Legal definition.

The Burghers were legally defined in 1883 by the Chief Justice of Ceylon, Sir Richard Ottley, given before the Commission, appointed in connection with the establishment of a legislative council in Ceylon. Burghers were defined as those whose father was born in Sri Lanka, with at least one European ancestor on one's direct paternal side, regardless of the ethnic origin of one's mother, or what other ethnic groups may be found on the father's side. Because of this definition, Burghers almost always have European surnames (mostly of Portuguese, Dutch and British origin, but sometimes German, French or Russian).

History.

The Portuguese arrived in 1505 in what outsiders then called Ceylon. Since there were no women in the Portuguese navy, the Portuguese sailors married local Sinhalese and Tamil women. This practice was encouraged by the Portuguese.  The Dutch first made contact and signed a trade agreement with the Kingdom of Kandy in 1602. From 1640 on the Dutch East India Company (VOC) had a governor installed and conquered more and more fords from the Portuguese, until, in 1658, the last Portuguese were expelled. However, they permitted a few stateless persons of Portuguese-Jewish (Marrano) descent, and of mixed Portuguese-Sinhalese ancestry to stay. Many people having a Portuguese name were a result of forced conversions of local/native people in order to work for the Portuguese. As a result, Burghers with Portuguese names are most likely to be of Sinhalese ancestry, with a very small portion being Portuguese or mixed Portuguese-Sinhalese ancestry. Those of a Portuguese-Jewish background can be traced in various forms or surmised from their surname. Most Burghers of Eurasian descent with Portuguese surnames are of Sinhalese and Dutch, British, German and/or other European descent.  During the Dutch period, all Dutch colonial operations were overseen by the VOC ('Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie' or "United East India Company"). Virtually all Burghers from this period were employees of the VOC. The VOC employed not only Dutch nationals, but also enlisted men from the Southern Netherlands, the German states, Denmark and Austria. It is therefore not unusual to find ancestors from these countries in many Dutch Burgher family trees.  The term 'Burgher' comes from the Dutch word "burger", meaning "citizen" or "town dweller", and is cognate with the French and English word "bourgeois". At this time in Europe, there had emerged a middle class, consisting of people who were neither aristocrats nor serfs. These were the traders and businessmen, who lived in towns and were considered free citizens. In Europe, they were called burghers, and they were encouraged to migrate to the colonies in order to expand business horizons.  Dutch Ceylon had two classes of people of European descent: those who were paid by the VOC and were referred to as Company servants (i.e. employees), and those who had migrated of their own free will. The latter were not referred to as burghers in Ceylon, but rather by their rank, position or standing.  During British colonial rule, they were referred to by the British as 'Dutch Burghers' and formed the European-descended civilian population in Ceylon. To some degree the term of Burgher was used in a derogatory way to divide and conquer the population, as it distinguished between British and other races or positions. The 'Dutch Burgher' community took pride in its own achievements and prized their European ancestry. A number of Dutch Burgher Union journals have been created over a period of time, to record family histories. They were not only of Dutch origin but incorporated European (Dutch, German, Hungarian, Italian, French, Swedish etc.), United Kingdom, Portuguese Mix, and Sinhalese lines.  When the British took over in 1796, many VOC employees chose to leave. However, a significant number chose to stay, mostly those of mixed descent. Some chose to go to Batavia, which was the headquarters of the VOC. Reportedly about 900 families, both free citizens and United East India Company employees, decided to remain in Ceylon. The British referred to them all as 'Dutch Burghers'. One condition of their being allowed to stay was that they had to sign a Treaty of Capitulation to the British. Many 'Dutch Burghers' can find their ancestors' names in this treaty. At the time of the British conquest, the 900 'Dutch Burgher' families residing in Ceylon were concentrated in Colombo, Galle, Matara and Jaffna.  The Burghers included members of the Swiss de Meuron Regiment, a mercenary unit employed by the VOC. In diplomatic negotiations in Europe, Count de Meuron pledged allegiance to the British in exchange for back pay and information. This allowed the British to get detailed fortification information and reduce the fighting strength of Ceylon prior to 1796. The de Meuron Regiment refused to fight the Dutch due to relationships forged on the island of Ceylon and South Africa. Post 1796 members of the de Meuron Regiment stayed in Ceylon, whilst the regiment itself went off to fight and distinguish itself in India and later in Canada.

Society.

Demographics.

In the census of 1981, the Burgher population of Sri Lanka was 39,374 persons, about 0.2% of the total population. The highest concentration of Burghers is in Colombo (0.72%) and Gampaha (0.5%). There are also significant communities in Trincomalee and Batticaloa, with an estimated population of 20,000.  Burgher descendants are spread throughout the world. Families with surnames such as Van Dort (or the variant Vandort) are of Dutch ancestry.

Language.

Nowadays Burgher people predominantly speak Sinhala. Until the early 20th century, many Burghers spoke English and a form of Portuguese Creole, even those of Dutch descent. Portuguese Creole had been the language of trade and communication with Sri Lankans. It is now only spoken in parts of the coastal towns of Trincomalee and Batticaloa. While much vocabulary is from Portuguese, its grammar is based on that of Tamil and Sinhala.  Depending on where they live in Sri Lanka, Burghers may also additionally speak English and or Tamil. According to the 2012 Census 73.6% or 24,412 Burghers also spoke English and 88.3% or 29,277 Burghers also spoke Tamil.

Culture.

Burgher culture is a mixture of East and West, reflecting their ancestry. They are the most Europeanised of the ethnic groups in Sri Lanka. Most of them wear modern contemporary clothing, although it is not uncommon for a man to be seen wearing a "sarong", or for a woman to wear a "sari".  A number of elements in Burgher culture have become part of the cultures of other ethnic groups in Sri Lanka. For example, "baila" music, which has its origin in the music of 16th-century Portugal, has found its way into mainstream popular Sinhalese music. Lacemaking, which began as a domestic pastime of Burgher women, is now a part of Sinhalese culture too. Even certain foods, such as love cake, breudher, "bol fiado" (layered cake), "ijzer koekjes" (iron cookies), "frikkadels" (savoury meatballs) and lamprais, have become an integral part of Sri Lankan national cuisine.  Burghers are not physically homogeneous. It is possible to have a blond, pale white-skinned Burgher, as well as a Burgher with a very dark complexion and black hair, a Burgher with complexion from brown to light brown and black hair, and a Burgher with fairer complexion and black hair. Pale-skinned and dark-skinned children can even appear as brother and sister in the same family of the same parents. Burghers share a common culture rather than a common ethnicity.  Burghers have a very strong interest in their family histories. Many old Burgher families kept "stamboeken" (from the Dutch for "clan books"). These recorded not only dates of births, marriages and deaths, but also significant events in the history of a family, such as details of moving house, illnesses, school records, and even major family disputes. An extensive, multi-volume "stamboek" of many family lineages is kept by the Dutch Burgher Union.  Individual families often have indigenous European traditions reflecting their specific family origins. Burghers of Dutch origin sometimes celebrate the Feast of Saint Nicholas in December, and those of Portuguese-Jewish origin observe customs such as the separation time of a woman after childbirth (see Leviticus 12:2-5), the redemption of the Firstborn ("Pidyon ha-Ben"), and the purification bath ("taharah") after a daughter’s first period (see "niddah"). Most of the latter Burgher families, being unaware of the Jewish origins of these customs, have given them a Catholic slant. (Catholic and Episcopal churches had services for the churching of women after childbirth from ancient times.)  However, some traditions attributed to Judaism can also be explained as borrowings or retention from the Tamil and Sinhalese communities with whom many Burgher families also share ancestry and culture. For example, the purification bath after a girl’s first period is a common cultural feature of the Tamil and Sinhalese communities of Sri Lanka and neighboring India. Hence its prevalence amongst some Burghers families of Sri Lanka is not necessarily of Jewish origins.  Some commentators believe that the Burghers’ own mixed backgrounds have made their culture more tolerant and open. While inter-communal strife has been a feature of modern Sri Lankan life, some Burghers have worked to maintain good relations with other ethnic groups.  In 2001 the Burghers established a heritage association, the Burgher Association, with headquarters at No.393, Union Place, Colombo 2 Sri Lanka.

Burgher people, also known simply as Burghers, are a small Eurasian ethnic group in Sri Lanka descended from Portuguese, Dutch, British and other European men who settled in Sri Lanka and developed relationships with native Sri Lankan women. The Portuguese and Dutch had held some of the maritime provinces of the island for centuries before the advent of the British Empire. With the establishment of Ceylon as a crown colony at the end of the 18th century, most of those who retained close ties with the Netherlands departed. However, a significant community of Burghers remained and largely adopted the English language. During British rule they occupied a highly important place in Sri Lankan social and economic life.

Die Burgher sind eine euroasiatische ethnische Gruppe in Sri Lanka, die aus Mischehen von europäischen Siedlern der Kolonialzeit (vor allem Portugiesen, Niederländer und Engländer) mit einheimischen singhalesischen und tamilischen Frauen hervorgegangen ist.


Plot.

In Springberry, Alabama, 1946, young Dewey Cox accidentally cuts his brother Nate in half with a machete. The trauma causes Dewey to lose his sense of smell. Dewey meets a blues guitarist, who discovers Dewey is a natural musician.  In 1953, Dewey performs at a school talent show and drives the crowd wild with his song "Take My Hand," and his father kicks him out of the house, calling it the Devil's music. A 14-year-old Dewey leaves Springberry with his 12-year-old girlfriend Edith; they soon marry and have a baby. Working at an all-African American nightclub, Dewey replaces singer Bobby Shad onstage and impresses Hasidic Jewish record executive L'Chaim. While recording a rockabilly rendition of "That's Amore," Dewey is berated by an executive. A desperate Dewey performs "Walk Hard," a song inspired by a speech he gave Edith, which restores the executive's belief in Judaism and rockets Dewey to superstardom.  The song becomes a hit within 35 minutes of its recording, and Dewey becomes caught up in the rock 'n' roll lifestyle. Dewey is introduced to marijuana by his drummer Sam and becomes unfaithful to Edith. Dewey's father informs him that his mother has died while dancing to Dewey's song and blames Dewey's music for her death. Distraught, Dewey finds Sam using cocaine and partakes, resulting in a cocaine-fueled punk rock performance. Choir-girl Darlene Madison enters Dewey's life, and he produces several sexually suggestive hit records amid their courtship. He weds Darlene while still married to Edith, which leads to both women leaving him, after which Dewey purchases drugs from an undercover cop. After he serves time in prison and in rehab, Darlene returns.  They move to Berkeley, California in 1966 at the beginning of the counterculture movement. Dewey's new singing style is compared to that of Bob Dylan, which Dewey angrily denies despite his new music being extremely similar to Dylan’s. On a band visit to India, Dewey takes LSD with the Beatles, leading to a "Yellow Submarine"-esque hallucination. Dewey becomes obsessed with every aspect of the recording process and is consumed with creating his masterpiece "Black Sheep" (a homage to Brian Wilson's "Smile"). The band resents his insane musical style and abusive behavior and breaks up; Darlene, also unable to deal with Dewey, leaves him for Glen Campbell. During another stint in rehab, Dewey is visited by the ghost of Nate, who ridicules his self-pity and tells him to start writing songs again.  In the 1970s, Dewey now hosts a CBS variety television show but is unable to compose a masterpiece for his brother (in the director's cut, Dewey remarries again, this time to Cheryl Tiegs). Nate reappears and urges Dewey to reconcile with their father. Dewey and his father wind up dueling with machetes, and, despite having trained years for this moment, Dewey's father cuts himself in half. Realizing how easy it is to cut someone in half with a machete, he forgives Dewey for Nate's death and tells him to be a better father. Dewey breaks down and destroys almost everything in his home.  Dewey is approached by one of his illegitimate children and decides to reconnect with his many offspring. In 1992, a divorced Darlene returns to him. Finally realizing what is most important to him, Dewey regains his sense of smell and remarries Darlene.  In the present day, L'Chaim's son Dreidel informs Dewey of his popularity with young listeners through rapper Lil' Nutzzak's sampling of "Walk Hard." Dewey learns he is to receive a lifetime achievement award; at the ceremony, he is reluctant to perform his hit song, fearing his old temptations. However, with his family’s support, he reunites with his band and is finally able to create one great masterpiece, summing up his entire life with his final song, "Beautiful Ride." A title card reveals that Dewey died three minutes after this final performance, which then also reads "Dewford Randolph Cox, 1936–2007."  Following the credits is a short black-and-white clip of "the actual Dewey Cox, April 16, 2002" (still played by Reilly).

Production and development.

Jake Kasdan brought the idea to his friend and fellow director Judd Apatow. They then began writing the film together. The tongue-in-cheek references in this fake biopic were drawn from various sources. Apatow and Kasdan noted that they watched various types of biopics for inspiration, including those of Jimi Hendrix and Marilyn Monroe. Despite the humorous approach, the film was crafted in the serious tone of films earmarked for an Oscar, adding to the irony.  John C. Reilly, who actually sings and plays guitar, was chosen to play the title role. "We took the clichés of movie biopics and just had fun with them," Reilly said. The "deliberate miscasting" of celebrity cameos, such as Elvis Presley and the Beatles, was intended to enhance the comedy. The film's poster is a reference to the "young lion" photos of Jim Morrison.

Reception.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 74% based on 134, classifying it as "certified fresh". The site's consensus states: "A parody that pokes fun at rock stars and reductive biopics alike, this comedy sings in large part because of stellar performances and clever original music." On Metacritic the film has a score of 63 out of 100 based on reviews from 22 critics.  Roger Ebert gave the film 3 out of 4 stars and wrote: "Instead of sending everything over the top at high energy, like "Top Secret!" or "Airplane!," they allow Reilly to more or less actually "play" the character, so that, against all expectations, some scenes actually approach real sentiment."  Peter Travers of "Rolling Stone" magazine wrote: "The tricky thing about parody movies is that the jokes get old fast and they're hit-and-miss. "Walk Hard", a spoof of every musical biopic from "Ray" to "Walk the Line", is guilty on both counts. How lucky that when the jokes do hit, they kick major ass."  The film was not commercially successful, taking $18 million at the US box office which was less than the film's $35 million budget.  John C. Reilly received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance in a Musical or Comedy and a nomination for Best Original Song.

Home media.

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on April 8, 2008. In the opening weekend, 263,001 DVD units were sold, generating revenue of $5,110,109. As of May 2010, DVD sales have gathered revenue of $15,664,735.

Promotional appearances.

Along with a backing band "the hardwalkers", Reilly made seven musical appearances as Dewey Cox in the weeks prior to the film's release date.  Several fake commercials were aired including one with John Mayer, hinting Dewey might be his father.

Soundtrack.

Singer-songwriters Dan Bern and Mike Viola (of the Candy Butchers) wrote most of the film's songs, including "There's a Change a Happenin'", "Mulatto", "A Life Without You (Is No Life at All)", "Beautiful Ride" and "Hole in My Pants". Charlie Wadhams wrote the song "Let's Duet". Marshall Crenshaw wrote the title song, and Van Dyke Parks penned the Brian Wilson-esque 1960s-styled psychedelic jam "Black Sheep" (the recording session seems to be a specific parody of Wilson's "Smile" album sessions, on which Van Dyke Parks worked). Antonio Ortiz wrote "Take My Hand". A number of critics noted the unusually high quality of many of the individual songs on the soundtrack, how well they reflected the styles and times they were attempting to parody, and how well they stood on their own as quality compositions. The soundtrack was nominated for both a Grammy and Golden Globe Award and was nominated and won the Sierra Award for Best Song in a Motion Picture from the Las Vegas Film Critics Society. John C. Reilly sang on all the tracks and played guitar on most of them.

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is a 2007 American comedy film directed by Jake Kasdan, and written by Kasdan and co-producer Judd Apatow. It stars John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Tim Meadows and Kristen Wiig. A parody of the biopic genre, "Walk Hard" is the story of a fictional early rock and roll star played by Reilly.

Walk Hard: Die Dewey Cox Story ist eine US-amerikanische Filmkomödie aus dem Jahr 2007. Regie führte Jake Kasdan, der auch gemeinsam mit Judd Apatow das Drehbuch schrieb. Es handelt sich um eine Parodie auf Musiker-Biopics wie insbesondere "Walk the Line".


Classification.

Primary erythromelalgia may be classified as either familial or sporadic, with the familial form inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Both of these may be further classified as either juvenile or adult onset. The juvenile onset form occurs prior to age 20 and frequently prior to age 10. While the genetic cause of the juvenile and sporadic adult onset forms is often known, this is not the case for the adult onset familial form.  In rural areas of southern China, outbreaks of erythromelalgia have occurred during winter and spring at 3-5 year intervals among secondary school students. This epidemic form of erythromelalgia has been viewed as a different form of non-inherited primary erythromelalgia and affects mainly teenage girls in middle schools.

Billing codes systems and other systems.

Erythromelalgia can be found in several billing codes systems and other systems. Erythromelalgia is generally classified as a disease of the circulatory system, falling under the class of "other peripheral vascular disease", as the following two billing code systems will show:

Symptoms and signs.

The most prominent symptoms of erythromelalgia are episodes of erythema, swelling, a painful deep-aching of the soft tissue (usually either radiating or shooting) and tenderness, along with a painful burning sensation primarily in the extremities. These symptoms are often symmetric and affect the lower extremities more frequently than the upper extremities. Symptoms may also affect the ears and face. For secondary erythromelalgia, attacks typically precede and are precipitated by the underlying primary condition. For primary erythromelalgia, attacks can last from an hour to months at a time and occur infrequently to frequently with multiple times daily. Attacks most frequently occur at night, thus having the potential to greatly interfere with sleep. Common triggers for daytime episodes are exertion, heating of the affected extremities, and alcohol or caffeine consumption, and any pressure applied to the limbs. In some patients sugar and even melon consumption have also been known to provoke attacks. Many of those with primary erythromelalgia avoid wearing shoes or socks as the heat this generates is known to produce erythromelalgia attacks. The coexistence of erythromelalgia and Raynaud's phenomenon is rare, but case studies of patients with both diagnoses have been reported in medical journals. Symptoms may present gradually and incrementally, sometimes taking years to become intense enough for patients to seek medical care. In other cases symptoms emerge full blown with onset.

Cause.

In general, erythromelalgia seems to consist of neuropathological and microvascular alterations. How this occurs in secondary erythromelalgia is poorly understood and may be specific to the underlying primary condition. Primary conditions that have been shown to elicit erythromelalgia are listed in diagnosis, below.  Primary erythromelalgia is a better understood autosomal dominant disorder. The neuropathological symptoms of primary erythromelalgia arise from hyperexcitability of C-fibers in the dorsal root ganglion. Specifically, nociceptors (neurons responsible for the sensation and conduction of painful stimuli) appear to be the primarily affected neurons in these fibers. This hyperexcitability results in the severe burning pain experienced by patients. While the neuropathological symptoms are a result of hyperexcitability, microvascular alterations in erythromelalgia are due to hypoexcitability. The sympathetic nervous system controls cutaneous vascular tone and altered response of this system to stimuli such as heat likely results in the observed microvascular symptoms. In both cases, these changes in excitability are typically due to mutation of the sodium channel Na1.7. These differences in excitability alterations between the sympathetic nervous system and nociceptors is due to different expression of sodium channels other than Na1.7 in them.  What causes epidemic erythromelalgia in southern China remains unknown although several erythromelalgia-associated poxviruses were isolated from throat swabs of several patients at different counties and two different seasons.

Side effect of medication.

Several medications, including verapamil and nifedipine, as well as ergot derivatives such as bromocriptine and pergolide, have been associated with medication-induced erythromelalgia.

Mushroom poisoning.

The consumption of two species of related fungi, "Clitocybe acromelalga" from Japan, and "Clitocybe amoenolens" from France, has led to several cases of mushroom-induced erythromelalgia which lasted from 8 days to 5 months.

Possible infectious cause.

An epidemic form of this syndrome occurs in secondary students in rural China. In 1987 a virus - erythromelalgia-associated poxvirus - was reported to have been recovered from throat swabs from such an outbreak. The genome of this virus has been sequenced and it appears that this virus is a strain of mousepox.  Since this virus has not yet been isolated from other outbreaks in other parts of southern China to date this putative association should be treated with circumspection.

Pathophysiology.

"N.B. This section pertains solely to primary erythromelalgia as the secondary form is too poorly understood."  There are 10 known mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel α-subunit Na1.7 encoding gene, "SCN9A". This channel is expressed primarily in nociceptors of the dorsal root ganglion and the sympathetic ganglion neurons. Nine of these mutations have received further study and they have all shown to result in similar biophysical alterations, Table 1. As can be seen from table 1, the primary effect of erythromelalgia mutations is Na1.7 channels that activate at more hyperpolarized potentials. Na1.7 channels act largely as threshold sensors and initiate action potentials. Consequently, this shift in their activation profile results in channels that open closer to the resting membrane potential. In many mutations, this shift of activation is accompanied by shifts in the voltage sensitivity of fast and/or slow inactivation, often in the depolarized direction. This results in channels that are open for a longer of period of time, producing larger and more prolonged changes in membrane potential.  Some of these mutant channels have been expressed in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) or sympathetic neurons. In DRG neurons expressing the F1449V mutation, a lower threshold is required for action potential creation (93.1 ± 12.0 pA) than those expressing wild-type channels (124.1 ± 7.4 pA). Furthermore, while DRG neurons expressing wild-type channels only respond with a few action potentials, those expressing F1449V channels respond with a high-frequency train of action potentials. There is a similar effect in DRG neurons expressing the L858H and A863P mutants. Here, there is also a notable change in resting membrane potential, being depolarized by 4-7 mV versus wild-type channel expressing cells. The situation is different, however, in sympathetic neurons expressing the L858H mutation. While L858H expressing sympathetic ganglion are depolarized ~5mV relative to wild-type expressing neurons, their threshold for action potential initiation is notably higher. Furthermore, while current injection of 40pA for 950ms provokes an average of 6 action potentials in sympathetic neurons expressing wild-type channels this stimulation evokes only approximately 2 action potentials with reduced overshoots in sympathetic neurons expressing L858H mutant channels. Further investigation has demonstrated that the differences in response between DRG and sympathetic neurons is due to expression of Na1.8 in the former. Consequently, expression of Na1.8 channels in sympathetic neurons also expressing L858H mutant Na1.7 results in neurons with a depolarized resting membrane potential that nevertheless have a normal action potential threshold and overshoot.  An effective, though not recommended, treatment for erythromelalgia symptoms is cooling of the affected area. Activation of wild-type channels is unaffected by cooling. L858F mutant channels, however, are activated at more depolarized potentials when cooled than at normal body temperature. At 16 °C the activation V of the mutant channel is only 4.6mV more hyperpolarized that wild-type versus 9.6mV more hyperpolarized at 35 °C. Fast inactivation is affected in a similar manner in both wild-type and L858F mutant channel and is, thus, unlikely to contribute to symptom resolution due to cooling. While such cooling is unlikely to affect neuronal cell bodies, axons and termini express Na1.7 and are present in the skin.

Diagnosis.

Erythromelalgia is a difficult condition to diagnose as there are no specific tests available. However, reduced capillary density has been observed microscopically during flaring; and reduced capillary perfusion is noted in the patient. Another test that can be done is to have the patient elevate their legs, and note the reversal (from red to pale) in skin color. Tests done at universities include quantitative sensory nerve testing, laser evoked potentials, sweat testing and epidermal sensory nerve fiber density test (which is an objective test for small fiber sensory neuropathy). Due the aforementioned factors, patients may face delays in diagnosis.  Once it has been established that it is not secondary erythromelalgia — see below — a programme of management can be put in place.  Some diseases present with symptoms similar to erythromelalgia. Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), for instance, presents with severe burning pain and redness except these symptoms are often unilateral (versus symmetric) and may be proximal instead of purely or primarily distal. Furthermore, attacks triggered by heat and resolved by cooling are less common with CRPS.  Erythromelalgia is sometimes caused by other disorders. A partial list of diseases known to precipitate erythromelalgia is below.

Treatment/management.

For secondary erythromelalgia, treatment of the underlying primary disorder is the most primary method of treatment. Although aspirin has been thought to reduce symptoms of erythromelalgia, it is rare to find evidence that this is effective. Mechanical cooling of the limbs by elevating them can help or managing the ambient environment frequently is often necessary constantly as flares occur due to sympathetic autonomic dysfunction of the capillaries. The pain that accompanies it is severe and treated separately (the pain is similar to CRPS, phantom limb or thalamic pain syndrome). Patients are strongly advised "not" to place the affected limbs in cold water to relieve symptoms when flaring occurs. It may seem a good idea, but it precipitates problems further down the line causing damage to the skin and ulceration often intractable due to the damaged skin. A possible reduction in skin damage may be accomplished by enclosing the flaring limb in a commonly available, thin, heat transparent, water impermeable, plastic food storage bag. The advice of a physician is advised depending on specific circumstances.  Primary erythromelalgia management is symptomatic, i.e. treating painful symptoms only. Specific management tactics include avoidance of attack triggers such as: heat, change in temperature, exercise or over exertion, alcohol and spicy foods. This list is by no means comprehensive as there are many triggers to set off a 'flaring' episode that are inexplicable. Whilst a cool environment is helpful in keeping the symptoms in control, the use of cold water baths is strongly discouraged. In pursuit of added relief sufferers can inadvertently cause tissue damage or death, i.e. necrosis. See comments at the end of the preceding paragraph regarding possible effectiveness of plastic food storage bags to avoid/reduce negative effects of submersion in cold water baths.  One clinical study has demonstrated the efficacy of IV lidocaine or oral mexilitine, though differences between the primary and secondary forms were not studied. Another trial has shown promise for misoprostol, while other have shown that gabapentin, venlafaxine and oral magnesium may also be effective, but no further testing was carried out as newer research superseded this combination.  Strong anecdotal evidence from EM patients shows that a combination of drugs such as duloxetine and pregabalin is an effective way of reducing the stabbing pains and burning sensation symptoms of erythromelalgia in conjunction with the appropriate analgesia. In some cases, antihistamines may give some relief. Most people with erythromelalgia never go into remission and the symptoms are ever present at some level, whilst others get worse, or the EM is eventually a symptom of another disease such as systemic scleroderma.  Some suffering with EM are prescribed ketamine topical creams as a way of managing pain on a long term basis. Feedback from some EM patients has led to reduction in usage as they believe it is only effective for short periods.  Living with erythromelalgia can result in a deterioration in quality of life resulting in the inability to function in a work place, lack of mobility, depression, and is socially alienating; much greater education of medical practitioners is needed. As with many rare diseases, many people with EM end up taking years to get a diagnosis and to receive appropriate treatment.  Research into the genetic mutations continues but there is a paucity of clinical studies focusing on living with erythromelalgia. There is much urgency within pharmaceutical companies to provide a solution to those who suffer with pain such as that with erythromelalgia.

Pain relief.

Patients find relief by cooling the skin. All patients must be notified to not apply ice directly on to the skin, since this can cause maceration of the skin, nonhealing ulcers, infection, necrosis, and even amputation in severe cases.  Mild sufferers may find sufficient pain relief with tramadol or amitriptyline. Sufferers of more severe and widespread EM symptoms, however, may obtain relief only from opioid drugs. Opana ER has been found to be effective for many in the USA, whilst in the UK slow-release morphine has proved to be effective. These powerful and potentially-addictive drugs may be prescribed to patients only after they have tried almost every other type of analgesia to no avail. (This delay in appropriate pain management can be a result of insurer-mandated or legally-required step therapy, or merely overly-cautious prescribing on the part of sufferers' doctors.)  The combination of Cymbalta (duloxetine) and Lyrica (pregabalin) has also proven to be useful in controlling pain, but many EM patients have found this combination has side effects that they are unable to tolerate.

Epidemiology.

Only a small number of studies that have investigated the prevalence of EM, with four studies conducted to date. The mean of all the studies combined results in an EM estimation incidence of 4.7/100,000 with a mean of 1 : 3.7 of the male to female ratio, respectively.  In 1997 there was a study conducted in Norway that estimated that the annual incidence of 2/100,000, with a 1 : 2.4 male to female ratio in this study population, respectively. In 2009 there was a population-based study of EM in the USA (Olmsted County, Minnesota), that reported that the annual incidence was 1.3/100,000, with a 1 : 5.6 male to female ratio in this study population, respectively. The incidence in this study of primary and secondary EM was 1.1 : 0.2 per 100 000 people per year, respectively. A study of a single centre in the south of Sweden in 2012, showed the overall annual population-based incidence was 0.36/100,000. In New Zealand (Dunedin) a study estimated that in 2013 the incidence of EM is 15/100,000, with a 1 : 3 male to female ratio in this study population, respectively. This last study has an estimation that is at least ten times higher than the prevalence previously reported. This study recruited individuals based on self-identification of symptoms (after self-identification, patients were invited for an assessment of an EM diagnosis), instead of participants that are identified through secondary and tertiary referrals as in the other studies.

Prevalence in China.

Epidemic EM appears quite common in southern China, most likely due to a sharp decline in temperature following by a rapid increase of temperature and the effects this has on the body. It is postulated that the acral small superficial arteries intensely constrict and dilate during the sharp decline of temperature, whereas a sharp increase of temperature, the intense expansion of capillaries irritate the nerve endings around, and thus lead to syndromes including (first and second degree) burning pain, increased temperature, erythema and swelling.

History.

The first reported case was in 1878 by Silas Weir Mitchell who suggested the term erythromelalgia to describe a syndrome of red congestion and burning pain in the hands and feet. Some confusion was introduced when Smith and Allen suggested changing the name to erythermalgia in order to emphasise the symptoms of painful inflammation and warmth. In their paper they showed for the first time that when their patients used aspirin, this promptly relieved the burning pain for about three days. They also suggested a distinction between primary (idiopathic) erythromelalgia and secondary erythromelalgia (due to underlying neurologic, hematologic, or vascular problems).  In 1994 Drenth, van Genderen and Michiels distinguished between erythromelalgia and erythermalgia on the basis of responsiveness to aspirin. They established three categories: erythromelalgia (platelet-mediated and aspirin-sensitive), primary erythermalgia, and secondary erythermalgia.  Because of the confusion in terminology, Norton and Zager and Grady classified erythromelalgia in 1998 as either: primary/idiopathic erythromelalgia or secondary erythromelalgia. The primary/idiopathic form of erythromelalgia is not associated with any other disease process and can be either early onset (in children) or adult onset. In their paper they described secondary erythromelalgia as being associated with another disease, often related to a myeloproliferative disorder and has also seen cases of: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, astrocytoma of the brain, vasculitis, and pernicious anemia.  The following table shows the history of the nomenclature of Erythromelalgia:

Amputation.

Because of the severity of the pain in erythromelalgia, and the lack of good pain medication then, there have been reports dating back to 1903 of amputation of the affected limb. In 1903 H. Batty Shaw reported that in three cases the pain was so severe, and that the affected extremities are so useless, that amputation was performed.

Differences with Raynaud's disease.

Back in 1899 Thomas Barlow had already summarized with great detail the contrast between erythromelalgia and Raynaud's disease as following: "Dependence produces considerable increase of the dusky red or violaceous tint of the extremity affected; the arteries in this position of the limb may pulsate forcibly; pain is common, sometimes constant, and more especially when the limb is dependent or parts pressed upon; in wintry weather, or on the application of cold, the conditions are relieved; on the other hand, warmth and summer weather increases pain; there is no loss of sensation, but there may be increased sensitiveness; the local temperature of the affected parts may be raised or lowered; gangrene does not occur; the affection is asymmetrical; there is a certain amount of swelling, sometimes allowing pitting on pressure, sometimes not; incisions over such swelling, even down to the bone, have proved useless; excessive pain on pressure upon the nerves supplying the parts affected is not found; muscular wasting is found, but explainable by the disuse of the limb, and is not at all as severe as in cases of disease of the peripheral nerves; a reaction of degeneration in the nerves of the affected parts has not been found; the deep reflexes, with few exceptions, are not reduced."

Erythromelalgia, formerly known as Mitchell's disease (after Silas Weir Mitchell), is a rare vascular peripheral pain disorder in which blood vessels, usually in the lower extremities or hands, are episodically blocked (frequently on and off daily), then become hyperemic and inflamed. There is severe burning pain (in the small fiber sensory nerves) and skin redness. The attacks are periodic and are commonly triggered by heat, pressure, mild activity, exertion, insomnia or stress. Erythromelalgia may occur either as a primary or secondary disorder (i.e. a disorder in and of itself or a symptom of another condition). Secondary erythromelalgia can result from small fiber peripheral neuropathy of any cause, polycythemia vera, essential thrombocytosis, hypercholesterolemia, mushroom or mercury poisoning, and some autoimmune disorders. Primary erythromelalgia is caused by mutation of the voltage-gated sodium channel α-subunit gene "SCN9A". In 2004 erythromelalgia became the first human disorder in which it has been possible to associate an ion channel mutation with chronic neuropathic pain, when its link to the SCN9A gene was initially published in the "Journal of Medical Genetics". Later that year, in an article in "The Journal of Neuroscience", Cummins et al., demonstrated, using voltage clamp recordings, that these mutations enhanced the function of Na1.7 sodium channels, which are preferentially expressed within peripheral neurons. One year later, in an article in "Brain", Dib-Hajj et al., demonstrated that Na1.7 mutants channels, from families with inherited erythromelalgia (IEM), make dorsal root ganglion (DRG, peripheral and sensory), neurons hyper excitable, thereby demonstrating the mechanistic link between these mutations and pain, thereby firmly establishing Na1.7 gain-of-function mutations as the molecular basis for IEM. Conversely, in December 2006 a University of Cambridge team reported an SCN9A mutation that resulted in a complete lack of pain sensation in a Pakistani street performer and some of his family members. He felt no pain, walked on hot coals and stabbed himself to entertain crowds. By 2013, nearly a dozen gain-of-function mutations of Na1.7 had been linked to IEM. The multi-decades search which identified gene SCN9A as the cause of inherited erythomelalgia is documented in a book by Stephen Waxman, "Chasing Men on Fire: The Story of the Search for a Pain Gene".

Erythromelalgie (von altgriech. "erythros" (ἐρυθρός) rot, "melos" (μέλος) Glied, "algos" (ἄλγος) Schmerz), oftmals EM abgekürzt, ist eine sehr seltene, anfallsweise auftretende periphere neurovaskuläre ("die Nerven und Blutgefäße betreffend") Gefäßerkrankung bzw. Gefäßregulationsstörung, die durch Rötung ("Erythem"), Schmerzen und erhöhte Hauttemperatur an den Extremitäten (seltener auch an Ohren und Wangen) gekennzeichnet ist. Sie wird auch als "Erythralgie", "Erythromelalgia", "Erythermalgia", "Mitchell-Syndrom" oder "Gerhardt-Syndrom" bezeichnet.


Concept.

Masaki Kajishima and Hiroki Hayashi, who both worked on the "Bubblegum Crisis" OVAs, cite the show as being the inspiration for "Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki". In an interview with AIC, Hayashi described "Bubblegum Crisis" as "a pretty gloomy anime. Serious fighting, complicated human relationships, and dark Mega Tokyo." They thought it would be fun to create some comedy episodes with ideas like the girls going to the hot springs, but it was rejected by the sponsors. He also said that there was a trend to have a bunch of characters of one gender and a single one of the other gender, and asked what if Mackey (Sylia's brother) was a main character, reversing the "Bubblegum" scenario. This became the basis for "Tenchi Muyo!".  In designing Ryoko, Kajishima and Hayashi were inspired by the American sitcom "I Dream of Jeannie" and wanted to use her in their works. In the first episode, Tenchi would open the sealed cave, which was a reference to the Jeannie's bottle, and a "cute witch" would jump out. Hayashi said that Tenchi is "sort of" based on Mackey, and that after Tenchi and Ryoko, the other girls were designed to be characters to balance the picture in the very early concepts of the series, and that they are original characters.

Media.

OVA.

The first OVA was titled "Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki" and was created by Masaki Kajishima. The series was divided into 4 OVAs. The fourth OVA released its last episode on September 13, 2017.

Manga.

Hitoshi Okuda wrote two manga series based on the OVA series. The first manga is titled and was published by Kadokawa Shoten and serialized in Dragon Comic Jr. magazine from December 16, 1994 to June 9, 2000. The series was collected into 12 tankōbon volumes. The second series titled was also published by Kadokawa Shoten and serialized in Dragon Comic Age magazine from July 26, 2000 to December 9, 2005. The series was collected into 10 tankōbon volumes.

TV series.

After the first OVA series aired, AIC began looking into TV adaptations beyond the "Mihoshi Special". In 1995, a 26-episode anime television series was created by Hiroshi Negishi, animated by AIC and produced by Pioneer. It was loosely based on the first six episodes of the OVA series and the "Mihoshi Special". Two years later, another AIC production followed suit called, which aired through 1997 and also ran 26 episodes. It borrowed characters and some plot devices from the previous incarnations, but with a noticeable art shift and very different concepts, such as centering on Tenchi's high school and being a priest in Tokyo. The most recent series aired in October 2014. The series commemorated the 20th anniversary of the franchise and was sponsored by the city of Takahashi, Okayama.

Films.

An anime film titled "", created by Hiroshi Negishi, is a continuation of the "Tenchi Universe" TV series. A second film, "", was adapted from a novel written by Naoko Hasegawa. The third film, titled "Tenchi Forever! The Movie", is the sequel to "Tenchi Muyo in Love" and was adapted into a manga titled "Tenchi Muyo! In Love 2: Eternal Memory".

Novels.

Kajishima has written several books based on the franchise, including the ongoing "Tenchi Muyo! GXP: Galaxy Police Transporter" novel series, the novels "Shin Tenchi Muyo! Jurai", "Shin Tenchi Muyo! Yosho", and "Shin Tenchi Muyo! Washu", and recently, the "Paradise Wars" spinoff. There are also a number of dōjinshi by and interviews with Kajishima, as well as a companion book, "101 Questions and Answers of Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Oh-Ki". Naoko Hasegawa wrote a series of thirteen light novels continuing from the first OVA series, starting with "One Visitor After Another: Hexagram Of Love" in 1993.  Seven Seas Entertainment has licensed the light novels "Shin Tenchi Muyo! Jurai", "Shin Tenchi Muyo! Yosho", "Shin Tenchi Muyo! Washu" for a North American release.

Video games.

Numerous video games have been released based on the franchise, such as "Tenchi Muyo! Game Hen" for the Super Famicom.

Radio.

A radio drama was released titled "Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki Manatsu no Carnival".

Stage play.

On AnimeJapan 2019, it was announced on AIC Rights' booth that a stage play based on the first season of Ryo-Ohki was in development, scheduled to premiere in 2019. On May 17th, the cast and staff was announced, with Kazuhiro Igarashi writing the script and Kazuma Sato starring as Tenchi Masaki. It ran from July 17th to the 21st on the Shinjukumura Live venue, in Tokyo.

Spin-offs.

The first Tenchi spinoff is the "Magical Girl Pretty Sammy" series, a magical girl series where Sasami is the lead character. The first use of Pretty Sammy was in the "Tenchi Muyo! Sound File", a Japanese-only music video release. The same animation was used in the ending of the "Tenchi Muyo! Mihoshi Special". In 1995, a three episode "Pretty Sammy" OVA series began, where Sasami, who is known as Sasami Kawai, magically becomes Pretty Sammy. The second "Pretty Sammy" series is a TV series, which came out in 1996, also known as "Magical Project S". This series is in a separate continuity from the OVA series. Pretty Sammy also appears in the "Mihoshi Special" toward the end of Mihoshi's story, and in an alternate reality sequence in the "Tenchi Universe" series.  Also created by Masaki Kajishima, the 1997 OVA series "Photon: The Idiot Adventures" is related to the "Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki" universe, or more specifically, its recent installment, "Tenchi Muyo! War on Geminar". "Tenchi Muyo! War on Geminar" copies a number of elements from "Photon: The Idiot Adventures", such as Koros, Aho energy, having a princess named Lashara, and a young hero with such strong superhuman abilities he's practically invincible.  The 1999 series "Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure" is related to the "Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki" universe, due to the blatant use of the "Lighthawk Wings" associated with the Jurai dynasty in "Tenchi Muyo". The creator of both "Dual!" and "Tenchi Muyo!", Masaki Kajishima, confirmed that "Dual!" does relate to "Tenchi Muyo!", and is in fact an alternate version of the "Tenchi Muyo!" universe. Guardians of Order published a line of English-language "Tenchi Muyo" role-playing game books based on the various series in the Tenchi franchise starting in 2000.  "Tenchi Muyo! GXP" was released in Japan in 2001. The series takes place during the Kajishima version of the OVA continuity, and is set a year after the events of the third OVA series (despite being released first chronologically). The main character is Seina Yamada, a friend of Tenchi Masaki who accidentally joined the Galaxy Police. Many characters from "Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki" make appearances in this series, including the use of Seiryo Tennan as a major character and a full-fledged "Tenchi Muyo!" crossover in episode 17.  "Battle Programmer Shirase" is a 2003 spin-off of the "Pretty Sammy" OVA and TV series, keeping the character Misao Amano from "Pretty Sammy", and with the main character Akira Shirase, Misao's great-uncle; however, it bears little in common with either "Pretty Sammy" series because it has neither magic, nor Sasami, nor Misao's alter ego Pixy Misa.  "" aired in Japan in 2006. The third spin-off featuring Sasami (known here as Sasami Iwakura) as the main character.  The most recent "Tenchi" spin-off series is called "Tenchi Muyo! War on Geminar" (aka "Isekai no Seikishi Monogatari") which follows the tale of Tenchi's half-brother Kenshi Masaki as he finds himself in a foreign world that uses humanoid machines to fight their wars.

A fourth OVA series was produced in Japan, with the first collection released on November 30, 2016. The following episodes were planned to be released with an interval of three months each, and the final part of the series arrived August 30, 2017.

Tenchi Muyō! (jap. ) ist der Titel mehrerer Anime-OVA und -Fernsehserien, die auf Grund ihres Erfolgs in Japan auch als Manga, Hörspiel und Light Novel umgesetzt wurde. Der erste Tenchi-Muyō!-Anime erschien 1992 unter dem Titel "Tenchi Muyō! Ryōōki" () in Form einer OVA. 1994 folgte eine zweite OVA-Serie, gefolgt von der Fernsehserie "Tenchi Muyō!" 1995 mit 26 Folgen. 1997 erschien die zweite Fernsehserie "Shin Tenchi Muyō!" mit ebenfalls 26 Folgen. Zwischen 1996 und 1999 entstanden auch drei Spielfilme. 2002 erschien "Tenchi Muyō! GXP", von 2003 bis 2005 wurde die OVA fortgesetzt und 2014 folgte die Serie "Ai Tenchi Muyō!". Daneben existieren noch mehrere Spin-offs und verwandte Anime.


History.

Biak was first reported as sighted by Europeans by the Portuguese navigator Jorge de Menezes in 1526. In his voyage from Malacca to Maluku via northern Borneo, Jorge de Menezes landed at Biak Islands, at the entrance of the Gulf, where he was forced to winter; the island is thenceforth called in Portuguese maps "Ilha de Dom Jorge" or "Ilha onde invernou Dom Jorge", to become, finally, "Ilha de S. Jorge".  The Spanish navigator Álvaro de Saavedra sighted the island on 24 June 1528, when trying to return from Tidore to New Spain. Another sighting was later reported in 1545 by Spanish navigator Íñigo Ortiz de Retes on board of galleon "San Juan" when also attempting the return to New Spain  The archipelago was first mapped in the Portuguese charts of Gaspar Viegas (c. 1537), an anonymous map of 1540, and on the maps of João de Lisboa and of Bartolomeu Velho (c. 1560), and by other Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch maps. In World War II, a strategic airfield of the Imperial Japanese Army was located there, serving as a base for operations in the Pacific theatre. American forces eventually captured the island during the Battle of Biak. The captured airfield was renamed Mokmer Airfield and later transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force.  It was transferred from Dutch rule, along with half of New Guinea, in the 1960s.

Biak Massacre.

On 1 July 1998, the anniversary of the unsuccessful 1971 Papuan declaration of independence, Biak was the scene of what is commonly known as the 'Biak Massacre' or 'Bloody Biak'. Native Papuan people and members of the "Organisasi Papua Merdeka" (Free Papua Movement), raised their traditional flag, 'The Morning Star', at Kota Biak water tower and camped there for the next six days.  At 05:30 on 6 July 1998 the demonstration was fired upon by the "Tentara Nasional Indonesia" (TNI or Indonesian Military). Many were shot while attempting to flee. Survivors were rounded up and forced to the docks where they were kept for the several days while further demonstrators were caught.  About 200 of the original demonstrators were forcibly loaded onto two Indonesian naval vessels and taken to two different locations to be thrown into the ocean. In the following days, bodies washed up on Biak's shores, or were snarled in fishing nets. The TNI explained that the bodies turning up belonged to victims of the Aitape tsunami which occurred approximately away in Papua New Guinea.

Demographics.

The people of Biak are predominantly Melanesians and the main religion is Christianity. The official language is Indonesian and the main local language is Biak. Other languages such as Dutch and English are also used, but limited. Administratively there are 12 kecamatan, covering only the island itself, having 112,873 people in the 2010 census.

Climate.

Biak features a tropical rainforest climate with nearly identical temperatures throughout the course of the year. The average annual temperature in the city is, which is also generally the average temperature of each day in Biak. The city sees a good amount of precipitation in every month throughout the course of the year, averaging roughly of precipitation per year. Its driest months November, average a little under of rain per month.

Transport.

Biak is serviced by Frans Kaisiepo Airport, which has flights from all over Indonesia.  Space satellite launch services had been planned,, for the new Biak Spaceport. The equatorial location offers particularly efficient launches to equatorial and near-equatorial orbits; facing eastward toward the Pacific Ocean reduces the downrange risks of launch.

Tradition.

The Biak Numfor culture revolves around their ancient animist religion, although today they are Christian as well.  Their beliefs revolve around a ritual ceremony called Wor, where they will be plagued by all kinds of bad luck and sickness. The Wor is in all aspect of their life and some of their traditional ceremonies are still being held now. They include the first hair cut ceremony (Wor Kapapnik), the growing up ceremony (Wor Famarmar) and the Wedding ceremony (Wor Yakyaker Farbakbuk). All of these ceremonies are accompanied by singing, dancing and offering to ancestral spirits.

Yosim Pancar Dance.

The Biak Numfor have a friendship dance called "Yosim Pancar". Its small to mid-size dance group formations could last all-night long. Several "Yosim Pancar" moves that are popular till this day are: Pancar Gas, Gale-Gale, Jef, Pacul Tiga, Seka, and Poco-poco adaptation.  The rhythm and song of Yosim Pancar dance are now being modernized with special effect sounds and pop dance beat. Originally the rhythm is to summon ancestral spirits and let them join the group. The traditional musical instrument of this dance is a self-made string bass from coconut tree and roots which is similar to the guitar or ukulele.

Flora and fauna.

The rain forest-covered Biak Islands have been designated the Biak-Numfoor rain forests, especially as they have the largest number of endemic bird species of any single area in the New Guinea region. There are also numerous reptile and amphibian species found here. Among the many snake species catalogued by Tom Mendelson during his herpetological survey of Biak in the 1990s, the green tree python ("Morelia viridis") and the amethystine python ("Morelia amethystina") were quite common. The Biak glider is a recently reclassified gliding possum species, formerly considered a sugar glider subspecies.  There are numerous types of flora in the tropical rain forest of the island, including a variety of trees and other commercially important species plus the lush vegetation of mangrove swamps.

Biak is a small island located in Cenderawasih Bay near the northern coast of Papua, an Indonesian province, and is just northwest of New Guinea. Biak is the largest island in its small archipelago, and has many atolls, reefs, and corals.

Biak ist eine Insel in der ostindonesischen Cenderawasih-Bucht im Pazifischen Ozean. Biak ist mit 1.746 km2 die größte Insel der Schouten-Inselgruppe und gehört zur indonesischen Provinz Papua.


Nilov Monastery.

The island is the home of Nilov Monastery, which was founded by Saint Nilus in 1594, and previously welcomed up to 40,000 pilgrims each year. Most of the buildings of the monastery were built in the 18th and 19th Centuries in a neoclassical style. Today the monastery complex remains one of the most impressive ensembles of Neoclassical architecture in Eastern Europe. Some of its churches date back to the 17th century. A graceful embankment was completed by 1812, and a large cathedral was built in 1821-25. The construction of the causeway to the island was completed in 1812. The Nilov Monastery was one of the largest and wealthiest monasteries in the Russian Empire.

Origin of name.

Regarding the name of the island - "Stolobny" - there are two versions. At first, it got its name because of its shape, like a pole, and the second, is that there was an ancient pagan temple that included a sacrificial post. In 1515 the Rev. Nil (Neil in English) Krypetsky worked as a lumberjack. He lived alone, ate grass and acorns, all the time spent in prayer. According to legend, one day robbers went to Rev. Nil, and decided to kill him. However, he prayed silently, went out to them with an icon of the Blessed Virgin. The robbers, dreaming that the Rev. was defended by many armed men, fell at his feet, repented and begged forgiveness.  Gradually the fame of the hermit spread through the local villages. People began coming to him, asking prayers and teachings. In 1528, tired of all the attention, he moved to a new location - the island of Stolobny at Lake Seliger, near Ostashkov. The first year he lived in a dugout, then built a hut and a chapel for prayers. According to legend, the devil repeatedly sent different calamities against the hermit - fires, even robbers tried to throw his cell in the lake. However, Rev. Nil was adamant, overcoming all attacks by prayer and faith.  Rev. Nil lived on the island a total of 27 years before his death, and he bequeathed to build a monastery on this site, which was later made. Nil died in 1555 and was buried on Stolobny. In 1594, with the permission of the Patriarch Job, a monastic cloister opened on the island. Thus began the history of monastery Nilo - Stolobensky. The founder of the monastery was a monk Herman.

History.

In 1919, after the October Revolution, the monastery was confiscated. It was closed in 1927 by the Soviet government and subsequently used for various purposes. From 1927 to 1939 there was a work camp for underage criminals.  In the period 1939 to 1941, during the first years of World War II, the monastery was a prisoner of war camp of the Russian secret service NKVD, which held approximately 7,000 Polish prisoners of war who had been taken captive by the Soviet Union following the Soviet invasion of Poland in September 1939. Almost all of the prisoners were subsequently executed in April 1940 in Kalinin (now Tver) and then buried in mass graves in Mednoye, an act which became known as the Katyn Massacre. Amongst those killed were Polish officers, lawyers, policemen, teachers, doctors, and other members of the intelligentsia.  From 1941 to 1945 there was a hospital in the building complex, and again from 1945 to 1960, a camp for minors and orphans. From 1960 to 1971 the monastery was used as a retirement home, and from 1971 to 1990 a hostel for tourists.

Current status.

After 1990, the complex was given back to the Russian Orthodox Church, and in 1995 it opened again as a functioning monastery, which it still is today.

Stolobny Island is an island on Lake Seliger in the Tver Oblast of Russia, about north of the town of Ostashkov.

Das Nilow-Kloster (/Nilo-Stolobenskaja Pustyn) ist ein russisches-orthodoxes Kloster auf der Insel Stolobny im Seligersee in den Waldaihöhen 300 km nordwestlich von Moskau.


Gameplay.

Like its Nintendo 64 (N64) predecessors "Banjo-Kazooie" (1998) and "Banjo-Tooie" (2000), "Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge" is an adventure platformer with a strong emphasis on collecting items. The player must control the player characters, the bear Banjo and his bird friend Kazooie, through several levels. The story takes place between the events of the N64 "Banjo" games and employs time travel as a key plot device. In the story, the evil witch and antagonist of the previous games, Gruntilda, transfers her spirit into a mechanical body before kidnapping Kazooie and going back in time to prevent her from meeting Banjo, thus preventing the events of "Banjo-Kazooie". The shaman Mumbo Jumbo sends Banjo back in time to stop Gruntilda. At the start of the game, the player controls just Banjo, who can walk, jump, crouch, and attack enemies with his backpack. Collecting golden musical notes scattered around levels will enable Banjo to purchase three additional abilities from a mole named Bozzeye. Eventually, Banjo rescues Kazooie, who rides in his backpack for the remainder of the game. With Kazooie, the player can purchase seven new abilities, such as temporary flight. While "Grunty's Revenge"s game mechanics are largely the same as those from the N64 games, it is presented in 2D from an overhead perspective with pre-rendered graphics, rather than the 3D presentation of its predecessors.  There are five levels (called worlds), which are accessed from the overworld Spiral Mountain. In each world, players must collect items scattered around the environments. These include the musical notes; puzzle pieces called Jiggies, which unlock levels and progress players through the game; empty honeycombs, which extend Banjo's energy bar; and lost creatures called Jinjos, which will give the player a Jiggy when every one in a level is found. Progress is tracked on a statistics screen showing maps of each location and collected items. Other collectibles include totems and coins; overall, there are more than 750 collectibles. If Banjo gives totems to Mumbo Jumbo, he will gain the ability to transform into other creatures, including a mouse, squid, candle, or tank, each with its own unique abilities. Some areas in levels are inaccessible unless Banjo buys new abilities or transformations. Every level features an "arena style" boss fight with Gruntilda or her minion, Klungo. The final boss fight is a game show-style quiz testing the player's knowledge of the game mechanics. Aside from the platforming, some levels feature minigames, such as fishing, racing, and target shooting. The closing credits features a minigame where the player can earn tokens, which can be used to purchase and replay unlocked ones in an arcade cabinet hidden in one of the levels.

Development.

"Grunty's Revenge" was developed by Rare for the Game Boy Advance (GBA), a handheld game console by Nintendo. Production lasted four years and began in August 1999, a year before the release of "Banjo-Tooie" and when Rare was still a second-party developer for Nintendo. Although it was developed and released on the GBA, "Grunty's Revenge" was initially planned for the system's predecessor, the Game Boy Color. It was originally titled "Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Curse" and was conceptualised by a small team. "Grunty's Curse"s story was different: it was set in a parallel universe, did not involve time travel, and would have taken place several years after the events of "Banjo-Kazooie". In the story of "Grunty's Curse", Gruntilda curses Bottles the mole and Mumbo Jumbo, and kidnaps Kazooie and turns her into a monster; to save them, Banjo must find several magic ingredients. As he has not adventured in a long time, Banjo sets out to be retrained by Bottles' grandfather Grampa Mole (who became Bozzeye in the final version). The original plot is referenced as an in-joke in the final game; when Banjo finds Kazooie, he says he is surprised Gruntilda did not turn her into a monster. Originally conceived as a side-scrolling platformer, "Grunty's Curse" was to feature more levels and power-ups than "Grunty's Revenge". Rare was working on the game's sprites when production halted in late 1999.  Production restarted after Nintendo released the GBA. Rare retitled the game "Grunty's Revenge" and changed the plot so it would fit better in the series' universe. It was announced and showcased along with Rare's other GBA games they were working on at the time at E3 2001. Development continued even after Rare was acquired by Nintendo's rival Microsoft, who currently does not make handheld game consoles, in 2002. "Grunty's Revenge" was nearly complete at the time, but Rare chose to continue to fine-tune it during their transition to a first-party developer. It also gave them time to implement 3D computer graphics. A multiplayer mode using the GBA's Game Link Cable was planned but cut. On 11 August 2003, Microsoft announced it was collaborating with THQ to publish Rare's GBA projects, including "Grunty's Revenge", a remake of "Sabre Wulf" (2004), "Banjo" spinoff "Banjo-Pilot" (2005), and "It's Mr. Pants" (2005). The game was released in North America on 12 September 2003 and in Europe on 24 October 2003. It was Rare's first game after the Microsoft buyout and their first game in over 10 years that they or Nintendo did not publish. A port for mobile phones was released by In-Fusio in June 2005. Another mobile game comprising the minigames, "Grunty's Revenge Missions", was released around the same time.

Reception.

According to Metacritic, a video game review aggregator, "Grunty's Revenge" received "mixed or average reviews". Opinions regarding the game as a whole differed. Some reviewers, such as those from "IGN", "GameZone", "GameSpy", and retrospectively "Nintendo Life", applauded it as a splendid effort to bring "Banjo-Kazooie" to a handheld device. "Nintendo Life" went as far as to call it the closest thing to a pure "Banjo" experience outside the originals. Others, such as those from "GameSpot" and "Eurogamer", argued it did not stand out from other GBA games; "Eurogamer" also said it did not compare well to GBA platformers like "" (2003). Both also believed its shortcomings ruined the experience and only recommended it to fans of the series or Rare's games. Reviewers generally agreed the story was subpar. "IGN" called it "half-baked", weak, and poorly written; they felt it did not use the time travel aspect well and should have had more in-jokes and references to the two previous "Banjo-Kazooie" games. Others described it as too confusing, lame, and "ludicrous". However, "Jeuxvideo.com" praised its offbeat, humorous tone.  Reviewers were more generous towards its gameplay, with many favourably comparing it to that of the original games." GameZone" and "GameSpy" thought the series' gameplay transitioned well from the N64 to the GBA, with "GameSpy" writing "Grunty's Revenge" did not merely mimic the N64 games and, unlike other platformers, was never repetitive. "Jeuxvideo.com" found the environments vast, "IGN" said the gameplay was "just as deep and extensive" as it was on the N64, and "Nintendo Life" believed it managed to "cram all of [Banjo's] platforming goodness into a cartridge with a fraction of the capacity". The minigames were also praised as an addictive and fun diversion that added depth to the main game. On the negative side, reviewers were disappointed the promised multiplayer mode was absent;" IGN" and "GameZone" agreed the racing minigame would have worked well in a multiplayer mode. Other complaints were levied against the overhead view—which was said to make it difficult to judge heights—and "GameSpot" believed the best aspects of the game were "overshadowed by its Sisyphean focus on item collecting."  The visuals and sound were praised. Many reviewers believed the visuals were colourful and well-animated, and were impressed by their faithfulness to the N64 games. They wrote Rare did a great job recreating the world of "Banjo-Kazooie" in 2D." Nintendo Life" favourably compared the pre-rendered graphics to "Donkey Kong Country" and "GameZone" called them vibrant and detailed. "Eurogamer" said that while it was not the GBA's prettiest game, most of "Grunty's Revenge"s visuals were well-done, although they thought the backgrounds were lacklustre. "Jeuxvideo.com" and "Pocket Gamer" were more critical; "Jeuxvideo.com" felt the colours were odd and the text was hard to read, and "Pocket Gamer" argued the art style was too cute. Reviewers were surprised by how similar the audio was to the N64 games. "IGN" called the music catchy and the sound as a whole impressive, and "GameZone" appreciated that Rare brought "Banjo’s hilarious and indescribable jibber-jabber" back.  The low difficulty and short length were primary aspects of criticism. Reviewers estimated that the game could be completed within a matter of hours, and also felt it lacked replay value. "GameSpot", for example, believed there were not many areas where players could slow down and interact with the environment, and "Eurogamer" called the game boring. Boss fights were singled out as one of the game's biggest failings; they were criticised for their uninspired nature and lack of challenge, although "IGN" and "Nintendo Life" considered the final boss a highlight. "Pocket Gamer" also wrote it was easy to get lost in the game world.

Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge is a 2003 platform game by Rare for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance (GBA). It is the third instalment in the "Banjo-Kazooie" series and takes place between the events of the Nintendo 64 (N64) games "Banjo-Kazooie" (1998) and "Banjo-Tooie" (2000). In "Grunty's Revenge", the evil witch Gruntilda travels back in time to prevent the events of "Banjo-Kazooie" from happening, and the bear Banjo and his bird friend Kazooie set out to stop her. "Grunty's Revenge" retains the focus on collecting items and most of the other game mechanics from its predecessors, but is presented in 2D rather than 3D. Aside from the main game, players can also access minigames such as fishing and target shooting.

Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty’s Rache (engl. Originaltitel Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty’s Revenge) ist ein 2003 erschienener Ableger des Nintendo-64-Spiels Banjo-Kazooie für den Game Boy Advance, entwickelt vom britischen Softwarestudio Rare und vertrieben von THQ. Wie sein großes Vorbild ist auch dieser Titel vom Genre der Jump ’n’ Run, wird aber als zweidimensionales Spiel aus der Vogelperspektive betrachtet. Es ist das erste Spiel von Rare, das auf einer Nintendo-Konsole veröffentlicht wurde, nachdem ein Großteil der Firmenanteile von Microsoft übernommen worden war.


Climate.

Local topography and regional weather patterns make the Spring Mountain District the coolest and wettest appellation within the Napa Valley. These same factors create a diurnal fluctuation in temperature in the summertime that differs from other regions of the Napa Valley. Spring Mountain is only to the east of the Pacific Ocean. The coastal waters of northern California are strongly influenced by the California Current, an icy flow of water that originates near the Aleutian Islands. This cold current moderates the summer weather in the coastal valleys of Northern California.  Lying between the Spring Mountain appellation and the cold ocean current is a gap in the coastal mountains between Bodega and Tomales Bay and extending through the Santa Rosa Plain. Summer heat in the interior of California creates a low pressure area that draws cold air from the coast through this coastal gap and across the broad Santa Rosa plain. This on-shore air movement is bumped north by Sonoma Mountain pushing the cold air flow towards Santa Rosa Creek, the Northern Mayacamas Mountains, and directly at the Spring Mountain District AVA. The ridge of the Spring Mountain District is lower than Bald Mountain to its south and Diamond Mountain to its north. This lower ridgeline allows the cool, moist coastal air to enter the Napa Valley spilling down over forest and the vineyards that lie on the slopes of Spring Mountain and moderating peak daily temperatures.  A typical summer afternoon on Spring Mountain is cool, sometimes with "waterfalls" of fog tumbling over the western ridge and down through the canyons of the district. Into the evening, the cool air settles to the valley floor creating a cover of fog and warm air is lifted to the higher elevations. Nighttime temperature rise from this effect. Mornings warm more quickly on Spring Mountain than on the valley floor as most of the district lies above the morning fog line. The overall effect of this is moderately warm peak daily temperatures and moderately warm nighttime temperatures which keeps sugar accumulation in the berry in pace with flavor development.  The topography of the Spring Mountain District AVA also influences in the vineyards on the valley floor below it. While much of the Napa Valley depends on cooling from the San Pablo Bay, the vineyards in and around Saint Helena benefit from this second and direct source of coastal cooling that comes through the Spring Mountain District AVA. Also moderating summer temperatures in the appellation is the altitude of the vineyards; generally they are cooler at higher elevations. A final moderating influence is the district's predominantly eastern exposure which shades the district from the harsh afternoon sun. The topography influences climate over the entire year. Spring Mountain District AVA receives to more annual rainfall than the Napa Valley floor or the eastern slopes of the valley. Total precipitation can range as high as to in some of the wettest years.

Soils.

Soil depths vary, but tend to be deeper than in nearby mountain terrain and shallower than on the valley floor. The region contains mostly residual upland soils with only a few areas of alluvial soils at the lower elevations. The soils are derived almost equally from Franciscan sedimentary rocks (sandstone and conglomerates) and Sonoma volcanic formations which are predominantly composed of Andesite. This equal mix of sedimentary and volcanic rocky soils distinguishes the region from adjacent mountain areas. To the north, in the Diamond Mountain area, soils are almost entirely of volcanic origin. To the south, in the Mount Veeder area, soils are primarily sedimentary.

Wine Production.

About 90% of the wine produced in the Spring Mountain District AVA is red. The predominating grape variety is Cabernet Sauvignon followed by Merlot. In addition to the other Bordelaise grape varieties of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, a few sites favor and support small plantings of Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah and on the coolest sites, even a little Pinot noir. Of the whites over half is Chardonnay. The other significant plantings of white grapes in the AVA are Sauvignon blanc and White Riesling.

History.

Early on, the name Spring Mountain was used in a regional context and did not refer to the name of a peak or prominent point, rather than a particularly verdant area with numerous springs, and drained by several small streams. The appellation was among the first locations in Napa Valley to receive recognition as a grape growing region.  While grapes may have been grown in the area as early as the American Civil War, the first documented planting is that of Charles Lemme, who cultivated the La Perla Vineyard just south of York Creek in 1874. Steady growth followed. In the 1880s, Jacob and Frederick Beringer, who had already opened their historic winery near St. Helena, planted a vineyard on Spring Mountain. Later in the decade, Fortune Chevalier, a Frenchman who had come to San Francisco during the Gold Rush, planted and built a stone winery.  Most notable among the early growers was wealthy San Francisco banker and financier Tiburcio Parrott, who established a vineyard that he named Miravalle and built a Victorian-style home that still stands on the property. In 1893, a local newspaper reported: "Old vineyardists asked him [Parrott] what he expected to do among those hills and rocks, and when told by Mr. Parrott that he expected to raise grapes and produce wine unsurpassed in the world, they laughed at him and told him his hopes would never be realized." Parrott's wines took first place at the San Francisco Midwinter Fair the following year and a gold medal at the World's Fair two years later. The historic La Perla, Chevalier and Miravalle vineyards are now part of Spring Mountain Vineyard.  Grape growing and winemaking declined in Spring Mountain from 1910 to 1940 due to the onset of phylloxera and Prohibition. The first reawakening of viticulture came in 1946, when Fred and Eleanor McCrea planted a small vineyard north of Mill Creek, and then in 1953 founded a legendary winery called Stony Hill. The resurgence began in earnest in the late 1960s and 1970s — with the founding of several wineries, including Ritchie Creek, Yverdon, Spring Mountain Vineyard, Smith-Madrone and Robert Keenan. The name Spring Mountain was first used as an origin on Cabernet Sauvignon wines produced by Ritchie Creek in the late 1970s.

The Spring Mountain District AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Napa Valley AVA in California. Spring Mountain District AVA was officially established as an American Viticulture Area in 1993. Encompassed within its bounds are about, of which about are planted to vineyards. Given the small crop yields on hillsides, the region represents less than 2% of Napa Valley wine. Currently the region has just over 30 winegrowers.

Spring Mountain District AVA (anerkannt seit dem 13. Mai 1993) ist ein Weinbaugebiet im US-Bundesstaat Kalifornien und ist Teil der überregionalen Napa Valley AVA. Die Rebflächen wurden häufig terrassenförmig an den Hängen der Mayacamas Mountains im Nordwesten des Napa Valley in der Nähe der Städte Calistoga, Rutherford und St. Helena angelegt.


Biography.

She was born Josephine Garis in Ashtabula County, Ohio, on March 8, 1839 and raised in Valparaiso, Indiana. Cochrane was the daughter of John Garis, a civil engineer, and Irene Fitch Garis.  After moving to her sister‘s home in Shelbyville, Illinois, she married William Cochran on October 13, 1858. William had returned the year before from a disappointing try at the California Gold Rush, but had gone on to become a prosperous dry goods merchant and Democratic Party politician. Josephine and William had 2 children: Hallie and Katharine.  In 1870 the family moved into a mansion and she joined Chicago society. After one event dinner party, some of the heirloom dishes got chipped while washing up, prompting her to search for a better alternative to handwashing the china. She also wanted to relieve tired housewives from the duty of washing dishes after a meal.

Death and recognition.

Cochrane died of a stroke or exhaustion in Chicago, Illinois, on August 3, 1913, and was buried in Glenwood Cemetery in Shelbyville, Illinois. In 2006 she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Cochrane's dishwasher.

The first few men she tried to hire to put her design into reality insisted on changing her design, and the results didn’t work. Other attempts had been made to produce a commercially viable dishwasher. In 1850 Joel Houghton designed a hand-cranked dish soaker. In the 1860s, L. A. Alexander improved on the device with a geared mechanism that allowed the user to spin racked dishes through a tub of water. Neither of these devices was particularly effective.  Cochrane designed the first model of her dishwasher in the shed behind her house in Shelbyville, Illinois. George Butters was a mechanic who assisted her in the construction of the dishwasher; he was also an employee at the first dishwasher factory. To build the machine, she first measured the dishes and built wire compartments, each specially designed to fit either plates, cups, or saucers. The compartments were placed inside a wheel that lay flat inside a copper boiler. A motor turned the wheel while hot soapy water squirted up from the bottom of the boiler and rained down on the dishes. Her dishwasher was the first to use water pressure instead of scrubbers to clean the dishes inside the machine. After receiving a patent on December 28, 1886  The Garis-Cochran Manufacturing Company became part of KitchenAid, and in 1949, the first KitchenAid dishwasher based on Cochran's design was introduced. It was in the 1950s that dishwashers became a common household item after new suburban homes were built with the plumbing required to handle the extra hot water.

Josephine Garis Cochran (later Cochrane) (March 8, 1839 – August 3, 1913) was an American housewife who was the inventor of the first commercially successful automatic dishwasher, which she designed in the shed behind her home, she then constructed it engaging the assistance of mechanic George Butters, who became one of her first employees. Once her patent issued in 28 December 1886, she founded Garis-Cochrane Manufacturing Company to manufacture her machines. Cochrane showed her new machine at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 where nine Garis-Cochran washers were installed in the restaurants and pavilions of the fair and was met with interest from restaurants and hotels, where hot water access was not an issue. She won the highest prize for "best mechanical construction, durability and adaptation to its line of work" at the Fair. Garis-Cochran Manufacturing Company, which built both hand and power operated dishwashers, grew through a focus on hotels and other commercial customers and was renamed as Cochran’s Crescent Washing Machine Company in 1897. Cochran's Crescent Washing Machine Company became part of KitchenAid through acquisition by Hobart Manufacturing Company after Cochran's death in 1913, who first grew the commercial business, and in 1949, the first KitchenAid dishwasher based on Cochran's design was introduced to the public. By the 1950s, most households had access to hot water which had been limited in the past and cultural attitudes regarding the role of women were shifting so the consumer home market opened for dishwashers in the 1950s. Cochran was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006 for patent 355,139 issued on December 28, 1886 for her invention of the dishwasher.

Josephine M. (Garis) Cochrane (* 8. März 1839 in Ashtabula County, Ohio; † 3. August 1913 in Cook County, Illinois) aus Shelbyville (Illinois) gilt als Erfinderin der ersten brauchbaren Geschirrspülmaschine. Das erste Patent auf ein Gerät dieser Art bekam "Joel Houghton" bereits 1850, doch es erwies sich als kaum funktionsfähig und fand keine Verbreitung.


Plot.

Monte Beragon, the second husband of Mildred Pierce, is murdered. The police tell Mildred that her first husband, Bert Pierce, has confessed. Mildred protests that he is too kind to commit murder, and reveals her story to the officer in flashback.  Mildred and Bert are unhappily married. Mildred must sell her baked goods to support the family after Bert splits with his business partner, Wally Fay. Bert accuses Mildred of favoring their two daughters over him. Their quarrel intensifies after a phone call from Bert's mistress, Maggie Biederhof, and they separate.  Mildred retains custody of 16-year-old Veda, a bratty social climber, and 10-year-old Kay, a tomboy. Mildred's principal goal is to provide material possessions for Veda, who longs for high social status and is ashamed of her mother being a baker. Mildred hides the fact that she has taken a job as a waitress, but Veda learns the truth and treats her mother with derision.  Mildred meets Monte Beragon, a Pasadena society playboy and heir whose inheritance is almost depleted. Beragon owns the building that Mildred wants to purchase for a restaurant, and he pursues a romantic interest in her. While the two are at his beach house for a weekend, Kay contracts pneumonia and dies after a trip with Veda and Bert. Mildred channels her grief into work and throws herself into opening a new restaurant. With the help of her friend and former supervisor, Ida Corwin, Mildred's restaurant is a success. Wally helps Mildred buy the property, and soon she owns a chain of restaurants throughout Southern California.  Veda secretly marries well-to-do Ted Forrester for his money and position, but his mother objects. Veda agrees to dissolve the marriage but claims she is pregnant and demands $10,000 from the Forresters. Veda smugly confesses her pregnancy is a sham to Mildred, who tears up the check and throws Veda out of the house.  Bert, too distraught to simply tell Mildred about Veda's latest escapade, takes her to Wally's nightclub, where Veda is performing as a lounge singer. After seeing several sailors in the audience wolf-whistle at Veda in her sexy costume, Mildred begs her to come home, but Veda sneers and says her mother can never give her the lifestyle she deserves.  Desperate to reconcile with her daughter, Mildred coaxes Monte into a loveless marriage to improve her social status, with Monte's price being a one-third share of Mildred's business to allow him to settle his debts. Veda, eager to live out her dream as a debutante, pretends to reconcile with her mother and moves into Beragon's lavish mansion.  Eventually the cost of supporting Monte and Veda's rich lifestyles—and Monte's underhanded ploy to retain his share in the business while causing his wife to forfeit her own—bankrupts Mildred, forcing her to sell the restaurant chain. After driving to his beach house to confront Monte, Mildred finds Veda in his arms. Veda scornfully tells her mother that Monte intends to marry her after divorcing Mildred, who runs to her car in tears. When Monte tells Veda he would never marry her because she is a "rotten little tramp", she shoots him.  Veda begs her mother to help conceal the murder; Mildred reluctantly agrees. Fed up with Wally's misdeeds—helping Veda blackmail the Forresters, hiring her to sing in his seedy nightclub, assenting to Monte's business moves against her, and making constant sexual overtures toward her—Mildred tries to pin the murder on Wally by luring him to the beach house. Police officers arrest Wally when he flees in panic after seeing Monte's body, but the investigating officer tells Mildred that Wally cannot be the killer because he has no motive.  Back in the present, the detectives admit they knew all along that Veda committed the murder. Mildred tries to apologize as her daughter is led away to jail, but Veda rebuffs her. Mildred leaves the police station to find Bert waiting for her outside.

Comparison to the novel.

Although James M. Cain was often labeled a "hard-boiled crime writer", his novel "Mildred Pierce" (1941) was mostly a psychological work, with little violence. The adaptation, released four years later, was designed as a thriller, and a murder was introduced into the plot.  The novel spans nine years (from 1931 to 1940), whereas the film is set from 1939 to the 1940s and spans only four years. Its characters do not age as a consequence. Mildred's physical appearance does not change, although her costumes become more elegant as her business grows. Veda ages from around 13 to 17. Mildred is more of a tycoon in the film; her restaurants are glamorous places, and she owns a whole chain ("Mildred's") instead of the novel's three. Evil, spoiled Veda, who is prodigiously talented and brilliantly devious in the novel, is somewhat less formidable in the film. All references to the Depression and the Prohibition era, which are important in the novel, are absent from the screenplay.  The plot is simplified and the number of characters reduced. Veda's training and success as a singer (including her performance at the Hollywood Bowl) were dropped in the film and her music teachers only mentioned in passing. Lucy Gessler, a key character in the novel and Mildred's good friend, is eliminated. Ida, Mildred's boss at the restaurant where she works as a waitress, is given much of Gessler's wise-cracking personality.  Monte does not die in the novel, and Veda never goes to jail. The murder portion of the story was invented by the filmmakers because the censorship code of that time required evildoers to be punished for their misdeeds. The 2011 HBO miniseries, "Mildred Pierce", follows the novel more faithfully in this respect.

Production.

The working title for "Mildred Pierce" was "House on the Sand"; and filming began on December 7, 1944. Ralph Bellamy, Donald Woods, and George Coulouris were considered for the role of Bert, while Bonita Granville, Virginia Weidler, and Martha Vickers were considered for Veda. Scenes for the film were shot in Glendale, California and Malibu, California. Permission had to be granted from the U.S. Navy to shoot in Malibu because of wartime restrictions.  In 1942, two years earlier, Joan Crawford had been released from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer due to a mutual agreement. Crawford campaigned for the lead role in "Mildred Pierce", which most lead actresses did not want because of the implied age as mother of a teenage daughter. Warner Bros. and director Michael Curtiz had originally wanted Bette Davis to play the title role, but she declined. Curtiz did not want Crawford to play the part. He campaigned for Barbara Stanwyck, who was working on "My Reputation" (1946) at the time. When he learned that Stanwyck was not, however, going to be cast, he then tried to recruit either Olivia de Havilland or Joan Fontaine to play Mildred, although both were only in their twenties. He ultimately approved Crawford's casting after seeing her screen test. Even so, the director and the star were often at odds on the set, with producer Jerry Wald acting as peacemaker.

Reception.

Box Office.

The film was a box office success. According to Warner Bros. it earned $3,483,000 domestically and $2,155,000 foreign.

Critical response.

Contemporary reviews praised Crawford's performance but had mixed opinions about other aspects of the film. A review in "The New York Times" said that although Crawford gave "a sincere and generally effective characterization," the film "lacks the driving force of stimulating drama," and it did "not seem reasonable that a level-headed person like Mildred Pierce, who builds a fabulously successful chain of restaurants on practically nothing, could be so completely dominated by a selfish and grasping daughter, who spells trouble in capital letters."  The staff at "Variety" liked the film, especially the screenplay, and wrote,At first reading James M. Cain's novel of the same title might not suggest screenable material, but the cleanup job has resulted in a class feature, showmanly produced by Jerry Wald and tellingly directed by Michael Curtiz... The dramatics are heavy but so skillfully handled that they never cloy. Joan Crawford reaches a peak of her acting career in this pic. Ann Blyth, as the daughter, scores dramatically in her first genuine acting assignment. Zachary Scott makes the most of his character as the Pasadena heel, a talented performance.  "Harrison's Reports" wrote that Crawford gave a "good performance", but the story "lacks conviction, and the main characterizations are overdrawn. For example, the daughter's hatred for her mother has no logical basis, consequently, it weakens the story."  John McCarten of "The New Yorker" wrote:Certainly, despite its unconscionable length — it takes almost two hours — 'Mildred Pierce' contains enough excitement to jolt even the most lethargic customer... it is pleasant to report that Miss Crawford is no longer as frantic in appearance as she once was. Despite all kinds of chances to go berserk as a Cain mother, Miss Crawford remains subdued and reasonable, like most of the rest of a highly competent cast.  Critic Jeremiah Kipp (2005) gave the film a mixed review:"Mildred Pierce" is melodramatic trash, constructed like a reliable Aristotelian warhorse where characters have planted the seeds of their own doom in the first act, only to have grief-stricken revelations at the climax. Directed by studio favorite Michael Curtiz in German Expressionistic mode, which doesn't quite go with the California beaches and sunlight but sets the bleak tone of domestic film noir, and scored by Max Steiner with a sensational bombast that's rousing even when it doesn't match the quieter, pensive mood of individual scenes, "Mildred Pierce" is professionally executed and moves at a brisk clip.  Historian June Sochen (1978) argues the film lies at the intersection of the "weepie" and "independent woman" genres of the 1930s and 1940s. It accentuates common ground of the two: women must be submissive, live through others, and remain in the home.  The film currently holds a score of 86% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 42 reviews, with an average rating of 7.98/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Tied together by a powerhouse performance from Joan Crawford, Mildred Pierce blends noir and social drama to soapily intoxicating effect.".

Awards and honors.

Wins  Nominations  American Film Institute lists

Adaptations.

A five-part television miniseries of "Mildred Pierce" premiered on HBO in March 2011, starring Kate Winslet as Mildred, Guy Pearce as Beragon, Evan Rachel Wood as Veda and Mare Winningham as Ida. Separate actresses portray Veda at different ages, as opposed to Ann Blyth alone in the 1945 film. Wally Fay's character in the original has been changed back to the novel's Wally Burgan, and is portrayed by James LeGros. The cast also includes Melissa Leo as Mildred's neighbor and friend, Lucy Gessler, a character omitted from the Crawford version. The film is told in chronological order with no flashbacks or voice-over narration, and eliminates the murder subplot that was added for the 1945 version.

"Mildred Pierce" in popular culture.

In movies.

The movie "Mommie Dearest" mentions the screen test Crawford (played by Faye Dunaway) must endure, a rehearsal scene at her home for the movie, a portrayal of her at home during the Academy Awards radio broadcast announcing the 1945 winners, and her acceptance speech outside her home for a team of reporters.

In television.

In 1976, the ninth episode of the tenth season of "The Carol Burnett Show" featured a take-off of the film called "Mildred Fierce", with Carol Burnett as Mildred, Vicki Lawrence as Veda and Harvey Korman as Monte.  In the third episode of The Deuce, "The Principle Is All", Darlene watches "Mildred Pierce" with one of her regulars.

In music.

The eighth track on the 1990 album "Goo" by alternative rock band Sonic Youth is an instrumental called "Mildred Pierce".

Other.

Gainesville, Florida restaurant "Mildred's Big City Food" is named after the film's titular character.

Blu-ray and DVD releases.

"Mildred Pierce" is available on Region 2 DVD in a single disc edition which includes an 86-minute documentary about the career and personal life of Joan Crawford. The documentary features contributions from fellow actors and directors, including Diane Baker, Betsy Palmer, Anna Lee, Anita Page, Cliff Robertson, Virginia Grey, Dickie Moore, Norma Shearer, Ben Cooper, Margaret O'Brien, Judy Geeson, and Vincent Sherman. "Mildred Pierce" is also included in a Region 2 release, a signature collection of Crawford's films together with the films "Possessed", "Grand Hotel", "The Damned Don't Cry", and "Humoresque".  The Region 1 edition is a flipper single disc with "Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star" documentary and a series of trailer galleries on the reverse of the film.  "Mildred Pierce" is also available on DVD and Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection for Regions 1 and 2 in a special edition which includes a host of special features including "Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star", a 2002 feature-length documentary, a Q&A with actor Ann Blyth from 2006, a conversation on the film between critics Molly Haskell and Robert Polito, an excerpt from "The David Frost Show" featuring Joan Crawford, a booklet with an essay by critic Imogen Sara Smith, and more."

Mildred Pierce is a 1945 American film noir crime-drama directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Joan Crawford, Jack Carson and Zachary Scott, also featuring Eve Arden, Ann Blyth and Bruce Bennett. Based on the 1941 novel by James M. Cain, this was Crawford's first starring film for Warner Bros. after leaving Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and won her the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Solange ein Herz schlägt (Originaltitel: "Mildred Pierce") ist ein US-amerikanischer Spielfilm mit Film noir-Elementen aus dem Jahr 1945 mit Joan Crawford unter der Regie von Michael Curtiz. Der Film brachte Joan Crawford auf der Oscarverleihung 1946 den Oscar als Beste Hauptdarstellerin ein. Er basiert auf dem gleichnamigen Roman von James M. Cain.