Who, in literary fiction, were Peter, Phyllis and Roberta?

roberta-peter-phyllis   An exclusive article written for this website by Martin Jameson. Copyrighted to: Martin Jameson and the "Edith Nesbit and The Railway Children" Website April 3rd 2005. For permission to re-print this article please contact Martin Jameson via this: e-mail address. and I will pass it on for his consideration. The Story of Roberta, Peter and Phyllis By Martin Jameson       Many people - as this website proves - hold a deep, and indeed passionate, affection for E Nesbittï¿½s original novel.  My love for The Railway Children goes back to the early 1960s.  I was 4 years old and for painful personal reasons, shortly after my mother died, my father upped sticks from North London and we moved into a tumbled down farmhouse in the remotest part of Dartmoor.     It was 1964, and the tiny hamlet of Hexworthy was one of the most desolate places in the country - more than worthy of the hex in its name.  The house had no gas or electricity.  It had a corrugated tin roof; the timbers were rotted to the point of collapse; it was infested with mice ...and we had no money.     There was me, and my older brother and sister.  My father was often absent and we were looked after by a very loving and wise stepmother - not a million miles from the Mrs Waterbury who underpins the book.  And just like the Waterbury children, we wandered the moors, nice middle class city children, in turns enchanted and but more often intimidated by the bleak Devon landscape.     All we lacked was a railway.  Even pre-Beeching, Hexworthy was too remote for that.     So as the years rolled by, The Railway Children took on a special significance for the three of us.  Sometimes at Christmas, as young adults, we would return from university (we had moved back to the town by then) and sit round the telly, weeping buckets at the Lionel Jeffries film.      I mean ï¿½bucketsï¿½.      Yes, of course, there are few who can honestly claim to be untouched by the filmï¿½s charm and pathos, but I would wager big bucks that we could clear more boxes of Kleenex than most families watching that movie.  Our tears were almost Pavlovian - if that term can be applied to tears.  It seemed to sum up the essence of a special and painful time in our personal family history.  To this day I canï¿½t get through ten minutes of the film, or five pages of the book without reaching for the tissues...       So the years rolled on, and when my second daughter was born in 1994, we were name hunting as couples do, and I suggested Roberta.  Iï¿½ve always loved the name, and it struck me that if our Bobby could stop a few trains with her petticoats (metaphorically speaking) in the course of her life, then she would be doing all right.     So, as you can see, my passion for the book, the story, the film, the characters - it is life long and heartfelt.     A couple of years ago, I was reading the novel again to Bobby (having to take  breaks to blow my nose...  the Pavlovian response hasnï¿½t declined with repetition) and it occurred to me that if the book is roughly set around 1905/6 - then those characters would grow up and live through the Edwardian era, the suffragette movement, the Russian Revolution... and  the First World War.  What effect would it have on them?     It was the simplest of ideas, and now a writer for television and radio, I approached BBC Radio Drama in Manchester (where I have worked both as a producer and as a writer over the years).  I really didnï¿½t have a story - just the basic idea: The Railway Children grow up.     The play was commissioned on the strength of that.      I am mostly busy writing mainstream TV shows such as Holby City, EastEnders, The Bill and such like, so itï¿½s hard to find time to slip such projects in.  But radio drama is a real passion too. It is one of the few places in British media where a writer is truly free to explore their own ideas.  It offers an imaginative landscape unfettered by the budgetary restraints of television.  It has an intelligent audience - knowledgeable abou


In September 1950,where, in Korea, did UN troops land, prior to the recapture of Seoul?

Battle of Inchon | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Main articles: Battle of Pusan Perimeter and The Great Naktong Offensive From the outbreak of the Korean War following the invasion of South Korea by North Korea on 25 June 1950, the North Korean Korean People's Army had enjoyed superiority in both manpower and equipment over South Korea's Republic of Korea Army and the United Nations forces dispatched to South Korea to prevent it from collapsing. [4] The North Korean strategy was to aggressively pursue U.N. and South Korean forces on all avenues of approach south and to engage them, attacking from the front and initiating a double envelopment of both flanks of the defending units, which allowed the North Koreans to surround and cut off the opposing force, forcing it to retreat in disarray, often leaving behind much of its equipment. [5] From their initial 25 June offensive to fights in July and early August, the North Koreans used this strategy to defeat any UN force they encountered and push it south. [6] However, with the establishment of the Pusan Perimeter in August, the U.N. troops held a continuous line which the North Koreans could not flank, and their advantages in numbers decreased daily as the superior U.N. logistical system brought in more troops and supplies to the U.N. forces. [7] When the North Koreans approached the Pusan Perimeter on 5 August, they attempted the same frontal assault technique on the four main avenues of approach into the perimeter. Throughout August, their military conducted direct assaults resulting in the Battle of Masan , [8] the Battle of Battle Mountain , [9] the First Battle of Naktong Bulge , [10] [11] the Battle of Taegu , [12] [13] and the Battle of the Bowling Alley . [14] On the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, the South Koreans repulsed three North Korean divisions at the Battle of P'ohang-dong . [15] The North Korean attacks stalled as U.N. forces, well equipped and with large standing reserve units to draw upon, repeatedly repelled them. [16] All along the front, the North Korean troops reeled from these defeats, the first time in the war North Korean strategy had failed. [17] By the end of August the North Korean troops had been pushed beyond their limits and many of the original units were at far reduced strength and effectiveness. [7] [18] Logistic problems racked the North Korean army, and shortages of food, weapons, equipment, and replacement soldiers proved devastating for North Korean units. [5] [19] However, the North Korean force retained high morale and enough supply to allow for another large-scale offensive. [6] On 1 September the North Koreans threw their entire military into one final bid to break the Pusan Perimeter, the Great Naktong Offensive , a five-pronged simultaneous attack across the entire perimeter. [20] The attack caught U.N. forces by surprise and almost overwhelmed them. [21] North Korean troops attacked Kyongju , [22] surrounded Taegu [23] and Ka-san , [24] recrossed the Naktong Bulge , [25] threatened Yongsan , [26] and continued their attack at Masan, focusing on Nam River and Haman . [27] However, despite their efforts, in one of the most brutal fights of the Korean War, the North Koreans were unsuccessful. [28] Unable to hold their gains, the North Korean army retreated from the offensive a much weaker force, and vulnerable to counterattack. [29] Planning General of the Army Douglas MacArthur (center) grasps General J. Lawton Collins (the Army Chief of Staff , left) and Admiral Forrest Sherman (the Chief of Naval Operations , right) upon their arrival in Tokyo, Japan . MacArthur used their meeting to convince other military leaders that the assault on Incheon was necessary. Days after the beginning of the war, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur , the U.S. Army officer in command of all U.N. forces in Korea, envisioned an amphibious assault to retake the Seoul area. The city had fallen in the first days of the war in the First Battle of Seoul . [30] MacArthur later wrote that he thought the North Korean army would push the Repub


British athlete, Jessica Ennis, is currently World Champion in which women's event?

Ennis-Hill named in British team for IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015| News | iaaf.org Jessica Ennis in the heptathlon 800m at the IAAF World Championships (Getty Images) © Copyright 28 JUL 2015 General News Birmingham, UK Ennis-Hill named in British team for IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 Email British Athletics today named a team of 63 athletes to compete at the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 from 22-30 August. Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill, who returned to competition in May following the birth of her son Reggie, has accepted selection following impressive performances at last weekend’s IAAF Diamond League meeting in London, where she recorded three season’s bests across two consecutive days. Ennis-Hill will be joined in the heptathlon by medal rival Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who will also compete in the long jump. World 5000m and 10,000m champion Mo Farah has confirmed he will aim to defend both titles in the iconic Bird’s Nest stadium next month. Farah, who won the 3000m in London last weekend and finished just 0.12 outside his own European 1500m record in Monaco on 17 July, will be looking to complete a hat-trick of world 5000m titles after taking gold in 2011 and 2013. Like Farah, 400m runner Christine Ohuruogu will also defend her world title. Olympic, Commonwealth and European champion Greg Rutherford is targeting an athletics grand slam in China by adding the only missing gold medal to his impressive collection and becoming only the fifth ever British athlete – after Daley Thompson, Sally Gunnell, Linford Christie and Jonathan Edwards – to simultaneously hold all the major titles. Also selected and displaying superb form after breaking the British records last weekend are Shara Proctor and Dina Asher-Smith. Proctor added three centimetres to the long jump record on Saturday with 6.98m, while Asher-Smith, selected in the 200m, became the first British woman to run faster than 11 seconds for the 100m with a time of 10.99. Making his British debut in the 200m, Zharnel Hughes showed this past weekend that he is more than at home on the big stage, after clocking a personal best of 20.05 to win the 200m at the Olympic Stadium in London. Hughes is not the only youngster in the squad as 18-year-old 800m runner Kyle Langford is one of four members from this month’s European Junior Championships squad to make the step up. “Beijing is a hugely important event to us, yet this is the first of three huge global competitions for us, with the Olympics in Rio next year and the home World Championships in 2017,” said British Athletics Performance Director Neil Black. “In selecting athletes we were looking at either a potential to finish top eight in this year’s Worlds or to give opportunities to athletes developing towards medal success in 2016 and beyond. “I’m very confident we have selected a team who can be successful in Beijing, as well as use it as a platform on to further Olympic and world successes.” British team for Beijing 100m: James Dasaolu, Richard Kilty, Chijindu Ujah 200m: Zharnel Hughes, Daniel Talbot 400m: Jarryd Dunn, Martyn Rooney, Rabah Yousif 800m: Kyle Langford, Michael Rimmer 1500m: Charlie Grice, Chris O’Hare 5000m: Mo Farah, Tom Farrell 10,000m: Mo Farah 400m hurdles: Niall Flannery, Jack Green High jump: Robbie Grabarz Long jump: Dan Bramble, Greg Rutherford Pole vault: Steve Lewis Hammer: Mark Dry, Nick Miller 20km race walk: Tom Bosworth 4x100m: Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, James Ellington, Adam Gemili, Richard Kilty, Danny Talbot, Chijindu Ujah 4x400m: Jarryd Dunn, Jack Green, Nigel Levine, Martyn Rooney, Conrad Williams, Delano Williams, Rabah Yousif WOMEN 200m: Margaret Adeoye, Dina Asher-Smith, Bianca Williams 400m: Christine Ohuruogu, Anyika Onuora 800m: Jenny Meadows, Shelayna Oskan-Clarke, Lynsey Sharp 1500m: Laura Muir, Laura Weightman 5000m: Steph Twell 100m hurdles: Cindy Ofili, Tiffany Porter 400m hurdles: Meghan Beesley, Eilidh Child High jump: Morgan Lake, Isobel Pooley Long jump: Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Shara Proctor, Lorraine Ugen Pole vault: Holly B


"What is the geographical setting for Shakespeare's play, ""As You Like It""?"

SparkNotes: As You Like It: Key Facts As You Like It full title  ·  As You Like It author  · William Shakespeare time and place written  ·  1598–1600; London, England date of first publication  · First published in the Folio of 1623 publisher  · Isaac Jaggard and Edmund Blount tone  · Comic, romantic setting (place)  · France, primarily the fictional Forest of Ardenne protagonist  · Rosalind major conflict  · Rosalind and Orlando fall in love, but Rosalind is unjustly banished from Duke Frederick’s court; Orlando is both denied his birthright by his jealous brother Oliver and forced to flee from the vindictive Duke Frederick. rising action  · In order to teach Orlando how to be a proper husband to her, Rosalind disguises herself as a young man named Ganymede and instructs him in the ways of love. climax  · Rosalind promises to marry Orlando and gets Phoebe to agree to marry Silvius, should things go awry with her beloved Ganymede, who is actually Rosalind in disguise. falling action  · Rosalind, appearing as herself, marries Orlando, and Phoebe marries Silvius. themes  · The delights of love; the malleability of the human experience; city life versus country life motifs  · Artifice; homoeroticism; exile symbols  · Orlando’s poems; the slain deer; Ganymede foreshadowing  · Rosalind’s uncharacteristically awkward first encounter with Orlando anticipates the depth of her affection for him. More Help


Which European country contains six of the world's deepest caves?

Sacred Caves - Crystalinks Throughout history, primitive peoples have made use of caves for shelter, burial, or as religious sites. Since items placed in caves are protected from the climate and scavenging animals, which means caves are an archaeological treasure house for learning about indigenous people. Cave paintings are of particular interest. One example is the Great Cave of Niah, in Malaysia which contains evidence of human habitation dating back 40,000 years. The main cave is one of the largest limestone caves in the world. The cave system is an important prehistorical site with human remains dating to 40,000 years ago. Painted Cave has rock paintings dated at 1200 years. The caves are also well known for the birds' nest collection. Caves are also important for geological research because they can reveal details of past climactic conditions in speleothems and sediment layers. The word 'cave' is sometimes a metaphor for the mind, hidden within is sacred knowledge that yearns to be discovered. Caves around the world contain information in various forms about the ancient history of planet Earth as if markers in time. Hidden within caves we find: Chambers Interdimensional Portals - Indwell and Outwells of Energies - Electromagnetic Energy Vortexes Carlsbad Caverns Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a United States National Park in the Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico. The primary attraction of the park is the show cave, Carlsbad Cavern. The park contains over 117 caves. Big Four Ice Caves Big Four Mountain is a mountain in the Cascade Range of Washington, located 21 miles (34 km) east of Granite Falls. The mountain is about 6,180 ft (1,880 m) high. At the bottom of its steep, 4,200 ft (1,300 m) high north face, debris piles form from avalanches and are able to remain there year round because of the continuous shade provided by the mountain. At an elevation between 2,450 ft (750 m) and 1,950 ft (590 m), this ice forms the lowest-elevation glacier in the lower 49 states. During the summer, snow-melt streams flow beneath the debris piles and cause caves to be formed in the ice. With climate change the ice caves can be dangerous.   Woman, 34, Killed in Washington Ice Cave Collapse   NBC - July 7, 2015 Authorities recovered the body of a 34-year-old hiker trapped when an ice cave partially collapsed at a popular Washington state forest. The unidentified female victim was found after search teams used small explosives at the Big Four Ice Caves in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest to dislodge debris and check for ice stability at the cave, the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office said. 27 Amazing Glacial And Ice Caves From Around The World Mogao Caves In China A Tang Dynasty inscription records that the first cave in the Mogao Grottoes was made in 366 A.D. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) listed the Mogao Grottoes on the World Heritage List in 1987. According to archaeologists, it is the greatest and most consummate repository of Buddhist art in the world. Despite erosion and man-made destruction, the 492 caves are well preserved, with frescoes covering an area of 45,000 square metres, more than 2,000 colored sculptured figures and five wooden eaves overhanging the caves. Ajanta Caves in India The Ajanta Caves in India are 29 rock-cut cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE. The caves include paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art (which depict the Jataka tales) as well as frescos which are reminiscent of the Sigiriya paintings in Sri Lanka. The caves were built in two phases starting around 200 BCE, with the second group of caves built around 600 CE. Crystal Cave of Giants in Mexico The Naica Mine of Chihuahua, Mexico, is a working mine that is known for its extraordinary crystals. Naica is a lead, zinc and silver mine in which large voids have been found, containing crystals of selenite (gypsum) as large as 4 feet in diameter and 50 feet long. The chamber holding these crystals is known as the Crystal Cav


Who, with 448 runs, was Australia's leading run scorer in the 2009 Ashes series?

2009 Ashes series | International Cricket Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia (Next) 2010–11 → The 2009 Ashes series was that year's edition of the long-standing and storied cricket rivalry between England and Australia , and was part of the Australian cricket tour of England in 2009 . Starting on 8 July 2009, England and Australia played five Tests , with England winning the series 2–1. England thus reclaimed The Ashes from Australia, who had won the previous series in 2006–07 . The first Test was held at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff, the first Test match ever to be held at the ground, and resulted in England saving a draw with one wicket to spare, and Ricky Ponting surpassing 11,000 Test runs, becoming Australia's leading Test run scorer as the series progressed. The second Test at Lord's was preceded by the announcement that Andrew Flintoff would be retiring from Test cricket at the end of the series. The England all-rounder then took his first Lord's five-for to seal a 115-run victory, England's first against Australia at the ground in 75 years. Rain prevented play for large amounts of the Third Test at Edgbaston , including the entire third day, making the draw an inevitable result. Australia pegged the score back to 1–1 with an innings victory at Headingley after bowling out England for 102, their lowest Ashes total since they were bowled out for 77 at Lord's in 1997. This left the Fifth Test at The Oval to decide the series. Australia began the match needing only a draw to retain the Ashes, but an inspired bowling performance from Stuart Broad to remove Australia for just 160 runs, and a maiden Test century for Jonathan Trott in England's second innings left Australia chasing 546 with two days left to play. An innings of 121 from Michael Hussey gave the Australians hope, but he gradually ran out of partners before losing his own wicket to give England a 197-run win in the match and a 2–1 series victory. Contents [ show ] Background The 2009 Ashes series began with Australia leading by 31 series to 27, with five drawn series. Australia had won the most recent series in 2006–07 by five matches to nil, but the 2005 series , the last to be held in England, was won 2–1 by the home side. Australia's last two Test series before the Ashes were played against South Africa , the first in Australia and the second in South Africa . Although South Africa won their tour series 2–1, Australia recovered to win the return series by the same scoreline. Meanwhile, England warmed up for the 2009 Ashes with two Test series against the West Indies , the first in the West Indies and the second in England . The first series comprised five matches and was won 1–0 by the West Indies, but the second only included two Tests, England winning both. The immediate preparation for the Ashes consisted of the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 , held in England in June 2009. Australia struggled in their group, losing to the West Indies and Sri Lanka by seven and six wickets, respectively, and were eliminated at the first hurdle. England also suffered a shock four-wicket defeat to the Netherlands in their first match, but they recovered by defeating Pakistan by 48 runs to qualify for the Super Eights. There, they were paired with South Africa, India and the West Indies, but defeat to South Africa and a narrow victory over India meant that they needed a victory against the West Indies to reach the semi-finals. They lost the match via the Duckworth–Lewis method, and were eliminated. Australia completed their Ashes preparations with tour matches against Sussex and the England Lions, but both matches finished as draws. Meanwhile, England's schedule was completed with a draw against Warwickshire. Squads </div> Notes Note A: Steve Harmison was called up as cover for the Second Test after an injury concern regarding Andrew Flintoff . Note B: Monty Panesar was dropped for the Fourth Test and allowed to return to his county, before being recalled for the Fifth Test. Note C: Kevin Pietersen was dropped from the England squad after the Second Test after undergoing surgery on


After Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza, what is the fourth largest of the Balearic Islands?

Map of Spain: Balearic Islands, Ibiza and Mallorca - Majorca Map of Spain: Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean A beach in Ibiza, Balearic Islands The Balearic Islands are a Spanish autonomous community just south of the map of Spain, in the western part of the Mediterranean. The largest islands are Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The islands have an excellent climate with 300 days of sun per year. The local residents are notorious for their amazing hospitality and even after decades of catering to tourists, they have been able to keep much of their islands’ basic beauty. Apart from the big resorts, busy beaches, bars and restaurants, there are Gothic buildings, beautiful fishing villages, ancient ruins, and breathtaking landscapes. Ibiza Ibiza has been a tourist attraction since the 60’s. Known then for its nightlife and nudist beaches, the island has now turned into a more family-oriented resort area. Away from the club life and the sandy beaches, Ibiza offers some great cultural and historical experiences. The island’s interior has magnificent views as well as a more relaxed environment away from the bustling life on the coast. The port of Ibiza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a popular tourist stop. Renting a car for a day is a great way to explore the island’s best beaches and beautiful small towns. For those that enjoy the nightlife, there are plenty of clubs and bars in Ibiza. Some of the most famous are Café del Mar, Space, and Pacha. Mallorca Mallorca is the largest island in the Balearics. Every year thousands of tourists arrive on the island seeking the warm sun and the pleasures of the Mediterranean Sea. But the island has more to offer than just sun and beaches. The Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma, with its waterfront location, is a fascinating site and one of the greatest samples of Gothic architecture in Spain. The ancient limestone Caves of Drach, near the town of Porto Cristo, are one of the most popular tourist attractions in Mallorca. With more than a mile of incredible natural carvings and one of the world's largest underground lakes, this site must be on top of the list of things to see in Mallorca. Not as well-known as the Caves of Drach, but deserving of a stopover, the nearby Caves of Hams, also in the Porto Cristo area, which offer spectacular rock and limestone formations and an underground lake. Some of the many other places to visit on the Balearic island of Mallorca are the medieval town of Pollenca with its 17th century buildings and narrow streets, the old town of Alcúdia, the Gordiola Glassworks in Algaida, and the Lluc Monastery. The mountains of Tramuntana, with its natural beauty and rugged coastline, are an impressive area to explore. Menorca Castell beach in Menorca, Spain Menorca is the second largest of the Balearic Islands. Just about 20 miles from the biggest island, Mallorca (Majorca), this beautiful island has many resorts and great beaches. A number of small, charming fishing villages surround the island, offering great exploring alternatives after a long day at the beach. Menorca has many other attractions, including museums, local events and festivals, and plenty of sightseeing. Save up to $525 when you book your flight and hotel together at Expedia.com ! A beautiful beach on the island of Mallorca, Spain. ©2012-2014 All Rights Reserved.  • MapofSpain.co Published by ValKey Media


Who was the first wife of the Lawn Tennis player, John McEnroe?

John McEnroe - Biography - IMDb John McEnroe Biography Showing all 40 items Jump to: Overview  (4) | Mini Bio  (1) | Spouse  (2) | Trade Mark  (2) | Trivia  (27) | Personal Quotes  (4) Overview (4) 5' 11" (1.8 m) Mini Bio (1) John McEnroe was born on February 16, 1959 in Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany as John Patrick McEnroe Jr. He is an actor, known for Wimbledon (1937), McEnroe/Borg: Fire & Ice (2011) and The Chair (2002). He has been married to Patty Smyth since May 23, 1997. They have two children. He was previously married to Tatum O'Neal . Spouse (2) ( 1 August  1986      - 1994) (divorced) (3 children) Trade Mark (2) His catchphrase "You cannot be serious!" Trivia (27) Born at the U.S. Air Force Hospital in Wiesbaden Air Force Base, Germany. Attended Stanford University, but did not graduate. Has full custody of his children with Tatum O'Neal . Owns a Manhattan art gallery. Stepdaughter: Ruby (b. 1985). Wimbledon (All-England Lawn Tennis Championship) singles champion in 1981, 1983, and 1984. U.S. Open singles champion in 1979, 1980, 1981, and 1984. In 1992, at the age of 33, became the oldest men's player ever to win a Grand Slam (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open) title of any kind when he and Michael Stich of Germany captured the Wimbledon men's doubles championship. The only player in history not to be granted an honorary membership to the All England Club when he first won Wimbledon in 1981. Became the then-youngest player in history to be ranked No 1 at 21 years, 15 days. [March 1980] Enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI. [July 1999] In 1996, was named "Father of the Year" by the National Father's Day Committee. Children: Kevin (5/23/86), Sean (9/23/87), Emily (5/10/91) [by Tatum O'Neal ]; Anna (12/27/95) and Ava (3/28/99) [by Patty Smyth ]. His quote, "You are the pitts of the world," was used in The Pretenders song, "Pack It Up." Older brother of Patrick McEnroe , also a former professional tennis player, and, like John, now a tennis commentator. Sat beside President Bill Clinton at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in 2000. Has five children. Name is sung in the lyrics of "Jump Around" by House of Pain . First German-born player to win Wimbledon in 1981.


"""The Mona Lisa of the North"" or ""The Dutch Mona Lisa"" are two soubriquets for which painting by Dutch master, Jan Vermeer?"

Girl with a Pearl Earring | artble.com Girl with a Pearl Earring Girl with a Pearl Earring Girl with a Pearl Earring Date of Creation: Girl with a Pearl Earring Story / Theme Girl with a Pearl Earring Johannes Vermeer Girl with a Pearl Earring Johannes Vermeer Girl with a Pearl Earring Johannes Vermeer Girl with a Pearl Earring was originally titled Girl with a Turban and it wasn't until the second half of the twentieth century that the name was changed. Regarded as Vermeer's masterpiece, this canvas is often referred to as the Mona Lisa of the North or the Dutch Mona Lisa . The girl in this painting is believed to be Vermeer's eldest daughter, Maria, who was about twelve or thirteen-years-old at the time it was created. Her facial features appear in several of Vermeer's works but his various techniques on his subject make it difficult to compare the female faces in his paintings, as the woman are portrayed in different lighting conditions and poses. There is very little information about Vermeer and his paintings. Girl with a Pearl Earring is signed "IVMeer" but there is no date on this work. It remains unknown whether or not this canvas was commissioned and if so, by whom. It's more likely that this image was a tronie, Dutch 17th-century description of a 'head' painting that was not intended as a portrait. Girl with a Pearl Earring is one of over forty images of women created by Vermeer and thus it is obvious that he had a keen interest in women's socio-cultural roles. It could be argued that he valued their role in maintaining his idealist way of life by ensuring order within the household and raising children within Christian values. Therefore, women played a pivotal role in safeguarding tradition and moral values through the generations. Vermeer depicted his women in thought-provoking stillness and also as encouraging images that inspired homogeny. With this painting the viewer is captured by the subject and believes they have caught her attention and caused her to turn her head. This is a sensual painting with the girl gazing at the viewer with wide eyes and a parted mouth and there is an air of mystery surrounding her identity. In 1994 this canvas was restored which involved removing the yellowed varnish along with the retouches that had been made during previous restorations. This resulted in the vivid colors originally used by Vermeer shining through and the intimacy of the girl's gaze was also greatly enhanced. Clothing: The turban being worn in Girl with a Pearl Earring was a popular prop at the time and its elaborate folds and rich materials were a great way of showing off the artists' skill. The turban also demonstrates the influence of other countries as various slaves came to the Netherlands and explorers would bring back new exotic artifacts and inventions. Girl with a Pearl Earring Inspirations for the Work Rembrandt Leiden Rembrandt was the artist responsible for popularizing the tronie in around 1630 and so it's likely that Vermeer drew inspiration from his works. It's believed that Vermeer painted at least two tronies and an inventory of his possessions created shortly after his death listed 'Two tronies painted in the Turkish manner'. Therefore it's possible that Girl with a Pearl Earring is one of these paintings. Girl with a Pearl Earring Analysis Girl with a Pearl Earring Johannes Vermeer Girl with a Pearl Earring Johannes Vermeer Use of color: Vermeer's intense use of his signature ultramarine can be clearly seen in this work. It is not only used in the top of the turban but also in the neck and end of the fabric hanging down the sitter's back. Vermeer uses his palette to the fullest and his skill in under painting creates an intense volume that has a three-dimensional effect. He uses a unique blend of creamier tones and pigments for the girl's skin so it has a sort of glowing effect in the light and contrasts with the background. Red and brown ochres are used to define shadows on the girl's skin to create depth and definition as the light source comes from the left frontal area. This also helps


The playwright, Harold Pinter was married to which authoress from 1980, until his death in 2008?

www.haroldpinter.org - Biography Harold Pinter   Harold Pinter was born in London in 1930. He lived with Antonia Fraser from 1975 until his death on Christmas Eve 2008. (They were married in 1980).   Playwright THE ROOM (1957); THE BIRTHDAY PARTY (1957); THE DUMB WAITER (1957); A SLIGHT ACHE (1958); THE HOTHOUSE (1958); THE CARETAKER (1959); SKETCHES: The Black and White; Trouble in the Works (1959); Last to Go; Request Stop; Special Offer (1960); That's Your Trouble; That's All; Interview(1964); A NIGHT OUT (1959); NIGHT SCHOOL (1960); THE DWARFS (1960); THE COLLECTION (1961); THE LOVER (1962); TEA PARTY (1964); THE HOMECOMING (1964); THE BASEMENT (1966); LANDSCAPE (1967); SILENCE (1968); SKETCH Night (1969); OLD TIMES (1970); MONOLOGUE (1972); NO MAN'S LAND (1974); BETRAYAL (1978); FAMILY VOICES (1980); and with VICTORIA STATION and A KIND OF ALASKA under the title OTHER PLACES (1982); SKETCH Precisely (1983); ONE FOR THE ROAD (1984); MOUNTAIN LANGUAGE (1988); THE NEW WORLD ORDER (1991); PARTY TIME (1991); MOONLIGHT (1993); ASHES TO ASHES (1996); CELEBRATION (1999); SKETCH Press Conference (2002);   SKETCH Apart From That (2006).   Screenwriter THE CARETAKER (1962); THE PUMPKIN EATER (1963); THE SERVANT (1963);        THE QUILLER MEMORANDUM (1965); ACCIDENT (1966); THE BIRTHDAY PARTY        (1967); THE GO-BETWEEN (1969); THE HOMECOMING (1969); LANGRISHE        GO DOWN (1970) adapted for TV 1978; A LA RECHERCHE DU TEMPS PERDU (1972) not filmed; THE LAST TYCOON(1974); THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S        WOMAN (1980); BETRAYAL (1981); VICTORY (1982) not filmed; TURTLE        DIARY (1984); THE HANDMAID'S TALE (1987); REUNION (1988); THE        HEAT OF THE DAY (1988); THE COMFORT OF STRANGERS (1989); THE TRIAL        (1989); THE DREAMING CHILD (1997) not filmed; THE TRAGEDY OF KING        LEAR (2000) not filmed; SLEUTH (2007)   Director Plays THE COLLECTION (with Peter Hall) (1962); THE LOVER and THE DWARFS (1963); THE BIRTHDAY PARTY (1964); Robert Shaw's THE MAN IN THE GLASS BOOTH London (1967) and New York (1968); James Joyce's EXILES (1970); Simon Gray 's BUTLEY (1971); John Hopkin's NEXT OF KIN (1974); Simon Gray 's OTHERWISE ENGAGED London (1975) and New York (1977); William Archibald's THE INNOCENTS New York (1976); Noel Coward's BLITHE SPIRIT (1976); Simon Gray 's THE REAR COLUMN (1978); Simon Gray 's CLOSE OF PLAY (1979); THE HOTHOUSE (1980); Simon Gray 's QUARTERMAINE'S TERMS (1981); Robert East's INCIDENT AT TULSE HILL (1981); Jean Giraudoux's THE TROJAN WAR WILL NOT TAKE PLACE (1983); Simon Gray 's THE COMMON PURSUIT (1984); ONE FOR THE ROAD (1984); Tennessee Williams' SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH (1985); Donald Freed's CIRCE AND BRAVO (1986); Jane Stanton Hitchcock's VANILLA (1990); PARTY TIME and MOUNTAIN LANGUAGE (1991); THE NEW WORLD ORDER (1991); David Mamet's OLEANNA (1993); LANDSCAPE (1994); Ronald Harwood 's TAKING SIDES (1995); Reginald Rose's TWELVE ANGRY MEN (1996); ASHES TO ASHES 1996; Simon Gray 's LIFE SUPPORT 1997; ASHES TO ASHES in Italy (1997); ASHES TO ASHES in France (1998); Simon Gray 's THE LATE MIDDLE CLASSES (1999); CELEBRATION and THE ROOM (2000); NO MAN'S LAND (2001); Simon Gray 's THE OLD MASTERS (2004) Films BUTLEY (1974) Television Simon Gray's THE REAR COLUMN (1980); THE HOTHOUSE (1982); MOUNTAIN        LANGUAGE (1988); PARTY TIME (1992); LANDSCAPE (1995); ASHES TO ASHES        Italy (1998).   Actor Theatre Toured Ireland with Anew McMaster repertory company (1951-52) Donald        Wolfit Company, King's Theatre, Hammersmith (1953-54) Rep at Chesterfield,        Whitby, Huddersfield, Colchester, Bournemouth, Torquay, Birmingham,        Palmers Green, Worthing, Richmond (1953-59) THE CARETAKER - Mick        Duchess Theatre (1960) THE HOMECOMING - Lenny Watford Theatre (1969)        OLD TIMES - Deeley Los Angeles (1985) NO MAN'S LAND - Hirst Almeida & Comedy Theatre (1992-3) THE HOTHOUSE - Roote Chichester Festival        Theatre, Comedy Theatre


During the reign of which British King did Columbus discover the New World?

England in the Age of Discovery Blog England in the Age of Discovery By 1500, England was arguably the most politically advanced nation in Europe. It had been engaged in a centuries-long struggle between the monarchy and nobility that predated the famed Magna Charta (1215). Ever-increasing restraints were being placed on royal authority by an influential representative assembly, the Parliament, but its true flowering still lay in the future. Also noteworthy was the English system of justice, which relied heavily on common law precedents rather than the king's dictates. Despite these political advances, England had experienced a tumultuous recent past. The Hundred Years War with France (1337-1453) was both expensive and divisive. Natural disaster in the form of the Black Death (1348) took a tremendous toll and helped to weaken the feudal system, that ancient form of social organization in England. Economic change also helped to form the emerging nation. During the 1300s, a thriving wool industry developed. Early merchants exported raw wool to European markets; later, mills were built in England, which fostered a much more profitable trade in woolen cloth. This economic growth came at a high cost to many in society, however. As the demand for grazing lands grew, landlords evicted many resident agricultural workers. During the late 1400s, crisis conditions persisted. A dwindling food supply was called upon to feed a rapidly expanding population. The result was widespread social unrest as well as sickness and starvation. The House of Tudor The Tudor line of monarchs provided some the most remarkable leaders in English history, but their era was one of great turbulence. Foreign rivalries, dynastic succession and religious allegiances all played prominent roles. Henry VII, the first Tudor king (ruled 1485-1509), brought a large measure of stability to English society. He bequeathed to his son relative political peace and a full treasury. Henry VIII (r. 1509-47) did not squander his inheritance. Under his leadership, England grew more prosperous through trade and became a full partner in Renaissance learning then sweeping much of Western Europe. Henry's major problem was one of succession. He was married to Catherine of Aragon, the aunt of the powerful Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (simultaneously Charles I of Spain). The queen was approaching the end of her child-bearing years and had produced a daughter, but no male heir. Henry feared the implications of entrusting England's future to a woman and sought an annulment of his marriage from the Bishop of Rome. The pope refused, citing lack of grounds, but his decision also reflected the reality that Charles carried more weight internationally than Henry. Anxious to wed the comely Anne Boleyn, Henry secured passage of the Act of Supremacy (1534) by Parliament. This measure ended papal authority in England and made the king head of the church in England. Most of the bishops supported the annulment and remarriage. Henry's power was further bolstered when he seized church property within his realm. The monks and nuns were turned out and the monasteries sold to wealthy nobles. In this way, Henry increased his treasury and formed a firm bond with grateful nobles. During the remainder of Henry's reign, the church in England remained largely untouched by the Reformation , except for the obvious lack of ties with Rome. For a number of years following Henry's death, England would be led along alternating religious paths. During the short and unhappy reign of Edward VI (r. 1547-53), the English church veered toward Calvinism. However, under Mary I (r. 1553-58) a concerted effort was made to reestablish ties with Rome. Protestants were ruthlessly persecuted, which earned the queen the epithet "Bloody Mary." Many religious dissidents fled during these years, including a contingent that settled in Geneva. Those refugees came under the influence of the area's stern Calvinism and would later return to England where they became known as the Puritans. Elizabeth I (r.


"Which 1992 film featured Whitney Houston's version of the Dolly Parton song, ""I Will Always Love You""?"

Whitney Houston: How Dolly Parton Song Landed on The Bodyguard Soundtrack | CMT Whitney Houston: How Dolly Parton Song Landed on The Bodyguard Soundtrack Co-Star and Producer Kevin Costner Insisted on Inclusion of "I Will Always Love You" by CMT.com Staff 2/12/2012 Dolly Parton was listening to her car radio the first time she heard Whitney Houston ‘s version of “I Will Always Love You,” a song actor and film producer Kevin Costner insisted she record for the 1992 film, The Bodyguard. “They started out with it a cappella,” Parton said in 2011 when the bittersweet ballad grabbed the peak position on the CMT 40 Greatest Love Songs special. “And I thought, ‘That sounds familiar. … And it didn’t hit me. It was just one of those things where [you think], ‘What is that?’ And, then all the sudden, when she started singing, ‘I will always love you,’ I just about wrecked the car.” Parton’s country hit became a signature song for Houston, who died Saturday (Feb. 11) in Los Angeles at age 48. Houston’s dramatic rendition of “I Will Always Love You” sold more than 4 million singles and won two Grammys. The Bodyguard soundtrack sold 17 million copies. Parton wrote the song while attempting to make a break from her role on Porter Wagoner ‘s syndicated television show. Even though she was determined to move on, Parton especially wanted to convey a message of gratitude in the song. “It’s saying, ‘Just because I’m going don’t mean I won’t love you. I appreciate you and I hope you do great and I appreciate everything you’ve done, but I’m out of here,'” she explained in the Love Songs interview. “[That’s] basically what I was saying. And I took it in the next morning. I said, ‘Sit down, Porter. I’ve written this song, and I want you to hear it.’ So I did sing it. And he was crying. He said, ‘That’s the prettiest song I ever heard. And you can go, providing I get to produce that record.’ And he did.” Parton’s original recording reached No. 1 on Billboard‘s country songs chart in 1974. The song topped the chart again in 1982 when she re-recorded it for the film, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. It became a hit yet again when Houston recorded it for The Bodyguard, a film Costner produced and co-starred in. “Kevin Costner and his secretary are the ones that loved the song,” Parton said. “They had another song that was going to go in that place, and someone had recorded the song they were going to use. They were just in a panic at the last minute. And so they asked me about the song. I sent it. I didn’t hear anything more.” In a 2008 interview with CMT.com, Costner said he didn’t detect any great enthusiasm when he insisted that Houston sing Parton’s composition. Among those responding were Arista Records chief Clive Davis and the other executives from Houston’s label. “When I said to Whitney, ‘You’re gonna sing “I Will Always Love You,”‘ the ground shook,” Costner said. “Clive Davis and those guys were going, ‘What?!’ “I said, ‘This is a very important song in this movie.’ I didn’t care if it was ever on the radio. I didn’t care. I said, ‘We’re also going to do this a cappella at the beginning. I need it to be a cappella because it shows a measure of how much she digs this guy — that she sings without music.'” Parton has always praised Houston’s version of the song, noting, “I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance.” She has also expressed her gratitude to Costner for including the song in The Bodyguard. “She said something to me off the record, so I won’t ever repeat it, but it was so beautiful, and it was so Dolly,” Costner said. “It was generous and it was funny — everything that she is — but it was a big thank you. It was a big, fat thank you.”


What is the name of the cooking utensil, popular on the Algarve in Portugal, used to cook a seafood stew, of the same name?

Portugal cooking | Salt of Portugal Salt of Portugal all that is glorious about Portugal Menu ~ saltofportugal ~ 2 Comments Portuguese cooks love to alter traditional recipes, adding ingredients that can be difficult to detect but impart a special taste. We recently learned a few of these tricks. Our fish monger told us that “people always rave about my fish sauces. They don’t know I use a secret ingredient. When no one’s looking, I blend in a tablespoon of Savora mustard. It makes all the difference.” A saleswoman at Quinta do Sanguinhal confided: “when I roast meat, I use a secret ingredient. When no one’s looking, I pour a glass of “licoroso” (desert wine) on the meat. It gives the sauce an amazing taste.” The butcher gave us a pretty conventional stew recipe. When we asked him what made the recipe so special, he said, “Well, I use a secret ingredient. When no one’s looking I pour half a beer on the stew. Then, I drink the other half.” We plan to find out whether these tricks work… when no one’s looking. ~ saltofportugal ~ 5 Comments No one recorded the moment of sublime inspiration when an unsung genius thought of taking a delicious “ chouriço ” (a smoked sausage made of pork marinated in red wine), place it inside bread dough, and cook it in a wood oven. The result is incredible. You can buy chouriço bread at bakeries and fairs. But think twice before you try it: it is wildly addictive. Many visitors keep returning to Portugal on their vacations. They say they are attracted by the majesty of the cities, the beauty of the countryside, the stunning beaches, the perfect weather, the wine, the food, the hospitality, the culture. But we know they come for one thing only: the chouriço bread. ~ saltofportugal ~ 1 Comment A cataplana is a copper pan made of two clam shells that can be sealed with a clamp. The origins of this cooking contraption are lost in time. In the early 20th century Portuguese hunters carried cataplanas loaded with onions and tomatoes, so they could cook game on a wood fire. Later, in the 1960s, the cataplana became a popular way to cook fish and shellfish in the Algarve. Since then, it has become a hallmark of Portuguese cooking. There is something magical about the moment when the waiter brings a cataplana to the table. And it is not hard to imagine that, as he opens the pan, he murmurs the same secret incantation used in the banquets of the Arabian Nights to make the meal unforgettable. You can buy a cataplana at Loja Pollux Hotelaria, Rua da Madalena, 263, Lisboa, tel. 218-811-291, email: hotelaria@pollux.pt or at A Vida Portuguesa, Rua Anchieta 11 in Chiado, Lisboa, tel. 213 465 073. ~ saltofportugal ~ 7 Comments Marcel Proust immortalized the madeleines in his writing. But the French did not change the name of these little cakes to prousteleines or madeleines à la Proust. When Bulhão Pato, a 19th century writer, waxed poetically about a clam dish, the Portuguese named the recipe after him. Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato (clams Bulhão Pato) has become the classic Portuguese clam recipe. It is easy to prepare: combine olive oil and garlic in a pot; add the clams. Once the clams open, add some chopped coriander and a few squirts of lemon juice. The recipe is designed to showcase the splendor of the Portuguese clams. You’ll be disappointed if you use this recipe with lesser clams. Order clams Bulhão Pato at a beach-side restaurant and you’ll understand why Bulhão Pato thought they are pure poetry. ~ saltofportugal ~ 2 Comments Farturas are similar to Spanish churros but they are larger and softer.  A light dough made of eggs and flour is squeezed out of a pastry bag to form a large spiral shape. The dough is gently fried in oil and then cut into pieces with a pair of scissors. These pieces are sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon and served immediately. Eating a warm fartura makes you feel like a kid again: everything is simple and wondrous and the infinite future looks sweet.  You can find farturas in many fairs. Our favorites are from the São Mateus fair in Viseu. This year the fair runs until September 23. S


"Which Shakespeare play opens with the line, ""If music be the food of love, play on""?"

If music be the food of love, play on - eNotes Shakespeare Quotes If music be the food of love, play on Duke Orsino: If music be the food of love, play on, Give me excess of it; that surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die. Read on Owl Eyes This eText is now on Owl Eyes. Clicking this link will open a new window. Duke Orsino of Illyria, presiding over the merry, mixed-up world of Twelfth Night, opens the play with these festive sentiments, soured though they be by the affected airs of the melancholic lover. He has convinced himself that he's insanely in love with a wealthy and resistant lady, who is in mourning for her brother and only annoyed by Orsino's inappropriate attentions. The duke's idea of a cure for his disease is to stuff himself sick with his own passions. Orsino's brand of self-indulgent pouting comes in for much ribbing here and elsewhere in Shakespeare, most vividly in As You Like It and Much Ado about Nothing. For melancholic poseurs like Orsino, who are actually expected to make spectacles of themselves, affecting gestures are more important than sincere emotions.


"In the radio series, ""Hancock's Half Hour"", in which street did Hancock live?"

BBC - Comedy - Hancock's Half-Hour Hancock's Half-Hour Hancock's Half-Hour There's an argument to be made that the Great British sitcom as we know it started here. You want a misunderstood, self-proclaimed genius whose lofty ambitions in life are thwarted either by a boorish sidekick or, more often than not, his own painful shortcomings? A man trapped by circumstance? A, let's face it, pompous prig? Tony Hancock is the archetype. First airing on BBC radio in 1954, the show came along during an era when comedy was steeped in the fast-talking knockabout antics of the music hall. With its character and situation-based humour, Hancock's Half-Hour sounded shockingly naturalistic: almost Pinter-esque by comparison. Former Educating Archie foil Tony Hancock starred as an exaggerated version of himself: Anthony Aloysius St John Hancock, a down-at-heel comedian waiting for the big time to hit while he struggled to make ends meet in the inglorious setting of 23 Railway Cuttings, East Cheam. Sid James played his roguish friend, Sid, who'd normally put one over on Hancock before the 30 minutes was up, while Bill Kerr was the hard-of-thinking Australian lodger. Occasional love interests arrived in the form of Moira Lister and then Andrée Melly, while later series boasted Hattie Jacques as live-in secretary Griselda Pugh. Written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, the show was never hot on internal continuity. Hancock's domestic set-up changed weekly to best serve the plot. Although it was an immediate critical and ratings success, even at this early stage, its leading man exhibited signs of his famously self-destructive behaviour, fleeing to Rome during the recording of the second series, resulting in Harry Secombe stepping into the breach for three episodes. In 1956, Hancock's Half-Hour spun-off into television and both versions alternated until 1959. The TV show remained faithful to the radio series, although only Sid James was retained from the cast. Hancock was quick to prove he had a wonderfully expressive face to accompany that constantly exasperated voice and established himself for all time as sitcom's quintessential loser, constantly moaning: "Stone me, what a life!" Retaining that shape-changing quality, the programme continued to alter details of Hancock's life on a weekly basis, while a regular cast of actors, who came to be known as the East Cheam Repertory Company, filled in the various supporting roles as and when. As such, some of the radio crowd did get a look in, including Hattie Jacques and Kenneth Williams who made regular appearances. The radio show wound down in 1959, after nigh on 100 episodes. Meanwhile, on TV, Hancock was becoming concerned at the increasing popularity of co-star Sid James. Very much the man-on-the-street foil to his own pompous character, it was little wonder viewers were often rooting for the sidekick during their various confrontations. As a result, the star decreed that following the 1960 series, James was to be dropped and the show would continue without him, re-titled simply Hancock.


"In the 1920's, which sportsman was known as, ""The Manassa Mauler""?"

The Official Site of Jack Dempsey   BIOGRAPHY The smell of sweat fills the tiny room of screaming fans. Two boxer bob and weave in a miniscule ring, desperately attempting to bring each other to the ground. The primitive intensity of the fight continues to elevate, as fans can almost taste the tension in the pungent, sweat-filled air. Fatigue begins to set in on the opponent as his limp body starts to give into to the mighty bought. An ultimate look of fear sets in the opponent's eyes as Jack Dempsey's fist comes flying towards his face. His eyes close as a powerful and ferocious blow ensues. The opponent's body crumbles to the floor, his last recollection is being the bell sounding Jack Dempsey's victory. This was the scene was the commonality for many boxers who faced Jack Dempsey in the 1920s. Born in Manassa, Colorado on June 24, 1895, William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey rose to sports stardom in the 1920s. As a nomadic traveler from 1911 to 1916, Dempsey began boxing in the small mining towns of Colorado under the name "Kid Blackie." He emerged from numerous saloon floor-boxing matches to rein victorious in over 80 professional fights by the meager age of 24. Dempsey was perhaps best known for his thrilling knockout victories, many of which occurred in just seconds of the fightï¿½s onset. Dempsey proved his phenomenal ability in a battle of "David and Goliath" match of fists. His iron strength and killer left hooks allowed Dempsey to beat Jess Willard in 1919, leaving the giant bewildered and shattered. This victory awarded Dempsey both the heavyweight title and the nickname of the "Manassa Mauler, " the name that soon haunted potential opponents all around the country. Dempsey became a ring warrior through his tough defense of his title six times in just seven years. In most of his matches, there were no survivors. A day of disbelief for Dempsey occurred on September 23, 1926 when he was defeated by Gene Tunney and lost his heavyweight title. Ironically, this match yielded the largest paid attendance in boxing history. Tunney and Dempsey went head to head and fist to fist again in 1927 in hopes that Dempsey would reclaim his title. Dempsey lost this rematch, which was coined "The Battle of the Long Count" because of a call by the referee that Dempsey did not return to a neutral corner after Tunney had fallen. Tunney won the match three rounds later. Dempsey continued boxing in exhibitions after his defeat but retired from professional boxing in 1940 and went on to be a successful restaurant owner in New York. Dempsey retired with an astounding record of 60-7-8. Fifty of these wins were knockouts. He was a universally accepted sports star. With his bobbing and weaving stance, amazing speed, graceful agility, and pure power, Jack Dempsey will forever remain the perfect boxer and one of the greatest box office attractions of all time.


In the 1930's which car company manufactured a model called the Ruby?

Classic Car models and prices for cars from the Thirties 125 HP straight Eight 130" wheelbase Auburn 1935 851 Boattail Speedster Price $2250 The Boat Tail Speedster was one of the last cars made by Auburn with 150HP engine 4.6 Ltr supercharged eight and designed to attract the young and rich but the depression meant that even this magnificent pinnacle of Auburn found sales difficult Auburn changes and models for each year 1930 --- three chassis offered 6-85, 8-95, and 125 1932 ----- Auburn cars are reduced up to $400 dollars to try and sell cars 1933 ----- Updated styling and use of All Steel Construction 1935 ----- Abe Jenkins sets 70 records in a speedster including one burst of speed at 160 MPH 1936 ----- This is the final year for full production of Auburn cars with a total of 1180 cars made Buick 1930 Price $1195 Buick build better automobiles and they come in 15 luxurious body types ranging in price from $1190 to $2070 Buick 1932 Price $995 The new Buick for 1932 with wizard control with automatic clutch controlled freewheeling and new valve in head engine Buick 60 series 1933 It's a big honey for a little money with new dynaflash ignition Buick 4 door sedan 1936 The new Buick has more flowing lines and more powerful engine with light alloy pistons and with a new price reduction Buick changes and models for each year 1930 ----- Major restyle of all models with new series 40, 50 and 60 replacing older models and new adjustable drivers seats installed in all new Buicks 1932 ----- Dual taillights are introduced on most models 1933 ----- New styling includes fuller skirted fenders and more sweeping body curves 1935 ----- An Automatic choke is added on all models 1937 ----- Buicks receive handsome restyling 1938 ----- Rear Coil Suspension is added 1939 ----- Rear Turn signals become standard equipment and pushbutton radios introduced Cadillac GO 1936 The new Cadillac 61 the value sensation of the century for hundreds of dollars less Cadillac 1935 Passenger Sedan Body style of exceptional beauty with this V8 5 passenger Sedan, independent front wheel suspension, and form fitting springs in the deeply upholstered cushions Cadillac 1938 The New Fleetwood The comfort and luxury offered by Cadillacs new fleetwood with great interior roominess and cheap to buy and maintain and the amazing new sychromatic gear shift Cadillac changes and models for each year 1930 ----- Cadillac is the first to introduce a V16 engine the first in the industry 1932 ----- Cadillac suffers from deep depression with less sales across its range 1933 ----- All Models get Hydraulic Brakes as standard 1938 ----- Revolutionary Sixty Special Debuts to critical acclaim Chevrolet Six 1930 Worlds lowest price 6 , improved master blue flame engine, pressure steam oiling , cable brakes Chevrolet 1936 Now with Chevrolet Taking You Back In Time Prints Hydraulic brakes and a more powerful engine and balanced carburetors for more fuel economy Chevrolet 1935 Master Deluxe Prices from $560 New Master De luxe Chevrolet with improved master blue flame engine, pressure steam oiling , cable brakes and shock proof steering Chevrolet 1939 - 1940 Price $659 The new Chevrolet with exclusive vacuum power shift , silent valve in head engine, synchromesh transmission, new sealed beam headlights Chevrolet 6 1932 From $475 Performance thrills 0 to 35 mph in 6.7 seconds 60 horsepower silent synchromesh gearbox experience the joy of open top driving without stress or strain. Wide Range of Models included in The Chevrolet 6 Series Chevrolet changes and models for each year 1930 ----- Chevrolet introduces the dashboard mounted fuel gauge 1931 ----- All cars now fitted with Wire Wheels as standard and all prices are lowered in depressed market 1933 ----- Longer lower styling is introduced on Eagle Series and Automatic Electric Starter is introduced 1935 ----- Prices for all models range from $465 to $695 1936 ----- The Taking You Back In Time Prints blue flame engine now produces 85 BHP and all windows use safety glass as standard Chrysler 1938 Imperial The DG


1976, Olympic Gold medallist, Alwin Schockemohle, was a top class sportsman in which sport?

THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL HORSE SHOW OLYMPIA     You can spend a whole day at      Olympia in December 2006 12-18th.  The doors open at 9.30am for      afternoon performance ticket holders and you can spend the morning      browsing the shops or watching some of the morning events in the main      arena. The performance then starts at 1pm.   SHOW     JUMPING   Olympia     sees amazing sporting action during the course of the Show. Visitors     will be thrilled at the sight of all their favourite sporting heroes     taking each other on.   There     are two Show Jumping classes in each performance. The Showï¿½s most well     known and exciting classes include the FEI Jumping World Cup Qualifier     (Sunday afternoon), the Accenture Christmas Puissance (Friday evening)     and the Olympia Grand Prix (Monday evening). In addition, The Mitsubishi     Ride and Drive competition, in which competitors have to jump the     course, swop their horse for a car and drive through a course of cones,     all against the clock, takes place four times during the show, and     thereï¿½s a mix of other classes, including a Masters, a Speed Stakes, a     Knock Out and much more. Check the programme to see which classes you     will see on the day of your visit.       Show      Jumping is a relatively new equestrian sport. Until the Enclosures      Acts which came into force in England during the eighteenth century,      there had not been any need for a horse to jump fences as there had been none. The amazing physical      capabilities of the horse became recognised when they jumped these      fences as they endeavoured to take the shortest route possible whilst      on their journey across the country . The introduction of the      Enclosures Acts also brought new challenges for those followers of fox      hounds. Fences and boundaries were erected in many parts of the      country as the common land was dispersed between wealthy land owners.      This meant that those wishing to pursue their sport now needed horses      which were capable of jumping these obstacles.   The      first big international show jumping class to be held in England was      in the Horse of the Year Show held at Olympia in 1907. Most      participants were of a military background with inter country      competitions for a team trophy . Later , this further developed with      sufficient civilians participating for the competitions to be divided      into Military and Civilian sections. The judging decisions in those      early days were arbitrary to say the least.  Some judges marked      according to the severity of the obstacle and others on style. Prior      to 1907 no marks were deducted for refusals though a competitor may      have been asked to continue to the next obstacle for the sake of the      spectators.    Competitions      continued for as long as each judge saw fit and often those with the      least knockdowns did not even make the final line up ! In Britain ,      such questionable decisions led to the formation of the British Show      Jumping Association  but even then , each other individual      country held competitions under their own set of national rules. This      state of affairs continued until eventually many years on , the      formation of the FEI brought harmonization to the rules covering international      competitions. Even in those days the current 'disregarding' those      already qualified came into play with restrictions upon competitors      who had already won a 1st prize.   1972:   There     were only 300 advance ticket sales so Raymond Brooks-Ward set off down     Kensington High Street persuading, cajoling and bullying anyone and     everyone to come to the show! Nelson Pessoa won the Puissance on Odean     K. David Broome and Ted Edgar won the fancy dress.   1973:   Nelso


In March 2000, which British car company introduced a model called the Aero 8, its first new model for over thirty years?

Car History 4U - History of British Motor Car / Automobile Manufacturers History of British Motor Car / Automobile Manufacturers 8.7 Great Britain (UK) 8.7.1. Aston Martin The company was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford and the first car to bear the name was ready by 1915. After encountering financial difficulties during 1924/5  the company was sold in 1926 and renamed “Aston Martin Motors”. Seven years later, in 1933, the company changed ownership again. Up to the start of World War 2, in 1939, about 700 Aston Martin cars had been produced. In 1947 the company was purchased by David Brown Limited, who also acquired the Lagonda car company the same year. The DB range of cars started in 1948 with the 2-Litre Sports DB1. This was followed by the 2,580 cc DB2 (1950-53) and the racing model DB3 in 1957. The 240 hp (179 kW) 3,670 cc DB4 was first produced in 1958; a car with a top speed of 140 mph (224 kph).   By 1963, when production of the DB4 ceased, 1,110 had been made (from 1962 70 were convertibles). 100 short wheelbase DB4 GT/Zagoto models were also built. The lightweight DB4 GT version was introduced in 1959. 75 of these cars, which had a top speed of 153 mph (240 kph), were built. Is 75 correct? In 1961 the company launched the DB4 Vantage model. The 266 hp (198 kW) car was fitted with three SU carburettors. 136 saloons and 32 convertibles were built.   Between 1961 and 1963 19 DB4 GT Zagato models were produced, the bodies of which were built by Zagato in Italy.  The 3,995 cc DB 5 model was produced from 1963 to 1965. The 282 hp (210 kW) version, which was fitted with three SU carburettors, had a top speed of 141 mph (226 kph). In 1964 the company produced the high performance, 314 hp (234 kW), DB5 Vantage coupe model. 65 were built. A total of 1,024 DB5 models were produced; 901 two-door coupes and 123 convertibles. A figure of 1,063 has also been quoted. Which is correct? 19 of the convertibles were left-hand drive. 12 special estate car versions were also built. A DB5 car was used in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger (Ian Fleming’s book featured a DB Mark III). 1,567 DB6 models were produced from 1965 to 1970. The 325 hp (242 kW) 3,996 cc car had a top speed of 150 mph (240 kph). It accelerated from 0-60 mph (96 kph) in 8.4 seconds. A Mark 2 version was launched in 1969. Having been sold in 1972 to a British consortium, the company was bought in 1975  by two American  businessmen, who produced the V8 Vantage in 1977 and the the convertible Volante in 1978. Between the early 1980s and 1987 the company changed ownership three  more times until the Ford Motor Company initially purchased 75% of the company (gaining full control in 1993). Between 1968 and 1988 approx. 5,000 Aston Martin cars were made. In 1993 the company announced the DB7. In 2002, when production reached 6,000, the DB7 became the top selling DB model. The DB9 coupe was introduced in 2003, followed by a convertible version the following year. In March 2007 the Ford Motor Company sold Aston Martin to a British consortium led by David Richards. 8.7.2. Austin The Austin Motor Company was founded in 1905 by Herbert Austin, becoming a private limited company in 1908. In 1906 the company produced a large 5 litre family sized model, the first of about 8 different models that were produced in this first decade. In its first year the company produced 23 cars. By 1917 the company’s factory at Longbridge was the largest of its type in Great Britain. The first model introduced after the end of World War 1 was the Austin 20 in 1919. In 1922 a scaled down version, the Austin 12, was produced. Another model introduced in 1922 was the Austin 7, which remained in production until 1939 by which time over 375,000 had been made. It was also being built in Germany, U.S.A and France. In the early 1930s it was the most popular car in the world. The car had a 747 cc engine and a top speed of 42 mph (67 kph).   The first cars produced after World War 2 were based on pre-war designs. These were the Austin 8, 10, 12 & 16 models. The 1,200 cc Austin A40 wa


"In the 1920's, which sportsman was known as, ""The Sultan of Swat""?"

Sports Figures - The 1920's The 1920's Bibliography George Herman "Babe" Ruth, Jr., nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American professional baseball player. He was a Major League Baseball pitcher and outfielder who played for 22 seasons on three teams, from 1914 through 1935. Ruth was born in 1895 and died in 1948. Babe Ruth is most recognized for his many record breaking accomplishments and for being a role model for any sport fanatic in the 1920s. He was known as the greatest player of the century. William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American professional boxer and cultural icon of the 1920s. He held the World Heavyweight Championship from 1919 to 1926. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first million dollar gate.He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Harrison wrote a book called " How to Fight Tough". Harrison died in 1983.  Create a free website


Before becoming President, of which US state was Barack Obama a senator?

President Barack Obama | whitehouse.gov President Barack Obama Other Advisory Boards President Barack Obama Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States. His story is the American story -- values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others. Download Hi-res (1256 KB) Barack H. Obama is the 44th President of the United States. His story is the American story — values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others. With a father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas, President Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961. He was raised with help from his grandfather, who served in Patton's army, and his grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management at a bank. After working his way through college with the help of scholarships and student loans, President Obama moved to Chicago, where he worked with a group of churches to help rebuild communities devastated by the closure of local steel plants. He went on to attend law school, where he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. Upon graduation, he returned to Chicago to help lead a voter registration drive, teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago, and remain active in his community. President Obama's years of public service are based around his unwavering belief in the ability to unite people around a politics of purpose. In the Illinois State Senate, he passed the first major ethics reform in 25 years, cut taxes for working families, and expanded health care for children and their parents. As a United States Senator, he reached across the aisle to pass groundbreaking lobbying reform, lock up the world's most dangerous weapons, and bring transparency to government by putting federal spending online. He was elected the 44th President of the United States on November 4, 2008, and sworn in on January 20, 2009. After being re-elected in 2012, President Obama is currently serving his second and final term, which will end in January 2017. See photos from the President's second inauguration here. President Obama and his wife, Michelle, are the proud parents of two daughters, Malia and Sasha. Learn more about President Obama's spouse, First Lady Michelle Obama . Follow President Obama on Twitter at @POTUS . Send questions, comments, concerns, or well-wishes to the President or his staff online using this form . If you want to send a written letter, find out how to do that here .


"In the TV series, ""Steptoe and Son"", in which street did the Steptoe's live?"

Your next box set: Steptoe & Son | Television & radio | The Guardian Your next box set Your next box set: Steptoe & Son This diamond-hard comedy of manipulation and mistrust between two warring rag-and-bone men deserves the same adoration as its comedy peers Harry H Corbett (left) and Wilfred Brambell in Steptoe & Son. Photograph: BBC Share on Messenger Close You can't go five minutes these days without tripping over an old episode of Dad's Army or Morecambe and Wise . Yet Steptoe and Son , dating from the same era and chronicling the antics of two warring rag-and-bone men living in a fictional London street called Oil Drum Lane, was once a serious rival to those two shows as a national institution. But when did Steptoe, which mines a darker but no less rich seam of comedy, last get a serious re-airing on the small screen? The release of The Complete Steptoe & Son lets you do your own re-airing and wonder how it lost its gold-plated position in the nation's affections. Perhaps it is something to do with the faint whiff of Alf-Garnett -ish unreconstructedness that still clings to it, and the not-unreasonable fear someone will say something dodgy, at least to today's audiences. But that is missing the point. Steptoe works precisely because it is a diamond-hard comedy of manipulation and mutual disgust. It is fuelled by the spluttering frustrations of son Harold ( Harry H Corbett ), whose tennis-club membership, book-reading pretensions and desperate attempts to join the modern, swinging world are continually undermined by scraggly dad Albert ( Wilfred Brambell ), who boasts teeth straight out of the 1870s. In one of the show's funniest scenes , Harold brings back a young woman, played by a fantastic-looking Joanna Lumley , and her mother for a sherry (to be drunk out of hospital specimen glasses, it transpires) only to have his dad give her fleas. In a bid to kill one, Harold wallops her on the head, she slaps him back and the whole thing ends in murderous chaos as Harold gets out his DDT spraygun. It has been said that Steptoe is simply " Pinter with shorter pauses". After all, it does centre on two men, stuffed into a single room, locked in a life-and-death struggle, and occasionally battered by an outside world neither of them understands. Of course, the show did evolve, especially after Steptoe made the switch to colour in 1970 after a five-year break. In that decade, the Steptoes dabble in such modish activities as yoga, fashion photography and kung-fu. With sideburns extending ever southward, Harold even buys a waterbed. None of which alters the essence of the show: the comedy of rage acted out in Harry and Albert's war of attrition. The truth is that, although the BBC show began in 1962, it was itself harking back to an earlier era: the Boer war, maybe. And certainly in the first episode – actually a standalone comedy drama called The Offer , written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson as a teleplay for the BBC's Comedy Playhouse – you can't really tell when it was supposed to be set. With their horse and cart, their neckerchiefs and caps, Harold and Albert could have been onlookers at Queen Victoria's funeral parade, not trembling on the brink of a newer, more cosmopolitan age. This idea of the eternal societal underdog certainly explains Steptoe's mass appeal: before the changes that swept the 1950s and 60s, fun in Britain was restricted to tiny numbers of bohemians and aristocrats. Perhaps we've forgotten just how dramatic a shift that was: in the early decades of the 20th century, vast numbers of the working class (and what a Marxist would call the sub-proletariat, to which the Steptoes clearly belong) were simply cast adrift, with little in the way of a welfare state to act as a safety net. Perhaps Steptoe is just not as comfortable as Dad's Army and the like. But over time, its strangeness and its bleak nastiness build into something powerful and disturbing. And there aren't many sitcoms you can say that about.


"In which of Shakespeare's plays does the title of Aldous Huxley's novel, ""Brave New World"" originate?"

SparkNotes: Brave New World: Themes, Motifs & Symbols Themes, Motifs & Symbols Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. The Use of Technology to Control Society Brave New World warns of the dangers of giving the state control over new and powerful technologies. One illustration of this theme is the rigid control of reproduction through technological and medical intervention, including the surgical removal of ovaries, the Bokanovsky Process, and hypnopaedic conditioning. Another is the creation of complicated entertainment machines that generate both harmless leisure and the high levels of consumption and production that are the basis of the World State’s stability. Soma is a third example of the kind of medical, biological, and psychological technologies that Brave New World criticizes most sharply. It is important to recognize the distinction between science and technology. Whereas the State talks about progress and science, what it really means is the bettering of technology, not increased scientific exploration and experimentation. The state uses science as a means to build technology that can create a seamless, happy, superficial world through things such as the “feelies.” The state censors and limits science, however, since it sees the fundamental basis behind science, the search for truth, as threatening to the State’s control. The State’s focus on happiness and stability means that it uses the results of scientific research, inasmuch as they contribute to technologies of control, but does not support science itself. The Consumer Society It is important to understand that Brave New World is not simply a warning about what could happen to society if things go wrong, it is also a satire of the society in which Huxley existed, and which still exists today. While the attitudes and behaviors of World State citizens at first appear bizarre, cruel, or scandalous, many clues point to the conclusion that the World State is simply an extreme—but logically developed—version of our society’s economic values, in which individual happiness is defined as the ability to satisfy needs, and success as a society is equated with economic growth and prosperity. The Incompatibility of Happiness and Truth Brave New World is full of characters who do everything they can to avoid facing the truth about their own situations. The almost universal use of the drug soma is probably the most pervasive example of such willful self-delusion. Soma clouds the realities of the present and replaces them with happy hallucinations, and is thus a tool for promoting social stability. But even Shakespeare can be used to avoid facing the truth, as John demonstrates by his insistence on viewing Lenina through the lens of Shakespeare’s world, first as a Juliet and later as an “impudent strumpet.” According to Mustapha Mond, the World State prioritizes happiness at the expense of truth by design: he believes that people are better off with happiness than with truth. What are these two abstract entities that Mond juxtaposes? It seems clear enough from Mond’s argument that happiness refers to the immediate gratification of every citizen’s desire for food, sex, drugs, nice clothes, and other consumer items. It is less clear what Mond means by truth, or specifically what truths he sees the World State society as covering up. From Mond’s discussion with John, it is possible to identify two main types of truth that the World State seeks to eliminate. First, as Mond’s own past indicates, the World State controls and muffles all efforts by citizens to gain any sort of scientific, or empirical truth. Second, the government attempts to destroy all kinds of “human” truths, such as love, friendship, and personal connection. These two types of truth are quite different from each other: objective truth involves coming to a definitive conclusion of fact, while a “human” truth can only be explored, not defined. Yet both kinds of truth are united in the passion that an individual might feel for them. As a young man, Mustapha Mond became


"What is the main ingredient of the French soup, ""Bouillabaisse""?"

Bouillabaisse Recipe - Food.com (2) Most Helpful Fantastic flavor. I used vegetable stock as I do not like the flavor of chicken broth with fish. Also used fresh Haddock. Will definitely be making this again!! Thanks for a great recipe - next time I will try making with Shrimp Stock (I've been saving up shrimp and lobster shells in the freezer) Second review: Okay - so I FINALLY got around to making this delicious soup again AND I made the shrimp stock recipe referred to (#147961). WOW - I thought the soup was good all the other times I've made it (with a variety of fish) but using the homemade stock recipe put this over the top!! Nice part is, the stock recipe makes SO much I have plenty left over (now in the freezer) to use again. Thanks so much Rita for two great recipes that I have used over and over again with fantastic results.


"Who sang the theme tune, ""My Heart Will Go On"", in the 1997 film, ""Titanic""?"

Celine Dion - My Heart Will Go On Lyrics | MetroLyrics My Heart Will Go On Lyrics New! Highlight lyrics to add Meanings, Special Memories, and Misheard Lyrics... Submit Corrections Cancel Every night in my dreams I see you, I feel you That is how I know you, go on Far across the distance You have come to show you, go on memory  byAmandaH ,  Editor Celine Dion was photographed in a Titanic-themed hoodie by clothing brand Vetements one day, and the Internet went wild. Our hearts will go on and on forever… Near, far, wherever you are I believe that the heart does go on Once more you open the door And you're here in my heart and my heart will go on and on Love can touch us one time And last for a lifetime And never let go till we're gone Love was when I loved you One true time I hold you In my life we'll always go on Near, far, wherever you are I believe that the heart does go on Once more you open the door And you're here in my heart And my heart will go on and on You're here, there's nothing I fear And I know that my heart will go on We'll stay forever this way You are safe in my heart and my heart will go on and on Songwriters JAMES HORNER, WILL JENNINGS, CARMELO LA BIONDA, MICHANGELO Published by Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group Song Discussions is protected by U.S. Patent 9401941. Other patents pending.


During the reign of which British monarch was the American Declaration of Independence signed?

Milestones: 1776–1783 - Office of the Historian Milestones: 1776–1783 The Declaration of Independence, 1776 By issuing the Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress           on July 4, 1776, the 13 American colonies severed their political connections to           Great Britain. The Declaration summarized the colonists’ motivations for seeking           independence. By declaring themselves an independent nation, the American           colonists were able to confirm an official alliance with the Government of           France and obtain French assistance in the war against Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence Throughout the 1760s and early 1770s, the North American colonists found           themselves increasingly at odds with British imperial policies regarding taxation and frontier             policy . When repeated protests failed to influence British policies,           and instead resulted in the closing of the port of Boston and the declaration of           martial law in Massachusetts, the colonial governments           sent delegates to a Continental Congress to coordinate a colonial boycott of British           goods. When fighting broke out between American colonists and British forces in           Massachusetts, the Continental Congress worked with local groups, originally           intended to enforce the boycott, to coordinate resistance against the British.           British officials throughout the colonies increasingly found their authority           challenged by informal local governments, although loyalist sentiment remained           strong in some areas. Despite these changes, colonial leaders hoped to reconcile with the British           Government, and all but the most radical members of Congress were unwilling to           declare independence. However, in late 1775, Benjamin Franklin, then a member of           the Secret Committee of Correspondence, hinted to French agents and other           European sympathizers that the colonies were increasingly leaning towards           seeking independence. While perhaps true, Franklin also hoped to convince the           French to supply the colonists with aid. Independence would be necessary,           however, before French officials would consider the possibility of an           alliance. Throughout the winter of 1775–1776, the members of the Continental Congress came           to view reconciliation with Britain as unlikely, and independence the only           course of action available to them. When on December 22, 1775, the British           Parliament prohibited trade with the colonies, Congress responded in April of           1776 by opening colonial ports—this was a major step towards severing ties with           Britain. The colonists were aided by the January publication of Thomas             Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense, which           advocated the colonies’ independence and was widely distributed throughout the           colonies. By February of 1776, colonial leaders were discussing the possibility           of forming foreign alliances and began to draft the Model Treaty that would           serve as a basis for the 1778 alliance with France. Leaders for the cause of           independence wanted to make certain that they had sufficient congressional           support before they would bring the issue to the vote. On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion in Congress to           declare independence. Other members of Congress were amenable but thought some           colonies not quite ready. However, Congress did form a committee to draft a           declaration of independence and assigned this duty to


Which gas is produced when water is mixed with Calcium Carbide?

New Page 1              Y ou don't hear much about carbide anymore. In the old days it was a household word, especially among the boys who hunted and performed mean tricks at school. Calcium Carbide came in two forms, granulated and lump. The granulated form was a rock-like substance composed of small granules. The lump type was composed of irregular sizes of stone-like chunks. This chemical was available just about everywhere in the size container you desired. When we went hunting, we wore miner's lamps that operated on lump carbide. The lamp consisted of a small tank which unscrewed and into which you placed the lumps. There was another portion above that you filled with water. A valve let you drop water into the carbide. This chemical formed a combustible gas when combined with water, or just about any other liquid. In the lamps, the gas escaped through a jet and was ignited. A reflector behind it cast a beam of light several hundred feet into the darkness. When hunting, this beam caused the eyes of any 'possums, skunks or most other animals to glow. Different animals had different colors, and experienced hunters could tell you what was looking at you from the reflection. You could look up into a tall tree and spot the game instantly.             Many farms used carbide for lighting. The gas produced a bright jet of flame, and did a much better job of lighting a room than the regular kerosene lamp. For this use, a steel tank was buried, much as the later butane tanks were buried. Water was placed in the bottom of the tank and the carbide in an enclosure above. Granulated carbide was usually used in these tanks, and was allowed to fall into the water through a large wafer valve. This valve was pressure activated, and when the pressure reached an operating value, it closed. As you used the gas, the pressure dropped and allowed more carbide to fall into the water. There were a few small burner hot plates made to work off of carbide, and these did a good job of cooking bacon, eggs, etc.             Another more or less questionable use that school boys made of it was to play mean tricks at school. Those early schools were before the day of ball points and fiber points, and all desks contained an ink well. Usually a student kept a bottle of ink on the desk instead of using the ink well. You've all heard of mean boys dipping the curls of the girl seated in front in the ink well. But not many have heard about putting a lump or two of carbide in an ink bottle and pushing the cork in tight. As soon as enough pressure built up, the cork would burst out with an explosive noise and bang against the ceiling of the room. This created quite a distraction, and helped to tint the teacher's hair prematurely. Sometimes, if the explosion was violent enough, ink came out with the gas and made quite a mess.             But all this talk about carbide is just leading up to the furnace that my brother made in our blacksmith shop to replace coal for most forge operations. It would heat iron for shaping on an anvil with a hammer, or would even melt it if left in long enough. As you probably know, carbide is used in modern welding torches in the form of acetylene gas mixed with oxygen. A torch flame with acetylene and oxygen will melt just about any metal, and does an excellent job of welding.             Our old forge was built of rock and about three feet in diameter. A three inch stove pipe came up through the middle, which was of concrete and sloped downward toward the center. In regular coal operation, the coal was ignited in the middle, and air was blown through the hole in the center with a hand cranked blower. The blower was geared so that slow cranking produced high speed of the fan, and child labor was often recruited to turn the crank. The coal, fanned by the extra oxygen in the air, made a brilliant fire that would heat or melt steel.             My older brother constructed a carbide tank from an old steel tank he found abandoned by an oil field operation. The gas was injected into the fire area of the forge by four 1/8 inch pipes


"In 1883, which French impressionist artist, painted the picture ""Les Parapluies"", which depicts several people carrying umbrellas?"

Pierre-Auguste Renoir | The Umbrellas | NG3268 | National Gallery, London Why is this not on display? Renoir's 'Umbrellas' shows a bustling Paris street in the rain. The composition of the painting does not focus on the centre of the picture which is a tangle of hands. It even cuts off figures at either edge like a photographic snapshot. This kind of unconventional arrangement was something that several of the Impressionists, including Renoir and Degas , enjoyed experimenting with. The work is particularly intriguing in that it shows the artist at two separate points in his career, the second of which was a moment of crisis as he fundamentally reconsidered his painting style. When he began 'The Umbrellas' in 1880-1, Renoir was still using the typically loose brushwork and bright, pure colours of the Impressionist movement - the sort of technique he employed in 'The Skiff (La Yole)' . During the early 1880s, he became increasingly disillusioned with the Impressionist technique. He began to look back to more traditional art: the drawings of Ingres and the 'purity and grandeur' of classical art. Returning to 'The Umbrellas', he repainted the figure on the left in a crisper style, using a more muted palette. The rapid changes in women's fashions allow us to date the second stage of the painting to 1885-6. Share this painting


On a standard typewriter keyboard, over which number on the top row, is a circumflex positioned?

Patent US4633227 - Programmable keyboard for a typewriter or similar article - Google Patents Programmable keyboard for a typewriter or similar article US 4633227 A Abstract There is disclosed a programmable keyboard apparatus for allowing a user to select any one of a predetermined number of different keyboard arrangements such as the Qwerty or the Dvorak arrangements. The keyboard contains a plurality of fixed input keys arranged in rows and columns and according to a standard typewriter keyboard format. Each key has positioned above the key an indicating area whereby the designation or symbol for the key is automatically changed by the apparatus each time a different format is selected. In this manner, the user can experiment with keyboard formats which enable more rapid typing with fewer errors. The construction is extremely economical, and therefore, in utilizing the apparatus a user will have access to different keyboard arrangements which will increase the users ability to type or enter data. The keyboard disclosed can be used as a computer keyboard which will also enable a rapid change of symbols while permitting the operator to view the symbols for each different format through the respective windows. Images(4) Claims(9) I claim: 1. A programmable keyboard apparatus for allowing a user to select any one of a predetermined number of keyboard arrangements to enable the entry of alphanumeric data via said keyboard, said aparatus comprising: a plurality of fixed input keys arranged in rows and columns according to a standard typewriter keyboard format each said key includes a top surface having a straight top edge from which extends a partial circular section with said circular section containing more than 180 degrees; separate indicating areas, each one associated with one of said keys and positioned proximate to each key in said format for selectively displaying a proper symbol associated with said key and indicative of a character to be provided by said key according to said keyboard arrangements, each said separate indicating area including a transparent window positioned proximate said straight top edge of said associated key; means, associated with said indicating areas, for selecting any one of said predetermined number of arrangements to cause each indicating area to display that symbol associated with that character to be furnished by said key according to said selected keyboard arrangement, said selector means including a switch capable of being moved into any one of a predetermined number of positions indicative of selecting a particular keyboard arrangement; and means, coupled to said switch, for moving a predetermined distance upon a movement of said switch said means including an elongated slide member having parallel longitudinal slots one for each row of keys with each slot positioned over an associated row of keys and having areas between said slots that are positioned beneath said transparent windows in each of said rows, and indicia means coupled to said slide with said indicia being indicative of said symbols whereby when said means is moved, said slide moves to cause a selected symbol to appear in said window indicative of said character to be provided. 2. The programmable keyboard apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a first one of said keyboard arrangements is the Qwerty arrangement. 3. The programmable keyboard apparatus according to claim 2, wherein another keyboard arrangement is the Dvorak arrangement. 4. The programmable keyboard apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said keys is of the type providing mechanical feedback to a user. 5. The programmable keyboard apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of said keys is fabricated from a silicone rubber body. 6. The programmable keyboard according to claim 1, further including switching means coupled to said switch to provide a signal indicative of which one of said predetermined arrangements is selected, and memory means coupled to said switching means and operative to provide at an output a plurality of signals indicative o


"Who is the subject of the one-man show, ""Hurricane"", performed by Richard Dormer?"

Hurricane, the story of Alex Higgins, back in Belfast - BBC News BBC News Hurricane, the story of Alex Higgins, back in Belfast 8 January 2011 Close share panel Image caption Alex Higgins was said to be delighted with the play They say lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place but a Hurricane is set to make a return visit to Belfast. 'Hurricane,' the one-man show on the life of Belfast snooker legend Alex Higgins, is to be staged in his native city. The award-winning one-man show written and performed by Northern Ireland actor Richard Dormer returns to the Grand Opera House later this month. The show charts the spectacular rise and fall of the troubled Belfast-born snooker genius. Alex Higgins, who was twice world snooker champion and twice runner-up, was born in March 1949. He died in July last year after losing a prolonged battle with cancer. A talented player since boyhood, he turned professional at 22 and become the youngest snooker world champion, taking the title at this first attempt. Richard Dormer, a self-confessed non-snooker fan, said he had always thought Alex Higgins was "an incredibly charismatic and intense figure". He said he decided to write the play after meeting Higgins in a train station in Dublin. Alex, he said, told him he reminded of himself when he was a young man. It was then, said Dormer, that he became determined to portray Higgins on the stage. The show Hurricane won Richard Dormer the BBC Stewart Parker Award for New Writing and The Stage Edinburgh Fringe Best Actor award. He is married to Rachel O'Riorda who directed the play.