Home About us Products Services Contact us Bookmark
:: wikimiki.org ::
Dane

Dane

Dane may refer to:
- a citizen of the Kingdom of Denmark.
- a person who identifies himself as being Danish.
- a member of the Dani, a Germanic people in southern Scandinavia prior to their unification with the Jutes.
- a pop singer named Dane Bowers from the UK
- a comedian named Dane Cook, renowned for his web-design skills
- a Reenactor/Society for Creative Anachronism/Renaissance Fair term (sometimes used by other “non-standard” groups such as pagans) to refer to a mundane, a “normal” person, ie one that is not involved with their the particular scene the speaker is involved in. Places called Dane:
- Canada
  - Dane, Ontario
  - Dane, Nova Scotia
- United States:
  - Dane, Wisconsin
  - Dane (town), Wisconsin
  - Dane County, Wisconsin
  - Dane Prairie Township, Minnesota There is also the River Dane, a river in Cheshire in northwest England. A Great Dane is a breed of dog.

Monarchy

:For related meanings see also Monarch (disambiguation) A monarchy, (from the Greek monos, "one," and archein, "to rule") is a form of government that has a monarch as Head of State. The distinguishing characteristic of monarchies is that the Head of State holds their office for life, unlike in a republic, where a president is normally elected for a certain amount of time. The term monarchy is also used to refer to the people and institutions that make up the royal establishment, or to the realm in which the monarchy functions. Elective monarchies, distinguished by the monarchs being appointed for life, have in most cases been succeeded by hereditary monarchies. In the hereditary system, the position of monarch involves inheritance according to an order of succession, usually within one royal family tracing its origin back to a historical dynasty or bloodline. In some cases the royal family may claim to hold authority by virtue of God's choosing, or other religious-based authority. In most countries with monarchies, the monarch serves as a symbol of continuity and statehood. Many states have a strong convention against the monarch becoming involved in partisan politics (the Central African Empire was an exception). In some cases, the symbolism of monarchy alongside the symbolism of democracy can lead to division over the apparently contradictory principles.

History

Monarchies are one of the oldest forms of government, with echoes in the leadership of tribal chiefs. Many monarchies began with the monarch as the local representative and temporary embodiment of the deity: (King of Babylon). The monarch often ruled at the pleasure of the deity and was overthrown or sacrificed when it became apparent that supernatural sanction had been withdrawn: emperors of China, Mayan kings, Achaemenid kings of Persia. Other monarchs derived their power by acclamation of the ruling or of the warrior caste of a clan or group of clans: kings of the Franks, Roman emperors. Even where law is simply the monarch's will, the king must rule by custom. Since 1800, many of the world's monarchies have ceased to have a monarch and become republics, or become parliamentary democracies. Democratic countries which retain monarchy have by definition limited the monarch's power, with most having become constitutional monarchies. In England, this process began with the Magna Carta of 1215, although it did not reach democratic proportions until after the Glorious Revolution in 1689. Among the few states that have absolute monarchies are Swaziland, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. In Jordan and Morocco, the monarch retains considerable power. There are also recent (2003) developments in Liechtenstein, wherein the regnant prince was given the Constitutional power to dismiss the government at will.

Types of monarchy

In an absolute monarchy, the monarch has power over every aspect of the state, and a constitution may be granted or withdrawn. Modern versions tend to survive only in societies with sufficient technology to allow the concentration and organization of power, but not to allow education and rapid communication to flourish. The economic structure of such monarchies is that of concentrated wealth, with the majority of the population living as agricultural serfs. In some cases, a hereditary monarchy exists, but actual power resides in the military. This has often historically been the case in Thailand and Japan. In Fascist Italy a monarchy coexisted with a fascist party for longer than such co-existences occurred in Romania, Hungary or Greece. Spain under Francisco Franco was officially a monarchy even though there was no monarch on the throne; upon his death, Franco was succeeded as head of state by King Juan Carlos. There have also been situations in which a dictator or a group has proclaimed himself monarch in a republican state, thus starting a self-proclaimed monarchy with no historical ties to a previous dynasty. The most famous example of this was Napoleon Bonaparte who made himself Emperor of France after assuming control of the French Republic. On several occasions throughout history, the same person has served as monarch of separate independent states, in a situation known as a personal union. An empire was traditionally ruled by a monarchy whose leader may have been known by different titles in his different realms. Several former colonies of the British Empire, such as Australia, Canada, Jamaica, and New Zealand, continue to recognize the British Monarch as their own, under a separate title for each country. In other cases, such as England and Scotland, a personal union was the precursor to a merger of the states.

Succession

The rules for selection of monarchs varies from country to country. In constitutional monarchies the rule of succession is generally embodied in a law passed by a representative body, such as a parliament. The order of succession in most European monarchical states of the 21st century is by primogeniture, meaning the eldest son of the monarch is first in line, followed by his male, then female siblings in order of age. In earlier times, the succession was often unclear and this led to a number of wars. Currently, there is some controversy over the succession laws of some monarchies in the European Union (EU), such as that of the United Kingdom (UK) or the Scandinavian monarchies, which require their monarch to be of a certain faith (in the UK under the Act of Settlement 1701). This has been challenged as violating EU rules that prohibit religious disqualification for positions of state authority. Some autocratic states can appear to have introduced inheritance for the head of state without declaring themselves to be monarchies, such as Syria and North Korea. See family dictatorship.

Destruction of monarchies

Monarchies can come to an end in several ways. There may be a revolution in which the monarchy is overthrown; or, as in Italy, there may be a referendum in which the electorate decides to form a republic. In some cases, as with England and Spain, the monarchy has been overthrown and then restored. Countries may regard themselves as monarchies without a named monarch, as Spain did from 1947 to 1975, and Hungary from 1920 to 1944. A person who claims to be the legitimate heir to a deposed monarchy is called a pretender. See also abolished monarchies for a list of recently abolished monarchies.

Unusual examples

Sometimes, component members of federal states are monarchies, even though the federal state as a whole is not; for example each of the emirates that form the United Arab Emirates has its own monarch (an emir). Another unique situation is Malaysia, in which the national king, called the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or Paramount Ruler, is elected for a five year term from and by the nine sultans who are the hereditary rulers of the States of the Malay peninsula. In addition to his spiritual role, the Pope is the monarch of the Vatican City. He is elected by (and customarily from among) the College of Cardinals. (Since the Catholic episcopate is celibate, naturally there can be no official hereditary succession to the papal throne.) Notwithstanding this the papacy has often been under the control of powerful Italian families. Several popes have been succeeded by near relatives, in some cases by their own sons (officially described as nephews). Andorra has two co-princes, of which one is the Bishop of Urgell in Spain, and the other is the President of France—a unique case where an independent country's monarch is democratically elected by the citizens of another country. Samoa is often erroneaously described as a monarchy. The president-for-life, or "o le Ao o le Malo" is Malietoa Tanumafili II, is a member of one of the three princely families. The Constitution designates him Head of State for life, but he will be succeeded by an elected president.

Current monarchies

(see also List of countries by system of government) In many countries that are legally republics, there is an heir to the throne who is recognized by part of the nation. A list of such countries is available in the pretender article.

See also


- Abolished monarchies
- Canadian monarchy
- Dutch monarchy
- Emperor of Japan
- Family as a model for the state
- Feudalism
- Theocracy
- Indonesian Monarchies
- Monarchies of Ethiopia
- List of Nigerian traditional states
- Cokossian Monarchy
- Kotokolian Monarchy
- Monarchies of Burma
- Wogodogo Monarchy
- Tenkodogo Monarchy

External links


- [http://www.monarchy.net The Monarchist League]
- [http://www.royaltymonarchy.com Theodore's Royalty and Monarchy Page] Category:Forms of government Category:Political systems
- ja:君主制 ko:군주제

Danish people

:This article is about Danes as an ethnic group. For information about residents or nationals of Denmark, see demographics of Denmark. For information on the breed of dog see Great Dane The term Dane may refer to:
- People with a Danish ancestral or ethnic identity, whether living in Denmark, emigrants, or the descendents of emigrants.
- Members of the Danish ethnic minority in Southern Schleswig, a former Danish province.
- Anyone whose mother tongue is Danish.
- Nationals or citizens of Denmark, which also includes a German minority in South Jutland as well as recent non-European immigrants and their descendents (see: Demographics of Denmark). This article refers to the two definitions, ethnic Danes and their descendents plus the minority in Germany.

Danes in Denmark

Almost1 5 million ethnic Danes live in Denmark today. The Danes are a Scandinavian ethnic group, and are the descendents of the Norse - better known as Vikings - along with Norwegians, Swedes, Icelanders, and Faroese. The average Dane enjoys a comfortable standard of living. See also History of Denmark. A minority of approx. 50,000 Danes live in Southern Schleswig in Germany, a former Danish territory, forming around 10% of the local population. In Denmark, the latter group is often referred to as De danske syd for grænsen (literally: the Danes south of the (Danish-German) border).

The Danish Nation in a political context

Det danske folk (The Danish nation) as a concept, played an important role in 19th century ethnic nationalism and refers to self-identification rather than a legal status. Use of the term is most often restricted to a historical context; the historic German-Danish struggle regarding the status of the Duchy of Schleswig vis-à-vis a Danish nation-state. It describes people of Danish nationality, both in Denmark and elsewhere. Most importantly, ethnic Danes in both Denmark proper and the former Danish Duchy of Schleswig. Excluded from this definition are people from the formerly Norwegian Faroe Islands and Greenland as well as members of the German minority as well as members of other ethnic minorities. The term should not be confused with the legal concept of nationality, Danske statsborgere (Danish nationals) i.e. individuals holding Danish citizenship.

References


- 1 [http://www.dst.dk/asp2xml/external/external.asp?title=Nyt%20fra%20Danmarks%20Statistik:%C2%A0Nr.%20478,%208.%20november%202005&ancestor=Gratis%20statistik&file=/asp2xml/PUK/udgivelser/get_file.asp?id=8062&show=pdf Danmarks Statistik] (pdf in Danish) reports that Denmark, per October 1st, 2005, has 461,614 inhabitants of foreign inheritance out of 5,425,420 total inhabitants. That amounts to an estimate of 4,963,806 ethnic Danish people on October 1st, 2005. .
- 2 The [http://www.euroamericans.net/dane.htm# 2000 American census] reports that the United States, in the 2000 census, has 1,430,897 inhabitants of Danish ancestry.
- 3 The [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gl.html#people CIA World Factbook] reports that Greenland, in a July 2005 estimate, has 56,375 inhabitants. The share of Danes was in 2000 estimated to be just below 12%. Taking for granted that the two ethnic groups have developed equally from 2000 to 2005, this adds up to an estimate just below 6765 Danish people in July 2005. Category:Ethnic groups of Europe Category:Germanic peoples ja:デーン人

Dani (tribe)

The Daner were an ancient North Germanic tribe residing in modern day southern Sweden and on the Danish islands. They were not mentioned by Tacitus, whose famous work Germania mentions the Gothones (Geats and/or Goths?) and the Suiones (Swedes). They seem to be, however, mentioned by Jordanes, as the Dani, and also by Procopius. The name Daner is the etymological root of Dane. Jordanes maintains that the Dani were the of the same stock as the Suetidi (Swedes, Suithiod?) and expelled the Heruli and took their lands. If Tacitus simply did not overlook the Dani, and if Jordanes's information was correct, it is possible that they first appeared, as an off-shoot of the Swedes, sometime in the 2nd or 3rd century A.D. This would have been about the time that Dan Mikilláti gave his name to the Danes, according to Snorri Sturluson in the Ynglinga saga. Category:Ancient Germanic peoples Category:Ethnic groups of Europe ja:デーン人

Scandinavia

Scandinavia is the cultural and historic region in Northern Europe consisting of the Scandinavian and Jutland peninsulas and the islands inbetween. Today, this region encompasses three sovereign states: :
- Denmark :
- Norway :
- Sweden These three countries have mutually recognized each other as parts of political and cultural region, since the height of the nationalist movements in these countries in the middle of the 19th century. The region takes its name from the peninsula, which in turn is thought to be named after Skåne (Scania) situated at the southern extreme of the Scandinavian peninsula. Prior to the mid-19th century, the region included a larger area of Northern Europe, comparable to the modern "Greater Scandinavia": :
- Denmark-Norway :
- Sweden-Finland The collective label "Scandinavia" nowadays primarily reflects the linguistic similarities, but also the strong historical and social ties between these countries despite their current political independence and different policies during the two World Wars and Cold War and membership in international organizations.

Greater Scandinavia (Norden)

Like other regions of the world, the usage and meaning of the term 'Scandinavia' can vary depending on defining criteria. Some or all of the following geo-political entities may variously be considered peripherally Scandinavian, since they traditionally have had strong political and economic ties with Scandinavia proper:
- Faroe Islands
- Finland (a sovereign republic since 1917-18)
- Greenland
- Iceland (a sovereign republic since 1944-45)
- Jan Mayen
- Svalbard
- Åland These alternative meanings are sometimes considered incorrect in some parts of Scandinavia, and occasionally some people may take offence at such usage. In recent years "Scandinavia" has again increasingly been used by scholars and teachers, in Scandinavia and other regions, in the historical sense with Finland included. [http://www.h-net.org] The term the Nordic countries is used unambiguously for the Scandinavian kingdoms of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the republics of Finland and Iceland. More infrequently, the term is also used occasionally to include Estonia, owing to its cultural ties with Sweden and Finland and its proximity to Scandinavia. The terms Fennoscandia and Fenno-Scandinavia are used either to include the Scandinavian peninsula, the Kola peninsula, Karelia, Finland and Denmark under the same term alluding to the Fennoscandian Shield, even if Denmark actually resides on the North European Plain, or they may be used in a more cultural sense, more or less as a synonym for the Nordic countries, to signify the historically close contact between Finnic, Sami and other Scandinavian peoples and cultures.

Etymology

The etymology for the names Scandinavia and Skåne (Scania) is considered to be the same. The name is most probably derived from the Germanic
- Skaðin- meaning "danger" (cf. English scathing and unscathed) and
- awjo meaning "island". It may have referred to the dangerous banks around Skanör (skan- is the same as in Scandinavia, and -ör means "sandbanks") and Falsterbo in Skåne in southernmost Scandinavia. Alternatively, the first element is sometimes attributed to the Scandinavian giantess Skaði from Norse mythology. The original form is considered to be
- Skaðinawjo, which gave rise to different forms in Germanic languages and by non-Germanic scribes. In Beowulf we meet the forms Scedenigge and Scedeland. Ptolemy uses the form Scandia, and Scatinavia appears in Roman texts, e.g. Pliny the Elder, whereas Pomponius Mela used the deviant form Codanovia. The form Scadinavia, the original home of the Langobards, appears in Paulus Diaconus' Historia Langobardorum[http://www.fh-augsburg.de/~harsch/Chronologia/Lspost08/PaulusDiaconus/pau_lan1.html], but in other versions of Historia Langobardorum appear the forms Scadan, Scandanan, Scadanan and Scatenauge[http://www.northvegr.org/lore/langobard/001.php]. In Jordanes' history of the Goths (AD 551) we meet the form Scandza their original home, separated by sea from the land of Europe (chapter 1, 4)[http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~vandersp/Courses/texts/jordgeti.html]. The name of the Scandinavian mountain range, Skanderna in Swedish, is artificially derived from Skandinavien in the 19th century, in analogy with Alperna for the Alps. The commonly used names are bergen or fjällen; both names meaning "the mountains".

History

Languages

Main articles: North Germanic languages, Finno-Ugric languages Most dialects of Danish, Swedish and Norwegian are mutually intelligible, and Scandinavians can with little trouble understand each other's standard languages as they appear in print and are heard on radio and television. However it is often assumed that Swedes have the greatest difficulties understanding the other two languages, which may be a consequence of limited access to Danish and Norwegian radio and television in Sweden. The reason why Danish, Swedish and Norwegian are traditionally viewed as different languages, rather than dialects of one language, is that they each are well established standardized languages (Ausbausprache) in their respective countries. They are related to, but not intelligible with, the other North Germanic languages, Icelandic and Faroese, which are descended from the Norwegian dialect of Old Norse. Danish, Swedish and Norwegian have, since medieval times, been influenced to varying degrees by Middle Low German and standard German. The Scandinavian languages are (as a language family) entirely unrelated to Finnish and Estonian, which as Finno-Ugric languages are distantly related to Hungarian. This said there still is a great deal of borrowings from the Swedish language in both the Finnish and Estonian language. Although Swedish speakers constitute a small but influential minority in Finland—and Finnish speakers constitute a minority in Sweden of similar relative size—and most ethnic Finns have studied Swedish as a mandatory school subject, the linguistic distance between the language families is often seen as indicative of a cultural distance and a reason not to classify the Finns as Scandinavian. This view was particularly prominent among Finns influenced by the ethnic nationalist movement called Fennoman in the beginning of the 20th century, as well as the language-based Scandinavian movement in the other Scandinavian countries in the 1850's. Only in 1902 was Finnish language granted an equal status with Swedish as an official language of Finland. Still in present day, the municipality with the highest fraction of native Swedish speakers of the population in the world, Korsnäs, resides in Finland. A rather typical folk-linguistic view might suggest the following. Finns and Icelanders who have studied Swedish and Danish, respectively, as foreign languages often also find it hard to understand the other Scandinavian languages. On the other end of the scale are the Norwegians, who with two parallel written standards, and a habit to hold on strongly to local dialects, are accustomed to variation and may perceive Danish and Swedish as only slightly more distant dialects. In a conversation between a Swedish speaker and a Dane there can be significant difficulties in understanding each other's spoken language, due to differences in pronunciation and vocabulary. In the Faroe Islands Danish is mandatory, and since Faroese people this way become bilingual in two very distinct Nordic languages find it relatively easy to understand the other two Mainland Scandinavian languages. [http://www.nordkontakt.nu/].

Politics

The modern use of the term Scandinavia rises from the Scandinavist political movement, which was active in the middle of the 19th century, chiefly between the First war of Schleswig (Slesvig in Scandinavian) (1848-1850), in which Sweden-Norway contributed with considerable military force, and the Second war of Schleswig (1864) when Sweden's parliament denounced the King's promises of military support. The King proposed the unification of Denmark, Norway and Sweden into a single united kingdom. The background for this was the tumultuous events during the Napoleonic wars in the beginning of the century leading to the partition of Sweden (the eastern part becoming the Russian Grand Duchy of Finland in 1809) and Denmark (whereby Norway, de jure in union with Denmark since 1387, although de facto merely a province, became independent in 1814 and thereafter was swiftly forced to accept a personal union with Sweden). Finland being a part of the Russian Empire meant that it would have to be left out of any equation for a political union between the Nordic countries. The geographical Scandinavia included Norway, Sweden and parts of Finland, but the political Scandinavia was also to include Denmark. Politically Sweden and Norway were united in a personal union under one monarch. Denmark also included the dependent territories of Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland in the Atlantic Ocean (which however historically had belonged to Norway, but unintentionally remained with Denmark according to the Treaty of Kiel). The end of the Scandinavian political movement came when Denmark was denied military support from Sweden-Norway to annex the (Danish) Duchy of Schleswig, which together with the (German) Duchy of Holstein had been in personal union with Denmark. The Second war of Schleswig followed in 1864. That was a brief but disastrous war between Denmark and Prussia (supported by Austria). Schleswig-Holstein was conquered by Prussia, and after Prussia's success in the Franco-Prussian War a Prussian-led German Empire was created, and a new power-balance of the Baltic sea countries was established. Even if a Scandinavian political union never came about there was a Scandinavian Monetary Union established in 1873, with the Krona/Krone as the common currency, and which lasted until World War I. The modern Scandinavian co-operation after World War I also came to include the independent Finland and (since 1944) Iceland and Scandinavian as a political term came to be replaced by the term Nordic countries; and eventually, in 1952, by the Nordic Council institution.

Historical political structure

1/ The original settlers of the Faroes and Iceland were of Pictish or Celtic origin (from Scotland or Ireland), then Nordic origin (mainly Norwegian). zh-min-nan:Skandinavia als:Skandinavien ko:스칸디나비아 ja:スカンディナヴィア simple:Scandinavia

Pop singer

:For other senses of this word, see singer (disambiguation). singer (disambiguation) In music a singer is a type of musician who uses his or her voice as an instrument to produce music. Usually, singing refers to vocal melody only, though vocalist is a similar term which which also encompasses non-melodic sounds and effectively includes anyone using their voice as part of a musical composition, including spoken word and rapping. A lead singer (in barbershop music simply called a lead) is one who sings the primary vocals of a song, as opposed to a backup singer who sings backup vocal(s) to a song or harmonies to the lead singer. An exception is in five-part gospel a cappella music, where the lead is the highest of the five voices and sings a descant, never the melody which may be in any of the other four parts. In European classical music and opera, voices are treated just like musical instruments. Composers write music for these instruments, understanding the skills and vocal properties of the singers. Singers build careers by specializing in certain musical styles. To help both composers and singers, voice classification systems evolved, of which there are now many systems. How loud or how fast a singer can sing can be taken into account, while some systems include non-musical characteristics like what a singer looks like, how well a singer acts (crucial in opera), or how funny a singer can be. In Germany, opera houses use a complex sorting procedure, called the fach system, that considers all these elements. Classifying singers by range and sex is the most common method. But even using these guidelines, there are still many, many categories. The six most common classifications are:
- Female voices:
  - soprano, the highest female voice
  - mezzo-soprano, the middle female voice
  - contralto, the lowest female voice, called alto in chorus music
- Male voices:
  - tenor, the highest male voice
  - baritone, the middle male voice
  - bass, the lowest male voice There are many other designations, including soubrette, heldentenor, bass-baritone, coloratura, and basso buffo. There are even categories for men capable of singing in the female range. This type of voice is rare, but still used in opera. In Baroque music, many roles were written for castratos, male singers who were castrated as boys to prevent their voices from changing. Today, with training, a man can still sing these roles. This singer is called a sopranist, countertenor, or male alto. Singers may also be classified according to the style of music they sing, such as soul singers or carnatic vocalists.

See also


- Humming
- Rapping
- singer-songwriter
- List of female singers
- List of male singers
- :Category:Vocalists
- Death growl Category:Occupations in music
- ko:가수 ms:Penyanyi ja:歌手

UÇK

UÇK is an acronym used by two Albanian guerrilla movements from 1992 to 2001:
- The most well known group is Ushtria Çlirimtare e Kosovës (Albanian for the Kosovo Liberation Army - KLA), which operated in Kosovo from 1995 to 1999. (The name was in use from 1992, but the guerrilla did not start its armed uprising before 1995.)
- Not so well known is Ushtria Çlirimtare Kombëtare (Albanian for National Liberation Army), which operated in the Republic of Macedonia in 2000 and 2001. This movement is often confused with the KLA because of its identical (Albanian) acronym, and because many of the NLA soldiers were KLA veterans.

External links


- [http://www.kosovo.com/kla2.html KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY - Freedom Fighters or...] Truth in facts and testimonies
- [http://www.axisglobe.com/article.asp?article=519 Ibrahim Rugova: Victory of the Passive Resistance?] Category:History of Kosovo

Comedian

A comedian (sometimes comedienne for females, although this usage has been deprecated) is an entertainer who amuses an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting the fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy. A comedian who stands and addresses an audience directly is called a stand-up comedian. Since the mid-1980s, a new wave of comedy, called alternative comedy, has been gaining popularity and delighting audiences with its offbeat style. This normally involves more experiential, or observational, reporting to get a laugh.

See also


- list of comedians
- humor
- comedy
- stand-up comedy
- humorist

External links


- [http://www.nobodylikesme.com The largest online community for comedians]
- [http://www.nobodylikesme.com/nlmClubs.asp An online database of every comedy club in the U.S. and Canada] Category:Entertainment occupations Category:Comedy ja:コメディアン

Dane Cook

Dane Jeffrey Cook (born March 18, 1972 in Cambridge, Massachusetts), is an American observational stand-up comedian, inventor of the Super Finger (or Su-Fi), and screen actor. Cook grew up in Arlington, Massachusetts and attended Arlington High School. His stand-up comedy material spans such diverse topics as car accident mayhem, Cook's time spent working at Burger King, and assorted geek humor. Among Cook's numerous television credits are performances on Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Bar Mitzvah Bash, as well as multiple appearances on late-night talk shows. At one point, he parodied Tom Cruise jumping the couch on Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show, showing off his "tattoo" of Katie Holmes (actually a picture taped to his back) and barging into the women's restroom to get her. Cook went on a nationwide tour in 2005. "Tourgasm" stretched all across the country, and was a huge hit prior to his release of Retaliation. On October 4, 2005, he literally kissed Charlize Theron's butt after she allowed him to do so on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Jay Leno On December 3, 2005, Cook hosted Saturday Night Live. He is one of the few comedians (most are actors) to appear on SNL. In his introduction, the "Dane Train" performed excerpts from his comedy albums, Harmful If Swallowed and Retaliation.

Discography / Videography


- Harmful If Swallowed. DVD and CD. Comedy Central, 2003.
- Retaliation. DVD and two CDs. Comedy Central, 2005. The Harmful If Swallowed DVD contains some of Dane's appearances on Comedy Central.

The Super Finger

Comedy CentralThe Super Finger or Su-Fi (pronounced SUE-F-EYE) is a hand gesture created by the comedian, Dane Cook. It consists of raising the middle finger, ring finger and thumb on the same hand while lowering (or curling) the pointer and pinky fingers. Cook's website explains his idea behind the Su-Fi: :One night I did a bit on stage about 5 years ago at the Laugh Factory. I was talking about how the finger is lame now and it's lost its pizzazz. I said I wanted to upgrade the finger and so from now on people should use both the ring finger coupled with the middle finger. I called it the SUPERFINGER (or SU-FI).[http://www.danecook.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=1134&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc]

Filmography


- Flypaper (1997)
- Buddy (1997)
- Spiral (1999)
- Simon Sez (1999)
- Mystery Men (1999)
- LAX (2002)
- The Touch (2002)
- Stuck on You (2003)
- Mr. 3000 (2004)
- Torque (2004)
- Waiting... (2005)
- Employee of the Month (2005)

External links


- [http://www.danecook.com danecook.com] - official website
- [http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0176981/ Dane Cook] at Internet Movie Database
- Perry, Ryan. [http://gorillamask.net/danecookint.shtml "Dane Cook: The Gorilla Mask Interview."] [http://www.gorillamask.net/ Gorilla Mask]. August 4, 2005.
- [http://www.myspace.com/danecook Dane Cook] on MySpace Cook, Dane Cook, Dane Cook, Dane Cook, Dane Cook, Dane Cook, Dane

Society for Creative Anachronism

The Society for Creative Anachronism (or SCA for short) is a not-for-profit educational organization devoted to studying and re-creating the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The primary focus is on Western European culture, but can also include other regions such as the Middle East and Japan with which Western Europe had contact during pre-17th century. The SCA is easily described as a Middle Ages Arts Revival Recreation Organization.

Description

The SCA is related to historical reenactment and living history groups in sharing an interest in history. However, the SCA does not concentrate on a specific war or event. Participants, as their abilities and interest allow, attempt to limit themselves to only historical facts and techniques. Modern elements remain when necessary (like eye-glasses) or to promote safety (like replacing steel swords with rattan during combat). An oft-quoted though unofficial motto is, "The Middle Ages - not as they were, but as they could have been." In many of its activities, the SCA practices a less constrained minimum standard of authenticity than during public demonstrations. For instance, new members may make armor from plastic or garb from cotton broadcloth to save money. Participants see these minimal requirements as one of the strengths of the SCA, opening participation to more people. Some participants describe the SCA as a large group of people with interlocking hobbies that are rarely used or needed in a technological society. The dancers work together with the musicians; amateur chefs feed hungry warriors; the weavers and costumers find people to wear their creations; leather and metal smiths make combat armor; and so on. Because of the diversity of SCA members, most medieval trades or hobbies within the SCA are practiced and valued. (See "Activities" below.)

Persona

SCA members each create their own persona. For some, a persona is simply a costume and a name, an alter-ego for a weekend costume party. Others craft an elaborate personal history of a Medieval person who never lived, but might have, opening the door to years of scholarly research and hands-on re-creation. This focus on a persona can help participants to put a human face on what they learn. At events (see below) members may attempt to remain "in persona," speaking only of things that their period alter-ego would know about (assuming they have researched these things). They may use code terminology to refer to modern or "mundane" items such as automobiles ("chariots" or "wagons", sometimes "dragons") or telephones ("farspeakers"). A certain amount of cognitive dissonance is accepted, such as when dealing with an 8th-century Norseman wearing eyeglasses and a wristwatch.

Events

Events are gatherings where SCA participants come together formally. Events vary enormously so it is difficult to describe a typical example. Most events happen on hired sites, offer a variety of activities and are attended by garbed participants. SCA events are not typically spectator-oriented so attendees are expected to follow SCA norms including an attempt to dress in pre-17th century garb. This is one of the primary differences between SCA events and Renaissance Fairs. Renaissance Fair SCA events fall into several general categories:

Combat events and wars

Combat events involve either tournaments with one-on-one combat or mêlées where teams compete against each another. Events focused on combat often have other activities happening at the same time. Where a typical event may host anywhere from 20-300 participants over a weekend, the Wars typically draw thousands from across the Society for upwards of two weeks. Combat at a war can involve forces numbering 100 to 2000 participants on each side and can include safe versions of archery and siege engines. Several combat related activities happen independently at an event. Heavy Weapons, fencing and target archery may happen simultaneously on separate fields.

Arts and sciences

Other events are set up as a learning experience for the members. Typically, classes are given in history or crafts of the period, or in how to better perform activities within the SCA. Topics can range from heraldry, philosophy, and history to costuming, calligraphy, and metalwork. Some "A & S" events have competitions, with the largest offering overall prizes or championships in the arts.

Coronations and investitures

These events center on the changing of the ceremonial leadership of sub-groups from the local Barony up to the Kingdoms. These events typically are more focused on ceremonial affairs, concentrating more on meetings and organization than combat or arts and sciences.

Demos

Demos are intended for audiences and are put on by volunteers for a variety of purposes. Schools and community groups may request or be offered demos for education or entertainment. Demos are typically much shorter and more focused on appearances. The SCA provides excellent demonstrations of Medieval arts and sciences, but shies away from combat demonstrations, due to the unhistorical nature of their modified weapons. Most events will normally wrap up the last day of the event with a Court to allow for the awarding of honors, and a feast. Evening activities can range from bardic circles (formal and informal), medieval dancing, and post-revels (a party usually held at an individuals' home) As the SCA and its members has aged and the second or third generations have begun to attend events, some of the more extreme activities that formerly gave the SCA the nickname of The Society for Consenting Adults have all but disappeared as the society has become a more family-friendly environment.

Practices

As interest levels allow, SCA groups hold regular practices for a variety of activities. These tend to be unofficial and informal affairs where garb is not required. Some practices will be ostensibly for one activity but will attract people not interested in the activity but in socializing. A dance practice may draw the entire local group together to hang out while a small percentage actually dances. This serves to help integrate the group and prevent segmentation.

Activities

Garb (Costume)

The first thing one notices about an SCA event is that everyone is wearing at least an attempt at pre-17th century clothing, often called "garb." Wearing garb to events is one of the basic requirements of the SCA. Garb may range from a polyester-blend T-tunic for a newcomer to a hand-embroidered and beaded Elizabethan gown complete with hoops and ruffled collar that may take more than six months to complete. Typically, men wear a tunic and pants and women wear a long gown. Members often have "field" garb, simple cotton tunics or gowns that they wear to camping or other outdoor events, and "court" garb made of expensive brocades and silks that are reserved for fancy dress events. Many SCA members make their own clothing, though the needlework-challenged can purchase their garb from merchants or barter with other SCA members. Newcomers to the SCA can usually borrow garb for their first event or two by contacting the local group's Gold Key officer or Chatelaine/Castellan, who is responsible for helping acclimatize new members.

Armed Combat

Two forms of armed combat are re-created in the SCA: Armoured Combat (also sometimes referred to as "Heavy Weapons") generally approximating the sword-and-shield, hauberk-and-halberd fighting of the High Middle Ages, and Fencing or Rapier Combat, generally approximating the lightly-armored "swashbuckling" of the 15th and 16th century, emphasizing the rapier over cutting swords. (Some groups refer to 'fencing' as 'light weapons' others refer to archery as 'light weapons'). The martial arts as practiced in the SCA are notable in that there are no referees to declare a winner. "Marshals" are on the field to watch for loose or broken equipment and to protect bystanders. It is the combatants who acknowledge the effect of blows. A combatant is on his or her own honor to "call" a "good shot," feigning its effect. For example, a good blow to the arm renders that arm useless, so the combatant will stop using it for the duration of the fight. Calling a leg shot, the combatant drops to his or her knees, or may comically hop around. (Good "field schtick" is considered an asset.)

Armoured Combat

The armoured combat forms practiced in the SCA roughly mirror those of medieval infantry, and both tournaments and battles are fought using these weapons forms. The fighters wear armor (often of their own making) made of plastic, leather, carbon steel, stainless steel, spring steel, or any combination thereof. Participants build and strike each other with sticks made primarily of rattan to resemble swords, pikes, spears, axes and other medieval weapons (though chain weapons are forbidden). This "Heavy Weapons Fighting" is a serious full-contact sport. Unlike other sports and martial arts there is no formalised trainng in techniques and moves, but most groups hold "fighter practices" where individual and group combat is practiced and informal instruction occurs. This allows newcomers to learn at their own pace and to add to the game in unpredictable ways. Typically several years of direct experience in the SCA's Armoured Combat are needed to excel in tournaments. For the purposes of calling blows, all heavy-weapons combatants are considered to be armored in a chain mail hauberk, with an open-faced helmet similar to the barbut. For that reason, a draw cut or glancing blow would have no effect, while a solid blow would. (Testing with armored animal carcasses shows that while chain protects well against a slicing blade, it transmits most of the perpendicular force of a blow. A solid shot to an arm or leg would contuse the muscle and perhaps break the bone, rendering the limb useless at least temporarily.) This set standard for calling blows allows those that cannot afford to invest (either time or money) in very heavy protection to fight on the same level as others, but allows them to build quite elaborate armor made of carpet and plastic if they wish.

Fencing or Rapier Combat

As practiced in the SCA fencing rules differ from Olympic fencing rules. Instead of fencing for points, fencers attempt to "disable" or "kill" their oppenent by striking at target areas. Rapier Combatants are considered to be wearing street clothes and leather gloves so both thrusts and cuts are accepted as attacks. SCA rules do not recognize lanes or right of way, so opponents often circle each other. Body-to-body contact is prohibited, but hand-on-blade contact is allowed, so the off hand becomes an important factor. While many SCA members attempt to "re-create" rapier combat of the 16th and early 17th centuries, in practice it often becomes a blend of Society rules and modern fencing. Many rapier and smallsword enthusiasts are turning to fencing manuals of the 15th and 16th centuries still extant, and using vastly more accurate rapier simulators instead of the ill-suited foil and epee of modern times. Atlantia has an experimental style called side-sword, which allows swinging cuts and thrusts with blades similar to or the same as some schlaeger blades. Once widely considered the "red-headed stepchild" of SCA combat, fencing has grown in popularity and prestige over the past three decades. In some kingdoms rapier fighters can be awarded white scarfs (or other titles). All kingdoms except the Kingdom of Calontir now have organized fencing.

Combat Archery

Combat archery allows the introduction of bows and crossbows to Heavy Weapons combat. Strict rules are in place to limit the launch force of field weapons, and the projectiles are specially built with large blunted tips and special backs to minimize the risk of true injury. Shields are considered to stop arrows and one shieldman can trivially defend himself from a lone archer. Due to the space requirements and targeting selection, combat archery is only used in large melees. The vulnerability of archers varies from Kingdom to Kingdom (and often within a Kingdom). In some cases, archers are allowed to carry melee weapons and must be physically struck down like any other field combatant. In other cases, if a melee fighter gets within a set range, typically 10 feet (3 m), the archer is automatically considered dead. Under either system, archers must still wear the same level of armor protection as the heavy fighters, with the exception of hand protection to allow for the use of their weapons.

Forbidden Weapons

Some weapons, while actively used within the SCA's target period, have been barred from use in SCA combat because it is difficult or impossible to make them safe. These include staves (the typical style involves a large amount of force on impact), punching weapons (Katars, punch daggers and offensive shields such as the targe), and flexible weapons such as the flail or ball and chain, which can wrap around heads, limbs, or shields causing injury. Some flails may be acceptable if the flexible length is very short. (In practice they are used like a mace, albeit a floppy one.) Some of these are allowed in some kingdoms, and can often be used elsewhere under the "experimental weapon" rules. Under this rule they have to be approved by the marshal in charge and the opponent. Period firearms are only allowed in certain kingdoms under very strict guidlines. Some Fencing Melees do allow some firearm simulation as well.

Bardic arts

The "Bardic Arts" are also popular. The bard in pre-Medieval Celtic society held a specific social class and had specific duties. In the SCA context, though, "bard" is a general term that refers to most storytellers, poets, and musicians. SCA bards not only perform period pieces but often compose new works. These may be in the style of ancient forms, such as a new version of a Child Ballad, or a piece recounting (in period style) some aspect of the "Current Middle Ages" such as a history of an SCA kingdom, a tribute to an individual, or an account of an event. (One of the more perversely popular styles is "filking". A filk is a new lyric set to an existing tune. The practice has ample historical antecedent; ancient musical codices are full of tropes that set new lyrics to existing tunes. For example, The Codex Carmina Burana is a collection of often-ribald lyrics set to the Gregorian chant tunes that were used in worship at the time. What sets filks apart is that the tunes are generally modern: Broadway show tunes, top-40 radio hits (going back to the 1960s when the SCA got its start), and so on.) Awards at all levels are given for prowess in the Bardic Arts (though not, generally, for filking). Kingdoms and principalities may have a College of Bards. These may be highly structured or very loosely organized. Many Early Music performers resist being categorized as "bards", and SCA members who have specific interests may prefer to style themselves specifically as minstrels, troubadours, troveres, minnesingers, etc. The most common bardic activity is the "Bardic Circle," where performers take turns sharing pieces. Circles may be structured, with participants passing a token to indicate who has the floor, or they may be informal, with performers following each other in no set order. Some circles may have a theme. A common activity for bards at large camping events is "firewalking" (also known as fyrewalking or fire-crawling): A performer or small group goes from campsite to campsite offering entertainment in exchange for refreshment.

Heraldry

The SCA maintains its own College of Arms to register and protect heraldic devices of its members (at least within the Society). While once, all heraldic device submissions had to be checked against both SCA and historical predecessors, currently only major non-SCA heraldic devices and symbols are checked against. Thus, while a person cannot register the Coat of Arms of Queen Elizabeth II or of France, they no longer check against a 12th-century minor noble who managed to impress the King one day. The same internal organization also registers and maintains SCA names, checking against duplication and ensuring at least minimal period authenticity. In some cases, names that were once acceptable, such as Rhiannon, have been since shown to be of modern origin and are no longer allowed (though current bearers are not required to change their names). While there is no requirement to register a name and/or device, members are encouraged to do so. Newcomers are often counseled by experienced members on choosing a suitable persona name, and local heralds are usually enthusiastic about helping new members create and register a unique device that represents their personality and interests.

Cooking

Many SCA events feature food ranging from simple "fighters fare" or "peasant lunch" of bread, cheese, and "stone soup", to elaborate multi-course feasts served over a period of several hours. Feasts are not always of limited to period foods and recipes, but they rarely include glaringly non-period items such as hamburgers and corndogs (though there was at least one group which put on a feast in which they documented 'beans and weenies'). As with period feasts, there is often an elaborate main dish or dessert called a subtlety. (One group has a running gag at their annual feast in which the main dish is a mythical beast. To make a "sea dragon", for example, they assembled a five-foot long meatloaf with a dozen chicken drumsticks arrayed along each side.) Cooks who strive to stick to period dishes may still modify the original recipes to allow for modern palates and ingredients. A running joke in the SCA (and at least one song in very deliberate bad taste) concerns the inedibility of feast food. In actuality, most feasts are prepared by staffs of talented and dedicated volunteers who work long, hot hours to serve (and clean up after) a repast unequalled by many fine restaurants - and usually for a fee of only a few dollars per person.

Calligraphy

Calligraphy and illumination workshops are held where interested people study and create illuminated manuscripts. Awards in the SCA are accompanied by an illuminated scroll made by a volunteer.

Dance

Dance practices are held where Renaissance Dance and English Country Dance are taught in preparation for events and demos. There are also subsets within the SCA that practice and teach Middle Eastern (Egyptian Cabaret, Folkloric and American Tribal Style bellydance) and Far Eastern (Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi) styles of dance to be performed at events and around campfires.

Scope

The SCA is worldwide in scope. The Known World is divided into Kingdoms. As of November 2005, there are 19 SCA Kingdoms worldwide. Worldwide there are about 32,000[http://www.sca.org/officers/treasurer/welcome.html] paid members. (Many people participate without joining, as it is not required to join in order to participate. It is usually required to be a paid member to hold office.) There are active groups all over the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, with scattered groups elsewhere. (At one time there was even a group on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, known as the "Shire of Curragh Mor" (anglicized Irish for "Big Boat").)

Kingdoms

As of April 2005 the SCA Kingdoms are (in order of founding):
- The West Kingdom is the original kingdom, created when the Society originated in 1966. It currently includes Northern California, Nevada, and Alaska, as well as Japan, Korea, and the Pacific Rim.
- The Kingdom of the East is the second kingdom, created in 1968. In the United States of America it covers eastern Pennsylvania, eastern New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. In Canada, it covers Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland.
- The Middle Kingdom is the third kingdom, created in 1969. Its current borders are Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, as well as parts of Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan and Ontario.
- The Kingdom of Atenveldt is the fourth kingdom, created in 1971. It encompasses the state of Arizona.
- The Kingdom of Meridies is the fifth kingdom, created in 1978. Its borders currently encompass the entirety of Alabama, almost all of Georgia, the eastern portion of Tennessee, a bit of the panhandle of Florida, and small portions of both Kentucky and Virginia.
- The Kingdom of Caid is the sixth kingdom created in 1978. It currently encompasses Southern California, the Greater Las Vegas Area, and Hawaii.
- The Kingdom of Ansteorra is the seventh kingdom, created in 1979. Ansteorra covers Oklahoma and the majority of Texas.
- The Kingdom of Atlantia is the eighth kingdom, created in 1981. Its borders cover Maryland, most of Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, as well as Augusta, Georgia.
- The Kingdom of An Tir is the ninth Kingdom, created in 1982. It encompasses the US states of Oregon, Washington, and the northern tips of Idaho, and in Canada it covers British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories.
- The Kingdom of Calontir is the tenth kingdom, created in 1984. It covers Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and the 727xx Zip Code area around Fayetteville, Arkansas.
- The Kingdom of Trimaris is the eleventh kingdom, created in 1985. It was split from the Kingdom of Meridies and is composed of the majority of Florida, as well as Panama, and humorously, Antarctica (although see Lochac, below). (Id est, vessels launched from Florida "colonized" Panama and Antartica. Members living in Trimaris make a claim to Mars, based on the fact that one subject of Trimaris was employed in the construction of one of the Mars rovers. Presumably, Trimaris will be the first kingdom to spread to the Moon.)
- The Kingdom of the Outlands is the twelfth kingdom, created in 1986. It encompasses New Mexico, most of Colorado, parts of Wyoming, Nebraska, as well as El Paso County and Hudspeth County of Texas.
- The Kingdom of Drachenwald is the thirteenth kingdom, created in 1993. It is by far the largest kingdom in terms of land area, but it is not the largest in terms of population. Its borders cover all of Europe including the British Isles, Africa, and the Middle East.
- The Kingdom of Artemisia is the fourteenth kingdom, created in 1997. It currently covers Montana, southern Idaho, most of Utah, western Colorado, and Wyoming.
- The Kingdom of Æthelmearc is the fifteenth kingdom, created in 1997. It covers central/western Pennsylvania, western New York, and West Virginia.
- The Kingdom of Ealdormere is the sixteenth kingdom, created in 1998. It lies within the Canadian province of Ontario.
- The Kingdom of Lochac is the seventeenth kingdom, created in 2002. It encompasses the entirety of Australia and New Zealand, and has some claim to at least parts of Antarctica, in possible contradiction of the belief held by the Kingdom of Trimaris.
- The Kingdom of Northshield is the eighteenth kingdom created in 2004. It covers North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the upper peninsula of Michigan. It also extends into Canada, encompassing Manitoba and northwestern Ontario.
- The Kingdom of Gleann Abhann is nineteenth kingdom created in 2005. It covers Mississippi, Louisiana, most of Arkansas, and the western end of Tennessee.

Peerages

This use of the term "peerage" is unique to the Society and should not be misconstrued to have any resemblance whatsoever to historical peerage as practiced in the United Kingdom or similar countries, although they are inspired by medieval concepts. SCA Peerages are bestowed as lifetime awards to those who receive them, though the recipient may surrender the title if s/he so wishes. It is possible, though usually difficult, to receive again a peerage so surrendered. Peerages are bestowed by the Crown (King and Queen) of a Kingdom. In most cases (except for Royal Peers), this is done at the request of the members of a given peerage, but there have been rare instances where the King has bestowed the honor on those not considered by (or even more rarely, against the wishes of) the given peerage. Often this has led to a number of that peerage surrendering their rank in protest.
- Knights represent the epitome of combat arts and chivalry. Knights are expected be well rounded, and to be working for the good of the Kingdom and Society. Knights are recognized by their white belts and gold chains. They are addressed as Sir for men, but the women are split between Dame and Sir. Most take under their wing promising younger fighters as their Squires, who are recognizable by their red belts. Some Knights serve as squires first, but this is not a requirement.
  - Because Knights are required to swear fealty to the crown, no matter their feeling towards the individuals on the throne, some have chosen an alternate title of Master of Arms. They wear a white baldric rather than the belt, and swear fealty only when they choose. Masters of Arms (addressed as Master or Mistress) are common in some regions, and almost non-existent in others. In regions where the practice is common, a Master of Arms enjoys the same privileges and honors as a knight, but bears a different responsibility: a Master at Arms generally holds his or her loyalty to be with the Kingdom, not with the King, and acts accordingly.
- Pelicans are so named for the medieval belief/legend that a mother pelican will, in times of need, prick her own breast to feed her lifeblood to her brood. Masters and Mistresses (Dames) of the Pelican have shown such devotion in the service of the SCA in general. Often, these are among the leaders running the day-to-day business of the Society, holding offices, running events, and assisting with the organizational aspects of their local or regional group, their Kingdom, or even the Society as a whole. They are recognized by their medallion, depicting the above mother pelican, and their associates (called Protégés) wear yellow belts to announce to the Society that they are working towards the honor.
- Laurels are the artisans of the Society. They are considered experts in their fields, researching, practicing, and teaching their arts and sciences to others in the Society. Laurels vary in art from armor making, to singing, to weaving, to any other art and craft performed within the medieval period. They are expected to use and be knowledgeable about medieval and Renaissance materials, techniques for construction, and styles in their art. They often have green-belted Apprentices learning from them.
- Royal Peers are members of both the simplest and most difficult peerage to join. One simply must have ruled as monarch of a Principality or Kingdom. For more information on how this is accomplished, see Royalty below. Royal Peers go by a range of titles, from Viscount/Viscountess (former principality monarchs), Count (or Earl)/Countess (who have served once on a Kingdom throne), and Duke/Duchess (who have served two or more times).

Royalty

Although there is no historical precedent for this method of selecting rulers, each SCA kingdom is "ruled" by a king and queen chosen by a Crown Tournament. This is typically held as a double-elimination, one-on-one, heavy-weapon-combat tournament. The winner of the Crown Tournament and his/her Consort are styled "Crown Prince and Princess" and serve a training period under the current King and Queen prior to acceding to the throne and ruling in their turn. Each kingdom has it's own individual schedule for Crown Tourneys ranging from about every four months to once a year. The training period can last anywhere from 3 to 6 months depending. As of 2005, only one Queen has been made 'by her own hand' (by winning a Crown Tournament), though two other Queens have served as Sovereign (rather than Consort) when the Prince or King died before or during their reign. There has also been one instance of a Queen serving as Queen Regent because the King, a military reservist, was summoned to active duty with the armed forces in the real world after taking the throne. While reigning crowns do have a significant influence within their individual kingdoms and the larger Society, their duties are primarily ceremonial. The day-to-day business of running the Society is performed by volunteers or appointees in kingdom-level offices, and by the Society's Board of Directors. In fact, the Board of Directors can strip any crown of its authority (retroactively to the beginning of their reign, even after it has ended) if they abuse their authority. To date, this has never occurred, although the Board has on several occasions voided individual awards made by Kings and Queens (usually for raising an individual from another kingdom into the peerage without obtaining permission from their fellow sovereign before doing so).

History

The SCA traces its origins to a theme party held in a backyard in Berkeley, California on 1 May 1966. The event began with a parade, styled as a "protest against the 20th century" (typical of Berkeley in the mid-60's), concluding with a "Grand Tournament" in which the participants wore motorcycle helmets, fencing masks, and T-shirts, and whacked away at each other with plywood swords. It was such a success that the participants went on to organize more. The name "Society for Creative Anachronism" was coined by science fiction author Marion Zimmer Bradley, an early participant, when the nascent group needed an official name in order to reserve a park for a tournament. The SCA continued to be a local organization until 1968, when a tournament was held at the World Science Fiction Convention, which was held in Berkeley that year. The idea spread, and soon other local chapters began to form. By the end of 1968, the SCA had been split into two kingdoms (West and East), and by the end of 1970, there were four (with the addition of the Middle and Atenveldt). The SCA still measures dates within the society from the date of that party, calling the system Anno Societatis (Latin for "Year of the Society"). For example, 1 May 2005–30 April 2006 is A.S. 40.

Shortcomings / Criticism

Politics

As with any human organization, personalities can clash. Some people have had bad experiences with local groups or individuals, which colors their impression of the organization as a whole. Within the organization, it is worth remembering that the Society was founded by veterans of science fiction fandom. The same sort of cliques, backbiting and big-frog-in-the-small-pond machinations and behavior with regard to status in science fiction fandom carried over into the SCA and persist today. The major difference between the Society and Fandom comes from the fact that the symbols of status within the SCA are visible and convey immediate respect to their holders. It is not unheard of for the Society's awards structure to be used as a personal weapon by those who sit the thrones and by members of the several peerage orders for or against individuals of whom a Crown or Order approve or disapprove. This behavior is despicable but the SCA's bylaws provide no practical means of addressing and/or redressing the problem.

Authenticity

Some people criticize the SCA because it does not require its members to adhere to as high a standard of authenticity as other living-history or re-enactment groups. Activities, such as battles or duels, are said to "re-create" history but are not faithful reproductions of actual events. SCA participants are more interested in performing activities that would not be out of place in period.

SCA heavy weapons combat

SCA heavy weapons combat is criticized by some re-enactors of "real" Medieval combat because the emphasis on safety creates an inauthentic style of fighting:
- The look and sound of SCA combat suffers from using rattan rather than steel weapons
- Combatants fighting while kneeling (after leg shots) looks rather comical
- While SCA combat techniques are well developed, they are based on what works with SCA weapons and armor, rather than actually used historically
- It is possible, within the SCA's rules, to refuse to acknowledge a valid hit in order to win a bout. This occurs often enough that the slang term "Rhino-hide" is used to describe an SCA combatant that fails to accept a valid attack. In extreme or obvious cases, a marshal can warn the offending fighter or remove them from the tournament. In some rare cases, repeat offenders have had their fighting priviliges revoked either temporarily or even permenantly.

See also


- Cunnan: a wiki devoted to the SCA. (This is a link to an article about Cunnan. Link to the actual external site is below.)
- Living history
- Live action role-playing game
- Renaissance Fair

References


- The Known World Handbook (3rd ed.). Milpitas, CA: Society For Creative Anachronism, Inc.

External links


- [http://www.sca.org/ SCA website]
- [http://www.scademo.com/ SCA Online Demo]
- [http://www.pennsicwar.org/ Pennsic War], a North American 2-week long gathering of over 10,000 SCA members
- [http://www.estrellawar.org/ Estrella War], the second largest event sponsored by the SCA. Held in Goodyear, Arizona.
- [http://www.sca.org/findsca.html Locate a group near you]
- [http://cunnan.sca.org.au/ Cunnan wiki] Category:Non-profit organizations Category:Medieval reenactment Category:Historical reenactment groups

Pagans

Pagans may mean:
- Paganism, a religion.
- Pagans MC, a motorcycle gang.

United States

:For alternative meanings, see the disambiguation page for US, USA, United States, or American. The United States of America is a federal democratic republic situated primarily in central North America. It comprises 50 states and one federal district, and has several territories. It is also referred to, with varying formality, as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., the States, or simply and most commonly, America. The official founding date of the United States is July 4, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress—representing thirteen British colonies—adopted the Declaration of Independence. However, the structure of the government was profoundly changed in 1788, when the states replaced the Articles of Confederation with the United States Constitution. The date on which each of the fifty states adopted the Constitution is typically regarded as the date that state "entered the Union" (became part of the United States). Since the mid-20th century, following World War II, the United States has emerged as a dominant global influence in economic, political, military, scientific, technological, and cultural affairs.

Geography and climate

The United States shares land borders with Canada (to the north) and Mexico (to the south), and territorial water boundaries with Canada, Russia, the Bahamas, and numerous smaller nations. It is otherwise bounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea, in the west; the Arctic Ocean, in the northernmost areas; and the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea, in the eastern and southeastern areas. Forty-eight of the states are in the single region between Canada and Mexico; this group is referred to, with varying precision and formality, as the continental or contiguous United States, sometimes abbreviated CONUS, and as the Lower 48. Alaska, which is not included in the term contiguous United States, is at the northwestern end of North America, separated from the Lower 48 by Canada. The archipelago of Hawaii is in the Pacific Ocean. The capital city, Washington, District of Columbia is a federal district located on land donated by the state of Maryland. (Virginia also donated land, but it was returned in 1847.) The United States also has overseas territories with varying levels of independence and organization. When inland water is included in the total area, only Russia and Canada are larger than the United States; if inland water is excluded, China ranks third and the U.S. ranks fourth. The United States' total area is 3,718,711 square miles (9,631,418 km²), of which land makes up 3,537,438 square miles (9,161,923 km²) and water makes up 181,273 square miles (469,495 km²). The United States' landscape is one of the most varied among those of the world's nations: among its many features are temperate forestland and rolling hills, on the east coast; mangrove, in Florida; the Great Plains, in the center of the country; the Mississippi–Missouri river system; the Great Lakes, four of the five of which are shared with Canada; the Rocky Mountains, west of the Great Plains; deserts and temperate coastal zones, west of the Rocky Mountains; and temperate rain forests, in the Pacific northwest. Alaska's tundra, and the volcanic, tropical islands of Hawaii add to the geographic diversity. Hawaii The climate varies along with the landscape, from tropical in Hawaii and southern Florida to tundra in Alaska and atop some of the highest mountains. Most of the North and East experience a temperate continental climate, with warm summers and cold winters. Most of the South experiences a subtropical humid climate with mild winters and long, hot, humid summers. Rainfall decreases markedly from the humid forests of the Eastern Great Plains to the semi-arid shortgrass prairies on the high plains abutting the Rocky Mountains. Arid deserts, including the Mojave, extend through the lowlands and valleys of the southwest, from westernmost Texas to California and northward throughout much of Nevada. Some parts of California have a Mediterranean climate. Rainforests line the windward mountains of the Pacific Northwest from Oregon to Alaska.

History

American history started with the migration of people from Asia across the Bering land bridge approximately 12,000 years ago following large animals that they hunted into the Americas. These Native Americans left evidence of their presence in petroglyphs, burial mounds, and other artifacts. It is estimated that 2-9 million people lived in the territory now occupied by the U.S. before European contact, and the subsequent introduction of foreign diseases such as small pox that greatly diminished the native populations. Some advanced societies were the Anasazi of the southwest, who inhabited Chaco Canyon, and the Woodland Indians, who built Cahokia, located near present-day St Louis, a city with a population of 40,000 at its peak in AD 1200. Vikings first visited North America around 1000, but did not settle permanently. Following the discovery voyages of Christopher Columbus around 1492, other Europeans began to explore and settle there. During the 1500s and 1600s, the Spanish settled parts of the present-day Southwest and Florida, founding St. Augustine, Florida in 1565 and Santa Fe (in what is now New Mexico) in 1607. The first successful English settlement was at Jamestown, Virginia, also in 1607. Within the next two decades, several Dutch settlements, including New Amsterdam (the predecessor to New York City), were established in what are now the states of New York and New Jersey. In 1637, Sweden established a colony at Fort Christina (in what is now Delaware), but lost the settlement to the Dutch in 1655. This was followed by extensive British settlement of the east coast. The British colonists remained relatively undisturbed by their home country until after the French and Indian War, when France ceded Canada and the Great Lakes region to Britain. Britain then imposed taxes on the 13 colonies, widely regarded by the colonists as unfair because they were denied representation in the British Parliament. Tensions between Britain and the colonists increased, and the thirteen colonies eventually rebelled against British rule. British Parliament, George Washington (1789-1797).]] In 1776, the 13 colonies split from Great Britain and formed the United States, the world's first constitutional and democratic federal republic, after their Declaration of Independence of that year, and the Revolutionary War (1775 to 1783). The original political structure was a confederation in 1777, ratified in 1781 as the Articles of Confederation. After long debate, this was supplanted by the Constitution in 1789, forming a more centralized federal government. Prior to all these was the Albany Congress in 1754, in which a union was first seriously proposed. From early colonial times, there was a shortage of labor, which encouraged unfree labor, particularly indentured servitude and slavery. In the mid-19th century, a major division occurred in the United States over the issue of states' rights and the expansion of slavery. The northern states had become opposed to slavery, while the southern states saw it as necessary for the continued success of southern agriculture and wanted it expanded to the territories. Several federal laws were passed in an attempt to settle the dispute, including the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850. The dispute reached a crisis in 1861, when seven southern states seceded1 from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America, leading to the Civil War. Soon after the war began, four more southern states seceded. During the war, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, mandating the freedom of all slaves in states in rebellion, though full emancipation did not take place until after the end of the war in 1865, the dissolution of the Confederacy, and the Thirteenth Amendment took effect. The Civil War effectively ended the question of a state's right to secede, and is widely accepted as a major turning point after which the federal government became more powerful than state governments. Thirteenth Amendment). The title of the painting, from a 1726 poem by Bishop Berkeley, was a phrase often quoted in the era of Manifest Destiny, expressing a widely held belief that civilization had steadily moved westward throughout history. [http://americanart.si.edu/t2go/1lw/1931.6.1.html (more)] ]] During the 19th century, many new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the continent. Manifest Destiny was a philosophy that encouraged westward expansion in the United States. As the population of the Eastern states grew and as a steady increase of immigrants entered the country, settlers moved steadily westward across North America. In the process, the U.S. displaced most American Indian nations. This displacement of American Indians continues to be a matter of contention in the U.S. with many tribes attempting to assert their original claims to various lands. In some areas American Indian populations were reduced by foreign diseases contracted through contact with European settlers, and US settlers acquired those emptied lands. In other instances American Indians were removed from their traditional lands by force. Though some would say the U.S. was not a colonial power until the Spanish-American War when it acquired Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines, the dominion exercised over land in North America the United States claimed is essentially colonial. The Philippines became independent in 1946. During this period, the nation also became an industrial power. This continued into the 20th century, which has been termed "the American Century" because of the nation's overriding influence on the world. The US became a center for innovation and technological development; major technologies that America either developed or was greatly involved in improving include the telephone, television, computer, the Internet, nuclear weapons, nuclear power, aviation, and aeronautics. In addition to the Civil War, another major traumatic experience for the nation was the Great Depression (1929 to 1939). The nation has also taken part in several major foreign wars, including World War I and World War II (in both of which the US later joined the Allies). During the Cold War, the US was a major player in the Korean War and Vietnam War, and, along with the Soviet Union, was considered one of the world's two "superpowers". With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US emerged as the world's leading economic and military power. Beginning in the 1990s, the United States became very involved in police actions and peacekeeping, including actions in Kosovo, Haiti, Somalia and Liberia, and the first Persian Gulf War driving Iraq out of Kuwait. After attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, the United States and other allied nations found themselves involved in what has come to be called the "War on Terrorism," which has primarily encompassed military actions in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

Government