John Kricfalusi

Michael John Kricfalusi /ˌkrɪsfəˈluːsi/ (born September 9, 1955), better known as John K., is a Canadian animator, voice actor, producer, writer, and director best known for creating The Ren & Stimpy Show and founding the animation company Spümcø.

After being fired from The Ren & Stimpy Show by Nickelodeon in 1992, Kricfalusi went on to direct and produce animated television commercials for multiple products and music videos for entertainers such as the singer Björk and comedy rock duo Tenacious D. In the late 1990s he created the first cartoons made exclusively for the Internet: The Goddamn George Liquor Program and Weekend Pussy Hunt. He returned to television with The Ripping Friends and the adult animation spin-off Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon".

Early years

John Kricfalusi was born in Canada to a father of Ukrainian descent and mother of Scottish and English descent. He spent his early childhood in Germany and Belgium while his father was serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force. At age seven he returned with his family to Canada. Having moved in the middle of a school season, he spent much of his time that year at home, watching Hanna-Barbera cartoons and drawing them. Kricfalusi's interest in Golden Age animation crystallized during his stay at Sheridan College, where he attended weekly screenings of old films and cartoons at Innis College held by film archivist Reg Hartt, among them the cartoons of Bob Clampett and Tex Avery, which left a deep impression on Kricfalusi. He soon left Sheridan College and moved to Los Angeles, intending to become an animator.

Maryland

Maryland ⁱ/ˈmɛrᵻlənd/ is a state located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east. The state's largest city is Baltimore, and its capital is Annapolis. It has three occasionally used nicknames: the Old Line State, the Free State, and the Chesapeake Bay State.

One of the original Thirteen Colonies, Maryland is considered to be the birthplace of religious freedom in America, when it was formed in the early 17th century as an intended refuge for persecuted Catholics from England by George Calvert. George Calvert was the first Lord Baltimore and the first English proprietor of the then-Maryland colonial grant. Maryland was the seventh state to ratify the United States Constitution.

Maryland is one of the smallest states in terms of area, as well as one of the most densely populated states with nearly 6 million residents. With its close proximity to Washington, D.C., and a highly diversified economy spanning manufacturing, services, and biotechnology, Maryland has the highest median household income of any state.

Maryland County

Maryland County is a county in the southeastern portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has two districts. Harper serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring 2,297 square kilometres (887 sq mi). As of the 2008 Census, it had a population of 136,404, making it the seventh most populous county in Liberia.

Named after the State of Maryland in the United States, it was an independent country as the Republic of Maryland from 1854 until it joined Liberia in 1857. The most populous city in the county is Pleebo with 22,963 residents, while Maryland's County Superintendent is Nazarine Tubman. The county is bordered by Grand Kru County to the west and River Gee County to the north. The eastern part of Maryland borders the nation of Côte d'Ivoire, separated by the Cavalla River.

History

Maryland was first established as a colony of the Maryland State Colonization Society 1834, but was not granted independence until 1854. Following a referendum in 1853, the colony declared its independence from the Colonization Society and formed the Republic of Maryland. It held the land along the coast between the Grand Cess and San Pedro Rivers. In 1856, the independent state of Maryland (Africa) requested military aid from Liberia in a war with the Grebo and Kru peoples who were resisting the Maryland settlers' efforts to control their trade in slaves. President Roberts assisted the Marylanders, and a joint military campaign by both groups of Americo-Liberian colonists resulted in victory. Following a referendum in February 1857 the Republic of Maryland joined Liberia as Maryland County on 6 April 1857. As of May 2004, a DRC census estimated the county's population to be 107,100.

Maryland (automobile)

The Maryland automobile was built by the Sinclair-Scott Company of Baltimore, Maryland, between 1907 and 1910.

Sinclair-Scott was a maker of food canning machinery and in the early 1900s started to make car parts. One of their customers, Ariel, failed to pay and in recompense Sinclair-Scott took over production, moved the factory to Baltimore, and marketed the car as the Maryland.

The car was powered by a 30 hp four-cylinder, overhead camshaft engine. The Ariel design was initially unchanged, and the Maryland was originally available as a four-seat roadster or a five-seat touring car. The wheelbase was later lengthened from the initial 100 inches (2,500 mm) to 116 inches (2,900 mm). Limousines became available in 1908 and town cars in 1909. Prices ranged from $2500 to $3200.

Production stopped in 1910 after 871 had been made as producing the cars was not profitable. The company returned to the manufacture of food-canning machinery.

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