Which music hall actor invented the character of Old Mother Riley, a part he was to play in 16 films?

Old Mother Riley- Arthur Lucan. The Cinema Museum | nigelthedame Old Mother Riley- Arthur Lucan. The Cinema Museum August 15, 2013 Arthur Lucan – Old Mother Riley   In a couple of months time the London Cinema Museum will dedicate a day to the career and films of Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane.  A one-day conference celebrating the Life and Films of Arthur Lucan , and the centenary of his marriage to Kitty McShane SATURDAY 12 OCTOBER 2013 www.cinemamuseum.org.uk Not strictly a “Pantomime” double act, as they rarely appeared in a pantomime, preferring to tour the variety halls with their act, which was pure pantomime in itself. Arthur Lucan was the archetypal dame character, and his wife Kitty the “principal girl” in their “Mother-Daughter” sketches. Their most famous sketch was “Bridget’s Night Out”, which fortunately has survived on film. The sketch involves the long suffering Lucan waiting for “Me Daughter Kitty” to come home. When she does the sketch encompasses double talk comedy, pathos, and a large dose of pure slapstick as a row ensues. Lucan as his washerwoman character destroys every piece of china on the set- hurling plates, cups and jugs until one piece remains intact..until of course he forgets he’s holding it and smashes it. The moment he realises..not daring to look , holding just the handle as he feels for the non existent jug is pure theatrical magic. On stage Mother Riley and Kitty were constantly rowing. Unfortunately, their off stage rows were bigger than anything they could ever hope to produce on stage. As the undoubted headliners of the Variety Circuit in the 1930’s and ‘40’s they were soon to become film stars. They were to make fifteen films, during which time Mother Riley went to Paris, became an MP, went into the army, ran a circus, was stranded in the jungle, and finally in 1952 scared the life out of Bela Lugosi as “The Vampire”! This last film was without Kitty, by now the on screen/stage relationship had become very bitter indeed.   Their Double act was formed in Ireland . Arthur Lucan was born Arthur Towle in Boston, Lincolnshire in 1887.He toured Ireland as a red nosed baggy trousered clown character, before meeting his subsequent partner, Kitty McShane (born Dublin 1897) in 1913.Arthur created their name “Lucan & McShane” after the Lucan Dairy in Dublin. It was in a small Dublin pantomime that Lucan first put on the costume of the old Irish washerwoman. It was a character he would continue to play until his death in 1954. The Dame in that panto was ill, and Lucan stepped into the role as Dame in “Little Jack Horner”. When they began touring their act their characters were simply “Mother” and “Kathleen”. They brought the act to England in 1919, with a “Family Row” sketch called “Come Over”. Arthur’s catchphrase to Kathleen was a constant “Come over..” An extract goes: Mother             “And did he kiss you?” Kathleen:          “Yes, and I liked it, and I kissed him back” Mother:            “Come over…..WHERE did he kiss you? Kathleen:          “Between the Post Office and the Railway Station” Eventually renamed “Old Mother Riley and her Daughter, Kitty” they appeared at the Alhambra in London in 1925. By 1932 they were starring at the London Palladium, with a dishevelled Mother Riley claiming “Every man before wedlock should be padlocked!” “Bridget’s Night Out” appeared in the Royal Command Performance of 1934. Mother Riley waits for her Daughter to return after a date..”She’s left me all alone and she knows I can only read the clock when it strikes!” The clock strikes….”Oh dear. It’s One O’Clock three times!” By 1937 Lucan and McShane were top of the bill in every major variety house in the country. The first “Mother Riley” film was made. Lucan and McShane were among the highest paid entertainers in the land. On stage Kitty offers to stay at home with Mother. Mother decides to celebrate..”I’ll give you a party. I’ll open a tin of sardines!” Offstage Arthur was a careful man with his money, with the exception of spending it on alcohol. Kitty made wise investments with her share. In this b


What word is used to describe a small, square tile of stone or glass, used in mosaics?

Tesserae - definition of tesserae by The Free Dictionary Tesserae - definition of tesserae by The Free Dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/tesserae Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . tes·ser·a n. pl. tes·ser·ae (tĕs′ə-rē′) One of the small squares of stone or glass used in making mosaic patterns. [Latin, from Greek, neuter of tesseres, variant of tessares, four; see kwetwer- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] tessera n, pl -serae (-səˌriː) 1. (Ceramics) a small square tile of stone, glass, etc, used in mosaics 2. (Historical Terms) a die, tally, etc, used in classical times, made of bone or wood [C17: from Latin, from Ionic Greek tesseres four] ˈtesseral adj


What word is used to describe a text, written for and set to music, in an opera?

Music - The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill What this handout is about This handout features common types of music assignments and offers strategies and resources for writing them. WRITING ABOUT MUSIC Elvis Costello once famously remarked that “writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” While he may have been overstating the case, it is often difficult to translate the non-verbal sounds that you experience when you listen to music into words. To make matters more difficult, there are a variety of ways to describe music:  1) You can be technical and use terms from music theory. Example: “The cadential pattern established in the opening 16 bars is changed by a phrasal infix of two bars (mm. 22–24), thus prolonging the dominant harmony in the third phrase.”  2) You can describe your feelings and personal reactions to the music. Example: “I felt that the chorus of the song was more gripping than the opening.”  3) You can try to give a play-by-play description of what’s happening in the music. Example: “The saxophone soloist played a lot of scales in his improvisation, and the pianist added sparse chords to it.”  Without an extensive knowledge of music theory, you will most likely wind up doing a combination of 2 and 3. However, in all of these examples, you are only describing the music. Most music professors want you to analyze it. (So what if the dominant is prolonged? What is the effect and meaning of this?) How your description of music becomes an analysis of music depends on the kind of assignment you are answering. Consult our handout on understanding assignments for help in getting started. Making an Argument about Music Often, you will be asked to make an argument about a particular piece of music. In its most basic form, this is a statement about the piece with evidence that persuades your reader to agree with your argument. Clearly presenting your overall argument will help you organize your information around that main point. See our handout on argument. For example, if you are writing about the historical importance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, you might develop an argument like this:  “Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, completed and first performed in 1824, is historically significant because of the ways that it challenged and expanded audiences’ expectations of symphonic structure.”  If this is your argument, then you should research what the audience expectations for a symphony might have been in 1824 based on other pieces of the time. How many movements did symphonies typically have? What were their formal structures? What were the performing forces? Once you understand the expectations of the day, you can identify the specific ways that Beethoven’s Ninth is different as well as what specific moments of the work (the entrance of the choir, the grand recapitulation which begins the last movement, etc.) you can cite as evidence for your argument. As you can see, making an argument in music involves historical or cultural evidence AND specific observations about the piece itself which combine to give a richly textured picture of the music and the composer, as well as the context from which they both emerged. Even when making evaluative or interpretive claims about music, you should always provide evidence to support your claims. Music often evokes strong emotions in listeners, but these may not be the same for everyone. Music that you experience as “powerful” or “triumphant” may be experienced by another listener as “angry” or “violent.” Giving specific examples from the music will help explain your emotional reactions and give your reader a context for understanding them. For example, instead of saying The chorus of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” sounds angrier than the verses.  you might argue that  The added distortion in the guitar, increase in volume, and additional strain on Kurt Cobain’s voice give the chorus of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” an angrier or more critical tone than the verses. Musical Terminology On occasion, or in some assignments, you may feel overw


"Part of the plot of the novel, ""Lorna Doone"", revolves around which famous English battle?"

PeriodDramas.com - Lorna Doone Lorna Doone By M. Gowlett, guest author Lorna Doone - as love story, and historical drama with special attention to the English kings and queens of the day What prompts us to re-discover a classic period drama? In my case, on hearing the name chosen by good friends of mine for their newborn baby girl, 'Lorna', the name 'Lorna Doone' immediately sprung to mind, and I know I wouldn't be alone in this. The romantic novel Lorna Doone was written by the British author R.D. Blackmore in 1869, and since the single-volume version of the book was published in 1870, it has never been out of print - sure proof of its popularity. There is a memorial plaque to him both in Exeter Cathedral and on the banks of the Badgworthy River, which flows through Exmoor, where he enjoyed spending time as a child. It is thought that Blackmore created the name 'Lorna' for his beautiful heroine Lorna Doone, based on the Scottish place name Lorn, located in Argyll Scotland, and possibly also loosely on the Marquess of Lorne, who was the 9th Duke of Argyll who later married one of Queen Victoria's daughters, was appointed Governor General of Canada and created The Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (among other things). The story has its origins in Scotland, but is set in Exmoor in the south west of England, where the Doone family settled after being dispossessed of their Scottish lands and outlawed. Today we can find the Lorne Valley in Exmoor, a beautiful place to walk and a popular tourist attraction, as is a similar Lorne Valley both in Canada and in Australia. The old English word 'lorn' meaning 'lost or forgotten', as in the word 'forlorn', and 'the maiden all forlorn' in the old English nursery rhyme 'The House that Jack Built', could actually relate to Mr. Blackmore's Lorna, who was pretty forlorn at the start of the story, but for the sake of the name, I prefer to remember only that Lorna is a beautiful name for a beautiful girl, as the author intended. Lorna Doone is a love story set in Exmoor around 1675, which at the time was quite a wild and lawless area of England, being a difficult 7-day journey from London where all the law that existed was focused, during a period of political and religious unrest (which I will go into later). In this area lived the family Ridd: Jack and his wife Sara, son John and two daughters Annie and Lizzie. They were a peaceful, hard-working farming family who lived a simple but happy life, apart from one thing: the constant threat posed by their violent neighbours, the Doone family. The formerly noble Doones had been banished from their ancestral lands in Scotland and had chosen to settle in a valley in Exmoor knowing that in this place they could live by robbery, looting and murder and get away with it! They showed no mercy and their brutality was legendary, but no action was taken against them. When Jack Ridd was brutally murdered by the Doone son Carver, John could do nothing and his mother wisely prevented him from taking vengeance. How unfortunate it was then that John, as in Romeo and Juliet, and West Side Story, should later fall in love with the beautiful daughter of this hated family, Lorna! Already as children when John fell over a cliff into deep water in Doone territory whilst fishing, Lorna had been kind to him and helped him escape from Carver, but he had not realised she was a Doone. When they meet again as young folks on a beautiful sunny day, both enjoying the pleasant Somerset countryside, they inevitably fall in love, with equally inevitable consequences. As I intend to recommend your watching this period drama film, I won't divulge how the consequences work out! There have been several film versions of Lorna Doone; films from 1922, 1934 and 1951, and television productions from 1963, 1976 and 2000 and it is this latest Christmas 2000 BBC version that I chose to watch and tell about. My first comment is that I really enjoyed it and would rate it as a quality romantic period drama, with all the requirements: an excellent plot (thanks to Mr. Blackmore); plenty of authe


In flowering plants, what name is given to the terminal part of a stamen, where pollen is produced?

Parts of a Flowering Plant Parts of a Flowering Plant Bambi Golombisky/ E+/ Getty Images Updated January 29, 2016. Parts of a Flowering Plant Plants are eukaryotic organisms that are characterized by their ability to produce their own food. They are vital to all life on earth as they provide oxygen, shelter, clothing, food, and medicine for other living organisms. Plants are very diverse and include organisms such as mosses, vines, trees, bushes, grasses, and ferns. Plants can be vascular or nonvascular, flowering or nonflowering, and seed bearing or non-seed bearing. The information below describe the characteristics and parts of a flowering plant. Angiosperms Flowering plants, also called angiosperms , are the most numerous of all the divisions in the Plant Kingdom . The parts of a flowering plant are characterized by two basic systems: a root system and a shoot system. continue reading below our video 10 Best Universities in the United States These two systems are connected by vascular tissue that runs from the root through the shoot. The root system enables flowering plants to obtain water and nutrients from the soil. The shoot system allows plants to reproduce and to obtain food through photosynthesis . Root System The roots of a flowering plant are very important. They keep the plant anchored in the ground and obtain nutrients and water from the soil. The roots also store food. Nutrients and water are absorbed through tiny root hairs that extend from the root system. All roots however, do not originate underground. Some plants have roots that originate above ground from stems or leaves. These roots provide support for the stems. Shoot System Flowering plant stems, leaves, and flowers make up the plant shoot system. Plant stems provide support for the plant and allow nutrients and water to travel throughout the plant. Within the stem and throughout the plant are tube-like tissues called xylem and phloem. These tissues carry water, food, and nutrients to all parts of the plant. The leaves are the sites of food production for the flowering plant. It is here that the plant acquires light energy and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and releases oxygen into the air. Leaves can have various shapes and forms, but they all basically consist of a blade, veins, and a petiole. The blade is the flat extended part of the leaf. The veins run throughout the blade and provide a transport system for water and nutrients. The petiole is a short stalk that attaches the leaf to the stem. Another component of the shoot system of a flowering plant is the flower. The flower is responsible for seed development and reproduction. There are four main flower parts in angiosperms : sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels. The stamen is considered the male portion of a plant and the carpel is considered the female portion. Pollen is produced in the stamen and the female ovary is contained within the plant carpel. Pollen is transferred from stamen to carpel by plant pollinators such as bugs , birds, and mammals . When the ovule (egg cell) within the ovary becomes fertilized, it develops into a seed. The ovary, which surrounds the seed, becomes the fruit. Flowers that contain both stamens and carpels are called perfect flowers. Flowers that are missing either stamens or carpels are called imperfect flowers. If a flower contains all four main parts (sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels), it is called a complete flower. Parts of a Flowering Plant: Summary In summary, angiosperms are differentiated from other plants by their flowers and fruit. Flowering plants are characterized by a root system and a shoot system. The root system absorbs water and nutrients from the soil. The shoot system is composed of the stem, leaves , and flowers. This system allows the plant to obtain food and to reproduce. Both the root system and shoot system work together to enable flowering plants to survive on land. Parts of a Flowering Plant Quiz Think you know all about the parts of a flowering plant? Take the Parts of a Flowering Plant Quiz and find out how much you really


Peggy Seeger, half sister to the American folk singer Pete Seeger, was the third wife of which British poet, playwright and folk singer?

Ewan MacColl | Biography & History | AllMusic google+ Artist Biography               by Steve Winick Ewan MacColl may well have been the most influential person in the British folk song revival. From his early manhood until his death in 1989, he remained passionately committed to folk, though not exclusively; he was also a poet, playwright, organizer, activist, songwriter, husband, and father. MacColl was born James Henry Miller in Salford, England in 1915. His father was a lowland man who spoke Scots English, his mother a highlander who spoke Gaelic. Both of his parents were singers. MacColl left school at 14 to busk and act in the streets, and was quickly discovered by the BBC. Soon he was not only singing, but also writing programs for the radio. He founded the first folk club in England, the Ballads and Blues Club, as well as the Critic's Group , an influential early singing group that included such singers as Frankie Armstrong , Anne Briggs , and John Faulkner . MacColl was one of the foremost interpreters of traditional songs ever recorded. The most ambitious project he undertook was to record a representative sampling of Professor Francis James Child 's English and Scottish popular ballads. While his early repertoire was mainly of street songs and traditional material, he was also an important songwriter. Most impressive was his competence in producing expressions that had an appeal to all levels of society; his songs have been covered by performers as diverse as Dick Gaughan , the Pogues , Roberta Flack , and Elvis Presley , and many have been collected in several versions from the oral tradition. They range from savage political satire to tender love songs, and are supremely effective at producing the desired emotions. Beyond his activities as a singer and songwriter, MacColl was an actor and a playwright. In 1947, George Bernard Shaw commented, "Apart from myself, MacColl is the only man of genius writing for the theater in England today." His playwriting and songwriting joined seamlessly in his "radio ballads," radio plays that bordered on ballad operas. Many of his most lovely and best-remembered songs were written for these plays, some of which have been released in album form. MacColl was married to Peggy Seeger , herself a singer of folk songs (and half-sister to American icon Pete Seeger ). Together MacColl and Seeger , sometimes accompanied by their children, also skilled musicians and singers, recorded quite a few albums as well. Many of MacColl 's albums are out of print products of long-defunct record companies. Some, however, are readily available. All, like MacColl himself, are important factors in the history of the folk revival, to be cherished by all who encounter them. This great singer made many, many albums over many years. All of them are recommended for fans of great singing, though some may be a bit specialized (i.e., unaccompanied singing in broad Scots dialect) for some listeners.


"Although Stephen Dedalus is an important character in James Joyce's novel, ""Ulysses"", who is, in fact, the main character in the story?"

SparkNotes: Ulysses: Character List Character List Plot Overview Analysis of Major Characters Leopold Bloom -  A thirty-eight-year-old advertising canvasser in Dublin. Bloom was raised in Dublin by his Hungarian Jewish father, Rudolph, and his Irish Catholic mother, Ellen. He enjoys reading and thinking about science and inventions and explaining his knowledge to others. Bloom is compassionate and curious and loves music. He is preoccupied by his estrangement from his wife, Molly. Read an in-depth analysis of Leopold Bloom. Marion (Molly) Bloom -  Leopold Bloom’s wife. Molly Bloom is thirty-three years old, plump with dark coloring, good-looking, and flirtatious. She is not well-educated, but she is nevertheless clever and opinionated. She is a professional singer, raised by her Irish father, Major Brian Tweedy, in Gibraltar. Molly is impatient with Bloom, especially about his refusal to be intimate with her since the death of their son, Rudy, eleven years ago. Stephen Dedalus -  An aspiring poet in his early twenties. Stephen is intelligent and extremely well-read, and he likes music. He seems to exist more for himself, in a cerebral way, than as a member of a community or even the group of medical students that he associates with. Stephen was extremely religious as a child, but now he struggles with issues of faith and doubt in the wake of his mother’s death, which occurred less than a year ago. Read an in-depth analysis of Stephen Dedalus. Malachi (Buck) Mulligan -  A medical student and a friend of Stephen. Buck Mulligan is plump and well-read, and manages to ridicule nearly everything. He is well-liked by nearly everyone for his bawdy and witty jokes except Stephen, Simon, and Bloom. Haines -  A folklore student at Oxford who is particularly interested in studying Irish people and culture. Haines is often unwittingly condescending. He has been staying at the Martello tower where Stephen and Buck live. Hugh (“Blazes”) Boylan -  The manager for Molly’s upcoming concert in Belfast. Blazes Boylan is well-known and well-liked around town, though he seems somewhat sleazy, especially toward women. Boylan has become interested in Molly, and they commence an affair during the afternoon of the novel. Millicent (Milly) Bloom -  Molly and Leopold Bloom’s fifteen-year-old daughter, who does not actually appear in Ulysses. The Blooms recently sent Milly to live in Mullingar and learn photography. Milly is blond and pretty and has become interested in boys—she is dating Alec Bannon in Mullingar. Simon Dedalus -  Stephen Dedalus’s father. Simon Dedalus grew up in Cork, moved to Dublin, and was a fairly successful man until recently. Other men look up to him, even though his home life has been in disarray since his wife died. Simon has a good singing voice and a talent for funny stories, and he might have capitalized on these assets if not for his drinking habit. Simon is extremely critical of Stephen. A.E. (George Russell)  -  A.E. is the pseudonym of George Russell, a famous poet of the Irish Literary Revival who is at the center of Irish literary circles—circles that do not include Stephen Dedalus. He is deeply interested in esoteric mysticism. Other men consult A.E. for wisdom as if he were an oracle. Richard Best -  A librarian at the National Library. Best is enthusiastic and agreeable, though most of his own contributions to the Hamlet conversation in Episode Nine are points of received wisdom. Edy Boardman -  One of Gerty MacDowell’s friends. Gerty’s uppity demeanor annoys Edy, who attempts to deflate Gerty with jibes. Josie (née Powell) and Denis Breen  -  Josie Powell and Bloom were interested in each other when they were younger. Josie was good-looking and flirtatious. After Bloom married Molly, Josie married Denis. Denis Breen is slightly insane and seems paranoid. Looking after her “dotty” husband has taken its toll on Josie, who now seems haggard. Cissy, Jacky, and Tommy Caffrey -  Cissy Caffrey is one of Gerty MacDowell’s best friends. She is something of a tomboy and quite frank. She looks after her younger toddler


When he won the US Open in 2005, which man became only the second New Zealander, after Bob Charles, to win one of golf's major championships?

The 2005 PGA Grand Slam of Golf / Players / Michael Campbell Michael Campbell became the first New Zealander to win a major since Bob Charles captured the British Open in 1963. (Photo: Getty Images) Persistence Pays off at Pinehurst When Michael Campbell tamed an ultra-tough Pinehurst No. 2 to win the U.S. Open in June, the New Zealander completed an amazing comeback from a major slump and lifted the spirits of an entire nation back home. By George Willis, New York Post Sure, golf's most famous names were there: Tiger, Phil, Vijay and Ernie. But when the week of the 105th U.S. Open arrived, there was one star that stood above the rest: Pinehurst No.2. The famed course crafted from the genius of Donald Ross had everyone in awe. It's 7,214 yards of firm fairways and crowned greens posed an intimidating challenge to finish four championship rounds at even par or maybe match the 1-under par the late Payne Stewart shot in winning the last Open played there in 1999. "You'll get the best player in the field winning this week," Ernie Els predicted. It was thought only golf's best, the top 10 or so players in the world, would be equipped to handle Pinehurst during a sun-baked week; maybe Tiger, Phil, Vijay or Ernie. But when dusk arrived on Father's Day, it was a longshot New Zealander who stood on the 18th green, crying into his cap, celebrating his first major championship for himself, his family and his country. Michael Campbell barely earned a spot into the U.S. Open. He was a sectional qualifier in England, needing birdie on the final hole to join the 156-player field. And it wasn't until Sunday that he was really noticed, holding steady on the back nine and eventually surviving the ultimate test of golf that all others failed. Wearing a tattoo-like design on the back of his white shirt that means "inner strength, be strong," Campbell was a model of consistency, completing a magnificent 1-under-par 69 on Sunday to outlast Tiger Woods by two strokes. This wasn't one man's victory; it belonged to a nation, as Campbell became the first New Zealander to win a major since Bob Charles captured the British Open in 1963. "I think for the first time I actually made the front page of the newspapers back home with the All Blacks," Campbell said referring to New Zealand's famous rugby team. "They're champions and heroes of mine and to knock them off their pedestal for the one week means a lot to me." It wasn't just the All Blacks Campbell thought about. There was Charles and the Maori people of New Zealand, who needed a golf hero. "To win this major championship, obviously I do it for myself, but also the people back home," he said. "I won this for the people back home, all the sports fans." It was a victory that didn't come easily, not when someone named Tiger is on your tail. Woods, who had won his fourth Masters two months earlier in an epic duel with Chris DiMarco, looked liked he'd played himself out of contention for the second leg of the Grand Slam after starting his final round bogey-bogey. That left him eight strokes behind third-round leader Retief Goosen, who was just beginning his final 18 holes. "After that start, I'm sure most people wrote me off," Woods said. And why not? Facing that kind of deficit with as tough as No. 2 was playing, the gap seemed insurmountable even for the incomparable Woods. But the winner of nine major championships was focusing on a more simplistic goal. "If I could somehow post even par, that might be able to sneak my way into a playoff," he said. Woods would need help and he got plenty. Goosen had won his two previous U.S. Opens at two of the toughest venues in recent years, Southern Hills in 2001 and Shinnecock in 2004, where he carded a final-round 1-over-71 to beat Phil Mickelson by a stroke on a day when the field averaged 78.7. Capturing his third U.S. Open seemed only a formality after Goosen chipped and putted his way to a three-stroke lead after 54 holes. His shiny red 3-under-par offered little evidence he would close with one of the worst rounds of his career. It began with a double-bog


Which is the most popular deity in Indian culture? Known as the Lord of Obstacles, this god is depicted as having the head of an elephant?

Ganesha: Lord of Success (The Hindu Elephant-Deity) By Subhamoy Das Updated October 20, 2016. Ganesha — the elephant-deity riding a mouse — has become one of the commonest mnemonics for anything associated with Hinduism. This not only suggests the importance of Ganesha but also shows how popular and pervasive this deity is in the minds of the masses. The Lord of Success The son of Shiva and Parvati, Ganesha has an elephantine countenance with a curved trunk and big ears, and a huge pot-bellied body of a human being. He is the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshiped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. In fact, Ganesha is one of the five prime Hindu deities (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Durga being the other four) whose idolatry is glorified as the panchayatana puja. Significance of the Ganesha Form Ganesha's head symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om , the sound symbol of cosmic reality. In his upper right hand, Ganesha holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesha's left hand is a gentle implement to capture all difficulties. The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata . The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. The laddoo (sweet) he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse. How Ganesha Got His Head The story of the birth of this zoomorphic deity, as depicted in the Shiva Purana, goes like this: Once goddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access, and struck off the boy's head in rage. Parvati broke down in utter grief and to soothe her, Shiva sent out his squad (gana) to fetch the head of any sleeping being who was facing the north. The company found a sleeping elephant and brought back its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Shiva restored its life and made him the leader (pati) of his troops. Hence his name 'Ganapati'. Shiva also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture. However, there's another less popular story of his origin, found in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana: Shiva asked Parvati to observe the punyaka vrata for a year to appease Vishnu in order to have a son. When a son was born to her, all the gods and goddesses assembled to rejoice on its birth. Lord Shani, the son of Surya (Sun-God), was also present but he refused to look at the infant. Perturbed at this behaviour, Parvati asked him the reason, and Shani replied that his looking at baby would harm the newborn. However, on Parvati's insistence when Shani eyed the baby, the child's head was severed instantly. All the gods started to bemoan, whereupon Vishnu hurried to the bank of river Pushpabhadra and brought back the head of a young elephant, and joined it to the baby's body, thus reviving it. Ganesha, the Destroyer of Pride Ganesha is also the destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride. He is the personification of material universe in all its various magnificent manifestations. "All Hindus worship Ganesha regardless of their sectarian belief," says D N Singh in A Study of Hinduism. "He is both the beginning of the religion and the meeting ground for all Hindus." Ganesh Chaturthi The devotees of Ganesha are known as "Ganapatyas," and the festival to celebrate and glorify him is called Ganesh Chaturthi .


"In which U.S. city is the TV comedy series, ""Frazier"" set?"

Frasier (TV Series 1993–2004) - IMDb IMDb 17 January 2017 4:34 PM, UTC NEWS There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error Dr. Frasier Crane moves back to his hometown of Seattle where he lives with his father and works as a radio psychiatrist. Creators: Roz wins a weekend at a ski lodge, and trades it to Frasier. Daphne invites along her friend Annie, a swimsuit model. Frasier is taken with her, but she is interested in Niles. Added to the mix is ... 9.5 Frasier tries to direct an old-time radio drama for KACL, but his over-directing turns the show into a complete disaster - just as Niles predicted. 9.4 Frasier, Niles, Daphne, Martin, and Roz move on to new chapters in their lives. 9.2 a list of 41 titles created 15 Feb 2012 a list of 38 titles created 08 Jan 2015 a list of 26 titles created 10 May 2015 a list of 22 titles created 27 Oct 2015 a list of 44 titles created 11 months ago Search for " Frasier " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won     3     Golden Globes. Another    127 wins & 272 nominations. See more awards  » Photos The regulars of the Boston bar Cheers share their experiences and lives with each other while drinking or working at the bar where everybody knows your name. Stars: Ted Danson, Rhea Perlman, John Ratzenberger In this sitcom, Charlie, who takes Mike Flaherty's place in later years, is the Deputy-Mayor of New York City, and his team of half-wits must constantly save the Mayor from embarrassment and the media. Stars: Michael J. Fox, Charlie Sheen, Heather Locklear Will and Grace live together in an apartment in New York. He's a gay lawyer, she's a straight interior designer. Stars: Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally Light television comedy featuring Paul and Jaime Buchman as a recently married couple in New York City. They point out the gentle humor of domesticity and in the everyday situations of life. Stars: Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt, John Pankow Al Bundy is a misanthropic women's shoe salesman with a miserable life. He hates his job, his wife is lazy, his son is dysfunctional (especially with women), and his daughter is dim-witted and promiscuous. Stars: Ed O'Neill, Christina Applegate, Katey Sagal The staff of a New York City taxicab company go about their job while they dream of greater things. Stars: Judd Hirsch, Jeff Conaway, Danny DeVito Hot-tempered journalist Maya Gallo got herself fired from yet another job when she made an anchorwoman cry on the air with some gag copy on the teleprompter. Unable to find a job anywhere ... See full summary  » Stars: Laura San Giacomo, Enrico Colantoni, George Segal The Banks family, a respectable Californian family, take in a relative - Will Smith, a street-smart teenager from Philadelphia. The idea is to make him respectable, responsible and mature, but Will has got other plans... Stars: Will Smith, James Avery, Alfonso Ribeiro Delivery man Doug Heffernan has a good life: He's got a pretty wife (Carrie), a big TV and friends to watch it with. Then Carrie's goofy and annoying father Arthur moves in with them. Stars: Kevin James, Leah Remini, Jerry Stiller Four previously married women live together in Miami, sharing their various experiences together and enjoying themselves despite hard times. Stars: Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.3/10 X   A free spirited yoga instructor finds true love in a conservative lawyer and they got married on the first date. Though they are polar opposites; her need of stability is fulfilled with him, his need of optimism is fulfilled with her. Stars: Jenna Elfman, Thomas Gibson, Joel Murray The misadventures of a tough female television journalist and her friends. Stars: Candice Bergen, Grant Shaud, Robert Pastorelli Edit Storyline Dr. Frasier Crane, a


Who is the very famous, yet estranged, actress daughter of actor, Jon Voight?

Jon Voight "Didn't Know" About Daughter Angelina Jolie's Double Mastectomy - Us Weekly By  Justin Ravitz "My love and admiration for my daughter can't be explained in words," Jon Voight says of Angelina Jolie. Credit: Getty Images Top secret is right. Among the millions who discovered Tuesday morning that Angelina Jolie had undergone a preventative double mastectomy was her father, actor Jon Voight. Opening up to the Daily News about his daughter's bold medical decision, the Oscar-winning actor, 74, admits that he was kept out of the loop during Jolie's February-through-April process. PHOTOS: Famous family feuds "My love and admiration for my daughter can't be explained in words," said the Midnight Cowboy star, also father to Jolie's brother James Haven. "I saw her two days ago with my son Jamie. We all got together for his birthday, with her and Brad [Pitt ]. But I didn't know. It wasn't obvious at all." Continued Voight, who reconciled with his famous daughter in early 2010 after years of estrangement: "I found out [Tuesday] morning. I was as surprised as anyone and deeply moved by the way she’s handled this. She's a very extraordinary person, the way she examined it and what she shared." PHOTOS: Stars who've had mastectomies Indeed, a source told Us Weekly that Jolie kept the secret very close to her vest: "She discussed it with Brad and a few people in her life but very very few knew." Voight divorced Jolie and Haven's mother Marcheline Bertrand in 1980 after nine years of marriage; Bertrand died in 2007 at age 56 after a long battle with ovarian cancer. Bertrand was certainly on Jolie's mind when doctors revealed she carried a "faulty" BRCA1 gene, making her highly susceptible to breast cancer. (The star wrote that she had an 87 percent breast cancer risk and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer.)


"What number links the characters played by Patrick McGoohan in ""The Prisoner"" and Tricia Helfer in ""Battlestar Galactica""?"

Number Six - Battlestar Wiki Number Six Number Six is a Human/Cylon Hybrid Number Six is an Original Series Cylon Additional Information Number Six in the separate continuity [[Image:|200px|Number Six]] "Number Six" is a humanoid Cylon who plays several key roles in Cylon society. She is the first humanoid Cylon that viewers witness in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica. Stunningly beautiful and highly religious, this highly driven model is marked by a ruthlessness against all who stand in her way. Number Sixes are typically sensual and use seduction in infiltration. To date, more unique versions of the Six model have been witnessed than any other humanoid Cylon. Besides the use of numerous aliases, Six is also the only Cylon model known to have varied appearances and personalities: while most often seen as a platinum blonde, Six has also been seen with honey blonde and black hair in varying styles, and displaying personalities ranging from overtly sensual to wide-eyed and innocent, and from blindly supporting the attack on the Colonies to desiring peaceful coexistence. This differs from the other known models who generally display the same personality traits ( Sharon Valerii and Sharon Agathon being exceptions), use the same name, and have fewer cosmetic differences in appearance. Contents Main article: Caprica-Six The copy of Number Six that seduced Dr. Gaius Baltar into unwittingly betraying the Twelve Colonies by giving her access to the Colonial defense mainframe. Much later, she came to live on Galactica and fell in love with Saul Tigh and attempted to bear a child by him. After suffering a miscarriage, and as Tigh reunited with his wife, Ellen , Caprica pulled away from him. After this she participated in the Battle of The Colony and settled New Earth with Baltar. Messenger Six Main article: Messengers An entity (also known as Baltar's Internal Six or, more commonly, as Head Six) appearing to Gaius Baltar in the form of Caprica Six shows herself immediately after his rescue from Caprica , and later gives him advice (from building a Cylon detector to asserting political power various times ), predictions about the future (primarily about the birth of Hera Agathon ) and insights into the past events of the human race . This entity, while imperceptible to everyone other than to Baltar and Caprica Six herself , is not affiliated with either the Cylons or Colonials and has repeatedly stated that she is an angel of God . Even after Baltar's death, this entity maintains the appearance of Six one hundred fifty thousand years later when discussing the possibility of the humans repeating the same mistakes as their progenitors. Shelly Godfrey Main article: Shelly Godfrey A copy of Number Six who appears aboard Galactica to try to discredit Baltar as a traitor. The evidence she used was flawed, and he ended up being more trusted than before. After being exposed, she is blown out an airlock by Cavil and presumably downloads into a new body ( The Plan ). Gina Inviere Main article: Gina Inviere A copy of Number Six poses as a systems analyst assigned to the battlestar Pegasus , and enters into a romantic relationship with Admiral Helena Cain . After she was identified as a Cylon, she was captured and repeatedly tortured and sexually abused by the crew before escaping with the help of Gaius Baltar ( TRS : " Resurrection Ship, Part II "). For a time, Inviere is a leading figure in the Demand Peace movement ( TRS : " Epiphanies "). She eventually commits suicide by detonating a nuclear warhead aboard Cloud 9 and fails to download, making her death permanent ( TRS : " Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II "). Natalie Faust Main article: Natalie Faust A Number Six copy who is leading a faction that advocates for the search for the Final Five Cylons, introduced in " Six of One ". She is eventually killed by Sharon Agathon , distressed with visions of the Opera House and afraid Natalie will take her daughter Hera , with no chance to download ( Sine Qua Non ). Lida Lida with Gaius Baltar. A Six with curly honey blonde hair and a noticeably


Which non-SI unit of length is 1 x 10-10?

Convert angstroms to inches - Conversion of Measurement Units ›› More information from the unit converter How many angstroms in 1 inches? The answer is 254000000. We assume you are converting between angstrom and inch. You can view more details on each measurement unit: The SI base unit for length is the metre. 1 metre is equal to 10000000000 angstroms, or 39.3700787402 inches. Note that rounding errors may occur, so always check the results. Use this page to learn how to convert between angstroms and inches. Type in your own numbers in the form to convert the units! ›› Want other units? You can do the reverse unit conversion from inches to angstroms , or enter any two units below: Enter two units to convert From: I'm feeling lucky, show me some random units . ›› Definition: Angstrom An angstrom or ï¿½ngstrï¿½m (ï¿½) is a non-SI unit of length equal to 10-10 metres, 0.1 nanometres or 100 picometres. ›› Definition: Inch An inch is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, and United States customary units. There are 36 inches in a yard and 12 inches in a foot. The inch is usually the universal unit of measurement in the United States, and is widely used in the United Kingdom, and Canada, despite the introduction of metric to the latter two in the 1960s and 1970s, respectively. The inch is still commonly used informally, although somewhat less, in other Commonwealth nations such as Australia; an example being the long standing tradition of measuring the height of newborn children in inches rather than centimetres. The international inch is defined to be equal to 25.4 millimeters. ›› Metric conversions and more ConvertUnits.com provides an online conversion calculator for all types of measurement units. You can find metric conversion tables for SI units, as well as English units, currency, and other data. Type in unit symbols, abbreviations, or full names for units of length, area, mass, pressure, and other types. Examples include mm, inch, 100 kg, US fluid ounce, 6'3", 10 stone 4, cubic cm, metres squared, grams, moles, feet per second, and many more!


Mark Anthony and Cleopatra VII, were defeated at which 31 BC battle?

Unraveling History: The Final Fates of the Children of Cleopatra VII? | Ancient Origins 23 January, 2016 - 14:39 Natalia Klimczak Unraveling History: The Final Fates of the Children of Cleopatra VII? (Read the article on one page) Cleopatra VII had four children. One with Julius Caesar and three with Mark Anthony. Until 31 BC the family of the last Ptolemaic queen lived a magnificent life in a golden palace, one of the most luxurious places of the world. However, when Cleopatra and Mark Anthony were defeated by Octavian during the naval battle at Actium in 31 BC, this idyllic life came to a close. The future Roman Emperor, who was about to be known as Caesar Augustus, didn't give any mercy to his enemies. He hoped to defeat Mark Anthony and take Cleopatra as his trophy to Rome. According to the ancient resources, this didn't happen because in 30 BC both Cleopatra and Mark Anthony committed suicide. This act left their children with no one to protect them. Hope for an Empire The eldest son of Cleopatra was born June 23, 47 BC. As a son of Gaius Julius Caesar, he was called Caesarion, meaning ''little Caesar''. His full name was Ptolemy XV Philopator Philometor Caesar and he was the last king of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt. He reigned together with his mother from September 2, 44 BC. Cleopatra liked to believe that one day he would become as great an emperor as his father was. He took lessons from the best teachers, to prepare him to fulfill his future role. Caesarion probably held the position as ruler after the death of his mother on August 12, 30 BC. However, he was murdered by Octavian’s orders just 11 days later. With his death, Octavian lost the only competition he had to the throne of Rome. Caesarion, from the "Unravel the Mystery" Cleopatra exhibit ( CC0 1.0 ) Polish Archaeologists Discover Rare Gift from Father of Cleopatra The Sons of Gods Caesarion had two brothers: Alexander Helios (Greek “sun”) and Ptolemy Philadelphus. Alexander Helios was born as the second of Cleopatra's three sons. In 34 BC he received a title of “King of Kings.” His parents decided to make him the ruler of Armenia, Parthia, Media and all countries to be discovered between the Euphrates and Indus Rivers. In 33 BC, Alexander was engaged to Iotapa, Princess of Media Atropatene and the daughter of king Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene. Cleopatra’s third son, Ptolemy Philadelphus, was born in August or September in 36 BC. In late 34 BC he became a ruler of Syria, Phoenicia, and Cicilia. No ancient resources mention the prince having served in military endeavors or his political career. There is no information about any marriage plans either - which suggests that he didn't survive to adulthood. Alexander the Great as Helios. Marble, Roman copy after a Hellenistic original from 3rd–2nd century BC. ( Public Domain ) When Octavian conquered Egypt he spared Alexander, but took all the children of Cleopatra and Anthony to Rome. Celebrating his victory, he made a parade. One of the greatest trophies he presented to the Romans were the children of the Egyptian Queen in golden chains. They were paraded down the streets behind an effigy of their mother clutching an asp to her arm. Octavian gave the children to his elder sister and the former wife of Mark Anthony – Octavia Minor. There they lived with Octavia's children. In the History of Rome , Cassius Dio mentions only twins arriving in Rome. This raises the question if Ptolemy Philadelphus survived the journey to Rome. He may have died from illness in the winter of 29 BC. Alexander Helios perhaps left Rome with his twin sister – Cleopatra Selene (Greek ''moon''). A daughter of the moon Surprisingly, the only daughter of Cleopatra became the greatest of all of the children of the last queen of Egypt. When Augustus arranged her marriage with the King Juba of Numidia in Rome between 26 and 20 BC, no one could have guessed that this couple would become two of the most important rulers of Mauretania in history. Augustus gave to Cleopatra a huge dowry as a wedding present, so she became an ally of Rome.


Who was the UN General Secretary from 1961-1971?

Former Secretaries-General | United Nations Secretary-General Photos Former Secretaries-General Under the Charter, the Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. Mr. Guterres' predecessors as Secretary-General were: Ban Ki-moon (Korea) who served from January 2007 to December 2016; Kofi Annan (Ghana) who held office from January 1997 to December 2006; Boutros Boutros-Ghali (Egypt), who held office from January 1992 to December 1996; Javier Pèrez de Cuèllar (Peru), who served from January 1982 to December 1991; Kurt Waldheim (Austria), who held office from January 1972 to December 1981; U Thant (Burma, now Myanmar), who served from November 1961, when he was appointed acting Secretary-General (he was formally appointed Secretary-General in November 1962) to December 1971; Dag Hammarskjöld (Sweden), who served from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in Africa in September 1961; and Trygve Lie (Norway), who held office from February 1946 to his resignation in November 1952.


"Ryan Thomas plays which ""Coronation Street"" character?"

Ryan Thomas bankrupt: Coronation Street's Jason Grimshaw goes bust after tax dispute - Mirror Online TV Ryan Thomas bankrupt: Coronation Street's Jason Grimshaw goes bust after tax dispute The actor, who plays builder Jason Grimshaw, earns an estimated £90,000 a year but was declared bankrupt after a tax dispute  Share Shock: Fans will be surprised star Ryan Thomas is bankrupt (Photo: Xposure)  Share Get soaps updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas is bankrupt, the Mirror can reveal. The actor, who plays builder Jason Grimshaw, earns an estimated £90,000 a year. But he was declared bankrupt last week after a petition by HM Revenue and Customs. It is understood the action follows a dispute over unpaid taxes. Tonight Thomas was not available to comment on his financial situation. No-one was at his address, a flat above a tanning shop in south Manchester. Ryan has played the hunky Jason Grimshaw for almost 13 years and news of his bankruptcy will shock fans of the star. Just three years ago he was photographed flashing his gold credit card as he relaxed next to a swimming pool in Marbella, Spain, surrounded by bikini-clad women - having splashed out on cocktails and Verve Clicquot champagne. But despite the attention of his female fans, he told the Mirror earlier this year he was now single and devoting all his attention to his four-year-old girl Scarlett . Ryan, 29, shares custody of his daughter with her mum, Tina O’Brien, who he met when she played Weatherfield’s Sarah Louise Platt. They split just after Scarlett’s first birthday after Tina said he told her he no longer loved her. Screen wedding: Ryan Thomas and Tina O'Brien as Jason and Sarah (Photo: PA)   Tina, 30, who went on to star in Waterloo Road, said: “He said I didn’t do it for him any more. Those were his words. “I was absolutely devastated. He said he didn’t want the responsibility of a relationship with me.” She added: “Ryan can be a very loving and nice guy, but he can also be laddy. He was keen to go out a lot.” The couple started dating in 2003 after she split from their Coronation Street co-star Bruno Langley, who played his character Jason’s on-screen brother Todd. The couple’s characters Sarah-Louise and Jason ended up marrying on-screen in October 2007, but their brief marriage broke down just months later, with O’Brien leaving the soap in December 2007. Ryan has been single since breaking up with Tina in November 2009 and says he is not planning on having more children in the future. “I don’t want anyone to take Scarlett’s place,” he said. “As for my love life, well, I don’t even have one. I’m really happy, I’ve not thought about being in a relationship. “If the opportunity to meet someone comes along then so be it - but it’s not something I’m looking for.” Ryan insisted being a dad had helped him to grow up. “It’s matured me. Having said that, if you saw me on a night out you might not think that! “But when Scarlett’s with me, I’m a totally different person. “I watch my Ps and Qs. She’s very well-spoken and I try my hardest to speak well in front of her. “It’s all about being on my best behaviour. Being a dad has given me a sense of responsibility. “It’s the wake-up call I needed to grow up a bit. But I can honestly say that I am a good father and I do look after her very well. “The best thing about having kids is that your child never judges you, and you are the best person in the world to them. "Scarlett is aware I’m on the telly but she just knows me as Daddy." Ryan’s younger brother Adam, 26, is also an actor, playing Adam Barton in Emmerdale. Jason Grimshaw is one of the Street’s most popular characters. This year viewers have seen him enjoy a steamy affair with Rovers landlady Stella Price, played by Michelle Collins, who used to play Cindy Beale in EastEnders. Steamy: Ryan Thomas on Corrie with Michelle Collins aka Stella (Photo: ITV) He said: “I said to her, ‘You know what, when I was about 12 I used to really fancy Cindy Beale. "If someone would have told me that years later I’d be copping off with


Which African city has the largest population (its inhabitants are called Masrawi)?

Cities in Africa | African Cities Map Disclaimer Close Disclaimer : All efforts have been made to make this image accurate. However Compare Infobase Limited,its directors and employees do not own any responsibility for the correctness or authenticity of the same. With total of 53 countries, Africa is the second largest continent in the world. Some of the most popular cities of Africa include:  Cairo - The capital of Egypt, it is the most populous city of Africa. Lagos - The commercial capital of Nigeria, it is the most populous city of the most populous nation of Africa. Johannesberg - The largest city of South Africa, it stands as a reminiscent of struggle against apartheid. Cape Town - One of the well-known cities of South Africa, Cape Town is popular world wide for its Table Mountain and Cape Point. Alexandria - This city of Egypt is probably the oldest inhabited city of the world. The former capital of Egypt, it is the place where the mighty Nile meets the Mediterranean Sea. Kinshasa - Resting amicably on the banks of the river Congo, this capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo is another significant city of Africa. Hub of the economic affairs of the nation, it is also the epicenter of some of the greatest music genres of Africa. Kano - The third largest city of Nigeria, it is the administrative center of the country. Major Cities in Africa


"Which US singer/songwriter recorded the albums ""The Heart of Saturday Night"", ""Heartattack and Vine"", ""Swordfishtrombones"", etc?"

time: 51`36" size: 534 mb Armed with one of the most distinctive voices in popular music--a gravely, smoke-scratched rasp that crosses Joe Cocker and Louis Armstrong at the end of a particularly bad bender--Tom Waits has spent the past two decades writing and performing some of the most fascinating and creatively stimulating music around. Bringing acute intelligence to a seemingly casual (and dissolute) sensibility, Waits' lyrics read as if they were written in some eerie collaboration with the likes of (depending on the LP) Mickey Spillane, Charles Bukowski or Captain Beefheart. Waits' career generically divides into two periods: the melodic, barroom jazz-poet sound of his Asylum years (1973-'80), and the harmonic dissonance of his Island releases, beginning in 1983. But within such parameters, Waits has repeatedly changed direction and kept things interesting. The debut, Closing Time, shows the young Californian at his least confident and most vulnerable, searching for a sound but having his work whitewashed by Jerry Yester's formulaic production. While his artistry and originality are evident in such emotive tracks as "I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You" and "Martha," the album is polluted by attempts to shoehorn Waits into a bland singer/songwriter mold. Overburdened by acoustic guitars and occasional backing singers, the songs don't focus enough on Tom's expressive lyrics or vocal talents. The similar Heart of Saturday Night is entertaining but relatively faceless. As with Closing Time, the material Waits sings straight melts into the mush of mid-'70s AOR. Nevertheless, the album bears the first hints of the highly stylized, jazzy, after-hours persona that would become Waits' trademark (shaped, in part, by producer Bones Howe--Waits' collaborator for the remainder of his Asylum stay). "Diamonds on My Windshield" is the first good example of Waits' narrative-lyric technique, backed only by an upright bass and high-hat/snare combo. The moving title track reveals a more emotive and intimate side--one that would prove equally significant during his Asylum years. The double-live Nighthawks at the Diner is the quintessential pre-'80s Waits LP, portraying him as a hep and humorous sleazy nightclub act playing the fictional Rafael's Silver Cloud Lounge. The small-audience intimacy and Howe's sparing production are key factors in the LP's success. From the introspective, metaphorical "Emotional Weather Report" to the bachelor anthem "Better Off Without a Wife," Waits sells this show on sheer character. Milking his rapport with the audience for all it's worth, he throws out one-liners and local cultural references like a hip Henny Youngman. As it established a solid identity, Nighthawks was a turning point in Waits' career, and a good place for neophytes to begin. Small Change and Foreign Affairs are, overall, his strongest Asylum releases. Both sessions were recorded and mixed live in the studio--complete with orchestra--and possess the perfect balance of compositional maturity and production expertise, allowing the strings' lush romanticism to augment the songs rather than overshadow them. Small Change contains his most fervent tracks ("The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)" and "Tom Traubert's Blues"), as well as "Step Right Up," a jumpy ode to snake-oil salesmen everywhere. Foreign Affairs tugs on the heartstrings with the piano-bar ballad "Muriel" and the music-box beauty of "A Sight for Sore Eyes"; the scat-like "Barber Shop" complements the circus-barker call of "Step Right Up." Best of all, however, is "I Never Talk to Strangers," a duet with Bette Midler; "Burma-Shave," a tale of unfulfilled dreams, comes in a close second. Blue Valentine, while a satisfying enough album, seems a bit short on originality when set in career context. Side One, for instance, reads like a Waits how-to manual: one part strings ("Somewhere"), one part jazz poetry ("Red Shoes by the Drugstore"), one part piano ballad ("Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis"), one part colorful narrative ("Romeo Is Bleeding"), and one part sultry


Which Midlands town links Rupert Brooke and William Webb Ellis

People From Rugby: Rupert Brooke, M. John Harrison, Rugby, Warwickshire, Chris Adams, Ben Croshaw, James Morrison, William Webb Ellis: Amazon.es: Books LLC: Libros en idiomas extranjeros Libros en idiomas extranjeros EUR 20,15 Precio final del producto Elige envÃos GRATIS mÃ¡s rÃ¡pidos con Amazon Premium o elige envÃo GRATIS en 4-5 dÃas No disponible temporalmente. Puedes comprarlo ya y te lo enviaremos cuando estÃ© en stock. RecibirÃ¡s un e-mail con la fecha de entrega estimada en cuanto tengamos mÃ¡s informaciÃ³n. El cobro a tu cuenta se realizarÃ¡ sÃ³lo cuando se envÃe el producto. Vendido y enviado por Amazon. Se puede envolver para regalo. Cantidad: Para ver las direcciones, por favor Iniciar sesiÃ³n Usar esta ubicaciÃ³n: Actualizar Introduce un cÃ³digo postal vÃ¡lido. Introduce un cÃ³digo postal vÃ¡lido. O AÃ±adir a la Lista de deseos Â¿Tienes uno para vender? Volver atrÃ¡s Ir adelante Escuchar Reproduciendo... Interrumpido   EstÃ¡s escuchando una muestra de la ediciÃ³n de audio Audible. MÃ¡s informaciÃ³n Ver esta imagen People From Rugby: Rupert Brooke, M. John Harrison, Rugby, Warwickshire, Chris Adams, Ben Croshaw, James Morrison, William Webb Ellis (InglÃ©s) Tapa blanda – 15 sep 2010 Tapa blanda, 15 sep 2010 "Vuelva a intentarlo" DescripciÃ³n del producto Reseña del editor Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 136. Not illustrated. Chapters: Rupert Brooke, M. John Harrison, Rugby, Warwickshire, Chris Adams, Ben Croshaw, James Morrison, William Webb Ellis, Norman Lockyer, Tim Barnett, Rose Macaulay, Peter Kember, Tim Pigott-Smith, Katharine Merry, Darren Altree, David Talbot Rice, Andrew Rawnsley, Peter Taylor, Danny Hall, Arthur Bostrom, Edward Cave, Robert George Spencer Hudson, Richard Bradshaw, Sam Bayley, Jason Pierce, Arnold Wolfendale, Lawrence Sheriff, Richard Montgomerie, Ingrid Roscoe, Fiona Reynolds, David Grace, Wayne Clarke, Steve Banks. Excerpt: Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, in the West Midlands of England, on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 (2001 census) making it the second largest town in the county. The enclosing Borough of Rugby has a population of 91,600 (2005 estimate). Rugby is 13 miles (21 km) east of Coventry, on the eastern edge of Warwickshire, near the borders with Northamptonshire and Leicestershire. The town is credited with being the birthplace of rugby football. Main article History of RugbyEarly Iron age settlement existed in the Rugby area, and a few miles outside what is now Rugby, existed a Roman settlement known as Tripontium. Rugby was originally a small Anglo-Saxon farming settlement, and was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Rocheberie. Rugby obtained a charter to hold a market in 1255, and soon developed into a small country market town. The name's likeliest origin is Anglo-Saxon Hrca burh or similar = "Rook fort", where Rook may be the birds or may be a man's name. Another theory is that the name is originally derived from an old Celtic name Droche-brig meaning "wild hilltop". The change to -by is because of Viking influence: there are other place names ending in -by in the area ('By' meaning town in Norwegian, Swedish and Danish even today). Rugby School wa... No es necesario ningÃºn dispositivo Kindle. DescÃ¡rgate una de las apps de Kindle gratuitas para comenzar a leer libros Kindle en tu smartphone, tablet u ordenador. Apple


Galileo discovered the four largest moons of which planet in 1610?

The Galileo Project | Science | Satellites of Jupiter Jupiter's moons Satellites of Jupiter Jupiter has a large number of satellites. Of these,     four are comparable to the Earth's Moon in size; the rest are orders of     magnitude smaller. When Jupiter is at opposition and closest to the Earth,     the stellar magnitude of its four large moons is between 5 and 6. [1] This means that, were it not for the shielding brightness of Jupiter,     these bodies would be visible with the naked eye. The aperture of the     telescope used by Galileo in 1610 and its magnification thus brought these     four "Galilean" satellites within his grasp. But first Galileo had to make adjustments to the instruments.     When viewing bodies that are very bright and very small, the optical defects     of the telescope can be crippling.     By trial and error Galileo learned to stop down the aperture of his instrument     until he could begin to make useful observations. At the end of 1609,     as he was finishing his series of observations of the Moon ,     Jupiter was at opposition and the brightest object in the evening sky     (not counting the Moon). When he had made the new adjustment to his instrument,     he turned his attention to Jupiter. On 7 January 1610 he observed the     planet and saw what he thought were three fixed stars near it, strung     out on a line through the planet. This formation caught his attention,     and he returned to it the following evening. Galileo's expectation was that Jupiter, which was     then in its retrograde loop, [2] would have moved from     east to west and had left the three little stars behind. Instead, he saw     all three stars to the west of Jupiter. It appeared as though Jupiter     had not moved to the west but rather to the east. This was an anomaly,     and Galileo returned to this formation again and again. Over the next     week he found out several things. First, the little stars never left Jupiter;     they appeared to be carried along with the planet. Second, as they were     carried along, they changed their position with respect to each other     and Jupiter. Third, there were not three but four of these little stars.     By the 15th of January he had figured it out: these were not fixed stars     but rather planetary bodies that revolved around Jupiter. Jupiter had     four moons. His book, Sidereus Nuncius, in which his discovery     was described, came off the press in Venice in the middle of March 1610     and made Galileo famous. Galileo's observations of Jupiter's moons (from manuscripts) [click for larger image] The moons of Jupiter had a major impact on cosmology.     In 1610 the traditional Aristotelian cosmology had come under attacks     from Copernican astronomers. Aristotelians had a number of arguments against     the Copernican System, one of which was now made obsolete. In traditional cosmology, there was     only one center of motion, the center of the universe which was the place     of the Earth. The motions of all heavenly bodies centered on the Earth.     But according to the Copernican theory, the Earth went around the Sun     while the Moon went around the Earth. There were thus two centers of motion,     which seemed an absurdity. Moreover, if the Earth was a planet, like Mercury,     Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, why was it the only planet to have a     Moon? Galileo's discovery answered this question. The Earth was, in fact,     not the only planet to have a moon, Jupiter had four. And no matter what     cosmological system one believed in, there were now at least two centers     of motion in the universe, the Earth or Sun and Jupiter. Thus, although     the satellites (the term was first used by Johannes     Kepler ) of Jupiter were by no means proof of the truth of the Copernican     system, they certainly added ammuni


Who is the oldest actress ever to win a film Oscar?

The 10 oldest to win competitive acting Oscars: The Oscars - latimes February 16, 2012 |By Susan King, Los Angeles Times Christopher Plummer has already won numerous awards for his turn as a widower… (Andrew Tepper /Focus Features…) Two legendary actors — Christopher Plummer and Max von Sydow — are competing for the supporting actor trophy this Oscar season. Despite their pedigree — Plummer has been acting in films for more than 50 years and is best known as Captain von Trapp in 1965's "The Sound of Music," and Von Sydow is closely associated with the seminal Swedish director Ingmar Bergman — neither has won an Academy Award. But that's likely to change. Plummer has already won numerous awards for his turn as a widower who comes out of the closet in"Beginners,"while Von Sydow has earned kudos as an elderly man who doesn't speak in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close." If either wins, he will become the oldest performer to garner an acting Oscar. Both are 82 years old, with Von Sydow, who turns 83 in April, eight months older than Plummer. Here's a look at the 10 oldest Oscar winners in the competitive acting categories so far: Jessica Tandy The British-born actress was 80 years and 252 days old when she won the lead actress Oscar for 1989's "Driving Miss Daisy." Not long after that, Tandy was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Tandy continued to work as she battled the disease, earning a supporting actress nomination for 1991's "Fried Green Tomatoes." She died in 1994 George Burns The beloved comedian, who was partnered with his wife, Gracie Allen, in films, vaudeville and TV, won the supporting actor Oscar as a member of an old comedy team reuniting for a TV special in 1975's "The Sunshine Boys." He was 80 years and 69 days when he picked up the Academy Award. Burns' film career took off, scoring a hit in 1977's "Oh, God!" and 1979's "Going in Style." He continued to work into his 90s. He died in 1996. Melvyn Douglas Best known for his romantic comedy roles in the 1930s in such classics as 1939's "Ninotchka," Douglas earned his first supporting actor award as the stern father in 1963's "Hud"; he won his second as a fragile businessman in 1979's "Being There" at the age of 79 years and nine days. He made four more features before his death in 1981. John Gielgud Gielgud was already one of the most accomplished British stage, theater and TV actors when he won a supporting actor Oscar at the age of 77 and 349 days as the loving but acerbic butler in 1981's"Arthur."He had previously been nominated in this category for 1964's "Becket." He continued working until his death in 2000. Don Ameche The mustachioed Ameche had been a big star at 20th Century Fox in the 1930s and '40s, best known for such musicals as 1941's "Moon Over Miami" and such dramatic fare as 1939's "The Story of Alexander Graham Bell." For his work in 1985's "Cocoon," he won the supporting actor Oscar at the age of 77 years and 297 days old. He played a senior citizen who encounters a fountain of youth — one scene featured the actor break dancing. The Oscar rejuvenated his career. One of his best post-Oscar roles was in David Mamet's 1988 "Things Change." He continued to work until his death in 1993. Peggy Ashcroft Ashcroft, a star of the British stage, had appeared in very few films when she won a supporting actress Oscar at the age of 77 years and 93 days for David Lean's final film, 1984's "Passage to India," She played a British woman traveling to India with her son's fiancée. She continued to work until 1989. She died in 1991. Henry Fonda The veteran superstar had largely been ignored by the academy, earning only a lead actor nomination for 1940's "The Grapes of Wrath"and a nod as producer of the 1957 best picture nominee "12 Angry Men."He finally won a lead actor Oscar at the age of 76 and 317 days for his role as the husband of Katharine Hepburn's character in 1981's "On Golden Pond." Fonda, though, was too frail to attend the 1982 ceremony, but his daughter Jane, who was nominated for supporting actress for the film, did. "Oh, Dad, I'm so happy and proud fo


"Who wrote the symphonic poem ""Finlandia""?"

Symphonic poem R. Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra Symphonic poem A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music in a single continuous section (a movement) in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another (non-musical) source is illustrated or evoked. The term was first applied by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt to his 13 works in this vein. In its aesthetic objectives, the symphonic poem is in some ways related to opera; whilst it does not use a sung text, it seeks, like opera, a union of music and drama.[1][2] While many symphonic poems may compare in size and scale to symphonic movements (or even reach the length of an entire symphony), they are unlike traditional classical symphonic movements, in that their music is intended to inspire listeners to imagine or consider scenes, images, specific ideas or moods, and not to focus on following traditional patterns of musical form (e.g. sonata form). This intention to inspire listeners was a direct consequence of Romanticism, which encouraged literary, pictorial and dramatic associations in music. Musical works that attempt to inspire listeners in this way are often referred to as program music, while music that has no such associations may be called absolute music. Some piano and chamber works, such as Arnold Schoenberg's string sextet Verkl�rte Nacht, have similarities with symphonic poems in their overall intent and effect. However, the term symphonic poem is generally accepted to refer to orchestral works. A symphonic poem may stand on its own, or it can be part of a series combined into a symphonic suite . For example, The Swan of Tuonela (1895) is a tone poem from Jean Sibelius's Lemmink�inen Suite. A symphonic poem can also be part of a group of interrelated works, such as Vltava (The Moldau) as part of the six-work cycle M� vlast by Bed?ich Smetana. Also, while the terms "symphonic poem" and "tone poem" have often been used interchangeably, some composers such as Richard Strauss and Jean Sibelius have preferred the latter term for pieces that were less symphonic in design and in which there is no special emphasis on thematic or tonal contrast.[3] According to Macdonald, the symphonic poem met three 19th century aesthetic goals: it related music to outside sources; it often combined or compressed multiple movements into a single principal section; and it elevated instrumental program music to an aesthetic level that could be regarded as equivalent to, or higher than opera.[2] The symphonic poem remained popular from the 1840s until the 1920s, when the genre suffered a severe decline in popularity. In the second quarter of the 19th century, the future of the symphonic genre came into doubt. While many composers continued to write symphonies during the 1820s and 30s, "there was a growing sense that these works were aesthetically far inferior to Beethoven's.... The real question was not so much whether symphonies could still be written, but whether the genre could continue to flourish and grow".[4] Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann and Niels Gade achieved successes with their symphonies, putting at least a temporary stop to the debate as to whether the genre was dead.[4] Nevertheless, composers increasingly turned to the "more compact form" of the concert overture "as a vehicle within which to blend musical, narrative and pictoral ideas"; examples included Mendelssohn's overtures A Midsummer Night's Dream (1826) and The Hebrides (1830).[4] Between 1845 and 1847, Franco-Belgian composer C�sar Franck wrote an orchestral piece based on Victor Hugo's poem Ce qu'on entend sur la montagne. The work exhibits characteristics of a symphonic poem, and some musicologists, such as Norman Demuth and Julien Tiersot, consider it the first of its genre, preceding Liszt's compositions.[5][6] However, Franck did not publish or perform his piece; neither did he set about defining the genre. Liszt's determination to explore and promote the symphonic poem gained him recognition as the genre's inventor.[7] Liszt Franz Liszt in 1858 Main arti


Jonathan lve is noted as the principal designer of which portable media player?

JONATHAN PAUL IVE: The creator behind Apple | 5election - The International Coolhunting Magazine WORLD REPORT JONATHAN PAUL IVE: The creator behind Apple Born February, 1967 is an English designer and the Senior Vice President of Industrial Design at Apple Inc. He is internationally renowned as the principal designer of the iMac, aluminum and titanium PowerBook G4, MacBook, MacBook Pro, iPod and iPhone. Jonathan Ive was born in Chingford, London. He was raised by his teacher father and attended Chingford Foundation School; and then Ive went on to attend Walton High School in Staffordshire. He then studied Industrial Design at Northumbria University (Newcastle Polytechnic at the time). After a short time at the London design agency Tangerine, he moved to the United States in 1992 to pursue his career at Apple Inc. He gained his current job title upon the return of Steve Jobs in 1997, and since then has headed the Industrial Design team responsible for most of the company’s significant hardware products. There have been four distinct phases in Apple’s product design during Steve Jobs’ and Jonathan Ive’s collaboration: This first phase appeared in 1997 with the eMate, followed in 1998 with the release of the original Bondi-blue iMac(see below). This motif was later applied to the first iBook models released in 1999, and the Blue and White Power Mac G3 and their accompanying Studio Displays. The design was characterized by translucent surfaces with either a candy-like or milky-white coloring and soft, bulging contours. Subdued vertical pinstripes were made to show through the translucent faces of these products. Printed on the back panel for ports and agency approval marks was a lenticular plaque that contains a wavy 3D pattern. AC power cords were also translucent, with the twisted wires visible within them. The translucency and colors in this style appear to have been inspired by gumdrop candies, and Ive reportedly visited confectionery plants to learn to replicate the gumdrop’s visual effect. Ive and his team went on to develop novel manufacturing techniques in order to build products based on this design motif. Only the PowerBook G3 was uninfluenced by the translucent style (with the exception of a translucent, bronze-colored keyboard on the Lombard and Pismo models, and retained its opaque black casing until it was replaced by the Titanium PowerBook G4 in 2001.The candy color on the first iMac model is called “Bondi blue”, a reference to the color of the water at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. Ive’s team designed the original iMac.The “Bondi blue” iMac was replaced with five fruit colors in January 1999, “Blueberry” (a bright blue); “Grape” (purple); “Tangerine” (orange); “Lime” (green); and “Strawberry” (pinkish red). Two of these, “Tangerine” and “Blueberry”, became the first colors for the iBook. Blueberry was also the color for the Blue and White Power Mac G3 and its displays. These candy colors heralded a trend in consumer goods where everything from clock radios to hamburger grillers sported bright plastic translucent enclosures. In late 1999, the iMac’s fruit colors were joined by a quieter color scheme called “Graphite”, in which the colored elements were replaced with a smoky grey and some of the white elements were made transparent. Graphite was the color of the iMac Special Edition models, and the first Power Mac G4. Next came “Ruby” (dark red), “Sage” (forest green), “Indigo” (deep blue) and “Snow” (milky white) in 2000. The iBooks’ colors were also updated: Blueberry was replaced with Indigo, Tangerine was replaced with Key Lime (an eye-popping neon green), and Graphite was added at the high end. In 2001, two new color schemes were introduced: “Flower Power” and “Blue Dalmatian.” “Flower Power” was white with flowers, and “Blue Dalmatian” was a blue similar to the original “Bondi blue”, but with white spots. The “Snow” color scheme was also used on the second generation iBook. In 2001, Apple designs shifted away from multicolored translucency and began two new design branches. The professional motif appeared with th


Which former Education (and Transport) Secretary is MP for Bolton West?

Ruth Kelly, former MP, Bolton West - TheyWorkForYou TheyWorkForYou Almost always voted for more EU integration Show votes Has never voted on increasing the rate of VAT Consistently voted for university tuition fees Show votes Generally voted for a wholly elected House of Lords Show votes Consistently voted for encouraging occupational pensions Show votes Generally voted for removing hereditary peers from the House of Lords Show votes We have lots more plain English analysis of Ruth Kelly’s voting record on issues like health, welfare, taxation and more. Visit Ruth Kelly’s full vote analysis page for more. Recent appearances Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Children in Care: Child Trust Fund 25 Mar 2010 To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which local authorities (a) ensure that the full ï¿½100 Child Trust Fund annual payments for looked-after children are put in their individual account and (b) have used all or part of these payments for other purposes. Former Labour MP for Bolton West Entered the House of Commons on 1 May 1997 — General election Left the House of Commons on 12 April 2010 — did not stand for re-election Children in Care: Child Trust Fund Child Trust Fund: Children in Care Other offices held in the past Secretary of State, Department for Transport (28 Jun 2007 to 6 Oct 2008) Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (8 May 2006 to 28 Jun 2007) Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (16 Dec 2004 to 8 May 2006) Minister of State, Cabinet Office (10 Sep 2004 to 16 Dec 2004) Member, Public Accounts Committee (28 May 2004 to 19 Oct 2004) Financial Secretary, HM Treasury (29 May 2002 to 10 Sep 2004) Economic Secretary, HM Treasury (11 Jun 2001 to 29 May 2002) Previous MPs in this constituency Children's Commissioner for Wales Bill Committee (5 out of 5) Numerology Please note that numbers do not measure quality. Also, representatives may do other things not currently covered by this site. Has spoken in 0 debates in the last year — well below average amongst MPs. See all Ruth Kelly’s speeches Has received answers to 3 written questions in the last year — below average amongst MPs. Replied within 2 or 3 weeks to a low number of messages sent via WriteToThem.com during 2008, according to constituents. Has voted in 63.82% of votes in this Parliament with this affiliation — below average amongst MPs. (From Public Whip) People have made 36 annotations on this MP’s speeches — well above average amongst MPs. This MP’s speeches, in Hansard, are readable by an average 17–18 year old, going by the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score. 101 people are tracking this MP Has used three-word alliterative phrases (e.g. "she sells seashells") 686 times in debates — well above average amongst MPs.


In Greek myth, who divested himself of his 'curse' in the River Pactolus?

Pactolus (Sart Çayı) - Livius Pactolus (Sart Çayı) Pactolus: little river in western Turkey (modern Sart Çayı), famous because it contained gold. Pactolus The river Pactolus has become famous because it carries down gold dust from Mount Tmolus. The Lydian kings, whose capital Sardes was directly east of the Pactolus, were the first to use the gold dust of this river to strike coins. Their wealth was proverbal, and we still have the expression that someone is "as rich as Croesus ", the famous last king of Lydia (c.560- c.547 ). Writing at the beginning of our era, the Roman poet Ovid records an ancient myth in which the presence of gold in the Pactolus is explained from the fact that the Phrygian king Midas , who converted everything he touched into gold, but had forgotten that he would starve from hunger because he could not eat his golden food, had washed himself in the river to get rid of his curse.note[Ovid, Metamorphoses 11.136-141.] The Pactolus According to the Greek geographer Strabo , a contemporary of Ovid, the amount of gold dust had in his age become lower than ever.note[Strabo, Geography 13.1.23, 13.4.5; cf. Philostratus , Life of Apollonius 6.37 .] Today, you will no longer find gold diggers near the Pactolus. This page was created in 2004; last modified on 15 August 2015. Home » Articles » Place » Pactolus (Sart Çayı) Author


Larry Page and Sergey Brin were co-founders of which Internet tool?

1. Sergey Brin and Larry Page | Media | The Guardian 1. Sergey Brin and Larry Page Sergey Brin and Larry Page. Photograph: Ben Margot/AP Sunday 13 July 2008 19.05 EDT First published on Sunday 13 July 2008 19.05 EDT Job: co-founders, Google; president of technology, Google (Brin) president of products, Google (Page) Age: 34 (Brin), 35 (Page) Industry: digital media Worth: approx %18.5bn each New entry Ten years after it was founded in a Californian garage by Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Google has become the dominant player in the global online advertising market and one of the biggest multinational companies in the world by value. Brin and Page return in this year's MediaGuardian 100, having made way in last year's list for their company's chief executive, Eric Schmidt. But if our 2007 panel thought the web giant's founders had taken a less prominent role in the day-to-day running of the company, then this year's judges said they were right back at the forefront of Google's global activities. As if to illustrate the pair's higher profile, Page even made it into the gossip columns with his wedding on Richard Branson's Necker Island last year. More significantly, Gordon Brown was among the guests praising the Silicon Valley giant at its Hertfordshire conference in May, while Tory leader David Cameron spoke at its US equivalent last year. Brin and Page's creation dominates the UK online search market, with eight out of 10 searches through Google. The UK is its second most valuable territory behind the US, and with advertising revenue of £1.3bn in 2007 it is on the verge of overtaking ITV. Google has extended its brand and moved beyond its search engine roots with the likes of Google Earth, Google Maps and Google Docs, offering spreadsheets and word processor tools that Microsoft customers have to pay for. It owns online video phenomenon YouTube, to which 10 hours of video are uploaded every minute, and bought online advertising company DoubleClick last year for $3.1bn (£1.56bn) despite concerns it would give the search firm unfair dominance. Google has also moved into mobile internet with its mobile phone operating system Android, and has moved into offline advertising in the US in TV, print and radio. But Brin and Page - who run the company with Schmidt as a triumvirate - have not had it all their own way. Google has been accused of over-stretching itself, it has lost a string of senior staff, including its engineering vice-president, Doug Merrill, to Guy Hands' EMI; and newspaper and television companies have complained that its activities are not regulated in the same way that they are. Despite its unofficial slogan, "Don't be evil", Google is increasingly seen as part of the establishment and faced accusations that it is becoming the web's Big Brother by storing details of people's personal searches. "If we are not trusted, we have no business," countered Page. "We have such a lot to lose, we are forced to act in everyone's interest." But memories of its willingness to do deals with the Chinese government, censoring its search engine in the far east, are likely to linger for some time to come. Shares in the company took a tumble following fears of a slowdown at the turn of the year, but it reported better than expected profits for the first three months of this year, up 30% to $1.31bn. Google, it seemed, is back on track. Its market capitalisation is worth more than Time Warner, Disney and News Corp combined. It is a sign of Google's success that search engine optimisation has become such a critical tool for the companies and individuals who publish on the web. If you want to be seen, then you have to be seen on Google. While the search engine infuriates the media by sucking up online advertising, it does a crucial job for web publishers by referring people to their site. Hence the term "frenemy" - part friend, part enemy. Google faced the prospect of its biggest challenge for years with Microsoft's $47.5bn takeover bid for Yahoo. However, when the tie-up failed to come off, Google ended up doing a 10-year search advert


The Ford Cortina and Ford Taunus were predecessors of which model?

Ford Cortina - Ford Wiki Ford Cortina Ford Orion The Ford Cortina is a mid-sized family car built by Ford of Britain in various guises from 1962 to 1982. The Cortina was Ford's mass-market mid-sized car and sold in enormous numbers, making it common on British roads. It was replaced in 1982 by the Ford Sierra . In other markets, particularly Asia and Australasia, it was replaced by the Mazda 626 -based Ford Telstar , though Ford New Zealand did import British-made Complete knock down kits of the Ford Sierra estate for local assembly from 1984. The Cortina was produced in five generations (Mark I through to Mark V, although officially the last one was called the Cortina 80) from 1962 until 1982. From 1970 onward, it was almost identical to the Germany-market Ford Taunus (being built on the same platform) which was originally a different car model. This was part of a Ford attempt to unify its European operations. By 1976, when the revised Taunus was launched, the Cortina was identical. In fact, this new Taunus / Cortina used the doors and some panels from the 1970 Taunus. All variants of the Cortina sold over one million, with each successive model proving more popular than its predecessor. Such was its fame in the UK that the BBC Two documentary series Arena (TV series) once devoted an edition to the car and its enthusiasts. The model's name was inspired by the name of the Italian ski resort Cortina d'Ampezzo, site of the 1956 Winter Olympics. As a publicity stunt, several Cortinas were driven down the bobsled run at the resort. Contents Ford Cortina Mark I (1962–1966) Cortina Mark I 1.2L Overhead valve "Kent" Straight-4 1.5L Overhead valve "Kent" Straight-4 Wheelbase 98 in (2489 mm) [1] Length 168.25 in (4274 mm) (saloon) 168.5 in (4280 mm) (estate) Width 56.5 in (1435 mm) (saloon) 57.75 in (1467 mm) (estate) Curb weight 1,736 lb (787 kg) (De Luxe) 2,072 lb (940 kg) (Estate) Fuel capacity Related Lotus Cortina As the 1960s dawned, British Motor Corporation were revelling in the success of their new Mini - the first successful postwar mini-car to be built in United Kingdom. Overlords at Ford felt that they could not develop a similar small car as the production cost would be too high, so instead they set about creating a larger family car which would sell in huge volumes. The result was the Cortina, a distinctively-styled car aimed at buyers of the Morris Oxford and Vauxhall Victor, that was launched in September 1962. Until a modest facelift in 1964 it was branded as the Consul Cortina before simply being sold as the Cortina. [1] The car confirmed Ford's reputation for offering a lot of car for the money: the estate version, in particular, provided class leading load capacity. Notable models were the Lotus Cortina and Cortina GT. Available with 1.2 L and 1.5 L engines in 2 and 4-door Sedan (car) and 4-door Estate car forms. Standard, Deluxe, Super and GT trims were offered but not across all body styles. Estates offered the option of fake wood side and tailgate trim, aping American-style estates, for a short time. There were two main variants of the Mark 1. The Mark 1a possessed elliptical front side-lights, whereas the Mark 1b had a re-designed front grill incorporating the squarer side-lights. Advertising of the revised version, which appeared in late 1964, made much of the newly introduced "Aeroflow" through-flow ventilation, evidenced by the extractor vents on the rear pillars. The dashboard, instruments and controls were also revised. The engines used across the Mark I range were of identical design, differing only in capacity and setup. The formula used was a 4-cylinder pushrod (Over Head Valve) design that came to be known as the "pre-crossflow" version as both inlet and exhaust ports were located on the same side of the head. The most powerful version of this engine (used in the GT Cortina) was 1498 cc (1500) and produced 78 bhp (58 kW). This engine contained a different Camshaft profile, a different cast of head featuring larger ports, tubular exhaust headers and a Weber double barrel Carburettor. Lotus Cortin


What alcoholic spirit is made from at least 90% of the Ugni Blanc grape?

Cognac | Bar Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit According to French Law, in order to bear the name, Cognac must meet strenuous legal requirements, ensuring that the 300-year old production process remains unchanged. It must be made from at least 90% Ugni Blanc , Folle Blanche , or Colombard grapes , although Ugni Blanc, specifically Saint-Emilion grapes, are today virtually the exclusive variety used. The remainder may consist of the grape varieties Folignan, Jurançon blanc, Meslier St-François (also called Blanc Ramé), Sélect, Montils, and Sémillon, It must be distilled twice in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak barrels, most commonly from oak shipped from all over Europe but passing through the town of Limoges and for that reason called 'limousin' oak. Producing region and legal definitions Edit Map of the Cognac region The region authorised to produce cognac is divided up into six zones, including five crus (singular cru), broadly covers the department of Charente-Maritime, a large part of the department of Charente and a few areas in Deux-Sèvres and the Dordogne. The six zones are, in order of decreasing appreciation of the cognacs coming from them: Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bon Bois and finally Bois Ordinaire. A blend of Grande and Petite Champagne Cognacs, with at least half coming from Grande Champagne, is known as Fine Champagne. Note: these cognac-producing regions in southwestern France should not be confused with the northeastern region of Champagne, a wine region that produces sparkling wine by that name, although they do share a common etymology - both being deriviations of a French term for chalky soil. Production A cognac pot still Cognac is made from eaux-de-vie (literally, "waters of life") produced by doubly distilling the white wines produced in any of the growth areas. This drink was first created to use up the grape waste of wine making and was considered a drink for the poor. The wine is a very dry, acidic, thin wine, not really suitable for drinking, but excellent for distillation. It may be made only from a strict list of grape varieties: Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche & Colombard. Distillation takes place in traditionally shaped Charentais copper stills, also known as an alembic, the design and dimensions of which are also legally controlled. Two distillations must be carried out; the resulting eau-de-vie is a colourless spirit of about 70% alcohol. Once distillation is complete, it must be aged for at least two years before it can be called 'Cognac' and sold to the public. Once distillation is complete, it must be aged for at least two years before it can be called 'Cognac' and sold to the public. The final product is usually diluted to 40% alcohol content (80 proof) with pure and distilled water. Major manufacturers add a small proportion of caramel to colour their cognacs (at least the less expensive qualities). it is claimed that this does not affect the flavor. The age of the cognac is calculated as that of the youngest eau-de-vie used in the blend. The blend is usually of different ages and (in the case of the larger and more commercial producers) from different local areas. This blending, or marriage, of different eaux-de-vie is important to obtain a complexity of flavours absent from an eau-de-vie from a single distillery or vineyard. Each cognac house has a master taster (maître de chai) who is responsible for creating this delicate blend of spirits, so that the cognac produced by a company today will taste almost exactly the same as a cognac produced by that same company 50 years ago, or in 50 years' time. In respect it may be seen to be similar to a blended whisky or non-vintage Champagne, which also rely on blending to achieve a consistent brand flavour. A very small number of producers, such as Guillon Painturaud, do not blend their final product from different ages of eaux-de-vie in order to produce a 'purer' flavour, in much the same manner as a single malt whisky . Hundreds of vineyards in the Cognac AOC region sell their own c


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