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The B-side to the single featured a rap from Silvastone. Sandy's second single, "You and Me", was released on 23 July 2007 on digital download only, again through the Sandy Music label. Her debut album was released on 6 August 2007. The album "Affairs of the Heart", included tracks she had been performing on her live appearances. Featured guests on the album include Flawless (formerly of Big Brovaz), Chunks and Silvastone. Sandy is the chief songwriter on "Affairs of the Heart", with Silvastone as producer. |
Sandy has performed at the Birmingham Carnival, the Under One Sky Festival, Cambridge Big Weekend, the Bedford and the 2CR Radio Awards. She has been interviewed on outlets that include BEN TV, BBC Radio London, Colourful Radio, "South London Press", "The Voice", "Croydon Advertiser", BBC Three Counties Radio and Passion TV. |
= = = DragonHeart: Fire & Steel = = = |
DragonHeart: Fire and Steel is a video game loosely based on the 1996 fantasy adventure film "Dragonheart". On most systems it is a 2D side-scrolling action game, but the Game Boy version is an adventure game with combat scenes, where adventure mode uses a first-person view and combat mode is a simple 2D fighting game. |
"DragonHeart: Fire and Steel" follows the story of medieval dragonslayer Sir Bowen in his attempt to rid the world of a particularly evil king along with seven evil dragons that have ruled the world (the seven evil dragons never appeared in the movie). On the way, he befriends the last dragon to exist, Draco. Sir Bowen and Draco must join forces to defeat the king's army and rescue a damsel in distress. It drops out some of the movie's plot, but it is still a close match. |
After its release, "Dragonheart" spawned a spin-off 2D hack and slash game for the PlayStation and Saturn called "Dragonheart: Fire & Steel", made by Acclaim Entertainment. The game does not use the film's music, instead featuring an original score by Thomas Egeskov Peterson. It was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews due to simplistic gameplay, poor controls, and jerky animation. Though the graphics were praised, particularly the rendered backgrounds, critics agreed that the gameplay problems were an overriding problem. In late 1996, Acclaim ported a PC version of the game, which received similar criticism. |
"Maniac Games" gave it a score of 28 out of 100. |
There was also an original Game Boy game based on the film, titled simply "Dragonheart". The four reviewers of "Electronic Gaming Monthly", while remarking that the Game Boy game is rather simple and lacking in challenge, especially the "anticlimactic" combat, concluded that it offers decent entertainment and longevity for a portable game. They especially praised the storyline, with Sushi X going so far as to say it was the main reason he kept playing the game. |
= = = Coolidge Estate = = = |
Huntwicke, located in Topsfield, Massachusetts, is the former property of William A. Coolidge, a lawyer, financier, and art collector. Encompassing , it includes a 24-room Georgian-style mansion designed by architect Phillip Richardson in 1921 for John L. Saltonstall, other buildings, and landscaping by the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted. The brick mansion includes 14 bedrooms, six fireplaces, parquet floors, hand-carved wood paneling from the 1790 Nathaniel Saltonstall house in Haverhill, and extensive gardens. When Coolidge died in 1992, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology inherited the property. In 2000, MIT and the Essex County Greenbelt Association, a conservation organization and private, non-profit land trust, concluded an agreement to restrict further development, and the former estate, which includes over a mile of land along the Ipswich River, is now one of the largest conservation areas in private hands in Massachusetts. |
= = = 1945 Tottenham North by-election = = = |
The Tottenham North by-election, 1945 was a by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Tottenham North in London on 13 December 1945. |
The seat had become vacant when the sitting Labour Co-operative Member of Parliament (MP), Robert Morrison had been ennobled on 16 November 1945 as Baron Morrison. He had held the seat since the 1935 general election. |
The Labour Co-operative candidate was 53-year-old William Irving. The Conservative Party candidate was 26-year-old barrister Petre Crowder. |
On a much-reduced turnout, Irving held the seat for Labour, with a swing of 8.2% to the Conservatives. |
The constituency was abolished for the 1950 general election, when Irving was elected for the new Wood Green constituency, and Crowder was elected for the safe Conservative seat of Ruislip-Northwood. |
= = = Ray Staff = = = |
Ray Staff is a mastering engineer best known for his work with a diverse mix of artists including Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Clash and Black Sabbath. Most recently he has mastered albums for Muse. |
Joining Trident Studios (a recording facility originally located at 17, St. Anne's Court in London's Soho district) in 1970, Ray Staff became part of the newly formed Mastering Department contributing to projects such as: David Bowie, "Aladdin Sane", "Ziggy Stardust" and Elton John. Ray moved on to become Trident's first Chief Mastering Engineer. |
For Monty Python Ray created the world's first three-sided album by cutting two spirals on one side of the disc, creating the "hidden" third side. This was topped later with a Johnny Moped album for Ace Records, where the first track on the A-side was double cut, the two spirals then joined together to play the remaining side of the album. |
Whilst Senior Mastering Engineer at Sony's UK Studios Ray became part of the international team developing Sony's proprietary archiving system. |
Other classics mastered by Ray Staff include "Physical Graffiti" and "Presence" by Led Zeppelin, "Crime of the Century" by Supertramp, "It's Only Rock 'n Roll" by The Rolling Stones and "Hemispheres" by Rush. |
Ray is regularly featured in Hi-Fi publications for his work on audiophile vinyl releases. He is also much sought after by labels Alchemy Soho from the worlds of jazz, world music, classical and crossover. Ray is also building an increasing number of surround mastering projects to his portfolio, including Gary Moore, Deep Purple, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Alice Cooper released during the past few months. |
= = = Ethanol fuel in the Philippines = = = |
The Philippines Biofuels Act 2006 requires oil companies to use biofuels in all "liquid fuels for motors and engines sold in the Philippines." All gasoline sold in the country must contain at least 5 percent ethanol by February 2009, and by 2011, the mandated blend can go up to 10 percent. The new law is expected to bring a number of benefits to the country: |
"Commercial production of ethanol from sugarcane, cassava or sorghum will help the island nation diversify its fuel portfolio and help to ensure its energy security. It could also generate employment, particularly in rural regions, as investors put up biofuel crop plantations and processing plants. Also, the shift to these plant-based fuels for transportation will help reduce pollution." |
Four feedstocks—sugarcane, corn, cassava and sweet sorghum—were initially identified for ethanol production, but sugarcane is expected to be the predominant source of ethanol. The Philippines is a sugar-producing country, and sugarcane is grown mainly in the islands of Negros, Luzon, Panay and Mindanao. Despite growing demand for sugar, there are still an estimated 90,750 hectares (224,000 acres) of sugarcane available that can be used for ethanol production, and high-yielding varieties of sugarcane are available. |
In 2005, SEAOIL Philippines Inc. pioneered the use of ethanol as gasoline blend in the country, and the first to offer E10 Fuel in the market in their gasoline products. This was done even before the enactment of the Biofuels Act of 2006. |
In July 2008, Pilipinas Shell and Petron Corporation introduced 95 Octane E10 Gasoline alongside their Unleaded (93 Octane) and Premium Unleaded (95 Octane) variants. |
= = = Dublin Buddhist Centre = = = |
The Dublin Buddhist Centre in Dublin, Ireland, was established in 1992. Classes were first held in a rented property on Raglan Road, Ballsbridge. In 1993 the Centre moved to a property on South Frederick Street, opposite Trinity College. In 1997 the Dublin Buddhist Centre moved again to another property in Temple Bar where it stayed until moving in 2002 to Leeson Street. In 2008 it moved to its current location of Liberty Corner, 5 James Joyce Street (Off Talbot Street), Dublin 1. |
The centre was originally called the Dublin Meditation Centre (DMC). |
= = = Raw Melody Men = = = |
Raw Melody Men was released in 1991 and is the first official live album release by British rock band New Model Army. |
The album was recorded during the 1990 Impurity tour at the Brixton Academy, The Town & Country Club in London, the Berlin Eissporthalle and the Hamburg Sporthalle. The album was mixed at the Sawmills Studio in Cornwall. |
On the album the track "A Liberal Education" has been abbreviated on "Lib Ed". |
The title of the album, "Raw Melody Men", is an anagram of "New Model Army". NMA did a short tour playing in small clubs "incognito" under this name prior to the big tour during which the live album was recorded. |
= = = Sarah Strohmeyer = = = |
Sarah Strohmeyer is an American author of crime novels and of books about relations between men and women. She is best known for her Bubbles Yablonsky series about a hairdresser that is consistently drawn into solving various crimes and murders. |
Strohmeyer grew up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, later attending Tufts University and graduating with a degree in International Relations. After graduation Strohmeyer began working as a journalist, initially for the "Home News" in New Brunswick, but later moving to Lebanon, New Hampshire and working for the "Valley News". In 1997 Strohmeyer published "Barbie Unbound", which she wrote in response to her seeing several mothers refuse to allow their children to play with the doll due to it being perceived as being a "bimbo". Strohmeyer lives in Middlesex, Vermont, where she is currently the town clerk. |
Reception to Strohmeyer's work has been predominantly positive, with her book "The Cinderella Pact" garnering praise from the Roanoke Times. |
= = = 1st Weather Group = = = |
The 1st Weather Group (1 WXG) aligns weather operations with the Air Force warfighting initiative overseeing all six operational weather squadrons; the 15th OWS at Scott AFB, Ill.; the 17th OWS at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii; the 21st OWS at Kapaun Air Station, Germany; the 25th OWS at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.; the 26th OWS at Barksdale AFB, La.; and the 28th OWS at Shaw AFB, SC. The 1st WXG is a subordinate of the 557th Weather Wing. |
"Provide accurate, timely, and relevant weather analyses, forecasts, warnings and briefings to Air Force, Army, Guard, Reserve, and Combatant Command forces operating in the continental United States." |
"Provide initial qualification and up-grade training for weather forecaster apprentices and new weather officers.” |
The 1st Weather Group is part of the 557th Weather Wing's worldwide organizational force of more than 1,100 professionals. The 1st WXG manning consists of active duty, reserve, civilian and contract personnel and is headquartered on Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. |
The 1st Weather Group is organized into six squadrons. Each of the squadrons produces forecasts for a specified area of the world. The squadrons also serve as training hubs for new weather professionals – both enlisted and officers. |
15th Operational Weather Squadron, Scott AFB, IL. |
17th Operational Weather Squadron, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI. |
21st Operational Weather Squadron, Kapaun Air Station, Germany. |
25th Operational Weather Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ. |
26th Operational Weather Squadron, Barksdale AFB, LA. |
28th Operational Weather Squadron, Shaw AFB, SC. |
The 1st Weather Group has a long and proud heritage starting as the Far East Air Forces Weather Group in October 1944. In September 1945, the 1st WXG was assigned to the 43rd Weather Wing and later that year to the Headquarters Army Air Forces Weather Service. They were inactivated in 1948, and reactivated and assigned to the Air Weather Service at Offutt AFB through the Military Air Transport Service from 1952 to 1956, after which they were again inactivated. The group reactivated once again under the 1st Weather Wing from 1966 to 1972 at Tan Son Nhut AB, Vietnam. The most recent period of activation was at Fort McPherson, Ga., from 1992 to 1994 under the Air Combat Command. |
The Group was distinguished with service and campaign streamers from World War II and Vietnam. They also earned four outstanding unit awards and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross. |
The realignment began with the reactivation of the 1st Weather Group, at Offutt AFB, Neb., 25 May. The 1st WXG continues its long and decorated history of providing weather products and service to Air Force and Army units, and is now part of the Air Force Weather Agency. |
The 15th Operational Weather Squadron, Scott AFB, Ill., was the first OWS to align under the newly formed 1st WXG during a ceremony 25 May 2006. The 26th OWS was realigned at Barksdale AFB, 22 June 2006. Next was the 25th OWS at Davis-Monthan AFB on 6 July 2006, and the last 2006 addition to the team was the 9th OWS which was re-activated on 20 July 2006 at Shaw AFB. The 9th OWS was subsequently inactivated on 31 May 2008. When the Air Force Weather Agency became the 557th Weather Wing in March 2015, three more OWSs aligned under 1st WXG: the 17th OWS at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam; the 21st OWS at Kapaun Air Station, Germany; and the 28th OWS at Shaw AFB. |
= = = Mont-Saint-Grégoire, Quebec = = = |
Mont-Saint-Grégoire is a municipality in the province of Quebec, Canada, located in the Regional County Municipality of Le Haut-Richelieu. The population as of the Canada 2011 Census was 3,086. Residents of Mont-Saint-Grégoire are called "Grégoriens" ("Grégoriennes", fem.). |
Mont-Saint-Grégoire was named for Gregory the Great, pope from 590 to 604, who was succeeded by Sabinian. |
Saint André Bessette was born in Mont-Saint-Grégoire. |
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= = = History of German football = = = |
The History of German football is one that has seen many changes. Football was a popular game from early on, and the German sports landscape was dotted with hundreds of local sides. Local sports associations or clubs are a longtime feature of the culture of German athletics. Each club would participate in, and field teams from, one or more sports, depending on local interest and resources. |
Prior to the formation of the Bundesliga, German football was played at an amateur level in a large number of sub-regional leagues (until 1945) which, in post-war times, had a top layer of semi-professional regional Oberligen ("Premier Leagues"). Regional champions and, from 1925 onwards, runners-up played a series of playoff matches for the right to compete in a final game for the national championship. On 28 January 1900, a national association, the Deutscher Fussball-Bund (DFB) was founded in Leipzig with 86 member clubs. From the start, the DFB was – and still is – a federation of regional associations. The first recognised national championship team was VfB Leipzig, who beat DFC Prague 7–2 in a game played in Altona on 31 May 1903. |
The nascent German association permitted teams from outside the country in their new championship, as long as they were members of one of its regional associations. This is how Prague, a team from Austria-Hungary, managed an appearance in the German national final. Once the DFB joined FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) in 1904, clubs from outside the country were no longer permitted to play in Germany. |
From 1903 to 1944, teams played for the "Viktoria" (Victoria Championship Trophy). In 1908, a cup competition named "Kronprinzenpokal" for the regional representative XIs was started, the trophy having been donated by Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia. The Viktoria was originally intended to be awarded, on an annual alternating basis, to the championship teams of the DFB and the nation's rugby union teams; however, football became the more dominant sport, the Rugby clubs left the federation and the trophy stayed with the DFB. Championship play skipped a year in 1904, was interrupted by World War I between 1914 and 1918, and again at the end of World War II between 1944 and 1946. |
The last team to win the Viktoria was Dresdner SC, who beat the air-force club Luftwaffen SV Hamburg in Berlin's Olympiastadion 4–0 to end the 1943–44 competition. In the confusion at the end of World War II, the trophy disappeared. It was re-discovered decades later in an East German bank safe-deposit box where it had been placed by a Dresden supporter for safekeeping. It has since been returned to the DFB. In the meantime, a new championship trophy, the "Meisterschale" ("Championship Plate"), sometimes nicknamed "die Salatschüssel" (the salad bowl), was created in 1949. |
In 1919, there were 150,000 registered football players in Germany; by 1932, there were more than a million. In spite of the formation of a national association, German football held to an ideal of amateurism built around regional and local sports associations who felt that professionalism would diminish sportsmanship and local participation in the game. In the early 1930s, the DFB's president, Felix Linnemann, pushed for the creation of a professional league, or "Reichsliga", in which the country's best teams would compete for the national championship. The idea was rebuffed by the regional federations dominating the sport. |
¹ called "Landesliga" in some parts of the country, "Verbandsliga" in others, and in some parts there is a Verbandsliga (V) "and" a Landesliga (VI). |
² the Bezirksoberliga is not established in all areas of the country, e.g. in Mittelrhein. |
³ the Kreisliga is not established in all areas of the country, e.g. in Mittelrhein. |
The reach of Germany's totalitarian Nazi regime stretched into social institutions at all levels, including their football leagues. Most sports and football associations were disbanded or replaced by Nazi-sponsored organisations. To join a DFB club, a player required recommendations from two non-Marxists to be permitted to play. The DFB gradually lost its independence as it was assimilated into the Deutscher Reichsausschuss für Leibesübungen (DRA) (Reich Committee for Physical Education). |
Under Hans von Tschammer und Osten as Reichssportsführer, appointed by the Nazis, formerly independent sports organisations became departments of a new organisation which replaced the DRA — Deutscher Reichsbund für Leibesübungen (DRL, later NSRL or Nationalsozialistischer Reichsbund für Leibesübungen). As in most of German society at the time, sports associations and football teams took part in the purge of Jews from their organisations as ordered by the regime. A few clubs, such as Alemannia Aachen and Bayern Munich, moved to support or protect their members in the face of these actions. |
Football was re-organised into sixteen Gaue (DRL sub-divisions) in the Gauliga, which was in place from 1933 to 1945. The overall effect of this was positive for German football. Prior to 1933, nearly 600 clubs competed in the top flight. League re-organisation reduced this to about 170 sides and significantly raised the level of competition. This was the beginning of a process of consolidation of the myriad of small regional leagues that would culminate in a stronger, unified national league structure. The German Cup was introduced in 1935. Known initially as the Tschammerpokal, after Hans von Tschammer, the first cup winner was 1. FC Nürnberg. Play for the Tschammerpokal went on until 1943 and was not resumed again until 1953, under its new name. |
The pre-war period saw a number of German sides from Saarland, Danzig and the Memel Region playing in German league and cup competitions even though the Versailles Treaty had handed those regions over to the League of Nations after the end of World War I; football-wise, they had remained within the DFB (or DRL, respectively). In post-war times, 1. FC Saarbrücken (formerly FV Saarbrücken) played in the French Second Division for one season. They won that division handily but were denied promotion to the First Division. The Saarland was to be granted its own FIFA membership until it was re-united with Germany in 1956. |
Twenty years back, FC Schalke 04 dominated German football during the Nazi era and was often held up for propaganda purposes as an example of the new Germany. As the Reich expanded through conquest, teams from Austria, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Alsace-Lorraine and Luxembourg were incorporated into the Gauliga. After the Anschluss, the forced union of Austria with Germany, Vienna's Rapid Wien captured the Tschammerpokal in 1938 and the German national championship in 1941, the latter with a 4–3 win over Schalke, who had been three goals ahead with just fifteen minutes to play in the game. |