An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority (either his own or that of his superior and/or employer, public or legally private).

A government official or functionary is an official who is involved in public administration or government, through either election, appointment, selection, or employment. A bureaucrat is a member of the bureaucracy. An elected official is a person who is an official by virtue of an election. Officials may also be appointed ''ex officio'' (by virtue of another office, often in a specified capacity, such as presiding, advisory, secretary). Some official positions may be inherited.

A person who currently holds an office is referred to as an incumbent.

The word ''official'' as a noun has been recorded since the Middle English period, first seen in 1314. It comes from the Old French ''official'' (12th century), from the Latin ''officialis'' ("attendant to a magistrate, public official"), the noun use of the original adjective ''officialis'' ("of or belonging to duty, service, or office") from ''officium'' ("office"). The meaning "person in charge of some public work or duty" was first recorded in 1555. The adjective is first attested in English in 1533, via the Old French ''''.

The informal term ''officialese'', the jargon of "officialdom", was first recorded in 1884.

Roman Antiquity

An ''officialis'' (plural ''officiales'') was the official term (somewhat comparable to a modern civil servant) for any member of the officium (staff) of a high dignitary such as a governor.

Ecclesiastical judiciary

In Canon law, the word or its Latin original ''officialis'' is used absolutely as the legal title of a diocesan bishop's judicial vicar who shares the bishop's ordinary judicial power over the diocese and presides over the diocesan ecclesiastical court.

The 1983 Code of Canon Law gives precedence to the title Judicial Vicar, rather than that of Officialis (canon 420). The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches uses only the title Judicial Vicar (canon 191).

In German, the related noun ''Offizialat'' was also used for an official bureau in a diocese that did much of its administration, comprising the vicariate-general, an adjoined secretariat, a registry office and a chancery.

The title of official principal, together with that of vicar-general, has in Anglicanism? England been merged in that of Diocesan chancellor of a diocese.

Other

In sports, the term official is used to describe a person enforcing playing rules in the capacity of a linesman, referee and umpire; also specified by the discipline, e.g. American football official, Ice hockey official.

The term ''officer'' is close to being a synonym (but has more military connotations). A functionary is someone who carries out a particular role within an organization; this again is quite a close synonym for ''official'', as a noun, but with connotations closer to bureaucrat. Any such person acts in their official capacity, in carrying out the duties of their office; they are also said to officiate, for example in a ceremony. A public official is an official of central or local government.

Max Weber on bureaucratic officials

Max Weber gave as definition of a bureaucratic official :

he is personally free and appointed to his position on the basis of conduct

he exercises the authority delegated to him in accordance with impersonal rules, and his loyalty is enlisted on behalf of the faithful execution of his official duties

his appointment and job placement are dependent upon his technical qualifications

his administrative work is a full-time occupation

his work is rewarded by a regular salary and prospects of advancement in a lifetime career.

An official must exercise his judgment and his skills, but his duty is to place these at the service of a higher authority; ultimately he is responsible only for the impartial execution of assigned tasks and must sacrifice his personal judgment if it runs counter to his official duties.

Adjective

As an adjective, ''official'' often but not always means pertaining to the government, either as state employee or having state recognition, or to analogous governance, or to formal (especially legally regulated) proceeding as opposed to informal business. Some examples:

An official holiday is a public holiday, having national (or regional) recognition.

An official language is a language recognised by a government, for its own use in administration, or for the use of citizens (for example on signposts).

An official spokesperson would be an individual empowered to speak for the government, or some part of it such as a ministry, on a range of issues and on the record for the media.

An official statement is issued by an organisation as an expression of its corporate position or opinion; an official apology is an apology similarly issued by an organisation (as opposed to an apology by an individual).

Official policy is policy publicly acknowledged and defended by an organisation. In these cases unofficial is an antonym, and variously may mean informal, unrecognised, personal or unacknowledged.

An official strike is a strike organised and recognised by a labour union, as opposed to an unofficial strike at grassroots level.

An official school is a school administered by the government or by a local authority, as opposite to a private school or religious school.

An official history, for example of an institution or business, or particularly of a war or military unit, is a history written as a commission, with the assumption of co-operation with access to records and archives; but without necessarily full editorial independence.

An official biography is usually on the same lines, written with access to private papers and the support of the family of the subject.

See also

Bureaucrat

Official culture

official trip

Sources and references

(incomplete)

Etymology OnLine

Pauly-Wissowa

Category:Ecclesiastical titles Category:Positions of authority

be-x-old:Службовая асоба bg:Длъжностно лице xal:Йослч it:Ufficiale (funzionario) lt:Valstybės tarnautojas hu:Köztisztviselő nl:Officiaal ja:職員 pl:Funkcjonariusz publiczny ru:Должностное лицо sv:Ämbetsman

name	Robert P. Griffin
nationality	American
image name	Robert Paul Griffin.jpg
jr/sr	United States Senator
state	Michigan
party	Republican
term start	May 11, 1966
term end	January 3, 1979
preceded	Patrick V. McNamara
succeeded	Carl Levin
state2	Michigan
district2	9th
term start2	January 3, 1957
term end2	May 10, 1966
preceded2	Ruth Thompson
succeeded2	Guy Vander Jagt
Order3	14th Minority Whip of the United States Senate
Term start3	September 7, 1969
Term end3	January 3, 1977
Leader4	Hugh D. Scott, Jr.
Predecessor4	Hugh D. Scott, Jr. (R)
Successor4	Ted Stevens (R)
birth date	November 06, 1923
birth place	Detroit, Michigan
alma mater	Central Michigan CollegeUniversity of Michigan Law School
religion	Congregationalist
Branch	United States Army
Serviceyears	1943-1946
Unit	71st Infantry Division
Battles	World War II }}

Robert Paul Griffin (born November 6, 1923) was a U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan and Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court.

Griffin was born in Detroit, Michigan and attended public schools in Garden City and Dearborn. During the Second World War, he enlisted in the 71st Infantry Division in 1943 and spent fourteen months in Europe. After the war, he graduated from Central Michigan College (now Central Michigan University) at Mount Pleasant in 1947. He received a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1950. He commenced the practice of law in Traverse City.

Griffin was elected as a Republican to U.S. House of Representatives from the Michigan's 9th congressional district in 1956, unseating incumbent Ruth Thompson in the Republican primary. He served in the Eighty-fifth United States Congress and to the four succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1957, until his resignation May 10, 1966. He was appointed by Governor George Romney on May 11, 1966, to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Patrick V. McNamara. He was elected November 8, 1966, to a full six-year term, defeating former Governor Soapy Williams by a 56% to 44% margin, commencing January 3, 1967 and was reelected in 1972, winning a tough race against state Attorney General Frank J. Kelley, and served from May 11, 1966, to January 2, 1979. He was Republican Whip 1969-1977. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1978, narrowly defeated by Democrat Carl Levin. He was a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court 1987-1994. His son, Richard Allen Griffin, was a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals from 1989 to 2005, until he was appointed by President George W. Bush to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in 2005.

During Griffin's first Senate campaign in 1966, a suburban Detroit rock band, Doug Brown and the Omens, released a promotional flexidisc in support of his candidacy. The song, "Give Bob The Ball" (which extolled Griffin's "youth and experience") has been included on the garage rock compilation album ''Friday At The Hideout''.

Robert Griffin is currently () a resident of Traverse City.

Bibliography

Griffin, Robert P. "The Landrum-Griffin Act: Twelve Years of Experience in Protecting Employee Rights." ''Georgia Law Review'' 5 (summer 1971): 622-42

Griffin, Robert P. "Rules and Procedure of the Standing Committees." In ''We Propose: A Modern Congress'', edited by Mary McInnis, pp. 37–53. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1966.

External links

Presentation of the Portrait of the Honorable Robert P. Griffin

Category:1923 births Category:American Congregationalists Category:American people of Irish descent Category:Living people Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan Category:Michigan Supreme Court justices Category:People from Detroit, Michigan Category:People from Mount Pleasant, Michigan Category:People from Traverse City, Michigan Category:United States Senators from Michigan Category:Fordson High School alumni Category:Central Michigan University alumni Category:University of Michigan Law School alumni Category:Appointed United States Senators Category:Republican Party United States Senators Category:Michigan Republicans

de:Robert P. Griffin fi:Robert P. Griffin sv:Robert P. Griffin

name	MC Frontalot
background	solo_singer
birth name	Damian Hess
alias	MC Frontalot
birth date	December 03, 1973
religious belief	Atheist
origin	San Francisco, California, USA
instrument	Rapping
genre	Nerdcore hip hop
occupation	Songwriter, Rapper, Web Designer
years active	1999–present
label	Level Up
website	frontalot.com }}

Damian Hess (born December 3, 1973), better known by stage name MC Frontalot, is a Brooklyn-based hip hop musician and self-proclaimed "world's 579th greatest rapper". He is best known in nerdcore hip hop and video game culture, for naming the nerdcore subgenre, and performing at ''Penny Arcade'''s annual Penny Arcade Expo. Hess graduated from Wesleyan University in 1996 with degrees in English and Electronic Music.

Career

Early days

Hess began releasing music as MC Frontalot in 1999. His first successes came through Song Fight!, an online songwriting and recording competition, where he became known for consistently beating opponents. Throughout his history at Song Fight!, he has never lost a competition as MC Frontalot, although he has entered only seven entries in that name. In one such song fight, entitled "Romantic Cheapskate", he likens Song Fight! to a neglected lover who favours him regardless of how he treats her. The song went on to garner a total of 614 votes, while the next closest song ended the round with 28.

Nerdcore

In 2000 he released the song "Nerdcore Hiphop". The song became an immediate hit in the geek and nerd communities. The rap subgenre of nerdcore hip hop, which had been around though unnamed beforehand, embraced the title and has since been expanding rapidly.

Many consider Hess, if not the founder of nerdcore, certainly the man who shone the torch on it. Hess himself, however, is quick to point out the many artists who came before him and those whom he considers his peers, as illustrated on his information webpage.

Hess released his first studio album on August 27, 2005. Entitled ''Nerdcore Rising'', the album contains six new songs, along with 10 remixed versions of past tracks. Some of the new tracks contain production by popular online musicians from Song Fight!, including indie rock and hip hop artist Doctor Popular.

Spotlight

On March 18, 2002, popular webcomic ''Penny Arcade'' (whose creators were long-time fans of Hess) declared Frontalot their rapper laureate, directing fans to his website. He has acknowledged that single act made his popularity skyrocket. In appreciation, he wrote and recorded the "Penny Arcade Theme" a few months later, which was in his own (tongue-in-cheek) words: "an attempt to cash in on their huge and devoted audience."

He has appeared at every Penny Arcade Expo from 2004 to 2011 and ''Nerdcore Rising'' is now sold through the Penny Arcade Store. "Penny Arcade Theme" and "Which MC Was That?" both appear in the dance video game ''In the Groove''. He also features on the Baddd Spellah track "Rhyme of the Nibelung", which was the winner of CBC Radio 2's Remix the Ring contest.

A new track 'Final Boss' featured over the end credits in the 2008 game Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness- Episode 1.

MC Frontalot appears occasionally in the webcomic Overcompensating by Jeffrey Rowland

MC Frontalot has also been seen on commercials for G4 TV, as well as being on the show Freestyle 101 where he sang parts of his songs with freestyle lines connecting them.

Additionally, comic book illustrator Tony Moore became a fan of both Frontalot and fellow nerdcore artist MC Hawking, drawing both of them as zombies in an early issue of ''The Walking Dead'' series. Hess appears in a white shirt, tie and glasses, with the word "Front" written on his pocket protector; he is seen eating a deer.

A song written and performed by Frontalot based on the webcomic Achewood titled "Living At the Corner of Dude and Catastrophe" has been that website's theme song since 2006. On September 2, 2008 as part of a Penny Arcade download pack, "Living At the Corner of Dude and Catastrophe" was chosen for inclusion as a downloadable track for the video game Rock Band. The week of September 14, 2009 saw the release of "Origin of Species" (a satire of Creation Science) which was included in the Penny Arcade Expo track pack.

Live performances

Although most of his fanbase is online, Hess gave a handful of live performances while living in San Francisco, and several more after moving to New York City. His first official tour started on May 12, 2006, with shows mostly in the Southeast United States. When he performs, he plays with a full ensemble, including keyboardist and frequent collaborator Gminor7, bassist Blak Lotus, and drummer The SturGENiUS. Other occasional band members include G.LATINusKY00B, The Categorical Imperative, Vic 20, and 56K. He finished a tour with Schäffer The Darklord as of 25 November 2007 and started another tour on 1 November 2008 with MC Lars and YTCracker. As of June 2010, he's been touring with alternative rock musicians, Wheatus, on their UK leg of their 10th anniversary tour; on occasion providing guest vocals on some of their live jams, as well as Wheatus offering musical accompaniment on some of his tracks.

Film

Hess starred as "TP Factory Rapper" in the Sesame Street direct-to-video movie ''Elmo's Potty Time''.

''Nerdcore Rising'' is a documentary/concert film starring Hess and various other nerdcore artists such as mc chris, Optimus Rhyme and MC Lars with contributors such as "Weird Al" Yankovic, Prince Paul and Brian Posehn. The film, directed and produced by Negin Farsad, premiered at the 2008 South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. It combines interviews about nerdcore and its origins, with footage of Frontalot's 2006 Nerdcore Rising national tour.

As the lead voice-box for nerd culture, Hess was interviewed in Alexandre O. Philippe's documentary, ''The People vs. George Lucas'', which premiered at the 2010 South by Southwest Film Festival. Hess attended the festival as a musician and panelist.

Musical influences

Much of his earlier music features samples from other artists' works, many times using music acquired from famous artists such as Paul Simon, They Might Be Giants, James Brown, Fiona Apple, and many others. He addresses his borrowing of various drum beats in the song "Good Old Clyde", a song commenting on and using the popular "Funky Drummer" drum break by Clyde Stubblefield.

Since he began selling his albums commercially, Hess has collaborated on almost all his tracks with Baddd Spellah, an electronic musician and hip-hop beatsmith, and Gaby 'Gminor7' Alter, a composer and keyboardist whose playing was the basis for many of Frontalot's earlier songs. Hess has also collaborated with other fellow rappers, such as MC Hawking and Canadian rapper Jesse Dangerously.

Discography

Studio Albums

''Nerdcore Rising'' (2005)

''Secrets from the Future'' (2007)

''Final Boss'' (2008)

''Zero Day'' (2010)

''Solved'' (2011)

Other Releases

''Nerdcore Hiphop'' (freely available demo)

Non-album tracks

"24 Hours" (abandoned demo)

"Bitchslap" (by MC Hawking)

"My Sister" (by Duboce Triangle with The JBB)

"Oh, the Hilarity" (from ''Indie Pop Cares a Lot'')

"Rappers We Crush" (with Kompressor)

"Rhyme of the Nibelung" (with Baddd Spellah)

"Romantic Cheapskate" (with Baddd Spellah for Song Fight!)

"Soda Water" (by Jess Klein)

"Start Over" (for a compilation of songs for children)

"Oneonta (Eli Porter)" (with YTCracker and MC Lars on ''The Digital Gangster LP'')

"O.G. Original Gamer (with MC Lars on the MC Lars album ''This Gigantic Robot Kills'')

"Don't Wear Those Shoes" (for the "Weird Al" Yankovic tribute album ''Twenty-Six and a Half'')

Known recorded live sets

July 7, 2001: "Songfight Live West Coast" — Hot Lunch, San Francisco, California, USA (two songs)

October 24, 2002: "Young Zombies in Love Release Party" — Voodoo Lounge, San Francisco, California, USA

July 26, 2003: "Song Fight Wet & Wild" — Finn MacCool's Public House, Seattle, Washington, USA (two songs, incomplete recording, the infamous "drunk set")

December 12, 2003: "Both Hands on the Mic" — The Accordion, San Francisco, California, USA

August 2004: Penny Arcade Expo — Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue, Washington, USA (a partial video recording of the set is available as well)

May 15, 2004: Belladonna, Berkeley, California, USA

June 15, 2005: Living Room, New York, New York City, USA (one verse of "unnecessary rap breakdown" during a Jess Klein show)

June 23, 2005: The Bitter End, New York, New York City, USA

August 27, 2005: Penny Arcade Expo — Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue, Washington, USA (video recording believed to be upcoming)

August 26, 2006: Penny Arcade Expo — Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue, Washington, USA

September 15, 2007: Kingdom of Loathing Convention - The Sets, Tempe, Arizona, USA

November 25, 2008 Knitting Factory - Hollywood, California, USA

References

External links

Official MC Frontalot website, includes official song lyrics, news, music, and forum

Such a Scream, Hess's professional website

Category:1973 births Category:American atheists Category:Living people Category:Nerdcore hip hop artists Category:Wesleyan University alumni Category:Rappers from the San Francisco Bay Area

de:Damien Hess es:MC Frontalot fr:MC Frontalot pt:MC Frontalot