The Oklahoma Atheists (AOK) is an American organization founded by Kim Shultz in 1999 to establish a community of atheists, freethinkers, and other non-religious people living in Oklahoma City and throughout the greater Oklahoma City metropolitan area. The organization is a local affiliate of the democratic society Atheist Alliance International (AAI) and therefore has ratified formal by-laws and holds elections for officers annually.
While the group engages primarily in social activities, such as meet-ups, it also organizes and hosts the occasional public lecture, debate, or protest. For example, in 2009, AOK coordinated with Trinity Baptist Church of Norman, Oklahoma, to co-host a streaming webcast of a theological debate between Christopher Hitchens and William Lane Craig at Biola University.
National Day of Prayer
In 2003 the group created a standalone committee called "Stop Theocracy in Oklahoma Policy" (STOP) in order to protest the National Day of Prayer by celebrating a National Day of Reason in its stead. This effort evolved over time into an inclusive and ecumenical celebration of religious liberty on the South Steps of the Oklahoma Capitol, known as the Interfaith Day of Prayer and Reflection, which was held for years on the Capitol Steps. In 2010, the National Day of Prayer was moved to the south steps and the AOK once again organized a protest of the prayer event, focusing on issues relating to the integration of church and state and the endorsement of religion by government officials.
While the group engages primarily in social activities, such as meet-ups, it also organizes and hosts the occasional public lecture, debate, or protest. For example, in 2009, AOK coordinated with Trinity Baptist Church of Norman, Oklahoma, to co-host a streaming webcast of a theological debate between Christopher Hitchens and William Lane Craig at Biola University.
National Day of Prayer
In 2003 the group created a standalone committee called "Stop Theocracy in Oklahoma Policy" (STOP) in order to protest the National Day of Prayer by celebrating a National Day of Reason in its stead. This effort evolved over time into an inclusive and ecumenical celebration of religious liberty on the South Steps of the Oklahoma Capitol, known as the Interfaith Day of Prayer and Reflection, which was held for years on the Capitol Steps. In 2010, the National Day of Prayer was moved to the south steps and the AOK once again organized a protest of the prayer event, focusing on issues relating to the integration of church and state and the endorsement of religion by government officials.
The Mühlacker Water Tower is a reinforced concrete water tower in Mühlacker, Germany. The tower was built in 1972/73 and has a container for of water. It is often decorated at Christmas time with a Christmas tree on the roof.
The water tower offers tours for schools and groups. In 2018, during one such tour, there was a "dramatic rescue" as emergency sources sought to reach and extricate a man who had suffered a heart attack. Stormy weather prevented a helicopter evacuation and the spiral staircase was too narrow. In the end the man was lowered from the platform, over 130 feet above the ground, using a special rescue basket.
The water tower offers tours for schools and groups. In 2018, during one such tour, there was a "dramatic rescue" as emergency sources sought to reach and extricate a man who had suffered a heart attack. Stormy weather prevented a helicopter evacuation and the spiral staircase was too narrow. In the end the man was lowered from the platform, over 130 feet above the ground, using a special rescue basket.
Aakanksha Bhargava (born 1985) is an Indian entrepreneur, leading a large relocation business in India. She is the chief executive officer and President of PM Relocations Pvt Ltd (PMR) in Gurgaon.
Early life and education
She was born to Rajeev and Archana Bhargava, in Kolkata. She earned a masters in business administration degree from the SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Singapore and Dubai.
Career
Bhargava joined PMR on 30 April 2007. Initially she was a manager in international sales, then moved on to handling corporate sales, marketing, operations and other verticals for the company. She was promoted to chief executive officer in 2012. In 2015 she was awarded "Best Women Leader" by the Business Today Awards in the Small & Medium Enterprise segment. She was recognized for her contribution towards the entrepreneurship report submitted on behalf of PMR by Indian School of Business. Her company is listed as a part of company listing of India in PAIMA.
Bhargava opened new branches of the company in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Chennai. With this the company has also grown in numbers, global contracts and people. During her tenure as the chief executive of PMR, the company has grown from a top line of Rs 2 crore in 2010 to Rs 40 crore in 2015. From 40 employees in 2007, the company has a head count of 500 as of 2016.
She has written articles for the education portal Education Insider, MindYourBusiness and for the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce.
Awards and recognition
* Awarded as Women Of Worth - By Outlook Business Magazine
* Won 'People Management Approach by an FMB' by SPJIMR Family Managed Business Awards 2017
* Nominated for the 'Entrepreneur of the Year in Service Business - SCM & Logistics' at the 7th Annual Entrepreneur India Awards <ref name=":0" />
* Nominated for the 10th IWEC Awards 2017 <ref name=":0" />
Early life and education
She was born to Rajeev and Archana Bhargava, in Kolkata. She earned a masters in business administration degree from the SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Singapore and Dubai.
Career
Bhargava joined PMR on 30 April 2007. Initially she was a manager in international sales, then moved on to handling corporate sales, marketing, operations and other verticals for the company. She was promoted to chief executive officer in 2012. In 2015 she was awarded "Best Women Leader" by the Business Today Awards in the Small & Medium Enterprise segment. She was recognized for her contribution towards the entrepreneurship report submitted on behalf of PMR by Indian School of Business. Her company is listed as a part of company listing of India in PAIMA.
Bhargava opened new branches of the company in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Chennai. With this the company has also grown in numbers, global contracts and people. During her tenure as the chief executive of PMR, the company has grown from a top line of Rs 2 crore in 2010 to Rs 40 crore in 2015. From 40 employees in 2007, the company has a head count of 500 as of 2016.
She has written articles for the education portal Education Insider, MindYourBusiness and for the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce.
Awards and recognition
* Awarded as Women Of Worth - By Outlook Business Magazine
* Won 'People Management Approach by an FMB' by SPJIMR Family Managed Business Awards 2017
* Nominated for the 'Entrepreneur of the Year in Service Business - SCM & Logistics' at the 7th Annual Entrepreneur India Awards <ref name=":0" />
* Nominated for the 10th IWEC Awards 2017 <ref name=":0" />
Below is a list of retrofits of Chuck E. Cheese animatronics.
Chuck E. Cheese opened in 1977 as Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre. One of the main features of the chain when it first opened was its popular animatronic band, which was inspired by Disneyland's animatronic shows, mainly the Country Bear Jamboree and the Enchanted Tiki Room .
Throughout the chain's 45-year run, hundreds of locations close down, resulting in many animatronics, alongside assets and designs of the stores, typically being demolished. Others, however, manage to get ahold of the figures and retrofit them, which are then used for their businesses, particularly in a restaurant or amusement park.
List of Chuck E. Cheese retrofits
Unknown animatronic band from Zack Periwinkle's Pizza
After shuttering a Chuck E Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre, the owners of the now-former Dickson City, PA location retrofitted the entire restaurant, including the former Pizza Time Players band, re-opening as Zack Periwinkle's on April 3, 1985. Photos surfaced on chat groups in May 23, 2020 of the new retrofitted band, featuring Zack Periwinkle (the mascot of the restaurant; retrofitted from Madame Oink), as well as retrofits of Jasper T. Jowls, Pasqually and Helen Henny; it's unclear whether Mr. Munch was retrofitted. Aside from the leaked images, no footage of the location has surfaced online, and no official show tape has ever been found.
Rocky and the Railroad Ramblers
Gillians Wonderland Pier, a park that has operated seasonally since its opening in 1929, introduced their first animatronic show created in 1993 by Sally Corporation. Located between the entrance and exit for the "MonoRail" attraction, visitors insert one dollar for the animatronics to operate. Containing seven country songs, the five band members were retrofitted from Zack Periwinkle's Pizza (as evident by the Panda animatronic, now known as Rocky), which, in turn, were retrofits from the former Dickson City, Pennsylvania Chuck E. Cheese location. The show, however, was in such disrepair that it lasted for more than a decade until 2015 when a team member recreated the original cosmetics and stage and repaired the animatronics.
Rocky and the Ramblin' Rascals
The Enchanted Forest Water Safari waterpark in Old Forge, New York introduced its retrofit animatronic band at the Klondike Kate's Saloon restaurant called "Rocky and the Ramblin' Rascals." The show was manufactured by Sally Corporation due to it using the same soundtrack as the one used at Gillians Wonderland Pier, as well as having a similar name to "Rocky and the Railroad Ramblers."
Rather than using the Pizza Time Theater figures like the previous two shows, the location retrofitted the modern Munch's Make Believe Band animatronics. Also, unlike "Rocky and the Railroad Ramblers," the show plays after a couple of minutes.
Banjo Billy's Pizza
Opening in 1994 and operating for only three years in Houston, TX, Banjo Billy's Pizza was a "Chuck E. Cheese"-style family entertainment center featuring food, games, and animatronic entertainment. The animatronic band in question was retrofitted from a Pizza Time Theater show, as evident by the movements of each of the characters; the overhauled characters were Dolli Dimples (with Mr. Munch's body movements), Helen Henny, Jasper T. Jowls (Banjo Billy), Chuck E. Cheese, and Pasqually. According to a chat group regarding Banjo Billy's Pizza, since it closed, the cosmetics have been reverted back to and presented in its original form by Chuck E. Cheese animatronic collectors.
Chuck E. Cheese opened in 1977 as Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre. One of the main features of the chain when it first opened was its popular animatronic band, which was inspired by Disneyland's animatronic shows, mainly the Country Bear Jamboree and the Enchanted Tiki Room .
Throughout the chain's 45-year run, hundreds of locations close down, resulting in many animatronics, alongside assets and designs of the stores, typically being demolished. Others, however, manage to get ahold of the figures and retrofit them, which are then used for their businesses, particularly in a restaurant or amusement park.
List of Chuck E. Cheese retrofits
Unknown animatronic band from Zack Periwinkle's Pizza
After shuttering a Chuck E Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre, the owners of the now-former Dickson City, PA location retrofitted the entire restaurant, including the former Pizza Time Players band, re-opening as Zack Periwinkle's on April 3, 1985. Photos surfaced on chat groups in May 23, 2020 of the new retrofitted band, featuring Zack Periwinkle (the mascot of the restaurant; retrofitted from Madame Oink), as well as retrofits of Jasper T. Jowls, Pasqually and Helen Henny; it's unclear whether Mr. Munch was retrofitted. Aside from the leaked images, no footage of the location has surfaced online, and no official show tape has ever been found.
Rocky and the Railroad Ramblers
Gillians Wonderland Pier, a park that has operated seasonally since its opening in 1929, introduced their first animatronic show created in 1993 by Sally Corporation. Located between the entrance and exit for the "MonoRail" attraction, visitors insert one dollar for the animatronics to operate. Containing seven country songs, the five band members were retrofitted from Zack Periwinkle's Pizza (as evident by the Panda animatronic, now known as Rocky), which, in turn, were retrofits from the former Dickson City, Pennsylvania Chuck E. Cheese location. The show, however, was in such disrepair that it lasted for more than a decade until 2015 when a team member recreated the original cosmetics and stage and repaired the animatronics.
Rocky and the Ramblin' Rascals
The Enchanted Forest Water Safari waterpark in Old Forge, New York introduced its retrofit animatronic band at the Klondike Kate's Saloon restaurant called "Rocky and the Ramblin' Rascals." The show was manufactured by Sally Corporation due to it using the same soundtrack as the one used at Gillians Wonderland Pier, as well as having a similar name to "Rocky and the Railroad Ramblers."
Rather than using the Pizza Time Theater figures like the previous two shows, the location retrofitted the modern Munch's Make Believe Band animatronics. Also, unlike "Rocky and the Railroad Ramblers," the show plays after a couple of minutes.
Banjo Billy's Pizza
Opening in 1994 and operating for only three years in Houston, TX, Banjo Billy's Pizza was a "Chuck E. Cheese"-style family entertainment center featuring food, games, and animatronic entertainment. The animatronic band in question was retrofitted from a Pizza Time Theater show, as evident by the movements of each of the characters; the overhauled characters were Dolli Dimples (with Mr. Munch's body movements), Helen Henny, Jasper T. Jowls (Banjo Billy), Chuck E. Cheese, and Pasqually. According to a chat group regarding Banjo Billy's Pizza, since it closed, the cosmetics have been reverted back to and presented in its original form by Chuck E. Cheese animatronic collectors.