title: Privatisation of British Rail

text: As the project progressed, due to financial difficulties both LCR and its subsidiaries underwent various changes in financing, structure and planning, with the government and Railtrack (later Network Rail) becoming involved in the various plans and projects. In 2007, the second stage of the CTRL was finally completed (the CTRL being rebranded at that point as High Speed 1 (HS1)). By 2009 the government had assumed full control of LCR, announcing its intention to privatise it to recoup its investment; this was achieved in two stages, with the 2010 sale of a 30-year concession to own and operate HS1, and the 2015 sale of the British stake in the Eurostar operator (renamed in 2009 to Eurostar International Limited, EIL).


title: Privatisation of British Rail

text: Through a subsidiary established in 2003, Network Rail is the maintainer of the infrastructure of HS1. Domestic passenger services are operated on parts of HS1 as part of the Integrated Kent Franchise, these commenced in 2009, operated by Southeastern.


title: Privatisation of British Rail

text: The impact of privatisation has been debated by the public, media and the rail industry ever since the process was completed. Whether to renationalise or otherwise make major changes to the post-privatisation model is an ever-present detail in the election manifestos of British political parties.


title: Privatisation of British Rail

text: Stated benefits of privatisation include improved customer service, and more investment; and stated drawbacks include higher fares, lower punctuality and increased rail subsidies.


title: Privatisation of British Rail

text: The major topics of debate concern whether the process has achieved its central aims of increasing levels of investment, performance, and customer satisfaction while reducing the cost to the taxpayer through rail subsidies. Safety also became a major issue after the Hatfield rail crash in 2000 and the Potters Bar rail crash in 2002 exposed flaws in the post-privatisation maintenance regimes.


title: Roy Mayorga

text: Roy Mayorga (born April 6, 1970) is an American musician, best known as the drummer of heavy metal bands Hellyeah and Stone Sour and is currently the drummer for the industrial metal band Ministry.


title: Roy Mayorga

text: Mayorga was born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, on April 6, 1970, to Cuban and Ecuadorian parents. At four years old, his family moved to Florida. While growing up, his parents would often play Motown music and rhythm and blues, which were his earliest exposures to music. He eventually became a fan of Kiss through his older brother, which led him to become interested in rock music. He began playing drums at six years old. His parents soon divorced, leading to him moving to Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he became involved in the local punk rock scene.


title: Roy Mayorga

text: Mayorga formed his first band in 1985 in Allentown, called Youthquake. When Youthquake's bassist departed from the group, the remaining members formed Word Made Flesh, which Mayorga's brother eventually joined as guitarist.


title: Roy Mayorga

text: Mayorga befriended the members of New York punk rock band Nausea while living in Allentown, which led to him becoming the band's drummer in 1988. The band released their debut album "Extinction" in 1990 through Profane Existence, which was accompanied by a European headline tour, and a tour in support of D.O.A.In the following year, the band recorded a number of songs for compilations, as well as the single "Cybergod". Additionally, the tour the U.S. west coast, with local support from Final Conflict, Neurosis, Asbestosdeath and Mindrot, before departing on a second European headline tour supported by the Radicts, however Nausea were unable to complete the final leg of the tour. In 1992, they released their final single "Lie Cycle", through Graven Image Records, before breaking up in the following months.


title: Roy Mayorga

text: After Nausea's breakup, Mayorga formed Thorn with Stephan Flam and ex-Nausea guitarist John John Jesse. After their fourth live performance they signed to Roadrunner Records.


title: Roy Mayorga

text: He also played with New York hardcore punk band Shelter in 1996. He also played drums on the album "The Hollowing" with metal band Crisis in 1996.


title: Roy Mayorga

text: Mayorga formed the heavy metal band Soulfly in 1997, with former Sepultura vocalist Max Cavalera. He and Cavalera co-wrote much of the music for the band's self-titled debut album. He then departed from the band in 1999. In 2001, he rejoined the band, performing on their 2002 album "3", before leaving again in 2003 in protest of the firing of guitarist Cello Dias.


title: Roy Mayorga

text: In 2004, he helped create rock band Abloom as with vocalist Jasan Radford and lead guitarist Levon Sultanian. Also part of the band was Mike Doling (Snot, Soulfly) and John Fahnestock (Snot). Fahnestock left and was replaced by Marcelo Dias a.k.a. Marcello D. Rapp (Soulfly).


title: Roy Mayorga

text: In 2005, he appeared as one of the drummers on the Roadrunner United compilation CD "The All-Star Sessions", playing on "The Enemy", "The End", and "Baptized in the Redemption", all tracks being produced and musically written by Dino Cazares and Roy Mayorga. The song "The End" spawned a music video.


title: Roy Mayorga

text: Mayorga also does classical film scoring, working on films such as "Legion" (2004) and "Shudder" (2007).


title: Roy Mayorga

text: He temporarily filled in behind the drumkit for Sepultura's 2006 European tour with In Flames following Igor Cavalera's absence.


title: Roy Mayorga

text: He officially joined Stone Sour on May 10, 2006, as a replacement for Joel Ekman. He drummed for their second release, "Come What(ever) May", released in August 2006. The band toured for the next year and a half, releasing the "Live in Moscow" album exclusively to iTunes on August 14, 2007.


title: Roy Mayorga

text: Roy Mayorga played drums for Amebix during their 2009 reunion tour until they broke up again in 2012.


title: Roy Mayorga

text: In October 2013, Belgian metal band Channel Zero announced that following the death of their drummer Phil Baheux.


title: Roy Mayorga

text: On May 6, 2019, Mayorga was announced as Hellyeah's new drummer for their May 11, 2019, performance honoring their previous drummer Vinnie Paul. while also announcing "Welcome Home" as the title of their next album and that the release date was pushed back to September 27.


title: Roy Mayorga

text: In May 2011, Mayorga suffered a stroke as a result of his frequent headbanging while drumming. The event led to him having to re-learn how to play drums.


title: FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

text: Field Marshal FitzRoy James Henry Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan, (30 September 1788 – 28 June 1855), known before 1852 as Lord FitzRoy Somerset, was a British Army officer. When a junior officer, he served in the Peninsular War and the Waterloo campaign, latterly as military secretary to the Duke of Wellington. He also took part in politics as Tory Member of Parliament for Truro, before becoming Master-General of the Ordnance.


title: FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

text: He became commander of the British troops sent to the Crimea in 1854: his primary objective was to defend Constantinople, and he was also ordered to besiege the Russian port of Sevastopol. After an early success at the Battle of Alma, a failure to deliver orders with sufficient clarity caused the fateful Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava. Despite further success at the Battle of Inkerman, a poorly coordinated allied assault on Sevastopol in June 1855 was a complete failure. Raglan died later that month, after having dysentery and depression.


title: FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

text: Born at Badminton House in Gloucestershire as the ninth and youngest son of Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort and his wife Elizabeth (daughter of Admiral Edward Boscawen), Somerset was educated at Westminster School and was commissioned as a cornet in the 4th Light Dragoons on 16 June 1804.


title: FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

text: Promoted to lieutenant on 1 June 1805, Somerset accompanied Sir Arthur Paget on his visit to Sultan Selim III of the Ottoman Empire, who had been aligning himself too closely with France, in 1807. He became a captain in the 43rd Regiment of Foot on 5 May 1808 shortly before his appointment as aide-de-camp to Sir Arthur Wellesley in July 1808. Somerset accompanied Wellesley's Army when it was sent to Portugal later that month. Somerset fought at the Second Battle of Porto in May 1809, the Battle of Talavera in July 1809 and the Battle of Bussaco (where he was wounded) in September 1810. He was appointed acting military secretary to Wellington in November 1810 and fought with him at the Battle of Pombal in March 1811, the Battle of Sabugal in April 1811 and the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro in May 1811. Promoted to brevet major on 9 June 1811, he also took part in the Battle of El Bodón in September 1811. He specially distinguished himself at the storming of Badajoz in March 1812 by being the first to mount the breach and by helping to secure the surrender of the French Governor and was duly promoted to lieutenant colonel on 27 April 1812.


title: FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

text: Somerset went on to fight with Wellington at the Battle of Salamanca in July 1812, the Siege of Burgos in September 1812 and the Battle of Vitoria in June 1813 as well as the Siege of San Sebastián in July 1813, the Battle of the Pyrenees in July 1813 and the Battle of Nivelle in November 1813. They also fought together at the Battle of the Nive in December 1813, the Battle of Orthez in February 1814 and the Battle of Toulouse in April 1814. Following Wellington's appointment as British Ambassador during the short period of Bourbon restoration, Somerset assumed a role as his secretary at the Embassy on 5 July 1814. Somerset transferred to the 1st Guards on 25 July 1814 and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 2 January 1815.


title: FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

text: Somerset also saw action during the Hundred Days: he served on Wellington's staff at the Battle of Quatre Bras on 16 June 1815 and at the Battle of Waterloo two days later (where he had to have his right arm amputated and then demanded his arm back so he could retrieve the ring that his wife had given him). Promoted to colonel and appointed an aide-de-camp to the Prince Regent on 28 August 1815, he was appointed a Knight of the Bavarian Military Order of Max Joseph on 3 October 1815. He remained with the Army of Occupation in France until May 1816 when he returned to the post of secretary at the British Embassy in Paris.


title: FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

text: Somerset was elected Tory Member of Parliament for Truro in 1818 and became Wellington's secretary in the latter's new capacity as Master-General of the Ordnance in 1819. Somerset lost his seat at the general election in 1820 but, having been promoted to major-general on 27 May 1825, regained his seat in Parliament in 1826. Following Wellington's appointment as Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in January 1827 Somerset became Military Secretary in August 1827. He stood down from Parliament in 1829 and was promoted to lieutenant-general on 28 June 1838. Advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 24 September 1852, he became Master-General of the Ordnance on 30 September 1852 and was raised to the peerage as Baron Raglan of Raglan in the County of Monmouthshire on 11 October 1852.


title: FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

text: Raglan became commander of the British troops sent to the Crimea with the temporary rank of full general on 21 February 1854 and was promoted to the substantive rank of full general on 20 June 1854. While Raglan's primary objective was to defend Constantinople he was ordered by the Duke of Newcastle, who was at the time Secretary of State for War, to besiege the Russian port of Sevastopol "unless it could not be undertaken with a reasonable prospect of success". An Anglo-French force under the joint command of Somerset and General Jacques St. Arnaud defeated General Alexander Menshikov's Russian army at the Battle of Alma in September 1854.


title: FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

text: During the campaign Raglan had the abstracted habit of referring to the Russian enemies as "the French". While this eccentricity is often cited as evidence of his unsuitability for high command, he did in fact speak fluent French and relations between the two allies in the field were good.


title: FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

text: At the Battle of Balaclava in October 1854, Raglan issued an order to the Earl of Lucan, his cavalry commander, who in turn ordered the Earl of Cardigan, a subordinate commander who happened to be Lucan's brother-in-law and who detested him, to lead the fateful Charge of the Light Brigade leading to some 278 British casualties. Despite an indecisive result at Balaclava the British and French allied army gained a victory at the Battle of Inkerman in November 1854 and Raglan was promoted to the rank of field marshal on 5 November 1854. He was also awarded the Ottoman Empire Order of the Medjidie, 1st Class on 15 May 1855.


title: FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

text: Raglan was blamed by the press and the government for the sufferings of the British soldiers in the terrible Crimean winter during the Siege of Sevastopol owing to shortages of food and clothing although this, in part, was the fault of the home authorities who failed to provide adequate logistical support. A piecemeal allied assault on Sevastopol on 18 June 1855 was a complete failure. The anxieties of the siege began to seriously undermine Raglan's health and he died unexpectedly on 28 June 1855, while suffering with dysentery and depression. His body was brought home and interred at St Michael and All Angels Church, Badminton.


title: FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

text: Raglan had also served as honorary colonel of the 53rd Regiment of Foot and then as honorary colonel of the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards (The Blues). Cefntilla Court, Llandenny was built as a lasting memorial to Somerset in 1858: an inscription over the porch there reads:


title: FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

text: On 6 August 1814 Somerset married Lady Emily Harriet Wellesley-Pole (daughter of William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington, and niece of the Duke of Wellington). They had three sons, and two daughters:


title: FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan

text: Raglan was portrayed by John Gielgud in the film "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1968). Lord Raglan is a character in George MacDonald Fraser's novel "Flashman at the Charge", in which he is described as a kindly, but ineffectual man, and completely unsuited for his command.


title: Apomixis

text: In botany, apomixis is asexual reproduction without fertilization. Its etymology is Greek for "away from" + "mixing". This definition notably does not mention meiosis. Thus "normal asexual reproduction" of plants, such as propagation from cuttings or leaves, has never been considered to be apomixis, but replacement of the seed by a plantlet or replacement of the flower by bulbils were categorized as types of apomixis. Apomictically produced offspring are genetically identical to the parent plant.


title: Apomixis

text: Some authors included all forms of asexual reproduction within apomixis, but that generalization of the term has since died out.


title: Apomixis

text: In flowering plants, the term "apomixis" is commonly used in a restricted sense to mean agamospermy, i.e., clonal reproduction through seeds. Although agamospermy could theoretically occur in gymnosperms, it appears to be absent in that group.


title: Apomixis

text: Apogamy is a related term that has had various meanings over time. In plants with independent gametophytes (notably ferns), the term is still used interchangeably with "apomixis", and both refer to the formation of sporophytes by parthenogenesis of gametophyte cells.


title: Apomixis

text: Male apomixis (paternal apomixis) involves replacement of the genetic material of an egg by the genetic material of the pollen.


title: Apomixis

text: Because apomictic plants are genetically identical from one generation to the next, each lineage has some of the characters of a true species, maintaining distinctions from other apomictic lineages within the same genus, while having much smaller differences than is normal between species of most genera. They are therefore often called microspecies. In some genera, it is possible to identify and name hundreds or even thousands of microspecies, which may be grouped together as species aggregates, typically listed in floras with the convention ""Genus species" agg." (such as the bramble, "Rubus fruticosus" agg.). In some plant families, genera with apomixis are quite common, for example in Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Rosaceae. Examples of apomixis can be found in the genera "Crataegus" (hawthorns), "Amelanchier" (shadbush), "Sorbus" (rowans and whitebeams), "Rubus" (brambles or blackberries), "Poa" (meadow grasses), "Nardus stricta" (Matgrass), "Hieracium" (hawkweeds) and "Taraxacum" (dandelions). Apomixis is reported to occur in about 10% of globally extant ferns. Among polystichoid ferns, apomixis evolved several times independently in three different clades.


title: Apomixis

text: Although the evolutionary advantages of sexual reproduction are lost, apomixis can pass along traits fortuitous for evolutionary fitness. As Jens Clausen put it:The apomicts actually have discovered the effectiveness of mass production long before Mr. Henry Ford applied it to the production of the automobile. ... Facultative apomixis ... does not prevent variation; rather, it multiplies certain varietal products.


title: Apomixis

text: Facultative apomixis means that apomixis does not always occur, i.e., sexual reproduction can also happen. It appears likely that all apomixis in plants is facultative; in other words, that "obligate apomixis" is an artifact of insufficient observation (missing uncommon sexual reproduction).


title: Apomixis

text: The gametophytes of bryophytes, and less commonly ferns and lycopods can develop a group of cells that grow to look like a sporophyte of the species but with the ploidy level of the gametophyte, a phenomenon known as apogamy. The sporophytes of plants of these groups may also have the ability to form a plant that looks like a gametophyte but with the ploidy level of the sporophyte, a phenomenon known as apospory.


title: Apomixis

text: See also androgenesis and androclinesis described below, a type of male apomixis that occurs in a conifer, "Cupressus dupreziana".


title: Apomixis

text: Agamospermy, asexual reproduction through seeds, occurs in flowering plants through many different mechanisms and a simple hierarchical classification of the different types is not possible. Consequently, there are almost as many different usages of terminology for apomixis in angiosperms as there are authors on the subject. For English speakers, Maheshwari 1950 is very influential. German speakers might prefer to consult Rutishauser 1967. Some older text books on the basis of misinformation (that the egg cell in a meiotically unreduced gametophyte can never be fertilized) attempted to reform the terminology to match the term parthenogenesis as it is used in zoology, and this continues to cause much confusion.


title: Apomixis

text: Agamospermy occurs mainly in two forms: In "gametophytic apomixis", the embryo arises from an unfertilized egg cell (i.e. by parthenogenesis) in a gametophyte that was produced from a cell that did not complete meiosis. In "adventitious embryony" (sporophytic apomixis), an embryo is formed directly (not from a gametophyte) from nucellus or integument tissue (see nucellar embryony).


title: Apomixis

text: Gametophytic apomixis in flowering plants develops in several different ways. A megagametophyte develops with an egg cell within it that develops into an embryo through parthenogenesis. The central cell of the megagametophyte may require fertilization to form the endosperm, pseudogamous gametophytic apomixis, or in autonomous gametophytic apomixis endosperm fertilization is not required.


title: Apomixis

text: Considerable confusion has resulted because diplospory is often defined to involve the megaspore mother cell only, but a number of plant families have a multicellular archesporium and the megagametophyte could originate from another archesporium cell.


title: Apomixis

text: Apomixis occurs in at least 33 families of flowering plants, and has evolved multiple times from sexual relatives. Apomictic species or individual plants often have a hybrid origin, and are usually polyploid.


title: Apomixis

text: In plants with both apomictic and meiotic embryology, the proportion of the different types can differ at different times of year, and photoperiod can also change the proportion. It appears unlikely that there are any truly completely apomictic plants, as low rates of sexual reproduction have been found in several species that were previously thought to be entirely apomictic.


title: Apomixis

text: The genetic control of apomixis can involve a single genetic change that affects all the major developmental components, formation of the megagametophyte, parthenogenesis of the egg cell, and endosperm development. However, the timing of the various developmental processes is critical to successful development of an apomictic seed, and the timing can be affected by multiple genetic factors.


title: Neighbors (1981 film)

text: Neighbors is a 1981 American black comedy film based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Berger. It was released through Columbia Pictures, was directed by John G. Avildsen, and starred John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Cathy Moriarty, and Kathryn Walker. The film takes liberties with Berger's story and features a more upbeat ending. The screenplay of the film is officially credited to Larry Gelbart, although it was extensively rewritten to Gelbart's public disapproval. Released two and a half months before Belushi's death, the film marks his last film performance.


title: Neighbors (1981 film)

text: Low-key, ineffectual, middle-class suburbanite Earl Keese's peaceful, dreary life changes when a younger couple, Vic and Ramona Zeck, move in next door. Upon arrival, the Zecks immediately impose themselves on the Keese household, with Earl infuriated with the loud, gung-ho Vic, and flustered by the sly and seductive Ramona. Earl is frustratingly unable to handle them, and can never produce any proof that the couple are deliberately doing anything wrong. Earl's wife Enid and teenage daughter Elaine are unhelpful, and one night, the antagonism between Earl and the Zecks escalates into suburban warfare. Initially questioning his family's sanity, Earl soon realizes that the Zecks have provided him with the most excitement he's had in years and that they can give him a promising future, apart from suburbia and away from his family. In the film's closing scene, Earl joins the couple, abandoning his family and his burning house.


title: Neighbors (1981 film)

text: Thomas Berger's best-selling novel, "Neighbors", was published in 1980. Columbia Pictures acquired the rights to film the novel and assembled a high-profile cast and crew: Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown had produced "Jaws" (1975); John G. Avildsen had won an Academy Award for directing "Rocky" (1976); veteran comedy writer Larry Gelbart had developed the hit TV series "M*A*S*H" (1972-1983); and John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd had been stars of TV's "Saturday Night Live" (on which they appeared from 1975-1979) and the film "The Blues Brothers" (1980). The film's female leads were played by Cathy Moriarty, who had made her film debut in Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull" (1980), and Kathryn Walker, who had been the girlfriend of Belushi's "National Lampoon" colleague Douglas Kenney (1946-1980).


title: Neighbors (1981 film)

text: The production of "Neighbors" was troubled. John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd switched their roles in pre-production, acting against type (usual-wild man Belushi played the meek Earl and usual-straight-arrow Aykroyd played the obnoxious Vic). Belushi and Aykroyd also argued constantly with director John G. Avildsen (as they believed that he had no understanding of comedy), and lobbied to have him removed from the picture. Belushi wanted either Aykroyd, himself or John Landis to direct the film. Avildsen also argued with producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown, and screenwriter Larry Gelbart objected to the changes made to his screenplay by Dan Aykroyd. John Belushi's drug problems also impaired the film's production, and "Neighbors" proved to be Belushi's final film before he died of a drug overdose.


title: Neighbors (1981 film)

text: Tom Scott was originally assigned to compose the score for "Neighbors" but was replaced by Avildsen's frequent collaborator Bill Conti. John Belushi unsuccessfully tried to have the film finish with a song written and performed by the punk rock group Fear (Belushi had discovered the band and brought them to Cherokee Studios to record songs for the film). Music producing partners Steve Cropper and Bruce Robb remember recording the band's music, but nobody knows exactly what happened with the final soundtrack which was ultimately replaced in the film by Conti's more traditional movie score. "How can I describe what it was like recording in the early days of punk?" said music producer and Cherokee owner Bruce Robb. "We had decided to track the song selection in order, and were on track 4 before the band realized they were all using different set lists. The irony is we couldn't tell." Upset with Belushi's antics and believing that Fear's music was inappropriate for "Neighbors", the movie studio eventually forced the band off the soundtrack project. To make up for it, Belushi got them a guest spot on "Saturday Night Live".


title: Neighbors (1981 film)

text: A comprehensive look at the troubled production of "Neighbors" can be found in the books "Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi" by Bob Woodward (1984) and "" by Judith Belushi Pisano and Tanner Colby (2005).


title: Neighbors (1981 film)

text: For one test version of the film, the head of Columbia Pictures, Frank Price, made the contentious decision to have quotations from positive press reviews of Berger's book assembled into a caption that would serve as a prologue to the film (this move prompted an angry missive from Dan Aykroyd). The final version of "Neighbors" was released to cinemas in December 1981. Although "Neighbors" was not a commercial flop, it received mixed reaction from both critics and from some fans of Belushi and Aykroyd, who did not like that they played the complete opposite character types that they usually would.


title: Neighbors (1981 film)

text: Roger Ebert, reviewing for the "Chicago Sun-Times," awarded the film three stars out of four, and wrote that ""Neighbors" is a truly interesting comedy, an offbeat experiment in hallucinatory black humor. It grows on you." Ebert also wrote approvingly of Belushi and Aykroyd as the leads, citing it as "brilliant casting, especially since they divided the roles somewhat against our expectations." In his book "Guide for the Film Fanatic", Danny Peary wrote, "I think this surreal comedy is imaginatively done, and perfectly conveys the lunacy of the two comics...I'm glad they went against type because both actors are at their absolute best." Peary argued that the "final picture is faithful to Thomas Berger's zany, satirical novel" but noted that he prefers "the film's happier ending."


title: Neighbors (1981 film)

text: In December 2007, Varèse Sarabande released the "Neighbors" soundtrack on CD. The CD contains the score by Bill Conti as heard in the film (tracks 1-30), as well as the unused score by Tom Scott (tracks 31-49).


title: Neighbors (1981 film)

text: While the film features the songs "Hello, I Love You" by The Doors, "Holiday In Cambodia" by Dead Kennedys, and "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees, none of the songs are included on the soundtrack album.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Gotham is a geometric sans-serif typeface family designed by American type designer Tobias Frere-Jones with Jesse Ragan and released through the Hoefler & Frere-Jones foundry from 2000. Gotham's letterforms were inspired by examples of architectural signs of the mid-twentieth century. Gotham has a relatively broad design with a reasonably high x-height and wide apertures.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Since creation, Gotham has been highly visible due to its appearance in many notable places. This has included Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, Michigan State University branding, and the 2016 federal election campaign of the Australian Labor Party. The font has also been used on the cornerstone of the One World Trade Center in New York. It is also the current font used in MPAA title cards for film trailers in the U.S.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Developed for professional use, Gotham is an extremely large family, featuring four widths, eight weights, and separate designs for screen display and a rounded version. It is published by Hoefler & Co., the company of Frere-Jones' former business partner Jonathan Hoefler. The font is currently used in the Taco Bell, Golf Galaxy, and Cartoon Network logos, and formerly in the logos for Discovery, Inc. and ViacomCBS, currently Paramount Global.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: The Gotham typeface was initially commissioned by "GQ" magazine, whose editors wanted to display a sans-serif with a "geometric structure" that would look "masculine, new, and fresh" for their magazine. "GQ" agreed that they needed something "that was going to be very fresh and very established to have a sort of credible voice to it," according to Hoefler.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Frere-Jones' inspiration for the typeface came from time spent walking block-by-block through Manhattan with a camera to find source material, and he based the font on the lettering seen in older buildings, especially the sign on the Eighth Avenue façade of the Port Authority Bus Terminal. "I suppose there's a hidden personal agenda in the design," Frere-Jones said, "to preserve those old pieces of New York that could be wiped out before they're appreciated. Having grown up here, I was always fond of the 'old' New York and its lettering."


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: The lettering that inspired this typeface originated from the style of 1920s era sans-serifs like Futura, where "Type, like architecture, like the organization of society itself, was to be reduced to its bare, efficient essentials, rid of undesirable, local or ethnic elements." This theme was found frequently in Depression-era type in both North America and Europe, particularly Germany. This simplification of type is characterized by Frere-Jones as "not the kind of letter a type designer would make. It's the kind of letter an engineer would make. It was born outside the type design in some other world and has a very distinct flavor from that." Paul Shaw commented that the letterforms Gotham was based on "were geometric yet they did not look like Futura. Their widths were more uniform and less classical, bowls were larger".


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Reviews of Gotham focus on its identity as something both American and specific to New York City. According to David Dunlap of "The New York Times", Gotham "deliberately evokes the blocky no-nonsense, unselfconscious architectural lettering that dominated the [New York] streetscape from the 1930s through the 1960s." Andrew Romano of "Newsweek" concurs. "Unlike other sans serif typefaces, it's not German, it's not French, it's not Swiss," he said. "It's very American."


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: According to Frere-Jones, Gotham wouldn't have happened without the "GQ" commission. "The humanist and the geometric ... had already been thoroughly staked out and developed by past designers. I didn't think anything new could have been found there, but luckily for me (and the client), I was mistaken."


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Gotham was prominently featured in 2004 as the typeface on the cornerstone for the Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center site, itself owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In a Fourth of July speech at its unveiling, then-Governor George Pataki cited the cornerstone as the "bedrock of our state". The text is written in all-uppercase letters, which was criticized, as some wanted a mix of upper and lower-case to "give the words a human voice."


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Early materials for the 2008 Obama campaign used the serif Perpetua. Later, however, upon hiring John Slabyk and Scott Thomas, the campaign made the change to Gotham, and the font was used on numerous signs and posters for the campaign.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: The "International Herald Tribune" praised the choice for its "potent, if unspoken, combination of contemporary sophistication (a nod to his suits) with nostalgia for America's past and a sense of duty." John Berry, an author of books on typography, agreed: "It's funny to see it used in a political campaign because on the one hand it's almost too ordinary yet that's the point. It has the sense of trustworthiness because you've seen it everywhere." Graphic designer Brian Collins noted that Gotham was the "linchpin" to Obama's entire campaign imagery.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Observers of the primary and general elections compared Obama's design choices favorably to those made by his opponents. In her campaign, Hillary Clinton used New Baskerville, a serif used by book publishers, law firms and universities, while John McCain used Optima, the same font used for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It also has to be noticed that while the Obama campaign material still used the Perpetua typeface, the short-lived John Edwards campaign was already using Gotham Ultra.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: After Obama won the presidency, Gotham and similar typefaces found their way into various federal government projects, most notably the identity of the 2010 United States Census.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Gotham has found its way into other commercial media, as well. Coca-Cola, television shows "Conan", "Maury" and "Saturday Night Live", the Tribeca Film Festival, the Qwest advertisements, and the Georgia Governor's Office of Customer Service have all used Gotham in logos. The Georgia state government cited Gotham's "clean, fresh lines" and variations that "offer a variety of options for use in all marketing, advertising and signage applications" as reason for its use. Starbucks used the typeface in conjunction with the 2008 presidential election to advertise an offer of free coffee to people who vote. The typographical logo of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, designed by Landor Associates, features a style mixture of Gotham and Verlag, another H & FJ typeface.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: With Gotham's origin—and my own stubborn opinions—I think that anywhere in the suburban sprawl would be the worst place for it: advertising for featureless subdivisions, the specials board at the Exit 23 Dairy Queen, bumper stickers that say 'I [heart] my SUV' and so on.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Gotham has also been the font of the Eurovision Song Contest since 2013, and since 2015, the font has been used in the generic logo of the contest.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: On 1 January 2014, Philippine Media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corporation started using Gotham font as a corporate typeface replacing Rotis. It is notably used on logos of Kapamilya Channel (launched on 13 June 2020) and A2Z Channel 11 (launched on 6 October 2020). MediaQuest's One Network Media Group (consisting of Cignal-exclusive cable channels One News, One PH, One Sports+ and their free-to-air counterpart One Sports, and One Screen) are also using Gotham in their logos.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: On 30 May 2014, Twitter announced, "Starting today, we're rolling out a new font on twitter.com, moving from Helvetica Neue to Gotham". The change was reverted on 3 September 2014.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Gotham is the official font of New York University, Michigan State University, Rowan University, the Singapore University of Technology and Design, and was the primary brand typeface of the University of Waterloo and remains in use in logos and signage in conjunction with newly introduced brand typefaces.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Gotham was also the font used by Netflix, until 2018 when to reduce expenses in licensing fees, Netflix created its own bespoke font, Netflix Sans.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Gotham was the font family used by most government agencies in the Australian state of New South Wales until 2021 when it changed to Public Sans.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Gotham originally was introduced with an oblique as well as a range of widths. In 2007, a Rounded variant was introduced due to a commission from "Print" magazine. In 2009, Hoefler and Frere-Jones introduced new Narrow and Extra Narrow versions. On April 4, 2011, Hoefler and Frere-Jones announced that they had created a new wordmark based on Gotham with serifs for the use of President Barack Obama's 2012 campaign. In announcing the news they wrote: "Can We Add Serifs to Gotham? For the President of The United States? Yes We Can." The design was not released publicly.


title: Gotham (typeface)

text: Cyrillic and Greek characters were added in an April 2015 update. By this time Frere-Jones had left the company; "Fonts in Use" reports Malou Verlomme and Sara Soskolne as having cooperated on the additional alphabets.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: The flag of Tunisia is a rectangular panel of red color with an aspect ratio of 2:3. In the center of the cloth in a white circle is placed a red crescent, surrounding a red five-pointed star on three sides. Bey Tunisia Hussein II decided to create a flag for Tunisia, close in appearance to the modern one, after the Battle of Navarino on 20 October 1827; in 1831 he was officially approved. In this form, the flag existed during the French protectorate, and on 1 June 1959, it was proclaimed the state flag of the Republic of Tunisia (in accordance with the country's constitution). On 30 June 1999, the proportions and design of the flag were clarified by a special law; the general appearance of the flag remained virtually unchanged.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: The crescent and star depicted on the flag of Tunisia are traditional symbols of Islam, and are also considered symbols of good luck.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: Until the mid-18th century, the design and significance of maritime flags flying on ships in Tunis are unknown. However, various sources have been able to distinguish certain similarities among the flags: they were designed with a crescent-oriented shape in the presence of the colors blue, green, red, and white. Thereafter, and until the early 19th century, the flag was composed of horizontal blue, red and green stripes, which are the colors of the ruling Husainid dynasty. This kind of flag with multiple bands and irregular contours floated on top of ships all along the coast of North Africa; similar flags with different colors and arrangements were also used in Africa.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: According to Ottfried Neubecker, the Bey of Tunis also had his own flag. This flag was most likely a simple personal banner of the ruler, as it floated above the Bardo Palace, the Citadel of Tunis, on navy ships, and also in the center of the coat of arms in Tunisia. It was used at a number of public ceremonies until the abolition of the monarchy and proclamation of Republic on 25 July 1957.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: Believed to have been introduced by Hussein II, although some sources, such as Abdel-Wahab, claim that it was in use three centuries earlier, the flag was rectangular in shape and divided into nine stripes, the middle one green and double the size of all other bands, while the others alternated between yellow and red. Featured in the center of the green stripe was the Zulfiqar, the legendary Islamic sword of Ali, with the blade in white and the hilt multicolored. The red and yellow stripes each contained five equidistant symbols, whose order was alternated between each stripe. These symbols were divided into two categories: one red six-sided star voided with a disk of a different color in the center—either a red star and green disk or a white star and blue disk—, and a large disk voided in its lower right by a small disk of different color, with the combination being either a small red disk within a larger blue disk or a small yellow disk within a larger green disk. The first yellow stripe contains three red stars and two blue disks. The second stripe, red in color, contains three green disksand two white stars. The third stripe (second yellow one) is identical to the first, with the exception that the star in its center is white, while the fourth stripe (second white one) is identical to the 2nd stripe.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: Several Muslim countries along the south coast of the Mediterranean Sea used a plain red naval flag. After the destruction of the Tunisian naval division at the Battle of Navarino on 20 October 1827, the sovereign Husainid Dynasty leader Hussein II decided to create a flag to use for the fleet of Tunisia, to distinguish it from other fleets. There are some discrepancies over the date of the flag's adoption, as the government states that it was adopted in 1831, while other sources like Siobhan Ryan's "Ultimate Pocket Flags of the World" claim that it was adopted in 1835.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: During the era of the French protectorate in Tunisia, The Tunisian flag has not changed. However, according to an article in the "Flag Bulletin" publishing in Fall 2000, for a short period of time during the French protectorate, the flag of France was placed in the canton (upper left) of the Tunisian flag. In the same vein, vexillologist Whitney Smith stated that the addition of the French flag was "modification of the unofficial Tunisian national flag, used for a few years". He added:


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: Confusion arose when an issue of the French daily newspaper "Le Petit Journal", published on 24 July 1904 on the occasion of the bey of Tunis's visit to France, reproduced an illustration showing the flag used while he was visiting the Hôtel de Ville, Paris. Ivan Sache of "Flags of the World" claimed that this flag design, which hadn't been seen earlier, may have been inaccurate, suggesting that the journalist might not have been at the affair or he had reproduced a drawing of the wrong flag.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: The union project between Tunisia and Libya in 1973–1974 almost led to the unification of Tunisia and the Libyan Arab Republic. After a meeting between Habib Bourguiba and Muammar Gaddafi, Tunisian Foreign Minister Mohamed Masmoudi read a joint statement:


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: But, faced with the opposition that arose both within the regime and abroad, Bourguiba was forced to backtrack and abandon the project on the pretext of the unconstitutionality of the referendum. The flag itself would have taken the colors of the flag of Libya, floating between 1972 and 1977, but the falcon present in the center of this same flag would have been replaced by the star and the Tunisian red crescent, such as the treaty of l union describes it:


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: The Tunisian flag was defined in Article 4 of the 1 June 1959 constitution under these terms: "The flag of the Republic of Tunisia is red, it has, under the conditions defined by law, in the middle, a white disk containing a five-pointed star surrounded by a red crescent."


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: The Organic Law No. 99-56 of 30 June 1999, adopted on 3 July by the Chamber of Deputies, formalized the Tunisian flag for the first time in law, clarifying Article 4 of the constitution. The flag is in the form of a red rectangle with a width equal to two-thirds of its length. In the middle of the flag is a white disk whose diameter is equal to one-third of the length of the rectangle and whose center is located at the intersection of the diagonals of the rectangle. A red five-pointed star is located to the right of the disk, whose center is at a distance equal to one-thirtieth of the length of the flag from the center of the disk.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: The location of the star's five points is determined by an imaginary disk centered on the star's center, its diameter equal to roughly 15% the length of the flag. The points of the star are equidistant from each other, and one of the points is located on the horizontal median of the flag to the left of the center of the imaginary disk. The star is surrounded on its left by a red crescent made by the intersection of two arcs, an outer arc whose diameter is equal to one-fourth of the length of the flag, and an internal arc with a diameter equal to one-fifth of the flag's length. In addition, at the top of the flag used by the President of the Republic, the words "for the nation" () are written in gold. The three outer edges of the flag are lined with golden yellow fringe and a red ribbon, with golden fringe on the right vertical side and a white disk with a star and crescent near the fringe, is attached to the flag pole above the flag.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: Article 4 of the 1959 constitution specifies the presence of a technical dossier containing a model of the flag, a guide to drawing it, which includes the proper measurements, and technical specifications of its colors.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: For the Tunisian embassy in France, the color red represents the blood of Tunisian martyrs killed during the Crusades before the advent of the Ottomans on 1574. Another interpretation is that the "red Beylical flag spread light throughout the Muslim world". The white symbolizes peace, the disk symbolizes the radiance of the nation as the sun, while the crescent and five-pointed star represent unity of all Muslims and the Five Pillars of Islam, respectively.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: According to Ludvík Mucha, author of "Webster's Concise Encyclopedia of Flags & Coats of Arms", the white disk located in the center of the flag represents the sun. The red crescent and the five-pointed star, two ancient symbols of Islam, were appeared on many flags of Islamic countries. The crescent is, from the viewpoint of an Arabic observer, supposed to bring good luck. The color red represents the blood of martyrs.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: Whitney Smith states that the crescent was first emblazoned on standards and buildings in the Punic state of Carthage, located in present-day Tunisia. Nevertheless, they were widely adopted by Muslim countries, and have become known as symbols of Islam, when in fact, they may be cultural symbols. Likewise, the sun is often represented with the crescent on ancient Punic artifacts and is associated with the ancient Punic religion, especially with the Sign of Tanit.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: The Tunisian flag is visible on all public and military buildings. The flag also betokens Tunisian ambassadors at regional and international meetings as well as at buildings housing Tunisian representatives around the world. It is deployed during commemorations and national honors in a strictly ceremonial manner. On the listed Flag Days below, the Tunisian flag is flown in public buildings, compulsory by law:


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: Article 129 of Penal Code of Tunisia punishes the insult either "publicly, by words, writings, gestures or any other manner" of the Tunisian flag and also foreign flags with one year imprisonment.


title: Flag of Tunisia

text: The colors of the flag are included in other Tunisian symbols, such as the coat of arms, which contains a crescent and star enclosed in a disk with red border. In addition, equipment belonging to the Tunisian army are visually recognized by the presence of a cockade.


title: Invitation to tender

text: An invitation to tender (ITT, otherwise known as a call for bids or a request for tenders) is a formal, structured procedure for generating competing offers from different potential suppliers or contractors looking to obtain an award of business activity in works, supply, or service contracts, often from companies who have been previously assessed for suitability by means of a supplier questionnaire (SQ) or pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ).


title: Invitation to tender

text: An ITT differs from a request for quotation (RFQ) or a request for proposal (RFP), in which case other reasons (technology used, quality) might cause or allow choice of the second best offer. An RFP is a request for a price from a buyer but the buyer would also expect suggestions and ideas on how the project work should be done. RFPs are thus focused on more than just pricing/cost, they entail a bit of consulting from the contractor or vendor. The closest equivalent to an ITT in the mainstream private sector is an RFP which, since public money is not involved, typically has a less rigid structure.


title: Invitation to tender

text: The reasons for using restricted tenders differ in scope and purpose. Restricted tenders can come about because of:


title: Invitation to tender

text: A sole source tender may be used where there is essentially only one suitable supplier of the services or product.


title: Invitation to tender

text: Public sector organisations in many countries are legally obliged to release tenders for works and services. In the majority of cases, these are listed on their websites and traditional print media. Electronic procurement and tendering systems or e-procurement are also increasingly prevalent. The European Union states that 235,000 calls for tender are issued annually using its Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) system, including those issued by countries in the European Economic Area and beyond. Public sector organisations in the United Kingdom use this system but from 11pm on 31 December 2020, at the end of the Brexit transition period, a new e-notification service called "Find a Tender" (FTS) began to be used to post and view public sector procurement notices. Relevant new procurement opportunities launched after 11pm on 31 December 2020 must be published on this website.


title: Invitation to tender

text: A number of companies provide subscription alert services which send notifications of relevant tender documents to the subscriber.


title: Invitation to tender

text: An array of private organisations also assist businesses in finding out about these tenders. Cost may vary from a few pounds a week to a few hundred.


title: Invitation to tender

text: Because of the specialised language and sometimes difficult-to-grasp procedures, there are several consulting organizations, who offer companies tender writing training, or undertake bid-writing for them.


title: Invitation to tender

text: ITTs may be distributed to potential bidders through a tender service, allowing businesses to receive and search live tenders from a range of public and private sources. These alerts are most commonly sent daily and can be filtered down by geographical area, or by business sector. Some tendering services divide types of business very finely in their own way, by CPV (Common Procurement Vocabulary) codes. This enables a business to find ITTs specific to what that business can supply.


title: Invitation to tender

text: An ITT is usually an open invitation for suppliers to respond to a "defined" need as opposed to a request being sent to selected potential suppliers. The ITT often requests information following on from other information gathered previously from responses to a Request for information (RFI). This will usually not only cover product and service requirements, but will also ask for information about the suitability of the business. A supplier questionnaire or pre-qualification questionnaire may be used to elicit suitability information from suppliers in a consistent manner.


title: Invitation to tender

text: An ITT is usually expected to conform to some legally standardized structure designed to ensure impartiality, and the tender bid winner is entitled to take responsibility of the contract business supply documentations formalities and settle any tender bid engagement charges for official recording.


title: Invitation to tender

text: Supplier questionnaires or pre-qualification questionnaires (PQQs) ensure that potential suppliers are all asked the same information when assessing their suitability to be invited to tender or to have their tenders evaluated. Some organisations issue a standard pre-qualification questionnaire, for example the UK government has developed standard core PQQ questions which have been revised several times and are "mandated for use" across government, and has also stipulated that PQQs should not be used by central government contracting bodies when procuring goods or services valued less that the threshold values set by European and UK procurement legislation.


title: Invitation to tender

text: A tender box is a mailbox used to receive the physical tender or bid documents, or a digital equivalent. When a tender or bid is being called, a tender or bid number is usually issued as a reference number for the tender box. The tender box would be open for interested parties to submit their proposals for the duration of the bid or tender. After the closing date, the tender box is closed and sealed and can only be opened by either the tender or bid evaluation committee or a member of the procurement department with two witnesses.


title: Invitation to tender

text: Even though the tender box is not implemented in every country around the world, the procedure remains the same. Tenders have a bidding period available to prepare and bid. Research has shown that the length of this period might affect the number of bids and as a result competition among renderers


title: Invitation to tender

text: In an open bid or tender system, a double envelope system may be used. The double envelope system separates the technical proposal (based on and intended to meet the statement of work) from the financing or cost proposal in the form of two separate and sealed envelopes. During the tender evaluation, the technical proposal would be opened and evaluated first followed by the financing proposal. The objective of this system is to ensure a fair evaluation of the proposal. The technical proposal would be evaluated purely on its technical merits and its ability to meet the requirements set forth in the Invitation without being unduly skewed by the financial proposal.


title: Invitation to tender

text: Registered contractors may be required to furnish a bond for a stipulated sum as security or earnest money deposit to be adjusted against work done, normally in the form of bank guarantee or surety.


title: Invitation to tender

text: A tender validity date is a date until which a tenderer commits to keeping their prices (and other tender details) open for acceptance (or otherwise) by the client. Such a date is usually included in a form of tender, either as a specified date or as the termination of a specified period from another key tender date. For example, in tendering for gym equipment in 2013, West Dunbartonshire Council required tenderers to accept that "Your tender shall remain open for acceptance for ninety (90) days from the date for return of tenders indicated above, or any subsequent date notified to you by us. Your tender may be accepted by us at any time during this period."


title: Invitation to tender

text: Post-tender negotiation involves negotiation between an intending buyer and seller after a seller's tender has been submitted. An initial stage may involve tender clarification, which is intended to eliminate any uncertainties or contradictory elements of a proposal, before moving into a true "negotiation" phase.


title: Invitation to tender

text: The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply believes that "provided it is undertaken professionally and ethically, ... post tender negotiation is an appropriate process to secure value for money.


title: Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977)

text: The Aston Martin V8 Vantage is a British grand tourer, a higher performance version of the Aston Martin V8. It was hailed at its 1977 introduction as "Britain's First Supercar" for its top speed. Its engine was shared with the Lagonda, but it used high-performance camshafts, increased compression ratio, larger inlet valves and bigger carburettors mounted on new manifolds for increased output. Straight-line performance was the best of the day, with acceleration from 0– in 5.3 seconds, one-tenth of a second quicker than the Ferrari Daytona.


title: Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977)

text: The first series equipped with four 48IDF2/100 Weber carburetors produced (estimated) at 5800 rpm and at 4500 rpm of torque, and series specific details such as a blanked bonnet vent and a separate rear spoiler. 38 of these were built (plus 13 "Cosmetics" for the US). The Oscar India (for 1 October, the date of introduction) version, introduced in late 1978, featured an integrated tea-tray spoiler and smoother bonnet bulge. Inside, a black leather-covered dash replaced the previous walnut. The wooden dashboard did find its way back into the Vantage during the eighties, giving a more luxurious appearance. The Oscar India version also received a slight increase in power, to . This line was produced, with some running changes, until 1989. From 1986 the engine had .


title: Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977)

text: One of the most noticeable features was the closed-off hood bulge rather than the open scoop found on the normal V8. The grille area was also closed off, with twin driving lights inserted and a spoiler added to the bootlid.


title: Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977)

text: The 1986–1989 580 'X-Pack' was a further upgrade, with Cosworth pistons and Nimrod racing-type heads producing 403 hp. A 'big bore' after-market option was also available from Works Service, with 50 mm carbs (instead of 48 mm) and straight-through exhaust system giving 432 hp (the same engine as fitted to the limited-edition V8 Zagato. 16-inch wheels were also now fitted. If this wasn't enough, a 6.3-litre version was also available from Aston Martin, and independents offered a 7-litre version.


title: Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977)

text: 304 Series 2 Vantage coupés were built – including 131 X-Packs – and 192 Volantes (in spite of only having been officially introduced in 1986, near the end of production). Of the 'Cosmetic' Vantage (for the US Swiss and Japanese markets, with fuel injection instead of Weber carburettors), 14 Series 2 coupés and 56 Volantes were built. Cosmetic Vantages lacked the powerful Vantage engine but retained the Vantage name and most of its body alterations – though the lack of carburettors allowed a flattened hood. From 1980 they featured DOT-approved safety bumpers front and rear. Most of these cars have since been retrofitted with full power, European spec engines.


title: Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977)

text: Although the full spec (carburettor) Vantage models were not imported into the US when new, they now qualify for entry under the DOT's 'Show and Display' rules in most US States. Federal requirements are also less strict for cars over 25 years old (as all Vantages now are).


title: Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977)

text: A Vantage Volante convertible version was also produced between 1986 and 1989. Six mechanically similar cars had been built earlier to special order, but it was not regularly available until then. The production version featured an even deeper front spoiler than fitted to the Vantage, even wider wheel arches, and extended side skirts. The Vantage Volante also had a rear spoiler, which the regular Volante did not feature. In total, 166 Vantage Volantes were built, with the last ones leaving the factory in December 1989. In 1987 Charles, Prince of Wales took delivery of a Vantage Volante, but at his request without the production car's wider wheelarches, front air dam and side skirts. This became known as the 'Prince of Wales Spec' (or PoW) and around another 26 such cars were built by the factory. These are now generally considered the most desirable of all the 1970s/80s V8 models. Combined with the PoW cars, 192 Vantage Volantes were built.


title: Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977)

text: James Bond's car in the 1987 film, "The Living Daylights", was a V8 Volante (convertible), registration number B549 WUU. The car used was a Volante owned by Aston Martin Lagonda chairman Victor Gauntlett. Later, the car is fitted with a hardtop ("winterised") at Q Branch, and these scenes feature a pair of non-Vantage V8 saloons, fitted with the same number plate as the initial car, but with Vantage badges now fitted to match the previous Vantage. The number plate B549 WUU was painted on the upper portion of Pierre Gasly's Red Bull Racing RB15's rear wing for the 2019 British Grand Prix.


title: Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977)

text: The car returns to the franchise in the film "No Time to Die" where James Bond drives it to return to MI6 and when he and Madeleine go to Norway to visit her childhood home as well as meeting Mathilde, her daughter. At the end of the movie, the V8 Vantage would be driven by Madeleine Swann as she takes her daughter Mathilde to Matera and tells her the story of James Bond.


title: Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977)

text: In the James Bond parody "Johnny English Strikes Again", Johnny English drives an Aston Martin V8 Vantage similar to the one used by James Bond, though it is coloured red, less modified, and was provided by Rowan Atkinson, who had purchased it six months before filming started.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Lloret de Mar (; ) is a Mediterranean coastal town in Catalonia, Spain. It is south of Girona and northeast of Barcelona. With a population of 38,402 in 2021, it is the second largest town in the Selva comarca of Catalonia.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Lloret de Mar attracts summer visitors on package tours. Its main beach (length: 1,630 m; width: 45 m; small, gravel-like stones) is one of the most popular Costa Brava beaches, and is consistently awarded the Blue Flag for cleanliness.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The town of Lloret de Mar covers has of coastline and of forest. It borders Vidreres and Maçanet de la Selva to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the east, Tossa de Mar to the north, and Blanes to the south.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Lloret de Mar has a climate that is on the border between a humid subtropical climate (Köppen "Cfa") and a coastal Mediterranean climate (Köppen "Csa"), with the former very rarely seen anywhere in Southwestern Europe; temperatures are always much milder due to thermal effect moderator of the sea. The summer dry period normally lasts three months and the maximum rainfall occurs in the autumn months.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: There are historical remains of Iberian and Roman civilisations at various archeological sites. The first written references to Lloret de Mar can be found in documents from 966 as "Loredo" from the Latin word "lauretum" (bay laurel). Like many Mediterranean coastal towns, Lloret was frequently invaded by the Saracens in the Middle Ages. It is said that the traditional "Ball de Plaça" (the Dance in the Town Square) dates from this era.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Until the 15th century, the town's centre was located one kilometre () inland, next to the Chapel of Les Alegries (the town's main church before the Church of Sant Romà was built) to protect itself from attacks from English, French, Turkish and Algerian pirates. Lloret's port became commercially important in the 18th century. It no longer exists but the Garriga Houses built by "Indianos" (Indians), rich returning Spanish immigrants to the Americas, remind us of this affluent era. The high economic level that had been achieved in certain sectors of the population of Lloret led to the demolition of the old houses and the rise of small neoclassical palaces, modernist or eclectic. The houses of the Paseo del Mar, San Pedro Street and the Plaza de España. In the first decade of the twentieth century, the first holiday makers arrived in Lloret. In 1918 the first summer villas began to be built, such as the Indian house of Emilio Heydrich in 1921; the first hotel was opened in 1920, the hotel "Costa Brava" . But the Spanish Civil War and the postwar period brought economic restrictions and difficulties and stopped the incipient tourist activity of Lloret. All in all, the first vacationers who came from the Barcelona area soon arrived and were generally well-placed textile manufacturers or similar occupants.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Lloret de Mar has been awarded the Blue Flag seal of quality for Lloret, Fenals, Sa Boadella and Santa Cristina beaches.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Santa Clotilde Gardens, designed at the turn of the 20th century in the noucentisme style, are probably the finest example of contemporary Catalan landscape gardening. In 1919, Doctor Raül Roviralta i Astoul, Marquis of Roviralta, commissioned the architect and noucentista landscaper Nicolau Maria Rubió i Tudurí to build the house and gardens of Santa Clotilde, overlooking Sa Boadella cove. Set on a clifftop with stunning sea views, the gardens are characterised by their wide variety of plants in contrast to an absence of flowers.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: In order to balance the exploitation of resources with the existing fishing capacity and the maintenance of marine ecosystems, on the initiative of various fishermen's guilds and the Directorate General for Sea Fishing, in recent years a series of artificial reefs have been installed in various places in Catalonia and in 1994 the biotope was created in Lloret de Mar. The artificial reef covers 150 hectares and stretches from "Punta des Bullents" (Cala Canyelles) to "Racó des Bernat" (Lloret de Mar), with a bathymetric range of between 15 and 25 metres. The reef is composed of four series of protective modules placed perpendicular to the coastline and forty beehive-shaped production structures placed facing Canyelles beach. The initial goal of the Lloret de Mar biotope was to increase the biological productivity of the system, to revive and develop artisan fishing, and to protect the Posidonia Oceanica meadows.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The Maritime Museum, which focuses on the history of the "Indianos" and Lloret de Mar's seafaring and fishing past, is housed in Casa Garriga, an old Indiano house that was acquired by the town council in 1981 in order to turn it into a local museum. It is divided into five areas: Sons of the sea, Mediterranean, Gateway to the ocean, Lloret after sailing ships, and Beyond the beach. The route through the museum takes in everything from coastal trading in the Mediterranean to high-sea sailing across the Atlantic.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Situated at the top of the hill that separates Lloret de Mar and Fenals beaches, it dates back to the turn of the 11th century. The castle served as a watchtower to warn of possible attacks from the sea. The origins of the Castle of Sant Joan are the origins of the town of Lloret. Back in the 11th century, the area of land delimited as Loredo was ruled over by Sicardis of Lloret (1031-1103). According to the terms of Sicardis' will, the feudal land was to be shared between two of her sons: Bernat Umbert, Bishop of Girona, and Bernat Gaufred, a secular lord who became Lord of Palafolls. This shared jurisdiction lasted until 1218, when Bishop Bernat Umbert died and his fief passed exclusively to the See of the Chapter of Girona Cathedral. In 1790, the "Comú" (Town Council) and the inhabitants of Lloret asked the Royal Council of the Treasury (""Real Consejo de Hacienda"") to make the castle and its land royal property in exchange for the payment of 8,000 pounds to the Cathedral Chapter for its loss of ownership rights. The legal dispute, which lasted until 1802, was decided in favour of Lloret's inhabitants, bringing almost eight centuries of feudal rule to an end, although the Castle of Sant Joan belonged to the Chapter until 1807. The Third Coalition War that pitted Great Britain against Spain and France, and which concluded at the Battle of Trafalgar, had disastrous consequences for the tower of the Castle of Sant Joan. In 1805 the British Navy bombed the tower, destroying the fortified enclosure once and for all. The castle remained in disuse throughout the 19th century and was reduced to ruins. The restoration of the keep, which is now open to visitors, was completed in 1992. Meanwhile, the excavations and the museological project were completed between 2000 and 2001.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The modernist cemetery of Lloret de Mar is one of the most important Indiano cemeteries in Catalonia and one of the most representative anywhere in Spain. The essence of Lloret de Mar cemetery can be traced to the arrival of the newly rich Indianos, those who returned to the town after making their fortune in the Americas. Designed by Joaquim Artau i Fàbregas, the main avenue contains a series of dazzling pantheons and hypogea in a highly evocative modernist style.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Bonaventura Conill i Montobbio, a disciple of Gaudí, was one of the cemetery's most prolific architects, producing high crosses, dragons that watch over the darkness and death, and angels with heads bowed who mourn like any mortal.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The Indianos were families with many good connections, which explains the presence of works by architects such as Puig i Cadafalch and Ismael Smith i Marí, who designed the pale marble female figure that symbolises death and that rests surrounded by red roses. At the end of the central avenue there is a chapel around which the second category hypogea are arranged. There are rows of avenues lined with very similar and highly decorative pantheons, all joined together, some adorned with fresh flowers and others left bare.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Work on the new cemetery began in 1896 and its construction was completed in 1901. Relatively unknown, it offers a wide perspective on the funerary art of the period. The completed basic structure of the cemetery was impressive for a town with fewer than 4000 inhabitants. Once it was officially opened the leading architects and sculptors of the time contributed works. Joaquim Artau i Fàbregas drew up the original plans and once the cemetery opened the architects Antoni Maria Gallissà and Josep Puig i Cadafalch were the first to execute projects for the new necropolis. Another architect, Vicenç Artigas i Albertí, soon became involved and over the course of 1903 Bonaventura Conill i Montobbio, a disciple of Gaudí, joined the group. Both of these architects continued to work for the cemetery on a regular basis and most of the works that make up the complex constituted an important part of their output. In 1905 Ramon Maria Riudor joined the list of contributors. This architect, who worked on and off in Lloret de Mar, designed a pantheon for the cemetery. The cemetery of Lloret de Mar is possibly one of the most important examples of Catalan funerary art of the modernist period. Although it is a rather small complex, it contains a good number of works capable of reviving the debate over modernist art and the modernists.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Architects such as Enric Monserdà, Bonaventura Conill and Puig i Cadafalch built modernist buildings including the Sanctuary of Sant Pere del Bosc with the small chapel of Mare de Déu de Gràcia (Our Lady of Grace), or the chapel of the Baptistery and the chapel of the Santíssim Sagrament (Holiest Sacrament), both of which belong to the church of Sant Romà, and, last of all, the pantheon of the Costa Macià family, one of the most complex and sumptuous modernist structures in Lloret de Mar cemetery.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: There are three Iberian settlements in Lloret de Mar: Montbarbat, Puig de Castellet and Turó Rodó, dating from as far back as the 4th century BC (Montbarbat) to as late as the 2nd century BC (Turó Rodó). By the time of the 1st century BC, the Iberian world had been swept away due to the expansion of the Roman Empire.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The Iberians, who were the indigenous inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula, were organised into territorial tribes: Laietani, Cessetani, Ilercavones, Ilergetes, Ausetani and Indigetes. The Indigetes inhabited the Puig de Castellet settlement. This settlement, dating from the 3rd century BC, is situated two kilometres away from Lloret de Mar town centre in a strategic spot with an excellent vantage point overlooking the area stretching from the Tordera estuary to the Lloret coast. It is a small 650 m enclosure composed of around six dwellings. The settlement was fortified with a thick wall and defence towers during a turbulent period of history that shook the Mediterranean region from 264 BC to 146 BC: the Punic Wars. The strengthening of the enclosure wall dates back to the 3rd century BC, coinciding with the period of Carthaginian rule. As such, this settlement was active for around 50 years between 250 BC and 200 BC, at which point it was abandoned.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The excavations have been carried out in various stages: the first from 1968 to 1969, the second from 1970 to 1972 and the third and final stage from 1975 to 1986. During the excavations a large amount of archaeological material was unearthed, mostly locally produced ceramics but also Attic ceramics imported from different places, including Italy, Greece and Rhode (Roses). The Puig de Castellet settlement has been incorporated in the ""Route of the Iberians"", created by the Archaeology Museum of Catalonia and for which Lloret de Mar Town Council has carried out the necessary site adaptation.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Es Tint is a small property where Lloret's fishermen went until the 1960s to dye their nets, using a liquid produced by boiling water and pine bark. This was when nets were made of hemp, esparto and, later on, cotton. The nets were dyed by means of an ancient technique used throughout the Mediterranean, which consisted of soaking the nets in the liquid previously boiled in the cauldron until they were well impregnated. They were then wrung and put out to dry on the beach. The dye served both to increase the durability of the nets and to camouflage them in the sea.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The emergence of nylon nets signalled the end of this small industry, which depended on the Fishermen's Guild, and the building fell into disuse.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: In the past, every coastal town had premises of this kind for dyeing nets, normally run by the local guild. Not many survive today; on the Costa Brava only the "Sa Perola" building in Calella de Palafrugell and "Es Tint" in Lloret de Mar remain.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The Lloret de Mar - Fenals coastal footpath is a trail which hugs the Lloret coastline from Lloret beach to Fenals beach. It begins at the end of the Lloret's seafront promenade, passing by the "Es Racó de Garbí" spot and the little cove of "Sa Caravera". Some steps then lead up to a path that winds its way around a rocky coastline. It then passes by the "Es salt des Burros" spot before leading on to the Dona Marinera (Seafarer's Wife) statue by the sculptor . Another set of steps then lead down to Cala Banys, a rocky cove with several reefs. The footpath crosses a pine grove, emerging at Fenals point, where the mediaeval Castle of Sant Joan is located. Following the path from the watchtower, some steps lead down to "Plaça Sisquella", located at the start of the Fenals seafront promenade.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Since February 2012, Lloret de Mar has been promoting its annual carnival in conjunction with Blanes and Tossa de Mar under the Costa Brava South Carnival brand, an initiative aimed at encouraging visitors to enjoy and take part in the parades of the three towns. In Lloret the main event is the Great Parade of the Carnestoltes (Carnival King).


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The Rally Costa Brava is the oldest event of its kind in Spain and since it was first held in 1953 Lloret de Mar has always been at the epicentre of the competition. In 1988 the two most important rallies in Catalonia, the Rally Costa Brava and the Rally Catalunya, were merged to form the Rally Catalunya – Costa Brava, taking as a reference the 24 Rally Catalunya competitions held rather than the 35 previous Rally Costa Brava competitions. In parallel, the 10 x Hora motor sports association continued to organise its own rally, initially the Costa Brava – Lloret Rally (1988), and then the Rally Lloret – Costa Brava (1989–1994). In 1991, the Rally Catalunya – Costa Brava became a point-scoring world championship event, a situation that lasted until 2004. The Lloret de Mar Town Council immediately set about ensuring that this important association with motor sports was not lost, and since then has hosted the Rally Costa Brava and the Rally Costa Brava Històric every year. Both rallies, very well attended by participants and spectators alike, recover the essence of the original Rally Costa Brava competitions, offering spectators the chance to see legendary drivers and co-drivers up close.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The Mediterranean International Cup, held in April, is an international youth football tournament for promising young players. It is held in various locations in the province of Girona, although Lloret de Mar is the epicentre of the event and is where all the participants stay. Some of the world's leading clubs take part in this international tournament, including Barcelona, Real Madrid or Valencia, among others. Lionel Messi, Neymar, Jordi Alba and Gerard Piqué of Barcelona; Juan Mata of Manchester United; Cesc Fàbregas of Chelsea); Lucas of Liverpool; and Marcelo of Real Madrid are just some of the players who have taken part in the MIC and who now play for the world's leading clubs, which makes this a key event for scouts.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Lloret de Mar has always been an important accommodation base for Formula 1 enthusiasts who travel to Catalonia to see the F1 Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. In 2012, the destination created a special themed event to tie in with the F1 Grand Prix: the Lloret Formula Weekend, a weekend in May packed with activities. Visitors can experience what it is like to drive a Ferrari, take part in a F1 simulator competition and see an exciting parade of authentic single-seater race cars through the streets of Lloret. There is also a car show with official products of top makes on sale, live music in the streets and nightlife in Lloret's top discothèques and in the Gran Casino Costa Brava.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Lloret Night Shopping is a shopping, fashion and eating-out event held in May and September, in which shops remain open until the small hours. The event also includes live music, fashion parades, performances and options for eating out.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: This event takes place in May and the main ingredient is rice, which is combined with local products from the sea or mountains, with a variety of culinary offerings ranging from the most traditional to the most innovative.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Lloret de Mar has an important seafaring past, especially at the turn of the 20th century. Those who emigrated from Lloret to America to seek their fortune were known in the town as Americanos and as Indianos in the rest of Catalonia. For one weekend in June the town travels back to this Indiano period and the streets are filled with all sorts of activities, such as street theatre, demonstrations of traditional trades, craft markets and guided tours, among others.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The now-traditional Beaches Fun Walk takes place on the last Sunday in September and is organised by the Xino-Xano cultural association. Participants in the fun walk gather at the meeting point in Plaça de la Vila first thing in the morning and then travel by cruise boat or coach to Cala Canyelles, where the walk begins. This is mostly a coastal route, winding its way along a coastal footpath that offers views from the cliffs as it passes by Cala Trons, Sa Caleta, Lloret's main beach, Fenals beach and Sa Boadella, ending up at Santa Cristina beach.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: These fish and seafood gastronomy days recall Lloret de Mar's seafaring past and its close association with the sea. The name refers to the ancient fishing technique known as tirada a l'art that was carried out on the beach of Cala Canyelles in Lloret. 25 restaurants and hotels from the town take part in this October event.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: In addition to the Rally Costa Brava, since 2003 Lloret de Mar has been hosting the Rally Costa Brava Històric, which has become one of the world's leading vintage car rallies. This competition recovers the essence of great competitions, offering spectators the chance to see legendary drivers and co-drivers up close.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Meanwhile, with the idea of also hosting a speed rally for vintage cars, in 2005 the Rally Costa Brava was revived, which in essence is a continuation of the oldest rally in Spain. This rally is a point-scoring event in various national and international categories and is viewed by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) as one of the most prestigious on the continent.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The Medieval Fair is held as part of the festivities of Sant Romà, patron saint of Lloret de Mar. The town travels back to the Middle Ages with themed stalls and a wide variety of activities: troubadours, music, magic shows, the caravan of donkeys, medieval huts, workshops, an exhibition of medieval torture implements, calligraphy, demonstrations of artisan trades, games and a play centre for children. Held in November.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Tirada a l’art is perhaps one of the most deeply rooted traditions in the town of Lloret de Mar. This activity is held on Lloret's main beach in February and December and is a way of remembering and paying tribute to the fishing technique through which many of the town's inhabitants earned a living many years ago. It consists of casting the net into the water at daybreak and then hauling it back to the shore and onto the beach, gathering up all the fish that it has dragged in.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The origin of the non-EU immigrants, unlike neighbouring municipalities, broadly tends to be North African or Latin American (employee employed in construction or services) and Asian (self employed: trade).


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The increase in population began to be noticed in the 1990s but it was with the entry of the 21st century when the demographics of the town began to grow uncontrollably due mainly to the influx of non-EU immigrants. Currently they constitute 40% of the total population.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: In 1987, 27% of the total tourism establishment offering of the Costa Brava was concentrated in Lloret de Mar, but with 49% of the total hotel beds offering:


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Every year, Lloret welcomes 12% of the tourists who visit Catalonia and over 40% of the tourists who visit the Costa Brava. Lloret de Mar is ranked the fifth largest sun and sand destination in Spain and the largest in Catalonia in terms of the number of hotel beds. 50% of its hotel accommodation offering is concentrated in hotels with three stars or more and, while 64% of the five-star and luxury hotel accommodation on the Costa Brava is located in the town. Lloret de Mar's hotel offering in 2013 consisted of 30,000 hotel beds and over 120 establishments, of which 13,000 beds were in three-star hotels and 11,000 in four and five-star hotels.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Lloret de Mar boasts over 120 hotel establishments with approximately 30,000 hotel beds. The average stay is 5 days and the average occupancy rate is 60%


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The sports tourism destination (Destinació de Turisme Esportiu - DTE) certificate is a specialist seal awarded by the Catalan Tourism Agency ("Agència Catalana de Turisme - ACT") with the goal of promoting tourism destinations equipped for various kinds of sports and which stand out for their offering of high quality resources and services for elite, professional and amateur sports people, along with tourists keen on sports activities. Lloret de Mar has been certified as a Sports Destination since 2006 thanks to a high quality and multidisciplinary sports offering concentrated in a single sports area in the town centre, surrounded by the hotel and shopping area and just 800 metres from the beach.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Lloret de Mar has redefined itself in recent years as an urban beach tourist destination. "Urban beach" is a new coastal destination concept in which the natural attractions of sun and sand are complemented by a series of added values related to the area, such as its history, inhabitants, traditions, customs, cultural heritage and a wide-ranging offering in terms of leisure, tourism and services.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Lloret de Mar drew up its first Strategic Tourism Plan in 2010, a plan that brought together a decade of work focused on joint initiatives between the public authorities and the private sector, which began in 2003 with the creation of the Lloret Turisme tourism promotion body. The plan is currently at the implementation stage with two key objectives: on the one hand, to opt for one of the Tourist Destination Reconversion Plans promoted by the Spanish government in partnership with the Government of Catalonia, designed to achieve the reconversion and comprehensive modernisation of mature destinations of international standing and potential; and, on the other hand, to consolidate its strategic products (urban beach, sports tourism and business tourism) as a strategy for reducing the seasonal nature of tourism. The first objective was achieved in March 2014 with the signing of the Pilot Plan Agreement for Lloret with the Government of Catalonia.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The markedly seasonal nature of tourism is a key feature of the town's shopping infrastructure. In 1983 there were 306 permanent retail outlets and 272 seasonal retail outlets. Lloret has the second highest number of retail outlets on the Costa Brava, ranked only below Figueres, a non-coastal town.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Lloret de Mar currently boasts (2014) 1000 retail outlets, of which 500 are concentrated in the town's old quarter. Moreover, since 2010 the shops in Lloret de Mar have been authorised to open every day of the year, including public holidays. Commercial fairs and activities are held throughout the year, such as the Lloret Night Shopping event, the Botiga al career festival (where local shops sell their wares in outdoor stalls) or the Mediaeval Fair, among others. The weekly street market held every Tuesday and the daily Municipal Market are also recommended.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Lloret de Mar can be reached along two coastal roads (passing through Tossa de Mar from the north and through Blanes from the south) and one inland road (passing through Vidreres). There is very heavy traffic on all three roads, especially in the summer. The inland road is the main connection to the rest of Spain and abroad, since it links up with the National II road, to the AP-7 motorway and to Girona-Costa Brava airport. Meanwhile, the coastal roads constitute the main routes to Barcelona ( away) and to the French border (approximately away). From the south, the C-32 coastal motorway connects Barcelona to Lloret (exit 134) as far as Blanes; the final are along the GI-600 road heading to Blanes and the GI-682 road heading to Lloret de Mar. Coming from the north (France) on the AP-7 motorway, exit 9 (Lloret de Mar) must be taken. The final are along the C-63 road. Coming from the north-east, there are from Tossa to Lloret along the GI-682 road.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Lloret de Mar offers scheduled and chartered coach services to Barcelona, Girona and major European cities, with vehicles adapted for persons of reduced mobility. Lloret has an international bus station and private stations that cater for international coaches.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: There are four taxi ranks in Lloret with over 40 taxis that operate around the clock, all year round. Four-seater and seven-seater vehicles are available, along with vehicles for persons of reduced mobility. Taxis are white and display a taxi sign.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: There is no direct train service in Lloret de Mar; the nearest railway station is in Blanes, which since March 2014 connects southwards to Barcelona and northwards as far as Portbou on the commuter network. The Pujol bus company runs a shuttle service from Lloret bus station to Blanes railway station every 30 minutes. Trains heading to Barcelona leave every 30 minutes and the journey takes 80 minutes.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Canyelles marina is the only marina in Lloret de Mar. It is located at Canyelles beach and is suitable for medium-sized vessels.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: Lloret de Mar offers tourism cruise services that connect to the neighbouring towns of Blanes, Tossa de Mar and Sant Feliu de Guíxols during the summer season.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The closest airports are Barcelona airport away, and Girona airport . Barcelona airport offers scheduled flights to the world's major cities. Thanks to the low-cost airlines that operate in Girona airport, Lloret de Mar is connected to a large number of European cities. The airport also enjoys a high volume of charter flight traffic. Finally, Perpignan airport is 90 minutes away by car.


title: Lloret de Mar

text: The city has a roller hockey team CH Lloret, one of the most important in Catalonia, and dispute the main League OK Liga.


title: Mr Hudson

text: Benjamin Hudson McIldowie (born 26 June 1979), better known by his stage name Mr Hudson, is an English musician from Birmingham, England. First rising to prominence in 2006 with Mr Hudson and the Library, Hudson later embarked on a solo career in 2008, when he signed a record deal with American musician Kanye West's GOOD Music label. He was subsequently featured as a prominent composer on West's "808s & Heartbreak" (2008). Hudson later appeared on American rapper Jay-Z’s top 10 single "Young Forever", from "The Blueprint 3" (2009). He would find more solo success on his 2009 album, "Straight No Chaser", which spawned the hit single "Supernova".


title: Mr Hudson

text: After establishing his own studio in 2010, Hudson began writing and producing for other acts including Paloma Faith, Alex Clare, and Wretch 32. He then spent most of 2014 in the studio with Duran Duran, working on their album "Paper Gods". Since then Hudson has gone on to co-write, produce and/or feature with Future, DJ Snake, Vic Mensa, and many more. His co-wrote with JP Cooper for singles "September Song" and "She's on My Mind" have both sold millions of copies. His latest work with John Legend, "Never Break", features on Legend's Grammy award winning album "Bigger Love".


title: Mr Hudson

text: Born in Birmingham, Hudson grew up in the Handsworth area of the city (Dudley Road) and attended King Edward's School, Birmingham in Edgbaston. He attended Oxford University, where he read English Literature at St Anne's College, Oxford.


title: Mr Hudson

text: Before Mr Hudson formed 'Mr Hudson and the Library' he was in 'Mansize', 'The Hudson Sound' and 'Phoenix Green'. 'The Hudson Sound' and 'Phoenix Green' featured Ali Forbes, Jarvy Moss, Ben Westwood and Mr Hudson's brother Jon McIldowie. They enjoyed considerable success in the Birmingham area and elsewhere with a regular spot at Ronnie Scott's in Birmingham. 'Mansize' featured later collaborator Robin French.


title: Mr Hudson

text: Hudson embarked on his music career when he formed Mr Hudson and the Library, composed of Maps Huxley aka Robin French (bass), Wilkie Wilkinson (drums), Joy Joseph (steel drums, vocals) and Torville Jones (piano). The first result, an EP entitled "Bread & Roses", came out via Deal Real in October 2006. The group toured with Amy Winehouse in early 2007 in support of their debut album, "A Tale of Two Cities", released through Deal Real/Mercury. Mr. Hudson was first featured on Later with Jools Holland on 8 December 2006.


title: Mr Hudson

text: The production on the band's debut album uses acoustic guitar interspersed with piano, backing vocals and bass guitar, steelpan, electric drums and unusual rhythm patterns. Two of the tracks from A Tale of Two Cities are covers; "On The Street Where You Live", is a cover of a number from the musical My Fair Lady and "Everything Happens to Me" was popularised by Frank Sinatra and Chet Baker.


title: Mr Hudson

text: In 2007, Mr Hudson and the Library embarked on a tour through twelve British libraries as part of the 'Get It Loud' initiative, and also supported Amy Winehouse on her tour, along with Paolo Nutini, Mika and Groove Armada. During the summer of 2007 they appeared at several UK festivals, including Glastonbury, T in the Park, The Big Chill, V Festival, Godiva Festival, and Bestival. In October 2007, the band played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in support of The Police. They also supported Kanye West on his Europe leg of his "Glow in the Dark Tour", performing in Dublin, Belfast and other European cities.


title: Mr Hudson

text: In 2008, Mr. Hudson began recording as a solo artist. Although the name 'The Library' was no longer used, these musicians formed his backing band for live performances.


title: Mr Hudson

text: Sessions for Straight No Chaser initially started at Gizzard Studios in Bow, East London. Ed Deegan who had previously worked at Toe Rag Studios near by was acting as engineer, but Mr. Hudson received an offer from Kanye West to produce his album. Mr. Hudson appears on Kanye West's fourth album, "808s & Heartbreak" featured on "Paranoid". He also co-produced "Street Lights" as well as supplying additional vocals on "Say You Will" and "Amazing". Kanye West has stated:


title: Mr Hudson

text: "I believe Mr. Hudson has the potential to be bigger than me, to be one of the most important artists of his generation". The single Supernova was premiered on 13 May 2009 on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show and then released on 19 July 2009. It debuted at Number 2 in the UK singles chart on 26 July 2009. Calvin Harris remixed the track.


title: Mr Hudson

text: Mr Hudson's new album – "Straight No Chaser" was released on 4 August 2009 (via GOOD Music and Mercury Records), executive produced by Kanye West.


title: Mr Hudson

text: "I wanted to make a mainstream record, not structured or ornate," he explains. "The first album feels like an Escher drawing, all these layers and you don't know where you're going at any point. The way the songs are written and produced on this one is much more direct. It's not trying to reinvent the wheel. It's straight, no chaser."[10]


title: Mr Hudson

text: In an interview, singer Ben Hudson was asked to describe the album: "My mission statement was to make a pop record, but not a throwaway pop record. My heroes are people like Bowie and Prince and Damon Albarn. I didn't want to do anything niche. Kanye threw down the gauntlet. He said, 'Let's see if we can make you a popstar'. I was like 'Let's have a go!'. It's a bit more widescreen, a bit more punchy, but the eclecticism of the first record's still there. There's a tune where I'm a cross between "Deliverance" and Sade".


title: Mr Hudson

text: In the autumn of 2009, Mr. Hudson supported Calvin Harris on his UK tour. Mr. Hudson's headline tour to support the album "Straight No Chaser" was in October 2009. Before the year was out, Hudson made a featured appearance on Jay-Z's "The Blueprint 3", the track, "Young Forever", was a reworking of Alphaville's 1984 song "Forever Young".


title: Mr Hudson

text: In May 2010 Mr. Hudson embarked on a sold out national UK tour, with supporting Jay Z in Birmingham & Manchester arena shows plus Isle of Wight & Wireless festivals.


title: Mr Hudson

text: In 2010, Mr. Hudson collaborated with British dubstep artist Caspa on the track "Love Never Dies (Back for the First Time)", which is a new version of a previous Caspa track known simply as "Back for the First Time". Rapper Nero appeared on the remix. On 29 July it was named by BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe as his Hottest Record in the World Today. Mr. Hudson was featured on Jay-Z and Kanye West's album "Watch the Throne" (2011), appearing on "Why I Love You".


title: Mr Hudson

text: In 2012, Hudson began writing and producing tracks for Josh Kumra, He also worked on "Hand of Cards" for "The Voice" runner-up Tyler James, on his 2012 album "A Place I Go". Hudson was later featured on the UK Top 10 single "Charge", by Sway. 2012 also saw Mr. Hudson release an album with Rosie Oddie, under the name BIGkids. The first single "Heart Sing", from their collaborative effort, titled "Never Grow Up", was released on 12 August 2012. The album itself was released 7 October 2012.


title: Mr Hudson

text: In March 2013, Mr. Hudson debuted the new single "Fred Astaire" via SoundCloud. "Fred Astaire" would later be released as a commercial single in August of the same year, with accompanying video directed by prominent English portrait and fashion photographer Rankin and photographer Vicky Lawton. Since then he has released additional tracks taken from the album: "Move" with Rankin shooting the video exclusively for Hunger TV, in December 2013 and "Step into The Shadows" featuring Idris Elba in May 2014.


title: Mr Hudson

text: In November, Epic Records recording artist Future released the track "Real and True" featuring Miley Cyrus & Mr. Hudson in the US. The track was co written by Mr. Hudson with the video shot by photographer Rankin. December 2013 saw the release of Rebecca Ferguson’s album entitled "Freedom" with the track '‘Beautiful Design'’ which Mr. Hudson co wrote & produced. 2014 saw the release of Idris Elba's "Idris Elba presents Mi Mandela" on which Hudson features and co-produced. The same year Hudson collaborated with Paloma Faith on the track "Take Me" on her third studio album A Perfect Contradiction.