title: Restorative justice

text: Prior to 1994, many such offenders were released without any support or observation beyond police surveillance. Between 1994 and 2007, CoSA assisted with the integration of well over 120 such offenders. Research indicated that surrounding a 'core member' with 5–7 trained volunteer circle members reduced recidivism by nearly 80%. Further, recidivist offences were less invasive and less brutal than without the program. CoSA projects now exist in every Canadian province and every major urban centre. CoSA projects are also operational in several U.S. states (Iowa, California, Minnesota, Oregon, Ohio, Colorado, Vermont) as well as in several United Kingdom regions (Cornwall, Devon, Hampshire, Thames Valley, Leicestershire, North Wales, North Yorkshire, and Manchester).


title: Restorative justice

text: "Sentencing circles" (sometimes called peacemaking circles) use traditional circle ritual and structure to involve all interested parties. The procedure commonly works as follows: the offender applies for the intervention, a healing circle is held for the victim, a healing circle is held for the offender, a sentencing circle is held and finally, follow-up circles to monitor progress.


title: Restorative justice

text: Positive criminology and positive victimology are conceptual approaches, developed by the Israeli criminologist Natti Ronel and his research team, that are well connected to restorative justice theories and practice. Positive criminology and victimology both place an emphasis on social inclusion and on unifying and integrating forces at individual, group, social and spiritual levels that are associated with the limiting of crime and recovery from victimization. In traditional approaches the study of crime, violence and related behaviors emphasizes the negative aspects in people's lives that are associated with deviance, criminality and victimization. A common understanding is that human relationships are affected more by destructive encounters than by constructive or positive ones. Positive criminology and victimology argue that a different approach is viable, based on three dimensions – social integration, emotional healing and spirituality – that constitute positive direction indicators.


title: Restorative justice

text: Prison abolition not only calls for the eradication of cages, but also new perspectives and methodologies for conceptualizing crime, an aim that is shared by restorative justice. In an abolitionist style of restorative justice, participation is voluntary and not limited by the requirements of organizations or professionals, the process includes all relevant stakeholders and is mediated by an independent third party. The emphasis is on meeting the needs of and strengthening the community.


title: Restorative justice

text: A 2007 meta-study of all research projects concerning restorative justice conferencing published in English between 1986 and 2005 found positive results, specifically for victims:


title: Restorative justice

text: In July 2011, the International Center for Transitional Justice published a report entitled "To Live as Other Kenyans do: A Study of the Demands of Kenyan Victims of Human Rights Violations". The findings are based on individual and group interviews of victims of human rights abuses from Kenya's 2007 post-election violence. It highlights the importance of a victim-centered approach to determine the most effective mode of implementation for a comprehensive reparations program. The main finding of the report is that victims demand tangible basic benefits lost as a product of violence, such as food and shelter. It also acknowledges the need for symbolic reparations, such as formal apologies. The provision of reparations will in a sense create a restoration of the way life was before violence, and also signal the moving forward of a society through institutional change.


title: Restorative justice

text: The COREPOL Project (Conflict Resolution, Mediation and Restorative Justice and the Policing of Ethnic Minorities in Germany, Austria and Hungary) has been researching the effects of restorative justice programs in Germany, Austria and Hungary. Its goal is to establish whether restorative justice can lead to better relations between the police and minority groups. Its first stage is to look at the extent and role of RJ programs within the countries. The second stage is to look at the position of certain minority populations within the societies, with the study focusing on Turks in Germany, Roma in Hungary and Africans in Austria. The involvement of the police in RJ programs for minority populations will be explored. Finally, the proposed research will give examples of when RJ can be used to improve communication and interaction between the police and minority groups. The study deals with countries that use the civil law legal system, in contrast to the common law legal system of English-speaking countries. COREPOL is coordinated by the German Police University and funded through the European Commission's Seventh Framework Program (FP7).


title: Restorative justice

text: Reduction of recidivism is also a goal of RJ, secondary to the restoration of offenders. Proponents argue that it can prevent reoffending and deter other potential criminals. Critics counter that RJ does not significantly influence crime rates.


title: Restorative justice

text: While some older studies showed mixed results, as of 2013, studies that compared recidivism rates have become more definitive and in favor of restorative justice. Some studies claim modest, relative reductions, but more recent studies are finding significant and meaningful reductions in recidivism rates (see below).


title: Restorative justice

text: A 1998 meta-analysis by Bonta et al. found that restorative justice programs caused mild reductions in reoffending rates. Latimer, Dowden and Muise carried out a meta-analysis that provided a more precise definition. conducted the second meta-analysis on the effectiveness of RJ. This study is important because it addresses the file-drawer problem. Also, some of the studies analyzed implemented a randomized controlled trial (a gold standard in research methods), although this does not represent the majority of studies included. This meta-analysis lends empirical support for the effectiveness of RJ to lower recidivism rates and increase compliance and satisfaction rates. However, the authors caution that a self-selection bias is rife through most studies of restorative justice. They reference authors from one study who found no evidence that restorative justice has a treatment effect on recidivism beyond a self-selection effect.


title: Restorative justice

text: The third meta-analysis on the effectiveness of RJ was conducted by Bradshaw, Roseborough, and Umbreit in 2006. The results of this meta-analysis add empirical support for the effectiveness of RJ in reducing juvenile recidivism rates. Since then, studies by Baffour in (2006) and Rodriguez (2007) have also concluded that RJ reduces recidivism rates compared to the traditional justice system. Bergseth (2007) and Bouffard (2012) supported these findings and also concluded that there may be some long-term effects of RJ over the traditional justice system; as well as RJ being more effective with serious crimes, RJ participants are less likely to commit serious crimes if they do re-offend and they go longer without re-offending. All of these studies found that RJ is equally effective regardless of race.


title: Restorative justice

text: In 2007, Lawrence W. Sherman and Heather Strang published a review of the previous literature and they conclude that in no way can RJ be more harmful than the traditional justice system. It is at least equally as effective as the traditional justice system in all cases. In most cases (especially with more serious offenses and with adult offenders) it is significantly more effective than the traditional justice system at lowering recidivism rates. It also reduced crime victims' post-traumatic stress symptoms and related costs and desires for violent revenge against their offenders. It provided both victims and offenders with more satisfaction with justice than the alternative, and saved money overall.


title: Restorative justice

text: A recent meta-analysis by the Cochrane Collaboration (2013) on the effect of youth justice conferencing on recidivism in young offenders found that there was no significant effect for restorative justice conferencing over normal court procedures for number re-arrested, nor monthly rate of reoffending. They also noted a lack of high quality evidence regarding the effectiveness of restorative justice conferencing for young offenders.


title: Restorative justice

text: According to Allison Morris, the following are some of the most common criticisms of restorative justice:


title: Restorative justice

text: Another critique of restorative justice suggests that professionals are often left out of the restorative justice conversation. Albert W. Dzur and Susan M. Olson argue that this sector of justice cannot be successful without professionals. They claim that professionals can aid in avoiding problems that come up with informal justice and propose the theory of democratic professionalism, where professionals are not just agents of the state – as traditional understandings would suggest – but as mediums, promoting community involvement while still protecting individuals' rights.


title: Restorative justice

text: Additionally, some critics like Gregory Shank and Paul Takagi see restorative justice as an incomplete model in that it fails to fix the fundamental, structural inequalities that make certain people more likely to be offenders than others. They and others question the structure of society and the fairness of institutional systems at their very core, pushing for addressing the root causes of many one-on-one offenses as well as for creating a socio-economic system that will be more conducive to harmonious, healthy living in general.


title: Restorative justice

text: Finally, some researchers agree that more research must be conducted to support the validity of restorative justice in schools, specifically in how it is implemented. More exactly, restorative justice practices that are inconsistent, insufficient, or run out of funding tend to have the worst reputations for success. While many research studies support positive findings in restorative justice, continuing studies are still needed.


title: Restorative justice

text: Some judicial systems only recognize monetary restitution agreements. For instance, if victim and offender agree that the offender would pay $100 and mow the victim's lawn five times, the court would only recognize the $100 as restitution. Some agreements specify a larger monetary amount (e.g., $200) to be paid if the non-monetary restitution is not completed.


title: Restorative justice

text: Many jurisdictions cap the amount which a juvenile offender can be required to pay. Labor regulations typically limit the personal service tasks that can be performed by minors. In addition, personal service usually must be approved by the juvenile's parents.


title: Restorative justice

text: According to the Victim Offender Mediation Association, victims are not allowed to profit from restitution (the equivalent of punitive damages); only out-of-pocket losses (actual damages) can be recovered. Courts can disallow unreasonable compensation arrangements.


title: Restorative justice

text: Both victim and offender can be hesitant to engage in victim–offender dialogue later in the criminal justice process. Once an offender starts serving a sentence, they may believe that the sentence is how they take responsibility for their actions rather than conversing with the victim. For victims, the trial and the sentencing of the offender may terminate the possibilities for discussion. For both offender and victim, victim–offender dialogue is limited in the amount of trust between the two parties.


title: Restorative justice

text: Studies by Kelly M. Richards have shown that the general public would be open to the idea of alternative forms of justice, though only after the idea has been explicitly explained to them. According to other studies performed by Vicky De Mesmaecker, in order for restorative justice to become publicly accepted, there must be an effective public relations collaboration between the media and the criminologists.


title: Restorative justice

text: The use of forgiveness as a tool has in the restorative justice programs, run for victims and perpetrators of Rwandan genocide, the violence in Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and Northern Ireland conflict, has also been documented in film, "" (2012). A tribal form of restorative justice is portrayed in the book "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen.


title: Restorative justice

text: The 2004 British drama film Red Dust based on the novel by the same name tells an exemplary fictional story about the applied methodology of restorative justice used by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (South Africa).


title: Restorative justice

text: The 2017 Canadian documentary "A Better Man" follows a meeting between a woman who is recovering from domestic violence and the ex-partner.


title: Restorative justice

text: Season 2 episode 5 of the NPR podcast "Mindshift" compares two schools that use restorative discipline practices, one that has already made the transition and one that is just beginning to use these practices. Peace Alliance hosts a twice weekly discussion forum on restorative justice called Restorative Justice on the Rise. There is public discussion about the restorative justice movement, as well as an archive of past discussions since January 27, 2019.


title: Restorative justice

text: In July 2020 the BBC Radio 4 series "The Punch" followed the story of Jacob Dunne who, at the age of 18, threw a single punch in a drunken brawl outside a pub in Nottingham, England. His victim, James Hodgkinson, died in hospital nine days later and Dunne was convicted of manslaughter. Meeting face-to-face with the victim's parents had a profound impact on both parties, and the resulting relationship changed Dunne's life in unexpected ways.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: In statistics, an expectation–maximization (EM) algorithm is an iterative method to find (local) maximum likelihood or maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimates of parameters in statistical models, where the model depends on unobserved latent variables. The EM iteration alternates between performing an expectation (E) step, which creates a function for the expectation of the log-likelihood evaluated using the current estimate for the parameters, and a maximization (M) step, which computes parameters maximizing the expected log-likelihood found on the "E" step. These parameter-estimates are then used to determine the distribution of the latent variables in the next E step.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The EM algorithm was explained and given its name in a classic 1977 paper by Arthur Dempster, Nan Laird, and Donald Rubin. They pointed out that the method had been "proposed many times in special circumstances" by earlier authors. One of the earliest is the gene-counting method for estimating allele frequencies by Cedric Smith. Another was proposed by H.O. Hartley in 1958, and Hartley and Hocking in 1977, from which many of the ideas in the Dempster-Laird-Rubin paper originated. Another one by S.K Ng, Thriyambakam Krishnan and G.J McLachlan in 1977. Hartley’s ideas can be broadened to any grouped discrete distribution. A very detailed treatment of the EM method for exponential families was published by Rolf Sundberg in his thesis and several papers following his collaboration with Per Martin-Löf and Anders Martin-Löf. The Dempster–Laird–Rubin paper in 1977 generalized the method and sketched a convergence analysis for a wider class of problems. The Dempster–Laird–Rubin paper established the EM method as an important tool of statistical analysis.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The convergence analysis of the Dempster–Laird–Rubin algorithm was flawed and a correct convergence analysis was published by C. F. Jeff Wu in 1983.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: Wu's proof established the EM method's convergence outside of the exponential family, as claimed by Dempster–Laird–Rubin.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The EM algorithm is used to find (local) maximum likelihood parameters of a statistical model in cases where the equations cannot be solved directly. Typically these models involve latent variables in addition to unknown parameters and known data observations. That is, either missing values exist among the data, or the model can be formulated more simply by assuming the existence of further unobserved data points. For example, a mixture model can be described more simply by assuming that each observed data point has a corresponding unobserved data point, or latent variable, specifying the mixture component to which each data point belongs.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: Finding a maximum likelihood solution typically requires taking the derivatives of the likelihood function with respect to all the unknown values, the parameters and the latent variables, and simultaneously solving the resulting equations. In statistical models with latent variables, this is usually impossible. Instead, the result is typically a set of interlocking equations in which the solution to the parameters requires the values of the latent variables and vice versa, but substituting one set of equations into the other produces an unsolvable equation.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The EM algorithm proceeds from the observation that there is a way to solve these two sets of equations numerically. One can simply pick arbitrary values for one of the two sets of unknowns, use them to estimate the second set, then use these new values to find a better estimate of the first set, and then keep alternating between the two until the resulting values both converge to fixed points. It's not obvious that this will work, but it can be proven in this context. Additionally, it can be proven that the derivative of the likelihood is (arbitrarily close to) zero at that point, which in turn means that the point is either a local maximum or a saddle point. In general, multiple maxima may occur, with no guarantee that the global maximum will be found. Some likelihoods also have singularities in them, i.e., nonsensical maxima. For example, one of the "solutions" that may be found by EM in a mixture model involves setting one of the components to have zero variance and the mean parameter for the same component to be equal to one of the data points.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: Given the statistical model which generates a set formula_1 of observed data, a set of unobserved latent data or missing values formula_2, and a vector of unknown parameters formula_3, along with a likelihood function formula_4, the maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) of the unknown parameters is determined by maximizing the marginal likelihood of the observed data


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: However, this quantity is often intractable since formula_2 is unobserved and the distribution of formula_2 is unknown before attaining formula_3.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The EM algorithm seeks to find the MLE of the marginal likelihood by iteratively applying these two steps:


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The typical models to which EM is applied use formula_2 as a latent variable indicating membership in one of a set of groups:


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The motivation is as follows. If the value of the parameters formula_3 is known, usually the value of the latent variables formula_2 can be found by maximizing the log-likelihood over all possible values of formula_2, either simply by iterating over formula_2 or through an algorithm such as the Viterbi algorithm for hidden Markov models. Conversely, if we know the value of the latent variables formula_2, we can find an estimate of the parameters formula_3 fairly easily, typically by simply grouping the observed data points according to the value of the associated latent variable and averaging the values, or some function of the values, of the points in each group. This suggests an iterative algorithm, in the case where both formula_3 and formula_2 are unknown:


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: Although an EM iteration does increase the observed data (i.e., marginal) likelihood function, no guarantee exists that the sequence converges to a maximum likelihood estimator. For multimodal distributions, this means that an EM algorithm may converge to a local maximum of the observed data likelihood function, depending on starting values. A variety of heuristic or metaheuristic approaches exist to escape a local maximum, such as random-restart hill climbing (starting with several different random initial estimates formula_13), or applying simulated annealing methods.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: EM is especially useful when the likelihood is an exponential family: the E step becomes the sum of expectations of sufficient statistics, and the M step involves maximizing a linear function. In such a case, it is usually possible to derive closed-form expression updates for each step, using the Sundberg formula (published by Rolf Sundberg using unpublished results of Per Martin-Löf and Anders Martin-Löf).


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The EM method was modified to compute maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimates for Bayesian inference in the original paper by Dempster, Laird, and Rubin.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: Other methods exist to find maximum likelihood estimates, such as gradient descent, conjugate gradient, or variants of the Gauss–Newton algorithm. Unlike EM, such methods typically require the evaluation of first and/or second derivatives of the likelihood function.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: Expectation-Maximization works to improve formula_9 rather than directly improving formula_34. Here it is shown that improvements to the former imply improvements to the latter.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: We take the expectation over possible values of the unknown data formula_2 under the current parameter estimate formula_39 by multiplying both sides by formula_40 and summing (or integrating) over formula_2. The left-hand side is the expectation of a constant, so we get:


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The EM algorithm can be viewed as two alternating maximization steps, that is, as an example of coordinate descent. Consider the function:


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: where "q" is an arbitrary probability distribution over the unobserved data "z" and "H(q)" is the entropy of the distribution "q". This function can be written as


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: where formula_55 is the conditional distribution of the unobserved data given the observed data formula_56 and formula_57 is the Kullback–Leibler divergence.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: In psychometrics, EM is an important tool for estimating item parameters and latent abilities of item response theory models.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: With the ability to deal with missing data and observe unidentified variables, EM is becoming a useful tool to price and manage risk of a portfolio.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The EM algorithm (and its faster variant ordered subset expectation maximization) is also widely used in medical image reconstruction, especially in positron emission tomography, single-photon emission computed tomography, and x-ray computed tomography. See below for other faster variants of EM.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: In structural engineering, the Structural Identification using Expectation Maximization (STRIDE) algorithm is an output-only method for identifying natural vibration properties of a structural system using sensor data (see Operational Modal Analysis).


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: EM is also used for data clustering. In natural language processing, two prominent instances of the algorithm are the Baum–Welch algorithm for hidden Markov models, and the inside-outside algorithm for unsupervised induction of probabilistic context-free grammars.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: A Kalman filter is typically used for on-line state estimation and a minimum-variance smoother may be employed for off-line or batch state estimation. However, these minimum-variance solutions require estimates of the state-space model parameters. EM algorithms can be used for solving joint state and parameter estimation problems.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: Suppose that a Kalman filter or minimum-variance smoother operates on measurements of a single-input-single-output system that possess additive white noise. An updated measurement noise variance estimate can be obtained from the maximum likelihood calculation


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: where formula_65 are scalar output estimates calculated by a filter or a smoother from N scalar measurements formula_66. The above update can also be applied to updating a Poisson measurement noise intensity. Similarly, for a first-order auto-regressive process, an updated process noise variance estimate can be calculated by


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: where formula_65 and formula_69 are scalar state estimates calculated by a filter or a smoother. The updated model coefficient estimate is obtained via


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: A number of methods have been proposed to accelerate the sometimes slow convergence of the EM algorithm, such as those using conjugate gradient and modified Newton's methods (Newton–Raphson). Also, EM can be used with constrained estimation methods.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: "Parameter-expanded expectation maximization (PX-EM)" algorithm often provides speed up by "us[ing] a `covariance adjustment' to correct the analysis of the M step, capitalising on extra information captured in the imputed complete data".


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: "Expectation conditional maximization (ECM)" replaces each M step with a sequence of conditional maximization (CM) steps in which each parameter "θ" is maximized individually, conditionally on the other parameters remaining fixed. Itself can be extended into the "Expectation conditional maximization either (ECME)" algorithm.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: This idea is further extended in "generalized expectation maximization (GEM)" algorithm, in which is sought only an increase in the objective function "F" for both the E step and M step as described in the As a maximization–maximization procedure section. GEM is further developed in a distributed environment and shows promising results.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: It is also possible to consider the EM algorithm as a subclass of the MM (Majorize/Minimize or Minorize/Maximize, depending on context) algorithm, and therefore use any machinery developed in the more general case.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The Q-function used in the EM algorithm is based on the log likelihood. Therefore, it is regarded as the log-EM algorithm. The use of the log likelihood can be generalized to that of the α-log likelihood ratio. Then, the α-log likelihood ratio of the observed data can be exactly expressed as equality by using the Q-function of the α-log likelihood ratio and the α-divergence. Obtaining this Q-function is a generalized E step. Its maximization is a generalized M step. This pair is called the α-EM algorithm


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: which contains the log-EM algorithm as its subclass. Thus, the α-EM algorithm by Yasuo Matsuyama is an exact generalization of the log-EM algorithm. No computation of gradient or Hessian matrix is needed. The α-EM shows faster convergence than the log-EM algorithm by choosing an appropriate α. The α-EM algorithm leads to a faster version of the Hidden Markov model estimation algorithm α-HMM.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: EM is a partially non-Bayesian, maximum likelihood method. Its final result gives a probability distribution over the latent variables (in the Bayesian style) together with a point estimate for "θ" (either a maximum likelihood estimate or a posterior mode). A fully Bayesian version of this may be wanted, giving a probability distribution over "θ" and the latent variables. The Bayesian approach to inference is simply to treat "θ" as another latent variable. In this paradigm, the distinction between the E and M steps disappears. If using the factorized Q approximation as described above (variational Bayes), solving can iterate over each latent variable (now including "θ") and optimize them one at a time. Now, "k" steps per iteration are needed, where "k" is the number of latent variables. For graphical models this is easy to do as each variable's new "Q" depends only on its Markov blanket, so local message passing can be used for efficient inference.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: In information geometry, the E step and the M step are interpreted as projections under dual affine connections, called the e-connection and the m-connection; the Kullback–Leibler divergence can also be understood in these terms.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: Let formula_71 be a sample of formula_72 independent observations from a mixture of two multivariate normal distributions of dimension formula_73, and let formula_74 be the latent variables that determine the component from which the observation originates.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The aim is to estimate the unknown parameters representing the "mixing" value between the Gaussians and the means and covariances of each:


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: where formula_83 is an indicator function and formula_84 is the probability density function of a multivariate normal.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: In the last equality, for each , one indicator formula_85 is equal to zero, and one indicator is equal to one. The inner sum thus reduces to one term.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: Given our current estimate of the parameters "θ", the conditional distribution of the "Z" is determined by Bayes theorem to be the proportional height of the normal density weighted by "τ":


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: These are called the "membership probabilities", which are normally considered the output of the E step (although this is not the Q function of below).


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The expectation of formula_88 inside the sum is taken with respect to the probability density function formula_89, which might be different for each formula_90 of the training set. Everything in the E step is known before the step is taken except formula_91, which is computed according to the equation at the beginning of the E step section.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: This full conditional expectation does not need to be calculated in one step, because "τ" and μ/Σ appear in separate linear terms and can thus be maximized independently.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: "Q"("θ" | "θ") being quadratic in form means that determining the maximizing values of "θ" is relatively straightforward. Also, "τ", (μ,"Σ") and (μ,"Σ") may all be maximized independently since they all appear in separate linear terms.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The algorithm illustrated above can be generalized for mixtures of more than two multivariate normal distributions.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: The EM algorithm has been implemented in the case where an underlying linear regression model exists explaining the variation of some quantity, but where the values actually observed are censored or truncated versions of those represented in the model. Special cases of this model include censored or truncated observations from one normal distribution.


title: Expectation–maximization algorithm

text: EM typically converges to a local optimum, not necessarily the global optimum, with no bound on the convergence rate in general. It is possible that it can be arbitrarily poor in high dimensions and there can be an exponential number of local optima. Hence, a need exists for alternative methods for guaranteed learning, especially in the high-dimensional setting. Alternatives to EM exist with better guarantees for consistency, which are termed "moment-based approaches" or the so-called "spectral techniques". Moment-based approaches to learning the parameters of a probabilistic model are of increasing interest recently since they enjoy guarantees such as global convergence under certain conditions unlike EM which is often plagued by the issue of getting stuck in local optima. Algorithms with guarantees for learning can be derived for a number of important models such as mixture models, HMMs etc. For these spectral methods, no spurious local optima occur, and the true parameters can be consistently estimated under some regularity conditions.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: Women who have sex with women (WSW) are women who engage in sexual activities with other women, whether they identify themselves as lesbian, bisexual, or heterosexual, or dispense with sexual identification altogether. The term "WSW" is often used in medical literature to describe such women as a group for clinical study, without needing to consider sexual self-identity.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: In terms of medical issues with regard to lesbian sexual practices, the sexual identification of women who consult a medical professional is usually not sought nor volunteered, due to the misconceptions and assumptions about sexuality and the hesitancy of some women in disclosing their accurate sexual histories even to a physician. Lack of differentiation between lesbians and heterosexual women in medical studies that concentrate on health issues for women skews results for lesbians and non-lesbian women. Many women who do not participate in heterosexual activity do not go to see a physician because they do not require birth control, which is the initiating factor for most women to seek consultation with a gynecologist when they become sexually active. As a result, these women are not screened regularly with pap smears because they have a lower perceived risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted infection or types of cancer. Lesbians are less likely than their heterosexual and bisexual counterparts to get screened for cervical cancer, with some being refused screenings by medical professionals.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: The lower rate of lesbians tested by regular pap smears makes it more difficult to detect cervical cancer at early stages in lesbians. The risk factors for developing ovarian cancer rates are higher in lesbians than in heterosexual women, perhaps because many lesbians lack protective factors of pregnancy, abortion, contraceptives, breastfeeding, and miscarriages.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: A factor which leads to lesbians neglecting to seek medical screening in the United States is a lack of health insurance offered by employers for same-sex domestic partners. When women do seek medical attention, medical professionals often fail to take a complete medical history. In a recent study of 2,345 lesbian and bisexual women, only 9.3% had claimed they had ever been asked their sexual orientation by a physician. A third of the respondents believed disclosing their sexual history would result in a negative reaction, and 30% had received a negative reaction from a medical professional after identifying themselves as lesbian or bisexual.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: A patient's complete history helps medical professionals identify higher risk areas and corrects assumptions about the personal histories of women. In a similar survey of 6,935 lesbians, 77% had had sexual contact with one or more male partners, and 6% had that contact within the previous year.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: Some STIs are communicable between women, including human papillomavirus (HPV), trichomoniasis, syphilis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), bacterial vaginosis (BV), and herpes simplex virus (HSV). Transmission of specific sexually transmitted diseases among women who have sex with women depends on the sexual practices women engage in. Any object that comes in contact with cervical secretions, vaginal mucosa, or menstrual blood, including fingers or penetrative objects may transmit sexually transmitted diseases. Oral-genital contact may indicate a higher risk of acquiring HSV, even among women who have had no prior sex with men. HSV-2 infection in particular occurs in nearly 1 in 10 of lesbians. Bacterial vaginosis occurs more often in lesbians, but it is unclear if BV is transmitted by sexual contact; it occurs in celibate as well as sexually active women. BV often occurs in both partners in a lesbian relationship; a recent study of women with BV found that 81% had partners with BV. Lesbians are not included in a category of frequency of HIV transmission, although transmission is possible through vaginal and cervical fluids and secretions; the highest rate of transmission of HIV from women to women is among those who have sexual intercourse with men, or participate in intravenous drug use.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: Many doctors consider sex between women to have negligible risk for transmission of STIs and fail to offer any information on prevention of STI transmission for sex involving two women. Although lesbians have a lower risk of contracting STIs than their heterosexual and bisexual counterparts, the risk still exists. Additionally, most WSW have had sex with men at some point in their lifetime, which significantly increases the risk of infection. Yearly pelvic exams are encouraged for WSW to contain the complications of STIs.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: There are various ways for WSW to protect against the contraction of STIs during sex, though these methods are not well studied. Dental dams, condoms on sex toys, gloves, and cling wraps are all used as protection during various forms of sex. Most WSW do not use protection during sex, due to misconceptions that a lower risk of STI transmission means that barriers are not needed. Engaging in oral sex without the use of a dental dam or condom is considered a high risk sexual behavior.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: The CDC recommends using a dental dam during oral sex. Additionally, HIV prevention organizations distribute dental dams along with condoms and other safe sex supplies. The FDA has not evaluated dental dams or other barriers for their effectiveness in preventing the spread STIs. Health educators widely encourage their use during cunnilingus or anilingus, but dental dams are not widely used by WSW, and are not made with STI prevention in mind. Dental dams are commonly found at STI clinics and on the Internet but may be difficult to find at drugstores where condoms are normally sold. Dental dams may also be made by cutting open a latex condom. Latex condoms are known to be impermeable to pathogens which can cause STIs.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: Similarly to condoms, a new dental dam is used for each instance of oral sex to reduce the risk of STI transmission. Dams are placed over the vaginal or anal opening before the start of any sexual activities and not be removed until activities are concluded. To ensure no tears or rips occur, water or silicon based lubricant can be used. Additionally, dams are not stretched out as this could lead to tears. Dental dams are stored in a cool and dry location, and never be used after their printed expiration date.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: While condoms may not be applicable to many WSW sexual encounters, they are still useful when sex toys are involved. Toys that are shared between partners can spread pathogens even when cleaned. The use of condoms in addition to thorough cleaning can help reduce the risk of transmission via sex toys.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: In the event of any open sores or wounds on the hands, latex gloves can be used to prevent infection while fingering or fisting. Gloves are placed over the hand before sexual activity ensues and kept on through the duration of the activity.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: Cling wrap is often posed as an alternative to dental dams, but not widely recommended. Cling wrap is used in the same way as dental dams, and much more cost effective. No studies currently exist on the permeability of cling wrap to STI causing pathogens, but it is known to be waterproof.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: Since medical literature began to describe homosexuality, it has often been approached from a view that sought to find an inherent psychopathology as the root cause. Much literature on mental health and lesbians centered on their depression, substance use disorders, and suicide. Although these issues exist among lesbians, discussion about their causes shifted after homosexuality was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual in 1973. Instead, social ostracism, legal discrimination, internalization of negative stereotypes, and limited support structures indicate factors homosexuals face in Western societies that often adversely affect their mental health. Women who identify as lesbian report feeling significantly different and isolated during adolescence; these emotions have been cited as appearing on average at 15 years old in lesbians and 18 years old in women who identify as bisexual.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: Anxiety disorders and depression are the most common mental health issues for women. Depression is reported among lesbians at a rate similar to heterosexual women. It is a more significant problem among women who feel they must hide their sexual orientation from friends and family, experience compounded ethnic or religious discrimination, or experience relationship difficulties with no support system. More than half the respondents to a 1994 survey of health issues in lesbians reported they had suicidal thoughts, and 18% had attempted suicide.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: A population-based study completed by the National Alcohol Research Center found that women who identify as lesbian or bisexual are less likely to abstain from alcohol. Lesbians and bisexual women have a higher likelihood of reporting problems with alcohol, as well as not being satisfied with treatment for substance use programs. Many lesbian communities are centered in bars, and drinking is an activity that correlates to community participation for lesbians and bisexual women.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: Intimate partner violence (IPV) encompasses any form of abuse, such as physical or psychological abuse, stalking, or sexual violence, perpetrated by an intimate partner. WSW are more likely than heterosexual women to have suffered IPV of any form from their partner, with bisexual women having a higher prevalence than lesbian women. Bisexual women are twice as likely as heterosexual women to experience stalking or intimate partner rape.


title: Women who have sex with women

text: It can be difficult to draw robust and wide reaching conclusions about WSW, since many studies fail to specifically include this group. Little scholarly research is done on WSW relative to other sexual minority groups. Research on sexual health is generally about pregnancy and heterosexual sex, with the needs of WSW largely ignored. Studies on intimate partner violence often fail to report the sex of the perpetrator or the sexual orientation of the victim, making it difficult to study the prevalence in WSW communities.


title: Minivan

text: Minivan (sometimes called simply as van) is a North American car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows. The equivalent classification in Europe is MPV (multi purpose vehicle). Minivans often have a 'one-box' or 'two-box' body configuration, a higher roof, a flat floor, sliding doors for rear passengers, and high H-point seating. Minivan was also equivalent in Southeast Asia as the Asian Utility Vehicle (AUV).


title: Minivan

text: Compared with a full-size van, most minivans are based on a passenger car platform and have a lower body. Early models such as the Ford Aerostar and Chevrolet Astro utilized a compact pickup truck platform.


title: Minivan

text: The largest size of minivans is also referred to as 'Large MPV' and became popular following the introduction of the 1984 Dodge Caravan and Renault Espace. Typically, these have platforms derived from D-segment passenger cars or compact pickups. Since the 1990s, the smaller compact MPV and mini MPV sizes of minivans have also become popular.


title: Minivan

text: The term "minivan" originated in both North America and in the United Kingdom in 1959. In the UK, Minivan referred to a small van manufactured by Austin and it was based on the newly introduced Mini car. In the US, the term was used in order to differentiate the smaller passenger vehicles from full-size vans (such as the Ford E-Series, Dodge Ram Van, and Chevrolet Van), which were then simply called 'vans'.


title: Minivan

text: The first known use of the term minivan was in 1959; however, it was not until the 1980s that the term became commonly used.


title: Minivan

text: Before the "minivan" term exists, the 1936 Stout Scarab is often regarded as the first minivan. The passenger seats in the Scarab were moveable and could be configured for the passengers to sit around a table in the rear of the cabin. Passengers entered and exited the Scarab via a centrally-mounted door.


title: Minivan

text: The DKW Schnellaster — manufactured from 1949 until 1962 — featured front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, flat floor and multi-configurable seating, all of which would later become characteristics of minivans.


title: Minivan

text: In 1950, the Volkswagen Type 2 adapted a bus-shaped body to the chassis of a small passenger car (the Volkswagen Beetle). When Volkswagen introduced a sliding side door to the Type 2 in 1968, it then had the prominent features that would later come to define a minivan: compact length, three rows of forward-facing seats, station wagon-style top-hinged tailgate/liftgate, sliding side door, passenger car base.


title: Minivan

text: The 1956–1969 Fiat Multipla also had many features in common with modern minivans. The Multipla was based on the chassis of the Fiat 600 and had a rear engine and cab forward layout.


title: Minivan

text: The early 1960s saw Ford and Chevrolet introduce "compact" vans for the North American market, the Econoline Club Wagon and Greenbrier respectively. The Ford version was marketed in the Falcon series, the Chevrolet in the Corvair 95 series. The Econoline grew larger in the 1970s, while the Greenbrier was joined by (and later replaced by) the Chevy Van.


title: Minivan

text: In contrast to larger vans, most modern minivans/MPVs use a front-engine, front-wheel drive layout, while some model lines offer all-wheel drive as an option. Alongside the adoption of the form factor introduced by Chrysler minivans, the configuration allows for less engine intrusion and a lower floor in the passenger compartment. In line with larger full-size vans, unibody construction has been commonly used (the spaceframe design of the Renault Espace and the General Motors APV minivans being exceptions).


title: Minivan

text: Minivans/MPVs are produced on either distinct chassis architecture or share platforms with other types of vehicles such as sedans and crossover SUVs.


title: Minivan

text: Minivans/MPVs use either a two-box or a one-box body design with A, B, C and D pillars. The cabin may be fitted with two, three, or four rows of seats, with the most common configurations being 2+3+2 or 2+3+3. Compared to other types of passenger vehicles, the body shape of minivans is designed to maximize interior space for both passengers and cargo. It is achieved by lengthening the wheelbase, creating a flatter floor, taller roof, and more upright side profile, but not as prominent as commercial-oriented vans that are boxier in profile. Practicality and comfort for passengers are also enhanced with a larger rear cargo space opening and larger windows.


title: Minivan

text: Some minivans/MPVs may use sliding doors while others offer conventional forward-hinged doors. Initially, a feature of the 1982 Nissan Prairie, the 1996 Chrysler minivans introduced a driver-side sliding door; by 2002, all minivans were sold with doors on both sides of the body. Most minivans are configured with a rear liftgate; few minivans have used panel-style rear doors, for example, cargo versions of the Chevrolet Astro, Ford Aerostar, and the Mercedes-Benz V-Class.


title: Minivan

text: Most minivans are designed with a reconfigurable interior to carry either passengers or cargo. The first examples were designed with removable rear seats unlatched from the floor for removal and storage (in line with larger vans); however, users gave poor reception to the design as many seats were heavy and hard to remove. In 1995, the Honda Odyssey was introduced with a third-row seat that fold flat into the floor, which was then adopted by many competitors, including Chrysler that introduced third-row and fold-flat second-row seats in 2005.


title: Minivan

text: High-end minivans may include distinguished features such as captain seats or Ottoman seats, as opposed to bench seats for the second row.


title: Minivan

text: Minivans developed for the North American market are distinct from most minivan/MPVs marketed in other regions such as Europe and Asia owing to their larger footprint and larger engine. , average exterior length for minivans in North America ranged around , while many models uses V6 engines with more than mainly to fulfill towing capacity requirements which is demanded by North American customers.


title: Minivan

text: In 2021, sales of the segment totalled 310,630 units in the U.S. (2.1% of the overall car market), and 33,544 in Canada (2.0% of the overall car market). , the passenger-oriented minivan segment consists of the Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Pacifica, Chrysler Voyager, Honda Odyssey, and Kia Carnival.


title: Minivan

text: In the late 1970s, Chrysler began a development program to design "a small affordable van that looked and handled more like a car." The result of this program was the first American minivans based on the S platform, the 1984 Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan. The S minivans debuted the minivan design features of front-wheel drive, a flat floor and a sliding door for rear passengers.


title: Minivan

text: The term minivan came into use largely in comparison to size to full-size vans; at six feet tall or lower, 1980s minivans were intended to fit inside a typical garage door opening. In 1984, "The New York Times" described minivans "the hot cars coming out of Detroit," noting that "analysts say the mini-van has created an entirely new market, one that may well overshadow the... station wagon."


title: Minivan

text: In response to the popularity of the Voyager/Caravan, General Motors released the 1985 Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari badge-engineered twins, and Ford released the 1986 Ford Aerostar. These vehicles used a traditional rear-wheel drive layout, unlike the Voyager/Caravan.


title: Minivan

text: To match the launch of minivans by American manufacturers, Japanese manufacturers introduced the Toyota TownAce, Nissan Vanette, and Mitsubishi Delica to North America in 1984, 1986, and 1987, respectively. These vehicles were marketed with the generic "Van" and "Wagon" names (for cargo and passenger vans, respectively).


title: Minivan

text: In 1989, the Mazda MPV was released as the first Japanese-brand minivan developed from the ground up specifically for the North American market. Its larger chassis allowed for the fitment of an optional V6 engine and four-wheel drive. In contrast to the sliding doors of American minivans, a hinged passenger-side door was used. A driver-side door was added for 1996, as Mazda gradually remarketed the model line as an early crossover SUV.


title: Minivan

text: By the end of the 1980s, demand for minivans as family vehicles had largely superseded full-size station wagons in the United States.


title: Minivan

text: During the 1990s, the minivan segment underwent several major changes. Many models switched to the front-wheel drive layout used by the Voyager/Caravan minivans. For example, Ford replaced the Aerostar with the front-wheel drive Mercury Villager for 1993 and the Ford Windstar for 1995. The models also increased in size, as a result of the extended-wheelbase ("Grand") versions of the Voyager and Caravan which were launched in 1987. An increase in luxury features and interior equipment was seen in the Eddie Bauer version of the 1988 Ford Aerostar, the 1990 Chrysler Town & Country, and the 1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette. The third-generation Plymouth Voyager, Dodge Caravan, and Chrysler Town & Country – released for the 1996 model year – were available with an additional sliding door on the driver's side.


title: Minivan

text: Following the 1990 discontinuation of the Nissan Vanette into the United States, Nissan also ended the sale of the second-generation Nissan Axxess. Nissan reentered the segment by forming a joint venture with Ford to develop and assemble a minivan which became the Nissan Quest and its Mercury Villager counterpart.


title: Minivan

text: Toyota also introduced the Toyota Previa in 1990 to replace the Van/Wagon in North America. It was designed solely as a passenger vehicle sized to compete with American-market minivans. For 1998, the Toyota Sienna became the first Japanese-brand minivan assembled in North America, replacing the Toyota Previa in that market. For 1999, Honda introduced a separate version of the Odyssey for North America, with North America receiving a larger vehicle with sliding doors.


title: Minivan

text: The highest selling year for minivans was in 2000, when 1.4 million units were sold. However, in the following years, sales of minivans began to decrease. In 2013, sales of the segment reached approximately 500,000, one-third of its 2000 peak. Market share of minivans in 2019 reached around 2% after a steady decline from 2004, when the segment recorded above 6% of share. It has been suggested that the falling popularity of minivans is due to the popularity of SUVs and crossovers, and its increasingly undesirable image as a vehicle for older drivers or the soccer mom demographics.


title: Minivan

text: Due to the market decline, North American sales of the Volkswagen Eurovan ceased in 2003. Ford exited the segment in 2006 when the Ford Freestar was canceled, Chrysler discontinued its short-wheelbase minivans in 2007, and General Motors exited the segment in 2009 with the cancellation of the Chevrolet Uplander. However, Volkswagen marketed the Volkswagen Routan (a rebadged Chrysler RT minivans) between 2009 to 2013. In 2010, Ford started importing the commercial-oriented Ford Transit Connect Wagon from Turkey. A similar vehicle, the Mercedes-Benz Metris entered the North American market in 2016.


title: Minivan

text: The Kia Sedona, which was introduced for the 2002 model year, is notable for being the first minivan from a South Korean manufacturer in the region. For 2007, Kia also introduced the three-row Kia Rondo compact MPV, where it was prominently marketed as a crossover due to its small size and the use of hinged rear doors.


title: Minivan

text: Another compact MPV released to the market was the Mazda5 in 2012, which is a three-row vehicle with rear sliding doors. Mazda claimed the model "does not fit into any traditional (North American) segmentation." The Ford C-Max was released for 2013 as a hybrid electric and battery electric compact MPV with sliding doors, although it did not offer third-row seating in North America.


title: Minivan

text: In Europe, the classification is commonly known as "MPV" or "people carrier" and includes smaller vehicles with two-row seating.


title: Minivan

text: The 1984 Renault Espace was the first European-developed minivan developed primarily for passenger use (as the Volkswagen Caravelle/Vanagon was a derivative of a commercial van). Beginning development in the 1970s under the European subsidiaries of Chrysler, the Espace was intended as a successor for the Matra Rancho, leading to its use of front-hinged doors. While slow-selling at the time of its release, the Espace would go on to become the most successful European-brand minivans.


title: Minivan

text: Initially intending to market the Espace in North America through American Motors Corporation (AMC), the 1987 sale of AMC to Chrysler canceled the plans for Renault to do so. In the late 1980s, Chrysler and Ford commenced sales of American-designed minivans in Europe (categorized as full-size in the region), selling the Chrysler Voyager and Ford Aerostar. General Motors imported the Oldsmobile Silhouette (branded as the Pontiac Trans Sport), later marketing the American-produced Opel/Vauxhall Sintra.


title: Minivan

text: In the 1990s, several joint ventures produced long-running minivan designs. In 1994, badge engeenered series of Eurovans was introduced produced by Sevel Nord and marketed by Citroën, Fiat, Lancia, and Peugeot. The Eurovans were produced with two sliding doors; to increase interior space, the gearshift was located on the dashboard and adopted a petal-type handbrake. In 1995, Ford of Europe and Volkswagen entered a joint venture, producing the Ford Galaxy, SEAT Alhambra, and Volkswagen Sharan badged vans that featured rear side doors that were front-hinged rather than sliding.


title: Minivan

text: In 1996, Mercedes introduced the Mercedes-Benz V-Class, it is available as a standard panel van for cargo (called Vito), or with passenger accommodations substituted for part or all of the load area (called V-Class or Viano). In 1998, the Fiat Multipla was released. A two-row, six-seater MPV with a 3+3 seat configuration borrowing its name from an older minivan, it is notable for its highly controversial design.


title: Minivan

text: Market reaction to these new full-size MPV models was mixed. Consumers perceived MPVs as large and truck-like despite boasting similar footprints as large sedans. Arguably, cultural reasons regarding vehicle size and high fuel prices were a factor. During 1996 and 1997, the Western European MPV market expanded from around 210,000 units to 350,000 units annually. However, the growth did not continue as expected, resulting in serious plant overcapacity.


title: Minivan

text: Renault set a new "compact MPV" standard with the Renault Scénic in 1996 which became popular. Based on the C-segment Mégane platform, it offered the same multi-use and flexibility aspects as the larger MPVs in a much smaller footprint.


title: Minivan

text: After the success of the Renault Scénic, other makers have developed similar European-focused products such as the Opel Zafira that offered three-row seating, Citroën Xsara Picasso and others.


title: Minivan

text: Before the birth of minivans with modern form factors, tall wagon-type vehicles with large seating capacity in Japan were known as light vans. It commonly adopts mid-engine, cab over design and rear-wheel drive layout with one-box form factor. Examples included the Toyota TownAce, Toyota HiAce, Nissan Vanette, Mitsubishi Delica and Mazda Bongo. These vehicles were based on commercial vehicles, which created a gap compared to sedans in terms of ride quality and luxury.


title: Minivan

text: The Nissan Prairie released in 1982 has been considered to be the first Japanese compact minivan. Derived closely from a compact sedan, the Prairie was marketed as a "boxy sedan", configured with sliding doors, folding rear seats, and a lifting rear hatch. The Mitsubishi Chariot adopted nearly the same form factor, instead using wagon-style front-hinged doors.


title: Minivan

text: In 1990, Toyota introduced the Toyota Estima in Japan, which carried over the mid-engine configuration the TownAce. Along with its highly rounded exterior, the Estima was distinguished by its nearly panoramic window glass. The Estima was redesigned in 2000, adopting a front-wheel drive layout and offered with a hybrid powertrain since 2001. In 2002, Toyota introduced the Toyota Alphard which was developed as a luxury-oriented model.


title: Minivan

text: In 1995, Honda entered the minivan segment by introducing the Honda Odyssey. The Odyssey was designed with front-hinged doors and as derived from the Honda Accord. As the result, it came with advantages such as sedan-like driving dynamics and a lower floor to allow for easy access. In a design feature that would become widely adopted by other manufacturers, the Odyssey introduced a rear seat that folded flat into the floor (replacing a removable rear seat). The Odyssey evolved to become a low-roof, estate-like minivan until 2013, when it adopted a high-roof body with rear sliding doors. Honda also produced the Honda Stepwgn mid-size MPV since 1996, which is designed with a higher cabin and narrow width, and the Honda Stream since 2002 to slot below the Odyssey.


title: Minivan

text: In 2020, minivans made up 20.8% of total automobile sales in Japan behind SUVs and compact hatchbacks, making it one of the largest minivan markets in the world.


title: Minivan

text: In South Korea, both the "minivan" and "MPV" terms are used. The Kia Carnival (also sold the Kia Sedona) was introduced in 1998 with dual sliding doors. Sharing its configuration with the Honda Odyssey, the Hyundai Trajet was sold from 1999 to 2008. Introduced in 2004, the SsangYong Rodius is the highest-capacity minivan, seating up to 11 passengers. It was discontinued in 2019.


title: Minivan

text: Current minivans marketed in South Korea are the Kia Carnival and Hyundai Staria, along with imported options such as the Toyota Sienna (originally for North America) and later generations of Honda Odyssey.


title: Minivan

text: In 1999, Shanghai GM commenced production of the Buick GL8 minivan, derived from a minivan platform designed by GM in the United States. After two generations of production, the GL8 is the final minivan produced by General Motors or its joint ventures today. It remained dominant in the high-end minivan segment in the market.


title: Minivan

text: Sales of minivans in China increased rapidly in 2015 and 2016, when the Chinese government lifted the one-child policy in favor of the two-child policy which pushed customer preference toward three-row vehicles in anticipation of a larger family. In 2016, 2,497,543 minivans were sold in China, a major increase from 2012 which recorded 936,232 sales. However, sales volume had shrunk ever since, with only 1,082,028 minivans sold in the domestic market in 2021 (4.1% of the total car market), around 720,000 of which were sold by domestic manufacturers.


title: Minivan

text: The MPV segment is the most popular passenger car segment in Indonesia with a market share of 40 percent in 2021.


title: Minivan

text: The category is commonly known as multi utility vehicle (MUV) or MPV. In fiscal year 2020, sales volume of the segment totalled 283,583 vehicles, or 10.3% of industry total.


title: Minivan

text: Mini MPV – an abbreviation for Mini Multi-Purpose Vehicle – is a vehicle size class for the smallest size of minivans (MPVs). The Mini MPV size class sits below the compact MPV size class and the vehicles are often built on the platforms of B-segment hatchback models.


title: Minivan

text: Several minivans based on B-segment platforms have been marketed as 'leisure activity vehicles' in Europe. These include the Fiat Fiorino and Ford Transit Courier.


title: Minivan

text: Compact MPV – an abbreviation for Compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle – is a vehicle size class for the middle size of MPVs/minivans. The Compact MPV size class sits between the mini MPV and minivan size classes.


title: Minivan

text: Compact MPVs remain predominantly a European phenomenon, although they are also built and sold in many Latin American and Asian markets. As of 2016, the only compact MPV sold widely in the United States was the Ford C-Max.


title: Minivan

text: A leisure activity vehicle (abbreviated LAV), also known as van-based MPV and "ludospace" in French, is the passenger-oriented version of small commercial vans primarily marketed in Europe. One of the first LAVs was the 1977 Matra Rancho (among the first crossover SUVs and a precursor to the Renault Espace), with European manufacturers expanding the segment in the late 1990s, following the introduction of the Citroën Berlingo and Renault Kangoo.


title: Minivan

text: Leisure activity vehicles are typically derived from supermini or subcompact car platforms, differing from mini MPVs in body design. To maximize interior space, LAVs feature a taller roof, more upright windshield, and longer hood/bonnet with either a liftgate or barn doors to access the boot. Marketed as an alternative to sedan-derived small family cars, LAVs have seating with a lower H-point than MPVs or minivans, offering two (or three) rows of seating.


title: Minivan

text: Though sharing underpinnings with superminis, subcompacts, and mini MPVs, the use of an extended wheelbase can make leisure activity vehicles longer than the vehicles they are derived from. For example, the Fiat Doblò is one of the longest LAVs with a total length of , versus the of the Opel Meriva (a mini MPV) and the of the Peugeot 206 SW (a supermini).


title: Minivan

text: An Asian utility vehicle (abbreviated AUV) is a term originating from the Philippines to describe basic and affordable vehicles with either large seating capacity or cargo designed to be sold in developing countries. These vehicles are usually available in minivan-like wagon body style with a seating capacity of 7 to 16 passengers, and are usually based on a compact pickup truck with body-on-frame chassis and rear-wheel drive to maximize its load capacity and durability while maintaining low manufacturing cost. Until the 2000s, AUVs were popular in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia and the Philippines, Taiwan, and some African markets.


title: Minivan

text: The first AUV is the Toyota Tamaraw/Kijang, which was introduced in the Philippines and Indonesia since 1975 as a pickup truck with optional rear cabin. In the 1990s, other vehicles such as the Isuzu Panther/Hi-Lander/Crosswind and Mitsubishi Freeca/Adventure/Kuda emerged in the AUV segment. Modern equivalent of AUV is the Toyota Innova, an MPV that is the direct successor to the Kijang which in its first two generations were built with body-on-frame construction. The third generation of the vehicle switched to unibody construction.


title: Minivan

text: With the decline of the minivan/MPV category in many regions such as North America and Europe in the mid-2010s, SUVs and crossovers with three rows of seating became popular alternatives. Compared to minivans, three-row SUVs lose sliding doors and generally offer less interior space due to the higher priorities on exterior styling and higher ground clearance.


title: Suresh Oberoi

text: Suresh Oberoi (born 17 December 1946) is an Indian actor and politician who appeared in Hindi films. He is a recipient of the 1987 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. He started his career in radio shows, modelling and later moving to Bollywood, making him a popular character actor in the 1980s and much of the 1990s. He is the father of actor Vivek Oberoi.


title: Suresh Oberoi

text: Oberoi was born to Anand Sarup Oberoi, a Khatri and Kartar Devi on 17 December 1946 in Quetta, then Baluchistan Province of pre-partitioned British India. Within a year due to partition, the family along with four brothers and sisters moved to India, and later relocated to Hyderabad state where his family established a chain of medical stores. Oberoi attended St. George's Grammar School in Hyderabad and was active in sports. He was a Tennis and swimming champion, later winning the President's Award as a Boy Scout. After his father's death when he was just out of high school, Oberoi, along with his brother, continued running his pharmacy chain. He is fluent in Pashto, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, English, Telugu and Tamil.


title: Suresh Oberoi

text: In the early 1970s, due to his interest in acting and a good voice, he gained entry into radio shows and stage plays, prompting him to attend the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune.


title: Suresh Oberoi

text: In his early Mumbai years, his prior radio show experience and his well received voice kept him going and his contacts with advertising agencies led to him being picked up as a model for Charminar cigarettes and Lifebuoy soaps, making him one of the leading models by late 1970s.


title: Suresh Oberoi

text: In late 1977 he made his debut with Jeevan Mukt. He did lead roles in films like "Ek Baar Phir" in 1980, but the film was not commercially successful. Later he was part of the radio program "Mukaddar Ka Sikandar". Then he accepted character roles in "Kartavya, Ek Baar Kaho, Surraksha" and "Khanjar" between 1979 and 80, which were commercially successful.


title: Suresh Oberoi

text: He gained recognition nationally for his supporting role as a Police Inspector Sharma in the 1980 film "Phir Wahi Raat", starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead and directed by Danny Denzongpa, which was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. It also laid the foundation for him being cast as a police inspector in many of his future films.


title: Suresh Oberoi

text: In 1981, then he got opportunity to do "Laawaris", which fetched him a nomination for Filmfare Best Actor in Supporting Role. Some of his performances, as small supporting roles which made a huge impact, came in films like "Namak Halal", "Kaamchor" and "Vidhata". After these small roles, he received offer to star in lead role in B. R. Chopra's "Mazdoor", co-starring with Dilip Kumar. His best performance as character actor came in "Awaaz", a 1984 film directed by Shakti Samanta and starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead, where he played Police Inspector Amit Gupta. He received nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in "Ghar Ek Mandir".


title: Suresh Oberoi

text: Since 1984, he regularly kept getting good character roles in films like "Ek Nai Paheli, Kanoon Kya Karega, Sharabi, Aeitbaar, Bepanaah" and "Jawab". He received National Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in "Mirch Masala" in 1985. His performances in films like "Palay Khan", "Dacait", the Telugu film "Marana Mrudangam", "Tezaab, Do Qaidi, Parinda, Mujrim, Aaj Ka Arjun, Pyar Ka Devta, Tiranga, Anari, Vijaypath, Masoom, Raja Hindustani, Soldier, Safari, , Lajja, Pyar Tune Kya Kiya" and "" were appreciated by the audience.


title: Suresh Oberoi

text: Thereafter, till the early 2000s, he appeared on average in four to five films per year. He has made over 135 films. He recited a few couplets in the song "Dil Mein Phir Aaj Teri" with Anuradha Paudwal for the film "Yaadon Ka Mausam" (1990).


title: Suresh Oberoi

text: Oberoi has acted in the television shows "Dhadkan" and "Kashmeer" and hosted the second season of the talk show "Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai" which was made popular by Farooque Shaikh.


title: Suresh Oberoi

text: Suresh Oberoi married Yashodara, eight years his junior, in Madras on 1 August 1974. The couple's has a son, Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi, born in 1976 and a daughter Meghna Oberoi born a few years later. His wife Yashodara is, as he says in a 2002 interview with "Times of India", "from a Punjabi business family who had lived in the south."


title: Suresh Oberoi

text: Together with the motivational speaker BK Sister Shivani Verma, Oberoi is a goodwill ambassador of the World Psychiatric Association.


title: Dead End: Paranormal Park

text: Dead End: Paranormal Park is an animated fantasy horror comedy streaming television series created by Hamish Steele for Netflix, which is based on the graphic novels series "DeadEndia" by Steele and Cartoon Hangover's Too Cool! Cartoons web short "Dead End". Produced by Blink Industries, the series premiered on June 16, 2022. A second season premiered on October 13, 2022.


title: Dead End: Paranormal Park

text: The series follows Barney and Norma, the newest employees at their local theme park, Phoenix Parks, a Dolly Parton-esque park created by the famous celebrity Pauline Phoenix. Joined by Pugsley, Barney's childhood dog, and Courtney, a thousand-year-old demon, they discover the world of the Paranormal as well as learning new things about themselves.


title: Dead End: Paranormal Park

text: Barney Guttman, voiced by Zach Barack, is the main protagonist of the series. He is a gay transgender teen boy who finds a new job as a security guard of Phoenix Parks. Barney has family problems. His grandmother doesn’t accept the fact that he is trans. While it hasn't been made clear what his grandmother said to him, it was shown to be very hurtful. Barney’s parents accept him for who he is, but do nothing when his grandmother begins verbally abusing him. Shortly after starting at his new job, Barney secretly moves in the Haunted House attraction with his dog, Pugsley. On the same day, Norma Khan is also starting her new job at Phoenix Parks as part of the security team. Norma is a 17-year-old autistic Pakistani-American girl who is obsessed with all things Pauline Phoenix. Norma is very socially anxious, dreading social interaction and has been shown to have panic attacks when overwhelmed.


title: Dead End: Paranormal Park

text: After walking to the haunted house and entering, they meet Courtney, a demon who disguises herself as part of the attraction. Courtney is taking orders from Temeluchus, a member of the demon royal family. Temeluchus needs a vessel to interact with the world and tasks Courtney to bring them Barney. After Barney's dog Pugsley realizes this, he jumps in front of Barney and ends up getting possessed instead of Barney. He flies to an attraction in Camelot Creek to claim a throne.


title: Dead End: Paranormal Park

text: Barney's scared that Pugsley might get hurt, so he walks to the attraction. Norma follows him after doubting a bit. Norma gets an idea from an old Pauline Phoenix film where a demon soul is captured by taking a photograph. When they both arrive at Camelot Creek, Norma turns on the attraction and Barney hops in a boat for Temeluchus/Pugsley follow, Tempting the demon with his body as a vessel instead of his dogs. The plan works along fine, but then Temeluchus realizes the duo's plan turns the camera away from him using magic. Norma then succeeds in turning the camera back. They then capture the soul and head back to the haunted house.


title: Dead End: Paranormal Park

text: When they get to the haunted house, Barney and Norma give the photograph to Courtney, who is sad because Temeluchas promised to return her to her home, but happy not to be taking anymore orders. Courtney realizes that part of Temeluchas is missing from the photo. Pugsley still has a bit of Temeluchus inside him, because of this he has gained the ability to talk, use magic and easily walk on two legs.


title: Dead End: Paranormal Park

text: There are more secrets and mysteries at Phoenix Parks, Will our new friends survive what they are in store for?


title: Dead End: Paranormal Park

text: On 17 August 2020, Steele explained how the show changed from its original iteration on Cartoon Hangover in 2014, and the graphic novels that followed it, stating that he is grateful for showrunners who fought for LGBTQ characters in their shows, adding that there was "absolutely no pushback from Netflix about representation", while describing Barney as a trans male character. He also hoped that the show will help out "more trans creators getting their chance to tell their stories" while hinting at other LGBTQ characters in the show apart from Barney. In another interview, he was thankful to Netflix executives for letting them have diversity in the show while pushing for it, and pushing him to "tell the story I want to tell". He stated that all the scripts are reviewed by GLAAD and said he couldn't wait for people to know Barney. Jen Rudin was a casting executive for the show.


title: Dead End: Paranormal Park

text: The series was scheduled to premiere in 2021. The series was originally scheduled for a Fall 2021 premiere on Netflix.


title: Dead End: Paranormal Park

text: In August 2021, Steele noted the importance of trans representation in the series, hoped it took a stance against transphobia in the UK, and noted there are "multiple trans cast and crew". On 23 October, 2021, Netflix reserved a trademark with the new name for the series: "Dead End: Paranormal Park".


title: Dead End: Paranormal Park

text: On 19 May 2022, the show's trailer premiered and confirmed the show would premiere on June 16, 2022. Mey Rude of Out stated that the trailer gives a "great look at the show" and said that the show features queer and trans characters, addressing these identities "through important storylines".


title: Dead End: Paranormal Park

text: In July 2022, after the show's release, Steele argued that the series was a young adult animation like "Infinity Train" and hoped for the expansion of the genre in the future. On 6 September 2022, a second season was confirmed to be released on October 13.


title: Dead End: Paranormal Park

text: The series was received positively. David Opie of Digital Spy argued that the series satiates the "endless need for adorable queer animation" and noting other animated series with queer-inclusive stories. Abbey White of "The Hollywood Reporter" said the series isn't "typical" for animated series, noted the "racially-, gender- and sexuality-diverse cast" and argued the series smashes genres and is "equal parts comedy, horror and coming of age." Ben Mitchell, the editor-in-chief of "Skwigly" called the series a "horror comedy...for younger audiences" and praised the well-developed characters and "incredible attention to detail" in production design. Reuben Baron of "Paste" called the series "groundbreaking" and argued that U.S. senators Roger Marshall, Mike Lee, Mike Braun, Steve Daines, and Kevin Cramer demanded new content warnings because the series centers on a trans protagonist. Baron criticized the series for not capturing the "visual charm" of the DeadEndia comic and saying the series "tones down" some themes from the comic while praising the writing and treatment of autism in the series.


title: Dead End: Paranormal Park

text: Jade King of The Gamer argued that the series is "delightfully queer" and said it comes together in a "warm, comforting, and spooky animated adventure". She also praised the show's character development and said the show shouldn't be overlooked. Charles Pulliam-Moore of "The Verge" called the series a "shining example" of what queer creators can do "when given the resources and freedom to tell their own stories", said its existence is evident in the impact of "other recent progressively minded cartoons" on modern animation and hoped that Netflix renewed the series. Kristy Puchko of Mashable called it a "kinetic and heartwarming adventure cartoon" which delivers on LGBTQ representation and is true to the source material. Barry Levitt of "The Daily Beast" called the series a "incredibly fun journey" with bright and inviting "colors and charming character designs filling every frame" and said it is a "miracle" the series is coming out, with rising transphobic rhetoric.


title: J. J. Philbin

text: Jennifer Joy Philbin (born August 30, 1974) is an American producer and screenwriter, best known for her work on the drama series "The O.C." She is the daughter of television stars Regis and Joy Philbin.


title: J. J. Philbin

text: Philbin's career began soon after she graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1996 when she became a writer for "Mad TV", and then joined the script department of "Saturday Night Live" until 1999. In 2002, she moved on to "That Was Then", an ABC drama series, as a writer, and in 2003 began work on the comedy-drama series "Dead Like Me", for which she served as both writer and script supervisor for several episodes. She had a meeting with the executive producers of "The O.C." in late 2003 and was keen for a job, but another job came up and so she worked shortly as story editor for the sitcom "Coupling". In 2004, she joined the "O.C." crew after "Coupling" was canceled and "The O.C."<nowiki>'s</nowiki> producers offered her a writing position. For 2004, she served as story editor, but was promoted to executive story editor for the remainder of the show's duration, from 2005 to 2007, and during that time wrote twelve episodes and co-produced another four. Following "The O.C."<nowiki>'</nowiki>s end, she became a co-executive producer and writer on the first season of the science fiction drama "Heroes".


title: J. J. Philbin

text: In 2011, Philbin became a Consulting Producer on the TV series "New Girl". Between 2018 and 2020 she was also co-creator and executive producer of the ABC sitcom "Single Parents".


title: J. J. Philbin

text: Philbin and the other "Saturday Night Live" writers were nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award in 2000 in the category of "Comedy/Variety Series".


title: J. J. Philbin

text: Philbin was born in New York City to Regis Philbin and Joy Philbin. She attended The Loomis-Chaffee School in Windsor, CT, where she was a boarding student, and the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. She says that, growing up, she always wanted to be a writer of some sort, but she particularly enjoyed writing scripts for amateur short films she made with her friends. While working on "Saturday Night Live" in January 1998, she met "The Office" writer Michael Schur, who had also been hired to write for the show. The couple married in October 2005 in New York. Their son was born in February 2008 and daughter born in July 2010.


title: Emperor (band)

text: Emperor is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991, regarded as highly influential by critics and emerging black metal bands. The group split up in 2001, but reunited from 2005 to 2007 for a few festival dates and brief US tours, and again reunited in 2013 to 2014. Emperor reformed for the third time in 2016. The group was founded by Ihsahn (guitar/vocal) and Samoth (then, drums).


title: Emperor (band)

text: In their youth, Ihsahn and Samoth met at a rock music seminar. The two young men began playing together under various names; first Dark Device, then Xerasia, then Embryonic. The group soon evolved into the now well-known band Thou Shalt Suffer. Soon, however, Samoth began to write music outside of Thou Shalt Suffer, and together with Ihsahn and a new bass player called Mortiis (later of his own eponymous band Mortiis), Emperor was formed. After a short while together, the band released a demo entitled "Wrath of the Tyrant". It quickly gained popularity in the underground and attracted the attention of the then-start-up label Candlelight. Soon afterwards, a record contract was signed, Samoth moved to rhythm guitar, Ihsahn continued the vocal duties and lead guitars, and Faust was recruited as a drummer. Emperor released their debut EP, Emperor, under Candlelight Records. The band then was signed to the infamous first black metal label, Deathlike Silence Productions, and planned to release their next album soon, though the band never managed to release any material while signed to DSP.


title: Emperor (band)

text: In the summer of 1992, a series of events were set in motion by the black metal inner circle. Samoth, along with various other black metallers, set out to burn down old churches in Norway. Also in 1992, Faust lived in Lillehammer, and in the newly constructed Olympic park a man named Magne Andreassen approached him and suggested that they take a walk in the nearby forest. Faust agreed, and, once in the forest, Faust claimed the man began to make strong sexual advances towards him. Faust then stabbed the man to death, kicking him in the head afterward to ensure that he was dead. He was not convicted until two years later. The day after Faust committed the murder, he went with Euronymous of Mayhem and Varg Vikernes of Burzum to burn the Holmenkollen Chapel in Oslo. In the summer of 1993, the band began working on their first full-length album. Emperor ceased wearing corpse paint; they stated that it was becoming a trend and losing its original significance and symbolism. In autumn of that year, the police began to investigate the murder of Euronymous of Mayhem, naming Varg Vikernes as a suspect; this investigation eventually led to the incarceration of Samoth for arson, and of Faust for the murder of Magne Andreassen.


title: Emperor (band)

text: In 1994, Samoth was sentenced to 16 months in prison for burning the Skjold Church in Vindafjord, together with Varg Vikernes. The arson was committed during a pause in the recording of the Burzum EP "Aske" (‘Ashes’). In 1994, "In the Nightside Eclipse" was released, and earned Emperor widespread acclaim and a large fanbase.


title: Emperor (band)

text: After Samoth's parole, the band was joined by Trym and Alver on drums and bass respectively, and at the end of 1996, Emperor entered the studio to record "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk". "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk" won the 'album of the year' poll in many metal magazines around the world, including UK "Terrorizer" and US "Metal Maniacs". Bassist Alver soon left.


title: Emperor (band)

text: Now continuing their career as a trio, with Ihsahn handling keyboards, vocals, guitars and bass, the band recorded their third album "IX Equilibrium" and toured Europe and North America. It was around 2000 when Samoth and Trym started to gravitate more towards death metal, while Ihsahn directed his musical exploration towards his side project, Peccatum. Thus, in 2001, Emperor decided to disband after releasing one final album, "", composed entirely by Ihsahn. Ihsahn later recalled that "When we announced the split up in 2001, we didn't think we would do anything more with Emperor ever again...The decision was also based on the feeling that Emperor had a lot of integrity, and that if we were going to end it, we should end it while we still created great music. For us, the decision was made in the black metal spirit. Since Samoth and I pulled in different directions, we didn't see any point in continuing. The core of the band wasn't intact anymore". Samoth echoed Ihsahn's position: "At that point, we both had other priorities that we wanted to pursue and we both felt that splitting up Emperor was the best thing to do. We really wanted to focus on other things, and felt it was the only right thing to do".


title: Emperor (band)

text: Following the breakup, Samoth and Trym continued playing in the black/death metal outfit Zyklon, while Ihsahn concentrated on his family project Peccatum. Later Ihsahn announced a solo project, much in the vein of "" and Peccatum, featuring drummer Asgeir Mickelson of Borknagar and Vintersorg. It has generated positive feedback in the black metal community.


title: Emperor (band)

text: The band played a surprise three-song show in Oslo on 30 September 2005, at which they announced a series of full concerts to take place in California, New York City, and Europe in 2006. As of February 2006, they were also scheduled to play at the Inferno festival in April and Germany's Wacken Open Air in August. Samoth was unable to take part in the US tour dates, as his conviction for the arson he committed in 1992 lengthened the process for his visa application, so Emperor performed without him.


title: Emperor (band)

text: On 7 October 2006, Emperor performed at the under-18 Motstøy-festival in their home town of Notodden. The band had wanted to do an under-18 gig and a gig at their home town, so the festival fit perfectly. It was held at a small venue called StuA, and with only 450 tickets available, the concert quickly sold out.


title: Emperor (band)

text: On 28 October 2006, Emperor returned to the UK to play a gig at London's Astoria venue, where the band was warmly greeted by fans. In 2007, Emperor played a series of one-off shows in the United States and two festival gigs in France and Finland.


title: Emperor (band)

text: A Tablature Book based on their "" compilation album, containing thirteen Emperor tracks from their back catalogue, transcribed by Ihsahn with a foreword also by him, was released 31 October 2007 via Candlelight Records. Emperor's albums were also re-issued in a special box version with a bonus poster on 21 August 2007.


title: Emperor (band)

text: Samoth announced on 23 October 2007 that Emperor had begun preparing a second official DVD release. On 8 December 2008 it was revealed that this release will be called "Live Inferno" and come in the form of a double-disc live album and a live DVD, taken from their appearances at Inferno and Wacken metal festivals during their brief reunion. It was released on 16 April 2009 in Europe and 21 April in North America.


title: Emperor (band)

text: On 2 August 2013, it was announced that Emperor would be reuniting to headline the 25th anniversary Wacken Festival in 2014. In the following months, they were announced as headliners for the 2014 editions of the Bloodstock Open Air and Hellfest festivals. In April 2014, they announced shows in Tokyo and Osaka for July with Trym playing drums due to Faust's visa issues.


title: Emperor (band)

text: On 12 August 2016, it was announced that Emperor would reunite again in 2017 for a special set of performances to celebrate their 20th anniversary second studio album "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk".


title: Emperor (band)

text: On 27 December 2018, the band announced its presentation at the Mexico Metal Fest in Monterrey, Mexico in 2019.


title: Emperor (band)

text: Despite playing a handful of reunion shows, Ihsahn has stated that Emperor has no plans to record a new album. He was quoted as saying: "It's kind of a lose-lose thing. The whole point of black metal, people want something that is real and has integrity of what it is. At this point, none of us can see any reason to do that beyond what we already do."


title: Emperor (band)

text: In 1995, Ihsahn promoted arson in an interview: "Skjold Church was a large wooden church about 100 years old. The church contained an altar board and preaching chair from the 16th century. All this was said to be of historical, Christian value. So it was to be reduced to a pile of ashes. The material damages are set to be of 13 million Norwegian Kroners. The church was still being used by a large flock of blind followers. It became a victim for true Norwegian spirit on the 13th of September Anno 1992 during a stormy night. Witnessed by the moon, this symbolic act of anti-Christian war enlightened the night with pagan flames. Heathen barbarism is on the rise. We will bring back the forgotten past of strength, pride, and victory."


title: Emperor (band)

text: However, Ihsahn, in a post-1990s interview, attributed his ties to Satanism as being part of his adolescence.


title: Emperor (band)

text: In 2014, Emperor attracted further controversy when the original drummer, Faust, joined them for live performances. Faust is a convicted murderer and caused some upset by being part of the shows.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: In business computer information systems, a dashboard is a type of graphical user interface which often provides at-a-glance views of key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to a particular objective or business process. In other usage, "dashboard" is another name for "progress report" or "report" and considered a form of data visualization. In providing this overview, business owners can save time and improve their decision making by utilizing dashboards.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: The “dashboard” is often accessible by a web browser and is usually linked to regularly updating data sources.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: Well known dashboards include Google Analytics dashboards, used on 55% of all websites, which show activity on a website; such as visits, entry pages, bounce rate and traffic sources.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 brought other dashboards to the fore, with the Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracker and the UK government coronavirus tracker being good examples.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: The term dashboard originates from the automobile dashboard where drivers monitor the major functions at a glance via the instrument panel.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: Digital dashboards allow managers to monitor the contribution of the various departments in their organization. In addition, they enable “rolling up” of information to present a consolidated view across an organization. To gauge exactly how well an organization is performing overall, digital dashboards allow you to capture and report specific data points from each department within the organization, thus providing a "snapshot" of performance.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: Dashboards offers a holistic view of the entire business as it gives the manager a bird's eye view into the performance of sales, data inventory, web traffic, social media analytics and other associated data that is visually presented on a single dashboard. Dashboards lead to better management of marketing/financial strategies as a dashboard for the display of marketing data makes the process of marketing easier and more reliable as compared to doing it manually. Web analytics play a crucial role in shaping the marketing strategy of many businesses. Dashboards also facilitate for better tracking of sales and financial reporting as the data is more precise and in one area. Lastly, dashboards offer for better customer service through monitoring because they keep both the managers and the clients updated on the project progress through automated emails and notifications.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: Dashboards can be broken down according to role and are either strategic, analytical, operational, or informational. Dashboards are the 3rd step on the information ladder, demonstrating the conversion of data to increasingly valuable insights.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: Strategic dashboards support managers at any level in an organization and provide the quick overview that decision-makers need to monitor the health and opportunities of the business. Dashboards of this type focus on high-level measures of performance and forecasts. Strategic dashboards benefit from static snapshots of data (daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly) that are not constantly changing from one moment to the next.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: Dashboards for analytical purposes often include more context, comparisons, and history, along with subtler performance evaluators. In addition, analytical dashboards typically support interactions with the data, such as drilling down into the underlying details. Dashboards for monitoring operations are often designed differently from those that support strategic decision making or data analysis and often require monitoring of activities and events that are constantly changing and might require attention and response at a moment's notice.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: Digital dashboards may be laid out to track the flows inherent in the business processes that they monitor. Graphically, users may see the high-level processes and then drill down into low-level data. This level of detail is often buried deep within the corporate enterprise and otherwise unavailable to the senior executives.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: Three main types of digital dashboards dominate the market today: desktop software applications, web-browser-based applications, and desktop applications are also known as desktop widgets. The last are driven by a widget engine.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: Both Desktop and Browser-based providers enable the distribution of dashboards via a web browser. An example of the latter is web-based-browser Asana, which helps teams orchestrate their work, from daily tasks to strategic cross-functional initiatives. With it, teams can manage everything from company objectives to digital transformation to product launches and marketing campaigns.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: Specialized dashboards may track all corporate functions. Examples include human resources, recruiting, sales, operations, security, information technology, project management, customer relationship management, digital marketing and many more departmental dashboards. For a smaller organization like a startup a compact startup scorecard dashboard tracks important activities across lot of domains ranging from social media to sales.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: Digital dashboard projects involve business units as the driver and the information technology department as the enabler. Therefore, the success of dashboard projects depends on the relevancy/importance of information provided within the dashboard. This includes the metrics chosen to monitor and the timeliness of the data forming those metrics; data must be up to date and accurate.


title: Dashboard (business)

text: Key performance indicators, balanced scorecards, and sales performance figures are some of the content appropriate on business dashboards.