Mario is a fictional character in the Mario video game franchise, owned by Nintendo and created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Acting as the company's mascot, as well as being the eponymous protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation. Depicted as a short, Italian plumber who resides in the Mushroom Kingdom, his adventures center upon rescuing Princess Peach from the Koopa villain Bowser, his fraternal twin brother and sidekick is Luigi. With more than 600 million units sold worldwide, the overall Mario franchise is the best-selling video game franchise of all time. Outside of the Super Mario platform series, other Mario genres include the Mario Kart racing series, sports games such as the Mario Tennis and Mario Golf series, role-playing games such as Mario & Luigi, Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario, educational games such as Mario Is Missing!, Mario's Time Machine and Mario Teaches Typing. The franchise has branched into several media, including television shows, film and licensed merchandise.
Since 1990, Mario has been voiced by Charles Martinet. Shigeru Miyamoto created Mario while developing Donkey Kong in an attempt to produce a best-selling video game for Nintendo. Miyamoto wanted to create a game that used the characters Popeye and Olive Oyl. At the time, Miyamoto was unable to acquire a license to use the characters, so he ended up making an unnamed player character, Donkey Kong, Lady. In the early stages of Donkey Kong, Mario was unable to jump, the focus was to escape a maze. However, Miyamoto enabled Mario to jump, saying "If you had a barrel rolling towards you, what would you do?"While the protagonist was unnamed in the Japanese release, he was named Jumpman in the game's English instructions and Mario in the sales brochure. Miyamoto named the character "Mr. Video", he was to be used in every video game Miyamoto developed. According to a circulated story, during localization of Donkey Kong for American audiences, Nintendo of America's warehouse landlord Mario Segale confronted then-president Minoru Arakawa, demanding back rent.
Following a heated argument in which the Nintendo employees convinced Segale he would be paid, they opted to name the character in the game Mario after him. Miyamoto commented that if he had named Mario "Mr. Video", Mario would have "disappeared off the face of the Earth". By Miyamoto's own account, Mario's profession was chosen to fit with the game design. Since Donkey Kong was set on a construction site, Mario was made into a carpenter; when he appeared again in Mario Bros. it was decided he should be a plumber, since a lot of the game is played in underground settings. Mario's character design his large nose, draws on western influences. Other sources have Mario's profession chosen to be carpenter in an effort to depict the character as an ordinary hard worker, make it easier for players to identify with him. After a colleague suggested that Mario more resembled a plumber, Miyamoto changed Mario's profession accordingly and developed Mario Bros. featuring the character in the sewers of New York City.
Due to the graphical limitations of arcade hardware at the time, Miyamoto clothed the character in red overalls and a blue shirt to contrast against each other and the background. A red cap was added to let Miyamoto avoid drawing the character's hairstyle and eyebrows, as well as to circumvent the issue of animating his hair as he jumped. To give distinctly human facial features on an 8×8 pixel head, Miyamoto drew a large nose and a mustache, which avoided the need to draw a mouth and facial expressions. Miyamoto envisioned a "go to" character that could be put into any game as needed, albeit in cameo appearances, as at the time Miyamoto was not expecting the character to become singularly popular. To this end, he called the character "Mr. Video", comparing his intent for appearances in games to the cameos that Alfred Hitchcock had done within his films. Over time, Mario's appearance has become more defined; the colors of his shirt and overalls were reversed from a blue shirt with red overalls to a red shirt with blue overalls.
Miyamoto attributed this process to the different development teams and artists for each game as well as advances in technology. Mario debuted as "Jumpman" in the arcade game Donkey Kong on July 9, 1981, he has a pet ape called Donkey Kong. The carpenter mistreats the ape and Donkey Kong escapes to kidnap Jumpman's girlfriend known as the Lady, but named Pauline; the player must rescue the girl. Jumpman was renamed "Mario" in the 1982 arcade game Donkey Kong Junior, the only game in which he has been portrayed as an antagonist. In the 1983 arcade game Mario Bros. Mario and his younger brother Luigi are portrayed as Italian-American plumbers who have to defeat creatures that have been coming from the sewers below New York City. In Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Mario saves Princess Toadstool of the Mushroom Kingdom from King Koopa. To save Princess Toadstool, Mario conquers the eight worlds of the Mushroom Kingdom by going to the castle in
The moderator lamp is a type of 19th century oil lamp. It displaced the more complex Carcel lamp, its mechanism was simpler and required less repair. The moderator lamp was invented in 1837 by Charles-Louis-Félix Franchot. Like the Carcel lamp the oil reservoir was below the burner and it allowed 360 degree illumination. Earlier oil lamps such as the Argand had a reservoir above the burner which made them top heavy and obscured some of the light; the reliability of the mechanism led to them being adopted in lighthouses. A moderator lamp provides a pressurized supply of oil to the lamp wick by use of a spiral spring-loaded piston operating on a cylindrical oil reservoir. A regulating mechanism, the "moderator", compensates for the varying force of the spring as the piston descends; the moderator is a wire. When the spring is near the top of the reservoir, the wire runs through the full length of the tube; as the piston and tube lowers, the spring force decreases, the wire is withdrawn from the tube and the flow of oil encounters less resistance.
A steady stream of oil flows upward to the wick, with excess oil falling back into the reservoir above the piston. The piston, made of leather discs clamped between metal washers, was fitted with a valve to allow the piston to be withdrawn and the reservoir to be filled with oil. A winding key was provided with a rack, so that the piston could be raised and tension placed on the spring; these lamps were fueled by vegetable oil such as colza rapeseed oil. These oils would be too thick to travel up a lamp wick without some applied pressure. A disadvantage of the lamp was that the weight mechanism had to be manually raised several times in one evening. If this was not done the wick burned. Moderator lamps replaced the more complex clockwork-driven Carcel lamps and were used by the end of the 19th century, for both residential lighting and for lighthouses
James Pytts was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1660 and 1686. Pytts was the eldest son of Edward Pytts of Worcestershire, he lived at Kinnersley Castle, five miles from Weobley, which his first wife inherited during his father's lifetime. On his father's death in 1672 he in 1676 sold the Kinnersley estate, he was a commissioner for assessment for Herefordshire in 1657 and from January 1660 to 1680. In April 1660, he was elected Member of Parliament for Weobley in the Convention Parliament but the election was declared void three months later, he was a J. P. for Herefordshire from July 1660 until his death. In 1673 became commissioner for assessment for Worcestershire until 1680 and J. P. for Worcestershire until his death. He was a commissioner for recusants for Worcestershire in 1675. In March 1679 was elected MP for Leominster, he was Sheriff of Worcestershire from 1679 to 1680. He was commissioner for assessment for Leominster from 1679 to 1680.
From 1685 he was alderman of Bewdley. He was elected MP for Worcestershire in 1685. Pytts died in 1686 at the age of about 58, he had married firstly Lucy Smallman and heiress of William Smallman of Kinnersley Castle. He married secondly Anne Fettiplace, daughter of Sir John Fettiplace, 1st Baronet, of Childrey, Berkshire, he had no children from either wife and was succeeded by his cousin Samuel Pytts, MP for Hereford and for Worcestershire, to whom Kyre Park passed
"The Blood Line" is the tenth and final episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day, the fourth series of the British science fiction television series Torchwood. It was first broadcast in the United States on Starz on 9 September 2011. Torchwood: Miracle Day follows the aftermath of a day where humanity has stopped being able to die. In the episode, a team called Torchwood seek to stop the "Miracle" affecting humanity's ability to die, engineered by a group of human families seeking to control the world. In 2012, creator Russell T Davies announced that the show will be on indefinite hiatus, citing personal reasons, making "The Blood Line" the show’s overall series finale. Now aware that Jack's blood is drawn towards the Blessing, the Torchwood team uses small amounts of the blood to determine headings towards the two sites. Rex and Esther contact the CIA for assistance in infiltrating the Buenos Aires site of the Blessing, at the same time keeping Jack and Oswald's presence in Shanghai a secret. Director Shapiro agrees to the request and puts his team on the task, including Charlotte, who surreptitiously reports the mission to the Three Families.
A detachment of the Argentinian Army under the command of Captain Federico Santos soon arrives to assist Rex and Esther, but while the group is loading up, a Three Families double agent detonates a suicide bomb, making the other soldiers Category 1 and destroying Rex and Esther's supply of Jack's blood. Rex and Captain Santos survive unharmed, Rex tells Santos to report that he and Esther were killed in the blast in order to better allow them to infiltrate the Blessing site. At the CIA, Director Shapiro realizes the Three Families mole must be inside his team, has Noah run a newly developed trace program to track any recent phone calls made using the Three Families' method of avoiding traces. Realizing she is moments from being discovered, Charlotte calmly retrieves a hidden explosive device from a side office, leaves it inside her purse in the main meeting room, leaves; the resulting explosion'category 1s' Shapiro and the rest of his team and injures Charlotte, shielding her from any suspicion.
Jack and Oswald infiltrate the Shanghai Blessing site and make their way to its exposed face, where they meet the Mother, Jilly Kitzinger, several armed guards. The guards stand down when Oswald reveals he is wearing an explosive vest; this advantage seems short-lived when a radio transmission from the Cousin at the Buenos Aires site reveals that Three Families operatives there have captured Esther and Rex, but when Oswald expresses that he didn't expect to leave Shanghai alive, the operatives temporarily stand down. After spending some time examining the face of the Blessing, deducing that it generates a morphic field linking the human race and Gwen question the Mother about the Miracle. By stopping death and destabilizing the economy, the Families are now poised to take control of the banks, thereby influencing the world governments leading to a fascist oligarchy which can "decide who lives, how long and why." When Jack moves to open his veins and release his blood into the Blessing, the Mother stops him, explaining that this will not undo the Miracle, because the original effect required Jack's blood to be introduced at both Blessing sites simultaneously.
Since Rex and Esther's supply of Jack's blood was destroyed, there is no way to do this, the Mother orders all of Torchwood killed. Before this can happen, Rex manages to interrupt and claims that he still has some of Jack's blood with him—or rather in him. Upon arrival in Buenos Aires, Esther helped Rex transfuse all of Jack's blood into his body, which he notes only did not kill him because of the Miracle; the Mother counters that reversing the Miracle would require all of the blood in both Rex and Jack's bodies, which would kill at least one of them once the Miracle reverted, but Rex and Jack do not back down. The Cousin shoots Esther, telling Rex that by undoing the Miracle he will now be killing Esther forever. Rex falters, torn by his feelings for Esther, but after reassurances from Jack and Gwen he rises and opens the wound over his heart, releasing Jack's blood into the Blessing. Gwen shoots Jack through the heart, releasing his blood as well; the Miracle reverts immediately, accompanied by an effect which Gwen calls "a breath": all of the world's Category 1 patients regain consciousness for a few seconds pass away in the next breath.
This includes Gwen's father. At the same time both of the Blessing sites begin to shake, making the structure around them unstable. Oswald urges Gwen to leave. A brief struggle ensues between Jilly and Gwen before Gwen incapacitates Jilly, returns in the elevator and rescues Jack; the Mother begs Oswald to let her go. Jack and Gwen escape of the facility just seconds before Oswald detonates his explosives, destroying the Shanghai facility. Jilly follows close behind but falls to the ground and Gwen are unable to go back for her and she is engulfed in the explosion; the Buenos Aires team moves to leave as well, but before the Cousin can make
A'Quonesia Krashun Franklin known as Aqua, is an American basketball coach and former player. She played two seasons in the WNBA, she was a three-year captain of the Texas A&M team from the 2005–06 to 2007–08 seasons. She received All-America honorable mention honors from the Associated Press two times, has received all-Big 12 honors. In May 2019, she was named the head coach of the Lamar University women's basketball team. Born and raised in Tyler, Franklin attended John Tyler High School, where she earned first team all-state, first team All-East Texas, first team all-regional honors as a senior, she earned district MVP honors both senior year. She was named the East Texas MVP her senior years; as a senior, her team reached the regional semifinals. She averaged 12 points and three assists as a junior, averaged 14.5 points and six assists as a senior. She played in the Texas Girls Coaches Association Texas-Oklahoma All-Star game. During the summer after her senior year, she won an AAU championship with the Houston Elite team.
She chose to attend Texas A&M over Stephen F. Austin, West Virginia, UTEP. During her freshman season at Texas A&M, she was the only freshman in the Big 12 to start as a point guard, she was named Big 12 Rookie of the Week for three weeks. She received. In her junior season, she helped the Aggies win the Big 12 Conference regular season title, becoming a part of the first Texas A&M team to do so, she was named to the All-Big 12 First Team after the regular season. She was named Big 12 Player of the Week for two weeks, her team received a No. 4 bid to play in the 2007 NCAA Basketball Tournament. The team defeated Texas-Arlington in the first round but lost to George Washington in the second round, she received All-America honorable mention honors by the Associated Press after the tournament. In her senior season, she made the All-Big 12 Second Team; the Aggies won the Big 12 Tournament, received an automatic bid to play in the 2008 NCAA Basketball Tournament. She and her team were able to defeat 15th-seeded UTSA in the first round, Hartford in the second, Duke in the Sweet Sixteen matchup.
They advanced to the Elite Eight to play 7-time national champion Tennessee, lost 53–45. After the tournament, Franklin received honorable mention All-America honors by the Associated Press, she would finish her A&M career with 627 assists, ranking third all-time in A&M women's basketball history. Source Franklin was selected by the Sacramento Monarchs at No. 38 in the 2008 WNBA Draft. In her rookie season, Franklin played in 34 games and averaged 1.6 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Her team fell to San Antonio in the first round of the 2008 WNBA Playoffs. On March 20, 2009 the Phoenix Mercury traded Barbara Farris to the Sacramento Monarchs for Franklin and Kim Smith.. Franklin played for the Solna Vikings in 2009. Franklin returned to Texas A&M to pursue her graduate education, she served as a color analyst for the women's basketball team. She served as a graduate assistant for Aggies head coach Gary Blair, she became an assistant coach for Stephen F. Austin Women's Basketball Team in May 2010.
After 1 year at SFA she joined Kansas Jayhawks. She became an assistant coach for the Kansas Jayhawks women's basketball team in May 2011. After one season with the Jayhawks, she joined the Mississippi State Lady Bulldog staff in 2012. Official WNBA profile WNBA Training Camp interview May 2008 interview
The Cookout is a 2004 American comedy film, directed by Lance Rivera. It is co-written by and features Queen Latifah, is the feature film debut for her mother Rita Owens; this was the last film for Farrah Fawcett before her death in 2009. When Todd Anderson has just signed a 5-year/$30 million contract with his hometown basketball team the New Jersey Nets, he purchases many new luxuries for himself and his family including a new house in a well established, high class neighborhood for him and his gold digging girlfriend Brittany. Keeping with family tradition, he decides to host a regular family reunion cookout in his new place, not planning for it to clash with an important business meeting for an endorsement deal. Meanwhile, Bling Bling is jealous that Todd has made it with his basketball contract after being insulted and embarrassed in front of the neighborhood when Todd did not recognize who he was, he plans to get many pairs of sneakers signed by the upcoming star to become rich. Whilst on his way to Todd's new house, he crashes his car due to his clumsy friend and tries to steal a new Mercedes from a parking garage without realizing the car belongs to Todd's girlfriend Brittany.
After finding out he forces her to drive him there. Although the meeting is scheduled to take place in the morning, the guests are to arrive in the afternoon, one by one members of Todd's eccentric family begin to arrive before expected disrupting his business interview; the neighbors are drawn to the cookout, Todd is concerned about his image, as his family's antics are making a poor impression on his neighbors. When Bling Bling and his criminal sidekick invade the cookout so they can get Todd's autograph, the ensuing chaos makes Todd realize how much he needs his family, he realizes that he loves the family for the way they are and gets a shock by the endorsement interviewer. Todd marries Becky and scores 26 points in his debut in New Jersey. Quran Pender — Todd Andersen Jenifer Lewis — Lady Em/Emma Andersen Meagan Good — Brittany Ja Rule — Bling Bling/Percival "Assmackey" Ashmokeem Jonathan Silverman — Wes Riley Tim Meadows — Leroy Farrah Fawcett — Mrs. Crowley Ruperto Vanderpool — Wheezer Frankie Faison — JoJo Andersen Vincent Pastore — Horse shit salesman Eve — Becky Danny Glover — Judge Crowley Queen Latifah — Security Guard Roberto Roman — Danny Reg E. Cathey --- Frank Washington Wilhelm Lewis --- Wayne Jerod Mixon — Willie Jamal Mixon — Nelson Gerry Bamman — Butler Wendy Williams — Piers Gabriel Mark Cuban as himself Marv Albert as himself The film opened on 1,303 screens, opened at #8 in the box office with a gross of $5,000,900.
After seven weeks, it ended with a domestic gross of $11,814,019 and made $195,051 from foreign countries, for a total of $12,009,070 world-wide. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a rating 5%, based on 41 reviews, with the consensus reading, "Good-natured but prepared with an absence of craft, The Cookout is an unappetizing collection of warmed-over jokes." On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 15 out of 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". On September 3, 2011, a sequel, The Cookout 2 premiered on BET. Quran Pender, Ja Rule and Frankie Faison were the only cast members. Despite the title, the plot itself is not about a cook-out at all. Talk show host Wendy Williams had a brief cameo as reporter Piers Gabriel in the original. In the sequel, she makes a special guest appearance as herself. Charlie Murphy co-stars in the film as the brother of Bling Bling. Rapper Rick Ross makes a special guest appearance in the film; the Cookout on IMDb The Cookout at AllMovie