title: Binoculars

text: Binoculars are widely used by amateur astronomers; their wide field of view makes them useful for comet and supernova seeking (giant binoculars) and general observation (portable binoculars). Binoculars specifically geared towards astronomical viewing will have larger aperture objectives (in the 70 mm or 80 mm range) because the diameter of the objective lens increases the total amount of light captured, and therefore determines the faintest star that can be observed. Binoculars designed specifically for astronomical viewing (often 80 mm and larger) are sometimes designed without prisms in order to allow maximum light transmission. Such binoculars also usually have changeable eyepieces to vary magnification. Binoculars with high magnification and heavy weight usually require some sort of mount to stabilize the image. A magnification of 10x is generally considered the practical limit for observation with handheld binoculars. Binoculars more powerful than 15×70 require support of some type. Much larger binoculars have been made by amateur telescope makers, essentially using two refracting or reflecting astronomical telescopes.


title: Binoculars

text: Of particular relevance for low-light and astronomical viewing is the ratio between magnifying power and objective lens diameter. A lower magnification facilitates a larger field of view which is useful in viewing the Milky Way and large nebulous objects (referred to as deep sky objects) such as the nebulae and galaxies. The large (typical 7.14 mm using 7×50) exit pupil [objective (mm)/power] of these devices results in a small portion of the gathered light not being usable by individuals whose pupils do not sufficiently dilate. For example, the pupils of those over 50 rarely dilate over 5 mm wide. The large exit pupil also collects more light from the background sky, effectively decreasing contrast, making the detection of faint objects more difficult except perhaps in remote locations with negligible light pollution. Many astronomical objects of 8 magnitude or brighter, such as the star clusters, nebulae and galaxies listed in the Messier Catalog, are readily viewed in hand-held binoculars in the 35 to 40 mm range, as are found in many households for birding, hunting, and viewing sports events. For observing smaller star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies binocular magnification is an important factor for visibility because these objects appear tiny at typical binocular magnifications.


title: Binoculars

text: Some open clusters, such as the bright double cluster (NGC 869 and NGC 884) in the constellation Perseus, and globular clusters, such as M13 in Hercules, are easy to spot. Among nebulae, M17 in Sagittarius and the North America Nebula (NGC 7000) in Cygnus are also readily viewed. Binoculars can show a few of the wider-split binary stars such as Albireo in the constellation Cygnus.


title: Binoculars

text: A number of Solar System objects that are mostly to completely invisible to the human eye are reasonably detectable with medium-size binoculars, including larger craters on the Moon; the dim outer planets Uranus and Neptune; the inner "minor planets" Ceres, Vesta and Pallas; Saturn's largest moon Titan; and the Galilean moons of Jupiter. Although visible unaided in pollution-free skies, Uranus and Vesta require binoculars for easy detection. 10×50 binoculars are limited to an apparent magnitude of +9.5 to +11 depending on sky conditions and observer experience. Asteroids like Interamnia, Davida, Europa and, unless under exceptional conditions, Hygiea, are too faint to be seen with commonly sold binoculars. Likewise too faint to be seen with most binoculars are the planetary moons, except the Galileans and Titan, and the dwarf planets Pluto and Eris. Other difficult binocular targets include the phases of Venus and the rings of Saturn. Only binoculars with very high magnification, 20x or higher, are capable of discerning Saturn's rings to a recognizable extent. High-power binoculars can sometimes show one or two cloud belts on the disk of Jupiter, if optics and observing conditions are sufficiently good.


title: Binoculars

text: Binoculars can also aid in observation of human-made space objects, such as spotting satellites in the sky as they pass.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: 3D computer graphics, or “3D graphics,” sometimes called CGI, 3D-CGI or three-dimensional computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data (often Cartesian) that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering digital images, usually 2D images but sometimes 3D images. The resulting images may be stored for viewing later (possibly as an animation) or displayed in real time.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: 3D computer graphics, contrary to what the name suggests, are most often displayed on two-dimensional displays. Unlike 3D film and similar techniques, the result is two-dimensional, without visual depth. More often, 3D graphics are being displayed on 3D displays, like in virtual reality systems.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: 3D graphics stand in contrast to 2D computer graphics which typically use completely different methods and formats for creation and rendering.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: 3D computer graphics rely on many of the same algorithms as 2D computer vector graphics in the wire-frame model and 2D computer raster graphics in the final rendered display. In computer graphics software, 2D applications may use 3D techniques to achieve effects such as lighting, and similarly, 3D may use some 2D rendering techniques.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: The objects in 3D computer graphics are often referred to as 3D models. Unlike the rendered image, a model's data is contained within a graphical data file. A 3D model is a mathematical representation of "any" three-dimensional object; a model is not technically a "graphic" until it is displayed. A model can be displayed visually as a two-dimensional image through a process called 3D rendering, or it can be used in non-graphical computer simulations and calculations. With 3D printing, models are rendered into an actual 3D physical representation of themselves, with some limitations as to how accurately the physical model can match the virtual model.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: William Fetter was credited with coining the term "computer graphics" in 1961 to describe his work at Boeing. One of the first displays of computer animation was "Futureworld" (1976), which included an animation of a human face and a hand that had originally appeared in the 1971 experimental short "A Computer Animated Hand", created by University of Utah students Edwin Catmull and Fred Parke.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: 3D computer graphics software began appearing for home computers in the late 1970s. The earliest known example is "3D Art Graphics", a set of 3D computer graphics effects, written by Kazumasa Mitazawa and released in June 1978 for the Apple II.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: The model describes the process of forming the shape of an object. The two most common sources of 3D models are those that an artist or engineer originates on the computer with some kind of 3D modeling tool, and models scanned into a computer from real-world objects (Polygonal Modeling, Patch Modeling and NURBS Modeling are some popular tools used in 3d modeling). Models can also be produced procedurally or via physical simulation. Basically, a 3D model is formed from points called vertices that define the shape and form polygons. A polygon is an area formed from at least three vertices (a triangle). A polygon of n points is an n-gon. The overall integrity of the model and its suitability to use in animation depend on the structure of the polygons.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: Before rendering into an image, objects must be laid out in a scene. This defines spatial relationships between objects, including location and size. Animation refers to the temporal description of an object (i.e., how it moves and deforms over time. Popular methods include keyframing, inverse kinematics, and motion capture). These techniques are often used in combination. As with animation, physical simulation also specifies motion.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: Materials and textures are properties that the render engine uses to render the model. One can give the model materials to tell the render engine how to treat light when it hits the surface. Textures are used to give the material color using a color or albedo map, or give the surface features using a bump map or normal map. It can be also used to deform the model itself using a displacement map.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: Rendering converts a model into an image either by simulating light transport to get photo-realistic images, or by applying an art style as in non-photorealistic rendering. The two basic operations in realistic rendering are transport (how much light gets from one place to another) and scattering (how surfaces interact with light). This step is usually performed using 3D computer graphics software or a 3D graphics API. Altering the scene into a suitable form for rendering also involves 3D projection, which displays a three-dimensional image in two dimensions. Although 3D modeling and CAD software may perform 3D rendering as well (e.g., Autodesk 3ds Max or Blender), exclusive 3D rendering software also exists (e.g., OTOY's Octane Rendering Engine, Maxon's Redshift)


title: 3D computer graphics

text: 3D computer graphics software produces computer-generated imagery (CGI) through 3D modeling and 3D rendering or produces 3D models for analytic, scientific and industrial purposes.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: There are many varieties of files supporting 3D graphics, for example, Wavefront .obj files and .x DirectX files. Each file type generally tends to have its own unique data structure.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: Each file format can be accessed through their respective applications, such as DirectX files, and Quake. Alternatively, files can be accessed through third-party standalone programs, or via manual decompilation.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: 3D modeling software is a class of 3D computer graphics software used to produce 3D models. Individual programs of this class are called modeling applications or modelers.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: 3D modeling starts by describing 3 display models : Drawing Points, Drawing Lines and Drawing triangles and other Polygonal patches.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: 3D modelers allow users to create and alter models via their 3D mesh. Users can add, subtract, stretch and otherwise change the mesh to their desire. Models can be viewed from a variety of angles, usually simultaneously. Models can be rotated and the view can be zoomed in and out.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: 3D modelers can export their models to files, which can then be imported into other applications as long as the metadata are compatible. Many modelers allow importers and exporters to be plugged-in, so they can read and write data in the native formats of other applications.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: Most 3D modelers contain a number of related features, such as ray tracers and other rendering alternatives and texture mapping facilities. Some also contain features that support or allow animation of models. Some may be able to generate full-motion video of a series of rendered scenes (i.e. animation).


title: 3D computer graphics

text: Computer aided design software may employ the same fundamental 3D modeling techniques that 3D modeling software use but their goal differs. They are used in computer-aided engineering, computer-aided manufacturing, Finite element analysis, product lifecycle management, 3D printing and computer-aided architectural design.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: After producing video, studios then edit or composite the video using programs such as Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro at the mid-level, or Autodesk Combustion, Digital Fusion, Shake at the high-end. Match moving software is commonly used to match live video with computer-generated video, keeping the two in sync as the camera moves.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: Not all computer graphics that appear 3D are based on a wireframe model. 2D computer graphics with 3D photorealistic effects are often achieved without wireframe modeling and are sometimes indistinguishable in the final form. Some graphic art software includes filters that can be applied to 2D vector graphics or 2D raster graphics on transparent layers. Visual artists may also copy or visualize 3D effects and manually render photorealistic effects without the use of filters.


title: 3D computer graphics

text: Some video games use restricted projections of three-dimensional environments, such as isometric graphics or virtual cameras with fixed angles, either as a way to improve performance of the game engine or for stylistic and gameplay concerns. Such games are said to use pseudo 3D graphics. By contrast, games using 3D computer graphics without such restrictions are said to use "true 3D".


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: "Gold Digger" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, featuring singer Jamie Foxx, from West's second studio album, "Late Registration" (2005). The song includes additional vocals from Plain Pat and Don C. West created the beat in Atlanta. He and Jon Brion produced the song. It was originally set to be recorded for Shawnna's debut studio album, "Worth Tha Weight" (2004), but the song was later passed on to West. On July 5, 2005, it was released to American rhythmic contemporary radio stations by Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam as the second single from West's album. The song set a record for the most digital downloads in a week, selling over 80,000.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: A pop rap song, "Gold Digger" samples Ray Charles's "I Got a Woman" (1954), mainly the line "she give me money when I'm in need". Lyrically, Foxx sets the stage by detailing how he was taken by a "gold digger"; West sings/raps in each verse about the behaviors and characteristics of a gold digger yet playfully refuses to call the woman in question as such outright. The song received widespread acclaim from music critics, who often praised the composition. Some complimented the lyrical content and Foxx's feature, while a few critics highlighted the sample. The song was named to year-end lists for 2005 by multiple publications, including "Eye Weekly" and "NME". Numerous outlets have placed it on retrospective lists, such as VH1 and "Rolling Stone". At the 48th Annual Grammy Awards, the song won Best Rap Solo Performance and also received a nomination for Record of the Year.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: "Gold Digger" topped the US "Billboard" Hot 100, ARIA Singles Chart, and NZ Singles Chart, becoming West's second number-one single on the Hot 100, and his first on the latter two charts. The song reached the top 50 in nine other countries, such as Ireland and the United Kingdom. On "Billboard"s 60th anniversary in 2018, it was ranked the 63rd biggest Hot 100 hit of all time. Having since been certified octuple platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the song places among the highest certified digital singles in the US. It has also been awarded quadruple and triple platinum certifications in Australia and the UK by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and British Phonographic Industry (BPI), respectively.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: An accompanying music video was released in the summer of 2005, directed by Hype Williams. Throughout the video, pin-up girls and moving magazine covers appear alongside West and Foxx. It was nominated in multiple categories at 2006 MTV award shows, including Best Male Video and Favorite Video at the MTV Video Music Awards and MTV Asia Awards, respectively. West performed the song at the MTV Video Music Awards, Grammy Awards, Brit Awards and "Saturday Night Live".


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: The music video was released on YouTube on Kanye West’s YouTube channel on the 16th June 2009. Singer John Legend also makes a cameo. As of Today, the track has over 320 million views and has over 1.7m likes on YouTube.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: West produced "Gold Digger" with record producer and composer Jon Brion. Brion had achieved fame from his distinctive production work for artists and film scores for auteurs, though was lacking experience in hip hop. West became a fan of singer-songwriter Fiona Apple for whom Brion had produced; while watching the 2004 film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", he appreciated Brion's score. The pair became connected via their mutual friend Rick Rubin; West quickly phoned Brion and they instantly formed chemistry with each other. West enlisted him to work on "Late Registration", marking Brion's first involvement in a hip hop project, with the decision creating confusion across his fanbase. Brion imagined people commenting that West has "gone off his rocker" and envisioning him making "an art record with some crazy, left-field music guy", clarifying this not to be "the case whatsoever". The producer recalled West taking charge of production with his strong vision and mentioned the rapper's "quick, intuitive decisions".


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: In late 2003, West previewed an early version of "Gold Digger" with singer John Legend in New York City (NYC). Many surmised that West conceived the song after watching Foxx's portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 biographical film "Ray", contrary to how he actually created the beat at Ludacris' house in Atlanta, Georgia, before the film's creation had begun. West originally came up with the song for Shawnna's 2004 debut studio album "Worth Tha Weight", though she passed it on to him; his A&R representative Plain Pat said her reasoning was unknown. The chorus was originally written by West from a female's point of view, until West wrote the first two verses for himself in 2004, the second of which was performed live by him early that year when touring for his debut album "The College Dropout". West initially planned to re-use a verse from his unreleased track "Drop Dead Gorgeous" for the third verse, before penning a new verse shortly before the release of "Gold Digger". Plain Pat remembered the song's mastering location and regular studio being "right next to each other" at Sony Music Studios in NYC, saying that the team went "back and forth for a week" as they walked over to master content after it was recorded and the process ended when "we cut the final part".


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: During West's meeting with Canadian DJ A-Trak at Sasquatch! Music Festival, the rapper presented a rough version of the song to him. West felt the song was too "poppy" and sought out a style more akin to hip hop, to which A-Trak reacted by coming up with the idea of adding scratches, with confidence of what sample should be used. West reacted positively to the idea and it was mentioned when recording of the song would soon be finished in Los Angeles; the DJ recorded the scratches very late in the process, after the rapper flew him out to the county. After West watched "Ray" with his friend John Mayer, he thought of the idea to have Foxx sing an interpolation of Charles's "I Got a Woman" (1954) in place of the song's initial sample, incase it failed to be cleared. He recorded many takes; one version featured him singing from start to finish, but it was retracted since his vocals did not match properly with the instrumentation. The singer once recorded an explicit ad-lib, though he demanded for it not to be used. Brion composed some extra sounds for "Gold Digger" to finish the basic track during his first session with West, recalling that the rapper was clearly aware of what elements he liked and how he complied: "Great, we'll focus on those things." A sample of "I Got a Woman" was used for the final version, alongside Foxx's interpolation.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: Musically, "Gold Digger" is a bouncy pop rap song, having a basic sound in contrast to the majority of "Late Registration". The song is built around a looped sample of "I Got a Woman", written by Renald Richard and its performer Ray Charles. "Gold Digger" prominently features handclaps and drums that recycle patterns from "The College Dropout" track "Get Em High". The song begins with Foxx's interpolation of "I Got a Woman"; he first sings the line "She takes my mon-eeee". It features scratches of a "get down" vocal that were contributed by A-Trak, appearing within the choruses. A synth coda is also included on the track, as well as additional vocals by Plain Pat and Don C.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: In the lyrics of the song, West raps about being tricked by a woman. West spins the originally written hook "I'm not sayin' I'm a gold digger, but I ain't messin' with no broke niggas", rapping: "I ain't saying she's a gold digger/But she ain't messin' with no broke niggas!" He accompanies the scratches during the choruses, commanding a girl to "go 'head, get down". West jokes about money-grabbing groupies on the song, as well as requesting for a prenup chant. Later on, West lets out the story of a black man that breaks up with a black woman for a white girl after becoming wealthy.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: "Gold Digger" was released to US rhythmic contemporary radio stations as the second single from the album on July 5, 2005, through Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam. On August 2, a 12" vinyl was released for the song by Roc-A-Fella. "Gold Digger" was eventually included as the fourth track on West's second studio album "Late Registration" on August 30, 2005. On September 19, the song was released on a CD maxi single across Europe, through Roc-A-Fella. A CD was later issued for it in France on November 27, 2005, by Def Jam.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: When released on the album, the song was made available for digital download. "Gold Digger" sold over 80,000 digital downloads through legal music services, such as iTunes and Napster, within a week. At the time, the song broke the record for the most digital downloads in one week and also scored the fastest download sales ever, feats that were both previously held by Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" (2005). It was the top selling song on iTunes in 2005. In 2018, "Gold Digger" was streamed 21.2 million times in the United Kingdom, ranking as the most streamed song from 2005 in the country.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: The song was met with widespread acclaim from music critics, mainly being praised for its composition. Jonah Weiner of "Blender" hailed "Gold Digger" as the album's best song, depicting it as letting out "the levels of talent separating West from that guy at the 7-Eleven". He noted how West crafted "a thumping beat" from handclaps and the Charles sample, over which he "jokes about greedy groupies". "The Observer" writer Kitty Empire saw the song as going against the elaborate style of most of "Late Registration", saying it is "deliriously straight up and bouncy". Sean Fennessey of "Pitchfork" stated that the song is simple "but not subtle", delving strongly into obviousness with Foxx's interpolation of Charles and recycled drums, but "succeeding with humor and reverence". Writing for "Uncut", Simon Reynolds commented that although he would have been fond of it sampling Shirley Bassey's "Goldfinger" (1964), the "Charles loop powers this gritty groove". Reynolds asserted that the beginning has "a faux-blues whinge" from Foxx, while West later observes with dry humor.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: "The Guardian" critic Alexis Petridis observed that the song features "the odd sound" of Foxx's Oscar-winning impersonation of Charles, alongside the singer being sampled. "USA Today"s Steve Jones appreciated the song's humor, pointing out that West speaks of "women who will burn a hole in a man's pocket" beside the Charles sample that is accompanied by Fox impersonating him. In "Tiny Mix Tapes", Matty G vastly preferred the singer's interpolation of Charles to his past imitation of Al Green. At the "Los Angeles Times", Robert Hilburn wrote that the song is self-explanatory and has a theme of "marvelous mischievousness", similarly to how "Rolling Stone" reviewer Rob Sheffield viewed West as using it to indulge his style of humor. Jon Pareles from "The New York Times" praised West's "cool arrogance" on the song, noticing him funnily commanding a chant. Azeem Ahmad voiced a less positive response in "musicOMH", commenting that it "hits you with standard pigeon bashing" like a male version of girl group TLC's "No Scrubs" (1999), though affirmed the Charles sample provides "the feel of a rejuvenated Negro Spiritual song". "Entertainment Weekly" journalist David Browne saw an example of predictable paranoia from West in him "warning against a 'Gold Digger'" over a "taut, grunting beat" and a sample of Charles. Veteran critic Robert Christgau wrote for "The Village Voice" that the song is "marked by [a] cognitively dissonant" Foxx's interpolation of the work also sampled, while "misogynistic clichés" are laid on until "the oppressed black male" West defends suddenly abandons a non-gold digger for a white woman.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: In April 2013, singer David Pryor's children Trena Steward and Lorenzo Pryor filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against West for allegedly sampling the "get down" chants from his band Thunder & Lightning's 1974 track "Bumpin' Bus Stop" on "Gold Digger" and also reciting the line on the chorus. The lawsuit reportedly acknowledged the song had been released back in 2005, though mentioned that David Pryor was in a convalescent hospital then with harsh mental and physical disabilities, such as senile dementia and prostate cancer. David possessing no knowledge of his voice having been exploited for commercial profit once he died in 2006 was also acknowledged, as well as how Steward and Lorenzo Pryor lacked the information to file the lawsuit until 2012. The two asked the judges to halt sales of the song, further requesting for "millions of dollars" in royalties. West and various record labels, including Roc-A-Fella and The Island Def Jam Music Group, were accused of being part of a 15-year "illegal copyright infringement scheme and criminal enterprise involving the unauthorized, willful sampling of plaintiffs original copyrighted music on a massive scale" in the lawsuit. In August 2014, California federal judge Beverly Reid O'Connell threw out the majority of the claims, insisting that distorted short samples meant the work would not easily be recognized.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: In the 2005 edition of Shea Serrano's "The Rap Year Book", "Gold Digger" was listed as the most important song of the year. "Eye Weekly" named the song the best single of 2005, with James Simons highlighting West's "good-natured humour and last-line admission of male guilt". He also said people seemed to be too excited by "the squawking Ray Charles sample and characteristic claps" to notice how rap's apparent savior "had just added to [its] overflowing Trifling Bitch Songbook", concluding that "when Kanye drops gold like this, everyone digs it". The song was voted in at number one on "The Village Voice"s Pazz & Jop poll for 2005, scoring 145 points. The results of a poll taken by "Eye Weekly" of critics across Canada that year chose it as the second best single, with 1,442 points. On a "Rolling Stone" readers' poll, the song was voted the third best single of 2005. "Dagsavisen" gave the song the same ranking for the year, while it was placed fourth on "NME"s list of the best tracks. On other lists of 2005's best singles, the song was ranked at number 10 by "", number 12 by Playlouder, and number 14 by "Stylus Magazine".


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: In the 2014 issue of "XXL" that celebrated 40 years of hip hop, the song was chosen as one of the five best singles of 2005. On "Entertainment Weekly"s list of the best single each year from 1990 to 2014, it was named the best of 2005. To celebrate their 16-year anniversary in 2016, NPR selected a favorite song from each year since they started, picking "Gold Digger" for 2005. In 2008, the track was ranked at number 20 on VH1's list of the greatest hip hop songs ever. The track was selected as the sixth best song of the 2000s decade by the network, while "Rolling Stone" picked it as the decade's 29th best. "Gold Digger" was placed at numbers 34 and 40 on respective lists of the best songs of the 2000s by "Slant Magazine" and "NME".


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: In 2018, "Rolling Stone" named the song the 36th greatest of the 21st century. "Highsnobiety" ranked it as West's fifth best song two years later; Bianca said his "innate musical knowledge" is demonstrated via Foxx's interpolation of Charles's work and "a surprise synth-coda" that appears to nod to Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" (1972). In 2014, "NME" listed the track as the 93rd greatest song of all time, while it was also hailed as one of the greatest of all time by "Time" in 2011. "Gold Digger" is included in the 2015 version of Robert Dimery's book "1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die". The song won Best Rap Solo Performance at the 2006 Grammy Awards, standing as one of West's three wins there. At the same ceremony, the song received a nomination for Record of the Year, an award it ultimately lost to Dixie Chicks's "Not Ready to Make Nice". In 2006, the song was awarded Best Collaboration and Hot Rap Track at the BET Awards and "Billboard" R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, respectively.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: An accompanying music video debuted in the summer of 2005. It was directed by frequent West collaborator Hype Williams, who also directed the visual for his previous "Late Registration" single "Diamonds from Sierra Leone". The video was the first of West's to feature cameos from signees to his record label GOOD Music; they further made appearances on his albums and at his shows. It was released to YouTube on June 17, 2009.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: Shot in a widescreen letterboxed format and using lighting, the music video begins with a cameo from Foxx and includes prominent appearances from pin-up girls. Fictional moving magazine covers that feature video vixens are also present throughout, interspersed with various colors and scenes of West dancing. GOOD Music artists Consequence and John Legend are both charmed by women that move easily; the former spends his time with one in a dark room. A woman that appears alongside West at points is also show in some shots on her own, during which she acts angrily and holds a bright light that she shakes heavily towards the end.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: On a 2018 list of the best music video from each year since 2000, "ShortList" named the visual the best of 2005, with Niloufar Haidari saying that it "is a joy to watch" because of Foxx's presence and the "exceptional use of colour and lighting". That same year, "Complex" named the clip as West's 20th best music video. The staff of the magazine praised West's "dance moves" and his "bold color choices", concluding by labeling the video "a perfect match" for "Gold Digger". The music video won the BET Award for Video of the Year at the 2006 BET Awards, and received nominations for both Best Male Video and Best Hip Hop Video at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards. The visual was nominated for Favorite Video at the MTV Asia Awards 2006, alongside garnering nominations for the awards of Best Male Video and Best Hip-Hop Video at the MTV Australia Video Music Awards 2006; it was also nominated in the latter category at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards Japan. Also in 2006, the video received a nomination for the solo Best International Video award at the "MuchMusic Video Awards", while it was presented with the Michael Jackson award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video at the Soul Train Music Awards.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: "Gold Digger" debuted at number 92 on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 for the issue dated July 30, 2005, before reaching number 19 over a month later. The song then leapt 18 places to top the Hot 100 and end the 14-week number one reign of singer Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together", while blocking her single "Shake It Off" directly from the summit. "Gold Digger" amassed over 80,500 downloads and experienced the largest radio airplay gain for that week, as well as giving West his first number-one single and Foxx his second on the Hot 100. The song spent 10 consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100, standing as one of the longest reigns in the chart's history as of 2021. This also made the song the second longest number-one of 2005, behind "We Belong Together", and it was dethroned by Chris Brown's single "Run It!". For the year, "Gold Digger" ranked as the sixth most popular song on the Hot 100. By 2009, the song stood as the chart's third biggest hit that was released by The Island Def Jam Music Group. On the decade-end chart for the 2000s, it ranked as the ninth most popular song on the Hot 100. As of May 31, 2018, the song is West's largest hit of all time on the Hot 100, while it stands as the 63rd biggest hit across the chart's 60-year history up to that year.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: The song entered the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 53 for the issue date of July 16, 2005, while it later went on to reach number three around two months later. The same week as topping the Hot 100, the song rose to number two on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The following week, "Gold Digger" peaked at number one on the chart, a position it spent four weeks at. Simultaneously with its Hot 100 peak, the song shot up from number 94 to the second position on the US Pop 100, setting a record for the chart's largest jump ever. A week later, it peaked at number one on the Pop 100, holding on to this position for 10 weeks. The song also topped the US Hot Rap Songs, Mainstream Top 40, and Rhythmic charts, marking West's first number-one on the second chart. In June 2010, the song was reported to have scored the fifth highest radio audience ever in the United States, with 175.6 million impressions for the week of October 22, 2005. By May 2011, it had sold 3,083,000 copies in the US, standing as West's third song to pass 3 million sales in the country. On September 23, 2020, "Gold Digger" was awarded an octuple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for pushing 8,000,000 certified units in the US, ranking among the best-selling digital singles in the country by certification.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: In Australia, the song debuted at number two on the ARIA Singles Chart. A week later, it rose to the chart's summit, giving West his first number-one single in Australia and spending three weeks at the position. On December 3, 2015, "Gold Digger" was certified quadruple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipments of 280,000 copies in Australia. The song entered the NZ Singles Chart at number 34 for the issue date of October 24, 2005. It leapt 29 places to number five the next week, hitting number one shortly later on the chart issued November 14, marking West's first single to reach this position in New Zealand and remaining there for one more week. In the song's 22nd and final week on the chart, it was certified gold by Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ) for selling over 7,500 units in the region.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: The song debuted and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart, which it lasted for 75 weeks on. As of April 2017, the song stands as the 22nd biggest hip-hop hit of all time in the UK. It ranks as West's most successful song ever on the UK Singles Chart up to October 2019, despite "Stronger" (2007) having charted higher. On September 24, 2021, "Gold Digger" was certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shelving 1,800,000 units in the UK. Similarly to its UK peak position, the song reached number three on both the Irish Singles Chart and Scottish Singles Chart. It was less successful in Norway and the Netherlands, peaking at numbers 14 and 20 on the Topp 20 Singles and Dutch Top 40 charts, respectively. The song also hit the top 50 in Sweden, Germany, and Austria. On September 18, 2018, "Gold Digger" received a platinum certification from IFPI Danmark for 90,000 shipments in Denmark. As of 2021, it is West's biggest song on Billboard and UK Singles chart.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: West first performed an early sparse version of the track at the 2nd Annual Dynamic Producer Conference in NYC during late 2003, backed by piano from John Legend, who also sang the chorus. West's stage attire included a Reese's Peanut Butter Cups T-shirt, a red hat, and a rucksack. He initiated a call and response during the performance, directly asking the crowd to say "Ohhhhhhh oh". West and Foxx performed the song at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, also dancing on a spinning floor. The rapper commanded the crowd's attention and when he delivered the prenup lyric, money rained over them. West delivered a performance of the song atop a glass riser in the center of the crowd at the 2005 VH1 Hip Hop Honors, for which he wore a sweater and did his backwards dance. He transitioned from performing a melody of it with backing by A-Trak into fellow album track "Touch the Sky" for the premiere of season 31 of "Saturday Night Live" on October 1, 2005, accompanied by a mini-orchestra.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: At the 2006 Grammys, West, Foxx, and a marching band performed "Gold Digger". The band marched through the audience and Foxx created excitement, before West made his entrance with a shako on as he carried a baton. West performed a medley of the song, "Diamonds from Sierra Leone", and "Touch the Sky" at the 2006 Brit Awards, marking his debut as a performer at the ceremony. While performing, West was backed by 77 dancers covered in gold spray paint. At the 2010 Brit Awards, the performance of "Gold Digger" was nominated for best Brits performance of 30 years. West delivered a performance of it for "AOL Sessions", which was included on his 2006 live album "Late Orchestration". He performed the track at the 2006 Coachella Festival, introducing it by alluding to the profanity: "White people, this is your only chance to say [the N-word]." On July 1, 2007, West performed the track as the opening number of his set for part 3 of Princess Diana memorial event Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium, London. A week later, West performed it during the Live Earth concert at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. West and Foxx performed the track for a pre-2007 MTV Music Video Awards show at The Joint in Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas. During the performance, the singer gestured towards West and said: "The best MC in the mother fucking game." West performed "Gold Digger" at the 2009 Wireless Festival at Hyde Park in London and introduced the track by calling it "the story of my life", rocking his customary aviator shades and black suit jacket for his appearance. He was present on an elevated section of the stage, accompanied by four topless dancers that wore tiaras and body paint.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: For his headlining set at the 2011 Coachella Festival, West performed the track. West delivered an abbreviated version of it for a medley of over 10 songs at in Madison Square Garden, New York City on December 12, 2012, rocking a Pyrex hoodie and leather kilt while performing. On June 20, 2014, West made an unannounced appearance for Dave Chappelle's comedy show at Radio City Music Hall in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, which included a performance of the track. He stopped three quarters of the way into the track, jumping off the stage and leaving the hall. West performed it at the "Time" 100 Gala as he walked amongst the crowd and interacted with them, giving a fan the microphone at one point. After a pause in his headlining set at the 2015 Glastonbury Festival, West performed the track for an encore. To introduce it, West made a declaration for the night of the festival that may not be possible for him to say 20–40 years later: "You are now watching the greatest living rock star on the planet!" West performed it at the 2015 Pan American Games, omitting any usage of the N-word. On December 10, 2021, West performed the track with an alternate chorus that removed any profanity during a benefit concert with Drake at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for Larry Hoover's jail sentence.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: On July 24, 2006, Welsh rock band the Automatic performed a cover of "Gold Digger" at the University of London Union, London. Member Alex Pennie delivered the vocals, whereas support band Viva Machine were wrapped in bandages and body–popped into the mosh pit. On August 29, 2006, the Automatic, Capdown, Adequate Seven, and GLC performed the cover at the Reading Festival. In September, it was reported that the band were awaiting permission to include the cover as the B-side to a single. During the first US headlining show of the Automatic's Not Accepted Anywhere album tour at Bowery Ballroom in New York City on July 26, 2007, they performed the cover in a punk style. Pennie returned for the performance after being absent for two songs, shouting the vocals. At the 2007 Get Loaded in the Park festival, the band performed the cover with English musician Newton Faulkner, who contributed vocals and percussive guitar. That same year, a limited edition 7" vinyl was released across the UK for their single "Raoul", featuring a performance of "Gold Digger" from the 2006 Leeds Festival as the B-side. In 2009, characters Will Schuester and New Directions covered the song for American TV series "Glee"s second episode "Showmance". The cover was released on the soundtrack album "" on November 3 of that year, and it reached number 59 on the ARIA Singles Chart.


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: On October 13, 2012, English singer-songwriter Lucy Spraggan covered "Gold Digger" for week two of series 9 of "The X Factor", introducing it by recalling her grandmother's death and the family reaction, admitting her own week was bad. According to Spraggan, she covered an upbeat number so people would stop feeling sorry for her after her grandmother's death. Spraggan added guitar for the cover and hip hop models accompanied her, while she was surrounded by mock gold rain. Once the singer finished performing, she opened up to show presenter Dermot O'Leary: "I just wanted people to have a dance and be happy, because I want to be happy too." On September 24, 2015, the second season of American TV series "Black-ish" premiered with the episode "THE Word", featuring character Jack Johnson covering the song for a school talent show. He delivered the hook with the N-word kept, leading to outrage from the audience and him ultimately being suspended. On November 21, 2015, Thomas Rhett and Brett Eldredge performed a medley of covers as an encore at Kansas City, Missouri, for their co-headlining CMT on Tour: Suits and Boots, which included a country–styled version of "Gold Digger".


title: Gold Digger (Kanye West song)

text: In September 2005, hip hop duo the Legendary K.O. released a song titled "George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People" after West's quote that is also sampled. It uses the beat from "Gold Digger", while West and Foxx's vocals are mashed up with the duo's lyrics. The chorus rephrases that of the song: "George Bush ain't a gold digger, but he ain't messin' with no broke niggas." Erykah Badu's 2010 single "Turn Me Away (Get MuNNY)" concludes with her muttering the song's hook in the style of a boast, "I ain't messing with no broke nigger." Speaking to BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe in 2013, West admitted that he "never really" liked "Gold Digger", but knew the song would earn him money.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: Jessica Lal (5 January 1965 – 30 April 1999) was a model in New Delhi who was working as a celebrity barmaid at a crowded socialite party when she was shot dead at around 2.00am on 30 April 1999. Dozens of witnesses pointed to Siddharth Vashisht, also known as Manu Sharma, the son of Venod Sharma, a wealthy and influential Congress-nominated Member of Parliament from Haryana, as the murderer. Manu Sharma was later convicted for the murder and sentenced to life, but released less then a year later.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: In the first trial, Manu Sharma was acquitted, leading to a huge uproar in the country, despite strong circumstantial evidence to convict the accused, questioning the acquittal, claiming it was not based on merit.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: Following intense media and public pressure, the prosecution appealed and the Delhi High Court conducted proceedings on a fast track with daily hearings conducted over 25 days. The trial court judgment was overturned, and Manu Sharma was found guilty of having murdered Lal. He was sentenced to life imprisonment on 20 December 2006. On 2 June 2020 Manu Sharma was released from Tihar Jail by Delhi LG on grounds of good behavior.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: On 29 April 1999, Lal was one of several models working at an unlicensed bar at a party in a restaurant overlooking the Qutub Minar in Mehrauli. The bar ran out of liquor at midnight which it only served till 12.30 am. After midnight, Manu Sharma walked in with three friends and demanded to be served liquor, offering 1000 for it. Lal refused to do so and Sharma then fired a .22 calibre pistol at the ceiling as an intimidatory act. Lal refused again, after which Sharma fired again and the second bullet hit Lal in the head, killing her.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: Due to confusion, a fight followed the shooting, during which Sharma and his friends — Amardeep Singh Gill, Vikas Yadav, and Alok Khanna — left the scene.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: Soon after the shooting, contact could not be made with Sharma's family and the family was absconding. After eluding police for a few days Khanna and Gill were arrested on 4 May and Sharma on 6 May with the assistance of accomplices. The murder weapon was not recovered and was thought to have been passed on to a friend who had been visiting from the US and who may subsequently have returned there.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: The case by now involved several prominent people. Manu Sharma himself was the son of Venod Sharma, an Indian National Congress member, who subsequently resigned from INC. Yadav was the son of state politician, D. P. Yadav. Bina Ramani was a socialite and fashion designer who had redeveloped the premises of the shooting. Her daughter Malini Ramani knew Lal as a fellow-model. Singh managed the distribution of Maaza in Chandigarh.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: Amit Jhigan, an accomplice of Sharma, was arrested on 8 May and charged with conspiring to destroy evidence, as it was believed that he had retrieved the pistol from its original hiding place near the bar. While he was remanded in custody, Yadav was still at large and it had also proved impossible to locate his father, who had promised to deliver his son to the police.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: Ramani, her husband, and her daughter Malini were arrested on the same day as Jhigan. They were charged with operating an illegal bar and, although released on bail, had to surrender their passports. There were several lines of inquiry regarding the family, including whether or not Ramani — a UK national — had the necessary permits to operate a business in India. Another concern was to establish whether or not she had concealed evidence by ordering the cleaning up of blood at the premises, although by 19 May it had been announced that charges relating to this alleged destruction of evidence could not be brought.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: Yadav was able to obtain Anticipatory bail and presented himself to Delhi police on 19 May without arrest. He claimed to have been in Mumbai and elsewhere during the previous few weeks, and refused to comment regarding whether he had been in contact with his father. He admitted that Sharma had stayed with him on the night of the murder but denied being present himself at the Tamarind Club or having any knowledge of the events that had occurred there until the next day, when he told Sharma to surrender to the police.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: Subsequently, he had short spells in custody and longer periods when he was freed on bail, with decisions and overturnings of them being made in various court hearings.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: Charge sheets were filed with the court on 3 August 1999. Sharma was charged with murder, destruction of evidence and other offences, while Khanna, Gill and Yadav faced lesser charges, including destruction of evidence, conspiracy and harbouring a suspect. Others similarly charged were Shyam Sunder Sharma, Amit Jhingan, Yograj Singh, Harvinder Chopra, Vikas Gill, Raja Chopra, Ravinder Krishan Sudan and Dhanraj. The last three named had not yet been apprehended.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: Seven years after the case was opened, on 21 February 2006, nine of the twelve accused were acquitted, including Sharma. Jhingan had already been discharged and both Ravinder Kishan Sudan and Dhanraj, were still at large. The prosecution had been affected by 32 of their witnesses becoming "hostile". These included Shayan Munshi, Andleeb Sehgal, Karan Rajput, Shiv Lal Yadav and two ballistics experts, Roop Singh and Prem Sagar. After which, in February 2011, it was announced that all 32 would be facing charges of perjury.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: "The Hindu" newspaper also reported that the judge was aware that the prosecution was not assisted by the hostility of their witnesses, three of whom had seen the shooting, and by the fact that forensic examination contradicted police claims that two cartridges found at the scene were fired from the same weapon. Finally, the judge believed that the police had failed to provide a sufficient explanation of the chain of events which led up to the killing.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: The reaction to the verdict was one of outcry. "The New York Times" described the situation a fortnight later There were numerous protest campaigns, including ones involving SMS and email, seeking to obtain redress for the perceived miscarriage of justice. Rallies and marches took place, as well as candlelit vigils. The protests and candle light vigils were led by Prabhloch Singh, the founder of an organization called the "Middle Finger Protests", also known as "Human Rights Protection Group" from Manu Sharma's hometown Chandigarh.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: V. N. Khare, a former Chief Justice of India, implicitly criticized the trial judge, saying that it should have been an "open and shut" case and that


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: The Delhi police commissioner announced an investigation to determine where things had gone wrong, and said that among other things it would examine whether there had been a conspiracy, including possibly by tampering with the evidence.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: The police petitioned the High Court for a review of the case and on 22 March 2006 the court issued warrants against the nine defendants who had stood trial. Eight of them were subsequently bailed in April, with restrictions imposed on their ability to leave the country. The ninth defendant, Gill, had not been traced since the original issue of warrants in March.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: On 9 September 2006, a sting operation by the news magazine "Tehelka" was shown on the TV channel STAR News. This appeared to show that witnesses had been bribed and coerced into retracting their initial testimony. Venod Sharma was named in the exposé as one who had paid money to some of the witnesses. Facing pressure from the central Congress leaders, Venod Sharma resigned from the Haryana cabinet.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: On 15 December 2006, the High Court ruled that Sharma was guilty based on existing evidence, and also criticised the trial judge, S. L. Bhayana.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: The judgment said that the lower court had been lax in not considering the testimony of witnesses such as Bina Ramani and Deepak Bhojwani, stating regarding the treatment of the latter's evidence that, "With very great respect to the learned judge [Bhayana], we point out that this manner of testing the credibility of the witness is hardly a rule of appreciation of evidence. ... Obviously, this reflects total lack of application of mind and suggests a hasty approach towards securing a particular end, namely the acquittal."


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: In particular, the key witness Munshi came in for serious criticism. The judgment says, of his earlier repudiation of the FIR that "[Munshi] is now claiming that the said statement was recorded in Hindi while he had narrated the whole story in English as he did not know Hindi at all ... We do not find this explanation of Munshi to be convincing." Regarding Munshi's testimony that two guns were involved, the judgment says: "In court he has taken a somersault and came out with a version that there were two gentlemen at the bar counter. ... [W]e have no manner of doubt that on this aspect he is telling a complete lie."


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: On 20 December 2006, Sharma was punished with a sentence of life imprisonment and a fine. The other accused, Yadav and Gill, were fined and given four years' rigorous imprisonment. A plea for Sharma to be sentenced to death was rejected on the grounds that the murder, although intentional, was not premeditated and Sharma was not considered to be a threat to society.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: Sharma's lawyer announced that the decision would be appealed in Supreme Court because the judgment was wrong in holding Bina Ramani to be a witness.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: On 24 September 2009, the government in Delhi paroled Sharma for a 30-day period so that he could attend to some matters relating to his sick mother and the family business. The parole was further extended by 30 days, during which he was seen partying in a night-club and his mother appeared at public functions. Sharma returned himself to Tihar Jail on 10 November 2009, two weeks before his parole expired.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: Sharma was granted a limited parole from 28 December 2013 to 5 January 2014. This was to allow him to sit for master's degree examinations in Delhi.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: Former Solicitor General of India, Gopal Subramaniam arguing on behalf of the prosecution quoted "Chandra Mohan Tiwari vs. State of M.P.", (1992) 2 SCC 105 and "Jaswant Singh vs. State of Haryana", (2000) 4 SCC 484 to establish his case.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: Senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, who represented Sharma in the Supreme Court, assailed the High Court verdict, alleging that the media had prejudged the issue and conducted a campaign to vilify his client. The Supreme Court accepted that there had been an element of "trial by media" but believed that it had not affected the decision of the High Court. The judges who maintained the Delhi High Court judgement pronounced by Justice R.S. Sodhi, were Justice P. Sathasivam and Justice Swatanter Kumar.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: In May 2013, Delhi High Court ordered prosecution of Bollywood actor Shayan Munshi and a ballistic expert, P. S. Manocha, for turning hostile. The court cleared a further 17 people whose allegedly hostile position was under review. Ten other people had been discharged from claims of perjury in earlier hearings and three had died since the original trial.


title: Murder of Jessica Lal

text: "No One Killed Jessica", a 2011 Hindi film starring Rani Mukherjee and Vidya Balan, was inspired by the incident. "Six Suspects", a 2016 novel by Vikas Swarup centred on a similar murder


title: Medical cannabis

text: Medical cannabis, or medical marijuana (MMJ), is cannabis and cannabinoids that are prescribed by physicians for their patients. The use of cannabis as medicine has not been rigorously tested due to production and governmental restrictions, resulting in limited clinical research to define the safety and efficacy of using cannabis to treat diseases.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Preliminary evidence has indicated that cannabis might reduce nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy and reduce chronic pain and muscle spasms. Regarding non-inhaled cannabis or cannabinoids, a 2021 review found that it provided little relief against chronic pain and sleep disturbance, and caused several transient adverse effects, such as cognitive impairment, nausea, and drowsiness.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Short-term use increases the risk of minor and major adverse effects. Common side effects include dizziness, feeling tired, vomiting, and hallucinations. Long-term effects of cannabis are not clear. Concerns include memory and cognition problems, risk of addiction, schizophrenia in young people, and the risk of children taking it by accident.


title: Medical cannabis

text: The "Cannabis" plant has a history of medicinal use dating back thousands of years in many cultures. Some American medical organizations have requested removal of cannabis from the list of Schedule I controlled substances maintained by the United States federal government, followed by regulatory and scientific review. Others oppose its legalization, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Medical cannabis can be administered through various methods, including capsules, lozenges, tinctures, dermal patches, oral or dermal sprays, cannabis edibles, and vaporizing or smoking dried buds. Synthetic cannabinoids are available for prescription use in some countries, such as dronabinol and nabilone. Countries that allow the medical use of whole-plant cannabis include Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal, and Uruguay. In the United States, 37 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for medical purposes, beginning with the passage of California's Proposition 215 in 1996. Although cannabis remains prohibited for any use at the federal level, the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment was enacted in December 2014, limiting the ability of federal law to be enforced in states where medical cannabis has been legalized.


title: Medical cannabis

text: The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines medical cannabis as "using the whole, unprocessed marijuana plant or its basic extracts to treat symptoms of illness and other conditions".


title: Medical cannabis

text: A cannabis plant includes more than 400 different chemicals, of which about 70 are cannabinoids. In comparison, typical government-approved medications contain only one or two chemicals. The number of active chemicals in cannabis is one reason why treatment with cannabis is difficult to classify and study.


title: Medical cannabis

text: A 2014 review stated that the variations in ratio of CBD-to-THC in botanical and pharmaceutical preparations determines the therapeutic vs psychoactive effects (CBD attenuates THC's psychoactive effects) of cannabis products.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Overall research into the health effects of medical cannabis has been of low quality and it is not clear whether it is a useful treatment for any condition, or whether harms outweight any benefit. There is no consistent evidence that it helps with chronic pain and muscle spasms. Low quality evidence suggests its use for reducing nausea during chemotherapy, improving appetite in HIV/AIDS, improving sleep, and improving tics in Tourette syndrome. When usual treatments are ineffective, cannabinoids have also been recommended for anorexia, arthritis, glaucoma, and migraine.


title: Medical cannabis

text: It is unclear whether American states might be able to mitigate the adverse effects of the opioid epidemic by prescribing medical cannabis as an alternative pain management drug.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Medical cannabis is somewhat effective in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) and may be a reasonable option in those who do not improve following preferential treatment. Comparative studies have found cannabinoids to be more effective than some conventional antiemetics such as prochlorperazine, promethazine, and metoclopramide in controlling CINV, but these are used less frequently because of side effects including dizziness, dysphoria, and hallucinations. Long-term cannabis use may cause nausea and vomiting, a condition known as cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS).


title: Medical cannabis

text: A 2016 Cochrane review said that cannabinoids were "probably effective" in treating chemotherapy-induced nausea in children, but with a high side-effect profile (mainly drowsiness, dizziness, altered moods, and increased appetite). Less common side effects were "ocular problems, orthostatic hypotension, muscle twitching, pruritus, vagueness, hallucinations, lightheadedness and dry mouth".


title: Medical cannabis

text: Evidence is lacking for both efficacy and safety of cannabis and cannabinoids in treating patients with HIV/AIDS or for anorexia associated with AIDS. As of 2013, current studies suffer from the effects of bias, small sample size, and lack of long-term data.


title: Medical cannabis

text: A 2021 review found little effect of using non-inhaled cannabis to relieve chronic pain. According to a 2019 systematic review, there have been inconsistent results of using cannabis for neuropathic pain, spasms associated with multiple sclerosis and pain from rheumatic disorders, but was not effective treating chronic cancer pain. The authors state that additional randomized controlled trials of different cannabis products are necessary to make conclusive recommendations.


title: Medical cannabis

text: When cannabis is inhaled to relieve pain, blood levels of cannabinoids rise faster than when oral products are used, peaking within three minutes and attaining an analgesic effect in seven minutes.


title: Medical cannabis

text: A 2011 review considered cannabis to be generally safe, and it appears safer than opioids in palliative care.


title: Medical cannabis

text: A 2022 review concluded the pain relief experienced after using medical cannabis is due to the placebo effect, especially given widespread media attention that sets the expectation for pain relief.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Cannabis' efficacy is not clear in treating neurological problems, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and movement problems. Evidence also suggests that oral cannabis extract is effective for reducing patient-centered measures of spasticity. A trial of cannabis is deemed to be a reasonable option if other treatments have not been effective. Its use for MS is approved in ten countries. A 2012 review found no problems with tolerance, abuse, or addiction. In the United States, cannabidiol, one of the cannabinoids found in the marijuana plant, has been approved for treating two severe forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.


title: Medical cannabis

text: A 2019 systematic review found that there is a lack of evidence that cannabinoids are effective in treating depressive or anxiety disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, or psychosis.


title: Medical cannabis

text: There is insufficient data to draw strong conclusions about the safety of medical cannabis. Typically, adverse effects of medical cannabis use are not serious; they include tiredness, dizziness, increased appetite, and cardiovascular and psychoactive effects. Other effects can include impaired short-term memory; impaired motor coordination; altered judgment; and paranoia or psychosis at high doses. Tolerance to these effects develops over a period of days or weeks. The amount of cannabis normally used for medicinal purposes is not believed to cause any permanent cognitive impairment in adults, though long-term treatment in adolescents should be weighed carefully as they are more susceptible to these impairments. Withdrawal symptoms are rarely a problem with controlled medical administration of cannabinoids. The ability to drive vehicles or to operate machinery may be impaired until a tolerance is developed. Although supporters of medical cannabis say that it is safe, further research is required to assess the long-term safety of its use.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Recreational use of cannabis is associated with cognitive deficits, especially for those who begin to use cannabis in adolescence. there is a lack of research into long-term cognitive effects of medical use of cannabis, but one 12-month observational study reported that "MC patients demonstrated significant improvements on measures of executive function and clinical state over the course of 12 months".


title: Medical cannabis

text: Exposure to THC can cause acute transient psychotic symptoms in healthy individuals and people with schizophrenia.


title: Medical cannabis

text: A 2007 meta analysis concluded that cannabis use reduced the average age of onset of psychosis by 2.7 years relative to non-cannabis use. A 2005 meta analysis concluded that adolescent use of cannabis increases the risk of psychosis, and that the risk is dose-related. A 2004 literature review on the subject concluded that cannabis use is associated with a two-fold increase in the risk of psychosis, but that cannabis use is "neither necessary nor sufficient" to cause psychosis. A French review from 2009 came to a conclusion that cannabis use, particularly that before age 15, was a factor in the development of schizophrenic disorders.


title: Medical cannabis

text: The genus "Cannabis" contains two species which produce useful amounts of psychoactive cannabinoids: "Cannabis indica" and "Cannabis sativa", which are listed as Schedule I medicinal plants in the US; a third species, "Cannabis ruderalis", has few psychogenic properties. Cannabis contains more than 460 compounds; at least 80 of these are cannabinoids – chemical compounds that interact with cannabinoid receptors in the brain. As of 2012, more than 20 cannabinoids were being studied by the U.S. FDA.


title: Medical cannabis

text: The most psychoactive cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant is tetrahydrocannabinol (or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC). Other cannabinoids include delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabichromene (CBC) and cannabigerol (CBG); they have less psychotropic effects than THC, but may play a role in the overall effect of cannabis. The most studied are THC, CBD and CBN.


title: Medical cannabis

text: CB1 and CB2 are the primary cannabinoid receptors responsible for several of the effects of cannabinoids, although other receptors may play a role as well. Both belong to a group of receptors called G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). CB1 receptors are found in very high levels in the brain and are thought to be responsible for psychoactive effects. CB2 receptors are found peripherally throughout the body and are thought to modulate pain and inflammation.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Inhaled and vaporized THC have similar absorption profiles to smoked THC, with a bioavailability ranging from 10 to 35%. Oral administration has the lowest bioavailability of approximately 6%, variable absorption depending on the vehicle used, and the longest time to peak plasma levels (2 to 6 hours) compared to smoked or vaporized THC.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Similar to THC, CBD has poor oral bioavailability, approximately 6%. The low bioavailability is largely attributed to significant first-pass metabolism in the liver and erratic absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. However, oral administration of CBD has a faster time to peak concentrations (2 hours) than THC.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Due to the poor bioavailability of oral preparations, alternative routes of administration have been studied, including sublingual and rectal. These alternative formulations maximize bioavailability and reduce first-pass metabolism. Sublingual administration in rabbits yielded bioavailability of 16% and time to peak concentration of 4 hours. Rectal administration in monkeys doubled bioavailability to 13.5% and achieved peak blood concentrations within 1 to 8 hours after administration.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Like cannabinoid absorption, distribution is also dependent on route of administration. Smoking and inhalation of vaporized cannabis have better absorption than do other routes of administration, and therefore also have more predictable distribution. THC is highly protein bound once absorbed, with only 3% found unbound in the plasma. It distributes rapidly to highly vascularized organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys, as well as to various glands. Low levels can be detected in the brain, testes, and unborn fetuses, all of which are protected from systemic circulation via barriers. THC further distributes into fatty tissues a few days after administration due to its high lipophilicity, and is found deposited in the spleen and fat after redistribution.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Delta-9-THC is the primary molecule responsible for the effects of cannabis. Delta-9-THC is metabolized in the liver and turns into 11-OH-THC. 11-OH-THC is the first metabolic product in this pathway. Both Delta-9-THC and 11-OH-THC are psychoactive. The metabolism of THC into 11-OH-THC plays a part in the heightened psychoactive effects of edible cannabis.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Next, 11-OH-THC is metabolized in the liver into 11-COOH-THC, which is the second metabolic product of THC. 11-COOH-THC is not psychoactive.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Ingestion of edible cannabis products lead to a slower onset of effect than the inhalation of it because the THC travels to the liver first through the blood before it travels to the rest of the body. Inhaled cannabis can result in THC going directly to the brain, where it then travels from the brain back to the liver in recirculation for metabolism. Eventually, both routes of metabolism result in the metabolism of psychoactive THC to inactive 11-COOH-THC.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Due to substantial metabolism of THC and CBD, their metabolites are excreted mostly via feces, rather than by urine. After delta-9-THC is hydroxylated into 11-OH-THC via CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP3A4, it undergoes phase II metabolism into more than 30 metabolites, a majority of which are products of glucuronidation. Approximately 65% of THC is excreted in feces and 25% in the urine, while the remaining 10% is excreted by other means. The terminal half-life of THC is 25 to 36 hours, whereas for CBD it is 18 to 32 hours.


title: Medical cannabis

text: CBD is hydroxylated by P450 liver enzymes into 7-OH-CBD. Its metabolites are products of primarily CYP2C19 and CYP3A4 activity, with potential activity of CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2C9, and CYP2D6. Similar to delta-9-THC, a majority of CBD is excreted in feces and some in the urine. The terminal half-life is approximately 18–32 hours.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Smoking has been the means of administration of cannabis for many users, but it is not suitable for the use of cannabis as a medicine. It was the most common method of medical cannabis consumption in the US . It is difficult to predict the pharmacological response to cannabis because concentration of cannabinoids varies widely, as there are different ways of preparing it for consumption (smoked, applied as oils, eaten, infused into other foods, or drunk) and a lack of production controls. The potential for adverse effects from smoke inhalation makes smoking a less viable option than oral preparations. Cannabis vaporizers have gained popularity because of a perception among users that fewer harmful chemicals are ingested when components are inhaled via aerosol rather than smoke. Cannabinoid medicines are available in pill form (dronabinol and nabilone) and liquid extracts formulated into an oromucosal spray (nabiximols). Oral preparations are "problematic due to the uptake of cannabinoids into fatty tissue, from which they are released slowly, and the significant first-pass liver metabolism, which breaks down Δ9THC and contributes further to the variability of plasma concentrations".


title: Medical cannabis

text: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved smoked cannabis for any condition or disease, as it deems that evidence is lacking concerning safety and efficacy. The FDA issued a 2006 advisory against "smoked" medical cannabis stating: "marijuana has a high potential for abuse, has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and has a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision."


title: Medical cannabis

text: Cannabis, called "má" 麻 (meaning "hemp; cannabis; numbness") or "dàmá" (with "big; great") in Chinese, was used in Taiwan for fiber starting about 10,000 years ago. The botanist Hui-lin Li wrote that in China, "The use of Cannabis in medicine was probably a very early development. Since ancient humans used hemp seed as food, it was quite natural for them to also discover the medicinal properties of the plant." Emperor Shen-Nung, who was also a pharmacologist, wrote a book on treatment methods in 2737 BCE that included the medical benefits of cannabis. He recommended the substance for many ailments, including constipation, gout, rheumatism, and absent-mindedness. Cannabis is one of the 50 "fundamental" herbs in traditional Chinese medicine.


title: Medical cannabis

text: The Ebers Papyrus () from Ancient Egypt describes medical cannabis. The ancient Egyptians used hemp (cannabis) in suppositories for relieving the pain of hemorrhoids.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Surviving texts from ancient India confirm that cannabis' psychoactive properties were recognized, and doctors used it for treating a variety of illnesses and ailments, including insomnia, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, and pain, including during childbirth.


title: Medical cannabis

text: The Ancient Greeks used cannabis to dress wounds and sores on their horses, and in humans, dried leaves of cannabis were used to treat nose bleeds, and cannabis seeds were used to expel tapeworms.


title: Medical cannabis

text: In the medieval Islamic world, Arabic physicians made use of the diuretic, antiemetic, antiepileptic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic properties of "Cannabis sativa", and used it extensively as medication from the 8th to 18th centuries.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Cannabis seeds may have been used for food, rituals or religious practices in ancient Europe and China. Harvesting the plant led to the spread of cannabis throughout Eurasia about 10,000 to 5,000 years ago, with further distribution to the Middle East and Africa about 2,000 to 500 years ago. A landrace strain of cannabis developed over centuries. They are cultivars of the plant that originated in one specific region.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Widely cultivated strains of cannabis, such as "Afghani" or "Hindu Kush", are indigenous to the Pakistan and Afghanistan regions, while "Durban Poison" is native to Africa. There are approximately 16 landrace strains of cannabis identified from Pakistan, Jamaica, Africa, Mexico, Central America and Asia.


title: Medical cannabis

text: An Irish physician, William Brooke O'Shaughnessy, is credited with introducing cannabis to Western medicine. O'Shaughnessy discovered cannabis in the 1830s while living abroad in India, where he conducted numerous experiments investigating the drug's medical utility (noting in particular its analgesic and anticonvulsant effects). He returned to England with a supply of cannabis in 1842, after which its use spread through Europe and the United States. In 1845 French physician Jacques-Joseph Moreau published a book about the use of cannabis in psychiatry. In 1850 cannabis was entered into the United States Pharmacopeia. An anecdotal report of "Cannabis indica" as a treatment for tetanus appeared in Scientific American in 1880.


title: Medical cannabis

text: The use of cannabis in medicine began to decline by the end of the 19th century, due to difficulty in controlling dosages and the rise in popularity of synthetic and opium-derived drugs. Also, the advent of the hypodermic syringe allowed these drugs to be injected for immediate effect, in contrast to cannabis which is not water-soluble and therefore cannot be injected.


title: Medical cannabis

text: In the United States, the medical use of cannabis further declined with the passage of the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, which imposed new regulations and fees on physicians prescribing cannabis. Cannabis was removed from the U.S. Pharmacopeia in 1941, and officially banned for any use with the passage of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Cannabis began to attract renewed interest as medicine in the 1970s and 1980s, in particular due to its use by cancer and AIDS patients who reported relief from the effects of chemotherapy and wasting syndrome. In 1996, California became the first U.S. state to legalize medical cannabis in defiance of federal law. In 2001, Canada became the first country to adopt a system regulating the medical use of cannabis.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Countries that have legalized the medical use of cannabis include Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Lebanon, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay. Other countries have more restrictive laws that allow only the use of isolated cannabinoid drugs such as Sativex or Epidiolex. Countries with the most relaxed policies include Canada, Uruguay, and the Netherlands, where cannabis can be purchased without need for a prescription. In Mexico, THC content of medical cannabis is limited to one percent. The same limit applies in Switzerland, but no prescription is required to purchase. In the United States, the legality of medical cannabis varies by state.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Cannabis and its derivatives are subject to regulation under three United Nations treaties: the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1988 Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. Cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Single Convention treaty, meaning that medical use is allowed but that it is considered to be an addictive drug with a serious risk of abuse – along with other drugs such as opium and cocaine. Prior to December 2020 it was also included in Schedule IV, a subset of Schedule I, which is for only the most dangerous drugs such as heroin and fentanyl. Member nations of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted 27–25 to remove it from Schedule IV on 2 December 2020, following a World Health Organization recommendation for removal in January 2019.


title: Medical cannabis

text: In the United States, the use of cannabis for medical purposes is legal in 37 states, three out of five permanently inhabited U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. An additional 11 states have more restrictive laws allowing the use of low-THC products. Cannabis remains illegal at the federal level under the Controlled Substances Act, which classifies it as a Schedule I drug with a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. In December 2014, however, the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment was signed into law, prohibiting the Justice Department from prosecuting individuals acting in accordance with state medical cannabis laws.


title: Medical cannabis

text: The method of obtaining medical cannabis varies by region and by legislation. In the US, most consumers grow their own or buy it from cannabis dispensaries in states where it is legal. Marijuana vending machines for selling or dispensing cannabis are in use in the United States and are planned to be used in Canada. In 2014, the startup Meadow began offering on-demand delivery of medical marijuana in the San Francisco Bay Area, through their mobile app.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Almost 70% of medical cannabis is exported from the United Kingdom, according to a 2017 United Nations report, with much of the remaining amount coming from Canada and the Netherlands.


title: Medical cannabis

text: In the United States, health insurance companies may not pay for a medical marijuana prescription as the Food and Drug Administration must approve any substance for medicinal purposes. Before this can happen, the FDA must first permit the study of the medical benefits and drawbacks of the substance, which it has not done since it was placed on Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act in 1970. Therefore, all expenses incurred fulfilling a medical marijuana prescription will possibly be incurred as out-of-pocket. However, the New Mexico Court of Appeals has ruled that workers' compensation insurance must pay for prescribed marijuana as part of the state's Medical Cannabis Program.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Medical organizations that have issued statements in support of allowing access to medical cannabis include the American Nurses Association, American Public Health Association, American Medical Student Association, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Epilepsy Foundation, and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Organizations that oppose the legalization of medical cannabis include the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Psychiatric Association. However, the AAP also supports rescheduling for the purpose of facilitating research.


title: Medical cannabis

text: The American Medical Association and American College of Physicians do not take a position on the legalization of medical cannabis, but have called for the Schedule I classification to be reviewed. The American Academy of Family Physicians and American Society of Addiction Medicine also do not take a position, but do support rescheduling to better facilitate research. The American Heart Association says that "many of the concerning health implications of cannabis include cardiovascular diseases" but that it supports rescheduling to allow "more nuanced ... marijuana legislation and regulation" and to "reflect the existing science behind cannabis". The American Cancer Society and American Psychological Association have noted the obstacles that exist for conducting research on cannabis, and have called on the federal government to better enable scientific study of the drug.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Cancer Research UK say that while cannabis is being studied for therapeutic potential, "claims that there is solid "proof" that cannabis or cannabinoids can cure cancer is highly misleading to patients and their families, and builds a false picture of the state of progress in this area".


title: Medical cannabis

text: The authors of a report on a 2011 survey of medical cannabis users say that critics have suggested that some users "game the system" to obtain medical cannabis ostensibly for treatment of a condition, but then use it for nonmedical purposes – though the truth of this claim is hard to measure. The report authors suggested rather that medical cannabis users occupied a "continuum" between medical and nonmedical use.


title: Medical cannabis

text: In the US, the FDA has approved two oral cannabinoids for use as medicine: dronabinol and nabilone. Dronabinol, synthetic THC, is listed as Schedule II. Nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid, is also Schedule II, indicating high potential for side effects and addiction. Both received approval for sale in the US in 1985, under the brand names Marinol and Cesamet. Nabiximols, an oromucosal spray derived from two strains of "Cannabis sativa" and containing THC and CBD, is not approved in the United States, but is approved in several European countries, Canada, and New Zealand as of 2013. As of 2018, medical marijuana in Canada is being legally distributed to registered patients in bud, drops and capsule forms by such companies as Canopy Growth Corp. and Aurora Cannabis.


title: Medical cannabis

text: As an antiemetic, these medications are usually used when conventional treatment for nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy fail to work.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Nabiximols is used for treatment of spasticity associated with MS when other therapies have not worked, and when an initial trial demonstrates "meaningful improvement". Trials for FDA approval in the US are underway. It is also approved in several European countries for overactive bladder and vomiting. When sold under the trade name Sativex as a mouth spray, the prescribed daily dose in Sweden delivers a maximum of 32.4 mg of THC and 30 mg of CBD; mild to moderate dizziness is common during the first few weeks.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Relative to inhaled consumption, peak concentration of oral THC is delayed, and it may be difficult to determine optimal dosage because of variability in patient absorption.


title: Medical cannabis

text: In 1964, Albert Lockhart and Manley West began studying the health effects of traditional cannabis use in Jamaican communities. They developed, and in 1987 gained permission to market, the pharmaceutical "Canasol", one of the first cannabis extracts.


title: Medical cannabis

text: Medical cannabis research includes any medical research on using cannabis as a treatment for any medical condition. For reasons including increased popular support of cannabis use, a trend of cannabis legalization, and the perception of medical usefulness, more scientists are doing medical cannabis research. Medical cannabis is unusually broad as a treatment for many conditions, each of which has its own state of research. Similarly, various countries conduct and respond to medical cannabis research in different ways.


title: Kirsty Gallacher

text: Kirsty Jane Gallacher (born 20 January 1976) is a Scottish television presenter and model. She began her career at Sky Sports News in 1998 and hosted "Kirsty's Home Videos", "" and "Simply the Best" before returning to Sky Sports News from 2011–2018. Since June 2021, Gallacher has co-presented "The Great British Breakfast" on GB News.


title: Kirsty Gallacher

text: The daughter of Bernard Gallacher, a professional golfer and Ryder Cup captain, and Lesley Gallacher, Kirsty Gallacher was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. When her father got the job of professional at Wentworth Golf Club, they moved south to Virginia Water, England, when she was 18 months old. Gallacher and her younger brother and sister were raised on the Wentworth Estate, where their close neighbours included Bruce Forsyth. She was educated at Coworth Flexlands and St George's School in Ascot, Berkshire.


title: Kirsty Gallacher

text: Approached by Mark Sharman, then deputy head of sport at Sky, at a Ryder Cup dinner, she began working as a production assistant in 1996, before moving on to the position of editorial assistant on Sky Sports.


title: Kirsty Gallacher

text: She got her presenting break on Sky Sports News in 1998, and since then has been associated with many other sports shows such as "90 Minutes", "Soccer Extra", "Kirsty and Phil" (on BBC Radio 5 Live) and "Soccer AM".


title: Kirsty Gallacher

text: From 2000 until 2004, Gallacher hosted the Sky One show "Kirsty's Home Videos", a satellite equivalent of ITV's "You've Been Framed!" in which viewers send in home videos to be screened. In 2002, she presented the morning show "", and in 2004 began the show "Simply the Best". Gallacher presented the All Star Cup on Sky1 in 2005 and on ITV in 2006. She has made guest appearances on "They Think It's All Over" and "A Question of Sport". Gallacher presented "Ant vs Dec" – the popular strand on "Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway".


title: Kirsty Gallacher

text: In 2005, Gallacher won the third series of the popular Channel 4 reality television series "The Games". She then presented the following years alongside Jamie Theakston. In December 2005, she released a DVD entitled "Body Sculpt with Kirsty Gallacher" in which she shows a variety of workouts. In July 2006, she co-presented the BBC reality TV show "Only Fools on Horses".


title: Kirsty Gallacher

text: In 2008, Gallacher presented the new version of "Gladiators" on Sky One alongside Ian Wright. She did not return for the second series.


title: Kirsty Gallacher

text: She has also guest presented "GMTV with Lorraine" in August 2010 for two weeks and "Lorraine" on ITV Breakfast.


title: Kirsty Gallacher

text: On 27 August 2015, it was confirmed that Gallacher would be taking part in the 2015 series of "Strictly Come Dancing". On 5 September 2015, it was announced Gallacher would be paired with professional dancer Brendan Cole for the series. The couple were eliminated on week 6; finishing eleventh.


title: Kirsty Gallacher

text: On 29 March 2021, it was announced that Gallacher would be joining GB News to present a breakfast programme on the channel. Gallacher left GB News in December 2021 after discovering she had a benign tumour in her inner ear canal which was causing Tinnitus and she said that the early starts for the news channel were exacerbating her symptoms.


title: Kirsty Gallacher

text: Gallacher was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Royal Television Society Television Sports Awards in 1998. She won Satellite/Digital TV Personality at the 2002 Television and Radio Industries Club Awards, and "Kirsty's Home Videos" won her the following year's Satellite/Digital Programme award in 2003. She also won a "Platinum Award" for Best Entertainment Programme at the 2002 Houston International Film Festival.


title: Kirsty Gallacher

text: Gallacher is the cousin of golfer Stephen Gallacher. At the end of February 2013 she was named patron of Hibernian Women.


title: Kirsty Gallacher

text: Gallacher married rugby player Paul Sampson in 2010, with whom she has two sons. The couple split in 2015.


title: Potential superpower

text: A potential superpower is a state or a political and economic entity that is speculated to be—or to have the potential to soon become—a superpower.


title: Potential superpower

text: Currently, only the United States fulfills the criteria to be considered a superpower. However, the United States is no longer the only uncontested foremost superpower and the world's sole hyperpower to dominate in every domain (i.e. military, culture, economy, technology, diplomatic).


title: Potential superpower

text: Since the 1990s, China, India, the European Union and Russia have been commonly described as potential superpowers. Japan was formerly considered a potential superpower due to its high economic growth. However, its status as a potential superpower has eroded since the 1990s due to an aging population and economic stagnation.


title: Potential superpower

text: Collectively these potential superpowers, and the United States, comprise 68.0% of global nominal GDP, 62.4% of global GDP (PPP), more than one third of the total land area, and approximately half of the world's population.


title: Potential superpower

text: The People's Republic of China receives continual coverage in the popular press of its potential superpower status, and has been identified as a rising or emerging economic growth and military superpower by academics and other experts. In fact, the "rise of China" has been named the top news story of the 21st century by the Global Language Monitor, as measured by number of appearances in the global print and electronic media, on the Internet and blogosphere, and in social media. The term "Second superpower" has been applied by scholars to the possibility that the People's Republic of China could emerge with global power and influence on par with the United States. The potential for the two countries to form stronger relations to address global issues is sometimes referred to as the Group of Two.


title: Potential superpower

text: Barry Buzan asserted in 2004 that "China certainly presents the most promising all-round profile" of a potential superpower. Buzan claimed that "China is currently the most fashionable potential superpower and the one whose degree of alienation from the dominant international society makes it the most obvious political challenger." However, he noted this challenge is constrained by the major challenges of development and by the fact that its rise could trigger a counter coalition of states in Asia.


title: Potential superpower

text: Parag Khanna stated in 2008 that by making massive trade and investment deals with Latin America and Africa, China had established its presence as a superpower along with the European Union and the United States. China's rise is demonstrated by its ballooning share of trade in its gross domestic product. He believed that China's "consultative style" had allowed it to develop political and economic ties with many countries including those viewed as rogue states by the United States. He stated that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation founded with Russia and the Central Asian countries may eventually be the "NATO of the East".


title: Potential superpower

text: Economist and author of "Eclipse: Living in the Shadow of China's Economic Dominance" Arvind Subramanian argued in 2012 that China will direct the world's financial system by 2020 and that the Chinese renminbi will replace the dollar as the world's reserve currency in 10 to 15 years. The United States' soft power will remain longer. He stated that "China was a top dog economically for thousands of years prior to the Ming dynasty. In some ways, the past few hundred years have been an aberration."


title: Potential superpower

text: Lawrence Saez at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, argued in 2011 that the United States will be surpassed by China as military superpower within twenty years. Regarding economic power, the Director of the China Center for Economic Reform at Peking University Yao Yang stated that "Assuming that the Chinese and U.S. economies grow, respectively, by 8% and 3% in real terms, that China's inflation rate is 3.6% and America's is 2% (the averages of the last decade), and that the renminbi appreciates against the dollar by 3% per year (the average of the last six years), China will become the world's largest economy by 2021. By that time, both countries' GDP will be about $24 trillion."


title: Potential superpower

text: Historian Timothy Garton Ash argued in 2011, pointing to factors such as the International Monetary Fund predicting that China's GDP (purchasing power parity adjusted) will overtake that of the United States in 2016, that a power shift to a world with several superpowers was happening "Now". However, China was still lacking in soft power and power projection abilities and had a low GDP/person. The article also stated that the Pew Research Center in a 2009 survey found that people in 15 out of 22 countries believed that China had or would overtake the US as the world's leading superpower.


title: Potential superpower

text: In an interview given in 2011, Singapore's first premier, Lee Kuan Yew, stated that while China supplanting the United States is not a foregone conclusion, Chinese leaders are nonetheless serious about displacing the United States as the most powerful country in Asia. "They have transformed a poor society by an economic miracle to become now the second-largest economy in the world. How could they not aspire to be number 1 in Asia, and in time the world?" The Chinese strategy, Lee maintains, will revolve around their "huge and increasingly highly skilled and educated workers to out-sell and out-build all others." Nevertheless, relations with the United States, at least in the medium term, will not take a turn for the worse because China will "avoid any action that will sour up relations with the U.S. To challenge a stronger and technologically superior power like the U.S. will abort their 'peaceful rise.'" Though Lee believes China is genuinely interested in growing within the global framework the United States has created, it is biding its time until it becomes strong enough to successfully redefine the prevailing political and economic order.


title: Potential superpower

text: Chinese foreign policy adviser Wang Jisi in 2012 stated that many Chinese officials see China as a first-class power which should be treated as such. China is argued to soon become the world's largest economy and to be making rapid progress in many areas. The United States is seen as a declining superpower as indicated by factors such as poor economic recovery, financial disorder, high deficits gaining close to GDP levels and unemployment, increasing political polarization, and overregulation forcing jobs overseas in China.