title: Fenerbahçe S.K. (basketball)

text: Fenerbahçe participated in European competitions numerous times throughout their history and became the most successful Turkish club ever. By winning the former Turkish Basketball Championship, the club represented Turkey for their first time in the FIBA European Champions Cup in 1959–60 and again in 1965–66. Some years later, they made it to the FIBA European Cup quarter-finals in the 1994–95 season. The following season Fenerbahçe reached the quarter-finals of the FIBA Korać Cup in 1996 and repeated this achievement in 2001. In the 1998–99 season of the FIBA EuroLeague, they reached the Top 16 stage, but lost there to Real Madrid. The club became fourth in the 2004–05 season of the FIBA EuroChallenge. The first major success in the modern era EuroLeague was achieved in the 2007–08 season, where Fenerbahçe reached the quarter-finals. The first Final Four participation in the history of the club followed some years later, in the 2014–15 season, when the team eliminated reigning European champions Maccabi Tel Aviv in the play-offs with three straight victories under the guidance of legendary coach Željko Obradović. In the semi-final game they lost against Real Madrid and eventually finished fourth. In the next season, the club reached the final of the competition with a convincing overall performance, again by eliminating the reigning champions (Real Madrid) with three straight wins, and lost dramatically against CSKA Moscow in overtime. Then eventually, in 2017, Fenerbahçe managed to win the EuroLeague trophy as the first and only Turkish club ever, in their own city, by defeating Greek giants Olympiacos in the final game with a score of 80–64. From the quarter-finals onwards, the club eliminated their opponents in dominating fashion, first sweeping Greek giants Panathinaikos Superfoods with 3–0 wins despite the home-court disadvantage, and then defeating European powerhouses Real Madrid and Olympiacos with being behind only for a few seconds in total in the Final Four in Istanbul.


title: Fenerbahçe S.K. (basketball)

text: On 5 October 2012, Fenerbahçe became the first and only Turkish basketball club to win against an NBA team, having beaten the Boston Celtics by a score of 97–91 at the Ülker Sports Arena. By defeating the Brooklyn Nets 101–96 in Barclays Center on 5 October 2015, Fenerbahçe became the first and only Turkish basketball club and only third club in basketball history to win against an NBA team in the United States.


title: Sarah Franklin Bache

text: Sarah Franklin Bache (September 11, 1743 – October 5, 1808), sometimes known as Sally Bache, was the daughter of Benjamin Franklin and Deborah Read. She was a leader in relief work during the American Revolutionary War and frequently served as her father's political hostess, like her mother before her death in 1774. Sarah was also an important leader for women in the pro-independence effort in Philadelphia. She was an active member of the community until her death in 1808.


title: Sarah Franklin Bache

text: Born Sarah Franklin and known as "Sally" throughout her life, she was the only surviving child of her parents, Deborah Read and Benjamin Franklin. Their son Francis Franklin died of smallpox at age four. Also in their household was her older half-brother William Franklin, her father's illegitimate son whom her parents raised from infancy.


title: Sarah Franklin Bache

text: When Sarah was born in 1743, Benjamin Franklin was thirty-seven and intently focused on furthering his career and wealth. Growing up, Sarah did not have a very close relationship with her father. Franklin's reserved nature towards his daughter may have been partially due to the previous loss of Francis. But Franklin was also deep into his experimentation with electricity by the time Sarah was a young child, and by her early teenage years, he had left for Europe.


title: Sarah Franklin Bache

text: Franklin would begin to consider men and women as more intellectually equal later in his life, but he did not take this approach to his own children and grandchildren. It was not unusual for men during this time to take a more aloof approach towards their daughters' education than towards their sons' education. Daughters were typically given the education they would need to be good housewives as that would be their most important job.


title: Sarah Franklin Bache

text: The education Sarah received was thus typical for women of her status during the 18th century. She was taught reading, writing and arithmetic, as well as spinning, knitting, and embroidery. Franklin also had Sarah enrolled in dance school. When Franklin traveled to Europe in Sarah's early adolescence, he left Deborah Read to take care of the "Education of my dear child." It is also possible that Sarah learned French. Benjamin Franklin once gave Sarah a copy of Samuel Richardson's "Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded" in a French translation to "help her with her French. She must have already read it in English."


title: Sarah Franklin Bache

text: Sarah married Richard Bache on October 29, 1767. At the time, Bache was a merchant in Philadelphia and New York. Sarah's family was concerned about this match, particularly her half-brother William. He wrote a letter to their father that said if Sarah married Richard Bache the couple would always be dependent on him for financial assistance. Dr. Franklin replied that he trusted his wife's judgment of the situation and told his wife to be frugal with their money. The marriage went on without the knowledge of Sarah's father and for the next year he denied the fact that he had a son-in-law at all. Though he was not initially pleased with the marriage between his daughter and Bache, Franklin received his son-in-law "with open arms" when they finally met in 1771. After the couple married, they lived in the Franklin's house in Philadelphia along with Sarah's mother. When Deborah Read died in 1774 of a stroke, the couple still lived in the house. The couple had eight children together:


title: Sarah Franklin Bache

text: Sarah Bache was an ardent Patriot during the American Revolutionary War. She did extensive relief work. While Benjamin Franklin was in France he received a letter from François Barbé-Marbois in which he wrote, “If there are in Europe any women who need a model of attachment to domestic duties and love for their country, Mrs. Bache may be pointed out to them.”


title: Sarah Franklin Bache

text: She raised money for the Continental Army and is known for her involvement in the Ladies Association of Philadelphia. In 1780, under her leadership, the group made 2,200 shirts for the soldiers in the Continental Army at the army's winter quarters at Valley Forge. The women often met to work together at The Cliffs, a country estate owned by Samuel R. Fisher on the Schuylkill River, two miles north of Philadelphia. After her father's return in 1775 from a diplomatic mission to France, she frequently acted as his political hostess, as her mother had died in 1774.


title: Sarah Franklin Bache

text: Sarah had to flee from Philadelphia twice during the war. The first time happened in the later months of 1776. The approaching British army forced Sarah to leave Philadelphia with her children and aunt, Jane Mecom. The family moved to Chester County, Pennsylvania but returned to Philadelphia after a short time. In September 1777 the family was again forced to take refuge away from Philadelphia, this time at a friend's home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and then in Manheim, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Sarah and her family remained there until Philadelphia was evacuated the next summer.


title: Sarah Franklin Bache

text: Sarah Franklin Bache's relationship with her father was strained throughout her adulthood. After her marriage to Richard Bache without her father's knowledge, Benjamin Franklin had a detached attitude towards his only daughter. Evidence exists in "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" which "constructs an image of a strong, powerful, and savvy patriarch, written for a male audience." The autobiography hardly mentions Franklin's wife, Deborah Read, and fails to mention his daughter Sally at all. When the American Revolutionary War ended, Benjamin returned to Philadelphia and lived with his daughter and her family for the remaining years of his life.


title: Sarah Franklin Bache

text: Benjamin Franklin really enjoyed his grandchildren, particularly Benjamin Franklin Bache. When Franklin returned from England in 1775 he became enthralled by his young grandson. So much so that the following year Franklin took his young grandson back to Europe with him in spite of the protests made by Sarah. "She was no match for a father who thought he knew more about bringing up boys than anyone else on Earth." Sarah had to make do with the promise that her son would receive the best education possible during his time with his grandfather.


title: Sarah Franklin Bache

text: When Benjamin Franklin died in 1790, he left most of his estate to Sarah and her husband. Among the items bequeathed to her was a small portrait of Louis XVI surrounded by diamonds, which she sold to finance a trip to London. In 1794, she and her family moved to a farm outside Philadelphia, to the north along the Delaware River.


title: Sarah Franklin Bache

text: Sarah Franklin Bache died from cancer on October 5, 1808 at age 65 and is buried in Christ Church Burial Ground at Fifth and Arch Streets in Philadelphia, the same resting grounds as her parents.


title: Lego Masters

text: Lego Masters is an international reality television show in which teams compete to build the best Lego project, based on the original British show of that name, which premiered in 2017. Many other countries adapted the format and began airing their own versions starting in 2018. As of 2020, the format is jointly owned by Tuesday's Child, The Lego Group and Banijay.


title: Lego Masters

text: Lego Masters Germany was broadcast by RTL. The first season premiered Sunday 18 November 2018 and ended sunday 9 December 2018. In each of the four stand-alone episodes, four duos competed. Each episode included two challenges. After the first (unplanned) 2-3 hour challenge, one of the teams dropped out and the other three competed in the second (planned) 6-10 hour challenge for the win in the episode.


title: Lego Masters

text: The series was presented by German presenter Oliver Geissen. Judges were senior Lego developer Juliane Aufdembrink and designprofessor Paolo Tumminelli. Every episode another German TV personality announced the challenges and assisted the judges: comedian Lutz van der Horst, football personality Reiner Calmund and dancer Joachim Llambi.


title: Lego Masters

text: Contestants include notable 'LEGO Community' members such as Christoph Helfenbein from Lego-website www.imperiumdersteine.de, Claus-Marc Hahn from www.brickscreations.com, Johann Irl and Roland Bachmaier from Happy Brixx and father and son Wolfgang and Marcel Diaz from YouTube channel Spacebricks. One of the competing duos was from german-speaking Austria.


title: Lego Masters

text: An Australian series was commissioned in July 2018 by the Nine Network, and officially confirmed at Nine’s Upfronts in October 2018, also announcing the series would be hosted by Hamish Blake and judged by Ryan "The Brickman" McNaught. Auditions opened in June 2018, and Season 1 was screened on the Nine network from 28 April to 14 May 2019. Due to the success of the series, In May 2019 the series was renewed for a second season which filmed later in 2019 and set to air in 2020. On 16 October 2019, the second season was officially confirmed at Nine's upfronts. The second season began airing on 19 April 2020 and ended on 18 May 2020.


title: Lego Masters

text: On 16 September 2020, the series was renewed for a third season which began airing on 19 April 2021 and ended on 17 May 2021. In April 2021, Nine Network renewed the series for a fourth and fifth season with Blake set to return as host for both.


title: Lego Masters

text: A Dutch version () of Lego Masters with participants from Netherlands and Belgium premiered 11 April 2020 on RTL4 in The Netherlands and on VTM in Belgium.


title: Lego Masters

text: The series is presented by the Dutch Ruben Nicolai and Belgian Kürt Rogiers (). The judge is senior Lego developer Bas Brederode, who is originally from the Netherlands but currently lives in Billund, Denmark with his family.


title: Lego Masters

text: On 26 December 2020 a stand alone Christmas special was broadcast by RTL4 with teams of Dutch celebrities competing for the title of "Lego Masters Kerst" as well as to raise money for charity Het Vergeten Kind.


title: Lego Masters

text: In 2021, a second season aired with senior Lego developer Jonathan Bennink as the new Brickmaster. Both Nikolai and Rogiers returned as hosts.


title: Lego Masters

text: On 15 May 2021 RTL4 aired another special, this time with teams of kids between 7 and 12 years old trying to win the title of "Lego Masters Kids" and a year of free Lego from a toy store.


title: Lego Masters

text: In 2022 a third season aired, with new Brickmaster Esmee Kuenen, Senior Element Designer at Lego, and new hosts: the Dutch Jamai Loman and Belgian Andy Peelman ().


title: Lego Masters

text: An American version of the show is made for Fox. The show premiered February 5, 2020, and is hosted by actor Will Arnett, who also serves as executive producer. The judges, “brickmasters”, were Amy Corbett and Jamie Berard. Contestants include notable 'LEGO Community' members Iceberg Bricks and Boone Langston (from Beyond the Brick), both of whom established a fanbase online prior to being cast in the show. A second season premiered in June 2021. A third season premiered in September 2022.


title: Lego Masters

text: A Swedish version of the program was broadcast in 2020 on TV4. A second season started airing in 2021.


title: Lego Masters

text: A Spanish version of the show was produced by Shine Iberia for Atresmedia with host Roberto Leal. It premiered on 15 December 2021, but due to poor ratings in its first two weeks, Antena 3 burned off its last three episodes on 29 December.


title: Lego Masters

text: A Norwegian version of the show, called "Lego Masters Norge", started to air on TV 2 on October 15, 2021.


title: Lego Masters

text: A Colombian 2023 version of Lego Masters with participants from Colombia is being prepared by RCN Televisión.


title: Lego Masters

text: Unlike other editions of the program, the Danish version offered no cash prize. Instead, the three builds from the show’s freestyle finale were exhibited in Lego House, Denmark. And the winners were built and exhibited as miniland figures in Legoland in Billund.


title: Lego Masters

text: The show featured judge Søren Dyrhøj, a renowned Lego employee famous among Lego enthusiasts for designing several classic Star Wars sets including the Y-wing Star Fighter, The Death Star, and the Millennium Falcon.


title: Lego Masters

text: Additionally, a 2-episode Christmas and New Year's special featuring five of the participants from season one, each paired with a Danish celebrity, aired in December 2021.


title: Lego Masters

text: A Czech and Slovak version of Lego Masters with participants from the Czech Republic and Slovakia is being prepared by TV Nova and TV Markíza. The show will be aired on June 5, 2022 on the Czech TV Nova and Slovak TV Markíza, and on May 29, 2022 on the Voyo.cz and Voyo.sk VOD platforms.


title: Allen Garfield

text: Allen Garfield (born Allen Goorwitz; November 22, 1939 – April 7, 2020) was an American film and television actor.


title: Allen Garfield

text: Garfield was born in Newark, New Jersey, to a Jewish family, the son of Alice (née Lavroff) and Philip Goorwitz. He had one sister, Lois. A 1957 graduate of Weequahic High School, he was a sports reporter and Golden Gloves boxer before becoming an actor. He attended The Actors Studio in New York City, studying with both Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan, and worked on stage before acting in film.


title: Allen Garfield

text: Garfield appeared in over 100 films and television shows. He is known for having played nervous villains, corrupt businessmen and politicians. In addition he appeared in two art films by German director Wim Wenders, "Der Stand der Dinge" and "Bis ans Ende der Welt". Quentin Tarantino studied with Garfield at the beginning his career as an actor. Garfield's lead roles included the 1971 film "Cry Uncle!", the 1978 film "Skateboard" with Leif Garrett and the 1982 film "Get Crazy". He appeared in the "Tales from the Darkside" episode The Deal (1988).


title: Allen Garfield

text: For a year after his father's death and in tribute to him, Allen used his family name, Goorwitz, for his screen credits.


title: Allen Garfield

text: When Garfield suffered a stroke before filming his role in "The Ninth Gate" (1999), director Roman Polanski opted to use Garfield's paralyzed face for his character rather than conceal it or recast the role. Garfield suffered another massive stroke in 2004 and thereafter was a long-term nursing care resident at The Motion Picture Home.


title: Allen Garfield

text: Garfield died of complications related to COVID-19 and his previous strokes at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital on April 7, 2020. He was 80 years old.


title: Mebendazole

text: Mebendazole (MBZ), sold under the brand name Vermox among others, is a medication used to treat a number of parasitic worm infestations. This includes ascariasis, pinworm infection, hookworm infections, guinea worm infections, hydatid disease, and giardia, among others. It is taken by mouth.


title: Mebendazole

text: Mebendazole is usually well tolerated. Common side effects include headache, vomiting, and ringing in the ears. If used at large doses it may cause bone marrow suppression. It is unclear if it is safe in pregnancy. Mebendazole is a broad-spectrum antihelminthic agent of the benzimidazole type.


title: Mebendazole

text: Mebendazole came into use in 1971, after it was developed by Janssen Pharmaceutica in Belgium. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. Mebendazole is available as a generic medication.


title: Mebendazole

text: Mebendazole is a highly effective, broad-spectrum antihelmintic indicated for the treatment of nematode infestations, including roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, threadworm (pinworm), and the intestinal form of trichinosis prior to its spread into the tissues beyond the digestive tract. Other drugs are used to treat worm infections outside the digestive tract, as mebendazole is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream. Mebendazole is used alone in those with mild to moderate infestations. It kills parasites relatively slowly, and in those with very heavy infestations, it can cause some parasites to migrate out of the digestive system, leading to appendicitis, bile duct problems, or intestinal perforation. To avoid this, heavily infested patients may be treated with piperazine, either before or instead of mebendazole. Piperazine paralyses the parasites, causing them to pass in the feces. It is also used rarely in the treatment of cystic echinococcosis, also known as hydatid disease. Evidence for effectiveness for this disease, however, is poor.


title: Mebendazole

text: Mebendazole and other benzimidazole antithelmetics are active against both larval and adult stages of nematodes, and in the cases of roundworm and whipworm, kill the eggs, as well. Paralysis and death of the parasites occurs slowly, and elimination in the feces may require several days.


title: Mebendazole

text: Mebendazole has been shown to cause ill effects in pregnancy in animal models, and no adequate studies of its effects in human pregnancy have been conducted. Whether it can be passed by breastfeeding is unknown.


title: Mebendazole

text: Mebendazole sometimes causes diarrhea, abdominal pain, and elevated liver enzymes. In rare cases, it has been associated with a dangerously low white blood cell count, low platelet count, and hair loss, with a risk of agranulocytosis in rare cases.


title: Mebendazole

text: Carbamazepine and phenytoin lower serum levels of mebendazole. Cimetidine does not appreciably raise serum mebendazole (in contrast to the similar drug albendazole), consistent with its poor systemic absorption.


title: Mebendazole

text: Stevens–Johnson syndrome and the more severe toxic epidermal necrolysis can occur when mebendazole is combined with high doses of metronidazole.


title: Mebendazole

text: Mebendazole works by selectively inhibiting the synthesis of microtubules via binding to the colchicine binding site of β-tubulin, thereby blocking polymerisation of tubulin dimers in intestinal cells of parasites. Disruption of cytoplasmic microtubules leads to blocking the uptake of glucose and other nutrients, resulting in the gradual immobilization and eventual death of the helminths.


title: Mebendazole

text: Poor absorption in the digestive tract makes mebendazole an efficient drug for treating intestinal parasitic infections with limited adverse effects. However mebendazole has an impact on mammalian cells, mostly by inhibiting polymeration of tubulin dimers, thereby disrupting essential microtubule structures such as mitotic spindle. Disassembly of the mitotic spindle then leads to apoptosis mediated via dephosphorylation of Bcl-2 which allows pro-apoptotic protein Bax to dimerize and initiate programmed cell death.


title: Mebendazole

text: Mebendazole is available as a generic medication. Mebendazole is distributed in international markets by Johnson and Johnson and a number of generic manufacturers.


title: Mebendazole

text: Several studies show mebendazole exhibits potent antitumor properties. mebendazole significantly inhibited cancer cell growth, migration, and metastatic formation of adrenocortical carcinoma, both "in vitro" and "in vivo". Treatment of lung cancer cell lines with mebendazole caused mitotic arrest, followed by apoptotic cell death with the feature of caspase activation and cytochrome c release. Mebendazole induced a dose- and time-dependent apoptotic response in human lung cancer cell lines, and apoptosis via Bcl-2 inactivation in chemoresistant melanoma cells.


title: Instant Pot

text: Instant Pot is a brand of multicookers manufactured by Instant Brands. The multicookers are electronically controlled, combined pressure cookers and slow cookers. The original cookers are marketed as 6-in-1 or more appliances designed to consolidate the cooking and preparing of food to one device. The brand has since expanded to include non-pressure slow cookers, sous-vide immersion circulators, blenders, air fryers and rice cookers.


title: Instant Pot

text: In 2009, Robert Wang, Yi Qin, Dongjun Wang, and one other friend, all former employees of Nortel in Ottawa, Canada, started working on designs for the Instant Pot. Robert Wang is credited as the inventor of the Instant Pot. This beginning model operated as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice or porridge cooker, yogurt maker, sauté/searing pan, steamer, and food warmer.


title: Instant Pot

text: In July 2015 the Instant Pot Smart-60 cooker was recalled, affecting about 1,140 units in Canada and the United States. The defect caused electric current to leak, which could potentially shock the product's user. There were four reported instances of this shock before it was recalled.


title: Instant Pot

text: In 2017 Instant Pot was sold to Cornell Capital, a private equity firm that owns the Pyrex and SnapWare food container brands, for an undisclosed amount of money.


title: Instant Pot

text: In February 2018, five production runs of Instant Pot Gem 65 8-in-1 Multicookers were recalled because they were overheating and subsequently melting due to a manufacturing issue.


title: Instant Pot

text: Over the last 10 years the Instant Pot has become a kitchen phenomenon with more and more people making pressure cooker recipes as part of their family meals.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Hidalgo (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Hidalgo () is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, constitute the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 84 municipalities and its capital city is Pachuca de Soto. Located in the eastern part of the country, Hidalgo is bordered by San Luis Potosí and Veracruz on the north, Puebla on the east, Tlaxcala and State of Mexico on the south and Querétaro on the west.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: In 1869, Benito Juárez created the State of Hidalgo and made Pachuca its capital city; Juárez would add the name ""de Soto"" in recognition of Manuel Fernando Soto, who is considered the most important driving force in creating the state. The state was named after Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the initiator of the Mexican War of Independence.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The indigenous peoples of the state, such as the Otomi, retain much of their traditional culture. In addition to Mexicans of Spanish descent, there are also notable immigrant cultures: those of the descendants of Cornish miners from Cornwall (located in South West England) who arrived in the 19th century, a few self-proclaimed Italian descendants, and a small Jewish enclave which claims to be descended from Sephardi Jews which came to New Spain in the 16th century.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Hidalgo is known for its mountainous terrain, though part of the state is on a coastal plain. With a population of 2.858 million and an area of roughly 20,813 square km, Hidalgo is one of Mexico's smaller states. The state contains a number of ecotourism, cultural and archeological attractions including the Huasteca area, the ruins of Tula, natural hot water springs, old haciendas and mountain ranges.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The modern day state of Hidalgo is located within the pre-Hispanic region of Mesoamerica. Numerous migrations of indigenous people took place through here, mostly arriving or passing through from the north, with many eventually settling in the Valley of Mexico. The Toltecs initially settled in Xochicoatlán, now the municipality of Molango, at the beginning of the 7th century. From here they dispersed to locales such as Huejutla and Tollatzingo (now called Tulancingo) where they eventually had their capital of Tollan, today known as Tula.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The Toltecs were eventually overrun by Chichimecas, who established their capital in Metztitlán. The Aztecs arrived in the 12th century, initially establishing themselves in Mixquiahuala, then founding Tizayuca later. Eventually, the Aztecs took over most of what is now the southern portion of the state, incorporating it into the Aztec Empire.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, the conquistadors carved out territories for themselves from Aztec lands. Hernán Cortés took possession of lands to the northeast of Mexico City extending into modern Hidalgo state. Evangelization efforts followed soon thereafter with the first Franciscans arriving in 1523. This changed the social, economic and cultural structure of the areas as the Spanish took control of natural resources — especially minerals — and the labor the Indians provided. It also led to a massive decrease in the native population, especially during the governorship of the area by Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán. By the 18th century, the economy of the Hidalgo area was dominated by mining and agricultural haciendas. Much of the agricultural production during the colonial period was centered on livestock such as sheep and pigs as well as the making of pulque from the native maguey plant. However, the mining of silver, gold and other metals in the Pachuca/Real del Monte area would prove to be the economic backbone of the area through the colonial period and into most of post Independence period. The fortunes of the mining industry would rise and fall during the colonial period; one of the most productive eras came under the control of Pedro Romero de Terreros in the 18th century.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Despite Spanish control and evangelization efforts since the 16th century, many of the Otomi and other indigenous groups of the area had not been fully subjugated by the 18th century, especially in the Sierra Gorda and Sierra Baja areas. These groups and others manage a significant amount of success in maintaining cultural, political and economic autonomy through the colonial period. Much of the state still maintains a number of strong indigenous identities.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Many in Hidalgo, especially the indigenous, supported Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s cause, providing leaders such as José María Correa and José Antonio Magos, both of whom were active in the Mezquital Valley area. However, no major battles of the Mexican War of Independence were fought in the state. Instead, a number of smaller operations against local Spaniards were conducted. When the war ended in 1821, the country was divided into a number of states. The modern state of Hidalgo was initially part of the very large territory called “Mexico” (which extended in all directions from Mexico City), which eventually was split with the remaining portion becoming the modern State of Mexico. What is now Hidalgo was originally the districts of Tula, Tulancingo and Huejutla of the former entity. The state of Hidalgo would not be formally created until the 1860s.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The economic consequences to the mines of Pachuca and Real del Monte during the War of Independence were ruinous. In 1824, British mining companies were brought in to revive the sector. The British introduced steam-powered machinery and other modern techniques as well as a large quantity of Cornish miners. Many of these Cornish miners stayed and English names and foods such as pasties (called “pastes” in Spanish) help define the state, especially in the Pachuca and Real del Monte areas. These Englishmen were forced to sell their interest to Mexican capitalists in 1849, and the mining sector fell again.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: In 1861, the government of the vast State of Mexico was centered in Toluca, east of Mexico City. The distance of the capital was one of the reasons why Hidalgo state would eventually separate. When French forces invaded central Mexico in 1862, the large territory of Mexico was divided into three military sectors for defense. The second district had its capital in Actopan and its borders were roughly commensurate with that of modern Hidalgo state. The French succeeded in placing Maximilian I on the throne of Mexico, who visited Pachuca in 1865. Soon thereafter, insurgent activity against the French government intensified and after Maximilian was overthrown, the new republican government decided to make this military district the state of Hidalgo in 1869. The state was named after Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the first leader of the Mexican Independence movement.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: From the establishment of the state until the Porfirio Díaz period, the economy, especially the mining sector was erratic. In the late 1880s, a number of modern inventions, such as the telegraph, telephone and railroad helped the Hidalgo economy. It also brought in another wave of foreign investment in the mining industry. By the mid-1900s, much of the mining production in Pachuca and Real del Monte was controlled by U.S. based interests such as the United States Mining Smelting and Refining Company. Pulque haciendas, primarily selling to nearby Mexico City, were prosperous in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The prosperity of the state was best seen in the capital of Pachuca with the construction of many civic structures, but many rural areas were still quite impoverished. This situation would make the state favor the oncoming Mexican Revolution.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: During the Mexican Revolution, local armed groups, such as the one led by Francisco P. Mariel in Huejutla, faced off against government troops. Forces led by Nicolas Flores took Jacala and threatened Zimapan and Ixmiquilpan in 1911. Later that same year Gabriel Hernandez took Tulancingo and Pachuca, forcing the then-governor out of power. After Porfirio Díaz fled the country, several factions would vie for power here. The government of the state was seized in 1915 by Agustin Sangins, who declared himself in favor of Victoriano Huerta, prompting opponents to take up arms in the Huasteca area, Jacala and Tulancingo. Victory initially went to those in support of Huerta. When Huerta's government fell, the state had a chaotic succession of governors, each of whom supported different factions. When the war finally wound down by 1920, the state had a new constitution.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: In 1920, the first airmail flight took place with a biplane piloted by Horacio Ruiz Gaviño taking off from Pachuca and landing in Mexico City 53 minutes later carrying 543 letters, 61 postcards and other items.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The war left the mining industry in ruins again and the desertion of same by the American companies. Modernization of the nearly destroyed infrastructure began in the 1920s with the reconstruction of telephone lines and the construction of highways within the state. In the 1930s, a number of companies such as Cruz Azul Cement were expropriated and popular credit schemes such as the Banco de Credito Ejidal were created. Over 130 schools in rural areas were also built. Construction and modernization of infrastructure would continue through the rest of the 20th century.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: This wave of mining activity would decline in the mid-20th century, causing the deterioration of the state's economy, especially in the Pachuca area. In the 1950s and 1960s efforts were undertaken to shift the state's economy from agriculture and mining to manufacturing. In 1952, an automotive motor production facility called Diesel Nacional (DINA) was constructed. The old Instituto Científico Literario Autónomo de Hidalgo was converted to the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo in 1961, with the purpose of turning out engineers and other professionals to provide the impetus for the development of industry. These efforts soon paid dividends and construction growth, especially of suburban subdivisions for workers in newly built factories.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The growth of the Greater Mexico City area reached the southern border of Hidalgo state in the late 20th and early 21st century with the municipality of Tizayuca formally added into the region in 2005.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: One problem the extreme southern part of the state has had in the past decade is the contamination of water from the drainage of the Valley of Mexico. Mexico City pumps out excess water from the area, as the valley has no natural drainage, to the north into Mexico and Hidalgo states. This water is increasingly polluted and is causing damage to these northern zones. The state is negotiating federal and other help to treat and recycle this water so that it does not do further damage to state agriculture and environment.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: At least 93 people, including eight children, were killed, and 46 were injured when a clandestine gasoline pipe exploded in Tlahuelilpan on January 19, 2019.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Several indigenous groups within the state have managed to maintain a relatively strong independent cultural identity since the Conquest. These ethnic groups include the Nahua, the Otomis and the Tepehuas, each still speaking their own language. The largest group is the Otomi, which has over 250,000 speakers in the state. The total number of people who speak an indigenous language of any kind was estimated at 320,029 in 2005.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: According to the 2020 Census, 1.58% of Hidalgo's population identified as Black, Afro-Mexican, or of African descent.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Population of the state historically has risen and fallen based on the state of the economy especially, the health of the mining sector. When mining activity fell in the mid-20th century, the population fell as well. The population began to recover in the 1980s. From then until 2000, the population grew from 1,547,493 to 2,235,591, leaving the state with a large number of people under the age of thirty. The mining sector has also been responsible for immigration to the state, most notably that of the Cornish in the 19th century in the Pachuca and Real de Monte areas. While most descendants of these Cornish immigrants now are monolingual Spanish speakers, many have retained the Protestant faith. The Cornish have influenced the cuisine here as well, with one of Hidalgo's signature dishes being “pastes” (pa-stays), which are Cornish dough pockets filled with Mexican style meat, vegetable and sweet fillings.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Over 70% identify themselves as Catholic with significant minorities as Protestant or Evangelical. Another significant minority are those who practice the Jewish faith. Many of these claim ancestry from Sephardi Jews who came to New Spain in the 16th century to escape the Inquisition in Spain. When it reached New Spain, these people moved to the rural hills to continue their practice clandestinely. These are mostly concentrated in the community of Venta Prieta. While their claims have not been proven, there are indications that they are true. Most practitioners in Venta Prieta are Conservative.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Hidalgo's literary history extends back to the 19th century with the oldest notable writers being Ignacio Rodríguez Galván and José María Rodríguez y Cos. Rodríguez Galván was born in 1816 in Tizayuca and is considered to be the first Mexican Romance writer. He wrote poetry and plays as well as founding a newspaper called Año Nuevo. Rodríguez y Cos was born in 1823 in Tulancingo and represents Positivism in Mexico, writing poetry and plays. The most important poet from the 20th century is Efrén Rebolledo from Actopán, who lived from 1877 to 1929. Other important writers from this century include Xavier Sorondo, Margarita Michelena, Gabriel Vargas, Ricardo Garibay, Gonzalo Martré and Miguel Ángel Granados Chapa Notable painters appear in the 20th century including Byron Gálvez, Yadira Gutiérrez and José Hernández Delgadillo. The best known musician from the state is Nicandro Castillo, who wrote mostly popular music in the mid-20th century. As part of a performing group called Los Plateados, his work became part of a number of Mexican films, including Cuando habla el corazón, Seda, sangre y sol and Así se quiere en Jalisco. Other important musicians from the state include Abundio Martínez and Demetrio Vite Hernández.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The best known celebrity and artist from the state is Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta, better known as El Santo. Born in Tulancingo in 1917,not only was he Mexico's best known lucha libre wrestler, he experienced success in the movies, playing his lucha libre character battling evil. He never took off his mask in public, until a few weeks before his death in 1984.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Day of the Dead in the state is referred to as the "Xantolo" which extends from October 31 to November 2. Like in other parts of Mexico, the days around November 2 honor the dead with altars and offerings, although each community has its own variations. One area which is known for its traditions is Huejutla de Reyes, where altars dedicated to the dead are especially large and profusely decorated with flowers, colored paper and traditional foods, with the intention of counteracting mourning. In a number of areas, rituals based on Huasteca traditions are also performed. One of these is called the "Danza de Xantolo", in which masked figures in robes dance in candlelight. In other communities, youths in costume will dance from house to house, to be invited in to eat dishes prepared for the occasion. Another tradition is to have bands play at the cemeteries on November 2, where tombs are cleaned and decorated with flowers, garlands and more.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The Mezquital Valley has best preserved the state's indigenous, especially Otomi, culinary heritage based a number of traditional native animal and vegetable products. One of these is the use of a number of edible insects, many of which are considered delicacies such as escamoles (ant eggs) and maguey larvae as well as others such as larvae found on nopal plants, “chacas” (beetles) and “chicharras” (cicadas). Other local animals still used for food include tadpoles (called atepocates), salamanders and their larvae, squirrels and rabbits. Plant species still commonly used include mesquite beans, nopal and other cactus, and various cactus fruit such as “tunas” (cactus pears) and “xoconostle.” These are often prepared in dishes that the state shares with most of the rest of Mexico such as tacos, tamales, moles and a specialty of central Mexico, mixiote. Another common central Mexican dish popular in the state is barbacoa. This dish has its origins in the pre-Hispanic period, when it was meat cooked in an underground pit. Today, it is most often cooked in pots in more conventional ovens, but the meat, today mostly pork, is still smothered in the alcoholic beverage pulque and wrapped in maguey leaves for flavor. This preparation of barbacoa is considered to be the state dish.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The state secretary of tourism has divided the state's attraction into "corridors" with similar themes. The Corridor de la Montaña (Mountain Corridor) is devoted to ecotourism and includes a number of different climates and ecosystems. These areas favor activities such as camping, extreme sports and well as family activities. They include places such as old mining haciendas, archeological sites and state parks. Municipalities which are promoted under this category include Mineral del Monte, Huasca de Ocampo and Mineral del Chico.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The Corridor de los Balnearios (Water Park Corridor) list most of the major water parks, spas, natural pools and thermal springs in the state. Hidalgo ranks second in Mexico for the number of thermal springs. These springs have an average temperature of 38C but some reach as high as 80C. They exist due to rivers of magma that flow under the surface. Municipalities promoted under this category include Ixmiquilpan, Actopan and Cardonal.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The Corridor Tulancingo y los 4 elementos (Tulancingo and the 4 elements Corridor) is named for its major location of Tulancingo and the sports that are promoted here. Sporting activities are classed under the elements of air, water, fire and earth and include hot air ballooning, fishing, boating, rustic ironwork produced in Apulco and hiking in the natural landscapes. The area extends from the municipality of Tulancingo to the municipality of Huehuetla. (4elementos)


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The Corridor de las Haciendas (Haciendas Corridor) contains most of the state's 176 former haciendas which were constructed between the 16th and the 19th centuries. Most were devoted to mining or the making of pulque. Many contain the original buildings, including the main residences as well as tours. Many of these are in rural municipalities, which conserve old traditions. In the Apan area, most of the old haciendas were devoted to the making of pulque, which is still made and can be sampled. The area also contains many of the state's former colonial monasteries as well as civic constructions such as the Padre Tembleque Aqueduct.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The Sierra and Huasteca Corridor covers this mountain range which is home to the Huastec people. The area includes ecotourism activities, camping and fishing in an area filled with dense vegetations and heated water sources. Municipalities featured here include Huejutla de Reyes, Zacualtipán and Molango where many indigenous people live. The cuisine of the area is also emphasized.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The Tolteca Corridor centers on the archeological site of Tula, which was the home of one of the principal pre-Hispanic civilizations of Mexico. Many of the oldest monasteries of the state, founded in the 16th century, are located here. Featured municipalities include Tula de Allende, Atotonilco de Tula, Tepeji del Rio, Mixquiahuala, Tlahuelilpan, Tlaxcoapan and Tezontepec.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The terrain of the state is very rugged. At its lowest point it is only a few meters above sea level, and at its highest it is over 3,300 meters above sea level.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The state is divided into three geographical regions: the Atlantic Coastal Plain, the Sierra Madre Oriental (mountain ranges), and the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, which contains the highest peaks. Each of these regions is distinct from the rest.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The Sierra Alta region is part of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain system, and in the temperate climate zone of the state. Some of Hidalgo's main peaks are located here, including Cerro del Aguila, Cerro del Santo Roa, and Cerrro de Agua Fria. There is also Cerro la Aguja de Calnali, a volcanic cinder cone. Many of Hidalgo's caves are located here, such as: Texcatete in Zacualtipan; Texcapa in Tepehuacan; and Tecamachal and Villacastla in Molango.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The Sierra Baja is also located in the Sierra Madre Oriental system and is characterized by small plains surrounded by stony peaks. There are five major canyons located here, which take their names from the rivers that form them, from south to north: Amajac, Meztitlan, Amolon, Mezquititlan and Tolantongo. Although lower than the temperate Sierra Alta, the Sierra Baja still has a temperate climate due to strong, moist winds which flow from the northeast.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The Sierra Gorda mountain range is a branch of the Sierra Madre Oriental which crosses northwest Hidalgo and ends in San Luis Potosí. These are mostly mountains of volcanic origin. The Tula and Moctezuma Rivers meet here, whose waters then cut the Moctezuma Canyon, which has walls up to 480 meters high.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The Sierra de Tenango or Sierra Norte de Puebla mountain range begins to one side of the Valley of Tulancingo and extends down to the Huasteca region of Puebla and Veracruz states. The range is also known as the Sierra de Huayacocotla, with low lying mountains of a humid, cloudy temperate climate with frequent rain in the summer. Two of Hidalgo's main dams, the Tejocotal and the Omitemetl are located on the rivers here, and are part of the Necaxa Hydroelectrical System.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: La Comarca Minera is the mining district in the mountains around Pachuca and Real del Monte. Cerro de las Navajas is located here, a mountain made primarily of obsidian. The mining district and mountains extend from Pachuca north towards the municipality of Huasca, then east towards Actopan. From Pachuca it also extends a short ways south to Mineral de la Reforma and Comarca. In most of this region there is extensive mining, both of precious metals as well as lead and building stone, such as sandstone and marble. Over 38 million kilograms of silver and 200 tons of fine gold have been extracted since the Spanish colonial era began in the 16th century. That nearly equals the weight of the stone used to build the Tembleque Aqueduct. In additions to mines, the area is home to extensive forests of oyamel fir, pines. and oaks. Many of its peaks are rocky and barren such as Zumate in Omitlan, Peñas Cargadas in Real del Monte and Peña del Conejo in San Jeronimo.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The Valley of Tulancingo has a temperate climate with an average year round temperature of 15C. It is bordered by the Sierra de Tenango and the highlands of Apan. It is a large fertile valley with extensive agriculture.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The very northern part of the Valley of Mexico is located within the state, which is separated from the area in which Mexico City is found by a series of low lying mountains. This part of the Valley extends from Tizayuca towards Pachuca. It is separated from the Valley of Mezquital by the Sierra de Tezontlalpan and from the rest of the Valley of Mexico by the low lying Sierra de los Pitos. The climate here is temperate and semi arid with occasional freezes. Except for the forests on the mountain tops, the flora and fauna are those found in more arid regions such as maguey, yucca, rabbits, armadillos and mesquite trees.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Since many of the mountains surrounding Pachuca lack tree cover, little slows the prevailing winds which can reach speeds of up to 120 km per hour. This gives the capital city the nickname of La Bella Airosa (Beautiful Windy City).


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The Valley of Mezquital is three valleys called the Actopan, the Ixmiquilpan and the Tasquillo as well as flat areas known as Tula and Alfajayucan. The vegetation is mostly that of semi arid regions with mesquite trees and various types of cacti growing. The only areas with tree cover are those near streams and other water sources and on the mountain tops of the peaks. Despite this, the region is considered to be Hidalgo's granary, growing corn, beans, wheat, tomatoes, onions, oats, olives, cactus fruit, tejocote and much more. It produces more than half of the alfalfa and green chili peppers in Mexico. Due to the lack of rainfall, irrigation from the areas above and below ground streams is important. However, it is also one of the areas of Mexico with the highest levels of malnutrition. The valley averages 2000 meters above sea level and has a temperate climate with freezes being rare.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Principal rivers include the Tula, Amajac and the Metztitlan. Other rivers in the state flow into these three, such as the Rosas, Cuautitlan, Guadalupe and Salado, which flow into the Tula River. One exception to this is the San Juan River, which forms part of the state's border with Querétaro. This river flows into the Pánuco River in San Luis Potosí. The Amajac begins in the Sierra de Pachuca and flows southeast. The Metztitlan River begins at the state's border with Puebla state and eventually flows into Metztitlan Lake. Principal lakes in the state are the Metztitlán, Zupitlan or Tulancingo, San Antonio, Pueblilla and Carrillos. The state also has a significant number of sulfur and hot water springs such as La Cantera in Tula, Mixquiahual and Vito in Atotonilco, Tephé in Ejido Tephé, Humedades y Dios Padra in Ixmiquilpan and Tolantongo and Textacapa in Cardonal.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: There are three main climates in the state. The lowlands are hot with temperatures rising as high as 44C in the summer in places such as the municipality of Pisaflores. Temperate regions can have hot days but often the temperature is moderated by cooler winds and clouds. Cold climates dominate the highest altitudes where freezing temperatures at night are not uncommon. Rainfall varies widely from as low as 250mm per year to as high as 2,800mm per year. The main indicator of climate type is altitude.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The north of the state has the lowest elevation and the hottest climate. It is also the smallest region of the state. The second region averages about 800 meters above sea level and is more temperate in climate. The coldest climates at the highest areas are the most populated and average about 2,000 meters above sea level.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Major elevations in the state include Cerro la Peñuela (3,350 masl), Cerro el Jihuingo (3,240masl), Cerro la Paila (3,200 masl), Cerro las Navajas (3,180 masl), Cerro el Agual Azul (3,040 masl) and Cerro la Estancia (3,020 masl).


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: In addition to the three main geographic/climate regions, the state subdivides into a number of sub-regions. Sub-regions include the La Huasteca area. This extends like a green sash across part of the state, and altitude does not exceed 800 masl. It is mostly located near the Gulf Coast and receives a significant amount of rainfall from this body of water.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Most plants are either of arid and desert habitats, or of the Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests habitat, with Mexican pine ("Pinus pseudostrobus") in the higher mountains.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Wildlife includes 31 species of reptiles, thirteen species of duck, six of doves, and three of falcons, as well as mammals such as skunks, spider monkeys, wild boar, anteaters, and gray foxes.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: A small habitat in the state is the Huasteca highland rainforest. It has plants blooming nearly year-round. Forests include tree species such as: “Tlacuilo,” Oaks ("Quercus" species), Copaifera, “Zuchiate,” Mahogany ("Swietenia macrophylla"), and Mexican white cedar ("Cupressus lusitanica"). The area has one of the widest varieties of wild birds including eagles, hummingbirds, and wild turkeys. Reptiles include a wide variety of snakes, and mammals include coyotes, bobcats, wild boar, spotted deer, and rabbits. Tropical crops raised here include sugar cane, coconuts, pineapple, bananas, mamey, and tamarind.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Traditionally, Hidalgo's economy has been based on mining and agriculture, with manufacturing more recently. Most industry is located in what is called the “Urban Industrial Corridor of the South," where most of the state's economic activity is located. Outside of this corridor, the economy remains based on subsistence farming and has high levels of poverty, with the per capita income only 61.5% of the national average. Industry accounts for more than 25% of the state's gross domestic product.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: However, the state has a higher-than-average growth, averaging 7.7% since the mid-1990s. The state consistently produces an overall surplus. Like other Mexican states, Hidalgo is heavily dependent on the federal government for revenues, with almost 97% of revenues from federal sources, which is high. The state's debt level is very low compared to other rated local and regional governments in Mexico and worldwide. One major debt issue is with pension funds but S&P does not consider it onerous. As of the end of 2000, the state's economic rating by Standard & Poor's was ‘mxA-‘ with a stable outlook.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The state contains 2.1 million hectares of land, 30% of which is cultivable. Most of this land is only farmed during the annual rainy season. Corn is the primary crop followed by barley, beans, oats, wheat, green chili peppers, squash and tomatoes. Thirty-eight percent of the land is dedicated to grazing and livestock production. Fishing and fish farming are also important producing mojarra, tilapia, carp, trout and charal. Most of the surface area of the state (38%) is used for the raising of livestock with 29% dedicated to agriculture. Forests cover about 22% of the state. Both pine and broadleaf forests are found in the higher mountain areas of the state. The lower altitude Huasteca has rainforest and semi-rainforest vegetation. Hidalgo has approximately 125,000 m3 of commercial timber with an estimated value of 47,771.701 pesos. Non-wood forest products are estimated to value 331,961 pesos. For much of the 20th century, forest size diminished. This is being countered with reforestation efforts over as much as 743,224 hectares, with about 2,500 hectares fully reforested every year. Just over 25% of the population if employed in agriculture and livestock production.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Mining is the oldest and most traditional large-scale economic activity in the state. The mining of magnesium provides the most income to the state, providing 28% of all revenues, followed by zinc (18%), silver (14.3%), limestone (12.9%) and lead (7.7%). Other minerals include gold, copper, cadmium and sulfur. Most precious metals such as gold, silver and copper are mined in Pachuca and Zimapan. Petroleum, natural gas and other similar deposits also exist.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The most important commercial sector of the state is that of retail foodstuffs, especially those selling groceries, meat and poultry. This represented over 40% of the commercial sector in 1998. Just over 30% of commerce was dedicated to non-food products such as clothing and pharmaceuticals with the rest mostly dedicated to wholesale foods. From the latter 20th century, tourism has taken up much of the economic slack left behind by the demise of much of the state's mining industry, with income from this sector surpassing that of the petroleum industry. The state has a variety of historic, cultural and natural attractions. Commerce and tourism employ about 44% of the population.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Industrial production in the state centers on metal products, machinery and equipment, accounting for about 24% of the total. Non-metallic minerals, other than petroleum account for about 25%. However, the most important industry is automobile and train engine production, which is followed by the refining of petroleum products, based mostly in Tula. Automotive and train production is centered in Ciudad Sahagún. Most of the automobiles produced are sold in Mexico City. Other industries include the production of cement in Tula de Allende and textiles in Tepeji del Río and Tulancingo. This employs about 30% of the population.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Construction accounts for about 4% of the economy of Hidalgo, with utilities such as electricity accounting for about the same. Hidalgo produces about 8.7% of the total electricity used in the country.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: In many of the more rural parts of the state, the making of crafts such as textiles, baskets, wood items and more can contribute significantly to household income. Textile production is widespread, but some of the best embroidery is done in Tenango de Doria, in which blouses, skirts and more are covered in designs of bright colors. Another area with noted embroidery is Acaxochitlán and nearby communities in the Sierra de Huasteca. The designs on these pieces are endemic to the area. In the Mezquital Valley, they make items with maguey fiber, often for rope, belts, bags and sandals. The weaving of cotton and wool into items such as blankets, wraps and other items is also a widespread craft. Fibers from maguey plants and palm trees are also used in the production of baskets, hats and mats. One native hat made from palm fronds is called "garambullero" as well as a type of rattle. Other materials worked into baskets and other items include reeds, willow branches and ixtle. The working of all these fibres and materials is primarily done by women.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: As the state has a relative abundance of wood, crafts based on this material is common. The most important product is the making of wood furniture, most of which is in a rustic Spanish style. Miniature boxes, flutes and other items are a speciality of a community called Nith in the Ixmiquuilpan municipality. Molango is noted for its guitars. Tenango is noted for the making of wooden utensils such as spoons and spatulas. Pottery production is categorized by the type of clay used. In the Tulancingo Valley, the clay type is known as "chapopote" and is mostly worked into pots, comals and other cooking items. Huejutla is known for its "barro blanco" (white clay), also used to make items for cooking. In Huasca de Ocampo red clay is abundant. In Chililico, the clay is ochre and typically painted with images of birds and flowers. The Mezquital Valley and the Comarca Minera area makes a type of pottery which is not glazed, mostly for utilitarian items. In some areas, such as Tulancingo and Chapantongo, Talavera type glazed pottery is also made. Metalworking comes from the state's mining past, where materials such as gold, silver, copper and iron are worked into jewelry, pots, jars, utensils, and railing. Areas best known for their metal working are Pachuca and Real del Monte (jewelry), The Sierra Alta and Tizapán (copper items) and the Mezquital Valley for ironwork.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: In the 1999–2000 school year, the state had 7,421 educational centers for grades K-12, with 33,994 teachers and 743,771 students. Only 19.1% of these students are at the middle school level, 8.3% in vocational schools and 3% in preparatory or in higher education. Most of the students at the higher levels are concentrated in municipalities such as Pachuca, Tula de Allende, Huejutla, Ixmiquilpan and Tulancingo. Fifty-three percent of four-year-olds and 95% of five-year-olds attend pre school or kindergarten. Ninety-two percent of those who finish primary school go on to secondary school. Seventy-four percent who finish secondary school go on to high school or vocational school. Of children over six years of age, 93.5% are attending school, which is slightly above the national average of 92.2%, putting Hidalgo in 14th place.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo began at the same time the state was founded. In 1869, the Instituto Literario y Escuela de Artes y Oficios, the university's predecessor was founded. It was reorganized in 1872 under the Porfirio Díaz regime and in 1875, the school was moved from the house it was founded in on Allende Street to the former hospital of San Juan de Dios on the west side of Pachuca. The school was closed several times during the Mexican Revolution but was permanently reopened in 1925 as the University of Hidalgo. From the time to the present the school has grown adding new departments such as those in medicine and engineering. In 1948, the school gain autonomy from governmental oversight, changing its name to the current one. This school is the most important in the state as it is organized in the mid-20th century to spur the industrial development on which the state depends today.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: In recent years Hidalgo has experienced an increase in its infrastructure. Telephone coverage is one per 15.3 inhabitants, and 100% of the population has access to radio and/or television broadcasts, both private and public. There are twelve licensed broadcasters in the state, equally divided between private and public organizations.


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: Newspapers of Hidalgo include: "El Independiente de Hidalgo", "El Reloj de Hidalgo", "El Sol de Hidalgo", "El Sol de Tulancingo", "Milenio Hidalgo", "Ruta", "Síntesis de Bolsillo Hidalgo", "Síntesis, El Periódico de Hidalgo", "Unomásuno Hidalgo", and "Visto Bueno."


title: Hidalgo (state)

text: The state contains 7,923 km of highways, most of which (48.2%) are rural roads. Six cities, Pachuca, Huichapan, Molango, Ixmiquilpan, Tizayuca and Zimapan, have air travel facilities. The airport in Pachuca is the largest, with a 1,800 meter runway for both passengers and freight. An averages of 4,500 flights enter and leave the facility each year. There are 978.5 km of rail lines with only 60 km in disuse.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Justify (foaled March 28, 2015) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who is known for being the thirteenth winner of the American Triple Crown. He also was the first horse since Apollo in 1882 to win the Kentucky Derby without racing as a two-year-old.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Justify first attracted attention with a win in his debut race on February 18, 2018. He followed up with two more victories, including the Grade One Santa Anita Derby that qualified him for the 2018 Kentucky Derby. Justify then won that race and the 2018 Preakness Stakes and 2018 Belmont Stakes to win the Triple Crown. He was retired undefeated several weeks after the Belmont and became the only American Triple Crown winner who was never beaten in his entire career.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Justify is only the second horse to win the American Triple Crown with an undefeated record, following Seattle Slew, from whom Justify is descended. Other Justify ancestors include Secretariat, Count Fleet, War Admiral, Omaha, and Gallant Fox, all of whom also won the American Triple Crown. He is also a descendant of English Triple Crown winner Nijinsky. Of the 13 American Triple Crown winners, Justify is the first who did not race as a two-year-old.


title: Justify (horse)

text: On September 11, 2019, it was revealed via "The New York Times" that Justify tested positive for scopolamine, a banned substance that can be performance enhancing, in excess of what is normally found in tainted feed. The positive came just a few days after the Santa Anita Derby and would have normally resulted in a disqualification but the California Horse Racing Board ultimately dismissed the case.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Justify is a chestnut stallion with a large white blaze on his forehead. He was bred in Kentucky by Canadian John D. Gunther, who runs Glennwood Farm in Versailles, Kentucky with his daughter Tanya. Although the Gunthers have a small breeding operation, their 2015 foals also included Without Parole, a Grade I winner at Royal Ascot, Vino Rosso, a graded stakes winner who raced against Justify in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, and Grade I winner Competitionofideas. For this accomplishment, Gunther earned the 2018 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder. Gunther also bred Justify's dam, Stage Magic, a stakes-placed daughter of Ghostzapper. Stage Magic was subsequently named the 2018 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Justify was part of the second-last crop of Scat Daddy, who won the Champagne Stakes and Florida Derby. Although Scat Daddy ran in America on the dirt, as a stallion he first made his reputation in Europe and South America as a turf sire, with Grade I winners including Lady Aurelia and Caravaggio His stud fee when he was bred to Stage Magic in 2014 was only $35,000, though it was scheduled to increase to $100,000 in 2016. However, Scat Daddy died prematurely at the age of eleven in December 2015.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Justify was sold at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sales for $500,000 to a recently formed partnership between WinStar Farm (60% ownership), China Horse Club (25%) and SF Racing (15%), the latter run by employees of George Soros's investment firm. David Hanley, general manager of WinStar, said that Justify stood out at the sales. "He was a beautiful yearling had great balance and leg, great shoulder, and lovely length and neck, and power", he said. "For a big horse, he was very light on his feet, with good action and good energy." In early March 2018, SF Racing sold a share to Starlight Racing, then Sol Kumin's Head of Plains partners also bought a share in late March.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Justify grew into a massive horse, standing at the withers and weighing either or during his Triple Crown run. He was initially sent to trainer Rodolphe Brisset at Keeneland but pulled a muscle and was given time to recover and grow into his frame. In January 2018, he was sent to Santa Anita to be trained by Bob Baffert.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Justify did not make his first start until February 18, 2018, in a maiden special weight race for three-year-olds at Santa Anita Park over seven furlongs. Going off as the 1-2 favorite, he broke poorly then rushed up to challenge for the early lead. After completing the first quarter mile in a quick 21.80 seconds, he began to open up an advantage on the rest of the field, ultimately winning by lengths. The impressive win earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 104 and caused the "Thoroughbred Daily News" to designate the colt as a "Rising Star". "It's not too late", said Baffert regarding the colt's chances of qualifying for the Kentucky Derby. "I've got a plan... We're looking (for a graded stakes race). He's shown his brilliance in the morning."


title: Justify (horse)

text: Justify made his next start on March 11 in an allowance race at Santa Anita, run at a distance of one mile. As the overwhelming 1-20 favorite, he broke slowly and settled behind the early leaders, On the far turn, he quickened and swept to an easy length win. "I didn't ask him to move", said jockey Mike Smith, riding the colt for the first time. "He came off that turn like it was a stroll. Just very, very impressed. I hate to compare him to other horses right now, but doesn’t he remind you of an Easy Goer way back in the day. Just a big ol’ red horse with a big, powerful stride."


title: Justify (horse)

text: Despite never having raced in stakes company, Justify was subsequently ranked as one of the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby, moving into seventh place in the March 12 NTRA poll. However, the colt first needed to qualify by earning points in the 2018 Road to the Kentucky Derby. Baffert originally planned to run stablemate McKinzie in the Santa Anita Derby and ship Justify to Oaklawn Park for the Arkansas Derby. But when McKinzie suffered a setback due to injury, Baffert decided to keep Justify at his home base for the Santa Anita Derby.


title: Justify (horse)

text: On April 7, Justify entered the Santa Anita Derby as part of a field of seven horses. His main rival was Bolt d'Oro, a multiple stakes winner and another top contender on the Derby trail. The two horses were almost evenly matched in the betting, with Justify going off as the slight favorite. He went to the early lead then set a comfortable pace down the backstretch, moving with a "freak stride" that helped him conserve energy. Around the final turn, the field started to close the gap, with Bolt d'Oro getting to within lengths in mid-stretch. Justify responded to the challenge and drew away for a three-length lead despite drifting somewhat down the homestretch.


title: Justify (horse)

text: On September 11, 2019, "The New York Times" reported that Justify failed a drug test for scopolamine after winning the Santa Anita Derby. The amount detected was 300 nanograms per milliliter — well in excess of the international standard of 60 ng/ml and the modified limit in California of 75 ng/ml. According to the veterinarian quoted in the "New York Times" article, the excessive amount detected suggested that it was used as a performance enhancer and was not simply a feed contaminant. At that time, such a drug positive could have resulted in Justify's disqualification from the Santa Anita Derby, which in turn would have meant he would not have received the points required to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. However, the California Horse Racing Board did not announce the positive and delayed making a decision on the case before ultimately dismissing it in August. They also subsequently changed the penalty for a scopolamine test positive to a fine and trainer suspension, which is consistent with international standards adopted in 2016.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Dr. Rick Arthur, the board's equine medical director, subsequently explained that their investigation suggested that the result was in fact due to feed contamination by jimson weed. One key factor was that horses from five different barns had high readings for scopalimine over the same period, though none of these were as high as Justify's. Arthur pointed out that Justify may well have ingested a seed, or his reading may have been inflated because of dehydration after the race. "Even though the level was relatively high in urine, the blood level was actually quite low", he said, explaining that this and the presence of another drug, atropine, found in jimson weed were consistent with feed contamination.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Baffert issued a statement on September 12 that said, "I unequivocally reject any implication that scopolamine was ever intentionally administered to Justify, or any of my horses."


title: Justify (horse)

text: The win moved Justify to the top position in the NTRA 3-year-old poll and made him the favorite for the Derby. To win the race though, he would have to overcome the so-called "Curse of Apollo" – no horse had won the Kentucky Derby without racing as a two-year-old since Apollo in 1882. Baffert pointed to the horse's natural ability but acknowledged the colt was still green. Furthermore, the field for the 2018 Kentucky Derby was considered one of the best in recent memory, with most of the major prep race winners given serious consideration by handicappers. In addition to Justify, the field included graded stakes winners Good Magic (Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Blue Grass Stakes), Mendelssohn (Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and UAE Derby), Audible (Florida Derby), Magnum Moon (Arkansas Derby), Noble Indy (Louisiana Derby), Vino Rosso (Wood Memorial), My Boy Jack (Lexington Stakes), Free Drop Billy (Breeders' Futurity), Firenze Fire (Champagne Stakes) and Bolt d'Oro.


title: Justify (horse)

text: The 2018 Kentucky Derby was held on May 5 on a rainy day at Churchill Downs. Although the surface had been sealed earlier in the day to minimize the effect of the rain on the footing, the track condition was still labeled as sloppy. Justify broke well and used his early speed to establish good position near the rail going into the first turn, running a length behind Promises Fulfilled in a fast opening quarter of 22.24 seconds. These two maintained their position for the first three-quarters of a mile, completed in 1:11, followed closely by Bolt d'Oro, Flameaway, and Good Magic. Going into the final turn, Promises Fulfilled dropped back while first Bolt d'Oro and then Good Magic were put to a drive. Justify responded to the challenge and opened up a lead of lengths at the top of the stretch, widening to lengths at the finish line. Good Magic held on for second while Audible closed late to finish third.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Justify came out of the race almost untouched by the mud due to his front-running style. The day after however, he appeared to be somewhat lame in his left hind leg – a condition that Baffert attributed to "scratches or whatever" from the wet track. The sensitivity was later determined to have been caused by a heel bruise. To protect the heel, Justify was shod with a three-quarter horseshoe before he resumed galloping on May 10.


title: Justify (horse)

text: The track conditions for the 2018 Preakness Stakes, run on May 19 at Pimlico Racetrack in Baltimore, were even worse than for the Derby. After heavy rain over several days, the track was sloppy. The rain finally stopped shortly before the race but then a heavy fog descended, limiting visibility to about a sixteenth of a mile.


title: Justify (horse)

text: The start was once again critical, and Justify broke well to take the early lead. To his inside, Good Magic rushed up to challenge him and the two matched strides around the first turn and down the backstretch while setting moderate fractions. They picked up the pace rounding the final turn and opened a gap on the rest of the field. However, in mid-stretch, Tenfold started closing ground rapidly to Justify's outside while Bravazo, who had trailed by five lengths in mid-stretch, was moving fastest of all in the center of the track. Justify dug in to win by half a length over Bravazo, with Tenfold just a neck farther back in third, another neck in front of Good Magic.


title: Justify (horse)

text: The win earned Justify a Beyer Speed Figure of 97, the lowest of his career. Baffert felt that the colt had suffered a bit of a "bounce", or regression, from a peak performance in the Derby. He was still impressed by Justify's performance, pointing out that the colt had been pushed hard by Good Magic and had also reacted greenly by jumping several puddles during the race. "You can't bring it all the time", he said. "This will set him up for the next one."


title: Justify (horse)

text: On May 24, ESPN.com and the "New York Times" reported that Justify's breeding rights had been sold prior to the running of the Preakness to Coolmore Stud (which had owned his sire Scat Daddy) for $60 million. Reportedly, a bonus of $25 million would kick in if Justify subsequently won the Triple Crown. WinStar Farm replied that they had received many inquiries but nothing would be finalized in the "foreseeable future".


title: Justify (horse)

text: Baffert was the trainer of the prior Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah in 2015, and followed a similar training regimen with Justify at Churchill Downs until shipping to New York a few days before the Belmont. Baffert noted that one of the main differences between the two horses was their attitude: American Pharoah is known as a kind, easy going horse whereas Justify is more dominant. "You have to watch him", said Baffert. "He likes to push you around. He's not a mean horse, but his patience level with people is, like, five seconds."


title: Justify (horse)

text: The 2018 Belmont Stakes was run on June 9 over a fast track before a sold-out crowd of 90,000. Justify drew post position one, which meant that a poor start would have resulted in him getting trapped on the rail. However, Justify broke well and Smith sent him to the lead with a quick opening quarter of 23.37. He then slowed down the pace as they moved around the first turn and down the backstretch, leading by two lengths over Restoring Hope as he completed the mile in 1:38.09. Around the far turn, Vino Rosso mounted a drive to move into second place, while Gronkowski and Hofburg started closing on Vino Rosso from far back. Despite drifting out slightly in the stretch, Justify increased a one length lead over the challengers after the final turn to win by lengths over Gronkowski. He completed the mile and a half race in 2:28.18.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Baffert was elated following the race. "It's just amazing, I'm so proud to be an American, very emotional and a lot of help upstairs", he told "Forbes". "It never gets old. American Pharoah was my first love, but wow, Mike Smith deserves something like this. This horse is just amazing, he could have won every race on the undercard today."


title: Justify (horse)

text: The win made Justify the thirteenth winner of the American Triple Crown, and just the second horse to accomplish the feat while still undefeated. Justify's owners received a total of $2.94 million for winning all three Triple Crown races.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Following the Belmont Stakes, observers questioned the tactics of jockey Florent Geroux aboard Restoring Hope, who was also trained by Baffert. Restoring Hope broke slowly from the starting gate but quickly headed for the lead in between horses, cutting in front of Noble Indy and drifting wide entering the first turn. He then veered left, pushing Bravazo towards the rail. Some of those connected to other horses in the race believed that Geroux's actions helped give Justify an advantage by giving him an uncontested lead. Mike Repole, the co-owner of Vino Rosso and Noble Indy, told the "Daily Racing Form" that he was confused by seeing Restoring Hope "rush up like he was a Quarter Horse". Vino Rosso's rider John Velasquez said he felt like Geroux was trying to protect Justify. On the other hand, D. Wayne Lukas, the trainer of Bravazo, found the situation "strange", but did not think Restoring Hope's actions affected the outcome of the race.


title: Justify (horse)

text: In response, Baffert said that his original plan was to have Restoring Hope sit behind Justify in second. Geroux stated that he wanted to be towards the front early but Restoring Hope became rank. "When he broke a step slow – he's kind of an aggressive horse to ride, he pulls very hard – I wanted to make sure I put him in the clear. I didn't want to break, get the horse covered up and then the horse starts getting aggressive behind horses. It would have been even worse if he was behind horses." Gary West, the owner of Restoring Hope, told the "New York Post" that he was unaware of any plan to have the colt near the pace. "Maybe the horse was completely out of control and Florent had no choice. I will never know." The Belmont Park stewards spoke to Geroux about his ride the Thursday following the race. Geroux said he felt like the stewards were only talking to him because of the media attention. "I didn't bother anybody, I didn't shut anybody off. If there was something, I think they would have contacted me right away to review the race", he said.


title: Justify (horse)

text: After the Belmont, Justify was returned to Churchill Downs where he was paraded before a large crowd on June 16. He was then shipped back to Santa Anita, where he was paraded on June 23. Baffert kept Justify in light training to give the colt time to recover from the grueling Triple Crown campaign. His ultimate target was to complete the Grand Slam later in the year by racing Justify in the Breeders Cup Classic. In early July, Baffert noticed a slight filling in the ankle of Justify's left front leg. The filling subsided but then reappeared a few days later, so Baffert decided to send the colt for a detailed evaluation. Justify was officially retired from racing on July 25, 2018, ending the colt's bid for the Grand Slam.


title: Justify (horse)

text: In the 2018 World's Best Racehorse Rankings Justify was given a rating of 125, making him the second best three-year-old colt behind Roaring Lion and the eighth best racehorse in the world.


title: Justify (horse)

text: On 24 January 2019, Justify was named the 2018 American Horse of the Year with 191 votes compared to 51 votes for Accelerate, who had won the Breeders' Cup Classic. Justify was also the unanimous selection for Champion three-year-old male.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Justify's win in the Belmont Stakes was named the NTRA Moment of the Year, chosen from events that illustrate "a range of human emotions as well as outstanding displays of equine athleticism".


title: Justify (horse)

text: On September 14, 2018, WinStar Farm announced that Justify would stand at Ashford Stud (Versailles, KY), the North American branch of Coolmore Stud, although the original ownership group had retained some breeding rights. His stud fee for 2019 was $150,000. Coolmore announced that Justify's stud fee would be lowered to $100,000 for the 2022 breeding season and would not shuttle to Australia.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Justify is linebred 3 x 5 x 5 to Mr. Prospector, meaning this sire appears once in the third generation of the pedigree and twice in the fifth-generation as the sire of full sisters Yarn and Preach. Justify also line bred on Northern Dancer through Storm Cat, Yarn, Nijinsky, Deputy Minister, Preach, and Baldski. Further back, Justify's pedigree contains multiple line breedings on some of the greatest sires of the twentieth century, including Native Dancer, Nearco, and Man o' War.


title: Justify (horse)

text: Justify's pedigree includes several Triple Crown winners. He is a fifth generation descendant of Seattle Slew through A.P. Indy; a sixth generation descendant of Secretariat through both Storm Cat and A.P. Indy; descends from Count Fleet through Mr. Prospector and Primal Force, and has multiple crosses to War Admiral through Ogygian's daughter Myth, Personable Lady, and A.P. Indy. Even farther back in his pedigree are Omaha and Gallant Fox. Nijinsky, who appears several times in Justify's pedigree, won the English Triple Crown in 1970.


title: Walther WA 2000

text: The Walther WA 2000 is a semi-automatic bullpup sniper rifle produced by the Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen company from 1982 until 1988. It was produced in three different calibers. Production of the rifle was limited and it was shortly stopped because it was too expensive to achieve widespread sales and not robust enough for military use as a sniper rifle. Only 176 were built due to its high cost, making it one of the rarest and most sought production firearms ever made.


title: Walther WA 2000

text: The WA 2000 was designed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, in response to the 1972 Summer Olympics Munich massacre. The bullpup design was chosen because it would allow a standard length barrel to be used whilst the overall length would be shorter than a conventional rifle. The WA 2000 had a quick-detachable scope mount with a weight of 0.96 kg (2.1 lb). The rifle did not have iron sights. The most commonly used optical sight was a Schmidt & Bender 2.5–10× telescopic sight. Without scope the rifle has an unloaded weight of 6.95 kg (15.3 lb) and a loaded weight of 7.35 kg (16.2 lb).


title: Walther WA 2000

text: The .300 Winchester Magnum round was chosen as the primary caliber because of its long range accuracy and its consistency at all ranges. The entire rifle is designed around the barrel. The WA 2000 fires from a closed bolt and uses a bolt with seven locking lugs. It has either a single-stage trigger or a two-stage trigger with a trigger pull of 1.2 to 1.4 kg (2.65 to 3.1 lb). The rifle uses single stack box magazines with a 6-round capacity, which weigh 0.4 kg (0.88 lb) when loaded.


title: Walther WA 2000

text: Only 176 total rifles were produced, and in two different variants. The two variants can be differentiated by the type of flash suppressor used: the first, the older model, uses a "can" type flash suppressor; whereas the second generation and newer model uses the more conventional "flash-hider/compensator" design. The second generation incorporated several changes improving the rifle's accuracy, making it more suited to its intended job.


title: Walther WA 2000

text: The rifle was produced from 1982 until November 1988. The rifle was used by some German police units, but production was stopped because it was too expensive to achieve widespread sales. It was never adopted by a military unit due to its cost and not being robust enough for field service. The final retail cost for a base rifle in the 1980s was in the range of $9,000 to $12,500, and the rifle's current value ranges from $40,000 for the first generation to $75,000 for the second generation.


title: Willie D

text: William James Dennis is an American rapper, best known as a member of the Houston rap group the Geto Boys, alongside Bushwick Bill and Scarface. He maintains and regularly uploads to his YouTube channel, posting social commentary videos. As of July 2021, his channel "WillieDLive" has accumulated over 200 million video views.


title: Willie D

text: Willie took up boxing at the age of 11. In 1985, he became the Golden Gloves Champion for the State of Texas. Rather than become a professional boxer, he decided to become a rap music MC. He attended Forest Brook High School but in 1986, two months prior to his scheduled graduation, he was expelled for fighting. He never returned to school.


title: Willie D

text: His reputation reached J Prince, founder of Rap-A-Lot Records. At the time Prince was looking to revamp the Geto Boys and knew that Willie D would be a key factor in the group's success. Once Willie D was on board, Scarface was added to complete the group.


title: Willie D

text: Considered the classic line up, Willie D, Bushwick Bill, and Scarface first emerged as the Geto Boys in 1989 with their gold record, "Grip It! On That Other Level". The record contained the songs "Gangster of Love," "Do It Like a G.O.," "Size Ain't Shit," and "Read These Nikes," all penned by Willie D. Willie went on to record a string of critical and commercially successful solo and group albums including the Geto Boys' "We Can't Be Stopped" (platinum), which featured the single "Mind Playing Tricks on Me," co-written by Willie D.


title: Willie D

text: In 2009, Willie D was featured on a song called "Down South Hustlaz", along with Young Buck, Trae, Bun B, and Rick Ross.


title: Willie D

text: He was featured on a track on "Mike E. Clark's Extra Pop Emporium" along with "Insane Clown Posse" and "Twiztid" called Scrubstitute Teachers. In April 2012, he released "Hoodiez" featuring Scarface, D-Boi and Propain. The song quickly went viral and became an internet hit. It is a tribute to slain teenager Trayvon Martin who was shot by neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman.


title: Willie D

text: Willie D's mother, Marvelous Dennis, who later became Marvelous Basey through marriage (died February 14, 1994), was born in Houston, Texas. She named him after his maternal grandfather, Willie Dennis. She was a cafeteria cook for the Houston Independent School District (HISD) for several years. His father, Alfred Deboest (died May 17, 1998), was from Lake Charles, Louisiana. He was a carpenter and construction worker by trade.


title: Willie D

text: Willie D was raised by his mother in Houston after his parents separated when he was four-years old. He has stated in interviews that both his parents were alcoholics and that his mother was physically and verbally abusive. Although he rarely saw his dad while growing up, when it was discovered that his father had lung cancer, Willie D took him in to live with him before he succumbed to the disease. Furthermore, despite a troubled relationship with his mother, in 1991 he took his first large paycheck from his music royalties and purchased a four-bedroom house for her while he was still living in an apartment.


title: Willie D

text: On September 3, 1994, he married Bridget Bonier, who is a mechanical engineer, in a private ceremony on a yacht in Clear Lake City, Texas. They have two children, a daughter, Caen (pronounced Cain), who was born April 26, 1995, and a son, Blake, born July 8, 1999. They were divorced in 2010. Willie D has four siblings, Karen Williams (half), Warren Vann (half), Ernestine Dennis, and Isaac Dennis (half).


title: Willie D

text: Willie D began boxing at the age of 11, and won the Golden Gloves for the state of Texas in 1985. He went on to choose a career as a rapper over turning professional, but he eventually returned to boxing during the 1990s. He won his first professional fight in 1992, knocking out Melle Mel at a charity boxing show by accident after the two bumped heads in the first round. Willie D had two more fights between 1999 and 2000, beating Charles Aguilera by TKO in October 1999 and John Tarmon by KO in June 2000, and drew against John Washington on August 24, 2000. In Willie D's last professional fight, he lost to Yameen Muhammad by TKO in October 2000.


title: Willie D

text: In 1984 after turning 18, Dennis and Ronald Hope were arrested for holding up a gas station and were held for several months awaiting trial. A 1992 "Houston Chronicle" article stated that Dennis did six months in jail for aggravated robbery. Dennis was still in attendance at Forest Brook High School prior to his 1986 expulsion.


title: Willie D

text: Dennis was sentenced to deferred adjudication in 1994 for an alleged theft of service concerning a car repair bill.


title: Willie D

text: Dennis was arrested by FBI agents on May 13, 2009, on federal wire fraud charges, stemming from his purported sales of Apple iPhones through a company known as Texas One Wireless after luring potential buyers off Ebay (which he had used to build a reputation as a reliable seller); victims would pay for the electronics, after which all contact would cease and their products would fail to be delivered. The total amount defrauded was alleged to be $194,087.17 (according to authorities investigation the 35 claims of fraud related to the case). Willie D was sentenced to a year in federal prison in December 2010 after pleading guilty to all charges. He was given BOP#99063-179 and spent his sentence at FCI Beaumont and FDC Houston.


title: Viagogo

text: Viagogo, stylized by the company as viagogo, is a multinational ticket exchange and ticket resale brand. It is headquartered in the United States and owned by StubHub Holdings. It was founded in 2006 by Eric Baker, the co-founder of StubHub.


title: Viagogo

text: Viagogo is backed by venture capital investment firm Index Ventures as well as Brent Hoberman, the co-founder and former CEO of lastminute.com, and Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild. In February 2020, it acquired StubHub.


title: Viagogo

text: The company has been criticized for inflation via ticket resale, lacking transparency, and in some cases, having sold counterfeit tickets. These controversies have led to legal action in some of the countries where Viagogo operates, and also led the UK Competition & Markets Authority to order changes to Viagogo's operations.


title: Viagogo

text: Viagogo was founded in 2006 in London by Eric Baker, the co-founder of US-based StubHub. It was established to provide an online marketplace that allows consumers to buy and sell tickets to sports, music, theatre and comedy events. The company's launch included partnerships with Chelsea F.C. and Manchester United F.C. offering season ticket holders the chance to sell tickets to matches they could not attend to other club members, without having to lend their season card. Manchester United ended its commercial agreement with Viagogo in 2011.


title: Viagogo

text: As unauthorized reselling of football tickets was illegal under British law in 2006 with the purpose of preventing hooliganism, Viagogo's official reselling authorizations with Chelsea FC and Manchester United FC marked the first time Premier League tickets were legally resold in the United Kingdom.


title: Viagogo

text: In 2012 in the UK, Labour MP Sharon Hodgson's proposal that legislation be introduced to cap resale prices at 10% higher than their face value was rejected by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport leaving Viagogo free to continue operating in the country without price caps.


title: Viagogo

text: In September 2013, Viagogo launched in Australia. The launch was accompanied by two new partnerships with Melbourne-based AFL clubs Collingwood and Richmond.


title: Viagogo

text: Viagogo was the official ticket marketplace for the various music festivals in 2013, including the Isle of Wight Festival, the Boyzone 20th Anniversary Tour, the Benicàssim Festival and Weekend Festival. In 2014, Viagogo partnered with SFX Entertainment and in 2015 with the Australian Soundwave festival, and Ultra Beach Bali. In 2016, Viagogo was announced as the official ticketing partner of Ultra Singapore 2016.


title: Viagogo

text: After a website "glitch" reportedly overcharged dozens of UK customers, in 2017 Viagogo was criticized for allegedly denying prompt refunds. In February 2018, Viagogo was found to have been marketing tickets for a non-existent performance by a Hungarian stand-up comedian for about twice the normal price.


title: Viagogo

text: By 2012, Viagogo's ticket pricing policy had become a frequent subject of controversy in the United Kingdom. After a number of Mumford & Sons tickets, one reportedly marked up from face value of £23.50 to £200, proved invalid in November 2012, Viagogo assured the BBC that it was a rare occurrence and the tickets would be refunded or replaced.


title: Viagogo

text: In March 2019, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport warned consumers not to buy or sell tickets through Viagogo. In July 2019, Google ceased paid advertising by Viagogo for breaching Google's internal advertising policies. Google resumed advertising for Viagogo in November 2019, after Viagogo made "suitable changes to their account."


title: Viagogo

text: In November 2019, StubHub disclosed having sold $4.75 billion in tickets in 2018 with $1.1 billion in annual fees, while Viagogo had not disclosed its financial details. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, Viagogo operated in 70 countries and was particularly popular in Europe and Britain, while StubHub sold tickets in 44 countries and was most popular in the United States.


title: Viagogo

text: After announcing its intent to purchase StubHub from eBay in late 2019, Viagogo agreed to purchase StubHub for $4 billion in February 2020, with Viagogo's owner Pugnacious LLC to become the holding company for both. The deal was put on hold in 2020 by the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) over competition concerns, as combined, the two companies held a 90% market share of secondary ticketing in the United Kingdom.


title: Viagogo

text: As part of the deal, StubHub agreed to sell its business outside of North America, including its UK business, to Digital Fuel Capital LLC. Through the merger, Viagogo and StubHub became owned by the new entity StubHub Holdings.


title: Viagogo

text: The Viagogo brand facilitates the sale of live sport, music, and entertainment tickets through an online platform. The company charges a variable booking fee on top of ticket price, and a service fee from sellers. Viagogo has a policy to "provide comparable replacement tickets or a refund".


title: Viagogo

text: Along with partnerships with entertainers and music festivals, the company has partnerships with various sports properties.


title: Viagogo

text: The company has been criticized for its use of "drip pricing" in certain countries, where not all charges are shown until the end of a transaction. According to Swedish newspaper "Göteborgs-Posten", during purchases of secondhand tickets in 2018, one price was shown up front, while additional costs such as value-added tax or booking fees were shown to buyers later in the checkout process. The newspaper criticized the practice as disingenuous. In 2018, a CMA order dictated that Viagogo's UK portal include all-in pricing to make the platform more transparent to customers.


title: Viagogo

text: At that time of the CMA order, customers were presented with several messages about tickets being about to run out and in the user interface, the "continue" button jumped and a timer kept counting down. According to executive Chris Miller, the messages were intended to show customers they were visiting a "dynamic market place" and helped buyers "make an informed decision".


title: Viagogo

text: During a test where three tickets were purchased, the average transaction took about ten minutes to complete which did not leave time to read the purchase conditions. Once the transactions were completed, the average price paid was about twice that charged by official ticket sellers.


title: Viagogo

text: Although Viagogo offers some tickets at face value it is well known for vastly inflating prices for events.


title: Viagogo

text: In 2018, the Swedish Consumer Agency received 132 reports about the company, making it the seventh most reported business operating in Sweden. A frequent criticism was that customers felt stressed and pressured into finishing their purchases. Pressure marketing and countdown timers were removed from the UK website in 2018.


title: Viagogo

text: They have also faced criticism after they resold charity tickets to an Ed Sheeran cancer benefit concert at highly inflated prices.


title: Viagogo

text: After the company failed to appear before the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee of the UK Parliament in March 2017, Hodgson and fellow committee member Nigel Adams visited its London headquarters the following July, but the party was turned away.