what's a team rebound in the nba

Rebounds are credited to the first player that gains clear possession of the ball or to the player that successfully deflects the ball into the basket for a score. A rebound is credited to a team when it gains possession of the ball after any missed shot that is not cleared by a single player (e.g., deflected out of bounds after the shot, blocked out of bounds, bounced directly off the rim out of bounds). A team rebound is never credited to any player, and is generally considered to be a formality as according to the rules of basketball, every missed shot must be rebounded whether a single player controls the ball or not.

Rebound (basketball)

In basketball, a rebound, colloquially referred to as a board,[1] is a statistic awarded to a player who retrieves the ball after a missed field goal or free throw.[2] Rebounds are also given to a player who tips in a missed shot on his team's offensive end. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as most possessions change after a shot is successfully made, or the rebound allows the defensive team to take possession. A rebound can be grabbed by either an offensive player or a defensive player.

Rebounds are divided into two main categories: "offensive rebounds", in which the ball is recovered by the offensive side and does not change possession, and "defensive rebounds", in which the defending team gains possession. The majority of rebounds are defensive because the team on defense tends to be in better position (i.e., closer to the basket) to recover missed shots. Offensive rebounds give the offensive team another opportunity to score whether right away or by resetting the offense. A block is not considered a rebound.

A ball does not need to actually "rebound" off the rim or backboard for a rebound to be credited. Rebounds are credited after any missed shot, including air balls.

If a player takes a shot and misses and the ball bounces on the ground before someone picks it up, then the person who picks up the ball is credited for a rebound.

Great rebounders tend to be tall and strong. Because height is so important, most rebounds are made by centers and power forwards, who are often positioned closer to the basket. The lack of height can sometimes be compensated by the strength to box out taller players away from the ball to capture the rebound. For example, Charles Barkley once led the league in rebounding despite usually being much shorter than his counterparts. Also, some shorter guards can be excellent rebounders as well such as point guard Jason Kidd who led the New Jersey Nets in rebounding for several years. Great rebounders must also have a keen sense of timing and positioning. Great leaping ability is an important asset, but not absolutely necessary. Players such as Larry Bird and Moses Malone were excellent rebounders, but were never known for their leaping ability. Bird has stated, "Most rebounds are taken below the rim. That's where I get mine").[3]

Players position themselves in the best spot to get the rebound by "boxing out"â€”i.e., by positioning themselves between an opponent and the basket, and maintaining body contact with the player he is guarding. The action can also be called "blocking out". A team can be boxed out by several players using this technique to stop the other team from rebounding.

Because fighting for a rebound can be very physical, rebounding is often regarded as "grunt work" or a "hustle" play. Overly aggressive boxing out or preventing being boxed out can lead to personal fouls.

Statistics of a player's "rebounds per game" or "rebounding average" measure a player's rebounding effectiveness by dividing the number of rebounds by the number of games played. Rebound rates go beyond raw rebound totals by taking into account external factors, such as the number of shots taken in games and the percentage of those shots that are made (the total number of rebounds available).

Rebounds were first officially recorded in the NBA during the 1950–51 season. Both offensive and defensive rebounds were first officially recorded in the NBA during the 1973–74 season and ABA during the 1967–68 season.

New camera technology has been able to shed much more light on where missed shots will likely land.[4]


is metro last light a sequel to metro 2033

A sequel to the video game Metro 2033, its story follows Artyom, a Ranger living in Moscow's metro system after a destructive nuclear war. Tasked with finding the mysterious Dark Ones, Artyom must venture to different parts of the metro system, and the surface filled with radiated gases, and fight against different factions and mutated monsters. The game improves on various gameplay mechanics of 2033, and introduces elements such as weapon customization.

Metro: Last Light

Metro: Last Light is a post-apocalyptic-themed, first-person shooter video game with stealth and survival horror elements. It was developed by Ukrainian studio 4A Games, published by Deep Silver, distributed by Square Enix in North America for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in May 2013. A remastered version of the game was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in August 2014 as Metro: Last Light Redux within the Metro Redux package.

Developed by a team of about 80 people, Last Light is a direct sequel to 2033, with franchise creator Dmitry Glukhovsky writing the game's dialogue and main story outline. Multiplayer modes were planned but were eventually scrapped in order to focus on single-player, which the developers hoped would "rekindle memories of Half-Life 2". Originally set to be published by THQ, which provided a very limited budget for the game's development, Koch Media acquired it after THQ's bankruptcy. A Wii U version was planned but was ultimately canceled.

The game received generally positive reviews from critics. Praise was focused largely on its atmosphere, world design, tone, graphics, and gameplay, while criticism was directed particularly at the artificial intelligence and technical issues. The pre-order bonus Ranger mode, marketed as the definitive way of playing the game, triggered controversy. The game was a commercial success, with its first-week retail sales in the US surpassing the lifetime retail sales of 2033. A sequel, Metro: Exodus is set to be released in 2019.

Like its predecessor Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light is played from the perspective of Artyom, the player-character. The story takes place in post-apocalyptic Moscow, mostly inside the metro system, but occasionally missions bring the player above ground. Combat alternates between the player fighting mutants and hostile humans.[1] Areas are larger in Last Light compared to 2033, and the game encourages exploration by having multiple routes.[2] The game offers more freedom to players, allowing them to utilize different tactics to combat enemies.[3] It features destructible environments, in which certain objects, such as pillars, collapse after being shot.[4] Numerous diary entries, written by Artyom, providing additional insight regarding the game's story, are scattered throughout environments for players to collect.[5]

As a first-person shooter, Metro: Last Light features a variety of firearms, some fictional and some based on real weapons, which the player uses in combat. The game's protagonist, Artyom, also has the ability to kill an enemy directly with his melee weapon.[2] Artyom has three weapons slots. Players can put any weapon into these slots without restriction.[3] Players have access to four different secondary weapons, including throwing knives, claymores, incendiary grenades, and hand grenades.[6] Mutants do not possess weapons and tend to physically attack the player in swarms, while humans fight with the same firearms available to the player. The player can knock out or kill most human enemies instead of shooting them, using stealth to avoid detection. As enemies are inefficient in spotting the player character in darkness, players can turn off oil lamps and light bulbs to gain an advantage over their opponents.[7]

In the post-apocalyptic environment, ammunition is a rare and essential commodity. Pre-apocalypse, military-grade ammunition is used as currency. Players can avoid consuming all the valuable currency by using lower quality bullets made within the Metros.[8] Due to the scarcity of ammunition, a crucial aspect of gameplay is scavenging.[8] The player can loot corpses and the environment for spare ammunition, as well as weapons and other items.[9][10] The military-grade ammunition can be used to purchase other ammunition, weapons, and items within most of the Metro stations. Weapon attachments, such as scopes and silencers, which improve weapon efficiency, can be purchased with these bullets.[6]

The game's locations reflect the dark atmosphere of real metro tunnels, with added survival horror elements.[1] Paranormal phenomena, such as shadow figures, hallucinations, and unexplained noises are present, and, for the most part, the player has to rely on their lighter and rechargeable flashlight to navigate the darkness.[7] Locations will often have an intricate layout, and the game lacks any form of map or objective marker, leaving the player to try finding their objectives with only a compass.[11] The surface is more lethal than the metro system. Featuring a day-night cycle, and a dynamic weather system,[2] these sections are severely irradiated and a gas mask must be worn at all times because of the toxic air. The player must collect air filters for the gas mask. These last several minutes each, and are automatically replaced provided the player has more in reserve.[1] Players are also tasked to wipe off the dirt and blood splatter that collects on the gas mask.[12][13] There is no head up display indicator to tell how long the player has until the gas mask's filters begin to fail â€” rather, a timer on the character's wristwatch shows how long until the current filter expires. The watch also serves to indicate to a player if they have been exposed to enemy attention.[3] With every weapon, the bullets are (partly) visible, informing the player that their weapon is about to run out of ammunition and they have to reload.[14] Instead of head up display the game makes use of audio and visual cues to present information to players.[15][16]

There are certain subtle moral choices in the game that provide karma.[17] Good karma can be acquired by good actions, such as rescuing people from enemy characters, or sparing enemy soldiers. Bad karma can be acquired from evil actions, such as killing people randomly or stealing things. Karma affects the ending that the player experiences.[7]

Metro: Last Light takes place in 2034, one year after the events of Metro 2033, following the ending of the original novel in which Artyom's missile strike against the Dark Ones — mysterious beings that seemingly threatened the survivors of a nuclear war living in the Moscow Metro — occurred. The Rangers, a neutral peacekeeping force that operates throughout the system, have since occupied the D6 military facility Artyom visited during the first game. This is a huge, and not fully explored pre-war bunker, and Artyom, now a Ranger himself, remains unsure whether killing the Dark Ones was the correct decision. Rumors of D6's discovery and its great riches have spread around the Metro; rival factions, such as the Soviet Red Line and Nazi Fourth Reich, hope to seize the bunker and its contents.

Khan, a wandering mystic, informs Artyom and the Rangers that a single Dark One survived the missile strike. Khan believes that it is the key to humanity's future, and wants to communicate with it; Colonel Miller, the Ranger's leader, wants to eliminate it as a potential threat. Miller sends Artyom to the surface, accompanied by Miller's daughter Anna, the Rangers' best sniper, to kill the Dark One.

Artyom finds the Dark One, a child, but is captured by soldiers of the Fourth Reich. Pavel Morozov, a captured Red Line soldier, and Artyom escape through the Metro tunnels and across the devastated surface. When they reach the Red Line, however, Pavel is revealed to be a high-ranking officer; he detains Artyom to learn more about the Rangers and the Dark One. Artyom escapes and races Pavel's forces to locate the Dark One and Anna, who has been kidnapped by Lesnitsky, an ex-Ranger and Red Line spy. En route, he finds a contingent of Red Line forces massacring the inhabitants of a station, supposedly to contain a mysterious epidemic. It was the Red Line that introduced the virus to the station â€“ weaponized Ebola acquired from the D6 vault by Lesnitsky. Artyom finds Anna and frees her but they are exposed to the virus and are quarantined after the rescue. Afraid that she will die, Anna, seduces Artyom.

After they test negative for the virus, Artyom again encounters Khan. They locate the young Dark One, and in a series of hallucinatory flashbacks, Artyom recalls that he was saved by a Dark One as a child; he was psychically linked to the Dark Ones, intended to form a bridge between their species and his. Artyom vows to make amends by protecting the little Dark One, and the two travel to Polis, the Metro's central area, where a peace conference regarding D6 between the Rangers, Red Line, the Reich, and neutral Hansa is taking place. Artyom defeats Lesnitsky and Pavel during the trip. Along the way, the little Dark One senses that there is a group of hibernating Dark Ones in D6. After arriving at Polis, the little Dark One uses his telepathic abilities to make the Red Line leader, Chairman Moskvin, publicly confess that the peace conference is a diversion to enable General Korbut to seize D6. Artyom and the rest of the Rangers rush to the bunker to make a final stand against Korbut's army but are incapacitated by an armored train ramming into their station. Red Line soldiers surround and prepare to execute Artyom and Miller.

The karma the player has acquired determines the ending. In the "bad" ending, Artyom destroys D6 to prevent Korbut from using the facility to wipe out the remnants of the other factions and possibly humanity, resulting in the deaths of himself, the surviving Rangers, and the Red Line forces. Later, Anna is shown telling their son of Artyom's bravery. In the "good" ending, later revealed as the canonical ending, Artyom prepares to destroy the bunker but is stopped by the little Dark One, who, along with the awakened Dark Ones, defeats Korbut's army. Artyom calls the little Dark One humanity's "last light of hope". In both endings, the young Dark One leaves with the surviving Dark Ones to find safety, while promising that they will come back in the future to help rebuild the world.

The Ukraine-based lead developer 4A Games made the game with a team of more than 80 people.[18] A sequel to Metro 2033 written by Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky, Last Light, is not related to his next book Metro 2034. Instead, it serves as a direct sequel to the first game, with the majority of the ideas created by 4A Games. According to Huw Beynon, head of communications for of THQ, the team chose not to make a video game adaption of 2034 as they thought 2034's tone was drastically different from its predecessor. He described it as an "art-house thriller", and believed that, unlike the first game, it could not be converted successfully into a video game.[19] However, Glukhovsky offered creative input to the project and wrote a brief outline of the game's story, as well as the game's dialogue, which used 3,000 spreadsheet cells in Excel.[20] The team chose the bad ending of 2033, as they believed that it offered an interesting beginning for Last Light, and is consistent with the novel's dark and depressing tone.[21] Glukhovsky claimed that the story would explore the theme of redemption, people repeating their mistakes, and the idea of having a "second chance".[20] The Artyom character also shifted to become more mature and experienced.[18] However, he remained a silent character as the team thought that having him speak would not contribute to his character development and would interfere with the atmosphere and morality system.[22]

One of the key goals of 4A Games was to improve and refine numerous aspects of 2033 which THQ described as a "flawed masterpiece".[22][23] The strong focus on atmosphere was retained, but the team overhauled numerous gameplay mechanics.[24] The game's shooting mechanics were improved, and the firearms featured in the game were no longer underpowered.[18] The animation system was reworked and more visual effects were added.[25] The game's artificial intelligence was also refined to become more responsive to players' actions.[26] After hearing from players about 2033's bullet-based economic system, the team decided to keep the feature in Last Light but improve the explanation about how it worked so that players would not be confused by it.[22] In addition, the team revealed that they would not westernize the franchise to attract a larger audience. Instead, they would overhaul the game's controls to make it more accessible.[26][27] The team also drastically improved the game's stealth sections. The core philosophy in designing these sections was "fun"; players would not be punished too harshly if they made any mistakes, such as making too much noise. As a result, the alertness of the artificial intelligence features several different levels, making the game more realistic.[21] A competitive multiplayer mode was originally planned that was said to be unique to the Metro series, and would not simply include typical multiplayer modes like team deathmatch or Capture the Flag.[28] However, it was eventually cancelled; but the possibility of having a multiplayer mode remained, and it could be developed after the game's release.[29]

â€” 4A Games communications lead Huw Beynon

Another of the team's goals was to make players feel unsettled after playing the game, and present gameplay moments that would make them worry and feel vulnerable.[30] The team incorporated survival horror elements into the game, which were also used in the first game.[18] The game was described by THQ as their own "bid to combat shooter fatigue" using its heavy single-player story focus.[31] According to Beynon the game's philosophy is the complete opposite of the Call of Duty franchise, which was described as short, linear, and filled with "filler content" that would only be a tutorial for the multiplayer content. The team hoped to have most moments featured in the game "narrative-driven", and that all the enemy encounters in the game are designed to be different from each other. They hoped that by offering a unique experience with each encounter, they would be remembered by players. They hoped that the game would "rekindle memories of Half-Life 2".[27]

The world is created to be believable. Glukhovsky included numerous side stories in the game, and different kinds of dramas surrounding the game's four factions. He hoped that through this approach, the game would have more depth than typical first-person shooters, and make the game feel genuinely realistic.[20] Moral choices return in the game. According to 4A, these choices are very subtle, so that they would not "gamify" the concept.[25] It is a method carried out by 4A to create a sense of verisimilitude to the world, which will then make the decision more "genuine".[7] To achieve naturalism, Andrey Prokhorov, the game's creative director, intentionally removed most aspects of a typical head up display as they considered it a barrier preventing players from immersing themselves into the world, and that having it would destroy the game's atmosphere. Prokhorov noted that adding numerous graphical and audio cues required additional time and effort, but he claimed that should they have sufficient time, the team may not make any head up display at all.[14]

Last Light is powered by 4A Games' own in-house engine, 4A Engine.[32] Beynon claimed that with the engine it was the best looking game currently available on the market, especially for personal computers.[33] The team also worked to improve the game's lighting and destruction system and introduced a larger variety of color palette.[34] The game was originally set to be released for Nintendo's Wii U, and the title was included in the Wii U show-reel, though THQ has since stated that the game may not be released for that platform.[35] Regarding the possibility of the game coming to the Wii U, 4A Games chief technical officer Oles Shishkovtsov said the Wii U has a "horrible, slow CPU".[36] His colleague, Huw Beynon, reiterated the sentiment, telling NowGamer that there would not be a Wii U version of Metro: Last Light, because the studio "couldn't justify the effort required" and they "just figured it wasn't worth pursuing at this time".[36] According to THQ, 4A experimented with the Wii U development kit, but later gave up this version of the game during its early stages of development.[37]

THQ was the publisher of the first game, but the studio put little effort into helping the game's development, leading to numerous technical issues and a lack of polish. However, the game's sales surprised THQ, and as a result, the publisher considered the first game a missed opportunity, and began to treat Metro as a franchise.[38] Danny Bilson, then CEO of THQ, promised that the company would offer 4A more support and dedicate more resources in both the game's actual development and its marketing.[39] Former THQ President Jason Rubin offered details of extremely difficult working conditions and demands put on the 4A Games team while completing the game. Their office was freezing due to frequent power failures, and the team was forced to smuggle computer equipment into the offices to avoid corrupt customs officials. Rubin added that the publisher offered an unreasonably small budget to the development team, accounting for only 10% of its competitor's budget and that their workspace was so crowded and small that he compared it to "a packed grade school cafeteria", and an "[underutilized] gym at EA Los Angeles".[40] Rubin praised the team for producing a game that successfully achieved high critical praise in spite of the harsh working conditions.[40] According to Andrew Prokhorov, Rubin was the only THQ president that to visit the studio. He noted that the team "deserve the ratings [they] get" and "need no indulgence" from consumers who do not care about their working conditions.[41]

Last Light's title was first leaked as Metro 2034, a name used by 4A Games internally. THQ officially revealed the actual title in May 2012.[42] In November 2012, THQ announced that it had delayed the game's release until March 2013 in order to give the development team more time to polish the game further.[43] In December 2012, the game's original publisher, THQ, entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Metro: Last Light, along with other THQ properties and studios, went to auction on 22 January 2013. GameStop temporarily removed the game from its store to prevent customers from being misled by the game's uncertain release,[44] The auction did not affect the progress of the game's development significantly.[45] Clearlake and Koch Media, the latter of which was originally set to distribute the title in Italy and Spain, participated in the auction.[46] Koch Media eventually acquired the rights to the Metro franchise for $5.9 million. Koch was interested in the title as the game was already playable at the time and they were familiar with the development team, whose members worked on S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky, a game published by Koch Media's label Deep Silver.[47] After the auction, Deep Silver announced that the title would be released on 14 May 2013 in North America, 16 May 2013 in Australia and New Zealand, and 17 May 2013 in Europe for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.[48][49][50] It was released for OS X on 10 September 2013,[51] Linux on 5 November 2013, and the title was bundled with Valve Corporation's prototype of Steam Machine.[52]

Players who purchased the game via Steam got a free digital copy of Metro 2033 the novel.[53] A digital graphic novel titled The Gospel According to Artyom, which tells the events that take place between 2033 and Last Light, was published by Dark Horse Comics and was a pre-order exclusive.[54] A novelization of the game, written by Glukhovsky, was released as Metro 2035.[55]

Those who pre-ordered the game received a limited edition of Metro: Last Light that featured a code for the downloadable content (DLC) Ranger Mode, a setting for greater game difficulty, as well as a unique gun and in-game currency. Ranger Mode encompasses the same campaign, but with the lack of a HUD or cross hairs, while the plethora of ammunition and resources has been reduced severely, making the player feel fully immersed in the game's world. It was marketed as "the way [the game] was meant to be played".[56] The game's implementation of Ranger Mode caused negative reactions in the gaming community.[57] Deep Silver responded by saying that they were required by retailers to provide pre-order exclusive game content, and that Ranger Mode was the best choice as only the most loyal fans would likely pre-order the game.[57]

Additionally, four DLC packs were released. The first pack, the Faction Pack, was to be available in June 2013,[58] however the release date was pushed back to July 2013. This pack contains three bonus single-player missions, with the player playing as a Red Line Sniper, a Fourth Reich 'Heavy' soldier, and a Polis Ranger in training, with new weapons not found in the main storyline.[59] The other three packs were released within 60 days of releasing the Faction Pack. The second pack, the Tower Pack, gives single-player challenge missions that have online leaderboards. The third pack, the Developer Pack, features a shooting gallery, a combat simulator, an in-game museum, and a single-player mission titled "The Spiders' Nest". Finally, the fourth pack, the Chronicles Pack, features three additional single-player missions that contain three characters from the main storyline, Khan, Pavel, and Anna, adding in extra background story information about the world.[60][61]

Players can buy a season pass, which gives them all 4 DLCs at a discounted price. It also contains a limited edition, in-game automatic shotgun called the Abzats,[62] and a light machine gun that was previously only available via pre-order from select retailers, the RPK.[63]

A new version of the game for the eighth generation of consoles was not originally planned. However, on 22 May 2014, a remastered version of the game was announced.[64] It was released on 26 August 2014 in North America, 29 August 2014 in Europe, and 4 September 2014 in Australia for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.[65][66] Redux adds all the DLC and graphical improvements. The compilation package, titled Metro Redux, included both the remastered versions of 2033 and Last Light.[67] A demo of the Redux version, which allows players to play through the first third of the game, was released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 2 June 2015.[68] Last Light Redux was released as a DRM-free game on GOG.com in May 2015.[69]

Metro: Last Light received positive reviews from critics, with most complimenting the graphics and story, but criticizing the linear sequences. The game was nominated for Best Shooter for Spike's 2013 VGX game awards,[84] and Xbox 360 Game of the Year by GameSpot.[85]

The gameplay was generally well received. Critics praised 4A Games for fixing the apparent gameplay missteps featured in its predecessors, and noted that the combat was improved, satisfying and riveting.[73][77][79][82][83] Jeff Marchiafava noted that the gameplay is on par with its competitors.[77] However, some noted that the game lacked innovation and was generally too conservative.[73] Many applauded the game for allowing both stealth and a more aggressive approach towards missions,[76] and that stealth and gunplay were described as tense and challenging respectively.[74][78] The game's more accessible nature received mixed reviews. Some thought that it removed the frustration featured in the first game,[78] while some criticized it for being too simple.[73][80][83] Rich Stanton in particular criticized the game for compromising in order to attract a wider audience,[74] though Patrick Klepek from Giant Bomb thought that the charm of the first game remained undiminished in Last Light.[79] Many critics considered stealth the definitive way to play the game as it matches the overall tone.[8][82] The bullet economy system was praised for being "unique".[80] Some journalists also noted several technical problems with the game, singling out the Windows version,[8] and many criticized the artificial intelligence for being unrefined.[73][78][80] The boss battles were also criticized for being frustrating.[82] The monster characters attracted criticism for not being threatening in terms of their appearance, and too difficult to defeat,[76][77][80][83] with Rich Stanton from Eurogamer describing them as creatures from "a poor man's Doom".[74] Some critics criticized the presence of invisible walls and inaccessible paths, which led to frustration and annoyance.[78][83] The game's audio was also praised for being coherent with its graphics,[73] gameplay,[77] and atmosphere.[74]

The story received mixed critical reviews. Some critics believed that the story was excellently-written, with interesting characters, and meaningful character interactions, which added additional depth to the game's world.[78][80] According to Phillip Kollar from Polygon, the game successfully allows players to have "real sympathy" towards its characters,[8] but Artyom was described as an "empty shell" by PC Gamer's Marsh Davies.[83] Some felt that the story was intricate, compelling, engaging, and interesting, with some genuinely touching moments,[73][77][78] while others criticized it for being predictable[83] and uneven.[80] The ambient dialogue was described as the game's "best stories" by Stanton, though he noted that they are easily missed.[74] The voice-acting received mixed reviews. Some critics called it "top-notch", while some called it "bad".[77][78]

The game's world design and atmosphere received great critical reviews. Many critics agreed that the game had successfully built up tension through the game's conversations between characters and the resource management mechanics, which enables players to feel threatened by the state of the world.[78][82] The world was thought to be more "alive" than its predecessor, and critics praised the development team for creating distinct locations,[8] and turning typical gritty colors featured in many games into something refreshing and stunning.[73] The depiction of the world and 4A's vision of an apocalypse was applauded for delivering a sense of sadness and desperation.[83] The game's attention to detail was widely praised,[76][80][83] and the surface area, in particular, was applauded. Critics thought that these sequences offered visual variety, and some "genuine terror" moments. Jim Sterling from Destructoid singled out the game's multiple flashback scenes, which he described as "harrowing".[73]

The Redux version received positive reviews from critics. They praised the game's overall atmosphere and story, but criticized the graphical update, which was considered insignificant. According to Mikel Reparaz, the game's visual update was disappointing as it did not look better than the original PC version. Nevertheless, it was described as the "definitive version" of Last Light to play because of the inclusion of all of the previously-released downloadable content.[86][87]

Metro: Last Light was the best-selling retail video game in the UK in its week of release, but it failed to outpace the week one sales of 2033.[88] The first-week retail sales of the game in the US surpassed the lifetime retail sales of 2033.[89] It was the sixth best-selling retail game in the US in its month of release according to NPD Group.[90] While the exact sales of the game have not been revealed, Deep Silver announced that the Metro Redux collection sold more than 1.5 million copies.[91]

Metro Exodus was announced on 11 June 2017 at Microsoft's press conference during E3 2017. The game is scheduled to be released for Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in Q1 of 2019[92]


who plays princess jasmine on once upon a time

Karen Shenaz David[1] (born 15 April 1979[2][3] or 1980)[4] (sources differ) is an Indian-Canadian actress, singer and songwriter, who is best known for portraying Princess Isabella Maria Lucia Elizabetta of Valencia in ABC's fairytale-themed musical-comedy television series, Galavant, as well as Francesca "Cesca" Montoya in the BBC television series Waterloo Road, and Layla in the American action film The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior. She starred as Angela in the ITV television series Cold Feet and plays Princess Jasmine (from Aladdin) in the American television series Once Upon a Time.

Karen David

David also starred in Pixelface, a CBBC children's television series, where she plays Alexia, the glamorous legend hunter.

David was born in Shillong, Meghalaya, India,[5] of what she calls "Chinese, Khasi and a sliver of Jewish heritage".[6] Her father is Indian Jewish and her mother is Khasi and half Chinese.[7] She was raised in Canada and then at age 17, David moved to London to study at the Guildford School of Acting.[6]

Upon finishing drama school, David joined the original cast of the West End musical Mamma Mia!. She made her professional acting debut as part of the ensemble and as understudy of Ali and Lisa. A. R. Rahman, who had been invited to see the show by the director Shekhar Kapur, asked David to assist him and Don Black in the development of the material for the Bollywood-themed musical Bombay Dreams. She performed songs on the show's US and Canada tour, and continued collaborating with Rahman at his Panchathan Record Inn and AM Studios in Chennai, India.[8]

She appeared in two short television videos, Dancers: The Trailer (2002), playing the role of Jenny, and The Paper Round (2002), playing the role of a policewoman. She then landed a role in the musical Bollywood Queen (2003), as a member of the R&B band at the story's center.[9][10] Through 2004 and 2005, she played Scarlet in MTV's Top Buzzer.

David played Lyla, a main character in the London-based film Take 3 Girls (2006). Other work during this time includes Steven Seagal's Flight of Fury (2007) as Barnes' Operational Soldier Flanders, The Colour of Magic (2008) as Liessa, the Dragonlady, and The Legend of Dick and Dom (2009) as Fairy Frampton. David appeared as the female lead, Layla, in The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior (2008), filmed in Cape Town, South Africa.[11][12][13][14]

In September 2010, David played the Spanish teacher, Francesca "Cesca" Montoya, in series six of BBC One's drama, Waterloo Road. While Waterloo Road was still airing, David landed the role of legend hunter Alexia Alderton in Pixelface, a CBBC children's comedy series about six video game characters and what they do when they are not inside their games. The second series aired on 3 January 2012.[15]

David appeared on American television with a guest role on the Fox series Touch in 2012, playing Kayla Graham. On the episode she performed the song "Three Little Birds", which was then released as a soundtrack single with Wendy & Lisa by 20th Century Fox TV Records on 28 February 2012.[16]

In February 2013, David appeared in the two-part episode "Target" of the ABC TV series Castle, in the USA. David played Sara El-Masri, daughter of Egyptian tycoon, Anwar El-Masri.[17] Whilst filming these episodes, David and a stuntman were injured when the door to the moving van they were in failed to close properly. David was placed in a neck brace, while the stuntman sustained serious head injuries.[18][19]

David has reappeared on US televisions, as "Princess Isabella Maria Lucia Elizabetta of Valencia", in the ABC television series Galavant, which premiered on 4 January 2015, for a four-week extravaganza.[17]

David released her first single, "It's Me (You're Talking To)", in 2003, when she was signed to BMG Music. This single was a top 10 airplay hit in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.[20]

She collaborated with A. R. Rahman on the main theme song for the film Provoked in 2006. After working alongside Rahman to produce the soundtrack for this movie, she found herself back with him in his Chennai studio, in 2007, to write and record the song, "Alive".[21] The following year she released her first EP, The Live Sessions EP.[22] In 2009 she released her next EP, Magic Carpet Ride.[23]

In May 2010, David released the single "Hypnotize", along with three mixes and a Hypnotize Desi Mix EP.[24] The following year she released the album The Girl in the Pink Glasses. 20th Century Fox TV Records released "Three Little Birds", as sung by Kayla Graham (David), on Touch, on 28 February 2012.

In 2013 David released the EP Dust to Stars, on which she collaborated with songwriter-producers, Stefan Skarbek, Carl Ryden, Boots Ottestad, Adam Argyle and Martin Brammer.[25]

David is active in Designers Against Aids,[26] the SOS Children's Villages Foundation,[27] and Breast cancer awareness, for which she did a fundraiser fashion show for London Fashion Week at The Dorchester Hotel.[when?]

She produced a T-shirt to raise money for ActionAid's PoverTee Day, which was auctioned off on 18 June 2010.[28] In December 2010, David released a charity Christmas EP, My Christmas List, to raise money for the housing and homelessness charity Shelter.[29]

Along with others, David painted a self-portrait to help raise funds for Face Britain, a project of The Prince's Trust Foundation.[30]

In mid-2013, she married Swedish songwriter and music producer Carl Ryden at La Venta Inn in Palos Verdes, California.[31]


name the first woman who become the first president of nepal

Bidhya Devi Bhandari (Nepali: विद्या देवी भण्डारी; born 19 June 1961) is a communist politician, and the second and current President of Nepal and commander in chief of Nepalese Army. She is the first woman to hold the office.[1][2][3] She was the vice-chairperson[4] of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist)[5] and chair of the All Nepal Women Association before winning the presidential election on 28 October 2015.[6] She was elected as President in a parliamentary vote, receiving 327 votes out of 549 and defeating Kul Bahadur Gurung. In 2016, Forbes placed her 52 in their list of the world's 100 most powerful women.[5] She previously served as the Minister of Defence of the government of Nepal and was the first woman in Nepal to hold that post.[7][8][9] She was also the minister for Environment and population in 1990s, and has been presenting many environmental awareness campaign and women rights concern till dated.[10] On June 2017, she visited IUCN headquarters and Director General Inger Andersen in Gland, Switzerland to discuss opportunities for enhanced collaboration on nature conservation and sustainable development.[11]

Bidhya Devi Bhandari

Bidhya Devi Bhandari was born on 19 June 1961, in Mane Bhanjyang of Bhojpur, to Ram Bahadur Pandey and Mithila Pandey.[12] Her political career began from a Leftist student union and she got the membership of them Communist Party of Nepal - Marxist–Leninist in 1980.[13]

Bhandari was elected twice in parliamentary elections in 1994 and 1999, defeating Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and Damanath Dhungana, respectively.[14] However, she lost during the 2008 Constituent Assembly poll. She held the post of Minister of Defense in the cabinet of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. The party elected her under the proportional electoral system in the second Constituent Assembly elections in 2013.

Bhandari was active in politics from an early age. According to the details provided by the CPN-UML, Bhandari joined politics as an activist of the Youth League of CPN(ML) in 1978, from Bhojpur.[15] She played a role as an In-charge for Eastern Zone Committee of ANNFSU from 1979 to 1987. Her active political journey, however, started when she received party membership from the CPN (ML) in 1980. After completing her school level study, Bhandari was enrolled in Mahendra Morang Adarsha Multiple Campus where she was elected as a Treasurer for Federation of Students' Union (FSU). Also, she played a pivotal role as a chairperson of the women's wing of GEFONT from 1993 before being elected as UML central committee member in 1997. Her influence in the party remained dominant when she was elected as vice-chairperson of the party in its eighth general convention held in Butwal.[16] Bhandari, who retained her vice-chairperson position in the party's general convention, was considered as one of the confident leaders of party chairman and Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli.

Bhandari has been accused to taking a partisan stance as President. She held onto the National Assembly election ordinance delaying the formation of government after the 2017 legislative elections. She also held the nomination of 3 members to National Assembly sent the Deuba government but immediately approved the nominations sent by Khadga Prasad Oli.[17]

Bhandari was married to Madan Bhandari, a popular Nepalese communist leader, who died in a car accident near Dasdhunga in Nepal's Chitwan District in 1993. The couple had two daughters, Usha Kiran Bhandari and Nisha Kusum Bhandari. The accident is alleged[by whom?] to have been a murder, but currently remains unsolved.[18]

She is related to Nepali Congress leader Gyanendra Bahadur Karki.[19]


what is at the top of table mountain

The main feature of Table Mountain is the level plateau approximately 3 kilometres (2 mi) from side to side, edged by impressive cliffs. The plateau, flanked by Devil's Peak to the east and by Lion's Head to the west, forms a dramatic backdrop to Cape Town. This broad sweep of mountainous heights, together with Signal Hill, forms the natural amphitheatre of the City Bowl and Table Bay harbour.  The highest point on Table Mountain is towards the eastern end of the plateau and is marked by Maclear's Beacon, a stone cairn built in 1865 by Sir Thomas Maclear for trigonometrical survey. It is 1,086 metres (3,563 ft) above sea level, and about 19 metres (62 ft) higher than the cable station at the western end of the plateau.

Table Mountain

Table Mountain (Khoekhoe: Huri â€¡oaxa,  mountain rising from the sea; Afrikaans: Tafelberg) is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top.[2] The mountain forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. Table Mountain is home to a large array of fauna and flora, most of which is endemic.[3]

The cliffs of the main plateau are split by Platteklip Gorge ("Flat Stone Gorge"), which provides an easy and direct ascent to the summit and was the route taken by António de Saldanha on the first recorded ascent of the mountain in 1503.[4]

The flat top of the mountain is often covered by orographic clouds, formed when a south-easterly wind is directed up the mountain's slopes into colder air, where the moisture condenses to form the so-called "table cloth" of cloud. Legend attributes this phenomenon to a smoking contest between the Devil and a local pirate called Van Hunks.[5] When the table cloth is seen, it symbolizes the contest.

Table Mountain is at the northern end of a sandstone mountain range that forms the spine of the Cape Peninsula that terminates approximately 50 km to the south at the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. Immediately to the south of Table Mountain is a rugged "plateau" at a somewhat lower elevation than the Table Mountain Plateau (at about 1000 m), called the "Back Table". The "Back Table" extends southwards for approximately 6 km to the Constantia Nek-Hout Bay valley. The Atlantic side of the Back Table, is known as the Twelve Apostles, which extends from Kloof Nek (the saddle between Table Mountain and Lion's Head) to Hout Bay. The eastern side of this portion of the Peninsula's mountain chain, extending from Devil's Peak, the eastern side of Table Mountain (Erica and Fernwood Buttresses), and the Back Table to Constantia Nek, does not have single name, as on the western side. It is better known by the names of the conservation areas on its lower slopes: Groote Schuur Estate, Newlands Forest, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cecilia Park, and Constantia Nek.

The upper approximately 600 m portion of the 1 km high table-topped mountain, or mesa, consists of 450-510 million years old (Ordovician) rocks belonging to the two lowermost layers of the Cape Fold Mountains.[6][7] The uppermost, and younger of the two layers, consists of extremely hard quartzitic sandstone, commonly referred to as "Table Mountain Sandstone" (TMS), or "Peninsula Formation Sandstone" (as it is known as at present), which is highly resistant to erosion and forms characteristic steep grey crags. The 70 m thick lower layer, known as the "Graafwater Formation", consists of distinctively maroon-colored mudstones, which were laid down in much thinner horizontal strata than the Table Mountain Sandstone strata above it.[6] The Graafwater rocks can best be seen just above the contour path on the front of Table Mountain, and around Devils Peak. They can also been seen in the cutting along Chapman's Peak Drive. These rocks are believed to have originated in shallow tidal flats, in which a few Ordovician fossils, and fossil tracks have been preserved.[6][8] The overlying TMS probably arose in deeper water, either as a result of subsidence,  or a rise in the sea level.[6][8] The Graafwater rocks rest on the basement consisting of Cape Granite. Devil's Peak, Signal Hill, the City Bowl and much of the "Cape Flats", however, rest on heavily folded and altered phyllites and hornfelses known informally as the Malmesbury shales. The Cape Granite and Malmesbury shales form the lower, gentler slopes of the Table Mountain range on the Cape Peninsula. They are of late Precambrian age, pre-dating the "Graafwater rocks" by at least 40 million years.[6]

The basement rocks are not nearly as resistant to weathering as the TMS, but significant outcrops of the Cape Granite are visible on the western side of Lion's Head, and elsewhere on the Peninsula (especially below Chapman's Peak Drive, and The Boulders near Simon's Town).[6][9][10] The weathered granite soil of the lower slopes of the Peninsula Mountain range are more fertile than the nutrient-poor soils derived from TMS. Most of the vineyards found on the Cape Peninsula are therefore found on these granitic slopes of the Table Mountain range.

The mountain owes it table-top flatness to the fact that it is a syncline mountain, meaning that it once was the bottom of a valley (see diagram on the right). The anticline, or highest point of the series of folds that Table Mountain was once part of, lay to the east, but that has been weathered away, together with the underlying softer Malmesbury shale and granite basement, to form the "Cape Flats". The "Cape Flats" form the isthmus that connects the Cape Peninsula to the Mainland. The Fold Mountains reappear as the Hottentots-Holland Mountain range on the mainland side of the "Cape Flats".[6] What has added to the mountain's table-top flatness is that it consists entirely of the very hard, lower layer of the Table Mountain Sandstone Formation. Originally this was topped by a thin glacial tillite layer, known as the Pakhuis Formation (see the diagram above, left), above which was the upper layer of Table Mountain Sandstone. Both these layers, but especially the tillite layer, are softer than the lower layer of Table Mountain Sandstone.  When these softer layers eroded away, like a cream-topping on a cake, they left a very hard, flat erosion-resistant quartzitic sandstone platform behind which, today, forms Table Mountain's top.

Table Mountain is the northernmost end of a 50 km long, and roughly 6–10 km wide, Cape Fold Mountain range that forms the back bone of the Cape Peninsula, stretching from the Cape of Good Hope in the south to Table Mountain and its flanking Devil's Peak (to the east) and Lion's Head-Signal Hill (to the west) in the north. Table Mountain forms the highest point of this range. The range runs parallel to the other Cape Fold Mountain ranges on the mainland to the east.

Table Mountain and the Back Table have an unusually rich biodiversity. Its vegetation consists predominantly of several different types of the unique and rich Cape fynbos. The main vegetation type is endangered Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos,  but critically endangered Peninsula Granite Fynbos, Peninsula Shale Renosterveld and Afromontane forest occur in smaller portions on the mountain.

Table Mountain's vegetation types form part of the Cape Floral Region protected areas. These protected areas are a World Heritage Site, and an estimated 2,285 species of plants are confined to Table Mountain and the Cape Peninsula range, of which a great proportion, including many species of proteas, are endemic to these mountains and valleys and can be found nowhere else.[14][15] Of the 2,285 species on the Peninsula 1,500 occur in the 57Â km2 area comprising Table Mountain and the Back Table, a number at least a large as all the plant species in the whole of the United Kingdom.[14] The Disa uniflora, despite its restricted range within the Western Cape, is relatively common in the perennially wet areas (waterfalls, streamlets and seeps) on Table Mountain and the Back Table, but hardly anywhere else on the Cape Peninsula.[13][16] It is a very showy orchid that blooms from January to March on the Table Mountain Sandstone regions of the mountain. Although they are quite widespread on the Back Table, the best (most certain, and close-up) place to view these beautiful blooms is in the "Aqueduct" off the Smuts Track, halfway between Skeleton Gorge and Maclear's Beacon.

Remnant patches of indigenous forest persist in the wetter ravines. However, much of the indigenous forest was felled by the early European settlers for fuel for the lime kilns needed during the construction of the Castle.[17] The exact extent of the original forests is unknown, though most of it was probably along the eastern slopes of Devil's Peak, Table Mountain and the Back Table where names such as Rondebosch, Kirstenbosch, Klassenbosch and Witteboomen survive (in Dutch "bosch" means forest; and "boomen" means trees). Hout Bay (in Dutch "hout" means wood) was another source of timber and fuel as the name suggests.[17] In the early 1900s commercial pine plantations were planted on these slopes all the way from the Constantiaberg to the front of Devilâ€™s Peak, and even on top of the mountains, but these have now been largely cleared allowing fynbos to flourish in the regions where the indigenous Afromontane forests have not survived, or never existed.

Fynbos is a fire adapted vegetation, and providing fires are not too frequent, regular or intense, they are important drivers of fynbos diversity.[18] Regular fires have dominated fynbos for at least the past 12 000 years largely as a result of human activity.[15][19]  In 1495 Vasco da Gama named the South African coastline Terra de Fume because of the smoke he saw from numerous fires.[20] This was originally probably to maintain a productive stock of edible bulbs (especially watsonians)[20] and to facilitate hunting, and later, after the arrival of pastoralists,[21] to provide fresh grazing after the rains.[20][19] Thus the plants that make up fynbos today are those that have been subjected to a variety of fire regimes over a very long period time, and their preservation now requires regular burning. The frequency of the fires obviously determines precisely which mix of plants will dominate any particular region,[22] but intervals of 10–15 years between fires[14] are considered to promote the proliferation of the larger Protea species, a rare local colony of which, the Aulax umbellata (Family: Proteaceae), was wiped out on the Peninsula by more frequent fires,[22] as have been the silky-haired pincushion, Leucospermum vestitum, the red sugarbush, Protea grandiceps and Burchell's sugarbush, Protea burchellii, although a stand of a dozen or so plants has recently been "rediscovered" in the saddle between Table Mountain and Devil's Peak.[20] Some bulbs may similarly have become extinct as a result a too rapid sequence of fires.[22] The fires that occur on the mountains today are still largely due to unregulated human activity. Fire frequency is therefore a matter of chance rather than conservation.

Despite intensive conservation efforts the Table Mountain range has the highest concentration of threatened species of any continental area of equivalent size in the world.[14][23] The non-urban areas of the Cape Peninsula (mainly on the mountains and mountain slopes) have suffered particularly under a massive onslaught of invasive alien plants for well over a century, with perhaps the worst invader being the cluster pine, partly because it was planted in extensive commercial plantations along the eastern slopes of the mountains, north of Muizenberg. Considerable efforts have been made to control the rapid spread of these invasive alien trees. Other invasive plants include black wattle, blackwood, Port Jackson and rooikrans (All Australian members of the acacia family), as well as several Hakea species and bramble.[14][22][24][25]

The most common mammal on the mountain was the dassie (the South African name, from Afrikaans, pronounced "dussy"), or rock hyrax. Between about 2000 and 2004 (no one is certain about the exact year or years) their numbers suddenly plummeted for unknown reasons. They used to cluster around the restaurant at the upper cable station, near areas where tourists discarded or (inadvisably supplied) food. The population crash of the dassies was in all probability responsible for the decline in the Verreaux's eagle population on the Peninsula, which is believed to have consisted of 3 breeding pairs during the period 1950 to 1990, with only 2 pairs, maximally, ever having been reported to fledge a chick each in any given year.[26] With the commencement of formal monitoring in 1993, two breeding pairs were recorded on the Cape Peninsula Mountain Chain in 2004: one below the upper cable station at the western end of Table Mountain, in Blinkwater Ravine, the other on the cliffs below Noordhoek Peak.[27] The nest near the cable station was abandoned in 2006, leaving only the Noordhoek pair, which continued to fledge chicks reasonably regularly till 2013, at which point one member of the pair disappeared. From 2013 till January 2017 only a single Verreaux's Eagle, presumed to be a female, remained on the Peninsula. She continued to maintain the nest under Noordhoek Peak, but seemed unable to attract a mate. But in early 2017 a pair of eagles was seen by at least 7 independent observers during the course of 10 days (27 January - 5 February). It remains to be seen whether they will breed later in the year. Dassies are an important part the Verreaux's eagle's prey on the Peninsula.[28] (See Foot note[nb 1])

Table Mountain is also home to porcupines, mongooses, snakes, lizards, tortoises, and a rare endemic species of amphibian that is only found on Table Mountain, the Table Mountain ghost frog. The last lion in the area was shot circa 1802. Leopards persisted on the mountains until perhaps the 1920s but are now extinct locally. Two smaller, secretive, nocturnal carnivores, the rooikat (caracal) and the vaalboskat (also called the vaalkat or Southern African wildcat) were once common in the mountains and the mountain slopes. The rooikat continues to be seen on rare occasions by mountaineers but the status of the vaalboskat is uncertain. The mountain cliffs are home to several raptors species, apart from the Verreaux's eagle. They include the jackal buzzard, booted eagle (in summer), African harrier-hawk, peregrine falcon and the rock kestrel.[28][29] In 2014 there were four pairs of African fish eagles on the Peninsula, but they nest in trees generally as far away from human habitation and activity as is possible on the Peninsula. Their numbers in 2017 is unknown.

Up until the late 1990s baboons occurred on all the mountains of the Peninsula, including the Back Table immediately behind Table Mountain. Since then they have abandoned Table Mountain and the Back Table, and only occur south of Constantia Nek. They have also abandoned the tops of many of the mountains, in favor of the lower slopes, particularly when these were covered in pine plantations which seemed to provide them with more, or higher quality food than the fynbos on the mountain tops. However these new haunts are also within easy reach of Cape Town's suburbs, which brings them into conflict with humans and dogs, and the risk of traffic accidents. There are now (2014) a dozen troops on the Peninsula, varying in size from 7 to over 100 individuals, scattered on the mountains from the Constantiaberg to Cape Point.[30][31] The baboon troops are the subject of intense research into their physiology, genetics social interactions and habits. In addition, their sleeping sites are noted each evening, so that monitors armed with paint ball guns can stay with the troop all day, to ward them off from wandering into the suburbs. From when this initiative was started in 2009 the number of baboons on the Peninsula has increased from 350 to 450, and the number of baboons killed or injured by residents has decreased.[31]

Himalayan tahrs, fugitive descendants of tahrs that escaped from Groote Schuur Zoo in 1936, used to be common on the less accessible upper parts of the mountain. As an exotic species, they were almost eradicated through a culling programme initiated by the South African National Parks to make way for the reintroduction of indigenous klipspringers. Until recently there were also small numbers of fallow deer of European origin and sambar deer from southeast Asia. These were mainly in the Rhodes Memorial area but during the 1960s they could be found as far afield as Signal Hill. These animals may still be seen occasionally despite efforts to eliminate or relocate them.

On the lower slopes of Devil's Peak, above Groote Schuur Hospital  an animal camp bequeathed to the City of Cape Town by Cecil John Rhodes has been used in recent years as part of the Quagga Project.[32] The quagga used to roam the Cape Peninsula, the Karoo and the Free State in large numbers, but were hunted to extinction during the early 1800s. The last quagga died in an Amsterdam zoo in 1883. In 1987 a project was launched by Reinhold Rau to back-breed the quagga, after it had been established, using mitochondrial DNA obtained from museum specimens, that the quagga was closely related to the plains zebra, and on 20 January 2005 a foal considered to be the first quagga-like individual because of a visible reduced striping, was born. These quagga-like zebras are officially known as Rau quaggas, as no one can be certain that they are anything more than quagga look-alikes. The animal camp above Groote Schuur Hospital has several good looking Rau quaggas, but they are unfortunately not easily seen except from within the game camp, which is quite large and undulating, and the animals are few. The animal camp is not open to the public.

Prehistoric inhabitation of the district is well attested (see for example the article on Fish Hoek). About 2000 years ago the Khoikhoi migrated towards the Cape Peninsula from the north, displacing the San and bringing with them their herds of cattle and sheep. It was the Khoikhoi who were the dominant local tribe when the Europeans first sailed into Table Bay.

AntÃ³nio de Saldanha was the first European to land in Table Bay. He climbed the mighty mountain in 1503 and named it Taboa do Cabo (Table of the Cape, in his native Portuguese). The great cross that the Portuguese navigator carved into the rock of Lion's Head is still traceable.

In 1796, during the British occupation of the Cape, Major-General Sir James Craig ordered three blockhouses to be built on Table Mountain: the King's blockhouse, Duke of York blockhouse (later renamed Queen's blockhouse) and the Prince of Wales blockhouse. Two of these are in ruins today, but the King's blockhouse is still in good condition.[33][34][35] and easily accessible from the Rhodes Memorial.

Between 1896 and 1907, five dams, the Woodhead, Hely-Hutchinson, De Villiers, Alexandria and Victoria reservoirs, were opened on the Back Table to supply Cape Town's water needs. A ropeway ascending from Camps Bay via Kasteelspoort ravine was used to ferry materials and manpower (the anchor points at the old top station can still be seen). There is a well-preserved steam locomotive from this period housed in the Waterworks Museum at the top of the mountain near the Hely-Hutchinson dam. It had been used to haul materials for the dam across the flat top of the mountain. Cape Town's water requirements have since far outpaced the capacity of the dams and they are no longer an important part of the water supply.

Arguments for a national park on the Cape Peninsula, centred on Table Mountain, began in earnest in the mid-1930s. Following a big fire in 1986, the Cape Times started a'save the mountain' campaign, and in 1989 the Cape Peninsula Protected Natural Environment (CPPNE) area was established. However, environmental management was still bedeviled by the fragmented nature of land ownership on the Peninsula. Following another big fire in 1991, Attorney General Frank Kahn was appointed to reach consensus on a plan for rationalizing management of the CPPNE. In 1995, Prof. Brian Huntley recommended that SANParks be appointed to manage the CPPNE, with an agreement signed in April 1998 to transfer around 39,500 acres to SANParks. On 29 May 1998, then-president Nelson Mandela proclaimed the Cape Peninsula National Park. The park was later renamed to the Table Mountain National Park.[36]

Fires are common on the mountain. The most recent major fires include those of January 2006, which burned large amounts of vegetation and resulted in the death of a tourist (a charge of arson and culpable homicide was laid against a British man who was suspected of starting the blaze), and March 2015.[37]

In November 2011, Table Mountain was named one of the New7Wonders of Nature.[38]

The Table Mountain Cableway[39] takes passengers from the lower cable station on Tafelberg Road, about 302 m above sea level, to the plateau at the top of the mountain, at 1067 m. The upper cable station offers views overlooking Cape Town, Table Bay and Robben Island to the north, and the Atlantic seaboard to the west and south.

Construction of the cableway was first started in 1926, and the cableway was officially opened in 1929. In 1997, the cableway was extensively upgraded, and new cars were introduced carrying 65 instead of 25 passengers. The new cars give a faster journey to the summit, and rotate through 360 degrees during the ascent or descent, giving a panoramic view over the city.

The top cable station offers viewpoints, curio shops, a restaurant and walking trails of various lengths.

Hiking on Table Mountain is popular amongst locals and tourists, and a number of trails of varying difficulty are available. Because of the steep cliffs around the summit, direct ascents from the city side are limited. Platteklip Gorge, a prominent gorge up the centre of the main table, is a popular and straightforward direct ascent to the summit. Par for the course is about 2.5 hours but is done between 1–3 hours depending on one's fitness level. This route is very hot in summer, as it is located on the north facing slope of the mountain, with almost no shade along the 600 m climb from Tafelberg Road to the Table Mountain plateau.

Longer routes to the summit go via the Back Table, a lower area of Table Mountain to the south of the main, northern, plateau (which constitutes "Table Mountain" as seen from the Cape Town City Centre and Table Bay). From the Southern Suburbs side, the Nursery Ravine and Skeleton Gorge routes start at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. The route via Skeleton Gorge to Maclear's Beacon is known as Smuts Track in memory of Jan Smuts, who was a keen hiker. The Bridle Path, or Jeep Track, makes a more gradual ascent from Constantia Nek along the road used to service the dams on Back Table. There are many other paths in popular walking areas on the lower slopes of the mountain accessed from Constantia Nek, Cecilia Park, Kirstenbosch, Newlands Forest and Rhodes Memorial.

On the Atlantic side, the most popular ascent is Kasteelspoort, a gorge overlooking Camps Bay, but there are a few others, but not as many as on the east side of the mountain.

There is a popular "Contour Path" that runs from Constantia Nek, and then, in succession, above Cecilia Park, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Newlands Forest, and from there, above Groote Schuur Estate, past the King's Blockhouse, at the north-east corner of Devil's Peak, immediately below the Mowbray Ridge cliffs, to the front of Devil's Peak and the north face of Table Mountain, ending at the bottom of Kloof Corner Ridge at the western end of the Table Mountain cliffs.[40][41] It starts at Constantia Nek at 250 m, but immediately gradually climbs to around 320 m at Angela's Memorial and the look-out point above Cecilia Park. It then undulates down and up again at about this elevation as far the north-western corner of Kirstenbosch, when the path suddenly climbs quite steeply to 470 m to the scree (or Dassieklip) below the cliffs of Fernwood Buttress. It then descends again to 350 m, only to ascend again to 400 m, 1 km later. It remains at this level, as a true 'contour path', to the King's Blockhouse, and from there, eventually, to Tafelberg Road (at 400 m). From the King's Blockhouse it is possible to choose a footpath that will lead to the "upper contour path" which traverses the front (north face) of Devil's Peak and Table Mountain at 500 m, to just beyond the Lower Cable Station. From there it is possible, from either contour path, to join up with the "Pipe Track" which starts from Kloof Nek, and then runs at an elevation of about 300 m, below the cliffs of the Twelve Apostles, on the Atlantic side of the mountain range as far as the Oudekraal Ravine, where the path goes up the ravine to join the "Apostles Path" on top of the Back Table at an elevation of 685 m.[41] There are innumerable paths which join the contour path from below (at least five from Kirstenbosch alone), and somewhat fewer that join it from above.[40][41]

On top of the mountain, and particularly on the Back Table, there is an extensive network of well marked footpaths offering hiking opportunities over a wide variety of terrains, and distances which can be covered in 30Â minutes to several hours (or even all day if so desired).[40] Good maps of all the routes are available at bookshops and outdoor recreation stores, which hikers are advised to use, as dense mist and cold weather (or extreme heat) can descend without warning at any time of the year.

The Hoerikwaggo Trails[42] were four hiking trails on the Cape Peninsula Mountain Chain ranging from two to six days, operated by South African National Parks (SANPARKS) between the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and Cape Point. Today (2017) the trails can no longer be undertaken with an official SANPARKS guide, and only four of the original accommodation facilities are operational (the Overseer's Cottage on the Back Table, the Orange Kloof Tented Camp, the Slangkop Tented Camp and the Smitswinkel Tented Camp). These camps are "self-catering", each with communal ablution facilities, with large communal kitchen/lounge areas, fully equipped for 12 persons.[43] SANPARKS arranges for luggage and provisions to be transported to the operational cottages and tented camps, so that the hikers can ascend the mountain unencumbered by heavy backpacks.

The original inhabitants of the area, the Khoekhoen and San tribes, called Table Mountain Hoerikwaggo â€“ "sea mountain". The four Table Mountain Hoerikwaggo hiking trails were called the People's Trail, Table Mountain Trail, Orangekloof Hiking Trail and Top to Tip Trail.[44]

Rock climbing on Table Mountain is a very popular pastime. There are well-documented climbing routes of varying degrees of difficulty up the many faces of the mountain. The main climbs are located on cliffs below the upper cable station. No bolting can be done here and only traditional climbing is allowed. Commercial groups also offer abseiling from the upper cable station.

Most of the world's important caves occur in limestone but Table Mountain is unusual in having several large cave systems that have developed in sandstone. The biggest systems are the Wynberg Caves, located on the Back Table, not far from the Jeep Track, in ridges overlooking Orange Kloof and Hout Bay.

The slopes of Table Mountain have many jeep tracks that allow mountain biking. The route to the Block House is a popular route for bike riding. Plum Pudding Hill is the name of a very steep jeep track. Bike riders should follow the directional signs on display for mountain bike riders.

Table Mountain is the only terrestrial feature to give its name to a constellation:  Mensa, meaning The Table. The constellation is seen in the Southern Hemisphere, below Orion, around midnight in mid-July. It was named by the French astronomer Nicolas de Lacaille during his stay at the Cape in the mid-18th century.[45]

View from Signal Hill with Devil's Peak to the left

Upper Cable Station from the summit of Lion's Head

The cable car with Robben Island in the background

Cape Town, Signal Hill, Table Bay and Robben Island as seen from the upper cable station of the Table Mountain Cableway.

Table Mountain and Cape Town seen from Bloubergstrand.

The concrete part of the Bridle Pathâ€”the most gradually-inclined route to the Back Table

Cape Town and Table Bay from the slopes of Devil's Peak, showing some of the mountain biking jeep tracks.

Cape Town's beach, the Atlantic Ocean, and Table Mountain.

The Upper Cable Station as seen on your way up from the cable car.

Lion's Head as seen from Table Mountain cable car.

Time is a Gift, one of several plaques at the top of Table Mountain

The Table Cloth draped over the north facing slopes

View of Table Mountain from Blouberg beach.

View of Table Mountain at sunset.

As seen from the other side of Table Bay at sunset.

Warning sign at India Venster, Contour Path, Table Mountain


who wrote the ballad of billy the kid

"The Ballad of Billy the Kid" is a song by American singer-song writer Billy Joel from the album Piano Man. It was also issued as a single in the UK backed with "If I Only Had The Words (To Tell You)."[1]

The Ballad of Billy the Kid

The song is Joel's fictionalized version of the story of Billy the Kid. In an interview from 1975, Joel admitted, "Basically [the song] was an experiment with an impressionist type of lyric. It was historically totally inaccurate as a story."[2]

Examples of these inaccuracies include when Joel sings that Billy the Kid was "from a town known as Wheeling, West Virginia" and that "he robbed his way from Utah to Oklahoma."[3] But the real Billy the Kid never robbed a bank and although his birthplace is uncertain, no account suggests that he was from West Virginia. The song also says that Billy the Kid was captured and hanged, with many people attending the hanging; in reality, he was shot and killed by Pat Garrett.[4]

In the last verse of the song, the lyrics switch from Billy the Kid to a "Billy" from Oyster Bay, Long Island.[5] The writer Ken Bielen has interpreted the "Billy" in the final verse as being a portrait of Billy Joel himself since Joel was from Oyster Bay.[5] However, in the liner notes to his album Songs in the Attic Joel claims that the "Billy" in the final verse is not himself but rather a bartender who worked in Oyster Bay, by the name of Billy Nastri.[6] In an interview once Billy Joel mentioned that this song was about "record company PR hype". The lyrics may have been inspired in part by the liner notes from his earlier two-man album "Attila", which go on and on about the historic Attila the Hun, and then conclude, "Attila - the hottest band to come along since the Huns sacked Europe".

According to one of Joel's unofficial biographers, Hank Bordowitz, the instrumentation of "The Ballad of Billy the Kid" has details reminiscent of the composers Aaron Copland and Ennio Morricone.[7] Copland himself wrote the music for a ballet titled Billy The Kid.

The song was a concert staple from 1974-1979. In 1981, Joel's song was released in a live version on the album Songs in the Attic.[6] The live version was used as the B-side to the live single of "She's Got a Way."[8] Another live version of the song was released on Live at Shea Stadium: The Concert in 2011.[9]

Critical response to the song has been mixed. In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, Paul Evans called "The Ballad of Billy the Kid" one of the "ambitious story songs" on Piano Man[10] and Dennis Hunt of The Los Angeles Times agreed that the song showed Joel's "knack for story songs."[11] But other critics have dismissed the song. For example, The New York Times critic Laura Sinagra called the song a "bombastic throwaway"[12] and Tom Phalen of The Seattle Times was also critical of the song, arguing that Joel's "outlaw" character doesn't match Joel's light, catchy "Marlboro Man melodies."[13] Bordowitz comments on the "interesting, if somewhat jejune parallel" in the lyrics between a teenage rebel in the 1800s American West and in the 1900s American suburbs.[7]

"The Ballad of Billy the Kid" is featured during the Family Guy episode "Dial Meg for Murder".


what was bill cosby's job in the cosby show

Cosby originally proposed that the couple should both have blue-collar jobs, with the father a limousine driver,[1] who owned his own car, and the mother an electrician[2] but, with advice from his wife, Camille Cosby, the concept was changed so that the family was well-off financially, with the mother a lawyer and the father a doctor.[3][4]

Cliff Huxtable

Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom, The Cosby Show. He was portrayed by Bill Cosby.

Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable is known for his comical antics, playful admonishments, and relentless teasing humor. He lives in Brooklyn Heights, New York. He was born in October 1937 in Philadelphia, making him 47 years old at the beginning of the series. Cliff had a brother, James Theodore Huxtable, who died of rheumatic fever at the age of 7. In his high school and college years, he was an athlete who wrestled, played football, and ran track. He later served in the Navy before going to medical school. He is an OB/GYN who runs a practice from the office annexed to his home. In the show, most characters outside of family and friends refer to him as "Dr. Huxtable", and he is well-respected in the community.

Cliff is married to Clair Huxtable. Both Cliff and Clair attended the fictional historically black college Hillman College. Together, they have five children: Sondra, Denise, Theodore (Theo), Vanessa, and Rudith (Rudy). Cliff enjoys live jazz, has an extensive collection of albums, and tries to eat junk food whenever he can get away with it.

Cliff is very eccentric and silly to most people around him, especially his family, however he is very kind-hearted and an extremely dedicated father with a strong sense of humor. Although he and his wife fostered a tight-knit, loving family, a running gag throughout the series is his thwarted attempts to get the grown children to leave the house. Even when he succeeded at this, more issues would come, such as Sondra finally leaving to marry her husband Elvin, only to move into a squalid tenement (albeit with Cliff's full support as he and Clair struggled in the early years of their marriage), or Denise eloping with a Navy officer with a child from a prior marriage, and Cliff now acclimating to a blended family.

Very playful, Cliff enjoys competition, often making bets with Clair over various things, such as the date a certain jazz song was released, or having a "Smooth Contest" to see which of them looked more elegant for a night on the town, as judged by the children. He also plays a monthly game of pinochle against his father and some friends, which sometimes gets very passionate. Unfortunately, Cliff often finds himself on the losing end of most of his bets and games, as, for example, he has never beaten his father-in-law at chess. However, Cliff eventually broke his losing streak at pinochle against his father and his friend Homer Dobson with the help of Dr. Foster (portrayed by Roscoe Lee Brown), an expert pinochle player who also happened to be his and Clair's literary professor at Hillman College.

Bill Cosby's role as Cliff Huxtable has had a mostly positive reception from critics.[5][6][7][8][9][10]


what is the presidential medal of freedom award

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with the
comparable Congressional Gold Medal—the highest civilian award of the United States. It recognizes those people who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors".[2] The award is not limited to U.S. citizens and, while it is a civilian award, it can also be awarded to military personnel and worn on the uniform. It is often considered to be the American equivalent of a knighthood.

Presidential Medal of Freedom

It was established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy,[3] superseding the Medal of Freedom that was established by President Harry S. Truman in 1945 to honor civilian service during World War II.

In 2016, in light of Bill Cosby's rape allegations, Barack Obama stated that there was no precedent to revoke medals[1]. As of 2018, Bill Cosby has been convicted but he has not been stripped of his medal.

Similar in name to the Medal of Freedom,[2] but much closer in meaning and precedence to the Medal for Merit, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is currently the supreme civilian decoration in precedence in the United States, whereas the Medal of Freedom was inferior in precedence to the Medal for Merit; the Medal of Freedom was awarded by any of three Cabinet secretaries, whereas the Medal for Merit was awarded by the president, as is the Presidential Medal of Freedom.[4]

President John F. Kennedy established the current decoration in 1963 through Executive Order 11085, with unique and distinctive insignia, vastly expanded purpose, and far higher prestige.[1] It was the first U.S. civilian neck decoration and, in the grade of Awarded With Distinction, is the only U.S. sash and star decoration (the Chief Commander degree of the Legion of Merit—which may only be awarded to foreign heads of state—is a star decoration, but without a sash). The Executive Order calls for the medal to be awarded annually on or around July 4, and at other convenient times as chosen by the president,[4] but it has not been awarded every year (e.g., 2001, 2010). Recipients are selected by the president, either on the president's own initiative or based on recommendations. The order establishing the medal also expanded the size and the responsibilities of the Distinguished Civilian Service Awards Board so it could serve as a major source of such recommendations.

The medal may be awarded to an individual more than once; Colin Powell received two awards, his second being With Distinction;[5] Ellsworth Bunker received both of his awards With Distinction. It may also be awarded posthumously; examples (in chronological order) include John F. Kennedy, Pope John XXIII, Lyndon Johnson, Paul "Bear" Bryant, Thurgood Marshall, Cesar Chavez, Roberto Clemente, Jack Kemp, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, Elouise Cobell, and Grace Hopper.[6]  (Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner, civil rights workers murdered in 1964, were awarded their medals in 2014, 50 years later.)

The badge of the Presidential Medal of Freedom is in the form of a golden star with white enamel, with a red enamel pentagon behind it; the central disc bears thirteen gold stars on a blue enamel background (taken from the Great Seal of the United States) within a golden ring. Golden American bald eagles with spread wings stand between the points of the star. It is worn around the neck on a blue ribbon with white edge stripes.

A special, rarely given grade of the medal, known as the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction,[7] has a larger execution of the same medal design worn as a star on the left chest along with a sash over the right shoulder (similar to how the insignia of a Grand Cross is worn), with its rosette (blue with white edge, bearing the central disc of the medal at its center) resting on the left hip. When the medal With Distinction is awarded, the star may be presented descending from a neck ribbon and can be identified by its larger size than the standard medal (compare size of medals in pictures below).

Both medals may also be worn in miniature form on a ribbon on the left chest, with a silver American bald eagle with spread wings on the ribbon, or a golden American bald eagle for a medal awarded With Distinction. In addition, the medal is accompanied by a service ribbon for wear on military service uniform, a miniature medal pendant for wear on mess dress or civilian formal wear, and a lapel badge for wear on civilian clothes (all shown in the accompanying photograph of the full presentation set).

Civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1964.

President Richard Nixon and the Apollo 13 crew (right to left: Jack Swigert, Jim Lovell and Fred Haise) after being presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom, 1970.

President Ronald Reagan presenting Mother Teresa with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House, 1985

Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George H. W. Bush, 1991

George H. W. Bush awarding former President Ronald Reagan the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, 1993

"The Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin wipes a tear after being honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom alongside historian Robert Conquest, left, and economist Alan Greenspan, 2005

Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush, 2009

President Barack Obama awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction to Vice President Joe Biden, 2017


what county is morehead city north carolina in

Morehead City is a port town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census.[4] Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007. It forms part of the Crystal Coast.

Morehead City, North Carolina

By the early 1850s, a group of investors had been formed and incorporated a land development project known as the "Shepard Point Land Company" which purchased 600 acres (2.4Â km2) of land on the eastern tip of the peninsula bordering the Newport River, known then as "Shepards Point", which is the present location of Morehead City. The Shepard Point Land Company's objective was to take advantage of the natural deep channel of Topsail Inlet, known today as the Beaufort Inlet, which splits Bogue Banks from Shackleford Banks and provides access to Morehead City, Beaufort, North Carolina, the Newport River and the Intracoastal Waterway. The Shepard Point Land Company was established to construct a deepwater port to allow another access point for North Carolina timber products to relieve pressure at the port located in Wilmington. To make the port accessible to the interior of North Carolina, the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad line between Goldsboro and New Bern was completed on April 29, 1858.

North Carolina Governor John Motley Morehead, for whom the city of Morehead City is named, was a principal member of the Shepard Point Land Company investment group. Fully operational rail service began in July 1858 connecting the town to points west, north and south.

The town of Morehead City was laid out using a grid plan, whereby city blocks were equally laid out with each block consisting of 16 equally divided lots. The city blocks stretched from 1st Street to 15th Street, incorporating a system of alleys forming an "H" shape that enabled businesses and residential homes to be served from the alleys behind them.

Morehead City was officially incorporated by the North Carolina Senate in 1860, at which time the total number of households consisted of only 300 individual families.

The town continued to prosper until the Civil War, when in 1862 it was occupied by Federal troops. The war disrupted commerce, and the economy of the port declined along with the town's population. It was not until the 1880s, with the construction of the Atlantic Hotel at the tip of the peninsula, and its promotion by the railroad as the "Summer Capital by the Sea", that the area began to experience a resurgence. The popularity of this particular hotel, with its train depot entrance, grand ballroom, piers, sailing and ferries to the beaches of Bogue Banks, helped to establish Morehead City as a summer destination.

It was also during the 1880s and 1890s that fishermen who had lived on the island of Shackleford Banks moved on to the mainland (often transporting their houses by boat from the outer banks), settling in the areas between 10th and 15th streets and calling it the Promised Land. These fishermen became the nucleus of the fishing industry that has remained an important part of the town's economy.

The Great Depression and World War II markedly altered the character of the town. The traditional downtown area had deteriorated and, as newer stores opened further west, the decay in the old center of town accelerated. Finally, in the 1980s, a renewal began when the town obtained a Community Development Block Grant to replace an aging infrastructure and improve the appearance of the waterfront area. Subsequent grants, private investment, and town monies have maintained the forward momentum, so that the town now has a new sea wall, underground utilities, brick paved walkways with planters along the waterfront, all in the downtown area, and tree-lined streets, renovated houses, new docks and new businesses.

The Morehead City Historic District and Morehead City Municipal Building are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5]

Morehead City's economy is based predominantly on a variety of ecotourism activities and a growing retirement community. The local economy is based further on the Port of Morehead City, light industry and manufacturing, land development, light commercial fishing, sport fishing, and other service-oriented businesses. The town is within easy access of New Bern, Havelock and Jacksonville, North Carolina. Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point is 17 miles (27 km) northwest of Morehead City in Havelock, and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is 30 miles (48 km) west of Morehead City near Jacksonville.

Morehead City is one of two existing ports in North Carolina which primarily export phosphate. The Port of Morehead City features a dry-bulk facility with a 225,000-ton capacity warehouse and extended open storage facilities.

Carteret General Hospital in Morehead City is the second largest employer in Carteret County, behind the Carteret County Public Schools.

Morehead City is home to an annual "Bald Is Beautiful" convention[6] and is the home of the headquarters of the Bald-Headed Men of America organization.[7]

Carteret Community College serves the undergraduate community with two-year associate degree programs focused primarily on trades and service sector occupations. There are several world-class postgraduate programs and research organizations in the area, including the University of North Carolina's Institute of Marine Sciences,[8]North Carolina State University's Center for Marine Sciences and Technology,[9] and the Duke University Marine Lab in nearby Beaufort.[10]

Morehead City also is home to the Research and Compliance Branch of the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Division, a governmental organization.[11]

Morehead City and the surrounding area is an excellent venue for fishermen of all varieties. There are many opportunities for recreational fishing when in Morehead City because of its pristine estuaries and close proximity to the Continental Shelf and Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream is a powerful, warm and swift Atlantic Ocean current that originates at the tip of Florida and follows the coastline of the eastern United States to Newfoundland before crossing the Atlantic Ocean, bringing large sport fish species such as the Atlantic blue marlin and other billfish close to the North Carolina coastline.

Established in 1957, the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament draws large crowds of sporting enthusiasts of all types to Morehead City each year to witness some of the largest Atlantic blue marlin catches in North America.[12]

In addition to a thriving sport fishing industry, Morehead City and surrounding areas are a popular scuba diving destination. The waters off the coast of North Carolina are often referred to as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic", a legacy that attracts divers from all over the world. Morehead City sits comfortably between a number of famous wrecks, including the German submarine U-352, a wreck discovered in part by the late Morehead resident George Purifoy.[13]

Morehead City is home to the Morehead City Marlins of the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate summer baseball league. The Marlins play at O'Neal Field at Big Rock Stadium in Morehead City, and began playing in the 2010 season.

Youth sports in Morehead City include Little League Baseball, soccer leagues, and basketball leagues.

Morehead City is located southwest of the center of Carteret County at 34°43′40″N 76°44′48″W / 34.72778°N 76.74667°W / 34.72778; -76.74667 (34.727700, -76.746748).[14] It occupies a peninsula bordered to the south by Bogue Sound and to the north and east by the tidal Newport River. Across the river to the east is the town of Beaufort, while to the south across Bogue Sound is Atlantic Beach.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Morehead City has a total area of 8.5 square miles (22.1 km2), of which 6.8 square miles (17.7 km2) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.3 km2), or 19.55%, is water.[4]

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 7,691 people, 3,597 households, and 1,985 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,507.6 people per square mile (582.3/km²). There were 4,296 housing units at an average density of 842.1 per square mile (325.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 81.71% White, 13.98% Black (U.S. Census), 0.66% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.13% from other races, and 1.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.34% of the population.

There were 3,597 households out of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.9% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.8% were non-families. 39.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.73.

In the town the age distribution of the population shows 20.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $28,737, and the median income for a family was $39,290. Males had a median income of $26,852 versus $21,995 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,138. About 12.1% of families and 14.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.

Amtrak provides a Thruway Bus to Wilson, North Carolina, that connects with the daily Palmetto train to New York City and Savannah, Georgia.[18]

The Carteret County News-Times is the local newspaper, published three times a week, and is owned by Carteret Publishing Company.[19]

Morehead City is part of the Greenville–New Bern–Jacksonville designated market area, which was the 109th largest in 2007 (according to Nielsen Media Research). Broadcast Television Stations serving the market include:


when did the hepatitis a vaccine became available

The first hepatitis A vaccine was approved in Europe in 1991 and the United States in 1995.[4] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system.[5] In the United States it costs US$50â€“100.[6]

Hepatitis A vaccine

Hepatitis A vaccine is a vaccine that prevents hepatitis A.[1] It is effective in around 95% of cases and lasts for at least fifteen years and possibly a person's entire life.[1][2] If given, two doses are recommended beginning after the age of one.[1] It is given by injection into a muscle.[1]

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends universal vaccination in areas where the diseases is moderately common.[1] Where the disease is very common, widespread vaccination is not recommended as all people typically develop immunity through infection when a child.[1] The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends vaccinating adults who are at high risk and all children.[3]

Severe side effects are very rare.[1] Pain at the site of injection occurs in about 15% of children and half of adults.[1] Most hepatitis A vaccines contain inactivated virus while a few contain weakened virus.[1] The ones with weakened virus are not recommended during pregnancy or in those with poor immune function.[1] A few formulations combine hepatitis A with either hepatitis B or typhoid vaccine.[1]

Within the US, the vaccine was first phased in around 1996 for children living in high-risk areas. In 1999, it was spread to areas with elevating levels of infection. In the US today, the vaccine is strongly recommended for all children 12 to 23 months of age in an attempt to eradicate the virus nationwide. Although the original FDA license for Havrix by GlaxoSmithKline is dated in 1995,[7] it has been in use in Europe since 1993.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the following people should be vaccinated: all children over one year of age, people whose sexual activity puts them at risk, people with chronic liver disease, people who are being treated with clotting factor concentrates, people working within close proximity to the virus, and people who are living in communities where an outbreak is present.[8] Hepatitis A is the most common vaccine-preventable virus acquired during travel,[9] so people travelling to places where the virus is common like the Indian subcontinent, Africa, Central America, South America, the far East, and Eastern Europe should be vaccinated.[8][10]

The vaccine should be given in the muscle of the upper arm and be given in two doses for the best protection. The initial dose of the vaccine should be followed up by a booster six to twelve months later.[8] Protection against hepatitis A begins approximately two to four weeks after the initial vaccination.[8][10] Protection last at least 15 years and is estimated to last at least 25 years if the full course is administered.[2]

A Cochrane review found that both types of vaccines offer significant protection, for at least two years with the inactivated vaccine and at least five years with the attenuated vaccine. The review also found evidence to conclude that the inactivated vaccine was safe, but required more high quality evidence to assess the safety of the attenuated vaccine.[11]

This may not be a comprehensive list of all commercial hepatitis A vaccines available. Please note that the definition of "U" (units) may vary between manufacturers depending on what test they use to measure hepatitis A antigen in their products.