Wikipedia - Benutzerbeiträge [de]

Pleshey Castle

2014-01-21T22:20:35Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Pleshey Castle */ the current duke was not executed in the 14th century!

{{infobox UK place
|country = England
|official_name= Pleshey
|latitude= 51.805
|longitude= 0.411
|population =
|shire_district= [[Chelmsford (borough)|Chelmsford]]
|shire_county = [[Essex]]
|region= East of England
|constituency_westminster= [[West Chelmsford (UK Parliament constituency)|West Chelmsford]]
|post_town= [[Chelmsford]]
|postcode_district = CM3
|postcode_area= CM
|dial_code= 01245
|os_grid_reference= TL679063
|static_image = [[File:Holy Trinity Church, Pleshey, Essex - geograph.org.uk - 108678.jpg|240px]]
|static_image_caption= Holy Trinity Church, Pleshey
}}

The village of '''Pleshey''' lies in [[Essex]], [[England]], just to the northwest of [[Chelmsford]].

[[William the Conqueror]] gave Pleshey, in the parish of [[High Easter]] (southwest of [[Braintree, Essex|Braintree]]) to [[Geoffrey de Mandeville (11th century)|Geoffrey de Mandeville]] in appreciation of his services; Mandeville was one of William's battle commanders at the [[Battle of Hastings]] in 1066. At Pleshey, Mandeville built his [[caput]] (centre of administration and main home) of the many villages in Essex given to him by the king. Later, his grandson, another Geoffrey, was made [[Earl of Essex]] by [[Stephen of England|King Stephen]].

==Pleshey Castle==
Pleshey Castle was originally a [[motte and bailey]] [[castle]], which consisted of a wooden [[palisade]] and tower on a high man-made hill (motte) surrounded by two baileys (castle yard or ward), which at some time in the castle's early history was surrounded by a [[moat]]. Later, probably in the 12th century, the motte was fortified with a stone castle. The motte at Pleshey is now about 15 metres high, and is one of the largest mottes in England.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} The castle was dismantled in 1158 but was subsequently rebuilt at the end of the 12th century.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} The castle was passed to the Dukes of Gloucester through marriage and after [[Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester]] had been executed by Richard II in 1397, it decayed and became ruined. Most of the masonry was dismantled for building material in 1629, leaving just the motte and other earthworks.{{citation needed|date=January 2014}}

==Pleshey's historical significance==
For a long time Pleshey Castle was an important place in English history. Through inheritance, Pleshey Castle became the main castle of [[Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford]], and his wife, Maud, sister and heiress of [[William de Mandeville]], Earl of Essex. From this marriage de Bohun's son Humphrey became Earl of Essex (27 Aug 1236) as well as Earl of Hereford and Hereditary Constable of England. Generations of de Bohuns resided here, with Pleshey as their caput manor. [[Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford|Humphrey de Bohun VIII]] (4th Earl of Hereford and 3rd of Essex (1275?-1322) on 14 Nov. 1302 married [[Elizabeth of Rhuddlan|Elizabeth]], the daughter of [[Edward I of England|Edward I]], King of England. Some of their children were born at Pleshey. Humphrey VIII was killed at the [[Battle of Boroughbridge]] in 1322, rebelling against King Edward II.

In 1327, Pleshey Castle became the primary residence of Humphrey VIII's eldest surviving son, [[John de Bohun, 5th Earl of Hereford|John de Bohun]], created Earl of Hereford and Essex. He died in 1336 without an heir and the castle passed to his brother, [[Humphrey de Bohun, 6th Earl of Hereford|Humphrey IX]], Earl of Hereford and Essex (d. 1361). The youngest of the brothers, [[William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton|William de Bohun]] (d. 1360), became the leading commander of the early part of the [[Hundred Years War]], devising the tactics that won English victories at the [[Battle of Morlaix]] (1342), the [[Battle of Crecy]] (1346), and the [[Siege of Calais (1346)|Siege of Calais]] (1347), and was created Earl of Northampton.

Humphrey IX never married and Pleshey was inherited in 1361 by William's son and heir, [[Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford|Humphrey de Bohun X]] (b. 1342), last male heir of the direct line. This Humphrey inherited both his uncle's and his father's titles and became Earl of Hereford, Essex and Northampton. His only heirs at his death on 13 Jan. 1373 were two infant daughters, Eleanor and Mary. Humphreys 2nd cousin Gilbert de Bohun who died in 1381 was overlooked and the titles, lands that should have passed to him and his heir where illegally retained by the daughters' husbands.

Between 1361 and 1384 a group of [[Augustinian]] [[friars]] created the [[de Bohun manuscripts]] at Pleshey Castle; eleven books, one of them a [[Psalter]], celebrating [[Mary de Bohun]]'s marriage to [[Henry Bolingbroke]], the future Henry IV, King of England. The Mary de Bohun Psalter is now in the [[Fitzwilliam Museum]]. Mary, who died before her husband became king, was the mother of [[Henry V of England|Henry V]], of Agincourt fame.

The castle then passed (through the marriage of Eleanor) to [[Thomas of Woodstock]], Duke of Gloucester, the youngest son of [[Edward III of England|Edward III]]. His nephew, [[Richard II of England|Richard II]], outraged by his uncle's opposition, had him arrested at Pleshey and taken to France.

Two years later the [[Duke of Exeter]] was taken to Pleshey Castle and executed for plotting against the king.

Pleshey Castle's claim to fame includes [[Shakespeare]]'s play "[[Richard II (play)|Richard II]]" in which Thomas of Woodstock's widow asks for a visit from [[Edmund of Langley|Edmund of York]]:

<blockquote>Bid him - O, what?
With all good speed at Plashy [sic] visit me.
Alack, and what shall good old York there see,
But empty lodgings and unfurnished walls,
Unpeopled offices, untrodden stones?</blockquote>

==See also==
* [[William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton]]
* [[Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford]]
* [[Battle of Morlaix]]
* [[Battle of Crécy]]
* [[Siege of Calais (1346)|Siege of Calais]]

==Bibliography==
* Bigelow, M. M. “The Bohun Wills” I. American Historical Review (v.I, 1896). 415-41, v.II (1897). 631-649.
* Cokayne, G. (ed. by V. Gibbs). Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom. London:1887-1896. Vols. II, V, VI, IX: Bohun, Essex, Hereford, & Northampton.
* Dictionary of National Biography. Vol II: Bohun. London and Westminster.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Pleshey}}
* [http://bartelby.com/65/bo/BohunH8.html Columbia Encyclopedia - Humphrey de Bohun VIII. Sixth Edition. 2001-05.]
* [http://www.britannia.com/bios/lords/northant1wb.html William de Bohun. Brittania Biographies.]

{{Chelmsford}}

[[Category:Villages in Essex]]

Echosmith

2013-10-03T19:33:34Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Music Career */ Fixing style/layout errors

{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Echosmith
| image =
| alt =
| caption = Graham (back left) Sydney (left front) Jamie (front right) and Noah (back right)
| background = group_or_band
| alias =
| origin = [[Los Angeles, CA]], [[USA]]
| genre = [[Alternative pop|Alternative]], [[pop music|Pop]]
| years_active = 2009–Present
| label = [[Warner Bros. Records]]
| associated_acts =
| website = [http://www.echosmith.com echosmith.com]
| current_members = Jamie Sierota Noah Sierota Sydney Sierota Graham Sierota
| past_members =
}}

'''Echosmith''' is an American indie-pop band formed in February 2009 in Southern California. The band is composed of four siblings ranging: Graham, Sydney, Noah, and Jamie Sierota.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.myspace.com/echosmith |title=Echosmith |publisher=Myspace}}</ref> Echosmith signed to [[Warner Bros. Records]] in May 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.warnerbrosrecords.com/news/ready-set-go-now-echosmith |title=Ready Set Go! Is Now Echosmith |publisher=Warner Bros. Records}}</ref> Their first single, "Tonight We're Making History," was released June 5, 2012 and was featured in a [[NBC]] promo for the 2012 [[Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://popcrush.com/echosmith-tonight-were-making-history-lyric-video |title=Tonight We're Making History |publisher=Popcrush}}</ref> Echosmith unveiled their new single and official music video "Come Together" in early June 2013. The band is currently recording their debut album.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.altpress.com/aptv/video/lyric_video_premiere_echosmith_come_together |title=Warped Tour|publisher=Alternative Press}}</ref>

== Early Life ==

The Sierota siblings were raised in [[Toluca Lake, Los Angeles|Los Angeles]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://dailyunsigned.com/2011/06/15/ready-set-go/|title=Daily Pick |publisher=Daily Unsigned}}</ref> The three brothers and one sister grew up in a musical household playing multiple instruments throughout their childhood. The band says that a range of rock artists including [[Coldplay]], [[The Smiths]], [[U2]], [[Joy Division]], and [[Fleetwood Mac]] influenced them while growing up and encouraged them to make music together. Echosmith’s youngest member, Graham, plays drums. The only female member of the group, Sydney, is the lead vocalist for the band, often contributing on guitar. The second oldest member, Noah, sings and playing bass for the band. The oldest member is Jamie sings and plays guitar.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.media.wmg-is.com/.../echosmith-biography_1358300067469.doc |title=Echosmith Bio |publisher=Warner Music group}}</ref>

== Music Career ==

=== 2009—2012: Songwriting and Beginnings ===

In May 2012, the band signed with [[Warner Bros. Records]], officially changing their name to Echosmith. The band’s first major appearance occurred with their first single, "Tonight We're Making History." The song was released June 5, 2012 and was featured in a [[NBC]] promo for the 2012 [[Summer Olympics]]. Echosmith has also released an array of cover songs such as: "I Will Wait" by [[Mumford and Sons]], <ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.warnerbrosrecords.com/news/echosmith-cover-mumford-sons |title=Echosmith Cover Mumford & Sons |publisher=Warner Bros. Records News}}</ref> "Lights" by [[Ellie Goulding]], <ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.warnerbrosrecords.com/news/echosmith-cover-ellie-goulding |title=Echosmith Cover Ellie Goulding |publisher=Warner Bros. Records News}}</ref> "Set Fire To The Rain" by [[Adele]], <ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/DgDQ-7H-tW4 |title=Echosmith - Set Fire To The Rain |publisher=NME}}</ref> and "Princess Of China" by [[Coldplay]] and [[Rihanna]]. <ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.warnerbrosrecords.com/news/echosmith-covers-coldplay-rihanna’s-“princess-china” |title=Echosmith Covers Coldplay & Rihanna's Princess of China |publisher=Warner Bros. Records News}}</ref> The band is currently managed by [http://www.theknollergroup.com/ The Knoller Group] and Jeffery David.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://echosmith.tumblr.com/contact-us |title=Contact |publisher=Echosmith Tumblr}}</ref>

=== 2013—Present: Summer Sampler Free Download and ''Talking Dreams'' ===

In April 2013, Echosmith was named one of the “100 Bands You Need To Know” by [[Alternative Press]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://press.wbr.com/echosmith |title=Echosmith |publisher=Warner Bros. Records}}</ref>
On May 31, 2013, Echosmith released their new single on [[YouTube]], “Come Together”. The video was directed by [[Justin Coloma]] and filmed in Los Angeles, CA.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.warnerbrosrecords.com/news/watch-echosmiths-brand-new-music-video |title=Echosmith's New Music Video |publisher=Warner Bros. Records News}}</ref>

Echosmith launched a ''Summer Sampler Free Download'' promo on their website.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://summer.echosmith.com/ |title=Summer Sampler Free Download |publisher=Echosmith}}</ref> This promotion allows fans to download up to three songs before their album is released. The songs “Come Together” and “Cool Kids” were released on May 31, 2013 and June 4, 2013 respectively. The song “Talking Dreams” was released on June 11, 2013 as the third single from the Summer Sampler campaign.

On June 7, 2013, the band performed a free concert at [[Warner Bros. Records]] in [[Burbank, CA]]. The concert was available for live streaming through Echosmith’s [[YouTube]] channel.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=3230081 |title=Echosmith Releases Summer Sampler |publisher=AbsolutePunk}}</ref>

Echosmith was featured on [[ESPN]]'s June programming. The featured songs consisted of: "Come Together", "Let's Love", and "March Into The Sun."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/sounds/post/_/id/5440/echosmith-on-espn-june-programming |title=Echosmith on ESPN June programming |publisher=ESPN}}</ref>
Echosmith is also performing on the first half of the 2013 [[Vans Warped Tour]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.vanswarpedtour.com/bands/ |title=Bands |publisher=Vans Warped Tour}}</ref> Recently, they opened for well-known bands [[Owl City]], [[Twenty One Pilots]], and [[Neon Trees]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.songkick.com/artists/6088614-echosmith/gigography?page=1 |title=Echosmith |publisher=SoundKick}}</ref> The band toured the United States and Canada as the opening act for [[Owl City]] on their 2013 Midsummer Station tour.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.alivemag.com/events/sub_event.cfm?site_eventID=4184 |title=Owl City |publisher=Alive Magazine}}</ref>

The band has announced October 1, 2013 as the official release date of their debut album, ''Talking Dreams.''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://idobi.com/news/2013/07/echosmith-announce-new-album-talking-dreams/ |title=Echosmith announce new album, ''Talking Dreams'' |publisher=Idobi Network}}</ref>

== Tours ==

* [[Vans Warped Tour]] (2013)
* [[The Midsummer Station]] with [[Owl City]] (2013)

==Discography==

===Studio Albums===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width:18px;"|Year
! style="width:245px;"|Album
|-
| 2013
| ''[[Talking Dreams]]''

*Released October 8, 2013
*Label: [[Warner Bros. Records]]
|-
|}

===EPs===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width:18px;"|Year
! style="width:245px;"|Album
|-
| 2013
| ''[[Summer Sampler (Echosmith EP)|Summer Sampler]]''

*Released May 31, 2013
*Label: Warner Bros. Records
|-
|}

== References ==

{{reflist|2}}

== External Links ==

* [http://www.echosmith.com Official website]

[[Category:Alternative rock groups from California]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American indie pop groups]]

Echosmith

2013-10-03T19:26:15Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Tour Dates */ tour dates are not encyclopedic unless the tour itself is notable

Mark Brandon Read

2013-10-02T19:04:29Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Personal life */ Fixing style/layout errors

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2011}}
{{BLP sources|date=July 2011}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name = Chopper Read
| image_name =
| imagesize =
| image_caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1954|11|17}}
| birth_place = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
| alias = Chopper Read
| charge =
| conviction = [[Armed robbery]] [[Assault]] [[Kidnapping]]
| conviction_penalty =
| conviction_status =
| occupation = Criminal, rapper, author
| spouse = Mary-Ann Hodge (1995–2001, divorced) Margaret Cassar
| parents =
| children = Charlie Roy Brandon
}}
'''Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read''' (born 17 November 1954) is an [[Australians|Australian]] former criminal who wrote a series of semi-autobiographical and fictional crime novels. The 2000 film ''[[Chopper (film)|Chopper]]'' was based on his life.

==Early life==
Read was born to a former [[army]] father and a mother who was a devout [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventist]]. He was placed in a children's home for the first five years of his life. He grew up in the Melbourne suburbs of [[Collingwood, Victoria|Collingwood]], [[Thomastown, Victoria|Thomastown]], [[Fitzroy, Victoria|Fitzroy]] and [[Preston, Victoria|Preston]]. He was bullied at school, claiming that by the age of 15, he had been on the "losing end of several hundred fights"{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} and that his father, usually on his mother's recommendation, beat him often as a child. Read was made a [[Ward (legal)|ward of the state]] by the age of 14 and was placed in several [[mental institution]]s as a teenager, where, he later claimed, he was subjected to [[Electroconvulsive therapy|electroshock therapy]].

==Criminal activity==
When he was still young, Read was already an accomplished street fighter and the leader of the Surrey Road gang. He began his criminal career by robbing [[drug dealer]]s, based in massage parlours in the Prahran area. He later graduated to kidnapping and torturing members of the criminal underworld, often using a blowtorch or bolt cutters to remove the toes of his victims as an incentive for them to produce enough money so that Read would leave them alive.<ref>[http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000696832 Chopper]{{Dead link|date=July 2011}}</ref>

Read spent only 13 months outside [[prison]] between the ages of 20 and 38, having been convicted of crimes including [[armed robbery]], [[firearm]] offences, [[assault]], [[arson]], [[impersonating a police officer]] and [[kidnapping]].<ref name="cancer"/> While in [[Pentridge Prison]]'s H division in the late 1970s, Read launched a prison war. His gang, dubbed "The Overcoat Gang" because they wore long coats all year round to conceal their weapons, were involved in several hundred acts of violence against a larger opposing gang during this period. Around this time, Read had a fellow inmate cut both of his (Read's) ears off in order to be able to leave H division temporarily. While in his early biographies Read claimed this was to avoid an ambush by other inmates, by being transferred to the mental health wing, his later works state that he did so to "win a bet".{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} The nickname "Chopper" was given to him long before this, from a childhood cartoon character.{{Cn|date=April 2013}}

Read was ambushed and stabbed by members of his own gang in a sneak attack, when they felt his plan to cripple every other inmate in the entire division and win the gang war in one fell swoop was going too far. Another theory is that James "Jimmy" Loughnan, a lontime friend of Read, and Patrick "Blue" Barnes wished to benefit from a contract put on Read's head by the [[Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union|Painters' and Dockers' Union]]. Read lost several feet of intestine in the attack. At the time Read was serving a 16 and a half-year sentence after attacking a judge in an effort to get Loughnan released from prison.<ref name="TheAge20131003">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/posh-people-love-gangsters-20131002-2uspn.html|title='Posh people love gangsters'|last=Silvester|first=John|date=3 October 2013|work=The Age|accessdate=2 October 2013}}</ref>

In 1992, Read was convicted of shooting Sydney Michael Edward Collins in the chest. The incident took place in Read's car, which was in the driveway of Collins' residence at Evandale, Tasmania. The bullet was recovered from the backseat of the vehicle, and Collins named Read as the shooter. Pleading not guilty, Read was found guilty of grievous bodily harm, a downgraded charge from attempted murder, and sentenced as a "dangerous criminal" to indefinite detention. He walked free early in 1998. In 2002, Read was again questioned over the disappearance of Sydney Collins, who is still on the Australian Missing Person list after going missing under suspicious circumstances.

Read has claimed to be involved in the killing of 19 people and the attempted murder of 11 others. In an April 2013 interview with the New York Times, Read claimed “Look, honestly, I haven’t killed that many people, probably about four or seven, depending on how you look at it.”<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/13/world/asia/chopper-read-australias-brand-name-for-ferocity-is-softened-by-illness.html?_r=0|title=Australia’s Brand Name for Ferocity, Softened by Time|work=The New York Times|date=12 April 2013|first=Matt|last=Siegel}}</ref>

Read has also spoken of his old mid-1980s to early 1990s rivalry with [[Alphonse Gangitano]] in the TV series ''[[Tough Nuts]]''. Read explained that he had a disagreement with Gangitano regarding an elderly neighbourhood hero whom Gangitano admired. It is alleged{{by whom|date=August 2012}} that Gangitano burst open the toilet cubicle door{{where|date=April 2013}} with a number of associates and began a serious assault on Read who made his escape but not before spreading his faeces into Gangitano's face.<ref>http://www.chopperread.com/interview.htm</ref>

==Other activities==
In 2001, Read was featured in an advertisement on behalf of the [[Pedestrian Council of Australia]] warning of the dangers of [[drunk driving]]. Read is seated at a kitchen table undoing his shirt and, while pointing to the numerous scars and injuries on his body, says:
{{cquote|When I was in prison… I got slashed in the face … my ears cut off … my eyebrows trimmed and a butcher's knife here, an [[icepick]] here - not fun at all, etc … If you drink and drive and you're unfortunate enough to hit somebody, you ought to pray to God that you don't go to prison.}}

In 2005, Read embarked on a tour of Australia performing a series of shows titled ''I'm Innocent'' with [[Mark "Jacko" Jackson]]<ref>[http://k2760.tripod.com/id3.html News and Gossip]</ref> and later toured Sydney in a stage show with a new co-star, former detective [[Roger Rogerson|Roger "The Dodger" Rogerson]].

In 2006, Read appeared in another commercial speaking out against [[domestic violence]]. On 13 March 2006, he released a [[rap music|rap]] album titled ''[[Interview with a Madman]]''. He also appeared in the 2002 Australian comedy ''[[Trojan Warrior]]''.

Read allowed use of his name to a [[beer]] called "[[Chopper Heavy]]". The beer is produced in [[Rutherglen, Victoria]], a town associated with Australia's most notorious outlaw, [[Ned Kelly]].

He made the headlines again, on 15 December 2008, after being questioned by police about an alleged incident in Johnson Street, [[Collingwood, Victoria|Collingwood]]. Read was attacked by a tomahawk-wielding man he said he had never met before. He said: "I ran to the panelbeaters and grabbed a pipe. I said, 'Come here now' and he jumped into a car and pissed off."<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/national/chopper-read-in-tomahawk-attack-20081215-6yoj.html Chopper Read in 'tomahawk' street fight attack]</ref> Read suffered a minor injury to his arm after being hit with the blunt end of the tomahawk. Read was questioned by detectives at [[Richmond, Victoria|Richmond]] police station before being released without charge. His alleged attacker has not been found.

===Author===
Read is an author of [[crime fiction|crime novels]], selling more than 500,000 copies of his works.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}} In recent years, he has made recordings of voice narratives, which have also sold well.

Read's first book, ''Chopper: From the Inside'', was collected from letters he sent while incarcerated in Melbourne's Pentridge Prison and published in 1991. It contains tales and [[anecdote]]s of his criminal and prison exploits. Further biographical releases followed in a similar vein. With the advent of ''Chopper 5: Pulp Faction'', Read began writing fictional tales based on his experiences of criminal life. Attempts were made to ban a children's book written by Read titled ''[[Hooky the Cripple]]''.

===Public commentary and political views===
Read has frequently appeared on radio and television talk shows to promote his books. He had a column in ''[[Ralph (magazine)|Ralph]]'' magazine{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}, was regular columnist for the British magazine ''[[FHM]]'', and ''[[Zoo Weekly]]''.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}}

Read's success in selling tales of his criminal past has prompted widespread calls to amend the Federal Proceeds of Crime Bill (2001)—which confiscates the proceeds of drug deals and robberies—to also apply to indirect proceeds of crime, including book sales, TV appearances, and the like.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

Read has described his political beliefs as "to the [[political right|right]] of [[Genghis Khan]]".{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} In his book ''Chopper 2'', he lists [[Bruce Ruxton]] and American [[conservative]] [[G. Gordon Liddy]] as his political heroes.

==Cultural references==
A fictionalised version of Read was featured in several sketches on ''[[The Ronnie Johns Half Hour#Chopper Read|The Ronnie Johns Half Hour]]''. Some of these sketches, such as "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY3TfjOeuhM Harden The Fuck Up!]". Read was portrayed by [[Heath Franklin]]. Read has said although the parody isn't totally accurate, he finds it funny.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-3fpDYPT2M&feature=related</ref>

[[Science fiction]] author [[William Gibson]] based a character (Keith Blackwell) in the final two books of his ''Bridge'' trilogy on Read. In the second book of the trilogy, ''[[Idoru]]'', Gibson wrote in his acknowledgments:

<blockquote>"Anything I know about the toecutting business, I owe to the criminal memoirs of Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read (''Chopper from the inside'', Sly Ink, Australia, 1991). Mr. Read is a great deal scarier than Blackwell, and has even fewer ears."<ref>{{cite book|author=Gibson, W.|title=Idoru|publisher=Viking Press|location= United Kingdom | year=1997 | isbn=978-0-14-024107-5}}</ref>
</blockquote>

[[Jim G. Thirlwell]], in his 1995 [[Foetus (band)|Foetus]] release, ''[[Gash (Foetus album)|Gash]]'', wrote and performed a song titled "Steal Your Life Away" which included a somewhat Read-like persona, and included several quotes from Read's first book, including "I'm a garbage disposal expert", "You've got to stand at the edge of the grave for the rest of your life", "Me and my mental health don't agree most times", and "Why ask why?".

===Film===
The 2000 film ''[[Chopper (film)|Chopper]]'', starring [[Eric Bana]] as Read, was based on stories from Read's books and independent research, leading to events portrayed on screen that somewhat contradicted Read's version. For instance, Read claimed in early books to be vehemently against drugs, but the film portrays him as a casual drug user. In response, Read stated, "You have to have tried something to be able to say you hate it."{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

==Personal life==
Read married [[Australian Taxation Office]] employee Mary-Ann Hodge in 1995 while imprisoned in [[HM Prison Risdon|Risdon Prison]] in [[Tasmania]] for the shooting of Sidney Collins. The couple had one son. They divorced in 2001.{{citation needed|date=October 2013}} On 19 January 2003, he married long-time friend Margaret Cassar. They have one son.{{citation needed|date=October 2013}}

===Health issues===
Read contracted [[Hepatitis C]] during his time in prison, possibly contracted by using a blood-stained shaver.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/chopper-read-reveals-he-has-cancer-20120426-1xnil.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=26 April 2012 | title=Chopper Read reveals he has cancer}}</ref> In March 2008 he revealed he only has two to five years to live and required a [[liver]] transplant. However, he refused to agree to the procedure, stating that while a transplant would save him, he did not want one when an organ could be provided to someone else.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23865899-5006301,00.html | title=Dying 'Chopper' refuses transplant | date=14 June 2008 | work=Sunday Mail (SA)}}</ref>

In April 2012, Read was diagnosed with [[liver cancer]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Lowe|first=Adrian|title=Cancer-stricken Chopper 'has weeks to live'|url=http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/cancerstricken-chopper-has-weeks-to-live-20120427-1xomd.html|accessdate=27 April 2012|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 April 2012}}</ref> Read underwent surgery in July 2012 to remove tumours from his liver<ref>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/hepatitis-like-a-prison-accessory-says-mark-read/story-e6frg6nf-1226459356850</ref>
and in late September 2013 he was admitted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in failing health.<ref>http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/mark-chopper-read-admitted-to-hospital-20130930-2uofm.html</ref>

==Bibliography==
* ''Chopper: From the Inside'' (1991), ISBN 0-646-06543-2
* ''Chopper 2: Hits and Memories'' (1992), ISBN 0-646-10987-1
* ''Chopper 3: How to Shoot Friends & Influence People'' (1993), ISBN 0-646-15444-3
* ''Chopper 4: For the Term of His Unnatural Life'' (1994), ISBN 0-646-21014-9
* ''Chopper 5: Pulp Faction: Revenge of the Rabbit Kisser and Other Jailhouse Stories'' (1995), ISBN 0-646-25065-5
* ''Chopper 6: No Tears for a Tough Guy'' (1996), ISBN 0-646-29637-X
* ''Chopper 7: The Singing Defective'' (1997), ISBN 0-646-33923-0
* ''Chopper 8: The Sicilian Defence'' (1998), ISBN 0-9586071-0-9
* ''Chopper 9: The Final Cut'' (1999), ISBN 0-9586071-4-1
* ''Chopper 101⁄2: The Popcorn Gangster'' (2001), ISBN 0-9579121-0-2
* ''[[Hooky the Cripple]]: The Grim Tale of a Hunchback Who Triumphs'' (2002), ISBN 1-86403-165-4
* ''The Adventures of Rumsley Rumsfelt'' (2003), ISBN 0-9579121-7-X
* ''Chopper 11: Last Man Standing: From Ex-Con to Icon'' (2007)
* ''Mark 'Chopper' Read: One Thing Led To Another'' (2010), ISBN 978-1-4050-4046-4
<ref>[http://k2760.tripod.com/id9.html Books]</ref>
* ''Mark 'Chopper' Read: Road to Nowhere'' (2011), ISBN 9781742611457
<ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/153046989 Books]</ref>

==Discography==
* ''[[Interview with a Madman]]'' (2006)
* ''[[The Smell of Love E.P.]]'' – [[Chopper Read and The Blue Flames]] (1997) Newmarket Records (Catalog New 3003.2)

==See also==
* [[Chopper Heavy]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0973692|name=Mark Brandon Read}}
* [http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/image/tast-ful-old-criminal-sic Mark Brandon Read's self-portrait] at the [[State Library of Victoria]]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s1939707.htm Andrew Denton, ''Enough Rope'' interview 2007]
* Chopper's page on Momentum Books http://momentumbooks.com.au/authors/mark-brandon-chopper-read/

{{Authority control|VIAF=9061265}}
{{Persondata 
| NAME = Read, Chopper
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 17 November 1954
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Read, Chopper}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian criminals]]
[[Category:Australian crime writers]]
[[Category:Australian hip hop musicians]]
[[Category:Australian kidnappers]]
[[Category:Australian memoirists]]
[[Category:Australian rappers]]
[[Category:Criminals from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Organised crime in Australia]]
[[Category:Organized crime memoirists]]
[[Category:People convicted of robbery]]
[[Category:People with cancer]]

Mark Brandon Read

2013-10-02T19:03:52Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Personal life */ Removed names of children (not notable). Added cn tags for family detail

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2011}}
{{BLP sources|date=July 2011}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name = Chopper Read
| image_name =
| imagesize =
| image_caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1954|11|17}}
| birth_place = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
| alias = Chopper Read
| charge =
| conviction = [[Armed robbery]] [[Assault]] [[Kidnapping]]
| conviction_penalty =
| conviction_status =
| occupation = Criminal, rapper, author
| spouse = Mary-Ann Hodge (1995–2001, divorced) Margaret Cassar
| parents =
| children = Charlie Roy Brandon
}}
'''Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read''' (born 17 November 1954) is an [[Australians|Australian]] former criminal who wrote a series of semi-autobiographical and fictional crime novels. The 2000 film ''[[Chopper (film)|Chopper]]'' was based on his life.

==Early life==
Read was born to a former [[army]] father and a mother who was a devout [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventist]]. He was placed in a children's home for the first five years of his life. He grew up in the Melbourne suburbs of [[Collingwood, Victoria|Collingwood]], [[Thomastown, Victoria|Thomastown]], [[Fitzroy, Victoria|Fitzroy]] and [[Preston, Victoria|Preston]]. He was bullied at school, claiming that by the age of 15, he had been on the "losing end of several hundred fights"{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} and that his father, usually on his mother's recommendation, beat him often as a child. Read was made a [[Ward (legal)|ward of the state]] by the age of 14 and was placed in several [[mental institution]]s as a teenager, where, he later claimed, he was subjected to [[Electroconvulsive therapy|electroshock therapy]].

==Criminal activity==
When he was still young, Read was already an accomplished street fighter and the leader of the Surrey Road gang. He began his criminal career by robbing [[drug dealer]]s, based in massage parlours in the Prahran area. He later graduated to kidnapping and torturing members of the criminal underworld, often using a blowtorch or bolt cutters to remove the toes of his victims as an incentive for them to produce enough money so that Read would leave them alive.<ref>[http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000696832 Chopper]{{Dead link|date=July 2011}}</ref>

Read spent only 13 months outside [[prison]] between the ages of 20 and 38, having been convicted of crimes including [[armed robbery]], [[firearm]] offences, [[assault]], [[arson]], [[impersonating a police officer]] and [[kidnapping]].<ref name="cancer"/> While in [[Pentridge Prison]]'s H division in the late 1970s, Read launched a prison war. His gang, dubbed "The Overcoat Gang" because they wore long coats all year round to conceal their weapons, were involved in several hundred acts of violence against a larger opposing gang during this period. Around this time, Read had a fellow inmate cut both of his (Read's) ears off in order to be able to leave H division temporarily. While in his early biographies Read claimed this was to avoid an ambush by other inmates, by being transferred to the mental health wing, his later works state that he did so to "win a bet".{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} The nickname "Chopper" was given to him long before this, from a childhood cartoon character.{{Cn|date=April 2013}}

Read was ambushed and stabbed by members of his own gang in a sneak attack, when they felt his plan to cripple every other inmate in the entire division and win the gang war in one fell swoop was going too far. Another theory is that James "Jimmy" Loughnan, a lontime friend of Read, and Patrick "Blue" Barnes wished to benefit from a contract put on Read's head by the [[Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union|Painters' and Dockers' Union]]. Read lost several feet of intestine in the attack. At the time Read was serving a 16 and a half-year sentence after attacking a judge in an effort to get Loughnan released from prison.<ref name="TheAge20131003">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/posh-people-love-gangsters-20131002-2uspn.html|title='Posh people love gangsters'|last=Silvester|first=John|date=3 October 2013|work=The Age|accessdate=2 October 2013}}</ref>

In 1992, Read was convicted of shooting Sydney Michael Edward Collins in the chest. The incident took place in Read's car, which was in the driveway of Collins' residence at Evandale, Tasmania. The bullet was recovered from the backseat of the vehicle, and Collins named Read as the shooter. Pleading not guilty, Read was found guilty of grievous bodily harm, a downgraded charge from attempted murder, and sentenced as a "dangerous criminal" to indefinite detention. He walked free early in 1998. In 2002, Read was again questioned over the disappearance of Sydney Collins, who is still on the Australian Missing Person list after going missing under suspicious circumstances.

Read has claimed to be involved in the killing of 19 people and the attempted murder of 11 others. In an April 2013 interview with the New York Times, Read claimed “Look, honestly, I haven’t killed that many people, probably about four or seven, depending on how you look at it.”<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/13/world/asia/chopper-read-australias-brand-name-for-ferocity-is-softened-by-illness.html?_r=0|title=Australia’s Brand Name for Ferocity, Softened by Time|work=The New York Times|date=12 April 2013|first=Matt|last=Siegel}}</ref>

Read has also spoken of his old mid-1980s to early 1990s rivalry with [[Alphonse Gangitano]] in the TV series ''[[Tough Nuts]]''. Read explained that he had a disagreement with Gangitano regarding an elderly neighbourhood hero whom Gangitano admired. It is alleged{{by whom|date=August 2012}} that Gangitano burst open the toilet cubicle door{{where|date=April 2013}} with a number of associates and began a serious assault on Read who made his escape but not before spreading his faeces into Gangitano's face.<ref>http://www.chopperread.com/interview.htm</ref>

==Other activities==
In 2001, Read was featured in an advertisement on behalf of the [[Pedestrian Council of Australia]] warning of the dangers of [[drunk driving]]. Read is seated at a kitchen table undoing his shirt and, while pointing to the numerous scars and injuries on his body, says:
{{cquote|When I was in prison… I got slashed in the face … my ears cut off … my eyebrows trimmed and a butcher's knife here, an [[icepick]] here - not fun at all, etc … If you drink and drive and you're unfortunate enough to hit somebody, you ought to pray to God that you don't go to prison.}}

In 2005, Read embarked on a tour of Australia performing a series of shows titled ''I'm Innocent'' with [[Mark "Jacko" Jackson]]<ref>[http://k2760.tripod.com/id3.html News and Gossip]</ref> and later toured Sydney in a stage show with a new co-star, former detective [[Roger Rogerson|Roger "The Dodger" Rogerson]].

In 2006, Read appeared in another commercial speaking out against [[domestic violence]]. On 13 March 2006, he released a [[rap music|rap]] album titled ''[[Interview with a Madman]]''. He also appeared in the 2002 Australian comedy ''[[Trojan Warrior]]''.

Read allowed use of his name to a [[beer]] called "[[Chopper Heavy]]". The beer is produced in [[Rutherglen, Victoria]], a town associated with Australia's most notorious outlaw, [[Ned Kelly]].

He made the headlines again, on 15 December 2008, after being questioned by police about an alleged incident in Johnson Street, [[Collingwood, Victoria|Collingwood]]. Read was attacked by a tomahawk-wielding man he said he had never met before. He said: "I ran to the panelbeaters and grabbed a pipe. I said, 'Come here now' and he jumped into a car and pissed off."<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/national/chopper-read-in-tomahawk-attack-20081215-6yoj.html Chopper Read in 'tomahawk' street fight attack]</ref> Read suffered a minor injury to his arm after being hit with the blunt end of the tomahawk. Read was questioned by detectives at [[Richmond, Victoria|Richmond]] police station before being released without charge. His alleged attacker has not been found.

===Author===
Read is an author of [[crime fiction|crime novels]], selling more than 500,000 copies of his works.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}} In recent years, he has made recordings of voice narratives, which have also sold well.

Read's first book, ''Chopper: From the Inside'', was collected from letters he sent while incarcerated in Melbourne's Pentridge Prison and published in 1991. It contains tales and [[anecdote]]s of his criminal and prison exploits. Further biographical releases followed in a similar vein. With the advent of ''Chopper 5: Pulp Faction'', Read began writing fictional tales based on his experiences of criminal life. Attempts were made to ban a children's book written by Read titled ''[[Hooky the Cripple]]''.

===Public commentary and political views===
Read has frequently appeared on radio and television talk shows to promote his books. He had a column in ''[[Ralph (magazine)|Ralph]]'' magazine{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}, was regular columnist for the British magazine ''[[FHM]]'', and ''[[Zoo Weekly]]''.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}}

Read's success in selling tales of his criminal past has prompted widespread calls to amend the Federal Proceeds of Crime Bill (2001)—which confiscates the proceeds of drug deals and robberies—to also apply to indirect proceeds of crime, including book sales, TV appearances, and the like.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

Read has described his political beliefs as "to the [[political right|right]] of [[Genghis Khan]]".{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} In his book ''Chopper 2'', he lists [[Bruce Ruxton]] and American [[conservative]] [[G. Gordon Liddy]] as his political heroes.

==Cultural references==
A fictionalised version of Read was featured in several sketches on ''[[The Ronnie Johns Half Hour#Chopper Read|The Ronnie Johns Half Hour]]''. Some of these sketches, such as "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY3TfjOeuhM Harden The Fuck Up!]". Read was portrayed by [[Heath Franklin]]. Read has said although the parody isn't totally accurate, he finds it funny.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-3fpDYPT2M&feature=related</ref>

[[Science fiction]] author [[William Gibson]] based a character (Keith Blackwell) in the final two books of his ''Bridge'' trilogy on Read. In the second book of the trilogy, ''[[Idoru]]'', Gibson wrote in his acknowledgments:

<blockquote>"Anything I know about the toecutting business, I owe to the criminal memoirs of Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read (''Chopper from the inside'', Sly Ink, Australia, 1991). Mr. Read is a great deal scarier than Blackwell, and has even fewer ears."<ref>{{cite book|author=Gibson, W.|title=Idoru|publisher=Viking Press|location= United Kingdom | year=1997 | isbn=978-0-14-024107-5}}</ref>
</blockquote>

[[Jim G. Thirlwell]], in his 1995 [[Foetus (band)|Foetus]] release, ''[[Gash (Foetus album)|Gash]]'', wrote and performed a song titled "Steal Your Life Away" which included a somewhat Read-like persona, and included several quotes from Read's first book, including "I'm a garbage disposal expert", "You've got to stand at the edge of the grave for the rest of your life", "Me and my mental health don't agree most times", and "Why ask why?".

===Film===
The 2000 film ''[[Chopper (film)|Chopper]]'', starring [[Eric Bana]] as Read, was based on stories from Read's books and independent research, leading to events portrayed on screen that somewhat contradicted Read's version. For instance, Read claimed in early books to be vehemently against drugs, but the film portrays him as a casual drug user. In response, Read stated, "You have to have tried something to be able to say you hate it."{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

==Personal life==
Read married [[Australian Taxation Office]] employee Mary-Ann Hodge in 1995 while imprisoned in [[HM Prison Risdon|Risdon Prison]] in [[Tasmania]] for the shooting of Sidney Collins. The couple had one son. Theydivorced in 2001.{{citation needed|date=October 2013}} On 19 January 2003, he married long-time friend Margaret Cassar. They have one son.{{citation needed|date=October 2013}}

===Health issues===
Read contracted [[Hepatitis C]] during his time in prison, possibly contracted by using a blood-stained shaver.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/chopper-read-reveals-he-has-cancer-20120426-1xnil.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=26 April 2012 | title=Chopper Read reveals he has cancer}}</ref> In March 2008 he revealed he only has two to five years to live and required a [[liver]] transplant. However, he refused to agree to the procedure, stating that while a transplant would save him, he did not want one when an organ could be provided to someone else.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23865899-5006301,00.html | title=Dying 'Chopper' refuses transplant | date=14 June 2008 | work=Sunday Mail (SA)}}</ref>

In April 2012, Read was diagnosed with [[liver cancer]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Lowe|first=Adrian|title=Cancer-stricken Chopper 'has weeks to live'|url=http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/cancerstricken-chopper-has-weeks-to-live-20120427-1xomd.html|accessdate=27 April 2012|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 April 2012}}</ref> Read underwent surgery in July 2012 to remove tumours from his liver<ref>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/hepatitis-like-a-prison-accessory-says-mark-read/story-e6frg6nf-1226459356850</ref>
and in late September 2013 he was admitted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in failing health.<ref>http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/mark-chopper-read-admitted-to-hospital-20130930-2uofm.html</ref>

==Bibliography==
* ''Chopper: From the Inside'' (1991), ISBN 0-646-06543-2
* ''Chopper 2: Hits and Memories'' (1992), ISBN 0-646-10987-1
* ''Chopper 3: How to Shoot Friends & Influence People'' (1993), ISBN 0-646-15444-3
* ''Chopper 4: For the Term of His Unnatural Life'' (1994), ISBN 0-646-21014-9
* ''Chopper 5: Pulp Faction: Revenge of the Rabbit Kisser and Other Jailhouse Stories'' (1995), ISBN 0-646-25065-5
* ''Chopper 6: No Tears for a Tough Guy'' (1996), ISBN 0-646-29637-X
* ''Chopper 7: The Singing Defective'' (1997), ISBN 0-646-33923-0
* ''Chopper 8: The Sicilian Defence'' (1998), ISBN 0-9586071-0-9
* ''Chopper 9: The Final Cut'' (1999), ISBN 0-9586071-4-1
* ''Chopper 101⁄2: The Popcorn Gangster'' (2001), ISBN 0-9579121-0-2
* ''[[Hooky the Cripple]]: The Grim Tale of a Hunchback Who Triumphs'' (2002), ISBN 1-86403-165-4
* ''The Adventures of Rumsley Rumsfelt'' (2003), ISBN 0-9579121-7-X
* ''Chopper 11: Last Man Standing: From Ex-Con to Icon'' (2007)
* ''Mark 'Chopper' Read: One Thing Led To Another'' (2010), ISBN 978-1-4050-4046-4
<ref>[http://k2760.tripod.com/id9.html Books]</ref>
* ''Mark 'Chopper' Read: Road to Nowhere'' (2011), ISBN 9781742611457
<ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/153046989 Books]</ref>

==Discography==
* ''[[Interview with a Madman]]'' (2006)
* ''[[The Smell of Love E.P.]]'' – [[Chopper Read and The Blue Flames]] (1997) Newmarket Records (Catalog New 3003.2)

==See also==
* [[Chopper Heavy]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0973692|name=Mark Brandon Read}}
* [http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/image/tast-ful-old-criminal-sic Mark Brandon Read's self-portrait] at the [[State Library of Victoria]]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s1939707.htm Andrew Denton, ''Enough Rope'' interview 2007]
* Chopper's page on Momentum Books http://momentumbooks.com.au/authors/mark-brandon-chopper-read/

{{Authority control|VIAF=9061265}}
{{Persondata 
| NAME = Read, Chopper
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 17 November 1954
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Read, Chopper}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian criminals]]
[[Category:Australian crime writers]]
[[Category:Australian hip hop musicians]]
[[Category:Australian kidnappers]]
[[Category:Australian memoirists]]
[[Category:Australian rappers]]
[[Category:Criminals from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Organised crime in Australia]]
[[Category:Organized crime memoirists]]
[[Category:People convicted of robbery]]
[[Category:People with cancer]]

Mark Brandon Read

2013-10-02T19:01:53Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Personal life */ New sub-section; a little further trimming of excessive detail

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2011}}
{{BLP sources|date=July 2011}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name = Chopper Read
| image_name =
| imagesize =
| image_caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1954|11|17}}
| birth_place = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
| alias = Chopper Read
| charge =
| conviction = [[Armed robbery]] [[Assault]] [[Kidnapping]]
| conviction_penalty =
| conviction_status =
| occupation = Criminal, rapper, author
| spouse = Mary-Ann Hodge (1995–2001, divorced) Margaret Cassar
| parents =
| children = Charlie Roy Brandon
}}
'''Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read''' (born 17 November 1954) is an [[Australians|Australian]] former criminal who wrote a series of semi-autobiographical and fictional crime novels. The 2000 film ''[[Chopper (film)|Chopper]]'' was based on his life.

==Early life==
Read was born to a former [[army]] father and a mother who was a devout [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventist]]. He was placed in a children's home for the first five years of his life. He grew up in the Melbourne suburbs of [[Collingwood, Victoria|Collingwood]], [[Thomastown, Victoria|Thomastown]], [[Fitzroy, Victoria|Fitzroy]] and [[Preston, Victoria|Preston]]. He was bullied at school, claiming that by the age of 15, he had been on the "losing end of several hundred fights"{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} and that his father, usually on his mother's recommendation, beat him often as a child. Read was made a [[Ward (legal)|ward of the state]] by the age of 14 and was placed in several [[mental institution]]s as a teenager, where, he later claimed, he was subjected to [[Electroconvulsive therapy|electroshock therapy]].

==Criminal activity==
When he was still young, Read was already an accomplished street fighter and the leader of the Surrey Road gang. He began his criminal career by robbing [[drug dealer]]s, based in massage parlours in the Prahran area. He later graduated to kidnapping and torturing members of the criminal underworld, often using a blowtorch or bolt cutters to remove the toes of his victims as an incentive for them to produce enough money so that Read would leave them alive.<ref>[http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000696832 Chopper]{{Dead link|date=July 2011}}</ref>

Read spent only 13 months outside [[prison]] between the ages of 20 and 38, having been convicted of crimes including [[armed robbery]], [[firearm]] offences, [[assault]], [[arson]], [[impersonating a police officer]] and [[kidnapping]].<ref name="cancer"/> While in [[Pentridge Prison]]'s H division in the late 1970s, Read launched a prison war. His gang, dubbed "The Overcoat Gang" because they wore long coats all year round to conceal their weapons, were involved in several hundred acts of violence against a larger opposing gang during this period. Around this time, Read had a fellow inmate cut both of his (Read's) ears off in order to be able to leave H division temporarily. While in his early biographies Read claimed this was to avoid an ambush by other inmates, by being transferred to the mental health wing, his later works state that he did so to "win a bet".{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} The nickname "Chopper" was given to him long before this, from a childhood cartoon character.{{Cn|date=April 2013}}

Read was ambushed and stabbed by members of his own gang in a sneak attack, when they felt his plan to cripple every other inmate in the entire division and win the gang war in one fell swoop was going too far. Another theory is that James "Jimmy" Loughnan, a lontime friend of Read, and Patrick "Blue" Barnes wished to benefit from a contract put on Read's head by the [[Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union|Painters' and Dockers' Union]]. Read lost several feet of intestine in the attack. At the time Read was serving a 16 and a half-year sentence after attacking a judge in an effort to get Loughnan released from prison.<ref name="TheAge20131003">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/posh-people-love-gangsters-20131002-2uspn.html|title='Posh people love gangsters'|last=Silvester|first=John|date=3 October 2013|work=The Age|accessdate=2 October 2013}}</ref>

In 1992, Read was convicted of shooting Sydney Michael Edward Collins in the chest. The incident took place in Read's car, which was in the driveway of Collins' residence at Evandale, Tasmania. The bullet was recovered from the backseat of the vehicle, and Collins named Read as the shooter. Pleading not guilty, Read was found guilty of grievous bodily harm, a downgraded charge from attempted murder, and sentenced as a "dangerous criminal" to indefinite detention. He walked free early in 1998. In 2002, Read was again questioned over the disappearance of Sydney Collins, who is still on the Australian Missing Person list after going missing under suspicious circumstances.

Read has claimed to be involved in the killing of 19 people and the attempted murder of 11 others. In an April 2013 interview with the New York Times, Read claimed “Look, honestly, I haven’t killed that many people, probably about four or seven, depending on how you look at it.”<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/13/world/asia/chopper-read-australias-brand-name-for-ferocity-is-softened-by-illness.html?_r=0|title=Australia’s Brand Name for Ferocity, Softened by Time|work=The New York Times|date=12 April 2013|first=Matt|last=Siegel}}</ref>

Read has also spoken of his old mid-1980s to early 1990s rivalry with [[Alphonse Gangitano]] in the TV series ''[[Tough Nuts]]''. Read explained that he had a disagreement with Gangitano regarding an elderly neighbourhood hero whom Gangitano admired. It is alleged{{by whom|date=August 2012}} that Gangitano burst open the toilet cubicle door{{where|date=April 2013}} with a number of associates and began a serious assault on Read who made his escape but not before spreading his faeces into Gangitano's face.<ref>http://www.chopperread.com/interview.htm</ref>

==Other activities==
In 2001, Read was featured in an advertisement on behalf of the [[Pedestrian Council of Australia]] warning of the dangers of [[drunk driving]]. Read is seated at a kitchen table undoing his shirt and, while pointing to the numerous scars and injuries on his body, says:
{{cquote|When I was in prison… I got slashed in the face … my ears cut off … my eyebrows trimmed and a butcher's knife here, an [[icepick]] here - not fun at all, etc … If you drink and drive and you're unfortunate enough to hit somebody, you ought to pray to God that you don't go to prison.}}

In 2005, Read embarked on a tour of Australia performing a series of shows titled ''I'm Innocent'' with [[Mark "Jacko" Jackson]]<ref>[http://k2760.tripod.com/id3.html News and Gossip]</ref> and later toured Sydney in a stage show with a new co-star, former detective [[Roger Rogerson|Roger "The Dodger" Rogerson]].

In 2006, Read appeared in another commercial speaking out against [[domestic violence]]. On 13 March 2006, he released a [[rap music|rap]] album titled ''[[Interview with a Madman]]''. He also appeared in the 2002 Australian comedy ''[[Trojan Warrior]]''.

Read allowed use of his name to a [[beer]] called "[[Chopper Heavy]]". The beer is produced in [[Rutherglen, Victoria]], a town associated with Australia's most notorious outlaw, [[Ned Kelly]].

He made the headlines again, on 15 December 2008, after being questioned by police about an alleged incident in Johnson Street, [[Collingwood, Victoria|Collingwood]]. Read was attacked by a tomahawk-wielding man he said he had never met before. He said: "I ran to the panelbeaters and grabbed a pipe. I said, 'Come here now' and he jumped into a car and pissed off."<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/national/chopper-read-in-tomahawk-attack-20081215-6yoj.html Chopper Read in 'tomahawk' street fight attack]</ref> Read suffered a minor injury to his arm after being hit with the blunt end of the tomahawk. Read was questioned by detectives at [[Richmond, Victoria|Richmond]] police station before being released without charge. His alleged attacker has not been found.

===Author===
Read is an author of [[crime fiction|crime novels]], selling more than 500,000 copies of his works.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}} In recent years, he has made recordings of voice narratives, which have also sold well.

Read's first book, ''Chopper: From the Inside'', was collected from letters he sent while incarcerated in Melbourne's Pentridge Prison and published in 1991. It contains tales and [[anecdote]]s of his criminal and prison exploits. Further biographical releases followed in a similar vein. With the advent of ''Chopper 5: Pulp Faction'', Read began writing fictional tales based on his experiences of criminal life. Attempts were made to ban a children's book written by Read titled ''[[Hooky the Cripple]]''.

===Public commentary and political views===
Read has frequently appeared on radio and television talk shows to promote his books. He had a column in ''[[Ralph (magazine)|Ralph]]'' magazine{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}, was regular columnist for the British magazine ''[[FHM]]'', and ''[[Zoo Weekly]]''.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}}

Read's success in selling tales of his criminal past has prompted widespread calls to amend the Federal Proceeds of Crime Bill (2001)—which confiscates the proceeds of drug deals and robberies—to also apply to indirect proceeds of crime, including book sales, TV appearances, and the like.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

Read has described his political beliefs as "to the [[political right|right]] of [[Genghis Khan]]".{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} In his book ''Chopper 2'', he lists [[Bruce Ruxton]] and American [[conservative]] [[G. Gordon Liddy]] as his political heroes.

==Cultural references==
A fictionalised version of Read was featured in several sketches on ''[[The Ronnie Johns Half Hour#Chopper Read|The Ronnie Johns Half Hour]]''. Some of these sketches, such as "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY3TfjOeuhM Harden The Fuck Up!]". Read was portrayed by [[Heath Franklin]]. Read has said although the parody isn't totally accurate, he finds it funny.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-3fpDYPT2M&feature=related</ref>

[[Science fiction]] author [[William Gibson]] based a character (Keith Blackwell) in the final two books of his ''Bridge'' trilogy on Read. In the second book of the trilogy, ''[[Idoru]]'', Gibson wrote in his acknowledgments:

<blockquote>"Anything I know about the toecutting business, I owe to the criminal memoirs of Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read (''Chopper from the inside'', Sly Ink, Australia, 1991). Mr. Read is a great deal scarier than Blackwell, and has even fewer ears."<ref>{{cite book|author=Gibson, W.|title=Idoru|publisher=Viking Press|location= United Kingdom | year=1997 | isbn=978-0-14-024107-5}}</ref>
</blockquote>

[[Jim G. Thirlwell]], in his 1995 [[Foetus (band)|Foetus]] release, ''[[Gash (Foetus album)|Gash]]'', wrote and performed a song titled "Steal Your Life Away" which included a somewhat Read-like persona, and included several quotes from Read's first book, including "I'm a garbage disposal expert", "You've got to stand at the edge of the grave for the rest of your life", "Me and my mental health don't agree most times", and "Why ask why?".

===Film===
The 2000 film ''[[Chopper (film)|Chopper]]'', starring [[Eric Bana]] as Read, was based on stories from Read's books and independent research, leading to events portrayed on screen that somewhat contradicted Read's version. For instance, Read claimed in early books to be vehemently against drugs, but the film portrays him as a casual drug user. In response, Read stated, "You have to have tried something to be able to say you hate it."{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

==Personal life==
Read married [[Australian Taxation Office]] employee Mary-Ann Hodge in 1995 while imprisoned in [[HM Prison Risdon|Risdon Prison]] in [[Tasmania]] for the shooting of Sidney Collins. The couple had one child, Charlie, and divorced in 2001. On 19 January 2003, he married long-time friend Margaret Cassar. They have one son, Roy Brandon.

===Health issues===
Read contracted [[Hepatitis C]] during his time in prison, possibly contracted by using a blood-stained shaver.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/chopper-read-reveals-he-has-cancer-20120426-1xnil.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=26 April 2012 | title=Chopper Read reveals he has cancer}}</ref> In March 2008 he revealed he only has two to five years to live and required a [[liver]] transplant. However, he refused to agree to the procedure, stating that while a transplant would save him, he did not want one when an organ could be provided to someone else.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23865899-5006301,00.html | title=Dying 'Chopper' refuses transplant | date=14 June 2008 | work=Sunday Mail (SA)}}</ref>

In April 2012, Read was diagnosed with [[liver cancer]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Lowe|first=Adrian|title=Cancer-stricken Chopper 'has weeks to live'|url=http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/cancerstricken-chopper-has-weeks-to-live-20120427-1xomd.html|accessdate=27 April 2012|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 April 2012}}</ref> Read underwent surgery in July 2012 to remove tumours from his liver<ref>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/hepatitis-like-a-prison-accessory-says-mark-read/story-e6frg6nf-1226459356850</ref>
and in late September 2013 he was admitted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in failing health.<ref>http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/mark-chopper-read-admitted-to-hospital-20130930-2uofm.html</ref>

==Bibliography==
* ''Chopper: From the Inside'' (1991), ISBN 0-646-06543-2
* ''Chopper 2: Hits and Memories'' (1992), ISBN 0-646-10987-1
* ''Chopper 3: How to Shoot Friends & Influence People'' (1993), ISBN 0-646-15444-3
* ''Chopper 4: For the Term of His Unnatural Life'' (1994), ISBN 0-646-21014-9
* ''Chopper 5: Pulp Faction: Revenge of the Rabbit Kisser and Other Jailhouse Stories'' (1995), ISBN 0-646-25065-5
* ''Chopper 6: No Tears for a Tough Guy'' (1996), ISBN 0-646-29637-X
* ''Chopper 7: The Singing Defective'' (1997), ISBN 0-646-33923-0
* ''Chopper 8: The Sicilian Defence'' (1998), ISBN 0-9586071-0-9
* ''Chopper 9: The Final Cut'' (1999), ISBN 0-9586071-4-1
* ''Chopper 101⁄2: The Popcorn Gangster'' (2001), ISBN 0-9579121-0-2
* ''[[Hooky the Cripple]]: The Grim Tale of a Hunchback Who Triumphs'' (2002), ISBN 1-86403-165-4
* ''The Adventures of Rumsley Rumsfelt'' (2003), ISBN 0-9579121-7-X
* ''Chopper 11: Last Man Standing: From Ex-Con to Icon'' (2007)
* ''Mark 'Chopper' Read: One Thing Led To Another'' (2010), ISBN 978-1-4050-4046-4
<ref>[http://k2760.tripod.com/id9.html Books]</ref>
* ''Mark 'Chopper' Read: Road to Nowhere'' (2011), ISBN 9781742611457
<ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/153046989 Books]</ref>

==Discography==
* ''[[Interview with a Madman]]'' (2006)
* ''[[The Smell of Love E.P.]]'' – [[Chopper Read and The Blue Flames]] (1997) Newmarket Records (Catalog New 3003.2)

==See also==
* [[Chopper Heavy]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0973692|name=Mark Brandon Read}}
* [http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/image/tast-ful-old-criminal-sic Mark Brandon Read's self-portrait] at the [[State Library of Victoria]]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s1939707.htm Andrew Denton, ''Enough Rope'' interview 2007]
* Chopper's page on Momentum Books http://momentumbooks.com.au/authors/mark-brandon-chopper-read/

{{Authority control|VIAF=9061265}}
{{Persondata 
| NAME = Read, Chopper
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 17 November 1954
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Read, Chopper}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian criminals]]
[[Category:Australian crime writers]]
[[Category:Australian hip hop musicians]]
[[Category:Australian kidnappers]]
[[Category:Australian memoirists]]
[[Category:Australian rappers]]
[[Category:Criminals from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Organised crime in Australia]]
[[Category:Organized crime memoirists]]
[[Category:People convicted of robbery]]
[[Category:People with cancer]]

Mark Brandon Read

2013-10-02T19:00:38Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Personal life */ Removed numerous quotes (mostly a WP:UNDUE issue)

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2011}}
{{BLP sources|date=July 2011}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name = Chopper Read
| image_name =
| imagesize =
| image_caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1954|11|17}}
| birth_place = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
| alias = Chopper Read
| charge =
| conviction = [[Armed robbery]] [[Assault]] [[Kidnapping]]
| conviction_penalty =
| conviction_status =
| occupation = Criminal, rapper, author
| spouse = Mary-Ann Hodge (1995–2001, divorced) Margaret Cassar
| parents =
| children = Charlie Roy Brandon
}}
'''Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read''' (born 17 November 1954) is an [[Australians|Australian]] former criminal who wrote a series of semi-autobiographical and fictional crime novels. The 2000 film ''[[Chopper (film)|Chopper]]'' was based on his life.

==Early life==
Read was born to a former [[army]] father and a mother who was a devout [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventist]]. He was placed in a children's home for the first five years of his life. He grew up in the Melbourne suburbs of [[Collingwood, Victoria|Collingwood]], [[Thomastown, Victoria|Thomastown]], [[Fitzroy, Victoria|Fitzroy]] and [[Preston, Victoria|Preston]]. He was bullied at school, claiming that by the age of 15, he had been on the "losing end of several hundred fights"{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} and that his father, usually on his mother's recommendation, beat him often as a child. Read was made a [[Ward (legal)|ward of the state]] by the age of 14 and was placed in several [[mental institution]]s as a teenager, where, he later claimed, he was subjected to [[Electroconvulsive therapy|electroshock therapy]].

==Criminal activity==
When he was still young, Read was already an accomplished street fighter and the leader of the Surrey Road gang. He began his criminal career by robbing [[drug dealer]]s, based in massage parlours in the Prahran area. He later graduated to kidnapping and torturing members of the criminal underworld, often using a blowtorch or bolt cutters to remove the toes of his victims as an incentive for them to produce enough money so that Read would leave them alive.<ref>[http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000696832 Chopper]{{Dead link|date=July 2011}}</ref>

Read spent only 13 months outside [[prison]] between the ages of 20 and 38, having been convicted of crimes including [[armed robbery]], [[firearm]] offences, [[assault]], [[arson]], [[impersonating a police officer]] and [[kidnapping]].<ref name="cancer"/> While in [[Pentridge Prison]]'s H division in the late 1970s, Read launched a prison war. His gang, dubbed "The Overcoat Gang" because they wore long coats all year round to conceal their weapons, were involved in several hundred acts of violence against a larger opposing gang during this period. Around this time, Read had a fellow inmate cut both of his (Read's) ears off in order to be able to leave H division temporarily. While in his early biographies Read claimed this was to avoid an ambush by other inmates, by being transferred to the mental health wing, his later works state that he did so to "win a bet".{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} The nickname "Chopper" was given to him long before this, from a childhood cartoon character.{{Cn|date=April 2013}}

Read was ambushed and stabbed by members of his own gang in a sneak attack, when they felt his plan to cripple every other inmate in the entire division and win the gang war in one fell swoop was going too far. Another theory is that James "Jimmy" Loughnan, a lontime friend of Read, and Patrick "Blue" Barnes wished to benefit from a contract put on Read's head by the [[Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union|Painters' and Dockers' Union]]. Read lost several feet of intestine in the attack. At the time Read was serving a 16 and a half-year sentence after attacking a judge in an effort to get Loughnan released from prison.<ref name="TheAge20131003">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/posh-people-love-gangsters-20131002-2uspn.html|title='Posh people love gangsters'|last=Silvester|first=John|date=3 October 2013|work=The Age|accessdate=2 October 2013}}</ref>

In 1992, Read was convicted of shooting Sydney Michael Edward Collins in the chest. The incident took place in Read's car, which was in the driveway of Collins' residence at Evandale, Tasmania. The bullet was recovered from the backseat of the vehicle, and Collins named Read as the shooter. Pleading not guilty, Read was found guilty of grievous bodily harm, a downgraded charge from attempted murder, and sentenced as a "dangerous criminal" to indefinite detention. He walked free early in 1998. In 2002, Read was again questioned over the disappearance of Sydney Collins, who is still on the Australian Missing Person list after going missing under suspicious circumstances.

Read has claimed to be involved in the killing of 19 people and the attempted murder of 11 others. In an April 2013 interview with the New York Times, Read claimed “Look, honestly, I haven’t killed that many people, probably about four or seven, depending on how you look at it.”<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/13/world/asia/chopper-read-australias-brand-name-for-ferocity-is-softened-by-illness.html?_r=0|title=Australia’s Brand Name for Ferocity, Softened by Time|work=The New York Times|date=12 April 2013|first=Matt|last=Siegel}}</ref>

Read has also spoken of his old mid-1980s to early 1990s rivalry with [[Alphonse Gangitano]] in the TV series ''[[Tough Nuts]]''. Read explained that he had a disagreement with Gangitano regarding an elderly neighbourhood hero whom Gangitano admired. It is alleged{{by whom|date=August 2012}} that Gangitano burst open the toilet cubicle door{{where|date=April 2013}} with a number of associates and began a serious assault on Read who made his escape but not before spreading his faeces into Gangitano's face.<ref>http://www.chopperread.com/interview.htm</ref>

==Other activities==
In 2001, Read was featured in an advertisement on behalf of the [[Pedestrian Council of Australia]] warning of the dangers of [[drunk driving]]. Read is seated at a kitchen table undoing his shirt and, while pointing to the numerous scars and injuries on his body, says:
{{cquote|When I was in prison… I got slashed in the face … my ears cut off … my eyebrows trimmed and a butcher's knife here, an [[icepick]] here - not fun at all, etc … If you drink and drive and you're unfortunate enough to hit somebody, you ought to pray to God that you don't go to prison.}}

In 2005, Read embarked on a tour of Australia performing a series of shows titled ''I'm Innocent'' with [[Mark "Jacko" Jackson]]<ref>[http://k2760.tripod.com/id3.html News and Gossip]</ref> and later toured Sydney in a stage show with a new co-star, former detective [[Roger Rogerson|Roger "The Dodger" Rogerson]].

In 2006, Read appeared in another commercial speaking out against [[domestic violence]]. On 13 March 2006, he released a [[rap music|rap]] album titled ''[[Interview with a Madman]]''. He also appeared in the 2002 Australian comedy ''[[Trojan Warrior]]''.

Read allowed use of his name to a [[beer]] called "[[Chopper Heavy]]". The beer is produced in [[Rutherglen, Victoria]], a town associated with Australia's most notorious outlaw, [[Ned Kelly]].

He made the headlines again, on 15 December 2008, after being questioned by police about an alleged incident in Johnson Street, [[Collingwood, Victoria|Collingwood]]. Read was attacked by a tomahawk-wielding man he said he had never met before. He said: "I ran to the panelbeaters and grabbed a pipe. I said, 'Come here now' and he jumped into a car and pissed off."<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/national/chopper-read-in-tomahawk-attack-20081215-6yoj.html Chopper Read in 'tomahawk' street fight attack]</ref> Read suffered a minor injury to his arm after being hit with the blunt end of the tomahawk. Read was questioned by detectives at [[Richmond, Victoria|Richmond]] police station before being released without charge. His alleged attacker has not been found.

===Author===
Read is an author of [[crime fiction|crime novels]], selling more than 500,000 copies of his works.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}} In recent years, he has made recordings of voice narratives, which have also sold well.

Read's first book, ''Chopper: From the Inside'', was collected from letters he sent while incarcerated in Melbourne's Pentridge Prison and published in 1991. It contains tales and [[anecdote]]s of his criminal and prison exploits. Further biographical releases followed in a similar vein. With the advent of ''Chopper 5: Pulp Faction'', Read began writing fictional tales based on his experiences of criminal life. Attempts were made to ban a children's book written by Read titled ''[[Hooky the Cripple]]''.

===Public commentary and political views===
Read has frequently appeared on radio and television talk shows to promote his books. He had a column in ''[[Ralph (magazine)|Ralph]]'' magazine{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}, was regular columnist for the British magazine ''[[FHM]]'', and ''[[Zoo Weekly]]''.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}}

Read's success in selling tales of his criminal past has prompted widespread calls to amend the Federal Proceeds of Crime Bill (2001)—which confiscates the proceeds of drug deals and robberies—to also apply to indirect proceeds of crime, including book sales, TV appearances, and the like.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

Read has described his political beliefs as "to the [[political right|right]] of [[Genghis Khan]]".{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} In his book ''Chopper 2'', he lists [[Bruce Ruxton]] and American [[conservative]] [[G. Gordon Liddy]] as his political heroes.

==Cultural references==
A fictionalised version of Read was featured in several sketches on ''[[The Ronnie Johns Half Hour#Chopper Read|The Ronnie Johns Half Hour]]''. Some of these sketches, such as "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY3TfjOeuhM Harden The Fuck Up!]". Read was portrayed by [[Heath Franklin]]. Read has said although the parody isn't totally accurate, he finds it funny.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-3fpDYPT2M&feature=related</ref>

[[Science fiction]] author [[William Gibson]] based a character (Keith Blackwell) in the final two books of his ''Bridge'' trilogy on Read. In the second book of the trilogy, ''[[Idoru]]'', Gibson wrote in his acknowledgments:

<blockquote>"Anything I know about the toecutting business, I owe to the criminal memoirs of Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read (''Chopper from the inside'', Sly Ink, Australia, 1991). Mr. Read is a great deal scarier than Blackwell, and has even fewer ears."<ref>{{cite book|author=Gibson, W.|title=Idoru|publisher=Viking Press|location= United Kingdom | year=1997 | isbn=978-0-14-024107-5}}</ref>
</blockquote>

[[Jim G. Thirlwell]], in his 1995 [[Foetus (band)|Foetus]] release, ''[[Gash (Foetus album)|Gash]]'', wrote and performed a song titled "Steal Your Life Away" which included a somewhat Read-like persona, and included several quotes from Read's first book, including "I'm a garbage disposal expert", "You've got to stand at the edge of the grave for the rest of your life", "Me and my mental health don't agree most times", and "Why ask why?".

===Film===
The 2000 film ''[[Chopper (film)|Chopper]]'', starring [[Eric Bana]] as Read, was based on stories from Read's books and independent research, leading to events portrayed on screen that somewhat contradicted Read's version. For instance, Read claimed in early books to be vehemently against drugs, but the film portrays him as a casual drug user. In response, Read stated, "You have to have tried something to be able to say you hate it."{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

==Personal life==
Read married [[Australian Taxation Office]] employee Mary-Ann Hodge in 1995 while imprisoned in [[HM Prison Risdon|Risdon Prison]] in [[Tasmania]] for the shooting of Sidney Collins. The couple had one child, Charlie, and divorced in 2001. On 19 January 2003, he married long-time friend Margaret Cassar. They have one son, Roy Brandon.

Read contracted [[Hepatitis C]] during his time in prison, possibly contracted by using a blood-stained shaver.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/chopper-read-reveals-he-has-cancer-20120426-1xnil.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=26 April 2012 | title=Chopper Read reveals he has cancer}}</ref> In March 2008 he revealed he only has two to five years to live and required a [[liver]] transplant. However, he refused to agree to the procedure, stating that while a transplant would save him, he did not want one when an organ could be provided to someone else.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23865899-5006301,00.html | title=Dying 'Chopper' refuses transplant | date=14 June 2008 | work=Sunday Mail (SA)}}</ref>

In April 2012, was diagnosed with [[liver cancer]], and doctors gave him from six weeks to six months to live.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lowe|first=Adrian|title=Cancer-stricken Chopper 'has weeks to live'|url=http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/cancerstricken-chopper-has-weeks-to-live-20120427-1xomd.html|accessdate=27 April 2012|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 April 2012}}</ref> Read underwent surgery in July 2012 to remove tumours from his liver<ref>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/hepatitis-like-a-prison-accessory-says-mark-read/story-e6frg6nf-1226459356850</ref>
and in late September 2013 was admitted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in failing health.<ref>http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/mark-chopper-read-admitted-to-hospital-20130930-2uofm.html</ref>

==Bibliography==
* ''Chopper: From the Inside'' (1991), ISBN 0-646-06543-2
* ''Chopper 2: Hits and Memories'' (1992), ISBN 0-646-10987-1
* ''Chopper 3: How to Shoot Friends & Influence People'' (1993), ISBN 0-646-15444-3
* ''Chopper 4: For the Term of His Unnatural Life'' (1994), ISBN 0-646-21014-9
* ''Chopper 5: Pulp Faction: Revenge of the Rabbit Kisser and Other Jailhouse Stories'' (1995), ISBN 0-646-25065-5
* ''Chopper 6: No Tears for a Tough Guy'' (1996), ISBN 0-646-29637-X
* ''Chopper 7: The Singing Defective'' (1997), ISBN 0-646-33923-0
* ''Chopper 8: The Sicilian Defence'' (1998), ISBN 0-9586071-0-9
* ''Chopper 9: The Final Cut'' (1999), ISBN 0-9586071-4-1
* ''Chopper 101⁄2: The Popcorn Gangster'' (2001), ISBN 0-9579121-0-2
* ''[[Hooky the Cripple]]: The Grim Tale of a Hunchback Who Triumphs'' (2002), ISBN 1-86403-165-4
* ''The Adventures of Rumsley Rumsfelt'' (2003), ISBN 0-9579121-7-X
* ''Chopper 11: Last Man Standing: From Ex-Con to Icon'' (2007)
* ''Mark 'Chopper' Read: One Thing Led To Another'' (2010), ISBN 978-1-4050-4046-4
<ref>[http://k2760.tripod.com/id9.html Books]</ref>
* ''Mark 'Chopper' Read: Road to Nowhere'' (2011), ISBN 9781742611457
<ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/153046989 Books]</ref>

==Discography==
* ''[[Interview with a Madman]]'' (2006)
* ''[[The Smell of Love E.P.]]'' – [[Chopper Read and The Blue Flames]] (1997) Newmarket Records (Catalog New 3003.2)

==See also==
* [[Chopper Heavy]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0973692|name=Mark Brandon Read}}
* [http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/image/tast-ful-old-criminal-sic Mark Brandon Read's self-portrait] at the [[State Library of Victoria]]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s1939707.htm Andrew Denton, ''Enough Rope'' interview 2007]
* Chopper's page on Momentum Books http://momentumbooks.com.au/authors/mark-brandon-chopper-read/

{{Authority control|VIAF=9061265}}
{{Persondata 
| NAME = Read, Chopper
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 17 November 1954
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Read, Chopper}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian criminals]]
[[Category:Australian crime writers]]
[[Category:Australian hip hop musicians]]
[[Category:Australian kidnappers]]
[[Category:Australian memoirists]]
[[Category:Australian rappers]]
[[Category:Criminals from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Organised crime in Australia]]
[[Category:Organized crime memoirists]]
[[Category:People convicted of robbery]]
[[Category:People with cancer]]

Mark Brandon Read

2013-10-02T18:54:24Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Personal life */ Prose, so that sentence actually makes sense

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2011}}
{{BLP sources|date=July 2011}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name = Chopper Read
| image_name =
| imagesize =
| image_caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1954|11|17}}
| birth_place = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
| alias = Chopper Read
| charge =
| conviction = [[Armed robbery]] [[Assault]] [[Kidnapping]]
| conviction_penalty =
| conviction_status =
| occupation = Criminal, rapper, author
| spouse = Mary-Ann Hodge (1995–2001, divorced) Margaret Cassar
| parents =
| children = Charlie Roy Brandon
}}
'''Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read''' (born 17 November 1954) is an [[Australians|Australian]] former criminal who wrote a series of semi-autobiographical and fictional crime novels. The 2000 film ''[[Chopper (film)|Chopper]]'' was based on his life.

==Early life==
Read was born to a former [[army]] father and a mother who was a devout [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventist]]. He was placed in a children's home for the first five years of his life. He grew up in the Melbourne suburbs of [[Collingwood, Victoria|Collingwood]], [[Thomastown, Victoria|Thomastown]], [[Fitzroy, Victoria|Fitzroy]] and [[Preston, Victoria|Preston]]. He was bullied at school, claiming that by the age of 15, he had been on the "losing end of several hundred fights"{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} and that his father, usually on his mother's recommendation, beat him often as a child. Read was made a [[Ward (legal)|ward of the state]] by the age of 14 and was placed in several [[mental institution]]s as a teenager, where, he later claimed, he was subjected to [[Electroconvulsive therapy|electroshock therapy]].

==Criminal activity==
When he was still young, Read was already an accomplished street fighter and the leader of the Surrey Road gang. He began his criminal career by robbing [[drug dealer]]s, based in massage parlours in the Prahran area. He later graduated to kidnapping and torturing members of the criminal underworld, often using a blowtorch or bolt cutters to remove the toes of his victims as an incentive for them to produce enough money so that Read would leave them alive.<ref>[http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000696832 Chopper]{{Dead link|date=July 2011}}</ref>

Read spent only 13 months outside [[prison]] between the ages of 20 and 38, having been convicted of crimes including [[armed robbery]], [[firearm]] offences, [[assault]], [[arson]], [[impersonating a police officer]] and [[kidnapping]].<ref name="cancer"/> While in [[Pentridge Prison]]'s H division in the late 1970s, Read launched a prison war. His gang, dubbed "The Overcoat Gang" because they wore long coats all year round to conceal their weapons, were involved in several hundred acts of violence against a larger opposing gang during this period. Around this time, Read had a fellow inmate cut both of his (Read's) ears off in order to be able to leave H division temporarily. While in his early biographies Read claimed this was to avoid an ambush by other inmates, by being transferred to the mental health wing, his later works state that he did so to "win a bet".{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} The nickname "Chopper" was given to him long before this, from a childhood cartoon character.{{Cn|date=April 2013}}

Read was ambushed and stabbed by members of his own gang in a sneak attack, when they felt his plan to cripple every other inmate in the entire division and win the gang war in one fell swoop was going too far. Another theory is that James "Jimmy" Loughnan, a lontime friend of Read, and Patrick "Blue" Barnes wished to benefit from a contract put on Read's head by the [[Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union|Painters' and Dockers' Union]]. Read lost several feet of intestine in the attack. At the time Read was serving a 16 and a half-year sentence after attacking a judge in an effort to get Loughnan released from prison.<ref name="TheAge20131003">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/posh-people-love-gangsters-20131002-2uspn.html|title='Posh people love gangsters'|last=Silvester|first=John|date=3 October 2013|work=The Age|accessdate=2 October 2013}}</ref>

In 1992, Read was convicted of shooting Sydney Michael Edward Collins in the chest. The incident took place in Read's car, which was in the driveway of Collins' residence at Evandale, Tasmania. The bullet was recovered from the backseat of the vehicle, and Collins named Read as the shooter. Pleading not guilty, Read was found guilty of grievous bodily harm, a downgraded charge from attempted murder, and sentenced as a "dangerous criminal" to indefinite detention. He walked free early in 1998. In 2002, Read was again questioned over the disappearance of Sydney Collins, who is still on the Australian Missing Person list after going missing under suspicious circumstances.

Read has claimed to be involved in the killing of 19 people and the attempted murder of 11 others. In an April 2013 interview with the New York Times, Read claimed “Look, honestly, I haven’t killed that many people, probably about four or seven, depending on how you look at it.”<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/13/world/asia/chopper-read-australias-brand-name-for-ferocity-is-softened-by-illness.html?_r=0|title=Australia’s Brand Name for Ferocity, Softened by Time|work=The New York Times|date=12 April 2013|first=Matt|last=Siegel}}</ref>

Read has also spoken of his old mid-1980s to early 1990s rivalry with [[Alphonse Gangitano]] in the TV series ''[[Tough Nuts]]''. Read explained that he had a disagreement with Gangitano regarding an elderly neighbourhood hero whom Gangitano admired. It is alleged{{by whom|date=August 2012}} that Gangitano burst open the toilet cubicle door{{where|date=April 2013}} with a number of associates and began a serious assault on Read who made his escape but not before spreading his faeces into Gangitano's face.<ref>http://www.chopperread.com/interview.htm</ref>

==Other activities==
In 2001, Read was featured in an advertisement on behalf of the [[Pedestrian Council of Australia]] warning of the dangers of [[drunk driving]]. Read is seated at a kitchen table undoing his shirt and, while pointing to the numerous scars and injuries on his body, says:
{{cquote|When I was in prison… I got slashed in the face … my ears cut off … my eyebrows trimmed and a butcher's knife here, an [[icepick]] here - not fun at all, etc … If you drink and drive and you're unfortunate enough to hit somebody, you ought to pray to God that you don't go to prison.}}

In 2005, Read embarked on a tour of Australia performing a series of shows titled ''I'm Innocent'' with [[Mark "Jacko" Jackson]]<ref>[http://k2760.tripod.com/id3.html News and Gossip]</ref> and later toured Sydney in a stage show with a new co-star, former detective [[Roger Rogerson|Roger "The Dodger" Rogerson]].

In 2006, Read appeared in another commercial speaking out against [[domestic violence]]. On 13 March 2006, he released a [[rap music|rap]] album titled ''[[Interview with a Madman]]''. He also appeared in the 2002 Australian comedy ''[[Trojan Warrior]]''.

Read allowed use of his name to a [[beer]] called "[[Chopper Heavy]]". The beer is produced in [[Rutherglen, Victoria]], a town associated with Australia's most notorious outlaw, [[Ned Kelly]].

He made the headlines again, on 15 December 2008, after being questioned by police about an alleged incident in Johnson Street, [[Collingwood, Victoria|Collingwood]]. Read was attacked by a tomahawk-wielding man he said he had never met before. He said: "I ran to the panelbeaters and grabbed a pipe. I said, 'Come here now' and he jumped into a car and pissed off."<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/national/chopper-read-in-tomahawk-attack-20081215-6yoj.html Chopper Read in 'tomahawk' street fight attack]</ref> Read suffered a minor injury to his arm after being hit with the blunt end of the tomahawk. Read was questioned by detectives at [[Richmond, Victoria|Richmond]] police station before being released without charge. His alleged attacker has not been found.

===Author===
Read is an author of [[crime fiction|crime novels]], selling more than 500,000 copies of his works.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}} In recent years, he has made recordings of voice narratives, which have also sold well.

Read's first book, ''Chopper: From the Inside'', was collected from letters he sent while incarcerated in Melbourne's Pentridge Prison and published in 1991. It contains tales and [[anecdote]]s of his criminal and prison exploits. Further biographical releases followed in a similar vein. With the advent of ''Chopper 5: Pulp Faction'', Read began writing fictional tales based on his experiences of criminal life. Attempts were made to ban a children's book written by Read titled ''[[Hooky the Cripple]]''.

===Public commentary and political views===
Read has frequently appeared on radio and television talk shows to promote his books. He had a column in ''[[Ralph (magazine)|Ralph]]'' magazine{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}, was regular columnist for the British magazine ''[[FHM]]'', and ''[[Zoo Weekly]]''.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}}

Read's success in selling tales of his criminal past has prompted widespread calls to amend the Federal Proceeds of Crime Bill (2001)—which confiscates the proceeds of drug deals and robberies—to also apply to indirect proceeds of crime, including book sales, TV appearances, and the like.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

Read has described his political beliefs as "to the [[political right|right]] of [[Genghis Khan]]".{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} In his book ''Chopper 2'', he lists [[Bruce Ruxton]] and American [[conservative]] [[G. Gordon Liddy]] as his political heroes.

==Cultural references==
A fictionalised version of Read was featured in several sketches on ''[[The Ronnie Johns Half Hour#Chopper Read|The Ronnie Johns Half Hour]]''. Some of these sketches, such as "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY3TfjOeuhM Harden The Fuck Up!]". Read was portrayed by [[Heath Franklin]]. Read has said although the parody isn't totally accurate, he finds it funny.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-3fpDYPT2M&feature=related</ref>

[[Science fiction]] author [[William Gibson]] based a character (Keith Blackwell) in the final two books of his ''Bridge'' trilogy on Read. In the second book of the trilogy, ''[[Idoru]]'', Gibson wrote in his acknowledgments:

<blockquote>"Anything I know about the toecutting business, I owe to the criminal memoirs of Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read (''Chopper from the inside'', Sly Ink, Australia, 1991). Mr. Read is a great deal scarier than Blackwell, and has even fewer ears."<ref>{{cite book|author=Gibson, W.|title=Idoru|publisher=Viking Press|location= United Kingdom | year=1997 | isbn=978-0-14-024107-5}}</ref>
</blockquote>

[[Jim G. Thirlwell]], in his 1995 [[Foetus (band)|Foetus]] release, ''[[Gash (Foetus album)|Gash]]'', wrote and performed a song titled "Steal Your Life Away" which included a somewhat Read-like persona, and included several quotes from Read's first book, including "I'm a garbage disposal expert", "You've got to stand at the edge of the grave for the rest of your life", "Me and my mental health don't agree most times", and "Why ask why?".

===Film===
The 2000 film ''[[Chopper (film)|Chopper]]'', starring [[Eric Bana]] as Read, was based on stories from Read's books and independent research, leading to events portrayed on screen that somewhat contradicted Read's version. For instance, Read claimed in early books to be vehemently against drugs, but the film portrays him as a casual drug user. In response, Read stated, "You have to have tried something to be able to say you hate it."{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

==Personal life==
Read married [[Australian Taxation Office]] employee Mary-Ann Hodge in 1995 while imprisoned in [[HM Prison Risdon|Risdon Prison]] in [[Tasmania]] for the shooting of Sidney Collins. The couple had one child, Charlie, and divorced in 2001. On 19 January 2003, he married long-time friend Margaret Cassar. They have one son, Roy Brandon.

Read contracted [[Hepatitis C]] during his time in prison, possibly contracted by using a blood-stained shaver.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/chopper-read-reveals-he-has-cancer-20120426-1xnil.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=26 April 2012 | title=Chopper Read reveals he has cancer}}</ref> In March 2008 he revealed he only has two to five years to live and requires a [[liver]] transplant. However, he has refused to countenance this, stating, "A transplant would save me, but why would anybody give 53-year-old Chopper Read a liver over and above an 11-year-old girl with liver cancer? They wouldn't – and I wouldn't ask. I need a transplant, but I don't want a transplant."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23865899-5006301,00.html | title=Dying 'Chopper' refuses transplant | date=14 June 2008 | work=Sunday Mail (SA)}}</ref> He discussed this again in August 2009, when he was interviewed on [[ABC Local Radio]] and was quoted as saying "I haven't had a drop of alcohol for 18 months, I have [[cirrhosis]] of the liver... there's no cure for that".<ref>[http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/849949/chopper-read-may-die-soon Chopper Read 'may die soon'] - ninemsn.com.au, ''14 August 2009''</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/14/2655706.htm?section=justin 'No cure' for dying Chopper Read] - ABC News, ''14 August 2009''</ref>

In April 2012, Read announced that he had been diagnosed with [[liver cancer]], and doctors gave him from six weeks to six months to live.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lowe|first=Adrian|title=Cancer-stricken Chopper 'has weeks to live'|url=http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/cancerstricken-chopper-has-weeks-to-live-20120427-1xomd.html|accessdate=27 April 2012|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 April 2012}}</ref> During the same month he said that he is taking dexamphetamine, which is prescribed to him for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.<ref name="cancer">[http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/mark-chopper-read-not-sorry-or-afraid-to-die-of-cancer/story-e6frg12c-1226340535611 Mark 'Chopper' Read not sorry - or afraid to die of cancer]</ref>

Read underwent surgery in July 2012 to remove tumours from his liver and claims he is now "as good as gold" but concedes he hasn't asked his doctor for an updated prognosis.<ref>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/hepatitis-like-a-prison-accessory-says-mark-read/story-e6frg6nf-1226459356850</ref>
Read was admitted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital on the 30th September 2013 in failing health and was not expected to live past Christmas. <ref>http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/mark-chopper-read-admitted-to-hospital-20130930-2uofm.html</ref>

==Bibliography==
* ''Chopper: From the Inside'' (1991), ISBN 0-646-06543-2
* ''Chopper 2: Hits and Memories'' (1992), ISBN 0-646-10987-1
* ''Chopper 3: How to Shoot Friends & Influence People'' (1993), ISBN 0-646-15444-3
* ''Chopper 4: For the Term of His Unnatural Life'' (1994), ISBN 0-646-21014-9
* ''Chopper 5: Pulp Faction: Revenge of the Rabbit Kisser and Other Jailhouse Stories'' (1995), ISBN 0-646-25065-5
* ''Chopper 6: No Tears for a Tough Guy'' (1996), ISBN 0-646-29637-X
* ''Chopper 7: The Singing Defective'' (1997), ISBN 0-646-33923-0
* ''Chopper 8: The Sicilian Defence'' (1998), ISBN 0-9586071-0-9
* ''Chopper 9: The Final Cut'' (1999), ISBN 0-9586071-4-1
* ''Chopper 101⁄2: The Popcorn Gangster'' (2001), ISBN 0-9579121-0-2
* ''[[Hooky the Cripple]]: The Grim Tale of a Hunchback Who Triumphs'' (2002), ISBN 1-86403-165-4
* ''The Adventures of Rumsley Rumsfelt'' (2003), ISBN 0-9579121-7-X
* ''Chopper 11: Last Man Standing: From Ex-Con to Icon'' (2007)
* ''Mark 'Chopper' Read: One Thing Led To Another'' (2010), ISBN 978-1-4050-4046-4
<ref>[http://k2760.tripod.com/id9.html Books]</ref>
* ''Mark 'Chopper' Read: Road to Nowhere'' (2011), ISBN 9781742611457
<ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/153046989 Books]</ref>

==Discography==
* ''[[Interview with a Madman]]'' (2006)
* ''[[The Smell of Love E.P.]]'' – [[Chopper Read and The Blue Flames]] (1997) Newmarket Records (Catalog New 3003.2)

==See also==
* [[Chopper Heavy]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0973692|name=Mark Brandon Read}}
* [http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/image/tast-ful-old-criminal-sic Mark Brandon Read's self-portrait] at the [[State Library of Victoria]]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s1939707.htm Andrew Denton, ''Enough Rope'' interview 2007]
* Chopper's page on Momentum Books http://momentumbooks.com.au/authors/mark-brandon-chopper-read/

{{Authority control|VIAF=9061265}}
{{Persondata 
| NAME = Read, Chopper
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 17 November 1954
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Read, Chopper}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian criminals]]
[[Category:Australian crime writers]]
[[Category:Australian hip hop musicians]]
[[Category:Australian kidnappers]]
[[Category:Australian memoirists]]
[[Category:Australian rappers]]
[[Category:Criminals from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Organised crime in Australia]]
[[Category:Organized crime memoirists]]
[[Category:People convicted of robbery]]
[[Category:People with cancer]]

Mark Brandon Read

2013-10-02T18:52:11Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Criminal activity */ Prose improvement, removal of name not elsewhere mentioned and inclusion of citation

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2011}}
{{BLP sources|date=July 2011}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name = Chopper Read
| image_name =
| imagesize =
| image_caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1954|11|17}}
| birth_place = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
| alias = Chopper Read
| charge =
| conviction = [[Armed robbery]] [[Assault]] [[Kidnapping]]
| conviction_penalty =
| conviction_status =
| occupation = Criminal, rapper, author
| spouse = Mary-Ann Hodge (1995–2001, divorced) Margaret Cassar
| parents =
| children = Charlie Roy Brandon
}}
'''Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read''' (born 17 November 1954) is an [[Australians|Australian]] former criminal who wrote a series of semi-autobiographical and fictional crime novels. The 2000 film ''[[Chopper (film)|Chopper]]'' was based on his life.

==Early life==
Read was born to a former [[army]] father and a mother who was a devout [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventist]]. He was placed in a children's home for the first five years of his life. He grew up in the Melbourne suburbs of [[Collingwood, Victoria|Collingwood]], [[Thomastown, Victoria|Thomastown]], [[Fitzroy, Victoria|Fitzroy]] and [[Preston, Victoria|Preston]]. He was bullied at school, claiming that by the age of 15, he had been on the "losing end of several hundred fights"{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} and that his father, usually on his mother's recommendation, beat him often as a child. Read was made a [[Ward (legal)|ward of the state]] by the age of 14 and was placed in several [[mental institution]]s as a teenager, where, he later claimed, he was subjected to [[Electroconvulsive therapy|electroshock therapy]].

==Criminal activity==
When he was still young, Read was already an accomplished street fighter and the leader of the Surrey Road gang. He began his criminal career by robbing [[drug dealer]]s, based in massage parlours in the Prahran area. He later graduated to kidnapping and torturing members of the criminal underworld, often using a blowtorch or bolt cutters to remove the toes of his victims as an incentive for them to produce enough money so that Read would leave them alive.<ref>[http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000696832 Chopper]{{Dead link|date=July 2011}}</ref>

Read spent only 13 months outside [[prison]] between the ages of 20 and 38, having been convicted of crimes including [[armed robbery]], [[firearm]] offences, [[assault]], [[arson]], [[impersonating a police officer]] and [[kidnapping]].<ref name="cancer"/> While in [[Pentridge Prison]]'s H division in the late 1970s, Read launched a prison war. His gang, dubbed "The Overcoat Gang" because they wore long coats all year round to conceal their weapons, were involved in several hundred acts of violence against a larger opposing gang during this period. Around this time, Read had a fellow inmate cut both of his (Read's) ears off in order to be able to leave H division temporarily. While in his early biographies Read claimed this was to avoid an ambush by other inmates, by being transferred to the mental health wing, his later works state that he did so to "win a bet".{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} The nickname "Chopper" was given to him long before this, from a childhood cartoon character.{{Cn|date=April 2013}}

Read was ambushed and stabbed by members of his own gang in a sneak attack, when they felt his plan to cripple every other inmate in the entire division and win the gang war in one fell swoop was going too far. Another theory is that James "Jimmy" Loughnan, a lontime friend of Read, and Patrick "Blue" Barnes wished to benefit from a contract put on Read's head by the [[Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union|Painters' and Dockers' Union]]. Read lost several feet of intestine in the attack. At the time Read was serving a 16 and a half-year sentence after attacking a judge in an effort to get Loughnan released from prison.<ref name="TheAge20131003">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/posh-people-love-gangsters-20131002-2uspn.html|title='Posh people love gangsters'|last=Silvester|first=John|date=3 October 2013|work=The Age|accessdate=2 October 2013}}</ref>

In 1992, Read was convicted of shooting Sydney Michael Edward Collins in the chest. The incident took place in Read's car, which was in the driveway of Collins' residence at Evandale, Tasmania. The bullet was recovered from the backseat of the vehicle, and Collins named Read as the shooter. Pleading not guilty, Read was found guilty of grievous bodily harm, a downgraded charge from attempted murder, and sentenced as a "dangerous criminal" to indefinite detention. He walked free early in 1998. In 2002, Read was again questioned over the disappearance of Sydney Collins, who is still on the Australian Missing Person list after going missing under suspicious circumstances.

Read has claimed to be involved in the killing of 19 people and the attempted murder of 11 others. In an April 2013 interview with the New York Times, Read claimed “Look, honestly, I haven’t killed that many people, probably about four or seven, depending on how you look at it.”<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/13/world/asia/chopper-read-australias-brand-name-for-ferocity-is-softened-by-illness.html?_r=0|title=Australia’s Brand Name for Ferocity, Softened by Time|work=The New York Times|date=12 April 2013|first=Matt|last=Siegel}}</ref>

Read has also spoken of his old mid-1980s to early 1990s rivalry with [[Alphonse Gangitano]] in the TV series ''[[Tough Nuts]]''. Read explained that he had a disagreement with Gangitano regarding an elderly neighbourhood hero whom Gangitano admired. It is alleged{{by whom|date=August 2012}} that Gangitano burst open the toilet cubicle door{{where|date=April 2013}} with a number of associates and began a serious assault on Read who made his escape but not before spreading his faeces into Gangitano's face.<ref>http://www.chopperread.com/interview.htm</ref>

==Other activities==
In 2001, Read was featured in an advertisement on behalf of the [[Pedestrian Council of Australia]] warning of the dangers of [[drunk driving]]. Read is seated at a kitchen table undoing his shirt and, while pointing to the numerous scars and injuries on his body, says:
{{cquote|When I was in prison… I got slashed in the face … my ears cut off … my eyebrows trimmed and a butcher's knife here, an [[icepick]] here - not fun at all, etc … If you drink and drive and you're unfortunate enough to hit somebody, you ought to pray to God that you don't go to prison.}}

In 2005, Read embarked on a tour of Australia performing a series of shows titled ''I'm Innocent'' with [[Mark "Jacko" Jackson]]<ref>[http://k2760.tripod.com/id3.html News and Gossip]</ref> and later toured Sydney in a stage show with a new co-star, former detective [[Roger Rogerson|Roger "The Dodger" Rogerson]].

In 2006, Read appeared in another commercial speaking out against [[domestic violence]]. On 13 March 2006, he released a [[rap music|rap]] album titled ''[[Interview with a Madman]]''. He also appeared in the 2002 Australian comedy ''[[Trojan Warrior]]''.

Read allowed use of his name to a [[beer]] called "[[Chopper Heavy]]". The beer is produced in [[Rutherglen, Victoria]], a town associated with Australia's most notorious outlaw, [[Ned Kelly]].

He made the headlines again, on 15 December 2008, after being questioned by police about an alleged incident in Johnson Street, [[Collingwood, Victoria|Collingwood]]. Read was attacked by a tomahawk-wielding man he said he had never met before. He said: "I ran to the panelbeaters and grabbed a pipe. I said, 'Come here now' and he jumped into a car and pissed off."<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/national/chopper-read-in-tomahawk-attack-20081215-6yoj.html Chopper Read in 'tomahawk' street fight attack]</ref> Read suffered a minor injury to his arm after being hit with the blunt end of the tomahawk. Read was questioned by detectives at [[Richmond, Victoria|Richmond]] police station before being released without charge. His alleged attacker has not been found.

===Author===
Read is an author of [[crime fiction|crime novels]], selling more than 500,000 copies of his works.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}} In recent years, he has made recordings of voice narratives, which have also sold well.

Read's first book, ''Chopper: From the Inside'', was collected from letters he sent while incarcerated in Melbourne's Pentridge Prison and published in 1991. It contains tales and [[anecdote]]s of his criminal and prison exploits. Further biographical releases followed in a similar vein. With the advent of ''Chopper 5: Pulp Faction'', Read began writing fictional tales based on his experiences of criminal life. Attempts were made to ban a children's book written by Read titled ''[[Hooky the Cripple]]''.

===Public commentary and political views===
Read has frequently appeared on radio and television talk shows to promote his books. He had a column in ''[[Ralph (magazine)|Ralph]]'' magazine{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}, was regular columnist for the British magazine ''[[FHM]]'', and ''[[Zoo Weekly]]''.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}}

Read's success in selling tales of his criminal past has prompted widespread calls to amend the Federal Proceeds of Crime Bill (2001)—which confiscates the proceeds of drug deals and robberies—to also apply to indirect proceeds of crime, including book sales, TV appearances, and the like.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

Read has described his political beliefs as "to the [[political right|right]] of [[Genghis Khan]]".{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} In his book ''Chopper 2'', he lists [[Bruce Ruxton]] and American [[conservative]] [[G. Gordon Liddy]] as his political heroes.

==Cultural references==
A fictionalised version of Read was featured in several sketches on ''[[The Ronnie Johns Half Hour#Chopper Read|The Ronnie Johns Half Hour]]''. Some of these sketches, such as "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY3TfjOeuhM Harden The Fuck Up!]". Read was portrayed by [[Heath Franklin]]. Read has said although the parody isn't totally accurate, he finds it funny.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-3fpDYPT2M&feature=related</ref>

[[Science fiction]] author [[William Gibson]] based a character (Keith Blackwell) in the final two books of his ''Bridge'' trilogy on Read. In the second book of the trilogy, ''[[Idoru]]'', Gibson wrote in his acknowledgments:

<blockquote>"Anything I know about the toecutting business, I owe to the criminal memoirs of Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read (''Chopper from the inside'', Sly Ink, Australia, 1991). Mr. Read is a great deal scarier than Blackwell, and has even fewer ears."<ref>{{cite book|author=Gibson, W.|title=Idoru|publisher=Viking Press|location= United Kingdom | year=1997 | isbn=978-0-14-024107-5}}</ref>
</blockquote>

[[Jim G. Thirlwell]], in his 1995 [[Foetus (band)|Foetus]] release, ''[[Gash (Foetus album)|Gash]]'', wrote and performed a song titled "Steal Your Life Away" which included a somewhat Read-like persona, and included several quotes from Read's first book, including "I'm a garbage disposal expert", "You've got to stand at the edge of the grave for the rest of your life", "Me and my mental health don't agree most times", and "Why ask why?".

===Film===
The 2000 film ''[[Chopper (film)|Chopper]]'', starring [[Eric Bana]] as Read, was based on stories from Read's books and independent research, leading to events portrayed on screen that somewhat contradicted Read's version. For instance, Read claimed in early books to be vehemently against drugs, but the film portrays him as a casual drug user. In response, Read stated, "You have to have tried something to be able to say you hate it."{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

==Personal life==
Read married [[Australian Taxation Office]] employee Mary-Ann Hodge in 1995 while imprisoned in [[HM Prison Risdon|Risdon Prison]] in [[Tasmania]] for the shooting of Sidney Collins. The couple had one child, Charlie, and divorced in 2001. On 19 January 2003, he married long-time friend Margaret Cassar. They have one son, Roy Brandon.

Read contracted [[Hepatitis C]] during his time in prison through allegedly using a blood-stained shaver.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/chopper-read-reveals-he-has-cancer-20120426-1xnil.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=26 April 2012 | title=Chopper Read reveals he has cancer}}</ref> In March 2008 he revealed he only has two to five years to live and requires a [[liver]] transplant. However, he has refused to countenance this, stating, "A transplant would save me, but why would anybody give 53-year-old Chopper Read a liver over and above an 11-year-old girl with liver cancer? They wouldn't – and I wouldn't ask. I need a transplant, but I don't want a transplant."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23865899-5006301,00.html | title=Dying 'Chopper' refuses transplant | date=14 June 2008 | work=Sunday Mail (SA)}}</ref> He discussed this again in August 2009, when he was interviewed on [[ABC Local Radio]] and was quoted as saying "I haven't had a drop of alcohol for 18 months, I have [[cirrhosis]] of the liver... there's no cure for that".<ref>[http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/849949/chopper-read-may-die-soon Chopper Read 'may die soon'] - ninemsn.com.au, ''14 August 2009''</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/14/2655706.htm?section=justin 'No cure' for dying Chopper Read] - ABC News, ''14 August 2009''</ref>

In April 2012, Read announced that he had been diagnosed with [[liver cancer]], and doctors gave him from six weeks to six months to live.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lowe|first=Adrian|title=Cancer-stricken Chopper 'has weeks to live'|url=http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/cancerstricken-chopper-has-weeks-to-live-20120427-1xomd.html|accessdate=27 April 2012|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 April 2012}}</ref> During the same month he said that he is taking dexamphetamine, which is prescribed to him for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.<ref name="cancer">[http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/mark-chopper-read-not-sorry-or-afraid-to-die-of-cancer/story-e6frg12c-1226340535611 Mark 'Chopper' Read not sorry - or afraid to die of cancer]</ref>

Read underwent surgery in July 2012 to remove tumours from his liver and claims he is now "as good as gold" but concedes he hasn't asked his doctor for an updated prognosis.<ref>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/hepatitis-like-a-prison-accessory-says-mark-read/story-e6frg6nf-1226459356850</ref>
Read was admitted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital on the 30th September 2013 in failing health and was not expected to live past Christmas. <ref>http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/mark-chopper-read-admitted-to-hospital-20130930-2uofm.html</ref>

==Bibliography==
* ''Chopper: From the Inside'' (1991), ISBN 0-646-06543-2
* ''Chopper 2: Hits and Memories'' (1992), ISBN 0-646-10987-1
* ''Chopper 3: How to Shoot Friends & Influence People'' (1993), ISBN 0-646-15444-3
* ''Chopper 4: For the Term of His Unnatural Life'' (1994), ISBN 0-646-21014-9
* ''Chopper 5: Pulp Faction: Revenge of the Rabbit Kisser and Other Jailhouse Stories'' (1995), ISBN 0-646-25065-5
* ''Chopper 6: No Tears for a Tough Guy'' (1996), ISBN 0-646-29637-X
* ''Chopper 7: The Singing Defective'' (1997), ISBN 0-646-33923-0
* ''Chopper 8: The Sicilian Defence'' (1998), ISBN 0-9586071-0-9
* ''Chopper 9: The Final Cut'' (1999), ISBN 0-9586071-4-1
* ''Chopper 101⁄2: The Popcorn Gangster'' (2001), ISBN 0-9579121-0-2
* ''[[Hooky the Cripple]]: The Grim Tale of a Hunchback Who Triumphs'' (2002), ISBN 1-86403-165-4
* ''The Adventures of Rumsley Rumsfelt'' (2003), ISBN 0-9579121-7-X
* ''Chopper 11: Last Man Standing: From Ex-Con to Icon'' (2007)
* ''Mark 'Chopper' Read: One Thing Led To Another'' (2010), ISBN 978-1-4050-4046-4
<ref>[http://k2760.tripod.com/id9.html Books]</ref>
* ''Mark 'Chopper' Read: Road to Nowhere'' (2011), ISBN 9781742611457
<ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/153046989 Books]</ref>

==Discography==
* ''[[Interview with a Madman]]'' (2006)
* ''[[The Smell of Love E.P.]]'' – [[Chopper Read and The Blue Flames]] (1997) Newmarket Records (Catalog New 3003.2)

==See also==
* [[Chopper Heavy]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0973692|name=Mark Brandon Read}}
* [http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/image/tast-ful-old-criminal-sic Mark Brandon Read's self-portrait] at the [[State Library of Victoria]]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s1939707.htm Andrew Denton, ''Enough Rope'' interview 2007]
* Chopper's page on Momentum Books http://momentumbooks.com.au/authors/mark-brandon-chopper-read/

{{Authority control|VIAF=9061265}}
{{Persondata 
| NAME = Read, Chopper
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 17 November 1954
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Read, Chopper}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian criminals]]
[[Category:Australian crime writers]]
[[Category:Australian hip hop musicians]]
[[Category:Australian kidnappers]]
[[Category:Australian memoirists]]
[[Category:Australian rappers]]
[[Category:Criminals from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Organised crime in Australia]]
[[Category:Organized crime memoirists]]
[[Category:People convicted of robbery]]
[[Category:People with cancer]]

Hanging Lake

2012-12-12T06:40:31Z

Wikipeterproject: Cat fix

{{Infobox lake
| lake_name = Hanging Lake
| image_lake = Glenwood Canyon.jpg
| caption_lake =
| image_bathymetry =
| caption_bathymetry =
| location = [[Glenwood Canyon]], [[Colorado]]
| coords = {{coord|39.6016497|-107.1919967|region:US-CO_type:waterbody_source:gnis|display=inline,title}}
| type =
| inflow =
| outflow =
| catchment =
| basin_countries = United States
| length =
| width =
| area =
| depth =
| max-depth =
| volume =
| residence_time =
| shore =
| elevation =
| islands =
| sections =
| cities =
| frozen =
}}
'''Hanging Lake''' is a lake in the [[U.S.]] [[State of Colorado]]. It is located in [[Glenwood Canyon]], about 7 miles east of [[Glenwood Springs, Colorado]] and is a very popular tourist destination. The lake is reached via a trailhead located near [[I-70]] in the bottom of the canyon. The trail follows [[Dead Horse Creek]], a tributary of the [[Colorado River]] and ascends some 1,000 feet.<ref>[http://hike.mountainzone.com/hotw/co/hanging/index.html Mountain Zone] Hanging Lake, Colorado</ref>

[[Image:Hanging Lake Above.jpg||thumb|View from above Hanging Lake.]]
[[Image:Hanging Lake.jpg|thumb|Hanging Lake.]]
[[File:Glenwood canyon.jpg|thumb|View of the Glenwood Canyon from the Hanging Lake trail.]]

== History ==
Early tales of the discovery of the lake tells of a man searching for gold in the canyon. The man found a dead horse at the opening of a gulch (the possible origin of Dead Horse Gulch). When he followed the gulch up through the steep hillside through the canyon he came around the backside of the lake. This is how he first saw the small bowl-like basin hanging onto the cliffs below.

In the years following the area served as a homestead, and a private family retreat until it was purchased by Glenwood Springs after the Taylor Bill was passed by Congress in 1910.<ref>[http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20060828/RECREATION05/60828004 The Aspen Times] Hanging Lake boasts long history as tourist stop
</ref>

Following the purchase it began its long history as a public tourist stop, and later during the 1940s hosted a resort and cafe until the construction of Interstate-70 began in 1968.

In 1972 the trail and the lake were returned to the protection of the Forest Service as part of the [[White River National Forest]], and has been an increasingly popular tourist destination since.

In 2011 the lake was named a [[National Natural Landmark]] by [[United States Secretary of the Interior|Secretary of the Interior]] [[Ken Salazar]].<ref>http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/AMERICAS-GREAT-OUTDOORS-Secretary-Salazar-Designates-Six-New-National-Natural-Landmarks.cfm "AMERICA’S GREAT OUTDOORS: Secretary Salazar Designates Six New National Natural Landmarks", 6/15/11</ref>

== Travertine ==
The fragile shoreline of Hanging Lake is composed of [[travertine]], created when dissolved limestone from the Mississippian aged [[Leadville Formation]] (through which the Dead Horse Creek flows) is deposited on rocks and logs, creating travertine layers.<ref>[http://coloradoouting.com/colorado-destinations/attractions/hanging-lake/ Colorado Outing] Hanging Lake</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of lakes in Colorado]]

==References==
<references />
*{{gnis|174097}}

==External links==
{{commons cat|Hanging Lake}}
*[http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72BTJw8jAwjQL8h2VAQAzHJMsQ!!/?ss=110215&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&navid=110000000000000&pnavid=null&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&recid=41225&ttype=recarea&pname=Hanging%20Lake%20Trail%20#1850 Hanging Lake Trail] - US Forest Service information and map
*[http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20060828/RECREATION05/60828004 Hanging Lake — a fragile paradise] at [[The Aspen Times]]
*[http://www.hikingincolorado.org/hang.html Hiking in Colorado - Hanging Lake]
*[http://www.glenwoodblog.com/2006/10/28/hanging-lake/ Hanging Lake Trail videos and reviews]
*[http://www.allaspen.com/glenwood_springs_colorado/hanging_lake.php Hanging Lake - AllAspen.com] - visiting details

[[Category:Lakes of Colorado]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Garfield County, Colorado]]
[[Category:National Natural Landmarks in Colorado]]
[[Category:White River National Forest]]

Ken Bennett

2012-06-23T05:14:50Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Family incident */ Removed section - this is not about Bennett, but his son. The references do not suggest anything untoward in relation to the subject of the article and criticism is levelled elsewhere.

{{other persons}}
{{Infobox Politician
|name=Ken Bennett
|image=Ken Bennett by Gage Skidmore.jpg
|office=[[Secretary of State of Arizona]]
|term_start=January 26, 2009
|governor=[[Jan Brewer]]
|predecessor=[[Jan Brewer]]
|office2= President of the [[Arizona Senate]]
|district2=
|term2= 2003–2007
|preceded2=
|succeeded2= [[Tim Bee]]
|constituency2=
|state_senate3= Arizona
|district3= 1st
|term3= 1999–2007
|preceded3=
|succeeded3= [[Tom O'Halleran]]
|constituency3=
|office4=Arizona State Board of Education
|term4=1992-1998
|office5= [[Prescott]] City Council
|term5=1985-1989
|birth_date=1959
|birth_place=[[Tucson, Arizona]]
|death_date=
|death_place=
|alma_mater = {{nowrap|[[Arizona State University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BS]])}}
|spouse= Jeanne Tenney Bennett
|profession= Businessman
|religion=[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] ([[Mormon]])
|party=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|website=[http://www.azsos.gov Arizona Secretary of State]
|footnotes=
}}

'''Ken Bennett''' (born 1959) is a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] politician and businessman who served as president of the [[Arizona Senate]], and is currently serving as the [[Secretary of State of Arizona]].

==Biography==
Bennett was born in [[Tucson, Arizona|Tucson]] into a family that were members of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] ([[Mormon|Mormons]]). He later moved to [[Prescott, Arizona]], where he attended Prescott High School and [[Yavapai College]]. Between terms there he served a two-year [[Mormon missionary|mission]] in southern [[Japan]]. In 1981 he transferred to [[Arizona State University]] and graduated with a degree in [[accounting]].

===Business career===
In 2008, Bennett was named Chief Executive Officer [CEO] of GeoBio Energy, a company attempting to develop and market alternative fuel from plant sources such as algae. Bennett served as CEO of his family fuel distribution business, Bennett's Oil Co., from 1985 to 2006.

In 1989, several underground petroleum storage tanks owned by Bennett's Oil Co. released petroleum into the environment. In the years following, Bennett's undertook various remedies to decontaminate the area, paid for by its insurance company. Bennett's insurer, Federated Mutual Insurance, submitted five separate applications to the state for periodic reimbursement of the cleanup costs. The first four were approved, but the last was denied under a recently enacted act limiting reimbursement to costs not covered by insurance. Bennett's appealed the denial in court, arguing that the law was intended only to prevent double recovery, not to limit the state to providing only secondary insurance. The court affirmed the state's interpretation of the law and denied reimbursement.<ref>[http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/lca/pdf/adminAppeal/h/LC2003000690001DT.pdf ]{{dead link|date=September 2010}}</ref>

This later came to prominence when as a state senator (see below), Bennett co-sponsored a bill in 2004 which would provide reimbursement for oil company cleanup costs already covered under private insurance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azleg.gov/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=SB1337 |title=Documents For Bill |publisher=Azleg.gov |date=2010-02-03 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref> Some accused Bennett of a conflict of interest, given that his own company would benefit from this change.<ref>[http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special12/articles/0209bennett09.html ]{{dead link|date=September 2010}}</ref> The bill never made it out of committee and did not become law.

===Prescott City Council===
Bennett was elected to the Prescott City Council in 1985 and served one term and during that term he was Mayor [[Pro Tem]] in 1988.

===State Board of Education===
He was appointed to the Arizona State Board of Education in 1992, serving as president in 1996 and 1998.

===Arizona Senate===
In 1998 he was elected to the Arizona State Senate, where he served as Chairman of the Education Committee for two years and President of the Senate for four years (2003–2007). After eight years in the State Senate, he was prevented from seeking re-election in 2006 because of [[term limit]]s, which he opposes.<ref>http://www.allbusiness.com/public-administration/executive-legislative-other-general/360729-1.html</ref> He abandoned a run for governor in 2006, but has said that he will run for statewide or federal office in the future.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0716bennett0716.html |title=Colleagues laud Bennett as Senate term draws to close |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=2006-07-16 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref>

===Secretary of State===
When [[Jan Brewer]] ascended from [[Arizona Secretary of State]] to [[Governor of Arizona|Governor]] upon [[Janet Napolitano]]'s resignation to become [[United States Secretary of Homeland Security]], Brewer chose Bennett to be the new Secretary of State.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azbiz.com/articles/2009/01/16/news/doc496f76e788a6b319907720.txt |title=News : Prescott's Bennett named Ariz. Secretary of State - Inside Tucson Business azbiz.com newspaper | Arizona News | Tucson Jobs | AZ Business | News and Features for Tucson and Southern Arizona's business and legal communities | Territorial news |publisher=Azbiz.com |date=2009-01-16 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref> Normally, the Secretary of State is first in line to succeed the Governor should she have resigned, become removed from office, or become permanently disabled from being able to discharge her duties. However, as Bennett was not elected as Secretary of State, then-[[Arizona Attorney General|Attorney General]] [[Terry Goddard]] would have become first in line to succeed Brewer.<ref>Ariz. Const., art. 5, § 6.[http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/const/5/6.htm].</ref> Bennett was sworn in as [[Secretary of State]] on January 26.

In May 2012, Bennett indicated he might attempt to remove President [[Barack Obama]] from the 2012 Presidential election ballot. Although Hawaiian officials have repeatedly confirmed Obama's birth in Hawaii, Bennett sought to have Hawaiian officials write to him personally. Bennett stated he had not made a similar request regarding any other Presidential candidate. Bennett denied being a "[[Birther]]", stating that he believes Obama was indeed born in Hawaii.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/20120518arizona-secretary-of-state-obama-citizenship |title=Arizona Secretary of State Bennett seeks verification of Obama's citizenship |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=2012-05-18 |accessdate=2012-05-19}}</ref>

====2010 election====
Bennett won election to a full term as Secretary of State in the November 2010, defeating his Democratic opponent Chris Deschene with 59% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/11/03/20101103ken-bennett-leading-chris-deschene-arizona-secretary-of-state.html|title=Republican Ken Bennett defeats Chris Deschene|author=Náñez, Dianna M. and Gersema, Emily|date=2010-11-03|work=[[The Arizona Republic]]|accessdate=2010-11-04}}</ref> Bennett was sworn in for a full term on January 3, 2011, at this point becoming the first in line to succeed Brewer (who had also been elected to a full term) to the governorship.

===Gubernatorial campaign===
In May 2012, Bennett formed an exploratory committee to run for Governor of Arizona in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2011/05/06/20110506arizona-bennett-forms-exploratory-gubernatorial-committee-abrk.html |title=Secretary of State Ken Bennett eyes 2014 gubernatorial race|publisher=azcentral.com|date=2012-05-06|accessdate=2012-05-09}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.azsos.gov/info/bio.htm Arizona Secretary of State biography]

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{succession box |
before=[[Jan Brewer]] |
title=Arizona [[Secretary of State (U.S. state government)|Secretary of State]] |
years=2009–present |
after=incumbent
{{succession box|title=President of the [[Arizona Senate]]|before=[[Randall Gnant]]|after=[[Tim Bee]]|years=2003 – 2007}}
{{s-par|us-az-sen}}
{{succession box|title=Member of the [[Arizona Senate]] for the 1st District|before=unknown|after=[[Tom O'Halleran]]|years=1999 – 2007}}
}}
{{s-end}}

{{U.S. State Secretaries of State}}
{{Current U.S. Lieutenant Governors}}

{{Persondata 
| NAME =Bennett, Ken
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =Politician, businessman
| DATE OF BIRTH =1959-00-00
| PLACE OF BIRTH =[[Tucson, Arizona]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Ken}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:American Mormon missionaries]]
[[Category:Arizona city council members]]
[[Category:Secretaries of State of Arizona]]
[[Category:Arizona Republicans]]
[[Category:Arizona State Senators]]
[[Category:Arizona State University alumni]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Mormon missionaries in Japan]]
[[Category:People from Tucson, Arizona]]
[[Category:People from Prescott, Arizona]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Arizona State Senate]]
[[Category:20th-century Mormon missionaries]]

[[fr:Ken Bennett]]

Ken Bennett

2012-06-23T05:11:06Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Awards */ Removed entire section - minor, non-notable award

{{other persons}}
{{Infobox Politician
|name=Ken Bennett
|image=Ken Bennett by Gage Skidmore.jpg
|office=[[Secretary of State of Arizona]]
|term_start=January 26, 2009
|governor=[[Jan Brewer]]
|predecessor=[[Jan Brewer]]
|office2= President of the [[Arizona Senate]]
|district2=
|term2= 2003–2007
|preceded2=
|succeeded2= [[Tim Bee]]
|constituency2=
|state_senate3= Arizona
|district3= 1st
|term3= 1999–2007
|preceded3=
|succeeded3= [[Tom O'Halleran]]
|constituency3=
|office4=Arizona State Board of Education
|term4=1992-1998
|office5= [[Prescott]] City Council
|term5=1985-1989
|birth_date=1959
|birth_place=[[Tucson, Arizona]]
|death_date=
|death_place=
|alma_mater = {{nowrap|[[Arizona State University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BS]])}}
|spouse= Jeanne Tenney Bennett
|profession= Businessman
|religion=[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] ([[Mormon]])
|party=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|website=[http://www.azsos.gov Arizona Secretary of State]
|footnotes=
}}

'''Ken Bennett''' (born 1959) is a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] politician and businessman who served as president of the [[Arizona Senate]], and is currently serving as the [[Secretary of State of Arizona]].

==Biography==
Bennett was born in [[Tucson, Arizona|Tucson]] into a family that were members of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] ([[Mormon|Mormons]]). He later moved to [[Prescott, Arizona]], where he attended Prescott High School and [[Yavapai College]]. Between terms there he served a two-year [[Mormon missionary|mission]] in southern [[Japan]]. In 1981 he transferred to [[Arizona State University]] and graduated with a degree in [[accounting]].

===Business career===
In 2008, Bennett was named Chief Executive Officer [CEO] of GeoBio Energy, a company attempting to develop and market alternative fuel from plant sources such as algae. Bennett served as CEO of his family fuel distribution business, Bennett's Oil Co., from 1985 to 2006.

In 1989, several underground petroleum storage tanks owned by Bennett's Oil Co. released petroleum into the environment. In the years following, Bennett's undertook various remedies to decontaminate the area, paid for by its insurance company. Bennett's insurer, Federated Mutual Insurance, submitted five separate applications to the state for periodic reimbursement of the cleanup costs. The first four were approved, but the last was denied under a recently enacted act limiting reimbursement to costs not covered by insurance. Bennett's appealed the denial in court, arguing that the law was intended only to prevent double recovery, not to limit the state to providing only secondary insurance. The court affirmed the state's interpretation of the law and denied reimbursement.<ref>[http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/lca/pdf/adminAppeal/h/LC2003000690001DT.pdf ]{{dead link|date=September 2010}}</ref>

This later came to prominence when as a state senator (see below), Bennett co-sponsored a bill in 2004 which would provide reimbursement for oil company cleanup costs already covered under private insurance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azleg.gov/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=SB1337 |title=Documents For Bill |publisher=Azleg.gov |date=2010-02-03 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref> Some accused Bennett of a conflict of interest, given that his own company would benefit from this change.<ref>[http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special12/articles/0209bennett09.html ]{{dead link|date=September 2010}}</ref> The bill never made it out of committee and did not become law.

===Prescott City Council===
Bennett was elected to the Prescott City Council in 1985 and served one term and during that term he was Mayor [[Pro Tem]] in 1988.

===State Board of Education===
He was appointed to the Arizona State Board of Education in 1992, serving as president in 1996 and 1998.

===Arizona Senate===
In 1998 he was elected to the Arizona State Senate, where he served as Chairman of the Education Committee for two years and President of the Senate for four years (2003–2007). After eight years in the State Senate, he was prevented from seeking re-election in 2006 because of [[term limit]]s, which he opposes.<ref>http://www.allbusiness.com/public-administration/executive-legislative-other-general/360729-1.html</ref> He abandoned a run for governor in 2006, but has said that he will run for statewide or federal office in the future.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0716bennett0716.html |title=Colleagues laud Bennett as Senate term draws to close |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=2006-07-16 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref>

===Secretary of State===
When [[Jan Brewer]] ascended from [[Arizona Secretary of State]] to [[Governor of Arizona|Governor]] upon [[Janet Napolitano]]'s resignation to become [[United States Secretary of Homeland Security]], Brewer chose Bennett to be the new Secretary of State.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azbiz.com/articles/2009/01/16/news/doc496f76e788a6b319907720.txt |title=News : Prescott's Bennett named Ariz. Secretary of State - Inside Tucson Business azbiz.com newspaper | Arizona News | Tucson Jobs | AZ Business | News and Features for Tucson and Southern Arizona's business and legal communities | Territorial news |publisher=Azbiz.com |date=2009-01-16 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref> Normally, the Secretary of State is first in line to succeed the Governor should she have resigned, become removed from office, or become permanently disabled from being able to discharge her duties. However, as Bennett was not elected as Secretary of State, then-[[Arizona Attorney General|Attorney General]] [[Terry Goddard]] would have become first in line to succeed Brewer.<ref>Ariz. Const., art. 5, § 6.[http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/const/5/6.htm].</ref> Bennett was sworn in as [[Secretary of State]] on January 26.

In May 2012, Bennett indicated he might attempt to remove President [[Barack Obama]] from the 2012 Presidential election ballot. Although Hawaiian officials have repeatedly confirmed Obama's birth in Hawaii, Bennett sought to have Hawaiian officials write to him personally. Bennett stated he had not made a similar request regarding any other Presidential candidate. Bennett denied being a "[[Birther]]", stating that he believes Obama was indeed born in Hawaii.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/20120518arizona-secretary-of-state-obama-citizenship |title=Arizona Secretary of State Bennett seeks verification of Obama's citizenship |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=2012-05-18 |accessdate=2012-05-19}}</ref>

====2010 election====
Bennett won election to a full term as Secretary of State in the November 2010, defeating his Democratic opponent Chris Deschene with 59% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/11/03/20101103ken-bennett-leading-chris-deschene-arizona-secretary-of-state.html|title=Republican Ken Bennett defeats Chris Deschene|author=Náñez, Dianna M. and Gersema, Emily|date=2010-11-03|work=[[The Arizona Republic]]|accessdate=2010-11-04}}</ref> Bennett was sworn in for a full term on January 3, 2011, at this point becoming the first in line to succeed Brewer (who had also been elected to a full term) to the governorship.

===Gubernatorial campaign===
In May 2012, Bennett formed an exploratory committee to run for Governor of Arizona in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2011/05/06/20110506arizona-bennett-forms-exploratory-gubernatorial-committee-abrk.html |title=Secretary of State Ken Bennett eyes 2014 gubernatorial race|publisher=azcentral.com|date=2012-05-06|accessdate=2012-05-09}}</ref>

===Family incident===
A 2006 [[plea bargain]] involving Ken's son, Clifton, became controversial after several parents of victims accused Ken of exerting undue influence to affect the case.<ref>[http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/123050.php]</ref> In what a county attorney described as a summer camp "hazing ritual" gone wrong, Clifton and another man inserted a broom stick into the rectums of at least 18 boys in over 40 separate incidents.<ref>{{cite web|last=Anglen|first=Robert|title=Families outraged at legislator's son's plea deal|url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0402bennett02.html|publisher=The Arizona Republic|accessdate=4 May 2012}}</ref> Ultimately Clifton, only 17 years old and a minor, plead guilty to one count of aggravated assault. Clifton was sentenced to 30 days in jail and three years probation. Arizona [[Attorney General]] [[Terry Goddard]], said he "had questions about the handling of the case," but that his office had no authority to intervene.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0407goddard0407.html |title=Goddard questions handling of Yavapai camp 'hazing' case |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=2006-04-07 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref> [[Yavapai County]] Attorney Sheila Polk defended the plea bargain and accused the [[news media]] of misrepresenting the issue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/yavapaicountyattyletter04042005-CR.html |title=Press Release/Letter to Editor |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=2006-04-04 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.azsos.gov/info/bio.htm Arizona Secretary of State biography]

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{succession box |
before=[[Jan Brewer]] |
title=Arizona [[Secretary of State (U.S. state government)|Secretary of State]] |
years=2009–present |
after=incumbent
{{succession box|title=President of the [[Arizona Senate]]|before=[[Randall Gnant]]|after=[[Tim Bee]]|years=2003 – 2007}}
{{s-par|us-az-sen}}
{{succession box|title=Member of the [[Arizona Senate]] for the 1st District|before=unknown|after=[[Tom O'Halleran]]|years=1999 – 2007}}
}}
{{s-end}}

{{U.S. State Secretaries of State}}
{{Current U.S. Lieutenant Governors}}

{{Persondata 
| NAME =Bennett, Ken
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =Politician, businessman
| DATE OF BIRTH =1959-00-00
| PLACE OF BIRTH =[[Tucson, Arizona]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Ken}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:American Mormon missionaries]]
[[Category:Arizona city council members]]
[[Category:Secretaries of State of Arizona]]
[[Category:Arizona Republicans]]
[[Category:Arizona State Senators]]
[[Category:Arizona State University alumni]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Mormon missionaries in Japan]]
[[Category:People from Tucson, Arizona]]
[[Category:People from Prescott, Arizona]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Arizona State Senate]]
[[Category:20th-century Mormon missionaries]]

[[fr:Ken Bennett]]

Ken Bennett

2012-06-23T05:10:22Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Awards */ Removed POV and associated tag/template

{{other persons}}
{{Infobox Politician
|name=Ken Bennett
|image=Ken Bennett by Gage Skidmore.jpg
|office=[[Secretary of State of Arizona]]
|term_start=January 26, 2009
|governor=[[Jan Brewer]]
|predecessor=[[Jan Brewer]]
|office2= President of the [[Arizona Senate]]
|district2=
|term2= 2003–2007
|preceded2=
|succeeded2= [[Tim Bee]]
|constituency2=
|state_senate3= Arizona
|district3= 1st
|term3= 1999–2007
|preceded3=
|succeeded3= [[Tom O'Halleran]]
|constituency3=
|office4=Arizona State Board of Education
|term4=1992-1998
|office5= [[Prescott]] City Council
|term5=1985-1989
|birth_date=1959
|birth_place=[[Tucson, Arizona]]
|death_date=
|death_place=
|alma_mater = {{nowrap|[[Arizona State University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BS]])}}
|spouse= Jeanne Tenney Bennett
|profession= Businessman
|religion=[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] ([[Mormon]])
|party=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|website=[http://www.azsos.gov Arizona Secretary of State]
|footnotes=
}}

'''Ken Bennett''' (born 1959) is a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] politician and businessman who served as president of the [[Arizona Senate]], and is currently serving as the [[Secretary of State of Arizona]].

==Biography==
Bennett was born in [[Tucson, Arizona|Tucson]] into a family that were members of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] ([[Mormon|Mormons]]). He later moved to [[Prescott, Arizona]], where he attended Prescott High School and [[Yavapai College]]. Between terms there he served a two-year [[Mormon missionary|mission]] in southern [[Japan]]. In 1981 he transferred to [[Arizona State University]] and graduated with a degree in [[accounting]].

===Business career===
In 2008, Bennett was named Chief Executive Officer [CEO] of GeoBio Energy, a company attempting to develop and market alternative fuel from plant sources such as algae. Bennett served as CEO of his family fuel distribution business, Bennett's Oil Co., from 1985 to 2006.

In 1989, several underground petroleum storage tanks owned by Bennett's Oil Co. released petroleum into the environment. In the years following, Bennett's undertook various remedies to decontaminate the area, paid for by its insurance company. Bennett's insurer, Federated Mutual Insurance, submitted five separate applications to the state for periodic reimbursement of the cleanup costs. The first four were approved, but the last was denied under a recently enacted act limiting reimbursement to costs not covered by insurance. Bennett's appealed the denial in court, arguing that the law was intended only to prevent double recovery, not to limit the state to providing only secondary insurance. The court affirmed the state's interpretation of the law and denied reimbursement.<ref>[http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/lca/pdf/adminAppeal/h/LC2003000690001DT.pdf ]{{dead link|date=September 2010}}</ref>

This later came to prominence when as a state senator (see below), Bennett co-sponsored a bill in 2004 which would provide reimbursement for oil company cleanup costs already covered under private insurance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azleg.gov/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=SB1337 |title=Documents For Bill |publisher=Azleg.gov |date=2010-02-03 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref> Some accused Bennett of a conflict of interest, given that his own company would benefit from this change.<ref>[http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special12/articles/0209bennett09.html ]{{dead link|date=September 2010}}</ref> The bill never made it out of committee and did not become law.

===Prescott City Council===
Bennett was elected to the Prescott City Council in 1985 and served one term and during that term he was Mayor [[Pro Tem]] in 1988.

===State Board of Education===
He was appointed to the Arizona State Board of Education in 1992, serving as president in 1996 and 1998.

===Arizona Senate===
In 1998 he was elected to the Arizona State Senate, where he served as Chairman of the Education Committee for two years and President of the Senate for four years (2003–2007). After eight years in the State Senate, he was prevented from seeking re-election in 2006 because of [[term limit]]s, which he opposes.<ref>http://www.allbusiness.com/public-administration/executive-legislative-other-general/360729-1.html</ref> He abandoned a run for governor in 2006, but has said that he will run for statewide or federal office in the future.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0716bennett0716.html |title=Colleagues laud Bennett as Senate term draws to close |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=2006-07-16 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref>

===Secretary of State===
When [[Jan Brewer]] ascended from [[Arizona Secretary of State]] to [[Governor of Arizona|Governor]] upon [[Janet Napolitano]]'s resignation to become [[United States Secretary of Homeland Security]], Brewer chose Bennett to be the new Secretary of State.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azbiz.com/articles/2009/01/16/news/doc496f76e788a6b319907720.txt |title=News : Prescott's Bennett named Ariz. Secretary of State - Inside Tucson Business azbiz.com newspaper | Arizona News | Tucson Jobs | AZ Business | News and Features for Tucson and Southern Arizona's business and legal communities | Territorial news |publisher=Azbiz.com |date=2009-01-16 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref> Normally, the Secretary of State is first in line to succeed the Governor should she have resigned, become removed from office, or become permanently disabled from being able to discharge her duties. However, as Bennett was not elected as Secretary of State, then-[[Arizona Attorney General|Attorney General]] [[Terry Goddard]] would have become first in line to succeed Brewer.<ref>Ariz. Const., art. 5, § 6.[http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/const/5/6.htm].</ref> Bennett was sworn in as [[Secretary of State]] on January 26.

In May 2012, Bennett indicated he might attempt to remove President [[Barack Obama]] from the 2012 Presidential election ballot. Although Hawaiian officials have repeatedly confirmed Obama's birth in Hawaii, Bennett sought to have Hawaiian officials write to him personally. Bennett stated he had not made a similar request regarding any other Presidential candidate. Bennett denied being a "[[Birther]]", stating that he believes Obama was indeed born in Hawaii.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/20120518arizona-secretary-of-state-obama-citizenship |title=Arizona Secretary of State Bennett seeks verification of Obama's citizenship |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=2012-05-18 |accessdate=2012-05-19}}</ref>

====2010 election====
Bennett won election to a full term as Secretary of State in the November 2010, defeating his Democratic opponent Chris Deschene with 59% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/11/03/20101103ken-bennett-leading-chris-deschene-arizona-secretary-of-state.html|title=Republican Ken Bennett defeats Chris Deschene|author=Náñez, Dianna M. and Gersema, Emily|date=2010-11-03|work=[[The Arizona Republic]]|accessdate=2010-11-04}}</ref> Bennett was sworn in for a full term on January 3, 2011, at this point becoming the first in line to succeed Brewer (who had also been elected to a full term) to the governorship.

===Gubernatorial campaign===
In May 2012, Bennett formed an exploratory committee to run for Governor of Arizona in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2011/05/06/20110506arizona-bennett-forms-exploratory-gubernatorial-committee-abrk.html |title=Secretary of State Ken Bennett eyes 2014 gubernatorial race|publisher=azcentral.com|date=2012-05-06|accessdate=2012-05-09}}</ref>

===Awards===
In 2007 Ken Bennett received the [[Polly Rosenbaum]] Award from the [[Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lib.az.us/ |title=Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State |publisher=Lib.az.us |date=2009-01-15 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref> The award recognizes elected or appointed officials who support the work of the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lib.az.us/about/annualreports/2007/07polly.award.pdf |title=Polly Rosenbaum was the longest-serving member of the Arizona House of Representatives in Arizona 47 years |format=PDF |date= |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref>

===Family incident===
A 2006 [[plea bargain]] involving Ken's son, Clifton, became controversial after several parents of victims accused Ken of exerting undue influence to affect the case.<ref>[http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/123050.php]</ref> In what a county attorney described as a summer camp "hazing ritual" gone wrong, Clifton and another man inserted a broom stick into the rectums of at least 18 boys in over 40 separate incidents.<ref>{{cite web|last=Anglen|first=Robert|title=Families outraged at legislator's son's plea deal|url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0402bennett02.html|publisher=The Arizona Republic|accessdate=4 May 2012}}</ref> Ultimately Clifton, only 17 years old and a minor, plead guilty to one count of aggravated assault. Clifton was sentenced to 30 days in jail and three years probation. Arizona [[Attorney General]] [[Terry Goddard]], said he "had questions about the handling of the case," but that his office had no authority to intervene.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0407goddard0407.html |title=Goddard questions handling of Yavapai camp 'hazing' case |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=2006-04-07 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref> [[Yavapai County]] Attorney Sheila Polk defended the plea bargain and accused the [[news media]] of misrepresenting the issue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/yavapaicountyattyletter04042005-CR.html |title=Press Release/Letter to Editor |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=2006-04-04 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.azsos.gov/info/bio.htm Arizona Secretary of State biography]

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{succession box |
before=[[Jan Brewer]] |
title=Arizona [[Secretary of State (U.S. state government)|Secretary of State]] |
years=2009–present |
after=incumbent
{{succession box|title=President of the [[Arizona Senate]]|before=[[Randall Gnant]]|after=[[Tim Bee]]|years=2003 – 2007}}
{{s-par|us-az-sen}}
{{succession box|title=Member of the [[Arizona Senate]] for the 1st District|before=unknown|after=[[Tom O'Halleran]]|years=1999 – 2007}}
}}
{{s-end}}

{{U.S. State Secretaries of State}}
{{Current U.S. Lieutenant Governors}}

{{Persondata 
| NAME =Bennett, Ken
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =Politician, businessman
| DATE OF BIRTH =1959-00-00
| PLACE OF BIRTH =[[Tucson, Arizona]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Ken}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:American Mormon missionaries]]
[[Category:Arizona city council members]]
[[Category:Secretaries of State of Arizona]]
[[Category:Arizona Republicans]]
[[Category:Arizona State Senators]]
[[Category:Arizona State University alumni]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Mormon missionaries in Japan]]
[[Category:People from Tucson, Arizona]]
[[Category:People from Prescott, Arizona]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Arizona State Senate]]
[[Category:20th-century Mormon missionaries]]

[[fr:Ken Bennett]]

Ken Bennett

2012-06-23T05:07:01Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Secretary of State */ Removed POV commentary not included in cited source and replaced with clause reflecting what the article actually says.

{{other persons}}
{{Infobox Politician
|name=Ken Bennett
|image=Ken Bennett by Gage Skidmore.jpg
|office=[[Secretary of State of Arizona]]
|term_start=January 26, 2009
|governor=[[Jan Brewer]]
|predecessor=[[Jan Brewer]]
|office2= President of the [[Arizona Senate]]
|district2=
|term2= 2003–2007
|preceded2=
|succeeded2= [[Tim Bee]]
|constituency2=
|state_senate3= Arizona
|district3= 1st
|term3= 1999–2007
|preceded3=
|succeeded3= [[Tom O'Halleran]]
|constituency3=
|office4=Arizona State Board of Education
|term4=1992-1998
|office5= [[Prescott]] City Council
|term5=1985-1989
|birth_date=1959
|birth_place=[[Tucson, Arizona]]
|death_date=
|death_place=
|alma_mater = {{nowrap|[[Arizona State University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BS]])}}
|spouse= Jeanne Tenney Bennett
|profession= Businessman
|religion=[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] ([[Mormon]])
|party=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|website=[http://www.azsos.gov Arizona Secretary of State]
|footnotes=
}}

'''Ken Bennett''' (born 1959) is a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] politician and businessman who served as president of the [[Arizona Senate]], and is currently serving as the [[Secretary of State of Arizona]].

==Biography==
Bennett was born in [[Tucson, Arizona|Tucson]] into a family that were members of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] ([[Mormon|Mormons]]). He later moved to [[Prescott, Arizona]], where he attended Prescott High School and [[Yavapai College]]. Between terms there he served a two-year [[Mormon missionary|mission]] in southern [[Japan]]. In 1981 he transferred to [[Arizona State University]] and graduated with a degree in [[accounting]].

===Business career===
In 2008, Bennett was named Chief Executive Officer [CEO] of GeoBio Energy, a company attempting to develop and market alternative fuel from plant sources such as algae. Bennett served as CEO of his family fuel distribution business, Bennett's Oil Co., from 1985 to 2006.

In 1989, several underground petroleum storage tanks owned by Bennett's Oil Co. released petroleum into the environment. In the years following, Bennett's undertook various remedies to decontaminate the area, paid for by its insurance company. Bennett's insurer, Federated Mutual Insurance, submitted five separate applications to the state for periodic reimbursement of the cleanup costs. The first four were approved, but the last was denied under a recently enacted act limiting reimbursement to costs not covered by insurance. Bennett's appealed the denial in court, arguing that the law was intended only to prevent double recovery, not to limit the state to providing only secondary insurance. The court affirmed the state's interpretation of the law and denied reimbursement.<ref>[http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/lca/pdf/adminAppeal/h/LC2003000690001DT.pdf ]{{dead link|date=September 2010}}</ref>

This later came to prominence when as a state senator (see below), Bennett co-sponsored a bill in 2004 which would provide reimbursement for oil company cleanup costs already covered under private insurance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azleg.gov/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=SB1337 |title=Documents For Bill |publisher=Azleg.gov |date=2010-02-03 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref> Some accused Bennett of a conflict of interest, given that his own company would benefit from this change.<ref>[http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special12/articles/0209bennett09.html ]{{dead link|date=September 2010}}</ref> The bill never made it out of committee and did not become law.

===Prescott City Council===
Bennett was elected to the Prescott City Council in 1985 and served one term and during that term he was Mayor [[Pro Tem]] in 1988.

===State Board of Education===
He was appointed to the Arizona State Board of Education in 1992, serving as president in 1996 and 1998.

===Arizona Senate===
In 1998 he was elected to the Arizona State Senate, where he served as Chairman of the Education Committee for two years and President of the Senate for four years (2003–2007). After eight years in the State Senate, he was prevented from seeking re-election in 2006 because of [[term limit]]s, which he opposes.<ref>http://www.allbusiness.com/public-administration/executive-legislative-other-general/360729-1.html</ref> He abandoned a run for governor in 2006, but has said that he will run for statewide or federal office in the future.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0716bennett0716.html |title=Colleagues laud Bennett as Senate term draws to close |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=2006-07-16 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref>

===Secretary of State===
When [[Jan Brewer]] ascended from [[Arizona Secretary of State]] to [[Governor of Arizona|Governor]] upon [[Janet Napolitano]]'s resignation to become [[United States Secretary of Homeland Security]], Brewer chose Bennett to be the new Secretary of State.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azbiz.com/articles/2009/01/16/news/doc496f76e788a6b319907720.txt |title=News : Prescott's Bennett named Ariz. Secretary of State - Inside Tucson Business azbiz.com newspaper | Arizona News | Tucson Jobs | AZ Business | News and Features for Tucson and Southern Arizona's business and legal communities | Territorial news |publisher=Azbiz.com |date=2009-01-16 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref> Normally, the Secretary of State is first in line to succeed the Governor should she have resigned, become removed from office, or become permanently disabled from being able to discharge her duties. However, as Bennett was not elected as Secretary of State, then-[[Arizona Attorney General|Attorney General]] [[Terry Goddard]] would have become first in line to succeed Brewer.<ref>Ariz. Const., art. 5, § 6.[http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/const/5/6.htm].</ref> Bennett was sworn in as [[Secretary of State]] on January 26.

In May 2012, Bennett indicated he might attempt to remove President [[Barack Obama]] from the 2012 Presidential election ballot. Although Hawaiian officials have repeatedly confirmed Obama's birth in Hawaii, Bennett sought to have Hawaiian officials write to him personally. Bennett stated he had not made a similar request regarding any other Presidential candidate. Bennett denied being a "[[Birther]]", stating that he believes Obama was indeed born in Hawaii.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/20120518arizona-secretary-of-state-obama-citizenship |title=Arizona Secretary of State Bennett seeks verification of Obama's citizenship |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=2012-05-18 |accessdate=2012-05-19}}</ref>

====2010 election====
Bennett won election to a full term as Secretary of State in the November 2010, defeating his Democratic opponent Chris Deschene with 59% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/11/03/20101103ken-bennett-leading-chris-deschene-arizona-secretary-of-state.html|title=Republican Ken Bennett defeats Chris Deschene|author=Náñez, Dianna M. and Gersema, Emily|date=2010-11-03|work=[[The Arizona Republic]]|accessdate=2010-11-04}}</ref> Bennett was sworn in for a full term on January 3, 2011, at this point becoming the first in line to succeed Brewer (who had also been elected to a full term) to the governorship.

===Gubernatorial campaign===
In May 2012, Bennett formed an exploratory committee to run for Governor of Arizona in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2011/05/06/20110506arizona-bennett-forms-exploratory-gubernatorial-committee-abrk.html |title=Secretary of State Ken Bennett eyes 2014 gubernatorial race|publisher=azcentral.com|date=2012-05-06|accessdate=2012-05-09}}</ref>

===Awards===
{{advert|section|date=October 2010}}
In 2007 Ken Bennett received the [[Polly Rosenbaum]] Award from the [[Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lib.az.us/ |title=Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State |publisher=Lib.az.us |date=2009-01-15 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref> Building on his interest in and understanding of the state's history, Mr. Bennett has been a leader in bringing attention and support to Arizona's historical and cultural institutions. The award recognizes Bennett for his unfailing support of the State Library's mission to preserve Arizona's history and to provide access to information.

Bennett has demonstrated commitment to the value of cultural institutions and the role they play in helping Arizona's citizens live their lives, work their jobs, and understand their history. Announced annually on [[Arizona Statehood Day]], February 14, the Polly Rosenbaum Award connotes elected or appointed officials who cherish Arizona's rich cultural resources and support the work of the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lib.az.us/about/annualreports/2007/07polly.award.pdf |title=Polly Rosenbaum was the longest-serving member of the Arizona House of Representatives in Arizona 47 years |format=PDF |date= |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref>

===Family incident===
A 2006 [[plea bargain]] involving Ken's son, Clifton, became controversial after several parents of victims accused Ken of exerting undue influence to affect the case.<ref>[http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/123050.php]</ref> In what a county attorney described as a summer camp "hazing ritual" gone wrong, Clifton and another man inserted a broom stick into the rectums of at least 18 boys in over 40 separate incidents.<ref>{{cite web|last=Anglen|first=Robert|title=Families outraged at legislator's son's plea deal|url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0402bennett02.html|publisher=The Arizona Republic|accessdate=4 May 2012}}</ref> Ultimately Clifton, only 17 years old and a minor, plead guilty to one count of aggravated assault. Clifton was sentenced to 30 days in jail and three years probation. Arizona [[Attorney General]] [[Terry Goddard]], said he "had questions about the handling of the case," but that his office had no authority to intervene.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0407goddard0407.html |title=Goddard questions handling of Yavapai camp 'hazing' case |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=2006-04-07 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref> [[Yavapai County]] Attorney Sheila Polk defended the plea bargain and accused the [[news media]] of misrepresenting the issue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/yavapaicountyattyletter04042005-CR.html |title=Press Release/Letter to Editor |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=2006-04-04 |accessdate=2010-09-04}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.azsos.gov/info/bio.htm Arizona Secretary of State biography]

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{succession box |
before=[[Jan Brewer]] |
title=Arizona [[Secretary of State (U.S. state government)|Secretary of State]] |
years=2009–present |
after=incumbent
{{succession box|title=President of the [[Arizona Senate]]|before=[[Randall Gnant]]|after=[[Tim Bee]]|years=2003 – 2007}}
{{s-par|us-az-sen}}
{{succession box|title=Member of the [[Arizona Senate]] for the 1st District|before=unknown|after=[[Tom O'Halleran]]|years=1999 – 2007}}
}}
{{s-end}}

{{U.S. State Secretaries of State}}
{{Current U.S. Lieutenant Governors}}

{{Persondata 
| NAME =Bennett, Ken
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =Politician, businessman
| DATE OF BIRTH =1959-00-00
| PLACE OF BIRTH =[[Tucson, Arizona]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Ken}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:American Mormon missionaries]]
[[Category:Arizona city council members]]
[[Category:Secretaries of State of Arizona]]
[[Category:Arizona Republicans]]
[[Category:Arizona State Senators]]
[[Category:Arizona State University alumni]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Mormon missionaries in Japan]]
[[Category:People from Tucson, Arizona]]
[[Category:People from Prescott, Arizona]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Arizona State Senate]]
[[Category:20th-century Mormon missionaries]]

[[fr:Ken Bennett]]

Hanging Lake

2012-05-01T06:37:04Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Travertine */ WP is not a guide

{{Infobox lake
| lake_name = Hanging Lake
| image_lake = Glenwood Canyon.jpg
| caption_lake =
| image_bathymetry =
| caption_bathymetry =
| location = [[Glenwood Canyon]], [[Colorado]]
| coords = {{coord|39.6016497|-107.1919967|region:US-CO_type:waterbody_source:gnis|display=inline,title}}
| type =
| inflow =
| outflow =
| catchment =
| basin_countries = United States
| length =
| width =
| area =
| depth =
| max-depth =
| volume =
| residence_time =
| shore =
| elevation =
| islands =
| sections =
| cities =
| frozen =
}}
'''Hanging Lake''' is a lake in the [[U.S.]] [[State of Colorado]]. It is located in [[Glenwood Canyon]], about 7 miles east of [[Glenwood Springs, Colorado]] and is a very popular tourist destination. The lake is reached via a trailhead located near [[I-70]] in the bottom of the canyon. The trail follows [[Dead Horse Creek]], a tributary of the [[Colorado River]] and ascends some 1,000 feet.<ref>[http://hike.mountainzone.com/hotw/co/hanging/index.html Mountain Zone] Hanging Lake, Colorado</ref>

[[Image:Hanging Lake Above.jpg||thumb|View from above Hanging Lake.]]
[[Image:Hanging Lake.jpg|thumb|Hanging Lake.]]
[[File:Glenwood canyon.jpg|thumb|View of the Glenwood Canyon from the Hanging Lake trail.]]

== History ==
Early tales of the discovery of the lake tells of a man searching for gold in the canyon when the Colorado River was called the Grand River. The man found a dead horse at the opening of a gulch (the possible origin of Dead Horse Gulch). When he followed the gulch up through the steep hillside through the canyon he came around the backside of the lake. This is how he first saw the small bowl-like basin hanging onto the cliffs below.

In the years following the area served as a homestead, and a private family retreat until it was purchased by Glenwood Springs after the Taylor Bill was passed by Congress in 1910.<ref>[http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20060828/RECREATION05/60828004 The Aspen Times] Hanging Lake boasts long history as tourist stop
</ref>

Following the purchase it began its long history as a public tourist stop, and later during the 1940s hosted a resort and cafe until the construction of Interstate-70 began in 1968.

In 1972 the trail and the lake were returned to the protection of the Forest Service as part of the [[White River National Forest]], and has been an increasingly popular tourist destination since.

In 2011 the lake was named a [[National Natural Landmark]] by [[United States Secretary of the Interior|Secretary of the Interior]] [[Ken Salazar]].<ref>http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/AMERICAS-GREAT-OUTDOORS-Secretary-Salazar-Designates-Six-New-National-Natural-Landmarks.cfm "AMERICA’S GREAT OUTDOORS: Secretary Salazar Designates Six New National Natural Landmarks", 6/15/11</ref>

== Travertine ==
The fragile shoreline of Hanging Lake is composed of [[travertine]], created when dissolved limestone from the Mississippian aged [[Leadville Formation]] (through which the Dead Horse Creek flows) is deposited on rocks and logs, creating travertine layers.<ref>[http://coloradoouting.com/colorado-destinations/attractions/hanging-lake/ Colorado Outing] Hanging Lake</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of lakes in Colorado]]

==References==
<references />
*{{gnis|174097}}

==External links==
*[http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72BTJw8jAwjQL8h2VAQAzHJMsQ!!/?ss=110215&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&navid=110000000000000&pnavid=null&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&recid=41225&ttype=recarea&pname=Hanging%20Lake%20Trail%20#1850 Hanging Lake Trail] - US Forest Service information and map
*[http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20060828/RECREATION05/60828004 Hanging Lake — a fragile paradise] at [[The Aspen Times]]
*[http://www.hikingincolorado.org/hang.html Hiking in Colorado - Hanging Lake]
*[http://www.glenwoodblog.com/2006/10/28/hanging-lake/ Hanging Lake Trail videos and reviews]
*[http://www.allaspen.com/glenwood_springs_colorado/hanging_lake.php Hanging Lake - AllAspen.com] - visiting details

[[Category:Lakes of Colorado]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Garfield County, Colorado]]
[[Category:National Natural Landmarks in Colorado]]
[[Category:White River National Forest]]

Hanging Lake

2012-05-01T06:36:30Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Hiking The Trail To Get To The Lake */ WP is not a tourist guide

{{Infobox lake
| lake_name = Hanging Lake
| image_lake = Glenwood Canyon.jpg
| caption_lake =
| image_bathymetry =
| caption_bathymetry =
| location = [[Glenwood Canyon]], [[Colorado]]
| coords = {{coord|39.6016497|-107.1919967|region:US-CO_type:waterbody_source:gnis|display=inline,title}}
| type =
| inflow =
| outflow =
| catchment =
| basin_countries = United States
| length =
| width =
| area =
| depth =
| max-depth =
| volume =
| residence_time =
| shore =
| elevation =
| islands =
| sections =
| cities =
| frozen =
}}
'''Hanging Lake''' is a lake in the [[U.S.]] [[State of Colorado]]. It is located in [[Glenwood Canyon]], about 7 miles east of [[Glenwood Springs, Colorado]] and is a very popular tourist destination. The lake is reached via a trailhead located near [[I-70]] in the bottom of the canyon. The trail follows [[Dead Horse Creek]], a tributary of the [[Colorado River]] and ascends some 1,000 feet.<ref>[http://hike.mountainzone.com/hotw/co/hanging/index.html Mountain Zone] Hanging Lake, Colorado</ref>

[[Image:Hanging Lake Above.jpg||thumb|View from above Hanging Lake.]]
[[Image:Hanging Lake.jpg|thumb|Hanging Lake.]]
[[File:Glenwood canyon.jpg|thumb|View of the Glenwood Canyon from the Hanging Lake trail.]]

== History ==
Early tales of the discovery of the lake tells of a man searching for gold in the canyon when the Colorado River was called the Grand River. The man found a dead horse at the opening of a gulch (the possible origin of Dead Horse Gulch). When he followed the gulch up through the steep hillside through the canyon he came around the backside of the lake. This is how he first saw the small bowl-like basin hanging onto the cliffs below.

In the years following the area served as a homestead, and a private family retreat until it was purchased by Glenwood Springs after the Taylor Bill was passed by Congress in 1910.<ref>[http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20060828/RECREATION05/60828004 The Aspen Times] Hanging Lake boasts long history as tourist stop
</ref>

Following the purchase it began its long history as a public tourist stop, and later during the 1940s hosted a resort and cafe until the construction of Interstate-70 began in 1968.

In 1972 the trail and the lake were returned to the protection of the Forest Service as part of the [[White River National Forest]], and has been an increasingly popular tourist destination since.

In 2011 the lake was named a [[National Natural Landmark]] by [[United States Secretary of the Interior|Secretary of the Interior]] [[Ken Salazar]].<ref>http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/AMERICAS-GREAT-OUTDOORS-Secretary-Salazar-Designates-Six-New-National-Natural-Landmarks.cfm "AMERICA’S GREAT OUTDOORS: Secretary Salazar Designates Six New National Natural Landmarks", 6/15/11</ref>

== Travertine ==
The fragile shoreline of Hanging Lake is composed of [[travertine]], created when dissolved limestone from the Mississippian aged [[Leadville Formation]] (through which the Dead Horse Creek flows) is deposited on rocks and logs, creating travertine layers.<ref>[http://coloradoouting.com/colorado-destinations/attractions/hanging-lake/ Colorado Outing] Hanging Lake</ref>

The oils from human skin speed along the erosion of the travertine so it is suggested that hikers not wade in the water in an effort to help preserve the lake for future generations.

==See also==
*[[List of lakes in Colorado]]

==References==
<references />
*{{gnis|174097}}

==External links==
*[http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72BTJw8jAwjQL8h2VAQAzHJMsQ!!/?ss=110215&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&navid=110000000000000&pnavid=null&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&recid=41225&ttype=recarea&pname=Hanging%20Lake%20Trail%20#1850 Hanging Lake Trail] - US Forest Service information and map
*[http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20060828/RECREATION05/60828004 Hanging Lake — a fragile paradise] at [[The Aspen Times]]
*[http://www.hikingincolorado.org/hang.html Hiking in Colorado - Hanging Lake]
*[http://www.glenwoodblog.com/2006/10/28/hanging-lake/ Hanging Lake Trail videos and reviews]
*[http://www.allaspen.com/glenwood_springs_colorado/hanging_lake.php Hanging Lake - AllAspen.com] - visiting details

[[Category:Lakes of Colorado]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Garfield County, Colorado]]
[[Category:National Natural Landmarks in Colorado]]
[[Category:White River National Forest]]

Steve Wiebe

2011-10-06T07:48:10Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Personal life */ cn tag

{{Infobox person
| name = Steve Wiebe
| image = Steve Weibe.jpg
| alt = Wiebe speaking at [[Comic-Con International]] 2007 in San Diego
| caption = Wiebe speaking at [[Comic-Con International]] 2007 in San Diego
| birth_name = Steven J. Wiebe
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|1|3|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Seattle]], [[Washington (U.S. state)|Washington]], [[United States]]
| residence = [[Redmond, Washington]]
| nationality = American
| occupation = Competitive gamer, school teacher, musician
| education = [[University of Washington]] ([[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]], Mechanical Engineering; 1991) [[City University of Seattle|City University]] ([[Master of Education|M.Ed.]]; 2004)
| website = {{Url|www.stevewiebe.com}}
}}
'''Steven J. "Steve" Wiebe''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|w|iː|b|i}}; born January 3, 1969) is a two-time world champion of the video game [[Donkey Kong (video game)|Donkey Kong]], most recently holding the title from the 20th of September, 2010 to the 10th of January, 2011 with a high score of 1,064,500 points.<ref>http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&pi=2&gi=3852&vi=22</ref> Wiebe was the first person to achieve over a million points in the game, with a score of 1,006,600 on July 4, 2004. He is one of the primary subjects of the 2007 documentary ''[[The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title='Kong' star struggles to win high score lead and respect|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20070831-9999-1c31kong.html|publisher=[[San Diego Union Tribune]]|accessdate=2007-08-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Wiebe's Game Plan|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20052595,00.html|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|accessdate=2007-08-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Wiebe, ‘King of Kong,’ on Living the Dream|url=http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2007/08/king_of_kongs_steve_wiebe_1.html|publisher=New York Entertainment|accessdate=2007-08-31}}</ref>

==Media appearances==
Wiebe was interviewed about the documentary ''[[The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters]]'' on the ''[[The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson]]''<ref>{{cite news |title= The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson | publisher=CBS |format= |work= }}</ref> and on [[G4 (TV channel)|G4]]'s ''[[Attack of the Show]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=One on One with Steve Wiebe|url=http://www.g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/theloop/61637/One-on-One-with-Steve-Wiebe.html|publisher=[[G4 (TV channel)|G4 TV]]|accessdate=2008-05-28}}</ref>
He also voiced his own cartoon character on ''[[Code Monkeys]]'' in the episode "The Great Recession". He also appeared as "Jim" in the film ''[[Four Christmases]]'', which was directed by [[Seth Gordon]], the director of ''The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters''.

Similarly to his Donkey Kong rival [[Billy Mitchell (gamer)|Billy Mitchell]], Steve Wiebe was also put in a TOPPS Allen & Ginter baseball set, Wiebe being featured in the 2009 edition of the baseball product.<ref>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310154175976&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123</ref>

==Current status of championship==
Wiebe was the record holder for highest score in ''Donkey Kong'' with a score of 1,064,500 at September 20, 2010 but was beaten by Hank Chien on January 10, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Wiebe regains Donkey Kong World Record from Billy Mitchell|url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=19&id=2264|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=September 20, 2010}}</ref><ref>http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=27&id=2343</ref>

Wiebe made six well-publicized attempts at regaining the Donkey Kong title in the last couple of years before recapturing it on September 20, 2010. They are:

*On August 19, 2007, at the Alamo Draft House in Austin, TX, Wiebe scored 695,500 points while [[Twin Galaxies]] Founder [[Walter Day]] served as the official referee.<ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Wiebe Reaches 695,500 points during Donkey Kong World Record Attempt|url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=19&id=1488|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=March 14, 2008}}</ref>

*On March 6, 2008, in [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]], Wiebe played in front of a fluctuating crowd of 1,900 party attendees in the TAO Nightclub in the [[The Venetian (Las Vegas)|Venetian Casino]] during Microsoft's MIX08 event. During that attempt, Wiebe achieved two scores: first scoring 929,800 points and reaching the "[[kill screen]]" and then 579,300 points on the second try. According to Twin Galaxies records, this is the sixth time someone had reached the "Kill Screen" during a public gaming performance ([[Billy Mitchell (gamer)|Billy Mitchell]] and he each have 3 times). Again, Wiebe performed under the supervision of Twin Galaxies Founder Walter Day, who noted: "Possibly the biggest challenges Wiebe had to overcome were the loud nightclub music, the chaotic environment and the late hours." <ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Wiebe Tries Twice But Falls Short|url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=19&id=1585|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=March 14, 2008}}</ref>

*On July 17, 2008, Wiebe made his third attempt to break the ''Donkey Kong'' high score at the Twiistup 4 event in Santa Monica, but was unsuccessful on two consecutive attempts, scoring 340,500 and 466,100 points.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twin Galaxies Monitors Steve Wiebe Donkey Kong Attempt for Guinness World Records|url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=19&id=1634|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=2008-07-19}}</ref>

*In October 2008, at the 2008 E for All Expo, he scored 1,000,200 in front of a large crowd. This is only the third time a 1 million point score has been achieved in public.

*On April 24, 2009, Wiebe temporarily took command of the [[Donkey Kong Jr.]] title, eclipsing both Mitchell and previous record holder Icarus Hall with a score of 1,139,800 points. This was later passed by Mark L. Kiehl with a score of 1,147,800.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&pi=2&gi=126&vi=24|title=Donkey Kong Junior|publisher=Twin Galaxies}}</ref>

*On June 2, 2009, Wiebe reached a score of 923,400 points at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009|E3 2009]] during his first attempt that day. On his second attempt, he reached 653,700. A third attempt was interrupted by a brief power failure. After power was restored, Wiebe made a fourth attempt in which he reached 989,400 points before the [[kill screen]] ended his final attempt. These attempts were broadcast online via [[G4 (TV channel)|G4TV]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Chris Higgins|title=Live, Breaking News: Steve Wiebe Tries to Recapture Donkey Kong Record |url=http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/26090|publisher=''[[Mental Floss]]''|accessdate=June 2, 2009}}</ref>

*On February 17, 2010, Wiebe recaptured the Donkey Kong Jr. high score title with a verified 1,190,400 points, beating out previous record holder Mark Kiehl. [[Twin Galaxies]] Founder [[Walter Day]] served as the official referee.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wiebe Scores Again
|url=http://twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=46&id=1982|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=February 17, 2010}}</ref> On April 19, 2010, Mark Kiehl again recaptured the Donkey Kong Jr. high score with a verified 1,253,000 points.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mark Kiehl recaptures high score
|url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&pi=2&gi=126&vi=24|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=June 23, 2010}}</ref>

*On September 20, 2010, Wiebe regained the title of Donkey Kong champion, verified by Twin Galaxies through a DVD recording of play on August 30, 2010 with a score of 1,064,500 points.<ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Wiebe regains Donkey Kong World Record from Billy Mitchell|url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=19&id=2264|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=September 20, 2010}}</ref>

*On January 10, 2011, Wiebe lost the title of world record holder when his previous high score of 1,064,500 points on Donkey Kong was beaten by plastic surgeon Hank Chien‘s 1,068,000 point high score. The attempt took two hours and forty five minutes.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hank Chien reclaims Donkey Kong high score|url=http://twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=27&id=2343|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=January 12, 2010}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Wiebe was born in [[Seattle]] to Ryan and Sandy Wiebe, and has a brother, Ryan Wiebe, and sister, Cathy Lowell. He attended [[Newport High School (Bellevue, Washington)|Newport High School]] in [[Bellevue, Washington]] and played for the school's basketball and baseball teams; Wiebe also played the drums for the school's symphonic and jazz bands.<ref name="Stevewiebe.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.stevewiebe.com/?page_id=2 |title=Steve's Bio |author= |date= |work= |publisher=stevewiebe.com |accessdate=23 December 2010}}</ref> Wiebe graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the [[University of Washington]] in 1991. From 1996 to 1999, he worked at [[Boeing]] as a testing and analysis engineer; and from 1999 to 2001, he worked at the [[Bsquare corporation|BSquare Corporation]] in Bellevue as a software testing engineer. In 2004, Wiebe earned a Master of Education degree at [[City University of Seattle]].{{citation needed|date=October 2011}}

Wiebe lives in [[Redmond]] with his wife Nicole, and has a daughter, Jillian, and son, Derek. In addition to his competitive gaming pursuits, Wiebe teaches mathematics at Redmond High School. A committed Christian and interested in music from an early age, Wiebe released a [[Contemporary Christian]] album titled ''The King of Song'' in December 2009.<ref name="Stevewiebe.com"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.Stevewiebe.com Steve's Official Website]
* {{IMDb name|2528248}}
* [http://www.ignoremagazine.com/features/sethgordon/index.php Article on the ''King of Kong'' mentioning Wiebe and interview with director] at ''Ignore'' Magazine.
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b-QK8TxeXk Steve Wiebe tells movie goers not to talk trailer] at [[YouTube]]
* [http://blogs.msdn.com/mswanson/archive/2008/03/23/donkey-kong-at-mix08-behind-the-scenes.aspx Behind the scenes at one of Steve's record-breaking attempts] at M Swanson's Blog
* [http://g4tv.com/xplay/videos/26123/King-of-Kong-2-Trailer.html King of Kong 2 Trailer]
* [http://www.justin.tv/g4tv_wiebecam Video of his E3 2009 record-breaking attempts]

{{Persondata 
| NAME = Wiebe, Steve
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = January 3, 1969
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Seattle]], [[Washington (U.S. state)|Washington]], [[United States]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wiebe, Steve}}
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:American Christians]]
[[Category:American electronic sports players]]
[[Category:American schoolteachers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Redmond, Washington]]
[[Category:University of Washington alumni]]

[[pl:Steve Wiebe]]
[[pt:Steve Wiebe]]

Steve Wiebe

2011-10-06T07:47:13Z

Wikipeterproject: tidy up

{{Infobox person
| name = Steve Wiebe
| image = Steve Weibe.jpg
| alt = Wiebe speaking at [[Comic-Con International]] 2007 in San Diego
| caption = Wiebe speaking at [[Comic-Con International]] 2007 in San Diego
| birth_name = Steven J. Wiebe
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|1|3|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Seattle]], [[Washington (U.S. state)|Washington]], [[United States]]
| residence = [[Redmond, Washington]]
| nationality = American
| occupation = Competitive gamer, school teacher, musician
| education = [[University of Washington]] ([[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]], Mechanical Engineering; 1991) [[City University of Seattle|City University]] ([[Master of Education|M.Ed.]]; 2004)
| website = {{Url|www.stevewiebe.com}}
}}
'''Steven J. "Steve" Wiebe''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|w|iː|b|i}}; born January 3, 1969) is a two-time world champion of the video game [[Donkey Kong (video game)|Donkey Kong]], most recently holding the title from the 20th of September, 2010 to the 10th of January, 2011 with a high score of 1,064,500 points.<ref>http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&pi=2&gi=3852&vi=22</ref> Wiebe was the first person to achieve over a million points in the game, with a score of 1,006,600 on July 4, 2004. He is one of the primary subjects of the 2007 documentary ''[[The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title='Kong' star struggles to win high score lead and respect|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20070831-9999-1c31kong.html|publisher=[[San Diego Union Tribune]]|accessdate=2007-08-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Wiebe's Game Plan|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20052595,00.html|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|accessdate=2007-08-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Wiebe, ‘King of Kong,’ on Living the Dream|url=http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2007/08/king_of_kongs_steve_wiebe_1.html|publisher=New York Entertainment|accessdate=2007-08-31}}</ref>

==Media appearances==
Wiebe was interviewed about the documentary ''[[The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters]]'' on the ''[[The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson]]''<ref>{{cite news |title= The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson | publisher=CBS |format= |work= }}</ref> and on [[G4 (TV channel)|G4]]'s ''[[Attack of the Show]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=One on One with Steve Wiebe|url=http://www.g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/theloop/61637/One-on-One-with-Steve-Wiebe.html|publisher=[[G4 (TV channel)|G4 TV]]|accessdate=2008-05-28}}</ref>
He also voiced his own cartoon character on ''[[Code Monkeys]]'' in the episode "The Great Recession". He also appeared as "Jim" in the film ''[[Four Christmases]]'', which was directed by [[Seth Gordon]], the director of ''The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters''.

Similarly to his Donkey Kong rival [[Billy Mitchell (gamer)|Billy Mitchell]], Steve Wiebe was also put in a TOPPS Allen & Ginter baseball set, Wiebe being featured in the 2009 edition of the baseball product.<ref>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310154175976&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123</ref>

==Current status of championship==
Wiebe was the record holder for highest score in ''Donkey Kong'' with a score of 1,064,500 at September 20, 2010 but was beaten by Hank Chien on January 10, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Wiebe regains Donkey Kong World Record from Billy Mitchell|url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=19&id=2264|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=September 20, 2010}}</ref><ref>http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=27&id=2343</ref>

Wiebe made six well-publicized attempts at regaining the Donkey Kong title in the last couple of years before recapturing it on September 20, 2010. They are:

*On August 19, 2007, at the Alamo Draft House in Austin, TX, Wiebe scored 695,500 points while [[Twin Galaxies]] Founder [[Walter Day]] served as the official referee.<ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Wiebe Reaches 695,500 points during Donkey Kong World Record Attempt|url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=19&id=1488|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=March 14, 2008}}</ref>

*On March 6, 2008, in [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]], Wiebe played in front of a fluctuating crowd of 1,900 party attendees in the TAO Nightclub in the [[The Venetian (Las Vegas)|Venetian Casino]] during Microsoft's MIX08 event. During that attempt, Wiebe achieved two scores: first scoring 929,800 points and reaching the "[[kill screen]]" and then 579,300 points on the second try. According to Twin Galaxies records, this is the sixth time someone had reached the "Kill Screen" during a public gaming performance ([[Billy Mitchell (gamer)|Billy Mitchell]] and he each have 3 times). Again, Wiebe performed under the supervision of Twin Galaxies Founder Walter Day, who noted: "Possibly the biggest challenges Wiebe had to overcome were the loud nightclub music, the chaotic environment and the late hours." <ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Wiebe Tries Twice But Falls Short|url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=19&id=1585|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=March 14, 2008}}</ref>

*On July 17, 2008, Wiebe made his third attempt to break the ''Donkey Kong'' high score at the Twiistup 4 event in Santa Monica, but was unsuccessful on two consecutive attempts, scoring 340,500 and 466,100 points.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twin Galaxies Monitors Steve Wiebe Donkey Kong Attempt for Guinness World Records|url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=19&id=1634|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=2008-07-19}}</ref>

*In October 2008, at the 2008 E for All Expo, he scored 1,000,200 in front of a large crowd. This is only the third time a 1 million point score has been achieved in public.

*On April 24, 2009, Wiebe temporarily took command of the [[Donkey Kong Jr.]] title, eclipsing both Mitchell and previous record holder Icarus Hall with a score of 1,139,800 points. This was later passed by Mark L. Kiehl with a score of 1,147,800.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&pi=2&gi=126&vi=24|title=Donkey Kong Junior|publisher=Twin Galaxies}}</ref>

*On June 2, 2009, Wiebe reached a score of 923,400 points at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009|E3 2009]] during his first attempt that day. On his second attempt, he reached 653,700. A third attempt was interrupted by a brief power failure. After power was restored, Wiebe made a fourth attempt in which he reached 989,400 points before the [[kill screen]] ended his final attempt. These attempts were broadcast online via [[G4 (TV channel)|G4TV]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Chris Higgins|title=Live, Breaking News: Steve Wiebe Tries to Recapture Donkey Kong Record |url=http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/26090|publisher=''[[Mental Floss]]''|accessdate=June 2, 2009}}</ref>

*On February 17, 2010, Wiebe recaptured the Donkey Kong Jr. high score title with a verified 1,190,400 points, beating out previous record holder Mark Kiehl. [[Twin Galaxies]] Founder [[Walter Day]] served as the official referee.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wiebe Scores Again
|url=http://twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=46&id=1982|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=February 17, 2010}}</ref> On April 19, 2010, Mark Kiehl again recaptured the Donkey Kong Jr. high score with a verified 1,253,000 points.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mark Kiehl recaptures high score
|url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&pi=2&gi=126&vi=24|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=June 23, 2010}}</ref>

*On September 20, 2010, Wiebe regained the title of Donkey Kong champion, verified by Twin Galaxies through a DVD recording of play on August 30, 2010 with a score of 1,064,500 points.<ref>{{cite web|title=Steve Wiebe regains Donkey Kong World Record from Billy Mitchell|url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=19&id=2264|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=September 20, 2010}}</ref>

*On January 10, 2011, Wiebe lost the title of world record holder when his previous high score of 1,064,500 points on Donkey Kong was beaten by plastic surgeon Hank Chien‘s 1,068,000 point high score. The attempt took two hours and forty five minutes.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hank Chien reclaims Donkey Kong high score|url=http://twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=27&id=2343|publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]]|accessdate=January 12, 2010}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Wiebe was born in [[Seattle]] to Ryan and Sandy Wiebe, and has a brother, Ryan Wiebe, and sister, Cathy Lowell. He attended [[Newport High School (Bellevue, Washington)|Newport High School]] in [[Bellevue, Washington]] and played for the school's basketball and baseball teams; Wiebe also played the drums for the school's symphonic and jazz bands.<ref name="Stevewiebe.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.stevewiebe.com/?page_id=2 |title=Steve's Bio |author= |date= |work= |publisher=stevewiebe.com |accessdate=23 December 2010}}</ref> Wiebe graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the [[University of Washington]] in 1991. From 1996 to 1999, he worked at [[Boeing]] as a testing and analysis engineer; and from 1999 to 2001, he worked at the [[Bsquare corporation|BSquare Corporation]] in Bellevue as a software testing engineer. In 2004, Wiebe earned a Master of Education degree at [[City University of Seattle]].

Wiebe lives in [[Redmond]] with his wife Nicole, and has a daughter, Jillian, and son, Derek. In addition to his competitive gaming pursuits, Wiebe teaches mathematics at Redmond High School. A committed Christian and interested in music from an early age, Wiebe released a [[Contemporary Christian]] album titled ''The King of Song'' in December 2009.<ref name="Stevewiebe.com"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.Stevewiebe.com Steve's Official Website]
* {{IMDb name|2528248}}
* [http://www.ignoremagazine.com/features/sethgordon/index.php Article on the ''King of Kong'' mentioning Wiebe and interview with director] at ''Ignore'' Magazine.
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b-QK8TxeXk Steve Wiebe tells movie goers not to talk trailer] at [[YouTube]]
* [http://blogs.msdn.com/mswanson/archive/2008/03/23/donkey-kong-at-mix08-behind-the-scenes.aspx Behind the scenes at one of Steve's record-breaking attempts] at M Swanson's Blog
* [http://g4tv.com/xplay/videos/26123/King-of-Kong-2-Trailer.html King of Kong 2 Trailer]
* [http://www.justin.tv/g4tv_wiebecam Video of his E3 2009 record-breaking attempts]

{{Persondata 
| NAME = Wiebe, Steve
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = January 3, 1969
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Seattle]], [[Washington (U.S. state)|Washington]], [[United States]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wiebe, Steve}}
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:American Christians]]
[[Category:American electronic sports players]]
[[Category:American schoolteachers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Redmond, Washington]]
[[Category:University of Washington alumni]]

[[pl:Steve Wiebe]]
[[pt:Steve Wiebe]]

Lester Sumrall

2011-08-31T16:05:07Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Biography */ typo

{{refimprove|date=September 2011}}
'''Lester Frank Sumrall''' (February 15, 1913 – April 28, 1996) was an ordained American [[minister of religion|minister]] who formed the [[LeSEA]] broadcast network.

==Biography==
Sumrall was born to Betty and George Sumrall in [[New Orleans]] on February 15, 1913.<ref>http://wofcfi.tripod.com/charlesjonesministries/id4.html</ref> In 1930, he recovered from [[tuberculosis]] and it was at this point that he came to believe that he was called by [[God]] to become a [[preacher]].{{citation needed|date=September 2011}} He became an ordained minister in 1932.

On September 30, 1944, he married Louise Layman. The couple had three children, Frank Lester (born 1946), Phillip Stephen (1950) and Peter Andrew (1953).{{citation needed|date=September 2011}}

[[Alfred Howard Carter|Howard Carter]] and [[Smith Wigglesworth]] were mentors to Lester Sumrall, both of whom are said to have passed their anointing on to him.<ref>http://www.eaglesnest.org/prophecy_smith.html</ref>

In 1957, Sumrall established the Lester Sumrall [[Evangelism|Evangelistic]] Association (LeSEA) and in 1968 he founded LeSEA Broadcasting's flagship station, [[WHME-TV]] Harvest 103.1 FM. Sumrall has been called the "father of Christian television".<ref>{{Cite book
| last = Lochridge
| first = Arlene
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = A Fish Out of Water: From Seattle Socialite to Commercial Fisherwoman - Hazel's Fishing Diaries from 1940's Alaska
| publisher = Book Publishers Network
| series =
| volume =
| edition =
| date = 2010
| location =
| page = 28
| language =
| url = http://books.google.com.au/books?id=55YkQbjkGrEC&pg=PA28&dq=%22father+of+Christian+television%22&hl=en&ei=RFleTrLsKcLSiAKR0OWzBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22father%20of%20Christian%20television%22&f=false
| doi =
| id =
| isbn = 9781935359319
| mr =
| zbl =
| jfm = }}</ref> He secured the first license for 24-hour Christian television from the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) and launched [[WHMB]] Christian Television in [[Noblesville, Indiana]] in 1973.{{citation needed|date=September 2011}}

Sumrall died on April 28, 1996, at age 83.<ref>[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=sumrall&GSfn=lester&GSbyrel=in&GSdyrel=in&GSob=n&GRid=8196457& Lester Sumrall's Listing On FindAGrave.com]</ref>

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |author=Lester Sumrall |title=The Life Story of Lester Sumrall: The Man, the Ministry, the Vision |publisher=New Leaf Press (AR) |location= |year=2003 |pages= |isbn=0-89221-532-1 |oclc= |doi=}}

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.lesea.com/tribute/ Lester Sumrall's Official Website]

{{Persondata 
| NAME = Sumrall, Lester
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH =
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sumrall, Lester}}
[[Category:1913 births]]
[[Category:1996 deaths]]
[[Category:American evangelists]]
[[Category:American television evangelists]]
[[Category:LeSEA]]

{{US-Christian-clergy-stub}}

[[es:Lester Sumrall]]
[[pl:Lester Sumrall]]

Lester Sumrall

2011-08-31T16:04:37Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Biography */ added reference

{{refimprove|date=September 2011}}
'''Lester Frank Sumrall''' (February 15, 1913 – April 28, 1996) was an ordained American [[minister of religion|minister]] who formed the [[LeSEA]] broadcast network.

==Biography==
Sumrall was born to Betty and George Sumrall in [[New Orleans]] on February 15, 1913.<ref>http://wofcfi.tripod.com/charlesjonesministries/id4.html</ref> In 1930, he recovered from [[tuberculosis]] and it was at this point that he came to believe that he was called by [[God]] to become a [[preacher]].{{citation needed|date=September 2011}} He became an ordained minister in 1932.

On September 30, 1944, he married Louise Layman. The couple had three children, Frank Lester (born 1946), Phillip Stephen (1950) and Peter Andrew (1953).{{citation needed|date=September 2011}}

[[Alfred Howard Carter|Howard Carter]] and [[Smith Wigglesworth]] were mentors to Lester Sumrall, both of whom are said to have passed their anointing on to him.<ref>http://www.eaglesnest.org/prophecy_smith.html</ref>

In 1957, Sumrall established the Lester Sumrall [[Evangelism|Evangelistic]] Association (LeSEA) and in 1968 he founded LeSEA Broadcasting's flagship station, [[WHME-TV]] Harvest 103.1 FM. Sumrall has been called the "father" of Christian television".<ref>{{Cite book
| last = Lochridge
| first = Arlene
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = A Fish Out of Water: From Seattle Socialite to Commercial Fisherwoman - Hazel's Fishing Diaries from 1940's Alaska
| publisher = Book Publishers Network
| series =
| volume =
| edition =
| date = 2010
| location =
| page = 28
| language =
| url = http://books.google.com.au/books?id=55YkQbjkGrEC&pg=PA28&dq=%22father+of+Christian+television%22&hl=en&ei=RFleTrLsKcLSiAKR0OWzBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22father%20of%20Christian%20television%22&f=false
| doi =
| id =
| isbn = 9781935359319
| mr =
| zbl =
| jfm = }}</ref> He secured the first license for 24-hour Christian television from the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) and launched [[WHMB]] Christian Television in [[Noblesville, Indiana]] in 1973.{{citation needed|date=September 2011}}

Sumrall died on April 28, 1996, at age 83.<ref>[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=sumrall&GSfn=lester&GSbyrel=in&GSdyrel=in&GSob=n&GRid=8196457& Lester Sumrall's Listing On FindAGrave.com]</ref>

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |author=Lester Sumrall |title=The Life Story of Lester Sumrall: The Man, the Ministry, the Vision |publisher=New Leaf Press (AR) |location= |year=2003 |pages= |isbn=0-89221-532-1 |oclc= |doi=}}

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.lesea.com/tribute/ Lester Sumrall's Official Website]

{{Persondata 
| NAME = Sumrall, Lester
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH =
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sumrall, Lester}}
[[Category:1913 births]]
[[Category:1996 deaths]]
[[Category:American evangelists]]
[[Category:American television evangelists]]
[[Category:LeSEA]]

{{US-Christian-clergy-stub}}

[[es:Lester Sumrall]]
[[pl:Lester Sumrall]]

Lester Sumrall

2011-08-31T15:47:01Z

Wikipeterproject: Needs better referencing

{{refimprove|date=September 2011}}
'''Lester Frank Sumrall''' (February 15, 1913 – April 28, 1996) was an ordained American [[minister of religion|minister]] who formed the [[LeSEA]] broadcast network.

==Biography==
Sumrall was born to Betty and George Sumrall in [[New Orleans]] on February 15, 1913.<ref>http://wofcfi.tripod.com/charlesjonesministries/id4.html</ref> In 1930, he recovered from [[tuberculosis]] and it was at this point that he came to believe that he was called by [[God]] to become a [[preacher]].{{citation needed|date=September 2011}} He became an ordained minister in 1932.

On September 30, 1944, he married Louise Layman. The couple had three children, Frank Lester (born 1946), Phillip Stephen (1950) and Peter Andrew (1953).{{citation needed|date=September 2011}}

[[Alfred Howard Carter|Howard Carter]] and [[Smith Wigglesworth]] were mentors to Lester Sumrall, both of whom are said to have passed their anointing on to him.<ref>http://www.eaglesnest.org/prophecy_smith.html</ref>

In 1957, Sumrall established the Lester Sumrall [[Evangelism|Evangelistic]] Association (LeSEA) and in 1968 he founded LeSEA Broadcasting's flagship station, [[WHME-TV]] Harvest 103.1 FM. Sumrall is considered the "father" of Christian Television.{{citation needed|date=September 2011}} He secured the first license for 24-hour Christian television from the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) and launched [[WHMB]] Christian Television in [[Noblesville, Indiana]] in 1973.{{citation needed|date=September 2011}}

Sumrall died on April 28, 1996, at age 83.<ref>[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=sumrall&GSfn=lester&GSbyrel=in&GSdyrel=in&GSob=n&GRid=8196457& Lester Sumrall's Listing On FindAGrave.com]</ref>

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |author=Lester Sumrall |title=The Life Story of Lester Sumrall: The Man, the Ministry, the Vision |publisher=New Leaf Press (AR) |location= |year=2003 |pages= |isbn=0-89221-532-1 |oclc= |doi=}}

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.lesea.com/tribute/ Lester Sumrall's Official Website]

{{Persondata 
| NAME = Sumrall, Lester
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH =
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sumrall, Lester}}
[[Category:1913 births]]
[[Category:1996 deaths]]
[[Category:American evangelists]]
[[Category:American television evangelists]]
[[Category:LeSEA]]

{{US-Christian-clergy-stub}}

[[es:Lester Sumrall]]
[[pl:Lester Sumrall]]

Lester Sumrall

2011-08-31T15:46:25Z

Wikipeterproject: Added middle name to lead section

'''Lester Frank Sumrall''' (February 15, 1913 – April 28, 1996) was an ordained American [[minister of religion|minister]] who formed the [[LeSEA]] broadcast network.

==Biography==
Sumrall was born to Betty and George Sumrall in [[New Orleans]] on February 15, 1913.<ref>http://wofcfi.tripod.com/charlesjonesministries/id4.html</ref> In 1930, he recovered from [[tuberculosis]] and it was at this point that he came to believe that he was called by [[God]] to become a [[preacher]].{{citation needed|date=September 2011}} He became an ordained minister in 1932.

On September 30, 1944, he married Louise Layman. The couple had three children, Frank Lester (born 1946), Phillip Stephen (1950) and Peter Andrew (1953).{{citation needed|date=September 2011}}

[[Alfred Howard Carter|Howard Carter]] and [[Smith Wigglesworth]] were mentors to Lester Sumrall, both of whom are said to have passed their anointing on to him.<ref>http://www.eaglesnest.org/prophecy_smith.html</ref>

In 1957, Sumrall established the Lester Sumrall [[Evangelism|Evangelistic]] Association (LeSEA) and in 1968 he founded LeSEA Broadcasting's flagship station, [[WHME-TV]] Harvest 103.1 FM. Sumrall is considered the "father" of Christian Television.{{citation needed|date=September 2011}} He secured the first license for 24-hour Christian television from the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) and launched [[WHMB]] Christian Television in [[Noblesville, Indiana]] in 1973.{{citation needed|date=September 2011}}

Sumrall died on April 28, 1996, at age 83.<ref>[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=sumrall&GSfn=lester&GSbyrel=in&GSdyrel=in&GSob=n&GRid=8196457& Lester Sumrall's Listing On FindAGrave.com]</ref>

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |author=Lester Sumrall |title=The Life Story of Lester Sumrall: The Man, the Ministry, the Vision |publisher=New Leaf Press (AR) |location= |year=2003 |pages= |isbn=0-89221-532-1 |oclc= |doi=}}

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.lesea.com/tribute/ Lester Sumrall's Official Website]

{{Persondata 
| NAME = Sumrall, Lester
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH =
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sumrall, Lester}}
[[Category:1913 births]]
[[Category:1996 deaths]]
[[Category:American evangelists]]
[[Category:American television evangelists]]
[[Category:LeSEA]]

{{US-Christian-clergy-stub}}

[[es:Lester Sumrall]]
[[pl:Lester Sumrall]]

Lester Sumrall

2011-08-31T15:45:49Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Biography */ Removed non-encyclopedic content, added four CN tags, prose and grammar tweaks

'''Lester Sumrall''' (February 15, 1913 – April 28, 1996) was an ordained American [[minister of religion|minister]] who formed the [[LeSEA]] broadcast network.

==Biography==
Sumrall was born to Betty and George Sumrall in [[New Orleans]] on February 15, 1913.<ref>http://wofcfi.tripod.com/charlesjonesministries/id4.html</ref> In 1930, he recovered from [[tuberculosis]] and it was at this point that he came to believe that he was called by [[God]] to become a [[preacher]].{{citation needed|date=September 2011}} He became an ordained minister in 1932.

On September 30, 1944, he married Louise Layman. The couple had three children, Frank Lester (born 1946), Phillip Stephen (1950) and Peter Andrew (1953).{{citation needed|date=September 2011}}

[[Alfred Howard Carter|Howard Carter]] and [[Smith Wigglesworth]] were mentors to Lester Sumrall, both of whom are said to have passed their anointing on to him.<ref>http://www.eaglesnest.org/prophecy_smith.html</ref>

In 1957, Sumrall established the Lester Sumrall [[Evangelism|Evangelistic]] Association (LeSEA) and in 1968 he founded LeSEA Broadcasting's flagship station, [[WHME-TV]] Harvest 103.1 FM. Sumrall is considered the "father" of Christian Television.{{citation needed|date=September 2011}} He secured the first license for 24-hour Christian television from the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) and launched [[WHMB]] Christian Television in [[Noblesville, Indiana]] in 1973.{{citation needed|date=September 2011}}

Sumrall died on April 28, 1996, at age 83.<ref>[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=sumrall&GSfn=lester&GSbyrel=in&GSdyrel=in&GSob=n&GRid=8196457& Lester Sumrall's Listing On FindAGrave.com]</ref>

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |author=Lester Sumrall |title=The Life Story of Lester Sumrall: The Man, the Ministry, the Vision |publisher=New Leaf Press (AR) |location= |year=2003 |pages= |isbn=0-89221-532-1 |oclc= |doi=}}

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.lesea.com/tribute/ Lester Sumrall's Official Website]

{{Persondata 
| NAME = Sumrall, Lester
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH =
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sumrall, Lester}}
[[Category:1913 births]]
[[Category:1996 deaths]]
[[Category:American evangelists]]
[[Category:American television evangelists]]
[[Category:LeSEA]]

{{US-Christian-clergy-stub}}

[[es:Lester Sumrall]]
[[pl:Lester Sumrall]]

Balgonie Castle

2011-07-16T18:45:59Z

Wikipeterproject: refimprove

{{refimprove|date=July 2011}}
{{infobox military structure
|image = [[Image:BalgonieCastle04.jpg|300px]]
|caption = Balgonie Castle seen from the south west, with the original tower house on the left
|map_type = Scotland Fife
|map_caption = Location within Fife
|location = [[Milton of Balgonie]], [[Fife]], [[Scotland]] GB {{gbmapping|NO313007}}
|built = 1360s with later additions
|builder = Sibbald family Sir Robert Lundie [[Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven|Sir Alexander Leslie]]
|coordinates = {{coord|56.19394|N|3.10866|W|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(NO313007)|display=inline,title}}
|latitude = 56.19394
|longitude = -3.10866
}}

'''Balgonie Castle''' is located on the south bank of the [[River Leven]] near [[Milton of Balgonie]], {{convert|3.5|km}} east of [[Glenrothes]], [[Fife]], [[Scotland]]. The keep dates from the 14th century, and the remaining structures were added piecemeal until the 18th century. The keep has been recently restored, although other parts of the castle are roofless ruins.

==History==
The lands of Balgonie were held by the Sibbalds from at least 1246. Probably in the 1360s, the Sibbalds built a barmkin, or fortified courtyard, with a [[tower house]] at the north-west corner. The lands and the castle were left to a daughter, who married Sir Robert Lundie, who extended the castle in 1496, following his appointment as [[Lord High Treasurer]] of Scotland. Sir Robert built a two-storey range of buildings to the east of the keep, enlarging the accommodation with a long hall and a [[solar (room)|solar]]. This range incorporated an earlier corner tower and the 14th century chapel.[[James IV of Scotland|James IV]] visited Balgonie during the works, and ordered 20 shillings to be given to the masons.

[[Image:BalgonieCastle05.jpg|thumb|200px|The west elevation of the tower house or keep.]]
In 1627 the castle was sold to the Boswells, who sold it on in 1635 to Sir [[Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven|Alexander Leslie]], a Scottish soldier who had fought for the Swedish army during the [[Thirty Years' War]] (1618-1648), rising to the rank of [[Field Marshal]], and who led the [[Covenanter]]s during the Scottish [[Bishops Wars]]. Leslie was created [[Lord Balgonie]] and [[Earl of Leven]] in 1641, and finally retired in 1654. He carried out further improvement of his home, adding a two-storey building at the south-east corner of the courtyard. The initials FSAL and DAR, for Field Marshal Sir Alexander Leslie, and his wife Dame Agnes Renton, were found inscribed within the south-east block, suggesting that this was built prior to Leslie's elevation to the peerage. He also rebuilt the late 15th century north range with an extra storey, and laid out a park around the castle, remnants of which remain.

The next additions were carried out by [[John Leslie, 1st Duke of Rothes|John Leslie, 7th Earl of Rothes]], who disputed the earldom of Leven with [[David Melville, 3rd Earl of Leven|David Melville]] following the death of the second earl in 1664. Lord Rothes, with the aid of [[John Mylne (1611-1667)|John Mylne junior]], the king's master mason, built a grand stair linking the keep and north range, where previously a wooden bridge stood. On his death in 1681 David Melville inherited Balgonie, along with the earldom of Leven. He too added a range of buildings in 1706, this time a three-storey section linking the north range with the south-east block. The work was completed by master mason Gilbert Smith.

[[Rob Roy MacGregor]] captured Balgonie Castle during a raid in 1716, although the castle was soon returned to the Melvilles. [[David Melville, 6th Earl of Leven]] made minor improvements in the 1720s, including the insertion of [[sash window]]s. Further buildings were also added within the courtyard.

[[Image:BalgonieCastle02.jpg|thumb|300px|The roofless east range.]]
In 1824 the castle was sold to James Balfour of [[Whittingehame]], father of [[James Maitland Balfour]], and grandfather of [[Arthur Balfour]], who served as British Prime Minister from 1902-1905. He was unable to arrest the decay which was advancing, and in the mid nineteenth century the roofs were removed to avoid paying tax on the property. Much vandalism occurred in the 1960s, and it was not until 1971 that restoration of the castle, now owned by David Maxwell, began. Work continued through the 1970s and 1980s, aided by European funding, as part of European Architectural Heritage Year, in 1975. The keep and chapel have now been fully restored, and the castle is once again lived in by its current owner, Raymond Morris, laird of Balgonie, and his family. The castle is open to the public, and the restored chapel and great hall can be hired for events such as weddings. The current owners have expressed their intent to continue the restoration of the entire building.<ref>This intention is expressed in the Balgonie Castle website, [http://www.balgonie-castle.com/main/frameset.htm], accessed 22nd August 2006.</ref>

==The castle==
[[Image:Balgonieplan.png|thumb|250px|Plan of Balgonie Castle with approximate dates of construction.]]
The castle is still entered via the 15th century gatehouse. This is semi-ruinous above ground level, but a guardroom and prison can be seen within. The gate opens onto a courtyard, containing a well, around which the buildings are arranged.

The ground and first floors of the keep are vaulted, the first floor containing the hall, which unusually had no great fireplace. This would originally have been entered via a moveable timber stair, prior to the construction of the present stone stair. Above the hall are two further floors, each with a fireplace and connected by a turnpike stair. The keep is topped by a pitched roof with crow stepped gables. Outside, the parapet walk and cannon spouts are of 17th century origin, and contemporary with the enlarged windows. Some of the smaller trefoil-headed original windows survive.

In the basement of the north range is the vaulted chapel, although the remainder of the range, and the east buildings, are roofless. Walls and chimney stacks remain. The remains of earlier buildings within the courtyard were uncovered during excavations in 1978. It appears that these were demolished in the early 17th century to allow rebuilding.<ref>Reported in the NMRS Archaeology Notes for the site [http://lmid1.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/newcanmore.details_gis?inumlink=31389].</ref>

Beyond the castle walls, the extensive boundary walls of the deer park survive, although damaged in parts. Large mature trees remain from the 17th century landscaping.

==Hauntings==
Several hauntings have been reported within the castle. One spectre, nicknamed 'Green Jeanie', is said to be the ghost of one of the Lundie occupants. A 17th century soldier, a dog, and a hooded man have also been claimed to be seen. A skeleton was found in the floor of the great hall, during works in 1912.<ref>Hauntings are described in Coventry, 2001.</ref><ref>http://heritage.scotsman.com/spookystories/Moat-haunted.2814420.jp</ref>

==Notes==
<references/>

==References==
*Coventry, Martin ''The Castles of Scotland (3rd Edition)'', Goblinshead, 2001
*Gifford, John ''The Buildings of Scotland: Fife'', Penguin, 1988
*Lindsay, Maurice ''The Castles of Scotland'', Constable & Co. 1986
*Pride, G L ''The Kingdom of Fife: An Illustrated Architectural Guide'', [[Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland|RIAS]], 1990

*[[Historic Scotland]] Listed Building Report [http://hsewsf.sedsh.gov.uk/hslive/portal.hsstart?P_HBNUM=16664]
*[[National Monuments Record of Scotland]] Site Reference NO30SW 4.00 [http://lmid1.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/newcanmore.details_gis?inumlink=31389]

==External links==
{{commons}}
*[http://www.balgonie-castle.com/main/frameset.htm Balgonie Castle website]
*[http://www.publications.bham.ac.uk/birmingham_magazine/b_magazine1996-99/pg20_97.htm "A Scotsman's Castle is his Home"], interview with Stuart Morris of Balgonie, in the Birmingham Magazine, 1997. Accessed 1 August 2006.

==See also==
*[[List of places in Fife]]

[[Category:Castles in Fife]]
[[Category:Visitor attractions in Fife]]
[[Category:Category A listed buildings]]
[[Category:Listed buildings in Fife]]
[[Category:Listed castles in Scotland]]
[[Category:Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Scotland]]
[[Category:Reportedly haunted locations in Scotland]]

Balgonie Castle

2011-07-16T18:45:32Z

Wikipeterproject: Needs better referencing

{{refimprove date=July 2011}}
{{infobox military structure
|image = [[Image:BalgonieCastle04.jpg|300px]]
|caption = Balgonie Castle seen from the south west, with the original tower house on the left
|map_type = Scotland Fife
|map_caption = Location within Fife
|location = [[Milton of Balgonie]], [[Fife]], [[Scotland]] GB {{gbmapping|NO313007}}
|built = 1360s with later additions
|builder = Sibbald family Sir Robert Lundie [[Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven|Sir Alexander Leslie]]
|coordinates = {{coord|56.19394|N|3.10866|W|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(NO313007)|display=inline,title}}
|latitude = 56.19394
|longitude = -3.10866
}}

'''Balgonie Castle''' is located on the south bank of the [[River Leven]] near [[Milton of Balgonie]], {{convert|3.5|km}} east of [[Glenrothes]], [[Fife]], [[Scotland]]. The keep dates from the 14th century, and the remaining structures were added piecemeal until the 18th century. The keep has been recently restored, although other parts of the castle are roofless ruins.

==History==
The lands of Balgonie were held by the Sibbalds from at least 1246. Probably in the 1360s, the Sibbalds built a barmkin, or fortified courtyard, with a [[tower house]] at the north-west corner. The lands and the castle were left to a daughter, who married Sir Robert Lundie, who extended the castle in 1496, following his appointment as [[Lord High Treasurer]] of Scotland. Sir Robert built a two-storey range of buildings to the east of the keep, enlarging the accommodation with a long hall and a [[solar (room)|solar]]. This range incorporated an earlier corner tower and the 14th century chapel.[[James IV of Scotland|James IV]] visited Balgonie during the works, and ordered 20 shillings to be given to the masons.

[[Image:BalgonieCastle05.jpg|thumb|200px|The west elevation of the tower house or keep.]]
In 1627 the castle was sold to the Boswells, who sold it on in 1635 to Sir [[Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven|Alexander Leslie]], a Scottish soldier who had fought for the Swedish army during the [[Thirty Years' War]] (1618-1648), rising to the rank of [[Field Marshal]], and who led the [[Covenanter]]s during the Scottish [[Bishops Wars]]. Leslie was created [[Lord Balgonie]] and [[Earl of Leven]] in 1641, and finally retired in 1654. He carried out further improvement of his home, adding a two-storey building at the south-east corner of the courtyard. The initials FSAL and DAR, for Field Marshal Sir Alexander Leslie, and his wife Dame Agnes Renton, were found inscribed within the south-east block, suggesting that this was built prior to Leslie's elevation to the peerage. He also rebuilt the late 15th century north range with an extra storey, and laid out a park around the castle, remnants of which remain.

The next additions were carried out by [[John Leslie, 1st Duke of Rothes|John Leslie, 7th Earl of Rothes]], who disputed the earldom of Leven with [[David Melville, 3rd Earl of Leven|David Melville]] following the death of the second earl in 1664. Lord Rothes, with the aid of [[John Mylne (1611-1667)|John Mylne junior]], the king's master mason, built a grand stair linking the keep and north range, where previously a wooden bridge stood. On his death in 1681 David Melville inherited Balgonie, along with the earldom of Leven. He too added a range of buildings in 1706, this time a three-storey section linking the north range with the south-east block. The work was completed by master mason Gilbert Smith.

[[Rob Roy MacGregor]] captured Balgonie Castle during a raid in 1716, although the castle was soon returned to the Melvilles. [[David Melville, 6th Earl of Leven]] made minor improvements in the 1720s, including the insertion of [[sash window]]s. Further buildings were also added within the courtyard.

[[Image:BalgonieCastle02.jpg|thumb|300px|The roofless east range.]]
In 1824 the castle was sold to James Balfour of [[Whittingehame]], father of [[James Maitland Balfour]], and grandfather of [[Arthur Balfour]], who served as British Prime Minister from 1902-1905. He was unable to arrest the decay which was advancing, and in the mid nineteenth century the roofs were removed to avoid paying tax on the property. Much vandalism occurred in the 1960s, and it was not until 1971 that restoration of the castle, now owned by David Maxwell, began. Work continued through the 1970s and 1980s, aided by European funding, as part of European Architectural Heritage Year, in 1975. The keep and chapel have now been fully restored, and the castle is once again lived in by its current owner, Raymond Morris, laird of Balgonie, and his family. The castle is open to the public, and the restored chapel and great hall can be hired for events such as weddings. The current owners have expressed their intent to continue the restoration of the entire building.<ref>This intention is expressed in the Balgonie Castle website, [http://www.balgonie-castle.com/main/frameset.htm], accessed 22nd August 2006.</ref>

==The castle==
[[Image:Balgonieplan.png|thumb|250px|Plan of Balgonie Castle with approximate dates of construction.]]
The castle is still entered via the 15th century gatehouse. This is semi-ruinous above ground level, but a guardroom and prison can be seen within. The gate opens onto a courtyard, containing a well, around which the buildings are arranged.

The ground and first floors of the keep are vaulted, the first floor containing the hall, which unusually had no great fireplace. This would originally have been entered via a moveable timber stair, prior to the construction of the present stone stair. Above the hall are two further floors, each with a fireplace and connected by a turnpike stair. The keep is topped by a pitched roof with crow stepped gables. Outside, the parapet walk and cannon spouts are of 17th century origin, and contemporary with the enlarged windows. Some of the smaller trefoil-headed original windows survive.

In the basement of the north range is the vaulted chapel, although the remainder of the range, and the east buildings, are roofless. Walls and chimney stacks remain. The remains of earlier buildings within the courtyard were uncovered during excavations in 1978. It appears that these were demolished in the early 17th century to allow rebuilding.<ref>Reported in the NMRS Archaeology Notes for the site [http://lmid1.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/newcanmore.details_gis?inumlink=31389].</ref>

Beyond the castle walls, the extensive boundary walls of the deer park survive, although damaged in parts. Large mature trees remain from the 17th century landscaping.

==Hauntings==
Several hauntings have been reported within the castle. One spectre, nicknamed 'Green Jeanie', is said to be the ghost of one of the Lundie occupants. A 17th century soldier, a dog, and a hooded man have also been claimed to be seen. A skeleton was found in the floor of the great hall, during works in 1912.<ref>Hauntings are described in Coventry, 2001.</ref><ref>http://heritage.scotsman.com/spookystories/Moat-haunted.2814420.jp</ref>

==Notes==
<references/>

==References==
*Coventry, Martin ''The Castles of Scotland (3rd Edition)'', Goblinshead, 2001
*Gifford, John ''The Buildings of Scotland: Fife'', Penguin, 1988
*Lindsay, Maurice ''The Castles of Scotland'', Constable & Co. 1986
*Pride, G L ''The Kingdom of Fife: An Illustrated Architectural Guide'', [[Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland|RIAS]], 1990

*[[Historic Scotland]] Listed Building Report [http://hsewsf.sedsh.gov.uk/hslive/portal.hsstart?P_HBNUM=16664]
*[[National Monuments Record of Scotland]] Site Reference NO30SW 4.00 [http://lmid1.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/newcanmore.details_gis?inumlink=31389]

==External links==
{{commons}}
*[http://www.balgonie-castle.com/main/frameset.htm Balgonie Castle website]
*[http://www.publications.bham.ac.uk/birmingham_magazine/b_magazine1996-99/pg20_97.htm "A Scotsman's Castle is his Home"], interview with Stuart Morris of Balgonie, in the Birmingham Magazine, 1997. Accessed 1 August 2006.

==See also==
*[[List of places in Fife]]

[[Category:Castles in Fife]]
[[Category:Visitor attractions in Fife]]
[[Category:Category A listed buildings]]
[[Category:Listed buildings in Fife]]
[[Category:Listed castles in Scotland]]
[[Category:Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Scotland]]
[[Category:Reportedly haunted locations in Scotland]]

Balgonie Castle

2011-07-16T18:44:55Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Hauntings */ claimed to be...

{{infobox military structure
|image = [[Image:BalgonieCastle04.jpg|300px]]
|caption = Balgonie Castle seen from the south west, with the original tower house on the left
|map_type = Scotland Fife
|map_caption = Location within Fife
|location = [[Milton of Balgonie]], [[Fife]], [[Scotland]] GB {{gbmapping|NO313007}}
|built = 1360s with later additions
|builder = Sibbald family Sir Robert Lundie [[Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven|Sir Alexander Leslie]]
|coordinates = {{coord|56.19394|N|3.10866|W|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(NO313007)|display=inline,title}}
|latitude = 56.19394
|longitude = -3.10866
}}

'''Balgonie Castle''' is located on the south bank of the [[River Leven]] near [[Milton of Balgonie]], {{convert|3.5|km}} east of [[Glenrothes]], [[Fife]], [[Scotland]]. The keep dates from the 14th century, and the remaining structures were added piecemeal until the 18th century. The keep has been recently restored, although other parts of the castle are roofless ruins.

==History==
The lands of Balgonie were held by the Sibbalds from at least 1246. Probably in the 1360s, the Sibbalds built a barmkin, or fortified courtyard, with a [[tower house]] at the north-west corner. The lands and the castle were left to a daughter, who married Sir Robert Lundie, who extended the castle in 1496, following his appointment as [[Lord High Treasurer]] of Scotland. Sir Robert built a two-storey range of buildings to the east of the keep, enlarging the accommodation with a long hall and a [[solar (room)|solar]]. This range incorporated an earlier corner tower and the 14th century chapel.[[James IV of Scotland|James IV]] visited Balgonie during the works, and ordered 20 shillings to be given to the masons.

[[Image:BalgonieCastle05.jpg|thumb|200px|The west elevation of the tower house or keep.]]
In 1627 the castle was sold to the Boswells, who sold it on in 1635 to Sir [[Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven|Alexander Leslie]], a Scottish soldier who had fought for the Swedish army during the [[Thirty Years' War]] (1618-1648), rising to the rank of [[Field Marshal]], and who led the [[Covenanter]]s during the Scottish [[Bishops Wars]]. Leslie was created [[Lord Balgonie]] and [[Earl of Leven]] in 1641, and finally retired in 1654. He carried out further improvement of his home, adding a two-storey building at the south-east corner of the courtyard. The initials FSAL and DAR, for Field Marshal Sir Alexander Leslie, and his wife Dame Agnes Renton, were found inscribed within the south-east block, suggesting that this was built prior to Leslie's elevation to the peerage. He also rebuilt the late 15th century north range with an extra storey, and laid out a park around the castle, remnants of which remain.

The next additions were carried out by [[John Leslie, 1st Duke of Rothes|John Leslie, 7th Earl of Rothes]], who disputed the earldom of Leven with [[David Melville, 3rd Earl of Leven|David Melville]] following the death of the second earl in 1664. Lord Rothes, with the aid of [[John Mylne (1611-1667)|John Mylne junior]], the king's master mason, built a grand stair linking the keep and north range, where previously a wooden bridge stood. On his death in 1681 David Melville inherited Balgonie, along with the earldom of Leven. He too added a range of buildings in 1706, this time a three-storey section linking the north range with the south-east block. The work was completed by master mason Gilbert Smith.

[[Rob Roy MacGregor]] captured Balgonie Castle during a raid in 1716, although the castle was soon returned to the Melvilles. [[David Melville, 6th Earl of Leven]] made minor improvements in the 1720s, including the insertion of [[sash window]]s. Further buildings were also added within the courtyard.

[[Image:BalgonieCastle02.jpg|thumb|300px|The roofless east range.]]
In 1824 the castle was sold to James Balfour of [[Whittingehame]], father of [[James Maitland Balfour]], and grandfather of [[Arthur Balfour]], who served as British Prime Minister from 1902-1905. He was unable to arrest the decay which was advancing, and in the mid nineteenth century the roofs were removed to avoid paying tax on the property. Much vandalism occurred in the 1960s, and it was not until 1971 that restoration of the castle, now owned by David Maxwell, began. Work continued through the 1970s and 1980s, aided by European funding, as part of European Architectural Heritage Year, in 1975. The keep and chapel have now been fully restored, and the castle is once again lived in by its current owner, Raymond Morris, laird of Balgonie, and his family. The castle is open to the public, and the restored chapel and great hall can be hired for events such as weddings. The current owners have expressed their intent to continue the restoration of the entire building.<ref>This intention is expressed in the Balgonie Castle website, [http://www.balgonie-castle.com/main/frameset.htm], accessed 22nd August 2006.</ref>

==The castle==
[[Image:Balgonieplan.png|thumb|250px|Plan of Balgonie Castle with approximate dates of construction.]]
The castle is still entered via the 15th century gatehouse. This is semi-ruinous above ground level, but a guardroom and prison can be seen within. The gate opens onto a courtyard, containing a well, around which the buildings are arranged.

The ground and first floors of the keep are vaulted, the first floor containing the hall, which unusually had no great fireplace. This would originally have been entered via a moveable timber stair, prior to the construction of the present stone stair. Above the hall are two further floors, each with a fireplace and connected by a turnpike stair. The keep is topped by a pitched roof with crow stepped gables. Outside, the parapet walk and cannon spouts are of 17th century origin, and contemporary with the enlarged windows. Some of the smaller trefoil-headed original windows survive.

In the basement of the north range is the vaulted chapel, although the remainder of the range, and the east buildings, are roofless. Walls and chimney stacks remain. The remains of earlier buildings within the courtyard were uncovered during excavations in 1978. It appears that these were demolished in the early 17th century to allow rebuilding.<ref>Reported in the NMRS Archaeology Notes for the site [http://lmid1.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/newcanmore.details_gis?inumlink=31389].</ref>

Beyond the castle walls, the extensive boundary walls of the deer park survive, although damaged in parts. Large mature trees remain from the 17th century landscaping.

==Hauntings==
Several hauntings have been reported within the castle. One spectre, nicknamed 'Green Jeanie', is said to be the ghost of one of the Lundie occupants. A 17th century soldier, a dog, and a hooded man have also been claimed to be seen. A skeleton was found in the floor of the great hall, during works in 1912.<ref>Hauntings are described in Coventry, 2001.</ref><ref>http://heritage.scotsman.com/spookystories/Moat-haunted.2814420.jp</ref>

==Notes==
<references/>

==References==
*Coventry, Martin ''The Castles of Scotland (3rd Edition)'', Goblinshead, 2001
*Gifford, John ''The Buildings of Scotland: Fife'', Penguin, 1988
*Lindsay, Maurice ''The Castles of Scotland'', Constable & Co. 1986
*Pride, G L ''The Kingdom of Fife: An Illustrated Architectural Guide'', [[Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland|RIAS]], 1990

*[[Historic Scotland]] Listed Building Report [http://hsewsf.sedsh.gov.uk/hslive/portal.hsstart?P_HBNUM=16664]
*[[National Monuments Record of Scotland]] Site Reference NO30SW 4.00 [http://lmid1.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/newcanmore.details_gis?inumlink=31389]

==External links==
{{commons}}
*[http://www.balgonie-castle.com/main/frameset.htm Balgonie Castle website]
*[http://www.publications.bham.ac.uk/birmingham_magazine/b_magazine1996-99/pg20_97.htm "A Scotsman's Castle is his Home"], interview with Stuart Morris of Balgonie, in the Birmingham Magazine, 1997. Accessed 1 August 2006.

==See also==
*[[List of places in Fife]]

[[Category:Castles in Fife]]
[[Category:Visitor attractions in Fife]]
[[Category:Category A listed buildings]]
[[Category:Listed buildings in Fife]]
[[Category:Listed castles in Scotland]]
[[Category:Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Scotland]]
[[Category:Reportedly haunted locations in Scotland]]

Australisches Pfund

2010-06-10T20:28:40Z

Wikipeterproject: /* The Australian pound: a national currency */ Tidy up to make text truer to the source

{{Infobox Currency
| image_1 = Australia 10 Shillings.jpg
| image_title_1 = 10/- (£½)
| image_2 = Australian 1951 sixpence.jpg
| image_title_2 = 6d
| using_countries = [[Australia]]
| pegged_with = [[British pound]] at par, and then A£1 = GB 16/- (£0.8)
| pegged_by = [[New Guinea pound]] at par
| subunit_ratio_1 = 1/20
| subunit_name_1 = [[shilling]]
| subunit_ratio_2 = 1/240
| subunit_name_2 = [[penny]]
| symbol = [[Pound sign|£]]
| symbol_subunit_1 = s
| symbol_subunit_2 = d
| plural =  
| plural_subunit_2 = pence
| used_coins = ½d, 1d, 3d, 6d, 1/-, 2/-
| coin_article = Coins of the Australian pound
| frequently_used_banknotes = [[Ten shilling note (Australian)|10/-]], £1, £5, £10
| rarely_used_banknotes = £20, £50, £100, £1000
| issuing_authority = [[Reserve Bank of Australia]]
| obsolete_notice = Y
}}

The '''pound''' was the currency of [[Australia]] until 1966. It was subdivided into 20 [[shilling]]s, each of 12 [[penny|pence]].

== History ==
For a more general view of history in the wider region, see [[The Pound Sterling in Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania]].
=== Earlier Australian currencies ===
The history of currency in Australia could be said to begin in 1800, when [[Governors of New South Wales|Governor]] [[Philip Gidley King|King]] issued a proclamation setting the value of a variety of foreign coins in [[New South Wales]]. However, because of the shortage of any sort of money, the real currency during the first twenty-five years of settlement was [[rum]], leading to terms such as the "[[New South Wales Corps|Rum Corps]]" and the "[[Rum Rebellion]]".

Australia's first coinage was issued in 1813 by the colony of [[New South Wales]] by punching the middle out of [[Spanish dollars]]. This process created two parts: a small coin, which was called the ''dump'' in Australia, and a ring, which was called a ''[[Holey dollar]]''. One holey dollar was worth five shillings (a quarter of one pound Sterling), and one dump was worth one shilling and three pence (or one quarter of a Holey dollar). This was done in order to keep the coins in New South Wales, as they would be valueless elsewhere.

In 1825, an Imperial order-in-council was issued with the purpose of introducing Sterling coinage to all the British colonies. This was due to the introduction of the gold standard in the UK (1816), and a decline in the supply of Spanish dollars. Most of the dollars used had been minted in [[Lima]], [[Mexico City]], and [[Potosi]], which had become part of new [[Latin America]]n republics, independent from Spain.

From 1817, when the first bank, the [[Westpac|Bank of New South Wales]], was established, private banks issued paper money denominated in pounds. In 1852, the Government Assay Office in [[Adelaide]] issued gold pound coins. These weighed slightly more than [[British sovereign coin|sovereigns]]. From 1855, the [[Sydney]] mint issued half sovereigns and sovereigns, with the [[Melbourne]] mint beginning production in 1872. Many of the sovereigns minted in Australia were for use in [[India]] as part of a plan that the gold sovereign should become the imperial coin. As it turned out, India was already too entrenched in the Rupee system, and the gold sovereigns obtained by the treasury in India never left the vaults.

Thus, in the lead-up to Federation, the currency used in the Australian colonies consisted of British silver and copper coins, Australian minted gold sovereigns (worth 1 pound) and half sovereigns, locally minted copper trade tokens (suppressed in 1881, some state earlier (Pitt 2000, pp.10-11)) and private bank notes.

After Federation in 1901, the Australian government assumed the power to issue currency and began overprinting the private issues that were in circulation, in preparation for the issue of a domestic currency. In 1910 the federal government passed the "[[Australian Notes Act 1910|Australian Notes Act]]" which prohibited the circulation of State notes. Also passed in that year was the "[[Australian Bank Notes Tax Act 1910|Bank Notes Tax Act]]" which imposed a tax of 10% per annum on "all bank notes issued or re-issued by any bank in the Commonwealth after the commencement of this Act, and not redeemed". Both these acts remain on the statute books and perpetuate the prohibition of private currencies in Australia.

[[Image:Triumph adding machine gnangarra.JPG|thumb|currency [[adding machine]] c1910]]

=== The Australian pound: a national currency ===
Also in 1910 a national currency was introduced by the [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]] Government of [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]] [[Andrew Fisher]]. The new national currency was called the Australian pound, consisting of 20 [[shilling]]s, each consisting of 12 [[penny|pence]]. Monetary policy ensured that the Australian pound was fixed in value to the pound sterling. As such Australia was on the [[gold standard]] so long as Britain was.

In 1914, the pound sterling was removed from the gold standard. When it was returned to the gold standard in 1925, the sudden increase in its value (imposed by the nominal gold price) unleashed crushing [[deflation]]ary pressures. Both the initial 1914 [[inflation]] and the subsequent 1926 deflation had far-reaching economic effects throughout the [[British Empire]], Australia and the world. In 1929, as an emergency measure during the [[Great Depression]], Australia left the gold standard, resulting in a devaluation relative to sterling. A variety of pegs to sterling applied until December 1931, when the government set a rate of 1 Australian pound = 16 shillings sterling (1 pound 5 shillings Australian = 1 pound sterling).

During [[World War II]],the [[Empire of Japan]] produced currency notes, some denominated in the Australian pound, for use in Pacific countries intended for occupation. Since Australia was never occupied, the occupation currency was not used there, but it was used in the captured parts of the then-Australian territories of [[Papua]] and [[New Guinea]].<ref> [http://www.rba.gov.au/Museum/Displays/1920_1960_comm_bank_and_note_issue/world_war2.html The Commonwealth Bank and the note issue: 1920–1960]</ref>

In 1949, when the [[United Kingdom]] devalued the pound sterling against the US dollar, Australian Prime Minister and Treasurer [[Ben Chifley]] followed suit so the Australian pound would not become over-valued in [[sterling zone]] countries with which Australia did most of its external trade at the time. As one pound sterling went from US$4.03 to US$2.8, one Australian pound went from US$3.224 to US$2.24<ref>Historical rates derived from [http://users.erols.com/kurrency/au.htm Tables of modern monetary history: Australia], [http://users.erols.com/kurrency/asia.htm Tables of modern monetary history: Asia] (India's section), and [http://fx.sauder.ubc.ca/etc/USDpages.pdf Foreign Currency Units per 1 U.S. dollar, 1948-2005, PACIFIC Exchange Rate Service]. Each source may contradict one another. The rates above are the "most plausible facts" derived from these web pages.</ref>.

=== The Pound's replacement by the dollar ===
On February 14, 1966, a decimal currency, the [[Australian dollar|dollar]], was introduced after years of planning. February 2, 1963 had been initially planned as the date the new currency would be introduced but this date passed with no fanfare as no progress on developing the new currency had been made at that time. The exchange rate was 1 pound = 2 dollars. Thus, 10 shillings became 1 dollar and 1 shilling became 10 cents.

An exchange rate of $2.00:£1 was problematic for the pre-decimal penny since the shilling was divided into twelve pence. An exchange rate of $2.40:£1 would have allowed for accurate conversion down to the penny, however the Government thought it more important that the new currency unit be more valuable than the [[United States dollar]] which it would not have been under a 2.4:1 ratio. Amounts less than a shilling were converted thus:

{|class="wikitable"
! Pence !! Accurate conversion || Actual conversion !! width="50"|   || Pence !! Accurate conversion || Actual conversion
|-
| ½d || {{fraction|5|12}}¢ || 1¢ ||   || 6½d || 5{{fraction|5|12}}¢ || 5¢
|-
|1d || {{fraction|5|6}}¢ || 1¢ ||   || 7d || 5{{fraction|5|6}}¢ || 6¢
|-
|1½d || 1{{fraction|1|4}}¢ || 1¢ ||   || 7½d || 6{{fraction|1|4}}¢ || 6¢
|-
|2d || 1{{fraction|2|3}}¢ || 2¢ ||   || 8d || 6{{fraction|2|3}}¢ || 7¢
|-
|2½d || 2{{fraction|1|12}}¢ || 2¢ ||   || 8½d || 7{{fraction|1|12}}¢ || 7¢
|-
|3d || 2{{fraction|1|2}}¢ || 2¢ ||   || 9d || 7{{fraction|1|2}}¢ || 8¢
|-
|3½d || 2{{fraction|11|12}}¢ || 3¢ ||   || 9½d || 7{{fraction|11|12}}¢ || 8¢
|-
|4d || 3{{fraction|1|3}}¢ || 3¢ ||   || 10d || 8{{fraction|1|3}}¢ || 8¢
|-
|4½d || 3{{fraction|3|4}}¢ || 4¢ ||   || 10½d || 8{{fraction|3|4}}¢ || 9¢
|-
|5d || 4{{fraction|1|6}}¢ || 4¢ ||   || 11d || 9{{fraction|1|6}}¢ || 9¢
|-
|5½d || 4{{fraction|7|12}}¢ || 5¢ ||   || 11½d || 9{{fraction|7|12}}¢ || 9¢
|-
|6d || 5¢ || 5¢ ||   || 12d || 1 s = 10¢ || 1 s = 10¢
|}

==Coins==
{{main|Coins of the Australian pound}}
In 1855, gold ½ and 1 sovereigns were first minted by the Sydney mint. These coins were the only denominations issued by the Australian mints until after Federation.

In 1910, .925 fineness [[sterling silver]] coins in denominations of 3 and 6 pence, 1 and 2 shillings ([[Florin (Australian coin)|florin]]). Unlike in the United Kingdom, no [[half crown]]s were issued. Bronze ½ and 1 [[penny]] coins followed in 1911. Production of ½ sovereigns ceased in 1916, followed by that of sovereigns in 1931. In 1937 a five shilling piece was issued to commemorate the [[coronation]] of [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]]. This coin proved unpopular and was discontinued shortly after being reissued in 1938.

In 1946, the fineness of the silver coins was reduced to .500 but, unlike New Zealand and the United Kingdom, silver coins continued to be issued until after decimalization.

==Banknotes==
Numerous private banks issued paper money in Australia, starting with the issues of the [[Bank of New South Wales]] in 1817. Acceptance of private bank notes was not made compulsory by [[legal tender]] laws but they were widely used and accepted. The [[Queensland]] and [[New South Wales]] governments also issued notes. The Queensland treasury notes were [[legal tender]] in Queensland.

The first national issue of paper money consisted of overprinted notes from fifteen private banks and the Queensland government, issued between 1910-1914 in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 pounds. They were overprinted with the words "Australian note". No 100 pound banknotes of this series are known to exist (Renniks 2000, p. 134)

In 1913 the first national [[banknotes]] were introduced in denominations of 10 shillings, 1, 5, and 10 pounds. 1914 saw the introduction of 20, 50, 100, and 1000 pound notes. The 1000 pound note only saw limited circulation and was later confined to inter-bank use. Stocks were destroyed in 1969 and there are no uncancelled examples of this note known to exist in private hands(Renniks 2000, p. 157). There were two types of the never-issued 5 shilling note, one around 1916 and the other 1946 (Renniks 2000, p. 160)<ref>[http://www.rba.gov.au/Museum/Timeline/1901_1920.html Museum of Australian Currency Notes Timeline: 1901-1920]</ref>, both had the reigning monarch and were later destroyed in 1936 and 1953, respectively (Renniks 2000, p. 160).

In the mid-1920s a modified 10 shilling (worded as "Half Sovereign"), and reduced-size 1, 5 and 10 pound notes were issued with the side profile of [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]] on the face. These notes still referred to the currency's convertibility to gold on demand. A newer 1000 pound note with the profile of George V was also prepared but never issued. An unissued printer's trial of this note was discovered in [[London]] in 1996 and subsequently sold for a sum in excess of 200,000 Australian dollars. Nonetheless, this note is not recognised as a legitimate Australian banknote issue.

Just after the start of the [[Great Depression]] in 1933, Australian currency ceased to be redeemable for gold at the previously maintained rate of one gold sovereign for one pound currency. Subsequently a new series of [[Legal Tender]] notes were designed, once again bearing the portrait of King George V, in denominations of 10 shillings and 1, 5 and 10 pounds. These denominations and designs were maintained and modified to accommodate the portrait of [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]] in 1938.

[[Image:L50parkes.JPG|thumb|right|260px|The never-circulated fifty-pound note]]
The [[coronation]] of [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]] in 1953 saw the issue of a new portrait series of prominent persons in Australia's history.

* 10s – [[Matthew Flinders]]
* £1 – [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]]
* £5 – [[John Franklin]]
* £10 – [[Arthur Phillip]]
* £50 - [[Henry Parkes]] (This note was never issued to the public. A few specimens exist in private hands.)

Unissued notes that were printed but never issued for circulation include 2 different 5 shillings, a 1916 with stock destroyed in 1936, and a 1946, stock destroyed in 1953. Both were printed with the reigning king's portrait. Two fifty pound notes were designed, one from 1939 with [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]] and a 1951 as stated above. Both stocks of the £50 note were destroyed in 1958. A 1939 £100 also exist with a brown, green and pink colouration, with stock destroyed in 1958 as well. The last unissued note was a £1,000, with specimens arriving in 1923 and kept till 1928 after a decision not to use the denomination any further.
The reserve bank holds specimens of all the stated banknote denominations.<ref>{{cite book | title=Renniks Australian Coin and Banknote Values | edition= 19th ed. | editor=Ian W. Pitt | publisher=Renniks Publications | location = [[Chippendale, New South Wales|Chippendale, N.S.W.]] | year=2000 | isbn=0-9585574-4-6 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Australian dollar]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{refbegin}}
* {{numis cite SCWC | date=1991}}
* {{numis cite SCWPM | date=1994}}
{{refend}}

==External links==

* [http://www.cruzis-coins.com/ Cruzi's Coins]
* [http://www.australianstamp.com/Coin-web/aust/cwealth.htm Commonwealth Pre-Decimal Currency]
* [http://www.gold-coins.com.au/ gold coins]

{{n-start}}
{{n-before|currency=[[Pound sterling]]|ratio=at par}}
{{n-currency|location=[[Australia]]|start=1910|end=1966}}
{{n-after|currency=[[Australian dollar]]|reason=[[decimalisation]]|ratio=2 dollars = 1 pound}}
{{n-end}}

{{Australian currency}}
{{Pound (currency)}}

[[Category:Currencies of Australia| ]]

[[Category:Modern obsolete currencies]]
[[Category:1966 disestablishments]]
[[Category:Economic history of Australia|Pound, Australian]]
[[Category:1910 establishments]]

[[fr:Livre australienne]]
[[it:Sterlina australiana]]
[[ru:Австралийский фунт]]
[[simple:Australian pound]]
[[fi:Australian punta]]

Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:52:59Z

Wikipeterproject: /* International awards */ reference for award

Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:45:07Z

Wikipeterproject: Wife's name as per entry in WP (+punct)

Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:36:57Z

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Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:36:01Z

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Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:35:27Z

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Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:34:50Z

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Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:32:10Z

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Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:31:27Z

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Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:25:32Z

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Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:20:55Z

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Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:17:30Z

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Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:16:36Z

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Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:11:07Z

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Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:02:34Z

Wikipeterproject: /* The Edhi Foundation */ Removed the "autobiography", which is in fact a biography to "See Also"

Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:01:56Z

Wikipeterproject: /* See also */ Pakistan and the Foundation are mentioned in the article and therefore not needed in a "See Also" list. Imoved the biography to the list

Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T18:00:03Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Modern legacy */ Removed uncited and POV material (the honarary doctorate is mentioned under "Awards", with reference)

Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T17:57:54Z

Wikipeterproject: Removed uncited and POV material in accordance with Wikipedia BLP policy

{{Infobox Person
| name = Abdul Sattar Edhi
| image = Abdul sattar.jpg
| caption = Abdul Sattar Edhi
| dead = No
| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|01|01|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bantva]], [[British India]]
| spouse = [[Bilquis Edhi]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| citizenship = {{flagicon|Pakistan}} Pakistani
| occupation = Humanitarian
| website = http://www.edhi.org
}}
'''Abdul Sattar Edhi''', [[Nishan-e-Imtiaz|NI]] ([[Urdu]]: '''عبد الستار ایدھی'''), or '''Edhi''', as he is often known, is a [[Pakistani]] [[philanthropy|philanthropist]]. He is head of the [[Edhi Foundation]].<ref>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111102319</ref> Together with his wife, Begum [[Bilquis Edhi]] he received 1986 [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Public Service. He is also the recipient of the [[Lenin Peace Prize]] and the [[Balzan Prize]]. Edhi is of the [[Memon]] community.

==Early life==
The son of a textile trader, Edhi was born in 1928 in [[Bantva]] in the [[Gujarat]], [[British India]].{{cn|date=May 2010}} His family migrated to Karachi after Indian independence in 1947 and in 1951 he purchasde a small shop where he opened a small dispensary with the help of a doctor who taught him basic medical care.<ref name="Covington">{{Cite web
| last = Covington
| first = Richard
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = From Humanitarian to a Nation
| work =
| publisher = IslamiCity
| date = May 12, 2004
| url = http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2010-05-04}}</ref>

==The Edhi Foundation==
In 1957, in response to a [[flu]] epidemic in Karachi, Edhi arranged for tents to be erected on the outskirts of the city to distribute free [[immunizations]].{{cn|date=May 2010}} Edhi established the [[Edhi Foundation]] with public donations he received after this immunisation initiative.{{cn|date=May 2010}} The foundation has developed into an organization of ambulances, clinics, maternity homes, mental-health institutions, homes for the physically handicapped, blood banks, orphanages, adoption centers, mortuaries, shelters for runaway children and battered women, schools, nursing courses, soup kitchens and a 25-bed cancer hospital.<ref name="Covington"/>

==Modern legacy==
He prefers being called 'Doctor' as he has received an honorary doctorate from [[Institute of Business Administration Karachi|The Institute of Business Administration]] in [[Pakistan]] for services to humanity.<ref name="iba_dr">[http://www.dawn.com/2005/10/27/local9.htm KARACHI: Honorary degree for Edhi -DAWN - Local; October 27, 2005]</ref> He also completed his [[MBBS]] Degree from Pakistan in 1981. He is also famous for being very shy about his popularity and when people personally praise him for his work. He also refuses to accept donations from governments or formal religious organisations, because according to him they set 'conditions'. Both General [[Zia-ul-Haq]] and the Italian government sent him generous donations, which he sent back.

In 1996 his autobiography, ''[[A Mirror to the Blind]],'' was published.

==US Authorities confiscate passport of Abdul Sattar Edhi==
On January 8, 2008, US immigration officials interrogated Abdul Sattar Edhi at the [[John F. Kennedy Airport]] in New York for over eight hours, and seized his passport and other documents.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7215145.stm | work=BBC News | title=Pakistan aid worker stuck in US | date=2008-01-29 | accessdate=2010-04-23}}</ref>

Edhi told that US immigration officials had questioned him for eight hours at the airport. “During the interrogation, they wanted to know why I travelled to the US so frequently” he said. “I told them about the nature of my work, but they did not understand. They also wanted to know why I was not living in the US in spite of having a green card.” "The only explanation I can think of is my beard and my dress," he said when asked why he had been stopped so often.

==Edhi not allowed to visit Gaza==
On Thursday, January 29, 2009 The News newspaper reported Edhi is not allowed to visit Gaza.
<ref>http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=159676</ref>. The newspaper further reported that
Abdul Sattar Edhi, who is in Cairo along with Faisal Edhi and his two daughters for the last two weeks to help the affected Palestinians of Gaza, regretted that every coming day was making the sphere of human rights more restrictive across the world.
A spokesman for the Edhi Foundation said on Wednesday that Edhi after staying in Cairo and not getting permission to visit Gaza, has reached the conclusion that human rights have been killed and buried deep.
He said that he has helped in the provision of relief to people affected by wars, civil wars, earthquakes and drought in 28 countries and was never stopped to do his job. The spokesman said that Edhi has been trying to get permission from Cairo authorities to visit Gaza but in vain. He thanked the Pakistani ambassador to Egypt and the staff of the embassy for their cooperation and said now he was returning home as a depressed person.

==Honors received==
'''International awards'''
* 1986 [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Public Service
* 1988 [[Lenin Peace Prize]]
* 1992 [[Paul Harris Fellow Rotary International Foundation]]
* In 2000, [[Edhi]] was awarded the International [[Balzan Prize]] for [[altruism|Humanity]], [[Peace]] and [[Brotherhood]].
* On 26 March 2005, [[Edhi]] was presented with the [[Life Time Achievement Award]] by the [[World Memon Organization (WMO)]].
* On 11 November 2006, [[Edhi]] was presented with an [[Honorary Doctorate]] Degree by the [[Institute of Business Administration Karachi]] (IBA).<ref name="Dawn">[http://www.dawn.com/2006/11/12/local1.htm KARACHI: IBA awards doctorate to Sattar Edhi -DAWN - Local; November 12, 2006]</ref>
* In 2008, listed in a poll by the [[The Financial Daily]] as a favourite personality.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
* In November 2009, Madanjeet Singh 2009 Prize for tolerance & non-violence.

'''National awards'''
* [[Nishan-e-Imtiaz]] from [[Government of Pakistan]] 1989.
* Human Rights Award by Pakistan Human Rights Society.
* Khidmat Award by Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences.
* Shield of Honour by [[Pakistan Army]] (E & C).
* Silver Jubilee Shield by College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan.(1962-1987)
* Recognition of meritorious services to oppressed humanity during the eighties (1989) by Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Government of Pakistan. 45 Years Of Selfless Service.
* The Social Worker of South Asia - 1989 by [[Government of Sindh]]
* Pakistan Civic Award 1992 - by Pakistan Civic Society.

==See also==
*[[Pakistan]]
*[[Edhi Foundation]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.edhi.org Edhi Official Website]
*[http://www.edhifoundation.com/ Unofficial Edhi Foundation site]
*[http://www.contactpakistan.com/socialwork/Edhi/livinglegend.htm Interview of Edhi]
*[http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Citation/CitationEdhiAbd.htm Ramon Magsaysay Award Citation]
*[http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200406/humanitarian.to.a.nation.htm '''Humanitarian to a Nation''', ''Saudi Aramco World'', November/December 2004]
*[http://www.jazbah.org/bilquis.php Article on Bilquis Edhi]
*[http://ifaqeer.blogspot.com/2005/10/who-do-pakistanis-turn-to.html Blog post about Mr. Edhi after the October 2005 earthquake that hit Pakistan the hardest]
*[http://www.pakistanileaders.com.pk/profile/Abdul_Sattar_Edhi Leadership Profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edhi, Abdul Sattar}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Edhi family|Abdul Sattar]]
[[Category:Pakistani Muslims]]
[[Category:Pakistani philanthropists]]
[[Category:Autobiographers]]
[[Category:People from Karachi District]]
[[Category:Lenin Peace Prize recipients]]
[[Category:Gujarati people]]
[[Category:Nishan-e-Imtiaz]]
[[Category:Muhajir people]]
[[Category:Memon people]]
[[Category:Pakistani humanitarians]]

[[hi:अब्दुल सत्तार इदी]]
[[it:Abdul Sattar Edhi]]
[[ru:Эдхи, Абдул Саттар]]
[[ur:عبد الستار ایدھی]]

Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T17:55:47Z

Wikipeterproject: New section on Edhi Foundation

{{Infobox Person
| name = Abdul Sattar Edhi
| image = Abdul sattar.jpg
| caption = Abdul Sattar Edhi
| dead = No
| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|01|01|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bantva]], [[British India]]
| spouse = [[Bilquis Edhi]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| citizenship = {{flagicon|Pakistan}} Pakistani
| occupation = Humanitarian
| website = http://www.edhi.org
}}
'''Abdul Sattar Edhi''', [[Nishan-e-Imtiaz|NI]] ([[Urdu]]: '''عبد الستار ایدھی'''), or '''Edhi''', as he is often known, is a [[Pakistani]] [[philanthropy|philanthropist]]. He is head of the [[Edhi Foundation]].<ref>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111102319</ref> Together with his wife, Begum [[Bilquis Edhi]] he received 1986 [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Public Service. He is also the recipient of the [[Lenin Peace Prize]] and the [[Balzan Prize]]. Edhi is of the [[Memon]] community.

==Early life==
The son of a textile trader, Edhi was born in 1928 in [[Bantva]] in the [[Gujarat]], [[British India]].{{cn|date=May 2010}} His family migrated to Karachi after Indian independence in 1947 and in 1951 he purchasde a small shop where he opened a small dispensary with the help of a doctor who taught him basic medical care.<ref name="Covington">{{Cite web
| last = Covington
| first = Richard
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = From Humanitarian to a Nation
| work =
| publisher = IslamiCity
| date = May 12, 2004
| url = http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2010-05-04}}</ref>

==The Edhi Foundation==
In 1957, in response to a [[flu]] epidemic in Karachi, Edhi arranged for tents to be erected on the outskirts of the city to distribute free [[immunizations]].{{cn|date=May 2010}} Edhi established the [[Edhi Foundation]] with public donations he received after this immunisation initiative.cn|date=May 2010}} The foundation has developed into an organization of ambulances, clinics, maternity homes, mental-health institutions, homes for the physically handicapped, blood banks, orphanages, adoption centers, mortuaries, shelters for runaway children and battered women, schools, nursing courses, soup kitchens and a 25-bed cancer hospital.<ref name="Covington"/>

==Growth of Edhi Foundation==
In the years that followed, Edhi Foundation grew through all of Pakistan. After the flu epidemic, a businessman donated a large sum to Edhi and with the money he purchased an ambulance vehicle which he drove himself. Today the Foundation has over 600(about 2000 in year 2008 according to BBC Asia {{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}) ambulances located all over the country. He himself continues to travel with call outs out of Karachi to the rest of the Sindh province, the response time and services the ambulances provide are renowned for being better than the municipal ones. Along with hospitals and ambulance services, Edhi Foundation has set up clinics, maternity homes, mental asylums, homes for the physically handicapped, blood banks, orphanages, adoption centers, mortuaries, shelters for runaway children and battered women, schools, nursing courses and soup kitchens. A unique part of every Edhi centre is that there is a carriage outside each one, so that women who cannot afford to keep their children or have had a child out of wedlock and cannot keep it, can simply place their baby in the basket and Edhi Foundation will place it into an orphanage and give them a free education. [http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

==Modern legacy==
Today not just in Pakistan, but in the Muslim world, Abdul Sattar Edhi has earned a reputation as being one of the most selfless and honorable human beings today. Despite his fame and reputation he continues to lead a simple life, he wears traditional Pakistani [[Shalwar Kameez]], of which he only owns one or two, and he owns one pair of slippers, which he has supposedly worn for the last twenty years. This is despite the fact the [[Edhi Foundation]] has a $10 million budget, out of which he takes nothing for himself. His son Faisal once stated that when the Foundation was setting up in [[Afghanistan]], local staff had purchased chairs for guests and the press when a new center was being opened, when Edhi arrived he was furious because the money that was spent on the chairs could have been used to help people. That night he slept on the clinic floor with the ambulance drivers.[http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

The [[Edhi Foundation]] continues to grow. Dr Edhi, looking to the future, has stated that he aims to build a hospital every 5 km in Pakistan. Although he is given the title [[Maulana]] out of respect, he himself dislikes the title as he has never been to a religious school and he is not an Islamic cleric. He prefers being called 'Doctor' as he has received an honorary doctorate from [[Institute of Business Administration Karachi|The Institute of Business Administration]] in [[Pakistan]] for services to humanity.<ref name="iba_dr">[http://www.dawn.com/2005/10/27/local9.htm KARACHI: Honorary degree for Edhi -DAWN - Local; October 27, 2005]</ref> He also completed his [[MBBS]] Degree from Pakistan in 1981. He is also famous for being very shy about his popularity and when people personally praise him for his work. He also refuses to accept donations from governments or formal religious organisations, because according to him they set 'conditions'. Both General [[Zia-ul-Haq]] and the Italian government sent him generous donations, which he sent back.

In 1996 his autobiography, ''[[A Mirror to the Blind]],'' was published.

==US Authorities confiscate passport of Abdul Sattar Edhi==
On January 8, 2008, US immigration officials interrogated Abdul Sattar Edhi at the [[John F. Kennedy Airport]] in New York for over eight hours, and seized his passport and other documents.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7215145.stm | work=BBC News | title=Pakistan aid worker stuck in US | date=2008-01-29 | accessdate=2010-04-23}}</ref>

Edhi told that US immigration officials had questioned him for eight hours at the airport. “During the interrogation, they wanted to know why I travelled to the US so frequently” he said. “I told them about the nature of my work, but they did not understand. They also wanted to know why I was not living in the US in spite of having a green card.” "The only explanation I can think of is my beard and my dress," he said when asked why he had been stopped so often.

==Edhi not allowed to visit Gaza==
On Thursday, January 29, 2009 The News newspaper reported Edhi is not allowed to visit Gaza.
<ref>http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=159676</ref>. The newspaper further reported that
Abdul Sattar Edhi, who is in Cairo along with Faisal Edhi and his two daughters for the last two weeks to help the affected Palestinians of Gaza, regretted that every coming day was making the sphere of human rights more restrictive across the world.
A spokesman for the Edhi Foundation said on Wednesday that Edhi after staying in Cairo and not getting permission to visit Gaza, has reached the conclusion that human rights have been killed and buried deep.
He said that he has helped in the provision of relief to people affected by wars, civil wars, earthquakes and drought in 28 countries and was never stopped to do his job. The spokesman said that Edhi has been trying to get permission from Cairo authorities to visit Gaza but in vain. He thanked the Pakistani ambassador to Egypt and the staff of the embassy for their cooperation and said now he was returning home as a depressed person.

==Honors received==
'''International awards'''
* 1986 [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Public Service
* 1988 [[Lenin Peace Prize]]
* 1992 [[Paul Harris Fellow Rotary International Foundation]]
* In 2000, [[Edhi]] was awarded the International [[Balzan Prize]] for [[altruism|Humanity]], [[Peace]] and [[Brotherhood]].
* On 26 March 2005, [[Edhi]] was presented with the [[Life Time Achievement Award]] by the [[World Memon Organization (WMO)]].
* On 11 November 2006, [[Edhi]] was presented with an [[Honorary Doctorate]] Degree by the [[Institute of Business Administration Karachi]] (IBA).<ref name="Dawn">[http://www.dawn.com/2006/11/12/local1.htm KARACHI: IBA awards doctorate to Sattar Edhi -DAWN - Local; November 12, 2006]</ref>
* In 2008, listed in a poll by the [[The Financial Daily]] as a favourite personality.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
* In November 2009, Madanjeet Singh 2009 Prize for tolerance & non-violence.

'''National awards'''
* [[Nishan-e-Imtiaz]] from [[Government of Pakistan]] 1989.
* Human Rights Award by Pakistan Human Rights Society.
* Khidmat Award by Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences.
* Shield of Honour by [[Pakistan Army]] (E & C).
* Silver Jubilee Shield by College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan.(1962-1987)
* Recognition of meritorious services to oppressed humanity during the eighties (1989) by Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Government of Pakistan. 45 Years Of Selfless Service.
* The Social Worker of South Asia - 1989 by [[Government of Sindh]]
* Pakistan Civic Award 1992 - by Pakistan Civic Society.

==See also==
*[[Pakistan]]
*[[Edhi Foundation]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.edhi.org Edhi Official Website]
*[http://www.edhifoundation.com/ Unofficial Edhi Foundation site]
*[http://www.contactpakistan.com/socialwork/Edhi/livinglegend.htm Interview of Edhi]
*[http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Citation/CitationEdhiAbd.htm Ramon Magsaysay Award Citation]
*[http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200406/humanitarian.to.a.nation.htm '''Humanitarian to a Nation''', ''Saudi Aramco World'', November/December 2004]
*[http://www.jazbah.org/bilquis.php Article on Bilquis Edhi]
*[http://ifaqeer.blogspot.com/2005/10/who-do-pakistanis-turn-to.html Blog post about Mr. Edhi after the October 2005 earthquake that hit Pakistan the hardest]
*[http://www.pakistanileaders.com.pk/profile/Abdul_Sattar_Edhi Leadership Profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edhi, Abdul Sattar}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Edhi family|Abdul Sattar]]
[[Category:Pakistani Muslims]]
[[Category:Pakistani philanthropists]]
[[Category:Autobiographers]]
[[Category:People from Karachi District]]
[[Category:Lenin Peace Prize recipients]]
[[Category:Gujarati people]]
[[Category:Nishan-e-Imtiaz]]
[[Category:Muhajir people]]
[[Category:Memon people]]
[[Category:Pakistani humanitarians]]

[[hi:अब्दुल सत्तार इदी]]
[[it:Abdul Sattar Edhi]]
[[ru:Эдхи, Абдул Саттар]]
[[ur:عبد الستار ایدھی]]

Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T17:51:21Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Early life */ Added proper citation

{{Infobox Person
| name = Abdul Sattar Edhi
| image = Abdul sattar.jpg
| caption = Abdul Sattar Edhi
| dead = No
| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|01|01|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bantva]], [[British India]]
| spouse = [[Bilquis Edhi]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| citizenship = {{flagicon|Pakistan}} Pakistani
| occupation = Humanitarian
| website = http://www.edhi.org
}}
'''Abdul Sattar Edhi''', [[Nishan-e-Imtiaz|NI]] ([[Urdu]]: '''عبد الستار ایدھی'''), or '''Edhi''', as he is often known, is a [[Pakistani]] [[philanthropy|philanthropist]]. He is head of the [[Edhi Foundation]].<ref>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111102319</ref> Together with his wife, Begum [[Bilquis Edhi]] he received 1986 [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Public Service. He is also the recipient of the [[Lenin Peace Prize]] and the [[Balzan Prize]]. Edhi is of the [[Memon]] community.

==Early life==
The son of a textile trader, Edhi was born in 1928 in [[Bantva]] in the [[Gujarat]], [[British India]].{{cn|date=May 2010}} His family migrated to Karachi after Indian independence in 1947 and in 1951 he purchasde a small shop where he opened a small dispensary with the help of a doctor who taught him basic medical care.<ref name="Covington">{{Cite web
| last = Covington
| first = Richard
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = From Humanitarian to a Nation
| work =
| publisher = IslamiCity
| date = May 12, 2004
| url = http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2010-05-04}}</ref>

In 1957, in response to a [[flu]] epidemic in Karachi, Edhi arranged for tents to be erected on the outskirts of the city to distribute free [[immunizations]].{{cn|date=May 2010}} Edhi established the [[Edhi Foundation]] with public donations he received after this immunisation initiative{{cn|date=May 2010}}

==Growth of Edhi Foundation==
In the years that followed, Edhi Foundation grew through all of Pakistan. After the flu epidemic, a businessman donated a large sum to Edhi and with the money he purchased an ambulance vehicle which he drove himself. Today the Foundation has over 600(about 2000 in year 2008 according to BBC Asia {{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}) ambulances located all over the country. He himself continues to travel with call outs out of Karachi to the rest of the Sindh province, the response time and services the ambulances provide are renowned for being better than the municipal ones. Along with hospitals and ambulance services, Edhi Foundation has set up clinics, maternity homes, mental asylums, homes for the physically handicapped, blood banks, orphanages, adoption centers, mortuaries, shelters for runaway children and battered women, schools, nursing courses and soup kitchens. A unique part of every Edhi centre is that there is a carriage outside each one, so that women who cannot afford to keep their children or have had a child out of wedlock and cannot keep it, can simply place their baby in the basket and Edhi Foundation will place it into an orphanage and give them a free education. [http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

==Modern legacy==
Today not just in Pakistan, but in the Muslim world, Abdul Sattar Edhi has earned a reputation as being one of the most selfless and honorable human beings today. Despite his fame and reputation he continues to lead a simple life, he wears traditional Pakistani [[Shalwar Kameez]], of which he only owns one or two, and he owns one pair of slippers, which he has supposedly worn for the last twenty years. This is despite the fact the [[Edhi Foundation]] has a $10 million budget, out of which he takes nothing for himself. His son Faisal once stated that when the Foundation was setting up in [[Afghanistan]], local staff had purchased chairs for guests and the press when a new center was being opened, when Edhi arrived he was furious because the money that was spent on the chairs could have been used to help people. That night he slept on the clinic floor with the ambulance drivers.[http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

The [[Edhi Foundation]] continues to grow. Dr Edhi, looking to the future, has stated that he aims to build a hospital every 5 km in Pakistan. Although he is given the title [[Maulana]] out of respect, he himself dislikes the title as he has never been to a religious school and he is not an Islamic cleric. He prefers being called 'Doctor' as he has received an honorary doctorate from [[Institute of Business Administration Karachi|The Institute of Business Administration]] in [[Pakistan]] for services to humanity.<ref name="iba_dr">[http://www.dawn.com/2005/10/27/local9.htm KARACHI: Honorary degree for Edhi -DAWN - Local; October 27, 2005]</ref> He also completed his [[MBBS]] Degree from Pakistan in 1981. He is also famous for being very shy about his popularity and when people personally praise him for his work. He also refuses to accept donations from governments or formal religious organisations, because according to him they set 'conditions'. Both General [[Zia-ul-Haq]] and the Italian government sent him generous donations, which he sent back.

In 1996 his autobiography, ''[[A Mirror to the Blind]],'' was published.

==US Authorities confiscate passport of Abdul Sattar Edhi==
On January 8, 2008, US immigration officials interrogated Abdul Sattar Edhi at the [[John F. Kennedy Airport]] in New York for over eight hours, and seized his passport and other documents.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7215145.stm | work=BBC News | title=Pakistan aid worker stuck in US | date=2008-01-29 | accessdate=2010-04-23}}</ref>

Edhi told that US immigration officials had questioned him for eight hours at the airport. “During the interrogation, they wanted to know why I travelled to the US so frequently” he said. “I told them about the nature of my work, but they did not understand. They also wanted to know why I was not living in the US in spite of having a green card.” "The only explanation I can think of is my beard and my dress," he said when asked why he had been stopped so often.

==Edhi not allowed to visit Gaza==
On Thursday, January 29, 2009 The News newspaper reported Edhi is not allowed to visit Gaza.
<ref>http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=159676</ref>. The newspaper further reported that
Abdul Sattar Edhi, who is in Cairo along with Faisal Edhi and his two daughters for the last two weeks to help the affected Palestinians of Gaza, regretted that every coming day was making the sphere of human rights more restrictive across the world.
A spokesman for the Edhi Foundation said on Wednesday that Edhi after staying in Cairo and not getting permission to visit Gaza, has reached the conclusion that human rights have been killed and buried deep.
He said that he has helped in the provision of relief to people affected by wars, civil wars, earthquakes and drought in 28 countries and was never stopped to do his job. The spokesman said that Edhi has been trying to get permission from Cairo authorities to visit Gaza but in vain. He thanked the Pakistani ambassador to Egypt and the staff of the embassy for their cooperation and said now he was returning home as a depressed person.

==Honors received==
'''International awards'''
* 1986 [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Public Service
* 1988 [[Lenin Peace Prize]]
* 1992 [[Paul Harris Fellow Rotary International Foundation]]
* In 2000, [[Edhi]] was awarded the International [[Balzan Prize]] for [[altruism|Humanity]], [[Peace]] and [[Brotherhood]].
* On 26 March 2005, [[Edhi]] was presented with the [[Life Time Achievement Award]] by the [[World Memon Organization (WMO)]].
* On 11 November 2006, [[Edhi]] was presented with an [[Honorary Doctorate]] Degree by the [[Institute of Business Administration Karachi]] (IBA).<ref name="Dawn">[http://www.dawn.com/2006/11/12/local1.htm KARACHI: IBA awards doctorate to Sattar Edhi -DAWN - Local; November 12, 2006]</ref>
* In 2008, listed in a poll by the [[The Financial Daily]] as a favourite personality.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
* In November 2009, Madanjeet Singh 2009 Prize for tolerance & non-violence.

'''National awards'''
* [[Nishan-e-Imtiaz]] from [[Government of Pakistan]] 1989.
* Human Rights Award by Pakistan Human Rights Society.
* Khidmat Award by Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences.
* Shield of Honour by [[Pakistan Army]] (E & C).
* Silver Jubilee Shield by College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan.(1962-1987)
* Recognition of meritorious services to oppressed humanity during the eighties (1989) by Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Government of Pakistan. 45 Years Of Selfless Service.
* The Social Worker of South Asia - 1989 by [[Government of Sindh]]
* Pakistan Civic Award 1992 - by Pakistan Civic Society.

==See also==
*[[Pakistan]]
*[[Edhi Foundation]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.edhi.org Edhi Official Website]
*[http://www.edhifoundation.com/ Unofficial Edhi Foundation site]
*[http://www.contactpakistan.com/socialwork/Edhi/livinglegend.htm Interview of Edhi]
*[http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Citation/CitationEdhiAbd.htm Ramon Magsaysay Award Citation]
*[http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200406/humanitarian.to.a.nation.htm '''Humanitarian to a Nation''', ''Saudi Aramco World'', November/December 2004]
*[http://www.jazbah.org/bilquis.php Article on Bilquis Edhi]
*[http://ifaqeer.blogspot.com/2005/10/who-do-pakistanis-turn-to.html Blog post about Mr. Edhi after the October 2005 earthquake that hit Pakistan the hardest]
*[http://www.pakistanileaders.com.pk/profile/Abdul_Sattar_Edhi Leadership Profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edhi, Abdul Sattar}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Edhi family|Abdul Sattar]]
[[Category:Pakistani Muslims]]
[[Category:Pakistani philanthropists]]
[[Category:Autobiographers]]
[[Category:People from Karachi District]]
[[Category:Lenin Peace Prize recipients]]
[[Category:Gujarati people]]
[[Category:Nishan-e-Imtiaz]]
[[Category:Muhajir people]]
[[Category:Memon people]]
[[Category:Pakistani humanitarians]]

[[hi:अब्दुल सत्तार इदी]]
[[it:Abdul Sattar Edhi]]
[[ru:Эдхи, Абдул Саттар]]
[[ur:عبد الستار ایدھی]]

Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T17:47:09Z

Wikipeterproject: Removed uncited material and POV

{{Infobox Person
| name = Abdul Sattar Edhi
| image = Abdul sattar.jpg
| caption = Abdul Sattar Edhi
| dead = No
| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|01|01|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bantva]], [[British India]]
| spouse = [[Bilquis Edhi]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| citizenship = {{flagicon|Pakistan}} Pakistani
| occupation = Humanitarian
| website = http://www.edhi.org
}}
'''Abdul Sattar Edhi''', [[Nishan-e-Imtiaz|NI]] ([[Urdu]]: '''عبد الستار ایدھی'''), or '''Edhi''', as he is often known, is a [[Pakistani]] [[philanthropy|philanthropist]]. He is head of the [[Edhi Foundation]].<ref>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111102319</ref> Together with his wife, Begum [[Bilquis Edhi]] he received 1986 [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Public Service. He is also the recipient of the [[Lenin Peace Prize]] and the [[Balzan Prize]]. Edhi is of the [[Memon]] community.

==Early life==
The son of a textile trader, Edhi was born in 1928 in [[Bantva]] in the [[Gujarat]], [[British India]].{{cn|date=May 2010}} His family migrated to Karachi after Indian independence in 1947 and in 1951 he purchasde a small shop where he opened a small dispensary with the help of a doctor who taught him basic medical care.[http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

In 1957, in response to a [[flu]] epidemic in Karachi, Edhi arranged for tents to be erected on the outskirts of the city to distribute free [[immunizations]].{{cn|date=May 2010}} Edhi established the [[Edhi Foundation]] with public donations he received after this immunisation initiative{{cn|date=May 2010}}

==Growth of Edhi Foundation==
In the years that followed, Edhi Foundation grew through all of Pakistan. After the flu epidemic, a businessman donated a large sum to Edhi and with the money he purchased an ambulance vehicle which he drove himself. Today the Foundation has over 600(about 2000 in year 2008 according to BBC Asia {{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}) ambulances located all over the country. He himself continues to travel with call outs out of Karachi to the rest of the Sindh province, the response time and services the ambulances provide are renowned for being better than the municipal ones. Along with hospitals and ambulance services, Edhi Foundation has set up clinics, maternity homes, mental asylums, homes for the physically handicapped, blood banks, orphanages, adoption centers, mortuaries, shelters for runaway children and battered women, schools, nursing courses and soup kitchens. A unique part of every Edhi centre is that there is a carriage outside each one, so that women who cannot afford to keep their children or have had a child out of wedlock and cannot keep it, can simply place their baby in the basket and Edhi Foundation will place it into an orphanage and give them a free education. [http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

==Modern legacy==
Today not just in Pakistan, but in the Muslim world, Abdul Sattar Edhi has earned a reputation as being one of the most selfless and honorable human beings today. Despite his fame and reputation he continues to lead a simple life, he wears traditional Pakistani [[Shalwar Kameez]], of which he only owns one or two, and he owns one pair of slippers, which he has supposedly worn for the last twenty years. This is despite the fact the [[Edhi Foundation]] has a $10 million budget, out of which he takes nothing for himself. His son Faisal once stated that when the Foundation was setting up in [[Afghanistan]], local staff had purchased chairs for guests and the press when a new center was being opened, when Edhi arrived he was furious because the money that was spent on the chairs could have been used to help people. That night he slept on the clinic floor with the ambulance drivers.[http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

The [[Edhi Foundation]] continues to grow. Dr Edhi, looking to the future, has stated that he aims to build a hospital every 5 km in Pakistan. Although he is given the title [[Maulana]] out of respect, he himself dislikes the title as he has never been to a religious school and he is not an Islamic cleric. He prefers being called 'Doctor' as he has received an honorary doctorate from [[Institute of Business Administration Karachi|The Institute of Business Administration]] in [[Pakistan]] for services to humanity.<ref name="iba_dr">[http://www.dawn.com/2005/10/27/local9.htm KARACHI: Honorary degree for Edhi -DAWN - Local; October 27, 2005]</ref> He also completed his [[MBBS]] Degree from Pakistan in 1981. He is also famous for being very shy about his popularity and when people personally praise him for his work. He also refuses to accept donations from governments or formal religious organisations, because according to him they set 'conditions'. Both General [[Zia-ul-Haq]] and the Italian government sent him generous donations, which he sent back.

In 1996 his autobiography, ''[[A Mirror to the Blind]],'' was published.

==US Authorities confiscate passport of Abdul Sattar Edhi==
On January 8, 2008, US immigration officials interrogated Abdul Sattar Edhi at the [[John F. Kennedy Airport]] in New York for over eight hours, and seized his passport and other documents.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7215145.stm | work=BBC News | title=Pakistan aid worker stuck in US | date=2008-01-29 | accessdate=2010-04-23}}</ref>

Edhi told that US immigration officials had questioned him for eight hours at the airport. “During the interrogation, they wanted to know why I travelled to the US so frequently” he said. “I told them about the nature of my work, but they did not understand. They also wanted to know why I was not living in the US in spite of having a green card.” "The only explanation I can think of is my beard and my dress," he said when asked why he had been stopped so often.

==Edhi not allowed to visit Gaza==
On Thursday, January 29, 2009 The News newspaper reported Edhi is not allowed to visit Gaza.
<ref>http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=159676</ref>. The newspaper further reported that
Abdul Sattar Edhi, who is in Cairo along with Faisal Edhi and his two daughters for the last two weeks to help the affected Palestinians of Gaza, regretted that every coming day was making the sphere of human rights more restrictive across the world.
A spokesman for the Edhi Foundation said on Wednesday that Edhi after staying in Cairo and not getting permission to visit Gaza, has reached the conclusion that human rights have been killed and buried deep.
He said that he has helped in the provision of relief to people affected by wars, civil wars, earthquakes and drought in 28 countries and was never stopped to do his job. The spokesman said that Edhi has been trying to get permission from Cairo authorities to visit Gaza but in vain. He thanked the Pakistani ambassador to Egypt and the staff of the embassy for their cooperation and said now he was returning home as a depressed person.

==Honors received==
'''International awards'''
* 1986 [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Public Service
* 1988 [[Lenin Peace Prize]]
* 1992 [[Paul Harris Fellow Rotary International Foundation]]
* In 2000, [[Edhi]] was awarded the International [[Balzan Prize]] for [[altruism|Humanity]], [[Peace]] and [[Brotherhood]].
* On 26 March 2005, [[Edhi]] was presented with the [[Life Time Achievement Award]] by the [[World Memon Organization (WMO)]].
* On 11 November 2006, [[Edhi]] was presented with an [[Honorary Doctorate]] Degree by the [[Institute of Business Administration Karachi]] (IBA).<ref name="Dawn">[http://www.dawn.com/2006/11/12/local1.htm KARACHI: IBA awards doctorate to Sattar Edhi -DAWN - Local; November 12, 2006]</ref>
* In 2008, listed in a poll by the [[The Financial Daily]] as a favourite personality.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
* In November 2009, Madanjeet Singh 2009 Prize for tolerance & non-violence.

'''National awards'''
* [[Nishan-e-Imtiaz]] from [[Government of Pakistan]] 1989.
* Human Rights Award by Pakistan Human Rights Society.
* Khidmat Award by Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences.
* Shield of Honour by [[Pakistan Army]] (E & C).
* Silver Jubilee Shield by College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan.(1962-1987)
* Recognition of meritorious services to oppressed humanity during the eighties (1989) by Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Government of Pakistan. 45 Years Of Selfless Service.
* The Social Worker of South Asia - 1989 by [[Government of Sindh]]
* Pakistan Civic Award 1992 - by Pakistan Civic Society.

==See also==
*[[Pakistan]]
*[[Edhi Foundation]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.edhi.org Edhi Official Website]
*[http://www.edhifoundation.com/ Unofficial Edhi Foundation site]
*[http://www.contactpakistan.com/socialwork/Edhi/livinglegend.htm Interview of Edhi]
*[http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Citation/CitationEdhiAbd.htm Ramon Magsaysay Award Citation]
*[http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200406/humanitarian.to.a.nation.htm '''Humanitarian to a Nation''', ''Saudi Aramco World'', November/December 2004]
*[http://www.jazbah.org/bilquis.php Article on Bilquis Edhi]
*[http://ifaqeer.blogspot.com/2005/10/who-do-pakistanis-turn-to.html Blog post about Mr. Edhi after the October 2005 earthquake that hit Pakistan the hardest]
*[http://www.pakistanileaders.com.pk/profile/Abdul_Sattar_Edhi Leadership Profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edhi, Abdul Sattar}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Edhi family|Abdul Sattar]]
[[Category:Pakistani Muslims]]
[[Category:Pakistani philanthropists]]
[[Category:Autobiographers]]
[[Category:People from Karachi District]]
[[Category:Lenin Peace Prize recipients]]
[[Category:Gujarati people]]
[[Category:Nishan-e-Imtiaz]]
[[Category:Muhajir people]]
[[Category:Memon people]]
[[Category:Pakistani humanitarians]]

[[hi:अब्दुल सत्तार इदी]]
[[it:Abdul Sattar Edhi]]
[[ru:Эдхи, Абдул Саттар]]
[[ur:عبد الستار ایدھی]]

Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T17:42:22Z

Wikipeterproject: /* Early life */ Removed uncited claims and POV

{{Infobox Person
| name = Abdul Sattar Edhi
| image = Abdul sattar.jpg
| caption = Abdul Sattar Edhi
| dead = No
| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|01|01|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bantva]], [[British India]]
| spouse = [[Bilquis Edhi]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| citizenship = {{flagicon|Pakistan}} Pakistani
| occupation = Humanitarian
| website = http://www.edhi.org
}}
'''Abdul Sattar Edhi''', [[Nishan-e-Imtiaz|NI]] ([[Urdu]]: '''عبد الستار ایدھی'''), or '''Edhi''', as he is often known, is a [[Pakistani]] [[philanthropy|philanthropist]]. He is head of the [[Edhi Foundation]].<ref>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111102319</ref> Together with his wife, Begum [[Bilquis Edhi]] he received 1986 [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Public Service. He is also the recipient of the [[Lenin Peace Prize]] and the [[Balzan Prize]]. Edhi is of the [[Memon]] community.

==Early life==
The son of a textile trader, Edhi was born in 1928 in [[Bantva]] in the [[Gujarat]], [[British India]].{{cn|date=May 2010}}

==Starting up==
His family migrated to Karachi after independence in 1947. In 1951 he used the money he saved up while he was looking after his mother to purchase a small shop. It was at this shop where he opened a tiny dispensary with the help of a doctor who taught him basic medical care. He also encouraged his friends to give literacy classes there. Edhi had spent his life a simple man, and would continue to do so, he would sleep on a concrete bench outside the dispensary so he was available at any time to help people.[http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

In 1957 a major [[flu]] epidemic swept Karachi. Edhi was quick to react, setting up tents on the outskirts of the city to distribute free [[immunizations]]. Grateful residents donated generously to Edhi and so did the rest of [[Pakistan]] after hearing of his deeds. With all the donation money he bought the rest of the building his dispensary was located in. Edhi opened a free maternity centre and nursing school, and so [[Edhi Foundation]] was born.

==Growth of Edhi Foundation==
In the years that followed, Edhi Foundation grew through all of Pakistan. After the flu epidemic, a businessman donated a large sum to Edhi and with the money he purchased an ambulance vehicle which he drove himself. Today the Foundation has over 600(about 2000 in year 2008 according to BBC Asia {{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}) ambulances located all over the country. He himself continues to travel with call outs out of Karachi to the rest of the Sindh province, the response time and services the ambulances provide are renowned for being better than the municipal ones. Along with hospitals and ambulance services, Edhi Foundation has set up clinics, maternity homes, mental asylums, homes for the physically handicapped, blood banks, orphanages, adoption centers, mortuaries, shelters for runaway children and battered women, schools, nursing courses and soup kitchens. A unique part of every Edhi centre is that there is a carriage outside each one, so that women who cannot afford to keep their children or have had a child out of wedlock and cannot keep it, can simply place their baby in the basket and Edhi Foundation will place it into an orphanage and give them a free education. [http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

==Modern legacy==
Today not just in Pakistan, but in the Muslim world, Abdul Sattar Edhi has earned a reputation as being one of the most selfless and honorable human beings today. Despite his fame and reputation he continues to lead a simple life, he wears traditional Pakistani [[Shalwar Kameez]], of which he only owns one or two, and he owns one pair of slippers, which he has supposedly worn for the last twenty years. This is despite the fact the [[Edhi Foundation]] has a $10 million budget, out of which he takes nothing for himself. His son Faisal once stated that when the Foundation was setting up in [[Afghanistan]], local staff had purchased chairs for guests and the press when a new center was being opened, when Edhi arrived he was furious because the money that was spent on the chairs could have been used to help people. That night he slept on the clinic floor with the ambulance drivers.[http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

The [[Edhi Foundation]] continues to grow. Dr Edhi, looking to the future, has stated that he aims to build a hospital every 5 km in Pakistan. Although he is given the title [[Maulana]] out of respect, he himself dislikes the title as he has never been to a religious school and he is not an Islamic cleric. He prefers being called 'Doctor' as he has received an honorary doctorate from [[Institute of Business Administration Karachi|The Institute of Business Administration]] in [[Pakistan]] for services to humanity.<ref name="iba_dr">[http://www.dawn.com/2005/10/27/local9.htm KARACHI: Honorary degree for Edhi -DAWN - Local; October 27, 2005]</ref> He also completed his [[MBBS]] Degree from Pakistan in 1981. He is also famous for being very shy about his popularity and when people personally praise him for his work. He also refuses to accept donations from governments or formal religious organisations, because according to him they set 'conditions'. Both General [[Zia-ul-Haq]] and the Italian government sent him generous donations, which he sent back.

In 1996 his autobiography, ''[[A Mirror to the Blind]],'' was published.

==US Authorities confiscate passport of Abdul Sattar Edhi==
On January 8, 2008, US immigration officials interrogated Abdul Sattar Edhi at the [[John F. Kennedy Airport]] in New York for over eight hours, and seized his passport and other documents.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7215145.stm | work=BBC News | title=Pakistan aid worker stuck in US | date=2008-01-29 | accessdate=2010-04-23}}</ref>

Edhi told that US immigration officials had questioned him for eight hours at the airport. “During the interrogation, they wanted to know why I travelled to the US so frequently” he said. “I told them about the nature of my work, but they did not understand. They also wanted to know why I was not living in the US in spite of having a green card.” "The only explanation I can think of is my beard and my dress," he said when asked why he had been stopped so often.

==Edhi not allowed to visit Gaza==
On Thursday, January 29, 2009 The News newspaper reported Edhi is not allowed to visit Gaza.
<ref>http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=159676</ref>. The newspaper further reported that
Abdul Sattar Edhi, who is in Cairo along with Faisal Edhi and his two daughters for the last two weeks to help the affected Palestinians of Gaza, regretted that every coming day was making the sphere of human rights more restrictive across the world.
A spokesman for the Edhi Foundation said on Wednesday that Edhi after staying in Cairo and not getting permission to visit Gaza, has reached the conclusion that human rights have been killed and buried deep.
He said that he has helped in the provision of relief to people affected by wars, civil wars, earthquakes and drought in 28 countries and was never stopped to do his job. The spokesman said that Edhi has been trying to get permission from Cairo authorities to visit Gaza but in vain. He thanked the Pakistani ambassador to Egypt and the staff of the embassy for their cooperation and said now he was returning home as a depressed person.

==Honors received==
'''International awards'''
* 1986 [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Public Service
* 1988 [[Lenin Peace Prize]]
* 1992 [[Paul Harris Fellow Rotary International Foundation]]
* In 2000, [[Edhi]] was awarded the International [[Balzan Prize]] for [[altruism|Humanity]], [[Peace]] and [[Brotherhood]].
* On 26 March 2005, [[Edhi]] was presented with the [[Life Time Achievement Award]] by the [[World Memon Organization (WMO)]].
* On 11 November 2006, [[Edhi]] was presented with an [[Honorary Doctorate]] Degree by the [[Institute of Business Administration Karachi]] (IBA).<ref name="Dawn">[http://www.dawn.com/2006/11/12/local1.htm KARACHI: IBA awards doctorate to Sattar Edhi -DAWN - Local; November 12, 2006]</ref>
* In 2008, listed in a poll by the [[The Financial Daily]] as a favourite personality.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
* In November 2009, Madanjeet Singh 2009 Prize for tolerance & non-violence.

'''National awards'''
* [[Nishan-e-Imtiaz]] from [[Government of Pakistan]] 1989.
* Human Rights Award by Pakistan Human Rights Society.
* Khidmat Award by Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences.
* Shield of Honour by [[Pakistan Army]] (E & C).
* Silver Jubilee Shield by College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan.(1962-1987)
* Recognition of meritorious services to oppressed humanity during the eighties (1989) by Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Government of Pakistan. 45 Years Of Selfless Service.
* The Social Worker of South Asia - 1989 by [[Government of Sindh]]
* Pakistan Civic Award 1992 - by Pakistan Civic Society.

==See also==
*[[Pakistan]]
*[[Edhi Foundation]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.edhi.org Edhi Official Website]
*[http://www.edhifoundation.com/ Unofficial Edhi Foundation site]
*[http://www.contactpakistan.com/socialwork/Edhi/livinglegend.htm Interview of Edhi]
*[http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Citation/CitationEdhiAbd.htm Ramon Magsaysay Award Citation]
*[http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200406/humanitarian.to.a.nation.htm '''Humanitarian to a Nation''', ''Saudi Aramco World'', November/December 2004]
*[http://www.jazbah.org/bilquis.php Article on Bilquis Edhi]
*[http://ifaqeer.blogspot.com/2005/10/who-do-pakistanis-turn-to.html Blog post about Mr. Edhi after the October 2005 earthquake that hit Pakistan the hardest]
*[http://www.pakistanileaders.com.pk/profile/Abdul_Sattar_Edhi Leadership Profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edhi, Abdul Sattar}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Edhi family|Abdul Sattar]]
[[Category:Pakistani Muslims]]
[[Category:Pakistani philanthropists]]
[[Category:Autobiographers]]
[[Category:People from Karachi District]]
[[Category:Lenin Peace Prize recipients]]
[[Category:Gujarati people]]
[[Category:Nishan-e-Imtiaz]]
[[Category:Muhajir people]]
[[Category:Memon people]]
[[Category:Pakistani humanitarians]]

[[hi:अब्दुल सत्तार इदी]]
[[it:Abdul Sattar Edhi]]
[[ru:Эдхи, Абдул Саттар]]
[[ur:عبد الستار ایدھی]]

Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T17:41:04Z

Wikipeterproject: spacing

{{Infobox Person
| name = Abdul Sattar Edhi
| image = Abdul sattar.jpg
| caption = Abdul Sattar Edhi
| dead = No
| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|01|01|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bantva]], [[British India]]
| spouse = [[Bilquis Edhi]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| citizenship = {{flagicon|Pakistan}} Pakistani
| occupation = Humanitarian
| website = http://www.edhi.org
}}
'''Abdul Sattar Edhi''', [[Nishan-e-Imtiaz|NI]] ([[Urdu]]: '''عبد الستار ایدھی'''), or '''Edhi''', as he is often known, is a [[Pakistani]] [[philanthropy|philanthropist]]. He is head of the [[Edhi Foundation]].<ref>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111102319</ref> Together with his wife, Begum [[Bilquis Edhi]] he received 1986 [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Public Service. He is also the recipient of the [[Lenin Peace Prize]] and the [[Balzan Prize]]. Edhi is of the [[Memon]] community.

==Early life==
Dr. Edhi was born in 1928 in [[Bantva]] in the [[Gujarat]], [[British India]]. His father was a textile trader and earned a modest income for his family. He was a natural born leader and would encourage his friends to hold tiny circuses and perform gymnastics for the locals. When his mother would send him to school she would give him two [[paisa]], one to spend for himself and the other to spend for another. At the age of eleven he started to take care of his mother who suffered [[paralysis]] from severe [[diabetes]]. From an early age Edhi learned to help others before himself - this would be crucial to success in his life later on.

==Starting up==
His family migrated to Karachi after independence in 1947. In 1951 he used the money he saved up while he was looking after his mother to purchase a small shop. It was at this shop where he opened a tiny dispensary with the help of a doctor who taught him basic medical care. He also encouraged his friends to give literacy classes there. Edhi had spent his life a simple man, and would continue to do so, he would sleep on a concrete bench outside the dispensary so he was available at any time to help people.[http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

In 1957 a major [[flu]] epidemic swept Karachi. Edhi was quick to react, setting up tents on the outskirts of the city to distribute free [[immunizations]]. Grateful residents donated generously to Edhi and so did the rest of [[Pakistan]] after hearing of his deeds. With all the donation money he bought the rest of the building his dispensary was located in. Edhi opened a free maternity centre and nursing school, and so [[Edhi Foundation]] was born.

==Growth of Edhi Foundation==
In the years that followed, Edhi Foundation grew through all of Pakistan. After the flu epidemic, a businessman donated a large sum to Edhi and with the money he purchased an ambulance vehicle which he drove himself. Today the Foundation has over 600(about 2000 in year 2008 according to BBC Asia {{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}) ambulances located all over the country. He himself continues to travel with call outs out of Karachi to the rest of the Sindh province, the response time and services the ambulances provide are renowned for being better than the municipal ones. Along with hospitals and ambulance services, Edhi Foundation has set up clinics, maternity homes, mental asylums, homes for the physically handicapped, blood banks, orphanages, adoption centers, mortuaries, shelters for runaway children and battered women, schools, nursing courses and soup kitchens. A unique part of every Edhi centre is that there is a carriage outside each one, so that women who cannot afford to keep their children or have had a child out of wedlock and cannot keep it, can simply place their baby in the basket and Edhi Foundation will place it into an orphanage and give them a free education. [http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

==Modern legacy==
Today not just in Pakistan, but in the Muslim world, Abdul Sattar Edhi has earned a reputation as being one of the most selfless and honorable human beings today. Despite his fame and reputation he continues to lead a simple life, he wears traditional Pakistani [[Shalwar Kameez]], of which he only owns one or two, and he owns one pair of slippers, which he has supposedly worn for the last twenty years. This is despite the fact the [[Edhi Foundation]] has a $10 million budget, out of which he takes nothing for himself. His son Faisal once stated that when the Foundation was setting up in [[Afghanistan]], local staff had purchased chairs for guests and the press when a new center was being opened, when Edhi arrived he was furious because the money that was spent on the chairs could have been used to help people. That night he slept on the clinic floor with the ambulance drivers.[http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

The [[Edhi Foundation]] continues to grow. Dr Edhi, looking to the future, has stated that he aims to build a hospital every 5 km in Pakistan. Although he is given the title [[Maulana]] out of respect, he himself dislikes the title as he has never been to a religious school and he is not an Islamic cleric. He prefers being called 'Doctor' as he has received an honorary doctorate from [[Institute of Business Administration Karachi|The Institute of Business Administration]] in [[Pakistan]] for services to humanity.<ref name="iba_dr">[http://www.dawn.com/2005/10/27/local9.htm KARACHI: Honorary degree for Edhi -DAWN - Local; October 27, 2005]</ref> He also completed his [[MBBS]] Degree from Pakistan in 1981. He is also famous for being very shy about his popularity and when people personally praise him for his work. He also refuses to accept donations from governments or formal religious organisations, because according to him they set 'conditions'. Both General [[Zia-ul-Haq]] and the Italian government sent him generous donations, which he sent back.

In 1996 his autobiography, ''[[A Mirror to the Blind]],'' was published.

==US Authorities confiscate passport of Abdul Sattar Edhi==
On January 8, 2008, US immigration officials interrogated Abdul Sattar Edhi at the [[John F. Kennedy Airport]] in New York for over eight hours, and seized his passport and other documents.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7215145.stm | work=BBC News | title=Pakistan aid worker stuck in US | date=2008-01-29 | accessdate=2010-04-23}}</ref>

Edhi told that US immigration officials had questioned him for eight hours at the airport. “During the interrogation, they wanted to know why I travelled to the US so frequently” he said. “I told them about the nature of my work, but they did not understand. They also wanted to know why I was not living in the US in spite of having a green card.” "The only explanation I can think of is my beard and my dress," he said when asked why he had been stopped so often.

==Edhi not allowed to visit Gaza==
On Thursday, January 29, 2009 The News newspaper reported Edhi is not allowed to visit Gaza.
<ref>http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=159676</ref>. The newspaper further reported that
Abdul Sattar Edhi, who is in Cairo along with Faisal Edhi and his two daughters for the last two weeks to help the affected Palestinians of Gaza, regretted that every coming day was making the sphere of human rights more restrictive across the world.
A spokesman for the Edhi Foundation said on Wednesday that Edhi after staying in Cairo and not getting permission to visit Gaza, has reached the conclusion that human rights have been killed and buried deep.
He said that he has helped in the provision of relief to people affected by wars, civil wars, earthquakes and drought in 28 countries and was never stopped to do his job. The spokesman said that Edhi has been trying to get permission from Cairo authorities to visit Gaza but in vain. He thanked the Pakistani ambassador to Egypt and the staff of the embassy for their cooperation and said now he was returning home as a depressed person.

==Honors received==
'''International awards'''
* 1986 [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Public Service
* 1988 [[Lenin Peace Prize]]
* 1992 [[Paul Harris Fellow Rotary International Foundation]]
* In 2000, [[Edhi]] was awarded the International [[Balzan Prize]] for [[altruism|Humanity]], [[Peace]] and [[Brotherhood]].
* On 26 March 2005, [[Edhi]] was presented with the [[Life Time Achievement Award]] by the [[World Memon Organization (WMO)]].
* On 11 November 2006, [[Edhi]] was presented with an [[Honorary Doctorate]] Degree by the [[Institute of Business Administration Karachi]] (IBA).<ref name="Dawn">[http://www.dawn.com/2006/11/12/local1.htm KARACHI: IBA awards doctorate to Sattar Edhi -DAWN - Local; November 12, 2006]</ref>
* In 2008, listed in a poll by the [[The Financial Daily]] as a favourite personality.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
* In November 2009, Madanjeet Singh 2009 Prize for tolerance & non-violence.

'''National awards'''
* [[Nishan-e-Imtiaz]] from [[Government of Pakistan]] 1989.
* Human Rights Award by Pakistan Human Rights Society.
* Khidmat Award by Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences.
* Shield of Honour by [[Pakistan Army]] (E & C).
* Silver Jubilee Shield by College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan.(1962-1987)
* Recognition of meritorious services to oppressed humanity during the eighties (1989) by Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Government of Pakistan. 45 Years Of Selfless Service.
* The Social Worker of South Asia - 1989 by [[Government of Sindh]]
* Pakistan Civic Award 1992 - by Pakistan Civic Society.

==See also==
*[[Pakistan]]
*[[Edhi Foundation]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.edhi.org Edhi Official Website]
*[http://www.edhifoundation.com/ Unofficial Edhi Foundation site]
*[http://www.contactpakistan.com/socialwork/Edhi/livinglegend.htm Interview of Edhi]
*[http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Citation/CitationEdhiAbd.htm Ramon Magsaysay Award Citation]
*[http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200406/humanitarian.to.a.nation.htm '''Humanitarian to a Nation''', ''Saudi Aramco World'', November/December 2004]
*[http://www.jazbah.org/bilquis.php Article on Bilquis Edhi]
*[http://ifaqeer.blogspot.com/2005/10/who-do-pakistanis-turn-to.html Blog post about Mr. Edhi after the October 2005 earthquake that hit Pakistan the hardest]
*[http://www.pakistanileaders.com.pk/profile/Abdul_Sattar_Edhi Leadership Profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edhi, Abdul Sattar}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Edhi family|Abdul Sattar]]
[[Category:Pakistani Muslims]]
[[Category:Pakistani philanthropists]]
[[Category:Autobiographers]]
[[Category:People from Karachi District]]
[[Category:Lenin Peace Prize recipients]]
[[Category:Gujarati people]]
[[Category:Nishan-e-Imtiaz]]
[[Category:Muhajir people]]
[[Category:Memon people]]
[[Category:Pakistani humanitarians]]

[[hi:अब्दुल सत्तार इदी]]
[[it:Abdul Sattar Edhi]]
[[ru:Эдхи, Абдул Саттар]]
[[ur:عبد الستار ایدھی]]

Abdul Sattar Edhi

2010-05-04T17:40:44Z

Wikipeterproject: Removed POV, flowery prose and uncited claim (as per last edit)

{{Infobox Person
| name = Abdul Sattar Edhi
| image = Abdul sattar.jpg
| caption = Abdul Sattar Edhi
| dead = No
| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|01|01|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bantva]], [[British India]]
| spouse = [[Bilquis Edhi]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| citizenship = {{flagicon|Pakistan}} Pakistani
| occupation = Humanitarian
| website = http://www.edhi.org
}}
'''Abdul Sattar Edhi''', [[Nishan-e-Imtiaz|NI]] ([[Urdu]]: '''عبد الستار ایدھی'''), or '''Edhi''', as he is often known, is a [[Pakistani]][[philanthropy|philanthropist]]. He is head of the [[Edhi Foundation]].<ref>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111102319</ref> Together with his wife, Begum [[Bilquis Edhi]] he received 1986 [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Public Service. He is also the recipient of the [[Lenin Peace Prize]] and the [[Balzan Prize]]. Edhi is of the [[Memon]] community.

==Early life==
Dr. Edhi was born in 1928 in [[Bantva]] in the [[Gujarat]], [[British India]]. His father was a textile trader and earned a modest income for his family. He was a natural born leader and would encourage his friends to hold tiny circuses and perform gymnastics for the locals. When his mother would send him to school she would give him two [[paisa]], one to spend for himself and the other to spend for another. At the age of eleven he started to take care of his mother who suffered [[paralysis]] from severe [[diabetes]]. From an early age Edhi learned to help others before himself - this would be crucial to success in his life later on.

==Starting up==
His family migrated to Karachi after independence in 1947. In 1951 he used the money he saved up while he was looking after his mother to purchase a small shop. It was at this shop where he opened a tiny dispensary with the help of a doctor who taught him basic medical care. He also encouraged his friends to give literacy classes there. Edhi had spent his life a simple man, and would continue to do so, he would sleep on a concrete bench outside the dispensary so he was available at any time to help people.[http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

In 1957 a major [[flu]] epidemic swept Karachi. Edhi was quick to react, setting up tents on the outskirts of the city to distribute free [[immunizations]]. Grateful residents donated generously to Edhi and so did the rest of [[Pakistan]] after hearing of his deeds. With all the donation money he bought the rest of the building his dispensary was located in. Edhi opened a free maternity centre and nursing school, and so [[Edhi Foundation]] was born.

==Growth of Edhi Foundation==
In the years that followed, Edhi Foundation grew through all of Pakistan. After the flu epidemic, a businessman donated a large sum to Edhi and with the money he purchased an ambulance vehicle which he drove himself. Today the Foundation has over 600(about 2000 in year 2008 according to BBC Asia {{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}) ambulances located all over the country. He himself continues to travel with call outs out of Karachi to the rest of the Sindh province, the response time and services the ambulances provide are renowned for being better than the municipal ones. Along with hospitals and ambulance services, Edhi Foundation has set up clinics, maternity homes, mental asylums, homes for the physically handicapped, blood banks, orphanages, adoption centers, mortuaries, shelters for runaway children and battered women, schools, nursing courses and soup kitchens. A unique part of every Edhi centre is that there is a carriage outside each one, so that women who cannot afford to keep their children or have had a child out of wedlock and cannot keep it, can simply place their baby in the basket and Edhi Foundation will place it into an orphanage and give them a free education. [http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

==Modern legacy==
Today not just in Pakistan, but in the Muslim world, Abdul Sattar Edhi has earned a reputation as being one of the most selfless and honorable human beings today. Despite his fame and reputation he continues to lead a simple life, he wears traditional Pakistani [[Shalwar Kameez]], of which he only owns one or two, and he owns one pair of slippers, which he has supposedly worn for the last twenty years. This is despite the fact the [[Edhi Foundation]] has a $10 million budget, out of which he takes nothing for himself. His son Faisal once stated that when the Foundation was setting up in [[Afghanistan]], local staff had purchased chairs for guests and the press when a new center was being opened, when Edhi arrived he was furious because the money that was spent on the chairs could have been used to help people. That night he slept on the clinic floor with the ambulance drivers.[http://www.islamicity.com/articles/articles.asp?ref=SW0412-2541&p=1]

The [[Edhi Foundation]] continues to grow. Dr Edhi, looking to the future, has stated that he aims to build a hospital every 5 km in Pakistan. Although he is given the title [[Maulana]] out of respect, he himself dislikes the title as he has never been to a religious school and he is not an Islamic cleric. He prefers being called 'Doctor' as he has received an honorary doctorate from [[Institute of Business Administration Karachi|The Institute of Business Administration]] in [[Pakistan]] for services to humanity.<ref name="iba_dr">[http://www.dawn.com/2005/10/27/local9.htm KARACHI: Honorary degree for Edhi -DAWN - Local; October 27, 2005]</ref> He also completed his [[MBBS]] Degree from Pakistan in 1981. He is also famous for being very shy about his popularity and when people personally praise him for his work. He also refuses to accept donations from governments or formal religious organisations, because according to him they set 'conditions'. Both General [[Zia-ul-Haq]] and the Italian government sent him generous donations, which he sent back.

In 1996 his autobiography, ''[[A Mirror to the Blind]],'' was published.

==US Authorities confiscate passport of Abdul Sattar Edhi==
On January 8, 2008, US immigration officials interrogated Abdul Sattar Edhi at the [[John F. Kennedy Airport]] in New York for over eight hours, and seized his passport and other documents.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7215145.stm | work=BBC News | title=Pakistan aid worker stuck in US | date=2008-01-29 | accessdate=2010-04-23}}</ref>

Edhi told that US immigration officials had questioned him for eight hours at the airport. “During the interrogation, they wanted to know why I travelled to the US so frequently” he said. “I told them about the nature of my work, but they did not understand. They also wanted to know why I was not living in the US in spite of having a green card.” "The only explanation I can think of is my beard and my dress," he said when asked why he had been stopped so often.

==Edhi not allowed to visit Gaza==
On Thursday, January 29, 2009 The News newspaper reported Edhi is not allowed to visit Gaza.
<ref>http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=159676</ref>. The newspaper further reported that
Abdul Sattar Edhi, who is in Cairo along with Faisal Edhi and his two daughters for the last two weeks to help the affected Palestinians of Gaza, regretted that every coming day was making the sphere of human rights more restrictive across the world.
A spokesman for the Edhi Foundation said on Wednesday that Edhi after staying in Cairo and not getting permission to visit Gaza, has reached the conclusion that human rights have been killed and buried deep.
He said that he has helped in the provision of relief to people affected by wars, civil wars, earthquakes and drought in 28 countries and was never stopped to do his job. The spokesman said that Edhi has been trying to get permission from Cairo authorities to visit Gaza but in vain. He thanked the Pakistani ambassador to Egypt and the staff of the embassy for their cooperation and said now he was returning home as a depressed person.

==Honors received==
'''International awards'''
* 1986 [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Public Service
* 1988 [[Lenin Peace Prize]]
* 1992 [[Paul Harris Fellow Rotary International Foundation]]
* In 2000, [[Edhi]] was awarded the International [[Balzan Prize]] for [[altruism|Humanity]], [[Peace]] and [[Brotherhood]].
* On 26 March 2005, [[Edhi]] was presented with the [[Life Time Achievement Award]] by the [[World Memon Organization (WMO)]].
* On 11 November 2006, [[Edhi]] was presented with an [[Honorary Doctorate]] Degree by the [[Institute of Business Administration Karachi]] (IBA).<ref name="Dawn">[http://www.dawn.com/2006/11/12/local1.htm KARACHI: IBA awards doctorate to Sattar Edhi -DAWN - Local; November 12, 2006]</ref>
* In 2008, listed in a poll by the [[The Financial Daily]] as a favourite personality.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
* In November 2009, Madanjeet Singh 2009 Prize for tolerance & non-violence.

'''National awards'''
* [[Nishan-e-Imtiaz]] from [[Government of Pakistan]] 1989.
* Human Rights Award by Pakistan Human Rights Society.
* Khidmat Award by Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences.
* Shield of Honour by [[Pakistan Army]] (E & C).
* Silver Jubilee Shield by College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan.(1962-1987)
* Recognition of meritorious services to oppressed humanity during the eighties (1989) by Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Government of Pakistan. 45 Years Of Selfless Service.
* The Social Worker of South Asia - 1989 by [[Government of Sindh]]
* Pakistan Civic Award 1992 - by Pakistan Civic Society.

==See also==
*[[Pakistan]]
*[[Edhi Foundation]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.edhi.org Edhi Official Website]
*[http://www.edhifoundation.com/ Unofficial Edhi Foundation site]
*[http://www.contactpakistan.com/socialwork/Edhi/livinglegend.htm Interview of Edhi]
*[http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Citation/CitationEdhiAbd.htm Ramon Magsaysay Award Citation]
*[http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200406/humanitarian.to.a.nation.htm '''Humanitarian to a Nation''', ''Saudi Aramco World'', November/December 2004]
*[http://www.jazbah.org/bilquis.php Article on Bilquis Edhi]
*[http://ifaqeer.blogspot.com/2005/10/who-do-pakistanis-turn-to.html Blog post about Mr. Edhi after the October 2005 earthquake that hit Pakistan the hardest]
*[http://www.pakistanileaders.com.pk/profile/Abdul_Sattar_Edhi Leadership Profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edhi, Abdul Sattar}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Edhi family|Abdul Sattar]]
[[Category:Pakistani Muslims]]
[[Category:Pakistani philanthropists]]
[[Category:Autobiographers]]
[[Category:People from Karachi District]]
[[Category:Lenin Peace Prize recipients]]
[[Category:Gujarati people]]
[[Category:Nishan-e-Imtiaz]]
[[Category:Muhajir people]]
[[Category:Memon people]]
[[Category:Pakistani humanitarians]]

[[hi:अब्दुल सत्तार इदी]]
[[it:Abdul Sattar Edhi]]
[[ru:Эдхи, Абдул Саттар]]
[[ur:عبد الستار ایدھی]]