document_title: Kubo and the Two Strings

question_text: when does kubo and the two strings release

text: Kubo and the Two Strings

text: Plot[edit]

text: In feudal Japan, 12-year-old eyepatched Kubo tends to his ill mother Sariatu in a mountain cave near a village. He earns their living by magically manipulating origami with music from his shamisen for the village folk, telling the tale of his missing father Hanzo, a samurai warrior. Kubo is never able to finish his story, as he does not know what happened to Hanzo and Sariatu cannot recall the end due to her deteriorating mental state. Sariatu warns him not to stay out after dark as her Sisters, Karasu and Washi, and his grandfather, the Moon King (who took his eye when he was a baby) will find him and take his remaining eye.

text: One day, Kubo learns of the village's Bon festival allowing them to speak to deceased loved ones. Kubo attends but is angry that Hanzo does not appear from his lantern, and forgets to return home before sunset. Karasu and Washi quickly find him and attack, but Sariatu suddenly appears and uses her magic to send Kubo far away, telling him to find his father's armor.

text: Kubo wakes up in a distant land to find Monkey, his wooden snow monkey charm, has come alive. Monkey tells him Sariatu is gone and the village destroyed. With help of "Little Hanzo", an origami figure based on Kubo's father, they set out to find the armor. Along the way, they meet Beetle, an amnesiac samurai who was cursed to take the form of a stag beetle/human hybrid but believes himself to have been Hanzo's apprentice.

text: Kubo, Monkey, and Beetle reclaim the "Sword Unbreakable" from an underground cave guarded by a giant skeleton. They cross the Long Lake in a leaf boat to locate the "Breastplate Impenetrable" deep underwater. Kubo and Beetle swim down to retrieve it and encounter a sea monster, the "Garden of Eyes", who can entrance its victims with its many eyes by showing secrets. Kubo is caught in the creature's sight, but while entranced, comes to realize that Monkey is the reincarnated spirit of his mother. Beetle rescues the unconscious Kubo and obtains the Breastplate, but on returning to the boat, they find that Monkey has been badly wounded fighting and defeating Karasu.

text: They go to shore to recover, where Monkey explains that she and her Sisters were ordered by the Moon King to kill Hanzo, but she instead fell in love with him, and the Moon King branded her an enemy. That night, Kubo dreams of meeting Raiden, a blind elderly man, who points him towards the "Helmet Invulnerable" in Hanzo's abandoned fortress. They travel there the next day but realize too late it is a trap set by the Moon King and Washi. Washi reveals that Beetle is Hanzo, whom they cursed for taking Sariatu away from them, and kills Beetle. Monkey sacrifices herself, buying Kubo the time to use his shamisen to defeat Washi, breaking two of the three strings on it. Little Hanzo provides insight that the Helmet is actually the bell at the village, and Kubo breaks the last string to quickly travel there.

text: At the village, Kubo meets Raiden, who is revealed as the Moon King. He offers to take Kubo's other eye to make him immortal, but Kubo refuses. Raiden transforms into a giant Dunkleosteus-like dragon, the Moon Beast, and pursues Kubo and the remaining villagers into its cemetery. When Hanzo's armor proves ineffective, Kubo removes it and restrings his shamisen using his mother's hair, his father's bowstring, and his own hair. With the instrument, he summons the spirits of the villagers' loved ones, who show the Moon Beast that memories are the strongest magic of all and can never be destroyed. Kubo and the spirits' magic protect themselves and the villagers from the Moon Beast, stripping him of his powers and leaving him a mortal human without any memories. Spurred on by Kubo's stories, the villagers take compassion and tell Raiden he was a man of many positive traits, accepting him into the village. Kubo is able to speak to his parents' ghosts during the subsequent Bon ceremony, as they watch the deceased villagers' lanterns transform into golden herons and fly to the spirit world.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Art Parkinson as Kubo, an eyepatch-wearing boy who is the son of Sariatu and Hanzo.
Charlize Theron as Monkey/Sariatu, Kubo's mother and one of the Moon King's daughters, reincarnated in a little Japanese snow monkey charm, known as Monkey, after she is killed by her Sisters.
Matthew McConaughey as Beetle/Hanzo, Kubo's father, who was transformed by the Sisters into a stag beetle/human hybrid with no recollection of his true identity, believing himself to be Hanzo's apprentice.
Ralph Fiennes as Raiden the Moon King, Kubo's evil grandfather, and the Sisters and Sariatu's father.
Rooney Mara as Karasu and Washi the Sisters, two twin sisters who are Kubo's evil aunts, Sariatu's younger sisters, and the Moon King's twin daughters.
George Takei as Hosato, a villager who teaches his daughter their Japanese culture and traditions.
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Hashi, a villager and Kubo's biggest fan.
Brenda Vaccaro as Kameyo, a villager and an elderly but young-hearted widow who is a grandmother-figure to Kubo.
Meyrick Murphy as Mari
Minae Noji as Minae
Alpha Takahashi as Aiko
Laura Miro as Miho
Ken Takemoto as Ken

tag: ul

text: Production[edit]

text: Announced in December 2014, the project is the directoral debut of Laika's CEO Travis Knight.[4]  Knight was pitched the story by production designer Shannon Tindle as a "stop-motion samurai epic". Although the studio had never ventured into the genre before, Knight was enthusiastic about the project; owing partly his affinity towards both the "epic fantasy" genre as well as Japanese culture in general.[5]

text: The art took inspiration from such Japanese mediums as ink wash painting and origami among others. A particular influence came from the ukiyo-e wood block style, with Laika intending to make the entire film "to look and feel as if it’s a moving woodblock print"[5] Assistance came from 3D printing firm Stratasys who allowed Laika to use their newest technologies in exchange for feedback on them.[5]

text: For the Skeleton monster the team created a giant 16-foot, 400-pound puppet, which Laika claims is the record holder for largest stop-motion puppet.[6] The idea to make such a massive puppet was born out of a fear that individual smaller parts (meant to represent the larger monster) would not work well on screen interacting with the other puppets.[6] The resulting puppet was built in two parts which were then attached together by magnets. For movement Laika had to design a robot to easily manipulate it. The team at one point purchased an industrial robot off of eBay but found that it would not work with their setup.[6]

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text:
Kubo and the Two StringsSoundtrack album by Dario MarianelliReleased
August 5, 2016Genre
Film scoreLength
53:11Label
Warner Bros. RecordsLaika film soundtrack chronology

The Boxtrolls(2014)The Boxtrolls2014

Kubo and the Two Strings(2016)

Dario Marianelli chronology

Everest(2015) Everest2015

Kubo and the Two Strings(2016) Kubo and the Two Strings2016

text: Dario Marianelli composed the score for the film.[7]

text: Track listing[edit]

text: No.TitleLength1."The Impossible Waves"2:372."Kubo Goes to Town"1:253."Story Time"2:104."Ancestors"2:075."Meet the Sisters!"2:226."Origami Birds"3:257."The Giant Skeleton"3:308."The Leafy Galleon"4:369."Above and Below"3:5910."The Galleon Restored"1:0611."Monkey's Story"2:5712."Hanzo's Fortress"5:4513."United-Divided"3:0114."Showdown with Grandfather"7:0415."Rebirth"1:3316."While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (Regina Spektor)5:23

text: Release[edit]

text: The film screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival on August 13, 2016,[8] and was theatrically released in the United States on August 19, 2016.[9]

text: Box office[edit]

text: Kubo and the Two Strings grossed $48 million in North America and $29.5 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $77.5 million, against a budget of $60 million.[3]

text: In the United States, the film was released on August 19, 2016, alongside Ben-Hur and War Dogs, and was projected to gross $12–15 million from 3,260 theaters in its opening weekend.[10] It made $515,000 from its Thursday night previews and $4.1 million on its first day. It went on to gross $12.6 million in its opening weekend, finishing 4th at the box office.[11]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 97% based on reviews from 193 critics, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Kubo and the Two Strings matches its incredible animation with an absorbing—and bravely melancholy—story that has something to offer audiences of all ages."[12] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 84 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[13] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported filmgoers gave it an 85% overall positive score and a 63% "definite recommend".[11]

text: Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com awarded the film 3.5 stars out of 4, saying that "one of the most impressive elements of Kubo and the Two Strings—besides its dazzling stop-motion animation, its powerful performances and its transporting score—is the amount of credit it gives its audience, particularly its younger viewers."[14] IGN's Samantha Ladwig gave the film 7.5/10, stating that the film is "Dark, twisted, and occasionally scary, but also with humor, love, and inspiration."[15] Jesse Hassenger, of The A.V. Club, praised the film, saying that "no American animation studio is better-suited to dreamlike plotting than Laika, and the animation of Kubo is truly dazzling, mixing sophistication and handmade charm with inspired flow."[16]

text: Michael O'Sullivan of The Washington Post gave the film 4/4 stars, stating that the film is "both extraordinarily original and extraordinarily complex, even for a grown-up movie masquerading as a kiddie cartoon (which it kind of is)."[17] In The New York Times, Glenn Kenny said that "the movie's blend of stop-motion animation for the main action with computer-generated backgrounds is seamless, creating what is the most visually intoxicating of all Laika's movies."[18] Peter Debruge of Variety wrote that ""Kubo" offers another ominous mission for a lucky young misfit, this one a dark, yet thrilling adventure quest that stands as the crowning achievement in Laika's already impressive oeuvre."[19]

text: Jonathan Pile, member of the British film magazine Empire, wrote about the film: "Yet another success for stop-motion giants Laika … boasts big laughs and effective scares in a typically gorgeous animated tale."[20]

text: Accolades[edit]

text: At the 89th Academy Awards, Kubo and the Two Strings was nominated for two awards, Best Animated Feature and Best Visual Effects.[21][22]

text: Home media[edit]

text: Kubo and the Two Strings was released on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital media on November 22, 2016.[23]


document_title: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege

question_text: when does the dlc for rainbow six siege come out

root

text: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege

text: Gameplay[edit]

text: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege is a first-person shooter game, in which players control an operator from the Rainbow team. Different operators have different nationalities, weapons, and gadgets.[1] The game features an asymmetrical structure whereby the teams are not always balanced in their ability choices.[2] The Counter Terrorism Units (CTUs) available for play include the FBI Hostage Rescue Team, the British SAS, German GSG-9, Russian Spetsnaz and French GIGN, each of which has four operators per unit (other units were later added through downloadable content, see below). Players also have access to a "Recruit" operator who can choose from a more flexible assortment of equipment at the expense of having no unique gadget. Players pick an operator from any unit before a round starts, and are not allowed to change operators during a round. An in-game shop allows players to purchase operators using the in-game currency, "Renown", which is earned at the end of matches from actions performed in-game. The different gameplay modes award renown at different rates, with ranked matches offering the largest renown multiplier potential per match. Renown can also be affected with the addition of "boosters" which give the player a 100% increase in all renown earned for 24 hours (real time not play time). Renown can also be purchased using real-world currency.[3] Renown can be used to purchase weapon customization options, which allow players to put attachments such as silencers and scopes on their weapons.[4]

tag: p

text: In ranked play, when a round begins, the attackers choose one of several spawn points from which to launch their attack. The attackers are then given control over wheeled drones to scout the map in search of enemy operators and targets,[5] while the defenders can use security cameras to spot the attackers.[6] Maps in the game are designed to encourage close quarters combat, and players cannot respawn until the end of a round. Defenders can also put up destructible barricades and reinforce walls to make them indestructible unless you have an appropriate operator. Players who were killed by opponents can enter "Support Mode", which allows them to gain access to drone's cameras and security cameras so that they can continue to contribute to their team by informing them of opponent locations and activities.[7][8] Matches generally last only a few minutes.[9] Teamwork and cooperation is encouraged in Siege, and players need to take advantage of their different abilities in order to complete the objective and defeat the enemy team.[5] Communication between players is also encouraged.[5][10] The game also has a spectator mode, which allows players to observe a match from different angles.[11]

text: The game features heavy emphasis on environmental destruction[12][13] using a procedural destruction system. Players can break structures by planting explosives on them, or shoot walls to make bullet holes.[14] Players may gain tactical advantages through environmental destruction, and the system aims at encouraging players to utilize creativity and strategy.[14][15] A bullet-penetration system is featured, in which bullets that pass through structures deal less damage to enemies.[13] In addition to destruction, players can also set up heavy-duty fortifications on walls and deployable shields around them for protection; these can be destroyed through breaching or by utilizing operator specific melee-weapons like sledgehammers.[16] In order to stop attackers' advance, defenders can place traps like barbed-wire and explosive laserwire traps around the maps.[17] Vertical space is a key gameplay element in the game's maps: players can destroy ceilings and floors using breach charges and can ambush enemies by rappelling through windows.[5] Powerful weapons like grenades and breach charges are valuable, as only limited numbers can be used in a round.[9]

text: Modes[edit]

text: At launch, the game featured 11 maps[18] and 5 different gameplay modes. With the downloadable content (DLC) – an additional four maps from season one and the first map from season two – there are currently 16 maps with two more slated for release by January 2018. The gameplay modes featured include:

text:
Hostage: a competitive multiplayer mode, in which the attackers must extract the hostage from the defenders, while the defenders must prevent the hostage from being rescued. A secondary manner of winning can occur if the attacking or defending team accidentally damages the hostage, causing the hostage to "down"; if the opposing team can prevent revival of the hostage, and the hostage bleeds-out and dies, they will win the round.[19]
Bomb: a competitive multiplayer mode, in which the attackers are tasked with locating and defusing one of two bombs. The defenders must stop the attackers by killing all of them or destroying the defuser.[20] If all attackers are killed after the defuser is planted, the defuser must still be destroyed for a defending victory.
Secure Area: a competitive multiplayer mode, in which the defenders must protect a room with biohazard containers, while the attackers must fight their way in. The match ends when all players from one team are killed or the biohazard container is secured by the attackers when there are no defenders in the room.[21]
Terrorist Hunt: a solo[22] or cooperative multiplayer mode for up to five players. Players take on the role of either attackers or defenders, and must fight against waves of enemies controlled by artificial intelligence.[23][24]
Situations: the game's most significant single-player component, with 11 scenarios that serve as introductions and tutorials to the game's mechanics.[25]
Tactical Realism: a variation of the standard competitive multiplayer modes, added with the release of the Operation Skull Rain DLC. The game mode features a heavier emphasis on realism and teamwork, removing most of the heads-up display (HUD) elements, the ability to mark opponents, and the ability to see teammates' contours through walls, while also featuring the addition of a realistic ammo management system.[26] This not featured any more but some aspects are in the other multiplayer modes.

text: Setting[edit]

text: Three years after Rainbow Program's deactivation, there is a resurgence of terrorist activities, with the White Mask being the most prominent. The terrorists' goals are unknown, yet they are causing chaos across the world.[27] To counter this rising threat, the program is reactivated by a new leader who is simply known as Six (voiced by Angela Bassett).[28] Six assembles a group of special forces operatives from different countries to face and combat the White Masks. Recruits go through multiple exercises to prepare them for future encounters with the White Masks, training to perform hostage rescue and bomb disposal. Eventually, the White Masks launch a chemical attack on a university (called Bartlett University), and the recruits are sent to disarm the bombs and eliminate the enemy presence. The operation is a massive success, though there are casualties. The story ends with Six affirming that the reactivation of Team Rainbow is the best and only choice in a time filled with risks and uncertainties. Team Rainbow is ready for their next mission – to hunt down the leader of their enemy – and they stand prepared to protect and defend their nation from terrorists.

text: Development[edit]

text: Origin[edit]

text: This entire project was born and has grown out of an in-depth study that looked to distill what the Rainbow series is at its core in terms of both fantasy and gameplay. At the end of the day, the Rainbow Six fantasy about being part of the greatest counter-terrorist organization and impersonating the best of the best operators, working as a team, [and] carrying out dangerous operations (hostage rescue) anywhere on the globe

text: The game's predecessor was Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6: Patriots, a tactical shooter announced in 2011. It had a focus on narrative, and the story campaign features many cut-scenes and scripted events. However, the game fell into a development hell shortly after its announcement. The game's outdated engine and frequent change of leadership hindered development progress, and game quality was not up to par.[30] In addition, it was planned to be released on seventh-generation video-game consoles which were not capable of processing certain game mechanics. Seeing the arrival of a new generation of consoles, the team wanted to make use of this opportunity to create a more technologically advanced game.[31] As a result, Ubisoft decided to cancel Patriots, and assembled a new team of 25 people to come up with ideas to reboot the series.[32]

text: To make the new game feel refreshing, only certain multiplayer elements were retained as the small team took the game in a different direction. They evaluated the core of the Rainbow Six series, which they thought was about being a member of a counter-terrorist team traveling around the globe to deal with dangerous terrorist attacks – operations which are usually intense confrontations between attackers and defenders.[29] However, the team wanted to fit these ideas into a multiplayer format which would increase the game's sustainability.[33][34] These became the basic concept ideas for the game. As the development team hoped that the game can be replayed frequently, the team decided to devote all the resources into developing the game's multiplayer and abandoned the single-player campaign.[35]

text: Development of the game officially began in January 2013. Ubisoft Montreal, the developer of Patriots, handled the game's development, with Ubisoft's offices in Barcelona, Toronto, Kiev, Shanghai and Chengdu providing assistance.[36][37] The game was originally called Rainbow Six Unbreakable, a title that reflected not only the game's destruction mechanic but also the mindset of the development team, who had to deliver a game that was once stuck in development hell.[33] According to Alexandre Remy, the brand director, the team was confident in their new vision for the game but very nervous when they revealed it, realizing the change of direction would likely disappoint some fans.[32]

text: Gameplay design[edit]

text: The 150-person team consisted mainly of first-person shooter veterans or longtime Rainbow Six players.[33] Despite having prior knowledge on how these types of games work, the team decided to study historic examples of counter-terrorist operations, including 1980's London Iranian Embassy siege, 1997's Lufthansa Flight 181 hijacking, and 2002's Moscow theater hostage crisis to ensure that the portrayal of these operations was accurate and appropriate. The team also consulted counter-terrorism units, such as the National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN), for their opinions on how they would react during a hostage rescue situation.[38] According to Xavier Marquis, the game's creative director, having a hostage rescue mission in the game helped create an immersive story. By allowing players to assume control of an operator tasked with saving innocents, it gives them an objective and a priority. They must be careful in dealing with the situation and try their best not to hurt the hostage. This further promotes teamwork between players and prompts them to plan before attacking, and further makes the game more realistic, tense and immersive.[39] To make the game feel more realistic, the team introduced a mechanic called "living hostage" to govern the hostage character's behavior – e.g., coughing if there is dust in the air or shielding herself if there is nearby gunfire.[40]

text: The environmental destruction mechanic was one of the game's most important elements. When the game's development was begun, The developer's in-house team completed their work on RealBlast Destruction, an engine that "procedurally breaks everything down" and remodels the environment.[41] The development team thought that this technology fitted the game's style and gameplay, and decided to use it.[42] This aspect of the game became increasingly important during development, and the team spent an extended period of time making sure that these destructions were authentic. As a result, the team implemented a materials-based tearing system, in which environmental objects of different materials show different reactions to players' attacks.[13] To render the game's texture, the team used physically based rendering, even though it was ineffective during the game's early stage of production due to issues with the game's engine. A material bank and substance painter were utilized to create textures for environmental objects when they were damaged or destroyed. The team also implemented subtle visual cues to help players identify whether a structure was destructible or not, as opposed to "distracting" players with more-obvious hints.[43] The destruction mechanic prompted Ubisoft to change their level-design approach, as they had to ensure that the level was still logical and realistic when parts of the environment were destroyed.[44]

text: According to Ubisoft, "teamwork, tactics, and tension" were the game's three most important pillars. The team initially worked on a respawn feature, allowing players to rejoin after they are killed in the game. However, following several internal tournaments, the team realized that some of their employees would always win a match. They concluded that the respawn system worked to the benefit of strong players and placed individual skill above teamwork,[45] which did not fit the developer's focus on game tactics. Removing the respawn feature meant greater consequences for taking risks, and players had to rely on their teammates in order to survive and achieve objectives. According to Chris Lee, the game's designer, the team initially worried that the system would only appeal to hardcore players. However, after several testings, they found that the removal of the respawn system provided new challenges to strong players and forced them to cooperate with their teammates – while it rewarded weaker players who were willing to take their time, plan their actions, and be strategic.[46][47][48]

text: The gameplay system was designed to allow players to have a lot of freedom. As a result, the team implemented the "Golden 3C Rules", which represents Character, Control, and Camera.[49] Players are always controlling their own actions and movements, and the team intentionally avoided any animation that would disrupt the players. As a result, actions such as setting explosives, or placing a breach charge, can be cancelled immediately so that players can react and shoot. The game's camera only moves when the player moves, as the team feared that the changes of camera angle may lead to players' in-game deaths. A free-lean system was introduced to the game so that players can have more control on their line of sight.[29] According to Ubisoft, this input-driven control mechanism makes the game feel more "natural" and "fluid". This is because it allows players to concentrate on planning and coordinating, rather than thinking if the camera or environment will interfere their actions.[50]

text: Several gameplay elements were scrapped or removed from the final game. One of the features of its predecessors, artificial intelligence-controlled squadmates, were removed from single-player missions. This decision was made because the team wanted players to play with a squad controlled by actual players rather than computers. The team once considered adding a map editor so that players could design their own maps, but this plan never came to fruition. Hit markers, which would indicate an injury inflicted on an opponent, were removed because the team feared that players would abuse the system by "peppering the walls with gunfire" and use hit markers to locate enemies. Players cannot jump in the game, as real-life counter-terrorist unit operators do not jump while carrying out their missions.[47]

text: Sound design[edit]

text: According to Louis Philippe, the game's audio director, the team originally used intense music and sounds to create tension. However, the team decided to scrap this idea, realizing that the best way to create a tense atmosphere is to create the sounds of other players, which are often unexpected. The team created Navigation Sounds, in which the sound a player made is determined by their operators' weight, armor, and speed. Gadget deployment such as fortifying and breach-charging create louder sounds that may reveal the player's presence. The team thought that this would be enjoyable for players and influence their gameplay experience.[51] The game's music was composed by Paul Haslinger, who had worked on the score of the previous Rainbow Six games and the Far Cry series. His co-composer was Ben Frost, who debuted his first video game soundtrack with Siege. Leon Purviance assisted Frost and Haslinger in composing the music.[52]

text: Release[edit]

text: Ubisoft announced the game at their press conference during Electronic Entertainment Expo 2014.[53] In August 2015, Ubisoft announced that they had delayed the game's release from October 10 to December 1, 2015, in order to give additional time for the team to balance the game for cooperative multiplayer play.[54] A closed alpha-testing was held by Ubisoft on April 7–13, 2015, in which players could play an early version of the game in order to help the development team test their servers and core gameplay loops, and to provide feedback.[55] Ubisoft held a closed beta, starting on September 24, 2015, for further testing. The company originally wanted to hold another round of testing with the release of the game's open beta on November 25, 2015, but they delayed its release to November 26 due to matchmaking issues.[56] Players who purchased Siege for the Xbox One could download Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas and its sequel, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 for free.[57]

text: The game had multiple versions for players to purchase. A season pass was announced on November 12, 2015. Players who bought this version of the game could gain early access to operators offered in the DLCs and receive several weapon skins.[58] The game was also released alongside its Collector's Edition, which included the game's season pass, a hat, a compass and bottle opener, a backpack, and a 120-page guide.[59] A Starter Edition was released on PC in June 2016, featuring all the maps, modes and weapons of the standard edition, and included two operators plus enough Rainbow 6 Credits to purchase two more of the player's choice (players could purchase the rest of the operators with Renown or Rainbow 6 Credits). The Starter Edition was cheaper than the main game, and was initially available for a limited time.[60] In February 2017, the Starter Edition became permanently available via Uplay.[61]

text: According to Ubisoft, the game adopted a "game as a service" approach, as they would provide long-term support for the game and offer post-release content to keep players engaged. The management team initially doubted the idea, but eventually decided to approve it.[32] The title was supported with many updates upon launch, with the company introducing fixes to bugs, and improvements on both matchmaking and general gameplay mechanics.[62][63] They also introduced an auto-kick system, which automatically removes players from a match when they kill a friendly player,[64] and launched the BattleEye system in August 2016 to punish cheaters.[65] All downloadable content maps was released to all players for free.[66] The team avoided adding more modes to the game because most would not fit well with the game's close-quarter combat.[67] Downloadable content for the game were divided into several seasons, with a Mid-Season Reinforcement patch which added new weapons and modified some of the operators' core abilities.[32] This post-release content was developed by the Montreal studio in conjunction with Blue Byte in Germany.[68]

text:
Downloadable content and expansion packs

Year
Name
Release date
Notes

Year 1
Operation Black Ice
February 2, 2016
The DLC introduces a new map, a frozen yacht in Canada. It also introduces two Canadian operators, Frost and Buck. Frost can use a trap to incapacitate enemies, while Buck has an under-barrel shotgun.[69]

Operation Dust Line
May 11, 2016
The DLC introduces a new map set in the Middle East, which was described as "a mix of old and new construction with open air pathways".[70] It also introduces two new operators, Blackbeard and Valkyrie. Blackbeard has two shields that can be mounted onto his rifle, while Valkyrie has three Black Eye Cameras.[71]

Operation Skull Rain
August 2, 2016
The DLC introduces a new map set in Brazil, and two Brazilian operators called Capitão and Caveira.[72] Capitão has a tactical crossbow which can be loaded with asphyxiating bolts, that will burn oxygen within a certain radius, or smoke grenade bolts that create a thick cloud of smoke. Caveira has an ability called Silent Step, which allows her to interrogate an immobilized enemy for the location of other enemies.[73]

Operation Red Crow
November 17, 2016
The DLC introduces a new map set in a skyscraper in Japan, and two Japanese operators called Hibana and Echo. Hibana possesses a weapon that launches up to three sets of six explosives that can break reinforced walls, while Echo uses a drone capable of releasing sonic blasts to disorient enemies.[74]

Year 2
Operation Velvet Shell
February 8, 2017
The DLC introduces a new map set in Spain, and two Spanish operators called Mira and Jackal.[75] Jackal is a tracker who can reveal the location of enemies by tracking their footprints, while Mira can create one-way windows on walls which can be ejected, leaving a space for operators to fire through.[76][77]

Operation Health
June 6, 2017[78]
Operation Health is an update that fine-tuned many of the game's aspects, including fixes to hit boxes, spawn killing and audio issues.[79] This resulted in the delay of season 2's content and the cancellation of a map.[80]

Operation Blood Orchid
September 5, 2017[81]
The DLC introduces a new map set in Hong Kong, two Hong Kong operators named Ying and Lesion, and one Polish operator named Ela.[82] Ying utilizes candela cluster charges that can be thrown or attached to a surface to stun enemies. Lesion uses poison mines that slow and cause damage to an enemy overtime when triggered. Ela possesses proximity concussion mines that can be attached to multiple surfaces to disorient enemies.[83][84]

Operation White Noise
December 5, 2017[85]
The DLC introduces a new map set in South Korea, two South Korean operators named Dokkaebi and Vigil, and one Polish operator named Zofia. Dokkaebi is able to hack cameras and enemy phones to make them ring, giving away their positions through sound. Vigil is invisible to enemy drones and cameras. Zofia carries a double barreled grenade launcher capable of launching explosive or concussion grenades.[86]

Year 3
Operation Chimera
TBA
The DLC, in addition to introducing a new map and two new operators, will include a coooperative multiplayer timed event named "Outbreak".[87]

tag: table

text: Ubisoft also envisioned the game as an eSports game. The company had their first meeting with David Hiltscher, vice president of ESL, in late 2013. ESL offered feedback on the game's balancing and helped the developer to ensure that the game was suitable for competitive play.[88] The team focused on introducing new operators to provide variety for eSports viewers after the game's release, a decision inspired by modern multiplayer online battle arena games such as Dota 2, as this type of game often has 80–100 playable characters.[89] ESL and Ubisoft officially announced Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Pro League, a global tournament for Windows and Xbox One players. The competition was held at Intel Extreme Masters eSports tournament on March 4, 2016.[90] A European team, PENTA Sports, became the champion of the first season of Rainbow Six Pro League after defeating another team, GiFu, at the final of the tournament held in May 2016.[91] In 2017, It was revealed that Pro League Year Two would return, but Xbox One tournaments would not be featured.[92]

text: Reception[edit]

text:
Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator
Score

Metacritic
(PC) 78/100[93]
(XONE) 74/100[94]
(PS4) 73/100[95]

Review scores

Publication
Score

Destructoid
8/10[96]

Game Informer
7/10[97]

Game Revolution
[98]

GameSpot
8/10[99]

GamesRadar
[100]

IGN
7.9/10[101]

PC Gamer (US)
90/100[102]

Polygon
6/10[103]

VideoGamer.com
8/10[104]

text: The pre-release reception of the game was positive, with critics praising the game's design and tensions created during matches.[24] The game received four nominations from Game Critics Awards: Best of Show, Best PC Game, Best Action Game and Best Online Multiplayer Game.[105] The game eventually became the winner of the Best PC Game category.[106]

text: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic. Critics generally praised the game's destructive environment, tactical nature, map design, and its focus on teamwork. However, the lack of content and the game's microtransactions were subjected to criticism.

text: The game's multiplayer was widely praised by critics. Chris Carter from Destructoid praised the game's open-ended nature, which made each match unpredictable and helped the experience to stay fresh even after an extended period of playing.[96] GameSpot's Scott Butterworth appreciated the title for allowing players to make use of their creativity in approaching a mission.[99] James Davenport from PC Gamer echoed this thought, and he described Siege as a "psychological race" in which players are constantly trying to outwit their opponents.[102] Ryan McCaffery from IGN also praised the tactical possibilities, which make the game "tense and riveting".[101] The large number of operators available for players to choose were praised by both Carter and Matt Bertz from Game Informer, who commented that they added depths and variety to the game and that players could experiment to see which pairs of operators can complement each other.[97] However, McCaffery was disappointed by the lack of variety of game modes, and commented that most players usually neglect the mode's objectives and opted to simply eliminate their opponents.[101] Terrorist Hunt received divisive opinions from critics. Carter thought that it was more relaxing,[96] and Butterworth thought it was exhilarating. However, Bertz criticized its lack of variety, weak artificial intelligence, and its less-intense nature when compared with the player-versus-player modes.[97] Martin Robinson from Eurogamer also noted that the mode only ran at 30 frames per second, which limited its appeal.[107]

text: The game's focus on tactics was praised. Bertz applauded the tactical nature of the game, as it fostered communications between players. However, he noted that teamwork may not be possible if players did not have a headphone and microphone.[97] Arthur Gies from Polygon echoed these comments, stating that the game's over-reliance on teamwork meant that when teammates were not communicating, the game would not be fun to play.[103] The "No Respawn" system was praised by Butterworth for making each match feel intense, as even the best player needs to think tactically in order to win.[99] Jonathon Leack from Game Revolution enjoyed the scouting phase of a multiplayer match, which encouraged players to communicate with each other and coordinate their attacks.[98] However, Gies noted that the placement of game objectives does not vary much, thus making the scouting phase meaningless. Both Bertz and Butterworth agreed that the game's competitive nature increases the game's replay value.[97][99] Ben Griffin from GamesRadar praised the destruction mechanic for bringing tactical depth to the game.[100]

text: The gameplay received mixed reviews. Both Bertz and Griffin criticized the game's incompetent hit detection system, which made the experience unfair.[100] Bertz described the game's gunplay as "servicable",[97] while Leack noticed a delay in shooting, which drags the game's pace and leads to a steep learning curve. However, Leack appreciated the game's map design, which opened many possibilities. He also praised its attention to detail and sound design, which can often make a multiplayer match feel like a "great action film".[98] Bertz was disappointed by the lack of customization options, which did not offer long-term progression for the players.[97] Butterworth similarly criticized the progression system for being slow. As players cannot play as the same operator in the same match, he was often forced to play as the generic "recruit" character when he was only at the beginning stage of the game. He also criticized the limited weapon customization options, which barely affect gameplay.[99] McCaffery described customization as the "least interesting" aspect of the game, and claimed that most gameplay features were locked when players started playing.[101] Griffin, Gies, and Steven Burns from VideoGamer.com were annoyed by the microtransactions featured in the game,[104][103] with Griffin describing it as a greedy attempt by Ubisoft to make more money,[100] though Davenport did not mind these features as they were limited to cosmetic items and could be unlocked through earning Renown.[102] Bertz was annoyed the lack of clan infrastructure, which may cause players troubles when they were finding matches,[97] while Griffin thought that map rotation often felt random and was disappointed that players cannot vote to decide which map they are going to play next.[100]

text: Single-player was generally considered a disappointment by critics, with Situations receiving mixed reviews. Carter described it as one of his "favorite non-campaign additions" as the mode gave players incentive to return due to its rating system. Butterworth described it as a "surprisingly robust" mode, and thought that there were great tutorial missions that help players to understand gameplay before trying multiplayer.[99] However, Bertz criticized it for its lack of replay value,[97] and Griffin noted their short length.[100] McCaffery thought that it served as a competent tutorial, but its solo play nature meant that players could not practice teamplay and tactics.[101] Davenport criticized the narrative in Situations, which he thought was not meaningful.[102] Many critics were disappointed with the lack of a single-player campaign or a cooperative campaign,[97][98] but Butterworth believed that the strong multiplayer components can compensate for this absence.[99] Gies noticed certain network issues would affect the single-player.[103]

text: Many critics generally had a positive opinion on the package. Bertz thought that the game's multiplayer design had laid a great foundation for the game, but it was not taken advantage of due to the small number of game modes.[97] Leack felt that Siege's tight focus on tactical gameplay had "provided something unlike any other game on the market".[98] Butterworth found the game very unique and that there was "nothing else like it" when he put aside the game's minor annoyances.[99] Griffin wrote that the title felt very fresh, as most games in the market did not value tactics.[100] Davenport similarly praised the game for being very concentrated and making no compromises on gameplay design, which in turn make the title one of the best tactical multiplayer shooters on the market.[102] Gies recognized the game's potential but thought that they were overshadowed by the game's numerous technical annoyances, frustrating progression system and its lack of content.[103] Robinson was impressed by the game's multiplayer mode, and that the overall package could be considered as the year's best multiplayer game. However, he questioned Ubisoft for releasing the game with so little content while still selling it at full-price.[107]

text: Sales[edit]

text: In May 2015, CEO of Ubisoft Yves Guillemot announced that the company expected the game to outsell Far Cry 4's seven million sales over the course of its lifetime because of post-launch support.[108]

text: At the game's launch, it debuted at number six in UK Software Charts, selling 76,000 retail copies across all three platforms.[109] Critics thought that the launch performance was underwhelming and lackluster.[110] However, through continued post-release support and updates, the player base had doubled since the game's launch.[111] Following the summer 2016 launch of the third DLC, Skull Rain, the size of the player base had a 40% increase, and the title had more than 10 million registered players.[112] Two years after launch, the game remained as one of the top 40 best-selling retail games in the UK.[44] The strong performance of Siege, alongside with Tom Clancy's The Division (2016) and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands (2017) boosted the total number of players of the Tom Clancy's franchise to 44 million in 2017.[113] The post-launch success for Siege further solidified Ubisoft's belief in the model of "game as a service". Future Ubisoft multiplayer-focused titles – such as For Honor – adopted this structure, in which the company would provide free DLC and updates several years after the game's official release.[114] In August 2017, Ubisoft announced that the game had passed 20 million players and that the game was played by 2.3 million players every day.[115] Two years after the game's launch, Ubisoft announced that the game has passed 25 million registered players.[116]


document_title: Centurion Card

question_text: what is annual fee for amex black card

question_tokens: what is annual fee for amex black card

text: Centurion Card

text: History[edit]

text: In 1991 American Express introduced the Centurion Card to cater to the very wealthy. The card was initially available only to selected users of the company's Platinum Card. To become a Centurion cardholder, one must meet American Express eligibility criteria. Cardholders are required to pay an annual fee, and in some countries also an initiation fee. (In the United States, the initiation fee is $7,500 in addition to the $2,500 annual fee from each cardholder).[3] In addition to a variety of benefits, the card itself is made of anodized titanium[3] with the information and numbers laser etched into the metal. (It should be noted that in some markets the plastic version of the card is still issued, with or without the titanium card.) The plastic card and 2014 and earlier Centurion cards include embossed information on the card. The Centurion 2015 Card introduced laser etching. In some locations, such as Israel, EMV "chip" plastic cards which also include the ExpressPay contactless payment technology are issued. American Express created the card line amid rumors and urban legends in the 1980s that it produced an ultra-exclusive black card for elite users who could purchase anything with it.[4]

text: Features[edit]

text: Availability and fees[edit]

text: The Centurion Card is invitation-only after appropriate net worth With American Express, credit, and spending criteria are met.[3] American Express does not publicly disclose the requirements necessary for getting or keeping a card, except that the cardholder needs to have a substantial net worth, as well as having been a Platinum card holder.[3]

text: While the eligibility criteria are subject to speculation, most reliable sources agree that Centurion Card holders have historically spent US$250,000 or more per year on lower-level American Express cards, and have annual household incomes of around US$1.3 million and net worths of at least US$16 million.[5]

text:
Centurion Card annual fees

Country
Annual fee/limit

United States
US$2,500 (US$2,500 for each additional card member) plus one-time joining fee of US$7,500[6]

United Kingdom
£2,200 (US$2,970) (unlimited) plus one-time joining fee of £2,500

Canada
C$2,500 (US$1,886) plus one-time fee of C$5,000 (US$3,772)

India
₹200,000 (US$2,976) plus one time fees of ₹250,000 (US$3,720)

France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands
€3,000 (US$3,390) plus one time fee €3,000 (Italy)

Germany, Austria
€5,000 (US$5,650) plus one-time fee of €4,000 (US$4,520)

Switzerland
CHF 4,200 (US$4,263) (unlimited)

Australia
A$5,000 (US$3,717) (increased from A$4,300 (US$3,197), effective 11 July 2012) plus one-time fee of A$5,000 (US$3,717), effective 11 July 2012

Japan
¥365,000 (US$3,355) (increased from ¥197,000 (US$1,811), effective 1 January 2008)

Hong Kong
HK$38,800 (US$4,999) plus one time fee of 4999 (increase from HK$19,800 (US$2,551), effective 30 May 2013)

China (People's Republic of China)
CN¥ 18,000 (US$2,709) issued by China Merchants Bank (CMB) and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) pursuant to a license from American Express

Singapore
S$7,490 (US$5,421) (unlimited) plus one-time joining fee of S$7,490 (US$5,421)

Kuwait
US$4,000 for Titanium-based Centurion. Issued by American Express Middle East (Bahrain) (Same applies for Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar)

Mexico
Mex$56,000 (US$3,000)

Brazil
R$4,250 (US$1,218)

Argentina
AR$20,000 (US$1,355)

Saudi Arabia
ر.س 11,250 (US$3,000) (unlimited)

International Dollar Currency Card (IDC)
US$4,000 plus one-time fee of US$4,000

International Euro Currency Card (IEC)
€4,000 (US$4,520) plus one-time fee of €4,000 (US$4,520)

Israel
US$2,043 (~₪8,000), where payments can be made either in ILS or in US$.

Russia
₽150,000 (US$2,237)

Taiwan
NT$160,000 (US$4,839) plus one-time fee of NT$160,000 (US$4,839) Note: minimum annual income (NT$3,500,000)[7]

Lebanon
ل.ل 3,000 (US$3,000)

United Arab Emirates
DH 11,000 (US$3,000)

Sweden
kr 30,000 (US$3,504) plus one-time fee of (US$3,504)[8]

text: Benefits[edit]

text: The card, available for personal and business use, offers services such as a dedicated concierge and travel agent; complimentary companion airline tickets on international flights on selected airlines with the purchase of a full-fare ticket; personal shoppers at retailers such as Dot & Vic's Rathon Station, Big Billy's Beef house Livingston, Gucci, Escada, and Saks Fifth Avenue; access to airport clubs; first-class flight upgrades; membership in Sony's Cierge personal shopping program and dozens of other elite club memberships.[3]

text: Hotel benefits include one free night, when at least one paid night is booked during the same stay, in every Mandarin Oriental hotel worldwide once a year[3] (except for the New York City property),[9] and privileges at hotel chains like Ritz-Carlton, Leading Hotels of the World, and Amanresorts. All of the benefits mentioned above are for United States-issued cards. American Express Centurion Cards issued in other countries may include different benefits. The card has amenities, including Delta SkyMiles Platinum Medallion status.

text: The card also features complimentary enrollment in Easirent Car Hire Platinum Service and the Avis Rent a Car President's Club.[10]

text: Initially it came with an extensive travel insurance all year round no matter how the trip was paid for but since 2012 this insurance is limited to trips which are paid with the card only. (In Australia, the insurance covers all trips, even if paid with another method or frequent flyer miles).

text: The titanium-crafted "Centurion" card was first issued as an upgrade for all plastic U.S. "Centurion" cards in the first half of 2006, with the titanium version being rolled out to certain other countries as well.

text: Some Centurion customers have purchased automobiles using the card or made purchases exceeding €1 million (US$1.36 million).[citation needed] The card has no preset limit in theory. In practice the authorization is decided upon past payment and spending patterns; the largest purchase ever made on one was US$170 million for Amedeo Modigliani's "Nu couché" painting purchased at a Christie's auction house by Liu Yiqian.[11] It was suggested that the reason for funding the purchase through the credit card was to circumvent Chinese money laws that restrict the transfer of money by citizens out of the country to just $50,000.[12]

text: The benefits offered to Centurion cardmembers are vast, but they appear to be based on the benefits offered to American Express Platinum cardholders, but with many enhancements.[13]

text: Centurion Card members, like Platinum Card members, get complimentary access to the American Express Centurion Lounges at several US airports. They also get unlimited access to Priority Pass lounges around the world.[14] However, at busy times, Centurion members have access to areas reserved for them. There are also drink options at the bar that are exclusive to Centurion members. As of 2015, they have a Champagne option of Veuve Clicquot and a single malt scotch by Balvenie.[15]

text: Former benefits[edit]

text: Several original Centurion program benefits have been discontinued, including:

text:
Continental Airlines benefits, which ceased in October 2011
Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum elite benefits, downgraded to Gold (from January 2006, same as Platinum card)
Hyatt Diamond Elite benefits
American Airlines Admirals Club benefits, which ceased on March 21, 2014[16]

text: Publications[edit]

text:
Black Ink

Categories
Luxury magazine

Frequency
Seasonal

Publisher
American Express

Year founded
2004

text: Since the inception of the card, members have received a copy of Departures, which is also sent to all Platinum Card cardholders. In 2004, American Express Centurion members in the US began receiving an exclusive "no name" magazine, which was not available by any other means. Starting with the Spring 2007 edition, this magazine was officially titled Black Ink. The magazine is available only to individual Centurion cardholders, not to the business-edition customers.

text: European, Asian, and Australian Centurion members receive quarterly the Centurion magazine published by Journal International GmbH (Munich, Germany).[17] In June 2011, the Centurion magazine website was launched, offering daily updates for Centurion Card members. According to Journal International, the average age of a Centurion reader from Europe or the Middle East is 49 years. Centurion has been published since 2001 and has a circulation in Europe and the Middle East of 44,100, in Asia of 13,900, and in Australia of 6,000.[2]

text: Elite cards[edit]

text: The Centurion Card is part of an elite credit card segment created for a very small and exclusive range of clients around the world.[3] Other such cards include:

text: Palladium Card

text: AmEx Black Card vs. Black Card[edit]

text: Black Card LLC successfully registered "Black Card" as a U.S. trademark in 2009. However, American Express contended its Centurion Card was widely known as "the Black Card" before the launch of the Black Card (then Visa card), despite never seeking to trademark that name itself. American Express filed suit against Black Card LLC in February 2010, claiming that the trademark was obtained improperly and sought injunctive relief.[18] This suit was concluded in November 2011, with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruling that Black Card, LLC's trademark of the name "Black Card" should be canceled on grounds that it was merely descriptive.[19] (See also American Express Marketing and Development Corp, et al. v. Black Card, LLC, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 133151 (S.D.N.Y. November 17, 2011.)

text: Today, Black Card LLC uses the registered trademark under license as a MasterCard issued by Barclays Bank Delaware.[20] It has similar features, such as the members-only Luxury Magazine in print and digital form.[20][21]


document_title: Sympathy for the Devil

question_text: who plays bongos on sympathy for the devil

text: Sympathy for the Devil

text: Inspiration[edit]

text: "Sympathy for the Devil" is credited to Jagger and Richards, though the song was largely a Jagger composition.[1] The working title of the song was "The Devil Is My Name", having earlier been called "Fallen Angels", and it is sung by Jagger as a first-person narrative from the point of view of the Devil, recounting his control over the events of human existence.

text: In the 2012 documentary Crossfire Hurricane, Jagger stated that his influence for the song came from Baudelaire and from the Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov's novel The Master and Margarita (which had just appeared in English translation in 1967). The book was given to him by Marianne Faithfull.

text: In a 1995 interview with Rolling Stone, Jagger said, "I think that was taken from an old idea of Baudelaire's, I think, but I could be wrong. Sometimes when I look at my Baudelaire books, I can't see it in there. But it was an idea I got from French writing. And I just took a couple of lines and expanded on it. I wrote it as sort of like a Bob Dylan song."[1] It was Richards who suggested changing the tempo and using additional percussion, turning the folk song into a samba.[2]

text: Furthermore, Jagger stated in the Rolling Stone interview: "it's a very long historical figure — the figures of evil and figures of good — so it is a tremendously long trail he's made as personified in this piece."[1] By the time Beggars Banquet was released, the Rolling Stones had already raised some hackles for sexually forward lyrics such as "Let's Spend the Night Together",[3] or after their reprise of the Willie Dixon's blues "I Just Want to Make Love to You" etc. and for allegedly dabbling in Satanism[4] (their previous album, while containing no direct Satanic references in its music or lyrics, was titled Their Satanic Majesties Request), and "Sympathy" brought these concerns to the fore, provoking media rumours and fears among some religious groups that the Stones were devil-worshippers and a corrupting influence on youth.[4]

text: The lyrics focus on atrocities in the history of mankind from Satan's point of view including the trial and death of Jesus Christ ("Made damn sure that Pilate washed his hands to seal his fate"), European wars of religion ("I watched with glee while your kings and queens fought for ten decades for the gods they made"), the violence of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the 1918 shooting of the Romanov family ("I stuck around St. Petersburg when I saw it was a time for a change/Killed the Tsar and his ministers/Anastasia screamed in vain"), and World War II ("I rode a tank, held a general's rank when the blitzkrieg raged, and the bodies stank"). The song was originally written with the line "I shouted out 'Who killed Kennedy?'" After Robert F. Kennedy's death on 6 June 1968, the line was changed to "Who killed the Kennedys?".[5] And the answer is "when after all it was you and me", which is a way of saying that "the devil is not the other one, but eventually each one of us."[6]

text: The song may have been spared further controversy when the first single from the album, "Street Fighting Man", became even more controversial in view of the race riots and student protests occurring in many cities in Europe and in the United States.[7]

text: Recording[edit]

text: The recording of "Sympathy for the Devil" began at London's Olympic Sound Studios on 4 June 1968 and continued into the next day; overdubs were done on 8, 9 and 10 June.[8] Personnel included on the recording include Nicky Hopkins on piano, Rocky Dijon on congas and Bill Wyman on maracas. Marianne Faithfull, Anita Pallenberg, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, producer Jimmy Miller, Wyman and Richards performed backup vocals, singing the "woo woos".[citation needed] Richards plays bass on the original recording,[citation needed] and also electric guitar. Brian Jones plays a mostly mixed out acoustic guitar, although in isolated tracks of the studio cut, it is audible playing along with the piano.

text: In the 2003 book According to the Rolling Stones, Watts commented:

text: "Sympathy" was one of those sort of songs where we tried everything. The first time I ever heard the song was when Mick was playing it at the front door of a house I lived at in Sussex ... He played it entirely on his own ... and it was fantastic. We had a go at loads of different ways of playing it; in the end I just played a jazz Latin feel in the style of Kenny Clarke would have played on "A Night in Tunisia" – not the actual rhythm he played, but the same styling.[2]

text: On the overall power of the song, Jagger continued in Rolling Stone:

text: It has a very hypnotic groove, a samba, which has a tremendous hypnotic power, rather like good dance music. It doesn't speed up or slow down. It keeps this constant groove. Plus, the actual samba rhythm is a great one to sing on, but it is also got some other suggestions in it, an undercurrent of being primitive—because it is a primitive African, South American, Afro-whatever-you-call-that rhythm (candomblé). So to white people, it has a very sinister thing about it. But forgetting the cultural colors, it is a very good vehicle for producing a powerful piece. It becomes less pretentious because it is a very unpretentious groove. If it had been done as a ballad, it wouldn't have been as good.[1]

text: Aftermath[edit]

text: In an interview with Creem, Jagger said, "[When people started taking us as devil worshippers], I thought it was a really odd thing, because it was only one song, after all. It wasn't like it was a whole album, with lots of occult signs on the back. People seemed to embrace the image so readily, [and] it has carried all the way over into heavy metal bands today. Some people have made a living out of doing this; for example, Jimmy Page." [4]

text: Of the change in public perception the band experienced after the song's release, Richards said in a 1971 interview with Rolling Stone, "Before, we were just innocent kids out for a good time, they're saying, 'They're evil, they're evil.' Oh, I'm evil, really? So that makes you start thinking about evil... What is evil? Half of it, I don't know how much people think of Mick as the devil or as just a good rock performer or what? There are black magicians who think we are acting as unknown agents of Lucifer and others who think we are Lucifer. Everybody's Lucifer."[6]

text: Contrary to a widespread misconception, it was "Under My Thumb" and not "Sympathy for the Devil" that the Rolling Stones were performing when Meredith Hunter was killed at the Altamont Free Concert.[4] Rolling Stone magazine's early articles on the incident misreported that the killing took place during "Sympathy for the Devil",[9] but the Stones in fact played "Sympathy for the Devil" earlier in the concert; it was interrupted by a fight and restarted, Jagger commenting, "We're always having—something very funny happens when we start that number." Several other songs were performed before Hunter was killed.[8]

text: Personnel[edit]

text:
Mick Jagger – lead vocals
Keith Richards – guitar solo, bass guitar, backing vocals
Brian Jones – acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Bill Wyman – maracas, backing vocals
Charlie Watts – drums, backing vocals, cowbell
Nicky Hopkins – piano, backing vocals
Rocky Dzidzornu – congas
Anita Pallenberg, Marianne Faithfull – backing vocals

text: Certifications[edit]

text:
Region
Certification
Certified units/Sales

Italy (FIMI)[10]
Gold
25,000

United Kingdom (BPI)[11]
Silver
250,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

text: The 1968 film and others[edit]

text: Sympathy for the Devil is also the title of a producer's edit of a 1968 film by Jean-Luc Godard whose own original version is called One Plus One. The film, a depiction of the late 1960s American counterculture, also featured the Rolling Stones in the process of recording the song in the studio. On the filming, Jagger said in Rolling Stone: "[it was] very fortuitous, because Godard wanted to do a film of us in the studio. I mean, it would never happen now, to get someone as interesting as Godard. And stuffy. We just happened to be recording that song. We could have been recording 'My Obsession.' But it was 'Sympathy for the Devil', and it became the track that we used."[1]

text: Guns N' Roses version[edit]

text:
"Sympathy for the Devil"

Single by Guns N' Roses

from the album Interview with the Vampire soundtrack

B-side
"Escape to Paris" (by Elliot Goldenthal)

Released
13 December 1994 (1994-12-13)

Recorded
October 1994

Genre
Hard rock

Length
7:36

Label
Geffen

Songwriter(s)
Jagger/Richards

Producer(s)

Guns N' Roses
Mike Clink
Matthias Gohl

Guns N' Roses singles chronology

"Since I Don't Have You"
(1994)
"Sympathy for the Devil"
(1994)
"Chinese Democracy"
(2008)

text: Guns N' Roses recorded a cover in 1994 which reached number 55 on the Billboard Hot 100; it was featured in the closing credits of Neil Jordan's film adaptation of Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire (except the 4K cut of the film) and was included on their Greatest Hits album. This cover is noteworthy for causing an incident involving incoming guitarist, Paul "Huge" Tobias, that was partially responsible for guitarist Slash departing from the band in 1996.[12] Slash has described the Guns N' Roses version of the song as "the sound of the band breaking up".[13]

text: Rhythm guitarist Gilby Clarke, who does not appear on the recording, noted that the recording foreshadowed his departure from the band:

text: They did that while I was on the road touring for my solo record. […] I knew that that was the ending because nobody told me about it. Officially I was in the band at that time, and they did that song without me. That was one of the last straws for me, because nobody had said anything to me, and they recorded a song by one of my favorite bands. It was pretty clear I'm a big Rolling Stones fan, and they recorded the song without me. So I knew that was it.[14]

text: Personnel[edit]

text:
W. Axl Rose – lead vocals, piano
Slash – lead and rhythm guitars
Duff McKagan – bass guitar, backing vocals
Matt Sorum – drums, percussion
Dizzy Reed – keyboards
Paul Tobias – rhythm and lead guitars, backing vocals

text: Charts[edit]

text:
Chart (1994–1995)
Peak
position

Australia (ARIA)[15]
12

Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[16]
17

Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[17]
18

Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[18]
40

Finland (The Official Finnish Charts)[19]
2

France (SNEP)[20]
15

Germany (Official German Charts)[21]
20

Ireland (IRMA)[22]
16

Netherlands (Single Top 100)[23]
9

New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[24]
13

Norway (VG-lista)[25]
5

Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[26]
7

Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[27]
15

UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[28]
10

US Billboard Hot 100[29]
55

US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[30]
10

text: Sales and certifications[edit]

text:
Region
Certification
Certified units/Sales

Japan (RIAJ)[31]
Gold
50,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

text: Other recorded versions[edit]

text:
In 2005, Cuban drummer and percussionist Horacio Hernandez ("El Negro") recorded a Latin Jazz version of the song, sung by Latin great Rubén Blades.[32]
British gothic rock band Inkubus Sukkubus released a cover of the song on their 2007 album Science and Nature.[33]
Indie rock bands Band of Skulls and John & Jehn covered the song for the French TV show Taratata broadcast in March 2010.[34]
Motörhead covered the song for their 2015 album Bad Magic.[35]
Ozzy Osbourne covered the song on the 2005 album Under Cover.
Sandie Shaw covered the song for her 1969 album Reviewing the Situation.[36]
Blood, Sweat & Tears released a version in 1970 on the band's third album.
English doom metal band Sabazius recorded their own 25-minute cover version of the song and released it as an EP of the same name.
Tiamat covered the song for their 1999 album Skeleton Skeletron.
Jane's Addiction as Sympathy on 1987 album Jane's Addiction. This version was featured on the television series Sons of Anarchy.


document_title: PDCA

question_text: who is the originator of the plan-do-check-act model of performance improvement

text: PDCA

text: Meaning[edit]

text: This section contains instructions, advice, or how-to content. The purpose of Wikipedia is to present facts, not to train. Please help improve this article either by rewriting the how-to content or by moving it to Wikiversity, Wikibooks or Wikivoyage. (October 2017)

text: Plan[edit]

text: During the plan phase, establish the objectives and processes necessary to deliver results in accordance with the expected output (the target or goals). By establishing output expectations, the completeness and accuracy of the specification is also a part of the targeted improvement. When possible start on a small scale to test possible effects.

text: Do[edit]

text: During the do phase, implement the plan, execute the process, make the product. Collect data for charting and analysis in the following check and act steps.

text: Check[edit]

text: In the check phase, study the actual results (measured and collected in do phase above) and compare against the expected results (targets or goals from the plan phase) to ascertain any differences. Look for deviation in implementation from the plan and also look for the appropriateness and completeness of the plan to enable the execution, i.e., the doing. Charting data can make this much easier to see trends over several PDCA cycles and in order to convert the collected data into information. Information is needed for the next step: act.

text: Act[edit]

text: If the check phase shows that the plan phase which was implemented in do phase is an improvement to the prior standard (baseline), then that becomes the new standard (baseline) for how the organization should act going forward (new standards are thus said to be enACTed). Instead, if the check phase shows that the plan phase which was implemented in do phase is not an improvement, then the existing standard (baseline) will remain in place. In either case, if the check phase showed something different than expected (whether better or worse), then there is some more learning to be done... and that will suggest potential future PDCA cycles. Note that some who teach PDCA assert that the act phase involves making adjustments or corrective actions, but generally it would be counter to PDCA thinking to propose and decide upon alternative changes without using a proper plan phase, or to make them the new standard (baseline) without going through do and check steps.

text: About[edit]

text: PDCA was made popular by W. Edwards Deming, who is considered by many to be the father of modern quality control; however, he always referred to it as the "Shewhart cycle". Later in Deming's career, he modified PDCA to "Plan, Do, Study, Act" (PDSA) because he felt that "check" emphasized inspection over analysis.[4] The PDSA cycle was used to create the model of know-how transfer process,[5] and other models.[6]

text: The concept of PDCA is based on the scientific method, as developed from the work of Francis Bacon (Novum Organum, 1620). The scientific method can be written as "hypothesis–experiment–evaluation" or as "plan–do–check". Walter A. Shewhart described manufacture under "control"—under statistical control—as a three-step process of specification, production, and inspection.[7]:45 He also specifically related this to the scientific method of hypothesis, experiment, and evaluation. Shewhart says that the statistician "must help to change the demand [for goods] by showing [...] how to close up the tolerance range and to improve the quality of goods."[7]:48 Clearly, Shewhart intended the analyst to take action based on the conclusions of the evaluation. According to Deming, during his lectures in Japan in the early 1950s, the Japanese participants shortened the steps to the now traditional plan, do, check, act.[8]:88 Deming preferred plan, do, study, act because "study" has connotations in English closer to Shewhart's intent than "check".[9]

text: A fundamental principle of the scientific method and PDCA is iteration—once a hypothesis is confirmed (or negated), executing the cycle again will extend the knowledge further. Repeating the PDCA cycle can bring its users closer to the goal, usually a perfect operation and output.[9]

text: Another fundamental function of PDCA is the "hygienic" separation of each phase, for if not properly separated measurements of effects due to various simultaneous actions (causes) risk becoming confounded.[10]

text: PDCA (and other forms of scientific problem solving) is also known as a system for developing critical thinking. At Toyota this is also known as "Building people before building cars".[11] Toyota and other lean manufacturing companies propose that an engaged, problem-solving workforce using PDCA in a culture of critical thinking is better able to innovate and stay ahead of the competition through rigorous problem solving and the subsequent innovations.[11]

text: Deming continually emphasized iterating towards an improved system, hence PDCA should be repeatedly implemented in spirals of increasing knowledge of the system that converge on the ultimate goal, each cycle closer than the previous.[citation needed] One can envision an open coil spring, with each loop being one cycle of the scientific method, and each complete cycle indicating an increase in our knowledge of the system under study. This approach is based on the belief that our knowledge and skills are limited, but improving. Especially at the start of a project, key information may not be known; the PDCA—scientific method—provides feedback to justify guesses (hypotheses) and increase knowledge. Rather than enter "analysis paralysis" to get it perfect the first time, it is better to be approximately right than exactly wrong. With improved knowledge, one may choose to refine or alter the goal (ideal state). The aim of the PDCA cycle is to bring its users closer to whatever goal they choose.[2]:160

text: When PDCA is used for complex projects or products with a certain controversy, checking with external stakeholders should happen before the Do stage, since changes to projects and products that are already in detailed design can be costly; this is also seen as Plan-Check-Do-Act.[citation needed]

text: Rate of change, that is, rate of improvement, is a key competitive factor in today's world.[citation needed] PDCA allows for major "jumps" in performance ("breakthroughs" often desired in a Western approach), as well as kaizen (frequent small improvements).[citation needed] In the United States a PDCA approach is usually associated with a sizable project involving numerous people's time,[citation needed] and thus managers want to see large "breakthrough" improvements to justify the effort expended. However, the scientific method and PDCA apply to all sorts of projects and improvement activities.[2]:76


document_title: Stevia

question_text: where does stevia in the raw come from

question_tokens: where does stevia in the raw come from

text: Stevia

text: History[edit]

text: Discovery[edit]

text: The plant Stevia rebaudiana has been used for more than 1,500 years by the Guaraní peoples of South America, who called it ka'a he'ê ("sweet herb").[8] The leaves have been used traditionally for hundreds of years in both Brazil and Paraguay to sweeten local teas and medicines, and as a "sweet treat".[8] The genus was named for Spanish botanist and physician Petrus Jacobus Stevus (Pedro Jaime Esteve 1500–1556), a professor of botany at the University of Valencia.[9]

text: In 1899, Swiss botanist Moisés Santiago Bertoni, while conducting research in eastern Paraguay, first described the plant and the sweet taste in detail.[10] Only limited research was conducted on the topic until in 1931 two French chemists isolated the glycosides that give stevia its sweet taste.[4][11]

text: Early regulation[edit]

text: During the 1990s, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received two petitions requesting that stevia be classified as generally recognized as safe (GRAS), but the FDA "disagreed with [the] conclusions [detailed in the petitions]".[12] In 2015,[contradictory] the FDA still regarded stevia as "not an approved food additive", and stated that it "has not been affirmed as GRAS in the United States due to inadequate toxicological information".[13] Stevia remained banned for all uses until the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, after which the FDA revised its stance and permitted stevia to be used as a dietary supplement, although still not as a food additive.[14]

text: In December 2008, the FDA gave a "no objection" approval for GRAS status to Truvia (developed by Cargill and the Coca-Cola Company) and PureVia (developed by PepsiCo and the Whole Earth Sweetener Company, a subsidiary of Merisant), both of which use rebaudioside A derived from the stevia plant.[15] However, the FDA said that these products are not stevia, but a highly purified product.[16] As of 2017, high-purity stevia glycosides are considered safe and allowable as ingredients in food products sold in the United States.[5]

text: In June 2016, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued an order of detention for stevia products made in China based on information that the products were made using prison labor.[17]

text: Early studies prompted the European Commission in 1999 to ban stevia's use in food in the European Union pending further research.[18] In 2006, research data compiled in the safety evaluation released by the World Health Organization found no adverse effects.[19]

text: Commercial use[edit]

text: In the early 1970s, sweeteners such as cyclamate and saccharin were gradually decreased or removed from a variant formulation of Coca-Cola. Consequently, use of stevia as an alternative began in Japan, with the aqueous extract of the leaves yielding purified steviosides developed as sweeteners. The first commercial stevia sweetener in Japan was produced by the Japanese firm Morita Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. in 1971.[20] The Japanese have been using stevia in food products and soft drinks, (including Coca Cola), and for table use. In 2006, Japan consumed more stevia than any other country, with stevia accounting for 40% of the sweetener market.[21]

text: In the mid-1980s, stevia became popular in U.S. natural foods and health food industries, as a noncaloric natural sweetener for teas and weight-loss blends.[22][23] The makers of the synthetic sweetener NutraSweet (at the time Monsanto) asked the FDA to require testing of the herb.[23] In 2007, the Coca-Cola Company announced plans to obtain approval for its stevia-derived sweetener, Rebiana, for use as a food additive within the United States by 2009, as well as plans to market Rebiana-sweetened products in 12 countries that allow stevia's use as a food additive.[24][25] In May 2008, Coca Cola and Cargill announced the availability of Truvia, a consumer brand stevia sweetener containing erythritol and Rebiana,[26] which the FDA permitted as a food additive in December 2008.[27] Coca-Cola announced intentions to release stevia-sweetened beverages in late December 2008.[28] From 2013 onwards, Coca-Cola Life, containing stevia as a sweetener, was launched in various countries around the world.[29]

text: Shortly afterward, PepsiCo and Pure Circle announced PureVia, their brand of stevia-based sweetener, but withheld release of beverages sweetened with rebaudioside A until receipt of FDA confirmation. Since the FDA permitted Truvia and PureVia, both Coca Cola and PepsiCo have introduced products that contain their new sweeteners.[30]

text: As of 2006, China was the world's largest exporter of stevioside products.[21]

text: Industrial extracts[edit]

text: Rebaudioside A has the least bitterness of all the steviol glycosides in the Stevia rebaudiana plant. To produce rebaudioside A commercially, stevia plants are dried and subjected to a water extraction process. This crude extract contains about 50% rebaudioside A. The various glycosides are separated and purified via crystallization techniques, typically using ethanol or methanol as solvent.[31]

text: Stevia extracts and derivatives are produced industrially and marketed under different trade names.

text:
Rebiana is an abbreviated name for the stevia extract, rebaudioside A.[32]
Truvia is the brand for an Erythritol, Rebiana, and natural flavoring concoction manufactured by Cargill and developed jointly with the Coca-Cola Company.[33]
PureVia is PepsiCo's brand of rebiana.[30]

text: Mechanism of action[edit]

text: This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: Glycosides are molecules that contain glucose residues bound to other non-sugar substances called aglycones (molecules with other sugars are polysaccharides). Preliminary experiments deduce that the tongue's taste receptors react to the glycosides and transduce the sweet taste sensation and the lingering bitter aftertaste by direct activation of sweet and bitter receptors.[34]

text: According to basic research, steviol glycosides and steviol interact with a protein channel called TRPM5, potentiating the signal from the sweet or bitter receptors, amplifying the taste of other sweet, bitter and umami tastants.[35] The synergetic effect of the glycosides on the sweet receptor and TRPM5 explains the sweetness sensation. Some steviol glycosides (rebaudioside A) are perceived sweeter than others (stevioside).[36]

text: Steviol cannot be further digested in the digestive tract and is taken up into the bloodstream, metabolised by the liver to steviol glucuronide, and excreted in the urine.[37]

text: Safety and regulations[edit]

text: A 2011 review found that the use of stevia sweeteners as replacements for sugar might benefit people with diabetes, children, and those wishing to lower their intake of calories.[38]

text: Although both steviol and rebaudioside A have been found to be mutagenic in laboratory in vitro testing,[39] these effects have not been demonstrated for the doses and routes of administration to which humans are exposed.[19][40][41] Two 2010 review studies found no health concerns with stevia or its sweetening extracts.[38][42]

text: The WHO's Joint Experts Committee on Food Additives has approved, based on long-term studies, an acceptable daily intake of steviol glycoside of up to 4 mg/kg of body weight.[43] In 2010, The European Food Safety Authority established an acceptable daily intake of 4 mg/kg/day of steviol, in the form of steviol glycosides. Meanwhile, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center warns that "steviol at high dosages may have weak mutagenic activity,"[44] and a review "conducted for" the Center for Science in the Public Interest notes that there are no published carcinogenicity results for rebaudioside A (or stevioside).[39]

text: Availability and legal status by country[edit]

text: The plant may be grown legally in most countries, although some countries restrict its use as a sweetener. The legally allowed uses and maximum dosage of the extracts and derived products vary widely from country to country.

text:
Argentina: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain[45]
Australia and New Zealand:

All steviol glycoside extracts were approved in 2008.[46]

Brazil: stevioside extract approved as food additive since 1986[third-party source needed]
Canada (as of November 2012)

Steviol glycosides became available as a food additive on 30 November 2012.[47]
Stevia rebaudiana leaf and extracts are available as dietary supplements.

Chile: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain[45]
China: available since 1984, regulatory status uncertain
Colombia: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain[45]
European Union: Steviol glycosides were approved and regulated as food additives by the European Commission on 11 November 2011.[6][48][49]
Hong Kong: steviol glycosides approved as food additives since January 2010[50]
India: In a notification dated 13 Nov 2015 FSSAI has permitted its use in a range of products. This includes carbonated water, dairy-based desserts and flavoured drinks, yoghurts, ready-to-eat cereals, fruit nectars and jams. Madhu-Tulsi (Sweeteners in Food Regulations; Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance).[51]
Indonesia: (2012)

Steviol glycosides are available as food additives since 2012.[52]
Stevia leaf is available as a dietary supplement.

Israel: approved as food additive since January 2012.[53]
Japan: widely available since the 1970s and regulated as an existing additive since 1995.[54]
Korea: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain.[45]
Malaysia: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain.[45]
Mexico: mixed steviol glycoside extract (not separate extracts) approved since 2009.:[third-party source needed]
Norway:

Steviol glycoside approved as food additive (E 960) since June 2012.[55]
The plant itself has not been approved as of September 2012.

text:
Paraguay: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain.[45]
Peru: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain.[45]
Philippines: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain.[45]
Russian Federation: stevioside approved as food additive since 2008, in the "minimal dosage required" to achieve the goal.[56]
Saudi Arabia: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain.[45]
Singapore: steviol glycosides approved as food additive in certain foods, since 2005[57] Previously it was banned.[58]
South Africa: approved since September 2012 and widely available.[59]
Taiwan: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain.[45]
Thailand: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain.[45]
Turkey: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain.[45]
United Arab Emirates: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain.[45]
Uruguay: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain.[45]
United States (as of April 2017):

Purified rebaudioside A has been allowed since December 2008 as a food additive (sweetener), sold under various trade names, and classified as "generally recognized as safe" ("GRAS").[5][60]
Stevia rebaudiana leaf and extracts have been available as dietary supplements since 1995, but the 2008 FDA authorization does not extend to them, and they do not have GRAS status.[5]

Vietnam: available as of 2008, regulatory status uncertain.[45]