The VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies e.V. is one of Europe’s largest technical-scientific associations with 35,000 members, including 1,300 corporate and institutional members and 8,000 students.

The Association[link]

Organization[link]

The VDE is the Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies and their related sciences, technologies and applications. As the voice for these key technologies in Germany, the VDE works to foster a better climate for innovation, ensure the highest safety standards, promote optimal engineering curricula, and encourage a broader public acceptance of new technologies. The Association’s organization and functions are unique worldwide: The VDE combines a broad spectrum of scientific activities with work on industry standards and product testing under one roof. Focal points of VDE’s work include developing safety standards for electrical and electronic products, preparing technical regulations as national and international standards, and testing and certifying electrical products, equipment and systems. The VDE Testing and Certification Institute, headquartered in Offenbach, Germany, is among the world’s most prominent independent testing organizations for electric and electronic products. At the Institute’s global network of testing and certification centers, over 500 highly qualified employees conduct around 100,000 tests annually for national and international manufacturers. Virtually every electrical product used daily by the public in Germany and elsewhere – ranging from electric toothbrushes to stoves, washing machines and IT products – is tested and certified by the Institute. The VDE mark, familiar to 68 percent of the German public, is considered to be the symbol of highest safety standards. Worldwide, around 200,000 products bear the respected VDE mark.

VDE activities include national and international transfers of technical knowledge, promoting research and the training of young talents in the key fields of electrical engineering, electronics and information technology and their respective applications. The VDE offers its members numerous benefits such as access to an unmatched national and international network of experts, knowledge transfers, continuing education programs and exclusive online offers. With 35,000 members, including 1,300 corporate and institutional members and 8,000 students, the VDE is one of the largest technical and scientific associations in Europe. Joachim Schneider, a member of the Managing Board of ABB AG Germany, is currently President of the VDE Supervisory Board.

Communications, energy, mobility and life sciences are the central innovation fields represented and supported by the VDE. Germany and Europe are among the world leaders in these fields, and the goal of the VDE is to communicate, secure and further strengthen this position. Many thousands of experts make their know-how available to the Association.

International network[link]

The VDE operates throughout the world and maintains a global network of international contacts and partnerships. On the technical and scientific level, the VDE cooperates with renowned associations around the globe. The VDE has experts serving in all relevant standardization organizations such as CENELEC, ETSI and IEC. The VDE also works closely with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the biggest worldwide professional association of electrical engineers.

The VDE maintains its presence throughout Germany with 29 regional and district societies, offices in the various states, and with 60 university groups. The Association’s honorary Supervisory Board is composed of prominent technology representatives from science and business, while a managing board is responsible for the Association’s policies. The VDE is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and maintains representative offices in Brussels and Berlin.

The VDE in numbers[link]

• 800 employees
• 35,000 members, including 1,300 corporate and institutional members and 8,000 students
• 5 technical and scientific societies
• 29 regional and district societies / state offices
• 1,800 events a year, attended by around 67,000 participants

Technical and scientific societies[link]

The five technical and scientific societies under the roof of the VDE are responsible for knowledge transfers, networking and information exchanges related to technical themes:

• Information Technology Society (ITG) – The ITG promotes research in and applications for information technology used in data and communications systems, production systems, environmental protection, medical engineering and transportation systems.
• Power Engineering Society (ETG) – The ETG supports the development of components, devices and systems for generating, transmitting, distributing and using electrical energy.
• German Association of Biomedical Engineering in the VDE (DGBMT) – The DGBMT promotes the interdisciplinary cooperation of engineers, natural scientists and physicians.
• VDI/VDE Society of Microelectronics, Micro and Precision Engineering (GMM) – The interdisciplinary VDE/VDI society GMM supports research and development in the areas of microelectronics, microsystems and nanotechnology as well as precision engineering.
• VDI/VDE Society of Measurement and Automation Engineering (GMA) – The GMA supports work on theory and applications in the areas of measurement, control and automation systems.

VDE activities[link]

• Knowledge transfers: The VDE creates and maintains effective national and international knowledge transfers among researchers, developers and users through its five technical and scientific societies and its work in the area of industry standards and product testing.
• Continuing education: The VDE is one of the biggest providers of continuing education events in the fields of electrical engineering and information technology, holding 1,800 events a year attended by around 67,000 participants.
• Technology and educational policy: The VDE represents the interests of engineers, scientists and students working on future-oriented technologies by promoting their political and public support.
• Promotion of young talent: The VDE supports young professional talents as well as youth interested in science and technology. The VDE YoungNet supports around 8,000 university students and 3,000 Young Professionals. Each year, the VDE awards prizes and scholarships to gifted students, graduates and young scientists, and also conducts nationwide competitions like INVENT a CHIP.
• International standards and standards: As a founding member of the IEC, the VDE works to promote internationally harmonized industry standards by way of approving safety of electricians' handtools. The DKE (German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies), a joint organization of the DIN (German Institute for Standardization) and the VDE, is the national standardization organization in this field.
• Product testing and certification: Over 500 employees of the VDE Testing and Certification Institution in Offenbach, Germany, conduct roughly 100,000 product tests a year for 5,000 customers around the world.
• Global Services: VDE Global Services GmbH represents the VDE in Asia and provides local testing facilities and product certification for the global market.
• Publications: The VDE VERLAG, with locations in Berlin and Offenbach, is a specialist publishing house for electrical engineering and information technology. It offers a spectrum of publications covering everything from industry standards to specialist books and technical journals.
• Innovation + Technology: VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH, Berlin, plans support programs for technology policies on behalf of federal and state ministries in Germany.

History[link]

• 1893 The founding conference of the VDE (Association of German Electrical Engineers) takes place on January 21–22 in Berlin. Thirty-seven delegates of the Electrotechnical Society of Germany, which was originally established in 1879, approve the founding minutes and elect the VDE board. In September of that year, the VDE holds its first annual meeting and establishes its first technical committee to prepare regulations for electrical equipment.

• 1894 The first VDE commissions for construction and operation regulations and for standard copper components begin their work. These two are followed in subsequent years by additional commissions, including those established to prepare regulations for standard components for incandescent lamps, sheet iron, wire and cable, installation materials, ground current, light measurement and meters. The first VDE regulation – VDE 0100 for the safe production of electrotechnical installations – is passed.

• 1904 The first Book of Standard Components published by the VDE appears. It was prepared by a commission headed by later General Secretary Georg Dettmar. The 187-page book contains 17 VDE regulations.

• 1906 With the participation of the VDE, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is founded in London with member societies in 24 countries.

• 1920 Opening of the central VDE testing center in Berlin. The center is responsible for testing electrotechnical products for their compliance with existing VDE regulations. The first registration of the trademarked “VDE mark” follows.

• 1928 Founding of the ETZ-Verlags (after 1947: VDE-VERLAG GMBH).

• 1937 Incorporation of the VDE in the NS Association of German Technology (NSBDT). The VDE operates as part of the Office for Technology of the NSDAP until 1945.

• 1945 Like all other associations attached to the NSBDT, the VDE is initially prohibited following the end of the war. A trustee for the VDE is later appointed by the British occupying power in Berlin. Gradually, work at the VDE headquarters resumes, with the exception of the association’s lectures and presentations.

• 1948 Rebuilding of the VDE Secretariat-General and the testing center in Wuppertal as well as the regulations center in Mannheim.

• 1950 Official refounding of the Association on March 23. The VDE is now headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, and the testing center is also relocated in that city.

• 1954 Founding of the first VDE technical society, the Nachrichtentechnische Gesellschaft (NTG), the forerunner of today’s Information Technology Society (ITG).

• 1961 Creation of the VDE radio interference protection symbol.

• 1970 In order to consolidate their work on electrotechnical standards, the DIN and the VDE found the German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (DKE). With this move, there is now only one organization responsible for electrotechnical standards in the German Federal Republic. The DKE is a legal entity under the VDE and also represents German interests in the international standardization organizations for electrical engineering.

• 1973 The VDI/VDE Society of Measurement and Control Technologies (GMR) is formed from the merger of the renowned VDI/VDE measurement und control technology specialist groups. The organization has since been renamed as the Society of Measurement and Automation Engineering (GMA).

• 1974 Founding of the Power Engineering Society in VDE (ETG).

• 1976 The VDI/VDE Society for Micro and Precision Engineering (GMF) begins its work (original name: VDI/VDE Society for Precision Engineering (FWT).

• 1985 The working group Blitzschutz und Blitzableiterbau e.V. (lightning protection and lightning rods) joins the VDE. Their activities are continued in the newly formed VDE Committee for Lightning Protection and Research (ABB at VDE).

• 1986 As equal partners, VDI and VDE jointly launch VDI/VDE-Technologiezentrum Informationstechnik GmbH in Berlin. Financed by the Federal Ministry for Research and Technology, the center has supported small and medium-sized enterprises since 1978 in implementing their new technological developments.

• 1987 The VDE/VDI Society of Microelectronics (GME) begins its work.

• 1989 Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, the VDE welcomes electrical engineers in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). The VDE establishes seven new district societies in the new federal states by 1992 and takes in over 4,000 new members.

• 1991 The name of the VDE testing center is changed to VDE Testing and Certification Institute, to reflect the fact that certification has become an additional field of activity.

• 1992 Founding of the umbrella organization Medical Technology DVMT. The VDE is a founding member.

• 1996 Merger of GME (VDE/VDI Society of Microelectronics) and GMF (VDI/VDE Society of Micro and Precision Engineering) to form the VDE/VDI Society of Microelectronics, Micro and Precision Engineering (GMM).

• 1998 Delegates officially vote to change the name of the VDE to VDE – Association of Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies.

• 2001 Merger of the VDE and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Biomedizinische Technik (German Association of Biomedical Engineering) (DGBMT). The DGBMT becomes a new technical society in the VDE. The DKE is renamed DKE German Commission for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies of DIN and VDE. The VDE opens a representative office in the capital of Berlin.

• 2003 VDE Global Services GmbH is founded.

• 2004 The Information Technology Society (ITG) celebrates its 50th anniversary in St. Paul’s Church in Frankfurt am Main. German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder gives the keynote speech at the opening of the VDE Congress 2004 – “Innovations for People.”

• 2006 The VDE organizes the IEC World Congress in Berlin with Germany’s Minister for Economics and Technology Michael Glos. EU Commissioner Günter Verheugen opens the VDE Congress –“Innovations for Europe” in Aachen, Germany.

• 2007 The VDE/BMBF nationwide student initiative INVENT a CHIP sets a new record with 1,500 participants. VDE and the Ministry for Education and Research host the 2nd Microsystems Technology Congress in Dresden, Germany, with Annette Schavan, Germany’ Minister for Education and Research.

Regulations and standards[link]

The German Commission for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies of DIN and VDE (DKE) develops standards and safety regulations for the fields of electrical engineering, electronics and information technology. The DKE represents German interests in the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) and in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Around 3,500 experts from business, science and the public sector prepare, in an honorary capacity, VDE regulations in the DKE.

VDE regulations[link]

The most important VDE regulations for safety in electrical engineering cover:

• dangerous currents
• dangerous voltages
• the five fundamental safety rules

Germany’s trade associations publish * accident prevention regulations that are in part based on VDE standards.

VDE standards[link]

Links[link]

• Official Website of the VDE
• Official Website of the VDE VERLAG GMBH

Huey Freeman is a fictional character of The Boondocks syndicated comic strip written by Aaron McGruder, as well as the protagonist and recurrent principal narrator of the animated TV series of the same name.^[1] Politically sapient and borderline militant, Huey, being a self-described revolutionary left-wing radical, regularly reflects upon current events as well as the plight of African Americans as it relates to a greater American society. Huey's character has often been described as "misanthropic," and "cynical," as often presented in his pessimistic personality. He is named after Huey P. Newton, one of the co-founders and leaders of the Black Panther Party. He is voiced by actress Regina King.^[2]

Huey, who grew up with his younger brother Riley (also voiced by King) on the south side of Chicago, was moved along with his brother to the peaceful, predominately white suburb of Woodcrest, Maryland by their Granddad. It strongly suggested that Huey and Riley's birth parents are deceased. This is, in part, based on Robert's dialogue from the first episode stating that he spent the boys' "inheritance" on their new house in Woodcrest.

Personality[link]

Huey is a highly intelligent ten-year-old who recognizes and detests the absurdities (both obvious and perceived) of the society in which he lives. His cynicism often touches upon subjects such as politics, religion, the media, businesses and corporations, African-American culture and American society as a whole.^[1]

Tending to be cantankerous in both manner and speech, Huey has demonstrated a depth of understanding that would seem to surpass his young age, such as knowing roughly what is going to happen in the future based on the actions and personalities of the people involved. For example, in "The Fund-Raiser," Huey accurately predicts what will become of Riley's candy-selling racket, going so far as to give him a bulletproof vest that eventually saves his life. Oratorically gifted, Huey has shown the ability to seize and hold the attention of entire crowds of people when he wants to do so. He uses this gift during individual interactions as well, during which he can gain a desired effect depending on his intention. In "The Red Ball", he is also shown to understand and speak Mandarin.

Huey is depicted as owning a large collection of books and other reading materials, as he often reads the newspaper, watches the televised news and otherwise makes a point to keep up with current events. Huey seems to show some fondness for Star Wars, and quotes the series often. In "The Story of Gangstalicious Part 2" he states that he likes Elton John. On at least one occasion, he demonstrated an aptitude for writing fiction in the form of script writing (he wrote a play entitled The Adventures of Black Jesus in "A Huey Freeman Christmas"). He has also written poignant letters and emails to public figures imploring them to support various political causes. He has started petitions, made and handed out flyers, and created and edited his own newspaper titled The Free Huey World Report. He uses such media to express his own opinions and ideas, though their impact is generally limited given their nature and his minimal resources.

Shown to be a skilled martial artist, Huey oftentimes demonstrates on various occasions an ability with nunchaku, katana, bo staff, as well as hand to hand combat that far surpasses the expected capabilities of a ten-year-old. Though he has won several fights against Riley, a pair of theater guards, Stinkmeaner on one occasion (though with the help of his grand father and brother), Ming on another occasion, Uncle Ruckus on the season 3 finale, and his former friend Cairo on another occasion, he has been defeated several times (Stinkmeaner, Luna, Stinkmeaner's crew, and Uncle Ruckus) His fight with Bushido Brown ended in a draw (Bushido Brown left the fight to protect his ward Oprah Winfrey), Luna was a Kumite fighter and a White Lotus expert, and Stinkmeaner was at the time, a supernatural presence. And though Uncle Ruckus beat Huey the first time it is not shown who won the rematch; the beginning of the fight was the end of the episode. He also fought a few of Winston Jerome's men. Huey regularly beats Riley with ease in their fights despite the fact Riley often uses objects such as frying pans, or golf clubs in their fights showing Huey is very disciplined and skilled against armed opponents.

In the Season 1 episode "The Real," Huey has several encounters with a undercover government spy in which he dubs as "The White Shadow." At the end of the episode he is left uncertain whether these encounters were real. The man reappears in the Season 3 finale "It's Goin' Down" to warn Huey that government agents actually are on their way to Woodcrest to apprehend him, forcing him into a desperate attempt to flee the city.

Huey does not consider himself to be religious and has mentioned so several times in the comics. Nevertheless, he very passionately insists that Jesus Christ was black and US president Ronald Reagan is the Devil. As of the third season of the series, the only support he has explicitly given to this theory is that many individuals of African descent lived in the Middle East during the time of Christ.

Huey is shown to admire several historical figures. In "The Return of the King" he is the only person who still respects Martin Luther King, Jr. after King awakens from a 32-year coma and is misconstrued by the public as a terrorist. As mentioned before, Huey is named after Huey P. Newton, the co-founder of the Black Panthers. During "The Story of Gangstalicious Part 2" Huey states that Muhammed Ali is a hero of his. He also has many posters of Che Guevara, Malcolm X, MLK, and Hugo Chavez. Three figures he has quoted before are Langston Hughes, Karl Marx, and Khalil Gibran.

While Huey is always portrayed as being a left-wing radical, his specific political ideologies are never actually portrayed in detail. On several occasions, such as "The Block is Hot," he has demonstrated a following of Revolutionary Socialism. This is also backed up because Huey has posters of revolutionary socialists in his room. A belief in Anarchism is also plausible, as several of his statements have paid respect to it. In "Or Die Trying..." he teaches a theater ticket taker about Anarcho-Syndicalism and Marxism. However, a moderate belief in Black Nationalism is common, since a desire for a greater unity between the black people of America is a recurring theme. Huey has also quoted Karl Marx, suggesting an understanding of communism. In "The Real" Huey claims to be the founder of 23 radical leftist organizations, including the Black Revolutionary Organization or B.R.O., Africans Fighting Racism and Oppression or A.F.R.O.,and the Black Revolutionary Underground Heroes, or B.R.U.H. In terms of public opinion, the national media within the Boondocks' universe often mistakenly (or rather, satirically) mislabels Huey as a "domestic terrorist" throughout various newscasts seen during the third season.

The only deep insight in Huey's spiritual beliefs is when he believed an innocent man on death row whose release Huey had worked for was about to be executed ("The Passion of Reverend Ruckus"). Alone in a field, Huey dropped to his knees and sobbed as he offered up prayers to God; almost simultaneously, a bizarre chain of events led to the man's sentence being postponed or commuted by the governor. Upon learning of this, Huey says:

"Maybe there are forces in the universe we don't understand. But I still believe we make our own miracles".

Being extremely pessimistic, Huey is rarely seen smiling in the episodes. He is either in a neutral expression or is seen frowning or shrugging. In season one, Huey was seen smiling when he defeats his brother Riley and in "The Passion of Reverend Ruckus" when he asks Jazmine to come with him to prison (though the smile is quickly replaced with anger toward Jazmine) and twice in "The Block is Hot" when he set up his soap box and when he watched Jazmine speak with Ed Wuncler Sr. In season two, he is seen smiling three times. Once was in episode "Home Alone" when Granddad returns home after his trip to Costa Rica. The second and third is in episode "Ballin'" when Riley finally insults the opposing team's star player enough to make her cry. After scoring multiple baskets, Huey is seen smiling at his brother along with Granddad. He is also seen smiling during the timeout that Tom called to congratulate the team on their playing. Other than four instances, Huey has never been caught smiling. This isn't to say that Huey lacks a softer side, as he will take steps to help and protect those he considers friends or family (ex. Tom, Jazmine, Riley, etc.)

Huey is shown to disagree with the popular beliefs of Christmas. As Christmas has roots in a Pagan holiday, he has suggested Jesus Christ probably hates people for celebrating it. It is assumed that Huey is an agnostic. In the comic strip, he claims that Santa Claus is an Illuminati agent working toward The New World Order.

Relationships[link]

Riley Freeman

Riley is Huey's younger brother, and regularly represents everything Huey loathes and generally disapproves of. Huey is politically minded and critical while Riley remains uninterested, showing great affection for many things including gangsta rap, violence, and "bling," that Huey finds to be culturally poisonous. Despite their constant fighting and his disagreement with Riley's beliefs, Huey cares very much for his brother as he usually tries to steer him in the right direction, acts which Riley initially ignores, but results in Riley facing the consequences of his actions later on. They also get into furious battles with each other.

Robert Jebediah Freeman

Robert Freeman is the paternal grandfather and legal guardian of Huey and Riley Freeman, who often disagrees with many of Huey's political ideas. While in the comic strip, Huey and his grandfather have a much more affable relationship, in the series, they are almost constantly at odds, in part due to his constant favoritism shown to Riley, who supports his grandfather's various crazy schemes. Huey seems to offer Granddad advice in certain situations, such as during "Granddad's Fight", "The S-Word", and "The Story of Thugnificent," attempts that almost always fall flat.

Jazmine DuBois

Although Jazmine DuBois and Huey spend a great deal of their time together, Huey often treats Jazmine poorly due to his disdain for her trusting personality and apolitical views. In the TV series, the two appear to be a lot closer (in fact, she is the only child he is shown to be interacting with outside of Riley), as with Huey confiding in her about his desire to meet up with former best friend Cairo during a planned trip to Chicago ("Wingmen") and Huey allowing her to help him in his plan to free an unjustly imprisoned inmate scheduled to be executed out of prison ("The Passion of Reverend Ruckus"), essentially trusting her as an accomplice. Although Huey initially appears to be derisive of her beliefs, his opinion of her improves, and by the end of season 3, she is most likely his only friend. In the nation-wide pandemic during "The Fried Chicken Flu," she is the only other person he allows to stay at his home (in addition to Granddad and Riley). Huey has also shown a proclivity to empathize with her at times, showing visible concern for her during episodes such as "The Block Is Hot," when he campaigns for her release from her quasi-child-labor contract and gives her his scarf at the end of the episode when she is cold. For her part, Jazmine appears to appreciate Huey's characteristics, claiming that he is "not like everyone else" ("Fried Chicken Flu"). She is also one of the only people who appear to actually listen to Huey, and was the only one that read the manual he provided during the fried chicken epidemic.

Tom DuBois

Tom DuBois, Jazmine's father, represents almost everything Huey is primarily against. Tom, being a strait-laced liberal democrat assistant district attorney, is part of the structure that Huey views as inhibitive and self-destructive. He also dislikes Tom because he encourages his daughter to conform to a more European look rather than emphasizing the beauty of her African features, as shown when Tom mentions that he's tried everything to make Jazmine's hair more straight. Despite Huey's disagreements with Tom, the two are shown generally to be on good terms as he often acknowledges Huey's intellect and maturity to the extent that he will often turn to Huey for advice on subjects ranging from help with his marriage, politics, and his career as a prosecutor (with Huey supporting Tom's prosecution of R. Kelly for statutory rape.) When he is put in holding for false accusations of murder and finds out that he will be sent to real "butt pounding" jail for the weekend - Tom uses his one phone call to beg Huey to catch the real killer before that day's end.

Ed Wuncler, Sr.

Ed Wuncler serves as a villainous foil for Huey, as Ed Wuncler, Sr., represents indeed everything Huey is against. In spite of this, Wuncler retains a friendly relationship with the Freeman family, despite Huey seeing through his friendly facade as far as the true person Wuncler is inside. Interestingly, Huey considers Wuncler's biases to stem from his greed and influence rather than actual racism.

Ed Wuncler III and Gin Rummy

Huey distrusts Ed and Gin, having seen the two young men perform many criminal and immoral actions and does not hesitate to point out the obvious stupidity behind their careless conduct. He also does not care for the way that they help contribute to Riley's delinquent attitude, leading him to often warn his brother to stay away from them.

Uncle Ruckus

Huey is the only recurring character to consistently show anger towards Uncle Ruckus, as others are usually confused by his beliefs and non-sequitur statements.^[3] Ruckus often views himself as a white man and often aspires to be white. This is due to the claim by his mother, stating that he was adopted by herself and Ruckus' father, Mr. Ruckus. In a later episode of the third season, we meet his mother, father, and two brothers; while his mother continues to strongly insist that he is adopted, his father says otherwise. Mr. Ruckus tells Uncle that he is truly black, and that his mother loves white folks so much, she told Uncle he was adopted so that he could live being happy. In the third season's premiere, neither Huey nor Uncle Ruckus vote for Barack Obama to be elected President, but for different reasons: Ruckus's reason is that Obama is black and he wants McCain to win. Huey, on the other hand, aside from the fact he is not old enough to vote, does not like either one; though he voices little actual opinion during the episode, but it is apparent that he thinks that Obama being President isn't going to change anything as many people presume. Huey and Ruckus both plan on leaving the country in a plan called "Operation Exodus." Huey claims that while he and Ruckus are by no means allies, the association is convenient - Ruckus has a car, and Huey has gas money. Their association is only meant to extend to the Canadian border, at which point they will go their separate ways. The plan fails, however, when agents arrest Uncle Ruckus for threatening Obama. Huey, now unable to get a ride since Ruckus is in lockup, is forced to cancel Operation Exodus.

Michael Caesar

During the comic strip's run, Michael Caesar (known by his surname) was Huey's best friend and classmate. Like Huey, Caesar is very much self aware of current events and experienced culture shock after leaving a big city like New York, and moving to the predominately white suburb of Woodcrest. Caesar shares many of Huey's political views but lacks his serious demeanor, preferring instead to engage in critical mockery rather than extreme activism. He has yet to appear in the animated TV series.

Awards[link]

In the 2006 Glyph Comics Awards, Huey Freeman was named Best Male Character.

Footnotes[link]

External links[link]

• Boondocks at the Adult Swim website
• Boondocks at the Ucomics website

Ismael Serrano (born 9 March 1974) is a Singer/songwriter and guitarist from Spain, popular in Spain and Latin America, known for his insightful and often political lyrics and eclectic musical influences.

Early life[link]

He was born in the neighbourhood of Vallecas of Madrid (Spain) in 9 March 1974. After studying Physics in the Complutense University of Madrid, Ismael Serrano started his musical career in the early nineties in Madrid, singing folk based guitar music in a café circuit, at abashedly political venues like Libertad 8, Galileo and Nuevos Juglares. The movement proved to be very popular, inspired by the 20 year old ‘Protest’ song movement under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, as well as the Nueva canción movement of Latin America.

Atrapados en Azul[link]

In 1997 Ismael Serrano signed with Polygram (now Universal) and released his first disc: “Atrapados en Azul”, with songs such as "Papá cuéntame otra vez", "Vértigo" o "Amo tanto la vida" that became hymns for youngsters in Spain and Latin America. For this work he was nominated as ‘Best new artist” for the Spanish Musical Awards of the “Sociedad General de Autores y Editores”.

Second and third records[link]

The follow-up disc, "La memoria de los peces" (1998), increased his popularity (sales level for Platinum in Spain, Gold in Argentina). In his third production “Los paraísos desiertos” (2000) Serrano moved more to Jazz styles and African sounds. Two important music nominations for this work: Best Original Song for the Goya Movie Awards (The “Spanish Oscars”) for the song “Km.0” (of the feature with the same title) and Best Sound Engineering for the 2001 Latin Grammy Awards.

Recordings 2002-2007[link]

New productions appeared in the following years: “La traición de Wendy” (2002), Principio de Incertidumbre” (2003, double live concert disk), “Naves ardiendo más allá de Orión” (2005) (phrase extracted from the final dialogue of the Blade Runner cult film), and “Sueños de un hombre despierto” (2007) pointing out Ismael Serrano as one of the main exponents of singer/songwriter trend in the Latin music world.

Feature film[link]

In May 2002 Ismael Serrano participated in his second feature film “El corazón de Jesus”, a German-Chilean-Bolivian production written and directed by Marcos Loayza. Previously, in the year 2000, he sang the eponymous theme song at the close of the film Km. 0 - a romantic comedy of errors involving several sets of people who meet at, or otherwise have in common, Kilómetro Cero in Madrid.

Retrospective (2006)[link]

In late 2006, 10th anniversary from the release of his first CD, a retrospective of his work was released as a double CD under the name "El Viaje De Rosetta" (in reference to the Rosetta (spacecraft)). This deluxe boxset contains a disc with all his singles, another disc with rarities, live tracks and collaborations, and a 48 pages booklet, and is also available in a single CD and DVD edition.

Discography[link]

Atrapados en azul (1997)

1. Papá cuéntame otra vez
2. Vértigo
3. Donde estarás
4. Caperucita
5. Yo quiero ser muy promiscuo
6. Amo tanto la vida
7. La extraña pareja
8. El camino de regreso
9. México insurgente
10. Un muerto encierras
11. Atrapados en azul
12. Ana

La memoria de los peces (1998)

1. Últimamente
2. Al bando vencido
3. Recuerdo
4. Ya quisiera yo
5. Regresa
6. Vine del norte
7. Sin ti a mi lado
8. Tierna y dulce historia de amor
9. Instrucciones para salvar el odio eternamente
10. A las madres de mayo
11. Canción de amor propio
12. Mi vida no hay derecho
13. Pequeña criatura
14. Qué va a ser de mí

Los paraísos desiertos (2000)

1. Km.0
2. La mujer más vieja del mundo
3. No estarás sola
4. La cita
5. Tantas cosas
6. Una historia de Alvite
7. La huida
8. Has de saber
9. La casa encantada
10. La ciudad parece un mundo
11. Lo que hay que aguantar
12. Ya ves

La traición de Wendy (2002)

1. Eres
2. Un hombre espera en el desierto
3. Si peter pan viniera
4. Cien días
5. Ahora
6. Pájaros en la cabeza
7. Buenos Aires 2001
8. Prende la luz
9. Qué andarás haciendo
10. Fue terrible aquel año
11. La ciudad de los muertos
12. Será
13. Cobertura: 95% del territorio nacional #

Principio de incertidumbre (2003)

CD1

1. Últimamente
2. Principio de incertidumbre
3. Cien días
4. Vine del norte
5. Ya llegó la primavera
6. Km.0 (con Javier Bergia)
7. Eres
8. La extraña pareja (con Lichis)
9. Aquella tarde
10. Pájaros en la cabeza (con Pedro Guerra)
11. Amo tanto la vida
12. Plaza Garibaldi

CD2

1. Qué andarás haciendo
2. Recuerdo
3. Ya ves (con Luis Eduardo Aute)
4. Papá cuéntame otra vez
5. Ahora
6. Zona Cero
7. Déjate convencer
8. Vértigo
9. Tierna y dulce historia de amor
10. Un muerto encierras
11. Prende la luz
12. No estarás sola
13. A las madres de mayo

Naves ardiendo más allá de Orión (2005)

1. Elegía
2. El virus del miedo
3. Sucede que a veces
4. Duermes
5. Reina del super
6. Volveré temprano
7. Alicia
8. Fragilidad
9. Allí
10. El vals de los jubilados
11. Jóvenes y hermosos
12. Estamos a salvo
13. Dulce memoria
14. Ya nada es lo que era

El Viaje De Rosetta (2006)

CD1 (Singles)

1. Papá cuéntame otra vez
2. Dónde estarás
3. Amo tanto la vida
4. Atrapados en azul
5. Mexico insurgente
6. Caperucita
7. Últimamente
8. Vine del Norte
9. Tierna y dulce historia de amor
10. Pequeña criatura
11. Km 0
12. La mujer más vieja del mundo
13. No estarás sola
14. La huida
15. Eres
16. Qué andarás haciendo
17. Cien días
18. Elegía
19. Sucede a veces

CD2 (Rarities)

1. Vértigo (Encuentros con la Habana)
2. Mira que eres canalla (Tribute to Luis Eduardo Aute)
3. Con los cinco pinares (Claudio Rodríguez - Poesía necesaria)
4. Dos kilómetros de paciencia (25 años - Javier Bergia)
5. El último cantautor (Ni jaulas, ni peceras - La Cabra Mecánica)
6. Nueces (Esta mañana y otros cuentos - Coti)
7. El aparecido (Tribute to Víctor Jara)
8. Caballo de cartón (Un barco de sueños - Cantautores cantan a niños)
9. Chove en Santiago (Lo mejor de Luar na Lubre)
10. Vine del norte (Live at Lo + plus)
11. Ya se van los pastores (Son de niños)
12. La Locura (OST "El corazón de Jesús")
13. La Cordura (OST "El corazón de Jesús")
14. Vuelvo a Madrid (Until now an iTunes only song)
15. Principio de incertidumbre (15 September 2003)
16. La extraña pareja (Live with "La Cabra Mecánica" 2 February 2004)
17. Plaza Garibaldi (27 April 2004)

Sueños de un hombre despierto (2007)

1. Casandra
2. Canción para un viejo amigo
3. Canción de amor y oficina
4. Nana para un niño indígena
5. Somos
6. Zamba del emigrante (feat. Mercedes Sosa)
7. Habitantes de Alfa-Centauro encuentran la sonda Voyager
8. Testamento vital
9. Sesión continua
10. Si se callase el ruido
11. Te conocí
12. Amores imposibles
13. Para médicos y amantes

Unedited songs

1. Cita a las siete en La Moncloa
2. Con una pena de muerte
3. Cuatro estaciones
4. La ciudad parece un mundo (primera versión)
5. La cordura
6. La locura
7. La tormenta
8. Los torpes
9. Mañana quizás sea tarde
10. Por qué no te quedas en casa
11. Por ti
12. Vente conmigo
13. Y yo buscándote

Un Lugar Soñando (2009)

1. Somos
2. Cancion Para Un Viejo Amigo
3. Sucede Que A Veces
4. Cancion De Amor Y Oficina
5. Caperucita
6. Penelope Espera En Peumayen
7. Sesion Continua
8. Vine Del Norte
9. A Las Madres De Mayo
10. Zamba Del Emigrante Con Mercedes Sosa
11. Si Se Callase El Ruido
12. Tantas Cosas
13. Ya Ves
14. Recuerdo
15. Canción De Amor Propio
16. Observando Las Estrellas
17. Habitantes De Alfa Centauro Encuentran La Sonda Voyager
18. Ultimamente
19. Vertigo
20. Casandra
21. La Extraña Pareja
22. Como La Cigarra
23. Papa Cuentame Otra Vez
24. Eres
25. Ya Nada Es Lo Que Era

References[link]

• Official web page

Vybz Kartel
Background information
Birth name	Adidja Palmer
Born	(1976-01-07) 7 January 1976 (age 36) Kingston, Jamaica
Origin	Portmore, Jamaica
Genres	Reggae, Dancehall, Reggae fusion
Occupations	Deejay, songwriter, entrepreneur, lyricist, producer
Years active	2000–present
Labels	Adidjaheim Records
Associated acts	Beenie Man, Aidonia, Elephant Man, Ninjaman, The Alliance, Portmore Empire, Major Lazer & Popcaan, Kano, Vanessa Bling
Website	www.vybzkartel.co.uk

Adidja Palmer (born 7 January 1976)- ^[1][2][3] better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican dancehall artist, songwriter and businessman. He has many nicknames, including: Addi, The Teacher, World Boss, Kartel, Vybz, Gaza General and Gaza Don.

Biography[link]

Adidja Palmer began his career as a teenager in 1993 with his first recording "Love Fat Woman", released on Alvin Reid's label "One Heart", using the moniker "Adi Banton", a homage to Buju Banton.^[4] Palmer was later part of the three-member group "Vybez Cartel", keeping the slightly altered name after group split up, and became a protege of Bounty Killer, for whom he claims to have written nearly 30 songs, including "Gal Clown".^[5]

Vybz Kartel rose to prominence in 2003 after a string of hits in Jamaica. The year culminated in a pre-planned on-stage clash with Ninjaman at the annual dancehall festival Sting in Kartel's hometown of Portmore. The clash turned violent when Kartel's crewmembers, as well as Kartel himself, threw punches and assaulted Ninjaman onstage.^[6] While Kartel's manager initially blamed Ninjaman for the fracas,^[6] Kartel himself quickly apologised to Ninjaman and Sting organizers for the fracas.^[7] Four days after the incident, the two artists appeared before the press to announce a settlement of their differences and to end any animosity.^[8]

He established his own label Adidjahiem/Notnice Records with his business partner and producer Ainsley "Notnice" Morris.^[9] In 2010, he released his album Pon Di Gaza 2.0 on Adidjahiem/Notnice Records in collaboration with Tads Record Inc.^[10] In Spring 2011, Vybz Kartel released an album entitled 'Kingston Story' with Brooklyn hip hop/electro producer Dre Skull.^[11]

Kartel has worked on collaborations and remixes with hip hop and R&B musicians Jay-Z, Rihanna, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, M.I.A, Pharrell, Kardinal Offishall, Akon, Jim Jones, Lil Wayne and Eminem.

In 2009 he had succeeded internationally with his hit song featuring a popular female Jamaican Deejay 'Spice' - "Ramping Shop" debuting on the Billboard Top 100 Singles charts,^[12] and "Dollar Sign" being in regular rotation on urban radio stations in the US.^[13] His 2010 single "Clarks" was one of his biggest international successes, remaining in the top 3 Reggae Singles gaining the most radio plays in North America for 40 weeks.^[14] "Clarks" was also featured on the TV series So You Think You Can Dance Canada,^[15] and on a CNN segment on dancehall dance.^[16] MTV's Vice Guide to Dancehall featured Kartel at his weekly dance party, Street Vybz Thursday.^[17]

After splitting with Bounty Killer-led Alliance in 2006, Kartel founded the Portmore Empire, a group of dancehall deejays and singers from his Portmore neighborhood that he signed to his newly founded Adidjahiem/Notnice Records. Members of the group as of 2011 were: Popcaan, Shawn Storm, Sheba, Gaza Indu, Tommy Lee, Singing Maxwell, Singa Blinga, Lenny Mattic. Former members include Lisa Hype,^[18] Gaza Kim,^[19] Black Ryno,^[20] Jah Vinci, Dosa Medicine and Merital Family^[21].

Feud with Mavado[link]

Towards the end of 2006, Vybz Kartel left The Alliance. Tensions arose following Kartel's continued association with Bounty Killer's longtime enemy, Beenie Man, including Kartel attending Beenie Man's wedding to Bounty Killer's ex-girlfriend D'Angel.^[22] Due to Kartel's defection from The Alliance and his 'parring' (fraternising) with Beenie Man, a series of songs and counteraction songs ensued - the main proponents being Kartel and Mavado.

A very public feud between Vybz Kartel and former collaborator Mavado arose towards the end of 2006, stemming from Vybz' much publicized departure from the dancehall conglomerate group The Alliance. The feud resulted in numerous diss tracks released, in which each artist dissed the other and their associates over popular dancehall rhythms.^[23] In a police-overseen press conference in March 2007, both Mavado and Vybz Kartel publicly announced an end to hostilities and apologized to fans.^[24]

However, by the summer of 2008, tensions flared with a renewal of "diss tracks" from each artist, and a lyrical clash between the two at Sting 2008 left mixed views as to the "winner".^[25][26] Most of 2009 saw a continuation of the public feud, which dominated Jamaican media and, to a certain extent, Jamaican culture, with the two artists' factions, Gaza (Kartel) and Gully (Mavado), being adopted by Jamaican youth, in some cases leading to street violence.^[27][28]

On 8 December 2009, Kartel and Mavado met with Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding in an attempt to end the feud, which had by that time fueled mob attacks in some of the inner-city neighborhoods of Kingston.^[29] The two had performed together on-stage the previous night in a sign of goodwill at the West Kingston Jamboree, a concert promoted by drug lord^[30] Christopher "Dudus" Coke.^[23] After the truce in December 2009, the two artists were scheduled to perform a unity concert March 2010 in Barbados, which was later cancelled by the prime minister of that country.^[31]

Business[link]

In 2008, Vybz Kartel launched his own liquor line Street Vybz Rum. He hosts a weekly dance party Street Vybz Thursday, at the Building, Kingston nightclub he manages with Street Vybz Rum business partner Corey Todd.^[32] The rum is officially distributed by Vybz Distillers Limited. The same year, he also released his own condom line, Daggering Condoms.^[33] Kartel's goal for 2011 is to release his own shoe line named Addi's, as well as his own line of "cake soap".^[34]

When his singles "Clarks", "Clarks 2 (Clarks Again)" and "Clarks 3 (Wear Weh Yuh Have)" featured the British shoe brand Clarks in 2010, its sales numbers and prices in Jamaica increased considerably.^[35]

Vybz Kartel has also hosted his own reality television show "Teacha's Pet" on CVM Jamaica broadcast channel, the first reality television show hosted by a dancehall artist in Jamaica. The premise of "Teacha's Pet" finds 20 women living in a Kingston house vying for the artist's affection; the show's lascivious content elicited condemnation of its sponsor, telecommunications company LIME. The show came to a halt with the artist's arrest on murder charges in September 2011.

Controversies[link]

Whitening[link]

Vybz Kartel's Skin before and after he bleached his skin

Kartel has come under controversy over perceived skin whitening, or "bleaching", leading him to claim to the use of "cake soap" to lighten his skin.^[36][37] The Blue Power Group, Jamaican manufacturer of the popular cake soap (or "blue soap"), has refuted claims it changes skin color.^[38] Kartel then stated the soap used to lighten his skin was his own brand, which he intends to release on the local market.^[34]

Airwave Ban[link]

In September 2011 the National Communications Network of Guyana banned Vybz Kartel from the airwaves—the first such action against a specific artist. His music contained "obscene lyrics" and brought "nothing positive" to the entertainment industry, said NCN spokesman Martin Goolsarran (Wednesday, Sept 21st) after a week of internal debate. He said NCN was reviewing the lyrics of other musicians and could ban them as well. In fact the government had no problem with Kartel, its Tourism Ministry inviting him to an August music festival, but he angered it and Guyanese promoters when he failed to show up.^[39]

Murder charge[link]

Vybz Kartel being arrested in October 2011

On 29 September 2011, Kartel was arrested by police. Jamaica's Major Investigation Taskforce (MIT) charged him with murder, conspiracy to murder and illegal possession of a firearm. The deceased was Barrington 'Bossie' Burton, a 27-year-old businessman and music promoter based in the Kingston suburb of Portmore. They first visited Kingston's Norbrook community where the DJ resides, then went to a property on Swallowfield Avenue in Kingston's Havendale area. That residence was the scene of a fire several weeks ago; a scorched computer hard-drive and several boxes were removed. They then drove to Portmore to a home purportedly owned by Kartel's mother, where a number of items were similarly confiscated. Kartel was detained for the weekend in relation to a partially burned, decomposing body found inside the Swallowfield Avenue home.^[40]

Kartel was granted bail for the Burton murder 23 March 2012 for JD$3,000,000, but currently remains jailed in connection on a second murder, of one Clive 'Lizzard' Williams.^[41]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• 2003: Up 2 Di Time
• 2004: More Up 2 Di Time
• 2005: J.M.T.
• 2009: Most Wanted
• 2010: Pon di Gaza 2.0
• 2011: Kingston Story

Singles[link]

Guest appearances[link]

Awards[link]

Kartel has had several collaborations with international hip hop and pop stars. He has released two albums for the UK/US based label Greensleeves Records. He was also nominated for the Source,^[43] VIBE and UK MOBO awards, although his 2004 UK MOBO award nomination was withdrawn amidst controversy over homophobic content of his lyrics.^[44]

• 2003
  • Stone Love's 30th Anniversary
    • DJ of the Year 2005

• 2008
  • CUMA (Caribbean Urban Music Awards)

• 2009
  • EME Awards^[45]
    • Male DJ of the Year
    • Lyricist/Songwriter of the Year
    • Song of the Year (Romping Shop ft. Spice)

• 2010
  • EME Awards^[46]

References[link]

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. (June 2009)

Paul Kalkbrenner
Paul Kalkbrenner at Alte Diamantbrauerei (old diamond brewery), Magdeburg, in 2007
Background information
Birth name	Paul Kalkbrenner
Born	1977 Leipzig, Germany
Genres	Techno Minimal Electronica Downbeat
Occupations	electronic musician, actor
Instruments	Turntables, keyboard, Ableton Live
Years active	1999–present
Labels	BPitch Control, Paul Kalkbrenner Musik [1]
Website	myspace.com/paulkalkbrenner

Paul Kalkbrenner (German pronunciation: [paʊl ˈkalkbrɛnɐ]) (born 1977 in Leipzig, Germany^[2]) is a German electronic musician and actor from Berlin.

History[link]

As of 2010, Paul Kalkbrenner has tallied up more than 15 years of experience as a producer and live act. The early 90s after the Berlin Wall fell were formative years for Paul, and after spending many long and sleepless nights on the dancefloors of E-Werk, Planet and Whale, the dream was born to make music himself. A job as TV editor got him through the mid-90s and financed his first music gear. By this point Paul had already decided that he did not want to be a typical DJ playing other people's records, but rather to play only his own music, live in a club setting. His first tracks as Paul Kalkbrenner were released in 1999 on Berlin-based BPitch Control (the newly founded label from Ellen Allien) as the Friedrichshain EP, titled after his home district in the city's east. A series of further singles and two full-lengths (Superimpose and Time) followed, plus continuous live performances.

Together with Paul Kalkbrenner, BPitch Control gained a strong momentum. Paul's third album Self (2004) would mark the beginning of a new era. His melodic sound, with its affinity for grand emotional gestures, obeyed the logic of the dancefloor, but Self introduced a narrative aesthetic, serving as a soundtrack to a film that did not exist (at least, not yet). "Gebrünn Gebrünn", released one year later, became a crossover hit.

In early 2006, German director Hannes Stöhr, an avid fan of Self, decided to get in contact with Kalkbrenner. His idea was to produce a film about a Berlin techno musician during the new millennium, and Paul would compose the soundtrack. The two met, traded ideas and experiences, and soon after began working on the screenplay's first draft. In the course of their exchange, Hannes had the realization that Paul should not just contribute the music, but that he would be the perfect choice as the film's star. Without hesitation, Paul accepted the offer. They decided to title the film Berlin Calling.^[3][4]

For the soundtrack's production, Paul and his friend (and Bpitch colleague) Sascha Funke spent half a year in Aix-En-Provence in southern France. One song already had a title: "Sky and Sand" with vocals by brother Fritz Kalkbrenner. Upon Paul's return to Berlin in 2007, the filming began, and the finished work was brought to German theaters in October 2008. Berlin Calling and Paul's debut acting performance received positive reviews, and the film, thanks to its authentic depiction of the Berlin club scene and drug culture, became a cult classic.

The soundtrack and especially the single "Sky and Sand" broke many sales records. That track in particular went gold in Belgium where it remained in the charts' Top Ten for weeks. The 2009 DVD release of the film brought Paul to a new, much larger audience around the world. By the end of the year, Paul separated with BPitch Control after a decade-long relationship to take the next steps of his career alone. In early 2010 Paul completed a twelve-city live concert tour throughout Europe (with over 50,000 tickets sold within just a few weeks), followed by many headlining appearances at summer festivals.

Kalkbrenner uses software-synthesizers, sequencer (Ableton Live) in combination with midi-controllers, hardware-synthesizers and -drummachines for his live shows.

On April 12, 2011, Kalkbrenner announced the album Icke Wieder, which was released on June 3, 2011 via his own new label Paul Kalkbrenner Musik.^[5] About the album, he stated: "There won't be any singing on the album, no music of tomorrow either, it feels generally more like... well, old times".

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Zeit (BPitch Control, 2001)
• Superimpose (BPitch Control, 2001)
• Self (BPitch Control, 2004)
• Reworks (BPitch Control, 2006)
• Keule (BPitch Control, 2006)
• Berlin Calling - The Soundtrack by Paul Kalkbrenner (BPitch Control, 2008)
• Icke Wieder (2011)

EP's[link]

• DB+ (12") (BPitch Control, 2000)
• Chrono (12") (BPitch Control, 2001)
• Brennt (12") (BPitch Control, 2002)
• F.FWD (12") (BPitch Control, 2003)
• Steinbeisser (12") (BPitch Control, 2003)
• Press On (12") (BPitch Control, 2004)
• Maximalive (Minimaxima, 2005)
• Tatü-Tata (12") (BPitch Control, 2005)
• Keule (12") (BPitch Control, 2006)
• Altes Kamuffel (12") (BPitch Control, 2007)
• Bingo Bongo (12") (BPitch Control, 2008)

Singles[link]

• Sky And Sand (BPitch Control, 2009)

Filmography[link]

• Berlin Calling (2008)
• Paul Kalkbrenner 2010 - A Live Documentary (2010)

References[link]

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (May 2009)

External links[link]

• Paul Kalkbrenner on Best4Ears.com
• Discogs.com - Paul Kalkbrenner
• Paul Kalkbrenner at the Internet Movie Database
• Biography and information at BPitch Control website
• Live performance during the Astropolis music festival
• Article in French about Paul Kalkbrenner