The extinct Moa is believed to be the largest ever ………what?

Extinct Moa Birds Of New Zealand Were Not As Robust As Previously Thought - International Science Times Extinct Moa Birds Of New Zealand Were Not As Robust As Previously Thought By Josh Lieberman on December 18, 2013 5:49 PM EST Moa birds were not as robust as we once thought, a new study suggests. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) The bones of New Zealand's extinct Giant moa bird, whose latin name Dinornis robustus means "robust strange bird," were not actually that robust, according to a University of Manchester study published today in PLoS ONE. With some species (possibly) reaching 13 feet , the moa was one of the largest-ever birds, but the study suggests that their leg bones were fairly similar to distant relatives like ostriches and emus.  Like Us on Facebook In the study, led by biomechanics researcher Charlotte Brassey and palaeobiologist Richard Holdaway at New Zealand's University of Canterbury, researchers first needed to figure out how heavy moa were. They scrapped the traditional approach of taking one bone of an animal and scaling it up in relation to the size of the bones of other similar living species. The researchers explained that that approach may work in some cases, but it not when a leg bones like the moa's large leg bones have unusual proportions.    "If we'd wanted to estimate the weight of a saber-toothed cat, no one would have suggested measuring canine tooth length and then scaling up the tooth size of your standard tabby," explained Brassey. "That's because we know that the saber-toothed cat had unusually oversized canines compared to house cats. It wouldn't be a fair comparison, and you'd end up with a ludicrously high estimate of the body weight of the saber-toothed cat." As with the saber-tooth cat, the "disproportionately wide leg bones" of moa made the scaling-up approach impractical. Brassey believes that previous research using the scale-up approach may have given overestimates of how large moa were. Instead of figuring out moa mass using just the leg bones, the researchers scanned entire moa skeletons to get an estimate, digitally filling in bones that were lacking from specimens. As they had imagined, they found that moa weighed less than previous research has suggested, but that they moa were still pretty big: the largest moa weighed a whopping 440 pounds.  "If you don't get the body mass right, the rest of your analysis will just spit out the wrong numbers," said William Sellers, who co-authored the study. "By using the whole skeleton rather than just a single bone we get much better mass estimates, and we can even calculate how good this estimate actually is."          Using their body mass estimate, the researchers then performed a Finite Element Analysis . This technique is used in civil engineering to test the strength of bridges and other structures; the researchers describe it as a way of "virtually crash-testing" an object. This part of the study found that different moa supported their bodies in a variety of ways, which suggested that different moa species had "separate evolutionary histories" from one another.   Moa were completely unknown to Western science until 1840, when a moa bone made its way to the English naturalist Richard Owen, who would go on to name 13 moa species within a decade. By 1907, there were at least 38 species of moa identified, but by 2006, better science had narrowed the number of moa species down to just ten. The last moa species is believed to have gone extinct less than 600 years ago.  But wait, there's more moa news. Another study published recently in Proceedings of the 8th International Meeting of the Society of Avian Palaeontology and Evolution claims that the moa is not the ancestor of the kiwi--a national symbol of New Zealand. The kiwi and moa were long believed to be related, but the study says that the kiwi is actually related to the Australian emu. We will keep you abreast of any further moa news as it breaks.         READ MORE:


Who was the ‘gentleman burglar’ created by E W Hornung?

A.J. Raffles, The Gentleman Thief series by E.W. Hornung A.J. Raffles, The Gentleman Thief series 6 works, 4 primary works Arthur J. Raffles is a character created in the 1890s by E. W. Hornung, a brother-in-law to Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Raffles is, in many ways, a deliberate inversion of Holmes — he is a "gentleman thief," living in the Albany, a prestigious address in London, playing cricket for the Gentlemen of England and supporting himself by carrying out ingenious burglaries. He is called the "Amateur Cracksman," and often, at first, differentiates between himself and the "professo Arthur J. Raffles is a character created in the 1890s by E. W. Hornung, a brother-in-law to Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Raffles is, in many ways, a deliberate inversion of Holmes — he is a "gentleman thief," living in the Albany, a prestigious address in London, playing cricket for the Gentlemen of England and supporting himself by carrying out ingenious burglaries. He is called the "Amateur Cracksman," and often, at first, differentiates between himself and the "professors" — professional criminals from the lower classes. As Holmes has Dr. Watson to chronicle his adventures, Raffles has Harry "Bunny" Manders — a former schoolmate saved from disgrace and suicide by Raffles, who persuaded him to accompany him on a burglary. While Raffles often takes advantage of Manders' relative innocence, and sometimes treats him with a certain amount of contempt, he knows that Manders' bravery and loyalty are to be relied on utterly. In several stories, Manders saves the day for the two of them after Raffles gets into situations he cannot get out of on his own. ...more


Nelson is a famous wine producing area in which country?

Wine Regions of New Zealand | New Zealand Wine Regions of New Zealand Wine Regions of New Zealand By Hayley Tebbitts Following are the major wine regions of New Zealand known for their exclusive wineries and the wines that rank alongside some of the best in the world. Add to Wishlist Wine Regions in New Zealand By http://www.nzwine.com When Reverend Samuel Marsden was first planting grapes in New Zealand in 1819 to make sacramental wine, he would have no idea of the immense fame that the country would get in the field of wine making. It was Sauvignon Blanc that drew attention of the wine lovers towards New Zealand and put the country on the world’s wine map. Today, the wine industry of New Zealand has not only established itself as a major contributor to economy of the nation but also helped the nation achieve international acclaim by producing some of the best wines in the world. There is heavy demand for New Zealand wines globally, especially in Australia, United States, Asia and European markets. Pleasant, maritime climate and unmatched enthusiasm of the wine makers are some of the reasons for rising reputation of New Zealand in world’s leading wine markets. Best wines of New Zealand are mainly produced in eight wine regions which extend from latitudes 36°S in the north to 45°S in the south. All these regions differ from one another in terms of climate, soil quality, varieties of grapes grown, and the wines produced. Following are the major wine regions of New Zealand known for their exclusive wineries and the wines that rank alongside some of the best in the world. Auckland Auckland, the largest city of New Zealand, is also the place where country’s viticulture started. Famous for Bordeaux style wines, this large, diverse wine region has over 100 wineries and vineyards. Wine production in Auckland mainly centers around Henderson Valley, Kumeu and Huapai, all boasting an array of world famous and boutique wineries. Vineyards have now also spread beyond, in the areas of Matakana, Waiheke Island and Clevedon. Popular varieties grown include Merlot, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Matakana is now also being noted for producing tasteful wines, including Pinot Gris, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. A number of wineries in Kumeu offer free tasting, most noted being Coopers Creeks, Kumeu River, Nobilo and Matua Valley. You can find many tour operators offering specialist small group wine tours in West Auckland region. Waikato and Bay of Plenty Located south of Auckland, this small yet expanding wine region has a moderately warm climate which helps it produce some finest-quality grapes. The vineyards here are scattered amidst rolling farmland. This wine region focuses mainly on Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc varieties. Central Otago Region Dubbed as “world’s most southerly wine-producing region,” Central Otago is probably the most amazing vineyard setting of the country. Surrounded by picturesque mountains, Central Otago boasts of deep river gorges and lovely lakes. The distinctive climate of Central Otago, along with productive soils rich in mica and schist, creates perfect conditions for growing Pinot Noir. It was French miner Jean Desire Feraud who first recognized the slopes near Kawarau River as potential vineyards in 1864. In 1976, Rippon Vineyard was planted outside Wanaka. Later Kawarau Gorge was recognized as an ideal site for cultivation of Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Pinot Noir grapes. Wanaka, Queenstown and the Clutha Valley are the main areas of Central Otago District where grapes are grown commercially. You can find here over twenty wineries open to visitors for tasting.  Some of the best vineyards are located near the 45th Parallel. A small number of wineries are located on the southern slopes above Kawarau Gorge. The appealing Chard Farm Winery, located on the road off SH6 offers free tasting of current vintage. Gibbston Valley Winery offers a Wine Cave Tour which also includes a tasting session of Riesling and Pinot Noir. Peregrine Winery offers free tasting of excellent “Sav” Blanc and Pi


The sangiovese grape is chiefly used in the production of which Italian wine?

Sangiovese   Sangiovese Italian           immigrants from Tuscany probably introduced the           Sangiovese grape to California in the late           1800s, possibly at the Segheshio Family's           "Chianti Station," near Geyserville. 1 It is one           of several varietal components of the field           blend in many old North Coast and Gold           Country vineyards that are often otherwise           identified as Zinfandel. Sanguis           Jovis, the Latin origin for the varietal           name, literally means "blood of Jove" and it is           likely that Sangiovese (aka Sangioveto or San           Gioveto) was known by Etruscan winemakers,           although the first literary reference to it was           in 1722. It is probably indigenous to Tuscany, whose most famous wine is Chianti. The basic           blend of Chianti was established by Baron           Ricasoli in the 1890s. This averages 70% sangiovese as the varietal base (along           with 15% canaiolo [red], and 15% trebbiano [white] and sometimes a           little colorino [red]). Many           vineyards are traditionally planted with this           varietal mix. It is difficult even for the           Italians to keep up with their own ever-changing           and very detailed wine laws, which specify           permitted grape types, maximum yields per acre,           minimum alcohol content, minimum aging standards           before sale, etc. Currently, the minimum amount           of sangiovese permitted in Chianti is 90%. Other grapes that may be used now           include malvasia toscana, a white grape           far superior to the ubiquitous trebbiano.           Regardless of this improvement, currently the total white grapes used must not         exceed 5% of the blend. In some ways sangiovese is to Chianti as cabernet sauvignon is to Bordeaux.           Both form the base of wines normally blended           with other varietals and both by themselves           share a certain distinctive elegance and           complexity, when well-made. There are at least 14 separate and distinct clones of sangiovese. At one point, there was some           attempt in Italy to identify two separate           "families", Grosso and Piccolo, although this           seemed to have more of a commercial basis ("mine's           better than yours") than any compelling ampelographic or sensory           evidence to justify this attempt to           classify. Sangiovese makes wines that vary in quality from ordinary to superb and seems strongly affected by its environment, more than most varieties. The fruit is            slow to mature and late-ripening. With            relatively thin skins, it has a tendency to rot            in dampness and does not mature well if planted            above an elevation of 1,500 feet. Sangiovese            vineyards with limestone soil seem to produce            wines with more forceful aromas. The hot, dry           climate, such as Tuscany provides, is           where sangiovese thrives. Because these climatic           criteria generally enhance quantity, rather than           quality, it takes careful cultivation and           winemaking techniques to produce really           excellent wine from this grape. The official           classification of Chianti itself           demonstrates the widely fluctuating range of           Sangiovese quality from those identified as           ordinary vino di tavola


Which sparkling wine is made chiefly in the Penedes region near Barcelona?

Penedes » Spanish Wine Region » CellarTours Map ofPenedes Wine Region The wine country of Penedès, located less than an hour from Barcelona , is one of the most exciting wine regions in Spain and a tour here is a must for wine lovers visiting La Ciudad Condal.. A wide range of wine styles are produced here including the Traditional Method (sparkling) white and rosé Cava (made with the indigenous grapes of Xarel.lo, Macabeo and Parellada), dry reds, dry whites, and dessert whites. Winemaking in the region, as in the rest of Spain, dates back millennia and the Ancient Romans have left many vestiges of their wine production here (some of which you can see in the little wine museum in Vilafranca del Penedès, one of the principal wine villages along with Sant Sadurni d´Anoia). Penedès is a fascinating region, steeped in history and renowned for its “Modernista” (similar to Art Nouveau) architecture from the likes of geniuses such as Gaudi, Cadalfach and Domenech i Montaner. There are many internationally famous brands and important wineries located in the Penedès such as Miguel Torres and Jean Leon. Torres, is one of the Spanish trailblazers of the Modern Spanish industry and is responsible for groundbreaking research on the Catalan grape varietals. Excellent Boutique Cava companies include Raventos Blanc, Gramona, and Pares Balta; while Freixenet and Codorniu are the two largest Cava companies (both have exceptionally beautiful wine cellars dating to the 1800´s). A tremendous amount of grape varietals are grown here. Grapes used for Cava include Macabeo, Xare.lo, Parellada, Chardonnay, and Malvasía Riojana. For dry whites these same grapes are used (especially Xarel.lo as a single varietal wine), Muscat and Malvasia and foreign varietals like Riesling, Chenin Blanc and Muscat de Frontignan. Red wines are made with Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Cariñena, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Samsó and Monastrell, many in single varietal wines which is a recent trend. The wine region of Penedès is subdivided into various zones including Baix-Penedes (Lower Penedès, where Vilafranca del Penedès is the main village); Mitja- Penedès (Middle Penedès, the main production area with unspoiled vineyard scenery) and Alt-Penedès (High Penedès, which indeed is at the highest altitude, at about 800 meters). The majority of the wineries we work with are located in the Alt Penedès as this is where most of the fine wine is made. The soil types across all three sub regions are fairly similar with limestone, sand and clay all present. The climate is Mediterranean and mild with an average year round temperature of about 60 degrees F. The Tramontana wind blows in from France in winter, but is subdued by the Montserrat mountains which rise majestically above the wine country. With such a wide range of terrains, the Penedès is full of microclimates which the talented winemakers take advantage of to produce such high quality and varied wines. Offical D.O. Website: www.dopenedes.es


The winner of which famous race traditionally swigs milk from the bottle?

Why is milk the drink of Indy champions? | FOX Sports Why is milk the drink of Indy champions? May 25, 2011 at 1:00a ET 0 Shares It is one of the most famous sights in all of motorsports, the victor’s drinking of the milk after the Indianapolis 500. It’s been honored, discussed, protested — and memorialized in cheese. What more could a tradition offer? The open-wheel drivers lust after this swig of milk. It is the stuff of both legend and lore. And once, according to published reports, even of a protest by People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals. But just how did this tradition get started? According to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, three-time winner Louis Meyer “regularly drank buttermilk to refresh himself on a hot day.” Turns out, one such day was the 1936 race, which he won and then drank milk in Victory Lane. An executive with the Milk Foundation saw the photo in the sports section and worked to make sure it was repeated. Obviously, it was, except for a period from 1947-55 when milk was not offered. The practice remains in vogue to this day, with images of the race winner slugging the product annually. Drinking milk in Victory Lane has led to some interesting stories, though. In 2001, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that PETA, citing cruelty to cows, asked then-speedway President Tony George to drop the tradition. "Please consider dropping this outdated practice, or change the Indy 500 beverage to something humane and healthful, like orange juice or soy milk," wrote Andrew Butler, PETA Vegan Campaign coordinator, according to the story. In 2005, Sports Illustrated named the bottle of milk given to the winner as No. 1 among the “sports world’s coolest prizes.” In 2007, race fans at the Indianapolis State Fair were given a special treat. According to a story on the track’s website, a sculpture made from cheese — to commemorate the American Dairy Association of Indiana’s involvement with the Indianapolis 500 — honored the tradition. The “Winners Drink Milk” sculpture was carved from cheese in front of fair attendees. It showed the race winner drinking milk beside his car — and included milk dripping from the lips of the victor. It took 67 hours to complete. And finally, it has even been a topic on David Letterman’s show. The host, who is part owner of an IndyCar Series team, brought race winner Scott Dixon onto the show in 2008. According to reports, Letterman posed the obvious question: "After 500 miles, is milk what you really want to drink?" And Dixon offered his take on the tradition — that it is simply the fact that one has the chance to do it that matter. "That milk could have been a glass of mud for all I care at that point. It was the best moment," he said. 0


In which sport is the term ‘bonk’ used meaning tiredness from lack of food?

fatigue - definition of fatigue in English | Oxford Dictionaries Definition of fatigue in English: fatigue 1[mass noun] Extreme tiredness resulting from mental or physical exertion or illness: ‘he was nearly dead with fatigue’ More example sentences ‘The risk factors associated with unexplained fatigue were no different from those associated with cognitive symptoms or unexplained musculoskeletal complaints.’ ‘But a critical distinction needs to be drawn between physical and mental fatigue.’ ‘Two major causes of premature fatigue during exercise are dehydration and carbohydrate depletion.’ ‘There are different kinds of fatigue associated with cancer therapies.’ ‘Caffeine prevents mental and physical fatigue by blocking receptors that notify the brain of low energy levels.’ ‘This can cause a person to experience physical fatigue, along with mental fogginess, difficulty in concentrating, and dullness of the mind.’ ‘According to research, drivers aged under 30 are most likely to be affected by driver fatigue.’ ‘You should also be aware of the increased fatigue associated with this transition.’ ‘Even so, the job saps the vitality, and a referee gets mental fatigue as well as physical.’ ‘Other medical conditions can cause extreme fatigue or changes in appetite and sleep.’ ‘A 75-year-old man was evaluated for unexplained chronic fatigue, lethargy, and weight loss.’ ‘Eventually fatigue overtook my body, and I knew it was time to stop.’ ‘Sleepiness and fatigue can affect physical and mental capabilities to perform at safe levels.’ ‘Throughout the ordeal, Crystal experienced severe fatigue, nausea and weight loss.’ ‘Her first patient of the day was on thyroid replacement but continued to experience chronic fatigue and lack of energy.’ ‘It is characterised by overwhelming mental and physical fatigue accompanied by a wide range of other symptoms.’ ‘So often one hears of driver fatigue being the cause of extremely serious accidents.’ ‘Research shows that driver fatigue is a factor in approximately 25 % of all accidents on motorways and trunk roads.’ ‘The symptoms of this illness were excessive physical fatigue, inability to concentrate, and an unwillingness to eat or drink.’ ‘Symptoms of hepatitis include chronic fatigue and liver problems.’ Synonyms 1.1 A reduction in the efficiency of a muscle or organ after prolonged activity: ‘buccinator and orbicularis oris muscles showing signs of fatigue’ More example sentences ‘The frequency of frank respiratory muscle fatigue in acute asthma is unknown, but is probably low.’ ‘Resistance to fatigue of this muscle group was also enhanced.’ ‘She cited severe leg fatigue as the reason for limitation of exercise.’ ‘Increased muscle creatine also buffers the lactic acid produced during exercise, delaying muscle fatigue and soreness.’ ‘Thus, in patients with severe airway obstruction, inspiratory muscle fatigue may limit exercise performance.’ ‘In contrast, the increase in the sensation of muscle fatigue was high.’ ‘Glutamine helps to prevent muscle fatigue, thus allowing you to rip out more reps.’ ‘Subjects rated perceived symptoms of breathlessness and muscle fatigue at the end of the test.’ ‘Everything ached all of a sudden, muscle fatigue setting in at last from dragging Rob halfway around the city.’ ‘Acute pancreatitis and fatigue of the diaphragm muscle are also associated with damage caused by ROS.’ ‘This study was not intended to investigate the cause of muscle fatigue in COPD.’ ‘A key problem in many patients with respiratory failure requiring intubation is fatigue of respiratory muscles.’ ‘Respiratory muscle fatigue develops when demand for energy exceeds the supply of energy.’ ‘Clearly, these patients were limited in their exercise tolerance by fatigue of their muscles of ambulation.’ ‘Some patients could have stopped exercising due to nonventilatory reasons, such as leg muscle fatigue.’ ‘The authors conclude that leg effort and fatigue of the quadriceps are infrequent after walking in patients with COPD.’ ‘This could make the inspiratory muscles vulnerable to the development of muscle f


A French court banned parents from calling their daughter ……what?

Banned Baby Names: French Parents Barred From Calling Children Nutella Banned Baby Names: French Parents Barred From Calling Children Nutella Alison Coldridge Pin it Share From @ to Anus, we’ve come across some weird and wacky baby name choices – and plenty have been ruled illegal . But this one has to be up there with the strangest. No Nutella for this baby girl [Rex] More A French couple has tried to name their daughter ‘Nutella’. As in the chocolate spread. We know it’s delish and all, but would you really want your child to have the same name as something you put on toast? According to Time magazine, a court in Valenciennes, France, has decided that the tot needs a new name. The baby girl, who was born in September, can’t be named after the food because it’s not a good idea in the long run, the judge decided. Nutella as a name? We're not convinces [Rex] More “The name ‘Nutella’ given to the child is the trade name of a spread,” the court’s decision read, according to a translation. “And it is contrary to the child’s interest to be wearing a name like that can only lead to teasing or disparaging thoughts (sic).” So what, you may ask, will the lucky baby be called now? For now, she’s been given the name ‘Ella’ by the judge – as her parents didn’t show up for the court case and so couldn’t weigh in with their opinion. But we reckon using half of ‘Nutella’ is a pretty good compromise.


In which famous film was Frank Miller coming to kill Will Kane?

High Noon (Film) - TV Tropes High Noon You need to login to do this. Get Known if you don't have an account Share WMG "People gotta talk themselves into law and order before they do anything about it. Maybe because down deep they don't care. They just don't care." One of the most famous film Western s, despite omitting or subverting many of the genre's tropes. High Noon is in some ways a gentle deconstruction of The Western , depicting a hero mired in moral complexities, rather than the simple black-and-white of the traditional Western. Town marshal Will Kane ( Gary Cooper ) is planning to retire and live happily with his new wife Amy ( Grace Kelly ), two sure signs of impending doom . On his last day the whole town learns that Frank Miller (no, not that one ), a criminal Will had arrested, will arrive on the noon train with his gang, looking for revenge . Will seeks support from the townsfolk, but none of them will stand with him, not even his deputy. Amy, a pacifist, urges him to leave, but he refuses, choosing to fight Frank alone. High Noon was written by Carl Foreman, while he was under investigation by the House Un-American Activities Committee, and he was subsequently blacklisted. The film can be seen as a parable about US society in general, and US intellectuals in particular, abandoning those summoned to appear before the committee. High Noon is the film most requested for viewing by the U.S. Presidents . Bill Clinton named it his favorite (allegedly having it screened in the White House a record 17 times), and Ronald Reagan and Dwight D. Eisenhower were also big fans. Additionally, High Noon "inspired" Rio Bravo and Outland . See Recycled In Space for more. This film provides examples of: The Alcoholic : Kane keeps Charlie, Hadleyville's resident alcoholic, in a holding cell for most of the movie. Arc Symbol : Clocks are also a recurring motif as it counts down to the final showdown. Batman Grabs a Gun : Amy's decision to break her pacifist code to save Will. Betty and Veronica : Amy and Helen. Bittersweet Ending : Will was able to defeat Miller but departs by throwing down his badge without a word, disillusioned by the townspeople's cowardice. Bloodless Carnage : Used inconsistently: a fistfight leaves Kane covered in blood, but people who're shot just fall over. Children Are Innocent : The children dismissed from the church aren't the least bit upset about Miller's impending return, which they've just heard about, and are content to cheerfully play around. (It's possible they don't really know who he is, though.) Completely Different Title : Subjected to many of these. "The Train Will Whistle Three Times" in France and Portugal, "Kill or Die" in Brazil, "The Threat" in Romania, "Alone Against Danger" in Spain, "At the Assigned Time" in Latin America", "Sheriff" in Norway... Cowboys and Indians : Kane runs into kids who imitate the battle between him and Miller, with him shot to death. Damsel out of Distress : Miller captures Amy, and holding her at gunpoint, orders Kane to come out in the open. When Kane does, Amy claws into Miller's face. Miller pushes her away to the ground, giving Kane the chance to gun him down. Dare to Be Badass : Subverted in the church when Kane's speech amounts to nothing. Deliberately Monochrome : While it doesnï¿½t hurt that color wasnt in vogue for serious/art films at the time, the black-and-white color schemes are suggestive of a good-vs.-evil conflict in a morally-complex story. The photography was intended to look 19th-century , and especially intended to resemble the solemn palettes from photography of the Civil War . When the idea of colorizing black and white films turned to High Noon, Word of God was, in essence, ï¿½No thank you.ï¿½ Divided We Fall : Will's deputy refuses to help him unless Will agrees to him being the next marshal. Expository Theme Tune : "The Ballad of High Noon." Extremely Short Timespan : The film is in real-time and takes place between 10:35 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. There are clocks in almost every room, constantly keeping track. Gallows Humor : The barber


What was the name of the computer that beat Gary Kasparov at chess in 1997?

IBM100 - Deep Blue IBM100 Choose your Country and Language:       On May 11, 1997, an IBM computer called IBM ® Deep Blue ® beat the world chess champion after a six-game match: two wins for IBM, one for the champion and three draws. The match lasted several days and received massive media coverage around the world. It was the classic plot line of man vs. machine. Behind the contest, however, was important computer science, pushing forward the ability of computers to handle the kinds of complex calculations needed to help discover new medical drugs; do the broad financial modeling needed to identify trends and do risk analysis; handle large database searches; and perform massive calculations needed in many fields of science. Since the emergence of artificial intelligence and the first computers in the late 1940s, computer scientists compared the performance of these “giant brains” with human minds, and gravitated to chess as a way of testing the calculating abilities of computers. The game is a collection of challenging problems for minds and machines, but has simple rules, and so is perfect for such experiments. Over the years, many computers took on many chess masters, and the computers lost. IBM computer scientists had been interested in chess computing since the early 1950s. In 1985, a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University, Feng-hsiung Hsu, began working on his dissertation project: a chess playing machine he called ChipTest. A classmate of his, Murray Campbell, worked on the project, too, and in 1989, both were hired to work at IBM Research. There, they continued their work with the help of other computer scientists, including Joe Hoane, Jerry Brody and C. J. Tan. The team named the project Deep Blue. The human chess champion won in 1996 against an earlier version of Deep Blue; the 1997 match was billed as a “rematch.” The champion and computer met at the Equitable Center in New York, with cameras running, press in attendance and millions watching the outcome. The odds of Deep Blue winning were not certain, but the science was solid. The IBMers knew their machine could explore up to 200 million possible chess positions per second. The chess grandmaster won the first game, Deep Blue took the next one, and the two players drew the three following games. Game 6 ended the match with a crushing defeat of the champion by Deep Blue. The match’s outcome made headlines worldwide, and helped a broad audience better understand high-powered computing. The 1997 match took place not on a standard stage, but rather in a small television studio. The audience watched the match on television screens in a basement theater in the building, several floors below where the match was actually held. The theater seated about 500 people, and was sold out for each of the six games. The media attention given to Deep Blue resulted in more than three billion impressions around the world. Deep Blue had an impact on computing in many different industries. It was programmed to solve the complex, strategic game of chess, so it enabled researchers to explore and understand the limits of massively parallel processing. This research gave developers insight into ways they could design a computer to tackle complex problems in other fields, using deep knowledge to analyze a higher number of possible solutions. The architecture used in Deep Blue was applied to financial modeling, including marketplace trends and risk analysis; data mining—uncovering hidden relationships and patterns in large databases; and molecular dynamics, a valuable tool for helping to discover and develop new drugs. Ultimately, Deep Blue was retired to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC, but IBM went on to build new kinds of massively parallel computers such as IBM Blue Gene ®. [Read more about this Icon of Progress.] The Deep Blue project inspired a more recent grand challenge at IBM: building a computer that could beat the champions at a more complicated game, Jeopardy!. Over three nights in February 2011, this machine—named Watson—took on two of the all-time most succ


What allegedly crashed at Roswell, New Mexico in 1947?

Cold War Museum Back to the 1940s UFO Crash in Roswell, New Mexico When it comes to the Roswell Incident of 1947, when a UFO allegedly crashed near Roswell, NM, it is hard to separate fact from fiction or fancy. There are no two identical accounts of the incident; each differs in when the UFO crashed, when it was found, who was involved and what happened once the military was called in. But there are a few things that can be said with certainty. Sometime in the first few days of July 1947, W.W. “Mac” Brazel and a son of a neighbor rode out to a pasture near their home in Corona, NM. There had been a thunderstorm the night before and Brazel, a rancher, wanted to check on the sheep. What they found was a debris field that stretched almost three-fourths of a mile wide. The debris consisted of fragments of metal, and upon closer inspection Brazel noticed a shallow ditch that was a few hundred feet long. Brazel was intrigued by the uniqueness of the debris, which did not seem to burn or cut, and took a piece to show his neighbors. His neighbors, Floyd and Loretta Proctor, were also intrigued and suggested that Brazel bring it to the local sheriff. On July 6th, Brazel made the 75-mile drive to Roswell to the sheriff’s office. Sheriff George Wilcox listened to Brazel’s story, inspected the piece of debris and decided that the best course of action was to call the military. The 509th Bomb Group was called in. Several accounts state that Senior CounterIntelligence Corps (CIC) agent Captain Sheridan Cavitt and Intelligence Officer Major Jesse Marcel were sent to investigate Brazel’s findings. Others report that Colonel William Blanchard, commander of the 509th Bomb Group, accompanied them. On July 7th, the military representatives examined the debris in the pasture for themselves. Marcel’s recollection of the scene was that there were small bits of metal interspersed in the debris that did not burn when he held a cigarette lighter to them. Marcel also observed “weightless I-beam-like structures that were 3/8”x1/4“, none of them very long, that would neither bend nor break. Some of these I-beams had indecipherable characters along the length, in two colors.” The military men filled their vehicle with samples of the debris to return to the army base. The next day, a press release written by Lt. Walter G. Haut, Public Relations Officer at the Roswell Army Air Field, was sent to the two local radio stations and newspapers. The release read “The Army Air Forces here today announced a flying disk had been found.” A few hours later a new release was issued retracting the first announcement, saying that “…the 509th Bomb Group had mistakenly identified a weather balloon as wreckage of a flying saucer.” This is where the facts begin to get cloudy, accounts begin to differ and many contending theories as to what had actually happened began to develop. Most of the theories about the Roswell Incident involve a wholesale government cover-up. One cover-up theory begins with Marcel’s return to the air field. He brought the debris in to show his commanding officer. His CO was equally baffled by the unfamiliar materials and sent Marcel to the Fort Worth Army Air Field to show his finds to General Ramey, Commanding Officer of the Eighth Air Force. Marcel laid the debris on Ramey’s desk so the general could see the mysterious metal. Ramey looked at the metal, and asked Marcel to show him on the map (located in another room down the hall) where exactly the debris had been found. Marcel did so, but when they returned to Ramey’s office the debris that Marcel had placed on the desk was gone and in its place was a weather balloon. An equally intriguing story recounted in the cover up theory lore is that of Glenn Dennis. Dennis was a mortician at the time of the alleged UFO crash (he later went on to co-found the UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell, NM). Around the time that the military began to investigate the debris field found by Brazel, Dennis received a call from the Mortuary Officer. The officer inquired about acquiring a certain type of coffi


Who succeeded Moses as leader of the Israelites?

Ahmed Osman/Out of Egypt Click        to order Ahmed's books TUTANKHAMUN         AND THE TRINITY OF CHRIST In         his interesting account of Velikovsky's Worlds in Collision (Fortean         Times 118), Niklas Rasche referred to my argument of the similarities         between Pharaoh Akhenaten and both Moses of the Bible and Oedipus         of Greek mythology. Tom Holland had, in an earlier issue Akhenaten         (Fortean Times 117), given more details of my identification of Akhenaten with Moses, but he went on to say: "The naming of Akhenaten as the founder of the Jewish religion         seems positively restrained compared with Osman's real bombshell,         his revelation that Tutankhamun had, in fact, been Jesus Christ." The         early Fathers of the Church accepted that Jesus appeared, not         once, but twice: First in the person of Joshua the son of Nun,         who succeeded Moses as the leader of the Israelites in the 14th         century BC, and again when, in his Glory, he appeared to the disciples         in the 1st century AD. "Jesus" is the Greek form of "Joshua," which         appeared for the first time in the Greek translation of the Old         Testament made in Alexandria during the 3rd century BC. When the         Gospels were written, also in Greek, it was understood that Jesus         Christ was the same person as the Israelite leader who succeeded         Moses. The confusion between the two forms of the name only appeared         from the 16th century onwards, when the Bible was translated into         English. Only then was the name "Joshua" given to the Old Testament         character, while "Jesus" was used for his New Testament appearance. As         I've come to the conclusion that Akhenaten was the same as Moses,         I also concluded that Akhenaten's successor was the same as the         leader who succeeded Moses. Akhenaten, king of Egypt (1378-1361         BC.), was the first monotheistic ruler in history. He abolished         the worship of the different gods of Ancient Egypt and introduced         a deity with no imageAten, the biblical Adonaito be         the sole God for all people. In his 17th year, Akhenaten was overthrown         by a military coup when he used the army to force the new religion         on his people, and was replaced by Tutankhamun in 1361 BC. Akhenaten         then went into exile in Sinai, accompanied by some of his followers.         Recognizing that ordinary people need a physical object for their         worship, Tutankhamun allowed the ancient deities to be worshiped         again, but only as mediators between Aten and his people. Ernest Sellin, a German biblical scholar, had found textual evidence         to suggest that an Israelite leader was murdered in Sinai, and         Sigmund Freud thought this leader was Moses. The Israelites, he         thought, killed Moses as they resented his strict teachings. I         was able, however, to identify the assassinated leader as Joshua         the son of Nun, successor of Moses. It was Phinehas, the priest         of Moses, whom I've identified with Pa-Nehesy the high priest         of Akhenaten, who killed Joshua. While the Israelites were still         in the land of Goshen in Egypt, Pa-Nehesy killed Tutankhamun at         the foot of Mount Sinai, as he regarded him as a heretic who allowed         paganism's return. In         the tomb of Tutankhamun there is a unique scene, not found in         any other Egyptian burial, representing the Trinity of Christ. The profound significance of the wall-painting escaped me until         November 1997 when I was invited by Genera


A bonspiel is a tournament in which winter sport?

My Curling .com - All the information on curling you need! My Curling .com - All the information on curling you need! How to play - The how to of curling. The playing surface - The dimensions of a standard curling rink. Curling on TV - a schedule of televised curling events. Planning Bonspiels - Things to consider when planning a bonspiel. Bonspiel Draw Sheets - Draw sheets for three and four events Bonspiels - A list of upcoming bonspiels.   Check out our interactive Curling Club Locator !   Yukon CURLING. From the opening handshakes and "good curling" wishes to the "good game" handshakes and socializing after the game, curling is one great pastime. It involves sportsmanship, teamwork, skill, endurance, and players of all ages. The sport of curling excludes no one. Around the world, women, men, and children of all different skill levels and abilities take part. In Canada, as far as winter sports go, curling is as popular as ice hockey.  Canadian curling is a great game for those who are interested in a sport like chess on ice, rather than the body contact of ice hockey.  Curling also has a social component where teams indulge in a friendly beer or glass of wine after the game.  It is a great sport for meeting new people and having conversations with different folk.  During the Canadian summer, many curlers take up the sport of golf or baseball.  The game of curling is played using carefully crafted stones thrown along a sheet of ice. The ice is carefully cleaned and pebbled before every game. Four players on a team hold designated positions - lead, second, third, and skip. Players on each team take turns sliding out of the hack and throwing rocks down the ice towards the house. The skip stands in the house and calls the shots. One player throws a rock while two others on the team follow it down the ice using a broom to sweep in front of the rock, if it needs it. The sweeping can carry a rock further, and cause it to curl more or less. When a player is sliding out of the hack, he must release the rock before he reaches the hog line. If a draw is called, the player slides out of the hack more gently and releases the stone with less force. If a takeout is called, the player slides out of the hack with more force and releases the stone with greater weight. Guards are rocks that are placed in front of the house, in the guard zone, blocking the path to the rocks in the house. When all of the rocks have been thrown in one direction, an end has been played. The third of the scoring team marks her points on a large scoreboard for all to see. One complete game usually consists of eight or ten ends. In curling rinks around the world, leagues have their own competitions. There are mens nights, ladies leagues, childrens Sunday afternoon play, business leagues and international play. Teams can also play in bonspiels in other curling rinks for prizes and a great social time. Bonspiels most often involve games Friday afternoon and evening, all day and evening Saturday, and games and final play on Sunday. Some teams leave a bonspiel with prizes, but most leave with great memories and new friends. Search


Who committed what became known as the West Port murders in Edinburgh in 1828?

The Worlds of Burke and Hare But and ben wiï¿½ Burke and Hare. Burkeï¿½s the butcher, Hareï¿½s the thief, And Knox the boy who buys the beef. The Horrid and True Story of Burke and Hare On Monday, November 3, 1828, Edinburgh awoke to the horrifying news that the most atrocious murders of the decade -- of the century -- had been committed in the West Port district of the Old Town. William Burke and William Hare, together with Helen M'Dougal and Margaret Hare, were accused of killing 16 people over the course of 12 months, in order to sell their cadavers as "subjects" for dissection. Their purchaser was Dr. Robert Knox, a well-regarded anatomical lecturer with a flourishing dissecting establishment in Surgeon's Square. The ensuing criminal investigation and trial raised troubling questions about the common practices by which medical men obtained cadavers, about the lives of the poor in Edinburgh's back alleys, about the ability of the police to protect the public from deliberate, unprovoked murder for gain. The murders were discovered when two of Burke's lodgers, Ann and James Gray, grew suspicious about the unexpected disappearance of a visitor, Madgy Docherty, whom they had met in Burke's house the night before. They found her dead body under the bed and went for the police. Burke, M'Dougal, and William and Margaret Hare were arrested for Docherty's murder. William and Margaret Hare turned King's witnesses, that is, witnesses for the prosecution, in return for immunity. Burke and M'Dougal were tried for murder on December 24, 1828. M'Dougal was acquitted with the distinctively Scots verdict, Not Proven. Burke was convicted and sentenced to death. He was executed on January 28, 1829. His body was dissected and publicly exhibited. Their preferred method of murder, suffocation by leaning on and compressing the chest, has been known ever since as "burking." The story of Burke and Hare has made its way into popular culture through Edinburgh's Blackwood's Magazine, through Robert Louis Stevenson, and through Gil Grissom of CSI. Popular movie versions include Robert Wise's The Body Snatcher, with Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff, Freddie Francis's The Doctor and the Devils, with Timothy Dalton and Jonathan Pryce, and John Landis's Burke and Hare, with Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis.   Click on thumbnails to view slideshow.


What profession was followed by Grace O’Malley, Mary Read and Anne Bonny?

If There’s a Man Among Ye: The Tale of Pirate Queens Anne Bonny and Mary Read   |   History | Smithsonian Contact Privacy Policy Terms of Use If There’s a Man Among Ye: The Tale of Pirate Queens Anne Bonny and Mary Read Renowned for their ruthlessness, these two female pirates challenged the sailors’ adage that a woman’s presence on shipboard invites bad luck August 9, 2011 Anne Bonny (left) and Mary Read, as rendered in A General History of the Pyrates Last week Mike Dash told a tale of high seas adventure that put me in mind of another, somewhat earlier one. Not that Anne Bonny and Mary Read had much in common with kindly old David O’Keefe—they were pirates, for one thing, as renowned for their ruthlessness as for their gender, and during their short careers challenged the sailors’ adage that a woman’s presence on shipboard invites bad luck. Indeed, were it not for Bonny and Read, John “Calico Jack” Rackam’s crew would’ve suffered indignity along with defeat during its final adventure in the Caribbean. But more on that in a moment… Much of what we know about the early lives of Bonny and Read comes from a 1724 account titled A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates, by Captain Charles Johnson (which some historians argue is a nom de plume for Robinson Crusoe author Daniel Defoe). A General History places Bonny’s birth in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland, circa 1698. Her father, an attorney named William Cormac, had an affair with the family maid, prompting his wife to leave him. The maid, Mary Brennan, gave birth to Anne, and over time William grew so fond of the child he arranged for her to live with him. To avoid scandal, he dressed her as a boy and introduced her as the child of a relative entrusted to his care. When Anne’s true gender and parentage were discovered, William, Mary and their child emigrated to what is now Charleston, South Carolina. Mary died in 1711, at which point the teenaged Anne began exhibiting a “fierce and courageous temper,” reportedly murdering a servant girl with a case knife and beating half to death a suitor who tried to rape her. William, a successful planter, disapproved of his daughter’s rebellious ways; the endless rumors about her carousing in local taverns and sleeping with fishermen and drunks damaged his business. He disowned her when, in 1718, she married a poor sailor by the name of James Bonny. Anne and her new husband set off for New Providence (now Nassau) in the Bahamas, where James is said to have embarked on a career as a snitch, turning in pirates to Governor Woodes Rogers and collecting the bounties on their heads. Woodes, a former pirate himself, composed a “most wanted” list of ten notorious outlaws, including Blackbeard, and vowed to bring them all to trial. Anne, meanwhile, spent most of her time drinking at local saloons and seducing pirates; in A General History, Johnson contends that she was “not altogether so reserved in point of Chastity,” and that James Bonny once “surprised her lying in a hammock with another man.” Anne grew especially enamored of one paramour, John “Calico Jack” Rackam, so-called due to his affinity for garish clothing, and left Bonny to join Rackam’s crew. One legend holds that she launched her pirating  career with an ingenious ploy, creating a “corpse” by mangling the limbs of a dressmaker’s mannequin and smearing it with fake blood. When the crew of a passing French merchant ship spotted Anne wielding an ax over her creation, they surrendered their cargo without a fight. John "Calico Jack" Rackam A surprising number of women ventured to sea, in many capacities: as servants, prostitutes, laundresses, cooks and—albeit less frequently—as sailors, naval officers, whaling merchants or pirates. Anne herself was likely inspired by  a 16th-century Irishwoman named Grace O’Malley , whose fierce visage (she claimed her face was  scarred after an attack by an eagle) became infamous along the coast of the Emerald Isle. Still, female pirates remained an anomaly and perceived liability; Blackbeard, for one, banned w


For which organisation did the camp Jason King work?

A Short Biography of Peter Wyngarde Born: August 23rd 1933 Fact File Peter Wyngarde is a French-born English actor best acknowledged for creating and playing  the character of Jason King, a successful writer and detective, in two British television series of the 1960s and early 1970s:' Department S' (1969–1970) and 'Jason King' (1971–1972). Born Cyril Goldbert in Marseille, France, the son of an a a French mother and English father . His father worked in the British Diplomatic Service, consequently his childhood was spent in a numerous different countries. In 1941, although his parents were away in India, he went to live with a Swiss household in Shanghai. The Japanese Armed forces took over Shanghai's International Settlement on the 8th December 1941, and as a British national his father was incarcerated in the Lunghua concentration camp on 10 April 1943. Conditions in the camp were at times harsh. According to J.G. Ballard's autobiography Miracles of Life, "Cyril Goldbert, the future Peter Wyngarde" was a fellow internee at Lunghua Camp and "He was four years older than me...". Ballard was born in November 1930 but according to Lunghwa Camp archives, compiled in 1943, Goldbert was really born in 1928. His younger siblings, Adolphe Henry and Marion Simeone, were under Swiss protection and consequently immune from internment. As a young man he began acting, and from the mid-1950s had innumerable roles  in feature films, single television plays and television series. In the late 1960s, he was a steady guest star on countless popular UK series of the day, many of which had espionage and adventure plots, including 'The Avengers', 'The Saint', 'The Baron', 'Sherlock Holmes', 'The Champions', 'The Troubleshooters', 'Love Story', 'I Spy' and The 'Man In Room 17'. He also played the Number Two in The Prisoner ("Checkmate", 1967). Wyngarde's movie work was narrow but had influence. In 1961, he made the most of his brief scenes as the leering Peter Quint in Jack Clayton's 'The Innocents' with Deborah Kerr and Pamela Franklin. The next year he starred in the occult adventure movie 'Night of the Eagle'.  The Big break came  for Wyngarde in 1969 when he was cast in the ITC television series 'Department S', (produced by Monty Berman) in the role of the charismatic  Jason King, a sardonic, well-spoken,  over sexed  mystery author who also works for an undercover Interpol investigative unit. With his long hair and a loud moustache, and dressed in an array of late '60s/Swinging London-style cravats, ruffled shirts, crumpled velvet outfits, kaftans, etc., Wyngarde was the original peacock. The character's eccentric mannerisms, together with his look, soon made Wyngarde the main star of the show, casting a shadow on his two co-stars, Joel Fabiani and Rosemary Nicols; indeed, many fans felt that Wyngarde's character dressed more flashily than Nicols' character. Now a days,  Jason King's manner of dress, together with his ferocious sex drive and even with the sporadic use of such retro terms as "groovy" makes him the very obvious role model for the 'Austin Powers' chracter, made famous by Mike Myers.  In the series that  spun out of 'Department S', simply called' Jason King',  he worked solo but manoeuvred  from bed-to-bed with a succession of women in seemingly every story, keeping up a pace that any self-respecting  James Bond would have had a tough time keeping up with. In 1970, Peter recorded an album for RCA Victor called Peter Wyngarde, and a single, "La Ronde De L'Amour/The Way I Cry Over You" was released.  The album was reissued on CD by the British RPM Records label as 'When Sex Leers Its Inquisitive Head'. Curiously,it was not a collection of lounge standards but instead an unusual collection of spoken word/musical arrangements. Several tracks are on the Radio Sounds Familiar playlist. In 1983, he performed in the thriller 'Underground' opposite Raymond Burr (Ironside) at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto and at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London. During the 1980s and 1990s he made a number of television appearances, compris


Tasseomancy is the reading of what, to determine a person’s future?

Serena's Guide to Divination and Fortune Telling using Tea Leaves, Coffee Grounds, Wine Lees. Tasseography. Tasseomancy. Cafeomancy.   Reading the Tea Leaves or Coffee Grounds Reading tea leaves or coffee grounds has traditionally been practiced in many countries by the women in the family, typically at gatherings of family and friends. Tea leaf reading is also referred to as tasseomancy, tasseography or teomancy. Coffee reading is known as cafeomancy. But this sort of divination has long been practised wherever there is a liquid that leaves behind some sort of dregs, whether it be tea leaves or coffee grounds. In ancient times, they would read the wine lees left in the glass. Enjoy a free coffee reading or read on to learn to do your own readings below. Method First of all sit, down and enjoy your cup of tea. Remembering of course, that you need to make your tea the old-fashioned way using a teapot, so that you end up with a fair few tea leaves! You need a teacup with a wide mouth, sloping side of cups, and a plain, undecorated surface inside of cup. Do not strain the tea as you pour it. Many people believe you cannot read your own cup, however that is a personal preference. As with any form of divination, it is always difficult to read your own fortune objectively. If you prefer coffee, simply brew your favourite variety of coffee and add a pinch or two of dry coffee grounds to the coffee so that there will be enough grounds to read. If you add the grounds before drinking, then let the cup sit for a few minutes so that the grounds sink to the bottom. Otherwise add the grounds to the remaining coffee dregs after you have drunk your cup of coffee. You will find that different varieties of coffee, such as Turkish or Greek coffee, are more suitable for coffee reading. Part of the ritual of this form of divination is to sit down and enjoy the tea and the company of your fellow drinkers before you get started. This is not as frivolous as it sounds as it allows you to relax and also gather your thoughts. Before you even start the reading , there may already be some early signs to interpret: Bubbles on the surface of your tea or coffee means that money is on its way. If any tea leaves are floating on the surface, then visitors are imminent. The number of leaves shows how many days away they are. If two teaspoons are accidently placed on a saucer, then you can expect news of twins soon. If a teaspoon is placed upside down onto a saucer then you will hear news of the ill-health of a close relative. Finish your tea leaving a small amount of liquid in the bottom of cup of the cup. Holding the cup in your left hand, swirl the tea leaves round three times in a clockwise direction. Make sure that the remaining tea swirls around the whole of the cup. Then, upend the cup on the saucer and let the liquid drain away. Coffee drinkers can use the same method with the remains of their coffee, or they can pour the remains across a plate and interpret the patterns that are left on the plate. Variations with Coffee Reading: In Romania the coffee grounds are swirled so that the most of the inside of the cup is covered. In many Middle East areas, before the start of the reading, the drinker "opens the heart" by by placing the right thumb at the inside bottom of the cup and twisting clockwise slightly. The impression that is left by this small action is then interpreted by the reader as the drinker's inner thoughts or emotions. Now you can examine the cup and the patterns of the tea leaves inside. As a general first impression, just a scattering of leaves inside the cup indicates a tidy mind and disciplined life. A lot of leaves indicates a rich, full, busy life. Reading the Leaves The cup is held so that the handle points towards the questioner. The handle represents the questioner and his or her home, and the tea leaves are read in relation to the position of the handle. The rim of the Cup represents recent events. Leaves lying closer to the bottom of the Cup indicate events that are more distant in time. The very bottom of the Cup represents


By what name was the architect Charles-Edouard Jeanneret better known?

Le Corbusier Essay Examples | Kibin Le Corbusier Essay Examples Le Corbusier's Domino house project allowed the cladding or ``skin'' of building to be free of the structure. Discuss this in relation to Le Corbusier's later work, where concrete is used as the dominant material. Charles Charles-Edouard Jeanneret Edouard Jeanerett better known as Le Corbusier. This name derived from his a... 1,297 words 'Petite maison' Le Corbusier Introduction This is the little house that Le Corbusier built in 1923-1924 in the shores of Lake Geneva, Switzerland. The house was built in terms of Le Corbusier and his cousin Pierre Jeanerette. The program and plan of the house were developed. The paper will discuss the design of the house an... 1,214 words Characteristics of Literature During the 20th Century as an Intense Awareness and Reshaping of Fundamentals The literature of the 20th century has been characterized by an intense awareness and reshaping of fundamentals. Just as the architectural vanguard led by Le Corbusier reinvented structural form, or the Cubists made new visual space the writers working with narratives renewed and heightened their concern with how time... 2,663 words An Introduction to the Life of Charles-Edouard Jeanneret an Influental Swiss Architect Charles-Edouard Jeanneret is an internationally known influential Swiss architect and city planner, whose designs combine the functionalism of the modern movement with a bold, sculptural expressionism. He belonged to the first generation of the so-called International school of architecture and was their most able propagand... 2,809 words An Introduction to Architecture and Urbanism through the Swiss Architect Le Carbusier Architecture is the design of individual building and garden projects that make the realm of the voids visible, memorable and ultimately, useful. Crucial to the making of any city is the clear distinction of such projects by scale and character. Firstly, the definition of buildings and landscape that builds an urban collect... 1,577 words The Life and Death of Charles Edouard Jeaneret Born Charles Edouard Jeaneret in the Swiss town of la Chaux-des-Fonds on October 6th, 1887. He was an artist at first, then he took his eventual name of Le Corbusier in 1920 when he knew his life would be that of architecture rather than strictly art. Though he was never schooled officially, he was influenced by many, this... 608 words


Who plays Alfred Hitchcock’s wife Alma in the movie Hitchcock?

Hitchcock (2012) - IMDb IMDb 17 January 2017 4:34 PM, UTC NEWS There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC The relationship between Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma Reville during the filming of Psycho (1960) in 1959 is explored. Director: a list of 25 titles created 10 Jan 2013 a list of 43 titles created 31 Jan 2013 a list of 28 titles created 04 Nov 2013 a list of 35 titles created 01 Dec 2013 a list of 35 titles created 23 Jul 2014 Search for " Hitchcock " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for     1     Oscar. Another    4 wins & 27 nominations. See more awards  » Videos Edit Storyline In 1959, Alfred Hitchcock and his wife, Alma Reville , are at the top of their creative game as filmmakers amid disquieting insinuations about it being time to retire. To recapture his youth's artistic daring, Alfred decides his next film will adapt the lurid horror novel, Psycho (1960), over everyone's misgivings. Unfortunately, as Alfred self-finances and labors on this film, Alma finally loses patience with his roving eye and controlling habits with his actresses. When an ambitious friend lures her to collaborate on a work of their own, the resulting marital tension colors Alfred's work even as the novel's inspiration haunts his dreams. Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com) Behind every Psycho is a great woman. See more  » Genres: Rated PG-13 for some violent images, sexual content and thematic material | See all certifications  » Parents Guide: 14 December 2012 (USA) See more  » Also Known As: Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of 'Psycho' See more  » Filming Locations: $287,715        (USA) (21 November 2012) Gross: Did You Know? Trivia Among the actors who were considered or interviewed for the role of Alfred Hitchcock during the long preproduction were Oliver Platt , Richard Griffiths , Alfred Molina , Paul Giamatti , Philip Seymour Hoffman , Bill Murray and Johnny Depp . See more » Goofs While Hitch is in the middle of a chapter of "Psycho", Alma takes the book from him. He takes it back but continues reading from the beginning of another chapter. See more » Quotes Henry Gein : You know, there's gonna be a lot more jobs at that factory in Milwaukee come June. I could put in a word. Ed Gein : You can't leave us, Henry. She needs us both. Henry Gein : Can you stop being a mama's boy for one second? I'm not trying to hurt you, but Jesus, you gotta live your own life sometime. That woman can take care of her own god... [Ed hits Henry with a shovel] Alfred Hitchcock : Good evening. Well, brother has been killing brother since Cain and Abel, yet even I didn't ... [...] See more » Crazy Credits After the end credits, there is a brief shot of Anthony Hopkins as Hitchcock standing in profile in a large empty movie theatre. See more » Connections Courtesy of The Island Def Jam Music Group Under license from Universal Music Enterprisrs An exercise in feminist revisionism 26 January 2016 | by Leofwine_draca (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews While I enjoy watching historical biopics, I don't like the ones that mess with the facts, especially when the subject matter is a favourite of mine. Hitchcock has long been a favourite director, so I awaited with interest this film which depicts him as he devises and shoots the legendary PSYCHO. Unfortunately, what Hollywood ultimately delivers is nothing more than an exercise in feminist revisionism, and that's all down to Helen Mirren who play Hitch's wife. Apparently, Mirren refused the role at first as it lacked 'meat' and 'importance'; thus, a number of spurious and ludicrous - angles were added to the movie to better accommodate her. According to this film, Hitch's wife directed part of the movie, inspired her husban


With 19 so far who is by far the most Oscar nominated actress in history?

Jennifer Aniston, Oscar Nominee? 5 Takeaways from the 2015 SAG Award Nominations - The Daily Beast Ari Perilstein/Getty Images for Cinelou OSCAROLOGY Jennifer Aniston, Oscar Nominee? 5 Takeaways from the 2015 SAG Award Nominations Everyone’s favorite Us Weekly cover star scored a surprise SAG Award nod. Is Oscar next? We peruse the most surprising takeaways from this year’s SAG list. 12.10.14 5:44 PM ET Jennifer Aniston, Oscar nominee? The once implausible thought is inching closer to a reality for the former Friends star—an undeniably gifted comedic actress who’s been wallowing in trite romantic films (of both the clichéd comedy and sappy drama type) and overly ribald raunch-coms. Aniston scored the biggest surprised mention when the Screen Actors Guild Awards announced their nominees Wednesday morning, earning a nod for in Best Actress for her performance in the indie Cake. Is an Oscar nomination next? From Aniston’s surge in the Oscar race to Edie Falco’s record-breaking nod, here’s a list of the biggest surprises and takeaways from the 2015 SAG Award nominations . Jennifer Aniston could get an Oscar nomination Four of the five slots in the Best Actress Oscar race have been sewed up for months now, with Julianne Moore (Still Alice), Reese Witherspoon (Wild), Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl), and Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) essentially guaranteed nods. This has been blasted as a “weak year” for the category—something that I and I daresay Jenny Slate, Tilda Swinton, Marion Cotillard, Shailene Woodley, and a slew of other deserving contenders who have disappeared from the conversation disagree with—meaning that there’s no real frontrunner for that last nomination. The odds-on contenders for it are Amy Adams for Big Eyes and Hilary Swank for The Homesman. Adams has been thought to score the nod pretty much since Big Eyes has been announced, but, unfortunately, the movie just isn’t that good and her performance, while fine, is not that remarkable. Swank is excellent in The Homesman, which is a movie that few people even know exists. That means Aniston, who has been promoting the hell out of Cake and boasts the all-important “narrative” that Oscar voters salivate over (major celebrity reinvents herself in stripped-of-vanity indie drama) actually does stand a shot—albeit a long one. Since it launched in 1994, the SAG Awards have been an uncanny crystal ball for predicting the Oscar nominations with 18 to 19 of the 20 nominees in the acting categories overlapping. That should be spectacular news for Aniston, except for the caveat: that overlap rate has dropped dramatically in the past two years. In those years, only 14 nominees overlapped. At the 2013 ceremony, Christoph Waltz wasn’t even nominated for Django Unchained at the SAG Awards, but went on to win at the Oscars. So given the tepid reviews that Cake is receiving outside of Aniston’s performance and the recent history of acting surprises, expect a more traditional Oscar nominee like Adams or Swank, or possibly even Cotillard, who’s been gaining steam for her performance in Two Days, One Night, to take that fifth slot. There’s still no clear Best Picture frontrunner At this point in the Oscar race there’s usually an odds-on favorite to win Best Picture, a film that’s already well on its way to steamrolling every precursor critics’ prize and awards ceremony—think 12 Years a Slave, The Artist, Slumdog Millionaire. This year, however, it’s not even a clear two-way race, a la Social Network vs. The King’s Speech or The Hurt Locker vs. Avatar. Boyhood, Birdman, The Imitation Game, and Selma could all, conceivably, win Best Picture at the Oscars at this point, and the SAG Award nominations did nothing to settle which one is more likely to do so. Birdman did score one more nod than both Boyhood and The Imitation Game, with its four to their respective three, but the trio of contenders all earned Best Ensemble mentions—which is the SAG equivalent of Best Picture—and all three are equally likely contenders for victory. Not only that, while the SAG nominees are good predic


Who seized the throne in 1135 on the death of Henry I?

King Henry I Beauclerc (1100 - 1135) The House of Normandy - ArtiFact :: Free Encyclopedia of Everything Art, Antiques & Collectibles Born: September, 1068 at Selby, Yorkshire Parents: William I and Matilda of Flanders Relation to Elizabeth II: 24th great-grandfather House of: Normandy Ascended to the throne: August 3, 1100 aged 31 years Crowned: August 6, 1100 at Westminster Abbey Married: (1) Edith (Matilda), Daughter of Malcolm III (2) Adelicia, Daughter of Geoffrey VII, count of Louvain Children: Daughter Matilda, son William, and reputedly around 20 illegitimate children Died: December 2, 1135 at St Denis le Fermont, Normandy, aged 67 years, 2 months, and 29 days Buried at: Reading Reigned for: 35 years, 3 months, and 28 days Succeeded by: his nephew Stephen Henry I (c. 1068 – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc, was King of England from 1100 to 1135. Henry was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and was educated in Latin and the liberal arts. On William’s death in 1087, Henry’s older brothers William Rufus and Robert Curthose inherited England and Normandy respectively, but Henry was left landless. Henry purchased the County of Cotentin in western Normandy from Robert, but was deposed by William and Robert in 1091. Henry gradually rebuilt his power base in the Cotentin and allied himself with William against Robert. Henry was on hand when William died in a hunting accident in 1100, and he seized the English throne, promising at his coronation to correct many of William’s less popular policies. Henry married Matilda of Scotland, but continued to have a large number of mistresses, by whom he had many illegitimate children. Life King of England from 1100. Youngest son of William the Conqueror, he succeeded his brother William II. He won the support of the Saxons by granting them a charter and marrying a Saxon princess, Edith, daughter of Malcolm III of Scotland. She was known as Matilda after her marriage, a name more acceptable to the Norman Barons than her Saxon name Edith. Henry’s daughter was also called Matilda. He was an able administrator, and established a professional bureaucracy and a system of travelling judges. He was called Beauclerc because of his scholarly interests. In 1101 his elder brother Robert, Duke of Normandy, attempted to seize the crown by invading England. However, after the Treaty of Alton, Robert agreed to recognise his brother Henry as King and returned to Normandy. They fought again in 1106 at Battle of Tinchebrai at which Robert was captured and Henry became Duke of Normandy as well as King of England. Henry’s only legitimate son and heir, William, was drowned in 1120 in wreck of the White Ship and Henry tried to settle the succession on his daughter Matilda and her son Henry (later Henry II). However, Matilda widow of Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor, was unpopular when she re-married into the House of Anjou rival of the House of Normandy. The throne was taken by Henry’s nephew Stephen, who, towards the end of his reign, agreed to adopt Matilda’s son as his heir. Henry died in Normandy in 1135 of food poisoning according to legend from eating a ‘surfeit of Lampreys’ (an eel type fish). Henry I was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders and was born between May, 1068 and May, 1069 probably at Selby in Yorkshire. He was named Henry after his mother’s maternal uncle, King Henry I of France. On the death of his father, Normandy was bequeathed to his eldest son, Robert Curthose , England was left to the third son, William Rufus (a second son, Richard, had been killed whilst hunting in the New Forest) and to the youngest, Henry, he left a large sum of money. Henry I of England The Seal of Edith or Matilda of Scotland Henry seized England’s crown on the death of his brother, William Rufus. He had been present on the hunting expedition in the New Forest which resulted in Rufus’ death, either by accident or design and left abruptly and in indecent haste to seize the treasury at Winchester. The finger of suspicion has been pointed at Henry of complicity in his


Which famous fair was held for the first time at Smithfield in 1133?

Famous Executions at Smithfield | Owlcation Famous Executions at Smithfield Joined: 7 years agoFollowers: 945Articles: 132 58 3 months ago West Smithfield | Source Smithfield is an area tucked away in the north-west of the City of London and is a part of the capital that is not so frequented by tourists unless they wish to visit the famous meat markets. However, this is an area rich in history and, however unlikely it may seem in the middle of a thriving, modern city, Smithfield was once a place of bloody execution. This is an area that has seen human activity since Roman times, when it was an expanse of grassy high ground located just outside the city walls of what was then known as Londinium. Since Roman customs banned burials within the perimeters of city walls, they used this location which they called ‘Smoothfield’ as a cemetery and several stone coffins and cremations of that era have been excavated when building or renovation works have taken place. Advertisement During the Middle Ages Smithfield was a prosperous commercial area and a centre for healing and religion. In 1133 an Augustinian monk called Rahere was given permission to build the priory and hospital he named St Bartholomew’s. Over the next few centuries the hospital gradually grew until it covered a huge area, housing dozens of monks and attracting many sick people in need of medical treatment. A large horse fair was also held here right through medieval times as was the Kings Friday Market. In 1133 a royal charter initiated the three day annual event that was to run for the next seven hundred years, St Bartholomew’s Fair. It developed into one of the most famous cloth fairs in Europe and on occasions would run for as long as a fortnight. It brought substantial revenues into the priory and church, but was discontinued in 1855 due to the rowdy behaviour that took place. Smithfield was also a place used for horse racing and jousting, attracting huge crowds that would bet on their favourite horse or knights. west smithfield london - get directions {"lat":51.518299,"lng":-0.10267,"zoom":16,"mapType":"ROADMAP","markers":[{"id":53564,"lat":"51.518513","lng":"-0.102431","name":"west smithfield london","address":"West Smithfield, London EC1A, UK","description":""}]} So how did a colourful, busy area full of market traders, merchants, monks and patients become a place of execution? In modern times, many countries now do not permit capital punishment or if it is handed down as a sentence it is undertaken in private, usually within the walls of a prison. But back in medieval times, one of the main reasons people were executed was to set an example and send a message. It was not a very subtle message, but it was an effective one. If you committed this crime, this is what would happen to you. Executions were also used to underline the authority of the king and the government, the reasoning being that if they allowed traitors or heretics to go unpunished then they were potentially undermining their own regime. It was a period in history when ‘might was right’ and any dissent was brutally crushed to maintain stability for the greater good of all. Advertisement Therefore it was important that executions were witnessed by as many as possible, so it made sense to choose a place where people already congregated to go about their daily affairs. It also has to be said that, however distasteful it might appear to us, back then people enjoyed a good execution. They were regarded as a holiday and the crowds would attract hawkers and street entertainers. The atmosphere would have been more reminiscent of a modern sporting event than what we might associate with the agonising death of another human being, and even children and young infants would have been brought along. It really was a case of fun for all the family! Sir William Wallace Memorial, Smithfield | Source The place of execution in Smithfield was known as The Elms and these gallows were thought to have stood very near to the Church of St Bartholomew the Great, before they were taken away to be used at Tyburn sometime


Which US Trade Union was led by the notorious Jimmy Hoffa?

Corruption and the Fall of Jimmy Hoffa: An Inside Story from the Man Who Claims He Killed Hoffa Corruption and the Fall of Jimmy Hoffa: An Inside Story from the Man Who Claims He Killed Hoffa Posted on March 15, 2006 Review: "I Heard You Paint Houses": Frank 'the Irishman' Sheeran and the Inside Story of the Mafia, the Teamsters, and the Final Ride of Jimmy Hoffa. "I heard you paint houses." Those are the first words Jimmy Hoffa ever spoke to Frank Sheeran, who would become a top Teamster official in the 1960s and '70s as well as a hired killer for Hoffa and the mob. The words refer to the splatter of blood when the deed is done. Hoffa hired Sheeran in that first telephone conversation as an "organizer," on the recommendation of Russell Bufalino, the Mafia boss of Pennsylvania. I Heard You Paint Houses is Sheeran's story of his life with Hoffa and in the mob, as told in hundreds of hours of tapes to one of his former attorneys, Charles Brandt. There have been too many books on the mob and on the Hoffa era in the Teamsters, most of them terrible. This one is worth reading. Sheeran was close to Hoffa, and gives an insider's feel for the intimate relationship of Hoffa and the Teamster leadership to the mob. An Insider's Story Hoffa created a local union for Sheeran: Delaware Local 326 was carved out of Philadelphia Local 107, with Sheeran installed as president. He was identified as a mob leader in the 1987 RICO lawsuit against top Teamsters that led to the present-day consent order. It's an easy book to read, and even fun, if that's an appropriate word for a book about murder and union corruption. Sheeran and Brandt (half the book is taken verbatim from the Sheeran tapes, the rest written by Brandt) don’t romanticize the mob; to "The Irishman", it's just a business and the way he lives. He matter of factly describes killing three people in one day and then he "met up with Jimmy to give him the report." There is considerable coverage in the book of Hoffa's trials. Hoffa was tried for taking payoffs from carhaul employers, and got a hung jury by bribing several jurors. His co-defendant was Bert Brennan, his business partner in the scams that sent him to prison. Brennan's son Larry currently heads Michigan Joint Council 43. Then Hoffa was tried and convicted in 1964 for the jury tampering, and also convicted by a Chicago jury of defrauding the Central States Pension Fund to line his own pocket in a Florida land scam. His appeals ran out in 1967 and he entered Lewiston Prison to serve a combined 13 year sentence. The chapters on the trials show Hoffa as master strategist and as a brazen crook who used threats and bribes routinely. And they show that his famous ego could be his weakness. Why Hoffa Was Murdered James P. Hoffa, the current Teamster president, likes to say the mob killed his dad. It's half true. Mobsters killed Hoffa for sure, but Hoffa was a part of their operation. Sheeran makes very clear who their victims are: they kill their own. Mainly they kill mob insiders who they fear have information that may be used against them. Hoffa was too eager to get back into office, and they felt he would trade information in exchange for lifting the restrictions put on him to stay out of the union when Nixon pardoned him in December 1971. Sheeran adds some details to what is already well-known about the corrupt relationship between Hoffa and the Nixon administration. Sheeran himself delivered a suitcase of money to the home of John Mitchell, the Attorney General who later went to prison himself for Watergate crimes. After Hoffa left prison in 1971, Sheeran claims he was a changed man. More "puffing," as Sheeran calls it, about what he would do to whom, even though his power was gone. That "puffing" scared top mobsters; it made them think he would make a deal with the Justice Department. That's why Russell Bufalino co-ordered the hit on Hoffa. Sheeran believes the 1972 book by Kennedy aide Walter Sheridan played a role in the Hoffa murder. That book revealed that Hoffa had snitched to the FBI on Teamster President Dave Beck to


What official position is currently held by Martin Rees?

Strange jobs you can get with the Royal Family (7 Photos) : theCHIVE View as Slideshow 1 The Royal family is an ancient institution in the modern world and with this comes some strange traditions – none more so than some of the official positions still held to this day, here are are some of the very strangest: 2 Warden of the Swan— along with the Marker of the Swans another position — the Warden conducts the annual census of swans on the Thames – yep that’s a thing. The Queen owns all of the unmarked mute swans in the U.K.. Prior to that, the Warden of the Swans and the Marker of the Swans was one position, known as the Keeper of the Queen’s Swans. 3 Astronomer Royal— largely an honorary title, the Astronomer Royal is presently Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow, he is expected to “be available for consultation on scientific matters for as long as the holder remains a professional astronomer,” 4 Surgeon-Gynecologist to the Royal Family — this is the least strange of the official titles, Dr Alan Farthing has held the position since 2008 and is in charge of the births of Royal children and also care for their mothers during their whole pregnancy. 5 The Queen’s Piper— A position since the Victorian era, the piper is tasked with playing every weekday at 9:00 a.m. for around 15 minutes under the Queen’s window when she is not travelling and in residence at either Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse or Balmoral Castle. It definitely beats an alarm clock. Advertisement


On a graph the abscissa is paired with what?

Algebra/The Coordinate (Cartesian) Plane - Wikibooks, open books for an open world Algebra/The Coordinate (Cartesian) Plane A Quick Review...[ edit ] What is the Cartesian Plane? Named for "the father of analytical geometry," 17th century French mathematician René Descartes (Cartesius) , uniform regular grid (Cartesian) coordinates is one system used for graphing. Many algebraic expressions lend themselves to graphical analysis. The location of a point's Cartesian plot is found by indexing numerical values (coordinates) along numbered grid lines. The trivial single R number line comprises a one dimensional, single ordinate, system with all locations existing only on that line. This study begins with graphing in two dimensions (see the two diagrams below). Plots and points are located and labeled with the offsets of their 'projections' from two number lines (R2 axes) anywhere on the page and plane. The four quadrants of a Cartesian coordinate system. The arrows on the axes indicate that they extend forever in their respective directions (i.e. infinitely). We choose the values or ordinates for points on the Cartesian plane using two perpendicular numbered axes. By convention the point where the two axes cross is labeled as 0 on each axis, making the ordinate for their intersection a special point called the origin and labeled (0,0). Generally, the horizontal axis is labeled x and the vertical axis y. An ordered pair (x,y) specifies the location of a point P on the plane. If we don't want to talk about ordered pairs as x and y we can refer to the first variable in the ordered pair as the abscissa and the second as the ordinate. The axes cross where the abscissa is 0 and the ordinate is 0. We can generalize about the signs of the abscissa and ordinate in ordered pairs because the two axes form four quadrants when they cross. Moving counter clockwise, starting in the upper right quadrant, the quadrants are labeled I, II, III, and IV. In quadrant I, all x- and y-values are positive, in II, x is negative and y positive, in III, all values are negative, and only x is positive in IV. The ordered pair (0,0) represents the origin where the axes intersect. We use the axes to define relationships between two sets of numbers for which we substitute variables. A relationship implies that changing the value of one variable determines the value of the other. We call the variable that is changing the independent variable and the variable whose value changes the dependent variable. Generally we let x represent the independent variable, y represent the dependent variable so that we can model the relationship between x and y with mathematical symbols. The set of numbers represented by the independent variable is called the domain. The set of numbers represented by the dependent variable is called the range. A special kind of relationship is called a function. A function is a relationship where any value in the domain maps onto one and only one value in the range. When we graph the points of a relationship on a Cartesian plane then we can determine if the relationship is a function--all vertical lines of the plane cross our graph once and only once. Functions are useful for modeling cause and effect relationships - where the cause is the independent variable and the effect is the dependent variable. Quadrant Positive Negative Note that the only thing unique about the Cartesian plane is that it contains a point that we call "the origin" and have labeled (0,0) If we draw another axis perpendicular to the two dimensional graph through the origin we can graph 3 dimensional objects (R3). Imagine a thin extensible numbered wire through the origin of the two dimensional graph. By using a 3rd coordinate this line (X, Y, Z) we can locate points that are above or below the page in space. This idea can be expanded to higher dimensions (including time) and is the basis for a field of theoretical physics called [[w:String_theory| string theory Determining Points[ edit ] Continuous sets of points can be represented by lines or curves on a graph showing how


Which fictional pair vie for social supremacy in Tilling?

To understand the English, slip away to Tilling - Telegraph To understand the English, slip away to Tilling No one captured small-town snobbery quite like EF Benson in his Mapp and Lucia  novels Sparkling: Prunella Scales and Geraldine McEwan in 'Mapp and Lucia'  Photo: REX FEATURES By Laura Thompson Comments Lamb House, in the exquisite town of Rye in East Sussex, is a fine early Georgian property belonging to the National Trust. Henry James once lived there, as did E F Benson. It was also home, at different times, to two fictional characters: the title pair in Benson’s six Mapp and Lucia novels, written between 1920 and 1939. Miss Elizabeth Mapp, the original mistress of Mallards – as it is called in the books – rents it out for a summer to the widowed Mrs Emmeline ''Lucia’’ Lucas. Later Lucia buys the house from Miss Mapp. Formerly attached to Lamb House was a garden room overlooking the street, in which Benson conjured the image of Miss Mapp, seated at her window “like a large bird of prey”. Here she spies greedily upon her neighbours in “Tilling”, a representation of Rye that is one of the most delicious artistic constructs in comic literature. The BBC has recently been filming at the house, and in the autumn broadcasts a three-part adaptation, Mapp and Lucia. The books were televised by ITV some 30 years ago. I recently watched this series and was entranced by its air of serene, smiling silliness. It is very true to Benson, and will be hard to improve upon. Nevertheless, the BBC cast of Miranda Richardson, Anna Chancellor and Steve Pemberton (who has also written the adaptation) is as good as it gets, so hopes are pretty high; not least that the books will find a new readership. They certainly deserve it. They have been admired by Noël Coward, Nancy Mitford and W H Auden. Their elegant irony is comparable with Austen, the completeness of their world with P G Wodehouse. They stand within a supremely English literary tradition, the one that takes a small community – whether it be Highbury, or St Mary Mead, or Tilling – and makes of it a microcosm, a place where society is limited but its every detail depicted with a filigree perfection. E F Benson was born in 1867 and died in 1940. His father was Archbishop of Canterbury, while he became mayor of Rye (Lucia, who gets everything that she wants – including Mallards – is elected to the same position in Tilling). A man of soulful appearance, probably homosexual, Benson was an astonishingly prolific writer. He produced some 100 novels and – rather surprisingly, given the worldliness of his Mapp and Lucia books – a large number of ghost stories. Related Articles Downton star reduced to giggles by TV innuendo 05 Sep 2014 He also wrote biographies, including a 1932 life of Charlotte Brontë; it is richly perceptive, although its Victorian style is scarcely recognisable as that of the great chronicler of Tilling. But then Charlotte Brontë is not a subject for satire. Tilling is. Although Benson is never cruel, he is a natural satirist of snobbery and social machinations, and in his reimagining of Rye he found what all writers dream of: his perfect subject. It is remarkable that his obituary in The Times did not even mention these novels, given that they are the absolute expression of his gift. So what is Tilling? It is home to a handful of glorious characters, in the full zest of their middle years, with private incomes of varying size that enable them – in between bridge, painting and little parties – to dedicate their time to each other’s doings. It is intensely passionate, not about love or any such nonsense, but about intrigues, grievances, and the power of knowing gossip before anybody else does. And it is, definitely, a female world. “Men don’t count for much in Tilling,” as one character says, “it’s brains that do it.” It is a recognition that stratagems, devised over tea tables, are what drive events in the town. Nobody writes comic women better than E F Benson. Elizabeth Mapp, whose face is “corrugated by chronic rage and curiosity”, is the sturdy daemon around wh


Lithium is one of the lightest elements - lighter than oxygen - but is a solid. Why can''t we build things from it that float? | Notes and Queries | guardian.co.uk Lithium is one of the lightest elements - lighter than oxygen - but is a solid. Why can't we build things from it that float? Michael Anderson, London Lithium is not lighter than oxygen. It is, however, about half as dense as water. So it would float on water if it were not too busy reacting with it, like (but not as violently as) the related elements sodium and potassium. Tim Green, Bradford, Yorkshire The reason is that lithium is much too reactive and has too low a melting point to be much use in hydraulic engineering. A violent reaction takes place on contact between Lithium and water. The heat of reaction is enough to melt the lithium metal and ignite the hydrogen gas that is produced by the reaction. The result is a flaming globule of liquid metal scooting around on the surface. When I was at school this was a favourite demonstration during chemistry classes, but we were less safety conscious in those days. Martin Thomas, Farnham, England Carbon also has a lower atomic number than Oxygen, but like Lithium exists as a solid, and is much more dense than Oxygen. Floatation occurs because of buoyancy - the difference in density between two objects. This is why Archimedes jumped out of the bath, and is the reason why steel ships can float on water. Colin Alway, London UK Lithium is the lighest solid and metal and the third lightest element. However it is soft, reacts with oxygen and water and is somewhat toxic. It melts at a relatively low temperature. Not a meterial to build a ship. The next is Beryllium which is physically very good but a deadly poison. Next, Sodium - more reactive than Lithium. Next, Magnesium is somewhat reactive. Next, Aluminium which can be hardened by alloying and used in aircraft etc. John Bromilow, Okehampton, England Because although a Lithium atom is lighter than an oxygen atom, Lithium has a dense crystalline structure of atoms, whereas oxygen hasn't. This makes Lithium denser than oxygen, and it's density (or, rather, lack thereof) that makes things float. Lithium does float on water -- but stand well back ... Anon, Because, if I am not mistaken (chemistry class was a long time ago), it is in the group of elements that are highly reactive with water... potassium and caesium are different examples. The further down the periodic table you get, the more reactive they are. Make a boat out of lithium and it would sizzle and fizzle away to nothing. Make a boat out of caesium and it would react far more violenty, presumably resulting in you and your passengers travelling in a far less comfortable manner, and in several pieces. Dan Norcott, Loughborough Leicestershire Lithium is just too reactive to exist in the pure state. If you remember back to school days, sodium was stored under oil to prevent it reacting with moisture in the air. Lithium is even more reactive. Even its partial oxidation product, lithium hydroxide is used as a fuel in sloid fuel rocket motors. Graeme Shaw, Ruislip Lithium would dissolve to form Lithium Hydoxide, possibly about as much use therefore as a chocolate teapot. Much more interesting would be Potassium or Sodium which will both ignite. Rowan Christou, Lausanne, Switzerland Try it if you don't value your eyebrows. Mark Lewney, Cardiff, Wales Lithium reacts violently with water. Paul, Bristol, England Have you tried dropping Lithium into water? Useful only for those who wish to be simultaneously cremated and buried at sea. Peter Jones, Brussels, Belgium Lithium is in fact less dense than water (534 kg/cubic metre, as against 1000 kg/cubic metre). So it does indeed float. However it also undergoes a rather rapid chemical reaction with water, making it somewhat unsuitable for the suggested purpose. David Hotham, Hull, UK Apart from the physical chemistry/physics thing...it's expensive and has a tendancy to fizz around a lot then burst into flames when you add it to water. Steve, london, UK Whilst pure lithium i


Helen Gurley Brown was editor of which magazine for 32 years?

Helen Gurley Brown's 10 Most 'Fun and Fearless' Quotes | SELF April Daniels Hussar Helen Gurley Brown's 10 Most 'Fun and Fearless' Quotes Helen Gurley Brown -- the incomparable "Cosmo girl" and editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine for 32 years -- died at 90 years young on Monday, leaving behind a legacy of straight talk about sex and relationships (especially where single ladies... Share via Pinterest Helen Gurley Brown -- the incomparable "Cosmo girl" and editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine for 32 years -- died at 90 years young on Monday, leaving behind a legacy of straight talk about sex and relationships (especially where single ladies are concerned!), more than one shattered glass ceiling and a treasure trove of witty one-liners. Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown wearing a paisley dress in her New York office Credit: WWD Brown, of course, is credited with leading the way for women to talk openly about sex. Not only did she pen the (at the time) controversial book Sex and the Single Girl in 1962, but she edited Cosmo -- a magazine for "fun and fearless females" -- from 1965 until 1997. Cosmo describes Sex and the Single Girl as "a fictional book about a swinging singleton who was leading this new kind of life ... Not only did the book tell women they didn't need a man to be happy, but it also encouraged them to enjoy sex with whomever they damn well pleased -- without guilt." In other words, there would be no Sex and the City without Helen Gurley Brown! So what exactly is a Cosmo girl? Brown described it best when talking about her mag: "Cosmo is feminist in that we believe women are just as smart and capable as men are and can achieve anything men can. But it also acknowledges that while work is important, men are too. The Cosmo girl absolutely loves men!" Share via Pinterest Credit: Fairchild Archive Brown may have left this world, but she leaves behind some words to live by. Here are 10 of her greatest quotes: On forging your own path in life... "I never liked the looks of the life that was programmed for me -- ordinary, hillbilly and poor -- and I repudiated it from the time I was 7 years old," she wrote in her 1982 memoir, Having It All. "Don't use men to get what you want in life. Get it yourself." On feminism... "How could any woman not be a feminist? The girl I'm editing for wants to be known for herself. If that's not a feminist message, I don't know what is." On sex... "My own philosophy is if you're not having sex, you're finished." "If only one of you is in the mood, do it. Even if sex isn't great every time, it's a unique form of communication and togetherness that can help you stay together with a good degree of contentment." On being your true self... "I was mousy on the outside but inside I'm this tiger and I have to get on with it." On the important things in life... "Beauty can't amuse you, but brainwork -- reading, writing, thinking -- can." "You can have your titular recognition. I'll take money and power." On success... "I hope I have convinced you -- the only thing that separates successful people from the ones who aren't is the willingness to work very, very hard." The ultimate life motto... "Good girls go to heaven. Bad girls go everywhere." Related Links: