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Ferraz De Vasconcelos

Ferraz de Vasconcelos

Ferraz de Vasconcelos is a suburban municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2003 is 156,613, the population density is 5220.43/km² and the area is 30 km². The suburban city is served by a CPTM line.


North: São Paulo
West: São Paulo
East: Poá, Suzano
South: Ribeirão Pires, Mauá
Category:São Paulo state

São Paulo (state)

:This article is about the Brazilian state; for other meanings, see São Paulo (disambiguation). São Paulo (disambiguation) São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy.

Geography

Brazil The São Paulo State has an area of approximately 248,800 sq. km, and a population of 40 million of inhabitants. The climate in São Paulo is subtropical in the south part of the state (where the capital is placed), with hot summers (27°C in average, with highest temperatures around 33°C) and relatively cold winters (14°C in average, with lowest temperatures around 5°C), and tropical of altitude in the central area and in the north, with hot summers and mild winters. São Paulo is the richest state in Brazil. It has the second highest "per-capita" income (only lower than the Federal District) and, with the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, the best standard of life in Brazil, despite of the poverty in some peripherical areas of the greatest cities.

Economy

Rio Grande do Sul São Paulo state is responsible for approximately one-third of Brazilian GNP. Its economy is based in machinery, the automobile and aviation industries, services, financial companies, commerce, textiles, orange, soil, sugar cane and coffee production. Wealth is unequally distributed in the state, though. The richest municipalities are centered around Greater São Paulo (such as Campinas, Jundiai, Paulinia, Americana, Indaiatuba, São José dos Campos, Santos, etc.), as well as a few other more distant nuclei, such as around Ribeirão Preto. Some regions, such as Registro and the Bananal region, in the border with Rio de Janeiro, are very poor, some of them as poor as municipalities in the Northeast of Brazil.

Transportation

São Paulo is the state with the largest system of transportation in Latin America, comprised by roads, railways, fluvial lanes, airports, river and sea ports. The city of São Paulo also boasts of a metro and a suburban railway system. See: Highway system of São Paulo

Demographics

São Paulo has the most diverse population of Brazil. Strong immigration in the late XIX century and early XX century brought people from all over the world to the state. The main ethnic group in São Paulo are the Italians. There are about 15 million people of Italian descent living in the state, and it is by far the largest concentration of Italians outside Italy. São Paulo always had a large Portuguese population, since the XVI century, though most Portuguese arrived in the state in the early XX century. The Spanish population is also large, with some 7 million people of Spanish descent in the state. The Arab population, mainly Christians of Lebanese or Syrian descent are 5 million ones, and people of German descent are about 2 million ones. The Afro-Brazilian population of São Paulo grew up in the last decades, due to strong migration of poor people from Northeastern Brazil. The Asian are 10% of the population, most of them of Japanese descent. São Paulo has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan. Other Asian groups are Chinese and Koreans.

Government and politics

The governor is Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB), elected for the period 2003-2006. Like other parts of Brazil, São Paulo politics is controlled by the Workers' Party (PT) and the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB). Both parties have their origins in this state. Local politicians of note (with party affiliations) include: José Serra (PSDB), Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB), José Genoino (PT), José Anibal (PSDB), Antonio Palocci (PT), Eduardo Suplicy (PT), Aloísio Mercadante (PT), Marta Suplicy (PT), Romeu Tuma (Party of the Liberal Front), and Paulo Maluf (Progressive Party). Maluf is a controversial figure in São Paulo city politics, and is frequently accused of corruption. However, many voters still support him. The two last Brazilian presidents, Fernando Henrique Cardoso (PSDB) and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), live in São Paulo state. The first lives in São Paulo city, the second one in the nearby city of São Bernardo do Campo.

Governor


- Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB)

Federal senators


- Aloizio Mercadante - PT (Worker's Party)
- Eduardo Suplicy - PT (Worker's Party)
- Romeu Tuma - PFL (Party of the Liberal Front)

Main cities

Main article: List of cities in São Paulo, Brazil São Paulo, Guarulhos, Campinas, Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo, Santos, Osasco, São José dos Campos and Ribeirão Preto. Other cities include: Adamantina, Araraquara, Araçatuba, Barretos, Bauru, Embu, Franca, Guararapes, Jacareí, Jundiaí, Marília, Piracicaba, Presidente Prudente, São Carlos, São José do Rio Preto, Registro, Batatais and Sorocaba.

See also

External links


- [http://www.sp.gov.br Official homepage] (Portuguese)
- [http://www.al.sp.gov.br/ State Assembly (Assembléia Legislativa)] (Portuguese) Category:States of Brazil ja:サンパウロ州

2003

2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. It was designated the:
- International Year of Freshwater
- European Disability Year
- Blog Year See also Wikipedia's almanac of events for this year.

Events

January


- January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil.
- January 1 - Pascal Couchepin becomes President of the Confederation in Switzerland.
- January 8 - US Airways flight 5481 crashes at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina killing all 21 people aboard.
- January 15 - The United States Supreme Court hands down its decision in Eldred v. Ashcroft allowing the extension of copyright terms in the U.S.
- January 24 - The new United States Department of Homeland Security officially begins operation.
- January 25 - Central Line train crashes into the tunnel wall at Chancery Lane station in London, injuring 34 people.
- January 25 - An international group of volunteers left London and headed for Baghdad to act as voluntary human shields, hoping to avert a U.S. invasion.
- January 30 - Iraq disarmament crisis: The leaders of Britain, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Denmark, and the Czech Republic release a statement, the letter of the eight, demonstrating support for the United States' plans for an invasion of Iraq.

February

February
- February 1 - The Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates over Texas upon reentry, killing all seven astronauts onboard.
- February 1 - In Northern Ireland, The Protestant UDA Belfast leader John Gregg is killed by a loyalist faction.
- February 3 - The worldwide movie premiere of Shanghai Knights was held at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.
- February 5 - Iraq disarmament crisis: U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell addresses the UN Security Council on Iraq.
- February 9 - Cricket World Cup begins in South Africa.
- February 15 - Global protests against Iraq war - more than ten million people protest in over 600 cities worldwide, the largest war protest to take place before the war occurred.
- February 17 - Antwerp Diamond Center in Belgium opens its vaults after weekend and discovers that unknown burglars had stolen diamonds worth $100 million - largest diamond theft so far.
- February 26 - An American businessman is admitted to the Vietnam France Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. WHO doctor Carlo Urbani reports the unusual highly contagious disease to WHO. Both the businessman and Carlo Urbani die of SARS in March.

March


- March 1 - Iraq disarmament crisis: The United Arab Emirates calls for Iraqi president Saddam Hussein to step down to avoid war. The sentiment is later echoed by Bahrain and Kuwait
- March 1 - The Turkish parliment vetos the access of the U.S troops to airbases in Turkey in order to attack Iraq from the north. The Bush administration starts working on the B Plan, namely attacking Iraq from the south, through the Persian Gulf.
- March 1 - The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, the United States Customs Service, and the United States Secret Service moves to the United States Department of Homeland Security
- March 1 - Boxer Roy Jones Jr. beats John Ruiz to become WBA champion
- March 1 - War on Terrorism: Authorities in Pakistan capture Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the suspected mastermind of the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks along with money man Mustafa Ahmed al-Hawsawi.
- March 1 - Ohio celebrates its bicentennial statehood.
- March 5 - The Supreme Court of the United States by a 5-4 margin upholds California's "three strikes and you're out" law.
- March 11 - Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraqi fighters threaten two U.S. U-2 surveillance planes, flying missions for U.N. weapons inspectors, forcing them to abort their mission and return to base.
- March 12 - Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić assassinated in Belgrade
- March 12 - WHO issues a global alert on SARS.
- March 12 - Iraq disarmament crisis: British prime minister Tony Blair proposes an amendment to the possible 18th U.N. resolution, which would call for Iraq to meet certain benchmarks to prove that it was disarming. The amendment is immediately rejected by France, who promises to veto any new resolution.
- March 13 - Human evolution: The journal Nature reports that 350,000-year-old upright-walking human footprints had been found in Italy
- March 15 - Hu Jintao becomes president of the People's Republic of China, replacing Jiang Zemin.
- March 16 - Iraq disarmament crisis: The leaders of the United States, Britain, Portugal, and Spain meet at a summit in the Azores Islands. U.S. President Bush calls Monday, March 17th, the "moment of Truth", meaning that the "coalition of the willing" would make its final effort to extract a resolution from the U.N. Security Council that would give Iraq an ultimatum to disarm immediately or to be disarmed by force.
- March 17 - Iraq disarmament crisis: U.S. President George W. Bush gives an ultimatum: Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and his sons must either leave Iraq, or face military action at a time of the U.S.'s choosing
- March 19 - First American bombs dropped on Baghdad, Iraq. President Saddam Hussein and his sons do not comply with President Bush's 48 hour mandate demanding their exit from Iraq.
- March 20 - 2003 Iraq war: Land troops from United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invade Iraq.
- March 22 - The United States and the United Kingdom begin their shock and awe campaign with a massive air strike on military targets in Baghdad.
- March 23 - Cricket World Cup ends as Australia wins over India in Centurion, South Africa.
- March 29 - WHO doctor Carlo Urbani, who first identified SARS, dies of the disease.
- March 30 - The Undertaker defeated the Big Show and A-Train in a handicap match, boosting his Wrestlemania record to 11-0.

April

April.]]
- April 3 - Passenger bus hits remote-controlled land mine in the Chechen capital, killing at least 8.
- April 9 - U.S. forces seize control of Baghdad, apparently ending the regime of Saddam Hussein.
- April 14 - Human Genome Project successfully completed with 99% of the human genome sequenced to 99.99% accuracy.
- April 17 - The Stevens Report concludes that members of the RUC and British Army cooperated with the UDA in the killings of Catholics in Northern Ireland
- April 21 - Retired U.S. Army General Jay Garner becomes Interim Civil Administrator of Iraq.
- April 30 - The last American owned vehicle frame manufacturer, [http://web.archive.org/web/20010623093543/www.immsp.com/index.htm Midland Steel Products] goes [http://www.newsnet5.com/news/2166844/detail.html out of business] after almost 110 years in business, laying off almost 250 people.

May


- May 1 - George W. Bush landed on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, in a Lockheed S-3 Viking, where he gave a speech announcing end of major combat in the Iraq war.
- May 2 - Monkeyman superhero hoax begins in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK
- May 3 - Old Man of the Mountain, rock formation in New Hampshire, crumbles after heavy rain
- May 4-10 - A major severe weather outbreak spawned more tornadoes than any week in U.S. history. 393 tornadoes were reported in 19 states.
- May 11 - Benvenuto Cellini's Saliera is stolen from the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
- May 12 - Suicide truck-bomb attack kills at least 60 at a government compound in northern Chechnya.
- May 12 - In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 26 people are killed in the Riyadh Compound Bombings.
- May 14 - Female suicide bomber blows up explosives strapped to her waist in crowd of thousands of Muslim pilgrims, killing at least 18 people in Chechnya.
- May 16 - In Casablanca, Morocco, 33 civilians are killed and more than 100 people are injured in the Casablanca terrorist attacks.
- May 19 - Pen Hadow becomes the first man to walk alone, without any outside help, from Canada to the North Pole
- May 23 - The birth of Dewey, the first cloned deer by scientists at Texas A&M University
- May 26 - A draft of the proposed European constitution is unveiled.
- May 28 - The birth of Prometea, the first cloned horse by Italian scientists.
- May 31 - Eric Rudolph, the suspected person to have carried out the Centennial Olympic Park bombing is captured in North Carolina behind a Save-A-Lot store.

June


- June 1 - The People's Republic of China begins filling the reservoir behind the massive Three Gorges Dam, raising the water level near the dam over 100 metres.
- June 4 - Martha Stewart and her broker are indicted for using privileged investment information and then obstructing a federal investigation. Stewart also resigned as chairperson and chief executive officer of Martha Stewart Living.
- June 5 - Female suicide bomber detonates bomb near a bus carrying soldiers and civilians to a military airfield in Mozdok, a major staging point for Russian troops in Chechnya, killing at least 16 people.
- June 15 - 2003 NBA Finals end. The San Antonio Spurs defeat the New Jersey Nets, 4 games to 2.
- June 22 - The largest hailstone ever recorded falls in Aurora, Nebraska, USA.
- June 23 - U.S. Supreme Court upholds affirmative action in university admissions in Grutter v. Bollinger
- June 26 - U.S. Supreme Court rules sodomy laws unconstitutional in Lawrence v. Texas

July


- July 1 - 500,000 Hong Kong people march to protest Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23, which redefined treason controversially.
- July 2 - International Olympic Committee session in Prague. Vancouver ,Canada is declared the Host City for the XXI Olympic Winter Games in 2010.
- July 5 - SARS is declared to be contained by WHO.
- July 5 - Double suicide bombing at a Moscow rock concert kills the female attackers and 15 other people.
- July 6 - Residents of Corsica reject a referendum for increased autonomy for the region from France by a very narrow margin.
- July 7 - Canon Jeffrey John, first would-be gay bishop in the Church of England, withdraws his acceptance of the post of The Bishop of Reading after discussions with the church leaders
- July 10 - Russian security agent dies in Moscow while trying to defuse a bomb a woman had tried to carry into a cafe on central Moscow's main street.
- July 14 - U.S. columnist Robert Novak publishes the name of Valerie Plame, blowing her cover as a CIA operative. CIA leak scandal begins.
- July 18 - Convention on the Future of Europe finishes its work and proposes the first European constitution
- July 18 - The body of Dr. David Kelly, a scientist at the Ministry of Defence, is found a few miles from his home, leading to the Hutton inquiry
- July 23 - Operation Warrior Sweep is the first major military deployment of the Afghan National Army
- July 24 - The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands, Operation Helpem Fren, led by Australia, begins in the Solomon Islands
- July 30 - The last old-style Volkswagen Beetle rolls off its production line in Puebla, Puebla, Mexico.

August


- August 1 - Suicide bomber rams truck filled with explosives into a military hospital near Chechnya, killing 50 people, including Russian troops wounded in Chechnya.
- August 2 - The United Nations authorizes an international peacekeeping force for Liberia.
- August 10 - The highest temperature ever recorded in the UK - 38.1°C (100.6°F) at Gravesend in Kent and Kew Botanic Gardens, London. It is the first time the UK has recorded a temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
- August 11 - NATO takes over command of the peacekeeping force in Afghanistan, marking its first major operation outside Europe in its 54-year-history.
- August 11 - Jemaah Islamiah leader Riduan Isamuddin, better known as Hambali, is arrested in Bangkok, Thailand.
- August 14 - Widespread power outage affects northeast United States and Canada.
- August 14 - 6.4 Richter scale earthquake near the Greek Ionian island of Lefkada - 24 injured
- August 22 - 21 killed at the Brazilian rocket complex in Alcântara due to a premature ignition of a solid rocket booster.
- August 25 - 52 killed in two bomb blasts in Mumbai, India.
- August 27 - Perigee of Mars

September


- September 5 - Roller coaster accident at Disneyland injures 10 and kills one.
- September 10 - Swedish foreign minister Anna Lindh is stabbed in a Stockholm department store and dies the next day.
- September 14 - Sweden rejects adopting the Euro in a referendum. (Results.)
- September 14 - Estonia approves joining the European Union in a referendum.
- September 15 - ELN kidnaps 8 foreign tourists in the Ciudad Perdida - they demand a human rights investigation and release last of the hostages three months later
- September 16 - Two suicide bombers drive a truck laden with explosives into a government security services building near Chechnya, killing three people and injuring 25.
- September 27 - Smart 1 is launched.
- September 27 - The Uniterran Church was founded in Victor, NY
- September 28 - a power failure affected all of Italy except Sardinia, cutting service to more than 56 million people.
- September 29 - Hurricane Juan makes landfall at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada as a category 2 storm. Two were killed directly and 5 indirectly.

October

October
- October 7 - 2003 California recall: Voters recall Governor Gray Davis from office and elect Arnold Schwarzenegger to succeed him.
- October 10 - Facing an investigation surrounding allegations of illegal drug use, American Right Wing radio host Rush Limbaugh publically admits that he is addicted to prescription pain killers and will seek treatment.
- October 14 - The Florida Marlins defeat the Chicago Cubs in Game 6 of Major League Baseball's National League Championship Series; the game is remembered for Cubs fan Steve Bartman interfering with a foul ball which could have helped Chicago win the game and the series.
- October 15 - China launches Shenzhou 5, their first manned space mission.
- October 16 - The Boston Red Sox lose to their hated rivals, the New York Yankees in Game 7 of Major League Baseball's American League Championship Series, blowing a three-run, eighth-inning lead.
- October 23 - Luis A. Ferre, the third Democratically Elected Governor of Puerto Rico, dies at age 99.
- October 24 - Concorde makes its last commercial flight, bringing the era of airliner supersonic travel to a close, at least for the time being.
- October 25 - The Florida Marlins defeat the New York Yankees 4 games to 2 to win the 2003 World Series, behind a complete-game shutout by ace pitcher, Josh Beckett.
- October 25 - Cedar Fire begins in San Diego County burning 280,000 acres (1,100 km²), 2,232 homes and killing 14
- October 31 - Mahathir Mohamad resigns as Prime Minister of Malaysia after 22 years in power.

November


- November 5 - Gary Ridgway, The "Green River Killer", confesses murders of 48 women
- November 9 - Lunar eclipse (the Americas, Europe, Africa, Central Asia)
- November 12 - Occupation of Iraq: In Nasiriya, Iraq, at least 23 people, among them the first Italian casualties of the 2003 Iraq war are killed in a suicide bomb attack on an Italian police base.
- November 15 - Two car bombs explode simultaneously in Istanbul, Turkey targeting two synagogues, killing at least 25 people and wounding more than 300; Al-Qaida claims responsibility.
- November 18 - US President George W. Bush makes a state visit to London in the midst of massive protests.
- November 18 - Goodridge v. Department of Public Health rules anti-same-sex marriage laws unconstitutional in Massachusetts
- November 20 - Several bombs explode in Istanbul, Turkey destroying the Turkish head office of HSBC Holdings and the British consulate.
- November 20 - Michael Jackson is arrested by police on charges of child molestation, a charge that can carry an 8 year jail term.
- November 22 - England wins the Rugby Union World Cup defeating Australia 20-17 after extra time.
- November 23 - Georgian Rose Revolution ends with overwhelming victory - president Eduard Shevardnadze resigns following weeks of mass protests over fraudulent elections.
- November 23 - Total solar eclipse (Antarctica)
- November 24 - The High Court in Glasgow imposes a minimum sentence of 27 years for Al Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, the Libyan convicted of bombing Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

December

December
- December 1 - The use of hand-held mobile phones while driving is made illegal in the United Kingdom.
- December 1 - Boeing chairman and CEO Phil Condit resigns unexpectedly. He is replaced by Lewis Platt as non-executive chairman and Harry Stonecipher as president and CEO.
- December 5 - Suicide bombing on commuter train in southern Russia kills 44 people. President Vladimir Putin condemns attack as bid to destabilize the country two days before parliamentary elections.
- December 7 - Parliamentary election in Russia.
- December 9 - Female suicide bomber blows herself up outside Moscow's National Hotel, across from the Kremlin and Red Square, killing five bystanders.
- December 12 - Paul Martin becomes the 21st Prime Minister of Canada
- December 12 - Olympic Airlines, Greece's new flag carrier is launched.
- December 13 - Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq, is captured in Tikrit by the U.S. 4th Infantry Division.
- December 16 - The United Kingdom announces plans to build a new runway at Stansted Airport in Essex and a short-haul runway at Heathrow Airport sparking anger from environmental groups.
- December 17 - The film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King released, effectively completing the Lord of the Rings Trilogy directed by Peter Jackson.
- December 18 - The Soham Murder Trial ends at the Old Bailey in London with Ian Huntley found guilty of two counts of murder. His girlfriend, Maxine Carr is found guilty of perverting the course of justice.
- December 20 - Libya admits that it was building a nuclear bomb.
- December 22 - An earthquake shakes up California, killing two people.
- December 22 - Parmalat is first accused of falsifying accounts to the tune of USD $5 billion, later admitted by founder Calisto Tanzi; observers call it "Europe's Enron".
- December 24 - A BSE outbreak in Washington State is announced. Several countries including Brazil, Australia and Taiwan place a ban on the import of beef from the United States of America.
- December 24 - At the request of the US Embassy in Paris, the French Government orders Air France to cancel several flights between France and the US in response to terrorist concerns.
- December 24 - The Spanish police thwarts an attempt by ETA to detonate 50 kg of explosives at 3:55 PM on Christmas Eve inside Madrid's busy Chamartín Station.
- December 25 - Queen Elizabeth II broadcasts a Christmas message to the British Commonwealth paying tribute to British troops in Iraq. Pope John Paul II's Christmas message calls for peace in the Middle East.
- December 25 - Beagle 2 is scheduled to land on Mars, but nothing is heard from the lander.
- December 25 - The President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, escapes the second assassination attempt in two weeks.
- December 26 - A massive earthquake devastates southeastern Iran. Over 40,000 people are reported to have been killed in the city of Bam.
- December 31 - The world's largest Hogmanay party in the Scottish capital Edinburgh is cancelled twenty minutes before midnight due to bad weather.

Births


- April 29 - Maud Angelica Behn, daughter of Ari Behn and Princess Märtha Louise of Norway
- August 24 - Alexandre Coste, son of Albert II, Prince of Monaco
- November 8 - Lady Louise Windsor, daughter of Earl and Countess of Wessex
- December 7 - Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, daughter of Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands

Deaths

For more deaths, see: Deaths in 2003

January


- January 3 - Sid Gillman, American football coach (b. 1911)
- January 4 - Conrad Hall, Tahitian-born cinematographer (b. 1926)
- January 4 - Yfrah Neaman, Lebanese-born violinist (b. 1923)
- January 8 - Ron Goodwin, English composer and conductor (b. 1925)
- January 11 - Maurice Pialat, French actor and director (b. 1925)
- January 11 - Richard Simmons, American actor (b. 1913)
- January 12 - Leopoldo Galtieri, Argentine dictator (b. 1926)
- January 12 - Maurice Gibb, Australian musician (Bee Gees) (b. 1949)
- January 15 - Doris Fisher, American singer and songwriter (b. 1915)
- January 17 - Richard Crenna, American actor (b. 1926)
- January 20 - Al Hirschfeld, American cartoonist (b. 1903)
- January 23 - Nell Carter, American singer and actress (b. 1948)
- January 24 - Gianni Agnelli, Italian auto executive (b. 1921)
- January 26 - Valeriy Brumel, Russian athlete (b. 1942)
- January 26 - Hugh Trevor-Roper, Baron Dacre of Glanton, English historian (b. 1917)
- January 29 - Frank Moss, U.S. Senator from Utah (b. 1911)

February


- February 1 - Crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia
  - Michael P. Anderson (b. 1959)
  - David M. Brown (b. 1956)
  - Kalpana Chawla (b. 1961)
  - Laurel Clark (b. 1961)
  - Rick Husband (b. 1957)
  - William McCool (b. 1961)
  - Ilan Ramon (b. 1954)
- February 2 - Lou Harrison, American composer (b. 1917)
- February 10 - Edgar de Evia, American photographer (b. 1910)
- February 10 - Ron Ziegler, Richard Nixon's White House Press Secretary (b. 1939)
- February 19 - Johnny PayCheck, American singer (b. 1938)
- February 20 - Maurice Blanchot, French philosopher and writer (b. 1907)
- February 20 - Orville Freeman, American politician (b. 1918)
- February 27 - Fred Rogers, American television host (b. 1928)
- February 28 - Fidel Sánchez Hernández, President of El Salvador (heart attack) (b. 1917)

March


- March 2 - Hank Ballard, American musician (b. 1927)
- March 9 - Bernard Dowiyogo, President of Nauru (diabetes) (b. 1946)
- March 12 - Zoran Đinđić, Prime Minister of Serbia (assassinated) (b. 1952)
- March 12 - Lynne Thigpen, American actress (b.1948)
- March 26 - Daniel Patrick Moynihan, U.S. Senator from New York (b. 1926)
- March 29 - Carlo Urbani, Italian physician (SARS) (b. 1956)

April


- April 1 - Leslie Cheung, Hong Kong singer and actor (b.1961)
- April 7 - Cecile de Brunhoff, French storyteller (b. 1903)
- April 11 - Cecil Howard Green, British-born geophysicist and businessman (b. 1900)
- April 17 - Robert Atkins, American nutritionist (b. 1930)
- April 17 - Paul Getty, American-born philanthropist (b. 1932)
- April 17 - Earl King, American musician (b. 1934)
- April 20 - Ruth Hale, American playwright and actress (b. 1908)
- April 20 - Bernard Katz, German-born biophysicist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1911)
- April 21 - Nina Simone, American singer (b. 1933)
- April 23 - Fernand Fonssagrives, French photographer (b. 1910)
- April 26 - Peter Stone, American writer (b. 1930)
- April 30 - Wim van Est, Dutch cyclist (b. 1923)

May


- May 3 - Suzy Parker, American actress (b. 1932)
- May 9 - Russell B. Long, U.S. Senator from Louisiana (b. 1933)
- May 12 - Sadruddhin Aga Khan, French UN High Commissioner for Refugees (b. 1933)
- May 14 - Wendy Hiller, English actress (b. 1912)
- May 14 - Robert Stack, American actor (b. 1919)
- May 15 - June Carter Cash, American singer (b. 1929)
- May 15 - Rik Van Steenbergen, Belgian cyclist (b. 1924)
- May 26 - Kathleen Winsor, American writer (b. 1919)
- May 27 - Luciano Berio, Italian composer (b. 1925)
- May 28 - Ilya Prigogine, Russian-born physicist and chemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (b. 1917)
- May 28 - Martha Scott, American actress (b. 1912)

June


- June 2 - Burke Marshall, American lawyer and politician (b. 1922)
- June 10 - Donald Regan, U.S. Treasury Secretary (b. 1918)
- June 10 - Bernard Williams, English philosopher (b. 1929)
- June 11 - David Brinkley, American television reporter (b. 1920)
- June 12 - Gregory Peck, American actor (b. 1916)
- June 15 - Hume Cronyn, Canadian act

São Paulo

:For other meanings, see São Paulo (disambiguation). São Paulo (Portuguese for Saint Paul) is the capital of the state of São Paulo in south eastern Brazil. It is located at , 400 km (250 miles) from Rio de Janeiro, and 1030 km (640 miles) from federal capital Brasília. Brasília The city has an area of 1,575 square kilometres (575 sq miles) and a population of approximately 10 million (according to CityMayors, 2005), which makes it the largest city in Brazil and South America and the [http://www.citymayors.com/features/largest_cities1.html second largest in the world.] About 18 million people live in the São Paulo metropolitan area — defined by Brazilian norms, which is currently ranked as the fourth-largest in the world and by far the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. If using international norms for metropolitan area, and adjoining metropolitan regions Campinas and Baixada Santista are included, the population encompasses some 24 million, without even including major satellite cities like Sorocaba and São José dos Campos.

Highlights

São José dos Campos São Paulo is a major business centre. The city has a multicultural metropolitan area, which some have compared to New York City, with heavy Italian, Portuguese, German, Arabian and Japanese influences. São Paulo is known for its varied and sophisticated cuisine, ranging from Chinese to French, from fast food chains to five star restaurants. Its night life is animated by thousands of bars, pubs, lounges and discos that cater for a variety of music tastes and are often open all night. São Paulo is home to University of São Paulo, to two major art museums (MASP and Pinacoteca do Estado), a major symphonic orchestra (OSESP), and a Formula One Grand Prix racing circuit (Interlagos). There are two major airports in the São Paulo metropolitan area: Guarulhos (GRU, for domestic and international flights) and Congonhas (CGH, for domestic flights).

History

CGH The city was founded on January 25, 1554, by Portuguese Jesuit missionaries José de Anchieta and Manoel da Nóbrega, who established a mission — the Colégio de São Paulo de Piratininga — to convert the Tupi-Guarani Native Brazilians to Catholic religion. Located just beyond the Serra do Mar cliffs overlooking the port city of Santos, and close to River Tietê, the new settlement became the natural entrance to the vast and fertile plateau that would eventually become the State of São Paulo. First named São Paulo de Piratininga, São Paulo became officially a city in 1711. It experienced a boom during the coffee cycle, starting in the late 19th century — chiefly because of its privileged position next to the port of Santos, through which most of the country's exports were shipped. After 1881, waves of immigrants from Italy, Japan and many other countries arrived in São Paulo, at first to work at the enormous coffee plantations established in the State. In the 20th century, with the increasing industrial development of the country, many of them moved to São Paulo, which also attracted new contingents of immigrants. Another important historical landmark is the Universidade de São Paulo's Law School, also known as Largo São Francisco, claimed to be (though it is not true) the first academic institution in Brazil. First installed into a monastery, it was [http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/cotidian/ff2206200511.htm founded] on 1 March 1828, right after the beginning of the Brazilian Empire, following the increasing need for lawyers and politicians. As rich Brazilians used to go to Lisbon to take undergraduate Law courses, the Brazilian Emperor, Dom Pedro I, decided that it was time to create a national law school. It attracted students from all over the country, who gave São Paulo a bohemian lifestyle.

Economics

Dom Pedro I São Paulo is the financial and industrial centre of Brazil. The city is said to have more German companies than any other single city outside Germany. São Paulo's stock exchange is the Bovespa, while its futures exchange is BM&F. Its financial districts are located on the surroundings of Avenida Paulista and in the Centro Velho (Old Centre). Other important business districts are located near Avenida Berrini, Itaim Bibi, Vila Olímpia and Chácara Santo Antônio neighbourhoods. There are a number of highly specialised regions, like Bom Retiro and Brás (wholesale garment districts), Consolação (lighting equipment), Rua Santa Ifigênia (electrical and electronic parts), Rua Teodoro Sampaio (furniture and musical equipment), the posh Rua Oscar Freire (designer and label stores) and the crowded Rua Vinte e Cinco de Março. São Paulo is also home to a large number of advertising and broadcasting companies. As in many other large cities in developing countries, about 18% of São Paulo's population live below the poverty line. The city has several extensive shantytowns (favelas and cortiços).

Politics

cortiços Because of its economic and demographic weight, São Paulo has always played a pivotal role in Brazilian politics. With a constituency larger than that of many Brazilian states, the mayor's office is viewed by politicians as a springboard for state and national-level offices. São Paulo's current mayor is José Serra of the Party of the Brazilian Social Democracy (PSDB). His mandate expires on December 31, 2008. São Paulo's latest mayors were: See also: List of Mayors of São Paulo

Metropolitan Region

São Paulo has an officially defined metropolitan region, with 39 municipalities, for a list see [http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande_São_Paulo] List of Mayors of São Paulo and São Vicente (below).]]

Boroughs

São Paulo is divided into 31 boroughs, whose names are: Each borough is divided into several districts (in most cases, two or three). The borough with the greatest number of districts is the borough of Sé, in the historical downtown, with eight districts (Sé, República, Consolação, Santa Cecília, Bom Retiro, Bela Vista, Liberdade and Cambuci). In second place are the boroughs of Lapa, with six districts (Lapa, Perdizes, Barra Funda, Vila Leopoldina, Jaguara and Jaguaré) and Mooca, also with six districts (Mooca, Tatuapé, Belém, Pari, Brás and Água Rasa). The peripherical boroughs of Jabaquara and Ermelino Matarazzo have only one district.

Culture

São Vicente

Videobrasil

Festival for Electronic Art Every two years, the Festival brings groundbreaking work by cream-of-the-crop artists from all over the world to São Paulo. In keeping with the constant transformations in media and support, the curatorship has added installations, performances, VJs, CD-ROM art, and internet art to the programme. The Festival includes a competitive exhibition of so-called southern circuit and an extensive parallel programme. Art shows, debates and meetings introduce new ideas and art work, setting new guidelines for contemporary art in Brazil. Exhibitions featuring work by prominent electronic artists are also part of the Festival. Brazilian pioneers such as Rafael França and Olhar Eletrônico, and international guests such as Nam June Paik, Bill Viola and Gary Hill, have featured in the event’s past editions. Each edition has a theme of its own. http://www.videobrasil.org.br

Bienal de São Paulo

The Bienal is a cultural event hosted every two years. Close to 1 million people visited the 26th Bienal in 2004. Its theme was chosen to enable a wide range of artistic positions to feel comfortable. The concept of "Free Territory" involved various dimensions: it had a physical-geographical, a socio-political as well as an aesthetic dimension – the latter, of course, being of greatest interest in the context of this exhibition. In order to emphasise the thematic unity of the overall exhibition, the invited artists and those representing the countries are mixed together on the 25,000 square metres of the spacious Oscar Niemeyer Pavilion. Despite the complexity of individual voices, the end result was intended to be a unity. In addition to an intensification of the North-South dialogue inside Brazil, the Bienal's aims include the promoting of links between non-European cultures along a South-South orientation.

São Paulo Fashion Week

It seems that Brazil has finally entered the world of fashion with the increasing reputation of famous Brazilian top models such as Adriana Lima, Gisele Bündchen, Fernanda Tavares, Ana Beatriz Barros and Ana Hickmann, and the "discovery" of some fresh talents such as Alexandre Herchcovitch by some international fashion magazines. As a consequence of this, São Paulo Fashion Week is the place to see and to be seen in Brazilian fashion scene, always attracting a number of international fashion editors and models. Nowadays, São Paulo Fashion Week is one of the most relevant fashion events in Brazil. It takes place twice a year at the building of Bienal de São Paulo.

São Paulo Gay Parade

Also a major event in the city, the São Paulo Gay Parade has brought to Avenida Paulista about 2 million people in 2005, according to official statistics. It is usually opened by the city's mayor. A huge carnival goes all the way through the centre of the city.

São Silvestre Race

The São Silvestre Race takes place every New Year's Eve (31 December). It was first held in 1925, when the competitors ran about 8,000 metres around the streets. Since then, the distance raced has varied, and it is now fixed at 15km. Registration takes place from 1 October, with the maximum number of entrants limited to 15,000.

March for Jesus

The March for Jesus is a major event in the city on Avenida Paulista at Easter, drawing about 1.5 million people in 2005. This event brings together members of the many and growing Evangelical churches in the region. http://www.estadao.com.br/cidades/noticias/2005/mai/26/49.htm (?)

Transportation

March for Jesus The city is crossed by many of the most important motorways in the country, such as the BR-116, SP-270, SP-280, Rodovia Anhanguera, Rodovia dos Bandeirantes, Rodovia Anchieta, Rodovia Castelo Branco and Rodovia dos Imigrantes. Some railways also cross the city. They are, however, very old and were constructed intending not to transport people, but to transport coffee to the Santos seaport. São Paulo has three airports. Congonhas Domestic Airport operates domestic and regional flights, mainly to Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and Brasília. Campo de Marte handles some private and small aeroplanes. Guarulhos International Airport, located 25 km north east from the city centre in the neighbouring city of Guarulhos, operates domestic and international flights to the city. The city has approximately 60 km of underground railway systems (the São Paulo Metro, locally known as the Metrô), complemented by another 270 km of CPTM (Companhia de Trens Metropolitanos, or "Company of Metropolitan Trains") railways. Both CPTM and the underground railway lines carry some 3.5 million people on an average weekday, and a few new underground lines to be constructed are expected to add another million people to the system within the next five years. The bulk of the public transportation (public and private companies) is composed by more than 10,000 buses. Also, there is a strong presence of informal transportation (dab vans). São Paulo grew quickly from the 1940s to the 1980s and many roads and buildings were constructed without major planning. As a result, heavy traffic is common in the main avenues of the city, and traffic jams are relatively common in its larger highways (mainly during floods). The main means of commuting into the city is by car and by bus. traffic jam São Paulo has the highest per capita helicopter ownership in the developing world and now rivals Tokyo and New York as the world's leading helicopter user. The owners are an elite wealthy class who take advantage of around one hundred helipads and heliports to conveniently avoid heavy traffic and to rise above contact with the more dangerous aspects of urban life. Some private individuals purchase their own helicopters; others buy shares in them to use in conjunction with neighbours.

Ethnic diversity

helicopter São Paulo has significant ethnic diversity, comparable to other major cities:
- 7,500,000 people are direct or indirect descendants of Italians. There is a building named Edifício Itália (Italy Building), in honour of the Italians. It was once the tallest building of the city (165m).
- 2,300,000 people are direct or indirect descendants of Portuguese.
- 1,500,000 people have direct or indirect African heritage.
- 1,000,000 people are direct or indirect descendants of Germans.
- 850,000 people are direct or indirect descendants of Lebanese — by far the largest number of Lebanese outside Lebanon. Most are Christian (Roman Catholic).
- 800,000 people are direct or indirect descendants of Japanese. São Paulo has the largest number of Japanese outside Japan.
- Note that many "paulistanos" have mixed ethnic origins; the numbers above may count individual people in multiple groups. Other considerable groups are:
- Chinese
- Jewish
- Korean
- Armenian
- Bolivian
- Lithuanian
- Spanish
- Syrian

Current critical problems

Since the beginning of the 20th century, São Paulo has been the major economic city of Brazil. With the advent of the two World Wars and the Great Depression, exports of coffee to the US and Europe were critically affected, which led the rich coffee farmers to invest in industrialisation in the city. This fact attracted many people from other regions of the country, especially from the north east. From a population of merely 32,000 inhabitants in 1880 São Paulo increased its population to approximately 250,000 in 1900, 1,800,000 in 1940, 4,750,000 in 1960 and 8,500,000 in 1980. The effects of this population boom in the city are:
- São Paulo grew quickly and in a very disorganised manner. With no proper organisation the city grew without leaving much space for main roads and parks. Major traffic jams are relatively common on many roads of the city.
- Migrants, especially from the north eastern region of the country, often move to São Paulo with hopes of a better life, but, more often than not, are unable to find work in the city's saturated labour market and end up living in impoverished conditions or returning to the regions from which they originally came.
- Approximately 1,500,000 people live in favelas in São Paulo and surrounding areas.
- The crime rate is high. Kidnappings and robbery are considered relatively common in the city.
- Floods are common in São Paulo as a consequence of the lack of undeveloped green spaces and the relative impermeability of the ground. Rain water cannot be properly drained and water accumulates quickly, causing floods in particular areas of the city.
- Air pollution is high. The two major rivers crossing the city, the Rio Tietê and the Rio Pinheiros, are severely polluted, although these rivers are currently being cleaned up.
- Although there are several parks across the city, the per capita green area of São Paulo is very small. This fact, associated with high crime rates, has led to many Paulistanos choosing to live in gated complexes of flats. Condominiums, with security cameras and guards, and homes and apartments, with barred windows, are common throughout the city.

Major holidays


- January 1 – New Year
- January 25 – São Paulo's Anniversary — city holiday
- Between February and March – Carnival (Brazilian national holiday, it happens on the Friday to Tuesday preceding Lent. The holiday ends at noon on Ash Wednesday)
- At the beginning of April – Easter
- April 21 – Tiradentes
- May 1 – Labour Day
- Second Sunday in May – Mothering Sunday
- Mid June – Corpus Christi
- July 9 – Constitutional Revolution of 1932 (a state holiday in São Paulo State)
- Second Sunday in August – Fathers' Day
- September 7 – Brazil Independence Day
- October 12 – Our Lady's Day/Children's Day
- November 2 – All Souls' Day
- November 15 – Republic Day
- December 25 – Christmas

See also


- Conservatório Dramático Musical de São Paulo

External links


- [http://www.apontador.com.br Apontador – São Paulo Street Map]
- [http://urbanrail.fotopic.net/c318757.html Photo gallery of São Paulo's rail systems]
- [http://www.citymayors.com/politics/brazil_04elections.html São Paulo mayoral race 2004 pages]
- [http://www.prefeitura.sp.gov.br São Paulo City Hall Website] (in Portuguese)
- [http://anhembi.terra.com.br/turismo/eng/default.asp São Paulo Official Tourism Site]
- [http://www.saopaulo.sp.gov.br/ingles/saopaulo/index.htm São Paulo Official Home Page]
- [http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A42332-2002May31 Brazil's Elites Fly Above Their Fears] Washington Post article dated June 1, 2002.
- [http://www.renatojanine.pro.br/LEstrangeira/rich.html Rich Brazilians Rise Above Rush-Hour Jams]

Photographs


- [http://www.brazilskyscrapers.hpg.com.br Brazil Skyscrapers] – Many Photos of São Paulo and its skyscrapers
- [http://members.aol.com/pochetti5/sampa-brazil.html A very complete photo album]
- [http://anhembi.terra.com.br/turismo/eng/ Virtual postcards] (requires to locate and click on the option entitled "postcards")
- [http://www.arrakeen.ch/saopaulo/saopaulomay2001.html skyscrapers] Category:Cities in São Paulo Category:São Paulo state ja:サンパウロ市 simple:São Paulo (city)

Po

The Po (Latin: Padus) flows 652 kilometers eastward across northern Italy, from Mount Monviso (in the Cottian Alps) to the Adriatic Sea near Venice. It has a drainage area of 71,000 square kilometers and is the longest river in Italy. It goes through many important Italian towns, including Turin and (indirectly) Milan (Milano), in Lombardia. It is connected to Milan through a net of channels called navigli, that Leonardo da Vinci helped design. Near the end of its course, it creates a wide delta (with hundreds of small channels and five main ones, called Po di Maestra, Po della Pila, Po delle Tolle, Po di Gnocca and Po di Goro) at the southern part of which is Comacchio, an area famous for eels. The Po valley corresponds to historical Cisalpine Gaul, divided in Cispadane Gaul (South of the Po) and Transpadane Gaul (North of the Po). The vast valley around the Po is called Pianura Padana and is so efficiently connected by the river that the whole valley became the main industrial area of the country. This river is subject to the authority of a special authority, the Magistrato delle Acque. In 2005, water from the Po was found to contain "staggering" amounts of benzoylecgonine, which is excreted by cocaine users in urine. Based on these figures, cocaine consumption was estimated to be about 4 kg daily, or 27 doses per day per thousand young adults in areas that feed into the river--a number nearly three times higher than previous estimates.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4746787.stm] Tributaries include (R form the right side, L form the left):
- Pellice (L)
- Varaita (R)
- Maira (R)
- Dora Riparia (L)
- Stura di Lanzo (L)
- Orco (L)
- Dora Baltea (L)
- Sesia (L)
- Tanaro (R)
- Scrivia (R)
- Agogna (L)
- Ticino (L)
- Lambro (L)
- Trebbia (R)
- Nure (R)
- Adda (L)
- Arda (R)
- Taro (R)
- Parma (R)
- Enza (R)
- Oglio (L)
- Mincio (L)
- Secchia (R)
- Panaro (R) Category:Rivers of Italy

Link

[http://digilander.libero.it/fotogian/po.html Photos of Po] ja:ポー川 ko:포 강

MAU

The acronym MAU can stand for:
- A Medium Attachment Unit in an Ethernet network
- A Media Access Unit in a Token Ring network

Category:São Paulo state

São Paulo is a state in Brazil. Its population as of 2003 is approximately 38 million. São Paulo is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Category:States of Brazil

Star trek ccg

The Star Trek Customizable Card Game is, as the name implies, a collectible card game based on the Star Trek universe. The name is commonly abbreviated as STCCG. It was first introduced in 1994 by Decipher, Inc., under the name Star Trek: The Next Generation Customizable Card Game. The game now has two distinct editions, though both forms of the game have many common elements.

Standard elements

The central goal for a player of STCCG is to obtain (usually) 100 points, primarily by completing missions or "objectives". This is done by bringing personnel, ships and equipment into play, then moving an attempting team to a mission. Once a mission attempt starts, the personnel will create away teams to encounter dilemmas which will challenge them in some way; often if the personnel have the required skills or attributes they can overcome certain dilemmas' effects. Once the required dilemmas are passed, the personnel still active in the attempt (not "stopped") must have the skills and/or attribute totals required by the mission to solve it. If the mission is solved, the player earns the printed points. Other aspects of the game increase player interactions: ships and personnel can battle, or otherwise affect each other; cards like events and interrupts can alter the environment for one or more players; and points can be scored using methods other than mission solving. One of the most attractive themes of the game is the differences between affiliations. These are groupings of ships and personnel based on the major interstellar powers of the Star Trek universe, and most decks will be based around one, or perhaps two, of these groups (though first edition in particular allows the use of many).

First Edition

What is now known as First Edition among players is the original conception of the game, through various designers and iterations. As mentioned above, it was first licensed only to cover Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the first three card sets were limited to that show's universe. As such, the only affiliations created were the Federation, Klingons, and Romulans, plus a placeholder for other groups called Non-Aligned. This narrow scope caused little attraction for players, and it was felt that only five more sets could be released before running the full course of available material. In 1997, Decipher announced that a wider scope had now been licensed for the game: DS9, Voyager and the TNG movies would be soon providing cards, thus the game's name was shortened to the existing title. The First Contact set arrived late that year, based on the eponymous film; that set introduced the Borg affiliation, among other new concepts. This was soon followed by several sets based on situations in DS9; these introduced affiliations for the Bajorans, Cardassians, Dominion, and Ferengi, along with enhanced systems for battling and capturing. The era of these expansions is considered by many players to be the 'golden age' of First Edition. Two more sets featuring Original Series cards came next (when that property was added to the license), followed by sets drawing heavily on Voyager which introduced new, but smaller, affiliations. It was after this that the game began a serious decline in popularity and sales. The last two sets, based on the films and on holodeck scenarios, did not sell very well at all; this led Decipher to take a serious look at the game's future.

First Edition's problems

Some of Decipher's big concerns included the complexity and bloat that the game had built over seven years; there was no balanced 'cost' system for cards, causing stopgap and complex systems to be added to the game over time. As well, the game had embraced many different and not fully compatible ideas over time; this made for long, corrective rules documents and a steep learning curve for beginners. Not only that, the number of cards types went from nine, to over 17 in just a couple years, which made the game that much more difficult. Clearly, the future of the game was in doubt.

Initial ideas

At first, the game designers sought to introduce an entire new game based on Trek; it would be simpler and be targeted to beginners, while the original game still produced expansions, but on a slower schedule. This concept was abandoned when the sales figures showed that the original game could not continue on its own merits.

Fan Sites

Numerous fan sites existed, the majority of which contained tournament reports and strategy articles for the first edition of the game. The most popular of these was named WNOHGB (magazine) and featured the popular Ruling Britannia series of articles. There are also some sites, which developed interactive tools like card search or trade engines - one good example is [http://www.decipher-games.info/startrek Decipher-Games (aka ST-CCG.info)]

Second Edition

The solution was to reinvent the original game along the basic lines, still allowing 'complex' gameplay but avoiding complex rules and concepts. The standard card types and gameplay would remain, allowing some cards to still be used with the original cards (these are known as backward-compatible). However, many cards central to the new form of the game would only work with the new rules and setup. Thus, Second Edition was launched in 2002. As the game was essentially starting from scratch, but with the hindsight of seven years' work, the first 2E set was able to cover a lot of ground. As a result, five affiliations debuted in that set (compared to three for the original), though it could be counted as six through a unique new system of dividing the Federation affiliation into groupings based on the shows' casts. The focus of the 2E sets has been on characters and situations in TNG and DS9, though 'supporting' cards have images and concepts drawn from every part of the canon Star Trek universe. The game is now doing well, and many older players have embraced the new approach.

Set history

(Reference: Numbers 1 to 20 for full-size card sets and 51+ for products that added less than 50 new cards.)

First Edition

Premiere

F01: 363 cards basic set. Introduced the game as such. Was plagued by a lack of good Dilemma cards that could be used for any mission and a slow play mechanism. This led to extremely limited play styles. Only the Federation was truly competitive. Card types were: Personnel, Ship, Outpost, Event, Interrupt, Equipment, Artifact, Dilemma, Mission. Most (in)famous card: HorgaH'n (lets you take double turns after having solved a mission)

Warp Pack

F51: To compensate for the problem that Starter Decks of the game were often unplayable, this product was given away free. It was a 12 card pack with mostly missions. Most of its cards were from Premiere or later reprinted in Alternate Universe, one only appeared in the 2 Player game. Most famous card: Montgomery Scott (from "Relics").

Alternate Universe

F02: This 122 card set addressed the Dilemmas problem, adding a substantial number of those that could be used anywhere. It added the Doorway card type. A suitably large group could still pretty much overcome any Dilemma. The set's focus was the episodes happening in a different timeline or in the past. Most famous card: The Future Enterprise (first Ultra-Rare card, 3 times as rare as a normal card)

Two-Player Game

F52: Released in two versions, this was an introductory way of playing the game with only planet missions, very few Dilemmas and premade decks. Was sold in two variants, Federation and Klingon, differing only in three bonus cards. The other 125 cards were identical. 21 new cards. Most famous card: Mogh (the first card done in computer graphics).

Q-Continuum

F03: Based around the mischief of Q, this set included the concept of Side Decks, extra stacks of cards from which you could draw under certain circumstances. This became a predecessor to downloading and was the first time you could exercise any control over what you would draw. Made the Romulans very competitive. 121 cards. New card types: Q-Event, Q-Interrupt and Q-Dilemma (all only played from a side deck). Most famous card: Q's Tent (allowed you to access any card from a 13 card side deck and helped many decks of the time)

First Anthology

F53: This was a boxed set of 2 Starter Decks, 6 booster packs and 6 preview cards to appear in later sets. Its only notable addition was Dr. Telek R'Mor from Voyager, a card to make Romulan space decks incredibly fast and strong.

First Contact

F04: This 130-card set introduced the Borg as an affiliation. As a collective, these did not solve missions but Objectives (a new card type). They also had the power to assimilate Earth in the past, massively damaging a Federation player. A mechanism called downloading allowed easy access to specific cards in your deck. Some rules were massively redefined at this time to stifle abusive strategies, but three new ones emerged and dominated the scene. Borg and Federation shared as best affiliations. Most famous card: Borg Queen (extremely versatile and a Must Have for the Borg)

The Fajo Collection

F54: Highest price per card for any product, this set of 18 special cards in a binder was available only through direct order from the manufacturer. It was limited to 40,000, each set included a certificate of authenticity and other items to enhance its collectibility. Most cards had a serious graphical twist. This product also incorporates the only card that was created after a design a player of the game made, the Black Hole, later to become abused in several nasty strategies. Most famous card: Locutus of Borg. Now easier and cheaper to collect through individual card purchases.

Official Tournament Sealed Deck

F55: To help Sealed Deck tournaments, this box included 5 booster packs (4 Premiere, 1 Alternate Universe) and 20 fixed premium cards. Among those were 6 missions, 6 dilemmas and a few others. It was very playable out the box and the best starter product in the game. If you consider trying out First Edition, this would be your stepping stone. Today, it often sells for $2 on conventions. Most famous card: Reflection Therapy, adding one skill of your choice to any personnel.

Deep Space Nine

F05: Moving away from the Next Generation crew, this set focused on the Bajoran and Cardassian affiliations. It introduced Sites and Headquarters and added a lot of complexity to the game. It also provided counterstrategies to two of the dominant concepts at that time, but not to all of them. Cardassians had a way to do massive card-drawing and enjoyed their run as a good affiliation, along with Borg and the still viable Romulans. 276 cards. Most famous card: The U.S.S. Defiant (WB) that was secretly added as an ultra-rare preview - it would later be released normally in The Dominion.

The Dominion

F06: Introducing its namesake affiliation, this set fleshed out the Deep Space Nine strategies and generally achieved good play balance except for a few issues. This set approximately marks the turning point in the history of the game as from now on, sets would nearly always introduce more problems than they fixed. Its best cards were Dilemmas, and the Dominion potentially became one of the strongest affiliations. 130 cards.

Blaze of Glory

F07: The one set to sell out the most quickly, this expansion completely revamped ship and facility battle system. It also added the new card type: tactics. This was used to enhance space battle strategies more effective and realistic. Consequently, Klingons became extremely viable by playing strategically for combat to kill off the opponent and before solving any missions. 130 cards. The only set to have had 18 of its cards subjected to a foil treatment - these metallic versions were exceedingly rare. Most famous card: Battle Bridge Door, which enabled more detailed space battles.

Starter Deck 2

F56: This was a basic premiere starter deck with 8 cards added: 6 missions, 1 outpost and 1 event to make all affiliations become one. Allowed out of the box play, but did not add much strategy to the game.

Rules of Acquisition

F08: The Ferengi expansion added this affiliation as well as several small strategies, but it was the one set with the least contribution to the overall game. Greedy Ferengi. 130 cards. Added Writ of Accountability, a card that specifically counters half a dozen abusive strategies. Gameplay was very balanced at this time.

Second Anthology

F57: Like the First Anthology, this was a collection of decks and packs with 6 cards added, however the 6 new cards here were premium and would not become available anywhere else. Still a good value to pick up today as they are often sold cheap.

The Trouble with Tribbles

F09: Introducing the Original Series characters, this set also added Tribble and Trouble cards and brought back the ultra-rare rarity. From this point, every set would have one ultra-rare card. Gameplay ideas introduced in this set mostly became viable only with the next set, but the Federation was strategically strengthened because of the lack of alien races in the Star Trek timeline. Klingons also gained some ground. 131 cards. Most famous card: Dr. McCoy, one of the two strongest ultra-rare cards in gameplay.

Enhanced First Contact

F58: These were small boxes with 4 First Contact packs and 3 premium cards each. Brought the Borg back to tournament level quality. There are 4 different boxes and you see which one you get, thus allowing to shop for any specific premium card. Most famous card: We Are the Borg, a must have to make your Borg extremely fast.

Reflections

F59: Sold in normal packs, this set added no new cards whatsoever. Instead, it contained random cards from older sets plus one foil-treated metallic card in each pack.

Mirror, Mirror

F10: Drawing both from the original series episode and its DS9 cousins, this expansion added flavor and strategy to the Original Series, making decks based on using the mirror universe extremely strong. 131 cards with mostly personnel (the most personnel heavy set in the game) were added. This set brought about one of the most degenerate strategies ever, needing about 10 copies each of 4 different rare cards, heralding the age of the money player. While str