State

State may refer to:

Law and politics

Science and technology

Candle

A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax or another flammable solid substance such as tallow that provides light, and in some cases, a fragrance. It can also be used to provide heat, or used as a method of keeping time.

A candle manufacturer is traditionally known as a chandler. Various devices have been invented to hold candles, from simple tabletop candle holders to elaborate chandeliers.

For a candle to burn, a heat source (commonly a naked flame) is used to light the candle's wick, which melts and vaporizes a small amount of fuel (the wax). Once vaporized, the fuel combines with oxygen in the atmosphere to ignite and form a constant flame. This flame provides sufficient heat to keep the candle burning via a self-sustaining chain of events: the heat of the flame melts the top of the mass of solid fuel; the liquefied fuel then moves upward through the wick via capillary action; the liquefied fuel finally vaporizes to burn within the candle's flame.

As the mass of solid fuel is melted and consumed, the candle becomes shorter. Portions of the wick that are not emitting vaporized fuel are consumed in the flame. The incineration of the wick limits the exposed length of the wick, thus maintaining a constant burning temperature and rate of fuel consumption. Some wicks require regular trimming with scissors (or a specialized wick trimmer), usually to about one-quarter inch (~0.7 cm), to promote slower, steady burning, and also to prevent smoking. In early times, the wick needed to be trimmed quite frequently. Special candle-scissors, referred to as "snuffers" were produced for this purpose in the 20th century and were often combined with an extinguisher. In modern candles, the wick is constructed so that it curves over as it burns. This ensures that the end of the wick gets oxygen and is then consumed by fire—a self-trimming wick.

History of candle making

Candle making was developed independently in many places throughout history.

Candles were made by the Romans beginning about 500 BC. These were true dipped candles and made from tallow. Evidence for candles made from whale fat in China dates back to the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC). In India, wax from boiling cinnamon was used for temple candles.

In parts of Europe, the Middle-East and Africa, where lamp oil made from olives was readily available, candle making remained unknown until the early middle-ages. Candles were primarily made from tallow and beeswax in ancient times, but have been made from spermaceti, purified animal fats (stearin) and paraffin wax in recent centuries.

Antiquity

Romans began making true dipped candles from tallow, beginning around 500 BC. While oil lamps were the most widely-used source of illumination in Roman Italy, candles were common and regularly given as gifts during Saturnalia.

Qin Shi Huang (259–210 BC) was the first emperor of the Chinese Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC). His mausoleum, which was rediscovered in the 1990s, twenty-two miles east of Xi'an, contained candles made from whale fat. The word zhú 燭 in Chinese originally meant torch and could have gradually come to be defined as a candle during the Warring States period (403–221 BC); some excavated bronzewares from that era feature a pricket thought to hold a candle.

J. Ralph

HIDDEN ERROR: Usage of "genres" is not recognized

Josh Ralph — usually credited as J. Ralph — (born 1975) is an American composer, producer, singer/songwriter and social activist. His professional career began when he was signed to Atlantic Records at the age of 22 as a recording artist. He is the founder of the music production company The Rumor Mill, and has written and produced the music for numerous artists and has received a number of Grammy and Academy Awards. His music has sold more than 10 million records world wide and has charted in over 22 countries.

Music career

Described by The Hollywood Reporter as the "go-to producer of documentary film scores", J. Ralph has mostly produced music for documentaries. Over the last seven years, he has written and produced the music for six Oscar nominated documentary feature films including Man on Wire (2009),The Cove (2010),Hell and Back Again (2012),Chasing Ice (2013),Finding Vivian Maier (2015), and Virunga (2015). For his contribution to Chasing Ice, J. Ralph received an Oscar nomination for his song "Before My Time", performed by Scarlett Johansson and Joshua Bell. It remains one of only six songs (along with his song Manta Ray from Racing Extinction 2015) from a documentary ever to be nominated for an Oscar. Additionally J. Ralph is the first composer in Academy Award's history to write and produce the original music for multiple Oscar nominated documentary films in the same year.

Romeo Miller

Percy Romeo Miller, Jr. (born August 19, 1989), better known by his stage name Maserati Rome or simply Rome (formerly Lil' Romeo and Romeo) or his acting/business name Romeo Miller, is an American rapper, actor, basketball player, entrepreneur, and model. Miller is the son of well known rap mogul Master P. Miller has founded record label's Guttar Music, Take A Stand, The Next Generation & his current label No Limit Forever. Miller still holds the spot of the youngest person to hit #1 on the Billboard 200, a record that was previously held by music icon Michael Jackson.

Miller gained fame and fortune in the early 2000s after signing with his father's popular and successful label at the time No Limit Records with the help of his debut single & most successful single to date "My Baby" which went on to be certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) it established Miller as the youngest person to achieve the #1 spot on the Billboard 200. In 2001 Miller released his debut & most successful album to date Lil 'Romeo it charted the US Billboard 200 at number six & went on to be certified gold, selling over 500,000 copies.