title: Ken Anderson (quarterback)

text: In 1976, Anderson's Bengals won nine of their first eleven games, but the wheels fell off shortly after with them losing all but one of their next three, which included two losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers, for which the division rival slipped by with a spot due to tiebreakers while the Bengals stayed home. Despite this, Anderson had a Pro Bowl caliber year, throwing for 2,367 yards with nineteen touchdowns and fourteen interceptions for a 10–4 record, although his passer rating and completion percentage all dropped considerably. Anderson and the Bengals regressed in 1977. He went 7–6 as a starter (Reaves played and won his only start), throwing for 2,145 yards with eleven touchdowns and interceptions, but the Bengals still had a chance to make the postseason on the final week. Needing to beat the Houston Oilers, Anderson threw 8-of-23 for 97 yards and one touchdown while being tackled for a safety in an ugly game where the two teams combined for five fumbles and the Oilers won 21–16 to keep the Bengals out.


title: Ken Anderson (quarterback)

text: In 1978, the wheels fell all the way off for Cincinnati. Anderson broke a bone in his right hand, and he did not play in the first four games. The Bengals lost all four with Reaves as quarterback, and Johnson quit as coach after an 0–5 start. Anderson went 4-8 as quarterback, but he passed for 2,219 yards with ten touchdowns and 22 interceptions (a career high). In the 1979 season, Anderson proved a middling influence in a middling team. He went 4-11 as a starter while throwing for 2,340 yards with sixteen touchdowns and ten interceptions while leading the league in 46 sacks. Anderson went 5-7 as a starter in 1980 with 1,778 yards passing, which was the least he threw as a primary starter. He had just six touchdowns to go with thirteen interceptions.


title: Ken Anderson (quarterback)

text: 1981 was the reckoning for Anderson. In the Bengals opening game against the Seattle Seahawks, Anderson was intercepted twice in the first half and the Seahawks built up a 21–0 first quarter lead. In the second half, with the Bengals trailing 21–10, Cincinnati coach Forrest Gregg benched Anderson and brought in third-string quarterback Turk Schonert (second-string quarterback Jack Thompson was injured at the time). With Schonert in command of the offense, the Bengals stormed back and won the game 27–21. Despite the benching, Anderson would start every game of the whole season. He threw for a career high 3,754 yards while having 29 touchdowns to ten interceptions while leading the league in touchdown/interception percentage along with passer rating (98.4). He also gained another 320 yards and one touchdown on the ground. This performance earned him both the Associated Press and Professional Football Writers of America NFL Most Valuable Player Awards and the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. The Bengals went 12–4 and won the AFC Central and the #1 seed in the American Football Conference. Anderson first faced the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional round. He went 14-of-21 for 192 yards with one touchdown as the Bengals narrowly outdueled the Bills 28–21, with Anderson's touchdown pass to Cris Collinsworth with 10:39 remaining being the winning score. Anderson and the Bengals had their first postseason win and thus were slated to host the AFC Championship Game. Facing off against future Hall of Famer Dan Fouts and the San Diego Chargers, the game was referred to later as the Freezer Bowl, owing to conditions of −9 °F in Cincinnati on gameday. Anderson lived up to the challenge on the frozen tundra, passing 14-of-22 for 161 yards for two touchdowns as the Bengals led for the entire game and won 27–7 to win their first ever conference championship. In Super Bowl XVI, the Bengals played the San Francisco 49ers, now led by former coach Walsh in a matchup of the two best teams in the NFL. Anderson ended the first drive of the game with an interception, and the 49ers responded with a touchdown six minutes later. The Bengals committed two further turnovers that led to ten subsequent points as the 49ers roared to a 20-0 halftime lead. Anderson led them to a touchdown on the first drive of the second half. The Bengals tried to drive into the endzone midway through the third, but they were stuffed one yard short of the end zone that kept the score 20–7. Despite this, the Bengals made it 20–14 on a touchdown drive capped by an Anderson throw with ten minutes remaining. Five minutes later, trailing 23–14, Anderson threw an interception that led to a subsequent field goal for San Francisco. With two minutes left, Anderson did lead the Bengals on a touchdown drive of 74 yards, but by the time Anderson's throw to the end zone had occurred, there was just twenty seconds left as the 49ers hung on to win 26–21. Anderson had a solid performance, going 25-of-34 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions while having fourteen rushing yards and a touchdown on five rushing attempts. At the time, his 25 completions and 73.5% completion percentage were both Super Bowl records.


title: Ken Anderson (quarterback)

text: In the strike-shortened 1982 season, Anderson led the Bengals to a 7–2 record, good for third overall in the AFC. He threw for 2,495 yards with twelve touchdowns to nine interceptions while leading the league in completions, completion percentage (70.6) and passer rating (95.3). In the playoffs that year, they were upset by the New York Jets at home, with Anderson going 26-of-35 for 354 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in the 44–17 loss. The next year had the wheels fall out for the Bengals. They started the year by going 2–6 in the first half of the season before finishing 7–9 in the last year with Forrest Gregg as head coach. Anderson played in thirteen games and went 5–8 while leading the league in completion percentage again while throwing 2,333 yards with twelve touchdowns and thirteen interceptions. 1984 was his last primary year as quarterback, and he played in just nine games as starter (with two other appearances), going 3–6. He threw for 2,107 yards with ten touchdowns to twelve interceptions while having a 63.6 completion percentage. He was replaced by Boomer Esiason after the first two games of the 1985 season (having gone 14-of-28 for 156 yards in two games combined)., and he retired after the 1986 season.


title: Ken Anderson (quarterback)

text: In his 16 NFL seasons, Anderson completed 2,654 of 4,475 passes (59.3%) for 32,838 yards and 197 touchdowns and 160 interceptions and also gained 2,220 rushing yards and scored twenty rushing touchdowns on 397 carries. His completions, passing yards, and touchdown passes are all Bengals records. His 2,220 rushing yards are the most ever by a Bengals quarterback. Anderson led the NFL in quarterback rating four times during his career (1974, 1975, 1981, and 1982) and led the league in passing yards twice (1974, 1975). He was selected to four Pro Bowls (1975–76 & 1981–82). Anderson was voted All-Pro in 1981, 2nd Team All-Pro in 1975, and 2nd Team All-AFC in 1974 and 1982. Anderson retired with a 91–81 record as a starter, which is good for 32nd as a starting quarterback all-time (beating out quarterbacks of his time such as Dan Fouts and Roger Staubach).


title: Ken Anderson (quarterback)

text: At the time of his retirement, Anderson was seventh all-time in passing yards (five of the players that were above him at the time of his retirement are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame).


title: Ken Anderson (quarterback)

text: At the time of Anderson's retirement after the 1986 season, he held NFL records for consecutive pass completions (twenty), completion percentage for a single game (20-of-22, 90.9%, vs. Pittsburgh in 1974) and completion percentage for a season (70.6% in 1982), as well as the Super Bowl records for completion percentage (73.5%) (since broken by Phil Simms) and completions (25; Tom Brady holds the current record with 43). While Anderson's record for regular season completion percentage happened in a strike-shortened nine-game season, the previous record he surpassed had been set by Sammy Baugh in a ten-game season (1945), in which Baugh threw 125 fewer passes then Anderson did in 1982. Furthermore, Anderson was ranked seventh all-time for passing yards in a career at the time of his retirement. Anderson's record for completion percentage in a season stood for 27 years after his retirement (broken by Drew Brees in 2009). He led the NFL in passing yards and completions twice, and led the league in fewest interceptions per pass attempt three times. He ranks eleventh in NFL history for postseason passer rating at 93.5.


title: Ken Anderson (quarterback)

text: An argument has been made in comparing Anderson's stats as comparable to ones of his time that have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, such as Dan Fouts. "Football Outsiders" pointed out that in the time of 1973–1984, the two had similar completions and completion percentage while having different touchdowns/interceptions (Fouts threw for more of both) while noting Anderson's dominance over Fouts in rushing (over 2,000 yards for sixteen touchdowns to Fouts' 480 for eleven). Although most of the quarterbacks to have been inducted into the Hall of Fame have won at least one NFL/AFL Championship or a Super Bowl, there have been just eight to have been inducted who did not win a title, and Fouts is one of them. With stats compiled of fellow 1970s quarterback Ken Stabler, Anderson outranks him in games played/started, yards, touchdowns (197 to 194) along with less interceptions (160 to 222). Among quarterbacks to have been the primary starter at the position, Anderson is tied for the second most seasons (thirteen, with Jim Hart) at the position of those eligible for the Hall of Fame to not be inducted (Vinny Testaverde with fifteen is the most).


title: Ken Anderson (quarterback)

text: In terms of AFC Central competition, Anderson went 41–34 in appearances and 36–30 in starts overall against division rivals in the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, and the Houston Oilers. The toughest rival proved to be Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw and the Steelers, who won nine division titles in Anderson's era while he won three himself. In sixteen starts against Bradshaw, he went 8–8.


title: Ken Anderson (quarterback)

text: After serving as a color analyst for the Bengals’ radio broadcasts from 1987 to 1992, Anderson re-joined the team in 1993 as their quarterbacks coach, a position he held until 1996. He then served as the team's offensive coordinator from 1996 to 2000, and again as the team's quarterbacks coach in 2001 and 2002. In 2003, he became a wide receivers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and was their quarterbacks coach. He was fired after the 2006 season, along with offensive coordinator Carl Smith and special teams coach Pete Rodriguez, by Jack Del Rio. In January 2007, new Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin hired Anderson as his quarterbacks coach under offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. On January 5, 2010, Tomlin announced that Anderson would be retiring, effective immediately. Anderson earned a Super Bowl ring when the Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: The Mercury Marquis is a model line of automobiles that was marketed by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company from the 1967 to 1986 model years. Deriving its name from a French nobility title, the Marquis was introduced as a rebadged counterpart of the Ford LTD, retaining a similar market position across four generations of the model line. Initially serving as the flagship Mercury range, the Marquis line was later expanded to include the Mercury Grand Marquis positioned above it; in various forms, Mercury would use the nameplate through the 2011 model year.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For the first three generations of the model line, the Marquis served as the full-size Mercury sedan line (alongside the Mercury Colony Park station wagon). The fourth generation was the mid-size sedan for the division, following the 1983 split of the Marquis and Grand Marquis into distinct product lines. As Ford expanded its front-wheel drive product ranges, the Marquis was withdrawn after the 1986 model year and replaced by the Sable (the Mercury rebadged counterpart of the Ford Taurus).


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For its first three generations, the Marquis was produced in Hapeville, Georgia (Atlanta Assembly), Hazelwood, Missouri (St. Louis Assembly), and Pico Rivera, California (Los Angeles Assembly); the fourth generation was produced by Atlanta Assembly and in Chicago, Illinois (Chicago Assembly).


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1967, Mercury introduced two hardtop model lines above the Park Lane to serve as the counterpart of the Ford LTD. The Park Lane Brougham was a four-door, with the Marquis offered solely as a two-door. While all full-size Mercury two-doors were hardtops, the Marquis was fitted with a standard vinyl roof giving it a wider C-pillar.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: While sharing a roofline with the Ford LTD, the Marquis differed from its Ford counterpart from the use of higher-specification interior trim (wood trim in place of simulated wood, optional leather unavailable on the LTD). As with other Mercury sedans, the Marquis was built on a 123-inch wheelbase (4 inches longer than the LTD).


title: Mercury Marquis

text: In contrast to the full-width bench seat of other Mercury lines, the Marquis was fitted with "Twin Comfort Lounge" front seats. Designed as a 50/50 split bench seat, the design combined the 3-passenger capacity of a bench seat with the individual legroom adjustment of bucket seats. In various forms, the design would gradually replace traditional bench seats in many American cars during the 1970s and 1980s.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1967, the standard engine for the Marquis was a 410 cubic-inch Marauder V8, producing 330 hp. Exclusive to the division, the Marauder V8 was optional across the full-size Mercury line. A 4-speed manual transmission was standard, with a 3-speed automatic as an option.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1968, the 410 was replaced by a 390 cubic-inch Marauder Super 390 V8, producing 315 hp; shared with the Park Lane and Brougham, the engine was optional for lower-trim full-size Mercurys. A 3-speed manual replaced the previous 4-speed, with the automatic returning as an option.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: As an option for both years, the 428 cubic-inch Super Marauder V8 was offered, producing 345 hp; for 1968, the engine was retuned to 340 hp.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1969, Mercury underwent a revision of its full-size range. Serving as the successor to the four-door Brougham and two-door Park Lane, the second-generation Marquis was expanded to a full range of body styles, slotted above the Monterey. For 1975, the full-size Mercury range was reduced solely to the Marquis (including the Brougham and Grand Marquis trims). The wheelbase was longer on the two-door and four-door sedan than the Mercury Colony Park station wagon, the Lincoln Continental Mark III and the Lincoln Continental Mark IV while sharing the chassis with the 1970 Lincoln Continental sedan. The 1969 Marquis four-door hardtop sedan was listed at US$3,973 ($ in dollars ) and 29,389 were made.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: In Canada, the Meteor brand marketed the Marquis as its flagship Meteor LeMoyne from 1969 to 1970. After the 1976 closure of the brand, Ford Canada continued the use of the Meteor name within Mercury, selling a Marquis Meteor as a base trim level for 1977 and 1978.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: The second-generation Mercury Marquis shares its chassis with the full-size Ford model range introduced in 1969, using a rear-wheel drive perimeter frame chassis. Following a tradition starting in 1961, Mercury sedans used a longer wheelbase (124 inches) than Fords (121 inches, also used by Ford/Mercury station wagons). For 1970, the chassis was adopted by the Lincoln division for the Continental on a 127-inch wheelbase.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: Carried over from the previous-generation full-size chassis, the suspension was a 3-link live rear axle and double wishbone independent front suspension (with a front stabilizer bar); coil springs were fitted to at all four corners.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: Front disc brake and rear drum brakes were standard; power brakes became standard in 1971. For 1973, "Sure-Track", an early form of anti-lock braking, was introduced as an option; four-wheel disc brakes became an option for 1975.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For the second generation of the Marquis, Mercury revised the powertrain line. Along with ending its Marauder branding for engines, Mercury replaced both the 390 and 428 FE-series engines with a 429-cubic inch 385-series V8. A short-stroke version of the Lincoln 460 V8, the Marquis offered the 429 with 2-barrel and 4-barrel carburetors (320 and 360 hp, respectively). The manual transmission was discontinued, paired solely with the 3-speed Ford C6 heavy-duty automatic. During the 1972 model year, the Marquis received the 460 from Lincoln as an option; for 1974, the 460 replaced the 429 outright.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: As the 1970s progressed, Mercury began efforts to improve emissions and fuel economy of its full-size range; following the discontinuation of the Monterey and the introduction of the Grand Marquis, smaller-displacement Ford 335 engines replaced the 460 as the standard engine offering. For 1975, the 402 cubic-inch Ford 400 V8 was introduced (largely as a successor to the 429), with the 351 cubic-inch Ford 351M V8 becoming the standard engine for the Marquis in 1978. In California and for "high-altitude" use, the 400 remained standard equipment; regardless of usage, the 460 (standard on the Marquis Brougham and Grand Marquis through 1977) remained available as an option until the end of the generation. The C6 transmission remained paired to the 460, with the 400 and 351M using the lighter-duty FMX transmission.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: The second-generation Marquis was expanded from the previous two-door hardtop to a full range of body styles, inheriting the four-door hardtop from the Brougham and four-door sedan and two-door convertible from the Park Lane series. Under the 1969 rebranding of Ford and Mercury station wagons, the Colony Park station wagon became part of the Marquis line.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1969 and 1970, the Mercury Marauder made its return, unofficially replacing the S-55. Designed as a competitor for the Oldsmobile Toronado and Buick Riviera, the Marauder was a fastback coupe combining the front bodywork of the Marquis with the roofline of the Ford XL/Ford Galaxie 500 SportsRoof.; along with the Colony Park, the Marauder was built on the 121-inch wheelbase used by Ford.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: During its production, the second generation underwent two updates, including a 1971 mid-cycle revision of the exterior and interior. In 1973, to coincide with the addition with 5-mph bumpers, the exterior and interior underwent a complete redesign, with the two-door hardtop receiving a different roofline from the Ford LTD.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1969, the Mercury full-size range was redesigned (alongside its Ford counterparts); the Marquis remained a counterpart of the Ford LTD model range. Alongside the addition of four-door sedans, the Marquis line gained a station wagon, as the Colony Park woodgrained station wagon was integrated into the model line.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: While the Marquis four-door shared much of its roofline with its Ford counterpart, the two-door hardtop was given its own roofline. The front fascia of the Marquis adopted many elements from the Lincoln Continental, including its hood and grille proportions and chrome-topped fenders; the Marquis, LTD/Galaxie/Custom, and Continental each received their own horizontal taillamp design. Initially sharing its hidden headlamps with the LTD, the usage of the design largely became exclusive to Lincoln-Mercury flagships after 1970, including the Marquis, Lincoln Continental, and Mark-series (the LTD Landau became the only Ford to use the configuration). The system was vacuum-operated, closing the headlight covers using a vacuum canister powered by the engine; as a fail-safe. the system was designed to retract the headlight covers following any vacuum loss.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1970, the Marquis saw few visible changes to the exterior and interior. In compliance with federal safety regulations, all full-size Mercurys received a new steering column, with a rim-blow steering wheel replacing the previous horn ring design. Alongside the woodgrained Colony Park, a Marquis station wagon (without wood paneling) was introduced.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1971, the Marquis underwent a revision of the exterior and interior; the convertible body style was dropped (along with the Marauder fastback). Distinguished by the elimination of vent windows and framed door glass (for sedans and station wagons), Mercury saw the introduction of the "pillared hardtop", a sedan combining a thin B-pillar and frameless door glass (to mimic the appearance of a pillarless design). The revision also included the use of fender skirts and wraparound taillamps. The dashboard underwent a redesign, clustering the instruments and controls closer to the steering wheel.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1972, the grille shifted to an egg-crate design (with a similar panel between the taillamps). In line with federal mandates, the Marquis adopted seatbelt warning buzzers. For the first time, the model line introduced a power sunroof option (requiring the selection of a vinyl roof).


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1973, the Marquis underwent an extensive mid-cycle revision. Largely coinciding with the addition of 5-mph bumpers for the front and rear fascias, the roofline of the Marquis saw a complete redesign. Though distinguished further from the Lincoln Continental, the four-door Marquis shared its roofline with the Ford LTD; in contrast to the LTD, the two-door remained a hardtop with retractable side windows (enlarged for better visibility). Alongside the four-door hardtop, the four-door sedan and station wagon were marketed as "pillared hardtops" (produced with thin chromed B-pillars, allowing frameless door glass). The interior saw a revision of the trim and seats, with a redesign of the dashboard (clustering the instruments behind the steering wheel and the secondary controls to the center of the dashboard).


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1974, the grille underwent a redesign (nearly matching that of the Lincoln Continental), shifting to a vertically-oriented layout and eliminating the egg-crate trim of the headlamp covers. Following their addition to the front fascia, the Marquis received 5-mph rear bumpers. In response to pending safety regulations, the four-door hardtop was offered for the last time.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1975, the front fascia saw several revisions, with a larger radiator-style grille (with the "Mercury" block lettering replaced by a script above the left headlamp); in contrast to the Ford LTD Landau and the Lincoln Continental, the headlamp doors were revised with chrome border trim and a crest emblem. The rear fascia received padded vinyl trim (body color or contrasting) between the taillamps. While Ford and Lincoln added B-pillars (and opera windows) to their two-door sedans, Mercury retained its hardtop roofline.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1976 though 1978, the Marquis saw few visible changes; in 1976, a Landau vinyl roof option was introduced for Brougham and Grand Marquis two-doors, while all versions of the Marquis were marketed as "Ride-Engineered" (promoting its successful ride comparisons against more expensive European sedans of the time). For 1978, the Marquis was given a redesigned grille, retaining a similar radiator-style design.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: Alongside the 1978 Chrysler New Yorker two-door, the 1978 Mercury Marquis was the final pillarless two-door hardtop (with retractable rear side windows) offered by an American automobile manufacturer.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: In 1969, Mercury adopted the Brougham name from the Park Lane series, continuing its use as the highest Mercury trim line. Following the discontinuation of the Monterey after 1974, all full-size Mercury sedans took on the Marquis nameplate. Introduced as an interior option package for the Marquis Brougham in 1974, the Grand Marquis became a stand-alone trim line above the Brougham for 1975.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: From 1969 to 1978, the Colony Park was included as part of the Marquis model range, with Mercury offering a non-woodgrain Marquis station wagon.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For the 1979 model year, Mercury introduced the third-generation Marquis, marking the first ground-up redesign of the full-size range since 1969. Trading places with the Cougar as the longest Mercury vehicle, the Marquis shed 17 inches in length and over 1,000 pounds in curb weight (in comparison to its 1978 predecessor). For the first time since 1955, the full-size Mercury station wagon was produced with a curb weight under 4,000 pounds.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: While downsizing of the Marquis resulted in an exterior footprint closer in size to the intermediate Cougar (prior to its downsizing for 1980), the model line saw an increase in overall interior space (through a taller roofline and redesigned seats); a significant increase in glass area contributed to improved outward visibility.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1983, Mercury rebranded its entire full-size line under the Grand Marquis nameplate; under minor revisions, the design was produced through the 1991 model year.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: The third-generation Marquis is based upon the rear-wheel drive Ford Panther platform. An all-new design developed for the downsizing of full-size product ranges for all three Ford Motor Company divisions, the architecture is an evolution of the previous-generation chassis (introduced in 1969). For the first time in the history of the division, the full-size Mercury shared a common wheelbase with Ford, with both the Marquis and Ford LTD using a wheelbase; reduced from the previous (or from for station wagons). For 1980, the Panther chassis was also adopted by Lincoln, introducing a downsized Lincoln Continental (Town Car from 1981) and the Continental Mark VI.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: The Panther architecture underwent several design revisions over previous-generation designs. While the double-wishbone independent front suspension was largely unchanged, the live rear axle was changed from a 3-link to a 4-link layout (all four wheels were supported by coil springs). Due to cost considerations, the optional anti-lock brake system and four-wheel disc brakes were dropped in favor of upgraded front disc brakes; power brakes were standard.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: The third-generation Marquis marked the introduction of a powertrain lineup completely new to the model line. In the interest of fuel economy, the 351M, 400, and 460 V8 engines were replaced by smaller-displacement engines shared with smaller vehicles within the Mercury line. In contrast with its Chrysler and General Motors competitors, the Marquis retained a V8 engine as standard equipment.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: As Ford transitioned to metric engine displacement designations at the end of the 1970s, the standard engine for the Marquis was a 4.9L V8 (the rebranded 302 V8, rounded up to 5.0L to distinguish it from the 4.9L I6); the Marquis shared this engine with the Cougar, Monarch, and Zephyr. The Marquis offered a 5.8L V8 (the 351 V8 from the Cougar XR7) as an option.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1981, the engine line underwent a revision, with a 4.2L V8 becoming the standard engine on the base-trim Marquis outside of California.; the now-optional 5.0L V8 was offered on Brougham-trim Marquis and Grand Marquis four-door sedans. For 1982, the 5.8L V8 was dropped from the Marquis, with sales continuing in Canada.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: When introduced for 1979, both V8 engines were paired with a 3-speed SelectShift automatic. For 1980, the Marquis received the 4-speed AOD overdrive automatic transmission as standard equipment with the 4.2L V8 and was offered as an option with the 5.0L and 5.8L engines. For 1982, the AOD became the sole transmission for all three engines.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: In conjunction with its downsizing, the 1979 redesign of the Ford and Mercury full-size lines transitioned towards increased parts commonality between the Mercury Marquis and its Ford LTD divisional counterpart. Along with sharing a common wheelbase, the two model lines shared nearly their entire bodyshell; many non-visible components were shared with the Lincoln Continental/Town Car and Continental Mark VI. The Marquis was offered in a two-door sedan (replacing the previous hardtop), four-door sedan (replacing the pillared hardtop sedan), and five-door station wagon (as a wood-trim Colony Park or body-color Marquis wagon); each body style used its own door design.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: Though sharing the same body as its Ford counterpart, the Marquis was externally distinguished by several styling elements carried over from the previous generation. While the LTD was styled with an egg-crate grille design, the Marquis received a vertically-oriented grille (similar to the 1978 Marquis and the 1980 Cougar XR7). The front parking lamps were styled similar to the 1975-1978 Marquis (hidden headlamps were abandoned in favor of quad rectangular headlamps); full-width taillamps (in contrast to the square taillamps of the LTD) returned, now bordering the license plate (relocated from the rear bumper). Instead of the rear vinyl roof used on LTD four-doors, the Marquis four-door was styled with a full-length vinyl roof (standard on all but base-trim examples, where it was an option). Similar to the Mark V and Mark VI, the Marquis was styled with non-functional) fender louvers behind the front wheels (and vents in the front bumper). For 1981, the vents were removed from the front bumper (for 1982, they were deleted from the fenders).


title: Mercury Marquis

text: Alongside trim and badging details, the full-size Ford and Mercury sedan interiors were styled with their own dashboard designs; the previous two-spoke steering wheel was replaced by a four-spoke design. While the LTD received a horizontal full-width speedometer, the Marquis received two square pods for the instrument panel (with white-face instrument bezels). For 1982, a digital trip computer was introduced as an option (replacing the analog clock in the dashboard).


title: Mercury Marquis

text: The third-generation Marquis carried over its trim nomenclature from the previous generation. Alongside the standard Marquis, Mercury also sold the Marquis Brougham and the top-trim Grand Marquis. The woodgrain-trim Colony Park was trimmed as either a Marquis or a Grand Marquis (dependent on options).


title: Mercury Marquis

text: In Canada, the Marquis Meteor continued as the base trim through 1981 (marking the final use of the Meteor nameplate by Ford). From 1981 to 1982, Mercury offered a police-use version of the Marquis, derived from the standard trim four-door sedan. Along with its Ford LTD counterpart, police-use versions of the Marquis were fitted with a model-specific speedometer and a 165-hp version of the 5.8L V8.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For 1983, the fourth-generation Marquis was introduced as Mercury shifted the nameplate to the midsize segment to replace the slow-selling Cougar sedan and station wagon. Within Mercury, the Cougar XR-7 was replaced by a redesigned two-door Cougar, with all full-size Mercury sedans adopting the Grand Marquis nameplate.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: Effectively downsizing the model range for a second time, the 1983 Marquis shed nearly 9 inches in wheelbase, nearly 16 inches in length, and up to 900 pounds of curb weight (dependent on powertrain and bodystyle). As with previous generations, the fourth-generation Marquis was the Mercury counterpart of the Ford LTD (in 1983, rebranded to replace the Granada).


title: Mercury Marquis

text: Coinciding with the design change, production of the model line shifted from St. Louis Assembly to Chicago Assembly (Atlanta Assembly adopted production of the fourth-generation Marquis). Ford Venezuela marketed the Mercury Marquis (under slight trim revisions) as the Ford Cougar from 1983 to 1985.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: As Ford transitioned its car platforms to front-wheel drive, the Marquis was discontinued after the 1986 model year, replaced by the Mercury Sable.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: The fourth-generation Marquis uses the rear-wheel drive Ford Fox platform. Initially developed for compact sedans, the architecture was expanded for a wide range of Ford and Lincoln-Mercury vehicles; as a multiple-wheelbase design, the Fox platform was introduced for the mid-size segment for 1980. A 105.6 inch wheelbase is shared with the Marquis, Ford LTD, and the Ford Granada/Mercury Cougar. The Fox architecture uses a unibody chassis, rather than a body-on-frame design used by full-size Ford and Lincoln-Mercury vehicles).


title: Mercury Marquis

text: In line with other Fox-platform vehicles, the Marquis uses a front suspension of MacPherson struts with a four-link live rear axle (using coil springs). As with the previous generation, the Marquis used front disc brakes with rear drum brakes.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: The fourth-generation Marquis was offered with four separate engines over its production. Sedans featured a 2.3L inline-4 as standard equipment; a propane-fuel version of the engine was an option. Station wagons were marketed with six-cylinder engines; a 3.3L inline-6 (dating back to the Falcon/Comet) was the standard engine for station wagons and optional on sedans. A 3.8L V6 was optional on both body styles, replacing the inline-6 entirely for 1984. Sold only in Canada from 1984 to 1985, the Marquis LTS was powered by the 5.0L HO V8 (shared with the Mustang).


title: Mercury Marquis

text: A 4-speed manual was standard with the 2.3L engine, and was deleted after 1983; subsequent production used the previously optional 3-speed C3 automatic. The 3.3L six was paired solely with a 3-speed C5 automatic. The 3.8L V6 used two different transmissions: the 4-speed AOD automatic was standard for 1983, becoming an option for 1984; the 3-speed C5 became standard for 1984 (replacing the AOD entirely for 1985). All examples with the 5.0L V8 (the LTS) used the 4-speed AOD automatic.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: The fourth-generation Marquis was produced as a four-door sedan and as a five-door station wagon (the two-door was discontinued, with the Cougar becoming the sole Mercury mid-size coupe. Sharing its entire bodyshell with its Ford LTD, the Marquis was distinguished by its own grille, taillamps, and parking lamp lenses. For the 1985 model year, the Marquis underwent a minor exterior revision; along with revised taillamps, Mercury lettering in the grille was replaced with a centered crest emblem.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: The interior of the Marquis and LTD was largely shared between the two model lines (with the exception of the interior door panels). To save development costs, the Marquis retained the dashboard design of the Cougar XR-7 coupe (mixing wood and silver trim), adopting its electronic instrument panel option. Adopted from the full-size Marquis and the Cougar XR-7, the Marquis continued the use of an electronic trip computer.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: The fourth-generation Marquis sedan was produced in two trim levels: the base Marquis and the Marquis Brougham. The station wagon was not available under the Brougham trim level; a woodgrain exterior trim option was offered (dropping the Villager trim name).


title: Mercury Marquis

text: During the 1984 model year, the Marquis LTS was introduced. Sold only in Canada, the LTS was a counterpart of the Ford LTD LX. Powered by 165 hp 5.0L V8, the LTS and LX adopted suspension and brake components from the police-package version of the LTD. After the 1985 model year, the trim was discontinued; only 134 were produced (making it one of the rarest vehicles ever sold by Mercury).


title: Mercury Marquis

text: For the 1986 model year, Mercury introduced the front-wheel drive Mercury Sable, replacing the Marquis as its mid-size model line; both models were sold concurrently through the 1986 model year. The final example was produced by Atlanta Assembly on December 13, 1985 and by Chicago Assembly on January 3, 1986. Originally introduced as the third-generation Marquis in 1979, the design of the Grand Marquis was produced nearly unchanged through the 1991 model year. After an extensive redesign (though retaining the Panther chassis) for 1992, the Grand Marquis remained in production for 19 model years, becoming the final vehicle produced for the brand in January 2011.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: On the final two seasons of CBS comedy series "Green Acres," metallic gold 1969 and 1970 Marquis convertibles (very low production) were used by Oliver Wendell Douglas (Eddie Albert), replacing the previous 1965-1967 Lincoln Continental convertible.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: The drama series "Hawaii Five-O" featured a black 1967 Marquis 2-door hardtop driven by Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord) in the pilot episode; stock footage of the vehicle was used for later episodes of the series.


title: Mercury Marquis

text: In the 1989 movie "Uncle Buck", main character Buck Russell drives a banged up 1977 Marquis that spits smoke and backfires.


title: Falling for Figaro

text: Falling for Figaro is a 2021 romantic comedy film written and directed by Ben Lewin, and starring Joanna Lumley, Danielle Macdonald and Hugh Skinner.


title: Falling for Figaro

text: The film was screened in the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival's Industry Selects film market in September 2020, but did not have its official public premiere until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was released in the United States on 1 October 2021, in the United Kingdom on 22 October 2021, and in Australia on 14 July 2022.


title: Falling for Figaro

text: Millie, an American fund manager, realises one day that her life-long dream is to become an opera singer. Quitting her lucrative job and moving away from her boyfriend, she travels to the Scottish Highlands where she eventually becomes an opera singer following intense vocal training from former opera diva Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop and fierce competition from other opera singers including Max, Meghan's other student.


title: Falling for Figaro

text: Casting for "Falling for Figaro" began on 29 October 2019 with Joanna Lumley and Danielle Macdonald in the lead roles. On 13 December 2019, Hugh Skinner, Shazad Latif and Rebecca Benson joined the team.


title: Falling for Figaro

text: "Falling for Figaro" was filmed in locations in the Scottish Highlands and Trossachs including Glencoe, Loch Lomond and two theatres in Glasgow. The production of the film was funded by Screen Australia, Screen Scotland and Film Victoria and took only two winter months to make (December–January). The film's post production was in Melbourne, Australia, in February.


title: Falling for Figaro

text: The film includes music from many renowned operas, including "The Barber of Seville", "The Marriage of Figaro", "Don Giovanni", "Romeo and Juliet", "La traviata" and "Carmen".


title: Falling for Figaro

text: "Falling for Figaro" was screened for industry professionals in the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival's Industry Selects section, but was not made available for viewing by the general public. It was screened at several film festivals in 2021, including the Film by the Sea Film Festival in Vlissingen, Netherlands, the Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, the Berkshire International Film Festival and the Sedona Film Festival. The film also was screened in the Official Selection at the 2021 British Film Festival.


title: Falling for Figaro

text: WestEnd Films announced on 24 September 2020 that distribution rights for the film had been sold to several partners in various international markets.


title: Falling for Figaro

text: "Falling for Figaro" was released by various distributors almost all over the world. In Australia and New Zealand, the film is distributed by Umbrella Entertainment and Paramount Pictures. In Europe, film distribution rights were given to Twelve Oaks of Spain, Splendid in Benelux, Investacommerce in former Yugoslavian states, and Entertainment Film Distributors in the United Kingdom.


title: Falling for Figaro

text: The US distribution rights for the film were brought by IFC Films on 7 December 2020. According to Arianna Bocco, the newly anointed president of IFC Films, the film is planned to be released in North America in 2021.


title: Falling for Figaro

text: On 9 December 2020, the deal was reached between UK and other distributors. In Japan the film is scheduled to be released via Happinet, while in South Korea, Entermode will become the distributor. The distributor for Taiwan will be Central Motion Picture Corporation, while people in the Middle East will enjoy it via Phoenicia Pictures. In Europe, Nos Lusomundo will be distributor for Portugal while in Poland it will be shown on various channels including Ale Kino+, Movie Channel, Canal+ Premium and Poland Group. Canadian distribution will be by Pacific Northwest Pictures (in theatres) and Cinesky (on airlines).


title: Falling for Figaro

text: On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 73% based on 26 critics, with an average rating of 6.5 / 10 . On Metacritic, "Falling for Figaro" has a rank of 51 out of 100 from six critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".


title: Falling for Figaro

text: Frank Scheck of "The Hollywood Reporter" wrote "Undemanding rom-com fans and, to a lesser degree, opera lovers, should take some mild pleasure in "Falling for Figaro", although the humor isn't of Gilbert and Sullivan proportions".


title: Falling for Figaro

text: Guy Lodge of "Variety" called "Falling for Figaro" "A corny, cute-enough carpe diem comedy ...", while Roxana Hadadi of "RogerEbert.com" said "The performances are what make "Falling for Figaro" an entertaining distraction, even as the film plays out exactly as you would expect".


title: Falling for Figaro

text: Other critics were less positive. Gary Goldstein of the "Los Angeles Times" wrote "It's hard to fall for "Falling for Figaro"". Beatrice Loayza of "The New York Times" admitted that "it's refreshing to see a plus-size woman not only nab the promotion and the hunky guy, but throw it all away within the first 15 minutes. Unfortunately, my plaudits for "Falling for Figaro" mostly end there".


title: Alex Vause

text: Alex Pearl Vause is a fictional character played by Laura Prepon on the Netflix series "Orange Is the New Black". The character is loosely based on the real ex-girlfriend of Piper Kerman, author of "". Before her arrest, Vause worked for an international drug cartel and was in a relationship with protagonist Piper Chapman, who once transported drug money for her during their travels. Vause is portrayed as the catalyst for Chapman's indictment. She is reunited with her ex-lover in federal prison, nearly a decade after the events that led to their breakup. Her relationship with Chapman is reignited, as they carry out a tumultuous love affair in prison. Vause is noted for her pragmatism, forthrightness, wit and veiled vulnerability. She is a main character in seasons one, three, four, five, six, and seven and a recurring character in season two.


title: Alex Vause

text: The character of Alex Vause is loosely based on Catherine Cleary Wolters, ex-girlfriend of Piper Kerman, the author of "" and an executive consultant on the series. In Kerman's memoir, Wolters is given the pseudonym Nora Jansen, who is a marginal character in the book. In actuality, Kerman and Wolters did not serve their prison sentences together as depicted in the series; however, they were reunited in a flight to Chicago, where they were detained for several weeks in a detention facility to testify in the drug trafficking case. Their stint in Chicago is portrayed in the series' second season; however, the defendant they were to testify against was changed to the cartel's kingpin, as was the fact that Wolters and Kerman were cell-mates in the prison.


title: Alex Vause

text: Wolters met Kerman in 1991 in Northampton, Massachusetts, becoming friends around the time Kerman graduated from Smith College. Kerman wrote in her memoir that Wolters was part of a "clique of impossibly stylish and cool lesbians in their mid-30s". Wolters said both of them ran in "the same little Noho lesbian social circle", and spent time together when she returned from her travels. Wolters had told Kerman she worked for an African drug lord, moving heroin around internationally, while Kerman was fascinated by her globe-trotting, adventurous lifestyle. Wolters asked Kerman if she wanted to take part in the operation. According to Wolters, she and Kerman became romantically involved after Kerman had gotten involved in the drug ring. In her interview with "Vanity Fair", Wolters said that they were not girlfriends but friends with benefits, a notion with which Kerman disagreed, stating that they may have different perspectives about their time together and their relationship was complicated.


title: Alex Vause

text: Kerman traveled with Wolters to exotic places, and made several trips carrying drug-funds for the cartel. Kerman realized she needed to walk away when Wolters asked her to transport heroin instead of money, after which she flew home and started a new life. Years later, Kerman was indicted and plead guilty to a money laundering charge, serving 13 months in a minimum-security prison in Danbury, Connecticut. Wolters was charged with conspiracy to import heroin, serving nearly six years in a Dublin, California prison, and nearly 14 years on parole. In the series, the issue of whether Vause implicated Chapman and the effect on their personal relationship is a major plot line of the first season. When Wolters and others involved in the drug ring were arrested by federal law enforcement, Wolters said that she, like the others, named everyone involved, including Kerman. Wolters also stated that, contrary to Kerman's implication in her memoir, she was not "singularly responsible for [her] downfall", as she was honest about what she did and getting involved was Kerman's decision. Although Kerman aimed to take responsibility for her actions, she said she still carried some resentment toward Wolters [for naming her], later making peace with her when they were held together in a Chicago facility. Unlike in the series, Wolters and Kerman did not get back together when they were reunited in prison.


title: Alex Vause

text: According to Wolters, "the only [physical] similarity between myself and [Vause] is my black glasses." In her memoir, Kerman described Wolters as a "droll" woman, with a "drawling, wisecracking husky voice" and a "playful, watchful way of drawing a person out"; "when she paid you attention, it felt as if she were about to let you in on a private joke." Wolters' interview to "Vanity Fair" in April 2014 led to a book deal for her memoir. In 2015, HarperOne released "Out of Orange", Wolters' memoir covering from the circumstances of her involvement in the drug trafficking ring and her relationship with Kerman, to her arrest, prison experience, and the present.


title: Alex Vause

text: Vause is introduced in the first episode through flashbacks; she and Chapman were both involved in crimes involving drug money. At the end of the first episode, the audience sees that Vause and Chapman are both serving their sentences in the same prison, Litchfield Penitentiary. The two begin a romantic and sexual relationship in episode nine; they are also both involved in a dispute with another inmate, Tiffany "Pennsatucky" Doggett (Taryn Manning), who locks Vause in a dryer and then attempts to kill Chapman in the season finale. Vause was raised solely by her mother and, in the ninth episode 'Fucksgiving', Vause's father is seen to be an influence on her being involved in the drug cartel. When Chapman realises that Vause was the one who told authorities about her illegal drug activities, they break off their relationship. Vause then becomes sexually involved with another inmate, Nicky Nichols (Natasha Lyonne).


title: Alex Vause

text: In the first episode, Vause promises Chapman that she will lie to protect her in the upcoming trial of her former boss Kubra Balik. She breaks this promise, however, and, after testifying against Balik, Vause manages to secure release from prison while Chapman remains incarcerated. After discovering that Balik was not imprisoned for his crimes, Vause fears for her life; she is also unable to leave her apartment due to the terms of her parole. She visits Chapman in prison and confides in her that she is scared; Chapman then gets Bloom to tell Vause's parole officer that Vause is breaking her parole, which lands her back in prison, where she is safe from Balik's retribution.


title: Alex Vause

text: Vause appears in every episode of the third season. Chapman reports Vause to a parole officer and she is sent back to Litchfield prison; Chapman does eventually admit to doing this and the two begin frequently having hate sex. Chapman and Vause reconcile and officially resume their relationship, but become more distant again as the season progresses; Chapman becomes romantically involved with a new inmate, Stella Carlin (Ruby Rose), and this upsets Vause. Vause becomes increasingly concerned that Balik has sent someone into the prison to spy on her and bring her harm; she suspects that this person is Lolly Whitehill (Lori Petty) and attacks her in the toilet. It turns out that Whitehill is completely delusional and thinks that Vause is from the National Security Agency. In the season finale, Vause is confronted by Balik's henchman Aydin Bayat and her fate is left ambiguous.


title: Alex Vause

text: In the first episode, Vause is seen being strangled by Aydin Bayat in the greenhouse, struggling for her life. She is saved by Lolly Whitehill who kicks him seemingly to death. However, Vause discovers in the night that he is just barely alive and is forced to suffocate him. Vause and Whitehill, planning on burying Aydin under the floorboards, discover Frieda Berlin, who has found the body in its temporary hiding place. Together Vause, Whitehill, and Berlin dismember and bury the body in the garden. As the season progresses, Whitehill becomes increasingly at risk of blowing their cover. Meanwhile, Vause is suffering from guilt and lives in constant fear of being caught. When Berlin suggests poisoning Whitehill, Vause confides in Galina "Red" Reznikov, hoping she will convince Berlin otherwise. In episode 8, Vause and Chapman bond again while getting high with Nichols in the garden, and their relationship once again progresses. Aydin's body is found in an unwarranted investigation by Desi Piscatella, resulting in Whitehill being sent to psych. Vause is never questioned about his murder. Vause's guilt manifests itself in notes left around the prison, revealing Aydin's name. Chapman convinces Vause to find them all, and prepares to burn them.


title: Alex Vause

text: Following Piper's release, both she and Alex try to maintain their relationship while Alex is still in prison. Alex has three years left of her sentence at this point. Due to a lack of intimacy and the obvious restrictions in their relationship, Alex encourages Piper to seek physical comfort from somebody else whilst she is away with the agreement that it is a temporary arrangement and to ensure she isn't lonely. Alex herself embarks in a physical relationship with CO McCullough who is blackmailing her to sell phone chargers to inmates.


title: Alex Vause

text: Matthew Wolfson of "Slant Magazine" described Vause as intelligent, "with the instincts of a pragmatist, but without a strategy—a striking and emotionally direct person who may have closed off too many options for a workable future”. Dana Piccoli of "AfterEllen" said that Vause could be considered a villain in the first season as she is the reason Chapman is in prison, but she is also a "fascinating character that we want to understand and spend time with." Writing in "The Daily Beast", Victoria Kezra similarly suggested that Vause is already a villain before the audience meets her, but the audience's "perception of her changes throughout the show", from a villainous figure to a sympathetic individual. Vause has "a great sense of humor about the whole situation" and is "pretty caring and insightful". "TV Guide"s Liz Raftery considered her a polarizing character, asking "is she a master manipulator or just misunderstood?". She proposed that Vause "seems to think of herself as a bad person but maybe she isn't, whereas [Chapman] is so convinced that she's a good person and is totally taken aback whenever anyone challenges that." Gerri Mahn of "Den of Geek" wrote that unlike Chapman, Vause "doesn’t harbor any illusions about who she is or what playing by the rules will get her". Vause sincerely loves Chapman, Mahn considered, and "continually came to her defense throughout season one", turning her down when she realized Chapman was using her as "someone to fall back on when Larry doesn’t come through".


title: Alex Vause

text: Tim Surette of TV.com said that Vause's season one flashbacks fit the character well and "instantly gave us a story to be interested in", as they provided a more rounded view of Vause than Chapman's purview allowed. "PopMatters"s J.M Suarez described Vause as street-smart, "fearless" and "intimidating", contrary to Chapman who is "sheltered" and "often afraid and deferential", and it is "in highlighting these differences in prison, that their eventual backstories have even more impact." Greco Patti of "Vulture" complimented Prepon's "nuanced" portrayal, and noted that, despite Vause's illicit occupation and her role in Chapman's imprisonment, she is a woman who "came from nothing, who loved and lost, and who maybe got used", and seems more loyal and genuine in her love for Chapman. "The A.V. Club"s Myles McNutt considered Vause's relationship with her crimes to be "complicated"; he appreciates when the show does not filter character development solely through Chapman, deeming it "productive" when Vause had "a chance to open up to Nicky". Mahn said that, growing up poor, a free ride wasn't a possibility in Vause's world. She "left her scruples at the door" when she built her life on an alliance through her father's drug dealer, "worked hard, gambled big, and lost everything". McNutt said Vause's conflict with Doggett, who saw her as "coming from privilege", is a trigger for Vause's "past struggles with class hierarchies". Her despondency regarding her absent father "could either gain [her] new perspective and put her life on the right track or [she could] try to fill the absence as quickly as possible", the latter of which she chose. "Autostraddle" posited that Vause hates and fears vulnerability, and is a complicated character; the writer found her sexual threat to Doggett "troubling", but she empathized with Vause as a young girl "who would do anything for the life she was cheated out of".


title: Alex Vause

text: In "Den of Geek", Chris Longo wrote that, as the first season played out, Vause "was vilified, then the tables turned when she won Piper’s friendship, then they turned upside down during their inevitable hookup. Alex, for all the bad she’s done, seems like a woman who stays true to her word." Longo praised Prepon's performance, and hoped the series progressed Vause's storylines. "The Guardian"s Tom Meltzer wrote that Prepon plays Chapman's "jilted" former lover "with subtlety and unabashed smoulder". In his review of the first season, Matthew Gilbert of "The Boston Globe" described pre-prison Vause as "icy cool", and called Prepon a "revelation" in the role. David Hiltbrand wrote in "The Philadelphia Inquirer" that Prepon plays the character with "real vigor". Maureen Ryan of "HuffPost" also praised Prepon's portrayal, commenting that "underneath the cool-girl exterior is a whole lot of pain and loneliness, and Prepon has done a wonderful job of subtly bringing those notes forward." Chris Jancelewicz of "The Huffington Post Canada" deemed Vause "charismatic", adding that Prepon "excels as the bad girl influence".


title: Alex Vause

text: Kristi Turnquist of "The Oregonian" said that although Vause was only in a few episodes of the second season, she "turns up to devastating effect early on". In a review of the season two premiere, Horatia Harrod of "The Daily Telegraph" felt that Vause is dedicated to self-preservation and "another betrayal" of Chapman "reached new depths", thus she found it "puzzling" that Vause's bad-girl routine "seems to have won her a fan following, while [Chapman] is reviled." Kevin Fallon of "The Daily Beast" noted that there is something about Vause that "convinces [Chapman] to throw her lifelong caution to the wind." Kate Zernike of "The New York Times" said that Vause is "calculating", and "there’s something black cat-like about [her] – she slips into the frame and you know things are about to go bad, or at least, get interesting." Chris Harvey of "The Daily Telegraph" called Prepon's portrayal "unforgettable" and wrote that Vause's wicked attitude and bespectacled look have made the character a "cult favourite". "The Wall Street Journal"s Candace Jackson said that Prepon is "excellent in this role as ever", walking a "believable line between flirtation and manipulation". Spencer Kornhaber of "The Atlantic" said Vause was "correct [...] when she diagnosed how inconsistent Chapman's worldview is", and her "return, in letter and in flashback, offers another lesson in moral relativity and personal transformation." Danielle Henderson remarked in "Vulture" that Vause "has balls" for sending Chapman letters after the incident in the season two premiere. In her review of the season's finale, Zernike wrote that although Vause may not be the "typical re-entering felon", her speech to Chapman about needing to violate her probation, flee, and likely return to her former felonious life "does raise some good points" regarding issues with the prison system.


title: Alex Vause

text: "The Advocate"s Nico Lang described Vause as a notably popular femme fatale character, whom the show brought back after the second season "despite the fact that the real-life character was barely in [Kerman's memoir] at all". Charlotte Richardson Andrews wrote in "Sight & Sound" that Vause is one of the show's "believable and investment-worthy" queer characters, and the "tangled, romantic dance that [she and Chapman] do is compelling, nuanced and sexy where, in other hands, it might have felt exploitative". In "Digital Spy", Emma Dibdin described a "power shift" in the third season between Vause and Chapman and how this positively impacts both characters; "[their] power dynamic is so dramatically shifted that everything about them feels fresh. [Vause] is more vulnerable than we've ever seen her, utterly shattered to find herself back in jail." "The Observer"s Orly Greenberg said Vause returns to prison "completely absent of her flashing eyes and snarky confidence, instead relying on [Chapman] as an almost maternal figure" as Chapman leads Vause to believe her return is a product of "the system", rather than Chapman's own doing. Emily Ambash of "CutPrintFilm" wrote that Vause is "emotionally broken" when she reenters prison; "embarrassed and ashamed of her own choices" and her failure in handling her brief freedom. Vause and Chapman's dynamic in the third season feels "fresh", as they confront their issues in the present without passive aggressiveness and without a focus on the past, and they are forced to "question their faith not just in each other but also in themselves when dealing with each other." Michael Hindle of Comingsoon.net said that while "one has always had power over the other in some form or another, now [they] are more or less on an even playing field". Joshua Alston of "The A.V. Club" felt that Vause's return to prison "lands with a surprisingly soft impact". The character Stella "appears right on time to drive a wedge between [Chapman and Vause] just as a functional relationship becomes possible", and the show "manages to make [the looming love triangle] feel consequential."


title: Alex Vause

text: In her review of the third season, Jessica Kiang of "Indiewire" wrote that Vause and Chapman "come spectacularly together but find, again with some insight, that they’re a couple whose fire can burn on hate much easier than on routine." Libby Hill argued in her "New York Times" review of the second episode, that their on-off relationship has become "toxic", and they have "little meaningful interaction" with other characters while they are entangled in their tempestuous dynamic, making them "emotionally unavailable" to other characters and to the audience. Hill hopes Vause is more integrated into "Litchfield's culture" and has more humanizing interactions with other characters as she did with Nicky in the first season. "The A.V. Club"s Myles McNutt said that although he understands the significance of their intertwined story playing out in prison, their present storyline compels them to exist "independently of anything around them", removing them from ordinary life in the prison community. Perri Nemiroff of "Collider" felt that it was "an unexpected and unearned twist" that Vause would reconnect with Chapman (through "hate sex") soon after finding out Chapman was responsible for her being back in prison. Their role play in the prison's drama class, however, "balances the palpable hostility with humor and heart, making the scene wildly entertaining, but also ensuring that the moment really means something, too." In "Entertainment Weekly", Jonathan Dornbush wrote that Vause and Chapman engaging in angry sex after Chapman's hand in taking away her freedom is "another shift in their power dynamic". Vause is "still in jail, still lost her life on the outside, and she may be in more danger now than ever, but at least she can control something." Ambash said that the drama class improv exercise is necessary as it compels Vause and Chapman "to consider their real-life situation" and "find a sort of reconciliation". Keith Nelson Jr. of "Digital Trends" found Vause's speech to a correctional officer about the malleable and interpretive nature of morality to be frank "societal commentary". Sarah Bredeman of "FanSided" opined that the commentary Vause made to Rogers is "one of the best 'we are not your salvation, you can’t save us, and this ain't no Dead Poet’s Society kinda situation' speeches", and "it really hits home a good point."


title: Alex Vause

text: Kelly Lawler in "USA Today" suggested that, as opposed to how Chapman painted her, Vause's legitimate concerns over the danger she is in makes her one of the most rational individuals on the show. Perri Nemiroff of "Collider" said that Vause's season three flashbacks of her witnessing what her drug cartel boss is capable of made her present situation "far more dynamic and tense", giving her anxiety full credibility. Alan Sepinwall of "Uproxx" felt that the character's flashback, like Nicky's in an earlier episode, was "covering familiar territory solely to support prominent stories each was getting in the present", but at least both flashbacks were "somber" enough to make them an "interesting contrast" to the concurrent comedic moments. In his review of the eleventh episode, McNutt wrote that Vause's "isolation is turned around, and what once felt like a failure of the show's writing becomes a logical character choice." He began "respecting Vause's struggle to embrace her situation — it may not have served the season to this point," McNutt said, "but it serves here as a productive counterpoint to [Chapman]". Ambash said Vause and Chapman's absence from the season's final group scenes – as Vause is trapped with the man sent to kill her, and Chapman is off tattooing herself in the chapel – symbolizes their heightened distrust in others and the prison system itself. "For [Vause], unlike [Chapman], this wasn't her choice. With safety stripped from her, and ties of trust cut by others, it's no surprise [Vause] is kept away now from the freedom of the lake." Vause's season three storyline "highlights real issues regarding prisoners' safety", Ambash noted, "especially when no real background checks are performed on new, untrained officers, who end up with easy access to inmates". Moreover, "it serves as a reminder that [Vause and Chapman] have basically switched roles". Lauren Chval of "Chicago Tribune" said that Vause "knows who she is and what she wants", trusts her instincts and has "never flipped on her feelings for Chapman". Chval praised Prepon in the role, and felt that Vause is "always more interesting in her scenes without Chapman".


title: Alex Vause

text: Perri Nemiroff of "Collider" said Prepon has been successful "taking Alex from a strong inmate you don’t want to mess with to someone super vulnerable who's fearing for her life."


title: Alex Vause

text: Rick Porter of "The Hollywood Reporter" praised Prepon's performance as Vause encounters the man sent to kill her, writing, "Prepon sells the heck of out Alex's disbelief and fear in the scene."


title: Alex Vause

text: The aftermath of Vause's storyline has a sweeping effect throughout the fourth season according to critics. In "Harper's Bazaar", Emma Dibdin wrote that Vause having to kill, dismember, and bury her would-be murderer was "the beginning of a season that saw almost every one of our beloved inmates go through her darkest hour yet." According to Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya of "Autostraddle", Vause and Lolly's "greenhouse murder" became one of the "most suspenseful through lines" of the season. Isabel Mohan wrote in "The Daily Telegraph" that Vause's confidence from previous seasons is gone as she has become "a nervous wreck" and "her scenes are among the most macabre" of the season. "The Atlantic"s Spencer Kornhaber considered Vause's "saga" to be some of series' "darkest scenes yet." Several themes explored in the season are evoked in Vause's storyline. Jen Chaney of "Vulture" noted that the "murky issues surrounding blame" are prompted from the outset of the season, as both Vause and Lolly become responsible for the homicide of the hit man, "yet neither of them are true 'murderers' in that both were motivated by self-defense. It’s a case of both women doing wrong and neither of them doing wrong." Kornhaber of "The Atlantic" said that Vause's acknowledgement that her attacker "was a person", echoed "a mantra that’s surfaced in various forms across the season". Myles McNutt of "The A.V. Club" wrote, "the season has been consumed by the idea of guilt" and it manifests on Vause and Chapman's attitudes and behavior; in a latter episode, they decide "they aren’t willing to do anything that would add to their sense of guilt". "Vulture"s Kathryn VanArendonk observed the notion that "regret is real, but time only moves in one direction" reflected on Vause and Chapman's conversation about changing the past, and the need to claim selfhood in Vause wanting to acknowledge the humanity of her attacker.


title: Alex Vause

text: Myles McNutt wrote that Vause being compelled to finish killing the man, instead of letting him die by Lolly's deed, "makes it more visceral, and creates an internalized event to frame her understanding of her status as a 'criminal' in the season to follow." Hannah Shaw-Williams of "Screen Rant" regarded Vause taking the life of her attacker as "one of the premiere’s most emotionally powerful scenes, which reveals that despite her background as a hard-as-nails heroin dealer, Vause has never actually had to kill anyone before." In "Paste magazine", Matt Brennan commended "the quiet, tearful moment in which Vause [...] decides to end his life." Her "remorse for this choice, and for all the choices that led to it, is palpable," Brennan noted, "even if his death amounts to self-defense." Emma Dibdin wrote in "Digital Spy" that while Vause's on-off lover Chapman "[insists] she's a force to be reckoned with", Vause "goes through the real moral transformation, pushed to brutal extremes by the hitman sent to kill her." Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya of "Autostraddle" considered the scenes of Vause helping Lolly reconcile her thoughts and emotions "a cutting and intimate look at self-care and coping mechanisms." "The Atlantic"s Spencer Kornhaber similarly reviewed Vause's "counseling" of Lolly, finding it a "succinct and touching glimpse at post-traumatic coping". McNutt opined in "The A.V. Club" that the circumstances of Lolly's paranoia, the lack of evidence that the correctional officer was a hit man, the lack of trust in a broken system, and the difficulty in explaining away Vause and Lolly's actions in the homicide, meant that Lolly being taken away was "tragic" but ultimately "probably the best case scenario" when someone would have to be held responsible.


title: Alex Vause

text: "Autostraddle" Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya considered Vause's decision to not tell Chapman what she has gone through an "emotionally significant" moment for the character; she is not on good terms with Chapman, but she also does not want Chapman to be implicated by it. Apart from the homicide being an overarching plot, Upadhyaya stated it also had "long-term emotional significance" for Vause. Ed Power of "The Telegraph" found it "wrenching" to see Vause "haunted by doubt and guilt", praising the show for "peeling back the layers, showing a new side to a person we thought we already knew", and the "disquiet and disbelief that flashed across [Vause's] face" in response to Chapman in the crack scene. Alan Sepinwall of "Uproxx" wrote that Vause and Chapman needing to be under the influence of drugs "to finally be honest with each other about all their recent tragedies seemed about right for a relationship that's always thrived on a high level of drama." In her review of the season's ninth episode, Pilot Viruet of "Decider" remarked that it is "good to see [Vause and Chapman] getting along and not plagued by relationship dramatics." In his review of the season's finale, McNutt wrote that he found Vause "reacting to death by thinking about the hitman's humanity rang true to her arc". Prepon received praise for her performance in the fourth season. Dana Schwartzof of "The Observer" lauded Prepon in the premiere episode, writing that her performance should be up for Emmy consideration. Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya of "Autostraddle" wrote that Prepon is "giving her best performance to date on the show, effectively capturing the turmoil of Alex’s mind and the psychological toll of this secret."


title: Alex Vause

text: Prepon won the Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film at the 18th Satellite Awards for her performance as Vause.


title: Trouble Every Day (film)

text: Trouble Every Day is a 2001 French erotic horror film directed by Claire Denis and written by Denis and Jean-Pol Fargeau. It stars Vincent Gallo, Tricia Vessey, Béatrice Dalle, Alex Descas and Marilu Marini. The film's soundtrack is provided by Tindersticks.


title: Trouble Every Day (film)

text: Alice Houri, who starred in Denis' previous film "Nénette et Boni", has a small cameo as a girl on a metro who watches Shane.


title: Trouble Every Day (film)

text: An American couple, Dr. Shane Brown and his wife June, go to Paris, ostensibly for their honeymoon. In reality, Shane has come to Paris to hunt down neuroscientist Dr. Léo Sémeneau and his wife, Coré, whom Shane once knew and was obsessed with. Despite having had a prolific career, Léo is now working as a general practitioner to keep a low profile. He locks Coré in their house every day, but she occasionally escapes and initiates sex with men before violently murdering them. To protect her, Léo buries the bodies.


title: Trouble Every Day (film)

text: Shane begins investigating Sémeneau's whereabouts. A doctor who once worked with Léo eventually gives Shane the couple's address, explaining that Coré is unwell. Meanwhile, two young men who have been casing the Sémeneau home break in, and one of them finds Coré in a boarded-up room. After she seduces him, they begin to have sex, but she violently bites him to death, ripping out his tongue with her teeth. When Shane arrives at the house, he discovers Coré covered in blood. She tries to bite him, but Shane is able to overpower her. As he strangles her, she drops a match, setting the house on fire. Shane leaves her to be consumed by the flames. Just after Shane departs, Léo arrives and witnesses the carnage and the dead Coré.


title: Trouble Every Day (film)

text: After Coré's death, Shane becomes strange and distant. While having sex with his wife, he stops and finishes by masturbating, then runs away from her and adopts a puppy. Finally, he goes to a hotel where he brutally rapes a maid and bites her to death, then showers and washes the blood from his body. His wife enters and the couple agree to return home.


title: Trouble Every Day (film)

text: The film received mixed reactions from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 49% rating, based on 49 reviews. The site's consensus states: "An erotic thriller dulled by a messy narrative." On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 40 out of 100 based on reviews from 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".


title: Trouble Every Day (film)

text: Derek Elley of "Variety" wrote that it is "over-long, under-written and needlessly obscure instead of genuinely atmospheric." Chris Fujiwara of "The Boston Globe" was more positive, but concludes by calling the film "a success in some sense, but it's hard to like a film so cold and dead."


title: Trouble Every Day (film)

text: Later, the film developed a small following who admire it for its themes of existentialism and its unique take on the horror genre as well as gender roles. It was given an in depth analysis by "Salon.com" which looked at the intricacies of the film, particularly the metaphorical nature of the narrative. At Film Freak Central, Walter Chaw said, "Plaintive and sad, Claire Denis' "Trouble Every Day" is a rare combination of honesty, beauty, and maybe even genius." The film has been associated with the New French Extremity.


title: Renault Arkana

text: The Renault Arkana is a compact crossover SUV (C-segment) with a sloping rear roofline produced by the French manufacturer Renault. The car debuted in May 2019 in Russia as a car based on the older Dacia/Renault Duster B0 platform. Another separate version of the vehicle was introduced in South Korea in February 2020 as the Renault Samsung XM3 (Renault XM3 since 2022), and is based on a more advanced CMF-B platform. The latter version of the Arkana was later introduced in core European market in September 2020.


title: Renault Arkana

text: The Renault Arkana's interior is laid out in a similar way to the cabins in the Renault Zoe and Clio. There's a pronounced centre console with three heating and ventilation controls ahead of the gear selector, and a digital driver's display behind the steering wheel. This screen measures 4.2, 7.0 or 10.2 inches, depending on which model you pick, and is joined by a 7.0- or 9.3-inch portrait central touchscreen. The Renault Arkana is the brand's first coupé SUV and is available as a hybrid from the outset.


title: Renault Arkana

text: The Arkana debuted in Russia in May 2019. For the Russian market, it is assembled by Renault Russia at its Moscow plant and its unveiling took place at the 2018 Moscow International Automobile Salon through a near-production showcar. The car has a coupe-like styling. The Russian Arkana is built on the Renault B0+ platform, a heavily revised variant of the B0 platform used by models such as the Kaptur and the Duster. The Russian model is using the 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine paired with Jatco CVT8 transmission.


title: Renault Arkana

text: Assembly in neighboring Kazakhstan began in 2021 at SaryarkaAvtoProm plant (Kostanay), through a partnership between Renault and the Allur Group.


title: Renault Arkana

text: The car was launched in South Korea as the Renault Samsung XM3. Instead of riding above the B0 platform like the Russian Arkana, the XM3 uses the modular platform CMF-B and is related to the second-generation Renault Captur. The XM3 is also purely a front-wheel drive car unlike its B0-based counterpart. The CMF-based variant is 25 mm longer than the B0-based Arkana sold in Russia. The South Korean model has two engine option either the 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine with 7-speed EDC gearbox or 1.6-litre petrol engine with Jatco CVT7 transmission.


title: Renault Arkana

text: In September 2020, the rebadged version of South Korean-made Samsung XM3 was also launched in Western and Central Europe markets as the Renault Arkana. It is introduced in former Yugoslavian countries as the Renault Mégane Conquest, as its original name may be associated with Željko Ražnatović Arkan, the late Serbian criminal, politician and paramilitary commander during the Yugoslav Wars who was accused of numerous war crimes.


title: Renault Arkana

text: The European model is equipped with a mild hybrid 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine paired with the 7-speed EDC gearbox.


title: Renault Arkana

text: A show car based on the Arkana, the XM3 Inspire, was introduced by Renault subsidiary Renault Samsung Motors and unveiled at the 2019 Seoul Motor Show. The main differences with the Arkana are a redesigned front grille, a different colour scheme and a revised bodywork.


title: Zhao Lijian

text: Zhao Lijian (; born 10 November 1972) is a Chinese politician and the deputy director of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Department. He is the 31st spokesperson since the position was established in 1983. He joined the foreign service in 1996, and has served primarily in Asia. Zhao became notable during his time serving in Pakistan for his outspoken use of Twitter, a social network website that is blocked within China. He has been identified as a prominent leader of the new generation of "China's 'Wolf Warrior' Diplomats."


title: Zhao Lijian

text: Zhao Lijian was born in the town of , in Luannan County, Tangshan, Hebei in November 1972. He studied at Luannan County No. 1 Middle School. He graduated from Changsha Railway College (merged to form Central South University) with a major in foreign language studies. He obtained a master's degree in public policy from the Korea Development Institute, where he studied between February and December 2005.


title: Zhao Lijian

text: Zhao joined the Department of Asian Affairs in 1996 as an attaché. He was transferred to the Chinese embassy in Pakistan as the attaché to the third secretary in 2003. He served at the Chinese embassy in the United States between 2009 and 2013. In 2013, he was recalled to the Department of Asian Affairs. From 2015 to August 2019, he served as counsellor and minister counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad. During his tenure there, he used the name "Muhammad Lijian Zhao" on his official Twitter account, but he dropped "Muhammad" in 2017 after there were reports that China banned several Islamic names in Xinjiang.


title: Zhao Lijian

text: Zhao became well known for his frequent use of Twitter to criticize the United States, including on topics such as race relations and the United States foreign policy in the Middle East. Paired with his press conference statements, he has established a "long history of provocative assertions." Zhao has been deputy director of Foreign Ministry Information Department of the People's Republic of China since August 2019.


title: Zhao Lijian

text: The Chinese Communist Party puts a high premium on information management, and Zhao uses press conferences and Twitter to direct information and reach China's strategic goals. Although it had been banned in China in 2009, Zhao joined Twitter in 2010, becoming one of the first envoys of the Chinese government to use the social media platform. By the end of 2020, Zhao had 780,000 followers. In February 2020, Zhao was accused of following the adult entertainment actress Sora Aoi. In September, after Chinese ambassador Liu Xiaoming's Twitter account had been hacked and made to like a pornographic video, Chinese netizens found that Zhao's Twitter account appeared to be following Pornhub and Romanian pornographic actress Lea Lexis.


title: Zhao Lijian

text: In 2019 Zhao tweeted, "If you're in Washington, D.C., you know the white never go to the SW area, because it's an area for the black & Latin. There's a saying 'black in & white out'", to which Susan Rice, National Security Adviser to Barack Obama, responded: "You are a racist disgrace. And shockingly ignorant too." Zhao returned the insults, calling Rice "a disgrace" and "shockingly ignorant" in a tweet as well as calling her accusation of racism "disgraceful and disgusting." Although Zhao stood by the tweets, he deleted them. The dispute raised his profile in Beijing.


title: Zhao Lijian

text: On 5 March 2020, Zhao gave a press conference in Beijing and responded to an American TV host's demand that the Chinese should "formally apologize" for the novel coronavirus pandemic. Zhao stated that: "The announcement is absurd and ridiculous, which fully exposes his arrogance, prejudice and ignorance of China... [t]he H1N1 flu outbreak in the United States in 2009 spread to 214 countries and regions and killed at least 18,449 people that year. Has anyone asked the United States to apologize?" He went on to say, "no conclusion has been reached yet on the origin of the virus, as relevant tracing work is still underway." From here Zhao turned to Twitter.


title: Zhao Lijian

text: On 9 March he condemned United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for using the term "Wuhan virus", which had been used by Xinhua's January 22 headline according to Hiroshi Yuasa, a columnist for Sankei Shimbun. Zhao retweeted Americans who were accusing Republicans of racism and xenophobia. On 12 March Zhao, without asking for permission from his superiors, appeared to promote a conspiracy theory that the United States military could have brought the novel coronavirus to China, tweeting first in English and separately in Chinese:When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!


title: Zhao Lijian

text: The allegation was apparently linked to the United States' participation at the 2019 Military World Games held in Wuhan in October, two months before any reported outbreaks. Zhao accompanied his post with a video of Robert Redfield, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, addressing a US Congressional committee on March 11. Redfield had said some Americans who had seemingly died from influenza later tested positive for the new coronavirus. Redfield did not say when those people had died or over what time period. Zhao also linked to article from the Centre for Research on Globalization which "BuzzFeed News" claimed was part of "a bevy of misinformation about the coronavirus... covered by "Global Times", that claimed the virus began in late November somewhere else than Wuhan." The US State Department summoned Chinese ambassador Cui Tiankai on March 13 to protest about Zhao's comments. During an interview on "Axios on HBO", Cui distanced himself from Zhao's comments and said speculating about the origin of the virus was "harmful". In April 2020, Zhao defended his tweets, saying his posts were "a reaction to some U.S. politicians stigmatizing China a while ago." In July 2021, Zhao commented that the plan on WHO's 2nd phase study was "at odds with the position of China" and other countries, adding, "Why can't origins study be conducted in the U.S. just as in China?" Reportedly, Zhao's actions and conducts created divisions within the Foreign Ministry, with many supporting it while others opposing it.


title: Zhao Lijian

text: On August 11, 2021, Zhao Lijian posted a tweet supporting the Chinese conspiracy theory that SARS-CoV-2 virus was developed by the United States military at Fort Detrick.


title: Zhao Lijian

text: Following the leak of the China Cables via "The New York Times" the Chinese government has come under Western Media's and government's criticism for its treatment of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang internment camps (since 2017) as methods of confronting Islamist terrorism in Xinjiang lead by Turkistan Islamic Party. Zhao has used media statements and Twitter to defend Beijing's treatment of the minority group. Associated Press claimed that authorities in China were using forced birth control amongst Uyghur people, whilst encouraging larger families of Han Chinese. Zhao dismissed the findings of AP as "baseless" and showed "ulterior motives." He turned attention back on the media, accusing outlets of "cooking up false information on Xinjiang-related issues".


title: Zhao Lijian

text: In November 2020, Pope Francis named China's Uyghur minority among a list of the world's persecuted peoples. Zhao retorted that the Pope's words had "no factual basis". In January 2021, Zhao responded to questions about the Uyghur genocide during a press briefing by stating, "China has no genocide; China has no genocide; China has no genocide, period."


title: Zhao Lijian

text: On 19 November 2020, the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing group said China's imposition of new rules to disqualify elected legislators in Hong Kong appeared to be part of a campaign to silence critics and called on Beijing to reverse course.


title: Zhao Lijian

text: Responding to this, Zhao said that "No matter if they have five eyes or 10 eyes, if they dare to harm China's sovereignty, security and development interests, they should beware of their eyes being poked and blinded".


title: Zhao Lijian

text: On 30 November 2020, Zhao posted on his personal Twitter account "Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians & prisoners by Australian soldiers. We strongly condemn such acts, &call "[sic]" for holding them accountable", accompanied with an image of an Australian soldier who appears to hold a bloodied knife against the throat of an Afghan child. The image, originally created by the Chinese internet political cartoonist Wuheqilin (乌合麒麟), is believed to be a reference to the Brereton Report, which had been released earlier by the Australian government that month, and which details war crimes committed by the Australian Defence Force during the War in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016, including the throat-slitting of two 14-year-old Afghan boys, and its subsequent cover-up by the Australian military. Later that day, the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called a press conference, calling the image "offensive" and "truly repugnant", demanding a formal apology from the Chinese government and requesting Twitter to remove the tweet. China rejected the demands for an apology on the following day, while Twitter also refused Morrison's request to remove Zhao Lijian's tweet. The artist behind the illustration said it was created "as a metaphor". Eventually, Morrison called for stopping further amplification of the incident, and to seek conciliation. The incident had the effect of unifying Australian politicians in condemning China across party lines, while also drawing attention to the Brereton Report. It was further seen as a sign of deteriorating relations between Australia and China.


title: Zhao Lijian

text: The New Zealand and French governments voiced support for the Australian government and criticised Zhao's Twitter post, while the Russian government stated that "the circumstances make us truly doubt the genuine capacity of Australian authorities to actually hold accountable all the servicemen who are guilty of such crimes". The Chinese embassy in Paris criticized the French government's position as hypocrisy, and argued that Chinese artists have the right to caricature, referencing the French government's defense of the "Charlie Hebdo" caricatures. A spokesperson for the US State Department likewise accused the Chinese foreign ministry of hypocrisy for using Twitter at all when it is blocked in China. The Taiwanese government expressed concern about the Chinese foreign ministry's use of a manipulated image in an official tweet. A week after the tweet an Israeli cybersecurity firm concluded that they had found "evidence of a largely orchestrated disinformation campaign" aimed at spreading the tweet and China's viewpoint. The firm concluded that of the Twitter accounts which had augmented proliferation of the image, "half were likely fake."


title: Zhao Lijian

text: In March 2022, amidst the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Zhao Lijian said during a press conference that "the US' biological laboratories in Ukraine have aroused great concern". He echoed Russian media reports saying that Russia has found out that the US was using such facilities for "bio-military plans". However, such claims, which circulated in Russian media since at least 2018, were previously debunked as part of Russian disinformation campaign against Ukraine. Britain's Defense Ministry said: "These narratives are long standing but are currently likely being amplified as part of a retrospective justification for Russia's invasion of Ukraine". Bloomberg News called it a "conspiracy theory". Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the U.S. Department of Defense has worked with Ukraine and other former satellites of the USSR to secure and take apart remnant weapons of mass destruction under the Nunn–Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program, which involved delivery system dismantlement and tasks pertaining to chemical and biological weapons.


title: Zhao Lijian

text: Zhao said that "As the culprit and leading instigator of the Ukraine crisis, the US has led NATO to engage in five rounds of eastward expansion" since 1999, and the near doubling of NATO membership pushed "Russia to the wall step by step."


title: Zhao Lijian

text: In July 2022, Zhao warned that Nancy Pelosi should not travel to Taiwan, and threatened the Chinese government would be "seriously prepared" for her travel. When asked about what that meant, Zhao said that "If the U.S. side is bent on going its own way, China will take strong measures to resolutely respond and counteract" and that "The United States should be held responsible for any serious consequences." On 1 August 2022, Zhao threatened that the Chinese military would not "sit idly by" if Pelosi were to go to Taiwan. Zhao stated that "We would like to tell the United States once again that China is standing by, the Chinese People's Liberation Army will never sit idly by, and China will take resolute responses and strong countermeasures to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity."


title: Zhao Lijian

text: In November 2022, after being asked about COVID-19 protests in China that were linked to the 2022 Ürümqi fire, Zhao said "On social media, there are forces with ulterior motives that relate this fire with the local response to Covid-19."


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) was the officially designated performance vehicle division for Holden. Established in 1987 and based in Clayton, Victoria, the privately owned company modified Holden models such as the standard wheelbase Commodore, long wheelbase Caprice and Statesman, and commercial Ute for domestic and export sale. HSV also modified other non-Holden cars within the General Motors lineup in low volumes.


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: Vehicles produced by Holden Special Vehicles have generally been marketed under the HSV brand name. However, in the early years, some retailed under the Holden brand in Australia whereas most cars for export (other than in New Zealand and Singapore) retailed under different names (namely, Vauxhall and Chevrolet Special Vehicles).


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: Holden and Tom Walkinshaw Racing – an operation owned by Scottish racing-car driver and entrepreneur Tom Walkinshaw – established Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) as a joint venture in 1987. HSV effectively replaced the Holden Dealer Team (HDT) special-vehicles operation run by Peter Brock, after Holden severed its ties with HDT in February 1987 following the Energy Polarizer and "HDT Director" controversies.


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: Since 1987 HSV has built an array of modified vehicles, most of which have been based on Holden models powered by either Holden or GM sourced V8 engines.


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: The first car developed by HSV was the Holden VL Commodore SS Group A SV of 1988, which was badged and sold by Holden for Group A touring car racing homologation purposes. It went on to win the 1990 Bathurst 1000 race. The first car developed, badged and sold as an HSV was the SV88.


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: HSV began converting (re-manufacturing) the Chevrolet Camaro 2SS coupe and Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD pick-up truck from left-hand-drive to right-hand-drive to GM's factory standards in mid-2018. The vehicles were sold with a factory warranty via the existing HSV-Holden dealership network. To cope with the expansion, HSV moved into a new premises, also in Clayton, in early 2018. It boosted job numbers from 130 to 150 staff in order to cope with production ramping up.


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: With GM discontinuing Holden in 2021, a newly formed GM subsidiary, General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV), imports and distributes the Silverado in the Australasia region beginning in November 2020. GMSV handles the distribution of key Chevrolet vehicles. Walkinshaw Group, the parent company of HSV, continues to re-manufacture the Silverado 1500 on behalf of GMSV.


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: The HSV Avalanche is an all-wheel drive crossover SUV that was produced from 2003 to 2005. Based on the Holden Adventra LX8 crossover wagon, the Avalanche range also incorporated a dual-cab utility model known as the Avalanche XUV, derived from the Holden Crewman Cross8. The Avalanche has been built over the following series:


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: The HSV ClubSport or Clubsport is a full size sports sedan that has represented the brand's highest volume seller since its introduction in 1990. It was based on the mainstream Commodore range and has been the entry-level HSV model except between 1995 and 1998, when that role was filled by the Manta range. In 1999, HSV introduced a higher specification known as the "R8". The Clubsport has been built over the following series:


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: The HSV Coupé is a high performance grand tourer that was produced from 2001 to 2006. It was based on the Holden Monaro, the Coupé adaptation of the third generation Holden Commodore. Its standard model range included the GTO and GTS. In 2004, the GTS was discontinued and the all-wheel drive Coupé4 introduced. Limited edition models included the GTO LE (2003 and 2006) and GTO Signature (2006). The Coupé has been built over the following series:


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: The HSV Grange is a full size luxury sedan and it was based on the luxury Holden Statesman and Caprice twins. The Grange has represented the HSV brand's most top-of-the-line, luxury offering to date. Since 1997, this nameplate has replaced both the HSV Statesman and Caprice models. The Grange has been built over the following series:


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: The HSV GTS is a full size high performance sedan that was based on the mainstream Commodore range. Excluding the special V6-engined editions sold in New Zealand in the VN and VP series, the proper and original V8-engined GTS was introduced in Australia in 1992 with the VP series. The GTS has represented the HSV brand's most powerful offering to date. With the exception of the Z Series, when it was not part of the range, the GTS has been built over the following series:


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: The HSV Maloo is a performance utility that has been produced since 1990 and was based on the Holden Ute. Its distinguishing features have been high-performance V8 engines and full body kits. The name "Maloo" means "thunder" in an Aboriginal language. It is said that former HSV managing director, John Crennan, coined the name for the vehicle after reading a book on Aboriginal Australians.


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: In 2001, HSV introduced a higher "R8" specification. In June 2006, a regular production Z Series Maloo R8 broke the record for the world's fastest production performance pickup, at 271 km/h, (168 mph) beating the previous record holder, a Dodge Ram SRT-10 by 22 km/h.


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: The most powerful and developed version was the Gen-F 430 kW GTS Maloo, which was launched in November 2014. It featured GTS sedan mechanicals except for the "Magnetic Ride Control" suspension setup that, due to limited development opportunities, HSV left exclusively for the GTS sedan, Senator Signature and Grange. This Maloo was originally limited to 165 units, later increased to 250 plus 10 for export to New Zealand.


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: The HSV/Opel Senator is a full size luxury sports sedan that was first introduced in 1992. It was based on the Holden Berlina and Calais twins. From 1997, HSV offered a wagon variant (based solely on the Berlina, since the Calais was never built in that body shape) and a higher specification model known as the "Senator Signature". The Senator has been built over the following series:


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: The HSV SV88 was the first car to bear the HSV badge and was designed to compete against HDT's luxury performance Director model car. The SV88 was launched in 1988 and based on the VL Series luxury Calais.


title: Holden Special Vehicles

text: The HSV W427 was a limited edition flagship based on the E Series, which was released to celebrate the company's 20th anniversary in 2008. It was also a car produced to address the public disappointment caused by HSV canning its ambitious HRT 427 project previewed in 2002. It was powered by a LS7 V8 engine rated at at 6500 rpm and at 5000 rpm of torque.