England will never fall as long as what type of bird can be found in London Tower?

The Ravens at the Tower of London, England By  Ben Johnson   |   Comments It is not known when the ravens first came to the Tower of London, but their presence there is surrounded by myth and legend. Unusually for birds of ill omen, the future of both Country and Kingdom relies upon their continued residence, for according to legend, at least six ravens must remain lest both Tower and Monarchy fall. The first Royal Observatory was housed in the north eastern turret of the White Tower. Legend has it that John Flamsteed (1646 - 1719), the 'astronomical observator' complained to King Charles II that the birds were interfering with his observations. The King therefore ordered their destruction only to be told that if the ravens left the Tower, the White Tower would fall and a great disaster befall the Kingdom. Sensibly the King changed his mind and decreed that at least six ravens should be kept at the Tower at all times to prevent disaster. Chris Skaife is a Yeoman Warder or 'Beefeater' dedicated to caring for the Tower's unique Unkindness of Ravens. Meet The Ravens There are seven ravens at the Tower today ( the required six plus one spare!) Their names are Hardey, Thor, Odin, Gwyllum, Cedric, Hugine and Munin. Their lodgings are to be found next to the Wakefield Tower. The ravens consume 6oz. of raw meat and bird formula biscuits soaked in blood each day. They are very partial to an egg each once a week plus the occasional rabbit which is given to them whole as the fur is good for them! They also enjoy scraps from the mess kitchen at the Tower - they particularly like fried bread! To prevent the birds flying away one of their wings is clipped by the Ravenmaster . This does not hurt the raven nor does it harm them in any way. By unbalancing their flight it ensures that they don't stray too far from the Tower. Escape from the Tower! However despite the wing clipping, there have been occasional escapes. Grog was last seen outside an East End pub called the 'Rose and Punchbowl' in 1981. Like Hardey he had been at the Tower for 21 years but unlike Hardey, Grog obviously felt he needed a change of scene! Bad Behaviour Occasionally ravens have to be dismissed for bad behaviour. This happened to George who received his marching orders in 1986 after he developed an unhealthy taste for TV aerials: "On Saturday 13th September 1986, Raven George, enlisted 1975, was posted to the Welsh Mountain Zoo. Conduct unsatisfactory, service therefore no longer required." Ravens can live to a very ripe age. The oldest raven to live at the Tower was called Jim Crow who died at the age of 44. The oldest raven currently at the Tower is Hardey who is 24 years old. Ravens in Wartime The fortunes of the Tower Ravens reached their lowest point just after World War II when only Raven Grip was left at the Tower. It is believed that the birds were upset by the continuous bombing of London. There is also the suggestion, although it has never been proved, that one raven, Mabel, was kidnapped! The Ravens Today Since 1987 the Tower has undertaken a successful breeding programme for the ravens. Charlie and Rhys paired up and produced a total of 17 chicks. Two of the newest recruits came from the Owl Sanctuary in the New Forest having been rescued as fledglings. Called Odin and Thor, they have been at the Tower since 1997. Thor is a very good mimic.... on a quiet day he will repeat things the Ravenmaster has said to him with exactly the right tone to create all sorts of confusion! The Tower of London Founded by William the Conqueror in 1066-7 and enlarged and modified by successive sovereigns, today the Tower of London is one of the world's most famous and spectacular fortresses. During its 900-year history it has been a royal palace and fortress, prison and place of execution, mint, arsenal, menagerie and jewel house. HM Tower of London


What lady supposedly rode naked through the streets of Coventry, seen only by Peeping Tom?

Lady Godiva Lady Godiva By  Ben Johnson   |   Comments Some 900 years ago an extraordinary occurrence took place on Market Day in the English midlands town of Coventry. Two monks at St. Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire first recorded this amazing story in Latin. Roger of Wendover wrote of it in the twelfth century and Mathew Paris in the early thirteenth century. As the Abbey stood at an important road junction, it would seem that the monks may have heard the story from travellers who were on their way from the Midlands to London. The astonishing tale that has come down to us through the centuries, is that sometime in the eleventh-century a proud, pious lady rode through Coventry on Market Day completely naked, covered by nothing but her long hair! Was this true? Apparently so! Who was this pious medieval streaker? Lady Godiva by John Collier Lady Godiva was the lady, wife of Leofric, the Earl of Mercia. Earl Leofric was one of the all-powerful lords who ruled England under the Danish King Canute . Lady Godiva was a rich landowner in her own right and one of her most valuable properties was Coventry. Leofric was a tyrant, he tyrannised the Church and did not hold the same religious convictions as his wife, nor her fondness for the Midlands and its populace. He mercilessly demanded from the people of Coventry an oppressive tax called the Heregeld. This tax paid for King Canute's bodyguard and Leofric made sure that the people of Coventry paid it! Lady Godiva pleaded with Leofric to stop this hated tax and he is reputed to have said, "You will have to ride naked through Coventry before I will change my ways". He was quite sure that his demure, modest wife would never do such a thing. But Lady Godiva took him at his word, and on Market Day in Coventry she rode naked, veiled only by her long golden hair. As her hair was long enough to cover all her body, only her face and legs could be seen. Leofric was so stunned by the whole incident that he believed it was a miracle that no one had seen his wife's naked body, and he immediately "freed" the town from paying the hated Heregeld, and at the same time ceased his persecution of the Church. Leofric appears to have undergone a religious conversion after this incident and he and Godiva funded a Benedictine monastery in Coventry where they were both buried. Unfortunately all traces of this monastery have long since disappeared. By the 17th century the story appears to have been altered slightly. The new version of the story said that before her 'ride', Godiva sent out messengers to go throughout the town insisting that all the people stay indoors with their windows shuttered on the day. As she was very popular with the people (unlike her husband) and every taxpayer realised that they stood to gain from her 'heroic act', they did as she requested. Everyone complied with her request except for one man who couldn't resist peeping, a tailor, 'Peeping Tom'. He was, the story goes, 'blinded by the wrath of Heaven' for his temerity in not obeying the order. A statue supposedly of Peeping Tom, a strange wooden effigy, can be seen in Coventry's Cathedral Lanes Shopping Centre. The eyes in this effigy appear blank, but that may be because the paint has worn off over the years. The annual Coventry Fair kept alive the Godiva story until the Reformation when the festival was banned and it was not revived until 1678. From this time on Godiva rode through the streets on a snow-white horse, accompanied by a man whose chief skill lay in his ability to make rude, suggestive gestures. Peeping Tom again!! The Godiva Procession has been revived in recent years and takes place annually in June. Today a visitor needs only to look in front of Coventry's Cathedral Lanes Shopping Centre to see a replica of the sight which tradition insists struck Peeping Tom blind!


American Experience | Return With Honor | People & Events People & Events: Ho Chi Minh Among the 20th century revolutionaries, Ho Chi Minh waged the longest -- and in terms of human lives sacrificed, the costliest -- battle against colonial power. The forces he led fought and defeated the Japanese, the French and finally the Americans in his fight for Vietnamese independence. Ho was born Nguyen Sinh Cung, the third of three children. As a young man, he traveled around the world working on a French ocean liner. Before and during World War I, he lived in the United States and London, then moved to France. While there, he became a fervent believer in the socialist movement. In the following years, his commitment to an independent, Communist Vietnam took him to the Soviet Union and China. The affectionate name given to him by his countrymen, "Uncle Ho," gives rise to an image as a kindly, humble man. Yet Ho was a life-long revolutionary, who used any and all means to achieve his ends. Ho first led an insurrection against Japanese occupiers. In 1945, Ho's commandos took Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital. In one of the ironies of history, Ho Chi Minh paraphrased a future enemy's benchmark of freedom -- the U.S. Declaration of Independence -- while addressing an enormous crowd after the success against the Japanese. Ho proclaimed: "All men are born equal. The Creator has given us inviolable rights: life, liberty, and happiness!" The nation's freedom was short-lived, however, as the French tried to reassert their colonial rule over Vietnam after World War II. Ho again led revolutionary forces against outside control, fighting an eight-year war that led to the division of Vietnam into two countries, North and South Vietnam. An election that was meant to be held in 1956 to reunite the country under a democratically elected leader was never held. South Vietnam, backed by the United States, refused to participate in the elections, fearful Ho would win. Under these adverse conditions, Ho's regime in the North became rigidly totalitarian. Agricultural reforms in 1955-56 were brutal and repression became the norm. War continued. After the defeated French exited, the United States escalated its involvement, supporting a series of weak governments in South Vietnam. As president of North Vietnam, Ho led the armed struggle against the South -- and its United States allies -- to reunite the country. Although the U.S. opposed Ho because he was a Communist, the leader once explained, "It was patriotism, not Communism, that inspired me." His loyal supporters waged a guerrilla war against the United States, finally causing the super power to withdraw from the peninsula. Vietnamese independence was finally achieved, just six years after Ho's death in 1969 at age 79. The victory came at a staggering price: an estimated three million North and South Vietnamese were killed in the struggle. After their victory, the Communists put Ho's embalmed body on display, yet the act defied his final wishes. Ho, a practical man who looked to the peasants for his support, wanted his remains to be scattered over three Vietnamese hilltops. Explained an elderly Ho: "Not only is cremation good from the point of view of hygiene, but it also saves farmland."


Who was the first European to reach India by sea?

Age of Exploration | European Navigators Explore the New World Age of Exploration   By the end of the 15th century many things were changing in Europe. The population started to grow more quickly and a new class of merchants emerged. They wanted to buy and sell expensive and valuable products from Asia—like gold, jewels and silk. In those days, people had no refrigerators to preserve their food. They dried meat and often used salt to make it last longer. To make food taste better they used spices , like pepper or cinnamon. For centuries Europeans brought these goods on a land route from Asia over thousands of dangerous kilometres . In the 15th century the overland routes were being controlled by the Turkish Empire, which made it even more difficult for European merchants to pass through. As a result, some European countries, like Spain and Portugal, decided to find out if there was a sea route to India . With the help of new kinds of ships that could sail faster and instruments , like the quadrant, they started the Age of Exploration.   Portuguese exploration At the end of the 15th century the Portuguese started to explore the west coast of Africa . They set up trading posts and collected gold and silver. They were convinced that by sailing around the coast of Africa they would find a route to India. In 1487 , the Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Dias sailed around the southern part of the continent and got as far as the east coast of Africa, but a storm made him turn back. On his return voyage, he saw a piece of land that stretched out into the sea. The Portuguese named it the Cape of Good Hope because they were hopeful of finding a passageway to India. In 1497 Vasco Da Gama set out from Lisbon, sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and into the Indian Ocean. He reached the west coast of India in May 1498. He took some spices and gold back with him to prove that he had reached India.   Christopher Columbus   Christopher Columbus was probably the most famous explorer of the era. He achieved fame by sailing west in search of a sea route to India. Instead of reaching India he discovered that there was an unknown mass of land in between, land that the Europeans knew nothing of. Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy in 1451 and during his early years his father took him on various sailing trips and wanted to make a merchant out of him. Like many navigators of that time, Columbus also wanted to sail to India and the Far East. He thought that if he sailed west he would also reach the Spice Islands of Asia and India. When he went to the king of Portugal to present his plan, but it was rejected. Queen Isabella of Spain admired young and brave men like Columbus and so she gave him three ships—the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria—and a crew of 90 men. Columbus left Spain on August 3, 1492. After two months of sailing westward, he landed on an island of the Bahamas, San Salvador, on October 12, 1492. Because he thought he had reached the islands near India he called the natives Indians .   All together, Columbus made four voyages to the New World between 1492 and 1504. He explored the coasts of Cuba, Jamaica , Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico. On his last two voyages, Columbus reached the mainland of Central and South America and travelled as far south as the mouth of the Orinoco River. After he came home from his fourth voyage, Christopher Columbus fell ill and died in 1506.   Other Spanish Explorers   During the early 1500s Spanish explorers travelled across most of Central and South America. They founded colonies and brought settlers to the New World. They also made the native Indians work for them. The Spaniards brought new products to the Americas ,like wheat, horses, cattle and sheep. In exchange , they grew plants that were not known in Europe, like corn and potatoes and brought them back to the Old Continent. In 1513 the Spanish explorer Vasco de Balboa landed in Panama, the part of Central America that is very narrow. With his men, he fought his way through 50 miles of jungle and was surprised to see a new sea , the Pacific Ocean.


In what country did the Bay of Pigs invasion happen?

The Bay of Pigs invasion begins - Apr 17, 1961 - HISTORY.com Within the CIA, the Bay of Pigs invasion of April 1961 was regarded as the "perfect failure." Cold War The Bay of Pigs invasion begins Share this: The Bay of Pigs invasion begins Author The Bay of Pigs invasion begins URL Publisher A+E Networks The Bay of Pigs invasion begins when a CIA-financed and -trained group of Cuban refugees lands in Cuba and attempts to topple the communist government of Fidel Castro. The attack was an utter failure. Fidel Castro had been a concern to U.S. policymakers since he seized power in Cuba with a revolution in January 1959. Castro’s attacks on U.S. companies and interests in Cuba, his inflammatory anti-American rhetoric, and Cuba’s movement toward a closer relationship with the Soviet Union led U.S. officials to conclude that the Cuban leader was a threat to U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere. In March 1960, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered the CIA to train and arm a force of Cuban exiles for an armed attack on Cuba. John F. Kennedy inherited this program when he became president in 1961. Though many of his military advisors indicated that an amphibious assault on Cuba by a group of lightly armed exiles had little chance for success, Kennedy gave the go-ahead for the attack. On April 17, 1961, around 1,200 exiles, armed with American weapons and using American landing craft, waded ashore at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba. The hope was that the exile force would serve as a rallying point for the Cuban citizenry, who would rise up and overthrow Castro’s government. The plan immediately fell apart–the landing force met with unexpectedly rapid counterattacks from Castro’s military, the tiny Cuban air force sank most of the exiles’ supply ships, the United States refrained from providing necessary air support, and the expected uprising never happened. Over 100 of the attackers were killed, and more than 1,100 were captured. The failure at the Bay of Pigs cost the United States dearly. Castro used the attack by the “Yankee imperialists” to solidify his power in Cuba and he requested additional Soviet military aid. Eventually that aid included missiles, and the construction of missile bases in Cuba sparked the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962, when the United States and the Soviet Union nearly came to blows over the issue. Further, throughout much of Latin America, the United States was pilloried for its use of armed force in trying to unseat Castro, a man who was considered a hero to many for his stance against U.S. interference and imperialism. Kennedy tried to redeem himself by publicly accepting blame for the attack and its subsequent failure, but the botched mission left the young president looking vulnerable and indecisive. Related Videos


"What city became, by 1835, ""the first and greatest industrial city in the world""?"

Untitled Document Check for Understanding Why did the Industrial Revolution Start in England? By the end of the 19th century, the island of Great Britain, which is about the size of the state of Louisiana, controlled the largest empire in the history of the world—an empire that covered one quarter of the world’s land mass. You will learn more about this empire in the next chapter. But how did this little island come to rule an empire? How did Great Britain acquire so much military and economic power in the world? The answer, of course, is that it had an enormous commercial and technological head start over the rest of the world because the Industrial Revolution started in England. But why did the Industrial Revolution occur first in England and not somewhere else in the world? Historians describe a confluence—a coming together—of many factors and they do not agree on which are most important. Some of these factors we discussed earlier because they had their seeds in pre-industrial society. All of these factors came together in the late 18th century to create the unique conditions in England that culminated in the first-ever Industrial Revolution: The Agricultural Revolution discussed earlier resulted in increased food production and increased population in England first. Population Growth, also discussed earlier, resulted in more people from the countryside being freed up to work for wages in the new cities,— and eventually increased demand for products such as clothing. Financial Innovations—such as central banks, stock markets, and joint stock companies—encouraged people, especially in Northern Europe, to take risks with investments, trade, and new technologies.  The Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution encouraged scholars and craftspeople to apply new scientific thinking to mechanical and technological challenges. In the centuries before the Industrial Revolution, Europeans gradually incorporated science and reason into their worldview. Some historians argue that these intellectual shifts made English culture, in particular, highly receptive to new mechanical and financial ideas. Navigable Rivers and Canals in Great Britain quickened the pace and cheapened the cost of transportation of raw materials and finished products. Adam Smith, the first modern economist, believed this was a key reason for England’s early success. In 1776, in his famous book An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, he wrote that “Good roads, canals, and navigable rivers, by diminishing the expense of carriage, put the remote parts of the country more nearly upon a level with those in the neighbourhood of the town. They are upon that account the greatest of all improvements” (Weightman 43). Coal and Iron deposits were plentiful in Great Britain and proved essential to the development of all new machines made of iron or steel and powered by coal—such as the steam-powered machinery in textile factories, and the locomotive. Government Policies in England toward property and commerce encouraged innovation and the spread of global trade. The government created patent laws that allowed inventors to benefit financially from the “intellectual property” of their inventions. The British government also encouraged global trade by expanding the Navy to protect trade and granting monopolies or other financial incentives to companies so they would explore the world to find resources. World Trade gradually increased in the centuries before the Industrial Revolution and provided European countries access to raw materials and a market for goods. It also increased wealth that could then be loaned by banks to finance more industrial expansion in an upward spiral of economic growth. By 1500, Europe had a technological supremacy over the rest of the world in shipbuilding, navigation, and metallurgy (metal working). In successive years, European countries would use these advantages to dominate world trade with Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The Cottage Industry, discussed earlier, served as a transition from a rural to an industrial econ


What entertainer hosted the Oscars 14 times, entertained troops, and lived to age 100?

Bob Hope - Biography - IMDb Biography Showing all 152 items Jump to: Overview  (5) | Mini Bio  (1) | Spouse  (2) | Trade Mark  (6) | Trivia  (73) | Personal Quotes  (59) | Salary  (6) Overview (5) 5' 10" (1.78 m) Mini Bio (1) Comedian Bob Hope was born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, London, England, the fifth of seven sons of Avis (Townes), light opera singer, and William Henry Hope, a stonemason from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. His maternal grandmother was Welsh. Hope moved to Bristol before emigrating with his parents to the US in 1908. After some years on the stage as a dancer and comedian, he made his first film appearance in The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938) singing "Thanks for the Memory," which became his signature tune. In partnership with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour , he appeared in the highly successful "Road to ..." comedies (1940-1952), and in many others until the early 1970s. During World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars he spent much time entertaining the troops in the field. For these activities and for his continued contributions to the industry he was given a special Academy Award on five occasions. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Lester A Dinerstein <lester1@earthlink.net> Spouse (2) Performing stand up for the U.S. military Often worked with Bing Crosby Quick one-liners. Frequently worked with the Rat Pack - Frank Sinatra , 'Sammy Davis Jr.' and Dean Martin . Trivia (73) ABC-TV Network News Poll, A&E Biography Viewers Poll, as well as magazine and newspaper 'century roundups' have proclaimed Hope as the "Entertainer of the 20th Century." In 1959 he was awarded the Emmy Trustees' Award "for bringing the great gift of laughter to all peoples of all nations; for selflessly entertaining American troops throughout the world over many years; and for making TV finer by these deeds and by the consistently high quality of his TV programs through the years". Winner of the Kennedy Center Honors in 1985. In 1995 he was presented the National Medal of Arts: presented by President Bill Clinton . Has four adopted children: Eleanora Avis "Nora", Anthony, Linda Hope and Kelly Hope . Has entertained the troops overseas in every war from WWII to the Gulf War In 1998 he was awarded an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II . In the 1950s he was a part-owner of the Cleveland Indians baseball team. His guest appearance in I Love Lucy (1951) centered around his attending a Yankees-Indians game at Yankee Stadium. Holds two entries in "The Guinness Book of World Records". One is for having the distinction of being the entertainer with "the longest running contract with a single network--spanning 61 years". The second is for being the "most honored entertainer", with over 1500 awards. Served as United Service Organizations, Inc. (USO) Entertainment Coordinator from 1941-2001. Retired his post at age 98 in favor of Wayne Newton . Received 58 honorary degrees. Entertained U.S. troops starting 6th May 1941, and became the first to be named an "honorary veteran" by Congress. His golf buddy was Prescott Bush , the father and grandfather of presidents George Bush and George W. Bush . He was the only entertainer to have complete carte blanche to walk on whenever he felt like it on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962). He changed his name from Leslie to Bob, because in school they would call the roll as 'Hope, Leslie' and classmates shortened it to hopeless. In a mostly ad-libbed skit for a TV show, Hope joked with Jimmy Durante about the size of his own nose. Durante quipped "When it comes to noses, you're a retailer. I'm a wholesaler!" Appointed an honorary CBE in 1976. Wife Dolores Hope was born 27th May 1909. She and Bob celebrated their birthdays on 28th May every year--splitting the difference between their respective real birthdays. Spent his 99th birthday--29 May 2002--at home in Toluca Lake, CA. Wife Dolores Hope 's 93rd birthday was just two days before. Los Angeles National Cemetery dedicated veterans' chapel in his name to salute his lifetime of service entertaining U.S. troops. His grandfather lived to 99 y


"What French feminist wrote ""The Second Sex""?"

Simone de Beauvoir (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Simone de Beauvoir First published Tue Aug 17, 2004; substantive revision Tue Aug 5, 2014 There are some thinkers who are, from the very beginning, unambiguously identified as philosophers (e.g., Plato). There are others whose philosophical place is forever contested (e.g., Nietzsche); and there are those who have gradually won the right to be admitted into the philosophical fold. Simone de Beauvoir is one of these belatedly acknowledged philosophers. Identifying herself as an author rather than as a philosopher and calling herself the midwife of Sartre’s existential ethics rather than a thinker in her own right, Beauvoir’s place in philosophy had to be won against her word. That place is now uncontested. The international conference celebrating the centennial of Beauvoir’s birth organized by Julia Kristeva is one of the more visible signs of Beauvoir’s growing influence and status. Her enduring contributions to the fields of ethics, politics, existentialism, phenomenology and feminist theory and her significance as an activist and public intellectual is now a matter of record. Unlike her status as a philosopher, Simone de Beauvoir’s position as a feminist theorist has never been in question. Controversial from the beginning, The Second Sex’s critique of patriarchy continues to challenge social, political and religious categories used to justify women’s inferior status. Though readers of the English translation of The Second Sex have never had trouble understanding the feminist significance of its analysis of patriarchy, they might be forgiven for missing its philosophical importance so long as they had to rely on an arbitrarily abridged version of The Second Sex that was questionably translated by a zoologist who was deaf to the philosophical meanings and nuances of Beauvoir’s French terms. The 2010 translation of The Second Sex changed that. In addition to providing the full text, this translation’s sensitivity to the philosophical valence of Beauvoir’s writing makes it possible for her English readers to understand the existential-phenomenological grounds of her feminist analysis of the forces that subordinate women to men and designate her as the Other. 1. Recognizing Beauvoir Some have found Beauvoir’s exclusion from the domain of philosophy more than a matter of taking Beauvoir at her word. They attribute it to an exclusively systematic view of philosophy which, deaf to the philosophical methodology of the metaphysical novel, ignored the ways that Beauvoir embedded phenomenological-existential arguments in her literary works. Between those who did not challenge Beauvoir’s self-portrait, those who did not accept her understanding of the relationship between literature and philosophy, and those who missed the unique signature of her philosophical essays, Beauvoir the philosopher remained a lady-in-waiting. Some have argued that the belated admission of Beauvoir into the ranks of philosophers is a matter of sexism on two counts. The first concerns the fact that Beauvoir was a woman. Her philosophical writings were read as echoes of Sartre rather than explored for their own contributions because it was only “natural” to think of a woman as a disciple of her male companion. The second concerns the fact that she wrote about women. The Second Sex, recognized as one of the hundred most important works of the twentieth century, would not be counted as philosophy because it dealt with sex, hardly a burning philosophical issue (so it was said). This encyclopedia entry shows how much things have changed. Long overdue, Beauvoir’s recognition as a philosopher is now secure. 2. Situating Beauvoir Simone de Beauvoir was born on January 9, 1908. She died seventy-eight years later, on April 14, 1986. At the time of her death she was honored as a crucial figure in the struggle for women’s rights, and as an eminent writer, having won the Prix Goncourt, the prestigious French literary award, for her novel The Mandarins. She was also famous for


Dara Molloy, Celtic Monk, Celtic Priest: Writings A Nature-Based Celtic Wedding on the Aran Islands Mainistir Chiaráin The ceremony is held outdoors, weather permitting, at Mainistir Chiaráin which is in Mainistir, one mile to the west of Kilronan village on Inis Mór. The ceremony has four stations: Station One: Holy Well The Well is a Celtic symbol of the feminine. In ancient Ireland, it was an entrance to the womb of the goddess. The goddess was the land of Ireland, Eriú. At this well we celebrate the woman to be married. The groom circles her, doing a round of the well just as the sun circles the earth every day. The bride places her hands in the well water. We pray for fertility, womanhood, and for the bride as wife and mother. We use stories, poetry and music. Station Two: Standing Stone The Standing Stone is a Celtic symbol of male fertility and power. In ancient Ireland it was used as a phallic symbol, marking a centre of creative energy. The monks carved Christian images on it and used it to mark the boundaries of their monastery. At the standing stone we celebrate the man to be married. The groom places his hands on the stone. We pray for virility, manhood, and for the groom as husband and father. We use stories, poetry and music. Station Three: Altar The Altar represents God or the Divine. This altar was used by the monks for 1100 years, from the 5th to the 16th century, as the focus for their worship. It is likely that they built the altar above an earlier Druidic energy point. Before the altar, the two to be married stand facing each other and make their vows. They exchange rings, have their hands tied in a Celtic handfasting, and receive a blessing of the four elements from the priest. Station Four: Sundial The Sundial is a carved stone with a hole in it. It has a circular dial and a Celtic cross carved on it. It was a primitive clock, using a stick in the hole to cast a shadow from the sun across the dial. The monks needed it to divide their day into periods of prayer. The wedding group gathers in a circle around the Sundial. A number of activities take place at this Sundial: The couple face each other on either side of the Sundial, and place the index finger of their right hand through the hole. By touching fingers through the hole, they confirm their marriage vows. This continues an ancient practice, where the Sundial was used as a contract stone. A silk scarf is used to make wishes at the Sundial. The silk scarf is passed through the hole in the Sundial three times as the wish is made. The couple do this first, and then invite others to come forward and do it also. Some people will wish privately, others will wish out loud. The priest blesses the couple with oil and water. The blessing is for their relationship. The oil is placed on their foreheads or hands. It is a symbol of health and wholeness. The priest prays that their relationship will remain healthy and will grow and develop wholesomely throughout their lives. He then sprinkles sacred water from the well around them three times. The water symbolises protection (driving away the devil). The priest prays that nothing will happen in their lives that will damage or destroy their relationship. At the Sundial, the relationship is blessed with oil and water The ceremony ends by each person joining hands with the next and walking / dancing around the sundial in a clockwise (sunwise) direction. This is an ancient Celtic ritual which imitates the sun going around the earth. It brings everybody into harmony with the cosmic rhythms. If the weather is bad and the time of the ceremony cannot be rescheduled, the ceremony is held indoors. It is the same ceremony as above with symbols used for each of the four stations. Location: Mainistir Chiaráin - the ancient monastic lands of St Ciaráns Monastery, Mainistir, Inis Mór. All the stations are within two minutes walking distance of each other. Registration of Marriage: Since April 2015, it is now possible to register your marriage legally at this ceremony. You will find Dara Ó Maoildhia's name on the official lis


What Greek hero did Alexander model himself after?

Alexander the Great Alexander the Great Ukrainian translation World conqueror, 356 B.C. - 323 B.C. I'm holding a handful of arrowheads that may have been shot from the bow of Alexander the Great . OK, that's a bit of a fantasy. But it's not too unlikely that these came from Alexander's army. These arrowheads were unearthed in Macedonia and date to the 4th century B.C., the century when Alexander and his men conquered most of the known world. Alexander is one of the most fascinating personalities in human history. Although he was the son of a king and inherited an empire that included most of the Greek city-states, Alexander's own conquests are what have made him admired, vilified, emulated, and studied for over two millennia. Through the years, so many stories have been told and retold about Alexander the Great that he has become more like a character from Greek mythology than a real human being. This, I'm sure, would have made him very happy. Being a Greek hero was always his ambition. Click here for the route Alexander followed. ] Alexander's ambition Growing up, Alexander was fascinated by Homer's Iliad. It was the character of Achilles -- the hero of the story and the exemplar of all manly virtues -- that especially attracted him. [Alexander. Click here for a larger image. Glyptothek Munich, Germany.] Sometime in his early formative years he decided to model himself after Achilles. Emulating the famous hero was apparently encouraged by his teacher, the great philosopher Aristotle. According to the Roman historian Plutarch, Aristotle personally annotated a copy of the Iliad for Alexander. Alexander kept it with him throughout all his later travels, even sleeping with it under his pillow. Alexander's mother, Olympias, clearly encouraged him. This woman couldn't have been more meddling and ambitious for Alexander if she herself were a scheming goddess on Mount Olympus. In fact, she may have consorted with the gods. Or, at least, that's the rumor she spread. Olympias informed her son that he was actually a descendent of Achilles. And probably Hercules, too. [Marble statue from Gabii Louvre, Paris, France. Click here for a larger image. ] And so, in keeping with his family tradition and the great expectations of his mother, Alexander looked for any opportunity to demonstrate his heroic strength and courage. In one episode, his father -- Philip II of Macedonia -- was considering purchasing a magnificent black stallion. But the horse was too wild. Nobody believed it could be tamed. The 14-year-old Alexander decided he could do it. He leapt onto its back and started a 16-year relationship with the horse, which he named Bucephalas. As the story goes, Philip was so proud of Alexander that he said to him: "My son, look thee out a kingdom equal to and worthy of thyself, for Macedonia is too little for thee." Alexander inherits a kingdom When Alexander was 16, Philip made him regent of Macedonia while he was off fighting the Persians. (Nominally at least, Philip's campaign was revenge for Xerxes' Persian invasion of Greece, some 150 years earlier.) While regent, Alexander crushed an uprising in Thrace. When Alexander was 18, Philip left him in command of the left wing of the Macedonian army at the battle of Chaeronea. The battle was won, thanks in part to a courageous cavalry charge led by Alexander himself. When Alexander was 20, Philip was assassinated. A guard plunged a spear into his chest. Some say it was a conspiracy orchestrated by Olympias. And so, Alexander inherited a kingdom. Alexander conquers his world Inheriting a kingdom from his father didn't really please Alexander. What kind of hero gets everything given to him? This wouldn't satisfy Achilles or Hercules and it wouldn't satisfy him. [Nationalmuseum in Naples. Click here for a larger image. See this page for a series of larger portraits.] Alexander wanted to get started conquering ASAP. He got his first opportunity almost immediately. Some of the Greek city-states saw the ascension of the 20-year-old Alexander as a chance to regain their independence from the for


Phrenologists believed they could determine a person's character by measuring their what?

History of Phrenology on the Web What was phrenology? Phrenology was a science of character divination,    faculty psychology, theory of brain and what the 19th-century phrenologists called "the only true science of    mind." Phrenology came from the theories of the idiosyncratic Viennese physician Franz Joseph Gall (1758-1828).    The basic tenets of Gall's system were: 1.The brain is the organ of the mind. 2. The mind is composed of multiple, distinct, innate faculties. 3. Because they are distinct, each faculty must have a separate seat or "organ" in the brain. 4. The size of an organ, other things being equal, is a measure of its power. 5. The shape of the brain is determined by the development of the various    organs. 6. As the skull takes its shape from the brain, the surface of the skull    can be read as an accurate index of psychological aptitudes and tendencies.    (For a description in Gall's own words see: Letter   to von Retzer ) So it was believed that by examining the shape and unevenness    of a head or skull, one could discover the development of the particular    cerebral " organs " responsible for different intellectual    aptitudes and character traits. For example, a prominent protuberance in    the forehead at the position attributed to the organ of Benevolence was meant to indicate that the individual had a "well developed" organ of Benevolence and would therefore be    expected to exhibit benevolent behaviour. However, like so many popular sciences, Gall and the phrenologists sought only confirmations for their    hypotheses and did not apply the same standard to contradictory evidence.    Any evidence or anecdote which seemed to confirm the science was readily    and vociferously accepted as "proof" of the "truth" of phrenology. At the    same time, contradictory findings, such as a not very benevolent and disagreeable    person having a well-developed organ of Benevolence were always explained away. This was often done by claiming that the activity    of other organs counteracted Benevolence. What was never accepted by phrenologists,    however, was that admitting that the activity of a particular faculty could    be independent of the size of its organ undermined the most fundamental    assumptions of the science- and thereby rendered all of its conclusions    inconsistent and meaningless. (For a more in depth account of the origins    of phrenology see: van Wyhe 2002 .) The history of phrenology can be divided into three general     phases. The first, extending roughly from the mid-1790s to the 1810s,      saw only the Germans Gall and his disciple J.G.      Spurzheim as       the practitioners and advocates of the science. From 1815 a damning      review in the prestigious Edinburgh Review launched       the science into general public view in the English-speaking world      instead of being restricted to elite medical journals. From this      time forward many more middle-class men took up phrenology as a scientistic      pursuit. These first phrenologists sought to achieve recognition      for themselves as students of the greatest of all the sciences. It      was meant to be a certain science of human nature. Spurzheim faced      down and refuted his Edinburgh    Review critic and thereby won many converts in Edinburgh. The first    phrenological society was founded in Edinburgh in 1820, and many more    followed throughout Britain and America in later decades. In addition    to societies these men established subject journals, modelled on existing    scientific journals and the Phrenological Association, which first met    in 1838, to mimic the British Association for the Advancement of Science    (from which phrenology had been excluded). See Timeline and the ' Introductory Statement '    to the Phrenological Journal, 1823. From its beginnings as a social activity in Britain, phrenology


What Roman dome, commissioned by Agrippa in ancient times, still stands today?

Pantheon - Ancient History Encyclopedia Pantheon by Mark Cartwright published on 12 June 2013 The Pantheon is the best preserved building from ancient Rome and was completed in c. 125 CE in the reign of Hadrian . Its magnificent dome is a lasting testimony to the genius of Roman architects and as the building stands virtually intact it offers a unique opportunity for the modern visitor to step back 2,000 years and experience the glory that was Rome.   Function & Dedication The purpose of the building is not known for certain but the name, porch and pediment decoration suggest a temple of some sort. However, no cult is known to all of the gods and so the Pantheon may have been designed as a place where the emperor could make public appearances in a setting which reminded onlookers of his divine status, equal with the other gods of the Roman pantheon and his deified emperor predecessors.  Remove Ads Advertisement The Pantheon was built on the exact site of two earlier Pantheon buildings, one commissioned by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (27-25 BCE) and the second by Domitian . The first was destroyed by fire in 80 CE and the second was struck by lightning in 110 CE and again burned down. The third Pantheon was probably begun in the reign of Trajan (98-117 CE) but not finally finished until around 125 CE when Hadrian was emperor.  Following Hadrian’s usual practice of dedicating rebuilt buildings and monuments in honour of the original dedicator, the Pantheon is dedicated to Marcus Agrippa and the prominent inscription on the porch façade reads: M. AGRIPPA L.F. COS TERTIUM FECIT (Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, three-time consul , made this). Below the main inscription is a smaller one indicating the restorations carried out by Septimius Severus and Caracalla in 202 CE and reads: pantheum vetustate corruptum cum omni cultu restituerunt (with every refinement they restored the Pantheum, worn by age). Exterior The whole building stands on a 1.3 m high base which originally extended a further 7 metres in front of the colonnade. Steps in Numidian yellow marble extended from the outer ends of this base. The building consists of two principal parts - the porch, which is very Classical Greek in presentation, and the circular main building which is much more Roman in style and reminiscent of the architecture of the large Roman baths . The circular building is built with brick and concrete but was originally faced with white marble stucco to match the porch in appearance. The dome is concrete with the external surface originally covered in sheets of bronze but these were removed by Constans II in 663 CE. Remove Ads Advertisement The porch measures 33.1 x 13.6 m and presents a front colonnade of eight Corinthian columns 11.8 m high. The monolithic column shafts are in Mons Claudianus and Aswan grey granite with the bases and capitals in white Pentelic marble. The pediment above the columns is now empty but drill holes suggest there was originally an emblem of some sort, possibly an eagle or wreath which would have been in gilded bronze and symbolised Jupiter . The porch was faced with white Pentelic marble and is decorated with reliefs showing objects used in religious sacrifices (such as dishes, boxes and axes), garlands and candelabras. The interior of the porch measures 34 x 20 m and has four rose-pink columns creating three aisles. The pavement is restored but reflects the original design with grey granite rectangles and circles in white marble. The interior of the porch was also panelled with marble but this has since been lost, revealing the brickwork. Interior The Pantheon may well be the first building from Classical architecture where the interior is deliberately made to outshine the exterior. The circular part of the building or rotunda was entranced via two bronze doors measuring 12 x 7.5 m (those of today are ancient but not original). The rotunda measures 43.2 m in diameter which is exactly the maximum height of the dome, itself a perfect hemisphere. At the very top of the dome is an opening to the sky (oculus) which is 8.8 m


In what country was the Pravda newspaper published?

Pravda | Soviet newspaper | Britannica.com Soviet newspaper Russia Pravda, (     Russian: “Truth”) newspaper that was the official organ of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1918 to 1991. After the collapse of the Soviet Union , numerous publications and Web sites continued under the Pravda name. Pravda published its first issue on May 5, 1912, in Saint Petersburg . Founded as a workers’ daily, the paper eventually became an important organ of the Bolshevik movement, and Vladimir Lenin exercised broad editorial control. It was repeatedly suppressed by the tsar’s police, reappearing each time with a different name, until it finally emerged in Moscow in 1918 to assume its role as the official party paper. During the Soviet era, Pravda was distributed nationwide, offering its readers well-written articles and analyses on science, economics, cultural topics, and literature. There were letters from readers and officially sponsored and approved materials to indoctrinate and inform its readers on Communist theory and programs. Its treatment of foreign affairs generally was limited to domestic matters within foreign countries. International relations was left to the official Soviet government newspaper Izvestiya . Pravda’s pages featured pleasing makeup, occasional photography, and attractive typography. It carried no Western-style scandal or sensational news; rather, it sought to encourage unity of thought on the part of its readers by stressing and interpreting the party line. Many of its editorials were reprinted in other Soviet and Soviet-bloc papers. After the demise of Communist power in the Soviet Union in 1991, Pravda’s readership shrank precipitously. In 1992 the paper was sold to Greek investors Theodoros and Christos Giannikos. Pravda became the voice of conservative-nationalist opposition, yet it continued to suffer declining readership. A period of instability ensued—which included closure in 1996—before the paper became the chief organ of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation in 1997. While this remained the only print edition of Pravda, editors associated with the Soviet-era publication launched the Web site Pravda.ru, which was not connected to the Communist Party organ. It presented tabloid-style Russian nationalist commentary in a number of languages, including English. In 2000 Ukrainian dissident journalist Georgy Gongadze founded Ukrainska Pravda (“Ukrainian Truth”) shortly before he was killed by Ukrainian security forces. The publication survived his death and became one of Ukraine’s most-respected news sites. Learn More in these related articles: in Russia


What giant bird was hunted to extinction by Māori people on New Zealand?

9 Extinct Big Birds | Mental Floss 9 Extinct Big Birds filed under: birds , extinction , Miss Cellania Like us on Facebook Our friend from Sesame Street may be a big bird, but he’s tiny compared to some real birds that have roamed the earth in the past. Here are a representative few of these big birds we will never see alive again. In some cases, that’s a comforting thought. 1. Gastornis There were four or five species of the bird genus Gastornis that lived in North America, Europe, and Asia 55 to 40 million years ago. The North American bird was previously known as Diatryma before it was reclassified. Gastornis were big flightless birds, the largest species being Gastornis giganteus , which grew to 6.5 feet tall. But they weren’t anything to be afraid of -unless you were a plant. Its powerful beak was used to crush seeds and fruit. That’s right, this bird was a vegetarian! However, it could well have used that beak as a defense against attackers. The top picture is a 1917 illustration of what Gastornis may have looked like. 2. Pelagornis Chilensis Photograph by Ghedoghedo . Just a few years ago, it was thought that Pelagornis chilensis had the largest wingspan possible for a bird at 17 feet. P. chilensis lived in Chile 5 to 10 million years ago, where it skimmed the ocean surface for fish. That large wingspan was necessary to carry a 64-pound flying body. It is classified as a pelagornithid, or bony-toothed (“pseudotooth”) bird. Some other species of pelagornithids may have survived long enough to have been seen by humans. 3. Pelagornis Sandersi Photograph by Ryan Somma . The idea that 17 feet was the upper wingspan limit for flying birds was shattered in 2014. Pelagornis sandersi is largest flying bird yet found, with a wingspan of up to 24 feet! The fossil was found in Charleston, South Carolina in 1983, but it was kept in storage for thirty years before anyone studied its measurements. And now that we know how big this pseudotooth was, the mystery that remains is how it ever achieved liftoff with such long wings. It’s possible that the bird jumped off seaside cliffs . 4. Andalgalornis Illustration by John Conway . Andalgalornis steulleti was a Phorusrhacid that stood 4.5 feet tall and weighed about 90 pounds. Phorusrhacids , the 18 species of the family Phorusrhacidae, are commonly called “terror birds,” because they were huge apex predators during the Cenozoic era. Andalgalornis lived in Argentina around 6 million years ago. Its skull was distinctively thin as seen from above, but its narrow beak appears huge from the side. Andalgalornis had a rigid-boned skull that gave it a powerful bite compared to other birds with more lightweight construction. 5. Kelenken Illustration by FunkMonk (Michael B. H. ). The largest terror bird was Kelenken guillermoi , which lived 15 million years ago in Argentina. Kelenken stood somewhere between seven and ten feet tall. Its lower leg bone is 45 centimeters (18 inches), and it had a skull 71 centimeters (28 inches) long with a 45 centimeter beak. This flightless bird weighed around 500 pounds and killed its prey with its massive beak. 6. Titanis Walleri Illustration by Dmitry Bogdanov . The terror bird Titanis walleri became an American Phorusrhacid as a result of species moving over the Isthmus of Panama about three million years ago. Its fossils have been found in Texas and Florida . T. walleri lived from 5 to 2 million years ago. This bird stood eight feet tall and weighed over 300 pounds. The species, in a fictionalized form, stars in the 2006 novel The Flock by James Robert Smith. 7. Haast’s Eagle Illustration by John Megahan . Haast’s eagle is extinct, but not exactly prehistoric. Scientists believe the youngest fossils may be only 500 years old, which means the eagle’s extinction was probably due to human hunting of the eagle’s main prey, the moa. Haast’s eagle (Harpagornis moorei) was native to New Zealand, and was the largest eagle that ever lived. The female, larger than the male, weighed 10–15 kilograms (22–33 pounds) and had a wingspan of 8-10 feet. The species had a rel


What canal opened in 1869 after 10 years of excavation using forced labor?

Suez Canal - Graces Guide Grace's Guide British Industrial History Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and     manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 121,917 pages of     information and 183,284 images on early companies, their products and the     people who designed and built them. Suez Canal 1869. Entrance to the Canal at Port Said. 1869. Plan of entrance. 1869. Lighthouse in the Bitter Lakes. 1869. Lighthouses on the Lakes Amers. In 1854 and 1856 Ferdinand de Lesseps obtained a concession from Sa'id Pasha, the Khedive of Egypt and Sudan, to create a company to construct a canal open to ships of all nations. The company was to operate the canal for 99 years from its opening. De Lesseps had used his friendly relationship with Sa'id, which he had developed while he was a French diplomat in the 1830s. As stipulated in the concessions, de Lesseps convened the International Commission for the piercing of the isthmus of Suez consisting of 13 experts from seven countries, among them John Robinson McClean , to examine the plans developed by Linant de Bellefonds, and to advise on the feasibility of and the best route for the canal. After surveys and analyses in Egypt and discussions in Paris on various aspects of the canal, the commission produced a unanimous report in December 1856 containing a detailed description of the canal complete with plans and profiles. The Suez Canal Company came into being on 15 December 1858 and work started on the shore of the future Port Said on 25 April 1859. The excavation took some 10 years using forced labor of Egyptian workers. Some sources estimate that over 30,000 people were working on the canal at any given period, that more than 1.5 million people from various countries were employed, and that thousands of laborers died. The canal opened under French control on 17 November 1869. Although numerous technical, political, and financial problems had been overcome, the final cost was more than double the original estimate. After the opening the Suez Canal Company was in financial difficulties. The remaining works were completed only in 1871, and traffic was below expectations in the first two years. See Also


"What was the name of Dorothy's dog in ""The Wizard of Oz""?"

Dorothy Gale | Oz Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia ― The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) Dorothy and Toto in Kansas. By W. W. Denslow 1900. "...a place where there isn't any trouble? Do you suppose there is such a place, Toto ? There must be. It's not a place you can get to by a boat or a train, it's far, far away, behind the moon, beyond the rain..." ―The Wizard of Oz (1939) Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale. 1939. Dorothy Gale is a fictional character created by L. Frank Baum , author and creator of the Oz Legacy. She is the adolescent protagonist and heroine of Baum's first Oz book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , published in 1900 and considered one of the earliest American Fairytales ever written. The story begins with Dorothy, the first character introduced, her name the very first word of the very first chapter, The Cyclone. Dorothy and Toto asleep in the storm. W. W. Denslow 1900. "...It wasn't a dream. It was a place. And you and you and you...and you were there! But you couldn't have been could you? No, Aunt Em , this was a real truly live place and I remember some of it wasn't very nice, but most of it was beautiful--but just the same all I kept saying to everybody was "I want to go home," and they sent me home! Doesn't anybody believe me? " ―The Wizard of Oz (1939) Contents Goddess of Gifts Fairuza Balk as Dorothy Gale in Return to Oz. Dorothy's name is a loosely based version of "Theodore" which means "Gift of the Gods". "Dorothy", therefore, as a female companion to Theodore would translate to "Goddess of Gifts". Dorothy was born before the turn of the twentieth century on June 10th, year unknown. She shares her birthday with her iconic 1939 movie musical counterpart portrayed by Judy Garland . Like Garland, her Zodiac sign is Gemini. Surprisingly, Dorothy's last name isn't revealed in the original 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It was not mentioned until the 1902 stage version of the story Baum created after the book's publication and subsequent success; "My name is Dorothy Gale. I'm one of the Kansas Gales. " To which the Scarecrow replies, "Well, that explains your breezy manner. " In the later Oz books, Baum kept the name but mercifully spared his readers the pun. Once Upon A Time In Kansas... Dorothy Gale It is the last days of the old west; the nineteenth century nears its end. Dorothy Gale is an orphan child from Kansas , and here in the sun-baked heart of America, Dorothy lives with her Uncle Henry who's a farmer, and her Aunt Em , the farmer's wife. Dorothy's only friend and sole source of happiness is a small, black, pet dog whom she calls Toto and loves dearly. There they all reside on a isolated farm consumed by poverty and drought. Just when it seems that things can’t get any worse for the Gales, a storm hits the farmland and brings a monstrous cyclone with it. The cyclone lifts the farmhouse, carrying Dorothy and Toto away to the undiscovered Land of Oz , a marvelous, magical land protected by a harsh Deadly Desert and is populated by strange creatures, fierce beasts, and friendly little people who live under the rule of witches and sorcerers. Dorothy Gale's arrival in Oz. By artist Drew Struzan. The first witch Dorothy encounters, the Good Witch of the North , lacks the power to send her and Toto home. The only one who might be powerful enough to truly help Dorothy is Oz's mysterious and reclusive dominant ruler, the great and powerful Wizard . The girl and her dog are then forced to embark on a remarkable journey filled with many dangers and adventures as they travel across Oz to seek him. However, no one knows that this Wizard has a shocking secret to protect! And to do so he will send Dorothy to prove herself worthy of his assistance; to successfully eliminate Oz's most dreaded baddie--the Wicked Witch of the West , or die trying. "Well, I think that it wasn't enough to just want to see Uncle Henry and Auntie Em, and it's that if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own back yard. Because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with. Is th


What city in southern France hosts a famous film festival?

Cities of France - Official City Sites Cities of France City Index ___ Cities of France Visit famous French cities like Bordeaux, Cannes, Chamonix, Chartres, Clermont-Ferrand, Limoges, Marseille, Nice and Paris. Below a list of the official city sites of important cities in France. Find information on the cities, as well as official visitors bureaus and travel and tourism offices with tips for travel, activities, sightseeing, lodging and accommodations for your next holidays in France. Bookmark/share this page Note: External links will open in a new browser window.


Who was the first actor to star as Batman?

The 9 actors who’ve played Batman | Den of Geek Search The 9 actors who’ve played Batman We look at the nine actors who’ve graced Batman's cowl on the big screen, including Mr Ben Affleck… j Holy revolving door, Batman! The Caped Crusader has been portrayed by more actors than any other superhero in movie history – nine to be exact. Most have lasted for just one film, but with the release of The Dark Knight Rises, Christian Bale became the first man to have played Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego more than twice on the silver screen. He didn’t have much competition – Michael Keaton was the only prior actor to reprise the role. Will Arnett will also join that club when his LEGO Batman movie hits cinemas in 2017. Ben Affleck could well throw all these records out, of course, given the sprawling DC Extended Universe plans now afoot and his vital involvement in them. Here's the nine actor who've played Gotham's Dark Knight... 1. Lewis G Wilson Wilson was the first and youngest actor ever to play the adult Batman, and also the least successful. At 23, the unknown thespian donned the cape and the cowl in the 15-part 1943 Columbia serial Batman. While he looked the part of the dashing playboy, his physique was more Danny DeVito as the Penguin. One critic described Wilson as “thick about the middle.” Maybe that was why he wore his utility belt just below his chest. Critics also complained that his voice was too high and that he had a Boston accent. That, of course, wouldn’t be the last time someone complained about Batman’s voice. After Batman, Wilson’s career went nowhere. Most of his roles went uncredited. His next biggest movie part was probably in the 1951 cult classic Bowanga Bowanga. A few years later he was out of showbiz altogether. His son, Michael G Wilson, however, fared better in Hollywood, becoming the executive producer of the James Bond series. Lewis G Wilson died in 2000. 2. Robert Lowrey Lowery took over the role in the follow-up serial, 1949’s Batman And Robin. Unlike Lewis, Lowery, 36 at the time, was a veteran actor, having already appeared in The Mark Of Zorro (1940), The Mummy's Ghost (1944) and Dangerous Passage (1944). He also filled out the Batsuit better than Lewis, with his utility belt hanging where you would expect it on a non-octogenarian. Though Lowery never played Batman in another movie, he did get to wear the cape once more and make superhero history in the process. In 1956 he guest-starred on an episode of The Adventures Of Superman, marking the first time a Batman actor shared screen time with a Superman actor. (One for the fact fans: the two actors also appeared together in their pre-superhero days, in a WWII anti-VD propaganda film called Sex Hygiene).  After Batman, Lowrey enjoyed another 20 years in movies and TV. He died in 1971. 3. Adam West The man logging the most hours in the Batcave, of course, was William West Anderson, whom you probably know better as Adam West. Either you love him for his goofy charm or hate him for blemishing the Bat’s image for several decades. His campy, over-the-top portrayal of Gotham’s Guardian infiltrated nearly every medium, including a 1966 movie and several animated series. Legend has it producer William Dozier cast West after seeing him play a James Bond-like spy called Captain Q in a Nestlé Quik TV ad. He beat future Wonder Woman co-star Lyle Waggoner for the role. Dozier, who supposedly hated comic books, decided the only way the show would be successful was if they camped it up. So blame him. Things would almost come full circle when, in 1970, West was offered the role of James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever. West declined, later writing in his autobiography that he believed Bond should always be played by a Brit. Holy bad career moves, Batman! After the Batman series went off the air in 1968, West was resigned to typecast hell. At one point he was forced to make public appearances as the Caped Crusader to earn a living. Then, in 1977, he returned to the tube as Batman, doing his voice in The New Adventures Of Batman, and then on such shows as Super Frien


What movie starred Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis?

Mila Kunis reveals Natalie Portman is 'the one person in the world Ashton Kutcher and I have both kissed' | Daily Mail Online comments This will have definitely given them something to talk about. Mila Kunis has revealed a 'little known fact' in a new interview - that Natalie Portman is the one person she and husband Ashton Kutcher have both kissed. The actress - who starred with Natalie in 2010 movie Black Swan - revealed to Reddit : 'She's a lovely kisser, very polite..' Scroll down for video  Similar tastes! Mila Kunis reveals Natalie Portman is 'the one person in the world Ashton Kutcher and I have both kissed' in a new interview for Reddit  'But here's a little known fact: there's one person in the world that both Ashton [Kutcher] and I have kissed, and that's Natalie Portman'. Ashton also starred with Natalie before, in the 2011 sexy romantic comedy No Strings Attached. Talking about her kiss with Natalie, Mila added: 'I mean… when you have a kissing scene in a film it’s not something you think about as a kissing thing. You have all these crew around. Raunchy! Ashton Kutcher and a topless Natalie Portman in the 2011 romantic comedy No Strings Attached Smooch: Natalie and Mila also locked lips a year earlier, in the 2010 thriller Black Swan  Something to talk about: Another scene from No Strings Attached (2011) The Jupiter Ascending star also revealed that she is loving being a stay-at-home mother to her new baby daughter Wyatt. And she also revealed she has been speaking Russian to the tot. 'I speak Russian to the baby all the time. My parents speak Russian to the baby all the time. And Ashton’s taking Russian lessons.' Mila was then asked by a fan about her Ashton's smell. She replied: 'He smells like a man. A real man! But he smells like a man. He does not wear cologne. But he makes sure he showers. Never offending. He has a very good natural smell about him, yeah. They like what they see! Ashton and Mila at a basketball game in December last year  Lucky lady: Natalie Portman - seen here in Paris last week - has kissed both Mila AND Ashton


What country produces the most films each year?

Which Country Makes The Most Movies? Which Country Makes The Most Movies? 2008.12.31 | Filed Under: The World Hollywood was the world’s film-making capital for many years. But today, the United States is no longer number one among film making nations, it’s not even number two! Seven nations now make more full-length movies each year than the United States. Japan, France, Italy, the Philippines, the former Soviet Union, and Mexico each make more films each year than this country. But the leading movie-making nation on earth is now India. In a recent year, when only 156 films were made in the United States, 475 full-length films were made in India. Read More Which movies have portrayed the value of friendship among women? Hell Ice It’s not all about most or longest, it’s all about great movies, so Hollywood is still number one, because movies of Hollywood are still great, unlike all other countries where they only care about calling their random works with “Movies” !! Go Hollywood ! Sam Hollywood is a rich industry in comparision to bollywood(India).According to our above friend Hell Ice,Hollywood make great movies.But it’s not true.Hollywood do not make great movies,rather it makes EXPENSIVE or BIG BUDGET films.But only some of them has a meaningful story.In India,there are not Big Budget films,but there are good story movies.Hell Ice is a action loving guy,so it called hollywood movies as great.But he is not considering story,music.screenplay,etc. Bill A. Hollywood makes the crappiest movies B. The Soviet Union hasn’t existed for 20 years. C. Hollywood is essentially a employment service for the rich and untalented. Go watch Batman 15 and tell us how eating poop tastes the best. haha HOLLYWOOD MAKE MOVIES ? HUH ? Never heard in my LIFE . Where is HOLLYWOOD ? Oh Let me think Um Oh I.C where you will find only None American People makes Movies in Hollywood ? Oh alright. USA don’t know how make movies period today’s Hollywood build by the out side people , Country like Italy, German, France, Japan, UK ,India ,and Latin America . Hope you guys will able to find what I’m trying to say the critic Either all of you are overtly nationalistic indians who lives in a bubble or idiots who pretends they know something. @ SAM so you mean indian movies are better in general? Definitely, I dont agree. There are many crap movies in US but it goes the same for India and other countries. And being a great movie doesnt mean it need not be expensive. Movies are ALSO for audio visual purposes and not only story. If you think the stories or screenplay in hollywood sucks while in India its not then wake up and poke your bubble because you are an ethnocentric person babyson preson No one cares what u think. Indian movies are the best…. Ultimate Critic The critic likes to criticize and take an anti position. But Sam is also wrong. There are a few movies made by each country which are really great/ good. Some movies entertain the general public, yet a few others only satisfy the critics. There are films from different genres – some tell a great story, some are visually appealing, some humorous and others are great in action or horror. It depends on your choice. Hollywood does produce some really great movies. But then so do other countries. Since there are many English speaking/ knowing nations, they tend to watch Hollywood and UK movies more. Hence obviously their greater popularity. We are writing this post in English and so obviously you will have people who know the language and will watch hollywood movies. But then how many have watched an Akira Kurusowa Movie to know how a movie is to be made? Not many I guess………….. Dr Chopra Movies are for entertainment – Some like comedy, some action …. some drama some musicals… A typical Indian movie has to cater to over 1 BILLION and has all the above elements – Now they don’t make all perfect movies but neither does Italy, German, France, Japan, UK… As far as quantity is concerned India makes over 750 movies a year … I say watch whatever tickles your fantasies and enjoy the movies while you still c


What movie took place in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania?

Groundhog Day Pennsylvania | Official Travel Guide 1 Groundhog Day 2017 The Prognosticator of Prognosticators, Punxsutawney Phil, will once again appear at sunrise on February 2 at Gobbler's Knob in the Pennsylvania Wilds to make his annual prediction on the 131st Groundhog Day. Can't be in Punxsutawney ? You can watch it here . Or learn about the biggest party in the Pennsylvania Wilds  here . Stay tuned  all year long for updates or check out visitPA on  Facebook ,  Twitter  and Instagram .  The Pennsylvania Tradition of the Groundhog What does a sleepy, furry marmot have to do with seasonal change? According to fans of Punxsutawney Phil, everything! But why? The story begins with Candlemas, an early Christian holiday where candles were blessed and distributed. Celebrators of the holiday eventually declared clear skies on Candlemas meant a longer winter. The Roman legions, during the conquest of the northern country, brought this tradition to the Germans, who concluded that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, a hedgehog would cast a shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of bad weather or "Second Winter." German immigrants brought the tradition to Pennsylvania, but how did Punxsutawney Phil emerge? In 1886, a spirited group of groundhog hunters from Punxsutawney dubbed themselves "The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club." One member was an editor of Punxsutawney's newspaper. Using his ink, he proclaimed Punxsutawney Phil, the local groundhog, to be the one and only weather prognosticating groundhog. He issued this proclamation on Candlemas, and yes, Groundhog Day. Phil's fame spread, and newspapers from around the globe began to report his Gobbler's Knob prediction. Today you will find 20,000+ in attendance and millions watching on television or via the web.


Who was born as an old man and died as a baby?

Cop-out! Benjamin Button Delivers Old-Man Baby But Botches Old-Baby Man -- Vulture Print Share Sure, we cried at the end of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Pretty much anyone who's ever held a baby in his arms cried at the end of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. But our tears were tears of anger! Because we were angry! When we saw the old-man baby that Brad Pitt's character begins his life as, rendered in incredible detail through David Fincher's ingenious and near-perfect use of special effects, we got pretty excited about the movie's finale. But Benjamin Button totally copped out! Read our gripe, with photographic evidence (and spoilers!), after the jump. So here is our problem with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: David Fincher delivers the old-man baby the trailer promised, but completely botches it in portraying the old-baby man that Brad Pitt should've become at the end of the movie. Benjamin Button is born an old-man baby: a wizened, 80-year-old man, stuffed into a body the size and shape of a newborn infant's. His body grows taller and larger throughout his "childhood," until, by the time he's 18 or so, his body is the size of an adult's, even though he still looks, like, 60. So it stands to reason that, as Benjamin Button approaches the end of his life, he should become a child, and then a baby, stuffed into a body the size and shape of an old man's, right? So why did Benjamin Button chicken out? We would never have guessed, given the movie's reported $167 million budget, but it seems like Paramount just didn't give Fincher enough money. "We just ran out of money," Fincher told MTV , when asked why he cast child actors as young Benjamin Button. "We could have made [Pitt] into a baby … If we could get the money to do him as a 12-year-old, I would have done him as a 12-year-old." That would be closer to what we wanted to see, and we would fully support Paramount giving Fincher another $50 million to re-create those scenes for the DVD, but we're still not convinced that he fully understands the old-baby man his movie's ending requires. We demand an old-baby man, David Fincher! Tags:


What chubby director had a famous silhouette?

Alfred Hitchcock - Biography - IMDb Alfred Hitchcock Biography Showing all 191 items Jump to: Overview  (5) | Mini Bio  (1) | Spouse  (1) | Trade Mark  (19) | Trivia  (100) | Personal Quotes  (57) | Salary  (8) Overview (5) 5' 7" (1.7 m) Mini Bio (1) Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was born in Leytonstone, Essex, England. He was the son of Emma Jane (Whelan; 1863 - 1942) and East End greengrocer William Hitchcock (1862 - 1914). His parents were both of half English and half Irish ancestry. He had two older siblings, William Hitchcock (born 1890) and Eileen Hitchcock (born 1892). Raised as a strict Catholic and attending Saint Ignatius College, a school run by Jesuits, Hitch had very much of a regular upbringing. His first job outside of the family business was in 1915 as an estimator for the Henley Telegraph and Cable Company. His interest in movies began at around this time, frequently visiting the cinema and reading US trade journals. It was around 1920 when Hitchcock joined the film industry. He started off drawing the sets (he was a very skilled artist). It was there that he met Alma Reville , though they never really spoke to each other. It was only after the director for Always Tell Your Wife (1923) fell ill and Hitchcock was named director to complete the film that he and Reville began to collaborate. Hitchcock had his first real crack at directing a film, start to finish, in 1923 when he was hired to direct the film Number 13 (1922), though the production wasn't completed due to the studio's closure (he later remade it as a sound film). Hitchcock didn't give up then. He directed The Pleasure Garden (1925), a British/German production, which was very popular. Hitchcock made his first trademark film in 1927, The Lodger (1927) . In the same year, on the 2nd of December, Hitchcock married Alma Reville. They had one child, _Patricia Hitchcock_ who was born on July 7th, 1928. His success followed when he made a number of films in Britain such as The Lady Vanishes (1938) and Jamaica Inn (1939), some of which also gained him fame in the USA. In 1940, the Hitchcock family moved to Hollywood, where the producer _David O. Selznick_had hired him to direct an adaptation of 'Daphne du Maurier''s Rebecca (1940). After Saboteur (1942), as his fame as a director grew, film companies began to refer to his films as 'Alfred Hitchcock's', for example Alfred Hitcock's Psycho (1960), Alfred Hitchcock's Family Plot (1976), Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy (1972). Hitchcock was a master of pure cinema who almost never failed to reconcile aesthetics with the demands of the box-office. During the making of Frenzy (1972), Hitchcock's wife Alma suffered a paralyzing stroke which made her unable to walk very well. On March 7, 1979, Hitchcock was awarded the AFI Life Achievement Award, where he said: "I beg permission to mention by name only four people who have given me the most affection, appreciation, and encouragement, and constant collaboration. The first of the four is a film editor, the second is a scriptwriter, the third is the mother of my daughter Pat, and the fourth is as fine a cook as ever performed miracles in a domestic kitchen and their names are Alma Reville." By this time, he was ill with angina and his kidneys had already started to fail. He had started to write a screenplay with _Ernest Lehman_ called The Short Night but he fired Lehman and hired young writer David Freeman to rewrite the script. Due to Hitchcock's failing health the film was never made, but Freeman published the script after Hitchcock's death. In late 1979, Hitchcock was knighted, making him Sir Alfred Hitchcock. On the 29th April 1980, 9:17AM, he died peacefully in his sleep due to renal failure. His funeral was held in the Church of Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. Father Thomas Sullivan led the service with over 600 people attended the service, among them were Mel Brooks (director of High Anxiety (1977), a comedy tribute to Hitchcock and his films), Louis Jourdan , Karl Malden , Tippi Hedren , Janet Leigh and François Truffaut . - IMDb Mini Biography By: Col Needham <co


"What movie is subtitled ""How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb""?"

Moviesubtitles.org - Download subtitles for "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)" movie Moviesubtitles.org Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) 5 subtitles downloaded 968 times


"Who starred as Arnold Schwarzenegger's ""Twin""?"

Arnold Schwarzenegger in New 'Twins', 'Conan' and 'Terminator' Sequels · Guardian Liberty Voice Share on Facebook Follow on Facebook Add to Google+ Connect on Linked in Subscribe by Email Print This Post Arnold Schwarzenegger has recently returned to the silver screen from hiatus while being the governor of California, and he is not wasting any time on getting back behind the screen. Arnold Schwarzenegger is rumored to star in new Twins, Conan and Terminator sequels. We have already seen Arnold return in small parts like in the 2010 film The Expendables 2, which he is again set to reprise the role for The Expendables 3 coming out later this year. Arnold recently starred in the 2013 film The Last Stand, where he played a small town sheriff taking on a Mexican cartel. Arnold also recently co-starred with Sylvester Stallone in the 2013 film Escape Plan, where they played convicts in a maximum-security prison that help each other out in escaping prison, thus the well deserved title of the film. Recently released on March 28, Arnold’s latest action film, Sabotage, hit theaters. The film is directed by David Ayer and stars Arnold alongside a great cast including Sam Worthington, Terrence Howard, Joe Manganiello and Lost fan favorite Josh Holloway. But the real rise in interest to Arnold Schwarzenegger returning to the big screen are the rumors going around of possibly making sequels to some of Arnold’s best classic films that made us all love the musclebound star. Some of those rumors have already turned out to be fact, below are the three sequels most buzzed about which are Twins, Conan and The Terminator. 3.) Terminator: Genesis (2015) Besides the rumors of Arnold Schwarzenegger starring in new Twins and Conan sequels, Arnold is already set to star in the new Terminator film that will begin shooting soon and is set to be out on July 2015. The new film is not quite a reboot yet also not a direct sequel. The former governor will once again play the titular role, although this time there might be a twist as rumors of alter-dimensional time traveling has been buzzing around that could change the events that have occurred in the past films. Emilia Clarke from HBO’s Game of Thrones will be playing Sarah Conner, Jason Clarke will play Kyle Reese and Jai Courtney is set to play John Connor. Alan Taylor, who most recently helmed Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World last year, will direct the new film. Excitement is high for this new installment as it brings back Arnold as the original Terminator, who last we saw was in the least disliked film of the franchise, the 2003 film Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. 2.) Twins 2: AKA Triplets (Date TBA) Arnold Schwarzenegger is set to star in a remake to his 1988 comedy co-starring Danny DeVito, Twins. So far this is still in very early stages of development, but the new take on the film will be that Eddie Murphy will be a long-lost brother to Arnold and Danny DeVito’s characters from the original film. While the premise of Eddie Murphy being their brother seems funky, remember that we already accepted a film where five-foot Danny DeVito was supposed to be Arnold Schwarzenegger’s biological twin, so this new take is not much of a stretch. The idea of seeing these three Hollywood icons together on the big screen would be something quite special to experience. 1.) Conan (Date TBA) Since the new Terminator sequel is already a known reality, this rumor is the one most are excited for, a true sequel to the original Conan films from the 80’s with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Not only is it rumored that Arnold will be in the new film, but it will not be as a cameo or other any other type of small part, and it will not be a reboot. Arnold will reprise his original role of Conan and the film will take place 30 years later, where Conan is now King. Conan the Barbarian and its sequel Conan the Destroyer were classic 80’s action cinema, an era dominated by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Let’s all hope that this new sequel will be even grander in scale than its predecessors. We can all look forward to seeing Arnold Schwarzen


"What movie ended with the line ""I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship""?"

Casablanca ending - YouTube Casablanca ending 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 Jul 24, 2007 ending of the film, Casablanca where Rick tells Louie, "Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." Category


"What was the name of the snowman in the movie ""Frozen""?"

How did that silly snowman become the best part of Frozen? How did that silly snowman become the best part of Frozen? Go to permalink When you watch the trailers for Disney's Frozen, the absent-minded Olaf the Snowman looks like he could get seriously annoying. But when you actually watch the film, Olaf steals the show. How did the comedy side character become the best part of Frozen? We talked to voice actor Josh Gad about the process of creating a cartoon character with the spark of life. Advertisement I don't know how much of your face is in the face of the snowman, but I do know that Disney records your face while you're reading lines for inspiration. So what's it like seeing your face and voice coming out of a snowman? Josh Gad: Oh, it's surreal. When I first started the project, I got a chance to speak to the animators. And I got a chance to record some of my stuff for them and show them my physicalization. They do always have a camera on you when you're doing the voice, and then to see that translate into the character... Here's how I know it's accurate, I took my daughter (when she was about 2 and a half) to go see Monster's University (her first film) and attached to that movie was a teaser for Frozen. Within the first ten seconds she turned to me and goes, "thats Dada!" She knew immediately, it's incredible. I have my own Disney character. There's nothing cooler than that. Advertisement And he's kind of the face of Frozen. It is weirdly the face of Frozen, which is amazing to me. I'm so honored to be a part of something like this. Having just seen the film for the first time, myself I can't get over how good it is. It really is a classic Disney film, It feels bigger than life. It's so wonderful. You kind of steal the show a little bit, but Olaf the snowman is a side character. There's a long list of amazing Disney side characters, who are your favorites and how do you think Olaf holds up to the past characters? Sponsored I think what makes him so nice is, yes, he's essentially a side comic relief character. But he also represents the innocence of the girls. Which I think is an amazing quality. He is that vestige of their childhood (without giving too much away about the film) that they both kind of cling on to as a time of lost innocence. But to go to your question, growing up I was obsessed with Robin Williams performance as the Genie in Aladdin. I was obsessed with Nathan Lane Ernie Sabella as Timon and Pumba in Lion King. I was obsessed with — I forget the actor's name — who played Baloo in Jungle Book [Phil Harris]. To be a part of that long line of storied characters who do provide, not only the comic relief, but in a way that beating heart. That moment that I remember of Baloo is him standing over and watching Mowgli go. To have the pathos as well in a character as rich as this, it really is a dream come trull Because I was obsessed with these films. I watched them over and over again — we had to get like three VHS tapes of Jungle Book. Those are kind of my favorite characters. And of course Sebastian. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking of Robin Williams, he did a lot of improv which is fairly difficult when you're doing animation. There's this cadence or a little riff that you do in one scene with the "yeah why, yeah why," that I thought, no way that was scripted, did you do a lot of improv? A ton of improv. Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck [the directors] we were actually talking about this yesterday and I forgot, the first time you meet Olaf, that was the very first thing I ever recorded. It was almost recorded (and not an audition) — but it was an audition for the character himself. To see where we were going to go with him and what the rhythm of that would be. That very first scene you see of Olaf, is literally the very first take we ever did of it. And they kept it in the film, and it was just them letting me play and getting a feel for what this guy was. I think even "the funky looking reindeer" that was all improv. It was really fun to see the animators take this goofy little sidebar stuff, I'm


"In what country did the movie ""Mad Max"" take place?"

Mad Max (1979) - FAQ The content of this page was created directly by users and has not been screened or verified by IMDb staff. Visit our FAQ Help to learn more FAQ Did Goose and Jesse die? Yes, Max's boss mentions that "Goose bought it.". The Doctors talking about Jesse are convinced that she will die because her injuries are severe. The doctor instructs the nurse to re-assure Max that Jesse will be pull through. However, Max was right outside the room and overheard them talking about the extent of her injuries and that she won't survive. Are there two versions of the same film? Basically no, but there is one version with two audio differences; the first being the original Australian accented soundtrack and the second being the American dubbed soundtrack. Apart from dubbing the entire movie because Americans might find Australian accents difficult to understand, "Mad Max" in North America was completely the same cut. The original Australian dialogue soundtrack was released for the North American DVD premiere in 2000. Why does the Night Rider start crying while Max pursues him? The Night Rider probably experienced an acute onset of depression because he'd finally met an opponent who might catch him or matched him for driving ability. Also, he probably felt he couldn't escape. It actually adds another element of humor to the scene. It is also likely that he was relying on his reckless nature as an advantage to outmaneuver the police. Along comes an officer who beats him in a game of chicken, and who is also driving a patrol car that can catch up to the one he is driving from a dead stop, and he knows that he isn't likely to get out of this alive. Max' wife mentions that he has been on the news several times, it is also possible that Nightrider recognized the notorious Max in his rearview mirror. Barring all else, Nightrider is shown to be quite psychologically unstable, screaming like a lunatic in nearly every shot in which he appears. Merely losing the game of chicken may have been enough to damage his fragile psyche to that degree. What year does this film take place in? "A FEW YEARS FROM NOW..." but a specific year is never mentioned and so the exact year is left ambiguous, with signs of society breaking down. The film was influenced by fuel shortages in Australia in the mid-1970s due to the 1973 OPEC Oil Crisis, which led to several violent incidents throughout the country. Is this movie based on a book? No. It's an original story by director George Miller and his writing team. However, it's believed Miller did base it on riots that took place in 1970s Australia over fuel shortages and the muscle car culture that was popular back then. What are the differences between the old BBFC 18 Version and the R-Rated Version? The UK theatrical version was cut in one scene . This version was used for the old VHS by Warner from 1986. All other VHS and DVD releases are uncut. Approx. 50 seconds are missing in this version and a detailed comparison between both cuts can be found here.


In what movie did Gene Kelly dance with a streetlight?

Gene Kelly - IMDb IMDb Actor | Soundtrack | Director Eugene Curran Kelly was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the third son of Harriet Catherine (Curran) and James Patrick Joseph Kelly, a phonograph salesman. His father was of Irish descent and his mother was of Irish and German ancestry. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was the largest and most powerful studio in Hollywood when Gene Kelly arrived in town in ... See full bio » Born: a list of 26 people created 13 Jan 2012 a list of 36 people created 26 Jun 2013 a list of 43 people created 12 Aug 2013 a list of 35 images created 4 months ago a list of 37 people created 2 weeks ago Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of Gene Kelly's work have you seen? User Polls Nominated for     1     Oscar. Another    10 wins & 8 nominations. See more awards  » Known For  1984 The Love Boat (TV Series) Charles Dane  1957 Schlitz Playhouse (TV Series) Tom T. Triplet  2015 My Hindu Friend (performer: "Singin' in the Rain")  2015/I The Intern (performer: "You Were Meant For Me")  2015 Dough (performer: "Singin' in the Rain" from tt0045152)   Dancing with the Stars (TV Series) (2 episodes, 2006 - 2014) (performer - 1 episode, 2009) - Round Three: Results Show (2009) ... (performer: "Singin' in the Rain" - uncredited) - Round 7 (2006) ... ("Singin' in the Rain")  2014 Call the Midwife (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Episode #3.4 (2014) ... (performer: "You Were Meant for Me" - uncredited)  2012 Sawako no asa (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Jay Kabira (2012) ... (performer: "Singin' in the Rain")  2012 Gintberg på kanten (TV Series documentary) (performer - 1 episode) - Rigshospitalet (2012) ... (performer: "Singin' in the Rain" - uncredited)  2012 The Neighbors (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Pilot (2012) ... (performer: "Good Morning" - uncredited)  2011 Gent de paraula (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Episode #1.17 (2011) ... (performer: "New York, New York")  2010 Wishful Drinking (TV Movie documentary) (performer: "Singing in the Rain")  2009 50 años de (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Calle (2009) ... (performer: "Singin' In the Rain")  2009 Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing (Video documentary) (performer: "New York, New York", "Make Way for Tomorrow" - uncredited)  2008 Parashat Ha-Shavua (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - VaYakhel (2008) ... (performer: "Singin' in the Rain")  2008 Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical Treasure (TV Movie documentary) (performer: "New York, New York", "An American in Paris Ballet", "Good Morning", "Alter Ego Dance", "Dig-Dig-Dig Dig for Your Dinner", "Our Love Is Here to Stay", "Singin' in the Rain" - uncredited)  2007 Por Toda Minha Vida (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Nara Leão (2007) ... (performer: "Singing in the Rain")  2007 American Masters (TV Series documentary) (performer - 1 episode)  2007 The Pirate: A Musical Treasure Chest (Video documentary short) (performer: "Be a Clown")  2007 Family Guy (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Road to Rupert (2007) ... (performer: "The King Who Couldn't Dance (The Worry Song))  2000 Strangers with Candy (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Blank Relay (2000) ... (performer: "I Love to Go Swimmin' with Wimmen" - uncredited)  1998 The Object of My Affection (performer: "You Were Meant for Me")  1997 MGM Sing-Alongs: Friends (Video short) (performer: "Take Me Out to the Ballgame")  1997 MGM Sing-Alongs: Searching for Your Dreams (Video short) (performer: "The Worry Song")  1995 Friends (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - The One with Phoebe's Husband (1995) ... (performer: "Singing in the Rain" - uncredited)  1995 Forget Paris (performer: "Love Is Here To Stay")  1994 Léon: The Professional (performer: "I Like Myself")  1994 That's Entertainment! III (Documentary) (performer: "On the Town" (1944), "Ballin' the Jack" (1913), "You Wonderful You" (1950), "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" (1936), "An American in Paris Ballet" (1936), "Fit as a Fiddle" (1932), "The Heather on the Hill" (1947) - uncred


What musical featured the music of ABBA?

ABBA —   Free listening, videos, concerts, stats and photos at Last.fm ABBA was a pop music group that formed in Stockholm, Sweden in November 1970. The band consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad ( Frida ), Björn Ulvaeus , Benny Andersson , and Agnetha Fältskog . They topped the charts worldwide from 1972 to 1982 with eight studio albums, achieving twenty-six #1 singles and numerous awards. They also won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with " Waterloo ". A jukebox musical based on the music of ABBA titled Mamma Mia! opened in London's West End in 1999 and… read more