text:
- "Creatures of the Covenant, the path is broad, and we shall walk it side by side."— The Prophet of Truth[5]
The Covenant Empire, also referred to simply as the Covenant, were a theocratic hegemony made up of multiple alien species that maintained control over a large portion of the Orion Arm in the Milky Way galaxy. The Covenant was a political, military, and religious affiliation, originally a mutual alliance between the San'Shyuum and Sangheili following a brutal conflict between the two warring races. Its expansion to include at least six other races united in the worship of the Forerunners and the Halo Array soon began after the original formation.
The Covenant waged a genocidal campaign against humanity until they were formally defeated due to many factors - the most crucial of which was an internal conflict that broke the Covenant in two, forcing out the entire Sangheili species and splintering them into separatist groups.[6]
Whilst the Covenant ended either during the Flood infestation of High Charity or during the Battle of the Citadel, new splinter groups that continue the efforts of the former Covenant were created after the conclusion of the war.[7] Some of the separatist Sangheili sought to recreate the Covenant entirely under Sangheili rule, free of the Hierarch's influence.[8][9] A splinter faction of Sangheili known as Jul 'Mdama's Covenant was created by Jul 'Mdama; this terrorist group is deemed hostile to Humanity, breaking the truce formed with the Sangheili Fleet of Retribution at the end of the war.
Other hostile factions that utilize assets from the former Covenant include Vata 'Gajat's faction, Merg Vol's faction, and The Banished, which existed prior to the Great Schism.[10]
The species that make up the hegemony known as the Covenant come from different parts of the galaxy and take all kinds of physical forms. The Covenant is organised into a caste system with their religious leaders - the San'Shyuum or Prophets - at the top of the hierarchical pyramid.[11]
The Covenant society is a single hegemonic culture. It is a culture that practices imperial geopolitical dominance through implied means of power as opposed to direct military force.[12][13] There are three Covenant castes that make up the unity: the Religious caste, the Warrior caste, and the Worker caste.
The two ruling species of the Covenant are the San'Shyuum and the Sangheili; though the San'Shyuum are generally believed to be "the voice of the Gods."[12] The Covenant have ten echelons of government, the highest echelon being the Covenant High Council, who are responsible for holding legislative, executive, and judiciary powers. Composed of 200 members of Sangheili and San'Shyuum,[14][15] the High Council is ruled by the three San'Shyuum Hierarchs. These Hierarchs are the highest political and religious authority in the Covenant. For each new Age, three new Hierarchs are appointed; in order for them to usher in a new age and assume power, they must receive a blessing from the Oracle of High Charity.[15][16] This Oracle is a Forerunner Artificial intelligence found within the Dreadnought which sits at the centre of the capital. Until the events that led to the war against Humanity, the Oracle had not spoken for over a millennium, so the ascension of the Hierarchs is steeped with political bribes, blackmail, and manipulation of the San'Shyuum Philologist.[16][17]
The High Council consists of San'Shyuum Councilors and Sangheili Councilors, who are extremely important to the Covenant society. They share the central theocratic and decision-making body of the Covenant. In addition to the High Council, there are three other Councils: the Council of Concordance, the Council of Deed and Doctrine and the Council of Masters. Below that numerous Ministries exist within the Covenant government, each of which fulfills a single but important role within the Governmental body of the Covenant.
In truth, however, the San'Shyuum and Sangheili have an uneasy coexistence, and political infighting is very common behind the scenes.
Religion and Culture[]
- Main article: Covenant religion
The Covenant culture and religion is based solely on the worship and reverence of the Forerunners. Long ago, the San'Shyuum managed to decipher portions of data stored on terminals aboard a Forerunner dreadnought. Thanks to the Forerunners' robust translation systems, they misunderstood the many subtle meanings of Forerunner glyph's.[12] The San'Shyuum incorrectly interpreted the activation of the Halo Array as a means of transcendence - a process they came to call the Great Journey. They did not understand that this activation had been designed to kill the Flood - or more precisely - to kill the Flood's food, creating a galactic genocide. They simply thought that the Forerunners had disappeared and left other species of the galaxy to their fates.[12] Because of this, the Covenant often search and recover their artifacts and often have to turn to war to achieve their ends. In Covenant society, personal vendettas are not tolerated,[18] although many conflicts in the Covenant's past have been sparked by vendettas.[19]
The Covenant uses commerce itself as a form of economy. As the Covenant's cohesion is grounded in their beliefs of working for and sharing Forerunner technology, every member of the Covenant is given a form of employment[20] - a service to fulfill in exchange for goods and necessities. In the Covenant's culture, service for salvation is the moral motivation for the entire population.[21] Despite this, there is discrimination within the Covenant, due to their hegemonic thinking. The lesser species are treated as second-hand citizens with absolutely no political or representative voice or power.
The Covenant are always eager to add new species to their faith,[22] so long as they pledge allegiance to the San'Shyuum as their supreme leaders and the Great Journey as their religion.[23] Enlisted races are in all essence enslaved by the Covenant, forced to live a completely different way of life and - if unlucky enough - have their entire culture and history erased. The races of the Covenant are held together by a common belief - the slave races are driven by the religion which they have been forced to accept. Most races are only kept for their varying skills to be exploited, rather than to be a part of a flourishing empire.
- Main article: Covenant military
Like other civilizations, the Covenant maintains a permanent armed forces branch used to enforce order, conduct atmospheric and space combat operations, and generally project the Covenant's power onto others. Formerly led by the Sangheili prior to the Covenant Civil War, the Loyalist branches are now led by the Jiralhanae. The military comprises the Covenant Navy, the Covenant Army and the Special Warfare Group containing the Special Operations Division (Spec-ops). The abilities of the various component races are often exploited by the military to help push forward the ever-growing war machine of the Covenant.
Humans are the only species known that have engaged in war against the Covenant and survived, unlike the Unggoy who almost immediately surrendered and joined the Covenant. The human's very existence is heresy to all Covenant branches, such as Insurrectionists modifying Plasma Rifles for utility and accuracy, seen in the riots of Charybdis IX. It has been questioned as to why humans were not allowed into the Covenant by several individuals, however it would be that humans were "survivors" of the Forerunner era which would cause the Covenant and its belief to collapse.
Many of the alien species conquered by the Covenant are conscripted into, or gradually become part of the alliance.[21] However, during the first contact with the humans, the Oracle on board the Forerunner dreadnought revealed to Truth and Regret that Humans are Reclaimers, as shown by its luminary. Since the entire Covenant was based on the belief that the Forerunners had transcended, Truth and Regret knew if any of the other races found out what the Oracle told them, the Covenant would cease to exist.[24]
- Main article: San'Shyuum
- "Who would doubt the Prophets? What have we foretold that has not come to pass?"— The Prophet of Truth
The highest caste, the San'Shyuum, or "Prophets" as Humans call them, lead the Covenant and exert complete control over all religious and political affairs. Although physically weak, Prophets wield power through absolute command of the Covenant and through scavenged Forerunner technology, leaving the task of conquest to the Sangheili and the other races. Their higher understanding of the Forerunners gives them great presence and religious influence over the Covenant. The other races of the Covenant address the High Prophets as "Hierarchs", "Noble Hierarchs", "Holy Ones", or "Exalted".
- Main article: Sangheili
- "On the blood of our fathers, on the blood of our sons, we swore to uphold the Covenant!"— Rtas 'Vadumee before the Battle of the Gas Mine
The second highest caste; Sangheili, or Elites as Humans call them,[25] served as the military leaders of the Covenant before the Great Schism in 2552. While Prophets often had the final say, it was the Sangheili who organized military campaigns and naval engagements. They maintain the military structure of the Covenant and ensured the Prophets' orders are followed, as well as their own. Sangheili consider the other client races to be below them in all ways. The Sangheili are the only known race permitted to build and operate starships within the Covenant, though the crews are almost always composed of a mix of races.[26] Sangheili are separated into ranks based on skill and experience. To advance in rank, Sangheili must honorably earn such advancements on the battlefield.[27] They were a major component of the Covenant and were the only caste able to maintain the military hierarchy as well as having a voice within the High Council before the Great Schism. An "ee" at the end of a Sangheili name, such as "'Zamamee or 'Vadumee," signifies that that Sangheili is a part or was part of the Covenant military, although, after the Great Schism most, if not all, Sangheili removed the "ee" from their names to show that they had left the Covenant.
- Main article: Jiralhanae
- "With my blessing, the Brutes now lead our fleets! They ask for your allegiance, and you shall give it!"— The Prophet of Truth
Jiralhanae, known to Humans as Brutes,[25] are one of the newer species to the Covenant and are the only race that has obtained very close to equal status to that of one of the founding "clients" of the Covenant pact, the Sangheili. They have an incredible natural resilience to damage due to their tough hides, which easily make up for their lack of energy shields, and use a number of weapons and vehicles based upon their pre-Covenant technology. This technology, though primitive compared to other Covenant weapons, is nonetheless extremely lethal, with most Jiralhanae-developed weapons having blades attached to them. In addition to their standard form of combat, Jiralhanae will sometimes go "berserk" and try to kill anyone or anything in their path. This shows the aggressive nature of the Jiralhanae, and the little tolerance they have when they are cornered. Jiralhanae have their own ranks going up to War Chieftains who usually wield plasma cannons, fuel rod guns, or Chieftains who usually wield gravity hammers. The Jiralhanae always work in packs of 3-8 when possible. They took over the role as personal bodyguards of the Prophets and also now make up most of the Covenant military.
- Main article: Huragok
- "...They are some sort of biological supercomputers. Slaves, prisoners, I don't know, but they don't like the Covenant anymore than we do."— Veronica Dare
Huragok, or Engineers, are actually an artificial species created by the Forerunners. They will only converse with the Prophets or individuals who learn their language.[28] This indicates Engineers are very high in the caste system, however ONI believe them to be prisoners or slaves.[29] The Huragok perform the physical labor of excavating, and gathering data on Forerunner artifacts. In military terms, they are generally a non-militant race. However, at times in the Human-Covenant war they have been placed on the battlefield either as repair workers or suicide bombers. They have also displayed neutrality and even some allegiance to humans such as Lighter Than Some helping the citizens of Harvest escape and another Engineer repairing Ascendant Justice's engines for John-117 and even a Needler for him to use in battle. Another example is one Huragok repairing and recovering the Human AI Superintendent and then assisting Captain Veronica Dare and Sergeant Major Avery Johnson in working out what the High Prophet of Truth was looking for in Africa. It was also revealed that they are equipped with a personal energy shield only when they are under duress. Additionally, these Huragok are also able to project an energy shield around its allies, or enhance shielding already present, if they are within its proximity.
- Main article: Mgalekgolo
- "They're all scary and angry and they like to smash things..."— Bungie
Mgalekgolo, or Hunters as they are known by Humans,[25] are thought to be giant monsters, but they are actually an assemblage of worm-like entities called "Lekgolo" that creates a large, armor plated form. In this form, they are known as "Mgalekgolo." They always fight and travel in pairs known as "Bond Brothers" which technically means that not all of the colonies of worms were able to fit within one set of armor, and are the strongest of the Covenant fighting units. They wield powerful assault cannons and a massive shield resistant to any small arms fire which may also be used as a melee weapon due to its sharp sides and the Mgalekgolo's great strength. They are usually used as weapons platforms, and are only deployed on the battlefield when in need of a heavy force - they are used more like heavy duty equipment than soldiers. Their political and religious motivations are completely unknown.
- Main article: Yanme'e
- "Drones aren't brave; they're just incapable of feeling fear."— Bungie.net's description of Drones.
These flying insect-like creatures, also known as Drones or Buggers by Humans, served almost exclusively as engineers, but were then replaced by the Huragok. This created a hatred towards the new, peaceful engineers by the Yanme'e that sometimes resulted in violence. Afterwards, the Yanme'e were used as aerial combatants against the UNSC, who were inexperienced at fighting airborne infantry. In combat, their weapons of choice were the Needler, which creates a super-combine explosion if enough projectiles are fired into the same target, and the Plasma Pistol. Their ability to fight on the wing, and their usual deployment in large groups, made them an excellent strategic weapon against ground-based opponents.
- Main article: Kig-Yar
- "Jackals may be superior marksmen and they're very sneaky, but that doesn't make them excellent snipers — they're a little too bloodthirsty for that."— Anonymous UNSC Serviceman
Due to their superior senses, the Kig-Yar, or Jackals/Skirmishers as they are known by Humans,[25] are the scouts and marksmen of the Covenant military, they are the second lowest Covenant caste. Due to their lack of physical durability, they carry a portable energy shield generator during combat. Kig-Yar are employed mainly as sharpshooters with their excellent vision and dexterity, and are also deployed to defend strategic areas. When a Kig-Yar is under fire, it will cover its head with its hands and trot away to another position from which to fire. The first Human contact with the Covenant was between Staff Sergeants Johnson and Byrne on a Human freighter as Kig-Yar pirates tried to board the ship. The Kig-Yar have very strong dislike of the Unggoy because they are always trying to assert their superiority over them in the caste system of the Covenant. Once they poisoned a recreational narcotic that the Unggoy use which nearly caused them to become infertile. This caused the Unggoy Rebellion.
- Main article: Unggoy
- "When in doubt, flee."— Unggoy Philosophy
Hailing from Balaho, Unggoy, known as Grunts among Humans,[25] are the most common and lowest-placed caste of the Covenant. The Unggoy were barely into their own Iron Age when the San'Shyuum discovered them. Classified as a "Tier 6" civilization by the Forerunner charts, the Unggoy were at a primitive point in their cultural development, the Unggoy had little choice but to accept entry into the Covenant hegemony, or otherwise risk extinction.[30] After their incorporation into the Covenant their entire history was erased[31] and they essentially became a slave race. Despite their notable cowardice and ineptitude, they are quite dangerous in large numbers, which was why an Arbiter was needed to quell the Unggoy Rebellion. They breathe methane and thus must wear a large tank on their back full of the methane to survive on other planets. Relations between the Unggoy and the Kig-Yar are strained in the best of times.
Creatures Inhabiting Covenant Worlds[]
- "Scrub grubs" are small creatures the equivalent of the rats found on Earth. They were first mentioned in Halo: Contact Harvest, while inhabiting a Kig-Yar ship.
- "Zap-Jellies" are sea creatures that live on the Unggoy home world, Balaho. They are possibly the equivalent to large jellyfish on Earth.
- "Thorn Beasts" are a food source for the Covenant, though only observed being eaten by Jiralhanae. The only reference to the Thorn Beasts is in Halo: Contact Harvest, when the Jiralhanae are first mentioned, and in Halo Wars, in at least one of the timeline periods. They were also included in the original Halo game being developed for Mac.
- "Mud wasps" are insects found on the Unggoy home world of Balaho.
- "Shade Crabs" are crustaceans found on the Unggoy home world of Balaho.
- "Helioskrills" are predators found on Sanghelios that imitate rocks to catch their prey.
- "Doarmirs" are furry animals found on Sanghelios, their pelts were used by early seafaring Sangheili as cloaks, the tradition is continued by modern Sangheili Shipmasters.
- "Colo" is a major livestock species raised by Sangheili, traded by Kig-Yar, and consumed as meat, similar to cattle.
- Main article: History of the Covenant
In 938 BC,[1] the San'Shyuum Reformists entered a Sangheili-occupied system, which led to first contact between the San'Shyuum and the Sangheili. The San'Shyuum, who came to Sanghelios in order to claim and study the rich abundance of Forerunner artifacts left behind,[32] soon found themselves sharing different ideologies of how such relics should be treated, which quickly developed into conflict between the San'Shyuum and the Sangheili.
The Sangheili believed that Forerunner relics were sacred and should not be touched, while the San'Shyuum Reformists believed that they should be studied and use them to make practical objects of their own design.[20] The highly militarized and brutal Sangheili attacked the San'Shyuum almost as soon as their differences became apparent,[33] and a war between the two species raged for eighty-six years.[1]
At the start of the war, the Sangheili had a numerical advantage in terms of ships and soldiers, and their strength and military tactics overwhelmed their enemy by a considerable factor. The knowledge gleaned from years of travel and the capabilities of their Forerunner dreadnought, however, gave the San'Shyuum the advantage in ship-to-ship combat, the most common type of combat witnessed during the war.[33]
Eventually, both species came to fear a very real threat: annihilation. The Sangheili who feared it through the San'Shyuum's use of the Dreadnought and the San'Shyuum who came to admit that if the Sangheili were this dangerous, there might be other sentient life far more threatening, making their chances of survival in the galaxy slim.[33] The long and brutal war caused the Sangheili to violate their very beliefs, study and incorporate Forerunner technology into their own in order to avoid defeat[33] — their incorporation of Forerunner technology eventually caused a stalemate in the war against the San'Shyuum,[33] although their Dreadnought proved far too effective and forced the Sangheili to surrender.[32]
In their warrior culture, the Sangheili have great respect for a worthy adversary and after their surrender the San'Shyuum sought to broker a Covenant between the two races, thus the term "Covenant." The alliance between the two species was formed in 852 BC with the signing of the Writ of Union, the treaty that ended the conflict and brought about peace between the two races.[1]
The Covenant created their own means of connoting time, comprised of "Ages." The Covenant's history is broken up into multiple occurrences of seven types of Ages, each representing the predominant theme that occurred during those periods of time. These ages do not necessarily follow one another in order, nor are they equal in quantity. As an example, there were significantly more Ages of Conflict and Doubt than Reclamation. Each Age is further broken into what is called Cycles. A Cycle is the Covenant version of a day and it represents one artificial day on High Charity. A Cycle contains approximately 265 units, which if translated into human time is one hour of time on Earth.[34]
After the first Age of Abandonment, the San'Shyuum and Sangheili were able to evolve into a space-faring race and establish High Charity to be their new capital. The root of the First Age of Conflict was the theological question of whether Forerunner technology should be revered or exploited. The conclusion of that conflict marks the First Age of Reconciliation, followed by the First Age of Conversion; this marked the beginning expansion of the Covenant by bringing the Lekgolo into the Covenant.
Every time a new race was assimulated into the empire, a new Age of Conversion took place. The Lekgolo were the first to be conquered by the Covenant, in an event known as the Taming of the Lekgolo around 784 BCE.[35] The Kig-Yar was discovered was the next species to be assimulated by the Covenant, and although they initially resisted they eventually surrendered; possibly because of the Covenant's riches.[36] Both the Yanme'e and the Unggoy were both forced into the empire and enslaved after the Kig-Yar. The Covenant recently discovered the primitive Jiralhanae in 2492, and quickly defeated them before absorbing them into the empire.
An important event in Covenant history is the 39th Age of Conflict, also known as the Unggoy Rebellion. The Unggoy revolted after a conflict with the Kig-Yar, igniting a short but bloody conflict. The revolt was put to an end when the Prophets appointed an Arbiter, who partially glassed the Unggoy homeworld of Balaho. Seeing this the Unggoy surrendered. Impressed by their fighting during the revolt, the Sangheili gave the Unggoy better armor and weapons, turning them into true infantry forces while still keeping them in the lower ranks.
In between these ages were what became known as the Ages of Doubt; these ages signified that no great discoveries were made, and members of the Covenant were grappling with internecine conflict.[34] During the 23rd Age of Doubt, the Covenant encountered Humanity for the first time. This inevitable meeting would start a war that over time threw the entire foundation of the Covenant's religion and political alliance into a gradual state of disarray.[37]
- "The First Age: Ignorance and Fear.
- The Second Age: Rivalry and Bloodshed.
- The Third Age: Humility and Brotherhood.
- The Fourth Age: Wonder and Understanding.
- The Fifth Age: Obedience and Freedom.
- The Sixth Age: Faith and Patience.
- The Seventh Age: Journey and Salvation."— Maccabeus and the Jiralhanae of the Rapid Conversion.[38]
- The Seventh Age: Journey and Salvation."
- The Sixth Age: Faith and Patience.
- The Fifth Age: Obedience and Freedom.
- The Fourth Age: Wonder and Understanding.
- The Third Age: Humility and Brotherhood.
- The Second Age: Rivalry and Bloodshed.
Human-Covenant War[]
A Covenant vessel discovered the location of the human colony world Harvest . The ship Luminary detected thousands of Forerunner artifacts and an Oracle (ancilla) on the surface of the planet. The Kig-Yar planned to take some of the treasures for themselves before reporting their discovery to the Hierarchs. They raided human freighters but unfortunately the humans already had a strike team to counteract what they believed was a growing Insurrectionist group.
An Unggoy and his Huragok friend were able to escape and they informed the Minister of Fortitude and Vice Minister of Tranquility. The two utilized a Jiralhanae-controlled ship to help them capture the human planet. This starts the powerful alliance between the two species.
The Jiralhanae traveled to Harvest and their Luminary detected thousands of Forerunner artifacts as well. They landed two Spirit dropships to make contact with the humans. The two human A.I.'s attempted to peacefully communicate with the Jiralhanae. However the peace broke when an Unggoy opened fire on a Colonial Militiaman, beginning the Harvest Skirmish.
The two young Ministers sought out to talk with the long dormant ancilla that rested in the Forerunner dreadnought. The ancilla, 032 Mendicant Bias, explained to the two San'Shyuum that they have been misreading their findings. What the Kig-Yar detected on the Luminary weren't artifacts; they were actually detecting the humans on Harvest, which are actually called Reclaimers by the ancilla. Mendicant then attempted to power up the Dreadnought to find the humans and take them to the Ark where they will be able to fire the Halo array, an act which will destroy High Charity. The two San'Shyuum decided to keep all this a secret from the Covenant, realizing that living Forerunners will destroy the entire foundation of the Covenant. The Lekgolo which swarmed the Dreadnought disconnected it in order to prevent the ancilla from completing his tasks.
The Jiralhanae began to bombard Harvest with plasma in a process called "glassing." The two San'Shyuum overthrew the current Hierarchs and rose to power as the High Prophet of Truth and Regret. They declared a genocidal war on the humans to prevent any of the Covenant from ever discovering the humans' true place as the Forerunners' heirs and thus beginning the Human-Covenant war.
Using their superior numbers and technology, the Covenant overwhelmed the human UNSC in hundreds of engagements and glassed scores of human-controlled worlds from orbit. After about 28 years of horrific bloodshed, the Covenant had annihilated most of the humans' outer colonies and were preparing for a final offensive into the heart of UNSC-controlled space. Despite the humans' best efforts to keep the location of their home world a secret, both sides knew it was only a matter of time before the Covenant arrived at its doorstep.
In 2552, the Covenant found the human fortress world of Reach and began an immediate invasion. In one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the war, the humans threw everything they had into the planet's defense but were predictably overwhelmed by the sheer firepower and size of the Covenant offensive. It was during this battle that the majority of the human "Demons" (or Spartan-IIs) were killed. By the battle's end, the humans had lost most of their remaining warships and their most powerful military stronghold outside of earth.
This time, however, the human ship Pillar of Autumn managed to escape the onslaught. Supreme Commander Thel 'Vadamee ordered his ships to follow it into slipspace. The human ship led them to the location of Installation 04. The humans landed on the surface and the Covenant forces followed to kill them all before they could cause any damage to the ring. However, a Covenant archaeological team discovered something buried deep within the ruins of Halo's swamps— an ancient and insatiable parasite known as the Flood. The plague spread across the ring's surface with terrifying speed. The Forerunner Sentinels and an ancilla, 343 Guilty Spark, helped the Reclaimers (humans) complete their tasks into activating the Halo ring to stop the Flood from spreading to other parts of the galaxy. But the humans found out that activating the Halo would wipe out all sentient life in the galaxy, so instead they destroyed the ring.
The Supreme Commander was called before the High Council to answer for his failures. The loss of the Forerunner relic angered the council and that of the entire Covenant. 'Vadamee was stripped of his rank, title, name, and honor and branded a heretic. In front of the entire Covenant, he was given the Mark of Shame, and was then sentenced to be hung by his entrails and have his corpse be paraded through the city as an example to the others. The Prophet of Truth and Prophet of Regret intervened, however, and instead offered 'Vadamee the chance to become the new Arbiter.
During this time, the humans managed to destroy some 500 Covenant warships in a single massive explosion (Operation: First Strike). It was the single greatest and most devastating defeat the Covenant suffered during the entire War, and the effect it had on Covenant society, which had been told the humans were on the brink of collapse, was profound.
However, despite the staggering setbacks at Halo and at the Unyielding Heirophant, few individuals harbored any illusions about the war's final outcome. The Prophet of Regret learned the location of Earth as the location the Portal, leading to the Ark. However, Regret did not realize that Earth was actually the human home world. Consequently, he unknowingly led his small fleet into Earth's orbital defenses.
Regret's fleet was unable to fend off the human defenses so he escaped to the newly discovered Installation 05. Truth learned about Regret's attack and immediately sent a fleet of Jiralhanae controlled ships to reinforce the attack.
The UNSC followed Regret to Installation 05 and were able to corner him. Regret then called out for help and the entire Covenant City, High Charity, jumped to that location. However, they were too late; the Demon managed to pass by Covenant defenses and assassinated the prophet.
During the final months of the war against humanity, the High Prophet of Truth replaced the Sangheili as their protectors with their rivals, the Jiralhanae, claiming that Regret's assassination by the Demon proved that the Sangheili were incapable of protecting their leaders. However, this political maneuvering enraged the Sangheili, who claimed that their replacement as the Covenant's military leaders was in defiance of the Writ of Union.
Nevertheless, Truth gave command of the Covenant Fleets to the Jiralhanae and instructed them to exterminate the Sangheili. The Sangheili revolted, enlisting the help of some of their following Mgalekgolo and Unggoy, birthing a destructive civil war within High Charity itself and on the surrounding Covenant fleet. This event was known as the Great Schism.
Great Schism and Dissolution[]
Early into the Great Schism, most of the Sangheili Councilors were assassinated by the Jiralhanae at the will of the Prophets, mainly the Prophet of Truth. When the Sangheili learned that the Halos were not holy relics but were in fact super-weapons designed to eradicate all sentient life in the galaxy, they decided to ally with Humanity in the struggle against Truth.
As the battle for High Charity raged between the Jiralhanae and the Sangheili, the situation was thrown further into chaos when the city was invaded by the Flood. By the battle's end, High Charity, along with the Prophet of Mercy, had fallen to the parasite. The Jiralhanae had also suffered severe losses, and the Covenant had made a new and deadly enemy in the Sangheili. However, Truth believed he still had enough offensive power to defeat the humans and make it to the Ark to initiate the Great Journey.
During the Battle of Earth, the Covenant onslaught overwhelmed the human defenses (despite a ferocious resistance), but took appalling casualties in the process. By the time the portal was fully excavated and opened, Truth's exhausted fleet had been reduced to a few dozen ships in size due to relentless human counter-offensives.
The Covenant fleet was pursued through the portal and destroyed by a Human/Separatist force less than half its size (Battle of Installation 00). As the battle above the Ark raged, the Demon and the Arbiter led a combined Human/Sangheili strike force through what was left of the Covenant ground units protecting Truth. Just as the Prophet was about to fire the Array, the Demon stormed into his headquarters and annihilated his bodyguard. He then deactivated the firing process just as the Arbiter assassinated Truth.
Truth's death and the loss of his Loyalist fleet brought an end to the Covenant.[2][3][4] After the Battle, the Arbiter signed a truce with the human "Shipmaster of Shipmasters" - Admiral Lord Hood - resulting in an uneasy peace for the first time in nearly thirty years.
While the Covenant was completely destroyed,[2][3][4] a few remnants of Truth's former fleet remained aboard the Anodyne Spirit and somehow survived the incomplete firing of Installation 08 from inside the Forerunner keyship.[39] The other remnants of the former Covenant scattered across the Orion Arm lacked proper leadership or direction, as well as the ongoing war between the Sangheili and the Jiralhanae, significantly reduced any threat they posed to Humanity and as of March, 2553, the Human-Covenant war officially came to an end.
Multiple Sangheili keeps resisted the peace talks and sought another campaign against humanity, for a variety of reasons, ranging from those who continued worshiping Forerunners and regarded humans as heretics, to those who feared that humanity might seek revenge for the atrocities committed during the war, once it had recovered.
Despite their ambitions, however, the Sangheili struggle to regain their footing due to a number of factors - including internal conflict and (human-funded) insurrection, the continued war against the Jiralhanae, the absence of a stable and unified government, and the lack of the Huragok's technological expertise. Meanwhile, the Jiralhanae also suffer from a crippling lack of proper political and military infrastructure as well as their ongoing war with many Sangheili keeps. The San'Shyuum, whose population has dwindled to a few thousand in number, teeter on the brink of extinction with most choosing to flee into sectors of the galaxy unknown to the Sangheili out for their blood.[40] The other client species typically returned to their states before they were integrated into the Covenant, for example most Kig-Yar reverted to a pirate's life following the Great Schism.
For all intents and purposes, the Covenant has ceased to exist in any organized form, although many smaller factions, collectively known as Covenant remnants, have risen up in its stead. While some such factions abhor the Covenant like the Swords of Sanghelios, many more of these factions claim to be new Covenants, but in truth no single such successor exists.
The exact number of factions is unknown, but once, a Sangheili said "a hundred warlords claim they rule the Covenant, but each of them leads only a small faction". [41]
Covenant technology is repeatedly referred to as more imitative rather than innovative.[42] Their technology is based largely on mimicry and reverse-engineering of the leftover Forerunner artifacts they have discovered. While Covenant technology is far more advanced than human technology, the Covenant seem to be ignorant of how precise or powerful their technology can actually be.[43]
While Humans are inferior technologically, they are still capable of learning and often improving on new technology while Covenant advances are significantly slower. This is, perhaps, the Covenant's most serious disadvantage. Their technology is limited by this almost parasitic reliance on reversed-engineered Forerunner technology. In Covenant culture, there are religious laws set that prevent them from fully exploring what the Forerunners employed to create that technology.[44]
Like humans, Covenant ships can enter slipstream space and travel faster than light. However, the Covenant equivalent of the Shaw-Fujikawa Engine is far more efficient and reliable. Covenant vessels do not suffer the "temporal fluidity" of the slipstream to such a degree as Human vessels. As a result, Covenant battle groups are much more efficient when acting as a coordinated group, and can strike more quickly and decisively.[44]
Covenant starships use Repulsor engines for propulsion in space, rather than traditional reaction drives used by the UNSC.[45] Covenant drive systems seem to be propelled by an unusual combination of gravity "waves" and some form of highly reactive plasma displacement, but the actual means and method of propulsion is currently beyond human understanding.[44]
Only three Covenant Associated Intelligences have ever been encountered. One was a rampant AI stationed aboard the Ascendant Justice, which was ultimately destroyed by Cortana.[46] Another, the Seeker, was sent to infiltrate UNSC systems in an attempt to learn the location of Earth. Finally, 343 Guilty Spark encountered an associated intelligence on board the Truth and Reconciliation during the Battle of Installation 04.[47] However, Cortana's copy references several A.I.'s being present in the Unyielding Hierophant system when the Spartans infiltrated the base.[48]
Covenant architecture is known for its curved, organic and sophisticated-looking style, likely for the aesthetic tastes of the higher-ranked castes. Constructed of distinctive purple or white metal, these colors are the main focus of Covenant design and distributed throughout their starships, and weapons. The metal they use is unknown to the UNSC but is very strong and resilient.
Most of the Covenant arsenal is plasma-based Directed Energy Weapons, however the Covenant are known to utilize pulse lasers, particle beam weapons, as well as antimatter and even chemical crystal-based weapons.
Plasma weapons are more rugged and far more effective than laser based weapons. They use a power cell to provide power to the internal components- most importantly a high energy current at the muzzle end of the weapon- to complete the cycling, ignition and release operation of the weapon. Plasma weapons use Hydrogen Fluoride as a source of fuel-[49] this fuel is flash boiled and contained within a magnetic field until it turns from a cool liquid to superheated ionized gas.
Covenant plasma weapons are effective but crude for their technology. As such, they are prone to overheating, a weakness among the weapon class. Weapon designs compensate for this, although they render weapons inoperable as the excess heat is dissipated. Once the energy of the plasma weapon is depleted, it must be recharged, or discarded.
The Covenant are also known to employ ammunition based weapons, the most common of these being crystal based weapons. These weapons appear to use some type of chemical that reacts to environments and forms a hard razor sharp crystal[50] that when fired, homes in on organic material and detonates when either embedded into an object or travels too far away from the weapon itself. These types of weapons are very dangerous because of their homing ability- one of the few "fire and forget" armaments on an infantry-portable level. With the introduction of the Jiralhanae as a major military caste within the Covenant, their weapons have found limited to widespread use. Jiralhanae weaponry typically fires crude metal spikes in place of plasma. They also make use of explosive projectile weapons, similar to grenade launchers. Often, these weapons are outfitted with some form of sharp blade, spike or other implement as a sort of bayonet analog. On the whole, they are more primitive, brutal weapons than other Covenant counterparts - fitting, considering the nature of their creators.
The Covenant are also known to employ melee weapons in addition to their already fearsome arsenal. The most well known, the energy sword, is used solely by the Sangheili. Creating a solid blade of superheated plasma, it has both ceremonial and martial value to the Sangheili warriors, and its possession is closely monitored. Secondly is the Jiralhanae Gravity Hammer, which seems to be the cultural analog to the sword. But rather than using a blade of plasma, it can generate a gravitational field, doing tremendous damage to anything in a close radius.
Covenant vehicles use advanced anti-gravity technology for propulsion, and are well armored and well armed. Often faster than their UNSC counterparts, Covenant vehicles are more stable over uneven terrain as the anti-gravity help keep them upright. All Covenant vehicles are made from a purple or dark blue type of metal, said to be much more advanced than any alloy known to Humans, and all Covenant vehicles are nicknamed after some kind of supernatural entity by the UNSC, except for Scarabs and Locusts. Recently, Jiralhanae vehicles and technology have been incorporated into the Covenant's arsenal. Though more primitive, they serve the Jiralhanae' need for power. Jiralhanae vehicles are not named after spiritual entities, and rather than being a series of Covenant vehicles are regarded as native Jiralhanae technology.
Although rare in usage, medical equipment does exist in the Covenant. An automated surgery suite is, as the name states, an automated medical room found on Covenant capital ships. Besides this, the Magnetic Splint is another piece of Covenant medical equipment. The splint, when attached, makes that particular part of the body immobile.[51]
Covenant Worlds[]
Salia system|Separatist
- Joyous Exultation
- Malhiem (Satellite)
Urs system (with stars Fied and Joori as secondary stars)|Separatist
- Sanghelios (Sangheili Homeworld)
Tala system|Separatist
Oth Sonin system|Loyalist
- Doisac (Jiralhanae Homeworld)
Svir system|Separatist
- Te (Mgalekgolo Homeworld)
Napret system|Loyalist
Y'Deio System (HD 69830)|Loyalist
- 51 Pegasi B
- Pegasi Delta - refueling center
Worlds in Unknown Systems
- K7-49 - shipyard
- Decided Heart- Sangheili Base planet
- Weeping Shadows of Sorrow- Penitentiary world
- Heian - A world with a significant logistics base
- Oth Lodon - A gas giant near the Jiralhanae home system
- Hesdorus - Remote Sangheili colony
- Karava - A remote Sangheili colony in disputed territory
- Janjur Qom - San'Shyuum homeworld
- Ealen IV - A world that produces industrial-grade plasma.
Deleted Races[]
- "Drinols" were creatures in the form of bosses that did not make it into the Halo games. They are thought to have been remade into the Flood's Tank Pure Form as there are many similarities between the two.
- "Stalkers" were a Covenant race that did not make it into Halo 2, seen in the Halo 2 Collector's Edition Disc. They were taken from original idea sketches of the Sangheili in the first Halo game and were supposed to be very wiry and skeletal, with massive amounts of teeth, similar to sharks.
- "Keelbugs" were only seen in the Halo 2 Collector's Edition Disc. Insectoid in nature, they were supposed to fly into the battlefield, cut dead bodies into sections, and fly off with them, which was a creative way of removing NPC corpses to free memory from the game. They seemed to be more like animals than a sentient race.
- "Alien Troopers" were seen in the Halo 2 Collector's Edition Disc. They are understood to be a deleted form of soldier that would complement the Sangheili in battle. The only known data on these Covenant are that they were supposed to carry its weapon under their bellies.
- "Special Purpose Snipers" were seen in the Halo 2 Collector's Edition Disc. Their arms were used like a tripod, so they could flip from side to side, without having to switch weapons. They would also be able to hang from trees. This concept appears to have been re-imagined in Halo 3, with Kig-Yar Snipers often being found in trees.
- "Sharquoi" were mentioned in the Halo 2 Collectors' Edition Conversations from the Universe booklet, detailing conversations among Human and Covenant individuals. Nothing seen in any Halo product outside of that mentioning can be called a Sharquoi with any certainty.
- In a Biblical reference, the Ark of the Covenant represented the will of God, in connection with the quote: "Your destruction is the will of the Gods...and we are their instrument!" This references the Covenant's belief that they carry through the will of their Gods, the Forerunners.
- 343 Guilty Spark often refers to the Covenant as "meddlers" due to their constant disregard for containment protocols, and the misinterpretation of Forerunner language and technology.
- Members of the UNSC armed forces will often refer to the Covenant member species as a whole as "bugs" or "Covies." This can be heard in the quotes "Covie scum." and "The only good bug is a dead bug."
- The latter quote is taken from Starship Troopers and Aliens.
- Early concepts of the Sangheili resemble the Xenomorphs from the film Aliens, as with many other things such as Pelicans and Sgt. Avery Johnson.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Halo Encyclopedia - page 30
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Halo 3 - Epilogue - "But you did it. Truth and the Covenant. The Flood. It's Finished.", Cortana
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Halo Wars 2 GAMEPLAY - E3 2016 Interview (Interview with Kevin Grace) - "The Covenant are dead"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Halo Waypoint: Covenant "Dissolution: 2552 CE"
- ↑ Halo 2 - level Gravemind
- ↑ Canon Fodder - "The resulting conflict would be called the Great Schism, and it would divide the Covenant into two, ultimately forcing the Sangheili out."
- ↑ Halo 3 - Assembly description
- ↑ Halo Waypoint: 'Canon Fodder' - Lore of the Rings - "Like the rest of the Sangheili, the surviving Councilors were not completely unified in their opinions on how to proceed following the Great Schism. While some did take up the Arbiter's cause, many others had become enamored with the idea of bringing the Covenant empire under complete Sangheili rule, quickly scrambling to grab power wherever they could. Some of these eventually served under Jul 'Mdama, while others consolidated small pockets of reclaimed Covenant assets under more independent factions."
- ↑ Halo: Glasslands, page 20
- ↑ YouTube: Live at E3 2016 - Halo Wars 2: Behind the Scenes
- ↑ Halo Encyclopedia - page 14
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Halo Encyclopedia - page 112
- ↑ bungie.net's Covenant Primer: The Best of the Bestiary
- ↑ Halo Encyclopedia - page 345
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Halo: Contact Harvest - page 271
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Halo Encyclopedia - page 119
- ↑ Halo: Contact Harvest - page 274
- ↑ Halo: The Flood - page 95
- ↑ Halo: Contact Harvest page 150
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Halo: Contact Harvest - page 146
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Halo 2 dialogue - Prophet of Regret
- ↑ Halo: Contact Harvest - page 51
- ↑ Halo: Contact Harvest - page 50
- ↑ Halo: Contact Harvest - page 278
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 Halo: The Flood - page 5
- ↑ Sybex Halo PC Guide page 48
- ↑ Halo Encyclopedia - page 126
- ↑ Halo: Contact Harvest - page 55
- ↑ Halo 3: ODST Data Hive
- ↑ Halo Encyclopedia - page 142
- ↑ Sybex Halo PC strategy guide page 44
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 Halo Encyclopedia - page 114
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 33.3 33.4 Halo: Contact Harvest - page 147
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 Halo Encyclopedia - page 31
- ↑ Halo Encyclopedia - page 30
- ↑ Halo Encyclopedia - page 115
- ↑ Halo: Contact Harvest - page 143
- ↑ Halo: Contact Harvest - page 196-197
- ↑ Sacrifice
- ↑ Halo: Shadow of Intent, Page ??
- ↑ Halo: Escalation - Issue 5
- ↑ Halo: The Fall of Reach - page 241 page 275 2010 reprint
- ↑ Halo: First Strike - page 87
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 Halo Encyclopedia - page 224
- ↑ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx - page 331
- ↑ Halo: First Strike - page 170
- ↑ Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary - Terminal, The Truth and Reconciliation
- ↑ Halo: First Strike - page 320
- ↑ Halo: Contact Harvest - page 163
- ↑ Halo: Reach Type-31 "Needle" Rifle
- ↑ Halo: Contact Harvest, Page 310
- Governors of Contrition
- Writ of Union
- Mark of Shame
- Covenant religion
- True Sayings
- Ratification Parley


text:
Ready to learn Data Analytics? Browse Data Analyst Training and Certification courses developed by industry thought leaders and Experfy in Harvard Innovation Lab.
If your role in business demands that you stay abreast of changes in business analytics, you are probably familiar with the term Smart Data Discovery. You may also have read the recent Gartner report entitled, 'Augmented Analytics Is the Future of Data and Analytics', Published 27 July 2017, by Rita L. Sallam, Cindi Howson, and Carlie J. Idoine, highlighting the importance and benefits of augmented analytics, augmented data preparation and augmented data discovery.
For those who are managing an analytical solution implementation, or trying to select a solution for business users, it is important to understand the terms and the features and function of these solutions so that you can select the appropriate solution for your users, your data analysts and your IT team.
So, let's dive into the definitions first!
Smart Data Discovery goes beyond data monitoring to help business users discover subtle and important factors and identify issues and patterns within the data so the organization can identify challenges and capitalize on opportunities. These tools allow business users to leverage sophisticated analytical techniques without the assistance of technical professionals or analysts. Users can perform advanced analytics in an easy-to-use, drag and drop interface without knowledge of statistical analysis or algorithms. Smart Data Discovery tools should enable gathering, preparation, integration and analysis of data and allow users to share findings and apply strategic, operational and tactical activities and will suggest relationships, identifies patterns, suggests visualization techniques and formats, highlights trends and patterns and helps to forecast and predict results for planning activities.
Augumented Data Preparation empowers business users with access to meaningful data to test theories and hypotheses without the assistance of data scientists or IT staff. It allows users access to crucial data and Information and allows them to connect to various data sources (personal, external, cloud, and IT provisioned). Users can mash-up and integrate data in a single, uniform, interactive view and leverage auto-suggested relationships, JOINs, type casts, hierarchies and clean, reduce and clarify data so that it is easier to use and interpret, using integrated statistical algorithms like binning, clustering and regression for noise reduction and identification of trends and patterns. The ideal solution should balance agility with data governance to provide data quality and clear watermarks to identify the source of data.
Augumented Analytics automates data insight by utilizing machine learning and natural language to automate data preparation and enable data sharing. This advanced use, manipulation and presentation of data simplifies data to present clear results and provides access to sophisticated tools so business users can make day-to-day decisions with confidence. Users can go beyond opinion and bias to get real insight and act on data quickly and accurately.
Why is all of this important to your organization?
Here are a few reasons you should consider advanced analytics and augmented data preparation for your enterprise:
- These solutions allow the data scientist and IT community to focus on strategic issues and special projects.
- Accessible augmented analytics creates Citizen Data Scientists and improves accountability and empowerment.
- Advances in smart data discovery and other sophisticated techniques and solutions can positively impact ROI and TCO.
- These solutions produce better decisions, more accurate business predictions and measurable analysis of product and service offerings, pricing, financials, production and other aspects of business.
- Augmented data preparation and related tools will improve user adoption, data popularity, social BI integration and data literacy.
It is not always easy to stay abreast of the terms, techniques and solutions in the analytics domain but it is well worth the effort. This market is changing rapidly with new tools and improvements introduced every year.
Whether you are an IT consultant, an in-house IT professional, a middle manager or a senior executive, it is important to monitor the progress of business analytics and the related technology. Every business needs to understand how these solutions can and will affect users, processes and workflow.
Giving your team the right tools, and a simple way to manage the overwhelming flow of data and information, is crucial to your business success and will make every team member an asset to your organization.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Price: $1,795,000
Courtesy of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Taos Real Estate
Area: ARROYO HONDO (05A)
Acres: 4.62
Zoning: County
Bedrooms: 2 / Bathrooms: 2
Garage Capacity: 2
For more information about this property contact us by phone at (575) 758-1924
(toll free at 800-530-8899), or Contact Us.
The data relating to real estate for sale in this web site comes from the Internet Data exchange ("IDX") Program of TCAR MLS, Inc. Not all members of TCAR's MLS are IDX Subscriber Brokers in the IDX Program. Real estate listings held by IDX Subscriber Brokers are marked with the IDX Logo. All data in this web site is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.


text:
Do you know what this is?
# – Take a guess.
It's a pet overall that my mom has fashioned out of a pair of old granny pants. My mom even made a hole for the tail…it is freakin' brilliant!
This is Charlie looking absolutely miffed because I tied his patch of hair up.
# – Dude needs a groomin'.
FTS, while writing this post I forgot he had a grooming appointment at 3pm today. Completely forgot about it T_T.
Looks like a couple more weeks before we've got time to make you look more presentable, boy.
This qipao is 31 years old. My mom wore this on her wedding day and soon, I will be wearing it on mine too :)
My mom was a really tiny girl and according to her, the dress was loose on her.
I'm just glad I could fit in it now because I remember trying it when I was 15 and it wouldn't even zip up pass my hips!!!
My mom has a good strategy, that I wear this while saying goodbye to guests on my reception cause I won't be sitting down. Cause if I sat down, my belly layers will jut out. Well, thanks for the advice Mom!
This is Mom being a total fan girl posing with Sam Lee, a HK actor. We were at Unity Store KL launch.
She's currently watching a TVB show with him in it called Ghetto Justice. I think he looks a lot cuter in real life!
Today's dinner was pumpkin gnocchi with spinach & tomatoes in Chinoz BSC. One of my favourite foods and about the only vegetarian that rocks my socks off.
# – Top is fish & chips (ordinary) but pumpkin gnocchi below is OMGZ!
Pillowy but light gnocchi with a mild pumpkin taste with blanched spinach and tomato sauce. So simple but soooooooooo gooood!
And now….recipe for my simple tomato & ham pasta. This is a truly simple recipe and doesn't require many ingredients. Very tasty and quite healthy too!
# – Simple tomato & ham pasta.
The ingredients:
200grams of pasta (I used tagliatelle), cooked according to instructions on packet 2 tomatoes, quartered 2 onions, thinly sliced 3 slices of ham, julienned 300ml of tomato juice Salt and black pepper to taste
#1 – First saute the sliced onions until translucent.
#2 – Then, throw in the ham and stir fry until slightly browned.
#3 – Next, throw in the quartered tomatoes.
#4 – With a potato masher, squash the tomatoes till they break down. Crying.
#5 – Pour in the tomato juice, little by little and stir until you get the consistency of a slightly thickened sauce.
#6 – Season with salt & pepper. Remember to taste as you go as tomato juice is quite salty on its own!
#7 – Dump in the cooked pasta (which you of course, was already cooking while you were making the sauce) and mix to coat evenly.
#8 – Tomato & ham pasta with a sprinkling of grated parmesan, DONE!
Love this dish, I have made it several times actually. It's quick & easy to make and really flavourful without having to use an entire can of plum tomatoes or herbs. You'd be surprised!
Have a good week, peeps :)


text:
The newest of the four engines--the "EcoBoost" turbocharged V6--is the star of the lineup. It produces V8 levels of power, but with V6 fuel efficiency. Peak torque for the EcoBoost V6 is 420 pound-feet, which starts as low as 1,700 rpm, and models with this engine are tow-rated as high as 11,300 pounds and with a best-in-class payload of 3,060. What's more, this engine, which Ford promotes as an alternative to step-up V8 models from competitors, runs just fine on regular unleaded gas.
F-150 trucks are purchased for an array of uses, ranging from simple construction work to weekend hauling to cowboy commuters and those who use their rigs as a family vehicle, so Ford offers a wide range of cab, bed and trim levels to fit almost everyone.
Ford's SYNC interface is available throughout the lineup; the feature allows an easy Bluetooth-based, voice-command-driven interface with phones and smartphones, and allows other features such as traffic reports, news, and weather. For those who truly work out of their trucks, Ford is again offering a Ford Work Solutions in-dash computer with, among several noteworthy features, a tracking system for tools.
The F-150 lineup includes eleven different models, including XL, STX, XLT, XLT Custom, Limited, FX2/FX4, Lariat, Lariat Limited, King Ranch, Platinum and Harley Davidson F-150. Base XL models have vinyl seats, manual windows and wind-up windows, but they do include air conditioning and an AM/FM stereo. The STX adds keyless entry, cruise control and power accessories, while the XLT gets a little more of a dress-up, with fog lamps, a chrome grille and upgraded wheels. On the XLT, you can option up to the V8, but the Lariat includes it, along with some of the features of a luxury vehicle, including power-adjustable pedals, leather upholstery, SYNC and Sirius Satellite Radio. Lariat Limited and Platinum models add even more luxury, including remote start, power seats, ventilated seats and wood/leather trim. The Lariat Limited also gets huge 22-inch wheels. Harley-Davidson and King Ranch models put it over the top in luxury, with a moonroof, heated second-row seats, a navigation system and special badging. The Harley Davidson model of course bows to its motorcycle namesake in appearance, while the King Ranch's interior is swaddled in top-caliber hides.
If buyers want a truck that's equipped more for sport, they should go for the FX2/FX4 models, which include a power driver's seat, SYNC, telescopic steering adjustment, blacked-out trim, 20-inch off-road wheels, and a power inverter. However, for those looking for the most extreme truck in the lineup, there is only one choice: the F-150 SVT Raptor--featuring the 411-hp, 6.2L V8 plus a long-travel off-road suspension, skid plates, wide fenders, a new locking front differential and special electronic off-road controls, the Raptor is built for serious off-roading at serious speeds.


text: Welcome to the Communities Dominate Blog. As this blog is the largest free source of statistics and data on the mobile and digital industries, some may just want the link to the latest stats, I am now including this link to the most popular of the major stats, permanently placed here on the top of the blog. The latest mobile industry total stats are here (including subscribers, handsets, revenues, services and mobile internet). Here are the latest smartphone market share stats including installed base.Then we also have the unique owners of smartphones regionally. Here are the app store economics numbers. Then we have the complete stats on computer platforms (PC/tablet/smartphone). If you want cameraphone and digital picture stats they are here. And the biggest industry players of the mobile industry are here. Some prelim AR (Augmented Reality) stats are collected here. Those looking for a few of the specifics, here is the famous 'we look at our phones 150x per day' stat. And here is the 'pictures' version of how Nokia died. My latest 4 year forecast highlights and annual mileposts are here. For those who want my latest 2016 version of TomiAhonen Almanac wih 100 tables and graphs of the industry stats (note ordering page shows older version, we ship the 2016 edition of course) and latest version of TomiAhonen Phone Book is here. And PS - any journalists & bloggers & infographic makers & consultants - you may freely quote any stats published on this blog. Enjoy!


text:
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Blurb from Goodreads
Number-one bestselling author Martina Cole (The Family, Hard Girls) delivers a hard-hitting novel that's a guaranteed bestseller.
To the outside world, Cynthia Tailor is a woman to envy: she has a devoted husband, a lovely home and two gorgeous children. But Cynthia has always craved the best things in life, and is determined to see that she gets them. Cynthia will let nothing stand in her way, even if it means devastation and tragedy for those nearest to her …
British writer Martina Cole is known for her gritty, gangland thrillers. Two of her novels, Two Women and The Graft, have been adapted for the stage. A non-fiction TV series, Martina Cole's Lady Killers, became a huge success in 2008.
My Review
Cynthia Tailor is everyones worst nightmare. Beautiful but pure evil inside, nothing will get in the way of her and anything she wants as her family will find out. We start with a pretty huge and brutal event and then go back in time to when Cynthia was young to present day. We meet the family and see how their relationship ends up the way it does and how Cynthia's character develops and just how evil she trully is.
What a great story. I love Martina Cole and have yet to find a book of hers I didn't like. It has her usual bad language, violence, betrayal, heartbreak and jaw dropping moments. The chapters are bit like James Patterson in that they are only 2 to 3 pages long which is great as you can dip in and out as often as you want and I find you race right through a book when it is like that.
There is some kind of action or drama on just about every page which makes this book hard to put down. If your not big on bad language and gangster brtuality then this (and any Martina Cole) book isn't for you. My only moan or issue was I felt there was a bit of repetition of some of the things that were being said. Also there was one or two things (small things) that I wanted dealt with but I am really picky and like every small detail dealt with. Overall a gripping read and page turner so a 4/5 for me.
View all my reviews


text:
Note: I'd like to thank my buddy Wil Reynolds over at SEER Interactive for framing so perfectly in a talk of his what I had known intuitively for years but had never verbalized so well– clients care about outcomes, not outputs. Since then I've driven my team at MWI mad talking about this.
Companies hire marketing agencies for one primary reason: to achieve a specific goal, often associated with an increase in sales. Many agencies, however, focus their time on providing deliverables and sometimes those deliverables are created without ROI being the primary goal. Here at MWI, we focus on the specific client goals and tie those goals into everything we do for our clients. We are keenly aware of the difference between outputs and outcomes.
The Difference Between Outputs and Outcomes
Output – Something you can check off. A task. Something that keeps you busy. Something you can easily show as being done.
Outcome – A larger achievement or meeting a goal.
Example – I want to run a 100K race. What is the outcome? Finishing the race (alive). What outputs are necessary to reach this outcome? Getting up today and running 20K, and then doing it again two more times this week.
Outcomes do not happen without outputs, therefore we do not say outcome = good, output = bad. They are both necessary.
What is bad is when we focus on outputs and forget about outcomes. This is human nature, especially in the workplace. It's relatively easy for me to keep in mind that when I'm out running for training (output), I'm doing it to finish the big race (outcome), because it's a lot of work to do the training, and if I didn't keep the outcome in mind, I would quit doing the outputs.
But at agencies, it's different. At agencies it's easy to forget about outcomes. When a client asks "What the heck are you guys doing? I feel like I'm pouring money into a black hole and getting nothing out!" it's easy for an agency to respond by displaying outputs. The response is "Oh, Mr. Client, we are ever so busy on your account! Here, look at all these things we're doing! As you can see from this list of 250 tasks we've checked off, we are very, very busy and we are doing great things!" Over time, marketers can forget they are working toward an outcome, and become focused on making sure the client sees plenty of outputs.
But why do clients hire agencies? Is it so that they can see task lists get checked off? Clients want results. They want to get quality leads. They want to sell product. They want to grow by 200% over the next 6 months. They want outcomes.
When Clients Talk About Outputs
If clients care about outcomes, not outputs, why do they talk so much about outputs?
Client talk about outputs when:
- They haven't been educated to focus on outcomes.
- They're in between their marketing agency and their boss, and the boss is asking for proof that the agency spend is worth it, and there are no outcomes to show yet, so they ask for outputs.
- The client is nervous that no outputs are being produced and therefore no outcomes will be produced either.
- Finally, clients talk about outputs when marketers talk about outputs.
When clients focus on outputs it's lose-lose. We end up spending time on outputs that may or may not be necessary, just to look busy. We end up spending more time on reporting, rather than doing the work that produces outcomes.
What We Do at MWI to Help Clients Focus on Outcomes
This is how MWI stays on-point:
- We focus on outcomes internally. For every task we perform, we ask ourselves the following questions:
a. What is the desired outcome for this client?
b. How does this task support that outcome?
c. Can I do this task in a different way that is faster, but still produces the same results? Or can I do it in a way that produces a better result to support the outcome?
At MWI, we never do a task just because "That's the way we do it." We tie every task, every time, directly to an outcome.
- We talk about outcomes with our clients.
Is there a mutually agreed upon goal between MWI and our client? Does everyone know what the goal is? Are we 100% sure the client knows what the goal is? Does that goal form the basis of virtually all our conversations with clients?
Talking about outcomes and outputs should be a common subject with clients. Our reporting should be structured around outcomes (we were able to increase conversions by 50% last month) not outputs (here are 10 tasks we completed last month).
Sometimes We Have to Talk About Outputs
SEO efforts are a marathon, not a sprint. Sometimes with new SEO engagements, we need to tell clients they can expect to wait month, perhaps several months, to see results (outcomes). In the meantime, we can't report on anything but outputs. This is necessary, but we still focus the conversations on outcomes by always pointing out how these outputs will lead to the desired outcomes.
Focus On The Right Outcomes
Sometimes the key performance indicators agencies focus on (and we've been guilty of it ourselves in the past) are straight up vanity metrics. Sometimes agencies are pressured to do this by their clients. The client says "I'm hiring you because I want to rank #1 for XYZ keyword." The agency knows ranking #1 for that keyword isn't what will generate sales for the client, but when they tell this to the client, the client says "Just get me to #1 for the keyword!" So the agency focuses on it, and then usually gets fired when the client realizes that despite the outcome of ranking #1, nothing has happened with sales. The client walks away saying "Bah! I tried SEO, and it didn't work."
Growth is the only outcome that really matters. Profits are another good one. Sales aren't bad. If sales can't be tracked directly from marketing efforts, then leads are often the best substitute. But don't fall into the trap of focusing on rankings, followers, share of voice, or other "intermediary" metrics that are important, but should never be the primary focus.
MWI Creates Win-Win Partnerships
At MWI we talk a lot about win-win partnerships. Sure, this is a "catchphrase" that is widely overused, I get that, but here we take it to heart and it shows. Every single client (or potential client) interaction we have is driven by this simple concept of win-win partnerships. The question we constantly ask ourselves is "if we are not constantly becoming better, as well as constantly making our clients better, than what's the point?" This question is the engine that drives our passion for win-win partnerships; and all of our employees and clients see and feel the results of that day after day.
If you're ready to talk to a marketing agency that genuinely wants to see your business succeed, contact MWI today. We'd love to talk to you about how we can help grow your business.


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F.T. Zele lives in Southern California with her Husband and 3 Sons. I am taking my passion for books and making it reality with writing, bringing these voices to life. Loves interacting with others talking about great Books and Book Boyfriends. I'm a sucker for HEA, and love Dark, Gritty, Angsty love stories. I have a weakness for Sour Patch Kids and have inappropriate fun when I'm having my wine at night tweeting my thoughts. I also like to make up words. The best word to describe me is Winetastic!
Website | Facebook | Twitter | TSU | Goodreads Page | Amazon Page | Instagram
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Clarissa never thought at age twenty-six she would be fearing for her life. Everything was going as planned, until her husband started showing a side of himself she didn't know existed. Failed attempts at leaving him have now left her fighting for her life. Literally. She knows she has to figure out a plan to free herself from his tight grip, but it's harder than she imagined.
Rig endured much pain after a tragedy left him trying to figure out his place in the world. He now plows through situations, leaving nothing safe in his wake. He lives for the thrill of danger and loves to be on the open road. He doesn't mix business with pleasure, and he didn't expect to fall in love with the girl he is hiding out.
When things get too intense between Clarissa and Rig, he decides he can no longer be her safety net. With his feelings clouding his judgment, it's hard for him to choose between right and wrong.
Will Rig be able to figure out what he wants in time to save Clarissa's life, or will she become another statistic of domestic abuse?
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F. T. Zele is working on Stryker as we speak and she is giving you all the FIRST GLANCE into this new book!
First Look at Stryker
"I breathe in and out, trying to slow my racing heart down, as I watch her knees start to buckle under her. I pull my pants back up, and grab the key out of my pocket, releasing her from the cuffs. She rubs her wrists, that weren't too tight on her, and heads into the bathroom in my room to get cleaned up."
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📖 📖 Authors on the Beach 📖 📖
Organizer: Naughty Smutty Book Blog
Event: September 19th, 2015
Where: Los Angeles, CA
Signing: 12:00 - 4:00
Website | Buy Tickets | Facebook Page | Hotel Info
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Jon Lovitz Frustrates Vince Neil on 'Celebrity Apprentice'
Vince Neil avoided getting "terminated" for another two challenges during the second week of Celebrity Apprentice, but not without getting driven a bit batty by former Saturday Night Live star Jon Lovitz.
As you may remember from last week's recap, Neil, Lovitz and the rest of the men's team won both week one battles, despite the former Motley Crue singer reportedly nearly coming to blows with Boy George over a couple of glasses of wine.
This left the women's squad extremely shorthanded at the beginning of tonight's show. "I feel bad for them," Vince said, "but not that bad." He may have jinxed his team a bit, because the ladies promptly broke their losing streak and won tonight's opening contest by creating the better grape juice viral ads.
Luckily, Neil had stayed under the radar during this event, with his biggest faux pas seemingly being a total inability to pronounce polyphenol. So football legend Eric Dickerson was sent home instead.
It looked like more trouble was brewing during the next challenge, which found Lovitz leading the team through the creation of commercials for a barbecue sauce. (Neil managed to recruit his girlfriend for the spot, as you can see by his tweet below.)
The comedian's unwillingness to take feedback rankled many members of the team, with Neil referring to Lovitz as "frustrating" several times. "He doesn't listen to ideas," Neil complained at one point. "Just listen for one second about what we're saying, you know? It might be better."
Things came to a (rather polite, not at all scary) head when Neil walked out of the editing suite after getting his ideas ignored. "Are you upset with me?" a pursuing Lovitz asked. "Well, just, you just don't f---ing listen to anybody," responded Neil in a manner that suggested he was far more concerned with finding a solution than causing a ruckus. "We're just trying to help."
As it turns out, Lovitz's work was good enough to once again defeat the women's team, leading Jersey Shore star Snooki to tearfully commit reality show hari-kari by insisting she be the one host Arnold Schwarzenegger sent "to the choppa."
Wife Swapping, Ice Skating and Porn: Vince Neil's TV and Movie History


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Welcome to the home of InfraRecorder on the internet!
InfraRecorder is a free CD/DVD burning solution for Microsoft Windows. It offers a wide range of powerful features; all through an easy to use application interface and Windows Explorer integration.
InfraRecorder is released under GPL version 3.
- Create custom data, audio and mixed-mode projects and record them to physical discs as well as disc images.
- Supports recording to dual-layer DVDs.
- Blank (erase) rewritable discs using four different methods.
- Record disc images (ISO and BIN/CUE).
- Fixate discs (write lead-out information to prevent further data from being added to the disc).
- Scan the SCSI/IDE bus for devices and collect information about their capabilities.
- Create disc copies, on the fly and using a temporary disc image.
- Import session data from multi-session discs and add more sessions to them.
- Display disc information
- Save audio and data tracks to files (.wav, .wma, .ogg, .mp3 and .iso).


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Options for you:
- We resend you the new products and you can return the items to us.
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COST OF RETURN: We will cover the shipping fee if you choose to return the defective items. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
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Meet the data scientist: Colin Nugteren
By Stephanie Robertson, SAS Insights Editor
Chief Analytics Officer and Data Scientist Colin Nugteren says while every day is different, one thing remains the same. He ends each day with a hands-on look at important customers using SAS® Visual Analytics. As part of our Data Scientist Series, we interviewed Nugteren who works at DirectPay.
What's your background and education?
Nugteren: I studied econometrics and management science at the Erasmus University School of Economics in Rotterdam. I graduated as a Master of Science in the field of marketing econometrics based on research I did for DirectPay about consumer credit risk in a factoring environment.
What skills help you most as a data scientist?
It's quite an open door, but in essence it requires an analytical mind. Next to that, it is very useful to understand computers and data and the way they work together, because all major analytical advances are highly dependent on these systems.
Several other skills like autodidactic learning and an organizational mindset are very important. When you work with huge amounts of data in several systems, the competence of fast learning and a high-quality structure of the analysis, models and business rules are very important.
When did you figure out you wanted to be a data scientist? What motivated you to become one?
When I was 17 I started looking for something to study at the university level and I spent a lot of time at different universities following courses on various subjects. My interests are quite broad – from IT and technical subjects to economics and marketing. This led me to econometrics – a study that combines mathematics, programming and economics.
What department do you work in and who do you report to?
I have worked as an analyst for DirectPay for four years and I reported to the IT manager for the systems that we build. At the same time, I reported to the CEO for the analysis of our clients and portfolios. I learned a lot from that combination of IT and business.
I was simply hired to analyze the database with payments and I thought I would be done within a year or two. I learned that this process is ongoing and new possible improvements come up daily. In 2015 I was promoted to CAO, and now I am responsible for both the analysis department and the analytical decisions underlying our operational processes that actually try to collect money. Within these processes the use of analytics was subordinated for a long time, but we have achieved great results with analytics in the last few years.
Do you work on a team? If so, what's the makeup of your team?
In our management, I work closely with my colleagues who are responsible for IT and sales. I work with my team of data scientists and our team works closely with the development team, the DBA, R&D and the business team. We realized that there are huge possibilities in analyzing more and higher quality data. I like to work with intelligent people that challenge me to think out of the box.
What's your job like? Is there a typical day or is each day different? Can you give us a basic idea of what you do and the kind of projects you work on?
At this moment I am responsible for the implementation of the SAS Enterprise Decision Management system. So I actually pay a lot of attention again to the different SAS systems that I used to work with daily, like SAS Visual Analytics, SAS/STAT® and SAS® Enterprise Miner™. We work hard to bring these models and analyses to SAS Decision Manager and SAS Data Integration Studio.
I always kept using SAS Visual Analytics because I like to do the analysis of important clients myself. I understand our business and clients best this way. In my current role, every day is different, but I end each day with SAS Visual Analytics and a look at the production reports. Our main goal is to implement as much intelligence into our systems and decisions as possible, and I am very busy discovering opportunities to increase the use of intelligent systems.
Is your job what you expected it to be?
I love my job, especially the combination of analytics, business strategy and processes. It is much better than I expected.
What's your biggest challenge?
It is a serious challenge to use time efficiently. My work is never finished, but I try to set goals every day and achieve them. But this can be a real challenge some days.
What's your biggest accomplishment thus far?
Building the credit rating and collections systems that empowers our organization.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love to spend time with my family. I really enjoy a good book or movie, and I like to play golf regularly.
What's your favorite new technology or app?
I like to read The Verge regularly because of the combination of technology and science.
Read More
- Whether you want to find out what data scientists do, hear from some real-life data scientists or learn how to become one, check out all the articles in our Data Scientist Series:
Get More Insights
Want more Insights from SAS? Subscribe to our Insights newsletter. Or check back often to get more insights on the topics you care about, including analytics, big data, data management, marketing, and risk & fraud.


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The Soundcraft Si Performer 1 features 16 local recallable mic pre amps and 8 stereo inputs along with two ViSi Connect option card slots with an additional 128x96 input/output paths (one 64x64 expansion slot and another 64x32 expansion slot). The Si Performer also features a DMX 512 controller.
The Soundcraft Si Performer 1 takes mixing out of the dark with powerful digital audio mixing facilities married to a DMX 512 controller allowing for the first time the mixing console to also run the lighting rig! 'Music & Lights; these have been partners in the entertainment and production industry since amplified sound met the electric light but until now even the simplest lighting setup would require a separate lighting controller console, road case and somewhere to put it; Soundcraft Si Performer changes everything. Empowering the console with a DMX interface, the Soundcraft Si Performer is able to utilize the power of motorized faders, Soundcraft FaderGlow™ and a console automation system to provide a flexible automated lighting controller ideal for schools, churches, touring theatre companies and conference productions.
The Si Performer 1 features 16 local recallable mic pre amps and 8 stereo inputs along with two ViSi Connect option card slots with an additional 128x96 input/output paths (one 64x64 expansion slot and another 64x32 expansion slot). Able to utilize Si series ViSi Connect option cards, the Si Performer gives a large range of additional digital I/O connectivity including the MultiDigital Card (Firewire/USB/ADAT), BSS Digital Audio Bus (BLU Link), Dante, CAT5 or optical MADI, AVIOM, CobraNet and others with a massive mix capacity of 64 mono inputs for a total of 80 inputs to mix. Each input channel has dedicated processing for high pass filter, input delay, gate, compressor and parametric EQ. Keeping you in control are 8 VCA busses, 8 mute groups, FaderGlow and color backlit name displays on every channel so you are never lost.
All Si Performer consoles have busses and output processing to match the versatility of the inputs; the 14 aux/group mixes can be configured as 14 mono mixes or 8 mono plus 6 stereo mixes, whilst the matrix mixes can be mono or stereo as needed. The bus and matrix mixes are complemented with four mix busses dedicated to the internal Lexicon FX processors and left, right and center busses with options for mixing left/right + mono/center or left/center/right (LCR). Each bus features a compressor, 4 band fully parametric EQ, graphic EQ and delay always available all of the time.
To complement the channel and bus processing all Si Performer consoles integrate four Stereo Lexicon FX processors based on the MX400 providing a wealth of sounds, user adjustable parameters and dedicated tap-tempo keys. As the FX are hardware based use of all the effects even on the most demanding programs do not affect the processing in any way and all dynamics, PEQ and all bands of all 31 graphic EQs are available all of the time.
Flexible onboard and expansion I/O options ensure the Si Performer integrates effortlessly with other system components; along with the 16 mic inputs there are eight analogue line inputs, AES in and out, 16 analogue line outputs, headphone monitor out, a 64x64 channel expansion slot and another 64x32 expansion slot each capable of utilizing any of the Si series option cards including CAT5 or optical MADI. The MADI card, as well as being an interface to multi-track recording systems or plug-in systems like Waves, enables linking the Si Performer to any of the Soundcraft or Studer stageboxes to extend the I/O power and flexibility; but all this power is nothing without control and here the Si Performer excels with a comprehensive but 'simple to use' control surface.
As you would expect from any Soundcraft digital mixer the facilities are extensive and include legendary audio quality courtesy of latest generation EMMA DSP processors, the same DSP platform that has helped propel the Si and Si Compact series to industry standard status; this power united with reliability and flexibility puts the Si Performer in a class of its own.
• 16 mono mic inputs
• 8 line inputs
• 80 channels to mix
• 2 ViSi Connect™ option card slots for 128 x 96 input/output paths
• Pre/Post selection per input per bus
• Freely assignable faders and patching
• Soundcraft FaderGlow
• Color backlit LCD screens per fader
• GEQ on every bus
• 20 sub-group / aux busses
• 4 FX busses
• 8 Matrix busses
• LRC Mix busses
• 4 Stereo Lexicon Effects engines
• Delay on inputs and outputs
• 8 Mute Groups
• 8 VCA Groups
• AES in and out
• DMX interface and control -control sound and light simultaneously
• Freely assignable insert loops
• Harman HiQnet integration
• Color touch screen interface
• Comes with removable side cheeks
SKU | Si Performer 1 |
Brand | Soundcraft |
Free Shipping | Yes |


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