of which religion is the avesta a sacred book

The Avesta /əˈvɛstə/ is the primary collection of religious texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the otherwise unrecorded Avestan language.[1] Collected during the Sassanid Period of much more ancient oral accounts, according to Jean Kellens, "The book was originally given the name abestag, which the Parsees later turned into Avesta and which probably comes from the Old Iranian •upa-stavaka, 'praise (of Ahura Mazda)'.".[2]

Avesta

The Avesta texts fall into several different categories, arranged either by dialect, or by usage. The principal text in the liturgical group is the Yasna, which takes its name from the Yasna ceremony, Zoroastrianism's primary act of worship, and at which the Yasna text is recited. The most important portion of the Yasna texts are the five Gathas, consisting of seventeen hymns attributed to Zoroaster himself. These hymns, together with five other short Old Avestan texts that are also part of the Yasna, are in the Old (or 'Gathic') Avestan language. The remainder of the Yasna's texts are in Younger Avestan, which is not only from a later stage of the language, but also from a different geographic region.

Extensions to the Yasna ceremony include the texts of the Vendidad and the Visperad.[3] The Visperad extensions consist mainly of additional invocations of the divinities (yazatas),[4] while the Vendidad is a mixed collection of prose texts mostly dealing with purity laws.[4] Even today, the Vendidad is the only liturgical text that is not recited entirely from memory.[4] Some of the materials of the extended Yasna are from the Yashts, [4] which are hymns to the individual yazatas. Unlike the Yasna, Visperad and Vendidad, the Yashts and the other lesser texts of the Avesta are no longer used liturgically in high rituals. Aside from the Yashts, these other lesser texts include the Nyayesh texts, the Gah texts, the Siroza, and various other fragments. Together, these lesser texts are conventionally called Khordeh Avesta or "Little Avesta" texts. When the first Khordeh Avesta editions were printed in the 19th century, these texts (together with some non-Avestan language prayers) became a book of common prayer for lay people.[3]

The term Avesta is from the 9th/10th-century works of Zoroastrian tradition in which the word appears as Zoroastrian Middle Persian abestāg, Book Pahlavi ʾp(y)stʾkʼ. In that context, abestāg texts are portrayed as received knowledge, and are distinguished from the exegetical commentaries (the zand) thereof. The literal meaning of the word abestāg is uncertain; it is generally acknowledged to be a learned borrowing from Avestan, but none of the suggested etymologies have been universally accepted.

The surviving texts of the Avesta, as they exist today, derive from a single master copy produced by Sasanian Empire-era (224â€“651 CE) collation and recension. That master copy, now lost, is known as the 'Sassanian archetype'. The oldest surviving manuscript (K1)[n 1] of an Avestan language text is dated 1323 CE.[1] Summaries of the various Avesta texts found in the 9th/10th century texts of Zoroastrian tradition suggest that about three-quarters of the corpus has since been lost.[3]

A pre-Sasanian history of the Avesta, if it had one, is in the realm of legend and myth. The oldest surviving versions of these tales are found in the ninth to 11th century texts of Zoroastrian tradition (i.e. in the so-called "Pahlavi books"). The legends run as follows: The twenty-one nasks ("books") of the Avesta were created by Ahura Mazda and brought by Zoroaster to his patron Vishtaspa (Denkard 4A, 3A).[5] Supposedly, Vishtaspa (Dk 3A) or another Kayanian, Daray (Dk 4B), then had two copies made, one of which was stored in the treasury, and the other in the royal archives (Dk 4B, 5).[6] Following Alexander's conquest, the Avesta was then supposedly destroyed or dispersed by the Greeks after they translated the scientific passages that they could make use of (AVN 7â€“9, Dk 3B, 8).[7] Several centuries later, one of the Parthian emperors named Valaksh (one of the Vologases) supposedly then had the fragments collected, not only of those that had previously been written down, but also of those that had only been orally transmitted (Dk 4C).[7]

The Denkard also transmits another legend related to the transmission of the Avesta. In that story, credit for collation and recension is given to the early Sasanian-era priest Tansar (high priest under Ardashir I, r. 224–242, and Shapur I, r 240/242–272), who had the scattered works collected, and of which he approved only a part as authoritative (Dk 3C, 4D, 4E).[8] Tansar's work was then supposedly completed by Adurbad Mahraspandan (high priest of Shapur II, r. 309–379) who made a general revision of the canon and continued to ensure its orthodoxy (Dk 4F, AVN 1.12–1.16).[9] A final revision was supposedly undertaken in the 6th century under Khosrow I (Dk 4G).[10]

In the early 20th century, the legend of the Parthian-era collation engendered a search for a 'Parthian archetype' of the Avesta. In the theory of Friedrich Carl Andreas (1902), the archaic nature of the Avestan texts was assumed to be due to preservation via written transmission, and unusual or unexpected spellings in the surviving texts were assumed to be reflections of errors introduced by Sasanian-era transcription from the Aramaic alphabet-derived Pahlavi scripts.[n 2] The search for the 'Arsacid archetype' was increasingly criticisized in the 1940s and was eventually abandoned in the 1950s after Karl Hoffmann demonstrated that the inconsistencies noted by Andreas were actually due to unconscious alterations introduced by oral transmission.[11] Hoffmann identifies[12] these changes to be due[13] in part to modifications introduced through recitation;[n 3] in part to influences from other Iranian languages picked up on the route of transmission from somewhere in eastern Iran (i.e. Central Asia) via Arachosia and Sistan through to Persia;[n 4] and in part due to the influence of phonetic developments in the Avestan language itself.[n 5]

The legends of an Arsacid-era collation and recension are no longer taken seriously.[17] It is now certain that for most of their long history the Avesta's various texts were handed down orally,[17] and independently of one another, and that it was not until around the 5th or 6th century that they were committed to written form.[1] However, during their long history, only the Gathic texts seem to have been memorized (more or less) exactly.[4] The other less sacred works appear to have been handed down in a more fluid oral tradition, and were partly composed afresh with each generation of poet-priests, sometimes with the addition of new material.[4] The Younger Avestan texts are therefore composite works, with contributions from several different authors over the course of several hundred years.

The texts became available to European scholarship comparatively late. Abraham Hyacinthe Anquetil-Duperron travelled to India in 1755, and discovered the texts among Indian Zoroastrian (Parsi) communities. He published a set of French translations in 1771, based on translations provided by a Parsi priest. Anquetil-Duperron's translations were at first dismissed as a forgery in poor Sanskrit, but he was vindicated in the 1820s following Rasmus Rask's examination of the Avestan language (A Dissertation on the Authenticity of the Zend Language, Bombay, 1821). Rask also established that Anquetil-Duperron's manuscripts were a fragment of a much larger literature of sacred texts. Anquetil-Duperron's manuscripts are at the Bibliothèque nationale de France ('P'-series manuscripts), while Rask's collection now lies in the Royal Library, Denmark ('K'-series). Other large Avestan language manuscript collections are those of the British Museum ('L'-series), the K. R. Cama Oriental Library in Mumbai, the Meherji Rana library in Navsari, and at various university and national libraries in Europe.

In its present form, the Avesta is a compilation from various sources, and its different parts date from different periods and vary widely in character. Only texts in the Avestan language are considered part of the Avesta.

According to the Denkard, the 21 nasks (books) mirror the structure of the 21-word-long Ahuna Vairya prayer: each of the three lines of the prayer consists of seven words. Correspondingly, the nasks are divided into three groups, of seven volumes per group. Originally, each volume had a word of the prayer as its name, which so marked a volumeâ€™s position relative to the other volumes. Only about a quarter of the text from the nasks has survived until today.

The contents of the Avesta are divided topically (even though the organization of the nasks is not), but these are not fixed or canonical. Some scholars prefer to place the categories in two groups, the one liturgical, and the other general. The following categorization is as described by Jean Kellens (see bibliography, below).

The Yasna (from yazišn "worship, oblations", cognate with Sanskrit yajña), is the primary liturgical collection, named after the ceremony at which it is recited. It consists of 72 sections called the Ha-iti or Ha. The 72 threads of lamb's wool in the Kushti, the sacred thread worn by Zoroastrians, represent these sections. The central portion of the Yasna is the Gathas, the oldest and most sacred portion of the Avesta, believed to have been composed by Zarathushtra (Zoroaster) himself. The Gathas are structurally interrupted by the Yasna Haptanghaiti ("seven-chapter Yasna"), which makes up chapters 35–42 of the Yasna and is almost as old as the Gathas, consists of prayers and hymns in honour of the Supreme Deity, Ahura Mazda, the Angels, Fire, Water, and Earth. The younger Yasna, though handed down in prose, may once have been metrical, as the Gathas still are.

The Visperad (from vÃ®spe ratavo, "(prayer to) all patrons") is a collection of supplements to the Yasna.[citation needed] The Visparad is subdivided into 23 or 24 kardo (sections) that are interleaved into the Yasna during a Visperad service (which is an extended Yasna service).

The Visperad collection has no unity of its own, and is never recited separately from the Yasna.

The Vendidad (or Vidēvdāt, a corruption of Avestan Vī-Daēvō-Dāta, "Given Against the Demons") is an enumeration of various manifestations of evil spirits, and ways to confound them. The Vendidad includes all of the 19th nask, which is the only nask that has survived in its entirety. The text consists of 22 Fargards, fragments arranged as discussions between Ahura Mazda and Zoroaster. The first fargard is a dualistic creation myth, followed by the description of a destructive winter on the lines of the Flood myth. The second fargard recounts the legend of Yima. The remaining fargards deal primarily with hygiene (care of the dead in particular) [fargard 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 19] as well as disease and spells to fight it [7, 10, 11, 13, 20, 21, 22]. Fargards 4 and 15 discuss the dignity of wealth and charity, of marriage and of physical effort, and the indignity of unacceptable social behaviour such as assault and breach of contract, and specify the penances required to atone for violations thereof. The Vendidad is an ecclesiastical code, not a liturgical manual, and there is a degree of moral relativism apparent in the codes of conduct. The Vendidad's different parts vary widely in character and in age. Some parts may be comparatively recent in origin although the greater part is very old.

The Vendidad, unlike the Yasna and the Visparad, is a book of moral laws rather than the record of a liturgical ceremony. However, there is a ceremony called the Vendidad, in which the Yasna is recited with all the chapters of both the Visparad and the Vendidad inserted at appropriate points. This ceremony is only performed at night.

The Yashts (from yešti, "worship by praise") are a collection of 21 hymns, each dedicated to a particular divinity or divine concept. Three hymns of the Yasna liturgy that "worship by praise" are—in tradition—also nominally called yashts, but are not counted among the Yasht collection since the three are a part of the primary liturgy. The Yashts vary greatly in style, quality and extent. In their present form, they are all in prose but analysis suggests that they may at one time have been in verse.

The Siroza ("thirty days") is an enumeration and invocation of the 30 divinities presiding over the days of the month. (cf. Zoroastrian calendar). The Siroza exists in two forms, the shorter ("little Siroza") is a brief enumeration of the divinities with their epithets in the genitive. The longer ("great Siroza") has complete sentences and sections, with the yazatas being addressed in the accusative.

The Siroza is never recited as a whole, but is a source for individual sentences devoted to particular divinities, to be inserted at appropriate points in the liturgy depending on the day and the month.

The five Nyayeshes, abbreviated Ny., are prayers for regular recitation by both priests and laity.[3] They are addressed to the Sun and Mithra (recited together thrice a day), to the Moon (recited thrice a month), and to the Waters and to Fire.[3] The Nyayeshes are composite texts containing selections from the Gathas and the Yashts, as well as later material.[3]

The five g훮hs are invocations to the five divinities that watch over the five divisions (g훮hs) of the day.[3] G훮hs are similar in structure and content to the five Nyayeshes.

The Afrinagans are four "blessing" texts recited on a particular occasion: the first in honor of the dead, the second on the five epagomenal days that end the year, the third is recited at the six seasonal feasts, and the fourth at the beginning and end of summer.

All material in the Avesta that is not already present in one of the other categories falls into a "fragments" category, which – as the name suggests – includes incomplete texts. There are altogether more than 20 fragment collections, many of which have no name (and are then named after their owner/collator) or only a Middle Persian name. The more important of the fragment collections are the Nirangistan fragments (18 of which constitute the Ehrbadistan); the Pursishniha "questions," also known as "Fragments Tahmuras"; and the Hadokht Nask "volume of the scriptures" with two fragments of eschatological significance.

Only texts preserved in the Avestan language count as scripture and are part of the Avesta. Several other secondary works are nonetheless crucial to Zoroastrian theology and scholarship.

The most notable among the Middle Persian texts are the DÄ“nkard ("Acts of Religion"), dating from the ninth century; the Bundahishn ("Primordial Creation"), finished in the eleventh or twelfth century, but containing older material; the Mainog-i-Khirad ("Spirit of Wisdom"), a religious conference on questions of faith; and the Book of Arda Viraf, which is especially important for its views on death, salvation and life in the hereafter. Of the post-14th century works (all in New Persian), only the Sad-dar ("Hundred Doors, or Chapters"), and rivayats (traditional treatises) are of doctrinal importance. Other texts such as Zartushtnamah ("Book of Zoroaster") are only notable for their preservation of legend and folklore. The Aogemadaeca "we accept," a treatise on death is based on quotations from the Avesta.


what album is like a stone on for audioslave

Audioslave is the eponymous debut studio album by American rock supergroup Audioslave. It was released on November 19, 2002, by Epic Records and Interscope Records. The album features the hit singles "Cochise", "Show Me How to Live", "What You Are", "Like a Stone", and "I Am the Highway". The album was later certified 3x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in the United States. "Like a Stone" was nominated for a 2004 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.

Audioslave (album)

Audioslave was formed after Zack de la Rocha left Rage Against the Machine and the remaining members were searching for another vocalist. Producer and friend Rick Rubin suggested that they contact Chris Cornell. Rubin played the remaining Rage Against the Machine band members the Soundgarden song "Slaves & Bulldozers" to showcase his ability. Cornell was in the writing process of a second solo album, but decided to shelve that and pursue the opportunity to work with Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk when they approached him. Morello described Cornell: "He stepped to the microphone and sang the song and I couldn't believe it. It didn't just sound good. It sounded transcendent. And... when there is an irreplaceable chemistry from the first moment, you can't deny it."[5] The quartet wrote 21 songs during 19 days of rehearsal and began working in the studio in late May 2001.[6][7]

Songs from the album were first heard when thirteen rough rehearsal demo tracks were leaked onto various peer-to-peer filesharing networks on May 16, 2002, six months before the official release of the album, under the name "Civilian" (or "The Civilian Project").[8] According to guitarist Tom Morello "it was very frustrating, especially with a band like this, there is a certain amount of expectation."[9] He also said that the songs were not in their finished form and that in some cases "they weren't even the same lyrics, guitar solos, performances of any kind."[9] In an earlier, July 2002 interview with Metal Sludge he spoke more explicitly about the incident, blaming "some jackass intern at Bad Animal Studios in Seattle" for stealing the demos and putting them on the Internet without the band's permission.[10]

The band was nearly derailed before the album's release. Cornell was going through alcohol problems and a slot on the Ozzfest tour was canceled.[11] During this time, there was a rumor that Cornell had checked himself into drug rehabilitation. He later confirmed it in an interview with Metal Hammer that was conducted from a clinic payphone.[12] In a San Diego CityBeat article, Cornell explained that he went through "a horrible personal crisis" during the making of the first record, staying in rehab for two months and separating from his wife.[13] The problems were ironed out and he remained sober till his passing in 2017. The band toured through 2003, before resting in 2004 to record their second album.

This album was released ten years after Rage Against the Machine's (Morello, Commerford, and Wilk's former band) debut album was released on November 3, 1992.

The album cover was designed by Storm Thorgerson (with Peter Curzon and Rupert Truman) â€“ who, as leader of the group of artists known as Hipgnosis, was best known for his cover work for Pink Floyd. "We knew we were going to set this idea of the eternal flame, the graphic flame, in Lanzarote, a volcanic island, since volcanoes suited the brooding menace of Audioslave," Thorgerson recalled. An unreleased version of the cover, shot elsewhere at the same location, features a naked man looking at the flame. "We so nearly used it," said Thorgerson, "but we were not entirely sure of the nude figure."[14]

The album was released on November 19, 2002 and entered the Billboard 200 chart at position number seven after selling 162,000 copies in its first week.[25] It was certified gold by the RIAA less than a month after its release,[26] and by 2006 it had achieved triple platinum selling status.[27] It is the most successful Audioslave album to date, having sold more than three million copies in the United States alone. The album spawned hits such as "Cochise", "Like a Stone" and "Show Me How to Live".

Despite its commercial success, Audioslave received mixed reviews. Some critics lambasted the group's effort as uninspired,[18] and predictable.[23] Pitchfork Media's reviewers Chris Dahlen and Ryan Schreiber praised Cornell's voice, but criticized virtually every other part of the album, calling it "the worst kind of studio rock album, rigorously controlled-- even undercut-- by studio gimmickry." They described Cornell's lyrics as "complete gibberish" and called producer Rick Rubin's work "a synthesized rock-like product that emits no heat."[2] Jon Monks from Stylus Magazine had the same opinion. He considered Rubin's production over-polished and wrote that "lacking individuality, distinction and imagination this album is over-produced, overlong and over-indulgent."[3] On the other hand, other critics praised the supergroup's style reminiscent of 1970s heavy metal and compared it to Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath,[28][29] saying they add much-needed sound and style to contemporary mainstream rock music,[30] and have the potential to become one of the best rock bands of the 21st century.[31] In 2005, Audioslave was ranked number 281 in Rock Hard magazine's book of The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.[32]

The track "Shadow on the Sun" was also featured in Michael Mann's 2004 film Collateral.

All lyrics written by Chris Cornell; all music composed by Audioslave.

The album was included among a group of 15 DualDisc releases that were test marketed in two cities: Boston and Seattle. The DualDisc has the standard album on one side, and bonus material on the second side. The DVD side of the Audioslave DualDisc featured the entire album in higher resolution 20bit 48Â kHz sound, as well as some videos. The higher resolution DVD side of this disc has been termed a demonstration quality audiophile release.[33][34]

For a limited time the CD could be inserted into a CD-ROM and be used to access the ConnecteD website. Here, the user would be able to download bonus videos, interviews, photos, and a bonus track "Give".

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone


what island in the bahamas do the pigs swim

Pig Beach[1] (also known as Pig Island,[2] Major Cay,[3] and officially Big Major Cay[4]) is an uninhabited island (or cay) located in Exuma, the Bahamas. The island takes its unofficial name from the fact that it is populated by a colony of feral pigs that live on the island and in the surrounding shallows.

Pig Beach

Exuma is a district of the Bahamas, and consists of over 360 islands.[5] Near Big Major Cay is Staniel Cay.[6] There are three freshwater springs on the island.[6]

The pigs are said to have been dropped off on Big Major Cay by a group of sailors who wanted to come back and cook them. The sailors, though, never returned; the pigs survived on excess food dumped from passing ships.[2][7] One other legend has it that the pigs were survivors of a shipwreck and managed to swim to shore, while another claims that the pigs had escaped from a nearby islet.[8] Others suggest that the pigs were part of a business scheme to attract tourists to the Bahamas. The pigs are now fed by locals and tourists[9] and the island is unofficially known as Pig Beach by the locals.[10]

Big Major Cay is an uninhabited island.[11] The island is home to approximately 20 pigs and piglets.[8] A few stray cats[12] and goats[13] can be found on the island too.


what is the use of jdk in java

The Java Development Kit (JDK) is an implementation of either one of the Java Platform, Standard Edition, Java Platform, Enterprise Edition, or Java Platform, Micro Edition platforms[1] released by Oracle Corporation in the form of a binary product aimed at Java developers on Solaris, Linux, macOS or Windows. The JDK includes a private JVM and a few other resources to finish the development of a Java Application.[2] Since the introduction of the Java platform, it has been by far the most widely used Software Development Kit (SDK).[citation needed] On 17 November 2006, Sun announced that they would release it under the GNU General Public License (GPL), thus making it free software. This happened in large part on 8 May 2007, when Sun contributed the source code to the OpenJDK.[3]

Java Development Kit

The JDK has as its primary components a collection of programming tools, including:

Experimental tools may not be available in future versions of the JDK.

The JDK also comes with a complete Java Runtime Environment, usually called a private runtime, due to the fact that it is separated from the "regular" JRE and has extra contents. It consists of a Java Virtual Machine and all of the class libraries present in the production environment, as well as additional libraries only useful to developers, such as the internationalization libraries and the IDL libraries.

Copies of the JDK also include a wide selection of example programs demonstrating the use of almost all portions of the Java API.

The JDK forms an extended subset of a software development kit (SDK). It includes "tools for developing, debugging, and monitoring Java applications".[5] Oracle strongly suggests to now use the term JDK to refer to the Java SE Development Kit. The Java EE SDK is available with or without the JDK, by which they specifically mean the Java SE 7 JDK.[6]

In addition to the most widely used JDK discussed in this article, there are other JDKs commonly available for a variety of platforms, some of which started from the Sun JDK source and some that did not. All adhere to the basic Java specifications, but often differ in explicitly unspecified areas, such as garbage collection, compilation strategies, and optimization techniques. They include:

In development or in maintenance mode:

Not being maintained or discontinued:


who found a route to india by sailing around the horn of africa

Bartolomeu Dias (Portuguese pronunciation: [baɾtuluˈmew ˈdi.ɐʃ]; Anglicized: Bartholomew Diaz; c. 1450 – 29 May 1500[2]), a nobleman of the Portuguese royal household, was a Portuguese explorer. He sailed around the southernmost tip of Africa in 1488, reaching the Indian Ocean from the Atlantic, the first European known to have done so.

Bartolomeu Dias

Bartolomeu Dias was a Knight of the royal court, superintendent of the royal warehouses, and sailing-master of the man-of-war, São Cristóvão (Saint Christopher). King John II of Portugal appointed him, on October 10, 1486, to head an expedition to sail around the southern tip of Africa in the hope of finding a trade route to India. Dias was also charged with searching for the lands ruled by Prester John, who was a fabled Christian priest and ruler.[3] He left 10 months later in August 1487.

Dias' ship São Cristóvão was piloted by Pêro de Alenquer. A second caravel, the São Pantaleão, was commanded by João Infante and piloted by Álvaro Martins. Dias' brother Pêro Dias was the captain of the square-rigged support ship with João de Santiago as pilot.[citation needed]

The expedition sailed south along the west coast of Africa. More provisions were picked up on the way at the Portuguese fortress of São Jorge de Mina on the Gold Coast. After having sailed past Angola, Dias reached the Golfo da Conceicão (Walvis Bay) by December. Continuing south, he discovered first Angra dos Ilheus, being hit, then, by a violent storm. Thirteen days later, from the open ocean, he searched the coast again to the east, discovering and using the westerlies winds - the ocean gyre, but finding just ocean. Having rounded the Cape of Good Hope at a considerable distance to the west and southwest, he turned towards the east, and taking advantage of the winds of Antarctica that blow strongly in the South Atlantic, he sailed northeast. After 30 days without seeing land, he entered what he named Aguada de São Brás (Bay of Saint Blaise)—later renamed Mossel Bay—on 4 February 1488. Dias's expedition reached its furthest point on 12 March 1488 when they anchored at Kwaaihoek, near the mouth of the Boesmans River, where a padrão—the Padrão de São Gregório—was erected before turning back.[4] Dias wanted to continue sailing to India, but he was forced to turn back when his crew refused to go further.[5] It was only on the return voyage that he actually discovered the Cape of Good Hope, in May 1488. Dias returned to Lisbon in December of that year, after an absence of sixteen months.[citation needed]

The discovery of the passage around southern Africa was significant because, for the first time, Europeans realized they could trade directly with India and the other parts of Asia, bypassing the overland route through the Middle East, with its expensive middlemen.The official report of the expedition has been lost.[citation needed]

Bartolomeu Dias originally named the Cape of Good Hope the "Cape of Storms" (Cabo das Tormentas). It was later renamed (by King John II of Portugal) the Cape of Good Hope (Cabo da Boa EsperanÃ§a) because it represented the opening of a route to the east.[citation needed]

After these early attempts, the Portuguese took a decade-long break from Indian Ocean exploration. During that hiatus, it is likely that they received valuable information from a secret agent, Pêro da Covilhã, who had been sent overland to India and returned with reports useful to their navigators.[6]

Using his experience with explorative travel, Dias helped in the construction of the São Gabriel and its sister ship, the São Rafael that were used by Vasco da Gama to sail past the Cape of Good Hope and continue to India. Dias only participated in the first leg of Da Gama's voyage, until the Cape Verde Islands. Two years later he was one of the captains of the second Indian expedition, headed by Pedro Álvares Cabral. This flotilla first reached the coast of Brazil, landing there in 1500, and then continued eastwards to India. Dias perished near the Cape of Good Hope that he presciently had named Cape of Storms. Four ships encountered a huge storm off the cape and were lost, including Dias', on 29 May 1500. A shipwreck found in 2008 by the Namdeb Diamond Corporation off Namibia was at first thought to be Dias' ship;[7] however, recovered coins come from a later time.[8]

Bartolomeu Dias was married and had two children:


where is nicole from america's next top model

Fox is currently signed with Paragon Models in Mexico City and Wilhelmina Models.

Nicole Fox

Nicole Arianna Fox (born March 6, 1991) is an American-French model and actress, best known as the winner of Cycle 13 of America's Next Top Model.

Fox graduated from Monarch High School.[2] As of 2009, she was a sophomore student at University of Colorado at Boulder majoring in studio arts. She wanted to be an artist, journalist and model.[3]

Fox was the eleventh girl selected as one of the 14 finalists to compete in Cycle 13: the "Petite Edition" of America's Next Top Model, a cycle that was specially created for models who are 5'7" and under. Fox stood at 5'7", the maximum height for the entry.[3] A couple of months before Fox tried out for the show, she met a photographer at an art gallery in Denver. He encouraged her to try out for the show because he knew Allison Harvard the runner up in both Cycles 12 and 17 (the "All Stars Edition") was also an artist like Fox. With his encouragement, she tried out for America's Next Top Model.[4]

Throughout the competition, Fox won two reward challenges and received three first call-outs. She never placed below fifth (just like Cycle 11 winner McKey Sullivan) and was one of the strongest girls of her cycle. At the final judging, Fox was lauded for her high-fashion photographs and her successful mastery of her body proportion, in spite of her unconventional runway walk in the Maui fashion show. In the end,[3] she was chosen as the thirteenth winner of America's Next Top Model, beating runner-up Laura Kirkpatrick, who was considered another favorite of the judges. Fox became the third winner to have never appeared in the bottom two during her time on Top Model. This record was preceded by winners Jaslene Gonzalez and McKey Sullivan from Cycles 8 and 11 respectively, and was succeeded by Krista White, Sophie Sumner, Jourdan Miller and India Gants from Cycles 14, 18 the "British Invasion", 20 "Guys & Girls" and 23 respectively. Fox also became the first America's Next Top Model winner to have also never even appeared in the bottom three. This was succeeded by Cycle 20 winner Jourdan Miller.

Kirkpatrick said she believed Fox won because of the strength of her photos: "Every time with the judges, she could do no wrong in front of them. They really saw her as perfect."[5] Fox said of her win:[6]

Fox received a $100,000 contract with CoverGirl cosmetics, a representation contract with Wilhelmina Models and was featured on the cover of Seventeen, as well as a six-page spread in the magazine.[2] Tyra Banks, retired supermodel and host of America's Next Top Model, said to Fox following her win, "You are a star. You have IT!"[2] Her sister, Alexandra Fox, said of her sister: "She's definitely glad she did it, but she wouldn't repeat it. You're on camera 24 hours a day, and you can't have a single conversation without worrying about how it will be edited."[3]

Fox received a six-page spread in Seventeen magazine as the winner of "America's Next Top Model" and an ad for Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara. Fox has also modeled for Illiterate Magazine, in which she had a spread, and been featured on AOL.com, More Magazine and in OK! Magazine. Fox was featured in Wild Fox Couture's 2010 fall collection lookbook along with models Rachel Ballinger and Daria Plyushko. Fox also appeared in online ads for Spirit Hoods and in a campaign for Heritage 1981's Spring 2010 collectionâ€”which is a sister brand of Forever 21,[7] and ads for Steve Madden Spring Collection. She will be in the campaign for Nicole Richie's "House of Harlow 1960 Spring 2011" fashion line. In January 2010, a news story circulated reporting that Fox would be the face of Alexander McQueen's new spring/summer collection, but this rumor was revealed to be false and has been debunked by both McQueen and Fox.[8]

Fox starred as Ashley in the indie teen drama Ashley, directed by Dean Ronalds and produced by Trick Candle Productions and Ronalds Brothers Productions. The film was released in the US in 2013. Fox portrayed a model on the television soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful in December 2011. Fox can also be spotted in the Avengers Dr. Pepper commercial as Stan Lee's assistant.[9][10]

In 2012, Fox was chosen by director Brett Leonard for the PopFictionLife FragFilm "The Other Country", starring Christian country band Burlap to Cashmere". Fox plays Melanie, a concert goer who catches the eye of Burlap's lead guitarist, Johnny.

In 2014, Fox starred in Redlands which was favorably reviewed in The Washington Post as "artfully evocative — of alienation, the constraints on ambition and the danger of unexpressed anger."[11] Her performance as an aspiring model in "Redlands" was lauded in El Mundo as "a diamond in the rough: she knows how to communicate her emotions through her eyes, she has a suggestive voice, an impressive physique, and she isn’t afraid of taking risks."[12]

In 2014, Fox starred in Girlhouse as Mia, a beautiful young model who lives in a house that streams content to an X-rated website.


who won the first ever series of britains got talent

The first series was won by opera singer Paul Potts. During its broadcast, the series averaged around 8.4 million viewers.[1]

Britain's Got Talent (series 1)

Series One of Britain's Got Talent, a British talent competition series, began broadcasting in the UK during 2007, from 9 June to 17 June on ITV. The success of America's Got Talent helped to revive production of a British version of the show, after initial development for the programme was suspended when its originally planned host, Paul O'Grady, became involved in an argument with ITV and later defected to another channel. The judges chosen for the series were Piers Morgan, Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell; both Morgan and Cowell had been original choices during the original plans for the programme before O'Grady's departure. The hosts selected for the series were Ant & Dec, while a spin-off show on ITV2, entitled Britain's Got More Talent would be hosted by Stephen Mulhern.

After Simon Cowell pitched to ITV his plans for a televised talent competition, production was green-lighted for a full series after a pilot episode was created in mid-2005. A dispute between Paul O'Grady, the original choice as host for the programme, and the broadcaster, led to filming being suspended, with production not resuming until after the success of the first series of America's Got Talent. When it did resume, production staff focused on a schedule of ten episodes to begin with for the first series of Britain's Got Talent, with major auditions for potential acts held within the cities of Manchester, Birmingham, London and Cardiff. The initial choices for judges changed to begin with following O'Grady's decision to switch broadcasters, with it eventually finalised on Cowell, Piers Morgan, and Amanda Holden.

Of the participants who auditioned to be in the contest for this series, only 24 made it into the three live semi-finals, with eight appearing in each one, and six of these acts moving on into the live final. The following below lists the results of each participant's overall performance in this series:

During the initial broadcast of this series, two of the participants - Richard Bates, and the Kit Kat Dolls - were removed from the programme, after the producers discovered that each had either withheld or failed to disclose information that would have made them ineligible to be a part of Britain's Got Talent. These fact only came to light when, in each case, an outside source contacted the producers with the relevant information. In Bates' case, his removal was the result of a request made by Lancashire Police. The producers learnt that he hadn't disclosed that he had been placed on the UK's Violent and Sex Offender Register (at that time) for an offence he had committed in 2005. Lancashire Police request was accepted based upon concerns over the possibility of either the offence's victim, or the victim's family, being unsettled by Bates' appearance on television.[10][11]

In comparison, the removal of the Kit Kat Dolls was done under the instructions of ITV. Unbeknown to the broadcaster, or the producers, three of the members from the act were secretly working as prostitutes, which was later considered a serious breach of trust. This information was later brought to light through an undercover investigation conducted by the News of the World, who contacted ITV with their findings. The group were promptly disqualified as a direct result, per Section 24 of the programme's terms and conditions regarding application forms:[12]

"The Producer reserves the right to disqualify you if you have supplied untruthful, inaccurate or misleading personal details and/or information, have failed to abide by the Rules and/or are in breach of the terms hereof."

ITV released a statement later in June 2007, regarding the controversy caused by the act's members:[13]

"Weâ€™d like to thank the News of the World for bringing this gross abuse of our trust to our attention. We have removed the group from the show. As a consequence of this incident the whole band has had to be punished. We feel let down as do their fellow bandmates."

Following the live broadcast of the third semi-final, Ofcom received several complaints from viewers in regards to the magical act conducted by magician Doctor Gore. The complaints focused on criticism over his act being unsuitable for the show, due to the gruesome nature of the magic tricks he performed. Although the production team stated in its defence that the performance had been reviewed carefully to ensure it would not be frightening, the regulator ruled that the programme had been in breach of the broadcasting code that concerned the protection of children from unsuitable material.[14][15]


who is talking at the beginning of thriller by fall out boy

Upon listening to the finished tracks, the members selected guest appearances they felt would work with the songs.[12] The group "aim[ed] for the stars" on its choices of collaborators, with Wentz stating, "I want to bring in people who no one would expect...This year it's like, we made some new friends, like Lil Wayne. Or let's get Jay-Z on there."[12] Wentz commented on working with Jay-Z, saying "It was insane. We called him up and thought we were gonna talk to his assistant. Then he answers the phone, like, 'Yo, this is Hov,' and we were like, 'Um...' It just happened like that. And it was pretty crazy."[13] Jay-Z recorded his introduction to the album's opening song "Thriller" while on tour in Australia and sent it to the band, who later put the vocal on the album.[13] At a fashion show in Los Angeles, Wentz met rapper Kanye West, who invited Wentz and Stump to his home to share new music. West then agreed to create a remix of "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" three weeks before the scheduled release of the album.[14] The band was unable to include the remix on the album due to time constraints, but a remix of West's version featuring Lil Wayne, Lupe Fiasco, Travis McCoy, Paul Wall and Tyga was released in July 2007.[15]

Infinity on High

Infinity on High is the third studio album by American rock band Fall Out Boy, released on February 6, 2007 by Island Records as the follow-up to the band's commercially successful 2005 album From Under the Cork Tree. Pre-production began in the group's hometown of Chicago, where writing and rehearsal sessions took place. It was recorded from July to October 2006 at the Pass Studios in Los Angeles, California and mixed at the Paramount Recording Studios in Hollywood. The music was composed by lead singer and guitarist Patrick Stump and the lyrics were penned by bassist Pete Wentz.

The album features collaborations with new producers and guest artists such as Babyface and Jay-Z, and sees the band experimenting with musical genres other than pop punk including R&B, soul, and flamenco. The group also utilized instruments such as horns, violins and pianos, which had not been used on previous releases. As reported by Billboard, Fall Out Boy "drifts further from its pop punk roots to write increasingly accessible pop tunes," a slight departure from the group's previous sound. Critics felt that the lyrics served as a response to the band's rise to fame. The group embarked on several tours to promote the album, including the Friends or Enemies Tour, the Honda Civic Tour, and the Young Wild Things Tour. In the wake of the album's leak on the internet, the band included a download code for Leaked in London, a live extended play, with each purchase made during the first week of its initial release.

Infinity on High debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling 260,000 copies in its first week, making it Fall Out Boy's first number one album and second top ten effort. It also reached number one in New Zealand and opened inside the top five worldwide in countries including Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Infinity on High has sold over two million units worldwide, with 1.4 million sales in the US as of February 2013.[1] Five of the album's fourteen songs were released as singles, of which three charted on the Billboard Hot 100, led by the single "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" at number two. The album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 12, one month after its release, for shipments of one million copies. It received generally positive reviews from music critics, with many praising Stump's vocals and the album's new musical direction.

After taking a two-month break following the band's Black Clouds and Underdogs tour in promotion of their 2005 album From Under the Cork Tree, Fall Out Boy returned to the studio to begin work on their follow-up effort.[2] The band began writing songs for the new album while touring, and intended to quickly make a new album in order to keep momentum in the wake of their breakthrough success.[3] Vocalist Patrick Stump stated that he wished to begin working on the record earlier, but the group's management urged the members to take time off to recuperate from their constant touring schedule.[2]

The band's label, Island Records, underwent changes while the group prepared to record, which postponed the studio schedule for three weeks.[4] Bassist/lyricist Pete Wentz asserted that "We're definitely writing all the time, so we're not going to try to squeeze every last drop out of the stone. That's part of what's been wrong with the rock industry: they keep fans waiting far too long, and bands go away and disappear off the face of the planet. That's not the way it's going to be for Fall Out Boy."[3] During this time off, Fall Out Boy contributed a cover of the song "What's This?" for the 2006 rerelease of The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack, as well as a remix of their song "Of All the Gin Joints in All the World" for the Snakes on a Plane soundtrack.[5][6] Wentz also purchased a house in Los Angeles, where he spent much time writing lyrics to new songs.[4]

While writing the album, Fall Out Boy began searching for potential producers. The band sought out R&B singer/producer Babyface, as they admired his work on the soundtrack to the 2001 film version of Josie and the Pussycats.[8] Babyface saw one of the interviews in which the band discussed its desire to work with him and contacted the group. Babyface produced two of the songs, "I'm Like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me & You)" and "Thnks fr th Mmrs". Neal Avron, who also produced the band's previous album, handled production for eleven of Infinity on High's fourteen tracks.[9] Before recording, the band began with six weeks of pre-production, which was encouraged by Avron. This period included both rehearsals and writing, as well as working out all the sounds and arrangements. It began in Chicago before the group relocated to the Swing House studios in Los Angeles.[9] Additionally, some rough recordings of songs were created to be used in the studio as a future reference.[9]

Infinity on High was recorded from July to October 2006 at the Pass Studios in Los Angeles.[10][11][12] Much of the writing process was done individually by the band members. Generally, Wentz would write his lyrics first and send them to Stump, who would create a melody by playing guitar along to the words to "find a groove".[7] Stump's goal with his songs was to create his music while changing Wentz’s original lyrics as little as possible. After a melody was written, Stump would create a general rhythm for the song. Although Fall Out Boy has no specific rhythm or lead guitar roles, Stump viewed himself as more of a rhythm guitarist on the album due to his experience as a drummer in previous bands.[7] Guitarist Joe Trohman often wrote his guitar parts after hearing Stump’s work, filling in the "empty spaces" in the songs with "tons of guitars and Johnny Marr-type atmospheric parts".[7] The group felt that this writing process helped create a more full sound.[7]

During the recording of the album, the band members pursued other various activities. Stump, who co-produced "Don't You Know Who I Think I Am?" from Infinity on High, was also working on fellow Fueled By Ramen act The Hush Sound's album Like Vines.[8] Wentz was conceiving a social networking website called FriendsOrEnemies.com as well as designing for his clothing line, Clandestine Industries.[8][16] Wentz was often interviewed about the album at Clandestine fashion shows.[16]

The album marked a departure in Fall Out Boy's sound in which the band implemented a diverse array of musical styles. As reported by Billboard, Fall Out Boy "drifts further from its hardcore punk roots to write increasingly accessible pop tunes," a slight departure from the group's previous more pop punk sound.[17] Infinity on High has been compared to the work of pop punk bands such as Green Day, with Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times commenting, "Whatever snot and feedback courses through these songs, sweetness always triumphs, carried forth by bubblegum bass lines, snappy drums and tunes as comforting as lullabies."[18] Stump explained that the album contains a variety of different moods: "Itâ€™s one of those things where you get older as a band and you do your own thing...The older Fall Out Boy elements, from the early records, are definitely there, and this album is an extension of that."[2]

Stump called "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" the "funkiest thing we’ve ever done", and attributes the change in musical style to his love of soul music, which he acquired by listening to oldies stations as a child.[2][19] Wentz describes the song "a bit of '70s funk mixed with [the band’s 2003 album] Take This to Your Grave with tight verses and big, fat choruses".[20] The song closing sing-along was influenced by Justin Timberlake's "Señorita".[21] Cory Apar of Allmusic compared the Babyface-produced track "I'm Like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me & You)" to Maroon 5.[11] Wentz characterized Stump’s vocal performance on the song as "straight-up Motown", continuing to say "If there wasn't a rock band playing, it'd be straight R&B, and he'd go on tour with just an upright bass and a drum and open up for R. Kelly."[4] "The Carpal Tunnel of Love" has been referred to as "a prime slab of what the boys have become famous for: highly caffeinated pop-punk mixed with a little white-boy soul and some hard-core yelping."[22] The song features Stump singing in a falsetto in the chorus over Trohman’s "crunchy" guitars, as well as a breakdown in which Wentz employs death growl-style vocals.[22]

The band also used instruments that did not appear on previous albums, such as horns and violins. The members became more open to experimentation, but attempted to not over-produce the album; Stump stated that he "had to resist the temptation to use a lot of strings."[17] "Golden" consists exclusively of vocals and piano, and Stump dubbed the song "much softer than anything weâ€™ve ever done".[2] The group utilizes a full horn section on "I've Got All This Ringing in My Ears and None on My Fingers", a track which has been likened to Queen.[23] Violins are used on both "Thnks fr th Mmrs", in addition to an acoustic guitar strummed flamenco-style, and "The (After) Life of the Party", which also features electronic-influenced sounds.[23][24] Commenting on the instruments used on "Thnks fr th Mmrs", Stump stated "I never thought I'd get a euphonium onto a Fall Out Boy record".[21] "You're Crashing, But You're No Wave" features a gospel choir, while "Thriller" contains a spoken-word intro from Jay-Z.[25] Barry Nicolson of NME referred to the song as a "towering, Foo Fighters-esque slice of thunderous rhythm and radio-friendly melody."[26]

While writing the album, Wentz drew lyrical inspiration from rapper Lil Wayne, whom he called "the best lyricist of [2006]."[4] Speaking of Infinity on High's lyrical themes, Wentz stated, "On the last record, the lyrics were about 'This is where we're going to be a year from now, and this is what you're going to be saying about us.' But this time, we realized that a lot of bands should spend less time running their mouths and more time writing their songs."[3] In 2013, Wentz reflected, "on a record like Infinity on High, I feel like I tried really hard to explain my perspective – and when I look back on it in hindsight I think it’s an extremely unrelatable record.[27] Critics felt that much of the lyrics address the band's rise to fame and the pressure of maintaining a loyal fanbase. Sasha Frere-Jones of The New Yorker commented that "The only top-ten acts that talk about fame as much as Fall Out Boy does are rappers, although their take on selling records is less conflicted."[28] Cory Apar of Allmusic opined that "Wentz' lyrics are oftentimes resentful, full of fame-induced angst, and really emphasize his need to drive home his position that stardom has not changed the band."[11]

"Thriller" serves as an autobiographical recap of the two years following From Under the Cork Tree's release, referencing the band's mediocre CD reviews and breakout success, as well as thanking their "diehard" fans.[29] The song discusses the band's Best New Artist Grammy loss, and Wentz calls it the "most narcissistic song on the album".[21] The line "Fix me in forty-five" is a reference to the length of a therapy session.[21] On "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", Wentz uses wartime-inspired metaphors to discuss their newfound popularity; he called the song "kind of a tongue-in-cheek look at the way we are so addicted and obsessed with new arts, cultures and loves â€“ to the point where it just becomes oversaturated."[20][29] "I'm Like a Lawyer..." has been described as "about as close to a love song as you'll get from this band, a rare moment of tenderness among songs about blog entries, guest lists, and therapy sessions."[29] In a tribute to the politicized Chicago hardcore scene, Wentz describes the story of a rigged court case of African-American civil rights activist Fred Hampton, Jr. in "You're Crashing, But You're No Wave".[21] The song has been described as a "very well-written track, a welcome respite from the one-liners which permeate the majority of the record."[24]

The album's title is taken from a letter written by Vincent van Gogh to his brother Theo in 1888, in which he describes his renewed health and the positive effect it has had on his painting. Originally written in Dutch, Van Gogh's phrasing has been translated as "Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high. Then life seems almost enchanted after all".[20] Speaking of the title shortly after its announcement in November 2006, Wentz stated "As for what that means in relation to the record, we'll just let it unfold when people hear it."[20] While Wentz declined to reveal the relationship between the title and the album's songs, MTV reporter James Montgomery opined that "It's not difficult to see it as a statement about the band rising above detractors and finding strength within themselves."[20]

The photography for the album was done by Pamela Littky, and the sets on the album artwork were designed by Todd Fjelsted. Chuck Anderson of NoPattern designed the artwork for the album. A winged sheep is depicted on the cover of the album in a bedroom with the moon and stars in the background, while the inside of the CD booklet features "tarot card" designs with photos of each of the band members.[10][30]

Promotion for the album began in November 2006 with the band performing "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" for the first time at the American Music Awards on November 21. The song was shipped to radio the same night as the performance.[17][31] In the week following the performance, the single was the top added track at Pop and Alternative radio.[31] While the song was the first song revealed from the album, it would not receive an official single release until January 2007. "The Carpal Tunnel of Love" was released as a digital single in December 2006. It was a minor hit in the United States, peaking at 81 on the Billboard Hot 100.[32] The band then began the Friends or Enemies Tour in January 2007 to build interest in the album. The tour consisted of intimate club shows in fifteen cities throughout the United States, with New Found Glory, The Early November, Permanent Me and Lifetime.[33] Two weeks before Infinity on High was released, the album was leaked online, which led to rumors on the band's message boards that the album would be released a week early.[34] Although these rumors were incorrect, Fall Out Boy responded to the leak by including an exclusive live EP, Leaked in London, recorded in London's Hammersmith Palais at their sold-out show on January 29, 2006, with each purchase to encourage fans to buy the album.[34] The EP could be downloaded from the band's website between Tuesday, February 6, 2007 and Tuesday, February 13, 2007 using CDPass software along with inserting a physical copy of Infinity on High into the CD-ROM drive of one's computer.[34] Infinity on High was the final release from Rabid Neurosis, a warez organization responsible for leaking 20,000 albums before their release.[35]

On February 6, 2007, the day of the album's release, Fall Out Boy played three free shows, each in a different city in the United States. The day started with a morning performance in Times Square in New York City, followed by a gig in the band's hometown of Chicago, and then a late-night show in Los Angeles.[36] In March 2008, Fall Out Boy attempted to enter The Guinness Book of World Records for being the only band to perform in all seven continents in nine months, planning to perform in Antarctica for an audience of scientists while working with Greenpeace to raise awareness about global warming.[37] However, the group was unable to make the flight from Punta Arenas, Chile to Antarctica due to poor weather.[38] Instead, Wentz and Stump went on to break the world record for the most interviews conducted by a duo in a 24-hour period, setting the mark at seventy-four.[39]

To promote the album after its release, Fall Out Boy embarked on an extensive tour schedule, with concerts across the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Europe and Asia. It began with the 2007 Honda Civic Tour with Paul Wall, +44, The Academy Is..., and Cobra Starship.[40] The tour was originally planned to begin on April 18, 2007 but the band decided to postpone the date until May 11, citing health issues and exhaustion. Wentz stated "It's a health issue, but not a health issue that anyone needs to worry about. It's not life-threatening, it's more about being overworked and worn down."[40] In honor of the tour, the group designed a custom Honda Civic Hybrid which was given away to a fan in a contest.[41] Wentz described the tour as "our biggest show ever", with Stump adding that "We've been working really hard to make this show look and sound the best it's ever been for Fall Out Boy."[42] For a Kiss-inspired fan contest, Wentz's brother created prints of images based on the record, created with ink mixed with the band members' blood. The band gave away prints to winners at every stop on the Honda Civic Tour. Wentz hoped that the contest would serve to "[shed] some light on the much-needed support for blood drives."[30] A live concert CD and DVD recorded at a show in Phoenix was later released in 2008, entitled Live in Phoenix.

The band also headlined the Young Wild Things Tour, an international arena tour featuring Gym Class Heroes, Plain White T's and Cute Is What We Aim For.[43] Of the thirty one dates, twenty nine were in the US with two in Canada. The tour was inspired by Maurice Sendak's 1963 children's book Where the Wild Things Are, and included sets designed by artist Rob Dobi containing images from the book. Commenting on the decision to incorporate elements from the book, Wentz explained "Where the Wild Things Are is a great narrative. It encapsulates pretty much every FOB song ever written: You know, tantrums and monster islands and all."[43]

Four songs were released as singles from the album's fourteen tracks, of which three charted on the US Billboard Hot 100 and all reaching international charts. Infinity on High was spurred on by the lead single "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", which became the highest charting song for band and their first to chart worldwide. Wentz commented on the band's decision to pick "This Ain't a Scene..." as the first single, saying "There may be other songs on the record that would be bigger radio hits, but this one had the right message."[21] It was sent to radio weeks before its digital release in January 2007; upon digital release the track debuted and peaked at number two on the Hot 100[44] where it stayed at that position for two consecutive weeks, spending nine weeks in the top ten. The single sold 162,000 digital downloads in its opening week,[45] breaking various music industry records and becoming the highest debut of 2007.[46] With this total it was the largest opening-week tally for a group since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking digital sales in 2003 and set a new record for the highest bow for a band since radio only titles joined the chart in 1998.[45] It also reached number one on the defunct-Pop 100,[45] number one on Billboard Digital Songs and came at number eight on Alternative Songs.[44] Internationally, "This Ain't a Scene..." debuted and peaked inside the top ten of many charts. It reached number one in New Zealand, number two in the UK, number four and Platinum status in Australia, number four on the Canadian Hot 100 and in Ireland, and placed at number nine on the European Hot 100.[44]

"Thnks fr th Mmrs" was released as the second single in the US in March 2007. It peaked at number eleven on the Hot 100 with twenty-eight chart weeks before it was retired. It came at number five on Digital Songs, but performed weaker on the Radio Songs chart at number forty.[47] It reached the two-million sales mark week ending December 27, 2009 in the US.[48] Its highest charting was in Australia where it peaked at number three on the Australian ARIA chart and achieved Platinum status in the region. In New Zealand, the UK, Canada and Ireland "Thnks fr th Mmrs" reached the top twenty.[49]

""The Take Over, the Breaks Over"" was released in August 2007 in the US as the third single and failed to chart on the Hot 100, although it did reach number 48 on the UK Singles Chart,[50][51] with its highest position at number seventeen in Australia, becoming the third consecutive top twenty hit from Infinity on High in that region. The fourth and last single, "I'm Like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me & You)" managed to reach number 68 in the US and made the top 30 in Australia.[52][53] "The Carpal Tunnel of Love" was not an official single but it was released online by the band before Infinity's release[54] and was later given as an exclusive download to iTunes; it managed to reach number eighty-one on the Hot 100.[55]

Critical response for Infinity on High was quite positive, with many praising Stump's vocals and the album's new musical direction. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 75, based on 23 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[56] Jody Rosen of Entertainment Weekly commended the band's "new sense of swing" on its R&B-influenced songs and noted that Stump "has evolved into a superb frontman."[59] Dave de Silva of Sputnikmusic agreed about Stump's new vocal style, saying that "his tone is smoother and more well-rounded, heâ€™s cut out the borderline screechy high-end which made parts of the previous album unlistenable and, though occasionally still nasally, his tones are far more varied and adaptable to different styles" as well as calling Wentz' lyrics "as sharp as ever".[24] Andrew Blackie of PopMatters called the album "wildly exciting and experimental" and felt it greatly improved upon From Under the Cork Tree.[65] Aaron Burgess of The A.V. Club enjoyed the disc's new pop direction and felt that the songs that were more typical of Fall Out Boy's original sound, such as "The Carpal Tunnel of Love" undermined the album's potential.[57] Sven Philipp of Billboard called Infinity on High a "shamelessly melodic, wild and powerful pop record" and referred to Stump as the album's "true surprise".[66] The album was ranked No. 38 on Q's 50 Best Albums of 2007.[67]

However, some critics felt that the album was overly ambitious and that the band's musical departure may alienate listeners. Chad Grischow of IGN felt that the album's dramatic hooks seem "bloated" at times: "The band does a great of focusing on what they do best, but the album does drown itself a bit with all the overwhelming enormity of it all."[23] Scott Shetler of Slant disliked the "melodramatic" undertones of "I've Got All This Ringing in My Ears and None on My Fingers" and "Golden", writing "they don't handle that style quite as well as Panic! at the Disco".[29] Cory Apar of AllMusic opined that the album's pop direction contradicts the band's lyrical claims of wishing to stick to their roots. He called the album's various styles "hit and miss", yet commented that "Once Infinity on High sinks in, it's indeed a fun record. But for a band that was once so self-assured and able to utilize its talents so compellingly, the album is regrettably haphazard."[11] Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian believed that the album was overly sullen, but noted that "They may not be happy, but they haven't forgotten to be catchy."[60] Barry Nicholson of NME found the amount of guest producers to be unnecessary and disliked some of the songs, but admired the album's "infectious" nature.[26]

Infinity on High was a major commercial success, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, with first week sales of 260,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[68][69] Infinity has sold 1.4 million copies in the US to date February 2013.[70] It was the band's first US number one album and second consecutive top ten effort, as its previous release, From Under the Cork Tree, peaked at number nine.[68] The album spent its first six weeks in the top ten, out of a total of fifty two chart weeks. Infinity on High also opened at number one on Billboard's Rock Albums, Tastemaker Albums, and Digital Albums charts,[69] with over 27,000 digital sales making up the total first week tally.[71] In its second week, it fell to number five on the Billboard 200, selling 119,000 copies with a 54% decline during a post-Grammy week.[72] The album rose to number three in its third week with 79,000 units sold.[73] In its fourth week, the disc slipped to number four and sold 67,000 copies.[74] Infinity on High's sales again fell in its fifth week, moving 58,000 copies and descending to number eight on the chart.[75] In its sixth and last week in the top ten it fell to number nine and sold 43,000 copies.[76] In April 2007, the album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting the shipment of one million copies.[77][78][79] It finished the year at number twenty-one on IFPI's list of the "Top 50 Global Best Selling Albums of 2007".[80] Infinity on High has shipped over two million copies worldwide.

The album also charted inside the top five worldwide, making it the band's most successful and breakthrough album internationally. Infinity on High charted all over Europe, debuting at number eight on Billboard's European Albums chart.[69] In Australia, it debuted at its peak of number four on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart.[81] It remained on the Australian chart for a total of fifty weeks,[81] spending its first seven weeks in the top ten. In its 31st chart week it broke into the top ten again where it remained for another six weeks in a row, accumulating a total of thirteen weeks in the top ten. The CD was certified Double Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), denoting shipments of 140,000 copies.[82] Infinity on High debuted at number one in New Zealand, and remained at the top position for six consecutive weeks,[83] logging a total of thirty-seven chart weeks, making it the fifth longest chart sitter on the New Zealand charts in 2007. After marking its first twelve weeks in the top ten, it went on to spend a combined total of twenty-six weeks inside the top twenty and received a Platinum accreditation from the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) for 15,000 shipments.[84] In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number three with 64,054 first week sales and made nine weeks in the top twenty, being certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for 300,000 units shipped.[85] It went on to sell 446,807 in the UK to date January 2015.[86][87] The album debuted at number two in Canada with 21,000 first week sales.[69][88] Infinity was certified Platinum by Music Canada for shipments of 100,000 units.[89] In Ireland, the record peaked at number six according to the Irish Recorded Music Association with fourteen weeks within the top twenty,[90] and also went Platinum there.[91] After entering the French albums chart at number 64, Infinity on High reached its peak of number 17 and held on for 64 weeks in the top 150.

All lyrics written by Pete Wentz; all music composed by Fall Out Boy[10].

Fall Out Boy

^shipments figures based on certification alone


where is san angelo texas on the map

San Angelo /sæn ˈændʒəloʊ/[3] is a city in and the county seat of Tom Green County, Texas, United States.[4] Its location is in the Concho Valley, a region of West Texas between the Permian Basin to the northwest, Chihuahuan Desert to the southwest, Osage Plains to the northeast, and Central Texas to the southeast. According to a 2014 Census estimate, San Angelo has a total population of 100,450.[5] It is the principal city and center of the San Angelo metropolitan area, which has a population of 118,182.[6]

San Angelo, Texas

San Angelo is home to Angelo State University, historic Fort Concho, and Goodfellow Air Force Base.

Common nicknames of the city include Angelo, Land of Sand and Jello, the Concho City, the Pearl of the Conchos, and the Oasis of West Texas.[7]

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, San Angelo was the center of the Jumano people. As of 1600, the area had been inhabited for over a thousand years by succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples.

In 1632, a short-lived mission of Franciscans under Spanish auspices was founded in the area to serve the Indians.[8] The mission was led by the friars Juan de Salas and Juan de Ortega, with Ortega remaining for six months.[9] The area was visited by the Castillo-Martin expedition of 1650 and the Diego de Guadalajara expedition of 1654.[10]

During the colonization of the region, San Angelo was at the western edge of the region called Texas, successively claimed in the 1800s by the nations of Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, and finally the United States, in 1846.

The current city of San Angelo was founded in 1867, when the United States built Fort Concho, one of a series of new forts designed to protect the frontier. The fort was home to cavalry, infantry, and the famous Black Cavalry, also known as Buffalo Soldiers by Indigenous Americans.

The settler Bartholomew J. DeWitt founded the village of Santa Angela outside the fort at the junction of the North and South Concho Rivers. He named the village after his wife, Carolina Angela. The name was eventually changed to San Angela. The name would change again to San Angelo in 1883 on the insistence of the United States Postal Service, as San Angela was grammatically incorrect in Spanish. The town became a trade center for farmers and settlers in the area, as well as a fairly lawless cowtown filled with brothels, saloons, and gambling houses.

After being designated as the county seat, the town grew quickly in the 1880s, aided by being on the route of newly constructed railroads. It became a central transportation hub for the region. The Santa Fe Railroad arrived in 1888 and the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway in 1909.[11] After a tuberculosis (TB) outbreak hit the United States in the early 1900s, many patients moved to San Angelo. At the time, doctors could only recommend rest in dry, warm climates. TB sufferers went to San Angelo for treatment.

In 1928, the city founded San Angelo College, one of the region's first institutes of higher education. The city had been passed over by the Texas State Legislature to be the home of what would become Texas Tech University. San Angelo College, one of the first municipal colleges, has grown to become Angelo State University. The military returned to San Angelo during World War II with the founding of Goodfellow Air Force Base, which was assigned to train pilots at the time. San Angelo grew exponentially during the oil boom of the 1900s, when vast amounts of oil were found in the area, and the city became a regional hub of the oil and gas industry.[11][12]

The San Angelo Independent School District became one of the first in Texas to integrate, doing so voluntarily in 1955.[13]

San Angelo is located at 31°26′34″N 100°27′1″W / 31.44278°N 100.45028°W / 31.44278; -100.45028 (31.442628, -100.450145).[14] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 58.2 square miles (150.9 km²), of which, 55.9 square miles (144.8 km²) is land and 2.3 square miles (6.1 km²) (4.03%) is covered by water.

San Angelo falls on the southwestern edge of the Edwards Plateau and the northeastern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert at the junction of the North and South Concho Rivers. The city has three lakes: Twin Buttes Reservoir, O.C. Fisher Reservoir, and Lake Nasworthy. The Middle Concho River joined the South Concho several miles upstream, but the confluence has been obscured by the Twin Buttes dam.

San Angelo is about 225 miles (362Â km) west of Austin.[15]

San Angelo falls near the boundary between the subtropical semiarid steppe (Köppen BSh) and mid-latitude steppe climates (Köppen BSk). It is located at the region where Central Texas meets West Texas weather. Temperatures reach 100 °F about 18 times in an average year.[16] However, in 2011, San Angelo recorded 100 days of 100 °F or higher.[17] The average year has 50 days with lows below freezing.[18] Though the region does experience snow and sleet, they occur only a few times a year. San Angelo averages 251 days of sunshine a year, and the average temperature is 65.4 °F. The city has an average rainfall of 21.25 inches (540 mm).[19]

As of the census[1] of 2010, 93,200 people, 36,117 households, and 22,910 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,601 people per square mile (618/kmÂ²). The racial makeup of the city was 83% White, 5.4% African American, 1.4% Indigenous American, 1.7% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 11.3% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 38.5% of the population.

Of 36,117 households, 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were not families; 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the city, the population was distributed as 23.4% under the age of 18 and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.8 years. The population was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.[6]

The median income for a household in the city was $38,777, and for a family was $49,640. Males had a median income of $33,257 versus $26,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,970. About 13.9% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.4% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.[26]

San Angelo has consistently been ranked by many publications and rankings as one of the best small cities for business and employment. In 2013, it ranked fourth in the nation in Forbes magazine's "Best Small Cities For Jobs" rankings.[27] In 2010, Kiplinger's Personal Finance named San Angelo as one of the "Best Cities of the Next Decade".[28] In 2009, CNN Money ranked San Angelo as one of the best cities to launch a small business.[29]

San Angelo has a diverse economy for a city of its size.[30] Although most oil fields lie to the west, many oil-field service companies based in the city employ a large number of local residents. The agricultural industry in San Angelo remains strong. Producer's Livestock Auction is the nation's largest for sheep and lambs, and is among the top five in the nation for cattle auctions. Though most agricultural work is done outside the city, thousands of employees work in the cattle and lamb meat-processing industries, and many more work in agriculture supporting roles inside the city.[31] Two agricultural research centers are located in San Angelo: the Angelo State University Management Instruction and Research Center[32] and the Texas A&M Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo.[33]

The telecommunication industry is a strong employer in San Angelo. Sitel has a call center in San Angelo.[34] In addition, Frontier Communications, Performant Recovery Inc. (formerly DCS), a debt recovery corporation,[31] and Blue Cross all employ over 1,000 each individuals locally. San Angelo serves as the regional medical center for west-central Texas. Shannon Medical Center and Community Medical Center employ over 3,000 in San Angelo,[31] and provide services to a large region of west-central Texas. The manufacturing industry has seen hits since the 1990s; however, many large employers still remain, including Ethicon a division of Johnson & Johnson, Conner Steel, and Hirschfield Steel.[35]

The several large institutional employers in the city include Shannon Medical Center, Angelo State University, and Goodfellow Air Force Base. The latter remains the largest employer in the region.

The Sunset Mall, the area's major shopping mall, opened in 1979.

The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts opened in 1999 in downtown San Angelo on the banks of the Concho River, built with local limestone and end-grain Texas mesquite. It attracts over 85,000 visitors a year and is home to the National Ceramic Competition.[36]

Downtown San Angelo is home to various art galleries. The San Angelo Art Walk, held every third Thursday, includes a viewing of the various downtown art galleries. These include the Kendall Art Gallery, Ruiz Studio, Black Swan Gallery, The Glass Prism, Bonnie Beesley Rug Gallery, and the Wool 'n Cotton Shop, as well as other public art venues. A free trolley service is available to the public.[37]

The San Angelo Symphony, founded in 1949, plays several events a year, with its feature event being on July 3. Over 20,000 people regularly attend that performance, which takes place at the River Stage, an outdoor venue on the Concho River.[38]

Angelo Civic Theatre is the oldest community theatre in Texas. It was founded on November 21, 1885, to raise resources for a town clock at the county courthouse. Though wavering economic times and two world wars stopped artistic efforts in the community on a number of occasions, theatrical productions continued. In 1950, Angelo Civic Theatre gained nonprofit status and a sustainable form of theatre was established.[39][40]

In 1969â€š a fire demolished the school building in which the theatre was housed. The theatre performed at various locations for 13 years, until purchasing the 230-seat historical Parkway Theater[41] in 1980. Angelo Civic Theatre continues to serve the community of San Angelo and produce six in-house plays a year.

Ballet San Angelo was founded in 1983 for the purpose of presenting an annual production of The Nutcracker. Since then it has expanded to offer a full season of productions including a choreography performance and a Children's Ballet. Ballet San Angelo also offers ballet training for students ages two through high school as well as a full fitness program featuring Pilates, yoga, BodyBarre, PiYOTM, Adult Ballet, and salsa. Ballet San Angelo also has outreach programs which include partnering with The National Ballet School of Canada to promote health, wellness, and education through movement with Sharing Dance Day. They also offer a free Dance for Parkinson's program and a free ballet class for children from local domestic abuse shelters. Ballet San Angelo offer a Tuition Assistance Scholarship to those who qualify.[42]

Angelo State University, through "The Arts at ASU", puts on six plays a year open to the general public. Thse range from dinner theater and theater in the round to conventional theatre productions, using the only active modular theatre in the United States.[43] The university also presents numerous concerts and recitals throughout the year, and has numerous displays in the Angelo State University Art Gallery. The public is encouraged to attend.

The San Angelo City Park system was created in 1903. The city currently has 32 parks with over 375 acres (1.52Â km2) of developed land. The department maintains a 33-acre municipal golf course along the river, 25 playgrounds, and 25 sports practice fields.

The "crown jewels" of the parks system are the parks that make up the 10 miles (16Â km) of river frontage on the Concho River winding through downtown and beyond. The parks feature many plazas, public art displays, and numerous water features.[44] The city is home to the International Water Lily Collection. The park contains over 300 varieties of water lilies, one of the largest collections in the world.[45][46]

The city also provides several municipal parks on Lake Nasworthy, one of three lakes near the city, which include Twin Buttes Reservoir and O.C. Fisher Reservoir.

The 7,677-acre (3,107 ha) San Angelo State Park, owned and maintained by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, is located on the shores of the O.C. Fisher Reservoir. Many activities are available within the park, including camping, picnicking, and swimming, as well as hiking, mountain biking, orienteering, and horseback riding on over 50 miles (80 km) of developed trails. The park is home to the official State of Texas Longhorn herd.[47]

The San Angelo Nature Center, located at Lake Nasworthy, is an educational center open to the public. It features many native and exotic animals, including alligators, bobcats, prairie dogs, tortoises, and 85 different species of reptiles, including 22 different species of rattlesnakes.[48] The center includes the Spring Creek Wetland, which has 260 acres (110 ha) being developed by the Federal Bureau of Reclamation, including a 7-mile (11 km) trail; its terrain varies from a semiarid environment to a freshwater marsh. It also maintains the one-mile (1.6-km) nature trail off Spillway Road.[49]

Historic Fort Concho, a National Historic Landmark maintained by the city of San Angelo, was founded in 1867 by the United States Army to protect settlers and maintain vital trade routes. It frequently experienced skirmishes with the then-hostile Comanche tribe. Today, the restored site is home to several museums, and is open to visitors Tuesday through Sunday.[50] Fort Concho is one of nine forts along the Texas Forts Trail.[51]

The annual San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo is held every year. It began in 1932, making it one of the longest-running rodeos in the world.[52] It is nationally renowned within the rodeo circuit, bringing in the top contestants and ranking as one of top 10 rodeos in the nation for monetary prizes awarded to contestants.[citation needed] It includes a parade, carnival, and concerts, and many other events in addition to the main stock show and rodeo.[53]

San Angelo is home to Angelo State University. Founded in 1928, it enrolls about 10,000 students who come from almost every county in Texas, 40 states, and 24 countries. One of the nation's premier regional universities, it was featured in the Princeton Review Best 373. The only other two listed from the state were Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin.

Angelo State offers almost 100 different undergraduate programs and 23 graduate programs, including one doctoral program. The university is divided into six colleges: Business, Education, Liberal and Fine Arts, Nursing and Allied Health, Sciences, and Graduate Studies. It has been a member of the Texas Tech University System since 2007.[54][55]

San Angelo has a branch of Howard College, which is based in Big Spring, Texas. The two-year school prepares students academically for transfer to a four-year university, and concentrates in technical and occupational fields of study that lead to certificates and/or associate in applied science degrees.[56]

A branch of Park University is located on the Goodfellow Air Force Base. The Goodfellow Campus Center has been providing higher education to the Concho Valley area since 1989. Park University's main campus was established in 1875 and is located in Parkville, Missouri.[57]

San Angelo is also home to a branch of American Commercial College, a private for-profit career college. It offers seven career certificate programs.[58]

Almost all of San Angelo is in the San Angelo Independent School District. Small parts are served by the Wall Independent School District (southeast San Angelo) and the Grape Creek Independent School District (northwest San Angelo). The two main high schools are Central (CHS) with Central Freshmen Campus (CFC), and Lake View (LVH). Three middle schools and 21 elementary schools are within San Angelo city limits.

Seven private schools operate in the city, certified through the 12th grade, which include Ambleside School of San Angelo (a member of Ambleside Schools International), the Angelo Catholic School, Cornerstone Christian School, Gateway Christian Academy, Trinity Lutheran School, Potter's Hand Christian School, and TLCA (a charter school.)[55]

San Angelo is served by the San Angelo Regional Airport, which offers daily flights through Envoy Air. Intrastate and interstate bus service is provided by the Kerrville Bus Co. and Sunset Stages from the downtown Union Bus Center, as Greyhound Bus providers. Both have regularly scheduled service to major cities in Texas and nationwide.[61]

The BNSF Railway serves the town and the Texas Pacifico has a lease on a TxDOT rail line, formerly the Kansas Cho Valley Transit District, with its five fixed bus routes, with transfers provided at the Santa Fe station. The bus service runs from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm, Monday through Saturday.[62] Taxi service is available throughout the city by Red Ball Taxi and Shuttle, Checker Cab, All American Cab and Yellow Cab.[62]


which park is located in kensington central london

In the north east, the large Royal Park of Kensington Gardens (contiguous with its eastern neighbour, Hyde Park) is a green buffer. The other main green area in Kensington is Holland Park, just north of Kensington High Street, a minority of roads have small residential garden squares.

Kensington

List of places

Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, West London, England.

The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street. The north east is taken up by Kensington Gardens, the Albert Memorial, the Serpentine Gallery and Speke's monument. South Kensington is home to Imperial College London, the Royal College of Music and the Royal Albert Hall.  The area is also home to many European embassies.

The first mention of the area is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was written in Latin as Chenesitone,[2] which has been interpreted to have originally been Kenesignetun ("Kenesigne's land" or "Kenesigne's meadows") in Anglo-Saxon. A variation may be Kesyngton, in 1396.[3]

The manor of Kensington, Middlesex, was granted by William I to Geoffrey de Montbray or Mowbray, bishop of Coutances, one of his inner circle of advisors and one of the wealthiest men in post-Conquest England. He in turn granted the tenancy of Kensington to his vassal Aubrey de Vere I, who was holding the manor in 1086, according to Domesday Book. The bishop's heir, Robert de Mowbray, rebelled against William Rufus and his vast barony was declared forfeit.  Aubrey de Vere I had his tenure converted to a tenancy in-chief, holding Kensington after 1095 directly of the crown.[4]  He granted land and church there to Abingdon Abbey at the deathbed request of his young eldest son, Geoffrey.[5]  As the Veres became the earls of Oxford, their estate at Kensington came to be known as Earls Court, while the Abingdon lands were called Abbots Kensington and the church St Mary Abbots.

The original Kensington Barracks, built at Kensington Gate in the late 18th century, were demolished in 1858 and new barracks were built in Kensington Church Street.[6]

The focus of the area is Kensington High Street, a busy commercial centre with many shops, typically upmarket. The street was declared London's second best shopping street in February 2005 thanks to its range and number of shops.[7] However, since October 2008 the street has faced competition from the Westfield shopping centre in nearby White City.[8]

Kensington's second group of non-residential buildings is at South Kensington, where several streets of small to medium-sized shops and service businesses are close to South Kensington tube station. This is also the southern end of Exhibition Road, the thoroughfare that serves the area's museums and educational institutions.

The edges of Kensington are not well-defined; in particular, the southern part of Kensington has conflicting and complex borders with Chelsea whether electoral or postal definitions are used, and has similar architecture. To the west, a border is kept along the line of the Counter Creek marked by the West London railway line and Earl's Court Road further south into other London districts. To the north, the only obvious dividing line is Holland Park Avenue, to the north of which is the district of Notting Hill which is part of the traditional definitions of Kensington and a subset of North Kensington.

South Kensington is of the same, largely private housing, use as central Kensington; the more economically and socially nationally reflective North Kensington and West Kensington are diverse and lack the tourism of the rest of Kensington.

Kensington is, in general, an extremely affluent area, a trait that it now shares with its neighbour to the south, Chelsea. The area has some of London's most expensive streets and garden squares, including Edwardes Square, most of the Holland Park neighbourhood and Wycombe Square, private redevelopments in Regency architecture. In early 2007, houses sold in Upper Phillimore Gardens for in excess of Â£20 million.  Adjoining neighbourhoods have residential areas and have accordingly been subdivided or have overlapping district names all, unlike Kensington, without an ancient parish predecessor: Knightsbridge, Brompton, Belgravia, Holland Park and Notting Hill.

Kensington is also very densely populated; it forms part of the most densely populated local government district (the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea) in the United Kingdom. This high density is not formed from high-rise buildings; instead, it has come about through the subdivision of large mid-rise Georgian and Victorian terraced houses (generally of some four to six floors) into flats. Unlike northern extremities of the Borough, Kensington lacks high-rise buildings except for the Holiday Inn's London Kensington Forum Hotel in Cromwell Road, a 27-storey building.

Notable attractions and institutions in Kensington (or South Kensington) include: Kensington Palace in Kensington Gardens, the Royal Albert Hall opposite the Albert Memorial in Hyde Park, the Royal College of Music, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Heythrop College, Imperial College, London, the Royal College of Art and Kensington and Chelsea College. The Olympia exhibition hall is just over the western border in West Kensington.

Kensington is part of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and lies within the Kensington parliamentary constituency.

The head office of newspaper group DMGT is located in Northcliffe House in Kensington,[9] which is the office part of the large Barkers building. In addition to housing the offices for the DMGT newspapers Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and Metro, Northcliffe House also accommodates the offices of the newspapers owned by Evgeny Lebedev: The Independent, The Independent on Sunday, and the Evening Standard.[10] The i newspaper, sold to Johnston Press in 2016,[11] is still produced from offices in Northcliffe House.

The building also houses Lebedev's TV channel London Live, with its news studio situated in part of the former department store, using St Mary Abbots church and Kensington Church Street as live backdrop.

Kensington is crossed east-west by three main roads, the most important of which is the A4 or Cromwell Road which connects it to Central London, Hounslow and Heathrow Airport. To the north is the mostly parallel Kensington Road (of which Kensington High Street forms a large part), linking central London and Hammersmith and Hounslow to the area. To the south is Fulham Road, which connects South Kensington with Fulham to the southwest. North-south connections are not as well-developed and there is no obvious single north-south route through the area.

Kensington is well served by public transport. Most of Kensington is served by three stations in the Travelcard Zone 1: High Street Kensington, Gloucester Road and South Kensington. All three are served by the Circle line which connects them to London's railway terminals. The District line also serves all three stations, albeit on different branches; it links the latter two to Westminster and the City. The Piccadilly line also links South Kensington and Gloucester Road to the West End in about 10 minutes, and in the other direction to Chiswick, Ealing, Hounslow and Heathrow Airport in around 20-40  minutes, depending on the area of choice. In addition Kensington (Olympia) in Travelcard Zone 2 serves the western part of Kensington, with District line trains to Earl's Court and High Street Kensington. Nearby West Kensington station takes its name from the former boundaries with Hammersmith and is not in the Borough.

A number of local bus services link Kensington into the surrounding districts, and key hubs are Kensington High Street and South Kensington station. These bus services were improved in frequency and spread from 2007 until 2010 when the western extension of the London congestion charge area existed (which required drivers of cars and vans during the charging hours Monday-Friday to pay a daily fee of Â£8).

Kensington has one football team, Kensington Borough F.C., who currently play in the Combined Counties Football League.