Plot.

Opening sequence.

The episode starts in Fogburyport, birthplace of Green Clam Chowder. The Simpson family arrive there because a book stated it's a place to visit before they die.  However, it was revealed to be a trap and that they will be devoured by Cthulhu. However, Homer states that he was promised an oyster eating contest against Cthulhu, and Homer beats him. Cthulhu pukes and asks what Homer wants as a reward. Homer whispers "I want to eat you."  Cthulhu is seen in a giant cooking pot and the Simpsons (except Lisa) enjoy a hot dog made of Cthulhu's tentacles.

Intrusion of the Pod-y Switchers.

The segment begins at the underwater base of Mapple, where Steve Mobbs (on a screen) tells about the new Myphone and the new unfunny version of himself to an excited audience. When everyone is on their phone, the unfunny Steve is revealed to be a plant alien on a mission. Now on the plant planet, they shoot spores to Earth (going right next to the "Futurama" ship with a cloth saying "BRING BACK FUTURAMA" and then getting blown up by The Orville). In Springfield, everyone turns into plant versions of themselves. The transformed citizens are transported to a utopian plant planet with no technology. The Plant People see the citizens with pods (Mapple products) and ask where they found those. Bart says they found it under the living Christmas tree.

Multiplisa-ty.

After a sleepover at Milhouse's, Milhouse, Nelson, and Bart find themselves in a cell, trapped by Lisa, suffering from multiple personality disorder (similar to James McAvoy's character from "Split"), then closes them in again after they do not ask for an encore on her performance.  Lisa attacks and kills Milhouse and Nelson, before Bart asks her what happened to her to which Lisa tells the story: Bart grabbed Lisa's spelling test, changing her answers, mocking Miss Hoover and granting her a F. Lisa has a last change and gives Bart a last chance to save himself and he redeems himself, saving himself from being killed by trash, while Milhouse was transformed into a "paper boy".

Geriatric Park.

In a parody of Jurassic Park, Mr. Burns opens up a Jurassic-themed retirement home, a park filled with elders rejuvenated mixing their DNA with dinosaurs. He brings Springfielders to the park, showing them the new "retirement home". At first they are all human, healthy and feeling young again, with incredible strength too. Once Homer raises the temperature after Grandpa complains about the temperature being too cold with Homer also quoting "I can't read, I'm on vacation" after seeing the warning sign, they transform into dinosaur versions of themselves.  Visitors and Mr. Burns are killed by the elders, Agnes Skinner as a "Ludodactylus" eats off Principal Skinner's arm, Jasper as a "Dilophosaurus" bites off Kirk Van Houten's head, and the Simpson family are threatened by Grandpa and Jacqueline Bouvier (turned into an "Indominus rex"-like theropod and a "Parasaurolophus" respectively). Lisa courageously confronts Grandpa and find out they all just needed to be cherished and respected. In the end, the Simpson family escape alive and unharmed, though their helicopter is being flown on the back of the transformed Agnes.

Reception.

Tony Sokol of "Den of Geek" gave the episode 3 out of 5 points ranking, stating "Ultimately this is a disappointing Halloween installment, not horrifyingly though. We rely on "The Simpsons"' 'Treehouse of Horror' stories to be the high point of any season. They have consistently been immediate classics. But "XXIX" is only lukewarm. The series has been edging closer to the "clever" side of humor over the irreverently silly, and the laughs are increasingly muted. This episode hosts some of the largest creatures of the world of terror, dinosaurs and Cthulhu. It's a shame the laughs aren't bigger.  Dennis Perkins of "The A.V. Club" gave the episode a C+ ranking, stating "It’s tempting after a dully serviceable outing like this to say it’s time to bury the ‘Treehouse of Horror’ concept as an unnecessary annual disappointment. But then you’d have to say that of the series itself, which, okay, some of you do. I’d maintain that "The Simpsons"’ decades-long role as pop cultural ‘not as good as it used to be’ punching bag could be reversed with some new creative blood in the form of those writers raised on "The Simpsons" who want nothing better than to jolt the lumbering comedy behemoth back to life. But, as the show plods on, it seems that that’s the one thing those in charge of the shambling enterprise are truly afraid of."  Jess Scheden of "IGN" gave the episode a 5.6 out of 10 points ranking, stating "It almost never feels like there's enough room for the writers to really take advantage of these horror parodies. The result is a lot of easy, surface level gags. More and more I find myself wondering if the series would be better off switching to an hour-long format or, better yet, devoting the entire special to one story."  “Treehouse of Horror XXIX” scored a 1.3 rating with a 6 share and was watched by 2.95 million viewers, making “The Simpsons” Fox’s highest rated show of the night.

"Treehouse of Horror XXIX" is the fourth episode of "The Simpsons" thirtieth season, the 643rd episode overall and the twenty-ninth "Treehouse of Horror" episode. It was released on October 21, 2018.

Speciální čarodějnický díl XXIX (v anglickém originále Treehouse of Horror XXIX) je 4. díl 30. řady a 29. speciální čarodějnický díl amerického animovaného seriálu "Simpsonovi". V USA měl premiéru 21. října 2018. V Česku měl premiéru 25. února 2019 na stanici Prima Cool.


Nomenclature and etymology.

N. N. Bhattacharyya explains the Sanskrit technical term "" as follows:  "[t]he means of spiritual attainment which varies from person to person according to competence... "Ācāras" are generally of seven kinds -- Veda, Vaiṣṇava, Śaiva, Dakṣiṇa, Vāma, Siddhāṇta, and Kaula, falling into two broad categories -- Dakṣiṇa and Vāma. Interpretations vary regarding the nature and grouping of the "ācāras". It is generally held that those who participate in the rituals of Five Ms belong to the category of Vāmācāra."'means "pleasant, lovable, agreeable" and "" means "south". Facing the rising sun towards east,'would be the right side. For this reason, the term Vāmācāra is often translated "Left-hand practice", while Dakṣiṇamārga is translated as "Right-hand practice". An alternate etymology is that it is possible that the first word of the expression Vāmācāra is not "vāma" or "left", but "vāmā" or "woman". N. N. Bhattacharyya notes that a main feature of the Tantras is respect for the status of women as a representation of Shakti, and that if this was the original conception underlying Vāmācāra the opposing term Dakṣiṇācara may have been a later development.  An alternate term "Vāmamārga" ("Left Path") is also used. In this compound the ambiguity between "vāma" and "vāmā" is not present because the final ""-a"" in Vāmamārga is clearly short.

Practices.

Vamachara is particularly associated with the "pancha-makara" or the "Five Ms", also known as the "pancha-tattva". In literal terms they are: Madya (wine), Mamsa (meat), Matsya (fish), Mudra (cereal), and Maithuna (sexual intercourse). Mudra usually means ritual gestures, but as part of the five Ms it is parched cereal.  Vamachara traditions place strict ritual limits on the use of these literal forms and warn against nonsanctioned use. If so used they encourage the person to sin. Practitioners of vamachara rituals may make symbolic substitutions for these literal things, which are not permitted in orthodox Hindu practice. The fact that tantric practices can be done without involvement with the literal "pancha-makara" is emphasized by Swami Madhavananda, and said to have been practiced by numerous saints.

Aghori.

Barrett (2008: p. 161) discusses the "charnel ground sadhana" of the Aghori pracitioners in both its left and right-handed proclivities and identifies it as principally cutting through attachments and aversion in order to foreground inner primordiality, a perspective influenced by a view by culture or domestication: The gurus and disciples of Aghor believe their state to be primordial and universal. They believe that all human beings are natural-born Aghori. Hari Baba has said on several occasions that human babies of all societies are without discrimination, that they will play as much in their own filth as with the toys around them. Children become progressively discriminating as they grow older and learn the culturally specific attachments and aversions of their parents. Children become increasingly aware of their mortality as they bump their heads and fall to the ground. They come to fear their mortality and then palliate this fear by finding ways to deny it altogether. In this sense, Aghor "sādhanā" is a process of unlearning deeply internalized cultural models. When this "sādhanā" takes the form of "shmashān sādhanā", the Aghori faces death as a very young child, simultaneously meditating on the totality of life at its two extremes. This ideal example serves as a prototype for other Aghor practices, both left and right, in ritual and in daily life.

View espoused in the Brahma Yamala.

The "Brahma Yamala", a Tantric text (though oriented from a right-handed Vaishnava perspective), says there are three currents of tradition: dakshina, vama, and madhyama. These are characterized by the predominance of each of the three gunas: sattva, rajas, and tamas. According to this text, dakshina is characterized by sattva, and is pure; madhyama, characterized by rajas, is mixed; and vama, characterized by tamas, is impure. The Tantras of each class follow a particular line of spiritual practice.

Iconography and tools of the left-handed trade.

Beer (2003: p. 102) relates how the symbolism of the khaṭvāńga that entered Vajrayana, particularly from Padmasambhava, was a direct borrowing from the Kapalikas of Shaivism who frequented places of austerity such as charnel grounds as a form of vamacharin spiritual practice.The form of the Buddhist "khatvanga" derived from the emblematic staff of the early Indian Shaivite "yogins", known as "kapalikas" or'skull-bearers'. The "kapalikas" were originally miscreants who had been sentenced to a twelve-year term of penance for the crime of inadvertently killing a Brahmin. The penitent was prescribed to dwell in a forest hut, at a desolate crossroads, in a charnel ground, or under a tree; to live by begging; to practice austerities; and to wear a loin-cloth of hemp, dog, or donkey-skin. They also had to carry the emblems of a human skull as an alms-bowl, and the skull of the Brahmin they had slain mounted upon a wooden staff as a banner.These Hindu "kapalika" ascetics soon evolved into an extreme outcaste sect of the 'left-hand' tantric path (Skt. vamamarg) of "shakti" or goddess worship. The early Buddhist tantric "yogins" and "yoginis" adopted the same goddess or "dakini" attributes of the "kapalikas". These attributes consisted of; bone ornaments, an animal skin loincloth, marks of human ash, a skull-cup, "damaru", flaying knife, thighbone trumpet, and the skull-topped tantric staff or "khatvanga".

Vāmācāra (, ) is a Sanskrit term meaning "left-handed attainment" and is synonymous with "Left-Hand Path" or "Left-path" (Sanskrit: Vāmamārga). It is used to describe a particular mode of worship or "sadhana" (spiritual practice) that is not only "heterodox" (Sanskrit: nāstika) to standard Vedic injunction, but extreme in comparison to the status quo.

Vámáčára(वामाचार), též vámamárga, je sanskrtský termín znamenající „stezka levé ruky“ a označující určité formy kultu či sádhany – duchovní praxe, která jsou nejen "nástika" – heterodoxní vůči učení védů, ale také odporují převládajícím kulturním a morálním standardům. Opačný termín "dakšinačára" „stezka pravé ruky“ označuje praktiky které jsou sice také "nástika", ale jsou přijatelné pro většinovou společnost.


Biography.

Lili Ivanova was born on April 24, 1939 in the small town of Kubrat. She graduated from the nursing school in Varna and worked as a nurse for a very short time. She stated in an interview that she has Romanian roots on her maternal side. Her career as a singer begins in the early 1960-s. She achieved recognition in 1963 as a singer with the variété show at Ambassador Hotel and the Constantin Tanase Music Hall Theatre in Bucharest. The local audience adored the rising star and the local television broadcast 4 live shows. Her first album "Amore Twist" was recorded in the same year. Her second album "Sea of Youth" was recorded in Bulgaria in 1967 and contains 11 songs. Her third album was recorded in Moscow in 1968 [Поет Лили Иванова (Lili Ivanova singing), Melodia, 1968]. Ivanova's album "Camino" was recorded by the Bulgarian Balkanton in 1968. The singer is still performing the Camino song, as it allows for the full broad spectrum of her voice.  Ivanova wins her first prize "Golden Key" in 1966 in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia. In the years that follow she receives over 10 international awards and numerous local recognitions. In 1997, the International Women association nominated Ivanova as one of the most famous women of the 20th century. In 1999 Ivanova was awarded the highest Bulgarian State Award, "Stara Planina" medal, for her contribution to the Bulgarian pop music.  During 1981–1987 Ivanova lived and performed primarily in Germany. During these years she recorded several albums: "Warning" and the German "Kein Film War Schoner“ in 1981, "A Cricket" in 1982, the duo with Asen Gargov "The Heart Chose You" in 1983. The double album "I Want You" came out in 1984, followed by "Lili 86" in 1986 and "A big Wedding" in 1989.  During the turbulent 1990s Ivanova managed to sustain her career. She recorded 3 albums – "Gambling" in 1993, "Are you Ready for Love" in 1995 and "Private Matter" in 1998.  In 2000, she scored the biggest hit of her career – the song "Winds". In the years to come Ivanova performs in the biggest concert and events hall in Bulgaria, at the National Palace of Culture. On January 9, 2009 she achieves the highest honour for every singer – to performs at Olympia Hall in Paris. The singer herself continues to prove that she is capable of mastering different musical styles. She has formed several own bands during her long singing career occasionally changing her style.

Artistry.

Music style and voice.

Ivanova started her career singing popular Italian, French and Russian hits. The singer's music style is distinctive, having strong meaningful lyrics and memorable tunes. Her music from the 1960s and 1970s was marked by complex and rich orchestrations, dramatic transitions between quiet and loud moments, often played with a brass band, string orchestra and electric guitars, with accents of piano or Hammond organ, backing vocals (sometimes choral) and a reverberation to the voice of the performer. Subsequently, with the style going out of fashion, the singer began performing music composed with electronic musical instruments. Since 2000 Ivanova has been accompanied at her live performances by several musicians – mainly pianist, violinist, guitarist and a saxophonist. The singer has repeatedly stated the importance of the songs' lyrics and the message they convey to the public. Throughout her career she has shown interest in experimenting with new sounds and has expanded her repertoire with compositions in rock, soul, rhythm and blues, Balkan ethno and jazz.

Discography.

Ivanova has recorded and released 35 albums and 29 singles altogether in Bulgaria, USSR, Romania, Turkey, Germany, Spain and other countries. There aren't exact statistics on the number of sold copies of her albums. According to Alexander Yosifov, ex-director of Balkanton from 1968 to 1986, Ivanova's albums in store for the Soviet Union always reached a circulation of over 1 million. The Italian Magazine L'Europeo stated that she has sold more than 10 million copies in the USSR. However, due to the Socialist system in Bulgaria, she has never received any income from the sales of the records, beside a monthly salary equal for all famous singers at that time.

Concert performances and tours.

Ivanova has had over 11,000 concerts and many tours abroad, mainly in the former USSR (and Russia in the 1990s). She has also performed in Germany, Cuba, Japan, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Poland, Greece, Portugal, Brazil, etc. as well as several tours in the US and Canada singing for Bulgarian immigrants there.  The ""Prima of Bulgarian popular music"" is the first singer from the Eastern Bloc with a concert in the renowned music hall Olympia, Paris. She is also the first Bulgarian performer with a concert in the newly built Armeets Arena in Sofia, gathering 15,000 people (the venue normally can hold up to 14,000) on November 22, 2012. Lili Ivanova became the first person to perform in the brand new Bulstrad Arena sports hall in Ruse, Bulgaria with a concert on July 23, 2015.

Awards, nominations and honours.

Ivanova was awarded with a golden vinyl plate from Balkanton for selling 2 million albums for a year (there are only 5 such golden plates in Bulgaria). She returned it back publicly in an act of a protest after Balkanton lowered the criteria for getting such a recognition in 1990.

Lilyana Ivanova Petrova (, born April 24, 1939 in Kubrat), known professionally as Lili Ivanova () is a Bulgarian singer. In tribute to her contribution to the culture of the country, she is often referred to as the "Prima of Bulgarian popular music" Since 1961 she has developed continuous performing and concert activities, recorded songs and albums, made media appearances, participated in television programs, and made videos.

Lili Ivanovová, celým jménem Liljana Ivanova Petrova ( Лиляна Иванова Петрова, * 24. dubna 1939 Kubrat) je bulharská zpěvačka, představitelka estrádního středního proudu.


Festival lineups.

2006 festival.

The first festival took place 15–17 September. It was headlined on the Friday by Josh Ritter, on Saturday by Badly Drawn Boy and on Sunday by Ryan Adams. Other artists included Absentee, The Boy Least Likely To, Brakes, British Sea Power, Chris T-T, Darren Hayman, Dawn Landes, Ed Harcourt, El Perro Del Mar, Electric Soft Parade, Emmy the Great, Fanfarlo, Frightened Rabbit, Gravenhurst, Guillemots, Holly Golightly, Howe Gelb, I'm from Barcelona, James Yorkston, Jeremy Warmsley, Jim Noir, Jolie Holland, Kathryn Williams, Metronomy, Micah P Hinson, Richard Hawley, Simple Kid, Suburban Kids with Biblical Names, Tilly and the Wall

2007 festival.

The second event, held 14–16 September, was given a full marks five star review by "The Independent" newspaper. It was headlined by Yo La Tengo, Super Furry Animals and Lambchop, and also featured Archie Bronson Outfit, Architecture in Helsinki, The Bees, Brakes, British Sea Power, The Broken Family Band, The Concretes, Danielson, Darren Hayman, Dawn Landes, Euros Childs, Frida Hyvönen, Herman Dune, Howe Gelb (who also curated the two main stages on the Friday, headlining the Big Top stage with a Giant Sand jam session), I'm from Barcelona, James Yorkston, Jeffrey Lewis, Jens Lekman, Joan As Police Woman, John Parish, Johnny Flynn, Josh T Pearson, King Creosote, Loney Dear, Malcolm Middleton, Midlake, Pete and the Pirates, Robyn Hitchcock (who was accompanied by John Paul Jones), Scout Niblett, Seasick Steve, Stephanie Dosen, The Twilight Sad, Willard Grant Conspiracy and Zombie-Zombie.

2008 festival.

For the first sellout year, over 12–14 September, the headliners were Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band, Mercury Rev and Calexico. Also appearing were A Hawk And A Hacksaw, Akron/Family, American Music Club, Billy Childish and the Musicians of the British Empire, Bon Iver, Brakes, British Sea Power, Darren Hayman playing Hefner songs, Dirty Three, Jason Molina, Jeffrey Lewis, Kimya Dawson, Kurt Wagner, Laura Marling, Low, Micah P Hinson, The Mountain Goats, Noah & the Whale, Richard Hawley, Robyn Hitchcock, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Sons of Noel and Adrian, Sun Kil Moon, Tindersticks, Two Gallants, The Wave Pictures and Zombie-Zombie.

2009 festival.

The 2009 festival took place 11–13 September. Explosions in the Sky, Fleet Foxes and The Hold Steady were headliners. Also playing were The Acorn, Alela Diane, Beth Jeans Houghton, Blitzen Trapper, The Boy Least Likely To, The Broken Family Band, Charlie Parr, Darren Hayman, David Thomas Broughton, Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele, Dirty Projectors, The Dodos, Efterklang, Herman Dune, The Horrors, Josh T Pearson, The Leisure Society, The Low Anthem, Malcolm Middleton, Mumford & Sons, Neko Case, Okkervil River, Richmond Fontaine, Shearwater, Steve Earle, Vetiver and Wildbirds & Peacedrums.

2010 festival.

For its fifth year, the festival took place from 10–12 September. Headliners were Modest Mouse, Yo La Tengo and Wilco. Also playing were Deer Tick, Wolf Parade, The Low Anthem, The Felice Brothers, Woodpigeon, Phosphorescent, The Wilderness of Manitoba, The Unthanks, Iron & Wine, The Mountains and the Trees, Annie & The Beekeepers, Dylan LeBlanc, Joe Pug, CW Stoneking, Charlie Parr, Frank Fairfield, Daniel Lefkowitz, Monotonix, The Mountain Goats, The New Pornographers, Caribou, The Antlers, Citay, Freelance Whales, a Jarvis Cocker DJ Set and many, many more. Also present was comedian Russel Howard and music journalist Barney Hoskyns.

2011 festival.

In 2011 the festival took place from 2–4 September. Headliners were Beirut, Joanna Newsom and Mogwai. Also playing were Midlake, Laura Marling, The Walkmen, Wild Beasts, The Fall, Lykke Li, Tinariwen, The Unthanks, M. Ward, Gruff Rhys, Okkervil River, Phosphorescent, John Grant, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Best Coast, White Denim, Tune-Yards, Willy Mason, The Black Angels, Wooden Shjips, Jolie Holland, Josh T Pearson, Kurt Vile, Micah P Hinson, James Yorkston, Gordon Gano & the Ryans, Caitlin Rose, The Leisure Society, Brakes, Zola Jesus, Austra, Beth Jeans Houghton, Timber Timbre, Allo Darlin, Bob Log III, The Unthanks, Woods, Midlake, Lanterns on the Lake, Sam Amidon and more. There was also comedy from Robin Ince, Jo Neary, and Simon Munnery and literature from Laura Barton, Rob Young, and Clinton Heylin to name but a few.  The festival won the award for "Best Small Festival" at the 2011 UK Festival Awards.

2012 festival.

In 2012 the festival took place from 31 August to 2 September. Headliners were Patti Smith, Grandaddy, Beach House, Grizzly Bear, Alabama Shakes. Also playing were Dirty Three, Midlake, The Low Anthem, Roy Harper, Mark Lanegan, Tindersticks, Jeffrey Lewis, Robyn Hitchcock, Graham Coxon, Villagers, Patrick Watson, Justin Townes Earle, First Aid Kit, Deer Tick, Anna Calvi, I Break Horses, Moulettes, Gravenhurst, The Futureheads, Mountain Man, Alt-J, Islet, Sleep Party People, Frank Fairfield, Woods, Patti Smith, Tindersticks, Lanterns on the Lake, Jonathan Wilson, Leif Vollebekk, Van Dyke Parks, Deer Tick, Francois & the Atlas Mountains, Dirty Beaches and more.

2013 festival.

The 2013 festival took place 30 August-1 September. The lineup included Sigur Rós, Belle and Sebastian, David Byrne & St Vincent, Dinosaur Jr., Efterklang, Warpaint, Jens Lekman, Eels, Ralfe Band, Allo Darlin', Mark Mulcahy, Doug Paisley, Matthew E. White, Serafina Steer, Parquet Courts, Wolf Alice, Pokey Lafarge, Ethan Johns, Cass McCombs, Frontier Ruckus, Ed Harcourt, East India Youth, Dutch Uncles, RM Hubbert, Golden Fable, Trembling Bells & Mike Heron, Daughn Gibson, Frightened Rabbit, The Barr Brothers, The Walkmen, Charlie Boyer & the Voyeurs, Bo Ningen, Palma Violets, Public Service Broadcasting, Strand of Oaks, Marika Hackman, Landshapes, Evans the Death, Tigercats, Julianna Barwick, Caitlin Rose, William Tyler, Damien Jurado, Daughter, Deap Vally, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Diana Jones, Braids, King Khan and Doug Paisley.

2014 festival.

The festival took place 28–30 August. The 2014 headliners were "The Gene Clark No Other Band"*, The Flaming Lips and Wild Beasts. Other notable acts included St. Vincent, The Horrors, Yo La Tengo, John Grant, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, White Denim, British Sea Power, Gruff Rhys, tUnE-yArDs, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Ezra Furman, Adult Jazz, The Wave Pictures, Cate Le Bon, Sweet Baboo, H. Hawkline, Lucius, Perfume Genius, Lau, Archie Bronson Outfit, The Felice Brothers, Marissa Nadler, Benjamin Booker, The Radiophonic Workshop, British Sea Power, Jenny Lewis, Stealing Sheep, Kiran Leonard, Tiny Ruins, Benjamin Clementine, Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit, Sam Lee, Temples, Laish, Pink Mountaintops, Ghost of a Sabre Toothed Tiger, Woods, and Tinariwen.

2015 festival.

In 2015 the festival celebrated its 10th anniversary and it took place 4–6 September. The line up included Tame Impala, Sufjan Stevens in his only 2015 European festival date and The War on Drugs, Mac Demarco, Future Islands, My Morning Jacket, Laura Marling, Django Django, Alvvays, Fat White Family, Slow Club, The Duke Spirit, The King Khan & BBQ Show, Torres, Oscar, Hinds, Low, Fuzz, Natalie Prass, Ought, Stealing Sheep, Giant Sand, Marika Hackman, Kevin Morby, East India Youth, Sleaford Mods, Girlpool, Du Blonde, Brakes, Wand, Jacco Gardner, Flo Morrissey, Metz, Pond, Kiran Leonard, Peter Matthew Bauer, H Hawkline, Ryley Walker, Fumaca Preta, Ultimate Painting, Jane Weaver, Andy Shauf, Saint Etienne, Giant Sand, Palma Violets, Meilyr Jones, Euros Childs, Ex Hex, Diagrams, Stephen Steinbrink and Crushed Beaks.

2016 festival.

Following on from winning the 'Best Small Festival award at the 2016 NME Awards, the 2016 festival took place on 1–4 September, expanding to the Thursday night for the first time. The line up included The Shins, Joanna Newsom, Animal Collective, Bat For Lashes, Cat Power, Teenage Fanclub, Devendra Banhart, Local Natives, Goat, Savages, Thee Oh Sees, Broken Social Scene, Phosphorescent, Thurston Moore, Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop, M. Ward, Scritti Politti, Jeffrey Lewis & Los Bolts, Steve Mason, JD McPherson, Shura, Field Music, Omar Souleyman, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Bill Ryder-Jones, Kevin Morby, Eleanor Friedberger, Dr. Dog, Kelley Stoltz, U.S Girls, Money, Anna Meredith, Jenny Hval, Ezra Furman, Field Music, Sunflower Bean, Karl Blau, Tigercats, Lail Arad and J.F. Robitaille, Meilyr Jones, Hard Skin, Kevin Morby, B.C. Camplight, BEAK>, The Leaf Library, Flamingods and many more.

2017 festival.

After again winning the 'Best Small Festival' award at the 2017 NME Awards, the 2017 festival took place from 31 August to 3 September. The line up included Father John Misty performing his first UK headline festival set, along with the year's only UK festival shows from Mac DeMarco, Bill Callahan, Lucinda Williams, Amadou & Mariam, Ty Segall, Perfume Genius, Parquet Courts, Alvvays, Foxygen, Car Seat Headrest, Jens Lekman, Baxter Dury, Deerhoof and Waxahatchee. Acts returning to the festival from previous years included Japandroids, Pond, Nadine Shah, Bill Ryder-Jones, Jens Lekman, Ryley Walker, Ultimate Painting, Parquet Courts, DUDS, Gulp and Marika Hackman. Other notable acts, including The Jesus & Mary Chain, Slowdive, Real Estate, The Lemon Twigs, The Moonlandingz, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Moses Sumney, Deerhoof, Laraaji, Kelly Lee Owens, Brix & the Extricated, Waxahatchee, Xylouris White and Starcrawler performed at the festival for the first time.

2018 festival.

The 2018 festival took place on 30 August - 2 September.  The line up was as follows:

2019 festival.

The 2019 festival took place on 29 August - 1 September.  The line up was as follows:

2020 festival.

The 2020 festival was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is due to return in 2021 with some of the same artists including Pixies, King Krule, Big Thief, Bright Eyes, Aldous Harding and Little Simz.

End of the Road Festival is an annual music festival in England which focuses on independent rock and folk music. It is hosted at the Larmer Tree Gardens, on the border of north Dorset and Wiltshire, and usually takes place over the last weekend of August or the first full weekend in September, opening camping on Thursday afternoon with the entertainment running, since 2016, from Thursday evening to Sunday inclusive. The first festival took place in 2006, and it sold out for the first time in 2008. It has sold out in advance every year since. The festival is independently run and started by two friends, Simon Taffe and Sofia Hagberg.

End of the Road Festival je hudební festival, konaný každoročně koncem srpna či počátkem září. Odehrává se na území Larmer Tree Gardens na hranicích hrabství Dorset a Wiltshire. Počínaje rokem 2008 byl každý ročník festivalu vyprodán (informace k roku 2018). V roce 2011 získal cenu UK Festival Awards za „nejlepší malý festival“. V letech 2016, 2017 a 2018 zvítězil ve stejné kategorii ocenění NME Awards.


History.

Foundation.

When Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan, died on 13 August 1447, the city was thrown into confusion by his unexpected demise and the speed with which claimants to his title acted. Filippo Maria had no heir through male bloodlines, but the day before his death he had written a will bequeathing the Duchy to Alfonso V of Aragon. Among the other claimants were Charles, Duke of Orléans, nephew of Filippo Maria through his half-sister Valentina Visconti; Filippo's cousins Albert and Sigismund of the House of Habsburg, great-grandsons of Bernabò Visconti; and Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor, who declared that the Duchy reverted to the Holy Roman Empire on the extinction of its male heirs. The two most prominent candidates supported by the Milanese population were however Alfonso of Aragon and Francesco Sforza, the Duke's son-in-law by marriage to his illegitimate daughter, Bianca Maria Visconti. The Bracceschi family, supporters of the King of Aragon, seized the Castello on the night of the 13th, almost before Filippo Maria died, forcing the captains to swear allegiance to Alfonso.  Despite the general support for either Alfonso or Sforza, other influential citizens believed that the old republic could be restored. Learned bodies, such as the College of Jurisprudence in Pavia, painted the days of the old republic as a golden age. The merchants, seeing the prosperity of Republican Venice, supported this idea. On the morning of the 14th, Republicans stirred the populace to rise against the Bracceschi, under the leadership of Antonio Trivulzio (seniore), Giorgio Lampugnano, Innocenzo Cotta, and Teodoro Bossi, members of the College of Jurisprudence. A republic was declared behind the Palace of the Commune, and the captains abandoned their oaths to Alfonso in favor of it. The Bracceschi were driven from Milan, and the new republic was called the Golden Ambrosian Republic, after St. Ambrose, the 4th century bishop of Milan, who was adopted as the Republic's patron. They took the old constitution and revised it that same day to suit their needs, electing twenty-four "Capitani e difensori della libertà", or "Captains and Defenders of Liberty," to frame laws, elected regularly and later reduced to twelve.

Early existence.

The idea of a radical renewal of liberties in the cities did not suit the powers of North Italy, who had been in league against Visconti territorial gains in a decades-long series of wars interrupted by truces, most recently the Peace of Cremona of 20 November 1441. Venice was already at war with Milan, and the Republic was struck a sore blow as previously Milanese cities including Pavia, Lodi, and Piacenza defected or declared their independence. Besides the loss of support and defensive locations, the drop in revenue also caused a brief financial crisis resolved by the imposition of new taxes. Venice, now occupying Lodi and Piacenza, refused to listen to Milan's pleas for peace. Milan turned to Francesco Sforza, the greatest military leader of his day, offering him the position of Captain-General and the city of Brescia. Although he wished – and indeed, planned – to succeed his father-in-law as Duke, he decided to accept the position and promised rewards. A draft was declared in Milan on 13 September.  Sforza quickly captured independent Pavia when his mother-in-law persuaded the city's ruling condotierro to relinquish it to him, and the Republic grudgingly allowed him to keep it with the title of Count, fearing that the Pavians and their large arsenal might instead offer themselves to Venice if they refused. Sforza promised the Pavians no new taxes, respect for the old laws, payment for the officials he retained, and the repair of the city bridges and walls. He kept these promises faithfully and so won over the people of Pavia, establishing his rule. Pavia was previously almost a second capital to Milan, and gave Sforza his own seat of power. The city was also in a strategic location on the Po River, situated where it could block the Venetians from coming to the relief of the beleaguered Piacenza by water. Returning to the siege of Piacenza and finding the city not likely to crumble by starvation, he resolved to storm it. Employing cannon in an almost unheard-of manner, he opened up a breach in Piacenza's walls and sacked the city. The news of Piacenza's sack was greeted by three days' rejoicing in Milan. Meanwhile, Milanese Captain Bartolomeo Colleoni captured Tortona which had previously proclaimed Sforza as its lord, stealing it from the now dangerously powerful Sforza. This caused even greater rejoicing, for the Milanese feared Sforza.  In January 1448, the terms of the previous Captains and Defenders ended, and in the following election the Guelphs rose to political prominence. Being especially adverse to Sforza, they entered peace negotiations with Venice, which, also threatened by Sforza's growing power, was willing to come to terms, albeit dictated by herself. Two of the Ghibellines who helped to found the Republic, namely Lampugnano and Bossi, stirred the populace against the Guelphs in a massive demonstration before the Court of Arengo. The Council of Nine Hundred was forced to abandon its plans for peace, and Sforza was given the go-ahead for his next campaign to seize the Adda River. However Sforza's plans were voted down by the Republic in favor of more traditional tactics, namely besieging Lodi directly. While this happened, the Venetian fleet under Andrea Quirini assaulted the bridge of Cremona. However, Sforza's wife Bianca was there, and led the defense until her husband relieved the city. The Venetian fleet withdrew and entrenched while it waited for the arrival of the Venetian army. Sforza trapped the fleet behind its defenses and, with his unorthodox use of artillery, utterly destroyed or captured every one of the seventy ships. This victory was celebrated in Milan, but the leaders of the Republic still feared Sforza, and sent him off to occupy himself with the Ghiarad'adda region while Lodi and Caravaggio were besieged, hoping that their fall would end the war.  Ultimately both Sforza's Milanese forces and the Venetian army under Micheletto Attendolo met at Caravaggio. The siege remained unbroken throughout July and until 15 September, when Attendolo launched a surprise-attack on Sforza, so rapidly that he did not even have time to buckle on his armor. What might have been a rout Sforza turned into a great victory as he set the example for his troops on the front line and utterly defeated the Venetian army, capturing three generals. Caravaggio fell, and despite rejoicing in Milan, little gratitude was given by the government to the architect of the victory, and the Republic sent him on to Lodi, determined to end the war. It was here, when a satisfactory end to the war seemed imminent, that the Milanese took a fatal misstep.

Sforza's defection and the Guelph–Ghibelline feud.

In Milan, Sforza's enemies worked continually against him. The Piccinino brothers, sons of famous condottiere Niccolò Piccinino and former Captains-General before being replaced as supreme military commanders by Sforza, convinced the suspicious Republic to work secretly against Sforza. Rumors were spread among the troops about not receiving payment at the end of the war if they remained with Sforza, and Sforza himself was ordered back from the siege of Brescia, the city promised to him, while the citizens were secretly told to hold out until peace, already in the works, was signed. Sforza learned of this treachery and defected to the Venetians for 13,000 ducats and the Duchy of Milan in return for the Ghiaradadda, Crema, and his service. The treaty was signed on 18 October 1448, and Sforza now undid everything he had labored for over the past year. With such a powerful man on the Venetian side, it was the beginning of the end of the Golden Ambrosian Republic. Public opinion, despite the government's position, was generally pro-Sforza, and only an impassioned, patriotic speech from Giorgio Lampugnano subdued it at last. The Piccinino brothers became Captains-General once more, but were not as capable as the brilliant Sforza. This was reinforced by the internal dissension that was prominent in Milan. Crime and mob violence were rampant, and the harsh but empty measures against it only served to further divide the populace. Members of the government were filled with suspicion against one another. In an attempt to resolve the situation, the podestà was given absolute power. Financial problems were also grave; fines, confiscations, and a state lottery were instituted to try to alleviate the deficit. Moreover, Guelph aristocrats continued to be regularly elected over the Ghibellines, and began to make the Republic far less democratic. Carlo Gonzaga, Captain of the People, lived luxuriously as an autocrat with his will as law. He was supported by Giovanni Appiani and Giovanni Ossona, tradesmen-turned-politicians, who were prominent in government affairs. Gonzaga began replacing his officials with his unambitious supporters, and the Ghibellines saw the ideals of their Republic crumbling before their eyes. Lampugnano and his Ghibelline friends conspired against Gonzaga and the Guelph regime, but were exposed by a letter intercepted by Gonzaga from Lampugnano to his friend Bossi. Gonzaga kept this knowledge secret, knowing that Lampugnano and Bossi were two of the most influential citizens since the formation of the Republic, but with the support of the vengeful Guelph Captains and Defenders conspired to have them slain. Lampugnano and Bossi were sent as envoys to Frederick III in February 1449, but on the road were caught and imprisoned. Lampugnano was beheaded without a trial, and Bossi was tortured until he gave the names of his fellow conspirators. Following the execution of the leaders there was a massacre of leading Ghibellines within the city, from which only a few, such as Vitaliano Borromeo, escaped to safety in Arona, Piedmont and elsewhere. The heads of the slain were placed upon pikes in the Piazza of the Broletto.  Meanwhile, the other claimants to the Duchy began to see that Sforza would be a greater threat than the Ambrosian Republic. Louis of Savoy invaded in spring of 1449, and Sforza sent Colleoni (who had earlier defected) to defeat him at Borgomanero, leading to an uneasy peace. Sforza also faced treachery within his own ranks, added with the fact that he rashly accepted the defection of his great enemies the Piccinino brothers, who, upon gaining access to Monza, promptly returned it to Milan.  Lampugnano, unfortunately for the Guelphs, was considered a martyr for the Republic. This was made worse by the fact that the Guelphs in leadership refused to run elections in April, until in June they were forced by the populace. Ghibelline families took the reins of Milan in this election, and the Guelphs were defeated. However, the reprisals against the Guelphs, including the imprisonment of Appiani and Ossona who had been blamed (probably unjustly) for the massacre, led the populace to violently depose the Ghibellines and reinstall the extremist Guelphs. Gonzaga, however, whose friend Galeotto Toscano was killed in the uprising, departed Milan for Crema, hoping to make peace with Sforza.

End of the Republic.

Sforza was coming close to Milan itself in his conquests, and decided that since it was too powerful to be taken by force, he would surround it and starve the populace into surrender. With the loss of the outer cities by conquest or defection, Milan experienced famine. Gonzaga offered Crema to Sforza, hoping he would be tempted to take it himself and betray the Venetians. But Sforza remained staunch, and instead offered Gonzaga the city of Tortona if he would abandon Crema. This was accepted, and Crema, without support, quickly capitulated.  To the Milanese, Sforza's victory now seemed certain, but he found his Venetian allies beginning to have doubts about their Captain-General. They decided that Milan run by Sforza would be far more dangerous and detrimental to their interests than if it were run by a weak Republic. The last of the territory claimed by Venice, namely Crema, was now captured. Venice went behind Sforza's back and signed a peace treaty with the Republic. They conceded conquered land to the Republic in return for peace, and let Sforza keep only Pavia, Cremona, Piacenza, and a narrow strip of land. They ordered him to accept the treaty or find Venice his enemy. The Republic rejoiced, and the citizens were confident the war was over and their future was secured. But Sforza could not accept the conditions of the treaty, and decided to persevere in the struggle. He was already very powerful, and moreover was close to Milan. The Milanese in their assurance of peace had nearly exhausted their resources to plant crops and return to the old way of life. He was confident that Milan would quickly fall to him. After reinforcing his peace with Savoy with the concession of a few unimportant castles, he defeated the Venetians under his rival Sigismondo Malatesta and continued the siege.  Sforza chose for his headquarters the Borromeo castle of Peschiera, south-east of the city. Starvation and suffering were rampant in Milan, and the Venetians had sent an ambassador, Leonardo Venieri, to negotiate the city's surrender and help them defeat Sforza. At last, Gaspare da Vimercate and several members of the Stampa family engineered a coup on 24 February 1450, which resulted in the murder of Venieri on the stairs of Palazzo Reale. The next day the citizens met and Da Vimercate convinced the people to surrender to Sforza. Sforza had made himself very popular for his generosity while fighting for Milan. He had abstained from ravaging the countryside as was so common among commanders of his day, and after some debate the public was convinced. The following day terms were offered to Sforza, who accepted them. Sforza earned the city's devotion by distributing food to the starving people. On 22 March 1450, he had himself declared "capitano del popolo", and by right of his wife, the Duke of Milan. He secured his popular support by letting many office-holders keep their positions and being very lenient in his reprisals. The leaders were briefly imprisoned or relegated to their estates, but were generally pardoned soon after, even knighting some of his old enemies at his coronation. Ghibellines were allowed to return in safety and were restored to favor.

Aftermath.

Sforza remained at war with Venice for years after the downfall of the Ambrosian Republic. Venice allied herself with the Kingdom of Naples, previously a contender for the succession of Milan. Sforza, however, allied himself with his friend, Cosimo de' Medici of Florence against Venice and Aragonese Naples. The continued war was finally concluded by the peace of Lodi in 1454 with the House of Sforza established as the rulers of the Duchy of Milan  During its three-year existence, the Ambrosian Republic won two major battles. The Lombards defeated the French at the Battle of Bosco Marengo in 1447 and the Venetians at the Battle of Caravaggio in 1448. It was those victories that assured the Republic all the territory of the former Duchy.  Of the Republic, Niccolò Machiavelli remarked

First "capitani e defensori".

The leading magistrates of the city, the "capitani e defensori" ("Captains and Defenders"), were in charge of the government, elected every six months beginning in August 1447. They originally numbered twenty-four but were eventually reduced to twelve.

The Golden Ambrosian Republic (; ; 1447–1450) was a short-lived government founded in Milan by members of the University of Pavia with popular support, during the first phase of the Milanese War of Succession. With the aid of Francesco Sforza they held out against the forces of the Republic of Venice, but after a betrayal Sforza defected and captured Milan to become Duke himself, abolishing the Republic.

Zlatá ambrosiánská republika (italsky "Aurea Repubblica Ambrosiana", lombardsky "Aurea Republega Ambrosiana") byl krátkodobý státní útvar na území Apeninského poloostrova. Republika byla s podporou lidu vyhlášena v Miláně členy univerzity v Pavii poté, co roku 1447 vládnoucí rod Viscontiů vymřel v mužské linii. Milán vyhlásil republiku navzdory faktu, že vévoda Karel Orleánský byl legitimním nástupcem na milánský trůn. Avšak vévoda orleánský své nároky nedokázal prosadit a ani Ambrosiánská republika neměla dlouhého trvání. Italský žoldnéř a dobrodruh Francesco I. Sforza, který se oženil s poslední nelegitimní dcerou z rodu Viscontiů, se roku 1450 zmocnil Milána a prohlásil se vévodou.


Meteorological history.

On October 1, a broad area of low pressure formed over the southwestern Caribbean Sea, absorbing the remnants of Tropical Storm Kirk by the next day. Early on October 2, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began monitoring the system for tropical development. On the same day, the disturbance experienced a burst of convection, possibly associated with a tropical wave moving into the region, which led to a small surface low forming to the southwest of Jamaica on October 3. While strong upper-level winds initially inhibited development, the disturbance gradually became better organized as it drifted generally northward and then westward toward the Yucatán Peninsula. By October 6, the disturbance had developed well-organized deep convection, although it still lacked a well-defined circulation. The storm was also posing an immediate land threat to the Yucatán Peninsula and Cuba. Thus, the NHC initiated advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone Fourteen at 21:00 UTC that day. By the morning of October 7, radar data from Belize found a closed center of circulation, while satellite estimates indicated a sufficiently organized convective pattern to classify the system as a tropical depression. The newly-formed tropical cyclone then quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Michael at 12:00 UTC that day. The nascent system meandered before the center of circulation relocated closer to the center of deep convection, as reported by reconnaissance aircraft that was investigating the storm. Despite moderate vertical wind shear, Michael proceeded to strengthen quickly, becoming a high-end tropical storm early on October 8, as the storm's cloud pattern became better organized. Continued intensification occurred, and Michael attained hurricane status later on the same day.  Shortly afterwards, rapid intensification ensued and

Preparations.

Cuba.

About 300 people were evacuated from the coast

United States.

On October 7, Governor Rick Scott announced that he would be declaring a state of emergency for Florida if needed, advising residents to be prepared for the incoming storm. That day, a state of emergency was declared for 26 counties, and then 9 additional counties were added on October 8. Governor Scott also requested that President Donald Trump issue an emergency disaster declaration for 35 counties, with Trump approving of the request on October 9. Officials in Bay, Gulf, and Wakulla counties issued mandatory evacuation orders on October 8 for those living near the coast, in mobile homes, or in other weak dwellings. Florida State University's main campus in Tallahassee

Impact.

Central America.

The combined effects of the precursor low to Michael and a disturbance over the Pacific Ocean caused significant flooding across Central America. At least 15 fatalities occurred: eight in Honduras, 4 in Nicaragua, and 3 in El Salvador. In Honduras, torrential rain caused at least seven

Cuba.

About 70% of the offshore Isla de la Juventud lost power. On the southern coast of the island, La Coloma was inundated by storm surge, sinking ships and flooding homes. High winds left more than 200,000 people without power in the province of Pinar del Río, accounting for 90% of the province.

United States.

According to the Edison Electric Institute, at one point 1.2 million electricity customers were without power in several east coast and southern states. Estimated damage from Michael throughout the United States reached $25 billion.

Florida.

The National Centers for Environmental Information estimated that Michael caused $18.4 billion in damage in Florida, primarily incurred by property and infrastructure. The severest impacts occurred along the Florida coast between Panama City Beach and Cape San Blas, with catastrophic impacts in the areas around Mexico Beach and Tyndall Air Force Base. Impacts were evident on all types of buildings, though structures built before 2002 fared substantially worse. Mobile homes in the regions affected by Michael were older and smaller than in other parts of the state and experienced significant to catastrophic impacts in the hardest-hit areas. Damage to over 2.8 million acres (1.1 million hectares) of forested land caused an estimated $1.29 billion in damage to the timber industry; 12% of damaged forest area was classified as "catastrophic" by the Florida Forest Service. Damage to various agricultural sectors, chiefly cotton, cattle, and peanuts, amounted to $180 million. Only 5-10% of the cotton crop had been harvested at the time of Michael's landfall, resulting in total losses of cotton where Category 3–4 hurricane winds were felt. Losses to the cattle industry stemmed largely from damage to farm infrastructure; an estimated 1,507 cattle ranches and 106,438 head of cattle were within the hurricane-force wind envelope of Michael. Seven deaths were directly caused by the hurricane's forces, including five drownings due to storm surge and two deaths due to fallen trees; the drownings all involved elderly individuals. There were another 43 deaths indirectly caused by Michael, including those that occurred during the storm's aftermath and those from health complications exacerbated by the hurricane, resulting in 50 deaths total in Florida attributed to Michael.  Based on post-storm analyses conducted by the National Hurricane Center synthesizing data from several data sources,

Georgia.

Michael crossed into Georgia in Donalsonville, where significant damage to structures and trees occurred. Tropical storm force wind gusts were observed as far north as Athens and Atlanta. More than 400,000 electrical customers in Georgia were left without power. At least 127 roads throughout the state were blocked by fallen trees or debris. In Albany, where wind gusts reached, 24,270 electrical customers lost power. Numerous trees fell on homes and roads, blocking about 100 intersections. Winds also ripped siding off of homes and shattered windows at the convention center. A tornado in Crawford County damaged seven homes. An 11-year-old girl

Elsewhere.

Moisture streaming northward ahead of Michael led to heavy rainfall across North Carolina on October 11, with most occurring in the basins of the New and Watauga river basins. Most of the rain fell in three to six hours, triggering flash floods. Rainfall totals were generally 4–8 in (100—200 mm) with some localized maxima in excess of 10 in (250 mm). As the cyclone itself passed through North Carolina, it produced wind gusts of 40–60 mph (65–95 km/h) across the central region of the state, blowing down trees onto roads and electric lines; 490,000 Duke Energy customers were left without power late on October 11, and 342,000 remained without power in the state 24 hours later. A tree fell on a car in Statesville, killing the driver. Two others died in Marion when they crashed into a tree that had fallen across a road. Fallen trees damaged homes

Aftermath.

On October 9—a day before Hurricane Michael made landfall—President Donald Trump signed an emergency declaration for Florida, which authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster efforts, with Thomas McCool serving as Federal Coordinating Officer in the state. The declaration also authorized funding for 75% of the cost of emergency protective measures and the removal of storm debris in 14 Florida counties. The federal government also provided for 75% of the cost of emergency protective measures in an additional 21 counties. On October 11, President Trump declared a major disaster in five counties: Bay, Franklin, Gulf, Taylor, and Wakulla. Residents in the county were able to receive grants for house repairs, temporary shelter, loans for uninsured property losses, and business loans. In addition to FEMA, several private and non-profit organizations, including the DSA, PSL, and SRA. established the Hurricane Michael Relief Network which provided direct relief to residents that were affected by the disaster.  Due to the storm damage in Georgia, President Trump also signed an emergency declaration for Georgia, where FEMA activity was coordinated by Manny J. Torro. The declaration authorized funding for 75% of the cost of emergency protective measures and the removal of storm debris in 31 Georgia counties, and 75% of the cost of emergency protective measures in an additional 77 counties.  Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has since requested, with the storm's elevation to Category 5, the federal relief share be increased from 75% to 90%. Either value awaits passage of a specific relief package being delayed in the United States House of Representatives.

Retirement.

On March 20, 2019, at the 41st session of the RA IV hurricane committee, the World Meteorological Organization retired the name "Michael" from its rotating name lists, due

Records.

With top sustained winds of and a central pressure of at landfall, Michael was the most intense landfalling mainland U.S. hurricane since Camille in 1969, which had a central pressure of, and the first landfalling Category 5 Atlantic hurricane in the U.S. since Andrew in 1992, which had 165 mph (270 km/h) winds.. Michael is tied with the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane for the sixth-strongest tropical cyclone by wind speed to impact the United States (including its overseas territories), and was the fourth strongest to impact the U.S. mainland. Additionally, Michael was the second-most intense hurricane by pressure to make landfall in Florida, behind the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, and the third strongest by wind, behind the 1935 Labor Day hurricane and Andrew.  Michael was the second-most intense hurricane to have made landfall during the month of October in the North Atlantic basin (including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea), behind the 1924 Cuba hurricane. Michael was also the first recorded Category 4 or 5 hurricane to strike the Florida Panhandle since reliable records began in 1851.

Hurricane Michael was a very powerful and destructive tropical cyclone that became the first Category 5 hurricane to strike the contiguous United States since Andrew in 1992. In addition, it was the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall in the contiguous United States in terms of pressure, behind the 1935 Labor Day hurricane and Hurricane Camille in 1969. It was the first Category 5 hurricane on record to impact the Florida Panhandle, the fourth-strongest landfalling hurricane in the contiguous United States, in terms of wind speed, and was the most intense hurricane on record to strike the United States in the month of October.

Michael je hurikán, který v říjnu 2018 s ničivou silou zasáhl západní výběžek Floridy. Podle nejnižšího naměřeného tlaku se dá považovat za 3. nejsilnější hurikán, který v zaznamenané historii zasáhl USA, podle síly větru 6. nejsilnější.


Background.

The Venetian Republic ruled Dalmatia and its majority Croatian population since 1420 and appointed a Venetian noble (called "Count") to head the city communes, thus removing the most important autonomous right of the local population. The local noble councils of the cities, however, still held authority in governing most local matters.  As early as the 15th century, the citizens of the city of Hvar formed the so-called citizen's councils and demanded some government offices as well as authority in the government. The blunt refusal of these repeated demands was the first cause that sparked the rebellion. The second was the appalling behavior of noblemen towards the citizen's women, which included rape. Their husbands and fathers were unable to prevent or punish the offenders. Another cause was the rise of wealthy citizens' families that desired greater influence.  In order to secure their power, local nobles instituted a law which prohibited the election into the ruling council of anyone whose father or grandfather was not its member. This legalized oligarchy proclaimed itself a god's institution, and passed criminal laws that greatly discriminated the ordinary citizens. The nobility went by the Medieval principle of intimidation, by which ordinary people were more likely to commit crimes, and that evil people, who were going to commit them anyway, could only be intimidated into obedience. This made it seem as though all ordinary citizens were potentially evil, and should be treated with that in mind. The legal discrimination was another deciding factor in the Rebellion.

Rebellion.

The immediate cause for the uprising was the inhumane behavior of several of the nobles, which included rape of the citizens' women. An all-out revolt quickly gripped the island, led by Matija Ivanić, a prominent citizen of Hvar. With a contingent of armed citizens, Ivanić broke into the city and attacked the nobles. He executed some and burnt their houses, while incarcerating others. He demanded of the Hvar Prince equality in taxation and criminal law.  Having gathered 2,000 armed men and 30 galleys for patrolling the coast and preventing the escape of the nobles to Venice, he took control of the island. In the second year he issued a demand to the Venetian Republic, asking for permission to hold a council of all classes in Hvar to create a more just government. The letter held 20 seals and signatures with 60 more prominent citizens voicing their support. At the same time, the citizens accused the nobles of injustices and demanded their punishment.  At the beginning of the conflict, the Venetians kept an appearance of neutrality, probably due to their war against the League of Cambrai. They invited both sides to Venice; failing that, and due to the rebellion's significant impact on the whole of Dalmatia, the Venetians decided to energetically pursue its conclusion. Giovanni Navagero ("Zuane Navaiero" in Venetian) was consequently sent to Hvar, where he succeeded in pacifying the uprising in 1511 by unknown means, while the rebels still held control over the island and did not allow the nobles to return.  However, by the end of the same year, there was unrest again against the Venetians in the whole of Dalmatia, which threatened to spread. Therefore, Venice sent Sebastiano Giustiniani, from the Giustiniani family, to Hvar in 1512, and he tried to quell the uprising by brute force. He terrorized the citizens under his control, sentenced 69 to exile, and offered a bounty of 400 ducats on Matija Ivanić's head. He was thwarted, though, by a decisive defeat of his troops at the hands of Ivanić's forces near Jelsa, another town on the island. Sebastiano Giustiniani ("Sebastian Justiniano" in Venetian) was recalled, but the Venetians dispatched 15 war galleys under the command of Vincenzo Capello to end the rebellion.  Upon his arrival, Capello managed to destroy all armed galleys of the rebels by October 1514, overcoming their land forces only after a prolonged struggle. Subsequently he hanged 19 leaders of the rebellion on his flagship, and cut off one hand and eye of 10 others.  The Hvar Rebellion was destroyed, while Matija Ivanić managed to escape the island and leave Venetian lands. He tried to return to Hvar several times without success, and later moved to Italy to the town of Vieste, where he is mentioned in sources for the last time around 1519. The struggle for the citizens' equality was continued by non-violent means by his son, Ivan Ivanić, and his offspring.

The Hvar rebellion () (1510–1514) was a popular uprising of the people and citizens of the Dalmatian island of Hvar on the Adriatic Sea against the island's nobility and their Venetian masters. It began on the island's largest city, also called Hvar, but spread to the entire island.

Hvarské povstání (chorvatsky Hvarski ustanak, známé též jako Povstání hvarských sedláků, chorvatsky Ustanak hvarskih pučana) bylo povstání sedláků na ostrově Hvar proti šlechtické správě Benátské republiky. Povstání postupně přerostlo ve čtyři roky trvající konflikt, který probíhal v letech 1510–1514.


Early life and education.

Jeenbekov was born in Biy-Myrza, Osh Region on November 16, 1958. His father, Sharif, was a collective farm (kolkhoz) manager while his mother was a housewife. His grandfather Jeenbek Pirnazarov was a Red Army soldier who served during the Great Patriotic War and was labelled as missing in action. Jeenbekov is one of nine siblings in his family, being the third eldest child. Jeenbekov attended the Kyrgyz Academy of Agriculture, graduating with a degree in zoological engineering. In 2003, he completed further studies, graduating in accounting from the Kyrgyz National Agrarian University.

Career.

Jeenbekov started his career at the Lenin School in the Uzgen District, where he worked as a teacher at 18 and taught Russian and literature. In 1983, he became the chief livestock specialist of the Soviet farm in the Soviet district of Osh region and continued to work in the position for about five years. In November 1988, he managed to obtain a job as an instructor in the district committee of the Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan in the Soviet district of the Osh region. After a few years, he became the director of the party committee.  After entering politics, in 1993, Jeenbekov was elected chairman of the Kashka-Zhol collective farm in Kara-Kulja District. He became a Deputy of the Assembly of People's Representatives in 1995. In 2007, he became the Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and the Processing Industry. In 2010, he served as the Governor of the Osh region, and in 2015, he was appointed as Director of the State Personnel Service. In March 2016, he was appointed as First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, before his appointment as Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan.

2017 Kyrgyz presidential election.

Jeenbekov resigned from the post of Prime Minister on 21 August 2017, after being named as an official candidate in the 2017 presidential election. He stated that he "[wanted] to be in an equal position with other presidential candidates."  The election was held on 15 October 2017. Kyrgyzstan's central election commission reported a total of almost 1.7 million votes cast, of which Jeenbekov won 54.74 percent. Jeenbekov's election marks the first democratic transfer of power in a Kyrgyz election. Azay Guliyev confirmed the election to be one of the few peaceful elections in Kyrgyzstan's history.

Presidency.

Jeenbekov was inaugurated as president on 24 November 2017 in a ceremony that took place in the Enesay reception house of the Ala Archa State Residence. His first presidential decree in office was made to confer the title of Hero of the Kyrgyz Republic to former president Atambayev. Just days into his presidency, Jeenbekov changed the time of his departure to the White House to early in the morning to avoid Bishkek traffic, a move which was praised by many Bishkek residents. He conducted his first foreign visit after assuming the presidency was to Russia where he met with Vladimir Putin. Early into his presidency, he has been accused of undermining the country's democracy by suppressing opposition politicians and journalists. On 19 April 2018, Jeenbekov fired his Prime Minister Sapar Isakov and the government following a vote of no confidence from Kyrgyzstan's parliament.  In an address to journalists in May 2018, Jeenbekov promised to fight against tribalism being imposed on the country saying that "We will take measures against those, who impose a "north-south" issue in the society."  Jeenbekov opened the Central Mosque of Imam Sarakhsi, which is the largest mosque in Central Asia, with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during his visit to Bishkek in early September of 2018. During his visit, Erdoğan pressured Jeenbekov to take the appropriate measures to deal with Turkish Islamist leader Fethullah Gülen.  Jeenbekov opened the 2018 World Nomad Games in Cholpon-Ata on September 3, 2018, marking the first major international event that Jeenbekov has hosted in Kyrgyzstan. Receiving Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the Cholpon-Ata State Residence the next day, Jeenbekov thanked the prime minister for becoming the first Hungarian leader to visit the country since its independence. In April 2019, Jeenbekov received Valentina Shevchenko (a professional Kyrgyz–Peruvian mixed martial artist fighter) during her tour of her native Kyrgyzstan, her first visit in seven years. Jeenbekov praised Shevchenko's role in her profession, even going as far as to say that she "defended the honour of our Kyrgyzstan". On May 4 he ordered that all mining of uranium in the country will be banned.

Foreign policy.

Jeenbekov's foreign policy has been described as much more balanced that his predecessors. In his inaugural remarks, he vowed to make the Kremlin the country's "main strategic partner" as well as signaled that he will seek more collaborative bilateral ties with China and the European Union. He is noted for repairing relations with neighboring Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, following an improvement in ties under Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who took power the year before Jeenbekov, and a diplomatic crisis after Jeenbekov's predecessor, Almazbek Atambayev accused Kazakhstan of election interference and called the Kazakh government under President Nursultan Nazarbayev a "dictatorship". All of this is reflected in the international working and state visits which he makes often, with Jeenbekov visiting Russia and Kazakhstan the most since November 28, 2017.  In an address to the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan in late June 2018, he outlined and made clear that his country will pursue and develop multilateral relations with Turkey, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and the Arab world by the end of his term in 2023. In his first year in office, President Jeenbekov participated in 30 international meetings, where 77 bilateral agreements and 414 multilateral documents were signed. Also during his first year, Kyrgyzstan established diplomatic relations with four foreign countries. In March 2019, Jeenbekov made his remarks during a meeting with the heads of diplomatic missions of Kyrgyzstan that his country had plans to step up work on development of bilateral co-operation with the United States and United Kingdom. The draft of a new co-operation agreement with the United States is currently being reconciled.  During Vladimir Putin's state visit to Bishkek in March 2019, he ordered that a new marble pavilion be created outside the Ala Archa State Residence to provide a sound place for the National Guard to render honors. Since then, he has received Xi Jinping, Khaltmaagiin Battulga, Narendra Modi at the new area. Jeenbekov attended the latter's second swearing-in ceremony in late May in his first visit to the Indian sub-continent.

Relationship with Atambayev.

Since Jeenbekov took power in November 2017, he has had what can only be described as a contentious relationship with his predecessor and former ally, Almazbek Atambayev. It the early months of his presidency, he used his position to praise Atambayev's work, even going as far giving him the title of "Hero of the Kyrgyz Republic", which the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a citizen of Kyrgyzstan. Atambayev strongly backed Jeenbekov during the 2017 election against his opponent Ömürbek Babanov, even referring to himself as an “older brother” to Jeenbekov. As he continued serving as president, a rift grew between the two as Atambayev later became more involved in politics in the 6 months post his presidency, eventually rising to the Chairmanship of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan, of which Jeenbekov is a member. In Atambayev's remarks following his assumption to the post, he criticized Jeenbekov for his handling of the Bishkek power plant failure earlier that, as well as rebuked him for not taking steps to force his brother to resign from parliament. In early April 2018, Jeenbekov dismissed two high ranking officials in the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) who are considered to be close to Atambayev. The move was seen as an apparent jab at Atambayev and his former government. In an interview on his 60th birthday later in the year, Jeenbekov accused Atambayev of indirectly and directly trying to influence him and his presidency, saying the following to the 24 Kyrgyzstan news agency:  He later denied that he was fighting with Atambayev, saying at a press conference in December 2018 that his major goal was to do "nothing but to work day and night" while saying that he does "not consider anyone a rival". Due to the failed attempt by SOBR Units to arrest Atambayev at his residence in Koy-Tash on 7 August, which resulted in the death of one soldier, Jeenbekov came back from his vacation and called a meeting of the Security Council, in which Jeenbekov accused Atambayev of "rudely violating the constitution".

Personal life.

His wife, Aigul Jeenbekova ("née" Tokoeva), has been married to Jeenbekov since 1988. Together, they have 2 children, with their eldest daughter, Baktygul, being married and a graduate from the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University. Their younger child is a son named Iman. Jeenbekov's younger brother, Asylbek Jeenbekov, is also a politician, while his other brother, Zhusupbek Sharipov, is a former governor from Jalal-Abad and the current ambassador of Kyrgyzstan to Ukraine. Aside from his native Kyrgyz, Jeenbekov is also fluent in Russian.

Sooronbay Sharipovich Jeenbekov (, "Sooronbay Şaripoviç (Şarip uulu) Jéénbekov"; or Sooronbay Zheenbekov; born 16 November 1958) is a Kyrgyz politician, and the President of Kyrgyzstan. He officially took office on 24 November 2017. He was also the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from April 2016 to August 2017.

Sooronbaj Šaripovič Žeenbekov (cyrilicí: "Сооронбай Шарипович Жээнбеков"), narozen 16. listopadu 1958 v obci Kara-Kuldža (К"ара-Кульдж"а) v Sovětském okrese Ošské oblasti (Kyrgyzská sovětská socialistická republika, Sovětský svaz), je kyrgyzský politik a od 24. listopadu 2017 pátý prezident Kyrgyzstánu. V letech 2012-2015 byl guvernérem Ošské oblasti a v letech 2016-2017 byl předsedou vlády.


Development.

The RQ-21 was selected in June 2010 over the Raytheon Killer Bee, AAI Aerosonde, and General Dynamics/Elbit Systems Storm.  The RQ-21A Integrator first flew on 28 July 2012. On 10 September 2012, the Integrator entered developmental testing with a 66-minute flight. The Navy launched one using a pneumatic launcher and a recovery system known as Skyhook. This eliminates the need for runways and enables a safe recovery and expeditionary capability for tactical missions on land or sea. At the current testing rate, Initial Operational Capability (IOC) was expected in 2013.  On 10 February 2013, the Integrator completed its first at-sea flight from the USS "Mesa Verde", a "San Antonio"-class amphibious transport dock. This followed completing three months of land-based flights.  On 19 February 2013, Insitu completed the first flight of the RQ-21A Block II. It weighs and flew for 2 hours. It was controlled by a new ground control system meant to integrate dissimilar UAV systems. The Block II has the sensor from the Nighteagle, the night version of the ScanEagle, and is designed to operate in high-temperature environments.  On 15 May 2013, the Department of the Navy announced that the RQ-21A Integrator received Milestone C approval authorizing the start of low-rate initial production. With Milestone C approval, the Integrator entered production and deployment.  On 12 June 2013, the RQ-21A completed its first East Coast flight from Webster Field Annex, starting the next phase of tests for the Integrator. The UAV was launched with a pneumatic launcher, flew for 1.8 hours, and was recovered with an Insitu-built system known as the STUAS Recovery System (SRS), which allows safe recovery of the STUAS on land or at sea. This phase of testing was to validate updates made to the aircraft which include software, fuselage, and camera enhancements. The Integrator was test flown at lower density altitudes. Integrated Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) was scheduled for October 2013.  In September 2013, the Integrator was renamed the RQ-21A Blackjack. On 28 November 2013, the U.S. Navy awarded Boeing Insitu an $8.8 million contract for one low-rate production aircraft in preparation for full-rate production.  In January 2014, the first low-rate production RQ-21A Blackjack began IOT&E for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. Testing was conducted over the next several months to demonstrate its effectiveness in realistic combat conditions. The Navy ordered three Blackjack systems in December 2014. By July 2015, the Navy had received two Blackjack systems. In July 2018, the Marines phased out the RQ-7 Shadow in favor of the Blackjack.

Design.

The RQ-21A Blackjack is designed to support the U.S. Marine Corps by providing forward reconnaissance. A Blackjack system is composed of five air vehicles and two ground control systems. The air vehicles can be launched on land or on a ship by a rail and land using a "skyhook" recovery system, where a vertical wire must be hooked onto its wing; when on the ground, the launch and recovery systems are towable by vehicles. Its wingspan is and it can carry a payload. The day/night camera can achieve resolution rating of 7 on the NIIRS scale at.  The Marines are working with Insitu to modify the Blackjack fuselage to carry greater and more various payloads. Enlarging the fuselage would increase its maximum takeoff weight from to and lengthen endurance from 16 hours to 24 hours. New turrets are being explored as well as other payloads including a synthetic-aperture radar to track ground targets, a laser designator to mark targets for precision-guided munitions, and foliage-penetration capabilities for foreign customers operating in lush environments. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) plans to add a sensor to the Blackjack that combines an electro-optical camera, wide area imager, short wave infrared hyperspectral imager, and a high-resolution camera for use as an inspection sensor into a single payload by 2020.  In Marines service, the Blackjack sometimes uses the designation MQ-21, where the 'M' prefix indicates "ground launched, mobile" operations, versus the 'R' prefix indicating operating from a surface ship.

Operational history.

The U.S. Marine Corps deployed its first RQ-21A Blackjack system to Afghanistan in late April 2014. One Blackjack system is composed of five air vehicles, two ground control systems, and launch and recovery support equipment. It supports intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions using multi-intelligence payloads including day and night full-motion video cameras, an infrared marker, a laser range finder, a communications relay package, and automatic identification system receivers. The models in Afghanistan were early operational capability (EOC) aircraft without shipboard software or testing. Deploying the aircraft on the ground was a method to detect and fix problems early to avoid delaying the project. The RQ-21 returned from its deployment on 10 September 2014 after flying nearly 1,000 hours in 119 days in theater. EOC Blackjacks will continue to be used for training, while completion of shipboard testing is planned to result in the system's first ship-based deployment in spring 2015.  The Marine Corps declared Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the RQ-21A Blackjack in January 2016. During the summer of 2016, MARSOC deployed the RQ-21A to Iraq.  Full rate productions of the RQ-21A has been delayed because of serious system quality issues. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) issued reviews on the program in 2013, 2014, and 2015. The 2015 report indicates that many of these issues have not been resolved, despite OSD reporting issues in previous years. The 2015 report stated that the RQ-21A was "not operationally effective", "not operationally suitable", that the "system has exploitable cyber security vulnerabilities, and the overall assessment pointed out several major requirements failures.

Operators.

An unidentified Middle Eastern customer purchased six systems.

The Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack, formerly called the Integrator, is an American unmanned air vehicle designed and built by Boeing Insitu to meet a United States Navy requirement for a small tactical unmanned air system (STUAS). It is a twin-boom, single-engine monoplane, designed as a supplement to the Boeing Scan Eagle. The Integrator weighs and uses the same launcher and recovery system as the Scan Eagle.

RQ-21 Blackjack je malý taktický bezpilotní letoun vyvinutý speciálně pro americké námořnictvo a námořní pěchotu. Jde o zpravodajský systém určený ke sběru a poskytování taktických informací velitelům USN a USMC. Letadla systému jsou přizpůsobena pro operace z paluby vojenských lodí. Za vývojem a výrobou tohoto systému stojí americká firma Insitu (dceřiná společnost firmy Boeing Defense, Space & Security).


Etymology and origins.

The name comes from the Sanskrit words परिपूर्ण "Paripurna", perfected; मत्स्येन्द् "Matsyendra", one of the founders of hatha yoga, whose name in turn means "lord of the fishes"; and आसन "asana", posture or seat; अर्ध "ardha" means half.  The asana is medieval, described in the 15th century "Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā" 1.26-7, which states that it destroys many diseases, and the 17th century "Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā" 2.22-23.  Yogi Ghamande chose the asana for the cover of his historic 1905 book "Yogasopana Purvacatuska"; he represented the pose using a halftone plate, giving for the first time a realistic impression of the body of the yogi.

Description.

One foot is placed flat on the floor outside the opposite leg and torso twists toward the top leg. The bottom leg may be bent with the foot outside the opposite hip or extended with toes vertically. The arms help leverage the torso into the twist and may be bound (Baddha Ardha Matsyendrasana) in a number of configurations by clutching either feet or opposite hands.

Variations.

Ardha Matsyendrasana I.

In this pose, sit with one leg bent on the ground, the foot tucked in close to the body, and cross the other leg over across the body, the knee raised and bent, and the foot on the ground by the outside of the other leg. Twist the body and grasp the raised knee; or, bring the arm over to press against the raised knee; or clasp the hands behind the back.

Ardha Matsyendrasana III.

From Ardha Matsyendrasana I, the bottom leg moves into Padmasana and arms bind by grabbing either foot.

Supta Matsyendrasana.

For the reclining variant of the pose, starting from a supine position, stretch the arms out at shoulder level, bend one knee and rotate it and the hips across to the opposite side.

Matsyendrasana (; IAST: "Matsyendrāsana"), Matsyendra's Pose or Lord of the Fishes Pose, is a seated twisting asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise. The full form is the difficult Paripurna Matsyendrasana. A common and easier variant is Ardha Matsyendrasana. The asana usually appears as a seated spinal twist with many variations, and in its half form is one of the twelve basic asanas in many systems of hatha yoga.

Ardha Matsjéndrásana (; A"rdha Matsyendrāsana"), Poloviční král ryb nebo Poloviční spinální otočení nebo Vakrasana je ásana působící zpravidla otočením páteře v sedě s mnoha variacemi. Patří mezi dvanáct základních ásan v mnoha systémech Hatha Jógy.


Installation.

Laminate floors are reasonably easy for a DIY homeowner to install. Laminate flooring is packaged as a number of tongue and groove planks, which can be clicked into one another. Sometimes a glue backing is provided for ease of installation. Installed laminate floors typically "float" over the sub-floor on top of a foam/film underlayment, which provides moisture- and sound-reducing properties. A small () gap is required between the flooring and any immovable object such as walls, this allows the flooring to expand without being obstructed. Baseboards (skirting boards) can be removed and then reinstalled after laying of the flooring is complete for a neater finish, or the baseboard can be left in place with the flooring butted into it, then small beading trims such as shoe moulding or the larger quarter-round moulding can be fitted to the bottoms of the baseboards. Saw cuts on the planks are usually required at edges and around cupboard and door entrances, but professional installers typically use door jamb undercut saws to cut out a space to a height that allows the flooring to go under the door jamb & casing for a cleaner look.  Improper installation can result in peaking, in which adjacent boards form a V shape projecting from the floor, or gaps, in which two adjacent boards are separated from each other.

Care.

It is important to keep laminate clean, as dust, dirt, and sand particles may scratch the surface over time in high-traffic areas. It is also important to keep laminate relatively dry, since sitting water/moisture can cause the planks to swell, warp, etc., though some brands are equipped with water-resistant coatings. Water spills aren't a problem if they're wiped up quickly, and not allowed to sit for a prolonged period of time.  Adhesive felt pads are often placed on the feet of furniture on laminate floors to prevent scratching.  Inferior glueless laminate floors may gradually become separated, creating visible gaps between planks. It is important to "tap" the planks back together using the appropriate tool as gaps are noticed in order to prevent dirt filling the gaps, thus making it more difficult to put into place.  Quality glueless laminate floors use joining mechanisms which hold the planks together under constant tension which prevent dirt entering the joints and do not need "tapping" back together periodically.

Advocacy.

The North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) is a trade association of laminate flooring manufacturers and laminate flooring manufacturer suppliers in the United States and Canada. It is a standards developing organization accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop voluntary consensus standards for laminate flooring materials, and it has established testing and performance criteria that are used in North America.  NALFA issues a certification mark named the NALFA Certification Seal which signifies that the product has passed 10 performance tests, has been proven to meet these standards by an independent, third-party testing lab, and has been manufactured in North America. The certification review includes:

Potential health effects and LEED status.

Laminate flooring is often made of melamine resin, a compound made with formaldehyde. The formaldehyde is more tightly bound in Melamine formaldehyde (MF) than it is in Urea-Formaldehyde (UF), reducing emissions and potential health effects. Thus LEED v2.2's EQ Credit 4.4 precludes the use of UF, but allows the use of MF.  Laminated flooring is commonly used in LEED residential and commercial applications.

History.

Laminate flooring was invented in 1977 by the Swedish company, and sold under the brand name Pergo. They had been making floor surfaces since 1923. The company first marketed its product to Europe in 1984, and later to the United States in 1994. Perstorp spun off its flooring division as the separate company named Pergo, now a subsidiary of Mohawk Industries. Pergo is the most widely known laminate flooring manufacturer, but the trademark PERGO is not synonymous for all laminate floors.  Glueless laminate flooring was invented in 1996 by the Swedish company Välinge Aluminium (now Välinge Innovation) and sold under the names of Alloc and Fiboloc. However, a system for holding flooring panels together was also developed in parallel by the Belgian company Unilin released in 1997 and sold under the name of.  The two companies have been in a great number of legal conflicts over the years, and today most, if not all glueless locking flooring is made under license from either Välinge, Unilin, or even a combination of both.

Laminate flooring (also called floating wood tile in the United States) is a multi-layer synthetic flooring product fused together with a lamination process. Laminate flooring simulates wood (or sometimes stone) with a photographic applique layer under a clear protective layer. The inner core layer is usually composed of melamine resin and fiber board materials. There is a European Standard No. EN 13329:2000 specifying laminate floor covering requirements and testing methods.

Laminátová plovoucí podlaha je druh relativně tenké (cca 10 mm) podlahové krytiny na bázi dřevovláknité desky. Skládá se z jednotlivých vlysů, které mají na svém boku "zámek", kterým do sebe vzájemně zapadají. Instalace této krytiny je poměrně rychlá, ale vyžaduje velmi rovný povrch. Podlaha se pokládá většinou na vyhlazenou betonovou mazaninu nebo na dřevěné povrchy (prkna nebo OSB desky). Odborníci na projektování pozemních staveb název "plovoucí podlaha" v souvislosti s těmito krytinami kritizují, protože skutečná plovoucí podlaha musí splňovat celou řadu požadavků na tepelnou izolaci, vzduchovou a kročejovou neprůzvučnost. Odolnější podlahy jsou vyrobeny z vysokotlakého laminátu, méně odolné jsou z přímých laminátů tzv. melaminové. U laminátových podlah je možné plovoucí i lepené provedení podlahy.


Taxonomy and nomenclature.

Originally described in 1822 as "Agaricus indigo" by American mycologist Lewis David de Schweinitz, the species was later transferred to the genus "Lactarius" in 1838 by the Swede Elias Magnus Fries. German botanist Otto Kuntze called it "Lactifluus indigo" in his 1891 treatise "Revisio Generum Plantarum", but the suggested name change was not adopted by others. Hesler and Smith in their 1960 study of North American species of "Lactarius" defined "L. indigo" as the type species of subsection "Caerulei", a group characterized by blue latex and a sticky, blue cap. In 1979, they revised their opinions on the organization of subdivisions in the genus "Lactarius", and instead placed "L. indigo" in subgenus "Lactarius" based on the color of latex, and the subsequent color changes observed after exposure to air. As they explained:The gradual development of blue to violet pigmentation as one progresses from species to species is an interesting phenomenon deserving further study. The climax is reached in "L. indigo" which is blue throughout. "L. chelidonium" and its variety "chelidonioides", "L. paradoxus", and "L. hemicyaneus" may be considered as mileposts along the road to "L. indigo". The specific epithet "indigo" is derived from the Latin word meaning "indigo blue". Its names in the English vernacular include the "indigo milk cap", the "indigo Lactarius", the "blue milk mushroom", and the "blue Lactarius". In central Mexico, it is known as "añil", "azul", "hongo azul", "zuin", and "zuine"; it is also called "quexque" (meaning "blue") in Veracruz and Puebla.

Description.

Like many other mushrooms, "L. indigo" develops from a nodule, that forms within the underground mycelium, a mass of threadlike fungal cells called hyphae that make up the bulk of the organism. Under appropriate environmental conditions of temperature, humidity, and nutrient availability, the visible reproductive structures (fruit bodies) are formed. The cap of the fruit body, measuring between in diameter, is initially convex and later develops a central depression; in age it becomes even more deeply depressed, becoming somewhat funnel-shaped as the edge of the cap lifts upward. The margin of the cap is rolled inwards when young, but unrolls and elevates as it matures. The cap surface is indigo blue when fresh, but fades to a paler grayish- or silvery-blue, sometimes with greenish splotches. It is often zonate: marked with concentric lines that form alternating pale and darker zones, and the cap may have dark blue spots, especially towards the edge. Young caps are sticky to the touch.The flesh is pallid to bluish in color, slowly turning greenish after being exposed to air; its taste is mild to slightly acrid. The flesh of the entire mushroom is brittle, and the stem, if bent sufficiently, will snap open cleanly. The latex exuded from injured tissue is indigo blue, and stains the wounded tissue greenish; like the flesh, the latex has a mild taste. "Lactarius indigo" is noted for not producing as much latex as other "Lactarius" species, and older specimens in particular may be too dried out to produce any latex.  The gills of the mushroom range from adnate (squarely attached to the stem) to slightly decurrent (running down the length of the stem), and crowded close together. Their color is an indigo blue, becoming paler with age or staining green with damage. The stem is tall by thick, and the same diameter throughout or sometimes narrowed at base. Its color is indigo blue to silvery- or grayish blue. The interior of the stem is solid and firm initially, but develops a hollow with age. Like the cap, it is initially sticky or slimy to the touch when young, but soon dries out. Its attachment to the cap is usually in a central position, although it may also be off-center. Fruit bodies of "L. indigo" have no distinguishable odor.  "L. indigo" var. "diminutivus" (the "smaller indigo milk cap") is a smaller variant of the mushroom, with a cap diameter between, and a stem long and thick. It is often seen in Virginia. Hesler and Smith, who first described the variant based on specimens found in Brazoria County, Texas, described its typical habitat as "along [the] sides of a muddy ditch under grasses and weeds, [with] loblolly pine nearby".

Microscopic features.

When viewed in mass, as in a spore print, the spores appear cream to yellow colored. Viewed with a light microscope, the spores are translucent (hyaline), elliptical to nearly spherical in shape, with amyloid warts, and have dimensions of 7–9 by 5.5–7.5 μm. Scanning electron microscopy reveals reticulations on the spore surface. The hymenium is the spore-producing tissue layer of the fruit body, and consists of hyphae that extend into the gills and terminate as end cells. Various cell types can be observed in the hymenium, and the cells have microscopic characteristics that may be used to help identify or distinguish species in cases where the macroscopic characters may be ambiguous. The spore-bearing cells, the basidia, are four-spored and measure 37–45 μm long by 8–10 μm wide at the thickest point. Cystidia are terminal cells of hyphae in the hymenium which do not produce spores, and function in aiding spore dispersal, and maintaining favorable humidity around developing spores. The pleurocystidia are cystidia that are found on the face of a gill; they are 40–56 by 6.4–8 μm, roughly spindle-shaped, and have a constricted apex. The cheilocystidia—located on the edge of a gill—are abundant, and are 40.0–45.6 by 5.6–7.2 μm.

Similar species.

The characteristic blue color of the fruiting body and the latex make this species easily recognizable. Other "Lactarius" species with some blue color include the "silver-blue milky" ("L. paradoxus"), found in eastern North America, which has a grayish-blue cap when young, but it has reddish-brown to purple-brown latex and gills. "L. chelidonium" has a yellowish to dingy yellow-brown to bluish-gray cap and yellowish to brown latex. "L. quieticolor" has blue-colored flesh in the cap and orange to red-orange flesh in the base of the stem. Although the blue discoloration of "L. indigo" is thought to be rare in the genus "Lactarius", in 2007 five new species were reported from Peninsular Malaysia with bluing latex or flesh, including "L. cyanescens", "L. lazulinus", "L. mirabilis", and two species still unnamed.

Edibility.

Although "L. indigo" is a well-known edible species, opinions vary on its desirability. For example, American mycologist David Arora considers it a "superior edible", while a field guide on Kansas fungi rates it as "mediocre in quality". It may have a slightly bitter, or peppery taste, and has a coarse, grainy texture. The firm flesh is best prepared by cutting the mushroom in thin slices. The blue color disappears with cooking, and the mushroom becomes grayish. Because of the granular texture of the flesh, it does not lend itself well to drying. Specimens producing copious quantities of milk may be used to add color to marinades.  In Mexico, individuals harvest the wild mushrooms for sale at farmers' markets, typically from June to November; they are considered a "second class" species for consumption. "L. indigo" is also sold in Guatemalan markets from May to October. It is one of 13 "Lactarius" species sold at rural markets in Yunnan in southwestern China.

Chemical composition.

A chemical analysis of Mexican specimens has shown "L. indigo" to contain moisture at 951 mg/g of mushroom, fat at 4.3 mg/g, protein at 13.4 mg/g, and dietary fiber at 18.7 mg/g, much higher in comparison to the common button mushroom, which contains 6.6 mg/g. Compared to three other wild edible mushroom species also tested in the study ("Amanita rubescens", "Boletus frostii", and "Ramaria flava"), "L. indigo" contained the highest saturated fatty acids content, including stearic acid with 32.1 mg/g—slightly over half of the total free fatty acid content.  The blue color of "L. indigo" is due to (7-isopropenyl-4-methylazulen-1-yl)methyl stearate, an organic analogous to azulene, which is biosynthesised from a sesquiterpene very similar to matricin, the precursor for chamazulene. It is unique to this species, but similar to a compound found in "L. deliciosus".

Distribution, habitat, and ecology.

"L. indigo" is distributed throughout southern and eastern North America but is most common along the Gulf Coast, Mexico, and Guatemala. Its frequency of appearance in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States has been described as "occasional to locally common". Mycologist David Arora notes that in the United States, the species is found with ponderosa pine in Arizona, but is absent in California's ponderosa pine forests. It has also been collected from China, India, Guatemala, Costa Rica (in forests dominated by oak), and as its southernmost distribution in the Humboldt oak cloud forests of Colombia. In Europe, it has so far only been found in southern France. A study on the seasonal appearance of fruiting bodies in the subtropical forests of Xalapa, Mexico, confirmed that maximal production coincided with the rainy season between June and September.  "L. indigo" is a mycorrhizal fungus, and as such, establishes a mutualistic relationship with the roots of certain trees ("hosts"), in which the fungi exchange minerals and amino acids extracted from the soil for fixed carbon from the host. The subterranean hyphae of the fungus grow a sheath of tissue around the rootlets of a broad range of tree species, forming so-called ectomycorrhizae—an intimate association that is especially beneficial to the host, as the fungus produces enzymes that mineralize organic compounds and facilitate the transfer of nutrients to the tree.  Reflecting their close relationships with trees, the fruit bodies of "L. indigo" are typically found growing on the ground, scattered or in groups, in both deciduous and coniferous forests. They are also commonly found in floodplain areas that have been recently submerged. In Mexico, associations have been noted with Mexican alder, American Hornbeam, American Hophornbeam, and "Liquidambar macrophylla", while in Guatemala the mushroom associates with smooth-bark Mexican pine and other pine and oak species. In Costa Rica, the species forms associations with several native oaks of the genus "Quercus". Under controlled laboratory conditions, "L. indigo" was shown to be able to form ectomycorrhizal associations with the neotropical pine species Mexican white pine, Hartweg's pine, Mexican yellow pine, smooth-bark Mexican pine, and the Eurasian pines Aleppo pine, European black pine, maritime pine, and Scots pine.

Lactarius indigo, commonly known as the indigo milk cap, the indigo (or blue) lactarius, or the blue milk mushroom, is a species of agaric fungus in the family Russulaceae. A widely distributed species, it grows naturally in eastern North America, East Asia, and Central America; it has also been reported in southern France. "L. indigo" grows on the ground in both deciduous and coniferous forests, where it forms mycorrhizal associations with a broad range of trees. The fruit body color ranges from dark blue in fresh specimens to pale blue-gray in older ones. The milk, or latex, that oozes when the mushroom tissue is cut or broken — a feature common to all members of the genus "Lactarius" — is also indigo blue, but slowly turns green upon exposure to air. The cap has a diameter of, and the stem is tall and thick. It is an edible mushroom, and is sold in rural markets in China, Guatemala, and Mexico.

Ryzec indigový ("Lactarius indigo") je jedlá houba z čeledi holubinkovité "(Russulaceae)". Je specifický tím, že celá plodnice je zbarvena do odstínů modré. Vyskytuje se především v Americe, ale také v Číně a Indii. I přes svoje neobvyklé zbarvení se jedná o jedlý a chutný druh.