document_title: God of War (2018 video game)

question_text: who do you play as in god of war

question_tokens: who do you play as in god of war

text: God of War (2018 video game)

text: Gameplay[edit]

text: The gameplay is vastly different from the previous installments, as it was rebuilt from the ground up.[6] Although the previous main installment, Ascension (2013), introduced multiplayer to the series, this installment is single-player-only.[4] The game features a third-person, over-the-shoulder free camera, a departure from the previous installments, which featured a third-person, fixed cinematic camera (with the exception of 2007's 2D side-scroller Betrayal).[7] Cinematographically, the game is presented in a continuous shot, with no camera cuts.[8] The game is open, but it is not open-world.[6] Due to it being open, players can fast travel to different locations through Mystic Gateways.[9] As the ability to swim was cut from the game,[10] players instead use a boat to traverse bodies of water.[9] Just like previous entries, there are puzzles for players to solve to progress through parts of the game. Enemies in the game stem from Norse mythology, such as variants of trolls, ogres, dark elves and their king, wolves, wulvers, nightmares, draugrs,[11] tatzelwurms, as well as Gullveig and the revenants, beings warped by seiðr magic, among other original creatures.[12] Valkyries appear as optional boss battles, and players can free the dragons Fáfnir, Otr, and Reginn—dwarfs that were turned into dragons—in addition to battling a dragon called Hræzlyr.[9]

text: A major change is that Kratos no longer uses his signature double-chained blades, the Blades of Chaos, as his default weapon. Instead, he uses a magical battle axe, called the Leviathan Axe,[13] which is infused with ice elemental magic. The axe can be thrown at enemies and magically summoned back to his hand (similar to Thor's hammer Mjölnir). Larger enemies have precision targets and throwing the axe at those targets stuns the enemy. The weapon can also be thrown at environmental objects to trigger a damaging explosion and it can freeze objects and some enemies in place for puzzle solving until the axe is summoned back to Kratos' hand. The axe has standard light and heavy attacks, and over time, it can be upgraded with runes to allow for special runic attacks, with one slot being for a light runic attack and the other for heavy. This provides players with a variety of options to cater to their own play style. For example, one of the light runic attacks allows Kratos to charge the axe and let out a burst of energy and one of the heavy runic attacks allows Kratos to summon a swirling ice storm.[14] Another new weapon that Kratos utilizes is the Guardian Shield. When not in use, it folds up and appears like a vambrace on Kratos' left forearm. When summoned, the shield can be used offensively and defensively, similar to the Golden Fleece in previous games.[15] Kratos also utilizes hand-to-hand combat, a feature originally introduced in Ascension.[7] The Blades of Chaos are acquired late into the game via a plot device and perform similarly as they did in previous installments, but can also be upgraded with light and heavy runic attacks.

text: Similar to previous games, there is a "Rage" ability called Spartan Rage. Like the previous versions, the Rage ability has a meter that gradually fills during combat. With this ability, Kratos uses powerful bare-handed attacks, as opposed to weapons, to greatly damage enemies. The game also features elements similar to role-playing video games (RPGs).[7][16] There are crafting resources for the player to find that allow them to create new or upgrade existing armor with better perks.[17] Players also accumulate a currency called Hacksilver, a key component in crafting and purchasing new items. Experience points (XP) are used for learning new combat skills.[16] Throughout the game world, players find chests containing random items, such as Hacksilver and enchantments for improving armor and weapons, as well as two special items, Iðunn's Apples and Horns of Blood Mead, which increase the maximum length of the health and rage meters, respectively. Quick time events have changed from previous games.[6] Enemies display two meters above their heads, one for health and the other for stun. Filling up the stun meter helps to defeat more difficult enemies. When the stun meter is full, a grab-prompt will appear. Depending on the enemy, Kratos may rip it in half or grab them and throw them into other enemies, among other possible outcomes.[18]

text: Although the game is played entirely as Kratos,[19] there are times when the player may choose to passively control Kratos' son, Atreus. One button is dedicated to Atreus and its use depends on the context. For example, if the player needs assistance, they can look at an enemy, press the button, and Atreus will use his Talon Bow to shoot arrows at the enemy.[20] The arrows have little effect on an enemy's health, but do increase the stun meter.[18] Over the course of the game, Atreus helps in combat, traversal, exploration, and puzzle-solving. When facing a large number of enemies, he distracts the weaker ones as Kratos fights the stronger ones.[17] If too many enemies gang up on Atreus, he is knocked out for the remainder of that combat. Just like Kratos, Atreus acquires new skills, armor, special arrows, such as lightning arrows, as well as runic attacks for his Talon Bow, but it only has one slot instead of two. Atreus' runic attacks summon different spectral animals with different abilities. For example, one summons a wolf that attacks enemies, while another summons the squirrel Ratatoskr that will dig up orbs to replenish Kratos' health or rage meters.[21]

text: Synopsis[edit]

text: Setting[edit]

text: While the first seven games were loosely based on Greek mythology, this installment takes the series to Norse mythology,[22] but predates the Vikings.[20][23] Six of the nine realms of Norse mythology can be explored. The majority of the game takes place in the realm of Midgard, inhabited by humans and other creatures and is the same realm that the Greek world had existed in. As more creatures began appearing, many humans fled. Other realms visited as part of the story include Alfheim, the mystical home of the light and dark elves, Helheim, the icy land of the dead, and Jötunheim, the mountainous land of the giants. Other explorable realms include Niflheim, a realm of poisonous fog with a maze-like structure of rewards, and the fire realm Muspelheim, featuring the six Trials of Muspelheim; completing each trial grants rewards and advances Kratos and Atreus closer to the top of a large volcano. Access to the other three realms—Asgard, home of the Æsir gods, Vanaheim, home of the Vanir gods, and Svartalfheim, home of the dwarves—have been blocked by the ruler of Asgard and the Æsir gods, Odin.[24] At the center of the realms is the mythical tree Yggdrasil, which connects each realm together. Although each realm is a different world, they simultaneously exist in the same space. Travel to and from realms can be done by the use of the Bifröst from a root of Yggdrasil contained within a temple located at the center of the Lake of the Nine. The temple was created by the now dead Týr, a peaceful God of War who had traveled to other lands and learned about their mythologies; Odin had him killed as he believed Týr was secretly aiding the giants and would try to overthrow him.[22]

text: Characters[edit]

text: The protagonists of the game are Kratos (voiced by Christopher Judge) and his young son Atreus (Sunny Suljic). Kratos is a warrior originally from Sparta who became the Greek God of War and is the son of Zeus. After ending up in Midgard, he met his second and now deceased wife, Laufey (addressed as Faye), and they bore their son, Atreus, who does not know about Kratos' past or his divine nature, but can hear other beings' thoughts. The main antagonist is the Æsir god Baldur (Jeremy Davies), the brother of Thor, whose sons Modi and Magni (Nolan North and Troy Baker, respectively) assist Baldur. His parents are Odin and the Vanir god Freya (Danielle Bisutti). Freya tried leaving Odin, as she did not truly love him, and Odin had her banished to Midgard, after which she became known as the Witch of the Woods. To protect her son from a prophecy that foretold his death, Freya cast a spell of immortality on Baldur, which also caused him to not feel pain or any feeling of pleasure, which he resented her for. The only thing that she could not prevent from breaking the spell was mistletoe, which she kept secret. Other characters include Mímir (Alastair Duncan), who claims to be the smartest man alive, and the Huldra Brothers Brok (Roger Craighead) and Sindri (Adam J. Harrington), a pair of dwarves who appear at various points in the world and assist Kratos and Atreus with forging new gear. Their weapons, including Thor's hammer Mjölnir, were used by the Æsir gods and they also had forged Kratos' Leviathan Axe, which originally belonged to Faye, who also gifted Kratos his Guardian Shield.[13] The spirit of the Greek goddess Athena (Carole Ruggier) makes a cameo appearance, and Zeus (Corey Burton) appears as an illusion to Kratos in Helheim.

text: Plot[edit]

text: Many years have passed since Kratos took his vengeance against the Olympian gods,[b] and he now lives with his young son Atreus in Midgard. The game opens following the death of Kratos' second wife and Atreus' mother, Faye, whose last wish was for her ashes to be spread at the highest peak of the nine realms. Before beginning their journey, Kratos is confronted by a mysterious man with godlike powers. After seemingly killing him, Kratos and Atreus set out on their journey.

text: Reaching the Lake of the Nine, Kratos and Atreus encounter the friendly World Serpent, Jörmungandr. After running into impenetrable black mist which can only be extinguished with the Light of Alfheim, they receive aid from the Witch of the Woods to use the Bifröst in order to travel to Alfheim and secure the Light. Upon vanquishing the mist and reaching Midgard's peak, they overhear a conversation between the mysterious man, revealed to be Baldur, his nephews Modi and Magni, and the imprisoned Mímir. After they leave, Kratos and Atreus confront Mímir, who reveals that their goal is actually in Jötunheim, but travel there has been blocked to keep out Odin and Thor. Mímir, however, knows another passage. He instructs Kratos to cut off his head and have it revived by the Witch of the Woods, revealed to be Freya. Kratos immediately distrusts her, but both Freya and Mímir warn him that he must tell Atreus about his true nature.

text: Kratos, Atreus, and Mímir's head journey to collect needed components to open Jötunheim's portal when they are attacked by Modi and Magni. After Kratos kills Magni, Modi flees, but later returns and ambushes them. Atreus collapses ill, which Mímir and Freya explain is a mental contradiction of a god believing himself to be mortal. She tells Kratos that he must retrieve the heart of the Keeper of the Bridge of the Damned in Helheim, but his Leviathan Axe is useless there. Kratos then returns home to unearth his old weapons, the Blades of Chaos, and is haunted by Athena's spirit, who goads him about his past. After retrieving the heart, he has a haunting vision of Zeus. Atreus is cured and Kratos tells him that he is a god. Atreus then becomes increasingly arrogant on their journey, and he murders a weakened Modi, despite Kratos ordering not to. At Midgard's peak, they are ambushed by Baldur, resulting in Jötunheim's portal being destroyed and the group falling into Helheim.

text: Atreus makes amends with Kratos and they find out about Freya and Baldur's familial relationship. Returning to Midgard, Mímir realizes there is another way to reach Jötunheim, but it requires recovering his missing eye. After obtaining it from Jörmungandr's belly, who had inadvertently swallowed it when he ate a statue of Thor, they are attacked by Baldur again, but Freya intervenes in an attempt to protect her son. During the fight, Baldur is pierced by Atreus' mistletoe arrowhead, breaking Freya's spell on him. Baldur is defeated, and although Kratos gives him an opportunity to retreat, he instead attempts to strangle Freya, forcing Kratos to kill him. A grieving Freya swears revenge on Kratos and taunts him about hiding his true nature from Atreus. Kratos finally tells Atreus about his past and how he had killed his fellow Greek gods, including his father Zeus. Atreus laments if all gods are good for is committing parricide. Kratos tells Atreus that they should both learn from their experiences and not repeat the mistakes of their predecessors. A silent Freya leaves with Baldur's corpse and Mímir hopefully suggests that she will eventually move on from the tragedy and that Kratos did the right thing.

text: In Jötunheim, they find a temple with a mural depicting their adventures, showing that the giants had foreseen everything that would happen and vaguely foretold what was to come. In addition, they discover that Faye was a giant who decided to stay behind in Midgard, making Atreus a hybrid of giant, god, and mortal. Their fight with Baldur was shown, revealing he was actually after Faye the whole time. It is also revealed that Atreus was named Loki by his mother. Wondering if Faye planned this in advance, Kratos and Atreus fulfill their promise and spread her ashes at the peak. Afterwards, Kratos reveals to Atreus that his given name was also the name of a compassionate Spartan comrade. When they return to Midgard, Mímir warns them that the three-year long Fimbulwinter has started, meaning Ragnarök is soon to follow, which was not supposed to occur for another hundred years.

text: In the game's secret ending, Kratos and Atreus return home and slumber. Atreus has a vision that at the end of Fimbulwinter, Thor will arrive at their home to confront them.

text: Development[edit]

text: At the first annual PlayStation Experience on December 6, 2014, Santa Monica Studios's creative director Cory Barlog confirmed that a new God of War was in very early development. He said that the game would not be a prequel, but it might be a reboot.[25] In April 2016, Polygon reported that concept art of the next installment had been leaked. The images showed Kratos in the world of Norse mythology; a concept originally considered by series creator David Jaffe after Kratos eliminated the Greek gods.[26] At the 2016 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), the next installment was officially announced with a gameplay demo and confirmed the concept art to be true. The demo showed a fully bearded Kratos with a son, and Kratos was teaching the boy how to hunt. The pair also battled a troll. The end of the demo showed the title God of War and confirmed it was in development for the PlayStation 4.[7][1] E3 also confirmed that Barlog had returned to the series as game director for the new installment. Barlog has been a major contributor in the development of the God of War series since the original installment in 2005, with his prior most notable role being game director of God of War II (2007). This new installment was his fifth God of War game.[20]

text: In naming the game, Barlog stated that it was deliberately titled God of War with no numeral or subtitle because although it is a continuation of the series, "we are reimagining everything."[22][19] Head of Santa Monica Studio Shannon Studstill and Barlog said that Sony Interactive Entertainment had to be convinced to do another God of War game as a lot of people at Sony wanted the series to "sleep and rest" due to the lackluster response of the previous game, Ascension.[27] In explaining why Barlog was brought back, Studstill said that he knew the series very well, "and bringing in someone that understands that history is the respect the franchise deserves."[10] Barlog followed up and said that "You gotta know the rules to break the rules."[10] Series creator David Jaffe was also considered, but was unavailable.[28]

text: In explaining the transition from Greek mythology to Norse mythology, Barlog said: "it's kind of this BC–AD change over kind of thing. We're moving and starting from zero and kind of moving forward on that."[22][19] Before settling on Norse mythology, Egyptian mythology was also considered. Barlog said that half of the team was for it, but since "there's a lot more about civilization - it's less isolated, less barren", he had to make the decision and decided on the Norse setting because they wanted the focus to stay on Kratos: "Having too much around distracts from that central theme of a stranger in a strange land."[23] In explaining why Kratos was now in the Norse world, Barlog said that different cultures' belief systems coexisted, but they were "separated by geography", suggesting that Kratos traveled from Greece to Norway (Scandinavia) after the conclusion of God of War III;[29] in clarifying the conclusion of that game, Barlog said that Kratos did not destroy what was believed to be the entire world, but only the portion that was ruled over by the Greeks.[9] Barlog said that the new game predates the Vikings; it is the time in which their gods walked the Earth.[20][23] It was also confirmed that this would not be Kratos' last game.[4] Barlog said that future games could see the series tackling Egyptian or Mayan mythology,[27] and that although this game focuses on Norse mythology, it alludes to the fact that there are other mythologies co-existing in the world.[30] Barlog also said that he liked the idea of having different directors for each game, seen throughout the first seven games, and although he may not direct another God of War, he would still be at Santa Monica to work on future games.[9]

text: Most of the development team that worked on the original God of War worked on the new installment.[22] They claimed that they matched the new gameplay with the same level of accessibility as the previous installments.[6] It was confirmed that the game would not feature any morality system or branching story; all players have the same story experience. The developers also confirmed that some of the more controversial mini-games found in previous entries (such as the sex mini-game) would not return.[22] Some gameplay characteristics found in the previous installments were cut, such as jumping, swimming, and instant-death platforming challenges; these were cut due to the camera being closer to Kratos.[10] Although the previous installment, Ascension, introduced multiplayer to the series, the team decided to drop the mode to focus on the single-player experience.[5] In changing the gameplay, Studstill said "I felt like, in order to reinvent, we really needed to turn a lot of things around."[31] In regards to the camera change, Barlog said "We wanted a much more intimate experience, a much more up close, and a much more player-controlled experience, so the camera really is a mechanic that [we leaned] into heavily for everything in the game."[6] Explaining Kratos' axe, lead gameplay designer Jason McDonald, who has worked on the series since the original game, said the axe was chosen because they wanted a more grounded direction for the game. Initially, they were unsure how to make it unique, like how the double-chained blades were. After they came up with the concept of throwing the axe and having it return to Kratos, "things started to fall into place."[32] McDonald said that combat with the axe is a little slower than what it was with the blades, "but it's just as fluid and just as brutal as it's ever been."[32] Barlog took inspiration from Dark Souls (2011), which influenced the game's combat system, particularly its gameplay loop and strategic decision-making,[33] as well as the game's approach to storytelling.[34] In addition, designers Anthony Dimento and Luis Sanchez revealed how God of War's level design and exploration was influenced by Bloodborne (2015), as they wanted to "just have the world breathe a little bit" and expand upon player discovery by including "micro-loops where you're unlocking paths, unlocking shortcuts..." that gave purpose.[35]

text: The entire game was done in a single shot, as in no camera cuts, meaning there are no loading screens or fade-to-black between gameplay and cutscenes.[17] The frame rate was confirmed as 30 frames per second,[4] and the enemy count was increased to up to 100 enemies on-screen; God of War III and Ascension could do up to 50.[22] Unlike the previous games, Santa Monica did not make a demo specifically for public release. Barlog explained that doing so would have delayed the game by a couple of months.[36] He also confirmed that the game was built for the standard PlayStation 4,[36] but the game would "benefit from the power" of the PlayStation 4 Pro; an updated version of the PlayStation 4 that can render games in 4K and was released a few months after God of War was announced.[37] In late December 2016, Barlog confirmed that the game was playable from start to finish.[38] At the 2017 PlayStation Experience, Barlog said that the game's story would take 25–35 hours to complete, which is significantly more than the previous four main installments, which each took an average of 10 hours to complete.[39]

text: At E3 2017, a new trailer was shown featuring new gameplay, cinematics, and characters. In the trailer, Kratos was shown using a shield that he could use offensively and defensively. At one point in the trailer, Kratos finds a Greek vase with himself on it, wielding his infamous double-chained blades. During the trailer, an unnamed woman warns Kratos about the Norse gods, as they know what he did to the Greek gods, while a pair of wolves were also shown. The trailer ends with Kratos and Atreus encountering the World Serpent. Atreus was able to translate what it said, which was that it wanted to help the pair. It was confirmed that the game would release in early 2018.[15] Since E3 2017 until the game's launch, Santa Monica included a section on the God of War website titled "The Lost Pages", detailing some of the lore of God of War's Nordic world.[13] In January 2018, the game's release date was confirmed for April 20, 2018. A trailer was also released that showed that the character Mímir from the mythology would have a role in the game.[40] On March 22, God of War went gold.[41]

text: Characterization[edit]

text: During early development, there was talk about having a different protagonist for the game, but it was decided to keep Kratos. Referencing the Nintendo character Mario and the Mario games, Barlog said that just like Mario, "Kratos is intrinsically tied" to the God of War series.[20] In regards to the new changes, Barlog said that:

text: I knew I didn’t want to simply reboot the franchise, starting over with a retelling of the origin story. I wanted to reimagine the gameplay, give players a fresh perspective and a new tactile experience while delving deeper into the emotional journey of Kratos to explore the compelling drama that unfolds when an immortal demigod makes a decision to change.[42]

text: Barlog explained that Kratos had to change his cycle of violence and learn how to control his rage. He said that Kratos had made many bad decisions, which led to the destruction of Olympus, and wanted to know what would happen if Kratos made a good decision. The birth of Barlog's own son influenced the idea of Kratos' character change.[42] The canceled live-action Star Wars television series was also an influence.[43] The bond between Kratos and his son is at the heart of the game and Barlog said "This game is about Kratos teaching his son how to be a god, and his son teaching Kratos how to be human again."[17] Referencing the Marvel Comics character Hulk, Barlog said that in regards to Kratos, "We've already told the story of The Hulk. We want to tell the story of [Bruce] Banner now."[17] One of their goals was to make Kratos "a more nuanced and interesting character."[44] In changing the narrative focus, Studstill said "I think we inherently knew the franchise needed to evolve in that emotional beat and be something meatier for the older generation of gamers."[44]

text: Christopher Judge, best known as Teal'c from Stargate SG-1, replaced T.C. Carson as the voice of Kratos; Carson had voiced Kratos since the original God of War. Commenting in response to the change, Carson said, "Sony went in a new direction."[45] Barlog explained that the way the previous games were made, they were able to have someone else do the motion capture instead of the voice actor. Although Carson had done the motion capture for Kratos in Ascension, Barlog said the actor change was made because of the type of camera work they wanted to do. For the new camera work, they needed someone who was closer to Kratos' size to do the motion capture along with a child. Carson was unsuitable for this because he was much shorter than Kratos, who is over 6-feet tall: "Offsetting [Carson's height] for the size of a child, it turned out it was going to be almost impossible to try and actually shoot them and go in and redo the animations."[46] Judge was chosen because he was 6-foot-3 and had the body of a professional football player. He was also chosen because of the chemistry with his then-10-year-old co-star, Sunny Suljic, who plays Kratos' son Atreus; Suljic's opinion was also sought in making the decision, and out of all the auditions, he liked Judge the most. The two bonded well, and Judge described his time with Suljic as time he had missed with his own children. In stepping into the role of Kratos, Judge took it as an opportunity to add something new to the character. He researched the character and Carson's performance, but decided not to imitate it. Since Santa Monica were going in a new direction, he decided to start fresh and go from there. Judge was thrown off when he first read the script, stating it "was a real script", and not just "a way to get into battles."[46] He said "it was really this great story of this relationship and this crazy mythology."[46] While Judge did all of Kratos' motion capture for the cinematic scenes, stuntman Eric Jacobus did all of Kratos' combat motion capture; Jacobus was found by God of War's animators on YouTube. Instead of going directly to Santa Monica to audition, Jacobus recorded an audition tape and they immediately hired him.[47]

text: During E3 2016, GameSpot mistakenly reported that Kratos' son's name was Charlie, which Barlog laughingly denied.[48] In January 2017, after a fan downloaded the God of War overture and saw the track's details that said "An introduction to Kratos and Atreus", Barlog confirmed on Twitter that Atreus was in fact the son's name.[49] Barlog said that Atreus was unaware that Kratos was a demigod, and did not know about his past.[4] They did not reveal details of Atreus' mother prior to release due to her being a critical part of the story.[22] Barlog stated that during gameplay, Atreus would be "like magic, an additional combat resource, and [the player is] training him and teaching him."[20] The developers stated that Atreus would not be a burden during gameplay.[13] The team experimented with several different approaches for Atreus to ensure that he was an empowering presence. Barlog said he did not want the game to be an escort-mission where the A.I. caused a problem for the player. Their goal was for Atreus to enhance Kratos' capabilities without Atreus becoming a liability. This resulted in the developers designating a command button for Atreus as well as for him to act freely.[18] During combat, Atreus was also designed to call out enemy locations, as due to the camera being closer to Kratos, some enemies may be difficult for the player to see. Jason McDonald said it took a lot of iterations with the enemies and Atreus to make it all work together.[32]

text: Early in development, it was suggested for Atreus to be cut or to significantly minimize his role due to the many developmental challenges and financial expense. Barlog stated that the game could have worked without Atreus, but it would have been completely different, likening it to that of the 2013 film All Is Lost. Barlog said that with just Kratos, it would have been "one character who talks to himself occasionally, but generally, it will be very silent and everyone will talk in old Norse, so that you won't understand anything anybody's saying."[50] After hearing Barlog's case, Sony gave him the freedom to incorporate Atreus. Lead level designer Rob Davis also noted that with Atreus, it allowed for "significant gameplay and storytelling opportunities that might not otherwise [been] possible."[50]

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text: Bear McCreary, best known for his work on television shows such as Battlestar Galactica and The Walking Dead, scored God of War and composed themes for the game.[51] McCreary said that he was called into Santa Monica Studio in November 2014 to meet with music producers Peter Scaturro and Keith Leary to discuss "a secret project"; McCreary had previously collaborated with Scaturro and Leary on 2011's SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs. Ideas of folk music, mythology, Nordic ethnic instruments, vocal writing, and classical thematic development were discussed, to which McCreary correctly guessed that the discussions were about a new God of War. He met with Barlog early on, and they discussed Barlog's narrative vision for the game. After meeting with Barlog, he felt that the franchise was in good hands because God of War II, which Barlog also directed, was his favorite installment.[52]

text: McCreary's initial efforts focused on writing the new main theme, or what he called the Kratos Theme. He spent several months working with Barlog, Scaturro, Leary, Sony music director Chuck Doud, and the rest of the development team in making this new theme. McCreary described the Kratos Theme as "arguably one of my most structurally satisfying and catchy melodies." The main theme features low orchestral instruments, Icelandic choir, deep male vocals, powerful female vocals (in particular Faroese singer Eivør Pálsdóttir), folk percussion, and Nordic stringed instruments, such as the nyckelharpa and hurdy gurdy. When it was decided that God of War would be revealed at E3 2016, Sony wanted McCreary to perform his original score with a live orchestra at the press conference. McCreary opened the show with the new main theme before the unveiling of God of War, and performed the gameplay demo's music live during the presentation.[52] On January 13, 2017, a live recording from E3 2016 of God of War's overture was released for free for a limited time. Barlog released the overture as a thank you to fans for God of War's E3 2016 trailer reaching fifteen million views on YouTube.[53]

text: Release[edit]

text: The game was released worldwide on April 20, 2018, for the PlayStation 4.[40] In addition to the standard base game, there were three special editions: the Stone Mason Edition, the Collector's Edition, and the Digital Deluxe Edition. Only available in the United States and Canada, the Stone Mason Edition came with several physical items, including the base game in a SteelBook case, a 9-inch (230 mm) statue of Kratos and Atreus that was created by Gentle Giant, 2-inch (51 mm) carvings of the Huldra Brothers, a horse, and a troll, an exclusive lithograph, a cloth map, a stone mason's ring, and a keychain of Mímir's head that talks. There was also various downloadable content (DLC), including an exclusive shield skin, in addition to an armor set and another shield skin for Kratos, a PlayStation 4 dynamic theme, a digital artbook, and God of War #0 by Dark Horse Comics.[54] The Collector's Edition came with many of the same items, minus the ring, the keychain, the 2-inch (51 mm) carvings of the horse and troll, and the exclusive shield skin. The Digital Deluxe Edition comes with all of the digital content, minus the exclusive shield skin. U.S. and Canadian customers also received a Kratos and Atreus pin for pre-ordering the Digital Deluxe Edition. Pre-orders at select retailers received three skins for Kratos' shield, while pre-orders from GameStop or EB Games also received a "Luck of Ages XP Talisman", granting increased XP gain, increased Hacksilver gain, and increased ability to trigger perks.[55]

text: In addition to the special editions of the game, a Limited Edition PlayStation 4 Pro bundle was also available the same day as the game's release. The bundle included the standard base game, a PlayStation 4 Pro console decorated with the runes as on Kratos' axe, and a similarly themed DualShock 4 controller with the God of War logo.[56] Game Director Cory Barlog confirmed that God of War would not have microtransactions post-launch, a feature that has become prominent with other recent games and negatively criticized.[57] Since launch, Santa Monica has supported the game via patch updates to address software bugs. Additionally, the developers added a Photo Mode in update patch 1.20, released on May 9, 2018. Photo Mode allows players to take customized in-game screenshots. Players can adjust the field of view, depth of view, filters, borders, the visibility of characters, and the ability to change the facial expressions of Kratos and Atreus.[58] At E3 2018, it was confirmed that a New Game Plus mode would be added in a future update. In addition to players having access to their fully upgraded gear upon the start of a new game, the difficulty will be increased.[59]

text: God of War: A Call from the Wilds[edit]

text: God of War: A Call from the Wilds is a text-based game playable through Facebook Messenger. To help further promote God of War, Sony partnered with Facebook to develop the play-by-web game, which released on February 1, 2018. Completing the game unlocks downloadable concept art. The short story follows Atreus on his first adventure in the Norse wilds. After archery training and learning runes with his mother, Atreus adventures into the wilderness after telepathically hearing the voice of a dying deer; he finds it covered in blood and stays with it during its final moments. A couple of draugrs appear and Atreus attempts to fight them, but is injured. He is saved by his father, Kratos, who was out hunting. The two then battle a revenant before returning home.[60][61][62]

text: Reception[edit]

text: This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2018)

text: ReceptionAggregate scoreAggregatorScoreMetacritic94/100[63]Review scoresPublicationScoreDestructoid10/10[64]EGM9.5/10[65]Game Informer9.75/10[66]Game Revolution[67]GameSpot9/10[68]GamesRadar+[69]Giant Bomb[70]IGN10/10[71]Polygon10/10[72]The Guardian[73]USgamer[74]

text: God of War received "universal acclaim" according to review aggregator Metacritic,[63] tying it with the original God of War for the highest score in the franchise. It has the third highest score of all-time for a PlayStation 4 game, and the highest score for an original, non-remastered PlayStation 4 game.[75] It is the highest rated PlayStation 4 game of 2018,[76] and is tied with the Xbox One version of Celeste for the highest score of 2018, regardless of platform.[77] God of War received particular praise for its art direction, graphics, combat system, music, story, use of Norse mythology, characters, and cinematic feeling. Critics called the game a "technical achievement" and one of the most impressive-looking games developed for consoles. Many also felt that it had successfully revitalized the series without losing the core identity of its predecessors.[78]

text: Sales[edit]

text: During its release week in the UK, God of War became the fastest-selling entry in the franchise, selling 35% more physical copies than God of War III.[79] The game remained at the top of the all format sales chart throughout April and May for six consecutive weeks, setting a record for a PlayStation 4 exclusive having the most consecutive weeks at number one.[80] It sold 46,091 copies within its first week on sale in Japan, which placed it at number two on the sales chart.[81]

text: The game sold over 3 million copies in three days after its release, making it the fastest-selling PlayStation 4 exclusive.[82] The game was the fastest selling game of the month of its release and contributed to the PS4 being the best selling console of that month.[83] In total, the game sold over five million copies in its first month, with 2.1 million in digital sales.[84][85]

text: Accolades[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Result
Ref

2016

Game Critics Awards 2016

Special Commendation for Graphics

Won

[86]

IGN's Best of E3 2016 Awards

Game of the Show

Nominated

[87]

Best PlayStation 4 Game

Nominated

Best Action Game

Nominated

The Game Awards 2016

Most Anticipated Game

Nominated

[88]

2017

The Game Awards 2017

Most Anticipated Game

Nominated

[89]

text: Notes[edit]

text:
Jump up ^ Colloquially referred to as God of War 4[1][2][3] and God of War PS4[4][5]

Jump up ^ As depicted in God of War III (2010)

tag: ol


document_title: Tomb of the Unknowns

question_text: soldiers who guard the tomb of the unknown soldier

root

text: Tomb of the Unknowns

text: Tomb of 1921[edit]

text: On March 4, 1921, the United States Congress approved the burial of an unidentified American serviceman from World War I in the plaza of the new Memorial Amphitheater. On November 11, 1921, the unknown soldier brought back from France was interred below a three-level marble tomb. The bottom two levels are six marble sections each and the top at least nine blocks with a rectangular opening in the center of each level through which the unknown remains were placed through the tomb and into the ground below. A stone, rather than marble, slab covers the rectangular opening.[4][5][6]

tag: p

text: Tomb of 1931[edit]

text: Since 1921 the intent was to place a superstructure on top of the Tomb, but it was not until July 3, 1926, that Congress authorized the completion of the Tomb and the expenditure of $50,000 (with a completed cost of $48,000). A design competition was held and won by architect Lorimer Rich[nb 1] and sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones. An appropriation from Congress for the work was secured and on December 21, 1929, a contract for completion of the Tomb itself was entered into. The Tomb would consist of seven pieces of marble in four levels (cap, die, base and sub-base) of which the die is the largest block with the sculpting on all four sides.[4][7]

text: Quarrying the Yule marble (3.9 miles south of Marble, Colorado by the Vermont Marble Company) was a one-year process beginning in 1930. The cap was quarried on the first attempt but the base required three tries. The large middle block also required three tries. In late January 1931, the 56 ton middle block was lifted out of the quarry. The quarrying involved 75 men. When the block was separated from the mountain inside the quarry it weighed 124 tons. A wire saw was then brought into the quarry to cut the block down to 56 tons.

text: On February 3, the block reached the marble mill site (in the town of Marble) after a four-day trip from the quarry. Here it was crated, then shipped to Vermont on February 8. The block was sawn to final size in West Rutland, Vermont and fabricated by craftsmen in Proctor, Vermont before it was shipped by train to Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.[8] By September, all 7 blocks were on the grounds of the Tomb site, at Arlington.

text: Assembly began in September 1931. An imperfection was found in the base requiring three more quarryings. By the end of December 1931, the assembly was completed. Finishing work followed with the carvings on the die block by the Piccirilli Brothers under the direction of the sculptor Thomas Jones.[4][9] (The brothers also carved the Lincoln statue for the Lincoln Memorial). The Tomb was completed without formal ceremony on April 9, 1932.[10]

text: The Tomb[nb 2] was placed at the head of the grave of the World War I Unknown. West of this grave are the crypts of Unknowns from World War II (south) and Korea (north). Between the two lies a crypt that once contained an Unknown from Vietnam (middle). His remains were positively identified in 1998 through DNA testing as First Lieutenant Michael Blassie, United States Air Force and were removed. Those three graves are marked with white marble slabs flush with the plaza.

text: The Tomb has a flat-faced form and is relieved at the corners and along the sides by neo-classical pilasters set into the surface with objects and inscription carved into the sides. The 1931 symbolism[9] of the objects on the north, south and east sides changed over time.[4][7]

text: Tomb Dimensions[nb 3] as of 2004[11] (xxx)* 1931 die block dimension coming out of the quarry.[8]

text:
Level
Length
Width
Height
Cubic Feet
Tons

Cap
12'-5.4"
6'-6.7"
1'-3.3"
100.69
8.56

Die
12'-3.0" (14'-0")*
6'-6.4" (7'-4.8")*
5'-2.1" (6"-0")*
385.43 (621.6)*
32.76 (52.84)*

Base
13'-10.0"
7'-11.9"
1'-11.1"
198.64
16.88

Sub-Base
14'-10.4"
9'-0.2"
1'-10.9"
255.81
21.74

tag: table

text: The Unknown of World War I[edit]

text: On Memorial Day, 1921, four unknown servicemen were exhumed from four World War I American cemeteries in France. U.S. Army Sgt. Edward F. Younger, who was wounded in combat, highly decorated for valor and received the Distinguished Service Cross in "The Great War" selected the Unknown of World War I from four identical caskets at the city hall in Châlons-en-Champagne, France, on October 24, 1921.[6] Younger selected the World War I Unknown by placing a spray of white roses on one of the caskets. He chose the third casket from the left. The chosen Unknown was transported to the United States aboard the USS Olympia. Those remaining were interred in the Meuse Argonne Cemetery, France.[6]

text: The World War I Unknown lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda from his arrival in the United States until Armistice Day, 1921. On November 11, 1921, President Warren G. Harding officiated at the interment ceremonies at the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery. During the ceremony, the World War I Unknown was awarded the Victoria Cross by Admiral of the Fleet Lord Beatty, on behalf of King George V of the United Kingdom.[12] (The United Kingdom Victoria Cross was placed with the soldier. Earlier, on March 4, 1921, the British Unknown Warrior was conferred the U.S. Medal of Honor by General of the Armies John Pershing.) In 1928, the Unknown Soldier was presented the Silver Buffalo Award for distinguished service to America's youth by the Boy Scouts of America.[13]

text: The Unknowns of World War II and Korea[edit]

text: On August 3, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill to select and pay the tribute to the Unknowns of World War II and the Korean War. The selection ceremonies and the interment of these Unknowns took place in 1958. The World War II Unknown was selected from remains exhumed from cemeteries in Europe, Africa, Hawaii, and the Philippines.[14]

text: Two Unknowns from World War II, one from the European Theater and one from the Pacific Theater, were placed in identical caskets and taken aboard the USS Canberra, a guided-missile cruiser resting off the Virginia Capes. Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class William R. Charette, then the U.S. Navy's only active-duty Medal of Honor recipient who was an enlisted man, selected the World War II Unknown. The remaining casket received a solemn burial at sea.[14]

text: Four unknown Americans who died in the Korean War were disinterred from the National Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii. Army Master Sergeant Ned Lyle made the final selection.[14]

text: Both caskets arrived in Washington on May 28, 1958, where they lay in the Capitol Rotunda until the morning of May 30, when they were carried on caissons to Arlington National Cemetery. President Eisenhower awarded each the Medal of Honor, and the Unknowns of World War II and the Korean War were interred in the plaza beside their World War I comrade.[14]

text: The Unknown of Vietnam[edit]

text: The designation of the Vietnam Unknown has proven to be difficult. With improvements in DNA testing it is possible, though unlikely, that the recovered remains for every unknown soldier killed in the Vietnam War will be identified.

text: The Vietnam Unknown service member was designated by Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Allan Jay Kellogg, Jr., during a ceremony at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, May 17, 1984.

text: Each branch of the Armed Services took part in the transportation to Honor the unknown. The Marines from Marine Barracks Hawaii consisted of an Honor Guard of 9 enlisted men and Lt. Denis Muller. The Vietnam Unknown was transported aboard the fast frigate USS Brewton, where the Marines stood guard over the casket during the seven day ocean voyage to Naval Air Station Alameda, California where the debarkation ceremony turned the unknown over to the USAF on May 24. The next day, the remains of the Vietnam Unknown were then flown from Travis Air Force Base, California, arriving at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. Once there the remains were turned over to the US Army, where the remains were taken to Fort McNair for placement upon the horse-drawn wagon which later carried the Unknown to the Capital Rotunda for display before interment. While on display for public viewing, all branches of the US Armed Forces stood in Honor, Guarding the casket of the Unknown for 2 weeks.

text: Many Vietnam veterans and President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan visited the Vietnam Unknown in the U.S. Capitol. An Army caisson carried the Vietnam Unknown from the Capitol to the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, May 28, 1984.

text: President Reagan presided over the funeral, and presented the Medal of Honor to the Vietnam Unknown, and also acted as next of kin by accepting the interment flag at the end of the ceremony. The interment flags of all Unknowns at the Tomb of the Unknowns are on view in the Memorial Display Room.

text: Identification of the Unknown[edit]

text: In 1994, Ted Sampley, a POW/MIA activist, determined that the remains of the Vietnam Unknown were likely those of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, who was shot down near An Lộc, Vietnam, in 1972. Sampley published an article in his newsletter and contacted Blassie's family, who attempted to pursue the case with the Air Force's casualty office without result. In January 1998 CBS News broadcast a report based on Sampley's investigation which brought political pressure to support the identification of the remains.[15] The body was exhumed on May 14, 1998. Based on mitochondrial DNA testing, Department of Defense scientists confirmed the remains were those of Blassie. The identification was announced on June 30, 1998, and on July 10, Blassie's remains arrived home to his family in St. Louis, Missouri; he was reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on July 11.[16][nb 4]

text: Redesignation of the crypt[edit]

text: The slab over the crypt that once held the remains of the Vietnam Unknown has since been replaced. The original inscription of "Vietnam" and the dates of the conflict has been changed to "Honoring and Keeping Faith with America's Missing Servicemen" as a reminder of the commitment of the Armed Forces to the fullest possible accounting of missing service members.

text: Tomb guards[edit]

text: The tomb guards are soldiers of the United States Army. The first military guards were troopers from the 3rd Cavalry, "Brave Rifles", who were posted nearby on Fort Myer. Since April 6, 1948, (known then as "Army Day"), when the regiment was reactivated, it has been guarded by soldiers from 3rd Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard". The Old Guard is also posted to Fort Myer, Virginia, adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery. It is considered one of the highest honors to serve as a Sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Fewer than 20 percent of all volunteers are accepted for training and of those only a fraction pass training to become full-fledged Tomb Guards. This attrition rate has made the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Guard Identification Badge the second least-awarded qualification badge of the United States military (the first being the Astronaut Badge).[17]

text: The soldier "walking the mat" does not wear rank insignia, so as not to outrank the Unknowns, whatever their ranks may have been. Non-commissioned officers (usually the Relief Commander and Assistant Relief Commanders), do wear insignia of their rank when changing the guard only. They have a separate uniform (without rank) that is worn when they actually guard the Unknowns or are "posted."

text: The duties of the sentinels are not purely ceremonial. The sentinels will confront people who cross the barriers at the tomb or who they perceive to be disrespectful or excessively loud.

text: Weapons[edit]

text: Over the years there have been several different types of weapons used by the Tomb Guards. The changes in weapons reflect the changes in the Army, including M1903 Springfield rifle, M1 Garand and M14 rifles, M1911 and M9 pistols. Tomb Guards currently carry M14 rifles, which are unloaded and affixed to ceremonial rifle stocks. These rifles are cleaned daily and kept ready for use at all times.[18]

text: Walking the mat[edit]

text: There is a meticulous routine that the guard follows when watching over the graves.[19] The Tomb Guard:

text:
Marches 21 steps south down the black mat laid across the Tomb.
Turns and faces east, toward the Tomb, for 21 seconds.
Turns and faces north, changes weapon to outside shoulder, and waits 21 seconds.
Marches 21 steps down the mat.
Turns and faces east for 21 seconds.
Turns and faces south, changes weapon to outside shoulder, and waits 21 seconds.
Repeats the routine until the soldier is relieved of duty at the Changing of the Guard.

text: After each turn, the Guard executes a sharp "shoulder-arms" movement to place the weapon on the shoulder closest to the visitors to signify that the Guard stands between the Tomb and any possible threat.

text: Out of respect for the interred, the sentinels command silence at the tombs. If the guard walking the mat must vocally confront a disturbance from spectators, or a threat, the routine is interrupted, and remains so until the disturbance is under control. The sentinel will exit the mat, place the weapon in port arms position, and confront the disturbance. Once under control, the sentinel then walks on the pavement to the other side of the mat, turns to shoulder arms, and continues the routine.

text: Twenty-one was chosen because it symbolizes the highest military honor that can be bestowed—the 21-gun salute.

text: The mat is usually replaced twice per year: before Memorial Day and before Veterans Day. This is required because of the wear on the rubber mat by the special shoes worn by Tomb Guards. The sentinels have metal plates built into the soles and inner parts of their shoes to allow for a more rugged sole and to give the signature click of the heel during maneuvers. The sentinels wear sunglasses because of the bright reflection from the marble surrounding the Tomb and the Memorial Amphitheater.

text: On the ground not covered by the mat, a rust pattern in the tile can be seen that corresponds to the precise steps taken during the changing of the guard. The metal from the guards' boots causes the brown rust markings on the stone. On the mat itself, footprints caused by standing guard are also visible.

text: Changing of the Guard[edit]

text: While Arlington National Cemetery is open, during the day in summer months from April 1 to September 30, the guard is changed every half hour. During the winter months, from October 1 to March 31, the guard is changed every hour. After the cemetery closes to the public (7 p.m. to 8 a.m. April through September, and 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. October through March), the guard is changed every 2 hours. The ceremony can be witnessed by the public whenever Arlington National Cemetery is open.[20][21]

text: The guard change is very symbolic, but also conducted in accordance with Army regulations. The relief commander or assistant relief commander, along with the oncoming guard, are both required for a guard change to take place. The relief commander orders the guard being relieved to "pass on your orders" to the oncoming guard. The guard being relieved will say to the oncoming guard, "Post and orders remain as directed." The oncoming guard's response is always, "Orders acknowledged." During changes when the public is witnessing the ceremony, the commander will inform the public that the ceremony is about to take place and that those in attendance should remain "silent and standing" throughout the entire event.

text: Dedication[edit]

text: A civilian guard was first posted at the Tomb on November 17, 1925, to prevent, among other things, families from picnicking on the flat marble slab with views of the city. A military guard was first posted on March 25, 1926. The first 24-hour guard was posted on midnight, July 2, 1937. The Tomb of the Unknowns has been guarded continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, since that time.[22] Inclement weather,[23][24] terrorist attacks,[25] et cetera, do not cause the watch to cease.[26]

text: Since 1948, the Tomb Guards, a special platoon within the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) work on a team rotation of 24 hours on, 24 hours off, for five days, taking the following four days off. A guard takes an average of six hours to prepare his uniform – heavy wool, regardless of the time of year – for the next day's work. In addition to preparing the uniform, guards also conduct physical training, Tomb Guard training, participate in field exercises, cut their hair before the next work day, and at times are involved in regimental functions as well. Tomb Guards are required to memorize 17 pages of information about Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, including the locations of nearly 300 graves and who is buried in each one.[20]

text: A special Army decoration, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Guard Identification Badge is authorized for wear after passing a detailed test of 100 questions (from a pool of more than 300), a uniform test with two gigs (errors) or fewer (measured to the 1/64"), and a test on the guard changing sequence. After serving honorably for a period of nine months, and having passed the sequence of tests, a Tomb Guard is permanently awarded the Badge. Since the first award on February 7, 1958, fewer than 650 soldiers have completed training and been awarded this Badge, including four women. A small number of Tomb Guard Identification Badges have also been retroactively awarded to soldiers who served as Guards before 1959. Those numbers make the Badge the second rarest award currently issued in the United States Army; only the Army Astronaut Badge is rarer.[nb 5]

text: The badge was designed in 1956 and first issued to members of the Honor Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns on February 7, 1958. The badge was first issued only as a temporary wear item, meaning the soldiers could only wear the badge during their tenure as members of the Honor Guard. Upon leaving the duty, the badge was returned and reissued to incoming soldiers. In 1963, a regulation was enacted that allowed the badge to be worn as a permanent part of the military uniform, even after the soldier's completion of duty at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

text: Damage and repair to the Tomb Monument[edit]

text: Cracking and weathering are causing concerns for the long-term preservation of the Tomb Monument. A November 1963 report first recorded horizontal cracking of the monument's marble die block. Though this was the first time that the damage was documented, the report made it clear that the cracks had become visible some time before that date.[27]

text: In 1963–1964, there were two cracks—referred to as "primary" and "secondary"—extending approximately 34 feet around the die block. By 1974, they had extended to 40 feet. They grew another 4.6 feet over the next 15 years. Inspection has determined that the cracks have increased horizontally since 1990. Analysis also indicates that the cracks are not surficial but extend partially through the block and will eventually extend all the way through.[27]

text: The 1990 report documented deterioration of the marble's surface. As much as 2.85 mm of the marble surface has been lost through weathering. The study projected that before 2010, the Tomb Monument will have been weathered enough to have a negative effect on the experience of the visitors and concludes the only solutions are to enclose or replace the monument.[27]

text: Several options have been considered to deal with the damage. Officials at Arlington National Cemetery determined that proper repair can return the Tomb Monument to an acceptable appearance. However, because the cracks will continue to lengthen and widen, continuous grouting, regrouting, touch-up, monitoring, and maintenance would be required. Therefore, a report commissioned by Arlington National Cemetery and published in June 2006 confirmed the Cemetery's conclusion that "replacement of the three pieces of the Tomb Monument is the preferred alternative". A final decision was scheduled to be made on September 30, 2007.[27]

text: The National Trust for Historic Preservation objects to the plan to replace the authentic Tomb Monument. The Trust expressed concern that Arlington National Cemetery seeks to replace the existing monument with marble from the original quarry, which experts agree is likely eventually to crack.[28]

text: The Trust has observed that the Cemetery's own 1990 report recommended that the monument be repaired and that the Cemetery, in fact, commissioned Oehrlein Architects to repair the stone. In 2007, Mary Oehrlein informed Congressional staff members that: "The existing monument can easily be repaired, as was done 17 years ago, using conventional conservation methods to re-grout the cracks. Once repaired, the fault lines would be virtually invisible from the public viewing areas."[29][30]

text: On September 26, 2007, U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka announced that an amendment crafted together with Senator Jim Webb will be added to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (H.R. 1585) that would require a report on the plans of the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to replace the monument at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The secretaries would be required to advise Congress on the current efforts to maintain and preserve the monument. Additionally, they would have to provide an assessment on the feasibility and advisability of repairing rather than replacing the Tomb Monument. Finally, if the secretaries choose replacement, they would have to report those plans and detail how they intend to dispose of the current monument. Once the report is provided, the secretaries are prevented from taking action to replace the monument for at least 180 days. The Akaka-Webb amendment was included in the bill by unanimous consent of the Senate.[31] An amendment to the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization Bill authorized a review of the monument's condition. The bill also authorized repair, but not replacement, of the monument.[32] Final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2008 (H.R. 4986) was signed by President Bush on January 28, 2008.

text: In 2003 John Haines, a retired car dealer, offered to donate a large slab of marble to the Arlington National Cemetery to replace the existing marble. Haines paid $31,000 for the marble slab.[33] The marble was not removed from the quarry, however, because imperfections were found and the block was rejected.

text: In June 2009 Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that the monument was to be repaired, not replaced.[34] In 2010, the cracks were filled but the repairs lasted only a few months.[35] As of June 2011, the cemetery was struggling to repair the cracks in the monument, one of which measured 28.4 feet (8.7 m) long, with another at 16.2 feet (4.9 m).[36] In September 2011, the cracks were filled again[35] and on October 21, 2011, inspection by the Corps of Engineers and other experts pronounced the repairs a success.[37]


document_title: Hannibal Lecter (franchise)

question_text: which is first hannibal and silence of the lambs

text: Hannibal Lecter (franchise)

text: Novels[edit]

text:
Red Dragon (1981)
The Silence of the Lambs (1988)
Hannibal (1999)
Hannibal Rising (2006)

tag: ul

text: Films and television[edit]

text: The first adaptation was the 1986 film Manhunter, which was an adaptation of Red Dragon, directed by Michael Mann.

text: The next adaptation was 1991's The Silence of the Lambs, which was directed by Jonathan Demme and was the first film to feature Anthony Hopkins in the role of Hannibal Lecter. Silence was a success, both critically and financially, and went on to become the third film in Academy Awards history to win in all top five categories (Best Actor for Hopkins, Best Actress for Jodie Foster, Best Director for Demme, Best Adapted Screenplay for Ted Tally, and Best Picture). Hopkins reprised the role in the next two films, 2001's Hannibal, a sequel directed by Ridley Scott, and 2002's Red Dragon, a prequel directed by Brett Ratner. In 2002, Hopkins revealed that he had written a screenplay for another sequel, ending with Clarice killing Lecter but it was not produced.[1]

text: In 2007, Hannibal Rising was released. The film is a prequel, directed by Peter Webber and starring Gaspard Ulliel as Lecter.

text: In 2013, the TV series Hannibal premiered. Developed by Bryan Fuller, it is not a direct adaptation, but based on characters and elements from the novels. Some male characters have become female, such as Freddy Lounds, who is renamed Fredricka "Freddie" Lounds. The series has garnered much critical acclaim since its premiere, winning the 2014 and 2015 Saturn Award for Best Network Television Series, as well as the inaugural Best Action-Thriller Television Series in 2016.

text: In 2016, when asked if there were any sequels that he wished he could revisit, Hopkins said, "I made the mistake of doing two more [Hannibal Lecter movies] and I should have only done one."[2]

text: In 2017, Foster reprised her role as Starling in a skit titled "Clarice Probes Hannibal Lecter About Trump's Russia Ties" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, opposite Stephen Colbert as Hannibal Lecter. In the skit, Clarice questions Lecter on his relationship with Donald Trump and what he can tell her about his relationship with Russia.[3]

text: Cast and characters[edit]

text:
Manhunter
(1986)
The Silence of the Lambs
(1991)
Hannibal
(2001)
Red Dragon
(2002)
Hannibal Rising
(2007)
Hannibal
(TV series)
(2013–15)

Hannibal Lecter
Brian Cox
(as Hannibal Lecktor)
Anthony Hopkins
Gaspard Ulliel
Aaran Thomas (young)
Mads Mikkelsen

Will Graham
William Petersen

Edward Norton

Hugh Dancy

Jack Crawford
Dennis Farina
Scott Glenn

Harvey Keitel

Laurence Fishburne

Frederick Chilton
Benjamin Hendrickson
Anthony Heald

Anthony Heald

Raúl Esparza

Francis Dolarhyde
(The Tooth Fairy)
Tom Noonan
(as Francis Dollarhyde)

Ralph Fiennes
Alex D. Linz (young)

Richard Armitage

Clarice Starling

Jodie Foster
Masha Skorobogatov (young)
Julianne Moore

Buffalo Bill
(Jame Gumb)

Ted Levine

Barney Matthews

Frankie Faison

Jonathan Tucker
(as Matthew Brown)

Freddy Lounds
Stephen Lang

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Lara Jean Chorostecki
(as Fredricka "Freddie" Lounds)

Mason Verger

Gary Oldman

Michael Pitt
Joe Anderson

Paul Krendler

Ron Vawter
Ray Liotta

Cynthia Nixon
(as Kade Prurnell)[4]

Reba McClane
Joan Allen

Emily Watson

Rutina Wesley

Molly Graham
Kim Greist

Mary-Louise Parker

Nina Arianda

Rinaldo Pazzi

Giancarlo Giannini

Fortunato Cerlino

Cordell Doemling

Željko Ivanek

Glenn Fleshler

Margot Verger

Katharine Isabelle

Grutas

Rhys Ifans

Lady Murasaki

Gong Li

Alan Bloom
Paul Perri
(as Sidney Bloom)

Caroline Dhavernas
(as Alana Bloom)

Beverly Katz
Michele Shay

Elizabeth Dennehy
(as Beverly)

Hettienne Park

Jimmy Price
Dan Butler

Stanley Anderson

Scott Thompson

Brian Zeller
Chris Elliott
(as Zeller)

Aaron Abrams

Lloyd Bowman
Bill Smitrovich

Ken Leung

Chiyoh

Tao Okamoto

Bedelia Du Maurier

Gillian Anderson

Abel Gideon

Eddie Izzard

text: Critical reaction[edit]

text:
Film
Rotten Tomatoes
Metacritic

Manhunter
94% (33 reviews) [5]
78 (10 reviews) [6]

The Silence of the Lambs
95% (73 reviews) [7]
84 (17 reviews) [8]

Hannibal
39% (165 reviews) [9]
57 (36 reviews) [10]

Red Dragon
69% (185 reviews) [11]
60 (36 reviews) [12]

Hannibal Rising
15% (143 reviews) [13]
35 (30 reviews) [14]

Hannibal (TV series), Season 1 (2013)
71% (41 reviews) [15]
70 (32 reviews) [16]

Hannibal (TV series), Season 2 (2014)
100% (24 reviews) [17]
88 (14 reviews) [18]

Hannibal (TV series), Season 3 (2015)
97% (35 reviews) [19]
84 (15 reviews) [20]

text: Musical[edit]

text: In 2005, comedian-musicians Jon and Al Kaplan, most famous for their musical re-imaginings of popular films as YouTube musicals, parodied The Silence of the Lambs, especially the film version, in Silence! The Musical. It premiered Off-Off-Broadway and has since had acclaimed productions in London (2009) and Los Angeles (2012). In 2012, it won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle – Score, Lead Performance, Choreography Award.[21]


document_title: List of Prime Ministers of Canada

question_text: who were the prime ministers of canada during the great depression

text: List of Prime Ministers of Canada

text: Prime ministers[edit]

text:
Abbreviation key:
No.: Incumbent No., Min.: Ministry

Colour key:
  Liberal Party of Canada   Historical Conservative Party (including Liberal-Conservative, Conservative, Unionist, National Liberal and Conservative, Progressive Conservative)   Conservative Party of Canada

Provinces key:
AB: Alberta, BC: British Columbia, MB: Manitoba, NS: Nova Scotia, ON: Ontario, QC: Quebec, SK: Saskatchewan

text:
No.

Portrait

Name(Birth–Death)District

Term of office

Electoral mandates (Parliaments)

Political party

Min.

Refs

1

Sir John A. Macdonald(1815–1891)MP for Kingston, ON

July 1, 1867–November 5, 1873

Title created (no parl't)
1867 election (1st Parl't)
1872 election (2nd Parl't)

Liberal-Conservative Party

1st

[2] [5]

Minister of Justice; Integration of Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory into Canada; Manitoba Act; Red River Rebellion; British Columbia and Prince Edward Island join confederation; Creation of the North-West Mounted Police; Resigned over Pacific Scandal

2

Alexander Mackenzie(1822–1892)MP for Lambton, ON

November 7, 1873–October 8, 1878

Appointment (2nd Parl't)[Min.]
1874 election (3rd Parl't)

Liberal PartyNamed leader in 1873

2nd

[6] [7]

Pacific Scandal; Creation of the Supreme Court; Establishment of the Royal Military College; Created the office of the Auditor General

(1)

Sir John A. Macdonald(1815–1891)MP for Victoria, BC until 1882MP for Carleton, ON until 1887MP for Kingston, ON

October 17, 1878–June 6, 1891

1878 election (4th Parl't)
1882 election (5th Parl't)
1887 election (6th Parl't)
1891 election (7th Parl't)

Liberal-Conservative Party

3rd

[8] [9]

National Policy; Railway to the Pacific; North-West Rebellion; Hanging of Louis Riel. Died in office (stroke).

3

Sir John Abbott(1821–1893)Senator for Quebec

June 16, 1891–November 24, 1892

Appointment (7th Parl't)

Liberal-Conservative Party

4th

[10] [11]

Minister without Portfolio; Succeeded on Macdonald's death due to objections to the Catholic John Thompson. In ill health; retired. First prime minister born in what would become Canada, and first of only two prime ministers to serve while in the Senate.

4

Sir John Thompson(1845–1894)MP for Antigonish, NS

December 5, 1892–December 12, 1894

Appointment (7th Parl't)

Liberal-Conservative Party

5th

[12] [13]

Minister of Justice; First Catholic Prime Minister.  Manitoba Schools Question. Died in office (heart attack).

5

Sir Mackenzie Bowell(1823–1917)Senator for Ontario

December 21, 1894–April 27, 1896

Appointment (7th Parl't)

Conservative Party (historical)

6th

[14] [15]

Minister of Customs; Minister of Militia and Defence; Manitoba Schools Question. Last prime minister to serve while in the Senate.

6

Sir Charles Tupper(1821–1915)Did not serve in Parliament while Prime Minister

May 1, 1896–July 8, 1896

Appointment (no parl't)

Conservative Party (historical)

7th

[16] [17]

Minister of Customs, Minister of Railways and Canals; Oldest Canadian PM. Aimed to defeat Patrons of Industry, but dominated by Manitoba Schools Question. Never sat in parliament as Prime Minister.

7

Sir Wilfrid Laurier(1841–1919)MP for Quebec East, QC

July 11, 1896–October 6, 1911

1896 election (8th Parl't)
1900 election (9th Parl't)
1904 election (10th Parl't)
1908 election (11th Parl't)

Liberal PartyNamed leader in 1887

8th

[18] [19]

Manitoba Schools Question; Boer War; Alberta and Saskatchewan created; Creation of the Royal Canadian Navy; Reciprocity with the US; Department of External Affairs established; First French Canadian Prime Minister, removed the right of status Indians to vote.

8

Sir Robert Borden(1854–1937)MP for Halifax, NS until 1917MP for Kings, NS

October 10, 1911–October 11, 1917

1911 election (12th Parl't)

Conservative Party (historical)Named leader in 1901

9th

[19] [20] [21]

October 12,1917–July 10, 1920

1917 election (13th Parl't)

Unionist Party

10th

First World War; Military Service Act; Conscription Crisis of 1917; Union government; National Research Council; Introduction of income tax; Nickle Resolution; Women's suffrage; Suppression of Winnipeg General Strike; Canada sits at the Paris Peace Conference, signs the Treaty of Versailles and joins League of Nations.

9

Arthur Meighen(1874–1960)MP for Portage la Prairie, MB

July 10, 1920–December 29, 1921

Appointment (13th Parl't)

National Liberal and Conservative PartyNamed leader in 1920

11th

[22] [23]

Solicitor General of Canada, Minister of Mines, Secretary of State for Canada, Minister of the Interior, Superintendant Indian Affairs; Grand Trunk Railway placed under control of Canadian National Railways.

10

William Lyon Mackenzie King(1874–1950)MP for York North, ON until 1925MP for Prince Albert, SK

December 29, 1921–June 28, 1926

1921 election (14th Parl't)
1925 election (15th Parl't)[LS] [Min.]

Liberal PartyNamed leader in 1919

12th

[24] [25]

Minister of Labour; Chanak Crisis; lower tariffs; reinstated Crowsnest Pass Agreement; 1923 Imperial Conference; Halibut Treaty; Continued after 1925 with third party Progressive support until resigning after his request for an election was refused by Governor General Lord Byng.

(9)

Arthur Meighen(1874–1960)MP for Portage la Prairie, MB

June 29, 1926–September 25, 1926

Appointment (15th Parl't)[Min.]

Conservative Party (historical)

13th

[22] [26]

Appointed as a result of the King–Byng Affair.

(10)

William Lyon Mackenzie King(1874–1950)MP for Prince Albert, SK

September 25, 1926–August 7, 1930

1926 election (16th Parl't)[Min.]

Liberal Party

14th

[24] [27]

Balfour Declaration; Introduction of old age pensions; first Canadian envoys with full diplomatic status sent to foreign countries (USA, France, Japan); Great Depression.

11

R. B. Bennett(1870–1947)MP for Calgary West, AB

August 7, 1930–October 23, 1935

1930 election (17th Parl't)

Conservative Party (historical)Named leader in 1927

15th

[28] [29]

Minister of Justice, Minister of Finance; Great Depression; Imperial Preference; Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission; Canadian Wheat Board; Creation of the Bank of Canada.

(10)

William Lyon Mackenzie King(1874–1950)MP for Prince Albert, SK until 1945MP for Glengarry, ON

October 23, 1935–November 15, 1948

1935 election (18th Parl't)
1940 election (19th Parl't)
1945 election (20th Parl't)[LS]

Liberal Party

16th

[24] [30]

Creation of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation; National Film Board of Canada; Unemployment Insurance Act of 1940; Nationalization of the Bank of Canada; Second World War; Japanese Canadian internment; Conscription Crisis of 1944; Canada's entry into the United Nations; Trans-Canada Airlines; Gouzenko Affair.

12

Louis St. Laurent(1882–1973)MP for Quebec East, QC

November 15, 1948–June 21, 1957

Appointment (20th Parl't)
1949 election (21st Parl't)
1953 election (22nd Parl't)

Liberal PartyNamed leader in 1948

17th

[31] [32]

Minister of Justice, Secretary of State for External Affairs; Dominion of Newfoundland joins confederation; right of appeal to Judicial Committee of the Privy Council ended; Canada's entrance into NATO; Suez Crisis; Creation of the United Nations Emergency Force; London Declaration; Newfoundland Act; Equalization; Trans-Canada Highway; St. Lawrence Seaway; Trans-Canada Pipeline; Pipeline Debate.

13

John Diefenbaker(1895–1979)MP for Prince Albert, SK

June 21, 1957–April 22, 1963

1957 election (23rd Parl't)[Min.]
1958 election (24th Parl't)
1962 election (25th Parl't)[Min.]

Progressive Conservative PartyNamed leader in 1956

18th

[33] [34]

Avro Arrow cancellation; Coyne Affair; Cuban Missile Crisis; NORAD; Establishment of Board of Broadcast Governors; Canadian Bill of Rights; Allowed status aboriginals to vote in federal elections 1960; Alouette 1 satellite programme.

14

Lester B. Pearson(1897–1972)MP for Algoma East, ON

April 22, 1963–April 20, 1968

1963 election (26th Parl't)[Min.]
1965 election (27th Parl't)[Min.]

Liberal PartyNamed leader in 1958

19th

[35] [36]

Secretary of State for External Affairs; Bomarc missile program; Federal involvement in universal healthcare; Canada Pension Plan; Canada Student Loans; Creation of a new Canadian flag; Auto Pact; Rejection of troop deployment to Vietnam; Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism; Unification of the Armed Forces; Canadian Centennial Celebrations.

15

Pierre Trudeau(1919–2000)MP for Mount Royal, QC

April 20, 1968–June 3/4,[*] 1979

Appointment (27th Parl't)
1968 election (28th Parl't)
1972 election (29th Parl't)[Min.]
1974 election (30th Parl't)

Liberal PartyNamed leader in 1968

20th

[37]

Minister of Justice; "Trudeaumania"; "Just Society"; October Crisis and Use of the War Measures Act;  Official Languages Act; Establishment of relations with Communist China; Victoria Charter; Creation of Petro-Canada; Membership in the G7; Metric Commission, Metrication of Canada, Creation of Via Rail.

16

Joe Clark(b. 1939)MP for Yellowhead, AB

June 4, 1979–March 2/3,[*] 1980

1979 election (31st Parl't)[Min.]

Progressive Conservative PartyNamed leader in 1976

21st

[38]

Youngest Canadian PM. Defeated in a motion of no confidence on first budget.

(15)

Pierre Trudeau(1919–2000)MP for Mount Royal, QC

March 3, 1980–June 29/30,[*] 1984

1980 election (32nd Parl't)

Liberal Party

22nd

[37]

Quebec referendum, 1980; Access to Information Act; Patriation of the Canadian Constitution; Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; National Energy Program; Canada Health Act; Western alienation.

17

John Turner(b. 1929)Did not serve in Parliament while Prime Minister

June 30, 1984–September 16/17,[*] 1984

Appointment (32nd Parl't)

Liberal PartyNamed leader in 1984

23rd

[39]

Minister of Justice, Minister of Finance; Trudeau Patronage Appointments. Never sat in parliament as Prime Minister.

18

Brian Mulroney(b. 1939)MP for Manicouagan, QC until 1988MP for Charlevoix, QC

September 17, 1984–June 24/25,[*] 1993

1984 election (33rd Parl't)
1988 election (34th Parl't)

Progressive Conservative PartyNamed leader in 1983

24th

[40]

Cancellation of the National Energy Program; Meech Lake Accord; Petro-Canada privatization; Canada-US Free Trade Agreement; Introduction of the Goods and Services Tax; Charlottetown Accord; Gulf War; Oka Crisis; Environmental Protection Act; Privatization of Air Canada, North American Free Trade Agreement; Airbus affair.

19

Kim Campbell(b. 1947)MP for Vancouver Centre, BC

June 25, 1993–November 3/4,[*] 1993

Appointment (34th Parl't)

Progressive Conservative PartyNamed leader in 1993

25th

[41]

Minister of Justice, Minister of Veterans Affairs, Minister of National Defence, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs; Only female Prime Minister of Canada. Defeated and lost her seat in 1993 election.

20

Jean Chrétien(b. 1934)MP for Saint-Maurice, QC

November 4, 1993–December 11/12,[*] 2003

1993 election (35th Parl't)
1997 election (36th Parl't)
2000 election (37th Parl't)

Liberal PartyNamed leader in 1990

26th

[42]

Minister of Finance, Minister of Indian Affairs, Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, Minister of Justice and Energy Minister, President of the Treasury Board, Minister of National Revenue, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada; Privatization of Canadian National Railway, Red Book; Harmonized Sales Tax; Quebec referendum, 1995; Clarity Act; Assassination attempt; Kosovo War; 1997 Red River Flood; Social Union Framework Agreement; Creation of Nunavut Territory; Youth Criminal Justice Act; Operation Yellow Ribbon; Invasion of Afghanistan; Opposition to the Invasion of Iraq; Sponsorship scandal; Kyoto Protocol; Gomery Inquiry.

21

Paul Martin(b. 1938)MP for LaSalle—Émard, QC

December 12, 2003–February 5/6,[*] 2006

Appointment (37th Parl't)
2004 election (38th Parl't)[Min.]

Liberal PartyNamed leader in 2003

27th

[40]

Minister of Finance; Minority government. Civil Marriage Act; Kelowna Accord; Rejection of US Anti-Missile Treaty; Sponsorship scandal; Gomery inquiry; G20; Atlantic Accord; Martin and his father Paul Martin Sr have the honorific title of Right Honourable.

22

Stephen Harper(b. 1959)MP for Calgary Southwest, AB

February 6, 2006–November 3/4,[*] 2015

2006 election (39th Parl't)[Min.]
2008 election (40th Parl't)[Min.]
2011 election (41st Parl't)

Conservative PartyNamed leader in 2004

28th

[43]

Accountability Act; Softwood Lumber Agreement; Afghanistan Mission; 2006 Ontario terrorism plot; Québécois nation motion; Apologies for Residential Schools and Head Tax; 2008 Financial crisis; Coalition crisis; Economic Action Plan; Afghan detainee issue;  Parliamentary contempt; Withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol; Repeal of the Long-Gun Registry; Senate expenses scandal; Anti-terrorism Act, 2015.

23

Justin Trudeau(b. 1971)MP for Papineau, QC

November 4, 2015–Incumbent

2015 election (42nd Parl't)

Liberal PartyNamed leader in 2013

29th

[44]

Son of 15th Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau; simultaneously Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth; second father-and-son pair with honorific title of Right Honourable; did not allow senators to sit in the government caucus; Paris Agreement; 150th anniversary celebrations; Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership; Cannabis Act.

Min. Minority government
LS  Party won the election, but prime minister lost own seat
*  The Interpretation Act of 1967 states that "where an appointment is made effective or terminates on a specified day, that appointment is considered to be effective or to terminate after the end of the previous day." Under the Act, Prime Ministers' tenures are therefore credited as having concluded at the end of their last full day in office (the earlier date given), although their resignation was received by the Governor General on the following day. This provision applies to P. Trudeau in 1979[45] and 1984,[46] Clark,[47] Turner,[48] Mulroney,[49] Campbell,[50] Chrétien,[51]  Martin,[51] and Harper.[51]

text: Timeline[edit]

text: Living former prime ministers[edit]

text: As of August 2018, there are seven living former Prime Ministers of Canada, the oldest being John Turner (born 1929). The most recent former Prime Minister to die was Pierre Trudeau (1968–1979, 1980–1984), on 28 September 2000. John A. Macdonald (1867–1873, 1878–1891) and John Thompson (1892–1894) are the only serving Prime Ministers to have died in office.

text:
Living former Prime Ministers in order of service:

Joe ClarkServed: 1979–1980Age: 79

John TurnerServed: 1984Age: 89

Brian MulroneyServed: 1984–1993Age: 79

Kim CampbellServed: 1993Age: 71

Jean ChrétienServed: 1993–2003Age: 84

Paul MartinServed: 2003–2006Age: 79

Stephen HarperServed: 2006–2015Age: 59


document_title: Metrication in Ireland

question_text: when did ireland change from miles to kilometers

text: Metrication in Ireland

text: Metrication[edit]

text: During the First World War and after the Easter Rising, Charles A Stanuell, former President of the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland published a paper advocating the use of the metric system and a decimal currency in the UK, of which Ireland was then a part.[3]

text: Metrication began in the State in the 1970s and by 2005 was almost completed; the only exception being that the imperial pint (568 ml) is still used in bars for reasons of tradition. The phrase a "glass of beer" is a colloquial expression for a half-pint (284 ml).[4] All other places must sell liquids measured in millilitres and litres.

text: Distance signs had displayed kilometres since the 1970s but road speed limits were in miles per hour until January 2005, when they were finally changed to kilometres per hour. Since 2005 all new cars sold in Ireland have speedometers that display only kilometres per hour; odometers generally became metric as well.

text: The metric system is the only system taught in schools. Beginning in 1970, textbooks were changed to metric. Goods in shops are labelled in metric units.

text: References in Oireachtas debates[edit]

text:
That the Government be asked to appoint a Commission, with power to examine voluntary witnesses, to inquire into and report on the desirability or otherwise of adopting the Metric System in Saorstát Eireann, Senator de Loughry (April 1923). "Notice of motion". Archived from the original on 11 June 2011.
"Question to the Minister for Education to request support for the teachers association vote in favour of metrication". 1951. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012.
"Question to the Minister for Finance on plans to introduce decimal coinage and the metric system". May 1964. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012.
"Question to the Minister for Industry and Commerce to request for a decision to be made in favour of metrication". June 1967. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012.
"Question to the Minister for Industry and Commerce". October 1967. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012.
In the area of prepackaged goods the changeover is virtually complete, "Question to the Minister for Industry and Commerce on enforcement of the regulations on food pricing (in metric)". November 1987. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012.
"Question to the Minister for Industry and Commerce". December 1989. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012.
"Question to the Minister for Transport on the timetable for metric speed limits". June 2003. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012.
"Question to the Minister for Transport on the timetable for metric speed limits". October 2003. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012.

text: Continuation of supplementary Imperial units[edit]

text: In 2006 it became apparent that the 2009 cut-off for the use of Imperial supplementary units could cause problems in US-EU trade. After consultation, EU Directive 2009/3/EC of 11 March 2009, among other measures, permitted:[5]

text:
the indefinite use of Imperial supplementary indications.
the United Kingdom and Ireland to continue the limited exemptions concerning specified uses of the pint, mile and the troy ounce, considering the absence of any impact of these exemptions on cross border trade and the principle of subsidiarity; whilst repealing the exemption for the use of acre for land registration which is no longer applied.

text: These amendments were published on 7 May 2009 and became effective on 1 January 2010.

text: Public use[edit]

text: Despite the official status of the metric system, it is still widely ignored by the elderly Irish public (35yrs+) in favour of the imperial system. For example, the elderly Irish public (35yrs+) still often use the imperial system when buying groceries and in cooking at home. However the younger generation predominantly use metric. For example kilometres for distance and kilograms for body weight. One exception is that Feet is still used for measuring height in the Republic. (ie: 6ft 1in)[6] Horse racing in Ireland continues to use stones and pounds as measurements [7]