Wadi in Nachal Paran, the Negev, Israel.

Wadi (Arabic: وادي‎ wādī; also: Vadi) is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some cases, it may refer to a dry (ephemeral) riverbed that contains water only during times of heavy rain or simply an intermittent stream.

Variant names[link]

Oued Tissint, Morocco.

In North Africa the transcription Oued, pronounced as Wad, is used. The term kouri is used in Hausa speaking and surrounding areas of West Africa. The Hebrew term nahal (נחל) and Hindi/Urdu term "Nala" is synonymous in meaning and usage.

Some names of Spanish locations are derived from Andalusian Arabic toponyms where wādī was used to mean a permanent river, for example: Guadalcanal, Guadalajara from wādī al-hidjārah = "river of stones", or Guadalquivir from al-wādī al-kabīr = "the great river". Seasonal streams, frequent in south-east Spain, are called rambla instead.

The term wādī is very widely found in Arabic toponyms.

Hydrological action[link]

Nahal Ashan, a wadi in Beersheba, Israel

Modern English usage differentiates a wadi from another canyon or wash by the action and prevalence of water. Wadis, as drainage courses, are formed by water, but are distinguished from river valleys or gullies in that surface water is intermittent or ephemeral. Wadis, cut by stream in a desert environment, generally are dry year round except after a rain. The desert environment is characterized by a sudden but infrequent heavy rainfall often resulting in flash floods. Crossing wadis at certain times of the year can be dangerous because of unexpected flash floods. Such flash floods cause several deaths each year in North America and many Middle Eastern countries.

Wadis tend to be associated with centers of human population because sub-surface water is sometimes available in them. Nomadic and pastoral desert peoples will rely on seasonal vegetation found in wadis, even in regions as dry as the Sahara, as they travel in complex transhumance routes.

The centrality of wadis to water - and human life - in desert environments gave birth to the distinct sub-field of "Wadi Hydrology" in the 1990s.^[1]

Wadi deposits[link]

Deposition in a wadi is rapid because of the sudden loss of stream velocity and seepage of water into the porous sediment. Wadi deposits are thus usually poorly-sorted gravels and sands. These sediments are often reworked by eolian processes.^[2]

Over time, wadi deposits may become "Inverted Wadis" where the presence at one time of underground water caused vegetation and sediment to fill in the Wadi's eroded channel to the point that previous washes appear as ridges running through desert regions.

Biblical references[link]

Job speaks of his friends whom he calls brothers as being like these wadis. The Jewish Study Bible transliterated the word "brook" in Job  6:15 for the word "nachal" נחל, the Hebrew equivalent of the Arabic "wadi". The commentator notes, "Wadi, a seasonal stream that may be dangerously overflowing in winter and dry in summer". In his books of commentary, Albert Barnes notes: "The idea here is, that travelers in a caravan would approach the place where water had been found before, but would find the fountain dried up or the stream lost in the sand; and when they looked for refreshment, they found only disappointment".

See also[link]

• Alluvial desert
• Arroyo (creek)
• Canyon
• Gulch
• Gully

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Summary: Drainage Courses, Wadis. United States Army Corps of Engineers. Desert Processes Working Group; Knowledge Sciences, Inc. (n.d), retrieved 2008-08-26.
• Summary: Summary: Drainage Courses, Wadis - Inverted. United States Army Corps of Engineers. Desert Processes Working Group; Knowledge Sciences, Inc. (n.d), retrieved 2008-08-26.

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Wadi

• IHP REGIONAL WADI HYDROLOGY NETWORK, International Hydrological Programme, UNESCO.
• Arab Center for Studies of Arid Zones and Dry lands (ACSAD): Water resources division.

Coordinates: 30°36′48″N 34°55′24″E / 30.61333°N 34.92333°E / 30.61333; 34.92333

The Luxury is a Boston-based Britrock band, formed in the summer of 2005.

History[link]

Following the 2005 breakup of The Halogens, a Boston-based band fronted by guitarist/vocalist Jason Dunn, The Luxury began with a short-lived lineup brought together by local DJ David Virr (aka Dave Duncan). During 2006 the lineup evolved, beginning with the arrival of Dunn and drummer Stephen Foster, followed by Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra guitarist Daanen Krouth, bassist Justin Day and keyboard player Brooks Milgate (who would later leave to pursue his own projects and be replaced by Steven Borek).

In 2007, they released their debut album This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things. The record entered the College Music Journal top 200 at #152.^[1] Dunn has been nominated for "Best Vocalist" 4 times, by the Boston Phoenix, WBZ-TV and the Noise.[1] The Luxury have two audio engineers (Dunn and Foster) in the group.^[2]

In May 2008, the band ran into difficulties involving Amazon.com and the Toccoa-based rock band Luxury. It appeared that Amazon had accidentally merged the two bands into one on their website, resulting in confusion over payments for downloads. This unfortunate incident could have been avoided had the band chosen a name that had not already been used by another band for the previous fifteen years.^[3]

In July 2008, the British rock group Coldplay chose The Luxury from the final three of a pool of over 400 Boston-area bands to open their August 4, 2008 concert at Boston's TD Banknorth Garden. The selection process was sponsored by Boston alternative rock station WFNX and involved online fan voting before Coldplay made their final selection.^[4]

On April 24, 2009, the band beat 23 other Boston bands to win the 31st annual WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble at The Middle East nightclub in Cambridge, MA.^[5]

On July 11, 2009, The Luxury released their second album In The Wake of What Won't Change with a release party at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston, MA. The Click Five, Midatlantic and Aloud were the supporting acts for the evening.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Other releases[link]

• 2007: Lux Redux - remix album

References[link]

1. ^ "Radio 200 Chart Issue 1008" hypnote.com
2. ^ Christine, "The Stranded Local Q&A: The Luxury" Stranded in Stereo - April 30, 2007
3. ^ Marotta, Michael "Hotline: Band name mix-up is no Luxury" BostonHerald.com - May 6, 2008
4. ^ Spaulding, Ryan "SKY HIGH: The Luxury will open for Coldplay in Boston" Ryan's Smashing Life - July 23, 2008
5. ^ Johnston Chase, Katie "The Luxury takes the Rumble title" boston.com - April 25, 2009

External links[link]

• Official website

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2010)

Vibe Squad
After performance at the 02 Arena - Proud2 December 2011.
Background information
Origin	London, UK
Genres	Afro Beat, R&B, dance-pop
Years active	2005-present
Website	vibesquadmusic.com
Members
Kelvin Amoako Derrick Abaitey William Osei
Past members
Bright Oduro, Richard Korede

Vibe Squad is an African pop group formed in 2005.^[1] The group's original lineup comprised Derrick Abaitey, Kelvin Amoako, William Osei- Obengo, Richard Korede and Bright Oduro (departed from the band in 2009).^[2] The group has both Ghanaians and Nigerians in one band. The music group Vibe Squad (V.S) emerged from the fusion of Four boys coming from West African Diaspora backgrounds with overwhelming talents after an intense talent spotting exercise. Vibe Squad was formed in London and the headquarters is still situated at the same location. Being an upcoming group, there were barricades that the V.S had to break in order to get noticed, which they did with the help of their first hit single ‘Whine Pon Me’.^[3] This song is extremely popular and has received massive airplay among the African Diaspora in Europe and the Americas and stabilized the group Vibe Squad.^[4]

References[link]

External links[link]

• http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/entertainment/artikel.php?ID=196470
• http://www.museke.com/en/node/3812
• http://modrnghanaweb.com/new-music-do-me-well-vibe-squad-129938.htm

The Greek is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Bill Raymond. The Greek is the head of an international criminal organization involved in narcotics and human trafficking.^[1] The Greek is a mysterious figure involved in numerous criminal activities. His given name is never mentioned on the show, and though he is known only as "The Greek", he has stated (in the episode Port in a Storm) that he is not actually Greek. A quiet and unassuming man, the Greek prefers to keep a low profile, operating all of his business through his lieutenant Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos. His smuggling organization operated from a small diner in Baltimore for years, and while Vondas would conduct business the Greek would listen in quietly at the counter. Nick Sobotka, upon seeing the Greek identify himself, was amazed that the shadowy figure had been in plain sight the entire time.

Despite his calm appearance, the Greek is cunning and ruthless, and only interested in facts that make him more money. Series creator David Simon has said that The Greek is an embodiment of raw unencumbered capitalism.^[2] Anyone interfering in this process is eliminated immediately, and he prefers to leave victims headless and handless to hinder identification.

The Greek's smuggling operation includes importing sex trade workers, illicit drugs, stolen goods and chemicals for drug processing. He bribes union stevedores to move containers through the Baltimore port for him and uses his muscle, Sergei "Serge" Malatov, to run containers back and forth from the port to his warehouse, a front managed by "Double G" Glekas. The Greek supplies the major drug dealers in East Baltimore with pure cocaine and heroin, using Eton Ben-Eleazer to move his drugs. His chief client is Proposition Joe, but he is also affiliated with smaller drug dealing organizations like those run by "White Mike" McArdle. His sex trade interests in Baltimore include a brothel run by a madam named Ilona Petrovitch, bringing in girls from eastern Europe. He manages to avoid prosecution for his crimes because an FBI counter-terrorism agent named Kristos Koutris tips him off if a criminal investigation gets too close. It is suggested he and Vondas may serve as federal informants.

Biography[link]

Season 2[link]

The Greek began to draw police attention in Baltimore when his contact at the docks, Frank Sobotka, became the target of an investigation. At the same time a container of thirteen dead young women intended for the sex trade was discovered at the docks, triggering a high-profile homicide investigation. The container belonged to the Greek and the girls were killed by a crewman onboard the vessel that had delivered them. The ship's crew had been paying the girls for sex and when one of the girls refused, she was killed. The crewman responsible dumped her overboard and collapsed the air pipe to kill the remaining women. The Greek had Sergei track the crewman down, interrogated him personally, and had Vondas kill him.

As the investigation continued the police were able to link Eton and Sergei to the drug smuggling operation. When police began tracking containers as they left the port, The Greek and Vondas began to close down the operation temporarily by dumping their cell phones and stealing "clean" containers. Persuading Sobotka to keep the smuggling operation going he bought further protection from Agent Koutris by betraying a load of Colombian cocaine, giving him time to destroy incriminating evidence in the warehouse and Glekas' store.

The Greek recognized that the investigation was too extensive to stop and made plans to leave, sending Vondas to assure Proposition Joe that supply of drugs would continue albeit with new faces. He attempted to buy Sobotka's silence with promised legal aid for his son, but when he learned from Koutris that Frank was planning to turn informant he had the union man killed. Although Frank's nephew Nick Sobotka was able to identify The Greek in a photo and Sergei was pressured to give up the location of his hotel suite, Vondas and the Greek had already boarded a flight to Chicago. Aware that the Greek and Vondas were gone, the police left the investigation behind and moved on to the drug dealers he supplied.

Seasons 4 & 5[link]

The Greek continued to supply "Proposition Joe" Stewart, who formed an organization with other drug dealers called the New Day Co-Op to provide The Greek's product to them in exchange for reduced violence and sharing of territory. When Omar Little steals an entire shipment of heroin from the Greek's men as it is being delivered to Stewart's people, Marlo Stanfield demands a meeting with Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos in order to allay his fears that Stewart was responsible.^[3][4] Once Stanfield is satisfied, he waits for the Major Crimes Unit's investigation into his activities to cease and then moves to establish a direct relationship with Vondas and the Greek. After getting in communication with Vondas through former soldier Sergei,^[5][6] Marlo eventually sells himself as Joe's replacement by convincing the Greek that he requires an insurance policy in the form of a replacement for Proposition Joe, in the event that anything should happen to him. Realizing that Stanfield will move against Stewart regardless of his approval, the Greek accepts Marlo's proposal to act as an "insurance policy," knowing that it will mean Joe's death.^[7][8]

After Stewart's murder, Stanfield meets with Vondas to initiate their new business relationship.^[9][10] Stanfield's tenure proves short lived when he is forced into retirement by an investigation, and the other Co-Op members purchase the connection from Stanfield. In the closing scenes of the series finale, Slim Charles and Fat-Face Rick take over meeting with Vondas while the Greek listens quietly in the background.^[11][12]

References[link]