Rea
The Rural Electrification Administration (REA) was a New Deal federal agency created by executive order on May 11, 1935, under President Franklin D. Roosevelt to extend electric service to underserved rural areas of the United States through subsidized loans to nonprofit cooperatives and utilities.[1] Prior to its establishment, only about 10 percent of American farms had access to electricity, largely due to private utilities' reluctance to invest in low-density rural lines with limited profitability; the REA addressed this by financing generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure, enabling cooperatives to electrify over 80 percent of rural households by the 1950s and fostering economic development through powered irrigation, refrigeration, and mechanized farming.[1][2] While praised for its empirical success in causal terms—directly correlating with productivity gains and rural modernization—the program drew criticism from free-market advocates for distorting private investment incentives and expanding government involvement in energy markets, though data show it complemented rather than supplanted utility expansion in viable areas.[3] The REA's model influenced later broadband initiatives, but its core operations shifted to the Rural Utilities Service in 1994 amid deregulation.[1]Astronomy
Rea (moon)
Rhea, often referred to as Rea in some linguistic contexts, is the second-largest moon of Saturn, with a mean radius of 764 kilometers.[4] Discovered on December 23, 1672, by Italian astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini, it orbits Saturn at an average distance of approximately 527,000 kilometers, completing one orbit every 4.518 days while being tidally locked, always presenting the same face to the planet.[4][5] Composed primarily of water ice overlying a silicate rock core, Rhea exhibits low density consistent with an icy body, estimated at about 1.236 grams per cubic centimeter.[5] Its surface is heavily cratered, resembling the Moon's highlands, with impact basins up to 100 kilometers wide and bright ray systems from fresh craters. Cassini spacecraft imaging revealed wispy terrain—linear features interpreted as fractures or ice cliffs—primarily on the trailing hemisphere, alongside equatorial bluish splotches from exposed fresh ice on crater rims.[6][7] Data from the Cassini-Huygens mission, including a close flyby in November 2005, detected charged particle interactions suggesting a tenuous oxygen exosphere and possible embedded charged particles, though unconfirmed as a full atmosphere. Instruments also identified evidence of a faint ring system around Rhea, the first for a moon other than those of Jupiter, potentially comprising electrostatically levitated dust from surface impacts.[8] No missions have landed on Rhea, with observations limited to Voyager 1 and 2 flybys in 1980-1981 and Cassini's 16 close encounters through 2017, providing high-resolution maps covering about 60% of the surface.[9]Mythology
Rea Silvia
Rea Silvia, also known as Ilia or Rhea Silvia, is a central figure in Roman foundational mythology as the Vestal Virgin mother of the twin brothers Romulus and Remus, legendary founders of Rome.[10] Her name derives from associations with the woodland nymph Silvia and the Greek Titaness Rhea, mother of gods, reflecting efforts in ancient traditions to link Roman origins to divine Greek heritage.[10] In the primary accounts, Rea Silvia was the daughter of Numitor, the rightful king of Alba Longa, who was deposed and imprisoned by his brother Amulius.[11] To eliminate potential rivals to his throne, Amulius appointed Rea Silvia as a Vestal Virgin, binding her to a vow of perpetual chastity under penalty of death, thereby preventing her from bearing legitimate heirs.[10] Despite this, she conceived twins, with the dominant mythological tradition attributing the paternity to the god Mars, who visited her in the guise of a warrior; Livy, however, records that she was forcibly violated by an unknown assailant, and she invoked Mars as the father to mitigate the scandal of her broken vow.[12] [10] Upon giving birth to the exceptionally large and beautiful infants Romulus and Remus, Rea Silvia faced Amulius's wrath.[10] Livy states that Amulius ordered her imprisonment while commanding the twins be exposed in the Tiber River to drown.[12] Plutarch's version similarly notes her discovery as pregnant violated Vestal law, leading to her confinement in perpetual solitude, though she was spared immediate execution through intercession.[10] Later traditions vary on her ultimate fate: some claim she was drowned in the river or buried alive as punishment for Vestal impurity, while others describe her transformation into a nymph and marriage to the river god Tiberinus after the cradle of her exposed children washed ashore.[10] These narratives, preserved in Livy's Ab Urbe Condita (ca. 27–9 BCE) and Plutarch's Life of Romulus (ca. 100 CE), underscore themes of divine intervention, royal usurpation, and the sanctity of Vestal chastity in legitimizing Rome's origins, though rationalizing variants in ancient sources attribute the conception to human agency rather than Mars to align with historical skepticism.[12] [10] Upon the twins' return as adults, they restored Numitor to the throne, honoring Rea Silvia posthumously if she had perished, or reuniting with her in confinement.[10]Geography
Settlements
Rea is a small village in Platte Township, Andrew County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, it had a population of 46 residents.[13] The village is listed among the municipalities in Andrew County, with local contact provided through county administration.[14] In Ireland, Rea (Irish: An Ré) refers to at least two townlands in County Kerry. One lies in the civil parish of Kilflyn, within the barony of Clanmaurice, covering approximately 264 acres.[15] Another is in the civil parish of Duagh, barony of Iraghticonnor, encompassing about 262 acres.[16] These townlands are rural divisions historically used for land administration and are documented in official Irish placename records.[17] Rea is also a comune (municipality) in the Province of Pavia, Lombardy region, Italy, situated about 40 km south of Milan. It has around 498 inhabitants and features typical rural Lombard characteristics, including proximity to agricultural areas.[18]Rivers
The River Rea in the West Midlands, England, originates on Windmill Hill in the Waseley Hills near Rubery and flows approximately 15 miles (24 km) northeast through Birmingham before joining the River Tame south of the city.[19][20][21] This river holds historical importance as the site where early Anglo-Saxon settlement by the Beorma tribe occurred in the seventh century, with converging routes at Deritend Ford facilitating early development.[22][23] Much of its urban course has been culverted or modified for flood prevention and infrastructure, reflecting its role in supporting Birmingham's industrial growth through water power and transport.[24] The River Rea in Shropshire, England, is a smaller watercourse flowing through the southeast of the county, passing near Cleobury Mortimer and villages such as Neen Sollars before joining the River Teme, which ultimately drains to the Severn and the Bristol Channel.[25][26] Historically known as the River Neen—a name derived from Old English terms for stream or river—it borders agricultural and hilly terrain, supporting local ecology including trout habitats as noted in fisheries assessments.[27][28][29] The river's valley features walking trails and has experienced periodic flooding, such as events isolating communities in 2012.[30][31]People
Notable individuals with surname Rea
- Stephen Rea (born October 31, 1946) is an Irish actor acclaimed for his performances in film and theater, including the role of Fergus in The Crying Game (1992), earning him a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and an Academy Award nomination.[32] He has appeared in over 100 films and collaborated frequently with director Neil Jordan. Rea was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and began his career with Dublin's Focus Theatre.
- Chris Rea (born March 4, 1951) is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist known for blues-influenced rock music, with commercial successes including the albums The Road to Hell (1989), which topped the UK charts, and singles like "The Road to Hell (Part 2)" and "Driving Home for Christmas" (1988). Over his career spanning five decades, he has released more than 20 studio albums and sold over 70 million records worldwide. Born Christopher Anton Rea in Middlesbrough, England, to an Italian immigrant family, he initially pursued music after studying economics.
- Jonathan Rea (born February 2, 1987) is a Northern Irish professional motorcycle road racer who holds the record for the most World Superbike Championship titles, winning six consecutive championships from 2015 to 2020 and a seventh in 2023 with Kawasaki Racing Team. As of 2024, he has secured 119 race victories in the series, the highest in its history. Rea, from Larne, Northern Ireland, began racing at age six and transitioned to superbikes after success in the British Superbike Championship.
- Jackie Rea (born August 6, 1929; died 2012) was a Northern Irish snooker player who became the Irish Professional Champion six times between 1949 and 1956, and reached the semi-finals of the World Snooker Championship in 1953 and 1957. Known for his defensive style, he was a prominent figure in the sport during the 1950s, representing Ireland in international matches. Born John Rea in Belfast, he turned professional in 1944 at age 15.
- F. W. Rea (Francis William Rea, 1866–1948) was a British stage actor and director who managed theaters in London and New York, notably producing early performances of George Bernard Shaw's plays and directing the first London production of Pygmalion in 1914. He founded the Liverpool Repertory Theatre in 1911, contributing to the development of regional theater in the UK.