Switzerland

The precursors of Switzerland established a protective alliance at the end of the 13th century, forming a loose confederation of states which persisted for centuries. The first and second century AD were an age of prosperity for the population living on the Swiss plateau. Several towns, like  Iulia Equestris and Augusta Raurica, reached a remarkable size, while hundreds of agricultural estates were founded in the countryside. In 260 AD, the fall of the  Agri Decumates territory north of the Rhine transformed today's Switzerland into a frontier land of the Empire. Repeated raids by the  Alamanni tribes provoked the ruin of the Roman towns and economy, which includes the  Castrum Rauracense near Augusta Raurica. The Empire built another line of defense at the north border, but at the end of the fourth century the increased Germanic pressure forced the Romans to abandon the linear defence concept, and the Swiss plateau was finally open to the settlement of German tribes. In the  Early Middle Ages the western extent of modern-day Switzerland was part of the territory of the  Kings of the Burgundians. The  Alemanni settled the  Swiss plateau in the 5th century and the  valleys of the Alps in the 8th century, forming Alemannia. Modern-day Switzerland was therefore then divided between the kingdoms of Alemannia and  Burgundy.  The entire region became part of the expanding  Frankish Empire<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in the 6th century, following  Clovis The First<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">'s victory over the Alemanni at  Tolbiac<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in 504 AD. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Throughout the rest of the 7th century the Swiss regions continued under the <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">  Carolingian<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> dynasty. But after its extension under  Charlemagne<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, the Frankish empire was divided by the  Treaty of Verdun<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in 843 AD. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:11.2px;line-height:11.2px;">  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Some regions were accorded the  Imperial immediacy<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> to grant the empire direct control over the mountain passes. With the extinction of its male line in 1263, the Kyburg dynasty fell in 1264, then the Habsburgs under  King Rudolph I<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> laid claim to the Kyburg lands and annexed them extending their territory to the eastern Swiss plateau. 752 years after  King Rudolph I<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> laid claim to the Kyburg lands,  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Reagan Farmer  revealed a new trend for his other videos by uploading Switzerland in January 2016 as  part of  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">the country's long history of  armed neutrality. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Modern Switzerland is a  federal<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">  directorial republic<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> consisting of  26 cantons<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">which are called the  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Bundesstadt or the federal cities. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:11.2px;line-height:11.2px;">  Switzerland<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> is situated in  Western<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and  Central Europe<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> where it is bordered by  Italy<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> to the south,  Germany<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> to the north and  Austria<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and  Liechtenstein<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. Switzerland is a  landlocked country<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> geographically divided between the  Alps<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, the  Swiss Plateau<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and the  Jura<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, spanning an area of 41,285 km <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Geneva was ranked as the world's ninth most important  financial centre<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> for competitiveness by the  Global Financial Centres Index <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">ahead of  Frankfurt<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, which is third in Europe behind London and  Zürich. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> A 2009 survey by  Mercer<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> found that Geneva has the third-highest  quality of life<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> of any city in the world <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> The city has been referred to as the world's most compact metropolis <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and the Peace Capital. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> In 2009, Geneva was ranked as the fourth most expensive city<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in the world, and again in  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">2011, when it was ranked as the fifth  most expensive city<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in the world. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Zürich has a history that goes back to its founding by the Romans who called it  Turicum in 15 BC<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. Early settlements have been found dating back more than 6400 years ago. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">During the Middle Ages Zürich gained the independent and privileged status of  imperial immediacy.<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> In 1519, it became a primary centre of the  Protestant Reformation<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in Europe under the leadership of  Ulrich Zwingli<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Zürich is a leading  global city<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and among the world's largest financial centres despite a relatively low population. The city is home to a large number of financial institutions and banking giants. Most of Switzerland's research and development centres are concentrated in Zürich and the low tax rates attract overseas companies to set up their headquarters. Monocle's<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> 2012 "Quality of Life Survey" ranked Zürich first on a list of the top 23 cities in the world to make a base within. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> According to several surveys from 2006 to 2008, Zürich was named the city with the  best quality of life<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in the world as well as the wealthiest city in Europe. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> The  Economist Intelligence Unit<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">'s Global Liveability Ranking <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> sees Zürich rank among the top ten most liveable cities in the world. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Geneva is located at 46°12' North 6°09' East at the south-western end of  Lake Geneva<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. Geneva is surrounded by  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">the  Alps<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and the  Jura. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The range is built up vertically while decreasing in size laterally. This deformation accommodates the compression from alpine folding as the main  Alpine orogenic<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> front moves roughly northwards. The deformation becomes less pervasive away from the younger, more active Alpine mountain building. The geologic folds comprise three major bands <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">of building that date from three  epochs<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">: the Lias, the Dogger, and the Malm  geologic periods<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. Each era of folding reveals effects of previously shallow marine environments as evidenced by beds with  carbonate<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> sequences containing abundant  bioclasts<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and  oolitic<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> divisions between layers. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The Jura consists of a sequence of geologic folds, the formation of which is facilitated by an  evaporitic<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">  decollement<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> layer. The box folds are still relatively young,  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">thus revealing recent mountain building. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Despite the fact that Switzerland covers only 14% of the Alps total area, many alpine four-thousanders are located in the Swiss Alps and practically all of the remaining few are within 20 km of the country's border. T <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">he Alps are usually divided into two main parts, the  Western Alps<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and  Eastern Alps<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, whose division is along the  Rhine<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> from Lake Constance to the  Splügen Pass<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. The western ranges occupy the greatest part of Switzerland while the more numerous eastern ranges are much smaller and are all situated in the canton of  Graubünden<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. The latter are part of the  Central Eastern Alps<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> except the  Ortler Alps<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> which belong to the  Southern Limestone Alps<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. The  Bernina Range<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> is the highest ranges of the country; it contains 1 summit over 4000 metres. The lowest range is the  Appenzell Alps<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> culminating at 2,500 metres. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">During the years 2000–2009, the mean yearly temperature was 11°C and the mean number of sunshine-hours per year was 2003. The highest temperature recorded in Genève–Cointrin was 103.5°F in July 2015 <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">and the lowest temperature recorded was -4.0°F in February 1956. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Zürich has an  oceanic<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> climate <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, with four seasons. Decisive for the climate of Zürich are both the winds from westerly directions, and, on the other hand, the  Bise<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> (east or north-east wind), which is usually associated with cooler weather phases with temperatures lower than the average. <span style="font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The annual mean temperature at the measuring station of the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology in Zürich-Fluntern is 48.7°F. There are  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">30 so-called summer days  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">throughout the year, while so-called heat days <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> are 5.8 days. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The climate of Geneva is  temperate<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">,  oceanic<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. Winters are cold, usually with light frosts at night and thawing conditions during the day. Summers are pleasantly warm. Precipitation is adequate and is relatively well-distributed throughout the year, although autumn is slightly wetter than the other seasons. Ice storms near  Lac Léman<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> are quite normal in the winter. In the summer, many people enjoy swimming in Lake Geneva, and frequently patronise public beaches such as Genève Plage and the Bains des Pâquis. Geneva receives snow in the colder months of the year. The nearby mountains are subject to substantial snowfall and are suitable for skiing. Many world-renowned ski resorts such as  Verbier<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and  Crans-Montana<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> are just over two hours away by car. Mont Salève<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, just across the border in France, dominates the southerly view from the city centre. Mont Blanc<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> is visible from most of the city and <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> is one of the closest French skiing destinations to Geneva. Spring and autumn are generally cool to mild, but sometimes with large differences between warm and cold days even during the same year. The highest temperature of March 2014 was on the 20th at 69.1°F during a sunny afternoon and the lowest temperature was on the 25th at 31.3°F during the night. Record low of average daily temperatures in March since 1864 is 10°F and record high of average daily temperatures in March is 61°F. Record low of average daily temperatures in October is 3°F and record high of average daily temperatures in October is 20°C. Zürich has an average of 1,544 hours of sunshine per year and shines on 38% of its potential time throughout the year. During the months April until September the sun shines between 150 and 215 hours per month. Rainfall spread on 133.9 days with precipitation throughout the year. Roughly about every third day, you will encounter at least some precipitation. During the warmer half of the year and especially during the three summer months the strength of rainfall is higher than those measured in winter, but the days with precipitation stays about the same throughout the year. October has the lowest number of days with some precipitation. There is an average of 59.5 so-called bright days through the year, the most in July and August, and the least in January and December. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The average number of days with sunshine duration less than 20%, so-called cloudy days <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, is 158.4 days. <span style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:'HelveticaNeue',Helvetica,Roboto,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;line-height:25.6px;">The best time to visit Zürich is between the months June and August when average temperatures make swimming in Lake Geneva  <span style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:'HelveticaNeue',Helvetica,Roboto,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;line-height:25.6px;">possible. Summer's hospitable climate also makes it the most expensive season to visit. But if you visit in the winter, you might be  <span style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:'HelveticaNeue',Helvetica,Roboto,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;line-height:25.6px;"> able to find chilly weather. Along with a warm coat, make sure to bring your hat, scarf, and mittens. Temperatures can dip to  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">28.9°F  in December (Brrr!). <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The Swiss Confederation's establishment is dated to 1st August 1291, celebrated annually as  Swiss National Day. Switzerland hosted the 1954 FIFA World Cup and was the joint host of UEFA Euro 2008, joining forces with Austria. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">In 2009, Switzerland hosted the  IIHF World Championship<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> for the 10th time. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The numerous lakes make Switzerland an attractive place for sailing. Lake Geneva<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> is the home of the sailing team  Alinghi<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> which was the first European team to win the  America's Cup<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in 2003 and successfully defended the title in 2007. Tennis has become an increasingly popular sport and Swiss players such as  Roger Federer <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">have won multiple  Grand Slams. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Pierre  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Levegh was following  Mike Hawthorn<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">'s leading  Jaguar D-Type<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. Hawthorn passed Lance Macklin's Austin Healey 100S<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. Hawthorn moved across Macklin's path and slowed suddenly to enter the pits. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:11.2px;line-height:11.2px;">  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Attempting to avoid Hawthorn Macklin's car briefly remained on the right side of the track behind Hawthorn, kicking up dust with its right wheels, then swerved across the center of the track. Macklin was apparently out of control as he started to swerve, but regained direction after crossing the centerline. But by then Macklin was in the path of Levegh, still at speed in front of Juan Manuel Fangio. Levegh did not have time to react. Levegh's car made contact with the left rear of Macklin's car as he closed rapidly upon the car. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">When Levegh's Mercedes 300 SLR hit Macklin's Austin-Healey from behind his car became airborne and soared towards the left side of the track. It skipped the earthen embankment separating the spectator area from the track, bounced through spectator enclosures, then hit a concrete stairwell structure head-on. The impact disintegrated the front end of the car which then somersaulted high, pitching debris into the spectator area, and landed atop the earthen embankment. The debris included the  bonnet<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, motor and  front axle <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">which separated from the frame and flew through the crowd. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The crash  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">is the greatest tragedy in the history of motorsport, with 84 spectators killed and over 120 injured. The next round of the World Sports Car Championship at the Nürburgring was cancelled. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The  American Automobile Association<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> stopped sanctioning motor sport competitions as it decided that auto racing distracted from its primary goals <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> The racing teams of MG, Bristol, and Mercedes-Benz, disbanded. The horror of the accident caused some drivers present including Sherwood Johnston to retire from racing. John Fitch was later coaxed out of retirement by his friend Briggs Cunningham to help the Chevrolet Corvette effort at Le Mans in 1960 and later worked to develop traffic safety devices including the water-filled "Fitch barrels." Lance Macklin decided to retire after being involved in a twin fatality accident during the  Tourist Trophy<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> race at  Dundrod<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. 60 years after Pierre Levegh died,  <span style="font-size:16px;font-family:Roboto,arial,sans-serif;line-height:17px;white-space:pre-wrap;">Reagan revealed a new trend for his other videos by uploading the 24 Hours of Le Mans in January 2016 as part of  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">a mix of closed public roads and a specialist racing circuit. Nicolas Prost<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> claimed pole position <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">at the  2014 Beijing ePrix <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, which ended in a crashing conclusion when  Nick Heidfeld<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> closed the gap to Prost and made an overtaking manoeuvre. Prost attempted to block the move but hit Heidfeld. Heidfeld's car hit the kerb sideways and flipped into the barrier. The collision forced both drivers to retire from the race, and Lucas di Grassi went through to claim victory. Franck Montagny finished second while Daniel Abt was third on track but was penalised 57 seconds for exceeding "the maximum permitted electrical power during the race," which promoted Sam Bird <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">to the final place on the podium. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The FIA approved a Formula E calendar of ten races of which London was the 10th and last race. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">  Wandsworth Council<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> eventually approved of the circuit and also announced that it would be a double race on 19th February 2015. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">There was some controversy over the park circuit which took place in a Grade 2 listed park with opposition to a public park being disrupted to accommodate the races. Battersea Park was closed to the public for four days. After the 2015 Moscow ePrix five driver changes were made. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The first of these was that  Jaime Alguersuari<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> had been replaced by  Fabio Leimer<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> as the Spaniard was forced to withdraw due to health issues. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> He was the first of three new  Swiss<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> drivers, with  Alex Fontana<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and  Simona de Silvestro<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> replacing  Vitantonio Liuzzi<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and  Justin Wilson<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. Justin <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Wilson was fatally injured in an accident during the  ABC Supply 500<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> at  Pocono Raceway<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> on 23rd August 2015. Sage Karam crashed late in the race and sent debris airborne. The nose cone from Karam's crashed car hit Wilson's helmet as he drove through the accident scene, and Wilson's car immediately veered left into the inside wall. Wilson was extricated from his car and airlifted to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown. He was subsequently reported to be in a coma and died on 24th August, which resulted in <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">tributes from the motorsport world being held around the world. NASCAR driver Tony Stewart lent his private plane to Wilson's family so they could fly out to Pennsylvania. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">This is the first death in IndyCar. Dan Wheldon<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> died in a crash during the  IZOD IndyCar World Championship<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> at  Las Vegas Motor Speedway<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Wheldon was involved in a 15-car accident on the 11th lap. His NASCAR car flew approximately 325 ft cockpit-first and landed back on the racing surface after his head hit a pole lining the track. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The carnage and ensuing debris led race officials to almost instantly throw a  red flag. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Wheldon was extricated from his car by the Holmatro Safety Team and their Las Vegas-based colleagues and was airlifted to the  University Medical Center of Southern Nevada<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> for his critical injuries. Randy Bernard <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">announced to the fans that Dan Wheldon had died. The 19 drivers who had escaped the crash scene returned to their cars, and every crew member stood silently in their pit boxes. Bryan Herta Autosport<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">'s #98 car driven by Alex Tagliani was parked for the tribute. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The remaining cars lined up three abreast on pit road, with Ryan Briscoe<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> leading and  Davey Hamilton<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in 19th to the rear. The pace car then led the cars back onto the track while every crew member and person behind the wall moved to the grass separating pit road from the track to watch. Dario <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Franchitti was awarded the championship after the accident since no points were awarded. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Indy Racing League LLC had to delay all official prizegiving until the annual State of INDYCAR speech in February 2012; and Dario Franchitti also delayed his celebration of his championship victory. The  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">2012 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">was the first race since Dan  Wheldon<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> was killed in an accident at the IZOD IndyCar World Championship<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> at  Las Vegas Motor Speedway. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">It was also the first race run with the new  ICONIC<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> chassis by  Dallara<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, which is named DW12 in his honor. The race also marked the first time since the end of the 2005 season that Honda<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> will not be IndyCar's exclusive engine supplier. Chevrolet<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> re entered Indy racing for the first time since that season and  Lotus<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> was the third supplier. Pole-sitter  Will Power<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> lead the field for the majority of the first few laps, with  Ryan Briscoe <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">trailing behind him. Briscoe would eventually take the lead after Power pitted in but the pit stop would eventually take him out of contention for the race as he would not near the top spot for the remaining laps. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">While Ryan Briscoe did hold the top position for eight laps, it was  Scott Dixon<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> who was consistently around the top and eventually would inherit the lead on Lap 20. Katherine Legge and Simona de Silvestro faced mechanical problems, as Lotus finished third behind Chevrolet and Honda. Hélio Castroneves <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">would make a bold pass on Dixon, giving him position behind, then leader  J.R. Hildebrand<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. This position would eventually allow him to inherit the lead of the race, as Castroneves would lead the final 26 laps, giving him the victory. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Castroneves won the  Indianapolis 500<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in 2001, 2002 and 2009, making him one of only nine total drivers, and the only active driver, to have won at least three. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">He finished second to teammate Gil de Ferran<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in 2003. Castroneves has won four pole positions for the Indy 500, including back-to-back poles in 2009 and 2010 for the first time since Scott Brayton. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">He is also one of only five drivers – along with  Wilbur Shaw<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, Bill Vukovich<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and  Al Unser<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> being the other four – and the only active driver to win the Indy 500 in back-to back races. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Castroneves currently holds IRL IndyCar Series records for most top-ten finishes; Poles; and most consecutive seasons with a race win. In  2009,<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Castroneves <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> reset the  all-time<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> record for most wins and starts by a driver who has not won the National Championship. His 23rd career win,<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> at  Barber Motorsports Park<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in  2010<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, broke a tie with his former manager  Emerson Fittipaldi<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> for most IndyCar wins by a Brazilian driver. Racing <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> fans have given Castroneves the nickname " Spider-Man<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">" because of his victory celebration, in which he climbs the trackside debris fence. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">In addition to his native English, Ryan Briscoe speaks Italian and French. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">He started his career in  karting and first raced<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in 1993. After winning Australian, North American and Italian championships, he moved to  Formula Renault<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in 2000. He won the Italian Championship in 2001, and finished 4th running a limited schedule in the Eurocup. In 2002, Briscoe became test driver for the  Toyota<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">  Formula One<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> racing team and started that year racing in the  Formula 3000<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> series but struggled and left his ride after 7 races. He finished the year in the German  Formula 3<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> series by taking 3 podiums in the last 6 rounds. Briscoe won the  Formula Three Euroseries<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in 2003. He became the Toyota Formula One constructor's 'third' driver for the last third of the 2004 season after Ricardo Zonta<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> was called up to replace  Cristiano da Matta<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">He raced for Target  Chip Ganassi Racing<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in the  Indy Racing League<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. He also made his Rolex  Grand-Am<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> début with Ganassi at the  24 Hours of Daytona<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. He took pole position at  Sears Point<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> but struggled on the ovals and was involved in several crashes. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">On 11th September 2005, Briscoe was involved in a violent crash at  Chicagoland Speedway<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, breaking both  clavicles<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> among other injuries. His car climbed on top of the Red Bull entry driven by  Alex Barron<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and went airborne into the catch fencing above the retaining wall and snapping in two. He was released from the hospital on 19th September 2005, and following some initial treatment in the USA moved to the specialist Formula Medicine facility in  Viareggio in<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> Italy for the bulk of his rehabilitation. It took 8 weeks for Briscoe to recover from the injuries he sustained in the crash. His official website announced his return to the USA on 14 November 2005. Ryan Briscoe signed to drive for Penske's IndyCar team as a race driver for the 2008 IndyCar Series season, replacing the former driver Sam Hornish, Jr., who started racing full time in Penske's NASCAR team. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Briscoe knocked himself out of the  Indianapolis 500<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> along with  Danica Patrick<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> when Briscoe came out of the pits and ran into Patrick tearing up her suspension and tearing the front end of Briscoe's car. Patrick and Briscoe were fined $100,000,000 and placed on probation at the end of the 2008 season. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The Queensland State Government had been largely supportive of the Gold Coast Indy 300, while the Gold Coast City Council support at local level had varied in its level of support, even occasionally openly hostile to the event. By the late 1990s, the race had become a well attended and popular event on the Gold Coast calendar, which tens of thousands of spectators attend to each of the four days of the IndyCarnival. In the 2002 Honda Indy 300 there was a frightening incident when a nine-car pile-up occurred at the start in very wet conditions. 1 year later a<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> massive thunderstorm struck the area during the Lexmark Indy 300. Ryan Hunter-Reay<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> won the race. The Lexmark Indy 300 was to have been the penultimate race but the 2003 King Taco 500<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> was cancelled due to a  wildfire<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> near the  California Speedway<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> venue. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The 2003 King Taco 500 <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> was to have been the nineteenth and final round <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">on 9 November 2003 at the  California Speedway<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in  Fontana in California but<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> the event was cancelled <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The wildfire  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">started on 25th October 2003, which is just one of many in the Southern California region at the time. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Because of concerns about the air quality, fan and driver safety and worries that safety equipment and volunteers needed for the race would be occupied in fighting the fires <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, the race was initially postponed on 28th October 2003 but when attempts to find a date to reschedule the event failed the King Taco 500 was cancelled. Paul <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Tracy worked his way up through the North American open-wheel feeder series' culminating with winning the  1990<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">  American Racing Series Championship<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, and in the process set a record for single season wins with nine. In 1991, Tracy  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">competed in his first  IndyCar<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> event at  Long Beach<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and at mid-season became a test driver for  Penske Racing but<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in his first race for the team at  Michigan<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> he crashed and broke his left leg (Ouch! That hurt!). 24 years after Paul Tracy crashed and broke his left leg, Reagan revealed a new trend for his other videos by uploading Switzerland in January 2016 as part of the country's  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">long history of  armed neutrality. He also announced the cancellation of  The Joker Chaos Coaster,  which would have been uploaded in April 2016 and would have featured the voice trumpet from Teletubbies making its first-ever appearance by talking to Tinky-Winky <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. Reagan said that  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"><span style="line-height:17px;color:rgb(58,58,58);font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">The Joker Chaos Coaster  was uploaded onto Quintino's YouTube channel on 3rd October 2015 and that he  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">had been the scene of 5 fatal incidents identical in nature where a television presenter yelled something that was very c <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">ontroversial <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. He reverted back to his original plans for 2016 as a result of Quintino's actions and announced that the recently revealed X-Seed 4000 would be uploaded on 27th February 2016. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The idea was  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">initially <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> created and developed by Peter Neville. Its proposed 4-kilometre height, 6-kilometre wide sea-base and 800-floor capacity could accommodate 500,000 to 1,000,000 people. The structure would be composed of over 3,000,000 tons of reinforced steel. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">It was designed <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">by the  Taisei Corporation<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in 1995, <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> as a futuristic environment combining ultra-modern living and interaction with nature. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> Methods of transportation within X-Seed 4000 would include  Maglev<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> trains. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The X-Seed 4000 would be required to actively protect its occupants from considerable air pressure gradations and weather fluctuations along its massive elevation. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The proposed area is situated on the  Pacific Ring of Fire<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, which X Seed 4000 would be subject to a earthquake. Robotic<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> systems are planned to play a major part in both construction and building maintenance. The Ultima Tower  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">would have a diameter at the base of 1,828.8 metres and comprise 1,500,000,000 square feet <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> of space. Eugene Tsui  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">proposed that the tower would be home to 1 million people and that it would cost an estimated US$150 billion (Phew! That is a lot of money!), and would use the atmospheric pressure difference between the bottom and the top of the tower to create electricity throughout the tower. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> The Dubai City Tower  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">is supposed to be 2,400 metres tall. The building is the third tallest building ever fully envisioned after the  X-Seed 4000<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and the  Ultima Tower<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. If it is uploaded by Reagan on 27th February 2016, the Dubai City Tower will be much taller than any other current man-made structure at almost three times the height of the  Burj Khalifa<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, which is seven times taller than the  Empire State Building<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The design has 400  floors<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> with a 120 mph vertical bullet train acting as the main elevator. The design is inspired by the  Eiffel Tower<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> to better deal with the massive wind forces pushing on it. It has a central core with 6 outer buildings that are connected to the central core every 100 floors. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The Dubai City Tower is estimated to consume 37,000 MWh of electricity per year, with a 15 MW peak usage. The power would be mostly supplied by solar, thermal, and wind sources. Kingdom Tower  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">has been scaled down from its initial 1.6 km proposal which was never fully designed to a height of at least 1,000 metres, which is similar to the  Burj Khalifa in Dubai. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">At one kilometre <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> the Kingdom Tower would still be the  tallest building or structure in the world<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> to date by <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:11.2px;line-height:11.2px;">  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">standing 591 ft taller than the Burj Khalifa. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The Jeddah Economic Company announced that it had appointed an  EC Harris<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">/ Mace<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> joint venture team to project manage the iconic Kingdom Tower project and that it will be providing commercial and design management for Kingdom Tower's development,  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">which is the same team that worked for  The Shard in London. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The Pinnacle<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> was originally proposed to rival the height of The Shard but was reduced to a height of 945 ft, which is due to concerns from the  Civil Aviation Authority. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Several news agencies reported that the Mile High Tower design had been approved and that the building would cost almost US$30 billion. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> The design was going to be drastically larger than the current design with a floor area of 3,530,316 m <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and would have utilized futuristic wind aversion and energy producing technology for sustainability. It and the surrounding city of Jeddah would have had the ability to accommodate 80,000 residents and one million visitors. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Many things were rumoured about the mile-high designs, such as that it would be so high the top would freeze at night and that helicopters would be used for construction. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The Saudi Water Company signed a $587 million supply deal with Jeddah Economic Company for the Kingdom Tower project. The 25-year agreement to supply 156,000 cubic meters of treated and drinking water a day is enough for 62 Olympic-size pools. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">As of May 2015 Kingdom Tower stands at 75 metres tall with the building expected to be completed in November 2019. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Kingdom Tower <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> will reach unprecedented heights, becoming the  tallest building in the world<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> as well as the first structure to reach the one-kilometre-high mark. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">On 17th June, it was confirmed that Wet 'n Wild Orlando will close in December 2016 and will be replaced by a  Universal Orlando<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> park named  Volcano Bay. According to the Universal Orlando blog, "Wet 'n Wild Orlando has been a place where guests have created wonderful memories since 1977. Wet 'n Wild Orlando has been the birthplace of numerous innovations that are now considered a common part of the water park experience. Today, we are announcing that the park will close permanently on 31st December 2016. The groundbreaking spirit that has defined Wet 'n Wild Orlando will continue in the development of Volcano Bay!"<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> In June 2015 it was revealed that Volcano Bay would replace Wet 'n Wild Orlando, which is set to close in December 2016 and  is being constructed on approximately 53 acres of <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Cabana Bay Beach Resort 's overall property. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Disaster  is an interactive attraction following the story line of a fictional movie studio, which is run by Frank Kincaid who is played by  Christopher Walken<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. The visitors are asked to be a part of the finale sequence involving an earthquake. Guest are taken into a screening room where Frank Kincaid describes his brand of film making.<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> He then asks visitors to help him complete his film called " <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Mutha Nature <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">." Guest are ushered into another  soundstage<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> where the scenes are shot and audience members that were pre-picked to be involved in the scenes are brought out to perform, and scenes are filmed where a child jumps from one spot to another and lab workers are hit by  styrofoam<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> rocks. Kincaid appears on a screen and invites guests to take part in his finale that is being shot next door. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Guests enter a subway station, which is modeled after  BART's<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">  West Oakland Station <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">where they board a subway train. Small plasma screens on the train direct guests on the reactions needed to successfully shoot the scene. Departing the station, guests travel beneath the bay and soon arrive at the Embarcadero subway station. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The lights in the station start to flicker and the second unit director tells the people over the intercom that it's just a slight tremor and that there's no problem. Suddenly, the train is shaken by a violent earthquake. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">West Oakland station <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> is destroyed as large cracks form in the station platforms, sections of the roof collapse, a  gasoline tanker<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> falls through the ceiling and bursts into flames, another subway train enters the station and derails and a  flash flood<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> of water rushes down the stairs and into the station. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Following the sequence, the train heads back to West Oakland station. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The TV monitors on the train show the trailer for the fictional Mutha Nature. The trailer stars an uncredited Dwayne Johnson as a park ranger who tries to save lives during a series of ecological disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and green screen technology that allows the trailer to incorporate scenes shot by guests. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Disaster  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">uses  Musion Eyeliner<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> technology for the Frank Kincaid character, which <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">is similar to the  Pepper's Ghost<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> effect that has been used in attractions such as  Haunted Mansion<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and  The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> at  Walt Disney World<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> Resort as well as Universal's Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> at  Islands of Adventure<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. Musion projects a high definition image onto the floor and onto a giant piece of  acrylic glass<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, giving it the illusion that it is lifelike. It also gives the ability to interact with objects on stage, as can be seen in many parts of the attraction. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">On 27th October 2015 it was announced that, according to the Universal Orlando blog,  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Twister...Ride it Out would be closing on 2 November 2015 to make room for  Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon. Universal Parks & Resorts<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> entered talks with tornado meteorologists to discover the actual sights, sound and feel of the experience t <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">o accurately simulate a tornado <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. Universal originally planned to open the attraction in March 1998 but several large and killer tornadoes occurred in  Florida<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, which  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">delayed Twister Ride it Out's opening until 4th May. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The  station<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> for Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is quite different than traditional stations. As the  train<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> enters, it slows down but does not stop. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Riders have 45 seconds to take their seat and lower the lap-bar and make their song choice. The train immediately begins to climb the 167 ft vertical chain lift, and the song that the rider picked begins to play while the on-ride video recorder begins recording. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The train reaches the top of the lift, and drops back to the ground reaching a maximum speed of 65 miles per hour. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The train goes through a non-inverting loop. Then the t <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">rain makes an upward right turn into one of the several  mid-course brakes<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. It then drops back down going through a hole in a wall before entering a left upward helix. This section of the coaster is nicknamed The Treble Clef. The train enters a quick element nicknamed "The Jump Cut." The train then drops back down before climbing back up into the second mid-course brakes. Following a small drop to the left, it travels straight before making a right turn, followed by a left and then another right leading into the third set of mid-course brakes. Another drop is followed by the brakes leading into an S-bend turn. The train then travels into an inclined loop, then the train enters the fourth set of brakes after going back up. Finally, the train drops back down, and goes over a small hill before entering the final brake run, where the train enters the station and the riders song ends. The initial announcement said that there would be 5 categories of songs. The full track list was not released until 6th July 2009, <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">including 30 songs. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">A <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">ttached to the restraint is a small screen containing the logo of the ride and 5 categories of songs the  rider can pick from. The song that the rider picked begins <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> as the train climbs the vertical lift hill, but it may not begin at the beginning and end early as the total cycle time of the roller coaster is 1 minute and 39 seconds. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit operates with seven stadium-style seating X-Car trains. Each train has two cars that can hold six riders each for a total of twelve riders per train. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:11.2px;line-height:11.2px;">  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">On the head rest of each seat there are two speakers that play music during the ride. The speakers have been designed so that only the rider's selected music track will be audible. On the restraint is a small touch screen where riders can choose which song they want to listen to during the ride. Additionally, the trains are equipped with multi-coloured lights that can be seen during the night. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Planning began for a new theme park adjacent to  Universal Studios Florida in 1991<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. By the end of 1993, it was decided that one area of the future Islands of Adventure theme park would be themed after  Marvel Comics<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> with a Hulk theme being selected for a thrill ride. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> The designers of the ride wanted to simulate being fired out of a cannon, which subsequently set about prototyping a launch system. Universal Creative<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and  MTS Systems Corporation<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> had a working prototype in January 1995. Methods to achieve this acceleration were investigated into mid-1996. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> On-site construction of Islands of Adventure was underway in 1997, <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> with  Superior Rigging & Erection<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> being responsible for erecting the supports and track of the roller coaster. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> On 28th May 1999, Islands of Adventure officially opened to the public with  The Incredible Hulk<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> being one of its début attractions. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> 15 years later Universal Orlando announced that The Incredible Hulk would undergo major enhancement and refurbishment work. The Incredible Hulk closed on 8th September 2015 and reopened in summer 2016. According to the Universal Orlando blog, " <span style="font-family:proxima_nova_rgregular;font-size:20px;">We want to let you know that  The Incredible Hulk<span style="font-family:proxima_nova_rgregular;font-size:20px;"> will be getting some great new enhancements to its storyline and ride vehicles and the overall experience, which <span class="s1" style="font-family:proxima_nova_rgregular;font-size:20px;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;"> means we’ll close the attraction beginning on 8th September.  <span style="font-family:proxima_nova_rgregular;font-size:20px;">It will roar back to life next summer and we’ll keep you posted on the details. Be sure to check out the other great, thrilling, experiences at Universal’s Islands of Adventure including  Doctor Doom’s Fearfall<span style="font-family:proxima_nova_rgregular;font-size:20px;"> and  Dragon Challenge<span style="font-family:proxima_nova_rgregular;font-size:20px;">. I’ve been lucky enough to get a sneak peek at plans for The Incredible Hulk, and I can tell you that the overall experience is going to feel more immersive and high-tech. But don’t worry - the attraction will still have the same 'Incredible' personality that makes it one of America’s most popular coasters. <span class="s1" style="font-family:proxima_nova_rgregular;font-size:20px;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;">We’ll be sharing cool new updates over time <span class="s2" style="font-family:proxima_nova_rgregular;font-size:20px;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;"> so be sure to subscribe to the blog on the sidebar or sign up here to get emails on all Universal Orlando news."  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Designed by  Bolliger & Mabillard<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, Valravn will be the third  Dive Coaster<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> to be built in the United States of America.  The ride<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> is themed to the  valravn, which is<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> a supernatural bird from Danish folklore. Touted as the tallest<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> and longest and fastest dive coaster of its kind in the world, Valravn is scheduled to open in 2016 and a <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">fter leaving the  station<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> the  train<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> turns 180 degrees to the left, then begins to ascend its 223 ft tall  chain lift hill<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. Once the train reaches the top, it turns right, slightly hangs over the first drop and pauses for four seconds. The train then drops 214 ft at a 90-degree angle where it reaches 75 miles per hour. The train then enters a 165 ft  Immelmann loop<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> before rising into the  mid-course brake run<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. The train then goes through a second drop at 125 ft. Out of the drop, the train enters a  dive loop<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> that leads into its third and final inversion, a 270-degree corkscrew-like roll. The train encounters an airtime hill before turning left and entering the final brake run. Valravn's entrance and location will be located on a new midway stretching from the Blue Streak area to near Celebration Plaza. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Valravn is a Dive Coaster model manufactured by Swiss roller coaster firm Bolliger & Mabillard. Notably,  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Valravn <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> is the 100th roller coaster produced by Bolliger & Mabillard and the fourth to be built at Cedar Point, following  Raptor and<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">  GateKeeper<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> It will be the 10th Dive Coaster to be built in the world and the third in the United States with the other two being at  Busch Gardens'<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> parks. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Valravn will open in 2016, which will break six Dive Coaster records and help to break four amusement park records. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Valravn will hold records for the following:  <span style="line-height:20px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Tallest Dive Coaster,  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Fastest Dive Coaster,  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Longest Dive Coaster,  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Longest drop on a Dive Coaster,  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Most inversions on a Dive Coaster and  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Highest inversion on a Dive Coaster. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Top Thrill Dragster's train is launched with not enough speed to clear the crest, which stops short of the top and roll back down the hill in reverse. On very rare occasions a combination of the weight distribution of the train, the force of the launch, and the wind can stall a train on the top of the tower. What happens next is that a mechanic takes the elevator to the top and pushes the train down the hill. This has only happened three times with passengers on board. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">In November 2010,  Formula Rossa<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> at  Ferrari World<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> broke the record for fastest roller coaster, with a top speed of 149.1 miles per hour. Top Thrill Dragster <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">is negatively affected by unfavourable weather conditions as both a high altitude and high velocity ride. "Rain, high winds and lightning" may result in the closing of the ride depending on the severity. It will close in high winds and any kind of precipitation. There  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">is no minimum age requirement, but passengers must meet the miniumum requirements of 52 inches and a maximum of 78 inches to ride. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> Some persons over a certain weight/waist size will not be permitted to ride Top Thrill Dragster if the seat and lapbar harness cannot accommodate them. Passengers on Top Thrill Dragster  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">may not bring any loose articles onto the 5-car train and will be required to wear shirts and footwear. Headphones must be removed before boarding. Passengers are advised that they must not ride Top Thrill Dragster if they have "a history of recent surgery, heart trouble slash high blood pressure back trouble or any other condition that may be aggravated by riding or who are pregnant." <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">At around 8:20 pm on  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">14th July 2004,  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">four people were struck by flying debris while riding the coaster. Reports indicated that its metal cable frayed as the train was being launched. Shards of metal sheared off of it and struck the riders as the train launched. The riders were left with abrasions mainly on their arms and one rider had cuts on his face. The injured ones were treated at the park's first aid station, with two of them later seeking further medical attention on their own. D <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">emon Drop debuted at  Cedar Point<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in 1983 and was very popular as it was located at the very front of the park. On 21st October 2009, Cedar Point officials announced that Demon Drop would be moved to  Knott's Berry Farm. Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom's fans<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> spotted pieces similar to Demon Drop at its park in Pennsylvania. In December 2009,  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">it was announced that Demon Drop would be relocated to  Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">not Knott's Berry Farm. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Demon Drop can accommodate up to four riders and consists of three main sections; the loading and unloading station, the lift tower and the drop and run-out track. Riders are loaded into a gondola-type car near ground level at the station and secured with over the shoulder harnesses. The gondola is then moved backwards horizontally to the rear base of the lift tower and then climbs vertically to the top of the tower in 7.2 seconds. Once there, it slides forward and hangs over the drop track for a few seconds. Without warning, the car is released. Riders drop 60 ft in less than two seconds before experiencing the deceleration g-forces as the car enters a pull-out curve which transitions the vertical fall into a horizontal brake run. As the gondola rolls through the brake run to slow down the riders are facing the sky. Once it stops at the end of the run a mechanism swings the top of the car down, and the gondola moves in reverse at a downward 45 degree angle to another track where it returns to an upright position. It then returns to the station in reverse traveling below the brake run track. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Hercules was closed on 8th September 2003 and was replaced by  Hydra the Revenge<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> in 2005. Many riders claimed that Hercules was an extremely rough ride, <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">which is most likely the reason for Hercules's low ridership and subsequent closing and dismantlement in 2003. It was so rough that it was given the name, "Hurt's your knees." <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The Romans adapted the Greek hero's iconography and myths for their literature and art under the name Hercules. In later Western art and literature and in popular culture Hercules is more commonly used than Heracles as the name, which enabled later artists and writers to pick and choose how to represent him. Hercules is known for his many adventures which took him to the far reaches of the Greco-Roman world. One cycle of these adventures became canonical as the "Twelve Labours," but the list has variations. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">A series of 19 Italian Hercules movies were made in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The actors who played Hercules in these films were  Gordon Scott, Mickey Hargitay<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">,  Reg Park and Peter Lupus<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">. A number of English-dubbed Italian films that featured the name of Hercules in their title were not intended to be movies about Hercules. 12 years after Hercules at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom closed, Reagan revealed a  new trend for his other videos by uploading Hercules in January 2016 as  part of  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">a representation of Hercules in the  later tradition. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Hercules had a greater number of " deeds on the side<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">" <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> that has been a popular subject for art, which includes  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.16px;line-height:21.056px;">holding up the world for  Atlas. Zeus  condemned Atlas to stand at the western edge of  Gaia  and hold up  The Heavens  on his shoulders, to prevent the two from resuming their primordial embrace. Thus, he was Atlas Telamon, "enduring Atlas," and became a doublet of  Coeus, the embodiment of the celestial axis around which the heavens revolve. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">A common misconception today is that Atlas was forced to hold the Earth on his shoulders but Classical art shows Atlas holding the  celestial spheres<span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">, not a  globe. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Atlas attempted to trick Hercules into carrying the sky permanently by offering to deliver the apples himself. Hercules pretended to agree to Atlas's offer by asking only that Atlas take the sky again for a few minutes so that Hercules could rearrange his cloak as padding on his shoulders. When Atlas set down the apples and took the heavens upon his shoulders again, Hercules took the apples and ran away, a reference to Runaway (U & I) by Galantis. Hatfield railway station is currently being redeveloped to include a new bus interchange and taxi rank, multi-story car park and three new retail units as well as step-free access to all platforms. Work on the £9 million project began in 2013 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2015. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Hatfield has waiting rooms on all platforms, with extra shelters provided at various points along the platforms as well as a canopy on Platform 1. There is a small café-shop style business, "Chuggs," and three new retail units are scheduled to open in the new station building in the second half of 2015. There  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">are three platforms in total. Platform 1 is a side platform facing the Up Slow line and used by London-bound trains, whilst platforms 2-3 face the Down Fast and Down Slow lies respectively, the latter being used by the majority of northbound trains. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">Hatfield has a "Fast Ticket" machine as well as a standard  touch screen <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;"> machine on either side of the building. Hatfield also has many vending machines throughout the station and a photo booth inside the booking hall, which also contains a separate disabled toilet. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">On 31st October Reagan uploaded Focus and revealed that he  expects to finish his YouTube career in 2022. He had been linked with a move to retire but he signed a new three-year deal with YouTube, taking him up to 2018. That could mean Reagan retiring from YouTube in 2022, aged 22 - with a maximum of 2,000 videos to his name. <span style="font-size:16px;font-family:Roboto,arial,sans-serif;line-height:17px;white-space:pre-wrap;">Reagan will introduce a stunning camera angle from the Season 3 episode " All at Sea" in Bexhill, in which the narrator says that the  horizon of Bexhill is packed with sails flapping against the blue skies. Hitler tells Thomas that he wishes he could sail to far away lands  but Thomas says to Hitler, "Oh no James! You saved the hot air balloon!" Hitler hangs up the phone. Harold tells the two characters that the boats are there for the Regatta and that it's his job to hover around in case he's needed. Hitler asks Harold if he's ever been to the horizon, and Harold says that he can land on ships, anywhere, anytime. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">But there is worse to come. That night, a huge storm sweeps across Bexhill and causes havoc: trees are blown onto the line. Percy says that he doesn't feel safe in the Smelters but KDA ignores him and plays Turn the Music Louder to stop the storm from hitting Brighton. Thomas feels sorry for KDA and wishes there was something he could do to make things better again by saying, "Yes, indeed. But what? We can't mend broken trees." Galantis put things right at the last minute by playing 10.87 seconds of the Kaskade remix of Runaway (U & I), which is accompanied by a thumping sound that is repeated for the entire scene where the children run for cover due to a spring rain shower. Hitler  speculates that the Soviets might have captured the railway bridge over the Oder but  Thomas says to Hitler, "Oh no James! You saved the hot air balloon!" Hitler hangs up the phone. He tells Ariana Grande what she wants but Grande sings  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;text-align:center;">from the word "Hey" right through to the letter "Y." Hitler looks at Grande and a 1.79 second picture of Bexhill is used causing Hitler to hang up the  <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">phone. That night, Thomas the Tank Engine gets Bexhill into trouble for  causing KDA to play Turn the Music Louder. <span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.4px;">The flight attendant on board Southern Airways Flight 242 tells the 81 passengers to brace for impact but it's too late