Approximately how far is the moon from Earth?

Moon +         Contact Glenn The Moon is Earth's nearest neighbor. It orbits the Earth at an average distance of approximately 240,000 miles (384,000 km). The Moon completes an orbit of the Earth every 27.3 days (approximately 655 hours). The Moon also rotates on its axis. Because of tidal forces, it completes one revolution every 655 hours. So one "side" of the Moon is always facing the Earth, and the other "side" is always facing away from the Earth. On the surface of the Moon, you would experience 327.5 hours of sunlight and 327.5 hours of darkness. If you lived on the side of the Moon facing the Earth, you would always see the Earth in the same location in the sky, although the stars and Sun would move across the sky. If you lived on the side of the Moon facing away from the Earth, you would never see the Earth, although you would see all the stars and the Sun. At the time of its formation, the Moon had a liquid core and experienced flows of lava which created the flat basins, or "mare's", which we see from Earth. The Moon gradually cooled, forming a thick crust. We see no evidence of plate tectonics, as we have on Earth, so the surface material on the Moon has remained nearly the same for more than 3 billion years. Because of the lack of an atmosphere, the Moon's surface has been bombarded by passing debris, creating many, many impact craters. The mass of the Moon is approximately 8.1 x 10^19 tons (7.3 x 10^22 kg or .01 x Earth mass). The mean diameter of the Moon is 2,159 miles (3,476 km or .27 x Earth diameter). The mass of the Moon is not evenly distributed; mass concentrations, called Mascons, lie beneath many of the lunar basins, and the center of mass of the Moon is displaced several kilometers towards the Earth. The non-uniform mass distribution creates orbital stability problems for spacecraft orbiting the Moon. The average surface gravitational acceleration (gmn) of the Moon is given by: gmn = 5.3 ft/sec^2 = 1.62 m/sec^2 = .165 Earth gravity The Moon has no appreciable atmosphere. The sky is always black and the radiation from the Sun strikes with full force on the surface of the Moon. The lack of atmosphere produces temperature extremes on the Moon that range from -250 degrees F in the dark to +250 degrees F in the light. Because of the lack of atmosphere, and high radiation environment, there are no living organisms on the Moon. The lack of atmosphere means that there is no aerodynamic drag on a rocket leaving the surface of the Moon, but it also means that a landing spacecraft cannot use aerodynamic braking and must use rocket propulsion to land on the surface. Robotic exploration of the Moon began in the early 1960's by both the United States and the Soviet Union. Of particular note, the American Ranger spacecraft returned detailed pictures of the Moon as the spacecraft were crashed into the surface. The Ranger project was followed by the soft landing Surveyor spacecraft that performed a number of experiments on the lunar soil as well as photographic investigations from the surface. The Lunar Orbiter spacecraft produced photographic maps of the surface of the Moon that were used to select landing locations for the Apollo program. The Soviets also soft landed on the Moon as part of the Lunik (Luna) program. A lunar rover (Lunikhod) and a sample return mission were also successfully executed by the Soviet Union. Human exploration of the Moon was begun by the United States during the Apollo program. Apollo 8 and Apollo 10 orbited the Moon without landing astronauts on the surface. Six Apollo missions (11, 12, 14, 15, 16, & 17) each landed two astronauts on the surface of the Moon. The last three missions included an electric-powered "buggy" which allowed the astronauts to explore several kilometers around the landing location. All of the missions returned lunar rocks and soil to the Earth and established research stations that continued to return data after the astronauts left the surface. Apollo 13 experienced an explosion on the way to the Moon. The spacecraft swung around the Moon and safely


Which chapel in the Apostolic Palace (the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City), famous for its architecture and decoration, has been frescoed by the Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Raphael, Bernini, and Sandro Botticelli?

Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Rome, Italy | Sistine Chapel (… | Flickr Andrei S By: Andrei S Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Rome, Italy Sistine Chapel (Italian: Cappella Sistina) is the best-known chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. It is famous for its architecture, evocative of Solomon's Temple of the Old Testament, and its decoration which has been frescoed throughout by the greatest Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Raphael, Bernini, and Sandro Botticelli. Under the patronage of Pope Julius II, Michelangelo painted 12,000 square feet (1,100 m2) of the chapel ceiling between 1508 and 1512. He resented the commission, and believed his work only served the Pope's need for grandeur. However, today the ceiling, and especially The Last Judgement, are widely believed to be Michelangelo's crowning achievements in painting.   The Sistine Chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who restored the old Cappella Magna between 1477 and 1480. During this period a team of painters that included Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli and Domenico Ghirlandaio created a series of frescoed panels depicting the life of Moses and the life of Christ, offset by papal portraits above and trompe l’oeil drapery below. These paintings were completed in 1482, and on August 15, 1483,[1] Sixtus IV consecrated the first mass in honor of Our Lady of the Assumption.   Since the time of Sixtus IV, the chapel has served as a place of both religious and functionary papal activity. Today it is the site of the Papal conclave, the process by which a new Pope is selected.


What was the name of the series of religiously sanctioned military campaigns between 1095 and 1291 waged by much of Latin Christian Europe to restore Christian control of the Holy Land?

The Crusades - Timeline Index Timeline Index 1095 - 1291 196 years The Crusades The Crusades were a series of religiously-sanctioned military campaigns waged by much of Latin Christian Europe, particularly the Franks of France and the Holy Roman Empire. The specific crusades to restore Christian control of the Holy Land were fought over a period of nearly 200 years, between 1095 and 1291. Other campaigns in Spain and Eastern Europe continued into the 15th century. The Crusades were fought mainly against Muslims, although campaigns were also waged against pagan Slavs, Jews, Russian and Greek Orthodox Christians, Mongols, Cathars, Hussites, Waldensians, Old Prussians, and political enemies of the popes. Crusaders took vows and were granted penance for past sins, often called an indulgence. The Crusades originally had the goal of recapturing Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslim rule and were launched in response to a call from the Christian Byzantine Empire for help against the expansion of the Muslim Seljuk Turks into Anatolia. More on this Website


"Who played the title role in the 2004 film ""The Passion of Christ""?"

Jim Caviezel claims The Passion of the Christ made him a Hollywood outcast | Film | The Guardian Movies Jim Caviezel claims The Passion of the Christ made him a Hollywood outcast The actor who played Jesus in Mel Gibson's 2004 film says he has been shunned by film industry since taking the role Jim Caviezel (right) says he has struggled to work in Hollywood since starring in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. Photograph: Nick Cornish/Rex Features Tuesday 3 May 2011 11.44 EDT First published on Tuesday 3 May 2011 11.44 EDT Close This article is 5 years old The actor who played Jesus in Mel Gibson's 2004 blockbuster The Passion of the Christ says he has been shunned by Hollywood since taking the role. Jim Caviezel was a regular name on cinema hoardings before agreeing to take the lead in the controversial, bloody retelling of Christ's final days. He headlined the 2002 remake of The Count of Monte Cristo and starred opposite Jennifer Lopez in the 2001 romantic drama Angel Eyes. However, Caviezel told an audience of churchgoers in Orlando, Florida on Saturday that he had "been rejected by my own industry" after choosing to join Gibson's cast. Gibson, he said, had initially offered him the role, only to call him back 20 minutes later and beg him not to take it. "He said, 'You'll never work in this town again.' I told him, 'We all have to embrace our crosses,'" said Caviezel. He added: "Jesus is as controversial now as he has ever been. Not much has changed in 2,000 years." A passionate Christian, Caviezel told the audience at the First Baptist Church of Orlando he had learned to accept that the destruction of his acting career was a price worth paying. "We have to give up our names, our reputations, our lives to speak the truth," he said. Though he labelled Gibson "a horrible sinner", he said the actor turned film-maker should not be vilified. "Mel Gibson doesn't need your judgment, he needs your prayers," Caviezel said. The Passion of the Christ was an enormous box office hit in 2004, taking more than $600m worldwide after attracting huge numbers of religious filmgoers. However, it was also the source of controversy with some critics accusing Gibson of antisemitism. Jami Bernard of the New York Daily News called it "the most virulently antisemitic movie made since the German propaganda films of World War II".


According to a Time - Pew Research Centre poll published on 29 November 2010, the percentage of married people in the USA has changed from 75% (of those over 18) in 1960 to what in 2008?

The Decline of Marriage And Rise of New Families - Page 2 | Pew Research Center - Page 2 The Decline of Marriage And Rise of New Families I. Executive Summary The transformative trends of the past 50 years that have led to a sharp decline in marriage and a rise of new family forms have been shaped by attitudes and behaviors that differ by class, age and race, according to a new Pew Research Center nationwide survey, done in association with TIME , complemented by an analysis of demographic and economic data from the U.S. Census Bureau. A new “marriage gap” in the United States is increasingly aligned with a growing income gap. Marriage, while declining among all groups, remains the norm for adults with a college education and good income but is now markedly less prevalent among those on the lower rungs of the socio-economic ladder. The survey finds that those in this less-advantaged group are as likely as others to want to marry, but they place a higher premium on economic security as a condition for marriage. This is a bar that many may not meet. The survey also finds striking differences by generation. In 1960, two-thirds (68%) of all twenty-somethings were married. In 2008, just 26% were. How many of today’s youth will eventually marry is an open question.  For now, the survey finds that the young are much more inclined than their elders to view cohabitation without marriage and other new family forms — such as same sex marriage and interracial marriage — in a positive light. Even as marriage shrinks, family— in all its emerging varieties — remains resilient. The survey finds that Americans have an expansive definition of what constitutes a family. And the vast majority of adults consider their own family to be the most important, most satisfying element of their lives. Here is a summary of the key findings of the report: The Class-Based Decline in Marriage. About half (52%) of all adults in this country were married in 2008; back in 1960, seven-in-ten (72%) were. This decline has occurred along class lines. In 2008, there was a 16 percentage point gap in marriage rates between college graduates (64%) and those with a high school diploma or less (48%). In 1960, this gap had been just four percentage points (76% vs. 72%). The survey finds that those with a high school diploma or less are just as likely as those with a college degree to say they want to marry. But they place a higher premium than college graduates (38% versus 21%) on financial stability as a very important reason to marry. Is Marriage Becoming Obsolete? Nearly four-in-ten survey respondents (39%) say that it is; in 1978 when Time magazine posed this question to registered voters, just 28% agreed. Those most likely to agree include those who are a part of the phenomenon (62% of cohabiting parents) as well as those most likely to be troubled by it (42% of self-described conservatives). Despite these growing uncertainties, Americans are more upbeat about the future of marriage and family (67% say they are optimistic) than about the future of the country’s educational system (50% optimistic), its economic system (46% optimistic) or its morals and ethics (41% optimistic). An Ambivalent Public. The public’s response to changing marital norms and family forms reflects a mix of acceptance and unease. On the troubled side of the ledger: Seven-in-ten (69%) say the trend toward more single women having children is bad for society, and 61% say that a child needs both a mother and father to grow up happily. On the more accepting side, only a minority say the trends toward more cohabitation without marriage (43%), more unmarried couples raising children (43%), more gay couples raising children (43%) and more people of different races marrying (14%) are bad for society. Relatively few say any of these trends are good for society, but many say they make little difference. Group Differences. Where people stand on the various changes in marriage and family life depends to some degree on who they are and how they live. The young are more accepting than the old of the eme


In 1998 the Iroquois nation sent its first team to the world championships of which sport?

A History of Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse A History of Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse By Lena Camara Lacrosse is not what tends to come to mind when Canada and sports are mentioned in the same breath, though it is the country’s national sport – in summer, at least. The sport has been around for centuries, predating even the European settlement of North America; it is believed the Native Americans invented the game of Lacrosse as early as the 12th century. Lacrosse is not only a sport, but originally was played as a spiritual endeavour, meant to give thanks and praises to the gods, a tradition which the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team follows to this day. The original version of the game was played with possibly hundreds of players at a time on a field that could range up to a mile in length and would continue for days. Given the number of players, and the physicality lacrosse demands, it is with good reason that the Eastern Cherokee name for the sport roughly translates to “little war.” The game, however, has little to do with inspiring aggression. “We play this game to give enjoyment to the Creator,” clarified Ansley Jemison, general manager of the Iroquois Nationals. Before the game, the team gathers around their spiritual advisor who leads a traditional tobacco-burning rite, among other rituals that prepare the players to take the field. The only time lacrosse has been a medal-earning sport at the Olympics was in 1904 and 1908 when Canada won the gold medal for men’s lacrosse both times. Lacrosse has been played for demonstration in a small number of subsequent summer games, and the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) continues to push the game’s presence in order to reinstate it at the Olympics. In order to do so, the sport will need a following on at least four continents with 75 competing countries. With only 23 countries currently in the FIL, it will be some time before we see the sport in the Olympics again. Until that time, the Lacrosse World Championship (LWC) will have to do. It is the biggest of the international lacrosse championships. The LWC is played every four years, just like the World Cup, and involved a record 29 competing countries in 2010. From its inception as a four-nation tournament until the present, the same teams have dominated: only the Iroquois, Canadian, American and Australian teams have ever placed in the top four. The Iroquois Nationals team is the only Native American team authorized to play a sport internationally. The FIL accepted the Iroquois Confederacy as a full member nation in 1987, and they participated in their first competition in 1990. Since then, the Nationals then proven their mettle. “The game is absolutely still a big part of our culture,” said Jemison, when asked about the team’s importance today. “We are very proud to represent our nation.” As part of the agreement with the FIL, Native Americans from other tribes are also eligible to tryout and play for the Nationals. The Nationals have been endorsed by Nike since 2008, and receive other funding from various sources including prominent Native American businesses. They are now a long way away from the donated equipment and airline tickets that saw them through the 1990 LWC. Under-funded at the outset, the Iroquois Nationals made a name for themselves and attracted investments and interest from around North America. Nowadays, their players are offered scholarships and recruited by the best university teams. This summer, the LWC made news for reasons other than lacrosse. Upon travelling to Manchester for their first game against Germany, the Iroquois team was denied entry into England. The British government demanded that they carry either Canadian or American documents in order to cross the border, as their Iroquois Confederacy passports were not recognized. In the United States, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton intervened on behalf of the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team, obtaining a one-time waiver that allowed them to travel despite their passports not containing biometric chips and current security features. Mor


British engineers Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Robert Stephenson built their most impressive structures and locomotives in which century?

Robert Stephenson Robert Stephenson 60% of the world’s railways use the Stephenson’s ‘standard’ gauge of 4ft81/4in  Civil and mechanical engineer Robert Stephenson built on the considerable achievements of his father, George. His forward thinking enabled the significant expansion of railways during the ‘railway mania’ of the mid nineteenth century. His expertise in both civil and mechanical engineering established the concept of the railway which developed in this country, and was then exported to the world.  Robert Stephenson, the only son of George Stephenson was born on 16 October 1803. Times were hard for the Stephenson family, often living in one room dwellings while George worked on various machines at different collieries and mills. Despite this, George made sure that Robert received a full education, the quality of which increased with the father’s fortunes. After leaving the Bruce Academy in Newcastle in 1819, the young Robert was taken on as an apprentice mining engineer at Killingworth Colliery. With his increasing understanding of engineering, he helped his father in surveying the Stockton & Darlington Railway line, experience which led him to assist in the first surveys of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway.   Railway Mania After the successful opening of both the Stockton & Darlington Railway and the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, Robert was in demand as a railway engineer. During the years of ‘railway mania’ during the 1830s and 1840s, he was appointed engineer to a great number of railways in the midlands, north of England and north Wales. His first major commission was the London & Birmingham Railway; opened in 1838 it was the first railway into London. With its terminus at Euston it went north west to Birmingham Curzon Street, forming a junction with the Grand Junction Railway and connecting the new line with the cities of Liverpool and Manchester. Works at Kilsby Tunnel (near Rugby) and the cuttings at Tring and Roade were major civil engineering undertakings. For the Chester & Holyhead Railway and the Newcastle & Berwick Railway he designed four very notable and different railway bridges, all of which are still in use today. The highly distinctive Conway (1848) and Britannia (1850) bridges in North Wales both incorporated box section wrought iron tubes. The High Level Bridge (1849), between Newcastle and Gateshead carried both a railway and a roadway from the outset on cast iron spans, while the Royal Border Bridge (1850) was a simple masonry structure.   Locomotives and the Rainhill Trials Robert Stephenson & Co, Newcastle was established by George Stephenson in 1823, Robert being the firm’s managing partner. Foreseeing the demand for steam engines for the new railway, it was the first locomotive works in the world. The firm completed its first steam engine Locomotion just in time for the ceremonial opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in September 1825. As early as 1822 while working on the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, Robert Stephenson strongly advocated the use of ‘travelling’ rather than fixed engines on the line, despite the preference of both the company directors and his father George for a fixed arrangement. After his return from South America in 1827, Robert found the question still under debate. The Directors proposed a competition to decide the best mode of traction for their new railway. Robert Stephenson & Co entered their locomotive Rocket into the Rainhill Trails in October 1829. It won, and convinced a watching world that locomotives were the future for the new railway. Robert Stephenson continued to improve on Rocket’s design, its multi-tubular boiler providing the template for steam locomotives built worldwide during the 19th and 20th centuries.   Railways for the world With his growing reputation for railway engineering, both civil and mechanical, Robert Stephenson was able to travel abroad on various consultancies for overseas railways during the 1840s and 1850s. His most notable structures were all tubular bridges; the Victoria Bridge over the St Lawrence River in Mon


Usain Bolt Net Worth - Get Usain Bolt Net Worth Usain Bolt Net Worth Usain Bolt Net Worth is$25 Million Usain Bolt Annual Income is$15 Million VN:F [1.9.22_1171] Rating: 4.4/5 (53 votes cast) VN:F [1.9.22_1171] Rating: 3.3/5 (24 votes cast) Profession: Sprinter, Runner, Athlete Date of Birth: Aug 21, 1986 Height: 1.96 m Ethnicity: Afro-Caribbean Country: Jamaica Usain Bolt was born in Jamaica and has an estimated net worth of $6 million dollars. A sprinter who has set world records in the 100 m, 200 m, and 4 x 100 m relay, Usain Bolt has won three Gold medals at the Olympics and three Gold medals and 2 Silver medals at the World Championships. He has been setting world records since he was a junior competitor and has broken his own record in the 100 m sprint twice. The Honourable Usain St. Leo Bolt, OJ, C.D. ( /'ju:se?n/; born 21 August 1986), is a Jamaican sprinter and a five-time World and three-time Olympic gold medalist. He is the world record and Olympic record holder in the 100 metres, the 200 metres and (along with his teammates) the 4x100 metres relay. He is the reigning Olympic champion in these three events, and is one of only seven athletes (along with Valerie Adams, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Jacques Freitag, Yelena Isinbayeva, Jana Pittman, Dani Samuels) to win world championships at the youth, junior, and senior level of an athletic event. Bolt won a 200 m gold medal at the 2002 World Junior Championships, making him the competition's youngest-ever gold medalist at the time (since surpassed by Jacko Gill). In 2004, at the CARIFTA Games, he became the first junior sprinter to run the 200 m in less than 20 seconds with a time of 19.93 s, breaking the previous world junior record held by Roy Martin by two-tenths of a second. He turned professional in 2004, and although he competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics, he missed most of the next two seasons due to injuries. In 2007, he broke Don Quarrie's 200 m Jamaican record with a run of 19.75 s. His 2008 season began with his first world record performance--a 100 m world record of 9.72 s--and culminated in world and Olympic records in both the 100 m and 200 m events at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. He ran 9.69 s for the 100 m and 19.30 s in the 200 m, and also set a 4x100 m relay record of 37.10 s with the Jamaican team. This made him the first man to win three sprinting events at a single Olympics since Carl Lewis in 1984, and the first man to set world records in all three at a single Olympics. The following year he further lowered his own 100 m and 200 m world records to 9.58 s and 19.19 s respectively at the 2009 World Championships. This made him the first man to hold both the 100 and 200 m world and Olympic titles at the same time. His 2009 record breakin


"Who wore size 9 shoes in a song, the chorus of which begins ""Oh My Darling, Oh My Darling, Oh My Darling ...""?"

Golden Oldies - PG D'Souza Clan Golden Oldies A BOOK CONTAINING POPULAR SONGS FOR BOTH YOUNG AND OLD When I was a schoolboy and later on in life some of the best times we had were at a dinner when a lady got up and sat at the piano and called all of us to sing. Those days there was no TV to watch so everybody got around the piano and sang lustily. As the days passed I noticed that all had an inclination to sing but the common plea was that they had forgotten the words. After seeing that this wondelful occasion, when we all got together to lend our voices to a boisterous melody, was fading away I decided to collect songs and to publish a concise book of songs for everyone. I only hope that this will bring back the singing days. I thank all my good friends who have lent me their support, by suggesting songs, or proof reading etc. Noel D'Souza Daisy Daisy give me your answer do, I'm half crazy all for the love of you, It won't be a stylish marriage, For I can't afford a carriage. But you'll look sweet upon the seat, On a Bicycle meant for two. Michael, Michael here is my answer true, I can't cycle it makes me black and blue. If you can't afford a carriage, Call off the blinking marriage. For I'll be damned, if I'll be crammed, On a bicycle meant for two. 'NEATH THE SHADE OF AN OLD APPLE TREE 'Neath the shade of an old apple tree, When love in your eyes I could see; When the voice that I heard, Like the song of a bird. Seemed to whisper sweet music to me. I could hear the dull buzz of a bee, In the blossoms as you sing to me. With a heart that is true, I'll be waiting for you, 'Neath the shade of an old apple tree. AFTER THE BALL IS OVER After the ball is over, after the break of morn, After the dancers are leaving, After the stars are gone. Many a heart is aching, If you could read them all. Many the hopes that have vanished, After the ball. We were so happy waltzing around the floor, As shadows dipping I'll love you more. Then came the last dance, you said good bye Though I'm smiling I wanted to cry. 0 MY DARLING CLEMENTINE 0 my darling, 0 my darling, 0 my darling, . Clementine, Thou art lost and gone forever, Dreadful sorrow Clementine. In a cavern, in a canyon, excavating for a mine, Dwelt a miner, forty - niner, and his daughter Clementine. Light she was a, like a fairy And her shoes were number nine, Herring boxes without topses Saw her lips above the water, Blowing bubbles soft and fine. But alas, I'm no swimmer, So I lost my Clementine. (Chorus) Into the churchyard, Near the cannon, where the mistles doth entwine. There grew roses and other flowers, Fertilized by my Clementine. Drove she ducklings to the water, Every morning just at nine. Hit her foot against a splinter, Fell into the foaming brine. (Chorus) In my dreams I still but name her, Robed in garments of the time. Though in life I used to hand her, Now she died I'll dream in time. (Chorus) How I missed her, how I missed her, How I missed my Clementine, But I kissed her little sister, And forgot my Clementine. Come back Lisa, come back girl, Wipe the tears'from me eyes. Come back Lisa, come back girl, Wipe the tears from me eyes. Every time I'm away from Lisa, Water comes to me eyes. (Chorus) Remember when love was new, Water comes to me eyes. (Chorus) There was one but now there's two, Water comes to me eyes. (Chorus) When the evening starts to fall, Water comes to me eyes. (Chorus) I can hear my Lisa call, Water comes to me eyes. (Chorus) Standing there in the market place, Water comes to my eyes. (Chorus) Soon I'll feel her warm embrace, Water comes to my eyes. (Chorus) 6. MY BONNIE LIES OVER THE OCEAN My Bonnie lies over the ocean, My Bonnie lies over the sea, My Bonnie lies over the ocean, So bring back my Bonnie to me, to me. CHORUS Bring back, Oh bring back, Oh bring back my Bonnie to me, to me. Bring back, Oh bring back, Oh bring back my Bonnie to me. My breakfast lies over the ocean, My luncheon lies over the sea, My stomach is in heluva commotion, So bring qack my dinner to me. (Chorus) Last night as I lay on my pillow, Last night as I lay on my bed


Annie Leibovitz | Photography and Biography Contact Annie Leibovitz Born in 1949 in South Dakota, Annie Leibovitz masters in photographing portraits. Her father was in the US Air Force and her mother was an instructor of contemporary dance. The family had to move often from one place to another due to her father’s job. During this time, while the Vietnam War was on, she captured her first images in Philippines. While studying at Roosevelt High School, Leibovitz became fascinated by different artistic activities, and started to play and write music. She learned painting in San Francisco Art Institute. At this time she became influenced by  Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Frank . Whilst working at various places, she kept on developing her photographic skill. In 1970, Annie Leibovitz began her career working for the Rolling Stone publication that had just came into the market. She worked as a photographer there. Three years later, Jann Wenner promoted her to the Head photographer post in the same magazine and she maintained this post for a decade. While working there, she became introduced to other magazines as well. Richard Avedon‘s work was a powerful and an important influence in her professional life. She figured that she could spend time on her own work while working for publications. In 1978, she became the first female to take pictures of Joan Armatrading for To the Limit, his album. After 2 years, she took photos of John Lennon and Yoko Ono for the Rolling Stone magazine. She was the last to photograph him professionally before he was shot dead. Leibovitz was hired by Vanity Fair when they admired her new approach towards using vivid colors, and lighting in 1980s. In 1987, she received the Cilo award for photographing celebrities for an American Express campaign. In 1991, the National Portrait Gallery exhibited her work. She was the first female and second portraitist to show her work there. The French Government made her Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. From 2006 to 2007, Annie Leibovitz did a major exhibition at Brooklyn Museum. Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer’s Life (1990), her book, became the foundation of this retrospective. The show included her celebrity photos, family images and pictures of Susan Sontag, her partner. It also included three official photographs of Queen Elizabeth II. The exhibition was also shown in Washington, D.C.’s Corcoran Gallery of Art and in San Francisco’s Palace of the Legion of Honor. The exposition was then moved to Germany. In 2007, she was hired by The Walt Disney Company to take a series of pictures of celebrities posing in different scenes and roles for a Disney Park‘s campaign, Year of a Million Dreams. One year later, Entertainment Tonight, a television program, reported that Miley Cyrus at 15 years of age posed half nude for a Vanity Fair photo shoot that was conducted by Annie Leibovitz. The full photo accompanied by an article were published in The New York Times and it was clarified that the young celebrity was wrapped in a bed sheet and she was not entirely topless. The spokesperson from Disney described the situation as an approach to sell the magazines. Towards the photo, many parents were outraged and soon both Cyrus and Leibovitz made apologetic statements. The archive of her work is with Contact Press Images in New York since 1977 who represents her licensed photographs.


How many US states share a land border with Canada?

Canada's History, Government, and Geography Area: 3,855,085 square miles (9,984,670 sq km) Bordering Country: The United States Coastline: 125,567 miles (202,080 km) History of Canada The first people to live in Canada were the Inuit and First Nation Peoples. The first Europeans to reach the country were likely the Vikings and it is believed that Norse explorer Leif Eriksson led them to the coast of Labrador or Nova Scotia in 1000 C.E. European settlement did not begin in Canada until the 1500s. In 1534, French explorer Jacques Cartier discovered the St. continue reading below our video 10 Best Universities in the United States Lawrence River while searching for fur and shortly thereafter, he claimed Canada for France. The French began to settle there in 1541 but an official settlement was not established until 1604. That settlement, called Port Royal, was located in what is now Nova Scotia. In addition to the French, the English also began exploring Canada for its fur and fish trade and in 1670 established the Hudson's Bay Company. In 1713 a conflict developed between the English and French and the English won control of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Hudson Bay. The Seven Year’s War, in which England sought to gain more control of the country then began in 1756. That war ended in 1763 and England was given full control of Canada with the Treaty of Paris. In the years after the Treaty of Paris, English colonists flocked to Canada from England and the United States. In 1849, Canada was given the right to self-government and the country of Canada was officially established in 1867. It was comprised of Upper Canada (the area that became Ontario), Lower Canada (the area that became Quebec), Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. In 1869, Canada continued to grow when it bought land from the Hudson’s Bay Company. This land was later divided into different provinces, one of which was Manitoba. It joined Canada in 1870 followed by British Columbia in 1871 and Prince Edward Island in 1873. The country then grew again in 1901 when Alberta and Saskatchewan joined Canada. It remained this size until 1949 when Newfoundland became the tenth province.  Languages in Canada Because of the long history of conflict between the English and French in Canada, a division between the two still exists in the country’s languages today. In Quebec the official language at the provincial level is French and there have been several Francophone initiatives to ensure that the language remains prominent there. In addition, there have been numerous initiatives for secession. The most recent was in 1995 but it failed by a margin of 50.6 to 49.4. There are also some French-speaking communities in other portions of Canada, mostly on the east coast, but the majority of the rest of the country speaks English. At the federal level, however, the country is officially bilingual. Canada's Government Canada is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy and federation. It has three branches of government. The first is the executive which consists of the head of state, who is represented by a governor general, and the prime minister who is considered the head of government. The second branch is the legislative which is a bicameral parliament consisting of the Senate and House of Commons. The third branch is made up of the Supreme Court . Industry and Land Use in Canada Canada’s industry and land uses vary based on region. The eastern portion of the country is the most industrialized but Vancouver, British Columbia, a major seaport, and Calgary, Alberta are some western cities that are highly industrialized as well. Alberta also produces 75% of Canada’s oil and is important for coal and natural gas . Canada’s resources include nickel (mainly from Ontario), zinc, potash, uranium, sulfur, asbestos, aluminum, and copper. Hydroelectric power and pulp and paper industries are also important. In addition, agriculture and ranching play a significant role in the Prairie Provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) and several parts of the rest of the country. Cana


What ambulance service is a common name used by a number of affiliated organisations in different countries dedicated to the teaching and practice of medical first aid and the provision of ambulance services, all of which derive their origins from an association founded in 1877 in England?

St. John Ambulance - About Us - For the Service of Mankind. Why First Aid? St John Ambulance Association Maharastra State Centre We are the Maharashtra State Centre of The St. John Ambulance Association, India Chapter. The Hon. Governor of Maharashtra State, chairs the Maharashtra Chapter. After S.J.A. of India was started in 1912, the St. John Maharashtra State Centre was established in 1915 at the present location in Fort and is still functional from the same venue after 100 years. The Maharashtra State Centre has several sub centres under its wing - Pune, Nasik, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar.  We offer first aid courses to individuals and companies. The training is designed so that the common man can be trained without any formal qualifications being required. Our training is conducted in English, Hindi or Marathi. Our courses are fully certified, internationally recognised (Learn More) and valid for work visas . We also provide first aid kits to be used in case of emergencies.  Classes are conducted only by Maharashtra Medical Council registered Doctors. Classes for Individuals and small groups of upto 30 people are conducted in our air-conditioned auditorium at our Fort office with audio-visual cues and professional props. Doctors may also travel to your location for a minimum batch of 30 candidates with transport provided for the visiting faculty.  Our activities include running certified courses in First Aid, Home Nursing, Health and Safety etc. We also run Ambulance services through our St. John Ambulance Brigade ( The Parsi Ambulance Wing) located at Lady Wellington House, opposite Metro Cinema, Dhobi Talao. The ambulance service is offered free to the public and is run only on donations from those who make use of our ambulances.    The St. John Ambulance Brigade and our volunteers offer our services free, during festivals like Ganesh Chaturti. Volunteers from the Nuclear Power Corp make their services available for Maharashtra's annual Pandharpur pilgrimage, every year. Centenary Celebrations As part of our celebrating 100 years in the service of the public, we aim to spread awareness about First Aid in our schools and colleges. We are therefore organising Essay as well as Poster(drawing) Competitions, and Skits in Schools throughout Mumbai. We are also arranging a Fund Raising drive through an English Play which will be performed at the National Centre of the Performing Arts. The funds raised therein will be used for our future activities. SJA in India St. John Ambulance India is the Indian branch of St. John Ambulance International. It has its national headquarters in Delhi and operates as a federation. The St. John Ambulance Association of India was started in 1912. Since Independence the India Chapter has its headquarters in New Delhi and is chaired by The Hon. President of India. There are two operational wings often called the Association Wing (which delivers first aid training) and the Brigade Wing (which operates the Ambulance service and delivers First Aid at public events). Surgeon-Major William George Nicholas Manley of the Royal Regiment of Artillery established St John Ambulance in 1877. In 1912, the St John Ambulance Association was granted autonomy and the Council was created. The first Nursing division was established in 1913 and the first Cadet division in 1925. At independence, the Indian St John Council was granted entire control over the work that was being carried out in its 526 divisions. History Of SJA International St. John Ambulance, branded as St. John in some territories, is a common name used by a number of affiliated organisations in different countries, dedicated to the teaching and practice of medical first aid and the provision of ambulance services, all of which derive their origins from the St. John Ambulance Association founded in 1877 in the United Kingdom by the order of Queen Victoria. Commonwealth countries have this organisation in some form or other. The active uniformed first-aiders known as the St. John Ambulance Brigade were introduced in 1887. There ar


What river runs through Cincinnati, Ohio, USA?

1000+ images about Cincinnati on Pinterest | Cincinnati reds, West virginia tourism and Opening day Carew Tower is the second tallest building in Cincinnati, Ohio. Completed in 1930, it stands 49 stories tall in the heart of downtown, overlooking the Ohio River waterfront, and is a National Historic Landmark. See More


"Which 1982 album by Dire Staits included the tracks ""Telegraph Road"", ""Private Investigations"" , ""Industrial Disease"" and ""It Never Rains""?"

Dire Straits - Telegraph Road [COMPLETE STUDIO VERSION] - YouTube Dire Straits - Telegraph Road [COMPLETE STUDIO VERSION] Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Aug 30, 2010 DIRE STRAITS ►Album: Love Over Gold (1982) ************************************************************************ Supporta la pagina su Facebook dedicata al Progressive Rock: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Progres... Become fan of the page "Progressive Rock" on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Progres... ************************************************************************ "Telegraph Road" è il brano che apre il quarto album dei Dire Straits, Love Over Gold, pubblicato nel 1982. Il disco è l'unico all'interno della discografia della band ad avere influenze musicali di stampo progressive. Category


k.d. lang - Biography - IMDb k.d. lang Jump to: Overview  (4) | Mini Bio  (1) | Trade Mark  (2) | Trivia  (17) | Personal Quotes  (10) Overview (4) 5' 9" (1.75 m) Mini Bio (1) k.d. lang was born on November 2, 1961 in Consort, Alberta, Canada as Kathryn Dawn Lang. Trade Mark (2) Trivia (17) Born at 2:03am-MST. Father - Adam Frederick Lang (commonly known as Fred) Mother - Audrey occupation - teacher (Parents married around 1945-194? - shortly after WWII). Siblings: John (b. c. 1950) Jo Ann (b. c. 1955) Keltie (b. c. 1958) Family religious affiliation at time of her birth was protestant; Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Educated in Consort, Alberta, Canada. Family heritage is reportedly Dutch, English, Icelandic, Irish, Scottish, German Jewish, and there is also a rumor in the family claiming Cree background. Her surname, Lang, is of German derivation, and means long or tall. Ranked #33 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll. Is a vegetarian. Reportedly does not use capital letters in her name as a tribute to poet e.e. cummings . Near the end of his life, Roy Orbison was very close friends with her. One of his last recordings was a cover version of "Crying", sung by both of them as a duet. Attended the special dinner at Sony Studios in Los Angeles to honour the singer and activist Sting as MusiCares 2004 Person of the Year. The evening celebrated Sting 's contribution to popular music, and honoured his charitable work with Amnesty International and the Rainforest Foundation. Other stars in attendance included Kylie Minogue , Elton John and Dido . (6 February 2004). She appeared on the first cover of "Entertainment Weekly" magazine, dated February 16, 1990. She has won several music awards: the Grammy, MTV Video Award, American Music Award and the Juno (Canadian Grammy). Winner of the 1995 Brit Award for International Female Solo performance. She was awarded the OC (Officer of the Order of Canada) by then Governor General of Canada, Romeo Leblanc (as Roméo LeBlanc) on November 14, 1996, for her services to music. Enraged Alberta cattle farmers in the mid 1990s, when she did a commercial urging people not eat beef and become a vegetarian. Received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto, Ontario on June 3, 2008. Los Angeles, California [June 2007] Personal Quotes (10) I think masculinity is bravado against the mystery of the universe of women. It's just a fear of not knowing what women have that's so powerful. It's this shield they put up to try to get closer. One of the reasons I wouldn't sleep with a man is because I wouldn't feel equal, both in that I feel more spiritually advanced than men, and because society places men over women. How do you feel equal when you're with a man? I think I have always known it, but I didn't really know there was a name for it, or that it was different, but I have always felt inclined towards women. I have felt inclined towards men - not as deeply or sexually as towards women - but I'm definitely attracted to men. [on her idol, Peggy Lee ] I became a complete junkie for her . . . She represents an era that is leaving us, one where vocals were king. [on managing her career] I don't want to have it on the front burner. I like it just simmering. I feel at ease right now because it's at a manageable level. People aren't chasing me around with cameras and making me feel uncomfortable anymore. I often say fame is kind of like a drug or like sugar: when it's controlling you it doesn't feel good at all. [on social networking] It gives me the heebie-jeebies,to be quite honest. The tweeting thing, to me, is just really unnerving. I'm not not interested in [hearing about] somebody having a MacDonald's burger and then 'oh my god, there's a dog crossing the street'. I don't sing in the shower but hiking, yes. Every day I sing a little something, to the radio or to the dogs, or a song will come into my head and I'll sing a line of it, randomly. [on performing one's own songs] As a songwriter you have an umbilical cord to the song and it's hard to expand on your understanding of the lyrics. Wher


The cochlea is part of which part of the body?

A Pictorial Guide to the Cochlear Fluids Location of the Cochlea The cochlea is part of the Inner Ear This figure shows the location of the cochlea with respect to the external ear canal. The cochlea is shown here as the blue spiral structure, which resembles a snail. (The word cochlea is derived from the Greek word (kokhlias) for a snail) The cochlea is responsible for converting sounds which enter the ear canal, from mechanical vibrations into electrical signals. This process, known as transduction, is performed by specialized sensory cells within the cochlea. The electrical signals, which code the sound's characteristics, are carried to the brain by the auditory nerve. The Inner Ear Fluids The anatomy of the inner ear is dominated by large fluid-filled spaces. As shown in this figure, the inner ear consists of a complex series of tubes, running through the temporal bone of the skull. The bony tubes (sometimes called the bony labyrinth) are filled with a fluid called perilymph. Perilymph is shown both here and in the picture on the opening page colored orange. Within this bony labyrinth is a second series of tubes made out of delicate cellular structures (called the membranous labyrinth). The fluid inside these membranous structures is called endolymph, and is show both here and in the opening illustration colored blue. The different spaces of the perilymphatic and endolymphatic compartments are each interconnected by a series of ducts, which are described in the next figure. An important feature of the endolymphatic space is that it is completely bounded by tissues and there are no ducts or open connections between perilymph and endolymph. Nomenclature of the Inner Ear Fluid Compartments The inner ear is comprised of two main sections. The semi-circular canals, utricle and saccule make up the vestibular system and are involved in balance. The scala tympani, scala media and scala vestibuli make up the cochlea which is involved in hearing. The perilymphatic chamber of the vestibular system has a wide connection to scala vestibuli, which in turn connects to scala tympani by an opening called the helicotrema at the apex of the cochlea. Scala tympani is then connected to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the subarachnoid space by the cochlear aqueduct. The endolymphatic system of the cochlea (scala media) is connected to the saccule by the ductus reuniens and from there connects to the endolymphatic sac, which lies in a bony niche within the cranium. The endolymph of the utricle and semi-circular canals also connects to the endolymphatic sac. The existence of the many ducts connecting different parts of the inner ear has led to the idea that the cochlear fluids are flowing through the ear. However, unlike other body fluids, such as saliva or lacrymal fluid (tears), the fluids of the inner ear are not secreted and resorbed in volume. This is a widespread misconception, based on old studies which used poor experimental techniques. Studies performed over the past decade in our lab have shown that neither endolymph nor perilymph "flow" along their respective compartments in the normal cochlea. Maintenance of the chemical composition of both fluids is dominated by ion transport processes which are localized in each region. If the bony capsule of the inner ear is perforated, then perilymph escapes, driven by the hydrostatic pressure of CSF. The escaping fluid is replaced by CSF entering the cochlea through the cochlear aqueduct. In this condition a longitudinal flow will exist between the cochlear aqueduct and the site of the perforation. The chemical composition of perilymph will be disturbed because the perilymph will continually be "washed out" and replaced by CSF. This condition is known as a perilymphatic fistula.


What is a traditional form of whitework embroidery which involves the tufting or knotting of the yarn, on top of a muslin fabric to create patterns?

What Is a Candle Wick Bedspread? | eHow What Is a Candle Wick Bedspread? bedroom image by david hughes from Fotolia.com Candlewicking is a term applied to a certain style of embroidery. The yarn used in the origins of this embroidery style was a course white yarn which was also used for homemade candle wicks. This style was popular among colonialists during the early ages of America. A candlewick bedspread employs the unique embroidery and is often given as a traditional wedding present. Candlewicking Candlewicking is traditionally a form of whitework embroidery. Whitework became popular after the invention of the cotton gin in 1792. The embroidery involves the tufting or knotting of the candlewick yarn, also known as roving, on top of a muslin fabric to create patterns. The raised embroidery included traditional styles, such as the French knot stitch, running stitch, stem stitch, back stitch and satin stitch. Two important knots used in candlewicking include the colonial knot and the stem stitch. An old story tells of embroiderers wrapping the yard around a small stick and then taking the stick out and leaving a loose loop or cutting it for a fringed effect. Bedspreads Bedspreads were only one item adorned with the embroidery. Other items included pillows and tablecloths but the bedspread has become a traditional representation of candlewicking. Aside from the raised embroidery on the body of the spread, candlewick bedspreads are also known because of their fringe. Made of the same yarn used for the embroidery, the fringe of a candlewick bedspread is traditionally long and dramatic. According to an article by Oldandsold.com, no machine work can simulate the traditional candlewick fringe. A candlewick bedspread is usually a cream color to symbolize the muslin of the colonial period. Colonial Period Though candlewicking is older than America, the style became a sensation in the late 1700s. Though some would attribute the popularity to the frugality of colonial life it was ultimately the industrial revolution that gave power to the growing art. The businesses of spinning and weaving were taking great leaps in technology and efficiency and that, combined with the booming cotton industry, paved the way for the embroidery style. Patterns In the beginning embroiderers would often depict English and Scottish countrysides in their designs. This evolved as the art became popular in America, and a common symbol found on a candlewick bedspread is an American eagle. Other popular patterns include baskets of flowers and the cornucopia. A bedspread usually has a central design and then a border, surrounding the design. The borders are often leaves or geometrical shapes. Decline and Demand In the 1840s the popularity of candlewicked bedspreads began to decline. With the invention of the machine-made bed cover, the hand stitched bedspread was a thing of the past. The Bolten woven coverlet was a similar reproduction of traditional candlewick designs but it was made on loom in England. They were imported to the Unites States in the early 19th century. Today there has been a revival of the demand for hand-stitched candlewick bedspreads and current craftsmen often use the same materials that have been used for 250 years.


Who has won the Women's Singles title at Australia's premier tennis tournament, with 10 wins?

Tennis – ‘the golden age’ of the 1960s–70s and beyond | australia.gov.au Tennis – ‘the golden age’ of the 1960s–70s and beyond Tennis – ‘the golden age’ of the 1960s–70s and beyond Mark Woodforde, Doubles Champion 1989–2000 Australians dominated world tennis in the 1950s and 1960s in major events known as Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian, French and United States Open, and Wimbledon in the UK. This period was known as the ‘golden age’ of Australian tennis. In the 1960s, men's tennis open titles were dominated by six Australian men: Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, John Newcombe, Tony Roche, Ken Rosewall, and Fred Stolle. Between 1961 and 1970, Australian men's tennis champions won at least one Open Singles title every year at either Wimbledon or the French or US Opens, as well as the Australian Open titles. In men's tennis, the golden age culminated in 1969 with Rod Laver's second Grand Slam win, as well as four major titles in the same year. Margaret Court, courtesy of Australian Open In 1970, Margaret Court also completed the Grand Slam. Court is one of only three women ever to win four international tennis open titles in one year. Indigenous player Evonne Goolagong Cawley was also a strong force in women's tennis in Australia in the 1970s with wins at Wimbledon, the French and the Australian Opens. The ‘golden age’ for Australian tennis players declined from 1969 when amateur players were joined by professionals. Also by the 1980s, the Australian Open synchronised its dates to begin in January in line with the European, UK and USA players events schedule, which greatly widened the pool of players. Yet even following the decline of Australia's dominance in the Grand Slam tournaments, tennis remained popular in urban areas and the Australian Open grows in popularity as a spectator sport. Early tennis development 1900s–1950s The golden age of Australian tennis was built on the early successes of both men's and women's tennis with Grand Slam tournament winners: Norman Brookes in the 1900s to 1919, Jack Crawford in the early 1930s, and Harry Hopman from 1929–39. This was in tandem with the consistent wins and popularity of women's tennis from the 1920s to the 1950s. Daphne Akhurst reached the Wimbledon final in 1925 and won the Doubles in 1928. From the1930s to the 1950s, Nancy Bolton got to the USA Singles Open and won other titles with her doubles partner, Thelma Long. Bolton was ranked No.4 in 1947 and stayed in that position until 1949. This series of wins in the amateur Grand Slam tournament titles of the 1940s and 1950s was made possible by extensive community and industry support, and investment in the development and administration of amateur tennis players. Harry Hopman, courtesy of Australian Open Harry Hopman was a captain turned coach of 22 Australian Davis Cup teams between 1939 and 1967. As coach Hopman guided Australian male tennis players to 15 Davis Cup victories in 20 years. Ken Rosewall, Frank Sedgeman, John Bromwich, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Lew Hoad and Margaret Smith Court were all either trained by Harry Hopman or managed by Nell Hopman. ( The Hopman Era: Australia on the Rise) Amateurs, tennis community and industry in the 1960s By 1969 the game started to change. Professional players were invited to join the amateurs at the Grand Slam tournaments and prize money was offered for the first time, different tennis court surfaces and different game strategies emerged, and metal racquets were introduced. Professional versus amateur In 1969, the Australian Open Championships became 'open' to amateurs and professionals. This followed in the footsteps of the French Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, UK, and the USA Open. Rod Laver returned to win his second grand slam in 1969. The advantages to amateur Australian champions who had enjoyed the riches of the Davis Cup endorsements soon disappeared with the advent of ‘open’ tennis. The end of the golden age was seen in the average age of the Davis Cup team, which was 35 years. It was another 18 years until Pat Cash, another Australian man, won the men's singles titl


In 1979, a World Health Organization commission of scientists certified the global eradication of which human infectious disease, the first (and only) one to be completely eradicated from nature?

Disease Eradication | History of Vaccines WHO photo by T.S. Satyan Smallpox eradication campaign When a disease stops circulating in a region, it’s considered eliminated in that region. Polio, for example, was eliminated in the United States by 1979 after widespread vaccination efforts. If a particular disease is eliminated worldwide, it’s considered eradicated. To date, only one infectious disease that affects humans has been eradicated.* In 1980, after decades of efforts by the World Health Organization, the World Health Assembly endorsed a statement declaring smallpox eradicated. Coordinated efforts rid the world of a disease that had once killed up to 35% of its victims and left others scarred or blind. Smallpox eradication was accomplished with a combination of focused surveillance—quickly identifying new smallpox cases—and ring vaccination. “Ring vaccination” meant that anyone who could have been exposed to a smallpox patient was tracked down and vaccinated as quickly as possible, effectively corralling the disease and preventing its further spread. The last case of wild smallpox occurred in Somalia in 1977. Smallpox was a good candidate for eradication for several reasons. First, the disease is highly visible: smallpox patients develop a rash that is easily recognized. In addition, the time from exposure to the initial appearance of symptoms is fairly short, so that the disease usually can’t spread very far before it’s noticed. Workers from the World Health Organization found smallpox patients in outlying areas by displaying pictures of people with the smallpox rash and asking if anyone nearby had a similar rash. Second, only humans can transmit and catch smallpox. Some diseases have an animal reservoir, meaning they can infect other species besides humans. Yellow fever, for example, infects humans, but can also infect monkeys. If a mosquito capable of spreading yellow fever bites an infected monkey, the mosquito can then give the disease to humans. So even if the entire population of the planet could somehow be vaccinated against yellow fever, its eradication could not be guaranteed. The disease could still be circulating among monkeys, and it could re-emerge if human immunity ever waned. (The discovery of an animal reservoir for yellow fever was in fact what derailed a yellow fever eradication effort in the early 1900s.) Smallpox, however, can infect only humans. In effect, aside from the human population, it has nowhere to hide. Equally important is the ability to protect individuals against infection. People who survived smallpox naturally developed lifelong immunity against future infection. For everyone else, vaccination was highly effective. WHO trained vaccinators quickly, and they could immunize large groups of people in a short time. The eradication of smallpox raised hopes that the same could be accomplished for other diseases, with many named as possibilities: polio, mumps, and dracunculiasis (Guinea worm disease), among others. Malaria has also been considered, and its incidence has been reduced drastically in many countries. It presents a challenge to the traditional idea of eradication, however, in that having malaria does not result in lifelong immunity against it (as smallpox and many other diseases do). It is possible to fall ill with malaria many times, although individuals may develop partial immunity after multiple attacks. In addition, although promising steps have been made, no effective malaria vaccine yet exists. Other diseases present additional challenges. Polio, though it has been reduced or eliminated in many countries through widespread vaccination, still circulates in some areas because (among other reasons) many cases do not present easily recognizable symptoms. As a result, an infected person can remain unnoticed, yet still spread the virus to others. Measles is problematic in a similar way: although the disease results in a highly visible rash, a significant period of time elapses between exposure to the virus and the development of the rash. Patients become contagious before the


Merengue, History of Dance and Music Merengue Origin Merengue Dance History The Merengue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic, and also to some extent, of Haiti, the neighbor sharing the island. There are two popular versions of the of the origin of the Dominican national dance, the Merengue. One story alleges the dance originated with slaves who were chained together and, of necessity, were forced to drag one leg as they cut sugar to the beat of drums. The second story alleges that a great hero was wounded in the leg during one of the many revolutions in the Dominican Republic. A party of villagers welcomed him home with a victory celebration and, out of sympathy, everyone dancing felt obliged to limp and drag one foot. Merengue has existed since the early years of the Dominican Republic (in Haiti, a similar dance is called the Meringue or Mereng). It is possible the dance took its name from the confection made of sugar and egg whites because of the light and frothy character of the dance or because of its short, precise rhythms. By the middle of the nineteenth century, the Merengue was very popular in the Dominican Republic. Not only is it used on every dancing occasion in the Republic, but it is very popular throughout the Caribbean and South America, and is one of the standard Latin American dances. There is a lot of variety in Merengue music. Tempos vary a great deal and the Dominicans enjoy a sharp quickening in pace towards the latter part of the dance. The most favored routine at the clubs and restaurants that run a dance floor is a slow Bolero, breaking into a Merengue, which becomes akin to a bright, fast Jive in its closing stages. The ballroom Merengue is slower and has a modified hip action. The Merengue was introduced in the United States in the New York area. However, it did not become well known until several years later. Ideally suited to the small, crowded dance floors, it is a dance that is easy to learn and essentially a "fun" dance. Continued below ...


"Who appeared in the films ""The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"" (2007), ""Burn After Reading"" (2008), ""The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"" (2008) and ""Inglourious Basterds"" (2009)?"

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford | RT: 76 Plot: Robert Ford (Casey Affleck) seeks out Jesse James (Brad Pitt) when the James gang is planning a train robbery in Blue Cut, Missouri, making petty, unsuccessful attempts to join the gang with the help of his brother Charley (Sam Rockwell), already a member of the James gang. The train turns out to be... Wikipedia ( CC ) Enjoy the Trailer!


Suriname Map / Geography of Suriname / Map of Suriname - Worldatlas.com Print this map Arawak and Carib Indians lived on the northern edges of South America for centuries. In 1498, the Spanish explorer, Alonso de Ojeda (accompanying Columbus on his second voyage to the New World) is generally considered the first European to discover what is now called Suriname. Dutch settlement on the continent began in the early 17th century at the mouths of several rivers between present-day Georgetown, Guyana - and Cayenne, French Guiana ; with Suriname becoming a Dutch colony in 1667. Even though the English briefly held the land, it was the Dutch that controlled and influenced Suriname for almost 300 years. Over time, the Dutch colonial plantations began to decline, as the distant Dutch government was supplying less financial support to its colony. In the early 20th century - a turn around - when the American firm ALCOA invested in the indigenous bauxite deposits, and Suriname's economy surged, and it became the world's leading supplier of same.  Later in the century, on the long road to independence, Suriname became an autonomous part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands , and finally gained independence on November 25, 1975. Five years later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared Suriname a socialist republic. It continued to rule through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1989, the military replaced (overthrew) the civilian government, but a democratically-elected government returned to power in 1991, and remains to this day. See Also


The Battles of Alamein, Britain and the Bulge took place in which war?

Generals At War The Battle of El Alamein - YouTube Generals At War The Battle of El Alamein Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on May 7, 2014 I do not own the rights to this video. For educational purposes only. The Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October -- 11 November 1942) took place near the Egyptian coastal city of El Alamein. With the Allies victorious, it marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. It followed the First Battle of El Alamein, which had stalled the Axis advance into Egypt, after which, in August 1942, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery had taken command of the British Eighth Army from General Claude Auchinleck. This victory turned the tide in the North African Campaign and ended the Axis threat to Egypt, the Suez Canal, and of gaining access to the Middle Eastern and Persian oil fields via North Africa. From a psychological perspective, Second El Alamein revived the morale of the Allies, being the first major offensive against the Axis since the start of the European war in 1939 in which the Western Allies achieved a decisive victory. Category


What vehicle was sold to John and Maureen Hendricks at the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2005, for a record $3,240,000?

The Oldsmobile F-88 Concept - Xtreme Car Zone Member No.: 3 World's Rarest Auto The world's rarest automobile. A 1954 concept old's Rocket F88 - the only one in existence. (read the story below) John S. Hendricks, (Discovery Communications founder) paid in excess of 3 million to acquire. 1954 Oldsmobile F-88 Convertible Concept Car After spending decades as a collection of parts stuffed into wooden crates  the F-88 was reassembled. In 1954  the F-88 was a Motorama Dream Car and was one of only two  or an unconfirmed possible three ever created. The F-88 seen here is literally the only car left of its kind  and was sold to John and Maureen Hendricks at the prestigious Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction in Scottsdale , Arizona for an unbelievable $3,240,000. This acquisition made automotive history and is the cornerstone of the Gateway Colorado Automobile Museum in its own special room in a rotating display worthy of the F-88! Check the pics below and the video at the end then read on for more information. Here's what the Corvette Oldsmobile Division wanted, but never had. This experimental sports car would have been in direct competition with the Chevrolet Corvette. While debating the matter, GM built three Olds F-88 showcars, each one slightly different, all with concealed folding tops. It is powered by a 324-cid 'Rocket V8' producing 250 bhp. Brought out of GM styling in pieces, and owned briefly by financier and luxury auto magnate, E.L. Cord (CEO of Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg). One version was gifted to Harley Earl upon his retirement in December of 1985. The only surviving F-88 was sold at auction in 2005 for $3.2 million. The XP-20 project, commonly known as F-88 was a pet project of Harley Earl (working with him was Bill Mitchell, Ken Pickering, Zora Duntov etc.). Four cars came out of the project, but only styling order #2265 (this car) survived. It was sold or given to E.L. Cord (Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg owner) in 1955. Hundreds of internal GM documents and original blue prints are still with this sole survivor. Source - Barrett-Jackson The Oldsmobile F-88 is one of the most historically significant vehicles of its era and considered by many automotive historians to be a great expression of automotive design from the 1950s Golden Age. Designed during 1952-1953, around the same time as the first Motorama Corvette, the preliminary sketches of the F-88 came from veteran designer Bill Lange. The final deisgn was done in the main Oldsmobile studio under the direction of Art Ross. A very gifted designer, Ross is given credit for the 1941 Cadillac eggcrate tombstone' grill, the World War II Wildcat tank destroyer, and the rocket' beltline for the '59 Oldsmobile. The interior of the Oldsmobile was designed by Jack Humbert (who later moved on to become Pontiac's chief designer). The first Oldsmobile F-88 was built for the 1954 Motorama show circuit and followed in 1957 by the Oldsmobile F-88 Mark II. The Oldsmobile F-88 shared the stage of the Motorama show with the Oldsmobile Cutlass fastback coupe that shared an identical instrument panel. Unveiled at the General Motors Motorama on January 21, 1954 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, the 1954 Oldsmobile F-88 was painted metallic gold with metallic green inside the fenderwells. The golden Oldsmobile F-88 was a true showstopper. For six days the vehicle display and musical revenue ran, following that the Oldsmobile F-88 became part of a series of traveling Motorama shows that caravanned by both bus and truck to Miami, LA, San Francisco, and Chicago. Over 2 millions viewers saw the five Motoramas that season. Back in that day, after a show car had completed its Motorama duties, it was usually turned over to its sponsoring division. The division's top execs were then encouraged to eventually destroy it as they couldn't sell such vehicle, or they could give them away to favored dealers. The Mark II looked entirely different than the first F-88 and featured quad headlights and blade-like vertical tailfins. The Mark III was introduced in the 1959 and unveiled for the GM Mo


When did London first host an Olympic Games?

The Olympics: London's History as a Three-Time Host - dummies By Tash Lee London 2012 isn’t the first time the English capital has played host to the Olympic Games. Since the beginning of the modern Olympics in 1896 in Athens, Greece, the Games have taken place in London twice – the first being in 1908 when the country was enjoying a time of peaceful prosperity, and the second in 1948, when the United Kingdom was still resolutely picking up the pieces of its blitz-torn capital after the brutal effects of the Second World War. Olympics 1908: Britain excels One of the main difficulties facing the 2012 Olympic organisers was the sheer number of people expected to flock to London. With a third of British children now expected to live until they’re 100, the current population of London stands at an astounding 7.8 million. In 1908 however, the average life-expectancy was 55; and with a population of 10,800 there was arguably a slightly less daunting population to deal with. After the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1906, the games were relocated from Rome to London whilst the Italian Government used the funds for essential restoration projects instead. 1908 was a momentous year for the Olympics, making its mark with a host of firsts: The first Opening Ceremony The first appearance of diving as an Olympic Event The first games to hold the marathon we know today (26 miles, 365 yards). From 27 April to 31 October, 22 nations with 2,000 athletes took part in 110 events. The British team were hugely successful, topping the medal count, and finishing with three times the number of medals as the United States, who came in second! Olympics 1948: A year to forget After winning the Olympic bid in 1939, London prepared itself to host the games in 1944. However, in the five years that passed, World War II had ripped countries apart and caused unprecedented suffering across the globe. By 1945 when a ceasefire was finally successful, more than 60 million people had been killed, equating to 2.5 percent of the world’s population. As can only be imagined, the 1944 Olympics was cancelled; no-one was in the mood for games. The 1948 London Olympics were greeted with great jubilation and relief, largely stemming from the £30,000 profit that was made — a significant sum to put towards more bomb-restoration across the country. Between 29 July and 14 August, 59 nations competed in 136 events. With a limited budget, there was no new Olympic stadium, velodrome, aquatics centre or handball arena; and the main event of the closing ceremony was the release of thousands of pigeons above North London. The athletes were housed in RAF camps, rationed on cheap whale meat, and the only drug test that took place was to see if sportsmen had overdosed on Horlicks tablets. Olympics 2012: Third time lucky? London 2012 — and England — is ready to proudly host the Olympic Games for the third time. Starting on July 27, the 2012 London Olympics is set to be as big as its predecessors, with 216 countries taking part, and billions of pounds already spent. London holds its breath to see if history will repeat itself. With the average standing ticket price being at least £200 — compared to the 17 pence it was 64 years ago — the Olympics are set to be the most elaborate and expensive yet. Welcome to London 2012!


"Who wrote and performed the song ""Rehab"" that won the 2007 Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song, and Grammy Awards in 2008 for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance?"

Rehab (song) | Amypedia | Fandom powered by Wikia This box: view  •  talk "Rehab" is a song by English singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse , released on 23 October 2006 as the first single from her second studio album, Back to Black (2006). Written by Winehouse and produced by Mark Ronson , the lyrics are autobiographical, and talk about Winehouse's refusal one time to enter a rehabilitation clinic. It peaked at number 7 in the UK on its Singles Chart and number 9 in the US on the Billboard Hot 100, her first top ten hit in the US. It has become a critical and commercial success internationally, and has been referred to as Amy Winehouse's "signature song". It won three Grammy Awards in 2008, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and was nominated for two more. It also won an Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song. Winehouse's public battle with drug and alcohol addiction, and subsequent death, has resulted in some of the song's continuing popularity and appearance in the media. The song has been covered by a list of artists, from Seether to Jamaican Mento band The Jolly Boys, and from Hot Chip to Lea Salonga. Contents Edit "Rehab" was produced by Mark Ronson and released as the album's lead single in October 2006 in the UK and January 2007 elsewhere. The song was written about Winehouse's refusal to attend an alcohol rehabilitation centre after her management team encouraged her to go. "I asked my dad if he thought I needed to go. He said no, but I should give it a try. So I did, for just 15 minutes. I went in said 'hello' and explained that I drink because I am in love and have screwed up the relationship. Then I walked out." Winehouse later changed her management company.  Ronson expanded on the songwriting process when interviewed by DJ Zane Lowe for the BBC Radio's Radio 1's Stories in an episode broadcast on BBC Radio 1 on Monday 18 July 2011: “ I was walking down the street with Amy. We were in New York and we'd been working together for about a week and we were walking to some store. She wanted to buy a present for her boyfriend and she was telling me about a specific time in her life that was.... I feel bad, like, talking about a friend like this, but I think I've told this story enough times.... but she hit, like, a certain low and her dad came over to try and talk some sense into her. And she was like, 'He tried to make me go to rehab and I was like, 'Pfft, no no no."' And the first thing I was like, 'ding ding ding ding ding.' Like, I mean I'm supposed to be like, 'How was that for you?' and all I'm like is, 'We've got to go back to the studio.' Mitch Winehouse, Amy's father, confers on Ronson's story in his 2012 biography of her, Amy, My Daughter, adding that she had written that line in one of her notebooks years before, and told him that she was planning to write a song about that day but that that was the moment when the song 'came to life.' ” In the lyrics Winehouse mentions "Ray" and "Mr. Hathaway", in reference to Ray Charles and Donny Hathaway. Live performances On 12 March 2007, Winehouse performed the song live for her US television debut on the Late Show with David Letterman. And for a while, she replaced "Ray" with "Blake", referring to her ex-husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, in live performances. Music video Edit The music video was directed by Phil Griffin and released in September 2006. It features Winehouse's band playing their instruments while she sings to the camera. The band members are dressed in gowns throughout the video, with one member dressed similarly to Donny Hathaway. It begins with Winehouse rising from bed and then moving to the bathroom. For the second verse, Winehouse is on a chair in a psychiatrist's office, presumably explaining herself to an unseen psychiatrist. In contrast to the lyrics, the video ends with Winehouse in rehab, sitting on a bed in a white-tiled clinical ward room with her band around her. The video was shot by director of photography Adam Frisch. On 31 May 2007, "Rehab" debuted on MTV's Total Request Live and


Which fictional character uses a sonic screwdriver?

Sonic screwdriver - 必应 Sign in Sonic screwdriver The sonic screwdriver is a multifunctional fictional tool in the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who and its spinoffs, used by the Doctor. Like the TARDIS , it has become one of the icons of the programme, and spin-off media such as The Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood have replicated its functions in devices such as the sonic lipstick, sonic blaster, sonic pen, sonic probe and sonic modulator, and the most recent, sonic sunglasses, featured by the 12th Doctor. It seems to use sound waves, radiation, wavelengths, frequencies, signals, and electro-magnetism to function. The sonic screwdriver was first introduced in 1968 in the story Fury from the Deep ... (展开) , and used twice more (The Dominators and The War Games) during the Second Doctor's tenure. It became a popular tool for the Third Doctor and Fourth Doctor. It was finally written out of the series in 1982 due to the limitations it caused when writing for the show. It then featured briefly in the 1996 Doctor Who television movie, before making a full return in the 2005 continuation of the series. Throughout the programme, there have been many different versions of the sonic screwdriver, as with subsequent Doctors the design of it was changed. It has also been destroyed on a number of occasions, thus leading to the introduction of the next model. Not all iterations of the Doctor have used the sonic screwdriver on screen; the Fifth Doctor in fact opted not to replace his after it was destroyed. The Twelfth Doctor manages to lose his sonic screwdriver to the creator of the Daleks, Davros, after lending it to him when he was a child. In the last episode of Series 9, the Doctor received a new sonic screwdriver from the TARDIS in place of the temporary sonic glasses. Despite the Doctor's claim not to give his screwdriver to anyone , he gives one to his own doppelgänger in "The Rebel Flesh", and either gives or loans one to Rory Williams for use in "A Good Man Goes to War", having previously loaned one to Rory in "The Big Bang". 10th Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver 本结果选自21项相关网络资源 The Doctor has used other sonic devices similar to the sonic screwdriver, including the "door handle" of Inferno (Liz Shaw having one of her own) and a pen-sized white noise generator in Four to Doomsday. In the 1965 episode "Trap of Steel", the Doctor uses an apparently ordinary screwdriver to exami... 神秘博士Doctor Who 11th 音速起子 Sonic Screwdriver 本结果选自21项相关网络资源 The Doctor has used other sonic devices similar to the sonic screwdriver, including the "door handle" of Inferno (Liz Shaw having one of her own) and a pen-sized white noise generator in Four to Doomsday. In the 1965 episode "Trap of Steel", the Doctor uses an apparently ordinary screwdriver to exami... doctor who sonic screwdriver 本结果选自367项相关网络资源 The Doctor has used other sonic devices similar to the sonic screwdriver, including the "door handle" of Inferno (Liz Shaw having one of her own) and a pen-sized white noise generator in Four to Doomsday. In the 1965 episode "Trap of Steel", the Doctor uses an apparently ordinary screwdriver to exami... Sonic screwdriver Functions The functions of a sonic screwdriver are based on its power over sound waves, radiation, wavelengths, frequencies, signals, and electro-magnetism. It is shown to hack, disable, activate, and otherwise control technology from almost every era, allowing it to remotely control almost any machinery, mechanisms and computers it is applied to, allowing it to open locks, detonate explosives, remotely activate electronics, override most systems, activate computers, and cause some energy weapons to burst into sparks. There is technology the sonic is unable to interface with, such as the isomorphic controls seen in "A Christmas Carol". It also is capable of causing chemical reactions that allowed the Doctor to turn eye glass lenses black like sunglasses and causing cut barbed wire to regenerate. It is also capable of detecting, amplifying and controlling certain energies, sound, signals, frequencies, and waves


The Colossus, one of the seven wonders of the world, was built where?

The Colossus of Rhodes The Colossus of Rhodes Other Wonders This bronze statue representing Helios, greek sun god, had been built by the sculptor Charas of Lindos to commemorate the end of the seat of the city, which took place into 305 BC, and the victory of Rhodiens against the Macedonian chief Démétrios Poliorcète. The colossus of Rhodes was located in the wearing of Rhodes in Greece, probably at the end of the current Saint-Nicolas Day mole, where some marble blocks have been found and could have been used to build the base of the statue.The colossus of Rhodes was set up between 303 and 291 BC, so it took twelve years of hard work to totaly finish it. Made of bronze and based on marble block, the statue was 32 meters (105 feet) heigh from the top of the head to the feets, that is to say 14 meters (46 feet) less than the statue of liberty in New York. The heigh enabled the statue to be visible by the ships approching to the port. In his raised arm, the sun god held a torch while his other arm was pressed on a lance. Contrary to the illustrations we usually find, ships were not passing under the colossesus's legs to enter in the wearing of Rhodes. It was technically impossible that the statue had its legs split. The statue had been partialy destroyed in 225 BC after a earthquake. Then, in 653 AC, all the material (more than 13 tons of bronze and nearly 7 tons of iron, according to Philon) is taken by an arab expedition to be sold to a jewish merchant of Ephesea. The statue has been raised at the entry of the port for only 65 years Why is this a wonder of the ancient world ? We can say that the colossus of Rhodes is part of the seven wonders because of its exemplary vastness. Moreover, it should well be realized that this Greek monument is the result of a very hudge technical prowess which is characterized, amongst other things, by the use of terra cotta moulds necessary to the casting of the colossus. According to the legend, Charas of Lindos commited a suicide when he discovered an error in his calculs, error that one of his assistants had to correct. illustrations :


Built in 1607, Pont Neuf spans what river?

Pont Neuf | bridge, Paris, France | Britannica.com Pont Neuf Tuileries Palace Pont Neuf, oldest existing bridge across the Seine River via the Île de la Cité in Paris , built, with interruptions in the work, from 1578 to 1607. It was designed by Baptiste Du Cerceau and Pierre des Illes, who may have made use of an earlier design by Guillaume Marchand. Pont Neuf over the Seine River, Paris. David Monniaux For centuries the Pont Neuf, filled with shops and traffic, was the centre of Paris life. Its “long arm” consisted of seven arches from the right bank of the Seine to the western end of the Île de la Cité; its “short arm” comprised five arches from the island to the left bank. The bridge’s foundations were completely rebuilt under Napoleon III , together with the arches of the long arm, which were made elliptical. At the same time, the shops were removed from the roadway. Learn More in these related articles: in Paris (national capital, France): Île de la Cité ...10 streets long and 5 wide. Eight bridges link it to the riverbanks, and a ninth leads to the Île Saint-Louis, the smaller island that lies to the southeast. The westernmost bridge is the Pont Neuf (New Bridge), which was built from 1578 to 1604. Despite its name, it is the oldest of the Paris bridges (others predate it but have been rebuilt). Its sturdiness has become axiomatic:... in Henry IV style Earlier, in 1599, Henry had given orders that the construction of the Pont Neuf should be recommenced but simplified the original plans by discarding the triumphal arches and rows of little houses that had been projected. The Pont Neuf joins the right and left banks of the Seine and crosses the triangular tip of the Ile de la Cité. At this juncture he planned the Place Dauphine (begun... 2 References found in Britannica Articles Assorted References Henry IV style  (in Henry IV style ) Article History Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later. Edit Mode Submit Tips For Editing We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles. You can make it easier for us to review and, hopefully, publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind. Encyclopædia Britannica articles are written in a neutral objective tone for a general audience. You may find it helpful to search within the site to see how similar or related subjects are covered. Any text you add should be original, not copied from other sources. At the bottom of the article, feel free to list any sources that support your changes, so that we can fully understand their context. (Internet URLs are the best.) Your contribution may be further edited by our staff, and its publication is subject to our final approval. Unfortunately, our editorial approach may not be able to accommodate all contributions. Submit Thank You for Your Contribution! Our editors will review what you've submitted, and if it meets our criteria, we'll add it to the article. Please note that our editors may make some formatting changes or correct spelling or grammatical errors, and may also contact you if any clarifications are needed. Uh Oh There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later. Close Date Published: July 14, 2008 URL: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pont-Neuf Access Date: January 01, 2017 Share


Mountain Gorillas, Mountain Gorilla Pictures, Mountain Gorilla Facts - National Geographic Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man Please add a "relative" entry to your dictionary. There are roughly 700 mountain gorillas remaining on Earth, and nearly half live in the forests of the Virunga mountains in central Africa. These gorillas live on the green, volcanic slopes of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo—areas that have seen much human violence from which the gorillas have not escaped unscathed. Many conservation initiatives are meant to aid mountain gorillas, and it is believed that their numbers may be steady or slowly increasing. Still they continue to face major threats from habitat loss and poaching. Mountain gorillas have longer hair and shorter arms than their lowland cousins. They also tend to be a bit larger than other gorillas. Gorillas can climb trees, but are usually found on the ground in communities of up to 30 individuals. These troops are organized according to fascinating social structures. Troops are led by one dominant, older adult male, often called a silverback because of the swath of silver hair that adorns his otherwise dark fur. Troops also include several other young males, some females, and their offspring. The leader organizes troop activities like eating, nesting in leaves, and moving about the group's 0.75-to-16-square-mile (2-to-40-square-kilometer) home range. Those who challenge this alpha male are apt to be cowed by impressive shows of physical power. He may stand upright, throw things, make aggressive charges, and pound his huge chest while barking out powerful hoots or unleashing a frightening roar. Despite these displays and the animals' obvious physical power, gorillas are generally calm and nonaggressive unless they are disturbed. In the thick forests of central and west Africa, troops find plentiful food for their vegetarian diet. They eat roots, shoots, fruit, wild celery, and tree bark and pulp. Female gorillas give birth to one infant after a pregnancy of nearly nine months. Unlike their powerful parents, newborns are tiny—weighing four pounds (two kilograms)—and able only to cling to their mothers' fur. These infants ride on their mothers' backs from the age of four months through the first two or three years of their lives. Young gorillas, from three to six years old, remind human observers of children. Much of their day is spent in play, climbing trees, chasing one another, and swinging from branches. In captivity, gorillas have displayed significant intelligence and have even learned simple human sign language. Share The national park is home to 200 of the world's few remaining mountain gorillas. But Virunga is threatened by powerful figures and armed groups as oil exploration begins. Friday


The Supermarine Spitfires that were used by Britain in World War II were powered by engines from which manufacturer?

Spitfire | British aircraft | Britannica.com British aircraft R.J. Mitchell Spitfire, also called Supermarine Spitfire, the most widely produced and strategically important British single-seat fighter of World War II . The Spitfire, renowned for winning victory laurels in the Battle of Britain (1940–41) along with the Hawker Hurricane , served in every theatre of the war and was produced in more variants than any other British aircraft. Supermarine Spitfire, Britain’s premier fighter plane from 1938 through World War II. Quadrant/Flight The Spitfire was designed by Reginald Mitchell of Supermarine Ltd., in response to a 1934 Air Ministry specification calling for a high-performance fighter with an armament of eight wing-mounted 0.303-inch (7.7-mm) machine guns . The airplane was a direct descendant of a series of floatplanes designed by Mitchell to compete for the coveted Schneider Trophy in the 1920s. One of these racers, the S.6, set a world speed record of 357 miles (574 km) per hour in 1929. Designed around a 1,000-horsepower, 12-cylinder, liquid-cooled Rolls-Royce PV-12 engine (later dubbed the Merlin), the Spitfire first flew in March 1935. It had superb performance and flight characteristics, and deliveries to operational Royal Air Force (RAF) squadrons commenced in the summer of 1938. A more radical design than the Hurricane, the Spitfire had a stressed-skin aluminum structure and a graceful elliptical wing with a thin airfoil that, in combination with the Merlin’s efficient two-stage supercharger , gave it exceptional performance at high altitudes. The version of the Spitfire that fought in the Battle of Britain was powered by a Merlin engine of 1,030 horsepower . The plane had a wingspan of 36 feet 10 inches (11.2 metres), was 29 feet 11 inches (9.1 metres) long, and reached a maximum speed of 360 miles (580 km) per hour and a ceiling of 34,000 feet (10,400 metres). Faster than its formidable German opponent the Bf 109 at altitudes above 15,000 feet (4,600 metres) and just as maneuverable, Spitfires were sent by preference to engage German fighters while the slower Hurricanes went for the bombers. More Hurricanes than Spitfires served in the Battle of Britain, and they were credited with more “kills,” but it can be argued that the Spitfire’s superior high-altitude performance provided the margin of victory. Similar Topics F-16 Meanwhile, Supermarine was developing more-capable versions of the Spitfire driven by progressively more-powerful Merlins. The eight 0.303-inch machine guns gave way to four 0.8-inch (20-mm) automatic cannons, and by war’s end the Spitfire had been produced in more than 20 fighter versions alone, powered by Merlins of up to 1,760 horsepower. Though outperformed by the German Fw 190 upon that aircraft’s introduction in 1941, the Spitfire restored parity the following year and eventually regained the advantage. It remained a first-line air-to-air fighter throughout the war. Spitfires were used in the defense of Malta , in North Africa and Italy , and, fitted with tail hooks and strengthened tail sections, as Seafires from Royal Navy aircraft carriers from June 1942. Spitfires helped to provide air superiority over the Sicily , Italy, and Normandy beachheads and served in the Far East from the spring of 1943. Fighter-bomber versions could carry a 250- or 500-pound (115- or 230-kg) bomb beneath the fuselage and a 250-pound bomb under each wing. One of the Spitfire’s most important contributions to Allied victory was as a photo-reconnaissance aircraft from early 1941. Superior high-altitude performance rendered it all but immune from interception, and the fuel tanks that replaced wing-mounted machine guns and ammunition bays gave it sufficient range to probe western Germany from British bases. In late 1943 Spitfires powered by Rolls-Royce Griffon engines developing as much as 2,050 horsepower began entering service. Capable of top speeds of 440 miles (710 km) per hour and ceilings of 40,000 feet (12,200 metres), these were used to shoot down V-1 “buzz bombs.” During World War II, Spitfires we