What animal went extinct around 2000 B.C. on Wrangel Island in Siberia?

National Geographic Magazine - NGM.com Wrangel Island is a haven for wildlife, frozen in space and time By Hampton Sides Photograph by Sergey Gorshkov The Zodiac raft motors through the freezing drizzle, skirting large ice cakes, taking on wave after invigorating wave of Chukchi Sea as we grope our way toward a shore obscured by fog. Although our Russian guide insists that a large island lies just ahead, I’m doubtful. But then the mists dissipate, and suddenly it looms with a starkness enhanced by the refractions of the Arctic atmosphere: a formidable piece of real estate, 91 miles long, its golden mountains speckled with the bright blooms of tundra flowers. John Muir, the first visitor to describe Wrangel Island to the world, waxed rhapsodic when he saw this vista in 1881. “This grand wilderness in its untouched freshness,” Muir called it, this “severely solitary” land in the “topmost, frost-killed end of creation.” Today Wrangel Island is one of the world’s least frequented, most restricted nature reserves—a place that requires several government permits to visit and can be reached only by helicopter during winter or by icebreaker during summer. Waiting for us beside the landing site at Rodgers Cove is Anatoliy Rodionov, a strapping Russian preserve ranger in dun-colored fatigues who carries a flare gun and a can of Counter Assault pepper spray. Rodionov lives year-round here, more or less marooned with a few colleagues and a population of hungry polar bears. “Privet and welcome to Ostrov Vrangelya!” he says, with the exaggerated cheer of a young man starved for sun and human company. “For nine months only three colors—white, black, gray. I doesn’t like the winter here!” Rodionov leads us across a gravel beach strewn with the bones of whales and walruses to Ushakovskoye, a tiny ghost town from the Soviet era. Rusty barrels are piled everywhere. Weather-scabbed cabins, some of which have been cannibalized for firewood, are built upon a spongy turf of lichen and moss. Disintegrating radar disks lean toward the sea, and a radio antenna’s guy wires sing in the high wind. The windows of a Russian bathhouse are caged and spiked with five-inch nails to keep out the bears. Three hundred yards away an alert young male sniffs with interest. Rodionov eyes him knowingly. “That rascal,” he says with a laugh. “He pay us a visit last night.” Wrangel Island was declared a zapovednik—a federally managed nature sanctuary—in 1976, and it remains one of Russia’s coldest, remotest pieces of protected wilderness. The 2,900-square-mile island lying astride the 180th meridian just might be the Galápagos of the far north: Despite the severity of its climate, and in many ways because of it, Wrangel boasts an astonishing abundance of life. The island is the world’s largest denning ground for polar bears—as many as 400 mothers have been known to land here in winter to raise their young. With climate change making the ice pack much less reliable, polar bears have often sought summertime refuge on the island in recent years as well. Wrangel also supports the largest population of Pacific walruses, and the only snow goose nesting colony in Asia. It is home to snowy owls, muskoxen, arctic foxes, and reindeer as well as massive populations of lemmings and seabirds. And yet, in merciful contrast to the boggy Siberian mainland, there are no mosquitoes. Since ancient times Wrangel Island has been felicitously perched on what might be called the ice cusp. Because the island was never completely glaciated during recent ice ages and never completely inundated by seawater during periods of ice retreat, the soils and plants in its interior valleys offer a glimpse of undisturbed Pleistocene tundra unique on the planet. “When you go to Wrangel,” says Mikhail Stishov, a Moscow-based WWF scientist who lived 18 years on the island, “you’re going back hundreds of thousands of years. It’s a place of ancient biodiversity, but it’s also very fragile.” Paleontologists believe Wrangel is also the last place where woolly mammoths lived. A dwarf subspecies thrived here as


In an orthodox Jewish service what group of people commonly sit in the balcony?

Judaism 101: Synagogues, Shuls and Temples Synagogues, Shuls and Temples  A Jewish "church" is called a synagogue, shul or temple  A synagogue is a place of worship and study, and a "town hall"  Synagogues are run by laypeople and financed by membership dues  There are several important ritual items found in the synagogue  Non-Jews may visit a synagogue, but dress and should behave appropriately  The Temple is the ancient center of Jewish worship where sacrifices were performed The synagogue is the Jewish equivalent of a church, more or less. It is the center of the Jewish religious community: a place of prayer, study and education, social and charitable work, as well as a social center. What's in a Name? Throughout this site, I have used the word "synagogue," but there are actually several different terms for a Jewish "church," and you can tell a lot about people by the terms they use. The Hebrew term is beit k'nesset (literally, House of Assembly), although you will rarely hear this term used in conversation in English. The Orthodox and Chasidim typically use the word "shul," which is Yiddish . The word is derived from a German word meaning "school," and emphasizes the synagogue's role as a place of study. Conservative Jews usually use the word "synagogue," which is actually a Greek translation of Beit K'nesset and means "place of assembly" (it's related to the word "synod"). Reform Jews use the word "temple," because they consider every one of their meeting places to be equivalent to, or a replacement for, The Temple in Jerusalem. The use of the word "temple" to describe modern houses of prayer offends some traditional Jews, because it trivializes the importance of The Temple. The word "shul," on the other hand, is unfamiliar to many modern Jews. When in doubt, the word "synagogue" is the best bet, because everyone knows what it means, and I've never known anyone to be offended by it. Functions of a Synagogue At a minimum, a synagogue is a beit tefilah, a house of prayer . It is the place where Jews come together for community prayer services . Jews can satisfy the obligations of daily prayer by praying anywhere; however, there are certain prayers that can only be said in the presence of a minyan (a quorum of 10 adult men), and tradition teaches that there is more merit to praying with a group than there is in praying alone. The sanctity of the synagogue for this purpose is second only to The Temple . In fact, in rabbinical literature, the synagogue is sometimes referred to as the "little Temple." A synagogue is usually also a beit midrash, a house of study. Contrary to popular belief, Jewish education does not end at the age of bar mitzvah . For the observant Jew, the study of sacred texts is a life-long task. Thus, a synagogue normally has a well-stocked library of sacred Jewish texts for members of the community to study. It is also the place where children receive their basic religious education. Most synagogues also have a social hall for religious and non-religious activities. The synagogue often functions as a sort of town hall where matters of importance to the community can be discussed. In addition, the synagogue functions as a social welfare agency, collecting and dispensing money and other items for the aid of the poor and needy within the community. Organizational Structure Synagogues are, for the most part, independent community organizations. In the United States, at least, individual synagogues do not answer to any central authority. There are central organizations for the various movements of Judaism, and synagogues are often affiliated with these organizations, but these organizations have no real power over individual synagogues. Synagogues are generally run by a board of directors composed of lay people. They manage and maintain the synagogue and its activities, and hire a rabbi and chazzan (cantor) for the community. Yes, you read that right: Jewish clergy are employees of the synagogue, hired and fired by the lay members of the synagogue. Clergy are not


What city will host the 2020 Summer Olympics?

From Candidate to Host City From Candidate to Host City HOST CITY ELECTION FOR THE OLYMPIC Summer GAMES 2020 3 Candidate Cities: Istanbul, Tokyo, Madrid On the evening of 7 September 2013, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Jacques Rogge announced Tokyo as the host city of the 2020 Olympic Games. This announcement was the culmination of a two-year process, which the IOC has developed over a number of years to ensure that the city that is elected is capable of hosting the Games and that the process is transparent for all involved. Here is a brief recap of how the decision was reached. Applicant Phase A total of six cities endorsed by their National Olympic Committees (NOCs) submitted their applications to host the 2020 Olympic Games. These cities, in order of the drawing of lots, were: Istanbul, Tokyo, Baku, Doha, Madrid, and Rome*. Phase I, known as the Candidature Acceptance Procedure, involved a thorough review by the IOC of each city’s potential to organise the 2020 Olympic Games. Cities were asked to reply to a questionnaire, and their answers, which were consolidated in a document called the Applicant File, were studied by an IOC-appointed Working Group. This Working Group produced a report to assist the IOC Executive Board in selecting the cities to become Candidate Cities and move on to Phase II. *Rome withdrew during the first phase of the bid process Phase I: Timeline 1 September 2011: NOCs informed the IOC of the name of an Applicant City 15 February 2012: Submission of Application File and guarantee letters to the IOC February-May 2012: Examination of replies by the IOC 23 May 2012: IOC Executive Board acceptance of Candidate Cities IOC Candidature Phase On 23 May 2012, the IOC Executive Board selected Istanbul, Tokyo and Madrid as Candidate Cities to advance to the second phase of the bid process. Phase II requires Candidate Cities to submit their Candidature File, an in-depth description of their Olympic project, and prepare for the visit of the 2020 IOC Evaluation Commission. The Candidature files are based upon the 14 themes of the IOC’s Candidature Procedure and Questionnaire and these files form the basis of each city’s bid for the Games. The 2020 Evaluation Commission made a detailed technical assessment of each candidature and published a report provided to all IOC members , highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of all the cities. Phase II: Timeline 7 January 2013: Submission of Candidature File and guarantees to the IOC March 2013: Evaluation Commission visits 25 June 2013: Report of the 2020 IOC Evaluation Commission published* 3 and 4 July 2013: 2020 Briefing for IOC members (At the discretion of the Executive Board): Designation by the Executive Board of Candidate Cities to be submitted to the IOC Session for election 7 September 2013: Election of the host city for the 2020 Olympic Games and signature of the Host City Contract *To be delivered at the time of the Technical Briefing for IOC Members Evaluation Commission In September 2012, President Rogge announced the composition of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the 2020 Games . Led by IOC Vice-President Sir Craig Reedie , the Commission was composed of representatives of the Olympic Movement and a number of technical advisors. The Commission visited each of the Candidate Cities on the following dates: Tokyo: 4 - 7 March 2013 Madrid: 18 - 21 March 2013 Istanbul: 24 - 27 March 2013 Following these visits, the Commission produced the IOC Evaluation Commission report , a technical appraisal of each city’s bid. The report was made public and distributed to the IOC members prior to the 2020 Candidate City Briefing for IOC Members. 2020 Candidate City Briefing for IOC Members A technical briefing for IOC members with the Candidate Cities was held in Lausanne on 3 and 4 July 2013. This meeting gave the cities and the IOC members the opportunity to discuss the technical elements of their bids over a two-day period. This meeting involved a technical briefing from each city, followed by a second day for members to ask any follow


What HBO TV series is the most pirated show of all time?

Most-pirated shows 2014: ‘Game of Thrones’ tops list – EW.com Pinterest Game of Thrones has “won” again. HBO’s fantasy hit was named the most illegally downloaded series of 2014. According to piracy-tracking site TorrentFreak , episodes from the show’s fourth season were downloaded 8.1 million times, making it the third year in a row Thrones has taken the annual top spot. In terms of illicit downloads, Thrones even easily beat AMC’s The Walking Dead (4.8 million) and CBS’ The Big Bang Theory (3.9 million) — two big hits that outperform Thrones in the traditional Nielsen ratings. (Thrones averages about 19 million viewers across HBO airings and platforms, making it the cable network’s most popular show of all time.) Why does Thrones consistently lead among pirated shows? We can only speculate based on comments from readers and HBO insiders, but there appear to be several factors at play: HBO is a relatively pricey subscription service, one that you can only currently watch online if you also have a traditional cable subscription. For overseas fans, Thrones episodes are often delayed by a day or more—which can be unacceptable for those who are worried about seeing spoilers online in the intensely serialized and oft-shocking show. Plus, the sweeping story based on George R.R. Martin’s novels has worldwide appeal with an international cast. TV piracy has continued to rise in recent years, while traditional outlets are exploring more progressive streaming models. In 2015, HBO plans to debut a stand-alone streaming service  that allows fans to watch its current programming without a cable subscription for the first time. (Showtime has a similar service in the works as well.) Unconfirmed reports have suggested HBO’s service will debut in time for Thrones‘ fifth season, which recently wrapped production and is expected to premiere this spring (in very late March or early April, if other seasons are any indication). HBO did not reply for a request for comment on the ranking, but previously the network’s executives have made statements ranging from noting that “ piracy is a compliment ” of sorts, to condemning the practice. Some fans who pirate Thrones have said if the series was available online without a cable subscription, they would gladly pay to watch. Soon we’ll get a sense if that’s actually true. Most pirated shows of 2014: 1. Game of Thrones (8,100,000 downloads) 2. The Walking Dead (4,800,000) 3. The Big Bang Theory (3,900,000) 4. How I Met Your Mother (3,500,000) 5. Gotham (3,200,000) 7. Grey’s Anatomy (2,800,000) 8. Vikings (2,700,000)


Out, damned spot - eNotes Shakespeare Quotes Out, damned spot What is it she does now? Look how she rubs her hands. Gentlewoman: It is an accustom'd action with her, to seem thus washing her hands. I have known her continue in this a quarter of an hour. Hark, she speaks. I will set down what comes from her, to satisfy my remembrance the more strongly. Lady Macbeth: Out, damn'd spot! out, I say!—One; two: why, then 'tis time to do't.—Hell is murky.—Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our pow'r to accompt?—Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him? Read on Owl Eyes This eText is now on Owl Eyes. Clicking this link will open a new window. Lady Macbeth, as has become her wont, sleepwalks through the royal castle. As her waiting-woman and her doctor listen in, she mutters fragments of an imaginary conversation that recalls the night she and her husband conspired to murder King Duncan [see A SORRY SIGHT ]. The hour is two o'clock; she upbraids her husband for his bad conscience; she insists that there will be nothing to fear once they've grabbed the crown; she marvels at how much blood Duncan had to shed. As Lady Macbeth replays this scene for the eavesdroppers, she not only incriminates herself, but also reveals the pangs of conscience she had ridiculed in her husband. "Out, damn'd spot" is a prime example of "Instant Bard," tailor-made for ironic jokes and marketing schemes. But the "spot" isn't a coffee stain, it's blood. One motif of Macbeth is how tough it is to wash, scrub, or soak out nasty bloodstains. Macbeth had said that even the ocean couldn't wash his hands clean of Duncan's blood; Lady Macbeth, who scorned him then, now finds the blood dyed into her conscience. The king and queen persist in imagining that physical actions can root out psychological demons, but the play is an exposition of how wrong they are.


"If something is ""Gallic"" where is it from?"

Gallic War, 58-51 B.C. Gallic War, 58-51 B.C. Books Introduction The Gallic War (58-51 B.C.) was the conflict in which Julius Caesar first emerged as a great military leader, after an earlier career as an impoverished populist politician. A conflict that began with an attempt to preserve stability on the borders of the Roman province  of Transalpine Gaul soon turned into a war of conquest. Only after putting down three major Gallic revolts, the last and most famous being led by Vercingetorix , could Caesar claim to have pacified Gaul. Perhaps the most unusual feature of the Gallic War is that in Caesar's commentaries on the war we have a first hand account of all but the last year of the war, written at the time by the most important figure in that war. Inevitably this gives us something of a one-sided view of the war, although Caesar often reports his opponent's point of view and was willing to accept that his enemies often had honourable motives. It is also worth remembering that Caesar's officers, and many of his men, were literate. Caesar's commentaries will not have been the only source of information on the course of the war available in Rome, and so any blatant distortion of events would have been pointless. Caesar's work was aimed at his contemporaries, and so would have to have been convincing to them. The one area in which Caesar does appear to have exaggerated was the size of the various armies that he opposed, but even then the exaggeration is limited compared to other ancient sources. Gaul at the Start of the War Caesar described Gaul as being split into three sections. The north-east of the country, above the Marne and the Seine was populated by the Belgae, the centre of the country was inhabited by people who called themselves Celts, but were called Gauls by the Romans and the area beyond the Garonne River was populated by the Aquitani.  Each of these areas was inhabited by a large number of separate tribes, which were often at war with each other, and had developed a complex series of relationships. Transalpine Gaul: The Roman Province (58-51 B.C) The Romans had been present in the south of France since 121 B.C. when they had defeated the Allobroges tribe. Their new province was officially called Transalpine Gaul, to distinguish it from Cisalpine Gaul in northern Italy, but was often simply called 'The Province'. The border between the Province and the rest of Gaul began at Geneva, then followed the Rhöne valley for some way before turning west to reach the Pyrenees. The Via Domitia ran through the Province and linked Italy with the Republic's Spanish provinces. Most of the time Transalpine Gaul was governed separately from Cisalpine Gaul, but in 59 B.C. the governor of the Province died unexpectedly. Julius Caesar, one of the Consuls for 59 B.C., who had already secured Cisalpine Gaul as his province for the following five years, was also given Transalpine Gaul. In 59 B.C. Caesar was a middle-aged politician with no military reputation. His partners in the First Triumvirate, Crassus and Pompey, both had distinguished backgrounds – Crassus had defeated Spartacus and was fabulously wealthy, while Pompey had ended the Third Mithridatic War and conquered much of modern Turkey. Caesar was a popular politician, who had used unorthodox methods to get two land bills passed during this time as Consul, before arranging to be given a five year command in his new provinces. His conservative opponents in Rome were probably glad to see him removed from the city for such a long time, and had no reason to suspect that Caesar was about to reveal himself as one of the greatest military commanders in Roman history. The Aedui In the years before the Gallic War the most important of the Celtic tribes were the Aedui. The Aedui were friends and allies of the Roman people, and their tribal lands were situated west of the Saone and north of the Province. The Aedui's bitterest enemies before the Gallic War were their eastern neighbours, the Sequani, who occupied the eastern b


What book featured the characters Scout Finch and Boo Radley?

SparkNotes: To Kill a Mockingbird: Character List To Kill a Mockingbird Plot Overview Analysis of Major Characters Jean Louise “Scout” Finch -  The narrator and protagonist of the story. Scout lives with her father, Atticus, her brother, Jem, and their black cook, Calpurnia, in Maycomb. She is intelligent and, by the standards of her time and place, a tomboy. Scout has a combative streak and a basic faith in the goodness of the people in her community. As the novel progresses, this faith is tested by the hatred and prejudice that emerge during Tom Robinson’s trial. Scout eventually develops a more grown-up perspective that enables her to appreciate human goodness without ignoring human evil. Atticus Finch -  Scout and Jem’s father, a lawyer in Maycomb descended from an old local family. A widower with a dry sense of humor, Atticus has instilled in his children his strong sense of morality and justice. He is one of the few residents of Maycomb committed to racial equality. When he agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man charged with raping a white woman, he exposes himself and his family to the anger of the white community. With his strongly held convictions, wisdom, and empathy, Atticus functions as the novel’s moral backbone. Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Finch -  Scout’s brother and constant playmate at the beginning of the story. Jem is something of a typical American boy, refusing to back down from dares and fantasizing about playing football. Four years older than Scout, he gradually separates himself from her games, but he remains her close companion and protector throughout the novel. Jem moves into adolescence during the story, and his ideals are shaken badly by the evil and injustice that he perceives during the trial of Tom Robinson. Arthur “Boo” Radley -  A recluse who never sets foot outside his house, Boo dominates the imaginations of Jem, Scout, and Dill. He is a powerful symbol of goodness swathed in an initial shroud of creepiness, leaving little presents for Scout and Jem and emerging at an opportune moment to save the children. An intelligent child emotionally damaged by his cruel father, Boo provides an example of the threat that evil poses to innocence and goodness. He is one of the novel’s “mockingbirds,” a good person injured by the evil of mankind. Bob Ewell -  A drunken, mostly unemployed member of Maycomb’s poorest family. In his knowingly wrongful accusation that Tom Robinson raped his daughter, Ewell represents the dark side of the South: ignorance, poverty, squalor, and hate-filled racial prejudice. Charles Baker “Dill” Harris -  Jem and Scout’s summer neighbor and friend. Dill is a diminutive, confident boy with an active imagination. He becomes fascinated with Boo Radley and represents the perspective of childhood innocence throughout the novel. Miss Maudie Atkinson -  The Finches’ neighbor, a sharp-tongued widow, and an old friend of the family. Miss Maudie is almost the same age as Atticus’s younger brother, Jack. She shares Atticus’s passion for justice and is the children’s best friend among Maycomb’s adults. Calpurnia -  The Finches’ black cook. Calpurnia is a stern disciplinarian and the children’s bridge between the white world and her own black community. Aunt Alexandra -  Atticus’s sister, a strong-willed woman with a fierce devotion to her family. Alexandra is the perfect Southern lady, and her commitment to propriety and tradition often leads her to clash with Scout. Mayella Ewell -  Bob Ewell’s abused, lonely, unhappy daughter. Though one can pity Mayella because of her overbearing father, one cannot pardon her for her shameful indictment of Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson -  The black field hand accused of rape. Tom is one of the novel’s “mockingbirds,” an important symbol of innocence destroyed by evil. Link Deas -  Tom Robinson’s employer. In his willingness to look past race and praise the integrity of Tom’s character, Deas epitomizes the opposite of prejudice. Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose -  An elderly, ill-tempered, racist woman who lives near the Finches. Although Jem believes that


What, according to Monty Python, does nobody expect?

The Spanish Inquisition - Monty Python The Spanish Inquisition by Monty Python In the early years of the 16th century, to combat the rising tide of religious unorthodoxy, the Pope gave Cardinal Ximinez of Spain leave to move without let or hindrance throughout the land, in a reign of violence, terror and torture that makes a smashing film. This was the Spanish Inquisition... (this transcript is also available with screen shots from the original) Chapman: Trouble at mill. Cleveland: Oh no - what kind of trouble? Chapman: One on't cross beams gone owt askew on treadle. Cleveland: Pardon? Chapman: One on't cross beams gone owt askew on treadle. Cleveland: I don't understand what you're saying. Chapman: [slightly irritatedly and with exaggeratedly clear accent] One of the cross beams has gone out askew on the treadle. Cleveland: Well what on earth does that mean? Chapman: *I* don't know - Mr Wentworth just told me to come in here and say that there was trouble at the mill, that's all - I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition. [JARRING CHORD] [The door flies open and Cardinal Ximinez of Spain [Palin] enters, flanked by two junior cardinals. Cardinal Biggles [Jones] has goggles pushed over his forehead. Cardinal Fang [Gilliam] is just Cardinal Fang] Ximinez: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again. [The Inquisition exits] Chapman: I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition. [JARRING CHORD] [The cardinals burst in] Ximinez: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition!  Amongst our weaponry are such diverse elements as:  fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope, and nice red uniforms - Oh damn! [To Cardinal Biggles] I can't say it - you'll have to say it. Biggles: What? Ximinez: You'll have to say the bit about 'Our chief weapons are ...' Biggles: [rather horrified]: I couldn't do that... [Ximinez bundles the cardinals outside again] Chapman: I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition. [JARRING CHORD] Biggles: Expects... Nobody expects the...um...the Spanish...um... Ximinez: Inquisition. Biggles: I know, I know! Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.  In fact, those who do expect - Ximinez: Our chief weapons are... Biggles: Our chief weapons are...um...er... Ximinez: Surprise... Biggles: Surprise and -- Ximinez: Okay, stop. Stop. Stop there - stop there. Stop.  Phew! Ah! ... our chief weapons are surprise...blah blah blah.  Cardinal, read the charges. Fang: You are hereby charged that you did on diverse dates commit heresy against the Holy Church. 'My old man said follow the--' Biggles: That's enough. [To Cleveland] Now, how do you plead? Clevelnd: We're innocent. Ximinez: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! [DIABOLICAL LAUGHTER] Biggles: We'll soon change your mind about that! [DIABOLICAL ACTING] Ximinez: Fear, surprise, and a most ruthless--  [controls himself with a supreme effort] Ooooh! Now, Cardinal -- the rack! [Biggles produces a plastic-coated dish-drying rack. Ximinez looks at it and clenches his teeth in an effort not to lose control. He hums heavily to cover his anger] Ximinez: You....Right! Tie her down. [Fang and Biggles make a pathetic attempt to tie her on to the drying rack] Ximinez:Right! How do you plead? Clevelnd: Innocent. Ximinez: Ha! Right! Cardinal, give the rack [oh dear] give the rack a turn. [Biggles stands their awkwardly and shrugs his shoulders] Biggles: I.... Ximinez: [gritting his teeth] I *know*, I know you can't. I didn't want to say anything. I just wanted to try and ignore your crass mistake. Biggles: I... Ximinez: It makes it all seem so stupid. Biggles: Shall I...? Ximinez: No, just pretend for God's sake. Ha! Ha! Ha! [Biggles turns an imagi


What type of gloves are made with the skin of young goats?

Kid dictionary definition | kid defined LINK / CITE ADD TO WORD LIST Two kids - one human, one goat. adjective Kid is defined as something made from the hide of a young goat. An example of something kid are kid gloves, gloves made from very delicate leather. noun The definition of a kid is a child or a young goat, or the leather or meat of a young goat. An example of a kid is a child in the first grade. An example of a kid is a baby goat born on a farm. verb Kid means to tease or deceive in a fun way. An example of kid is to tell a joke in a speech that makes fun of someone in your office. kid a young goat or, occasionally, antelope its flesh, used as a food leather made from the skin of young goats, used for gloves, shoes, etc. gloves or shoes made of this leather Informal a child or young person Origin of kid Middle English kide, probably ; from Anglo-N, akin to Old Norse kith, Danish and amp; Swedish kid, German kitze made of kidskin ⌂ Informal younger: my kid sister , to give birth to (a kid or kids): said of goats or antelopes Informal to deceive or fool (someone) in a playful way to tease or ridicule (someone) playfully kid Idioms


What type of fly is commonly used in genetic research?

The Fruit Fly and Genetics Personals: ♀ FF, Se/E/Dp, seeks ♂ FF, +/+/+ for short term relationship. Enjoys romance, fermentation, and long walks on the peach... You know those annoying little bugs that like to get in your fruit if you leave it on the counter? Well they're called Drosophila melanogaster (or just fruit flies) and they've been used to study genetics for over 100 years. This interactive website is designed to introduce biology students to research on model organisms while reviewing genetics basics. Learning about Genetics Using Flies Model organisms are species that are studied to understand the biology of other organisms, often humans.  Fruit flies share 75% of the genes that cause disease with humans, so scientists can learn about human genetics by studying fruit fly genetics. It is not only the flies themselves that the scientists are interested in, but also understanding the basic biology that all organisms have in common. There are hundreds of labs across the country who are entirely dedicated to studying fruit flies, including ten here at UNC.   Fruit flies in vials with media. Low Maintenance Creatures Fruit flies are great to work with in a research setting because they are relatively easy to take care of, especially compared to larger and more expensive organisms like rats or fish. They are also small (only a few millimeters long) but not so small that they can't be seen without a microscope. This allows for scientist to keep up to millions of them at one time. In a fruit fly lab, there are stacks and stacks of fruit flies living in little vials (see picture to the right). The only care they need is to have their food changed every ten to fourteen days by transferring them into new vials. They eat a pastey substance, called media, that goes in the bottom of the vial and contains all the water they need soaked into it. The vials can be kept at room temperature, however incubators are used to expedite or slow the life cycle as needed. Basically they're easy to work with, adorable, and don't ask for much: these models are no divas. Knocking Them Out The fruit flies do fly, of course, so they have to be knocked out before they come out of their vials. When a scientist needs to take a look at the fruit flies under the microscope they can be easily anesthetized. The options for anesthetizing the flies include drugging or cooling them, however, most labs choose to gas them with carbon dioxide. There are carbon dioxide lines that run across the work benches that the scientists can hook up to vials of flies. A little carbon dioxide puts them to sleep long enough to look at them under the microscope but within a few minutes they're back to normal without any side effects. Well, they might be a little dizzy after, but they don't complain much.


What will be made at the Tesla Gigafactory?

Gigafactory | Tesla Gigafactory Tesla Motors February 26, 2014 As we at Tesla reach for our goal of producing a mass market electric car in approximately three years, we have an opportunity to leverage our projected demand for lithium ion batteries to reduce their cost faster than previously thought possible. In cooperation with strategic battery manufacturing partners, we’re planning to build a large scale factory that will allow us to achieve economies of scale and minimize costs through innovative manufacturing, reduction of logistics waste, optimization of co-located processes and reduced overhead. The Gigafactory is designed to reduce cell costs much faster than the status quo and, by 2020, produce more lithium ion batteries annually than were produced worldwide in 2013. By the end of the first year of volume production of our mass market vehicle, we expect the Gigafactory will have driven down the per kWh cost of our battery pack by more than 30 percent. Here are some details about what the Gigafactory will look like.


What Shakespeare play featured a fairy named Oberon?

Shakespeare's Fairies: Exploring the Fairy Poetry of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare's Fairies From Folk-lore of Shakespeare by T. F. Thiselton Dyer: New York, Harper. The wealth of Shakespeare's luxuriant imagination and glowing language seems to have been poured forth in the graphic accounts which he has given us of the fairy tribe. Indeed, the profusion of poetic imagery with which he has so richly clad his fairy characters is unrivalled, and the "Midsummer Night's Dream" holds a unique position in so far as it contains the finest modern artistic realisation of the fairy kingdom. Mr. Dowden in his Shakespeare Primer (1877, pp. 71,72) justly remarks: "As the two extremes of exquisite delicacy, of dainty elegance, and, on the other hand, of thick-witted grossness and clumsiness, stand the fairy tribe, and the group of Athenian handicraftsmen. The world of the poet's dream includes the two -- a Titania, and a Bottom the weaver -- and can bring them into grotesque conjunction. No such fairy poetry existed anywhere in English literature before Shakespeare. The tiny elves, to whom a cowslip is tall, for whom the third part of a minute is an important division of time, have a miniature perfection which is charming. They delight in all beautiful and dainty things, and war with things that creep and things that fly, if they be uncomely; their lives are gay with fine frolic and delicate revelry." Puck, the jester of fairyland, stands apart from the rest, the recognisable "lob of spirits," a rough, "fawn-faced, shock-pated little fellow, dainty-limbed shapes around him." Judging, then, from the elaborate account which the poet has bequeathed us of the fairies, it is evident that the subject was one in which he took a special interest. Indeed, the graphic pictures he has handed down to us of "Elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and groves; And ye, that on the sands with printless foot, Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him When he comes back; you demy-puppets that By moonshine do the green-sour ringlets make Whereof the ewe not bites," &c., show how intimately he was acquainted with the history of these little people, and what a complete knowledge he possessed of the superstitious fancies which had clustered round them. In Shakespeare's day, too, it must be remembered, fairies were much in fashion; and, as Johnson remarks, common tradition had made them familiar. It has also been observed that well acquainted, from the rural habits of his early life, with the notions of the peasantry respecting these beings, he saw that they were capable of being applied to a production of a species of the wonderful. Hence, as Mr. Halliwell Phillipps1 has so aptly written, "he founded his elfin world on the prettiest of the people's traditions, and has clothed it in the ever-living flowers of his own exuberant fancy." Referring to the fairy mythology in the "Midsummer Night's Dream," it is described by Mr. Keightley2 as an attempt to blend "the elves of the village with the fays of romance. His fairies agree with the former in their diminutive stature -- diminished, indeed, to dimensions inappreciable by village gossips -- in their fondness for dancing, their love of cleanliness, and their child-abstracting propensities. Like the fays, they form a community, ruled over by the princely Oberon and the fair Titania. There is a court and chivalry; Oberon would have the queen's sweet changeling to be a "knight of his train to trace the forest wild." Like earthly monarchs, he has his jester, "the shrewd and knavish sprite called Robin Goodfellow." Of the fairy characters mentioned by Shakespeare may be mentioned Oberon, king of fairyland, and Titania his queen. They are represented as keeping rival courts in consequence of a quarrel, the cause of which is thus told by Puck ("Midsummer Night's Dream," ii. i): "The king doth keep his revels here to-night: Take heed the queen come not within his sight; For Oberon is passing fell and wrath, Because that she as her attendant hath A lovely boy, stolen from an In


Pince-nez - definition of pince-nez by The Free Dictionary Pince-nez - definition of pince-nez by The Free Dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pince-nez  (păns′nā′, pĭns′-) n. pl. pince-nez (-nāz′, -nā′) Eyeglasses that are worn on the bridge of the nose without supports that go over the ears. [French : pincer, to pinch (from Old French pincier; see pinch) + nez, nose (from Latin nāsus; see nas- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).] pince-nez (ˈpænsˌneɪ; ˈpɪns-; French pɛ̃sne) n, pl pince-nez (Medicine) eyeglasses that are held in place only by means of a clip over the bridge of the nose [C19: French, literally: pinch-nose] n., pl. pince-nez (ˈpænsˌneɪz, ˈpɪns-; Fr. pɛ̃sˈneɪ) a pair of glasses held on the face by a spring that grips the nose. [1875–80; < French: literally, (it) pinches (the) nose] ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: 1. pince-nez - spectacles clipped to the nose by a spring eyeglasses , glasses , specs , spectacles - optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision Translations n → Kneifer m, → Pincenez nt (old) pince-nez [ˈpænsˌneɪ] n → pince-nez m inv Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: References in classic literature ? His great convex pince-nez - I saw it, I recognised the kind - is for his poor ruined sight. View in context He was a man, apparently of middle age, of middle height, clean-shaven, with good but undistinguished features, dark eyes, very clear and very bright, which showed, indeed, but little need of the pince-nez which hung by a thin black cord from his neck. View in context He was slowly and lovingly unfolding the Times preparatory to the long read which led up to luncheon, and had even got so far as to fasten his golden pince-nez on to his thin, high-bridged nose, when he heard a crunching of gravel, and, looking over the top of his paper, saw Mrs.


What marine creature has the largest eye of any animal?

10 Animals With Incredible Eyes - Listverse 10 Animals With Incredible Eyes TyB December 12, 2010 According to scientists, eyes evolved around 540 million years ago as simple light detecting organs. Today, vision is the most important sense for many animals, humans included, and they have became incredibly varied and complex. Take a look at some of the strangest and most incredible eyes in the animal kingdom. 10 Tarsier The tarsier is a small (about squirrel sized) nocturnal primate, found in the rainforests of South Eastern Asia. It is the only fully predatory primate in the world, feeding on lizards and insects and is even known to catch birds in mid flight. It’s most remarkable feature; however, are its enormous eyes, the largest of any mammal, relative to body size. If your eyes were proportionally as big as those of the tarsier, they would be the size of grapefruits. These enormous eyes are fixed in the skull, and can´t be turn in their sockets. To compensate for this, the tarsier has a very flexible neck, and can rotate its head 180 degrees, just like an owl, to scan for potential prey or predators. With each eye weighing more than its brain, the tarsier has extremely acute eyesight and superb night vision; it has even been suggested that they may be able to see ultraviolet light. On the other hand, they seem to have very poor color vision, as is the case with many nocturnal animals (including house cats and owls, for example). 9 Chameleon Chameleons are famous for their ability to change color, an ability that helps them communicate and express their intentions, or mood, to other chameleons (only a few species use color-changing as camouflage). These lizards also have very unusual eyes; their eyelids are fused, and cover almost the entire eyeball, except for a small hole to let the pupil see through; each eye can be moved independently from the other, and so the chameleon can scan for prey and potential threats at the same time. This also means that the chameleon has a full 360 degree field of vision. When the chameleon sees a potential prey (usually an insect, although the largest species are known to devour mice and other small vertebrates), it focuses both eyes in the same direction, gaining stereoscopic vision – very important if we consider that the chameleon captures prey by shooting out its tongue at high speed, a technique that requires a very precise distance and depth perception. Chameleons have very sharp eyesight, being able to see an insect several meters away, and just like the tarsier, they can see ultraviolet light. 8 Dragonfly The dragonfly, possibly the most formidable aerial hunter among insects, also has some of the most amazing eyes in the animal world. They are so big that they cover almost the entire head, giving it a helmeted appearance, and a full 360 degree field of vision. These eyes are made up of 30,000 visual units called ommatidia, each one containing a lens and a series of light sensitive cells. Their eyesight is superb; they can detect colors and polarized light, and are particularly sensitive to movement, allowing them to quickly discover any potential prey or enemy. Some dragonfly species that hunt at dusk can see perfectly in low light conditions, when we humans can barely see anything. Not only that; dragonflies also have three smaller eyes named ocelli which can detect movement faster than the huge compound eyes can; these ocelli quickly send visual information to the dragonflies’ motor centers, allowing it to react in a fraction of a second and perhaps explaining the insect’s formidable acrobatic skills. Although dragonflies are not the only insects with ocelli (some wasps and flies have them too), they do have the most developed ones. 7 Leaf tailed gecko Leaf tailed geckos have pretty surreal-looking eyes; their pupils are vertical and have a series of “pinholes” which widen at night, allowing these lizards to pick up as much light as possible. These eyes also have many more light sensitive cells than human eyes, giving the animal the ability to detect objects and even to se


What is the English translation of the words Straße, rue, and calle?

German Translation of “street” | Collins English-German Dictionary Looking back in the driving mirror Gail wondered why the street suddenly looked empty. Jon Cleary YESTERDAY'S SHADOW (2002) Loclon fretted at the time it was taking the noisy floats to move down the street. Jennifer Fallon TREASON KEEP (2001) She liked to make love on the balcony with people passing in the street below. Robert Wilson THE COMPANY OF STRANGERS (2002)


What city was blockaded by the Soviets in 1948, forcing other countries to airlift in supplies?

Soviets blockade West Berlin - Jun 24, 1948 - HISTORY.com Soviets blockade West Berlin Publisher A+E Networks One of the most dramatic standoffs in the history of the Cold War begins as the Soviet Union blocks all road and rail traffic to and from West Berlin. The blockade turned out to be a terrible diplomatic move by the Soviets, while the United States emerged from the confrontation with renewed purpose and confidence. Following World War II, Germany was divided into occupation zones. The United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and, eventually, France, were given specific zones to occupy in which they were to accept the surrender of Nazi forces and restore order. The Soviet Union occupied most of eastern Germany, while the other Allied nations occupied western Germany. The German capital of Berlin was similarly divided into four zones of occupation. Almost immediately, differences between the United States and the Soviet Union surfaced. The Soviets sought huge reparations from Germany in the form of money, industrial equipment, and resources. The Russians also made it clear that they desired a neutral and disarmed Germany. The United States saw things in quite a different way. American officials believed that the economic recovery of Western Europe was dependent on a strong, reunified Germany. They also felt that only a rearmed Germany could stand as a bulwark against Soviet expansion into Western Europe. In May 1946, the Americans stopped reparations shipments from their zone to the Soviets. In December, the British and Americans combined their zones; the French joined some months later. The Soviets viewed these actions as a threat and issued more demands for a say in the economic future of Germany. On June 22, 1948, negotiations between the Soviets, Americans, and British broke down. On June 24, Soviet forces blocked the roads and railroad lines into West Berlin. American officials were furious, and some in the administration of President Harry S. Truman argued that the time for diplomacy with the Soviets was over. For a few tense days, the world waited to see whether the United States and Soviet Union would come to blows. In West Berlin, panic began to set in as its population worried about shortages of food, water, and medical aid. The United States response came just two days after the Soviets began their blockade. A massive airlift of supplies into West Berlin was undertaken in what was to become one of the greatest logistical efforts in history. For the Soviets, the escapade quickly became a diplomatic embarrassment. Russia looked like an international bully that was trying to starve men, women, and children into submission. And the successful American airlift merely served to accentuate the technological superiority of the United States over the Soviet Union. On May 12, 1949, the Soviets officially ended the blockade. Related Videos


What river was named after a race of female warriors from Greek mythology?

Brave Women Warriors Of Greek Myth: An Amazon Roster BRAVE WOMEN WARRIORS OF GREEK MYTH: AN AMAZON ROSTER Copyright © 1997 held by author 2513 words Author's Note: Although Amazons have spread through many cultures, they originated from Greek myth. Xena also was inspired from the Greek world, so due to that, the following Amazons discussed are only from Greek myth. I also refer to Hercules as Herakles, because Herakles was his Greek name. Graphic Editor's Note: While looking for pictures that would best illustrate this particular article, I found a very interesting site dedicated to serious scholastic study of Amazons. The pictures used in this article are by kind permission of Mag. Gerhard Poellauer, and readers are invited to visit her site at: [ Mysteries of Ancient History and Archaeology ]. Brave Women Warriors Of Greek Myth: An Amazon Roster [01] The word Amazon is of unknown origin, however a folk etymology popped up which explained the word as being a deriviative of the preface "a-", meaning "without", followed by "mazos", meaning "breast". This folk etymology was supported by the folktale that Amazons cut off one breast to facilitate archery. However, this is most likely a story designed to discourage women from taking up archery. This speculation is supported by even the most casual observation of modern day female archers who are more than capable of using the bow with all breasts intact. [02] Historically, Amazons were portrayed as beautiful women in Amazonomachies, which was an artform showing battles between the Amazons and Greeks. Amazons were trained to use all weapons and especially in single combat. They were honorable, courageous, brave and represented rebellion against sexism. Their tales spread quickly and soon stories of the Amazons were everywhere, including Africa, Asia, Europe, South America (the Amazon River was named after the female warriors), and North America in the mid-1900s with the comic book hero, Wonder Woman. The following is a list of eighty-two Amazons from Greek myth. THE AMAZONS: A LISTING Aello [03] Aello was one of Hippolyte's Amazons. She was the first to attack Herakles when he came for Hippolyte's girdle. Unfortunately, Herakles now wore the lion skin from his first labor, making him invulnerable. Aello could not kill Herakles and was killed herself. Her name means, "Whirlwind." Ainia [04] Ainia was an Amazon who was the enemy of Achilles. Due to this, she fought with Penthesilea at Troy, against Achilles. Her name means, "Swiftness." Ainippe [05] Ainippe was one of the many Amazons who went after Herakles' captains, after Hippolyte was killed, in order to avenge their Queen's death. Her name means, "Swift Mare." Alcibie [06] Alcibie fought with Penthesilea at Troy. Alcinoe [07] Alcinoe was an Amazon under Andromache. Her name means, "Mighty Wisdom." Alcippe [08] Alcippe was one of Hippolyte's Amazons. She was the ninth and last Amazon to die by Herakles' hand in single combat. After her death, the Amazons fought in force. Her name means, "Powerful Mare." Alkaia [09] Alkaia was one of Queen Andromache's Amazon generals. Her name means, "Mighty One." Amynomene [10] Amynomene was an Amazon serving under Orithia in the Attic War. Her name means, "Blameless Defender." Anaea [11] Anaea was an Amazon conqueror from the Thermodontine Amazons. She named a city after herself and her tomb lies there. Anaxilea [12] Anaxilea was an Amazon whose name was one of royalty. She was believed to be of royal blood. Androdameia [13] Androdameia was an Amazon who fought in the Attic War. Her name means, "Subduer of Men." Andromache [14] Andromache was an Amazon Queen. Her name means, "Man Fighter." Herakles fighting against the Amazon Andromache. Andromeda [15] Andromeda served Amazon Queen Andromache. Her name means, "Ruler of Men." Antandre [16] Antandre fought with Penthesilea at Troy. Her name means, "Preceding Men." Antianara [17] Antianara was the Amazon Queen of the Thermodon after Penthesilea was killed at Troy. Antianeira [18] Antianeira was an Amazon in the Attic War. Dueled with Theseus


"What character first appeared in ""A Study in Scarlet""?"

A Study in Scarlet Characters | GradeSaver Buy Study Guide Sherlock Holmes A brilliant and eccentric "consulting detective," Holmes is a rather enigmatic figure. His knowledge is specialized yet diverse. He is a talented violin player and chemist, and is well-versed in sensational literature. It is implied that he is involved in some drug usage, although this is never explicitly stated. His success in solving crimes stems from his ability to observe and deduce. He has a tendency to be moody and he sometimes experiences profound depression; he is also very solitary. Dr. Watson A military doctor who is wounded during the second Afghan war. He is sent to recover in London, upon which he is introduced to Holmes and becomes his roommate. He is intelligent, rational, calm, and steadfast. Stamford An old war friend of Watson's who introduces Watson and Holmes when both mention they are looking for a roommate. John Ferrier A traveler heading West who joins the Mormon faith when the Mormons, led by Brigham Young, rescue him from the desert. The adopted father of Lucy Ferrier, he comes to recognize the danger of the Mormons and tries to escape Salt Lake City with Lucy and Jefferson Hope. Lucy Ferrier The beautiful and charming adopted daughter of John Ferrier, Lucy falls in love with an outsider and a Gentile -Jefferson Hope. She is eventually forced to marry one of Elders' sons, Enoch Drebber. Unfortunately, she dies within a month of a broken heart. Enoch Drebber The son of one of the Mormon Elders, Drebber is awarded Lucy Ferrier's hand in marriage. He is pursued to the death by Jefferson Hope. His body is found in an abandoned home in Lauriston Gardens, thus beginning the mystery. Joseph Stangerson A son of one of the Mormon Elders, Stangerson also vied for Lucy Ferrier's hand but lost to Drebber. He eventually became Drebber's private secretary and traveled with him to Europe. He was also murdered by the vengeful Jefferson Hope. Brigham Young The charismatic, powerful, and brutal chief of the Mormons. Claiming to speak for Joseph Smith and deemed himself a Prophet himself, Young ruled over the Elect with an iron fist. He refused to let Lucy Ferrier marry a Gentile and sent his Avenging Angels after the Ferriers when they escaped from Utah. Lestrade A detective of Scotland Yard who consults Holmes on cases. He and Gregson have a bitter rivalry. Gregson A Scotland Yard detective who is not particularly fond of Holmes but is considered by him to be the best of the Yard detectives. He and Lestrade have a bitter rivalry. Jefferson Hope A young, strong, and capable hunter. He meets Lucy Ferrier, falls in love with her, and tries to help her and her father escape. Hope later hardens into a revenge-obsessed man who tracks Drebber and Stangerson, the two men responsible for the Ferrier's deaths, to London. He eventually murders both of them but dies peacefully and satisfied within a few days of his capture from an aortic aneurism. John Rance The constable on duty the night of the murder; he discovered Drebber's dead body within the empty house on Brixton Road. Madame Charpentier


"What city has been called ""The capital of Latin America"", despite not actually being part of Latin America?"

El Salvador: World's new murder capital El Salvador: World's new murder capital A huge spike in murders in 2015 sends El Salvadorans fleeing to the United States. Post to Facebook El Salvador: World's new murder capital A huge spike in murders in 2015 sends El Salvadorans fleeing to the United States. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: http://usat.ly/1ORaYOp CancelSend A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. 48 To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs El Salvador: World's new murder capital Alan Gomez , USA TODAY Published 10:57 a.m. ET Jan. 7, 2016 | Updated 10:15 a.m. ET Jan. 8, 2016 A group of men help to remove bodies of people executed in the capital city of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on Nov. 25, 2015. Honduras once had the highest murder rate in the world, but El Salvador may have overtaken its Central American neighbor in 2015. (Photo: AP) MIAMI — Despite improved security among its neighbors, El Salvador faced an explosion of homicides in 2015, likely making it the murder capital of the world. The surge in violence explains why thousands of Salvadorans and other Central Americans have fled to the United States and why immigration officials are stepping up efforts to send them back home. Government data show 6,657 people were murdered in the small country last year, a 70% increase from 2014. The homicide rate of 104 people per 100,000 is the highest for any country in nearly 20 years, according to data from the World Bank. "Keep in mind, you're talking about the national average," Adriana Beltrán of the Washington Office on Latin America said about El Salvador's homicide rate. "If you start looking at where the pockets of violence are, it's shocking." El Salvador's violence has worsened, even as other countries in the region have shown improvements. All countries south of the U.S. border face the same problem: cartels and gangs fighting to control smuggling of drugs and people to the United States and infiltrating government institutions to help them. Each has used different methods to stem the problem. In Guatemala, the situation improved, in part, because of nearly a decade of work by the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, a group created by the United Nations in 2006 to support prosecutors and law enforcement. The group targeted corrupt government officials who allowed criminal organizations to thrive. Its efforts culminated last year with the arrests of President Otto Perez Molina, his vice president and top aides. Guatemalan president resigns amid corruption probe, vice president sworn in While that tactic worked for Guatemala, it's unlikely to be a blueprint for El Salvador, said Jose Miguel Cruz, who has studied violence in Central America for three decades and now serves as director of research at the Latin American and Caribbean Center at Florida International University in Miami. Cruz said the U.N. commission was successful in Guatemala because its government was helpless, and citizens protested loudly. El Salvador's leaders have rebuffed similar outcries, fearing a loss of power and exposure to prosecution. "That's the flip side of having stronger institutions — they're still corrupted," Cruz said. "I think they realized that at some point, (foreign intervention) would touch their own interests." In Honduras, the drop in reported homicides — from 5,891 in 2014 to 5,039 last year — may partly reflect informal agreements between cartels and the government, said Jeannette Aguilar, director of the Institute of Public Opinion at the Central American University in El Salvador. She said similar agreements helped quell violence in Guatemala and El Salvador and appear to be working in Honduras. As the truce in El Salvador broke down in recent years, the same could happen in Honduras, Aguilar said. It's possible the apparent reductions in violence in Central America are not true, Aguilar said. Cartels understand the backlash if too many murders take place in communities they


What object have both Naomi Campbell and Russell Crowe used to assault people?

Naomi Campbell on hold after a bad call - People - Entertainment - theage.com.au Naomi Campbell on hold after a bad call Striking presence: Naomi Campbell after police charged her with assault. Photo: Reuters WHAT is it about celebrities, New York and phones? Model Naomi Campbell has been charged with second-degree assault after allegedly hitting her housekeeper in the head with a phone in her Park Avenue apartment. According to police, the woman was struck in the back of the head "by an object" at Campbell's home. The woman went to New York's Lenox Hill hospital where she received four stitches. The hospital alerted the police of a possible assault. Police took the British model with a reputation for being volatile into custody and charged her. She wore boots, pants, a white smock, sunglasses, a baseball cap and a smile for the photographers. Her publicity machine quickly attempted to blame the staff member. It issued a statement saying: "We believe this is a case of retaliation, because Naomi had fired her assistant earlier this morning. We are confident the courts will see it the same way." As one entertainment news services said, it was another dull staff meeting at Campbell's. Three years ago the model, who has previously admitted to a past cocaine addiction, was sued by a former administrative assistant who alleged that Campbell had thrown a phone at her during an argument two years earlier. In August 2004, Campbell's maid, Millicent Burton, claimed she hit her across the face during an argument about packing a bag. Burton also ended up in Lenox Hill Hospital. Campbell said the maid started the fight. She also pleaded guilty in Toronto to an assault charge for beating an assistant while making a film in Canada in 1998. Campbell has admitted to anger management problems and has reportedly sought treatment for this. She has even made fun of herself and was recently photographed wearing a shirt which said: "Naomi hit me, and I loved it." Actor Russell Crowe, who also faced a second-degree assault charge after throwing a phone at a hotel clerk, was let off with a slap on the wrist. He settled in a separate civil suit.


In terms of nuclear energy, what might be considered the opposite of fusion?

Fission and Fusion - Chemistry LibreTexts Fission and Fusion Contributers The energy harnessed in nuclei is released in nuclear reactions. Fission is the splitting of a heavy nucleus into lighter nuclei and fusion is the combining of nuclei to form a bigger and heavier nucleus. The consequence of fission or fusion is the absorption or release of energy. Introduction Protons and neutrons make up a nucleus, which is the foundation of nuclear science. Fission and fusion involves the dispersal and combination of elemental nucleus and isotopes, and part of nuclear science is to understand the process behind this phenomenon. Adding up the individual masses of each of these subatomic particles of any given element will always give you a greater mass than the mass of the nucleus as a whole. The missing idea in this observation is the concept called nuclear binding energy. Nuclear binding energy is the energy required to keep the protons and neutrons of a nucleus intact, and the energy that is released during a nuclear fission or fusion is nuclear power. There are some things to consider however. The  mass of an element's nucleus as a whole is less than the total mass of its individual protons and neutrons. The difference in mass can be attributed to the nuclear binding energy. Basically, nuclear binding energy is considered as mass, and that mass becomes "missing". This missing mass is called mass defect, which is the nuclear energy, also known as the mass released from the reaction as neutrons, photons, or any other trajectories. In short, mass defect and nuclear binding energy are interchangeable terms. Nuclear Fission and Fusion Nuclear fission is the splitting of a heavy nucleus into two lighter ones. Fission was discovered in 1938 by the German scientists Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner, and Fritz Strassmann, who bombarded a sample of uranium with neutrons in an attempt to produce new elements with Z > 92. They observed that lighter elements such as barium (Z = 56) were formed during the reaction, and they realized that such products had to originate from the neutron-induced fission of uranium-235: \[_{92}^{235}\textrm U+\,_0^1\textrm n \rightarrow \,_{56}^{141}\textrm{Ba}+\,_{36}^{92}\textrm{Kr}+3_0^1\textrm n \tag{21.6.11}\] This hypothesis was confirmed by detecting the krypton-92 fission product. As discussed in Section 20.2, the nucleus usually divides asymmetrically rather than into two equal parts, and the fission of a given nuclide does not give the same products every time. In a typical nuclear fission reaction, more than one neutron is released by each dividing nucleus. When these neutrons collide with and induce fission in other neighboring nuclei, a self-sustaining series of nuclear fission reactions known as a nuclear chain reaction can result (Figure 21.6.2). For example, the fission of 235U releases two to three neutrons per fission event. If absorbed by other 235U nuclei, those neutrons induce additional fission events, and the rate of the fission reaction increases geometrically. Each series of events is called a generation. Experimentally, it is found that some minimum mass of a fissile isotope is required to sustain a nuclear chain reaction; if the mass is too low, too many neutrons are able to escape without being captured and inducing a fission reaction. The minimum mass capable of supporting sustained fission is called the critical mass. This amount depends on the purity of the material and the shape of the mass, which corresponds to the amount of surface area available from which neutrons can escape, and on the identity of the isotope. If the mass of the fissile isotope is greater than the critical mass, then under the right conditions, the resulting supercritical mass can release energy explosively. The enormous energy released from nuclear chain reactions is responsible for the massive destruction caused by the detonation of nuclear weapons such as fission bombs, but it also forms the basis of the nuclear power industry. Nuclear fusion, in which two light nuclei combine to produce a heavier, more stable nuc


Who Wrote “Pride and Prejudice” Who Wrote “Pride and Prejudice” 22 Apr, 2013 who wrote 0 “Pride and Prejudice” is a fictional novel set in England at the turn of the 19th century. It follows the character Elizabeth Bennet as she learns to deal with a number of different issues within the social classes of the time. The novel has been extremely popular ever since it was written and it is estimated that over 20 million copies have been sold around the world. It is widely regarded as one of the best loved English language books in the world. This popularity has led to a number of adaptations such as; movies, television series, stage shows and more. A number of unofficial adaptations, prequels or sequels have also been written. Let’s find out who wrote this popular novel. Who wrote “Pride and Prejudice”? “Pride and Prejudice” was written by the famous English romance author Jane Austen. She began work on the novel, originally titled “First Impressions,” in 1796 and it was finished about a year later. Her father tried to create some interest for the novel, but there was none. She made many revisions to the novel beginning in 1811 and she renamed the story “Pride and Prejudice.” By this time she was already known as an author, she had “Sense and Sensibility” published in 1811, and had no trouble finding interest. She sold the copyright to Thomas Egerton for £110 and the first edition was released in January 1813. It is estimated that Egerton made £450 from the first two editions of the book alone! The novel was well received by critics and the public and the first edition sold out very quickly. By 1817 it was so popular that a third edition was printed. Did you know? The novel was not published in the United States until 1832 and was known as “Elizabeth Bennet or, Pride and Prejudice.” Related Articles


What city hosted the Winter Olympics in 2014?

Sochi 2014: Winter Olympic Host City Home > Events > Olympics > Winter > Hosts > Sochi Host City: Sochi 2014 Sochi, Russia, was elected to be the Winter Olympic Games host city for 2014, on July 4, 2007 during the 119th IOC Session in Guatemala. It was their first bid for the Winter Olympics. The other two finalists in the hosting bid process were Salzburg, Austria, and Pyeongchang, South Korea. This was Russia's first time hosting the Winter Olympic Games, though they have previously hosted the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow (when it was part of the Soviet Union). The event was held between February 7–23, 2014. The Games was organized within two clusters, a coastal cluster in Sochi and a mountain cluster in Krasnaya Polyana which is 50 km (30 miles) away . See more about Sochi Venues . About Sochi Sochi is a resort town located on the Black Sea. The primary venue for outdoor sports was the resort in Krasnaya Polyana district (designed by the same company working on ski slopes for the 2010 Winter Olympics),  while Sochi hosted the indoor sports.


Whose Fortress of Solitude can be found near the North Pole?

20 Things You Didn't Know About... the North Pole | DiscoverMagazine.com 20 Things You Didn't Know About... the North Pole 20 Things You Didn't Know About... the North Pole For starters, which one? There are four North Poles. By Gemma Tarlach |Tuesday, November 18, 2014 RELATED TAGS: ARCTIC & ANTARCTIC DonLand/Shutterstock 1. There are four North Poles. The terrestrial North Pole is a fixed geographic point that’s diametrically opposed to the terrestrial South Pole on our planet’s axis of rotation; it’s the top of the spinning top that’s Earth. 2. The North Dip Pole is the spot where the geomagnetic field is perpendicular to the Earth’s surface, “dipping” to meet the big, rotating ellipsoid that is our planet. 3. The North Dip Pole isn’t stationary. Just in the last century, it has migrated northward from a point in Canada at about 71 degrees latitude to its current position, about 85 degrees north, in the Arctic Ocean. 4. There’s a South Dip Pole, too, but the North Dip Pole doesn’t have to be antipodal, or diametrically opposed, to it. Right now they’re off by more than 20 degrees latitude. Explorer Frederick Cook (above, in a studio portrait circa 1911) claimed to be first to the North Pole. The Granger Collection, NYC 5. When your compass points north, it’s pointing to the North Dip Pole, which is also called the magnetic North Pole. 6. The geomagnetic North Pole is a different thing altogether. It’s calculated using mathematical models based on an imaginary line running through the geomagnetic center of Earth. 7. Over the past century, the geomagnetic North Pole has migrated from Greenland to Canada. 8. So who cares about geomagnetic North? Aurora hunters, for starters. The most spectacular views of the Northern Lights occur in an oval ring centered around the geomagnetic North Pole. 9. Auroras are cool, but if you want to have some real fun, position yourself at the magnetic North Pole with a compass. If you hold the compass horizontal, the needle will do one of three things: point to the same spot as the last time you used it, spin slowly before stopping at a random point or point to anything magnetic that you happen to be wearing. 10. We promised a fourth North Pole. That would be North Pole, Alaska, incorporated in 1953. The Fairbanks suburb is hundreds of miles south of the other three North Poles. 11. While the Alaskans who live in North Pole don’t live near any of the real North Poles, a globe-hopping do-gooder beloved by many does. We’re talking, of course, of pulp fiction hero Doc Savage, Man of Bronze. Since 1933, the scientist with superpowers has starred in a long line of comics, magazines, paperbacks, radio series and even a 1975 B-movie. Savage’s Arctic retreat, the Fortress of Solitude, is said to be near the terrestrial North Pole. 12. Apparently, Savage has a time-share thing going on at the fortress with Superman, who also relaxes there (Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Superman’s creators, were big fans of the doctor and borrowed a bio detail or two). 13. Staking out a different kind of property claim, a Russian submarine planted that nation’s flag at the bottom of the Arctic Ocean, at the terrestrial North Pole, in 2007. 14. The Russians may have planted a flag, but American submariners got there first: The USS Nautilus did a polar drive-by in 1958. 15. Robert E. Peary beat the Nautilus by nearly half a century. His team made what he claimed was the first recorded trip to the terrestrial North Pole in 1909 by dog sled. 16. But physician and Arctic explorer Frederick Cook said he reached the pole in April 1908. Subsequent research has cast doubt on both claims, but Peary had the better PR machine and is generally considered the guy who (probably) got there first. 17. When he arrived, Peary made the bold decree that he’d “formally taken possession of the entire region, and adjacent,” for the United States. It didn’t stick. A century later, what country owns which piece of the Arctic is still a contentious issue. 18. This new cold war is all about trade and resources: According to a 2008 study by the U


Who founded cities in Egypt, Afghanistan, Turkey, and several other countries?

Afghanistan:   Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities Taliban Captures Kunduz, Doctors Without Borders Hospital Hit in Airstrike Geography Afghanistan, approximately the size of Texas, is bordered on the north   by Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, on the extreme northeast by   China, on the east and south by Pakistan, and by Iran on the west. The   country is split east to west by the Hindu Kush mountain range, rising in   the east to heights of 24,000 ft (7,315 m). With the exception of the   southwest, most of the country is covered by high snow-capped mountains   and is traversed by deep valleys. Government In June 2002 a multiparty republic replaced an interim government that   had been established in Dec. 2001, following the fall of the Islamic   Taliban government. History Darius I and Alexander the Great were the first to use Afghanistan as   the gateway to India. Islamic conquerors arrived in the 7th century, and   Genghis Khan and Tamerlane followed in the 13th and 14th centuries. In the 19th century, Afghanistan became a battleground in the rivalry   between imperial Britain and czarist Russia for control of Central Asia.   Three Anglo-Afghan wars (1839–1842, 1878–1880, and 1919) ended   inconclusively. In 1893 Britain established an unofficial border, the   Durand Line, separating Afghanistan from British India, and London granted   full independence in 1919. Emir Amanullah founded an Afghan monarchy in   1926.


What type of animal is a shell-less gastropod?

Gastropods - Gastropoda - The Animal Encyclopedia By Laura Klappenbach Updated November 01, 2015. Gastropods (Gastropoda) are a highly diverse group of mollusks that include between 60,000 and 80,000 living species. Gastropods account for nearly 80 percent of all living mollusks. Members of this group include terrestrial snails and slugs, sea butterflies, tusk shells, conchs, whelks, limpets, periwinkles, oyster borers, cowries, nudibranchs, and many others. Gastropods are not only diverse with respect to the number of species alive today, they are diverse in terms of their size, shape, color, body structure and shell morphology. They are diverse in terms of their feeding habits —there are browsers, grazers, filter feeders, predators, bottom feeders, scavengers and detritivores among the gastropods. They are diverse in terms of the habitats in which they live—they inhabit freshwater, marine, deep sea, intertidal, wetland and terrestrial habitats (in fact, gastropods are the only group of mollusks to have colonized land habitats). During their development, gastropods undergo a process known as torsion , a twisting of their body along its head-to-tail axis. continue reading below our video 10 Best Universities in the United States This twisting means that the head is between 90 and 180 degrees offset relative to their foot. Torsion is the result of asymmetrical growth, with more growth occurring on the left side of the body. Torsion causes the loss of the right side of any paired appendages. Thus, although gastropods are still considered to be bilaterally symmetrical (that's how they start out), by the time they become adults, gastropods that have undergone torsion have lost some elements of their "symmetry". The adult gastropod ends up configured in such a way that its body and internal organs are twisted and the mantle and mantle cavity are above its head. It should be noted that torsion involves the twisting of the gastropod's body, it has nothing to do with the coiling of the shell (which we'll consider next). Most gastropods have a single, coiled shell, although some mollusks such as nudibranchs and terrestrial slugs are shell-less. As stated above, the coiling of the shell is not related to torsion and is simply the way the shell grows. The coil of the shell usually twists in a clockwise direction, so that when viewed with the apex (top) of the shell pointing upward, the opening of the shell is located on the right. Many gastropods (such as sea snails, terrestrial snails, and freshwater snails) have a hardened structure on the surface of their foot called an operculum. The operculum serves as a lid that protects the gastropod when it retracts its body within its shell. The operculum seals the shell opening to prevent desiccation or deter predators. The various gastropod groups feed in different ways. Some are herbivorous while others are predators or scavengers. Those that feed on plants and algae use their radula to scrape and shred their food. Gastropods that are predators or scavengers use a siphon to suction food into the mantle cavity and filter it over its gills. Some predatory gastropods (the oyster borers, for example) feed on shelled prey by boring a hole through the shell to locate the soft body parts inside. Most marine gastropods breath via their gills. Most freshwater and terrestrial species are an exception to this rule and breath instead using a rudimentary lung. Those gastropods that breath using a lung are called pulmonates. The earliest gastropods are thought to have evolved in marine habitats during the Late Cambrian. The earliest terrestrial gastropods were the Maturipupa, a group that dates back to the Carboniferous Period. Throughout the evolutionary history of the gastropods, some subgroups have gone extinct while others have diversified. Classification


What is Buckminster Fuller famous for designing?

R. Buckminster Fuller, About a Visionary Designer By Jackie Craven Updated August 11, 2016. Famous for his design of the geodesic dome, Richard Buckminster Fuller spent his life exploring "what the little, penniless, unknown individual might be able to do effectively on behalf of all humanity." Background: Born: July 12, 1895 in Milton, Massachusetts Died: July 1, 1983 Education: Expelled from Harvard University during freshman year. Received training at the U.S. Naval Academy while enlisted in the military. Fuller developed an early understanding of nature during family vacations to Maine. He became familiar with boat design and engineering as a young boy, which led him to serve in the US Navy from 1917 to 1919. While in the military, he invented a winch system for rescue boats to pull downed airplanes out of the ocean in time to save the lives of pilots. Awards and Honors: 2004: Featured on a commemorative stamp by the US Postal Service. The artwork was the painting of Fuller by Boris Artzybasheff (1899-1965), an image that originally appeared on Time magazine. Important Works: 1926: Co-inventor of a new way to manufacture reinforced concrete buildings. This patent led to other inventions. 1932: The portable Dymaxion house , an inexpensive, mass-produced home that could be airlifted to its location. 1934: The Dymaxion car , a streamlined, three-wheeled automobile that could make extraordinarily sharp turns. 1938: Nine Chains to the Moon 1946: The Dymaxion Map, showing planet Earth on a single flat map without visible distortion of the continents. 1949: Developed the Geodesic Dome, patent in 1954. 1967: Biosphere , the US Pavilion at Expo '67, Montreal, Canada 1969: Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth 1970: Approaching the Benign Environment 1975: Synergetics: Explorations in the Geometry of Thinking (read Synergetics online) Quotes by Buckminster Fuller: "Whenever I draw a circle, I immediately want to step out of it." "You must choose between making money and making sense. The two are mutually exclusive." "We are blessed with technology that would be indescribable to our forefathers. We have the wherewithal, the know-it-all to feed everybody, clothe everybody, and give every human on Earth a chance. We know now what we could never have known before--that we now have the option for all humanity to make it successfully on this planet in this lifetime. Whether it is to be Utopia or Oblivion will be a touch-and-go relay race right up to the final moment." What Others Say About Buckminster Fuller: "He was really the world's first green architect and was passionately interested in the issues of ecology and sustainability....He was very provocative—one of those people that if you met him, you would learn something or he would send you away and you would pursue a new line of inquiry, which would later turn out to be of value. And he was totally unlike the stereotype or the caricature that everybody assumed he was like. He was interested in poetry and the spiritual dimensions of works of art."— Norman Foster Source: Interview by Vladimir Belogolovskiy, archi.ru [accessed May 28, 2015] About R. Buckminster Fuller: Standing only 5'2" tall, Buckminster Fuller loomed over the twentieth century. Admirers affectionately call him Bucky, but the name he gave himself was Guinea Pig B. His life, he said, was an experiment. When he was 32 years old, his life seemed hopeless. Bankrupt and without a job, Fuller was grief stricken over the death of his first child, and he had a wife and a newborn to support. Drinking heavily, Buckminster Fuller contemplated suicide. Instead, he decided that his life was not his to throw away—it belonged to the universe. Buckminster Fuller embarked on "an experiment to discover what the little, penniless, unknown individual might be able to do effectively on behalf of all humanity." To this end, the visionary designer spent the next half century searching for "ways of doing more with less" so that all people could be fed and sheltered. Although Buckminster Fuller never obtained a degree in architecture, he


What drug did the British grow in India and sell in China?

Opium Throughout History | The Opium Kings | FRONTLINE | PBS Alexander the Great introduces opium to the people of Persia and India. A.D. 400    Opium thebaicum, from the Egytpian fields at Thebes, is first introduced to China by Arab traders. 1300's   Opium disappears for two hundred years from European historical record. Opium had become a taboo subject for those in circles of learning during the Holy Inquisition. In the eyes of the Inquisition, anything from the East was linked to the Devil. 1500   The Portugese, while trading along the East China Sea, initiate the smoking ofopium. The effects were instantaneous as they discovered but it was a practice the Chinese considered barbaric and subversive. 1527   During the height of the Reformation, opium is reintroduced into European medical literature by Paracelsus as laudanum. These black pills or "Stones of Immortality" were made of opium thebaicum, citrus juice and quintessence of gold and prescribed as painkillers. 1600's   Residents of Persia and India begin eating and drinking opium mixtures for recreational use. Portugese merchants carrying cargoes of Indian opium through Macao direct its trade flow into China. 1606   Ships chartered by Elizabeth I are instructed to purchase the finest Indian opium and transport it back to England. 1680   English apothecary, Thomas Sydenham, introduces Sydenham's Laudanum, a compound of opium, sherry wine and herbs. His pills along with others of the time become popular remedies for numerous ailments. 1700   The Dutch export shipments of Indian opium to China and the islands of Southeast Asia; the Dutch introduce the practice of smoking opium in a tobacco pipe to the Chinese. 1729   Chinese emperor, Yung Cheng, issues an edictprohibiting the smoking of opium and its domestic sale, except under license for use as medicine. 1750   The British East India Company assumes control of Bengal and Bihar, opium-growing districts of India. British shipping dominates the opium trade out of Calcutta to China. 1753   Linnaeus, the father of botany, first classifies the poppy, Papaver somniferum-- 'sleep-inducing', in his book Genera Plantarum. 1767   The British East India Company's import of opium to China reaches a staggering two thousand chests of opium per year. 1793   The British East India Company establishes a monopoly on the opium trade. All poppy growers in India were forbidden to sell opium to competitor trading companies. 1799   China's emperor, Kia King, bans opium completely, making trade and poppy cultivation illegal. 1800   The British Levant Company purchases nearly half of all of the opium coming out of Smyrna, Turkey strictly for importation to Europe and the United States. 1803   Friedrich Sertuerner of Paderborn, Germany discovers the active ingredient of opium by dissolving it in acid then neutralizing it with ammonia. The result: alkaloids--Principium somniferum or morphine. Physicians believe that opium had finally been perfected and tamed. Morphine is lauded as "God's own medicine" for its reliablity, long-lasting effects and safety. 1805   A smuggler from Boston, Massachusetts, Charles Cabot, attempts to purchase opium from the British, then smuggle it into China under the auspices of British smugglers. 1812   American John Cushing, under the employ of his uncles' business, James and Thomas H. Perkins Company of Boston, acquires his wealth from smuggling Turkish opium to Canton. 1816   John Jacob Astor of New York City joins the opium smuggling trade. His American Fur Company purchases ten tons of Turkish opium then ships the contraband item to Canton on the Macedonian. Astor would later leave the China opium trade and sell solely to England. 1819   Writer John Keats and other English literary personalities experiment with opium intended for strict recreational use--simply for the high and taken at extended, non-addictive intervals 1821   Thomas De Quincey publishes his autobiographical account of opium addiction, 'Confessions of an English Opium-eater.' 1827   E. Merck & Company of Darmstadt, Germany


"What field of study is called ""the dismal science""?"

Why Is Economics Called the "Dismal Science?" By Jodi Beggs Updated December 31, 2015. If you've ever studied economics, you've probably heard at some point that economics is referred to as the "dismal science." Granted, economists aren't always the most upbeat bunch of people, but is that really why the phrase came about? As it turns out, the phrase has been around since the mid-19th century, and it was coined by historian Thomas Carlyle. At the time, the skills required for writing poetry were referred to as the "gay science," so Carlyle decided to call economics the "dismal science" as a clever turn of phrase. The popular belief is that Carlyle started using the phrase in response to the "dismal" prediction of 19th-century reverend and scholar Thomas Malthus , who forecasted that the rate of growth in the food supply as compared to the rate of the growth in population would result in mass starvation. (Luckily for us, Malthus' assumptions regarding technological progress were overly, well, dismal, and such mass starvation never transpired.) continue reading below our video What are the Seven Wonders of the World While Carlyle did use the word dismal in reference to Malthus' findings, he didn't use the phrase "dismal science" until his 1849 work Occasional Discourse on the Negro Question. In this piece, Carlyle argued that reintroducing (or continuing) slavery would be morally superior to relying on the market forces of supply and demand, and he labeled the profession of economists who disagreed with him, most notably John Stuart Mill , as the "dismal science," since Carlyle believed that the emancipation of slaves would leave them worse off. (This prediction has also turned out to be incorrect, of course.)


"What type of ""languages"" are Ruby and Perl?"

The Ruby Programming Language | The Ruby Programming Language | InformIT The Ruby Programming Language + Share This Page 1 of 6 Next > You've heard of Perl, but Ruby? This new language from Japan is quickly gaining interest. Here, Ruby's creator, Yukihiro Matsumoto, tells you why Perl and Python just aren't good enough. Learn More Buy Ruby is a powerful and dynamic open source, object-oriented language that   I began developing in 1993. Ruby runs on many platforms, including Linux and   many flavors of UNIX, MS-DOS, Windows 9x/2000/NT, BeOS, and MacOS X. Ruby's primary focus is productivity of program development, and users will   find that programming in Ruby is productive and even fun. Ruby is well suited   for the problem domains such as these: Text processing—Ruby's File, String, and Regexp classes       help you process text data quickly and cleanly. CGI programming—Ruby has everything you need to do CGI       programming, including text-handling classes, a CGI library, database       interface, and even eRuby (embedded Ruby) and mod_ruby for Apache. Network programming—Network programming can be fun with       Ruby's well-designed socket classes. GUI programming—GUI tool kit interfaces such as Ruby/Tk       and Ruby/Gtk are available. XML programming—Text-handling features and the UTF-8-aware       regular expression engine make XML programming handy in Ruby. The       interface to the expat XML parser library is also available. Prototyping—With its high productivity, Ruby is often       used to make prototypes. Prototypes sometimes become production systems       by replacing the bottlenecks with C written extensions. Programming education—You can teach students that programming       is fun Now are you more interested in Ruby? You'll find out more in this article.   Ruby is named after the red jewel; it's not an acronym. I chose the name of   the language from the jewel name, influenced by Perl. Although I named Ruby   rather by coincidence, I later realized that ruby comes right after pearl   in several situations, including birthstones (pearl for June, ruby for July)   and font sizes (Perl is 5-point, Ruby is 5.5-point). I thought that it only   made sense to use Ruby as a name for a scripting language that was newer (and,   hopefully, better) than Perl. Ruby has adopted various features from many languages, including Perl, Lisp,   and Smalltalk, and it has become a different language than the others. Let   me sketch Ruby by comparing it with other languages. Smalltalk Like Smalltalk Ruby is a dynamic and pure object-oriented language. Both   languages are dynamic because they do not use static type information. They   are pure because all values are objects and are classified into classes that   are objects themselves. Both are also designed to be object-oriented languages   from the beginning, and they both support garbage collection. In Smalltalk, control flow structures such as conditionals are done by sending messages to the objects—at least, that's how it appears. Sometimes this   makes Smalltalk programs unnatural and hard to read. In Ruby, control flow structure is far more conservative. Smalltalk is an   operating system and a programming environment. The program is basically an   image within the environment that is constructed through interaction via browsers.   Unlike Smalltalk programs, Ruby programs are clearly separated from the language   and its interpreter. Perl Ruby and two other great "P" languages (Perl and Python) often   are classified as scripting languages. They are scripting languages, but probably   not in the sense that you imagine. They are scripting languages for these   reasons: They support a fast development cycle (edit-run-edit) by interpreters.     No compilation is needed. They focus on quick programming by requiring you to code less. For example,     you don't have to deal with static types of variables. Fewer declaration


"What is the meaning of the French word ""gras""? Hint: think of Mardi Gras or Foie Gras"

Mardi Gras - definition of Mardi Gras in English | Oxford Dictionaries Definition of Mardi Gras in English: Mardi Gras 1A carnival held in some countries on Shrove Tuesday, most famously in New Orleans: [as modifier] ‘the Mardi Gras parade’ More example sentences ‘Second place went to the Copmanthorpe Pre-School Playgroup for its rain forest-themed float and the Temple Lane Playgroup came third with its float which had a Mardi Gras theme.’ ‘He had on some Mardi Gras beads, but his lips stood out the most… considering he had on really bright red lipgloss.’ ‘You've got yourself this Mardi Gras outfit and a whole sack of illusions.’ ‘They always had a Mardi Gras drink called the Hurricane.’ ‘Back then, he was wearing the handsome uniform of the Fairfield (S.C.) Central High School marching band as part of a Mardi Gras parade.’ ‘They also have their eyes on ‘a stunning 1500 capacity venue in a secret location’ for a Mardi Gras party, apparently.’ ‘The loping interplay of euphonium, trumpet, sax and trombone on ‘Segala’, and the glorious swagger of Oblemou wouldn't sound out of place at a Mardi Gras in New Orleans.’ ‘By the time the night of the dance arrived, Chub had acquired a Mardi Gras mask and an extra long raincoat to use as a costume.’ ‘A traditional King Cake will be served, and whoever gets the piece containing a bean will win a CD, a drink and a Mardi Gras crown.’ ‘Yes, Virginia, there will be a Mardi Gras in New Orleans in 2006.’ ‘Officials say there will be a Mardi Gras in February.’ ‘The museum stocks stuff like the necklace Britney wore in a Mardi Gras parade and two dresses from her Star Search days.’ ‘A man on the traffic signal above us started beating a Mardi Gras rhythm on a pot.’ ‘No, actually, it's a Mardi Gras king cake, which my attorney was kind enough to send to my office Friday.’ ‘Stanley mocks her more by telling her that her outfit is a Mardi Gras costume.’ ‘The Grand Marshals shows a dapper older couple riding on a Mardi Gras float.’ 1.1 A carnival or fair held at any time. Example sentences ‘The annual Caribbean Carnival will top off the festival on June 20 with a Mardi Gras from 7pm-midnight and firework finale.’ ‘And if you want Europeans to attend more then make it a Mardi Gras and I think then the mayor will have a tourist attraction.’ ‘When they exit they hear music, follow it, and stumble into a Mardi Gras.’ ‘We went out on the town taking in a Mardi Gras like there was no tomorrow.’ Origin French, literally fat Tuesday, alluding to the last day of feasting before the fast of Lent. Pronunciation Which of the following is a type of dog? stag mastiff Which of the following is a type of dog? muskhound Which of the following is a type of dog? Mexican hairless Which of the following is a type of dog? fox terrier Which of the following is a type of dog? Maine Coon Which of the following is a type of dog? Australian setter Which of the following is a type of dog? hurrier Which of the following is a type of dog? Eastie Which of the following is a type of dog? fawnhound Which of the following is a type of dog? Barcoo dog You scored /10 practise again? Retry Most popular in the world Australia