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A potsherd or ostracon with Pericles' name written on it (c. 444 BC - 443 BC), Museum of the ancient Agora of Athens.

Look up sherd in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

In archaeology, a sherd is commonly a historic or prehistoric fragment of pottery, although the term is occasionally used to refer to fragments of stone and glass vessels as well.^{[citation needed]}

Occasionally, a piece of broken pottery may be referred to as a shard,^[1] or the more precise term potsherd can be used. While the spelling shard is generally reserved for referring to fragments of glass vessels the term does not exclude pottery fragments.^[1] The etymology is connected with the idea of breakage, from Old English sceard, related to Old Norse skarth, "notch", and Middle High German scharte, "notch".

A sherd or potsherd with writing painted or inscribed on it can be more precisely referred to as an ostracon.

References[link]

See also[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sherds

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ostraka

• Ostracon

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (March 2011)

Vinnie Vincent (born Vincent John Cusano on August 6, 1952) is an American guitarist and songwriter, well known as a former member in the band Kiss.^[1][2]

Early life[link]

Vincent picked up the guitar at an early age and was inspired by bluegrass and rock and roll.^[3] In 1980, Vincent moved to Los Angeles, California where he became a staff songwriter for the television series Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi where many of the series songs were written on Vincent's acoustic guitar while sitting at the "Cunningham's" kitchen table on the "Happy Days" set, during off-time from the show's rehearsal schedule. Vincent has said the times of working at the Paramount lot were genuinely "happy days".^[4] According to the site "Kiss Related Recordings", Vincent has played with the bands Hunter, Warrior, Hitchhikers, and Heat going as far back as 1970.

Kiss[link]

After befriending Gene Simmons, Vincent was brought in as the replacement for guitarist Ace Frehley. Vincent's personality meshed well with Simmons and Paul Stanley. However, Vincent's refusal to sign the employment contract strained the relationship. Due partly to disputes over what his role in the band was and his pay would be (some reports indicated that Vincent had asked for, and was flatly denied, a percentage of the band's gross profits), and despite the exhortations of both Simmons and Stanley, all through his tenure with the band Vincent refused to sign any contract making his employment official. This ultimately lead to Vincent leaving the band after the European leg of the "Lick It Up" tour.^[5]

At a March show in Quebec, as the band prepared to close out their set, Vincent broke into an impromptu solo, leaving the other band members standing onstage with nothing to do. After the "Lick It Up" tour ended in March 1984, Vincent was terminated from the band, and replaced by Mark St. John (birth name Mark Norton).^[5] Despite parting on bad terms, Vincent was later utilized by Kiss as a songwriter on the 1992 album Revenge, contributing to the songs "Unholy", "Heart Of Chrome" and "I Just Wanna". Vincent again fell out of favor with Simmons and Stanley, as they claimed that Vincent again began "making all kinds of crazy demands and pulling the same kind of crazy stuff all over again".^[5]

Vinnie Vincent Invasion[link]

Vincent formed the band Vinnie Vincent Invasion in the mid-1980s and released two studio albums.

Later career[link]

A tribute album entitled Kiss My Ankh: A Tribute To Vinnie Vincent was released by SplitScreen Entertainment on August 27, 2008. The album consists of new recordings of songs from Vincent's careers with Kiss and the Vinnie Vincent Invasion. Featured artists include Steve Brown of Trixter, Troy Patrick Farrell of White Lion, T.J. Racer of Nitro, Mike Weeks of Robert Fleischman's band, Sheldon Tarsha of Adler's Appetite, Chris Caffery of Savatage and Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Ryan Roxie from the Alice Cooper band and rock and roll comic C.C. Banana, who performs a parody of the Kiss song "Unholy" (rewritten as a roast of Danger Danger vocalist Ted Poley).^[6]

Discography[link]

Kiss[link]

• Creatures of the Night (1982)
• Lick It Up (1983)
• Revenge (1992) songwriting credits only

Compilation[link]

• Smashes, Thrashes & Hits (1988)
• Alive III (1993) songwriting credits only
• MTV Unplugged (1993) songwriting credits only
• The Box Set (2001)
• The Very Best of Kiss (2002)
• Kiss Symphony: Alive IV (2003) songwriting credits only
• The Best of Kiss, Volume 2: The Millennium Collection (2004)
• The Best of Kiss, Volume 3: The Millennium Collection (2006) songwriting credits only
• Kiss Alive! 1975-2000 (2006) songwriting credits only
• The Best of KISS: Green Series (2008)
• Playlist Plus (2008)
• Playlist Your Way (2008)
• Jigoku-Retsuden (2008) songwriting credits only
• 15 Classics (2008) digital download only
• 15 Discoveries (2008) digital download only
• 45 The Complete Collection (2008) digital download only
• Alive! The Millennium Concert (2008) songwriting credits & digital download only
• Sonic Boom Disc 2 (Kiss Klassics) (2009) songwriting credits only

Vinnie Vincent Invasion[link]

• Vinnie Vincent Invasion (1986)
• All Systems Go (1988)
• Pyro Messiah (circa 1989-90, unreleased)

• Euphoria (EP) (1996)
• Archive Volumes I: Speedball Jamm

Peter Criss[link]

• Let Me Rock You (1982)

Tribute albums[link]

• Kiss My Ankh: A Tribute To Vinnie Vincent (2008)

Quotes[link]

"My chemistry with the band helped put them back on top and gave them a musical credibility that they'd never had before, yet I couldn't get the recognition I needed. I felt like I was imprisoned in a small cubicle, like it was someone else's house..." (Vinnie about leaving Kiss in Kerrang! Magazine. Black Diamond (writer: Dale Sherman), 1997)

References[link]

James Fortune (born November 29, 1978) is a gospel music singer. He is a graduate of Kempner High School in Sugar Land, Texas, and attended Cal State Northridge. He is the choir director at Higher Dimension Church in SW Houston, TX. Higher Dimension church was organized on January 23, 1999 at Judy Bush Elementary School. Under the leadership of Pastor Terrance Johnson, Higher D has grown from 29 members in 1999 to more than 12,000 with 10 operative lead ministries and a host of sub-ministries that cater the needs of kids, youth, men, women, couples and singles.

James Fortune & FIYA’s highly anticipated debut CD, “You Survived” was released in September 2004. He was honored at the 19th annual ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Music Awards for his hit single "You Survived" off the same album. “You Survived” also peaked as the #2 most played Gospel song in the country and has remained in the Top 7 for the last 3 years. The radio single, “God Can” features Micah Stampley and upcoming gospel artist Zacardi Cortez. James Fortune received a 2006 ASCAP Writers Award for “You Survived” alongside some of music’s finest like L.L. Cool J., Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin and J. Moss. FIYA has been nominated four years in a row for the Texas Gospel Youth & Young Adult Choir of the year. They have been featured on Eric Carrington’s album, “Soar”.

FIYA has been blessed to open up for various artists such as, John P. Kee, Kim Burrell, Stevie Wonder, Mary Mary, Donald Lawrence, Albertina Walker, Fred Hammond, Tye Tribbett & G.A. and many others. FIYA made their mark in the gospel arena when they participated in the “One Church Tour” with some other gospel greats such as Kurt Carr and the Kurt Carr Singers, RiZen, Smokie Norful, and Vickie Yohe.

James Fortune and F.I.Y.A.’s sophomore project on Black Smoke Music World Wide (formerly World Wide), “The Transformation”, was .released January 22, 2008. The first single “I Trust You” is dominating Gospel radio with 25 weeks straight at #1 and counting. Because of its crossover appeal, “I Trust You” is # 30 on Urban AC charts and #1 at WBLS in New York City, Urban AC’s # 1 station in the U.S.

James Fortune has taken the initiative and believes his mission is to draw lost souls to Christ, encourage you to share in Christ’s unconditional love and peace, and live a life free from bondage and strongholds in God’s abundance according to John 10:10. Because of his calling, Fortune constantly writes ballads and Sunday morning worship songs, collaborates with stellar producers and songwriters, and creates music complete with life transforming principles.

James Fortune is a family man that recognizes his success is only as comparable to his obedience and yielding to God’s will. He invites you to transform your life and remain committed to your God given journey.

On an BET episode "Lift Every Voice" host CoCo Brother, James Fortune is interviewed and reveals the history behind writing the hit song "I Trust You"

External links[link]

• Fortune's Myspace site
• Review of "You Survived" album

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Karen J. Clark
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 61A district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 6, 1981
Preceded by	Linda Berglin
Personal details
Born	(1945-07-23) July 23, 1945 (age 66) Fort Sill, Oklahoma
Political party	DFL
Spouse(s)	Jacquelyn
Residence	Minneapolis, Minnesota
Profession	College instructor
Religion	Roman Catholic

Karen J. Clark (born July 23, 1945) is a Minnesota politician, and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A Democrat, Clark represents District 61A, which includes portions of the city of Minneapolis in the Twin Cities metropolitan area including portions of the Phillips, Ventura Village, Seward, and Lyn-Lake neighborhoods.^[1] She is the longest serving openly lesbian member to serve in a state legislature in the United States.^[1]

Service in the Minnesota House[link]

First elected in November 1980, Clark is serving her sixteenth term in the Minnesota Legislature. She is currently a member of the Capital Investment, the Jobs and Economic Development Finance, and the Redistricting committees. Since first being elected, she has chaired the Governmental Operations Subcommittee for Jobs Creation and Unemployment Issues, the Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee for Job Development and Training, the Economic Development Subcommittee for the Community Stabilization and Development Division, the Housing Committee, the Economic Development and International Trade Subcommittee for the Housing and Housing Finance Division, and the Finance Subcommittee for the Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division.^[2]

Advocacy for LGBT rights[link]

Clark is a lesbian,^[3] and is one of three openly gay members of the Minnesota Legislature, along with Senator D. Scott Dibble and Rep. Susan Allen, both Minneapolis Democrats. After the Minnesota House voted on May 21, 2011, to place a gay marriage amendment referendum on the ballot in the 2012 general election, she and Dibble released a joint statement condemning the referendum. The referendum will have voters decide whether a legal marriage will be restricted to heterosexual couples.^[4]

Following the May 2011 House vote on the gay marriage amendment referendum, Clark stated: "It’s a sad day for the State of Minnesota. Tonight, we’ve moved one step closer to discriminating against Minnesotans simply based on who they love. This amendment won’t help a single family in Minnesota, and this vote is absolutely heartbreaking to thousands of people and families across our state. History will not look back kindly on this day or the people who voted for discrimination. The Minnesota I know is a place of inclusion, tolerance and love, and I truly believe the people of this great state will not vote to enshrine discrimination in our constitution..."^[5]

Background, education and career[link]

Raised on a farm in southwestern Minnesota, Clark attended public schools in Edgerton, graduating from Edgerton High School in 1963. She earned her B.S. in nursing at the College of Saint Teresa in Winona. She later attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, earning her Master of Public Administration degree in 1996.^[1]

Clark has been an instructor at the University of Minnesota since 1985. She previously worked as public health nurse, VISTA nurse-organizer and an OB-GYN Nurse Practitioner. She is a member of the adjunct Faculty of the Department of Human Relations at St. Cloud State University, of the University of Minnesota’s Women’s Studies Department, of the Macalester College Women’s Studies Department, and of the College of St. Catherine Graduate School of Holistic Health. She is a member of AFSCME. She is active in numerous South Minneapolis neighborhoods on issues relating to housing, health, human-rights, labor, women's rights, peace, and affordable high-quality child care for all.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Karen Clark at Minnesota Legislators Past & Present
• Rep. Clark Web Page
• Rep. Clark Campaign Web Site