S. S. Van Dine is the pseudonym used by American art critic Willard Huntington Wright when he wrote detective novels. Wright was an important figure in avant-garde cultural circles in pre-World War I New York, under the pseudonym he created the immensely popular fictional detective Philo Vance, a sleuth and aesthete who first appeared in books in the 1920s in movies and on the radio. Willard Huntington Wright was born to Archibald Davenport Wright and Annie Van Vranken Wright on October 15, 1888, in Charlottesville, Virginia, his younger brother, Stanton Macdonald-Wright, became a respected painter, one of the first American abstract artists, co-founder of the school of modern art known as "Synchromism". Willard and Stanton were raised in Santa Monica, where their father owned a hotel. Willard, a self-taught writer, attended St. Vincent College, Pomona College, Harvard University without graduating. In 1907, he married Katharine Belle Boynton of Washington, he abandoned Beverley early in their marriage.

Katharine was granted a divorce in October 1930. He married for a second time in October 1930, his second wife was Eleanor Rulapaugh, known professionally as Claire De Lisle, a portrait painter and socialite. At age 21, Wright began his professional writing career as literary editor of the Los Angeles Times, where – describing himself as "'Esthetic expert and psychological shark" – he was known for his scathing book reviews and irreverent opinions, he was caustic about romance and detective fiction. His friend and mentor H. L. Mencken was an early inspiration. Other important literary influences included Ambrose Bierce. Wright was an advocate of the naturalism of Theodore Dreiser, Wright's own novel, The Man of Promise, was written in a similar style. In 1909, Wright wrote a perceptive profile of Edgar Allan Poe for the Los Angeles Times. Wright moved New York City in 1911, he published realist fiction as editor of the New York literary magazine The Smart Set, from 1912 to 1914, a job he attained with Mencken's help.

He was fired from that position when the magazine's conservative owner felt that Wright was intentionally provoking their middle-class readership with his interest in unconventional and sexually explicit fiction. In his two-year tenure, Wright published short stories by Gabriele D'Annunzio, Floyd Dell, Ford Madox Ford, D. H. Lawrence, George Moore. In 1913, he visited Munich, seeing Impressionist and Synchromist works of art, he wrote an article about the art, Impressionism to Synchromism, December 1913, published in New York magazine, which brought the abstract art to public attention in the US. Wright's energies were devoted to numerous projects, his book What Nietzsche Taught appeared in 1915. An attempt to popularize the German philosopher with skeptical American audiences, it described and commented on all of Nietzsche's books and provided quotations from each work. Wright continued to write short stories in this period. Wright was, most respected in intellectual circles for his writing about art.

In Modern Painting: Its Tendency and Meaning, he surveyed the important art movements of the last hundred years from Manet to Cubism, praised the unknown work of Cézanne, predicted a coming era in which an art of color abstraction would replace realism. Admired by people like Alfred Stieglitz and Georgia O'Keeffe, Wright became under his brother's tutelage one of the most progressive art critics of the time and helped to organize several shows, including the "Forum Exhibition of Modern American Painters", that brought the most advanced new painters to the attention of audiences on both coasts, he published a work of aesthetic philosophy, The Creative Will, that O'Keeffe and William Faulkner both regarded as a meaningful influence on their thinking about artistic identity. In 1917, Wright published Misinforming a Nation, in which he mounted a blistering attack on alleged inaccuracies and British biases in the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition. A Germanophile, Wright did not support America's decision to join the Allied cause in World War I, he was blackballed from journalism for more than two years after an overzealous secretary accused him of spying for Germany, an episode that became a much-publicized scandal in New York in November 1917.

Though cleared, his favourable view of Prussian militarism cost him his friendships with Mencken and Dreiser. In 1929, at the height of his fame as'Philo Vance', he was appointed Police Commissioner of Bradley Beach, New Jersey. After suffering a nervous breakdown and the beginning of a long-term dependence on drugs, Wright retreated to California, where he attempted to make a living as a newspaper columnist in San Francisco.. Contrary to what is stated in some sources, Wright did write a biography of the poet Richard Hovey and it was announced for publication in Spring 1914. In 1929, Wright stated that "It is true that at one time I was working on a book relating to Richard Hovey and his friends but Mrs Hovey died before the book went to press, it has never been published". Edgar Allan Poe: His Art, Influence. Los Angeles Times, 19 January 1909 The Uselessness of Art

Brandon Kyle Finnegan is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Cincinnati Reds organization. He has played in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds. Prior to his professional career, Finnegan attended Texas Christian University and played college baseball for the TCU Horned Frogs baseball team, he was drafted by the Royals in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft, made his MLB debut that season. The Royals traded Finnegan to the Reds during the 2015 season. Finnegan attended Southwest High School in Texas, he was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 45th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft, but did not sign and attended Texas Christian University. As a freshman in 2012, he pitched in 23 games with 11 starts, he finished the season. As a sophomore in 2013 he pitched in 16 games with 15 starts, going 0–8 but with a 3.18 ERA and 86 strikeouts in ​79 1⁄3 innings. After the 2013 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League, pitched for the United States collegiate national team.

After not winning a game during his sophomore season, he earned a victory in his first start of his junior season in 2014. During the season, he missed a few starts due to a minor injury, he finished the year 134 strikeouts in 105 2⁄3 innings. Finnegan was considered a top prospect for the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft; the Kansas City Royals selected Finnegan in the first round, 17th overall, of the draft. He signed with the team on June 28. Finnegan was called up to the majors for the first time on September 1, 2014 becoming the first player from the 2014 Draft to be promoted to the majors, he made his major league debut on September 6 against the New York Yankees. He struck out Jacoby Ellsbury for his first Major League strikeout, he earned his first major league hold on September 22 by pitching a scoreless seventh inning against the Cleveland Indians. He made his MLB postseason debut in the American League Wild Card game vs the Oakland Athletics on September 30, 2014, he pitched ​2 1⁄3 innings, allowing one earned run while striking out three in the extra innings victory.

On October 3, 2014, in the second game of the 2014 American League Division Series, Finnegan came in relief and picked up the 4–1 win, becoming the youngest relief pitcher in Royals postseason history to log a win. Finnegan became the first player to play in a College World Series and an MLB World Series in the same year when he took the mound in the seventh inning of Game 3 of the 2014 World Series against the San Francisco Giants. Finnegan took the loss in Game 4. In 2015, Finnegan began the season with the Omaha Storm Chasers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, working as a starting pitcher. During the season, the Royals promoted him to the major leagues, shifting him between the starting rotation and bullpen. On July 26, 2015, Finnegan was traded to the Cincinnati Reds, along with John Lamb and Cody Reed, for Johnny Cueto and cash considerations. Although Finnegan was traded from the 2015 World Series Champion Kansas City Royals, Finnegan was awarded a World Series ring for his contributions before the trade.

After the trade, he pitched for the Louisville Bats of the Class AAA International League as a starting pitcher and was promoted to the Reds on September 1 as a relief pitcher. Finnegan began the 2016 season pitching out of the rotation for Cincinnati, opening as the team's second starter behind Raisel Iglesias due to a plethora of injuries. In 5 starts in April, Finnegan went 1–1 with a 3.86 ERA, striking out 23 and walking 15 in 28 innings. In 6 starts in May, Finnegan went 0 -- 3 with a 4.37 ERA, walking 16 in 35 innings. However, in one of his losses, Finnegan threw a complete 8 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers, giving up one run and losing to Clayton Kershaw's two-hit shutout, he finished the 2016 season with a 3.98 ERA in 31 starts. Finnegan began the 2017 season in the Reds rotation, but on April 15, he was placed on the disabled list with a shoulder injury. On June 26, he was activated off the disabled list. However, on June 27, in his first start back off the disabled list against the St. Louis Cardinals, he re-injured his shoulder and had to leave the game.

He was put back on the DL the next day. He was 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in 13 innings. He was designated for assignment on March 28, 2019. On April 2, 2019, he was outrighted off the 40 man roster. Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball-Reference Brandon Finnegan on Twitter TCU Horned Frogs bio

Golden Dreams is a film about the history of California. It was a featured attraction at Disney California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, opening with the park on February 8, 2001, it starred Whoopi Goldberg as the Queen of California. On September 7, 2008 the last showing of the film to the public was made; the theater was razed in July 2009 and was replaced by The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure. However, the exterior replica of the Bernard Maybeck's Palace of Fine Arts remained; the final showing took place as a private showing for cast members on March 26, 2009. Guests entered the theater, a replica of the Bernard Maybeck façade of San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts, a famed Bay Area landmark constructed for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition; as the show began, two tall art deco statues of a single goddess-like woman, one on either side of a film projection screen, were bathed in golden light. The statue on the right "comes to life," personified by Goldberg, through a video of her face, projected from the rear onto the translucent head of the figure.

The statue introduced herself as "Califia, the Queen of California." Califia explained that she was the spirit within California, an inspiration to many famous Californians. Goldberg appeared in some of the filmed sequences that followed as Califia—in disguise—to comment or offer encouraging words to various characters who found themselves in challenging situations; the 70-mm film highlighted admirable and regrettable eras and incidents in the history of California, including vivid illustrations of injustice. Scenes featuring Chumash Indians living a peaceful life on the shore, for example, were followed by the same Indians being held captive by Spanish missionaries and conquistadors. After the establishment of California, events such as the troubles endured by Chinese laborers working on the railroad and miners during the Gold Rush of 1849 were presented; the immigration issue faced by Japanese women seeking to live in the United States California, was shown. Japanese and other Asians were denied entry, although wives of established immigrants were allowed to enter.

Many women became "picture brides," agreeing to marriage on the basis of exchanged photographs in order to come to the United States. A powerful dramatization showed the crushed hopes of one young picture bride whose husband was far older than represented in the photo he provided; the film continued into the 20th century, with the stories of the famed and infamous water and civil engineer William Mulholland, the hardships of those seeking a new life during the Great Depression, film producers of the 1930s, women taking over "men's jobs" to achieve victory in World War II. Still photos of the Japanese brides and of impoverished women in a migrant camp in the 1930s were the work of noted photographer, Dorothea Lange. After the war, thousands of people moved to California to seek good living, sunny weather, suburban life; the new luxuries of freeways and easy life were shown. After the 1950s, the turbulent counterculture of the 1960s was depicted; the technology boom of the latter part of the 20th century was featured, with the story of Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs and the creation of the personal computer.

The film, among the most sophisticated in any of the Disney parks, ended with a montage of notable events and Californians. The montage was reminiscent of a similar finale film to the attraction in The American Adventure Pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase, in which a cavalcade of fading images of noteworthy American historical events were set to an orchestral score. A concluding salute to discovery and imagination was given by Califia, her eyes closed as her face fell back into statuesque repose, the light within the statue faded, the house lights came up, her face reanimated to remind a woman that she forgot her bag as guests walked out of the theater. The 22-minute film was directed by Polish director Agnieszka Holland; the song at the end, "Just One Dream", was written by Walter Afanasieff and performed by Heather Headley, an actress best known for originating the parts of Nala in the Broadway version of The Lion King and of the title character in Aida. Seats: 347 Seating: Theater chairs Golden Dreams on IMDb Article about Golden Dreams on Yesterland.com

Panzer Commander is a computer tank-driving simulator released in 1998. Developed by Ultimation Inc. and published by Strategic Simulations Inc.. The game is set in World War II as a tank simulator. In the game the player takes command of an armored fighting vehicles. There are over 20 driveable tanks from Germany, the United States, Britain and 28 support vehicles. There are ten scenarios for six campaigns - three German and three Russian; the game offers Direct3D acceleration, a powerful scenario editor, excellent multiplayer support for up to six players over LAN or the Internet. The gameplay revolves around scripted scenarios with time limits. Infantry is represented by static emplacements and fortifications and artillery and air support are not under your control. Next Generation reviewed the PC version of the game, rating it four stars out of five, stated that "It's good-looking and accurate, it controls well. What more could any tank fan ask for?" Gamespot review

Lauren Johnson is a female middle-distance runner from the United States. She competed in the Women's 1500 metres event at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing, China; the former Oregon Track Club Elite athlete placed 4th at the 2015 USA Track & Field Championships, but she did not have an "A" standard qualifying time to punch her automatic ticket to the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing. Thus began her summer European circuit in hopes of dipping under the necessary 4:06.50 in the 1500m or 4:25.20 in the Mile. On July 18 in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium at the 2015 KBC Night of Athletics meet, Johnson placed second, clocking 4:04.17 to secure her spot on Team USA. Lauren won the 2016 Sir Walter Miler in a meet, outdoor North Carolina state and personal record of 4:25.04, six days at the third stop on the BBTM Grand Prix Tour 2016, Johnson won the Service Now West Chester Mile, stopping the clock at 4:31.33. Lauren went to college on athletic scholarships for both basketball.

Husband, Nick Johnson was named the Head Coach at alma mater. Born and raised in Huntington, Lauren attended Huntington North High School prior to Huntington University, where she earned a degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology. At Huntington University, Johnson earned All-American honors in track, cross country, basketball. On her multi-sport background, Lauren says, "I started playing basketball when I was 4 years old and, my main sport all the way through college. I only began to focus on running once I graduated, so I'm pretty new to the elite level of track and field." Johnson was sidelined with injuries ahead of the 2012 Olympic 2013 USA Championships. In 2015, she qualified for the World Championships in Beijing, where she finished a semi-finalist, had achieved the Olympic Standard for Rio in the 1500. Lauren Johnson profile BAA Lauren Johnson profile Lauren Johnson at World Athletics United States at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics

Diamante was one of a dozen Sirena-class submarines, the second sub-class of the 600 Series of coastal submarines built for the Regia Marina during the early 1930s. The Sirena class was an enlarged version of the preceding Argonauta-class submarines, they displaced 691 metric tons surfaced and 850 metric tons submerged. The submarines were 61.5 meters long, had a beam of 5.7 meters and a draft of 4.7 meters. Their crew enlisted men. For surface running, the boats were powered by two 675-brake-horsepower diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft; when submerged each propeller was driven by a 400-horsepower electric motor. They could reach 14 knots on 7.5 knots underwater. On the surface, the Sirena class had a range of 5,000 nautical miles at 8 knots; the boats were armed with six 53.3-centimeter torpedo tubes, four in the bow and two in the stern for which they carried a total of 12 torpedoes. They were armed with a single 100 mm deck gun forward of the conning tower for combat on the surface.

The anti-aircraft armament consisted of four 13.2-millimeter machine guns. Diamante was laid down by Cantieri navali Tosi di Taranto at their Taranto shipyard in 1931, launched on 21 May 1933 and completed the following year. Bagnasco, Erminio. Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-962-6. Brescia, Maurizio. Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-544-8. Chesneau, Roger, ed.. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7. Rohwer, Jürgen. Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2