Which of the former eastern bloc countries, now a member of the EU is the only one to have adopted the euro as its currency?

Central European Countries and EU Accession: A Blessing or a Curse? Central European Countries and EU Accession: A Blessing or a Curse? Lisdey Espinoza Pedraza , Feb 17 2015, 2482 views This content was written by a student and assessed as part of a university degree. E-IR publishes student essays & dissertations to allow our readers to broaden their understanding of what is possible when answering similar questions in their own studies. Central European Countries and EU Accession: A Blessing or a Curse? The end of the Cold War marked the demise of a status quo that had dominated international relations theory and practice since the end of the WWII, and heralded the start of a new paradigm characterised by the collapse of old enemies, the emergence of new countries, international non-state actors and diversified threats. A real distinction between internal and external security was also harder to make. The breakdown of communism led to the creation of new countries in Central and Eastern Europe and provided an opportunity to bring about democracy and stability for the continent which, in turn, would lead to a successful reunification and pacification of the continent as “democracies are less likely to go to war”. [1] The European Union (EU) has dominated European political and economic affairs since its creation. Therefore, enlargement to the east was seen as natural evolution of European affairs to bring an end to division and enhance the security of the whole continent. [2] For the EU, this enlargement meant “an extraordinary opportunity to promote stability, prosperity and peace throughout the European continent.” [3] The 2004 and 2007 admissions of 10 Central Eastern European Countries (CEECs) changed the shape of the EU dramatically by raising its number of members from 15 to 27. EU membership and the fall of communism were two important events that determined the future of CEECs and their transition from centrally-planned economies to free market ones, and from authoritarianism to western-style democracies. The decision to open EU doors to CEECs was a triumph of statesmanship and an example of successful crisis prevention. [4] Soon after the collapse of the USSR, the EU signed preferential trade agreements with CEECs, and by 1993 it had already set the criteria these countries had to meet should they wish to become EU members. Democracy accompanied by stable institutions able to guarantee it; the rule of law; protection of minorities; market economies; ability to compete equally with other EU members, and being able to take on obligations EU membership entails such as adherence to political and monetary policies. These conditions, although hard to meet for the post-communist CEECs, were very attractive as they symbolised security, consumer prosperity, company wealth, prestige and a clear break from the Soviet era. [5] EU integration has also been a process of “redrawing the economic borders inside Europe and amongst former states of the Eastern bloc.” [6] The goal of integrating CEECs into the EU had been widely shared as, with their admission, Europe acted to “lock in democracy and put an end to the geopolitical competition that had bedevilled CEECs.” [7] Had CEECs not been accepted, instability and chaos would have sunk in the heart of Europe and the situation would be much worse at present. EU membership not only ensures stability in CEECs but also prevented future conflicts in the whole of Europe. Eastern enlargement does pose important challenges, but also creates new opportunities for increased prosperity for both sides of the continent. CEECs have benefited positively from EU accession by witnessing an important increase in growth, trade, foreign direct investment, off-shoring and outsourcing, and a stronger export penetration into the EU-15 single market. Despite recent political crisis in some CEECs that has led to the resurgence of populist, nationalist and euro-sceptic movements, democratic institutions have prevailed and prevented CEECs from regressing to authoritarian regimes. EU membership has also tr


Sir Thomas Bertram owns which estate in an 1814 novel?

Mansfield Park | The Jane Austen Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Published 1814 About thirty years ago Miss Maria Ward, of Huntingdon, with only seven thousand pounds, had the good luck to captivate Sir Thomas Bertram, of Mansfield Park, in the county of Northampton, and to be thereby raised to the rank of a baronet’s lady, with all the comforts and consequences of an handsome house and large income. Mansfield Park is a novel by Jane Austen , written at Chawton Cottage between 1812 and 1814. It was published in July 1814 by Thomas Egerton , who published Jane Austen's two earlier novels, Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice . When the novel reached a second edition, its publication was taken over by John Murray , who also published its successor, Emma . Contents Edit The main character, Fanny Price , is a young girl from a relatively poor family, raised by her rich uncle and aunt, Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram , at Mansfield Park . She grows up with her four cousins, Tom Bertram , Edmund Bertram , Maria Bertram and Julia Bertram Yates , but is always treated as inferior to them; only Edmund shows her real kindness. He is also the most virtuous of the siblings: Maria and Julia are vain and spoiled, while Tom is an irresponsible gambler. Over time, Fanny's gratitude for Edmund's kindness grows into romantic love. When the children have grown up, the stern patriarch Sir Thomas leaves for a year so he can deal with problems on his plantation in Antigua . The fashionable and worldly Henry Crawford and his sister Mary Crawford arrive in the village, and stay with their sister, the Parson's wife . The arrival of the Crawfords disrupts the staid world of Mansfield and sparks a series of romantic entanglements. Mary and Edmund begin to form an attachment, though Edmund often worries that her manners are fashionable and her conversation often cynical, masking a lack of firm principle. However, she is engaging, beautiful and charming, and goes out of her way to befriend Fanny. Fanny fears that Mary has enchanted Edmund, and love has blinded him to her flaws. Henry plays with the affections of both Maria and Julia, despite Maria being already engaged to the dull, but very rich, Mr. Rushworth . Maria believes that Henry is really in love with her, and treats Mr Rushworth coldly, invoking his jealousy. Fanny is little observed in the family circle - her presence is often overlooked and she frequently witnesses Maria and Henry in compromising situations. Encouraged by Tom and his friend Mr. Yates, the young people decide to put on Elizabeth Inchbald 's play Lovers' Vows ; Edmund and Fanny both initially oppose the plan, believing Sir Thomas would disapprove and feeling that the subject matter of the play is not appropriate. Edmund is eventually swayed, offering to play the part of Anhalt, the lover of the character played by Mary Crawford. As well as giving Mary and Edmund a vehicle to talk about love and marriage, the play provides a pretext for Henry and Maria to flirt in public. Sir Thomas arrives unexpectedly in the middle of a rehearsal, which ends the plan. Henry leaves, and Maria is crushed; realising that Henry does not love her, she marries Mr. Rushworth and they leave for Brighton , taking Julia with them. Meanwhile, Fanny's improved looks and pleasant temper endear her to Sir Thomas, who pays more attention to her care. Henry returns to Mansfield Park and decides to amuse himself by making Fanny fall in love with him. However, her genuine gentleness and kindness cause him to fall in love with her instead. When he proposes marriage, Fanny's disgust at his improper flirtations with her cousins, as well as her love for Edmund, cause her to reject him. The Bertrams are dismayed, since it is an extremely advantageous match for a poor girl like Fanny. Sir Thomas rebukes her for ingratitude. Henry decides he will continue to pursue Fanny, hoping that in time she will change her mind by coming to believe he is constant. Sir Thomas supports a plan for Fanny to pay a visit to her relatively poor family in Portsmouth , hoping tha


In which Shakespeare play does the character Custard appear?

Shakespeare's Plays   Shakespeare's Plays Before the publication of the First Folio in 1623, nineteen of the thirty-seven plays in Shakespeare's canon had appeared in quarto format. With the exception of Othello (1622), all of the quartos were published prior to the date of Shakespeare's retirement from the theatre in about 1611. It is unlikely that Shakespeare was involved directly with the printing of any of his plays, although it should be noted that two of his poems, Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece were almost certainly printed under his direct supervision. Here you will find the complete text of Shakespeare's plays, based primarily on the First Folio, and a variety of helpful resources, including extensive explanatory notes, character analysis, source information, and articles and book excerpts on a wide range of topics unique to each drama. Tragedies The story of Mark Antony, Roman military leader and triumvir, who is madly in love with Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. Earliest known text: First Folio (1623).   Coriolanus (1607-1608) The last of Shakespeare's great political tragedies, chronicling the life of the mighty warrior Caius Marcius Coriolanus. Earliest known text: First Folio (1623).   Hamlet (1600-1601) Since its first recorded production, Hamlet has engrossed playgoers, thrilled readers, and challenged actors more so than any other play in the Western canon. No other single work of fiction has produced more commonly used expressions . Earliest known text: Quarto (1603). Although there were earlier Elizabethan plays on the subject of Julius Caesar and his turbulent rule, Shakespeare's penetrating study of political life in ancient Rome is the only version to recount the demise of Brutus and the other conspirators. Earliest known text: First Folio (1623). The story of King Lear, an aging monarch who decides to divide his kingdom amongst his three daughters, according to which one recites the best declaration of love. Earliest known text: Quarto (1608).   Macbeth (1605-1606) Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's most stimulating and popular dramas. Renaissance records of Shakespeare's plays in performance are scarce, but a detailed account of an original production of Macbeth has survived, thanks to Dr. Simon Forman . Earliest known text: First Folio (1623).   Othello (1604-1605) Othello, a valiant Moorish general in the service of Venice, falls prey to the devious schemes of his false friend, Iago. Earliest known text: Quarto (1622). Celebrated for the radiance of its lyric poetry, Romeo and Juliet was tremendously popular from its first performance. The sweet whispers shared by young Tudor lovers throughout the realm were often referred to as "naught but pure Romeo and Juliet." Earliest known text: Quarto (1597). Written late in Shakespeare's career, Timon of Athens is criticized as an underdeveloped tragedy, likely co-written by George Wilkins or Cyril Tourneur. Read the play and see if you agree. Earliest known text: First Folio (1623).   Titus Andronicus (1593-1594) A sordid tale of revenge and political turmoil, overflowing with bloodshed and unthinkable brutality. The play was not printed with Shakespeare credited as author during his lifetime, and critics are divided between whether it is the product of another dramatist or simply Shakespeare's first attempt at the genre. Earliest known text: Quarto (1594). Histories One of Shakespeare's most popular plays, featuring the opportunistic miscreant, Sir John Falstaff. Earliest known text: Quarto (1598). This is the third play in the second tetralogy of history plays, along with Richard II, Henry IV, Part 1, and Henry V. Earliest known text: Quarto (1600). Henry V is the last in the second tetralogy sequence. King Henry is considered Shakespeare's ideal monarch. Earliest known text: Quarto (1600). The first in Shakespeare's trilogy about the War of the Roses between the houses of Lancaster and York. Earliest known text: First Folio (1623). Part two of Shakespeare's chronicle play. Based on Hall's work, the play contains some historical inaccuracies. Earli


The site of the Battle of Naseby is in which county?

UK Battlefields Resource Centre - The Civil Wars - The Battle of Battle of Naseby Battle of Naseby 14th June 1645 The battle of Naseby was fought on the morning of the 14th June 1645. In the open fields of that small Northamptonshire village, parliament's New Model Army destroyed King Charles I's main field army. After nearly three years of conflict, this was the decisive battle of the Civil War. Only about 4000 Royalists escaped the field, most of whom were either cavalry or senior officers, some seriously wounded. The main royalist field army had been quite literally destroyed.   In the following days Leicester was recaptured. The next month the New Model went on to defeat the last significant royalist field army, at Langport. Thereafter it was largely a matter of clearing the remaining royalist garrisons.   After Hastings and the Battle of Britain, which respectively began and ended the last millennium, Naseby was arguably the most important and decisive battle ever fought in England. Where those other battles were the result of challenges to the very basis of the kingdom by foreign foes, Naseby was the culmination of a bloody Civil War and the stepping stone for a political revolution.   Despite the construction of the A14 road in 1992, Naseby is relatively well preserved and one of the best understood of all British battlefields. It is well worth visiting, for it is easily accessible on minor roads, from which one can gain a good feel for the character of the landscape. However there are few rights of way and thus little opportunity to explore the battlefield on foot. Sadly the interpretation at Naseby does not match the national significance of the battle. This is why the Battlefields Trust is currently developing a staged programme to enhance the on site interpretation of this key English battle.


The LHC is operated by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, by what initials is this organisation known?

About CERN | CERN About CERN Opinion About CERN What is the universe made of? How did it start? Physicists at CERN are seeking answers, using some of the world's most powerful particle accelerators This content is archived on the CERN Document Server At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, physicists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe. They use the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments to study the basic constituents of matter – the fundamental particles. The particles are made to collide together at close to the speed of light. The process gives the physicists clues about how the particles interact, and provides insights into the fundamental laws of nature. The instruments used at CERN are purpose-built particle accelerators and detectors . Accelerators boost beams of particles to high energies before the beams are made to collide with each other or with stationary targets. Detectors observe and record the results of these collisions. Founded in 1954, the CERN laboratory sits astride the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva. It was one of Europe's first joint ventures and now has 22 member states . You can find more information about how CERN is governed and organised here . The name CERN The name CERN is derived from the acronym for the French "Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire", or European Council for Nuclear Research, a provisional body founded in 1952 with the mandate of establishing a world-class fundamental physics research organization in Europe. At that time, pure physics research concentrated on understanding the inside of the atom, hence the word "nuclear". Today, our understanding of matter goes much deeper than the nucleus, and CERN's main area of research is particle physics – the study of the fundamental constituents of matter and the forces acting between them. Because of this, the laboratory operated by CERN is often referred to as the European Laboratory for Particle Physics.


Whose Law states that equal volumes of gases at the same temperature and pressure contain equal numbers of molecules?

Avogadro's Law: Volume and Amount About Watch and Favorite Watch Watching this resources will notify you when proposed changes or new versions are created so you can keep track of improvements that have been made. Favorite Favoriting this resource allows you to save it in the “My Resources” tab of your account. There, you can easily access this resource later when you’re ready to customize it or assign it to your students. Avogadro's Law: Volume and Amount Avogadro's Law states that at the same temperature and pressure, equal volumes of different gases contain an equal number of particles. Learning Objective State Avogadro's Law and its underlying assumptions Key Points The number of molecules or atoms in a specific volume of ideal gas is independent of size or the gas' molar mass . Avogadro's Law is stated mathematically as follows: $\frac{V}{n} = k$ , where V is the volume of the gas, n is the number of moles of the gas, and k is a proportionality constant. Volume ratios must be related to the relative numbers of molecules that react; this relationship was crucial in establishing the formulas of simple molecules at a time when the distinction between atoms and molecules was not clearly understood. Term Full Text Definition of Avogadro's Law Avogadro's Law (sometimes referred to as Avogadro's hypothesis or Avogadro's principle) is a gas law; it states that under the same pressure and temperature conditions, equal volumes of all gases contain the same number of molecules. The law is named after Amedeo Avogadro who, in 1811, hypothesized that two given samples of an ideal gas—of the same volume and at the same temperature and pressure—contain the same number of molecules; thus, the number of molecules or atoms in a specific volume of ideal gas is independent of their size or the molar mass of the gas. For example, 1.00 L of N2 gas and 1.00 L of Cl2 gas contain the same number of molecules at Standard Temperature and Pressure (STP). Avogadro's Law is stated mathematically as: $\frac{V}{n} = k$ V is the volume of the gas, n is the number of moles of the gas, and k is a proportionality constant. As an example, equal volumes of molecular hydrogen and nitrogen contain the same number of molecules and observe ideal gas behavior when they are at the same temperature and pressure. In practice, real gases show small deviations from the ideal behavior and do not adhere to the law perfectly; the law is still a useful approximation for scientists, however. The model contains gas molecules under constant pressure. The barrier moves when the volume of gas expands or contracts. Run the model and select different numbers of molecules from the drop-down menu. What is the relationship between the number of molecules and the volume of a gas? (Note: Although the atoms in this model are in a flat plane, volume is calculated using 0.1 nm as the depth of the container.) Significance of Avogadro's Law Discovering that the volume of a gas was directly proportional to the number of particles it contained was crucial in establishing the formulas for simple molecules at a time (around 1811) when the distinction between atoms and molecules was not clearly understood. In particular, the existence of diatomic molecules of elements such as H2, O2, and Cl2 was not recognized until the results of experiments involving gas volumes was interpreted. Early chemists calculated the molecular weight of oxygen using the incorrect formula HO for water. This lead to the molecular weight of oxygen being miscalculated as 8, rather than 16. However, when chemists found that an assumed reaction of H + Cl $\rightarrow$ HCl yielded twice the volume of HCl, they realized hydrogen and chlorine were diatomic molecules. The chemists revised their reaction equation to be H2 + Cl2 $\rightarrow$ When chemists revisited their water experiment and their hypothesis that $HO \rightarrow H + O$ , they discovered that the volume of hydrogen gas consumed was twice that of oxygen. By Avogadro's Law, this meant that hydrogen and oxygen were combining in a 2:1 ratio. This discovery led t


A biography of which pop group was subtitled 'The World's First Supergroup'?

Cream (band) biography, birth date, birth place and pictures Email Print Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker. Their sound was characterised by a hybrid of blues rock, hard rock and psychedelic rock,combining the psychedelia-themed lyrics, Eric Clapton's blues guitar playing, Jack Bruce's voice and prominent bass playing and Ginger Baker's jazz-influenced drumming. Cream, for better or worse, brought instrumental virtuosity to rock and roll. Rolling Stone once referred to them as "rock's first true supergroup." The first real power trio, Cream reestablished the link between rock and the blues, and their freewheeling improvisations took them into territory that was once the province of jazz musicians. By breaking the strictures of pop song forms and making instrumental solos the heart of their sound, they paved the way for Led Zeppelin and heavy metal bands that followed. Though Cream found its greatest popularity in the United States, all three members had strong individual reputations in England before they decided to join forces. Jack Bruce was a classically trained cellist who took up jazz bass in his teens. He eventually earned a scholarship to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and began playing in a dance band to support himself. The academy, however, disapproved of its students playing jazz. "They found out," Bruce told Musician correspondent Jim Macnie, "and said 'you either stop, or leave college.' So I left college." In the early 1960s Bruce played in a series of traditional jazz, rhythm and blues, and jump blues groups. In 1965, while playing a recording session, he borrowed an electric bass. He recalled to Dan Hedges of Guitar Player, "[I] found that I ... could get a completely different kind of thing out of it." By that time Bruce was working with Ginger Baker in the Graham Bond Organisation, a group that also included fusion guitarist John McLaughin. Baker also came from a jazz background and was particularly influenced by the avant-garde work of Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane. He had played in the house band at Ronnie Scott's, London's premier jazz club, and in Alexis Korner's Blues, Inc., the band that gave birth to the British blues revival, before leaving to pursue a more progressive direction with Bond. Guitarist Eric Clapton became a star with the Yardbirds, a band that won a following in England for their extended blues jams on stage and their exotic Eastern-tinged pop experimentation in the studio. Feeling that they had sold out by abandoning the blues for pop music, Clapton quit the band immediately after they recorded their first hit single. He then played in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers but left the group shortly after Bruce joined it. In 1966 Baker, Bruce, and Clapton were all at loose ends in their careers. Baker and Bruce had been playing throughout London as a jazz rhythm section, but, as Bruce recalled it to Macnie, "We'd had a kind of falling out. [Baker] thought my bass playing was getting too busy.... I was trying to make the bass stand up there with the other instruments. Ginger didn't agree with that. But when he went to Eric and said, 'Let's form a band,' Eric said, 'Yeah, but you've got to have Jack in it; he's the singer.' So we went by Ginger's little suburban pad and set up in his living room. And it was obvious from the start that there was a magical thing happening." The trio may have had magic, but they lacked material; rehearsals consisted mainly of blues jams. Bruce, the most experienced songwriter in the band, wrote a light pop tune for their first single, "Wrapping Paper." It was the opposite of what everyone expected from three jazz/blues virtuosos, and it flopped. Cream's next record, however, another Bruce composition, "I Feel Free," made the British charts and set the band on their way to acclaim. Cream didn't really hit their stride until they toured the United States in 1967. Though their first album, Fresh Cream, had only moderate sales in America, they had a


On which island did St John write Revelations?

The Book of Revelation by John the Apostle Where the Book of "Revelation" was received by John Patmos, Greece - where the Apostle    John was exiled John's love for Jesus was so strong, that he continued to defy the   Roman magistrate's order to no longer proclaim Jesus as Messiah,   Savior and Lord; even while a prisoner. On Patmos, John was thrown   in with violent criminals, but simply won many of the criminals to   faith in Jesus. It was on Patmos that John wrote down in a scroll all that "he saw   and heard". John's sworn testimony about how he received the   messages is given in the first chapter. According to Greek Orthodox Tradition John's vision came to him on a   Sunday after saying Mass and preaching the Gospel. Saint John, to   escape the heat of the day, remained in the cave where he said Mass.   It was here that one day the Lord came to Saint John in a vision.   When Saint John awoke, he dictated his revelation to his scribe.  It begins with this assurance: The    Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to    shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to    pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his    servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of    the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he    saw.  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that    hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things    which are written therein: for the time is at hand.  Revelation 1:1-3 (KJV)   Cave of John the Apostle The Book   of Revelation, what God revealed to the Apostle John, is a great   prophecy mystery.  It's a riddle wrapped in an enigma. It has   drawn the attention of numerous scholars throughout the ages, all   trying to interpret the meaning of it.  The stakes are worth   the challenge to would-be code breakers, because the book of   Revelation describes the end of one world and the beginning of the   next.  A key to understanding most Old Testament prophecies is   to think Israel, the Jews, and Jerusalem in particular.  Just   as Jesus' mission was to save the Jews - it was the mission of the   prophets to pass God's Word and His warnings on to them. Parallel    Prophecies Revelation has been noted in some cases to "parallel" what God   revealed to the Prophet Daniel, some 600 years earlier.  For   instance, speaking about Jerusalem being in control of the gentiles   for "42 months", it appears that God is also telling us that the   Gentiles will do something in an area of the temple mount which God   was aware of beforehand -- so He marked it off.  It also tells   us that someone would control Jerusalem for 42 months.   But the court which is without the temple leave out, and    measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and    the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and    two months. Revelation 11:2 According   to Bible scholar Ellis Skolfield, Daniel 12 describes what will be   put into this area God marked out, and it tells us when it would be   built and agrees with John's "revelation" that Jerusalem would be   being under foot of the Gentiles for 42 months.  The Gentiles   are anyone who is not a Jew.  In this case the Muslims.  A   by-product of this is that if God thinks the Muslim shrine to the   pagan god Allah and the false prophet Muhammad is a pagan "abomination", then He is also telling us that Islam is false - and   it disgusts Him.  Also, of interest are the two prior verses in   Daniel (9-10), which tell as when this prophecy will be "cracked" we   will be in "the time of the end".  It also tells us of scoffers   (wicked that will always refuse to accept), who will most likely be   atheists, pagans, and pagan Muslims. Daniel           12:11 "And           from           the           time           that           the           daily           sacrifice           shall           be


"What type of precious stone is the ""Star of India""?"

Precious Stones India - Semi-Precious Stones, Gemstones India Agate Agate is a semi-precious gemstone and belongs to the Chalcedony family and can be distinguished only by its color and stripes. The word �agate� is derived from a Greek word which means �happy�. Agate is available in a wide range of colors. This stone is said to have been discovered along the banks of the river Achates, now known as river Drillo, by the famous Greek naturalist and philosopher- Theophrastus. Aquamarine 'Aquamarine� gemstones resemble the greenish- blue color of the sea. In fact the name aquamarine is derived from the Latin word for sea water. Aquamarine gemstones look like the crystal blue seas and are normally pastel blue to greenish or the deep blue. The larger the stone the more the sheen is. Carnelian The carnelian is a variety of microcrystalline quartz and chalcedony and is said to have been used in jewelry as early as 1800 B.C. It is consists of silicon oxide and a few impurities that gives it its color. Carnelian is an attractive stone that is deep red to brownish orange in color. It has a long past and was considered the stone of the upper classes in ancient times. The Egyptian people even buried this stone in the tomb along with the dead pharaohs. Citrine Citrine is a crystal whose color varies from lemon yellow to a deep red brown or amber. The name "Citrine" is derived from the French word for lemon. It is a popular and affordable substitute to the much more expensive yellow sapphire or yellow diamond. To create stunning multi-colored jewelry, it is often combined with other stones such as amethyst, peridot, and garnet. It is the birthstone for the month of November. Emerald Emerald is a much admired fantastic green stone. It is the green variety of the mineral beryl and one of the most well prized gems. All over history emerald has been one of the most preferred and popular gems. Due to its dazzling beauty, emerald jewelry such as earrings, finger rings, necklaces, pendants and bracelets are highly cherished. Garnet Garnets belong to the semi-precious stone category. The name is derived from the Latin word �granatus� which was a reference to the fruit �pomegranate� which has seeds similar to the shape, size and color of garnet crystals. Archeologists have discovered garnet jewelry dating back to 3100 B.C. Kunzite Kunzite, the beautiful icy pink colored gemstone and was discovered in the year 1902 by the gemologist George Frederick Kunz in a place called Pala in California. It was named �kunzite� after the discoverer. It is available in countries like Brazil, Canada, Afghanistan, USA, Mexico, Western Australia, Pakistan and Sweden. Lapis Lazuli Lapis lazuli is a semi-precious gemstone which appears as though it might have come straight out of the �Arabian Nights�: �A deep blue background with golden insertions of pyrites which shimmer like little stars�. Lapis Lazuli is a semiprecious stone valued for its deep blue color, and one can often spot golden pyrite inclusions. Lapis Lazuli has a stretched history and has been considered precious by people around the planet for centuries. Moissanite Moissanite, the exact replica of diamond, is a distinctive mineral discovered by the Noble prize winner Dr. Henri Moissan in the year 1893. He found it as tiny bits of silicon carbide, inside a meteorite in canyon Diablo, Arizona. The stone was named after him. In the year 1959, moissanite was found with an inclusion of kimberlite in a diamond mine in Yakutia, Siberia and Wyoming- Western United States. Moonstone The moonstone is named for its resemblance to the color of the moon. It owes its name to the soft milky white stone with a bluish or yellowish tint. It is also known as �Stone of Emotional Balance� and represents the moon goddess. It is an excellent gemstone used in meditation to understand oneself. It is believed that the stone transmits lunar energy and helps soothe and balance human emotions. Obsidian �Apache tears�, the other name given to obsidian is a natural volcanic glass which is formed by swift cooling of the glutinous la


Foreign Ambassador to the US FYI, here is what's come in to the Blog that relates to this office/rank.    For recent questions sent in, check out Robert Hickey's Blog .    For specific offices/ranks, check out Robert Hickey's On-Line Guide . How to Address an Ambassador: Your Excellency? or The Honorable? I see some ambassador's names written as The Honorable (full name) and others as His Excellency (full name). Which is correct?  The ambassador who is coming is the French Ambassador. How should I write his name?         ~ The Diva of Diplomats     1) An ambassador of the United States is addressed by US citizens as:           The Honorable (full name)                  The Ambassador of the United States of America                            (Address)     The form -- the Honorable -- is used because US citizens formally address their own officials as the Honorable (Full Name).     2) Any foreign ambassador is addressed as:           His/Her Excellency (full name)                  The Ambassador of (official name of country)                            (Address)     Form #2 is standard around the world for addressing ambassadors. Even US ambassadors are addressed as His/Her/Your Excellency when they serve abroad by citizens of the countries in which they are serving.     Thus, the French Ambassador to the USA is addressed as:           His Excellency (full name)                  The Ambassador of the French Republic                            (Address) How to Address a Former/Retired Foreign Ambassador?        What is the proper title and salutation I should use to address Thorvald Stoltenberg who was once an ambassador of Norway. He has had several positions including Ambassador to the UN.               -- F. P. Dear F. P.:        1) He is no longer an Excellency. Only currently accredited ambassadors are addressed as Excellency.        2) Former ambassadors are addressed as Ambassador (Surname) for life. At an official event with both current and former ambassadors in the room, it would be important to let the officials who were the current officials and who were the former officials.        3) But don't have to include former positions, e.g.  Former Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to .... after his name in correspondence.        On the mailing envelope use:               Ambassador (Full Name)        And in a social salutation use:               Dear Ambassador (Surname),                 -- Robert Hickey Mr. Hickey On this issue, the advice given does not conform with standards and practice elsewhere. For example: not only “ambassador”, but once entitled to the title “Excellency”, its holder may retain the right to that courtesy throughout his or her lifetime, in accordance with widespread international custom, diplomatic norms, and social usage. See: Protocol – The Complete Handbook of Diplomatic, Official, and Social Usage (page 21), by Mary Jane McCaffree and Pauline Innes, published by Hepburn Books, Dallas, Texas, in 1977, 1985, 1989, 1997 [ISBN 0-941402-04-5].     --O'Donnell Dear O'Donnell,         I see it the text you mention. It's on page 36 of the 25th Anniversary Edition of Protocol, which is the one I have.  I normally say the book is the 'Bible' but in this case the authors mis-state the tradition. Only a currently accredited ambassador is officially addressed as Your Excellency.        At the Congress of Vienna, 1814-15, the courtesy title Your Excellency. was invented to designate the current representative of one head-of-state to another head-of-state.  Until that time … having more than one person from Country X with the rank of "Ambassador" caused confusion in Country Y.  The heads-of-state involved in the Congress were all addressed with a courtesy title – Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, etc. – so granting a courtesy title to Country X's current representative set the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary apart from all similarly ranked ambassadors in Country Y.           -- Robert Hickey How to Address a Former Foreign Ambassador Who Is a Now a Consul General?        We have the Consul


Which Mediterranean island is associated with the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite?

Cyprus: The ancient island of Aphrodite - CNN.com When the Ottoman Empire launched a successful full-scale attack in 1570, the scene was set for the divisions between Turkish and Greek Cypriots that exist on the Mediterranean island until today. Cyprus in the 20th century By the time Cyprus came under British administration in 1878, Greek Cypriots were already agitating for union with Greece. A referendum in 1950 that was boycotted by Turkish Cypriots came out heavily in favor of union with Greece. Inter-communal violence fractured the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities after the country gained independence in 1960 and Turkey threatened to invade in a series of events that became a Cold War flashpoint in 1963 and 1964. Only the involvement of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson halted a Turkish invasion when he stated that the U.S. would not stand beside the NATO member in the event of a Soviet invasion of Turkish territory. In July 1974, the Greek military junta backed a coup d'etat in Cyprus. In response Turkey launched military intervention and by August it had landed thousands of troops and successfully partitioned the island along what is known as the "Green Line." Around 180,000 Greek Cypriots were forced south and some 50,000 Turkish Cypriots moved into vacant properties in the northern Turkish occupied zone. Cyprus has existed as a de-facto divided country ever since and the events of the bloody summer of 1974 still dominate, not just the politics of the island, but Greco-Turkish relations in general. Locals playing backgammon outside a cafe in Nicosia. In 1983, the administration in northern Cyprus declared the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)"; an entity that is not recognized internationally by any country other than Turkey. Efforts to resolve the conflict have ended in failure. Attempts at reconciliation In 2004, the Annan Plan, named after then U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, led to a referendum on reunification which was supported by Turkish Cypriots but rejected by the Greek side as being too heavily weighted in favor of the Turkish side. Despite this setback, Cypriots have been chipping away at partition. In 2008, Greek Cypriots demolished a key section of the barrier dividing the island's capital city Nicosia. Ledra Street -- a pedestrianized shopping area -- became the sixth crossing point on the divided island. At the time, the move was welcomed by then leader of the Turkish north Ferdi Sabit Soyer who was reported as calling it "a positive development." In 2004, Cyprus gained accession to the European Union which recognized its entry as a whole but suspended its legislation in the Turkish north, saying that "these areas are outside of the customs and fiscal territory of the EU. But the EU notes that this does not affect the personal rights of Turkish Cypriots as EU citizens." Economic ups and downs Erratic growth in the 1990s -- largely due to fluctuations in tourist arrivals that reflected the island's political instability -- gave way to stronger growth. The Republic of Cyprus was first listed as an advanced economy by the International Monetary Fund in 2001. According to the IMF, Cypriots are among the most prosperous people in in the Mediterranean region with GDP per capita surpassing $26,000 in 2012. Economists say the turnaround was made all the more spectacular when partition is taken into account. After 1974, Cypriots in the south lost 65% of their hotel and tourist accommodation, 46% of its industrial sector and 56% of its mining and quarrying production. The Republic of Cyprus experienced rapid economic growth as it rebuilt its tourism industry after losing much of its infrastructure in the north after the invasion of 1974. In the north, however, the economy struggles. According to the CIA World Factbook, its GDP remains one quarter the size of the south and, with Turkey its primary public and private investor, its per capita GDP is around half that of the south. Demonstrators against the EU bailout pamphlet during a student parade in March in Nicosia, Meanwhile, Cyprus has s


Which chocolate bar, has had its name changed to 'Snickers'?

Mars to bring back Marathon bars - Telegraph UK News Mars to bring back Marathon bars Marathon chocolate bars are to make a return to British shops, almost two decades after they were renamed Snickers. 1:07AM BST 12 May 2008 Manufacturer Mars is to bring back the original name in a three-month trial. It is the latest in a line of relaunches for retro brand names, coming just weeks after the same company announced plans to bring back another former British favourite, Opal Fruits. Marathon was renamed Snickers in 1990, after Mars decided to scrap the British brand and bring it into line with its global operation. For a period the wrapper of the bar carried both names, before Marathon was removed. The move made the bar something of a cultural reference point. But the name has now been re-registered as a UK trademark. Snickers is the best-selling chocolate bar of all time and has annual global sales of £1 billion. It was first created by Mars in 1930 and is believed to have been named in memory of a horse belonging to the owners. Related Articles


Which fictional human character was known as the 'Napoleon of Crime'?

Sherlock Holmes | fictional character | Britannica.com fictional character The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes, fictional character created by the Scottish writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle . The prototype for the modern mastermind detective , Holmes first appeared in Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet, published in Beeton’s Christmas Annual of 1887. As the world’s first and only “consulting detective,” he pursued criminals throughout Victorian and Edwardian London , the south of England , and continental Europe. Although the fictional detective had been anticipated by Edgar Allan Poe ’s C. Auguste Dupin and Émile Gaboriau ’s Monsieur Lecoq, Holmes made a singular impact upon the popular imagination and has been the most enduring character of detective fiction. (See also Sherlock Holmes: Pioneer in Forensic Science .) Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes in one of several movies in which he played the detective created … The Granger Collection, New York Conan Doyle modeled Holmes’s methods and mannerisms on those of Dr. Joseph Bell, who had been his professor at the University of Edinburgh Medical School. In particular, Holmes’s uncanny ability to gather evidence based upon his honed skills of observation and deductive reasoning paralleled Bell’s method of diagnosing a patient’s disease. Holmes offered some insight into his method, claiming that “When you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” His detecting abilities become clear, though no less amazing, when explained by his companion, Dr. John H. Watson , who recounts the criminal cases they jointly pursue. Although Holmes rebuffs praise, declaring his abilities to be “elementary,” the oft-quoted phrase “Elementary, my dear Watson,” never actually appears in Conan Doyle’s writings. Sherlock Holmes (right) explaining to Dr. Watson what he has deduced from a pipe left behind by a … Photos.com/Jupiterimages Watson’s narrations describe Holmes as a very complex and moody character who, although of strict habit, is considerably untidy. His London abode at 221B, Baker Street, is tended by his housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson. Holmes appears to undergo bouts of mania and depression, the latter of which are accompanied by pipe smoking, violin playing, and cocaine use. Throughout the four novels and 56 short stories featuring Holmes, a number of characters recur, including the bumbling Scotland Yard inspector Lestrade ; the group of “street Arabs” known as the Baker Street Irregulars, who are routinely employed by Holmes as informers; his even wiser but less ambitious brother, Mycroft; and, most notably, his formidable opponent, Professor James Moriarty , whom Holmes considers the “Napoleon of crime.” Similar Topics Humpty Dumpty Claiming that Holmes distracted him “from better things,” Conan Doyle famously in 1893 ( The Final Problem) attempted to kill him off; during a violent struggle on Switzerland’s Reichenbach Falls , both Holmes and his nemesis , Professor Moriarty, are plunged over the edge of the precipice . Popular outcry against the demise of Holmes was great; men wore black mourning bands, the British royal family was distraught , and more than 20,000 readers cancelled their subscriptions to the popular Strand Magazine, in which Holmes regularly appeared. By popular demand, Conan Doyle resurrected his detective in the story The Adventure of the Empty House (1903). Holmes remained a popular figure into the 21st century. Among the most popular stories in which he is featured are The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle (1892), The Adventure of the Speckled Band (1892), The Adventure of the Six Napoleons (1904), and the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902). Holmes’s character has been translated to other media as well, and he is widely known on both stage and screen. The earliest actor to have essayed the role is William Gillette (a founding member of the New York Holmes society still known as the Baker Street Irregulars), who gave several popular theatrical portrayals at the turn of the 20th century. Those who have appear


'Glass's Guide' is a publication to interest a buyer of what?

Free car valuation - Value my car - Glass.co.uk Auto Trader and Glass’s are separate companies. Any queries with valuations provided by Auto Trader must be addressed to them. Glass's Business Users If you are a business user and would still like access to our market leading valuation data, you can find out more about our business products here If you had a registered account on www.glass.co.uk you will have received several communications from us explaining what is happening. Shortly after we stopped providing valuations to private individuals on this website on 30th November 2016 we deleted all customer data held in accordance with the UK Data Protection Act. If you still have questions you can reach us on 01932 823 823 or at customer@glass.co.uk. PLEASE NOTE: we cannot provide any kind of valuation service through these contact channels. How much is your car worth? Worried about getting a good deal? Now you can find out how much your car is worth in seconds by using Auto Trader's car valuations tool. Value your car and save money The benefits of a free car valuation mean that you can set the right price if selling your car privately or get a better indication of what a car would cost if bought from a dealer. Quick and easy car valuations Get your car valuation quickly and easily and make the right decision, every time!


Which radio comedian's catch-phrase was 'right monkey'?

Al Read - Variety Bandbox excerpt ("The Garden Gate") (17/12/1951) - YouTube Al Read - Variety Bandbox excerpt ("The Garden Gate") (17/12/1951) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Jun 29, 2012 The Al Read Show ran on BBC radio between 1950 and 1966. This is a rare appearance of Al Read on another show, Variety Bandbox, in December 1951. Al Read (3 March 1909 -- 9 September 1987) was a British radio comedian active throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Read was born in Broughton, Salford, Lancashire and was a sausage maker in his father's business. He became known as a popular after-dinner speaker with wry and well-observed humour in clubs. In 1950 Read made his radio début on the BBC. His comedy was based around the monologue form, but he also became known for dialogues in which he played both voices. His humour was observational and was about northern English working class people, often in a domestic situation. The Al Read Show was one of the most popular radio comedy shows in the UK in the 1950s and 1960s. Up to 35 million people listened to it each week. His catchphrases "Right Monkey" and "You'll be lucky, I say you'll be lucky!" were well known. In 1963 he headed a variety format for ITV called Life and Al Read which was apparently unscripted and was broadcast live. In 1966 another ITV series called Al Read Says What a Life! was broadcast. He also worked extensively on the variety stage. It was generally considered that sound radio was his best medium. In 1954 he appeared high on the bill at the Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium. In 1959 he appeared with comedian Jimmy Clitheroe in the Royal Northern Variety Performance, in the presence of the Queen Mother, at the Palace Theatre, Manchester. The introduction to his radio show was usually "Al Read: introducing us to ourselves"; and he himself described his work as "pictures of life". His monologues were perceptive about the human condition, and many monologue recordings are still available from the BBC. Variety Bandbox was a British radio variety show transmitted by BBC Radio on the Light Programme. Featuring a mixture of comic performances and music, the show helped to launch the careers of a number of leading British performers. Variety Bandbox was first broadcast in 1941 and, presented by Philip Slessor, became a feature of Sunday evenings until the early 1950s. Hosting duties would later be taken over by Derek Roy. Amongst those who launched their careers on the show was Frankie Howerd, who first appeared on Variety Bandbox in 1947 following a provincial tour. Howerd was to become a fixture of the show and honed his catch phrase-driven comedic style in these appearances. Tony Hancock also featured on the show early in his career. March 1950 saw the debut of a fortnightly series within the show called Blessem Hall which featured several characters vocied by a young Peter Sellers in one of his earliest performances, alongside Miriam Karlin. Arthur English, who debuted on the show in 1949, also gained fame through his broadcasts and was for a time 'resident comedian' on the show, despite his tendency to upset the producers by also including visual gags in his act. The show also provided Bill Kerr with his first break in the UK whilst Max Wall was a regular performer on the show. Although not a performer on Variety Bandbox, Eric Sykes cut his comedy teeth as a scriptwriter on the show. As well as comedy Variety Bandbox also featured big band music with the likes of Ted Heath, Geraldo, Ambrose, Woolf Phillips and Joe Loss all leading their orchestras. Category


In which country would you find the holy city of the Islamic religion, Mecca?

Mecca - ReligionFacts ReligionFacts Robinson, Francis (ed.) and Ira M. Lapidus (foreword) Mecca "From whencesoever you start forth, turn your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from your Lord. " {1} The most sacred place in Islam is the Ka'ba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Ka'ba is a mosque (built by Abraham according to Muslim tradition) constructed around a black stone. The prophet Muhammad designated Mecca as the holy city of Islam and the direction (qibla) in which all Muslims should offer their prayers. The Ka'ba is believed to be the first place that was created on earth {2} and the place at which heavenly bliss and power touches the earth directly. {3} Mecca is located in the Hijaz region of western Saudi Arabia. The city lies inland 73 kilometers east of Jiddah, in the narrow, sandy Valley of Abraham. The Holy City is 277 meters (909 feet) above sea level. Each year, thousands of Muslims from around the world join in a pilgrimage to Mecca (the hajj), in fulfillment of one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The importance of Mecca for Muslims is inestimable. All Muslims, wherever they are on Earth, pray five times a day in the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca (located at 21° 25' 24" N and 39° 49' 24" E in DMS notation). The direction of prayer is known as the qibla. The Religious Significance of Mecca In addition to prayer, a pilgrimage to Mecca is required of every Muslim who can afford it as one of the Five Pillars of the faith. Every year about three million gather for the major pilgrimage, or Hajj, during the Muslim month of Dhu'l-Hijja, and many more perform the minor pilgrimage, or Umrah, at various times throughout the year. Few non-Muslims have ever seen the rites and rituals of the Hajj, as non-Muslims are strictly prohibited from entering Mecca and Medina. Roadblocks are stationed along roads leading to the city. The most famous incident of a non-Muslim visiting Mecca was the visit by the British explorer Sir Richard Burton in 1853. Burton disguised himself as an Afghani Muslim to visit and write Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al Madinah and Mecca. The focal point of Mecca is the Kaaba, the "House of God" believed by Muslims to have been built by Abraham and his son Ishmael, and which is covered in a gold-embroidered black fabric. Pilgrims circle the Kaaba seven times and may also try to touch or kiss its cornerstone, the Black Stone. Pilgrims may drink from the well of Zamzam. Its water of Zamzam is believed to have special properties. Few pilgrims return from the Hajj without a large plastic bottle of Zamzam water. During the Hajj pilgrims travel to Mina, a small village, where the Devil, symbolised by stone columns, is ritually stoned. They then proceed to the hill Arafat (sometimes called a mountain, but with a height of only 70 m), a site for prayers, where Muhammad is believed to have delivered his final sermon. The Masjid al Haram (Sacred Mosque) is for Muslims the holiest mosque on Earth. Both the mosque and the city itself are strictly off limits to non-Muslims. Mecca or Makkah? For most English speakers, "Mecca" has long been the accepted transliteration of the original Arabic for the holy city. The word Mecca in English has gone on to refer to any center of activity sought by a group of people with a common interest. Las Vegas, for example, is considered the "gambling Mecca" (even though gambling is strictly prohibited by Islamic law). Many Muslims find these out-of-context uses offensive. In an effort to distinguish between the metaphorical and official references to the holy site, the Saudi Arabian government began promoting a new transliteration, Makkah al-Mukkaramah, in the 1980s. Many English-speaking Muslims now consider this the preferred spelling, and closer to the original Arabic. While this new usage has been officially adopted by the U.S. Department of State, its spread is still incipient among anglophones at large. References "Mecca." Encyclopedia Britannica. (Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service, 2004). "Mecca." Wikipedia. 2005. <http://en.wikipe


"Who was the original owner of the beautiful yacht ""Nabila"" which was named after his daughter?"

The Story of the Nabila – CommanderBond.net The Story of the Nabila Written by Lars Zeppernick Luxury yachts and boats have quite often been featured in James Bond movies, and one of the most famous examples of them was Adnan Kashoggi’s “Nabila”, named after his daughter, which doubled for the “Flying Saucer” in the Kevin McClory produced Bond movie Never Say Never Again. The “Nabila” was built in 1980 by Fratelli Benetti shipyard in Viareggio (Italy), being the world’s largest private yacht at that time with a length of 281 ft. (85,65 metres). And even after a quarter century, it is still among the world’s largest yachts’ Top 25. The exterior design was done by Jon Bannenberg of London, while the interiors were done by Italian Luigi Sturchio. The Bond crew was the first movie crew allowed on board of Kashoggi’s swimming palace, for which producer Jack Schwartzman made “a contribution to The Princess Grace Foundation for charity through the Kashoggi Foundation” and Kashoggi also got a Thanks “A.K.” in the movie’s end credits. This deal scored Schwartzman a few points with his leading actor Sean Connery, which otherwise he mostly failed during the lengthy shooting of Never Say Never Again. In the movie, the vessel was called “Flying Saucer” (English for “Disco Volante”, as the its equivalent was named in Thunderball) and served as Maximilian Largo’s mobile headquarters, at home on the seven seas. However, the ship’s command central that was shown in the movie was fictional, the work of production designer Stephen Grinds and art director Les Dilley. The original yacht, at the height of a three storey building, featured five decks. It had three elevators, a 12-seat movie theatre, two saunas, a swimming pool, a discotheque, a jacuzzi, a billard room, eleven guest rooms with hand-carved onyx bathroom fixtures and gold-plated door-knobs and a master suite of 4 rooms, the bathroom of which had a solid gold sink. There also was a sun deck equipped with bullet-proof glass, sleeping quarters for 52 staff members, a three room “hospital”, secret passageways, push-button doors and windows and no less than 296 telephones. The steel hull ship made 18 – 20 knots and was powered by two 3000 hp Nohab Polar V 16 turbocharged diesel engines. Several figures are known about the original price of the “Nabila”: while some sources speak of $70 million, others say that the boat itself was about $30 million plus $55 million for the luxury extras, which makes a total of $85 million. However, the building of the ship eventually led to bankrupcy of the manufacturer. The Benetti managers were very traditional and used to unwritten business rules among gentlemen—which Kashoggi wasn’t and didn’t care for. He was a tough bargainer and apart from keeping the price as low as possible, he had also insisted on several penalty clauses. After he had demanded a lot of changes during the build, Benetti had to ask for a necessary extension of the production timeframe, but he wouldn’t allow it and instead insist on the contract’s clauses—which were void after his many changing demands, but Benetti were unaware of this. The company never recovered from the losses and was sold to boat dealer Azimut in 1984, who then started to build their own boats on the shipyard, still using the traditional name Benetti. When arms dealer Kashoggi was bankrupt himself in 1987 the “Nabila” was used to pay off a loan to the Sultan of Brunei, who sold the ship to billionaire Donald Trump at a bargain price of $29 million. Trump renamed her “Trump Princess” and had her refitted for $8 million at Amels in Holland. The boat—now with a white hull instead of the original grey painting—was brought to New York and was later partly used as a casino ship in Atlantic City. “The Donald” himself never really had a thing for boats and he is said to never have spent a night on board. He more considered it a prize, a masterpiece “beyond a boat” and when he toured visitors, he boasted about the luxury features, such as the heliport on which he had painted a big “T” instead of the usual “H”. In the


From which type of animal did the mythical Cornucopia, or Horn of Plenty come?

What is a Cornucopia? - The Infinite Spider The Infinite Spider A Science and Nature Blog for Naturalists and Educators Menu Cornucopia (Photo: Saratica Cornucopia, Flicker Sharing). Explaining the Mythic Origin of The Cornucopia It's nearing Thanksgiving and suddenly you start seeing see pictures of tables decorated with turkeys, vegetables, sweet potato pies, fall leaves. All that's fine, but then there's a thing that thing that looks like a woven basket with fruit and nuts spilling out. How the heck did that make it onto the table? Where did it come from? Sure, it looks like a horn or some such but what is it? It's called a cornucopia, but the thing is, its symbolism is much, much older than European settlers and Thanksgiving, in fact, it's quite ancient and pagan. The term cornucopia comes from the Latin of cornu copiae or "horn of plenty." When you see it on Thanksgiving tables or in illustrations you may see depictions of a woven funnel, often with at least one twist to the end and spiraling to a narrow point. This is meant to mimic a goat's horn. Cornucopia as often depicted in drawings (Photo: Wiki Commons). Here you can see the slightly turned out horns of a nanny goat (Photo: Wiki Commons). So, how exactly did a goat's horn end up on our Thanksgiving tables stuffed with fruit and nuts? You have to admit, it's a little weird. For the answer to that you have to go back to Greek mythology, constellations, classical paintings, and a great imagination. First, let's look at the Greek mythology and constellations. These stories date back to around the third century B.C. The story of the cornucopia can be traced to the earliest Greek gods, and in particular Zeus.   Cronus (or Kronos) was the leader of the Titans, the descendants of Uranus and Gaia. The Titans ruled the cosmos during the "Golden Age" of Greece.    After Cronus defeated his father Ouranos (the sky) a prophesy came down. It said that he, Cronus,  would be overthrown by his own son, much like he overthrew his father (the Greeks really liked payback stories).  To prevent being overthrown Cronus swallowed all of his children when they were born to his wife Rhea.  Now Rhea, being a smart lady,  saved her youngest child (Zeus) by wrapping a stone in swaddling and giving it to Cronus to swallow instead of the infant (ever get that heavy feeling after a dinner?).  Zeus was then hidden by Rhea and his grandmother Gaia on Mount Ida on the island of Krete. This is where the horn image comes in.   Rhea couldn't be seen going off and nursing a baby, because Cronus would catch on. So, she gave Zeus into the care and keeping of the Kouretes. The Kouretes were armed dancers (or attendants) who bore Zeus away on their shields to the island. The Kouretes stood about the alter of Zeus and danced, beating their shields, bronze clappers, and symbols to prevent Cronus from hearing baby Zeus crying or making sounds. The Kouretes dancing around Zeus (Photo: Wiki Commons) Dancing is good and all, but Zeus needed food, so the Kouretes were joined on the island by the nurse-maid-she-goat called Amaltheia (A-mal-thee-ah). The origin and meaning of the name are given mixed attribution in ancient literature, being derived either from the verb amaltheuein, meaning to nourish/enrich or amale and theia, which relates to the "divine goat" or "tender goddess."   Zeus suckled from the pap or teat of the goat, and she was a protectoress for him. There are different versions of the myth as to how the Amaltheia's horn was detached from her head. Some say she caught her horns in the branches of a tree, and other say the baby Zeus became a bit frisky with his new-found strength and broke off her horn. Regardless, the horn then would provide bountiful food for anyone who possessed it from then on. Eventually the she-goat died and Zeus made a powerful shield from her hide, and called it a "thunder-shield" or aigis (nothing says love like making a shield out of your nanny).    Amaltheia's image was placed in the sky, as the goat constellation of Capra. This appears as a cluster of stars on the con


"In the story of ""Alice in Wonderland"", what kind of creature did Alice find on top of a toadstool, smoking a hookah?"

Caterpillar - Alice-in-Wonderland.net Alice-in-wonderland.net Print Caterpillar character description The Caterpillar is mentioned in chapter 4 and 5 of the book “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. He is sitting on a mushroom while smoking a hookah, when Alice first meets him. Although he is rather strict and not very friendly, and corrects Alice’s recitation of a poem, he does help her by advising her to eat from the mushroom if she wants to change her size. In the end, he crawles away. In Disney’s cartoon movie, however, he changes into a butterfly. The Caterpillar actually teaches Alice how to cope with the difficulties she encounters in Wonderland. He teaches her how to change size by eating the mushroom and thereby to adapt to her environment when needed. Although the original illustrations are black-and-white, in Alice’s Adventures Under Ground and in The Nursery Alice, the Caterpiller is described as being blue (‘a large blue caterpillar’). When you take a close look at the picture of the Caterpillar, you’ll see that his nose and chin are really two of its legs! The Caterpillar doesn’t actually have a name; he is just being referred to as ‘the caterpillar’. In Tim Burton’s 2010 movie, he has been named Absolem. Because the Caterpillar is smoking a hookah, and advises Alice to eat from a mushroom, he is the main reason why many people think that the story of Alice in Wonderland contains hidden meanings to drug use, or that the author was on drugs when writing the book. Read why this isn’t true


Which American rock 'n' roll star is nicknamed 'The Killer'?

Jerry Lee Lewis - Biography - IMDb Jerry Lee Lewis Biography Showing all 57 items Jump to: Overview  (3) | Mini Bio  (1) | Spouse  (7) | Trade Mark  (2) | Trivia  (34) | Personal Quotes  (10) Overview (3) 6' (1.83 m) Mini Bio (1) Jerry Lee Lewis was born on September 29, 1935 into a very religious family . His family, though not very wealthy, sold their house when he was a child to get their son a piano. He loved to play piano. He was sent to a religious school, but was soon thrown out shortly thereafter -- he did a boogie version of a song about Jesus, something the school could not accept. At 17, he married for the first time, but it only lasted seven months. He married a second time three weeks before he his divorce from his first wife was final. His second marriage lasted about four years and produced his first child. In November 1956 he moved in with a cousin, J. W. Brown, in Memphis. They started a band together, with Jerry as singer. They sold a copy of their first song, "Crazy Arms", to the legendary Sam Phillips , president of Sun Records. Phillips had become famous because of his discovery of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash . Phillips liked the song, and Jerry Lee Lewis began to establish his name in Memphis in late 1956. In January 1957, he recorded a new song, the self-penned "End of the Road." It was unusual in that singers did not write their own songs at that time. Jerry was fresh in other ways, too. He not only wrote some of his own songs, he played piano. Other rock singer of that era played guitar, such as Elvis Presley , Tommy Steele , Johnny Cash , Chuck Berry , etc. The piano wasn't considered a rock and roll instrument - Jerry Lee Lewis changed all that. Jerry got his big break in April 1957, when he went to New York and appeared on The Steve Allen Plymouth Show (1956) with the "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On". A couple of #1 hits would soon follow -- "Great Balls of Fire" (which became his signature song), "Breathless" and "High School Confidential". Many people predicted that Jerry Lee would be bigger than the King of Rock-n-Roll - Elvis Presley . In late 1957 the audiences at one of his shows stormed the stage when he set a piano on fire. Chuck Berry was supposed to have ended the evening's show, but he refused to go on, wisely understanding that he could never top what Jerry just did. Elvis went into the army in the late winter of 1958, so Jerry Lee was now virtually alone at the top of the rock heap. All was not rosy, however. Problems did arise--very serious problems. In 1957, he married for a third time, secretly, to the 13-year-old daughter of his cousin and partner J. W. Brown, 'Myra Gale Brown (I)'. Her parents were deeply hurt when they found out, but after a discussion with Sam Phillips , they forgave Jerry. The marriage was unknown to the press and fans until Jerry's arrival in England for a tour in the spring of 1958. Fans again stormed the stage -- but this time to express their disgust. The marriage was front-page news around the world. His career was in shambles. He had just signed a five-year contract with Sun Records, and he did continue to record songs until 1963. During the last years of the contract, however, he made very few rock songs. Most of his compositions were ballads, possibly due to his depression at the direction his career had taken. Jerry and Myra had one son, Steve Allen Lewis, who drowned at age three. The couple divorced in 1970, after 13 years of bad treatment in the press. However, Jerry's career was not completely finished. In 1968 he made his great comeback, as a country singer. During the next few years, he performed more and more rock 'n' roll. He married a fourth time in October 1971 but the marriage ended two years later, after producing one child. That same year, Jerry's son from his first marriage died in an auto accident. The combination of divorce, personal tragedies and his career stagnation contributed to his turning to the bottle, and for the next 15 years Jerry had a severe drinking problem. His drinking also contributed to a rash of health problems,


"On radio, whose voice was used for the character ""Hercules Grytpipe-Thynne""?"

The Goons | Biography & History | AllMusic google+ Artist Biography               by Eugene Chadbourne The second half of the 20th century would not have been as funny without these Goons . The massive influence this group had on comedy is not to be underestimated. Without the Goons , there would have been no Monty Python's Flying Circus, no National Lampoon, no Saturday Night Live, no South Park, and so on and so forth, the possible yucks enjoyed by mankind dwindling like the last flames on a burned-out log. Comedians who have never even heard the Goons -- yes Virginia, there are performers that naïve standing around doing comedy -- still imitate the group second- or even third-hand by ripping off other comedians that ripped off the group. "Oops, somebody ripped off the thing I ripped off," Cheech & Chong might have said to describe the situation when they weren't crediting the Goons for the ploy of reinventing themselves in the form of one absurd character after another. The Goon Show material has proved to be infinitely engaging to both old audiences and new, resulting in several different, confusing, and of course goony reissue series numbering in the dozens of CDs. Of great importance in an era when comedians exercise less and less censorship, and comedy itself becomes more and more raunchy and filthy, is the fact that the Goons were able to pull off the most outrageous comic material under the noses of the stuffy and controlling British Broadcasting Corporation. The three main performers proving that comedy doesn't need to be smutty to be funny were Spike Milligan , Peter Sellers , and Harry Secombe , each multi-talented performers whose versatility was used thoroughly in each and every skit. There were 202 episodes in all, presenting the escapades of characters such as Neddie Seagoon, Major Dennis Bloodnock, Henry Crun, Minnie Bannister, Hercules Grytpipe-Thynne, Bluebottle and Eccles, and many others. Since the entire series has been documented on compact discs, listeners are easily able to come along climbing the heights of the under-sea Mount Fred, recovering Napolean's Piano, curing the Dreaded Lurgi, launching the Jet-Propelled Guided Naffi, or solving the Whistling Spy Enigma. The series originated in an era when England was still recovering from the horrors of World War II, with some of the population afraid they would never be able to laugh again. The initial attempt at titling was "the Crazy People" -- close, but no cigar -- but the format, a series of sketches, was present from the beginning. Most scholars of the series feel things really jelled on the third series, which began broadcasting near the end of 1952. Producer Peter Eton encouraged Milligan , whose imagination seemed to be a land without borders, to write an entire show around one specific idea, which turned out to be "Fred of the Islands." It was certainly a long, strange trip until "The Last Smoking Seagoon," the final episode broadcast in early 1960. These scripts evolved into collaborations with writers such as Eric Sykes, Larry Stevens , John Antrobus, and Maurice Wiltshire, some of them brought in to relieve the stress on Milligan , who was something of a mad genius prone to periods where there was no choice but to hide him away in a sanitarium until he felt better. When Milligan was unable to perform, his parts would be played by performers such as Dick Emery, Graham Stark , and Valentine Dyall. An understanding of British comedy is helpful in enjoying the material, which revolutionary as it was, did not come bubbling out of some imaginary spring. It was strongly rooted in the tradition of madcap British comedy films produced by studios such as Ealing, the early training group for Sellers in the company of comic geniuses such as Alec Guiness, Alistair Sims, and Robert Morley . In fact, Sellers created his character of Hercules Grytpype-Thynne -- a posh, educated sort that Monty Python would have called an "upper-class twit" -- on the veteran English actor George Sanders, famous for playing the suave cad -- that is, until h


Jezebel, was the wife of which biblical King?

How Bad Was Jezebel? - Biblical Archaeology Society Reviews How Bad Was Jezebel? Read Janet Howe Gaines's full article about Jezebel in the Bible and later depictions as it appeared in Bible Review Janet Howe Gaines   •  09/17/2016 Read Janet Howe Gaines’s article “Jezebel” as it originally appeared in Bible Review, October 2000. The article was first republished in Bible History Daily in 2010.—Ed.   Who Was Jezebel? Israel’s most accursed queen carefully fixes a pink rose in her red locks in John Byam Liston Shaw’s “Jezebel” from 1896. Jezebel’s reputation as the most dangerous seductress in the Bible stems from her final appearance: her husband King Ahab is dead; her son has been murdered by Jehu. As Jehu’s chariot races toward the palace to kill Jezebel, she “painted her eyes with kohl and dressed her hair, and she looked out of the window” (2 Kings 9:30). Image: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, Bournemouth, UK/Bridgeman Art Library. For more than two thousand years, Jezebel has been saddled with a reputation as the bad girl of the Bible, the wickedest of women. This ancient queen has been denounced as a murderer, prostitute and enemy of God, and her name has been adopted for lingerie lines and World War II missiles alike. But just how depraved was Jezebel? In recent years, scholars have tried to reclaim the shadowy female figures whose tales are often only partially told in the Bible. Rehabilitating Jezebel’s stained reputation is an arduous task, however, for she is a difficult woman to like. She is not a heroic fighter like Deborah, a devoted sister like Miriam or a cherished wife like Ruth. Jezebel cannot even be compared with the Bible’s other bad girls—Potiphar’s wife and Delilah—for no good comes from Jezebel’s deeds. These other women may be bad, but Jezebel is the worst. 1 Yet there is more to this complex ruler than the standard interpretation would allow. To attain a more positive assessment of Jezebel’s troubled reign and a deeper understanding of her role, we must evaluate the motives of the Biblical authors who condemn the queen. Furthermore, we must reread the narrative from the queen’s vantage point. As we piece together the world in which Jezebel lived, a fuller picture of this fascinating woman begins to emerge. The story is not a pretty one, and some—perhaps most—readers will remain disturbed by Jezebel’s actions. But her character might not be as dark as we are accustomed to thinking. Her evilness is not always as obvious, undisputed and unrivaled as the Biblical writer wants it to appear. In the free eBook Paul: Jewish Law and Early Christianity , learn about the cultural contexts for the theology of Paul and how Jewish traditions and law extended into early Christianity through Paul’s dual roles as a Christian missionary and a Pharisee. Ahab and Jezebel in the Bible The story of Jezebel, the Phoenician wife of King Ahab of Israel, is recounted in several brief passages scattered throughout the Books of Kings. Scholars generally identify 1 and 2 Kings as part of the Deuteronomistic History, attributed either to a single author or to a group of authors and editors collectively known as the Deuteronomist. One of the main purposes of the entire Deuteronomistic History, which includes the seven books from Deuteronomy through 2 Kings, is to explain Israel’s fate in terms of its apostasy. As the Israelites settle into the Promised Land, establish a monarchy and separate into a northern and a southern kingdom after the reign of Solomon, God’s chosen people continually go astray. They sin against Yahweh in many ways, the worst of which is by worshiping alien deities. The first commandments from Sinai demand monotheism, but the people are attracted to foreign gods and goddesses. When Jezebel enters the scene in the ninth century B.C.E., she provides a perfect opportunity for the Bible writer to teach a moral lesson about the evil outcomes of idolatry, for she is a foreign idol worshiper who seems to be the power behind her husband. From the Deuteronomist’s viewpoint, Jezebel embodies everything that m


What was the Christian name of the Spanish painter Goya?

Goya (eVideo, 2010) [WorldCat.org] 852994898 Language Note: Sung in English, with English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, or Korean subtitles. This edition in English and an undetermined language with English subtitles. Notes: Music and libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti. Program notes in English, French, and German (17 p. : ill. ; 18 cm.) inserted in container. Title from resource description page (viewed Jun. 3, 2013). Credits: Stage director, Kasper Bech Holten; stage and costume designer, Steffen Aarfing; lighting Jesper Kongshaug; choreography, Nikolaus Adler; directed for TV and video by Karin Vetil and Thomas Bogensberger ; an ORF production in cooperation with the Theater an der Wien. Performer(s): Plácido Domingo (Francisco de Goya y Lucientes) ; Michelle Breedt (Doña Cayetana) ; Íride Martínez (María Luisa) ; Andreas Conrad (Charles IV) ; Maurizio Muraro (Don Manuel Godoy) ; Christian Gerhaher (Martín Zapater) ; Festival-Chor KlangBogen Wien ; Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien ; Emmanuel Villaume, conductor. Event notes: Recorded in performance, Theater an der Wien, 2004. Description: 1 online resource (101 min.). Contents: Opening/Prelude -- Act I, Scene 1: Burn all the letters, burn all the marriage vows (Tavern Singer, Goya, Chorus, Martin) -- Act I, Scene 1: Did you see her? (Goya, Martin, Duchess) -- Act I, Scene 1: Paradise of flying angels (Goya, Duchess, Martin) -- Act I, Scene 1: Did you hear that? (Goya, Martin, Innkeeper, Chorus) -- Act I, Scene 1: Intermezzo -- Act I, Scene 2: Wait here (Maid, Goya) -- Act I, Scene 2: Look at the poor man (Chorus, Goya, Duchess) -- Act I, Scene 2: Now that we're alone ... (Goya, Duchess) -- Act I, Scene 2: Ah, do not laugh (Goya) -- Act I, Scene 2: Is the portrait finished? (Duchess, Goya) -- Act II: No, no, no! (Queen) -- Act II: What is the matter? (Godoy, King, Queen, Goya) -- Act II: Their Majesties are coming (Godoy, Major Domo, Queen, Duchess, King, Goya) -- Act II: The King orders you to leave the palace immediately (Godoy, Duchess, Chorus, Goya, King) -- Act III, Scene 1: Signora Duchessa (Martin, Duchess) -- Act III, Scene 1: I'm also hated, Martin, loved and hated (Duchess, Maid) -- Act III, Scene 1: Oh, my poor Cayetana! (Queen, Duchess, Godoy) -- Act III, Scene 1: Good God ... (Queen, Godoy, Martin, Goya) -- Act III, Scene 1: Out of my dreams (Goya) -- Act III, Scene 1: Intermezzo -- Act III, Scene 2: There he is, the great man (Leocadia) -- Act III, Scene 2: Teresa! Maria! Rosario! Antonia! (Goya, Chorus, Three Women) -- Act III, Scene 2: Who is it? Who's there? (Goya, Chorus) -- Act III, Scene 2: You saw how cruel man can be (Goya, Chorus, Duchess) -- End Credits.


Which model of Rolls-Royce motor car has the same name as a bomber aircraft?

Some Interesting Facts about Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motor Cars "From Albion's shore shall come a marvelous conveyance, a carriage silincieux bearing the arms of Rolles De Roi." The first 10 hp Rolls-Royce was sold for £395...Today it is worth over £250,000 More than six out of ten of all Rolls-Royce Motor cars built are still roadworthy At the Rolls-Royce factories in Crewe and London the cars are always referred to as Royces. They are never called Rollers The Rolls-Royce radiator grille is made entirely by hand and eye - no measuring instruments are used It takes one man one day to make a Rolls-Royce radiator, and then five hours are spent polishing it The Rolls -Royce radiator was not registered as a trademark until 1974 It takes over 800 man-hours to make the body of a Phantom VI During the First World War Rolls-Royce made rifles You will never open an ashtray in a modern Rolls-Royce and find a cigarette end. It empties automatically A Rolls-Royce does not break down. It 'fails to proceed.' Notices have been hung around the factory bearing the legend: 'Beware silent cars.' Even today every Rolls-Royce engine is completely hand built The cooling capacity of the air-conditioning system in the Silver Spirit is equivalent to that of 30 domestic refrigerators No one is certain who designed the Rolls-Royce radiator grille or the interlinked RR badge The hydraulic tappets on Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor cars are given a natural finish of  a 16-millionth of an inch The oldest known Rolls-Royce still on the road is the 1904 10hp owned by Mr Thomas Love Jr of Scotland Rolls-Royce did not make a complete car until after the Second World War. Before that they made only chassis, the bodies being added by outside coachbuilders Sir Henry Royce's first job was a newspaper delivery boy for W H Smith & Son Ltd Sir Henry Royce was always known as 'R' at the factory. The practice of addressing people by their initials, especially on written memorandums, is still continued at the factory In 1949 an Italian owner, seeking permission to modify his Rolls-Royce, commissioned a seance to call up Henry Royce's spirit. Rolls-Royce legend has it  that the advice from beyond the veil was: "Consult your authorised distributor" Examine the coachline that extends the full length of the Silver Spirit, you may be surprised to learn that it is applied by hand. This unerring line is 15' 6" long. At one time, Rolls-Royce engines held World Speed Records in the Air, on Land and on Water, simultaneously. It is possible that Rolls-Royce Motors is the best known British company name in the World. Letters have been received from remote corners of the globe addressed to the Royal Family, care of Rolls-Royce, England. There are 27 Electric Motors in every Silver Spirit. The Vicar of St Marys, Nantwich, took a Rolls-Royce into his church and blessed it, along with fruit & vegetables at the Harvest Festival service. A member of the congregation remarked "It's going in for it's first service". The badge on the Rolls-Royce was changed from Red to Black not, as popularly believed to commemorate Henry Royce's death, but because Royce himself decided Black was aesthetically more appropriate. Some customers complained that the red badge often clashed with the colour of the car. The Prince of Wales was particularly outspoken on the subject. Every piece of glass in a Silver Spirit is given a final polish with powdered pumice of a fineness normally used for polishing optical lenses Just inside the main entrance to the offices at the Roll-Royce factory in Crewe, there is a bust of Henry Royce facing one of Charles Rolls. For many years the bust of Royce stood in No 1 shop at the Derby factory and contained his ashes, until they were sent to Alwalton church were Royce had been christened. The 4 final polishings on some gearbox components was not done with jewellers rouge (which is too coarse) but fine ground oat husks Although he designed some of the great aero engines of all time, Royce never travelled in an aircraft. 'I  have only one regret' said Royce as he lay dying,


Which Belgian city hosted the 1920 summer Olympics?

1920 Antwerpen Summer Games | Olympics at Sports-Reference.com 1920 Antwerpen Summer Games Host City: Antwerpen, Belgium (April 23, 1920 to September 12, 1920) Opening Ceremony: August 14, 1920 (opened by King Albert) Taker of the Olympic Oath: Victor Boin (athlete) Closing Ceremony: August 30, 1920 Events: 158 in 25 sports Participants: 2,677 (2,599 men and 78 women) from 29 countries Youngest Participant:   Nils Skoglund (14 years, 8 days) Oldest Participant:   Oscar Swahn (72 years, 281 days) Most Medals (Athlete): United States (95 medals) Overview The [1916 Olympics] were scheduled to be held in Berlin but had to be cancelled because of World War I. The War was only over a year when the 1920 Olympics were awarded to war-ravaged Belgium. [Coubertin] decided that, though the war would be over less than two years, the VIIth Olympiad should be celebrated as scheduled. Although the Games were decidedly austere, the Belgian people and organizing committee did an amazing job in preparing for the Games on such short notice. » Click to show/hide rest of overview The opening ceremonies were notable for the first use of the Olympic flag, the first time the Olympic oath was taken by a competitor, and the first release of homing pigeons as a symbol of peace. Of the 29 countries competing, missing were Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Bulgaria, as the IOC barred them because of their aggressiveness in World War I. The 1920 Olympics mark the first time that the events were spread widely throughout the hosting nation. Most of the events were in Antwerp. But preliminary football (soccer) matches took place in St. Gillis and Gant. The yachting events took place on the coast in Ostend, although one event was not finished in July and was contested two months later, in September, in Amsterdam, an entirely different nation! Shooting events were held 60 kilometres (38 miles) from Antwerp at Beverloo, an army camp. The rowing events were held on the Grand Canal between Brussels and Antwerp, while the cycling road race started at Merksem and finished in Antwerp. On the morning of the Opening Ceremony a religious service was held at the Antwerp Cathedral to remember those who had made the ultimate sacrifice in World War I. Later that day, the Olympic Stadium saw the first entrance of the Olympic Flag. It had been displayed in Paris in 1914, on the 20th anniversary of the IOC, and in 1915 in San Francisco, at the Pan-American Exposition, but World War I had prevented it reaching the Opening Ceremonies until 1920. The 1920 Olympics were most notable for the début of [Paavo Nurmi] of Finland, probably the greatest distance runner ever. Nurmi competed in four events, losing only in the 5,000 metres, where he took second to [Joseph Guillemot] (FRA). His countryman, [Hannes Kolehmainen], returned eight years after his Stockholm victories in the 5 and 10K, and won the marathon. The shooting program contained 20 events, including 10 team events, allowing [Willis Lee] and [Lloyd Spooner] of the United States to win seven medals, and [Carl Osburn] (USA) to win six. [Nedo Nadi] (ITA) was much decorated as he won five gold medals in fencing. His brother, [Aldo Nadi] also won four medals – three gold – and they finished first and second in the individual sabre event. The Antwerp Olympics helped the world recover from the Great War. Coubertin summarized them in the Antwerp Town Hall when he addressed the IOC in the presence of King Albert of Belgium: > "This is what the seventh Olympiad has brought us: general comprehension; the certainty of being henceforward understood by all … These festivals … are above all festivals of human unity. In an incomparable synthesis the effort of muscles and of mind, mutual help and competition, lofty patriotism and intelligent cosmopolitanism, the personal interest in the champion and the abnegation of the team-member, are bound in a sheaf for a common task." Country Medal Leaders A Sports Reference Site : About SR/Olympics  | Privacy Statement  | Conditions & Terms of Service | Use of Data Data provided by


"What physical disability is highlighted in the film ""Children of a Lesser God""?"

Disability in Film - Movies List on MUBI Disability in Film Followers 165 JULY 2013 EDIT — I am going section by section trying to clean the list up and finally create sub-lists for all the categories. July 19 — I began working on the Alzheimer’s section. July 20 — Amnesia I am an undergraduate Communication Sciences and Disorders major at my university and am also a fan of film (obviously). Beginning about a year ago (Spring 2010), I have been letting professors in my department borrow films that I own. One of them suggested that I compile a list of these films and other related films as somewhat of a project. As a number of these films are not on The Auteurs, I will try to find a YouTube video or something… Read more JULY 2013 EDIT — I am going section by section trying to clean the list up and finally create sub-lists for all the categories. July 19 — I began working on the Alzheimer’s section. July 20 — Amnesia I am an undergraduate Communication Sciences and Disorders major at my university and am also a fan of film (obviously). Beginning about a year ago (Spring 2010), I have been letting professors in my department borrow films that I own. One of them suggested that I compile a list of these films and other related films as somewhat of a project. As a number of these films are not on The Auteurs, I will try to find a YouTube video or something for the ones not on here yet. I will try to categorize the list as best I can. If you can think of any films that I should add, let me know. Disclaimer: I know that there is a lot of controversy surrounding whether or not deafness is a disability, but for the sake of this list, I will include films such as Children of a Lesser God and Sound and Fury, because they are very important films on their respective areas regarding communication barriers. January 2011 UPDATE: I’m attempting to make the list more aesthetically pleasing by creating separate pages for separate topics. I will provide bolded links as the titles for each disability, which will lead you to the external list. This list is a work in progress. -Beautiful Memories (2001) by Zabou Breitman -A Song for Martin (2001) -Iris (2001) by Richard Eyre -The Notebook (2004) by Nick Cassavetes -A Moment to Remember (2004) -Thanmathra (2005) -Away From Her (2006) by Sarah Polley -My Name is Lisa (2007) -The Savages (2007) -U Me Aur Hum (2008) -The Family That Preys (2008) by Tyler Perry -The Alzheimer’s Project (2009) -Barney’s Version (2010) by Richard J. Lewis -Poetry (2010) by Lee Chang-dong -Spellbound (1945) by Alfred Hitchcock -Overboard (1987) -The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) -Dark City (1998) -Memento (2000) by Christopher Nolan -Mulholland Drive (2001) by David Lynch -The Majestic (2001) -Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) -The I Inside (2004) -The Music Never Stopped (2011) -The Vow (2012) -Rain Man (1988) by Barry Levinson -A is for Autism (1992) -The Station Agent (2003) by Thomas McCarthy -Autism is a World (2004) -Mozart and the Whale (2005) -Autism: The Musical (2007) -Her Name is Sabine (2007) by Sandrine Bonnaire -Adam (2009) by Max Mayer -Mary and Max (2009) by Adam Elliot -The Magic of J-Mac (2009) -Temple Grandin (2010) -City Lights (1931) by Charles Chaplin -Blind (1987) by Frederick Wiseman -Scent of a Woman (1992) by Martin Brest -The Color of Paradise (1999) by Majid Majidi -Dancer in the Dark (2000) by Lars von Trier -The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (2003) by Takeshi Kitano -Ray (2004) -Blindsight (2006) by Lucy Walker -Blind Loves (2008) by Juraj Lehotský -Blindness (2008) by Fernando Meirelles -Snowblind (2009) by Vikram Jayanti Cerebral Palsy: -My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown (1989) by Jim Sheridan -Cousin (1998) by Adam Elliott Cousin is a short animated film by Adam Elliott about his cousin with cerebral palsy, and their relationship over the years. -Door to Door (2002) William H. Macy stars as Bill Porter, a man with cerebral palsy who is determined to become a salesman. Trailer available here: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1252131097/ -Oasis (2002) by Lee Ch


"Which town is ""celebrated"" in the song ""Dirty Old Town""?"

The Pogues — Dirty Old Town — Listen, watch, download and discover music for free at Last.fm punk "Dirty Old Town" is a song written by Ewan MacColl in 1949 that was made popular by The Dubliners, & recorded by The Pogues for their 2nd album, Rum Sodomy & The Lash. The song was written in reference to Salford, Lancashire, England, the city where Ewan MacColl was brought up. Salford is, in fact, a city. When he first wrote the song, the local council were unhappy at having Salford called a dirty old town and, after considerable criticism… read more Similar Tracks


"What was the forename of the French Painter ""Manet""?"

French 19th century French 19th Century French Paintings of the 19th Century Edouard Manet Gift of Horace Havemeyer in memory of his mother, Louisine W. Havemeyer 1956.10.1 View all 19th-Century French paintings As the century began, the academic style favored by the official Salon still dictated the success of artists and public taste. But soon that began to change. Realists turned convention on its head to give heroic character to everyday subjects. Manet scandalized the public with his images of modern life. Impressionists tried to capture fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. Painting in the first half of the 19th century was dominated by Ingres and Delacroix , the first continuing in the neoclassical tradition in his emphasis on linear purity, and the second championing the expressive, romantic use of color as opposed to line. Both significantly influenced a new generation of painters who sought to communicate their own personal responses to the political upheavals of their time. For 200 years, the Academy, the School of Fine Arts, and the Salon (the official exhibition) had fostered the French national artistic tradition. But by the middle of the 19th century the academic system began to lose its relevance for the younger artists. During the 1860s and 1870s, the artists who later became known as the impressionists concluded that the smoothly idealized presentation of academic art was formulaic and artificial. Their relatively loose, open brushwork underscored their freedom from the meticulously detailed academic manner. They were innovative in their subject matter, too, choosing motifs that did not teach or preach, such as landscape or ordinary activities of daily life, which were considered trivial or degenerate by the Academy. Often juries, dominated by academic attitudes, rejected the young artists' paintings altogether. These artists thought that if their work was exhibited fairly, it would gain acceptance. They sought favorable viewing conditions such as good lighting and ample space between paintings, and they also wanted to exhibit more works than the two allowed by Salon rules. In 1874, Monet , Renoir , Pissarro , Degas , Morisot , and Sisley led a number of friends to form an association and publicly presented the first group exhibition independent of the official Salon. They called themselves "Artists, Painters, Sculptors, Printmakers, etc., Inc." to avoid descriptive titles and pejorative epithets. Critics noted their unorthodox style, especially a work exhibited by Monet with the title Impression, Sunrise (Musée Marmottan, Paris) and sarcastically dubbed them "impressionists." The group, which presented eight exhibitions in all, survived until 1886. By then the core impressionists were beginning to attain a degree of popular success. The exhibition strategy that had been essential to their enterprise was no longer necessary, and the group disbanded. The audacious impressionist venture had overturned contemporary artistic institutions and freed artists to explore new forms of expression. A variety of styles arose as the impressionist movement concluded. Post-impressionism , usually associated with Seurat , Cézanne , Gauguin , and Van Gogh , was neither a style nor a movement; rather, post-impressionism was differentiated by the largely symbolic and imaginary sources of inspiration that supplanted the naturalist and realist impulses that had shaped impressionism.