title: McStay family murders

text: On November 11, 2013, a dirt biker found four sets of human remains buried in two shallow graves in the desert near Victorville, California. Patrick McStay, Joseph's father, was informed of the discovery and phoned missing person advocate Jerrie Dean to tell her what he knew. Dean stated in her blog she had just finished producing a radio show for San Diego station KNSJ when she received the call, and that she asked whether she could tell her followers what he had told her. Two days later, two sets of remains were officially identified as those of Joseph and Summer McStay. The deaths were ruled a homicide and San Bernardino County authorities said they believed the family died of blunt force trauma inside their home, but declined to discuss specifics of the deaths or a motive.


title: McStay family murders

text: The circumstances surrounding the family's disappearance and the lack of clues about their whereabouts triggered speculation by amateur sleuths. Radio host Rick Baker published a book, "No Goodbyes: The Mysterious Disappearance of the McStay Family". Baker began following the case in 2013 after interviewing Michael McStay on his program. He conducted dozens of interviews on the case (traveling to Mexico, Belize, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic), followed leads, and reported sightings of the family. In the book, he speculated that Summer might have committed the murders. When the bodies were found, he offered a refund to those who purchased his book before November 2013.


title: McStay family murders

text: After their disappearance, it was speculated that the McStays left voluntarily since investigators found searches on the family's computers for "What documents do children need for traveling to Mexico?" and Spanish language lessons. Because their car was found so close to the Mexican border, police reviewed surveillance footage of the pedestrian gate into Mexico. Video recorded the evening of February 8, released on March 5, showed a family of four resembling the McStays crossing the border. On February 19, California police notified Interpol to be on the lookout for the family. In April 2013, the San Diego Sheriff's Department announced that they believed that the McStays traveled to Mexico voluntarily.


title: McStay family murders

text: Unconfirmed family sightings were reported in Mexico and elsewhere, perpetuating hopes that they were safe and had left voluntarily. Relatives of the McStays doubted that they would travel to Mexico, saying that Joseph and Summer avoided the country because of the safety threat posed by recent drug wars. Other critics of the theory noted that the McStays had more than $100,000 in bank accounts, with no withdrawal of funds in preparation for a trip, and their accounts were untouched after their disappearance. Summer's sister stated that her passport was expired. Although it is possible for a U.S. citizen to enter Mexico without a passport, one is required to reenter the United States.


title: McStay family murders

text: Investigators and the public also focused on Merritt, the last known person to have had contact with Joseph and the first to notice his disappearance. According to state records, Merritt had felony convictions for burglary and receiving stolen property. His most recent felony conviction, in 2001, was for the theft of $32,000 worth of welding and drilling equipment from San Gabriel Valley Ornamental Iron Works in Monrovia, California. An acquaintance of Merritt's told a San Diego reporter, "I think police should look at him and anyone associated with him."


title: McStay family murders

text: In 2013, Merritt acknowledged he had spent more than an hour with Joseph the day the McStay family went missing. Merritt, who reportedly was the last person Joseph called from his cell phone, also said that he had passed a polygraph test and did not know anything that could help solve the mystery of the family's disappearance. When asked if he thought Merritt was a suspect, Joseph's father Patrick said, "I have to have faith in Chase because I have to have faith in my son. I believe that [Joseph] trusted Chase and believed in Chase. Do I think Chase is involved? I don't think so, and I truly hope not."


title: McStay family murders

text: In January 2014, Merritt said that he might write a book about the family, alleging that Summer had anger issues and that Joseph had been ill for some time with a mysterious ailment. Joseph's family confirmed that he had an unexplained illness and that Summer was possessive of her husband, but they called Merritt's suggestion that she was responsible for his illness unfounded. Patrick said, "I truly believe she loved my son."


title: McStay family murders

text: On November 5, 2014, detectives from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department arrested Merritt in connection with the deaths of the McStay family after discovering that his DNA had been recovered from their car. His arrest was announced on November 7, 2014. Merritt was charged with four counts of murder, and the district attorney sought the death penalty. In July 2015, Merritt's defense attorney filed a request to have the case dismissed because of the wording used by the prosecution when the charges were filed.


title: McStay family murders

text: According to the arrest warrant affidavits filed in the case, autopsies concluded that all four victims had been beaten to death with a blunt object. Investigators believed the murder weapon was a 3-pound sledgehammer, which was found in the grave containing the remains of Summer and her son. Investigators testified they believed the victims were tortured before they were killed.


title: McStay family murders

text: Prosecutors allege that Merritt had a gambling problem and killed the McStay family for financial gain. They said that he wrote checks totaling more than $21,000 on Joseph's business account in the days after the family was killed and then went on a gambling spree at nearby casinos, where he lost thousands of dollars. Merritt's trial was delayed as he had repeatedly fired his attorneys or attempted to represent himself. By February 2016, he had gone through five attorneys.


title: McStay family murders

text: In January 2018, a trial-setting conference was scheduled for February 23. Merritt's attorney filed a motion in San Bernardino Superior Court on April 7, 2018, arguing that Joseph's business and accounting records were hearsay evidence and therefore inadmissible. On May 4, the case was scheduled to go to trial in July 2018. The trial finally began on January 7, 2019, in a San Bernardino court, with both sides making opening statements.


title: McStay family murders

text: On June 10, 2019, a San Bernardino County jury found Merritt guilty of murdering the McStay family. On June 24, the jury recommended that Merritt be sentenced to death. The court upheld the jury's recommendation, and Merritt was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020.


title: McStay family murders

text: On May 22, 2022, the case was looked at again on the Investigation Discovery docuseries "Two Shallow Graves". The show features new suspects, witnesses, evidence, and theories regarding the case, as well as the trial from both the defendant's and prosecutor's points of view.


title: Larry Wilcox

text: Larry Dee Wilcox (born August 8, 1947) is an American actor best known for his role as California Highway Patrol officer (later captain) Jonathan "Jon" Baker in the television series "CHiPs", which ran from 1977 to 1983 on NBC. A Vietnam veteran, Wilcox races cars and is also a private pilot.


title: Larry Wilcox

text: Wilcox was born on the 8th of August 1947 in San Diego, the son of Marion G. and John C. Wilcox. He and his three siblings were raised in Rawlins, Wyoming, by their single mother. He graduated from Rawlins High School went to the University of Wyoming, then transferred to Los Angeles Pierce College. He eventually went to Cal State Northridge. He worked at different jobs including acting and rodeo cowboy.


title: Larry Wilcox

text: Wilcox enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 1967 and served in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive. While in Vietnam he studied French and took general classes at College of the Desert during his final year in the Marines at Twentynine Palms, California. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Staff Sergeant in 1973.


title: Larry Wilcox

text: Wilcox made a guest appearance in 1971 in "Room 222". In 1973, Wilcox appeared in "The Streets of San Francisco" episode "The Runaways" as older brother George. Also in 1973, he starred in "Lassie" as Dale, one of the boys who grew up there and was now working as a hired hand. Wilcox appeared in an episode of "Cannon" "Target In The Mirror" in 1973 in a role as a witness. He performed in the 1976 film "The Last Hard Men", and other TV appearances including "The Partridge Family", "Hawaii Five-O", "M*A*S*H", "Fantasy Island", and "Police Story", as well as commercials. He was the main (and only human for most of it) actor of a two-part show on "The Wonderful World of Disney" anthology show in 1978 playing a lone cowboy on a cattle drive and his adventures en route to market. He also played Emmett Dalton in the 1979 film "The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang".


title: Larry Wilcox

text: Wilcox was cast as Jon Baker, one of the lead characters on "CHiPs"; he was not in season six and was cast from 1977 to 1982. Wilcox performed many of his own stunts on the show. Unlike his co-star Erik Estrada (who played his partner "Ponch"), Wilcox never sustained any major injuries. By the 1979–80 season, he made $25,000 per episode (the same amount as Estrada) and it escalated thereafter. During his time on "CHiPs", Wilcox appeared on the cover of "TV Guide" three times, along with Estrada.


title: Larry Wilcox

text: Rumors of friction between the two had occurred late in the 1978–79 season, but it calmed down after Estrada's injury at the beginning of the 1979–80 season as Wilcox came to his friend's rescue. Wilcox confirmed that some of the rumors of on-set feuding were true, but minor issues were blown out of proportion. He added: "We're just two totally different people."


title: Larry Wilcox

text: Wilcox is among the cast members who appeared at a reunion in Los Angeles to celebrate the series' 35th anniversary. Wilcox filmed the event and helped raise money for police officers and for kids at risk. Wilcox stated he called Estrada to invite him, as did Robert Pine, but Estrada did not return calls nor did he show up for the event. Estrada's manager said he was trying to establish a new and separate identity from "CHiPs".


title: Larry Wilcox

text: In 1982, Wilcox left "CHiPs" and formed his own production company, Wilcox Productions, which produced the award-winning TV series for HBO "The Ray Bradbury Theater" for five years. He developed, optioned, and sold to MGM "The Yorkshire Ripper" and sold to Columbia "The Wolfman Jack Story". Later, Wilcox optioned "Flipper" and was the executive producer of that movie for Universal Pictures. He also continued acting and directing. Presently, Wilcox works with Saratoga Entertainment which is a production and digital distribution company. He also is a consultant to Enabledware, which is a rule-based digital distribution software in 57 languages with a focus on digital universities and security for sports stadiums.


title: Larry Wilcox

text: Wilcox was executive producer of the TV movie "". The story had a deeper resonance for Wilcox, whose older sister was fatally shot in front of her three children, her mother, and 17 witnesses. The accused murderer, her husband, was later acquitted in a celebrated trial in Wyoming and subsequently killed in a barroom brawl, according to Wilcox.


title: Larry Wilcox

text: He appeared in a 1985 made-for-TV movie sequel to "The Dirty Dozen", called "". He played a convicted war prisoner Tommy Wells, recruited to help terminate a German general who is plotting to assassinate Hitler. Wilcox was reunited briefly on-screen with his former co-star Estrada in "National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1", and then again in 1998, where he reprised his role of Jon Baker (now Captain Baker) in the Turner Network Television production of "CHiPs '99". In 2008, Wilcox had a brief cameo in the music video for Rehab's song "Bartender Song (Sittin' at a Bar)" where he played a San Diego Police sergeant.


title: Larry Wilcox

text: He appeared in a cameo as himself dressed as Officer Jon Baker on the 2009 Christmas episode of "30 Rock". Wilcox also completed a cameo in the feature film "Two Sillies". He made a brief appearance as mine owner Bob Freeman in the 2016 drama "94 Feet". Least we not forget his role on "THE LOVE BOAT" as Sergeant Belouski in his protection of a star witness on Season 4, Episode 1.


title: Larry Wilcox

text: Wilcox married his first wife, Judy Vagner, on March 29, 1969, while serving his last months of duty after returning from the Vietnam War. They had two children together, Derek and Heidi. His second marriage was to Dutch native, Hannie Strasser, a one-time "CHiPs" assistant sound technician. The wedding took place on April 11, 1980. Their daughter, Wendy, was born in 1982 and they divorced after her birth. On March 22, 1986, Wilcox married Marlene Harmon, a member of the 1980 Olympic heptathlon team. They have two sons, Chad and Ryan.


title: Nick Berg

text: Nicholas Evan Berg (April 2, 1978 – May 7, 2004) was an American freelance radio-tower repairman who went to Iraq after the United States' invasion of Iraq. He was abducted and beheaded according to a video released in May 2004 by Islamist militants in response to the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse involving the United States Army and Iraqi prisoners. The CIA claimed Berg was murdered by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The decapitation video was released on the internet, reportedly from London to a Malaysian-hosted homepage by the Islamist organization Muntada al-Ansar.


title: Nick Berg

text: Berg grew up in West Whiteland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. He was referred to as a "religious Jew."


title: Nick Berg

text: Berg graduated from Henderson High School in West Chester in 1996. In 1996, he was a student at Cornell University but later dropped out.


title: Nick Berg

text: He took classes at Drexel University in 1998, and, in 1999, attended summer sessions on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. At some point, Berg took a class at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. He never earned a college degree.


title: Nick Berg

text: In 2002, with family members, created Prometheus Methods Tower Service. He inspected and rebuilt communication antennas, and had previously visited Kenya and Uganda on similar projects. Berg set up a subsidiary of his company, Prometheus Tower Services, Inc., in Kenya.


title: Nick Berg

text: Berg first arrived in Iraq on December 21, 2003, and made arrangements to secure contract work for his company. He also went to the northern city of Mosul, visiting an Iraqi man whose brother had been married to Berg's late aunt. Leaving on February 1, 2004, he returned to Iraq on March 14, 2004, only to find that the work he was promised was unavailable. Throughout his time in Iraq, he maintained frequent contact with his family in the United States by telephone and email.


title: Nick Berg

text: Berg had intended to return to the United States on March 30, 2004, but he was detained in Mosul on March 24. His family claims that he was turned over to U.S. officials and held for 13 days without access to legal counsel. FBI agents visited his parents to confirm his identity on March 31, 2004, but he was not immediately released. After his parents filed suit in federal court in Philadelphia on April 5, 2004, claiming that he was being held illegally, he was released from custody. He said that he had not been mistreated during his confinement. The U.S. maintains that at no time was Berg in coalition custody, but rather that he was held by Iraqi forces. The Mosul police deny they ever arrested Berg, and Berg's family has turned over an email from the U.S. consul stating "I have confirmed that your son, Nick, is being detained by the U.S. military in Mosul." According to the Associated Press, Berg was released from custody on April 6, 2004 and advised by U.S. officials to take a flight out of Iraq, with their assistance. Berg is said to have refused this offer and traveled to Baghdad, where he stayed at the Al-Fanar Hotel. His family last heard from him on April 9, 2004. Berg had his last contact with U.S. officials on April 10, 2004 and did not return again to his hotel after that date. He was interviewed for filmmaker Michael Moore's film "Fahrenheit 9/11". Moore chose not to use the footage of his interview with Berg, but instead shared it with Berg's family following his death.


title: Nick Berg

text: Berg's family became concerned after not hearing from him for several days. Although a U.S. State Department investigator looked into Berg's disappearance, official government inquiries produced no leads. His family, frustrated with what they say was a lack of action by the U.S. government, also hired a private investigator and contacted both their Congressional delegation and the Red Cross in search of information.


title: Nick Berg

text: Berg's body was found decapitated on May 8, 2004, on a Baghdad overpass by a U.S. military patrol. Berg's family was informed of his death two days later. Military sources stated publicly at the time that Berg's body showed "signs of trauma", but did not disclose that he had been decapitated.


title: Nick Berg

text: On May 11, 2004, the website of the militant jihadist group Muntada al-Ansar posted a video with the opening title of "Abu Musab al-Zarqawi slaughters an American", which shows Berg being decapitated. The video is about five and a half minutes long. The video shows Nick Berg, seated, facing the camera and his captors standing behind him also facing the camera. Berg is wearing an orange jumpsuit, similar to ones worn by prisoners in U.S. custody. His captors are all masked, their identities concealed. He identifies himself: "My name is Nick Berg, my father's name is Michael, my mother's name is Suzanne. I have a brother and sister, David and Sarah. I live in West Chester, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia." A lengthy statement is read aloud. The masked men then converge on Berg. Two of them hold him down, while one decapitates him with a knife.


title: Nick Berg

text: The video title claims the decapitator was Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, but this can not be determined as all the men are masked. A scream can be heard as men shout "Allahu Akbar". After the head is severed, one of the men displays the head to the camera, then lays it down on the decapitated body. During the video, the masked man reading the statement said the killing was in revenge for the abuse at Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse. The man says Muslims should seek vengeance for Abu Ghraib, and that the Muslim clergy had been complacent. The man also threatens further deaths, and makes specific threats to U.S. President George W. Bush and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.


title: Nick Berg

text: Media in the United States and around the world grappled with the question of how much graphics to print. The "Dallas Morning News" showed an image in which the killer holds Berg's severed head, while "Seattle Times" only displayed the image of the killer. British newspaper "The Independent" urged restraint, arguing the video was propaganda and publishing images from it "plays into the hands" of terrorists.


title: Nick Berg

text: Berg's killing was condemned by the Arab League, and United Nations, as well as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, and Hezbollah. Many others in the Muslim world also condemned the killing, and BBC journalist Paul Wood found that the "Arab street" condemned the killing of Berg, saw it as contrary to Islam, and saw it as a reaction to US prison abuses.


title: Nick Berg

text: On May 14, 2004, it was revealed that Nick Berg had come up during the U.S. government's investigation of Zacarias Moussaoui, a 9/11 conspirator. Berg's email address had been used by Moussaoui prior to the September 11, 2001, attacks. According to Berg's father, Nick Berg had a chance encounter with an acquaintance of Moussaoui on a bus in Norman, Oklahoma. This person had asked to borrow Berg's laptop computer to send an email. Berg gave the details of his own email account and password, which were later used by Moussaoui. The FBI found that Berg had no direct terrorism connections or direct link with Moussaoui.


title: Nick Berg

text: On May 14, 2004, citing "Iraq sources", "Sky News" reported that four people had been arrested for the murder. Two were later released. Alternatively, on July 5, 2004, "Sky News" reported that four men were arrested in connection with the Nick Berg decapitation.


title: Nick Berg

text: On August 5, 2004, "Le Nouvel Observateur" published a feature story by Sara Daniel detailing her meeting with one Abu Rashid, a leader of the mujahadeen council in Fallujah. He claims that he killed Nick Berg, Kim Sun-il and Iraqis who collaborated with U.S. forces. He also states that they attempted a prisoner exchange with Berg and were rebuffed by the U.S. officials.


title: Helmet (band)

text: Helmet is an American alternative metal band from New York City formed in 1989 by vocalist and lead guitarist Page Hamilton. Helmet has had numerous lineup changes with Hamilton as the only constant member. Since 2010, the band has consisted of Hamilton, drummer Kyle Stevenson, guitarist Dan Beeman and bassist Dave Case.


title: Helmet (band)

text: Helmet has released eight studio albums and two compilation albums. After releasing their debut album, "Strap It On" (1990), on Amphetamine Reptile, Helmet signed to Interscope Records and released three albums for the label, including the highly successful "Meantime" (1992). Their next two albums ― "Betty" (1994) and "Aftertaste" (1997) ― were also successful, but did not match the critical or popular acclaim of "Meantime". Helmet broke up in 1998, but reformed in 2004, and has since released four more albums ― "Size Matters" (2004), "Monochrome" (2006), "Seeing Eye Dog" (2010) and "Dead to the World" (2016). The band is currently working on their ninth studio album.


title: Helmet (band)

text: Hamilton formed Helmet in early 1989 after leaving the alternative rock group Band of Susans with whom he had recorded two albums. Having originally moved to New York to study jazz guitar at the Manhattan School of Music, the Oregon born guitarist recruited bassist Henry Bogdan who was also from Oregon, Australian guitarist Peter Mengede and Floridian drummer John Stanier as the group's first official line-up. Before Hamilton had settled on a name, the guitarist Peter Mengede's then-wife Reyne Cuccuro suggested the Germanic name "Helmuth". Hamilton misinterpreted her and mistakenly believed that she was referring to the form of protective gear. Hamilton then thought excitedly that Helmet had "sounded like a pretty cool name for a band" and opted for the Anglicized spelling. Other names taken in consideration were "Cry Ruth" and "Poly Orchids", along with the more esoteric and obscure "Tuna Lorenzo" and "Froth Albumen".


title: Helmet (band)

text: They were spotted by Tom Hazelmyer, guitarist of the band Halo of Flies, and signed to Hazelmeyer's label Amphetamine Reptile Records, releasing their first 7 inch single, "Born Annoying", later that year. Amphetamine Reptile released Helmet's debut studio album "Strap It On" in 1990, selling over 40,000 copies soon thereafter. Hazelmyer once stated that the album kept the label going through the 1990s.


title: Helmet (band)

text: Eschewing the traditional metal image of long hair and black clothing, the band stood out with their preference for simple T-shirts, jeans, and sneakers, and short haircuts. Their atypical look was referenced in an episode of "Beavis and Butt-Head", in which the pair's commentary on the video for "Unsung" included the lines "That drummer looks like a regular guy" and "If you, like, saw these guys on the street, you wouldn't even know they were cool."


title: Helmet (band)

text: The band achieved mainstream attention after signing to major label Interscope Records in early 1992. It is rumored that the members received in excess of one million dollars at signing, along with an unprecedented amount of control over their work. Their first album for Interscope, "Meantime", was released in 1992 and certified gold in 1994. The album has sold over two million copies worldwide and remains Helmet's top-selling album.


title: Helmet (band)

text: Helmet toured the United States, Brazil, Europe, and Asia relentlessly, generally with other AmRep recording artists. Internal tensions rose high at times. In early 1993, guitarist Peter Mengede left the band and formed Handsome which released one album in 1997. Mangede was replaced by Rob Echeverria, guitarist from the hardcore band Rest in Pieces. Helmet's third album, "Betty", was released in 1994. Despite managing the band's highest-ever chart position on the "Billboard" 200 at number 45, the album did not sell as many copies as "Meantime". In 1995, the band appeared in "", covering Black Sabbath's "Symptom of the Universe" with Ozzy Osbourne making a cameo appearance as the band's manager. Later, after recording and touring in support of "Betty", Echeverria made an amicable departure from the band to join Biohazard.


title: Helmet (band)

text: Helmet pushed on to record 1997's "Aftertaste" as a three-piece. A first version of the album had been withdrawn at the last minute in the fall of 1996 when promotional activities had already begun, delaying the disc's release to March of the following year with a new audio mix. Guitarist Chris Traynor (formerly of Orange 9mm) was recruited for the tour to support the album. The song "Exactly What You Wanted" became a moderate radio hit, the album's did not fare as well as Helmet's prior major label releases, spending a few weeks on the "Billboard" 200 chart and selling 132,000 copies over the next decade. The "Aftertaste Tour" in 1997 would prove to be the band's last for nearly a decade. Amid long-standing private disputes, the members decided to call it quits, With Helmet's original final performance occurring in Italy on December 10, 1997. Asked about the breakup, Hamilton replied, "9 years, 1,600 shows, 5 albums, and we found it hard to look at each other anymore"


title: Helmet (band)

text: Hamilton relocated from New York to Los Angeles and became involved in a variety of projects. This included playing guitar for David Bowie, doing sessions for film scores, working with composer Elliot Goldenthal on the 1999 soundtracks to "In Dreams" and "Titus." It was Hamilton's second time working with Goldenthal, the first being the 1995 soundtrack to the movie "Heat". When working on film scores, he was part of a "guitar orchestra" called ""Deaf Elk"" with other guitarists. He periodically returned to New York to work with his band Gandhi, which is where several of the songs appearing on "Size Matters" began.


title: Helmet (band)

text: Bogdan formed the Moonlighters in New York with Bliss Blood, for whom he played steel guitar, before returning home to Oregon to play for the Midnight Serenaders. Stanier took a break from drumming, but returned to play drums for Tomahawk, The Mark of Cain, Battles and Primer 55.


title: Helmet (band)

text: After moving to Los Angeles, Hamilton began working with drummer John Tempesta (formerly of Testament and White Zombie) on a new project. After searching for a record label and a name for the project, Hamilton was urged by Jimmy Iovine of Interscope to release the new project under the established Helmet moniker, to which Interscope held the rights. Hamilton had resisted for some time, but since his relationships with Stanier and Bogdan had not improved since 1998, and his previous offers to reunite had been rebuffed or ignored, he decided to move on and release more music as Helmet without them.


title: Helmet (band)

text: Chris Traynor, still on good terms with Hamilton, soon came on board to cover bass and guitar parts. With Tempesta on drums and Hamilton covering vocals and guitar, the three recorded "Size Matters" in early 2004. The album featured lyrics which were inspired by Hamilton's brief 2003 relationship with Hollywood actress Winona Ryder, and has been cited by critics as a departure from Helmet's earlier, more experimental sound. Frank Bello was later recruited to play bass on the supporting tour; however, he left before its conclusion to reunite with his original band, Anthrax. Jeremy Chatelain replaced Bello for the duration of the tour. John Tempesta left in early 2006 to join The Cult.


title: Helmet (band)

text: In late 2005, Helmet were dropped by Interscope following lackluster sales for "Size Matters". Helmet then signed with Warcon Enterprises and announced that a new album was in the works. Helmet performed at the 2006 SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, with a temporary lineup consisting of Charlie Walker on drums, Chris Traynor on bass, and Anthony Truglio (formerly of Gandhi) on guitar. The new album, "Monochrome", was recorded and co-produced by Wharton Tiers, who recorded Helmet's first two albums, "Strap It On" and "Meantime". For the album, Hamilton and Traynor returned to the studio with newly recruited drummer, Mike Jost (formerly of Adair). Helmet headlined the 2006 Warped Tour in support of "Monochrome", with Jeremy Chatelain reprising his role from the 2005 "Size Matters" tour. The band later split with Warcon due to a variety of financial disputes between Hamilton and the label's owners. Hamilton stated "Amphetamine Reptile and Interscope were both fantastic experiences for us, and Warcon was the first time that I’d actually run into any problems with a label. I trusted somebody and got screwed. I’m not bitter about it, but I lost a lot of money. They never paid me tour support that they were contractually obligated to pay. There were a lot of things. I’ve never seen one penny of royalties from them, but I own the record ["Monochrome"] now, so it’s my record."


title: Helmet (band)

text: In September 2006, Chris Traynor announced that he had left the band after nearly a decade of working with Page Hamilton. A few days later, Mike Jost also left the band to attend to his duties as a new father. Jeremy Chatelain also made other commitments. Hamilton announced in early October 2006 that drum and bass duties would be filled by Kyle Stevenson and Jon Fuller, respectively, both from Milwaukee, and both previously members of Big Collapse. Australian Jimmy Thompson (formerly of Full Scale) also joined the band on guitar in 2006, but was replaced by Dan Beeman by late 2008. Due to line-up changes, Hamilton was forced to cancel many shows scheduled for late 2006 in the U.S. and Europe. Helmet opened up for Guns N' Roses for the remaining dates of their tour in December 2006. The band toured Australia in April and May 2008, playing shows throughout the eastern and southern coasts. Helmet's seventh studio album, "Seeing Eye Dog", was released on September 7, 2010.


title: Helmet (band)

text: On November 20, 2011, Helmet announced the European Meantime Anniversary Tour running from March 5 to April 8, 2012, encompassing 28 shows in Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium and the UK during which they played the whole of the 'Meantime" in its entirety.


title: Helmet (band)

text: The band announced tour dates for May 2018 in the U.S. and July-August in Europe on their official website. Helmet also celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2019 with a European and North American tour.


title: Helmet (band)

text: Many critics cite Helmet as an alternative metal band; however, the band has been categorized under many genres, including post-hardcore, noise rock, experimental metal and post-metal. Jim Farber of the New York Daily News has jokingly labeled Helmet as "smart rock".


title: Helmet (band)

text: Their music is characterized by repetitive, syncopated, staccato guitar riffs, often in unconventional time signatures, and almost always in a minor key with drop-D or drop-C tuning. The guitar sound is heavily distorted and dissonant, with choruses that often involve guitar feedback waves. Helmet has been described as a "thinking man's metal band"; according to Hamilton, the term came from original drummer John Stanier because he once heard an interviewer say it.


title: Helmet (band)

text: "The New York Times" called Helmet "a band that made important connections between indie-rock and metal." They have had a large impact on many nu/alternative metal, post-hardcore and heavy metal acts, with bands such as Botch, Chevelle, Deftones, Full Scale, Godsmack, Grinspoon, Korn, Linkin Park, Marilyn Manson, Mastodon, Nine Inch Nails, Pantera, Papa Roach, Pressure 4-5, Primer 55, Norma Jean, Reuben, Shuvel, Silverchair, Staind, System of a Down, Three Days Grace and Tool all having been inspired by Helmet's sound. Music artist Mike Patton has also cited Helmet as having a significant influence on his solo career; with original drummer John Stanier and Patton actually having played in the music project Tomahawk together. Regarding Helmet's influence on the heavy rock world, Hamilton remarked "I hear it all over the place. I've heard Helmet riffs in Evanescence. Kids today have no idea at this point, because they [first] got into, say, Korn or System of a Down. Bands like Mastodon and Norma Jean tell me, 'Oh, we ripped you guys off with this,' or 'We got turned on by that.' Some bands do cool things with it, and there's a bunch of shitty bands that have imitated us too."


title: Helmet (band)

text: Chevelle, Deftones, Faith No More, Pig Destroyer, Primer 55 and Soulfly have covered Helmet songs. In 2016, a tribute album titled "Meantime Redux" was released. It featured covers of 1990s Helmet songs (including all 10 songs from the "Meantime" album) by various underground hardcore bands. Late Deftones bassist Chi Cheng remarked "Every band should wish to aspire to the originality and genius of Helmet. An inspiration to fans and musicians-alike" while Norma Jean guitarist Chris Day recalled in 2006 "The first song I ever learned to play on the guitar was a Helmet song. I pretty much just tried to figure the songs out and that's how I learned to play basically. Helmet is a band that I have listened to for years and will always enjoy them because they have the sweetest riffs I have ever heard. I love to air drum to them in the car also. I wouldn't be the same without Helmet in my life."


title: Helmet (band)

text: Helmet is considered a major influence on the nu metal genre, with the band's use of Drop D tuning influencing many in the genre. Hamilton, displeased with this connection, responded "it's frustrating that people write [us] off because we're affiliated with or credited with or discredited with creating nu-metal and rap metal or whatever the fuck it is, which we sound nothing like." Though Hamilton would eventually go on to work with bands Linkin Park and P.O.D.


title: Karma Chameleon

text: "Karma Chameleon" is a song by English band Culture Club, featured on the group's 1983 album "Colour by Numbers". The single was released in the United Kingdom in September 1983 and became the second Culture Club single to reach the top of the UK Singles Chart, after "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me". The record stayed at number one for six weeks and became the UK's biggest-selling single of the year 1983, selling 955,000 copies (according to Official Charts Company sales data confirmed in March 2021 for the Channel 5 show "Britain's Favourite 80s Songs"). To date, it is the 38th-biggest-selling single of all time in the UK, selling over 1.52 million copies.


title: Karma Chameleon

text: It also spent three weeks at number one on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 in early 1984, becoming the group's biggest hit and only US number-one single among their many top-10 hits. The single sold over 7 million copies globally. In 2015, the song was voted by the British public as the nation's ninth favourite 1980s number one in a poll for ITV.


title: Karma Chameleon

text: In an interview, Culture Club frontman Boy George explained: "The song is about the terrible fear of alienation that people have, the fear of standing up for one thing. It's about trying to suck up to everybody. Basically, if you aren't true, if you don't act like you feel, then you get Karma-justice, that's nature's way of paying you back." In response to claims from singer-songwriter Jimmy Jones that the song plagiarizes his hit "Handy Man", George stated, "I might have heard it once, but it certainly wasn't something I sat down and said, 'Yeah, I want to copy this.'" In an interview with 60 Minutes Australia, Boy George said that he wrote the song while he was on vacation in Egypt, and that the other members of Culture Club were initially hesitant to record it as they felt it sounded like a country song.


title: Karma Chameleon

text: The harmonica part was played by Judd Lander, who had been a member of Merseybeat group The Hideaways in the 1960s. The song was originally to be called "Cameo Chameleon"; the band was recorded in interviews in mid-1983 stating this was to be the title of their next single. "Karma Chameleon" is written in the key of B major.


title: Karma Chameleon

text: "Cash Box" said that "with Boy George’s smooth lead (and the catchy background vocals), it has the air of an immediate Stateside hit."


title: Karma Chameleon

text: The song won Best British Single at the 1984 Brit Awards. In 2015 the song was voted by the British public as the nation's 9th favourite 1980s number one in a poll for ITV.


title: Karma Chameleon

text: The group performed the song as a finale when they appeared in the 1986 episode "Cowboy George" of "The A-Team".


title: Karma Chameleon

text: Likely because of the line "I'm a man without conviction" and the chorus, which includes the word "chameleon", "Karma Chameleon" has been used by several politicians in political adverts. In 2006, Britain's Labour Party used "Karma Chameleon" as the theme song for a series of political advertisements against Conservative Party leader David Cameron in the 2006 UK local elections.


title: Karma Chameleon

text: The music video, directed by Peter Sinclair, was filmed at Desborough Island in Weybridge during 1983.


title: Karma Chameleon

text: The video is set in Mississippi in 1870. It depicts a large multiracial group of people in 19th century dress, including some dressed in red, gold, and green (as referenced in the lyrics). Boy George is dressed in what would be known as his signature look: colourful costume, fingerless gloves, long braids, and a black bowler hat.


title: Karma Chameleon

text: A pickpocket and jewelry thief is seen wandering through the crowd, stealing from unsuspecting victims. The band and everyone board a riverboat, "The Chameleon", as Boy George continues to sing. While four men are playing poker, the thief is discovered cheating by giving himself the Royal Flush, and is forced to return all his ill-gotten gains and walk the plank at the points of ladies' parasols, falling into the river. As the video ends, day has turned to evening and the party continues on the boat as it cruises down the river.


title: Karma Chameleon

text: In 1984, country music artists Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley recorded "Where's the Dress", a satirical song about Boy George which sampled "Karma Chameleon". The song reached number 8 on the Hot Country Songs chart.


title: Karma Chameleon

text: The United Australia Party created "Palmer Chameleon", a parody of "Karma Chameleon" promoting the party and leader Clive Palmer in particular, as part of the soundtrack of their "Clive Palmer: Humble Meme Merchant" mobile video game. Boy George and Culture Club's manager have said that the unauthorised use of the song constitutes copyright infringement, and have stated that their record label would be dealing with the matter.


title: Yang Xinhai

text: Yang Xinhai (; July 17, 1968 – February 14, 2004), also known as Yang Zhiya, and Yang Liu, was a Chinese serial killer who confessed to committing 67 murders and 23 rapes between 1999 and 2003, and was sentenced to death and executed. He was dubbed the "Monster Killer" by the media. He is the most prolific known serial killer China has seen since the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949.


title: Yang Xinhai

text: Yang was born on July 29, 1968, in Zhengyang County, Henan. His family was one of the poorest in their village. The youngest of four children, Yang was clever and introverted. He dropped out of school


title: Yang Xinhai

text: in 1985, at age 17, and refused to return home, instead travelling around China and working as a laborer.


title: Yang Xinhai

text: In 1988 and 1991, Yang was sentenced to labor camps for theft in Xi'an, Shaanxi and Shijiazhuang, Hebei. In 1996, he was sentenced to five years in prison for attempted rape in Zhumadian, Henan and released in 1999.


title: Yang Xinhai

text: Yang's killings took place between 1999 and 2003 in the provinces of Anhui, Hebei, Henan and Shandong. At night, he would enter his victims' homes, and kill all of the occupants—mainly farmers—with axes, hammers, and shovels, sometimes killing entire families. Each time he wore new clothes and large shoes.


title: Yang Xinhai

text: In October 2002, Yang killed a father and a six-year-old girl with a shovel and raped a pregnant woman, who survived the attack with serious head injuries.


title: Yang Xinhai

text: Yang was detained on November 3, 2003, after acting suspiciously during a routine police inspection of entertainment venues in Cangzhou, Hebei. Police took him in for questioning and discovered that he was wanted for murder in four provinces. Yang was sentenced to death by the Luohe City Intermediate People's Court, Henan, on February 1, 2004. At the time of his sentencing, official Chinese media believed he had carried out China's longest and grisliest killing spree. Yang was executed on 14 February 2004 by firing squad.


title: Yang Xinhai

text: According to some media reports at the time of his arrest, Yang's motive for the killings was revenge against society as a result of a break up. Allegedly his girlfriend had left him because of his previous sentences for theft and rape. Later media reports claimed that his enjoyment of robbery, rape and murder was the motive.


title: Yang Xinhai

text: While Yang never formally provided a motive, he was quoted as saying: "When I killed people I had a desire. This inspired me to kill more. I don't care whether they deserve to live or not. It is none of my concern...I have no desire to be part of society. Society is not my concern."


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) (IAST: "Rakshā Mantrālaya") is charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the Indian Armed Forces.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: The President of India is the ceremonial commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the country. The Ministry of Defence provides policy framework and resources to the armed forces to discharge their responsibility in the context of the defence of the country. The Indian Armed Forces (including Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy) and Indian Coast Guard under the Ministry of Defence are primarily responsible for ensuring the territorial integrity of India. As of Statista, It is the biggest employer in the world with 2.92 million employers.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: At present, the undergoing new creation of National Defence University, for training of military officials and concerned civilian officials, will be administered and overseen by the Ministry. The Ministry organises and runs Republic Day celebrations and parade every year in January, hosting a chief guest. The Ministry has the largest budget among the federal departments of India and currently stands third in military expenditure in the world, among countries of the world.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: A Military Department was created in the Supreme Government of the English East India Company at Kolkata in the year 1776, having the main function to sift and record orders relating to the Army issued by various Departments of the Government of East India Company. The Military Department initially functioned as a branch of the Public Department and maintained a list of Army personnel.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: With the Charter Act 1833, the Secretariat of the Government of the East India Company was reorganised into four departments, each headed by a secretary to the Government. The armies in the presidencies of Bengal, Bombay and Madras functioned as the respective presidency armies until April 1895, when the presidency armies were unified into a single Indian Army. For administrative convenience, it was divided into four commands: Punjab (including the North West Frontier), Bengal (including Burma), Madras and Bombay (including Sindh, Quetta and Aden).


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: The supreme authority over the Indian Army was vested in the Governor General-in-Council, subject to the control of the Crown, which was exercised by the Secretary of State for India. Two members in the council were responsible for military affairs. One was the Military Member, who supervised all administrative and financial matters. The other was the commander-in-chief who was responsible for all operational matters. The Military Department was abolished in March 1906 and was replaced by two separate departments; the Army Department and the Military Supply Department. In April 1909 the Military Supply Department was abolished and its functions were taken over by the Army Department. The Army Department was redesignated as the Defence Department in January 1938. The Department of Defence became the Ministry of Defence under a cabinet minister in August 1947.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: The functions of MoD which in 1947 was mainly logistic support to the armed forces, has undergone far reaching changes. In November 1962, following the 1962 war, a Department of Defence Production was set-up to deal with research, development and production of defence equipment. In November 1965, the Department of Defence Supplies was created for planning and execution of schemes for import substitution of requirements for defence purposes. These two Departments were later merged to form the Department of Defence Production and Supplies.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: In 1980, the Department of Defence Research and Development was created. In January 2004, the Department of Defence Production and Supplies was renamed the Department of Defence Production. A Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister was appointed to advise on scientific aspects of military equipment and the research and design of defence forces equipment. The Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare was created in 2004.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: The Ministry of Defence consists of five departments; Department of Defence (DoD), Department of Military Affairs (DMA), Department of Defence Production (DDP), Department of Defence Research and Development (DRDO), and Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW). The Defence Secretary of India functions as head of the Department of Defence, and is additionally responsible for coordinating the activities of the departments in the ministry.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Defence Institute of Psychological Research and National Defence University come under administration and purview of the Ministry of Defence.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: To ensure a high degree of synergy between the Armed forces, the Government has set up the Integrated Defence Staff, headed by the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff as the chairman. It was created on 1 October 2001 based on the recommendations of the Group of Ministers which was set up in 2000 (post-Kargil) to review India's defence management. It acts as the point organisation for integration of policy, doctrine, war-fighting and procurement by employing best management practices. The chairman of Integrated Defences Staff is a 4-star General (or his equivalent in the Air Force or the Navy).


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: "Chiefs of Staff are the authority for advising the Defence Minister and normally through him the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs on all military matters which require ministerial consideration". The Integrated Defence Staff is '"the principal arm and Secretariat to the Chiefs of Staff Committee".


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: The Chiefs of Staff Committee is composed of: (a) Chief of the Army Staff (COAS); (b) Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS); (c) Chief of the Air Staff (CAS); and (d) Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) (non-voting member). The Scientific Adviser to the Minister of Defence is invited to attend whenever needed.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: The senior most member of the COSC is appointed its chairperson. General Bipin Rawat was the last head of COSC.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: General Bipin Rawat was appointed the first Chief of Defence Staff in 2019. He died in a helicopter crash on 8 December 2021.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: The responsibility for national defence "rests with the Cabinet, which is discharged through the Ministry of Defence, which provides the policy framework and wherewithal to the Armed Forces to discharge their responsibilities in the context of the defence of the country. The Raksha Mantri (Defence Minister) is the head of the Ministry of Defence."


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: The Defence Ministry is responsible for "obtaining policy directions of the Government on all defence and security related matters" and communicating these directions to "Services Headquarters, Inter-Services Organisations, Production Establishments and Research and Development Organisations". The MoD works closely with the National Security Council, Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: MoD is headed by the Minister of Defence, who is supported by one, or more than one, minister of state.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: There are about 400,000 defence civilians, under the MOD including Ministry of Finance personnel attached to MOD. In 2015–16 Defence pension bill was of which about 36 per cent was on account of defence civilians.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: The Defence Secretary as head of the Department of Defence, is the senior most civil servant in the ministry and is responsible for coordinating the activities of the four departments in the ministry. His/her role is to ensure that the MoD operates effectively as a department of the government. Defence Secretary is assisted by additional secretaries and joint secretaries to Government of India posted in the ministry. The Defence Secretary, generally, is an officer from the Indian Administrative Service, apart from the Defence Secretary, there are three other secretary-level posts in the Ministry of Defence.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister plays a key role in formulation of research and development policies and promoting self-reliance in Indian defence industries.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: The Finance Division of the Ministry of Defence is headed by the Financial Adviser (Defence Services). He or she exercises financial control over proposals involving expenditure from the Defence Budget and is responsible for the internal audit and accounting of defence expenditure. In the latter tasks, he or she is assisted by the Controller General of Defence Accounts.


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: In 1955, the title of Commander-in-Chief was abolished and the three service chiefs were designated as the Chief of the Army Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff. The heads of the three services of Indian Armed Forces are:


title: Ministry of Defence (India)

text: The SRIJAN is a portal launched by MoD in order to take up the products imported for indigenization. According to Ministry; it displays defence products that have been imported recently and will tag with the Defence Public sector undertakings, Ordinance Factory Board and others in order to push for its domestic manufacturing for exports in future.


title: Michael Sam

text: Michael Alan Sam Jr. (born January 7, 1990) is an American professional football defensive lineman for the Barcelona Dragons in the European League of Football. A defensive end, Sam played college football for the Missouri Tigers and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League (NFL) in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played one game for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League (CFL).


title: Michael Sam

text: Sam was a consensus All-American and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Defensive Player of the Year as a senior at Missouri. After completing his college football career, Sam publicly came out as gay. He became the first publicly gay player to be drafted in the NFL. The Rams cut him during the final preseason roster cutdowns. He also spent time on the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad before being waived. He signed with Montreal before the 2015 season, and became the first publicly gay player to play in a CFL regular-season game.


title: Michael Sam

text: Sam attended Hitchcock High School in Hitchcock, Texas. He began traveling with the school's varsity football team while in the eighth grade as a water boy. He later became a member of the team, playing defensive end and offensive tackle.


title: Michael Sam

text: He earned first-team All-District honors as a defensive lineman in all four years of high school, and as an offensive lineman in his junior and senior years. As a senior, Sam drew attention for his strong performance against Michael Brockers in a game against Chávez High School; Brockers, an All-American, had accepted a scholarship to Louisiana State University.


title: Michael Sam

text: Out of high school, Sam was considered a two-star college football recruit by "Rivals.com". He received scholarship offers from Arizona State University, Colorado State University, and the University of Houston, but he wanted to attend Texas A&M University, and waited for a scholarship offer from it.


title: Michael Sam

text: Sam accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Missouri (Mizzou), after he was recruited by Craig Kuligowski, the team's defensive line coach. Kuligowski recruited other players near Hitchcock, which made him familiar with Sam. Sam attended the school from 2009 to 2013. He played for the Tigers, competing in the Big 12 Conference. He redshirted in his first year at Missouri, and recorded 3.5 quarterback sacks, 24 tackles, including seven tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one interception and one blocked kick as a redshirt freshman. In his sophomore year, Sam intercepted a tipped pass in a game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders, which secured a victory to make Mizzou bowl eligible. In 2012, Mizzou transferred to the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Sam registered sacks while starting in nine of the team's games.


title: Michael Sam

text: As a senior in 2013, Sam recorded 11.5 quarterback sacks and 19 tackles for a loss. He led the SEC in both categories, and tied Missouri's single-season record for sacks. He was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week in two consecutive weeks, after recording three sacks apiece in games against the Arkansas State Red Wolves and the Vanderbilt Commodores. After the season, Sam was named the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, with C. J. Mosley of the University of Alabama, and a first-team all-SEC selection.


title: Michael Sam

text: Sam was named a first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, Associated Press, "Sporting News", the American Football Coaches Association, and the Football Writers Association of America. He was also named a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Hendricks Award, and the Lombardi Award. Missouri played in the 2014 Cotton Bowl Classic, in which Sam forced a fumble which was returned for a touchdown, securing Missouri's victory over the Oklahoma State Cowboys.


title: Michael Sam

text: During his college career, Sam accumulated 123 tackles, including 36 for loss, 21 sacks, six forced fumbles and two intercepted passes. He graduated from Missouri in December 2013. He participated in the 2014 Senior Bowl in January 2014; considered too small to play as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL), he played as an outside linebacker. Sam struggled at the new position.


title: Michael Sam

text: Early projections had Sam as a third- or fourth-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. His performance in the NFL Scouting Combine in February 2014 was seen as disappointing, which lowered expectations about whether he would be taken in the draft. He was considered to be too small to play defensive end and too slow to play outside linebacker. He showed improvement at a public workout a month later, but his pre-draft rankings ranged from 12th to 25th among defensive ends. At the 2013 draft, 33 defensive ends were selected overall, with 23 taken in the final four rounds.


title: Michael Sam

text: The St. Louis Rams drafted Sam in the seventh round, the 249th of 256 players selected in the 2014 draft. He became the first publicly gay player to be drafted into the NFL. In a statement, President Barack Obama said that he "congratulates Michael Sam, the Rams and the NFL for taking an important step forward today in our Nation's journey" and that "[f]rom the playing field to the corporate boardroom, LGBT Americans prove every day that you should be judged by what you do and not who you are." St. Louis Rams jerseys bearing his name became the second best selling rookie jerseys at the NFL's website behind Cleveland Browns' quarterback (and Heisman Trophy winner) Johnny Manziel. During the period from April 1 through July 17, Sam's jersey ranked sixth in sales among all NFL players.


title: Michael Sam

text: Sam made his professional debut on August 8, 2014, during the first preseason game against the New Orleans Saints, where he made one tackle in the game on quarterback Ryan Griffin. During the second preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, Sam recorded his first professional sack where he sacked Matt Flynn. In preseason game 3 against the Cleveland Browns, Sam sacked Manziel. In four exhibition games, Sam recorded 11 tackles and 3 sacks, including a team-leading 6 tackles in the final game. "I believe he can play in this league", Rams coach Jeff Fisher said, two days before cutting him from the roster. On August 30, St. Louis released Sam as part of a final round of cuts to reduce their roster to the league-mandated 53 players before the start of the regular season. The Rams, who kept nine defensive linemen, chose to retain undrafted rookie Ethan Westbrooks over Sam. While their statistics were similar, Westbrooks provided the versatility to play all four defensive line positions, while Sam had been playing virtually exclusively as a left defensive end. Of the 41 picks in the seventh round in the 2014 draft, only 22 made initial 53-man rosters. Opting to add depth at other positions, St. Louis did not add Sam to their practice squad after he cleared waivers. Many people believe that the decision to cut Sam from the NFL was due to the underlying issue of homophobia within American football.


title: Michael Sam

text: On September 3, 2014, Sam was added to the practice squad of the Dallas Cowboys. On October 21, the Cowboys waived Sam to make room for linebacker Troy Davis.


title: Michael Sam

text: On May 22, 2015, Sam signed a two-year contract with Montreal Alouettes of the CFL, which made him the first openly gay player in the league's history.


title: Michael Sam

text: On June 12, a day before the Alouettes' first preseason game, Sam was granted permission to leave camp for "personal reasons" to return home to Texas, and was placed on the suspended list. The specific reason for his departure has never been publicized. On June 26, the team announced Sam had returned to Montreal and would resume practicing with the team on June 30. After sitting out the team's first five games, he made his CFL debut on August 7, 2015, against the Ottawa Redblacks, and became the first publicly gay player to play in a CFL regular season game. He did not record a tackle in the game. Sam missed the next game after the team reported he had a sore back. He left the team the following day, citing concerns with his mental health after a 12-month stretch which he described as "difficult". Montreal again placed him on their suspended list. After leaving Montreal, Sam told radio host Dan Patrick on his show he never wanted to play in the CFL to begin with. "It was a really last call to go to the CFL. I never really wanted to go to the CFL, but I did and I committed to going".


title: Michael Sam

text: On August 14, 2015, Sam announced, on Twitter, he was stepping away from professional football due to mental health reasons. He was out of football for seven years. In that time, he shared his experiences as an author and motivational speaker. In 2022, it was announced that Sam would return to the field after his signing with the Barcelona Dragons in the European League of Football was made public.


title: Michael Sam

text: On April 10, 2022, it was announced that Sam had been hired as the assistant defensive line coach for the Barcelona Dragons of the European League of Football.


title: Michael Sam

text: On June 1, the team announced that Sam had been signed as a player after a roster spot opened up. He started as a defensive lineman in the team's first game just days later on June 5.


title: Michael Sam

text: Sam is the seventh of eight children born to JoAnn and Michael Alan Sam, Sr. His parents separated when he was young. As a child, Sam watched one of his older brothers die from a gunshot wound. Another older brother has been missing since 1998, and his other two brothers are in prison. A sister who was born before him died in infancy. At one point in his childhood, Sam lived in his mother's car. He was once accidentally maced by police who were arresting one of his brothers.


title: Michael Sam

text: Sam argued with his mother, a Jehovah's Witness, over playing football, as she did not agree with those pursuits. Sam often stayed with friends while in high school; the parents of a classmate gave him a bedroom in their house and had him complete household chores. Sam is the first member of his family to attend college.


title: Michael Sam

text: In August 2013, Sam took the opportunity of a team introduce-yourself session to inform his Missouri teammates that he was gay, and found them supportive. He avoided talking to the media to avoid addressing rumors of his sexuality. He came out to his father a week before coming out publicly. "The New York Times" wrote that his father, a self-described "old-school ... man-and-a-woman type of guy", said "I don't want my grandkids raised in that kind of environment." His father told the "Galveston Daily News" that he was "terribly misquoted", though "The New York Times" maintained that he was quoted "accurately and fairly."


title: Michael Sam

text: On February 9, 2014, in an interview with Chris Connelly on ESPN's "Outside the Lines", Sam responded to questions about his coming-out experience and his status as one of college football's first openly self-acknowledged gay players. At the time, no active NFL player had ever come out publicly. Anonymous NFL executives told "Sports Illustrated" they expected Sam to fall in the draft as a result of his announcement. Those statements caused National Football League Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith to respond that any team official who anonymously downgrades Sam is "gutless". From jail, his brother Josh said, "I'm proud of him for not becoming like me. I still love him, whatever his lifestyle is. He's still my brother and I love him."


title: Michael Sam

text: The week after his ESPN interview, Sam returned to Missouri with the Tigers football team to accept the 2014 Cotton Bowl championship trophy at a ceremony held at the halftime of a Missouri Tigers basketball game at Mizzou Arena. Anti-gay activist Shirley Phelps-Roper and about 15 other members of the Westboro Baptist Church, an organization widely considered a hate group, protested his appearance. Students organized a counter-protest numbering in the thousands, assembling a "human wall" in front of the protesters.


title: Michael Sam

text: After being drafted by the Rams, Sam's emotional reaction to his draft was broadcast live on television, during which he kissed his boyfriend, Vito Cammisano. Reported to have been dating Sam for several months, Cammisano is a fellow alum of the University of Missouri and was a member of the school's swim team. In January 2015, Sam and Cammisano announced their engagement. However, the couple ended their relationship in June 2015, although they have remained friends.


title: Michael Sam

text: In April 2016 Sam spoke with LGBTQ advocacy groups at the Missouri State Capitol against a bill that would enable discrimination against LGBTQ people and personally lobbied state legislators.


title: Michael Sam

text: On February 24, 2015, Sam was announced as one of the celebrities to compete on the 20th season of "Dancing with the Stars". He partnered with professional dancer Peta Murgatroyd. They were eliminated in the fourth week of competition and finished in tenth place.


title: Michael Sam

text: Sam won the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2014 ESPY Awards. He was named one of "GQ"s Men of the Year, and a finalist for "Sports Illustrated"s Sportsman of the Year.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: Smurfs: The Lost Village is a 2017 American computer-animated fantasy adventure comedy film based on "The Smurfs" comic series by Peyo, produced by Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation and The Kerner Entertainment Company, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. A reboot of Sony's previous live-action/animated hybrid films and the third installment in Sony's "Smurfs" film series, the film was directed by Kelly Asbury from a screenplay by Stacey Harman and Pamela Ribon, and stars the voices of Demi Lovato, Rainn Wilson, Joe Manganiello, Mandy Patinkin, Jack McBrayer, Danny Pudi, Michelle Rodriguez, Ellie Kemper, Jake Johnson, Ariel Winter, Meghan Trainor, and Julia Roberts. In the film, a mysterious map prompts Smurfette, Brainy, Clumsy, and Hefty to find a lost village before Gargamel does. The film introduced the female Smurfs, who appeared in the franchise the following year.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: "Smurfs: The Lost Village" premiered on April 2, 2017 and was released in the United States on April 7, 2017 to mixed reviews from critics and audiences (although some considered it an improvement over the previous two films), and grossed over $197 million worldwide against a $60 million budget. The film was dedicated to Jonathan Winters, the voice of Papa Smurf in the original film series who died in 2013, Anton Yelchin, the voice of Clumsy Smurf, and Nine Culliford, wife of Peyo, who both died in 2016.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: A stand-alone sequel television series produced by Dupuis Édition & Audiovisuel with the same art style but without Sony's involvement, "The Smurfs", premiered on Nickelodeon & TF1 on 2021.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: In Smurf Village, the Smurfs live peacefully among themselves, each other, and their leader Papa Smurf. Some of the Smurfs include Clumsy Smurf, Brainy Smurf, Hefty Smurf and Smurfette, who was created by the evil wizard Gargamel from a lump of clay, but was redeemed by Papa Smurf and became part of the village, and yet, she feels that she does not fit in as she tries to find her purpose in life, which the other Smurfs have. Meanwhile, Gargamel makes it his mission to capture the Smurfs, steal all of their essence, and become the most powerful wizard in the world.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: During a smurfboarding trip one day, Smurfette discovers a possible Smurf creature, only to get captured by Gargamel and taken to his castle. There, she accidentally reveals a hat the creature dropped, enabling Gargamel to create a brew that causes him to locate the village on a map. Soon enough Hefty, Brainy, and Clumsy help Smurfette escape and they return to Smurf Village, where Papa Smurf confines them to their houses as punishment for almost disobeying his orders, dismissing their claims of the existence of another Smurfs village. However, Smurfette sneaks out to look for the lost village with Brainy, Clumsy, and Hefty joining her, but Gargamel soon discovers them trying to find the village and heads out with his pet cat Azrael and his pet vulture Monty to stop them.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: The four follow the map and end up in various adventures and encountering bizarre creatures, including a colony of fire-breathing dragonflies (who are provoked into attacking the Smurfs by Gargamel) and a cavern maze, from which they eventually escape with the help a stampede of glowing green rabbits. Eventually, the four Smurfs reach to a river where they sail on a handmade raft to get to the lost village, only to encounter Gargamel, Azrael, and Monty again. Following a brief chase, Gargamel is thrown out of his own raft, leading the Smurfs to save him. However instead of thanking them, he pushes them out of their own raft, leaving them to plunge down a waterfall.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: The four are soon captured by the leaf-covered creatures who reveal themselves to be female Smurfs. They are taken to Smurfy Grove where they meet Smurf Storm, Smurf Blossom, Smurf Lily (the Smurf from earlier), Smurf Melody, and their leader Smurf Willow, who all welcome the Smurfs to their home. Smurf Storm and Clumsy head away from the village to locate Gargamel and alert the others. During the trip, Clumsy reveals that Smurfette was created by Gargamel, which causes Smurf Storm to distrust Smurfette. Gargamel, who was led into a piranha-infested swamp, and Azrael spot Clumsy and Smurf Storm, and has Monty attack them, but they fly away to return to the village.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: Following a village tour, Smurfette begins to grow accustomed to life in Smurfy Grove, much to the dismay of Hefty and Brainy. Smurf Storm and Clumsy come back revealing that Smurfette was created by Gargamel. The female Smurfs prepare an attack that night but instead of Gargamel, Papa Smurf having discovered the quartet's absence, arrives to bring them home and the female Smurfs accept him into their home. Unfortunately, Gargamel, Azrael, and Monty suddenly invade and destroy Smurfy Grove, capturing every Smurf. However, Smurfette is spared because Gargamel has noted that she is not a real Smurf, and thus, is of no more use to him, and they leave. Feeling heartbroken for her actions, Smurfette is shown a picture of herself with her friends, and after realizing what not being a real Smurf truly means, she heads back to Gargamel's lair to save her fellow Smurfs.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: At Gargamel's lair, Brainy makes a plan to escape, which Papa Smurf and Smurf Willow accept. Hefty, Brainy, Clumsy, and some of the female Smurfs succeed at the plan until Gargamel and Azrael spot them and put Clumsy and some other female Smurfs into his Smurfilator, a machine capable of extracting their essence. But before the plan succeeds, Smurfette arrives and deceives Gargamel into believing she wants to be an evil Smurf again. Satisfied at her false proclamation, Gargamel willingly tries to turn Smurfette evil again, only to realize that Smurfette is actually absorbing his magical powers instead, to the point where the lair explodes, sending him, Azrael, and Monty flying back into the piranha lake. The Smurfs are freed but despite their victory, Smurfette has been reverted to a lifeless lump of clay.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: Back at Smurf Village, the Smurfs make a memorial for Smurfette, and silently mourn her loss, with Papa Smurf referring to her as the truest Smurf of them all. Luckily, their energy and love for Smurfette brings her back to life and everybody happily celebrates. In the end, Smurfette finds her purpose, to be anything she wants to be.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: During the credits, Gargamel, Azrael, and Monty walk back to their lair and Gargamel wrongfully blames Azrael for ruining his plans instead of his own idiocy, and thus, reveals Azrael's adoption, while trying to stop the music and the rolling credits.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: On May 10, 2012, two weeks after they announced production of "The Smurfs 2", Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation were already developing a script for "The Smurfs 3" with writers Karey Kirkpatrick and Chris Poche. Hank Azaria, who played Gargamel in the first two films, revealed that the third film "might actually deal with the genuine origin of how all these characters ran into each other way back when." Plans for a second sequel were later scrapped, with a completely computer-animated reboot to be produced instead.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: Kelly Asbury was confirmed as director in March 2014. It was revealed that the film would explore the origins of the Smurfs, and feature a new take on the characters, with designs and environments more closely following the artwork created by Peyo, the creator of the Smurfs franchise.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: Jordan Kerner served as producer, with Mary Ellen Bauder co-producing. On June 14, 2015, Sony Pictures Animation confirmed the original title of "Get Smurfy", along with a first look at the film. On February 12, 2016, it was confirmed that the film had been retitled to "Smurfs: The Lost Village". LStar Capital and Wanda Pictures co-financed the film.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: On January 16, 2015, Mandy Patinkin was added to the cast of the animated adventure film to voice Papa Smurf, who was previously voiced by Jonathan Winters in the live-action/CGI films. On June 14, 2015, Demi Lovato was revealed as the voice of Smurfette, and Rainn Wilson as Gargamel. Since the release of "The Smurfs 2" in 2013, two of the Smurfs voice actors from the previous franchise had died, Jonathan Winters who voiced Papa Smurf, and Anton Yelchin, who voiced Clumsy Smurf. The film was dedicated to Winters' and Yelchin's memory. Frank Welker, who voices Gargamel's pet cat Azrael, is the only voice actor to reprise his role from the live-action films.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: In October 2016, it was confirmed that Christopher Lennertz would be composing the score for the film. In December 2016, it was reported that singer Meghan Trainor had recorded a song for the film titled "I'm a Lady", which was released as a single. Shaley Scott is featured in two songs, "You Will Always Find Me in Your Heart" and "The Truest Smurf of All".


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: The film was initially set for release on August 14, 2015, but on May 1, 2014, the release date was pushed back to August 5, 2016. In March 2015, the release date was pushed back again to March 31, 2017. a teaser trailer online for August 14, 2016. In March 2016, the release date was pushed back one final time to April 7, 2017.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: "Smurfs: The Lost Village" was released on Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray, and DVD on July 11, 2017 by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The film debuted in second place on the Top 20 NPD VideoScan First Alert chart, behind "The Fate of the Furious".


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: "Smurfs: The Lost Village" grossed $45 million in North America and $152.2 million in other territories for a worldwide gross of $197.2 million, against a production budget of $60 million.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: In North America, the film opened alongside "Going in Style" and "The Case for Christ" and was projected to gross around $16–20 million in its opening weekend from 3,602 theaters. It ended up opening to $13.2 million, marking the lowest debut of the "Smurfs" franchise by a wide margin and finishing 3rd at the box office.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: "Smurfs: The Lost Village" received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 40% based on 97 reviews and an average rating of 4.8/10. The website's critical consensus reads, ""Smurfs: The Lost Village" may satisfy very young viewers and hardcore Smurfaholics, but its predictable story and bland animation continue the franchise's recent mediocre streak." On Metacritic, the film has a score 40 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, an improvement over the "A−" score earned by both previous "Smurfs" films. In 2018, the film was awarded The ReFrame Stamp in the 2017 Narrative & Animated Feature Recipients category.


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: Alonzo Duralde of TheWrap wrote, "It's significant that two female writers have taken a character who's mainly just existed to be cute and seductive and turned her into a full-fledged member of this universe." Owen Glieberman of "Variety" said, "It's a pure digital fantasy, with elegant and tactile animation, so it's more true to the Smurf spirit, and should perform solidly."


title: Smurfs: The Lost Village

text: Frank Scheck of "The Hollywood Reporter" wrote, ""Smurfs: The Lost Village" is a mediocre effort that nonetheless succeeds in its main goal of keeping its blue characters alive for future merchandising purposes."


title: Peyton Reed

text: Peyton Tucker Reed (born July 3, 1964) is an American television and film director. He directed the comedy films "Bring It On", "Down with Love", "The Break-Up", and "Yes Man", as well as the superhero film "Ant-Man" and its sequels.


title: Peyton Reed

text: Reed was born in Raleigh, North Carolina and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating in 1987 with a degree in English and Radio, Television & Motion Pictures. He was a DJ for WXYC, the UNC student radio station, while enrolled at the university. He worked as a van driver on the set of "Bull Durham" in 1987, which was partially filmed in Raleigh.


title: Peyton Reed

text: Reed's directorial debut, the motion picture "Bring It On", was a number one box office hit. He also directed "Down with Love", and "The Break-Up"; all comedy films. He has also acted in small roles in some films including his own and has written a few original songs for his soundtracks. He has also produced a few music videos.


title: Peyton Reed

text: Peyton Reed was originally set to direct the 20th Century Fox production "Fantastic Four", before departing the project and being replaced by director Tim Story.


title: Peyton Reed

text: Reed directed the 2008 film "Yes Man", starring Jim Carrey. "Yes Man" is an adaptation of Danny Wallace's autobiography about his decision to say "yes" to whatever offer, invitation, challenge, or opportunity that is presented to him.


title: Peyton Reed

text: Reed replaced Edgar Wright as the director of "Ant-Man". Prior to joining the production of "Ant-Man", Reed was slated to direct a Brian Epstein biopic, based on the graphic novel "The Fifth Beatle". However, his commitment to the superhero film required him to part ways with "The Fifth Beatle". Reed then went on to direct "Ant-Man and the Wasp", the sequel to "Ant-Man". He is set to direct the third Ant-Man film, "".


title: Peyton Reed

text: Reed directed two episodes from the second season of the Disney+ series "The Mandalorian", part of the "Star Wars" franchise.


title: Peyton Reed

text: Reed lives in the Los Angeles area with his second wife Sheila Naghshineh and their two sons. He was previously married to Beth LaMure from 1998 to 2006.


title: Peyton Reed

text: He plays in the band Cardinal Family Singers with Norwood Cheek. The band has released three albums, and their instrumental song "Tilting Scale" is featured in "Ant-Man and the Wasp".


title: Alappuzha

text: Alappuzha or Alleppey () is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha district in state of Kerala, India. The Backwaters of Alappuzha are one of the most popular tourist attractions in India which attracts millions of domestic and international tourists.


title: Alappuzha

text: Alleppey is a city and a municipality in Kerala with an urban population of 174,164 and ranks third among the districts in literacy rate in the state. In 2016, the Centre for Science and Environment rated Alappuzha as the cleanest town in India. Alappuzha is considered to be the oldest planned city in this region and the lighthouse built on the coast of the city is the first of its kind along the Laccadive Sea coast.


title: Alappuzha

text: The city is 55 km from Kochi and 155 km north of Thiruvananthapuram. A town with canals, backwaters, beaches, and lagoons, Alappuzha was described by George Curzon, Viceroy of India at the start of the 20th century, as the "Venice of the East." Hence, it is known as the "Venetian Capital" of Kerala.


title: Alappuzha

text: It is an important tourist destination in India. It connects Kumarakom and Cochin to the North and Kollam to the South. It is also the access point for the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race, held on the Punnamada Lake, near Alappuzha, on the second Saturday of August every year. This is amongst the most popular and competitive boat races in India.


title: Alappuzha

text: Alappuzha was home to the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising against the Separate American Model independent Travancore proposal and also the revolt against the Feudal raj. Over 200 Communist party members were killed by the army of the Diwan at Punnapra. Coir is the most important commodity manufactured in Alappuzha. The Coir Board was established by the Central Government under the provisions of the Coir Industry Act, 1955. A Central Coir Research Institute is located at Kalavoor.


title: Alappuzha

text: Carved out of the erstwhile Kottayam and Kollam districts, Alappuzha district was formed on 17 August 1957 and consisted initially of seven taluks, namely Cherthala, Ambalappuzha, Kuttanad, Chengannur, Karthikappally and Mavelikkara.


title: Alappuzha

text: The name Ᾱlappuzha is a toponym. ‘Ᾱlayam’ means ‘home’ and ‘puzha’, according to Dr. Herman Gundert's dictionary, means ‘watercourse’ or ‘river’. The name refers to the network of waterways and backwaters in Alappuzha and its surrounding areas. The district is bounded on the north by Kochi and Kanayannur taluks of Ernakulam district, on the east by Vaikom, Kottayam and Changanassery taluks of Kottayam district and Thiruvalla and Kozhencherry taluks of Pathanamthitta district, on the South by Kunnathur and Karunagappally taluks of Kollam district and on the west by Laccadive Sea.


title: Alappuzha

text: The present Alappuzha district comprises six taluks, namely Cherthala, Ambalappuzha, Kuttanad, Karthikappally, Chengannur and Mavelikkara. The area of the district is . Its headquarters is located at Alappuzha.


title: Alappuzha

text: Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala, with its paddy fields, small streams and canals with lush green coconut palms, was well known even from the early periods of the Sangam age. History says Alappuzha had trade relations with Greece and Rome in the Middle Ages.


title: Alappuzha

text: The early Cheras, who had their home in Kuttanad, were called `Kuttuvans`, so named after this place. Pliny and Ptolemy of the 1st and 2nd centuries had mentioned places like Purakkad or Barace in their classical works.


title: Alappuzha

text: Literary works like "Unnuneeli Sandesam" give some insight into the ancient period of this district. Archaeological antiquities, such as the stone inscriptions, historical monuments found in the temples, churches, and rock-cut caves, also emphasise the historic importance of Alappuzha District. Christianity had a foothold in this district, even from the 1st century AD. The church located at Kokkamangalam was one of the seven churches founded by St. Thomas, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. It is generally believed that he landed at Maliankara in Muziris Port, presently known as Cranganore or Kodungallur, in 52 AD and preached Christianity in South India.


title: Alappuzha

text: The district flourished in religion and culture under the second Chera Empire, during 9th to 12th centuries AD. The literary work, `Ascharya Choodamani`, a Sanskrit drama written by Sakthibhadran, a scholar of Chengannur, enables us to know many pertinent facts. Further, the temple on Lord Ayyappan, in Mukkal vattam near Muhamma in Alappuzha District, is called Cheerappanchira, for the Kalari from which Lord Ayyappa learnt his martial arts. A recent album by P. Unni Krishnan on Lord Ayyappa, titled 'Sabarimalai Va Charanam Solli Va', has songs illustrating the history of this temple and Lord Ayyappa's stay here before he went to conquer the Mahishi Demon.


title: Alappuzha

text: Since landing in Calicut in 1498, the Portuguese started playing an influential role in Alappuzha. They began by spreading Catholicism and converting already existing Christians into Catholics. The famous St. Andrew's Basilica was built by them during this period. In the 17th century, as the Portuguese power declined, the Dutch gained a predominant position in the principalities of this district. They built many factories and warehouses for storing pepper and ginger, relying on several treaties signed between the Dutch and the Rajas of Purakkad, Kayamkulam and Karappuram. In course of time they also delved into the political and cultural affairs of the district. At that time Maharaja Marthanda Varma (1706–1758), who was the 'Maker of modern Travancore', intervened in the political affairs of those princedoms.


title: Alappuzha

text: Travancore Dewan Ramayyan Dalawa (d. 1756) resided in Mavelikkara where he had a palace built by Marthanda Varma. After the death of his wife, Ramayyan consorted with a Nair lady from Mavelikkara of the Edassery family (PGN Unnithan, a member of this family, later became the last Dewan of Travancore in 1947). After his death Ramayyan's descendants left Travancore to settle in Pudukkottai in Tamil Nadu. His Nair consort was given gifts and presents and special allowances from the Travancore government in recognition of his services to the state while his own descendants were bestowed with the honorific title of Dalawa.


title: Alappuzha

text: In the 19th century the district saw progress in many spheres. One of the five subordinate courts opened in the state in connection with the reorganization of the judicial system by Colonel George Monro was located at Mavelikkara. The first post office and first telegraph office in the former Travancore state were established in this district. The first manufacturing factory for the coir mats was established in 1859. In 1894 the city Improvement Committee was set up.


title: Alappuzha

text: The district played a role in the freedom struggle of the country. The struggles of Punnapra and Vayalar in 1946 arrayed the people against Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, who was Dewan of Travancore. This led to Ramaswami Iyer's exit from the political scene of Travancore. A popular Ministry was formed in Travancore on 24 March 1948 after India's independence. Travancore and Cochin states were integrated on 1 July 1949. This arrangement continued until the formation of Kerala State on 1 November 1956, under the States Reorganisation Act 1956. The district came into existence as a separate administrative unit on 1 August 1957.


title: Alappuzha

text: Raja Kesavadas, the Dewan of Travancore during the reign of Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma in 18th century was well known for his planning skills and administrative acumen. He was the master mind in developing the Alappuzha town.


title: Alappuzha

text: He found Alappuzha as an ideal location and constructing a well planned port city in Travancore. Alappuzha was most suitable, because of the geographical and oceanic reasons. He constructed two parallel canals for bringing goods to port from backwaters and offered infrastructural facilities to merchants and traders from Surat, Mumbai and Kutch to start industrial enterprises, trading, and cargo centres. Alappuzha attained progress and became the financial nerve centre of Travancore during his time. The port was opened in 1762, mainly for the export of coir-matting and coir-yarn. Kesavadas built three ships for trade with Calcutta and Bombay, and alleppey afforded a convenient depot for the storage and disposal of goods produce in the east.


title: Alappuzha

text: Alappuzha covers an area of and is flanked by of Vembanad Lake, where six major rivers spread out before joining the 80 km coast line of the district. The city of Alappuzha is crisscrossed by a system of canals, which is a part of the National Waterway 3.


title: Alappuzha

text: The district is a sandy strip of land intercepted by lagoons, rivers and canals. There are no mountains or hills in the district except some scattered hillocks lying between Bharanikkavu and Chengannur blocks in the eastern portion of the district. There are no forest area in this district.


title: Alappuzha

text: Alappuzha is bounded by the Laccadive Sea on its west. The town has a network of lakes, lagoons and fresh water rivers. The richness of the coastal Alappuzha waters is expressed annually in the blooming and consequent deposit of a huge quantity of fishes and prawns on the Alappuzha coast called ‘[Chakara]’. This annual shifting of sandbank appears during the post-monsoon period and contributes to the local economy and is a festive season for the people of Kerala. The annual floods rejuvenate and cleanse the soil and water due to which there is abundance of marine life like prawns, lobsters, fishes, turtles and other flora in the sea.


title: Alappuzha

text: The backwaters and wetlands host thousands of migrant common teal, ducks and cormorants every year who reach here from long distances. A major feature of the area is the region called Kuttanad, the 'granary of Kerala'. Kuttanad is also known as the rice bowl of Kerala and is one of the few places in the world where farming is done below sea level. The paddy fields lie about 0.6 to 2 m below mean sea level.


title: Alappuzha

text: Owing to its proximity to the sea, the climate of Alappuzha is humid and hot during the summer, although it remains fairly cool and pleasant during the months of October and November. The average monthly temperature is 27 degree Celsius. The district gets the benefit of two seasonal monsoons, as in other parts of the state. Alappuzha town experiences a long monsoon season with heavy showers as both the Southwest and Northeast monsoon influences the weather of Alappuzha. The South-west monsoon affects the climate in the months from June to September. On the other hand, the North-east monsoon brings rain from October to November. The average rainfall received by the region is 2763 mm.


title: Alappuzha

text: According to the 2011 census, Alappuzha Municipality+Outgrowths had a population of 240,991 with 116,439 men and 124,552 women. The City spreads over Alappuzha municipality and the outgrowths of Punnapra and Kalarcode villages with an area of and population density of 3,675 persons per square kilometre. There were 22,361 persons under six years of age. The literacy rate of Alappuzha city stands at 95.81% with 209,201 literates where 101,927 are males (97.3%) and 107,274 are females (94.43%). Alappuzha had a sex ratio of 1070.


title: Alappuzha

text: The population is predominantly Hindus, and there are sizeable numbers of Christians and Muslims. The most widely spoken language is Malayalam, although many people speak Konkani.


title: Alappuzha

text: The standard dialect of Malayalam spoken is Central Travancore dialect. Konkani is a language that is spoken in the Konkan region. During the Portuguese and Dutch invasions of the 16th and 18th centuries, many Konkanis migrated southwards to Thuravoor, Cherthala and Alappuzha in the state of Travancore as well as other places in Kerala like Cochin, Kodungalloor, and Kollam. A majority of these people got settled in Alappuzha.


title: Alappuzha

text: The economy of the district is based on agriculture and marine products. The agricultural activities predominantly revolve around the Kuttanad region, the rice bowl of Kerala. Though the district is industrially backward, some traditional industries based on coir and coir products, marine products, handlooms, different types of handicrafts, toddy tapping have been active from the very early times. The district is known as the traditional home of coir industry in Kerala.


title: Alappuzha

text: The availability of raw materials and the existence of backwaters and canals suitable for the getting of green husk and accessibility of transportation are the main factors of the development of this industry. Arabs had carried on trade in coir products from very ancient period. The manufacture of mats and mattings were first introduced in 1859 by Mr. James Durragh.


title: Alappuzha

text: The Coir Board was established by the Central Government under the provisions of the Coir Industry Act in 1955. A coir research institute functions at Kalavoor. The National Coir Training and Designing Centre was established at Alappuzha in 1965.


title: Alappuzha

text: Coir is the most important commodity manufactured in Alappuzha, Kayamkulam, Kokkothamangalam, Komalapuram, Mannancherry, Muhamma and Vayalar, Coir products are available in Cherthala and Mannancherry, Lime shell in Arookutty and Kodamthuruth, Plywood in Chengannur, Keltron controls in Aroor, Potassium Chloride in Mavelikkara and coconut in Thanneermukkom. The other important commodities manufactured in these towns are copra, coconut oil, glass, mats and matches.


title: Alappuzha

text: In recent times, tourism has become a major source of revenue. This is mainly due to the presence of houseboats that provide the tourists with a view of the scenic backwaters of the town. Another reason is the proximity to other tourist spots like Munnar, Varkala, Alappuzha and Wayanad.


title: Alappuzha

text: The major occupation in Alappuzha is farming. The Rice Bowl of Kerala, Kuttanadu is located in Alappuzha. Large farming areas near Vembanad Lake were reclaimed from the lake. In earlier times, the reclamation was done mainly from the shallow part of the Vembanad Lake or from the periphery of river Pamba. These reclamations constituted small areas of paddy fields called "Padsekharam". The bailing out of water from those fields were done manually using water wheels ("Chakram"). Gradually the manual method used for bailing out of water gave way to steam engines.


title: Alappuzha

text: Three stages can be identified in the reclamation of lands from the Vembanad Lake. In the first stage it was carried out by private entrepreneurs without any financial support from the part of the government. The "Pattom Proclamation", made by the Travancore Kingdom in the year 1865, gave a great boost to the reclamation activities between 1865 and 1890. During this period de-watering of the polders were done manually, using waterwheels, restricting large-scale reclamations. Only about 250 hectares of land were reclaimed during this period. Venadu Lake and Madathil Lake that were reclaimed during this period are considered as the first "Kayal Nilam" (lake-reclaimed land) which were reclaimed from Vembanad Lake. The pioneering reclamation activity of lake-reclamation and cultivation was made by two brothers Pallithanam Luca Matthai and Ouseph Luka Pallithanam belonging to Kainady village in Kuttanadu. The period between 1865 and 1890 is usually considered as the first phase of lake-cultivation.


title: Alappuzha

text: The introduction of kerosene engines for dewatering resulted in the reclamation of wider areas of the lake for cultivation. It made the farmers consider venturing into the deeper parts of the lake. During the period between 1898 and 1903, reclamation activity was led by Pallithanam Luca Mathai (alias Pallithanathu Mathaichen) who reclaimed the Cherukara Kayal and Pallithanam Moovayiram Kayal.


title: Alappuzha

text: The second phase (1890 to 1903) of reclamation activities came to a halt because of the ban on lake reclamation imposed by the Madras Government in 1903. Cherukali Kayal, Rama Rajapuram Kayal, Aarupanku Kayal, Pantharndu Panku kayal and Mathi Kayal were the other major reclamations during this period.


title: Alappuzha

text: In 1912, the Madras Government approved a proposal from the Travencore Government for further reclamations in three stages. Under this reclamation scheme areas were notified for reclamation in blocks each named by an alphabet letter. Out of the total area of 19,500 acres of reclaimed land 12,000 acres were reclaimed between 1913 and 1920. The reclamations between 1914 and 1920 are known as new reclamations, which were carried out in three periods. In the first period Blocks A to G measuring 6300 Acres were reclaimed. C Block, D Block (Attumukham Aarayiram (Attumuttu Kayal), Thekke Aarayiram and Vadakke Aarayiram) and E Block (Erupathinalayiram Kayal) F Block (Judge's Aarayiram Kayal) and G Block (Kochu Kayal) are the major reclamations during this period.


title: Alappuzha

text: During the second period of new reclamation, blocks H to N measuring 3600 acres were reclaimed. During the third period of new reclamation, R Block measuring 1,400 acres were reclaimed.


title: Alappuzha

text: Due to the steep decline in the price of rice during 1920 to 1940, the reclamation activities became sluggish, but they gained momentum again in the early 1940s. During this period, in order to increase the agricultural output, government initiated a "Grow More Food" campaign and provided incentives to encourage new reclamations. The advent of electric motors made the reclamation easier, cheaper and less risky as compared to the earlier periods. The last tract of the reclamations namely Q, S and T block were made during this period.