Perplex City History Timeline
3500 BC (1763 BCE) - Perplex City history begins
Several nomadic groups developed semi-permanent settlements around the Mazy River.
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3000 BC (1263 BCE) - Loose settlements become stable
There is evidence of the area to the north of the Mazy being used for grazing and agriculture. The most surprising aspect to this period of the city's history is the speed with which the population urbanised. At a time when small agricultural communities were the norm, the area around the Mazy rapidly attracted a very large settlement, with enough wealth and organisation to construct civic buildings including the Hausam Theatre.
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2000 BC (263 BCE) - Evidence of great technical advancements
Advancements in crafts and artistic products, as well as the beginnings of modern literature in the writings of Datura and "Lemnal" - although it is now thought that the works attributed to Lemnal were actually written by at least five separate authors.
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1250 BC (487) - Slow but steady progress in the city's development
Agriculture becomes increasingly efficient, literacy and numeracy become widespread across the city, as does increasingly skilful craftsmanship. The city spreads north of the river for the first time, linking up with two or three small settlements that seem already to have existed. The cultural flowering of this period is well-known, with excellent examples of literature, sculpture, paintings, pottery and leatherwork all having been discovered.
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700 BC (1037) - City went through a period of modest expansion
Many of the smaller towns and villages now a part of the city's government date from around this time although of course some are much more recent. Trade routes were established, bringing the finest goods available to the city, as well as allowing an influx of population which contributed to the city's growth. The firm hand of the City Council was felt strongly in all areas of city life at this time, with planned development of various skills and trades, as well as increased exploitation of natural resources. The decision was taken at this time that all mineral and geological wealth in the area belonged to the city collectively, and was thus under the administration of the council. This decision led directly to the tradition of excellent investment in public services that continues to this day.
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573 BC (1164) - PPC Academy Founded
No further detail available[
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571 BC (1166) - Group of scholars take residence in the city
We learn from the journal of Degabus of Malme that "an groupe of scholars have late taken residence in the City, purposeing here to study both the antient and the modern mysteries. They have, for a year or more taken rooms with Mrs Feon of Kingdom Street, who complains mightily of the noxious stink emanating from their alchymical experimentations but, I hear, they have in mind to remove to the cellars late of Mr Beston, brewer, so recently passed away.
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452 BC (1285) - Academy's first significant expansion
Expands after a gift from Naskent Taversen. Taversen, one of the City's wealthiest and most influential landowners, had been fascinated by the studies of the Academy; he had sent his only daughter Aetiant to be educated by the scholars and is known to have observed some of MacElvoy's early experiments with static electricity. Aetiant Taversen became a scholar at the academy, and apparently negotiated with her father the substantial gift he gave the institution. In his last years, Taversen gifted his house, along with various surrounding pieces of property, to the Academy in perpetuity.
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443 BC (1294) - Aetiant Taversen becomes the first Academy 'Master'
She was able to preside over an unprecedented period of growth and success in which, for the first time, the Academy was able to select its pupils.
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250 BC (1487) - Ellen Poor studies at Academy
No further detail available[
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246 BC (1491) - Ellen Poor leaves Academy to open a tea house
No further detail available[
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245 BC (1492) - Helios Noi returns to the City
Brings with him the vast collection of a lifetime's travel
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243 BC (1494) - Helios Noi offered Academy Mastership - Declines
Preferred instead to dedicate the remainder of his life to the development of the field of biological sciences in the Academy.
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226 BC (1511) - Death of Helios Noi
No further detail available[
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179 BC (1558) - Unknown quote from Sente's first letter
"Keep that which you value close; better to be vigilant than to rely upon the kindness of strangers."
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172 BC (1565) - Academy Museum founded
The various libraries which had grown up in the different departments and private collections were amalgamated into a single collection.
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170 BC (1567) - Faith Giordana judiciary pogroms
Depicted in recent film 'Justice', starring Hortense Rudolph.
Review from Sentinel -
"Actress Hortense Rudolph absolutely dazzles in her performance in the new film Justice. This compelling character study of the criminal mastermind behind the 170BC judiciary pogroms is chillingly convincing, and makes even the infamous Faith Giordana into an empathetic figure."
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70 BC (1667) - The War begins
Until 0BC, the city was engaged in a prolonged and violent conflict with its neighbours. The results of this conflict are scored on the face of the city itself, as well as on the surrounding area for many thousands of miles. Perplex City no longer has neighbours.
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47 BC (1690) - Academy sinks into temporary academic despond
No further detail available[
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35 BC (1702) - Stories of ghost-children arise.
Related to The War. Stories that the ghosts of Ilja and Anja wander the world alone but for each other.
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23 BC (1714) - Death of Master Victor Mardian
No further detail available[
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22 BC (1715) - Vianne Adamek elected Academy Master
Adamek, who had been Senior Fellow in Natural Sciences was not seen as a natural choice for Master but, due to lack of a suitable alternative candidate she was elected by a small majority. Surprising many of her critics, she appeared to put aside her partisan interest in her own small group and take the helm of the Academy with aplomb. It was under her leadership that the Academy was organized into the six departments we know today, and that the Perplex City Academy Games were removed from the Academy's direct control, opening them up to a wider level of participation. She embarked upon a programme of rebuilding, and secured long-lasting financial security for the Academy through a series of well-chosen property investments. Her interest in encouraging the Academy to participate in school and college programs across the city accounts for the considerable number of "Adamek scholarships" that still exist today.
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1 BC (1736) - Anthony Granier's Northern Expedition
Visited a northern castle with nearby mining works, to conduct experiments for Academy Master Vianne Adamek. Accompanied by Edwina Mountling - "an Academy scholar of about fifty".
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0 BC (1737) - End of the war - Beginning of 'modern era'
Rapid development in science and technology following a more industrial age.
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1 AC (1738) - Switch from BC to AC
Unknown reason for calendar change. Earlier speculation as to it having something to do with the Receda Cube now looks unlikely, as the cube was not discovered until 7AC. Still not known what "BC" and "AC" stand for.
7 AC (1744) - Receda Cube Discovered
Discovered in the Catbite area. The Academy was, at this time, the repository for any unusual or potentially dangerous articles discovered. Having ascertained that the Cube was not immediately dangerous, Academy officials placed it on public display where it remained as an uninvestigated curiosity for over 30 years!
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37 AC (1774) - Games Plaza built
Built by William Henderson. The annual Academy games are run from Games Plaza and though most games take place elsewhere, the final 16 competitions are always held at the Plaza. The award ceremony takes place on the roof of the building in summer.
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37 AC (1774) - Museum of Perplex City founded
The Museum is one of the city's most distinguished cultural attractions and museums. Constantly expanded since it was founded, the museum documents the social, cultural and economic history of the city from the founding of Old Town to the present day.
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75 AC (1812) - Perplex City Zoo established
Established after the closure of the Old Town Zoo. The zoo houses a wide range of land animals but lacks the facilities for birds or large marine animals. However, it remains a popular attraction of Perplex City, no doubt in part due to its collection of tretretretres.
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81 AC (1818) - Tanhill Botanic Gardens constructed
Constructed from glass and steel in the Resurgence period, the Tanhill Botanic Gardens features plants and trees from across the world in three separate climate-controlled wings. The Botanic Gardens are currently closed for renovation until late 269.
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89 AC (1826) - PPC Sentinel founded
The Sentinel was founded in 89AC by the legendary property developer and industrialist Redward Innes. A colourful personality, legend has it that Innes set up the newspaper (then called the Perplex City Sentinel and Working Man's Friend) simply in order to settle a grudge against a business rival, whose Perplex City Vanguard was then the leading paper in the city. Innes ran the paper at a loss for the first 10 years of production, mainly owing to the large-scale puzzle contests he personally bankrolled and successfully put the Vanguard out of business.
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107 AC (1844) - Sentinel and Vanguard merge
The Vanguard name was swiftly dropped from the masthead.
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115 AC (1852) - Death of Redward Innes
No further detail available[
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137 AC (1874) - Sentinel purchased by the Heathcote Group
No further detail available[
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138 AC (1875) - Emmi Hartlin begins editing the Sentinel
Heathcote's director, Ram Zadorin, brought in maverick editor Emmi Hartlin under whose steady hand the paper regained its former prominence, this time on the basis of fine reporting and a dedication to intelligent information, rather than contests and prizes. Hartlin built the tradition of accuracy and detached opinion which endures to this day.
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148 AC (1885) - S. Marchant quote from City Archives
"I Had Thought:
I trust what I see;
my eyes are my own.
My Senses Are Infallible.
I WAS WRONG.
I can no longer trust that which I witness. I
shall not put stock in images lit up before me.
I MUST HOLD IT.
I MUST HAVE IT IN MY BARE HANDS."
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151 AC (1888) - Discovery of spotted tide-pool clams
Existence documented by Lola Bancroft.
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156 AC (1893) - Emmi Hartlin retires
No further detail available[
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167 AC (1904) - "Great Political Scandals"
Details Unknown. Carl Bauer editing the Sentinel at the time.
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173 AC (1910) - 700th anniversary of the Academy's founding
Statues of the seven founders commissioned.
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174 AC (1911) - Sentinel's investigative work leads to resignation of City Council and seven deputies
No further detail available[
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175 AC (1912) - Last criminal case to be declared a mistrial in PPC
Jurist Latrell Korn was found guilty of reporting secret deliberations to the press for monetary consideration during the Ghona Hesh trial. Korn served ninety days in prison and paid a PCL1,500 fine.
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188 AC (1925) - Landmark statue at Scott Young Memorial Plaza built
The statue of the prominent philosopher has graced the plaza since 188 AC, three years after his untimely death.
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203 AC (1940) - Isabella Levenay begins her business
Began as a modest couturier in the Artist's Quarter.
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222 AC (1959) - Gregory Dempsey graduates from the Academy
Worked exclusively at Centrifuge from the day he graduated until fired in 268.
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223 AC (1960) - Sanjean Adamek has a series of wins at the PCAG
No further detail available[
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223 AC (1960) - Sente Kiteway joins Academy cryptology department
No further detail available[
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228 AC (1965) - Receda Cube goes on public display in Academy museum
No further detail available[
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229 AC (1966) - Sente works as a Junior Fellow at the Academy
He was a member of the puzzle-setting team for the PCAG on five occasions, and three of his cryptological puzzles won the Academy's Scribe Prize.
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230 AC (1967) - Sente published seminal work on cryptological mathematics
'Cryptological formulations for key security functions' - Expanded in size and scope, it is now the standard text for graduate researchers.
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234 AC (1971) - Ruth Coralhouse & Horatio Flynn win Ikonnikov Prize
Won for their work on the "CF Theory".
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235 AC (1972) - Adamek publishes book - "Intricate Design"
No further detail available[
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235 AC (1972) - Last serious attempt at Cube theft
The last serious attempt at theft was in late April of 235.
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237 AC (1974) - Alyce Turnbull creates the Inventus puzzle
Consists of a series of pictograms set in stone into the wall of the Buttered Bridge.
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237 AC (1974) - Centric Artificial Rainforest built
Built using inflatable transparent panels, the linked 'bubbles' of the Centric Artifiical Rainforest house nine different precisely controlled climates, including a lake that runs through five of the bubbles. The CAR is a repository for thousands of plant species from around the world, and also an educational and research institution.
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237 AC (1974) - Sente takes up a senior position at Centrifuge
He headed up the development of Redlock, now the standard corporate security protocol as well as innovative projects such as the Hollowview intelligent defense system.
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239 AC (1976) - Dalia Way semi-pedestrianised
Semi-pedestrianised in 239 in response to high traffic levels. Today, private vehicles are prohibited within the greater city area with the subway, trams, buses and driverless cabs providing all transport needs.
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239 AC (1976) - Ruth Coralhouse & Horatio Flynn win Ikonnikov Prize again
Won for their work on the "CF Theory".
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240 AC (1977) - Professor Estelle Sedgewick becomes Senior Fellow of Languages
No further detail available[
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241 AC (1978) - Hunan Mansoor's company MPG becomes part of Key Surety
No further detail available[
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242 AC (1979) - Violet Kiteway Born
Is a Dragon, putting her date of birth between August 11th and September 10th. Specific date still unknown.
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243 AC (1980) - Jonathan Smart becomes member of PCBC board
No further detail available[
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246 AC (1983) - Hunan Mansoor wins Academy's Cryptological prize
Won for his hypothetical solution to the three-spheres problem
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247 AC (1984) - Last serious attempt to address the war
Academy fellow Roger Portson began railing for more than a dry list of dates and names in textbooks for college-aged students. Portson was forced into retirement within the year and shunned from public life up to the day he died.
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248 AC (1985) - Astrid Lindstrom wins PCAG championship
Placed highly in 245 and 247.
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248 AC (1985) - Cove-Houghton Consulting founded
Security consulting firm. Founded by Walter Cove-Houghton. He sold the firm to his sister, Rose Cove-Houghton, upon leaving to join PCBC.
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248 AC (1985) - Public foreign-language debate over the environmental policies of the Council
Organised by students of Professor Sedgewick as their final project.
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248 AC (1985) - Scarlett Kiteway Born
Born July 2nd. Is an Archer, but doesn't believe in star signs - "It seems a bit silly". Loves having a summer birthday.
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250 AC (1987) - Ruth Coralhouse retires from Academy
Coralhouse was the Senior Fellow of the Social Sciences department, where she pioneered early work on Earth anthropology based on some of the earliest comprehensive Earth communications.
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252 AC (1989) - Professor Adamek becomes Senior Fellow of Arts
No further detail available[
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252 AC (1989) - Sente returns to the Academy
Becomes a Junior Fellow in cryptology. In this role, he oversaw the growth of the department, securing over PCL 60 million in corporate funding and sponsorship as well as building strong ties for the department with the government and military.
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253 AC (1990) - Anja Marlowe leaves Maitland Museum for Academy Museum
She served as special anthropological consultant until her promotion to the top spot. During her tenure at the Academy Museum, she has secured her reputation for being a maverick unafraid to address uncomfortable subjects, designing exhibits ranging from corruption in the early City Council to historical mistreatment of the intellectually impaired. Since her appointment, even the faint rumours that she might plan to create an exhibition dealing with the war have drawn furious criticism from cultural pundits and civic groups.
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253 AC (1990) - Astrid Lindstrom wins Allanson Prize
Won for work in the area of Groshniev's Theorem.
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256 AC (1993) - Robert Solitano wins PCAG languages section
No further detail available[
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258 AC (1995) - Ahuva Qui becomes a commentator for the Political News
No further detail available[
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258 AC (1995) - Jonathan Smart becomes CEO of PCBC
No further detail available[
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258 AC (1995) - Margaret Wildwood wins Raschid Prize
Won for book "Perquisites and Requisites: life in the time of Datura".
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259 AC (1996) - Ascendancy Point built
Was heralded as the most technologically advanced structure of its day. Apart from its impressive height and environmentally sound ethic, the Point boasted responsive and intelligent systems for security, climate control, resource distribution, and maintenance, all tied into a central neural structure. One of the first-year leasing brochures called the technology "the invisible heartbeat of a dream."
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260 AC (1997) - Ceretin first sold
Over the past six years, Ceretin has been constantly updated to improve its performance and soften side-effects.
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260 AC (1997) - Inari Ekeba becomes PCAG's resident astronomical puzzle setter
No further detail available[
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260 AC (1997) - Marriage of Pietro and Sylvia Salk
They were married after only a six-month courtship
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261 AC (1998) - Ahuva Qui wins Borek prize
Won for her theory of mutual benefit.
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261 AC (1998) - Professor Inari Ekeba becomes Senior Fellow of Natural Sciences
No further detail available[
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261 AC (1998) - Robert Solitano wins Sperka prize
Won for his work in translating some of the ancient writings in the catacombs.
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261 AC (1998) - Sente becomes Chairman of the Carrick Foundation
A charitable trust which awards grants to support technological innovation by small businesses and individuals.
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262 AC (1999) - Armand Levi moves from journalism to politics
No further detail available[
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262 AC (1999) - Last recorded ocean tremor
No further detail available[
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262 AC (1999) - Professor Margaret Wildwood becomes Senior Fellow of Social Sciences
She had previously been Dexter Fellow in Anthropology and Comparative History and Director of the Historiography programme.
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263 AC (2000) - Carrick Foundation names Sedgewick Travel Bursary in honour of Estelle Sedgewick
To enable a young Academician to spend a year traveling for the purposes of linguistic research.
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263 AC (2000) - Mobius Strip completed
"It might not be the real Mobius Strip, buts it'll do," are the words famous architect Denise Ghali is said to have made upon seeing the completed strip from the air for the first time. The figure of eight strip of raised land off the coast was one of the more controversial projects begun by the MDC for the mobius Area regeneration project, but its sheltered marine lake and beautiful parks have won over most critics.
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263 AC (2000) - Professor Hunan Mansoor becomes Senior Fellow of Cryptology
No further detail available[
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263 AC (2000) - Sente becomes Master of the Academy
Replaces Professor Alyce Turnbull.
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264 AC (2001) - Centre for Reality Research opened
The Centre for Reality Research has already made several pioneering discoveries that helped the Academy develop a secure and reliable two-way information connection with Earth.
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264 AC (2001) - Keenan Thoreau and Echo West arrested on drug charges
Sentenced to undergo treatment. The two had allegedly turned to a wide spectrum of recreational and cognitive pharmaceuticals to help meet their demanding schedule of performances, until bandmate Alejo Jackson turned them in because their creative output had begun to suffer. Although the two were pronounced clean, rumours have been spreading that they have both relapsed into their habits.
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264 AC (2001) - Rebecca Croft wins the Alexander Prize (music)
No further detail available[
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265 AC (2002) - Cognivia opens on-site lab at the Academy
First on-site lab at the Academy campus in the Old Town
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265 AC (2002) - Death of Isabella Levenay
By the time of her death, her brand had become one of the most recognised in Perplex City, and offered merchandise ranging from clothing, handbags, and accessories, to even home furnishings, beauty products, and a highly-regarded chain of retreat spas.
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266 AC (2003) - Janna Gold selected as the Rejian Fellow
No further detail available[
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266 AC (2003) - Professor Astrid Lindstrom becomes Senior Fellow of Mathematics and Logic
No further detail available[
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267 AC (2004) - Receda Cube Stolen from PPC Academy
January 16th - The Receda Cube is stolen while the Academy Ball is taking place. Fran Mendling, a 42 year old security guard is found dead.
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267 AC (2004) - Ryan Cahill wins PCAG Championship
No further detail available[
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267 AC (2004) - Security analysis reports from Academy Museum leaked to the Sentinel
August - Prompted angry accusations and denials among the Senior Fellows Council and the Adjunct Committee. They showed that a team of four people, two of whom had specialised skills in hardware and software, could have taken advantage of the limitations of the Museum's security systems to perpetrate the break-in. Although this theory has been condemned as mere speculation by Academy authorities, it remains the best-guess theory for the method by which the Cube was stolen.
The report also showed that the Museum had been relying on a rather antiquated heat-sensing mechanism, along with encrypted electronic "k-locks." These are extremely specialised areas requiring unique expertise to break, but nonetheless each is known to have weaknesses.
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267 AC (2004) - Surprise virus sweeps the City
Leaves hospitals overwhelmed. Over 8,000 individuals became sick, and at least 20 died. It was the first time in nearly 20 years that an infectious pathogen caught city health authorities unprepared.
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268 AC (2005) - Nachman Assaf solves the Inventus puzzle
Describing the flash of insight that led him to the solution, Assaf said: "I stopped to tie up my shoe on the bridge next to the puzzle and suddenly thought that one of the pictograms looked quite a lot like a diagram of my bent-over position. I wondered if each pictogram was a representation of a person engaging in a task - when I looked at it this way, it became easy to solve!" Assaf's full solution will be published in August in the Journal of Symbology.
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269 AC (2006) - Present Day
No further detail available