Climbing

Climbing is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or any other part of the body to ascend a steep object. It is done recreationally, competitively, in trades that rely on it, and in emergency rescue and military operations. It is done indoors and out, on natural and manmade structures.

Types

Climbing activities include:

Sport climbing

Sport climbing is a form of rock climbing that relies on permanent anchors fixed to the rock, and bolts placed on rappel and/or with cordless power hammer drills for protection. In contrast, in crack climbing the rock is typically devoid of fixed anchors and bolts and climbers must place removable protection as they climb. Sport climbing differs from traditional bolted face climbing where bolts were drilled with a hand drill while lead climbing. Power drilled bolts tend to be much closer together then hand drilled bolts. That means that a lead fall on sport bolts will be shorter then on trad bolts. Since the need to place protection is virtually eliminated, sport climbing places an emphasis on gymnastic-like ability, strength, and endurance, whereas traditional crack and face climbing emphasizes adventure, risk and self-sufficiency.

Basics

On a sport climbing route, pre-placed bolts follow a 'line' up a rock face. Sport climbs can vary in length from a few metres to a full 60-metre (200 ft) rope length for multi-pitch climbs. The climbs might be equipped with just a few bolts or many.

Climbing specialist

A climbing specialist is a road bicycle racer who can ride especially well on highly inclined roads, such as those found among hills or mountains.

Role of climber in a race

In a sustained climb, the average speed declines, the aerodynamic advantage of drafting is diminished and the setting of the group pace becomes more important. A good climber modulates his speed and chooses the best line on a climb, allowing the following riders to have an easier job. If the group maintains a high tempo, it is more difficult for a rider to attack and ride away from the group.

Another important role in climbing is that of attacker or counter-attacker. Climbing specialists use their superior abilities either to attack on climbs and thereby gap the competitors, knowing that only other climbing specialists will be able to stay with them, or simply to maintain a high pace that others cannot match. A successful escape can help the climber achieve a victory if the race has a mountain-top finish, or even in a flat finish if the climber is able to maintain his lead after the climb is over. Climbing stages, along with individual time trials, are key stages in winning long stage races.

Madí

Madí (or MADI) is an international abstract art movement initiated in Buenos Aires in 1946 by the Hungarian-Argentinian artist and poet Gyula Kosice, and the Uruguayans Carmelo Arden Quin and Rhod Rothfuss.

Concrete art

The movement encompasses all branches of art (the plastic and pictorial arts, music, literature, theater, architecture, dance, etc.) and promotes concrete art (i.e., non-representational geometric abstraction). The artists in the Madí movement typically focus on the concrete, physical reality of the medium and play with the traditional conventions of Western art (for instance, by creating works on irregularly-shaped canvases). Representatives of the movement, in addition to Kosice, Quin and Rothfuss, are Martín Blaszko, Waldo Longo, Juan Bay, Esteban Eitler, Diyi Laañ, Valdo Wellington, among others.

Origin of the name

Gyula Kosice has explained that the name for the movement is derived from the Republican motto in the Spanish Civil War, "Madrí, Madrí, no pasarán" ("Madrid, Madrid, they will not make it in", i.e., the Francoist forces will not invade Madrid). The name is most typically understood as an acronym for Movimiento, Abstracción, Dimensión, Invención (Movement, Abstraction, Dimension, Invention).

Mad (village)

Mad (Hungarian: Nagymad, Hungarian pronunciation:[ˈnɒɟmɒd]) is a village and municipality in the Dunajská Streda District in the Trnava Region of south-west Slovakia.

Geography

The municipality lies at an altitude of 114 metres and covers an area of 7.714 km².

History

In the 9th century, the territory of Mad became part of the Kingdom of Hungary. The village was first recorded in 1254 as Mod, in 1260 as Nagmod. Until the end of World War I, it was part of Hungary and fell within the Dunaszerdahely district of Pozsony County. After the Austro-Hungarian army disintegrated in November 1918, Czechoslovakian troops occupied the area. After the Treaty of Trianon of 1920, the village became officially part of Czechoslovakia. In November 1938, the First Vienna Award granted the area to Hungary and it was held by Hungary until 1945. After Soviet occupation in 1945, Czechoslovakian administration returned and the village became officially part of Czechoslovakia in 1947.

Demography

In 1910, the village had 438, for the most part, Hungarian inhabitants. At the 2001 Census the recorded population of the village was 469 while an end-2008 estimate by the Statistical Office had the villages's population as 509. As of 2001, 95,74 per cent of its population was Hungarian while 4,05 per cent was Slovakian. Roman Catholicism is the majority religion of the village, its adherents numbering 69.51% of the total population.

Mad (band)

Mad is a hard rock band from Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was formed in 1997.

Biography

Formed in 1996, the band consists of Tomy Casparri (lead vocals), Diego Castelli (bass), Julián Méndez Morgan (guitar), Pelusa Suffloni (guitar) and Rodrigo Chaparro (drums). With a "sound of powerful and overwhelming rock" they began by playing in the local underground rock scene.

They soon recorded their self-titled debut album 'MAD' which was released in 1998 and gained reasonable radio airplay having been well received by the critcis. They were subsequently invited to play in several rock festivals organised by Rock and Pop FM and recorded two songs for a 4K Records CD compilation.

In 2000 Mad was chosen by Eric Singer (former drummer of KISS) to support him for his KISS Exposition in Buenos Aires. In the same year they were chosen to play twice in Mar Del Plata city and also in Buenos Aires as the headlining act at a music festival organised by the national beer, Quilmes.

In January 2001 Mad played to a crowd of 50,000 people in the Monsters Of Rock Festival opening for Iron Maiden, Rob Halford and Queens of the Stone Age at Vélez Sársfield football stadium. They also appeared in several shows at the club Cemento, widely regarded as the "temple of Argentine rock" having hosted many famous bands in Argentine rock history such as Redonditos de Ricota, Las Pelotas and A.N.I.M.A.L. The shows were excellently produced and during this time Mad were very much the "band of the moment".