Rigel and Betelgeuse are in which constellation?

A Tale of Two Stars: The Inside Story of Orion's Belt A Tale of Two Stars: The Inside Story of Orion's Belt By Joe Rao, SPACE.com Skywatching Columnist | February 14, 2012 02:43pm ET MORE Orion is the brightest and most beautiful of the winter constellations. Some of its stars, including Betelgeuse and Rigel, are among the brightest stars. Credit: Starry Night Software Standing upright and shining down upon Earth on these midwinter nights is the brightest and grandest of all the constellations: Orion, the Mighty Hunter.  Currently, Orion can be easily seen by skywatchers with clear weather as a star pattern standing high in the southern sky at around 8 p.m. local time. Three bright stars in line in the middle of a bright rectangle decorate Orion's belt , which points northward to the clusters of the Hyades and Pleiades of Taurus, and southward to the Dog Star, Sirius. Above and below the belt, we also find two immense stars, Rigel and Betelgeuse .  Rigel (the "Left Leg of the Giant"), is a blue-white supergiant star, one of the rarest breeds in our galaxy.  But with their enormous brilliance — up to 100,000 times as bright as the sun — blue-white supergiants remain conspicuous over great distances. In contrast, red supergiants like Betelgeuse ("The Armpit of the Giant") are gigantic bloated globes of cooler gas. If such a star were to replace the sun in the solar system, it might extend beyond Mars' orbit. [ Gallery: The Splendor of the Orion Nebula ]   Star at its prime Rigel is one of the most intrinsically luminous of all stars and one of the hottest, apparently just reaching the prime of its life in the time span of a star and literally "burning the candle at both ends." It has been computed that Rigel's luminosity is something like 57,000 times that of the sun. The star is about 773 light-years away.  In stark contrast, bright red Betelgeuse is near the end of its career . It is located 522 light-years away, but does not shine with a steady light.  Betelgeuse is a "pulsating" star , expanding and contracting spasmodically with a diameter that varies from 550 to 920 times that of the sun, but so irregular are these pulsations that no one can predict exactly when it will expand or contract. In trying to describe Betelgeuse many years ago, Henry Neely, a lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium, once noted that it is "like an old man with his strength almost entirely spent, panting in the asthmatic decrepitude of old age." Stars produce their energy by fusing hydrogen into helium deep within their cores. When a star accumulates sufficient helium in its core, its energy output increases significantly, and it swells into a red giant or supergiant, like Betelgeuse. This is what Rigel will become in a few million years. In such stars, the core produces successively heavier elements to balance the incessant crush of gravity. But once the core begins creating iron, a star's days are numbered; the formation of elements heavier than iron consumes rather than produces energy. Eventually, since the core can no longer support the star's vast weight, it collapses, triggering a cataclysmic supernova explosion. Betelgeuse is in its final stage and could explode in only a few million years.   Skywatcher Per-Magnus Heden wondered if the Vikings gazed at the same starry sky, which includes the constellation Orion at bottom, when he took this photo in Feb. 2011. Credit: P-M Hedén/TWAN


Who was the New Zealander killed during a protest against the National front in London in 1979?

BBC News | UK | March marks anti-racism protester's anniversary Saturday, April 24, 1999 Published at 19:22 GMT 20:22 UK UK March marks anti-racism protester's anniversary An internal police investigation report was never released Hundreds of campaigners have marched past the place where anti-racism demonstrator Blair Peach died to mark the 20th anniversary of his death on Saturday. The Blair Peach 20th Anniversary Committee also renewed their calls for an official investigation into how the 33-year-old schoolteacher died, as police tried to disperse a crowd of thousands of protestors demonstrating against a National Front rally in London. The 1979 demonstration was sparked by the right-wing organisation's decision to hold a St George's Day election meeting in Southall town hall, the traditional heart of London's Indian community. Inquiry demand rejected Witnesses claim that Mr Peach was hit over the head with a baton by members of the Metropolitan Police Special Patrol Group at the incident in Southall on 23 April, 1979. No officers were ever charged with the attack, although the force reached an out-of-court settlement with Mr Peach's brother in 1989. Jack Straw called for a public inquiry into the incident at the time The present Home Secretary Jack Straw was among 79 MPs who called for a public inquiry into the incident at the time - a demand which was rejected by the then government. Home Office Minister Paul Boateng recently ruled out a new investigation into the incident, saying it had happened too long ago for such a move to be worthwhile. New Zealander Mr Peach was a prominent anti-racist campaigner who had led a successful campaign to close down a National Front building in the middle of the Bangladeshi community around east London's Brick Lane. The special needs teacher, who worked in the east London borough of Tower Hamlets, had attended the protest against the election meeting with other teachers. Police report The protesters who converged on the meeting were met by rows of police officers who had sealed off much of the area. An inquest into Mr Peach's death recorded a verdict of "death by misadventure", although 11 witnesses reported seeing Mr Peach struck by police. An internal Metropolitan Police investigation report by Commander John Cass was never released. Mr Peach's partner Celia Stubbs, who attended the protest at which Mr Peach died, has appealed to Jack Straw to make the report public. Ms Stubbs, a social worker, also wants Mr Straw to meet community leaders in Southall to discuss continuing racial tension in the area. In January this year, she launched the Blair Peach 20th Anniversary Committee to fight for more anti-racist education in schools.


Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is in which province?

Where is Ottawa, ON? / Where is Ottawa, ON Located in The World? / Ottawa Map - WorldAtlas.com Rideau Canal A must see for anyone visiting Ottawa, this 202 km (126 miles) waterway stretches from Kingston on Lake Ontario to Ottawa and encompasses a series of lakes and rivers, connected by canals. Opened in 1832 and built by hand, the Rideau Canal is one of Ottawa's oldest landmarks. During warm summer days, a wide range of vessels glide along the waterway, including tour boats, while during winter time people flock to the Ottawa Reach, where the lock is lowered to create the World's Longest Skating Rink. Parliament Hill One of the most significant heritage sites in Canada and an attraction for everyone visiting Ottawa, Parliament Hill offers daily tours around its premises. Conveniently located in the middle of downtown Ottawa, the magnificent Gothic revival building houses the offices of the members of the Parliament, House of Commons and the Senate. Tours allow inside views of the House of Commons, the Senate and the newly renovated Library of Parliament. Tours of the East Block are also available, with insights into the restored offices of some of the Fathers of Confederation. Canadian Museum of Civilization This visually impressive museum designed by Canadian architect Douglas Cardinal is the nation's most popular museum. The exhibits within tell the history of Canada , beginning with the First Nations and their iconic totem poles and other artifacts, then moving on to the chronological depiction of Canada's history beginning with the arrival of the Vikings. Discover interesting facts through replicas of fortified settlements, human-size models and intriguing tableaux of native and pioneer life. The museum is also home to the Canadian Children's Museum and the Canadian Postal Museum.


Which treaty of 1783 ended the US War of Indepencence?

Milestones: 1776–1783 - Office of the Historian Milestones: 1776–1783 Treaty of Paris, 1783 In 1782, Benjamin Franklin rejected informal peace overtures from Great Britain           for a settlement that would provide the thirteen states with some measure of           autonomy within the British Empire. Franklin insisted on British recognition of           American independence and refused to consider a peace separate from France,           America’s staunch ally. Franklin did agree, however, to negotiations with the           British for an end to the war. Joined by peace commissioners John Adams and John           Jay, Franklin engaged the British in formal negotiations beginning on September           27, 1782. American Negotiations of the Peace of Paris Although Franklin demanded the cessation of Canada to an independent America, he           knew that the British Government of Lord Shelburne, opposed           to American independence, was unprepared to accept that offer. Two months of           hard bargaining resulted in a preliminary articles of peace in which the British           accepted American independence and boundaries, resolved the difficult issues of           fishing rights on the Newfoundland banks and prewar debts owed British           creditors, promised restitution of property lost during the war by Americans           loyal to the British cause, and provided for the evacuation of British forces           from the thirteen states. The preliminary articles signed in Paris on November           30, 1782, were only effective when Britain and France signed a similar treaty,           which French Foreign Minister Vergennes quickly negotiated.           France signed preliminary articles of peace with Great Britain on January 20,           1783, followed by a formal peace of Paris signed on September 3, 1783. The illustration above, a copy of a sketch by the studio of Benjamin             West, shows the American negotiators of the Peace of Paris. The           sketch remains incomplete because British negotiators chose not to sit for their           half of the portrait: it serves as a powerful symbol of the division between           Great Britain and its former American colonies.


What was the name of the brother of the six Mitford sisters?

The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family: Mary S. Lovell: 9780393324143: Amazon.com: Books 5.0 out of 5 stars The Mitfords make fascinating reading By A. Woodley on June 4, 2002 The Mitfords - six sisters, their brother and two parents make for fascinating reading and there have been a few biographies, autobiographies and of course the semi-autobiographical novels of Nancy which have managed to fuel the publics desire to hear more. Lovell's biography of the family is more than just the most recent book. It makes use of all the sisters letters and notes (access hasn't always been allowed in the past - especially to Decca's private papers) and it also helps to shed light on the positives and negatives of all the works which have been published in the Mitford collection. Lovell , whose work I very much admire, has the art of discussing with judging - either her subjects or their previous biographers. I feel she leaves the judgement to the reader to make, and in this case it is a very good thing. The Mitford family had a very controversial set of characters. Nancy with her 'teases' was perhaps the most outrageous within the family, but publically there was the divorce of Diana in the 1930's followed by her seemingly long affair with Moseley (the leader of the British Fascists) and her later marriage and unapologetic support for him and their cause. Unity Mitford is famous, or should I say infamous, for her long friendship with Hitler. Decca ran away from home with her cousin at the age of about 18 and went to Spain to support the Communists in the Spanish Civil War of 1936. She later married her cousin Esmond and went to live in America where she remained very much cut off from her family - mostly it seems for reasons of her own. The other two sisters, Pamela and Debo led quieter lives and in Debo's case only marginally less interesting. All in all the girls were just fascinating indeed. Lovell starts her book with a brief summary of what isn't going to be in it. The introduction covers the material which has been done before (try the biography by Jonathon Guiness, Diana's son, if you want to read more on this) and then the material which _will_ be in it. Much of the book is rehashed to some extent - well it has to be doesn't it as there is only so much new material and much of the old stuff is just as interesting. It also needs to be there to shed light on the new material which Lovell includes later. Each chapter is done in date order so all the sisters are followed up in each section, although for obvious reasons some are mentioned more than others - for instance, Unity dominates the early thirties, Decca, the later thirties, This new material includes the use of Decca's papers and letters, and much of this is made use of in the latter portion of the book. Whereas there seems to be very little about Debo, the Duchess of Devonshire or Pamela the quiet 'rural' Mitford. I suppose with the Duchess still alive there might be problems with using too much material on her or maybe, like Pamela there is not that much controversial which would make it interesting. Nevertheles, what is used is well worth it as it gives insight into the problems the landowning peers had in the 1930's with death taxes and inheritance. If nothing else this family is deadly funny. Nancy showed that in her novels Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate ( and her other novels of course but those two really are her very best work). The family seem to have an inordinate amount of charm, shart intellegence and wit which was present from their childhood. Despite none of them having more than a cursory formal education, they were taught by a series of governesses with varying levels of commitment (one spent the whole time teaching them to play a card game called Racing Demon) - they all seemed to have taken on very formidable careers and excelled at them. Lovell is unable to show quite why they all excelled as they did - perhaps it was all hereditary as they had exceptional grandparents - but she certainly does expose a very talented family and a fun


Graham McPherson achieved fame as a singer using which name?

Suggs: I searched for my father for years, but found out he had died decades ago by reading my Wikipedia page | Daily Mail Online Suggs: I searched for my father for years, but found out he had died decades ago by reading my Wikipedia page comments Madness frontman Suggs has revealed that he found out his father was dead by reading his own Wikipedia page. The 51-year-old singer was brought up by his mother Edith Gower, a jazz singer and barmaid, but longed to be reunited with William McPherson, who had walked on the family when he was a baby. He spent years searching public records for information on his father, but only discovered the truth when a friend told him to check Wikipedia. Family tragedy: Suggs says he longed to be reunited with his father William McPherson and only discovered he had died by reading Wikipedia 'I looked myself up and there it all was,' he says during his Edinburgh Fringe Festival show Suggs: My Life in Words and Music. 'It said my father had died in 1975, aged just 40. The thing is, this website knew more about my life than me and my whole family combined. 'My dad had died in Birmingham, so I contacted the records office and a nice man there pieced things together for me. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share 'He had remarried so there was a glimmer of hope that he had turned his life around. But it was all a bit of a mess. 'He didn't have any kids, which put paid to the chance that I might have stepbrothers or stepsisters. When his death certificate arrived it was a real shock.' Music legend: The Madness star performs during the Olympic Closing Ceremony The Our House singer, who performed during the Olympics closing ceremony, also learnt that his father had injected paraffin in his eyes and was sectioned under the Mental Health Act shortly before his death. 'The shame was that he died when I was 15, when I was just starting in the band,' he added. 'If he been around a couple more years then my profile might have led him to get in touch and we could have met up but it wasn't to be.' Family man: Suggs, pictured with his wife Bette Bright, says he was determined to be a better father to his two daughters Suggs, whose real name is Graham McPherson, has two daughters, Scarlet, 28, and Viva, 25, with fellow singer Bette Bright, and says that they often asked about their grandfather when they were growing up. 'I missed having a father figure so I was determined to try and be around for my kids,' he added. 'They would ask what happened to their granddad. When they were old enough to understand I told them that he was mixed up with heroin and ended up in an asylum.'


What is the English title of the national anthem of Ireland?

The Irish National Anthem The Irish National Anthem Atá fá gheall ag Éirinn, whose lives are pledged to Ireland Buidhean dár sluagh tar rúinn do ráinig Some have come from a land beyond the wave, chughainn: Fámhoï¿½dh bheï¿½rh saor, no more our ancient sireland Sean-tï¿½r ár sinnsear feasta Shall shelter the despot or the slave; Nï¿½ fágfar fá'n tï¿½orán ná fa'n tráil; tonight we man the Bearna Baoghal Anocht a theigeamh sa bhearna baoghail, In Erin's cause. Le gean ar Gaedhï¿½ chun báis nó saoghail, come woe or weal; Le gunna sgréach: Fá lamhach na piléar. 'Mid cannon's roar and rifle's peal Seo Libh canaidh amhrán na bhFiann. We'll chant a soldier's song. Seo dhibh a cháirde duan oglaidh We'll sing a song, a soldier's song Caithréimeach, brï¿½oghmhar, ceolmhar. With cheering, rousing chorus ár dteinte cnámh go buacach táid, As round our blazing fires we throng, `S an spéir go min réaltógach. The starry heavens o'er us; Is fionmhar faobhrach sinn chun gleo Impatient for the coming fight, 'S go tiúnmhar glé roimh tigheacht do'n ló, And as we wait the mornings light Fa ciúnas chaoimh na h-oidhche ar seol, here in the silence of the night Seo libh, canaï¿½dh amhrán na bhFiann. We'll chant a soldier's song. Cois banta réidhe, ar árdaibh sléibhe. In valley green or towering crag Ba bhuadhach ár rinnsear romhainn, Our fathers fought before us, Ag lámhach go tréan fá'n sár- bhrat séin And conquered 'neath the same old flag Tá thuas sa ghaoith go seolta; That's floating o'er us, Ba dhúthchas riamh d'ár gcine cháidh We're children of a fighting race Gan iompáil riar ó imirt áir, That never yet has known disgrace, 'Siubhal mar iad i gcoinnibh rámhaid And as we march the foe to face, Seo libh, canaidh amhrán na bhFiann. We'll chant a soldier's song. A buidhean nach fann d'fuil Ghaoidheal is Gall Sons of the Gael! Men of the Pale! Sinn breacadh lae na saoirse, The Long watched day is breaking; Tá sgéimhle 's sgannradh ï¿½ gcroidhthibh namhad, The serried ranks of Innisfail Roimh ranngaibh laochra ár dtï¿½re; Shall set the tyrant quaking. ár dteinte is tréith gan spréach anois, Our camp fires now are burning low; Sin luinne ghlé san spéir anoir, See in the east a silvery glow, 'S an bï¿½odhbha i raon na bpiléar agaibh: Out yonder waits the saxon foe, Seo libh, canaidh amhrán na bhFiann. So chant a soldier's song.


What is the SI unit of electrical resistance?

Electric resistance unit conversion - SI derived quantity Electric resistance unit conversion - Discussion Forum ›› SI derived quantity: electric resistance This category of measurement units is defined by the "electric resistance" type, which is an SI derived quantity. ›› SI unit: ohm The SI derived unit for electric resistance is the ohm. ›› Convert ohm to another unit Convert ohm to I'm feeling lucky, show me some random units ›› Convert between two electric resistance units Convert   ›› Definition: Ohm The ohm (symbol: Ω) is the SI unit of electrical impedance or, in the direct current case, electrical resistance, named after Georg Ohm. It is defined as the resistance between two points of a conductor when a constant potential difference of 1 volt, applied to these points, produces in the conductor a current of 1 ampere, the conductor not being the seat of any electromotive force.


"In which country did the so called ""Arab Spring"" uprisings commence in 2011?"

The Arab Spring: A Year Of Revolution : NPR Tunisians protest outside the gates to the French Embassy in Tunis. Arab Spring began in Tunisia when a fruit vendor set himself on fire in protest in front of a government building. Fethi Belaid /AFP/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Fethi Belaid /AFP/Getty Images Tunisians protest outside the gates to the French Embassy in Tunis. Arab Spring began in Tunisia when a fruit vendor set himself on fire in protest in front of a government building. Fethi Belaid /AFP/Getty Images A year ago, 26-year-old Mohamed Bouazizi was getting ready to sell fruits and vegetables in the rural town of Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia. Bouazizi was the breadwinner for his widowed mother and six siblings, but he didn't have a permit to sell the goods. When the police asked Bouazizi to hand over his wooden cart, he refused and a policewoman allegedly slapped him. Angered after being publicly humiliated, Bouazizi marched in front of a government building and set himself on fire. His act of desperation resonated immediately with others in the town. Protests began that day in Sidi Bouzid, captured by cellphone cameras and shared on the Internet. Within days, protests started popping up across the country, calling upon President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his regime to step down. About a month later, he fled. The momentum in Tunisia set off uprisings across the Middle East that became known as the Arab Spring. A year after the young Tunisian became a martyr, where does the Arab world stand on demands for democracy? Article continues after sponsorship Mixed Success In Egypt Along with Tunisia, Egypt has been viewed as a victory. Esraa Abdel Fattah, an Egyptian democracy activist known as "Facebook Girl" for her social media savvy, fought for a new Egypt. She was also an organizer for the major protest in Tahrir  Square on Jan. 25. An Egyptian anti-government protester holds a defaced poster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, with the words "Mubarak, get out" written above, during a demonstration in Cairo in January. Ben Curtis/AP hide caption toggle caption Ben Curtis/AP An Egyptian anti-government protester holds a defaced poster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, with the words "Mubarak, get out" written above, during a demonstration in Cairo in January. Ben Curtis/AP When President Honsi Mubarak stepped down, it was thought that Egypt had completed its revolution. But now, as Egypt starts its first round of "free and fair elections," Fattah tells weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz that she isn't so sure the work is over. "Always I am optimistic for the future of Egypt, but now I have some worry," she says. "I think maybe the result of the revolution will take longer than I expected." Fattah says Egypt is already having major setbacks during this period of transition. And despite Mubarak stepping down, she says, the country is still in the "Mubarak regime" and life is not better than it was a year ago. Egypt's Next Steps Fattah is among those who say the real transition in Egypt will happen when a civilian leader is elected. The recent elections, however, put the Muslim Brotherhood ahead , which perhaps is not exactly what secular activists had in mind. Shadi Hamid, director of research for the Brookings Institute in Doha, says he doesn't see ascendants of Islamist groups as a pitfall for the Middle East. "None of this should be surprising," he tells Raz. "Islamists are popular, they're well organized. It was inevitable that they were going to win and dominate in these elections." The Arab Spring Tunisia: Government overthrown on Jan. 14, 2011. President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali flees into exhile. Elections for a Consituent Assembly held on Oct. 23, 2011. Egypt: Government overthrown on Feb. 11, 2011. President Hosni Mubarak steps down, faces charges of killing unarmed protesters. Elections held on Nov. 28, 2011. Protests continue in Tahrir Square. Libya: Anti-government protests begin on Feb. 15, 2011, leading to civil war between opposition forces and Moammar Gadhafi loyalists. Tripoli wa


Whose operatic works include Lucia di Lammermoor and Ann Boleyn?

Anne Boleyn and Lucia di Lammermoor Vincenzo Bellini 1801 1835 - ENG - 101 View Full Document , Anne Boleyn , and Lucia di Lammermoor Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835) – Along with Donizetti and Rossini, he is considered one of the masters of the “bel canto” style. His operas include Norma , La Somnambula , I Puritani , and The Capulets and the Montagues . Giuseppi Verdi (1813-1901) – Romantic operatic composer whose works include Ernani , Macbeth , Rigoletto , Il Trovatore , La Traviata , Sicilian Vespers , A Masked Ball , The Force of Destiny , Aida , Otello , and Falstaff . Amilcare Ponchielli (1834-1886) – Romantic composer best known for La Gioconda (which features the Dance of the Hours ) Ruggero Leoncavallo (1857-1919) – Along with Mascagni, he is considered one of the masters of the “verisimo” style. His best known opera is I Pagliacci and a much less well known version of La Boheme . Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) Prolific composer whose operas are amongst the mos frequently asked about. His works include Manon Lescaut , La Boheme , Tosca , Madame Butterfly , The Girl of the Golden West , and Turnadot Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945) - Along with Leoncavallo, he is considered one of the masters of the “verisimo” style. His best known opera is Cavalerria Rusticana Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) – Italian composer best known for his Roman Trilogy ( Fountains of Rome , Pines of Rome , and Roman Festivals ). He also wrote Ancient Airs and Dances and Brazilian Impressions NORWAY There is only one Norwegian composer of note, Edvard Grieg (1843-1907). He wrote the incidental music for fellow Norwegian Henrik Ibsen’s play Peer Gynt (which includes Morning Mood and In the Hall of the Mountain King ). He also wrote Lyric Pieces , the Holberg Suite , and Funeral March in Memory of Rikard Nordraak . POLAND Frederic Chopin (1810-1849) – By far the best known Polish composer, Chopin wrote hundreds of piano pieces, most notably mazurkas, etudes, polonaises, and preludes. He carried on a long relationship with the French writer George Sand. His best known works are Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941) – Although he was a notable pianist and composer, Paderewski is probably best known for being Prime Minister of Poland. RUSSIA “The Five” (also known as “The Mighty Handful” was an important group of Romantic Russian composers (led by Mily Balakirev ) who were given their nickname in derision by critic Vladimir Stasov. In addition to Balakirev, “The Five” consisted of Cesar Cui , Modest Mussorgsky , Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov , and Alexander Borodin. Mily Balakirev (1837-1910) – In addition to leading “The Five”, Balakirev wrote Islamey and Tamara i Cesar Cui (1835-1918) – His best known opera is The Prisoner of the Caucasus (based on a Pushkin work). He also wrote the children’s opera, Puss in Boots Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) – Mussorgsky wrote the operas Boris Gudonov Khovanschina and Sorochintsi Fair His most important orchestral works are Night on Bald Mountain and Pictures at an Exhibition (based on an exhibition of his friend, artist Victor Hartmann. This preview has intentionally blurred sections. Sign up to view the full version. Page 6 of 7 © 2010, Academic Competition Enterprises www.acequizbowlcamp.com Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) – A career naval officer in the Russian navy, he wrote Scheherazade and This is the end of the preview. Sign up to                   access the rest of the document. TERM


Who is the patron saint of tax collectors?

Honoring the Patron Saint of Accountants on All Saints' Day | AccountingWEB Honoring the Patron Saint of Accountants on All Saints' Day Nov 1st 2006 0 At this time of year, the focus of the world seems to be on ghosts, ghouls, vampires and candy. Halloween has become a multi-million dollar business. However, most people forget that November 1st is actually All Saint’s Day, when all saints are revered for their part in helping those on earth. Advertisement Did you realize that there was a patron saint for accountants? The patron saint of accountants, bankers, bookkeepers, security guards and tax collectors is Saint Matthew of Apostle fame, and he also was the author of one of the Gospels. Before becoming an Apostle, however, he started out as a Jewish tax collector at Capernaum. Little is know about him, outside the seven references he has in the Gospels. In medieval art, Saint Matthew is represented under the symbol of a winged man, carrying in his hand a lance as a characteristic emblem - his artistic calling card if you will. He is one of the originals in the pantheon of patron saints. Reverence for Patron Saints is something that seems like a practice from another time. It was started in the 3rd century and patron saints were a booming business in the 17th century. Some say that Patron Saints often replaced the old Goddess religions local divinity in a new and Christianized form. Whatever the reason, the patron saint roster has grown over time. Most of the Patron Saints recognized by popular culture are known for their more jovial sides. Saint Patrick has a whole day that is given to him on a typical calendar. Technically, he is the patron saint of Ireland and all things Irish. For some, St. Pat’s Day may seem more like a day to indulge in a great deal of green beer, instead. Saint Christopher is generally thought of as the patron saint of travelers and Saint Christopher medallions are often in view on dashboards, not only of the faithful, but ordinary folk who hope a lucky talisman will protect them. The purpose of a patron saint is to intercede at times of trouble, overwork and difficulty. A patron saint has special affinity for the members of a particular group, either designated by nationality, ailments, illness, dangers, activities or career path. Prayers by such people are considered more likely to be answered by their particular patron saint. Trending {{item['sft-title']}} A patron is one who has been assigned by a venerable tradition, or chosen by election, as a special intercessor with God, and they must be fully canonized saints to acquire this lofty position. Saint Agatha, for instance, is the patron saint of nurses and the process of bellmaking. An odd combination, but no less strange than the realm of Saint Isidore of Seville, who lived early 600 C.E. and is the patron saint of computers. In day-to-day business, accountants are among the honored professions that value common sense and almost scientific reasoning when dealing with people, institutions and the numbers they guard. Fluffy subjects, like angels and divinity, are a far reach from the day-to-day work. Isn’t it nice to know that all accountants have a patron saint who intercedes, not with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), but a higher source? Maybe on one of those days, when nothing seems to add up and calling anyone seems to bring countless buttons pushing on your phone, you might smile and ponder for a moment on Saint Matthew, Patron Saint of Accounting. Tags


State of Israel proclaimed - May 14, 1948 - HISTORY.com State of Israel proclaimed Publisher A+E Networks On May 14, 1948, in Tel Aviv, Jewish Agency Chairman David Ben-Gurion proclaims the State of Israel, establishing the first Jewish state in 2,000 years. In an afternoon ceremony at the Tel Aviv Art Museum, Ben-Gurion pronounced the words “We hereby proclaim the establishment of the Jewish state in Palestine, to be called Israel,” prompting applause and tears from the crowd gathered at the museum. Ben-Gurion became Israel’s first premier. In the distance, the rumble of guns could be heard from fighting that broke out between Jews and Arabs immediately following the British army withdrawal earlier that day. Egypt launched an air assault against Israel that evening. Despite a blackout in Tel Aviv–and the expected Arab invasion–Jews joyously celebrated the birth of their new nation, especially after word was received that the United States had recognized the Jewish state. At midnight, the State of Israel officially came into being upon termination of the British mandate in Palestine. Modern Israel has its origins in the Zionism movement, established in the late 19th century by Jews in the Russian Empire who called for the establishment of a territorial Jewish state after enduring persecution. In 1896, Jewish-Austrian journalist Theodor Herzl published an influential political pamphlet called The Jewish State, which argued that the establishment of a Jewish state was the only way of protecting Jews from anti-Semitism. Herzl became the leader of Zionism, convening the first Zionist Congress in Switzerland in 1897. Ottoman-controlled Palestine, the original home of the Jews, was chosen as the most desirable location for a Jewish state, and Herzl unsuccessfully petitioned the Ottoman government for a charter. After the failed Russian Revolution of 1905, growing numbers of Eastern European and Russian Jews began to immigrate to Palestine, joining the few thousand Jews who had arrived earlier. The Jewish settlers insisted on the use of Hebrew as their spoken language. With the collapse of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Britain took over Palestine. In 1917, Britain issued the “Balfour Declaration,” which declared its intent to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Although protested by the Arab states, the Balfour Declaration was included in the British mandate over Palestine, which was authorized by the League of Nations in 1922. Because of Arab opposition to the establishment of any Jewish state in Palestine, British rule continued throughout the 1920s and ’30s. Beginning in 1929, Arabs and Jews openly fought in Palestine, and Britain attempted to limit Jewish immigration as a means of appeasing the Arabs. As a result of the Holocaust in Europe, many Jews illegally entered Palestine during World War II. Radical Jewish groups employed terrorism against British forces in Palestine, which they thought had betrayed the Zionist cause. At the end of World War II, in 1945, the United States took up the Zionist cause. Britain, unable to find a practical solution, referred the problem to the United Nations, which in November 1947 voted to partition Palestine. The Jews were to possess more than half of Palestine, although they made up less than half of Palestine’s population. The Palestinian Arabs, aided by volunteers from other countries, fought the Zionist forces, but by May 14, 1948, the Jews had secured full control of their U.N.-allocated share of Palestine and also some Arab territory. On May 14, Britain withdrew with the expiration of its mandate, and the State of Israel was proclaimed. The next day, forces from Egypt, Transjordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq invaded. The Israelis, though less well equipped, managed to fight off the Arabs and then seize key territory, such as Galilee, the Palestinian coast, and a strip of territory connecting the coastal region to the western section of Jerusalem. In 1949, U.N.-brokered cease-fires left the State of Israel in permanent control of this conquered territory. The departure


Treaty of Rome signed, establishing the EEC.

The Treaty of Rome (1957) - The history of the European Union and European Citizenship The Treaties of Rome    (1957) The signing of the       Treaties of Rome On 25th March    1957, two treaties were signed in Rome that gave birth to the    European Economic Community (EEC) and to European Atomic Energy Community    (Euratom) : the Treaties of    Rome. The signatories of the historic agreement were    Christian Pineau on behalf of France, Joseph Luns from the Netherlands, Paul    Henri Spaak from Belgium, Joseph    Bech   from Luxemburg, Antonio Segni from Italy and Konrad    Adenauer from the Federal Republic of Germany. The Treaties were ratified    by National Parliaments over the following    months and came into force on 1st January 1958. The Treaty establishing the EEC affirmed in its    preamble that signatory States were  "determined to lay the    foundations of an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe". In    this way, the member States specifically affirmed the political objective of a progressive    political integration.  In fact, the brand new institution was a customs union.    As a consequence, the EEC was    colloquially known as "Common Market". The member countries agreed to    dismantle all tariff barriers over a 12-year transitional period. In view    of the    economic success that freer commercial exchanges brought about, the transitory term    was shortened and in July 1968 all tariffs among the EEC States were    abrogated. At the    same time, a common tariff was established for all products    coming from third countries.  As a matter of fact, the common    market meant exclusively free circulation of goods. Free movement of persons, capitals and services    continued to be subject to numerous limitations. It was necessary to wait until the Single    European Act , in 1987, when    a definitive boost was given to establish a genuine unified market.    This brought about the European Union Treaty in 1992. The other essential agreement    included in the Treaty of  Rome    was the adoption of a Common    agricultural policy (CAP) .    Essentially, the CAP enacted a free market of agricultural products inside the EEC and    established protectionist    policies that guaranteed sufficient revenues to European farmers, avoiding    competition from third countries'    products by guaranteeing agricultural    prices. With the aim of financing the CAP, the European    Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) was established in 1962. The CAP has    continued absorbing most of the community budget, and its reform has been    one of the most badly needed in recent years. The Treaty    of Rome also established the prohibition of monopolies, some transport common    policies, and the grant of some commercial    privileges to the colonial territories of the member States. The Treaty    of Rome signified the triumph of a very realistic and gradualist approach to    building the EU. This method was personified by Jean    Monnet . The failure of the CED demonstrated that tremendous obstacles    lay in the path of the final construction of a political    union. Consequently, the new strategy sought to adopt a process of    integration that gradually incorporated diverse economic sectors and that    established supranational institutions with increasingly political    competences.. The EEC from its birth was based on a series of institutions: the European    Commission ,    the European    Commission ,    the European Assembly, later known as European    Parliament , the Court    of Justice and the Economic    and Social Committee , whose competences were enlarged and modified in the diverse agreements and treaties that    succeeded the Treaty of Rome.  To sum up, a process put in motion    in which progressive economic integration was paving the way to the long    term objecti


Berlin Wall - Cold War - HISTORY.com Berlin Wall A+E Networks Introduction On August 13, 1961, the Communist government of the German Democratic Republic (GDR, or East Germany) began to build a barbed wire and concrete “Antifascistischer Schutzwall,” or “antifascist bulwark,” between East and West Berlin. The official purpose of this Berlin Wall was to keep Western “fascists” from entering East Germany and undermining the socialist state, but it primarily served the objective of stemming mass defections from East to West. The Berlin Wall stood until November 9, 1989, when the head of the East German Communist Party announced that citizens of the GDR could cross the border whenever they pleased. That night, ecstatic crowds swarmed the wall. Some crossed freely into West Berlin, while others brought hammers and picks and began to chip away at the wall itself. To this day, the Berlin Wall remains one of the most powerful and enduring symbols of the Cold War. Google The Berlin Wall: The Partitioning of Berlin As World War II came to an end in 1945, a pair of Allied peace conferences at Yalta and Potsdam determined the fate of Germany’s territories. They split the defeated nation into four “allied occupation zones”: The eastern part of the country went to the Soviet Union, while the western part went to the United States, Great Britain and (eventually) France. Did You Know? On October 22, 1961, a quarrel between an East German border guard and an American official on his way to the opera in East Berlin very nearly led to what one observer called "a nuclear-age equivalent of the Wild West Showdown at the O.K. Corral." That day, American and Soviet tanks faced off at Checkpoint Charlie for 16 hours. Photographs of the confrontation are some of the most familiar and memorable images of the Cold War. Even though Berlin was located entirely within the Soviet part of the country (it sat about 100 miles from the border between the eastern and western occupation zones), the Yalta and Potsdam agreements split the city into similar sectors. The Soviets took the eastern half, while the other Allies took the western. This four-way occupation of Berlin began in June 1945. The Berlin Wall: Blockade and Crisis The existence of West Berlin, a conspicuously capitalist city deep within communist East Germany, “stuck like a bone in the Soviet throat,” as Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev put it. The Russians began maneuvering to drive the United States, Britain and France out of the city for good. In 1948, a Soviet blockade of West Berlin aimed to starve the western Allies out of the city. Instead of retreating, however, the United States and its allies supplied their sectors of the city from the air. This effort, known as the Berlin Airlift , lasted for more than a year and delivered more than 2.3 million tons of food, fuel and other goods to West Berlin. The Soviets called off the blockade in 1949. After a decade of relative calm, tensions flared again in 1958. For the next three years, the Soviets–emboldened by the successful launch of the Sputnik satellite the year before and embarrassed by the seemingly endless flow of refugees from east to west (nearly 3 million since the end of the blockade, many of them young skilled workers such as doctors, teachers and engineers)–blustered and made threats, while the Allies resisted. Summits, conferences and other negotiations came and went without resolution. Meanwhile, the flood of refugees continued. In June 1961, some 19,000 people left the GDR through Berlin. The following month, 30,000 fled. In the first 11 days of August, 16,000 East Germans crossed the border into West Berlin, and on August 12 some 2,400 followed—the largest number of defectors ever to leave East Germany in a single day. The Berlin Wall: Building the Wall That night, Premier Khrushchev gave the East German government permission to stop the flow of emigrants by closing its border for good. In just two weeks, the East German army, police force and volunteer construction workers had completed a makeshift barbed wire and concrete bl


"Who referred to the House of Lords as ""Mr Balfour's Poodle""?"

"Mr Balfour's poodle"? - UK Parliament "Mr Balfour's poodle"? Hereditary Peers removed "Mr Balfour's poodle"? From the moment the Liberals won a landslide victory at the 1906 general election a clash between the elected House of Commons and the unelected House of Lords became more likely. In the Commons the Prime Minister, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, had 377 Members while the Conservatives had only 278; but in the Conservative-dominated Lords only 88 Members of the Lords out of 602 defined themselves as Liberals. With the new Government committed to a radical agenda of Irish home rule and social reform, it was likely the Upper House would seek to block certain pieces of legislation. The Liberal MP David Lloyd George mocked Members of the Lords as "Five hundred men, accidently chosen from among the ranks of the unemployed". When a Conservative backbencher defended the Lords as the "watchdog of the constitution", Lloyd George quipped that it was in fact "Mr Balfour's poodle" (Arthur Balfour was Conservative leader in the Commons). As the Parliament progressed the Lords was selective in which Bills it chose to block - for example the Education Bill of 1906 and the Licensing Bill of 1908 - while Campbell-Bannerman prepared plans for restricting the veto of Members of the Lords. 1909 Budget Matters reached a head in 1909 when the new prime minister Asquith and Lloyd George, the Chancellor, unveiled a radical Budget which proposed an increase in death, licensing and tobacco duties, a petrol tax, motor car licences and a differential rate of income tax on earned and unearned income. The most controversial provisions, however, were those for taxing large landowners, many of whom sat on the Conservative benches in the Commons and Lords. Following bitter exchanges the Budget passed its third reading in the Commons on 25 November. Five days later it was rejected by the Lords. Although Members of the Lords were entitled to amend Money Bills, defeating a Budget went against parliamentary precedent. Biographies


In Greek mythology, what was the name of the winged horse which sprang from the dead body of Medusa?

PEGASUS (Pegasos) - Winged Horse of Greek Mythology Of the Spring (pêgê) Pegasus at the spring, Apulian red-figure vase C4th B.C., Tampa Museum of Art PEGASOS (Pegasus) was an immortal, winged horse which sprang from the neck of the beheaded Gorgon Medousa (Medusa). It was tamed by Bellerophon who rode it into battle against the fire-breathing monster known as the Khimaira (Chimera) . Later the hero attempted to fly to heaven but Zeus caused the horse to buck throwing him back down to earth in disgrace. Pegasos winged his way on to Olympos where he became the thunderbolt-bearer of Zeus. Pegasos was commemorated amongst the stars as the constellation of the same name. Its rising marks the arrival of spring and, in Greece, of seasonal thunderstorms. Pegasos' name means either "of the spring" from the Greek word pêgê, or "sprung forth" from the word pêgazô. The first alludes to the steed's connection with various springs, and the latter to its birth from the Gorgon's neck. FAMILY OF PEGASUS PARENTS [1.1] POSEIDON & MEDOUSA (Hesiod Theogony 278, Apollodorus 2.32 & 2.42, Hyginus Fabulae 151 & Astronomica 2.18, Ovid Metamorphoses 4.781 & 6.119) [1.2] MEDOUSA (Pindar Olympian Ode, Nonnus Dionysiaca 24.270) ENCYCLOPEDIA PE′GASUS (Pêgasos). The famous winged horse, whose origin is thus related. When Perseus struck off the head of Medusa, with whom Poseidon had had intercourse in the form of a horse or a bird, there sprang forth from her Chrysaor and the horse Pegasus. The latter obtained the name Pegasus because he was believed to have made his appearance near the sources (pêgai) of Oceanus. Pegasus rose up to the seats of the immortals, and afterwards lived in the palace of Zeus, for whom he carried thunder and lightning (IIes. Theog. 281, &c.; Apollod. ii. 3. § 2, 4. § 2 ; Schol. ad Aristoph. Pac. 722; comp. Ov. Met. iv. 781, &c. vi. 119). According to this view, which is apparently the most ancient, Pegasus was the thundering horse of Zeus; but later writers describe him as the horse of Eos (Schol. ad Hom. Il. vi. 155; Tzetz. ad Lyc. 17), and place him among the stars as the heavenly horse (Arat. Phaen. 205, &c.; Hygin. Poet. Astr. ii. 18 Ov. Fast. iii. 457, &c.). Pegasus also acts a prominent part in the fight of Bellerophon against the Chimaera (Hes. Theog. 325; Apollod. ii. 3. § 2). After Bellerophon had tried and suffered much to obtain possession of Pegasus for his fight against the Chimaera, he consuited the soothsayer Polyidus at Corinth. The latter advised him to spend a night in the temple of Athena, and, as Bellerophon was sleeping, the goddess appeared to him in a dream, commanding him to sacrifice to Poseidon, and gave him a golden bridle. When he awoke he found the bridle, offered the sacrifice, and caught Pegasus, who was drinking at the well Peirene (Pind. Ol. xiii. 90, &c. with the Schol.; Strab. viii. p. 379). According to some Athena herself tamed and bridled Pegasus, and surrendered him to Bellerophon (Paus. ii. 4. § 1), or Bellerophon received Pegasus from his own father Poseidon (Schol. ad Hom. Il. vi. 155). After he had conquered the Chimaera (Pindar says that he also conquered the Amazons and the Solymi, Ol. xiii. 125), he endeavoured to rise up to heaven with his winged horse, but fell down upon the earth, either from fear or from giddiness, or being thrown off by Pegasus, who was rendered furious by a gad-fly which Zeus had sent. But Pegasus continued his flight (Hygin. Poet. Astr. ii. 18 ; Pind. Isthm. vii. 6; Tzetz. ad Lyc. 17; Eustath. ad Hom. p. 636). Whether Hesiod considered Pegasus as a winged horse, cannot be inferred with certainty from the word apoptamenose; but Pindar, Euripides, and the other later writers, expressly mention his wings. Pegasus lastly was also regarded as the horse of the Muses, and in this capacity he is more celebrated in modern times than he ever was in antiquity ; for with the ancients he had no connection with the Muses, except that by his hoof he called forth the inspiring well Hippocrene. The story about this well runs as follows. When the nine Muses engaged in a con


Which new state officially came into being in July 2011?

South Sudan country profile - BBC News BBC News Read more about sharing. Close share panel South Sudan gained independence from Sudan on 9 July 2011 as the outcome of a 2005 agreement that ended Africa's longest-running civil war. Made up of the 10 southern-most states of Sudan, South Sudan is one of the most diverse countries in Africa. It is home to over 60 different major ethnic groups, and the majority of its people follow traditional religions. Independence did not bring conflict in South Sudan to an end. The 2013-2015 civil war displaced 2.2 million people and threatened the success of one of the world's newest countries. Read more country profiles - Profiles by BBC Monitoring FACTS Area 619,745 sq km (239,285 sq miles) Languages English, Arabic (both official), Juba Arabic, Dinka Major religions Traditional religions, Christianity Currency Sudanese pound President: Salva Kiir Mayardiit Image copyright Getty Images Salva Kiir Mayardit became president of South Sudan - then still part of Sudan - and head of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) in 2005, succeeding long-time rebel leader John Garang, who died in a helicopter crash. Mr Kiir was re-elected as president in multiparty polls in the south in April 2010. In July 2011, when South Sudan became independent, he became president of the new state. Just two years later, however, the country was engulfed by civil war when Mr Kiir sacked his entire cabinet and accused Vice-President Riek Machar of instigating a failed coup. Government and rebels agreed to attend peace talks in Ethiopia in 2014, and a deal was finally signed under threat of UN sanctions for both sides in August 2015. Mr Machar returned from exile to be sworn in as first vice president of a new unity government in April 2016, but was sacked a few months later after renewed conflict. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Rebel leader Riek Machar briefly reassumed his old job as first vice president in 2016 Read president's full profile MEDIA Media freedom is fragile in South Sudan, where armed groups, weak legal institutions and political pressures undermine free reporting. Journalists risk arrest over reports that criticise the government and the ruling party. There have been reported seizures of newspapers, or disruption of their distribution, by the authorities. The state-owned South Sudan TV has little competition, and the country's poverty and limited electricity has hindered the development of TV media. Some key dates in South Sudan's history: Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Cattle are a source of wealth - and conflict - in South Sudan 1956 - Sudan becomes independent but southern states are unhappy with their lack of autonomy. Tensions boil over into fighting that lasts until 1972, when the south is promised a degree of self-government. 1983 - Fighting starts again after the Sudanese government cancels the autonomy arrangements. 2011 - South Sudan becomes an independent country, after over 20 years of guerrilla warfare, which claimed the lives of at least 1.5 million people and more than four million were displaced. 2012 - Disagreements with Sudan over the oil-rich region of Abyei erupt into fighting, known as the Heglig Crisis. A peace deal was reached in June 2012 that helped resume South Sudan's oil exports and created a 10km demilitarized zone along the border. 2013 - Civil war breaks out after the president, Salva Kiir Mayardiit, sacks the cabinet and accuses Vice-President Riek Machar of planning a failed coup. Over 2.2 million people are displaced by the fighting and severe famine puts the lives of thousands at risk. 2015 - Warring sides sign a peace deal to end the civil war, but the conflict continues. Image copyright Getty Images


The film Throne of Blood (1957) was based on which Shakespeare play?

Throne of Blood (1957) - IMDb IMDb 17 January 2017 8:05 PM, UTC NEWS There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error A war-hardened general, egged on by his ambitious wife, works to fulfill a prophecy that he would become lord of Spider's Web Castle. Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 45 titles created 21 May 2011 a list of 29 titles created 21 Nov 2014 a list of 31 titles created 18 Sep 2015 a list of 21 titles created 11 months ago a list of 26 titles created 6 months ago Title: Throne of Blood (1957) 8.1/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. 3 wins & 1 nomination. See more awards  » Photos The story follows two greedy peasants in feudal Japan, Tahei and Matashichi, who are returning home from a failed attempt to profit from a war between neighboring clans. En Route they ... See full summary  » Director: Akira Kurosawa A crafty samurai helps a young man and his fellow clansmen save his uncle, who has been framed and imprisoned by a corrupt superintendent. Director: Akira Kurosawa A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town. Director: Akira Kurosawa In Medieval Japan, an elderly warlord retires, handing over his empire to his three sons. However, he vastly underestimates how the new-found power will corrupt them and cause them to turn on each other...and him. Director: Akira Kurosawa A heinous crime and its aftermath are recalled from differing points of view. Director: Akira Kurosawa An executive of a shoe company becomes a victim of extortion when his chauffeur's son is kidnapped and held for ransom. Director: Akira Kurosawa A bureaucrat tries to find a meaning in his life after he discovers he has terminal cancer. Director: Akira Kurosawa In 19th century Japan, a rough tempered yet charitable town doctor trains a young intern. Director: Akira Kurosawa A petty thief with an utter resemblance to a samurai warlord is hired as the lord's double. When the warlord later dies the thief is forced to take up arms in his place. Director: Akira Kurosawa During a sweltering summer, a rookie homicide detective tries to track down his stolen Colt pistol. Director: Akira Kurosawa A drunken doctor with a hot temper and a violence-prone gangster with tuberculosis form a quicksilver bond. Director: Akira Kurosawa A vengeful young man marries the daughter of a corrupt industrialist in order to seek justice for his father's suicide. Director: Akira Kurosawa Edit Storyline After securing a major victory on the battlefield, Taketoti Washizu and one of his commanders, Yoshiaki Miki, find themselves lost in the maze-like Spider's Web forest. They come across a spirit-like seer who tells them of their future: both have been promoted because of their victory that day; Washizu will someday be the Great Lord of the Spider's Web castle while Miki's son will someday rule as Great Lord as well. When they arrive at the castle, they learn that the first part of the prophecy is correct. Washizu has no desire to become Great Lord but his ambitious wife urges him to reconsider. When the current Great Lord makes a surprise visit to his garrison outpost, Washizu is again promoted to commander of his vanguard but his wife reminds him of the danger that comes with the position. As pressure mounts, Wahizu takes action leading to its inevitable conclusion. Written by garykmcd From the creator of "Rashomon" and "Ikiru" Genres: 22 November 1961 (USA) See more  » Also Known As: Throne of Blood See more  » Filming Locations: Mono (Western Electric Recording)| Mono (Perspecta Sound encoding) Color: Did You Know? Trivia Three great Shigenki theater actors had begged Akira Kurosawa for roles in the film. The director obliged and Isao Kimura , Seiji Miyaguchi and Nobuo Nakamura appear as samurai ghosts i


"Who said, ""I want to be the white man's brother, not his brother in law""?"

I want to be the white man's brother, not his brother-in-law. - Martin Luther King, Jr. at Lifehack Quotes Read more quotes by Martin Luther King, Jr. × Customize & Share You can add your own message to the quote and share it with your friends! It's fast and easy.


According to Greek mythology, what was the name of the three headed dog which guarded the entrance to the underworld?

CERBERUS (Kerberos) - Three-Headed Hound of Hades of Greek Mythology Death-Darkness? Heracles and Cerberus the hound of Hades, Caeretan black-figure hydria C6th B.C., Musée du Louvre KERBEROS (Cerberus) was the gigantic, three-headed hound of Haides which guarded the gates of the underworld and prevented the escape of the shades of the dead. Kerberos was depicted as a three-headed dog with a serpent's tail, mane of snakes, and a lion's claws. According to some he had fifty heads although this count may have included the serpents of his mane. Herakles (Heracles) was sent to fetch Kerberos as one of his twelve labours, a task which he accomplished with the aid of the goddess Persephone . Kerberos' name perhaps means "Death-Daemon of the Dark" from the ancient Greek words kêr and erebos. FAMILY OF CERBERUS [1.1] TYPHOEUS & EKHIDNA (Hesiod Theogony 310, Quintus Smyrnaeus 6.260, Hyginus Pref & Fab 30) [1.2] EKHIDNA (Bacchylides Frag 5, Ovid Metamorphoses 7.412) ENCYCLOPEDIA CE′RBERUS (Kerberos), the many-headed dog that guarded the entrance of Hades, is mentioned as early as the Homeric poems, but simply as "the dog," and without the name of Cerberus. (Il. viii. 368, Od. xi. 623.) Hesiod, who is the first that gives his name and origin, calls him (Theog. 311) fifty-headed and a son of Typhaon and Echidna. Later writers describe him as a monster with only three heads, with the tail of a serpent and a mane consisting of the heads of various snakes. (Apollod. ii. 5. § 12; Eurip. Here. fur. 24, 611; Virg. Aen. vi. 417; Ov. Met. iv. 449.) Some poets again call him many-headed or hundred-headed. (Horat. Carm. ii. 13. 34; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 678; Senec. Here. fur. 784.) The place where Cerberus kept watch was according to some at the mouth of the Acheron, and according to others at the gates of Hades, into which he admitted the shades, but never let them out again. Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. ALTERNATE NAMES Heracles, Cerberus and Hecate, Apulian red-figure volute krater C4th B.C., Staatliche Antikensammlungen Homer, Iliad 8. 366 ff (trans. Lattimore) (Greek epic C8th B.C.) : "If in the wiliness of my heart I [Athene] had had thoughts like his, when Herakles (Heracles) was sent down to Haides of the Gates, to hale back from Erebos (the Dark) the hound of the grisly death god (Haides Stygeros), never would he have got clear of the steep-dripping water Styx." [N.B. In Homer the dog is just called "the hound of Haides." Hesiod is the first author to give it the name Kerberos (Cerberus).] Homer, Odyssey 11. 623 ff (trans. Shewring) (Greek epic C8th B.C.) : "[The ghost of Herakles addresses Odysseus in Hades :] ‘He [Eurystheus] once sent me even here [to Haides] to fetch away the hound of Haides, for he thought no task could be more fearsome for me than that. But I brought the hound out of Haides' house and up to earth, because Hermes helped me on my way, and gleaming-eyed Athene.’" Hesiod, Theogony 310 ff (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.) : "Typhaon [Typhoeus] . . . was joined in love to her [Ekhidna (Echidna)] . . . And next again she bore the unspeakable, unmanageable Kerberos (Cerberus), the savage, the bronze-barking dog of Haides, fifty-headed, and powerful, and without pity." Hesiod, Theogony 769 ff : "And before them [the halls of Haides and Persephone] a dreaded hound (deinos kunos) [Kerberos (Cerberus)], on watch, who has no pity, but a vile stratagem : as people go in he fawns on all, with actions of his tail and both ears, but he will not let them go back out, but lies in wait for them and eats them up, when he catches any going back through the gates." Bacchylides, Fragment 5 (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric IV) (Greek lyric C5th B.C.) : "Once, they say, the gate-wrecking, unconquerable son [Herakles] of thunder-flashing Zeus went down to the house of slender-ankled Persephone to fetch up to the light from Hades the jagged-toothed dog [Kerberos (Cerberus)], son of unapproachable Ekhidna (Echidna). There he perceived the spirits of wretched mortals by the waters of Kokyt


In which town was Colonel Gaddafi killed in 2011?

Muammar Gaddafi is dead, says Libyan PM | World news | The Guardian Muammar Gaddafi is dead, says Libyan PM Former Libyan dictator reportedly killed as government forces overrun home town of Sirte Muammar Gaddafi is dead, says Libyan PM Former Libyan dictator reportedly killed as government forces overrun home town of Sirte Thursday 20 October 2011 10.46 EDT First published on Thursday 20 October 2011 10.46 EDT Close This article is 5 years old Muammar Gaddafi has been killed after his home town, Sirte, was overrun by fighters seeking to complete the eight-month uprising in Libya, the interim prime minister has announced. The former dictator reportedly died from wounds to his head and legs. It was unclear whether he was hit in a Nato air strike on a convoy fleeing Sirte, a firefight on the ground, or in concrete tunnels in the town itself. Later, Libya's UK representative said Gaddafi was alive when captured and had died in an ambulance on the way to the city of Misrata. The Libyan prime minister, Mahmoud Jibril, told a news conference in Tripoli: "We have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Muammar Gaddafi has been killed." A US official said Libyan leaders had confirmed his death to Washington, the AP agency reported at 3.15pm UK time. In London, the Libyan charge d'affaires, Mahmud Nacua, told a press conference it was "a glorious and momentous victory". "Today, Libya's future begins. Gaddafi's black era has come to an end for ever," he said. "The Libyan people are looking forward to a very promising future where they can finally start building the free democratic state for which they have fought for about eight months now. "Our people have paid a high price. About 40,000 martyrs have given their lives for the freedom of their country. "We very much appreciate the help of the international community to get rid of Gaddafi and his crimes." Earlier, pictures showing what was said to be the body of the dead and bleeding Gaddafi appeared on television as Nato and US officials tried to confirm his death. Some showed the body being dragged through the streets of Sirte. Gaddafi's son Muatassim was also reported to have been killed or captured in Sirte, the stronghold of pro-Gaddafi forces. Later, he was said to have been seen covered in blood but alive. Another son, Saif al-Islam, was said to be have been surrounded after fleeing Sirte. Gaddafi's body was reportedly transferred to Misrata. A large crowd surrounded the vehicle as it arrived, chanting: "The blood of the martyrs will not go in vain". The first reports of Gaddafi's capture came soon after noon UK time, and within an hour there were claims that he was dead. The convoy in which Gaddafi might have been travelling was hit by a Nato airstrike at 6am British time. Two Nato aircraft bombed the vehicles as they fled Sirte. Neither were British planes, although two Tornado ground attack aircraft were on surveillance and reconnaissance missions at the time. A National Transitional Council (NTC) official, Abdel Majid Mlegta, told Reuters. "There was a lot of firing against his group and he died." The NTC spokesman in Misrata, Abdullah Berrassali, told Sky News: "Gaddafi is dead, absolutely dead. He was shot in both legs and a bullet in the head. The body will be arriving in Misrata any minute now." Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, said that, if the reports were true, she would breathe a sigh of relief as one more obstacle was removed. Even before confirmation that Gaddafi, who ruled Libya for 42 years, was dead, Senator John McCain, who lost to Barack Obama in the last presidential election, called it "an end to the first phase of the Libyan revolution". Gaddafi was wanted by the international criminal court on charges of ordering the killing of civilians. He was at one time believed to be hiding deep in the Sahara desert. His wife, two sons and a daughter fled to neighbouring Algeria shortly after Tripoli fell to rebel forces in August. On Wednesday, a day before his death, Gaddafi was said by Jibril to have been recruiting fighters from other countrie


Which team was led to victory by Ritchie McCall in 2011?

Richie McCaw | allblacks.com Check out more All Blacks Richie McCaw Richard McCaw, or ‘Richie’ as he is widely known, is captain of the All Blacks and is generally recognised as the world’s best openside flanker. His record as a player and as a captain is without precedent. He became the first All Black to reach 100 Tests in 2011 and by the end of the 2014 season, he had played 137 Tests (coming off the bench just six times), and was Captain in 100 Tests. McCaw reminded the world of his brilliance as a leader when he lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in 2011, battling through a troubling foot injury to claim rugby’s greatest prize. Treatment for his injury meant he missed the early stages of Investec Super Rugby in 2012 but he quickly made his presence felt when he rejoined his Crusaders teammates and again lead the way with both his work-rate and skill with ball in hand. When not leading the team, McCaw is a keen pilot and in 2009 was made an honorary squadron leader of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. McCaw has the size and strength to be a punishing defender, the cool head and quick hands required to master the breakdown area, and the speed and handling skills to play a traditional tearaway’s linking role to superb effect. The statistics on McCaw's career speak for themselves (to end of 2011 season): • He is the most capped All Black ever (103). • He has tasted victory 84 times in those 95 Tests for an amazing 88 percent success rate - the most by any other All Black. • He has captained the All Blacks to 51 victories in 58 Tests. •  He has been IRB Player of the Year a record three times (2006, 2009, 2010) McCaw was named as All Blacks captain for the first time for the Test against Wales in 2004 aged just 23. He was brought up in North Otago and educated at Otago Boys High, where he played his rugby at No 8. A tireless worker who reads the game well, McCaw was voted as Newcomer of the Year by the International Rugby Players Association in 2002. He had an outstanding 2003 Rugby World Cup and won the New Zealand player of the year award at the 2003 (and 2006) Steinlager Rugby Awards. McCaw led Canterbury to the NPC title in 2004 and then took the Crusaders to back-to-back Super Rugby titles in 2005 and 2006 before assuming command of the national team. He was awarded the IRB Player of the Year award in 2006 after being a finalist in both the International Rugby Players' Association and IRB awards in 2003 and again for the IRB in 2005. In 2008 McCaw would rebound from the disappointment of the World Cup to again lead the Crusaders to Super Rugby success, and then came back from injury early in the test season to lead the All Blacks to another Investec Tri Nations title and a Grand Slam of the Home Nations. The following year he returned from injury for the Tri Nations and was prominent in matches against the Wallabies and again on the end of year tour, getting his second IRB World Player of the Year title. In 2010, McCaw was again outstanding despite the new law interpretations which many believed would curtail the influence of the mercurial openside. He lead the All Blacks to 13 victories in 14 Tests, with the team winning the Tri Nations and again achieving the Grand Slam.  Position: 17/11/2001 v Ireland at Dublin Test Points Breakdown: High-profile New Zealand football player, Winston Reid, the captain of the All Whites and a defender for West Ham, said Jonah Lomu had been an inspiration for him growing up in New Zealand.   More Career Comments • Received the IRB Newcomer of the Year Award in 2001. • Air New Zealand NPC Division One Player of the Year, 2004 & 2002 • Kelvin Tremain Memorial Trophy for Player of the Year, 2003, 2006 • Under 21 Player of the Year, 2001 • Scored the All Blacks' first two tries of Rugby World Cup 2007, against Italy at Marseille. • Received the 2006 IRB and NZRU Player of the Year Awards. • Was the only All Blacks player to play in all seven of the team’s winter Tests in 2007 and the only All Black to start in 12 Tests in 2006. • Is the 60th All Blacks Test captain. Named as All Blacks captain fo


Which county cricket team were the first winners of the Sunday League in 1969?

A brief history of cricket | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo A brief history of cricket Click here for some more detailed aspects of cricket history The origins of cricket lie somewhere in the Dark Ages - probably after the Roman Empire, almost certainly before the Normans invaded England, and almost certainly somewhere in Northern Europe. All research concedes that the game derived from a very old, widespread and uncomplicated pastime by which one player served up an object, be it a small piece of wood or a ball, and another hit it with a suitably fashioned club. How and when this club-ball game developed into one where the hitter defended a target against the thrower is simply not known. Nor is there any evidence as to when points were awarded dependent upon how far the hitter was able to despatch the missile; nor when helpers joined the two-player contest, thus beginning the evolution into a team game; nor when the defining concept of placing wickets at either end of the pitch was adopted. Etymological scholarship has variously placed the game in the Celtic, Scandinavian, Anglo-Saxon, Dutch and Norman-French traditions; sociological historians have variously attributed its mediaeval development to high-born country landowners, emigré Flemish cloth-workers, shepherds on the close-cropped downland of south-east England and the close-knit communities of iron- and glass-workers deep in the Kentish Weald. Most of these theories have a solid academic basis, but none is backed with enough evidence to establish a watertight case. The research goes on. What is agreed is that by Tudor times cricket had evolved far enough from club-ball to be recognisable as the game played today; that it was well established in many parts of Kent, Sussex and Surrey; that within a few years it had become a feature of leisure time at a significant number of schools; and - a sure sign of the wide acceptance of any game - that it had become popular enough among young men to earn the disapproval of local magistrates. Dates in cricket history 1550 (approx) Evidence of cricket being played in Guildford, Surrey. 1598 Cricket mentioned in Florio's Italian-English dictionary. 1610 Reference to "cricketing" between Weald and Upland near Chevening, Kent. 1611 Randle Cotgrave's French-English dictionary translates the French word "crosse" as a cricket staff. Two youths fined for playing cricket at Sidlesham, Sussex. 1624 Jasper Vinall becomes first man known to be killed playing cricket: hit by a bat while trying to catch the ball - at Horsted Green, Sussex. 1676 First reference to cricket being played abroad, by British residents in Aleppo, Syria. 1694 Two shillings and sixpence paid for a "wagger" (wager) about a cricket match at Lewes. 1697 First reference to "a great match" with 11 players a side for fifty guineas, in Sussex. 1700 Cricket match announced on Clapham Common. 1709 First recorded inter-county match: Kent v Surrey. 1710 First reference to cricket at Cambridge University. 1727 Articles of Agreement written governing the conduct of matches between the teams of the Duke of Richmond and Mr Brodrick of Peperharow, Surrey. 1729 Date of earliest surviving bat, belonging to John Chitty, now in the pavilion at The Oval. 1730 First recorded match at the Artillery Ground, off City Road, central London, still the cricketing home of the Honourable Artillery Company. 1744 Kent beat All England by one wicket at the Artillery Ground. First known version of the Laws of Cricket, issued by the London Club, formalising the pitch as 22 yards long. 1767 (approx) Foundation of the Hambledon Club in Hampshire, the leading club in England for the next 30 years. 1769 First recorded century, by John Minshull for Duke of Dorset's XI v Wrotham. 1771 Width of bat limited to 4 1/4 inches, where it has remained ever since. 1774 LBW law devised. 1776 Earliest known scorecards, at the Vine Club, Sevenoaks, Kent. 1780 The first six-seamed cricket ball, manufactured by Dukes of Penshurst, Kent. 1787 First match at Thomas Lord's first ground, Dorset Square, Marylebone - White Conduit


Which county cricket team were the first winners of the Gillette Cup in 1963?

Cricinfo - England England Gillette Cup / NatWest Trophy / C&G Trophy 1963-2004 Winners | Competition timelines | Yearly summaries The Gillette Cup, the world's first domestic knockout tournament for first-class sides, started in 1963 as a 65-over-a-side competition and was an immediate success, and the first sellout final between Sussex and Worcestershire set the pattern for many years to come. In 1964 five Minor Counties were added into the mix, and over the years that was increased until 60 sides competed, many in preliminary rounds. But through to the 1980s, the Gillette Cup (which became the NatWest Trophy in 1981) provided domestic midweek entertainment through the summer as well as the traditional end-of-season climax on the first Saturday in September.  There were upsets - Durham became the first Minor County to beat a first-class side when they humiliated Yorkshire in 1973 - and many memorable matches, such as the epic semi-final between Lancashire and Gloucestershire in the Old Trafford twilight in 1971. More often than not matches were sellouts. In the 1990s the competition began to lose some of its appeal, with a glut of cricket increasingly on television, and rising ticket prices meaning that Lord's failed to sell out for the final for the first time in 1991. This was also reflected in a fall off in attendances during the earlier rounds as well. Despite this, the tournament retained a decent degree of support, but in 2006 the authorities, incapable of avoiding tinkering, abolished the knockout concept in favour of a third league-style event. Gillette Cup 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 NatWest Trophy


Which Sam rode the winner of the 2011 Cheltenham Gold Cup, Long Run?

Former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Long Run retired | Horse Racing News | Racing Post Long Run: winner of two King Georges and a Gold Cup has been retired   PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)   Former Gold Cup winner Long Run retired  By Lewis Porteous 5:33PM 20 MAR 2016  LONG RUN, the 2011 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, was retired after failing to show his old spark on his return from a near two-year absence in a hunter chase at Carlisle on Sunday. Rider Sam Waley-Cohen was also given a controversial seven-day ban for easing up on his beaten star. Connections had mooted a possible tilt at the Crabbie's Grand National had Long Run's comeback from injury gone well but after finishing a tired fifth they called time on his brilliant career.  The winner of six Grade 1 races in France and Britain, Long Run will be best remembered for his epic Gold Cup victory against Denman and Kauto Star at the age of six, when trained by Nicky Henderson. Now 11, the dual-King George winner had been nursed back from a leg injury sustained on the ferry home after his last run in the 2014 Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris by owner-trainer Robert Waley-Cohen. The horse's enthusiasm appeared to remain at Carlisle and he was soon at the head of affairs in the 3m½ contest, in which he was rated at least 11lb superior to any of his eight rivals. However, he lost his lead with a bad mistake at the tenth and hopes of a winning return faded with two more poor jumps at the next two fences. As the Keith Reveley-trained Robbie got the better of 14-year-old Ockey De Neulliac in the last stride, Long Run was a tired horse in behind and surrendered two further places close home as Barachois Silver and Durban Gold relegated him to fifth. Rider banned Despite the horse appearing weary, the stewards inquired into why the rider had "appeared to stop riding after the final fence on the run to the line" and found him "guilty of failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to obtain the best possible placing in that he failed to ride out on a horse that could have finished third". Robert Waley-Cohen vowed to appeal the ban, which he described as unfair. He said: "I'll appeal, it is most unfair. I would rather he got a ban than ruin the horse, he did the right thing." 'Wonderful horse' "That's it for Long Run now, we will find something else for him to do," added his owner-trainer. "He's been a wonderful horse, I've had him since he was a three-year-old and he has given us some fantastic moments notably his Gold Cup win and his two King George wins. "He was a marvellous patient after that injury, but he wasn't the best of hunters, though to be fair to him we were looking after him and it would be different if he were doing it all the time."  Long Run retires as the winner of 15 of his 33 races under rules and £1.5 million in prize-money. Long Run goes clear of Denman and Kauto Star in the 2011 Gold Cup   PICTURE: Getty   Background: Long Run part of a golden era When Long Run burst onto the scene in the waning years of the Kauto Star-Denman era he looked like a ready-made replacement for those superstar chasers. A Grade 1 star in France, Long Run stunned racing on just his fifth run in Britain as he beat Kauto Star in the 2010 King George (actually held in January 2011). He followed up in the Gold Cup, comprehensively beating both Denman and Kauto Star. Aged just six it looked like a new order was being forged but eight months later Long Run was the victim of one of racing's most remarkable comebacks as Kauto Star landed the Betfair Chase and King George. Long Run bounced back to win a second King George in 2012 and twice finished third in the Gold Cup, but his star never again shone quite as brightly as it did during that remarkable 2010-11 season.


The flight of which space shuttle in 2011 successfully concluded Nasa's space shuttle programme?

Complete Coverage: Final Flight Of Nasa's Space... Atlantis' Crew Leaves the Shuttle July 21, 2011 07:14am ET After gliding to a smooth landing at 5:57 a.m. EDT, the shuttle astronauts worked through a checklist with Mission Control to safe the vehicle on the ground. Atlantis' four astronauts, commander Chris Ferguson, pilot Doug Hurley, and mission specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, have all exited the vehicle now as ground teams continue their work at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. The astronauts are now being greeted by NASA officials, including administrator Charles Bolden, shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach and Lori Garver, the agency's deputy administrator. The four crewmembers will have the opportunity to walk around their vehicle and soak in the moment with other members of the shuttle program. --Denise Chow TOUCHDOWN! Atlantis Lands for the Final Time July 21, 2011 05:57am ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The space shuttle Atlantis glided down to Earth and slowed to a stop here on the runway of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The orbiter arrived less than an hour before dawn, heralding the end of the 30-year space shuttle program. Four astronauts returned to Earth aboard the spaceship, which flew the 135th shuttle mission, called STS-135. --Clara Moskowitz Shuttle Atlantis in Home Stretch July 21, 2011 05:36am ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The space shuttle Atlantis is just 25 minutes away from touching down here at the Kennedy Space Center in the last shuttle landing ever. The orbiter is plunging its way through Earth's atmosphere, and is approaching the point of maximum heat on re-entry. Atlantis is currently approaching the coast of Central America. --Clara Moskowitz Atlantis Begins Descent Back to Earth July 21, 2011 04:53am ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The space shuttle Atlantis has performed a de-orbit burn to come out of Earth orbit and begin the descent back to the ground, where it will touch down here at Kennedy Space Center. The shuttle is a little more than an hour away from its final landing, slated for 5:56 a.m. EDT (0956 GMT). --Clara Moskowitz Atlantis "Go" for De-Orbit Burn July 21, 2011 04:18am ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mission Control gave the space shuttle Atlantis a "go" to conduct a de-orbit burn of its engines at 4:49 a.m. ET (0849 GMT) to begin the descent down to Earth. --Clara Moskowitz Weather 'Go' For Final Shuttle Landing July 21, 2011 04:00am ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The weather here at Kennedy Space Center is "go" for landing today, capcom Charlie Hobaugh told Atlantis' commander Chris Ferguson. The shuttle is about an hour away from making a "de-orbit burn" of its engines to initiate re-entry. --Clara Moskowitz Astronauts Awake for Landing Day July 20, 2011 09:39pm ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The four astronauts aboard shuttle Atlantis' final mission awoke to begin their landing day today at 9:29 p.m. EDT (0129 GMT Thursday). The wakeup song today was Kate Smith's rendition of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America." "What a classic patriotic song," Ferguson said. "So appropriate for what will likely be the shuttle's final day in orbit. Thank you to America for supporting this program, and we'll see you in a few short hours hopefully." The shuttle is slated to land Tuesday (July 21) at 5:56 a.m. EDT (0956 GMT). --Clara Moskowitz Shuttle Crew Goes to Sleep for Last Night in Space July 20, 2011 01:48pm ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.-- The space shuttle Atlantis astronauts have gone to bed for their last sleep in orbit before landing tomorrow at Kennedy Space Center here. Commander Chris Ferguson took time out to mention a significant anniversary. "Forty-two years ago today Neil Armstrong walked on the moon." Ferguson said. "I consider myself fortunate that I was there to actually remember the event. I think there was probably a lot of folks in that room who didn’t have that privilege or honor." The spaceflyers are scheduled to land Thursday (July 21) at 5:56 a.m. EDT (0956 GMT). --Clara Moskowitz Atlantis Deploys Final Satellite in Space Shutt


Which European country's flag is a vertical tricolour of black, gold (yellow) and red?

Germany This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website Germany Flag adopted 9 May 1949, as civil ensign 14 Aug 1950 On this page: Introduction to the German Federal or National Flag Nationalflagge, Bundesflagge, or Deutschlandfahne As the western occupation zones moved to unity in the last years of the 1940s, it became obvious that the governmental entity which would develop would adopt the black-red-gold of the Weimar Republic and indeed, it was established as the National Flag on 9 May 1949, two weeks before the Federal Republic came into existence. Unlike the Weimar period, there has been no serious opposition. Most of the 1949 flags are still in use. Norman Martin, Feb 1998 The official name of the German flag is Bundesflagge (federal flag). However, this name is mainly used by authorities or in very official announcements. The name given on the page about names of flags , Schwarz-Rot-Gold (black-red-gold), is not very common; it is more a poetic term. Most Germans simply call the flag Deutschlandfahne (Germany flag). Carsten Linke, 2 May 1996 Sport sailors in Germany call their national flag Adenauer (First Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany). Jens Wessel, 3 Jan 2001 Historical Use of the Current Flag The black-red-yellow tricolour flag has been used at least three times in the history of Germany. It was adopted in 1848 , and abolished in 1852; re-adopted as the flag of the WeimarRepublic on 11 August 1919, and abolished and replaced by the ThirdReich flag (12 March 1933). It was finally re-adopted as the modern German flag on 8 May 1949. It was used by the German Democratic Republic until 1959 , but added a coat of arms from 1959 to 1989 , when the Germanies were reunited. Mark Sensen, 1996 The black-red-gold is historically associated with "liberal" nationalism in Germany, rather than republicanism per se. It was first adopted by the Frankfurt Parliament in 1848 for the proposed united German Empire. That the 1870 German Empire went for a flag asserting north German traditions (the black and white of Prussia with the white and red of the Hanseatic League ) was due to Bismarck wanting a Kleindeutschland [smaller Germany] solution - excluding the Austrian lands, rather than the Frankfurt liberals' Großdeutschland [greater Germany] which would have included the Austrian lands within the old German Confederation . Roy Stilling, 5 Oct 1996 National Flag and Civil Ensign Nationalflagge und Handelsflagge Identical [except proportions] with the National Flag of the Weimar Republic . Adopted as Federal flag 9 May 1949 and usage extended to civil ensign 14 August 1950. Illustrated in Pedersen 1971 p. 30, Smith 1975 , p. 227, Crampton 1990i , p. 43, Album des Pavillons 1990 , p. 17 and many other places. Norman Martin, Feb 1998 Today the black-red-yellow tricolour is used as the National flag and the Merchant ensign. Pascal Vagnat, 4 Sep 1996 Hanging Flags Hängefahne, or Bannerflagge or Knatterfahne [Editorial comment: A "vertical" flag (Knatterfahne - "vertically hoisted flag") and a "banner" (Bannerflagge) look the same, however vertical flags are hoisted on vertical poles, and banners used to hang down from a horizontal bar. A "hanging" flag (Hängefahne) is a "normal" vertical flag hanging down from a more or less horizontal or angled pole, usually mounted from the side of a building, etc.] 5:2; Image by Marcus Schmöger Flag adopted 13th Nov 1996      Since 13th November 1996 also the hanging flag (Banner) is legally prescribed, although it was used long before. Legal prescription is the Anordnung über die deutschen Flaggen (Instruction on the German Flags) of 13th November 1996, published in the Bundesgesetzblatt I 1996, p. 1729.      The image I made is in proportion 5:2, as this is the most frequently found proportion for hanging flags in Germany. Sources: Laitenberger and Bassier 2000 , Friedel 1968 and Bundesministerium des Innern 1956 . See also Very long hanging flags . Marcus Schmöger, 14 Mar 2001 Hanging Flags and Variants #1     #2   Images by Thorsten, 5 Apr 2003      I would like to discus


After how many years of marriage do you celebrate a wood anniversary?

Wedding Anniversary List: Names by Years Married - Disabled World Wedding Anniversary List: Names by Years Married Print Published: 2011-06-27 (Rev. 2015-06-04) - Contact: Ian Langtree at Disabled World Synopsis: A list of wedding anniversaries by year that includes the names of materials symbols and flowers associated with the anniversary. About Wedding Anniversary A wedding anniversary is defined as the anniversary of the date a wedding took place. Traditional names exist for some of them: for instance, 50 years of marriage is called a "golden wedding anniversary" or simply a "golden anniversary" or "golden wedding". Main Document "In the United States, one can receive a greeting from the President for any wedding anniversary on or after the 50th." What is a Wedding Anniversary? A wedding anniversary is the anniversary of the date a wedding took place. On a wedding anniversary in many countries it is traditional to give a gift to your partner (or couples) that symbolize the number of years of marriage. The names of some wedding anniversaries provide guidance for appropriate or traditional gifts for the spouses to give each other; if there is a party to celebrate the wedding anniversary these gifts can be brought by the guests and/or influence the theme or decoration of the venue. Jump-To: Ring Size Chart Lists of wedding anniversary gifts vary by country. Listed below is a list of wedding anniversaries by year that includes materials, symbols, and flowers associated with the occasion. Wedding anniversary names common to most nations include: Wooden (5th), Tin (10th), Crystal (15th), China (20th), Silver (25th), Pearl (30th), Ruby (40th), Golden (50th), and Diamond (60th). Wedding Anniversary Gifts List 77.4 Facts: Wedding Anniversary The celebration of wedding anniversaries dates back to Roman times when husbands gave their wives a silver wreath for 25 years of marriage, and a gold wreath for 50. Today there are traditional and modern materials related to each wedding anniversary, usually progressing from the weakest to the strongest as the years go by, to symbolize the strengthening of the relationship. In the United States, one can receive a greeting from the President for any wedding anniversary on or after the 50th. In the British Commonwealth domains you may receive a message from the monarch for your 60th, 65th, and 70th wedding anniversaries, and any wedding anniversary after that by applying to Buckingham Palace in the U.K., or to the Governor-General's office in the other Commonwealth realms. An exception being Australia and Canada. The delivery of congratulatory messages marking 100th birthdays and 60th wedding anniversaries is arranged by the Anniversaries Office at Buckingham Palace. In Canada you may also receive a message from the Governor General for the 50th anniversary, and every 5th anniversary after that. In Australia may receive a letter of congratulations from the Governor General on the 50th and all subsequent wedding anniversaries; the Prime Minister, the federal Opposition leader, local members of parliament (both state and federal), and state Governors may also send salutations for the same anniversaries. Roman Catholics may apply for a Papal blessing through their local diocese for wedding anniversaries of a special nature such as their 25th, 50th, 60th, etc. anniversaries.


Which artist's work includes The Merry Drinker and The Laughing Cavalier?

Frans Hals, by Virgil Elliott   Detail from Marriage Portrait of Isaac Massa en Beatrix van der Laen by Frans Hals RANS HALS (1580-1666) was one of Seventeenth Century Holland's most prominent portrait artists, ranking second only to his younger contemporary, Rembrandt. Hals was born in Antwerp, but lived most of his life in Haarlem, where the Old Men's Almshouse in which he spent his last years in destitution is now the Frans Hals Museum. It is a short train ride from Amsterdam, and well worth the trip. He is Haarlem's most celebrated son, more highly honored now than in his own time. The style for which Hals is known today, the painterly approach wherein the brushwork reads as a sort of calligraphy in certain passages, giving the impression that the paintings were executed quickly and directly with great confidence, actually represents a minor percentage of his overall output. What is often overlooked is that he was equally adept at more refined painting, as can be seen in many of his commissioned portraits from throughout his long career. The sketchier approach may have been employed in his more casual works as recreation, painting his drinking companions and perhaps bartering the resulting pictures to cover his lesser debts, as separate from his professional endeavors in painting portraits of wealthier clients from the upper echelons of Dutch society, in which pictures he worked to a higher degree of finish. This higher finish was expected of all professional portrait artists of his time, and their success depended upon mastery of it.  He was quite successful in his career, but with a large family of ten children to support, and perhaps imprudent spending, Hals found himself in deep financial trouble later in his life, and went bankrupt in 1652. The inventory of his possessions seized in bankruptcy consisted of three mattresses and bolsters, a table, an armoire, and five pictures. This was everything he owned, beyond his painting equipment, which he was allowed to keep in order to earn his living. His fortunes continued to decline, and he was subsequently reduced to accepting welfare from the state, despite the fact that he continued to paint presumably lucrative commissions until the end of his long life. The proceeds of these commissions probably went to his creditors. Prior to his bankruptcy, he had had to give his baker some pictures painted by his teacher, Karel van Mander, to settle his bread bill. Frans Hals Jester Playing a Lute The depressing nature of his financial problems does not seem to have affected his work, however, as his most well-known paintings exhibit a light-hearted cheerfulness, sense of humor and love of life we cannot help but be cheered by ourselves upon viewing. This is Hals' special charm. Paintings like The Jolly Toper (also known as The Merry Drinker), The Laughing Cavalier, The Jester, and The Bohemian Girl (also known as The Gypsy Girl) suggest a carefree attitude and humanity immediately likeable, as well as perhaps a clue to a cause of his money troubles. This earthy, human quality seems to have been successfully transferred to his most well known student, Judith Leyster, many of whose works are stylistically nearly indistinguishable from those of her Master. She, too, painted a version of The Jester, perhaps a copy of Hals' painting of the same subject, and her painting, The Rommelpot Player in the Chicago Art Institute, shares the delightful light-hearted spirit and charm of commonfolk subjects so characteristic of Hals. In this he tends toward the opposite end of the emotional spectrum from Rembrandt, who delved more deeply into the more serious, philosophical and introspective side of human nature. Rembrandt did, however, paint some more playful self-portraits in his younger years, and it is not unreasonable to suspect some influence in these works from the older Hals, who was already well established when Rembrandt arrived on the scene. Rembrandt was probably also influenced by Hals' approach to group portraits, in which he indicated action taking place and inte