document_title: Schwinn Bicycle Company

question_text: when did schwinn stop making bikes in usa

text: Schwinn Bicycle Company

text: History[edit]

text: Founding of Schwinn[edit]

text: Ignaz Schwinn was born in Hardheim, Baden, Germany, in 1860 and worked on two-wheeled ancestors of the modern bicycle that appeared in 19th century Europe. Schwinn emigrated to the United States in 1891. In 1895, with the financial backing of fellow German American Adolph Frederick William Arnold (a meat packer), he founded Arnold, Schwinn & Company. Schwinn's new company coincided with a sudden bicycle craze in America. Chicago became the center of the American bicycle industry, with thirty factories turning out thousands of bikes every day. Bicycle output in the United States grew to over a million units per year by the turn of the 20th century.

text: The boom in bicycle sales was short-lived, saturating the market years before motor vehicles were common on American streets. By 1905, bicycle annual sales had fallen to only 25% of that reached in 1900. Many smaller companies were absorbed by larger firms or went bankrupt; in Chicago, only twelve bicycle makers remained in business. Competition became intense, both for parts suppliers and for contracts from the major department stores, which retailed the majority of bicycles produced in those days. Realizing he needed to grow the company, Ignaz Schwinn purchased several smaller bicycle firms, building a modern factory on Chicago's west side to mass-produce bicycles at lower cost. He finalized a purchase of Excelsior Company in 1912, and in 1917 added the Henderson Company to form Excelsior-Henderson. In an atmosphere of general decline elsewhere in the industry, Schwinn's new motorcycle division thrived, and by 1928 was in third place behind Indian and Harley-Davidson.[5]

text: Depression years[edit]

text: At the close of the 1920s, the stock market crash decimated the American motorcycle industry, taking Excelsior-Henderson with it. Arnold, Schwinn, & Co. (as it remained until 1967) was on the verge of bankruptcy. With no buyers, Excelsior-Henderson motorcycles were discontinued in 1931.[5] Ignaz' son, Frank W. "F. W." Schwinn, took over day-to-day operations at Schwinn. Putting all company efforts towards bicycles, he succeeded in developing a low-cost model that brought Schwinn recognition as an innovative company, as well as a product that would continue to sell during the inevitable downturns in business cycles. After traveling to Europe to get ideas, F. W. Schwinn returned to Chicago and in 1933 introduced the Schwinn B-10E Motorbike, actually a youth's bicycle designed to imitate a motorcycle. The company revised the model the next year and renamed it the Aerocycle.[6][7] For the Aerocycle, F. W. Schwinn persuaded American Rubber Co. to make 2.125-inch-wide (54.0 mm) balloon tires, while adding streamlined fenders, an imitation "gas tank", a streamlined, chrome-plated headlight, and a push-button bicycle bell.[6][8] The bicycle would eventually come to be known as a paperboy bike or cruiser.

text: Schwinn was soon sponsoring a bicycle racing team headed by Emil Wastyn, who designed the team bikes, and the company competed in six-day racing across the United States with riders such as Jerry Rodman and Russell Allen. In 1938, Frank W. Schwinn officially introduced the Paramount series. Developed from experiences gained in racing, Schwinn established Paramount as their answer to high-end, professional competition bicycles. The Paramount used high-strength chrome-molybdenum steel alloy tubing and expensive brass lug-brazed construction. During the next twenty years, most of the Paramount bikes would be built in limited numbers at a small frame shop headed by Wastyn, in spite of Schwinn's continued efforts to bring all frame production into the factory.

text: On 17 May 1941, Alfred Letourneur was able to beat the  motor-paced world speed record on a bicycle, reaching 108.92 miles per hour (175.29 km/h) on a Schwinn Paramount bicycle[9] riding behind a car in Bakersfield, California.

text: Industry dominance[edit]

text: By 1950, Schwinn had decided the time was right to grow the brand. At the time, most bicycle manufacturers in the United States sold in bulk to department stores, which in turn sold them as store brand models. Schwinn decided to try something different. With the exception of B. F. Goodrich bicycles, sold in tire stores, Schwinn eliminated the practice of rebranding in 1950, insisting that the Schwinn brand and guarantee appear on all products. In exchange for ensuring the presence of the Schwinn name, distributors retained the right to distribute Schwinn bikes to any hardware store, toy store, or bicycle shop that ordered them. In 1952, F. W. Schwinn tasked a new team to plan future business strategy, consisting of marketing supervisor Ray Burch, general manager Bill Stoeffhaas, and design supervisor Al Fritz.

text: In the 1950s, Schwinn began to aggressively cultivate bicycle retailers, persuading them to sell Schwinns as their predominant, if not exclusive brand. During this period, bicycle sales enjoyed relatively slow growth, with the bulk of sales going to youth models. In 1900, during the height of the first bicycle boom, annual United States sales by all bicycle manufacturers had briefly topped one million. By 1960, annual sales had reached just 4.4 million.[10] Nevertheless, Schwinn's share of the market was increasing, and would reach in excess of 1 million bicycles per year by the end of the decade.

text: In 1946, imports of foreign-made bicycles had increased tenfold over the previous year, to 46,840 bicycles; of that total, 95 per cent were from Great Britain.[11] The postwar appearance of imported "English racers" (actually three-speed "sport" roadsters from Great Britain and West Germany) found a ready market among United States buyers seeking bicycles for exercise and recreation in the suburbs.[12] Though substantially heavier than later European-style "racer" or sport/touring bikes, Americans found them a revelation, as they were still much lighter than existing models produced by Schwinn and other American bicycle manufacturers. Imports of foreign-made "English racers", sports roadsters, and recreational bicycles steadily increased through the early 1950s. Schwinn first responded to the new challenge by producing its own middleweight version of the "English racer". The middleweight incorporated most of the features of the English racer, but had wider tires and wheels.[13]

text: The company also joined with other United States bicycle manufacturers in a campaign to raise tariffs across the board on all imported bicycles.[14] In August 1955, the Eisenhower administration implemented a 22.5% tariff rate for three out of four categories of bicycles. However, the most popular adult category, lightweight or "racer" bicycles, were only raised to 11.25%.[14] The administration noted that the United States industry offered no direct competition in this category, and that lightweight bikes competed only indirectly with balloon-tire or cruiser bicycles. The share of the United States market taken by foreign-made bicycles dropped to 28.5% of the market, and remained under 30% through 1964.[15] Despite the increased tariff, the only structural change in foreign imports during this period was a temporary decline in bicycles imported from Great Britain in favor of lower-priced models from the Netherlands and Germany. In 1961, after a successful appeal by bicycle importers, the Eisenhower tariffs were declared invalid by the Court of United States Customs Appeals, and President Kennedy imposed a new tariff rate at 50% on foreign-made bicycles, a rate which remained in place until 1964.[14]

text: While every large bicycle manufacturer sponsored or participated in bicycle racing competition of some sort to keep up with the newest trends in technology, Schwinn had restricted its racing activities to events inside the United States, where Schwinn bicycles predominated. As a result, Schwinns became increasingly dated in both styling and technology. By 1957, the Paramount series, once a premier racing bicycle, had atrophied from a lack of attention and modernization. Aside from some new frame lug designs, the designs, methods and tooling were the same as had been used in the 1930s. After a crash-course in new frame-building techniques and derailleur technology, Schwinn introduced an updated Paramount with Reynolds 531 double-butted tubing, Nervex lugsets and bottom bracket shells, as well as Campagnolo derailleur dropouts. The Paramount continued as a limited production model, built in small numbers in a small apportioned area of the old Chicago assembly factory. The new frame and component technology incorporated in the Paramount largely failed to reach Schwinn's mass-market bicycle lines. Another change occurred in 1963 following the death of F. W. Schwinn, when grandson Frank Valentine Schwinn took over management of the company.

text: Marketing and anti-trust issues[edit]

text: By the late 1950s, Schwinn's exclusive marketing practices were well entrenched in the United States, practices that had ensured a dominant position in the United States bicycle market.[16] In order to prevent competition among its wholesalers, Schwinn assisted them by dividing up the national market.[17] Schwinn also strengthened its dealer network, shrinking the number of authorized dealers. Since Schwinn could decide who got their bikes and who didn't, the company rewarded the highest volume dealers with location exclusivity, as well as mandating service standards and layouts.[18] In response, the company was sued by the Department of Justice in 1957 for restraint of trade.[19] In a ten-year legal battle, many of Schwinn's practices were upheld by the courts: judges ruled they had the right to have their bicycles sold by retailers equipped to service the bikes as well as sell them. However, in a ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1967, U.S. v. Arnold, Schwinn & Co., Schwinn was found guilty of restraint of trade by preventing distributors shipping bicycles to unapproved dealers.[20]  Though the Arnold decision would be essentially overturned in later rulings, the company stopped working solely through independent local distributors and constructed four regional warehouses from which bicycles would — legally — be sent to shops. While this solved the problem of unfair trade practice with the courts, the new warehouses and distribution system cost millions of dollars at a time of rising competition from foreign manufacturers.[21] It also made it more difficult for the company to stay informed of customer complaints regarding manufacturing or assembly problems.

text: Child and youth markets[edit]

text: During the 1960s, Schwinn aggressively campaigned to retain and expand its dominance of the child and youth bicycle markets. The company advertised heavily on television, and was an early sponsor (from 1958) of the children's television program Captain Kangaroo. The Captain himself was enlisted to regularly hawk Schwinn-brand bicycles to the show's audience, typically six years old and under.[14] As these children matured, it was believed they would ask for Schwinn bicycles from their parents. By 1971, United States government councils had objected to Schwinn's marketing practices. In response, Schwinn had Captain Kangaroo alter its format. The Captain no longer insisted that viewers buy a Schwinn, but instead made regular on-air consultations of a new character, "Mr. Schwinn Dealer".[14]

text: The Corvette[edit]

text: Schwinn developed the Corvette in 1954, after their catalog, for that year, had been in use. Therefore, with the release of a single photograph, the Corvette was introduced. The picture showed company executives standing behind their new product, that would remain in production for 10 years. 1955 was the first year in which the Corvette appeared in the Schwinn catalog; it was Schwinn's top listing in their "middleweight" category.[22]

text: Schwinn Twinn[edit]

text: From the 1950s to the 1980s, Schwinn produced a series of lightweight tandem bicycles known as the Schwinn Twinn. They came in three different models: the single speed Twinn, a two speed semi-automatic, and the five speed Deluxe Twinn.

text: The Sting-Ray[edit]

text: In 1962, Schwinn's designer Al Fritz heard about a new youth trend centered in California for retrofitting bicycles with the accoutrements of motorcycles customized in the "bobber" or "chopper" style, including high-rise, "ape-hanger" handlebars and low-rider "banana seats".[23] Inspired, he designed a mass-production bike for the youth market known as Project J-38. The result, a wheelie bike, was introduced to the public as the Schwinn Sting-Ray in June 1963.[23][24][25][26] It had ape-hanger handlebars, Persons's Solo Polo Seat banana seat and 20-inch tires. Sales were initially slow, as many parents desiring a bicycle for their children did not find the Sting-Ray appealing in the least. However, after a few appeared on America's streets and neighborhoods, many young riders would accept nothing else, and sales took off. In the December 1963 Schwinn Reporter Schwinn announced the arrival of the Deluxe Sting-Ray. This model included Fenders, white-wall tires, and a padded Solo polo seat. Next, in July 1964 Schwinn announced the arrival of the Super Deluxe Sting-Ray. This model included a front spring-fork, and a new sleeker Sting-Ray banana seat, and a Person's Hi-loop Sissy bar. Also, the Super Deluxe gave the rider a choice of White wall tires or the new Yellow oval rear Slik tire paired with a front black wall Westwind tire. By 1965, a host of American and foreign manufacturers were offering their own version of the Sting-Ray.

text: The Ten  Speed[edit]

text: A growing number of teens and young adults were purchasing imported European sport racing or sport touring bicycles, many fitted with multiple derailleur-shifted gears. Schwinn decided to meet the challenge by developing two lines of sport or road 'racer' bicycles. One was already in the catalog — the limited production Paramount series. As always, the Paramount spared no expense; the bicycles were given high-quality lightweight lugged steel frames using double-butted tubes of Reynolds 531 and fitted with quality European components including Campagnolo derailleurs, hubs, and gears. The Paramount series had limited production numbers, making vintage examples quite rare today. Starting in 1960, for the rest of the market, Schwinn offered the Schwinn Varsity and Continental, now equipped as multi-geared sport bikes (10-speeds), and designed to imitate the style of the new narrow-tired 'racing' and sport bikes from Europe, though not their performance.[27] The 1960 Varsity was introduced as an 8-speed bike, but in mid-1961 was upgraded to 10 speeds. Other road bikes were introduced by Schwinn in the early and mid 1960s, such as the Superior, Sierra, and Super Continental, but these were only produced for a few years. The Varsity and Continental sold in large numbers through the 1960s and early 1970s, becoming Scwhinn's leading models. The major difference between the two models was the use of a tubular front fork on the Continental -- both bikes used the same frame design, a lugless, steel unit, using Schwinn's standard Ashtabula cranksets and welded in such a way that the joints were smoothly filled (similar to the joints in 21st-century composite frames). The wheel rims were likewise robust, chromed, stamped steel with a unique profile designed to hold the tire bead securely, even if pressure were low or lost.

text: In the late 1960s, the Varsity and Continental pioneered the use of auxiliary brake levers, which allowed the rider to rest hands on the straight, horizontal center section of the ram's horn handlebars, yet still have braking control.  To further improve control from this more-erect riding position, the levers used to move the derailleurs (shifting the chain from one sprocket to the next) were moved from the traditional position on the "down tube" to the top of the headset, on a ring which would turn with the handlebar gooseneck.  This feature, attractive to older riders, soon found its way to other Schwinn models, especially those intended for senior citizens.

text: By the mid-1970s, competition from lightweight and feature-rich imported bikes was making strong inroads in the budget-priced and beginners' market.  While Schwinn's popular lines were far more durable than the budget bikes, they were also far heavier and more expensive, and parents were realizing that most of the budget bikes would outlast most kids' interest in bicycling.  Although the Varsity and Continental series would still be produced in large numbers into the 1980s, even Schwinn recognized the growing market in young adults and environmentally-oriented purchasers, devoting the bulk of their marketing to lighter models intended to pull sales back from the imports.

text: The bicycle boom[edit]

text: The Sting-Ray[28] sales boom of the 1960s accelerated in 1970, with United States bicycle sales doubling over a period of two years. However, there were clear warning signs on the horizon.

text: Despite a huge increase in popularity of lightweight European sport or road racing bicycles in the United States, Schwinn adhered to its existing strategy in the lightweight adult road bike market. For those unable to afford the Paramount, this meant a Schwinn 'sports' bike with a heavy steel electro-forged frame along with steel components such as wheels, stems, cranks, and handlebars from the company's established United States suppliers. Though weighing slightly less, the mid-priced Schwinn Superior or Sports Tourer was almost indistinguishable from Schwinn's other heavy, mass-produced models, such as the Varsity and Continental. While competitive in the 1960s, by 1972 these bicycles were much heavier and less responsive in comparison to the new sport and racing bicycles arriving from England, France, Italy, and increasingly, Japan.[29]

text: Another problem was Schwinn's failure to design and market its bicycles to specific, identifiable buyers, especially the growing number of cyclists interested in road racing or touring. Instead, most Schwinn derailleur bikes were marketed to the general leisure market, equipped with heavy "old timer" accessories such as kickstands that cycling aficionados had long since abandoned. More and more cyclists, especially younger buyers, began to insist on stronger steel alloys (which allowed for lighter frames), responsive frame geometry, aluminum components, advanced derailleur shifting, and multiple gears.[8][30] When they failed to find what they wanted at Schwinn, they went elsewhere. While the Paramount still sold in limited numbers to this market, the model's customer base began to age, changing from primarily bike racers to older, wealthier riders looking for the ultimate bicycle. Schwinn sold an impressive 1.5 million bicycles in 1974, but would pay the price for failing to keep up with new developments in bicycle technology and buying trends.

text: With their aging product line, Schwinn failed to dominate the huge sport bike boom of 1971–1975, which saw millions of 10-speed bicycles sold to new cyclists.[8] Schwinn did allow some dealers to sell imported road racing bikes, and by 1973 was using the Schwinn name on the Le Tour, a Japanese-made low-cost sport/touring 10-speed bicycle. Schwinn developed strong trading relationships with two Japanese bicycle manufacturers in particular, Bridgestone and National/Panasonic. Though these met initial dealer resistance as "imports" and were not included in the Schwinn consumer catalog, it was soon realized that the Panasonic and Bridgestone 'Schwinn' bicycles were fully the equal of the American-made versions in quality and performance. Schwinn soon had a range of low, mid- and upper-level bicycles all imported from Japan. Schwinn's standard road bike model from Panasonic was the World Traveler, which had a high-quality lugged steel frame and Shimano components. Schwinn also marketed a top-shelf touring model from Panasonic, the World Voyager, lugged with butted Tange chrome-molybdenum alloy tubing, Shimano derailleurs, and SunTour bar-end shifters, a serious challenge to the Paramount series at half the price.[31][32]

text: By 1975, bicycle customers interested in medium-priced road and touring bicycles had largely gravitated towards Japanese or European brands. Unlike Schwinn, many of these brands were perennial participants in professional bicycle racing, and their production road bicycles at least possessed the cachet and visual lineage of their racing heritage, if not always their componentry.[33] One example was Peugeot, which won several Tour de France victories using race bikes with frames occasionally constructed by small race-oriented framebuilders such as Masi, suitably repainted in Team Peugeot colors. In reality, mass-market French manufacturers such as Peugeot were not infrequently criticized for material and assembly quality — as well as stagnant technology — in their low- and mid-level product lines. Nevertheless, Peugeot proudly advertised its victorious racing heritage at every opportunity. While not as prominent at the winner's podium, Japanese brands such as Fuji and Panasonic offered consistently high quality, reasonable prices, and state-of-the-art-derailleur, crankset, and gearing design.[34] Unlike Schwinn, most Japanese bicycle manufacturers were quick to adopt the latest European road racing geometries, new steel alloys, and modern manufacturing techniques.[35] As a result, their moderately-priced bicycles, equipped with the same Japanese-made components, usually weighed less and performed better than competitive models made by Schwinn.[36] Schwinn brand loyalty began to suffer as huge numbers of buyers came to retailers asking for the latest sport and racing road bikes from European or Japanese manufacturers. By 1979, even the Paramount had been passed, technologically speaking, by a new generation of American as well as foreign custom bicycle manufacturers.

text: BMX bicycles[edit]

text: Schwinn also largely failed to capitalize on a new trend in Southern California: BMX racing.[citation needed] After first claiming it to be a dangerous sport,[citation needed] management changed their tune — too late — when they introduced the Scrambler in 1975,[37] which evolved into a BMX design in the late 1970s, but it was heavier than designs from other manufacturers.[citation needed] The Sting-Ray based Scrambler spawned the light weight, fully competition capable, chrome-molybdenum-tubed Competition Scrambler in 1977,[37] Scrambler 36/36, the Mag Scrambler in 1981,[37] and the Sting[clarification needed] with full Reynolds, double butted chrome-molybdenum frame that was made in the same assembly area as the Paramount road racing frames.[citation needed]

text: Schwinn followed the Scrambler line with the Predator in 1982,[38] their first competitive step into the modern BMX market.[citation needed] A latecomer, the Predator took just eight percent of the BMX market.[citation needed] Schwinn also had a very successful BMX racing team made up of some of the best riders in the day.[citation needed] They were even used for an episode of the TV show CHiPs.

text: Mountain bikes[edit]

text: By the late 1970s, a new bicycle sport begun by enthusiasts in Northern California had grown into a new type of all-terrain bicycle, the mountain bike. Originally based on Schwinn balloon-tired cruiser bicycles fitted with derailleur gears, called "Klunkers", a few participants had begun designing and building small numbers of mountain bikes with frames made out of modern butted chrome-molybdenum alloy steel. When the sport's original inventors demonstrated their new frame design, Schwinn marketing personnel initially discounted the growing popularity of the mountain bike, concluding that it would become a short-lived fad.[39] The company briefly (1978–1979) produced a bicycle styled after the California mountain bikes, the Klunker 5. Using the standard electro-forged cantilever frame, and fitted with five-speed derailleur gears and knobby tires, the Klunker 5 was never heavily marketed, and was not even listed in the Schwinn product catalog. Unlike its progenitors, the Klunker proved incapable of withstanding hard off-road use, and after an unsuccessful attempt to reintroduce the model as the Spitfire 5, it was dropped from production.

text: The company's next answer to requests for a Schwinn mountain bike was the King Sting and the Sidewinder, inexpensive BMX-derived bicycles fabricated from existing electro-forged frame designs, and using off-the-shelf BMX parts. This proved to be a major miscalculation, as several new United States startup companies began producing high-quality frames designed from the ground up, and sourced from new, modern plants in Japan and Taiwan using new mass-production technologies such as TIG welding. Schwinn's new competitors such as Specialized and Fisher MountainBikes were soon selling hundreds of thousands of mountain bikes at competitive prices to eager customers, setting sales records in a market niche that soon grew to enormous proportions.[40]

text: Factory and retooling issues[edit]

text: By this time, Schwinn's bicycle factory was completely outmoded in comparison to modern bicycle manufacturing centers in Japan and Taiwan, who had continually invested in new and up-to-date manufacturing techniques and materials, including new joinery techniques and the latest lightweight chrome-molybdenum alloy steel, and later, aluminum.[41][42] The company considered relocating to a single facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but financing the project would have required outside investors, perhaps even foreign ones. Schwinn's board of directors rejected the new plant in 1978.[41]

text: Labor troubles, bankruptcy and demise[edit]

text: In October 1979, Edward R. Schwinn, Jr. took over the presidency of Schwinn from his uncle Frank, ensuring continuity of Schwinn family in the operations of the company.[43] However, worker dissatisfaction, seldom a problem in the early years, grew with steep increases in inflation. In late 1980, the Schwinn Chicago factory workers voted to affiliate with the United Auto Workers.[44][45] Plant assembly workers began a strike for higher pay in September 1980, and 1,400 assembly workers walked off the job for thirteen weeks.[46][47] Although the strike ended in February 1981, only about 65% of the prior workforce was recalled to work.[48] By this time, increasingly stiff competition from lower-cost competition in Asia resulted in declining market share.[49] These problems were exacerbated by the inefficiency of producing modern bicycles in the 80-year-old Chicago factory equipped with outdated equipment and ancient inventory and information systems.[50] After numerous meetings, the board of directors voted to source most Schwinn bicycle production from their established bicycle supplier in Japan, Panasonic Bicycle. As Schwinn's first outsourced bicycles, Panasonic had been the only vendor to meet Schwinn's production requirements. Later, Schwinn would sign a production supply agreement with Giant Bicycles of Taiwan. As time passed, Schwinn would import more and more Asian-made bicycles to carry the Schwinn brand, eventually becoming more a marketer than a maker of bikes.[51]

text: In an attempt to preserve remaining market share and avoid a unionized workforce, Schwinn later moved remaining United States bicycle production to a new plant in Greenville, Mississippi, where bicycles could be assembled at lower cost using parts sourced from Asia.[52] The Greenville plant was not a success, as it was remote from both the corporate headquarters as well as the West coast ports where the material components arrived from Taiwan and Japan.[51] Additionally, Asian manufacturers could still produce and assemble high-quality bicycles at a far lower per-unit cost than Schwinn at its plant in Mississippi, which had to import parts, then assemble them using higher-priced United States labor.[53] The Greenville manufacturing facility, which had lost money each year of its operation, finally closed in 1991, laying off 250 workers in the process.[54]

text: After a series of production cuts and labor force reductions, Schwinn was able to restructure its operations. The company renegotiated loans by putting up the company and the name as collateral, and increased production of the Airdyne exercise bicycle, a moneymaker even in bad times. The company took advantage of the continued demand for mountain bikes, redesigning its product line with Schwinn-designed chrome-molybdenum alloy steel frames. Supplied by manufacturers in Asia, the new arrangement enabled Schwinn to reduce costs and stay competitive with Asian bicycle companies. In Taiwan, Schwinn was able to conclude a new production agreement with Giant Bicycles, transferring Schwinn's frame design and manufacturing expertise to Giant in the process.[55] With this partnership, Schwinn increased their bicycle sales to 500,000 per year by 1985. Schwinn annual sales soon neared the million mark, and the company turned a profit in the late 1980s. However, after unsuccessfully attempting to purchase a minority share in Giant Bicycles, Edward Schwinn Jr. negotiated a separate deal with the China Bicycle Co. (CBC) to produce bicycles to be sold under the Schwinn brand.[56] In retaliation, Giant introduced its own line of Giant-branded bikes for sale to retailers carrying Schwinn bikes. Both Giant and CBC used the dies, plans, and technological expertise from Schwinn to greatly expand the market share of bicycles made under their own proprietary brands, first in Europe, and later in the United States.[56]

text: By 1990, other United States bicycle companies with reputations for excellence in design such as Trek, Specialized, and Cannondale had cut further into Schwinn's market. Unable to produce bicycles in the United States at a competitive cost, by the end of 1991 Schwinn was sourcing its bicycles from overseas manufacturers. This period in Schwinn's history plays a cameo role in a novel by Dave Eggers, A Hologram for the King (2012).[57] Seeking to increase its brand recognition, Schwinn established additional company-operated shops, a move that alienated existing independent bike retailers in cities where the company stores had opened. This in turn led to further inroads by domestic and foreign competitors. Faced with a downward sales spiral, Schwinn went into bankruptcy in 1992.[58] The company and name were bought by the Zell/Chilmark Fund, an investment group, in 1993. Zell moved Schwinn's corporate headquarters to Boulder, Colorado.

text: In 1993, Richard Schwinn, great-grandson of Ignaz Schwinn, with business partner Marc Muller, purchased the Schwinn Paramount plant in Waterford, Wisconsin, where Paramounts were built since 1980. They founded Waterford Precision Cycles, which is still in operation. In 2003 they employed 18 workers building lightweight bicycles.[59]

text: In late 1997, Questor Partners Fund, led by Jay Alix and Dan Lufkin, purchased Schwinn Bicycles. Questor/Schwinn later purchased GT Bicycles in 1998 for $8 a share in cash, roughly $80 million. The new company produced a series of well-regarded mountain bikes bearing the Schwinn name, called the Homegrown series.[60] In 2001, Schwinn/GT declared bankruptcy.

text: Sale to Pacific and Nautilus[edit]

text: In September 2001, the Schwinn Company, its assets, and the rights to the brand, together with that of the GT Bicycle, was purchased at a bankruptcy auction by Pacific Cycle, a company previously known for mass-market brands owned by Wind Point Partners.[61] In 2004, Pacific Cycle was in turn acquired by Dorel Industries. Once America's preeminent bicycle manufacturer, the Schwinn brand was now affixed to bicycles fabricated entirely in China, fueling most of its corporate parent's growth.[51][62] In 2010, Dorel launched a major advertising campaign to revive and contemporize the Schwinn brand by associating it with consumer childhood memories of the iconic company, including a wildly popular reintroduction of the Schwinn Sting-Ray.[62][63]

text: Direct Focus, Inc., a marketing company for fitness and healthy lifestyle products, acquired the assets of Schwinn/GT's fitness equipment division. Direct Focus, Inc. subsequently became Nautilus, Inc.[64]

text: Models[edit]

text: Schwinn sells essentially two lines of bicycles. One is a line of discount bikes offered through mass-merchandisers such as Wal-Mart, Sears and Kmart. The other line known as the Signature Series, featured on the website, are higher-end models sold through specialty shops.[65] Schwinn produces the following types of bicycles:

text:
Cruisers
Bike Path/Comfort
Mountain
Road
Hybrid
Urban includes folders
Kids
Electric

text: Scooters[edit]

text:
Starting in 2005, Schwinn also marketed Motorscooters under the Schwinn Motorsports brand.[66] Production ceased in 2011
(approx).

text: Gear[edit]

text: Schwinn also produces the following gear: Helmets & Pads, Pumps, Saddles, Lights, Storage, Extras, Repair, Bike trailers, and Jogging strollers.


document_title: The Andy Griffith Show

question_text: where was the andy griffith show filmed at

root

text: The Andy Griffith Show

text: Origin[edit]

text: Sheldon Leonard, producer of The Danny Thomas Show, and Danny Thomas hired veteran comedy writer Arthur Stander (who had written many of the "Danny Thomas" episodes) to create a pilot show for Andy Griffith, featuring him as justice of the peace and newspaper editor in a small town.[5] At the time, Broadway, film, and radio star Griffith was interested in attempting a television role, and the William Morris Agency told Leonard that Griffith's rural background and previous rustic characterizations were suited to the part.[5] After conferences between Leonard and Griffith in New York, Griffith flew to Los Angeles and filmed the episode.[5] On February 15, 1960, The Danny Thomas Show episode "Danny Meets Andy Griffith" aired.[5] In the episode Griffith played fictional Sheriff Andy Taylor of Mayberry, North Carolina, who arrests Danny Williams (Thomas's character) for running a stop sign. Future players in The Andy Griffith Show, Frances Bavier and Ron Howard, appeared in the episode as townspeople Henrietta Perkins and Opie Taylor (the sheriff's son).[5] General Foods, sponsor of The Danny Thomas Show, had first access to the spin-off and committed to it immediately.[5] On October 3, 1960, at 9:30 pm, The Andy Griffith Show made its debut.[6]

tag: p

text: Production[edit]

text: The show's production team included producers Aaron Ruben (1960–65) and Bob Ross (1965–68).[5] First-season writers (many of whom worked in pairs) included Jack Elinson, Charles Stewart, Arthur Stander and Frank Tarloff (as "David Adler"), Benedict Freedman and John Fenton Murray, Leo Solomon and Ben Gershman, and Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum.[5] During season six, Greenbaum and Fritzell left the show and Ruben departed for Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., a show which he owned in part.[5] Writer Harvey Bullock left after season six. Bob Sweeney directed the first three seasons save the premiere.

text: The show was filmed at Desilu Studios,[5] with exteriors filmed at Forty Acres in Culver City, California.[5] Woodsy locales were filmed north of Beverly Hills at Franklin Canyon.[5]

text: Don Knotts, who knew Griffith professionally and had seen The Danny Thomas Show episode, called Griffith during the developmental stages of the show and suggested the Sheriff character needed a deputy. Griffith agreed. Knotts auditioned for the show's creator and executive producer, Sheldon Leonard, and was offered a five-year contract playing Barney Fife.[5]

text: The show's theme music, "The Fishin' Hole", was composed by Earle Hagen and Herbert Spencer, with lyrics written by Everett Sloane, who also guest starred as Jubal Foster in the episode "The Keeper of the Flame" (1962). Whistling in the opening sequence, as well as the closing credits sequence, was performed by Earle Hagen.[5] One of the show's tunes, "The Mayberry March", was reworked a number of times in different tempo, styles and orchestrations as background music.[citation needed]

text: The show's sole sponsor was General Foods,[5] with promotional consideration paid for (in the form of cars) by Ford Motor Company (mentioned in the credits).

text: Griffith's development of Andy Taylor[edit]

text: Initially, Griffith played Taylor as a heavy-handed country bumpkin, grinning from ear to ear and speaking in a hesitant, frantic manner. The style recalled that used in the delivery of his popular monologues such as "What It Was, Was Football". He gradually abandoned the 'rustic Taylor' and developed a serious and thoughtful characterization. Producer Aaron Ruben recalled:

text: He was being that marvelously funny character from No Time for Sergeants, Will Stockdale [a role Griffith played on stage and in film] ... One day he said, 'My God, I just realized that I'm the straight man. I'm playing straight to all these kooks around me.' He didn't like himself [in first year reruns] ... and in the next season he changed, becoming this Lincolnesque character.[5]

text: As Griffith stopped portraying some of the sheriff's more unsophisticated character traits and mannerisms, it was impossible for him to create his own problems and troubles in the manner of other central sitcom characters such as Lucy in I Love Lucy or Archie Bunker in All in the Family, whose problems were the result of their temperaments, philosophies and attitudes. Consequently, the characters around Taylor were employed to create the problems and troubles, with rock-solid Taylor stepping in as problem solver, mediator, advisor, disciplinarian and counselor.[5]

text: Plot and characters[edit]

text: The series plot revolves around Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) and his life in sleepy, slow-paced fictional Mayberry, North Carolina. Sheriff Taylor's level-headed approach to law enforcement makes him the scourge of local moonshiners and out-of-town criminals, while his abilities to settle community problems with common-sense advice, mediation, and conciliation make him popular with his fellow citizens. His professional life, however, is complicated by the repeated gaffes of his inept deputy, Barney Fife (Don Knotts). Barney is portrayed as Andy's cousin in the first, second, and sixth episodes, but is never again referred to as such. Andy socializes with male friends in the Main Street barber shop and dates various ladies until a schoolteacher becomes his steady interest in season three. At home, Andy enjoys fishing trips with his son, Opie (Ronny Howard), and quiet evenings on the front porch with his maiden aunt and housekeeper, Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier). Opie tests his father's parenting skills season after season, and Aunt Bee's ill-considered romances and adventures cause her nephew concern.

text: Andy's friends and neighbors include barber Floyd Lawson (Howard McNear – but played by Walter Baldwin in the 1960 episode "Stranger in Town"), service station attendants and cousins Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors) and Goober Pyle (George Lindsey), and local drunkard Otis Campbell (Hal Smith). There were two mayors: Mayor Pike, who was more relaxed, and Mayor Stoner, who had a more assertive personality. On the distaff side, townswoman Clara Edwards (Hope Summers), Barney's sweetheart Thelma Lou (Betty Lynn) and Andy's schoolteacher sweetheart Helen Crump (Aneta Corsaut) become semi-regulars. Ellie Walker (Elinor Donahue) is Andy's girlfriend in the first season, while Peggy McMillan (Joanna Moore) is a nurse who becomes his girlfriend in season 3. Ernest T. Bass (Howard Morris) made his first appearance in Episode #94 ("Mountain Wedding"). In the color seasons, County Clerk Howard Sprague (Jack Dodson) and handyman Emmett Clark (Paul Hartman) appear regularly, while Barney's replacement deputy Warren Ferguson (Jack Burns) appears in season six. Unseen characters such as telephone operator Sarah, and Barney's love interest, local diner waitress Juanita Beasley, as mentioned in the first season, are often referenced. In the series' last few episodes, farmer Sam Jones (Ken Berry) debuts, and later becomes the lead of the show's sequel, Mayberry R.F.D..[5]

text: Don Knotts, Aneta Corsaut, Jack Dodson, and Betty Lynn also appeared on Andy Griffith's later show Matlock.

text: Episodes[edit]

text:
Season
Episodes
Originally aired
Nielsen ratings[7]

First aired
Last aired
Rank
Rating

1
32
October 3, 1960 (1960-10-03)
May 22, 1961 (1961-05-22)
4
27.8

2
31
October 2, 1961 (1961-10-02)
May 7, 1962 (1962-05-07)
7
27.0

3
32
October 1, 1962 (1962-10-01)
May 6, 1963 (1963-05-06)
6
29.7

4
32
September 30, 1963 (1963-09-30)
May 18, 1964 (1964-05-18)
5
29.4

5
32
September 21, 1964 (1964-09-21)
May 3, 1965 (1965-05-03)
4
28.3

6
30
September 13, 1965 (1965-09-13)
April 11, 1966 (1966-04-11)
6
26.9

7
30
September 12, 1966 (1966-09-12)
April 10, 1967 (1967-04-10)
3
27.4

8
30
September 11, 1967 (1967-09-11)
April 1, 1968 (1968-04-01)
1
27.6

tag: table

text: The show comprises 8 full seasons and 249 episodes[5]—159 episodes in black and white (seasons 1–5) and 90 in color (seasons 6–8). Griffith appears in all 249 episodes with Howard coming in second at 209. Only Griffith, Howard, Bavier, Knotts, and Hope Summers appeared in all eight seasons.

text: Knotts left the show at the end of season five to pursue a career in films (on the show it is told that he takes a job as a detective with the State Police in Raleigh) but returned to make five guest appearances as Barney in seasons six through eight. His last appearance in the final season in a story about a summit meeting with Russian dignitaries "ranked eleventh among single comedy programs most watched in television between 1960 and [1984], with an audience of thirty-three and a half million."[5]

text: Reruns, spinoffs, and reunions[edit]

text: In 1964, daytime reruns began airing.[5] The show was retitled Andy of Mayberry to distinguish the repeat episodes from the new episodes airing in prime time.[8] As of 2017, the show has been seen in syndication for 53 years.

text: At the end of season four (May 1964), the backdoor pilot "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." aired, and the following September, the spinoff series Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. debuted with Jim Nabors in the role of Gomer and Frank Sutton as drill instructor Sergeant Vince Carter.

text: In the last episodes of the eighth season, as Andy Griffith was preparing to leave, the character Sam Jones, played by Ken Berry, was introduced as the new star, and the series was reitled Mayberry R.F.D.. Most of the cast members continued their original roles, with Bavier becoming Sam's housekeeper. To create a smooth transition, Andy and Helen were married in the first episode with the new title and remained for a few additional episodes before leaving with a move to Raleigh, effectively ending their appearances. After RFD's cancellation in 1971, George Lindsey played Goober for many years on the popular country-variety show Hee Haw.

text: In 1986, the reunion telemovie Return to Mayberry was broadcast with several cast members reprising their original roles. Absent, however, was Frances Bavier. She was living in Siler City, North Carolina, in ill health, and declined to participate. In the TV movie, Aunt Bee is portrayed as deceased (and in fact Bavier did die three years later), with Andy visiting her grave.

text: Griffith and Howard reprised their roles a final time for a Funny or Die skit supporting the 2008 presidential campaign of Barack Obama.[9]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Ratings[edit]

text: The Andy Griffith Show consistently placed in the top ten during its run.[10]

text: A Nielsen study conducted during the show's final season (1967–68) indicated the show ranked number one among blue collar workers followed by The Lucy Show and Gunsmoke. Among white collar workers, the show ranked number three following Saturday Movies and The Dean Martin Show.[5] The Andy Griffith Show is one of only three shows to have its final season be the number one ranked show on television, the other two being I Love Lucy and Seinfeld. In 1998, more than five million people a day watched the show's reruns on 120 stations.[11]

text: Awards and nominations[edit]

text: Emmys[edit]

text:
Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actor or Actress in a Series: Don Knotts – Won
Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Humor – Nominated (Winner: The Jack Benny Program)

tag: ul

text:
Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actor: Don Knotts – Won
Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Humor – Nominated (Winner: The Bob Newhart Show)

text: Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy: Don Knotts for "The Return of Barney Fife" – Won

text:
Outstanding Comedy Series – Nominated (Winner: The Monkees)
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy: Don Knotts for "Barney Comes to Mayberry" – Won
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy: Frances Bavier – Won

text: TV Land Awards[edit]

text:
Favorite Second Banana: Don Knotts – Won (2003)
Single Dad of the Year: Andy Griffith – Won (2003)
Legend Award – Won (2004)

text: Merchandise and pop culture[edit]

text: Dell Comics published two The Andy Griffith Show comic books during the show's first run, with art work by Henry Scarpelli.[12] In 2004, copies in near-mint condition were priced in excess of $500 each.[13] The show's enduring popularity has spawned considerable merchandise since its first run, including board games, bobblehead dolls, kitchenware, books, and other items. In 2007, a line of canned foods inspired by the series was made available in grocery stores across America. Griffith's hometown of Mount Airy, North Carolina annually hosts a week-long "Mayberry Days" celebration featuring concerts, parades, and appearances by the show's players.

text: In 1997, the episode "Opie the Birdman" was ranked No. 24 on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.[14] In 2002, TV Guide ranked The Andy Griffith Show ninth on its list of the 50 Best Shows of All Time.[2] Bravo ranked Andy Taylor 63rd on their list of the 100 greatest TV characters.[15]

text: In 2003, the country band Rascal Flatts released the song Mayberry and many of the lyrics pay tribute to the show.

text: The cable television network TV Land erected bronze statues of Andy and Opie in Mount Airy and Raleigh, North Carolina (see: Pullen Park).[16]

text: The Taylor Home Inn in Clear Lake, Wisconsin, is a bed-and-breakfast modeled after the Taylor Home.[17]

text: The Mayberry Cafe in Danville, Indiana, features Aunt Bee's Fried Chicken and a replica of Andy's Ford Galaxy police car.

text: In 2013, TV Guide ranked The Andy Griffith Show #15 on their list of the 60 Greatest Shows of All Time.[3]

text: Video releases[edit]

text: In the late 1980s, Premier Promotions released various episodes on VHS. Most tapes had either two or four episodes. In the early to mid-1990s, United American Video released VHS tapes of various episodes. They either had two or three episodes. These compilations were culled from episodes early in the show's run that had lapsed into the public domain; these episodes continue to be circulated on unofficial video releases.

text: Between 2004 and 2006, Paramount Home Entertainment and later in 2006, CBS DVD released all eight seasons as single-season packages on Region 1 DVD. The Andy Griffith Show: The Complete Series was first released as a 40-disc boxed set in 2007. In addition to all 249 episodes of the series, its bonus features included the episode "Danny Meets Andy Griffith" from The Danny Thomas Show which served as the pilot, the episode "Opie Joins the Marines" from Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. which featured Ron Howard and the 95-minute, made-for-television comedy film Return to Mayberry. In 2016, The Andy Griffith Show: The Complete Series was repackaged and released again as a 39-disc set that featured all 249 episodes of the series but did not include the bonus feature disc.

text: Sixteen episodes from the season three, which lapsed into the public domain after CBS neglected to file copyright renewals on the episodes in 1989, are available on discount DVDs. The 2007 lawsuit CBS Operations Inc v. Reel Funds International Inc. ruled that the episodes in question were derivative works based on the copyrighted episodes even though the episodes themselves were not under copyright and granted CBS indirect copyright over the public domain episodes; the ruling enjoined Reel Funds International, a public domain distributor, from selling DVDs with those episodes within the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.[18][19]

text:
DVD Name
Ep#
Release Date

The First Season
32
November 16, 2004

The Second Season
31
May 24, 2005

The Third Season
32
August 16, 2005

The Fourth Season
32
November 22, 2005

The Fifth Season
32
February 14, 2006

The Sixth Season
30
May 9, 2006

The Seventh Season
30
August 29, 2006

The Final Season
30
December 12, 2006

The Complete Series
249
May 29, 2007

The Complete Series
249
February 16, 2016

text: Note: The Region 1 release of The Third Season contains two episodes edited for syndication: "The Darlings Are Coming", which had several scenes cut, and "Barney Mends a Broken Heart", which had its epilogue cut.


document_title: Republic Day (India)

question_text: who were the chief guests on republic day 2018

text: Republic Day (India)

text: History of Republic Day[edit]

text: India achieved independence from British Raj on 15 August 1947 following the Indian independence movement noted for largely peaceful non-violent resistance and civil disobedience led by Mahatma Gandhi. The independence came through the Indian Independence Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo 6 c 30), an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that partitioned British India into the two new independent Dominions of the British Commonwealth (later Commonwealth of Nations).[2] India obtained its independence on 15 August 1947 as a constitutional monarchy with George VI as head of state and the Earl Mountbatten as governor-general. The country, though, did not yet have a permanent constitution; instead its laws were based on the modified colonial Government of India Act 1935. On 28 August 1947, the Drafting Committee was appointed to draft a permanent constitution, with Dr B R Ambedkar as chairman. While India's Independence Day celebrates its freedom from British Rule, the Republic Day celebrates the coming into force of its constitution. A draft constitution was prepared by the committee and submitted to the Assembly on 4 November 1947.[3] The Assembly met, in sessions open to public, for 166 days, spread over a period of two years, 11 months and 18 days before adopting the Constitution. After many deliberations and some modifications, the 308 members of the Assembly signed two hand-written copies of the document (one each in Hindi and English) on 24 January 1950. Two days later, it came into effect throughout the whole nation.

text: Celebrations[edit]

text: The main Republic Day celebration is held in the national capital, New Delhi, at the Rajpath before the President of India. On this day, ceremonious parades take place at the Rajpath, which are performed as a tribute to India; its unity in diversity and rich cultural heritage.

text: Delhi Republic Day parade[edit]

text: Delhi Republic Day parade is held in the capital, New Delhi. Commencing from the gates of the Rashtrapati Bhavan (the President's residence), Raisina Hill on Rajpath past the India Gate, this event is the main attraction of India's Republic Day Celebrations lasting three days. The parade showcases India's Defence Capability, Cultural and Social Heritage.[4]

text: Nine to twelve different regiments of the Indian Army in addition to the Navy, and Air Force with their bands march past in all their finery and official decorations. The President of India who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, takes the salute. Twelve contingents of various para-military forces of India and other civil forces also take part in this parade.[5]

text: Beating Retreat[edit]

text: The Beating Retreat ceremony is held after officially denoting the end of Republic Day festivities. It is conducted on the evening of 29 January, the third day after the Republic Day. It is performed by the bands of the three wings of the military, the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. The venue is Raisina Hill and an adjacent square, Vijay Chowk, flanked by the North and South block of the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President's Palace) towards the end of Rajpath.[6]

text: The Chief Guest of the function is the President of India who arrives escorted by the (PBG), a cavalry unit. When the President arrives, the PBG commander asks the unit to give the National Salute, which is followed by the playing of the Indian National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana, by the Army. The Army develops the ceremony of display by the massed bands in which Military Bands, Pipe and Drum Bands, Buglers and Trumpeters from various Army Regiments besides bands from the Navy and Air Force take part which play popular tunes like Abide With Me, Mahatma Gandhi's favourite hymn, and Saare Jahan Se Achcha at the end.[7][8][9]

text: Gallery[edit]

text:
Buildings on Raisina Hill including Rashtrapati Bhavan, lit up during Republic Day 2008.

Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team displaying tricolor.

Border Security Force personnel on Republic Day.

text: Republic Day parade chief guest[edit]

text: Since 1950, India has been hosting head of state or government of another country as the state guest of honour for Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. During 1950–1954, Republic Day celebrations were organised at different venues (like Irwin Stadium, Kingsway, Red Fort and Ramlila Grounds). It was only starting 1955 when the parade in its present form was organised at Rajpath.[10] The guest country is chosen after a deliberation of strategic, economic and political interests. During 1950s–1970s, a number of NAM and Eastern Bloc countries were hosted by India. In 1968 and 1974, India played host to two countries on the same Republic Day.

text:
Year
Guest name
Country
Note

1950
President Sukarno[11]
 Indonesia

1951
King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah[12]
   Nepal

1952

1953

1954
King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck[13]
 Bhutan

1955
Governor General Malik Ghulam Muhammad[14]
 Pakistan
First guest for parade at Rajpath [15]

1956
Chancellor of the Exchequer R. A. Butler
 United Kingdom
Note[1]
Two guests[16]

Chief Justice Kōtarō Tanaka
 Japan

1957
Minister of Defence Georgy Zhukov [17]
 Soviet Union

1958
Marshall Ye Jianying[18]
 China

1959
Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip [19][20][21]
 United Kingdom
2nd invitation

1960
Chairman Kliment Voroshilov[22]
 Soviet Union
2nd invitation

1961
Queen Elizabeth II[23]
 United Kingdom
3rd invitation, Note[2]

1962
Prime Minister Viggo Kampmann[24]
 Denmark
Note[3]

1963
King Norodom Sihanouk[25]
 Cambodia

1964
Chief of Defence Staff Lord Louis Mountbatten [26]
 United Kingdom
4th invitation, Note[4]

1965
Food and Agriculture Minister Rana Abdul Hamid
 Pakistan
2nd invitation

1966
No invitation
No invitation
Note[5]

1967
King Mohammed Zahir Shah [27]
 Afghanistan
Note[6]

1968
Chairman Alexei Kosygin
 Soviet Union
3rd invitation
Two guests[28]

President Josip Broz Tito
 Yugoslavia

1969
Prime Minister Todor Zhivkov[29]
 Bulgaria

1970
King of the Belgians Baudouin[30][31]
 Belgium
Note[7]

1971
President Julius Nyerere[32]
 Tanzania

1972
Prime Minister Seewoosagur Ramgoolam [33]
 Mauritius

1973
President Mobutu Sese Seko[34]
 Zaire

1974
President Josip Broz Tito
 Yugoslavia
2nd invitation
Two guests [35]

Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike
 Sri Lanka

1975
President Kenneth Kaunda[36]
 Zambia

1976
Prime Minister Jacques Chirac[37]
 France

1977
First Secretary Edward Gierek[38]
 Poland

1978
President Patrick Hillery[39]
 Ireland

1979
Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser[40]
 Australia

1980
President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
 France
2nd invitation

1981
President Jose Lopez Portillo[41]
 Mexico

1982
King Juan Carlos I[42]
 Spain

1983
President Shehu Shagari[43]
 Nigeria

1984
King Jigme Singye Wangchuck[44]
 Bhutan
2nd invitation

1985
President Raúl Alfonsín[45]
 Argentina

1986
Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou[46]
 Greece

1987
President Alan Garcia[47]
 Peru

1988
President J. R. Jayewardene[48]
 Sri Lanka
2nd invitation

1989
General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh[49]
 Vietnam

1990
Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth[50]
 Mauritius
2nd invitation

1991
President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom[51]
 Maldives

1992
President Mário Soares[51]
 Portugal

1993
Prime Minister John Major[51]
 United Kingdom
5th invitation

1994
Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong[51]
 Singapore

1995
President Nelson Mandela[52]
 South Africa

1996
President Fernando Henrique Cardoso[51]
 Brazil

1997
Prime Minister Basdeo Panday[51]
 Trinidad and Tobago

1998
President Jacques Chirac[51]
 France
3rd invitation

1999
King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev[51]
   Nepal
2nd invitation

2000
President Olusegun Obasanjo[51]
 Nigeria
2nd invitation

2001
President Abdelaziz Bouteflika[51]
 Algeria

2002
President Cassam Uteem[51]
 Mauritius
3rd invitation

2003
President Mohammed Khatami[51]
 Iran

2004
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva [51]
 Brazil
2nd invitation

2005
King Jigme Singye Wangchuck[51]
 Bhutan
3rd invitation

2006
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud[51]
 Saudi Arabia

2007
President Vladimir Putin[51]
 Russia
4th invitation

2008
President Nicolas Sarkozy[51]
 France
4th invitation

2009
President Nursultan Nazarbayev[51]
 Kazakhstan

2010
President Lee Myung Bak[53]
 South Korea

2011
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono[54][55]
 Indonesia
2nd invitation

2012
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra[56]
 Thailand

2013
King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck[57]
 Bhutan
4th invitation

2014
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe[58]
 Japan
2nd invitation

2015
President Barack Obama[59]
 United States

2016
President François Hollande
 France
5th invitation[60]

2017
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan[61]
 United Arab Emirates

2018
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah
 Brunei

Ten guests (Heads of ASEAN states)[62]

Prime Minister Hun Sen
 Cambodia
2nd invitation

President Joko Widodo
 Indonesia
3rd invitation

Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith
 Laos

Prime Minister Najib Razak
 Malaysia

State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
 Myanmar

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte
 Philippines

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
 Singapore
2nd invitation

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha
 Thailand
2nd invitation

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc
 Vietnam
2nd invitation

text: Notes[edit]


document_title: Grandma's Boy (2006 film)

question_text: who plays the grandma in grandma's boy

question_tokens: who plays the grandma in grandma 's boy

text: Grandma's Boy (2006 film)

text: Plot[edit]

text: Alex (Allen Covert) is a single, 35-year-old video game tester who lives with his friend Josh (Jonathan Loughran). When Josh wastes their rent money on Filipino hookers, their landlord (Rob Schneider) kicks them out, and Alex has to find a new place to live. Alex tries to stay with his marijuana dealer, Dante (Peter Dante), but cannot do so because Dante is adopting a wild lion to live in the house. Alex spends one night with his co-worker Jeff (Nick Swardson), but Jeff still lives with his parents. After an embarrassing "encounter" with Jeff's mom, in which he is caught masturbating in the bathroom and subsequently ejaculates on her, Alex is forced to move in with his grandmother Lilly (Doris Roberts) and her two eccentric friends, Bea (Shirley Knight) and Grace (Shirley Jones).

text: Alex is given many chores and fix-up projects to do around the house, but has a hard time completing them because his grandmother and her friends are a constant distraction. He also finds it hard to get any work done. Alex discovers that the three women have a fascination with the television program Antiques Roadshow and later is able to get some work finished by giving them tickets to attend a taping of the show. At work, Alex meets the attractive Samantha (Linda Cardellini), who has been sent by the company's corporate office to oversee the production of a new video game. Alex and Samantha hit it off, but the only person in the way of their relationship is the creator of the game they are all working on, J.P. (Joel Moore), a self-proclaimed "genius" who is obsessed with video games and has a crush on Samantha. Samantha is not interested in J.P. and declines his constant advances.

text: Meanwhile, in an attempt to sound cool to his younger co-workers (Jonah Hill and Kelvin Yu), Alex says that he is living "with three hot babes". Alex's friends believe the lie and actually think the reason he is so tired every day at work is because he is living with three women who constantly "wear him out" in the bedroom. The real cause of his fatigue is because he stays up late at night working on his own video game, called Demonik, which he has been developing in secret for some time. Lilly asks about the game one night and he teaches her to play it. To his surprise, she becomes quite good at it and beats many levels. After Alex and his co-workers finish successfully testing Eternal Death Slayer 3, their boss Mr. Cheezle (Kevin Nealon) tells Samantha to take the boys out to eat at a vegan restaurant, but they instead make fun of the restaurant and their waiter (David Spade) when they arrive, and then leave to a burger shop. When Jeff has to use the bathroom and refuses to use the one in the restaurant, Alex is forced to take everyone to his house.

text: Alex comes home to find that Lilly, Grace, and Bea drank all of his pot, which they thought was tea. When Samantha admits to smoking weed too, Alex calls up Dante and throws a wild party. During the party, the group prank-calls J.P. and leaves him a voicemail that makes fun of him about wanting to be a robot. J.P. is upset by the message and shows up at Lilly's house a couple nights later in tears. Feeling bad for him, Alex agrees to let him borrow his only copy of Demonik and test it out for a few days. In retaliation for Alex making his life miserable, and having become accustomed to stealing others' ideas, J.P. steals the game and tries to pass it off as his own at work. Mr. Cheezle does not believe Alex when he insists the game is his, since it was his only copy, so his friends call Lilly to the office. Because she has mastered the game already, she plays J.P. and wins to prove it belongs to Alex. In the end, Alex is vindicated and creates a successful game. Alex and Samantha start dating.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Allen Covert as Alex
Nick Swardson as Jeff
Doris Roberts as Grandma Lilly
Linda Cardellini as Samantha
Shirley Jones as Grace
Shirley Knight as Bea
Peter Dante as Dante
Joel Moore as J.P.
Kevin Nealon as Mr. Simon Cheezle
Jonah Hill as Barry
Kelvin Yu as Kane
Chuck Church as Dan
Jonathan Loughran as Josh
Scott Halberstadt as Bobby
Rob Schneider as Yuri
David Spade as Shiloh
Randal Reeder as Biker
Abdoulaye N'Gom as Dr. Shakalu
Todd Holland as Mover #1
Kevin Nash as Mover #2
Ted Stryker as Restaurant host
Frank Coraci (uncredited) as Cousin Steven

text: Production[edit]

text: Principal photography took place in Los Angeles at L.A. Center Studios, and locations in the vicinity.

text: Game developer Terminal Reality was involved in the film's production, lending footage to promote their game Demonik. Although the game was cancelled before the film's release the footage remained in the final cut.

text: Release[edit]

text: Box office[edit]

text: Grandma's Boy opened theatrically on January 6, 2006 in 2,015 venues and earned $3,009,341 in its opening weekend, ranking thirteenth in the domestic box office and second among that weekend's newcomers.[4] The film ended its run seven weeks later on February 23, having grossed $6,090,172 domestically and $476,105 overseas for a worldwide total of $6,566,277.[2] Though the film was not successful in theaters, it managed to become a success on the home video market, grossing $31,990,186 in DVD sales.[5]

text: Critical reception[edit]

text: The film received generally negative reviews from critics. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 16% critic's rating based on 63 reviews, with an average rating of 3.5/10, while the audience rating has an 85% based on 266,086 reviews with an average rating of 3.7/5. The site's consensus states: "A gross-out comedy that's more gross than comedic, Grandma's Boy is lazy and unrewarding."[6] Metacritic reports a 33 out of 100 rating based on 15 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[7]

text: Audience polling company CinemaScore reported that the average grade cinema audiences gave the film was a "B" on an A+ to F scale.[8]

text: Accolades[edit]

text: The film won several honors in High Times' 2006 Stony Awards, including "Best Stoner Movie", "Best Actor in a Movie" (Allen Covert), and "Best Pot Scene in a Movie".

text: Home media[edit]

text: The film was released on DVD on May 9, 2006 in widescreen format, with theatrical (94 minutes) and unrated (95 minutes) versions, subtitled in English and Spanish, with audio tracks in English, Spanish, and French. It includes audio commentary tracks by the director and stars, deleted scenes, montages of outtakes and alternate lines, and several "featurettes". The film is yet to be released on Blu-ray.

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text: The soundtrack includes tracks of film dialogue between the musical tracks.

text:
Track #
Title
Artist
Time

2
"Another Day"
The Twenty Twos
2:40

4
"Helicopter"
Bloc Party
3:39

5
"Meantime"
The Futureheads
2:49

7
"Spinnin'"
Zion I
3:25

9
"Little Girl"
The Daylights
3:16

10
"Never Win"
Fischerspooner
3:59

12
"Sittin' Sidewayz"
Paul Wall/Big Pokey
3:48

14
"Alive and Amplified"
The Mooney Suzuki
3:05

15
"Can't Kick the Habit"
Spin Doctors
8:12

17
"Night on Fire"
VHS or Beta
4:01

18
"Anyone"
Moving Units
3:57

20
"Windowlicker"
Aphex Twin
6:04

21
"STD Dance"
Ima Robot
4:35

23
"Grandma's Boyee"
Kool Keith/KutMasta Kurt
4:09

text: Music from the film not found on the soundtrack includes:

text:
"Dance to the Underground" – Radio 4
"Natural Disaster" – Fischerspooner (JP's entrance)
"A Fair Resort" – Cdoass
"Call the Cops" – Dr. Dooom
"Hit Me Again" – Neon
"Make a Jam!" – U1 (Dance Dance Revolution (Ultramix 2) scene)
"Dead End" – N & S (Dance Dance Revolution (Ultramix 2) scene)
"Can I Buy U a Drink" – Kool Keith / KutMasta Kurt

"Talk Dirty to Me" – Poison
"Push It" – Linda Cardellini (originally by Salt 'N Pepa)
"Holla" – Mista Wizard / Guy Boogie
"Headlines" – Neon Blonde
"Technology" – Evil Nine
"Apartment 223" – Dr. Dooom
"Happy" – Fischerspooner
"I Don't Want to Know..." – The Donnas (trailer)


document_title: Bubba Watson

question_text: where did bubba watson go to high school

text: Bubba Watson

text: Amateur career[edit]

text: Watson was born and raised in Bagdad, Florida, near Pensacola. He played on the golf team at Milton High School, which had featured future PGA Tour members Heath Slocum and Boo Weekley just before he attended.[6] Watson played golf for Faulkner State Community College in nearby Baldwin County, Alabama, where he was a junior college All-American. He transferred to the University of Georgia, the defending NCAA champions, and played for the Bulldogs in 2000 and 2001. As a junior, Watson helped lead the Bulldogs to the SEC title in 2000.

text: Professional career[edit]

text: Watson turned professional in 2003 and joined the Nationwide Tour where he played until 2005. He finished 21st on the Nationwide Tour's money list in 2005, making him the last player to qualify for the following year's PGA Tour. As a rookie in 2006, he earned $1,019,264 (90th overall) and led the PGA Tour in driving distance at 319.6 yards (292.2 m). His longest drive in professional competition was 442 yards (404 m) on the PGA Tour at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

text: Watson played well at the 2007 U.S. Open. He was in the final group on Saturday after shooting rounds of 70-71 (+1) at Oakmont Country Club near Pittsburgh. Watson was one stroke off the lead after 36 holes but then slipped, shooting 74 (+4) in both the third and fourth rounds; he finished in a tie for fifth.

text: Watson claimed his first PGA Tour win on June 27, 2010, in Cromwell, Connecticut, at the Travelers Championship on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff with Corey Pavin and Scott Verplank.[7] Watson tearfully dedicated the win to his parents, specifically his father who was battling cancer.

text: Watson was runner-up to Martin Kaymer at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, falling in the three-hole aggregate playoff that initially included Dustin Johnson, before he incurred a two-stroke penalty on the 72nd hole. Watson led the playoff after a birdie on the first hole, but Kaymer birdied the par-3 second hole to tie, effectively turning the playoff into sudden-death. Watson's second shot found the water hazard and Kaymer bested him by a stroke to win the major championship.

text: Watson had his own clothing line called "Bubba Golf" at the former Steve & Barry's. He was invited on The Ellen DeGeneres Show after he sent her a video of a golf trick shot he completed for her birthday.

text: On January 30, 2011, Watson won his second PGA Tour event, the Farmers Insurance Open, finishing one stroke ahead of runner-up Phil Mickelson.[8] Watson picked up his second win of the 2011 season and third career PGA Tour title on May 1 when he defeated Webb Simpson at the second playoff hole at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.[9] Both players birdied the first playoff hole, with Watson holing a 12-footer; he birdied the next hole to win the tournament.

text: In July 2011, Watson provoked controversy by criticizing the Alstom Open de France on the European Tour, in which he was playing under a sponsor's exemption. He indicated after his first round that he would not be playing any further events on the European Tour,[10] and complained after his second round about security and organization at the tournament.[11]

text: Watson took part in the Long Drive Contest for charity at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions alongside Dustin Johnson and Robert Garrigus. He finished in second place, with a longest drive of 370 yards (338 m) behind a drive of over 400 yards (366 m) by Jamie Sadlowski.

text: Watson began the year with three top-5 finishes in seven events, including finishing second at the WGC-Cadillac Championship.[12]

text: Masters win[edit]

text: Watson's first major championship win came at the Masters. He began the final round at six-under-par, three strokes off the lead, held by Peter Hanson. On the back nine, Watson bogeyed the par-3 12th hole to return to even par for the round. He then recorded four consecutive birdies for a round of 68 (-4) and tied for the 72-hole lead with fourth-round playing partner Louis Oosthuizen at ten-under-par. In the sudden-death playoff, Oosthuizen and Watson both made par on the uphill 18th hole. On the next hole, the downhill 10th, both drove their tee shots towards the woods to the right of the hole. Oosthuizen's landed in the rough 220 yards (200 m) away, while Watson's ball landed deep in the woods on pine straw, 164 yards (150 m) from the pin without a clear shot to the green. Watson executed a miraculous recovery shot with 40 yards of hook on his 52-degree gap wedge and stopped the ball within fifteen feet of the hole. Oosthuizen's approach shot landed short of the green, but he chipped past the hole and narrowly missed his lengthy putt for par. Watson trickled his birdie putt a foot past the hole, took his time on the very short par putt, then made it for the emotional victory.[13][14] The win took him to a world ranking of four, a career-high at the time.[15]

text: Rest of 2012[edit]

text: Following his Masters win, Watson began to struggle. He missed the cut at the Memorial Tournament and the U.S. Open. A week after the U.S. Open, he finished tied for second at the Travelers Championship. A month later, he played Open Championship, the third major of the year. While shooting a first round of −3 to tie him at third place, he never advanced much after that, finishing tied for 23rd place. In the final major of the year, the PGA Championship, Watson tied for 11th. He finished the year with one win, six top-5 finishes, seven top-10 finishes and three missed cuts.[12]

text: Watson began the season playing the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, where he finished tied for fourth place, and reached the quarterfinals in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. In the subsequent World Golf Championship event, the WGC-Cadillac Championship, he began very strong with rounds of 66 and 69, but finished with rounds of 71 and 75 and tied for 18th place.

text: After finishing tied 14th place in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, he returned to the Masters as the defending champion. Never in contention in the tournament, he finished 50th after a final round of 77. Watson tied for 37th at The Players Championship. On the second major of the year, the U.S. Open, he finished with a solid 71 in the first round, just four shots off the lead, but a second round score of 76 left him out of contention, and he tied for 32nd. At the Travelers Championship he took the lead after a second round of 67, but in the final round, leading by one with three to play, he triple-bogeyed the par-3 16th and finished two shots back in 4th place.

text: Tying for 30th at the Greenbrier Classic, he then played in the third major of the year, The Open Championship. After two solids rounds of 70 and 73, he shot 77 in the third round, and tied for 32nd.

text: At the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Watson held the lead for most of the tournament, but he finished runner-up to Kevin Stadler.

text: Watson earned his fifth career PGA Tour victory—and his first since the 2012 Masters—at the 2014 Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club. He shot back-to-back 64s over the weekend to defeat runner-up Dustin Johnson by two strokes.[16] The victory raised him to 14 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He followed that win with two more strong finishes—a ninth-place tie in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and a second-place tie in the WGC-Cadillac Championship.[17] Those performances elevated him from 14 to 12 in the world ranking.[18]

text: Second Masters win[edit]

text: Watson won the Masters by three shots, with a score of 280 (−8).[19] He entered the final round tied for the lead with 20-year-old Masters rookie Jordan Spieth. Playing together in the final pairing, Spieth birdied the seventh hole for a two-stroke lead over Watson. However, the momentum turned on the par-5 eighth hole. Spieth had a birdie putt, but ended up three-putting for bogey while Watson birdied to pull into a first-place tie.[20] Then, on the ninth hole, Watson birdied again while Spieth bogeyed, and the four-shot swing over two holes gave Watson a lead that he never relinquished in a win over Spieth and Jonas Blixt.[21] With the win, Watson became the 17th player to win the Masters two or more times.[22] The win moved him again to number four in the Official World Golf Ranking.[18]

text: Watson won the Travelers Championship to move him to third in the Official World Golf Ranking. He garnered his second victory in 2015 by winning the unofficial Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, besting fellow American Patrick Reed by three strokes.

text: Prior to the Waste Management Phoenix Open in early February, Watson caused a bit of controversy after publicly admitting his dislike for the course, TPC Scottsdale.[23] As a result, he was jeered by fans for the majority of the tournament, later criticizing the media for "turning his words around".[24] Two weeks later though, he returned to the winner's circle after winning the Northern Trust Open at Riviera for a second time in three years, seeing off the challenge of Adam Scott and Jason Kokrak to win by one shot on 15-under-par.[25]

text: Watson did not chalk a win during the 2017 season, and missed the cut at three of the year's four majors (his only cut a T27 at The Open Championship). He had five top-10 finishes with more than $1.3 million in tour earnings.[26]

text: The 2018 season started with a T7 at the QBE Shootout in December 2017 marking the best of his first six starts. Watson returned to the winner's circle with a 12-under finish at the Genesis Open in February, his third victory at this tournament (2014, 2016), all at Riviera. His trifecta at the Genesis (previously known as the Los Angeles Open, Northern Trust Open, and Nissan Open) makes him only the fifth to win this long-standing event at least three times, along with Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Lloyd Mangrum, and Macdonald Smith. On March 25, he gained his eleventh tour win at the WGC-Dell Match Play event in Austin, Texas, with a winner's share of $1.7 million.[26]

text: Personal life[edit]

text: Watson was nicknamed by his father after the former professional American football player Bubba Smith.[6] Watson is married to Angela "Angie" Watson (née Ball), a 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Canadian whom he met at Georgia while he was on the golf team and she was on the women's basketball team.[1][27] They were married in September 2004.[28] In 2009, she was diagnosed with an enlarged pituitary gland, which accounts for her height.[29]

text: Unable to have a child naturally, various family issues, including the illness and death of Watson's father in 2010, kept them from attempting to adopt until 2011–12.[14] In March 2012, one week after a potential adoption fell through at the last moment,[14] Watson and his wife adopted a one-month-old baby boy named Caleb.[30] In late 2014 the Watsons adopted a baby girl.

text: Watson's father, Gerry Sr.,[1] died on October 15, 2010 of throat cancer.[31][32] His mother is Molly Marie Watson and he has a sister, Melinda Watson Conner.[2]

text: Watson is also a member of the "Golf Boys", a boy band consisting of Watson, Ben Crane, Rickie Fowler, and Hunter Mahan. Their single "Oh Oh Oh" is currently on YouTube. The video was produced by Farmers Insurance Group. Farmers donates $1000 to charity for every 100,000 views the video gets.[33]

text: In 2011, he made a humorous appearance in the song "Michael Jackson" by Christian hip hop artist Andy Mineo on the album Formerly Known.[34][35] He was featured in the song "Ima Just Do It" by KB, another Christian hip hop artist, on the album Tomorrow We Live.[36] His prototype Golf Cart Hovercraft, the BW1, YouTube video has earned more than 8 million views.[37]

text: Watson is a committed Christian who speaks openly about the importance of faith in his life.[38] Watson devotes much of his money and time to charity.[39]

text: Watson purchased the mansion in the Isleworth community of Windermere, Florida, that was previously owned by Tiger Woods.[40] In 2013, he was added to the list of Great Floridians by Governor Rick Scott.[41][42]

text: Watson purchased a General Lee car from the television series The Dukes of Hazzard at auction for $110,000 in 2012.[43] Following the Charleston church shooting in June 2015, display of the Confederate flag - which is featured on the car's roof - became the subject of renewed controversy. Watson responded by saying he would paint over the flag with the American flag.[44]

text: In 2015, Watson moved to Pensacola, where he has become very involved in the community. Among other ventures, Watson opened an ice cream store, purchased a part ownership in the Pensacola Blue Wahoos Minor League Baseball team.[45][46] and purchased a Chevrolet dealership in nearby Milton, Florida.[47] Watson has made considerable donations to Studer Family Children’s Hospital in Pensacola.[48] He recently announced that he plans to run for mayor of Pensacola at some future date.[49]

text: Professional wins (13)[edit]

text: PGA Tour wins (11)[edit]

text:
Legend

Major championships (2)

World Golf Championships (2)

Other PGA Tour events (7)

text:
No.
Date
Tournament
Winning score
To par
Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
Winner's
share ($)

1
Jun 27, 2010
Travelers Championship
65-68-67-66=266
−14
Playoff
 Corey Pavin,  Scott Verplank
1,080,000

2
Jan 30, 2011
Farmers Insurance Open
71-65-69-67=272
−16
1 stroke
 Phil Mickelson
1,044,000

3
May 1, 2011
Zurich Classic of New Orleans
66-68-70-69=273
−15
Playoff
 Webb Simpson
1,152,000

4
Apr 8, 2012
Masters Tournament
69-71-70-68=278
−10
Playoff
 Louis Oosthuizen
1,440,000

5
Feb 16, 2014
Northern Trust Open
70-71-64-64=269
−15
2 strokes
 Dustin Johnson
1,206,000

6
Apr 13, 2014
Masters Tournament (2)
69-68-74-69=280
−8
3 strokes
 Jonas Blixt,  Jordan Spieth
1,620,000

7
Nov 9, 2014
WGC-HSBC Champions
71-67-69-70=277
−11
Playoff
 Tim Clark
1,400,000

8
Jun 28, 2015
Travelers Championship (2)
62-67-68-67=264
−16
Playoff
 Paul Casey
1,152,000

9
Feb 21, 2016
Northern Trust Open (2)
66-68-67-68=269
−15
1 stroke
 Jason Kokrak,  Adam Scott
1,224,000

10
Feb 18, 2018
Genesis Open (3)
68-70-65-69=272
−12
2 strokes
 Tony Finau,  Kevin Na
1,296,000

11
Mar 25, 2018
WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play
7 & 6
 Kevin Kisner
1,700,000

text: PGA Tour playoff record (5–1)

text:
No.
Year
Tournament
Opponent(s)
Result

1
2010
Travelers Championship
 Corey Pavin,
 Scott Verplank
Won with par on second extra hole
Pavin eliminated with par on first hole

2
2010
PGA Championship
 Martin Kaymer
Lost three-hole aggregate playoff:
Kaymer:4-2-5=11, Watson:3-3-6=12

3
2011
Zurich Classic of New Orleans
 Webb Simpson
Won with birdie on second extra hole

4
2012
Masters Tournament
 Louis Oosthuizen
Won with par on second extra hole

5
2014
WGC-HSBC Champions
 Tim Clark
Won with birdie on first extra hole

6
2015
Travelers Championship
 Paul Casey
Won with birdie on second extra hole

text: Other wins (2)[edit]

text:
2008 CVS Caremark Charity Classic (with Camilo Villegas)
2015 Hero World Challenge

text: Major championships[edit]

text: Wins (2)[edit]

text:
Year
Championship
54 holes
Winning score
Margin
Runner(s)-up

2012
Masters Tournament
3 shot deficit
−10 (69-71-70-68=278)
Playoff1
 Louis Oosthuizen

2014
Masters Tournament
Tied for lead
−8 (69-68-74-69=280)
3 strokes
 Jonas Blixt,  Jordan Spieth

text: 1 Defeated Louis Oosthuizen in a sudden-death playoff: Watson (4-4) and Oosthuizen (4-5).

text: Results timeline[edit]

text:
Tournament
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018

Masters Tournament

T20
42

T38
1
T50
1
T38
T37
CUT
T5

U.S. Open
CUT

T5
CUT
T18

T63
CUT
T32
CUT
CUT
T51
CUT

The Open Championship

CUT
CUT
T30
T23
T32
CUT
CUT
T39
T27

PGA Championship

CUT
70
CUT
2
T26
T11
CUT
T64
T21
T60
CUT

text:
CUT = missed the half-way cut
T = tied

text: Summary[edit]

text:
Tournament
Wins
2nd
3rd
Top-5
Top-10
Top-25
Events
Cuts made

Masters Tournament
2
0
0
3
3
4
10
9

U.S. Open
0
0
0
1
1
2
11
5

The Open Championship
0
0
0
0
0
1
9
5

PGA Championship
0
1
0
1
1
3
11
7

Totals
2
1
0
5
5
10
41
26

text:
Most consecutive cuts made – 6 (2010 PGA – 2012 Masters)
Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (five times, current)

text: World Golf Championships[edit]

text: Wins (2)[edit]

text:
Year
Championship
54 holes
Winning score
Margin of
victory
Runner-up

2014
WGC-HSBC Champions
3 shot deficit
−11 (71-67-69-70=277)
Playoff
 Tim Clark

2018
WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play
n/a
7 & 6
 Kevin Kisner

text: Results timeline[edit]

text: Results not in chronological order prior to 2015.

text:
Tournament
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018

Mexico Championship
72

2
T18
T2
3
2
T38
T9

Match Play

4
R32
R16
R16
T17
T28
R16
1

Bridgestone Invitational

T22
T21
T19
T27
T37
2
T14
T17

HSBC Champions

33
T8
1
T35
T54

text:
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = tied

text: U.S. national team appearances[edit]

text: Professional

text:
Ryder Cup: 2010, 2012, 2014
Presidents Cup: 2011 (winners), 2015 (winners)
Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (representing PGA Tour): 2007, 2009, 2010 (winners)

text: Equipment[edit]

text:
Driver: Ping G400 LST (8.5degrees)
5 Wood: Ping G400 (17.5 degrees)
Hybrid: Ping G (19 degrees)
Irons: (2): Ping iBlade (4-PW): Ping S55
Wedges: Ping Glide 2.0 (52 degree, 56 degree, and 60 degree)
Putter: Ping Anser 303SS
Ball: Titleist ProV1x


document_title: Cigarette pack

question_text: how many packs in a carton of cigaretts

question_tokens: how many packs in a carton of cigaretts

text: Cigarette pack

text: Package size[edit]

text: Pack[edit]

text: The size of a pack is often regulated. Government agencies usually set a minimum pack size.

text: In Australia, the most common quantity per pack is 25, but some brands have changed them to 26 or to 20 (the minimum by law). 30, 40 and even 50 packs are also sold.

text: In Canada, most packs sold have 25 cigarettes, but packs of 20 are also popular.

text: In many European countries, increases of cigarette tax can cause the quantity of cigarettes in the pack to change to achieve the same end price.

text: In Malaysia, the selling of packs containing fewer than 20 cigarettes is prohibited.

text: In the United States, the quantity of cigarettes in a pack must be at least 20. Certain brands, such as Export As, come in packs of 25. For many years, half-packs of 10 (or even 14) cigarettes were commonly available.

text: In the United Kingdom brands are sold only in packets of 20 since a May 2017 law prohibits the sale of 10-stick packs (along with loose tobacco only being sold in 30g or 50g only).The legislation also outlawed branded packaging, introducing boxes which are a plain green color. The packaging has the brand name in a basic typeface, with most of the packet dedicated to textual and photographic health warnings. Vending machines sometimes dispense packets containing 16 or 18 cigarettes although the dimensions of the packaging are the same as the equivalent packet that contains 20.[1]

text: Carton[edit]

text: A carton of cigarettes usually contains 10 packs, totaling 200 cigarettes.[1] Some cartons contain twenty packs, totaling 400 cigarettes.[1]

text: Hard pack and soft pack[edit]

text: A hard pack is the usual style of paperboard packaging for store bought cigarettes, which consists of a relatively stable box.  This successfully prevents the crumpling of cigarettes when kept in a person's pocket or handbag. The flip-top hard pack cigarette case was introduced in 1955 by Philip Morris.[2][3]

text: A soft pack is a box packaging made of thin paper, usually containing 20 cigarettes. Soft packs may be considered inconvenient as they rupture easily and cannot be resealed. They offer the immediate convenience of not having to open the package each time the smoker wants a cigarette. They require less physical 'pocket space' when fewer cigarettes remain in the pack. With American brands, cigarettes from a soft pack are usually a few millimeters longer than their hard-boxed counterparts.

text: Collectible pack[edit]

text: To encourage cigarette pack collectors, some cigarette packs were made to present a particular interest for collectors. There are cigarette packs labeled "collectible".

text: Some brands introduce promotional packs to bypass advertising laws. An example would be a limited time promotion where the pack is made from tin with the shape, purpose, and look of a cigarette case to entice potential buyers. They are distinguished by unique décor or are very old or they were removed from manufacturing for some reasons and consequently became rare.

text: Features[edit]

text: Most cigarette packs have no features at all and are just made up of a single container filled with cigarettes. However, some cigarette packs have been proposed that also contain an empty container for disposing the cigarette butts into. This could reduce cigarette butts of being discarded unto the street, where they contaminate the environment.[4][5]

text: Plain tobacco packaging[edit]


document_title: Robert E. Lee Monument (New Orleans, Louisiana)

question_text: when were the monuments in new orleans built

text: History[edit]

text: The monument was dedicated in 1884, at Tivoli Circle (since commonly called Lee Circle) on St. Charles Avenue. Dignitaries present at the dedication on February 22—George Washington's birthday—included former Confederate President Jefferson Davis, two daughters of General Lee, and Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard.[5] Efforts raise funds to build the statue began after Lee's death in 1870 by the Robert E. Lee Monument Association, which by 1876 had raised the $36,400 needed. The association's president was Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Charles E. Fenner.[6] New York sculptor Alexander Doyle was hired to sculpt the statue, which was installed in 1884. Base and pedestal designed and built by John Ray [Roy], architect; contract dated 1877. Cost $26,474. John Hagan, a builder, was contracted to "furnish and set" the column. Cost $9,350.[7]

text: The statue itself rises 16'6" tall, with an 8'4" base, standing on a 60' column with an interior staircase, according to a schematic released by the City of New Orleans on the day of the removal of the statue and its base, May 19, 2017.[8] The Lee statue faced "north where, as local lore has it, he can always look in the direction of his military adversaries."[9]

text: In January of 1953, the statue of General Lee was lifted from atop the column for repairs to the monument's foundation. The statue was returned to its perch in January the following year. [10]

text: A racial confrontation occurred at the monument on January 19, 1972, the birthday of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Addison Roswell Thompson, a perennial segregationist candidate for governor of Louisiana and mayor of New Orleans, and his friend and mentor, Rene LaCoste (not to be confused with the French tennis player René Lacoste), clashed with a group of Black Panthers. Then eighty-nine years of age and a former opera performer in New York City, LaCoste was described as "dapper in seersucker slacks and navy sports jacket" and with a "white mustache and goatee" resembling Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken. LaCoste and Thompson dressed in Klan robes for the occasion and placed a Confederate flag at the monument. The Black Panthers began throwing bricks at the pair, but police arrived in time to prevent serious injury. At the time of the Thompson/LaCoste confrontation, David Duke, then an active Klansman who served from 1989 to 1992 in the Louisiana House of Representatives, had been among those jailed in New Orleans for "inciting to riot".[11]

text: Removal of the monument[edit]

text: On June 24, 2015, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu acknowledged the impact of the June 2015 Charleston church shooting, but credited a 2014 conversation with New Orleans jazz ambassador Wynton Marsalis for his decision to call for the removal of the Lee statue and renaming of Lee Circle and other city memorials to Confederate slaveholders.[12]

text: As part of a sixty-day period for public input, two city commissions called for the removal of four monuments associated with the Confederacy: the Lee statue, statues of Jefferson Davis and P.G.T. Beauregard, and an obelisk commemorating the Battle of Liberty Place. Governor Bobby Jindal opposed the removals.[13]

text: On December 15, 2015, Wynton Marsalis explained his reasons for advocating removal in The Times-Picayune: "When one surveys the accomplishments of our local heroes across time from Iberville and Bienville, to Andrew Jackson, from Mahalia Jackson, to Anne Rice and Fats Domino, from Wendell Pierce, to John Besh and Jonathan Batiste, what did Robert E. Lee do to merit his distinguished position? He fought for the enslavement of a people against our national army fighting for their freedom; killed more Americans than any opposing general in history; made no attempt to defend or protect this city; and even more absurdly, he never even set foot in Louisiana. In the heart of the most progressive and creative cultural city in America, why should we continue to commemorate this legacy?"[14][15]

text: Contrary to assertions that Robert E. Lee never set foot in New Orleans, he visited or passed through the city in 1846, 1848, 1860 and 1861, while serving in the United States Army.[16][17] While in New Orleans, Lee was quartered at the military post of Jackson Barracks.[18]

text: On December 17, 2015, the New Orleans City Council voted to relocate four statues from public display, among them the statue of Robert E. Lee located in Lee Circle.[19][20] Four organizations immediately filed a lawsuit[21] in federal court the day of the decision and the city administration agreed that no monument removals would take place before a court hearing scheduled for January 14, 2016.[22]

text: In January 2016, David Mahler, a contractor who had been hired by the City of New Orleans to remove the four statues including the statue of Robert E. Lee located in Lee Circle backed out of his contract with the city after he, his family, and employees began receiving death threats.[23][24] According to authorities in Baton Rouge, early on the morning of January 19, 2016 the Fire Department found a 2014 Lamborghini Huracan ablaze in a parking lot behind David Mahler's company, H&O Investments, LLC. The car, belonging to Mahler and valued at $200,000, was completely destroyed.[25][26]

text: On March 4, 2016, State Senator Beth Mizell, of Franklinton in Washington Parish, filed a bill in the Legislature seeking to block local governments in Louisiana from removing Confederate monuments and other commemorative statues without State permission.[27] The Mizell bill was unexpectedly assigned by Senate President John Alario, a Democrat from Westwego in Jefferson Parish, to the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, rather than to the Senate Education Committee. This doomed the bill; five of the nine members of the Governmental Affairs Committee are African-American Democrats and it is chaired by Karen Carter Peterson of New Orleans. The Education Committee is composed of six Republicans and two Democrats.[28]

text: 2016–17 legal developments[edit]

text: On March 25, 2016 a three-judge panel of the U. S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously issued an injunction for that suit brought in federal district court by the Monumental Task Committee and other groups opposed to the removal of the Robert E. Lee Monument, and statues of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard prohibiting the City of New Orleans from proceeding forward with the removal of the Lee Monument and statues of Davis and Beauregard. The Court of Appeals set a hearing date of September 28, 2016 for oral argument for whether its injunction should be maintained pending a final judgment on the merits of the district court suit.[29] The decision of the Court of Appeals superseded that ruling of United States District Court Judge Carl Barbier rendered January 26, 2016 denying the motion of the plaintiffs for a preliminary injunction against the City of New Orleans pending a final judgment on the merits of their suit.[30][31]

text: On April 6, 2016 Senate Bill 276 by State Sen. Beth Mizell, R-Franklinton to block local governments in Louisiana from removing Confederate monuments and other commemorative statues without State permission[32] was rejected by the Governmental Affairs Committee on a straight 5-4 racial and party line vote.[33] On August 14, 2016 pro-monuments House Bill 944 by Rep. Thomas Carmody, R-Shreveport to create a state board with the power to grant or deny proposals to remove or relocate a statue, monument, memorial or plaque that has been on public property for more than 30 years died in the Municipal Affairs Committee after a 7-7 tie vote.[34][35][36]

text: Following oral argument before United States 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on September 28, 2016 for whether its injunction should be maintained pending a final judgment of the district court on the merits of the suit brought by the Monumental Task Committee and other groups opposed to the removal of the Robert E. Lee Monument, and monuments to Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, on March 6, 2017 the three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals unanimously held the City of New Orleans should be enjoined no further and could proceed forward with the removal of the three Confederate monuments. In support of its ruling the three-judge panel found, "we have exhaustively reviewed the record and can find no evidence in the record suggesting that any party other than the city has ownership” and the plaintiffs failed to show any irreparable harm would occur to the monuments for the City of New Orleans proceeding forward with their removal, even assuming such evidence would constitute harm to the groups bringing the suit.[37] The decision of the Court of Appeals affirmed that ruling of United States District Court Judge Carl Barbier rendered January 26, 2016, denying the motion of the plaintiffs for a preliminary injunction against the City of New Orleans pending a final judgment on the merits of their suit.[38]

text: Dismantling[edit]

text: On May 18, 2017 the City of New Orleans announced the statue of General Robert E. Lee would be removed the following day.[39][40] On May 19, 2017 just after 6 p.m. following a day-long effort the statue of Lee was finally detached and removed from its column pedestal.[41][42][43]

text: While crews were working on removing the statue, New Orleans mayor Mitch Landrieu gave a speech at Gallier Hall discussing the historical context of the Lee and other monuments, and the reasons for and meaning of their removal.[44]

text: The removal prompted Mississippi lawmaker Karl Oliver to post on Facebook that those supporting the take-down of the Confederate monuments "should be LYNCHED". He later apologized for this statement.[45][46]