Operation Sigma Sigma

The Sigma is an experimental glider developed in Britain from 1966 by a team led by Nicholas Goodhart. After disappointing performance during flight testing the Sigma was passed on to a Canadian group which carried out modifications, making the Sigma more competitive.

Design and development

Designed to compete in the 1970 World Championships, the team aimed to develop a wing that would climb well through a high lift coefficient and a large wing area, but equally had the "maximum possible reduction of area for cruise at low lift coefficients". At the same time for the minimum possible drag they aimed for "extensive" laminar flow. To achieve this they employed flaps that would alter both wing area and wing camber. Based on analysis of the nature of thermals encountered in cross-country flying, they reasoned that by having a slow turning circle, their sailplane could stay close to the central (and strongest) part of the thermal and gain maximum benefit.

Its unusual feature is its ability to vary its wing area using Fowler flaps. It had been tried before by the Hannover Akaflieg in 1938 with their AFH-4, the South African Beatty-Johl BJ-2 Assegai and the SZD Zefir gliders.

Sigma (cosmology)

Sigma in cosmology was a property of galaxies used when trying to work out the mystery of galaxies and their supermassive black holes.

History

In the late 1990s the NUKER experts had made observations with a spectroscope of two galaxies, one of an active galaxy with an active galactic nucleus called NGC10-68 and a dormant galaxy next door to us named Andromeda.

The observations are shown. The light from the centre in Andromeda galaxy was distorted proving the existence of super-massive black holes.

Other observations proved most galaxies had a similar centre whether it be active or dormant.

They then realised that the black holes must have something to do with a galaxy's formation, so they turned to something they thought was useless: the speed of the stars around the edge of the galaxy. This was Sigma, the speed of the stars at the edge of the galaxy supposedly unaffected by the mass of the black hole at the centre.

Usage In Cosmology

The NUKER team calculated the sigma of several stars in different galaxies and the mass of the black hole at the (nucleus) centre. They expected no correlation what so ever. But when plotting their results on a Scatter diagram and drawing a line of best fit they ended up with a positive correlation. It appeared that the heavier the black hole at the centre was the faster the stars within the galaxy travelled.

Sigma (duo)

Sigma is an English drum and bass duo consisting of Cameron Edwards and Joe Lenzie. They met at Leeds University at drum and bass nights. Their 2010 collaboration with DJ Fresh, "Lassitude", peaked at number 98 on the UK Singles Chart. Their single "Nobody to Love" topped the UK Singles Chart, becoming their first UK number one. Follow-up single "Changing", featuring Paloma Faith, also got to number one.

Career

Formation

Lenzie and Edwards met in 2006 at Leeds University; Cameron was working in local record store Tribe Records and with Echo Location's Obi running local night Event Horizon, while Lenzie was DJing hip-hop and warming up Event Horizon for such acts as Rahzel and Grandmaster Flash. Once they had finished in Leeds, they relocated to London and became a three-piece with Edwards' school friend Ben Mauerhoff, being signed under DJ Fresh's Breakbeat Kaos. After a while, long distances took their toll – Edwards and Mauerhoff were based in Surrey, whereas Lenzie was based in Harpenden, Hertfordshire and they couldn't get three people into the Harpenden studio – and Mauerhoff left. In December 2008 they formed their own record label, Life Recordings (so called because, according to Lenzie, the industry demanded that it be their life). Its inaugural release was a VIP mix of their early Bingo Beats single "El Presidente".

P.I.M.P.

"P.I.M.P." is a song by American hip-hop artist 50 Cent, recorded for his debut studio album Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003). The song features production from Shady label-mate, Mr. Porter and Brandon Parrott. A remixed version of the song, featuring fellow rappers Snoop Dogg, Lloyd Banks and Young Buck, was released as the album's third official single on August 12, 2003, although the remix was not initially part of the track listing: it was later added as a bonus track to some digital editions of the album.

Upon its release, the song was a significant commercial success, especially in the United States, where it peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top ten of many national charts worldwide. The song was later certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of 500,000+ copies.

Content

Musically, the song is based on a highly steel-drum-prominent production from Brandon Parrott and Porter, and although it is predominantly a rap song, features elements of other genres, especially reggae, or music similar to that of the Caribbeans, within the steel drum-based production. Lyrically, the song glorifies 50 Cent's supposed involvement in the 'pimp' lifestyle.

Pimp: The Backhanding

Pimp: The Backhanding is a card game published in 2004 by Arthaus Games, an imprint of White Wolf Publishing.as part of their One Hit Wonders line. Game design by J.C. Lira, with art by Skottie Young and Brian Glass. Pimp: The Backhanding can be played by two to four players using a single box set, as it contains the all the cards and game pieces required, with the exception of dice. Release of Pimp: The Backhanding created some controversy over the game's subject matter by individuals from the White Wolf Publishing Community Forums who felt the game was disrespectful to women and advocated workers in the illegal sex trade industry.

The game represents a media-stereotyped passage of 1970's American pimp culture, with players assuming the roles of typecast pimps who seek consolidation of their criminal holdings and prostitutes to become the largest criminal ring in the city. Score points are symbolized as profit earned from prostitutes peddling their trade.

References