What papal name was taken by Nicholas Breakspear, the only English Pope?

BBC News - Nicholas Breakspear: The only English Pope Nicholas Breakspear: The only English Pope By Jon Welch BBC News Online Nicholas Breakspear became Pope Adrian IV in 1154 The 'fallible' Pope In the Vatican the preliminaries are over. Group discussions have been concluded, oaths of secrecy have been sworn and mobile phones have been handed in to ensure total secrecy. The 115 scarlet-clad cardinal-electors of the Roman Catholic Church who will choose the next Pope have shut themselves away from the outside world and started their deliberations in earnest. The conclave has begun. It could be several days before white smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signalling that a new Pontiff has been elected. Although it is far from clear who will be chosen to succeed Pope Benedict XVI, it is a pretty safe bet that he won't be English. We need to look back nearly 850 years to find the last - and only - English Pope, Adrian IV. In theory, any baptised male Catholic can be elected Pope. In practice, the job always goes to a cardinal. Today, just two Britons hold that rank. One is Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the emeritus Archbishop of Westminster, who has not been identified as a likely contender. At 80, he is no longer eligible to take part in the voting. The other is the disgraced Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who stood down as leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland last month and faces a Vatican inquiry into his sexual conduct. He has stayed away from the conclave. But for four-and-a-half years in the 12th Century, the top job in the Roman Catholic Church was held by a man from humble beginnings in Hertfordshire. 'Rose from nothing' Born Nicholas Breakspear in about 1100 at Abbots Langley, near St Albans, he was the son of an educated but poor man. "He rose from almost nothing to become Pope, and he did it all on his talents," said historian Anne Duggan, co-editor of Adrian IV, The English Pope. "It was an extraordinary achievement for an unknown from England." Breakspear's father, Robert de Camera, was a clerk in lower orders in the service of the abbot of St Albans. He entered the monastery, probably on his wife's death, leaving Nicholas to fend for himself. The successor to Pope Benedict XVI will be elected by cardinals in Rome Nicholas also sought admission to the abbey, but was refused, perhaps because of his lack of education. Undeterred, he went to France, studying at Arles in Provence and then joining the St Ruf monastery where he prospered, becoming abbot. Travelling to Rome on abbey business, he was noticed by the Pope, Eugenius III who kept him there, appointing him Bishop of Albano, in what is now the Province of Rome, in 1150. What are the pressures on a 21st Century Pope? Highly regarded by the Pope, he was given important jobs, including organising the Church in Catalonia after the defeat of the Saracens, and then in Scandinavia as papal legate. "If Breakspear had not become Pope, it is likely that he would still be remembered for his energetic work in Scandinavia in the early 1150s," said Fr Nicholas Schofield, archivist for the Diocese of Westminster. "As legate, he reorganised the Swedish church, sent missionaries into Finland and set up a huge bishopric embracing Norway, Iceland, Greenland, the Faroes, Shetland, the Orkneys and Sudreys (including the Isle of Man). "He is supposed to have written catechisms in Swedish and Norwegian as well as a history of his mission, although none of these have survived. Not a bad achievement." Power struggles When he returned from Scandinavia in 1154, Eugenius had died, and Breakspear became the 170th Pope, remaining in the post until his death in 1159. His reign was short but eventful. There were power struggles in and around Rome and tension between the Church and the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick I Barbarossa. Pope Adrian made peace with the city of Rome, resisting the emperor's attempts to secure control over the city and the papal territories in what is now central Italy. A plaque marks the site of Breakspear Farm where Nicholas Breakspear is thought


Which opera by Sergei Prokofiev is based on a novel by Leo Tolstoy?

War and Peace (by Sergei Prokofiev) - Synopsis and Study Notes Opera in two parts and five acts. Composed in 1941-43. Libretto by Sergei Prokofiev and Myra Mendelson, afer the 19th century novel War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. Premiere: 7 June 1945 in the Conservatory, Moscow, USSR. Natasha Rostova from War and Peace. Image: Postcard by Elizaveta Bem (18431914). Part One  "Peace" The scene is Russia in 1810. Prince Andrei Bulkonsky is happy to hear Natasha Rostova, the daughter of a poor landowner, sing of the joys of spring. A few months later Andrei and Natasha meet again at a New Years Eve ball and fall in love. Two years later they become engaged. Andreis father disapproves of the match and he sends his son away, hoping that the latter thereby will forget Natasha. At a ball in Count Pierres house, Natasha meets Prince Anatol who woos her. Despite warnings from her friends about Anatols bad reputation, Anatol wins her heart and the two plan to elope. Count Pierre warns Natasha that Anatol is already married and then Pierre confesses that he too loves her. Natasha suddenly feels remorse. Pierre demands that Anatol give up Natasha. News comes that Napoleon and his army are marching into Russia. Prokofiev's opera was based on Leo Tolstoy's classic novel War and Peace. The above photo is of a 1942 edition of the novel. Part Two  "War" Russia, August 1812. Russias army is about to face Napoleons forces in the Battle of Borodino. Andrei joins the army in an attempt to forget Natasha. He rejects the offer of a desk job and leaves for the battle front. Napoleon is surprised at the steadfast Russian resistance. At the same time Kutuzov, the Russian field marshall, reluctantly decides to abandon Moscow (as it cannot be defended successfully) and regroup his forces elsewhere. As Napoleon occupies Moscow, the capitals citizens burn it to the ground. Elsewhere in French-occupied Moscow, Pierre discovers that Natasha and her family have fled, taking with them some wounded soldiers including Andrei. Pierre sets out to assassinate Napoleon but is arrested. Natasha comes across Andrei and begs his forgiveness. But it is too late: Andrei dies. November 1812. The French forces are retreating through the fierce Russian winter. They take Russian prisoners with them, some of whom (including Pierre) are liberated when Russian partisans attack the column. Pierre learns that Andrei is dead and that Natasha is sick. He hopes that she will be able to love him when she is better again. Field Marshall Kutuzov is cheered by the Russian people, whom he congratulates for their great victory. Share this page:


Which county shares borders with Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire?

County Boundary Changes The following chronological list    of boundary changes is far from comprehensive, but should help those of    you researching in these areas to track down those elusive records. 1844  The parish of Thorncombe was in Devon until transferred to diocese of Salisbury in 1836 and finally    to the county of Dorset in 1844. At the same time the parish of Holwell,    an island of Somerset territory surrounded by Dorset, was transferred to    Dorset. 1896  The parishes of Goathill, Poyntington, Sandford Orcas, Seaborough, and Trent were transferred to from Somerset to Dorset, and Wambrook was    transferred from Dorset to Somerset. In the west of the county, Chardstock was transferred to the county of Devon, but remains in the Diocese of    Salisbury.  1984  The County of Dorset was    expanded to include Bournemouth, which had until then run its own    services, and Christchurch, together with parts of the surrounding    district was transferred from Hampshire to Dorset.  1997  The Borough councils of Poole and Bournemouth became unitary authorities. However for ceremonial    purposes both Poole and Bournemouth are to be regarded as part of    Dorset.  If you know of other changes   please E-mail me the details so that they can be included here. For links to genealogical   resources in the adjoining counties see the GENUKI entry below.


Which hit for 'The Fugees' was the biggest-selling single in Britain in 1996?

Fugees - Killing Me Softly (Radio Edit) HQ - YouTube Fugees - Killing Me Softly (Radio Edit) HQ Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Jun 9, 2014 *All of my videos feature the best sound quality you'll find anywhere! Thanks for checking out my 90's channel. (Very rare Radio Edit) "Killing Me Softly with His Song" is a song composed by Charles Fox with lyrics by Norman Gimbel. The song was written in collaboration with Lori Lieberman, who recorded the song in late 1971. It was a number-one hit in 1973 for Roberta Flack. The song has since been covered by numerous artists. Hip hop group the Fugees covered the song on their 1996 album The Score, with Lauryn Hill singing the lead vocals. Their version, titled "Killing Me Softly," became a hit, reaching number two on the U.S. airplay chart. The song went to number one in the United Kingdom, where it became the country's biggest-selling single of 1996. It has since sold 1.36 million copies in Britain. The version sampled the 1990 song "Bonita Applebum" by A Tribe Called Quest from their debut album People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. ATCQ themselves had sampled the riff from the song "Memory Band" found on the self-titled album of 1960s psychedelic soul Chicago band called Rotary Connection. The Fugees single was so successful that the track was 'deleted' and thus no longer supplied to retailers whilst the track was still in the Top 20 so that attention could be drawn to the next single, "Ready or Not." Propelled by the success of the Fugees track, the 1972 recording by Roberta Flack was remixed in 1996 with the vocalist adding some new vocal flourishes: this version topped the Hot Dance Club Play chart. In 2008, "Killing Me Softly With His Song" was ranked number 25 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop and #44 on its list of the "100 Greatest Songs of the '90s Category


Drawing on the story of the meeting between the baby Jesus and John the Baptist on the flight into Egypt, what name is given to either of two almost identical paintings by Leonardo da Vinci housed in the Louvre and the National Gallery in London?

Art History 101 – Part IIA: 1400-1499 | Make Lists, Not War Make Lists, Not War Listing: It's not just my passion, it's also a desperate cry for help. Menu Where Have I Been? Art History 101 – Part IIA: 1400-1499 The following list is Part IIA of my attempt to trace the history of human artistic endeavors by finding the best, most significant, and most highly-regarded works of visual art (primarily painting and sculpture) from all times and places and presenting them in chronological order.  The five Art History 101 lists contain every work of art that was on at least two of the 18 ‘Best Works of Art’ lists that I collected from the Internet and books.  Although most of the resources available to me focused almost exclusively on the art of Western Civilization, the list does identify some of the most significant artworks produced by the artists of Asia, Africa and South America.  Because I believe visuals are essential for discussing the visual arts, I have included images of the art works,  In most cases, you can click on the images to enlarge them.  (I have tried to use public domain images where possible.  In other cases, I believe this is a fair non-commercial use for educational purposes.  If there are copyright concerns, please let me know.)  Each entry includes the date of the work, the artist’s name, the name (or names) of the work, the style or culture associated with the work, and the location where the work was produced.  In addition, I have included a brief essay with description (including measurements), artistic materials used, background and interpretation. Much of the information in these essays comes from Wikipedia or from the website of the museum or other site where the artwork is located.  Art History 101, Part I (Prehistoric Era-1399) is here ; Part IIB (1500-1599) is here .  Part III (1600-1799) is here . Part IV (1800-Present) is here . For a list of the best works of visual art organized by rank, that is, with the items that were on the most lists at the top, go here . 1400-1499 1395-1405: Claus Sluter: The Well of Moses [International Gothic; Dijon, France]        In the late 14th Century, Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, ordered the building and decoration of a Carthusian monastery just outside Dijon so the monks would pray for his soul and to provide a burial site for him and his heirs.  A number of artists provided artwork for the monastery, including Dutch sculptor Claus Suter, who created a massive limestone sculpture for the center of the main cloister.  It consisted of a crucifixion scene, with Mary Magdalene at the foot of the cross where Jesus was hanging, and below it, a hexagonal base with statues of six prophets who foresaw Christ’s death, each standing about 5 ft., 8 in. tall, and six weeping angels.  The sculptures were painted in vibrant colors – some paint remains.  Unfortunately, during the French Revolution, the upper portion of the sculpture was destroyed (fragments are on display in a nearby museum), leaving the base, which has acquired the name the Well of Moses. In each of six niches, Suter has created life-sized statues of Moses, David, Jeremiah, Zachariah, Daniel and Isaiah.  (Moses’ horns in this and other artworks come from a Hebrew phrase that can be translated as either ‘horn’ or ‘ray of light.’)  Each prophet carries his prophecy on a scroll and each one is individually detailed with a unique expression and personality (see Moses in first image; King David and Jeremiah in the second image, and Zachariah in the fourth image above).  Unlike Medieval relief sculptures, these figures appear to be independent of the stone behind them, and there is a sense of movement expressed by the bodies beneath the drapery.  The angels, who top the slender colonnettes that separate the planes of the hexagon, also have individualized gestures and expressions (see third image above).  The Well of Moses is located in the central courtyard of what was the main cloister of Carthusian monastery Chartreuse de Champmol, (now the Hospital de la Chartreuse) outside of Dijon, France.   1395-141


Which team defeated the Indianapolis Colts to win the 2010 Super Bowl?

Super Bowl: New Orleans Saints Defeat Indianapolis Colts to Win Super Bowl - ABC News ABC News Super Bowl 2010 Champions New Orleans Saints March Home By SABRINA PARISE The New Orleans Saints headed home today after defeating the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 to win their first Super Bowl championship . It was an emotional victory Sunday for a city still struggling to recover from Hurricane Katrina. "We gained so much strength from our fans, from the people of New Orleans, just knowing how much they care about us," Saints quarterback Drew Brees said on " Good Morning America " today. "And we take that as a sense of responsibility just to be able to give New Orleans the championship they deserve." Play null Fans streamed onto New Orleans' Bourbon Street Sunday night for a French Quarter celebration. "All we've wanted to do is win a championship for them just because we know what it means for those people, those people who have been through so many hardships," said Brees, the game's most valuable player. The Colts dominated the first quarter of the game, leading by 10 points after Colts quarterback Peyton Manning led a 96-yard touchdown drive. But the Saints battled back. They had two field goals in the second quarter. They began the second half of the game with a successful onside kick that ended in a touchdown. "We knew we were going to have to pull out all the stops to beat those guys. ... It was up and down, we had a slow start but we were able to pick up that momentum going into halftime with that two-minute drive and then just start the second half, the onside kick, that just goes to show you that, listen, we were there to turn it loose, leave it all out on the field," Brees said. Brees tied the Super Bowl record for completed passes, completing 32 of 39. He now belongs to a very exclusive club of quarterbacks. "If you make a list of the top quarterbacks in the NFL right now and you don't include Drew Brees, then you simply don't know what you're talking about," said Mike Greenberg, host of " Mike and Mike in the Morning" on ESPN . Drew Brees' Launch to Stardom Brees described the victory as surreal. "You play your whole life for a moment like that and it is something we have dreamed about ever since coming to New Orleans four years ago and to now be sitting here as Super Bowl champs, there is no feeling like it," Brees said. 'Who Dat' Nation Rejoices No one celebrated the Saints' victory more than the fans known as "Who Dat" Nation. The phrase "who dat" was first coined more than a 100 years ago with roots in New Orleans' multicultural society. "It started in minstrel shows at the beginning of the 20th century," one Tulane University historian said. "They were the precursors to blues and jazz and years later was picked up by sports fans as a way to cheer on fans in the later part of the century." The chant, "Who dat say they gonna beat dem Saints? Who dat? Who dat?" was adopted by the team in 1983, and made popular by the New-Orleans-born R&B singer Aaron Neville. As the team's fortune's improved this season, so did the popularity of the chant.


Which French physicist gave the first successful theoretical account of heat engines, now known as his namesake cycle, thereby laying the foundations of the second law of thermodynamics?

Nicolas LÃ©onard Sadi Carnot: Physicist, Military Engineer, Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire, Heat Engine, Carnot Cycle, Exergy Efficiency, Carnot's Theorem, Carnot Heat Engine: Amazon.es: Lambert M. Surhone, Miriam T. Timpledon, Susan F. Marseken: Libros en idiomas extranjeros DescripciÃ³n del producto Reseña del editor Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Nicolas LÃ©onard Sadi Carnot (1 June 1796 â€“ 24 August 1832) was a French physicist and military engineer who, in his 1824 Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire, gave the first successful theoretical account of heat engines, now known as the Carnot cycle, thereby laying the foundations of the second law of thermodynamics. He is often described as the Father of thermodynamics", being responsible for such concepts as Carnot efficiency, Carnot theorem, Carnot heat engine, and others." No es necesario ningÃºn dispositivo Kindle. DescÃ¡rgate una de las apps de Kindle gratuitas para comenzar a leer libros Kindle en tu smartphone, tablet u ordenador. Apple


Which thermodynamic concept, defined as the unavailability of a system's energy to do work, or more crudely, the measure of disorder within a system, was introduced by the German physicist Rudolf Clausius?

Entropy Entropy 2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection . Related subjects: General Physics Ice melting - classic example of entropy increasing described in 1862 by Rudolf Clausius as an increase in the disgregation of the molecules of the body of ice. The concept of entropy in thermodynamics is central to the second law of thermodynamics, which deals with physical processes and whether they occur spontaneously. Spontaneous changes occur with an increase in entropy. In contrast the first law of thermodynamics deals with the concept of energy, which is conserved. Entropy change has often been defined as a change to a more disordered state at a microscopic level. In recent years, entropy has been interpreted in terms of the " dispersal" of energy. Entropy is an extensive state function that accounts for the effects of irreversibility in thermodynamic systems. Quantitatively, entropy, symbolized by S, is defined by the differential quantity dS = δQ / T, where δQ is the amount of heat absorbed in a reversible process in which the system goes from one state to another, and T is the absolute temperature. Entropy is one of the factors that determines the free energy of the system. When a system's energy is defined as the sum of its "useful" energy, (e.g. that used to push a piston), and its "useless energy", i.e. that energy which cannot be used for external work, then entropy may be (most concretely) visualized as the "scrap" or "useless" energy whose energetic prevalence over the total energy of a system is directly proportional to the absolute temperature of the considered system, as is the case with the Gibbs free energy or Helmholtz free energy relations. In terms of statistical mechanics, the entropy describes the number of the possible microscopic configurations of the system. The statistical definition of entropy is generally thought to be the more fundamental definition, from which all other important properties of entropy follow. Although the concept of entropy was originally a thermodynamic construct, it has been adapted in other fields of study, including information theory, psychodynamics, thermoeconomics, and evolution . History Rudolf Clausius - originator of the concept of "entropy" S The short history of entropy begins with the work of mathematician Lazare Carnot who in his 1803 work Fundamental Principles of Equilibrium and Movement postulated that in any machine the accelerations and shocks of the moving parts all represent losses of moment of activity. In other words, in any natural process there exists an inherent tendency towards the dissipation of useful energy. Building on this work, in 1824 Lazare's son Sadi Carnot published Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire in which he set forth the view that in all heat-engines whenever " caloric", or what is now known as heat , falls through a temperature difference, that work or motive power can be produced from the actions of the "fall of caloric" between a hot and cold body. This was an early insight into the second law of thermodynamics. Carnot based his views of heat partially on the early 18th century "Newtonian hypothesis" that both heat and light were types of indestructible forms of matter, which are attracted and repelled by other matter, and partially on recent 1789 views of Count Rumford who showed that heat could be created by friction as when cannons bored. Accordingly, Carnot reasoned that if the body of the working substance, such as a body of steam, is brought back to its original state (temperature and pressure) at the end of a complete engine cycle, that "no change occurs in the condition of the working body." This latter comment was amended in his foot notes, and it was this comment that led to the development of entropy. In the 1850s and 60s, German physicist Rudolf Clausius gravely objected to this latter supposition, i.e. that no change occurs in the working body, and gave this "change" a mathematical interpretation by questioning the nature of the inherent loss of usable heat when work is done, e.g., heat produced by friction. This was in contr


Housed in the Louvre in Paris, which enormous oil on canvas painted by Paolo Veronese depicts the moment when Jesus turned the water into wine?

Best Works of Art of All Time – The Critics’ Picks, Part 1 | Make Lists, Not War Make Lists, Not War Listing: It's not just my passion, it's also a desperate cry for help. Menu Where Have I Been? Best Works of Art of All Time – The Critics’ Picks, Part 1 This is Part 1 of a meta-list of the most highly-regarded paintings, sculptures and various other works of visual art.  For Part 2, go HERE .  To create the list, I collected approximately 18 lists of “Best Works of Art” from websites and books and combined them into one list.  Here are the paintings and sculptures (and several pieces of decorative art) on three or more of the original source lists, beginning with the artworks that were on the most lists.  The numbers in bold (starting with 13 in Part 1 and 4 in Part 2) indicate the number of original source lists that contained that work of art. Each listing contains the following information: (1) artist(s) name (if known), (2) artwork title (including alternative titles), (3) date(s) of creation, and (4) location where the original can be seen.  I have tried to provide one or more public domain images for all the artworks.  In most cases, you can click on the image to enlarge it.  The captions for the images contain a short essay with additional information, which may include the size of the work, the medium and materials used to create it, style and technique, interpretation, social and political context, provenance, and random trivia. Warning No. 1: although I tried my best to find lists that contained art from all places and all times, most of the lists I found focused on the art of Western Civilization, and most of those lists focused almost exclusively on Western European and North American art.  From this skewed perspective, the Italian Renaissance is the creative pinnacle of mankind’s artistic achievement (and yes, they are mostly men: dead, white men).  If I had room to publish every work of art on any of the lists, you would see more diversity, but less critical consensus on quality. Once I restrict the focus to works cited on three or more lists, the Western bias becomes quite plain. I have also published a five-part chronological list of works of art on two or more of the 18 “Best Art” lists, called Art History 101, which has a somewhat more worldly complexion, although Asia, Africa and South America are still seriously underrepresented. Warning No. 2: The heavy emphasis on Western European artists working between 1300 and 1700 also means that many of the most highly regarded paintings contain Christian religious imagery. At that time, most people viewing the art would have been familiar with these stories and symbols, but today many folks trying to appreciate these works are not Christian, or may not otherwise be as familiar with Christian imagery as the average Renaissance European. The same goes for the mythology of Greece, Rome and other cultures, which often provide the subject matter for works of art. Reading up on Christian religious images and Greco-Roman mythology may help to put the art in context. Warning No. 3: Some of the images below portray the unclothed human form.  I don’t think there is anything obscene about any of these images, but there is at least one statue of a naked man where you can clearly see his kibbles n’ bits, which some folks may find offensive. Despite my concerns about diversity – religious, geographical, or otherwise – a quick look through this list leaves no doubt that, whether or not these are the “best” works of art of all time, as my title confidently proclaims, they are all significant artistic achievements and worthy of your consideration. For a chronologically-organized history of visual art, check out the Art History 101 lists, starting HERE . DON’T FORGET: IN MOST CASES, YOU CAN CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM On 13 “Best Art” Lists Giotto (Giotto di Bondone): Frescoes, Scrovegni Chapel (Arena Chapel) (c. 1305) Padua, Italy   Italian banker Enrico Scrovegni, like most 14th Century Christians who loaned money in return for interest, was concerned about his salva


Which 1991 Disney movie was the first animated film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture?

1991 Academy Awards® Winners and History The Prince of Tides (1991) Actor: ANTHONY HOPKINS in "The Silence of the          Lambs" , Warren Beatty in "Bugsy", Robert De         Niro in "Cape Fear", Nick Nolte in "The Prince         of Tides", Robin Williams in "The Fisher King" Actress: JODIE FOSTER in "The Silence of the          Lambs" , Geena Davis in "Thelma & Louise",         Laura Dern in "Rambling Rose", Bette Midler in "For         the Boys", Susan Sarandon in "Thelma & Louise" Supporting Actor: JACK PALANCE in "City Slickers", Tommy Lee Jones in "JFK",         Harvey Keitel in "Bugsy", Ben Kingsley in "Bugsy", Michael         Lerner in "Barton Fink" Supporting Actress: MERCEDES RUEHL in "The Fisher King", Diane Ladd in "Rambling         Rose", Juliette Lewis in "Cape Fear", Kate Nelligan         in "The Prince of Tides", Jessica Tandy in "Fried         Green Tomatoes" Director: JONATHAN DEMME for "The Silence of the          Lambs" , Barry Levinson for "Bugsy", Ridley         Scott for "Thelma & Louise", John Singleton for "Boyz         N the Hood", Oliver Stone for "JFK" The          five films nominated for Best Picture for 1991 were a very          distinctive mix of different types of films: a musical animation,          a horror/thriller, a gangster bio, a political conspiracy thriller,          and a romantic melodrama. The big winner was director Jonathan Demme's The          Silence of the Lambs (with seven nominations          and five wins). Its surprise win came for many reasons: it was a 'horror' film - the first of its           genre to be named Best Picture it was the first Best Picture nominee           to have been commercially-available on videotape before its           win it was released in late January of 1991, many           months before most Best Picture nominees were released           (to keep them fresh in Academy voters' minds) and most importantly, it was the third film           to win the top five awards (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best           Actress, Best Director, and Best Writer/Screenplay - Ted           Tally) since two other films had accomplished the same feat: One            Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and It             Happened One Night (1934) - it was the last Best           Picture winner, to date, to win both Best Actor and Best           Actress The top-notch film, a shocking psychological          horror picture about a cannibalistic killer and his strange          relationship with a newbie FBI agent, was based on Thomas Harris's          1988 best-selling novel of the same name. It was a sequel to          an earlier film Manhunter           (1986) (aka Red Dragon: The Pursuit of Hannibal            Lecter), also based on a Thomas Harris novel titled Red             Dragon published in 1981. The two nominations without          wins were for Best Sound and Best Film Editing. Jonathan Demme          (with his first directorial nomination) won the Best Director          award for The Silence of the Lambs ,          a film with uncharacteristic subject matter that was not usually          the recipient of so many Oscar awards. The other four Best Picture nominees that spread          the nominations fairly evenly were: Walt Disney's feature-length animated musical           cartoon Beauty and the Beast (with six nominations           and two wins - Best Song "Beauty and the Beast" and           Best Original Score) - it was the first hand-drawn           animated feature to be nominated for Best Picture. [It would           be another ten years before a special Oscar category for           an


Which year saw the end of the Korean War, the death of Josef Stalin and the first televised Academy Awards Ceremony?

Joseph Stalin dies - Mar 05, 1953 - HISTORY.com Joseph Stalin dies A+E Networks On this day, Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union since 1924, dies in Moscow. Like his right-wing counterpart, Hitler, who was born in Austria, Joseph Stalin was not a native of the country he ruled with an iron fist. Isoeb Dzhugashvili was born in 1889 in Georgia, then part of the old Russian empire. The son of a drunk who beat him mercilessly and a pious washerwoman mother, Stalin learned Russian, which he spoke with a heavy accent all his life, in an Orthodox Church-run school. While studying to be a priest at Tiflis Theological Seminary, he began secretly reading Karl Marx and other left-wing revolutionary thinkers. The “official” communist story is that he was expelled from the seminary for this intellectual rebellion; in reality, it may have been because of poor health. In 1900, Stalin became active in revolutionary political activism, taking part in labor demonstrations and strikes. Stalin joined the more militant wing of the Marxist Social Democratic movement, the Bolsheviks, and became a student of its leader, Vladimir Ilich Lenin. Stalin was arrested seven times between 1902 and 1913, and subjected to prison and exile. Stalin’s first big break came in 1912, when Lenin, in exile in Switzerland, named him to serve on the first Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party—now a separate entity from the Social Democrats. The following year, Stalin (finally dropping Dzugashvili and taking the new name Stalin, from the Russian word for “steel”) published a signal article on the role of Marxism in the destiny of Russia. In 1917, escaping from an exile in Siberia, he linked up with Lenin and his coup against the middle-class democratic government that had supplanted the czar’s rule. Stalin continued to move up the party ladder, from commissar for nationalities to secretary general of the Central Committee—a role that would provide the center of his dictatorial takeover and control of the party and the new USSR. In fact, upon Lenin’s death in 1924, Stalin began the consolidation of his power base, conducting show trials to purge enemies and rivals, even having Leon Trotsky assassinated during his exile in Mexico. Stalin also abandoned Lenin’s New Economic Policy, which would have meant some decentralization of industry. Stalin demanded—and got—absolute state control of the economy, as well as greater swaths of Soviet life, until his totalitarian grip on the new Russian empire was absolute. The outbreak of World War II saw Stalin attempt an alliance with Adolf Hitler for purely self-interested reasons, and despite the political fallout of a communist signing an alliance with a fascist, they signed a nonaggression pact that allowed each dictator free reign in their respective spheres of influence. Stalin then proceeded to annex parts of Poland, Romania, and Finland, and occupy Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In May 1941, he made himself chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars; he was now the official head of the government and no longer merely head of the party. One month later, Germany invaded the USSR, making significant early inroads. As German troops approached, Stalin remained in the capital, directing a scorched-earth defensive policy and exercising personal control over the strategies of the Red Army. As the war progressed, Stalin sat in on the major Allied conferences, including those in Tehran (1943) and Yalta (1945). His iron will and deft political skills enabled him to play the loyal ally while never abandoning his vision of an expanded postwar Soviet Empire. In fact, after Germany’s surrender in April 1945, Stalin oversaw the continued occupation and domination of much of Eastern Europe, despite “promises” of free elections in those countries. Stalin did not mellow with age; he prosecuted a reign of terror, purges, executions, exiles to the Gulag Archipelago (a system of forced-labor camps in the frozen north), and persecution in the postwar USSR, suppressing all dissent and anything that smacked of foreign, especially Wes


The fashion designer John Galliano was born in which British overseas territory?

John Galliano Biography - life, family, name, school, mother, son, born, college, house - Newsmakers Cumulation John Galliano Biography John Galliano Biography Fashion designer Born Juan Carlos Antonio Galliano-Guillen in 1960 in Gibraltar, Spain. Education: Earned design degree from Central Saint Martins College of Art and    Design, 1984. Addresses: Office —John Galliano, 60 Rue d'Avron, 75020 Paris, France. Career Galliano's 1984 design-school graduation collection, "Les    Incroyables," sold to Brown's, a London retailer, in its    entirety; established fashion house under his own name in London, 1984;    worked with various financial backers to produce collections, 1985-95;    haute couture and ready-to-wear designer at the House of Givenchy, Paris,    France, 1995-96; haute couture and ready-to-wear designer at Christian    Dior, Paris, 1996—; opened own shop in Bergdorf Goodman store,    1997; licensed fur line, 1998; opened shop in Saks Fifth Avenue, 2000;    launched watch collection, 2001; a partial career retrospective, "John Galliano at Dior," was staged at the Design Museum of    London, 2001-02. Awards: British Designer of Year award 1986, 1994, 1995; International Fashion    Group, Master of Fashion, 1997; Designer of the Year, Council of Fashion    of America, 1998; Commander of Order of the British Empire, 2001. John Galliano Sidelights British fashion designer John Galliano's intricate and provocative    clothes, which sometimes teeter on the edge of absurd, have made him one    of the leading names in an industry where very few succeed to the top    echelon. Usually referred to as fashion's enfant terrible, the designer's quixotic vision, exuberant sense of style, and    iconoclastic personality have earned him a devoted following among the    fashionista set, especially after he took over at the House of Dior in    1996. In a lengthy New Yorker profile, journalist Michael Specter noted that some of Galliano's    critics claim that "his outfits often seemed more suited to the    pageantry of public relations than to profits. Yet his effect on the way    women dress is almost impossible to overstate.... More than any other    designer working today, Galliano is responsible for the sheer and sexually    frank clothing so many women wear." Galliano emerged from a new generation of daring British designers whose    visionary styles began stirring up the somewhat-moribund realm of    international haute couture in the 1990s. Along with Alexander McQueen,    creative director of Gucci, and     Stella McCartney of Chloe, Galliano was tapped to take over one of    France's more venerable design houses, Dior, in the 1990s. Before    this generation, few British names had ever had any lasting impact on the    French- and Italian-centric world of fashion. But Galliano has continental    roots that helped shape his fabulously eccentric vision: his mother was    Spanish, and he was born in Gibraltar, an overseas territory of Britain    located on the coast of Spain, in 1960. The family moved to London six    years later, but Galliano grew up in a household where his mother taught    him to flamenco dance and regularly dressed his two sisters and him in    formal outfits for Sundays and special occasions. The Gallianos were working-class, and Galliano's father was a    plumber in South London, which is often mentioned in articles about the    designer's swift rise in the haute-couture world. "I got so    sick of seeing my father called a plumber in every article," he    told Specter in the New Yorker article, just before his father passed away. "People are always    talking about how I am a plumber's son. I am my father's son    primarily. What he chose to do as a career was his choice and he did it    very, very well." Galliano was originally drawn to languages, but at school he discovered he    had a talent for drawing. His teachers suggested he apply to a fashion    college, and


Which year saw the resignation of John Profumo, the Great Train Robbery and the assassination of John F. Kennedy?

1963 was a pivotal year that changed the world: Brian Stewart - World - CBC News Analysis 1963 was a pivotal year that changed the world: Brian Stewart From Martin Luther King's 'dream' to the assassination of JFK, 1963 was one of those pivotal years that changed the world By Brian Stewart special to, CBC News Posted: Aug 26, 2013 6:16 AM ET Last Updated: Aug 26, 2013 3:11 PM ET The assassination of president John F. Kennedy in Dallas on Nov. 22 hung over an already tumultuous year like a bad dream. (CBC) Related Stories 'I have a dream': 50 stories about the March on Washington When you've spent a long enough life in the news business, years can blur into one another and some you'd happily forget altogether. A very few, however, stand out as historic — pivotal moments that changed the world. Those years bundled together the good and the very bad, and also had heart-stopping moments that ensured you would always remember just where you were at that particular time. 1963 was one such year. As we've gone through this current year marking all those 50th anniversaries, I've come to think of it as the wildest emotional roller coaster of my time. It was a year that contained scores of big stories, including the historic March on Washington, Martin Luther King's greatest triumph, and the early involvement of the U.S. in the Vietnam War, along with the start of Beatlemania. Then, on Nov. 22, the shattering horror of president John F. Kennedy's assassination. All were events that divided time before and after. Before 1963, the Fifties still lingered; after, the Sixties took their powerful hold. Pivotal years ensure things just aren't quite the same again. Take 1956. A wild year that saw the Suez Crisis in which postwar British and French pretensions to superpower status were broken and Arab nationalism emerged as a world force. Thanks in large part to Canada's Lester Pearson, international peacekeeping was invented. But in that same year, the Hungarian Revolution was crushed by Soviet tanks and the Cold War grew ever more dangerous. I was 14 then, and I was so dazzled by the media that brought us the drama of these distant crises that I wrote a school paper vowing one day to become a foreign correspondent. Little did I know what lay ahead. 1968, another pivotal year, with its Vietnam fury and youth-led riots from Chicago to Paris; 1989, with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the crumbling of the Soviet Union; 2001, which divided a world before and after 9/11 and along the lines of civilizations, some said; and 2011 with its Arab Spring and its upheavals across so many countries. Blowin' in the wind But, to me, 1963 still has an intensity that sets it apart. I don't base this only on memory for I have beside me the diary I kept from its hopeful first day — "Come on year, let's see what you have in store of us" — to its sombre finale. For many of us coming of age around then, the great drama was the civil rights battle in the U.S., which saw fire hoses and police dogs turned on non-violent protestors in places like Birmingham, Ala., and civil rights workers attacked across the American South. It's difficult to recreate the desperate nature of that struggle now. In January, Alabama's white supremacist governor George Wallace pledged at his inauguration to fight for "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever!" Later when thousands of black protesters were crammed into Birmingham's jails, along with leader Martin Luther King, the whole world was truly watching. That's when King, in April, released his historic "Letter from Birmingham jail," his defence of non-violent resistance in the face of oppression. King's searing call to a universal conscience still inspires rights movements across the world: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny." At the time, freedom seemed everywhere fresh and in the air. The writings of free-spirit Jack Kerouac were still popular, and Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the wind" was released. An


Which fashion designer, known for his space age designs, introduced the 'bubble dress' in 1954?

1000+ images about Pierre Cardin - Fashion Designer on Pinterest | Wool, Wool suit and Pierre cardin Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas Pierre Cardin - Fashion Designer Born Pietro Cardin, Pierre Cardin is an Italian-born French fashion designer who was born on July 2, 1922, at San Biagio di Callalta near Treviso. Cardin is known for his avant-garde style and his Space Age designs. He prefers geometric shapes and motifs, often ignoring the female form. He advanced into unisex fashions, sometimes experimental, and not always practical. He introduced the "bubble dress" in 1954. 258 Pins1.44k Followers


Released in 1995, which was the first fully computer- animated feature film?

Timeline of Animated Film History Timeline of Animated Film History Timeline of Animated Film History The Evolution of Animated Film By David Nusair Updated July 04, 2016. Though one could be forgiven for assuming that the animation revolution began in 1937 with the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , the genre has actually existed almost as long as its live-action counterpart. This timeline charts animation's humble beginnings all the way through to its pervasive use within the realm of special effects: 1906 J. Stuart Blackton's Humorous Phases of Funny Faces is released. It is a three-minute short in which Blackton creates animating drawings of faces and people against a plain blackboard. 1908 The first short comprised solely of animated images, Emile Cohl's Fantasmagorie, receives its premiere in Paris.   1908 Humpty Dumpty Circus marks the first use of stop-motion animation on film.   1914 Earl Hurd invents the process of cel animation, which would revolutionize and dominate the industry for much of the 20th century.   1914 Gertie the Dinosaur is widely considered the first animated short to feature a distinguishable character, as cartoonist and animator Winsor McCay brings a walking, dancing dinosaur to life.   continue reading below our video Great Singers Gone too Soon 1917 The first feature-length animated film, Quirino Cristiani's El apostol, is released. Unfortunately, he only known copy was destroyed in a fire.   1919 Felix the Cat makes his debut and becomes the first famous animated cartoon character.   1920 The first color cartoon, John Randolph Bray's The Debut of Thomas Cat, is released.   1922 Walt Disney animates his first animated short, Little Red Riding Hood. Though initially thought lost, a copy was found and restored in 1998.   1928 Mickey Mouse makes his debut. Though the first Mickey Mouse cartoon is technically the six-minute short Plane Crazy, the first Mickey Mouse short to be distributed is Steamboat Willie, which is also the first Disney cartoon with synchronized sound. 1929 Disney's iconic line of animated shorts, Silly Symphonies, kicks off its prolific run with The Skeleton Dance. 1930 Betty Boop debuts as a woman/dog hybrid in the short Dizzy Dishes.   1930 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes makes its debut with Sinkin' in the Bathtub.   1931 Quirino Cristiani's Peludopolis, which tells the story of a military coup against a corrupt president, boasts the first instance of sound within a feature-length animated film. There are no surviving copies of the movie in existence.   1932 The first full-color, three-strip Technicolor animated short, Flowers and Trees, is released. The film wins Disney the first-everAcademy Award for Animated Short Film 1933 King Kong, which features several stop-motion animated characters, is released.   1933 After starring in an extremely successful comic strip, Popeye makes his cartoon debut alongside Betty Boop in the seven-minute short Popeye the Sailor.   1933 Ub Iwerks invents the multiplane camera, which allows animators to create a three-dimensional effect within two-dimensional cartoons.   1935 The Russian film The New Gulliver becomes the first full-length feature to employ stop-motion animation for the bulk of its running time.   1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt Disney's first full-length animated feature and the first such production to emerge out of the United States, is released. It becomes a huge box office success and Disney was awarded an Honorary Academy Award for the achievement.   1938 Bugs Bunny makes his debut in Porky's Hare Hunt, though the character wasn't named until 1941.   1940 Tom the cat launches his unending pursuit of Jerry the mouse in the Oscar-nominated short Puss Gets the Boot.   1940 Woody Woodpecker arrives on the scene with a small role in the Andy Panda cartoon Knock, Knock.   1941 The first full-length animated musical, Mr. Bug Goes to Town, is released.   1946 Disney's first live-action film, Song of the South, is released and boasts several animated interludes. Because of its depiction of the African-American ch


What is the name of the central character, a Harvard professor of religious iconology and symbology, in Dan Brown's novels 'Angels And Demons' and 'The Da Vinci Code'?

Robert Langdon (Character) - Biography biography The content of this page was created by users. It has not been screened or verified by IMDb staff. Warning! This character biography may contain plot spoilers. Visit our Character Biography Help to learn more. Character Biography History Discuss Robert Langdon (June 22, 1964 in Exeter, New Hampshire, United States) is a fictional professor of religious iconology and symbology at Harvard University who appeared in the Dan Brown novels Angels & Demons (2000), The Da Vinci Code (2003), The Lost Symbol (2009), and Inferno (2013). Tom Hanks portrayed Robert Langdon in the 2006 film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, reprised the role in the 2009 film adaptation of Angels & Demons, and will play the role again in the 2016 film adaptation of Inferno. Little background detail is given by Brown about Robert Langdon. In The Da Vinci Code, he is described as looking like "Harrison Ford in Harris tweed". He was a diver at Phillips Exeter in prep school and played water polo collegiately as well. He suffers from claustrophobia, the fear of enclosed spaces. In the film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, Professor Langdon has nearly an eidetic memory and phenomenal problem-solving talents. Robert Langdon was named after John Langdon, a professor of typography at Drexel University who is known for his creation of ambigrams, typographical designs that can be read in multiple ways; for example, both right side up and upside down. An example of Langdons ambigrams appeared on the cover of the first edition of Browns novel Angels & Demons. On the acknowledgments page, Brown calls Langdon one of the most ingenious and gifted artists alive who rose brilliantly to my impossible challenge and created the ambigrams for this novel. John Langdon also created the logo for the Depository Bank of Zurich, which appears in The Da Vinci Code film. Angels and Demons: Robert Langdon is called to CERN headquarters in Switzerland to find out about the religious symbological implications of the death of CERN's finest and most well known scientist, Leonardo Vetra. When he starts to investigate the murder, his obsession for the subject history comes into play. Langdon is later joined in the investigation by Vittoria Vetra (Leonardo's daughter) and they start their journey to the Vatican to unlock the mystery behind the Illuminati, an anti-Christian secret society which, according to the plot, has deeply infiltrated many global institutions, political, economical and religious. Langdon and Vetra solve the mystery of the Illuminati by following the Path of Illumination and in so doing to explain the disappearances of four Cardinals during a papal conclave, the murder of Leonardo Vetra, and the theft of antimatter (a weapon that can be used for mass destruction). At the end of the novel Langdon ends up having a relationship with Vittoria Vetra. This relationship, however, is only mentioned briefly in the Da Vinci Code, mentioning the fact that Langdon had recently felt as though he was drifting apart from Vittoria. In the last few sentences of Angels and Demons, Vittoria Vetra asks him if he has ever had a divine experience. When he replies in the negative, Vittoria strips and quips, "You've never been to bed with a yoga master, have you?" Their relationship, however, is only referred to in The Da Vinci Code, mentioning the fact that Langdon had last seen Vittoria a year previously. The Da Vinci Code: Langdon is in Paris to give a lecture on his work. Having made an appointment to meet with Jacques Sauniï¿½re, the curator of the Louvre, he is startled to find the French police at his hotel room door. They inform him that Sauniï¿½re has been murdered and they would like his immediate assistance at the Louvre to help them solve the crime. Unknown to Langdon, he is in fact the prime suspect in the murder and has been summoned to the scene of the crime so that the police may extract a confession from him. While he is in the Louvre, he meets Sophie Neveu, a young cryptologist from the DCPJ. When Langdon and Sophie get the c


Who was the Commander of the Luftwaffe who avoided execution by committing suicide by cyanide ingestion the night before he was due to be hanged in October 1946?

Astrology of Hermann Goering with horoscope chart, quotes, biography, and images Germany . (Ascendant, Scorpio with Moon conjunct Uranus in Scorpio {Moon near      the Ascendant, H12}; MC, Virgo; Sun and Mercury in Capricorn; Venus      in Sagittarius; Mars and Jupiter conjunct in Aries, H5; Saturn in Libra;      Neptune conjunct Pluto in Gemini) In      1922, Goering joined the Nazi Party, and was later responsible for the      setting up of concentration camps.ï¿½ In      1940, he became economic dictator of Germany ,      and six years later was sentenced to death at the Nuremberg War Crimes      Trial.ï¿½ Before his execution,      he committed suicide.ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Second to Adolph Hitler as leader of Nazi Germany. Reich Marshall and      Air Force commander; head of the Germany armament and war industry. Loved extravagance and show; jovial, ruthless.      Sentenced to hang for war crimes; took poison in 1946.   Education      is dangerous - every educated person is a future enemy. I herewith      commission you to carry out all preparations with regard to... a total      solution of the Jewish question in those territories of Europe which      are under German influence. Naturally      the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England,      nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it      is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always      a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy,      or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Of course      people don't want war. Why should a poor slob on a farm want to risk      his life in a war when the best thing he can get out of it is to come      back to his farm in one piece? Our movement      took a grip on cowardly Marxism and from it extracted the meaning of      socialism. It also took from the cowardly middle-class parties their      nationalism. Throwing both into the cauldron of our way of life there      emerged, as clear as a crystal, the synthesis - German National Socialism. Shoot first      and ask questions later, and don't worry, no matter what happens, I      will protect you. Would you      rather have butter or guns? Preparedness makes us powerful. Butter merely      makes us fat. The following      quotation is held to be oft-stated by Göring: "When I hear      the word culture, I reach for my Browning". Whether he used this      phrase often or not, he did not originate it. The quote comes from German      playwright Hanns Johst's play Schlageter, "Wenn ich Kultur höre      ... entsichere ich meinen Browning," "Whenever I hear of culture...      I release the safety-catch of my Browning!" (Act 1, Scene 1). Nor      was Göring the only Nazi official to use this phrase: Rudolf Hess      used it as well.   Hermann Wilhelm      Göring (also Goering or Goring in English) (January 12, 1893 – October 15, 1946) was an early member of the Nazi party, founder of      the Gestapo, and one of the main perpetrators of Nazi Germany. He was      tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg Trials      in 1945-1946 and sentenced to death, but he avoided execution by committing      suicide in his cell, a few hours before the sentence was to be carried      out. Goering was born in Rosenheim, Bavaria to Heinrich Ernst Göring,      a lawyer and colonial bureaucrat, and Franziska. Often apart from his      parents, he was tutored at home before attending cadet schools at Karlsruhe      and Lichterfelde. In World War I he was commissioned in the infantry, then became a pilot.      He flew reconnaisance and bombing missions before becoming a fighter      pilot. By the end of the war he was a highly decorated "ace" and co


What is the name of the capital and largest city in Brunei?

Bandar Seri Begawan, capital city of Brunei All... Bandar Seri Begawan, capital city of Brunei Many visitors come to Bandar Seri Begawan expecting an extravagant mini-Dubai, but the capital city of Brunei is actually quite unassuming. The country's oil riches are certainly evident in many buildings, like the shopping malls and mosques, but outright ostentation is hard to find. The flashiness of the nouveau-riche plays out more in the suburbs, leaving the city quiet, peaceful and quite serene. The most opulent building in the city and perhaps the whole country is the Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque. It is the largest mosque in Brunei and considered one of the region's most grand monuments to Islam. The edifice is certainly stunning, but the interior is downright jaw-dropping. Built in 1992 for the 25th anniversary of the current sultan's reign, the sheer size of the interior is awe-inspiring. Seemingly every inch is covered with artistic details that show the creator's devotion to the faith. The surrounding gardens are equally beautiful, and the whole complex is truly dazzling. In a close second place for most extravagant building comes the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. Considerably smaller than the Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque but only slightly less decadent, this mosque was built in 1958 in its own artificial lagoon. It is the tallest building in the central stretch of the capital, and the call to prayer echoes from there throughout the city at dawn and dusk. These and most of the other extravagant buildings in Brunei were built with oil riches. The Oil and Gas Gallery is dedicated to the state's major industry, and interactive exhibits teach visitors about the origins of the country's oil and the process of getting it from the ground to the gas pump. The Brunei Museum expands on the country's oil history and also contains a wonderful Islamic art gallery. Illuminated copies of the Koran are the most interesting part of the museum, but there is also an incredible small-scale model of the Dome of the Rock made from abalone shell and mother of pearl. Behind the Brunei Museum lies the Malay Technology Museum. The small but thought-provoking space features full-size replicas of traditional stilt houses, an exhibit detailing the evolution of village architecture over the last two centuries and a collection of handicrafts and fishing tools made by the people who live in the water villages throughout the country. The sultanate retains a close relationship with Queen Elizabetth II, and the history of the British in Brunei is chronicled at the Twelve Roofs House. British High Commissioners called the residence home for decades before Brunei gained independence in 1984. The nearby Royal Regalia Museum celebrates the sultan and all of Bruneian royalty's trappings. If you missed the sultan's coronation day parade in 1967, no worries -- the museum recreates the entire spectacle for visitors in its huge ground-floor gallery. Nearly all the floats from the parade are on display, and the sultan's own gilded royal cart greets visitors as soon as they pass through the doors. Bandar Seri Begawan is a relatively calm city that lacks the hustle and bustle of other capitals, and the Taman Perangina Tasek is the most serene place in town. The sprawling green zone is dotted with picnic tables, fountains and waterfalls, and the peaceful walking trails take visitors past freshwater swimming holes and lush trees that provide a home to proboscis monkeys. Bandar Seri Begawan Geographical Location Bandar Seri Begawan is located in the northeast of Brunei on the northern bank of the Brunei River. With a population of 280,000 people, Bandar Seri Begawan is the largest city in Brunei. Bandar Seri Begawan Language Malay is the official language of Brunei with English and Chinese being the most common foreign languages. Bandar Seri Begawan Predominant Religion 67% Muslim


Who had a number one hit in June 2010 with 'Dirtee Disco'?

BBC - Chart Blog: Dizzee Rascal - Dirtee Disco Dizzee Rascal - Dirtee Disco Post categories: Reviews Fraser McAlpine | 10:07 UK time, Wednesday, 26 May 2010 Man I love Dizzee Rascal. I mean I REALLY love Dizzee Rascal. The dude's a dude, dude! You'd have to be the killjoy of all time - or, yes, someone with a legitimate grudge - to feel any differently, surely? He's a talented, articulate pop star with something to say and the means to deliver it, so that's all great for starters. But he's also incredibly good at winding up hipsters. And as we all know, winding up hipsters is, if not our sole reason to be allowed to draw air into our lungs, probably the most important thing we will ever do. NOTE: This does not apply to anyone who works in the fields of medicine, education, governance, diplomatic relations, finance, care, the law, public transport, journalism, [something important I've forgotten]...or the emergency services, armed forces, service industries and the cafe at the Natural History Museum in London. *dusts off hands* (Also, HERE IS DIZZEE RASCAL PERFORMING AT BIG WEEKEND ) I mean, fancy a proper street-level UK hip hop artist with tons of credibility and a Mercury Award (the hallmark of quality in strokychin music appreciation, donchaknow) reducing his once-mighty muse to the level of silly pop songs? How vulgar! Fancy a street-level UK hip hop artist dallying with DISCO, of all things. How common! Fancy a street-level UK hip hop artist selling out by writing songs about enjoying yourself, on a dancefloor, without even bothering to work in an explicit theme about The Ladies and what he's going to do to them, given half a chance...and there's no Calvin Harris to add irony points, just some fella from One True Voice and The X Factor. I KNOW! THE X FACTOR!! What the HELL? I just hope he can sleep at night, THAT'S ALL. Meanwhile, everyone else is too busy cranking this bad boy up and doing that dance where you look like you're holding an invisible Slinky and making it jump from palm to upturned palm with a series of cheesy-cool shrugging movements. Hipsters HATE that. There's a brilliant taste-through-the-looking-glass bit, where Dizzee shouts "DISCO DISCO DISCO DISCO" in direct imitation of 2 Unlimited's unabashedly rubbish/brilliant 'No Limits'. If you've not heard it, it's another maddeningly addictive dance anthem, in which a rapper called Ray (not street-level, not UK either) yelled "TECHNO TECHNO TECHNO TECHNO", much to the sardonic witheration of, yes, more hipsters. You have to admit, it's definitely up there with Lady GaGa pinching ideas off Boney M . And look what happened to her! Download: Out now BBC Music page (Fraser McAlpine) Digital Spy says: "It's more likely to remind you of your local Flares nightclub than the hedonistic heyday of Studio 54." First Up says: "I simply HATE disco. Yes, call me a hater cause I am." The Urbane Guerilla Diaries says: "Mr Rascal has managed to appeal to retro loving disco freaks, clubbers, grimers and mum and dad in one fell swoop."


'Operation Anthropoid' was the codename given to the successful plot to assassinate which senior Nazi?

Operation Anthropoid - Assassination of R.Heydrich, Prague, Czech Republic - World War II Sites on Waymarking.com you are not logged in.  [log in] Operation Anthropoid - Assassination of R.Heydrich, Prague, Czech Republic - World War II Sites on Waymarking.com Welcome to Waymarking.com! We hope you've been able to find what you are looking for. We would also like               to encourage you to take some time to browse some of the other aspects of our site.               We recommend viewing our featured waymarks ,               or perhaps the newest waymarks . You can               also create a free membership to track your progress online               and share your locations with others. Click                 here to view the complete waymark directory N 50° 07.078 E 014° 27.898 33U E 461749 N 5551884 Quick Description: Bend where in 1942 happend assassination of SSman Reinhard Heydrich. At coordinates you can find information board. Location: Czech Republic Date Posted: 5/28/2009 10:01:05 AM Waymark Code: WM6FZW .KML File (Google Earth) Long Description: Operation Anthropoid was the code name for the assassination of top German leader Reinhard Heydrich. He was the chief of the Reich Main Security Office (Reichssicherheitshauptamt, or RSHA), the acting Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, and a chief planner of the Final Solution, the Nazi programme for the genocide of the Jews of Europe. Heydrich had been the chief of the RSHA since 1939. This was an organisation that included the Secret Police (Gestapo), the Security Agency (Sicherheitsdienst, or SD), the Criminal Police (Kripo) -- and, in 1942, the President of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). Heydrich was a key planner in eliminating Hitler’s opponents, as well as (later) the key planner of the genocide of the Jews. He was involved in most of Hitler’s intrigues and a valued political ally, adviser, and friend of the dictator. Due to his abilities and power, Heydrich was feared by almost all German generals. In September 1941, Heydrich was appointed acting Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, replacing Konstantin von Neurath, whom Hitler considered too moderate. During his role as de facto dictator of Bohemia and Moravia, Heydrich often drove with his chauffeur in a car with an open roof. This was a show of confidence in the occupation forces and the effectiveness of their repressive measures against the local population. Due to his cruelty, Heydrich was nicknamed the Butcher of Prague, the Blond Beast, and the Hangman. Strategic context Nazi zenith 1941–42 By late 1941, Hitler controlled almost all continental Europe, and German forces were approaching Moscow. The Allies deemed Soviet capitulation likely. The exiled government of Czechoslovakia, under President Edvard Beneš, was under pressure from British intelligence, as there had been very little visible resistance in the Czech lands since the German occupation began by the occupation of the Sudet regions of the country in 1938 (occupation of whole country began in 1939). The takeover of these regions that was enforced by the Munich Agreement and the subsequent terror of the German Reich broke the will of the Czechoslovaks for a period. The Czech lands were producing significant military materiel for the Third Reich. The exiled government felt it had to do something that would inspire the Czechs, as well as show the world the Czechs were allies. The status of Reinhard Heydrich as the Protector of Bohemia and Moravia as well as his reputation for terrorizing local citizens led to him being chosen over Karl Hermann Frank as an assassination target. The assassination was also meant to prove to the Nazis that they were not untouchable. Operation Planning The operation was given the codename ANTHROPOID. With the British Special Operations Executive (SOE), preparation began on 20 October 1941. Warrant Officer Josef Gabcík and Staff Sergeant Karel Svoboda were chosen to carry out the assassination on 28 Octobe


Located in Kanagawa Prefecture on Honshu, which is Japan's second largest city by population?

Kanagawa | prefecture, Japan | Britannica.com prefecture, Japan Kanagawa, ken (prefecture), Honshu , Japan , located south of Tokyo and bordered by Tokyo Bay to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the south. Yokohama , on the bay, is the prefectural capital. Atsugi AXT Main Tower, Atsugi, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan. Cassiopeia_sweet Yokohama city and port, capital of Kanagawa prefecture, Japan. Karin Slade—The Image Bank/Getty Images The eastern half of the prefecture constitutes the southwestern portion of the Tokyo-Yokohama Metropolitan Area , and its eastern coast is an important part of the Keihin Industrial Zone . Yokohama is Japan’s second largest city and its major port. The Pacific coast is a popular tourist resort area, including such cities as Kamakura , Hiratsuka , and Odawara (the latter a gateway to the popular Hakone and Mount Fuji region). Inland Kanagawa is an agricultural area producing flowers and dairy products for the Tokyo market. The port of Misaki in Miura city (at the head of the Miura Peninsula) is a major centre of bonito and tuna fishing. During the late 1970s the prefecture’s population increased dramatically because of industrial expansion and urbanization of housing developments for workers. Growth continued steadily for the rest of the 20th century and into the 21st. Area 932 square miles (2,415 square km). Pop. (2010) 9,048,331. Learn More in these related articles: Honshu largest of the four main islands of Japan, lying between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It forms a northeast–southwest arc extending about 800 miles (1,287 km) and varies greatly in width. The coastline extends 6,266 miles (10,084 km). Honshu has an area of 87,992... Japan island country lying off the east coast of Asia. It consists of a great string of islands in a northeast-southwest arc that stretches for approximately 1,500 miles (2,400 km) through the western North Pacific Ocean. Nearly the entire land area is taken up by the country’s four main islands;... Tokyo (national capital, Japan) city and capital of Tokyo to (metropolis) and of Japan. It is located at the head of Tokyo Bay on the Pacific coast of central Honshu. It is the focus of the vast metropolitan area often called Greater Tokyo, the largest urban and industrial agglomeration in Japan. 2 References found in Britannica Articles Assorted Reference Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later. Edit Mode Submit Tips For Editing We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles. You can make it easier for us to review and, hopefully, publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind. Encyclopædia Britannica articles are written in a neutral objective tone for a general audience. You may find it helpful to search within the site to see how similar or related subjects are covered. Any text you add should be original, not copied from other sources. At the bottom of the article, feel free to list any sources that support your changes, so that we can fully understand their context. (Internet URLs are the best.) Your contribution may be further edited by our staff, and its publication is subject to our final approval. Unfortunately, our editorial approach may not be able to accommodate all contributions. Submit Thank You for Your Contribution! Our editors will review what you've submitted, and if it meets our criteria, we'll add it to the article. Please note that our editors may make some formatting changes or correct spelling or grammatical errors, and may also contact you if any clarifications are needed. Uh Oh There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later. Close Date Published: May 17, 2013 URL: https://www.britannica.com/place/Kanagawa Access Date: January 03, 2017 Share


What was the disorder afflicting the protagonist in Mark Haddon's 'The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time'?

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time: Mark Haddon: Trade Paperback: 9781400032716: Powell's Books Average customer rating 4.7 (39 comments) ` Angie Kopshy , January 19, 2015 (view all comments by Angie Kopshy) Eager to read publications about autism? Don't discredit this novel, the curious incident of the dog in the night-time, by Mark Haddon just because he doesn’t have an ASD diagnosis. Haddon worked with people on the autism spectrum as a young man and provides a unique and plausible perspective of a boy working through his anxiety, love for math, and loss of a parent. My favorite paragraph: "And when Mother and Mr. Shears argued I took the little radio from the kitchen and I went and sat in the spare room and I tuned it halfway between two stations so that all I could hear was white noise and I turned the volume up really loud and I held it against my ear and the sound filled my head and it hurt so that I couldn't feel any other sort of hurt, like the hurt in my chest…" It’s a quick and enjoyable read that the parent of one of my client’s loaned to me. I definitely recommend checking it out! ladymacbech , December 23, 2011 (view all comments by ladymacbech) After the incredible 40+ years I had as a teacher, and having enjoyed ages of preschool through early college -and in that order - catagorizing anyone as "special needs" is an insult. The parents and I would have been the ones with special needs, if I had had to limit my students and myself in working through an enormous volume of experiences leading to knowledge in some form. This book was easily read in a few hours, and a second visit made the main character shout "GO-O-OA-ll." I Loved this book, the main character, his mom and the cover too. (Note; my early years teaching in public school, rarely included "labeled" students. Mainly because most of the recognized "tags" of the last years were not known. The earliest one I delt with was "cross dominance," and most of the "challenged" students were not included in the schools in any form.) Gracie , April 02, 2011 (view all comments by Gracie) This is a pretty amazing book. I didn't really know what to expect going in, but it's a fascinating story about an autistic boy who sees the world differently from most other people. Christopher sees things both as being more complicated and less complicated than everyone else does. Extremely intelligent and logical, he has a great deal of difficulty with people and emotions. So when he begins investigating the murder of a neighborhood dog and comes upon an even greater mystery about what truly happened to his mother, he confronts confusion and fear unlike any he's ever known before and he must learn to rely on himself. The story is very well crafted. Christopher journals his experience in painstaking detail, with order, organization, literal honesty, and refreshing perspective. Mark Haddon writes beautifully and poignantly of this boy and his struggles in such a simple, straightforward manner that you can't help but feel as you read. Erin Kendrick , January 07, 2011 (view all comments by Erin Kendrick) I had high hopes for this book, but it didn't do much for me. A similar book I would recommend is "Extremely loud and incredibly close", they are both told by young boys and deal with them trying to solve a mystery, and I found "Extremely" to be much more engaging and had more meat to it. "The Curious incident" is a quick read though, and even though it comes off as a light read, it is an interesting look into autism and can be rather dark at times. Alberta J , November 23, 2010 Fifteen year old Christopher John Francis Boone isn’t your ordinary teenager. For enjoyment, Chris solves math problems, plays with his pet rat Toby, and also solves murder mysteries. The mystery of the neighbor Mrs. Shear’s dog is found dead. Christopher really shouldn’t mess around and be nosy with this neighborhood situation, but decides to get to the bottom of it. To calm himself down and relax, Chris solves math problems that no average person could even dream up and solve, and secl


Killikrates and Iktinos were the architects of which building completed on the 5th century BC?

Callicrates | Greek architect | Britannica.com Greek architect c. 500 BCE - c. 401 BCE Related Biographies Callicrates, also spelled Kallikrates (flourished 5th century bc), Athenian architect who designed the Temple of Athena Nike on the Athenian Acropolis and, with Ictinus , the Parthenon. Nike Adjusting Her Sandal, marble relief from the balustrade of the … Nimatallah/Art Resource, New York It is known from an inscription of 449 bc (the year of the signing of peace with Persia) that the Senate commissioned Callicrates to construct a temple to Athena Nike (also known as the Wingless Victory) on the Athenian Acropolis. Callicrates designed the temple to be of pentelic marble, small in size, and Ionic in order; it was to be built on the bastion of the southwestern corner of the Acropolis. Construction finally began in 427 bc, and the temple was completed in 424 bc. Callicrates and Ictinus were the architects of the Parthenon , the largest Doric temple on the Greek mainland. According to the inscription on the building, the construction was begun in 447 bc. The building was completed and dedicated in 438 bc at the Panathenaea (a festival held in honour of Athena every four years on the Athenian Acropolis). On the basis of stylistic similarities a small Ionic temple (destroyed 1778) on the bank of the Ilissos River, in Athens , was attributed to Callicrates, and a Doric temple to Apollo, built by the Athenians on the island of Delos, may be his work. The Architects of the Parthenon, by Rhys Carpenter, suggests that Callicrates was also responsible for the Hephaesteum, the temple of Poseidon at Sunion, the temple of Ares at Acharnae, and the temple at Rhamnous. Learn More in these related articles:


What was the name of the gymnastics group who won this year's 'Britain's Got Talent' final?

Spelbound - Britain's Got Talent 2010 - Auditions Week 2 - YouTube Spelbound - Britain's Got Talent 2010 - Auditions Week 2 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Apr 24, 2010 Britain's Got Talent: Gymnastics group Spelbound all come from different backgrounds and are just trying to get as far as the Royal Variety Show. Will their daredevil act be good enough for royalty? See more at http://itv.com/talent Category


Initially ruling as part of a troika with Lavrentiy Beria and Vyacheslav Molotov, who became Premier of the Soviet Union upon the death of Josef Stalin in 1953?

Lavrentiy Beria | Wiki & Bio | 👤 Everipedia Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria ( English /ˈbɛriə/ ; Georgian : ლავრენტი პავლეს ძე ბერია, Lavrenti Pavles dze Beria; Russian : Лавре́нтий Па́влович Бе́рия; 29 March [ O.S. 17 March] 1899 – 23 December 1953) was a Soviet politician of Georgian ethnicity , Marshal of the Soviet Union and state security administrator, chief of the Soviet security and secret police apparatus ( NKVD ) under Joseph Stalin throughout World War II , and Deputy Premier in the postwar years (1946–53). Beria was the longest-lived and most influential of Stalin's secret police chiefs, wielding his most substantial influence throughout and after World War II . He simultaneously administered vast sections of the Soviet state and served as de facto Marshal of the Soviet Union in command of the NKVD field units responsible for anti-Nazi partisan operations on the Eastern Front throughout World War II , as well as for acting as barrier troops and the apprehension of thousands of "turncoats, deserters, cowards and suspected malingerers." Beria administered the vast expansion of the Gulag labor camps and was primarily responsible for overseeing the secret defence institutions known as sharashkas , critical to the war effort. He additionally played the decisive role in coordinating the Soviet partisans , developing an impressive intelligence and sabotage network behind German lines. He attended the Yalta Conference with Stalin, who introduced him to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt as "our Himmler ". After the war, he organised the communist takeover of the state institutions of Central and Eastern Europe . Beria's uncompromising ruthlessness in his duties and skill at producing results culminated in his success in overseeing the Soviet atomic bomb project . Stalin gave it absolute priority and the project was completed in under five years in no small part due to Soviet espionage against the West organised by Beria's NKVD. Upon Stalin's death in March 1953, Beria was promoted to First Deputy Premier , where he carried out a campaign of liberalization. He was briefly a part of the ruling " troika " with Georgy Malenkov and Vyacheslav Molotov . Beria's overconfidence in his position after Stalin's death led him to misjudge additional Politburo members. During the coup d'état led by Nikita Khrushchev and assisted by the military forces of Marshal Georgy Zhukov , Beria was arrested on charges of treason throughout a meeting in which the full Politburo condemned him. The compliance of the NKVD was ensured by Zhukov's troops, and after interrogation Beria was taken to the basement of the Lubyanka and shot by General Pavel Batitsky . Early life and rise to power Beria was born in Merkheuli , near Sukhumi , in the Sukhumi district of Kutaisi Governorate (now Gulripshi District , Georgia , then part of the Russian Empire ). He was from the Mingrelian subethnic group of Georgians and grew up in a Georgian Orthodox family. Beria's mother, Marta Jaqeli (1868–1955), was a deeply religious, church-going woman (she spent much time in church and died in a church building); she was previously married and widowed before marrying Beria's father, Pavel Khukhaevich Beria (1872–1922), a landowner from Abkhazia . He additionally had a brother (name unknown), and a sister named Anna, who was born deaf-mute. In his autobiography, Lavrentiy Beria mentioned only his sister and his niece, implying that his brother (or any additional siblings for that matter) either was dead or had no relationship with Beria after he left Merkheuli. Beria attended a technical school in Sukhumi, and joined the Bolsheviks in March 1917 while a student in the Baku Polytechnicum (subsequently known as the Azerbaijan State Oil Academy ). As a student, Beria distinguished himself in mathematics and the sciences. The Polytechnicum's curriculum concentrated on the petroleum industry . Beria additionally worked for the anti-Bolshevik Mussavatists in Baku . After the city's capture by the Red Army (28 April 1920), Beria was saved from execution only because there was lik


An aria sung by the unknown prince 'Calaf' in Puccini's 'Turandot', how does 'Nessum Dorma' translate into English?

Nessun Dorma Lyrics and Text Translations - Calaf's Aria from Puccini's Turandot Nessun Dorma Lyrics and Text Translation Calaf's Aria from Puccini's Turandot Luciano Pavarotti is performing the role of Calaf in Puccini’s Opera, Turandot, at the San Francisco Opera House in 1977.  Photo by Ron Scherl/Redferns/GettyImages By Aaron Green Updated July 18, 2016. It's safe to say nearly everyone in the modern world is familiar with Giacomo Puccini 's famous aria, "Nessun Dorma" from the opera, Turandot ( read the synopsis of Turandot ), thanks to the BBC's choice of Luciano Pavarotti's rendition as that year's theme song for their FIFA coverage. Though the music was unusual for a sporting event, especially one as large as FIFA, the aria's Italian heritage and lyrics were in perfect harmony with the sentiments of the athletes, fans, spectators, and everyone else involved with the world cup which took place in Italy. With millions of people all over the world turning on their televisions and radios to watch and listen to the games, the aria and Luciano Pavarotti  were catapulted into stardom seemingly overnight; "Nessun Dorma" has remained there ever since. (Learn why Pavarotti's performance of "Nessun Dorma" is so special.) "Nessun Dorma" Context You'll hear "Nessun Dorma" in the third act of Puccini's opera, Turandot.  continue reading below our video Great Singers Gone too Soon At the start of the opera, Calaf sees Princess Turandot for the first time and instantly falls in love with her. However, any man who wishes to marry her must correctly answer three riddles. Those who fail are killed. Despite protests from his father and his servant, Calaf accepts the challenge and is determined to marry the princess.  Much to the delight of the princess's father as well as the entire kingdom, Calaf answers all three riddles correctly. Turandot realizes she must now marry a stranger and becomes upset. Calaf makes a deal with her that if she can correctly answer his own riddle before dawn, he will die. If she does not answer correctly, he will marry her. Turandot agrees and the countdown begins. Late that night, the princess declares that no one will sleep until she learns the name of her suitor. In fact, she cries out that everyone in the kingdom will be killed if no one steps forward to reveal Calaf's identity. Meanwhile, Calaf confidently sings "Nessun Dorma" (Nobody shall sleep). Italian Text


Kieran Gaffney finished 3rd. in this year's 'Britain's Got Talent' final, playing which instrument?

Kieran Gaffney is a Musician based in Kent, United Kingdom. | StarNow Rock Indie Influences: Kings Of Leon, U2, Coldplay, The Script, Frost, Dream Theatre, Spocks Beard, Biffy Clyro, Foo Fighters, Everything Everything, Muse. My name is Kieran Gaffney and I have been playing the drums for just over 5 years now. I play from any style of music which makes it great to play new rhythms and different beats. I entered a TV/talent show called Britain's got talent in 2010 and managed to come 3rd in the final. I then done the Britain's got talent UK tour the same year performing at the o2 arena to wembely, Aberdeen, Brighton etc. I had experience from a young age having played in a band with my parents for a couple of years. I DEP with an 80's band called XYZ, it's not constant it's maybe 1 every other couple of months if there drummer can't make it. I also started acting a year ago have managed to play the part as one of the bullies in a upcoming feature film called ''CUBAN FURY'' starring Nick Frost, Rashida Jones, Chris 'o Dowd which will hopefully be released beginning of 2014. Twitter- kierangaffney3


Made up of the top members of the Central Committee, what was the name of the elected body that functioned as the central policymaking body of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union?

Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union | Article about Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union by The Free Dictionary Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union | Article about Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union by The Free Dictionary http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Central+Committee+of+the+Communist+Party+of+the+Soviet+Union Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Also found in: Wikipedia . Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union   (CC of the CPSU), the party’s ruling body in the intervals between congresses; members and candidate members of the CC are elected at congresses of the CPSU, with candidate members replacing members in the case of vacancies. The CC of the CPSU is the party’s organ of political leadership and its theoretical and ideological center; its importance was repeatedly emphasized by V. I. Lenin. Commenting on the Mensheviks’ refusal to submit to the authority of the central organs elected at the Second Congress of the RSDLP in 1903, Lenin declared that “refusal to accept the direction of the central bodies is tantamount to refusing to remain in the Party, it is tantamount to disrupting the Party” (Poln. sobr. soch., 5th ed., vol. 8, p. 351). “The Congress elects the Central Committee, thereby expressing its supreme confidence and vesting leadership in those whom it elects” (ibid., vol. 43, p. 108). The CC is guided in its work by the decisions of the party congresses, to which it is accountable. The functions of the CC are defined in the Rules of the CPSU. As stated in the Rules confirmed by the Twenty-second Congress of the CPSU in 1961 (amended in part by the Twenty-third Congress in 1966 and the Twenty-fourth Congress in 1971), the CC directs the entire work of the party and of local party organs, selects and places top-level personnel, and directs the workers’ central state and public organizations through the party groups operating within them; it establishes and oversees the work of the various party bodies, offices, and institutions; it appoints the editorial boards of the central newspapers and magazines whose publication it controls, disburses the party’s funds, and has control over the party budget. The CC represents the CPSU in the latter’s relations with other parties. All power is vested in the CC, which is the organ of party authority; as such it has broad powers and enjoys the full confidence of the party’s members. The membership of the CC includes prominent and politically experienced party and state figures who are well versed in Marxist-Leninist theory, economic and administrative agency employees, front-rank production workers from various branches of the national economy, representatives of the building industry, finance workers, members of the armed forces and of the diplomatic service, lawyers, scholars, and representatives of the arts and sciences. The CC’s members are well-qualified leaders who are devoted to the cause of the party, are closely linked to the party and nonparty masses, and have a thorough knowledge of social conditions and needs. Consequently, the CC’s decisions and directives share the characteristic trait of penetrating to the core of an issue; they are concrete, wide-ranging, and efficient, and they reflect the creative thinking, political attitudes, and many-faceted experience of the CPSU’s membership as a whole. Imbued with the Leninist spirit, the CC works for the unity and cohesion of the party into a monolithic whole; a great deal is demanded of the CC’s members and candidate members. Being a collegial leadership body, the CC of the CPSU holds regular plenums—that is, meetings of all the CC members and candidate members. According to the Rules of the party, such meetings-are held at least once in six months. Candidate members of the CC have consultative rights at the plenums. By established practice, members of the Central Auditing Commission (CAC) of the CPSU attend and have consultative rights in the CC plenums. T


How does Rossini's opera 'La Gazza Ladra' translate into English?

Translation of La gazza ladra in English Free Download Now! La gazza ladra in English La gazza ladra (, The Thieving Magpie) is a melodramma or opera semiseria in two acts by Gioachino Rossini, with a libretto by Giovanni Gherardini based on La pie voleuse by Jean-Marie-Theodor Badouin d'Aubigny and Louis-Charles Caigniez. See more at Wikipedia.org...


Which great modernist architect designed the Seagram Building in New York in collaboration with Philip Johnson?

Philip Johnson | About Philip Johnson | American Masters | PBS About Philip Johnson Comments “New York City is endless. They said that the buildings on Wall Street would ruin New York, and a generation ago they said that Rockefeller Center would ruin New York. They didn’t. And the reason these buildings go up so close to each other is because people want to be next to other people.” One of the major American architectural minds of the twentieth century, Philip Johnson has played an enormous role in both understanding and creating the urban skylines of the country. As historian, curator, and practicing architect he has had a formative effect on generations of architects. Born in 1906, Philip Johnson grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. After graduating from high school he attended Harvard College, where he studied classics. Throughout the late 1920s, he became more and more interested in architecture and the growing modern aesthetic. At the age of twenty-six he became the director of the Museum of Modern Art’s new architecture department. These early years found Johnson primarily interested in a critical relation to architecture. He co-authored the influential book, THE INTERNATIONAL STYLE, which introduced the techniques of the Bauhaus to America. Throughout the 1930s, Johnson was pivotal in bringing the great minimalist style to the public. As both a writer and curator he championed the work of major modern architects including Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius, and Mies van der Rohe (eventually writing the first monograph on van der Rohe). Johnson was interested in their aesthetic embrace of structural elements . Their minimalism overtly addressed the role of the designer and builder, seeking to make the foundational elements of a building part of its aesthetic exterior. In his mid-thirties, no longer content with his role as a critic and curator, Johnson returned to Harvard, where he attended the graduate school of design and studied under the architect Marcel Breuer. By the late 1940s Johnson had graduated, and soon began designing houses and public buildings. His first and one of his most important works, was his own home in New Canaan, Connecticut. The home was a glass building with an exposed steel frame, placed in a rural setting. He made a number of other houses in a similar vane and throughout the 1950s designed many well-known works including the Seagram Building in New York City, done in collaboration with Mies van der Rohe. Though he began in the stark style of Mies van der Rohe’s work, by the 1960s he had turned to a more individual style that incorporated historical elements. This break was the first step in a personal style that created monumental twentieth century architecture that could aesthetically include domes and colonnades. A busy time for Johnson, the 1960s saw him make the Sheldon Art Gallery at the University of Nebraska, the New York State Theater in New York City, an addition to the Museum of Modern Art, and the New York State Pavilion at the World’s Fair. With the later work of the 1970s and 1980s, Johnson began to manipulate both texture and color on the exterior of his larger buildings. In 1978 he received one of his biggest commissions—designing the New York City AT&T Building (1978-1984). The 1990s saw a number of biographies and critical work examining him and his influence on architecture during the second half of the century. Perhaps the most important among all of these is Johnson’s own book, PHILIP JOHNSON: THE ARCHITECT IN HIS OWN WORDS, which brings together much of the thought and experience of nearly seventy years. Today, in his nineties, Johnson is one of the last of the modern architects and an important figure for the generations who grew up in the shadows of his buildings.


Which football team have recently been crowned Portuguese League Champions?

Football's top club competition - UEFA Champions League - News - UEFA.com TagName:UCL.HISTORY.INDEX Football's top club competition Although it was launched soon after UEFA's first Congress, held in Vienna on 2 March 1955, the European Champion Clubs' Cup was not a UEFA initiative. Real Madrid players pose after their 11th win in 2016 ©AFP/Getty Images Football's top club competition Although it was launched soon after UEFA's first Congress, held in Vienna on 2 March 1955, the European Champion Clubs' Cup was not a UEFA initiative. Read more Football's premier club competition, the European Champion Clubs' Cup was launched soon after UEFA's first Congress, held in Vienna on 2 March 1955, yet the competition was not a UEFA initiative. Whereas many of UEFA's founder members were more interested in establishing a national team competition, the French sports daily L'Equipe and its then-editor Gabriel Hanot were championing the cause for a Europe-wide club competition. Hanot, together with colleague Jacques Ferran, designed a blueprint for a challenge tournament to be played on Wednesdays under floodlights. ©Getty Images Madrid won the first five editions The tournament initiated by L'Equipe did not stipulate that the participating teams had to be champions of their country, but they invited clubs who they considered had the most fan appeal. Representatives of 16 sides were invited to meetings on 2 and 3 April 1955, and the L'Equipe rules were unanimously approved. UEFA – which had been founded in June 1954 – reacted by contacting the world body FIFA, and the latter's Executive Committee, meeting in London on 8 May 1955, authorised the new club competition under the condition that it was organised by UEFA and that the national associations concerned gave their consent to their clubs taking part. UEFA's Executive Committee accepted the conditions laid down by FIFA and agreed to run the competition at its meeting on 21 June 1955.  The first European Champion Clubs' Cup fixture was played in Lisbon as SC Portugal were held to a 3-3 draw by Partizan. The Yugoslavian side won the return leg in Belgrade 5-2 to advance to the next round. Real Madrid immediately made the tournament their own by winning the first five finals. Since then, other clubs have also enjoyed fruitful runs in the competition with Ajax and Bayern München both completing three consecutive victories. However, no one club has been able to claim long-term domination. Ajax waited 22 years to add a fourth title to the hat-trick obtained in the early 1970s; Madrid's triumph in 1998 was their first in 32 years; and Bayern's penalty shoot-out success in Milan in 2001 ended a 26-year quest for their fourth crown. Liverpool's four victories between 1977 and 1984 deserve a mention as the English club landed the prize with essentially different teams. The Reds' European pedigree also shone in 2005 when they battled back from 3-0 down to pip AC Milan on penalties in one of the competition's most exciting finals. ©Getty Images Milan triumphed in 2003 Real Madrid, Milan and FC Barcelona have been the most successful sides in the UEFA Champions League era, the Spanish pair lifting the trophy four times apiece and the Rossoneri three. Madrid are also the most successful club overall with 11 triumphs, followed by seven for Milan, five for Barcelona, Bayern and Liverpool, then four for Ajax. Moreover, Madrid hold the record for final appearances with 13. Milan's 2002/03 triumph came after a marathon 19 games from third qualifying round all the way to penalty shoot-out success over Juventus in the final. The major turning point in the tournament's evolution had come in the 1992/93 season when the UEFA Champions League, involving a group stage in addition to the traditional knockout elements, was officially inaugurated after a pilot round robin during the previous campaign. The popularity of the group phase means the competition has grown from eight to 32 teams with matches held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays across Europe. ©UEFA.com 1998-2017. All rights reserved. http://www.uefa.com/u