Solitude

Solitude is a state of seclusion or isolation, i.e., lack of contact with people. It may stem from bad relationships, loss of loved ones, deliberate choice, infectious disease, mental disorders, neurological disorders or circumstances of employment or situation (see castaway).

Short-term solitude is often valued as a time when one may work, think or rest without being disturbed. It may be desired for the sake of privacy.

A distinction has been made between solitude and loneliness. In this sense, these two words refer, respectively, to the joy and the pain of being alone.

Health effects

Symptoms from complete isolation, called sensory deprivation, often include anxiety, sensory illusions, or even distortions of time and perception. However, this is the case when there is no stimulation of the sensory systems at all, and not only lack of contact with people. Thus, by having other things to keep one's mind busy, this is avoided.

Still, long-term solitude is often seen as undesirable, causing loneliness or reclusion resulting from inability to establish relationships. Furthermore, it might even lead to clinical depression. However, for some people, solitude is not depressing. Still others (e.g. monks) regard long-term solitude as a means of spiritual enlightenment. Indeed, marooned people have been left in solitude for years without any report of psychological symptoms afterwards.

Solitude (Blacksburg, Virginia)

Solitude is a historic home located on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute at Blacksburg, Montgomery County, Virginia. The earliest section was built about 1808, and expanded through the mid-19th century. It is a two-story, "L"-shaped, five bay, log and frame dwelling with a hipped roof. Also on the property are the contributing stone spring house with log superstructure and log kitchen or office. In 1872, the Solitude land became the central campus of Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College, and the house, after the death of its owner in the following decade, was used for faculty housing until the 1970s, when it became a classroom and office facility. The house is situated in a landscaped park adjacent to the central campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

After Solitude's listing on NRHP, decade-long research and archaeology commenced to further study the main house, property, and overall site to extrapolate further historical information and evaluate what would be needed to restore the house and outbuildings. These efforts culminated in a 2000 Master's thesis by Michael Pulice, a then-Master's of Science candidate in Virginia Tech's Architecture Department, now the chief architectural historian for the Western Regional office (Salem, VA) of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Pulice concluded in his thesis that the remaining log outbuilding, long believed to be either a doctor's office or kitchen, is a surviving slave cabin and servants quarters.

Frank Duval

Frank Duval (born November 22, 1940, Berlin) is a German composer, conductor, record producer, songwriter and singer.

Born into an artists' family, he studied as an actor and dancer, but also sang with his sister, Maria. By the 1960s, Duval was also composing music, both orchestral and pop, and his first soundtrack, for an episode of the German serial Tatort, was broadcast in 1977. From his 1979 first album, Die Schönsten Melodien Aus Derrick und der Alte, the song "Todesengel" became a moderate hit.

During the 1980s, Duval released several soundtracks, as well as proper artist albums (with occasional lyrical help from his wife, Kalina Maloyer). He was in the German charts several times, with "Angel of Mine" (a number one hit in 1981), "Ways" (1983), "Lovers Will Survive" (1986), and "When You Were Mine" (1987).

Duval wrote songs for Ivan Rebroff, Alexandra, Karin Huebner, Margot Werner, Klaus Löwitsch, and Maria Schell.

Albums

Lionel convention

Lionel is a contract bridge bidding convention used in defense against an opposing 1NT openings. Using Lionel, over a 1NT opening of the opponents:

Any of the overcalls denote high-card strength corresponding to 12+ (or good 11) high card points.

The convention is named after Lionel Wright from New Zealand who published it in the International Popular Bridge Monthly magazine of May 1993.

Responses

Following the Lionel double, the partner of the double responds as follows:

(1NT) - dbl - (pass) - ??

After a minor suit Lionel overcall, the responses are straightforward. For instance:

(1NT) - 2♣ - (pass) - ??

Advantages/disadvantages

Like using Brozel, CoCa or DONT, using Lionel has the consequence of losing the penalty double over opponent's 1NT. Although this is often seen as a loss, Lionel Wright argued that this loss turns into an advantage as it opens the possibility to defend 1NT doubled with split points between you and your partner. As a balanced holding of the majority of points is far more likely to occur than holding the majority of points in an imbalanced way, a conventional non-penalty double over 1NT holds the potential of paying-off on many hands. Also, non-penalty doubles are more difficult to deal with than traditional business doubles.

Lionel (disambiguation)

Lionel is a masculine given name. It may also refer to:

Lionel (radio personality)

Michael William Lebron (born August 26, 1958), popularly known as Lionel, is a trial lawyer, Emmy Award winning nationally syndicated American radio and television personality, media and legal analyst, news "decoder," author, essayist, spoken word artist, standup comedian, bluegrass musician, speaker and lecturer and voice actor.

Career

Born in Tampa, he attended Jesuit High School where he was voted Class Wit. After graduating magna cum laude from the University of South Florida in 1980, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, Lionel worked as a District Aide for Florida United States Senator Richard "Dick" Stone and in his unsuccessful campaign for reelection. Lionel graduated from the Stetson University College of Law, and as trial lawyer worked as both prosecutor for the Hillsborough County Florida State Attorney's Office (13th Judicial Circuit), and a criminal defense trial lawyer thereafter. He is admitted to practice law in Florida, New Jersey and New York as well before the U.S. Supreme Court.