Astronaut

An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft. Although generally reserved for professional space travelers, the terms are sometimes applied to anyone who travels into space, including scientists, politicians, journalists, and tourists.

Starting in the 1950s up to 2002, astronauts were sponsored and trained exclusively by governments, either by the military or by civilian space agencies. With the suborbital flight of the privately funded SpaceShipOne in 2004, a new category of astronaut was created: the commercial astronaut.

Definition

The criteria for what constitutes human spaceflight vary. The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) Sporting Code for astronautics recognizes only flights that exceed an altitude of 100 kilometers (62 mi). In the United States, professional, military, and commercial astronauts who travel above an altitude of 50 miles (80 km) are awarded astronaut wings.

Relationship of Command

Relationship of Command is the third and final studio album by the post-hardcore band At the Drive-In, and was released in September 2000. The band reached mainstream success through the album, if only for a short time before their break-up in 2001.

The album combines an aggressive hardcore edge with a melodic drive, harmonious and emotive vocals, and surreal lyrics. While the album continues in the alternative style of At the Drive-In's previous albums, Relationship of Command is seen as a more well-rounded album than its predecessors. Initially received positively by critics, the album is now seen not only as one of the most influential post-hardcore albums of the decade but also as one of the most accomplished recent works in the wider rock spectrum.Relationship of Command was voted 12th out of 50 in the Albums of the Decade by NME and the 37th most influential album of all time by Kerrang!

Background

Relationship of Command was recorded over a seven-week period starting on January 17, 2000, following a tour supporting Rage Against the Machine. The album was recorded at the Indigo Ranch Studios, in Malibu, California, and was produced by Ross Robinson and mixed by Andy Wallace. Known for his unorthodox production methods, Robinson at one point took bass player Paul Hinojos for a drive in his SUV through the hills of Malibu to get his adrenaline going prior to recording. He also brought Iggy Pop to the studio for a guest appearance; Omar Rodriguez commented: "[Ross] had been talking to Iggy because they were gonna work together. I don’t know if they ever did, but they’d sort of been chatting, so Ross had passed him our previous records and he liked them. So, of course I brought up the idea, “Why not [have Iggy] come and do something on the album?” Ross mentioned it to Iggy, and he was completely open to it. He came down to the studio for a whole day in which he sang [on "Rolodex Propaganda"] and did the ransom note [on "Enfilade"]".

Screwdriver (cocktail)

A screwdriver is a popular alcoholic highball drink made with orange juice and vodka. While the basic drink is simply the two ingredients, there are many variations; the most common one is made with one part vodka, one part of any kind of orange soda, and one part of orange juice. Many of the variations have different names in different parts of the world. The International Bartender Association has designated this cocktail as an IBA Official Cocktail.

History

This drink appears in literature as early as 1938 "And answered it "The famous Smirnoff Screwdriver", Just pour a jigger of smirnoff vodka over ice cubes, fill glass with orange juice and serve" Then later it is claimed that this drink was invented by American aviators "A Screwdriver —a half-orange-juice and half-vodka drink popularized by interned American aviators—costs a dollar including the customary barman's tip."

A written reference to the screwdriver is from the October 24, 1949 issue of Time:

Variations

Requiem

A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead (Latin: Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead (Latin: Missa defunctorum), is a Mass in the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal. It is frequently, but not necessarily, celebrated in the context of a funeral.

Musical settings of the propers of the Requiem Mass are also called Requiems, and the term has subsequently been applied to other musical compositions associated with death and mourning, even when they lack religious or liturgical relevance.

The term is also used for similar ceremonies outside the Roman Catholic Church, especially in the Anglo-Catholic tradition of Anglicanism and in certain Lutheran churches. A comparable service, with a wholly different ritual form and texts, exists in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, as well as in the Methodist Church.

The Mass and its settings draw their name from the introit of the liturgy, which begins with the words "Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine" – "Grant them eternal rest, O Lord". ("Requiem" is the accusative singular form of the Latin noun requies, "rest, repose".) The Roman Missal as revised in 1970 employs this phrase as the first entrance antiphon among the formulas for Masses for the dead, and it remains in use to this day.

Requiem (John 5 album)

Requiem is the fourth solo album by guitarist John 5. It is essentially an instrumental metal album, but it also has some bluegrass elements. The album is notable for having the majority of its songs named after medieval torture devices.

The first single, "Sounds of Impalement", was released via John 5's official website.

Reception

The album received generally positive reviews, the album received a 3/5 on Sputnik Music and a 10/10 on FPM102, the highest rating the site had ever given to a metal album.

Track listing

Personnel

Requiem (MacMillan)

Requiem is a one-act ballet created by Kenneth MacMillan in 1976 for the Stuttgart Ballet. The music is Gabriel Fauré's Requiem (1890). The designer was Yolanda Sonnabend, who had first collaborated with him on 1963's Symphony.

In MacMillan's words, "This danced Requiem is dedicated to the memory of my friend and colleague John Cranko, Director of the Stuttgart Ballet 1961–1973." The first performance was given at Stuttgart on 28 November 1976. MacMillan recreated the piece for the Royal Ballet, London, at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden on 3 March 1983.

MacMillan's decision to set a ballet to Fauré's Requiem met with opposition from the board of the Royal Ballet. Catholic members of the board felt that sacred music should not be used for ballet. MacMillan wrote to the Archbishop of Canterbury to seek his opinion. Although the response was favourable to MacMillan the board remained unpersuaded. MacMillan then contacted the artistic director of the Stuttgart Ballet who had previously expressed an interest in commissioning a ballet from him. They reacted with enthusiasm. The piece was a portrait of the ballet company coming to terms with the death of Cranko, their much-loved artistic director.