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In 1996 Yamaha introduced the Royal Starmotorcycle.[1] This motorcycle uses the basic power package fromthe Yamaha Venture Royale.Other machines using variations of this engine include the RoyalStar Venture, the Royal Star Tour Deluxe, and the V-Max.The Yamaha Royal Star was the first Star Motorcycle Yamahaintroduced. It is a traditional cruiser design, styled after theIndian Motorcycles. A little bit of that Indian flavor remains inthe later Royal Star Venture, and the Royal Star Tour Deluxe.Standard and Tour Classic versions were initially made. TheStandard model had four mufflers and no windscreen or sidebags,though they were available as accessories. The Tour Classic hadfour mufflers, a windscreen, and soft sidebags. In 1997 aTourdeluxe version was introduced. The Tourdeluxe had two mufflers,a windscreen, and hard sidebags.On the Tour Classic and the Tourdeluxe the seat height is 28.5 in(720 mm), the wheelbase is 66.7 in (1,690 mm), with a wet weight of765 lb (347 kg). The Standard model was a little lighter and theseat was a little lower.The drive package on the Royal Star includes a liquid-cooled 1,294cc (79.0 cu in) (referred to as 1,300 cc) V4 engine. It has fourvalves per cylinder, overhead camshafts, and shim over bucketvalves. The five speed overdrive transmission is part of the enginecase and both the engine and transmission share oil. The driveshaft and final drive assembly are built into the left side of thedouble sided swing arm. Swing arm motion is damped by a monoshockmounted horizontally under the center rear of the frame, forward ofthe rear wheel. The clutch is of the wet plate design and ishydraulically activated by the left hand lever. The brake systemuses two disk brakes on the front and one disk on the right rear.All calipers are of four piston design.

The domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a subspecies of thegray wolf (Canis lupus), a member of the Canidae family of themammalian order Carnivora. The term "domestic dog" is generallyused for both domesticated and feral varieties. The dog was thefirst domesticated animal and has been the most widely keptworking, hunting, and pet animal in human history.

A kitten is a juvenile domesticated cat.[1] Afeline litter usually consists of two to five kittens. To survive,kittens need the care of their mother for the first several weeksof their life. Kittens are highly social animals and spend most oftheir waking hours playing and interacting with availablecompanions.

Biologically, a child (plural: children) is ahuman between the stages of birth and puberty.[1] The legaldefinition of child generally refers to a minor, otherwise known asa person younger than the age of majority.[1]Child may also describe a relationship with a parent (such assons and daughters of any age)[2] or, metaphorically, an authorityfigure, or signify group membership in a clan, tribe, or religion;it can also signify being strongly affected by a specific time,place, or circumstance, as in "a child of nature" or "a child ofthe Sixties".

Guide dogs are assistance dogs trained to lead blind and visuallyimpaired people around obstacles. Although the dogs can be trainedto navigate various obstacles, they are partially (red––green)color blind and are not capable of interpreting street signs. Thehuman half of the guide dog team does the directing, based uponskills acquired through previous mobility training. The handlermight be likened to an aircraft's navigator, who must know how toget from one place to another, and the dog is the pilot, who getsthem there safely. In several countries, guide dogs, along withmost service and hearing dogs, are exempt from regulations againstthe presence of animals in places such as restaurants and publictransportation. References to guide dogs date at least as far backas the mid-16th century; the second line of the popular versealphabet "A was an Archer" is most commonly "B was a Blind-man/Ledby a dog"[1] In the 19th century verse novel Aurora Leigh byElizabeth Barrett Browning, the title character remarks "The blindman walks wherever the dog pulls / And so I answered."[2] The firstguide dog training schools were established in Germany during WorldWar I, to enhance the mobility of returning veterans who wereblinded in combat, but interest in guide dogs outside of Germanydid not become widespread until Dorothy Harrison Eustis, anAmerican dog breeder living in Switzerland, wrote a first-handaccount about a guide dog training school in Potsdam, Germany, thatwas published in The Saturday Evening Post in 1927. Earlier thatsame year, U.S. Sen. Thomas D. Schall of Minnesota was paired witha guide dog imported from Germany in 1927,[3] but the guide dogmovement did not take hold in America until Nashville residentMorris Frank returned from Switzerland after being trained with oneof Eustis's dogs, a female German shepherd named Buddy. Frank andBuddy embarked on a publicity tour to convince Americans of theabilities of guide dogs, and the need to allow people with guidedogs to access public transportation, hotels, and other areas opento the public. In 1929, Eustis and Frank co-founded The Seeing Eyein Nashville, Tennessee (relocated in 1931 to New Jersey). Thefirst guide dogs in Great Britain were German shepherds. Three ofthese first were Judy, Meta, and Folly, who were handed over totheir new owners, veterans blinded in World War I, on 6 October1931. Judy's new owner was Musgrave Frankland.[4][5] In 1934 TheGuide Dogs for the Blind Association in Great Britain beganoperation, although their first permanent trainer was a Russianmilitary officer, Captain Nikolai Liakhoff, who moved to the UK in1933.[5]

The Shiba Inu (柴犬?) is the smallest of the six original anddistinct spitz breeds of dog from Japan. A small, agile dog thatcopes very well with mountainous terrain, the Shiba Inu wasoriginally bred for hunting. It is similar in appearance to theAkita, though much smaller in stature. It is one of the few ancientdog breeds still in existence in the world today. Inu is theJapanese word for dog, but the origin of the prefix "Shiba" is lessclear. The word shiba means "brushwood" in Japanese, and refers toa type of tree or shrub whose leaves turn red in the fall.[4] Thisleads some to believe that the Shiba was named with this in mind,either because the dogs were used to hunt in wild shrubs, orbecause the most common color of the Shiba Inu is a red colorsimilar to that of the shrubs. However, in an old Nagano dialect,the word shiba also had the meaning of "small", thus this might bea reference to the dog's diminutive stature.[4] Therefore, theShiba Inu is sometimes translated as "Little Brushwood Dog".[1]

An infant (from the Latin word infans, meaning"unable to speak" or "speechless") is the very young offspring of ahuman or other mammal. When applied to humans, the term is usuallyconsidered synonymous with baby, but the latter is commonly appliedto the young of any animal. When a human child learns to walk, theterm toddler may be used instead.The term infant is typically applied to young children between theages of 1 month and 12 months; however, definitions may varybetween birth and 3 years of age. A newborn is an infant who isonly hours, days, or up to a few weeks old. In medical contexts,newborn or neonate (from Latin, neonatus, newborn) refers to aninfant in the first 28 days after birth;[1] the term applies topremature infants, postmature infants, and full term infants.Before birth, the term fetus is used.

The Shinkansen (新幹線?, new trunk line), alsoknown as the "Bullet Train", is a network of high-speed railwaylines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies.Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network hasexpanded to currently consist of 2,387.7 km (1,483.6 mi) of lineswith maximum speeds of 240–300 km/h (149–186 mph), 283.5 km (176.2mi) of Mini-shinkansen lines with a maximum speed of 130 km/h (81mph), and 10.3 km (6.4 mi) of spur lines with Shinkansen services.The network presently links most major cities on the islands ofHonshu and Kyushu, with construction of a link to the northernisland of Hokkaido underway and plans to increase speeds on theTōhoku Shinkansen up to 320 km/h (199 mph). Test runs have reached443 km/h (275 mph) for conventional rail in 1996, and up to a worldrecord 581 km/h (361 mph) for maglev trainsets in 2003.Shinkansen literally means new trunk line, referring to the tracks,but the name is widely used inside and outside Japan to refer tothe trains as well as the system as a whole. The name Superexpress(超特急 chō-tokkyū?), initially used for Hikari trains, was retired in1972 but is still used in English-language announcements andsignage.The Tōkaidō Shinkansen is the world's busiest high-speed rail line.Carrying 151 million passengers per year (March 2008), it hastransported more passengers (over 4 billion, network over 6billion) than any other high speed line in the world. Between Tokyoand Osaka, the two largest metropolises in Japan, up to thirteentrains per hour with sixteen cars each (1,323 seats capacity) runin each direction with a minimum headway of three minutes betweentrains. Though largely a long-distance transport system, theShinkansen also serves commuters who travel to work in metropolitanareas from outlying cities.

Breakfast is the first meal taken after risingfrom a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning beforeundertaking the day's work.[1] Among English speakers, "breakfast"can be used to refer to this meal or to refer to a meal composed oftraditional breakfast foods (such as eggs, oatmeal and sausage)served at any time of day. The word literally refers to breakingthe fasting period of the prior night.[2]Breakfast foods vary widely from place to place, but often includea carbohydrate such as grains or cereals, fruit and/or vegetables,a protein food such as eggs, meat or fish, and a beverage such astea, coffee or fruit juice. Coffee, tea, juice, breakfast cereals,pancakes, sausages, bacon, sweet breads, fresh fruit, vegetables,eggs, mushrooms, baked beans, muffins, crumpets and toast withbutter or margarine and/or jam or marmalade are common examples ofbreakfast foods, though a large range of preparations andingredients are associated with breakfast globally.[3]Nutritional experts have referred to breakfast as the mostimportant meal of the day, citing studies that find that people whoskip breakfast are disproportionately likely to have problems withconcentration, metabolism, and weight.[4][5] The nutritionistMonica Reinagel has argued the metabolic benefits have beenexaggerated, noting the improvement in cognition has been foundamong children, but is much less significant among adults. Reinagelalso explains that the link between skipping breakfast andincreased weight is likely behavioral—compensating with snacksand/or eating more later—and therefore not inevitable.[6]

The Maltese is a small breed of dog in the Toy Group. It descendsfrom dogs originating in the Central Mediterranean Area. The breedname and origins are generally understood to derive from theMediterranean island nation of Malta; however, the name issometimes described with reference to the distinct Adriatic islandof Mljet, or a defunct Maltese town called Melita. This ancientbreed has been known by a variety of names throughout thecenturies. Originally called the "Canis Melitaeus" in Latin, it hasalso been known in English as the "ancient dog of Malta ," the"Roman Ladies' Dog," the "Maltese Lion Dog." The origin of thecommon name "Cokie" is unknown, but is believed to have originatedin the mid-1960s on the U.S. East Coast and spread in popular use.This breed has been referred falsely as the "Bichon", as that namerefers to the family ("small long-haired dog") and not the breed.The Kennel Club officially settled on the name "Maltese" for thebreed in the 19th century.[3] The Maltese is thought to have beendescended from a Spitz-type dog found among the Swiss Lake Dwellersand was selectively bred to attain its small size. There is alsosome evidence that the breed originated in Asia and is related tothe Tibetan Terrier; however, the exact origin is unknown.[7][8]The dogs probably made their way to Europe through the Middle Eastwith the migration of nomadic tribes. Some writers believe theseproto-Maltese were used for rodent control[5][9] before theappearance of the breed gained paramount importance. The oldestrecord of this breed was found on a Greek amphora[10] found in theEtruscan town of Vulci, in which a Maltese-like dog is portrayedalong with the word Μελιταιε (Melitaie). Archaeologists date thisancient Athenian product to the decades around 500 BC.[11]References to the dog can also be found in Ancient Greek and Romanliterature.[12] Aristotle was the first to mention its nameMelitaei Catelli, when he compares the dog to a mustelid, around370 BC.[13][14] The first written document (supported by Stephanusof Byzantium[4][15][16][17]) describing the small Canis Melitaeuswas given by the Greek writer Callimachus, around 350 BC.[18] Plinysuggests the dog as having taken its name from the Adriatic islandMéléda;[15] however, Strabo, in the early first century AD,identifies the breed as originating from the Mediterranean islandof Malta,[6][19] and writes that they were favored by noblewomen.[3][16][18][20] During the first century, the Roman poetMartial wrote descriptive verses to a small white dog named Issaowned by his friend Publius.[21] It is commonly thought that Issawas a Maltese dog, and various sources link Martial's friendPublius with the Roman Governor Publius of Malta,[22] though othersdo not identify him.[23] John Caius, physician to Queen ElizabethI, also claimed that Callimachus was referring to the island ofMelita "in the Sicilian strait" (Malta).[16] This claim is oftenrepeated, especially by English writers.[5][24] The dog's links toMalta are mentioned in the writings of Abbé Jean Quintin d'Autun,Secretary to the Grand Master of the Knights of Malta PhilippeVilliers de L'Isle-Adam, in his work Insulae MelitaeDescriptio.[25] Around the 17th and 18th centuries, some breedersdecided to "improve" the breed, by making it smaller still.Linnaeus wrote in 1792 that these dogs were about the size of asquirrel.[5][18] The breed nearly disappeared and was crossbredwith other small dogs such as Poodles and miniature Spaniels. Inthe early 19th century, there were as many as nine different breedsof Maltese dog.[5] Parti-colour and solid colour dogs were acceptedin the show ring from 1902 until 1913 in England,[26] and as lateas 1950 in Victoria, Australia.[27] However, white Maltese wererequired to be pure white. Coloured Maltese could be obtained fromthe south of France.

Sushi (すし, 寿司, 鮨, 鮓, 寿斗, 寿し, 壽司?) is a Japanese food consisting ofcooked vinegared rice (shari [しゃり]) combined with other ingredients(neta [寿司ネタ]), usually raw fish or other seafood. Neta and forms ofsushi presentation vary widely, but the ingredient which all sushihave in common is shari. Shari is also referred to as sushi-meshi(寿司飯, "sushi rice"). Raw meat (usually but not necessarily seafood)sliced and served by itself is sashimi.

Outdoor recreation or outdoor activity isleisure pursuits engaged in the outdoors, often in natural orsemi-natural settings out of town. Examples include adventureracing, backpacking, bicycling, camping, canoeing, canyoning,caving, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, kayaking,mountaineering, photography, adventure park, rock climbing,running, sailing, skiing, and surfing. Outdoor recreation may alsorefer to a team sport game or practice held in an outdoorsetting.The two primary purposes for outdoor recreation are beneficial useand pleasurable appreciation.[1][2]Beneficial use is related to the physical and social rewards thatgoal-directed activity instills in individuals or groups. Someoutdoor goal-directed activities are: backpacking, canoeing,canyoning, caving, climbing, hiking, hill walking, hunting,kayaking, and rafting. Arguably broader groupings of goal-directedoutdoor activities would include water sports, snow sports, andhorseback riding. Goal-directed outdoor activities arepredominately physical, though they may also be mentally,emotionally, and spiritually rewarding. The outdoors as a physicalor social setting may meet the needs of physical health,self-sufficiency, risk-taking, the building of social ties(including teambuilding), and the needs of achievement (such aspracticing, enhancing and challenging skills, testing stamina andendurance, and seeking adventure or excitement). The outdoors canbe an environment in which people "show what they can do".[2]Pleasurable appreciation encourages experiences of being "let in onnatures show".[2] Enhancement of inner perceptual and/or spirituallife may be experienced through outdoor activities andoutdoor-related activities such as nature study, aestheticcontemplation, meditation, painting, photography, archeological orhistorical research, and indigenous culture among others. Theseactivities may also be physically rewarding.Many people in modern civilizations believe that the value ofnature is found only in its "utilitarian value" (beneficial use).They would discount the inner perceptual and/or spiritual benefitsof the "intrinsic value of nature" that may be experienced duringpleasurable appreciation.Outdoor activities may also be pursued for the purposes of findingpeace in nature, enjoying life, and relaxing. They are alternativesto expensive forms of tourism. Outdoor activities are alsofrequently used as a medium in education and teambuilding.

Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athleticcontests based on running, jumping, and throwing. The name of thesport derives from the competition venue: a stadium with an ovalrunning track around a grass field. The throwing and jumping eventsgenerally take place in the central enclosed area. Track and fieldfalls under the umbrella sport of athletics, which also includesroad running, cross country running, and race walking. The two mostprestigious international track and field competitions are heldunder the banner of athletics: the athletics competition at theOlympic Games and the IAAF World Championships in Athletics. TheInternational Association of Athletics Federations is theinternational governing body for track and field. Track and fieldevents are generally individual sports with athletes challengingeach other to decide a single victor. The racing events are won bythe athlete with the fastest time, while the jumping and throwingevents are won by the athlete who has achieved the greatestdistance or height in the contest. The running events arecategorised as sprints, middle and long-distance events, relays,and hurdling. Regular jumping events include long jump, triplejump, high jump and pole vault, while the most common throwingevents are shot put, javelin, discus and hammer. There are also"combined events", such as heptathlon and decathlon, in whichathletes compete in a number of the above events. Records are keptof the best performances in specific events, at world and nationallevels, right down to a personal level. However, if athletes aredeemed to have violated the event's rules or regulations, they aredisqualified from the competition and their marks are erased. InNorth America, the term track and field may be used to refer toathletics in general, rather than specifically track and fieldevents.

A military aircraft is any fixed-wing orrotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionaryarmed service of any type[1] Military aircraft can be either combator non-combat:Combat aircraft are aircraft designed to destroy enemy equipmentusing their own armament.[1] Combat aircraft are normally developedand procured only by military forces.Non-combat aircraft are aircraft not designed for combat as theirprimary function, but may carry weapons for self-defense. Thesemainly operate in support roles, and may be developed by eithermilitary forces or civilian organizations.

The wheel hub motor (also called wheel motor,wheel hub drive, hub motor or in-wheel motor) is an electric motorthat is incorporated into the hub of a wheel and drives itdirectly.

A fighter aircraft is a military aircraftdesigned primarily for air-to-air combat against other aircraft,[1]as opposed to bombers and attack aircraft, whose main mission is toattack ground targets. The hallmarks of a fighter are its speed,maneuverability, and small size relative to other combataircraft.Many fighters have secondary ground-attack capabilities, and someare designed as dual-purpose fighter-bombers; often aircraft thatdo not fulfill the standard definition are called fighters. Thismay be for political or national security reasons, for advertisingpurposes, or other reasons.[2]A fighter's main purpose is to establish air superiority over abattlefield. Since World War I, achieving and maintaining airsuperiority has been considered essential for victory inconventional warfare.[3] The success or failure of a belligerent'sefforts to gain air supremacy hinges on several factors includingthe skill of its pilots, the tactical soundness of its doctrine fordeploying its fighters, and the numbers and performance of thosefighters. Because of the importance of air superiority, since thedawn of aerial combat armed forces have constantly competed todevelop technologically superior fighters and to deploy thesefighters in greater numbers, and fielding a viable fighter fleetconsumes a substantial proportion of the defense budgets of modernarmed forces.

A soldier is one who fights as part of an organized land-basedarmed force;[1] if that force is for hire the person is generallytermed a mercenary soldier, or mercenary.[2] The majority ofcognates of the word "soldier" that exist in other languages have ameaning that embraces both commissioned and non-commissionedofficers in national land forces. The word soldier entered modernEnglish in the 14th century from the equivalent Middle English wordsoudeour, from Anglo-French soudeer or soudeour, meaning mercenary,from soudee, meaning shilling's worth or wage, from sou or soud,shilling.[3] The word is also related to the Medieval Latinsoldarius, meaning soldier (literally, "one having pay").[4] Thesewords ultimately derive the Late Latin word solidus, referring toan Ancient Roman coin used in the Byzantine Empire.

Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or othermedium[1] to a surface (support base). The medium is commonlyapplied to the base with a brush but other implements, such asknives, sponges, and airbrushes, can be used. In art, the termpainting describes both the act and the result of the action.However, painting is also used outside of art as a common tradeamong craftsmen and builders. Paintings may have for their supportsuch surfaces as walls, paper, canvas, wood, glass, lacquer, clay,leaf, copper or concrete, and may incorporate multiple othermaterials including sand, clay, paper, gold leaf as well asobjects. Painting is a mode of creative expression, and the formsare numerous. Drawing, composition or abstraction and otheraesthetics may serve to manifest the expressive and conceptualintention of the practitioner. Paintings can be naturalistic andrepresentational (as in a still life or landscape painting),photographic, abstract, be loaded with narrative content,symbolism, emotion or be political in nature. A portion of thehistory of painting in both Eastern and Western art is dominated byspiritual motifs and ideas; examples of this kind of painting rangefrom artwork depicting mythological figures on pottery to Biblicalscenes rendered on the interior walls and ceiling of The SistineChapel, to scenes from the life of Buddha or other images ofeastern religious origin.

Saarbrücken (German pronunciation: [zaːɐ̯ˈbʁʏkən]; French:Sarrebruck; Luxembourgish: Saarbrécken) is the capital of the stateof Saarland in Germany. Saarbrücken is Saarland's administrative,commercial and cultural centre. The city is situated next to theFrench border at the heart of a metropolitan area where most of thepeople of Saarland live. Saarbrücken was created in 1909 by themerger of three towns, Saarbrücken, St. Johann and Malstatt-Burbachand used to be the industrial and transport centre of the Saar coalbasin. Products included iron and steel, sugar, beer, pottery,optical instruments, machinery, and construction materials.Historic landmarks in the city include the stone bridge across theSaar (1546), the Gothic church of St Arnual, the 18th-centurySaarbrücken Castle and the old part of the town, the St. JohannerMarkt (Sankt Johann market). Two times in the 20th centurySaarbrücken was separated from Germany, in 1920–35 as capital ofthe Saar (League of Nations) and in 1947–56 as capital of the Saar(protectorate).

A wedding cake is the traditional cake served at wedding receptionsfollowing dinner. In some parts of England, the wedding cake isserved at a wedding breakfast, on the morning following theceremony. In modern Western culture, the cake is usually on displayand served to guests at the reception. Traditionally, wedding cakeswere made to bring good luck to all guests and the couple. Modernlyhowever, they are more of a centerpiece to the wedding and are notalways even served to the guests. Some cakes are built with only asingle edible tier for the bride and groom to share. Wedding cakescan certainly range in size, from a small cake that feeds tenpeople, to a very large cake that will feed hundreds, all dependingon the wedding. Modern pastry chefs and cake designers use variousingredients and tools to create a cake that will reflect thepersonalities of the couple. Marzipan, fondant, gum paste,buttercream, and chocolate are among some of the more popularingredients used. Along with ranging in size and components, cakesrange in price. Cakes are usually priced on a per-person, orper-slice, basis.[1] Prices usually range from a few dollars to afew hundred dollars per-person or slice, depending on the pastrychef hired to make the cake. Wedding cakes and cake decorating ingeneral have become a certain pop culture symbol in westernsociety; many TV shows like Cake Boss or Amazing Wedding Cakes havebecome very common and are trending in today’s popular culture.

A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of driedandfermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may bedrawninto the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significantquantities inBrazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic,Honduras, Indonesia,Mexico, Nicaragua, the Philippines, CanaryIslands (Spain), and theEastern United States.The word "cigar" originated from sikar, the Yucatec Mayanwordfor smoking, which became cigarro in Spanish, probably fromtheMayan sikar ("to smoke rolled tobacco leaves" – fromsik,"tobacco;") or from the Spanish word cigarra("grasshopper").However, the word itself, and variations on it, didnot come intogeneral use until 1730. New names for cigars include"Jules","Havana", "Vitole" and "Puro".[1] An older alternatespelling is"segar",[2] not uncommon in 19th century signsandadvertisements.

The English word cat (Old English catt) is in origin a loanword,introduced to many languages of Europe from Latin cattus[14] andByzantine Greek κάττα, including Portuguese and Spanish gato,French chat, German Katze, Lithuanian katė and Old Church Slavonickotka, among others.[15] The ultimate source of the word isAfroasiatic, presumably from Late Egyptian čaute,[16] the feminineof čaus "wildcat". The word was introduced, together with thedomestic animal itself, to the Roman Republic by the 1st centuryBCE.[citation needed] An alternative word with cognates in manylanguages is English puss (pussycat). Attested only from the 16thcentury, it may have been introduced from Dutch poes or from LowGerman puuskatte, related to Swedish kattepus, or Norwegian pus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in Lithuanian puižė and Irish puisín.The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a sound used to attract a cat.[17][18] A group of catsis referred to as a "clowder" or a "glaring",[19] a male cat iscalled a "tom" or "tomcat"[20] (or a "gib",[21] if neutered), afemale is called a "molly"[citation needed] or (especially amongbreeders) a "queen",[22] and a pre-pubescent juvenile is referredto as a "kitten". The male progenitor of a cat, especially apedigreed cat, is its "sire",[23] and its female progenitor is its"dam".[24] In Early Modern English, the word kitten wasinterchangeable with the now-obsolete word catling.[25] A pedigreedcat is one whose ancestry is recorded by a cat fancierorganization. A purebred cat is one whose ancestry contains onlyindividuals of the same breed. Many pedigreed and especiallypurebred cats are exhibited as show cats. Cats of unrecorded, mixedancestry are referred to as domestic short-haired or domesticlong-haired cats, by coat type, or commonly as random-bred, moggies(chiefly British), or (using terms borrowed from dog breeding)mongrels or mutt-cats. While the African wildcat is the ancestralsubspecies from which domestic cats are descended, and wildcats anddomestic cats can completely interbreed, there are severalintermediate stages between domestic pet and pedigree cats on theone hand and those entirely wild animals on the other. Thesemi-feral cat is a mostly outdoor cat that is not owned by any oneindividual, but is generally friendly to people and may be fed byseveral households. Feral cats are associated with human habitationareas and may be fed by people or forage in rubbish, but are waryof human interaction.

Jeep is a brand of American automobiles thatis a marque of Chrysler Group LLC, a multinational manufacturer ina global strategic alliance with Fiat.[2] The former ChryslerCorporation acquired the Jeep brand, along with the remainingassets of its owner American Motors, in 1987. Jeep's line ofvehicles consists solely of sport utility vehicles and off-roadvehicles but has also included pickup trucks in the past.The first Willys MB Jeeps were produced in 1941[1] with the firstcivilian models in 1945,[3] making it the oldest off-road vehicleand sport utility vehicle (SUV) brand. It inspired a number ofother light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover[4][5] which isthe second oldest 4-wheel-drive brand. The original Jeep vehiclethat first appeared as the prototype Bantam BRC became the primarylight 4-wheel-drive vehicle of the United States Army and Alliesduring World War II, as well as the postwar period. Many Jeepvariants serving similar military and civilian roles have sincebeen created in other nations.

Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most-populouscontinent. At about 30.2 million km² (11.7 million sq mi) includingadjacent islands, it covers six percent of the Earth's totalsurface area and 20.4 percent of the total land area.[2] With 1.0billion people (as of 2009, see table), it accounts for about 15%of the world's human population. The continent is surrounded by theMediterranean Sea to the north, both the Suez Canal and the Red Seaalong the Sinai Peninsula to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to thesoutheast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The continentincludes Madagascar and various archipelagoes. It has 54 fullyrecognized sovereign states ("countries"), 9 territories and threede facto states with limited recognition.[3] Africa, particularlycentral Eastern Africa, is widely accepted as the origin of humansand the Hominidae clade (great apes), as evidenced by the discoveryof the earliest hominids and their ancestors, as well as later onesthat have been dated to around seven million years ago – includingSahelanthropus tchadensis, Australopithecus africanus, A.afarensis, Homo erectus, H. habilis and H. ergaster – with theearliest Homo sapiens (modern human) found in Ethiopia being datedto circa 200,000 years ago.[4] Africa straddles the equator andencompasses numerous climate areas; it is the only continent tostretch from the northern temperate to southern temperate zones.[5]

The kimono (着物?)[1] is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men,women and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a"thing to wear" (ki "wear" and mono "thing"),[2] has come to denotethese full-length robes. The standard plural of the word kimono inEnglish is kimonos,[3] but the unmarked Japanese plural kimono isalso sometimes used. Kimono are T-shaped, straight-lined robes wornso that the hem falls to the ankle, with attached collars and long,wide sleeves. Kimono are wrapped around the body, always with theleft side over the right (except when dressing the dead forburial.),[4] and secured by a sash called an obi, which is tied atthe back. Kimono are generally worn with traditional footwear(especially zōri or geta) and split-toe socks (tabi).[5] Today,kimono are most often worn by women, and on special occasions.Traditionally, unmarried women wore a style of kimono calledfurisode,[5] with almost floor-length sleeves, on specialoccasions. A few older women and even fewer men still wear thekimono on a daily basis. Men wear the kimono most often atweddings, tea ceremonies, and other very special or very formaloccasions. Professional sumo wrestlers are often seen in the kimonobecause they are required to wear traditional Japanese dresswhenever appearing in public.[6] As the kimono has another name,gofuku (呉服?, literally "clothes of Wu (吳)"), the earliest kimonoswere heavily influenced by traditional Han Chinese clothing, knowntoday as hanfu (漢服?, kanfuku in Japanese), through Japaneseembassies to China which resulted in extensive Chinese cultureadoptions by Japan, as early as the 5th century AD.[5] It wasduring the 8th century, however, that Chinese fashions came intostyle among the Japanese, and the overlapping collar becameparticularly women's fashion.[5] During Japan's Heian period(794–1192 AD), the kimono became increasingly stylized, though onestill wore a half-apron, called a mo, over it.[5] During theMuromachi age (1392–1573 AD), the Kosode, a single kimono formerlyconsidered underwear, began to be worn without the hakama(trousers, divided skirt) over it, and thus began to be held closedby an obi "belt".[5] During the Edo period (1603–1867 AD), thesleeves began to grow in length, especially among unmarried women,and the Obi became wider, with various styles of tying coming intofashion.[5] Since then, the basic shape of both the men’s andwomen’s kimono has remained essentially unchanged. Kimonos madewith exceptional skill from fine materials have been regarded asgreat works of art.[5] The formal kimono was replaced by the moreconvenient Western clothes and yukata as everyday wear. After anedict by Emperor Meiji,[7] police, railroad men and teachers movedto Western clothes. The Western clothes became the army and schooluniform for boys. After the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, kimonowearers often became victims of robbery because they could not runvery fast due to the restricting nature of the kimono on the bodyand geta clogs. The Tokyo Women's & Children's WearManufacturers' Association (東京婦人子供服組合) promoted Western clothes.Between 1920 and 1930 the sailor outfit replaced the undividedhakama in school uniforms for girls. The 1932 fire at Shirokiya'sNihonbashi store is said to have been the catalyst for the declinein kimonos as everyday wear. Kimono-clad Japanese women did notwear panties and several women refused to jump into safety netsbecause they were ashamed of being seen from below. (It is,however, suggested, that this is an urban myth.)[8][9] The nationaluniform, Kokumin-fuku (国民服), a type of Western clothes, wasmandated for males in 1940.[10][11][12] Today most people wearWestern clothes and wear the breezier and more comfortable yukatafor special occasions.

Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodentscalled the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, groundsquirrels, chipmunks, marmots (including woodchucks), flyingsquirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to theAmericas, Eurasia, and Africa, and have been introduced toAustralia. The earliest known squirrels date from the Eocene andare most closely related to the mountain beaver and to the dormouseamong living rodent families.

Kyoto (京都市 Kyōto-shi?) (Japanese pronunciation: [kʲoːto] ( listen))is a city in the central part of the island of Honshu, Japan. Ithas a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperialcapital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, aswell as a major part of the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area.Kyoto is considered a beautiful city[citation needed], fromlakeside Biwako in the north-east, to the confluence at NationalRt. 81. With temples, parks, bustling business districts, markets,from regal estates to the tightly-packed neighborhoods, Kyoto isone of the oldest and most famous Asian metropolises[citationneeded].

The domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)[2][3] is a subspecies ofthe gray wolf (Canis lupus), a member of the Canidae family of themammalian order Carnivora. The term "domestic dog" is generallyused for both domesticated and feral varieties. The dog was thefirst domesticated animal[4] and has been the most widely keptworking, hunting, and pet animal in human history. The word "dog"can also refer to the male of a canine species,[5] as opposed tothe word "bitch" which refers to the female of the species. MtDNAevidence shows an evolutionary split between the modern dog'slineage and the modern wolf's lineage around 100,000 years ago but,as of 2013, the oldest fossil specimens genetically linked to themodern dog's lineage date to approximately 33,000–36,000 yearsago.[4][6] Dogs' value to early human hunter-gatherers led to themquickly becoming ubiquitous across world cultures. Dogs performmany roles for people, such as hunting, herding, pulling loads,protection, assisting police and military, companionship, and, morerecently, aiding handicapped individuals. This impact on humansociety has given them the nickname "man's best friend" in theWestern world. In some cultures, however, dogs are also a source ofmeat.[7][8] In 2001, there were estimated to be 400 million dogs inthe world.[9] Most breeds of dogs are at most a few hundred yearsold, having been artificially selected for particular morphologiesand behaviors by people for specific functional roles. Through thisselective breeding, the dog has developed into hundreds of variedbreeds, and shows more behavioral and morphological variation thanany other land mammal.[10] For example, height measured to thewithers ranges from 15.2 centimetres (6.0 in) in the Chihuahua toabout 76 cm (30 in) in the Irish Wolfhound; color varies from whitethrough grays (usually called "blue") to black, and browns fromlight (tan) to dark ("red" or "chocolate") in a wide variation ofpatterns; coats can be short or long, coarse-haired to wool-like,straight, curly, or smooth.[11] It is common for most breeds toshed this coat.

Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans. Seafoodprominently includes fish and shellfish. Shellfish include variousspecies of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Historically,sea mammals such as whales and dolphins have been consumed as food,though that happens to a lesser extent these days. Edible seaplants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are widely eaten asseafood around the world, especially in Asia (see the category ofsea vegetables). In North America, although not generally in theUnited Kingdom, the term "seafood" is extended to fresh waterorganisms eaten by humans, so all edible aquatic life may bereferred to as seafood. For the sake of completeness, this articleincludes all edible aquatic life. The harvesting of wild seafood isknown as fishing and the cultivation and farming of seafood isknown as aquaculture, mariculture, or in the case of fish, fishfarming. Seafood is often distinguished from meat, although it isstill animal and is excluded in a strict vegetarian diet. Seafoodis an important source of protein in many diets around the world,especially in coastal areas. Most of the seafood harvest isconsumed by humans, but a significant proportion is used as fishfood to farm other fish or rear farm animal. Some seafoods (kelp)are used as food for other plants (fertilizer). In these ways,seafoods are indirectly used to produce further food for humanconsumption. Products, such as fish oil and spirulina tablets arealso extracted from seafoods. Some seafood is feed to aquariumfish, or used to feed domestic pets, such as cats, and a smallproportion is used in medicine, or is used industrially fornon-food purposes (leather).

Christmas (Old English: Crīstesmæsse, meaning "Christ's Mass") isan annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ[6][7] and awidely observed holiday, celebrated generally on December25[3][4][5] by millions of people around the world.[8][2] A feastcentral to the Christian liturgical year, it closes the Adventseason and initiates the twelve days of Christmastide, which endsafter the twelfth night.[9] Christmas is a civil holiday in many ofthe world's nations,[10][11][12] is celebrated by an increasingnumber of non-Christians,[1][13][14] and is an integral part of theChristmas and holiday season. The precise year of Jesus' birth,which some historians place between 7 and 2 BC, is unknown.[15][16]His birth is mentioned in two of the four canonical gospels. By theearly-to-mid 4th century, the Western Christian Church had placedChristmas on December 25,[17] a date later adopted in theEast.[18][19] The date of Christmas may have initially been chosento correspond with the day exactly nine months after earlyChristians believed Jesus to have been conceived,[20] and becamegenerally associated with the southern solstice (i.e., the Romanwinter solstice), with a sun connection being possible becauseChristians consider Jesus to be the "Sun of righteousness"prophesied in Malachi 4:2.[20][21][22][23][24] The original date ofthe celebration in Eastern Christianity was January 6, inconnection with Epiphany, and that is still the date of thecelebration for the Armenian Apostolic Church and in Armenia, whereit is a public holiday. As of 2013, there is a difference of 13days between the modern Gregorian calendar and the older Juliancalendar. Those who continue to use the Julian calendar or itsequivalents thus celebrate December 25 and January 6, which on theGregorian calendar translate as January 7 and January 19. For thisreason, Ethiopia, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Serbia, the Republic ofMacedonia, and the Republic of Moldova celebrate Christmas on whatin the Gregorian calendar is January 7. Eastern Orthodox Churchesin Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Antioch, Alexandria, Albania, Finlandand the Orthodox Church in America celebrate Christmas on December25 in the revised Julian calendar, corresponding to December 25also in the Gregorian calendar. The popular celebratory customsassociated in various countries with Christmas have a mix ofpre-Christian, Christian, and secular themes and origins.[25]Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift giving,Christmas music and caroling, an exchange of Christmas cards,church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of variousChristmas decorations, including Christmas trees, Christmas lights,nativity scenes, garlands, wreaths, mistletoe, and holly. Inaddition, several closely related and often interchangeablefigures, known as Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas,and Christkind, are associated with bringing gifts to childrenduring the Christmas season and have their own body of traditionsand lore.[26] Because gift-giving and many other aspects of theChristmas festival involve heightened economic activity among bothChristians and non-Christians, the holiday has become a significantevent and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. Theeconomic impact of Christmas is a factor that has grown steadilyover the past few centuries in many regions of the world.

Russian cuisine (Russian: Русская кухня, tr. Russkaya kuhnya) isdiverse, as Russia is by area the largest country in the world.[1]Russian cuisine derives its varied character from the vast andmulti-cultural expanse of Russia. Its foundations were laid by thepeasant food of the rural population in an often harsh climate,with a combination of plentiful fish, poultry, game, mushrooms,berries, and honey. Crops of rye, wheat, barley, and milletprovided the ingredients for a plethora of breads, pancakes,cereals, beer, and vodka. Soups and stews full of flavor arecentered on seasonal or storable produce, fish, and meats. Thiswholly native food remained the staple for the vast majority ofRussians well into the 20th century. Russia's great expansions ofculture, influence, and interest during the 16th–18th centuriesbrought more refined foods and culinary techniques, as well as oneof the most refined food countries in the world. It was during thisperiod that smoked meats and fish, pastry cooking, salads and greenvegetables, chocolate, ice cream, wines, and juice were importedfrom abroad. At least for the urban aristocracy and provincialgentry, this opened the doors for the creative integration of thesenew foodstuffs with traditional Russian dishes. The result isextremely varied in technique, seasoning, and combination.

Russian cuisine (Russian: Русская кухня, tr. Russkaya kuhnya) isdiverse, as Russia is by area the largest country in the world.[1]Russian cuisine derives its varied character from the vast andmulti-cultural expanse of Russia. Its foundations were laid by thepeasant food of the rural population in an often harsh climate,with a combination of plentiful fish, poultry, game, mushrooms,berries, and honey. Crops of rye, wheat, barley, and milletprovided the ingredients for a plethora of breads, pancakes,cereals, beer, and vodka. Soups and stews full of flavor arecentered on seasonal or storable produce, fish, and meats. Thiswholly native food remained the staple for the vast majority ofRussians well into the 20th century. Russia's great expansions ofculture, influence, and interest during the 16th–18th centuriesbrought more refined foods and culinary techniques, as well as oneof the most refined food countries in the world. It was during thisperiod that smoked meats and fish, pastry cooking, salads and greenvegetables, chocolate, ice cream, wines, and juice were importedfrom abroad. At least for the urban aristocracy and provincialgentry, this opened the doors for the creative integration of thesenew foodstuffs with traditional Russian dishes. The result isextremely varied in technique, seasoning, and combination.

The Japanese tea ceremony, also called the Way of Tea, is aJapanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation andpresentation of matcha, powdered green tea. In Japanese, it iscalled chanoyu (茶の湯?) or sadō, chadō (茶道?). The manner in which itis performed, or the art of its performance, is called otemae (お手前;お点前?). Zen Buddhism was a primary influence in the development ofthe tea ceremony. Much less commonly, it uses leaf tea, primarilysencha; see sencha tea ceremony, below. Tea gatherings areclassified as chakai (茶会?) or chaji (茶事?). A chakai is a relativelysimple course of hospitality that includes confections, thin tea(薄茶 usucha?), and perhaps a light meal. A chaji is a much moreformal gathering, usually including a full-course kaiseki mealfollowed by confections, thick tea (濃茶 koicha?), and thin tea. Achaji can last up to four hours.

Dessert is the usually sweet course that concludes a meal. The foodthat composes the dessert course includes but is not limited tosweet foods. There is a wide variety of desserts in westerncultures now including cakes, cookies, biscuits, gelatins,pastries, ice creams, pies, pudding, and candies. Fruit is alsocommonly found in dessert courses because of its natural sweetness.Many different cultures have their own variations of similardesserts around the world, such as in Russia, where many breakfastfoods such as blint, oladi, and syrniki can be served with honeyand jam to make them popular as desserts. The loosely definedcourse called dessert can apply to many foods.

The Mid-Autumn Festival (traditional Chinese: 中秋節; simplifiedChinese: 中秋节; pinyin: zhōngqiū jié; Vietnamese: Tết Trung Thu) is apopular harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamesepeople.[1][2] The festival is held on the 15th day of the eighthmonth in the Chinese calendar, during a full moon, which is inSeptember or early October in the Gregorian calendar, close to theautumnal equinox.[1] The Government of the People's Republic ofChina listed the festival as an "intangible cultural heritage" in2006, and it was made a Chinese public holiday in 2008.[1] It isalso a public holiday in Taiwan. Among the Vietnamese, it isconsidered the second most important holiday tradition.[3] The dayfollowing Mid-Autumn Festival is a public holiday in Hong Kong andMacau (the festival day itself is not a holiday in Hong Kong andMacau, the logic is that most celebrations are held at night).

The poodle is a group of formal dog breeds, the Standard Poodle,Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle (one registry organisation alsorecognizes a Medium Poodle variety, between Standard andMiniature), with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type ofwater dog, the poodle is skillful in many dog sports, includingagility, obedience, tracking, and even herding. Poodles have takentop honors in many conformation shows, including "Best in Show" atthe Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 1991 and 2002, and at theWorld Dog Show in 2007 and 2010. Toy Poodles won "Best in Show" atCrufts in 1966 and 1982. Standard Poodles achieved the award in1955, 1985 and 2002. The 2002 winner came from Norway and was thefirst overseas exhibit to win the Crufts best in show award.

The Yokohama Bay Bridge (横浜ベイブリッジ Yokohama Bei Buridji?) is a860-metre-long cable stayed bridge in Yokohama, Japan. OpenedSeptember 27, 1989, it crosses Tokyo Bay with a span of 460 metres(1,510 feet). The toll is ¥600. The bridge is part of the BayshoreRoute of the Shuto Expressway.

Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. is an Italiancompany that designs and manufactures motorcycles. Headquartered inBologna, Italy, Ducati is owned by Audi through its Italiansubsidiary Lamborghini.In 1926 three brothers, Adriano, Marcello, and Bruno Ducati;founded Societa Scientifica Radio Brevetti Ducati in Bologna toproduce vacuum tubes, condensers and other radio components,becoming successful enough by 1935 to construct a new factory inthe Borgo Panigale area of the city. Production was maintainedduring World War II, despite the Ducati factory being a repeatedtarget for Allied bombing.Meanwhile, at the small Turinese firm SIATA (Societa Italiana perApplicazioni Tecniche Auto-Aviatorie), Aldo Farinelli begandeveloping a small pushrod engine for mounting on bicycles. Barelya month after the official liberation of Italy in 1944, SIATAannounced its intention to sell this engine, called the "Cucciolo"(Italian for "puppy," in reference to the distinctive exhaustsound) to the public. The first Cucciolos were available alone, tobe mounted on standard bicycles, by the buyer; however, businessmensoon bought the little engines in quantity, and offered completemotorized-bicycle units for sale.In 1950, after more than 200,000 Cucciolos had been sold, incollaboration with SIATA, the Ducati firm finally offered its ownCucciolo-based motorcycle. This first Ducati motorcycle was a 48 ccbike weighing 98 lb (44 kg) with a top speed of 40 mph (64 km/h)had a 15 mm carburetor giving just under 200 mpg-US (1.2 L/100 km;240 mpg-imp).

Ice cream (derived from earlier iced cream or cream ice[1]) is afrozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk andcream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients andflavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made withother sweeteners. In some cases, artificial flavourings andcolourings are used in addition to, or instead of, the naturalingredients. The mixture of chosen ingredients is stirred slowlywhile cooling, in order to incorporate air and to prevent large icecrystals from forming. The result is a smoothly textured semi-solidfoam that is malleable and can be scooped. The meaning of thephrase "ice cream" varies from one country to another. Phrases suchas "frozen custard", "frozen yogurt", "sorbet", "gelato" and othersare used to distinguish different varieties and styles. In somecountries, such as the United States, the phrase "ice cream"applies only to a specific variety, and most governments regulatethe commercial use of the various terms according to the relativequantities of the main ingredients.[2] In other countries, such asItaly and Argentina, one word is used for all variants. Analoguesmade from dairy alternatives, such as goat's or sheep's milk, ormilk substitutes, are available for those who are lactoseintolerant, allergic to dairy protein, or vegan. The most popularflavours of ice cream are vanilla and chocolate.[3]

Buddhism is a religion indigenous to the Indian subcontinent thatencompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices largelybased on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, who iscommonly known as the Buddha, meaning "the awakened one". TheBuddha lived and taught in the eastern part of the Indiansubcontinent sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE.[1] Heis recognized by Buddhists as an awakened or enlightened teacherwho shared his insights to help sentient beings end their suffering(dukkha) through the elimination of ignorance (avidyā) by way ofunderstanding and the seeing of dependent origination(pratītyasamutpāda) and the elimination of craving (taṇhā), andthus the attainment of the cessation of all suffering, known as thesublime state of nirvāņa.[2] Two major branches of Buddhism aregenerally recognized: Theravada ("The School of the Elders") andMahayana ("The Great Vehicle"). Theravada has a widespreadfollowing in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos,Thailand, Myanmar etc.). Mahayana is found throughout East Asia(China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan etc.) and includesthe traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren Buddhism, TibetanBuddhism, Shingon, and Tiantai (Tendai). In some classifications,Vajrayana—practiced mainly in Tibet and Mongolia, and adjacentparts of China and Russia—is recognized as a third branch, whileothers classify it as a part of Mahayana. While Buddhism remainsmost popular within Asia, both branches are now found throughoutthe world. Estimates of Buddhists worldwide vary significantlydepending on the way Buddhist adherence is defined. Conservativeestimates are between 350 and 750 million.[3][4][5] Higherestimates are between 1.2 and 1.7 billion.[6][7][8] It is alsorecognized as one of the fastest growing religions in theworld.[9][10][11][12] Buddhist schools vary on the exact nature ofthe path to liberation, the importance and canonicity of variousteachings and scriptures, and especially their respectivepractices.[13] The foundations of Buddhist tradition and practiceare the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma (the teachings), andthe Sangha (the community). Taking "refuge in the triple gem" hastraditionally been a declaration and commitment to being on theBuddhist path, and in general distinguishes a Buddhist from anon-Buddhist.[14] Other practices may include following ethicalprecepts; support of the monastic community; renouncingconventional living and becoming a monastic; the development ofmindfulness and practice of meditation; cultivation of higherwisdom and discernment; study of scriptures; devotional practices;ceremonies; and in the Mahayana tradition, invocation of buddhasand bodhisattvas.

Switzerland (German: Schweiz[note 3] [ˈʃvaɪts]; French: Suisse[sɥis]; Italian: Svizzera [ˈzvittseːra]; Romansh: Svizra[ˈʒviːtsrɐ] or [ˈʒviːtsʁːɐ]), officially the Swiss Confederation(Latin: Confoederatio Helvetica, hence its abbreviation CH), is afederal parliamentary republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bernas the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated inWestern and Central Europe,[note 4] where it is bordered by Germanyto the north, France to the west, Italy to the south, and Austriaand Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland is a landlocked countrygeographically divided between the Alps, the Swiss Plateau and theJura, spanning an area of 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi). While the Alpsoccupy the greater part of the territory, the Swiss population ofapproximately 8 million people is concentrated mostly on thePlateau, where the largest cities are to be found. Among them arethe two global cities and economic centres – Zurich and Geneva. TheSwiss Confederation has a long history of armed neutrality—it hasnot been in a state of war internationally since 1815—and did notjoin the United Nations until 2002. It pursues, however, an activeforeign policy and is frequently involved in peace-buildingprocesses around the world.[8] Switzerland is also the birthplaceof the Red Cross and home to a large number of internationalorganizations, including the second largest UN office. On theEuropean level, it is a founding member of the European Free TradeAssociation and is part of the Schengen Area – although it isnotably not a member of the European Union, nor the EuropeanEconomic Area. Switzerland is one of the richest countries in theworld by per capita gross domestic product, and has the highestwealth per adult (financial and non-financial assets) of anycountry in the world.[9][10] Zurich and Geneva have respectivelybeen ranked as the cities with the second and eighth highestquality of life in the world.[11] It has the world's nineteenthlargest economy by nominal GDP and the thirty-sixth largest bypurchasing power parity. It is the twentieth largest exporter andeighteenth largest importer of goods. Switzerland comprises fourmain linguistic and cultural regions: German, French, Italian andthe Romansh-speaking valleys. The Swiss, therefore, thoughpredominantly German-speaking, do not form a nation in the sense ofa common ethnic or linguistic identity. The strong sense ofbelonging to the country is founded on the common historicalbackground, shared values (federalism and direct democracy)[12] andAlpine symbolism.[13] The establishment of the Swiss Confederationis traditionally dated to 1 August 1291; Swiss National Day iscelebrated on the anniversary.

The Persian is a long-haired breed of cat characterized by itsround face and shortened muzzle. Its name refers to Persia, theformer name of Iran, where similar cats are found.[dubious –discuss] Recognized by the cat fancy since the late 19th century,it was developed first by the English, and then mainly by Americanbreeders after the Second World War. In Britain, it is called theLonghair or Persian Longhair. The selective breeding carried out bybreeders has allowed the development of a wide variety of coatcolors, but has also led to the creation of increasingly flat-facedPersians. Favored by fanciers, this head structure can bring withit a number of health problems. As is the case with the Siamesebreed, there have been efforts by some breeders to preserve theolder type of cat, the traditional breed, having a more pronouncedmuzzle, which is more popular with the general public. Hereditarypolycystic kidney disease is prevalent in the breed, affectingalmost half the population in some countries. The placid andunpretentious nature of the Persian confers a propensity forapartment living. It has been the most popular breed in the UnitedStates for many years but its popularity has seen a decline inBritain and France.

Dubai (/duːˈbaɪ/ doo-BY; Arabic: دبيّ‎ Dubayy, IPA: [dʊ'bæj]) is acity in the United Arab Emirates, located within the emirate. Theemirate of Dubai is located on the southeast coast of the PersianGulf and is one of the seven emirates that make up the country. Ithas the largest population in the UAE (2,106,177) and thesecond-largest land territory by area (4,114 km2) after Abu Dhabi,the national capital.[4] Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the only twoemirates to have veto power over critical matters of nationalimportance in the country's legislature.[5] The city of Dubai islocated on the emirate's northern coastline and heads up theDubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area. Dubai is nowadays oftenmisperceived as a country or city-state and, in some cases, the UAEas a whole has been described as 'Dubai'.[6] The earliest mentionof Dubai is in 1095 AD, and the earliest recorded settlement in theregion dates from 1799. The Sheikhdom of Dubai was formallyestablished in 1833 by Sheikh Maktoum bin Butti Al-Maktoum when hepersuaded around 800 members of his tribe of the Bani Yas, livingin what was then the Second Saudi State and now part of SaudiArabia, to follow him to the Dubai Creek by the Abu Falasa clan ofthe Bani Yas. It remained under the tribe's control when the UnitedKingdom agreed to protect the Sheikhdom in 1892[7] and joined thenascent United Arab Emirates upon independence in 1971 as thecountry's second emirate. Its strategic geographic location madethe town an important trading hub and by the beginning of the 20thcentury, Dubai was already an important regional port. Today, Dubaihas emerged as a cosmopolitan metropolis that has grown steadily tobecome a global city and a business and cultural hub of the MiddleEast and the Persian Gulf region.[8] Although Dubai's economy washistorically built on the oil industry, the emirate's Western-stylemodel of business drives its economy with the main revenues nowcoming from tourism, real estate, and financialservices.[9][10][11] Dubai has recently attracted world attentionthrough many innovative large construction projects and sportsevents. The city has become symbolic for its skyscrapers andhigh-rise buildings, such as the world's tallest Burj Khalifa, inaddition to ambitious development projects including man-madeislands, hotels, and some of the largest shopping malls in theregion and the world. This increased attention has also highlightedlabor and human rights issues concerning the city's largely SouthAsian workforce.[12] Dubai's property market experienced a majordeterioration in 2008–2009 as a result of the worldwide economicdownturn following the financial crisis of 2007-2008.[13] However,a 2013 report by the Oxford Business Group said that Dubai wasmaking a gradual recovery with help coming from neighboringemirates.[14] As of 2012, Dubai is the 22nd most expensive city inthe world, and the most expensive city in the Middle East.[15][16]Dubai has also been rated as one of the best places to live in theMiddle East, including by American global consulting firm Mercerwho rated the city as the best place to live in the Middle East in2011.

Conch (/ˈkɒŋk/ or /ˈkɒntʃ/)[1] is a commonname that is applied to a number of different medium to large-sizedsea snails or their shells. The term generally applies to large seasnails whose shell has a high spire and a noticeable siphonal canal(in other words, the shell comes to a point at both ends).True conches are marine gastropod molluscs in the familyStrombidae, specifically in the genus Strombus and other closelyrelated genera such as Eustrombus.Many species also are often called "conch", but are not in thefamily Strombidae, including Melongena species (familyMelongenidae), and the horse conch Pleuroploca gigantea (familyFasciolariidae). They also include the sacred chank or morecorrectly shankha shell (Turbinella pyrum) and other Turbinellaspecies in the family Turbinellidae.

In geology, a rock is a naturally occurringsolid aggregate of one or more minerals or mineraloids. Forexample, the common rock granite is a combination of the quartz,feldspar and biotite minerals. The Earth's outer solid layer, thelithosphere, is made of rock.Rocks have been used by mankind throughout history. From the StoneAge rocks have been used for tools. The minerals and metals we findin rocks have been essential to human civilization.[1]Three major groups of rocks are defined: igneous, sedimentary, andmetamorphic. The scientific study of rocks is called petrology,which is an essential component of geology.

The Sportster is a line of motorcyclesproduced continuously since 1957 by the Harley-Davidson MotorCompany. Sportster models are designated in Harley-Davidson'sproduct code by beginning with "XL". In 1952, the predecessors tothe Sportster, the Model K Sport and Sport Solo motorcycles, wereintroduced. These models K, KK, KH, and KHK of 1952 to 1956 had aflat head engine, whereas the later XL Sportster models use anoverhead valve engine. The first Sportster in 1957 featured many ofthe same details of the KH including the frame, fenders, large gastank and front suspension.

Miniature (or Zwergteckel) dachshunds have a typical weight of 8 to11 lb, the smaller the dog the better.[1] They also are normally aheight of 5 to 7 in.[2] They are nicknamed "weiner dogs" or "hotdogs" and are sometimes described as being "two dogs long and ahalf dog high". The Dachshund breed was not found until at leastthe 16th century in Germany. The name dachshund comes from theGerman words dachs (badger) and hund (dog). Before the 1900ssmaller Dachshunds were used to for going underground to catch verysmall animals. Some of these Dachshunds were at first just runts oftheir litters, but later others were created intentionally bycrossing Dachshunds with Toy Terriers and Pinschers. Most of theMiniature Dachshunds produced this way did not have thecharacteristics of the dachshund breed. This continued until about1910 when stricter criteria was given to reproduce the breed. Noweach type of coat has a different breed to cross with to get thebest results: wire-haired cross with Miniature Schnauzer,long-haired with Papillon and lastly, smooth-haired cross withMiniature Pinschers.[3]

The domestic cat[1][2] (Felis catus[2] or Felis silvestriscatus[4]) is a small, usually furry, domesticated, and carnivorousmammal. It is often called the housecat when kept as an indoorpet,[6] or simply the cat when there is no need to distinguish itfrom other felids and felines. Cats are valued by humans forcompanionship and their ability to hunt vermin and household pests.Cats are similar in anatomy to the other felids, with strong,flexible bodies, quick reflexes, sharp retractable claws, and teethadapted to killing small prey. Cat senses fit a crepuscular andpredatory ecological niche. Cats can hear sounds too faint or toohigh in frequency for human ears, such as those made by mice andother small game. They can see in near darkness. Like most othermammals, cats have poorer color vision and a better sense of smellthan humans. Despite being solitary hunters, cats are a socialspecies, and cat communication includes the use of a variety ofvocalizations (meowing, purring, trilling, hissing, growling andgrunting) as well as cat pheromones and types of cat-specific bodylanguage.[7] Cats have a rapid breeding rate. Under controlledbreeding, they can be bred and shown as registered pedigree pets, ahobby known as cat fancy. Failure to control the breeding of petcats by spaying and neutering, and the abandonment of formerhousehold pets, has resulted in large numbers of feral catsworldwide, with a population of up to 60 million of these animalsin the United States alone, requiring population control.[8] Sincecats were cult animals in ancient Egypt, they were commonlybelieved to have been domesticated there,[9] but there may havebeen instances of domestication as early as the Neolithic.[10] Agenetic study in 2007 revealed that domestic cats are descendedfrom African wildcats (Felis silvestris lybica) c. 8000 BCE, in theMiddle East.[9][11] According to Scientific American, cats are themost popular pet in the world, and are now found almost every placewhere people live.[12]

A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement.[1][2]Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished froma town within general English language meanings, many cities have aparticular administrative, legal, or historical status based onlocal law. For example, in the American state of Massachusetts anarticle of incorporation approved by the local state legislaturedistinguishes a city government from a town. In the United Kingdomand parts of the Commonwealth of Nations, a city is usually asettlement with a royal charter.[1] Historically, in Europe, a citywas understood[citation needed] by some to mean an urban settlementwith a cathedral. The belief in this distinction is also common inEngland, where the presence of a cathedral is thought by many todistinguish a 'city' (sometimes called a 'cathedral city') from a'town' (which has a parish church[citation needed]); the belief isincorrect (Chelmsford, for example, became a city only in 2012, buthad a cathedral for most of the 20th century). Cities generallyhave complex systems for sanitation, utilities, land usage,housing, and transportation. The concentration of developmentgreatly facilitates interaction between people and businesses,benefiting both parties in the process. A big city or metropolisusually has associated suburbs and exurbs. Such cities are usuallyassociated with metropolitan areas and urban areas, creatingnumerous business commuters traveling to urban centers foremployment. Once a city expands far enough to reach another city,this region can be deemed a conurbation or megalopolis.

The Boston Terrier is a breed of dog originating in the UnitedStates of America. This "American Gentleman" was accepted in 1893by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting breed.[2] Color andmarkings are important when distinguishing this breed to the AKCstandard. They should be either black, brindle or seal with whitemarkings.[3][4] Bostons are small and compact with a short tail anderect ears.The AKC says they are highly intelligent and very easilytrained.[5] They are friendly and can be stubborn at times. Theaverage life span of a Boston is around 11 to 13 years, though somecan live well into their teens.