Lorena. Ochoa, the world's number one woman golfer, is from which country?

Mexican Lorena Ochoa, World's #1 Woman Golfer, Retires News Around the Republic of Mexico  Mexican Lorena Ochoa, World's #1 Woman Golfer, Retires Allan Wall - PVNN June 01, 2010 Lorena Ochoa was the world's top-ranked female golfer from 2007 to 2010. On May 2nd, 2010, Lorena Ochoa, the world's top-rated woman golfer, played her last pro tournament and retired from the game, at the age of 28. She gracefully bowed out of a successful career as the highest rated Mexican golfer (of either gender) in history. Lorena Ochoa was the world's top-ranked female golfer from 2007 to 2010. The sport of golf was apparently invented in the 1100s by shepherds in Scotland who knocked rocks into rabbit holes. The place where they invented the game is now known as the Old Course of St. Andrews (more on that later). Golf is still predominantly played in English-speaking countries. The ten countries with the most golf courses per capita are Scotland (still #1), New Zealand, Australia, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Canada, Wales, the U.S., Sweden and England. Notice that with the exception of Sweden, all are English-speaking countries. I remember NFL quarterback Jim McMahon complaining after a trip to Europe about the lack of golf on the old continent. Nevertheless, the game's popularity has been increasing outside the Anglo sphere, notably in East Asia. In Latin America, there are now more golf players and courses than ever before . In the Mexican metropolitan area in which I resided for a decade and a half, there was a very nice golf course, and a couple more new ones were added during my stay there. Lorena Ochoa was born in 1981 to a well-to-do family in Guadalajara, Mexico. Her family actually lived on the grounds of the Guadalajara Country Club so it wasn't surprising that she started playing golf at the age of five. Little Lorena was soon competing, winning a state competition when she was 6 and a national competition at seven. By the age of 8 she was #1 in the Junior World Ranking. When she was 11, Lorena was at the Guadalajara Country Club and asked professional golfer Rafael Alarcon to help her improve her golf game, telling him her goal was to be the world's best player. Alarcon became her coach. Lorena continued to win golf victories in Mexico and wound up winning five consecutive titles at the Junior World Golf Championships in San Diego California. She eventually received a golf scholarship to the University of Arizona, where she began attending in 2000. Besides playing golf, she was able to improve her English there. She studied sports psychology. Lorena's college-level golf career was quite successful. She won the NCAA Player of the Year Award in 2001 and 2002, and set several NCAA records (seven consecutive victories in her initial seven competitions and the single-season NCAA scoring average record as a freshman). After her sophomore year, Lorena Ochoa left the University of Arizona to go pro. She did well on the 2002 Futures Tour and earned entry into the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) in 2003. By 2004 she had won her first title, the Franklin American Mortgage Championship. It was the first triumph by a Mexican player on an LPGA tour. In 2007, at the age of 25, she became the world's #1 woman golfer, a ranking she maintained until her retirement in May of 2010. Lorena Ochoa won the 2007 Ricoh Women's British Open (played that year at the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland, the world's oldest golf course because golf was invented there). She also won the 2008 Kraft Nabisco Championship. Other victories included the 2009 Honda LPGA Thailand and the 2009 Navistar LPGA Classic in Alabama. In Mexico she won the Corona Morelia Championship in 2006 and the same tournament (renamed Corona Championship) in 2008 and 2009. Lorena Ochoa was named the AP Female Athlete of the Year in 2006 and 2007, and the Golf Writers Association of America Female Player of the Year in 2006, 2007 and 2008. In 2008, the ESPN cable network awarded her the Best International Athlete ESPY Award. She won the Mexico National Sports Aw


Which bands two albums to date are 'Employment' and 'Yours Truly, Angry Mob'?

Yours Truly, Angry Mob - Kaiser Chiefs | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic Kaiser Chiefs google+ AllMusic Review               by James Christopher Monger It's no secret that the Leeds-based Kaiser Chiefs love the Jam . The band's 2005 excellent but uneven debut Employment was an infectious salute to all things mod and Brit-pop, boasting three solid singles ("I Predict a Riot," "Oh My God" and "Everyday I Love You Less and Less") that held great promise for future endeavors. On Yours Truly, Angry Mob , the group takes a little more time in establishing its pop acumen, offering no immediate pay-offs despite its insatiable thirst for FM melody. Opener and first single "Ruby," a rowdy, mid-tempo singalong that gets everything right but feels a little tossed-off and disposable, is indicative of Angry Mob 's first half -- "Heat Dies Down," "Love's Not a Competition (But I'm Winning)" and "Highroyds" have all of their cogs well-oiled and reliably dressed, but there's nothing here that warrants the inevitable second listen in which a perfectly constructed pop song's true genius is revealed. To that end, Angry Mob is creatively back loaded (though not genius), relying on a series of rewarding and occasionally subversive tracks like "I Can Do It Without You," "Learnt My Lesson Well," "My Kind of Guy" and closer "Retirement" to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump, revealing a band that is likely to continue pumping out albums with a few great songs on them until the requisite "Greatest Hits" collection arrives. [ Yours Truly, Angry Mob is also available in an edition with three bonus tracks.] Track Listing


What is the family name of the Royal House of Sweden?

The who's who of the Swedish royal family Home » Who's who in the Swedish royal family? With another high-profile wedding on the horizon, the world is talking about the Swedish royal family and HELLO! Online takes a look at their family tree to bring you everything you need to know ahead of the celebrations. Since being founded in 1818, the House of Bernadotte has made its name as a modern monarchy with strong levels of public support. Shaped by the King to adapt to the current age, the Swedish royal family is regarded by many as the world's most contemporary reigning clan.   In a similar manner to Britain, the King is apolitical and his royal duties are mainly of a representative and ceremonial nature. As head of state, the King will receive foreign envoys and other heads of state, but will have no say on the government or Prime Minister’s political decisions.   King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden The reigning King, Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden , has been head of state for the past 40 years. He inherited the crown from his grandfather, after his own father died in a plane crash in 1950 when the then Prince was only four years old. Describing himself as being "shy my whole life", the 67-year-old has established himself as a well-respected figure, often disregarding old-fashioned traditions and choosing to do things his way. When he was crowned King at the age of 27 in 1973, Carl chose the motto "For Sweden – with the times" and it is a principle he has stuck to throughout his reign, allowing the monarchy to adapt to the modern world. Only the country's second sovereign to marry while on the throne, he disregarded centuries-old traditions that discouraged royals from marrying commoners, showing his strength of character. In 1980 Sweden became the first monarchy to adopt absolute primogeniture, making the heir the first-born regardless of gender rather than the first-born male. This was just another of his steps to shake up established traditions. An unofficial biography published a few years ago did cast a slight shadow over his reputation, however.  The book, which the King is said not to have read, described his partying as a young man and linked him with a series of women including one affair in the Nineties with singer Camilla Henemark, which his wife Queen Silvia  knew about. At an impromptu press conference the monarch told journalists he'd talked to the Queen and "we will turn the page and go on".  Many Swedish people appreciated that he addressed the issue head on and the royal family pulled together.    CLICK ON PHOTO FOR FULL GALLERY   Queen Silvia of Sweden Working at the Munich Olympic Games in 1972 as an interpreter and educational host, young Silvia Renate Sommerlath, a German-Brazilian who lived in the city at the time, had no idea that she was about to meet her future husband. The pair said they knew it was love at first sight, with Carl Gustaf saying that it "just clicked". The couple courted for four years before announcing their engagement in 1976. Three months later they were married and the young beauty became Queen Silvia of Sweden. Known for her elegance and beauty, the Queen is a woman of many talents. She is a trained interpreter and speaks six languages, even dabbling in Swedish Sign Language. She has set a strong example for her children and the nation with her charity work, having co-founded the World Childhood Foundation in 1999 to protect children from abuse. She is also patroness of the "Queen Silvia Fund" operated by the World Scout Foundation, which raises funds for scouts with disabilities. Her broader work for the disabled granted her a prestigious German prize, the Deutscher Kulturpreis.     Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden Victoria was the first-born child of Sweden's King and Queen, making her the first person to benefit from the change in legislation and become the heir to her father's throne. The 35-year-old is no stranger to the media, making public appearances worldwide including visits to soldiers in Afghanistan. Acting as Head of State when her father is not in the country, Victoria i


Who was Emperor of Rome when Boudicca, queen of the Iceni, led her famous revolt?

Boudicca: Warrior Queen of the Iceni Boudicca: Warrior Queen of the Iceni By Owen Jarus, Live Science Contributor | May 31, 2013 05:43pm ET MORE Credit: Claudio Divizia Shutterstock Boudicca (also spelled Boudica or Boudicea) was the queen of the Iceni, a tribe based in modern day Norfolk, in eastern England. In A.D. 60, she led a revolt against the Romans that resulted in the destruction of two (possibly three) Roman settlements and almost drove the empire off the island. Much of what we know about her comes from two Roman writers, Publius Cornelius Tacitus (A.D. 56-117) and Cassius Dio (A.D. 150-235).  The revolt began after the death of her husband, Prasutagus, around A.D. 60. Tacitus writes that the Romans seized Iceni property, flogged Boudicca and raped her two daughters. She then raised an army and led a rebellion against the Romans which, after initial success, was crushed at the Battle of Watling Street. For a society as patriarchal as imperial Rome, the fact that a woman had succeeded in killing so many Romans was disconcerting to say the least. “Two cities were sacked, eighty thousand of the Romans and of their allies perished, and the island was lost to Rome. Moreover, all this ruin was brought upon the Romans by a woman, a fact which in itself caused them the greatest shame,” wrote Dio (translation by Earnest Cary, through penelope.uchicago.edu ). The only physical description of Boudicca that survives comes from Dio. Although it may not be accurate, it leaves readers with the impression that Boudicca was a determined war leader. “In stature she was very tall, in appearance most terrifying, in the glance of her eye most fierce, and her voice was harsh; a great mass of the tawniest hair fell to her hips; around her neck was a large golden necklace; and she wore a tunic of divers colours over which a thick mantle was fastened with a brooch. This was her invariable attire ...” wrote Dio, who added that she clutched a spear when she spoke to her people. Dio (unlike Tacitus) doesn’t mention the flogging of Boudicca, or the rape of her daughters, and claims the uprising was over a Roman loan. The Romans and the Iceni The Roman Empire, under Emperor Claudius, launched a successful invasion of Britain in A.D. 43 with an army estimated to be around 40,000 men. Military campaigns had been launched by earlier Roman leaders against the Brits (one notably led by Julius Caesar) but this time the Romans were here to stay. [ Related: Hadrian's Wall: Northern Frontier of the Roman Empire ] Claudius’ force didn’t try and defeat every British tribe. Several leaders offered to make their kingdoms “client-states” of Rome. This basically meant that as long as their leaders lived, and did Rome’s bidding when asked, they could maintain some level of sovereignty within the Roman Empire. The Iceni were one of the tribes who agreed to this arrangement and they remained a client state of Rome up until the death of Prasutagus around A.D. 60. The Iceni, at the time of the Roman invasion, were a wealthy people (as evidenced by hoards of precious metals that have been found) whose leaders had been minting coins for nearly a century. Some of the earliest Iceni coins show an image of what Miranda Aldhouse-Green, a Cardiff University professor, calls a “snapping wolf,” a choice that may offer an insight into the psyche of these people. The “wolf is both a wild creature, a potential enemy to humans, and also lives and hunts in packs; it therefore may have acted as a symbol of independent solidarity,” she writes in her book, "Boudica Britannia: Rebel, War-Leader and Queen" (Pearson Education, 2006). She also notes that the Iceni people also kept making ceramics by hand, even though they had access to the potter’s wheel.  Even before Boudicca, the Iceni’s client-state relationship with Rome was problematic. In A.D. 47, a short-lived unsuccessful revolt was launched by the Iceni against Rome. This rebellion may have led to the elevation of Prasutagus to the leadership of the tribe, perhaps being seen by the Romans as a leader who could keep the


In which year were British women granted full voting rights?

Winning the Vote for Women Around the World - Timeline International Woman Suffrage Timeline Winning the Vote for Women Around the World Progress of states and nations with woman suffrage.  Courtesy Library of Congress. Original published in Harper's Magazine, April 25, 1908. By Jone Johnson Lewis Updated April 01, 2016. When did various nations give all women the right to vote? Many granted suffrage in steps -- some locales gave the vote for local elections first, or some racial or ethnic groups were excluded until later. Often, the right to stand for election and the right to vote were given at separate times. "Full suffrage" means that all groups of women were included, and could both vote and run for any office. This list was compiled from many online and print resources; I've listed a few references for those who want more information. Also see the state-by-state timeline and the women's suffrage events timeline . 1850-1879 1851: Prussian law forbids women from joining political parties or attending meetings where politics is discussed. 1869: Britain grants unmarried women who are householders the right to vote in local elections 1862/3: Some Swedish women gain voting rights in local elections. 1880-1899 1881: Some Scottish women get the right to vote in local elections. continue reading below our video 10 Facts About the Titanic That You Don't Know 1893: New Zealand grants equal voting rights to women. 1894: The United Kingdom expands women's voting rights to married women in local but not national elections.  1895: South Australian women gain voting rights. 1899: Western Australian women were granted voting rights.  1900-1909 1901: Women in Australia get the vote, with some restrictions.  1902: Women in New South Wales get the vote. 1902: Australia grants more voting rights to women. 1906: Finland adopts woman suffrage. 1907: Women in Norway are permitted to stand for election. 1908: Women in Denmark some women granted local voting rights. 1908: Victoria, Australia, grants women voting rights. 1909: Sweden grants vote in municipal elections to all women. 1910-1919 1913: Norway adopts full woman suffrage. 1915: Women get the vote in Denmark and Iceland. 1916: Canadian women in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan get the vote. 1917: When the Russian Czar is toppled, the Provisional Government grants universal suffrage with equality for women; later the new Soviet Russian constitution includes full suffrage to women. 1917: Women in the Netherlands are granted the right to stand for election. 1918: The United Kingdom gives a full vote to some women -- over 30, with property qualifications or a UK university degree -- and to all men age 21 and older. 1918: Canada gives women the vote in most provinces by federal law. Quebec is not included. Native women were not included. 1918: Germany grants women the vote. 1918: Austria adopts woman suffrage. 1918: Women given full suffrage in Latvia, Poland, Estonia, and Latvia. 1918: Russian Federation gives women the right to vote. 1921: Azerbaijan grants woman suffrage. (Sometimes given as 1921 or 1917.) 1918: Women granted limited voting rights in Ireland. 1919: Netherlands gives women the vote. 1919: Woman suffrage is granted in Belarus, Luxembourg and Ukraine. 1919: Women in Belgium granted right to vote. 1919: New Zealand allows women to stand for election. 1919: Sweden grants suffrage with some restrictions. 1920-1929 1920: On August 26 , a constitutional amendment is adopted when the state of Tennessee ratifies it, granting full woman suffrage in all states of the United States. (For more on woman suffrage state-by-state, see the American Woman Suffrage Timeline .) 1920: Woman suffrage is granted in Albania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. 1920: Canadian women get the right to stand for election (but not for all offices - see 1929 below). 1921: Sweden gives women voting rights with some restrictions. 1921: Armenia grants woman suffrage. 1921: Lithuania grants woman suffrage. 1921: Belgium grants women the right to stand for election. 1922: Irish Free State, separating from


There are three snakes native to Britain, the adder, the grass snake and which other?

British Snakes, UK, English, Scottish, Welsh Snakes British Snakes   Guide to British Snakes   Britain does not have an abundance of reptiles mostly due to it’s cool damp temperate climate unlike it’s more southerly warmer neighbours like France and Spain. It does however support three types of native British snake and quite a few different species of lizard. Whilst most people are quite aware of the two most populous native snakes that inhabit the British Isles, The Adder and the Grass Snake , few people know of a third, The Smooth Snake . The distribution of these three snakes is quite wide with the Adder being spread all over mainland Britain, the grass snake generally keeping to the warmer regions just below Scotland and down to the South Coast, and the smooth snake only found in the Southern Counties. They feed on a wide variety of smaller mammals, birds, lizards, frogs, newts and other similar size prey. In order to survive the harsh winters all three hibernate from October time right through till spring, conserving their energy by slowing down their metabolism until the sun is strong enough to be able to provide them with the solar energy they need to move and hunt. Please click the following links for more information on each species.


"Which Romantic artist painted ""Liberty Leading the People""?"

July 28: Liberty Leading the People | artble.com July 28: Liberty Leading the People July 28: Liberty Leading the People July 28: Liberty Leading the People Date of Creation: July 28, 1830, Liberty on the Barricades Height (cm): July 28: Liberty Leading the People Story / Theme Delacroix writing to his brother: "I have undertaken a modern subject, a barricade, and although I may not have fought for my country, at least I shall have painted for her. It has restored my good spirits." July 28: Liberty Leading the People Eugene Delacroix Charles X Through July 28: Liberty Leading the People, Delacroix tells the story of Trois Glorieuses - Three Glorious Days - the Parisian uprising on July 27, 28, and 29 of 1830. The liberal republicans were outraged by the violation of the Constitution, and overthrew Charles X, who was to be the last Bourbon king of France. His predecessor was Louis Philippe, the Duke of Orleans. In this artwork Liberty is personified in the form of a vibrant, rebellious, bare breasted woman who leads the people to victory. She carries the flag proudly. Thrilled to have a modern subject to paint, Delacroix took to the canvas with great pride and patriotism. Though he had not taken an active part in the fighting of the revolution he had done his share for his country. Instead of guns and cannons he used an easel and a paintbrush - he felt it was his duty as a painter to record this event as the revolutionists felt it was their duty to fight. The artist was touched by the three days of revolt by the upper-class, the middle-class, and the lower-class in France all fighting to overthrow Charles X to show their outrage of the violation of the constitution and thus he paid honor to this event by providing a historical recount of French history. July 28: Liberty Leading the People is one of his most remembered and favored works today. July 28: Liberty Leading the People Analysis July 28: Liberty Leading the People Eugene Delacroix July 28: Liberty Leading the People Critical Reception July 28: Liberty Leading the People Eugene Delacroix Musée du Luxembourg Paris It comes as no surprise that July 28: Liberty Leading the People, as most works of genius, was rejected by contemporary critics. As it was hidden from public view until the year of Eugene Delacroix's death, it wasn't until afterward that the painting received positive reflections from critics. Contemporary reception: July 28: Liberty Leading the People was not available for public viewing during the king's reign. Critics failed to respond to this innovative work, accustomed to a more classical representation of reality. Delacroix's mix of reality with allegory, actuality and fiction, symbolism and documentary proved too advanced and imaginative for them. Posthumous reception: July 28: Liberty Leading the People entered the Musée du Luxembourg in 1863, the same year that Delacroix died. It was moved to the Louvre 11 years later. The response to the work was slightly more favorable after being relocated but it didn't receive the credit it duly deserved until much later on. Modern day reception: Critics of today perceive July 28: Liberty Leading the People as a masterpiece and a universal work. They admire the Romantic historical painting and appreciate Delacroix's unique take on this historical landmark. July 28: Liberty Leading the People Related Paintings Statue of Liberty Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World), 1886: It is said that the Statue of Liberty was inspired by Delacroix's very own personified character of Liberty in his July 28: Liberty Leading the People. A gift from France to New York City, the Statue of Liberty was designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and was constructed just 50 years after Delacroix's masterpiece. The statue, with a raised right arm holds a torch proudly, very similar to the pose in which Liberty holds the French flag. July 28: Liberty Leading the People Locations Through Time - Notable Sales Musée du Louvre Paris July 28: Liberty Leading the People was purchased by the French government in 1831. Its intention


Elaine Bookbinder is the real name of which Mancunian singer?

Elkie Brooks | New Music And Songs | Elkie Brooks About Elkie Brooks British pop-jazz-blues crooner Elkie Brooks (born Elaine Bookbinder) dominated U.K. radio in the late '70s with a series of hit singles that established her as "the biggest-selling female album artist in the history of the British pop charts." The Manchester native, who grew up in an extremely musical family, left school at the age of 15 to join a dance band in London. She eventually mad the jump to radio, as well as numerous appearances with legendary jazz bandleader Humphrey Lyttelton, before embarking on a career in pop music. The early '60s saw the budding young singer releasing singles for Decca and EMI, as well as opening for everyone from Carl Perkins to the Beatles, but commercial success remained elusive. She joined the blues-rock band Dada in 1970, which would eventually find success through a name change (Vinegar Joe) and the arrival of a new vocalist, Robert Palmer. The popular group released three beloved records before disbanding in 1974, and after a brief stint with U.S. Southern rock band Wet Willie, Brooks decided to take another crack at a solo career. The resulting Rich Man's Woman, Two Days Away, Shooting Star, Live & Learn, Pearls, and Pearls II, as well as frequent sold-out tours and numerous silver, gold, and platinum recordings, would go on to cement her reputation well into the 21st century. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi Hear more of


Phillips Idowu and Nathan Douglas represent Great Britain in which athletics discipline?

Phillips Idowu steps back from triple-jump to 'pursue other interests' | Sport | The Guardian Phillips Idowu steps back from triple-jump to 'pursue other interests' • Londoner failed to make European Team event squad • Idowu had been expected at world championships trials Phillips Idowu set a then personal best of 17.73m to win the men's triple jump at the 2009 world championships in Berlin. Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images Wednesday 10 July 2013 14.58 EDT First published on Wednesday 10 July 2013 14.58 EDT Close This article is 3 years old Phillips Idowu , the former triple-jump world champion, will not compete at this summer's championships after taking a "step back" from athletics, raising concerns that he has hung up his spikes permanently and will never again represent Great Britain. The charismatic 34-year-old failed to make the Olympic final at last year's Games and has competed sporadically since then, dropping out of the world top 50 and being omitted from Britain's squad for last month's European Team Championships in Gateshead. Idowu's struggle for form has been compounded by a series of injuries and, while he has not retired from the sport, walking away for the "foreseeable future" to pursue other interests could spell the end of his competitive career. "After some careful consideration I have decided that I will be taking a step back from athletics," said Idowu. "I feel this is the right time for me to make this decision and it's not a choice I've made lightly. I greatly appreciate all of the support I have received over the past years, particularly from the British public and my team and sponsors; it has been an extremely happy and successful time. I'm excited about pursuing other interests and taking other opportunities that present themselves to me during this break." In 2011 Idowu fell out with the former UK Athletics head coach Charles van Commenee in dramatic fashion. Van Commenee claimed the athlete announced his decision to pull out of that year's European Team Championships on Twitter without contacting UKA beforehand, an accusation Idowu rejected. However, the row escalated and continued into the build-up to last year's Olympics when Van Commenee criticised Idowu's preparation for the Games, calling him the "invisible man" and claiming the athlete had not seen or spoken to his coach for a fortnight. Idowu's relationship with UKA has greatly improved since Van Commenee's departure after the Games, and the current performance director, Neil Black, praised the triple-jumper's "fantastic career". "It's a big brave decision for Phil and, whilst we're sad to see him hang up his spikes for now, he's had a fantastic career," said Black. "Winning medals across all major championships, including gold at world, European and Commonwealth, is a brilliant record, and myself and many of my colleagues feel privileged to have worked alongside him through the ups and downs of a long career. We wish him all the best and we are sure we will continue to see him inspiring youngsters into athletics in whatever he decides to do." Idowu had been expected to compete at this weekend's world championships trials but will now consider his options, having already taken the significant step of moving from his training base in Birmingham to Enfield this year. "Now family takes priority," he said in March. "My family and friends are here. I wanted to move back home to make life easier for my wife and my kids." The London-born athlete may currently be ranked behind his compatriots Nathan Douglas and Julian Reid but Idowu has been Britain's best performer in the triple-jump since Jonathan Edwards retired in 2003. Idowu underwent surgery last autumn after suffering from a leg injury, although a heel problem this year has left him unable to find the impressive form of his early career, despite parting ways from his coach Aston Moore and linking up with Femi Akinsanya. He jumped 16.44m at the Diamond League event in Rome last month but that distance is some way short of the qualification target for the world championships, with


"The wedding processional known as ""Here Comes the Bride"" is by which famous composer?"

Who Composed the Wedding March Who Composed the Wedding March 12 Sep, 2011 who composed 0 A wedding is arguably the most important day in a person’s life. Every part of the day is carefully planned to the finest detail and this includes the music to be used for the bride’s entrance. Some people choose more traditional music, while others prefer a modern song. This custom dates back to the 1858 royal wedding and traditional songs used for this part of the ceremony are still very popular. Let’s take at the composers of the two most popular wedding marches. Who composed the Wedding March? The term Wedding March is used for two very distinct pieces of music. It gets even more confusing because wedding march can refer to any piece of music that is used during the bride’s entrance. The first composition known as The Wedding March is better known as Here Comes the Bride or, more properly, The Bridal Chorus. This piece of music was composed by famous composer Richard Wagner in 1848 for his opera called Lohengrin. The second piece of music known as The Wedding March was composed by Felix Mendelssohn in 1842 as a march written for Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Both of these compositions are the most frequently used for the bride’s entrance. These two pieces of music can also be used together. The Bridal Chorus is used for the bride’s entrance and the Wedding March is used when the newlyweds exit the church. This became popular because of the royal wedding in 1858 when these pieces of music were used in this manner. Related Articles


As what is the game of 'petanque' better known?

Petanque - The French Game of Boules     The game of boules, otherwise known as pétanque , is perhaps the sport that is closest to French hearts. Similar to British lawn bowling or Italian bocce , the French version is traditionally played with metallic balls on a dirt surface beneath plane trees, with a glass of pastis at hand. The local boulodrome is a social focal point in southern France. The object of the game is to throw your balls  usually with somewhat of an arched back-spin  so that they land closer to the small object ball (cochonnet ) than those of your opponent, or strike and drive the object ball toward your other balls and away from your opponent's. Equipment check The only really essential equipment is a set of three steel boules. A set costs anywhere from US$5 for a rusty old set you may be lucky enough to come across to US$120 for a competition set. To be legitimate for competition play, a boule must conform to the following specifications: Weight: From 650 to 800 grams [1lb. 7oz.  1lb. 12oz.] Diameter: From 70.5 to 80.0mm [2.78"  3.15"]       A player who specializes in pointing (or placing) should normally favor a small, heavy boule. A heavy boule is slightly more difficult to displace, and a boule of the minimum allowable diameter presents a smaller target to the opposition's shooters. Women and young boys, usually having smaller hands and less arm strength, frequently compromise by selecting a boule that is both light and small. A shooter should choose a lighter boule for the best chance of success. This may seem surprising, but in fact the decreased momentum of a light boule gives it the best chance of remaining in place after knocking an opponent's boule out of the game (the perfect, and much admired, shot known as a carreau ). A shooter should not use a small boule: a shot that just barely misses with a small boule might have been effective if only that extra 5 mm had been on the radius! La Boule Bleue of Marseille has a special web page enabling you to pick the right boule for yourself in a step-by-step process. In choosing a boule, however, perhaps the overriding consideration is "play with what feels comfortable to you." Desirable but non-essential equipment by Charles Homualk de Lille   A proper cochonnet is turned from beech wood and is between 2.5 cm and 3.5 cm (1" to 1-3/8") in diameter. In the South of France, the home of pétanque, a cochonnet can be bought for very small change indeed. It may help to have a brightly-colored cochonnet, especially in conditions of low light, but the rules specify that a cochonnet may be stained but not painted. A cochonnet is not regarded as essential, since in any gathering of pétanqueurs many people can be counted on to provide one. At a pinch, many natural objects can stand in. A steel tape measure, preferably in centimeters Usefulness of a tape measure should be obvious: to settle arguments as to which of two boules is closer to the cochonnet. Very non-essential equipment As with all sports, equipment shops will try and sell you whatever they can, with the assurance that "you'll find you really need this". The following pétanque trivia is definitely not necessary  although some of it is undeniably fun.... Peaked cap for playing against the sun Calipers for really fine measurements of distance Hand-held score keeper (sometimes provided with an image of Fanny on the back) Powerful magnet on the end of a string: for those who have trouble bending down to pick up boules Special cloth for wiping grit off boules Here are several sources of pétanque equipment in the USA, U.K., and France: Pétanque America


On which Scottish golf course was the first British Open played in 1861?

British Open | golf | Britannica.com British Open Alternative Titles: the Open, the Open Championship Related Topics PGA Championship British Open, officially the Open Championship or the Open, one of the world’s four major golf tournaments—with the Masters Tournament , the U.S. Open , and the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Championship—and the oldest continually run championship in the sport. Best known outside the United States as the Open Championship or, simply, the Open, it has been held annually (with a few exceptions) on various courses in Scotland , England , and—on one occasion— Northern Ireland since 1860. (For more on the tournament’s name, see Researcher’s Note: British Open? Open Championship? .) Jack Nicklaus competing in the British Open (Open Championship) at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club … Steve Powell—Allsport/Getty Images History The first Open Championship was played on October 17, 1860, at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. A field of eight professionals played three rounds of Prestwick’s 12-hole course in one day. Willie Park, Sr., won the inaugural tournament and was presented with the Challenge Belt, a silver-buckled leather belt that each champion was to keep until the following Open. The tournament was opened to amateurs in 1861. In 1863 a purse of £10—which was to be shared among the professionals who finished in second, third, and fourth place—was introduced, and a first-place cash prize of £6 was added in 1864. In 1870 Tom Morris, Jr. , won the Open for the third consecutive time and was thus allowed to keep the Challenge Belt permanently. As there was no award to present to the winner, the Open was not held again until 1872, when it was determined that the winning golfer would receive the Golf Champion Trophy, now commonly known as the Claret Jug. In 1892 the Open became a 72-hole event (four rounds of 18 holes), and in 1898 a cut (reduction of the field) was introduced after the first two rounds of play. Similar Topics World Cup The Open has always been dominated by professionals, with only six victories by amateurs, all before 1930. The last of those was Bobby Jones ’s third Open, which was part of his celebrated Grand Slam (four major tournament victories in one calendar year). The popularization of golf in the mid-20th century produced a string of noteworthy Open champions, including England’s Sir Henry Cotton (winner in 1934, 1937, and 1948), South Africa’s Bobby Locke (1949–50, 1952, 1957), Australia’s Peter W. Thomson (1954–56, 1958, 1965), and the United States’ Arnold Palmer (1961–62) and Tom Watson (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982–83). Watson’s final win in 1983 ended an era of U.S. domination, during which American golfers won 12 times in 14 years. For the next 11 years there was only one American winner, with the Claret Jug going to Spain’s Seve Ballesteros , Australia’s Greg Norman , and England’s Nick Faldo, among others. Arnold Palmer. Courtesy, Arnold Palmer Enterprises; photograph, Eiko Oizumi In 1995 the Open became part of the PGA Tour’s official schedule. American John Daly won that year after a play-off with Italy’s Costantino Rocca, beginning another period of American supremacy at the Open in which 10 of the next 13 winners hailed from the United States, including Tiger Woods , who won three championships (2000, 2005–06). Subsequent years saw a number of victories by golfers for whom the Open was their first major tournament triumph, including Paul Lawrie in 1999, David Duval in 2001, Ben Curtis in 2003, and Padraig Harrington in 2007. American golfer Tiger Woods kissing the Claret Jug after winning the British Open (Open … Leo Mason/Corbis Another notable Open champion is Jack Nicklaus , who won in 1966, 1970, and 1978 and placed in the top five 16 times, including seven second-place finishes. Harry Vardon won the Open six times—more than any other player—and four golfers, including Thomson and Watson, won five championships. South African Gary Player , who won the title in 1968 and 1974, holds the record for the most appearances in the Open, with 46. Harry Vardon. S


Who wrote the Dream of Gerontius which Elgar later set to music?

Elgar - His Music : The Dream of Gerontius - A Musical Analysis THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS A Musical Tour of the Work conducted by Frank Beck "Or have I sung theirs?" (Photograph by Ann Vernau) "The poem has been soaking in my mind for at least eight years," Elgar told a newspaper reporter during the summer of 1900, just weeks before the première of The Dream of Gerontius in Birmingham. Those eight years were crucial to Elgar's development as a composer. From 1892 to 1900 he wrote six large-scale works for voices, beginning with The Black Knight in 1892 and including King Olaf in 1896, Caractacus in 1898 and Sea Pictures in 1899. He also conducted the premières of each one, gaining valuable experience in the practical side of vocal music. Most importantly, perhaps, he gained confidence, particularly after the great success of the Enigma Variations in 1899 made him a national figure. At forty-two, Elgar had waited long for recognition, and he now felt able to take on a subject that offered an imaginative scope far beyond anything he had done before: Cardinal Newman's famous poem of spiritual discovery. Elgar set slightly less than half of the poem, cutting whole sections and shortening others to focus on its central narrative: the story of a man's death and his soul's journey into the next world. Part 1 Gerontius is written for tenor, mezzo-soprano, bass, chorus and orchestra. The work opens with a somber melody in D-minor marked pianissimo. This was named the Judgement theme by Elgar's friend and publisher August Jaeger, who wrote a detailed analysis of the score. The opening subject launches an orchestral Prelude that presents all of the work's main themes. They are some of Elgar's most fertile melodic ideas, dovetailed here so that one flows seamlessly into the next. When the theme arrives that will accompany Gerontius's anguished prayer in Part 1, the music builds to an urgent climax with organ accompaniment and pounding timpani. A march-like theme brings us to a brief reprise of some of the several earlier subjects, leading directly into the tenor's first solo. Elgar developed a unique vocal style for Gerontius, neither simple recitative nor full singing, but one that allows the music to shape itself to the words in a natural and expressive way, and we can hear it in the first line, 'Jesu, Maria, I am near to death ... .' This treatment can modulate easily into song, as it does here on the very next line, 'And thou are calling me.' Elgar's sketches show that he went through draft after draft to achieve this kind of flexibility throughout the work, partly so that the vocal line could respond to the poem's sudden shifts of mood: in these eighteen opening lines Gerontius goes through feelings of desperation, terror, supplication and then exhausted calm. Now the friends at Gerontius's bedside pray for him with a 'Kyrie eleison' ('Lord have mercy') that begins in the semi-chorus without accompaniment. At the rehearsals for the first performance, Elgar urged the chorus not to sing as though they were in church, but with 'more tears in their voices,' as though they were at the side of a dying friend. His friends' prayers rouse Gerontius to a more spirited solo, followed by a second choral section, 'Be merciful, be gracious,' in the form of a subdued fugue. "I cycled over from Ledbury to lunch with him ... he was greatly relieved at having that instant written his name under the score of the last bar [of Gerontius] ... I begged Elgar to remain just as he was while I went down and fetched my camera." - William Eller, 3 August 1900 The music then shifts into 3/4 time for 'Sanctus fortis', Gerontius's dramatic statement of faith. It is a passionate declaration, not a pious one - the final 'Sanctus fortis' is marked piangendo ('wailingly'). "I imagined Gerontius to be a man like us," Elgar told Jaeger. "Not a priest or a saint, but a sinner ... no end of a worldly man in his life, & now brought to book. Therefore I've not filled his part with Church tunes & rubbish but a good, healthy, full-blooded romantic, remembered worldlines


There are three kingdoms in Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland are two. Which is the third?

Lesotho: a Tale of Two Kingdoms - This Is Africa “We Do Not Want Her Kind Here”– Finding Queer Belonging in a Ghanaian Immigrant Community “Is this one of your daughter’s friends?” I overheard a woman I did not know ask in a language I only vaguely understand. To the woman’s relief, her interlocutor, let’s call her Auntie Ama, responded “No.” “Good, because we do not want her kind here,” the woman said. What is Lesbian Now? To answer this question, you will need to explain to your grandmother about “queer theory”and the “diffusion”of human rights and “international instruments” that hold states “accountable” to “macro obligations.” Problem is, these terms and phrases mean nothing to her. South Africa sex toy trade industry flourishing The sex toy trade is flourishing across South Africa as couples are increasingly relaxed with the idea of buying adult toys. The negative social stigmas around the adult toy industry seem to be slowly crumbling. Désir a luxury sex toy e-commerce store is recording month-on-month increases in the sales of couples’ sex toys, and the company says the sale of sex toys is now evenly balanced between both sexes, as the subject becomes more acceptable. SHARE ON: Lesotho: a Tale of Two Kingdoms By Peter Fabricius on July 6, 2015 — Lesotho is a disappointing country for democrats. One of southern Africa's two monarchies, the modern constitutional monarchy of Lesotho is making the absolute, tribal monarchy of Swaziland look good. Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili, at his inauguration in March. Image: Elmond Jiyane, DoC viber Lesotho is a disappointing country for democrats. Southern Africa is dubiously blessed in having two of Africa’s three monarchies – and the only two in the African Union, since the third one, Morocco, stormed out in a huff many years ago. That invites comparison. Swaziland is almost a theme park of traditional, absolute African monarchy, even if it has a fairly recent constitution that ostensibly upholds the usual freedoms. From South Africa, you can pop over the border and see this sort of monarchy at work, including young women dancing for King Mswati III’s delight, a harem of beautiful queens, a royal guard of warriors – and, of course, a duly-suppressed political opposition. The latter is really just another way of keeping modernity at bay, so it’s quite consistent with the park theme. The coronation of King Mswati III of Swaziland in 1986. Image: AOP A few hours’ drive away, Lesotho is ostensibly quite the opposite. This is a constitutional monarchy, a parliamentary democracy . Its electoral system is more advanced than most. It contains elements of both the first-past-the post constituency system and the proportional representation system. It would be a perfect system for South Africa, because it makes MPs accountable to the specific constituents who voted them in, and not just the party bosses. The Lesotho system is the outcome of major unrest in the country in 1998. This was sparked by the fact that the opposition won about 40% of the popular vote, but only got one seat in what was then a purely first-past-the-post constituency electoral system. That provoked complaints of electoral fraud, sustained protests and triggered a mutiny, which only South Africa’s military intervention prevented from violently toppling the government. So Lesotho introduced proportional representation to ensure opposition parties got a real say. The next elections, in 2002, were widely hailed as an example to the region. And subsequent polls were also generally approved. So far, so good. The modern, sophisticated constitutional monarchy was humming. Yet now it all seems to be going badly wrong. The proportional representation system is causing instability. No party is winning a simple majority. And so in 2012 then Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili’s junior coalition party, Mothetjoa Metsing’s Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LDC) party, switched allegiance to Tom Thabane’s All Basotho Convention (ABC), which brought Thabane’s coalition into power. Then, last year, Metsing again switched back to Mo


Anthony Kiedis is the lead singer of which US alternative rock band?

stumbleupon More StatsView More About Anthony Kiedis With a net worth of $120 million dollars, Anthony Kiedis is famous worldwide for being the lead singer and lyricist of the alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Although he started his career as a child actor, he soon switched from movies to music and formed the band Red Hot Chili Peppers with bassist Michael “Flea” Balzary in 1980. Achieving a minor degree of success with the bands first albums, the band achieved commercial success with the hit album “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” in 1991.   Eight years later in 1999 when the band had great success with the album “Californication”. Since then, Anthony and the band have achieved great success, releasing a string of hit albums and being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 in their year first year of eligibility. Having turned 50 in 2012, Anthony continues to tour the world with the Red Hot Chili Peppers today. ShareOn Facebook


Who preceded Robert the Bruce as King of Scotland?

Roibert a Briuis, Rìgh Alba (1274 - 1329) - Genealogy Roibert a Briuis, Rìgh Alba Also Known As: "Roibert a Briuis", "Raibeart Bruis", "Robert de Brus", "Robert de Bruys", "The Bruce", "Robert the Bruce", "Robert the Bruys", "/Robert/I", "King of Scotland", "Earl of Carrick", "The Brus", ""The Bruce"", "King Robert I of /Scotland/", "Robert I /de Bruce/", "King of Sco", "Schott..." Birthdate: Turnberry Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland, (Present UK) Death: in Manor of Cardross, Dumbartonshire, Scotland, (Present UK) Cause of death: "An unclean ailment" - traditionally ascribed to leprosy. Place of Burial: Body in Dunfermline Abbey (Dunfermline, Fifeshire), Heart in Melrose Abbey (Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scottish Borders), Scotland, United Kingdom Immediate Family: king of Scotland, King of Scotland, King, Konge af Skotland Managed by: Added 2015-07-16 20:39:10 -0700 by Private User Collection: July 18 1274 - Writtle, Essex, England Death: June 15 1329 - Cardross, Dumbarton, Scotland Parents: Robert Bruce ( Earl of Carrick), (Countess of Carrick) Margaret Wife: Elizabeth, (born de Burgh) Children: Sir David Bruce II King Of Scotland, John Bruce Prince, Margaret de de Glen (born Bruce), Matilda Bruce Princess Of Scotland Added 2015-11-25 00:57:01 -0800 by Kenneth Rolf Rimmenhorn Collection: July 11 1274 - Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex, England Death: June 7 1329 - Carsoss Castle, Firth of Clyde, Scotland Parents: Robert Vii Bruce, De, Marjorie Bruce, De (born Carrick, De) Siblings: Added 2015-11-25 01:06:07 -0800 by Kenneth Rolf Rimmenhorn Collection: July 11 1274 - Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex, England Death: June 7 1329 - Carsoss Castle, Firth of Clyde, Scotland Parents: Robert Vii Bruce, De, Marjorie Bruce (born Carrick, De) Siblings: Isabella Moray, De (born Bruce, De), Christiana Seton (born Bruce, De), Mary Fraser (born Bruce, De), Matilda Ross, De (born Bruce, De) Wife: Isobel Bruce, Queen of Scotland (born Mac Gylocher-mar) Wife: Elizabeth Bruce (born Burgh, De) Children: Added 2015-11-25 01:06:07 -0800 by Kenneth Rolf Rimmenhorn Collection: July 11 1274 - Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland Death: June 7 1329 - Cardoss, Dunbartonshire, Scotland Parents: Robert Bruce, Marjory Bruce (born Carrick) Wife: Added 2015-11-25 00:54:13 -0800 by Kenneth Rolf Rimmenhorn Collection: July 11 1274 - Writtle, Essex, England Death: June 7 1329 - Cardross, Dunbartonshire, Scotland Wife: Isabella Bruce (born Of Mar Macdonald) Daughter: Added 2015-11-25 00:36:11 -0800 by Kenneth Rolf Rimmenhorn Collection: July 11 1274 - England Turnberry Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland Death: June 7 1329 - Manor of Cardoss, Dumbartonshire, Firth Of Clyde, Scotland Parents: Robert (6th Lord Of Annandale) De Brus, Margery Bruce (born Carrick (3rd Countess Of Carrick)) Wife: Elizabeth Aylmer (Queen Of Scotland) Bruce (born De Burgh) Wife: Isabella Matilda (Of Mar) (Countess Of Carrick) Bruce (born Demar) Children: ..., Elizabeth (Princess Of Scotland) Oliphant (born Bruce (Aka De Bruce)), Matilda (Maud) De Bruce, Robert (Of Liddesdale) Bruce, Walter (O... Added 2015-11-25 01:06:15 -0800 by Kenneth Rolf Rimmenhorn Collection: July 11 1274 - Writtle, Essex, England Death: June 7 1329 - Cardross, Dunbartonshire, Scotland Parents: Robert Debrus, Margaret Debrus (born Carrick) Wife: Added 2015-11-25 00:36:58 -0800 by Kenneth Rolf Rimmenhorn Collection: July 11 1274 - Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex, England Death: June 7 1329 - Carsoss Castle, Firth of Clyde, Scotland Parents: Robert Vii Bruce, De, Marjorie Bruce (born Carrick, De) Siblings: Isabella Moray, De (born Bruce, De), Christiana Seton (born Bruce, De), Mary Fraser (born Bruce, De), Matilda Ross, De (born Bruce, De) Wife: Isobel Bruce, Queen of Scotland (born Mac Gylocher-mar) Wife: Elizabeth Bruce (born Burgh, De) Children: Marjory Stewart (born Bruce, De), Elizabeth Oliphant (born Bruce, De), Matilda Issac, Princess of Scotland (born Bruce, De) Added 2015-11-25 01:06:04 -0800 by Kenneth Rolf Rimmenhorn Collection: July 11 1274 - Writtle, Essex, England Death: June 7 1329 - Cardross, Dunbartonshire, Scotland Parents: Rober


What is the name of the Roman Road which runs from London to York via Lincoln?

London's Longest Roads And Where They Lead To | Londonist London's Longest Roads And Where They Lead To By M@ Last edited 58 months ago M@ London's Longest Roads And Where They Lead To Did you know that Selfridges is on the same road as the Brecon Beacons? That you can see the Scottish Parliament from a road that passes through Islington? Or that you can walk directly from Lambeth North to Brighton Pier without setting foot on more than one road? Then there is the blessed junction outside St Paul's Tube station, where roads from two different countries meet. Head west along the A40 (beginning on Newgate) and you'll eventually reaches Wales. Choose the northern route past the Museum of London, and you can get into Scotland without leaving the A1. Welcome to the surprising world of London's A-roads. We tracked a few of the more interesting ones down to their final destinations (with a lot of help from Google Maps and Street View). The A1: Take Upper Street to another country Upper Street in Islington is really badly named. It's actually part of the lower 0.5% of the A1, which stretches all the way up to Edinburgh. This most famous of A-roads begins at St Paul's and travels up past the Museum of London, along St John Street, through Islington and along Holloway and Archway Roads and then onwards past Welwyn and Stevenage to the north. Eventually reaching Edinburgh, the final stretches of Britain's longest route adopt the name London Road. Total length: 410 miles. The A2: Take the Old Kent Road to Dover The A2 , as Old Kent Road is more prosaically known, begins at Borough Tube station as Great Dover Street. It is indeed old and Kentish, forming the southern part of the Roman Watling Street down to Canterbury and Dover. Its London sections pass through New Cross, Deptford and Blackheath before climbing Shooters Hill. There, the A2 dips down into Kidbrooke and Eltham on modern roads, but you can still follow the original Roman route by carrying on east on a dead-straight line through Welling and Crayford ( A207 ). The two routes recombine near Bluewater before heading off into deepest Kent. Total length: 72 miles. The A3: Take Borough High Street till you reach Portsmouth Instead of heading east at Borough Tube, you might instead go south, down the A3 , which eventually reaches Portsmouth. Along the way, it is variously known as Borough High Street, Newington Causeway, Kennington Park Road, Clapham High Street, Wandsworth High Street, Kingston Road and much else besides. Total length: 78 miles. The A4: Take Fleet Street as far as Bristol Call it the A4, and you have an unmemorable traffic route. Call it Fleet Street, Strand, Pall Mall, Piccadilly, Knightsbridge and Brompton Road, and you have some of the most famous streets in the world. This most notable of roads also comprises Cromwell Road (home of the V&A and Natural History Museum), the embattled Hammersmith Flyover, and the Great West Road before heading out to Bath and Bristol, flirting the whole way, and occasionally commingling, with the M4. Total length: 130 miles. The A5: Take Edgware Road...to Anglesey Edgware Road and its northern continuations are perhaps the most obviously Roman route in London, heading in a perfectly straight line, save for an Elstree kink, all the way out beyond the M25. This is the northern stretch of Watling Street, the Anglo-Saxon name for the old Roman route out to the Welsh borders. Today, as the A5 , it ventures as far as Holyhead in north-west Wales, although it briefly loses its name (becoming the A5183) just outside London. Total length: 260 miles. The A10: Take Bishopsgate up to the Norfolk coast One of the main thoroughfares through the ancient City of London, Bishopsgate formed part of Ermine Street, a Roman road that once led up to York (Eboracum). Sometimes called the Old North Road, it remains one of the straightest roads in London, beginning at Monument station, passing up through Bishopsgate, Shoreditch High Street and Kingsland Road, then on through Dalston, Stokey, Tottenham and Edmonton. Were you to follow the A10 (as it's


The imp is the symbol of which English city?

Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England By  Ben Johnson   |   Comments Centered around the cathedral and castle, the city of Lincoln in the heart of Historic County of Lincolnshire is full of attractive buildings, including fine 16th century and Georgian properties. Excellent shopping and leisure facilities are also available, making Lincoln an ideal location for a short break holiday. Visit the city centre and you step back in time. Lincoln was a Roman town rivaling London in importance and many traces of this time in the city's history remain - remnants of the old city wall, aqueduct and well can still be seen. The 3rd-century Newport Arch is believed to be the only Roman arch still used by traffic. In Viking times Lincoln was an important trading centre producing coins at its own mint. But it is the Normans who left the finest reminders of the past - the cathedral and the castle. At the top of the hill you will find the heart of Lincoln - its cathedral. This magnificent 900 year old medieval building crowns the city - people come from all around the world to experience its huge gothic beauty and superb music - there are daily church services led by the resident choir. It is the third building to occupy the site, the original Church of A.D. 953 was replaced in 1072 by the Norman Cathedral of which only part of the west front now remains. Following a disastrous fire and earthquake, work on the present gothic structure was begun by St.Hugh in 1192. The vast nave with its limestone and marble columns, vaulted roof, and colourful stained glass windows is an impressive sight. Inside are two famous stained glass windows, the Dean's Eye and the Bishop's Eye, as well as the famous Lincoln Imp. High in the Angel Choir, at the top of one of the columns, is the stone carving of an imp laughing mischievously, sitting with one leg across his knee. According to legend, the Lincoln imp was a demon, blown into Lincoln Cathedral by a terrible storm. This mischievous imp proceeded to dance on the altar, tripped up the Bishop, knocked over the Dean and teased the choir! The Cathedral's guardian angels witnessed this chaos and turned the imp into stone, placing him high up above the Angel Choir. Only some 12 inches high, the mischievous imp has probably lured more people to Lincoln Cathedral than anything else. The Lincoln imp has even been adopted as the unofficial symbol of the city! Just across the cobbled square from the cathedral stands Lincoln's Norman Castle . Built on the site of the former Roman fortress, this defensive stronghold has long been the centre of the City's judicial and penal systems. The Crown Court still sits here, upholding the principals of justice established by Magna Carta , and Lincoln's original copy of this famous document, sealed by King John at Runnymede in 1215, is the centrepiece of a special exhibition. You can also visit the Castle's unique prison chapel, tour the towers and dungeons, and walk along the walls with panoramic views across the city. In the shadow of the castle and cathedral is the old quarter of Bailgate and Steep Hill, where you can find small specialist shops, ancient pubs and restaurants, including the tiny Jew's House (perhaps England's oldest domestic residence, a 12th-century Jewish merchant's house). At the foot of the hill, you will find Stonebow (the southern gateway to the medieval city) and High Bridge - a vaulted Norman stone bridge supporting a medieval building, now tearooms. The former Roman harbour, Brayford Pool, is now a bustling marina fed by the waters of the River Witham, where you can watch the many colourful narrow boats and pleasure craft. The city's new University, opened in 1996, occupies a waterside plot here. Lincoln is also famous for its Christmas Market - in early December nearly half-a-million people visit the city to buy festive gifts, eat festive food and ride the fairground attractions in the castle grounds and the streets around the cathedral. Museums View our interactive map of  Museums in Britain  for details of local galleries and museums. Roman Sites Try our


How old was Mozart when he died? (a year either way)

Mozart's final year and death - 1791 | Mozart - Classic FM Become a VIP Mozart's final year and death - 1791 One of the greats of classical music bows out, but how did Mozart die? Was it Salieri, the mysterious Count von Walsegg, or some badly cooked chops? Here's what happened in his final year. April In Vienna, each year usually ended with court balls and so Mozart , as one of the court composers, was required to supply dance music. He treated the task with all the care and attention that he would have lavished on his greatest works and many of his minuets and dances continued to be popular in the great dance halls of Vienna — primarily the Redoutensaal — even after his death. Just as had been the case in the previous few years, many of Mozart’s letters concerned the need for money. He had played his last public concert on 4 March and just over a month later was clearly beginning to feel the pinch again, On 13 April, he fired off a letter to the seemingly ever-faithful Puchberg, his fellow mason, asking for just a small loan: "I’ll get my quarterly pay on the 20th — is there any chance you’ll lend me something like 20 gulden? If you can, I’d be much obliged, best friend, and, as soon as I’m paid, I’ll give it back to you." There’s a note scribbled at the bottom of the letter, in Puchberg’s handwriting, which reads: "Sent 30 gulden, 13th April" By sending more money than Mozart had requested and by dispatching it the very same day, Puchberg was proving to be a very true friend indeed. April was to bring more hope to Mozart in the form of Leopold Hofmann. He was a 61-year-old composer who had, for some time, held the top job of Kapellmeister at St Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. In April 1791 Mozart found out that Hofmann was seriously ill. Mozart wrote to the city magistrates, who controlled the jobs at St Stephen’s, suggesting that, given Hofmann’s somewhat tenuous grasp on good health, they consider taking on Mozart as an unpaid assistant, on the understanding that Mozart take over as soon as the old man was gone. The job paid some 2000 gulden a year and, with all due respect to Mr Hofmann, his early departure would have made a huge difference to the Mozart family finances. Ironically, Hofmann was set to become yet another name added to the long list that is 'people who outlived Mozart'. Despite his illness, he was still around a good 2 years after Mozart had gone. Nevertheless, the city magistrates agreed to the unpaid appointment on 28 April. Nowadays, Mozart is not specifically remembered for his church music, but this — and, perhaps, the course of religious music in general — might have been different had he survived long enough to become the boss of such an important a cathedral as St Stephen’s. May By May 1791 Constanze would have been around 6 months pregnant with their son, Franz. She was keen to take the restful spa waters of Baden, just a few miles outside Vienna. Mozart wrote to his friend in Baden, the schoolteacher Anton Stoll, who was also director of music at the Baden parish church, to arrange for her accommodation: "Please arrange for a small apartment for my wif’. She only needs a couple of rooms — or a room and a small chamber. The main thing is, though, it needs to be on the ground floor. I’d really like it to be the one on the ground floor, at the butcher's. . . She’ll be there on Saturday — Monday at the latest. It’s important that it is near the baths, but more important that it is on the ground floor. The one at the town clerk’s, on the ground floor, would be fine too, but the one at the butcher’s would be better." As if aware of the curiously mundane nature of his writing, Mozart adds: "PS, this is the silliest letter I’ve ever written in my life — but it’s just right for you." June Constanze left on 4 June, with little Carl, and Mozart missed her madly. Despite the fact that he was in perfectly good health physically, it has been suggested that his mental state was somewhat dark and that he may have been beginning to suffer some sort of breakdown. Certainly, he found the separation from Const


In which country does the River Danube enter the Black Sea?

Where the Danube Meets the Black Sea : Image of the Day acquired February 5, 2013 download large image (4 MB, JPEG, 3679x3679) acquired February 5, 2013 download GeoTIFF file (31 MB, TIFF) acquired February 5, 2013 download Google Earth file (KML) Editor’s Note: Today’s caption is the answer to Earth Observatory’s February Puzzler. The Danube River is the largest in the European Union, its watershed draining 801,463 square kilometers (309,447 square miles) of land across 19 countries. Where that great river reaches the Black Sea, a remarkable delta has formed—the “Everglades” of Europe. The Danube Delta is home to more than 300 species of bird and 45 species of freshwater fish. The Danube Delta has been home to human settlements since the end of the Stone Age (the Neolithic Period), and the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines all built trading ports and military outposts along this coast. Today, the border between Romania and Ukraine cuts through the northern part of the delta. The area is a United Nations World Heritage Site, both for its natural and human history, and for the traditional maritime culture that persists in its marshes. All the while, the landscape has been shaped and re-shaped by nature and man. The image above was acquired on February 5, 2013, by the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA’s Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite. The Danube Delta has a number of lobes formed over the past several thousand years, and this image is focused largely on the northernmost Chilia (or Kilia) lobe. It is the youngest section of the delta—somewhere between 300 to 400 years old—and lies mostly within Ukraine. Much of the land in the image above is officially considered part of the Danube Biosphere Reserve. (To see more about how the delta formed, click here. ) Near the center of the image, the small city of Vylkove is known as the “Ukranian Venice,” due to its canals. To the lower left, the older Sulina lobe of the delta stretches to the south and further inland into Romania. White and brown curved lines reveal beach ridges and former shorelines, with the whiter ridges composed almost entirely of pure quartz sand in high dunes. To the east of the ridges, most of the landscape is flat marshland that is mostly brown in the barren days of winter. The Bystroye Canal through the center of the Chilia lobe has been the subject of heated debate over the past two decades. Over the centuries, damming and channeling of the Danube throughout Europe has reduced its water flow and sediment load to roughly 30 percent of what it once was, according to coastal geologist Liviu Giosan of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. In recent years, the Ukrainian government has dredged some delta channels (including Bystroye) and proposed extensive dredging of others in order to provide navigational channels for large ships. Proponents argue for the economic needs of water transportation routes. Opponents note that deeper, faster channels mean less mud and sand is deposited in the delta; in some places, more is carried away by swifter currents. Both affect the sensitive ecosystems and the ability of the delta to restore itself and grow. In a 2012 report led by Giosan, scientists noted that the shape, water chemistry, and biology of Danube Delta was being altered long before the modern Industrial Era. Land use practices—particularly farming and forest clearing—added significant amounts of nutrients into the water and reduced salinity in the Black Sea, changing the dominant species of phytoplankton and sending a ripple of effects through the entire food web. Related Reading Accessed February 15, 2013. Der Spiegel Scientific Reports 2, 582.


Which rank in the Royal Navy is the equivalent of an army brigadier?

BBC Academy - Journalism - Military ranks Subject guides / Military Military ranks The ranks of the UK armed services can be confusing. The chart below - edited by Dr Duncan Anderson, head of war studies at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst - sets out the equivalent ranks in the three UK services and the US Army. Guidance is provided by Sub Lt Max Cosby, Royal Navy. This page was last updated on 19/05/2015   Many journalists struggle to know their wing commander from their lieutenant commander, let alone where a US brigadier general comes in the pecking order. Strictly speaking, when the three UK armed forces are talked about in the same breath they should be listed in order of the seniority of the service: Royal Navy , British Army , Royal Air Force . Confusingly, the Royal Marines are part of the Royal Navy but use the rank structure of the British Army. To distinguish Royal Marines from their Army colleagues, their name should be followed by the words ‘Royal Marines’ or ‘RM’ - for example, ‘Lt Jack Smith Royal Marines’ or ‘Sgt Tom Brown RM’. To distinguish naval ranks from army ranks, such as captain and lieutenant, all Royal Navy officer ranks below admiral (midshipman all the way up to commodore) are followed by the words ‘Royal Navy’ or ‘RN’ - for example, ‘Lt Jack Smith Royal Navy’ or ‘Lt Jack Smith RN’. Officers The term ‘officer’ refers to someone with a commission. Warrant officers do not hold one. The same applies to Royal Navy chief petty officers and petty officers. And remember: the word ‘lieutenant’ should be pronounced ‘lef-tenant’ rather than the US ‘loo-tenant’.  Lining up equivalent ranks in the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force with their counterparts in the United States Army is not an exact science, so the chart below is intended as a rough guide only:


b The drunken midwife Sarah Gamp appears in which novel by Charles Dickens?

"Mrs. Gamp, on the Art of Nursing" — extra illustration for "Martin Chuzzlewit" (1879) Mrs. Gamp, on the Art of Nursing Fred Barnard 14.7 cm high x 10.5 cm wide, framed. composite wood-block engraving Illustration "Mrs. Gamp, on the Art of Nursing," Ch. 25 in Dickens's Martin Chuzzlewit. [Click on illustration to enlarge it.] Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham . [You may use these images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.] Commentary Although Charles Dickens introduces us to one of his greatest comic creations, Mrs. Sarah ["Sairey"] Gamp, in the eighth instalment of the novel, illustrator Fred Barnard in his 1879 character sketch, completed seven years after his initial illustrations for the novel in the Household Edition , seems to be thinking of the divine Sairey as she appears in Chapter 25 because his caption, "Mrs. Gamp on the Art of Nursing," is thematically connected with that chapter's title: "Is in part professional; and furnishes the reader with some valuable hints in relation to the management of a sick chamber." So effective was Barnard's character study that Dana Estes, Boston, used it as the frontispiece for its fin-de-siecle edition of the novel: "Etched by S. A. Schoff — From a Drawing by Frederick Barnard" (12 cm high by 10 cm wide). Since Fred Barnard had read the whole of Martin Chuzzlewit (1843-44) in his formative years, when he created an extensive narrative-pictorial sequence for the novel in the new Chapman and Hall Household Edition of the 1872-790, he knew far more about the boozey medical attendant than Phiz (Hablot Knight Browne) had when he illustrated the eighth instalment. Barnard's study post-dates both the composition of the story by some four decades and the professionalization of nursing by Florence Nightingale by a quarter of a century, so that he must have approached his subject in a manner very different from Phiz's when he did his first series of "Character Sketches from Dickens" . To Dickens Mrs. Gamp had been a distinctive voice; Phiz, basing his image on Honoré Daumier's "Sick-room Nurse" ("La Garde-Malade") in the magazine Le Charivari, 22 May 1842, made her an overnight Victorian icon. Fred Barnard, working with both Dickens's text and Phiz's highly popular visualisation, had to synthesize everything he knew about Mrs. Gamp, including her appearances later in the novel and some four decades of her popular reception. Although originally intended to be just a bit part, like a ham actor, a mere butt of Dickens's satire of drunken, disreputable nurses, Sairey consistently upstages the story's principals whenever she appears. Although she does not exactly "develop" as a character, she certainly blossoms. Although he has, according to the caption, seated her in Mr. Mould's parlour, Barnard has in fact situated her in her comfortable "chimley" corner. The illustrator crams into the study almost every visual detail associated with the bleery-eyed, husky-voiced, androgynous figure of capacious dimensions: the short, thick neck; the round face; the swollen nose (so forcibly anticipating that of W. C. Fields as the quintessence of the inveterate tippler); rusty black gown stained by snuff; oversize bonnet; bottle stationed on the mantelpiece; and, of course, her conspicuous umbrella or "gamp." Instead of showing her turning her eyes upward, as is her wont, Barnard has her thoughtfully gazing at the viewer, as if he or she is about to become the next client. Since Barnard has caught her in the moment when, her tea and pickled salmon finished, she wipes her mouth with a napkin of vaudeville dimensions, and we can be reasonably confident that the artist has realized the text just after this: A tray was brought with everything upon it, even to the cucumber; and Mrs. Gamp accordingly sat down to eat and drink in high good humour. — Ch. 25, Part X. References Dickens, Charles. The Dickens Souv


a By what name is the fruit carambola better known?

CARAMBOLA Fruit Facts Common Names: Carambola, Starfruit. Related Species: Bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi L.). Origin: The carambola is believed to have originated in Sri Lanka and the Moluccas, but it has been cultivated in southeast Asia and Malaysia for many centuries. Adaptation: The carambola is classified as subtropical because mature trees can tolerate temperatures as low as 27° F for short periods of time with little damage. Like many other subtropicals, however, young plants are more susceptible to frost and can be killed at 32° F. Carambolas can be severely damaged by flooding or prevailing hot, dry winds. The small trees make good container plants. DESCRIPTION Growth Habit: The carambola is a slow-growing, short-trunked evergreen tree with a much-branched, bushy canopy that is broad and rounded. Mature trees seldom exceed 25-30 feet in height and 20-25 feet in spread. Trees are very unlikely to reach this size in California. In a spot to its liking carambolas make handsome ornamentals. Container grown plants are equally attractive and have the additional advantage of being movable. Foliage: The spirally arranged, alternate leaves are 6 - 10 inches long, with 5 - 11 nearly opposite, ovate-oblong leaflets that are 1-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches in length. They are soft, medium-green, and smooth on the upper surface, faintly hairy and whitish on the underside. The leaflets are sensitive to light and more or less inclined to to fold together at night or when the tree is shaken or abruptly shocked. Flowers: The fragrant, pink to lavender flowers are 3/8 inch in diameter, perfect, and borne in clusters in axils of leaves on young branches, or on older branches without leaves. There are several flushes of bloom throughout the year. Fruit: Carambola fruits are ovate to ellipsoid, 2-1/2 to 5 inches (6 to 13 cm) in length, with 5 (rarely 4 or 6) prominent longitudinal ribs. Slices cut in cross-section are star shaped. The skin is thin, light to dark yellow and smooth with a waxy cuticle. The flesh is light yellow to yellow, translucent, crisp and very juicy, without fiber. The fruit has a more or less oxalic acid odor and the flavor ranges from very sour to mildly sweet. The so-called sweet types rarely have more than 4% sugar. There may be up to 12 flat, thin brown seeds 1/4 - 1/2 inch long or none at all. Seeds lose viability in a few days after removal from fruit. CULTURE Location: Carambolas do best in a frost-free location. They are tolerant of wind except for those that are hot and dry. The tree needs full sun. Soils: The carambola is not too particular as to soil, but will grow faster and bear more heavily in rich loam. It prefers a moderately acid soil (pH 5.5 - 6.5) and is sensitive to waterlogging. The plant often becomes chlorotic in alkaline soils. Irrigation: The carambola need moisture for best performance. This means regular watering during the summer months and must be watered even in winter during dry spells. Fertilization: In soils of low fertility young trees should receive light applications every 60 to 90 days until well established. Thereafter, they should receive one or two applications a year in deep soils or three or more applications in shallow soils where nutrients are lost by leaching. Application at the rate of 2 lbs per year for every inch of trunk diameter is suggested. Fertilizer mixtures containing 6-8% nitrogen, 2-4% available phosphoric acid, 6-8% potash and 3-4% magnesium are satisfactory. In the more fertile soils of California, this program can be reduced. The tree is prone to chlorosis in many western soils but responds to soil and foliar application of chelated iron and other micronutrients. Frost protection: Since it is a small tree, winter protection can be fairly easily given prior to any anticipated cold spell. Carpeting, sheets and such can be spread over a frame, with light bulbs for added warmth. Pruning: Carambolas seldom need pruning. Pests and Diseases: No serious diseases are known to be of sufficient importance to require control measures. The fruit is subject


"Which detective featured in the film ""The Maltese Falcon""?"

The Maltese Falcon (1941) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error A private detective takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette. Director: John Huston (screenplay), Dashiell Hammett (based upon the novel by) Stars: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 23 titles created 15 Aug 2013 a list of 25 titles created 25 Dec 2013 a list of 22 titles created 24 Feb 2015 a list of 25 titles created 3 months ago a list of 49 titles created 1 month ago Title: The Maltese Falcon (1941) 8.1/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for     3     Oscars. Another    2 wins. See more awards  » Videos Fred Dobbs and Bob Curtin, two Americans searching for work in Mexico, convince an old prospector to help them mine for gold in the Sierra Madre Mountains. Director: John Huston Private detective Philip Marlowe is hired by a rich family. Before the complex case is over, he's seen murder, blackmail, and what might be love. Director: Howard Hawks An insurance representative lets himself be talked into a murder/insurance fraud scheme that arouses an insurance investigator's suspicions. Director: Billy Wilder A stark, perverse story of murder, kidnapping, and police corruption in a Mexican border town. Director: Orson Welles Pulp novelist Holly Martins travels to shadowy, postwar Vienna, only to find himself investigating the mysterious death of an old friend, Harry Lime. Director: Carol Reed A hack screenwriter writes a screenplay for a former silent-film star who has faded into Hollywood obscurity. Director: Billy Wilder A man visits his old friend's hotel and finds a gangster running things. As a hurricane approaches, the two end up confronting each other. Director: John Huston In Casablanca, Morocco in December 1941, a cynical American expatriate meets a former lover, with unforeseen complications. Director: Michael Curtiz A psychotic socialite confronts a pro tennis star with a theory on how two complete strangers can get away with murder - a theory that he plans to implement. Director: Alfred Hitchcock In Africa during World War I, a gin-swilling riverboat captain is persuaded by a strait-laced missionary to use his boat to attack an enemy warship. Director: John Huston An ex-prize fighter turned longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses. Director: Elia Kazan Following the death of a publishing tycoon, news reporters scramble to discover the meaning of his final utterance. Director: Orson Welles Edit Storyline Spade and Archer is the name of a San Francisco detective agency. That's for Sam Spade and Miles Archer. The two men are partners, but Sam doesn't like Miles much. A knockout, who goes by the name of Miss Wonderly, walks into their office; and by that night everything's changed. Miles is dead. And so is a man named Floyd Thursby. It seems Miss Wonderly is surrounded by dangerous men. There's Joel Cairo, who uses gardenia-scented calling cards. There's Kasper Gutman, with his enormous girth and feigned civility. Her only hope of protection comes from Sam, who is suspected by the police of one or the other murder. More murders are yet to come, and it will all be because of these dangerous men -- and their lust for a statuette of a bird: the Maltese Falcon. Written by J. Spurlin Another Great Story from the author of "The Thin Man!" See more  » Genres: 18 October 1941 (USA) See more  » Also Known As: The Gent from Frisco See more  » Filming Locations: Did You Know? Trivia Sam Spade refers to Wilmer as a "gunsel", a term the censors assumed was a reference to a gunman. The Yiddish term "gunsel"--literally, "little goose"--may indeed be a vulgarism for homosexual (the word "faigle", or "little bird", is usually used in that resp


Jon Pertwee - Biography - IMDb Jon Pertwee Biography Showing all 98 items Jump to: Overview  (5) | Mini Bio  (2) | Spouse  (2) | Trade Mark  (4) | Trivia  (53) | Personal Quotes  (27) | Salary  (5) Overview (5) 6' 2½" (1.9 m) Mini Bio (2) Jon Pertwee is best known for his portrayal of the Doctor, on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who (1963). He portrayed the Doctor from 1970 to 1974. His 60-year entertainment career included work in radio, films, and cabaret. This was despite the inauspicious beginning of having been thrown out of drama school as a young man and told he had no future as an actor. The BBC announced his death. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous Jon Pertwee was born John (after the apostle and disciple) Devon (after the county) Roland (after his father) Pertwee (an Anglicised version of the true family name, Perthuis de Laillevault) on 7 July 1919 in the Chelsea area of London. He was the second son of famous playwright, painter and actor Roland Pertwee , and his actress wife Avice - his writer brother Michael Pertwee being three years his senior. The Pertwee family had a long connection with show business and the performing arts, and it was at Wellington House preparatory school in Westgate-On-Sea in Kent that Jon, as a small and rebellious child, was encouraged in that direction. Later, at Frensham Heights co-educational school, Jon had his first taste of "real" theatre with real women in the school stage productions of "Twelfth Night" and "Lady Princess Stream". In 1936 he auditioned for, and was accepted by, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He was later kicked out for refusing to play the part of the wind in a play. Jon Pertwee died on 20 May 1996 of a heart attack. He was survived by his wife Ingeborg Rhoesa, his son Sean Pertwee , a popular and talented actor, and his daughter Dariel Pertwee , an accomplished stage actress. - IMDb Mini Biography By: A. Nonymous Spouse (2) Thick mane of curly grey hair Long, crooked nose Trivia (53) He was the younger brother of Michael Pertwee . Known as a comedy actor until he was cast in a dramatic and action role as the third Doctor in Doctor Who (1963). He was the son of Roland Pertwee . He was the first cousin of Bill Pertwee . He was the father of actress Dariel Pertwee and actor Sean Pertwee . Was well-known for his role in the long-lived BBC Radio comedy series "The Navy Lark", where he played the role of Chief Petty Officer Pertwee (plus Vice-Admiral "Burbly" Burwasher, Commander Weatherby and The Master) from 1959 to 1977. He changed his name from "John" to "Jon" as a young actor. He was told several times when he was young that he would never become a successful actor, due to such problems as a partial lisp and a close resemblance to the American actor Danny Kaye - whom he would actually double in the London location work for Knock on Wood (1954). He knew legendary thespian Laurence Olivier personally when he was a young man because he was a family friend. His closest friend in later life was the broadcaster David Jacobs .. The 60 year old actor added pop star to his repertoire in 1980 when 'Worzel's Song' reached the top 33 in the UK and stayed in the chart for seven weeks. He contacted the BBC about the vacant role of the main character in Doctor Who (1963) in 1969 on the recommendation of his "Navy Lark" colleague Tenniel Evans . Jon was considered for the role of Captain Mainwaring in the BBC series Dad's Army (1968), which eventually went to Arthur Lowe . He claimed that he refused the part as he was working on Broadway at the time, and didn't know what he was being offered back home. Played "Lycus" in the original stage production of "Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, A". The film role was given to Phil Silvers since he had greater name-recognition internationally. He worked hard to bring the character of Worzel Gummidge ( Worzel Gummidge (1979)) to the television screen and counted it as his favourite role. He had been offered the part in the mid-70s for a film version which was never made, and persuaded the wr


Which bright orange star is the 'eye' of Taurus the Bull?

Aldebaran is the Bull's fiery eye | Brightest Stars | EarthSky History and mythology of Aldebaran. Science of star Aldebaran. This star glows with the orangish color of a K5 giant star. In visible light, it is about 153 times brighter than the sun, although its surface temperature is lower (roughly 4000 kelvins compared to 5800 kelvins for the sun). Aldebaran is about 65 light-years away, much closer than the stars of the Hyades with which it misleadingly seems associated. The Hyades are about 150 light-years away. Aldebaran is an erratic variable with minor variations too small to be noticed by the eye. It also has a small, faint companion star, an M-type red dwarf, some 3.5 light-days away. In other words, light from Aldebaran would need to travel for 3.5 days to reach the companion, in contrast to light from our sun, which requires 8 minutes to travel to Earth. The three medium-bright stars of Orion’s Belt point to reddish Aldebaran. Image via SolarEmpireUK How to see Aldebaran. Aldebaran is easy to find. Frequently imagined as the fiery eye of Taurus the Bull, Aldebaran is part of a V-shaped star grouping that forms the face of the Bull. This pattern is called the Hyades. You can also locate Aldebaran using the famous constellation Orion as a guide. Simply locate the three stars of Orion’s Belt. Then draw an imaginary line through the belt to the right. The first bright star you come to will be Aldebaran with its distinctive reddish-orange glow. Aldebaran is the 14th brightest star, but five of those that outshine it are only barely visible or not visible at all from much of the Northern Hemisphere. Aldebaran is primarily a winter and spring star. At least, that is when this red star is most easily visible in the evening sky. By early December, it rises shortly after sunset and is visible all night. Three months later it is high to the south at sunset, and sets at around midnight. By early May, it hangs low about the western sunset glow – and before the end of the month, it’s lost altogether. It returns to the predawn sky around late June. By the way, although it appears among them, Aldebaran is not actually a member of the V-shaped Hyades cluster. It is actually much closer to us in space than the actual Hyades stars. Constellation Taurus. See Aldebaran marked as the Bull’s Eye? View larger. History and mythology of Aldebaran. Aldebaran is often depicted as the fiery eye of Taurus the Bull. Because it is bright and prominent, Aldebaran was honored as one of the Four Royal Stars in ancient Persia, the other three Royal Stars being Regulus, Antares and Fomalhaut. The name Aldebaran is from the Arabic for “The Follower,” presumably as a hunter following prey, which here likely was the star cluster we call the Pleiades. The latter was often viewed as a flock of birds, perhaps doves. According to Richard Hinckley Allen in his classic book Star Names, the name Aldebaran once was applied to the entire Hyades star cluster, a large loose collection of faint stars. In Hindu myth, Aldebaran was sometimes identified with a beautiful young woman named Rohini, disguised as an antelope and pursued by her lecherous father, disguised as a deer, Mriga. Apparently several ancient peoples associated the star with rain. The Wikipedia entry notes a Dakota Sioux story in which Aldebaran was a star which had fallen to the Earth and whose killing of a serpent led to the formation of the Mississippi River. Allen notes a number of other alternate names, but precious little mythology is known for Aldebaran separately. Aldebaran is the name of one of the chariot horses in the movie Ben Hur. On a different note, astronomer Jack Eddy has suggested a connection with the Big Horn Medicine Wheel, an ancient circle of stones atop a mountain in Wyoming. Eddy wrote that the ancient Americans may have used this site as a sort of observatory to view the rising of Aldebaran just before the sun in June to predict the June solstice. Interestingly, in about two million years, the American spaceprobe Pioneer 10, now heading out into deep space, will pass Alde


In musical notation what is the meaning of the term Da Capo (or DC)?

Da capo : definition of Da capo and synonyms of Da capo (English) ( help · info ) Da Capo is a musical term in Italian , meaning from the beginning (literally from the head). It is often abbreviated D.C. It is a composer or publisher's directive to repeat the previous part of music, often used to save space. In small pieces this might be the same thing as a repeat , but in larger works D.C. might occur after one or more repeats of small sections , indicating a return to the very beginning. The resulting structure of the piece is generally in ternary form . Sometimes the composer describes the part to be repeated, for example: Menuet da capo. In opera , where an aria of this structure is called a da capo aria , the repeated section is often adorned with grace notes . Variations of the direction are: Da Capo al fine (D.C. al fine): repeat from beginning to the end (or up to the word fine, should that appear at the end of the passage, movement &c. - the word "fine" itself signifying '"end" / "ending").(Da Capo: Repeat from the beginning) Da Capo al coda (D.C. al Coda): repeat from beginning to an indicated place and then play the tail part (the coda ). D.C. al Coda is a musical direction used in sheet music. It means, literally, "dal Capo al Coda," or "from the beginning, to the tail." It directs the musician to go back and repeat the music from the beginning ("Capo"), and to continue playing until one reaches the first coda symbol. Upon reaching the first coda, one is to skip to the second coda symbol (which signifies the ending of the piece), and continue playing until the end. The portion of the piece from the second coda to the end is often referred to as the "coda" of the piece, or quite literally as the "end."   See also


In Norse mythology who killed Baldur with a spear made from mistletoe?

The Death of Baldur - Norse Mythology for Smart People Norse Mythology for Smart People The Death of Baldur “Baldur’s Death” by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg (1817) Baldur was one of the most beloved of all the gods. The son of Odin , the chief of the gods, and the benevolent sorceress goddess Frigg , Baldur was a generous, joyful, and courageous character who gladdened the hearts of all who spent time with him. When, therefore, he began to have ominous dreams of some grave misfortune befalling him, the fearful gods appointed Odin to discover their meaning. Baldur’s father wasted no time in mounting his steed, Sleipnir , and riding to the underworld to consult a dead seeress whom he knew to be especially wise in such matters. When, in one of his countless disguises, he reached the cold and misty underworld, he found the halls arrayed in splendor, as if some magnificent feast were about to occur. Odin woke the seeress and questioned her concerning this festivity, and she responded that the guest of honor was to be none other than Baldur. She merrily recounted how the god would meet his doom, stopping only when she realized, from the desperate nature of Odin’s entreaties, who this disguised wanderer truly was. And, indeed, all that she prophesied would come to pass. Odin returned in sorrow to Asgard , the gods’ celestial stronghold, and told his comrades what he had been told. Frigg, yearning for any chance of saving her treasured son, however remote, went to every thing in the cosmos and obtained oaths to not harm Baldur. After these oaths were secured, the gods made a sport out of the situation. They threw sticks, rocks, and anything else on hand at Baldur, and everyone laughed as these things bounced off and left the shining god unharmed. The wily and disloyal Loki sensed an opportunity for mischief. In disguise, he went to Frigg and asked her, “Did all things swear oaths to spare Baldur from harm?” “Oh, yes,” the goddess replied, “everything except the mistletoe. But the mistletoe is so small and innocent a thing that I felt it superfluous to ask it for an oath. What harm could it do to my son?” Immediately upon hearing this, Loki departed, located the mistletoe, and brought it to where the gods were playing their new favorite game. He approached the blind god Hodr ( Old Norse Höðr, “Slayer”) and said, “You must feel quite left out, having to sit back here away from the merriment, not being given a chance to show Baldur the honor of proving his invincibility.” The blind god concurred. “Here,” said Loki, handing him the shaft of mistletoe. “I will point your hand in the direction where Baldur stands, and you throw this branch at him.” So Hod threw the mistletoe. It pierced the god straight through, and he fell down dead on the spot. The gods found themselves unable to speak as they trembled with anguish and fear. They knew that this event was the first presage of Ragnarok , the downfall and death, not just of themselves, but of the very cosmos they maintained. At last, Frigg composed herself enough to ask if there were any among them who were brave and compassionate enough to journey to the land of the dead and offer Hel , the death-goddess, a ransom for Baldur’s release. Hermod , an obscure son of Odin, offered to undertake this mission. Odin instructed Sleipnir to bear Hermod to the underworld, and off he went. The gods arranged a lavish funeral for their fallen friend. They turned Baldur’s ship, Hringhorni, into a pyre fitting for a great king. When the time came to launch the ship out to sea, however, the gods found the ship stuck in the sand and themselves unable to force it to budge. After many failed attempts they summoned the brawniest being in the cosmos, a certain giantess named Hyrrokkin (“Withered by Fire”). Hyrrokkin arrived in Asgard riding a wolf and using poisonous snakes for reins. She dismounted, walked to the prow of the ship, and gave it such a mighty push that the land quaked as Hringhorni was freed from the strand. As Baldur’s body was carried onto the ship, his wife, Nanna, was overcome with such