title: Hundun

text: Hundun is also referenced at least linguistically in the Wild West-inspired RPG series Wild Arms, in which the Japanese pronunciation of Hundun ("Konton") is used. Several of the games contain a recurring extraterrestrial-like enemy called "Hayokonton." Rather than referring to the Chinese concept of chaos, it is possible that this enemy's name is intended to read "Haiyoru Konton," or the "Creeping Chaos," an epithet of the Lovecraftian entity Nyarlathotep. The Western localization of Wild Arms 3 notably translates "Hayokonton" directly as "Creeping Chaos," suggesting this allusion.


title: Hundun

text: The legendary Pokemon Chi-Yu, which first appeared in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, is said to be based on Hundun.


title: Kutaisi

text: Kutaisi (, ) is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the third-most populous city in Georgia, traditionally, second in importance, after the capital city of Tbilisi. Situated west of Tbilisi, on the Rioni River, it is the capital of the western region of Imereti.


title: Kutaisi

text: Historically one of the major cities of Georgia, it served as political center of Colchis in the Middle Ages as capital of the Kingdom of Abkhazia and Kingdom of Georgia and later as the capital of the Kingdom of Imereti. From October 2012 to December 2018, Kutaisi was the seat of the Parliament of Georgia as an effort to decentralise the Georgian government.


title: Kutaisi

text: Archaeological evidence indicates that the city functioned as the capital of the Colchis in the sixth to fifth centuries BC. It is believed that, in "Argonautica", a Greek epic poem about Jason and the Argonauts and their journey to Colchis, author Apollonius Rhodius considered Kutaisi their final destination as well as the residence of King Aeëtes.


title: Kutaisi

text: Later, it was the capital of the kingdom of Lazica until being occupied briefly by the Arabs. An Arab incursion into western Georgia was repelled by Abkhazians jointly with Lazic and Iberian allies in 736, towards c.786, Leon II won his full independence from Byzantine and transferred his capital to Kutaisi, thus unifying Lazica and Abasgia via a dynastic union. The latter led the unification of the Georgian monarchy in the 11th century.


title: Kutaisi

text: From 1008 to 1122, Kutaisi served as the capital of the United Kingdom of Georgia, and, from the 15th century until 1810, it was the capital of the Imeretian Kingdom. In 1508, the city was conquered by Selim I, who was the son of Bayezid II, the sultan of the Ottoman Empire.


title: Kutaisi

text: During the 17th century, Imeretian kings made many appeals to Russian Empire to help them in their struggle for independence from the Ottomans. All these appeals were ignored as Russia did not want to spoil relations with Turkey. Only in the reign of Catherine the Great, in 1768, were troops of general Gottlieb Heinrich Totleben sent to join the forces of King Heraclius II of Georgia, who hoped to reconquer the Ottoman-held southern Georgian lands, with Russian help. Totleben helped King Solomon I of Imereti to recover his capital, Kutaisi, on August 6, 1770.


title: Kutaisi

text: Finally, the Russian-Turkish wars ended in 1810 with the annexation of the Imeretian Kingdom by the Russian Empire. The city was the administrative capital of the Kutais Uyezd and the larger Kutaisi Governorate, which included much of west Georgia. In March 1879, the city was the site of a blood libel trial that attracted attention all over Russia; the ten accused Jews were acquitted.


title: Kutaisi

text: Kutaisi was a major industrial center before Georgia's independence on 9 April 1991. Independence was followed by the economic collapse of the country, and, as a result, many inhabitants of Kutaisi have had to work abroad. Small-scale trade prevails among the rest of the population.


title: Kutaisi

text: In 2011, Mikheil Saakashvili, the president of Georgia, signed a constitutional amendment relocating the parliament to Kutaisi. On 26 May 2012, Saakashvili inaugurated the new Parliament building in Kutaisi. This was done in an effort to decentralise power and shift some political control closer to Abkhazia, although it has been criticised as marginalising the legislature, and also for the demolition of a Soviet War Memorial formerly at the new building's location. The subsequent government of the Georgian Dream passed a new constitution that moved the parliament back to Tbilisi, effective from January 2019.


title: Kutaisi

text: The landmark of the city is the ruined Bagrati Cathedral, built by Bagrat III, king of Georgia, in the early 11th century. The Gelati Monastery a few km east of the city, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the famous churches in Georgia is Motsameta monastery. It is named after two saints, brothers David and Constantine. They were the Dukes of Margveti, and were martyred by Arab invaders in the 8th  century. Besides the churches, there are other places of note such as: Sataplia Cave, where one can observe footprints of dinosaurs; ruins of Geguti Palace, which was one of the residences of Georgian monarchs; "Okros Chardakhi" – Georgian Kings’ Palace; the Pantheon, where many notable citizens are buried; The Kutaisi Synagogue which was built in 1885.


title: Kutaisi

text: Local newspapers include: "Kutaisi", "Imeretis Moabe", "PS", "Akhali Gazeti", and "Kutaisuri Versia". Other publications include "Chveneburebi", a journal published by the Ministry of Diaspora Issues, and "Gantiadi", a scientific journal.


title: Kutaisi

text: Also nearly all of Georgia's national-level newspapers, journals and television stations have their representatives in Kutaisi.


title: Kutaisi

text: Kutaisi is located along both banks of the Rioni River. The city lies at an elevation of above sea level. To the east and northeast, Kutaisi is bounded by the Northern Imereti Foothills, to the north by the Samgurali Range, and to the west and the south by the Colchis Plain.


title: Kutaisi

text: Kutaisi is surrounded by deciduous forests to the northeast and the northwest. The low-lying outskirts of the city have a largely agricultural landscape. The city center has many gardens and its streets are lined with high, leafy trees. In the springtime, when the snow starts to melt in the nearby mountains, the storming Rioni River in the middle of the city is heard far beyond its banks.


title: Kutaisi

text: Kutaisi has a humid subtropical climate ("Cfa") with a well-defined on-shore/monsoonal flow (characteristic of the Colchis Plain) during the autumn and winter months. The summers are generally hot and relatively dry while the winters are wet and cool. The average annual temperature in the city is . January is the coldest month with an average temperature of while August is the hottest month with an average temperature of . The absolute minimum recorded temperature is and the absolute maximum is .


title: Kutaisi

text: Average annual precipitation is around . Rain may fall in every season of the year. The city often experiences heavy, wet snowfall (snowfall of or more per single snowstorm is not uncommon) in the winter, but the snow cover usually does not last for more than a week. Kutaisi experiences powerful easterly winds in the summer which descend from the nearby mountains.


title: Kutaisi

text: The most recent mayoral election was held on 2 October 2021, with a runoff held on 30 October, and the results were as follows:


title: Kutaisi

text: The Kutaisi city council (Sakrebulo) governs the city alongside the Mayor. The most recent city council election was held on October 2, 2021, and the results were as follows:


title: Kutaisi

text: Kutaisi has traditionally been an important industrial center in Georgia, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union most of the old manufacturing lines either stopped working or had to greatly reduce their operations. Nevertheless, the city continues to be an important regional center for the greater Imereti area, acting as a commercial hub for the surrounding countryside. In recent years, the city has started attracting more investment from various multinational corporations.


title: Kutaisi

text: There are two free industrial zones in Kutaisi: The Kutaisi free industrial zone (Kutaisi FIZ) and the Hualing free industrial zone (Hualing FIZ). The Kutaisi FIZ was created in 2009 and was established on the initiative of Fresh Electric, an Egypt-based home appliances producer. The Hualing FIZ operates since 2015, and specializes in wood and stone processing, furniture and mattress production and metal construction. Both of the free industrial zones offer multiple incentives to investors such as tax exemptions and reduced barriers for trade.


title: Kutaisi

text: In 2019, German solar panel manufacturer AE Solar opened a new, fully automated manufacturing line in Kutaisi. With a total output of 500 MW per year it is the largest solar panel factory under one roof in Europe. During the same year Changan Automobile announced plans to construct an electric car factory in Kutaisi, with an annual production capacity of up to 40,000 vehicles. The company plans to export annually about 20,000 cars to the EU. The factory plans to employ about 3,000 people.


title: Kutaisi

text: Kutaisi has a great tradition in sports, with many famous sports clubs. FC Torpedo Kutaisi has participated on the highest level of the Soviet Union football league. After Georgia achieved independence, it won many domestic and international titles. RC AIA Kutaisi won the Soviet Championship several times in rugby, and after independence, national championships and cups. The women's football club FC Martve takes part at the 2017–18 UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying round after becoming champion in the Georgia women's football championship in 2016. Kutaisi also has an influential basketball club BC Kutaisi 2010, 2016 Champion of the Georgian Superliga, which plays its home games at the "Kutaisi Sport Palas".


title: Kutaisi

text: David the Builder Kutaisi International Airport (IATA: KUT, ICAO: UGKO) is an airport located west of Kutaisi. It is one of three international airports currently in operation in Georgia.


title: Kutaisi

text: Kutaisi has two main railway stations, along with multiple smaller ones. Direct inter-city, as well as suburban railway services, are provided to Tbilisi (Central) and other major cities across the country. The rail operator on all lines is Georgian Railways.


title: Kutaisi

text: Kutaisoba is the most important holiday in Kutaisi. It is celebrated on 2 May. On this day the population of Kutaisi crowds into the central park, with their children and celebrate together.


title: Kutaisi

text: Some people make masks and there are many kinds of performances. Also, children sell chamomiles. It is an old tradition, in the past ladies collected money for poor people, so today children also collect money for them.


title: Kutaisi

text: On Kutaisoba one can see traditional Georgian dances and can hear folk music. Also, it is an old tradition to go to the forest, which is near Kutaisi. Families barbecue and play games. On this day, people wear traditional clothes, choxa. There is a tradition of writing lyrics that have been written by writers from Kutaisi, and then airplanes throw them from the sky. There is also a competition in different kinds of martial arts.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: The city of Istanbul has been known by a number of different names. The most notable names besides the modern Turkish name are Byzantium, Constantinople, and Stamboul. Different names are associated with different phases of its history, with different languages, and with different portions of it.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: According to Pliny the Elder the first name of Byzantium was "Lygos". This may have been the name of a Thracian settlement situated on the site of the later city, near the point of the peninsula (Sarayburnu).


title: Names of Istanbul

text: "Byzantion" (, ) was founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC. The name is believed to be of Thracian or Illyrian origin and thus to predate the Greek settlement. It may be derived from a Thracian or Illyrian personal name, "Byzas". Ancient Greek legend refers to a legendary king of that name as the leader of the Megarean colonists and eponymous founder of the city.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: "Byzántios," plural. "Byzántioi" (, ) referred to Byzantion's inhabitants and "Byzántios" (, ) was an adjective, also used as an ethnonym for the people of the city and as a family name. In the Middle Ages, "Byzántion" was also a synecdoche for the eastern Roman Empire. (An ellipsis of ). "Byzantinós" (, ) denoted an inhabitant of the empire. The Anglicization of Latin "Byzantinus" yielded "Byzantine", with 15th and 16th century forms including "Byzantin", "Bizantin(e)", "Bezantin(e)", and "Bysantin" as well as "Byzantian" and "Bizantian".


title: Names of Istanbul

text: The name "Byzantius" and "Byzantinus" were applied from the 9th century to gold Byzantine coinage, reflected in the French "besant" ("d'or"), Italian "bisante", and English "besant", "byzant", or "bezant". The English usage, derived from Old French "besan" (pl. "besanz"), and relating to the coin, dates from the 12th century.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: Later, the name "Byzantium" became common in the West to refer to the Eastern Roman Empire, whose capital was Constantinople. As a term for the east Roman state as a whole, "Byzantium" was introduced by the historian Hieronymus Wolf only in 1555, a century after the empire, whose inhabitants called it the Roman Empire (), had ceased to exist.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: The city was called "Augusta Antonina" () for a brief period in the 3rd century AD. The Roman Emperor Septimius Severus (193–211) conferred the name in honor of his son Antoninus, the later Emperor Caracalla.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: Before the Roman emperor Constantine the Great made the city the new eastern capital of the Roman Empire on May 11, 330, he undertook a major construction project, essentially rebuilding the city on a monumental scale, partly modeled after Rome. Names of this period included "the New, second Rome", "Alma Roma"  , , "Eastern Rome", "Roma Constantinopolitana".


title: Names of Istanbul

text: The term "New Rome" lent itself to East-West polemics, especially in the context of the Great Schism, when it was used by Greek writers to stress the rivalry with (the original) Rome. "New Rome" is also still part of the official title of the Patriarch of Constantinople.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: "Kōnstantinoúpolis" (Κωνσταντινούπολις), "Constantinopolis" in Latin and "Constantinople" in English, was the name by which the city became soon more widely known, in honor of Constantine the Great who established it as his capital. It is first attested in official use under Emperor Theodosius II (408–450). It remained the principal official name of the city throughout the Byzantine period, and the most common name used for it in the West until the early 20th century. This name was also used (including its Kostantiniyye variant) by the Ottoman Empire until the advent of the Republic of Turkey.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: According to Eldem Edhem, who wrote an encyclopedia entry on Istanbul for "Encyclopedia of the Ottoman Empire", "many" Turkish members of the public as well as Turkish historians often perceive the use of Constantinople for the Ottoman city, despite being historically accurate, as being "politically incorrect".


title: Names of Istanbul

text: Besides "Constantinople", the Byzantines referred to the city with a large range of honorary appellations, such as the "Queen of Cities" (), also as an adjective, Βασιλεύουσα, the 'Reigning City'. In popular speech, the most common way of referring to it came to be simply "the City" (Greek: "hē Polis" , , Modern Greek: "i Poli", η Πόλη ). This usage, still current today in colloquial Greek and Armenian (Պոլիս, pronounced "Polis" or "Bolis" in the Western Armenian dialect prevalent in the city), also became the source of the later Turkish name, "Istanbul" (see below).


title: Names of Istanbul

text: "Kostantiniyye" (Arabic: , "Qusṭanṭinīyya", Persian: , "Qosṭanṭanīye," Ottoman Turkish: , "Ḳosṭanṭīnīye") is the name by which the city came to be known in the Islamic world. It is an Arabic calque of "Constantinople". After the


title: Names of Istanbul

text: Ottoman conquest of 1453, it was used as the most formal official name in Ottoman Turkish, and remained in use throughout most of the time up to the fall of the Empire in 1922. However, during some periods Ottoman authorities favoured other names (see below).


title: Names of Istanbul

text: The modern Turkish name "İstanbul" () () is attested (in a range of variants) since the 10th century, at first in Armenian and Arabic (without the initial "İ-") and then in Ottoman sources. It probably comes from the Greek phrase "στην Πόλι" " , meaning "in the city", reinterpreted as a single word; a similar case is Stimboli, Crete. It is thus based on the common Greek usage of referring to Constantinople simply as "The City" (see above).


title: Names of Istanbul

text: The incorporation of parts of articles and other particles into Greek place names was common even before the Ottoman period: Navarino for earlier Avarino, Satines for Athines, "etc." Similar examples of modern Turkish place names derived from Greek in this fashion are İzmit, earlier "İznikmit," from Greek Nicomedia, İznik from Greek "Nicaea" ([iz nikea]), Samsun ("s'Amison" from "se" and "Amisos"), and "İstanköy" for the Greek island Kos (from "is tin Ko"). The occurrence of the initial "i-" in these names, including Istanbul's, is largely secondary epenthesis to break up syllabic consonant clusters, prohibited by the phonotactic structure of Turkish, as seen in Turkish "istasyon" from French "station" or "ızgara" from the Greek "schára".


title: Names of Istanbul

text: "İstanbul" originally was not used for the entire city and referred to the portion of Istanbul within the city walls. "İstanbul" was the common name for the city in normal speech in Turkish even before the conquest of 1453, but in official use by the Ottoman authorities other names, such as "Kostantiniyye", were preferred in certain contexts. Thus, "Kostantiniyye" was used on coinage up to the late 17th and then again in the 19th century. The Ottoman chancery and courts used "Kostantiniyye" as part of intricate formulae in expressing the place of origin of formal documents, such as "be-Makam-ı Darü's-Saltanat-ı Kostantiniyyetü'l-Mahrusâtü'l-Mahmiyye". In 19th century Turkish book-printing it was also used in the impressum of books, in contrast to the foreign use of "Constantinople". At the same time, however, "İstanbul" too was part of the official language, for instance in the titles of the highest Ottoman military commander "(İstanbul ağası)" and the highest civil magistrate "(İstanbul efendisi)" of the city, and the Ottoman Turkish version of the Ottoman constitution of 1876 states that "The capital city of the Ottoman State is İstanbul". "İstanbul" and several other variant forms of the same name were also widely used in Ottoman literature and poetry.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: T. R. Ybarra of "The New York Times" wrote in 1929 that "'Istambul' (our usual form for the word is 'Stamboul') has always been the Turkish name for the whole of Constantinople". "The Observer" wrote that "To the Turks themselves it never was Constantinople, but Istanbul." In 1929 Lloyd's agents were informed that telegrams now must be addressed to "Istanbul" or "Stamboul", but "The Times" stated that mail could still be delivered to "Constantinople". However "The New York Times" stated that year that mail to "Constantinople" may no longer be delivered. In 1929, Turkish nationalists advocated for the use of Istanbul in English instead of Constantinople. The U.S. State Department began using "Istanbul" in May 1930.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: Names other than ("İstanbul") had become obsolete in the Turkish language after the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. However, at that point Constantinople was still used when writing the city's name in Latin script. In 1928, the Turkish alphabet was changed from the Arabic to the Latin script. Beginning in 1930, Turkey officially requested that other countries use Turkish names for Turkish cities, instead of other transliterations to Latin script that had been used in the Ottoman times.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: In English, the name is usually written "Istanbul". In modern Turkish, the name is written "İstanbul" (dotted i/İ and dotless ı/I being two distinct letters in the Turkish alphabet).


title: Names of Istanbul

text: "Stamboul" or "Stambul" is a variant form of "İstanbul." Like "Istanbul" itself, forms without the initial "i-" are attested from early on in the Middle Ages, first in Arabic sources of the 10th century and Armenian ones of the 12th. Some early sources also attest to an even shorter form "Bulin", based on the Greek word "Poli(n)" alone without the preceding article. (This latter form lives on in modern Armenian.) The word-initial "i-" arose in the Turkish name as an epenthetic vowel to break up the "St-" consonant cluster, prohibited in Turkish phonotactics.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: "Stamboul" was used in Western languages to refer to the central city, as "Istanbul" did in Turkish, until the time it was replaced by the official new usage of the Turkish form in the 1930s for the entire city. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Western European and American sources often used "Constantinople" to refer to the metropolis as a whole, but "Stamboul" to refer to the central parts located on the historic peninsula, i.e. Byzantine-era Constantinople inside the walls.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: The name "Islambol" ( ) appeared after the Ottoman conquest of 1453 to express the city's new role as the capital of the Islamic Ottoman Empire. It was first attested shortly after the conquest, and its invention was ascribed by some contemporary writers to sultan Mehmed II himself. Some Ottoman sources of the 17th century, most notably Evliya Çelebi, describe it as the common Turkish name of the time. Between the late 17th and late 18th centuries, it was also in official use. The first use of the word "Islambol" on coinage was in 1730 during the reign of sultan Mahmud I. The term "Kostantiniyye" still appeared, however, into the 20th century.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: Ottomans and foreign contemporaries, especially in diplomatic correspondence, referred to the Ottoman imperial government with particular honorifics. Among them are the following:


title: Names of Istanbul

text: The "Gate of Felicity", the "Sublime Gate", and the "Sublime Porte" were literally places within the Ottoman sultans' Topkapı Palace, and were used metonymically to refer to the authorities located there, and hence for the central Ottoman imperial administration. Modern historians also refer to government by these terms, similar to the popular usage of Whitehall in Britain. The sublime Gate is not inside Topkapı palace; the administration building whose gate is named Bâb-ı Âlî is between Agia Sofia and Beyazit mosque, a huge building.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: Many peoples neighboring the Byzantine Empire used names expressing concepts like "The Great City", "City of the Emperors", "Capital of the Romans" or similar. During the 10th to 12th century Constantinople was one of the largest two cities in the world, the other being Baghdad.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: The medieval Vikings, who had contacts with the Byzantine Empire through their expansion through eastern Europe (Varangians), used the Old Norse name "Miklagarðr" (from "mikill" 'big' and "garðr" 'wall' or 'stronghold') as seen in the Icelandic sagas. This name lives on in the modern Icelandic name "Mikligarður" and Faroese "Miklagarður".


title: Names of Istanbul

text: East and South Slavic languages referred to the city as Tsarigrad or "Carigrad," 'City of the Tsar (Emperor)', from the Slavonic words "tsar" ('Caesar' or 'Emperor') and "grad" ('city'). Cyrillic: Царьград, Цариград. This was presumably a calque on a Greek phrase such as Βασιλέως Πόλις "(Basileos Polis)," 'the city of the emperor [emperor]'. The term is still occasionally used in Bulgarian, whereas it has become archaic in Russian, and Macedonian. In Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, Serbian and Slovene, "" is a living alternative name for the modern city, as well as being used when referring to the historic capital of the medieval Roman Empire or the Ottoman Empire. In Czech (a West Slavic language) this Slavic name is used in the form "Cařihrad" (used in the 19th century, now only occasionally). It was also borrowed from the Slavic languages into Romanian in the form "Țarigrad", though "Constantinopol" remained the far more widely preferred term.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: Besides "Kustantiniyyah", Persian, Arabic and other languages of the Iranian Plateau and Indian subcontinent used names based on the title "Cesar" ('Emperor'), as in Persian and Urdu "Kayser-i Zemin", or on the ethnic name "Rum" ('Romans'), as in Arabic "Rūmiyyat al-kubra" ('Great City of the Romans') or Persian "Takht-e Rum" ('Throne of the Romans').


title: Names of Istanbul

text: The city is referred to as "Kostandina" or "Kostantina" (an alteration of Kostantiniyye) and more often as its short form "Kosta" () or "Kostán" in most Judaeo-Spanish publications during the Ottoman period. Kosta was the name for the entire province of Istanbul, while the word "Estambol" was used for the area of the old city and Pera. Today the word Kosta is restricted only for historical purposes and is no more in common use.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: The word "Estambol" has widened in meaning to include exclusively the entire European side of Istanbul. The Asian side is usually not considered as Estambol; however, the expression "la civdad de Estambol" would encompass the boundaries of the present-day city. There are few expression denoting the Asian side. "Anatol", from Anatolia and "Asya", meaning Asia are common words to denote the Asian side of Istanbul. Moreover, "el otro lado" (literally "the other side") is a quite simplistic and descriptory expression for the Asian side of Istanbul, especially for those living in the European side. Those living in the Asian side however do not use this expression to denote the European side, but simply call it "Estambol". The inhabitants are called "Estambulí" or "Estambullí".


title: Names of Istanbul

text: In Hebrew, the city was sometimes referred to as "Kushtandina" , and sometimes "Kushtandina Rabati" , literally, Great Kushtandina, or shortened to "Kushta" , probably due to a distorted pronunciation of the Judaeo-Spanish "Kostandina". This usage was common among non-Sephardic Jews until the early 20th century; however, in present-day Israel it has virtually disappeared, replaced by the Hebrew transliteration of the Turkish "Istanbul" ().


title: Names of Istanbul

text: Present-day Chinese uses transcriptions of the name Istanbul (Yisitanbu'er or Yisitanbao ) when referring to the modern city.


title: Names of Istanbul

text: Most modern Western languages have adopted the name "Istanbul" for the modern city during the 20th century, following the current usage in the Turkish Republic. However, many languages also preserve other, traditional names. Greeks continue to call the city Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολη "Konstantinupoli" in Modern Greek) or simply "The City" (η Πόλη "i Poli"). Languages that use forms based on "Stamboul" include Russian, Polish (though the alternative form of "Istambuł" is also universally accepted and employed in many translations), Latvian, Lithuanian, Georgian and Albanian. The Albanian form is "Stamboll"; the Spanish form is "Estambul"; the Portuguese form is "Istambul", with an "m" instead of an "n"; the Hungarian form is "Isztambul," with the digraph "sz" pronounced /s/ in the Hungarian language. Armenian uses "Polis"/"Bolis" (Eastern and Western Armenian pronunciation, respectively), shortened from "Kostandnupolis"/"Gostantnubolis" (ultimately borrowed from Greek), although "Stambul" () from Istanbul is also used in everyday speech and officially used in the Republic of Armenia. Icelandic preserves the old Norse name "Mikligarður", though the form "Istanbúl" is generally used. In Slovene "Carigrad" is still largely used and often preferred over the official name.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: The Battle of Ramadi was fought during the Iraq War from March 2006 to November 2006, for control of the capital of the Al Anbar Governorate in western Iraq. A joint US military force under the command 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division and Iraqi Security Forces fought insurgents for control of key locations in Ramadil. Coalition strategy relied on establishing a number of patrol bases called Combat Operation Posts throughout the city.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: U.S. military officers believe that insurgent actions during the battle led to the formation of the Anbar Awakening. In August, insurgents executed a tribal sheik who was encouraging his kinsmen to join the Iraqi police and prevented his body from being buried in accordance with Islamic laws. In response, Sunni sheiks banded together to drive insurgents from Ramadi. In September 2006, Sheik Abdul Sattar Abu Risha formed the Anbar Salvation Council, an alliance of approximately 40 Sunni tribes.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: U.S. Navy SEAL Michael A. Monsoor was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during the battle. On September 29, 2006, he threw himself upon a grenade which threatened the lives of the other members of his team. Monsoor had previously been awarded the Silver Star in May for rescuing an injured comrade in the city.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: The battle also marked the first use of chlorine bombs by insurgents during the war. On October 21, 2006, insurgents detonated a car-bomb with two 100-pound chlorine tanks, injuring three Iraqi policemen and a civilian in Ramadi.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: Since the fall of Fallujah in 2004, Ramadi had been the center of the insurgency in Iraq. The Islamic State of Iraq, a front group for al-Qaeda in Iraq, had declared the city to be its capital. The city of 500,000, located 110 kilometres (68 mi) west of Baghdad, was a contested territory between US forces and insurgents. Law and order had broken down, and street battles were common.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: Since 2005, 2nd Brigade, 28th Infantry Division had responsibility for the area of Ramadi. The Pennsylvania Army National Guard brigade had two attached infantry battalions; 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, and the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. Following a very promising Iraqi local election with over 80 percent voter turnout and 2-28 ID's success in recruiting 671 Iraqi police recruits, al-Qaeda in Iraq targeted the city for attacks. On January 5, 2006, AQI conducted a suicide bombing that killed 56 Iraqi police recruits and 2-28 ID's tribal and police engagement officer. A few days later, AQI assassinated half of the tribal leaders of Anbar's People's Committee.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: AQI and allied fighters took over large sections of Ramadi following complex attacks on the city center. 2-28 ID conducted battalion-sized sweeps of neighborhoods, killing hundreds of enemy fighters, but the areas would be quickly reoccupied by AQI after the 2-28ID returned to its forward operating bases.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: The 2-28 ID had taken heavy casualties, losing 82 soldiers' lives and had an additional 611 soldiers wounded. The brigade had limited intelligence on the enemy and was under resourced for the task at hand. Large areas of the city had no US presence. Soldiers of brigade were attacked an average of 20 times a day. Aware of a deteriorating security situation, Multi-National Force – Iraq commander General George W. Casey Jr. cancelled a transition of responsibility to Iraqi forces and determined that 2nd Brigade, 28th Infantry Division would be replaced by a much larger US force at the end of their tour in June 2006.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: General Casey selected Colonel Sean MacFarland's 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division to relieve the 2-28 ID. The BCT would augmented by numerous forces including two battalion from 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division and various special operations forces, predominately U.S. Navy SEALs. 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment and 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment would complete their tour under Colonel MacFarland's command.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: In early June 2006, the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Armored Division and various attachments were deployed to the Ramadi area from Tal Afar and took responsibility of the battle space from the redeploying 2nd BCT, 28th Infantry Division. Rumors of an offensive already gotten to the 400,000 citizens of the city who feared another Fallujah style attack. But the U.S. commander of 1st BCT, 1st Armored Division, Colonel Sean MacFarland decided to take it slowly and softly, without using heavy close air support, artillery or tank fire. Tanks were used to safeguard soldiers against IEDs and were key in targeting bunkered insurgents and snipers. By June 10, U.S. soldiers had "cordoned off" the city. U.S. airstrikes on residential areas were escalating, and US soldiers took to the streets with loudspeakers to warn civilians of a fierce impending attack. The concept, described by Major Matthew Van Wagenen of 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, was to "leave the city intact".


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: The objective of the operation was to cut off resupply and reinforcements to the insurgents in Ramadi by gaining control of the key entry points into the city. 1st BCT, 1st Armored Division also planned to establish new combat outposts (COPs) and patrol bases throughout the city, moving off their forward operating bases in order to engage the population and establish relationships with local leaders.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: On June 7, through intelligence tracking, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi was located and killed by US Forces in a precision-guided bomb strike outside of Baghdad along with five other insurgents. By June 17, there were several skirmishes with the insurgents which killed two American soldiers.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: At the beginning of July, a units under the command of 1st BCT, 1st Armored Division and Iraqi Forces, managed to push deep enough into the city to capture the Ramadi General Hospital. The Marines reported through verified evidence that members of al-Qaeda in Iraq had been using the seven-story building, which was equipped with some 250 beds, to treat their wounded and fire on U.S. troops in the area. At the conclusion of the operation, American Forces took heavy sniper fire from insurgents that slipped away.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: On August 21, insurgents killed Abu Ali Jassim, a Sunni sheikh who had encouraged many of his tribesmen to join the Iraqi Police. The insurgents hid the body in a field rather than returning it for a proper burial, violating Islamic law and angering Jassim's tribesmen. Following this, 40 sheikhs from 20 tribes from across Al Anbar organised a movement called the "Sahwa Al Anbar" (Anbar Awakening). On September 9, Sheikh Sittar organised a tribal council attended by over fifty sheikhs and Col. Sean MacFarland. During this council, Sittar officially declared the Anbar Awakening underway.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: Shortly after the council, the tribes began attacking al-Qaeda in Iraq insurgents in the suburbs of Ramadi. By October, nearly every tribe in northern and western Ramadi had joined the awakening. By December, attacks had dropped 50% according to the U.S. military.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: In mid-September 2006, the 1st Battalion, 6th Marines ("1/6") relieved the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines in western Ramadi. The battalion commander, Lt. Col. Jurney, deployed his companies throughout the city. Alpha Company was deployed to OP VA, a combat outpost close to a large seven-story building. Bravo Company took up position in the Ramadi Government Center and Charlie Company was deployed to OP Hawk, the main combat outpost around Ramadi General Hospital.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: Delta Force operators from Task Force Green and DEVGRU operators from Task Force Blue mounted takedown operations against al-Qaeda targets based on high-level intelligence.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: In late September, Pentagon officials announced that the troops of the 1st brigade, 1st Armored Division would have their tour extended by 46 days. This extension was ordered to give the relieving brigade, the 1st brigade, 3rd Infantry Division time to prepare for their deployment at the start of 2007.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: In mid-October, 1/6 conducted its first major offensive, taking the large building on 17th Street in the Jumaiyah neighborhood where they established the 17th Street Security Station. This was the first joint Marine-Iraqi outpost in the city.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: In mid-October, al-Qaeda announced the creation of Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), with Ramadi as its capital replacing the Mujahideen Shura Council (MSC) and its al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI).


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: During heavy fighting between November 13 and November 15, U.S. forces were alleged to have killed at least 30 people, including women and children, in an airstrike in central Ramadi. Interviews by an unnamed "Los Angeles Times" correspondent in Ramadi supported eyewitness statements that there were civilian deaths during the fighting. Residents said the houses in an old Iraqi army officers quarters had been destroyed, including one being used as an Internet cafe. News photos showed bodies of civilians allegedly killed by coalition forces.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: A Marine spokesman disputed the account, saying that an airstrike on November 14 targeted a bridge east of Ramadi and there were many insurgent casualties in the attack. He said that on the 13th and 14th, Coalition forces killed 16 suspected insurgents, who had been placing IEDs and firing mortars and RPGs, in fighting in three separate incidents in Ramadi. At least one U.S. soldier was also killed in the fighting. The spokesman did not respond to inquiries about the number of civilian deaths, but he admitted that it was often difficult for coalition forces to distinguish between insurgents and civilians and did not confirm or deny that some collateral damage may have occurred. He neither responded to inquiries made by "The Times" regarding the number of homes destroyed or tank rounds fired in the fighting.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: By mid-November at least 75 American soldiers and Marines were killed along with an unknown number of Iraqi soldiers and police. The U.S. commander, Col. MacFarland said 750 insurgents had been killed in fighting in Ramadi and that his forces had secured 70% of the city. The intense battles of October and November 2006 largely eliminated al-Qaeda from the city, the surviving militants fled, with teams of them turning up in Baghdad and elsewhere, whilst others melted into the population.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: Two years before the battle, in 2004, then commander of the Marine garrison, MajGen James Mattis, stated that, "if Ramadi fell the whole province (Al Anbar) goes to hell". Two years later, a classified report written by Marine Col. Pete Devlin in August 2006 and leaked to the Washington Post in mid-September 2006, said Al Anbar had been lost and there was almost nothing that could be done. Devlin was the chief Intelligence Officer for the Marine units operating in the province. The report said that not only were military operations facing a stalemate, unable to extend and sustain security beyond the perimeters of their bases, but also local governments in the province had collapsed and the weak central government had almost no presence.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: On November 28, 2006 another part of the classified Marine Corps intelligence report was published by "The Washington Post" which said US forces could neither crush the insurgency in western Iraq nor counter the rising popularity of the al-Qaeda terrorist network in the area. According to the report, "the social and political situation has deteriorated to a point that US and Iraqi troops are no longer capable of militarily defeating the insurgency in al-Anbar." The report describes al-Qaeda in Iraq as the "dominant organization of influence" in the province, more important than local authorities, the Iraqi government and US troops "in its ability to control the day-to-day life of the average Sunni."


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: Insurgents still remained well entrenched in the city with coalition forces continuing combat operations throughout November and December. On November 28, 2006 six civilians, including five Iraqi girls, were killed when a U.S. tank fired into a building from which two insurgents were firing upon U.S. soldiers.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: On December 1, 2006, a 900-strong task force centered around the 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment (1-37) launched a month-long operation known as Operation Squeeze Play targeting the "Second Officers District" in central Ramadi. On December 6, six American soldiers were killed in heavy street fighting. Three of these, two soldiers and a Marine, were killed in an area of western Ramadi controlled by the Abu Alwan tribe, which was aligned with the Awakening movement. According to Col. MacFarland, the tribe saw the killings as a personal attack by the insurgents against their tribe and killed or captured all of the insurgents involved in the attack within ten days. By the end of the operation on January 14, 2007, US forces had killed 44 insurgents and captured a further 172. Four additional Iraqi police stations were established during the operation, which brought the total to 14.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: In mid-November 2006, 2,200 Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (15th MEU), a reserve force on ships in the Persian Gulf, deployed to Al Anbar as reinforcements. This force included members of Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment who were sent by General Abizaid to help in the fighting in Ramadi. In January 2007, as part of the U.S. troop surge in Iraq, 4,000 Marines in Al Anbar had their tour extended by 45 days. The order included the 15th MEU and 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment fighting in Ramadi, as well as the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment fighting elsewhere in Al Anbar.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: This operation was one of the closing engagements of the Battle of Ramadi in 2006. In the beginning months of 2007, Task Force 1-9, comprising 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment (1-9 IN, part of 2ID), with support from Abrams main battle tanks of the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment (3-69 AR), Navy SEALS, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) and dismounted infantry from 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment (1-26 IN), Charlie Company of the 321st Engineer Battalion, Lima Company of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment (3/6 Marines), and infantrymen from the veteran Iraqi Army 1st Brigade, launched an offensive in East Ramadi named Operation Murfreesboro.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: The operation was intended to cut off Mal'ab District from the rest of Ramadi in order to drive out the al-Qaedah forces operating with near impunity there. The operation began February 20, 2007, when tanks and IFVs from 3-69th Armor and 1-26th Infantry set up a full cordon around Mal'ab District, preventing any movement in or out of the neighborhood. Once this was in place, the soldiers of the 9th Infantry Regiment began conducting clearing operations and targeted raids searching for weapons, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), enemy fighters, and high-level al-Qaedah leadership within Mal'ab District and the neighboring Iskaan district, supported by the aforementioned armored vehicles, Apache helicopters, and long range rockets (GMLRS).


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: Throughout February 2007, there were more than 40 separate engagements with al-Qaeda forces, 8 large weapons caches found, more than 20 IEDs used against US and Iraqi Army forces, more than 50 IEDs located and safely disposed of, 69 enemy fighters killed in action, 9 known enemy wounded, and 32 enemy fighters captured. Together with the Iraqi Army, the local police force began to conduct patrols with gradually lessened support from coalition forces.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: Operation Murfreesboro is widely credited with breaking the back of the insurgency in Anbar Province, as it fed the fire of the Anbar Awakening, which saw almost the entirety of Anbar province turn on the insurgency, in favor of the new Iraqi government in Baghdad. Coupled with further gains in recruiting the local leaders and militias in the surrounding areas, Anbar Province required very little assistance during the famous "surge" that took place later in 2007. The improvement was so great that it enabled Task Force 1-9 (now operating without the armored and mechanized support it had enjoyed in the early part of 2007) to send nearly 70% of its strength to assist other units in clearing the city of Taji, just north of Baghdad, in October 2007.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: The 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment received the Navy Unit Commendation for this battle, and was recommended for a Valorous Unit Award.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: In January 2007, the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, on its third tour to Iraq, arrived in Ramadi and assumed responsibility from MacFarland's brigade on February 18 at a transfer ceremony at Camp Ramadi. During the ceremony, which was attended by Sheikh Sattar, MacFarland said that his brigade had lost 86 soldiers, sailors and Marines during the 8-month campaign (though the Brigade had spent a total of nearly 17 months in Iraq).


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: In January 2007, Ramadi averaged approximately 35 enemy attacks on US forces per day. Following heavy fighting over an 8-week campaign, which was led by a Task Force commanded by 1st Brigade, 3rd ID, also known as Task Force Raider, attacks in the brigade's area of operations dropped to one or two per day within the city of Ramadi. In the early months of 2007, 3-69 Armor Battalion, in conjunction with two Marine Battalions, along with TF PathFinder was largely responsible for securing Southern and Central Ramadi. By August 2007, Ramadi had gone 80 consecutive days without a single attack on US forces and the 1st BDE, 3rd ID commander, Colonel John Charlton, stated, "...al-Qaeda is defeated in Al Anbar". However, despite 1-3 ID's effectiveness, insurgents continued to launch attacks on Ramadi and the surrounding areas in the weeks and months to follow. On June 30, 2007, a group of between 50 and 60 insurgents attempting to infiltrate Ramadi were intercepted and destroyed, following a tip from Iraqi Police officers. The insurgents were intercepted by elements of the 1st Battalion, 77th Armor on 30 June 2007 and on 1 July 2007 they were destroyed by elements of Bravo company, 2nd Squad, 1st platoon, 1-18 Infantry Regiment. 1-18 operated out of the Ta'Meem district of Ramadi's western sector. North of Ramadi, elements of 3-69 Armor, whose headquarters had been moved north of Ramadi, engaged elements of al-Qaeda in Iraq who had taken refuge in rural areas north of the city. After several counter-insurgency operations, 3-69 AR Battalion and 1st Battalion 8th Marines effectively removed Al Qaeda in Iraq from the greater Anbar province. By March 2008, Ramadi, Iraq had become a vastly safer city than it had been only a year before and the number of enemy attacks in the city had fallen drastically. Years later, by mid-2012, Ramadi remained far safer than it had been since 2003.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: One major shortcoming in the efforts to wrest control of Ramadi from the insurgency was the failure of the Iraqi Police to effectively combat the insurgency. As part of the Tribal Engagement Strategy, Ready First developed and implemented a plan to quickly recruit, train, and employ Iraqi policemen on the streets of Ramadi. COL MacFarland, and LTC James Lechner, Deputy Brigade Commander, successfully developed an Iraqi Police recruiting, training, and employment plan that was implemented by HHC, 2-152 Infantry (Mech), an Army National Guard unit that lived in Iraqi police stations and Combat Outposts conducting daily patrols and clearing operations with their counterparts. HHC, 2-152 Infantry, also known in Ramadi as "the 152nd", or the Police Transition Team (PTT) Company would provide the Iraqi Police in Ramadi with the leadership and oversight that proved crucial in re-establishing a police presence in Ramadi to ensure insurgent forces did not return to neighborhoods that had been secured. Consequently, the success of the Iraqi Police program in Ramadi convinced the Ramadi populace that their government could effectively provide for their security needs, a critical element of defeating the insurgency. The 152nd PTT Company's Iraqi Police efforts began in October 2006 and would continue through the departure of Ready First and into the tenure of 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division until the 152nd departed in October 2007. The 152nd was responsible for recruiting, training, and conducting patrols with hundreds of Iraqi Police, and opened several new Iraqi police stations in the city of Ramadi.


title: Battle of Ramadi (2006)

text: 54th Engineer Battalion(Task Force Dagger) Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Company (route clearance and reconnaissance)


title: Terrapin

text: Terrapins are one of several small species of turtle (order Testudines) living in fresh or brackish water. Terrapins do not form a taxonomic unit and may not be closely related. Many belong to the families Geoemydidae and Emydidae.


title: Terrapin

text: The name "terrapin" is derived from "", a word in an Algonquian language that referred to the species "Malaclemys terrapin" (the Diamondback terrapin). It appears that the term became part of common usage during the colonial era of North America and was carried back to Great Britain. Since then, it has been used in common names for testudines in the English language.


title: Avery Bradley

text: Avery Antonio Bradley Jr. (born November 26, 1990) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Texas Longhorns before being drafted 19th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2010 NBA draft. With the Celtics, he was twice recognized as an NBA All-Defensive Team member. Bradley has also played for the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, and Houston Rockets.


title: Avery Bradley

text: Bradley was born on November 26, 1990, in Tacoma, Washington, to Avery Bradley Sr. and Alicia Jones-Bradley. He has two older brothers, one older sister, and one younger brother. His mother worked in a welfare office, while his father had a 22-year military career. After the two divorced in 2001, Bradley lived with his mother but maintained a strong relationship with his father, whose career took him all over the country. He became a Texas Longhorns fan when he lived in Arlington from 2001 to 2004. He and his family left Texas for Tacoma in the summer of 2004, before the start of his eighth grade year. Bradley played on the same AAU team as future Celtics teammate Isaiah Thomas.


title: Avery Bradley

text: Bradley was ranked among the top high school basketball players in the class of 2009. ESPNU 100 rated him No. 1 nationally, and he was rated No. 4 by Rivals.com and No. 5 by Scout.com. Bradley propelled Findlay College Prep to the National High School Basketball championship game against Oak Hill Academy, winning the contest 56–53. After leading Findlay to the title, Bradley was named National High School Basketball Player of the Year by Parade Magazine. He played against the nation's best high school players at the 2009 McDonald's All-American Game and won the McDonald's All-American Dunk Contest. Before transferring to Findlay Prep for his senior campaign, Bradley was a three-year starter at Bellarmine Preparatory School in Tacoma, Washington; and he, together with University of Washington recruit Abdul Gaddy, led Bellarmine Prep to the Class 4A State Semifinals with a 25–4 mark as a junior.


title: Avery Bradley

text: Bradley attended the University of Texas at Austin. Bradley found the Texas Longhorns basketball program appealing in part because he had spent parts of his childhood in Arlington, where he became a fan of T. J. Ford.


title: Avery Bradley

text: As a freshman in 2009–10, Bradley averaged 11.6 points for the Longhorns and established himself as one of the top defensive guards in the country. He subsequently earned Big 12 All-Rookie Team and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors.


title: Avery Bradley

text: In April 2010, Bradley declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his final three years of college eligibility.


title: Avery Bradley

text: Bradley was selected with the 19th overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. On July 2, 2010, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Celtics. The same day, he underwent successful ankle surgery and subsequently missed the 2010 NBA Summer League.


title: Avery Bradley

text: Still just 19 years old, Bradley joined a Celtics team that was one of the best in the Eastern Conference. He did not see his first regular season action until the fourteenth game of the season, a 23-point win over the Atlanta Hawks in which Bradley scored two points and committed two turnovers. On January 14, 2011, Bradley was assigned to the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League and on the same day made his debut game for the team, playing 21 minutes and scoring 11 points. Following a spinal cord injury to Marquis Daniels during a game against the Orlando Magic on February 6, 2011, Bradley was recalled by the Boston Celtics on February 7, and joined the team for the game against the Charlotte Bobcats.


title: Avery Bradley

text: In the one Celtics game of Bradley's rookie season in which he played more than 15 minutes, Bradley scored 20 points to go with three rebounds, two assists and two steals. However, he played ten or more minutes in just two other NBA games and did not appear in any of the Celtics' postseason contests. On June 30, 2011, the Celtics exercised their third-year team option on Bradley's rookie scale contract, extending the contract through the 2012–13 season.


title: Avery Bradley

text: In October 2011, Bradley signed with Hapoel Jerusalem of the Israeli Basketball Premier League for the duration of the NBA lockout. He played three games with the team, averaging 13.7 points per game.


title: Avery Bradley

text: During the 2011–12 NBA season, Bradley enjoyed much more playing time and was promoted to a starting role following an injury to Ray Allen. Bradley's scoring output increased significantly during the season, and he managed a career-high 28 points against the Atlanta Hawks on April 20, 2012. He also received praise for his tremendous hustle and defense, including memorable blocks on Dwyane Wade and Russell Westbrook, among others. However, Bradley suffered a dislocated shoulder during the 2012 NBA Playoffs. This injury, which led to season-ending surgery, was a significant setback to the Celtics, who lost in seven games to the Miami Heat in the Conference Finals.


title: Avery Bradley

text: On October 30, 2012, the Celtics exercised their fourth-year team option on Bradley's rookie scale contract, extending the contract through the 2013–14 season. With Bradley still sidelined for the beginning of the 2012–13 NBA season, the aging Celtics struggled with the duo of Courtney Lee and Jason Terry receiving the majority of minutes at shooting guard. On January 2, 2013, Bradley returned to action against the Memphis Grizzlies, regaining his spot as the starting shooting guard and providing a significant boost to the team, evident by their winning six out of Bradley's first seven games back. However, the season was ultimately a disappointment for both Bradley and the Celtics. Although he led the league in fewest points per play allowed on defense, at 0.697, he struggled offensively, shooting just 40.2 percent from the field and managing 15 or more points just five times in 50 regular-season games. The Celtics lost any realistic chance of contention when point guard Rajon Rondo went down with a torn ACL on January 27, leaving them without their most dynamic player. After falling behind three games to none against the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, Boston mounted a furious comeback, winning two games and narrowly losing Game 6. Bradley, whose play in the series had mirrored the ineffectiveness of the team, provided a gutsy effort at the end of the game, making all four of his shots and stealing the ball three times in the last ten minutes. The Celtics entered the offseason with an eye toward the future and Bradley a vital part of their plans to rebuild a contender.


title: Avery Bradley

text: The Celtics ended an era on the day of the 2013 NBA draft, trading aging stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, as well as Jason Terry and D. J. White, to the Brooklyn Nets. The Celtics also declined to sign Bradley to a contract extension before the October 31, 2013, deadline, allowing him to become a restricted free agent in 2014. However, new Celtics coach Brad Stevens professed his trust in Bradley, who, in the absence of the injured Rondo, began the 2013–14 NBA season as the team's starting point guard. Bradley's time at point guard lasted just four disappointing games; he had more turnovers than assists, and the Celtics lost all four times. In an effort to turn the team around, Stevens named Jordan Crawford the new point guard, allowing Bradley to move to his natural shooting guard. The move worked brilliantly, as the Celtics immediately went on a four-game winning streak and the more comfortable Bradley settled nicely into his role on the team. Although the Celtics' lack of talent and experience began to show itself as the season went along, particularly with Rondo still out, Bradley was a rare bright spot, increasing his scoring average every month through January. He was especially effective in December, shooting a fantastic 50 percent on three-pointers and making 48.7 percent of his shots overall. Unfortunately, on January 21, in just the third game all season that Rondo was active, Bradley sprained his right ankle and ended up missing five contests. Shortly after returning, on February 5, he re-sprained the same ankle. Determined to be cautious, Stevens still had not set a return date for Bradley as the Celtics headed into the All-Star break more than a week later.


title: Avery Bradley

text: Bradley ultimately returned to action on March 14. In his fourth game back, a win over the Miami Heat, he connected on a career-high six three-pointers as part of a 23-point effort, then followed it up with 28 points, matching his career high, the next game. When healthy, Bradley played significant minutes and played effectively in the final stretch of the season, scoring at least 18 points in the team's last five games. Bradley shouldered a higher percentage of the offensive workload for Celtics in 2013–14, and he responded by greatly improving his shooting from the previous season. In a rebuilding year for the team, one that saw them win only 25 games, Bradley stood out as one of their few consistent performers.


title: Avery Bradley

text: With Bradley set to become a restricted free agent in July 2014, the Celtics needed to extend a qualifying offer of $3.6 million in order to be able to match any contract offered by another team, which they did on June 30. On July 15, Bradley re-signed with the Celtics to a four-year, $32 million contract. Although the Celtics had high hopes for their backcourt pairing of Bradley and Rajon Rondo, both now healthy, they were soon dealt a setback when Rondo broke his hand a month before the 2014–15 season. Although the team planned to be cautious with Rondo's injury, Brad Stevens made the decision to keep Bradley at shooting guard even with Rondo out, with a mix of rookie Marcus Smart, second-year guard Phil Pressey and new acquisition Evan Turner playing point guard.


title: Avery Bradley

text: Despite the concerns, Rondo ultimately surprised many by being ready for opening night. Bradley continued to play harassing defense and scored in double digits in 13 of the team's first 15 games, including a career-high 32 points in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics, however, struggled to a 4–11 start. Meanwhile, Bradley's offense cooled off in December, as he shot just 39 percent from the field for that month and made just 1-of-21 three-point attempts over a six-game stretch. Faced with a 9–14 record on December 18, Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge made the difficult decision to part with Rondo, trading him and rookie Dwight Powell to the Dallas Mavericks for Brandan Wright, Jae Crowder, Jameer Nelson and two draft picks. Pundits such as Bill Simmons and Jalen Rose portrayed the trade as a surrender to a mediocrity, with the hopes of getting a high draft pick at season's end, and the Celtics continued to struggle after Rondo's exit.


title: Avery Bradley

text: However, under the tutelage of Brad Stevens, and with the help of trade acquisition Isaiah Thomas, the young Celtics gradually improved. After failing to post winning records in November, December or January, they did so in February, March and April, and won eight of the season's last nine games. Bradley's offensive output was especially effective in February, as he managed over 18 points per game in the month while shooting 47 percent from the field and over 40 percent from three-point range. Although a shoulder injury sidelined him for three games between March 6 and 9, he returned to score 17 points against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 11. For the regular season, Bradley led the Celtics in minutes played and points, although his points per game and shooting percentages declined slightly from 2013 to 2014. A 40–42 record saw the Celtics earn the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Their playoff series was brief, as the eventual conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers swept the Celtics 4–0. Bradley played 40 out of the 48 minutes in the last game of the series, but his 16 points was not enough to overcome LeBron James and the Cavaliers. Nevertheless, the 2014–15 season was a surprise success for the Celtics and another solid year, and a relatively healthy year, for Bradley.


title: Avery Bradley

text: Fresh off of their first playoff appearance in the Brad Stevens era, the Celtics entered 2015–16 campaign eager to prove that it had not been a fluke. Acquiring veteran forwards David Lee and Amir Johnson to fortify their frontcourt, the team also hoped to see the continued improvement of their promising young players, including Marcus Smart and Jared Sullinger. They started the year off slow, winning just one of their first four. Bradley provided a rare highlight, however, throwing down a tremendous dunk on reigning Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard. After missing two games with a calf injury, Bradley returned to action as a sixth man after starting 224 of 226 Celtics games in which he was healthy. He excelled in his new role, improving his scoring, efficiency and defensive rating. Bradley soon returned to the starting lineup on November 22 and proved himself highly capable in either role, immediately managing two games in a row with at least 25 points and 13 in a row with at least 10 points.


title: Avery Bradley

text: Bradley missed three games in early January with a hip injury, and upon his return, the Celtics emerged as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Bradley contributed a number of memorable performances. On January 27, he scored 21 of his season-high tying 27 points in the first half of the Celtics' 111–103 win over the Denver Nuggets. On February 5, he connected on a game-winning three-pointer to give Boston a 104–103 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers. On February 29, he blocked a shot from Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward with 23 seconds left in the game to give the Celtics a win. For the season, Bradley was his team's second leading scorer, behind only All-Star Isaiah Thomas.


title: Avery Bradley

text: With a 48–34 record, the Celtics finished the regular season in a four-way tie for the third seed in Eastern Conference and were assigned the fifth seed based on tiebreaker rules. Drawing the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs, the Celtics narrowly lost in Game 1, as Bradley scored 18 points but went down in the fourth quarter with an apparent right hamstring injury. The injury turned out to be serious enough to sideline Bradley for the rest of the series, which turned out to be a crippling blow for the Celtics. They were considerably outplayed by the Hawks in his absence, particularly on offense, and lost the series in six games. However, Bradley's sixth NBA season was both an individual and team success, capped off when he was included in the NBA All-Defensive First Team.


title: Avery Bradley

text: Bradley and the Celtics both continued to improve in 2016–17. Beginning with an opening night 17-point performance that included 3 of 4 three-point shooting, Bradley enjoyed his most effective offensive season, although injuries limited him to just 55 games. Starting every game he played, Bradley was remarkably consistent, with double digit scoring in 50 of his 55 regular season contests. At his best, he was an outstanding weapon from three-point range. In the Celtics' third game of the season, for instance, Bradley scored 31 points on a career-high eight three-pointers, also managing 11 rebounds, as the Celtics defeated the Charlotte Hornets. Bradley's season scoring average of 16.3 points per game was a career high, while his 39.0 three-point percentage was his best since 2013–14. His rebounding totals, meanwhile, saw a dramatic leap, as he averaged 6.1 for the season, nearly double what he ever had before. Bradley managed double digit rebounds on ten occasions, including November 16, when he recorded a career-high 13, to go along with 18 points, in a win over the Dallas Mavericks. Unfortunately, Bradley struggled through several injuries, most notably a right Achilles injury that cost him 22 out of 23 games during a stretch in January and February.


title: Avery Bradley

text: The season was a success for the Celtics, with 53 wins earning them the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. However, in the first round of the postseason, the Celtics initially struggled and fell behind the eighth-seeded Chicago Bulls 2–0. When they managed to win the series in six games, it marked Bradley and the team's first postseason series win since 2012. Bradley scored 24 and 23 points in Games 5 and 6, with the 24 points a playoff career high. Bradley topped that in the next round, with 29 points against the Washington Wizards in Game 5 to help the Celtics take a 3–2 lead in the series, which they ultimately won in seven games. The Celtics' Eastern Conference Finals opponent, the Cleveland Cavaliers, ultimately proved to be too much. In an otherwise one-sided series, the high point for the Celtics came courtesy of Bradley. Playing Game 3 down two games to none and without the injured Isaiah Thomas, Boston stayed unexpectedly close to the Cavaliers throughout the game, then won when Bradley's 3-pointer bounced around the rim and fell with less than a second left. Bradley finished the game with 20 points. The Celtics lost both the fourth and fifth games, bowing out of the playoffs.


title: Avery Bradley

text: On July 7, 2017, in a bid to clear enough cap space to sign star free agent Gordon Hayward, as well as an attempt to increase the size of their perimeter defenders, the Celtics traded Bradley and a 2019 second-round draft pick to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Marcus Morris. Bradley had been the longest tenured Celtic on the team at the time. In his debut for the Pistons in their season opener on October 18, 2017, Bradley scored 15 points in a 102–90 win over the Charlotte Hornets. On November 15, 2017, he scored a season-high 28 points in a 99–95 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Bradley missed seven games with a hip-groin injury between late December and early January.


title: Avery Bradley

text: On January 29, 2018, Bradley, along with Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanović, a future protected first-round draft pick and a future second-round draft pick, was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Blake Griffin, Willie Reed and Brice Johnson. On March 13, 2018, he underwent successful surgery to repair adductor and rectus abdominis muscles. He was subsequently ruled out for six to eight weeks.


title: Avery Bradley

text: On February 7, 2019, Bradley was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for JaMychal Green and Garrett Temple. On February 12, Bradley led Memphis with a career-high 33 points in a 108–107 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.


title: Avery Bradley

text: In July 2019, Bradley signed a two-year deal worth $9.77 million with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 2019–20 season was suspended mid-season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The season resumed, but Bradley opted out of playing in the restart to remain with his family due to his oldest child, six-year-old son Liam, who had a history of struggling to recover from respiratory illnesses. The Lakers filled his roster spot by signing J. R. Smith. Without Bradley, the Lakers won the 2020 NBA Finals. However, Bradley received a championship ring for the role he played during the 2019–20 regular season. After the season, he declined the $5 million option on the final year of his contract and became a free agent.


title: Avery Bradley

text: On March 25, 2021, Bradley, Kelly Olynyk, and a 2022 draft pick swap were traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Victor Oladipo. The Rockets chose not to pick up his $5.9 million team option which made him a free agent.


title: Avery Bradley

text: On September 24, 2021, Bradley signed with the Golden State Warriors. However, he was waived on October 15 after four preseason games.


title: Avery Bradley

text: Although he has a build more typical of a point guard, Bradley plays shooting guard. Making up for his lack of size at the position with quickness, strength, and tenacity, Bradley excels at defense. Opponents Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum have called him the best perimeter defender in the NBA. Bradley has outstanding athleticism and explosiveness, having won the Slam Dunk Contest at the 2009 McDonald's All-American Game. However, he rarely displays his elite leaping ability in games, occasionally blocking players at the rim or throwing down dunks but more often simply harassing his man on the perimeter and settling for layups. Bradley has nevertheless become an increasingly valuable offensive player, especially as a reliable three-point shooter. Bradley's intense and frenetic defensive style of play, probably his most valuable asset, may also be partly to blame for the series of injuries he has suffered in his career. However, his most serious injuries, which required three surgeries by the time he was 23, happened early in his career. Due to his defense and his offensive improvement, Bradley became an increasingly important member of the Celtics in his tenure there, and his minutes played per game steadily increased over his time with the team, from just 5.2 to 33.4.


title: Avery Bradley

text: Bradley has a son, Avery Bradley III, who was born just two weeks after Bradley's mother died, in September 2013. He began hosting a basketball camp, the Avery Bradley Skills Academy, for Boston-area children in the summer of 2014.


title: Avery Bradley

text: In December 2017, Bradley reached a settlement with a woman he allegedly sexually assaulted on May 23 of that year, while he was in Cleveland with the Boston Celtics. He denied the allegations.


title: Crossbencher

text: A crossbencher is an independent or minor party member of some legislatures, such as the British House of Lords and the Parliament of Australia. They take their name from the crossbenches, between and perpendicular to the government and opposition benches, where crossbenchers sit in the chamber.


title: Crossbencher

text: Crossbench members of the British House of Lords are not aligned to any particular party. Until 2009, these included the Law Lords appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876. In addition, former Speakers of the House of Commons (such as Lord Martin of Springburn and Baroness Boothroyd) and former Lord Speakers of the House of Lords (such as Baroness Hayman and Baroness D'Souza), who by convention are not aligned with any party, also sit as crossbenchers. There are also some non-affiliated members of the House of Lords who are not part of the crossbencher group; this includes some officers, such as the Lord Speaker, and others who are associated with a party but have had the whip withdrawn. Although non-affiliated members, and members of small parties, sometimes physically sit on the crossbenches, they are not members of the crossbench parliamentary group.


title: Crossbencher

text: An "increasing number" of crossbenchers have been created peers for non-political reasons. Since its establishment in May 2000, the House of Lords Appointments Commission has nominated a total of 67 non-party-political life peers who joined the House of Lords as crossbenchers. There are currently crossbenchers, composing approximately of the sitting members in the House of Lords, and only exceeded in number by Conservatives in the Lords. From April 2007 to 2009, the number of crossbenchers was higher than the number of Conservative peers for the first time.


title: Crossbencher

text: Although the Lords Spiritual (archbishops and senior bishops of the Church of England) also have no party affiliation, they are not considered crossbenchers and do not sit on the crossbenches, their seats being on the Government side of the Lords Chamber.


title: Crossbencher

text: Parties supporting a minority government in a confidence and supply agreement in the House of Commons, such as the Democratic Unionist Party in the 2017-2019 Parliament, are not considered crossbenchers. Instead, along with all other non-governing parties, they are considered part of the opposition and sit on the opposition benches.


title: Crossbencher

text: The crossbenchers do not take a collective position on issues, and so have no whips; however, they do elect from among themselves a convenor for administrative purposes, and to keep them up to date with the business of the House. The current convenor is The Lord Judge, who took the office in October 2019. While convenors are not part of the "usual channels" (i.e. the party whips who decide the business of the House), they have been included in their discussions in recent years.


title: Crossbencher

text: The term refers to both independent and minor party members in the Federal Parliament of Australia as well as the Parliaments of the Australian states and territories. Unlike the United Kingdom, in Australia the term is applied to those parties and independents in both the lower and upper houses of parliament, who sit on the crossbench.


title: Crossbencher

text: The last few federal elections have seen an increase in the size and power of the crossbench in both houses of Parliament. The Australian Parliament as elected at the 2010 election was the first hung parliament in the House of Representatives since the election of 1940, with the Australian Labor Party and the Coalition winning 72 seats each of 150 total. Six crossbenchers held the balance of power: Greens MP Adam Bandt and Independent MP Andrew Wilkie, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor declared their support for Labor on confidence and supply, Independent MP Bob Katter and National Party of Western Australia MP Tony Crook declared their support for the Coalition on confidence and supply. The resulting 76–74 margin entitled Labor to form a minority government.


title: Crossbencher

text: The Australian Senate, which uses the Single Transferable Vote form of proportional representation to elect its 76-seat chamber, frequently has enough Senators on the crossbench that the governing party has to negotiate with it to get legislation passed. The 2 July 2016 double dissolution election, for example resulted in a chamber with the Liberal/National Coalition having 30 seats, the Australian Labor Party with 26 seats, the Greens with 9 seats, One Nation with 4 seats and the Nick Xenophon Team with 3 seats. The other 4 seats were each won by Derryn Hinch, the Liberal Democratic Party, Family First, and Jacqui Lambie. The number of crossbenchers increased by two to a record 20 (all but the ones of the LPA/NPA coalition and the ALP: 9+4+3+4). The Liberal/National Coalition government required at least nine additional votes to reach a Senate majority.


title: Crossbencher

text: Generally speaking, Senators broadly aligned with the Coalition (such as those affiliated with the Australian Conservatives, One Nation, the Liberal Democratic Party, and Derryn Hinch) sit on the same side of the crossbench as the Coalition benches, while those more aligned with Labor, such as the Greens, sit on the same side of the crossbench as the Labor benches. This tends not to be the case in the House of Representatives, both due to the different electoral system, which means fewer crossbenchers are elected, and the fact that the official government and opposition frontbenches extend across the inner rim of the entire hemicycle.


title: Crossbencher

text: In the New Zealand House of Representatives, MPs from parties that are not openly aligned with either the government or the official opposition (such as those belonging to New Zealand First from 2011 to 2017) are sometimes referred to as crossbenchers, but those who support the government in confidence and supply agreements are regarded as part of the government and sit on the government benches, and often receive official roles as ministers outside the cabinet or as parliamentary under-secretaries. From 2008 to 2017, ACT New Zealand, Te Pāti Māori and United Future MPs supported the minority National Party government. As such, these MPs were not considered to be crossbenchers or part of the opposition, as they were represented within the government.


title: Crossbencher

text: The term "crossbencher" is generally not used for the federal Parliament of Canada or any of the provincial or territorial legislatures. Instead, any party that is not the governing party is an "opposition party", with the largest of these designated the "official" opposition (and their leader is designated Leader of the Opposition). Opposition parties other than the official opposition are typically called third parties. In 2022 the “official opposition” is the Conservatives; the bloc Québecois, the NDP, and the Greens are the opposition.


title: Crossbencher

text: Beginning in 2016, multiple non-partisan caucuses which fulfill a similar purpose as crossbenchers were formed in the Senate of Canada. The first, the Independent Senators Group (ISG), was created partly as a response to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to appoint more non-partisan Senators. Similar to crossbenchers in the UK, the ISG chooses its own leader and does not use a whipping system. In December 2016, the Senate began to officially recognise the ISG and provide it with funding. Two additional groups were established in 2019: the Canadian Senators Group (which primarily focuses on regional issues) and the Progressive Senate Group (formed by members of the defunct Senate Liberal Caucus).


title: Crossbencher

text: The Canadian Senate in 2022 generally aspires towards non-partisanship. Non-affiliated members outnumber members affiliated with a political party, and the Liberal Caucus in the Senate was dissolved in 2019.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: George Clarke (born 27 May 1974) is an English architect, television presenter, lecturer and writer, best known for his work on the Channel 4 programmes "The Home Show", "The Restoration Man", "George Clarke's Old House New Home", and "George Clarke's Amazing Spaces".


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: Clarke was born in Sunderland and brought up in the Washington area. His mother, Anne, worked at Oxclose Comprehensive School, where Clarke was a pupil. His father, a printer died when George was 6, and his mother later remarried. By his own admission, Clarke was a popular but very shy child.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: Both Clarke's grandfathers were builders and, after spending school holidays in and around building sites, he decided he wanted to be an architect from the age of 12:


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: There was nothing else I ever wanted to do. When most of the kids were playing with building blocks and pieces of Lego, I was actually on building sites.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: Clarke studied for a BTEC in Building and Construction at Wearside College, Sunderland, before gaining a First Class BA Honours in Architectural Studies and a Certificate in Architectural Practice from Newcastle University School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, followed by a post-graduate diploma from London's Bartlett School of Architecture. Whilst he was a student, Clarke supported himself financially by renovating people's homes in his spare time.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: After graduating in 1995, Clarke trained and worked with FaulknerBrowns in Newcastle upon Tyne, before joining world-famous architect Sir Terry Farrell, working in both London and Hong Kong. In 1998, with partner Bobby Desai, he formed his own company, clarke:desai – clients included Simon Fuller and Jamie Oliver.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: In 2011, Clarke left clarke:desai and set up a new company George Clarke + Partners, with 25 staff. At the time Clarke commented:


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: I’ve had a fantastic time at clarke:desai and I’m proud of all the projects we have completed over the years, but, as you can imagine, my media work has taken me in a different direction and I now want to start a new company that isn’t just about architecture, but also covers all aspects of the design, build and property development business.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: The firm has mainly been involved in renovation and refurbishment projects but it has also designed new buildings.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: Between 2001 and 2003, Clarke was a visiting lecturer at Newcastle University. He is currently a visiting lecturer at the Nottingham University's School for the Built Environment.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: Clarke has set up a charity organisation called Ministry of Building Innovation and Education (MOBIE) which is designed to train and inspire young people into the innovation and design of homes in the U.K. and abroad. MOBIE also designed a course in partnership with Teesside University.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: Clarke's television career came about by chance. He had approached a literary agent after being asked to write a book about architecture, not realising the agency also represented television presenters. He was subsequently asked to screen test for a new Channel 5 programme called "Build A New Life in the Country", which had been struggling to find a suitably charismatic building professional to front the show. Clarke was offered the job, and then went on to present two more property shows for Channel 5 before being commissioned to present "The Restoration Man" for Channel 4.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: "Property Dreams" (2004), "Dream Home Abroad" (2005) and "Build A New Life in the Country" (2005–07), all for Channel 5. "The Home Show" (2008—), "The Restoration Man" (2010 —), "The Great British Property Scandal" (2011), "The Great British Property Scandal: Every Empty Counts" (2012) and "George Clarke's Amazing Spaces" (2012—), all for Channel 4 and "Old House New Home" and "Ugly House To Lovely House". In the later part of 2020 he presented a six part series for Channel 4 visiting National Trust properties which were closed during the coronavirus pandemic (George Clarke's National Trust Unlocked).


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: Clarke is also the author of several books, including: "Home Bible" (Orion), and "Build a New Life: by Creating Your New Home".


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: In April 2012, Clarke was appointed as an independent adviser to the government to help bring thousands of empty properties back into use for families in need of stable, secure homes.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: Clarke is a patron of the Civic Trust Awards scheme. He is an ambassador for the housing and homeless charity Shelter, as well as a Building Community ambassador for the Prince's Foundation. He is also a supporter of Sunderland A.F.C.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: He met his first wife Catriona, a Spanish national, when he undertook renovation work for her brother. The couple were married for over 10 years, and had three children before separating in 2013 and subsequently divorcing.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: Clarke lives in Notting Hill, West London and Gloucestershire. He has completely renovated his 1910 house in Notting Hill, transforming the interior into a modern home, whilst restoring the exterior to its original appearance.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: He still has family in Blackfell, Washington, and Sunderland, and visits the area at least two or three times a year.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: In July 2012, Clarke carried the Olympic torch through Camden after his brother-in-law Swiggy Drummond, who was the original candidate for the honour, died of cancer.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: In January 2014, Clarke became the youngest person ever to be awarded honorary membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Hon RICS). In July 2015, Clarke was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from Leeds Beckett University for his contribution to the arts. In September 2015, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Wolverhampton as a Doctor of Technology and, in December 2015, he received an honorary doctorate from Northumbria University.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text:
On the day of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, Clarke, a nearby resident, was filmed by a "BBC Newsnight" crew (interviewer David Grossman), claiming to have witnessed an act of heroism concerning a child being thrown from an eighth-floor window and being caught by a single individual:Clarke: ""One guy caught a kid...[the] kid was thrown out of a window from about the eighth floor, and the guy just caught him...it's amazing"...
Interviewer: ""Really"?"
Clarke: ""yeah, yeah""
Interviewer: ""You, you saw that"?"
Clarke: ""yeah, yeah...yeah...it's just unbelievable, you know""


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: A subsequent "Newsnight" investigation into the alleged circumstances revealed the initial source of the report to be a live interview being given by a member of the public during the course of the fire at 10:08 on 14 June 2017 to Ryan Hooper, a Press Association reporter who Tweeted it; subsequently it was repeated by other media – "The Telegraph", "Evening Standard", "Daily Star", "MailOnline", the "Independent", the "BBC", and then around the globe. The investigation contacted the emergency services, which had no record of any such event, and explored the physics of a weight being dropped from eight floors up, with expert opinion on the consequences of such a fall on the body of an infant, and creating a simulation using a bowling ball dropped from a multi-storey car park.


title: George Clarke (architect)

text: When asked for comment by "BBC Newsnight" some time after the tragedy, both the initial source of the report and Clarke declined to comment, but Clarke issued a statement: "I don't want to make any comment on it. Nothing whatsoever because it's such a contentious issue and I think it's so hurtful to so many people". The BBC report concluded that they "haven't turned up anything that suggests this amazing event actually happened – indeed all the available evidence points to the opposite conclusion", and characterised it as a phenomenon called false narrative.


title: Sons and Lovers

text: Sons and Lovers is a 1913 novel by the English writer D. H. Lawrence. It traces emotional conflicts through the protagonist, Paul Morel, and his suffocating relationships with a demanding mother and two very different lovers, which exert complex influences on the development of his manhood. The novel was originally published by Gerald Duckworth and Company Ltd., London, and Mitchell Kennerley Publishers, New York. While the novel initially received a lukewarm critical reception, along with allegations of obscenity, it is today regarded as a masterpiece by many critics and is often regarded as Lawrence's finest achievement. It tells us more about Lawrence's life and his phases, as his first was when he lost his mother in 1910 to whom he was particularly attached. And it was from then that he met Frieda Richthofen, and around this time that he began conceiving his two other great novels, "The Rainbow" and "Women In Love", which had more sexual emphasis and maturity.


title: Sons and Lovers

text: The third published novel of D. H. Lawrence, taken by many to be his earliest masterpiece, tells the story of Paul Morel, a young man and budding artist.


title: Sons and Lovers

text: The original 1913 edition was heavily edited by Edward Garnett who removed 80 passages, roughly a tenth of the text. The novel is dedicated to Garnett. Garnett, as the literary advisor to the publishing firm Duckworth, was an important figure in leading Lawrence farther into the London literary world during the years 1911 and 1912. It was not until the 1992 Cambridge University Press edition was released that the missing text was restored.


title: Sons and Lovers

text: Lawrence began working on the novel in the period of his mother's illness, and often expresses this sense of his mother's wasted life through his female protagonist Gertrude Morel. Letters written around the time of its development clearly demonstrate the admiration he felt for his mother – viewing her as a 'clever, ironical, delicately moulded woman' – and her apparently unfortunate marriage to his coal-miner father, a man of 'sanguine temperament' and instability. He believed that his mother had married below her class status. Lydia Lawrence wasn't born into the middle-class. This personal family conflict experienced by Lawrence provided him with the impetus for the first half of his novel – in which both William, the older brother, and Paul Morel become increasingly contemptuous of their father – and the subsequent exploration of Paul Morel's antagonising relationships with both his lovers, which are both incessantly affected by his allegiance to his mother.


title: Sons and Lovers

text: The first draft of Lawrence's novel is now lost and was never completed, which seems to be directly due to his mother's illness. He did not return to the novel for three months, at which point it was titled 'Paul Morel'. The penultimate draft of the novel coincided with a remarkable change in Lawrence's life, as his health was thrown into turmoil and he resigned his teaching job to spend time in Germany. This plan was never followed, however, as he met and married the German minor aristocrat, Frieda Weekley, who was the wife of a former professor of his at the University of Nottingham. According to Frieda's account of their first meeting, she and Lawrence talked about Oedipus and the effects of early childhood on later life within twenty minutes of meeting.


title: Sons and Lovers

text: The third draft of 'Paul Morel' was sent to the publishing house Heinemann; the response, a rather violent reaction, came from William Heinemann himself. His reaction captures the shock and newness of Lawrence's novel, 'the degradation of the mother [as explored in this novel], supposed to be of gentler birth, is almost inconceivable'; he encouraged Lawrence to redraft the novel one more time. In addition to altering the title to a more thematic 'Sons and Lovers', Heinemann's response had reinvigorated Lawrence into vehemently defending his novel and its themes as a coherent work of art. To justify its form, Lawrence explains, in letters to Garnett, that it is a 'great tragedy' and a 'great book', one that mirrors the 'tragedy of thousands of young men in England'.


title: Sons and Lovers

text: Lawrence rewrote the work four times until he was happy with it. Although before publication the work was usually titled "Paul Morel", Lawrence finally settled on "Sons and Lovers".


title: Sons and Lovers

text: The refined daughter of a "good old burgher family," Gertrude Coppard meets a rough-hewn miner, Walter Morel, at a Christmas dance and falls into a whirlwind romance characterised by physical passion but soon after her marriage to Walter, she realises the difficulties of living off his meagre salary in a rented house. The couple fight and drift apart and Walter retreats to the pub after work each day. Gradually, Mrs. Morel's affections shift to her sons beginning with the oldest, William.


title: Sons and Lovers

text: As a boy, William is so attached to his mother that he does not enjoy the fair without her. As he grows older, he defends her against his father's occasional violence. Eventually, he leaves their Nottinghamshire home for a job in London, where he begins to rise up into the middle class. He is engaged, but he detests the girl's superficiality. William dies and Mrs. Morel is heartbroken. When her second son Paul catches pneumonia she rediscovers her love for Paul.


title: Sons and Lovers

text: Both repulsed by and drawn to his mother, Paul is afraid to leave her but wants to go out on his own, and needs to experience love. Gradually, he falls into a relationship with Miriam, a farmer's daughter who attends his church. The two take long walks and have intellectual conversations about books but Paul resists, in part because his mother disapproves. At Miriam's family's farm, Paul meets Clara Dawes, a young woman with, apparently, feminist sympathies who has separated from her husband, Baxter.


title: Sons and Lovers

text: After pressuring Miriam into a physical relationship, which he finds unsatisfying, Paul breaks with her as he grows more intimate with Clara, who is more passionate physically. But even she cannot hold him and he returns to his mother. When his mother dies soon after, he is alone.


title: Sons and Lovers

text: Jenny Turner described "Sons and Lovers" as a semi-autobiographical work in "The Sexual Imagination from Acker to Zola: A Feminist Companion" (1993). She maintained that it showed both "great candor" and "much self-pity". The critic Harold Bloom listed "Sons and Lovers" as one of the books that have been important and influential in Western culture in "The Western Canon" (1994). In 1999, the Modern Library ranked "Sons and Lovers" ninth on a list of the 100 best novels in English of the 20th century.


title: Sons and Lovers

text: The novel contains a frequently quoted use of the English dialect word "nesh". The speech of several protagonists is represented in Lawrence's written interpretation of the Nottinghamshire dialect, which also features in several of his poems.


title: Sons and Lovers

text: "Sons and Lovers" has been adapted for the screen several times including the Academy Award winning 1960 film, a 1981 BBC TV serial and another on ITV1 in 2003. The 2003 serial has been issued on DVD by Acorn Media UK.


title: Order of the Dragon

text: The Order of the Dragon (, literally "Society of the Dragonists") was a monarchical chivalric order only for selected higher aristocracy and monarchs, founded in 1408 by Sigismund of Luxembourg, who was then King of Hungary and Croatia (r. 1387–1437) and later became Holy Roman Emperor (r. 1433–1437). It was fashioned after the military orders of the Crusades, requiring its initiates to defend the cross and fight the enemies of Christianity, particularly the Ottoman Empire.


title: Order of the Dragon

text: The Order flourished during the first half of the 15th century, primarily in Germany and Italy. After Sigismund's death in 1437, its importance declined in Western Europe. However, after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, it continued to play a role in Hungary, Serbia and Romania, which bore the brunt of the Ottoman incursions. The Prince of Wallachia Vlad II Dracul, the father of Vlad the Impaler, took his name from the Order of the Dragon.


title: Order of the Dragon

text: Sigismund faced fierce struggles for power leading up to the foundation of the order in 1408. In 1387, the Bohemian royal son Sigismund of Luxembourg was elected King of Hungary and Croatia, a title which he owed chiefly to his marriage to Queen Mary of Hungary in 1385. During the next decade, he constantly sought support or employed ruthless methods to strengthen his unsteady hold on the throne. His rule was weakened in 1395 when Mary, who was pregnant, died in a horse riding accident. In 1389, the Ottoman Sultan Murad I fought Lazar, Prince of Serbia at the Battle of Kosovo Polje, in which both leaders died, leading to an uncertain outcome of the battle. Two years later, the Turks had taken the Bulgarian fortress of Nicopolis.