The Chrysalids

The Chrysalids (United States title: Re-Birth) is a science fiction novel by John Wyndham, first published in 1955 by Michael Joseph. It is the least typical of Wyndham's major novels, but regarded by some as his best. An early manuscript version was entitled Time for a Change.

The novel was adapted for BBC radio by Barbara Clegg in 1982, with a further adaptation by Jane Rogers in 2012. It was also adapted for the theatre by playwright David Harrower in 1999.

Plot summary

A few thousand years in the future, post-apocalypse rural Labrador has become a warmer and more hospitable place than it is at present. The inhabitants of Labrador have vague historical recollections of the "Old People", a technologically advanced civilisation which existed long ago and which they believe was destroyed when God sent "Tribulation" to the world to punish their forebears' sins. The society that has survived in Labrador is loosely reminiscent of the American frontier during the 18th century, with a level of technology in use similar to the Amish of the present-day United States.

Tom Goes to the Mayor

Tom Goes to the Mayor is an American animated television series created by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim for Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. It premiered on November 14, 2004 and ended on September 25, 2006, with a total of thirty episodes.

History

Tom Goes to the Mayor began as a web cartoon on timanderic.com. It was popular enough to get a web sequel, in which David Cross guest stars.Bob Odenkirk noticed the show's potential, and began producing it for Adult Swim.

Adult Swim has described Tom Goes to the Mayor as "one of the most polarizing shows" they have ever had, indicating that viewers "either love it or hate it."

Overview

The show centers on Tom Peters (Tim Heidecker) who has just moved to the town of Jefferton, an unpleasant rundown town filled with strip malls and buffets. Episodes usually focus on Tom going to the Mayor (Eric Wareheim) with various ideas for business and civic endeavors only for the Mayor to tweak Tom's ideas and cause them to backfire in horrible and destructive ways, leaving Tom to answer for them.

Birth

Birth, also known as parturition, is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. In mammals, the process is initiated by hormones which cause the muscular walls of the uterus to contract, expelling the fetus at a developmental stage when it is ready to feed and breathe. In some species the offspring is precocial and can move around almost immediately after birth but in others it is altricial and completely dependent on parenting. In marsupials, the fetus is born at a very immature stage after a short gestational period and develops further in its mother's pouch.

It is not only mammals that give birth. Some reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates carry their developing young inside them. Some of these are ovoviviparous, with the eggs being hatched inside the mother's body, and others are viviparous, with the embryo developing inside her body, as in mammals.

Birth in mammals

Large mammals, such as primates, cattle, horses, some antelopes, giraffes, hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses, elephants, seals, whales, dolphins, and porpoises, generally are pregnant with one offspring at a time; although, they may have twin or multiple births on occasion. In these large animals, the birth process is similar to that of a human though in most, the offspring is precocial. This means that it is born in a more advanced state than a human baby and is able to stand, walk and run (or swim in the case of an aquatic mammal) shortly after birth. In the case of whales, dolphins and porpoises, the single calf is normally born tail first which minimises the risk of drowning. The mother encourages the newborn calf to rise to the surface of the water to breathe.

Birth (disambiguation)

Birth is the process in animals by which an offspring is expelled from the body of its mother.

Birth may also refer to:

See also

Birth (Index Case album)

Birth is the debut indie album by Index Case, released in 2000.

Track listing