barletta participated in the 2020-2021 Trump fake electors plot, in which Pennsylvania's role involved twenty Republicans who met in Harrisburg and pretended to cast votes for President Donald Trump as though they were Pennsylvania's lawful delegates to the 2020 Electoral College, even though the lawful delegates voted for President-elect Joe Biden. According to the group, their vote was a "procedural vote to preserve any legal claims that may be presented going forward," even though multiple lawsuits had already failed, due to a lack of evidence of electoral fraud.


title: Lou Barletta

text: Following an announcement that Senator Pat Toomey would not be seeking reelection in 2022, Barletta declined to launch a second bid in pursuit of replacing him, however he did express interest in succeeding term-limited Governor Tom Wolf in 2022.


title: Lou Barletta

text: On May 17, 2021, Barletta officially announced his candidacy for governor. He cited Wolf's lockdowns enacted in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and concern over expanded mail-in ballots as his reasons for running. On the campaign trail, Barletta touted his political record as both Mayor of Hazleton and a U.S. Representative, labeling himself as being a predictable potential governor. He also made special mention of how he had run and won races in primarily Democratic areas.


title: Lou Barletta

text: Barletta lost the Republican primary election to Pennsylvania State Senator Doug Mastriano garnering 20% percent of the vote compared to Mastriano's 44%. Following his loss, Barletta said that his run for governor will be his last campaign and that he wished to spend time with his family. He also said he would support Mastriano in the general election against Democrat Josh Shapiro. Barletta credited there being too many candidates in the primary election, lack of support for him in central and western Pennsylvania, and advertisements from Shapiro's campaign labeling Mastriano as the candidate of former President Donald Trump (Shapiro's ads were published before Trump endorsed Mastriano) for his defeat. The last reason for Barletta's self-described loss is disputed, as Mastriano was already leading in the primary when the ads were published.


title: Lou Barletta

text: According to "Vox" in 2018, Barletta is "considered to be generally more moderate than other House Republicans, though he almost always toes the party line on major votes." While in Congress, Barletta was a loyal ally of President Donald Trump, but in late 2022, Barletta broke with Trump saying, "I was one of his most loyal supporters in Congress. But loyalty was only a one-way street." He also refused to support Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.


title: Lou Barletta

text: Barletta voted for Micah's law, which prohibits abortion of fetuses starting with the twentieth week of pregnancy, when advocates of government regulation of abortion care contend that fetuses can be born prematurely with medical assistance and feel pain, with exceptions for victims of rape and incest who have undergone counseling and for cases of danger to the life of the mother.


title: Lou Barletta

text: On April 15, 2011, Barletta voted with the Republican majority for Paul Ryan's budget. Barletta has characterized a balanced budget amendment as a gimmick and said he will not vote to raise the debt ceiling.


title: Lou Barletta

text: In 2017, Barletta voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the Republican Party's tax reform legislation. In supporting the legislation, Barletta tweeted, "Our #TaxReform package doubles standard deduction, brings $$$ back home, and reduces rates for ALL taxpayers. We will #MAGA." According to PolitiFact, Barletta's claim is "mostly false", as the tax plan in 2018 cuts taxes for approximately 75 percent of Americans, while increasing them on 7 percent; by 2027, after the tax plan expires it will raise taxes for more than 25 percent of Americans.


title: Lou Barletta

text: In his run for Pennsylvania governor, Barletta said he does not see Pennsylvania as "business friendly" and said he would have used the office to promote business friendly policies.


title: Lou Barletta

text: Barletta opposed the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and voted to repeal it. Barletta had threatened not to support its attempted repeal because he wanted the repeal legislation to prohibit undocumented immigrants from applying for health insurance tax credits. After meeting with President Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan, Barletta said that they had promised to bring up separate legislation to prohibit undocumented immigrants from accessing health insurance tax credits. In 2018, Barletta said that the repeal of Obamacare would not have weakened protections for individuals with preexisting conditions; experts said that the repeal would have given states the option to seek waivers whereby insurers would be allowed to raise prices for individuals with preexisting conditions who did not have continuous coverage.


title: Lou Barletta

text: Barletta supported President Donald Trump's 2017 executive order imposing a ban on entry to the U.S. to citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, saying: "I commend President Trump for suspending the refugee program, and in particular for Syria and the six other countries, because they are unquestionably terrorist havens and hotspots." In 2007, Barletta opposed comprehensive immigration reform.


title: Lou Barletta

text: In January 2018, CNN reported that Barletta had frequently given interviews with a number of fringe anti-immigration groups and organizations. Barletta spokesperson Jon Anzur responded that Barletta had "always condemned 'hate, bigotry, and racial supremacy,'" adding, "'[o]f course Lou was not aware of these individuals’ background[s]... [a]s the mayor of a small city, Lou didn't have the resources or staff to screen everyone who asked him questions... Lou did 27 interviews [one day]."


title: Lou Barletta

text: Barletta has described Pennsylvania's no-excuse mail voting law as "a mistake". In an interview Barletta said his position was to "make sure we have free and fair elections."


title: Lou Barletta

text: Barletta is a Roman Catholic. He is married to Mary Grace Malloy Barletta and together they have four daughters. Mary works as an elementary school teacher, as do two of their daughters. Barletta enjoys baseball, having wanted to become a major league ballplayer during his youth, and would often participate in the annual Congressional Baseball Game during his time as a U.S. Representative. Barletta descends from Italian immigrants, and after his term in Congress, he helmed the American Italian Food Coalition and sought to protect Italian-produced food products from U.S. tariffs.


title: Lou Barletta

text: Barletta has a cousin, Allison Barletta, who serves on the Hazleton City Council as a Republican. She primaried incumbent Hazleton Mayor Jeff Cusat in May 2019, but was unsuccessful.


title: Demo (music)

text: A demo (shortened from "demonstration") is a song or group of songs typically recorded for limited circulation or for reference use, rather than for general public release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas in a fixed format, such as cassette tape, compact disc, or digital audio files, and to thereby pass along those ideas to record labels, producers, or other artists.


title: Demo (music)

text: Musicians often use demos as quick sketches to share with bandmates or arrangers, or simply for personal reference during the songwriting process; in other cases, a songwriter might make a demo to send to artists in hopes of having the song professionally recorded, or a publisher may need a simple recording for publishing or copyright purposes.


title: Demo (music)

text: Demos are typically recorded on relatively crude equipment such as "boom box" cassette recorders, small four- or eight-track machines, or on personal computers with audio recording software. Songwriters' and publishers' demos are recorded with minimal instrumentation, usually just an acoustic guitar or piano and the vocals. Both Elton John and Donovan gained studio experience early in their careers by recording publishers' demos for other artists since their managers also handled music publishing, as did Garth Brooks, who was so impressed when recording the demo of "Friends in Low Places" that he asked to release the song himself.


title: Demo (music)

text: Many unsigned bands and artists record demos in order to obtain a recording contract. These demos are usually sent to record labels in hopes that the artist will be signed onto the label's roster and allowed to record a full-length album in a professional recording studio. However, large record labels usually ignore unsolicited demos that are sent to them by mail; artists generally must be more creative about getting the demos into the hands of the people who make decisions for the record company. Many signed bands and artists record demos of new songs before recording an album. The demos may allow the artist to provide sketches for sharing ideas with bandmates, or to explore several alternate versions of a song, or to quickly record many proto-songs before deciding which ones merit further development. Demos may include as few as one or two songs or as many as would be contained on a full-length album.


title: Demo (music)

text: Demos are seldom heard by the public, although some artists do eventually release rough demos in compilation albums or box sets, such as the album "Demolicious" by Green Day. Other demo versions have been unofficially released as bootleg recordings, such as The Beatles' bootleg demos and the Beach Boys' Sea of Tunes series. Several artists have eventually made official releases of demo versions of their songs as albums or companion pieces to albums, such as Florence and the Machine ("What the Water Gave Me", among others) and Cults on the EP "Sunday Jams". The event of a demo tape appearing on eBay has happened in the past, with the recordings being leaked onto the internet.


title: Demo (music)

text: In rare instances, a demo may end up as the final released recording of a song, as was the case with Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks". The version of "Pumped Up Kicks" that was released as a single and subsequently became a hit was a demo recorded by frontman Mark Foster alone, before he had formed the group. In 1982, Bruce Springsteen recorded ten demo songs in his bedroom that he intended to later record with his E Street Band, but he subsequently decided that he preferred the acoustic demos and released them as the 1982 album "Nebraska".


title: Demo (music)

text: In more underground forms of music, such as noise music, black metal, or punk rock, demos are often distributed by bands to fans as self-releases or sold at a very low price. Amateur (and some professional) musicians may choose to make demos available to interested listeners through websites such as SoundCloud or Bandcamp in order to share new ideas, receive feedback and/or provide fans with "behind the scenes" access to the songwriting process.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Murshidabad district is a district of in the Indian state of West Bengal. Situated on the left bank of the river Ganges, the district is very fertile. Covering an area of and having a population 7.103 million (according to 2011 census), it is a densely populated district and the ninth most populous in India (out of 640). Baharampur city is the headquarters of the district.


title: Murshidabad district

text: The Murshidabad city, which lends its name to the district, was the seat of power of the Nawabs of Bengal. All of Bengal was once governed from this town. A few years after Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula lost to the British at the Battle of Plassey, the capital of Bengal was moved to the newly founded city of Calcutta.


title: Murshidabad district

text: The district is named after the historical town of Murshidabad, which was named after Nawab Murshid Quli Khan.


title: Murshidabad district

text: The capital city of Shashanka, the great king of Gauḍa region (comprising most of Bengal) in the seventh century CE and perhaps that of Mahipala, one of the later Pala kings of Bengal, were in this district. The earliest evidences of the history of the district date back to the pre-historic days, perhaps as early as circa 1500 BCE.


title: Murshidabad district

text: The district got its present name in the early eighteenth century and its present shape in the later half of the eighteenth century. Murshidabad town, which lends its name to the district, derived its name from its founder, Murshid Quli Khan. Travellers marvelled at its glory through the ages. The city, lying just east of the Bhagirathi River, is an agricultural trade and silk-weaving centre. Originally called Makhsudabad, it was reputedly founded by the Mughal emperor Akbar in the 16th century. Kartalab Khan was appointed as "Diwan" of Bengal Subah in 1701 CE by Aurangzeb. He shifted his office from Dacca (present day Dhaka) to Maksudabad in 1702 CE. In 1703 CE, Aurangzeb honoured him with the title of Murshid Quli Khan and granted the permission to rename the town as Murshidabad in 1704 CE after his newly acquired title.


title: Murshidabad district

text: The Nawab Murshid Quli Khan made Murshidabad the capital city of Sube Bangla, comprising Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. The family of Jagat Seth maintained their position as state bankers at Murshidabad from generation to generation. The East India Company reigned from here for many years after the Battle of Plassey.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Warren Hastings removed the supreme civil and criminal courts to Calcutta in 1772, but in 1775 the latter court was brought back to Murshidabad again. In 1790, under Lord Cornwallis, the entire revenue and judicial staffs were fixed at Calcutta. The town is still the residence of the nawab, who ranks as the first nobleman of the province with the style of Nawab Bbahadur of Murshidabad, instead of Nawab Nazim of Bengal. The Murshidabad palace, dating from 1837, is a magnificent building in Italian style. The city still bears memories of Nawabs with other palaces, mosques, tombs, and gardens, and retains such industries as carving in ivory, gold and silver embroidery, and silk-weaving.


title: Murshidabad district

text: The Murshidabad District Committee of the Indian National Congress was formed in 1921 with Braja Bhusan Gupta as its first President. The Swadeshi movement and Quit India Movement were active in the district. Leaders Subhas Chandra Bose and Kazi Nazrul Islam were imprisoned in Berhampore, where Krishnath College educated revolutionaries Surya Sen and Niranjan Sengupta. The district saw the foundation of the Hindu Muslim Unity Association in 1937 by Wasif Ali Mirza, and the Revolutionary Socialist Party in 1940 by Tridib Choudhury.


title: Murshidabad district

text: On 15 August 1947 the Indian Independence Act 1947 came into force, and for the next two days Murshidabad, due to its Muslim majority, was part of the Dominion of Pakistan (specifically East Pakistan, which seceded as Bangladesh in 1971). On 17 August 1947 the final boundary adjustment of the Radcliffe Commission transferred Murshidabad to the Dominion of India, to ensure the Hooghly River was entirely within India.


title: Murshidabad district

text: It borders Malda district to the north, Jharkhand's Sahebganj district and to the north-west, Birbhum to the west, Bardhaman to the south-west and Nadia district due south. The international border with Bangladesh's Rajshahi division is on the east.


title: Murshidabad district

text: The district comprises two distinct regions separated by the Bhagirathi River. To the west lies the Rarh, a high, undulating continuation of the Chota Nagpur plateau. The eastern portion, the Bagri, is a fertile, low-lying alluvial tract, part of the Ganges Delta. The district is drained by the Bhagirathi and Jalangi rivers and their tributaries. Bhagirathi is a branch of the Ganges, and flows southwards from Farakka barrage where it originates from the Ganges. It flows southwards through the district and divides it into more or less equal halves. Dwarka River flows through Kandi and meet with Ganges.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Most of the land is arable, and used as agricultural land. Commonly seen trees are Neem, Mango, Jackfruit.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Murshidabad has a tropical wet-and-dry climate (Köppen climate classification). The annual mean temperature is approximately 27 °C; monthly mean temperatures range from 17 °C to 35 °C (approximate figures). Summers are hot and humid with temperatures in the low 30s and during dry spells the maximum temperatures often exceed 40 °C during May and June. Winter tends to last for only about two and a half months, with seasonal lows dipping to 9 °C – 11 °C between December and January. On an average, May is the hottest month with daily average temperatures ranging from a low of 27 °C to a maximum of 40 °C, while January the coldest month has temperatures varying from a low of 12 °C to a maximum of 23 °C. Often during early summer, dusty squalls followed by spells of thunderstorm or hailstorms and heavy rains cum ice sleets lash the district, bringing relief from the humid heat. These thunderstorms are convective in nature, and is locally known as Kal baisakhi (কালবৈশাখী, Nor'westers).


title: Murshidabad district

text: Rains brought by the Bay of Bengal branch of South-West monsoon lash the city between June and September and supplies the district with most of its annual rainfall of approx 1,600 mm (62 in). The highest rainfall occurs during the monsoon in August approx 300 mm (12 in). Floods are common during Monsoon, causing loss of life, destruction of property, and loss of crops.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Most of the people depend on agriculture for their livelihood. There are some silk farms and some weaving machines, but they are losing out fast against the modern industries. Murshidabad is known for the quality silk produced here. Beedi industry is also there. Many of the India's major beedi companies are from this district.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Trade and business are conducted primarily with Asansol, Burdwan and Kolkata. There were some discussions between India and Bangladesh to open an internal water transport link between Dhulian and Rajshahi but it has not materialised yet.


title: Murshidabad district

text: In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Murshidabad one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the eleven districts in West Bengal currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).


title: Murshidabad district

text: Rice, jute, legumes, oilseeds, wheat, barley, and mangoes are the chief crops in the east; extensive mulberry cultivation is carried out in the west. The district is known for the quality and diversity of Mango produced. However, Mango is not a major produce of the Murshidabad district, unlike the adjoining district of Malda.


title: Murshidabad district

text: The Ivory and Wood craft industry dates back to the time when the Nawabs of Bengal had their court at Murshidabad. As this industry was fully dependent for its prosperity on the support of a luxurious court and wealthy noblemen, it had to face a crisis when the Nawabs lost their power and their court disappeared.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Sholapith is a milky-white sponge-wood which is carved into delicate objects of art. Shola is a plant which grow wild in marshy waterlogged areas. The biological name of shola is Aeschynomene Indica or Aeschynomene Aspera (bean family) and it is a herbaceous plant. The sholapith is the cortex or core of the plant and is 1 inch in diameter. The outer harder brown skin is removed by expert hands to reveal the inner soft milky-white and spongy material, almost similar to "Thermocol", artificially produced in a laboratory. However, sholapith is much superior to thermocol in terms of malleability, texture, lustre and sponginess. Artisans use it for making artefacts used for decoration and ornate head-wears of bridal couple.


title: Murshidabad district

text: In Murshidabad the shola crafts are flowery designs, decorative head-wears of gods and goddesses, garlands, intricate figurines like faces of gods and goddesses, elephant-howdahs, peacock-boats, palanquins and so on are made of sholapith.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Bell-metal and brass utensils are manufactured in large quantities at Khagra, Berhampore, Kandi, Baranagar and Jangipur. They are exported as well as sold in the local markets. Locks and betelnut cutters of a superior kind are made at Dhulian and iron chests at Jangipur. The problem of getting raw materials for the brass and bell-metal artisans of the district is, however, acute. While delay in getting raw materials owing to the complicated procedural formalities involved in the submission of applications for raw materials has been almost a constant factor, the industry has also been affected by the change in consumers demand in favour of stainless steel, plastic and ceramic goods and crockery.


title: Murshidabad district

text: The District is having the largest Power Plant at Sagardighi 12 km from Raghunathganj, it also having a Central power plant at Farraka NTPC Generating 1600MW power. A Hydropower project is upcoming in the district. The District is the largest manufacturer of Bidi and many women from the district are involved in manufacturing Bidi.


title: Murshidabad district

text: The Baluchari sarees are figured silk saree produced in the town of Baluchar in Murshidabad district. Baluchar sarees essentially have a silk base with silk brocaded designs with respect to their colours, where in spite of a rich composition, the Baluchar bootidars almost avoid strong contrasts. Each pattern is treated in a colour which harmonises with the ground on which it is laid. The most popular colours used are red, blue, yellow, green and scarlet. The Baluchari sarees have large floral motifs interspersed with flowering shrubs. Traditionally the Muslim community was also known to produce these Baluchars with figured patterns depicting court scenes, horse with a rider, women smoking hookah. The Kalka design or the cone motif is often surrounded with floral borders.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Bengal had a nourishing silk industry in the past and Murshidabad long enjoyed a special reputation in this respect. The Bengal silk manufactures formed one of the important exports of the English East India Company to England, and these were exported also to the markets in the Asiatic countries. After the establishment of English factories at Malda and Cossimbazar, the English Company's trade in Bengal silk manufactures began to increase, and their use became common among the people in England because of their good quality and cheapness. In the mid-eighteenth century the country round about it (Cossimbazar) was very fertile, and the inhabitants remarkably industrious, being employed in many useful manufactures. About 1663 AD, the Dutch in their Cossimbazar factory sometimes employed 700 silk weavers, and the English and the other European nations smaller number. There was considerable demand for Bengal's raw silk in England's markets as the Continental System occasioned an entire cessation of the customary importations of the Italian raw silk. Murshidabad has always had a high reputation for its quality of silk and that was one of the primary exports that the English East India Company made to England.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Murshidabad has had a long association with the silk industry particularly during the times of the English East India company, which saw the emergence of two English factories to spruce up the production of silk as there was a growing demand in England owing to the cheaper prices and superior quality, particularly during a time when the Italians started charging additional cess.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Surface transport (road and rail) is the most important way of transport. Even though a major river runs through the district (Bhagirathi), water transport is not very common, even though small boats ferry people across rivers where no bridge is available. one main bridge name Ramendrasundar Tribedi.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Buses are the most common form of transport, and they are easily available, and run to a wide range of destinations within and without the district. Bus transport is cheap (For example, a journey of 182 km to Kolkata from Baharampur costs about Rs. 135) Trucks carry majority of goods transported in the district. Overloaded trucks on the road are also a common sight, and they are a major reason roads are in bad condition.


title: Murshidabad district

text: There are two major rail routes. The major line runs north–south and connects the district to Kolkata and North Bengal. There is another line that branches out from this line at Azimganj and connects the Sahibganj loop at Nalhati (Birbhum.)


title: Murshidabad district

text: The district comprises five subdivisions: Barhampur, Domkol, Lalbag, Kandi and Jangipur. Other than municipality area, each subdivision contains community development blocks which in turn are divided into rural areas and census towns. In total there are 29 urban units: 8 municipalities and 22 census towns. Baharampur and Kasim Bazar together form an urban agglomeration.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Barhampur consists of Baharampur municipality, Beldanga municipality, and five community development blocks: Berhampore, Beldanga I, Beldanga II, Hariharpara and Naoda. Domkol subdivision consists of Domkol (municipality) and three community development blocks: Raninagar I, Raninagar II and Jalangi. Lalbag subdivision consists of Murshidabad municipality, Jiaganj-Azimganj municipality and five community development blocks: Murshidabad-Jiaganj, Bhagawangola I, Bhagawangola II, Lalgola and Nabagram. Kandi subdivision consists of Kandi municipality and five community development blocks: Kandi, Khargram, Burwan, Bharatpur I and Bharatpur II. Jangipur subdivision consists of Jangipur municipality, Dhulian municipality and seven community development blocks: Raghunathganj I, Raghunathganj II, Suti I, Suti II, Samserganj, Sagardighi and Farakka. There are 26 police stations, 26 development blocks, 8 municipalities, 254 gram panchayats and 1937 villages in this district.


title: Murshidabad district

text: As per order of the Delimitation Commission in respect of the delimitation of constituencies in the West Bengal, the district is now divided into 22 assembly constituencies: Farakka (AC #55), Samserganj (AC #56), Suti (AC #57), Jangipur (AC #58), Raghunathganj (AC #59), Sagardighi (AC #60), Lalgola (AC #61), Bhagabangola (AC #62), Raninagar (AC #63), Murshidabad (AC #64), Nabagram (AC #65), Khargram (AC#66), Burwan (AC#67), Kandi (AC#68), Bharatpur (AC#69), Rejinagar (AC#70), Beldanga (AC#71), Baharampur (AC#72), Hariharpara (AC#73), Naoda (AC#74), Domkal (AC#75) and Jalangi (AC #76). Nabagram, Khargram and Burwan constituencies will be reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) candidates.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Farakka and Samserganj will be part of the newly formed Maldaha Dakshin (Lok Sabha constituency). Suti, Jangipur, Raghunathganj, Sagardighi, Lalgola, Nabagram and Khargram assembly segments will form the Jangipur (Lok Sabha constituency). Burwan, Kandi, Bharatpur, Rejinagar, Beldanga, Baharampur and Naoda constituencies will form the Baharampur (Lok Sabha constituency). Bhagabangola, Raninagar, Murshidabad, Hariharpara, Domkal and Jalanagi will be part of the Murshidabad (Lok Sabha constituency), which will also contain the Karimpur assembly constituency from the Nadia district.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Delimitation was made effective for all elections in the state of West Bengal that was to be held on or after 19 February 2008.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Farakka (AC #50), Aurangabad (AC #51), Suti (AC #52), Sagardighi (AC #53), Jangipur (AC #54), Lalgola (AC #55), Bhagabangola (AC #56), Nabagram (AC #57), Murshidabad (AC #58), Jalangi (AC #59), Domkal (AC#60), Naoda (AC#61), Hariharpara (AC#62), Berhampore (AC#63), Beldanga (AC#64), Kandi (AC#65), Khargram (AC#66), Barwan (AC#67) and Bharatpur (AC#68). The constituencies of Sagardighi and Khargram are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) candidates.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Farakka, Aurangabad, Suti, Sagardihi, Jangipur, Nabagram and Khargram assembly segments formed the Jangipur (Lok Sabha constituency). Lalgola, Bhagabangola, Murshidabad, Jalangi, Hariharpara and Mayureswar constituencies were part of the Murshidabad (Lok Sabha constituency), which also contained the Karimpur assembly constituency from the Nadia district. Naoda, Berhampore, Beldanga, Kandi, Barwan and Bharatpur were part of the Berhampore (Lok Sabha constituency), which also contained the Ketugram assembly constituency from the Bardhaman district.


title: Murshidabad district

text: According to the 2011 census Murshidabad district has a population of 7,103,807, roughly equal to the nation of Bulgaria or the US state of Washington. This gives it a ranking of 9th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 21.07%. Murshidabad has a sex ratio of 957 females for 1000 every males, and a literacy rate of 67.53%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 12.63% and 1.28% of the population respectively.


title: Murshidabad district

text: The majority of people of the district, around 66.27%, are Muslims, who dominate rural areas. Muslims are most concentrated on the banks of the Padma along the Bangladesh border. Hindus form 33.21% of the population. Hindus are majority in Burwan (56.76%) and in the urban areas of the district. Hindus are a significant minority in Suti I (41.62%), Ragunathganj I (43.32%), Murshidabad Jiaganj (44.61%), Nabagram (45.17%), Khargram (45.53%), Kandi (38.82%), Berhampore (45.94%), Bedanga II (38.05%), Bharatpur I (42.39%), and Bharatpur II (42.16%) blocks.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Bengali is the predominant language, spoken by 98.49% of the population. The spoken dialect (called Rarhi) is more or less the same as spoken in South Bengal, with some occasional local accents. A regional dialect of Bengali language, Shershabadia (also known as Jangipuri and Maldaiya) is prevalent among the population of Jangipur subdivision of the district. Moreover, a variant of Hindi-Urdu language influenced by Bengali, Khotta Bhasha is also spoken by a substantial amount of population in the northern regions (specially Farakka, Samserganj, Suti, Jangipur areas) of the district. Adivasi languages spoken in the district include Santali and Malto.


title: Murshidabad district

text: The district, especially Murshidabad town is very important in Bengal's history. The place draws a good number of tourists every year.


title: Murshidabad district

text: The Hazarduari Palace, or the palace with a thousand doors is the chief tourist attraction of Murshidabad. This three-storey palace was built in 1837 by Duncan McLeod for the Nawab Najim Humaun Jah, descendant of Mir Zafar. It has thousand doors (among which only 100 are real) and 114 rooms and 8 galleries, built in European architectural style. The total area of Hazarduari Palace is . It is now a museum and has a collection of armoury, splendid paintings, exhaustive portraits of the Nawabs, various works of art including works of ivory (Murshidabad school) of China (European) and many other valuables. The Armoury has 2700 arms in its collections of which only few are displayed. Swords used by Shiraj-ud-Daulla and his grandfather, Nawab Alivardi Khan, can be seen here. The other attractions in this floor are Vintage Cars and Fittan Cars used by the Nawabs and their families.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Around the palace are other attractions like the Wasef Manzil (the New Palace) by the bank of the Ganges, Tripolia Gate, the Dakshin Darwaza, the Chak Darwaza, the Imambara, the Gharighar (the Clock Tower), the Bachchawali Tope (a canon) and the Madina, the only surviving structure built by Siraj-ud-Doula. The Bachchawali Tope (canon) was made between the 12th and the 14th century, probably by the Muslim rulers of Gaur.


title: Murshidabad district

text: The library containing rare collections is not accessible to the public unless special permission is obtained. The building, rectangular on plan (424 feet Long and broad and high). The Palace was used for holding the "Durbar" or meetings and other official work of the Nawabs and also as the residence of the high ranking British Officials.


title: Murshidabad district

text: Durga Puja, a five-day-long puja is the most important festival of the Hindus. Other pujas like Diwali, Kali puja, and Saraswati Puja are also celebrated here. Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha (Bakri-eid, locally), Ashura are prominent Muslim festivities in this district.


title: Victoria Peak

text: Victoria Peak is a hill on the western half of Hong Kong Island. It is also known as Mount Austin, and locally as The Peak only generally. With an elevation of , it is the highest hill on Hong Kong Island, ranked 29 in terms of elevation in Hong Kong. It is a major tourist attraction offering views of Central, Victoria Harbour, Lamma Island and the surrounding islands.


title: Victoria Peak

text: The summit of Victoria Peak is occupied by a radio telecommunications facility and is closed to the public. The surrounding area of public parks, tourist facilities and high-value residential land is the area that is normally meant by the name "The Peak". "The Peak" also refers to Victoria Peak itself and its nearby areas, including Victoria Gap, Mount Kellett and Mount Gough. Sometimes Bowen Hill may also be included.


title: Victoria Peak

text: As early as the 19th century, the Peak attracted prominent European residents because of its panoramic view over the city and its temperate climate compared to the sub-tropical climate in the rest of Hong Kong. The sixth Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Richard MacDonnell had a summer residence built on the Peak circa 1868. Those that built houses named them whimsically, such as The Eyrie, and the Austin Arms.


title: Victoria Peak

text: These original residents reached their homes by sedan chairs, which were carried up and down the steep slope of Victoria Peak. This limited development of the Peak until the opening of the Peak Tram funicular in 1888.


title: Victoria Peak

text: The boost to accessibility caused by the opening of the Peak Tram created demand for residences on the Peak. Between 1904 and 1930, the Peak Reservation Ordinance designated the Peak as an exclusive residential area reserved for non-Chinese. They also reserved the Peak Tram for the use of such passengers during peak periods. The Peak remains an upmarket residential area, although residency today is based on wealth.


title: Victoria Peak

text: In 1905, construction of the Pinewood Battery was completed on the western side of the Peak. Harlech Road was constructed around the Peak as a means of resupply to this artillery and later anti-aircraft battery.


title: Victoria Peak

text: During 1904 and 1947, Chinese people were not allowed to live on the Peak according to the Peak District Reservation Ordinance when Hong Kong was a colony. In the 1920s Robert Hotung was the first Chinese person to live on the Peak because at the time he was considered mixed-race. Ho Tung Gardens located at 75 Peak Road, was owned by Robert Hotung for decades, until it was sold in 2015 for HK$5.1 billion or HK$82,258 per sq.ft.


title: Victoria Peak

text: Historically, apart from houses owned by the government, banks and corporations and lived by their officials and chairmen, the Peak also had some multi-block estates, with medium-sized flats used as housing for more junior staff. These are located on less prestigious streets, such as Guildford Road and Mount Kellett Road, which face Southside instead of Victoria Harbour.


title: Victoria Peak

text: In November 1996 businessman Wong Yuk Kwan paid HK$540 million for a house at 23 Severn Road called 'Genesis,' which was built in the 1980s by Heung Chi-kau. Another house Wong bought was 10-18 Pollock's Path, known as 'Skyhigh.' Owned by HSBC and lived by the bank's Chairmen, Skyhigh was sold to Kazuo Wada, the president of Yaohan, for HK$85 million in early 1990s. Because Yaohan went bankrupt, Kazuo Wada sold to businessman Wong Yuk Kwan for HK$370 million. In 2004, after SARS, actor Stephen Chow bought Skyhigh, and brought in Ryoden Development as a joint venture partner to rebuild the land into four houses. Genesis was sold by creditors in 2001 for HK$ 240m, less than 50% of what Wong Kwan paid.


title: Victoria Peak

text: These property transactions at the Peak were desperate sale by cash-strapped businessmen during economic crisis.


title: Victoria Peak

text: Some large houses on The Peak with historic values, including homes of consulates, and government buildings were demolished over the decades and redeveloped into smaller houses within managed complexes. In 2006, Sun Hung Kai Properties paid HK$1.8b, or 42,196 per sq.ft. through a government auction for a plot at 12 Mount Kellett Road, where there were blocks of flats as housing for medium-grade officials. In 2022, a house at the complex 'Twelve Peaks' at 12 Mount Kellett Road was sold by the creditors of HNA Chairman Chen Feng, whose business in mainland China was bankrupt, for HK$390m, or HK$91,959 per sq. ft. Chen Feng paid HK$ 506m in 2016 or HK$119,323 per sq.ft.


title: Victoria Peak

text: Despite record-breaking transactions reported by international news, In fact, The Peak is not the most expensive residential area in Hong Kong. Deep Water Bay and Jardine's Lookout are also one of the most expensive residential areas. A house at 75 Deep Water Bay Road, near Li Ka-shing's home, was sold by Pan Sutong for HK$3.3b, or HK$240,000 per sq.ft., Cheung Chung-kiu, Chairman of CC Land, purchased 1 Purves Road, Jardine's Lookout for about HK$760 million, or around HK$100,000 per square foot. In 2018, a site on Perkins Road, Jardine's Lookout, was sold for HK$145,000 per sq.ft. Transactions of these two houses that do not face harbour views indicate a few with harbour views in Jardine's Lookout are valued at


title: Victoria Peak

text: Another benchmark for measuring values is the annual published figures by the government's rating and valuation department, based on estimated rental values, although such properties are not rented out to third parties. In 2019, Joseph Lau Luen-hung's residence at Goldsmith Road ranked the fifth. In 2018, this house was reportedly by Apple Daily to be worth HK$2.5 billion. Translating into HK$250,000 based on inside area of around 10,000 square feet, its value surpasses all single houses in Hong Kong. Figures published in 2021 included 35 Barker Road, owned by Lee Shau-kee and a house on Mount Nicholson among the top five most valuable houses. However, 35 Barker Road consists of three houses, and so it should not be compared to other houses.


title: Victoria Peak

text: Hong Kong's richest tycoons including Li Ka-shing, Sun Hung Kai Properties' Kwok family, Joseph Lau Luen-hung live in Deep Water Bay and Jardine's Lookout and not the Peak. There are no apartment buildings, hospitals and schools close to their houses. The Peak has a diverse mix of apartment buildings and houses, and as a tourist destination, also has hospitals, schools and malls.  Many properties are also owned for rental purposes typically occupied by expatriate. The Mount Austin is a complex owned by Nan Fung Group with apartments of sizes ranging from 696 sq.ft.


title: Victoria Peak

text: Barker Road is one of the most desirable streets because it is located below the level where harbour views are not affected during foggy seasons. In 2010, Lee Shau Kee, Chairman of Henderson Land Development, bought a site at 35 Barker Road for HK$1.82b and rebuilt into three houses as his family's dwellings after originally living in a penthouse on Mid-levels. In 2015, Alibaba's founder Jack Ma bought a house on Barker Road for HK$1.5b or HK$150,000 per sq.ft.


title: Victoria Peak

text: In 2020, developer The Wharf (Holdings) bought a plot at Mansfield Road on the Peak for HK$ 12b or HK$46,300 per sq. ft. through government auction. This site is one of the last plots of sites owned by the Hong Kong Government used previously as accommodation for civil servants.


title: Victoria Peak

text: The Peak is home to many species of birds, most prominently the black kite, and numerous species of butterflies. Wild boar and porcupines are also seen on Peak, along with a variety of snakes.


title: Victoria Peak

text: With some seven million visitors every year, the Peak is a major tourist attraction of Hong Kong. It has views of the city and its waterfront. The viewing deck also has coin-operated telescopes that the visitors can use to enjoy the cityscape. The number of visitors led to the construction of two major leisure and shopping centres, the Peak Tower and the Peak Galleria, situated adjacent to each other.


title: Victoria Peak

text: The Peak Tower incorporates the upper station of the Peak Tram, the funicular railway that brings passengers up from the St. John's Anglican Cathedral in Hong Kong's Central district, whilst the Peak Galleria incorporates the bus station used by the Hong Kong public buses and green minibuses on the Peak. The Peak is also accessible by taxi and private car via the circuitous Peak Road, or by walking up the steep Old Peak Road from near the Zoological Botanical Gardens or the Central Green Trail from Hong Kong Park. The nearest MTR station is Central.


title: Victoria Peak

text: Victoria Peak Garden is located on the site of Mountain Lodge, the Governor's old summer residence, and is the closest publicly accessible point to the summit. It can be reached from Victoria Gap by walking up Mount Austin Road, a climb of about . Another popular walk is the level loop along Lugard and Harlech Roads, giving good views of the entire Hong Kong Harbour and Kowloon, as well as Lantau and Lamma Islands, encircling the summit at the level of the Peak Tower.


title: Victoria Peak

text: There are several restaurants on Victoria Peak, most of which are located in the two shopping centres. However, the Peak Lookout Restaurant, is housed in an older and more traditional building which was originally a spacious house for engineers working on the Peak Tramway. It was rebuilt in 1901 as a stop area for sedan chairs, but was re-opened as a restaurant in 1947.


title: Victoria Peak

text: Victoria Peak is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 11. Within the school net are multiple aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money) and the following government schools: Bonham Road Government Primary School and (李陞小學).


title: Pot pie

text: Pot pie is the North American term for a type of meat pie with a top pie crust that is commonly used throughout the continent. consisting of flaky pastry. Pot pies may be made with a variety of fillings including poultry, beef, seafood, or plant-based meat substitute fillings, and may also differ in the types of crust. In both countries, various versions exist and can vary significantly in terms of both preparation and ingredients, with chicken pot pie being the most popular variety of the dish.


title: Pot pie

text: Pot pie can be prepared in a many of ways including in a skillet over a stovetop, in a baking dish in an oven, or in a pie iron over a campfire. There are numerous other types of pot pies including taco, ham and brie pizza, and steak and mushroom. The pie shell and crust can be made from scratch or can be fashioned from store bought pie crust or biscuit dough and includes ingredients such as butter, lard, olive oil, flour, and shortening. Once prepared and served, the pot pie leftovers can be stored in the freezer for later consumption.


title: Pot pie

text: In the Pennsylvania Dutch region, some people make a dish called "bot boi" (or "bottboi") by Pennsylvania German-speaking natives. Pennsylvania Dutch pot pie is a stew without a crust. Most commonly made with chicken, it usually includes homemade dumpling-style dough noodles and potatoes, and sometimes vegetables such as carrots or celery.


title: 2021 Austrian Grand Prix

text: The 2021 Austrian Grand Prix (officially known as the Formula 1 BWT Großer Preis von Österreich 2021) was a Formula One motor race held on 4 July 2021 at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. The race was the ninth round of the 2021 Formula One World Championship, and the 35th running of the Austrian Grand Prix (the 34th as part of the World Championship since 1950) as well as the second of two consecutive races to be held at the Red Bull Ring with the Styrian Grand Prix held the week before at the same venue.


title: 2021 Austrian Grand Prix

text: The drivers and teams were the same as the season entry list with no additional stand-in drivers for the race. Callum Ilott drove for Alfa Romeo Racing in place of Antonio Giovinazzi in the first free practice session, as well as Roy Nissany, who drove for Williams in place of George Russell, and Guanyu Zhou, who drove for Alpine in place of Fernando Alonso, making his Formula One practice debut.


title: 2021 Austrian Grand Prix

text: Tyre supplier Pirelli brought the C3, C4, and C5 tyre compounds (designated hard, medium, and soft, respectively) for teams to use at the event. Initially, Pirelli selected C2, C3, and C4 tyre compounds before changing the tyre choices in accordance with the double event at the same venue, preceded the week before by the Styrian Grand Prix.


title: 2021 Austrian Grand Prix

text: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen set the fastest time in qualifying to take the seventh pole position of his career. He was followed by Lando Norris who qualified a career-best second and McLaren's best since , and Verstappen's teammate Sergio Pérez in third place.


title: 2021 Austrian Grand Prix

text: The race started at 15:00 local time. Esteban Ocon retired on the first lap after colliding with the Alfa Romeo of Antonio Giovinazzi and breaking his front suspension. The safety car was deployed and the race was continued on lap 4. At the restart, Lando Norris, who was running 2nd at the time, tried to defend against the Red Bull of Sergio Pérez at turn 4, which resulted in Perez going off-track and joining back in tenth place. Norris was given a 5-second time penalty for the incident. On lap 31, Norris pitted to serve his penalty and to change his tyres. Perez received two 5-second penalties, having been judged to have "forced Leclerc off track" on two occasions. On the last lap, Kimi Räikkönen collided with the Aston Martin of Sebastian Vettel, meaning Vettel was unable to finish the race. By taking pole, fastest lap, win, and leading every lap of the race, Max Verstappen achieved his first career grand slam.


title: Prince Hal

text: Prince Hal is the standard term used in literary criticism to refer to Shakespeare's portrayal of the young Henry V of England as a prince before his accession to the throne, taken from the diminutive form of his name used in the plays almost exclusively by Falstaff. Henry is called "Prince Hal" in critical commentary on his character in "Henry IV, Part 1" and "Henry IV, Part 2", though also sometimes in "Henry V" when discussed in the context of the wider Henriad.


title: Prince Hal

text: Hal is portrayed as a wayward youth who enjoys the society of petty criminals and wastrels, a depiction which draws on exaggerations of the historical Prince Henry's supposed youthful behaviour. The question of whether Hal's character is cynical or sincere has been widely discussed by critics.


title: Prince Hal

text: In the two plays, the diminutive "Hal" is only ever used of the prince, not of any of the other characters named "Henry". It is only one of the several versions of "Henry" used. In fact the prince is variously referred to in the plays as "Hal", "Harry" and "Harry Monmouth", but never as "Henry". Only Falstaff and Poins ever call the prince "Hal", and Poins does so only twice. In the two plays, Falstaff does so forty times, even hailing him as "King Hal" at his coronation.


title: Prince Hal

text: In Part 1, the name "Harry" is most commonly used to refer to Harry Hotspur, who is set up as the dramatic foil of the prince. The prince himself is typically called "Harry" when the two are being contrasted. In Part 2, "Harry" is most commonly used when he is being compared to his father, notably at the end by Henry V himself when he refers to the Turkish tradition of killing a newly installed king's brothers, saying that his own brothers should not worry, as "not Amurath an Amurath succeeds,/But Harry Harry". In "Henry V" he is never called Hal, only Harry. His official royal name "Henry" is only used once, in the play's final scene, when he tells his future queen Katherine that "England is thine, Ireland is thine, France is thine, and Henry Plantagenet is thine".


title: Prince Hal

text: There has been longstanding debate about the character of Hal in the two "Henry IV" plays, particularly concerning the extent to which Hal's riotous and rebellious behaviour is authentic and to what extent it is wholly staged by the prince for effect. The portrayal of Hal as a son in conflict with his father derives from stories that circulated in English popular culture before Shakespeare. These had previously been portrayed in the anonymous play "The Famous Victories of Henry V", in which Hal's criminal and riotous behaviour is depicted as entirely unfeigned. In Shakespeare's plays Hal has soliloques in which he says that he is self-consciously adopting a wayward lifestyle to surprise and impress people by his later apparent character transformation:


title: Prince Hal

text: In "Henry IV, Part 2", the Earl of Warwick suggests that Hal is fraternising with low-life characters to learn about human nature. He is "studying his companions" almost like learning a foreign language, which would include learning vulgar and offensive words, but only "to be known and hated".


title: Prince Hal

text: The stories probably derive from the conflicts between supporters of the young Henry and his father when he was acting as regent for his sick father in 1411 as head of the royal council. The prince was removed from the council by his father after he had defied the king's wishes by persuading it to declare war on France. He was replaced by his younger brother Thomas of Lancaster. This incident is alluded to in "Henry IV, Part 1", when the king says "Thy place in council thou hast rudely lost. / Which by thy younger brother is supplied", but it is stated that this was because of the prince's "inordinate and low desires", rather than any political disagreements.


title: Prince Hal

text: Stories about Henry's supposedly riotous early life emerge after his death in chronicles commissioned by his brother Humphrey of Lancaster, Duke of Gloucester, who wished to emphasise how pious and ascetic his brother had become during his reign. According to Thomas Elmham "He fervently followed the service of Venus as well as of Mars, as a young man might he burned with her torches, and other insolences accompanied the years of his untamed youth." Tito Livio Frulovisi in "Vita Henrici Quinti" also says, "he exercised meanly the feats of Venus and Mars and other pastimes of youth for so long as the king his father lived."


title: Afterlife (TV series)

text: Afterlife (stylised as afterlife) is a British mystery drama television series created by Stephen Volk. It follows university lecturer Robert Bridge (Andrew Lincoln) who becomes involved in a series of supernatural events surrounding medium Alison Mundy (Lesley Sharp). The series aired on ITV for two seasons from 24 September 2005 to 11 November 2006.


title: Afterlife (TV series)

text: The main characters of the programme are the psychic Alison Mundy (played by Lesley Sharp) and the academic who becomes involved with her due to his skeptical interest in the paranormal, Robert Bridge (Andrew Lincoln). Set in Bristol, each of the six one-hour episodes of the first series sees Alison become involved in the appearance of a spirit and attempting to discover why it has come back to haunt the living. Robert becomes involved in the first episode, when Alison first moves to Bristol and her activities inadvertently result in the suicide of one of his students.


title: Afterlife (TV series)

text: Following this, Robert decides to study Alison for a book. Alison's interest in Robert stems from her ability to see the spirit of his young son, whom Robert cannot see. Throughout the series a recurring theme is Alison's attempt to have Robert fully come to terms with the death of his son so that the boy's spirit can be eased and he can fully move on. In the first series it is learnt that Alison was seriously injured in a train crash several years before. The other survivors of the train crash seek her out to contact their own lost loved ones in the final episode of the first series, almost causing Alison's own death. Later, in the second series, it is established that Alison had these powers since she was little, the first 'ghost' she saw was her grandfather. During the second series, Robert is diagnosed with cancer. He dies in the series finale, after having spent much of the series helping Alison to overcome mental problems brought about by the ghost of her mother. He also reconciles her with her father.


title: Afterlife (TV series)

text: The programme was created by experienced television scriptwriter Stephen Volk, much of whose previous work had involved the paranormal, most famously the 1992 "Screen One" play "Ghostwatch" for BBC One. Volk also wrote five of the six episodes of the first series, the exception being the fifth episode which was scripted by Charlie Fletcher. The producer was Murray Ferguson, and the directors were Maurice Phillips (episodes 1 & 2), Charles Beeson (episodes 3 & 6) and Martyn Friend (episodes 4 & 5). The second series was directed by Charles Beeson, Martyn Friend and Ashley Pearce. The episodes were written by Stephen Volk, Mark Greig, Guy Burt and Mike Cullen. The music for both series was composed by Edmund Butt.


title: Afterlife (TV series)

text: Volk had originally conceived the series during the mid-1990s according to "SFX" magazine, when "ITV was fleetingly interested in producing a homegrown supernatural series because of "The X-Files"' success [in the UK]." The series remained unmade until Clerkenwell Films became interested, as did Lesley Sharp, the actress being very keen to star in the series. "She absolutely loved it and actually pestered ITV relentlessly, asking 'When are you gonna commission this series?' Eventually they did," Volk told "SFX". Following the success of the first series, a second run was commissioned, beginning on 16 September 2006 on ITV in the UK. The first run has been released on DVD in the UK, including audio commentaries from the cast and crew. The first series began a repeat run on ITV in the UK on Sunday evenings from 9pm from 23 July, although this was quickly abandoned and the repeats moved across to the digital television channel ITV3.


title: Afterlife (TV series)

text: Previewing the first episode as one of "Today's Choices" for its day of transmission in the "Radio Times" listings magazine, television critic Alison Graham praised "Afterlife" as "[A] highly-promising mystery series... a taut and snappy spine-tingler, even if it does use some old-hat shocker techniques such as creaking floorboards, darkness, inexplicable noises and unexpected taps on the shoulder." Reviewing the same episode for "The Guardian" newspaper two days after its broadcast, critic Rupert Smith was also impressed: "What looked like being a deeply depressing hour was instantly enlivened by the appearance of Lesley Sharp, who has become in recent years television's favourite Everywoman... At last I can put my hand on my heart and give an unqualified cheer to a new primetime British drama series. Afterlife was scary without being over-gruesome, it kept a straight face while gleefully narrating a plot of pure old-fashioned hokum and it starred actors who are constantly, entirely watchable... "Afterlife" took the best bits of "The X-Files", "Jonathan Creek" and, yes, "Most Haunted", and turned them into terrific television."


title: Afterlife (TV series)

text: The response remained positive through to the end of the series, with all subsequent episodes also being included in "Today's Choices" in the "Radio Times". Previewing the sixth episode, Alison Graham was again positive, describing the series as a whole as having been "[A] consistently high-quality supernatural drama." "Afterlife" was also a success for ITV in terms of viewing figures. The first episode gathered an overnight average rating of 5.7 million, 25% of the total television audience for the time, winning its timeslot with nearly two million more viewers than the nearest competition on at the same time. The second episode improved to 6.2 million viewers, 29% of the available audience and again two million higher than its nearest competition on BBC One. Episode three gathered 5.4 million and a 25% share, which was identical to that gained by the BBC One competition (an edition of the semi-regular "Test the Nation" interactive quiz series). Viewing figures remained strong through to the final episode of the first series, which concluded the run by again winning its slot by two million viewers, with 5.8 million and a 28% audience share.


title: Afterlife (TV series)

text: In April 2007 "Afterlife" received three nominations for the Monte Carlo Television Festival 2007. Lesley Sharp has been nominated as best actress, Andrew Lincoln as best actor and Murray Ferguson as best producer. Despite continued critical acclaim, a drop in ratings led ITV to pass on recommissioning the show for a third series.


title: Afterlife (TV series)

text: In addition to broadcasts in Australia and the United Kingdom, the series has also played in Canada on the BBC Canada cable television network. People+Arts, a cable television station for Latin America, broadcast the show in early 2006. It also aired in New Zealand on TV One in early 2006, and the first series played in Spain on Cuatro during August 2006. The program premiered in the US in November 2006 on BBC America; however, only the first series was shown.


title: Afterlife (TV series)

text: It also aired in Sweden on TV4. Iceland's Stöð 2 broadcast the last episode of Series 2 in January 2007. In Poland Series 1 started airing in June 2007 on TVP1, and RTL Klub broadcast Series 2 beginning July 2007 in Hungary. In Hong Kong, the show played from May 2008. In The Netherlands VARA aired Series 1 in June and July 2008. In France it was broadcast from January 2009. Belgian TV station Canvas aired both series starting December 2008.


title: Providenciales International Airport

text: Providenciales International Airport , on the island of Providenciales in the Caicos Islands, is the main international airport serving the Turks and Caicos Islands, a British Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. It is operated by Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA). The territory's other international airport is JAGS McCartney International Airport on Grand Turk Island. Currently, there are more than 12,000 commercial aircraft operations per year.


title: Providenciales International Airport

text: The airport is at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 10/28 with an asphalt surface measuring . There were plans for the TCIAA to either extend or build a new terminal after having recently completed the extension of the runway, which currently stands at long. This project has now been completed and the renovation was finished by December 2014.


title: Providenciales International Airport

text: Locally-based air carriers interCaribbean Airways and Caicos Express Airways both currently operate respective hubs at the Providenciales International Airport.


title: Providenciales International Airport

text: Currently, the largest aircraft type serving the airport on a scheduled basis is the wide-body Boeing 777-200 operated by British Airways with direct flights once a week to London Gatwick Airport via an intermediate stop in Antigua.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: Pembroke College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford, is located at Pembroke Square, Oxford. The college was founded in 1624 by King James I of England, using in part the endowment of merchant Thomas Tesdale, and was named after William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, Lord Chamberlain and then-Chancellor of the University.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: Like many Oxford colleges, Pembroke previously accepted men only, admitting its first mixed-sex cohort in 1979. As of 2020, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £63 million. Pembroke College provides almost the full range of study available at Oxford University.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: A former Senior President of Tribunals and Lord Justice of Appeal, Sir Ernest Ryder, has held the post of Master of Pembroke since 2020.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: In 1610, Thomas Tesdale on his death gave £5,000 for the education of Abingdon School Scholars (seven fellows and six scholars) at Balliol College, Oxford. However, in 1623, this money was augmented by the Reverend Richard Wightwick, parish priest of East Ilsley and used instead for the conversion of Broadgates Hall into Pembroke College. Broadgates Hall had been an academic hall for law students. The site of the hall was given to the Priory of St Frideswide by a Richard Segrim in 1254. The letters patent founding the college were signed by King James I in 1624, it being named after William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, Lord Chamberlain, Chancellor of the University, and rumoured patron of William Shakespeare.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: Co-founders James I and the Earl of Pembroke are both represented in the College's arms: the former, by the union of the crowns as James I of England and James VI of Scotland, is depicted by the rose (of England) and the thistle (of Scotland); the latter, using the three lions rampant and colours from the Pembroke family arms.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: Following its foundation, the college proceeded to expand around Broadgates, building what is now known as "Old Quad" in the 1600s. Built in stages through the seventeenth century out of the local Cotswold limestone, space restrictions saw the south-side of the Quad built directly on top of the old City Wall.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: A Chapel was built in 1732, and the introduction of further accommodation in 1846, and the Hall in 1848 to designs by Exeter-based architect John Hayward created "Chapel Quad"—widely considered one of the most beautiful quads in the University. The Chapel was designed and built by William Townsend, although the interior was dramatically revamped by Charles Kempe—a Pembroke graduate—in 1884. Pembroke alumnus Dr. Damon Wells was a significant benefactor of the college over many years: he enabled the restoration of the Chapel in 1972 and provided ongoing support to the Chaplaincy and History Fellowship. The Chapel which is still used for regular worship bears his name.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: Further expansion of the College came in the 1960s, after the closure of Beef Lane to the north of Chapel Quad. The private houses north of the closed road were acquired by the college in a piecemeal fashion and reversed so that access was only possible from the rear. The area is now known as "North Quad" and was formally opened in 1962.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: In April 2013 HRH The Duke of Kent officially opened a new quadrangle named after the lead donor Chris Rokos The new buildings include a 170-seat multi-purpose auditorium, a new café, art gallery, and teaching and function rooms. The development is physically joined to the college's existing city-centre site via a new bridge crossing Brewer Street and the original medieval city wall, and 'landing' in the old Fellows' Garden adjacent to Chapel Quad. Having historically been one of the university's dimensionally smaller colleges, following the opening of the new building, undergraduates are now able to live in college premises for all years of study; postgraduates benefit from more rooms, and six flats for those with partners.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: A modern annexe on the banks of the River Isis at Grandpont, provides accommodation for thirty-six graduates and around forty undergraduates of the college. Named the Geoffrey Arthur Building (commonly referred to as "The GAB"), the building is named after the diplomat Sir Geoffrey Arthur, Master of the College (1975–1985).


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: Pembroke offers a broad range of courses, covering most subject areas offered by the university having a strong involvement with Economics, Languages, as well as Management Studies, being the first traditional Oxford college to elect a Fellow in the field. The college maintains a relationship with the Saïd Business School.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: In March 2002 two Pembroke fellows resigned after allegations that they had offered a place to the fictional child of an undercover reporter in return for a donation to the college library; a journalist had taped a conversation where he posed as the father of a fictitious son.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: Pembroke runs its own access schemes entitled 'Pem-Brooke' and 'Pembroke North' which work with disadvantaged students from London and areas of the North. These schemes provide students with long-term academically intensive programmes, which will give students important skills that will support them with both Oxbridge applications but also Russell Group university applications.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: Pembroke is home to a Junior Common Room (undergraduate community) notable for its artistic wealth and sporting prowess. The JCR is the wealthiest in Oxford due to the purchase and sale of a Francis Bacon painting in the early 20th century; it was bought in 1953 for £150 and sold for £400,000 in 1997. The JCR has used those funds to support a student support scheme and an artistic acquisition programme.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: In 2018, Pembroke became the first college to win two rugby honours in one year, with the women's team winning Cuppers, and the men's team winning the Cuppers Bowl. 2018 also saw Pembroke win Cuppers in mixed netball and futsal.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: Pembroke College Boat Club in 2013 held both the Torpids and Summer Eights men's headship, with the women's 1st boat sitting at 4th and 7th places respectively. In 2016, the men held Head of the River in Torpids and 4th in Summer Eights, and the women held 3rd and 2nd for Torpids and Summer Eights respectively. Pembroke Men's 2nd Torpids also bumped five places up to 11th in Division 1—the first time there have been two men's boats from a single college in over 40 years. Pembroke was the top club in aggregate points across all boats for three years running. In 2003, Pembroke became the first college to win the "Double Headship Trophy" for having both men's and women's Eights head the river. In 2018, the Pembroke Women's 1st boat again achieved the Summer Eights headship.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: Samuel Johnson was one of the college's more famous alumni, though he did not complete his degree (he was later awarded an honorary degree by the University); lack of funds forced him to leave Oxford after about a year and a half. Two of his desks and various other possessions are displayed around the college. He spoke fondly of Pembroke to his death, recalling especially the college's many poets, telling friends that ‘we were a nest of singing birds.' James Smithson, whose bequest founded the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. (despite him never having visited the United States) was an undergraduate at Pembroke, under the name "James Lewis Macie"—he changed his name to that of his natural father after the death of his mother. In addition, Senator J. William Fulbright, who established the Fulbright Program, was a Rhodes Scholar at Pembroke in the 1920s.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: Thomas Randolph, principal of Pembroke's precursor mediaeval hall, Broadgates, served as ambassador for Elizabeth I to Scotland from 1559, where he gained the friendship of Mary, Queen of Scots, until he was accused of supporting the rebellion of James Stuart. In 1568 he was despatched to Moscow to secure trading rights from Ivan IV, also known as Ivan the Terrible, gaining valuable access to Russia for English merchants by the Muscovy Company.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: More recently, John, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard, served as HM Ambassador to the United States from 1995 to 1997, before being appointed Head of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Philip Lader served as US Ambassador to the UK from 1997 to 2001. Thus in 1997, both the US Ambassador in London and the UK Ambassador in Washington were former Pembroke students. Peter, Baron Ricketts was Head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 2006 until 2010, before serving as British Ambassador to France for six years until his retirement in 2016.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: Additionally, two former chairmen of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Richard G. Lugar, (Republican), and Senator J. William Fulbright (Democrat), were students of Pembroke, between them chairing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for a 27-year period.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: From Europe, the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán and Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski MEP studied at Pembroke, as too did the Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman and King Abdullah II of Jordan.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: J. R. R. Tolkien was a Fellow of Pembroke from 1925 to 1945, and wrote "The Hobbit" and the first two volumes of "The Lord of the Rings" during his time there. Since 2013 the college has held an annual lecture on fantasy literature in his honour. Robin G. Collingwood, historian, philosopher, and author of "The Idea of History", was a Fellow of the College between the Great War and the Second World War.


title: Pembroke College, Oxford

text: Among the college's more recent Masters were Sir Geoffrey Arthur, former chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee and Sir Roger Bannister, the first man to run the mile in under four minutes. Sir Ernest Ryder, a former Lord Justice of Appeal, succeeded Dame Lynne Brindley as Master of Pembroke College on 1 July 2020.


title: Fergalicious

text: "Fergalicious" is a song recorded by American singer Fergie for her debut studio album, "The Dutchess" (2006). The title is a portmanteau of "Fergie" and "delicious". It was written by Fergie and The Black Eyed Peas groupmate will.i.am, who also produced the song as well as performed additional instrumentation and rap vocals. The song was slated as the second single from the album and released for airplay on October 23, 2006. "Fergalicious" is a dance, electro and hip hop song with R&B characteristics.


title: Fergalicious

text: It contains compositional samples of "Supersonic", a song written by Dania Maria Birks, Juana Michelle Burns, Juanita A. Lee, Kim Nazel, and Fatima Shaheed and performed by J. J. Fad, and "Give It All You Got", a song written by Derrick Rahming and popularized by Afro-Rican. The song's bridge contains an interpolation of "Night Train" by Jimmy Forrest and James Brown. The critical reception of "Fergalicious" was positive, with many praising it as a catchy and danceable track. Some music critics compared the song to "My Humps" (2005), a single released by The Black Eyed Peas from their fourth studio album "Monkey Business" (2005).


title: Fergalicious

text: "Fergalicious" was a commercial success in the United States and moderately so in several other countries. In the United States, it peaked at number two on the "Billboard" Hot 100, being held off the top spot by Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable", and at number two on the Pop Songs chart, again blocked by the former song. "Fergalicious" was certified 4× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and sold over 3.5 million digital downloads, becoming Fergie's second best selling song in the United States. In Australia and New Zealand, the song peaked at numbers four and five respectively and received gold certifications. In Europe, the song peaked within the top thirty on several different charts across the continent, including high positions in Finland, Norway, Belgium and France. An accompanying music video was directed by Fatima Robinson and features Fergie and will.i.am in a candy factory, supposedly inspired by Willy Wonka.