History.

The church was probably founded during the 10th century when the city of Caen began its first significant growth. It is mentioned for the first time in the charters granted by William the Conqueror to the two abbeys of Caen under the name of "sanctus Stephanus Vetus" in around 1067. The qualifier "old" distinguishes it from the church of the Abbey of Saint-Étienne, Caen (the "Abbaye aux Hommes"), under construction from the 11th century.  Because of its exposed position along the ramparts of the city, the church was badly damaged during the Hundred Years' War, particularly during the Siege of Caen in 1417. It was reconstructed during and after the English occupation. The octagonal lantern tower dates from this time.  The parish was part of the deanery of Caen in the former diocese of Bayeux.  The church was decommissioned in 1793, and not reinstated for worship in 1802, when the former abbey church took over the role of parish church. Poorly maintained, the church soon began to fall into ruin. It was registered in 1840 as a "monument historique", but closed to the public in 1844 because of its state of decay. Threatened with demolition, it was saved at the very last minute thanks to the action of Arcisse de Caumont and Antoine Charma. The Society of Antiquaries of Normandy envisaged using the church for the installation of its collections, but the Museum of the Antiquaries of Normandy ("Musée des antiquaires de Normandie") was finally housed in the former Collège du Mont located nearby. The city authorities used the church to store architectural fragments until their transfer to the museum in 1926.  In 1944, it was hit by a shell aimed at a column of German tanks which was parked in the vicinity. The nave was largely destroyed. Since that time the church has not been the object of restoration work and in its state of disrepair is not open to the public.

The Church of Saint-Étienne-le-Vieux ("Old Saint Stephen's") is a former Roman Catholic church, today partly ruined, located in the old city of Caen, Calvados, France. It is not to be confused with the nearby Church of Saint-Étienne, the former church of the Abbaye aux Hommes. This church has been classified as a "monument historique" since August 22, 1903.


Geography.

There are two separate areas within the ecoregion: the western side of Madagascar from the Ampasindava peninsula in the north to Belo-sur-Tsiribihina and Maromandia in the south (this is most of Mahajanga Province); and the northern tip of the island (apart from the high areas of Amber Mountain). Geological substrate is varied and includes the tsingy limestone massifs.  These dry deciduous forests span the coastal plain with its limestone plateaus emanating virtually at sea level to higher altitudes to roughly. The area includes wetlands and grasslands (mostly created by forest clearance for agriculture) as well as dry forests characterized by a deciduous canopy extending to a height of.  Climate is tropical, with summer daytime temperatures commonly exceeding, and a wet season between October and April. Rainfall, ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 mm, is more abundant than in the spiny thickets and succulent woodlands, but lower than in the eastern lowland rainforests.

Flora.

While the absolute number of plant species is lower than in the eastern rainforests of the island, the dry deciduous forests of Madagascar have a higher ratio of endemic species. Trees have adapted to the dry climate by shedding leaves in the dry winter season to limit evapotranspiration. Moreover, some species like baobabs and "Moringa" have adapted by evolving the ability to store copious water in their large bulbous trunks. Four species of baobabs, including three endemics ("Adansonia grandidieri", "A. madagascariensis" and "A. suarezensis") occur in this ecoregion. Other notable tree species include flamboyant tree ("Delonix regia"), "Pachypodium" species, and several Fabaceae and Rubiaceae. Forest understory plants include "Lissochilus" orchids such as Oeceoclades calcarata, a large, cool growing, showy, terrestrial orchid which grows at medium elevation (1000 to 2000 meters) in western Madagascar. Its habitat is semi-arid and it is found growing in sandy or rocky soils in dry moss and lichen forests.

Fauna.

One characteristic in common with other tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests is the presence of relatively high densities of mammalian biomass. Several of Madagascar's characteristic lemur species are found here including the fat-tailed dwarf lemur, five subspecies of "Propithecus", three species of "Lepilemur", and five species of "Microcebus". Endemic mammals include three endangered species, golden-crowned sifaka ("Propithecus tattersalli") and Perrier's sifaka ("Propithecus diadema perrieri") and western forest rat ("Nesomys lambertoni") as well as mongoose lemur ("Eulemur mongoz"), golden-brown mouse lemur ("Microcebus ravelobensis"), northern rufous mouse lemur ("M. tavaratra"), pygmy mouse lemur ("M. myoxinus"), Milne-Edwards' sportive lemur ("Lepilemur edwardsi"), and greater big-footed mouse ("Macrotarsomys ingens"). As well as lemurs the dry forests are home to the island's largest predator, the fossa ("Cryptoprocta ferox") and some smaller carnivorans.  The lakes and rivers of the dry forest region are homes to most of Madagascar's bird species. Among reptiles, many chameleon and gecko species occur here, as well as the Madagascar sideneck turtle and the critically endangered ploughshare tortoise.

Threats and conservation.

Most dry forests have already been destroyed by human action, especially near the Central Highlands. The remaining forest is severely fragmented. Burning, grazing, and logging are the major threats, and siltation, overfishing and invasive species impact the wetlands. Some species such as lemurs suffer from hunting.  Protected areas of dry deciduous forest include:

Particular localities.

Ankarana Special Reserve.

The Ankarana Massif consists of a limestone shelf which imposes a picturesque land-form on the few adventurers who find this remote forest. As the limestone has weathered over geologic time, this karst formation often exhibits spiry pinnacles, called "tsingy" locally. The name derives from the Malagasy word which means "walk on tiptoe", used by the earliest settlers from around 1500 years ago to describe the sharpness of the rugged limestone shelves. There are an abundance of limestone caves and virgin forests that shelter the diverse wildlife of the Ankarana region. In places the cave roofs have collapsed to form isolated forests and the vegetation of the gorges is also protected by the topography. Subterranean rivers provide a natural perennial irrigation system.  The Ankarana Special Reserve is one of the northernmost reaches of the Madagascar dry deciduous forests, and is very hot from December through March with this equatorial proximity. Access to wildlife viewing is through strenuous hiking, given the elevation differences, complex terrain and heat, but four-wheel drive vehicles can reach most of the actual campsites. Below the massif, and to the west, is a grassy savannah-with-palms that leads to the Indian Ocean. Within the massif, Lac Vert is found among tsingy formations.  Mammals found in this forest include the apex predator fossa ("Cryptoprocta ferox"), the fanaloka ("Fossa fossana"), northern ring-tailed mongoose and numerous bat species. Lemurs occurring here include the crowned lemur, northern sportive lemur, gray mouse lemur, Sanford's brown lemur and the aye-aye. Numerous geckos inhabit the reserve including the Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko, big-headed gecko and day gecko. Other local reptiles are the Madagascar ground boa, the white-lipped chameleon ("Furcifer minor") and Oustalet's chameleon, the world's largest chameleon, which can attain 68 centimetres in length.  Some bird species commonly seen are the hook-billed vanga, Madagascar pygmy kingfisher, crested coua, white-breasted mesite and Madagascar ibis. Raptors sighted in the reserve include the Madagascar harrier-hawk and the Madagascar scops owl. Other avafauna occurring here include red-capped coua and Coquerel's coua, and the vangas Van Dam's vanga, rufous vanga and sickle-billed vanga. Vangas are significant in Madagascar, as 15 of the 16 vanga species are endemic to Madagascar. The greater vasa parrot and Madagascar green pigeon are also indigenous. An important endangered species, the Madagascar fish eagle, has a number of breeding pairs located in the Ankarana Reserve.

Anjajavy Forest.

Anjajavy Forest is an example of a purely lowland dry deciduous forest in northwest Madagascar. It is punctuated with numerous tsingy outcroppings and limestone karst caves, and in many locations abuts the Indian Ocean, especially where the dramatic tsingy formations jut out into the ocean. The canopy height is typically 15 to 25 meters high, and is at its lowest at the coastal verge, where growth may be impeded by saline rocky soils. The forest resides on a small peninsula of land poking into the Indian Ocean, that is bounded on the north and part of its eastern extent by the Bay of Narinda and on the south by the Bay of Majajamba. Access to this forest is difficult since there are no roads connecting this peninsula to the Madagascar highway system; however, arrival by sea and by air are accomplished with some effort.  In many places at the ocean edge as well as forest interior, several tree species are capable of taking root directly in the tsingy rocks. Several species of baobab and tamarind are among the tallest species forming the canopy. Considering the lower precipitation rates on the west coast (about 1,300 mm per annum at Anjajavy Forest), the vegetation is surprisingly verdant in the beginning of the dry season, but eventually will become mostly leafless by late winter. The forest understory is moderately dense but not impenetrable. Nor is the understory heavily thorned in most locations.  The Anjajavy Forest is named for a kind of "Salvadora" species, the "jajavy" tree, which might be endemic only to the forest itself. Abundant diurnal lemurs that are found here include the Coquerel's sifaka and the common brown lemur. Three nocturnal species of mouse lemur are seen, but their precise species are yet to be documented. A large variety of birds are present including the endangered Madagascar fish eagle, which has four (of the approximately 99 known) breeding pairs resident in Anjajavy Forest. Other birdlife present are the sacred ibis, crested coua, kingfishers and Madagascar wagtail. Butterflies include the magpie crow. Numerous lizards, chameleons and snakes populate the forest and are easily seen from the sparse trail network.  The dry forest is invaded by fingers of mangrove swamp in the form of riparian zones at several small coastal estuaries at the western verge of the Anjajavy Forest, where small tidal streams flow into the Indian Ocean. The species of the mangrove swamps are, of course, totally different from the dry forest, and the transition zone supports an interesting ecotone, providing unusual niches for several species of animals.

The Madagascar dry deciduous forests represent a tropical dry forest ecoregion situated in the western and northern part of Madagascar. The area has high numbers of endemic plant and animal species but has suffered large-scale clearance for agriculture. They are among the world's richest and most distinctive dry forests and included in the Global 200 ecoregions by the World Wide Fund. The area is also home to distinctive limestone karst formations known as tsingy, including the World Heritage Site of Bemaraha.


Background.

Guadalcanal Campaign.

On 7 August 1942, the US 1st Marine Division landed on Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and Florida Islands in the Solomon Islands. The landings on the islands were meant to deny their use by the Japanese as bases for threatening the supply routes between the US and Australia, and to secure the islands as starting points for a campaign with the eventual goal of capturing or neutralizing the major Japanese base at Rabaul while also supporting the Allied New Guinea campaign. The landings initiated the six-month-long Guadalcanal campaign.  Taking the Japanese by surprise, by nightfall on 8 August the Marines secured Tulagi and nearby islands as well as the Japanese airfield under construction at Lunga Point on Guadalcanal. The Allies later renamed it "Henderson Field". Allied aircraft operating out of Henderson were called the "Cactus Air Force" (CAF) after the Allied code name for Guadalcanal.  In response to the landings on Guadalcanal, the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters (IGH) assigned the Imperial Japanese Army's (IJA) 17th Army, a corps-sized command headquartered at Rabaul under the command of Lieutenant General Harukichi Hyakutake, the task of retaking Guadalcanal. Because of the threat by CAF aircraft, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) was unable to use large, slow transport ships to deliver troops and supplies to the island. Instead, warships based at Rabaul and the Shortland Islands were used to carry forces to Guadalcanal. The Japanese warships, mainly light cruisers and destroyers from the Eighth Fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa, were usually able to make the round trip down "The Slot" to Guadalcanal and back in a single night, thereby minimizing their exposure to CAF air attack. These high speed warship runs to Guadalcanal occurred throughout the campaign and were later called the "Tokyo Express" by Allied forces and "Rat Transportation" by the Japanese. Using forces delivered to Guadalcanal in this manner, the IJA tried three times to retake Henderson Field, but was defeated each time. After the third failure, an attempt by the IJN to deliver the rest of the IJA 38th Infantry Division and its heavy equipment failed during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal from 12–15 November. Because of this failure, the Japanese cancelled their next planned attempt to recapture Henderson Field.  In mid-November, Allied forces attacked the Japanese at Buna-Gona in New Guinea. Japanese Combined Fleet naval leaders, headquartered at Truk and under the overall command of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, felt Allied advances in New Guinea posed a greater threat to the security of the Japanese Empire than an Allied military presence in the southern Solomons. Therefore, Combined Fleet naval staff officers began to prepare plans for abandoning Guadalcanal and shifting priorities and resources to operations around New Guinea. At this time, the navy did not inform the army of their intentions in this regard.  As December began, the Japanese experienced considerable difficulty in keeping their troops on Guadalcanal resupplied because of Allied air and naval attacks on the Japanese supply chain of ships and bases. The few supplies delivered to the island were not enough to sustain Japanese troops who, by 7 December, were losing about 50 men each day to malnutrition, disease, and Allied ground or air attacks. The Japanese had delivered almost 30,000 army troops to Guadalcanal since the campaign began, but by December only about 20,000 of that number were still alive; of those, only around 12,000 remained more or less fit for combat duty, with the rest incapacitated by battle wounds, disease, or malnutrition.  The IJN continued to suffer losses and damage to its ships in attempting to keep the Japanese on Guadalcanal resupplied. One destroyer was sunk by American warships at the Battle of Tassafaronga on 30 November. Another destroyer plus a submarine were sunk and two destroyers damaged by American PT boat and CAF air attacks during subsequent resupply missions from 3–12 December. Compounding the navy's frustration, very few of the supplies carried on these missions reached IJA forces on the island. Combined Fleet leaders began telling their army counterparts the losses and damage to warships engaged in the resupply effort threatened future strategic plans for protecting the Japanese Empire.

Decision to withdraw.

Throughout November, Japan's top military leaders at the IGH in Tokyo continued to openly support further efforts to retake Guadalcanal from Allied forces. At the same time, lower-ranking staff officers began to discreetly discuss abandoning the island. Takushiro Hattori and Masanobu Tsuji, each of whom had recently visited Guadalcanal, told their colleagues on the staff that any further attempt to retake the island was a lost cause. Ryūzō Sejima reported that the attrition of IJA troop-strength on Guadalcanal was so unexpectedly severe that future operations would be untenable. On 11 December two staff officers, IJN Commander Yuji Yamamoto and IJA Major Takahiko Hayashi, returned to Tokyo from Rabaul and confirmed Hattori's, Tsuji's, and Sejima's reports. They further reported that most of the IJN and IJA officers at Rabaul appeared to support abandoning Guadalcanal. Around this time, Japan's War Ministry informed the IGH that there was insufficient shipping to support both the effort to retake Guadalcanal and transport strategic resources to maintain Japan's economy and military forces.  On 19 December, a delegation of IGH staff officers led by IJA Colonel Joichiro Sanada, chief of the IGH's operations section, arrived at Rabaul for discussions about future plans concerning New Guinea and Guadalcanal. Hitoshi Imamura, commander of the 8th Area Army in charge of IJA operations in New Guinea and the Solomons, did not directly recommend a withdrawal from Guadalcanal but openly and clearly described the current difficulties involved with any further attempts to retake the island. Imamura also stated that any decision to withdraw should include plans to evacuate as many of the soldiers from Guadalcanal as possible.  Sanada returned to Tokyo on 25 December and recommended to the IGH that Guadalcanal be abandoned immediately and all priority given to the campaign in New Guinea. The IGH's top leaders agreed with Sanada's recommendation on 26 December and ordered their staffs to begin drafting plans for the withdrawal from Guadalcanal and establishment of a new defense line in the central Solomons.  On 28 December, General Hajime Sugiyama and Admiral Osami Nagano personally informed Emperor Hirohito of the decision to withdraw from Guadalcanal. On 31 December, the Emperor formally endorsed the decision.

Plan and forces.

On 3 January, IGH informed the 8th Area Army and the Combined Fleet of the decision to withdraw from Guadalcanal. By 9 January, the Combined Fleet and 8th Area Army staffs together completed the plan, officially called Operation Ke after a mora in Japanese Kana vocabulary, to execute the evacuation.  The plan called for a battalion of IJA infantry to land by destroyer on Guadalcanal around 14 January to act as a rear guard during the evacuation. The 17th Army was to begin withdrawing to the western end of the island about 25 or 26 January. An air superiority campaign around the southern Solomons would begin on 28 January. The 17th Army would be picked up in three lifts by destroyers the first week of February with a target completion date of 10 February. At the same time, Japanese air and naval forces would conduct conspicuous maneuvers and minor attacks around New Guinea and the Marshall Islands along with deceptive radio traffic to try to confuse the Allies as to their intentions. Yamamoto detailed aircraft carriers and, battleships and – with four heavy cruisers and a destroyer as the screening force – under Nobutake Kondō to provide distant cover for "Ke" around Ontong Java in the northern Solomons. The evacuation runs were to be carried out by Mikawa's 8th Fleet, consisting of heavy cruisers and, light cruiser, and 21 destroyers. Mikawa's destroyers were charged with conducting the evacuation. Yamamoto expected that at least half of Mikawa's destroyers would be sunk during the operation.  Supporting the air superiority portion of the operation were the IJN's 11th Air Fleet and the IJA's 6th Air Division, based at Rabaul with 212 and 100 aircraft, respectively. 64 aircraft from carrier s air group were also temporarily assigned to Rabaul. An additional 60 floatplanes from the IJN's "R" Area Air Force, based at Rabaul, Bougainville and the Shortland Islands, brought the total number of Japanese aircraft involved in the operation to 436. The combined Japanese warship and naval air units in the area formed the Southeast Area Fleet, commanded by Jinichi Kusaka at Rabaul.  Opposing the Japanese and under the command of United States Navy Admiral William Halsey, Jr., commander of Allied forces in the South Pacific, were fleet carriers and, six escort carriers, three fast battleships, four old battleships, 13 cruisers, and 45 destroyers. In the air, the 13th Air Force numbered 92 fighters and bombers under United States Army Brigadier General Nathan F. Twining and the CAF on Guadalcanal counted 81 aircraft under US Marine Brigadier General Francis P. Mulcahy. Rear Admiral Aubrey Fitch was overall commander of Aircraft South Pacific. The air units of the fleet and escort carriers added another 339 aircraft. In addition, 30 heavy bombers were stationed in New Guinea with sufficient range to conduct missions over the Solomon Islands. In total, the Allies possessed around 539 aircraft available to oppose the "Ke" operation.  By the first week of January, disease, starvation, and battle had reduced Hyakutake's command to about 14,000 troops, with many of them too sick and malnourished to fight. The 17th Army possessed three operable field cannon, with very little ammunition. In contrast, the Allied commander on the island, US Army Major General Alexander Patch, fielded a combined force of US Army and US Marines, designated the XIV Corps, totaling 50,666 men. At Patch's disposal were 167 artillery weapons, including,, and howitzers, and plentiful stocks of shells.

Operation.

Preparation.

On 1 January, the Japanese military changed their radio communication codes, making it more difficult for Allied intelligence, which had previously partially broken Japanese radio ciphers, to divine Japanese intentions and movement. As January progressed, Allied reconnaissance and radio traffic analysis noted the buildup of ships and aircraft at Truk, Rabaul, and the Shortland Islands. Allied analysts determined that the increased radio traffic in the Marshalls was a deception meant to divert attention from an operation about to take place in either New Guinea or the Solomons. Allied intelligence personnel misinterpreted the nature of the operation; on 26 January, the Allied Pacific Command's intelligence section informed Allied forces in the Pacific that the Japanese were preparing for a new offensive, called "Ke", in either the Solomons or New Guinea.  On 14 January, an Express mission of nine destroyers delivered the Yano Battalion, designated as the rear guard for the "Ke" evacuation, to Guadalcanal. The battalion, commanded by Major Keiji Yano, consisted of 750 infantry and a battery of mountain guns crewed by another 100 men. Accompanying the battalion was Lieutenant Colonel Kumao Imoto, representing the 8th Area Army, who was to deliver the evacuation order and plan to Hyakutake. The 17th Army had not yet been informed of the decision to withdraw. CAF and 13th Air Force air attacks on the nine destroyers during their return trip damaged destroyers and and destroyed eight Japanese fighters escorting the convoy. Five American aircraft were shot down.  Late on 15 January, Imoto reached 17th Army's headquarters at Kokumbona and informed Hyakutake and his staff of the decision to withdraw from the island. Grudgingly accepting the order on the 16th, the 17th Army staff communicated the "Ke" evacuation plan to their forces on the 18th. The plan directed the 38th Division, which was currently defending against an American offensive on ridges and hills in the interior of the island, to disengage and withdraw towards Cape Esperance on the western end of Guadalcanal beginning on the 20th. The 38th's retirement would be covered by the 2nd Infantry Division, in place on Guadalcanal since October 1942, and the Yano Battalion, both of which would then follow the 38th westward. Any troops unable to move were encouraged to kill themselves to "uphold the honor of the Imperial Army".

Withdrawal westward.

Patch initiated a new offensive just as the 38th Division began to withdraw from the inland ridges and hills that it had occupied. On 20 January, the 25th Infantry Division, under Major General J. Lawton Collins, attacked several hills, designated Hills 87, 88, and 89 by the Americans, that formed a ridge that dominated Kokumbona. Encountering much lighter resistance than anticipated, the Americans seized the three hills by the morning of 22 January. Shifting forces to exploit the unexpected breakthrough, Collins quickly continued the advance and captured the next two hills, 90 and 91, by nightfall, placing the Americans in position to isolate and capture Kokumbona and trap the Japanese 2nd Division. Reacting quickly to the situation, the Japanese hurriedly evacuated Kokumbona and ordered the 2nd Division to retire westward immediately. The Americans captured Kokumbona on 23 January. Although some Japanese units were trapped between the American forces and destroyed, most of the 2nd Division's survivors escaped.  Still fearing a renewed and reinforced Japanese offensive, Patch committed the equivalent of only one regiment at a time to attack the Japanese forces west of Kokumbona, keeping the rest near Lunga Point to protect the airfield. The terrain west of Kokumbona favored the Japanese efforts to delay the Americans as the rest of the 17th Army continued its withdrawal towards Cape Esperance. The American advance was hemmed into a corridor only wide between the ocean and the thick, inland jungle and steep coral ridges. The ridges, running perpendicular to the coast, paralleled numerous streams and creeks that crossed the corridor with "washboard regularity."  On 26 January, a combined US Army and Marine unit called the Composite Army-Marine (CAM) Division advancing westward encountered the Yano Battalion at the Marmura River. Yano's troops temporarily halted the CAM's advance and then slowly withdrew westward over the next three days. On 29 January, the Yano retreated across the Bonegi River, where soldiers from the 2nd Division had constructed another defensive position.  The Japanese defenses at the Bonegi held up the American advance for almost three days. On 1 February, with help from a shore bombardment by the destroyers and, the Americans successfully crossed the river but did not immediately press the advance westward.

Air campaign.

The "Ke" air superiority campaign began in mid-January with nightly harassment attacks on Henderson Field by 3–10 aircraft, causing little damage. On 20 January, a lone Kawanishi H8K bombed Espiritu Santo. On 25 January, the IJN sent 58 Zero fighters on a daylight raid to Guadalcanal. In response, the CAF sent aloft eight Wildcat and six P-38 fighters, which shot down four Zeros without loss.  A second large raid was conducted on 27 January by nine Kawasaki Ki-48 "Lily" light bombers escorted by 74 Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar" fighters from the IJA's 6th Air Division from Rabaul. Twelve Wildcats, six P-38s, and 10 P-40s from Henderson met the raid over Guadalcanal. In the resulting action, the Japanese lost six fighters while the CAF lost one Wildcat, four P-40s, and two P-38s. The "Lily"s dropped their bombs on American positions around the Matanikau River, causing little damage.

Battle of Rennell Island.

Believing that the Japanese were beginning a major offensive in the southern Solomons aimed at Henderson Field, Halsey responded by sending, beginning on 29 January, a resupply convoy to Guadalcanal supported by most of his warship forces, separated into five task forces. These five task forces included two fleet carriers, two escort carriers, three battleships, 12 cruisers, and 25 destroyers. Screening the approach of the transport convoy was Task Force 18 (TF 18), under Rear Admiral Robert C. Giffen, with three heavy and three light cruisers, two escort carriers, and eight destroyers. A fleet carrier task force, centered on the carrier "Enterprise", steamed about behind TF 18.  In addition to protecting the supply convoy, TF 18 was charged with rendezvousing with a force of four U.S. destroyers, stationed at Tulagi, at 21:00 on 29 January in order to conduct a sweep up "The Slot" north of Guadalcanal the next day to screen the unloading of the transports at Guadalcanal. As the escort carriers were too slow to allow Giffen's force to make the scheduled rendezvous, Giffen left the carriers behind with two destroyers at 14:00 on 29 January and steamed ahead.  Giffen's force was being tracked by Japanese submarines, who reported on Giffen's location and movement to their naval headquarters units. Around mid-afternoon, based on the submarine's reports, 16 G4M from the 705 Air Group and 16 Mitsubishi G3M "Nell" bombers from the 701 Air Group took off from Rabaul carrying torpedoes to attack Giffen's force, now located between Rennell Island and Guadalcanal.  The torpedo bombers attacked Giffen's ships in two waves between 19:00 and 20:00. Two torpedoes hit the heavy cruiser, causing heavy damage and bringing her to a dead stop. Three of the Japanese aircraft were shot down by anti-aircraft fire from Giffen's ships. In response, Halsey sent a tug to take "Chicago" under tow and ordered Giffen's task force to return to base the next day. Six destroyers were left behind to escort "Chicago" and the tugboat.  At 16:00 on 30 January, a flight of 11 Mitsubishi torpedo bombers from the 751 Air Group, based at Kavieng and staging through Buka, attacked the force towing "Chicago". Fighter aircraft from "Enterprise" shot down eight of them, but most of the Japanese aircraft were able to release their torpedoes before crashing. One torpedo hit the destroyer, causing heavy damage. Four more torpedoes hit "Chicago", sinking her.  The transport convoy reached Guadalcanal and successfully unloaded its cargo on 30–31 January. The rest of Halsey's warships took station in the Coral Sea south of the Solomons to wait for the approach of any Japanese warship forces supporting what the Allies believed to be an imminent offensive. The departure of TF 18 from the Guadalcanal area removed a significant potential threat to the "Ke" operation.  At 18:30 on 29 January, two corvettes from the Royal New Zealand Navy, and, intercepted the Japanese submarine, which was attempting a supply run, off of Kamimbo on Guadalcanal. The two corvettes rammed and sank "I-1" after a 90-minute battle ().

First evacuation run.

Leaving his cruisers at Kavieng, Mikawa gathered all 21 of his destroyers at the Japanese naval base in the Shortlands on 31 January to begin the evacuation runs. Rear Admiral Shintaro Hashimoto was placed in charge of this group of destroyers, titled the Reinforcement Unit. The "R" Area Air Force's 60 floatplanes were tasked with scouting for the Reinforcement Unit and helping defend against Allied PT boat attacks during the nighttime evacuation runs. Allied B-17 bombers attacked the Shortlands anchorage on the morning of 1 February, causing no damage and losing four aircraft to Japanese fighters. This same day, the IJA's 6th Air Division raided Henderson Field with 23 "Oscar"s and six "Lily"s but caused no damage and suffered the loss of one fighter. Believing that the Japanese might be retreating to the south coast of Guadalcanal, on the morning of 1 February Patch landed a reinforced battalion of army and Marine troops, about 1,500 men under the command of Colonel Alexander George, at Verahue on Guadalcanal's south coast. The U.S. troops were delivered to the landing location by a naval transport force of six landing craft tanks and one transport destroyer (), escorted by four other destroyers (the same destroyers that were to have joined TF 18 three days earlier). A Japanese reconnaissance aircraft spotted the naval landing force. Believing that the force posed a threat to that night's scheduled evacuation run, an airstrike of 13 Aichi D3A2 "Val" dive bombers escorted by 40 Zeros departed Buin, Bougainville to attack the ships.  Mistaking the Japanese strike aircraft as friendly, the U.S. destroyers withheld fire until the "Val"s began their attack. Beginning at 14:53, destroyer was rapidly hit by three bombs and sank almost immediately south of Savo Island with the loss of 167 of her crew, including her captain. Destroyer was damaged by several near-misses. Five "Val"s and three Zeros were lost to anti-aircraft fire and CAF fighters. The CAF lost three Wildcats in the engagement.  Hashimoto departed the Shortlands at 11:30 on 1 February with 20 destroyers for the first evacuation run. Eleven destroyers were designated as transports screened by the other nine. The destroyers were attacked in the late afternoon near Vangunu by 92 CAF aircraft in two waves., Hashimoto's flagship, was heavily damaged by a near miss. Four CAF aircraft were shot down. Hashimoto transferred to and detached to tow "Makinami" back to base.  Eleven U.S. PT boats awaited Hashimoto's destroyers between Guadalcanal and Savo Island. Beginning at 22:45, Hashimoto's warships and the PT boats engaged in a series of running battles over the next three hours. Hashimoto's destroyers, with help from "R" Area aircraft, sank three of the PT boats.  In the meantime, the transport destroyers arrived off of two pick-up locations at Cape Esperance and Kamimbo at 22:40 and 24:00 respectively. Japanese naval personnel ferried the waiting troops out to the destroyers in barges and landing craft. Rear Admiral Tomiji Koyanagi, second-in-command of the Reinforcement Unit, described the evacuees: "They wore only the remains of clothes that were so soiled their physical deterioration was extreme. Probably they were happy but they showed no expression. Their digestive organs were so completely destroyed, we couldn't give them good food, only porridge." Another officer added that, "Their buttocks were so emaciated that their anuses were completely exposed, and on the destroyers that picked them up they suffered from constant and uncontrolled diarrhea."  After embarking 4,935 soldiers, mainly from the 38th Division, the transport destroyers ceased loading at 01:58 and prepared to depart for the return trip to the Shortlands. About this time,, one of the screening destroyers, was suddenly wracked by a large explosion, caused by either a PT boat torpedo or a naval mine. Informed that "Makigumo" was immobilized, Hashimoto ordered her abandoned and scuttled (). During the return trip, the Reinforcement Unit was attacked by CAF aircraft at 08:00, but sustained no damage and arrived at the Shortlands without further incident at 12:00 on 2 February.

Second and third evacuation runs.

On 4 February, Patch ordered the 161st Infantry Regiment to replace the 147th at the front and resume the advance westward. The Yano battalion retreated to new positions at the Segilau River and troops were sent to block the advance of George's force along the south coast. Meanwhile, Halsey's carrier and battleship task forces remained just beyond Japanese air attack range about south of Guadalcanal. Kondō sent two of his force's destroyers, and, to the Shortlands to replace the two destroyers lost in the first evacuation run. Hashimoto led the second evacuation mission with 20 destroyers south toward Guadalcanal at 11:30 on 4 February. The CAF attacked Hashimoto in two waves beginning at 15:50 with a total of 74 aircraft. Bomb near-misses heavily damaged, and Hashimoto detached to tow her back to Shortland. The CAF lost 11 aircraft in the attack while the Japanese lost one Zero.  The U.S. PT boats did not sortie to attack Hashimoto's force this night and the loading went uneventfully. The Reinforcement Force embarked Hyakutake, his staff, and 3,921 men, mainly from the 2nd Division, and reached Bougainville without incident by 12:50 on 5 February. A CAF airstrike launched that morning failed to locate Hashimoto's force.  Believing that the Japanese operations on 1 and 4 February had been reinforcement, not evacuation missions, the American forces on Guadalcanal proceeded slowly and cautiously, advancing only about each day. George's force halted on 6 February after advancing to Titi on the south coast. On the north coast, the 161st finally began their attack westward at 10:00 on 6 February and reached the Umasani River the same day. At the same time, the Japanese were withdrawing their remaining 2,000 troops to Kamimbo.  On 7 February, the 161st crossed the Umasani and reached Bunina, about from Cape Esperance. George's force, now commanded by George F. Ferry, advanced from Titi to Marovovo and dug in for the night about north of the village.  Aware of the presence of Halsey's carriers and other large warships near Guadalcanal, the Japanese considered canceling the third evacuation run, but decided to go ahead as planned. Kondō's force closed to within of Guadalcanal from the north to be ready in case Halsey's warships attempted to intervene. Hashimoto departed the Shortlands with 18 destroyers midday of 7 February, this time taking a course south of the Solomons instead of down the Slot. A CAF strike force of 36 aircraft attacked Hashimoto at 17:55, heavily damaging with a bomb near miss. "Isokaze" retired escorted by "Kawakaze". The Allies and the Japanese each lost one aircraft in the attack.  Arriving off Kamimbo, Hashimoto's force loaded 1,972 soldiers by 00:03 on 8 February, unhindered by the U.S. Navy. For an additional 90 minutes, destroyer crewmen rowed their boats along the shore calling out again and again to make sure no one was left behind. At 01:32, the Reinforcement Group left Guadalcanal in its wake and reached Bougainville without incident at 10:00, completing the operation.

Aftermath.

At dawn on 8 February, the U.S. Army forces on both coasts resumed their advances, encountering only a few sick and dying Japanese soldiers. Patch now realized that the Tokyo Express runs over the last week were evacuation, not reinforcement missions. At 16:50 on 9 February, the two American forces met on the west coast at the village of Tenaro. Patch sent a message to Halsey stating, "Total and complete defeat of Japanese forces on Guadalcanal effected 16:25 today...the Tokyo Express no longer has a terminus on Guadalcanal."  The Japanese had successfully evacuated a total of 10,652 men from Guadalcanal, about all that remained of the 36,000 total troops sent to the island during the campaign. Six hundred of the evacuees succumbed to their injuries or illnesses before they could receive sufficient medical care. Three thousand more required lengthy hospitalization or recuperation. After receiving word of the completion of the operation, Yamamoto commended all the units involved and ordered Kondō to return to Truk with his warships. The 2nd and 38th Divisions were shipped to Rabaul and partially reconstituted with replacements. The 2nd Division was relocated to the Philippines in March 1943 while the 38th was assigned to defend Rabaul and New Ireland. The 8th Area Army and Southeast Area Fleet reoriented their forces to defend the central Solomons at Kolombangara and New Georgia and prepared to send the reinforcements, mainly consisting of the 51st Infantry Division, originally detailed for Guadalcanal to New Guinea. The 17th Army was rebuilt around the 6th Infantry Division and headquartered on Bougainville. A few Japanese stragglers remained on Guadalcanal, many of whom were killed or captured by Allied patrols. The last known Japanese holdout surrendered in October 1947.  In hindsight, historians have faulted the Americans, especially Patch and Halsey, for not taking advantage of their ground, aerial, and naval superiority to prevent the successful Japanese evacuation of most of their surviving forces from Guadalcanal. Said Chester Nimitz, commander of Allied forces in the Pacific, of the success of Operation Ke, "Until the last moment it appeared that the Japanese were attempting a major reinforcement effort. Only the skill in keeping their plans disguised and bold celerity in carrying them out enabled the Japanese to withdraw the remnants of the Guadalcanal garrison. Not until all organized forces had been evacuated on 8 February did we realize the purpose of their air and naval dispositions."  Nevertheless, the successful campaign to recapture Guadalcanal from the Japanese was an important strategic victory for the U.S. and its allies. Building on their success at Guadalcanal and elsewhere, the Allies continued their campaign against Japan, ultimately culminating in Japan's defeat and the end of World.

The Japanese decided to withdraw and concede Guadalcanal to Allied forces for several reasons. All attempts by the IJA to recapture Henderson Field, the airfield on Guadalcanal in use by Allied aircraft, had been repulsed with heavy losses. Japanese ground forces on the island had been reduced from 36,000 to 11,000 through starvation, disease, and battle casualties. IJN forces were also suffering heavy losses attempting to reinforce and resupply the ground forces on the island. These losses, plus the projected resources needed for further attempts to recapture Guadalcanal, were affecting strategic security and operations in other areas of the Japanese Empire. The decision to withdraw was endorsed by Emperor Hirohito on 31 December 1942.


History.

In its glory years, Donald was home to several memorable characters.  Other, less law-abiding but still colorful people called Donald home.

The Stolen Church and the Stolen Bell.

Despite the roguish nature of some these local characters, it would be one of Donald's leading citizens, Rufus Kimpton, who would commit its most notorious crime. When the CPR announced the move to Revelstoke in 1897, the company also offered to move free of charge any buildings to anywhere along its line. Rufus Kimpton, knowing that Donald would soon be a ghost town moved with his family to Windermere. His wife missed the church at Donald so much that Rufus went back and got it for her, moving it by wagon and barge to its new location in Windermere. However, the church had already been promised to the town of Revelstoke and when a group of Revelstokians arrived in Donald ready to move the church, they found that it had mysteriously disappeared. When they learned that the church had been taken to Windermere, they wrote letters demanding its return. Windermere didn't respond to the correspondence, and they too had been victims of a theft. While the church had been en route to Windermere, someone at Golden had stolen the bell out of it. Windermere had no better luck getting its bell back than Revelstoke had getting the church back.  Therefore, at Windermere, there was St. Peter's, the "Stolen Church" and at Golden, there was St. Paul's, the church of the "Stolen Bell". Resentment simmered between Windermere and Golden for more than half a century over the bell, until one night in 1957, a group from Windermere, sneaked into Golden and stole back the bell, even going so far as to hold a parade in honor of their achievement. However the church officials at Windermere didn't believe that two wrongs made a right and the bell was soon returned to Golden.

Donald, British Columbia is located on Highway 1, 28 kilometers west of Golden. In its heyday, Donald was a divisional point on the Canadian Pacific Railway. But, in 1897, when the CPR abandoned Donald in favor of Revelstoke, Donald disappeared into obscurity and is now a small sawmilling community.


Development.

To meet the new regulations brought in by the ACO for endurance racing, the AMR-One is powered by a downsized, 2.0 litre turbocharged straight six petrol engine, which features a blade-fin behind the cockpit. The AMR-One is built around a light carbon fibre monocoque chassis with open top bodywork, in contrast to the closed cockpits of the contemporary Peugeot 908 and Audi R18.  The Aston Martin has a very high belt-line, broad shapes and few surface breaks. The front of the car is designed to develop minimal downforce and to force as much air into the ducts. The air then moves through the car instead of over the top. There are numerous ducts inside the high bodywork, one for brake cooling, two through the side vents and one for rear gearbox cooling. One air scoop is in place to feed the turbocharger. Two side ducts on the rear of the car are for rear-brake cooling. The exhaust exits at the bottom of the vertical fin.

Racing History.

2011.

Six AMR-Ones were expected to be built, with Aston Martin Racing participating in several international endurance events in 2011, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans. At the 6 Hours of Castellet, the new AMR-One qualified 5 seconds behind the Pescarolo. In the race things took a downturn and the AMR-One finished way down the order. Further problems continued as they only completed a handful of laps at the Le Mans Test Day and were far slower than the top running LMP1 cars. The poor testing was followed by their withdrawal from the 1000 km Spa in order to continue private testing for Le Mans. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the #009 car retired after only two laps, whilst the #007 car spent four hours in the pit before officially retiring, having driven only four laps. Aston Martin decided to skip the Imola round in favour of developing the car, earning them 3 DNS in 4 races and no points. At the 1000 km of Silverstone, Aston Martin dropped the AMR-One and replaced them with their older but much faster Lola-Aston Martin B09/60.  Two of the AMR-One chassis were later sold to other programs. The DeltaWing project utilized an AMR-One chassis for the base of its radical design due to the team not needing to rehomologate a chassis which had already passed safety tests. A second AMR-One chassis was sold to Pescarolo Team for their use in developing the Pescarolo 03 LMP1 chassis.

Demise.

In January 2012 Aston Martin Racing announced they were ceasing development of the AMR-One and instead focusing once again on their GT program. Racing driver Darren Turner blamed the public development of the AMR-One as its undoing citing that most teams develop their new cars completely behind closed doors for at least a year before attempting to race with them.

The Aston Martin AMR-One was a Le Mans Prototype sports car built by Prodrive's Aston Martin Racing arm. Unlike their diesel competitors, Aston Martin had opted for an open-top LMP.


Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011

Before Eurovision.

RTBF has announced that the selection would kick off on 1 October via the internet. Original plans to launch the selection in May had been stopped by the EBU.  On 20 September 2010, RTBF and Akamusic launched a website, where music artists could upload their songs. All entries had to be written in English or French by Belgian songwriters. Until 31 December 2011, page visitors could give financial support in order to make the professional production of their respective favourite song possible. All songs that gathered at least €20,000 qualified for the second stage of the national selection, where the eventual winner would be chosen by a jury and a televote. All people who donated money to songs other than the winning one were reimbursed.  RTBF announced that the national final, 'Eurovision 2011: Qui? A vous de choisir!' (English: 'Eurovision 2011: Who? It's your choice!'), would take place in mid-February.

Semi-final.

The first phase of the Belgian selections finished on 31 December 2011. Almost 200 artists subscribed with a song on Akamusic. 3,181 producers together invested €697,015. 30 artists reached 100% of the necessary amount of €20,000 for qualification. 3 songs were disqualified before the semi-final: Lorenzo Caminotti's entry "Tant qu'il y aura des femmes" was disqualified on 13 December 2010 because his song was presented before 1 September 2010. Thooom's entry "United Belgium" was disqualified on 29 December 2010 because of the political lyrics and Paul Biss's entry "Manipulation" was disqualified on 31 December 2010.  Because the number of qualified artists passed all expectations, RTBF introduced an additional round in which the number of finalists were reduced to 14. The semi-final was held on Sunday afternoon 30 January 2011 and was aired by radio channel VivaCité and in live stream video on the internet site of RTBF. The 30 selected songs were judged by a professional jury, by the listeners and on the internet. In the end, 14 songs qualified for the Belgian national final on television.

Final.

The final was held on 12 February 2011 at the Palais des Congrès in Liège, hosted by Jean-Louis Lahaye and Maureen Louys. The winner was chosen by televoting (50%) and an "expert" jury (50%). The jury consisted of Sandra Kim (winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1986), Viktor Lazlo (host of the Eurovision Song Contest 1987), Jean-Pierre Hautier (Belgian Eurovision commentator) and Charles Gardier (artistic director of Francofolies de Spa).

At Eurovision.

Belgium competed in the first half of the second semi-final of the contest, on 12 May. Witloof Bay did not qualify for the final, placing in 11th with 53 points and missing out on qualification by a single point.

Belgium participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany, selecting their entry through an internet selection and a national final, organised by French speaking broadcaster RTBF (Radio télévision belge de la communauté française).


Background.

"Together Again" was written as a tribute from Jackson to a friend who had recently died from AIDS as well as AIDS victims and their families worldwide, as stated in the liner notes of "The Velvet Rope" (1997). Originally written as a ballad, the track was re-arranged as a dance and house song. Jackson was reportedly inspired to write the song from her own personal experience, as well as a piece of fan-mail she received from a young boy in England who had lost his father. According to Jimmy Jam, "it had a deep meaning for her because it was about a friend she lost to AIDS, but as with all her songs, she tries to make them apply in a general sense to anybody. The idea was to make it a joyous song musically". The arrangement of the song was constructed in 30 minutes by Jam, Lewis, and Jackson while in the recording studio. Once the melody was in place, Jackson finished writing the lyrics to the song. The song's sound was inspired by Donna Summer's song "Last Dance". Jackson told MTV News that her inspiration to write "Together Again" was "Runaway" by Nuyorican Soul, as the song reminded her of being in Studio 54 in New York when she was a child. "Runaway" gave Jackson a kind of New York feel of disco and she wanted to do something like this.

Composition.

"Together Again" was written and produced by Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with additional writing by Jackson's then-husband, René Elizondo, Jr. It is a dance and house track. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by EMI Music Publishing, the song is set in common time with a key of C major. Jackson's vocals range between A to D. The song has a moderate tempo of 123 beats per minute with the chord progression following the sequence of C–Em/B–Em(b)/B–A–Dm–G–Dm–G. The bass line in the chorus descends according to the key until reaching the supertonic, after which it goes back to the dominant note set up the resolution, the repetition of the chorus or the interlude, which begins on the submedian. At the end of the second bridge, the song modulates up a minor third into E-flat major. Three versions of the song were released; the original dance version, the "Deep Remix", an R&B and hip-hop version, and the "Deeper Remix", which is an R&B and soul remake. Lyrically, it was described as an ode from Jackson to a friend who had died from AIDS. Larry Flick from "Billboard" noted its "tear-stained lyrics". Ernest Hardy of "Rolling Stone" described it as "unsullied pop bliss", saying "The bass-heavy house track "Together Again" showcases a poignant lead vocal, giving off a '60s soul/girl group vibe",

Critical reception.

"Together Again" received positive reviews. BBC deemed it a "thumping great hit, an old-fashioned piece of professional dance music, played perfectly". Music critic Joey Guerra from "The Daily Cougar" stated, "Jackson pours her heart into "Together Again," which builds to an ecstatic house beat" which takes "a cue from the soaring melodies of '60s girl groups". He further commented that the song is "genuine happy-feeling. It sounds lame at first but pay attention to what she's singing; that vocal smile changes everything." "She even makes a bid for gay icon status", wrote Neil McCormick in a review of "The Velvet Rope" for "The Daily Telegraph", "delivering a diva-ish performance reminiscent of Diana Ross on 'Together Again'."  "Together Again" was also compared to other singers' works. Jon Pareles from "The New York Times" described "Together Again" as "a creamy Diana Ross homage", noting that Jackson "deploys her small voice shrewdly" in it. "Billboard" magazine called "Together Again" "a gorgeous disco ode to loved ones lost to AIDS-related illnesses". Jackson "has clearly been studying Donna Summer records, delivering a wonderfully nuanced performance that takes firm command of the track's vibrant house beat without sacrificing an ounce of emotion". Danyel Smith, while interviewing Jackson for "Vibe" in November 1997, elaborated that the song was a big, perfect ode to Donna Summer, and likened it to her songs "MacArthur Park" and "Last Dance". In 1999, 'Together Again" won the award for "Most Played Song" at the BMI Pop Awards.

Chart performance.

"Together Again" debuted at number nine on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart on the issue dated December 20, 1997, before becoming Jackson's eighth number-one single on January 31, 1998, spending two weeks at number one, and a total of forty-six weeks on the chart.<ref

"Together Again" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her sixth album "The Velvet Rope" (1997). It was written and produced by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with additional writing by Jackson's then-husband René Elizondo, Jr. It was released as the second single from the album in 1997 by Virgin Records. Originally written as a ballad, the track was rearranged as an uptempo dance song. Jackson was inspired to write the song by her own private discovery of losing a friend to AIDS, as well as by a piece of fan mail she received from a young boy in England who had lost his father.


History.

Background.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the area where the Palace is currently located, was part of a Jesuit farm in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. With the expulsion of the Order in 1759, the property was dismembered and passed into private ownership. In the early 19th century, the area known as "Quinta da Boa Vista" (Good View Estate), because could be seen from there the Tijuca Forest, the Corcovado Hill and the Cajú Beach, belonged to the Portuguese-Lebanese slave merchant, "Elie Antun Lubbus", ("Elias Antônio Lopes" in Portuguese language), who had erected, around 1803, a manor house on top of a hill, from which one had a good view of the Guanabara Bay – which gave rise to the current name of region. When the Portuguese court was transferred to Brazil, in 1808, Elias António Lopes donated his farm to the Prince Regent John VI. John VI appreciated the gift and stayed for long periods in the manor house. Before belonging to the monarchy, the residence had nothing special. It was just one of many colonial-style mansions scattered throughout the country. With the arrival of John VI to Brazil, who had left Lisbon fleeing Napoleon in 1808, countless houses in Rio were expropriated to house the Portuguese of the royal entourage. Before his Quinta da Boa Vista was confiscated, the merchant Elias Antônio Lopes hastened to donate it to the king. In thanks for his mime, João VI granted Lopes titles of nobility and a fat indemnity. The mansion underwent countless renovations over the decades. An imposing masonry and cast iron gate was set there. It was built a side tower in Moorish style. There was a semicircular staircase to enter the residence on the second floor. Later, another tower rose, at the opposite end, in neoclassical style. The ladder was destroyed, and the entrance turned to the first floor. The third floor was built. The Moorish tower was rebuilt, which became also neoclassical. The purpose of the changes was to leave the Palace of São Cristóvão to the height of the power of the Brazilian Empire. In 1847, Parliament approved a government bill that would allocate 240 contos de reis to the completion of the reforms. The works seemed to have no end. For Senator "Clemente Pereira (PA)", Pedro II had to leave Sao Cristóvão, Pereira's proposal was approved, but the government did not even design a new imperial palace.

Royal residence.

Prince Regent John and his family had been living in the Paço Imperial since their arrival in Rio de Janeiro in 1808. The prince regent felt very honored by Elias's gift of the best house in Rio and rewarded Elias with another property, not quite as grand. He began transforming the manor into a royal residence. At the time, the area of the farm was still surrounded by mangroves and communication by land with the city was difficult. Later, the wetlands were drained and the roads improved.  To better accommodate the royal family, the manor house, though vast and comfortable, needed to be adapted. The most important renovation was begun at the time of the nuptials of Prince Pedro with the Archduchess Maria Leopoldina of Austria, in 1819, and finished 1821. The renovation was directed by English architect John Johnston. In front of the palace, Johnston installed a decorative portico, a gift sent from England to Brazil by Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland. The gate, inspired by Robert Adams' porch for the "Sion House", the nobleman's residence in England, is shaped in a kind of terracotta called "Coade stone" manufactured by the English company Coade & Sealy.  The architectural line of the palace is similar to that of the Ajuda Palace which, left behind in Lisbon, was never finished. The Palace of São Cristóvão won deserved prominence as the new state palace of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves and, subsequently, of the Portuguese Empire.

Imperial residence.

After the declaration of Independence of Brazil in 1822, the palace became the residence of Emperor Pedro I. The remodelling and expansion of the palace continued under Portuguese architect Manuel da Costa (1822–1826), followed by French architect Pedro José Pezerát (1826–1831), credited as the author of the definitive Neoclassical project of the building. He added a new tower to the left of the main façade and added a third floor to the palace. The works were continued after 1847 by Brazilian artist Manuel de Araújo Porto-alegre, who harmonised the style of the façades, followed by the German Theodore Marx (1857–1868). Italian painter Mario Bragaldi decorated many of the rooms of the palace, including the Throne Room and the Ambassadors' Room, with paintings in "trompe-l'œil".  After the marriage of Pedro I and Archduchess Maria Leopoldina of Austria in 1817, the Imperial couple resided in the palace. The future Queen of Portugal, Maria II, and the future Emperor of Brazil Pedro II were born here. Empress Maria Leopoldina died in the palace in 1826. Pedro II, future Emperor, grew up and was educated in the palace, and in 1869 ordered the remodelling of the gardens. French garden designer Auguste François Marie Glaziou was put in charge of the project, which included artificial lakes, bridges, caves and fake ancient temples, all following the Romantic trend of the time. Pedro II's children were also born in the palace, including Princess Isabel, famous for having abolished slavery from Brazil in 1888. After the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889, the Imperial family left the country and the palace and its surrounding gardens became empty.

Republican period.

In 1891, the building was used by Brazilian politicians writing the first Republican Constitution of the country.  In 1892, the director of the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro managed to transfer the institution from the Campo de Santana to the palace. The inner decoration of the palace was dispersed, but part of it can still be found in other museums, like the Imperial Museum of Petrópolis, in which the Throne Room was reassembled.

National Museum.

Founded in 1818 by King John VI of Portugal, the National Museum was transferred to the old Imperial Palace of São Cristóvão in 1892. During its long history, its collections have been greatly expanded by acquisitions and donations, including by Emperor Pedro II, a great sponsor of the sciences. The collections included Astronomy (mostly meteorites), Palaeontology, Natural history, Ethnology (including many interesting works by Brazilian indigenous peoples) and Archaeology (mostly antiquities from ancient Egypt).  Much of the art collection displayed by the Museum still consisted of what was gathered by the Emperor Pedro II himself. In this manner, it reflects 19th-century views of Anthropology, Archeology and sciences in general.  Visitors could also see a few rooms of the ancient Palace with its original painted and stucco decoration, like the Throne Room, the Ambassadors' Room and the room of Empress Teresa Cristina. These rooms still displayed a couple original pieces but were overall empty.  On 2 September 2018, the palace was devastated by an extensive fire. The damage to heritage assets have been reported to be "incalculable". One of the few known surviving major artifacts is the Bendegó meteorite. After the fire, a metallic roof covering 5,000 m2 upper the debris was built.

Investigations.

The fire that destroyed the National Museum began in the air-conditioning equipment of auditorium on the ground floor. One of the three devices did not have external grounding, there was no individual circuit breaker for each of them and a wire was without insulation in contact with metal.

Paço de São Cristóvão (; ; also known as Palácio Imperial or Palácio Imperial de São Cristóvão) was an imperial palace located in the Quinta da Boa Vista park in the Imperial Neighbourhood of São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It served as residence to the Portuguese Royal Family and later to the Brazilian Imperial Family until 1889, when the country became a republic through a coup d'état deposing Emperor Pedro II. The palace briefly served as a public building by the provisional government for the constituent assembly of the first republican constitution. It housed the major part (92.5%) of the collections of the National Museum of Brazil, which, together with the building, were largely destroyed by a fire on 2 September 2018.


Taxonomy.

Joseph Dalton Hooker described the tanglefoot beech.  Common names include tanglefoot- or deciduous beech, or fagus, which can also refer to the entire Beech family.  The species was renamed as "Fuscospora gunnii" by New Zealand scientists. The change in name is controversial, and it is not necessary to accept this change.

Description.

"Nothofagus gunnii" is a small tree which may grow up to 3 metres tall (growth habit is heavily dependent on the exposure of the site) and has a thick shrubby appearance due to substantial branching. The alternating leaves are simple and ovate with toothed margins and attached by short petioles. Leaf lamina is generally <20mm in length and is distinctly 'crinkled'. It is most easily visually separated from the other Tasmanian species from the same genus, "Nothofagus cunninghamii", by the crinkled appearance of the leaf lamina. During Autumn and Winter months, the leaves undergo colour change as any other deciduous species does. The leaves of this deciduous species have an average lifespan of around 5 months. The leaves are simple and alternate, growing 1 cm long. The leaf color is bright green, turning yellow, then brilliant red, in autumn. They are almost circular in shape with deep veins which end in the gaps between the rounded teeth on the leaf. The plant has separate male and female flowers on the tree. Both male and female flowers are small and inconspicuous. The fruit is small (about 6 mm wide) and woody, and contains three small winged nuts. In most years seed production is poor, but once in a while a'mast' crop occurs with high germination. The seeds have a very short viability.  Tanglefoot forests cannot survive fire, and must re-establish from neighbouring areas. They are very sensitive to changed conditions due to their slow growth. Under 100 km2 of forest remain.  It is the only native deciduous tree in Tasmania, and the only cold climate winter-deciduous tree in Australia.

Distribution.

"Nothofagus gunnii" is endemic to Tasmania and restricted to high altitude and relatively high rainfall areas with no recent fire activity. It was discovered at the summit of Mt Olympus in central Tasmania and is known to live also at several locations within the Mt Field national park and on Cradle mountain. It is considered a paleoendemic species to Tasmania as macrofossils have been discovered within Oligocene sediments both in Tasmania and Antarctica.

Cultivation.

"Nothofagus gunnii" required around 1,800 mm of rain spread throughout the year to be cultivated, cool temperatures not below -10 °C and also requires full sun. It grows in deep peaty soils. It is best grown from fresh seed collected in a'mast' year, germinating in a few weeks. It is believed that a beneficial mycorrhyzal fungus is required for the long term success of the plant. Cuttings can be struck, taken in late winter before bud burst.  "Nothofagus gunnii" is rarely seen in cultivation due to its poor performance and slow growth. It is believed to be a candidate plant for bonsai.

Ecology and reproduction.

"Nothofagus gunnii" exists only in alpine and sub-alpine environments on mountains within Tasmania. The species is generally limited to heights above due to the temperature and relatively short snow lie duration within the Tasmanian oceanic climate. It may live as a dominant low shrubby tree on open, generally sloping, rocky ground. "F. gunnii" habitation is severely limited by fire regimes as it is extremely fire sensitive and will not survive burning. Local extinctions of the species have been attributed to fire in the Denison Range. Despite the limited range of "Nothofagus gunnii", the species is not listed as endangered.  Although very few data are recorded about reproductive methods of "F. gunnii", it may be assumed that seeds are wind dispersed and that the species are mast seeders as is displayed in similar species such as "Nothofagus cunninghamii".

Nothofagus gunnii, the tanglefoot- or deciduous beech, or fagus, is a deciduous shrub endemic to the highlands of Tasmania, Australia. It was discovered in 1847 by R.C Gunn and evidence exists that it once lived in Antarctica. "N. gunnii" is a small woody tree with a shrubby appearance known to grow up to. It lives only on mountains due to temperature limitations within the Tasmanian maritime climate and can survive up to heights of. It grows in alpine and sub-alpine regions in the west to central portions of the state but is absent from the mountains of the northeast. Though capable of reaching the size of a small tree, it rarely exceeds in height, instead growing as a thick shrub or as a woody ground cover hence its common name of "tanglefoot".


History.

Yoshiki Hayashi founded Extasy Records in Japan in 1986, using money he received from his mother when she sold her business. His band X Japan (then still named X) released their second single, "Orgasm", as the label's first release. In 1988, their debut album "Vanishing Vision" came out and was a huge success for an independent band. Over the next couple of years Extasy signed many bands that would go on to have varying degrees of success and produced their early records, including, Tokyo Yankees and Ladies Room.  In February 1991, Yoshiki's X Japan bandmate hide saw a band called Lunacy perform, and introduced him to them. Yoshiki signed them to Extasy, they changed their name to Luna Sea and took part in the label's Nuclear Fusion Tour in March with Gilles de Rais and Sighs of Love Potion. On the tour, a 3-track sample CD including a song from each band was released. The following year Luna Sea's self-titled debut album was released and they held a successful 45-date tour, enabling them to sign with major label MCA Victor in May 1992.  hide gave one of Glay's demo tapes to Yoshiki, who then brought an entourage to watch their October 1993 show, where he offered the band a contract to Extasy Records. Their debut album, "Hai to Diamond", was released on May 25, 1994.  To promote their bands, the label organized concerts called Extasy Summits, which besides current contracted bands, also included former acts who had left for major record labels. The first was held at Osaka Bourbon House in September 1988, with several more held, including one at Shibuya Public Hall in September 1989. Footage from two of the concerts was recorded and released on VHS (the second also on Laserdisc); recorded at the Nippon Budokan in October 1991 and recorded at Osaka-jō Hall in October 1992. The October 1992 Summit was actually X Japan's first public performance with their new bassist Heath.  The compilation album "Lighting & Thunder" was released in October 1998. On June 21, 2000, the compilation album "History of Extasy 15th Anniversary" was released. It includes 19 songs released by 14 different bands while on the label in celebration of its 15th anniversary. The album reached number 14 on the Oricon music chart.  In 2000, Yoshiki signed a deal with Warner Music Group to distribute the record labels Extasy Japan and Extasy Records International. Records on Extasy Japan were distributed in Japan by Warner Music Japan and records on Extasy Records International were distributed in America by Warner Bros. Records, marking the first time the two companies worked together in this way. The first release on Extasy Japan was the July 2000 single "Pearl" by singer Shiro, while the first release on Extasy Records International was by singer Aja in 2001.  In September 2007, Yoshiki announced that the soundtrack for the American movie "Catacombs" would be released on Extasy Records International. The soundtrack includes songs by Violet UK and Zilch.  Yoshiki has referred to the first day, October 14, 2016, of the three-day Visual Japan Summit at Makuhari Messe as "Extasy Summit" as it saw X Japan, Luna Sea and Glay perform.

Artists.

All artists were at one point on the label.

Extasy Recording Studios.

Extasy Recording Studios was a recording studio complex owned by Yoshiki Hayashi at 5253 Lankershim Blvd in North Hollywood, California, United States. Formerly known as One on One Recording Studios, Yoshiki bought it, from the previous owner Jim David, in 1992 and renamed the studio, after his record label, in 1999. Discussing the purchase in 2010, Yoshiki explained that in Los Angeles people told him that One on One had the "best drum-sounding room" and so he attempted to book recording time there. However, Metallica had it booked for "almost a year straight" for their self-titled album with numerous bands scheduled after that, and he was told sarcastically that the only way to get in was to buy it, so he did.  Previously, well-known albums were recorded there, including "...And Justice for All" and "Metallica" (better known as "The Black Album") by Metallica, "When the Pawn..." by Fiona Apple, "Crazy Nights" and "Psycho Circus" by Kiss, and "Dirt" by Alice in Chains.  Since Yoshiki purchased the facility in 1992, X Japan and Yoshiki's related projects were the main recordings. Extasy Recording Studios was taken over by 17 Hertz, LLC in 2012 and is now known as 17 Hertz Studio.  Yoshiki also bought Brooklyn Recording Studios, which housed the Los Angeles offices of Maverick Records, in April 1998 from owners Madonna and Freddy DeMann. He renamed it One on One South, before using it as the headquarters of Extasy Records International.

Extasy Records is a Japanese record label founded in April 1986 by Yoshiki Hayashi, co-founder of the heavy metal band X Japan. The label's first release was X's 1986 single "Orgasm".


Biography.

His musical training began at a very early age under tutelage from his mother (a piano teacher) and father (an amateur baritone vocalist). Glise's musical studies continued from that time and he ultimately matriculated from New England Conservatory of Music (Boston, US, 1983) with a Master of Music in Classical Guitar Performance.  While in Boston, he pursued studies in classical guitar, composition, musicology, early music performance practice and historical dance, under Robert Paul Sullivan, Benjamin Zander and Daniel Pinkham. During this time (1980–83) Glise was also a lutenist and dancer for the Boston historical dance troupe "Terpsichore".  While finishing his degree at New England Conservatory, he simultaneously studied business management and administration at Harvard University (Cambridge, US) and shortly thereafter briefly studied medicine, earning a license as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician).  Following studies in Boston, Glise moved to Vienna, Austria (1983) to study music at the Konservatorium der Stadt Wien (classical guitar performance) and simultaneously at the University of Vienna where he earned a diploma in German Language.  Glise's other diplomas and awards during this period include matriculation from Lille Catholic University (Lille, France, in French Language and Civilization), ARCUM (Rome, Italy, in 19th-Century Musical Performance Practice) and additional awards from the IX Nemzetkozi Gitarfesztival (Esztergom, Hungary, for musical composition), Ville Sable-sur-Sarthe (France, for musical composition), et al.  After his studies in Vienna, Glise took a teaching post in Nenzing, (in the western Austrian state of Vorarlberg while living in Bludenz), followed by posts and professional activities in Northern France (Lille), in Italy at the "Academy for the Study of 19th-Century Music" (Vigevano) and Southern Germany (Schwäbisch Gmünd).  From 1989-90, Glise was script writer and host of the first internationally syndicated guitar radio program "Glise on Guitar" which featured music and personal interviews with some of the world's leading musical figures including Pepe Romero, Sharon Isbin, Christopher Parkening, Paul O'Dette, Sir Neville Marriner, et al. Satellite distribution of that program included the US via PRI (Public Radio International) and Europe, South America and the Far East via AFN (Armed Forces Network).  In 1991 Glise became the only American-born guitarist to win First Prize at the International Toscanini Competition (Italy), with an unprecedented unanimous vote from the competition jury. That competition was held in the town of Stresa on Lake Maggiore, and the ceremonial award concert was performed on the island, Isole dei Pescatori. More recently, Glise founded and currently directs various music festivals, including the "St. Joseph International Guitar Festival and Competition" (US), "Six Strings and the Spirit" (Chartres, France), sponsored by the Catholic order, Communauté du Chemin Neuf, et al.  He has recorded for a number of international labels including Young Recording Artists, Dorian Recordings (US), CEH (Hungary) and most notably for the French label, Eclipse (a subdivision of The Aevia Group, Ltd.) which Glise took over as acting CEO in the early 1990s.  In addition to over a dozen CDs, DVDs and over 30 original published compositions, Glise has published many historical and Urtext musical editions for Willis Music Company (Cincinnati, US), under the series, "The Anthony Glise Critical Editions," and a number of books and editions for Mel Bay Publications (Pacific, US), under the series titled "The Anthony Glise Urtext Editions".  Glise lectures at Missouri Western State University in his home town of St. Joseph, Missouri (US) where he teaches guitar, Renaissance lute, guitar pedagogy, guitar history, guitar ensemble, career development and is a fencing coach (foil) for the university fencing team. Since 1995 he has lived predominantly in the small French Flanders village of Sainghin-en-Melantois on the outskirts of the city of Lille.

Anthony Glise (born January 17, 1956 in St. Joseph, Missouri) is a guitarist, composer and author. He is the only American guitarist who has won first prize in the International Toscanini Competition held in Italy. He is also the only guitarist to be chosen as "Individual Artist of the Year" by the Missouri State Arts Council.


Club career.

Mansfield Town.

Born in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, Baptiste came up through the youth team at Mansfield Town. He was originally a central midfielder before gradually dropping back into defence and made his first-team debut aged 17 against Barnsley in April 2003.  On 12 December 2003 he joined newly promoted Conference National side Tamworth on a one-month loan deal, making four league appearances, before returning to Mansfield on 12 January 2004. On 7 February he was sent out again on loan for a month, this time to Burton Albion, for whom he made three appearances.  Baptiste established himself as first-choice central defender for Mansfield Town towards the end of the 2003–04 season. He was ever-present during the 2006–07 season, and by the end of the campaign had made over 150 appearances for Mansfield. Baptiste signed a new three-year contract despite interest from Crewe Alexandra in the summer of 2007. However, he missed three months of the 2007–08 season with a back injury. After Mansfield Town were relegated to the Conference National at the end of the 2007–08 season, he requested a transfer, which was granted. He made a total of 198 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring six goals.

Blackpool.

On 1 July 2008, Baptiste agreed a deal to join Championship club Blackpool. Speaking about the move, he described it as a "great opportunity and challenge". He started the season as a regular in "the Seasiders" reserve team, and for the first few months of the season he was not named in the first-team squad. He made his first-team debut on 22 November 2008 against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux at right-back. He scored his first goal for "the Seasiders" in a 1–1 draw with Ipswich Town at Portman Road on 14 February 2009. Three days later he was named in the Football League's "Championship Team of the Week".  Baptiste cemented his place in the starting line up in the latter stages of the 2008–09 season, playing either centre back or right back. On 20 January 2010, after 27 appearances and two goals in the 2009–10 season, Baptiste signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract until June 2013. He said of the new contract: ""I am very pleased. I had a good chat with the gaffer and Thommo and the direction of the club is upwards and I want to be a part of it."" Blackpool manager Ian Holloway expressed his belief that Baptiste can play in the Premier League: ""Baps has played at left-back, right-back and centre-back and he has been different class. I believe he can play in the Premiership and I have told him that. I am working on the areas that he needs working on, but as a defender I don't think I have had a better one and I am delighted he has signed.""  On 14 August 2010 he scored as Blackpool marked their Premier League debut on the opening day of the 2010–11 season with a 4–0 win over Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium. Baptiste scored the final goal of the game. He was subsequently named in the Premier League "Team of the Week", alongside teammate Marlon Harewood.  Baptiste played in the Championship play-off final against West Ham United in May 2012, which was won by West Ham 2–1. After the match Baptiste was vocal in his criticism of West Ham's style of football saying "They just hoof it, and hope for the best".

Bolton Wanderers.

In May 2013, Baptiste signed a three-year deal with fellow Championship side Bolton Wanderers on a free transfer that took effect once his Blackpool contract expired on 30 June 2013. He made his debut for Bolton in their 1–1 draw with Lancashire rivals Burnley on 3 August 2013, operating in the right-back position. He recorded his first goal for Wanderers in the same month by scoring a consolation in the 4–1 away defeat at Blackburn Rovers. His first goal at the Reebok Stadium was Bolton's opener in their 2–2 draw against Derby County in an end to end game which saw Wanderers claim a share of the spoils.  Baptiste joined Blackburn on loan. He scored his first goal against Nottingham Forest. He scored his second goal for the club against Sheffield Wednesday.

Middlesbrough.

On 6 July 2015, Baptiste joined Middlesbrough. On 11 July, Baptiste suffered a suspected double leg fracture, 20 minutes into a pre-season match against York City.  On 1 March 2016, Baptiste signed for Sheffield United on loan.  On 31 August 2016, Baptiste signed for Preston North End on a season-long loan. He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw with Birmingham City on 27 September 2016.

Queens Park Rangers.

On 7 August 2017, Baptiste joined Queens Park Rangers on a free transfer.  On 31 January 2019, Baptiste joined Luton Town on a loan deal until the end of the 2018–19 season.

Honours.

Club.

Blackpool

Alexander Aaron John Baptiste (born 31 January 1986) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for League One club Doncaster Rovers.


Economy and foreign aid.

Japan has extended foreign aid to Georgia for various economic and cultural development projects. The balance of trade between the two nations is heavily in favor of Japan, with Japan exporting automobiles and manufactured goods, and Georgia exporting food products and chemicals.

Military cooperation.

On February 2011 Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Nikoloz Vashakidze met with Director-General for International Affairs, Bureau of Defense Policy of the Japanese Defense Ministry Hiroshi Oe and discussed further prospects of military cooperation between Georgia and Japan during the meeting.

Japan's official statement on Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Japan supports Georgia's territorial claims over Abkhazia and South Ossetia. On August 27, 2008, Masahiko Koumura Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan issued the official statement entirely supporting Georgia's territorial integrity, which was followed by the formal recognition of the proclaimed republics by Russia on the previous day.  According to the October 2014 Joint Statement between Japan and Georgia on "Solidarity for Peace and Democracy": "Both sides shared the view that peaceful resolution to the conflict in Georgia's occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia in line with the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders are essential for the peace and stability of the country and the entire South Caucasus region". Japan's position on "Georgia's occupied regions of Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia and Abkhazia" was reaffirmed in the 1 March 2017 statement by the Embassy of Japan in Georgia.

High level visits.

Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze made an official visit to Japan in March 1999 and President Mikheil Saakashvili visited Japan in March 2007. In October 2014, Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili made a working visit to Tokyo, where Prime Minister Shinzo Abe mentioned to Margvelashvili that Georgia shared the same fundamental values with Japan and both leaders issued Joint Statement fully supporting the territorial integrity of Georgia, strengthening of economic relations between both countries, and other overall development objectives.

Georgian-Japanese relations were established on August 3, 1992, just over one year since Georgia became independent from the Soviet Union. Since November 2006, Georgia has maintained an embassy in Tokyo. Japan has an embassy in Tbilisi.


History.

The Budos Band originated at a jam session hosted by the New York band Antibalas. Some of the participants decided to form the new band, which has consisted of an occasionally floating lineup featuring David Guy and Andrew Greene (trumpets), Cochemea Gastelum (tenor sax), Jared Tankel (baritone sax), Dame Rodriguez and Vincent Balestrino (percussion), Thomas Brenneck (guitar), Robert Lombardo (congas), Mike Deller (organ), Daniel Foder (bass), and Brian Profilio and John Carbonella Jr. (drums). Their self-titled debut album was released in 2005 and featured guest appearances by Bosco Mann and Neal Sugarman.  "The Budos Band II" and "The Budos Band III" were released in 2007 and 2010, respectively. During this period the band members, in various permutations, backed several other acts associated with the Daptone label, including an acclaimed appearance on "Changes" by Charles Bradley. The fourth Budos Band album, "Burnt Offering", was released in 2014 and was noted for incorporating elements from hard rock and heavy metal. The band was saddened by the deaths of labelmates Sharon Jones in 2016 and Charles Bradley in 2018, with some members moving to other states and starting families.  The members reconvened in 2019 to write and record their fifth album, "Budos Band V". The album was further noted by critics for its diverse influences, being described by "Kerrang!" as "cinematic yet menacing, the soundtrack to a bad drug trip in the desert in a blaxploitation flick." The album also received positive reviews from "Rolling Stone" and "New Noise". The latter described the Budos Band as "one the best bands out there today. They bring a familiar vibe while standing defiantly unique."

The Budos Band is an American instrumental band from Staten Island, New York, formed in 2005. AllMusic describes the group as a "doom rock Afro-soul big band with a '70s touch" that joins "musical universes from trippy psychedelia and Afro-funk to '70s hard rock and late-'60s soul." They have described themselves as "70's Psychedelic Instrumental Music," and "Afro-soul inspired by Ethiopian music with a soul undercurrent" and "sprinkled a little bit of sweet 60's stuff on top." Their more recent albums have incorporated sounds from 1970s jazz, funk, Afro-Beat, underground rock, and proto-metal. They have been signed to Daptone Records throughout their career.


Segment test detector.

FAST corner detector uses a circle of 16 pixels (a Bresenham circle of radius 3) to classify whether a candidate point p is actually a corner. Each pixel in the circle is labeled from integer number 1 to 16 clockwise. If a set of N contiguous pixels in the circle are all brighter than the intensity of candidate pixel p (denoted by I) plus a threshold value t or all darker than the intensity of candidate pixel p minus threshold value t, then p is classified as corner. The conditions can be written as:  So when either of the two conditions is met, candidate p can be classified as a corner. There is a tradeoff of choosing N, the number of contiguous pixels and the threshold value t. On one hand the number of detected corner points should not be too many, on the other hand, the high performance should not be achieved by sacrificing computational efficiency. Without the improvement of machine learning, N is usually chosen as 12. A high-speed test method could be applied to exclude non-corner points.

High-speed test.

The high-speed test for rejecting non-corner points is operated by examining 4 example pixels, namely pixel 1, 9, 5 and 13. Because there should be at least 12 contiguous pixels that are whether all brighter or darker than the candidate corner, so there should be at least 3 pixels out of these 4 example pixels that are all brighter or darker than the candidate corner. Firstly pixels 1 and 9 are examined, if both I and I are within [I - t, I + t], then candidate p is not a corner. Otherwise pixels 5 and 13 are further examined to check whether three of them are brighter than I + t or darker than I - t. If there exists 3 of them that are either brighter or darker, the rest pixels are then examined for final conclusion. And according to the inventor in his first paper, on average 3.8 pixels are needed to check for candidate corner pixel. Compared with 8.5 pixels for each candidate corner, 3.8 is really a great reduction which could highly improve the performance.  However, there are several weaknesses for this test method:

Improvement with machine learning.

In order to address the first two weakness points of high-speed test, a machine learning approach is introduced to help improve the detecting algorithm. This machine learning approach operates in two stages. Firstly, corner detection with a given N is processed on a set of training images which are preferable from the target application domain. Corners are detected through the simplest implementation which literally extracts a ring of 16 pixels and compares the intensity values with an appropriate threshold.  For candidate p, each location on the circle x ∈ {1, 2, 3,..., 16} can be denoted by p→x. The state of each pixel, S must be in one of the following three states:  Then choosing an x (same for all p) partitions P (the set of all pixels of all training images) into 3 different subsets, P, P, P where:  Secondly, a decision tree algorithm, the ID3 algorithm is applied to the 16 locations in order to achieve the maximum information gain. Let K be a boolean variable which indicates whether p is a corner, then the entropy of K is used to measure the information of p being a corner. For a set of pixels Q, the total entropy of K (not normalized) is:  The information gain can then be represented as:  A recursive process is applied to each subsets in order to select each x that could maximize the information gain. For example, at first an x is selected to partition P into P, P, P with the most information; then for each subset P, P, P, another y is selected to yield the most information gain (notice that the y could be the same as x ). This recursive process ends when the entropy is zero so that either all pixels in that subset are corners or non-corners.  This generated decision tree can then be converted into programming code, such as C and C++, which is just a bunch of nested if-else statements. For optimization purpose, profile-guided optimization is used to compile the code. The complied code is used as corner detector later for other images.  Notice that the corners detected using this decision tree algorithm should be slightly different from the results using segment test detector. This is because that decision tree model depends on the training data, which could not cover all possible corners.

Non-maximum suppression.

"Since the segment test does not compute a corner response function, non-maximum suppression can not be applied directly to the resulting features." However, if N is fixed, for each pixel p the corner strength is defined as the maximum value of t that makes p a corner. Two approaches therefore could be used:

FAST-ER: Enhanced repeatability.

FAST-ER detector is an improvement of the FAST detector using a metaheuristic algorithm, in this case simulated annealing. So that after the optimization, the structure of the decision tree would be optimized and suitable for points with high repeatability. However, since simulated annealing is a metaheurisic algorithm, each time the algorithm would generate a different optimized decision tree. So it is better to take efficiently large amount of iterations to find a solution that is close to the real optimal. According to Rosten, it takes about 200 hours on a Pentium 4 at 3 GHz which is 100 repeats of 100,000 iterations to optimize the FAST detector.

Comparison with other detectors.

In Rosten's research, FAST and FAST-ER detector are evaluated on several different datasets and compared with the DoG, Harris, Harris-Laplace, Shi-Tomasi, and SUSAN corner detectors.  The parameter settings for the detectors (other than FAST) are as follows:

Features from accelerated segment test (FAST) is a corner detection method, which could be used to extract feature points and later used to track and map objects in many computer vision tasks. The FAST corner detector was originally developed by Edward Rosten and Tom Drummond, and was published in 2006. The most promising advantage of the FAST corner detector is its computational efficiency. Referring to its name, it is indeed faster than many other well-known feature extraction methods, such as difference of Gaussians (DoG) used by the SIFT, SUSAN and Harris detectors. Moreover, when machine learning techniques are applied, superior performance in terms of computation time and resources can be realised. The FAST corner detector is very suitable for real-time video processing application because of this high-speed performance.


Design and development.

Designed as a competitor to the Cessna 310 and the Piper Apache, the Travel Air (developed as the Badger) took many design features from previous Beechcraft airplanes. It took its basic design from the Model 35 Bonanza, fitted with the vertical stabilizer from the T-34 Mentor, and two four-cylinder engines. Its wing spar was borrowed from the large Model 50 Twin Bonanza, along with thicker gauge aluminum on the leading edge; landing gear systems had been taken from the United States Navy Mentor, which was a stronger structure built for training pilots for later aircraft carrier landings. Power came from, in the 1958 model year, two Lycoming O-360-A1A at at 2700rpm each. With 75% power, the Travel Air was capable of 200mph at 7,500ft.  Although developed and initially marketed as the "Badger", a 1956 letter from the United States Air Force notified Beechcraft that the name had been previously chosen as a reporting name for the Soviet Tupolev Tu-16 bomber; therefore, Beechcraft elected to reuse the Travel Air name, which came from the predecessor company to Beechcraft, the Travel Air Manufacturing Company. Beechcraft set in initial pricing of the Travel Air at $49,500; $10,450 below Cessna's 310 price, yet still $13,510 higher than Piper's Apache pricing.

Variants.

During its ten-year model run, between 1958 and 1968, the Travel Air saw four distinct variants emerge. All use the ICAO aircraft type designator "BE95".

Model 95.

The initial model was built for the 1958 and 1959 model years; the 1959 model had a fifth 'jumpseat' added. A total production of the 95 for 1958 and 1959 were 173 and 128, respectively.

Model B95/B95A.

Changes in the B95 version included a cabin stretch to increase rear cabin area and the horizontal stabilizer and elevators were enlarged for better pitch control. A curved vertical stabilizer dorsal fairing is the most noticeable change. It also included a fifth seat, wider chord flaps, and an increased gross weight of 100 pounds. The 1961 Model B95A featured fuel injected Lycoming IO-360-B1A engines. A total 150 B95's were built in 1960, and 81 B95A's were built between 1961 and 1962 (serial numbers TD-453 through TD-533). The 1960 model was priced at $51,500 and the 1961–62 model was priced at $49,500.

Model D95A.

In 1963 the Travel Air featured a larger rear window that is common with the Model A55/B55 Barons. The nose cone was lengthened for improved baggage space. Interior features such as the instrument panel, and heaters were redesigned. A total of 174 D95's between 1963 and 1967.

Model E95.

The E95 featured a one piece,'speed-slope' windshield and a more pointed spinner design. The interior design was fully re-done. A total of 14 Model E95's were built in 1968; with pricing of $53,500. The production drop off was due to the more costly but faster and powerful Model 55 Baron (developed from the Model 95, and initially designated Model 95-55).

The Beechcraft Travel Air was a twin-engine development of the Beechcraft Bonanza. It was designed to fill the gap between the single engine Model 35 Bonanza and the much larger Model 50 Twin Bonanza, and ultimately served as the basis for its replacement, the Baron.