Overview.

Attacks began in 2001. Since then (August 2014 data), almost 20,000 rockets have hit southern Israel, all but a few thousand of them since Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in August 2005. Hamas justified these as counter-attacks to the Israeli blockade of Gaza. The rockets have killed 28 people and injured hundreds more. The range of the rockets has increased over time. The original Qassam rocket has a range of about but more advanced rockets, including versions of the old Soviet Grad or Katyusha have hit Israeli targets from Gaza.  Some analysts see the attacks as a shift away from reliance on suicide bombing, which was previously Hamas's main method of attacking Israel, as an adoption of the rocket tactics used by Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Participating groups.

All the Palestinian armed groups carry out rocket and mortar attacks, with varying frequency. The main groups are Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Popular Resistance Committees, Fatah, and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. In June 2007 Hamas took over from Fatah as the de facto governing authority in the Gaza Strip, while Fatah holds the presidency of the Palestinian National Authority.  Islamic Jihad has involved other Palestinians

History.

1975.

On 3 May 1975 at 4:15am, two 107mm

2001–06.

Rockets were originally fired mainly on Sderot, an Israeli city on the border of the Gaza Strip. Sderot's population density is slightly greater than that of the Gaza Strip. Due to this, and despite the imperfect aim of these homemade projectiles, they have caused deaths and injuries, as well as significant damage to homes and property, psychological distress and emigration from the city. Ninety percent of the city's residents have had a rocket exploding in their street or an adjacent one.  On 28 March 2006, while Israelis went to general elections, the first Katyusha rocket from Gaza was fired at Israel. The rocket fell near the Itfah kibbutz on the outskirts of Ashkelon and caused no damage or casualties. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. Several months later, On 5 July 2006, a rocket hit the center of Ashkelon for the first time, striking an empty high school. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the attack, which was claimed by Hamas, an "escalation of unprecedented gravity", but the event was quickly overshadowed by the 2006 Lebanon War.  On 25 May 2006 the al-Aqsa Martyrs'

2007.

On 5 January 2007 Palestinian militants fired a Katyusha rocket at Ashkelon. The Katyusha has a range of 18–20 kilometers, and the rocket was fired from the Al-Atatra region in

2008–09.

In January 2008 the border between Gaza and Egypt was breached by Hamas. It allowed them to bring in Russian and Iranian made rockets with a larger range.  In the first half of 2008, the number of attacks rose sharply, consistently totaling several hundred per month. In addition, Ashkelon was hit many times during this period by Grad rockets.  On 26 February 2008 a Grad rocket hit the hospital grounds of the Barzilai Medical Center, approximately 200 meters away from the neonatal intensive-care unit. As it is only 6 miles away from the Gaza border, it is the frequently the target of rocket attacks, with 140 rockets fired at it over the course of one weekend.  After reports of shells with white phosphorus launched against southern parts

2010.

According to the Israel Security Agency's annual report, Palestinians carried out 150 rocket launches and 215 mortar launches at Israel during the year. This represented a decrease in both types of attacks compared to 2009, in which there were 569 rocket launches and 289 mortar launches.  The report said Iran succeeded in smuggling 1,000 mortar shells and hundreds of short-range rockets into the Gaza Strip over the course of the year. The security agency also warned that the Sinai Desert was turning into Hamas's "backyard" for operations and storage of arms. 2010 saw two unique instances of Hamas firing rockets from the Sinai at the southern Israeli port city of Eilat.  On 18 March,

2011.

Over the course of 2011, 680 rockets, mortars and Grad missiles were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel. At the end of 2010, Palestinian Islamic Jihad said it and other Palestinians militant groups in the Gaza Strip would temporarily halt rocket attacks against Israel. On 7 January, it claimed responsibility for a mortar attack that injured three agricultural workers, and the group was responsible for most of the attacks on Israel in the first two weeks of the year. On 12 January, the group declared again that it would cease firing rockets. Multiple, unclaimed rocket and mortar attacks occurred on 16, 17 and 18 January.  On 2 January, it was revealed that two East Jerusalem Arabs, employees of the British Consulate General in Jerusalem, were arrested for suspected involvement in an aborted Hamas plot to fire a missile at Teddy Stadium during a soccer match. The two were charged the following day with weapons trafficking.  On 15

2012.

The "Jerusalem Post" and "Ynet news" reported that in January 2012, two mortars were fired from Gaza into the area governed by the Eshkol Regional Council which were determined by the Israeli military to have contained white phosphorus; the shells were reported to have landed in open fields, causing no injuries or damage. The newspaper said the Eshkol Regional Council filed a formal complaint with

2013.

On 21 March, during US President Barack Obama's official visit to Israel, Palestinians in Beit Hanoun fired four rockets at the Israeli city of Sderot, triggering alarms in local communities and forcing residents on their way to work or school to run to bomb shelters. One rocket hit the backyard of a home in the city, spraying shrapnel into the walls and shattering windows. A second projectile landed in an open area within the surrounding Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. The two remaining rockets were believed to have landed within the Gaza Strip. The Mujahedeen Shura Council, a Palestinian Salafi group, claimed responsibility for the attack  On 2 April, Palestinians attempted to fire two mortar shells into Israel; both landed within the Gaza Strip. Later, in the evening, a third projectile was fired into the Eshkol Regional Council. The Mujahedeen Shura Council claimed responsibility for the attacks. Israel responded to the attacks with air strikes on two targets in the Gaza Strip that night, causing no injuries.

2014.

On 5 March, the Israeli Navy intercepted a ship containing dozens of long-range rockets being smuggled from Iran to the Gaza Strip.  On 10 March, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip, unveiled a monument to its rocket attacks on

2015.

In 2015, there were 23 Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel, according to the IDF.  On 23 April, Israel's 67th independence day, a rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip at

2016.

In 2016, there were

2017.

The Israeli military reported that 35 rockets and mortars were launched from the Gaza Strip in 2017, the vast majority of them in December. This wave of rocket attacks came amid Palestinian outrage over the United States government decision to

2018.

Hundreds of rockets were fired at Israel during the Gaza-Israel clashes of November 2018. at least one civilian fatality has been reported in Ashkelon, with 70 reported as wounded. The man who was killed was a Palestinian who had moved to Israel from occupied Hebron.  The Iron dome has successfully intercepted around 100 of the 370 rockets that have been fired. After the attacks, the IDF announced

Tactics.

Khaled Jaabari, Gaza commander of the al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigades, said that the group uses Google Earth to determine targets. Rocket fire occasionally occurs in the early morning when children head to school.  A source close to Hamas described the movement's tactic of launching projectiles from between homes during the 2008-2009 Israel-Gaza conflict: "They fired rockets in between the houses and covered the alleys with sheets so they could set the rockets up in five minutes without the planes seeing them. The moment they fired, they escaped, and they are very quick." Videos released by Hamas in 2011 show Qassam rockets being fired from residential areas and mosques. According to "Yedioth Aharonoth" journalist Elior Levy, "Gaza terror cells choose to fire from urban areas knowing that the Israel Defense Forces refrain from intercepting them for fear of hurting civilians. The killing of civilians in Gaza also serves the terrorists' purposes who claim Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza".  It has been documented, that Arab terrorist groups and Hamas placed weapons and missile launchers in densely populated areas. Human Rights Watch issued a report condemning the firing of Kassam rockets as "war crimes", stating "None of these rockets can be reliably aimed... Such weapons are inherently indiscriminate when directed towards densely populated areas. The absence of Israeli military forces in the areas struck by the rockets, as well as statements from the leaders of Hamas and other armed groups, indicate that many of these attacks are deliberately intended to strike Israeli civilians and civilian structures... Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups have frequently violated the laws of war by firing rockets from within populated areas..." Indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian structures that do not discriminate between civilians and military targets are illegal under international law.

Denial of service attacks on emergency services.

There have been reports in the Israeli press about denial of service attacks by Palestinians on the Magen David Adom

Israeli defensive measures.

Fortifications and bomb shelters.

A guidance paper by the Israeli home front command, that is given for each household in Israel, include sections for basic treatment of chemical warfare victims. The Home Front Command performs periodic training for citizens for chemical and biological attacks. As of 2006 all public educational facilities in confrontation areas are ordered to be built bomb proof ("can sustain a direct hit from a katusha missile") and must have an option to be connected to chemical and biological purifying systems, with an exception for kindergartens and special care education systems that must have a central air purifying system. All medical or treatment facilities must have a shelter that can be gas proof (can be sealed in a form that the only source of air would be via the purifying ventilation systems) with connection to purifying systems. All long term treatments facilities must be built as a bomb shelter and must be built to sustain 4 hours of isolation.  Residential buildings and homes in Israel built after 1990 are generally equipped with Merkhav Mugan. Single- or two-story buildings built between

Red Color.

The Israeli government has installed an alarm system called "Red Color" (צבע אדום) to warn citizens of impending rocket attacks, although its effectiveness has been questioned. The system currently operates in a number of southern Israeli cities within rocket range. When the signature of a rocket launch is detected originating in Gaza, the system automatically activates

Iron Dome.

Iron Dome () is a mobile system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems designed to intercept short-range rockets with a range less than 70 km. In February 2007, the system was selected by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak as the Israeli Defense Force's defense system against short range rockets. On 7 July 2008, the first test of the system was completed successfully, and the first operational test was expected to take place at the end of 2009. The system was scheduled to be operational in 2010, but was

Effects.

Casualties, fatalities and rockets fired.

According to B'Tselem "from June 2004 to 23 July 2014, 26 Israeli civilians (four of them minors) and two foreign nationals were killed in Israel by Palestinian rocket and mortar fire. In addition, five soldiers were killed, three in Israel and two in the Gaza Strip. Another Israeli civilian and three foreign nationals were killed by rocket fire at settlements in the Gaza Strip, before they were evacuated." There were 3 more civilian casualties during the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict. Most of those killed were civilians, including children. The first casualties from the rocket fire were a 4-year-old boy and his grandfather, who were killed in June 2004. Other victims include two small children, aged 2 and 4, who were killed while playing in the street later that same year, and a teenage girl, Ayala-Haya (Ella) Abukasis, who was struck and killed while

Refugees.

In May 2007, a significant increase in rocket attacks from Gaza prompted the temporary evacuation of thousands of residents from Sderot. According to the United Nations, 40 percent of the city's residents left in the last two weeks of May. During the summer of 2007, 3,000 of the city's 22,000 residents (comprising mostly the city's key upper and middle class

Education.

Israeli media reported on 28 May 2007 that only 800 out of a total of 3000 pupils in Sderot had turned up to schools.  During the 2008–2009 conflict, schools and universities in southern Israel closed due to rocket threats. Hamas rockets landed on Israeli educational facilities several times (such as empty schools in Beersheba) from 2008 to 2009, with no casualties as of 15 January, except for cases of shock. Studies resumed starting 11 January, with IDF Home Front Command representatives stationed at schools. Only schools

Psychological.

In 2008, Natal, the Israel Center for Victims of Terror and War, conducted a study on the city of Sderot based on representative sampling. The study found that between 75 percent and 94 percent of Sderot children aged 4–18 exhibited symptoms of post-traumatic stress. 28 percent of adults and 30 percent of children had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The co-director of the study emphasized the distinction between post-traumatic stress symptoms, such as problems sleeping and concentrating, and PTSD itself, which can interfere seriously with daily life.  An American Psychiatric Association study published in 2010, headed by Professor Yair Bar-Haim of Tel Aviv University, found that incidence rate for post-traumatic symptoms among Israeli civilians was correlated with proximity to the Gaza Strip. Civilians who lived in areas where rockets frequently exploded, and where there was less warning time in advance of strikes, had a higher chance of developing post-traumatic symptoms than those living far enough from Gaza to have one minute or more in which to seek shelter after rockets were launched. The study

Political.

On 12 December 2007, after more than 20 rockets landed in the Sderot area in a single day, including a direct hit to one of the main avenues, Sderot mayor Eli Moyal announced his

Motives.

Rationales given by the Palestinian groups responsible for the attacks vary. They include the arguments that violence against Jews is a religious obligation that brings one closer to God, that the rockets are effective at drawing attention to Palestinian issues, and that they avenge perceived Israeli aggression.

Hamas.

Hamas co-founder Mahmoud Zahar has said that the goal of the attacks is to force mass migration in Israel and disrupt the daily life of its citizens. Explaining why his group had moved from suicide bombing to rocket attacks, he said: Which do you think is more effective, martyrdom operations or rockets against Sderot? Rockets against Sderot will cause mass migration, greatly disrupt daily lives and government administration and can make a much huger impact on the government. We are using the methods that convince the Israelis that their occupation is costing them too much. We are succeeding with the rockets. We have no losses and the impact on the Israeli side is so much.  According to the BBC, Hamas views the attacks as legitimate because it regards the whole of historic Palestine (roughly coterminous with Israel, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Jordan) as Islamic land, and thus sees

PFLP.

A spokesperson from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), on 17 January 2009, called the rockets a "representation of our resistance", stressing that as long as rockets were launched, "our cause is alive".The rockets are both a practical and a symbolic representation of our resistance to the occupier [Israel]. They are a constant reminder that the occupier is in fact an occupier, and that no matter how they may engage in sieges, massacres, fence us in, deny us the basic human needs of life, we will continue to resist

Other groups.

On 19 January 2009, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party, published a statement listing its claimed attacks on Israel, including claimed rocket and mortar attacks on Sderot and Ashkelon. The group said the attacks were carried out "to defend our people in the Gaza Strip" and "to defend the Gaza Strip in the face of Zionist arrogance", but did not elaborate further.  The Popular Resistance Committees claimed that a 7 January 2010 mortar barrage was in "revenge" for an Israeli air strike several days earlier

Views.

Palestinians.

Public opinion polls.

Prior to the 2008–2009 Gaza War, polls conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) showed consistently high levels

Other.

Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (of Fatah) has condemned the attacks several times, "regardless of who is responsible for them", on one occasion calling them "absurd", and on another saying that "they do not go in the direction of peace." On at least one occasion in 2009, Hamas itself criticized rocket attacks by an unknown group, apparently out of fears that new rocket fire could disrupt reconciliation talks between Hamas and Fatah which were then underway.  The firing of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel has been opposed by those living closest to the firing location due to Israeli military responses. On 23 July 2004 a family attempted to physically prevent the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades from setting up a rocket launcher outside their house. Members of the brigade shot and killed one boy and wounded 5 others.

Israel.

On 27 December 2008, upon the commencement of Operation Cast Lead, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in an address to the nation: "for approximately seven years, hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens in the south have been suffering from rockets being fired at them. Life in the south under rocket barrages had become unbearable. Israel did everything in its power to fulfill the conditions of the calm in the south and enable normal life for its citizens in the communities adjacent to the Gaza Strip. The quiet that we offered was met with shelling."  In October 2012, Yosef Kuperwasser, the director of Israel's Ministry of Strategic Affairs, said that over 800 rockets had been launched at Israel

Egypt.

The 2 August 2010 Rocket attacks on Eilat and Aqaba sparked rage in Egypt at Hamas and Iran. The Egyptian press said the firing of the rockets from Egyptian territory by Hamas or by organizations cooperating with it constituted the crossing of a red line. The Egyptian position is that Iran is employing local proxies, such

United Nations.

On 18 January 2009, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said "for the sake of the people of Gaza, I urge in the strongest possible terms Hamas to stop firing rockets." On 20 January, while visiting Sderot, the Secretary General called the rocket attacks "appalling and unacceptable". He added that the projectiles are indiscriminate weapons, and that Hamas attacks are violations of basic humanitarian law. Earlier, in November 2007, Ban had condemned a rocket attack launched

United States.

In July 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said: "If somebody was sending rockets into my house, where my two daughters sleep at night, I’m going to do everything in my power to

European Union.

On 7 June 2005, The European Union presidency, held by Luxembourg, condemned the firing of rockets by Palestinians at Gush Katif

Human rights groups.

The attacks have been condemned as war crimes, both because they usually target civilians and because the weapons' inaccuracy would disproportionately endanger civilians even if military targets were chosen. Human Rights Watch has also condemned the attackers for firing from near residential structures, thus putting Gazan civilians at unnecessary risk. According to Israeli human rights group B'Tselem,  Palestinian organizations that fire Qassam

Attacks from outside the Gaza Strip.

West Bank.

There have been several attempts by Palestinian groups to fire rockets at Israel from the West Bank, though none of these have been successful. Such an attack could easily strike one of Israel's most densely populated areas.  In December 2005, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades fired a Qassam rocket at Israel from the West Bank city of Jenin. The rocket landed within the West Bank, in proximity to the Israeli border village of Ram-On. The attack marked the first time a Qassam was fired at Israel from the West Bank and came close to hitting a Jewish community.  In July 2006, a ranking member of Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the West Bank said his group had the ability to produce rockets in the northern West Bank and that major Israeli cities as well as Ben Gurion International Airport would eventually become Palestinian rocket targets. "Every day our rockets in Gaza become more accurate and do more

Egypt.

In 2010, Hamas carried out two rocket attacks on Israel from the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. On 22 April, three 122 mm Grad rockets were fired from the Sinai Peninsula at the Red Sea resort town of Eilat in the extreme south of Israel. The projectiles landed in the Red Sea and the neighboring town of

Lebanon.

Palestinian militants in Lebanon have launched fatal rocket attacks on towns in northern Israel at least since the 1970s, but these incidents lie outside the scope of this

Other.

Israeli blacksmith Yaron Bob, from the village of Yated, collects Palestinian rockets fired on his area and turns them into roses. These roses have been given by the Sderot Municipality to visiting dignitaries, including United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and United States Senator John Kerry. Israel Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said, "those rockets are in fact rockets that kill, and it's a nice idea to turn them into flowers."

Since 2001, Palestinian militants have launched thousands of rocket and mortar attacks on Israel from the Gaza Strip as part of the continuing Arab–Israeli conflict. The attacks, widely condemned for targeting civilians, have been described as terrorism by United Nations, European Union and Israeli officials, and are defined as war crimes by human rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. The international community considers indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian structures that do not discriminate between civilians and military targets illegal under international law.


Club career.

Juventus.

Born in Biella, Piedmont region, Beltrame began his youth career with Novara Calcio. He was signed by Juventus F.C. in 2011 in a co-ownership deal, for €750,000, where in the "Primavera" (under-19) squad, with whom he graduated the youth academy in June 2013 after helping the club to several youth-team accolades, including the 2013 Coppa Italia Primavera and the 2012 Torneo di Viareggio. During the 2012–13 Serie A season, Beltrame also began to earn a handful of first-team call-ups by head coach, Antonio Conte. Juventus also signed Beltrame outright for an additional fee of €750,000 (half of the registration rights of Alberto Libertazzi plus €300,000).  He made his debut for Juventus on 26 January 2013 against Genoa, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute for Claudio Marchisio, as the club was searching for a win during a 1–1 draw. Beltrame nearly scored just minutes after his introduction if not for a vital save by Sebastien Frey.

Bari (loan).

On 2 September 2013, Beltrame was signed by Bari on a one-year loan deal from Juventus. In January 2014, however, half of the registration rights of his contract was swapped with 50% registration rights of Vincenzo Fiorillo of Sampdoria. Under the joint ownership agreement between Juventus and Sampdoria, the player's contractual playing rights would be acquired by Sampdoria and the player would remain on loan with Bari for the remainder of the 2013–14 Serie B season. The co-ownership agreement between Juventus and Sampdora was officially renewed on 18 June 2014.

Modena (loan).

On 1 July 2014, Beltrame officially joined Sampdoria upon the conclusion of the loan deal, although he it was soon agreed that he would be joining Serie B side, Modena on another season-long loan deal. However, in winter transfer window of 2015, Beltrame returned to Juventus for €1 million in a 41⁄2-year contract, with Jakub Hromada and Atila Varga moved to Sampdoria for €600,000 and €400,000 respectively.

Pro Vercelli (loan).

In summer 2015 he was signed by Pro Vercelli in a temporary deal. On 1 February 2016 he was signed by Pordenone.

CSKA Sofia.

On 27 January 2020, Beltrame signed a permanent deal with Bulgarian club CSKA Sofia, earning a reported €1.5 million per year. He made his official debut on February 15th 2020 in the Eternal Derby against Levski Sofia, starting from the first minute and being substituted 10-minutes before the end. In his second match against Botev Plovdiv on 22 February he scored his first goal for CSKA Sofia securing a 1-0 victory and deservingly being named Man of the Match. He scored his second goal for the club against FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia in a 2-1 defeat.

International career.

Beltrame has represented Italy at the U-18, U-19, and U-20 international levels. He has 7 goals in 19 youth international matches, and has been a key component in Italy's U-19 UEFA Euro qualifiers.

Honours.

Juventus

Stefano "Teto" Beltrame (born 8 February 1993) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Bulgarian club CSKA Sofia.


History.

Beginnings.

The Gaither Vocal Band is named after gospel legend and leader Bill Gaither. It was the successor-group of the Bill Gaither Trio. By the 1980s, Bill Gaither, along with wife Gloria Gaither, were both very successful songwriters. For example, their song, "He Touched Me" was covered by Elvis Presley, after which he even named his album "He Touched Me". Presley won a Grammy for the album. Bill Gaither felt that his trio had reached its peak in the mid-1980s, but his desire to make another gospel hit kept the trio going.  The original Vocal Band (called the "New" Gaither Vocal Band) was formed spontaneously, backstage of a Gaither Trio concert. It consisted of Bill Gaither and Gary McSpadden of the trio, along with two of the trio's backup singers, Steve Green and Lee Young. The quartet sang "Your First Day in Heaven" on stage that night. Their debut album, the self-titled "The New Gaither Vocal Band", debuted in 1981.  According to the liner notes of the CD compilation "The Best of the GVB", the term "vocal band" was used instead of "quartet" because it did not limit Gaither in terms of sound or number of group members. According to Steve Green on the Gaither Vocal Band Reunion video, he came up with the name and convinced Gaither to use it because he, at the time, did not want to be associated with "quartet music".  Lee Young left the group in 1982, and Jon Mohr was hired as the new bass singer. They then recorded the album "Passin' The Faith Along". Later, tenor Steve Green left and Larnelle Harris was hired. This group cut the "New Point Of View" album before Mohr left.

Widespread popularity.

Michael English was hired as the new lead singer, so McSpadden was moved down to baritone, and Gaither dropped to the lowest part. At this point the group dropped the "new" part of their name. Although the previous album ("New Point of View") had been more contemporary than its predecessors, the album with this version of the group ("One X 1") took it even further. After this album, Larnelle left and was replaced by Lemuel Miller. The group did not record an album with Lemuel before he too left. He was replaced by Imperials alumnus, Jim Murray. This line up cut one album ("Wings") before Gary McSpadden left to start his solo career. Mark Lowry was convinced to replace him. Along with a great voice, Lowry added comedy to the mix. Their Gospel roots project "Homecoming" in 1991 caused most Southern Gospel fans to welcome the Vocal Band with open arms. Jim Murray left and was replaced by Terry Franklin. The album "Southern Classics" was released in 1993 with the hit "I Bowed On My Knees". (This song was co-writers by Jeremy Ward)  Later Michael English left. He was replaced by Buddy Mullins. Mullins was only a temporary fill-in, but he was included on the album "Testify". Terry Franklin soon left and was replaced by yet another Imperials alumnus, Jonathan Pierce (formerly known as Jonathan Hildreth, his first and last name—then changed to his first and middle name). Strengthened by the popularity of the "Homecoming" video series, the Vocal Band added Guy Penrod at lead. After Pierce's departure, Gaither hired David Phelps at tenor. After Lowry's departure, Imperials alumnus Russ Taff sang baritone for a couple of years. Marshall Hall was his replacement. Wes Hampton succeeded Phelps in 2005.  The group has had three number one songs on the "Singing News" chart. "Yes, I Know" held the top position from July to October 1997, as did "I Will Go On" in November 2006. "Greatly Blessed" was their third number one single. The group has routinely performed classic Southern Gospel songs including many written by Bill and Gloria Gaither like "He Touched Me", "I Believe In A Hill Called Mount Calvary", and "Sinner Saved By Grace."

Reunion.

In July 2008, the vocal band recorded a reunion DVD at the Gaither Studios — "The Gaither Vocal Band Reunion, Volumes 1 and 2". Except for Jonathan Pierce, Terry Franklin, and Lemuel Miller, the rest of the former and present members appear and perform. The two CDs debuted in the top two positions on "Billboard"s Contemporary Christian Album chart, marking not only the Gaither Vocal Band's first No. 1 on the Christian Album chart, but also their first No. 1 debut on that chart as well. The DVDs of the same title debuted in the No. 1 and No. 2 positions on the Music Video charts as well.

The quintet.

In January 2009, Marshall Hall and Guy Penrod left. Gaither brought back some former members: Michael English as lead vocal, Mark Lowry as baritone and David Phelps as tenor. The first album by this five-member version was "Reunited", released in September 2009. It was also the first album of the vocal band ever to feature only songs written by Bill and Gloria Gaither. A live album called "Better Day" was released in January 2010. In August 2010, they released the long-awaited album called "Greatly Blessed", followed by "I Am A Promise", a children's album, released in August 2011. Their most recent album was "Pure & Simple", released in September 2012.  In October 2013, it was announced that Mark Lowry and Michael English would be leaving the group to devote more time to their solo careers. English's departure was immediate whereas Lowry stayed on until they could find another baritone to replace him. Their last album as members, "Hymns", was released in March 2014 and was nominated for a Grammy Award the following December. After their departure, several guests filled-in until two new members could be found. In January 2014, it was announced that Adam Crabb (of The Crabb Family) would join the group as the fourth member and lead singer. Todd Suttles joined the group as the baritone singer one month later.  Following their formation, the new quintet would go on to release a limited edition album, "The New Edition", which could only be purchased at concert performances. In October 2014, the group released their first album together, entitled "Sometimes it Takes a Mountain". Five months later, that album was followed by a two-DVD live performance release and the release of their second album (a live performance album), "Happy Rhythm". Upon release, the DVDs debuted at the top of "Billboard"s Music Video chart ("Sometimes it Takes a Mountain" at #1 and "Happy Rhythm" at #2). In August 2016, the group's album "Better Together" was released.  In March 2017, it was announced that David Phelps would be leaving the group on April 1, and Reggie Smith would join the group as tenor.  In October 2017, this line-up released their first studio album, entitled "We Have This Moment".  In April 2018, it was announced that there will be another Gaither Vocal Band Reunion in October. It will be a two-day live concert. Except for Terry Franklin, Jonathan Pierce, Lemuelle Miller (they were absent in the 2009 Reunion) and Steve Green, the rest of past and present members will perform.  In July 2019, this line-up released their second studio album, entitled "Good Things Take Time."

Members (past and present).

Timeline.

Singers are listed in the following order: 1) first tenor; 2) second tenor; 3) baritone; 4) bass.

The Gaither Vocal Band is an American southern gospel vocal group, named after its founder and leader Bill Gaither. On March 1, 2017, it was announced that the Gaither Vocal Band lineup consisted of Reggie Smith, Wes Hampton, Adam Crabb, Todd Suttles, and Bill Gaither. Although the group started out recording contemporary Christian music in the 1980s, it became known for southern gospel after the popularity of the Gaither Homecoming videos.


Early life.

Born in Limerick, Kilcoyne played his schools rugby with Ardscoil Rís, where he won the Munster Schools Junior Cup.

Munster.

Kilcoyne joined the Munster Academy at the start of the 2010–11 season, after impressing in the 2009–10 British and Irish Cup campaign. On 26 December 2011, he made his Munster debut as a replacement against Connacht in a Pro12 match. He made his first start for Munster in the Round 21 league fixture against Scarlets on 21 April 2012. On 6 April 2012, Kilcoyne scored a try in extra-time of the Munster A v Leinster A British and Irish Cup semi-final, securing a place in the final for Munster A. He also started in the 2011–12 British and Irish Cup Final on 27 April 2012, which Munster A won after beating Cross Keys 31–12 in Musgrave Park, Cork.  Kilcoyne made his Heineken Cup debut on 13 October 2012, in Munster's opening 2012–13 Heineken Cup fixture away to Racing 92. He played in all of Munster's remaining pool matches, except the away match to Saracens due to illness. Kilcoyne scored his first try for Munster on 29 March 2013, in a league fixture against Glasgow Warriors. He started for Munster in their 18–12 quarter-final victory away to Harlequins on 7 April 2013. Kilcoyne also started the 16–10 semi-final defeat to Clermont Auvergne on 27 April 2013. He was nominated for Munster Player of the Year for the 2012–13 season, but lost to Tommy O'Donnell.  Kilcoyne started against Edinburgh in Round 1 of the 2013–14 Heineken Cup. He also started against Gloucester in Round 2 on 19 October 2013. Kilcoyne also started against Perpignan on 8 December 2013. He was a replacement against Perpignan on 14 December 2013. Kilcoyne started the 20–7 away win against Gloucester on 11 January 2013, a win that secured quarter-final qualification for Munster. He started against Edinburgh in the Round 6 38–6 win on 19 January 2014 that secured a home quarter-final. Kilcoyne started in Munster's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Toulouse on 5 April 2014, scoring a try in the 47–23 win. He started in Munster's 24–16 semi-final defeat to Toulon on 27 April 2014. Kilcoyne was named in the 2013-14 Pro12 Team of the Season on 5 May 2014.  Kilcoyne scored a try for Munster in their 31–5 win against Zebre on 19 September 2014. He started against Sale Sharks in Munster's first European Rugby Champions Cup game on 18 October 2014, scoring a try. He came off the bench against Saracens in Round 2 of the Champions Cup on 24 October 2014, scoring a try in the 14–3 win. Kilcoyne started against Clermont Auvergne on 6 December 2014, but went off injured early in the first-half.  Kilcoyne started Munster's opening pool game of the 2015–16 European Rugby Champions Cup against Benetton on 14 November 2015. On 19 February 2016, Kilcoyne scored two tries in Munster's 27–24 defeat against Glasgow Warriors in the 2015–16 Pro12. On 7 May 2016, Kilcoyne earned his 100th cap for Munster in their 31–15 win against Scarlets. On 4 November 2016, Kilcoyne scored two tries and won the Man-of-the-Match award in Munster's 33–0 win against Ospreys. On 24 January 2017, it was announced that Kilcoyne had signed a contract extension with Munster. On 5 May 2017, Kilcoyne was named in the 2016–17 Pro12 Dream Team. On 9 September 2017, Kilcoyne made his 100th appearance in the Pro14 when he came off the bench against South African side Cheetahs in round 2 of the 2017–18 Pro14. Kilcoyne was Man-of-the-Match in Munster's 14–7 win against Racing 92 in Round 2 of the 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup on 21 October 2017.  Kilcoyne earned his 150th cap for Munster on 7 April 2018, coming off the bench and scoring a try in the provinces' 39–22 away win against Southern Kings. He signed a three-year contract extension with Munster in March 2020, a deal that will see Kilcoyne remain with the province until at least June 2023.

Ireland.

On 24 October 2012, Kilcoyne was included in the senior Ireland squad for the 2012 Autumn Tests. Kilcoyne made his Ireland debut on 10 November 2012, as a temporary replacement for Cian Healy in the test against South Africa. He started for Ireland in their non-capped friendly against Fiji on 17 November 2012. He won a second cap against Argentina on 24 November 2012, again as a replacement.  Kilcoyne was named in Ireland's training squad for the 2013 Six Nations Championship on 17 January 2013. He started for Ireland Wolfhounds in their friendly against England Saxons on 25 January 2013. Kilcoyne made his Six Nations debut on 2 February 2013, coming on as a replacement in Ireland opening 30–22 win against Wales. He again came on as a replacement against England on 10 February 2013, Scotland on 24 February 2013, and Italy on 16 March 2013.  Kilcoyne was named in the Ireland squad for the 2013 Ireland tour to North America on 19 May 2013. He started against the United States on 8 June 2013, his first start for Ireland. He came off the bench against Canada on 15 June 2013.  Kilcoyne started for Ireland Wolfhounds in their friendly against England Saxons on 25 January 2014. He was included in Ireland's squad for the 2014 Six Nations Championship fixture against England. Kilcoyne was named in the Ireland squad for their 2014 tour to Argentina on 19 May 2014. He came off the bench in the first test against Argentina on 7 June 2014. Kilcoyne started the second test against Argentina on 14 June 2014. Kilcoyne was named in the Ireland squad for the 2014 Guinness Series on 21 October 2014. He came off the bench during the 29–15 win against South Africa on 8 November 2014. Kilcoyne started against Georgia on 16 November 2014, scoring a try in the 49–7 win.  Kilcoyne was named in the 45-man training squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup on 24 June 2015. He came off the bench in the first World Cup warm-up against Wales on 8 August 2015. Kilcoyne started the second warm-up against Scotland on 15 August 2015. He came off the bench in the warm-up game against Wales on 29 August 2015. However, he was left out of the final 31-man squad for the tournament.  On 25 May 2016, Kilcoyne was named in the 32-man Ireland squad to tour South Africa in a 3-test series. On 18 June 2016, Kilcoyne came on as a replacement in the second test against South Africa. On 7 November 2016, Kilcoyne was added to the senior Ireland squad for the 2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals. On 23 January 2017, Kilcoyne was named in the Ireland squad for the opening two rounds of the 2017 Six Nations Championship. On 2 March 2017, Kilcoyne was added to the Ireland squad for final two rounds of the 2017 Six Nations Championship. He was also selected in the squad for the 2017 Summer Tour against the United States and Japan, coming off the bench in all three tests. He came off the bench in Ireland's wins against South Africa and Argentina during the 2017 Autumn Internationals.  Kilcoyne was selected in the 31-man Ireland squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, having featured in the warm-up match against Wales.

Statistics.

International analysis by opposition.

"Correct as of 23 February 2020"

David Kilcoyne (born 14 December 1988) is an Irish rugby union player for Munster in the Pro14 and European Rugby Champions Cup. He plays as a prop and represents UL Bohemians in the All-Ireland League.


Gameplay.

In "Proteus", the player explores an island from a first-person perspective. The island is drawn in a pixel art style and consists of hills, trees, structures, and animals such as frogs and rabbits; the layout of these elements is different each time the game is played. The focus of the game is on exploration rather than interaction, as there is no narrative and the player is given no instructions on how to proceed. Possible interactions are limited—for example, animals may run away when the player comes too close. The game's soundtrack varies depending on the player's movements and location; it may fall silent when the player is at the top of a hill and become sonically dense as they travel down it. The soundtrack layers additional sounds and notes when the player nears objects and animals in the world. Many objects on the island are rendered as two dimensional sprites, contrasting with the three-dimensional landscape.  When the game begins, the player is situated away from the island and must move across an ocean to reach it. Upon arrival, players are free to explore the whole island during the initial season of spring. During the night, the player can enter a designated area to advance time to the next season, exploring each until the end of winter, after which the game ends. The landscape changes with the season—for example, trees shed their leaves in autumn. The player can capture a screenshot via a "save a postcard" feature, through which they can save and load their progress.  In addition to the base gameplay elements, the PlayStation Vita version allows the player to directly affect the environment with the console's rear touch panel and to generate islands based on the current date and location in the real world.

Development.

British game designer Ed Key began work on "Proteus" in 2008 during his evenings and weekends, though the game only neared its final form when David Kanaga joined development in 2010. Key originally envisioned the game as a procedural role-playing game in the same vein as "", in which the player would visit towns and complete quests. Realizing the extent of the work that would be needed for such a game, the developers decided to instead make something "nontraditional and nonviolent". The first technology developed for the game was the landscape generator, for which Key was inspired by walking in the village of Avebury, England. While he knew he wanted to make an exploration game, "Proteus" went through a variety of early iterations as Key explored different gameplay ideas.  Key developed "Proteus" using a game engine written in the C# programming language. He found the game's visual style early in development, with the impressionistic tree design being one of the first he settled on. Art Deco and the work of Paul Nash have been cited as "big influences". After Kanaga joined the development team as its audio composer, the game's music and sound mechanics were refined through testing a wide range of ideas, including allowing players to create their own music within the game. This idea was ultimately cut because Key and Kanaga felt it would detract from the game's exploratory emphasis and instead turn it into a creative tool. During development, and after the game's release, the developers expressed interest in allowing player-created mods of the game; some have since been created by the community.  "Proteus" was released on 30 January 2013 for Windows and OS X, and on 8 April of the same year for Linux. When pre-orders opened in 2012, an Artifact Edition was also available—a version which included a boxed copy of the game containing artwork, the soundtrack, and notes on the game's development. Key apologised when the Artifact Edition had not yet shipped at the end of its release year, and offered to refund customers upon request. The edition became available for purchase in July 2016.  Around the time of the game's release, Curve Studios approached the developers to port the game for release on PlayStation 3 and Vita. These versions of the game use Curve Studio's own game engine. Sony requested that new features be added to the game, though Key said that the company never attempted to steer the direction of the development of these features. Key added location and date-based world generation and a method for changing the world's color using the Vita's rear touchpad. He stated that the location- and date-specific world generation feature may come to the game's other versions in the future. The PlayStation 3 and Vita versions were released on 29 October 2013.

Reception.

Pre-release.

Before its full release, a beta version of "Proteus" was featured in a number of indie game festivals and received coverage from video game journalists. It won the 2011 IndieCade Award for Best Audio, and was shortlisted for the 2012 GameCity Prize, ultimately losing to "Journey". "Proteus" was a finalist for the 2012 Independent Games Festival's Nuovo Award, a prize aimed at abstract and unconventional game development, and received honorable mentions in the Excellence in Audio and Seumas McNally Grand Prize categories. The game also won the Most Amazing Indie Game prize at the 2012 "A MAZE. Indie Connect" Festival and in the same year was featured in the Museum of Modern Art's "Common Senses" exhibit.  In an article that discussed 2011's exploration games, Jim Rossignol of "Rock, Paper, Shotgun" described "Proteus" as "one of the most charming experiences" he had had in an indie game. An "IGN" preview found the game to be "delightfully intoxicating", unique, and intriguing, with the author replaying it multiple times. "PC Gamer" likewise responded positively, drawing particular attention to the game's changing soundtrack and the ways in which it coherently reacts to the player's movement.

Post-release.

"Proteus" also received generally positive reviews following release, holding aggregate scores of 80% and 78% on Metacritic and GameRankings respectively for the Windows PC version. A Shacknews staff poll named "Proteus" the seventh best game of 2013, calling it "delightfully devoid of explanation".  Reviewers praised the game's dynamic audio, commenting positively on how it accompanied them through the game. Patrick Hancock of "Destructoid" called the game's dynamic soundtrack its "biggest accomplishment", with the Hancock investigating every object he saw to uncover its musical contribution. "IGN" wrote "It's oddly captivating to just walk around and let [the sounds] wash over your surroundings", going on to say that investigating the sounds that each object and animal made was an enjoyable experience. "PC Gamer" described the audio as "a deeply satisfying emergent arrangement". A review in "Edge" however, though generally positive about the soundtrack, said that the music "never truly gets going", particularly because of the lack of drums in most seasons.  The game's variety and replay value received mixed reactions. "IGN"'s reviewer commented positively on the replayability, finding that the game provided a deeper experience on each subsequent playthrough. "GameSpot", on the other hand, wrote that while some events and locations weren't guaranteed on each generated island, later portions of the game were less interesting due to their familiarity. Likewise, "PC Gamer" said that towards the end of the game they began to find it aimless and unstimulating, in particular because of the sparsity of animal life.  The PlayStation 3 and Vita versions were also well received. "Pocket Gamer" gave a positive review, praising the audio and the extra features present in the Vita version such as PlayStation Trophies, which provided a reason to replay the game. They noted, however, that the game had some performance issues, particularly when moving the camera. "Metro"s review described the game as a "fascinating interactive experience", particularly as a result of the music. "PlayStation Official Magazine" called the PlayStation 3 version "simple but wonderfully effective", commenting positively on the game's uniqueness and sense of wonder.  Many players and journalists debated "Proteus" status as a video game, citing aspects such as the lack of goals or objectives. Some, including the game's developers, called it an anti-game, a description which was controversial. Ian Bogost proposed that the game was intentionally unconventional, arguing that ""Proteus" is a game about being an island instead of a game about being on one". "IGN" argued that "Proteus" does contain an action (walking) and a goal (proceeding through the seasons). "Edge"s reviewer contended that the day/night cycle, changeable weather, and a player-triggered change of seasons qualified "Proteus" as a legitimate game. Key responded by pointing out that, while the product does include rudimentary game mechanics, interacting with them is optional and they do not usually provide feedback. However, Key went on to argue that "encouraging a strict definition of 'game' does nothing but foster conservatism and defensiveness".

Proteus is a 2013 exploration and walking simulator video game designed and created by Ed Key and David Kanaga for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. In the game, the player traverses a procedurally generated environment without prescribed goals. The world's flora and fauna emit unique musical signatures, combinations of which cause dynamic shifts in audio based on the player's surroundings.


Early life.

Glendon Swarthout was the only child of Fred and Lila (Chubb) Swarthout, a banker and a homemaker. Swarthout is a Dutch name; his mother's maiden name was from Yorkshire. Swarthout generally did well in school, especially in English. He was a Michigan high-school debate champion.  In math, however, he floundered, and only a kindly lady geometry teacher passed him with a D, so he could graduate from Lowell, Michigan High School. He took accordion lessons and occupied his free time with books, for at 6 feet, 99 pounds, he was not good at sports. The summer of his junior year, he got a job playing his instrument in the resort town of Charlevoix, on Lake Michigan, with Jerry Schroeder and his Michigan State College Orchestra, for $10 per week.  Graduating in 1935, he relocated to Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan (UM). He became more seriously involved in music, forming and singing lead for a four-piece band that played for hops and for three consecutive summers at the Pantlind Hotel in Grand Rapids, the largest hotel in Michigan outside of Detroit.  Glendon majored in English at the UM, pledged Chi Phi, and dated Kathryn Vaughn, whom he had met when he was 13 and she 12, at her family's cottage on Duck Lake, outside of Albion, Michigan. They were married on December 28, 1940, after both had graduated from UM and Swarthout was writing advertising copy for Cadillac and Dow Chemical at the MacManus, John and Adams advertising agency in Detroit.

Beginning writer.

After a year in the advertising business, Swarthout decided the way to become a writer was to see the world as a journalist. He signed as a stringer for 22 small newspapers and travelled with his bride on a small freighter to South America, sending home a weekly column of their adventures. While in Barbados, they heard Pearl Harbor had been bombed and tried immediately to get to the States, but they needed five roundabout months avoiding German U-boats to cruise the East Coast to Manhattan.

Wartime.

Swarthout was ineligible for Officer Candidate School because he was underweight at 117 pounds. The couple both went to work at Willow Run, the new bomber plant outside of Ann Arbor. Working long days as a riveter on B-24s, he wrote his first novel at night in six months. "Willow Run", a story about people working in a bomber factory, was published after a rewrite to mediocre reviews. He always saw this book as his training novel.  He was fit enough for an infantry company, however, as the war wore on, and he enlisted in the Army and was sent to Naples as a replacement for the 3rd Division. Awaiting the Anzio breakout on the beach in Italy, he was transferred to division headquarters. The 3rd Division moved out of Anzio and captured Rome, and Swarthout later landed in the second wave at St. Tropez and saw his only combat for six days, getting eyewitness statements for a few posthumous Medals of Honor as the unit moved rapidly north into France. When the 3rd Division was about to invade Germany, Swarthout ruptured a disc in his spine while unloading a truck. He was shipped home a sergeant and eventually discharged without surgery. Glendon suffered back pain for the rest of his life and received military disability. He eventually had back surgery in Arizona in his 50s on two imploded spinal discs.

Postwar.

Swarthout returned to UM, earned a master's degree, and began teaching college. During that time, his son Miles was born and he won a Hopwood Award for $800 for another novel, promoting him to the University of Maryland for a few years, where he ghost-wrote speeches for Congressmen and wrote more unpublished fiction. That autumn, he began teaching at Michigan State University and during eight years in East Lansing earned his PhD in Victorian literature in 1955, while his wife got her master's degree and a teaching certificate and commenced teaching children in the second grade.  Swarthout also began to sell short stories to national publications such as "Cosmopolitan" and "The Saturday Evening Post". He was paid $2500 in 1955 for one of these stories, "A Horse for Mrs. Custer", which became a Randolph Scott low-budget Western for Columbia Pictures in 1956, under the title "7th Cavalry". The day after he finished his last doctoral examination, he started writing a novel called "They Came To Cordura". Its setting was Mexico of 1916 during the Pershing Expedition to capture Pancho Villa, and some of its fictional cavalry troopers had been nominated for Medals of Honor. The book was quickly sold to Random House and then to Columbia Pictures in 1958, becoming one of their major motion pictures starring Gary Cooper and Rita Hayworth a year later. This" NY Times "bestseller and the movie money enabled Swarthout to become a professional writer at last. He was 39 years old.  He completed another novel while teaching Honors English at Michigan State. "Where the Boys Are" (1960) was set on the Michigan State campus and was the first comic novel about the annual "spring break" invasion of the beaches of southern Florida by America's college students. MGM's quick movie version, "Where the Boys Are" (1960), became the highest-grossing low-budget movie in the studio's history.  Swarthout went on to write many more novels, some of which were made into movies. He worked on the screenplay of only one, "Cordura", at Columbia Pictures in Los Angeles for six months, before moving from Michigan to Arizona, where he continued to teach English at Arizona State University for four years before retiring to write full time. Many of his novels were set in either Michigan or Arizona, and some used his war experiences.  Several other works were sold for films that were never made; these include "The Eagle and the Iron Cross" (Sam Spiegel, 1968) and "The Tin Lizzie Troop" (Paul Newman, 1977), as well as a number of movie options, now lapsed, on his many stories. Besides a Hopwood Award and a Theatre Guild Award for his one play, Swarthout was twice nominated by his publishers for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (for "They Came To Cordura" by Random House and "Bless The Beasts & Children" by Doubleday), he received an O. Henry Prize Short Story nomination (in 1960 for "A Glass of Blessings"), a Gold Medal from the National Society of Arts and Letters in 1972, won Spur Awards for Best Western Novel of the Year from the Western Writers of America for "The Shootist" (1976) and "The Homesman", a Wrangler Award for Best Western Novel of 1988 for "The Homesman" from the Western Heritage Association, and finally the Western Writers' Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Achievement at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum (previously known as National Cowboy Hall of Fame) in Oklahoma City in June 1991. "The Shootist" was the basis of John Wayne's final film in 1976 and has since come to be recognized as a classic Western film and one of the Duke's very best. His British publisher (Secker & Warburg) claimed Swarthout had "the widest writing range" of any American novelist. From gunfighting Westerns "The Shootist" to the first of "the beach pictures," "Where the Boys Are", from satires such as "The Cadillac Cowboys", to tragedies such as "Welcome to Thebes", or his adventure novel about the Pershing Expedition into Mexico, "They Came to Cordura", or a mystery/thriller such as "Skeletons", even a period romance such as "Loveland", or an animal rights/environmental tale such as "Bless the Beasts & Children", science fiction was about the only literary genre he did not attempt.  Glendon was inducted into the Western Writers Hall of Fame at its convention in Scottsdale, Arizona in 2008. The WWA's Hall of Fame is in the library of the famous Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyoming.  Swarthout, a lifelong smoker, died of emphysema in his home in Scottsdale, Arizona, on September 23, 1992.

Significance.

Swarthout, like most of his contemporaries, was affected by the Great Depression and World War II, which in turn influenced his 16 novels, particularly those set in the Midwest. "Welcome to Thebes" (1962), "Loveland" (1968), and "Pinch Me, I Must Be Dreaming" (1994) depict how the problems of adults affect their children, especially youth trying to adapt to an adult world. Although "They Came to Cordura" (1958) is set in Mexico at the time of the 1916 border dispute with Pancho Villa, its analysis of the nature of courage was influenced by Swarthout's wartime experiences. Teaching freshman honors English classes gave Swarthout insight into the mating rituals of college students on the beaches of Fort Lauderdale during spring break, and his hit "Where the Boys Are" (1960) definitely presaged the antiwar protests that occurred on American college campuses later in the decade. "A Christmas Gift" (1977, also known as "The Melodeon") is an exception to Glendon's other work in several respects. It suggests a farewell tribute to his Michigan ancestors and his awareness of their tradition of understanding and concern for others.  With the conspicuous exception of "A Christmas Gift", all of Swarthout's novels are infused with a sardonic spirit, usually in respect to examples of the cruelty and viciousness of which man is capable. His greatest bestseller, "Bless the Beasts and Children", is a good example of this distinguishing literary trait. Another common theme of his writings is his study of courage, the extraordinary heroism of which otherwise common, ordinary men are sometimes capable, given the right circumstances. In setting free a doomed herd of buffalo, the group of mentally disturbed teenagers in "Beasts" demonstrates valor during harrowing conditions. The style of Swarthout's writing is fundamentally dispassionate, however, and written in a clear, linear, pictorial style, which is why so many of his stories were adapted easily to film. Swarthout was a great admirer of Somerset Maugham (with whom he studied, along with Ernest Hemingway and Joyce Cary as part of his doctoral thesis in literature) and humorist Charles Portis, who influenced his writing.

Family.

Kathryn Swarthout.

Kathryn (1919-2015), the wife of Glendon and mother of Miles, was a former elementary school teacher for five years at Red Cedar School in East Lansing, Michigan, after earning her master's in education at Michigan State University, and bachelor of arts in English from the University of Michigan.  She co-wrote six young-adult novels with her husband; several of them have been published overseas. Kathryn was a columnist for "Woman's Day" magazine with her free-form poetry, "Lifesavors", which ran in the magazine for over 20 years. Some of these columns were published in a book of the same title by Doubleday in 1982.  In 1962, Glendon and Kathryn established the Swarthout Writing Prizes at Arizona State University, administered by the English Department in Tempe. These six prizes in both poetry and fiction (with a current top prize of $1500 in each category), have grown until they now rank among the five highest awards financially for undergraduate and graduate writing programs given annually at any college or university in America.

Miles Swarthout.

Miles (1946-2016) was a screenwriter and author living in Playa Del Rey, California, near the beach and LAX. He received a Writers Guild nomination for Best Adaptation for "The Shootist" in 1976 (the film starred John Wayne and Lauren Bacall). He had adapted a number of his father's novels into films, among them "A Christmas to Remember" for CBS in 1978, which starred Joanne Woodward, Jason Robards, and Eva Marie Saint. As a journalist, Miles wrote a Hollywood Western film column for the Western Writers of America's bi-monthly magazine, "The Roundup". He won a Stirrup Award from that organization for "The Duke's Last Ride, the Making of The Shootist," the best article to appear in that publication in 1994.  Miles Swarthout also wrote several articles for Persimmon Hill, the quarterly magazine of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, among them "The Westerns of Glendon Swarthout" in the special summer issue from 1996, "Hollywood and the West", as well as in the sequel to this best-selling issue for spring 2000, "America's First Cinema Cowboy: William S. Hart".  Miles edited the only volume of his late father's 14 short stories, "Easterns and Westerns", which included an extensive overview of Glendon's literary career. Michigan State University Press published "Easterns and Westerns" in hardcover in the summer of 2001. Miles Swarthout also wrote "The Sergeant's Lady", based upon one of his late father's old short stories, and this new novel won the Spur Award from the Western Writers as the Best First Western Novel of 2004. "The Last Shootist", his sequel to his father's novel, was named 2014's Best Western Novel by the editors of "True West" magazine.

Glendon Fred Swarthout (April 8, 1918, near Pinckney, Michigan – September 23, 1992, Scottsdale, Arizona) was an American writer and novelist.


Route description.

For the most part, the drive is fairly benign, passing through the pine forests, farmlands, and blackwater streams and swamps of the Coastal Plain. As the route travels north, it moves inland from coastal cities such as Hardeeville, and inland to cities such as Darlington. However, a few landmarks do exist to break up the monotony. Crossing from the south from Georgia just over the Savannah River bridge, motorists are greeted to an elaborate gateway of sabal palmettos into the state of South Carolina. The Juanita M. White Crosswalk also exists between exits 18 and 21. A flyover on twin high-spans over Lake Marion provides an unexpected scenic break in the center of the highway's length. The old US 15-301 bridge runs along the west side of I-95 and is used for recreational purposes. Moving further north and out of the Palmetto State, the NC state line is prominently marked by the South Of The Border amusement complex at the US 301/501 exit. Local traffic parallel to the interstate uses US 301 from South Of The Border to Santee, US 15 from Santee to Walterboro, and a combination of US 17 and US 17 Alt from Walterboro to the Georgia state line north of Savannah. In addition, Interstate 95 shares a number of concurrencies, or multiplexes, with three of these U.S. Routes at various stretches in South Carolina.

Services.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) operates and maintains three welcome centers and five rest areas along I-95. Welcome centers, which have a travel information facility on site, are located at mile markers 4 (northbound), 99 (southbound) and 195 (southbound); rest areas are located at mile markers 47 (north and southbound), 99 (northbound) and 139 (north and southbound). Common at all locations are public restrooms, public telephones, vending machines, picnic area and barbecue grills.  The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) and State Transport Police (STP) operate and maintain one truck inspection/weigh station, located northbound at mile marker 74. The location utilizes weigh-in-motion that does not require commercial motor vehicles to leave the freeway to be weighed. An inspection shed and pit are also on site, where full-service inspections are performed for flagged and randomly picked trucks.  Several parking area locations are also found along I-95; these were either formally rest areas or weigh stations that were converted. The parking areas offer no amenities and some are even restricted for commercial motor vehicles only.

Dedicated and memorial names.

Interstate 95 in South Carolina feature numerous dedicated or memorialized bridges, interchanges and stretches of freeway.

History.

Interstate 95 first appeared on state maps between 1962–1964, with construction from US 17 north of Hardeeville to Ridgeland. By 1967, more sections were under construction, including Pocotaligo to Walterboro and Santee to the North Carolina state line. The first section to officially open happened in 1968, from SC 527, near Gable, to SC 9/SC 57, in Dillon.  In 1971–1972, more sections of Interstate 95 was completed: Going north from SC 9/SC 57, in Dillon, to the North Carolina state line. Going south from SC 527, near Gable, along the recently completed 1968-built Lake Marion bridge, to US 301 Connector, in Santee (exit 97). Also part of US 17 between Ridgeland (exit 22) to near Yemassee (exit 33) was combined with Interstate 95, with temporary status through Coosawhatchie; Interstate 95 then continued on new freeway north to SC 63, in Walterboro.  By 1975, Interstate 95 was open continuously from US 17, in Hardeeville, to SC 63, in Walterboro; temporary exits were removed around Coosawhatchie. In 1976, the two sections of Interstate 95 were connected, from SC 63, in Walterboro, to US 301 Connector, in Santee (exit 97). In the same year, exit numbers were added along Interstate 95. The last section of Interstate 95 was completed in 1978, connecting US 17, in Hardeeville, south to the Georgia state line.  In 1990, exit 21 was added, for what was then US 278, now SC 336. Between 1998–2000, exit 153, Honda Way, was added. In 2003, Interstate 95 was widened to six lanes from just south of Interstate 20 to north of SC 327, around Florence.

Future.

Various small projects along the route are scheduled to fix various intersections and replace bridges along route, but no major projects scheduled. Discussions of possibly converting Interstate 95 into a toll road have met with resistance, especially within SCDOT; however if both North Carolina and Georgia changed Interstate 95 into a toll road, then they would consider it as well.  Local leaders in Hardeeville are pushing for a new exit 3, at Purrysburg Road, for a proposed RiverPort Business Park. Project is currently still in the planning stage with no time frame or official confirmation from SCDOT at this time.

Proposed business loop.

Additionally, community planners in Walterboro have been hinting at the desire for an I-95 business loop between Exits 53 and 57, along SC 63, US ALT 17, US 15, and SC 64.

Interstate 95 (I-95) is a major Interstate Highway, running along the East Coast of the United States from Florida to Maine. In South Carolina, I-95 runs approximately parallel to the Atlantic Ocean shore although about inland, from Hardeeville in the south to Dillon in the northeast. The route runs through the cities of Florence and Walterboro.


Route description.

Interstate 95 enters North Carolina at the South Carolina line, just north of the South of the Border attraction and just to the south of the town of Rowland. Traveling mostly northeast from the border, the road enters Lumberton where it interchanges with I-74. Frontage roads through Lumberton have extensive travel services, including restaurants, shops, and hotels. Leaving Lumberton, the route turns due north through a rural area of the state, past the small farming community of St. Pauls. I-95 serves as the eastern bypass of Fayetteville where Interstate 95 Business, an older alignment, connects I-95 to downtown Fayetteville.  I-95 interchanges with I-40 in Benson, North Carolina, U.S. 264 in Wilson, and U.S. 64 in Rocky Mount, three of the main east-west routes in the eastern part of the state. The last city it passes is Roanoke Rapids before leaving the state near the unincorporated community of Pleasant Hill at the Virginia border. For most of the route, I-95 is paralleled closely by U.S. 301.

Services.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) operate and maintain two welcome centers and six rest areas along I-95. Welcome centers, which have a travel information facility on site, are located at mile markers 5 (northbound) and 181 (southbound); rest areas are located at mile markers 47 (north and southbound), 99 (north and southbound) and 142 (north and southbound). Common at all locations are public restrooms, public telephones, vending machines, picnic area and barbecue grills.  The North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) operate and maintain four truck inspection/weigh stations along I-95. The Robeson County stations are located on both north and southbound at mile marker 24, each has one fixed scale. The Halifax County stations are located on both north and southbound at mile marker 151, each has two fixed scales.

Dedicated and memorial names.

Interstate 95 in North Carolina feature numerous dedicated or memorialized bridges, interchanges and stretches of freeway.

History.

Established in 1956, as part of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, I-95 was routed along or near existing US 301 throughout the state of North Carolina. By 1961, two stretches of the interstate opened: from mile marker 56, in Fayetteville, to mile marker 107, near Kenly; the other a small bypass near Saint Pauls. In 1964, the Saint Pauls section extended further south into Lumberton; while another small stretch opened from US 158, in Roanoke Rapids, to the Virginia state line. In 1969, I-95 was extended further south from Roanoke Rapids to exit 145, in Rocky Mount (later used for NC 4). In 1973, Interstate 95 was completed from Saint Pauls to the South Carolina state line.  By the mid 1970s, I-95 had two gaps along its route in Fayetteville and Kenly-Gold Rock. In May 1978, two Interstate 95 Business loops were established, both overlapping US 301, to help connect through the gaps and make I-95 appear as one continuous route throughout the state. In November 1978, the first gap to be completed was the Kenly-Gold Rock section. The final section of Interstate 95 was completed in 1980, an easterly bypass of Fayetteville.

Tolls.

The idea of tolling I-95 started in 2001 as a way to pay for improvements along the route. In 2003, state officials sought permission from the Federal Highway Administration for a plan that would cost $3 billion and put toll booths every thirty miles along the entire route. However, this was quickly killed by Governor Mike Easley, who did not support tolls.  In 2006, when the Virginia General Assembly passed the resolution calling for an interstate compact to build a toll highway, North Carolina was asked to join in on the compact of putting tolls along the entire length of Interstate 95 in both states. Again, this was stopped by Governor Mike Easley, who did not see the benefit in such a compact and reiterated his opposition of tolls along Interstate 95.  In 2010, North Carolina leaders revived talks on tolling Interstate 95, submitting a request to the Federal Highway Administration to toll the entire route. Approval would be considered after an environmental assessment and other conditions. Support has grown in a number of factors including the fact that the interstate is mostly rural and used predominantly by out-of-state drivers.  On January 20, 2012, NCDOT received final approval of the Environmental Assessment for improvements along I-95 in North Carolina. The following recommendations were made: It is estimated to cost $4.4 billion with recommendation that it should be paid through tolls. Construction would begin in two phases: Phase 1 (exit 31-exit 81) would begin in 2016 with tolls starting after completion; phase 2 would begin in 2019, which covers the remainder of the interstate. With a possible 2019 start date for the tolls, NCDOT plans to install nine overhead toll collection sensors every twenty miles with additional toll collection sensors at exits before tolls (to reduce drivers from jumping off and on at each toll); main toll stations will charge twenty miles each while exit tolls will charge ten miles each. Gaps along the route, where no toll collectors are located, will allow local traffic to utilize the interstate toll free. Though the toll rates have not been established, a NCDOT report suggest charging for cars in the phase 1 section, with a much lower rate of on phase 2 sections; which would work out to be $19.20 from border to border (trucks with three axles or more will be charged more). Drivers that do not carry a toll transponder (i.e. North Carolina Quick Pass) will have their license numbers recorded by cameras and will be billed by mail, at a higher toll rate.  As of June 5, 2018 a share of $147 million dollars in federal grant money provided by the Trump administration is currently being used to partially fund current upgrades to I-95. There is no current mention of tolls yet.

Future.

NCDOT plans to widen I-95 from four to six lanes between mile markers 14 and 21, in Robeson County. However, it is currently flagged "Scheduled for Reprioritization," with no estimated cost or date established.  An improvement project along I-95 includes widening sections of the interstate in Cumberland and Robeson counties between Exit 22 & Exit 40 and in Harnett & Johnston counties between Exit 71 & Exit 81 to eight lanes. Currently, funding is expected for the Cumberland and Robeson section after 2027 and construction scheduled for the Harnett & Johnston counties section in 2026.

Interstate 95 (I-95) is a major Interstate Highway, running along the East Coast of the United States from Florida to Maine. In North Carolina, I-95 runs diagonally across the eastern third of the state, from Rowland at the South Carolina border to Pleasant Hill at the Virginia border. From south to north, the route passes through or near the cities of Lumberton, Fayetteville, Wilson, Rocky Mount and Roanoke Rapids. The route goes through a mostly rural area of the state, avoiding most of the major metro areas of North Carolina. It forms the informal border between the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions of the state. There are two auxiliary routes for I-95 in the state: I-295, a partially completed bypass of Fayetteville and I-795, a spur route connecting I-95 to the city of Goldsboro.


Early life.

Maloney was born in Alvechurch, Worcestershire, educated at King Edward VI Five Ways and served in the Royal Air Force before becoming an actor in repertory theatre.

Career.

Maloney joined the BBC as a television production assistant and trained to be a director at the corporation. His directing credits included the police series "Z-Cars", "" and "Juliet Bravo", and an adaptation of the Walter Scott novel "Ivanhoe" (1970).  He first worked on "Doctor Who" as a production assistant to Christopher Barry on the serial "The Rescue" (1965). He directed eight "Doctor Who" serials between 1968 and 1977. He became, along with Douglas Camfield, one of producer Philip Hinchcliffe's two favourite directors. He then became the producer of the first three seasons of "Blake's 7" (1978–80), which included directing three episodes himself. He left "Blake's 7" to produce the last series of "When the Boat Comes In" (1981). He also produced the BBC's adaptation of John Wyndham's novel "The Day of the Triffids" (1981).

Later work.

Subsequent to his work in television drama, Maloney moved to factual programme-making and travelled the world making various documentaries for the ITV contractor Central. Towards the end of his life, he appeared in a number of TV and DVD documentaries about his work on "Doctor Who". He also provided DVD commentaries for three of the serials he directed, "The Mind Robber" (1968), "Genesis of the Daleks" (1975) and "The Talons of Weng-Chiang" (1977).

Death.

Maloney died on 18 July 2006. He is survived by his three children; his wife Edwina (née King) predeceased him.

"Blake's 7".

As well as producing the first three seasons of "Blake's 7", Maloney also directed the following three episodes:

David John Lee Maloney (14 December 1933 – 18 July 2006) was a British television director and producer best known for his work on the BBC science-fiction series "Doctor Who", "Blake's 7" and "The Day of the Triffids". "The Guardian" described him on his death as "one of that old school who could turn out 30-minute dramas in two days shooting time".


History.

The name "œillade" has two potential origins. The name could come from the French word "ouiller" that means "to top up" which can have a winemaking connotation of being a "topping wine" that is used to fill up wine barrels and other containers to remove ullage space that allows air to seep in and potential wine faults to develop. It could also be derived from the word "œil" which means eye and may be a viticultural reference to the fruiting bud of a grapevine.  The first mention of an œillade grape was in the lyrics of a "harvest song" sung by vineyard workers that was recorded in 1544 by the French author Bonaventure des Périers. The lyrics includes reference to ""œillades, cépage de la vallée du Rhône"" which has led many ampelographers to speculate that the lyrics are actually referring to the white Rhone grape Picardan (most notable for being one of the 13 varieties permitted in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC) that was historically known as œillade blanche. The first undisputed mentioning of œillade noire was in a 1676 catalogue of black grape varieties compiled by the French botanist Pierre Magnol where œillade is listed along the black-skin grapes of the Terret and Piquepoul families.

Viticulture.

Œillade noire is a mid-ripening grape variety that has a tendency to produce high yields of large berries and clusters. Growers working with the variety will often keep the vine in check with winter pruning and short cordons. In southern France it has been traditionally planted in higher elevation vineyards where varieties like Cinsault tend not to ripen well. The vine is susceptible to a number of viticultural hazards including coulure, millerandage, botrytis bunch rot and leafhoppers.

Wine regions.

Œillade noire has a long history of being grown throughout southern France including in the Gard, Hérault, Rhône, Vaucluse, Var departments covering mostly what is now the Languedoc and Provence wine regions. After the phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th and World Wars of the 20th century, plantings of œillade noire sharply diminished and the grape was on the verge of extinction. It is slowly being revived in the Languedoc region in Saint-Chinian and by at least one wine estate in the town of Béziers who is making a varietal style red and "rosé" of Oeillade noire. However the grape is currently not a permitted variety in any "Appellation d'origine contrôlée" (AOC) designated wines and can only be produced as a vin de table.

Styles.

According to Master of Wine Jancis Robinson, œillade noire tends to produce soft, fruity light bodied red wines of modest alcohol levels that are meant to be released soon after vintage and consumed young.

Synonyms.

Over the years Oeillade noire has been known under a variety of synonyms including: Aragnan noir (in the Vaucluse department), Aragnan sec, Araignan, Araignan noir, La Croque, Negra Gentile, Œillade, Œillade noir, Ouilade, Ouillade, Ouillard, Ouiliade, Passerille noire (in the Saint-Péray AOC), Puillade, Uliade and Ulliade.

Œillade noire () is a red French wine grape variety that has been historically grown in the Languedoc and Provence wine region but it is now close to extinction. The grape is often confused for the Rhone wine grape Cinsault which is known under the synonym œillade noire when it is sold as a table grape. It was also once thought to be a color mutation of Picardan which is known as "œillade blanche" and share several similar synonyms to œillade noire. However the grape has no known relation to both Cinsault and Picardan.


World War I grain razvyorstka.

1916 saw a food crisis in the Russian Empire. While the harvest was good in Lower Volga Region and Western Siberia, its transportation by railroads collapsed. Additionally, the food market was in disarray as fixed prices for government purchases were unattractive. A decree of November 29, 1916 signed by Aleksandr Rittich of the Ministry of Agriculture introduced razvyorstka as the collection of grain for defense purposes. The Russian Provisional Government established after the February Revolution of 1917 could not propose any incentives for peasants, and their state monopoly on grain sales failed to achieve its goal.

Soviet prodrazvyorstka.

In 1918 the center of Soviet Russia found itself cut off from the most important agricultural regions of the country. The reserves of grain ran low, causing hunger among the urban population, where support for the Bolshevik government was strongest. In order to satisfy minimal food needs, the Soviet government introduced strict control over the food surpluses of prosperous rural households. Since many peasants were extremely unhappy with this policy and tried to resist it, they were branded as "saboteurs" of the bread monopoly of the state and advocates of free "predatory", "speculative" trade. Vladimir Lenin believed that prodrazvyorstka was the only possible way to procure sufficient amounts of grain and other agricultural products for the population of the cities during the civil war.  Before prodrazvyorstka, Lenin's May 9, 1918 decree ("О продовольственной диктатуре") introduced the concept of "produce dictatorship". This and other subsequent decrees ordered the forced collection of foodstuffs, without any limitations, and used the Red Army to accomplish this.  A decree of the Sovnarkom introduced prodrazvyorstka throughout Soviet Russia on January 11, 1919. Prodrazvyorstka was also extended to Ukraine and Belarus in 1919, and Turkestan and Siberia in 1920. In accordance with the decree of the People's Commissariat for Provisions on the procedures of prodrazvyorstka (January 13, 1919), the amount of different kinds of products designated for collection by the state (some historians call it an outright confiscation) was calculated on the basis of the data on each guberniya's areas under crops, crop capacity and the reserves of past years. Within each guberniya, the collection plan was broken down between uyezds, volosts, villages, and then separate peasant households. The collection procedures were performed by the agencies of the People's Commissariat for Provisions and prodotryads (продовольственный отряд, food brigades) with the help of kombeds (комитет бедноты, committees of the poor) and of local Soviets.  Initially, prodrazvyorstka covered the collection of grain and fodder. During the procurement campaign of 1919–20, prodrazvyorstka also included potatoes and meat. By the end of 1920, it included almost every kind of agricultural product. According to Soviet statistics, the authorities collected 107.9 million poods (1.77 million metric tons) of grain and fodder in 1918–19, 212.5 million poods (3.48 million metric tons) in 1919–20, and 367 million pounds (6.01 million metric tons) in 1920–21.  Prodrazvyorstka allowed the Soviet government to solve the important problem of supplying the Red Army and the urban population, and of providing raw materials for different industries. Prodrazvyorstka left its mark on commodity-money relations, since the authorities had prohibited selling of bread and grain. It also influenced relations between the city and the village and became one of the most important elements of the system of war communism.  As the Russian Civil War approached its end, prodrazvyorstka lost its actuality, but it had done much damage to the agricultural sector and caused growing discontent among peasants. As the government switched to the NEP (New Economic Policy), a decree of the 10th Congress of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks) in March 1921 replaced prodrazvyorstka with prodnalog (food tax).

Prodrazvyorstka (, short for, "food apportionment") was a policy and campaign of confiscation of grain and other agricultural products from peasants at nominal fixed prices according to specified quotas (the noun "razvyorstka,", and the verb "razverstat' "refer to the partition of the requested total amount as obligations from the suppliers). This strategy often led to the deaths of many country-dwelling people, such as its involvement with the Holodomor famine.


Development.

"Down and Out in America" was produced under Grant and husband/producer Joseph Feury's production deal with HBO. The film was greenlit while Grant was still on location in Yugoslavia on another project. She reportedly told Feury that the subject was too important and that if she couldn't return in time he should let another director make the film. He refused and convinced her to wrap her current project as early as possible and make the documentary.

Reception.

The film received largely positive reviews. The New York Times felt that ""DOWN AND OUT IN AMERICA" is clear about its message: The system has failed, and the American dream has died.". The film went on to receive the Academy Award for Best Documentary feature, the first Oscar for any cable network. It has been compared to Barbara Kopple's Oscar winner "Harlan County, USA".

Legacy.

The film's negative has been preserved in the Academy Film Archive. It is regularly taught in university film and journalism classes. A new print premiered at New York's Film Forum in late 2019 as part of a 13 film retrospective of Grant's work as both actor and director, and the kick off of the film's digital and repertory re-release. Grant and Barbara Kopple introduced the Film Forum screening.. It remains one of the most influential portraits of Reaganomics. In April 2020, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, the re-release of Grant's documentaries was re-imagined as one of the first examples of virtual cinema and became "the first virtual repertory series."

Down and Out in America is a 1986 American Oscar-winning documentary film directed by Academy Award winner Lee Grant. It is a critique of Reaganomics and exploration of poverty in the United States. It won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, tying with "".


Historical background.

First a Carthaginian township, Córdoba was captured by the Romans in 206 BC, soon becoming the capital of Hispania Citerior with fine buildings and imposing fortifications. In the 6th century, with the crumbling of the Roman Empire, the city fell to the Visigoths until the beginning of the 8th century when it was conquered by the Moors. In 716, Córdoba became a provincial capital and, in 766, capital of the Muslim emirate of al-Andalus. By the 10th century, as the Caliphate of Córdoba it had become one of the most advanced cities in the world, recognized for its culture, learning and religious tolerance. It addition to a huge library, the city enclosed over 300 mosques and a multitude of palaces and administrative buildings.  In 1236, King Ferdinand III took the city, built new defences and converted the Grand Mosque into a cathedral. The Christian city grew up around the cathedral with palaces, churches, and a fortress. Although the city lost its political significance under Christian rule, it continued to play an important role in commerce thanks to the nearby Sierra Morena copper mines.

Geographic boundaries.

The historic centre as defined by UNESCO comprises the buildings and narrow winding streets around the cathedral. It is bordered on the south by the River Guadalquivir so as to include the Roman Bridge and the Calahorra Tower, on the east by the Calle San Fernando, and on the north by the commercial centre. To the west, it includes the Alcázar and the San Basilio district.

Monuments.

Evidence of the Roman period can be seen in the 16-span bridge over the Guadalquivir, the mosaics in the Alcázar, the columns of the Roman temple, and the remains of the Roman walls. In addition to the Caliphal Baths, the Moorish influence in the city's design is evident in the Alcázar gardens adjacent to the former Grand Mosque. Minarets from the period survive in the churches of Santiago, San Lorenzo, San Juan and the Santa Clara Hermitage. The Jewish presence during Muslim rule can be seen in the La Judería district in which the synagogue was used until 1492.  The Alcázar, originally a Moorish castle, was adapted to serve as a residence for the Christian kings in the 14th century while the Calahorra Tower, built by the Almohads, was comprehensively reworked by King Henry II in 1369. The little Chapel of San Bartolomé was completed in the Gothic-Mudéjar style in 1410. Originally a church, the former San Sebastián Hospital, now the Congress Centre, was completed in 1516 in a combination of Gothic, Mudéjar and Renaissance styles. Other churches from the period include San Nicolás and San Francisco.  There are also a number of important 16th-century buildings including the San Pelagio Seminary, the Puerta del Puente, and the Palacio del Marqués de la Fuensanta del Valle designed by Hernán Ruiz. Also of note is the 18th-century Hospital del Cardenal Salazar with its Baroque facade.  Other historic monuments in the old town include the Episcopal Palace built on the remains of the former Visigoth palace and now the Diocesan Fine Arts Museum, and the Royal Stables built by King Philip II in 1570 as part of the Alcázar.

The historic centre of Córdoba, Spain is one of the largest of its kind in Europe. In 1984, UNESCO registered the Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba as a World Heritage Site. A decade later, it expanded the inscription to include much of the old town. The historic centre has a wealth of monuments preserving large traces of Roman, Arabic, and Christian times.


Description.

The Löwchen is a compact companion breed with slightly off square proportions and balanced moderate angles in the front and rear. The silhouette of the breed calls for a long mane in the front with a flat topline. The Löwchen tail should be set coming off the topline and be over the back in the shape of a tea cup handle in movement.  The Löwchen's coat is long and flowing and comes in many colours. The coat should not be thin and fluffy like a Bichon Frise, but fairly straight with waves. It is a multi-texture coat with a 50/50 mix of silkier thicker hairs and softer hair. This allows for a easy to maintain coat that is silky to the touch. Löwchen coat should not be harsh, wooly or cottony. The Löwchen does not shed, and this breed has very low allergic effects, and are considered hypoallergenic. It is important to note, however, that there is no such thing as a completely hypoallergenic dog. The saliva and skin or dander, of a dog can still trigger an allergic event in sensitive people.  The head of the Löwchen is one of its most important features, with its relatively wide muzzle, broad skull, lively round eyes, and pendulant ears. They can come in all colours with dark pigmentation around the eye rings and nose. The head, when in proportion to the body, is neither too big nor too small, but helps to emphasize the friendly, regal, and leonine personality of the Löwchen. The litter size is usually between two to five puppies. The Löwchen's life span is around 14 to 18 years.

Lion cut.

The Löwchen's long and wavy coat can be presented in a lion cut. This means that the rear, back legs (except the hocks), front legs (except 1/2 bracelets around the forearm), and the 1/3–1/2 of the tail closest to the body are shaved, and the rest of the coat is left natural to give the dog the appearance of a male lion. The lion cut is the traditional way of presenting these dogs. It is speculated that the lion clip was to allow the naked areas to provide warmth to their owners while the long coat would collect lice and nits from their owners. Dogs in lion clip may need some protection in wintertime on the shaved parts.

Colour.

Löwchen can come in a variety of colors, and their colors can change throughout their lives. Many that are born dark will lighten up into cream or silver. You will also find a variety of colors within a single litter. Common colors are sable, silver, cream, white, parti, Irish pied, chocolate, and red/gold. A less common color is brindle. The American Kennel Club standard does not give preference to any color.

Temperament.

The Löwchen is a friendly, healthy, and happy dog. Dogs of this breed are both active and playful, and very intelligent. The Löwchen is an excellent house pet. The Löwchen makes also a good pet for families with children. This breed has a history as a companion dog and the dogs need the attention of humans and they are not happy left alone for longer periods of time. The Löwchen can be vocal in excitement or demands, though some can be quiet.

Health.

The Löwchen is a robust breed with few health issues that impact the dog. Yearly eye exams, patella evaluation, and hip conformation evaluations are recommending for breeding stock. The breed can be impacted by Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and luxating patellas, however the frequency is low. Other issues tend to be issues related to old age.

History.

The breed is traceable to as far back as 1442. They are found in many old paintings, tapestries, engravings, drawings and in literature. It is an old breed type, found in many countries as far back as the sixteenth century. The little 'lion dog' is seen in many art pieces featuring dogs as far back as the sixteenth century, but it is unclear whether these were all dogs like the Löwchen, or simply small dogs of the Bichon type that were trimmed in a lion cut. Although this dog may be related to the Bichon Frise, the Löwchen's history remains obscure.  The Löwchen has a history as a companion dog to the wealthy and elite. It is possible to trace the modern history of the breed to late-19th-century enthusiasts in what are now Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. It is thought the breed's ancestors were dogs that were brought in by travelers from the far eastern lands of Tibet and mingled with local dogs such as Spitz and terrier-type dogs. Occasionally a genetic throw-back is found. Madame Bennerts started a breeding program in 1944, later with the help of veterinarian Dr. Rickert.  Lowchen were imported into Britain in 1968 and the breed was accorded Kennel Club (UK) recognition in 1971. The Lowchen would finally make an appearance in America in 1971, by way of England. At this time, the Löwchen was still known as the “Little Lion Dog”. Also in 1971, The Löwchen Club of America (LCA) was formed and the breed's name was officially changed to “Löwchen ”. The Lowchen was accepted into the American Kennel Club Miscellaneous class in 1996, and then fully recognized into the non-sporting group in 1999. The number of Lowchen worldwide continues to fall with the breed being listed as at risk for extinction. An effort to keep the breed from becoming extinct was started along with efforts across other rare breeds.

The Löwchen or Little Lion Dog (German: "Löwchen", "little lion"; French: "Petit chien lion", "little lion dog") is a breed of dog. A small dog, they are considered by some registries as a toy dog and by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting dog.