Taxonomy and systematics.

This stork was first described by Blasius in 1896, and named after the German sea captain Hugo Storm, a collector of zoological specimens in the West Indies. In Thailand, it is known as "nok kra su um", which refers to the birds’ fishing procedure by stalking along the bank of a stream in dense forest.  This species is very similar and closely related to the woolly-necked stork whose range partially overlaps with that of the Storm's Stork. Although the Storm's stork has long been considered a separate species, it has also been previously treated as a subspecies of the woolly-necked stork in the more recent past. However, Storm's stork is characterised by a yellowish-orange facial skin patch around the eye that is absent in the woolly-necked stork; and the neck is black and white, whereas it is completely white in the woolly-necked stork. However, the specific distinguishing features of Storm's stork have been poorly known in the past, which in the field has frequently led to confusion with the woolly-necked stork.  These two species are also ecologically segregated, with the Storm's stork keeping to dense forests and the woolly-necked stork mainly inhabiting open swamp, rice paddy, grassland and dry cultivated areas. There is evidence of sympatry of these two species in Sumatra, where both of these habitats are present. Further, phylogenetic analyses of the Ciconiidae based on a portion of cytochrome oxidase b gene have suggested with strong support that the Storm's stork and the woolly-necked stork are sister species.

Description.

This medium-sized stork stands at 75–91 cm tall and most of the plumage is black. The undertail coverts and the back of neck are white with a black cap. It has orange facial skin with a yellow ring surrounding the eye, a red iris, and a pinkish-red bill. On some but not all male individuals, the culmen of the bill is slightly concave with a basal knob.  The legs and feet of adults are dull red, but usually appear paler because they are often covered with the birds’ excreta. The bill and other soft body parts darken in the breeding season. The sexes are similar in appearance, but as in all storks, the male appears slightly larger. It is also speculated from field observations that the male's black cap, chest and throat are slightly glossier.  The plumage of the chicks at 1–3 days old is completely white, accompanied by a black crown and a black bill with a yellow-orange tip. The legs, facial skin and gular pouch are initially light yellow; as the chicks age, the legs become pink, and the facial skin becomes dark grey. The iris is initially brown.  The chicks grow very fast, doubling in new-born size in just less than a month. By this time, they have also begun to develop black feathers on their wings, throats and bodies. After 30 days, the areas of black feathering have increased, and the black chest and wing coverts are streaked with glossy green and bronze-red. After 45 days, the young resemble adults, but they are still smaller with shorter, dark-tipped bills and paler skin colourations, and the blackness of their plumage is slightly duller. The chicks become fully feathered after 52–57 days. Wild young have been reported to leave the nest after about 60 days, and individuals in captivity can usually fly after 90 days. The adult birds are generally silent outside the breeding season; but during the breeding season they make vocalisations that may be described as "Kurau". In captivity, one adult individual has been heard to make a quiet sibilant whistling. Chicks have been heard to make a relatively loud froglike begging call when parents return to the nest with food.

Distribution and habitat.

The majority of the world population lives throughout the island of Borneo; occurring in Kalimantan (Indonesia), Swarak, Sabah (Malaysia) and Brunei. It is also found throughout Sumatra, although its range there was previously considered to be restricted to the south east. Despite being widespread on both of these islands, the population occurs at low densities and only one or a few individuals have ever been sighted together, with the largest number being 12 during an observation in Brunei. Smaller numbers live in some parts of peninsular Malaysia, where it appears to be particularly rare. An even smaller minority lives in the extreme south of Thailand, but this stork very unlikely occurs elsewhere in Thailand due to the near absence of remaining suitable habitat.  In 1986, the first nest of this species ever known to science was discovered in Southern Thailand. However, the construction of the Chiew Larn Dam in the same year led to destruction of much of this stork's lowland forest habitat through extensive flooding. Following the flooding, Storm's stork was therefore believed to no longer breed there and since then was previously considered extinct in Thailand. However, this stork was re-sighted in Southern Thailand in 2004 with infrared camera traps; but continues to be exceptionally uncommon given that usually only one individual has been sighted at a time despite the high intensity of camera trapping. Nevertheless, its persistence in Southern Thailand does suggest the presence of a small breeding population.  This stork's habitat is primarily dense lowland riverine forest and peat swamp forest, at altitudes not exceeding 240 metres above sea level. The density of large trees in this habitat exceeding 10 cm at breast height is estimated to range from 500 to 800 trees per hectare, and typical tree genera include "Dipterocarpus" and "Ficus". The forest undergrowth predominantly comprises rattans, bamboos, shrubs and climbers. Because these habitats are largely inaccessible to humans, collecting data on this species is logistically difficult, which may partly explain why little is known about this stork's natural history.  Although Storm's stork accepts both lowland riverine forest and peat swamp forest, it is currently unknown which of these habitats provide optimal living conditions for the species. However, peat-swamp forest does appear to be an underestimated, ecologically important habitat for this stork across much of its range. In the wake of continued anthropogenic loss of lowland riverine forest, peat-swamp forest possibly provides an important refuge for the species and an extensive area of peat swamp forest occurs in West Kalimantan. However, this forest habitat is also under threat through conversion to palm oil plantations, logging and forest fires, so that increased conservation efforts should be directed on protecting peat-swamp forest.  This species has been shown to be somewhat tolerant of logged forests; however, these areas’ actual value as a breeding habitat for this species is disputed. Danielsen and Heegaard have considered Storm's stork incapable of breeding in logged forests despite apparent short term survival. In any case, current records have been too short to demonstrate long-term value of logged forests to this stork species. The acceptance of logged forests by Storm's stork may also entail some caveats; for example, that there must invariably be easy access within logged forest to freshwater margins, and that at least 20 years of forest regeneration should be allowed to elapse before real habitat value is re-established. A local mosaic of primary and logged forest may also explain this species’ apparent persistence in logged forest, because it may rely on the undisturbed forest patches as a refuge to sustain itself in the logged forest patches.  This stork is often seen soaring at great heights over rivers and forest clearings, and like many other storks utilises thermals to assist it in gliding. This behaviour is said to be "contagious" because when one individual begins to soar, conspecifics join it in flight; with flocks consisting of up to six individuals. On Borneo, it has also been reported on open, grassy freshwater swamps and paddy fields. It appears to never frequent saline habitats, but occasionally uses forested inland areas adjacent to bodies of water subject to tidal movements and near mangrove swamps.

Behaviour and ecology.

Breeding.

Two major breeding records of this species have been made; in Southern Thailand in 1986, and in swamp forest in South Samatra in 1989. However, chicks in the Thailand breeding record were first observed in October and those in Sumatra were first observed in early June. The differing recorded times of egg laying in this species therefore does not suggest a strict breeding season. Collective breeding records of this species are currently scant possibly because nests are difficult to accurately locate in the dense forest habitat.  The nest is usually located 19-30m above ground above riverbanks, often in the forks of trees of "Dipterocarpus" species. At south Sumatra, a Storm's stork nest was studied that lay 8.3m above ground in an 18m-tall "Rhizosphora mucronata" tree. In captivity, both the male and female have been observed to carry out nest-building activities. The nest has an external outer diameter measuring between 30 and 50 cm; with a depth of 10–15 cm, and is typically composed of twigs and sticks mainly belonging to tree species in the genus "Rhizosphora", but also from species in the families Loranthaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, and Rubinaceae. These sticks measure 15– 60 cm in length and 0.5-1.5 cm in diameter. The nest interior is lined with soft material such as grass and down. 2–4 cm long leaflets from "Xylocarpus" species have also been identified as nest material, and these plants have been found growing in the area surrounding the nest. The same nest is often used by a pair over consecutive years; whereby both mates add more material to the nest each year.  Male-female pairs of this species are typically monogamous. Both parents attend to the young at the nest, but only one parent at a time is usually present; with the female estimated to spend three times as long alone at the nest as the male. In the early stages of the chicks’ life, both parents have been observed to roost at or near the nest during the evening; but within a month only the female continues to roost at or near the nest. Contrary to previous assertions, this species actually appears to breed solitarily and does not nest in colonies. However, it is sometimes found to roost communally, and several individuals have been observed roosting in tops of tall swamp trees a few kilometres from the nests.  Two eggs are usually laid per year, and the incubation period has been estimated at 29 days, with both parents alternately incubating the eggs. In captivity, the clutch size may range between two and four. The young are fully fledged 90 days after hatching. The only egg of this species to have been measured was an infertile one extracted from a nest containing two hatched chicks in south Sumatra in 1989. This egg measured 60.1mm in length and 41.9mm in breadth, and was completely white after cleaning. This egg is preserved at the Zoological Museum of Bogor, Indonesia, and is currently the only egg specimen available for this species.  Pairs of this stork species perform impressive aerial courtship displays in which both partners do flips in flight, with the lower birds presenting its feet to the upper. Both birds also occasionally glide at high altitudes with level wings and dangling legs. At the nest, they perform bill clattering activities that are typical of many species in the Ciconiidae.  In captivity, another courtship display has been observed in which both partners face each other on the ground or on the nest, extend their wings outward from the body, and bow to each other repeatedly. This display continues until the male approaches the female and attempts to copulate with her, although copulation does not actually follow from most such displays. This display also sometimes continues when breeding is finished and chicks are at the nest. However, the importance of this display in wild populations is unknown, since both parents have been sighted together at the nest for only 2% of the time from observations.

Food and feeding.

The Storm's stork feeds primarily on small fish, frogs, aquatic insect larvae, and sometimes earthworms. These are also the food items brought by both parents back for their young at the nest; with the fish measuring 5–7 cm long and weighing 10-30g, and the worms measuring 10–15 cm long. The parents regurgitate the food into the bottom of the nest, whereupon it is picked up and swallowed by the chicks. During a series of nest observations in south Sumatra in 1989, adults were found to return to the nest with food for the chicks every 2–4 hours in June,; but in July, food was brought to the nest less often and significantly more frequently in the late afternoons. In Sabah, they have also been reported to feed on grasshoppers and possibly crabs. Hence, other food taxa may be similar to those of the woollynecked stork, but more data are required to fully confirm this,.  This stork typically forages stealthily with slow, deliberate movements and a retracted neck along muddy banks of rivers and creeks within dense primary forest; keeping primarily to the shaded areas. Individuals with chicks usually forage 2–3 km from the nest. It will also use other freshwater bodies as foraging localities with high densities of fish and freshwater invertebrates. These include small pools, trackside puddles, swamps and oxbow lakes; and the Storm's stork may be able to use these features optimally where they occur in a patchwork arrangement on riparian floodplains. It can also use boggy clearings created by ungulates such as gaur that trample vegetation to access mineral licks. In contrast, deep, fast-flowing rivers and waterways are avoided by this species due to reduced prey availability and its inability to stand in these waters.  In Sabah, they have been found feeding on open ground that has recently been burnt. They probably catch invertebrates that have been disturbed or killed by the fire.

Threats and survival.

The primary threat to this species is degradation of its lowland forest habitat through deforestation for logging and conversion to oil palm plantations. For example, approximately two thirds of the swamp forests in South Sumatra were logged from 1982 to 1997. Kalimantan lost almost 25% of its evergreen forest during 1985-1997 and all of Sumatra almost 30% of its 1985 cover. The relative extent of destruction of this species’ habitat may be particularly high because clearance of lowland forests typically occurs first in deforestation schemes due to the relative ease of approach and the presence of high quality timber. Extensive habitat destruction has also occurred through flooding of lowland forest following the construction of reservoirs, as epitomised by the Chiew Larn Dam project in Southern Thailand. Because this stork is a lowland specialist, high-elevation forest remaining intact after destruction and fragmentation of lowland habitat is unsuitable, so that transmigration to higher altitude forests is unlikely to be a viable escape solution.  The Storm's stork is possibly not strongly directly affected by habitat fragmentation through deforestation. It may actually be somewhat tolerant of fragmentation because it could fly great distances in search of new habitat and be relatively unaffected by the open land matrix which it overflies. However, this is probably not a favourable situation for the species, and the exact maximum distances it will travel to reach new habitat are currently unknown. A larger impact of deforestation on the Storm's stork is more likely to be the decrease in freshwater faunal prey abundance and diversity resulting from increased sedimentation, nutrient loads and water temperatures after logging. This loss of freshwater taxa would in turn decrease food availability for this stork at its foraging sites. Road building through the forests to access logging areas creates similar problems by contributing to soil erosion, thereby also decreasing freshwater prey diversity. The large canopy gaps created through logging also lead to drier abiotic conditions in the cleared areas than under dense canopy, which would render these areas unsuitable for food taxa of the Storm's stork such as amphibians and invertebrates that require wet substrates to live on. This is another likely contributor to the decrease in food taxa abundance after forest clearing.  A secondary threat to this species is hunting by humans. Hunting of this species by local people for food may have been happening before large-scale human encroachment onto its habitat to exploit the land. However, extensive land exploitation increases human activities that attract non-native hunters to these areas, so that hunting of this species through direct persecution has also appeared to increase as a side-effect of the direct impacts of habitat destruction. This was probably the case during extensive flooding of lowland forest in Southern Thailand during the Chiew Larn Dam project. This species is also extremely sensitive to human intrusions. If humans come within sight of the nest, the adult abandons the nest and does not return until 2–3 hours after the intruder departs. Anthropogenic noise sources such as from motorboats and chainsaws may also affect this stork; in response to such noises that penetrate the forest matrix, adult birds have been observed to press their head and body into the nest with only the eyes showing.  Natural enemies of chicks and nesting adults are believed to include raptors such as crested serpent eagles "Spilornis cheela", monkeys and corvids. If these organisms approach the nest, the parent spreads its wings over the nestlings to protect them. This nest covering display is similar to that observed in the maguari stork.  Another minor threat is the capture of individuals for the international zoo trade, which increased markedly in the late 1980s. Although captivity of Storm's storks may be a solution to support the global population, these birds may be unsuitable to reintroduce to their natural habitat because they have become too tame. In Singapore, the price of this species on bird markets doubled ($300 to $600) in the early 1990s. However, there is no evidence that they have international trade value.

Relationship to humans.

This stork is sometimes hunted for food, either by native forest dwellers or non-natives who have been attracted to the area by large-scale land exploitation projects. Although there is a relatively low human population density in areas of undisturbed forest habitat of this species, these people concentrate on gleaning forest products and poaching wildlife. During these activities, Storm's storks are occasionally caught for food either directly by people who extract latex from the jelutong tree, or in baited traps for the monitor lizard "Varanus serator".  Individuals of this species have appeared in many zoological institutions such as in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Walsrode in Germany. However, the only two zoos where this species has successfully bred are Zoo Negara, Malaysia; and San Diego Wild Animal Park, California.

Status.

The population of this notably rare species has been thought to be in recent rapid decline, primarily due to clearance of its natural habitat to make way for oil palm plantations and logging activities. It has probably never been common, even before extensive habitat destruction from increased anthropogenic land exploitation.  It has been classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1994. The total population has been estimated to number 400-500 wild individuals. Of these individuals, 150 are estimated to live in Malaysia; and an estimated 250 in Indonesia. This species is legally protected in Indonesia, Sarawak and Thailand. Although such protection has previously not been rigorously enforced, this stork has been recorded in numerous protected areas throughout its range, especially in Kalimantan, on Sumatra and in Malaysia.  This species requires extensive areas of dense lowland forest over which to forage, so that the best solution to protect this species from extinction would be the large-scale establishment of protected areas holding undisturbed lowland forest and riparian features. However, because this stork is very secretive, it has proved difficult to investigate its biology and ecology. Although it is almost certainly negatively affected by deforestation, little continues to be known about the exact extent of its responses to anthropogenic changes in its native habitat.

Storm's stork ("Ciconia stormi") is a medium-sized stork species that occurs primarily in lowland tropical forests of Indonesia, Malaysia and southern Thailand. It is considered to be the rarest of all storks, and is estimated to number less than 500 wild individuals throughout its geographic range. The population has long been in decline and the primary cause is widely considered to be deforestation of its native habitat.

Der Höckerstorch ("Ciconia stormi", Syn.: "Melanopelargus episcopus stormi") ist mit 250 bis 500 Individuen die seltenste Storchenart der Welt. Die Bestände des Vogels sind nach Angaben der IUCN stark gefährdet.


Playing career.

TPS and Jokerit.

After developing his skills with the junior club of his hometown, Turku, Finland, Salo turned professional with TPS of the SM-Liiga in 1994–95. He appeared in seven games, recording a goal and two assists in his first season in the SM-Liiga. The following campaign, he recorded a Finnish career-high 14 assists and 21 points over 47 games. In the off-season, Salo was selected by the Ottawa Senators with their last selection in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, 239th overall in the ninth round. He remained in Finland for two more seasons upon being drafted. He improved from seven goals to nine in 1996–97. The following season, he transferred from TPS to Jokerit. In his lone season with the Helsinki-based team, he tallied three goals and eight points over 35 games.

Ottawa Senators.

Following a four-year career in Finland, Salo signed with the Senators in July 1998. He played in the first 3 games of the 1998/99 season before he was assigned to the Detroit Vipers, Ottawa's International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate, due to his first NHL injury and was recalled on 18 November 1998. Twenty-seven games into his rookie campaign, he scored his first NHL goal against Boston Bruins goaltender Byron Dafoe, a game-winner, in a 3-1 win on 21 January 1999. Completing the 1998–99 season with seven goals and 19 points, he was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. The following season, Salo notched a hat trick in a 6–4 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on 30 March 1999. His campaign was shortened, however, to 37 games due to injury and he was limited to 14 points. In 2000, he missed two games as he suffered from a snakebite.  Salo continued to be sidelined in 2000–01 with various ailments, including shoulder, foot and knee injuries, as well as the flu. In March 2001, he was also cross-checked in the face by Rick Tocchet of the Philadelphia Flyers, suffering broken teeth and a mild concussion. He finished his third NHL season with 18 points in 31 games.  Before the 2001–02 season began, Salo injured his groin in an exhibition game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in September. In addition to missing the first three games of the season, he was later sidelined for a total of 13 more contests due to separate cases of the flu, a broken finger and back spasms. He recorded 18 points in 66 games. In the proceeding off-season, Salo underwent shoulder surgery. Becoming a free agent, he accepted an $880,000 qualifying offer from the Senators on 31 July 2002. Nearly two months later, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Peter Schaefer on 21 September.

Vancouver Canucks.

Salo established himself as a top-four defenceman with the Canucks, ranking fourth among team blueliners in average ice time per game during his first season with Vancouver. He also appeared in a career-high 79 games while recording nine goals and 30 points. The Canucks re-signed him in the off-season to a two-year, $3.2 million contract. The following campaign, he recorded seven goals and 26 points in 74 games.  Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Salo went overseas to play for Frölunda HC in the Swedish Elite League. He notched six goals and 14 points in 41 games, helping Frölunda to the league's best regular season record. The club went on to capture the Le Mat Trophy as playoff champions, defeating Färjestads BK four games to one in the finals. Salo assisted on the overtime goal by Niklas Andersson in game five to win the championship. Salo completed the playoffs with a goal and seven points in 14 post-season contests.  As NHL play was set to resume the following season, Salo signed another two-year contract with the Canucks at $1.5 million per season. He was limited to 59 games in the subsequent 2005–06 season, suffering a shoulder injury with the Finnish national team during the 2006 Winter Olympics, colliding with a teammate during a line change. He recorded 10 goals and 33 points with the Canucks, second among team defencemen in scoring. His 23 assists were also a career high.  In 2006–07, Salo sprained his knee in a game against the Minnesota Wild on 2 November 2006. Soon after returning, he sustained nerve damage in his shoulder from a hit against the Edmonton Oilers in December. Towards the end of the season, he suffered a groin injury, sidelining him for five games in March and April. Although he cumulatively missed 15 games, Salo still managed to have a career year, recording personal bests with 14 goals, 23 assists and 37 points. He tied for 10th among league defencemen in goals and ranked first in game-winning goals with six. Late in the season, he avoided his pending unrestricted free agency by re-signing with the Canucks to a four-year, $14 million contract extension on 29 March 2007. The Canucks entered the 2007 playoffs as the third seed. After eliminating the Dallas Stars in the first round, Vancouver was defeated by the Anaheim Ducks in five games. Salo missed the first two games of the second round due to the flu. He notched an assist over 10 post-season games.  With an accumulation of injuries over the years, Salo spent the 2007 off-season recovering from chronic groin, back and shoulder problems. Salo was immediately sidelined once more before the start of the 2007–08 season, fracturing his wrist during an intra-squad game in training camp. Shortly after returning, he was hit in the face by a clearing attempt from teammate Alexander Edler during a game against the Nashville Predators on 2 November 2007. The impact from the puck broke his nose and he missed 19 games. In 63 games, Salo recorded 25 points, his lowest output since his 2001–02 season with the Senators. Despite this, he still led all Canucks defencemen in scoring, as all the team's blueliners also suffered injuries over the season. The 2008–09 season began with more time off in November due to separate leg and shoulder injuries. After returning, he was hit into the boards by Edmonton Oilers captain Ethan Moreau on 17 December 2008, and suffered a broken rib. He missed 15 games before returning on 20 January 2009. Limited to 60 games, he managed five goals and 25 points in the regular season. In the ensuing playoffs, Salo scored seven points in seven games, including game-winning goals in both game ones of the first and second rounds against the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks, respectively. Salo injured himself in game two of the second round, tearing his gluteus medius muscle while taking a slapshot in which he scored. He played through the injury the following game before missing the next two matches. Following his return, the Canucks were eliminated in the sixth game by the Blackhawks. Salo had three goals and seven points in seven games.  Early in the 2009–10 season, Salo suffered a medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain to his right knee during a game against the Dallas Stars on 11 October 2009. Sidelined for seven games, he returned by the end of the month. Salo missed additional games during the season to various injuries, ending the campaign with nine goals and 28 points in 68 games. Towards the second half of the season, Salo took on a more defensive role, replacing Willie Mitchell, who was sidelined with a concussion, as the team's primary shutdown defenceman.  In game five of the second round of the 2010 playoffs, Salo was hit in the groin by a slapshot from Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Duncan Keith. Needing to be helped off the ice, he was taken to hospital with what was falsely believed to be a ruptured testicle. He played through an undisclosed injury the following game, as the Canucks were eliminated by the Blackhawks by a 5–1 score. He completed the playoffs with a goal and six points in 12 post-season games.  Playing floorball in the off-season, Salo tore his achilles tendon on 22 July 2010. After undergoing surgery, he was sidelined for the first four months of the 2010–11 season. The injury was so severe that Salo later admitted thinking his career was over during his rehabilitation. Before returning to the Canucks lineup, he was sent to the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, for a conditioning assignment. Making his AHL debut on 4 February 2011, he scored two goals for the Moose in a 3–2 win against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Salo played two more games for the Moose, going pointless in both, before being called up by the Canucks on 11 February. Salo appeared in 27 games in 2010–11, recording three goals and four assists. During the first and second rounds of the 2011 playoffs, Salo missed four games with a leg injury. The Canucks eliminated the Blackhawks and Nashville Predators in the first two rounds to qualify for the Western Conference Finals against the San Jose Sharks. During Game 4 of the series, Salo set a Canucks playoff record for fastest back-to-back goals, scoring 16 seconds apart on a pair of 5-on-3 powerplays. The feat also tied Larry Murphy's NHL record for fastest two power play goals in the playoffs since 1957. Combined with Ryan Kesler's goal a minute and thirty-nine seconds previously, the trio of goals were also the fastest scored in Canucks playoff history at a minute and fifty-five seconds. Vancouver went on to win the game 4–2, while winning the series 4–1. Advancing to the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, the Canucks were defeated in seven games by the Boston Bruins. During the off-season, Salo re-signed with the Canucks to a one-year, $2 million deal on 1 July 2011, prior to becoming an unrestricted free agent. In the first half of the 2011–12 season, Salo suffered a minor groin injury that sidelined him on two separate occasions, costing him three games and one game, respectively. In January 2012, the Canucks and Bruins played against each other for the first time since the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. During the contest, Salo sustained a concussion after a clipping hit from opposing forward Brad Marchand. Salo left the game immediately, while Marchand received a five-minute major and game misconduct; he was later additionally suspended for five games following a hearing with the league.

Tampa Bay Lightning.

On 1 July 2012, Salo signed a two-year, $7.5 million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.  He officially announced his retirement from professional hockey on 13 August 2015.

International play.

Salo made his international debut with the Finnish national team at the 2001 World Championships in Germany. He recorded an international career-high nine points in nine games, second among tournament defencemen to Finnish teammate Petteri Nummelin. Finland advanced to the gold medal game, where they lost 3–2 to the Czech Republic, earning silver.  On 13 December 2001, Salo was selected to the Finnish national team for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, along with Senators teammate Jani Hurme. He appeared in four games without registering a point as Finland was defeated by the gold-medal winning Canadians in the quarterfinal by a 2–1 score.  In Salo's next World Championships appearance in 2004, he recorded three assists in seven games. Finland failed to medal, losing their quarterfinal to Canada. Salo assisted on the go-ahead goal in the third period before Canada tied up the score and won 5–4 in overtime. Several months later, at the 2004 World Cup, Salo helped Finland to the final, notching three assists in seven games. For his third straight national team appearance, however, Finland was eliminated by Canada, losing the championship game 3–2.  He made his second Olympics appearance at the 2006 Games in Turin. He recorded four points in six games before suffering a tournament-ending shoulder injury in a collision with teammate Ville Peltonen during a line change in front of the team bench. The injury kept him from playing in the semifinal and gold medal game, where Finland won the silver medal in a 3–2 loss to Sweden. Despite missing two games, Salo ranked second among team defencemen, behind Kimmo Timonen, with a goal and four points in six games. Four years later, Salo competed once again for Finland at the 2010 Winter Olympics in his NHL hometown Vancouver. He recorded two points in six games, while leading all Finnish players in ice time. He scored his lone goal during the bronze-medal game, opening the score against Slovakia in a 5–3 win.  In 2014, Salo competed in his fourth and last Olympic tournament at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Finland won the bronze medal and Salo recorded 1 point in 6 games. In the bronze-medal game, Salo became the last player to play without a visor at the Olympics.

Playing style.

Salo is known as a two-way defenceman, capable of being matched up against an opposing team's top players, while also contributing offensively. His offensive game is characterized by his powerful slapshot. He has won numerous hardest shot titles with the Canucks in the team's SuperSkills competitions, clocking one shot at 102.7 miles per hour (163.5 km/h) in 2012. As a result, he is used frequently on the powerplay, being set up by teammates for shots from the point. A well-rounded defenceman, Salo also earns time on the penalty kill.

Personal life.

Salo has a wife, Johanna, and three children. From youngest to oldest, they are Peppi, Oliver and Julia. Salo has spent time coaching Oliver, his only son, on his hockey team.  Growing up in Turku, Finland, Salo had aspirations of playing with the Finnish national team, rather than the NHL. He idolized Jari Kurri and was more familiar with other Finnish players, such as Esa Peltonen and Heikki Riihiranta, than he was with any NHL stars.

External links.

Sami Sakari Salo (born 2 September 1974) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey defenceman of the National Hockey League (NHL). He began his professional career with TPS of the SM-liiga before being selected by the Ottawa Senators with their last pick in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.

Sami Sakari Salo (* 2. September 1974 in Turku) ist ein ehemaliger finnischer Eishockeyspieler und derzeitiger -trainer. Der Verteidiger absolvierte im Verlauf seiner aktiven Karriere zwischen 1992 und 2014 unter anderem 980 Spiele für die Ottawa Senators, Vancouver Canucks und Tampa Bay Lightning in der National Hockey League. Mit der finnischen Nationalmannschaft nahm Salo an vier Olympischen Winterspielen teil und gewann dabei eine Silber- sowie zwei Bronzemedaillen.


"Ragnarssona þáttr".

The saga "Ragnarssona þáttr" relates the acts of the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok, and proceeds to link them genealogically to the later rulers of the Scandinavian kingdoms. For Denmark, it relates that by Blaeja, the daughter of King Ælla of Northumbria, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye became father of Harthacnut ("Hörða-Knútr"). Harthacnut is said to have been his father's successor in Zealand, Scania and Halland, but not the break-away Viken, and he was father of Gorm. Scholarly opinion is divided as to the degree to which the material found in such heroic sources is to be taken as authentic history and genealogy.

"Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum" of Adam of Bremen.

Two possible references to Harthacnut appear in the work of clergyman Adam of Bremen, who came from Germany to record the history of the Archbishops of Bremen ("Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum"), partly based on information from Gorm's descendant, Sweyn II of Denmark. Adam states that a king Helge was deposed and Denmark was conquered by Olof the Brash who came from Sweden (Sueonia). Along with two of his sons, Gyrd and Gnupa, Olof took the realm "by force of arms," and they ruled it together, thus founding the House of Olaf in Denmark. Adam reports that they were followed by a Sigtrygg. That Sigtrygg was the son of Gnupa by a Danish noblewoman named Asfrid, is shown on two runestones near Schleswig, erected by his mother after his death.  Adam then relates that after Sigtrygg reigned a short time, during the tenure of Archbishop Hoger of Bremen (909–915/917), Hardegon, son of Sweyn, came from "Northmannia" the "land of the Northmen," by which he may have meant Norway, Normandy, which had recently been colonized by Danish Vikings, or even northern Jutland. Hardegon immediately deposed the young king Sigtrygg, and then ruled unopposed for approximately thirty years. Hardegon is often equated with the "Harthacnut" of legend, but some historians, such as Lis Jacobsen, instead have concluded that "Hardegon" is distinct.  Adam later refers to an attack on Denmark by Henry I of Germany, naming the defending king as "Hardecnudth Vurm" in some manuscripts,"filius Hardecnudth Vurm" in others. Historians generally agree that "Vurm" (English: "worm" or "serpent") is a German rendering of the Danish name Gorm, and this leads to alternative interpretations, that this is reference to Gorm, son ("filius") of Harthacnut, or that it is a double-name indicating that Harthacnut and Gorm were the same person. The Saxon chronicles of Widukind of Corvey reports the defeat and forced baptism of the Danish king "Chnuba" (Gnupa), in 934 at the hands of German king Henry. Likewise, Olav Tryggvasson's Saga tells of Gnupa's defeat by Gorm the Old. Some historians (e.g. Storm) have taken these as indications that Sigtrygg's father Gnupa still ruled at least part of Denmark much later than credited by Adam of Bremen, and his dynasty was only displaced by Harthacnut's son, Gorm.

"Gesta Danorum" of Saxo Grammaticus.

In the late and legend-influenced "Gesta Danorum" of Saxo Grammaticus, Harthacnut appears as Knut. He is described as a son of Erik, a descendant of Ragnar Lodbrok, by Gudorm, the granddaughter of Harald Klak. In his version of the tale, Harthacnut is raised by Ennignup (suggested to be Saxo's rendition of Gnupa), but never accepts Christianity.

Silverdale treasure.

In the Silverdale Hoard is a silver coin impressed with the name "Airdeconut" an Anglicized variant of Harthacnut. The hoard dates to the early 10th century, but the style is similar to coins of other viking kings of Northumbria. Thus there is no reason to suggest this coin relates to a king Harthacnut of Denmark rather than an otherwise unknown Northumbrian viking. However, some have suggested that Northumbria may be the Northmannia from which Adam's Danish conqueror Hardegon came.

Harthacnut or Cnut I () (born c. 880) was a semi-legendary King of Denmark. The old norse story "Ragnarssona þáttr" makes Harthacnut son of the semi-mythic viking chieftain Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, himself one of the sons of the legendary Ragnar Lodbrok. The saga in turn makes Harthacnut the father of the historical king, Gorm. It has been suggested he is to be identified with the Hardegon of "Northmannia" whose early-10th century conquest of Denmark was related by Adam of Bremen.

Knut war ein legendärer König in Dänemark im 10. Jahrhundert, der in dänischen Geschichtswerken später als Knut I. aufgeführt wird. Seine historische Identität und ob er mit in anderen mittelalterlichen Chroniken erwähnten Kleinkönigen ähnlichen Namens "Chnob, Chnuba, Cnuto, Hörða-Knútr = Harthaknut" identisch ist, ist umstritten, wird aber überwiegend angenommen.


History.

The Council of Trent (Sess. XXIII, chap. xvi on Reform) lays down the rule that "no cleric who is a stranger shall without letter commendatory from his own ordinary be admitted by any bishop to celebrate the divine mysteries". Ordinarily permission is not to be given to a priest from another diocese to say Mass without this certificate signed and duly sealed. The seal is obviously the more important requisite, as it is the safer guarantee against forgery. The celebret should be officially recognized by the diocesan authority of the place where a priest may wish to say Mass. One who has his celebret in due form, or who is certainly known to be in good standing in his own diocese, may be allowed to celebrate until he has had a sufficient time to comply with this rule. A priest with proper credentials cannot reasonably be prevented from saying Mass, though he will be expected to comply with reasonable restrictions which may be imposed.  In the U.S, the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, as a regulation against collectors of funds for other dioceses or countries, enacted a decree (No. 295) that priests on such a mission should not be allowed to celebrate Mass even a single time until they had received permission from the ordinary. This rule has generally been enforced in diocesan synods. The absence of the celebret does not suffice for the refusal of permission to say Mass, if persons worthy of belief bear positive testimony to the good standing of the priest. If the permission is unreasonably refused, the priest may say Mass privately, if no scandal is given. Yet the rectors of churches are not obliged to incur any expenses the celebration may involve. (S.C.C., 15 December 1703).

A celebret (from the Latin "celebret", "may he celebrate", the first word of the document) is a letter which a Roman Catholic bishop or major religious superior gives to a priest in order that the priest may obtain permission in another diocese to say Mass, and for this purpose bears testimony that he is free from canonical censures.

Das (gelegentlich auch der) Celebret, auch Zelebret, (von lat. "celebret" „er möge zelebrieren“) ist eine Bescheinigung ("Litterae commendatitiae"), die es einem katholischen Priester erlaubt, in einer fremden Diözese die heilige Messe zu feiern.


Biography.

Backer was one of four daughters born to an affluent family at Holmestrand in Vestfold, Norway. Her parents were Nils Backer (1815–1877) and Sofie Smith Petersen (1819–1882), and she was the aunt of the painter Astri Welhaven Heiberg (1881–1967). Her father was a shipping merchant and her mother was from a wealthy family. Her family moved to Christiania (Oslo) in 1856.  She attended Wilhemine Autentrieth Girl's School (1857–1860) and Hartvig Nissen School (1863). At 12, she first took lessons in drawing and painting, notably with Joachim Calmeyer (1857). She studied with art instructor Johan Fredrik Eckersberg (1861–65), in Berlin with Alphons Holländer (1866–1867), with artist Christen Brun (1867–1868) and attended the painting school of Knud Bergslien (1871–74). Later, she was a student of Eilif Peterssen in Munich (1874–1878). She was a student of Léon Bonnat and Jean-Léon Gérôme in Paris (1878–1780). Additionally she traveled extensively as a companion to her sister, noted concert pianist Agathe Backer Grøndahl (1847–1907), on her concert tours throughout Europe. She took further lessons in the course of these trips. From 1880 to 1888, she stayed in Paris where she shared a studio with fellow Norwegian artist, Kitty Lange Kielland. She was also associated with Salon Marie Trélat in Paris.  In 1888, she moved back to Norway permanently and settled in Sandvika, outside of Christiania. From 1889 until 1912, she operated an art school and was an influence on a number of younger artists including Marie Hauge, Lars Jorde and Henrik Lund. She also gave art lessons to the novelist Cora Sandel.  Backer produced just around 180 works of art mostly based upon local themes. Her work was both slow and thorough. In 1880, she debuted in Paris with the painting "Solitude", and in 1883 exhibited "Blått interiør" at the Autumn Exhibition in Oslo. She was influenced by impressionism. She never belonged to any school but her work is often compared with that of her contemporary Eilif Peterssen (1852–1928). Backer worked in the tradition of realism in painting, where she is regarded as both a naturalist and an early Impressionist.  She was awarded the Schäffers legat 1878, 1879 and 1880. She won a silver medal at the Exposition Universelle (1889). Backer exhibited her work at the Palace of Fine Arts at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. From 1907 until his death in 1925, she received an annual private grant from wealthy industrialist and patron of the arts, Olaf Fredrik Schou (1861-1925). She received the King's Medal of Merit in Gold ("Kongens fortjenstmedalje i gull") in 1908. In 1912, she was made a member of Nordlendingenes Forening and was awarded the Petter Dass Metal ("Petter Dass-medaljen"). In 1925, she was made a Knight 1st class in the Order of St. Olav. Backer died in 1932 and was buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund in Oslo. Ada Madssen (1917–2009) designed a bronze statue of Harriet Backer and her sister Agathe Backer Grøndahl which was erected in 1982 in their hometown of Holmestrand. Several of the largest museums and art collections in Norway exhibit art by Backer, including the National Museum in Oslo, Bergen Museum and Rasmus Meyers Collection at the Bergen Kunstmuseum in Bergen. Backer was included in the 2018 exhibit "Women in Paris 1850-1900".

Harriet Backer (21 January 1845 – 25 March 1932) was a Norwegian painter who achieved recognition in her own time and was a pioneer among female artists both in the Nordic countries and in Europe generally. She is best known for her detailed interior scenes, communicated with rich colors and the interplay of light and shadow.

Harriet Backer (* 21. Januar 1845 in Holmestrand; † 25. März 1932 in Oslo) war eine norwegische Malerin. Sie war eine Vorreiterin unter den weiblichen Künstlern in Skandinavien und in Europa.


Chess career.

Georgiev first caught the eye of the chess world in 1983, when he became the World Junior Champion with an unusually strong score of 111⁄2 out of 13. This result automatically gave him the International Master title. Two years later, FIDE awarded him the Grandmaster title.  In the process of becoming the Bulgarian Champion of 1984 (shared), 1986 and 1989, he rapidly became recognised as Bulgaria's number one player, taking over from Ivan Radulov and eventually giving way to Veselin Topalov. He has represented his country at the Chess Olympiad many times, playing on either board 1 or 2. Exceptionally, in 2002 he played for Macedonia, while he was temporarily resident there.  At the 1988 World Blitz Championship in Saint John, Canada, Kiril Georgiev finished third after eliminating world champion Garry Kasparov (3 - 1) in the quarterfinal. In the semifinal he lost to Rafael Vaganian (3.5 - 4.5). The tournament was eventually won by Mikhail Tal.  His record in international competition has been remarkable, considering that he has never quite reached supergrandmaster status (Elo 2700 or above). He was a winner at Sarajevo 1986 (and would meet board boy Ivan Sokolov there again, some 15 years later), San Bernardino 1988, Elenite (Burgas) 1992 (ahead of Sokolov, Topalov, Josif Dorfman, Yuri Razuvayev and Vassilios Kotronias) and the 1993 Budapest Zonal (ahead of Judit Polgár and Ľubomír Ftáčnik). He repeated his Elenite success in 1995 (with Topalov, ahead of Nigel Short, Boris Gulko and Sergey Dolmatov) and won at Belgrade 2000 (ahead of Alexander Beliavsky and Ulf Andersson).  Since 2000, his achievements have been no less impressive. First at Sarajevo 2001 (his first Category 16 tournament win - ahead of Topalov, Ilya Smirin, Alexei Dreev and Ivan Sokolov) and first at Bad Wörishofen 2002. At Gibraltar Chess Festival, he was joint winner (with Levon Aronian, Zahar Efimenko, Alexei Shirov and Emil Sutovsky) in 2005 and the outright winner in 2006 (ahead of Short, Sutovsky, Shirov, Vladimir Akopian and Viktor Bologan) with an 81⁄2/10 score. This was also the year that he won a bronze medal at the European Individual Chess Championship (behind Zdenko Kozul and Vassily Ivanchuk). At the Aeroflot Open in Moscow, he finished only a half point off the lead.  Accordingly, these results have caused his Elo rating to advance rapidly during 2005 and 2006, reaching 2680 in July 2006, and placing him at number 26 in the (FIDE) World's 100 top players.  Georgiev has also participated in the World Chess Championship cycle. In 1990, he qualified for the Interzonal Tournament in Manila and placed a creditable 14th out of 64, surpassing expectation and losing only to Alexei Dreev. At Groningen in 1997, he lost in round 4 to Loek van Wely. In December 2009, he tied for 1st-4th with Georg Meier, Julio Granda and Viktor Láznička in the 19th Magistral Pamplona Tournament. In 2010, he came third at the World Chess Open in León. In 2011 he won the 29th Andorra Open.  In 2009, he broke the world record for the most simultaneous chess games played: 360 games in just over 14 hours. He won 280, drew 74 and lost 6 for a total score of 88%. A score of at least 80% was required for the record to be accepted.  He won the Bulgarian championship again for three consecutive years, in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Kiril Dimitrov Georgiev (; born 28 November 1965 in Petrich) is a Bulgarian and Macedonian chess grandmaster, and seven-time Bulgarian Chess Champion.

Kiril Dimitrow Georgiew (bulgarisch, wiss. Transliteration "Kiril Dimitrov Georgiev"; * 28. November 1965 in Petritsch) ist ein bulgarisch-nordmazedonischer Schachmeister.


Background.

Paul Stewart was born in London in 1955. His family lived first in Muswell Hill, North London and later in Morden, South London, where he went to school. His favourite subject at school was English and he hated Mathematics. When Paul left school, he went travelling, spending several months in Greece, where he took various jobs, including picking oranges and grapes, and whitewashing hotels.  From 1974 to 1977, Paul studied at the University of Lancaster, majoring in English, (which included a Creative Writing unit) with a minor in Religious Education. On graduation, he went travelling again, before enrolling in 1978 to do an M.A. in Creative Writing with Angela Carter and Malcolm Bradbury at the University of East Anglia. He went to Heidelberg, Germany in 1979 for three years, both as a teacher of English and as a student at Heidelberg University, learning German. In 1982, he went to Sri Lanka to teach English as a foreign language returning to the UK a year later where he continued to teach (1983–90) before becoming a full-time writer.  Paul Stewart's first book to be published was "The Thought Domain" (1988) which was then followed by a number of other children's and young adult novels, chiefly in the thriller, horror and SF/Fantasy genres. Paul Stewart's only adult book to date, "Trek", was published in 1991.

Literary influences.

Paul Stewart's favourite books when a child were "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster, Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland", "Rupert Bear" Annuals, and the works of Alan Garner, especially "Elidor". He also read a lot of science fiction.  Paul Stewart started writing at a very young age. At the age of seven he was writing a series about a snail called Oliver and he started a sequel to "The Phantom Tollbooth" at ten. Some of the ideas from this early work were later developed and became the basis of "The Thought Domain" which was published in 1988.

Collaboration with Chris Riddell.

Paul Stewart first met Chris Riddell in 1993, through having children at the same school. Chris was looking for someone to write texts that he could illustrate. Paul had already had a number of books published. Their first collaborative work were the "Rabbit and Hedgehog" books (published 1998–2003 by Andersen Press). The inspiration for The Edge Chronicles came from a map Chris Riddell drew of an imaginary world in 1994 and then challenged Paul to write about it. The first book in the sequence, "Beyond the Deepwoods", was commissioned by Transworld Publishers (now part of the Random House Group) on the basis of the map and the first four chapters. The book then took three years to write as Paul and Chris worked out both the plot and how best to work together. Originally commissioned as a single book, Paul and Chris hoped that it might become a trilogy. The series has now extended to fifteen full-length novels, five short stories, a book of maps and a now-defunct blog called "Weird New Worlds". The final book, "The Descenders", was released in 2019.  When writing together, Paul and Chris work on the development of plots and characters together, sometimes starting from a bit of writing, sometimes from an illustration on one of Chris's sketchbooks. They have long conversations over many days, during which the novels emerge. They don't always agree and the debates can become quite heated but they have remained good friends. Following these discussions, Paul normally writes a first draft, which Chris will edit or rewrite before Paul produces a final draft.  As well as "The Edge Chronicles", Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell have also collaborated on a trilogy of shorter adventures, "Freelance"; a quartet of younger books, "The Far Flung Adventures", the first of which, "Fergus Crane", won the Nestle Smarties Gold Prize in 2004; "The Blobheads" series (2000–2004); "Muddle Earth" (2003), and a further quartet, "Barnaby Grimes" (2007–2009). Their latest novel, "Wyrmweald", was published by Doubleday Children's Books in April 2010.

Awards.

These three books constitute the Far Flung Adventures series, written by Stewart and illustrated by Riddell.

Bibliography.

Fiction co-authored with Chris Riddell.

The Blobheads.

All London: Macmillan

Paul Stewart (born June 1955) is a writer of children's books, best known for three series written in collaboration with the illustrator Chris Riddell: "The Edge Chronicles", the "Free Lance" novels, and the "Far Flung Adventures" series. Paul Stewart lives in the British seaside city of Brighton with his wife and children.

Paul Stewart (* 4. Juni 1955 in London) ist ein britischer Schriftsteller. Er studierte an der Universität von East Anglia "Creative Writing". Nach einem längeren Aufenthalt außerhalb Englands (u. a. auf Sri Lanka und in Deutschland), währenddessen er sich als Lehrer betätigte, arbeitet er seit 1990 als Kinderbuchautor. Seine ersten in Deutschland erschienenen Werke waren die bisher elfbändigen "Klippenland-Chroniken", die in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Illustrator Chris Riddell entstanden. Paul Stewart lebt mit seiner Frau und zwei Kindern in Brighton.


Documentation.

The terms "data dictionary" and "data repository" indicate a more general software utility than a catalogue. A "catalogue" is closely coupled with the DBMS software. It provides the information stored in it to the user and the DBA, but it is mainly accessed by the various software modules of the DBMS itself, such as DDL and DML compilers, the query optimiser, the transaction processor, report generators, and the constraint enforcer. On the other hand, a "data dictionary" is a data structure that stores metadata, i.e., (structured) data about information. The software package for a stand-alone data dictionary or data repository may interact with the software modules of the DBMS, but it is mainly used by the designers, users and administrators of a computer system for information resource management. These systems maintain information on system hardware and software configuration, documentation, application and users as well as other information relevant to system administration.  If a data dictionary system is used only by the designers, users, and administrators and not by the DBMS Software, it is called a "passive data dictionary." Otherwise, it is called an "active data dictionary" or "data dictionary." When a passive data dictionary is updated, it is done so manually and independently from any changes to a DBMS (database) structure. With an active data dictionary, the dictionary is updated first and changes occur in the DBMS automatically as a result.  Database users and application developers can benefit from an authoritative data dictionary document that catalogs the organization, contents, and conventions of one or more databases. This typically includes the names and descriptions of various tables (records or Entities) and their contents (fields) plus additional details, like the type and length of each data element. Another important piece of information that a data dictionary can provide is the relationship between Tables. This is sometimes referred to in Entity-Relationship diagrams, or if using Set descriptors, identifying which Sets database Tables participate in.  In an active data dictionary constraints may be placed upon the underlying data. For instance, a Range may be imposed on the value of numeric data in a data element (field), or a Record in a Table may be FORCED to participate in a set relationship with another Record-Type. Additionally, a distributed DBMS may have certain location specifics described within its active data dictionary (e.g. where Tables are physically located).  The data dictionary consists of record types (tables) created in the database by systems generated command files, tailored for each supported back-end DBMS. Oracle has a list of specific views for the "sys" user. This allows users to look up the exact information that is needed. Command files contain SQL Statements for CREATE TABLE, CREATE UNIQUE INDEX, ALTER TABLE (for referential integrity), etc., using the specific statement required by that type of database.  There is no universal standard as to the level of detail in such a document.

Middleware.

In the construction of database applications, it can be useful to introduce an additional layer of data dictionary software, i.e. middleware, which communicates with the underlying DBMS data dictionary. Such a "high-level" data dictionary may offer additional features and a degree of flexibility that goes beyond the limitations of the native "low-level" data dictionary, whose primary purpose is to support the basic functions of the DBMS, not the requirements of a typical application. For example, a high-level data dictionary can provide alternative entity-relationship models tailored to suit different applications that share a common database. Extensions to the data dictionary also can assist in query optimization against distributed databases. Additionally, DBA functions are often automated using restructuring tools that are tightly coupled to an active data dictionary.  Software frameworks aimed at rapid application development sometimes include high-level data dictionary facilities, which can substantially reduce the amount of programming required to build menus, forms, reports, and other components of a database application, including the database itself. For example, PHPLens includes a PHP class library to automate the creation of tables, indexes, and foreign key constraints portably for multiple databases. Another PHP-based data dictionary, part of the RADICORE toolkit, automatically generates program objects, scripts, and SQL code for menus and forms with data validation and complex joins. For the ASP.NET environment, Base One's data dictionary provides cross-DBMS facilities for automated database creation, data validation, performance enhancement (caching and index utilization), application security, and extended data types. Visual DataFlex features provides the ability to use DataDictionaries as class files to form middle layer between the user interface and the underlying database. The intent is to create standardized rules to maintain data integrity and enforce business rules throughout one or more related applications.

Platform-specific examples.

Developers use a "data description specification" ("DDS") to describe data attributes in file descriptions that are external to the application program that processes the data, in the context of an IBM System i. The "sys.ts$" table in Oracle stores information about every table in the database. It is part of the data dictionary that is created when the Oracle Database is created.

Typical attributes.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of typical items found in a data dictionary for columns or fields:

A data dictionary, or metadata repository, as defined in the "IBM Dictionary of Computing", is a "centralized repository of information about data such as meaning, relationships to other data, origin, usage, and format". "Oracle" defines it as a collection of tables with metadata. The term can have one of several closely related meanings pertaining to databases and database management systems (DBMS):

Ein Data-Dictionary – deutsch Datenwörterbuch, Datenkatalog oder etwas unschärfer "Datenverzeichnis" genannt – ist ein Katalog von Metadaten, der die Definitionen und Darstellungsregeln für alle Anwendungsdaten eines Unternehmens und die Beziehungen zwischen den verschiedenen Datenobjekten enthält, damit der Datenbestand redundanzfrei und einheitlich strukturiert wird. Es ist ein Anwendungsfall eines spezifischen Datenmodells.


History.

Decoded Feedback was formed in 1993 by the Italian Marco Biagiotti and the Hungarian Yone Dudas (both live in Canada). After the release of their "Decoded Feedback" demo tape and a subsequent review by the Belgian industrial music magazine "Sideline", they were signed to the European label, Hard Records, which released their first full-length CD, "Overdosing", and gained the attention of another European record label, Zoth Ommog. The latter released Decoded Feedback's second disc, "Technophoby", in 1997. This attracted the attention of the American industrial music distributors Metropolis Records, who released domestic versions of all subsequent Decoded Feedback releases. "Bio-Vital", released in 1998, was the first Decoded Feedback album to enter the German Alternative Charts (DAC). In the same year, they released a second album with new tracks and remixes called "Evolution". In 2000, Biagiotti and Dudas signed to the record label Bloodline to release "Mechanical Horizon", which was preceded by the first ever Decoded Feedback single, "Reflect in Silence". Three years later, Decoded Feedback switched to their current record label, Out of Line, and released "Shockwave", which again was preceded by a single, "Phoenix". In 2005, they released "Combustion" as well as the soundtrack for the Cindy Murdoch's short zombie film, "Red Men Rising". "Aftermath" was released in 2010 and "disKonnekt" in 2012.

Live.

Decoded Feedback have played several live shows in Europe. The band spent the greater part of 2001 touring with Noisex and Sonar and again in 2003 with Haujobb. They have played the M'era Luna Festival, the Blacksun Festival in the USA, Infest 2005, and the Out of Line Festival, as well as touring with fellow Metropolis Records bands God Module and Blutengel. In Toronto, Canada, at the EBM Fest 2008, they played as a DJ set because the singer was not present.

Philosophy and style.

Biagiotti and Dudas originally experimented with the fusion of punk and electro, but over time developed a more cold, industrial-oriented sound. By the time "Evolution" was released, they had attempted to create a blend of industrial and electronic body music, with "interwoven dance floor textures and symphonic melodies". This sound culminated with "Mechanical Horizon", but turned sharply with "Shockwave", an album that was seen as something of a return to an older style. "Combustion" continued this trend.  Both members have also cited the tensions that exist between sexes and international boundaries, as well as their unique backgrounds, as a driving force behind their music - especially in an attempt to create their own unique style. Decoded Feedback's music is popular within the darker electronic music scene, especially among fans of electro-industrial music. Comparable artists include fellow Metropolis Records acts Haujobb, Wumpscut, Suicide Commando and Front Line Assembly, as well as Zoth Ommog acts X Marks the Pedwalk and Evil's Toy.  The above soundtracks have not been released in any format other than in the movies themselves. "Hyberia" is a short 3 minute film by Francist (who directed the music videos for the Decoded Feedback songs "Phoenix" and "Hyberia", the latter of which uses audio elements from the soundtrack). "Red Men Rising" is a 15 minute film about zombies, the soundtrack to which was done by Yone Dudas.

Decoded Feedback is a Canadian musical project which incorporates styles of electro-industrial and aggrotech. The duo currently releases music on the North American distributor Metropolis Records, and the European record label Out of Line.

Decoded Feedback ist ein Musikprojekt aus Kanada, das 1995 von Marco Biagiotti (Gesang) und Yone Dudas (Keyboard, Programming) gegründet wurde.


History.

1960s.

In the 1950s and 1960s, some artists who had performed in the bands of Franco Luambo and Grand Kalle formed their own groups. Tabu Ley Rochereau and Dr. Nico Kasanda formed African Fiesta and transformed their music further by fusing Congolese folk music with soul music, as well as Caribbean and Latin beats and instrumentation. They were joined by Papa Wemba and Sam Mangwana, and classics like "Afrika Mokili Mobimba" made them one of Africa's most prominent bands. Congolese "rumba" eventually evolved into soukous. Tabu Ley Rochereau and Dr Nico Kasanda are considered the pioneers of modern soukous. Other greats of this period include Koffi Olomide, Tshala Muana and Wenge Musica.  While the rumba influenced bands such as Lipua-Lipua, Veve, TP OK Jazz and Bella Bella, younger Congolese musicians looked for ways to reduce that influence and play a faster paced soukous inspired by rock n roll. A group of students called Zaiko Langa Langa came together in 1969 around founding vocalist Papa Wemba. Pepe Kalle, a protégé of Grand Kalle, created the band Empire Bakuba together with Papy Tex and they too became popular.

East Africa in the 1970s.

Soukous now spread across Africa and became an influence on virtually all the styles of modern African popular music including highlife, palm-wine music, taarab and makossa. As political conditions in Zaire, as the Democratic Republic of Congo was known then, deteriorated in the 1970s, some groups made their way to Tanzania and Kenya. By the mid-seventies, several Congolese groups were playing soukous at Kenyan night clubs. The lively "cavacha", a dance craze that swept East and Central Africa during the seventies, was popularized through recordings of bands such as Zaiko Langa Langa and Orchestra Shama Shama, influencing Kenyan musicians. This rhythm, played on the snare drum or hi-hat, quickly became a hallmark of the Congolese sound in Nairobi and is frequently used by many of the regional bands. Several of Nairobi's renowned Swahili rumba bands formed around Tanzanian groups like Simba Wanyika and their offshoots, Les Wanyika and Super Wanyika Stars.  In the late 1970s Virgin records produced LPs from the Tanzanian-Congolese Orchestra Makassy and the Kenya-based Super Mazembe. One of the tracks from this album was the Swahili song "Shauri Yako" ("it's your problem"), which became a hit in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Les Mangelepa was another influential Congolese group that moved to Kenya and became extremely popular throughout East Africa. About this same time, the Nairobi-based Congolese vocalist Samba Mapangala and his band Orchestra Virunga, released the LP "Malako", which became one of the pioneering releases of the newly emerging world music scene in Europe. The musical style of the East Africa-based Congolese bands gradually incorporated new elements, including Kenyan benga music, and spawned what is sometimes called the "Swahili sound" or "Congolese sound".

1980s and the Paris scene.

Soukous became popular in London and Paris in the 1980s. A few more musicians left Kinshasa to work around central and east Africa before settling in either the UK or France. The basic line-up for a soukous band included three or four guitars, bass guitar, drums, brass, vocals, and some of them having over 20 musicians. Lyrics were often in Lingala and occasionally in French. In the late 1980s and 1990s, Parisian studios were used by many soukous stars, and the music became heavily reliant on synthesizers and other electronic instruments. Some artists continued to record for the Congolese market, but others abandoned the demands of the Kinshasa public and set out to pursue new audiences. Some, like Paris-based Papa Wemba maintained two bands, Viva La Musica for soukous, and a group including French session players for international pop.  Kanda Bongo Man, another Paris-based artist, pioneered fast, short tracks suitable for play on dance floors everywhere and popularly known as "kwassa kwassa" after the dance moves popularized by his and other artists' music videos. This music appealed to Africans and to new audiences as well. Artists like Diblo Dibala, Jeannot Bel Musumbu, Mbilia Bel, Yondo Sister, Tinderwet, Loketo, Rigo Star, Madilu System, Soukous Stars and veterans like Pepe Kalle and Koffi Olomide followed suit. Soon Paris became home to talented studio musicians who recorded for the African and Caribbean markets and filled out bands for occasional tours.  In the 1980s, the fast tempo zouk style popularized by the French Antilles band Kassav' became popular across much of Paris and French Africa. In the 1980s and early 1990s, a fast-paced style of soukous known as kwassa kwassa, named after a popular dance, was popular. Today, soukous mixes the kwasa kwasa with zouk and Congolese rumba. A style called ndombolo, also named after a dance, is currently popular.

Ndombolo.

The fast soukous music currently dominating dance floors in central, eastern and western Africa is called soukous ndombolo, performed by Dany Engobo, Awilo Longomba, Aurlus Mabélé, Mav Cacharel, Koffi Olomide and groups like Extra Musica and Wenge Musica among others.  The hip-swinging dance of the fast paced soukous ndombolo has come under criticism on claims that it is obscene. There have been attempts to ban it in Mali, Cameroon and Kenya. After an attempt to ban it from state radio and television in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2000, it became even more popular. In February 2005, ndombolo music videos in the DR Congo were censored for indecency, and video clips by Koffi Olomide, JB M'Piana and Werrason were banned from the airwaves.

Soukous (from French "secousse", "shock, jolt, jerk") is a genre of dance music from the Congo Basin. It derived from Congolese rumba in the 1960s and gained popularity in the 1980s in France. Although often used by journalists as a synonym for Congolese rumba, both the music and dance associated with soukous differ from more traditional rumba, especially in its higher tempo, longer dance sequences. Notable performers of the genre include African Fiesta, Papa Wemba and Pépé Kallé.

Soukous, auch Rumba Lingala; ist ein ursprünglicher Musikstil der traditionellen afrikanischen Musik aus der Kongo-Region. Der Soukous beeinflusste vor allem den Merengue in der Dominikanischen Republik. Seine Ursprünge liegen in den 1930er und 1940er Jahren. Nach 1960 wurde der Begriff "Soukous" auch für einen in ganz Afrika sehr populären afrikanischen Tanz verwendet, der auf eine für Afrika spezifische Variante des Rumba getanzt wurde.


Biography.

She was born Danielle Gardner, in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. Dax's first performance on stage in London was when she was a pre-teen. She sang in Benjamin Britten's opera, "Noye's Fludde" (Noah's Flood), at the Royal Albert Hall. Preceding this, the first time Dax appeared on stage was at the age of three as an orange Jelly Baby on the Southend bandstand.  Dax made her 'pop' musical debut in 1979, three weeks of joining the group Amii Toytal and the Croixroads - this was a pseudonym for the Lemon Kittens - as keyboardist, flautist and saxophonist. It was their first gig and took place at Reading University's Student Union 'Airport' Bar. Karl Blake from the Lemon Kittens had met her some three weeks earlier after he read an article about her in a local newspaper. Blake was in urgent need of an artist, so he attended the next meeting of Dax's arts group and was introduced to her. Upon learning that she could also play saxophone and flute, he immediately recruited her for the band; in addition, he also got her to agree to do the cover artwork for the planned release. She ended up doing the cover artwork for all of Lemon Kittens releases.  During Dax's time in the avant-garde new wave music band Lemon Kittens, she was included on Robert Fripp's League of Gentlemen's 1981 eponymous album, performing vocals (credited as "Hamsprachtmusic") on the song "Minor Man". However, that song was not included on the album when it was released on the CD compilation entitled "God Save The King". Her artwork was retained for the cover. She also painted the cover for Robert Fripp's solo album, "Let the Power Fall". Dax supplied vocals to an unreleased track by the Bombay Ducks in which she sang a duet with Robert Wyatt, although they never met. The duet was done in studio, separately.  In early 1982, after the Lemon Kittens went into "extended hibernation", Dax embarked on her solo career, recording and producing the albums "Pop-Eyes" (1983) wherein she played all the instruments herself, initially released on the IRC [Initial Recording Company] label with her own art cover, and re-released on Awesome Records with a Holly Warburton cover. On the mini-album that followed "Jesus Egg That Wept" (1984), she was aided on some tracks by Karl Blake or David Knight. Her third album "Inky Bloaters" (1987), cemented her collaborative recording work with David Knight; this as well as various EPs, up to that time, were released on the label Awesome Records. In 1988, she signed with Sire Records, which released her album "Dark Adapted Eye", which contained material from her previous recordings.  In 1984, she made her first film appearance as the Wolfgirl (a non-speaking role) in "The Company of Wolves" by Neil Jordan. In 1988, her film credits came to include writing music for the short avant-garde film "Axel" by Nigel Wingrove.  In 1989, Dax appeared on the Channel 4 show "Star Test", where she was interviewed for 30 minutes by "computer".  In 1990, she released her one major-label studio album, "Blast the Human Flower", produced by Stephen Street, except for the tracks "Bayou" and "Daisy", which they produced together. The album's single, "Tomorrow Never Knows", joined "Blue Christmas" (her cover of an Elvis Presley tune), "Kites" by Simon Dupree and the Big Sound (during the Lemon Kittens period) and "Hate On Sight", a track by Shock Headed Peters (included on her "Comatose etc." release) as an addition to her covers of other artists' work. Her last two album releases were in 1995 and consisted of a career retrospective double-album entitled "Comatose Non-Reaction: The Thwarted Pop Career of Danielle Dax" and an EP of new avant-garde and almost completely instrumental material called "Timber Tongue" (both on her own Biter Of Thorpe label). Dax's career in the music business then went on indefinite hiatus and is often referred to as a'retirement'.  Since 1996, she has worked in interior design and has appeared several times on the BBC interior design show "Homefront", where she won the Designer of the Year Award.

Danielle Dax (born 23 September 1958) is an English experimental musician and producer most active from the late-1970s to the mid-1990s.

Danielle Dax (* 23. September 1958 in Southend) ist eine englische Musikerin. Danielle Dax begann Ihre musikalische Laufbahn 1979 als Keyboarderin bei Army Turtle and the Crossroads.