Big Rapids, Michigan

Big Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,601 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Mecosta County. The city is located within Big Rapids Township, but is politically independent. Big Rapids is home of the main campus of Ferris State University, a four-year public university, well-known for its College of Pharmacy and the Michigan College of Optometry, as well as its NCAA Division I hockey team, the Bulldogs.

History

Big Rapids was settled in 1855 by George French and his brother Zera. It became the seat of Mecosta County in 1859. The village was platted in 1859. It was incorporated as a city in 1869.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.48 square miles (11.60 km²), of which 4.36 square miles (11.29 km²) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.31 km²) is water. Like most of the central Michigan area, it lies on the ancient sea bed and has a sandy subsoil which lies above an iron ore base. The Muskegon River runs through Big Rapids, passing both Ferris State University and the local middle school on its way to Lake Michigan. Numerous small lakes are within a few miles of the city.

Rapids

Rapids are sections of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient, causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence. Rapids are hydrological features between a run (a smoothly flowing part of a stream) and a cascade. Rapids are characterised by the river becoming shallower with some rocks exposed above the flow surface. As flowing water splashes over and around the rocks, air bubbles become mixed in with it and portions of the surface acquire a white colour, forming what is called "whitewater". Rapids occur where the bed material is highly resistant to the erosive power of the stream in comparison with the bed downstream of the rapids. Very young streams flowing across solid rock may be rapids for much of their length.

Rapids are categorized in classes, generally running from I to VI. A Class 5 rapid may be categorized as Class 5.1-5.9. While class I rapids are easy to negotiate and require no maneuvering, class VI rapids pose threat to life with little or no chance for rescue.

Rapids!

Rapids! were an indie rock band from Bournemouth, England, which formed in August 2009.

Career

Rapids! held their debut gig in a small bar in Bournemouth in October 2009. They released their first three track, self-titled EP in November 2009, limited to 200 copies and containing their earliest songs: "Maps", "Void" and "The Elitist". Following further time in the studio, they released a six track EP in March 2010, building on their first three tracks with the songs "Fuses", "Economics" and "Inland Empire".

Between October 2009 and early 2010, Rapids! played a large number of shows across the south coast of England, gaining favourable reviews in Artrocker and Rocksound, as well as having airplay on John Kennedy’s XFM show. The band signed to the London based record label, Heist Or Hit Records, in July 2009.

In summer 2010, a year after forming, Rapids! built on the earlier XFM radio play with the track "Fuses" being played by Tom Robinson. Steve Lamacq invited the band on to his show for a live interview and radio play. In September 2010, Rapids! played a live session for BBC Introducing on BBC 6 Music.

Real-Time Automated Personnel Identification System

The Real-Time Automated Personnel Identification System (RAPIDS) is a United States Department of Defense (DoD) system used to issue the definitive credential within DoD. RAPIDS uses information stored in the DoD Defense Enrollment and Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) when providing these credentials. Used together, these two systems are commonly referred to as a DEERS/RAPIDS system or DEERS/RAPIDS infrastructure.

Objectives

RAPIDS performs the following functions:

These objectives are explained further below.

Authenticating individuals

RAPIDS ensures that DoD identification credentials are provided only to personnel with a current and appropriate affiliation with the DoD

Capture unique identifying characteristics

RAPIDS captures identifying characteristics that are unique and are used to bind an individual to the information maintained in DEERS and in line with the identifying credentials issued by RAPIDS. These include, but are not limited to: