"Besides Sir Anthony Hopkins, which other ""Tony"" starred in the 1998 swashbuckler, 'The Mask Of Zorro'?"

The Mask of Zorro (Film) - TV Tropes The Mask of Zorro You need to login to do this. Get Known if you don't have an account Share Film / The Mask of Zorro × WMG The Mask of Zorro is a 1998 film which depicts the retirement of the aging Don Diego de la Vega as Zorro ( Anthony Hopkins ), and his training of a young punk ( Antonio Banderas ) as his replacement. There have so far been two films in the current treatment of the franchise, The Mask of Zorro and The Legend of Zorro (2005). The Mask of Zorro begins with the departure of the Spanish government from California, Northern Mexico. Don Rafael Montero, the Spanish governor of California, makes one last attempt to defeat the legendary outlaw Zorro but fails. Zorro returns home to his wife and baby daughter Elena, telling them that with the Spaniards out of Mexico, Zorro will retire. Not so fast : enter Don Rafael, who has deduced that Zorro is Don Diego. In the struggle that follows, Diego's wife is killed, his house burned to the ground and Rafael absconds with the baby. Zorro is arrested and thrown into prison. Twenty years later Diego escapes and, now a bitter, impoverished old man with nothing to live for, returns in secret to California. Unfortunately, so has Don Rafael, who has been put back into power by the wealthy Mexican landowners who are still loyal to him; he also has brought Elena ( Catherine Zeta-Jones ), whom he has raised as his own daughter. Meanwhile, young outlaw Alejandro Murieta (Antonio Banderas) has lost his older brother Joaquin to corrupt Texas lawman Captain Harrison Love ( Matt Letscher ). Later, Diego meets up with Alejandro and offers to train him to become the new Zorro. Rafael and Love, in the meantime, hatch a scheme to purchase California from the President of Mexico, using gold secretly mined from California itself, and then destroy the mine and all the workers inside , forcing Zorro to race to the rescue. In 2005, the sequel The Legend of Zorro was released. This film provides examples of: Action Girl : The audience was delighted to discover Elena wasn't just going to let Zorro take that map. Oh no. It didn't go down like that. And while the sequel is inferior, it was great fun to watch her go Action Mom and have just as many action scenes as her husband. All Girls Want Bad Boys : OK, Zorro is really a nice guy and a gentleman; but when Elena sees him for the first time, she mistakes him for a bandit or someone dangerous, and it's because of this that she is instantly smitten by him. Arch-Enemy : Don Rafael Montero to Don Diego and Captain Love to Alejandro. Aristocrats Are Evil : Don Rafael and the rest of the Dons Averted with Zorro as Diego De La Vega is himself an aristocrat, though he fights for the people and seems fairly cynical towards his social class. Authority Equals Asskicking : Montero and Love are both leagues above their regular mooks. Especially Montero, who seems to be tied with Don Diego for best pure swordsman in the movie yet still remains a Combat Pragmatist . Award Bait Song : "I Want To Spend My Lifetime Loving You" by Marc Anthony and Tina Arena. And written by James Horner and Will Jennings, the team responsible for the Titanic (1997) theme, to boot. Babies Ever After : In the closing sequence, Alejandro and Elena are shown to be living together with a son named Joaquin, in honor of Alejandro's brother. Zorro qualifies by accident when he improvises his way through Elena's confession while hiding in the confessional. The original Zorro disguises himself as a monk in the prologue before revealing himself. Badass Beard : Captain Love Badass Grandpa : Diego de La Vega and his archenemy Don Rafael (Stuart Wilson) in The Mask of Zorro. Both of them are capable of going one on one with the much younger Alejandro. Badass Moustache : Diego and Rafael both feature very Badass moustaches. Batman Gambit : Don Diego crashed Montero's party to spy on the dons, get the map, get some payback by setting the adjacent fields on fire, and even get close to his daughter. All came in handy later on. Bastardly Speech : By Montero up


Often used as bedding or house plants, how is Impatiens walleriana better known?

Impatiens: How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Impatiens | The Old Farmer's Almanac How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Impatiens White and orange impatiens Rate this Article:  Average: 3.7 (204 votes) Impatiens is a beautiful annual that makes an excellent houseplant or summer bedding plant. It is also known as “Busy Lizzie” and its name is a Latin word that describes the way its seeds shoot out of its pods when ripe (the slightest touch can make a ripe impatiens seed pod burst open and scatter its seeds). Impatiens like shade and moisture. Planting Plant impatiens transplants after the last spring frost in humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil. Make sure the plants have some shelter from the wind. The closer impatiens plants are, the taller they will grow, so space accordingly (impatiens plants can grown anywhere between 6 and 30 inches tall). For flower beds, plant 8 to 12 inches apart so the plants will stay low to the ground. You can mix in compost or a slow-release fertilizer before transplanting to help the plants. If you have impatiens plants in containers, use a sterile or soil-less growing mixture to ensure better drainage for the plants. Care The most important thing to remember about impatiens plants is to water them regularly. Keep them moist, but not too wet. If the plants dry out, they will lose their leaves. If you over-water the plants, this could encourage fungal diseases. Remember container plants will need more water. Pests/Diseases


Which Roald Dahl novel features the 'Oompa Loompas'?

The Oompa-Loompas - Roald Dahl Roald Dahl Description "'Of course they're real people,' Mr Wonka answered. 'They're Oompa-Loompas.'" - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory The Oompa-Loompas feature in two of Roald Dahl's stories: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - which has since been adapted for two films, an opera and a stage musical - and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.  The Oompa-Loompas are from Loompaland, which Mr Wonka describes as a terrible place. "Nothing but thick jungles infested by the most dangerous beasts in the world - hornswogglers and snozzwangers and those terrible wicked whangdoodles," he tells Charlie Bucket and the other Golden Ticket winners. Loompaland is such a terrible place that when Mr Wonka invited the Ooompa-Loompas to come back to his Chocolate Factory, they leapt at the chance. Now they live and work there, helping Mr Wonka with his experiments and generally keeping his Chocolate Factory going.  The Oompa-Loompas enjoy singing and dancing. They're always making up songs. Their favourite food is the cacao bean, the central ingredient in a bar of chocolate, and in the Wonka Factory they have access to as many cacao beans as they could possibly wish for. In the original book, the Oompa-Loompas are described as "tiny" people with "funny long hair." The iconic visual representation of them having orange skin and green hair comes from the 1971 film adaptation.  About Charlie and the Chocolate Factory


French mariner, Jacques Cartier, left home in 1534 to sail across the Atlantic, to explore which river?

Jacques Cartier Facts, Biography, Accomplishments, Voyages By Russell Yost Jacques Cartier (December 31, 1491 – September 1, 1557) was the first French Explorer to explore the New World. He explored what it now Canada and set the stage for the great explorer and navigator Samuel de Champlain to begin colonization of Canada. Cartier was the first European to discover and create a map for the St. Lawrence River. The St. Lawrence River would play an important role in the New World during the French and Indian War , American Revolutionary War , War of 1812 and the colonization of America. Early Life of Jacques Cartier Cartier was born in 1491 in Saint-Malo. During his early childhood he would hear stories of the great Christopher Columbus , Vasco da Gama and the exploits of the Spanish Conquistadors . His homeland France was relatively inactive in the exploits of the New World. Instead it was embroiled in the European wars with the Holy Roman Empire, England and Spain. Cartier grew and began to study navigation and over time became an excellent mariner. In a feudal society talents were often overlooked and superseded by political standing. Cartier did not get the attention he deserved until he married Mary Catherine who was a daughter in a wealthy and politically influential family. First voyage, 1534 In 1534 Jacques Cartier was brought to the court of King Francis I. King Francis I ruled France during the reign of Charles V in the Holy Roman Empire and Henry VIII of England. He was a talented Monarch and ambitious for great treasure. 10 years prior to Cartier he had asked Giovanni da Verrazzano to explore the eastern coast of North America, but had not formally commissioned him. Cartier set sail with a commission from King Francis I in 1534 with hopes of finding a pathway through the New World and into Asia. Jacques Cartier sailed across the ocean and landed around Newfoundland and began exploring the area around the Gulf of the St. Lawrence River. While exploring he came across two indian tribes the Mi’kmaq and the Iroquois. Initially relations with the Iroquois were positive as he began to establish trade with them. However, Cartier then planted a large cross and claimed the land for the King of France. The Iroquois understood the implications and began to change their mood. In response Cartier kidnapped two of the captain’s sons. The Iroquois captain and Cartier agreed that the sons could be taken as long as they were returned with European goods to trade. Cartier then returned to his ships and began his voyage home. He believed that he had found the coast of Asia. Second voyage, 1535–1536 After his return from his first voyage, Cartier received much praise from Francis I and was granted another voyage in which he left the next year. He left France on May 19 with three ships, 110 men and the two natives he promised to return to the Iroquois captain. This time when he arrived at the St. Lawrence River he sailed up the river in what he believed to be a pathway into Asia. He did not reach Asia, but instead came into contact with Chief Donnacona who ruled from the Iroquois capital, Stadacona. Cartier continued up the St. Lawrence believing that it was the Northwest passage to the east. He came across the Iroquois city of Hochelaga and was not able to go much further. The St. Lawrence waters became rapids and were too harsh for ships. His expedition left Cartier unable to return to France before the coming of winter. He stayed among the people of Hochelaga and then sailed back to Stadacona around mid-October. He most likely set up winter camp here. During his encampment scurvy broke out among the Iroquois and soon infected the european explorers. The prognosis was dim until the Iroquois revealed a remedy for scurvy. Bark from a white spruce boiled in water would rid them of the disease. Cartier and his men used an entire white spruce to concoct the remedy. The remedy would work and would save the expedition from failure. Cartier left Canada for France in May of 1536. Chief Donnacona traveled to France with him to tell King Fr


First sighted by Bartholomew Diaz in 1488, he named it then 'Cape of Storms'. What is it now called?

Bartolomeu Dias | Portuguese explorer | Britannica.com Portuguese explorer Alternative Titles: Bartholomew Dias, Bartolomeu Dias de Novais, Bartolomeu Diaz Bartolomeu Dias Ferdinand Magellan Bartolomeu Dias, in full Bartolomeu Dias de Novais, Bartolomeu also spelled Bartholomew, Dias also spelled Diaz (born c. 1450—died May 29, 1500, at sea, near Cape of Good Hope), Portuguese navigator and explorer who led the first European expedition to round the Cape of Good Hope (1488), opening the sea route to Asia via the Atlantic and Indian oceans. He is usually considered to be the greatest of the Portuguese pioneers who explored the Atlantic during the 15th century. Portuguese navigator and explorer Bartolomeu Dias. Photos.com/Thinkstock Bartolomeu Dias, from a Portuguese postage stamp, 1945 The Granger Collection, New York Early life and prelude to the expedition Almost nothing is known of Dias’s early life. His supposed descent from one of Prince Henry the Navigator ’s pilots is unproved, and his rank was the comparatively modest one of squire of the royal household. In 1474 King Afonso V entrusted his son, Prince John (later John II ), with the supervision of Portugal ’s trade with Guinea and the exploration of the western coast of Africa . John sought to close the area to foreign shipping and after his accession in 1481 ordered new voyages of discovery to ascertain the southern limit of the African continent. The navigators were given stone pillars (padrões) to stake the claims of the Portuguese crown. Thus, one of them, Diogo Cão , reached the Congo and sailed down the coast of Angola to Cape Santa Maria at 13°26′ S, where he planted one of John’s markers. Cão was ennobled and rewarded and sailed again: that time he left a marker at 15°40′ S and another at Cape Cross, continuing to 22°10′ S. Royal hopes that he would reach the Indian Ocean were disappointed, and nothing more is heard of Cão. John II entrusted command of a new expedition to Dias. In 1486 rumour arose of a great ruler, the Ogané, far to the east, who was identified with the legendary Christian ruler Prester John . John II then sent Pêro da Covilhã and one Afonso Paiva overland to locate India and Abyssinia and ordered Dias to find the southern limit of Africa. The voyage Dias’s fleet consisted of three ships: his own São Cristóvão, the São Pantaleão under his associate João Infante, and a supply ship under Dias’s brother Pêro (Diogo in some sources). The company included some of the leading pilots of the day, among them Pêro de Alenquer and João de Santiago, who earlier had sailed with Cão. A 16th-century historian, João de Barros , places Dias’s departure in August 1486 and says that he was away 16 months and 17 days, but since two other contemporaries, Duarte Pacheco Pereira and Christopher Columbus , put his return in December 1488, it is now usually supposed that he left in August 1487. Britannica Stories Scientists Ponder Menopause in Killer Whales Dias passed Cão’s marker, reaching the “Land of St. Barbara” on December 4, Walvis Bay on December 8, and the Gulf of St. Stephen (Elizabeth Bay) on December 26. After January 6, 1488, he was prevented by storms from proceeding along the coast and sailed south out of sight of land for several days. When he again turned to port, no land appeared, and it was only on sailing north that he sighted land on February 3. He had thus rounded the Cape without having seen it. He called the spot Angra de São Brás (Bay of St. Blaise , whose feast day it was) or the Bay of Cowherds, from the people he found there. Dias’s black companions were unable to understand those people, who fled but later returned to attack the Portuguese. The expedition went on to Angra da Roca (present-day Algoa Bay). The crew was unwilling to continue, and Dias recorded the opinions of all his officers, who were unanimously in favour of returning. They agreed to go on for a few days, reaching Rio do Infante, named after the pilot of São Pantaleão; this is the present Great Fish (Groot-Vis) River . Human Exploration: From Earth to Space Faced with


What was the name of the little girl in the popular children's novel by Johanna Spyri?

Heidi - Baby Girl Name Meaning and Origin | Oh Baby! Names Heidi Noble one, of noble birth Characteristics of Heidi Achiever Etymology & Historical Origin - Heidi Heidi is the mainly Swiss pet form of the German name Adelheid (from the French Adélaïde). Adelheid comes from the Germanic elements “adal” meaning ‘noble’ and “heid” meaning ‘kind, sort, type’ – therefore Heidi essentially comes from a name that means ‘the noble one’. Though mainly a nickname used in Switzerland, Heidi became popular among English speakers shortly after the 1880 publication of the children’s classic “Heidi” by the Swiss writer Johanna Spyri. After penetrating her grandfather’s reclusive heart and harsh exterior, demonstrating acts of ‘nobility’ and kindness, and running around the Swiss Alps with her adventurous spirit, this little girl walked into the hearts and imaginations of all her readers. Today, Heidi continues to be a Top 100 favorite name in England, Northern Ireland and Australia. Popularity of the Name Heidi Heidi came onto the U.S. naming charts in 1939, shortly after the lovable Shirley Temple portrayed the character of “Heidi” in a popular film. This probably helped bring the name back to life. Like Alice, Wendy or Madeline, Heidi is a quintessential little girl’s name thanks to the classic and widely read children’s story. The height of Heidi’s popularity in the United States came between the mid-1960s and mid-1980s when she maintained a spot on the Top 100 list of most favored girl names for almost 20 straight years. Heidi has been on the decline since the 1990s, although Heidi Klum gave the name a jump on the charts between 2005 and 2006 following the successful debut of her show “Project Runway”. Heidi can’t help but be a “cute” and youthful name thanks to the girl from the Alps. But it also has a Swiss-German ethnicity that sets it apart from other common nicknames. Popularity of the Girl Name Heidi You need Adobe Flash Player 6 (or above) to view the charts. It is a free and lightweight installation from Adobe.com. Please click here to install the same. Cultural References to the Baby Name - Heidi Literary Characters of the Baby Name Heidi Heidi (Heidi) Heidi is the beloved little girl of Swiss author Johanna Spyri’s 1880 novel, Heidi, which had numerous adaptations, including the classic movie of the same name, starring Shirley Temple, in 1937. Heidi is a five year old orphan who is brought by her aunt to live with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. Grandfather is an embittered old hermit living in seclusion, but Heidi soon works her magic on him (picture the adorable little Shirley Temple’s winning smile), and brings him out of seclusion into the world again. In addition to melting the old grandfather’s heart, Heidi also teaches her young friend Peter to read and encourages her invalid friend, the young Clara, to walk again. Clara’s rich, grateful family sets up a fund for Heidi in the event that her grandfather may not always be able to care for her, and everyone lives happily ever after. And it’s not saccharine – truly! It’s a simple tale of decent people meeting challenges and trying to make the best of them, with an endearing child in their midst. Popular Songs on Heidi Heidi - a song by Ruby Heidi Hates Me - a song by The Huntingtons Heidi Hoe - a song by Common [explicit] Heidi is a Headcase - a song by The Ramones Children's Books on the Baby Name Heidi Heidi (Johanna Spyri) - What happens when a little orphan girl is forced to live with her cold and frightening grandfather? The heartwarming answer has engaged children for more than a century, both on the page and on the screen. Johanna Spyri’s beloved story offers youngsters an endearing and intelligent heroine, a cast of unique and memorable characters, and a fascinating portrait of a small Alpine village. Recommended for ages 9-12. Heidi Heckelbeck Has a Secret (Wanda Coven) - Meet Heidi Heckelbeck. Heidi seems like any other 8 year-old. She eats peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. She hates all vegetables. She picks on her younger brother, Henr


Known scientifically as Triflorum hybridum and white or pink in colour, what type of flower is 'Alsike'?

Full text of "Pasture plants and pastures of New Zealand" See other formats S5   ZEALAND PRACTICAL HANDBOOKS.   7a,   md   O F-   NEW ZEALAND   '/'>. k   aW.   /Ja   Cornell University Library SB 199.H64  Pasture plants and pastures of New Zeala   3 1924 003 373 804   Hntt afallege of ^^gticulture  3^t OJorncll MniaecBtts Strata, I?. %   IGtbrarvi   NEW ZEALAND PRACTICAL HANDBOOKS.  PASTURE PLANTS  AND  PASTURES OF NEW ZEALAND  BY  F. W. HILGENDORF, M.A.. D.Sc. (N.Z.)  Sometime Senior Scholar and First Class Honoursman in Natural Science of the University of New Zealand.  Biologist to the Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, N.Z.   Auckland, Chrlstchurch, Dunedin and Wellington ; Melbourne and London :  WHITCOMBE & TOMBS LIMITED   The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library.  There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.   http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003373804   PREFACE.   nnmS llttle volume is published in the hope that it may prove useful to both farmers and students. No other crop approaches grass in importance, and yet in many parts of the country no other crop is so little studied. A good deal of attention has been devoted in the following pages to the means of recognising the various grasses, as it is considered that the ability to recognise the different varieties is the surest way to induce a study of their habits and capabilities. On this study depends the solution of the most important of all problems facing the New Zealand farmer, namely : " What is the best grass mixture to sow on my land ?"  F.W.H. Lincoln, 1918.   CONTENTS.   PAGE  Chap. I. Description of Botanical and Agri- cultural Characters of Common Pasture Grasses 5  Chap. II. Description of Weed Grasses and  Native Grasses 31  Chap, III. Key for Identification of all Com- mon Grasses 44  Chap. IV. Description of Clovers and other Pasture Plants with Key for . Identification 50  Chap. V. Management of Pastures : Grass  Mixtures 68   PASTURE PLANTS AND PASTURES OF NEW ZEALAND.   CHAPTER I.   THE COMMON PASTURE GRASSES.  The majority of the pastures in New Zealand will be found clothed with only some four or five grasses, but in exceptional circumstances some dozen additional species may be found. It is the design of this chapter to describe these grasses so that they may be recognised and named, to discuss their value as fodder, and their suitability to difEerent classes of soils.  In the description of a grass, the leafage is of most im- portance because that is to be found all the year round, while the flowers can be found for only a short period. The following terms are used in describing the leafy portion of a grass : — The sheath is the part in which aU the leaves are folded together to make a kind of a stem from which the blades of the leaf spring. The ligule is a transparent mem- branous flap standing up at the junction of the sheath and the blade. Its presence or absence and its shape when  present are very important points in identifying grasses. It can be very plainly seen in Cocksfoot and Prairie Grass for example. The ears are a pair of hooked structures springing from the base of the leaf blade and more or less enfolding the sheath. They are very well developed in barley. A rhizome is an underground creeping stem, giving off roots downwards and frequently leaves upwards at    ■ c   Fig. 1.— A : Base of blade. B : Ligule. C : Sheath.  Note pointed ears between B and C in the  right-hand specimen {after Ward).   6 PASTURE PLANTS AND PASTURES OF N.Z.  each knot. All grasses with rhizomes are called "Twitches." A stolon is an overground creeping stem rooting where the knots touch the ground. A common example is found in the Strawberry, and among grasses, stolons are often found in Creeping Bent. A spikelet is one of the small clusters in which the flowers of grasses are arranged. They are familiar objects in the Rye grasses, being


Whom did Estelle Morris replace as Secretary of State for Education?

Education in England - Chapter 10 Education in England: Chapter 13 2010-2015 Gove v The Blob this is a draft of a chapter which will form part of the revised version currently in preparation 1997 White Paper Excellence in Schools 1998 School Standards and Framework Act Specialist schools    1998 Education (Student Loans) Act    1998 Teaching and Higher Education Act    Chris Woodhead 2001 White Paper Schools - achieving success 2002 Education Act    Tests, targets and league tables    14-19 curriculum    Building Schools for the Future    2005 Education Act 2006 Education and Inspections Act The academies programme    Building Schools for the Future    Middle schools Education in England: a brief history Derek Gillard ï¿½ copyright Derek Gillard 2011 Education in England: a brief history is my copyright. You are welcome to download it and print it for your own personal use, or for use in a school or other educational establishment, provided my name as the author is attached. But you may not publish it, upload it onto any other website, or sell it, without my permission. Citations You are welcome to cite this piece. If you do so, please acknowledge it thus: Gillard D (2011) Education in England: a brief history www.educationengland.org.uk/history In accordance with the conventions set out by the Society of Authors and the Publishers Association, you should seek my permission to reproduce any extract of more than 400 words; a series of extracts totalling more than 800 words, of which any one extract has more than 300 words; and an extract or series of extracts constituting a quarter or more of the original work. For shorter extracts you do not need my permission, provided the source is acknowledged as shown above. References In references in the text, the number after the colon is always the page number (even where a document has numbered paragraphs or sections). Documents Where a document is shown as a link, the full text is available online. ï¿½ Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland. Chapter 10 : 1997-2007 Introduction A new golden age? Many teachers hoped - some even dared to believe - that the election of the first Labour government for eighteen years, led by Tony Blair (pictured), would usher in a new 'golden age' in education. Tests and league tables would disappear, chief inspector Chris Woodhead (who had become something of a hate figure for teachers) would be sacked, Ofsted scrapped, and grant maintained (GM) schools would be brought under local authority control. Perhaps most importantly, selection for secondary education would finally be abolished. There were good grounds for believing this. After all, David Blunkett, then shadow education secretary, had promised the Labour Party conference on 4 October 1995: 'Read my lips. No selection by examination or interview'. And the move would have had widespread public support. An ICM poll in 1996 had shown that 65 per cent of the population supported comprehensive education, while only 27 per cent favoured a selective system (The Guardian 7 February 1996, quoted in Chitty and Dunford 1999:31). But it was all to prove a delusion. The first 'New Labour' government, swept to power in May 1997 with a Commons majority of 179, was to prove very different from any previous Labour government. Indeed, in many ways - its belief in market forces and its commitment to globalisation, for example - it would be virtually indistinguishable from its Tory predecessor. For more on this topic see my article New Labour - New Values? . The Adonis Problem Throughout Tony Blair's ten years in office, his principal education adviser was to be Andrew Adonis (pictured). A former journalist and Liberal Democrat, Adonis joined Labour in December 1995 after Blair forced the party to end its commitment to public ownership (The Guardian 27 January 2005). He became a member of the Number 10 Policy Unit from 1998 (its head from 2001 to 2003) and in 2005 Blair gave him a life peerage and the post of junior education mini


Who replaced Dr. John Reid as Secretary of State for Scotland?

The dark horse | Politics | The Guardian Politics The dark horse He's Tony Blair's Mr Fix-It, the self-professed hard man of Labour politics and a shameless self-publicist. Now, having put his years of drinking behind him, John Reid is a contender for the Labour leadership. But will he dare stand against his enemy Gordon Brown? Tom Bower investigates Friday 22 September 2006 19.22 EDT First published on Friday 22 September 2006 19.22 EDT Share on Messenger Close In 1991, John Reid's reputation appeared to be in tatters. Drunk one day in the House of Commons, he tried to force his way on to the floor to vote. When an attendant stepped forward to stop him, Reid threw a punch. What the MP for Motherwell North did not realise was that he had taken aim at a former SAS soldier. As bemused colleagues looked on, he was effortlessly wrestled to the ground. The humiliating spectacle proved what they all suspected: that Reid had a serious problem. He went slinking off to the Westminster bar to console himself and feed a drinking habit that many believed would eventually wreck his career in politics. Fast forward 15 years and Reid has not only recovered from the alcoholism that threatened to ruin him, but is now touted as a key Blairite "Stop Gordon candidate" in the race for the new Labour leadership. As Home Office minister, this summer, he executed the most astonishing publicity coup against John Prescott, claiming much of the credit for the thwarted Heathrow bombings. It was not the first time that Reid, a shameless self-publicist (he is commonly referred to as minister for the Today programme), had eclipsed the deputy prime minister. Nine years earlier, the sound of Reid's voice on BBC radio's flagship show so incensed Prescott that he shouted at one of his civil servants, "Why the hell is he going on? It should be me." Prescott's jealousy confirmed Reid's emerging importance as Tony Blair's Mr Fix-It. Equally important among Labour's clan, Reid's promotion signalled the final pardon for his conduct during what a friend calls "The Darkness" - his years of alcoholism. The benefit of Reid's resurrection is now acknowledged by George Galloway: "John's a very good political operator - remorseless, unremitting and practical. Just like Stalin." The comparison to the Soviet dictator is intended as a compliment. "John knows how to make the leftwing case for a rightwing argument," adds Galloway. "He's not ideological. He weighs votes and decides who to eliminate. He made himself indispensable in the 1970s and it's the same now." Those qualities were honed during Reid's turbulent years, during which time he was transformed from uneducated ordinariness into a disciplined communist and then into a dedicated servant of the Scottish Labour party. Contemporary eyewitnesses describe Reid in the same breath as "rough" and "outstanding". The conundrum is whether Reid can shed the consequences of "The Darkness" years and realistically challenge the favourite for the leadership. Until the early 1980s, Brown and Reid were, Galloway witnessed, "thick as thieves". Then they simply stopped speaking to each other. Both men have remained tight-lipped about what, seemingly overnight, turned them from friends to sworn enemies. But it's a fair guess that whiskey played its part in wrecking their relationship. Now, the thought of a battle between the two Scotsmen sparks a foreboding frisson among insiders. On the one side is Brown and his gang of loyalists and sycophants. On the other is Reid, a "gregarious loner", who has arrived at the top without an identifiable hinterland, constituency or notable soulmate. His solitariness reflects his fractured life and character. Born on May 8 1947 in Cardowan, a mining village clustered around a colliery near Glasgow, John Reid's mother worked in factories and as a cleaner. Interested principally in music and football, her only child did not excel academically at St Patrick's, his secondary school in Coatbridge. Posing as an Elvis look-alike, Reid was a guitarist and singer in a group called The Graduates. He is reme


Who marries 'Petruccio' in Shakespeare's, 'The Taming Of The Shrew'?

No Fear Shakespeare: The Taming of the Shrew: Characters The Taming of the Shrew Induction, Scene 1 Christopher Sly A poor vagrant who falls asleep drunk in front of a tavern at the         beginning of the Induction. A Lord returning from hunting finds Sly asleep and plays         a trick on him, carrying Sly to the Lord’s house and ordering the servants         to treat Sly like a lord when he wakes up. A group of actors who visit the         Lord’s house perform The Taming of the Shrew for Sly, which takes up the         rest of the play. Sly is cantankerous and quarrelsome, more interested in drinking         the beer and eating the beef jerky he is used to than in accepting the role of         aristocrat. However, when he finds out that in his role as a lord he has a wife         (actually the Page in disguise), he quickly changes his mind, anxious to get alone         with her and take her to bed. Lord A very wealthy nobleman whose practical joke on Sly dominates the         Induction and provides the set-up for the rest of the play. As the Lord carries out         his joke, making Sly think that Sly is really a lord and doesn’t remember         it, we get to see all of the luxuries that an aristocrat of Shakespeare’s         day would enjoy—a pack of hunting dogs, numerous servants, a grand         house, erotic artwork, imported wines and perfumes, preserved fruits, and so       on. Hostess The proprietress of a tavern who gets in an argument with Sly in the         first lines of the play. Page A boy servant to the Lord. The Lord has the Page dress as a lady and play         the part of Sly’s wife. Players A troupe of traveling actors who arrive at the Lord’s house         offering to perform, and who help the Lord carry out his joke on Sly. They perform         The Taming of the Shrew. Katherine The shrew of the play’s title, and the oldest daughter of         Baptista Minola and sister of Bianca. Katherine, who is also called Katherina or         Kate, is extremely strong-willed. She insists upon saying whatever she thinks and         expressing whatever she feels. Her words are abusive and angry, and her actions are         often violent. In Shakespeare’s time, women like Katherine were called         shrews, and they were strongly disapproved of as the worst possible kind of women.         Petruchio undertakes the challenge of taming her, turning her into an obedient and         pleasant wife. Petruchio A wealthy gentleman from Verona. Loud, boisterous, eccentric, and         quick-witted, Petruchio comes to Padua to increase his fortune by marrying rich. All         he wants is a bride with an enormous dowry, and Katherine fits the bill. Though         everyone else warns him against trying to marry Katherine, he sets out to tame her         by pitting his own violent temper against hers. Baptista Minola A wealthy citizen of Padua, and the father of Katherine and Bianca.         Though many men want to marry Bianca, Baptista refuses to allow Bianca to marry         before Katherine, whom no one wants to marry. Baptista is good-hearted and generous         toward his two daughters, lavishing expensive books and lessons upon them, but he is         completely at a loss for how to deal with the strong-willed       Katherine. Bianca The younger daughter of Baptista. The opposite of her sister Katherine,         Bianca is soft-spoken, sweet, and unassuming, as well as beautiful. Because of her         large dowry and her mild behavior, several men compete for her hand. Lucentio A young nobleman from Pisa who comes to Padua to study at the         city’s renowned university, but who is immediately sidetracked when he         falls in love with Bianca at first sight. Good-natured and intrepid, Lucentio is the


In Shakespeare's, 'The Merchant Of Venice', who has servants named 'Balthasar' and 'Stefano'?

SparkNotes: The Merchant of Venice: Character List The Merchant of Venice Plot Overview Analysis of Major Characters Shylock -  A Jewish moneylender in Venice. Angered by his mistreatment at the hands of Venice’s Christians, particularly Antonio, Shylock schemes to eke out his revenge by ruthlessly demanding as payment a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Although seen by the rest of the play’s characters as an inhuman monster, Shylock at times diverges from stereotype and reveals himself to be quite human. These contradictions, and his eloquent expressions of hatred, have earned Shylock a place as one of Shakespeare’s most memorable characters. Read an in-depth analysis of Shylock. Portia -  A wealthy heiress from Belmont. Portia’s beauty is matched only by her intelligence. Bound by a clause in her father’s will that forces her to marry whichever suitor chooses correctly among three caskets, Portia is nonetheless able to marry her true love, Bassanio. Far and away the most clever of the play’s characters, it is Portia, in the disguise of a young law clerk, who saves Antonio from Shylock’s knife. Read an in-depth analysis of Portia. Antonio -  The merchant whose love for his friend Bassanio prompts him to sign Shylock’s contract and almost lose his life. Antonio is something of a mercurial figure, often inexplicably melancholy and, as Shylock points out, possessed of an incorrigible dislike of Jews. Nonetheless, Antonio is beloved of his friends and proves merciful to Shylock, albeit with conditions. Read an in-depth analysis of Antonio. Bassanio -  A gentleman of Venice, and a kinsman and dear friend to Antonio. Bassanio’s love for the wealthy Portia leads him to borrow money from Shylock with Antonio as his guarantor. An ineffectual businessman, Bassanio proves himself a worthy suitor, correctly identifying the casket that contains Portia’s portrait. Gratiano -  A friend of Bassanio’s who accompanies him to Belmont. A coarse and garrulous young man, Gratiano is Shylock’s most vocal and insulting critic during the trial. While Bassanio courts Portia, Gratiano falls in love with and eventually weds Portia’s lady-in-waiting, Nerissa. Jessica -  Although she is Shylock’s daughter, Jessica hates life in her father’s house, and elopes with the young Christian gentleman, Lorenzo. The fate of her soul is often in doubt: the play’s characters wonder if her marriage can overcome the fact that she was born a Jew, and we wonder if her sale of a ring given to her father by her mother is excessively callous. Lorenzo -  A friend of Bassanio and Antonio, Lorenzo is in love with Shylock’s daughter, Jessica. He schemes to help Jessica escape from her father’s house, and he eventually elopes with her to Belmont. Nerissa -  Portia’s lady-in-waiting and confidante. She marries Gratiano and escorts Portia on Portia’s trip to Venice by disguising herself as her law clerk. Launcelot Gobbo -  Bassanio’s servant. A comical, clownish figure who is especially adept at making puns, Launcelot leaves Shylock’s service in order to work for Bassanio. The prince of Morocco -  A Moorish prince who seeks Portia’s hand in marriage. The prince of Morocco asks Portia to ignore his dark countenance and seeks to win her by picking one of the three caskets. Certain that the caskets reflect Portia’s beauty and stature, the prince of Morocco picks the gold chest, which proves to be incorrect. The prince of Arragon -  An arrogant Spanish nobleman who also attempts to win Portia’s hand by picking a casket. Like the prince of Morocco, however, the prince of Arragon chooses unwisely. He picks the silver casket, which gives him a message calling him an idiot instead of Portia’s hand. Salarino -  A Venetian gentleman, and friend to Antonio, Bassanio, and Lorenzo. Salarino escorts the newlyweds Jessica and Lorenzo to Belmont, and returns with Bassanio and Gratiano for Antonio’s trial. He is often almost indistinguishable from his companion Solanio. Solanio -  A Venetian gentleman, and frequent counterpart to Salarino. The duke of Venice -  The ruler of Venice, who presides ov


Nineteenth century Japanese artist, Hokusai, made a series of 36 prints of what?

Hokusai’s 19th Century 'Great Wave,' So Iconic It’s An Emoji, Comes Home To The MFA | The ARTery Support the news   Hokusai’s 19th Century 'Great Wave,' So Iconic It’s An Emoji, Comes Home To The MFA05:49 Play By Andrea Shea Share There’s a good chance you’ve seen “The Great Wave,” Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai’s iconic 19th century woodblock print of a towering blue ocean crest. The image has been adored, co-opted and parodied by other artists, and used in ad campaigns for Levis, Patagonia and Sapporo beer. Now “The Great Wave” is the star attraction in a new exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. "Under the Wave off Kanagawa," Katsushika Hokusai, about 1830–31 (MFA Boston) Driving music welcomes viewers to the Hokusai exhibition at Boston’s MFA. Sarah Thompson, curator of Japanese prints, says it’s safe to say most people would instantly recognize “The Great Wave.” “It may even be on your telephone as an emoji ,” she added, laughing. Thompson says Hokusai’s beautiful, terrifying image simply captures our imaginations. “The huge, curling wave with the scary white crest coming up, it’s on the left side of the picture, and then in the distance, looking small but still very distinct, is the triangular shape of Mount Fuji," she explained. In the foreground, fishermen desperately row to escape the wild-looking wave’s wrath. Its whitecaps reach out to grab their tiny forms. Thompson says that drama pulls us in. “And so the question is: Is that wave going to come down on top of them? Or will they be able to shoot through it and get home safely?” she asked. “The Great Wave” is a nickname for what Hokusai called, “Under the Wave off Kanagawa.” It was part of his 1830s landscape series, titled “Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji.” Thompson says the artist was inspired by a new, vibrant pigment known as Prussian blue, and jokes that Hokusai was a “late bloomer” because he created the woodblock prints when he was in his 70s. "Find Wind, Clear Weather," Katsushika Hokusai, about 1830–31 (MFA Boston) “He was already a famous artist,” she said, “but this was what really made him an absolute superstar in the world of Japanese art at the time.” Hokusai first gained his fame for his illustrations, paintings and prints that captured the hedonistic urban lifestyle in Japan in the 1800s. Kabuki theater, the pursuit of sensual pleasure and sex fueled a thriving pop culture, which had its own art form. “Ukiyo-e is the Japanese word for it,” Thompson explained, “[meaning] the floating world, the ephemeral world of fads and fashions was what it meant.” "Three Women Playing Musical Instruments," Katsushika Hokusai, 1844 (MFA Boston) After his death in 1849, and after the Treaty of 1853 opened commerce between Japan and the West, Hokusai became a hit in Europe too. His “Great Wave” even inspired French composer Claude Debussy to write his own ode to the sea’s awesome power,  titled “La Mer.” Hokusai was Japan’s first internationally known artist, but in his day Thompson says his works were surprisingly affordable. “It’s hard to estimate prices in modern terms, but it’s thought that at this time the price of one color print was about the same as a large bowl of noodle soup," she said. That accessibility appeals to Miles Unger, who’s reviewing the MFA’s Hokusai show for The Economist magazine. “So this was not sort of art that was put on a pedestal or put in a museum,” he reflected, “this is art for common folks and I think that sort of speaks a lot to modern audiences.” About 230 prints, paintings and illustrations fill the new show, which just returned from a multi-city tour in Japan. Unger looks forward to delving more deeply into Hokusai’s achievements through the MFA’s singular collection. The museum holds the largest collection of Japanese prints outside of Japan. “Hokusai is one of these artists who’s known for one work,” Unger said, drawing a parallel to the music business by calling him a “one-hit wonder." The Hokusai exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA Boston) Jacki Elgar, head of the MFA’s Asian conservation stu


Which of the Greek islands contains the highest point above sea level?

Crete geography   Crete          - geography Crete, the largest and most mountainous of the Greek              islands, is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean with an area of 8,336 square kilometers (3,219 square miles) and a population of about 650.000. Crete lies at the point where the continents of Europe,            Asia and Africa meet and is divided in four prefectures:            Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, Lassithi. The Mountains dominate your view from all angles – to             the West the Lefka Ori or White Mountains contain more             than 52 summits over 2,000 meters high, with Pachnes             (2453m) the highest of the range. Mountain Idi or Psiloritis             Range in the center of the island, contains the highest             summit of Crete, Timios Stavros at 2,456 meters above             sea level. In the east the Dikti Mountain range with             Spathi (2148m) the highest summit of the range as well             as the mountains of Sitia at the eastern end of the island,             form a continuous chain from one end of Crete to the            other. These             limestone mountains gifted Crete with fertile plateaus like             Omalos in the White Mountains, Nida in Psiloritis, and Lassithi             plateau in Dikti Mountain range and spectacular caves (more             than 3500 have been recorded) that have always been part             of Greek Mythology and History, from the birth of Zeus, the             Father of Gods, to the most recent European History. The mountain streams formed dramatic gorges, such as the famous Samaria gorge,             creating spectacular botanic gardens, places with plants and animals that do           not exist anywhere else on the planet.


Which of the principal Canary Islands contains no peak higher than 700 metres?

Islands - 5 | Britannica.com Islands any area of land smaller than a continent and entirely surrounded by water. Displaying 301 - 400 of 726 results Kamarān island in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, to which it belongs. The largest member of an archipelago, it is 22 square miles (57 square km) in area. Its name, meaning “two moons” in Arabic, refers to a double reflection of the moon that can be seen... Kanaga Island one of the Andreanof Islands of the Aleutian Islands chain, southwestern Alaska, U.S. The uninhabited island measures 30 miles (50 km) long and 4 to 8 miles (6.5 to 13 km) wide; its northern tip is the site of the Kanaga Volcano, which rises to 4,287... Kangaroo Island third largest Australian offshore island, located at the entrance to the Gulf St. Vincent, South Australia, 80 miles (130 km) southwest of Adelaide. Its formation is that of a low, cliffed plateau (structurally a continuation of the Mount Lofty–Flinders... Kanghwa Island island, Kyŏnggi do (province), northwestern South Korea. Kanghwa Island lies in the Yellow Sea just off the northwestern coast, northwest of Inch’ŏn. Roughly rectangular in shape, it lies at the mouth of the Han River and has an area of 163 square miles... Kanton Atoll largest and northernmost of the Phoenix Islands, a coral group, part of Kiribati, in the west-central Pacific Ocean. Located approximately 1,600 miles (2,600 km) southwest of Hawaii, Kanton’s circular coral reef encloses a lagoon extending 7 miles by... Kapiti Island uninhabited island at the northern entrance to Cook Strait, 5 miles (8 km) off the mouth of the Waikanae River, southwestern North Island, New Zealand. It is 9 square miles (23 square km) in area and may be part of a land bridge that once connected North... Karm Island island, southwestern Norway. It lies in the North Sea just north of the mouth of Bokna Fjord. With its principal axis running north–south, Karm Island is about 19 miles (31 km) long and 6 miles (10 km) across at its widest point and has an area of 68... Kárpathos island of the Dodecanese (Modern Greek: Dodekánisa) group in the Aegean Sea, Greece. The principal town of the 116-square-mile (301-square-kilometre) island is Pigádhia in the south behind Pigádhia Bay. Closely tied to the island of Rhodes in antiquity... Kastellórizo easternmost of the Dodecanese (Modern Greek: Dodekánisa) group of islands in the Aegean Sea, Greece, just off the southwestern coast of Turkey. Kastellórizo has an area of 3 square miles (7.3 square km). Its present name is a corruption of Château-Roux... Kauai volcanic island, Kauai county, Hawaii, U.S. It lies 72 miles (116 km) northwest of Oahu island across the Kauai Channel. The northernmost and geologically the oldest of the major Hawaiian islands, it is also the most verdant and one of the most scenic... Kéa westernmost of the Cyclades (Modern Greek: Kykládes) group of Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. Kéa lies about 13 miles (21 km) east of the southern tip of Attica (Attikí). With an area of 50.4 square miles (130.6 square km), it rises gradually toward... Kharg Island small Iranian island in the northern Persian Gulf, 34 miles (55 km) northwest of the port of Bushire (Būshehr). In the 15th century the Dutch established a factory (trading station) on the island, but in 1766 Kharg was taken by pirates based at Bandar-e... Kili coral island in the Ralik (western) chain of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, west-central Pacific Ocean. It is about 230 acres (93 hectares) in area. Islanders from Bikini, site of U.S. atomic-bomb tests, were moved to Kili in 1949. Some of the... King Christian Island island, one of the Sverdrup Islands in Nunavut, Canada, in the Arctic Ocean, just south of Ellef Ringnes Island. About 26 miles (42 km) long and 17 miles (27 km) wide, it has an area of 448 square miles (1,160 square km) and a maximum elevation of 700... King Island island in Bass Strait, 50 miles (80 km) off the northwestern coast of Tasmania, Australia. The rougly oval-shaped island is about 40 miles (64 km) long and 15 miles (24 km) wide at its widest poi


Which American city has baseball-playing 'Dodgers'?

Official Los Angeles Dodgers Website | MLB.com The Official Site of the Los Angeles Dodgers Sections


What disease claimed the life of notorious American gangster, Al Capone?

The Life and Crimes of Al Capone Updated February 29, 2016. Who Was Al Capone? Al Capone was a notorious gangster who ran an organized crime syndicate in Chicago during the 1920s, taking advantage of the era of Prohibition . Capone, who was both charming and charitable as well as powerful and vicious, became an iconic figure of the successful American gangster. Dates: January 17, 1899 -- January 25, 1947 Also Known As: Alphonse Capone, Scarface Al Capone's Childhood Al Capone was the fourth of nine children born to Gabriele and Teresina (Teresa) Capone. Although Capone's parents had emigrated from Italy, Al Capone grew up in Brooklyn, New York . From all known accounts, Capone's childhood was a normal one. His father was a barber and his mother stayed home with the children. They were a tight-knit Italian family who were trying to succeed in their new country. Like many immigrant families at the time, the Capone children often dropped out of school early to help earn money for the family. Al Capone stayed in school until he was 14 and then left to take a number of odd jobs. continue reading below our video The St. Valentine's Day Massacre Around the same time, Capone joined a street gang called the South Brooklyn Rippers and then later the Five Points Juniors. These were groups of teenagers who roamed the streets, protected their turf from rival gangs, and sometimes carried out petty crimes like stealing cigarettes. Scarface It was through the Five Points gang that Al Capone came to the attention of brutal New York mobster Frankie Yale. In 1917, 18-year-old Al Capone went to work for Yale at the Harvard Inn as a bartender and as a waiter and bouncer when needed. Capone watched and learned as Yale used violence to maintain control over his empire. One day while working at the Harvard Inn, Capone saw a man and woman sitting at a table. After his initial advances were ignored, Capone went up to the good-looking woman and whispered in her ear, "Honey, you have a nice ass and I mean that as a compliment." The man with her was her brother, Frank Gallucio. Defending his sister's honor, Gallucio punched Capone. However, Capone didn't let it end there; he decided to fight back. Gallucio then took out a knife and slashed at Capone's face, managing to cut Capone's left cheek three times (one of which cut Capone from ear to mouth). The scars left from this attack led to Capone's nickname of "Scarface," a name he personally hated. Family Life Not long after this attack, Al Capone met Mary ("Mae") Coughlin, who was pretty, blonde, middle-class, and came from a respectable Irish family. A few months after they started dating, Mae became pregnant. Al Capone and Mae got married on December 30, 1918, three weeks after their son (Albert Francis Capone, a.k.a. "Sonny") was born. Sonny was to remain Capone's only child. Throughout the rest of his life, Al Capone kept his family and his business interests completely separate. Capone was a doting father and husband, taking great care in keeping his family safe, cared for, and out of the spotlight. However, despite his love for his family, Capone did have a number of mistresses over the years. Plus, unknown to him at the time, Capone contracted syphilis from a prostitute before he met Mae. Since the symptoms of syphilis can disappear quickly, Capone had no idea that he still had the sexually transmitted disease or that it would so greatly affect his health in later years. Capone Moves to Chicago About 1920, Capone left the East Coast and headed to Chicago. He was looking for a fresh start working for Chicago crime boss Johnny Torrio. Unlike Yale who used violence to run his racket, Torrio was a sophisticated gentleman who preferred cooperation and negotiation to rule his crime organization. Capone was to learn a lot from Torrio. Capone started out in Chicago as a manager for the Four Deuces, a place where clients could drink and gamble downstairs or visit prostitutes upstairs. Capone did well in this position and worked hard to earn Torrio's respect. Soon Torrio had increasingly important jobs


From what disease did the English buccaneer, Sir Francis Drake, die?

SIR FRANCIS DRAKE SIR FRANCIS DRAKE The Buccaneer (1545 - 1596) Frances Drake was born in Devon, England, the son of a puritan farmer and preacher. He learned sailing as a young man, serving as an apprentice to the master of a small coastal merchant ship. His master, left young Drake the ship on his death. He later served some time as an officer aboard a West African slaver. He was the first Englishman to sail around the world and very instrumental in the defeat of the Spanish Armada sent to invade England. He made three voyages to the New World, where he plundering Spanish settlements and captured and destroying Spanish ships. In 1572, he marched across the Isthmus of Panama. Drake's  first visit to the New World, was aboard a slaver, commanded by John Lovell in  1564. After picking up a cargo of slaves from Africa, they sailed to the West  Indies, selling the slaves, while hiding from the Spanish authorities. By  treaty, the English were prohibited from trading with the Spanish towns along  the coast.  Drake made his next excursion against the Spanish Main when he accompanying his cousin John Hawkins,  on his third and last expedition. Hawkins's squadron, consisting of six ships,  sailed from Plymouth on October, 2, 1567. After securing a cargo of African  slaves, they coasted along the shores of North America, selling their slaves.  When he tried to sell slaves at the Spanish port of Rio Hacha, he was  prohibited. In retaliation, he attacked and captured the town in 1568. He was  able to sell some two hundred of his slaves. Sailing to San Juan de Ulloa  (Vera Cruz) in the Gulf of Mexico, they were intercepted by a fleet of  thirteen armed Spanish ships, under the command of Alvarez de Bazan. The  English were severely defeated and only two of their ships, the Minion  (Hawkins' flag ship) of 100 tons, and the Judith (commanded by Drake) of 50  tons escaped, making it back to England in 1569. Drake developed a deep hatred for  the Catholic Spaniards and vowed to get even. In the following years, 1570 and 1571, Drake sailed the Spanish Main on two voyages of exploration. He not only traded with  the inhabitants, but also studies the coast of Darien, and learned all he  could about the route taken by the Treasure Train, as it crossed the Isthmus  of Panama, loaded with gold from Panama to Nombre de Diï¿½s.  In May of 1572, he again sailed from Plymouth with two ships. The Pasha of  70 tons, and the Swan of 25 tons and 73 men. On this trip were two of his  brothers, Charles and John Drake. The landed in a hidden harbor in the Gulf of  Darien, which he had discovered earlier. There, he was joined by James Rause,  who commanded his own English ship and two Spanish ships he had captured. They  later sailed to Isla de Pinos, off the coast of Cuba, where Rause was left to guard  the ships. Drake left with 73 men, in some small boats, hoping to capture  Nombre de Diï¿½s. After some fierce fighting, he was able to capture the town  on July 29, 1572. As the garrison was regrouping, and reinforcements arrived  from Panama, and Drake had been severely wounded, the English made a hasty  retreat with very little booty. The urgency of their haste, was very upsetting  to them, since they left behind silver bars, in excess of a million pounds  Sterling, and much gold, pearls and jewels, that were stored in the Royal  Treasure House. The English were able to get back to Isla de Pinos, where  Rause returned to England, and Drake continued his attempts to capture Spanish  Treasures. Drake captured several Spanish ships along the coast of Cartagena. He would  hide in the secret bay on the coast of Darien, which his men had given the  name of Port Plenty. This was because of  the large amounts of stores,  that they had accumulated, and stored there. Drake left his brother in charge  of Port Plenty, as he continued to sail the coast of Darien, capturing Spanish  vessels has he went, and all the while, making plans for his overland capture  of the Gold Train, as it crossed the Isthmus. On returning from


What is the origin of the word 'chipping' in place names such as Chipping Norton?

Chipping Campden : definition of Chipping Campden and synonyms of Chipping Campden (English) List of places: UK  • England  • Gloucestershire Chipping Campden is a small market town within the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire , England . It is notable for its elegant terraced High Street, dating from the 14th century to the 17th century. ("Chipping" is from Old English cēping, "a market, a market-place"; the same element is found in other towns such as Chipping Norton , Chipping Sodbury and Chipping (now High) Wycombe . [1] ) A rich wool trading centre in the Middle Ages , Chipping Campden enjoyed the patronage of wealthy wool merchants (see also wool church ). Today it is a popular Cotswold tourist destination with old inns , hotels , specialist shops and restaurants . The High Street is lined with honey-coloured limestone buildings, built from the mellow locally quarried oolitic limestone known as Cotswold stone , and boasts a wealth of fine vernacular architecture . At its centre stands the Market Hall with its splendid arches, built in 1627. Other attractions include the grand early perpendicular wool church of St James – with its medieval altar frontals (c.1500), cope (c.1400) and vast and extravagant 17th century monuments to local wealthy silk merchant Sir Baptist Hicks and his family – the Almshouses and Woolstaplers Hall . The Court Barn near the church is now a museum celebrating the rich Arts and Crafts tradition of the area (see below). Hicks was also responsible for Campden House, which was destroyed by fire during the English Civil War possibly to prevent it falling into the hands of the Parliamentarians . All that now remains of Hicks' once imposing estate are two gatehouses, two Jacobean banqueting houses, restored by the Landmark Trust and Lady Juliana's gateway. Hick's descendants still live at the Court House attached to the site. [2] There are two famous and historic gardens nearby: at Hidcote Manor Garden , owned and managed by the National Trust , and at Kiftsgate , in private ownership but open to the public. Two miles to the west, in the grounds of Weston Park near Saintbury, are the earthwork remains of a motte and bailey castle. The town has hosted its own Olimpick Games since 1612. The Olympic torch will be passing through Chipping Campden on 1 July 2012. [3]   East Banqueting House and St James at Chipping Campden. Contents Main article: Cotswold Olimpick Games Since the early seventeenth century the town has been home to a championship of rural games, which later turned into Robert Dover 's Cotswold Olimpick Games . The Olimpicks are held every summer on the Friday evening following the late Spring Bank-holiday (usually late May or early June), on Dover's Hill, near Chipping Campden. Peculiar to the games is the sport of shin-kicking (hay stuffed down the trousers can ease one's brave passage to later rounds). To mark the end of the games, there is a huge bonfire and firework display. This is followed by a torch-lit procession back into the town and dancing to a local band in the square. The Scuttlebrook Wake takes place the following day. The locals don fancy dress costumes and follow the Scuttlebrook Queen, with her four attendants and Page Boy, in a procession to the centre of town pulled on a decorated dray by the town's own Morris Men. This is then followed by the presentation of prizes and displays of Maypole and Country dancing by the two primary schools and Morris dancing . Another procession from there past the fairground in Leysbourne and the Alms Houses brings that stage of the celebration to a close whilst the fair continues until mid-night and, like a ghost, is gone by the morning.   Arts and Crafts movement In the early 20th century, the town became known as a centre for the Cotswold Arts and Crafts Movement , following the move of Charles Robert Ashbee with the members of his Guild and School of Handicraft from the East End of London in 1902. The Guild of Handicraft specialised in metalworking, producing jewellery and enamels, as well as hand-wrought copper and wrought iron


On what date is her majesty Queen Elizabeth's real birthday?

Queen spends 89th birthday celebrating with Royal family at Windsor Castle - Telegraph Queen spends 89th birthday celebrating with Royal family at Windsor Castle The Queen is having a relaxing week at Windsor as she enters her 90th year on  Tuesday The Queen will be 89 on Tuesday, April 21 Photo: Getty Images By Gordon Rayner , Chief Reporter 7:49PM BST 20 Apr 2015 Follow The Queen will spend her 89th birthday on Tuesday celebrating quietly with members of the Royal family at Windsor Castle as she takes a rare week off from official engagements. Her Majesty will still go through her daily quota of government red boxes, as she does every day except Christmas Day, but will otherwise be able to relax with the Duke of Edinburgh as she enters her 90th year. The Prince of Wales , the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex have also kept their diaries free, suggesting they may join her for a birthday celebration at some point during the day. She could even receive a visit from her great-grandson, Prince George , if the Duchess of Cambridge is feeling well enough to make the trip, or of the Duke of Cambridge has a day off from his air ambulance pilot training. The Queen normally spends weekdays at Buckingham Palace during working periods of the year, but has decided to stay at Windsor, which she prefers, where she will personally open a selection of birthday cards sent to her from around the world. Like the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen dislikes the idea of anyone “making a fuss” over her birthday, and any family celebration is likely to be a low-key affair. It is the fourth successive year that the Queen has celebrated her birthday privately at Windsor, though two of her previous three birthdays were on a weekend. The Queen is already the world's oldest reigning monarch • What happened when a princess went walkabout on VE Day? Her 85th birthday fell on Maundy Thursday, when Her Majesty gave out Maundy money at a service in Westminster Abbey, and on her 80th birthday she went on a walkabout in Windsor to greet crowds who had gathered the celebrate the milestone. The Queen will be back in action on Saturday, when she attends a service at Westminster Abbey to mark the centenary of the Gallipoli campaign in the First World War. A 41-gun salute will be fired by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from Green Park in central London at midday to mark the occasion. The Queen’s official birthday is marked by Trooping the Colour in June.


Which American city has basketball-playing 'Celtics'?

Boston Celtics | The Official Site of the Boston Celtics BOSTON – The struggling New York Knicks were desperate for a win Wednesday night as they took... 5 hours ago Amanda Pflugrad and Marc D'Amico discuss a rare poor performance during the fourth quarter by the C... 5 hours ago The Celtics struggled to generate any momentum in the fourth quarter and fell to the Knicks, 117-... 8 hours ago Key Moment Simply put, the Knicks made the plays that they needed in order to win... 9 hours ago


The battles of 'Grant's Hill' and 'Oswego' were conflicts of which war, that lasted from 1756 to 1763?

Battles of New York Hudson~Mohawk~Schoharie History From America's Most Famous Valleys The  letters in quotations at the end of some of the paragraphs refer to the Bibliography  which is at the end of the book. Thanks to John K. Robertson who provided the links within this document. Battles of New York Battles and Raids in the Province  and State of New York, 1609-1814 John C. Devendorf Preface In preparing  this small volume, my aim has been to furnish future historians the best information  possible. While it is a small volume, it has nevertheless required much time  and care to collect and arrange its details. It is  very important to place on record what can be gathered to contribute information  for the future history of New York State. Larger  and more complicated battles were fought in the State but historians have thoroughly  covered them in numerous volumes. For that reason description of the actions  have been omitted from this book. Unfortunately many settlers, working in their  fields, were killed or captured, as well as refugees who wandered outside the  protection of forts. It has been impossible for the writer to cover all such  events. I express  my grateful thanks to relatives and friends who have contributed toward making  this volume possible. John C.  Devendorf 31. Mar. 1757-Night  attack on Fort William Henry 32. Aug. 9, 1757-Capture of Fort William Henry and massacre 33. Nov. 11,  1757-French and Indian raid at Oneida Castle and upper valley 34. Apr. 30,  1758-French and Indian raid on Fort Herkimer and south side 35. July 20,  1758-One of the many skirmishes for which the Half-way Brook is noted 36. July 26,  1758--Battle of Fort Ticonderoga 37. July 27,  1758--This massacre is probably the most important event which took place at  Half-way Brook 38. Aug. 27,  1758--English capture Fort Oswego 39. Aug. 1758-Battle  northwest of Fort Ann 40. Sept 9,  1758-"Another attack," at the Half-way Brook 41. Nov.12,  1758-DeBelletre's attack on Fort Herkimer (Kouari) 42. July 23,  1759-English capture Fort Niagara 43. Aug. 25,  1760-Surrender of Fort Lewis (Oswegatchie) (Ogdensburg) 44. May 12,  1775-Crown Point and Fort Ticonderoga captured 45. 1776-Skirmishes  at Sabbath Day Point 46. Aug. 27,  1776-Battle of Long Island 47. Sept.  15, 1776-Battle of Harlem Plains 48. Oct. 14,  1776-Battle of Valcour Island (Naval engagement) 49. Oct. 28,  1776-Battle of White Plains 50. Mar. 22,  1777-Peekskill invaded by British 51. Aug. 6  1777-Battle of Oriskany (St. Leger's Campaign) 52. Aug. 13,  1777-Vrooman's Battle (Schoharie Valley) 53. Aug. 16  , 1777-Battle of Bennington 54. Sept.  19, 1777-First Battle of Freeman's Farm (Saratoga) 55. Oct. 6,  1777-Kingston burned by Sir James Wallace 56. Oct. 7,  1777-Second Battle of Freeman's Farm (Saratoga) 57. Oct. 7,  1777-Forts Clinton and Montgomery captured by British 58. Oct. 17,  1777-Burgoyne surrenders at Saratoga 59. Feb. 1778-Battle  of Fairfield 60. Apr. 3,  1778-Manheim attacked by Tories and Indians 61. Apr. 30,  1778-Ephratah attacked by Tories and Indians 62. June 17,1778--Springfield  destroyed by Brant 63. June 1,  1778-Cobleskill destroyed by Brant 64. July 18,  1778-Andrustown destroyed by Indians under Brant 65. Aug. 1,  1778 German Flats raided by Tories and Indians under Brant 66. 1778-British  and Tories raid Manheim district 67. Sept.  27, 1778-Massacre of Baylor's Corps at Tappan 68. Oct. 1778-Unadilla  raided by Tories and Indians 69. Nov. 11,  1778-Cherry Valley massacre by Butler and Indians under Brant 70. Spring  1779-Stone Arabia attacked and small affairs on south side 71. April  18, 1779-Gen. VanSchaick's expedition against the Onondagas 72. May 1779-Indians  attack and burn Cobleskill 73. June 1,  1779-Forts at Verplank's Point and Stony Point captured by British 74. July 16,  1779-Battle of Stony Point 75. July 22,  1779-Battle of Minisink 76. Aug. 29,  1779--Battle of Newtown (near Elmira) 77. Sept.  1779-Germa


Which intermittent wars between 1793 and 1815 included the battles of 'Aspern' and 'Austerlitz'?

Napoleonic Wars | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia 2nd Java The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of wars between Napoleon's French Empire and opposing coalitions. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly owing to the application of modern mass conscription . French power rose quickly as Napoleon's armies conquered much of Europe but collapsed rapidly after France's disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812 . Napoleon's empire ultimately suffered complete military defeat resulting in the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in France and the creation of the Concert of Europe . Despite a final victory against Napoleon, five of seven coalitions saw defeat at the hands of France. France defeated the first and second coalitions during the French Revolutionary Wars , the third (notably at Austerlitz ), the fourth (notably at Jena , Eylau , and Friedland ) and the fifth coalition (notably at Wagram ) under the leadership of Napoleon. These great victories gave the French Army a sense of invulnerability, especially when it approached Moscow. But after the retreat from Russia, in spite of incomplete victories, France was defeated by the sixth coalition at Leipzig , in the Peninsular War at Vitoria and at the hands of the seventh coalition at Waterloo . The wars resulted in the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire and sowed the seeds of nascent nationalism in Germany and Italy that would lead to the two nations' respective consolidations later in the century. Meanwhile, the global Spanish Empire began to unravel as French occupation of Spain weakened Spain's hold over its colonies, providing an opening for nationalist revolutions in Spanish America . As a direct result of the Napoleonic wars, the British Empire became the foremost world power for the next century, [1] thus beginning Pax Britannica . No consensus exists as to when the French Revolutionary Wars ended and the Napoleonic Wars began. An early candidate is 9 November 1799, the date of Bonaparte's coup seizing power in France . However, 18 May 1803 is the most commonly used date, as this was when a renewed declaration of war between Britain and France (resulting from the collapse of the Treaty of Amiens ) ended a one-year-old peace that was the only period of general peace in Europe between 1792 and 1814. Most actual fighting ceased following Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo on 18 June 1815, although skirmishing continued as late as 3 July 1815 at the Battle of Issy . The Second Treaty of Paris officially ended the wars on 20 November 1815. Contents Main articles: French Revolution , French Revolutionary Wars , War of the First Coalition , and War of the Second Coalition The French Revolution of 1789 had a significant impact throughout Europe, which only increased with the arrest and eventual execution of King Louis XVI of France . The first attempt to crush the French Republic came in 1793 when Austria , the Kingdom of Sardinia, the Kingdom of Naples, Prussia , Spain and the Kingdom of Great Britain formed the First Coalition . French measures, including general conscription ( levée en masse ), military reform, and total war , contributed to the defeat of the First Coalition, despite the civil war occurring in France . The war ended when General Napoleon Bonaparte forced the Austrians to accept his terms in the Treaty of Campo Formio . Only Great Britain remained opposed to the French Republic. The Second Coalition was formed in 1798 by Austria, Great Britain, the Kingdom of Naples, the Ottoman Empire , the Papal States, Portugal, Russia , Sweden and other states. During the War of the Second Coalition, the French Republic suffered from corruption and internal division under the Directory (five Directeurs holding executive power). France also lacked funds, and no longer had the services of Lazare Carnot , the war minister who had guided it to successive victories following extensive reforms during the early 1790s. Bonaparte, the main architec


'Petrology' is the study of the origin, structure and composition of what?

Petrology - definition of petrology by The Free Dictionary Petrology - definition of petrology by The Free Dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/petrology The branch of geology that deals with the origin, composition, structure, and alteration of rocks. pet′ro·log′ic (pĕt′rə-lŏj′ĭk), pet′ro·log′i·cal (-ĭ-kəl) adj. pet′ro·log′i·cal·ly adv. pe·trol′o·gist n. petrology (Geological Science) the study of the composition, origin, structure, and formation of rocks. Abbreviation: petrol petrologic, petrological adj the scientific study of rocks, including petrography and petrogenesis. [1805–15] pet•ro•log•ic (ˌpɛ trəˈlɒdʒ ɪk) pet`ro•log′i•cal, adj. pet`ro•log′i•cal•ly, adv. pe•trol′o•gist, n. pe·trol·o·gy The scientific study of the origin, composition, and structure of rocks. petrology the branch of geology that studies the origin, structure, composition, changing, and classification of rocks. — petrologist, n. — petrologic, petrological, adj.


Whose 1769 expedition included the task of observing the transit of the planet Venus over Tahiti?

Article (PDF Available) in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 2004(IAUC196):52 - 66 · June 2004 with 64 Reads DOI: 10.1017/S1743921305001262 30.68 · National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand Abstract After the failure of the 1761 transit to provide a reliable value for the astronomical unit, the focus shifted to the 1769 event, and Britain mounted an ambitious program, with overseas observing parties dispatched to North Cape (Norway), Hudson Bay (Canada) and newly-discovered Tahiti in the Pacific. Lieutenant James Cook was in charge of the Tahitian expedition, ably assisted by fellow-astronomer, Charles Green, and they were supplied by the Royal Society and the Royal Observatory at Greenwich with telescopes and other scientific instruments. The main observing site was set up at Fort Venus, and supplementary transit stations were established on Irioa Island (Moorea) and Taaupiri Island (off the east coast of Tahiti). June 3 was warm and clear, and all observers successfully recorded the transit, but on the journey home ‘the curse of the transit’ prevailed and more than half of them fell ill and died. Back in England, Cook wrote up the transit observations for the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, but for some inexplicable reason only used data obtained at Fort Venus. It was left to Oxford astronomer, Professor Thomas Hornsby, to derive a meaningful figure for the solar parallax, and he utilized the Tahitian data and observations made at four other sites to arrive at a figure of 8$\rlap . ^{\prime\prime}$78. But discordant results obtained by other researchers fuelled controversy over the effectiveness of transits of Venus as a valid means of determining the astronomical unit. In fact, the solar parallax obtained by Hornsby was remarkably similar to the currently-accepted value of 8$\rlap . ^{\prime\prime}$794148, thereby discrediting Beaglehole's oft-quoted claim that the Tahitian observations were a failure. Although more than a dozen men were involved in the Tahitian transit program, most of their records have been lost, and remarkably few of the instruments they employed can now be identified. Yet for those of us with Pacific affiliations, Cook's first voyage to the South Seas occupies a special place in transit of Venus history. Discover the world's research James Cook’s 1769 transit of Venus expedition to Tahiti Anglo-Australian Observatory & Australia Telescope National Facility, PO Box 296, Epping, NSW 2121, Australia wo@aaoeapp.aao.gov.au Abstract. After the failure of the 1761 transit to provide a reliable value for the astronomical unit, the focus shifted to the 1769 event, and Britain mounted an ambitious program, with overseas observing parties dispatched to North Cape (Norway), Hudson Bay (Canada) and newly-discovered Tahiti in the Paciﬁc. Lieutenant James Cook was in charge of the Tahitian expedition, ably assisted by fellow-astronomer, Charles Green, and they were supplied by the Royal Society and the Royal Observatory at Greenwich with telescopes and other scientiﬁc instruments. The main observing site was set up at Fort Venus, and supplementary transit stations were established on Irioa Island (Moorea) and Taaupiri Island (oﬀ the east coast of Tahiti). June 3 was warm and clear, and all observers successfully recorded the transit, but on the journey home ‘the curse of the transit’ prevailed and more than half of them fell ill and died. Back in England, Cook wrote up the transit observations for the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, but for some inexplicable reason only used data obtained at Fort Venus. It was left to Oxford astronomer, Professor Thomas Hornsby, to derive a meaningful ﬁgure for the solar parallax, and he utilized the Tahitian data and observations made at four other sites to arrive at a ﬁgure of 8. 78. But discordant results obtained by other researchers fuelled controversy over the eﬀectiveness of transits of Venus as a valid means of determining the astronomical unit. In fact, the solar parallax obtained by Hornsby was remarkabl


Who joined swashbucklers, Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain and Frank Finlay in a 1974 adventure film?

Amazon.com: Three Musketeers [VHS]: Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch, Richard Chamberlain, Michael York, Frank Finlay, Christopher Lee, Geraldine Chaplin, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Spike Milligan, Roy Kinnear, Georges Wilson, Simon Ward, David Watkin, Richard Lester, Alexander Salkind, Ilya Salkind, Michael Salkind, Wolfdieter von Stein, Alexandre Dumas pÃ¨re, George MacDonald Fraser: Movies & TV HALL OF FAME TOP 500 REVIEWER VINE VOICE on March 24, 2003 Format: DVD Filmed in 1973, the one that began it all. The book was actually split into two movies to fit all the plot! This is the first half of the book. An amazing, star-studded cast, great attention to detail and it's funny to boot! Let's see. Oliver Reed as Athos, Richard Chamberlain as Aramis, Frank Finlay as Porthos, Michael York as D'Artagnan. Christopher Lee, Raquel Welch, Geraldine Chaplin, Faye Dunaway. Just about every performance is amazing. This has the REAL plot - not the entirely made-up one Disney foisted on us. D'Artagnan is cheating on his landlord with his landlord's wife. The Queen of France is cheating on her husband, the King, with the Duke of Buckingham. The cardinal is trying to gain power of France. The Musketeers gladly steal food and cheat when necessary. It's a rough world out there! The attention to detail in the film is simply amazing. From the stunning costumes, to the silver-and-white ball at the end, to the interiors of the buildings, to the food they eat, wine they drink, games they play - it's all fully authentic. You could watch this in a history class and learn quite a bit. And the swordfighting!! None of this pretentious sword-waving and back-flipping. These guys were professional soldiers. They fought to win. This involved rough-and-tumble brawl tactics at times. I compare Athos' fighting style to Aragorn's in Lord of the Rings. His aim was to stay alive and to keep his comerades alive, not to look pretty when he fought. Now for the BIG WARNING. I wore out several copies of the video tape before getting this on the first DVD available. Fox Lorber put out the DVD version. I was thrilled to have it on DVD. I was less thrilled when I saw what they did to the movie!! Read more ›


Which 10th century explorer founded an Icelandic colony which he named 'Greenland', to encourage people to settle there?

Viking Colonization in Canada | Wordsmith Insightful journalism and powerful fiction Viking Colonization in Canada http://canadian-settlement.suite101.com/article.cfm/viking_colonization_in_canada Canada’s First European Colony Viking attempts to colonize North America began in the late 10th Century, when Norse sailors began exploring the northeast coast of North America. The Viking colony in Greenland, which was founded by Eric the Red, lasted for 500 years, with last the recorded event occurring in 1408. In comparison, the Viking settlements established on Canada’s east coast lasted less than two years and did not evolve into permanent colonies. Nevertheless, it is believed that seasonal voyages to Newfoundland and Labrador may have continued until sometime in the 1300s. These voyages, usually sealing expeditions or foraging trips, would have made the Greenland Vikings the first Europeans to visit the New World on a regular basis. The Vikings in Greenland According to the Saga of the Icelanders, Greenland was first settled by Eric the Red, sometime in the 980s. Eric was banished from Iceland for committing manslaughter. He spent three years exploring Greenland, at the end of which time, he returned to Iceland seeking colonists to settle in Greenland. At its peak, Eric’s Greenland colony had a population of approximately 5,000 in two settlements, along with several hundred farms. Greenland was also used by the Vikings as a jumping off point for expeditions to Canada’s Atlantic coast. Viking Activities in Canada It is believed that Canada’s east coast was referred to as Vinland by the Vikings, from about 1000 onward. Archaeological evidence unearthed in 1960 conclusively proved that the Vikings visited North America 500 years before the voyages of John Cabot and Henry Hudson. Vinland The name Vinland is traditionally interpreted one of two ways. According to some sources, Vinland got its name due to the wild grapes found growing in the region. More recently, Vinland has been interpreted as meaning pasture land. This definition is believed to have been derived from the Norwegian word for farm. Vinland first appears in the historical record in 1075, when the voyages of Eric the Red and Leif Ericsson were written down by Adam of Bremen in his book, Descriptio Insularum Aquilonis Most of the information describing the Viking activities on the east coast of Canada is found in two sources, the Saga of Eric the Red and the Saga of the Greenlanders. However, both of these Sagas were written 250 years after the events they describe. Therefore, they are open to a wide variety of interpretations. When read together they describe two separate attempts to establish a Norse presence in North America. However, neither colony lasted more than two years. The exact reason why the colonies failed is not known, but disputes among the colonists, disease and conflicts with the First Nations , called Skraelings by the Vikings have all been put forth by experts at one time or another. The primary sources claim that after the colonization of Greenland, a merchant named Bjarni Herjolfson set sail from Iceland to visit his father in Greenland. During the voyage, a storm blew up and Bjarni was blown off course. When the storm abated, he found himself off the coast of eastern Canada, most likely somewhere off the coast of what is now Labrador. Not wanting to spend the winter in the new land he had discovered, Bjarni did not land and instead continued on to Greenland, where he told the story to Leif Ericsson, who mounted an expedition with the intent of founding a colony. The exact location of Vinland is not known today. Around the turn of the 20th Century, the few historians who took the Icelandic Sagas seriously believed that Vinland was located somewhere in New England. Newfoundland historian, William Munn argued that Vinland was located somewhere on Canada’s east coast. Munn’s hypothesis was proven correct in 1960 when Norwegian archaeologists Helge and Anne Stine Ingstad unearthed conclusive evidence of a Viking settlement in L’Anse aux Meadows,


Which is the third largest of the Channel Islands?

Alderney, The Third Largest of the Channel Islands | Goista.com Alderney, The Third Largest of the Channel Islands On May 1, 2015 image source: en.wikipedia.org Alderney is one of the Channel Islands, officially some piece of the Balliwick of Guernsey. Alderney is the third biggest of the Channel Islands, and the most northerly. It is frequently said that Alderney is the main Channel Island since it is the stand out that is really in the English Channel/La Manche. (Guernsey, Jersey and the littler islands are really in the Bay of St Malo). There are no urban areas on Alderney. The island itself is just 3 miles in length by 1.5 wide. The primary amassing of houses and shops is in the focal point of the Island in the town of St Anne – regularly alluded to just as ‘Town’. The Parish of St Anne’s incorporates the entire of the Island. image source: commons.wikimedia.org Because of its area in the English Channel and its vicinity to the French port of Cherbourg, it has frequently been seen to be deliberately imperative, regardless of the tricky waters that encompass it. In the 19th century, an extensive jetty – the longest in the British Isles – was manufactured at Braye keeping in mind the end goal to frame a harbor shielded from the Swinge tidal race. Despite the fact that it was never finished, its staggering remains frame the advanced harbor. Amid World War II the island was involved by German powers, including the SS, and four constrained work camps were fabricated. Albeit not an elimination camp in the same sense as e.g. Dachau and Buchenwald, a lot of constrained workers, especially from Eastern Europe, were attempted to death, and there is a dedication to them close to Saye which is an absolute necessity see. The uninhabited islet of Burhou, off the northwest end of the island, is an imperative settling range for seabirds. The previous rancher’s bungalow on Burhou can be leased from the Government, and is utilized for ‘make tracks in an opposite direction from it all’ occasions by various Alderney occupants. Toward the south of the islands, differentiating Alderney from the Cherbourg landmass, is the Alderney Race (Raz), infamous for is greatly solid streams and unpleasant oceans. In spite of the dangers introduced by Alderney’s rough coastline and the risks of the Swinge and Race, Braye harbor is a prevalent destination for yachtsmen and in summer the harbor is loaded with pontoons of different sorts, from little RIBs to multimillion pound extravagance yachts. image source: www.globeimages.net Despite the fact that the Auregniais (Alderney Norman-French) dialect in the long run vanished in the early piece of the 20th century, the signs prompting Town are bilingual, perusing ‘Town/La Ville’, apparently to support going to French yachtsmen and day-trippers. The ward of St Anne is served by a sublime, very nearly church building like area church in the inside of Town. Alderney is a little island , and in great climate, there’s truly no place that isn’t inside strolling separation. Bikes can likewise be enlisted. Alderney is likely one of the most secure destinations you can visit. Wrongdoing is uncommon and the little wrongdoing is genuinely minor. Individuals for the most part leave entryways opened and frequently leave vehicles unsecured with the keys in the ignition. Amid the mid year, there is a general bus service round the island and even a route service in the middle of Braye and the north of the island. image source: commons.wikimedia.org Here are the highlights: 1. Fort Clonque. A 19th-century seaside fort, worked via Landmark Trust. 2. Alderney observes Alderney Week toward the start of August consistently. From one viewpoint, this gives a far reaching project of occasions and merriments, yet in the meantime can make it hard to book settlement and practically difficult to make evening eatery reservations unless done well ahead of time. 3. There is a pleasant scope of eateries, from bistros to keen choice sustenance. There are no “chains” of fast food, no McDonalds, no Burger King, Pizza Hut and so forth. Every


What is the oldest order of knighthood still in existence in Britain?

Knighthood and Noble Titles - There were only a few ways in which a person could become a knight. The first way was the normal course of action for the son of a noble: When a boy was eight years old, he was sent to the neighboring castle where he was trained as a page. The boy was usually the son of a knight or of a member of the aristocracy. He spent most of his time strengthening his body, wrestling and riding horses. He also learned how to fight with a spear and a sword. He practiced against a wooden dummie called a quintain . It was essentially a heavy sack or dummies in the form of a human. It was hung on a wooden pole along with a shield. The young page had to hit the shield in its center. When hit, the whole structure would spin around and around. The page had to maneuver away quickly without getting hit. The young man was also taught more civilized topics. He would be taught to read and write by a schoolmaster. He could also be taught some Latin and French. The lady of the castle taught the page to sing and dance and how to behave in the king’s court. At the age of fifteen or sixteen, a boy became a squire in service to a knight. His duties included dressing the knight in the morning, serving all of the knight’s meals, caring for the knight’s horse, and cleaning the knight’s armor and weapons. He followed the knight to tournaments and assisted his lord on the battlefield. A squire also prepared himself by learning how to handle a sword and lance while wearing forty pounds of armor and riding a horse. When he was about twenty, a squire could become a knight after proving himself worthy. A lord would agree to knight him in a dubbing ceremony. The night before the ceremony, the squire would dress in a white tunic and red robes. He would then fast and pray all night for the purification of his soul. The chaplain would bless the future knight's sword and then lay it on the chapel or church's altar. Before dawn, he took a bath to show that he was pure, and he dressed in his best clothes. When dawn came, the priest would hear the young man's confession, a Catholic contrition rite. The squire would then eat breakfast. Soon the dubbing ceremony began. The outdoor ceremony took place in front of family, friends, and nobility. The squire knelt in front of the lord, who tapped the squire lightly on each shoulder with his sword and proclaimed him a knight. This was symbolic of what occurred in earlier times. In the earlier middle ages, the person doing the dubbing would actually hit the squire forcefully, knocking him over. After the dubbing, a great feast followed with music and dancing. young man could also become a knight for valor in combat after a battle or sometimes before a battle to help him gain courage. The first and simplest method of knighting was that used on battlefields, when the candidate knelt before the Royal commander of the army and was 'stricken with the sword upon his back and shoulder' with some words such as 'Advances Chevalier au nom de Dieu'. (The action of touching the sword on the recipient's shoulder is known as dubbing). The second method involving greater ceremony, which could include the offering by the knight of his sword on the altar. Although the monarch's 'lieutenants in the wars' and a few others of high birth could knight others, over the years successive Sovereigns began drastically to limit the power to confer knighthood - particularly Henry VIII. Eventually, it became the custom for monarchs to confer all knighthoods personally, unless this was quite impracticable. The alternative to knighthood was the payment of a fine instead of military service, and kings such as Edward II, James I and Charles I found such fines a useful source of income for the crown (this practice of fining was abolished in Charles II's reign). James I even instituted a new honor of baronetcy (a title which could be passed on to descendants) in 1611, so that he could raise money and valuable reinforcements for his army. Degradation from knighthood In extreme case


Deddington History - Blott on the Landscape (TV series) Deddington History Sylvie Nickels Our Fifteen Minutes (or more precisely 5 hours) of Fame Motorists travelling east-west through Deddington on a certain week-end of August 1984 will have stumbled upon an unexpected scene of mayhem. Buildings were in ruins, crushed cars scattered the scene amidst piles of rubble and traces of smoke. Could there have been a terrorist attack in this quiet backwater? Had the inhabitants of Deddington lost leave of their collective senses? Wrong, and wrong again. The BBC had been in town filming Blott on the Landscape. Blott you may recall is a rural romp by Tom Sharpe based on events following a decision to build a section of motorway through some highly desirable landscape. Extremely tenuously linked with this is the desire of Lady Maud (Geraldine James) of the manor to produce a son, and the reluctance of the lord of the manor (George Cole) to co-operate in the matter. There are lots of shots of quaint architecture, quintessential English countryside, public protests, irreverent innuendoes and much apparently irrelevant but entertaining nudity. Naughty, funny, not terribly subtle are epithets which come to mind. And one of the main hubs of this saga? Our very own hostelry the Unicorn, renamed for the purpose the Royal George. The first that Fred Ellis - then landlord of the Unicorn - knew of it was when three strangers began showing a curious interest in some of his upstairs rooms. Dealers on the hunt for rare antiques? No, some BBC bods sussing out the property which would become centre stage. The name of the pub was not all that changed. A block of false frontages were built next to the Town Hall. The bus stop acquired a thatched shelter (pity it had to go). Some petrol pumps (here and here)and a war memorial made an appearance. Huge vehicles carrying generators to power the proceedings became temporary fixtures. The climax came when the centre of Deddington was 'blown up'. In an evocative editorial of the September 1984 Deddington News (which includes a splendid poem by Deddingtonian Molly Neild), then-editor Ralph Elsley wrote: "Indeed for many Deddingtonians the night of August 10/11 will be one they will long remember - for some of the youngest, if for nothing else, as one of those occasions when they stayed up till the ungodliest hours with the best will of their parents. It was certainly a beautiful night to be out in the open air under a full moon, but as a night of phenomenal events it is unlikely ever to be repeated or rivalled. "….only the hardiest lingered until its closing moments around 4 a.m. Some were sustained by the splendid hospitality and privileged dress-circle seats in the bedrooms of friends living in the Market Square; many strolled or squatted patiently and revived their spirits while extra time allowed in whatever inn or restaurant was at hand. The biggest queues formed for the latest opening in local history of the Butcher's Shop, where, with lights ablaze when shooting permitted, Andy Clarke did his manful best to cope with the enthusiastic demand for hot pies. "We will all have our memories of the BBC's sojourn in Deddington, from the earliest intimations and preliminary meeting in the Town Hall in June to the Sunday aftermath and lightning clear-up. There were visitations and autographs from the luminaries of the small screen, George Cole, Geraldine James, David Suchet and Simon Cadell, not to mention the author himself. We all watched with astonishment George Gibbs at work perched high on his fated nine-days-wonder of building construction. I shall not forget wandering into Wallin's one morning amidst a bunch of patient extras and a camera man and calmy demanding a couple of cottage rolls from an unfamiliar and formidable young woman in dark spectacles who later proved to be much handier with a loud-hailer than with small change. Thirsty patrons of the new resplendent Unicorn will doubtless recall longer periods of puzzlement and frustration and rejoice to have things restored to normality. "Of the grea