In 1498 who painted 'The Last Supper', located in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan?

Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan Santa Maria delle Grazie - cenacolovinciano.net The Santa Maria delle Grazie is one of Milan's most beautiful churches thanks in part to its architectural history, which resulted in an intriguing combination of Gothic and Renaissance design. But the church's fame is mostly a result of Leonardo da Vinci's 'Last Supper', which can be admired in the adjoining refectory. History Santa Maria delle Grazie In 1463 the Dominican Order commissioned Guiniforte Solari with the construction of a church for their monastery. Solari designed a beautiful structure in a late Gothic style, which was completed in 1490. Ludovico il Moro, the duke of Milan, decided the Santa Maria delle Grazie would be a perfect sepulchre for him and his wife and in preparation asked Donato Bramante in 1492 to remodel the church. Bramante rebuilt the apse and crowned it with a magnificent sixteen-sided drum in Renaissance style. Ludovico's wife Beatrice d'Este was buried here in 1497. The nave Ludovico Il Moro himself however was ousted in 1500 and his sepulchral monument was moved to the Certosa of Pavia. In 1943 allied bombardments destroyed the main cloister. The church was damaged but Bramante's dome escaped unscathed. The building was restored shortly after the war, in 1947. The Church Both the interior and exterior show an interesting combination of Gothic and Renaissance styles. The sober brick facade was designed by Solari while the Renaissance-style entrance is attributed to Bramante. Chancel The lunette in the portico was painted by Leonardo da Vinci and shows Mary accompanied by Ludovico and his wife. The exterior is dominated by Bramante's masterfully designed dome, decorated with medallions of saints and coats-of-arms. The central nave and aisles are magnificent examples of late Gothic architecture. It features elegant pointed arches embellished with delicate frescoes. The Renaissance style chancel is less decorated and seems almost sparse in contrast. Cloister Along the aisles are a number of chapels, many of which are beautifully decorated with frescoes. Also of note are the wooden choir stalls in the apse. To the left is the entrance to the Chiostrino delle Rane, a small cloister named after the bronze frog sculptures around the edge of the cloister's fountain. From here you have a nice view of the church's dome. The Last Supper Adjoining the church is a modest building, known as the Cenacolo Vinciano. It was built by Solari as the refectory for the Dominicans and is now famous for Leonardo da Vinci's painting of The Last Supper. The Italian master created the wall painting between 1495 and 1498 on request of Ludovico il Moro. The artist depicts the moment after Jesus tells his disciples that one of them will betray him. The work shows their surprise with realistic facial expressions, lively poses and subtle light. Da Vinci used an experimental technique, known as Tempera Forte, to paint the Last Supper. This allowed him to paint with more nuances than would be possible with a conventional fresco, but already in 1518 it became clear that this technique led to a fast deterioration of the painting. In 1568 art historian Giorgio Vascari considered it a lost cause. In 1726 Michelangelo Bellotti completely repainted the work and numerous restorations followed, the last of which started in the 1970s and was concluded in 1999. Opposite Leonardo's masterpiece is a fresco painted by Donato Montorfano. Both paintings almost miraculously survived the bombing of 1943 which turned the rest of the refectory into ruins, probably thanks to sandbags that were placed against the walls. Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes Book this tour


In what year was the 50 pence piece introduced?

BBC ON THIS DAY | 14 | 1969: New 50-pence coin sparks confusion About This Site | Text Only 1969: New 50-pence coin sparks confusion The seven-sided 50p coin has come into circulation to replace the 10-shilling note - but it has received a mixed reception. It is the third decimal coin to be introduced into the British currency which goes totally decimal on 15 February, 1971, to be known as D-Day. The British public have already got accustomed to the new 5p and 10p coins introduced last year. There are still three coins left to come - the 2p worth 4.8d, 1p (2.4d) and half pence (1.2d). Today's new arrival, made of cupro-nickel, is the only heptagonal coin in circulation in the world, according to Lord Fiske, chairman of the Decimal Currency Board (DCB). But some shopkeepers, bus conductors and members of the public are complaining that in spite of its distinctive shape it is too easily confused with the 10-pence coin or half crown. One Londoner told the Evening News he accidentally left a 50p coin in a saucer full of 10ps as a tip for a waiter. "Fortunately the waiter was dead honest and told me. But I suspect there'll be a lot of cases where that doesn't happen," he said. Economic reasons for change The DCB has stockpiled 120 million 50-pence coins at banks around the country ready for today's introduction of the coin, making it the largest ever issue of a new coin. Lord Fiske said the reason for this was to replace the 200 million ten-bob notes as soon as possible. He said the issue would eventually save the Treasury money. "The note is being replaced primarily on economic grounds. A 10s note has a life of some five months and the costs of distribution and withdrawal are comparatively high. "Although a 50p coin will cost more to produce initially, it should have a life of at least 50 years and the metal will subsequently be recoverable." But many people were unhappy with the new addition to their purses and pockets.


In what year was the pound coin introduced?

New pound coin designed to combat counterfeiting - BBC News BBC News New pound coin designed to combat counterfeiting 19 March 2014 From the section UK Politics comments Close share panel Image copyright PA Image caption The Royal Mint is introducing the new coin as it believes 3% of existing £1 coins are fake A new £1 coin, billed by the Royal Mint as the "most secure coin in the world", is to be introduced in 2017. The move comes amid concerns about the 30-year old coin's vulnerability to counterfeiting, with an estimated 45 million forgeries in circulation. The new coin is based on the design of the old threepenny bit, a 12-sided coin in circulation between 1937 and 1971. A competition will be held to decide what image to put on the "tails" side of the coin. 'More resilient' In his Budget statement to the Commons, Chancellor George Osborne said: "The prerequisite of sound money is a sound currency." Media captionThe Royal Mint's Andrew Mills says introducing the £1 coin could cost £20m He said the £1 coin was one of the oldest coins in circulation and had become "increasingly vulnerable to forgery". "One in 30 pound coins is counterfeit, and that costs businesses and the taxpayer millions each year," Mr Osborne continued. "So I can announce that we will move to a new, highly secure, £1 coin. It will take three years. "Our new pound coin will blend the security features of the future with inspiration from our past. "In honour of our Queen, the coin will take the shape of one of the first coins she appeared on - the threepenny bit. "A more resilient pound for a more resilient economy." 'High-speed authentication' The government said it would hold a detailed consultation on the impact of the change on businesses, which may face costs from having to change vending machines, supermarket trolleys and lockers at gyms and leisure centres. Some commentators have raised fears the new piece will not work smoothly in vending machines but the Royal Mint said the coin "will be expressly designed to fit existing mechanisms". It said the move would increase public confidence in the UK's currency and reduce costs for banks and other businesses. Earlier, the chancellor tweeted this picture of the £1 coin next to the Budget box , captioned: "Today I will deliver a Budget for a resilient economy - starting with a resilient pound coin." Image copyright George Osborne/Twitter Image caption Mr Osborne posted this picture on Twitter on Wednesday morning The current £1 coin was introduced in 1983 as part of the phasing-out of the Bank of England £1 note, which was withdrawn five years later. Of the 1.5 billion estimated to be in circulation, as many as two million counterfeit ones are removed every year. Image copyright PA Image caption The new coin has been modelled on the old threepenny bit The proposed new coin will be roughly the same size as the current one and will be based on the threepenny piece that disappeared after decimalisation in the early 1970s. The new coin will be made in two colours and will incorporate state-of-the-art technology to ensure it can be "authenticated via high-speed automated detection at all points within the cash cycle", the government added. While the Queen's head will be on the obverse side of the coin, as it is on all legal tender in the UK, the Treasury has said there will be a public competition to decide the image on the other side. 'Pioneering' HISTORY OF THREE PENCE PIECE Image copyright PA The threepenny bit was in circulation between 1937 and 1971 It was the first coin to use a 12-sided shape, and was worth one 80th of a pound It replaced the older silver threepenny bit, often used as a prize in Christmas puddings A silver threepence is still manufactured in very small numbers by the Royal Mint for inclusion in sets of Maundy Money. A Treasury spokesman said the time was right to "retire" the existing £1 coin and using the threepenny bit as inspiration for its replacement was a "fitting tribute" to such an iconic design. "With advances in technology making high-value coins like the £1 ever more vul


Who, in 1642, painted 'The Night Watch', now to be found in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam?

Rijksmuseum reborn: Rembrandt's 'Night Watch' explained - CNN.com Rijksmuseum reborn: Rembrandt's 'Night Watch' explained Bryony Jones, Nav Garcha and Ines Torre Updated 7:06 AM ET, Thu February 5, 2015 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Image courtesy of Rijksmuseum Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum reopens after massive $489m, 10-year rebuilding program The 'altarpiece' of the cathedral-like Gallery of Honor is Rembrandt's 'The Night Watch' Curator Pieter Roelofs says the painting is 'the Dutch national treasure' Click on the picture above to reveal the artwork's secrets. (CNN) Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum , one of the world's best-known galleries, reopens April 13 after a massive 10-year rebuild. At the heart of the "new" museum is its most treasured painting, " The Night Watch ," a group portrait of one of Amsterdam's local militias, painted by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1642, at the height of the Dutch Golden Age. Read more: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10-year refurb Architect Pierre Cuypers designed the building around the massive masterpiece -- it measures 11 feet by 14 feet -- in 1885, and it is the only work to be returned to its original location in the radically revamped gallery. "Everything has changed, the only thing that hasn't is 'The Night Watch'," explains Wim Pijbes, the museum's director. "It is the altarpiece of the Rijksmuseum, the whole place is arranged around this beautiful masterpiece." Read More Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, home to one of the world's greatest art collections, reopens to the public on Saturday April 13, after a mammoth 10-year US$489m renovation project. The exhibits have been reorganized into chronological order, with paintings, furniture and other objects displayed side-by-side to tell the history of the Netherlands. Hide Caption 1 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – The museum's original entrance hall, designed by architect Pierre Cuypers in 1885, and decorated with opulent wall paintings by Georg Sturm, has been returned to its former glory. Hide Caption 2 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – The jewel-like stained glass windows in the entrance hall celebrate great architects, sculptors and painters, including Rembrandt van Rijn, and add to the cathedral-like atmosphere. Hide Caption 3 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – Contrasting ancient and modern, Spanish architects Cruz y Ortiz reinstated the building's original courtyards, which had been crammed with makeshift galleries for decades, linking them into one huge, bright and airy atrium. Hide Caption 4 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – The museum's collection of one million objects, some 8,000 of which are on display at any one time, span 800 years, from the Middle Ages to modern artist Piet Mondrian, and including this 1887 self portrait by Vincent Van Gogh. Hide Caption 5 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – This painted terracotta statue of the "Mater Dolorosa," or "Our Lady of Sorrows" (c.1500-1510) is among the new acquisitions collected while the museum was closed to visitors. Hide Caption 6 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – At the heart of the gallery is its most-prized possession, "The Night Watch," by Rembrandt van Rijn (1642). The museum was designed around the painting, and it is the only artwork to be returned to its original place. Hide Caption 7 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – Turner Prize-winning British artist Richard Wright was commissioned to create a new installation, featuring more than 47,000 black stars, in dizzying patterns on the ceilings of the rooms to the sides of "The Night Watch". Hide Caption 8


In which Pakistani town was Osama bin Laden captured and killed in May 2011?

Osama bin Laden killed - how a live blogger captured the raid | World news | The Guardian Osama bin Laden Osama bin Laden killed - how a live blogger captured the raid Pakistani IT consultant's tweets about a helicopter in Abbottabad swiftly turned into dramatic account of Bin Laden's final minutes Osama bin Laden's last minutes were reported on Twitter by Sohaib Athar, an IT consultant living in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad. Photograph: David Loh/Reuters Monday 2 May 2011 09.02 EDT First published on Monday 2 May 2011 09.02 EDT Close This article is 5 years old After a car accident that nearly killed his wife and five-year-old son, Sohaib Athar exchanged his "big-city life" in Lahore for what he hoped would be a more peaceful pace. The 33-year old Pakistani software consultant chose the small town of Abbottabad. "[I decided to] take a break from the rat race by hiding in the mountains with [my] laptops," he said. But as Sunday night became Monday morning in northern Pakistan , Athar suddenly found himself at the centre of the biggest news story in the world – and, without quite knowing what he was witnessing, began live blogging the raid on Osama bin Laden's hiding place. Athar reported on his Twitter account – @ReallyVirtual – about a "helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1am (is a rare event). Go away helicopter – before I take out my giant swatter :-/" Moments later, he tweeted that a loud bang had rattled his windows, adding that he hoped it was "not the start of something nasty". It was not the first time Athar had noticed strange goings-on in his neighbourhood: on 10 November, 2010, he saw lots of helicopters and planes over the town. This morning, however, things moved more quickly. "Seems like my giant swatter worked!" he tweeted, attaching a link to an online Pakistan News story reporting that the blast heard near the big military academy of Kakool was rumoured to be a helicopter crash. But already the online community had begun questioning the official version of events: "The few people online at this time of the night are saying one of the 'copters was not Pakistani," he added, moments later. "Since Taliban (probably) don't have helicopters, and since they're saying it was not 'ours', so must be a complicated situation ... people are saying it was not a technical fault and it was shot down. I heard it CIRCLE 3-4 times above, sounded purposeful ... The gunfight lasted perhaps 4-5 minutes, I heard." After several hours, Athar realised he had witnessed the end of a worldwide manhunt for the man held responsible for orchestrating the September 11 attacks. "I think the helicopter crash in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and the President Obama breaking news address are connected," tweeted Munzir Naqvi, one of Athar's followers. Sure enough, seven hours after Athar's first tweet, Barack Obama announced Bin Laden's death in an operation by US forces where one helicopter was lost. Athar responded with verve: "Uh oh, there goes the neighborhood :-/" As news of his coup spread and the number of his followers exploded to more than 21,000, Athar found his email inbox, Skype and Twitter accounts flooded by those trying to reach him. His humour turned to exasperation: "Ok, I give up. I can't read all the @ mentions so I'll stop trying ... this is insane ... I have other commitments." With the world's media beating a path to his door, the IT consultant tried to downplay his exclusive: "Can't handle the rush .. I am JUST a tweeter, awake at the time of the crash. Not many twitter users in Abbottabad, these guys are more into Facebook. That's all." Soon he had had enough: "Need to sleep ... Funny, moving to Abbottabad was part of the 'being safe' strategy." And then: "Bin Laden is dead. I didn't kill him. Please let me sleep now."


What species of British breeding birds can be Reed, Corn or Snow?

Ornithology: British birds by number : Article : Nature High resolution image and legend (19K) The wild-bird headline indicator summarizes the trends in abundance of 139 species over the past 30 years. The observed breeding population of each species is arbitrarily scaled to 100 in 1970, the starting year, and subsequent changes are measured against this; the overall 'common bird index' is a simple average of the 139 species. This index rose to just over 110 in the mid-1970s, as many populations recovered from the severe winters of the early 1960s. It has subsequently fallen about 7% from the mid-1970s to 1998, but is still just over 100. This figure may look encouraging, but less happy trends lurk within it. Woodland birds (41 of the 139 species) are down 20% from the mid-1970s. Farmland birds (20 species) are down 40%, with intensification of agriculture being widely accepted as the explanation. In a post-Rio Biodiversity Action Plan, British government agencies identified 25 species of breeding birds that are either globally threatened with extinction or whose populations have halved or worse over the past 25 years, or both. For each such species DETR has published an action plan, with specific targets that require a halt in downward trends, and in most cases a return above mid-1990 levels by 2008. These 25 are subdivided into ten species that are widespread in Britain, and 15 that are scarce or rare. Of the widespread ten, six (turtle dove, grey partridge, spotted flycatcher, corn bunting, reed bunting, linnet) showed continuing decreases during the late 1990s, while four (bullfinch, skylark, song thrush, tree sparrow) can be read as roughly holding their own. On the trends illustrated in the RSPB/BTO graphs, none shows signs of achieving its target for 2008. The 15 scarce or rare species are a more mixed bunch. With some, there are grounds for mild optimism (stone curlew, red-necked phalarope, corncrake, cirl bunting); with others, there is cause for real pessimism (roseate tern, red-backed shrike, wryneck). Overall, populations of scarce or rare species have, on average, doubled since 1970, although in many cases this is a reflection of the low numbers in 1970. Some cheerful news is to be found among British birds of prey. Five species of raptor, put on the Red List of endangered species because of historical declines caused by human persecution, are rising in numbers. These are real success stories, which stem from protection of nests against illegal egg collectors and, in some cases, reintroductions (all of the following are numbers of pairs). Red kites have recovered from around 30 in 1970 to 295 in 1999; white-tailed eagles from 0 to 18; marsh harriers from virtually 0 to 147 in 1997; ospreys from less than ten to 130 in 1998; and merlins from 600 in 1984 to 1,300 in 1994. Conversely, the number of pairs of hen harriers has fallen from 534 in 1989 to 521 in 1998; this, the RSPB/BTO report emphasizes, is "due to the illegal persecution associated with management for driven grouse shooting". Looking beyond the 139 species in the common birds index to the total number of breeding bird species in Britain, there has been a modest increase over the past 30 years, from around 200 to around 210. Looking over a larger sweep of time, we find nearly 40 more bird species in Britain today than there were 200 years ago. About one-third of these are deliberate introductions, purple sandpipers, for instance, but the others are natural colonizations (little owls). The causes of this increase are unclear, but are probably a mixture of protection from egg-collectors and climate change — and simply more bird watchers seeking out their objects of desire. * Footnotes *The State of the UK's Birds 1999 by R. D. Gregory, D. G. Noble, L. H. Campbell and D. W. Gibbons. Available at no charge from Dr R. D. Gregory, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, UK. http://www.rspb.org.uk


In which British city is Citadel railway station?

CARLISLE CITADEL STATION The great glass canopy resounds, echoing to a station's sounds;   the slam of doors and sudden jet of steam   which for a second hides the engine's gleam.   The buzz of last goodbyes and promises to write,   a longing kiss or two with hands clasped tight   till a whistle shrills response to an unseen wave   and "RUTLAND" starts impressively away. A quiet, peaceful calm descends on platforms; kiosks; railwaymen.   Pigeons settle from their scattered flight   and broken panes of glass bathe chinks of light   as a simmering Jubilee "SASKATCHEWAN"   relieved her charge, slips by a parcels van,   and, increasing speed as green replaces red,   smokeless, canters off to Kingmoor shed.       "THE TRAIN APPROACHING PLATFORM NUMBER ..."   "Was that Four?" - the announcer's voice distorting more and more.   Newcastle's mentioned and "SPRINGBOK" noiselessly arrives,   whilst from the north and unannounced steal two "BLACK FIVES"   Importantly they bustle in their train   having conquered Beattock Summit yet again.   They're followed by a "V2" tender first,   leaking like a sieve and fit to burst. Schoolboys find a sunny spot to underline in red the ones they've got;   their "Combined Ian Allans" black with grime;   dog-eared pages turned ten thousand time.   A lovely book of quickly fading dreams,   just years away from Beeching's evil schemes,   meanwhile a ticket clerk with head and shoulders bent   tries to find a place called Manston, Kent. Families scurry on their way intent on this year's holiday   as rows of coloured hoardings set the scene,   of Rhyll, Torquay, Skegness and Aberdeen,   while unnoticed off the "Waverley"   a reminder of the old N.B.   A "Scott" - "MEG DODS", hand-painted name,   totters in like some old dame. She's ambled down from Riccarton; Penton; Steele Road and Newcastleton   with passengers from "The Muckle Toon"   to connect expresses due at noon.   From somewhere comes a vibrant ring,   unseen, a "tapper's hammer" sings;   the station pilot shunts some empty stock   as platform 3 Inspector eyes the clock. Steaming giants wait their turn while firemen coax the fires to burn,   all straining at an unseen lead,   pure thorough-breds just built for speed.   "CORONATIONS", "JUBILEES",   "AULD REEKIE", prouder than the rest,   Haymarket at its very best.   A sailor absent-minded stares at posters advertising fares,   his mind on ships - or girls - who knows?   at Portsmouth; Chatham or Plymouth Hoe.   Crown Street scammels drone like bees;   the announcer blares "Inspector Please"   He hurries off to platform 1   wondering where his day has gone. And Harry Keilor clips away, Second-Child-Return-Cheap Day,   as Ivatt "43139"   whistles for the Silloth line.   Her crew are from Canal and Yard   with Jackie Simpson as the guard   as a messenger with a piece of chalk   marks up times then stops to talk. "The Clydes 2 up, the Middays 3, but theres a hot box south of Lockerbie"   The inquisitor shrugs and turns away   as a bell sounds in the box 4a.   Spotters watch a train approach   and envy driver Harry Broatch   as West Walls shimmers in the haze.   Carlisle starts its busiest phase. Stopping trains for Cockermouth; Ravenglass and all points south.   Symington; Hexham; Hawick; Ayr,   Trains for the Midlands Eden Vale and the N.B.'s constant curving rail.   Shap Summit; Whitrope and Ais Gill; the Roman Wall and Lakeland hills.   The Eildons; Criffel; Arnton; Dent,   Ribblehead and Pen-y-Ghent.   In storms a Glasgow bound express, "SIR WILLIAM A.STANIER F.R.S."   four minutes down but the minutes lost   should be regained by Mossband troughs.   The young lad with the piece of chalk   leaves the board and takes a walk.   One aim in mind, one special aim,   to see a very special train. Across the bridge from platform 3 he dodges frantic families   but without a care he makes his way   to the now vacated Silloth bay.   He haunches at the platform's end   with his eyes fixed on the West Wall's bend.   The Viaduct bridge is jammed with queues   as a "ROYAL SCOT" comes into view. Polmadie she


In what year did the 9/11 attacks in the USA take place?

You Really Should Know What Happened on 9/11. Here's Your Cheat Sheet Take Action! The "Tribute in Light" memorial is in remembrance of the events of Sept. 11, 2001. The two towers of light are composed of two banks of high wattage spotlights that point straight up from a lot next to Ground Zero. This photo was taken from Liberty State Park, N.J., Sept. 11, 2006. (U.S. Air Force photo/Denise Gould) In short ... September 11 is the never-to-be-forgotten anniversary of major terrorist attacks on the United States. For some people - especially those who are too young to remember the attacks clearly - the details may be fuzzy. Someone please explain why people think 9/11 has to do with the illuminati. Also, why people think USA did it. How much do you really know what happened on 9/11 and how the terrorist attacks that day affected life in the United States? Here's what you should know. What happened, basically On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four airplanes. They flew two of them into the World Trade Center, also known as the Twin Towers, in Manhattan. Both buildings collapsed. Here's what they looked like before: The Twin Towers, circa 1992. Sander Lamme / Wikimedia Commons And just after they were struck by the planes: Smoke pouring out of the burning Twin Towers after terrorists flew planes right into them. Both towers collapsed minutes later. (Lil' Mike / Flickr) And after they collapsed: One plane went into the Pentagon building - the headquarters of the Department of Defense - just outside of Washington, D.C. The damage was repaired and the building is still standing. Here's how it looked three days after it was hit: FBI agents, fire fighters, rescue workers and engineers at the Pentagon crash site on Sept. 14, 2001. United States Air Force / Wikimedia Commons And a fourth plane went down in Pennsylvania after passengers fought the hijackers. Experts think this plane was headed to the White House or the Capitol building. Fortunately this one went down in a field: The site in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed, via Wikimedia Commons. Approximately 3,000 people were killed in the attacks, and many people who worked in downtown Manhattan - especially firefighters and other "first responders" - have died from illnesses that have been linked with the toxins released by the wreckage that smoldered for weeks. Why it happened, basically The attackers were members of a group called al Qaeda, a militant, extremist Islamic organization that opposes the United States and what it stands for. This wasn't al Qaeda's first terrorist attack, but it was the deadliest. Why did they carry out the 9/11 attacks? There isn't one clear reason, but they include the Gulf War of the 1990's, American support for Israel, and U.S. military presence in the Middle East. The founder and leader of al Qaeda was Osama bin Laden, who was killed in 2011 by an elite U.S. military unit known as SEAL Team 6 under the direction of President Obama. Al Qaeda is an international "network," but its main base in 2001 was Afghanistan, which is why the U.S. invaded that country a few weeks after 9/11. George Bush was president when 9/11 happened. In 2003, his administration believed that Iraq was developing "weapons of mass destruction" that may well be used in another terrorist attack on America - so they went to war there, too. The Iraq War officially ended on Dec. 15, 2011 . And by the way, there were never any weapons of mass destruction. That turned out to be untrue. And that makes a lot of people think fighting there was a big mistake. Thousands of people have died in these conflicts - and not just troops, either. How people reacted The overwhelming reaction can be summed up in one word: unity. For a while, people felt patriotic and generous, and many performed acts of social good like donating blood. Here are a few famous reactions to the events: President Bush visited what quickly became known as "ground zero" - the site of the fallen Twin Towers - a few days after the attacks. When one worker called out "I can't hea


What was the capital of Portugal prior to Lisbon?

Lisbon | national capital, Portugal | Britannica.com national capital, Portugal Alternative Titles: Felicitas Julia, Lisboa, Lixbuna, Luzbona, Olisipo, Olissibona, Ulixbone Related Topics Luís de Camões Lisbon, Portuguese Lisboa, city, port, capital of Portugal , and the centre of the Lisbon metropolitan area. Located in western Portugal on the estuary of the Tagus (Tejo) River , it is the westernmost capital city in continental Europe and serves as the country’s chief port, largest city, and commercial, political, and tourist centre. The city’s name is a modification of the ancient Olisipo (Ulyssipo), and its founding has been attributed to the legacy of Ulysses ( Odysseus ), the hero of Homer ’s Odyssey; to Elisha , purported to have been a grandson of the Hebrew patriarch Abraham ; and, more credibly, to Phoenician colonists. Lisbon owes its historical prominence to its natural harbour, one of the most beautiful in the world. Area city, 33 square miles (85 square km). Pop. (2001) city, 564,657; metro. area, 2,661,850; (2011) city, 547,733; metro. area, 2,821,876. Lisbon. Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz Character of the city Once a remote outpost on what was thought to be the farthest edge of the known world, Lisbon had established itself as a centre of operations for Portuguese exploration by the 15th century. The city centre was destroyed by an earthquake in 1755 but was rebuilt by the marquês de Pombal . This seagirt city of multicoloured houses and elegant parks and gardens is no longer the capital of a vast overseas empire. It has been reconstructed as a bustling modern metropolis. In fact, Lisbon was designated a European City of Culture in 1994, and in 1998 it hosted the World’s Fair (Expo ’98). That event sparked the city’s biggest renewal project since the rebuilding that followed the 1755 earthquake, including the construction of the combined road-rail Vasco da Gama Bridge and other extensive upgrades of the city’s transportation infrastructure . The fair also was the primary catalyst for the construction along the Tagus River of an oceanarium, marinas, hotels, commercial complexes, and entertainment venues . A residential tower over the Vasco da Gama shopping centre in the Expo area of Lisbon. Pedro Moura Pinheiro Fátima Despite modernization, Lisbon in many ways retains the air of a 19th-century city. The varinas (fish vendors) who roam the streets dressed in long black skirts still carry their wares in baskets on their heads. Vessels tie up at quays where the clang of trolley cars blends with ships’ horns. At dawn, fishing boats deposit their catch for noisy auction with Lisbon shop owners while the fish vendors wait to fill the baskets they peddle through the streets. Farther inland the fish market gives way to the equally colourful and clamorous fruit and vegetable market. Lisbon’s port maintains an intimacy with its city that was common in the days before steam. Amid the freighters, warships, cruise liners, and ferryboats, a picturesque note is struck by the fragatas of Phoenician origin; these crescent-shaped boats with their striking black hulls and pink sails still perform most of the harbour’s lighterage. Flower sellers in Rossio Square, Lisbon. Peter Thompson—Spectrum Colour Library/Impact Photos/Heritage-Images The general outlines of the city remain as they have for hundreds of years. Lisbon is still a city of balconies and vistas. Some of the most striking of the latter can be seen from the miradouros, the terraces maintained by the municipality on seven of its hillsides. (Many Lisboetas, as the people of Lisbon are known, profess their city to have seven traditional hills, like Rome.) For centuries Lisboetas have discussed the symptoms of an affliction they believe to be endemic in their city: saudade (“melancholy”), a state of anxiety tempered by fatalism that is said to be reflected in fado (“fate”), the melodic but deeply emotional folk songs that can still be heard in specific restaurants, mainly in the historic quarters of Alfama and Bairro Alto. Building at the edge of the Bairro


In what year did the 7/7 attacks in London take place?

7/7 London bombings anniversary: What time is the minute's silence and where will it take place? | The Independent 7/7 London bombings anniversary: What time is the minute's silence and where will it take place? 52 people were killed and 700 injured when four terrorists detonated devices in London on 7th July Tuesday 7 July 2015 08:11 BST Click to follow The Independent Online The Hyde Park memorial commemorating 7/7 victims AFP/Getty A minute’s silence will be held today at 11.30am across London’s public transport network in memory of the 52 individuals killed in the 7/7 terror attack ten years ago. When is it? Tubes will stop at 11.30am to allow travellers a moment of silence. Elsewhere in the capital services – such as the ones in St Paul’s Cathedral and Tavistock Square – are expected to hold a minute’s silence. Where is it? On London’s Underground and at services around the capital. Wimbledon has delayed its play from the usual starting time of 11.30am to 11.45am to allow players, spectators and officials to partake. Meanwhile, London leaders, including Mayor Boris Johnson, will join in a service in St Paul’s. Other services will take place in Tavistock Square – where 110 people were injured – and at the Hyde Park memorial to the 52 killed. Read more 7/7 bombings timeline: How the day unfolded What else is happening to remember the victims? The hashtag #WalkTogether has started trending across Twitter as thousands of commuters photograph themselves leaving their Tube a stop early and walking to work. The initiative, started by British Future, aims to remember the afternoon following the attacks when thousands took to London’s streets as public transport networks shut down. Different services are being held across the capital. In St Paul’s Cathedral families’ of the victims, as well as survivors, are expected to attend a service starting at 11am. The minute’s silence will be marked by petals falling from the cathedrals’ dome and the lighting of four candles to remember the individual sites. In the afternoon, Prince William will attend a more informal service at the Hyde Park memorial. There will be singing, recitals and a reading. Why do we do it? The origin of a minute’s silence is contested. Andy McSmith’s 2008 article lays out many of the history and common misconceptions – as well as the growing politicisation – of the silence. Commemorative silence became a fixed occasion in Britain in 1919 following the First World War, however, the practise had been around for years. King Edward VII’s death in 1910 was marked by a minute’s silence, while silence was held in 1912 to honour the victims of the Titanic tragedy. Read more Muslim survivor of 7/7 bombings warns against Islamophobia Quakers practised minute’s silence for around 300 years. Absent from political or religious connotations or implications, the method was widely picked up by English-speaking plural societies as an effective method for people to come together without compromising personal beliefs or affiliations. In pictures: The 10th anniversary of the 7/7 London bombings In pictures: The 10th anniversary of the 7/7 London bombings 1/26 7/7 bombings anniversary Security staff and workers from Hyde Park observe a minutes silence at the 7/7 memorial in Hyde Park 2/26 7/7 bombings anniversary People pause for a minutes silence at Kings Cross Underground station in London, as Britain remembers the July 7 attacks amid a welter of warnings about the enduring and changing threat from terrorism a decade on 3/26 7/7 bombings anniversary Members of staff working within the grounds observe a minutes silence to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the July 7 terrorist attacks at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon 4/26 7/7 bombings anniversary Police officers within the grounds observe a minutes silence to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the July 7 terrorist attacks at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon 5/26 7/7 bombings anniversary Representatives from 7 Company, Coldstream Guards and HQ London District join the nati


Sportsman Gerry Watson is better by which first name?

Bubba Watson - The unconventional golfer|Great Golf Magazine Bubba Watson - The unconventional golfer and Richard Mille watches Posted: 21 Sep, 2013 18:51 Self-taught and talented with an unusual approach to mastering the game that distinguishes him from other professional golfers, Bubba Watson is a physical giant striking the ball with incredible force. A fun-loving family man, he wears his heart on his sleeve and uses his success to raise money for charity. He also has a passion for unique time pieces.  My experience with golf is, I must admit, rather limited. I did however have a few golf lessons long ago, and just as I thought I was mastering my swing, any perceived skill evaporated into the ether. My golf coach explained that this was all part of the game, which unfortunately did not sit well with my own rather impatient personality.     So when I was asked by Richard Mille, exemplar of neoteric haute horology, to interview their ambassador, the legendary golfer Bubba Watson, the prospect presented a challenge. How do you interview a top sports personality about a sport of which you have limited knowledge? Well for this interview the answer was obvious because for Bubba, there is so much more than just golf. White and pink. Bubba Watson was born in 1978 in Bagdad, Florida. A physical giant, standing at 6 foot 3 inches tall, he strikes the ball with incredible force resulting in an average driving distance of 313.1 yards. Bubba is a refreshing change from the usual pro golfers. He is known for wearing all white attire with pink detailing and using a pink driver in support of charity.     With a down to earth persona, he talks of his humble origins and shows his emotions. Tears streamed down his face on clinching victory at the Masters, hugging his mother in an affectionate embrace.     In his play-off against Louis Oosthuizen, his ball landed in the woods. The undergrowth should have put paid to his ambitions and frustrated his aspirations. However, after striking the ball with such ferocity that golfing wisdom would have suggested impending doom, he curved it out of the woods and it landed on the green. "It was just a crazy shot that I saw in my head." says Bubba.     This is not a man who follows convention. It is, therefore, no surprise that he wears a very special wristwatch, a Richard Mille RM 038. Left handed. Bubba is left handed, a rarity in the higher echelons of the game, and even more remarkably he is self-taught. So when I met him at The Open at Royal Lytham and St. Annes, I questioned whether he considered himself to be every golf coach's nightmare.     "For most people golf lessons are the recommended means to improving your game, but I'm the exception to the rule. There haven't been many self taught pro golfers, but it has worked for me."     Under the glare of the media spotlight, many golfers seek the aid of specialists to cope with the immense pressures of playing top-flight sport. "Is this something that you have ever considered?" I ask him.     "I don't use any sports psychologist, I try and do it all myself. You are going to have bad days and good days. But for me, it is all about having fun with the game. I like the fact that when I win it's all down to me." No chocolate. As a sportsman Bubba clearly puts thought into his diet and exercise regime. His personal trainer, who goes by the nickname 'Fish', is a qualified Physiotherapist and on hand should Bubba strain any muscles in this increasingly physical game. Whilst Fish monitors what Bubba eats, the man himself admits, "I could always do better. It's an area I kind of slide on, but who doesn't from time to time?" However, he then goes on to explain that he avoids soda, chocolate or caffeine based drinks and his svelte physique reminds me that I could possibly be more virtuous myself on the dessert front. Back to school. Bubba has chosen his own very unique approach to life. He went back to university in 2008 and successfully completed a degree in Consumer Economics. It was there he met his future wife Angie. She played basketball, another spor


In which US state is the city of Cincinnati?

CITY OF CINCINNATI v. UNITED STATES | FindLaw CITY OF CINCINNATI v. UNITED STATES CITY OF CINCINNATI v. UNITED STATES United States Court of Appeals,Federal Circuit. CITY OF CINCINNATI, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. UNITED STATES, Defendant-Appellee. No. 98-5039.     Decided: September 01, 1998 Before NEWMAN, RADER, and BRYSON, Circuit Judges.John J. Williams, Assistant City Solicitor, City of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, argued for plaintiff-appellant.  With him on the brief was Fay D. Dupuis, City Solicitor. Colleen A. Conry, Trial Attorney, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, argued for defendant-appellee.  On the brief were Frank W. Hunger, Assistant Attorney General, David M. Cohen, Director, Kirk T. Manhardt, Assistant Director, and Miguel A. Serrano, Trial Attorney. Among the oldest principles of constitutional law is that a state may not tax the United States.  That issue has been settled since 1819, when the Supreme Court held in McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. (4 Wheat.) 316, 4 L.Ed. 579, that the State of Maryland could not tax the Bank of the United States.  That principle, which has been extended to municipalities and subdivisions of states, is simple and absolute: A state or local governmental body may not tax a federal entity in the absence of congressional consent.  See United States v. County of Allegheny, 322 U.S. 174, 177, 64 S.Ct. 908, 88 L.Ed. 1209 (1944).  In practice, however, the principle has proved difficult to apply.  See United States v. New Mexico, 455 U.S. 720, 733-38, 102 S.Ct. 1373, 71 L.Ed.2d 580 (1982). One issue courts have had to decide is whether the assessment in question should be characterized as a tax, and thus impermissible when imposed on a federal entity, or whether the assessment should be considered a fee for services provided to the federal entity, and therefore permissible.  See, e.g., United States v. City of Huntington, 999 F.2d 71 (4th Cir.1993) (municipal “fire service fee” and “flood protection fee” were taxes that could not be imposed upon federal entities); United States v. City of Columbia, 914 F.2d 151 (8th Cir.1990) (surcharge on municipal water and electric utility bills was a fee, not a tax, and therefore could be assessed against federal entities).  While that question is often difficult to answer, we do not reach it in this case, because the city's complaint runs aground on a preliminary matter: It fails to establish the elements of an implied contract between the city and the United States and therefore fails to state a claim upon which the Court of Federal Claims may grant relief.  For that reason, we affirm the judgment of the trial court dismissing the complaint. I The City of Cincinnati operates a stormwater management system, which is designed to control stormwater runoff within the city.  A city ordinance provides for a “storm drainage service charge” to be imposed on property owners within the city in order to pay the expenses of the stormwater management system.  The amount of the assessment against each property owner is a function of the size of the property and its “intensity of development.”  The general goal of the assessment formula is to impose higher assessments on properties that are expected to produce more stormwater runoff, such as commercial or industrial properties, and to impose lower assessments on properties that are expected to produce less stormwater runoff, such as residential or undeveloped properties.  Not all of the distinctions in the rates of assessment can be accounted for by the expected amount of stormwater runoff from particular kinds of properties, however.  As counsel for the city confirmed at oral argument, some distinctions among the assessment levels are based on a decision that certain kinds of properties, such as churches, should be subject to lower assessments. The property owner in this case is a federal entity, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which operates a facility within the City of Cincinnati.  The city conte


Timeline: 1100-1200 Timeline           1100-1200: 1100 Henry I, (alias "Henry Beauclerc") youngest son of William the Conqueror, becomes              the new king of England following the asassination of his older brother, William Rufus. He rules until 1135, and the period is a time of peace and prosperity in Britain marked by legal reforms. Crusaders claim fiefdoms in Holy Land. Baldwin of Bouillon              becomes Count of Edessa in the new Holy Kingdom of Jerusalem. Raymond of Toulouse becomes Count of Tripoli. Bohemund              of Otranto becomes Prince of Antioch. 1100-1200: French literature dominates Western Europe. 1100-1250: Icelandic sagas, Grettirsaga, Volsungsaga, etc. c. 1100 "Play of Saint Catherine" (performed at Dunstable)--first recorded miracle play in England. c. 1100 Earlier tales in the Welsh Mabinogion written in surviving manuscript forms (but tales probably older than surviving manuscripts) 1106 Henry V becomes Holy Roman Emperor. He rules until              1125. Henry I defeats Robert, Duke of Normandy. He imprisons              Robert for the remainder of Robert's life. 1107 Alexander I becomes King of Scotland. He             rules until 1124. 1108 Louis VI becomes King of France. He rules             until 1137. 1109 England and France begin war with each other. 1111 Emperor Henry V forces Pope Paschal II to acknowledge power of the emperor. 1113 The Papacy acknowledges the Founding of the Order of              Saint John. Truce between England and France. 1114 Matilda (alias Maud), princess of England,             marries Emperor Henry V of Germany. 1115 Stephen II claims the throne of Hungary. He rules until              1131. Saint Bernard founds the Abbey of Clairvaux in France. 1118 John II Comnenus becomes Emperor of Byzantium.             He rules until 1143. 1119 Hugues de Payens founds the Order of the             Templar Knights. 1120 Prince William, heir of Henry I of England,             drowned in the wreck of the "White Ship" during             a storm. 1122 Concordat of Worms: conference of German             princes ends the dispute between pope and Holy Roman Emperor             over the appointment of Bishops. 1123 Death of Omar Khayyam, Persian poet and             writer of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. 1124 David I, younger brother of Alexander I,             takes the throne of Scotland. He rules until 1153. c. 1125 Eadmer writes The Life of Anselm 1125 Flourishing of Latin chroniclesi n Britain between 1125-1300. 1126 Alfonso VII becomes ruler of Castille in             modern day Spain. He rules until 1157. 1128 Alfonso Henriques becomes Count of Portugal.             He works hard to establish Portugal as a kingdom independent             of Spain, finally succeeding in 1143. 1130 Empress Matilda, widow of German Emperor             Henry V, marries Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou             in France. (Geoffrey's nickname is "the Handsome," and the Plantagenet offspring will bear characteristic             blond hair that marks them from other dynastic lines in             England when the Planatagenets come to power there). 1131 The Almohad Dynasty comes to power in Morocco             until 1169. 1135 Stephen of Boulogne seizes the English crown             on the death of his uncle, Henry I. Civil war breaks out. Stephen will maintain precarious rule until 1154. 1136 c. 1136, Geoffrey of Monmouth writes the "History of the Kings of Britain," a Latin chronicle. It is the first elaborate account of the Arthurian court. 1137 Louis VII becomes ruler of France. He holds             the throne until 1180. 1138 Conrad III becomes Holy Roman Emperor in Germany. He


Richard II, King of England (1367-1400) Search   RICHARD II, King of England, younger son of Edward the Black Prince by Joan "the Fair Maid of Kent," was born at Bordeaux on the 6th of January 1367. He was brought to England in 1371, and after his father's death was, on the petition of the Commons in parliament, created Prince of Wales on the 10th of November 1376. When Edward III died, on the 21st of June 1377, Richard became king. Popular opinion had credited John of Gaunt with designs on the throne. This was not justified; nevertheless, the rivalry of the boyking's uncles added another to the troubles due to the war, the Black Death and the prospect of a long minority. At first the government was conducted by a council appointed by parliament. The council was honest, but the difficulties of the situation were too great. The ill-considered poll-tax of 1381 was the occasion, though not the real cause, of the Peasants' Revolt in that year. The ministers were quite unequal to the crisis, and when Wat Tyler and his followers got possession of London, it was Richard who showed a precocious tact and confidence in handling it. It was the boyking who met and temporized with the rebels on the 13th of June at Mile End, and again next day at Smithfield; and he who, with courageous presence of mind, saved the situation when Tyler was killed, by calling on them to take him for their leader. From this time Richard began to assert himself. His chief ministers, appointed by parliament in 1382, were the Earl of Arundel and Michael de la Pole . Arundel Richard disliked, and dismissed next year, when he began his personal government. Pole, whom he retained as Chancellor and made Earl of Suffolk, was a well-chosen adviser. But others, and especially his youthful favourite Robert de Vere , promoted by unheard-of honour to be Marquess of Dublin and Duke of Ireland, were less worthy. Further, Richard made his own position difficult by lavish extravagance and unseemly outbursts of temper. He chafed under the restraint of his relatives, and therefore encouraged John of Gaunt in his Spanish enterprise. This gave the less scrupulous Thomas of Gloucester his opportunity. Gloucester, supported by Arundel, attacked his nephew's ministers in the parliament of 1386, and by open hints at deposition forced Richard to submit to a council of control. When Richard, with the aid of his friends and by the advice of subservient judges, planned a reversal of the parliament, Gloucester, at the head of the so-called Lords Appellant , anticipated him. Richard had been premature and ill-advised. Gloucester had the advantage of posing as the head of the constitutional party. The king's friends were driven into exile or executed, and he himself forced to submit to the loss of all real power (May 1388). Richard changed his methods, and when the lords appellant had lost credit, asserted himself constitutionally by dismissing Gloucester's supporters from office, and appointing in their place well-approved men like William of Wykeham. In the next parliament of 1390 the king showed himself ready to meet and conciliate his subjects. The simultaneous return of John of Gaunt from Spain put a check on Gloucester's ambition. For seven years Richard ruled constitutionally and on the whole well. The opposition was quiescent except for two outbreaks by Arundel: the first was a violent attack on John of Gaunt, which rather strengthened Richard's position; the second was a wanton insult to the king at the funeral of his queen. In January 1383 Richard had married Anne of Bohemia (1366-1394), daughter of the emperor Charles IV. The marriage, though childless, was happy; had Anne lived or borne a son the course of events might have been different. Her death on the 7th of June 1394 was a great shock to Richard, and incidentally had important consequences. Richard sought distraction by an expedition to Ireland, the first visit of an English king for more than two centuries. In his policy there he showed a wise statesmanship. At the same time he was negotiating for a permanent peace wi


Which Celtic quarter day falls on the 1st of May?

celtic calendar cross-quarter quarter days holidays | The Old Farmer's Almanac Rate this Article:  Average: 4.6 (47 votes) Ever wonder how Groundhog Day got started, why weddings were traditionally in June, or why we hold elections in the fall? The timing of present-day rituals and holidays may be based on the calendars of the ancient Celts and other cultures! The year was divided into four major sections, called quarter days. Then, each section was divided in half, creating four cross-quarter days. Together, these made an eight-part year that reflected the natural procession of the seasons. The Quarter Days The days that marked the four major divisions of the year were called Quarter Days; they originally marked the solstices and equinoxes, fitting readily into the rhythm of the ways people farmed. As the 12-month Roman calendar was adopted for both civil and religious purposes, all of the Celtic days began to conform more closely with the liturgical year of the Christian church and became identified with major religious festivals. [Editors’ note: Historians are divided as to whether the ancient Celts observed the solstices and equinoxes (what we call quarter days). Some believe that the Celts divided the year into just four major sections: Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh (what we call cross-quarter days). For this article, we will assume that the ancient Celts observed all eight divisions of the year.] March 25, Lady Day Around the time of the spring equinox, Lady Day became the traditional day for hiring farm laborers for the planting and harvesting seasons ahead. (In the church calendar, this day became the feast of the Angel Gabriel’s annunciation to the Virgin Mary that she would be the mother of Christ.) June 24, Midsummer Day Around the time of the summer solstice, this day was the midpoint of the growing season, halfway between planting and harvest. (The English church later celebrated this day as the birthday of John the Baptist, who foretold the birth of Jesus exactly six months later.) September 29, Michaelmas Around the time of the fall equinox, the harvest commenced on this day, and there were great fairs and festivals. This started the custom of early autumnal elections, because it was a convenient time for people to gather. Elections came to be shifted to November in the American climate, where the harvest season was more stretched out. December 25, Christmas This observance originated as a winter solstice festival and celebrated a time of resting and gathering fertility for a new round of sowing and reaping. The Celtic rituals merged easily with the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus. Farm workers were usually paid for their year’s labor at Christmas, giving them reason to celebrate and three months rest before the next season. The Cross-Quarter Days These days marked the midpoint between a solstice and equinox. For the ancient Celts, these marked the beginning of each season, with the major two divisions being winter (Samhain), starting the dark half of the year, and summer (Beltane), starting the light half of the year. February 2, Candlemas Candlemas acquired its English name from the candles lit that day in churches to celebrate the presentation of the Christ Child in the temple of Jerusalem. Originally, this day was called Imbolc (lambs’ milk) because the lambing season began. It was also called Brigantia for the Celtic female deity of light, calling attention to the Sun’s being halfway on its advance from the winter solstice to the spring equinox. Much of this day is grounded in the seasons—estimating how soon spring-like weather will come and when to plant the crops.  It was not held as a good omen if the day itself was bright and sunny, for that betokened snow and frost to continue to the hiring of the laborers 6 weeks later on Lady Day. If it was cloudy and dark, warmth and rain would thaw out the fields and have them ready for planting. Our Groundhog Day is a remote survivor of that belief. Though we recognize animal behavior isn’t always the way to judge planting dates, the t


In which US state is the city of Pittsburgh?

City of Pittsburgh | Welcome City of Pittsburgh Click Here to Pay Your 2017 Real Estate Taxes VIEW CITY DATA ON AN INTERACTIVE MAP! Burgh's Eye View uses a map to visualize data generated by the City of Pittsburgh and our residents. See all kinds of data including 311 requests, building permits, code violations, public safety incidents & more! READ MORE Search the City of Pittsburgh's database to see if you are owed money! Search the City of Pittsburgh's database to see if you are owed money. If you are owed money, fill out the form to claim your money. After verification, a check will be mailed.   FALL/WINTER GUIDE PREVIEWS EVENTS & ACTIVITIES Check all that's happening in the months ahead.  The Citiparks FALL/WINTER GUIDE is now available online. READ MORE The Pittsburgh Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation has Launched! The City has released it's plan to ensure that Pittsburgh remains competitive and inclusive in the digital age.  With 20 goals, accounting for over 100 actions for the City to undertake, the Roadmap is a vision forward. Read about how your City  plans to better improve quality of life for all Pittsburghers. myBurgh 311 Mobile App is here! MyBurgh is Pittsburgh’s 24/7 resource to notify the city’s 311 call center of non-emergency issues. Visit the 311 page for more details! The City now offers Online Facility Rentals Visit the new online Facility Rental website to create an online account and view available facilities.  Reservations are being accepted for the 2016 season.   READ MORE Pittsburgh's Bicentennial In 2016, Pittsburgh will celebrate the 200th anniversary of its incorporation as a City. Mayor Peduto would like everyone in the City to celebrate this historic occasion, and is inviting community organizations to become Bicentennial Partners. The City of Pittsburgh offices will be closed on Monday, January 16, 2017 in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Normal business hours will resume on Tuesday, January 17, 2017.  Refuse  Refuse, bulk waste and recycling collection will not take place on Monday, January 16, 2017. The Department of Public Works (DPW) has released the following schedule for the week: If your scheduled day of collection is Monday, January 16, you will be serviced on Tuesday, January 17. If your collection day is Tuesday, January 17, you will be serviced on Wednesday, January 18. If your collection day is Wednesday, January 18, you will be serviced on Thursday, January 19. If your collection day is Thursday, January 19, you will be serviced on Friday, January 20. If your collection day is Friday, January 20, you will be serviced on Saturday, January 21, 2017.   Christmas Tree Recycling Begins Tuesday, December 27 In the spirit of giving and sharing, residents can drop-off their unwanted Christmas trees at any of our participating drop-offs, free of charge.  In addition to the year-round yard debris drop-offs, Environmental Services will also be providing an additional Christmas Tree drop-off in the Strip District for your convenience.  Your trees will be shredded and can be used as mulch in and around the City. This program will run through the end of January. posted 12/27/16 @ 2:17 pm City Offices and Citiparks Facilities Closed, Refuse Collection Postponed For Christmas and New Year's Day Holidays The City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Works advises that there will not be any refuse, bulk waste or recycling collection on Monday, Dec. 26, 2016 in observance of Christmas and on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017 in observance of New Year's Day.   City of Pittsburgh offices will also be closed on both days.  The Christmas Collection schedule will proceed as follows:   If your scheduled day of collection is Monday, Dec. 26, you will be serviced on Tuesday, Dec. 27. If your collection day is Tuesday, Dec. 27, you will be serviced on Wednesday, Dec. 28, and so on through Saturday, Dec. 31.  The New Year's schedule will proceed as follows:   If your scheduled day of collection is Monday, Jan. 2, you will be serviced on Tuesday, Jan. 3. If your collection day is Tuesday, Jan. 3, you wi


Which vegetable has the Latin name Allium Porrum?

Allium ampeloprasum (Porrum Group) - Plant Finder Plant Finder Tried and Trouble-free Recommended by 1 Professionals Common Name: leek Height: 1.50 to 3.00 feet Spread: 1.00 to 1.50 feet Bloom Time: Rarely flowers Garden locations Culture Easily grown in deep, organically rich, medium moisture, sandy, well-drained loams in full sun. Plants perform best with consistent moisture during the growing season. For Porrum Group plants (leeks), turn over soil to 6" deep in early spring and work in manure and compost. Planting options include (1) seed may be started indoors about 8-10 weeks prior to last spring frost date, with plants set out in the garden about 3 weeks before last spring frost date, (2) transplants may be purchased for setting out in the garden about 3 weeks before last spring frost date or (3) seed may be sown directly in the garden 1/4" deep in rows 12-18" apart about 3 weeks before last spring frost date. Thin plants to 4" apart. Add a balanced fertilizer. In order to produce the best white stems which are the signature of leeks, lower plant stems must be blanched (hidden from sun). This is commonly done by (1) planting leeks in 6" deep furrows/trenches with subsequent addition of soils around the bases of each plant as the stems grow upwards until trench soil levels reach ground level or (2) mound or hill soil around the cylindrical stem of each plant base. Harvest plants when the lower stems reach 1-1 1/2" in diameter. Noteworthy Characteristics Allium ampeloprasum, commonly known as wild leek, is in a large genus of about 400 species of variable plants in the onion family. This species is native to Southern Europe, northern Africa, western Asia and Egypt, but has been introduced and in many cases naturalized in a large number of additional areas throughout the world. This species consists of biennial, onion-like plants now divided into three different horticultural/vegetable groups, namely (1) Porrum Group (leeks grown for their tasty stems), (2) Ampeloprasum Group (elephant garlic and levant garlic grown for their mild garlic-like bulbs) and (3) Kurrat Group (kurrat). Porrum Group plants are the leeks which are very popular biennial plants primarily grown in the U. S. in vegetable gardens as annuals. Overall, plants typically grow in a fan-like structure to 12-30" tall and to 12" wide. These plants feature a stalk and leaves which have a delicate, sweet and mild oniony flavor without the pungency of some other types of onion. The edible part of the plant is not an underground bulb (leeks do not form bulbs), but is the cylindrical white stalk that rises about 6-10" above the soil surface. Encircling blue-green leaves form the stalk at the base, but branch outward at the top to form fans of flat (not hollow like onions) green leaves. Leaks have a mild, onion-like flavor. Species is biennial (purple, pink to white flowers only appear in the second year in spherical clusters). When grown as annuals, flowers will never be seen. Genus name comes from the classical Latin name for garlic. Specific epithet comes from the Greek word ampelos meaning vine and parson meaning leek for a leek found growing in vineyards. Problems No serious insect or disease problems. Bulb rot may occur in overly moist soils. Slugs attack young plants. Rust may be the most serious disease affecting leeks (remove and destroy infected plants). Watch for mildew and leaf spot. Onion maggots and thrips may appear. Garden Uses Vegetable commonly added to casseroles, salads, stir fry, soups and stew, but may be eaten raw. Important ingredient in the French soup vichyssoise.


Who won the 2012 Rugby Union Six Nations title?

BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | Six Nations | Who will win the Six Nations title? Printable version Who will win the Six Nations title? Just as on the field, the honours among our BBC pundits were decided on the final weekend between Wales and Ireland in Cardiff. And appropriately enough, Jonathan Davies backed his country to beat Ireland, and thus secured his own victory as King of the Pundits. The Welsh legend called all three matches right on the final weekend to finish with 12 out of 15 predictions correct. He pipped former Ireland captain Keith Wood, who got 11 matches right, by one. Andy Nicol edged Jeremy Guscott for third place, the former Scotland captain calling 10 matches correctly, with former England centre Guscott managing only nine. See how their predictions unfolded throughout the tournament (the winners of every match are highlighted in bold). Jeremy Guscott Wales v Ireland England v Scotland Grand Slams are always difficult to come by, and I don't think any one side will win all their games this year. The Championship is between England, France and Ireland. Any one of them can beat the other on a given day. I could see Ireland beating either England or France at home, but not both. If anyone does a Slam it could be France. Their pack is awesome but it is tough to win all five. The top three will all turn each other over. VERDICT: THREE-WAY TIE - IRELAND ON POINTS DIFF. P Wales v Ireland England v Scotland The Championship is so open this year and could be shared. It is so close to call. If Wales win on the opening weekend, they could win the title but the loss of Colin Charvis is a big blow. It may tip the balance to England. Ireland have played well recently and have England and France at home so you have to fancy their chances. But I think they might come unstuck in Cardiff. Scotland will be competitive but need to sustain it longer in games. VERDICT: TWO-WAY TIE - FRANCE ON POINTS DIFF. P


In 1993, Barbara Harmer became the first woman to pilot what?

Obit of the Day: She’s Supersonic  Barbara Harmer... • Obit of the Day Obit of the Day: She’s Supersonic Barbara Harmer became the first, and only, female pilot of the Concorde in 1993. She flew the supersonic British Airways jet for ten years, until it was decommissioned in 2003, after the investigtion of the Air France Concorde crash in 2000. Short, but still a rather impressive obit. (Image courtesy heritageconcorde.com)


Who, in the 1967 Dunhill Masters, became the first golfer to make a live 'hole in one' on Brtitsh TV?

Famous golfer tidbits, brought to you by golf expert Keith Harvey Golfing Birthdays and other interesting mentions galore.   Why not look for your own year of birth to see how well you compare to golfers of your own age?   1892 Walter Charles Hagen (December 21, 1892 – October 6, 1969) was an American professional golfer and a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of 11 professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus (18) and Tiger Woods (14). He won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, which he went on to win four times in total. He also won the PGA Championship a record-tying five times (1921, 1924–1927), and the Western Open five times when it had near-major championship status. Hagen totaled 45 PGA wins in his career, and was a six-time Ryder Cup captain. 1912 William Ben Hogan (August 13, 1912 – July 25, 1997) was an American professional golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game.[1] Born within six months of two other acknowledged golf greats of the 20th century, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson, Hogan is notable for his profound influence on golf swing theory and his legendary ball-striking ability.His nine career professional major championships tie him with Gary Player for fourth all-time, trailing only Jack Nicklaus (18), Tiger Woods (14) and Walter Hagen (11). He is one of only five golfers to have won all four major championships currently open to professionals (the Masters Tournament, The Open (despite only playing once), the U.S. Open, and the PGA Championship). The other four are Nicklaus, Woods, Player, and Gene Sarazen. 1924 Allan George Balding (April 29, 1924 – July 30, 2006) was a Canadian professional golfer, who won four events on the PGA Tour. 1931 Peter Alliss (born 28 February 1931) is a former English professional golfer, and is a BBC television presenter and commentator, author and golf course designer. Alliss is known for his charismatic and unique style of commentary and banter, often displaying a witty demeanour. Since the death of Henry Longhurst in 1978, he has been regarded by many as the “Voice of (British) Golf”. In December 2011, he was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in the Lifetime Achievement category. 1932 Gay Robert Brewer, Jr. (March 19, 1932 – August 31, 2007) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and won the 1967 Masters Tournament. 1935 Mary Kathryn “Mickey” Wright (born February 14, 1935) is an American former LPGA Tour professional golfer. She became a member of the tour in 1955 and won thirteen major championships and 82 LPGA Tour career events. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. 1936 Hugh Boyle (28 January 1936 – 23 May 2015) was an Irish professional golfer. 1937 Thomas Dean Aaron (born February 22, 1937) is an American former professional golfer who was a member of the PGA Tour during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Aaron is best known for winning the 1973 Masters Tournament. 1940 Jack William Nicklaus (born January 21, 1940), nicknamed “The Golden Bear”, is a retired American professional golfer. He is widely regarded as the greatest professional golfer of all time, winning a total of 18 career major championships, while producing 19 second-place and 9 third-place finishes in them, over a span of 25 years. Nicklaus focused on the major championships (Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, Open Championship, and PGA Championship), and played a selective schedule of regular PGA Tour events, yet still finished with 73 victories, third on the all-time list behind Sam Snead (82) and Tiger Woods (79). 1942 Raymond Loran “Ray” Floyd (born September 4, 1942) is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments and four major titles on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1989 1945 Brian Barnes (born 3 June 1945) is a professional golfer. He was born in Addington, Surrey, England, and lives in England, but he represented Scotland at the international


"""Good Morning Starshine"" and ""Hare Krishna"" are songs from which 1967 musical?"

Good Morning Star Shine - Hair (The New Broadway Cast Recording) - YouTube Good Morning Star Shine - Hair (The New Broadway Cast Recording) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Jan 25, 2010 "Good Morning Star Shine" by the New Broadway Cast Recording I acknowledge that I do NOT own this music. This has been uploaded strictly for promotional purposes and I recommend that you buy it on iTunes Category


"Who wrote the 1936 book ""How To Win Friends and Influence People""?"

How To Win Friends and Influence People: Dale Carnegie: 9781439167342: Amazon.com: Books How To Win Friends and Influence People Add all three to Cart Add all three to List Buy the selected items together This item:How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie Hardcover $16.10 In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill Hardcover $7.44 In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1 This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. Page 1 of 1 Start over Sponsored Products are advertisements for products sold by merchants on Amazon.com. When you click on a Sponsored Product ad, you will be taken to an Amazon detail page where you can learn more about the product and purchase it. To learn more about Amazon Sponsored Products, click here . The Ultimate Rule Book: Learn the 100 Rules for Success Jamie Lewis Millionaires Follow These Strict Rules For Success. Get your hands on the secrets and change your lifestyle and business today. Investing in Your Self, Your Future and Your Wealth: The Essentials for Achieving Financial Success David Centellas Investing in Your Self, Your Future, and Your Wealth provides you with exactly what you need for a fast start on your journey to financial success. Mind Games: Emotionally Manipulative Tactics Partners Use to Control Relationships and Force the Upper Hand - Recognize and Beat Them Pamela Kole If you feel extremely unhappy, yet deserving of how you are treated... you need to learn about subtle and covert emotional manipulation. 7 Billionaireâs Rules To Success: Growing Rich From Your Thinking Entrepreneurship Facts If simply working long hours was the key to success, there would undoubtedly be many more billionaires. Why is this the case? Ultimately, the... Daring to Invent: 8 Steps to Turn Your Idea into a Successful Product (Inventor Book 1) Alan Beckley Want to make money with your new invention? This guide shows you the secret habits to avoid mistakes and turn ideas into successful products. Ad feedback Special Offers and Product Promotions Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Review This grandfather of all people-skills books was first published in 1937. It was an overnight hit, eventually selling 15 million copies. How to Win Friends and Influence People is just as useful today as it was when it was first published, because Dale Carnegie had an understanding of human nature that will never be outdated. Financial success, Carnegie believed, is due 15 percent to professional knowledge and 85 percent to "the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people." He teaches these skills through underlying principles of dealing with people so that they feel important and appreciated. He also emphasizes fundamental techniques for handling people without making them feel manipulated. Carnegie says you can make someone want to do what you want them to by seeing the situation from the other person's point of view and "arousing in the other person an eager want." You learn how to make people like you, win people over to your way of thinking, and change people without causing offense or arousing resentment. For instance, "let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers," and "talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person." Carnegie illustrates his points with anecdotes of historical figures, leaders of the business world, and everyday folks. --Joan Price --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Read more Review "it changed my life" Warren Buffet "The most successful self-help book of all time... Carnegie has never seemed more relevant" The Times "It's helped me immeasurably in life. I think everyone


Who, as at July 2011, is Archbishop of Westminster?

Diocese of Westminster Accessibility Sitemap The Diocese of Westminster is a registered charity No.233699. Our website provides Catholic news, news about Archbishop Vincent Nichols, Catholic prayers, Catholic Mass Times and a church directory for Catholic churches and information about Catholic schools within the London and Hertfordshire area and in the Borough of Spelthorne.


What type of Rolls-Royce engines were used to power Concorde?

CONCORDE SST : Powerplant No of Production versions supplied to airlines 67 (63 remain in use) The Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus engines that are fitted to Concorde are a highly developed version of the Bristol-Siddeley Olympus that was fitted to the Vulcan bomber, which generated 11,000Lbs of thrust. Roll-Royce provided the development of the Olympus engines while SNECMA developed the exhaust and reheat system. On the prototypes this powerplant system was upgraded to generate 33,000Lbs of thrust and by the time it was fitted to the production aircraft, 38,050Lbs were available. The Olympus engines are 2 spool engines. The inner shaft revolves within the outer shaft. The engine consists of 14 compressor stages, 7 on each shaft, driven by their respective turbine systems. At supersonic speeds when the air approaches the combustion chamber is is very hot due to the high level of compression of 80:1. The darker (black areas) are the areas more susceptible to heat and are thus constructed out of the nickel-alloy. To protect the later compression stages the last 4 stages are constructed of a nickel-bassed alloy, the nickel alloy is usually reserved only for the turbine area. The speed or RPM of the engine's outer shaft is controlled by the amount of fuel being burnt. By varying the surface area of the primary nozzel, the inner shaft RPM on the inner shaft can be controlled relative to the outer shaft RMP Concorde is the only civil airliner in service with a 'military style' afterburner system installed to produce more power at key stages of the flight. The reheat system, as it is officially known, injects fuel into the exhaust, and provides 6,000Lb of the total available thrust per engine at take off. This hotter faster exhaust that is used on take off and is what is mainly responsible for the additional noise that Concorde makes. The reheats are turned off shortly after take off when Concorde reaches the noise abatement area. The reheats are turned back on, by the piano switches behind the thrust leavers, for around 10 minutes once the aircraft is clear of land, to push the aircraft through Mach1 and on to Mach1.7 where they are no longer required. The Aircraft has an electrically controlled throttle system that is used to control the power delivered from the engines. Moving the throttle leavers asks the computer to apply the power to the engines in a correct and controlled manner. Through throttle master controls on the overhead panel, each engine can be either connected to the throttle lever (main) to an alternate controller or not controlled at all. The engines also have ratings where they can be selected to different power or rating settings for different parts of the flight. eg take off or cruise. A contingency setting is available for use during engine failure and more power that normal is required from the remaining engines There are two auto-throttles systems fitted to the aircraft that are associated with the autopilot systems. Each engine can be manually disconnected from the auto-throttle system if required. The Autopilot and auto throttle system will be described in another section of the site. The pictures above show a Rolls-Royce Olympus Engine displayed during the 2000 Farnborough Air Show, only days after the Paris Concorde crash. Looking on from the rear in the last photo, the afterburner (reheat) system can be clearly seen, it is the smaller ring structure situated inside the engine casing At Rolls-Royce in the 1970's, a new engine is being prepared for shipping to the Concorde production line in Bristol AIR FLOW and INTAKES To further improve engine system performance, the air flow through the engine area is changed at different speeds via a variable geometry intake control system. Altering this airflow changes the amount of air available to the engine and the amount of air that in itself is producing thrust via the complex ramp and nozzle assemblies. The air intake ramp assemblies main job is to slow down the air being received at the engine face to subsonic speeds before it then enters the engi


Who is the youngest driver to win a Formula 1 World Championship?

Youngest Drivers to Win in Formula 1 F1 Coming of age © Clive Mason/Getty Images Sebastian Vettel 2008 | 21 years, 73 days Among the most successful drivers of all time, Sebastian Vettel comes in at number two on the all-time youngest winners list. In similar fashion to Verstappen, Vettel crushed multiple records en route to his maiden victory as he became the youngest ever to grab pole position, the youngest to take an F1 win and brought team Toro Rosso their first-ever victory at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix. What became of the young winner? In 2010 he took home his first world championship, making himself the youngest world champion at just 23 years old, then proceeded to stomp on to four consecutive world titles from 2010–2013 with Red Bull Racing. Alonso's maiden victory, Hungarian GP 2003 © Boris Schlegelmilch/Getty Images Fernando Alonso 2003 | 22 years, 26 days When Fernando Alonso became what was at the time youngest ever driver to win, he tackled Troy Ruttman's record from 1952 that stood for 49 years. Alonso ousted the record at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2003, explaining, "This is a dream come true, I am 22 years old and I have my first victory. I hope to have a long career with lots more victories." Alonso has done just that; at 15 seasons and counting he's notched 32 wins and claimed back-to-back world titles in the 2005 and 2006 seasons. A feat that at the time made him youngest world champion and youngest double world champion until Vettel's run started in 2010. Lewis Hamilton's first F1 win Canadian GP 2007 © Clive Mason/Getty Images Lewis Hamilton 2007 | 22 years, 154 days The youngest driver ever to secure a Formula 1 contract, Lewis Hamilton notched his first win at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix. The magnificent part of Hamilton's maiden victory? It happened in his first season in Formula 1, in just his sixth start. Hamilton finished runner-up for the 2007 title by a mere one point to Kimi Räikkönen. He went on to win the world title in 2008, his second season in the championship, a record that tied him for driver with the fewest seasons under their belt before winning a world title. Third on the all-time wins list, Hamilton is the only driver in history to have won at least one race in every season he's competed in. Räikkönen's first victory, Malaysia 2003 © Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images Kimi Räikkönen 2003 | 23 years, 157 days With only 23 junior-level car races to his credit, Kimi Räikkönen was granted his Super License in 2001 with help from Nick Sauber, who owned the team aiming to sign the young Finnish driver. Räikkönen proved his worth during his rookie season, scoring points in four races. He was signed to the McLaren Mercedes team in 2002, and would storm to his first win in the 2003 at the Malaysian Grand Prix. He finished championship runner-up in 2003 and 2005, and would eventually see his first title in 2007. With 20 wins and 83 podiums to his name, Kimi continues to race for Ferrari. read more about


Operation Chariot was the code name for which British raid in March 1942?

The 1942 raid on St. Nazaire - History Learning Site The 1942 raid on St. Nazaire Citation: C N Trueman "The 1942 raid on St. Nazaire" historylearningsite.co.uk. The History Learning Site, 18 May 2015. 16 Aug 2016. The raid on St. Nazaire in March 1942 remains one of the outstanding acts of heroism in World War Two . More VC’s were won during the raid than at any other operation in World War Two that took same amount of time. St. Nazaire, on the west coast of France, had dry docks that the Allies had to put out of action if the Battle of the Atlantic was going to be won.   When the Germans launched the ‘ Tirpitz ’, they introduced into naval warfare a new type of ship that revolutionised naval design. Fast, heavily armoured and heavily armed, the ‘Tirpitz’ had the potential to roam the North Atlantic, causing chaos amongst the Allied convoys that crossed between America and Britain. Britain had no naval equivalent of the ‘Tirpitz’ and convoys would have been an easy target for her guns.   The Tirpitz, however, had one weakness. The only dry dock on the Atlantic coast capable of taking her for repairs and upkeep was the ‘Normandie’ at St. Nazaire – also known as the ‘Forme Ecluse Louis Joubert’. If this dry dock was put out of action, there was no place in the Northern Atlantic that could handle the Tirpitz for repairs and maintenance. This would force the Tirpitz to use dry docks in North Germany. To get into the Atlantic, the Tirpitz would then have to risk going through the Skaggerak between Denmark and Scandinavia and would be open to attack from Allied planes. Even if the Tirpitz got through this narrow stretch of water unscathed, she would have to sail either up the North Sea or through the English Channel to get to the Atlantic – both perilous journeys. Therefore, putting the Normandie dry dock at St. Nazaire out of use made very good sense, as it would have effectively trapped the Tirpitz and kept her out of the Atlantic.   However, for the Allies this was no easy task. The Normandie dry dock at St. Nazaire was not by the open sea. To get to it, ships had to sail five miles up the River Loire’s estuary. Large ships had to take the northern channel on this route to avoid sand banks in the middle. Such sailing would have taken any ship near to land – and certainly visible to any defenders.   Bombing the dry docks was out of the question. The chance of a bombing raid succeeding were remote. The area was surrounded with 80 anti-aircraft guns and pinpoint bombing was yet to be achieved. Blanket bombing the area would not have guaranteed success and would have resulted in many civilian casualties. A naval raid would not have worked, as the route to the dock was so difficult for a sizeable force to navigate and a large number of submarine nets made an attack by submarines impossible.   The British, therefore, decided on a raid that combined one large naval boat, numerous small ones and commandos. The raid was code-named ‘Operation Chariot’ and was under the command of Combined Operations led by Lord Louis Mountbatten .   The plan, on paper, was simple but very bold. An old naval ship – ‘HMS Campbeltown’ – would sail to the Normandie dry dock loaded with explosives and would ram the 1500 tons gates to it. Once ‘Campbeltown’ was embedded in the gates, Army commandos would disembark and destroy specific targets in the dock area – namely the pump house and winding houses that were required to allow the dry dock to function. The survivors would then return to England by the 16 wooden motor launches that had accompanied the ‘Campbeltown’ to the dry docks.   Though simple on paper, the plan did have a number of very real issues:   1)     There was no guarantee that the ‘Campbeltown’ would actually reach the dock. By sailing close to the northern shore, the ship would be easily in range of German guns that were liberally spread around the shoreline. The northern shore had 32 artillery guns ranging from 20mm to 240mm. Nearly 50 artillery guns ranging from 20mm to 40mm guarded the dock at St. Nazaire. Around 1000 men were involved


ZSL London Zoo - Zoo in London - Zoological Society of London (ZSL) Celebrate National Winnie-the-Pooh Day by discovering more about the real-life bear from ZSL London Zoo that inspired author A.A. Milne. zsllondonzoo Our adorable narrow-striped mongoose baby is sure to brighten #BlueMonday! zsllondonzoo No lie in for Jae Jae this morning! Happy #Caturday zsllondonzoo One of the Zoo’s most famous structures was designed by Lord Snowdon himself and today we're saddened by the news that he has passed away. Ralph Armond, Director General at ZSL, said: “Lord Snowdon will be sadly missed. He created a truly unique piece of architecture for ZSL London Zoo. He was inspired by the graceful movements of flying birds and conceived a pioneering aviary that looks almost weightless - like a bird. It is an iconic piece of architecture so we are proud to have something very special to remember him by.” zsllondonzoo Join us LIVE as keeper Amy tells us all about our vicunas! zsllondonzoo Ever wondered what happened on this day at the Zoo in 1828? Well, now you can find out as volumes of the Zoo's fascinating daily occurrences have been made available to view online for the very first time. From animal births to special visitors, the daily records contain an amazing breadth of information that zoologists and historians alike have been using as an amazing resource. zsllondonzoo Meet the 'Skywalker' hoolock gibbon, a new species discovered in the rainforests of China. A team of scientists, led by Fan Peng-Fei from Sun Yat-sen University and including ZSL's Dr Samuel Turvey, used the force (and a comprehensive scientific study of gibbon genetics) to determine that the Skywalker is in fact a completely distinct species of gibbon. It was named Skywalker because the Chinese characters of its scientific name mean "Heaven's movement" and the primates spend their time high in the rainforest canopy, but also because the team are big fans of the Star Wars films. zsllondonzoo Fancy taking on a new challenge in 2017? Why not put yourself to the test with the ZSL Stampede. Enjoy a 5k or 10k running route through the Zoo and Regent's Park all while raising money for precious wildlife around the world! zsllondonzoo Did you know that all clownfish are born male? The dominant male will change sex when the female of the school dies. zsllondonzoo Brand new for 2017, why not take on our Zoo to Zoo bike ride between London and Whipsnade! The wildest bike ride in the south east will see cyclists pushing their pedals for wildlife on Sunday the 2nd of July. The long-distance route will take in three counties along the journey, with cityscapes and countryside vistas to admire along the way. zsllondonzoo


Who wrote the 1947 book TheTheory and Practice of Gamesmanship?

Theory & Practice of Gamesmanship by Stephen Potter — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists Shelves: games , well-i-think-its-funny An idea that I'm surprised hasn't been imitated more: a satire masquerading as a self-help manual. While pretending to instruct you in the various tricks you can use to make your opponents feel uncomfortable, Potter takes generally quite successful pot-shots at all sorts of targets. The most obvious one is, of course, the ridiculous lengths people will go to in order to win games, but there are few aspects of British society that escape unscathed. He's completely deadpan throughout; in fact, whe An idea that I'm surprised hasn't been imitated more: a satire masquerading as a self-help manual. While pretending to instruct you in the various tricks you can use to make your opponents feel uncomfortable, Potter takes generally quite successful pot-shots at all sorts of targets. The most obvious one is, of course, the ridiculous lengths people will go to in order to win games, but there are few aspects of British society that escape unscathed. He's completely deadpan throughout; in fact, when I first came across this book at age 10 or so, I didn't realize it was a satire. My favourite section, you will not be surprised to hear, is the one on chess. Potter sensibly points out that there is no way a person unversed in chess theory will be able to beat a chess expert. Instead, he recommends the Potter Gambit: you play any three moves and then resign, after which you use some version of the following script. "Very nice! Well, I must resign of course." Your opponent will have no idea what's going on, so you elaborate a little: "Oh wait! When you exchange, I could perhaps recapture with the bishop... ah... no, it doesn't work, does it. Your queen comes in and it's all over." You shake your opponent's hand vigorously and add: "Would you mind if I made a note of it? Interesting position. I suppose I should write it up for The British Chess Magazine, they usually publish these things." Shelves: games , humour , modern-lit There is something melancholic reading about a world that no longer exists but that was real to you. To think that when this was written everybody played games all the time. It’s what we all did for fun. If this were written now nobody would read it and I guess the fact that such a big seller in its day has all of 88 ratings on goodreads just goes to show the likely truth of that. My copy is inscribed ‘To Davis, in anticipation of another keen contest on the tennis court. Kathryn’. What might Dav There is something melancholic reading about a world that no longer exists but that was real to you. To think that when this was written everybody played games all the time. It’s what we all did for fun. If this were written now nobody would read it and I guess the fact that such a big seller in its day has all of 88 ratings on goodreads just goes to show the likely truth of that. My copy is inscribed ‘To Davis, in anticipation of another keen contest on the tennis court. Kathryn’. What might Davis have learned in advance of that contest? Perhaps he took note of the pages on rest here: Oct 19, 2016 Jorge rated it really liked it The book passes as humour for most but the fact of the matter is, I personally take it very seriously. I think the advice contained therein is useful in games as it is in all matters of life. If you play any type of game competitively, and we all do, then the tricks in this book can prove most convenient if not for winning, at least to make the opponent lose. Mar 08, 2013 John Doe rated it it was amazing Sharks don't learn the art of eating smaller fish by reading a book like this. But, the gamesman is a shark that should read this one. There are two reasons for this. First, reading it will give the gamesman an opportunity to look at himself and laugh. Second, it contains a few comments that may benefit the gamesman. For example, a footnote buried at the bottom of one page reminds the gamesman that love is more important than gamesmanship. Also, appendix IV reminds the g