Alfred Elton van Vogt was a Canadian-born science fiction author. His fragmented, bizarre narrative style influenced science fiction writers, notably Philip K. Dick, he is one of the most popular and influential practitioners of science fiction in the mid-twentieth century, the genre's so-called Golden Age, one of the most complex. Alfred Vogt was born on April 26, 1912 on his grandparents' farm in Edenburg, Manitoba, a tiny Russian Mennonite community east of Gretna, Canada in the Mennonite West Reserve, he was the third of six children born to Heinrich "Henry" Vogt and Aganetha "Agnes" Vogt, both of whom were themselves born in Manitoba, but who grew up in immigrant communities. Until age four, van Vogt and his family spoke a dialect of Dutch at home. For the first dozen or so years of his life, van Vogt's father, Henry Vogt, a lawyer, moved his family several times within western Canada, alighting successively in Neville, Saskatchewan. Alfred Vogt found these moves difficult remarking: Childhood was a terrible period for me.

I was like a ship without anchor being swept along through darkness in a storm. Again and again I sought shelter. By the 1920s, living in Winnipeg, father Henry worked as an agent for a steamship company, but the stock market crash of 1929 proved financially disastrous, the family could not afford to send Alfred to college. During his teen years, Alfred worked as a farmhand and a truck driver, by the age of 19, he was working in Ottawa for the Canadian census bureau, he began his writing career with stories in the true confession style of pulp magazines such as True Story. Most of these stories were published anonymously, with the first-person narratives being written by people in extraordinary and life-changing circumstances. After a year in Ottawa, he moved back to Winnipeg, where he sold newspaper advertising space and continued to write. While continuing to pen melodramatic "true confessions" stories through 1937, he began writing short radio dramas for local radio station CKY, as well as conducting interviews published in trade magazines.

He added the middle name "Elton" at some point in the mid-1930s, at least one confessional story was sold to the Toronto Star, who misspelled his name "Alfred Alton Bogt" in the byline. Shortly thereafter, he added the "van" to his surname, from that point forward he used the name "A. E. van Vogt" both and professionally. By 1938, van Vogt decided to switch to writing a genre he enjoyed reading, he was inspired by the August 1938 issue of Astounding Science Fiction, which he picked up at a newsstand. John W. Campbell's novelette "Who Goes There?" Inspired van Vogt to write "Vault of the Beast", which he submitted to that same magazine. Campbell, who edited Astounding, sent van Vogt a rejection letter, but one which encouraged van Vogt to try again. Van Vogt sent another story, entitled "Black Destroyer", accepted. A revised version of "Vault of the Beast" would be published in 1940. Van Vogt's first SF publication was inspired by The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin. "The Black Destroyer" was published in July 1939 by John W. Campbell in Astounding Science Fiction, the centennial year of Darwin's journal.

It featured a fierce, carnivorous alien, the coeurl, stalking the crew of an exploration spaceship, served as the inspiration for multiple science fiction movies, including Alien. In 1939, still living in Winnipeg, van Vogt married Edna Mayne Hull, a fellow Manitoban. Hull, who had worked as a private secretary, would act as van Vogt's typist, be credited with writing several SF stories of her own throughout the early 1940s; the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 caused a change in van Vogt's circumstances. Ineligible for military service due to his poor eyesight, he accepted a clerking job with the Canadian Department of National Defence; this necessitated a move back to Ottawa, where he and his wife would stay for the next year and a half. Meanwhile, his writing career continued. "Discord in Scarlet" was van Vogt's second story to be published appearing as the cover story. It was accompanied by interior illustrations created by Paul Orban. Van Vogt's first completed novel, one of his most famous, is Slan, which Campbell serialized in Astounding September to December 1940.

Using what became one of van Vogt's recurring themes, it told the story of a nine-year-old superman living in a world in which his kind are slain by Homo sapiens. Others saw van Vogt's talent from his first story, in May 1941, van Vogt decided to become a full-time writer, quitting his job at the Canadian Department of National Defence. Freed from the necessity of living in Ottawa, he and his wife lived for a time in the Gatineau region of Quebec before moving to Toronto in the fall of 1941. Prolific throughout this period, van Vogt wrote many of his more famous short stories and novels in the years from 1941 through 1944; the novels The Book of Ptath and The Weapon Makers both appeared in magazines in serial form during this era. As well, several of the stories that were compiled to make up the novels The Weapon Shops of Isher, The Mixed Men an

Dudley is a town in Worcester County, United States. The population was 11,390 at the 2010 census. Dudley was first settled in 1714 and was incorporated in 1732; the town was named for William Dudley. In April 1776, on his way to New York City from Boston after his victory in the Siege of Boston, General George Washington camped in the town of Dudley with the Continental Army along what is now a portion of Route 31 near the Connecticut border. During the trip, it is rumored that a "large cache" of captured and recovered British weaponry and supplies was ordered "concealed in the grounds" in the rural area along the route; the cache, hidden to resupply reinforcements from Massachusetts or to cover a retreat from the south, was never used or recorded as having been recovered. Union soldiers from Dudley, the 15th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, suffered heavy casualties inflicted by the Confederacy during the Battle of Gettysburg. Dudley was the primary manufacturer of "Brogan boots" worn by the Union Army and produced the majority of the standard issue Union uniforms worn during the Civil War.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.1 square miles, of which 21.0 square miles is land and 1.0 square mile, or 4.58%, is water. Dudley is bounded on the northeast by Oxford, on the north by Charlton, on the west by Southbridge, on the south by Woodstock and Thompson, on the east by Webster, with which it traditionally had the closest cultural and political relations; as of the census of 2000, there were 10,036 people, 3,737 households, 2,668 families residing in the town. The population density was 476.7 inhabitants per square mile. There were 3,910 housing units at an average density of 185.7 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 96.83% White, 0.23%African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.75% from other races, 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.01% of the population. There were 3,737 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.6% were non-families.

23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone, 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.04. In the town, the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $48,602, the median income for a family was $59,309. Males had a median income of $40,337 versus $27,589 for females; the per capita income for the town was $21,546. About 3.1% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over. The public library in Dudley opened in 1897; the library has changed location a few times since and in the early 21st century, a new building was constructed over the site of the former town hall, relocated.

In fiscal year 2008, the town of Dudley spent 1.44% of its budget on its public library—some $14 per person. Dudley is the home of Nichols College, which maintains a campus on Dudley Hill, the historical center of the town. Public schools in Dudley include Mason Road School, Dudley Elementary School, Dudley Middle School and Shepherd Hill Regional High School, the last of which serves students from Charlton. All public schools in Dudley are part of the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District. Dudley is one of ten towns whose students have the option of attending Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School. Black Tavern Stevens Linen Works Historic District James Blood, Civil War officer and Victoria Woodhull's second husband Jacob P. Chamberlain, former US Congressman The Hotelier, Emo band Chris Lindstrom is an American football guard with the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League Leo Martello, Wiccan priest and civil rights activist William Whiting II, former US Congressman, paper industrialist, philanthropist Dudley official website

Kaduna Book and Arts Festival known as KABAFEST, is an annual literary and art event in Kaduna State, Nigeria that took place for the first time in July, 2017. It was organized by Book Buzz Foundation, who organizes the annual Aké Arts and Book Festival, in collaboration with the Kaduna State Government and the Gusau Institute, it was the first book festival that occurs annually in northern Nigeria. There is a perception about Northern Nigeria as a place, too conservative for books and literature. KABAFEST was conceived - an initiative of the Kaduna State Government, as a way to address that misconception. Of that founding, Lola Shoneyin of Book Buzz says through the festival, she "aim to create new and exciting opportunities for social and cultural interaction, the celebration and promotion of creatives in the Northern region of Nigeria and foster tolerance and understanding through dialogues about books, the arts and society." The first edition of KABAFEST was held at the Gusau Institute in Kaduna State.

It featured over 50 writers, actors and performers from around the world. It was headlined by Sudanese author and first winner of Leila Aboulela. Other writers and artists present included Abdullah Musa Dona, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Aisha Umar, Aminu Alan Waka, Andrew Walker, Auwalu Anwar, Audee T. Giwa, Balaraba Ramat Yakubu, Carmen McCain, Chika Jones, Chitra Nagarajan, Dami Ajayi, E. E Sule, Edify Yakusak, Efe Paul Azino, Fatima A. Umar, Hadiza Isma El-Rufai, Hafsah A. Matazu, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Hafsat Ahmad Abdulwaheed, Hauwa Evelyn Shekarau, Ibrahim Bello-Kano, Ishaya Bako, Jamila Umar Tanko, Jerry Buhari, Joseph Hayab, Kadaria Ahmed, Kaltume B. Gana, Kenneth Gyang, Kinna Likimani, Kola Tubosun, Leila Aboulela, Mariam S. Oyawoye, Maryam Bobi, Maryam Awaisu, Maryam Bukar Hassan, Methuselah Jeremiah, Nur'din Busari, Nura Garba, Odafe Atogun, Pearl Osibu, Rahama Sadau, Rahma Abdulmajid Sharif, Richard Ali, Saddiq Dzukogi, Samira Haruna Sanusi, Segun Adeniyi, Saudatu S. Mahdi, Temie Giwa-Tubosun, Titilope Sonuga, Toni Kan, Usman Bugaje, Wana Udobang, Williams Chechet, Zaynab Alkali, Razinat Talatu Mohammed, Abubakar Othman, Jeremiah Gyang.

The festival featured the screening of two films: Ishaya Bako's Henna and Kenneth Gyang's Blood and Henna. It had "booklogues", panel discussions, art exhibition, a fiction workshop. A highlight of the festival was the unveiling of the memorandum of understanding, of'Right to Write Project', a literacy project between the European Union, a French cultural organisation, Africultures; the aim of the project is "to propagate massive literary and digital projects in five states in the North – Kaduna, Borno and Bauchi." The project is worth EUR 3 million. Another highlight of the festival was the announcement of a five hundred thousand naira Prize for Hausa Literature, a residency for writers writing in the language; the festival was declared an annual event by the governor of Mallam Nasir el-Rufai. "KABAFEST Website"

Sejdo Bajramović was a Yugoslav soldier and politician of the former Yugoslavia, the acting head of state of Yugoslavia for a brief time in 1991. Born in Kamenica, Bajramović was elected as Member of the Presidency representing Kosovo, when the Serbian president Slobodan Milošević out-maneuvred the incumbent Riza Sapunxhiu, through a recall by the Serbian Parliament. In the same move, he became acting head of state of Yugoslavia, as Milošević refused to accept the President-designate Stipe Mesić, representing Croatia, unilaterally declared the presidency incapable of functioning; as the provincial legislature of Kosovo was suspended, Bajramović was appointed as presidency member by the Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. His unquestioned loyalty to Milošević and obvious lack of a democratic mandate in difference to the rest of the Presidency, made him remembered as a mere puppet for the Milošević administration and his name became synonymous with "quisling", "proxy" and "false alibi". Bajramović's only merit before being handpicked by Milošević to vote on behalf of Kosovo, was being a sergeant first class in the Yugoslav People's Army.

Viktor Meier, Yugoslavia - A History of its Demise. London: Routledge, 1999 Stipe Mesić, The Demise of Yugoslavia - A Political Memoir. Central European University Press, 2004

Prasophyllum viretrum is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to thirty five scented, greenish-brown to brownish flowers and is only known from a few small populations in south-western Victoria. Prasophyllum viretrum is a terrestrial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single dark green, tube-shaped leaf up to 300 mm long and 2–3 mm wide. Between twelve and thirty five scented, greenish-brown to brownish flowers are arranged along a flowering spike 80–150 mm long, reaching to a height of 200–400 mm; as with others in the genus, the flowers are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The dorsal sepal turned downwards; the lateral sepals are a similar length to the dorsal sepal, linear to lance-shaped and spread apart from each other. The petals are linear to 6 -- 7 mm long; the labellum is white, sometimes pinkish, about 7 mm long, turns upwards near its middle and has crinkled or wavy edges. Flowering occurs from October to December.

Prasophyllum viretrum was first formally described in 2006 by David Jones and Dean Rouse from a specimen collected at the Pretty Hill Flora Reserve, near Orford and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word viretum meaning "greensward", "sod" or "turf"; this leek orchid grows in grassland in moist places and is only known from four or five populations in the south-west of the state. Media related to Prasophyllum viretrum at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Prasophyllum viretrum at Wikispecies

Mount Werner is a mountain summit in the Park Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 10,570-foot peak is located in Routt National Forest, 4.6 miles east-southeast of the City of Steamboat Springs in Routt County, United States. The mountain was renamed in 1964 in honor of skier Buddy Werner. Mount Werner is 150 miles northwest of Denver; the mountain reaches a height of 10,570 feet above sea level and has a base elevation of 6,900 feet, for a vertical rise of 3,670 feet. It has five peaks, Christie Peak, Thunderhead Peak, Sunshine Peak, Storm Peak, Mount Werner. Known as Storm Mountain, it was renamed in 1965 in honor of Buddy Werner, an Olympian from Steamboat Springs, killed in an avalanche in Switzerland in April 1964. Mount Werner stands within the watershed of the Yampa River, which drains into the Green River, the Colorado River, thence into the Gulf of California in Mexico; the Steamboat Ski Resort operates on 2,965 acres of the mountain. It is serviced by several chairlifts.

It receives some of the highest levels of snow in Colorado. The most recent ten-year snowfall average was 334 inches per year. Much of the mountain and the resort are contained within the Routt National Forest, it is the home mountain of Olympic bronze medalist snowboarder Arielle Gold. Mount Werner – 1964 Storm Mountain List of Colorado mountain ranges List of Colorado mountain summits List of Colorado fourteeners List of Colorado 4000 meter prominent summits List of the most prominent summits of Colorado List of Colorado county high points Steamboat resort Interactive maps and three live video "Mountain Cams" of the Steamboat Ski Resort on Mt. Werner