title: Grand Palace

text: The "Phra Thinang Borom Ratchasathit Mahoran" (พระที่นั่งบรมราชสถิตยมโหฬาร; ), is a large banquet hall at the very back of the Chakri Maha Prasat group. Formerly the Damrong Sawad Ananwong Hall and the Niphatpong Thawornwichit Hall. The two halls were also built by King Rama V as a banqueting hall to host foreign guests and dignitaries. By the reign of King Rama IX, the building was so run down that the king ordered it to be demolished. Construction of a new hall began in 1996, but was interrupted by the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Construction was eventually resumed on 1 April 2004. The new throne hall was built on a raised platform and is composed of several inter-connected buildings forming two internal courtyards. These rooms function as a new banqueting hall and is use for important state functions. On 13 June 2006, the hall welcomed the royal representatives of 25 monarchies worldwide for the celebration of King Rama IX's 60th Anniversary on the Throne. This included 12 ruling monarchs, 8 royal consorts and 7 crown princes.


title: Grand Palace

text: The "Phra Maha Prasat" (พระมหาปราสาท) group is situated on the westernmost part of the Middle Court. The main buildings within this area dates from the reign of King Rama I and contains some of the oldest existing edifice within the Grand Palace. The entire throne hall group is contained within a walled and paved courtyard. Similarly to the other two groups, the Maha Prasat buildings were built, embellished and refurbished over successive reigns. The building formed a single axis from north to south, with the public throne hall to the front and residential halls behind. Surrounding them are lesser functional halls and pavilion for used by the king and his court.


title: Grand Palace

text: Initially after the construction of the Grand Palace, King Rama I ordered that on this location a copy of the Phra Thinang Sanphet Maha Prasat (พระที่นั่งสรรเพชญมหาปราสาท) should be built. The ancient throne hall was once located at the old palace in Ayutthaya, which had been destroyed 15 years earlier. This new throne hall was given the name "Phra Thinang Amarinthara Pisek Maha Prasat" (พระที่นั่งอมรินทราภิเษกมหาปราสาท; ). Construction began in 1782 and was finished in 1784. This was the hall where King Rama I celebrated his full coronation ceremony. However, in 1789 the hall was struck by lightning and burnt to the ground. In its place King Rama I ordered the construction of a new hall under a different design and name.


title: Grand Palace

text: As a result of this disaster King Rama I predicted that the Chakri dynasty would last only 150 years from its foundation. This prophecy was recorded in a diary of a princess of the first reign, after reading it many years later, King Rama V remarked that 150 years was too short and that the princess must have inadvertently dropped a nought. This prophecy was again present in the minds of many people, when only three months after the dynasty's 150th anniversary celebrations the Siamese revolution of 1932 was carried out. The revolution replaced the absolute monarchy of the Chakri monarchs with a constitutional monarchy with Siam's first constitution.


title: Grand Palace

text: The ceremonial and residential part was divided between two new halls, the Dusit Maha Prasat and the Phiman Rattaya. Ever since then no coronations were held inside the hall. Upon the king's death, the hall was used for his official lying-in-state. It has since become a custom that the remains of kings, queens and other high-ranking members of the royal family are to be placed with the hall for an official mourning period.


title: Grand Palace

text: The entrance to this building group is through one of the three gates at the northern end of the wall. These gates are decorated with Chinese porcelain in floral patterns. Only the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall is open to the public.


title: Grand Palace

text: The "Phra Thinang Dusit Maha Prasat" (พระที่นั่งดุสิตมหาปราสาท) dominates the Maha Prasat group. The throne hall was built on a symmetrical cruciform plan, the roof is topped with a tall gilded spire. The hall is considered an ideal archetype of Thai traditional architecture. Every aspect of the exterior decoration of the throne hall is imbued with symbolism. The hall is built in the shape of a tall mountain to represent Mount Meru, the mythological centre of the universe.


title: Grand Palace

text: The spire can be divided into three sections. The lower section, which is the base, is formed of seven superimposed layers, each layer representing a level of heaven in accordance with the Traiphum Buddhist cosmology. The middle section is in the shape of a bell; however the roundness has been flattened to create a four sided shape. This represents the stupa in which the Buddha's ashes have been interred. The top section is similar to the top of chedis, depicting a tapered lotus bud or the crystal dew drop signifying the escape from the Saṃsāra or cycle of rebirths. The spire is supported by garudas on its four sides; as well as being the symbol of kingship, the garuda represents the mythical creatures of the Himavanta forest surrounding Mount Meru.


title: Grand Palace

text: The pediments are decorated with the figure of Narayana riding on the back of a garuda, this figure symbolizes kingship and the king's association with the Hindu deity. According to legend Narayana descended from heaven in human form to help mankind by alleviating them from suffering. Thus the deity represents all the ideal qualities in a king. The throne hall stands on a high base with convex and concave moldings. The bottom layer, according to Thai beliefs resembles a lion's foot, the lion is a symbol of the Buddha's family and alludes to the Buddha's own royal heritage.


title: Grand Palace

text: The most unusual feature of the throne hall is the small porch, projecting out at the front of the building. Under this porch stands the "Busabok Mala" Throne (พระที่นั่งบุษบกมาลา), whose spire echoes that of the larger building itself. The high base of the throne is surrounded by praying deities. During the reign of King Rama I, the throne was used when the king appeared before his vassal states; later it was used for certain ceremonies. The two doors to the hall is situated at the sides of the throne.


title: Grand Palace

text: The interior walls of the throne hall are painted with a lotus bud design arranged in a geometric pattern. Within the lotus buds are seated praying deities, a common Thai motif often associated with holy places. The ceiling, which has a coffered octagonal shape section directly below the spire, is decorated with glass mosaic stars. This reinforces the impression of being in a heavenly abode. The interior panel of the door and window shutters depicted standing deities facing each other holding weapons as guards for the king. The thickness of the walls allow further spaces between the shutters and the wall to be decorated, these are decorated with murals depicting trees in Chinese style.


title: Grand Palace

text: The two arms of the cruciform plan contains different thrones for use in different royal functions; these included the Mother-of-Pearl Throne (พระแท่นราชบัลลังก์ประดับมุก) which stands almost at the centre of the hall between the intersecting points of the four arms. The square-shaped throne is entirely inlaid with mother-of-pearl, dating from the reign of King Rama I. It was saved from the Amarinthara Pisek Maha Prasat, when the throne hall burnt down in 1789. The throne is topped by the Royal Nine-tiered Umbrella.


title: Grand Palace

text: To the eastern transept is the Mother-of-Pearl Bed (พระแท่นบรรทมประดับมุก) which was made to match the Mother-of-Pearl Throne. The bed was once the king's personal bed and was kept inside the Phra Thinang Phiman Rattaya; however once it was no longer used it was transferred to the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall. The bed is in the form of a high platform with many layers, and small steps leading to the top. When royal ceremonies are carried out within the throne hall, member of the royal family take their seat in the southern transept, while government officials sit to the north, Buddhist monks to the east; the funeral urn is to the west. During such times the throne and bed were used as altars for Buddha images.


title: Grand Palace

text: Behind the Mother-of-Pearl Throne is the "Phra Banchon Busabok Mala" Throne (พระบัญชรบุษบกมาลา; ). This half throne protrudes from the southern wall of the throne hall and opens like a window into the hall. The style of the throne is similar to Busabok Mala Throne on the porch outside. The throne was built during the reign of King Rama IV, in order for the palace women to attend important ceremonies through the window but behind a screen, separating them from men arriving from the outside.


title: Grand Palace

text: The "Phra Thinang Phiman Rattaya" (พระที่นั่งพิมานรัตยา) is located directly behind the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall. The Phiman Rattaya Throne Hall is a residential palace and was built for King Rama I as the main royal apartment. Over time the residential use of the palace declined and was eventually ended. Now the hall is only used as a ceremonial venue. The throne hall was built in the traditional Thai-style of a rectangular shape. The east, west and south sides of the hall are surrounded by a colonnade of columns on the outside. Surrounding the hall are two gardens. During the reign of King Rama VI it was used as a meeting hall for members of the royal family and other familial functions. The hall also provided a venue for the investiture ceremonies where individuals are awarded with State orders and decorations by a member of the royal family. Now the hall is only used, in conjunction with the Dusit Maha Prasat, as the main venue for state funerals.


title: Grand Palace

text: The "Phra Thinang Aphorn Phimok Prasat" (พระที่นั่งอาภรณ์ภิโมกข์ปราสาท; ) is an open pavilion, built on a platform on the east wall of the Maha Prasat group. The pavilion was built by King Rama IV as a robing pavilion for the king to change his regalia when entering the Maha Prasat premises. The pavilion was also used as the king's royal palanquin mounting platform. The pavilion is considered the epitome of the finest qualities of Thai traditional architecture in proportion, style and detail. A smaller replica of the pavilion was exhibited at the Brussels World Fair in 1958.


title: Grand Palace

text: The pavilion is built on a cruciform layout with the northern and southern ends being longer. The roof is topped with a spire of five-tiers, making it a prasat rather than a 'maha prasat' (which has seven). The spire is supported by swans as opposed to the traditional garudas. The eastern pediment depicts the Hindu god Shiva standing on a plinth with one foot raised, holding a sword in his left hand and right hand raised to a blessing. The columns of the pavilion are decorated with gold and silver glass mosaic in a floral pattern; the capital of these columns take the form of long lotus petals.


title: Grand Palace

text: The "Phra Thinang Rachakaranya Sapha" (พระที่นั่งราชกรัณยสภา; ) is located on the southern end of the eastern wall. The closed rectangular building was built as a council chamber for use by the king and his ministers. In 1897 on his first trip to Europe, King Rama V installed Queen Saovabha Phongsri as regent, and she presided over privy council meetings here. This tradition was repeated in 1956 when Queen Sirikit, as regent presided over the privy council while King Rama IX briefly entered the Sangha as a monk. Occasionally the building is still used by the king for private audiences. The peculiar characteristic of this building was the projecting pediments over the roof line. This feature was common during the Ayutthaya period.


title: Grand Palace

text: The "Ho Plueang Khrueang" (ศาลาเปลื้องเครื่อง) is a closed pavilion, situated on the western wall of the Maha Prasat group. The pavilion was built by King Rama VI as a robing room. The building is a two-storied Thai style rectangular shaped hall with a walkway leading from the top floor towards the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall.


title: Grand Palace

text: The miniature model of Mount Kailasa (เขาไกรลาสจำลอง; ), the mythical abode of Shiva, was built during the reign of King Rama IV. The miniature mountain was used as a setting for an important ceremony called the royal tonsure ceremony. This ancient rite of passage would be performed for the royal prince and princess around the age of thirteen. The ceremony, sometimes lasting seven days of festivities, involves a purifying bath and the cutting of the traditional topknot hair of the royal child. The latter act was done by the king himself, the hair is later thrown into the Chao Phraya river as an offering. For this purpose there is a miniature palace on the summit for the ceremony to take place. the lower part of the mountain is populated with stone sculptures of miniature mythical animals of the Himavanta Forest. The mount is situated behind the walk way between the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall and Ho Plueng Krueng. This area is considered part of the Inner Court and is not opened to the public.


title: Grand Palace

text: The Siwalai Garden (สวนศิวาลัย, "Suan Siwalai") is situated to the easternmost part of the Middle court and is considered separate from the other state buildings and throne halls. The garden has been in its present form, since King Rama V, and contains both royal residences and religious buildings. Throughout the years several structures were built and demolished by various kings. The garden was first created at the behest of King Rama I as a private retreat called the "Suan Kaew" (สวนแก้ว) or 'Crystal Garden'. The name was changed by Rama II to "Suan Khwa" or 'Right Garden', who also embellished the garden and transformed it into a pleasure garden for the inhabitants of the Inner Court.


title: Grand Palace

text: The greatest change to the area occurred during the reign of King Rama IV, when the entire garden was turned into a new residential palace. This palace was composed of several interconnected buildings of various styles and sizes for the king's use. This buildings complex was named the "Phra Abhinaowas Niwet" (พระอภิเนาว์นิเวศน์; ). The building group are on an east to west axis, with reception halls to the east and residential halls in the west. These buildings were built in a combination of Thai and Western styles; the principal building of the Phra Abhinaowas Niwet group was the "Phra Thinang Ananta Samakhom"; this European style grand audience chamber was used by the king to receive various foreign missions. Other buildings included King Rama IV's primary residential hall, observatory and banqueting hall. By the reign of King Rama V the Phra Abhinaowas Niwet building group became so dilapidated that most were eventually demolished; the names of some of the halls were later assumed by new royal buildings (for example the new Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in the Dusit Palace). King Rama V had the area turned once more into a private garden for use by the Inner Court and also gave the garden its present name. The new garden contained some of the old buildings as well as new additions, such as a small lawn in the south western corner called the "Suan Tao" or 'Turtle Garden'. The layout of the Siwalai Garden remained mostly unchanged until the present day.


title: Grand Palace

text: The "Phra Thinang Boromphiman" (พระที่นั่งบรมพิมาน; ) is the largest structure within the Siwalai Garden; it is located at the northernmost end. The two-storey Neo-Renaissance residence was constructed during the reign of King Rama V from 1897 to 1903. The new palace was built over the site of an old armoury, after King Rama V had it demolished. The new palace was intended as a gift to the first Crown Prince of Siam, Prince Maha Vajirunhis. It was originally named "Phra Thinang Phanumart Chamroon" (พระที่นั่งภานุมาศจำรูญ). However, before the construction was finished the prince died of typhoid at the age of 16. Once completed the palace was handed to the next heir, Crown Prince Maha Vajiravudh, who ascended the throne in 1910 as Rama VI. He later gave the palace its present name.


title: Grand Palace

text: Under the supervision of foreign architects, namely the German C. Sandreczki, the Boromphiman Throne Hall became the most modern building within the Grand Palace; it was also the first to be designed to accommodate carriages and motorcars. The exterior walls are embellished with pilasters and elaborate plaster designs. The triangular and semi-circular pediments are decorated with stuccoed floral motifs. The palace's distinctive Mansard roof is covered in dark grey slate tiles. On the façade of the building, the main and central pediment show the emblem of the crown prince.


title: Grand Palace

text: Even though the architectural style and exterior decoration of the building is entirely Western, the interior decorations is entirely Thai. The central hall, situated under a dome, is decorated with murals of the god Indra, Varuna, Agni and Yama—all depicted in Thai style. Below them are Thai inscriptions composed by King Rama VI himself.


title: Grand Palace

text: After his accession to the throne, King Rama VI occasionally stayed at the palace. King Rama VII stayed at the palace for a few nights before his coronation in 1925, while King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) made the palace his main place of residence upon his return to Thailand from Switzerland in December 1945. He lived in this palace with his younger brother Prince Bhumibol Adulyadej (later King Rama IX) and his mother Princess Sri Sangwan. On the morning of 9 June 1946 the palace bore witness to his mysterious and unexplained death by gunshot. King Rama IX later refurbished the palace and added an extra wing extending south.


title: Grand Palace

text: Currently the palace is not open to the public, and serves as the official guest house for visiting Heads of State and their entourage. To the southeast of the Boromphiman Throne Hall, there are also two guest houses for use by the entourage of state visitors.


title: Grand Palace

text: The "Phra Thinang Mahisorn Prasat" (พระที่นั่งมหิศรปราสาท) is a small pavilion built on the wall between the Siwalai Garden and the Maha Monthien buildings. The pavilion has a "mondop"-style roof and a gilded spire, decorated in glass mosaic. The pavilion was built by King Rama IV as a monument to his father King Rama II. After its completion the ashes of King Rama II was moved and was housed in the pavilion. After the death of King Rama IV the ashes was moved back to the Ho Phra That Monthien Buddha Image Hall, currently the pavilion houses several Buddha images.


title: Grand Palace

text: The "Phra Thinang Siwalai Maha Prasat" (พระที่นั่งศิวาลัยมหาปราสาท) is located on the southern-eastern end of the Siwalai Garden. The Siwalai Maha Prasat is a Thai-style edifice with a Mondop style spire of seven tiers. Built during the reign of King Rama V in 1878 to house the metal statues of his four predecessors, which were cast in 1869. The hall was to be used as a royal pantheon, where the lives of previous monarchs were to be commemorated and worshiped. Later King Rama VI had the statues removed and rehoused at the Prasat Phra Thep Bidorn in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha compound, where they would be more accessible to the public. On 6 April 1918 the first ceremony of worship was inaugurated, this ceremony continues to be performed annually. Since the removal of the statues, the Siwalai Maha Prasat has been left vacant.


title: Grand Palace

text: The "Phra Thinang Sitalaphirom" (พระที่นั่งสีตลาภิรมย์) is a small open pavilion made of wood, built by King Rama VI. The pavilion is situated on the northern edge of the lawn south of the Boromphiman palace. The pavilion is decorated with a flame motif in gilded black lacquer. The gables bear the insignia of King Rama VI. The king used the pavilion as a place of rest and as a seat during garden parties.


title: Grand Palace

text: The "Phra Buddha Rattanasathan" (พระพุทธรัตนสถาน) is a Phra ubosot (or ordination hall), situated at the very centre of the Siwalai Garden. The religious building is a shrine to a Buddha image called the "Phra Buddha Butsayarat Chakraphat Pimlom Maneemai" (พระพุทธบุษยรัตน์จักรพรรดิพิมลมณีมัย; ) which was brought from Champasak in Laos. The ubosot was built for this purpose by King Rama IV. The ubosot is built of grey stone and has a two-tier green title roof. At the front there is a portico of pillars. Running around the outside of the ubosot is an open pillared gallery. Religious ceremonies have been performed here in the past.


title: Grand Palace

text: The Inner Court or the "Khet Phra Racha Than Chan Nai" (เขตพระราชฐานชั้นใน), referred to simply as "Fai Nai" (ฝ่ายใน; ; literally 'The Inside'), occupies the southernmost part of the Grand Palace complex. This area is reserved exclusively for use by the king and his harem of queens and consorts (minor wives). These women were often called 'forbidden women' or "Nang harm" (นางห้าม; ) by the general populace. Other inhabitants of the court were the king's children and a multitude of ladies-in-waiting and servants. The king's royal consorts were drawn from the ranks of the Siamese: royalty and nobility. Usually there were also the daughters of rulers of tributary states. Royal polygamy ended in practice during the reign of King Rama VI, who refused to keep a polygamous household. It was ended officially by King Rama VII in the early 20th century, when he outlawed the practice for all and took only one consort: Queen Rambhai Barni. By this time the inhabitants of the court had dwindled to only a few and finally disappeared within a few decades afterwards. Historically the Inner Court was a town complete within itself, divided by narrow streets and lawns. It had its own shops, government, schools, warehouses, laws and law courts, all exclusively controlled by women for the royal women. Men on special repair work and doctors were admitted only under the watchful eyes of its female guards. The king's sons were permitted to live inside until they reached puberty; after their tonsure ceremonies they were sent outside the palace for further education. There are currently no inhabitants within the Inner Court and the buildings within are not used for any purpose; nevertheless, the entire court is closed to the public.


title: Grand Palace

text: The population of the Inner Court varied over different periods, but by all accounts it was large. Each queen consort had her own household of around 200 to 300 women. Her various ladies-in-waiting were usually recruited from noble families; others were minor princesses who would also have a retinue of servants. Each minor wife or consort (เจ้าจอม; "Chao Chom") had a fairly large household; this would increase significantly if she gave birth to the king's child, as she would be elevated to the rank of consort mother (เจ้าจอมมารดา; "Chao Chom Manda"). Each royal lady had a separate establishment, the size of which was in proportion to her rank and status in accordance with palace law. Altogether the population of the Inner Court numbered nearly 3,000 inhabitants.


title: Grand Palace

text: The Inner Court was once populated by small low-lying structures surrounded by gardens, lawns and ponds. Over the course of the late 19th century new residential houses were constructed in this space, resulting in overcrowded conditions. Most of the buildings that remain were constructed during the reign of King Rama V in Western styles, mostly Italianate. The residences vary in size and are divided into three categories; small royal villas or "Phra Thamnak" (พระตำหนัก; ), villas or "Thamnak" (ตำหนัก; ) and houses or "Ruen" (เรือน; ). Each was distributed to the inhabitants in accordance with their rank and stature. The court is surrounded and separated from the rest of the Grand Palace by a second set of walls within, parallel to those that ring around the palace as a whole. These walls are punctuated by a set of gates that connects the Middle the Inner Courts to the outside and to each other; the entrance through these gates were strictly monitored. The three main building groups in the Middle Court are built so that the residential halls of each are situated to the south and straddled the boundary between the Middle and Inner Court. Thus these residential spaces of the king became the focal point of palace life and the lives of the palace women on the inside. Immediately behind these residential halls are the large royal villas of high-ranking consorts such as Queen Sukhumala Marasri and Queen Savang Vadhana. Surrounding them are smaller villas belonging to other consorts such as those belonging to Princess Consort Dara Rasmi. Finally at the lower end (the southernmost part) are the row houses or "Tao Teng" (แถวเต๊ง; ) for the middle- and low-ranking consorts. These residences also functioned as a de facto secondary layer of surveillance, at the very edges of the Inner Court.


title: Grand Palace

text: The Inner Court was governed by a series of laws known as the Palace Laws (กฎมนเทียรบาล, "Kot Monthien Ban"; literally 'Palace Maintenance Law'). Some of the laws dated back to the times of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. Most of them deal with the hierarchy and status of the women, while others deal with their behaviour and conduct. The order and discipline of the inhabitants were enforced by a regiment of all-female guards (กรมโขลน, "Krom Klone"; ). These guards were described by Prince Chula Chakrabongse as "tough looking amazons". The head of this body was known as the "Atibodi Fai Nai" (อธิบดีฝ่ายใน; ) the directress of the inside, under her command were various officials. These officials had specific responsibilities concerning every facet of life within the Inner Court. These responsibilities included duties concerning: discipline and jails, the maintenance of Buddhist images, the guarding of gates, the inner treasury and expenditure. One of their main duties was to accompany men, once they were admitted into the area, and to remain with them until they left. They controlled the traffic of the court and were drilled like regular soldiers. When any person of importance passed along the streets they ran ahead and cleared the way for them. At night they patrolled the streets with lamps or torches. Misbehaviour or indiscretion on behalf of the wives was punishable by death, for the women and the man. The last such punishment was met out in 1859 to a young nobleman and a minor wife, who were having an affair.


title: Grand Palace

text: Only the children of the king could be born inside the Inner Court. Every detail of the birth of the royal child was recorded, including the time of birth, which was to be used later by court astrologers to cast his or her horoscope. Ceremonies concerning the birth and the rites of passage of the child was performed within the walls of the Inner Court. The birth of a royal child was first announced by a succession of women who proclaimed the news along the Inner Court's streets. There were two waiting orchestras, one on the inside made of women and one on the outside of men, who would then carry out the official proclamation with conch shell fanfares. If the child was a prince the Gong of Victory was to be struck three times. The children would live with their respective mothers and be educated in special schools within the court.


title: Grand Palace

text: Although the women of 'The Inside' could never have the same level of freedom to those on the outside, life inside the Inner Court was not disagreeable, as life was easier than the outside and most necessities were provided for. The women usually entered the palace as girls and remained inside for the rest of their lives. As girls they would be assigned certain duties as pages; as they grew older and became wives and mothers they would have a household to look after. During the reign of King Rama IV, the women of the palace were for the first time allowed to leave; however they were required to obtain permission from the directoress first and were strictly chaperoned. Dr. Malcolm A. Smith, physician to Queen Saovabha Phongsri from 1914 to 1919, wrote that, "there is no evidence to show that they longed for freedom or were unhappy in their surroundings. Even Mrs. Leonowens, fanatical opponent of polygamy that she was, does not tell us that". Indeed, Anna Leonowens' book "The English Governess at the Siamese Court", published in 1873, was set inside the Inner Court.


title: Grand Palace

text: The castellated walls of the Grand Palace were constructed during the reign of King Rama I in 1782. Later during the reign of King Rama II the Grand Palace and its walls were extended towards the south. Cannon emplacements were replaced with guard houses and were given rhyming names. The northern wall measures 410 metres, the east 510 metres, the south 360 metres and the west 630 metres, a total of . There are 12 gates in the outer walls. Inside the palace, there were over 22 gates and a labyrinth of inner walls; however some of these have already been demolished. Around the outer walls there are also 17 small forts. On the eastern wall, facing Sanamchai Road, there are two throne halls.


title: Grand Palace

text: The "Phra Thinang Chai Chumpol" (พระที่นั่งไชยชุมพล; ) is located on the north of the eastern wall, opposite the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The small rectangular pavilion was built on the top of the wall of the palace. The pavilion has a roof of two tiers and is covered with grey tiles. The exterior is decorated with black lacquer and glass mosaic. The pavilion was built by King Rama IV as a viewing platform, where he could observe royal and religious processions going by along the Sanamchai Road. The pavilion was also used for a time as the main shrine of the Phra Siam Thevathiraj figure, before it was moved to its current shrine in the Phaisan Thaksin Hall.


title: Grand Palace

text: Situated on the south eastern wall of the Grand Palace is the "Phra Thinang Suthaisawan Prasat" (พระที่นั่งสุทไธสวรรยปราสาท); the hall sits between the Deva Phitak and Sakdi Chaisit Gates on the eastern wall. It was first built by King Rama I in imitation of the "Phra Thinang Chakrawat Phaichayont" (พระที่นั่งจักรวรรดิ์ไพชยนต์; ) on the walls of the Royal Palace in Ayutthaya. Originally called the "Plubpla Sung" or high pavilion, it was made entirely of wood and was an open-air structure. During the reign of King Rama III, a new structure was built out of brick and mortar. This new structure was renamed "Phra Thinang Sutthasawan" (พระที่นั่งสุทไธสวรรย์; ). The hall is used by the king to give audiences to the public and view military parades.


title: Grand Palace

text: The new structure consists of two-stories, the lower in Western style and the top level in Thai design. The central pavilion has a wooden balcony, which is used by the king and royal family for the granting of public audiences. The roof over the central pavilion is topped by a five-tier prasat in Mondop style, decorated in glass mosaic. The hall's wings stretching from the north to the south, each has nine large windows along the exterior. Later in the reign of King Rama V, the entire structure was refurbished and finally given its present name.


title: Grand Palace

text: The Grand Palace has twelve gates (ประตู, "Pratu", literally a door), three along each of the four walls. These massive gates are built of brick and mortar and are topped with a Prang style spire. These gates are all painted in white, with gigantic red doors. Each of these outer gates were given rhyming names, starting from the north west in a clockwise direction around.


title: Grand Palace

text: Along the walls of the Grand Palace there are seventeen forts (ป้อม, "Pom"); originally there were only ten, with later additions made. These small structures are usually small battlements with cannon placements and watchtower. The forts were also given rhyming names.


title: Grand Palace

text: The Museum of the Emerald Buddha Temple (พิพิธภัณฑ์วัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม), despite its name, is the main artefacts repository of both the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha complex. The museum is located between the Outer and Middle Court and sits opposite the Phra Thinang Maha Prasat Group. A building was constructed on the present location in 1857 during the reign of King Rama IV as the Royal Mint (โรงกษาปณ์สิทธิการ, "Rong Kasarp Sitthikarn"; ). King Rama V ordered the mint to be enlarged, but not long after this the building was destroyed by fire and needed to be rebuilt.


title: Grand Palace

text: The two-story structure is rectangular in shape. The portico has four Ionic columns with fluted stems and cabbage leaf capitals. The front gables of the building have Renaissance style plaster moulding. The lower part of the exterior walls are made of plastered brick. The upper windows have semi-circular French windows, with pilasters on both sides. In 1902 a new royal mint department was constructed outside the palace's walls and the old mint building was left vacant. The building was then first converted for use as a royal guards barracks and later as a royal guards officer's club.


title: Grand Palace

text: In 1982, on the bicentennial anniversary year of the founding of Bangkok and the building of the Grand Palace, the building was selected as the site of a new museum. It was established at the instigation of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to hold certain architectural elements, which had to be replaced; various artefacts and Buddha images that were donated to the Grand Palace by the general public.


title: Grand Palace

text: The ground floor of the museum displays a varied selection of artefacts. These included certain architectural elements, which were removed from various buildings within the Grand Palace during different renovations, as well as were the stone Buddha images and Chinese statues. They included many figures from Thai literature, the Ramakien, such as Suvannamaccha and Hanuman. The stone figures date from the reign of King Rama III, and were later moved to the museum to prevent damage. In the central hall are the bones of white elephants. These elephants were not actually white but have certain special characteristics such as pinkish colouring and cream eyes. The White elephant was an important symbol of kingship; the more the monarch possessed the greater was his prestige. This belief and veneration of the animal is common to many other South-east Asian cultures.


title: Grand Palace

text: The upper floor rooms display more artistic and precious objects. In the main hall are two architectural models of the Grand Palace, the first representing the Grand Palace during the reign of King Rama I, and another in the reign of King Rama V. Behind these are numerous Buddha images and commemorative coins. In the doorway leading to the main hall is a small mother-of-pearl seating platform known as "Phra Thaen Song Sabai" (พระแท่นทรงสบาย), which was once located in the Phra Thinang Phiman Rattaya Throne Hall. The platform was used for informal audiences and dates from the time of King Rama I. At the end of the main hall stands the "Phra Thaen Manangsila" Throne (พระแท่นมนังคศิลาอาสน์; ), which is believed to date to the Sukhothai Kingdom and was brought back to Bangkok, from Sukhothai, by King Rama IV, when he was still a monk. Against the walls on either side of the hall are four different Buddha images of Javanese style; they were purchased by King Rama V. The room to the right of the Manangsila Throne displays the various seasonal robes of the Emerald Buddha. To the left of the main hall is a lacquer ware screen depicting the crowning of Shiva, king of the gods. The screen was formerly kept in the Phra Thinang Amarinthara Pisek Maha Prasat; it was saved from the fire apparently by the hands of King Rama I himself. The rest of the upper floor displays various objets d′art (such as a model of Mount Kailasa) and more Buddha images.


title: History of laptops

text: The history of laptops describes the efforts, begun in the 1970s, to build small, portable personal computers that combine the components, inputs, outputs and capabilities of a desktop computer in a small chassis.


title: History of laptops

text: The portable micro computer the "Portal" of the French company R2E Micral CCMC officially appeared in September 1980 at the Sicob show in Paris. The Portal was a portable microcomputer designed and marketed by the studies and developments department of the French firm R2E Micral in 1980 at the request of the company CCMC specializing in payroll and accounting. It was based on an Intel 8085 processor, 8-bit, clocked at 2 MHz. It was equipped with a central 64K byte RAM, a keyboard with 58 alphanumeric keys and 11 numeric keys (in separate blocks), a 32-character screen, a floppy disk (capacity - 140,000 characters), a thermal printer (speed - 28 characters/second), an asynchronous channel, a synchronous channel, and a 220-volt power supply. Designed for an operating temperature of 15–35 °C, it weighed and its dimensions were 45 × 45 × 15 cm. It ran the Prologue operating system and provided total mobility.


title: History of laptops

text: The Osborne 1 is considered the first true mobile computer by most historians. Adam Osborne founded Osborne Computer and produced the Osborne 1 in 1981. The Osborne 1 had a five-inch screen, incorporating a modem port, two -inch floppy drives, and a large collection of bundled software applications. An aftermarket battery pack was available. The computer company was a failure and did not last for very long. Although it was large and heavy compared to today's laptops, with a tiny 5" CRT monitor, it had a near-revolutionary impact on business, as professionals were able to take their computer and data with them for the first time. This and other "luggables" were inspired by what was probably the first portable computer, the Xerox NoteTaker. The Osborne was about the size of a portable sewing machine, and could be carried on commercial aircraft. The Osborne 1 weighs close to and was priced at .


title: History of laptops

text: The Compaq Portable was the first PC-compatible portable computer created in 1982. The first shipment was in March 1983 and was priced at . The Compaq Portable folded up into a luggable case the size of a portable sewing machine, similar in size to the Osborne 1. The third model of this development, Compaq Portable II, featured high resolution graphics on its tube display. It was the first portable computer ready to be used on the shop floor, and for CAD and diagram display. It established Compaq as a major brand on the market.


title: History of laptops

text: The first significant development towards laptop computing was announced in 1981 and sold from July 1982, the 8/16-bit Epson HX-20. It featured a full-transit 68-key keyboard, rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries, a small (120×32-pixel) dot-matrix LCD with 4 lines of text, 20 characters per line text mode, a 24 column dot matrix printer, a Microsoft BASIC interpreter, and 16 KB of RAM (expandable to 32 KB). The HX-20's very limited screen and tiny internal memory, made serious word-processing and spreadsheet applications impractical and the device was described as "primitive" by some. In terms of mass storage, the HX20 could be fitted with a Microcasette Drive, which is powered and operated by the Main Unit. External Floppy Drives and even an Adapter for CRT output were also available.


title: History of laptops

text: The first clamshell laptop, the Grid Compass, was made in 1982. Enclosed in a magnesium case, it introduced the now familiar design in which the flat display folded shut against the keyboard. The computer was equipped with a 320×200-pixel electroluminescent display and 384 kilobyte bubble memory. It was not IBM-compatible, and its high price (US$8,000–10,000, equivalent to $- in ) limited it to specialized applications. However, it was used heavily by the U.S. military, and by NASA on the Space Shuttle during the 1980s. The GRiD's manufacturer subsequently earned significant returns on its patent rights as its innovations became commonplace. GRiD Systems Corp. was later bought by the Tandy (now RadioShack) Corporation. The Grid's portability was restricted as it had no internal battery pack and relied on mains power.


title: History of laptops

text: The first contender for true laptop computing was the 16-bit Dulmont Magnum, designed by David Irwin and John Blair of Dulmison, Australia, in 1982 and released in Australia in September 1983 by Dulmont. This battery-powered device included an 80 character × 8 line display in a lid that closed against the keyboard. The Dulmont was thus the first computer that could be taken anywhere and offered significant computing potential on the user's laptop (though weighing in at ). It was based on the MS-DOS operating system and applications stored in ROM (A:) and also supported removable modules in expansion slots (B: and C:) that could be custom programmed EPROM or standard word processing and spreadsheet applications. The Magnum could suspend and retain memory in battery-backed CMOS RAM, including a RAM Disk (D:). A separate expansion box provided dual 5.25-inch floppy or 10 MB hard disk storage. The product was marketed internationally from 1984 to 1986. Dulmont was eventually taken over by Time Office Computers, who relabeled the brand "Kookaburra" and marketed 16- and 25-line LCD display versions.


title: History of laptops

text: Two other noteworthy early laptops were the Sharp PC-5000 (similar in many respects to the Dulmont Magnum) and the Gavilan SC, announced in 1983 but first sold in 1984, Gavilan filing bankruptcy the same year. Both ran the 8/16-bit Intel 8088 CPU. The Gavilan was notably the first computer to be marketed as a "laptop". It was equipped with an internal floppy disk drive and a pioneering touchpad-like pointing device, installed on a panel above the keyboard. Like the GRiD Compass, the Gavilan and the Sharp were housed in clamshell cases, but they were partly IBM-compatible, although primarily running their own system software. Both had LCDs, and could connect to optional external printers.


title: History of laptops

text: The year 1983 also saw the launch of what was probably the biggest-selling early laptop, the 8-bit Kyocera Kyotronic 85. Owing much to the design of the previous Epson HX-20, and although at first a slow seller in Japan, it was quickly licensed by Tandy Corporation, Olivetti, and NEC, who recognised its potential and marketed it respectively as the TRS-80 Model 100 line (or Tandy 100), Olivetti M-10, and NEC PC-8201. The machines ran on standard AA batteries. The Tandy's built-in programs, including a BASIC interpreter, a text editor, and a terminal program, were supplied by Microsoft, and were written in part by Bill Gates himself. The computer was not a clamshell, but provided a tiltable 8 line × 40-character LCD screen above a full-travel keyboard. With its internal modem, it was a highly portable communications terminal. Due to its portability, good battery life (and ease of replacement), reliability (it had no moving parts), and low price (as little as US$300), the model was highly regarded, becoming a favorite among journalists. It weighed less than with dimensions of 30×21.5×4.5 centimeters (12×8½×1¾ in). Initial specifications included 8 kilobytes of RAM (expandable to 24 KB) and a 3 MHz processor. The machine was in fact about the size of a paper notebook, but the term had yet to come into use and it was generally described as a "portable" computer.


title: History of laptops

text: Data General's introduction of the Data General/One (DG-1) in 1984 is one of the few cases of a minicomputer company introducing a breakthrough PC product. Considered genuinely portable, rather than "luggable", it was a nine-pound battery-powered MS-DOS machine equipped with dual 3-inch diskettes, a 79-key full-stroke keyboard, 128 KB to 512 KB of RAM, and a monochrome LCD screen capable of either the full-sized standard 80×25 characters or full CGA graphics (640×200).


title: History of laptops

text: Although it was not released until 1985, well after the decline of CP/M as a major operating system, the Bondwell 2 is one of only a handful of CP/M laptops. It used an 8-bit Z-80 CPU running at 4 MHz, had 64 KBs of RAM, and a 3.5" floppy disk drive built in, which was unusual for CP/M laptops. The flip-up LCD display's resolution was 640x200 pixels. Bondwell 2 also included MicroPro's complete line of CP/M software, including WordStar. The Bondwell 2 was capable of displaying bitmapped graphics. The price of the Bondwell 2 was listed at $995.


title: History of laptops

text: Possibly the first commercial IBM-compatible laptop was the 8/16-bit Kaypro 2000, introduced in 1985. With its brushed aluminum clamshell case, it was remarkably similar in design to modern laptops. It featured a 25 line by 80 character LCD, a detachable keyboard, and a pop-up 90 mm (3.5-inch) floppy drive.


title: History of laptops

text: Toshiba launched the 8/16-bit Toshiba T1100 in 1985, and has subsequently described it as ""the world's first mass-market laptop computer"". It did not have a hard drive, and ran entirely from floppy disks. The CPU was a 4.77 MHz Intel 80C88, a lower-power-consumption variation of the popular Intel 8088, and the display was a monochrome, 640x200 LCD. It was followed in 1987 by the T1000 and T1200. Although limited floppy-based DOS machines, with the operating system stored in ROM on the T1000, the Toshiba models were small and light enough to be carried in a backpack, and could be run from Ni-Cd batteries. They also introduced the now-standard "resume" feature to DOS-based machines: the computer could be paused between sessions without having to be restarted each time.


title: History of laptops

text: Also among the first commercial IBM-compatible laptops was the 8/16-bit IBM PC Convertible, introduced in 1986. It had a CGA-compatible LCD and two 720 KB 3.5-inch floppy drives. It weighed .


title: History of laptops

text: The first laptops successful on a large scale came in large part due to a RFP by the U.S. Air Force in 1987. This contract would eventually lead to the purchase of over 200,000 laptops. Competition to supply this contract was fierce and the major PC companies of the time; IBM, Toshiba, Compaq, NEC, and Zenith Data Systems (ZDS), rushed to develop laptops in an attempt to win this deal. ZDS, which had earlier won a landmark deal with the IRS for its Z-171, was awarded this contract for its SupersPort series. The SupersPort series was originally launched with an Intel 8086 processor, dual floppy disk drives, a backlit, blue-and-white STN LCD screen, and a NiCd battery pack. Later models featured a 16-bit Intel 80286 processor and a 20 MB hard disk drive. On the strength of this deal, ZDS became the world's largest laptop supplier in 1987 and 1988. ZDS partnered with Tottori Sanyo in the design and manufacturing of these laptops. This relationship is notable because it was the first deal between a major brand and an Asian original equipment manufacturer.


title: History of laptops

text: In 1987, HP released a portable version of their 16-bit Vectra CS computer. It had the classic laptop configuration (keyboard and monitor closes up clam-shell style in order to carry), however, it was very heavy and fairly large. It had a full-size keyboard (with separate numeric keypad) and a large amber LCD screen. While it was offered with dual 3.5-inch floppy disk drives, the most common configuration was a 20 MB hard drive and a single floppy drive. It was one of the first machines with a 1.44 MB density 3.5-inch disk drive.


title: History of laptops

text: Another notable computer was the 8-bit Cambridge Z88, designed by Clive Sinclair, introduced in 1988. About the size of an A4 sheet of paper as well, it ran on standard batteries, and contained basic spreadsheet, word processing, and communications programs. It anticipated the future miniaturization of the portable computer, and as a ROM-based machine with a small display, can – like the "TRS-80 Model 100" – also be seen as a forerunner of the personal digital assistant.


title: History of laptops

text: By the end of the 1980s, laptop computers were becoming popular among business people. The 16-bit COMPAQ SLT/286 debuted in October 1988, being the first battery-powered laptop to support an internal hard disk drive and a VGA compatible LCD screen. It weighed .


title: History of laptops

text: The NEC UltraLite, released in October 1988, was perhaps the first "notebook" computer, weighing just , which was achieved by obviating floppy or hard drive, it was powered by the NEC V30 16-bit CPU. The very restrictive 2 megabyte RAM drive cramped the product's utility. Although portable computers with clamshell LCD screens already existed at the time of its release, the Ultralite was the first computer in a notebook form-factor. It was significantly smaller than all earlier portable computers and could be carried like a notebook and its clamshell LCD folded over the body like a book cover.


title: History of laptops

text: Apple's first laptop product was the 16-bit lead-acid battery powered Macintosh Portable released in September 1989. The Portable pioneered inclusion of a pointing device (a trackball) in the laptop/portable sphere.


title: History of laptops

text: The IBM PS/2 note was a first IBM laptop with clamshell design, and the 1992's CL57sx model was IBM's first commercial laptop with color screen; the introduced options and features include the now-common peripherals-oriented PS/2 port as mobile device option, introduced the laptop BIOS and predecessor of laptop docking station (IBM Communications Cartridge).


title: History of laptops

text: The Apple PowerBook series, introduced in October 1991, pioneered changes that are now "de facto" standards on laptops, including room for a palm rest.


title: History of laptops

text: Later PowerBooks featured optional color displays (PowerBook 165c, 1993), and first true touchpad (PowerBook 500 series, 1994), first 16-bit stereo audio, and first built-in Ethernet network adapter (PowerBook 500, 1994).


title: History of laptops

text: In 1992, IBM released its ThinkPad 300, 700 and 700C, featuring a clamshell design similar to the PS/2 line. The 700 and 700C (the "C" version came with a color display) came with the distinctive red TrackPoint pointing device that is still used to this day. The ThinkPad raised a new standard for business class laptops with its modular design, greater durability and more productivity options, including video capture and cameras (ThinkPad Power Series 850, 1995), removable drive bays, secondary batteries, and backlit keyboards.


title: History of laptops

text: Windows 3.1 was the first version of Windows to support APM, which was usually implemented with SMI in the BIOS (introduced with the Intel 80386SL). Windows 95 introduced standardized support for docking via the PnP BIOS (among other things). Prior to this point each brand used custom BIOS, drivers and in some cases, ASICs, to optimize the battery life of its machines. This move by Microsoft was controversial in the eyes of notebook designers because it greatly reduced their ability to innovate; however, it did serve its role in simplifying and stabilizing certain aspects of notebook design.


title: History of laptops

text: Windows 95 ushered in the importance of the CD-ROM drive in mobile computing, and helped the shift to the Intel Pentium processor as the base platform for notebooks. The Gateway Solo was the first notebook introduced with a Pentium processor and a CD-ROM. Also featuring a removable hard disk drive and floppy drive, the Solo was the first three-spindle (optical, floppy, and hard disk drive) notebook computer, and was extremely successful within the consumer segment of the market. In roughly the same time period the Dell Latitude, Toshiba Satellite, and IBM ThinkPad were reaching great success with Pentium-based two-spindle (hard disk and floppy disk drive) systems directed toward the corporate market.


title: History of laptops

text: Early laptop displays were so primitive that "PC Magazine" in 1986 published an article discussing them with the headline "Is It On Yet?". It said of the accompanying montage of nine portable computers, "Pictured at the right are two screens and seven elongated smudges". The article stated that "LCD screens still look to many observers like Etch-a-Sketch toys, or gray chalk on a dirty blackboard", and predicted that until displays improved, "laptops will continue to be a niche rather than a mainstream direction". As technology improved during the 1990s, the usefulness and popularity of laptops increased. Correspondingly prices went down. Several developments specific to laptops were quickly implemented, improving usability and performance. Among them were:


title: History of laptops

text: In June 2007, Asus announced the Eee PC 701 to be released in October, a small lightweight x86 Celeron-M ULV 353 powered laptop with 4 GB SDHC disk and a 7-inch screen. Despite previous attempts to launch small lightweight computers such as ultra-portable PC, the Eee was the first success story largely due to its low cost, small size, low weight and versatility. The term 'Netbook' was later dubbed by Intel. Asus then extended the Eee line with models with features such as a 9-inch screen and other brands, including Acer, MSI and Dell followed suit with similar devices, often built on the fledgling low-power Intel Atom processor architecture.


title: History of laptops

text: In 2009, Qualcomm introduced a new term "smartbook", which stands for a hybrid device between smartphone and laptop.


title: Joe Spano

text: Joseph Peter Spano (born July 7, 1946) is an American actor best known for his roles as Lt. Henry Goldblume on "Hill Street Blues" and FBI Special Agent Tobias C. Fornell on "NCIS". He also voiced the Chuck E. Cheese (at the time Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre) character, Pasqually the Chef, from 1977–1983.


title: Joe Spano

text: Spano was a member of the San Francisco improv group The Wing, and in college debuted as Paris in a production of "Romeo and Juliet" in 1967. In 1968, he helped found the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, appearing in its first production, and stayed with the company for ten years. He moved to Hollywood in the late 1970s, landing guest spots on TV and bit roles in "American Graffiti" (1973) and "The Enforcer" (1976).


title: Joe Spano

text: In "Hill Street Blues" he played Henry Goldblume during the entire seven-year run of the series, first as a detective sergeant, later as a lieutenant. Goldblume was one of Hill Street precinct captain Frank Furillo's trusted junior officers, serving at times as a hostage negotiator and gangs relations officer. The character was sympathetic to crime victims, sometimes coming in conflict with his duties as a police officer. Spano was one of many actors appearing throughout each episode, which typically had several interwoven story lines.


title: Joe Spano

text: After "Hill Street Blues" ended, Spano won recurring roles in television police shows "Murder One" (1995) and "NYPD Blue" (1993), again as a detective, and has appeared regularly in television movies and television shows like "The X-Files" (episodes "Tempus Fugit" and "Max"), "Mercy Point" and "Amazing Grace". Spano won an Emmy award in 1988 for Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series for a role he played in an episode of "Midnight Caller". He has appeared in several feature films, including working alongside Tom Hanks in "Apollo 13" and Richard Gere and Edward Norton in "Primal Fear". His credits are often confused with Australian actor Joseph Spano. They are not related.


title: Joe Spano

text: He is a veteran stage actor on the east and west coasts. Spano made his Broadway debut in 1992 in the Roundabout Theater revival of Arthur Miller's "The Price", with Eli Wallach, which was nominated for a Tony for Best Revival. West coast stage credits include Eduardo Pavlovsky's "Potestad", and David Mamet's "Speed-the-Plow" and "American Buffalo", for which he was awarded an LA Drama Critics Circle Award. At the Rubicon Theater in Ventura he has played General Burgoyne in George Bernard Shaw's "The Devil's Disciple", Greg in A. R. Gurney's "Sylvia" and Vladimir in "Waiting for Godot". He is a member of the Antaeus Theater Company and a founding member of three other theater companies. He played a seductive vampire in the cult musical "Dracula: A Musical Nightmare" in a small Los Angeles theatre. He also appeared in the TV movie "Brotherhood of Justice" with Keanu Reeves and Kiefer Sutherland.


title: Joe Spano

text: Spano has been a recurring character in "NCIS" since its premiere episode, "Yankee White", playing FBI Special Agent Tobias Fornell, the FBI counterpart to NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, portrayed by Mark Harmon. In Season 15, Fornell is no longer with the FBI, but is a private investigator.


title: Joe Spano

text: Two episodes have used Fornell's personal life as the main crux of an "NCIS" episode: one where Fornell's daughter is imperiled and another where Fornell's career is imperiled. In each episode, it is the friendship between Gibbs and Fornell which is invoked in order to involve NCIS in the resolution.


title: Joe Spano

text: Spano was born in San Francisco, California, the son of Virginia Jean (née Carpenter) and Vincent Dante Spano, a physician. He graduated from Archbishop Riordan High School in 1963, and he is an honorary member of the House of Russi. Spano and his wife Joan Zerrien, a therapist, were married in 1980. They have two adopted daughters.


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R is a "636 cc" class motorcycle in the Ninja sport bike series from the Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki.


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: It was introduced in 1995, and has been constantly updated throughout the years in response to new products from Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha. The ZX series is what was known as the Ninja line of Kawasaki motorcycles in the 1980s and still carries the name today.


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: Kawasaki introduced the ZX-6R in 1995 with very similar looks and features like the 1994 introduced ZX-9R, including the ram-air intake that had been developed by Kawasaki since the 1990 ZX-11 (ZZ-R1100). The first ZX-6R had a dry weight of , wet weight of , and was capable of accelerating in 3.6 seconds.


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: There was a major revamp of the ZX-6R in 1998 with the Launch of the G series. The G series saw no increase in displacement but power went from 100 BHP to 108 BHP thanks to the newly designed airbox. The fairing was revamped, but it retained a similar design for the headlight, air intakes and windscreen. In 2000, the first J series replaced the G, increasing power to 112 BHP by increasing the compression ratio from 11.8:1 to 12.8:1. The J series sported a couple of modernisations including a 180 section rear tire, second headlight, uprated generator and stick coils (coil on plug) replacing the traditional coil with HT lead.


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: With strong competition from Honda's CBR600F4i, Suzuki's GSX-R600, and Yamaha's YZF-R6, Kawasaki decided on an unusual move for the late 2002 models. They increased the capacity of the traditional motor to with the ZX-6R A1P. This version used the J series bodywork with the only notable differences being the "636" stickers on the fairing. For riders who needed bikes for displacement-restricted racing, Kawasaki also made available a limited production version, the Ninja ZX-6RR, but the ZX-6R would be their main mass production middleweight sport bike.


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: In 2003, there were a number of changes to the ZX-6R, or ZX636 as it is often referred. The engine was fuel injected and engine speed was raised around 500 RPM which resulted in a slight gain in power. Radial-mounted four-piston brakes replaced the previous six-piston brakes and the front forks were now inverted. Chassis improvements resulted in higher rigidity and less weight. An all digital instrument panel was also introduced and a larger ram-air intake inlet moved to the center over the headlight, running through the headstock. The bike, designation B1H, carried over to the 2004 model year with just color scheme changes. The ZX-6RR won the Supersport category award for Masterbike 2004 and placed third overall.


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: In 2005, Kawasaki again revamped the ZX-6R. Engine speed increased again by 1,000 RPM resulting in at 12,250 RPM. The frame and swingarm were updated, but the main changes from its predecessor lay in the design. The aluminum frame was now painted flat black, fairings were more round, and integrated turn signals were used (euro model). The exhaust was now centrally under the seat (a configuration commonly referred to as an undertail exhaust). Most of these changes were mirrored in the 599 cc ZX-6RR. For the second year in a row, the ZX-6RR again won the Supersport category award for Masterbike 2005 and placed third overall. The bike carried over to the 2006 model year with minor suspension changes and new color schemes.


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: After four years of offering their 636 cc ZX-6R for street use and an entirely separate 599 cc ZX-6RR for displacement-restricted racing classes, Kawasaki offered only one ZX-6R for 2007, and it displaced 599 cc. Previous years of the ZX-6R's engines were all built from the same basic design, but the all-new engine for 2007 was redesigned from the crankcase up. In following with what their competitors had already been doing, Kawasaki's new engine featured a stacked gear arrangement in which the crankshaft, primary drive and countershaft are placed in a triangular format for a shorter, more compact powerplant. Now about 40 mm smaller in both length and width and it is said to yield greater cornering clearance. By using a former 125 cc Grand Prix racer as the ZX-6R's chief development rider, Tomomi Manako, Kawasaki claims a focus has been put on track usage. Frame, swingarm, suspension, brakes, and body were completely redesigned and the bike shares very few parts from the previous model. The ZX-6R was carried over to the 2008 model year with just color scheme changes.


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: For 2009, Kawasaki dramatically changed the appearance of the ZX-6R to match the more angular look of the ZX-10R. Kawasaki claims the new ZX-6R is 10 kg lighter than the previous model. The greatest changes for 2009 were the redesign of the exhaust, now carried low and not requiring the thick under-seat construction of 2008 and especially the introduction of the Showa Big Piston Fork (BPF) suspension for a more progressive brake-dive. The 2010 ZX-6R is changing once more with an improved engine and slipper clutch. The exhaust pre-chamber has more space and also limits exhaust noise giving the rider a smoother ride. New double bore intake funnels features two available heights which gives performance upgrades in both high and low engine speeds. The front seat is now lower.


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: For 2013, Kawasaki reintroduced the ZX-6R 636, while still continuing to sell the regular, 599 cc 2009-2012 ZX-6R at a lower price.


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: The 2013 ZX-6R 636 is a brand new bike. Engine displacement has again been increased to 636 cc, with two fuel maps available to choose via a switch on the handlebars. The new version has increased torque and horsepower, and the increased performance is apparent at lower RPM. While the tail is to the one in the 2009-2012 model, it features new front and side fairings, new dash, new frame, new Showa BPF-SFF front suspension, Kawasaki Traction Control (KTRC) with three modes (sport, city and rain) as standard equipment, and Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System (KIBS) available as option.


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: In Showa's Big Piston Fork - Separate Function Fork (BPF-SFF) suspension, the left leg bar a bigger and stronger spring than the right one, with regulated pre-load. The right bar has bigger oil damper section, with regulated rebound and compression damping. According to the manufacturer, this asymmetric design provides a reduction of the friction inside the fork, significant mass loss and more friendly response of suspension. The KTRC system uses manipulation of the ignition timing on all 3 traction control modes, while mode 3 (rain mode) also uses a separate throttle controlled by the on-board electronics, to allow faster reaction for wheel over-spin on slippery surfaces. Traction control and power modes can be adjusted or turned off whenever the throttle is closed, even while riding the bike. The bike is sold without a steering damper, as customer complaints about the OEM steering damper on previous models prompted Kawasaki to discontinue this feature on subsequent models.


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: The ZX-6R 636 for 2019 has some updates consisting of: Euro4 compliance, KQS quickshifter (up only), updated bodywork and seat, LED headlights and updated dashboard. The claimed horsepower also sees a slight drop from the 2018 model's to .


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: Through the 2020 model year, Kawasaki sold only the displacement Ninja ZX-6R in most markets, while in Japan the version continues to be sold alongside the 636 since the model year 2003 onwards.


title: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R

text: Andrew Pitt won the Supersport World Championship in 2001 with a ZX-6R, and Kenan Sofuoğlu won it in 2012, 2015 and 2016. Also, Kawasaki won the Supersport World Championship manufacturers title in 2013, 2015 and 2016.


title: Censor (2021 film)

text: Censor is a 2021 British psychological horror film directed by Prano Bailey-Bond. It was produced from a screenplay by Bailey-Bond and Anthony Fletcher. The film stars Niamh Algar, Nicholas Burns, Vincent Franklin, Sophia La Porta, Adrian Schiller and Michael Smiley.


title: Censor (2021 film)

text: "Censor" had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on 28 January 2021. It received the Méliès d'Or for Best European Fantastic Film.


title: Censor (2021 film)

text: In 1985, Enid Baines works for the British Board of Film Classification during the height of the Video Nasty controversy. Enid's co-workers call her "Little Miss Perfect" due to her strictness in recommending that violent content be cut or banned. While Enid is having dinner with her parents, they discuss the disappearance of Enid's sister Nina when the two were little. Enid's parents have since declared Nina legally dead, but Enid is convinced that her sister is still missing.


title: Censor (2021 film)

text: Shortly after a man murders his wife and children, a tabloid newspaper links the killings to a film Enid had rated several months prior, naming her as the censor who approved it. Enid starts to receive phone calls threatening and insulting her on a regular basis. One day, Enid is approached by Doug Smart, a film producer who claims that a veteran horror director named Frederick North has personally requested that she screen one of his old films, "Don't Go in the Church". During the screening, Enid notices that events depicted parallel her memories of her sister's disappearance.


title: Censor (2021 film)

text: Investigating North further by acquiring a copy of one of his banned films, Enid notices that the film's lead, Alice Lee, bears a resemblance to her missing sister. Enid soon becomes obsessed with meeting North, believing that Lee is her missing sister, and needs to be saved from the exploitation film industry. When Enid visits Smart, hoping to learn North's whereabouts, he tells her that North is making a sequel to "Don't Go in the Church" near his home, and attempts to rape her. Enid rejects Smart, causing him to become more aggressive before Enid pushes him back, tripping and accidentally impaling him on a film award. Smart dies as Enid stares in shock, unable to process what has happened.


title: Censor (2021 film)

text: After stealing North's address from her work, Enid finds the set of North's latest film, where he and the crew assume her to be an actress. During a climactic scene, Enid kills an actor named Charles with an axe, thinking that he was going to hurt her "sister". A terrified Alice flees from Enid as she begs for Alice to "please be her" before collapsing in the woods. A remote control appears in Enid's hand, and she presses a button.


title: Censor (2021 film)

text: Enid is awoken by a seemingly happy vision of her sister, thanking Enid for finding her. Nina and Enid leave the woods and drive to their parent's home. During the drive, the car radio announces that all violent films have been banned, crime has been eradicated, and unemployment no longer exists. Enid's fantasy is sporadically interrupted, revealing that she has kidnapped Alice, who is begging Enid's parents for help as Enid smiles. The camera then pans out of a TV screen, and a VHS tape with the title Censor comes out of a VCR, implying that the film was just a movie someone else was watching.


title: Censor (2021 film)

text: Filming primarily took place in Leeds and Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The set of 'Gerald's Videos' store was created in Pudsey. The film was primarily shot on 35mm film, with some Super8 and VHS footage.


title: Censor (2021 film)

text: The film had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on 28 January 2021 in the "Midnight" section. On 23 February 2021, Magnolia Pictures acquired the US distribution rights to the film, with plans to release it through its Magnet Releasing banner in theatres in the United States on 11 June 2021. It was released across the UK and Ireland on 20 August 2021 via Vertigo Releasing. Additionally, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer owns the film's worldwide home media rights and international television rights, especially on Blu-ray releases in which the 2021 MGM logo is shown at the beginning and end of this film.


title: Censor (2021 film)

text: On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 89% based on reviews from 149 critics, with an average rating of 7.30/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Occasionally uneven but bold and viscerally effective, "Censor" marks a bloody good step forward for British horror." Writing for RogerEbert.com, Simon Abrams concluded that ""Censor" is, in [a] sense, a success, if only because it winds you up, and leaves you wanting a lot more where it came from." Mark Kermode of "The Observer" rated the film five out of five stars. Peter Bradshaw of "The Guardian" described the film as a "very elegant and disquieting debut" and rated the film four out of five stars. Kevin Maher of "The Times" called the film a "half-baked horror" that is "all context and no content" and rated the film two out of five stars.


title: Tootsie Roll

text: Tootsie Roll is a chocolate-flavored taffy that has been manufactured in the United States since 1907. The candy has qualities similar to both caramels and taffy without being exactly either confection. The manufacturer, Tootsie Roll Industries, is based in Chicago, Illinois. It was the first penny candy to be individually wrapped in America.


title: Tootsie Roll

text: According to the official company history, founder Leo Hirschfield (spelled Hirshfield in Tootsie Industries history) was an Austrian Jewish immigrant to the United States of America, son of an Austrian candy maker. He started his own career in the candy business at a small shop or factory located in New York City during 1896. He was employed in a senior position at the Stern & Saalberg company in Manhattan, New York, owned by Julius Stern and Jacob Saalberg, for many years.


title: Tootsie Roll

text: Details of his early career are disputed. The more common version has him starting a candy shop in Brooklyn that later merged with Stern & Saalberg. Another version has him starting at the factory and rising to a senior development position.


title: Tootsie Roll

text: The first candy that Hirschfield created was Bromangelon Jelly Powder. He completed the invention of Tootsie Rolls in 1907, after patenting a technique to give them their unique texture. He named the candy after his daughter Clara, whose nickname was "Tootsie". The first Tootsie Rolls were marketed commercially in September 1908. Hirschfeld became vice-president of the company, which changed its name to Sweets Company of America in 1917 around the time of the retirement of founders Stern and Saalberg. Hirschfield resigned or was fired in 1920, and subsequently started Mells Candy. On January 14, 1922, in his room at the Monterey Hotel in Manhattan, he shot himself dead, leaving a note saying that he was "sorry, but could not help it."


title: Tootsie Roll

text: In 1935, the company was in serious difficulty. Tootsie Roll's principal supplier of paper boxes, Joseph Rubin & Sons of Brooklyn, concerned about the possible loss of an important customer, decided to acquire the troubled company. The company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange, but Bernard D. Rubin acquired a list of shareholders and approached them in person in order to purchase their shares. The Rubin family eventually achieved control of Tootsie Roll and agreed that Bernard Rubin would run the company as president. Under his leadership, the company was able to steadily increase sales and restore profits by changing the formula of the Tootsie Roll and increasing its size. Additionally, Rubin moved the company from Manhattan to a much larger plant in Hoboken, New Jersey, and guided the company successfully through the difficult war years during which vital raw materials were in short supply. When he died in 1948, he had increased the sales volume twelve-fold.


title: Tootsie Roll

text: After Bernard Rubin's death, his brother William B. Rubin served as president until 1962, when William's daughter Ellen Rubin Gordon took control. As of August 2015, she is chairman and CEO of the company, having succeeded her late husband, Melvin Gordon, who was chairman and CEO for many years.


title: Tootsie Roll

text: Tootsie Roll Industries (name adopted in 1966) is one of the largest candy manufacturers in the world. Approximately 64 million Tootsie Rolls are made daily.


title: Tootsie Roll

text: According to the company website, the original recipe calls for the inclusion of the previous day's batch, a graining process that continues to this day. "As such, there's (theoretically) a bit of Leo's very first Tootsie Roll in every one of the sixty four million Tootsie Rolls that Tootsie produces each day."


title: Tootsie Roll

text: Captain Tootsie is an advertisement comic strip created for Tootsie Rolls in 1943 by C C Beck, Peter Costanza and Bill Schreider (1950 onwards). It featured the title character Captain Tootsie and his sidekick, a boy named Rollo (a black-haired boy), and three other young cohorts named Fatso (a red-haired boy), Fisty (a blonde boy), and Sweetie (a blonde-haired girl). It had stories in the form of full color one-page Sunday strips, black and white daily strips, and two issues of a comic book of the same title released by Toby Press. The advertisement comic was featured by many publishers and in the newspapers. Within the context of the stories, Captain Tootsie was quite strong and quicker to the punch than any of his enemies. His stories were light and "kid-friendly". Captain Tootsie's comic strip ads ended in the 1950s.


title: Tootsie Roll

text: In the 1970s, artist Herb Trimpe is believed to have modeled the original costume for the Marvel Comics character Doc Samson partly on Captain Tootsie's uniform. In 2019, artist/writer Erik Larsen used Captain Tootsie as one of several older comic book characters in the public domain as part of his Savage Dragon series.


title: Tootsie Roll

text: The Tootsie Roll jingle, "Whatever It Is I Think I See", was recorded at Blank Tape Studios, New York in 1976. Elements of this ad can occasionally be seen today during advertised children's programming. It aired on television regularly for more than 20 years, mostly during Saturday morning cartoon programming. The jingle was sung by a nine-year-old, Rebecca Jane Weinstein, and 13-year-old David Johnson, the children of jazz musicians and friends of the song's composer. Originally David was to sing the solo "Whatever it is I think I see becomes a Tootsie Roll to me", but his voice was changing and cracked on the high notes, so the solo was given to Rebecca. Rebecca still has the original reel-to-reel audio tape recording.


title: Tootsie Roll

text: The current U.S. ingredients of a Tootsie Roll are: sugar, corn syrup, palm oil, condensed skim milk, cocoa, whey, soy lecithin, and artificial and natural flavors.


title: Tootsie Roll

text: In addition to the traditional cocoa-flavored Tootsie Roll, several additional flavors have been introduced. Known as Tootsie Fruit Chews, flavors include cherry, orange, vanilla, lemon, and lime. These varieties are wrapped in red, orange, blue, yellow, and green wrappers, respectively. They also offer a special Mega Mix bag that includes specialty flavors, green apple, blue raspberry, and grape. The specialty Fruit Chews are wrapped in dark green, dark blue, and purple to corollate with their flavors. Tootsie Frooties come in numerous different fruit flavors, including strawberry, blue raspberry, grape, green apple, banana berry, smooth cherry, fruit punch, pink lemonade, root beer, cranberry, blueberry, watermelon, and the newest, mango.


title: Tammin Sursok

text: Tammin Sursok (born 19 August 1983) is a South African-born Australian actress and singer. She is known for her roles on television as Dani Sutherland on "Home and Away", Colleen Carlton on "The Young and the Restless", and Jenna Marshall on "Pretty Little Liars".


title: Tammin Sursok

text: Sursok was born to musicians Daryl and Julie Sursok in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. When she was six, her family immigrated to Australia. Early on, Sursok was involved with the Sydney Youth Musical Theatre where she pursued her interests in acting, music, and dance. She also studied at the Trinity Speech and Drama College. Sursok was educated at Ravenswood School for Girls, in Gordon, Sydney, studying speech and drama in her final years of school.


title: Tammin Sursok

text: In 1999, after completing Year 10, Sursok acquired an agent and landed her first audition for a role in the long-running Australian drama series "Home and Away". She was cast in the role of Dani Sutherland, the rebellious eldest daughter of the Sutherland family who took over the running of the Caravan Park. The actress considered herself lucky to get the part, calling the experience "incredible". In an interview with "TeenHollywood" she stated, "It was my first audition, so I thought it always worked like that, and you always get your first audition, but that is not the case." Sursok's performance in the role earned her a win for the Logie Award for Most Popular New Female Talent beating out Caroline Craig, Madeleine West and Karina Brown. Sursok's performance earned her a nomination for the Logie Award for Most Popular Actress, losing out to "McLeod's Daughters" star Lisa Chappell.


title: Tammin Sursok

text: Sursok left "Home and Away" in 2004 so that she could pursue a music career, and acting opportunities, in the United States. "I'm 21 and it's time to be more creative. It is scary, but I had to leave before I became stale." In 2004, Sursok acknowledged that she was signed to Sony BMG Music Entertainment, confirming reports that recording for her debut studio album had begun.


title: Tammin Sursok

text: Sursok's solo album, "Whatever Will Be", was released on 22 May 2005, under Sony Music Entertainment with songwriters Savan Kotecha, David Kreuger, Marion Raven, Steve Booker; and producers John Shanks, Per Mangusson and David Kreuger. "Whatever Will Be" made its debut on the ARIA Albums Chart at number thirteen. During its second week on the charts, it remained at its peak position of #13; however, during its third week, it had a significant drop by 23 spots, landing the album at No. 36. During its fourth week, it fell further landing at No. 43. It ended its run on 20 June, falling completely off the charts and has not charted since. The album's lead single, "Pointless Relationship", debuted on the ARIA Singles Chart at No. 7 before peaking at No. 5, spending 15 weeks on the charts. Upon the song's release, it quickly shot to No. 1 on the Australian Top 100 Radio Airplay Chart, becoming the highest charting debut single in years. "Pointless Relationship" certified Platinum in Australia. The second single, "Whatever Will Be", debuted at No. 13 on the ARIA Singles Chart and spent a total of 18 weeks on the charts. "Whatever Will Be" was the 98th best-selling single of 2005 in Australia. The third and final single off "Whatever Will Be", "It's a Beautiful Thing", quickly debuted on the ARIA Singles chart at No. 30. The song peaked at No. 6, spending 12 weeks on the charts. "It's a Beautiful Thing" became the second most downloaded song in its debut week, after Rob Thomas's "This Is How a Heart Breaks". It also peaked at No. 49 on the Australian Top 100 Radio Airplay Chart, becoming her lowest charting single.


title: Tammin Sursok

text: After the success of her album, "Whatever Will Be", plans were made to launch Sursok in the UK, but these unexpectedly fell through due to changes at her record label. The title track, "Whatever Will Be", was covered by Vanessa Hudgens for her RIAA-certified debut album, "V".


title: Tammin Sursok

text: After her UK plans fell through, Sursok relocated from Australia to Los Angeles, California in 2006 in order to concentrate on her acting career. That same year, she made her film debut in a bit role in the film "Aquamarine".


title: Tammin Sursok

text: In 2007, after a successful audition, Sursok became the third actress to portray Colleen Carlton on the American soap opera television series, "The Young and the Restless". Her debut was quickly met with criticism from a number of "The Young and the Restless" viewers. Despite the negativity, she received comparable positive viewer feedback. "The fans have been really great." In preparation for the role, Sursok tried to catch up on Colleen's history. "I watched the last six months of episodes," she said. "My boyfriend used to date a girl who was obsessed with "Y&R", so he knew everything about it and brought me up to speed, as well." Sursok earned a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Colleen the following year. After two years in the role, Sursok departed causing the writers to kill off Colleen. In an interview with "Soap Opera Digest" in October 2009, Sursok said it was difficult to pursue outside projects and appear on "The Young and the Restless" as well. Her departure was a mutual decision between Sursok and the showrunners.


title: Tammin Sursok

text: In 2009, Sursok starred in the Nickelodeon made-for-television musical film "Spectacular!" portraying the role of Courtney, the lead singer in a high school choir which is fading in popularity. Sursok recorded over three tracks for the film's soundtrack, which debuted at No. 44 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The film premiered on 16 February 2009, to over 3.7 million viewers. The "soundtrack", recorded in 2008, was released on 3 February 2009, with Sursok appearing on seven songs on the album, including two solos. The soundtrack peaked at number 44 on the Billboard 200.


title: Tammin Sursok

text: From July 2010 to January 2011, Sursok had a recurring role on the Disney Channel Original Series "Hannah Montana". She appeared in eight episodes. In 2010, Sursok was cast in ABC Family's adaptation of the Sara Shepard teen mystery book series, "Pretty Little Liars". Sursok was cast as Jenna Marshall, a teenage girl who is left blind after a prank gone wrong. The series premiered in June that same year to over 2.47 million viewers. In June 2013, Sursok announced that she would continue her role as Jenna through her pregnancy.


title: Tammin Sursok

text: She played Sarah Corso in the indie film "Driving By Braille", directed by Kristina Lloyd and written by Richard H. Moon, released on DVD in May 2013. The story tells of a young woman who relives childhood trauma when she senses her boyfriend is about to propose, and who must sort through the crippling fear and doubt that is holding her back before her past destroys the couple's future.


title: Tammin Sursok

text: In 2014, after several reports of Sursok indicating she was returning to music, she released a collaboration with singer Joe Brooks, covering "Say Something" made famous by A Great Big World featuring Christina Aguilera.


title: Tammin Sursok

text: In January 2022, Sursok joined the cast of Australian soap opera "Neighbours" as fashion designer and businesswoman Montana Marcel. Her first appearance was on 13 April 2022.


title: Tammin Sursok

text: On 24 August 2011, Sursok married her boyfriend, actor, producer, and director Sean McEwen, in Florence, Italy. Sursok signed an exclusive deal with the Australian magazine "Woman's Day" to publish the couple's wedding photos In April 2013, Sursok revealed that her movie "Sleeping Around" was filmed in the middle of her wedding. The couple have two daughters, born in October 2013 and January 2019. Sursok also has three dogs.


title: Tammin Sursok

text: On 16 March 2016, Sursok posted a photo of herself as an adolescent on Instagram and revealed that she had been bullied because of her weight. The post was part of her #ThisIsBeautiful hashtag campaign which aims to empower people and change the message around beauty standards. The accompanying post read: For all of you being bullied out there. This is me. Growing up I was overweight and spent most of my adolescence being bullied because of it. I definitely wasn't the popular girl, but it didn't define me. You can be ANYTHING you want to be in your life. It's your choice which path you take. Don't let other people's words give you your self-worth. You are beautiful. I was beautiful. It just took me a long time to love myself. #thisisbeautiful


title: Tammin Sursok

text: In 2019, Sursok became an American citizen. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic she along with McEwen and their daughters returned to Australia after being offered a movie role based in Brisbane in 2021, quarantined, and have since she stated in an interview on The Morning Show on March 16, 2022 "accidentally" moved back to Australia.


title: White tea

text: White tea may refer to one of several styles of tea which generally feature young or minimally processed leaves of the "Camellia sinensis" plant.


title: White tea

text: Currently there is no generally accepted definition of white tea and very little international agreement; some sources use the term to refer to tea that is merely dried with no additional processing, some to tea made from the buds and immature tea leaves picked shortly before the buds have fully opened and allowed to wither and dry in natural sun, while others include tea buds and very young leaves which have been steamed or fired before drying. Most definitions agree, however, that white tea is not rolled or oxidized, resulting in a flavor characterized as "lighter" than most green or traditional black teas.


title: White tea

text: In spite of its name, sweet, brewed white tea is pale yellow. Its name derives from the fine silvery-white hairs on the unopened buds of the tea plant, which give the plant a whitish appearance. The unopened buds are used for some types of white tea.


title: White tea

text: It is harvested primarily in China, mostly in the Fujian province, but more recently produced in Taiwan, Eastern Nepal, Thailand, Galle (Southern Sri Lanka) and northeast India.


title: White tea

text: What is today known as white tea may have come into creation in the last two centuries; scholars and tea merchants generally disagree as to when the first production of white tea (as it is understood in China today) began. White tea may have first appeared in English publication in 1876, where it was categorized as a black tea, because the leaves are not steamed first as in the making of green tea in order to denature intrinsic oxidative enzymes.


title: White tea

text: White tea is often sold as "Silvery Tip Pekoe" in the style of the tea leaf grading system, as well as under the simple designations "China White" and "Fujian White".


title: White tea

text: Some tea from the related wild "Camellia taliensis" in Yunnan is made using white tea processing techniques.


title: White tea

text: White tea, like black and green tea, is made from the "Camellia sinensis" plant and contains polyphenols, a set of phytonutrients that are thought to be responsible for the health effects of tea. Different white teas have different amounts of catechins, a category of polyphenols, and the overall range of concentrations overlaps with that of green tea, meaning that some white teas have the same concentration of polyphenols as some green teas. This may be due to the variety of the tea plant from which the tea was picked, the cultivation technique, and the way in which the tea was processed.


title: White tea

text: White tea belongs to the group of tea that does not require panning, rolling or shaking. However, the selection of raw material in white tea manufacture is extremely stringent; only the plucking of young tea leaves with much fine hair can produce good-quality white tea of a high pekoe (grading) value.


title: USS West Virginia (BB-48)

text: USS "West Virginia" (BB-48) was the fourth dreadnought battleship of the , though because was cancelled, she was the third and final member of the class to be completed. The "Colorado" class proved to be the culmination of the standard-type battleship series built for the United States Navy in the 1910s and 1920s; the ships were essentially repeats of the earlier design, but with a significantly more powerful main battery of eight guns in twin-gun turrets. "West Virginia" was built between her keel laying in 1920 and her commissioning into the Navy in 1923. The ship spent the 1920s and 1930s conducting routine training exercises, including the typically-annual Fleet Problems, which provided invaluable experience for the coming war in the Pacific.


title: USS West Virginia (BB-48)

text: "West Virginia" was moored on Battleship Row on the morning of 7 December 1941 when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, bringing the United States into World War II. Badly damaged by torpedoes, the ship sank in the shallow water but was later refloated and extensively rebuilt over the course of 1943 and into mid-1944. She returned to service in time for the Philippines Campaign, where she led the American line of battle at the Battle of Surigao Strait on the night of 24–25 October. There, she was one of the few American battleships to use her radar to acquire a target in the darkness, allowing her to engage a Japanese squadron in what was the final action between battleships in naval history.


title: USS West Virginia (BB-48)

text: After Surigao Strait, the ship remained in the Philippines to support troops fighting during the Battle of Leyte in 1944 and then supported the invasion of Lingayen Gulf in early 1945. The ship also took part in the Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa later that year, providing extensive fire support to the ground forces invading those islands. During the latter operation, she was hit by a "kamikaze" that did little damage. Following the surrender of Japan, "West Virginia" took part in the initial occupation and thereafter participated in Operation Magic Carpet, carrying soldiers and sailors from Hawaii to the mainland United States before being deactivated in 1946. She was decommissioned in 1947 and assigned to the Pacific Reserve Fleet, where she remained until 1959 when she was sold to ship breakers and dismantled.


title: USS West Virginia (BB-48)

text: In 1916, design work was completed on the next class of battleships to be built for the United States Navy beginning in 1917. These ships were nearly direct copies of the preceding , with the exception of the main battery, which increased from twelve guns to eight guns. The "Colorado" class proved to be the last class of battleships completed of the standard type.


title: USS West Virginia (BB-48)

text: "West Virginia" was long overall and she had a beam of and a draft of . She displaced as designed and up to at full load. The ship was powered by four General Electric turbo-electric drives with steam provided by eight oil-fired Babcock & Wilcox boilers. The ship's propulsion system was rated at for a top speed of , though on speed trials she reached and a speed of . She had a normal cruising range of at , but additional fuel space could be used in wartime to increase her range to at that speed. Her crew numbered 64 officers and 1,241 enlisted men.


title: USS West Virginia (BB-48)

text: She was armed with a main battery of eight 16 in /45 caliber Mark 1 guns in four twin-gun turrets on the centerline, two forward and two aft in superfiring pairs. The secondary battery consisted of sixteen /51 caliber guns, mounted individually in casemates clustered in the superstructure amidships. She carried an anti-aircraft battery of eight /50 caliber guns in individual high-angle mounts. As was customary for capital ships of the period, she had a torpedo tube mounted in her hull below the waterline on each broadside. "West Virginia"s main armored belt was thick, while the main armored deck was up to thick. The main battery gun turrets had thick faces on barbettes. Her conning tower had thick sides.


title: USS West Virginia (BB-48)

text: The keel for "West Virginia" was laid down at the Newport News Shipbuilding Company of Newport News, Virginia on 12 April 1920. While under construction, she received the hull number BB-48 on 17 July. Her completed hull was launched on 17 November 1921 and she was commissioned on 1 December 1923. "West Virginia" was to have been the fourth member of the class, but her sister ship was cancelled due to the Washington Naval Treaty that was signed in 1922. Captain Thomas J. Senn was the ship's first commander. On entering service, she began sea trials and a shakedown cruise, followed by repairs at Newport News. She then sailed north to the New York Navy Yard for further alterations. She then steamed south to Hampton Roads, and while en route her steering gear malfunctioned. She underwent an overhaul there to correct the problem and she got underway again on 16 June 1924; while cruising through Lynnhaven Channel at 10:10, the telegraphs for the engine room and steering compartment lost power, rendering the ship unmaneuverable. Senn had to use voice tubes to communicate with the engine room, ordering the port engines to full power and the starboard to stop in an attempt to steer the ship away from the shore. But "West Virginia" drifted in the channel and ran aground, though she was not damaged in the accident. A subsequent inquiry into the incident faulted incorrect navigational data that exaggerated the size of the navigable part of the channel, exonerating Senn and the ship's navigator.


title: USS West Virginia (BB-48)

text: On 30 October, "West Virginia" became the flagship for the Commander, Battleship Divisions, Battle Fleet. The ship spent the 1920s conducting routine training exercises and maneuvers with the fleet, punctuated by periodic overhauls; each year's training schedule culminated in the major Fleet Problems that tested operational and strategic doctrine that proved to be critical in the operations conducted against Japan during World War II. These operations took place in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as far north as Alaska and as far south as Panama. In 1925, while Captain Arthur Japy Hepburn commanded the ship, her gunners scored first place during a competition for short range shooting. "West Virginia" won the Battle Efficiency ribbon that year as well. Later in 1925, the fleet conducted joint Army-Navy maneuvers in Hawaii to test the defenses of the islands before embarking on a major cruise to visit Australia and New Zealand. "West Virginia" won Battle Efficiency ribbons in 1927, 1932, and 1933. During Fleet Problem X in March 1930, "West Virginia" was "bombed" by aircraft from the aircraft carrier . In Fleet Problem XI, held the following month, she and the battleship accidentally engaged the carrier , a fellow member of the "black" fleet, mistaking her for the "blue" fleet carrier "Lexington". The simulated friendly fire cost "black" fleet their carrier and led to calls for improved communication between ships and better ship identification training.


title: USS West Virginia (BB-48)

text: In the early 1930s, the ship underwent a minor modification. Her battery of 3-inch anti-aircraft guns were replaced with 5-inch /25 cal. guns and .50-caliber machine guns were installed on her fore and main masts. She also received aircraft catapults on her quarterdeck and atop the rear superfiring turret. During Fleet Problem XIV in February 1933, "West Virginia" and the battleship were "damaged" in a surprise attack by "black" fleet submarines. Plans to modernize "West Virginia" dated to the mid-1930s, when the navy considered modifying the ship extensively; the Bureau of Construction and Repair planned to add anti-torpedo bulges that would have restored a considerable amount of buoyancy to the hull, raising her at the cost of an additional displacement. The work was not carried out, and in 1937 further plans to modernize "West Virginia", her sister ships, and the two "Tennessee"-class ships, were considered. The proposed modifications included new boilers and fire control equipment and the previously suggested bulges. Further development of the modernization program in 1938 was rejected due to its cost and the fact that, even as modernized, the vessels would be inferior to the new and s being built.