Hertz

The hertz (symbol Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI) and is defined as one cycle per second. It is named for Heinrich Rudolf Hertz, the first person to provide conclusive proof of the existence of electromagnetic waves.

One of the unit's most common uses is in the description of sine waves and musical tones, particularly those used in radio and other audio-related applications. It is also used to describe the speeds at which computers and other electronics are driven.

Definition

The hertz is equivalent to cycles per second. In defining the second, the International Committee for Weights and Measures declared that "the standard to be employed is the transition between the hyperfine levels F = 4, M =  0 and F = 3, M = 0 of the ground state 2S_1/2 of the cesium 133 atom, unperturbed by external fields, and that the frequency of this transition is assigned the value 9 192 631 770 hertz" thereby effectively defining the hertz and the second simultaneously.

2182 kHz

The radio frequency 2 182 kHz is one of the international calling and distress frequency for maritime radiocommunication on a frequency band allocated to the MOBILE SERVICE on primary basis, exclusively for distress and calling operations.

Transmission modes

Transmissions on 2182 kHz commonly use single-sideband modulation (SSB) (upper sideband only). However, amplitude modulation (AM) and some variants such as vestigial sideband are still in use, mainly by vessels with older equipment and by some coastal stations in an attempt to ensure compatibility with older and less sophisticated receivers.

Range

2182 kHz is analogous to channel 16 on the marine VHF band, but unlike VHF which is limited to ranges of about 20 to 50 nautical miles (40 to 90 km) depending on antenna height, communications on 2182 kHz and nearby frequencies have a reliable range of around 50 to 150 nautical miles (90 to 280 km) during the day and 150 to 300 nautical miles (280 to 560 km) or sometimes more at night. The reception range of even a well-equipped station can be severely limited in summer because of static caused by lightning.

44,100 Hz

In digital audio, 44,100 Hz (alternately represented as 44.1 kHz) is a common sampling frequency. Analog audio is recorded by sampling it 44,100 times per second, and then these samples are used to reconstruct the audio signal when playing it back.

44.1 kHz audio is widely used, due to this being the sampling rate used in Compact Discs, dating back to its use by Sony from 1979.

History

The 44.1 kHz sampling rate originated in the late 1970s with PCM adaptors, which recorded digital audio on video cassettes, notably the Sony PCM-1600 (1979) and subsequent models in this series. This then became the basis for Compact Disc digital audio (CD-DA), defined in the Red Book standard (1980). Its use has continued as an option in 1990s standards such as the DVD, and in 2000s, standards such as HDMI. This sampling frequency is commonly used for MP3 and other consumer audio file formats which were originally created from material ripped from Compact Discs.

Why 44.1 kHz?

The rate was chosen following debate between manufacturers, notably Sony and Philips, and its implementation by Sony, yielding a de facto standard. The technical reasoning behind the rate being chosen is as follows.

Euphoria

Euphoria (/juːˈfɔəriə/; from Ancient Greek εὐφορία, from εὖ eu, "well", and φέρω pherō, "to bear") (semantically opposite of dysphoria) is medically recognized as a mental and emotional condition in which a person experiences intense feelings of well-being, elation, happiness, excitement and joy.

Technically, euphoria is a psychological affect, but the term is often colloquially used to define emotion and an intense state of transcendent happiness combined with an overwhelming sense of contentment. It has also been defined as an "affective state of exaggerated well-being or elation." The word derives from Greek εὐφορία, "power of enduring easily, fertility".

Certain drugs, many of which are addictive, are known to produce a euphoric state. Certain natural rewards (associated with addictive behavior) such as physical exercise can also induce brief states of euphoria. Euphoria has also been cited as being experienced by those participating in certain religious or spiritual rituals and meditation. Euphoria is also known to occur as a symptom of mania.

Euphoria (Loreen song)

"Euphoria" is a song performed by Swedish recording artist and songwriter Loreen. It was released as the third single from her debut studio album Heal (2012). The song was written by Thomas G:son, Peter Boström and produced by Boström and SeventyEight. It is best known as Sweden's winning entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 held in Baku, Azerbaijan. The song won the competition with a total of 372 points, the second-highest point total in the contest's history. The song received the highest number of maximum (12) points of any entry in the contest's history with eighteen countries giving the song their top marks.

"Euphoria" received critical acclaim from most music critics. Commercially, the song was an instant success both in Sweden and in the rest of Europe. It debuted at number twelve in Loreen's home country Sweden, until reaching number one, staying there for six weeks. The song has been certified 9 times Platinum, selling 360,000 copies there.

Background

The song was written by Thomas G:son, Peter Boström and produced by Boström and SeventyEight.

House (season 2)

The second season of House premiered on September 13, 2005 and ended on May 23, 2006. During the season, House tries to cope with his feelings for his ex-girlfriend Stacy Warner, who, after House diagnosed her husband with Acute intermittent porphyria, has taken a job in the legal department of Princeton-Plainsboro.

Sela Ward's chemistry with Laurie in the final two episodes of season one was strong enough to have her character return in seven episodes of the second season.

Cast and characters

Main cast

Recurring cast

Guest cast

LL Cool J, Marshall Bell, Sasha Pieterse, Ignacio Serricchio, Ron Livingston, R. Lee Ermey, Clifton Powell, Vicellous Shannon, Alanna Ubach, Nathan Kress, Taraji P. Henson, Kristoffer Polaha, Matthew John Armstrong, Ryan Hurst, Cynthia Nixon, Mimi Kennedy, Michael O'Keefe, Elle Fanning, Julie Warner, Dan Butler, Tom Verica, Cameron Richardson, Greg Grunberg, Keri Lynn Pratt, Yvette Nicole Brown, Howard Hesseman, Samantha Mathis, Michelle Trachtenberg, Laura Allen, Mackenzie Astin, Jayma Mays, Thomas Dekker, William Katt, Tamara Braun, Scott Michael Campbell, Kip Pardue, D. B. Sweeney, Michelle Clunie and Elias Koteas.