Franchise history.

1946–1953: Buffalo, Tri-Cities and Milwaukee.

The origins of the Atlanta Hawks can be traced to the Buffalo Bisons franchise, which was founded in 1946. The Bisons were a member of the National Basketball League, and played their games at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. The club was organized by the Erie County American Legion and was coached by Nat Hickey. Their first game – a 50–39 victory over the Syracuse Nationals – was played on November 8, 1946. On the team was William "Pop" Gates, who, along with William "Dolly" King, was one of the first two African-American players in the NBL. The team, which needed to draw 3,600 fans per game to break even, struggled to draw 1,000 fans per game to the Auditorium. The franchise lasted only 38 days in Buffalo when, on December 25, 1946, Leo Ferris, the team's general manager, announced that the team would be moving to Moline, Illinois, which at that time was part of an area

1954–1965: The Bob Pettit era.

In 1954, the Hawks drafted Bob Pettit, a future NBA MVP. Despite this, the Hawks were one of the league's worst teams, and in 1955 the Hawks moved, this time to St. Louis, Missouri, Milwaukee's rival in the beer industry, and became the St. Louis Hawks.  In 1956, the St. Louis Hawks drafted legendary Bill Russell in the first round (#2 pick). They immediately traded Russell to the Boston Celtics for Cliff Hagan and Ed Macauley, both Hall of Fame members.  In 1957, the Hawks finished four games under.500. However, the Western Division was extremely weak that year; no team in the division had a winning record. They won the division title and a bye to

1965–1975: Relocation to Atlanta.

Despite the success, Kerner became weary of the Hawks' longtime home, Kiel Auditorium. The 33-year-old arena seated only 10,000 and was starting to show its age. The Hawks occasionally played at the larger St. Louis Arena, mostly against popular opponents, but Kerner was not willing to move the team there full-time because it had not been well-maintained since the 1940s. Even though it was being heavily renovated to accommodate the arrival of the NHL's Blues in 1967, Kerner was still not willing to move to the St. Louis Arena. He wanted a new arena to increase revenue. However, Kerner was rebuffed by the city on several occasions. In early 1967, Kerner briefly put the Hawks up for sale. One of the bidders was a New Orleans group led by Morton Downey Jr., but the deal collapsed and Kerner temporarily took his team off the market.  Unable to resolve the arena situation, Kerner sold the Hawks to Atlanta real estate developer Tom Cousins and former

1982–1994: The Dominique Wilkins era.

In 1982, the franchise acquired superstar Dominique Wilkins and promoted Mike Fratello to head coach a year later. Due to sagging attendance, 12 home games during the 1984–85 season were played at the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. The New Orleans games were paid for by Barry Mendelson for $1.2 million with the Hawks going 6–6 in Louisiana. Dominique Wilkins won the Slam Dunk Contest in 1985 and 1990, engaging in an iconic rivalry with Michael Jordan. Spud Webb won the Slam Dunk Contest and Fratello won the Coach of the Year Award in 1986.  From 1985 to 1989, the Hawks were among the league's elite, winning 50 games or more each season. They won a division title in 1986–87 going 57–25 which was a franchise record that would last until the 2014–15 season. However, the team could not advance past the semifinals of the Eastern Conference playoffs, losing to

1994–2005: Average times.

At the beginning of the 1994–95 season, the Hawks traded forward Kevin Willis to the Miami Heat for Steve Smith and Grant Long. During the season, coach Wilkens broke the record (previously held by coach Red Auerbach) for most victories by an NBA head coach with victory number 939. They ended up fifth in the Central Division with a 42–40 record, they would be swept by the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. The Hawks finished the 1995–96 season with a 46–36 record, fourth in the Central Division. Midway through the season, they acquired Christian Laettner from the Minnesota Timberwolves; Laettner would get an All-Star appearance in 1997. They upset the third-seeded Pacers in the first round in five games, however lost in five games to the Orlando Magic in the semifinals.  Around this time, it was decided that the Omni should be replaced by a new arena. The Omni was designed with weathering steel that was intended to rust into a seal around the arena so it could last for decades. However, the designers and architects did not reckon on Atlanta's humid subtropical climate. As a result, it never stopped rusting, and looked somewhat dated despite being 25 years old. When Turner won an NHL franchise, the Atlanta Thrashers, one condition was that a new arena had to be in place before the new team took the ice for the first time, as The Omni was unusable even for temporary use. Eventually, it was decided that The Omni would be demolished and a new arena for the Hawks and the expansion NHL Thrashers would be built on the same area. Following the 1997 playoffs, the Hawks moved back to Georgia Tech's Alexander Memorial Coliseum, with the Georgia Dome used for larger-capacity games, until Philips Arena opened before the 1999–2000 season.  The Hawks had two 50+ win seasons in 1996–97 (56–26) and 1997–98 (50–32), with center Dikembe Mutombo winning defensive player of the year awards back to back. The Hawks defeated the Detroit Pistons in five games in the first round of the 1997 NBA playoffs, but lost in five games in the second round to the defending champs Chicago Bulls. Game 4, an 89–80 loss, would be the last game at The Omni. In 1997–98, forward Alan Henderson won Most Improved Player award. However, the Hawks

2005–2012: Joe Johnson era.

In the summer of 2005, the Hawks completed a sign and trade deal with the Phoenix Suns to acquire Joe Johnson in return for Boris Diaw and two future 1st round picks. They also signed Zaza Pachulia from the Milwaukee Bucks. These changes occurred after an apparent power struggle between the owners for nearly three weeks before the moves were made.  Despite their league-worst record the previous season, the Hawks only landed the number two pick in the 2005 NBA draft lottery (the first pick went to the Milwaukee Bucks). With the second pick, the Hawks selected Marvin Williams of North Carolina. In the 2006 draft, the Hawks selected former Duke star Shelden Williams with the fifth overall pick.

2012–2013: Roster turnover.

On June 25, 2012, the Hawks hired San Antonio Spurs Vice President of Basketball Operations Danny Ferry as President of Basketball Operations and General Manager. During the 2012 NBA draft, the Hawks chose guard John Jenkins with the 23rd pick and power forward Mike Scott with the 43rd pick. On July 2, 2012, the Hawks traded leading scorer and All-Star Joe Johnson to the Brooklyn Nets for Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow, DeShawn Stevenson, Jordan Williams and Johan Petro, as well as a 2013 first-round pick. That same day, the Hawks traded small forward Marvin Williams to the Utah Jazz for point guard Devin Harris.  On July 10, 2012, the Hawks signed guard Lou Williams.  On January 21, 2013, following Lou

2013–2017: Mike Budenholzer era.

On May 28, 2013, the Hawks hired San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Mike Budenholzer as the new head coach.  The Hawks entered the 2013 NBA draft with four draft picks. They drafted point guards Dennis Schröder (17th pick) and Shane Larkin (18th pick). They also chose point guard Raulzinho Neto with the 47th pick and small forward James Ennis with the 50th pick. However, the Hawks traded Larkin to the Dallas Mavericks for the draft rights of Mike Muscala and Lucas Nogueira (originally drafted by the Boston Celtics), as well as guard Jared Cunningham. They also traded Ennis's draft rights to the Miami Heat and Neto's to the Utah Jazz for a future second-round pick. The Hawks brought back Kyle Korver with a four-year, $24 million deal and signed power forward Paul Millsap to a two-year, $19 million deal.  On

2017–present: Departure of Mike Budenholzer and rebuilding.

The loss of Howard and Millsap proved insurmountable for the rebuilding Hawks as they finished with a 24–58 record in the 2017–18 season, last in the Eastern Conference, and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2006–07 season. On April 25, 2018, the Hawks and head coach Budenholzer

Season-by-season record.

"List of the last five seasons completed by the Hawks. For the full season-by-season

Logos and uniforms.

Throughout the club's history, the team has undergone several logo and uniform changes. On May 1, 2014, the club adopted a stylized version of the 'Pac-Man' logo that it used from 1972 to 1995. The 'Pac-Man' logo (placed in a roundel) would become the team's primary logo after the conclusion of the team's 2014–15 season. On June 24, 2015, the team

Rivalries.

Boston Celtics.

The Celtics–Hawks rivalry is a rivalry in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association that has lasted for over five decades, although the two teams have played each other since the 1949–50 season, when the then-Tri-Cities Blackhawks joined the NBA as part of the National Basketball League and the Basketball Association of America merger. However, the Blackhawks could not field a truly competitive team until

Orlando Magic.

The Hawks and the Orlando Magic have an intense rivalry, mostly stemming from playoff competitions and the rising stardom of Dwight Howard and Josh Smith, both from the 2004 NBA draft and who were both raised in

Players.

Retained draft rights.

The Hawks hold the draft rights to the following unsigned draft picks who have been playing outside the NBA. A drafted player, either an international draftee or a college draftee who is not signed by

Retired numbers.

Basketball Hall of Famers.

Franchise leaders.

Bold denotes still active with team.  "Italic" denotes still active

Awards and accomplishments.

Individual awards.

NBA MVP  NBA Defensive Player of the Year  NBA Rookie of the Year NBA Most Improved Player of the Year  NBA Sixth Man of the Year  NBA Coach

NBA All-Star Weekend.

NBA All-Star Game selections NBA

The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its home games at State Farm Arena.


Background.

Brian Transeau (BT) released his debut single, "Embracing the Future" in 1993 through MusicNow Records in the United States, where it failed to chart. However, Welsh DJ Sasha performed the song in the United Kingdom where it saw success, and he paid for Transeau to relocate to the country. Transeau brought an IBM Personal System/2 computer from the US, which the album was recorded on.

Composition.

In an interview with "Musik Magazine", Transeau spoke about the composition of the album. He cited that "Nocturnal Transmission" and "Quark" were inspired by nature, after he was taken hiking by British DJ Guy Oldhams in Cumbria, North England. On the topic of the album's composition, Transeau stated:  The album's fourth track, "Sasha's Voyage of "Ima"", is a DJ mix by Sasha, comprising the three former tracks in addition to mixes of "Embracing the Future", "Loving You More" and "Deeper Sunshine". Explaining the inclusion of the mix on the album, Transeau stated that "I wanted some tracks to stand out for themselves, but I also wanted Sasha to show how he interprets songs. He makes every individual record more than just the sum of its parts".  "Loving You More" was composed as a challenge for Transeau to create a vocal track; of which the vocals were provided by Vincent Covello. The final track, "Divinity", was composed after Transeau recorded himself overtone singing.

Release.

"Ima" was released on October 9, 1995 through Perfecto Records in the United Kingdom. In the United States, it was released in 1996 in a double disc format, featuring the single "Blue Skies", featuring Tori Amos, as well as its remix, "Blue Skies (The Delphinium Days Mix)". "Blue Skies" was previously featured in edited form on the soundtrack for the TV show "Party of Five". This version also includes several singles released prior to the album, as well as the B-sides to "Embracing the Sunshine" and "Nocturnal Transmission". A portion of "Nocturnal Transmission" is featured in the film "The Fast and the Furious", for which BT also composed the score.  The cover art is a photograph of "Christ of the Abyss", submerged bronze statue of Jesus Christ in the Mediterranean Sea.

Critical reception.

"Ima" received positive reviews from critics.

Track listing.

All songs written by Brian Transeau, except where noted.

Ima (; stylized as 今 ima; Japanese for "now") is the debut studio album by American electronic musician BT, released on October 9, 1995 through Perfecto Records. The album is considered a major stepping stone in trance music, popularizing a more progressive approach. The album includes the 1995 single "Embracing the Future", which reached number one on the UK Dance Chart, as well as "Loving You More" featuring Vincent Covello. Following its release, "Ima" appeared on the UK Albums Chart for four weeks, peaking at 45. In 1996, the album was released in the United States in a double disc format, with the US Dance number one single "Blue Skies" featuring Tori Amos.


Characteristics.

High fantasy is set in an alternative, fictional ("secondary") world, rather than the "real" or "primary" world. This secondary world is usually internally consistent, but its rules differ from those of the primary world. By contrast, low fantasy is characterized by being set in the primary or real world, or a rational and familiar fictional world with the inclusion of magical elements.  The romances of William Morris, such as "The Well at the World's End", set in an imaginary medieval world, are sometimes regarded as the first examples of high fantasy. The works of J. R. R. Tolkien—especially "The Lord of the Rings"—are regarded as archetypal works of high fantasy. Stephen R. Donaldson's "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" is another example of a high fantasy series.  Many high fantasy stories are told from the viewpoint of one main hero. Often, much of the plot revolves around their heritage or mysterious nature. In many novels the hero is an orphan or unusual sibling, often with an extraordinary talent for magic or combat. They begin the story young, if not as an actual child. In other works the hero is a completely developed individual with a unique character and spirit.  The hero often begins as a childlike figure, but matures rapidly, experiencing a considerable gain in fighting/problem-solving abilities along the way. The plot of the story often depicts the hero's fight against the evil forces as a "bildungsroman".  The progress of the story leads to the character's learning the nature of the unknown forces against them, that they constitute a force with great power and malevolence.

Themes.

Good versus evil is a common theme in high fantasy, and the character of evil is often an important theme in a work of high fantasy, as in "The Lord of the Rings". Indeed, the importance of the concepts of good and evil can be regarded as the distinguishing mark between high fantasy and sword and sorcery. In many works of high fantasy, this conflict marks a deep concern with moral issues; in other works, the conflict is a power struggle, with, for instance, wizards behaving irresponsibly whether they are "good" or "evil".  There is often some evil that must be defeated, sometimes, a mysterious Dark Lord, often obsessed with taking over the world and killing the main hero. The evil character is sometimes an evil wizard or sorcerer, or sometimes a kind of god or demon. The antagonist usually commands a large army or a group of highly feared servants, and the protagonists appear outmatched.

Game settings.

Role-playing games such as "Dungeons & Dragons" with campaign settings like "Greyhawk" by Gary Gygax, "Dragonlance" by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis and "Forgotten Realms" by Ed Greenwood are a common basis for many fantasy books and many other authors continue to contribute to the settings.

High fantasy or epic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy, defined either by the epic nature of its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes, or plot. The term "high fantasy" was coined by Lloyd Alexander in a 1971 essay, "High Fantasy and Heroic Romance" (originally given at the New England Round Table of Children's Librarians in October 1969).


Plot.

The whole story is set in Ruthenia. This region is forgotten, and people here are very poor and their only livelihood is the forests, where they say God lives and where there are a variety of enchanted places where even the wildlife won't approach. The novel writes two separate stories- the legend of Nikola and his real life - that blend together. The book is an allegory for legitimate justice and people's desire for freedom.  The plot of the book begins with the war, when the young Nikola Šuhaj and his German friend escape from a POW Camp and hide in the hut of a Russian woman. There, they concoct a potion that makes from them bulletproof. On the second day, however, they discover that the Russian woman was a witch, kill her, and flee. They then go their separate ways, never to be seen again. After the war, Nikola returned home to his native village of Koločava, where he lives with Eržika, his girlfriend. After the war Kolocava is in ruins, and the people begin rioting, looting the local notary and Jewish shops, hoping depose the mayor and will establish a new order. The next day the government sends an armed escort of soldiers who establish order. At this moment, however, Nikola becomes the feared robber of legend. The government attempts to catch and apprehend him. Once a price is put on his head, however, a friend of his betrays him and kills him with an ax in a meadow. The friend never receives the reward promised. Nikola is buried at the cemetery of Koločava without tombstones and without a coffin, but his legend lives on in the local forests.

Nikola Šuhaj loupežník is a Czech novel by Ivan Olbracht. It was first published in 1933. The story takes place in Carpathian Ruthenia, especially after, but including the duration of the World War One.


Statutory obligations.

Poczta Polska acts as a designated operator. i.e. operator who is responsible for providing public postal services, which for common good are provided in a uniform manner at affordable prices. The Post has the responsibility to provide, five days a week within the area of the entire country, services including clearance, sorting, transport and delivery of letters, including registered letters and declared-value letters, up to 2 kg; postal parcels, including the declared-value parcels, up to 10 kg (parcels sent from abroad may weigh up to 20 kg); and postal items for the visually impaired persons up to 7 kg. In addition, it must enable the sender, at his request, to receive the document confirming the receipt of the registered parcels.

History.

The basis for the postal organization was the trading postal service, which derived from the merchants' need to communicate on commercial matters. These merchants were from Germany, and later on also from Italy, therefore most active relationships were maintained with them. In the 14th and 15th centuries Cracow was communicating with German towns through messengers, who were remunerated by commercial confraternities. The best designed trading post of this type was owned by the Fugger family who at the end of the 15th century established their factories in Cracow. Initially they were used for the trade of copper. With time, though, they started to also deal with financing operations. The Fugger Post was primary used only for the maintenance of communications between these factories and the central office in Augsburg. In later years, its services were used by the king Sigismund I of Poland, the queen Bona Sforza and the vice-chancellor Piotr Tomicki.  The second serious trading postal service was the Seweryn Boner's post. Boner's banking house kept permanent agents who facilitated the forwarding of the correspondence of private persons. Seweryn Boner, in agreements with the Thurn und Taxis family post, tried to establish a regular postal service in Cracow, which was enabled on a small scale, however the enterprise was closed down after his death. The death of the Polish queen Bona Sforza in 1557 was the factor that influenced the emergence of the Polish Post, because King Sigismund II Augustus had to maintain permanent and regular correspondence with Italy in order to collect his inheritance. On the 18 October 1558 the monarch granted the right for the establishment and management of the post to the Italian Prospero Provana. The services of this post, which ran from Cracow to Venice, could also be used by private persons, despite the fact that the costs of its maintenance were borne by the crown. Provana, however, started a conflict with the Thurn und Taxis family, who controlled postal communications in Austria, Hungary and Italy. This resulted after four years in the withdrawal of the benefit granted to Provan.  On 11 July 1562 the king concluded a New agreement with Krzysztof Taxis, the executive director of the imperial post in Vienna, on the basis of which, he acquired all posts in Poland, establishing the institution under the name of Poczta Polska (Polish Post), i.e. Royal post. It was composed of the Italian post (Cracow-Vienna-Venice) and Lithuanian Post (Cracow-Warsaw-Vilnius). The postal messenger left Cracow each Sunday morning, arrived in Vienna on Wednesday and then left for Venice, where he arrived after seven days journey. The courier set off to Lithuania each week on Wednesday, in order to arrive in Vilnius after a week's journey. Therefore, the letter from Cracow to Venice took 10 days and from Cracow to Vilnius 7 days. The postal charge amounted to 3 grosz from 1 lot of weight of private parcel. The king's and court's parcels were free of charge, but the monarch paid yearly subsidy for the benefit of the post in the amount of 1500 thalers (1200 for the Italian post, 300 for the Lithuanian post). This amount was collected in instalments from the Cracow duty. The director, who received the total income from the post, in return had to take care of the maintenance and its supplies. Although the Polish post under the management of a new director created new extensive and proper international connection, the contract with Taxis was terminated after two years due to various intrigues.  Italian Piotr Maffon, a Cracow bourgeois, became a new postmaster, who on 9 January 1564 was granted a special right to run the postal service within a period of five years. Within this period a significant regress of this institution was indicated, among all, there was lack of permanent connection with Venice. Due to this fact, the contract with Maffon was terminated before the deadline and Sebastian Montelupi, who was one of the richest Cracow bourgeois, applied for the position of the postmaster. He was granted a relevant privilege on 18 November 1568, however, he took up a position of the postmaster only under the extended privilege of 22 June 1569. As of the date of taking up the post, referred to as “royal post”, by Sebastian Montelupi, its initial development phase finished. Montelupi's Royal Post was responsible for delivering the parcels to the king once a week, when the ruler was residing in any location within the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, or once every three weeks when he was residing in Lithuania. The route to Venice was operated every 15 days and to Vilnius every 17 days. For his services Montelupi received 1300 thalers yearly and used the payments for private consignments. Furthermore, the royal carriages were also at his disposal. The Montelupi Kamienica located in Cracow at Rynek Główny no. 7 was the principal office of the post office.

Museums.

The following postal museums function:

Functioning of the Polish Post at the postal market.

In 2009 the Polish Post recorded losses of 190 million PLN, in 2008 – 215 million PLN. According to the management board of the Polish Post, the popularisation of electronic invoices may bring Polish Post losses in the amount of 170–200 million PLN. In September 2010 the Polish Post jointly with the Ministry of Justice, one of its most important clients, launched the pilot project consisting in electronic confirmation of the receipt of registered mail At present, the Polish Post has been consistently implementing changes, thanks to which even on negative trends at the traditional postal market, the majority of financial parameters improved. This was achieved despite lower revenue than in 2010. Polish Post gross financial result in 2011 increased with 154% in comparison with 2010 and reached 159 million PLN. Gross turnover profitability of the Polish Post in 2011 amounted to 2.5 proc. This reflects the increase of 1.5 percentage point in comparison with the 2010. In 2009 this indicator was negative and amounted to (-) 2.3 proc.  In 2012 the control of the Supreme Chamber of Control (NIK) indicated that the organization of work of postal facilities is not adjusted to the needs of consumers using its services. The Post Office to an insufficient extent implemented restructuring strategic and the total amount spent on it reached 8 million PLN, and the results of implementation were not verified – whole management board relied on reporting assurances from regional branches, therefore many reforms are of illusory nature. The Post Office also spent 13 million PLN on information system, which did not work.  The Supreme Chamber of Control emphasized, however, that since 2010 the Company undertook restructuring measures, which allowed creating the profit for 2011 in the amount of 105.8 million PLN. In July 2011 a new Board was appointed; its main task is the development of the company and the implementation of key restructuring initiatives. The Polish Post plans to carry out the change of the image and organization of work of its facilities, in order to change them into places friendly for customers, offering the unproblematic sale of postal and financial services. New Management Board of the Company puts the emphasis on the development of parcel and courier services as well as offers of the so-called e-services, combining traditional forms of communication with the use of modern technologies.  Gross financial result of the Group in 2012 amounted to 163 million PLN, whereas from the comparable perspective, which takes into account pension contribution with 2 percentage points, is closer to 230 million PLN, which means the increase with 7% compared to 2011. Net ROE indicator for the Group reached 8.8% and is almost 100% higher than the result from 2010. At the same time, the Polish Post reduces costs – in comparison with the previous year there was a reduction of costs to more than 170 million PLN. In 2012 total development investments and investments in staff in the Polish Post amounted to more than 150 million PLN. Further details are given in the annual report of the Company for 2012.  The Polish Post wants to allocated more than 1.3 billion PLN until 2017 for financing of the investment plan, including capital investments in strategic areas. Up to 85% of capital expenditures will be financed from the company's own resources. The company opts for the development of the parcel market, modern banking and insurance services, logistics, and digital communication. After 9 months in 2013 the volume of services provided by the Polish Post are 12% higher in comparison with the corresponding period in 2012; the volume of domestic courier services was higher with almost 60 proc. than in the previous year.  In October 2013 the Polish Post launched a new tool, thanks to which the clients can buy and print from the Internet the postal stamps or send letters and postcards, which will be delivered in the paper form by the postman. This is possible thanks to the Internet platform operating under the brand name Envelo. It is a solution that enables the use of postal services at any place and time. It is an element of building of the post office 3.0. The Polish Post Digital Services (pol. Poczta Polska Usługi Cyfrowe) company is responsible for the implementation.  In 2013, the Polish Post Group managed to improved its financial results (compared to previous year, with the exclusion of human capital development investments) despite lower by 3.4% revenue, which exceeded 6.5 billion PLN. Lower revenue was compensated by cost reductions, which in 2013 fell by 4% to 6.3 billion PLN. In accounting terms the costs were lower by 2.5% and reached 6.4 billion zł. Comparable gross profit of the Group in 2013 amounted to nearly 200 million PLN, with less than 160 million PLN in previous year. Book gross profit of the Polish Post Group reached in 2013 94 million PLN.  In 2013, Polish Post has earmarked 250 million PLN for development investments (compared to 190 million in the years 2011 to 2012), including modernization of logistics (car fleet development) and sales network, as well as development of information technology and capital investment. In subsequent years, Polish Post plans further increase in investment spending. Polish Post managed to reduce Group's operating costs by more than 160 million PLN. Investments in human capital in 2013 amounted to 217 million PLN, over 100 million PLN more than in 2012. Year 2013 was, despite adverse market trends, the fourth consecutive year in which Polish Post reported positive financial result.

Competition.

The Polish Post for years has been systematically losing the monopoly for various types of consignments. Until the end of 2012 it availed from the legal benefit of having the reserved area, which gave it the exclusive rights to provide services, receive and deliver parcels weighing up to 50 g. At the same time, until the 24 September 2008 the owners and administrators of buildings had the responsibility to replace letter boxes, which are owned by the Polish Post, with European letter boxes available for all postal operators. In 2012 the works concerning the amendment of the Postal Law Act were completed and after the liquidation of the formal monopoly the actual monopoly, e.g. in case of official mail is declining in favor of competitors like InPost.

Poczta Polska (English: Polish Post) is the state postal administration of Poland, initially founded in 1558. It is the largest mail-handling company in the country, which additionally provides courier, banking, insurance and logistics services. The digital services, such as neo-stamps, neo-letters and neo-postcards, are available through the Internet-based platform 'Envelo'.


Club career.

Czech Republic.

Štajner started his active footballing career in the youth teams of SK Dynamo České Budějovice. At a young age, he was picked up by one of the league's best teams, SK Slavia Prague. He failed to make a breakthrough at Slavia, continuing his youth career with TJ Senohraby, an amateur club close to the city where he grew up - Benešov.  In 1998, Štajner moved on to FK Baník Most in an attempt to advance his career, although his breakthrough was to come at the beginning of the new millennium after signing for Slovan Liberec, as he became known as an excellent goalscorer and attracted attention with his European performances in the UEFA Cup. In the 2001–02 season he was the Gambrinus liga's top goalscorer with 15 goals as Slovan secured the title. In the summer of 2002, Štajner was signed by German Bundesliga side Hannover 96.

Hannover 96.

Štajner quickly became a favourite with coach Ralf Rangnick, although the club from the Lower Saxonian capital had to pay his former club €3.5 million, which made Štajner the most expensive player in the history of Hannover 96.  At the beginning of his spell in Germany he had trouble adapting to the style of play, only becoming a regular starter in his second season. On 22 May 2003, Štajner helped cement his status as a cult hero for the club, notably scoring the decisive goal against Borussia Mönchengladbach to retain Hannover's place in the top flight. The match ended 2–2.  On 15 May 2010, he announced his return to his former club FC Slovan Liberec.  In 2015, he joined Czech lower league side TJ Spartak Chrastava.

International career.

He was a member of the Czech national team, and played in the 2006 World Cup.

Jiří Štajner (born 27 May 1976) is a Czech former professional football striker who played as an attacking midfielder or second striker. Eight years a player for Hannover 96, he is extremely popular with Hannover fans and is seen as a cult figure at the club.


Claims.

In the work, Verrall doubts the Holocaust death toll, criticising the claim which says that "no less than six million Jews exterminated" in concentration camps. The booklet targets various war crime trials, the best known of these being the Nuremberg trials and the Adolf Eichmann trial, criticising their legal integrity and the standards of evidence presented, as well as the impartiality and objectivity of the judges.  Verrall also attempts to demonstrate in the book that censuses and population charts show that the European Jewish population figures do not allow for a figure of six million Jews to have been exterminated. He argues that the total Jewish population in Nazi-controlled Europe after emigrations and evacuations was "around three million".  He further argues that the scale of the Holocaust had been exaggerated by the Allies  Verrall's aim is to argue that the history of the'six million' holocaust is used to discourage any form of nationalism and is a danger to the preservation of the Anglo-Saxon race: "No one could have anything but admiration for the way in which the Jews have sought to preserve their race through so many centuries, and continue to do so today. In this effort they have frankly been assisted by the story of the Six Million, which, almost like a religious myth, has stressed the need for greater Jewish racial solidarity. Unfortunately, it has worked in quite the opposite way for all other peoples, rendering them impotent in the struggle for self-preservation."  In discussing the Gerstein report, the pamphlet states that "Gerstein's sister was congenitally insane and died by euthanasia", effectively admitting the mass murder of civilians by the Nazis in the T4 program.  In writing his booklet, Verrall had used material published in the 1950s and 1960s and most of the inaccuracies of his booklet were errors originally made by Paul Rassinier whose works Verrall had used extensively.

Supreme Court of Canada case.

The booklet was examined by the Supreme Court of Canada in 1985 and 1988 in the prosecution of the publisher Zündel under the Criminal Code, section 181, of spreading false news. The 1985 conviction was overturned on appeal, leading to a second prosecution in 1988 which again resulted in a sentence of 15 months.  As part of Zündel's legal defence, Zündel hired Fred A. Leuchter to visit the Auschwitz and Majdanek concentration camps. At the trial, Leuchter was required to defend his report in his capacity as expert witness; however, he was dismissed because during the proceedings it became apparent that he had neither the qualifications nor experience to act as such. The 1988 trial judge concluded that the booklet "misrepresented the work of historians, misquoted witnesses, fabricated evidence, and cited non-existent authorities."  The Supreme Court did find that in the previous lower court trial, the jury were improperly instructed:  The jury was instructed that it was entitled to infer from the judge's instruction that because the Holocaust must be regarded as proven, the accused must have known it to be proven and must be taken to have published his pamphlet deliberately for personal motives, knowing the falsity of his assertion to the contrary.... The verdict flowed inevitably from the indisputable fact of the publication of the pamphlet, its contents' divergence from the accepted history of the Holocaust, and the public interest in maintaining racial and religious tolerance.  However, in reviewing the proceedings of the lower court trial, the Supreme Court were convinced that the facts in the pamphlet were indeed false:  [During the previous trial] the appellant's allegations of fact in the pamphlet were divided into 85 extracts and rebutted one by one. The trial judge summarized this material at length for the jury but it will suffice here to point only to some of the more egregious examples. The pamphlet alleged that a memorandum from Joseph Goebbels revealed that the Final Solution was never more than a plan to evacuate Jews to Madagascar. It was shown that there was no such memorandum but that the reference was to Goebbels' diary entry of March 7, 1942. This diary extract was adduced and shown to state nothing of the kind. The Crown went on to point out that the entry for March 27, 1942 made clear that the Final Solution was, in fact, genocide: "Not much will remain of the Jews. On the whole, it can be said that about 60 per cent of them will have to be liquidated, whereas only about 40 per cent can be used for forced labor..."  The pamphlet alleges that no documentary evidence exists of the Nazi plan to exterminate the Jews. The Crown adduced speeches by Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS, made on October 4, 1943, to his troops in Posen in which he refers to the program of extermination of the Jews. Himmler stated: "I also want to talk to you, quite frankly, on a very grave matter. Among ourselves it should be mentioned quite frankly, and yet we will never speak of it publicly.... I mean the clearing out of the Jews, the extermination of the Jewish race..." The appellant argued that the term "exterminate" used in this passage really meant "deport". It was left to the jury to consider whether they accepted that this was a possible interpretation. The Crown also adduced the December 9, 1942, entry in the diary of Hans Frank, Governor-General of occupied Poland's 'General Government' territory, describing the annihilation of 3.5 million Jews in the General Government and numerous documents adduced at the Nuremberg trials, including the daily reports of the Einsatzgruppen (action groups) enumerating the death tolls of Jews in the USSR. In a report to Hitler of December 20, 1942, Himmler indicates that the Einsatzgruppen had executed 363,211 Jews between August and November, 1942.  The pamphlet alleged, purportedly relying on a Red Cross report, that all concentration camps were really humane work camps. Mr. Biedermann, a delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross, testified that the Red Cross Report pertained exclusively to prisoner of war camps as the Red Cross personnel had not been inside any camps in which civilians were detained. The Crown adduced evidence from Professor Hilberg that while some camps had labour facilities annexed to them, Belzec, Treblinka, Sobibor and Chelmno were exclusively "killing factories" and that gas chambers were in operation at Auschwitz-Birkenau and Majdanek. The numbers of Jews slaughtered was verifiable from railway records showing the payments per person made for transport to the camps. These numbers were compared with those having left the camps or who were found there after liberation.  On and on, the Crown showed that the appellant misrepresented the work of historians, misquoted witnesses, fabricated evidence, and cited non-existent authorities.  Ultimately the Supreme Court concluded:  The conflict between the assertions made by the appellant and those made by orthodox Holocaust historians cannot be resolved through reasoned debate. Orthodox historians point to sources which support their theories; the appellant and other "revisionist" historians point to documents which do not exist or which do not say what they claim they do. The pamphlet "Did Six Million Really Die?" does not fit with received views of reality because it is not part of reality.

Hugh Trevor-Roper.

Although in the end he was not required to do so, the historian Hugh Trevor-Roper offered to give evidence, stating that "behind a simulated objectivity of expression, it is in fact an irresponsible and tendentious publication which avoids material evidence and presents selected half-truths and distortions for the sole purpose of sowing anti-Semitic propaganda".

Royalties.

Anthony Hancock re-published "Did Six Million Really Die?" and made a significant amount of money from doing so, to the point where he was sued for royalties in the High Court in 1982.

International reactions.

In 1975 South African authors Arthur Suzman and Denis Diamond published a book confronting the claims made by Verrall titled "Six Million Did Die" (Johannesburg). A second edition of the book was published in 1978. The first half of the book seeks to disprove claims made by Verrall and the second to provide further evidence of the Holocaust. In 1985 and 1988 Verrall's publisher Ernst Zündel was tried in Canada on charges of "false news". He was found guilty and sentenced to 15 months in prison. On appeal his conviction was overturned by the Canadian Supreme Court's landmark decision "R v Zundel", when it declared that the law under which he had been charged, "reporting false news", was unconstitutional.  "Did Six Million Really Die?" was banned in Germany and South Africa.  In 2017, Amazon.com removed the book along with other Holocaust-denying books from its U.S. and U.K. sites.

Did Six Million Really Die? The Truth At Last is a Holocaust denial pamphlet allegedly written by British National Front member Richard Verrall under the pseudonym Richard E. Harwood and published in 1974 by neo-Nazi propagandist Ernst Zündel, another Holocaust denier and pamphleteer. The NF denied that Verrall was the author in a 1978 edition of "World in Action".


List of top-division football clubs in AFC countries

Afghanistan.

"As of 2018 season:"

Australia.

"As of 2018–19 A-League season:"  "As of 2018–19 W-League season:"

Bahrain.

"As of 2016–17 season:"

Bangladesh.

"As of 2018-19 season:"

Bhutan.

"As of 2018 season:"

Brunei.

"As of 2020 season:"

Cambodia.

"As of 2019 season:"

China.

"As of 2019 season:"

Chinese Taipei.

See Chinese Taipei for the naming issue.  "As of 2019 season:"

East Timor.

"As of 2016 season:"

Guam.

"As of 2016–17 season:"

Hong Kong.

"As of 2016–17 season:"  List of Football clubs in India

India.

Assam.

"Main State League: Assam State Premier League"

Bihar.

"Main State League: "Moin-ul-Haq Cup

Delhi.

"Main State League: Delhi Senior Division"

Goa.

"Main State League: Goa Professional League"

Gujarat.

"Main State League: None"

Haryana.

"Main State League: Haryana State Football League"

Jharkhand.

"Main State League: None"

Karnataka.

"Main State League: Bangalore Super Division"

Kerala.

"Main State League: Kerala Premier League"

Chhattisgarh.

"Main State League: Bhilai Super Division"

Madhya Pradesh.

"Main State League:Various Districts league"

Maharashtra.

"Main State League: Various Districts league"

Manipur.

"Main State League: Manipur State League"

Meghalaya.

"Main State League: Shillong Premier League"

Mizoram.

"Main State League: Mizoram Premier League"

Nagaland.

"Main State League: Nagaland Premier League"

Odisha.

"Main State League: FAO Football League"

Punjab.

"Main State League: Punjab Super League"

Rajasthan.

"Main State League: RAJASTHAN League"

Sikkim.

"Main State League: Sikkim Senior Division"

Tamil Nadu.

"Main State League: Chennai Football Senior Division"

West Bengal.

"Main State League: Calcutta Premier Division"

Indonesia.

"As of 2020 season:"  "As of 2018–19 season:"

Iraq.

"As of 2016–17 season:"

Japan.

"As of 2019 season:"

Jordan.

"As of 2016–17 season:"

North Korea.

"As of 2007 season:"

South Korea.

"As of 2017 season:"

Kuwait.

"As of 2016–17 season:"  "As of 2019 season:"

Laos.

"As of 2016 season:"

Lebanon.

"As of 2019–20 season:"

Macau.

"As of 2016 season:"

Malaysia.

"As of 2019 season:"  "As of 2019 season:"

Maldives.

"As of 2016 season:"

Mongolia.

"As of 2018 season:"

Myanmar.

"As of 2019 season:"

Nepal.

"As of 2015 season:"

Northern Mariana Islands.

"As of 2019 season"

Oman.

"As of 2016–17 season:"

Pakistan.

"As of 2018–19 season:"

Palestine.

"As of 2018–19 season:" "As of 2017–18 season"

Philippines.

"As of the 2019 PFL season:"  "As of the 2019 PFFWL season:"

Qatar.

"As of 2018–19 season:"

Saudi Arabia.

"As of 2018–19 season:"

Singapore.

"As of 2020 season:"

Sri Lanka.

"As of 2018–19 season:"

Syria.

"As of 2016–17 season:"

Tajikistan.

"As of 2019 season:"

Thailand.

"As of 2017 season:"

Turkmenistan.

"As of 2018 season:"

United Arab Emirates.

"As of 2019–20 season:"

Uzbekistan.

"As of 2017 season:"

Vietnam.

"As of 2017 season:"

Yemen.

"As of 2013–14 season:"

This is a list of top-division football clubs in Asian Football Confederation countries. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) includes all Asian countries except Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan and Turkey as members, but also includes the Oceanian countries of Australia, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands (the association of the Northern Mariana Islands is a provisional associate member of AFC but not a member of FIFA).


History.

After the Siege of Plevna in 1877, a few hundred Turkish prisoners were taken to the town of Cēsis, of whom 19 fell ill with several respiratory diseases and died from typhoid during the following winter or spring. They were buried in a cemetery next to the barracks they resided in. By 1879, most of the remaining Turks had returned home; however, some chose to stay.  In 1902, a Muslim congregation was officially established and recognized by the government. The community elected Ibrahim Davidof as its leader and a prayer hall was inaugurated. The majority of Muslims residing in Latvia in the early part of the 20th century were conscripted in the Russian army. After release from service, most would leave for Moscow.  During the creation of the Soviet Union and amid civil war, many refugees entered Latvia, including Muslims of various ethnicities. They were, however, known to Latvians as Turks. In 1928, Shakir Husnetdinov, a Turkic priest, was elected leader of Riga Muslim community. He held that post until 1940.  According to The Central Bureau of Statistics, there were seven Islamic groups registered in 2011, a number that had dropped to five a year later. They included Idel, a Muslim organization led by Rufia Shervireva, and Iman, a Latvian Chechen congregation led by Musan Machigov.  In 2009, the total Muslim population in Latvia was estimated to be at about 2,000 by Pew Forum. Virtually all Muslims in Latvia were Sunni, but there was also an active presence of Ahmadi. That same year, poet and translator Uldis Bērziņš finished the Latvian translation of the Quran.

Controversy.

After the Charlie Hebdo shooting at the beginning of 2015, Oleg Petrov, head of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Latvia, pointed out that Islam prohibits the murder of innocent civilians, but expressed a belief that the editorial team nevertheless deserved to be punished, albeit in a less severe manner. His statements suggesting that the editorial team should have instead "had their fingers broken" subsequently prompted the Internal Security Police to investigate his behavior.  On March 29, 2015, the Islamic Cultural Centre expressed concern on the growing Islamophobia in Latvia after a mosque in Riga was sprayed with graffiti that read, "Your Allah – your problem! Go home!" on the night of March 27. On September 24, the Riga municipal police broke up an unsanctioned Muslim outdoor prayer attended by around 30 men at a courtyard in Brīvības iela for violating public statutes on the organization of public entertainment and festive events.  Later that year, a representative of the Centre, Roberts Klimovičs, sparked another controversy by declaring that Latvia will become a Muslim country in 50 years. He would later go on to clarify that, "using democratic means, the majority of Latvians will elect a parliament that supports Sharia law. And we are moving towards that, without any violence or anything."  In 2016, a video of Petrov appeared on a Daesh propaganda wire in which he encouraged Jihadism and praised the Charlie Hebdo shooters. This became the third public case of a Latvian citizen joining Daesh. His comments were condemned by the new head of the Islamic Cultural Center, Jānis Luciņš, who said that the country's Muslim community felt betrayed. On October 19, 2016, a man was sentenced 140 hours of community service for hate speech against Muslims in online comments.

The presence of Muslims in Latvia was first recorded in the 19th century. These Muslims were mainly Tatar and Turkic people who had been taken to Latvia against their will; they included Turkish prisoners of war from the Crimean War and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877.


Life and work.

Trkal went to the Gymnasium in Vysoké Mýto where his teacher was Adolf Pařízek (1867-1920). From 1906 to 1910 he studied mathematics and physics in Prague. His mathematics professors were Karel Petr (1868–1950), Jan Sobotka (1862–1931) and then beginning Bohumil Bydžovský (1880–1969). He attended physics lectures by Čeněk Strouhal (1850–1922), Bohumil Kučera (1874–1921), František Koláček (1851–1913) and František Záviška (1879–1945). He obtained his doctorate in 1911 with a thesis on the Problem of Dirichlet and Neumann with integral equations. Then he did his one-year military service and afterwards taught at a business school in Prague in 1912-1914. During World War I Trkal was twice wounded and in March 1915 he was made prisoner of war by the Russians, after he first was considered dead but shouted "Don't shoot!" to a Russian soldier. He then stayed in several prison camps where he also contracted malaria. He wrote to Professor Orest Khvolson of St. Petersburg. Thanks to his advocacy, Trkal was assigned to the new University of Perm in the Urals, where he obtained his habilitation qualification and became associate professor of mechanics and physics in 1918. After the war he returned to Czechoslovakia where he taught in high school and became a physics assistant to Professor Záviška. In the academic year October 1919 - June 1920 Trkal studied with Hendrik Antoon Lorentz and Paul Ehrenfest in Leiden, where he was Ehrenfest's assistant and met Albert Einstein. In 1921 he graduated from the University of Prague in theoretical physics. In 1922 he was appointed extraordinary and in 1929 a full professor of theoretical physics.

Trkalian flow.

Trkalian flow is named after him. In 1919, Trkal published an article in Czech on the hydromechanics of viscous fluids where he addressed the simplification of the Navier-Stokes equations used in hydromechanics. The article reached scientists abroad, mainly in France, Norway and the USA. Norwegian physicist Oddvar Bjørgum introduced the term "Trkalian field". This term (or "Trkalian flow") is now commonly used in professional international literature.

Tomb.

Professor Viktor Trkal's tomb can be found in the Olšany V Cemetery, in Section 19 under the number 72. The urn with Trkal's ashes was placed in the tomb of the Baštecký family, from which his wife Marie, a high school professor (1896–1965), came. On the monument we read that her parents František and Barbora Baštecká and siblings are resting here.

Viktor Trkal (14 August 1888, Ostřetín, Pardubice – 3 September 1956, Prague) was a Czech physicist and mathematician who specialized in theoretical quantum physics.


Early life.

Lisa Gerrard was born in Melbourne to Irish immigrant parents, and grew up in Prahran, an inner suburb with a substantial Greek population. She recalled growing up with "Mediterranean music blaring out of the houses" and said that this influenced her music, particularly on later Dead Can Dance albums and in her solo and collaborative works.  Gerrard first began forming bands and creating original music as a member of Melbourne's little band scene, an experimental post-punk scene which flourished from 1978 until 1981. It was in this scene that she first met Dead Can Dance co-founder Brendan Perry. Perry recalls, "It never occurred to me that we would one day collaborate musically together because at the time I thought her music was too avant garde. I particularly remember one song that she sang about finding a man in the park and asking her mother if she could bring him home to keep in her wardrobe as she attacked this chinese dulcimer with two bamboo sticks". Around this time, Gerrard became the lead vocalist of Microfilm, which released one single, "Centrefold", in 1980.

Career.

Dead Can Dance.

Dead Can Dance originally formed as a quartet in 1981 in Melbourne, but in 1982 moved to London with members Gerrard, Brendan Perry and bass player Paul Erikson. Shortly after coming to England, Erikson flew back to Australia, leaving the band as a duo. Dead Can Dance recorded eight albums on the 4AD Records recording label beginning with the self-titled "Dead Can Dance" LP in 1984. In 2005, the song "Nierika" became part of the opening titles for Mexican television station TV Azteca's soap opera "La Chacala". The band split in 1998, but reunited in 2005 for a world tour. In 2012, the band announced a new world tour to coincide with the release of their new album, "Anastasis".

Solo and collaborative career.

In 1995, Gerrard recorded and released her first solo album, "The Mirror Pool". After the release of this album, she continued to work with Dead Can Dance, releasing the album, "Spiritchaser", in 1996. Following this, in 1998 she recorded "Duality" in collaboration with Pieter Bourke. This album would mark the beginning of an extensive collaboration for a number of film scores, including "The Insider" and "Ali". Gerrard began a new collaboration with Patrick Cassidy in 2004 with the release of "Immortal Memory". Again, this collaboration was furthered in film work, including "Salem's Lot".  The following year in 2005, Gerrard contributed to the "Ashes and Snow Soundtrack". For the songs "Womb" and "Wisdom", she and Patrick Cassidy wrote and performed together. Her collaboration with Cassidy extended to include work with conductor Julie Rogers on the songs "Devota" and "Vespers".  In 2006, "Sanctuary", a documentary about the life and work of Gerrard, was recorded and released in September. It is the work of producer and director Clive Collier and features extensive interviews with Gerrard and various people who have collaborated with her in the past, including Michael Mann, Russell Crowe, Hans Zimmer and Niki Caro. The documentary was released on DVD by Milan Entertainment on 24 April 2007.  Also in 2006, Gerrard released her second solo album, "The Silver Tree". This album was markedly different from her previous work and was also her first album released outside 4AD Records. The album was first released on iTunes, with a wider physical release planned at a future date. The album was nominated for the Australian Music Prize for 2006. In 2007 a retrospective album "The Best of Lisa Gerrard", a compilation of fifteen songs, was released covering her career in Dead Can Dance, solo work, and film work.  A world tour was undertaken in 2007 beginning in April in Melbourne, Australia. This tour marked the first time Lisa Gerrard had toured in Australia, with a performance in three cities. The tour was followed by performances in Europe and North America. More performances took place in Europe and Russia from 30 October to 22 November 2007. In November 2007, Gerrard collaborated with German electronic musician Klaus Schulze on the double-album "Farscape". The album was released 27 July 2008 and was followed by a European tour.  In 2009, Gerrard completed work on the documentary by Australian adventurer Tim Cope called "On the Trail of Genghis Khan" and contributed her voice to the soundtrack, which began airing in 2010, of the Japanese NHK taiga drama "Ryōmaden", a story based on the life of Sakamoto Ryōma. Also in 2009, Gerrard created her own record label, Gerrard Records, which, aside from being a conduit for the release of Gerrard's future works, will also act to promote and support unrecognised artists of all genres. In September 2009, Gerrard and Klaus Schulze performed another tour in six European cities – Warsaw, Berlin, Amsterdam, Essen, Paris, and Brussels. This tour coincided with the release of "Come Quietly", a joint project between Gerrard and Schulze that was released during the tour.  Gerrard released her third solo album, "The Black Opal", in October 2009. The album included collaboration with Michael Edwards, Patrick Cassidy, Pieter Bourke and James Orr and was the first release to come from Gerrard Records.  In 2010, Gerrard released a new album with fellow composer Marcello De Francisci titled "Departum" from Gerrard Records which was followed by the release of three new singles; "Coming Home" – as featured in "", "Entry" and "Come This Way".  Gerrard also collaborated with Prash Mistry from "Engine Earz Experiment" on a track titled "Spirit Guide" which will appear on his upcoming album in 2011.  On 1 December 2010, Gerrard capped off a busy 2010 with the release of a new soundtrack album with Cye Wood titled "The Trail of Genghis Khan" which contains music from the Gerrard and Wood score to the documentary TV series by Australian adventurer Tim Cope.  In July 2014, Gerrard released a new solo album entitled "Twilight Kingdom" through her own record label, Gerrard Records.  In 2014, Gerrard collaborated with British composer, songwriter and producer, Chicane. Her vocals feature in the album "The Sum of Its Parts" featuring in songs "38 Weeks" and "Orleans". The album was released in 25 January 2015 by Modena Records.  Gerrard's vocals are heavily featured in the video game "Armello" launched on 1 September 2015, titled 'Wyld's Call', produced by Michael Allen. Her vocals feature towards a Celtic theme of the soundtracks.

Film career.

Gerrard's first experience in composing music for a film came with the 1989 Spanish film "El Niño de la Luna", directed by Agustí Villaronga. The film score was composed by Dead Can Dance and the film featured Lisa Gerrard in her first acting role. "El Niño de la Luna" describes the story of David, a young orphan with special powers, escaping an institution with the help of a fellow institute inmate, Georgina, played by Lisa Gerrard.  Gerrard participated in a number of musical scores but came to fame as a film composer after recording "The Insider" in 1999, with Pieter Bourke, and "Gladiator" in 2000, with Hans Zimmer, which received an Academy Award nomination for best music score, although only Zimmer was nominated. It did, however, win a Golden Globe Award for both composers. Gerrard's score for the New Zealand independent film "Whale Rider" consisted entirely of solo material; a soundtrack album was released by 4AD.  In 2005 Gerrard collaborated with Ennio Morricone for "Fateless" followed by a collaboration with Jeff Rona on the score for the feature film "A Thousand Roads" and the song "On an Ocean" for the "Henry Poole Is Here" score. Gerrard along with Dead Can Dance also provided several contributions to the soundtrack of "Baraka", a visual journey showcasing mankind's impact on our planet. Gerrard was also invited by Denez Prigent to collaborate with him on his piece "Gortoz a ran – J'attends" (meaning "I await"), a piece that was later used in the soundtrack of Ridley Scott's film "Black Hawk Down".  In 2009 Gerrard wrote the score for "Balibo", for which she won a Best Feature Film Score award at the 2009 APRA Screen Music Awards and an Aria Award for Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show Album at the 2009 Aria Awards. Gerrard finished 2009 by contributing her voice to the theme song for the Japanese NHK taiga drama "Ryōmaden", which began airing in 2010.  In 2010 Gerrard completed the score for "Tears of Gaza" with Marcello De Francisci which was well received despite its controversial theme. Gerrard also scored the Jim Loach-directed "Oranges and Sunshine", starring Emily Watson and Hugo Weaving, released in April 2011, which gained her another nomination at the 2011 IF Awards for Best Music Score.  In November 2010 Gerrard provided vocals and additional music for the post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller "Priest", scored by Christopher Young, which was released in 2011.  In November 2011 Gerrard completed the score for "Burning Man", which won her Best Music Score at the 2011 Film Critics Circle of Australia awards, beating scores for "Snowtown", "The Hunter" and "Red Dog".

Vocal ability.

Gerrard possesses the vocal range of a contralto but can also reach upward into the mezzo-soprano range. Her voice has been described as rich, deep, dark, mournful and unique.  Examples of Gerrard's mezzo-soprano range include the songs "The Host of Seraphim", "Elegy", "Space Weaver", "Come This Way" and "One Perfect Sunrise". Gerrard however performs more predominantly in the dramatic contralto range in her other songs, "Sanvean", "Sacrifice", "Largo", "Lament" and "Not Yet".  Gerrard sings many of her songs, such as "Now We Are Free", "Come Tenderness", "Serenity", "The Valley of the Moon", "Tempest", "Pilgrimage of Lost Children", "Coming Home" and "Sanvean" in idioglossia. With respect to such work she has said, "I sing in the language of the Heart. It's an invented language that I've had for a very long time. I believe I started singing in it when I was about 12. Roughly that time. And I believed that I was speaking to God when I sang in that language."

Lisa Gerrard (; born 12 April 1961) is an Australian musician, singer and composer who rose to prominence as part of the music group Dead Can Dance with music partner Brendan Perry. In addition to singing, she is an instrumentalist for much of her work, most prolifically using the "yangqin" (a Chinese hammered dulcimer).


Partner Universities.

The partner universities throughout Europe are:  The students receive two degrees issued from two universities of the consortium, usually one from Luleå University of Technology and another from the selected university for the second year. The European Space Agency supports the programme with ESA grants, ESA work placements, and ESA lectures. In 2010 both the University of Tokyo and the Utah State University have joined the consortium as full partners.  Since 2018, the University of Würzburg is no longer part of the partner universities.

Programme Structure.

The first year of the programme is the same for all the students, starting their first semester in Luleå University of Technology and continuing their third semester in one of the partner universities which the students can select.  Current Programme Structure (since 2018):  Original Programme Structure (before 2018):

Other Information.

This programme is also taking part in the Erasmus Mundus Action 3 Program which led to the creation of the SpaceMaster Global Partnership. This framework allows EU students to do part of their thesis or project work at one of the following partner universities :  An alumni programme is currently still in the planning stages. The consortium also organizes outreach activities and events such as the "Planetary rover symposium", held in 2009 at the Espoo campus at the Aalto University in Finland, where leading space robotics scientists gave presentations on history, status and technologies of planetary robotics. Invited guest speakers included Mr. Alexei Bogatchev (Russia), Mr. Gianfranco Visentin (ESA), Dr. Richard Volpe (JPL), and Dr. Juha Röning (University of Oulu).  In 2008 the SpaceMaster Robotics Team was created by Juxi Leitner and David Leal to organize and participate in various student robotics competitions. Their first project was flown on a stratospheric research balloon in the US and in 2009 they participated in the BEXUS campaign of the European Space Agency.

The Joint European Master in Space Science and Technology (or short "SpaceMaster") is an Erasmus Mundus 120 ECTS master programme. The SpaceMaster programme started in 2005 and it is focused on providing education in Space Science and Technology to its students.


Uses.

Leno weave fabric allows light and air to pass through freely so are used in any area where a sheer, open weave fabric is required that will not bruise (where the threads shift away from their woven uniformity disturbing the beauty of the weave). If a simple in-and-out flat weave were woven very loosely to achieve the same effect the threads would have a tendency to this bruising. Leno weaves are often used for window treatments and for sheer layers for fine clothing. When made with glass fibre or other strong yarns or when permeated with a strengthening compound it can be used as an engineering material in construction, though due to the openness of the fabric if a solid covering is required it is often used in conjunction with other weave styles.  Items made from leno woven fabric include:

Production.

To produce a leno weave, the loom is threaded with the warp yarn and a doup yarn together. The doup yarn can be of similar or lesser weight and strength. The weft is woven in and for each weft shuttle the warp yarns are twisted interchangeably to produce a figure eight pattern.

Karamiori.

Karamiori or Japanese Leno Weave includes all loom techniques that make use of intertwining threads to create the structure of the weave. Karamiori is an old and highly respected textile production method. The Japanese divide karaori into three basic styles based on structure: sha (紗), ro (絽), and ra (羅). Sha is the basic leno weave, Ro adds additional areas of flat or twill weaves and Ra maintains the concept of twisted threads but allows both warp and weft to be freed and recombined to form highly intricate weaves.

Leno weave (also called Gauze weave or Cross weave) is a weave in which two warp yarns are twisted around the weft yarns to provide a strong yet sheer fabric. The standard warp yarn is paired with a skeleton or 'doup' yarn; these twisted warp yarns grip tightly to the weft which causes the durability of the fabric. Leno weave produces an open fabric with almost no yarn slippage or misplacement of threads.


History.

The company was founded by Frederick Rushbrooke in Birmingham in 1892 as a wholesale ironmongery. In 1902, Rushbrooke moved to a store on Halford Street in Leicester, and the company was named after this street, and started selling cycling goods. It opened its 200th store in 1931, and purchased the Birmingham Bicycle Company in 1945.  In 1968, it opened its 300th store.  The company became a part of Burmah Oil in 1965, following a takeover battle between Burmah and Smiths Industries. During this time, Denis Thatcher, husband of the future Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was a non executive director. The company was acquired by Ward White Group in 1983 and subsequently acquired by the Boots Group in 1991.  In July 2003, it was then taken over by CVC Capital Partners, and in June 2004, it was floated on the London Stock Exchange. In February 2003, Halfords dropped the blue, white and red branding, in favour of a new black and orange logo. However, the 'new' logo had been used since the previous year, but it did not come into effect until 2003.  On 11 July 2005, Halfords entered into a Collaboration Agreement with Autobacs Seven Co., a Japan based car accessory retailer with chains of stores all over the world and who is best known in other countries that do not have an Autobacs store for being the title sponsorship of Super GT and D1 Grand Prix.  On 13 December 2005, Autobacs acquired 5% (11,400,000 shares) of the company at approximately ¥7.5 billion.  In June 2007, Halfords opened its first shop in Central Europe, in a village near Prague. In the next two years, it opened five more stores in the Czech Republic and one in Poland (Wrocław, 2008). Expansion into Central Europe was seen as an opportunity because the cars on the road tend to be slightly older there, so people would be more adept at car maintenance.  However, in March 2010, it terminated these activities already, after the losses made in the initial years were deemed too high, and a new management wanted to focus on the domestic market.  On 18 February 2010, the company announced a deal to purchase the Nationwide Autocentre MOT chain, from the private equity firm Phoenix. The plan was to rebrand the centres under the Halfords name, and open another 200. As of April 2015, there are over 250 Halfords Autocentre garages dealing with MOTs, car repairs and servicing.  In June 2014, Halfords acquired the British bicycle manufacturer Boardman Bikes Ltd. (founded by the professional cyclist Chris Boardman, Sarah Mooney and Alan Ingarfield) for undisclosed sum. In March 2015, it was announced that on 11 May 2015, Jill McDonald, head of McDonald's UK since 2010, would replace Matt Davies (who was leaving to join Tesco), as CEO.  Halfords acquired Swansea based "Tredz Bikes", an online retailer of premium bikes and cycling accessories, and Wheelies, the largest provider of bicycle replacement for insurance companies in the United Kingdom, for £18.4m from founders Keith and Michael Jones on 24 May 2016. The group turned over around £32m in the year to 29 February 2016, making a profit before financial charges of £2.4m.  On 3 May 2017, Halfords announced that Jill McDonald, CEO, had resigned from the business to take up the position of Managing Director: Clothing, Home & Beauty at Marks & Spencer. She remained as CEO of Halfords until the end of her notice period in October 2017. On 13 September 2017, Halfords made an announcement that Dixons Carphone executive Graham Stapleton would be its new CEO, with effect from January 2018.

Operations.

Since 2010, Halfords Retail has operated around 465 stores, of which about 22 are in the Republic of Ireland and the others in the United Kingdom.

Sponsorship.

In 1987, Halfords sponsored the Professional Road Cycling team ANC-Halfords, and entered the Tour de France that year. Although the team ran out of money at the end of the seasn and disbanded.  The team won the BTCC overall Drivers Championship in 2005 and 2006, with driver Matt Neal. In March 2007, Halfords sponsored the Team Dynamics BTCC racing team under the name of Team Halfords and in January 2008, Halfords started sponsoring a mixed professional bike team, Team Halfords Bikehut, headed by Nicole Cooke.

Cycle Republic.

In November 2014, Halfords announced it was going to revive its Cycle Republic chain of specialist bicycle stores, primarily focused on urban cycling and commuting, which is reflected in the brand's styling. The first store was opened in London on 12 December 2014. The company's shop estate twenty two shops, and an ecommerce website operation offering an extended product range as well as financing options. In January 2018, the company's flagship store in Canary Wharf was opened by Olympian, Victoria Pendleton.  For 2018, Cycle Republic sponsored the racing team Morvélo-Basso. The company also provides event support at cyclo sportives around the country, including Etape Loch Ness, Palace2Palace and Velo Birmingham. In late 2018 the company announced a strategic partnership with the British folding bike manufacturer Brompton.

Halfords Group plc is a British retailer of car parts, car enhancement, tools, camping and touring equipment and bicycles operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland. They also provide MOT, service and repairs in the United Kingdom, through Halfords Autocentre. Halfords Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange.


Background.

In mid-November 2006, "The Carpal Tunnel of Love" was the first taste of "Infinity on High" when the band made it available online via AbsolutePunk, before a pre-album release to iTunes on December 12, 2006 as a digital single. In addition, a web-exclusive video was released, but later saw televised airplay on Music Choice On-Demand. The song debuted on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 at number No. 81 on the strength of digital downloads and minor airplay, also coming in at No. 67 on the defunct-Pop 100.  The song was featured in the Sony video game, "".

Composition.

"The Carpal Tunnel of Love" has been referred to as "a prime slab of what the boys have become famous for: highly caffeinated pop-punk mixed with a little white-boy soul and some hard-core yelping." The song features Stump singing in a falsetto in the chorus over Trohman's "crunchy" guitars, as well as a breakdown in which Wentz employs unclean vocals, similar to how he used to in his former band, Arma Angelus. It is one of two Fall Out Boy singles to feature Pete Wentz's screams; the other is "Saturday".

Lyrical content.

Elements of Wentz's lyrics were alleged to have been stolen from the works of Give Up the Ghost/Some Girls singer and lyricist Wesley Eisold, who sued the band for copyright infringement after the song was released. Eisold was credited as an "inspirador" in the album liner notes in all versions of the albums. Fall Out Boy settled out of court. The song title is a combination of carpal tunnel syndrome and the tunnel of love amusement ride.

Music video.

On February 5, 2007, the music video was made available on Fall Out Boy's website and was directed by "Happy Tree Friends" creator Kenn Navarro. The video features "Happy Tree Friends" characters and cartoon versions of the band in a plot where Cuddles and Giggles have fallen in love, and Cuddles' attempts to express his love to Giggles. The video concludes with all of the characters, including the Fall Out Boy members, being killed in graphic and ultraviolent ways.

"The Carpal Tunnel of Love" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy from their 2007 album "Infinity on High". It is the tenth track on the album.


1929 Czechoslovak parliamentary election

Background.

The 1929 election took place at a time of relative prosperity, just before the Great Depression.  The Communist Party was the sole multinational political party in the country at the time. It had emerged as a major force in the 1925 election and had around 150,000 members in 1928. In 1929 leadership shifted to a younger generation and a major purge of party ranks took place.  The Czechoslovak National Democrats contested the election in Slovakia together with the Slovak National Party led by Martin Rázus. Nevertheless, relations between Rázus and the leader of the National Democrats in Slovakia Milan Ivanka were strained, as the former was fiercely autonomist and the latter a strong supporter of Czechoslovak nationhood.  In Slovakia, Hlinka's Slovak People's Party resigned from the coalition government on 8 October 1929. The move followed a long controversy around the legal case of the party newspaper editor Vojtech Tuka, who was sentenced for espionage and treason on 5 October 1929. The Tuka affair had resulted in an internal rift in the party, with the expelled anti-Tuka faction (led by Juriga and Tománek) setting up their own Juriga's Slovak People's Party.

Results.

Hlinka's Slovak People's Party saw a decline compared to the 1925 vote, being reduced from 23 seats to 19. One interpretation is that two years of government participation without achieving Slovak autonomy had weakened the party. Moreover, the party had an ambiguous stance during the Tuka affair. The Juriga faction failed to make any impact in the election.  The Czechoslovak Social Democrats won five seats from Slovakia, an increase by three seats compared to the 1925 election. The Communist Party on the other hand retreated from 5 seats in Slovakia, compared to 8 seats in 1925. Magyar and German parties won 9 seats from Slovakia.  The Czechoslovak National Socialists, which lacked widespread support in the area, managed to win two seat from Slovakia. This was the best result for the party in Slovakia during the years of the First Republic. Another Czech party trying to build a base in Slovakia was the Czechoslovak People's Party, which managed to get its local leader Martin Mičura elected.  The Jewish Party, which had failed to win representation in 1925, managed to win two seats through an alliance with three Polish parties. Its deputies were Ludvík Singer from Bohemia and Julius Reiz from Slovakia.  General Radola Gajda's list ('League against Bound Tickets'), which called for the formation of a corporativist state, failed to make a major headway but won three seats (Gajda, Jiří Stříbrný and Karel Pergler). Gajda's political line was fascist, anti-Semitic and anti-German.

Chamber of Deputies.

By electoral district.

Hradec Králové.

Josef Adámek (Czechoslovak People's Party) was elected from Pardubice electoral district.

Mladá Boleslav.

Amongst the deputies elected from the Česká Lípa 5th electoral district were Ernst Grünzner (DSAP), Irene Kirpal (DSAP), Josef Schweichhart (DSAP), Josef Kleibl (DNP) and Hans Krebs.

Brno.

Amongst the deputies elected from the Jihlava 10th electoral district were Johann Wagner (German Electoral Coalition), Erwin Zajicek (German Christian Social People's Party) and Viktor Stern (Communist Party).

Nové Zámky.

The Nové Zámky senatorial district consisted of the Nové Zámky 16th electoral district and the Kosice 20th electoral district, two districts that together hosted around 96% of the Hungarian and 56% of the German population of Slovakia. The percentage achieved by the Communist Party in the Nové Zámky 16th electoral district was the highest in the country in the 1929 vote.  Hlinka's Slovak People's Party fielded Vojtech Tuka in the Košice 20th electoral district, but he failed to win a seat. Fielding Tuka in a district where the party lacked strong support displayed the ambiguity the party had towards him during his treason trials.

Užhorod.

A bloc aligned with the Agrarians merged as the most voted list in the Užhorod electoral district, the sole electoral district in Subcarpathian Rus'. The bloc formed by the National Democrats, which includes the Autonomous Agrarian Union, the Russian National Union and the Carpatho-Russian Labour Party of Small Peasants and Landless, finished in second place.  The Czechoslovak Social Democratic Workers' Party stood on a joint list with the Social Democratic Workers' Party in Subcarpathian Rus' in the constituency. The sole mandate won by this list went to Julius Husnaj of the Czechoslovak Social Democratic Workers' Party.  The Czechoslovak People's Party contested under the name 'Christian People's Party' in the Užhorod electoral district.

Aftermath.

On 7 December 1929 František Udržal formed a coalition government of Czechoslovak Agrarians, Czechoslovak People's Party, Czechoslovak Social Democrats, Czechoslovak National Socialists, Czechoslovak National Democrats, Czechoslovak Traders' Party, German Agrarians and German Social Democrats. Whilst the cabinet was politically broadened after the 1929 elections, it lacked representation from Slovak populists, German Clericals or the Magyar parties.

Parliamentary elections were held in Czechoslovakia on 27 October 1929. The Republican Party of Farmers and Peasants, emerged as the largest party, winning 46 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 24 seats in the Senate. Voter turnout was 90.2% in the Chamber election and 78.8% for the Senate. The rightward shift of the 1925 elections was reversed, with moderate centre-left groups (Social Democrats and Czechoslovak National Socialists) increasing their vote shares whilst the Communist Party suffered a set-back.


History of archaeological research.

Tell Hassuna was found in 1942 by Fuad Safar, and excavated in 1943 and 1944 by a team from the Iraqi Directorate General of Antiquities led by Seton Lloyd. Excavations revealed that there was once an advanced village culture that was spread throughout northern Mesopotamia.  At Hassuna, six different layers of houses were uncovered, revealing various vessels and pottery that date ~5600-5350 BCE, with each layer becoming more substantial. Similar vessels were found throughout the Middle East, showing that there was an extensive trade network that was present as early as the 6th Millennium BCE.

Tell Hassuna and its environment.

Tell Hassuna is located approximately southwest of modern Mosul, along the west bank of the Tigris River. It is a small site, roughly and about high. Hassuna was one of the earliest cultures in Northern Mesopotamia. Before this time, Southern Mesopotamia was considered the cradle of civilization. When settlements began forming in the north, such as Hassuna, Jarmo, Samarra, and Tell Halaf, the north became the important region.  The architecture at Hassuna was built of packed mud, with the width varying from 20 to 50 centimeters. The mud-brick technique may perhaps have been developed in Southern Mesopotamia, where mud-bricks were common in the first half of 6th millennium B.C.

Occupation history.

Around 6,000 B.C., people began moving to the foothills of northern Mesopotamia and practicing methods of dry agriculture. These people were the first known farmers, and Hassuna became one of the most ancient centers for the principal forms of producing economies, such as the cultivation of soil and raising livestock. Evidence of this is shown in the oldest layers of Hassuna. The occupants of Hassuna also led the way in improving agriculture, settling the river valleys, the beginning of irrigation, and progress in all branches of production and culture.  Around 6,000 B.C., at Tell Hassuna, adobe dwellings built around open central courts; fine painted pottery was replacing the crude pottery of the earlier levels.  Hand axes, sickles, grinding stones, bins, baking ovens and numerous bones of domesticated animals reflect settled agricultural life. Stone tools found at Tell Hassuna do not seem to be as advanced as tools found at other sites of the Hassuna culture, such as Jarmo, and were typically made of flint and obsidian.  Female figurines were also used in relation to worship and jar burials, within which food was placed due to belief in the afterlife.

Pottery.

Pottery found at Hassuna can be divided into three different categories: Hassuna Archaic, Hassuna Standard, and Samarran. These also include painted, incised, and painted-incised ware.

Samarra Painted Fine Ware.

The decoration of the Samarra Painted Fine Ware is always monochrome, but it seems as if three types of paint have been used: an ivory black, a dark violet brown, and a medium chocolate brown. Circumstances of firing and variations in the concentration of the paint have caused color changes, so that for example an oxidizing firing of vessels painted with ivory black has produced an Indian red color.  In general, the designs of the Samarra Painted Fine Ware are carefully painted. Occasionally, however, parallel lines approach or diverge slightly, and the thickness of some lines varies, apparently due to the use of a soft painting-brush. The outside rim motifs are spaced and limited by groups of horizontal lines.

Tell Hassuna is a tell, or settlement mound, in the Nineveh Province (Iraq), about 35km south-west of Nineveh. It is the type site for the Hassuna culture (early sixth millennium BCE).


Early History & Findings.

German scientists Dr. Erich Albert Müller and Dr. Theodor Hettinger concluded that muscle growth can be attained by exerting 60% of existing muscle strength against a superior resistance for only seven seconds once a day, a fitness technique known as isometrics. The study at the Max Planck Institute consisted of over 200 experiments over a ten-year period.  Professor James A. Baley put isometrics to the test with a class of college students at the University of Connecticut. The study resulted in the isometric training group improving three times faster than the sports training group on tests measuring increases in strength, endurance, coordination, and agility.

Rise of Bullworker device.

In 1962, Bullworker pioneered portable home fitness devices and the seven second isometric exercise for the fastest strength gains, using both contraction and extension movements involving range of motion for all the major muscle groups, into one lightweight and compact fitness tool at a price everyone could afford. Various charts were then introduced, proposing different work to exercise and develop the muscles.  Bullworker exploded on the fitness scene revolutionizing exercise for muscle strength to be more effective and much faster. Bullworker enjoyed widespread popularity in Europe and the United States in the 1960s and 1970s during the personal fitness craze.  The original Bullworker device consists of two sleeved, spring-loaded, telescopic cylinders in the center, with two hand grips affixed at the outermost ends. Two opposing cables are attached to the hand grips at each end of the device. The original Bullworker exercise apparatus weighs about four pounds (1.8 kilograms). Exercises are performed by pushing inwards on the contractible cylinders, by pulling the cables outwards away from the cylinders, or any variation of these. The resultant compression of the internal spring creates the desired resistance. The Bullworker will return to its original position when pressure is released. A range of up to 150 pounds (68 kilograms) or more of resistance is possible in the Bullworker exercise routines.

Later Bullworker versions.

Since the original Bullworker fitness device was made available for purchase and use by the general public in the 1950s, a number of modified and improved different versions of the original Bullworker have been made available since its introduction, particularly Bullworker 2, Bullworker Deluxe, and Bullworker X5. However, the Bullworker's functional isometric concepts to improve physical fitness remain the same. Though Bullworker's popularity fell off in the 1980s when personal gyms became readily available, Bullworker is still marketed worldwide, with trademarks and distribution owned by Hughes Marketing, LLC. There are two Bullworker models currently commercially available: Bullworker Bow Classic and Bullworker Steel-Bow. The Bow Classic is 36 inches long, and is the Bullworker 'barbell' equivalent, specializing in powerful holds and greater range of motion. The Steel-Bow is 20 inches long and is the Bullworker dumbbell specializing in versatility for muscle targeting and travel. Both Bullworker models have interchangeable springs to easily change resistance levels, ranging from approximately 0-130 lbs (0-60 kg) of resistance.  The original Bullworker suggested 26 individual exercises. While isometrics was the emphasis, the instructions included isotonic, cardio, resiliency and endurance routines. The emphasis on these additional functions greatly expanded the number of exercises available. An additional fitness routine of Iso-Motion has since been added. Bullworkers are well built and very durable; many early units remain in regular fitness use decades later.  Bullworker has also developed a fitness product line specializing in convenient exercise to improve strength and flexibility for everyday performance. The Bullworker Pro System is a complete cross training personal home gym workout of various fitness devices, including: Bullworker Bow Classic; Bullworker Steel Bow; Bullworker Iso-Gym; Bullworker Iso-Bow and Bow Extensions.

The Bullworker Mission.

The purpose of Bullworker's exercise routine is to make fitness simple while improving the individual's quality of life who works out regularly with the device.

Bullworker is a product and fitness company that specializes in isometric exercise, known to be the fastest way to build strength. The original portable home fitness device was invented by Gert F. Kölbel in 1962 to give everyday people access to high quality equipment focusing on total body fitness without the cost or size of other gym equipment. With over 10 million sold it continues to sell around the world including in Europe, Asia, and the United States.


Background.

The hijacking of the train was organized by train driver Jaroslav Konvalinka, train dispatcher Karel Truksa, Jaroslav Švec, a physician, and Karel Ruml, who later described his experience in the book "Z deníku vlaku svobody" (From the Diary of the Freedom Train).  Karel Ruml had been active in the anti-communist resistance movement since 1949. As a member of the right-wing organization "Všehrd", he was expelled from his studies at the Faculty of Law of the Charles University in Prague and, soon after, he joined a group smuggling secret documents from the Soviet Union to a French intelligence agency. In late 1949 he met an old friend in Nymburk in Central Bohemia. During their conversation, they were arrested by the StB (Czechoslovak State Security Service). Ruml's friend, Vlasta "Bůňa" Krejčí, was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment. Ruml himself was released without further consequences. The incident and the growing atmosphere of fear and repression by the state apparatus gradually strengthened his intention to leave Czechoslovakia. In 1951, his girlfriend told him about a planned illegal border crossing by train. The chief organizer was her uncle František Šilhart, a former editor of the magazine "Americké Listy" (American Letters). Šilhart decided to stay in Czechoslovakia and continue illegal anti-state activities. His son Vladimír travelled on the train instead. Karel Ruml only joined up with the other hijackers the train, where he was contacted by Truksa.

The hijacking.

On 11 September 1951, the express train to Cheb set off from Prague at 9:55 a.m. It was divided in Cheb at 2:12 p.m.; three carriages proceeding onward to Aš. When the train arrived at Hazlov—the station before Aš—the driver deliberately delayed it by four minutes. Under cover of inspection of the carriage brakes, he disabled the emergency brakes. Jaroslav Švec boarded at Hazlov. His task was to signal whether the railroad switch at Aš had been switched in the direction of the West German border, which happened irregularly.  The train approached Aš shortly before 3 p.m., Švec gave the signal. The train decelerated and rolled up on the station at its normal speed before it accelerated again and passed through the station, all the while still picking up speed. Passengers were unaware of what was happening and panic erupted. Most were high school students and patients of the spa at Františkovy Lázně (more than 70 returned). A few State Security and State Police officers were on board as passengers as well – they regularly rode on trains passing close by the borders of Western-allied states. Officers tried to reach the emergency brakes that had been installed on all carriages but found them guarded by armed hijackers.  The train sped on and crashed through a barrier placed across the track at the border. It carried on for another kilometer into West Germany before it came to a halt. State Security and State Police officers got off and immediately made for the Czechoslovak border. The plot organizers preferred to continue until the train was farther away from the border, but the driver was unwilling to take the risk due to his unfamiliarity with local track conditions. While the plot organizers explained to the shocked passengers that their action had been planned in advance, a jeep approached. The train driver was ordered by German and U.S. officials to proceed to nearby Selb.

Afterwards.

In Selb, the train was met by a number of reporters and journalists. Karel Ruml, who was the only English speaking person among the hijackers, received an offer (along with Truksa and Konvalinka) from the Americans to undertake a US tour talking about their unusual escape. Ruml asked them to conceal his identity in order to protect family members still in Czechoslovakia. After a month, the group of hijackers and their families (who had left the country with them) moved to Canada, where they received the residence visas. Their case was widely publicized by the Western media, including "The New York Times", "The Globe and Mail" and "The Los Angeles Times".  Ruml, Konvalinka and Truksa later moved to the United States to live, Vladimír Šilhart went to Great Britain.  In response, the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia organized trials of the people involved in the incident and other groups collaborating in anti-state activities. The first nine defendants were sentenced to 162 years in prison. František Šilhart was sentenced to death. However, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and he was released in the 1960s. The actress Jiřina Štěpničková was among the 171 suspects interrogated in association with the case. She was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Freedom Train (in Czech: Vlak svobody) is the term commonly used in the Czech Republic to describe the mass escape of opponents of the Czechoslovak communist regime across the West German border on 11 September 1951 involving State Railways train No. 3717.


Early life.

Komrsková was born on May 6, 1983, to father Jan Komrska, a gymnastics coach, and mother Zdena Komrsková (née Dorňáková), a 1972 Olympian. She started gymnastics at the age of four and was coached by her parents in Zlín. Her younger sister, Aneta, also competed in gymnastics, while her older sister, Lucie, was a leading Czech long jumper.

Gymnastics career.

At the age of 10, Komrsková became a member of the Czech national junior team, and in 1995, she participated in the European Junior Championships for the first time. Two years later, she won three titles in the senior national championships in 1997, including the all-around title, with particularly strong performances on the uneven bars and vault.

1999–2000.

At the 1999 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Tianjin, Komrsková qualified to the all-around final in ninth place, but major faults on beam sent her back to 33rd in the all-around final. The Czech team finished in 16th place, qualifying two gymnasts to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.  In the Olympic year, Komrsková recorded her first success in a World Cup competition (second place on vault in Cottbus, behind Russia's Yelena Produnova) and finished ninth in the all-around at the 2000 European Championships.  She and Kateřina Marešová competed for the Czech Republic at the 2000 Summer Olympics. Komrsková qualified for the individual all-around final in 29th place despite an infection contracted through blisters on her forearm. Immediately after the final, she underwent minor surgery.  After the Games, Komrsková placed fourth on uneven bars and vault at the World Cup final in Glasgow.

2001–2004.

Following several podium finishes in World Cup events, Komrsková was one of the favorites for the vault title at the 2001 World Championships in Ghent. She advanced to the final and finished fourth behind Svetlana Khorkina, Oksana Chusovitina, and Andreea Răducan, losing the bronze medal to Răducan by 0.037 points.  Komrsková was the stand-by for the uneven bars final at the 2002 European Championships and the vault final at the 2003 World Championships, missing the former by 0.012. Her 11th-place finish in the all-around at the 2002 European Championships was her top result in those two years. At the 2003 Worlds in Anaheim, California, she clinched the only Czech berth for the 2004 Summer Olympics, but injured her elbow in the process. At the end of the year, she also broke bones in her foot. She missed the 2004 national and European championships but recovered in time for the Olympics in Athens.  At the Olympics, Komrsková finished 32nd in the all-around qualification and was the second alternate for the final. She said afterward: "When I was in the Olympic Games before, I was younger and I was a bit overwhelmed. Now, it's a normal competition for me. I still think the Olympics is the most important competition for an athlete, but now I am a lot more relaxed about it."

2005–2008.

After the 2004 Olympics, Komrsková decided to end her gymnastics career and try pole vaulting, following the example of Daniela Bártová, a former Czech gymnast who went on to set pole vaulting records. However, Komrsková was hindered by her elbow injury. She then tried to join her sister Lucie in long jumping, but ultimately decided to return to gymnastics.  Her parents had retired from coaching, so Komrsková began training with the Czech national team coach, Stanislav Vyzina, in Brno. She returned to national competitions in late 2005 and went on to win her first World Cup title: a gold medal on vault at the B-category World Cup in Maribor, Slovenia. In 2006, she performed well at several World Cup events, winning gold on vault and bronze on balance beam in Maribor, and silver on vault in Moscow and Lyon.  At the 2006 European Championships in Volos, Greece, Komrsková finished fourth in the vault final, only 0.075 off the podium. She also recorded the 11th best all-around total in qualifications, though no individual all-around final was held. At the Czech national championships, she won four of five possible titles.  Komrsková was the highest-scoring Czech gymnast at the 2006 World Championships and narrowly missed the all-around final: She finished 32nd in qualifications, making her the second alternate. She went on to win the vault titles at the 2006 World Cup final in Brazil and the 2007 European Championships in Amsterdam. At the 2007 World Championships in Stuttgart, she finished seventh on vault, with high execution marks but relatively low difficulty.  The Czech Republic earned one gymnastics berth for the 2008 Summer Olympics. As the only Czech gymnast to qualify to a final at the 2007 World Championships, Komrsková was a front-runner for the spot. However, she retired instead, saying that because she had been to the Olympics twice, it was time for another Czech gymnast to have the opportunity.

Jana Komrsková (born May 6, 1983, in Roudnice nad Labem) is an artistic gymnast from the Czech Republic who competed in the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics.