document_title: The Book Thief

question_text: who is telling the story in the book thief

text: The Book Thief

text: Plot[edit]

text: After the death of Liesel's young brother, Liesel arrives at the home of her new foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, distraught and withdrawn. During her time there, she is exposed to the horrors of the Nazi regime, caught between the innocence of childhood and the maturity demanded by her destructive surroundings. As the political situation in Germany deteriorates, her foster parents harbor a Jewish boxer named Max. Hans, who has developed a close relationship with Liesel, teaches her to read in secret. Recognizing the power of writing and sharing the written word, Liesel not only begins to steal books that the Nazi party is looking to destroy, but also writes her own stories, and share the power of language with Max.

text: Characters[edit]

text: Liesel Meminger[edit]

text: The protagonist of the story, she is an adopted girl on the verge of adolescence, with blonde hair that is "a close enough brand of German blonde" and a "smile that is starving" when she shows it. Her eyes, however, are brown. She is fostered by the Hubermanns after her biological father "abandons" their family, her brother dies, and her mother is forced to send her to a foster home due to her political belief (communism), which is forbidden at the time. Liesel is the "book thief" referred to in the title. Liesel is fascinated by the power of words, as shown in the quotation, "I have hated the words and I have loved them." She steals books from snow, fire, and the mayor's wife.[1]

text: Hans Hubermann (Papa)[edit]

text: Liesel's foster father and husband of Rosa, Hans is a former German soldier during World War I, accordion player, and painter. He develops a close and loving relationship with Liesel, and becomes a main source of strength and support for her throughout the novel. He, like Liesel, doesn't have much experience with reading. Together, the two help each other with reading and write all the words they learn on a wall in the basement with his cans of white paint.[1]

text: Rosa Hubermann (Mama)[edit]

text: Liesel's sharp-tongued, often abrasive, foster mother, she has a "wardrobe" build and a displeased face, brown-grey tightly-cinched hair often tied up in a bun, and "chlorinated" eyes. Despite her temper, she is a loving wife to Hans and mother to Liesel. To supplement the household income, she does washing and ironing for five of the wealthier households in Molching.

text: Rudy Steiner[edit]

text: Liesel's neighbor, Rudy, has bony legs, blue eyes, lemon-colored hair and a penchant for getting in the middle of situations when he shouldn't. Despite having the appearance of an archetypal German, he does not directly support the Nazis. As a member of a relatively poor household with six children, Rudy is habitually hungry. He is known throughout the neighborhood because of the "Jesse Owens incident", in which he colored himself black with mud one night and ran one hundred meters at the local sports field. He is academically and athletically gifted, which attracts the attention of Nazi Party officials, leading to an attempted recruitment. His lack of support for the Nazi party becomes problematic as the story progresses. Rudy becomes Liesel's best friend, and eventually falls in love with her, always trying to get a kiss out of her.

text: Max Vandenburg[edit]

text: A Jewish fist-fighter who takes refuge from the Nazi regime in the Hubermann's basement. He is the son of a WWI German soldier who fought alongside Hans Hubermann, and the two developed a close friendship during the war. He has brown, feather-like hair and swampy brown eyes. During the Nazi reign of terror, Hans agrees to shelter Max and hide him from the Nazi party. During his stay at the Hubermanns' house, Max befriends Liesel, because of their shared affinity for words. He writes two books for her and presents her with a sketchbook that contains his life story, which helps Liesel to develop as a writer and reader.[1]

text: Ilsa Hermann[edit]

text: The wife of the mayor of Molching who employs Rosa Hubermann. She entered depression after the death of her only son in the Great War. Ilsa allows Liesel to visit and read books in her personal library. She also gives Liesel a diary, which leads Liesel to write her own story, "The Book Thief".[1]

text: Werner Meminger[edit]

text: Liesel's little brother who dies on the train ride to Rosa and Hans Hubermann's home. He was laid next to the tracks in a town that Liesel could not name. In that incident, Liesel steals her very first book, "The Grave Digger's Handbook".

text: Liesel's Mother[edit]

text: Liesel's mother is only mentioned in the story a few times. Liesel's father was taken away by the Nazi's prior to the novel starting because he was a Communist, and the reasons her mother - Paula Meminger - was taking both her children to foster care was to save them from Nazi persecution. Liesel's mother met the same fate as her father, but Liesel eventually realizes her mother gave her away to protect her.

text: Themes[edit]

text: Mortality[edit]

text: The book is introduced by the character/narrator Death, which underlines that mortality is very present in the lives of each character. Throughout the novel, the deaths of prominent characters reaffirm the presence of mortality. Because the novel takes place during World War II, death and genocide are nearly omnipresent in the novel.

text: Death is presented in a manner that is less distant and threatening. Because Death narrates and explains the reasons behind each character's destruction, as well as explains how he feels that he must take the life of each character, death is given a sense of care rather than fear. At one point, Death states "even death has a heart," which reaffirms that there is a care present in the concept of death and dying.[2]

text: Language, reading, and writing[edit]

text: These three things act as symbols of freedom and expression throughout the story. As symbolic elements, they provide liberation and identity to the characters who are able to wield their power. They also provide a framework for Liesel's coming of age. In the beginning of the novel, she obtains a book at her brother's funeral, one that she is unable to read. As the story progresses, she slowly learns how to read and write because of the tutelage of her foster father Hans. At the end of the story, her character arc is heavily defined by her ability to read and write. The development of her literacy mirrors her physical growth and strength developing over the course of the story.

text: Language, reading, and writing also serve as social markers. The wealthy citizens in the story are often portrayed as owning their own libraries and being literate, while the poor characters are illiterate and do not own any books.

text: The Nazi burning of books is also represented in the novel. Symbolically, Liesel's continuous rescue of the books the Nazis burn represents her reclaiming freedom and fight against being controlled by the Nazis.[2]

text: Love[edit]

text: In the midst of the damage that war, death, and loss have caused Liesel and the other characters in the book, love is seen as an agent of change and freedom. Liesel overcomes her traumas by learning to love and be loved by her foster family and her friends. In the beginning of the novel, Liesel is traumatized not only by the death of her brother and her separation from her only family, but also as a result of the larger issues regarding war-torn Germany and the destruction by the Nazi party. As Liesel's foster father Hans develops a relationship with her, healing and growth are a direct result. This pattern is reflected in the relational dynamic between the Hubermann family and Max. In the midst of governmental policies that reflect on who is worthy of love and acceptance, the Hubermanns' relationship with Max defies the Nazi regime. Further, the love that Max and Liesel develop through their friendship creates a strong contrast to the hate that is the backdrop of the story.

text: The theme of love also intertwines with the themes of identity and language/reading because all of these themes have the purpose of providing freedom and power in the midst of chaos and control.[2]

text: Recognition[edit]

text:
2006: Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book (South East Asia & South Pacific)
2006: School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
2006: Daniel Elliott Peace Award
2006: Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of the Year
2006: National Jewish Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature [3]
2006: Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book[4]
2007: Michael L. Printz Honor Book[5] The Printz award is given to the best book for teens, based only on the quality of the writing.
2007: Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Children's Literature

text: Film adaptation[edit]

text: A film adaptation was released on November 2013.[6] It was directed by Brian Percival. Michael Petroni wrote the script. Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson portrayed the Hubermanns, Ben Schnetzer was Max Vandenburg, Nico Liersch was Rudy Steiner, and Sophie Nélisse was Liesel Meminger. John Williams wrote the music soundtrack.[7][8] Much of the movie was filmed in Görlitz, Germany. Many of the characters are missed out, giving Franz Deutscher (Levin Liam), who is a boy who picks on Liesel and the leader of Rudy's Hitler youth squad, a bigger role.[9][10]


document_title: Fast food restaurant

question_text: which fast food chain made its debut in wichita ks

root

text: Fast food restaurant

text: History[edit]

text: The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. You may improve this article, discuss the issue on the talk page, or create a new article, as appropriate. (April 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

tag: table

text: United States[edit]

text: Some trace the modern history of fast food in the United States to 7 July 1912, with the opening of a fast food restaurant called the Automat in New York. The Automat was a cafeteria with its pre-prepared foods behind small glass windows and coin-operated slots. Joseph Horn and Frank Hardart had already opened the first Horn & Hardart Automat in Philadelphia in 1902, but their "Automat" at Broadway and 13th Street, in New York City, created a sensation. Numerous Automat restaurants were built around the country to deal with the demand. Automats remained extremely popular throughout the 1920s and 1930s. The company also popularized the notion of "take-out" food, with their slogan "Less work for Mother".

tag: p

text: Some historians concur that A&W, which opened in 1919 and began franchising in 1921, was the first fast food restaurant (E. Tavares). Thus, the American company White Castle is generally credited with opening the second fast-food outlet in Wichita, Kansas in 1921, selling hamburgers for five cents apiece from its inception and spawning numerous competitors and emulators. What is certain, however, is that White Castle made the first significant effort to standardize the food production in, look of, and operation of fast-food hamburger restaurants. William Ingram's and Walter Anderson's White Castle System created the first fast food supply chain to provide meat, buns, paper goods, and other supplies to their restaurants, pioneered the concept of the multi-state hamburger restaurant chain, standardized the look and construction of the restaurants themselves, and even developed a construction division that manufactured and built the chain's prefabricated restaurant buildings. The McDonald's Speedee Service System and, much later, Ray Kroc's McDonald's outlets and Hamburger University all built on principles, systems and practices that White Castle had already established between 1923 and 1932.

text: The hamburger restaurant most associated by the public with the term "fast food" was created by two brothers originally from Nashua, New Hampshire. Richard and Maurice McDonald opened a barbecue drive-in in 1940 in the city of San Bernardino, California. After discovering that most of their profits came from hamburgers, the brothers closed their restaurant for three months and reopened it in 1948 as a walk-up stand offering a simple menu of hamburgers, french fries, shakes, coffee, and Coca-Cola, served in disposable paper wrapping. As a result, they could produce hamburgers and fries constantly, without waiting for customer orders, and could serve them immediately; hamburgers cost 15 cents, about half the price at a typical diner. Their streamlined production method, which they named the "Speedee Service System" was influenced by the production line innovations of Henry Ford.

text: By 1954, The McDonald brothers' stand was restaurant equipment manufacturer Prince Castle's biggest purchaser of milkshake blending machines. Prince Castle salesman Ray Kroc traveled to California to discover why the company had purchased almost a dozen of the units as opposed to the normal one or two found in most restaurants of the time. Enticed by the success of the McDonald's concept, Kroc signed a franchise agreement with the brothers and began opening McDonald's restaurants in Illinois.[7] By 1961, Kroc had bought out the brothers and created what is now the modern McDonald's Corporation. One of the major parts of his business plan was to promote cleanliness of his restaurants to growing groups of Americans that had become aware of food safety issues. As part of his commitment to cleanliness, Kroc often took part in cleaning his own Des Plaines, Illinois outlet by hosing down the garbage cans and scraping gum off the cement. Another concept Kroc added was great swaths of glass which enabled the customer to view the food preparation, a practice still found in chains such as Krispy Kreme. A clean atmosphere was only part of Kroc's grander plan which separated McDonald's from the rest of the competition and attributes to their great success. Kroc envisioned making his restaurants appeal to suburban families.[8]

text: At roughly the same time as Kroc was conceiving what eventually became McDonald's Corporation, two Miami, Florida businessmen, James McLamore and David Edgerton, opened a franchise of the predecessor to what is now the international fast food restaurant chain Burger King. McLamore had visited the original McDonald's hamburger stand belonging to the McDonald brothers; sensing potential in their innovative assembly line-based production system, he decided he wanted to open a similar operation of his own.[9][10] The two partners eventually decided to invest their money in Jacksonville, Florida-based Insta-Burger King. Originally opened in 1953, the founders and owners of the chain, Kieth J. Kramer and his wife's uncle Matthew Burns, opened their first stores around a piece of equipment known as the Insta-Broiler. The Insta-Broiler oven proved so successful at cooking burgers, they required all of their franchises to carry the device.[9] By 1959 McLamore and Edgarton were operating several locations within the Miami-Dade area and were growing at a fast clip. Despite the success of their operation, the partners discovered that the design of the insta-broiler made the unit's heating elements prone to degradation from the drippings of the beef patties. The pair eventually created a mechanized gas grill that avoided the problems by changing the way the meat patties were cooked in the unit. After the original company began to falter in 1959, it was purchased by McLamore and Edgerton who renamed the company Burger King.[11]

text: While fast food restaurants usually have a seating area in which customers can eat the food on the premises, orders are designed to be taken away, and traditional table service is rare. Orders are generally taken and paid for at a wide counter, with the customer waiting by the counter for a tray or container for their food. A "drive-through" service can allow customers to order and pick up food from their cars.

text: Nearly from its inception, fast food has been designed to be eaten "on the go" and often does not require traditional cutlery and is eaten as a finger food. Common menu items at fast food outlets include fish and chips, sandwiches, pitas, hamburgers, fried chicken, french fries, chicken nuggets, tacos, pizza, and ice cream, although many fast food restaurants offer "slower" foods like chili, mashed potatoes, and salads.

text: Cuisine[edit]

text: Modern commercial fast food is highly processed and prepared on a large scale from bulk ingredients using standardized cooking and production methods and equipment. It is usually rapidly served in cartons or bags or in a plastic wrapping, in a fashion which reduces operating costs by allowing rapid product identification and counting, promoting longer holding time, avoiding transfer of bacteria, and facilitating order fulfillment. In most fast food operations, menu items are generally made from processed ingredients prepared at central supply facilities and then shipped to individual outlets where they are cooked (usually by grill, microwave, or deep-frying) or assembled in a short amount of time either in anticipation of upcoming orders (i.e., "to stock") or in response to actual orders (i.e., "to order"). Following standard operating procedures, pre-cooked products are monitored for freshness and disposed of if holding times become excessive. This process ensures a consistent level of product quality, and is key to delivering the order quickly to the customer and avoiding labor and equipment costs in the individual stores.

text: Because of commercial emphasis on taste, speed, product safety, uniformity, and low cost, fast food products are made with ingredients formulated to achieve an identifiable flavor, aroma, texture, and "mouth feel" and to preserve freshness and control handling costs during preparation and order fulfillment. This requires a high degree of food engineering. The use of additives, including salt, sugar, flavorings and preservatives, and processing techniques may limit the nutritional value of the final product.

text: Value meals[edit]

text: A value meal is a group of menu items offered together at a lower price than they would cost individually. A hamburger, side of fries, and drink commonly constitute a value meal—or combo depending on the chain. Value meals at fast food restaurants are common as a merchandising tactic to facilitate bundling, up-selling, and price discrimination. Most of the time they can be upgraded to a larger side and drink for a small fee. The perceived creation of a "discount" on individual menu items in exchange for the purchase of a "meal" is also consistent with the loyalty marketing school of thought.[12]

text: Technology[edit]

text: To make quick service possible and to ensure accuracy and security, many fast food restaurants have incorporated hospitality point of sale systems. This makes it possible for kitchen crew people to view orders placed at the front counter or drive through in real time. Wireless systems allow orders placed at drive through speakers to be taken by cashiers and cooks. Drive through and walk through configurations will allow orders to be taken at one register and paid at another. Modern point of sale systems can operate on computer networks using a variety of software programs. Sales records can be generated and remote access to computer reports can be given to corporate offices, managers, troubleshooters, and other authorized personnel.

text: Food service chains partner with food equipment manufacturers to design highly specialized restaurant equipment, often incorporating heat sensors, timers, and other electronic controls into the design. Collaborative design techniques, such as rapid visualization and computer-aided design of restaurant kitchens are now being used to establish equipment specifications that are consistent with restaurant operating and merchandising requirements.[13]

text: Business[edit]

text: Consumer spending[edit]

text: In the United States, consumers spent about US$110 billion on fast food in 2000 (which increased from $6 billion in 1970).[14] The National Restaurant Association forecasts that fast food restaurants in the US will reach $142 billion in sales in 2006, a 5% increase over 2005. In comparison, the full-service restaurant segment of the food industry is expected to generate $173 billion in sales. Fast food has been losing market share to so-called fast casual restaurants, which offer more robust and expensive cuisines.[citation needed]

text: Major international brands[edit]

text: McDonald's, a fast food supplier, opened its first franchised restaurant in the US in 1955 (1974 in the UK). It has become a phenomenally successful enterprise in terms of financial growth, brand-name recognition, and worldwide expansion. Ray Kroc, who bought the franchising license from the McDonald brothers, pioneered concepts which emphasized standardization. He introduced uniform products, identical in all respects at each outlet, to increase sales. Kroc also insisted on cutting food costs as much as possible, eventually using the McDonald's Corporation's size to force suppliers to conform to this ethos.[citation needed]

text: Other prominent international fast food companies include Burger King, the number two hamburger chain in the world, known for promoting its customized menu offerings (Have it Your Way). Another international fast food chain is KFC, which sells Chicken-related products and is the number 1 Fast Food company in the People's Republic of China.

text: Multinational corporations typically modify their menus to cater to local tastes, and most overseas outlets are owned by native franchisees. McDonald's in India, for example, uses chicken and paneer rather than beef and pork in their burgers because Hinduism traditionally forbids eating beef. In Israel some McDonald's restaurants are kosher and respect the Jewish Shabbat; there is also a kosher McDonald's in Argentina. In Egypt, Indonesia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Singapore, all menu items are halal.

text: North America[edit]

text: Many fast food operations have more local and regional roots, such as White Castle in the Midwest United States, along with Hardee's (owned by CKE Restaurants, which also owns Carl's Jr., whose locations are primarily on the United States West Coast); Krystal, Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits, Cook Out, and Zaxby's restaurants in the American Southeast; Raising Cane's in Louisiana and other mostly Southern states; Hot 'n Now in Michigan and Wisconsin; In-N-Out Burger (in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Texas) and Original Tommy's chains in Southern California; Dick's Drive-In in Seattle, Washington and Arctic Circle in Utah and other western states; Halo Burger around Flint, Michigan and Burgerville in the Portland, Oregon area. Also, Whataburger is a popular burger chain in the American South, and Jack in the Box is located in the West and South. Canada pizza chains Topper's Pizza and Pizza Pizza are primarily located in Ontario. Coffee chain Country Style operates only in Ontario, and competes with the famous coffee and donut chain Tim Hortons. Maid-Rite restaurant is one of the oldest chain fast food restaurants in the United States. Founded in 1926, their specialty is a loose meat hamburger. Maid-Rites can be found in the midwest - mainly Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and Missouri.

text: International brands dominant in North America include McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's, the number three burger chain in the USA; Dunkin' Donuts, a New England-based chain; automobile oriented Sonic Drive-In's from Oklahoma City; Starbucks, Seattle-born coffee-based fast food beverage corporation; KFC and Taco Bell, which are both part of the largest restaurant conglomerate in the world, Yum! Brands; and Domino's Pizza, a pizza chain known for popularizing home delivery of fast food.

text: Subway is known for their sub sandwiches and are the largest restaurant chain to serve such food items.[15] Quiznos a Denver-based sub shop is another fast-growing sub chain, yet with over 6,000 locations it is still far behind Subway's 34,000 locations. Other smaller sub shops include Blimpie, Jersey Mike's Subs, Mr. Goodcents, Jimmy John's, and Firehouse.

text: A&W Restaurants was originally a United States and Canada fast food brand, but it is currently an International fast food corporation in several countries.

text: In Canada the majority of fast food chains are American owned or were originally American owned but have since set up a Canadian management/headquarters locations such as Panera Bread, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Five Guys, and Carl's Jr.. Although the case is usually American fast food chains expanding into Canada, Canadian chains such as Tim Hortons have expanded into 22 states in the United States, but are more prominent in border states such as New York and Michigan. Tim Hortons has started to expand to other countries outside of North America. The Pita Pit franchise originated in Canada and has expanded to the United States and other Countries. The Canadian Extreme Pita franchise sells low fat and salt pita sandwiches with stores in the larger Canadian cities. Other Canadian fast food chains such as Manchu Wok serve North American style Asian foods; this company is located mainly in Canada and the USA, with other outlets on US military bases on other continents. Harvey's is a Canadian-only burger restaurant chain, present in every province.

text: Australia[edit]

text: Australia's fast food market began in the early 1970s, with the opening of several American franchises including McDonald's and KFC. Pizza Hut was introduced in the 1980s, and Burger King followed. However, the Burger King market found that this name was already a registered trademark to a takeaway food shop in Adelaide.[16] Thus, the Burger King Australian market was forced to pick another name, selecting the Hungry Jack's brand name. Prior to this, the Australian fast food market consisted primarily of imports from the UK, fish and chips takeaway.[citation needed]

text: United Kingdom[edit]

text: In the United Kingdom, many home based fast food operations were closed in the 1970s and 1980s after McDonald's became the number one outlet in the market[citation needed]. However, brands like Wimpy still remain, although the majority of branches became Burger King in 1989.

text: The Republic of Ireland[edit]

text: In addition to home-grown chains such as Supermac's, numerous American chains such as McDonald's and Burger King have also established a presence in Ireland. In 2015, a study developed by Treated.com was published in the Irish Times, which named Swords in County Dublin as Ireland's 'fast food capital'.[17]

text: Japan[edit]

text: American chains such as Domino's Pizza, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and KFC have a big presence in Japan, but local gyudon chains such as Sukiya, Matsuya and Yoshinoya also blanket the country. Japan has its own burger chains including MOS Burger, Lotteria and Freshness Burger.

text: India[edit]

text: The major fast food chains in India are KFC, McDonald's, Starbucks, Burger King, Subway, Pizza Hut, and Dominos. Major emerging food chains include Haldiram's, Faaso's, Chick King, Pitstop and Café Coffee Day.

text: Nigeria[edit]

text: In Nigeria, Mr. Bigg's, Chicken Republic, Tantalizers, and Tastee Fried Chicken are the predominant fast food chains. KFC and Domino's Pizza have recently entered the country.

text: Pakistan[edit]

text: Fast food In Pakistan varies. There are many international chains serving fast food, including Nandos, Burger King, KFC, McDonald's, Domino's Pizza, Fatburger, Dunkin' Donuts, Subway, Pizza Hut, Hardees, Telepizza, Steak Escape and Gloria Jean's Coffees. In addition to the international chains, in local cuisine people in Pakistan like to have biryani, bun kebabs, Nihari, kebab rolls etc. as fast food.

text: Russia[edit]

text: Most international fast food chains like Subway, McDonald's, Burger King etc. are represented in major Russian cities. There are also local chains like Teremok specializing in Russian cuisine or having elements of it added into their menu.

text: South Africa[edit]

text: KFC is the most popular fast food chain in South Africa according to a 2010 Sunday Times survey.[18] Chicken Licken, Wimpy and Ocean Basket along with Nando's and Steers are examples of homegrown franchises that are highly popular within the country. McDonald's, Subway and Pizza Hut have a significant presence within South Africa.

text: Hong Kong[edit]

text: In Hong Kong, although McDonald's and KFC are quite popular, three major local fast food chains provide Hong Kong style fast food, namely Café de Coral, Fairwood, and Maxim MX. Café de Coral alone serves more than 300,000 customers daily.[19] Unlike western fast food chains, these restaurants offer four different menus at different times of the day, namely breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. Siu mei is offered throughout the day.

text: Dai pai dong and traditional Hong Kong street food may be considered close relatives of the conventional fast food outlet.

text: Israel[edit]

text: In Israel, local burger chain Burger Ranch is popular as are McDonald's and Burger King. Domino's Pizza is also a popular fast food restaurant. Chains like McDonald's offer kosher branches. Non-kosher foods such as cheeseburgers are rare in Israeli fast food chains, even in non-kosher branches. There are many small local fast food chains that serve pizza, hamburgers, sushi and local foods such as hummus, falafel and shawarma.

text: New Zealand[edit]

text: In New Zealand, the fast food market began in the 1970s with KFC (opened 1971), Pizza Hut (1974), and McDonald's (1976),[20] and all three remain popular today. Burger King and Domino's entered the market later in the 1990s. Australian pizza chains Eagle Boys and Pizza Haven also entered the market in the 1990s, but their New Zealand operations were later sold to Pizza Hut and Domino's.

text: A few fast food chains have been founded in New Zealand, including Burger Fuel (founded 1995), Georgie Pie (founded 1977, but closed 1998 after falling into financial trouble and being bought out by McDonald's) and Hell Pizza (founded 1996).

text: Philippines[edit]

text: In the Philippines, fast-food is the same as in the US. However, the only difference is that they serve Filipino dishes and a few American products being served Filipino-style. Jollibee is the leading fast food chain in the country with 1,000 stores nationwide.

text: Franchising[edit]

text: A fast food chain restaurant is generally owned either by the parent company of the fast food chain or a franchisee – an independent party given the right to use the company's trademark and trade name. In the latter case, a contract is made between the franchisee and the parent company, typically requiring the franchisee to pay an initial, fixed fee in addition to a continual percentage of monthly sales. Upon opening for business, the franchisee oversees the day-to-day operations of the restaurant and acts as a manager of the store. Once the contract expires, the parent company may choose to "renew the contract, sell the franchise to another franchisee, or operate the restaurant itself." [21] In most fast food chains, the number of franchised locations exceeds the number of company owned locations.

text: Fast food chains rely on consistency and uniformity, in internal operations and brand image, across all of their restaurant locations in order to convey a sense of reliability to their customers. This sense of reliability coupled with a positive customer experience brings customers to place trust in the company. This sense of trust leads to increased customer loyalty which gives the company a source of recurring business. When a person is presented with a choice of different restaurants to eat at, it is much easier for them to stick with what they know, rather than to take a gamble and dive into the unknown.[22]

text: Due to the importance of consistency, most companies set standards unifying their various restaurant locations with a set of common rules and regulations. Parent companies often rely on field representatives to ensure that the practices of franchised locations are consistent with the company's standards. However, the more locations a fast food chain has, the harder it is for the parent company to guarantee that these standards are being followed. Moreover, it is much more expensive to discharge a franchisee for noncompliance with company standards, than it is to discharge an employee for that same reason. As a consequence, parent companies tend to deal with franchisee violations in a more relaxed manner.[22]

text: For the most part, someone visiting a McDonald's in the United States will have the same experience as someone visiting a McDonald's in Japan. The interior design, the menu, the speed of service, and the taste of the food will all be very similar. However, some differences do exist to tailor to particular cultural differences. For example, in October 2005 during a midst of plummeting sales in Japan, McDonald's added a shrimp burger to the Japanese menu.[23] The choice to introduce a shrimp burger was no coincidence, as a 1989 study stated that world consumption of shrimp was "led by Japan." [24]

text: In March 2010, Taco Bell opened their first restaurant in India. Because non-consumption of beef is a cultural norm in light of India's Dharmic beliefs, Taco Bell had to tailor its menu to the dietary distinctions of Indian culture by replacing all of the beef with chicken. By the same token, completely meatless options were introduced to the menu due to the prevalence of vegetarianism throughout the country.[25]

text: Trends[edit]

text: Health concerns[edit]

text: Some of the large fast food chains are beginning to incorporate healthier alternatives in their menu, e.g., white meat, snack wraps, salads, and fresh fruit. However, some people see these moves as a tokenistic and commercial measure, rather than an appropriate reaction to ethical concerns about the world ecology and people's health. McDonald's announced that in March 2006, the chain would include nutritional information on the packaging of all of its products.[26]

text: In September and October 2000, during the Starlink corn recalls, up to $50 million worth of corn-based foods were recalled from restaurants as well as supermarkets. The products contained Starlink genetically modified corn that was not approved for human consumption.[27] It was the first-ever recall of a genetically modified food.[28][29] The environmental group Friends of the Earth that had first detected the contaminated shells was critical of the FDA for not doing its own job.

text: Consumer appeal[edit]

text: Fast food outlets have become popular with consumers for several reasons. One is that through economies of scale in purchasing and producing food, these companies can deliver food to consumers at a very low cost. In addition, although some people dislike fast food for its predictability, it can be reassuring to a hungry person in a hurry or far from home.[citation needed]

text: In the post-World War II period in the United States, fast food chains like McDonald's rapidly gained a reputation for their cleanliness, fast service, and a child-friendly atmosphere where families on the road could grab a quick meal, or seek a break from the routine of home cooking[citation needed]. Prior to the rise of the fast food chain restaurant, people generally had a choice between greasy spoon diners where the quality of the food was often questionable and service lacking, or high-end restaurants that were expensive and impractical for families with children[citation needed]. The modern, stream-lined convenience of the fast food restaurant provided a new alternative and appealed to Americans' instinct for ideas and products associated with progress, technology, and innovation.[citation needed] Fast food restaurants rapidly became the eatery "everyone could agree on", with many featuring child-size menu combos, play areas, and whimsical branding campaigns, like the iconic Ronald McDonald, designed to appeal to younger customers. Parents could have a few minutes of peace while children played or amused themselves with the toys included in their Happy Meal. There is a long history of fast food advertising campaigns, many of which are directed at children.

text: Fast food marketing largely focuses on children and teenagers. Popular methods of advertising include television, product placement in toys, games, educational materials, songs, and movies, character licensing and celebrity endorsements, and websites.[30] Advertisements targeting children mainly focus on free toys, movie tie-ins and other giveaways.[31] Fast food restaurants use kid's meals with toys, kid friendly mascots, vibrant colors, and play areas to draw children toward their products. . Children's power over their parents' purchases is estimated to total $300 to $500 billion every year.[32] Fast food has become a part of American culture as a reward for children. To deny a child "desirable things" such as the advertised fast food restaurant can cause stigmatization of parents as the "mean parent" when it is common among other parents to comply with their child's desires.[32]

text: The major focus on children by the fast food industry has created controversy due to the rising issue of children obesity in America.[33] As a result of this focus, in 2008 a coalition was created and run by the Council of Better Business Bureaus called Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative(CFBAI), to stop ads aimed at children or to promote only what the council dubs "better-for- you" products in ads directed towards children.[34] However, it was not until 2011 that Congress requested guidelines be put in place by the CFBAI, FDA, Agriculture Department, and Centers for Disease Control. There are two basic requirements identified in the guidelines for foods that are advertised for children: (1) The food has to include healthful ingredients; (2) The food can't contain unhealthful amounts of sugar, Saturated fat, Trans fat, and salt. The guidelines are voluntary but companies experience heavy pressure to comply. Once a company complies they have 5–10 years to comply with the guidelines.[33] Many fast food industries have started to comply with the guidelines. Although many companies have ways to go. In 2012 the fast food industry spent $4.6 billion to advertise unhealthy products to children and teens according to a report by the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity.[31] There are points of progress that include healthier sides and beverages in most fast food restaurant kids' meals.[31] The guidelines are interested in a healthier lifestyle for children and the growing problem of American obesity.

text: In other parts of the world, American and American-style fast food outlets have been popular for their quality, customer service, and novelty, even though they are often the targets of popular anger towards American foreign policy or globalization more generally[citation needed]. Many consumers nonetheless see them as symbols of the wealth, progress, and well-ordered openness of Western society and they therefore become trendy attractions in many cities around the world, particularly among younger people with more varied tastes.[citation needed]

text: Impact of fast food restaurant availability[edit]

text: Over time, fast food restaurants have been growing rapidly, especially in urban neighborhoods. According to US research, low-income and predominantly African-American neighborhoods have greater exposure to fast food outlets than higher income and predominantly white areas.[35] This has put into question whether urbanized neighborhoods were targeted, which causes a more unhealthy group of people compared to people from a higher socioeconomic status. It has also been shown that there is a lower chance of finding a fast food restaurant in a suburban neighborhood. In a study of selected US locations, Morland et al. (2002) found the number of fast food restaurants and bars was inversely proportional to the wealth of the neighborhood, and that predominantly African-American residential areas were four times less likely to have a supermarket near them than predominantly white areas.[36]

text: Innovations timeline[edit]

text:
1872: Walter Scott of Providence, RI outfitted a horse-drawn lunch wagon with a simple kitchen, bringing hot dinners to workers[37]
1902: First Horn & Hardart Automat opened in Philadelphia
1912: Horn & Hardart opens a second Automat in Manhattan
1916: Walter Anderson built the first White Castle in Wichita, KS in 1916, introducing the limited menu, high volume, low cost, high speed hamburger restaurant[37]
1919: A&W Root Beer took its product out of the soda fountain and into a roadside stand[37]
1921: A&W Root Beer began franchising its syrup[37]
1921: White Castle opens its first restaurant
1926: Maid-Rite opened its first restaurant in Muscatine, Iowa.
1930s: Howard Johnson's pioneered the concept of franchising restaurants, formally standardizing menus, signage, and advertising[37]
1948: In-N-Out Burger begins drive-through service utilizing call-box technology
1967: McDonald's opens its first restaurants outside the US.[38]
1971: McDonald's begins serving breakfast, test-marketing the Egg McMuffin in the US.[38]
1971: The first Starbucks store opens in Seattle, Washington in Pike Place Market to sell high-quality coffee beans and equipment
1980: 7-Eleven introduces the 32-US-fluid-ounce (950 ml) Big Gulp
1981: Arby's offers nutritional information
1987: Howard Schultz leads purchase of the Starbucks brand from its founders (who adopted the name Peet's) and begins offering coffee drinks modeled after those sold in Italian coffee bars
1994: McDonald's begins "supersizing" Extra Value Meals
1994: Arctic Circle becomes the first fast food restaurant to sell Angus beef exclusively.
1994: Arby's is first fast food restaurant to implement a no-smoking policy
2002: McDonald's cuts back on the amount of trans fat by 48 percent on french fries
2006: Arby's begins elimination of trans fat oils in french fries

tag: ul

text: Halal[edit]

text: The introduction of the halal option by some fast food companies saw the expansion of fast food chains into Muslim majority countries has resulted in a rise of restaurant options in non-western nations and has also increased revenue for some western restaurant chains.[39] Some outlets offering Halal options include KFC, Nando's, Pizza Express, and Subway. McDonald's carried out a trial but decided that the cost of operations would be too high.[40] There have also been court cases involving start-up businesses during attempts to alter the halal-certified method by machine killing, which is against the beliefs of some Muslims.[41] However, the trend towards halal has been unpopular in some communities which have at times resulted in internet petitions.[42]

text: Criticisms[edit]

text: The fast food industry is a popular target for critics, from anti-globalization activists like José Bové to vegetarian activist groups such as PETA as well as the workers themselves. A number of fast food worker strikes occurred in the United States in the 2010s.

text: In his best-selling 2001 book Fast Food Nation, investigative journalist Eric Schlosser leveled a broad, socioeconomic critique against the fast food industry, documenting how fast food rose from small, family-run businesses (like the McDonald brothers' burger joint) into large, multinational corporate juggernauts whose economies of scale radically transformed agriculture, meat processing, and labor markets in the late twentieth century. Schlosser argues that while the innovations of the fast food industry gave Americans more and cheaper dining options, it has come at the price of destroying the environment, economy, and small-town communities of rural America while shielding consumers from the real costs of their convenient meal, both in terms of health and the broader impact of large-scale food production and processing on workers, animals, and land.

text: The fast food industry is popular in the United States, the source of most of its innovation, and many major international chains are based there. Seen as symbols of US dominance and perceived cultural imperialism, American fast food franchises have often been the target of Anti-globalization protests and demonstrations against the US government. In 2005, for example, rioters in Karachi, Pakistan, who were initially angered because of the bombing of a Shiite mosque, destroyed a KFC restaurant.[43]

text: Legal issues[edit]

text: In 2003, McDonald's was sued in a New York court by a family who claimed that the restaurant chain was responsible for their teenage daughter's obesity and attendant health problems. By manipulating food's taste, sugar and fat content, and directing their advertising to children, the suit argued that the company purposely misleads the public about the nutritional value of its product. A judge dismissed the case, but the fast food industry disliked the publicity of its practices, particularly the way it targets children in its advertising.[44] Although further lawsuits have not materialized, the issue is kept alive in the media and political circles by those promoting the need for tort reform.[45]

text: In response to this, the "Cheeseburger Bill" [46] was passed by the US House of Representatives in 2004; it later stalled in the US Senate. The law was reintroduced in 2005, only to meet the same fate. This law was claimed to "[ban] frivolous lawsuits against producers and sellers of food and non-alcoholic drinks arising from obesity claims." The bill arose because of an increase in lawsuits against fast food chains by people who claimed that eating their products made them obese, disassociating themselves from any of the blame.


document_title: Turner & Hooch

question_text: who played the vet in turner and hooch

question_tokens: who played the vet in turner and hooch

text: Turner & Hooch

text: Plot

text: Scott Turner is a highly studious and obsessively well-ordered police investigator for the small northern California town of Cypress Beach. Bored with the lack of serious crime with his current work, Turner is set to transfer to a much better position in Sacramento, leaving fellow investigator David Sutton to replace him. Turner shows David around in the three days left before his transfer, meeting with long time friend Amos Reed for a final time. The two investigators are then called to the discovery of $8,000 found at the local beach - an unusual discovery for such a quiet community. That same evening, Amos is murdered by an affiliate of local seafood magnate Walter Boyett when Amos reveals his suspicions of Boyett's operations. Turner is alerted to the crime the following morning, ultimately resulting in Scott hesitantly taking in Hooch, Amos' pet Dogue de Bordeaux. Scott immediately takes Hooch to the new town veterinarian Emily Carson. Scott pleads with Emily to take in Hooch as he has no experience of handling such an animal before. However, Emily insists that Hooch will be good for Scott, who lives alone.

text: Immediately returning home however, Hooch's noisy, destructive nature clashes intensely with Scott's tightly tuned routine and lifestyle. Scott leaves Hooch alone one night to buy dog food, only to return to a home that has been completely ransacked by Hooch unintentionally. Furious, Scott kicks Hooch out, only to return later with Emily's female dog, Camille. Seeing an opportunity to get rid of Hooch, Scott drives both Hooch and Camille back to the veterinary clinic, only to be caught by Emily as he leaves. Emily invites Scott inside, and the two proceed to continue painting the house that Emily earlier abandoned for the night. Scott leaves later on and although he expresses his lack of interest in taking things further with Emily, it becomes clear that the two are starting to like each other.

text: Scott takes Hooch to the Police Precinct the next day, where a wedding occurs just across the street. Hooch identifies the wedding photographer as Amos' killer and gives chase, almost taking Scott's desk with him. The murderer is able to escape from his pursuers, but Scott is able to identify the killer as Zack Gregory, a former Marine with several prior arrests and also fits the profile in which Amos was killed (Scott had earlier speculated that Amos' murderer must have had special experience in killing as the stab wound performed on Amos ensured total discretion). Scott also speculates that Amos wasn't murdered in a robbery attempt, but in order for Zack to cover up an illegal operation near to where he lived. This theory matches with Amos' regular complaints to Scott about the noises he heard going on at Boyett Seafood, the company in which Zack is registered as an employee.

text: Celebrating the approval to search Boyett Seafood, Scott treats Hooch but notices his refusal to eat - Scott considering this as a consequence of Amos' death, the long term owner and presumably, only companion to Hooch. Scott and Hooch are seen to establish a closer bond with each other. The next day, the police search Boyett Seafood but find no evidence of any illegal activity. With his transfer pending the following day, Scott is relieved of jurisdiction of the case and is given to David by Police Chief Howard Hyde. Frustrated with reaching a dead end in the case, Scott meets with Emily, leading the two to spend the night together. In a eureka moment, Scott finally realises why the earlier search of Boyett Seafood turned up nothing - instead of searching for imports, Boyett Seafood was actually exporting goods. Armed with this new lead, Scott takes Hooch back to the factory to stake-out. The following morning, David arrives upon Scott's request with the earlier recovered $8,000 from the beach. On a hunch, Scott commands Hooch to trace the scent of the money to anything he can find within the factory, ultimately returning with the exact type of bag the wad was discovered in.

text: Scott travels to the Lazy Acres Motel, the false address that which Zack Gregory was listed as a tenant. Scott interrogates the Motel owner into revealing where Zack is, only to be held up at gunpoint by him moments later. Zack orders Scott into his car to drive away, but Scott crashes the Cadillac into a concrete barrier, propelling Zack through the windshield and pinning him down by the neck, provided assistance of Hooch. Scott interrogates Zack into revealing that he killed Amos, and also revealing that Walter Boyett is in on the illegal money trade going on at his factory, but is not in charge of it, to Scott's surprise. Scott returns with Hooch to the factory, and is unexpectedly joined by Chief Hyde. Already suspicious of Zack's earlier confession, Scott confronts Hyde, believing him to be in charge of the money laundering operation at the docks, using the gigantic ice cubes to cover the wads of cash being sent out of the country. A firefight soon occurs between Scott against Hyde and Boyett, with Hooch being able to ambush Boyett from above, although Boyett is able to shoot Hooch in the process. Confronting Hyde, Scott is initially coerced by the corrupt Police Chief to frame Boyett, who is subsequently killed by Hyde. However, Hyde knows that Scott is an entirely honest police officer, and calls his bluff. Hooch manages to struggle to his feet, and briefly distract Hyde long enough for Scott to kill him.

text: Realizing Hooch's wound, Scott races to Emily's clinic to save his life. However, Hooch, who lost a lot of blood, dies on the operating table, with a tearful Scott and Emily in audience. During the aftermath, Turner is made police chief while Sutton is the leading investigator. Turner is also married to Emily, with the couple now caring for Camille and her litter of puppies, one of whom that looks and acts exactly like Hooch.

text: Cast

text:
Tom Hanks as Detective Scott Turner
Beasley the Dog as Hooch
Mare Winningham as Dr. Emily Carson
Craig T. Nelson as Chief Howard Hyde
Reginald VelJohnson as Det. David Sutton
Scott Paulin as Zack Gregory
J. C. Quinn as Walter Boyett
John McIntire as Amos Reed
David Knell as Ernie
Ebbe Roe Smith as Harley McCabe
Kevin Scannell as Jeff Foster
Joel Bailey as Ferraday
Mary McCusker as Katie
Ernie Lively as Motel Clerk
Clyde Kusatsu as Kevin Williams
Elaine Renee Bush as Store Clerk
Eda Reiss Merin as Mrs. Remington

text: Production

text: This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: Hooch's real name was Beasley, and he was a Dogue de Bordeaux (French mastiff), a French breed of work dog developed in the 15th century. Beasley was born on a dog kennel in Merrimac, Wisconsin owned by Peter Curley. Beasley was later purchased along with three other dogs for production of the film and were trained by Clint Rowe, who makes a brief appearance in the film as an ASPCA officer. Beasley died in 1992, aged 14. Animal Makers created an exact replica of Hooch for the famous death scene. Beasley also had a stunt double by the name of Igor.[4]

text: Henry Winkler was the original director, Winker was fired thirteen days into production by studio executive Jeffrey Katzenberg, according to Winkler on the October 10, 2012 edition of The Howard Stern Show. Winkler said of his firing from directing the film, "Let's just say I got along better with Hooch than I did with Turner."

text: Many scenes were filmed on location in Monterey, Pacific Grove, and Moss Landing, California. "Cypress Beach" is fictional, using mostly Pacific Grove for shots such as the police department, the wedding foot chase, and the car chase down Ocean View Ave.

text: Reception and legacy

text: This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: Turner & Hooch gained a mixed response from critics, with a 52% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 27 reviews,[5] but it was a box office success.[1] No plans remain for a sequel despite its revived popularity following Hanks' rise to success.

text: NBC did a television pilot based on the film in 1990. It aired in the summer with another dog pilot, "Poochinski" under the banner, "Two Dog Night".

text: Turner & Hooch has been referred to in various films and television shows, including the NBC/ABC medical sitcom Scrubs, in which main characters J.D. and Turk modify shift schedules so that Doctors Turner and Hooch are teamed up as a surgical team in the episode "My Faith in Humanity" (Doctor Turner was played by Jim Hanks, Tom Hanks' brother). They actually make a good team, and are disappointed when they have to disband. Another episode has Turk offended at JD's assumption that Turner and Hooch was an interracial buddy movie, an assumption made based on the aforementioned Hooch. In the second season of Castle, Beckett and Castle compare themselves to Turner and Hooch, with Castle being Hooch. This comparison returned in the Castle season 7 episode Kill Switch.

text: During an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, O'Brien gave Tom Hanks a preserved dog skeleton, claiming it was his old friend Hooch. As one of O'Brien's first guests on The Tonight Show, Hanks improvised a song from an alleged Turner & Hooch stage musical. During the 2006 Academy Awards, Tom Hanks played in a sketch about acceptance speeches that ran on too long. In his comedic lengthy speech, he thanked Hooch.

text: The 2014 Tamil film Naaigal Jaakirathai is based on this film.[6][7]

text: Lawsuit

text: In April 2015, it was reported that Christine Turner Wagner, widow of producer Raymond Wagner, and Richard Dreyfuss have sued The Walt Disney Company over profits from Turner & Hooch and What About Bob? (1991), another Touchstone release which Dreyfuss starred in. The plaintiffs have claimed that Disney has refused to hire their chosen auditor, Robinson and Co.[8][9][10][11][12][13]


document_title: Lydia of Thyatira

question_text: what is a seller of purple in the bible

question_tokens: what is a seller of purple in the bible

text: Lydia of Thyatira

text: Name[edit]

text: The name, "Lydia", meaning "the Lydian woman", by which she was known indicates that she was from Lydia in Asia Minor. Though she is commonly known as “St. Lydia” or even more simply “The Woman of Purple,” Lydia is given other titles: “of Thyatira,” “Purpuraria,” and “of Philippi (‘Philippisia’ in Greek).” “[Lydia’s] name is an ethnicon, deriving from her place of origin”.[1] The first refers to her place of birth, which is a city in the Greek region of Lydia. The second comes from the Latin word for purple and relates to her connection with purple dye. Philippi was the city in which Lydia was living when she met St. Paul and his companions. All of these titles expound upon this woman’s background.

text: New Testament narrative[edit]

text: Acts 16 describes Lydia as follows:

text: A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and stay." So she persuaded us.

text: Wayne Grudem sees the story of Lydia as being an example of effectual calling.[2]

text: Background[edit]

text: Lydia was most likely a Greek Macedonian even though she lived in a Roman settlement.[3] She was evidently a well-to-do agent of a purple-dye firm in Thyatira, a city southeast of Pergamum and approximately 40 miles inland, across the Aegean Sea from Athens. Lydia insisted on giving hospitality to Apostle Paul and his companions in Philippi. They stayed with her until their departure, through Amphipolis and Apollonia, to Thessalonica (Acts 16:40-17:1).

text: Paul, Silas, and Timothy were traveling through the region of Philippi when they encounter “a reputable businesswoman and possibly a widow… [who] was a righteous Gentile or ‘God-fearer’ attracted to Judaism”.[4] “[S]he was one of a large group [considered]…sympathizers with Judaism, believers in the one God, but who had not yet become ‘proselytes’ or taken the final step to conversion to Judaism”.[5]

text: Because these encounters and events take place “in what is now Europe,” Lydia is considered “the first ‘European’ Christian convert”.[6]

text: Profession[edit]

text: “Thyatira in the province of Lydia (located in what is now western Turkey) was famous for the red [variety of purple] dye”.[1] Lydia of Thyatira is most known as a “seller” or merchant of purple cloth, which is the likely reason for the Catholic Church naming her “patroness of dyers.” It is unclear as to if Lydia simply dealt in the trade of purple dye or whether her business included textiles as well,[7] though all known icons of the saint depict her with some form of purple cloth. Most portray this holy woman wearing a purple shawl or veil, which allows many historians and theologians to believe that she was a merchant of specifically purple cloth.

text: Social status[edit]

text: There is some speculation regarding Lydia’s social status. Theologians disagree as to whether Lydia was a free woman or servant. “There is no direct evidence that Lydia had once been a slave, but the fact that her name is her place of origin rather than a personal name suggests this as at least a possibility”.[5] Ascough cites other examples of noble women named Lydia from the first or second centuries,[8] so it is unlikely that she was actually a slave or servant.

text: Marital status[edit]

text: Because women did not possess the same equality rights as modern women, it appears unusual that Lydia would be capable of inviting a group of foreign men to her house without a man’s consent. “The fact that there is no mention of a man has been used to deduce that she was a widow, but this has been challenged as a patriarchal interpretation”.[5] Lydia’s evident social power exemplified by her control of a household and ownership of a house (which she offered to St. Paul and his companions) indicates that she was most likely a free woman and possibly a widow.[9]

text: Feast day[edit]

text: Many Christian denominations recognize Lydia of Thyatira as a saint, though her feast day varies greatly. In the Catholic Church, her feast day is August 3.[10][11] The Episcopal Church honors St. Lydia along with Sts. Dorcas and Phoebe with a feast day in its liturgical calendar on January 27, the day after the remembrance of the early male missionaries Timothy, Titus and Silas, and two days after the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.[12] Therefore, she is honored on that date.

text: Eastern Orthodox Churches remember Lydia on various days, with some jurisdictions remembering her twice during a liturgical year. Many Eastern Orthodox churches, including the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, remember St. Lydia on May 20.[13][14][15] However, some divisions of the Russian Orthodox Church (other than the Orthodox Church in America) observe both June 25 and March 27 as her feast days.[16]

text: The Lutheran community is also divided. The ELCA commemorates Sts. Lydia, Dorcas and Phoebe on January 27,[17] while the LCMS celebrates the three women on October 25.[18]

text: Devotion[edit]

text: Devotion to St. Lydia is greater in the Orthodox Church than in the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, and this is evident by the myriad of icons depicting this woman. The Orthodox Churches have given her the title of “Equal to the Apostles,” which signifies her importance and level of holiness. There is a church located in Philippi, which many consider to be built in St. Lydia’s honor. A modern baptistry is located on the traditional site where Lydia was baptized by St. Paul near Philippi as well.[19]


document_title: ÷ Tour

question_text: who is opening for ed sheeran at oracle arena

text: ÷ Tour

text: Background[edit]

text: The morning of 26 January 2017, through Sheeran social networks, the dates of the tour for Europe were announced. Hours later through the same networks were announced the dates for Latin America. Tickets for the tour sold out quickly, prompting new dates to be added in London, Turin and Santiago. On 13 February 2017 it was announced that he would be part of the line up for a week of gigs at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust taking place on the 28 March 2017.[5] On 22 February 2017, Sheeran announced through his social networks that Anne-Marie and Ryan McMullan would be the opening acts for the UK and European dates.[6] On 8 March 2017, Sheeran announced the North America leg would start on 29 June 2017, until 6 October 2017.[7] On the North American Arena Tour, Sheeran's opening act was James Blunt, a singer popular in the early 2000s, except for two dates in Indianapolis and Cleveland, where the opener was Joshua Radin. He toured to places such as Las Vegas, Nevada and Glendale, Arizona.

text: Set list[edit]

text: This set list is representative of the show on March 16, 2017, in Turin. It is not representative of all concerts for the duration of the tour.[8]

text:
"Castle on the Hill"
"Eraser"
"The A Team"
"Don't" / "New Man"
"Dive"
"Bloodstream"
"Happier"
"Galway Girl"
"How Would You Feel (Paean)"
"Human" (Rag'n'Bone Man cover)
"I'm a Mess"
"Photograph"
"Perfect"
"Nancy Mulligan"
"Thinking Out Loud"
"Sing"

tag: ol

text:
"Shape of You"
"You Need Me, I Don't Need You"
"What Do I Know?"

text: Tour dates[edit]

text:
List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, opening acts, tickets sold, amount of available tickets and gross revenue

Date
City
Country
Venue
Opening acts
Attendance
Revenue

Leg 1 — Europe[1][9]

16 March 2017
Turin
Italy
Pala Alpitour
Anne-Marie
Ryan McMullan
23,255 / 23,255
$1,223,750

17 March 2017

19 March 2017
Zürich
Switzerland
Hallenstadion
14,000 / 14,000
$1,156,950

20 March 2017
Munich
Germany
Olympiahalle
12,076 / 12,076
$932,166

22 March 2017
Mannheim
SAP Arena
10,843 / 10,843
$753,785

23 March 2017
Cologne
Lanxess Arena
16,223 / 16,223
$1,138,720

26 March 2017
Hamburg
Barclaycard Arena Hamburg
12,779 / 13,227
$837,705

27 March 2017
Berlin
Mercedes-Benz Arena
14,104 / 14,104
$1,036,360

28 March 2017[a]
London
England
Royal Albert Hall
N/A
N/A
N/A

30 March 2017
Stockholm
Sweden
Ericsson Globe
Anne-Marie
Ryan McMullan
14,024 / 14,024
$1,024,640

1 April 2017
Herning
Denmark
Jyske Bank Boxen
14,814 / 14,996
$1,268,380

3 April 2017
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Ziggo Dome
33,255 / 33,255
$2,115,870

4 April 2017

5 April 2017
Antwerp
Belgium
Sportpaleis
21,109 / 21,151
$1,325,480

6 April 2017
Paris
France
AccorHotels Arena
15,988 / 15,988
$801,973

8 April 2017
Madrid
Spain
Wizink Center
15,748 / 15,748
$908,417

9 April 2017
Barcelona
Palau Sant Jordi
17,476 / 17,476
$955,236

12 April 2017
Dublin
Republic of Ireland
3Arena
25,538 / 25,538
$2,156,330

13 April 2017

16 April 2017
Glasgow
Scotland
SSE Hydro
25,220 / 25,220
$1,997,460

17 April 2017

19 April 2017
Newcastle
England
Metro Radio Arena
21,558 / 21,558
$1,657,950

20 April 2017

22 April 2017
Manchester
Manchester Arena
31,333 / 31,379
$2,631,120

23 April 2017

25 April 2017
Nottingham
Motorpoint Arena
18,790 / 18,790
$1,607,780

26 April 2017

28 April 2017
Birmingham
Barclaycard Arena Birmingham
30,994 / 30,994
$2,630,310

29 April 2017

1 May 2017
London
The O2 Arena
55,708 / 55,708
$5,093,280

2 May 2017

3 May 2017

Leg 2 — Latin America[10]

13 May 2017
Lima
Peru
Estadio Nacional
Antonio Lulic
19,745 / 19,745
$1,299,630

15 May 2017
Santiago
Chile
Movistar Arena
Intimate Stranger
Antonio Lulic
26,983 / 26,983
$2,087,600

16 May 2017

20 May 2017
La Plata
Argentina
Estadio Ciudad de La Plata
Benjamin Amadeo
Antonio Lulic
33,584 / 33,584
$2,303,960

23 May 2017
Curitiba
Brazil
Pedreira Paulo Leminski
Antonio Lulic
17,400 / 17,400
$1,369,190

25 May 2017
Rio de Janeiro
Jeunesse Arena
12,087 / 12,087
$995,741

28 May 2017
São Paulo
Allianz Parque
37,075 / 37,075
$3,379,710

30 May 2017
Belo Horizonte
Esplanada do Minerão
14,143 / 14,143
$1,039,570

2 June 2017
Bogotá
Colombia
Simón Bolívar Park
Sebastián Yatra
Antonio Lulic
15,588 / 15,588
$1,176,970

4 June 2017
San Juan
Puerto Rico
José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum
Yebba Smith[11][12]
14,426 / 14,426
$1,017,458

6 June 2017
Alajuela
Costa Rica
Parque Viva
Antonio Lulic
17,464 / 17,464
$1,288,350

10 June 2017
Mexico City
Mexico
Palacio de los Deportes
21,429 / 21,500
$1,333,238

12 June 2017
Guadalajara
Arena VFG
11,648 / 12,204
$966,096

14 June 2017
Monterrey
Auditorio Citibanamex
7,865 / 8,084
$910,014

Leg 3 — Europe[1][13]

22 June 2017[b]
London
England
The O2 Arena
Fuse ODG
18,552 / 19,085
$1,678,980

25 June 2017[c]
Pilton
Worthy Farm
N/A
N/A
N/A

Leg 4 — North America[1][15]

29 June 2017
Kansas City
United States
Sprint Center
James Blunt
13,382 / 13,382
$1,217,313

30 June 2017
Des Moines
Wells Fargo Arena
13,375 / 13,375
$1,078,939

1 July 2017
Saint Paul
Xcel Energy Center
14,938 / 14,938
$1,375,063

7 July 2017
Toronto
Canada
Air Canada Centre
30,516 / 30,516
$2,554,110

8 July 2017

9 July 2017
Buffalo
United States
KeyBank Center
14,305 / 14,305
$1,167,095

11 July 2017
Philadelphia
Wells Fargo Center
28,922 / 28,922
$2,633,260

12 July 2017

14 July 2017
Uncasville
Mohegan Sun Arena
13,670 / 13,670
$1,384,770

15 July 2017

18 July 2017
Quebec City
Canada
Videotron Centre
13,611 / 13,611
$1,162,530

19 July 2017
Montreal
Bell Centre
15,264 / 15,264
$1,281,710

22 July 2017
Winnipeg
Bell MTS Place
11,843 / 11,843
$1,009,380

23 July 2017
Saskatoon
SaskTel Centre
12,585 / 12,585
$1,059,270

25 July 2017
Edmonton
Rogers Place
27,411 / 27,411
$2,343,200

26 July 2017

28 July 2017
Vancouver
Rogers Arena
14,070 / 14,070
$1,212,330

29 July 2017
Tacoma
United States
Tacoma Dome
19,538 / 19,538
$1,575,039

30 July 2017
Portland
Moda Center
13,420 / 13,420
$1,074,959

1 August 2017
Sacramento
Golden 1 Center
13,424 / 13,424
$1,220,937

2 August 2017
Oakland
Oracle Arena
13,662 / 13,662
$1,219,722

4 August 2017
Las Vegas
T-Mobile Arena
15,243 / 15,243
$1,326,231

5 August 2017
Glendale
Gila River Arena
13,654 / 13,654
$1,239,478

6 August 2017
San Diego
Valley View Casino Center
10,233 / 10,233
$917,154

10 August 2017
Los Angeles
Staples Center
40,731 / 40,731
$3,622,204

11 August 2017

12 August 2017

15 August 2017
Denver
Pepsi Center
12,917 / 12,917
$1,159,523

17 August 2017
Tulsa
BOK Center
12,069 / 12,069
$961,178

18 August 2017
Dallas
American Airlines Center
13,632 / 13,632
$1,207,645

19 August 2017
Houston
Toyota Center
11,811 / 11,811
$1,067,592

22 August 2017
San Antonio
AT&T Center
13,928 / 13,928
$1,112,573

25 August 2017
Duluth
Infinite Energy Arena
21,055 / 21,055
$1,970,117

26 August 2017

29 August 2017
Tampa
Amalie Arena
13,459 / 13,459
$1,076,537

30 August 2017
Miami
American Airlines Arena
12,813 / 12,813
$1,144,534

31 August 2017
Orlando
Amway Center
12,360 / 12,360
$1,007,408

2 September 2017
Raleigh
PNC Arena
13,805 / 13,805
$1,134,012

3 September 2017
Charlotte
Spectrum Center
13,927 / 13,927
$1,243,772

5 September 2017
North Charleston
North Charleston Coliseum
—
—

7 September 2017
Louisville
KFC Yum! Center
—
—

8 September 2017
Indianapolis
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Joshua Radin
—
—

9 September 2017
Cleveland
Quicken Loans Arena
—
—

12 September 2017
Omaha
CenturyLink Center Omaha
James Blunt
—
—

15 September 2017
Rosemont
Allstate Arena
—
—

16 September 2017

19 September 2017
Washington, D.C.
Capital One Arena
—
—

20 September 2017

22 September 2017
Boston
TD Garden
—
—

23 September 2017

26 September 2017
Pittsburgh
PPG Paints Arena
—
—

27 September 2017
Detroit
Little Caesars Arena
—
—

29 September 2017
Brooklyn
Barclays Center
—
—

30 September 2017

1 October 2017

3 October 2017
Columbus
Nationwide Arena
—
—

4 October 2017

6 October 2017
Nashville
Bridgestone Arena
—
—

7 October 2017

Leg 5 — Asia[1][16][17][18]

11 November 2017
Singapore
Singapore Indoor Stadium
TBA
—
—

12 November 2017

14 November 2017
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Axiata Arena
—
—

16 November 2017
Bangkok
Thailand
IMPACT Arena
—
—

19 November 2017
Mumbai
India
JioGarden
—
—

23 November 2017
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Autism Rocks Arena
—
—

Leg 6 — Oceania[1][19][20]

2 March 2018
Perth
Australia
Perth Stadium
TBA
—
—

3 March 2018

7 March 2018
Adelaide
Adelaide Oval
—
—

9 March 2018
Melbourne
Etihad Stadium
—
—

10 March 2018

11 March 2018

12 March 2018

15 March 2018
Sydney
ANZ Stadium
—
—

16 March 2018

17 March 2018

20 March 2018
Brisbane
Suncorp Stadium
—
—

21 March 2018

24 March 2018
Auckland
New Zealand
Mount Smart Stadium
—
—

25 March 2018

26 March 2018

29 March 2018
Dunedin
Forsyth Barr Stadium
—
—

31 March 2018

1 April 2018

Leg 7 — Asia[21]

8 April 2018[d]
Manila
Philippines
Mall of Asia Concert Grounds
TBA
—
—

11 April 2018[e]
Osaka
Japan
Osaka-jō Hall
—
—

13 April 2018[f]
Tokyo
Nippon Budokan
—
—

14 April 2018[f]

Leg 8 — Europe[1][22]

4 May 2018
Cork
Republic of Ireland
Páirc Uí Chaoimh
TBA
—
—

5 May 2018

6 May 2018

9 May 2018
Belfast
Northern Ireland
Boucher Playing Fields
—
—

12 May 2018
Galway
Republic of Ireland
Pearse Stadium
—
—

13 May 2018

16 May 2018
Dublin
Phoenix Park
—
—

18 May 2018

19 May 2018

24 May 2018
Manchester
England
Etihad Stadium
—
—

25 May 2018

26 May 2018

27 May 2018

1 June 2018
Glasgow
Scotland
Hampden Park
—
—

2 June 2018

3 June 2018

8 June 2018
Newcastle
England
St James' Park
—
—

9 June 2018

10 June 2018

14 June 2018
London
Wembley Stadium
—
—

15 June 2018

16 June 2018

17 June 2018

21 June 2018
Cardiff
Wales
Principality Stadium
—
—

22 June 2018

23 June 2018

24 June 2018

28 June 2018
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Amsterdam Arena
—
—

29 June 2018

1 July 2018
Werchter
Belgium
Werchter Festival Park
—
—

6 July 2018
Paris
France
Stade de France
—
—

7 July 2018

10 July 2018
Gothenburg
Sweden
Ullevi
—
—

11 July 2018
—
—

14 July 2018
Stockholm
Friends Arena
—
—

19 July 2018
Berlin
Germany
Olympiastadion
—
—

22 July 2018
Essen
Flughafen Essen/Mülheim
—
—

25 July 2018
Hamburg
Trabrennbahn Bahrenfeld
—
—

29 July 2018
Munich
Olympiastadion
—
—

30 July 2018

3 August 2018
Zürich
Switzerland
Letzigrund
—
—

4 August 2018

7 August 2018
Vienna
Austria
Ernst-Happel-Stadion
—
—

8 August 2018

11 August 2018
Warsaw
Poland
PGE Narodowy
—
—

12 August 2018

Leg 9 — North America[1]

18 August 2018
Pasadena
United States
Rose Bowl
TBA
—
—

25 August 2018
Seattle
CenturyLink Field
—
—

30 August 2018
Toronto
Canada
Rogers Centre
—
—

31 August 2018

6 September 2018
St. Louis
United States
Busch Stadium
—
—

15 September 2018
Foxborough
Gillette Stadium
—
—

22 September 2018
East Rutherford
MetLife Stadium
—
—

27 September 2018
Philadelphia
Lincoln Financial Field
—
—

13 October 2018
Kansas City
Arrowhead Stadium
—
—

17 October 2018
Fargo
Fargodome
—
—

20 October 2018
Minneapolis
U.S. Bank Stadium
—
—

27 October 2018
Arlington
AT&T Stadium
—
—

31 October 2018
New Orleans
Mercedes-Benz Superdome
—
—

3 November 2018
Houston
Minute Maid Park
—
—

7 November 2018
Tampa
Raymond James Stadium
—
—

10 November 2018
Atlanta
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
—
—

Total
1,228,397 / 1,230,494 (99%)
$98,859,754

text: Cancelled shows[edit]

text:
List of cancelled concerts, showing date, city, country, venue and reason for cancellation

Date
City
Country
Venue
Reason

17 September 2017
St. Louis
United States
Scottrade Center
Safety concerns[23]

22 October 2017
Taipei
Taiwan
Nangang Exhibition Center
Bone fractures in the arms from a bike accident[21]

29 October 2017
Seoul
South Korea
The 88 Garden

4 November 2017
Hong Kong
AsiaWorld–Expo

5 November 2017

9 November 2017
Jakarta
Indonesia
Indonesia Convention Exhibition

text: Notes[edit]

text:
Jump up ^ The show on 28 March 2017, in London at Royal Albert Hall is part of Teenage Cancer Trust fundraising week.[5]
Jump up ^ The show on 22 June 2017, in London at The O2 Arena is part of the venue's 10th anniversary celebrations.[14]
Jump up ^ The show on 25 June 2017, in Pilton at Worthy Farm is part of the Glastonbury Festival.
Jump up ^ The show on 8 April 2018, in Manila at the Mall of Asia Concert Grounds was originally scheduled for 7 November 2017, but was postponed due to Sheeran's injury from a bike accident.[21]
Jump up ^ The show on 11 April 2018, in Osaka at the Osaka-jō Hall was originally scheduled for 25 October 2017, but was postponed due to Sheeran's injury from a bike accident.[21]
^ Jump up to: a b The shows on 13 and 14 April 2018, in Tokyo at the Nippon Budokan was originally scheduled for 31 October and 1 November 2017, but was postponed due to Sheeran's injury from a bike accident.[21]


document_title: Al Bundy

question_text: what football team did al bundy play for

text: Al Bundy

text: Character history[edit]

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

text: Al Bundy is a simple, working-class man, forever regretful of the turns his life has taken since the end of high school. He was a star running back on the Polk High School football team. However, marriage and a broken leg prevented him from attending university on a college football scholarship.

text: Al is married to Peggy, whom he mistakenly asked to marry him while drunk. They have two children: Kelly, a promiscuous dumb blonde, and Bud, an intelligent but perpetually horny and unpopular schemer named after a brand of beer. In two separate episodes Peg refers to Al as Allen. Al lives in a suburb of Chicago and is the proud owner of a 1970s Dodge automobile (although the model shown occasionally on-screen is a Plymouth Duster, it is referred to throughout the series as simply "The Dodge"). He works as a shoe salesman at the fictional Gary's Shoes and Accessories for Today's Woman in the fictional New Market Mall. Al hates his job, loses it several times throughout the series, yet always ends up coming back to it. There is a running joke throughout the show that Al makes minimum-wage. However, in one episode, Al is offered early retirement and given a year's pay: $12,000, yet in another he says that after taxes and Peggy's spending he only gets one nickel out of every paycheck. In "My Mom, The Mom", Al states that he earns a 10% commission on each sale. In "Weenie Tot Lovers and Other Strangers", Peg states that his paycheck was for "80 pesos". The family also brought in income through game-shows, theft, various absurd schemes and mooching off of the Rhoades/D'Arcy's wealth throughout the series.

text: Throughout the series, Al is continually saddled with massive debts caused by everything from the various disasters he becomes involved in to his wife's extravagant spending habits. However, he never appears to miss a mortgage payment or file for bankruptcy. The "Bundy Will", passed down from generation to generation as a punishment, indebted the "benefactor" with these debts that Al Bundy has incurred. In the episode "England Show I", it was stated that Al's ancestor Seamus McBundy insulted an obese witch, and brought a curse upon the fictional Bundy ancestral town of Lower Uncton in England.

text: In flashbacks, it is revealed that Al's mother may have been an alcoholic. While pondering his shortcomings over a toothpaste sandwich, he relives a moment where his mother tells him that he can become anything while audibly saying "Yeah right, Mom, try saying that when you're sober!" In a similar situation, he asks her if she wants her Bloody Mary. In one flashback episode, Al had an overdue library book for 30 years; he tries to get out of paying a $2,163.20 library fine by tricking the librarian (an old enemy of his) into believing that he had returned it years before, only to have his trick revealed on closed-circuit TV on Chicago television.

text: Most of the show's running gags concern Al. Aside from his bad luck, Al also maintains a "do-it-yourself" attitude whenever something in the house needs repair. Combined with his creativity, poor judgement, and lack of skill, this usually produces absurd results, and often involves physical injury to Al. Al is also frequently described as being careless about hygiene: he is often told that he smells bad. He is often seen leaving restrooms, even public ones, with a newspaper tucked under his arm, to the sound of a toilet flushing. A running gag is that Al showers and brushes his teeth as rarely as he has sex, which is extremely infrequent, as he continually rejects and avoids Peggy's advances.

text: Al is disliked by his neighbors. In "Route 666" Marcy D'Arcy said that when they thought Al had died, they all started dancing and singing "Ding dong, the shoe man's dead" and called it a "cruel, cruel hoax" when they learned it was a false alarm — as usual, Al had survived his latest misadventure. In another example of the neighborhood's distaste of Al during "You Better Shop Around", after he blacked out everyone's houses during a heatwave, the neighbors attempt to attack him with pitchforks and torches. Other people pay little to no attention to him and, as a result, his name often ends up misspelled on paychecks, reserved parking spots, etc. (e.g., "Bumby", "Boondy" or "Birdy").

text: Despite being a somewhat phlegmatic and slow person, Bundy has a sarcastic and cynical sense of humor; he also has a definite love for his family. Examples can be seen on the rare occasions when he enjoys luxury and money. In one episode, Peggy and Al receive free first class plane tickets to New York City from Marcy. They are shown sipping champagne together and singing "I Got You, Babe". In another episode, Al's Dodge turns up missing and the only reason that he wants it back is to recover an item in the trunk. The item turns out to be a family photo of Al, Peg, Kelly and Bud together. This suggests that his distaste for them is spawned merely by his disappointment in his extremely poor quality of life.

text: Al dislikes fat women and repeatedly insults them to their faces with one-liners, a behavior he has engaged in since he was a child. He also hates his job, the prospect of having sex with his wife, his feminist neighbor Marcy, and the French. He loves nudie magazines, free beer, bowling and "nudie" bars, and often cherishes the glory moment of his past: scoring four touchdowns in a single game while playing for the fictional Polk High School Panthers in the 1966 city championship game versus fictional Andrew Johnson High School, including the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds against his old nemesis, "Spare Tire" Dixon (played by Bubba Smith in the episode "All-Nite Security Dude"). Another episode "Damn Bundys" featured Al selling his soul to the devil (played by Robert Englund) in order to lead the Chicago Bears to the Super Bowl[3] as the oldest rookie in NFL history; Al scores the touchdown and ends up in hell with his family and neighbors for 300 years. (In real life, O'Neill, a college football standout, tried out for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969, the first season of Hall of Famers Chuck Noll and "Mean Joe" Greene, but was cut in training camp, leading to O'Neill re-enrolling at Youngstown State University and starting his acting career there).[4] In the Season 8 episode "Dud Bowl II", a scoreboard at Polk High's football stadium was to be dedicated to Al, but Marcy had arranged for it to instead be named after Terry Bradshaw (who says later in the episode that he never played football while attending Polk High) out of malice; but after hearing from Kelly how much it would mean to her father if the scoreboard honored him, Bradshaw decides to let the scoreboard to be named after Al. Al did not know this and he arranged to have Jefferson and Bud blow up the scoreboard.

text: He is a fan of oldies music, and a fan of westerns. His favorite movie is Hondo (which he missed once in the episode "Assault and Batteries", after having been knocked unconscious when a cash register he threw at an automatic door in frustration bounced off the door and hit him in the head), and his favorite sitcom is the fictional Psycho Dad (he led an unsuccessful protest to have the show put back on the air after it was canceled due to its violent content, leading Al and his NO MA'AM organization members to go to Washington, D.C.). Politically, Al appears to have mixed views with a somewhat conservative outlook (various episodes depict him as mocking Rush Limbaugh, whereas others show him as a huge fan of John Wayne, in particular his movie Hondo). He is an ardent admirer of President Dwight D Eisenhower, and he often battles his feminist neighbor Marcy, but later in an homage to his time as Al Bundy, Ed O'Neill reprised the role of Al showing his support for the then-candidate, Barack Obama's tax plan, however this was not part of the official canon. The plan was said to give "Al the Shoe Salesman" a $1,000 federal tax break. Bundy's favorite magazine is Big'uns, though an early episode used an issue of Playboy instead. He enjoys watching sports and adult movies on television, with his right hand tucked into his waistband (he switches to his left hand on Sundays). Though he almost always resists Peggy's frequent amorous advances, he is shown to have a particular fondness for her breasts, which she refers to as "the guys".

text: Al's talents include bowling (he is an extremely gifted bowler), barbecueing (while wearing an apron that says "Kiss the Cook, Kill the Wife"), and getting into and winning fistfights. He can survive incredible injuries ranging from falling off his roof while installing a satellite dish, getting shocked by that same dish, and being pulverized by a massive woman wrestler (Big Bad Mama from Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) in Las Vegas, to jumping from an airplane without a parachute, and surviving a huge explosion when he accidentally detonates dynamite in his own yard trying to kill a rabbit who has been eating his vegetable garden.

text: Reception[edit]

text: Al Bundy had a highly positive reception. A lot of the praise went to O'Neill's portrayal of the character.[5][6] Al and Peg were named the 59th best TV characters by Bravo.[7]