Asterisk

An asterisk (*; from Late Latin asteriscus, from Ancient Greek ἀστερίσκος, asteriskos, "little star") is a typographical symbol or glyph. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as star (as, for example, in the A* search algorithm or C*-algebra). In English, an asterisk is usually five-pointed in sans-serif typefaces, six-pointed in serif typefaces, and six- or eight-pointed when handwritten. It can be used as censorship. It is also used on the internet to correct one's spelling, in which case it appears after or before the corrected word.

The asterisk is derived from the need of the printers of family trees in feudal times for a symbol to indicate date of birth. The original shape was seven-armed, each arm like a teardrop shooting from the center.

In computer science, the asterisk is commonly used as a wildcard character, or to denote pointers, repetition, or multiplication.

Usage

Censorship

When toning down expletives, asterisks are often used to replace letters. For example, the word 'fuck' might become 'f*ck' or even '****'.

Asterisk (song)

"Asterisk" (＊～アスタリスク～, Asutarisuku) is the 10th single from Orange Range.

It was used as the first opening to the anime Bleach. It reached the top of the Oricon Weekly Single Charts for sales for the weeks of March 7 and March 14, 2005, and was the number 1 song on the Oricon in March 2005. For the Oricon's first-half-of-the-year ranking it reached number 2 and was the number 4 best selling song for the year of 2005. It is one of Orange Range's most successful singles, selling 628,329 copies. It was certified Double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan for physical copies and Platinum for its digital sales.

Track listing

References

Asterisk (liturgy)

The Asterisk (Greek: ἀστερίσκον, asteriskon; Slavonic: Звездица, Zvezdítsa), or Star-cover (from the Greek αστήρ,astêr, meaning star), is one of the holy vessels used in the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches. The asterisk symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem.

Form

An asterisk is a small, folding metal covering which keeps the veil and Aër (larger veil) from disturbing the particles of bread on the diskos (paten).

The asterisk is made of two strips of metal laid one on top of the other and joined in the center by a brad or screw. When the two pieces are turned perpendicular to each other it forms a cross. The ends of the metal pieces are bent down so that it makes a standing frame. Sometimes, in Greek-Catholic usage, a small star will be suspended from the asterisk where the two strips of metal are joined. Among Orthodox, however, the asterisk itself is considered to be the star, so no addition to it is deemed necessary.

As the asterisk is one of the sacred vessels, it is usually kept on the Prothesis (Table of Oblation), where the bread and wine are prepared for the Eucharist, and no one except the priest or deacon should touch it. Often when a chalice and diskos are made, an Asterisk, and a liturgical spoon, and spear will be made to match them.

Team Fortress 2

Team Fortress 2 is a team-based first-person shooter multiplayer video game developed and published by Valve Corporation. It is the sequel to the 1996 mod Team Fortress for Quake and its 1999 remake. It was released as part of the video game compilation The Orange Box on October 10, 2007 for Windows and the Xbox 360. A PlayStation 3 version followed on December 11, 2007. On April 8, 2008, it was released as a standalone title for Windows. The game was updated to support OS X on June 10, 2010, and Linux on February 14, 2013. It is distributed online through Valve's download retailer Steam; retail distribution was handled by Electronic Arts.

In Team Fortress 2, players join one of two teams comprising nine character classes, battling in a variety of game modes including capture the flag and king of the hill. The development is led by John Cook and Robin Walker, creators of the original Team Fortress. Announced in 1998, the game once had more realistic, militaristic visuals and gameplay, but this changed over the protracted nine-year development. After Valve released no information for six years, Team Fortress 2 regularly featured in Wired News' annual vaporware list among other ignominies. The finished Team Fortress 2 has cartoon-like visuals influenced by the art of J. C. Leyendecker, Dean Cornwell and Norman Rockwell and is powered by Valve's Source engine.

Railroad engineer

An engineer (American and Canadian), engine driver, train driver, train operator (British and Commonwealth English) is a person who operates a train. The engineer is in charge of and responsible for driving the engine, as well as the mechanical operation of the train, train speed, and all train handling. The use of the term engineer to describe this occupation in North America should not be confused with the usual meanings of engineer.

For many American railroads, the following career progression is typical: assistant conductor (brakeman), conductor and finally engineer. In the US, engineers are required to be certified and re-certified every two to three years. In American English a hostler moves engines around train yards, but does not take them out on the normal tracks.

In India, a driver starts as a diesel assistant or electrical assistant (in case of electric locomotives). They then get promoted on a scale: goods, passenger, Mail/Express and Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Duronto.

Engineer's degree

An engineer's degree is an advanced academic degree in engineering that is conferred in Europe, some countries of Latin America, and a few institutions in the United States.

In Europe, the engineer degree is ranked at the same academic level as a master's degree, and is often known literally as an "engineer diploma" (abbreviated Dipl.-Ing. or DI). In some countries of Latin America and the United States, the engineer's degree can be studied after the completion of a master's degree and is usually considered higher than the master's degree but below the doctorate in engineering (abbreviated Dr.-Ing.) in Europe. In other countries of Latin America, there is no proper engineer's degree, but the title of Engineer is used for 4 year bachelor's graduates.

Canada

Through the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB), Engineers Canada accredits Canadian undergraduate engineering programs that meet the standards of the profession. Graduates of those programs are deemed by the profession to have the required academic qualifications to be licensed as professional engineers in Canada.