Integrated circuit

An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit (also referred to as an IC, a chip, or a microchip) is a set of electronic circuits on one small plate ("chip") of semiconductor material, normally silicon. This can be made much smaller than a discrete circuit made from independent electronic components. ICs can be made very compact, having up to several billion transistors and other electronic components in an area the size of a fingernail. The width of each conducting line in a circuit can be made smaller and smaller as the technology advances; in 2008 it dropped below 100 nanometers, and has now been reduced to tens of nanometers.

ICs were made possible by experimental discoveries showing that semiconductor devices could perform the functions of vacuum tubes and by mid-20th-century technology advancements in semiconductor device fabrication. The integration of large numbers of tiny transistors into a small chip was an enormous improvement over the manual assembly of circuits using discrete electronic components. The integrated circuit's mass production capability, reliability and building-block approach to circuit design ensured the rapid adoption of standardized integrated circuits in place of designs using discrete transistors.

Microchip (comics)

David Linus "Microchip" Lieberman (often known as Micro) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Mike Baron and artist Klaus Janson, he first appeared in The Punisher #4 (Nov. 1987) as an ally of The Punisher for many years. He assisted the Punisher by building weapons, supplying technology and providing friendship, though in more recent publications, Microchip gradually evolved from the Punisher's friend to a bitter villain.

Fictional character biography

David Linus "Microchip" Lieberman was a legendary computer hacker in the early days of the hacking business, performing numerous scams and hacks still held in awe today, until one scam brought him too close to real-world criminals forcing him to go into "retirement" as a quiet unassuming businessman. This ended when his nephew, attempting to follow in his favorite uncle's footsteps, was caught and killed after accidentally hacking into the private computers of Wilson Fisk (a.k.a., The Kingpin). While personally investigating his nephew's murder, Lieberman met and started collaborating with The Punisher. Microchip's help proved invaluable to Castle; he served not just as a hacker and cyber-investigator. Micro also helped Castle: manage and launder his finances (i.e., the money Castle takes from the criminals he kills); set-up and equip Castle's safehouses; train Castle in more "specialized" skills for his war on crime; and, obtain hard-to-get ammunition and equipment. Less obsessed with Castle's personal war, Microchip acts as a de facto counseler to Castle (e.g., encouraging Castle to take occasional vacations and breaks, to avoid burn-out or losing his mind).

Untitled (Selections from 12)

Untitled (Selections From 12) is a 1997 promotional-only EP from German band The Notwist which was released exclusively in the United States. Though the release of the EP was primarily to promote the band's then-current album 12, it contains one track from their 1992 second record Nook as well as the non-album cover of Robert Palmer's "Johnny and Mary". The version of "Torture Day" on this EP features the vocals of Cindy Dall.

Track listing

Untitled (Marc and the Mambas album)

Untitled is the first studio album by the British singer/songwriter Marc Almond's band Marc and the Mambas. It was released by Some Bizzare in September 1982.

Background

Untitled was Almond's first album away from Soft Cell and was made concurrently with the latter's The Art of Falling Apart album. Almond collaborated with a number of artists for this album, including Matt Johnson of The The and Anni Hogan. The album was produced by the band, with assistance from Stephen Short (credited as Steeve Short) and Flood.

Jeremy Reed writes in his biography of Almond, The Last Star, that Untitled was "cheap and starkly recorded". He states that Almond received "little support from Phonogram for the Mambas project, the corporate viewing it as non-commercial and a disquieting pointer to the inevitable split that would occur within Soft Cell". An article in Mojo noted that "from the beginning, Almond and Ball had nurtured sideline projects, though only the former's - the 1982 double 12 inch set Untitled - attracted much attention, most of it disapproving." The article mentions that Almond "who preferred to nail a song in one or two takes" stated that it was all "about feel and spontaneity, otherwise it gets too contrived" when accused of singing flat.<ref name"mojo">Paytress, Mark. "We Are The Village Sleaze Preservation Society". Mojo (September 2014): 69. </ref>

Untitled (West)

Untitled is an outdoor 1977 stainless steel sculpture by American artist Bruce West, installed in Portland, Oregon, in the United States.

Description

Bruce West's Untitled is installed along Southwest 6th Avenue between Washington and Stark streets in Portland's Transit Mall. It was one of eleven works chosen in 1977 to make the corridor "more people oriented and attractive" as part of the Portland Transit Mall Art Project. The stainless steel sculptures is 7 feet (2.1 m) tall. It was funded by TriMet and the United States Department of Transportation, and is administered by the Regional Arts & Culture Council.

See also

References

External links