title: 777 (number)

text: The Afrikaner Resistance Movement ("Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging", AWB), a Boer-nationalist, neo-Nazi, and white supremacist movement in South Africa, used the number 777 as part of their emblem.


title: 777 (number)

text: The number refers to a triumph of "God's number" 7 over the Devil's number 666. On the AWB flag, the numbers are arranged in a triskelion shape, resembling the Nazi swastika.


title: 777 (number)

text: In Unix's chmod, change-access-mode command, the octal value 777 grants all file-access permissions to all user types in a file.


title: 777 (number)

text: Boeing, the largest manufacturer of airliners in the United States, released the Boeing 777 (commonly nicknamed the "Triple Seven") in June 1995. The family of 777s include the 777-200, 777-200ER, the 777-300, the 777-200LR Worldliner, the 777-300ER, and the 777 Freighter. The -100 wasn't continued in production due to loss of interest. In the 21st Century, Boeing has developed what will be in use for some different airlines, called the Boeing 777X. Projects have been delayed because of COVID-19, but will return to normal production.


title: 777 (number)

text: 777 is used on most slot machines in the United States to identify a jackpot. As it is considered a lucky number, banknotes with a serial number containing 777 tend to be valued by collectors and numismatists. The US Mint and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing sells uncirculated 777 $1 bills for this reason.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: Fanconi anaemia (FA) is a rare genetic disease resulting in impaired response to DNA damage. Although it is a very rare disorder, study of this and other bone marrow failure syndromes has improved scientific understanding of the mechanisms of normal bone marrow function and development of cancer. Among those affected, the majority develop cancer, most often acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), and 90% develop aplastic anemia (the inability to produce blood cells) by age 40. About 60–75% have congenital defects, commonly short stature, abnormalities of the skin, arms, head, eyes, kidneys, and ears, and developmental disabilities. Around 75% have some form of endocrine problem, with varying degrees of severity.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: FA is the result of a genetic defect in a cluster of proteins responsible for DNA repair via homologous recombination.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: Treatment with androgens and hematopoietic (blood cell) growth factors can help bone marrow failure temporarily, but the long-term treatment is bone marrow transplant if a donor is available. Because of the genetic defect in DNA repair, cells from people with FA are sensitive to drugs that treat cancer by DNA crosslinking, such as mitomycin C. The typical age of death was 30 years in 2000.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: FA occurs in about one per 130,000 births, with a higher frequency in Ashkenazi Jews and Afrikaners in South Africa. The disease is named after the Swiss pediatrician who originally described this disorder, Guido Fanconi. It should not be confused with Fanconi syndrome, a kidney disorder also named after Fanconi.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: FA is characterized by bone marrow failure, AML, solid tumors, and developmental abnormalities. Classic features include abnormal thumbs, absent radii, short stature, skin hyperpigmentation, including café au lait spots, abnormal facial features (triangular face, microcephaly), abnormal kidneys, and decreased fertility. Many FA patients (about 30%) do not have any of the classic physical findings, but diepoxybutane chromosome fragility assay showing increased chromosomal breaks can make the diagnosis. About 80% of FA will develop bone marrow failure by age 20.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: The first sign of a hematologic problem is usually petechiae and bruises, with later onset of pale appearance, feeling tired, and infections. Because macrocytosis usually precedes a low platelet count, patients with typical congenital anomalies associated with FA should be evaluated for an elevated red blood cell mean corpuscular volume.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: FA is primarily an autosomal recessive genetic disorder. This means that two mutated alleles (one from each parent) are required to cause the disease. The risk is 25% that each subsequent child will have FA. About 2% of FA cases are X-linked recessive, which means that if the mother carries one mutated Fanconi anemia allele on one X chromosome, a 50% chance exists that male offspring will present with Fanconi anemia.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: Scientists have identified 21 FA or FA-like genes: "FANCA", "FANCB", "FANCC", "FANCD1 (BRCA2)", "FANCD2", "FANCE", "FANCF", "FANCG", "FANCI", "FANCJ (BRIP1)", "FANCL", "FANCM", "FANCN (PALB2)", "FANCO (RAD51C)," "FANCP (SLX4)", "FANCQ" ("XPF), FANCS (BRCA1), FANCT (UBE2T), FANCU (XRCC2), FANCV (REV7)," and "FANCW (RFWD3)". "FANCB "is the one exception to FA being autosomal recessive, as this gene is on the X chromosome. These genes are involved in DNA repair.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: The carrier frequency in the Ashkenazi Jewish population is about one in 90. Genetic counseling and genetic testing are recommended for families who may be carriers of Fanconi anemia.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: Because of the failure of hematologic components—white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets—to develop, the body's capabilities to fight infection, deliver oxygen, and form clots are all diminished.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: Clinically, hematological abnormalities are the most serious symptoms in FA. By the age of 40, 98% of FA patients will have developed some type of hematological abnormality. However, a few cases have occurred in which older patients have died without ever developing them. Symptoms appear progressively, and often lead to complete bone marrow failure. While at birth, blood count is usually normal, macrocytosis/megaloblastic anemia, defined as unusually large red blood cells, is the first detected abnormality, often within the first decade of life (median age of onset is 7 years). Within the next 10 years, over 50% of patients presenting haematological abnormalities will have developed pancytopenia, defined as abnormalities in two or more blood cell lineages. This is in contrast to Diamond–Blackfan anemia, which affects only erythrocytes, and Shwachman–Diamond syndrome, which primarily causes neutropenia. Most commonly, a low platelet count (thrombocytopenia) precedes a low neutrophil count (neutropenia), with both appearing with relative equal frequencies. The deficiencies cause increased risk of hemorrhage and recurrent infections, respectively.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: As FA is now known to affect DNA repair, specifically homologous recombination, and given the current knowledge about dynamic cell division in the bone marrow, patients are consequently more likely to develop bone marrow failure, myelodysplastic syndromes, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).


title: Fanconi anemia

text: MDSs, formerly known as preleukemia, are a group of bone marrow neoplastic diseases that share many of the morphologic features of AML, with some important differences. First, the percentage of undifferentiated progenitor cells, blast cells, is always less than 20%, with considerably more dysplasia, defined as cytoplasmic and nuclear morphologic changes in erythroid, granulocytic, and megakaryocytic precursors, than what is usually seen in cases of AML. These changes reflect delayed apoptosis or a failure of programmed cell death. When left untreated, MDS can lead to AML in about 30% of cases. Due to the nature of the FA pathology, MDS diagnosis cannot be made solely through cytogenetic analysis of the marrow. Indeed, it is only when morphologic analysis of marrow cells is performed, that a diagnosis of MDS can be ascertained. Upon examination, MDS-affected FA patients will show many clonal variations, appearing either prior or subsequent to the MDS. Furthermore, cells will show chromosomal aberrations, the most frequent being monosomy 7 and partial trisomies of chromosome 3q 15. Observation of monosomy 7 within the marrow is well correlated with an increased risk of developing AML and with a very poor prognosis, death generally ensuing within 2 years (unless prompt allogeneic hematopoietic progenitor cell transplant is an option).


title: Fanconi anemia

text: FA patients are at elevated risk for the development of AML defined as presence of 20% or more of myeloid blasts in the marrow or 5 to 20% myeloid blasts in the blood. All of the subtypes of AML can occur in FA with the exception of promyelocytic. However, myelomonocytic and acute monocytic are the most common subtypes observed. Many MDS patients' diseases evolve into AML if they survive long enough. Furthermore, the risk of developing AML increases with the onset of bone-marrow failure.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: Although risk of developing either MDS or AML before the age of 20 is only 27%, this risk increases to 43% by the age of 30 and 52% by the age of 40. Historically, even with a marrow transplant, about a quarter of FA patients diagnosed with MDS/ALS have died from MDS/ALS-related causes within two years, although more recent published evidence suggests that earlier allogeneic hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation in children with FA is leading to better outcomes over time.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: The last major haematological complication associated with FA is bone marrow failure, defined as inadequate blood cell production. Several types of failure are observed in FA patients, and generally precede MDS and AML. Detection of decreasing blood count is generally the first sign used to assess necessity of treatment and possible transplant. While most FA patients are initially responsive to androgen therapy and haemopoietic growth factors, these have been shown to promote leukemia, especially in patients with clonal cytogenetic abnormalities, and have severe side effects, including hepatic adenomas and adenocarcinomas. The only treatment left would be bone marrow transplant; however, such an operation has a relatively low success rate in FA patients when the donor is unrelated (30% 5-year survival). It is, therefore, imperative to transplant from an HLA-identical sibling. Furthermore, due to the increased susceptibility of FA patients to chromosomal damage, pretransplant conditioning cannot include high doses of radiation or immunosuppressants, thus increased chances of patients developing graft-versus-host disease. If all precautions are taken, and the marrow transplant is performed within the first decade of life, two-year probability of survival can be as high as 89%. However, if the transplant is performed at ages older than 10, two-year survival rates drop to 54%.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: A recent report by Zhang et al. investigates the mechanism of bone marrow failure in FANCC-/- cells. They hypothesize and successfully demonstrate that continuous cycles of hypoxia-reoxygenation, such as those seen by haemopoietic and progenitor cells as they migrate between hyperoxic blood and hypoxic marrow tissues, leads to premature cellular senescence and therefore inhibition of haemopoietic function. Senescence, together with apoptosis, may constitute a major mechanism of haemopoietic cell depletion occurred in bone marrow failure.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: There are 22 genes responsible for FA, one of them being the breast-cancer susceptibility gene BRCA2. They are involved in the recognition and repair of damaged DNA; genetic defects leave them unable to repair DNA. The FA core complex of 8 proteins is normally activated when DNA stops replicating because of damage. The core complex adds ubiquitin, a small protein that combines with BRCA2 in another cluster to repair DNA (see Figure Recombinational repair of DNA double-strand damage). At the end of the process, ubiquitin is removed.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: Recent studies have shown that eight of these proteins, FANCA, -B, -C, -E, -F, -G, -L and -M, assemble to form a core protein complex in the nucleus. According to current models, the complex moves from the cytoplasm into the nucleus following nuclear localization signals on FANCA and FANCE. Assembly is activated by replicative stress, particularly DNA damage caused by cross-linking agents (such as mitomycin C or cisplatin) or reactive oxygen species (ROS) that is detected by the FANCM protein.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: Following assembly, the protein core complex activates FANCL protein which acts as an E3 ubiquitin-ligase and monoubiquitinates FANCD2 and FANCI.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: Monoubiquitinated FANCD2, also known as FANCD2-L, then goes on to interact with a BRCA1/BRCA2 complex (see Figure Recombinational repair of DNA double-strand damage). Details are not known, but similar complexes are involved in genome surveillance and associated with a variety of proteins implicated in DNA repair and chromosomal stability. With a crippling mutation in any FA protein in the complex, DNA repair is much less effective, as shown by its response to damage caused by cross-linking agents such as cisplatin, diepoxybutane and Mitomycin C. Bone marrow is particularly sensitive to this defect.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: In another pathway responding to ionizing radiation, FANCD2 is thought to be phosphorylated by protein complex ATM/ATR activated by double-strand DNA breaks, and takes part in S-phase checkpoint control. This pathway was proven by the presence of radioresistant DNA synthesis, the hallmark of a defect in the S phase checkpoint, in patients with FA-D1 or FA-D2. Such a defect readily leads to uncontrollable replication of cells and might also explain the increase frequency of AML in these patients.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: FA proteins have cellular roles in autophagy and ribosome biogenesis in addition to DNA repair. FANCC, FANCA, FANCF, FANCL, FANCD2, BRCA1, and BRCA2 are required to clear damaged mitochondria from the cell (a process called mitophagy). BRCA1 (also known as FANCS) interacts with the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) promoter and terminator in the nucleolus, the cellular location where ribosome biogenesis initiates, and is required for transcription of rDNA. FANCI functions in the production of the large ribosomal subunit by processing pre-ribosomal RNA (pre-rRNA), the transcription of pre-rRNA by RNAPI, maintaining levels of the mature 28S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and the global cellular translation of proteins by ribosomes. In the nucleolus, FANCI is predominantly in the deubiquitinated form. In addition, FANCA is required to maintain normal nucleolar morphology, for transcription of pre-rRNA, and global cellular translation. FANCC, FANCD2, FANCG are also required to maintain normal nucleolar morphology and FANCG is also required for global cellular translation. There may be a role for FA proteins outside the nucleolus in ribosome biogenesis or protein translation as FANCI and FANCD2 were the only FA proteins associated with polysomes. Other inherited bone marrow failure syndromes also have defects in ribosome biogenesis or protein translation, including dyskeratosis congenita, Diamond-Blackfan anemia, and Shwachman Diamond Syndrome, and like these other diseases, FA may also be a ribosomopathy.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: In humans, infertility is one of the characteristics of individuals with mutational defects in the FANC genes. In mice, spermatogonia, preleptotene spermatocytes, and spermatocytes in the meiotic stages of leptotene, zygotene and early pachytene are enriched for FANC proteins. This finding suggests that recombinational repair processes mediated by the FANC proteins are active during germ cell development, particularly during meiosis, and that defects in this activity can lead to infertility.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: Microphthalmia and microcephaly are frequent congenital defects in FA patients. The loss of FANCA and FANCG in mice causes neural progenitor apoptosis both during early developmental neurogenesis and later during adult neurogenesis. This leads to depletion of the neural stem cell pool with aging. Much of the Fanconi anemia phenotype might be interpreted as a reflection of premature aging of stem cells.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: The first line of therapy is androgens and hematopoietic growth factors, but only 50–75% of patients respond. A more permanent cure is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. If no potential donors exist, a savior sibling can be conceived by preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to match the recipient's HLA type.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: Many patients eventually develop acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Older patients are extremely likely to develop head and neck, esophageal, gastrointestinal, vulvar and anal cancers. Patients who have had a successful bone marrow transplant and, thus, are cured of the blood problem associated with FA still must have regular examinations to watch for signs of cancer. Many patients do not reach adulthood.


title: Fanconi anemia

text: The overarching medical challenge that Fanconi patients face is a failure of their bone marrow to produce blood cells. In addition, Fanconi patients normally are born with a variety of birth defects. A significant number of Fanconi patients have kidney problems, trouble with their eyes, developmental delay and other serious defects, such as microcephaly (small head).


title: Errors and residuals

text: In statistics and optimization, errors and residuals are two closely related and easily confused measures of the deviation of an observed value of an element of a statistical sample from its "true value" (not necessarily observable). The error of an observation is the deviation of the observed value from the true value of a quantity of interest (for example, a population mean). The residual is the difference between the observed value and the "estimated" value of the quantity of interest (for example, a sample mean). The distinction is most important in regression analysis, where the concepts are sometimes called the regression errors and regression residuals and where they lead to the concept of studentized residuals.


title: Errors and residuals

text: Suppose there is a series of observations from a univariate distribution and we want to estimate the mean of that distribution (the so-called location model). In this case, the errors are the deviations of the observations from the population mean, while the residuals are the deviations of the observations from the sample mean.


title: Errors and residuals

text: A statistical error (or disturbance) is the amount by which an observation differs from its expected value, the latter being based on the whole population from which the statistical unit was chosen randomly. For example, if the mean height in a population of 21-year-old men is 1.75 meters, and one randomly chosen man is 1.80 meters tall, then the "error" is 0.05 meters; if the randomly chosen man is 1.70 meters tall, then the "error" is −0.05 meters. The expected value, being the mean of the entire population, is typically unobservable, and hence the statistical error cannot be observed either.


title: Errors and residuals

text: A residual (or fitting deviation), on the other hand, is an observable "estimate" of the unobservable statistical error. Consider the previous example with men's heights and suppose we have a random sample of "n" people. The "sample mean" could serve as a good estimator of the "population" mean. Then we have:


title: Errors and residuals

text: Note that, because of the definition of the sample mean, the sum of the residuals within a random sample is necessarily zero, and thus the residuals are necessarily "not independent". The statistical errors, on the other hand, are independent, and their sum within the random sample is almost surely not zero.


title: Errors and residuals

text: One can standardize statistical errors (especially of a normal distribution) in a z-score (or "standard score"), and standardize residuals in a "t"-statistic, or more generally studentized residuals.


title: Errors and residuals

text: If we assume a normally distributed population with mean μ and standard deviation σ, and choose individuals independently, then we have


title: Errors and residuals

text: The sum of squares of the statistical errors, divided by "σ", has a chi-squared distribution with "n" degrees of freedom:


title: Errors and residuals

text: However, this quantity is not observable as the population mean is unknown. The sum of squares of the residuals, on the other hand, is observable. The quotient of that sum by σ has a chi-squared distribution with only "n" − 1 degrees of freedom:


title: Errors and residuals

text: This difference between "n" and "n" − 1 degrees of freedom results in Bessel's correction for the estimation of sample variance of a population with unknown mean and unknown variance. No correction is necessary if the population mean is known.


title: Errors and residuals

text: It is remarkable that the sum of squares of the residuals and the sample mean can be shown to be independent of each other, using, e.g. Basu's theorem. That fact, and the normal and chi-squared distributions given above form the basis of calculations involving the t-statistic:


title: Errors and residuals

text: where formula_9 represents the errors, formula_10 represents the sample standard deviation for a sample of size "n", and unknown "σ", and the denominator term formula_11 accounts for the standard deviation of the errors according to:


title: Errors and residuals

text: The probability distributions of the numerator and the denominator separately depend on the value of the unobservable population standard deviation "σ", but "σ" appears in both the numerator and the denominator and cancels. That is fortunate because it means that even though we do not know "σ", we know the probability distribution of this quotient: it has a Student's t-distribution with "n" − 1 degrees of freedom. We can therefore use this quotient to find a confidence interval for "μ". This t-statistic can be interpreted as "the number of standard errors away from the regression line."


title: Errors and residuals

text: In regression analysis, the distinction between "errors" and "residuals" is subtle and important, and leads to the concept of studentized residuals. Given an unobservable function that relates the independent variable to the dependent variable – say, a line – the deviations of the dependent variable observations from this function are the unobservable errors. If one runs a regression on some data, then the deviations of the dependent variable observations from the "fitted" function are the residuals. If the linear model is applicable, a scatterplot of residuals plotted against the independent variable should be random about zero with no trend to the residuals. If the data exhibit a trend, the regression model is likely incorrect; for example, the true function may be a quadratic or higher order polynomial. If they are random, or have no trend, but "fan out" - they exhibit a phenomenon called heteroscedasticity. If all of the residuals are equal, or do not fan out, they exhibit homoscedasticity.


title: Errors and residuals

text: However, a terminological difference arises in the expression mean squared error (MSE). The mean squared error of a regression is a number computed from the sum of squares of the computed "residuals", and not of the unobservable "errors". If that sum of squares is divided by "n", the number of observations, the result is the mean of the squared residuals. Since this is a biased estimate of the variance of the unobserved errors, the bias is removed by dividing the sum of the squared residuals by "df" = "n" − "p" − 1, instead of "n", where "df" is the number of degrees of freedom ("n" minus the number of parameters (excluding the intercept) p being estimated - 1). This forms an unbiased estimate of the variance of the unobserved errors, and is called the mean squared error.


title: Errors and residuals

text: Another method to calculate the mean square of error when analyzing the variance of linear regression using a technique like that used in ANOVA (they are the same because ANOVA is a type of regression), the sum of squares of the residuals (aka sum of squares of the error) is divided by the degrees of freedom (where the degrees of freedom equal "n" − "p" − 1, where "p" is the number of parameters estimated in the model (one for each variable in the regression equation, not including the intercept)). One can then also calculate the mean square of the model by dividing the sum of squares of the model minus the degrees of freedom, which is just the number of parameters. Then the F value can be calculated by dividing the mean square of the model by the mean square of the error, and we can then determine significance (which is why you want the mean squares to begin with.).


title: Errors and residuals

text: However, because of the behavior of the process of regression, the "distributions" of residuals at different data points (of the input variable) may vary "even if" the errors themselves are identically distributed. Concretely, in a linear regression where the errors are identically distributed, the variability of residuals of inputs in the middle of the domain will be "higher" than the variability of residuals at the ends of the domain: linear regressions fit endpoints better than the middle. This is also reflected in the influence functions of various data points on the regression coefficients: endpoints have more influence.


title: Errors and residuals

text: Thus to compare residuals at different inputs, one needs to adjust the residuals by the expected variability of "residuals," which is called studentizing. This is particularly important in the case of detecting outliers, where the case in question is somehow different than the other's in a dataset. For example, a large residual may be expected in the middle of the domain, but considered an outlier at the end of the domain.


title: Errors and residuals

text: The use of the term "error" as discussed in the sections above is in the sense of a deviation of a value from a hypothetical unobserved value. At least two other uses also occur in statistics, both referring to observable prediction errors:


title: Errors and residuals

text: The ""mean squared error" (MSE) refers to the amount by which the values predicted by an estimator differ from the quantities being estimated (typically outside the sample from which the model was estimated).


title: Errors and residuals

text: "Sum of squares of residuals" (SSR) is the sum of the squares of the deviations of the actual values from the predicted values, within the sample used for estimation. This is the basis for the least squares estimate, where the regression coefficients are chosen such that the SSR is minimal (i.e. its derivative is zero).


title: Errors and residuals

text: Likewise, the "sum of absolute errors" (SAE) is the sum of the absolute values of the residuals, which is minimized in the least absolute deviations approach to regression.


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: Employees' Provident Fund (EPF; Malay: Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja, KWSP) is a federal statutory body under the purview of the Ministry of Finance. It manages the compulsory savings plan and retirement planning for private sector workers in Malaysia. Membership of the EPF is mandatory for Malaysian citizens employed in the private sector, and voluntary for non-Malaysian citizens.


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: Malaysian EPF was established in 1951 pursuant to the Employees Provident Fund Ordinance 1951, under the National Director of Posts. This law became the EPF Act 1951. In 1982, then the EPF Act 1991 in 1991. The EPF Act 1991 requires employees and their employers to contribute towards their retirement savings, and allows workers to withdraw these savings at retirement or for special purposes before then. As of 31 December 2012, EPF has 13.6 million members, of which 6.4 million are active contributing members. At the same date, EPF had 502,863 contributing employers.


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: The EPF is intended to help employees from the private sector save a fraction of their salary in a lifetime banking scheme, to be used primarily as a retirement fund but also in the event that the employee is temporarily or no longer fit to work. The EPF also provides a framework for employers to meet legal and moral obligations to their employees.


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: As of 31 December 2020, the size of the EPF asset size stood at RM998 billion. (US$238 billion), making it the fourth largest pension fund in Asia and seventh largest in the world.


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: As of 2012, the EPF functions by requiring a contribution of at least 11% of each member's monthly salary and storing it in a savings account, while the member's employer is obligated to additionally fund at least 12% of employee's salary to the savings at the same time (13% if salary is below RM5,000).


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: While in savings, a member's EPF savings may be used as investments for companies deemed profitable and permissible by the organisation, from which dividends are banked to respective members' accounts. Alternately, members may use their EPF savings in their own investments, although such activities are not covered by the EFP and the members are to bear any losses made.


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: The EPF declares an annual dividend on funds on deposit which has varied over time, depending on investment results.


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: Legally, the EPF is only obligated to provide 2.5% dividends (as per Section 27 of the Employees Provident Fund Act 1991).


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: The EPF claims that the lowered dividend is the result of its decision to invest in low-risk fixed revenue instruments, which produce lower returns but maintains the principal value of its members' contributions. This is due to the EPF primarily aimed at providing a stable financial security of its members.


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: In addition, the EPF further elaborates dividend rates and their performances are calculated and influenced based on the full distribution of net EPF revenue, depending on the return on investments that in turn is based on asset allocation.


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: The EPF also attributes the declining interest market rate since 1996 to the interest market rate. Because 75% of investment funds are concentrated towards bodies closely linked to trends in the interest market rate, including Malaysian Government Securities, loans or bonds, and money market instruments, low interest rates for the past few years had an adverse effect on returns for EPF investments.


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: In April 2007, criticism was raised at a proposed amendment of EPF guidelines (the EPF Bill (Amendment) 2007) that cuts monthly contributions of members above 55 years by 50% (6.2% from 11% for employees, and 5.7% from 12% for employers). The change was described as a disadvantage to tens and thousands of members compared to those under the pension scheme as the former is not given free medical treatment after retirement, and was described as a form of discrimination towards senior members. Under the proposal, an employer of foreign workers may also optionally contribute RM5 monthly per head, raising concerns of employers' preferences towards foreign employees. The government responded by claiming that the proposal may be studied, and later states that members can contribute at any amount above the slashed contributed amount. The EPF guideline for employers of foreign workers remains unchanged, citing that the policy has been implemented before in 1998.


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: The Simpanan Shariah is a savings option managed and invested by the EPF in accordance with Shariah principles. To ensure that the Simpanan Shariah is managed in accordance with Shariah as required under section 43A of the EPF Act, a Shariah governance framework is established to govern the Shariah compliance aspects of the EPF Simpanan Shariah.


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: As a retirement plan, money accumulated in an EPF savings can only be withdrawn when members reach 50 years old, during which they may withdraw only 30% of their EPF; members who are 55 years old or older may withdraw all of their EPF. When a member dies beforehand, the EPF fund is withdrawn in favour of a nominated individual. Withdrawals are also possible when a member permanently emigrates, becomes disabled, or requires essential medical treatment. Members above 55 years old can choose not to withdraw EPF savings immediately and withdraw only later, and, under existing guidelines, employers may continue to contribute 12% of the members' salaries at their own discretion.


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: Effective 1 January 2007, a member's EPF savings consists of two accounts that vary by their share of savings and withdrawal flexibilities. The first account, dubbed "Account I", stores 70% of the members' monthly contribution, while the second account, dubbed "Account II", stores 30%. Account I restricts withdrawals to the moment the member reaches an age of 50 years, to boost retirement fund by investment in unit trust, is incapacitated, leaves the country or passes away. Withdrawal of savings from Account II however, is permitted for down payments or loan settlements for a member's first house, finances for education and medical expenses, investments, and the time when the member reaches 55 years of age.


title: Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia)

text: A joint venture development between EPF, UDA Holdings and Eco World Development Group Berhad was announced in 2016 to develop the Bukit Bintang City Centre (BBCC), a fully integrated development located on the former site of Pudu Prison, with the project 40% owned by UDA, 40% owned by EcoWorld and 20% owned by EPF.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: A pendulum is a body suspended from a fixed support so that it swings freely back and forth under the influence of gravity. When a pendulum is displaced sideways from its resting, equilibrium position, it is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that will accelerate it back toward the equilibrium position. When released, the restoring force acting on the pendulum's mass causes it to oscillate about the equilibrium position, swinging it back and forth. The mathematics of pendulums are in general quite complicated. Simplifying assumptions can be made, which in the case of a simple pendulum allow the equations of motion to be solved analytically for small-angle oscillations.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: A "simple gravity pendulum" is an idealized mathematical model of a real pendulum. This is a weight (or bob) on the end of a massless cord suspended from a pivot, without friction. Since in this model there is no frictional energy loss, when given an initial displacement it will swing back and forth at a constant amplitude. The model is based on these assumptions:


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: where is the magnitude of the gravitational field, is the length of the rod or cord, and is the angle from the vertical to the pendulum.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: where is the mass of the pendulum, is the acceleration due to gravity, is the length of the pendulum, and is the angle between the length vector and the force due to gravity.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: where is the vertical distance the pendulum fell. Look at Figure 2, which presents the trigonometry of a simple pendulum. If the pendulum starts its swing from some initial angle , then , the vertical distance from the screw, is given by


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: This equation is known as the "first integral of motion", it gives the velocity in terms of the location and includes an integration constant related to the initial displacement (). We can differentiate, by applying the chain rule, with respect to time to get the acceleration


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: The differential equation given above is not easily solved, and there is no solution that can be written in terms of elementary functions. However, adding a restriction to the size of the oscillation's amplitude gives a form whose solution can be easily obtained. If it is assumed that the angle is much less than 1 radian (often cited as less than 0.1 radians, about 6°), or


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: Let the starting angle be . If it is assumed that the pendulum is released with zero angular velocity, the solution becomes


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: The motion is simple harmonic motion where is the amplitude of the oscillation (that is, the maximum angle between the rod of the pendulum and the vertical). The corresponding approximate period of the motion is then


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: which is known as Christiaan Huygens's law for the period. Note that under the small-angle approximation, the period is independent of the amplitude ; this is the property of isochronism that Galileo discovered.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: If SI units are used (i.e. measure in metres and seconds), and assuming the measurement is taking place on the Earth's surface, then , and (0.994 is the approximation to 3 decimal places).


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: where is the number of seconds between "two" beats (one beat for each side of the swing), and is measured in metres.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: For amplitudes beyond the small angle approximation, one can compute the exact period by first inverting the equation for the angular velocity obtained from the energy method (),


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: so that a pendulum with just the right energy to go vertical will never actually get there. (Conversely, a pendulum close to its maximum can take an arbitrarily long time to fall down.)


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: For comparison of the approximation to the full solution, consider the period of a pendulum of length 1 m on Earth ( = ) at initial angle 10 degrees is


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: The difference between the two values, less than 0.2%, is much less than that caused by the variation of with geographical location.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: Figure 4 shows the relative errors using the power series. is the linear approximation, and to include respectively the terms up to the 2nd to the 10th powers.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: more fractions available in the On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences with having the numerators and having the denominators.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: This approximation has the relative error of less than 1% for angles up to 96.11 degrees. Since formula_37 the expression can be written more concisely as


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: Though the exact period formula_42 can be determined, for any finite amplitude formula_43 rad, by evaluating the corresponding complete elliptic integral formula_44, where formula_45, this is often avoided in applications because it is not possible to express this integral in a closed form in terms of elementary functions. This has made way for research on simple approximate formulae for the increase of the pendulum period with amplitude (useful in introductory physics labs, classical mechanics, electromagnetism, acoustics, electronics, superconductivity, etc. The approximate formulae found by different authors can be classified as follows:


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: Of course, the increase of formula_42 with amplitude is more apparent when formula_53, as has been observed in many experiments using either a rigid rod or a disc. As accurate timers and sensors are currently available even in introductory physics labs, the experimental errors found in ‘very large-angle’ experiments are already small enough for a comparison with the exact period and a very good agreement between theory and experiments in which friction is negligible has been found. Since this activity has been encouraged by many instructors, a simple approximate formula for the pendulum period valid for all possible amplitudes, to which experimental data could be compared, was sought. In 2008, Lima derived a weighted-average formula with this characteristic:


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: (see ). Note that for formula_65 we have formula_66, thus the approximation is applicable even for large amplitudes.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: The animations below depict the motion of a simple (frictionless) pendulum with increasing amounts of initial displacement of the bob, or equivalently increasing initial velocity. The small graph above each pendulum is the corresponding phase plane diagram; the horizontal axis is displacement and the vertical axis is velocity. With a large enough initial velocity the pendulum does not oscillate back and forth but rotates completely around the pivot.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: A compound pendulum (or physical pendulum) is one where the rod is not massless, and may have extended size; that is, an arbitrarily shaped rigid body swinging by a pivot. In this case the pendulum's period depends on its moment of inertia around the pivot point.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: If the initial angle is taken into consideration (for large amplitudes), then the expression for formula_72 becomes:


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: where is the maximum angle of oscillation (with respect to the vertical) and is the complete elliptic integral of the first kind.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: The Jacobian elliptic function that expresses the position of a pendulum as a function of time is a doubly periodic function with a real period and an imaginary period. The real period is, of course, the time it takes the pendulum to go through one full cycle. Paul Appell pointed out a physical interpretation of the imaginary period: if is the maximum angle of one pendulum and is the maximum angle of another, then the real period of each is the magnitude of the imaginary period of the other.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: Coupled pendulums can affect each other's motion, either through a direction connection (such as a spring connecting the bobs) or through motions in a supporting structure (such as a tabletop). The equations of motion for two identical simple pendulums coupled by a spring connecting the bobs can be obtained using Lagrangian Mechanics.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: where formula_76 is the mass of the bobs, formula_77 is the length of the strings, and formula_78, formula_79 are the angular displacements of the two bobs from equilibrium.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: where formula_81 is the gravitational acceleration, and formula_82 is the spring constant. The displacement formula_83 of the spring from its equilibrium position assumes the small angle approximation.


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: Adding and subtracting these two equations in turn, and applying the small angle approximation, gives two harmonic oscillator equations in the variables formula_86 and formula_87:


title: Pendulum (mechanics)

text: If the bobs are not given an initial push, then the condition formula_98 requires formula_99, which gives (after some rearranging):


title: Galaxy cluster

text: A galaxy cluster, or a cluster of galaxies, is a structure that consists of anywhere from hundreds to thousands of galaxies that are bound together by gravity, with typical masses ranging from 10 to 10 solar masses. They are the second-largest known gravitationally bound structures in the universe after galaxy filaments and were believed to be the largest known structures in the universe until the 1980s, when superclusters were discovered. One of the key features of clusters is the intracluster medium (ICM). The ICM consists of heated gas between the galaxies and has a peak temperature between 2–15 keV that is dependent on the total mass of the cluster. Galaxy clusters should not be confused with "galactic clusters" (also known as open clusters), which are star clusters "within" galaxies, or with globular clusters, which typically orbit galaxies. Small aggregates of galaxies are referred to as galaxy groups rather than clusters of galaxies. The galaxy groups and clusters can themselves cluster together to form superclusters.


title: Galaxy cluster

text: Notable galaxy clusters in the relatively nearby Universe include the Virgo Cluster, Fornax Cluster, Hercules Cluster, and the Coma Cluster. A very large aggregation of galaxies known as the Great Attractor, dominated by the Norma Cluster, is massive enough to affect the local expansion of the Universe. Notable galaxy clusters in the distant, high-redshift Universe include SPT-CL J0546-5345 and SPT-CL J2106-5844, the most massive galaxy clusters found in the early Universe. In the last few decades, they are also found to be relevant sites of particle acceleration, a feature that has been discovered by observing non-thermal diffuse radio emissions, such as radio halos and radio relics. Using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, structures such as cold fronts and shock waves have also been found in many galaxy clusters.


title: Galaxy cluster

text: Galaxy clusters have been used by Radek Wojtak from the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen to test predictions of general relativity: energy loss from light escaping a gravitational field. Photons emitted from the center of a galaxy cluster should lose more energy than photons coming from the edge of the cluster because gravity is stronger in the center. Light emitted from the center of a cluster has a longer wavelength than light coming from the edge. This effect is known as gravitational redshift. Using the data collected from 8000 galaxy clusters, Wojtak was able to study the properties of gravitational redshift for the distribution of galaxies in clusters. He found that the light from the clusters was redshifted in proportion to the distance from the center of the cluster as predicted by general relativity. The result also strongly supports the Lambda-Cold Dark Matter model of the Universe, according to which most of the cosmos is made up of Dark Matter that does not interact with matter.


title: Galaxy cluster

text: Galaxy clusters are also used for their strong gravitational potential as gravitational lenses to boost the reach of their telescopes. The gravitational distortion of space-time occurs near massive galaxy clusters and bends the path of photons to create a cosmic magnifying glass. This can be done with photons of any wavelength from the optical to the X-ray band. The latter is more difficult, because galaxy clusters emit a lot of X-rays. However, X-ray emission may still be detected when combining X-ray data to optical data. One particular case is the use of the Phoenix galaxy cluster to observe a dwarf galaxy in its early high energy stages of star formation.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: Claudia L. Tenney (born February 4, 1961) is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative for New York's 22nd congressional district since 2021, having previously represented the district from 2017 to 2019. Her district covers a large part of Central New York, extending from the east end of Lake Ontario to the Pennsylvania border and includes the cities of Utica, Rome and Binghamton.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: A member of the Republican Party, Tenney served in the New York State Assembly from 2011 to 2017. In 2014, she challenged incumbent U.S. Representative Richard L. Hanna in the Republican primary and lost. Tenney was elected to Congress in 2016 after Hanna retired. She narrowly lost reelection to Democrat Anthony Brindisi in 2018. Tenney challenged Brindisi in 2020; the seat remained vacant at the start of the 117th United States Congress because the race was too close to call. On February 5, 2021, New York Supreme Court Judge Scott DelConte ruled in Tenney's favor, allowing her to be declared the winner of the 2020 election. Tenney took office six days later.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: Tenney was born and raised in New Hartford, New York. Her parents were Cynthia and New York State Supreme Court Justice John R. Tenney. She attended New Hartford High School, where she played basketball and curling and competed in horseback riding. She has a B.A. from Colgate University and a J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: Early in her career, Tenney was the only American employed by the Consulate General of Yugoslavia. She acted as intermediary between ABC Sports and the Yugoslavian government leading up to the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: Tenney was a co-owner of Mid-York Press, a commercial printing company started by her mother's family in 1946. Mid-York Press is in Sherburne, in Chenango County.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: Tenney maintained a private law practice in Clinton. Before owning her own firm, she was a partner at the Utica-area law firm of Groben, Gilroy, Oster and Saunders.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: In January 2001, Tenney began co-hosting "Common Cents", a radio and television program that airs weekly across Oneida and most of Herkimer County. In February 2010, she began co-hosting "First Look" on WIBX 950 Radio.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: In 2002, New York State Assemblyman David R. Townsend Jr. won reelection and asked Tenney to become his legal counsel and Chief of Staff. Though she was going through a divorce at the time, she agreed to take the positions part-time so she could continue operating her law practice and her family-owned newspaper.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: In 2009, Tenney ran for Oneida County Surrogate Court Judge as a Republican against incumbent Democrat Louis Gigliotti. She received 45% of the vote to Gigliotti's 55%.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: After Townsend launched a campaign for Oneida County Sheriff in 2010, Tenney decided to run for his Assembly seat. She defeated Oneida County Legislator George Joseph in the September Republican primary and was unopposed in the November general election, becoming the first woman to represent the district.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: Tenney represented the 115th Assembly District from 2011 to 2013 and the 101st Assembly District from 2013 to 2017. In 2011, Tenney voted against the Marriage Equality Act. In 2012, Tenney was one of 18 cosponsors of the Internet Protection Act, a bill intended to fight online bullying, which did not pass. Also in 2012, the Conservative Party of New York State gave her an award for being the state's most conservative legislator. She voted against the 2013 gun control law known as the NY SAFE Act, which she called an "assault on upstaters." In 2014, the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) claimed Tenney had missed 480 votes, the third-highest number of any Assembly member. WRVO, a National Public Radio affiliate in Oswego, fact-checked NYPIRG's claim and found that she had a 95% attendance record from 2011 to 2016 and had missed 6% of the votes taken during that period.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: According to Syracuse.com, "Tenney was a vocal critic of a revenue-sharing deal the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona signed with New York state in 2013, in which the Oneida Indian National won exclusive rights to run casinos in a 10-county region of Central New York." Later, a Super PAC "with ties to the Oneida Indian nation" opposed her 2014 and 2016 congressional bids. Tenney voted against the 2013 state constitutional amendment that authorized full-fledged casinos on non-Indian lands.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: In 2014, Tenney ran for the Republican nomination for New York's 22nd congressional district, losing the June 24 primary to incumbent Republican Richard L. Hanna by six points, 47-53%. Tenney ran to the right of Hanna.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: Tenney again sought election to Congress from the 22nd District in the 2016 elections. Hanna retired weeks later, denying that the prospect of a primary rematch with Tenney was a factor. Tenney was endorsed by the Conservative Party of New York State, the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, the Citizens United Victory Fund, and New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms PAC. Hanna did not endorse her.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: Tenney won a three-way Republican primary on June 28, 2016. She defeated Democrat Kim Myers and Independent/Reform Party candidate Martin Babinec in the November general election with 44% of the vote to Myers's 39% and Babinec's 13%.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: On March 3, 2018, Tenney confirmed that she would seek reelection in 2018. The Democrats nominated New York State Assemblymember Anthony Brindisi of nearby Utica, who had served alongside Tenney in the Assembly. Brindisi outraised Tenney, ending the year with $581,851 to Tenney's $573,486. In March 2018, "The Hill" wrote that Tenney was "embracing President Trump's confrontational style." In August, Trump spoke at a fundraiser for Tenney in Utica, the first time a president had visited the Mohawk Valley in nearly 70 years.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: On election night, Brindisi led by 1,293 votes. By November 20, Brindisi's lead grew to over 3,900 votes, exceeding the number of outstanding absentee ballots. On November 21, Tenney told local radio station WUTQ-FM that it was unlikely she would overtake Brindisi, and agreed to help with the transition, but said that she wanted to see every ballot counted. She conceded a week later, on November 28. Her defeat made New York's 22nd congressional district the most pro-Trump congressional district in the nation flipped by a Democrat in 2018.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: Tenney sought election to Congress in New York's 22nd congressional district once again in 2020. She won the Republican primary and challenged incumbent Anthony Brindisi in the general election. As of December 2, Tenney held a 12-vote lead in the general election; the race was one of two U.S. House races that remained unresolved. On December 8, a New York state judge ordered a districtwide recanvass of all ballots, including provisional ballots and disputed ballots that were not included in the original count.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: On February 5, 2021, Tenney was declared the winner of the election by 109 votes. She appeared to get a boost from President Trump, who won the district with 54.7% of the vote. She assumed office on February 11, 2021, nearly a month after most of her colleagues were sworn in. Afterward, Tenney filed her candidacy for 2022.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: In a radio interview shortly after the February 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, Tenney baselessly claimed that "so many of these people that commit the mass murders end up being Democrats". In a follow-up interview, she said, "This problem occurs across all sectors, with all types of people. It isn't just Republicans who commit all these terrible crimes. It is across all sectors and it is people who are typically mentally unstable who are committing a lot of the crimes that we're seeing."


title: Claudia Tenney

text: When reports emerged that Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson's office had ordered a $31,000 dining room table set with taxpayer funds, Tenney blamed the "deep state" for the expenditure, adding, "I know that Ben Carson did not order that table. It has nothing to do with him. He comes from, you know, poverty."


title: Claudia Tenney

text: In March 2017, Tenney voted to reverse the FCC privacy rule that blocked ISPs from selling customer browsing history without customers' permission.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: In November 2017, Tenney introduced the No Pensions for Corrupt Politicians Act, which would "close a loophole that has allowed corrupt members of Congress to collect federal pensions after they are convicted of crimes."


title: Claudia Tenney

text: In April 2018, Tenney signed a letter calling for criminal investigations into a number of former Obama administration officials and high-ranking Justice Department officials. The letter accused former FBI Director James Comey of leaking classified information, 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton of concealing payments for the Steele Dossier, and Loretta Lynch of threatening whistle-blowers who had anti-Clinton information. The letter also accused former acting attorney general Sally Yates, former deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe, former acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente, former senior counterintelligence official Peter Strzok and FBI attorney Lisa Page of criminal wrongdoing.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: Tenney was a member of the Climate Solutions Caucus. In 2016, she cast doubt on the scientific consensus on climate change, saying, "The science is not determined. It’s not certain." In 2017, she supported President Trump's decision to leave the Paris Agreement.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: In March 2021, along with all other Senate and House Republicans, she voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: At a January 5, 2021 rally in Georgia, President Donald Trump falsely claimed the votes in Tenney's race against Anthony Brindisi were being counted fraudulently (at the time, the Tenney-Brindisi race was the nation's only uncalled 2020 congressional race). Tenney shared a video of Trump's speech and did not challenge or dispute Trump's claims. In February 2021, following the U.S. Capitol attack, Tenney said she did not know whether she would have voted to count the electoral votes from the states Biden won in 2020, but that she would have voted against Trump's second impeachment. In May 2021, Tenney falsely suggested that the 2020 presidential election might have been "stolen"; there is no evidence of any meaningful fraud in the election.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: On May 4, 2017, Tenney voted for the American Health Care Act (AHCA), a bill that passed the House of Representatives and died in the Senate. It would have rewritten many regulations of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and eliminated the individual mandate and federal protections for preexisting conditions in favor of high-risk pools. Tenney also voted for a portion of the AHCA that targeted Medicaid funding by prohibiting Medicaid-related property taxes. The provision applied only to New York State, and only to counties outside of New York City. Tenney argued the overall bill would lower insurance costs, including insurance premiums and related taxes.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: In 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Tenney opposed the Biden administration's vaccine mandate for companies with more than 100 employees, calling it "unconstitutional".


title: Claudia Tenney

text: Tenney voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which Trump signed into law in December 2017. The law's main provisions include a reduction of the top personal income tax rate from 39.6% to 37%, the elimination of the ACA's individual mandate, the limitation of the state and local tax deduction to $10,000 of taxable income, an increase in the standard deduction, and a reduction in the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%. The reduction of the corporate tax rate is permanent; the personal income tax cuts are temporary. In October 2017, Tenney joined other members of Congress and Ivanka Trump at an event to advocate for doubling the child tax credit; this provision was included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: Tenney was one of the 14 co-sponsors of the "Protect Children’s Innocence Act", which would make giving transgender minors gender-affirming care a class C felony.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: Tenney was the sole member of New York's House delegation to vote against the Respect for Marriage Act, which would codify Obergefell v. Hodges.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: In the fall of 2022, after an attacker fractured the skull of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a number of Republican politicians circulated a baseless allegation that the attacker was a male prostitute—among them, Tenney, who posted on her Twitter account, with the comment "LOL", a doctored photograph of a group of young men holding hammers next to a gay pride flag.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: In 2017, Tenney co-sponsored legislation that would substantially eliminate National Firearms Act restrictions on obtaining or possessing gun silencers. After the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, she said she still planned to support the bill.


title: Claudia Tenney

text: Tenney is a resident of New Hartford, New York. She and her former husband, Wayne Cleary, Jr., have one son, Wayne "Trey" Ralph Cleary III. In 2009, the younger Cleary received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in May 2013.


title: Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad

text: Umm Kulthūm bint Muḥammad () (–630) was the third daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad by his first wife Khadija bint Khuwaylid.


title: Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad

text: She was born in Mecca, probably the fifth of their six children. She was legally married before August 610 to Utaybah ibn Abi Lahab, but the marriage was never consummated. She was still living with her parents when Muhammad first declared himself a prophet, and Umm Kulthum became a Muslim soon after her mother did.


title: Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad

text: After Muhammad warned Abu Lahab of hellfire in 613, Abu Lahab told Utaybah that he would never speak to him again unless he divorced Umm Kulthum, so he did. Her maternal brother, Hind ibn Abi Hala, asked Muhammad, "Why did you separate Umm Kulthum from Utaybah?" Muhammad replied, "Allah did not allow me to marry her to a person who is not going to Paradise."


title: Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad

text: Muhammad left Mecca in September 622. Before long Zayd ibn Haritha brought instructions to Umm Kulthum and her sister Fatima to join their father in Medina. Their uncle Al-Abbas put them on a camel; but as they were setting off, Huwayrith ibn Nuqaydh goaded the animal so that it threw them to the ground. However, Umm Kulthum and Fatima arrived safely in Medina. Muhammad remembered the assault and, when he conquered Mecca in 630, he sentenced Huwayrith to death.


title: Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad

text: After the death of her sister Ruqayya left Uthman a widower, he married Umm Kulthum. The marriage was legally contracted in August/September 624, but they did not live together until December. The marriage was childless.


title: Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad

text: Soon after the Battle of Uhud, Umm Kulthum answered the door to a man who said he owed money to Uthman. Umm Kulthum sent for her husband and learned that the visitor was a cousin from the enemy army who was seeking protection. Uthman was displeased but he went to ask Muhammad about it. While he was out, some Muslims entered the house and asked Umm Kulthum where the fugitive was. She pointed to his hiding-place behind a water-skin, and they pulled him out. They brought him before Muhammad just as Uthman was pleading for the safe-conduct. Muhammad granted Uthman the right of protection for three days, so Uthman quickly gave his cousin a camel to assist his escape. But after three days, the Muslims overtook him on the road and killed him anyway.


title: Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad

text: Umm Kulthum died in November/December 630. Her father tearfully conducted her funeral prayers; then Ali, Usama ibn Zayd and Abu Talha laid the corpse. Muhammad said, "If I had ten daughters, I would marry them all to Uthman." Uthman was known as "Dhu al-Nurayn" ("the possessor of the two lights") because it was believed that no other man had ever been married to two daughters of a prophet.


title: Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad

text: Recent Shia accounts don't consider her to have been a biological daughter of Muhammad; they regard Fatimah as his only biological daughter. According to most Shia and Sunnis, the narrations stipulating this are not authentic.


title: Principality of Orange

text: The Principality of Orange () was, from 1163 to 1713, a feudal state in Provence, in the south of modern-day France, on the east bank of the river Rhone, north of the city of Avignon, and surrounded by the independent papal state of Comtat Venaissin.


title: Principality of Orange

text: It was constituted in 1163, when Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I elevated the Burgundian County of Orange (consisting of the city of Orange and the land surrounding it) to a sovereign principality within the Empire. The principality became part of the scattered holdings of the house of Orange-Nassau from the time that William the Silent inherited the title of Prince of Orange from his cousin in 1544, until it was finally ceded to France in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht. Although permanently lost by the Nassaus then, this fief gave its name to the extant Royal House of the Netherlands. The area of the principality was approximately long by wide, or .


title: Principality of Orange

text: The Carolingian counts of Orange had their origin in the 8th century, and the fief passed into the family of the lords of Baux. The Baux counts of Orange became fully independent with the breakup of the Kingdom of Burgundy after 1033. In 1163 Orange was raised to a principality, as a fief of the Holy Roman Empire.


title: Principality of Orange

text: In 1365, Orange university was founded by Charles IV when he was in Arles for his coronation as king of Arles.


title: Principality of Orange

text: In 1431 the Count of Provence waived taxation duties for Orange's rulers (Mary of Baux-Orange and Jean de Châlons of Burgundy) in exchange for liquid assets to be used for a ransom. The town and principality of Orange was a part of administration and province of Dauphiné.


title: Principality of Orange

text: In 1544, William the Silent, count of Nassau, with large properties in the Netherlands, inherited the principality. William, 11 years old at the time, was the cousin of René of Châlon who died without an heir when he was shot at St. Dizier in 1544 during the Franco-Imperial wars. René, it turned out, willed his entire fortune to this very young relative. Among those titles and estates was the Principality of Orange. René's mother, Claudia, had held the title prior to it being passed to young William since Philibert de Châlon was her brother.


title: Principality of Orange

text: When William inherited the Principality, it was incorporated into the holdings of what became the House of Orange. This pitched it into the Protestant side in the Wars of Religion, during which the town was badly damaged. In 1568 the Eighty Years' War began with William as Stadtholder of Holland leading the bid for independence of the Netherlands from Spain. William the Silent was assassinated in Delft in 1584. It was his son, Maurice of Nassau (Prince of Orange after his elder brother died in 1618), with the help of Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, who solidified the independence of the Dutch republic.


title: Principality of Orange

text: As an independent enclave within France, Orange became an attractive destination for Protestants and a Huguenot stronghold. William III of Orange, who ruled England as William III of England, was the last Prince of Orange to rule the principality. The principality was captured by the forces of Louis XIV under François Adhémar de Monteil Comte de Grignan, in 1672 during the Franco-Dutch War, and again in August 1682, but William did not concede his claim to rule. In 1702, William III died childless and the right to the principality became a matter of dispute between Frederick I of Prussia and John William Friso of Nassau-Dietz, who both claimed the title 'Prince of Orange'. In 1702 also, Louis XIV of France enfeoffed François Louis, Prince of Conti, a relative of the Châlon dynasty, with the Principality of Orange, so that there were three claimants to the title.


title: Principality of Orange

text: Finally in 1713 in the Treaty of Utrecht, Frederick I of Prussia ceded the Principality to France (without surrendering the princely title) in which cession the Holy Roman Empire as suzerain concurred, though John William Friso of Nassau-Dietz, the other claimant to the principality, did not concur. Only with the treaty of partition in 1732 did John William Friso's successor William IV, Prince of Orange, renounce all his claims to the territory, but again (like Frederick I) he did not renounce his claim to the title. In the same treaty an agreement was made between both claimants, stipulating that both houses be allowed to use the title.


title: Principality of Orange

text: In 1713, after Orange was officially ceded to France, it became a part of the Province of the Dauphiné.


title: Principality of Orange

text: Following the French Revolution of 1789, Orange was absorbed into the French "département" of Drôme in 1790, then Bouches-du-Rhône, then finally Vaucluse.


title: Principality of Orange

text: In 1814 after the defeat of Napoleon, the Dutch Republic was not revived but replaced into the Kingdom of the United Netherlands, under a King of the House of Orange-Nassau. In 1815 the Congress of Vienna took care of a French sensitivity by stipulating that the Kingdom of the Netherlands would be ruled by the House of Oranje-Nassau – "Oranje", not "Orange" as had been the custom until then. The English language, however, continues to use the term "Orange-Nassau".


title: Principality of Orange

text: Today, Dutch crown princess Amalia carries the title "Princess of Orange" in the official form of "Prinses van Oranje".


title: Principality of Orange

text: The territory of the principality was 180 square km (70 sq. mi.), 19 km (12 miles) long and 15 km (10 miles) wide. It was oriented with its base on the eastern bank of the Rhône extending east to west towards . It also included several enclaves in the Dauphiné.


title: Principality of Orange

text: The capital of the principality was the castle, fortress and town of Orange. The castle and fortress sat on an outcropping of rock from the with the town below. The natural defense provided by the escarpment allowed the princes to control all the approaches to Orange and the surrounding countryside, including the passage up and down the Rhone, and the approaches from the Mediterranean. It also made the fortress impervious to the military technology of the time until Louis XIV overwhelmed it with his armies in 1672.


title: Principality of Orange

text: In the 12th century, , daughter of Count Raimbaud of Nice, rebuilt the Roman walls of the town and rehabilitated the ancient "castrum Aurasice". In the 14th century, the Les Baux princes of Orange consolidated the donjon and rampart of the chateau in order to resist the assaults of the "grandes compagnies" that were devastating Provence at the time. The population of the town was concentrated around the fortress in an area much smaller than the ancient Roman town. Prince Jean de Chalon added three wings to the dungeon in the last years of the century, which gave it a square shape.


title: Principality of Orange

text: By the 17th century, the chateau had suffered damage due to the French Wars of Religion. Much of the essential defenses were in need of complete rebuilding. The incumbent prince of Orange, the celebrated general Maurice of Nassau, executed a plan by the architect Servole to build a fortress incorporating the modern science of fortification he had pioneered in his wars in the Netherlands. The fortress was composed of three parts: the 14th century castle, the curtain wall, and the "Vignasse", an esplanade, says Joseph of Pisa, capable of containing 10,000 men at arms. The entire complex and the city were surrounded by moats and Bastion fort walls to protect against cannon fire similar to the fortifications of towns in the Netherlands.


title: Principality of Orange

text: When completed, the citadel consisted of 11 bastions connected by curtain walls and ditches. It was built with walls of extraordinary thickness extending over the whole hill. It was heavily fortified and garrisoned. In 1672, in reprisal for the young William III, prince of Orange and "stadtholder" of Holland defending the interests of his nation and of the Protestant religion, Louis XIV instructed the count of Grignan to lay siege to the citadel and to destroy it. Gunpowder was used to demolish the enormous walls of which one can see today some vestiges on the hill. In 1991, an excavation studied the architectural and military features.


title: Yeh Dillagi

text: Yeh Dillagi () is a 1994 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy-drama film directed by Naresh Malhotra and produced by Yash Chopra for his production company Yash Raj Films. Based on the 1954 American film "Sabrina", its story revolves on two brothers (Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan) who fall in love with their family driver's daughter, Sapna (Kajol), a successful model.


title: Yeh Dillagi

text: "Yeh Dillagi" released on 6 May 1994, and emerged as a commercial success, grossing 10.8 crore against its 1.6 crore budget. It received positive reviews from critics upon release, with particular praise directed towards Kajol's performance, thus proving to be a breakthrough for her.


title: Yeh Dillagi

text: At the 40th Filmfare Awards, "Yeh Dillagi" received 4 nominations – Best Actor (Kumar), Best Actress (Kajol), Best Music Director (Dilip Sen, Sameer Sen) and Best Male Playback Singer (Abhijeet for the song "Ole Ole"). The film was later remade in Telugu as "Priya O Priya".


title: Yeh Dillagi

text: Vijay and Vicky are heirs to Saigal Industries, headed by their dad Bhanupratap Saigal. Vijay works all time. Vicky is smitten by Sapna, a model and the daughter of their driver Dharampal. Their mom Shanti rejects Sapna. Vijay tries to help Vicky but instead falls in love with Sapna who also develops feelings for Vijay.


title: Yeh Dillagi

text: The boys talk: both want Sapna. Vicky thinks Vijay supports his pursuit (Sapna). Shanti later asks Dharampal to take Sapna to Bombay or get fired. He storms off with her to the station but as Vicky attempts suicide if Shanti doesn't allow him to marry Sapna, Shanti finally accepts her. Sapna returns. Vicky instead sacrifices his love, uniting her and Vijay, as he has realized the truth. Then, he comes across and instantly falls for a girl, Anjali.


title: Yeh Dillagi

text: The film's soundtrack album contains seven songs composed by Dilip Sen-Sameer Sen. The song "Ole Ole", sung by Abhijeet was a hit at the music charts. The other artists who contributed to this album are Lata Mangeshkar, Kumar Sanu, Pankaj Udhas and Udit Narayan.


title: Yeh Dillagi

text: It became one of the top three best-selling Bollywood soundtrack albums of 1994, with 4.5million sales. The song 'Ole Ole' was remixed for "Jawaani Jaaneman" (2020).


title: Yeh Dillagi

text: Made on a budget of , "Yeh Dillagi" was released on 6 May 1994. According to the film-trade website "Box Office India", the film opened to a wide audience and emerged as a commercial success and one of the highest-grossing films of 1994. Distributed by Eros International, it was released on DVD on 8 October 2007 in a single-disc pack. It was available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ since 23 May 2017.


title: Yeh Dillagi

text: "Yeh Dillagi" received a positive reception from critics. On 3 June 1994, "The Indian Express" praised Kajol's performance, saying that "[she] looks better than she did in "Baazigar" (1993) and gives a believable performance". A review published by "India Today" on 15 June hailed: "After a season of psychopaths and avenging angels, finally, relief. Here is romance, comedy and the foot-thumping "ole ole"."


title: Yeh Dillagi

text: At the 40th Filmfare Awards, "Yeh Dillagi" received 4 nominations – Best Actor (Kumar), Best Actress (Kajol), Best Music Director (Dilip Sen, Sameer Sen) and Best Male Playback Singer (Abhijeet for the song "Ole Ole").


title: 2014 Major League Baseball draft

text: The 2014 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft was held from June 5 through June 7, 2014, to assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The first two rounds were conducted on June 5, followed by rounds three through ten on June 6, and the last 30 rounds on June 7. It was broadcast from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey.


title: 2014 Major League Baseball draft

text: The draft order was the reverse order of the 2013 MLB regular season standings. As the Astros finished the 2013 season with the worst record, they had the first overall selection for the third consecutive year. In addition, the Toronto Blue Jays got the 11th pick, as compensation for failing to sign Phil Bickford, the 10th overall selection of the 2013 MLB Draft. The St. Louis Cardinals got bumped from #30 to #31 because although tied with the Boston Red Sox for most wins in the 2013 regular season, the Red Sox had fewer wins in 2012.


title: 2014 Major League Baseball draft

text: Kansas City Royals first round draft pick Brandon Finnegan made his Major League debut on September 6, 2014, the first player to reach the majors from the 2014 draft class, with Carlos Rodon the second. Rodon first appeared for the Chicago White Sox on April 21, 2015. Finnegan became the first player to play in both the College World Series, for TCU, and the MLB World Series, for Kansas City, in the same year. Kyle Schwarber was the first position player to reach the majors from the 2014 draft class doing so June 16, 2015.


title: John IV of Portugal

text: John IV (, ; 19 March 1604 – 6 November 1656), nicknamed John the Restorer (), was the King of Portugal whose reign, lasting from 1640 until his death, began the Portuguese restoration of independence from Habsburg Spanish rule. His accession established the House of Braganza on the Portuguese throne, and marked the end of the 60-year-old Iberian Union by which Portugal and Spain shared the same monarch.


title: John IV of Portugal

text: Before becoming king, he was John II, 8th Duke of Braganza. He was the grandson of Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, a claimant to the crown during the Portuguese succession crisis of 1580. On the eve of his death in 1656, the Portuguese Empire was at its territorial zenith, spanning the globe.


title: John IV of Portugal

text: John IV was born at Vila Viçosa and succeeded his father Teodósio II as Duke of Braganza when the latter died insane in 1630. He married Luisa de Guzmán (1613–66), eldest daughter of Juan Manuel Pérez de Guzmán, 8th Duke of Medina Sidonia, in 1633. John was described as having blonde hair, and an average height.


title: John IV of Portugal

text: When Philip II of Portugal (III of Spain) died, he was succeeded by his son Philip III (IV of Spain), who had a different approach to Portuguese issues. Taxes on the Portuguese merchants were raised, the Portuguese nobility began to lose its influence and government posts in Portugal were increasingly occupied by Spaniards. Ultimately, Philip III tried to make Portugal a Spanish province, meaning Portuguese nobles stood to lose all of their power.


title: John IV of Portugal

text: This situation culminated in a revolution organized by the nobility and the "bourgeoisie", executed on 1 December 1640, fifty-nine years after the accession of Philip II of Spain to the throne of Portugal. A plot was planned by several associates, known as the Forty Conspirators, who killed the Secretary of State, Miguel de Vasconcelos, and imprisoned the king's cousin, Margaret of Savoy, the Vicereine of Portugal, governing the country in the King's name. Philip's troops were at the time fighting the Thirty Years' War and also dealing with a revolution in Catalonia which severely hampered Spain's ability to quash the rebellion.


title: John IV of Portugal

text: Within a matter of hours and with popular support, John, then the 8th Duke of Braganza, was acclaimed as King John IV of Portugal (as legend goes, with the persuasion of his wife) claiming legitimate succession through his grandmother Catherine, Duchess of Braganza. The ensuing conflict with Spain brought Portugal into the Thirty Years' War as, at least, a peripheral player. From 1641 to 1668, the period during which the two nations were at war, Spain sought to isolate Portugal militarily and diplomatically, and Portugal tried to find the resources to maintain its independence through political alliances and maintenance of its colonial income.


title: John IV of Portugal

text: His accession led to a protracted war with neighbouring Spain, a conflict known as the Portuguese Restoration War, which ended with the recognition of Portuguese independence in a subsequent reign (1668). Portugal signed lengthy alliances with France (1 June 1641) and Sweden (August 1641) but by necessity its only contributions in the Thirty Years' War were in the field against Spain and against Dutch encroachments on the Portuguese colonies.


title: John IV of Portugal

text: The period from 1640 to 1668 was marked by periodic skirmishes between Portugal and Spain, as well as short episodes of more serious warfare, much of it occasioned by Spanish and Portuguese entanglements with non-Iberian powers. Spain was involved in the Thirty Years' War until 1648 and the Franco-Spanish War until 1659, while Portugal was involved in the Dutch–Portuguese War until 1663. In Spain, a Portuguese invasion force defeated the Spanish at Montijo, near Badajoz, in 1644.


title: John IV of Portugal

text: Abroad, the Dutch took Portuguese Malacca (January 1641), and the Imam of Oman captured Muscat (1650). Nevertheless, the Portuguese, despite having to divide their forces among Europe, Brazil and Africa, managed to retake Luanda, in Portuguese Angola, from the Dutch in 1648 and, by 1654, had recovered northern Brazil, which effectively ceased to be a Dutch colony. This was countered by the loss of Portuguese Ceylon (present day Sri Lanka) to the Dutch, who took Colombo in 1656.


title: John IV of Portugal

text: King John IV died in 1656 and was succeeded by his son Afonso VI. His daughter, Catherine of Braganza, married King Charles II of England.


title: John IV of Portugal

text: John was a patron of music and the arts, and a considerably sophisticated writer on music; in addition to this, he was a composer. During his reign he collected one of the largest libraries in the world, but it was destroyed in the Lisbon earthquake of 1755. Among his writings is a defense of Palestrina, and a "Defense of Modern Music" (Lisbon, 1649). One famous composition attributed to him is a setting of the "Crux fidelis", a work that remains highly popular during Holy Week amongst church choirs. However, no known manuscript of the work exists, and it was first published only in 1869, in France. On stylistic grounds, it is generally recognized that the work was written in the 19th century.


title: John IV of Portugal

text: In 1646, John IV proclaimed Mary, in her conception as the Immaculate Conception (the 'Immaculata'), the Patroness of Portugal by royal decree of the House of Braganza. The doctrine had appeared in the Middle Ages and had been fiercely debated in the 15th and 16th centuries, but a bull issued in 1616 by Pope Paul V finally "[forbade] anyone to teach or preach a contrary opinion." Three years later, in 1649, the iconography of the Immaculata was established by Francisco Pacheco (1564–1654), a Spanish artistic advisor to the Inquisition, based on "Revelation XII:1".


title: John IV of Portugal

text: John married Luisa de Guzmán, daughter of Juan Manuel Pérez de Guzmán, 8th Duke of Medina-Sidonia. From that marriage several children were born. Because some of John's children were born and died before their father became king they are not considered infantes or infantas (heirs to the throne) of Portugal.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: In the United States, gun culture encompasses the behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs about firearms and their usage by civilians. Gun ownership in the United States is the highest in the world, and constitutionally protected by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution. Firearms are widely used in the United States for self-defense, hunting, and recreational uses, such as target shooting.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: Gun politics in the United States tends to be polarized between advocates of gun rights, often conservative or libertarian, and those who support stricter gun control, often liberal.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: The gun culture of the United States can be considered unique among developed countries in terms of the large number of firearms owned by civilians, generally permissive regulations, and high levels of gun violence.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: American attitudes on gun ownership date back to the American Revolutionary War, and also arise from traditions of hunting, militias, and frontier living.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: Justifying the unique attitude toward gun ownership in the United States, James Madison wrote in "Federalist No. 46", in 1788, that:


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: The American hunting/sporting passion comes from a time when the United States was an agrarian, subsistence nation where hunting was a profession for some, an auxiliary source of food for some settlers, and also a deterrence to animal predators. A connection between shooting skills and survival among rural American men was in many cases a necessity and a 'rite of passage' for those entering manhood. Today, hunting survives as a central sentimental component of a gun culture as a way to control animal populations across the country, regardless of modern trends away from subsistence hunting and rural living.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: The militia spirit derives from an early American dependence on arms to protect themselves from foreign armies and hostile Native Americans. Survival depended upon everyone being capable of using a weapon. Prior to the American Revolution there was neither budget nor manpower nor government desire to maintain a full-time army. Therefore, the armed citizen-soldier carried the responsibility. Service in militia, including providing one's own ammunition and weapons, was mandatory for all men. Yet, as early as the 1790s, the mandatory universal militia duty gave way to voluntary militia units and a reliance on a regular army. Throughout the 19th century the institution of the civilian militia began to decline.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: Closely related to the militia tradition was the frontier tradition with the need for a means of self-protection closely associated with the nineteenth century westward expansion and the American frontier. In popular literature, frontier adventure was most famously told by James Fenimore Cooper, who is credited by Petri Liukkonen with creating the archetype of an 18th-century frontiersman through such novels as "The Last of the Mohicans" (1826) and "The Deerslayer" (1840).


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: "Americans made up 4 percent of the world's population but owned about 46 percent of the entire global stock of 857 million civilian firearms." U.S civilians own 393 million guns. American civilians own more guns "than those held by civilians in the other top 25 countries combined."


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: "American civilians own nearly 100 times as many firearms as the U.S. military and nearly 400 times as many as law enforcement." Americans bought more than 2 million guns in May 2018, more than twice the total number of arms possessed by law enforcement agencies in the United States combined. In April and May 2018, U.S. civilians bought 4.7 million guns, which is more than all the firearms stockpiled by the United States military. In 2017, Americans bought 25.2 million guns, which is 2.5 million more guns than possessed by every law enforcement agency in the world put together. Between 2012 and 2017, U.S. civilians bought 135 million guns, 2 million more guns than the combined stockpile of all the world's armed forces.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: Although historically there have been significant differences in respect to gun ownership between different races and sexes, that gap may be closing. For example, women and ethnic minorities saw the sharpest rise of private gun ownership in the United States in 2020 and the ongoing ownership trends do not indicate any sign of abatement.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: Also, in 2020 and 2021 a sharp increase in gun ownership was seen due to the riots and pandemic during that time. Nearly half of the gun buyers appeared to be first-time owners. Over 2 million firearms were purchased during the pandemic alone.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: In the late 19th century, cowboy and "Wild West" imagery entered the collective imagination. The first American female superstar, Annie Oakley, was a sharpshooter who toured the country starting in 1885, performing in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. The cowboy archetype of individualist hero was established largely by Owen Wister in stories and novels, most notably "The Virginian" (1902), following close on the heels of Theodore Roosevelt's "The Winning of the West" (1889–1895), a history of the early frontier. Cowboys were also popularized in turn of the 20th century cinema, notably through such early classics as "The Great Train Robbery" (1903) and "A California Hold Up" (1906)—the most commercially successful film of the pre-nickelodeon era.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: Gangster films began appearing as early as 1910, but became popular only with the advent of sound in film in the 1930s. The genre was boosted by the events of the prohibition era, such as bootlegging and the St. Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929, the existence of real-life gangsters (e.g., Al Capone) and the rise of contemporary organized crime and escalation of urban violence. These movies flaunted the archetypal exploits of "swaggering, cruel, wily, tough, and law-defying bootleggers and urban gangsters."


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: With the arrival of World War II, Hollywood produced many morale boosting movies, patriotic rallying cries that affirmed a sense of national purpose. The image of the lone cowboy was replaced in these combat films by stories that emphasized group efforts and the value of individual sacrifices for a larger cause, often featuring a group of men from diverse ethnic backgrounds who were thrown together, tested on the battlefield, and molded into a dedicated fighting unit.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: Guns frequently accompanied famous heroes and villains in late 20th-century American films, from the outlaws of "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967) and "The Godfather" (1972), to the fictitious law and order avengers like "Dirty Harry" (1971) and "RoboCop" (1987). In the 1970s, films portrayed fictitious and exaggerated characters, madmen ostensibly produced by the Vietnam War in films like "Taxi Driver" (1976) and "Apocalypse Now" (1979), while other films told stories of fictitious veterans who were supposedly victims of the war and in need of rehabilitation ("Coming Home" and "The Deer Hunter", both 1978). Many action films continue to celebrate the gun toting hero in fantastical settings. At the same time, the negative role of the gun in fictionalized modern urban violence has been explored in films like "Boyz n the Hood" (1991) and "Menace 2 Society" (1993).


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: Gun culture and its effects have been at the center of major debates in the US's public sphere for decades. In his 1970 article "America as a Gun Culture," historian Richard Hofstadter used the phrase "gun culture" to characterize America as having a long-held affection for guns, embracing and celebrating the association of guns and an overall heritage relating to guns. He also noted that the US "is the only industrial nation in which the possession of rifles, shotguns, and handguns is lawfully prevalent among large numbers of its population". In 1995, political scientist Robert Spitzer said that the modern American gun culture is founded on three factors: the proliferation of firearms since the earliest days of the nation, the connection between personal ownership of weapons and the country's revolutionary and frontier history, and the cultural mythology regarding the gun in the frontier and in modern life. In 2008, the US Supreme Court affirmed that the right of individuals to possess firearms is guaranteed by the Second Amendment.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: The terms that gun rights and gun control advocates use to refer to opponents are part of the larger topic of gun politics.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: The term "gun nut" refers to firearms enthusiasts who are deeply involved with the gun culture. It is regarded as a pejorative stereotype cast upon gun owners by gun control advocates as a means of implying that they are fanatical, exhibit abnormal behavior, or are a threat to the safety of others. Some gun owners embrace the term affectionately.


title: Gun culture in the United States

text: The US attitude to guns generally perplexes those in other developed countries, many of which do not understand the unusual permissiveness of American gun laws, and believe that the American public should push for harsher gun control measures in the face of mass shootings. Critics contrast the US reaction to terrorism given how few deaths it causes, with their high death rates from non-terror related gun crime.


title: Threat Level Midnight

text: "Threat Level Midnight" is the seventeenth episode of the seventh season of the American comedy television series "The Office", and the show's 143rd episode overall. It originally aired on NBC on February 17, 2011. The episode was written by B. J. Novak and directed by Tucker Gates.


title: Threat Level Midnight

text: The series depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. In this episode, Michael Scott (Steve Carell) screens his action film "Threat Level Midnight" to the office after ten years of writing, shooting, re-shooting, and editing. This film features Michael as Agent Michael Scarn, Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) as Scarn's robot butler, and Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) as Scarn's archnemesis "Goldenface".


title: Threat Level Midnight

text: The episode's genesis stems from the second season entry "The Client", in which the office discovers Michael's incomplete film screenplay. "Threat Level Midnight" features the reappearance of several actors and actresses who had not appeared on the show in years. It also marks the final appearance for Rashida Jones (Karen Filippelli). Due to the nature of Michael's film, scenes were filmed to create the illusion that they had been shot years prior to the episode. "Threat Level Midnight" was viewed by 6.41 million viewers and received a 3.3 rating among adults between the age of 18 and 49. The episode was the highest-rated NBC series of the week that it aired, and received acclaim from critics, many of whom enjoyed the humor and the continuity references to the show's past. In December 2019, the entire film (25 minutes with no episode clips) was released on "The Office"s YouTube channel.


title: Threat Level Midnight

text: Michael Scott (Steve Carell) screens his action film "Threat Level Midnight" to the office after 11 years of writing, shooting, re-shooting and editing. The film's characters are played by people who have either worked at the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch in the past decade, or those whom Michael has interacted with in the last few years.


title: Threat Level Midnight

text: Narrated by Stanley Hudson, the plot for the movie is as follows. After secret agent Michael Scarn (played by Michael) is forced into retirement due to the death of his wife Catherine Zeta-Scarn at the hands of Goldenface (played by Jim Halpert), the President of the United States of America (played by Darryl Philbin) requests that he prevent Goldenface from blowing up the NHL All-Star Game and killing several hostages. Scarn goes undercover and learns how to play hockey from famed instructor Cherokee Jack (played by Creed Bratton), killing another hockey player (played by Oscar Martinez) to make it into the game. His robot butler Samuel (played by Dwight Schrute) intercepts the name of a Goldenface agent, nightclub singer Jasmine Windsong (played by Jan Levinson). He learns the location of the hostages via a coded message from Windsong shortly before she is killed by one of Goldenface's assassins. Scarn and Samuel confront Goldenface to try to rescue the hostages, and Goldenface reveals to them the bomb is in the hockey puck. Scarn refuses to forgive Goldenface for killing his wife, and he is shot. He later recuperates (with Pam Halpert's mother Helene playing a hospital nurse), but when he and Samuel bring their intel to the President, they find that the President was in on it all along, wanting to blow up the stadium for the insurance money. Depressed, Scarn goes to a bar to drown his sorrows. Led by the bartender Billy (played by Andy Bernard), the patrons of the bar sing a song called "The Scarn" which he danced to with his wife, which cheers Scarn up immensely. With his self-confidence restored, Scarn infiltrates the game, while also learning from Samuel that Cherokee Jack has died. While Samuel rescues the hostages, Scarn is instructed by Cherokee Jack's ghost, and is able to hit the puck out of the stadium, saving the day, restoring Billy's satellite TV reception, and blowing up Goldenface in the process. Scarn once again retires, but is immediately called back into action by the President, and the narrator is revealed to be an elderly Scarn.