Which country is home to the majority of species of Bird of Paradise?

Birds of the Gods | Bird of Paradise Facts | Nature | PBS Birds of the Gods Genera: Lycocorax, Manucodia, Paradigalla, Astrapia, Parotia, Pteridophora, Lophorina, Ptiloris, Epimachus, Drepanornis, Cicinnurus, Semioptera, Seleucidis, Paradisaea Species: There are an estimated 42 species of bird of paradise. Size: Size varies depending on species, from approximately 15 cm or 5.9 in (King bird of paradise) to 110 cm or 43 in (Black Sicklebill). Weight: Weight varies depending on species, from approximately 50 grams or 1.8 oz (King bird of paradise) to 448 grams or 15.8 oz (Curl-crested Manucode). Plumage: The majority of birds of paradise are sexual dimorphic. Males have brightly colored and elaborate plumage while the females’ plumage is more drab. Coloring and type of plumage varies drastically between species. Habitat: Tropical forests, rainforests, montane forest, and swamps. Diet: Primarily fruit and arthropods, types and ratios vary between species. Geography: Primarily found on the island of New Guinea. Some species are found in Northeastern Australia and surrounding islands. Breeding: Most males perform bizarre and complex courtship displays to attract potential female mates. Some species perform solo while others perform in large groups known as leks. After mating, most female birds of paradise will leave and raise their young alone. Threats: Birds of paradise have no natural carnivorous predators. However, excessive hunting by human populations and the growing logging industry encroaching on their natural habitats has put some species at risk. Additional Facts: Although most male birds of paradise have spectacular plumage, there are a few species where the male and female have almost identical, generally modest-looking plumage. These species tend to be monogamous while the sexually dimorphic species tend to be polygamous. The Greater bird of paradise was named by Europeans Paradisaea apoda (“footless bird-of-paradise”) because feet had been removed from the first specimens that arrived in 16th-century Europe. Carola’s Parotia bird of paradise performs some of the most complex courtship dances in the animal kingdom. A male Raggiana bird of paradise is featured on the New Guinean national flag. There are a number of hybrid birds of paradise due to crossbreeding between distinct species. Bird of paradise plumes are used as currency by certain New Guinea tribes. The South African Bird of paradise plant (Strelitzia reginae) was named because of its flowers resemblance to the animals. More from Birds of the Gods (9)


The New Zealand kea is known for attacking sheep – what kind of bird is it?

The Kea Parrot: New Zealand's Distinct Bird The Kea Parrot: New Zealand's Distinct Bird The endangered kea parrot is known for its distinctive physical and behavorial traits. By Angela Pham Tweet Famed for its olive-green plumage, scarlet underwings, keen intelligence and its rare attempts to feed on both dead and live sheep, the unique kea parrot of New Zealand draws attention from bird lovers and conservationists throughout the world. The kea parrot needs this attention. With many believing that its numbers have declined slowly but steadily in the past 100 years, organizations like the Department of Conservation of New Zealand, the Kea Conservation Trust and the Animal Health Board now recognize the need to study the birds more and determine how best to protect them. Photo Courtesy of Franny Cunninghame The kea parrot has a distinctive long, thin and curved bill. Taking on the task of counting the current numbers of kea parrots and radio-tracking groups of the birds isn't easy, especially since it is classified as a nationally endangered species in New Zealand. Kea parrots favor forested areas among mountainous regions, where they make nests within the ground and forage in the mountain tops. In winter, the flocks concentrate on breeding and disappear among the forests. The kea's omnivorous diet requires much time spent high and low foraging for food — roots and grub are dug out from the ground in the mountains and forest floors, and foods like berries and seeds of rimu, totara and beech trees are found in the tall tree tops, as well as honeydew and nectar of flowers. Notoriously, the kea parrot will also scavenge dead animals like deer in pursuit of high-fat foods and has been witnessed attacking the occasional live sheep to access the large fatty deposits above a sheep's kidneys, said Josh Kemp, scientific officer for the Research and Development Group at the Department of Conservation of New Zealand. "Some keas living near sheep stations probably learn about the fat by scavenging dead sheep, then they figure out that they can reach it on a live sheep, too," Kemp said. The distinctive shape of the kea's bill enables it to pierce the skin of these mammals: The bill is long, thin and curved, unlike most parrot species' bills. Its long, spindly legs set it further apart from other parrot species. Nonetheless, the kea is still classified as a parrot: Two toes point backwards on the foot and are used for climbing, and the bill — with its moveable lower mandible — serves as a climbing tool as well. But the kea's occasional preying habits may speak volumes of its intelligence. "It may happen because there are sheep and because the kea are very innovative," said Gyula Gajdon, guest scientist at the University of Vienna Department of Neurobiology and Cognition Research. "For me, as a biologist, it is equally interesting to ask, 'How do they manage to open hinged lids of big rubbish bins, or why do they start to prey on mice?'" Bird experts agree that the kea is a distinctive parrot. "Even kaka, the closest relative of kea, provides a quite different setting of main biological features," Gajdon said. The kaka parrot may share the scarlet underwings that kea parrots have and are also classified under the genus Nestor, but kaka parrots are not as intelligent, and kaka parrots nest in tree trunk holes in winter, while kea parrots nest in the ground during summer, Kemp said. Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of the kea bird is its smart, curious personality. The diurnal parrots are social creatures, foraging in flocks and keeping in touch with each other with contact calling. Young keas are especially active and playful, Gajdon said. "Especially young birds are the most bold to investigate new objects, play with them, test their affordances and even integrate them in social play," Gajdon said. "The camera man Mike Lemon nicely said that you miss kea when you go home." The parrot's bold and investigative tendencies, however, can often get the kea into trouble. After any destructive bout with human belongings, the birds


Which best selling Norwegian author created the detective Harry Hole?

Harry Hole Author Jo Nesbo on Ending His Series (Q&A) | Hollywood Reporter The best-selling Norwegian author reveals that he's "close" to a finale for the Oslo homicide detective: "I promise not to resurrect him after." This story first appeared in the Dec. 21 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Jo Nesbo, 52, is supplanting Stieg Larsson as the go-to Scandanivian crime writer with Phantom, his ninth novel about tortured Oslo homicide detective Harry Hole, plus an NBC TV series in the works and several films in development. In L.A. for the fall, the one-time pop star talked with THR about the book, working in Hollywood and what’s on his iPod. The Hollywood Reporter: Phantom finds Harry returning home from exile in Bangkok to free a dead girlfriend’s sonfrom jail. What’s new? Jo Nesbo: It’s not a procedural like the other books, where Harry is trying to find out the truth. In this case, he’s not interested in the truth, he’s just trying to get the son out of jail. PHOTOS: 11 Biggest Book-to-Big Screen Adaptations of the Last 25 Years THR: Are we near the end of the series? Nesbo: Close. It’s not going to be an ever-ending story. I promise not to resurrect him after. THR: You also write the kids’ series Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder (being developed as a Norwegian movie). What inspired that? Nesbo: My daughter would make me tell stories saying, “I want a girl, a real tiny boy, a dinosaur and a potato.” I skipped the dinosaur and the potato, but it had those two kids and a mad professor, who invented a powder that was so powerful that it would lift you from the ground, and the little boy would try to sell it to NASA to shoot astronauts in space without rockets. It’s about outsiders who are working together and hopefully will come out on top. STORY: 'Charlie St. Cloud' Director to Adapt Horror Novel 'Breed' for Summit THR: You just struck an American TV development deal (based on the forthcoming novel I Am Victor, with House’s Katie Jacobs producing for NBC/Universal). Are you a fan of American TV? Nesbo: I’ve been watching more American TV because of all the great TV series that have come out in the last five to 10 years. I’m a Sopranos fan, I’m a Wire fan, I’m a Mad Men fan. I’m a Deadwood fan. It makes me optimistic for the future of storytelling on TV that producers are willing to take that kind of jump. THR: Any interest in screenwriting? Nesbo: A little. It’s a different craft from writing novels. You get spoiled as a novelist because you get to be the director and the editor, and you play all the parts, but as a screenwriter,you are a bit down the ladder. When they ask you to write draft 14 and you can tell they don’t want to use your great ideas, you do want to say, “F—off,” and write a novel instead. STORY: Post-Apocalyptic Novel 'Dog Stars' Picked Up by Constantin THR: You were once part of the hit Norwegian pop band Di Derre, so what’s on your iPod? Nesbo: Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. I’m trying to explain to my rock friends that it’s one of the greatest albums of all time, and Jason and the Scorchers, part of the big college rock wave of the late ’80s.


Who has written several successful novels about DS Roy Grace of the Brighton force?

PETER JAMES: Reveals all about Roy Grace PETER JAMES: Reveals all about Roy Grace Written by Adrian Magson Peter James has written 25 books, the most recent of which feature Brighton-based Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. His books have been translated into 29 languages. In England they are published by Pan Books and in the US by Carroll & Graf Publishers. James has written supernatural thrillers, spy fiction, Michael Crichton-style science-based thrillers, and a children's novel, as well as the introductions for Graham Masterton's collection 'Manitou Man' and Joe Rattigan's collection 'Ghosts Far From Subtle'.     Over the course of the Roy Grace series, the mysterious disappearance of his wife, Sandy has always been there as a reminder to us of his troubled past. With 'Dead Like You', you seem to have moved us as readers firmly away from 'Sandy as possible victim' into the possibility that she simply got fed up with Roy not getting the top job and took off for pastures new. Did you originally have that in mind or has it changed over the books? Or was I being dense in thinking something nasty had happened? About 12 years ago I attended an open day for the Police at the Missing Persons Helpline offices in South London.  I was staggered to learn that 230,000 people are reported missing in the UK every year.  The majority turn up again within a few days but if they don’t turn up after 30 days, they are unlikely ever to be seen again.  At any one time we have 11,500 people permanently missing in the UK, and the figure is the same pro-rata to population around the western world – there are 55,000 permanent missing in the USA, for example.  It is a staggering figure.  And the big questions is, where are they?     Some have been murdered and their bodies never found – under the floorboards of monsters like Fred West.  Some have run off with lovers.  Some have disappeared deliberately, running away from debt, and reinvented themselves in another country.  Some have had accidents.  Some have committed suicide.  But the one thing in common, is that the families and loved one they leave behind are left in a state of limbo, because they have no closure.     When I was asked about nine years ago to create a new detective, by my publishers Pan Macmillan, I wanted to make Roy Grace different to other fictional detectives.  I thought really hard about what it is that detectives actually do, and I realized that first and foremost what they do is to solve puzzles!  Every major crime, whether a murder, a rape, a big robbery or a fraud, is a puzzle, to be solved in steady, painstaking steps.  I thought it would be intriguing to create a detective who had a personal puzzle of his own that he could not solve, and I came up with the idea that Roy Grace has a missing wife.  Almost 9 years before we meet him, we learn that he came home on his 30th birthday to find his wife, Sandy, who he loved and adored, had vanished.     My original plan was to reveal the truth about Sandy in the second book.  But to my amazement there was such excited speculation by my readers about what might have happened to her, that I decided it would be fun to keep it as an ongoing mystery, and feed a little bit more information about her into each successive novel, so that my readers could start to make their own deductions.  In answer to your question, in the first five novels we have tended to see Sandy only through Roy’s rose-tinted memories.  There is a snippet of someone who might be her in Dead Tomorrow but very fleeting.  In Dead Like You for the first time we see Roy and Sandy together, twelve years back in time, and we see the relationship is not quiet so perfect as Roy had always imagined.  I don’t think you were dense at all thinking something nasty had happened.  But equally there is a long way to go yet with this story strand!!!! And I can promise you quite a shock at the end of the next novel, Dead Man’s Grip! Your books are full of threat wrapped up in otherwise ordinary, sometimes mundane situations. Do you consciously consider what kind of threat wi


Created by Leslie Thomas, Who was ‘The Last Detective’?

The Last Detective : Leslie Thomas : 9781934609675 The Last Detective US$14.30 US$14.95 You save US$0.65 Free delivery worldwide Add to basket Add to wishlist Description Dangerous Davies earned his nickname the same way that fat men nicknamed Tiny earn theirs. He is known as the last detective not because there are no others like him, but because he is, in nearly every instance, the last boy picked for the team. With little actual work to occupy him, Dange has plenty of time to pick through the cases that everybody else has forgotten. When he stumbles across a piece of ancient history, it looks like the perfect way to keep him out of the real coppers' way. show more Product details 139.7                   x 200.66                   x 15.24mm                                   | 458.13g Publication date New York, NY, United States Language


In which stretch of water was HMS Amethyst fired on and detained in 1949?

FOR THE RECORD FOR THE RECORD WITHIN THE HOUSE OF    COMMONS   8 Dec 2011 : Column 5P   Petition presented to the House but not read on the Floor                                                          HMS Concord The Petition of    William Leitch.   Declares that the    Petitioner believes that it is a grievous injustice that the 1949 shipï¿½s    complement of HMS Concord were not recognised as a unit involved in the    1949 Yangtze campaign, due to what the Petitioner believes was a wrongful    omission of important relevant documents relating to the role of HMS    Concord between the 28 and 31 July 1949 and declares that the Petitioner    believes that those who served on HMS Concord between 28 and 31 July 1949    deserve justice, remedy and reparation.   The Petitioner    therefore requests that the House of Commons sets up a select committee to conduct a comprehensive enquiry into the role of HMS Concord in the    Yangtze campaign between 28th and 31 July 1949.   And the Petitioner    remains, etc.ï¿½ William Leitch.                                                      8 Kenmore Avenue,     There is in       abundance a background of information to support why I consider a       deep and penetrating investigation is necessary into why the role of       H.M.S. Concord, as a unit involved in the Yangtze Incident during       the dates 28th to 31st July 1949 was not       recognised in the (1949 Yangtze Campaign Awards System).   In December 1948       it was decided to station one large and one small ship, or at least       two and preferably three small ships at Shanghai and one small ship       at Nanking. On the 6th April 1949 the Communist authorities broadcast their intention of       crossing the River Yangtze on the 12th April and taking       Nanking by April 15th.   Then on the 9th April it was reported that the Communists were placing gun batteries       at Icheng with the intention of interdicting river traffic making it       evident that requests for clearance of passages of warships up and       down the Yangtze were going to take a long time to be dealt with as       far as the North bank was concerned.   On the 16th April 1949 when the forecast D-Day had failed to materialise Vice Admiral,       Madden, in the absence of Admiral, Sir, Patrick Brind       Commander-in-Chief, Far East Station, gave the instruction through       Captain (F) in H.M.S. Black Swan for H.M.S. Amethyst to proceed to       Nanking as soon as she could be ready. Here I wish to point out that       at the time of Vice Admiral, Madden, issuing the instructions for       H.M.S. Amethyst to proceed to Nanking as soon as she could be ready,       there was in place at that time Admiralty instructions which were to       the effect; ï¿½During passage up the Yangtze all ships were ordered to       be at instant readiness.   On 20 April 1949       at 0830, HMS Amethyst (Lt Commander B.M. Skinner RN) en-route to       Nanking up the River Yangtze to relieve the guard ship HMS Consort       came under very heavy fire from the north bank. Due to serious       damage she went aground at Rose Island (she signalled she was under       heavy fire, aground, and had suffered casualties). The Captain was       mortally wounded, the first Lieutenant though wounded assumed       command. During the forenoon the Communist continued to fire at HMS       Amethyst. To save further loss of life, about 60 lightly wounded and       uninjured were evacuated ashore, further evacuation stopped when       those in the water came under fire. Those put ashore eventually       arrived in Shanghai. Lt Cdr Skinners wife and two sons were staying       in Hong Kong as guests of Ann Rodney wife of Lt Cdr Nigel Rodney the       Captain of Concord and Admiral Brind asked A


Which ship was hijacked by Palestinian terrorists in the Mediterranean in 1985?

Achille Lauro hijacking ends - Oct 10, 1985 - HISTORY.com Achille Lauro hijacking ends Publisher A+E Networks The hijacking of the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro reaches a dramatic climax when U.S. Navy F-14 fighters intercept an Egyptian airliner attempting to fly the Palestinian hijackers to freedom and force the jet to land at a NATO base in Sigonella, Sicily. American and Italian troops surrounded the plane, and the terrorists were taken into Italian custody. On October 7, four heavily armed Palestinian terrorists hijacked the Achille Lauro in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt. Some 320 crewmembers and 80 passengers,were taken hostage. Hundreds of other passengers had disembarked the cruise ship earlier that day to visit Cairo and tour the Egyptian pyramids. Identifying themselves as members of the Palestine Liberation Front–a Palestinian splinter group–the gunmen demanded the release of 50 Palestinian militants imprisoned in Israel. If their demands were not met, they threatened to blow up the ship and kill the 11 Americans on board. The next morning, they also threatened to kill the British passengers. The Achille Lauro traveled to the Syrian port of Tartus, where the terrorists demanded negotiations on October 8. Syria refused to permit the ship to anchor in its waters, which prompted more threats from the hijackers. That afternoon, they shot and killed Leon Klinghoffer, a 69-year-old Jewish-American who was confined to a wheelchair as the result of a stroke. His body was then pushed overboard in the wheelchair. Yasir Arafat’s Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) condemned the hijacking, and PLO officials joined with Egyptian authorities in attempting to resolve the crisis. On the recommendation of the negotiators, the cruise ship traveled to Port Said. On October 9, the hijackers surrendered to Egyptian authorities and freed the hostages in exchange for a pledge of safe passage to an undisclosed destination. The next day–October 10–the four hijackers boarded an EgyptAir Boeing 737 airliner, along with Mohammed Abbas, a member of the Palestine Liberation Front who had participated in the negotiations; a PLO official; and several Egyptians. The 737 took off from Cairo at 4:15 p.m. EST and headed for Tunisia. President Ronald Reagan gave his final order approving the plan to intercept the aircraft, and at 5:30 p.m. EST, F-14 Tomcat fighters located the airliner 80 miles south of Crete. Without announcing themselves, the F-14s trailed the airliner as it sought and was denied permission to land at Tunis. After a request to land at the Athens airport was likewise refused, the F-14s turned on their lights and flew wing-to-wing with the airliner. The aircraft was ordered to land at a NATO air base in Sicily, and the pilot complied, touching down at 6:45 p.m. The hijackers were arrested soon after. Abbas and the other Palestinian were released, prompting criticism from the United States, which wanted to investigate their possible involvement in the hijacking. On July 10, 1986, an Italian court later convicted three of the terrorists and sentenced them to prison terms ranging from 15 to 30 years. Three others, including Mohammed Abbas, were convicted in absentia for masterminding the hijacking and sentenced to life in prison. They received harsher penalties because, unlike the hijackers, who the court found were acting for “patriotic motives,” Abbas and the others conceived the hijacking as a “selfish political act” designed “to weaken the leadership of Yasir Arafat.” The fourth hijacker was a minor who was tried and convicted separately. Related Videos


What is the alternative name for Japanese green horseradish?

Spice Pages:  Wasabi (Wasabia japonica, Japanese horseradish, わさび, 山葵) Japanese horseradish Kochu-naengi, Gochu-naengi, Gyeoja-naengi, Kyoja-naengi, Wasabi; San’gyu (Wasabia japonica var koreana) Lithuanian The so-called wasabi root is a rhizome, a vertical underground stem bearing the leaves. In Japan, it is preferred fresh, but outside of Japan, this spice is only available dried (pale green powder) or in form of a green paste. The most common Japanese cultivars are the dark green daruma wasabi [達磨山葵, だるまわさび] and the paler but hotter matsuma wasabi [真妻山葵, まつまわさび]. Many, if not most, of the brands of Wasabi powder and wasabi paste are actually fakes and consist mainly of coloured horseradish . When buying, remember that wasabi can never be cheap. In Japan, fresh wasabi leaves are often used as an aromatic decoration. Sensory quality Strongly pungent and lachrymatory, like horseradish , but somewhat more pure and fresh. See negro pepper for more about pungent spices. It should be noted that the pungent taste is not discernible in the dried root until it has been treated with water for a few minutes. If tried without previous contact with water, it tastes bitter (see also zedoary ). Main constituents Like its relatives in the cabbage family, wasabi owes its pungency to isothiocyanates. Two glucosinolates have been identified in the root: Sinigrin (90%), which is also the characteristic aroma compound of black mustard and horseradish , and traces of glucocochlearin. These tasteless compounds are enzymatically hydrolyzed to the pungent mustard oils , respectively. Isothiocyanate total of fresh wasabi is around 0.2%. Wasabi flower www.utougi.com Further trace components identified in the volatile fraction are 6-methylthiohexyl isothiocyanate, 7-methylthioheptyl isothiocyanate and 8-methylthioocytl isothiocyanate. These compounds, ω-methylthioalkyl isothiocyanates, are characteristic for wasabi and are often suspected to be responsible for the characteristic taste so much loved by Japanese connoisseurs. Short-chain homologues of these compounds appear, however, also in the Italian herb rocket . Origin Japan. The plant is very difficult to grow, as it does best in flowing water; roots grown traditionally on the banks of mountain streams (sawa wasabi [沢山葵, さわ山葵, さわわさび]) are considered better than those grown with modern hydroponic technology. More recently, wasabi cultivation has been tried in New Zealand and in the West of America to cater to the Japanese community. In Chinese, wasabi is known as shan kui [山葵] (literally mountain sunflower ). The name wasabi, which has entered most Western languages, is Japanese. In Japan, wasabi was originally written in Kanji as 和佐比 which would be read wasahi in modern language; but this notation is no longer used. Instead, the plant’s name is usually written in Hiragana [わさび] or sometimes in Katakana [ワサビ]. The modern Japanese Kanji writing [山葵] parallels the Chinese, but is uncommon due to its irregularity: The single kanji mean yama [山] mountain . The plant name hollyhock refers to Althea rosea, an ornamental closely related to marshmallow, but unrelated to wasabi. Note that although the name is written yama aoi , it is always spoken wasabi. See Sichuan pepper for a more detailed explanation of Kanji readings. A basket of wasabi roots. Nevertheless, there are some European names for wasabi that translate the Kanji literally as mountain hollyhock , e. g., Dutch bergstokroos or German Bergstockrose. The equivalent English name, mountain hollyhock , more often refers to a true relative of hollyhock, Iliamna rivularis (Malvaceae/ Malvales/ Dilleniidae ), than to wasabi. Many Western languages have borrowed the Japanese name to denote wasabi, sometimes adjusting the word to their own sound system. Some languages use descriptive compounds that name wasabi as a variant of the better-known horseradish , e. g., French raifort du Japon, Dutch Japanse mierikswortel, Russian Yaponskij khren [Японский хрен] and Finnish japaninpiparjuuri, all of which mean Japanese horseradish . A


Which is the traditional English dish of pork trimmings and pig’s head?

Pig head recipe - CookEatShare Pig head recipe 1540 views Head Cheese Or Souse, ingredients: 1 pig head, 6 pig feets, 6 pork hocks, 2 teaspoon salt Get new recipes from top Professionals! Share recipes and reviews with friends! Save and organize all you recipes! over 2 million users! Braised Beef and Tendon 479 views here in New Zealand a pigs head will only cost you $ sticky. For this recipe we will also Sisig 213 views the pig’s head or pork ear. This dish was invented when there were a surplus pigs head and Cosmic Cusco 168 views if I had taken a photo of the pig head vendor at the market earlier that day. I turned A recipe from the archives and stuff that you probably don't care about 197 views pig heads. Ok, I can tell you that we went and got a pig head pulled out a recipe from my This little piggy....... 246 views the cheeks) on the pig but next time I will roast the whole pig, head and all. Not much


Which band’s 2007 reunion concert attracted 20 million ticket applications?

Led Zeppelin refuse to comment on live reunion - Telegraph Music news Led Zeppelin refuse to comment on live reunion Members of the rock band Led Zeppelin refused to be drawn on whether they  might tour again at a press conference for live film Celebration Day.   Robert Plant: igored questions about Led Zeppelin reunion. Photo: REX   Led Zeppelin: igored questions about Led Zeppelin reunion. Photo: Reuters   By Marc Lee 5:15PM BST 21 Sep 2012 When the surviving members of Seventies rock titans Led Zeppelin today made a rare public appearance together to promote Celebration Day, the film of their wildly successful reunion gig of 2007, there was only one question that everyone wanted the answer to: would they play together ever again? However, despite repeated probing, not only did they refuse to answer, they pretty much ignored the question every time it was put to them. Singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones were united in their opinion of the gig at the O2 five years ago, which attracted 20 million applications for the 18,000 tickets available. "It was a spectacular experience to get back into the middle of that music," said Plant, while Page said they had wanted to prove themselves to people who had maybe heard of them but never seen them in action. The concert was a tribute to the late Ahmet Ertegun, founder of Atlantic records, who played a key role in the band's career, the initial phase of which came to an end with the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980. At the O2, Bonham's son Jason took his father's place. "No one else could have done it," said Page today, describing his playing as "monumental" and praising his spirit, enthusiasm and encyclopedic knowledge of the Zeppelin catalogue. He knows, for instance, how every song evolved over the dozen years of the band's first incarnation, said Page. Related Articles Led Zeppelin to issue unheard songs 13 Mar 2014 Bearing in mind the misfortune that dogged the band's members (Plant almost quit after his five-year-old son died of a viral infection in 1977), they were asked whether it had been a deliberate choice to open the gig with Good Times, Bad Times. Again, their replies were non-committal. "It's a concise piece of music," said Plant. "It was not what people would have guessed," said Page, while Jones thought it just seemed "fitting", though he had, he added ruefully, forgotten how complicated the first riff is. Pressed as to why it had taken so long for the film of the gig to arrive on the big screen, Jones said: "I'm surprised we got it out so quickly. Five years is five minutes in Zeppelin time." Ahead of the gig they hadn't considered the possibility of releasing a film of it because, said Page, "we didn't know if there would be half a dozen train wrecks in it". Eyes were on them for it all to go wrong, said Plant. So did they have to fix anything musically in the edit? "Not telling you that!" retorted Plant. "What a f------ cheek." However, he then acknowledged that his vocal at the end of the epic song Kashmir did require a little treatment. And how did the band with the most notorious reputation for hedonistic excess celebrate after the gig? No trashing of hotel rooms or adventurous sex with groupies any more, apparently. "We just hugged each other and went, 'Wow!'" said Plant. Celebration Day is in cinemas on October 17 and released on DVD, CD and digitally on November 19.


Charles Moore is whose official 2013 biographer?

Charles Moore’s biography of Margaret Thatcher: Review by Anne Applebaum - Telegraph Books Charles Moore’s biography of Margaret Thatcher: Review by Anne Applebaum The first volume of Charles Moore’s authorised biography of Margaret Thatcher  will become the definitive account of her life and ideas, says Anne  Applebaum. 5 Baroness Thatcher with her biographer, Charles Moore. Photo: Caroline Moore By Anne Applebaum 4:48PM BST 27 Apr 2013 In her first meeting with the press after defeating Edward Heath in February 1975, the new leader of the opposition modestly paid homage to her predecessors: “To me it is like a dream that the next in line after Harold Macmillan, Sir Alec Douglas-Home, Edward Heath is … Margaret Thatcher .” Accidentally, she had voiced what many other people in the room also felt. As Charles Moore explains, “The fact that her election did indeed seem like a dream was a large part of her problem.” In and out of her party and across the country, many people found the ascent of Thatcher outlandish, even bizarre: “The oldest, grandest, in many people’s eyes the stuffiest political party in the world had chosen a leader whose combination of class, inexperience and sex would previously have ruled her out. And it was not obvious that it had really meant to do so, or that it was confident of its choice,” writes Moore. From the beginning, she sounded different. When a BBC interviewer asked how she felt on winning the leadership election she replied, in a manner very unlike Macmillan, Douglas-Home or Heath, “I almost wept when they told me. I did weep.” She looked different too, particularly back when she still had frizzy hair and wore too much jewellery. When she appeared for the first time at a meeting of Tory backbenchers, Geoffrey Howe was unexpectedly overcome. “She was flanked only by the all-male officers of the committee. Suddenly she looked very beautiful and very frail as the half-dozen knights of the shires towered over her. It was a moving, almost feudal, occasion. Tears came to my eyes.” Much has happened since then. She became prime minister, she became a symbol to love or hate, she became the Iron Lady, she became an “ism”, so much so that many of the events in this book will be very familiar to those who lived through them: the 1979 election, the Irish hunger strikes, the Falklands War. Yet the arguing, posturing and eulogising that followed her death made it clear that the strangeness and the improbability of her life story have been forgotten. We all think we know what happened to her and why – but do we really? Moore’s great gift is his ability to make Thatcher’s story fresh again, and above all to remind us of how odd she was. By beginning at the beginning, by showing us the reality of the childhood we only know through clichés – “grocer’s daughter”, “scholarship girl” – by introducing us to the boyfriends we’ve never met and by quoting from her chatty, breathless letters to her sister (“I decided to buy a really nice undie-set to go under my turquoise chiffon blouse”), Moore shows us how impossible it would have been for anyone who knew her as a young woman to imagine what she would become. Related Articles Harry Mount's best political books 22 Jun 2013 He also captures her unsettling personality, her “actressy” manner, her stiffness in public, her private warmth, her inept outbursts and faux pas, almost always using the language of people who were there at the time. During the decade and a half he worked on this authorised biography – of which this is only the first volume – Moore had unprecedented access to her private papers, on condition that nothing be published until after her death. He interviewed just about everyone who knew Thatcher, from her private secretaries to her political enemies, and he did so meticulously, in reverse order of age. (This meant, according to an acquaintance, that “a call from Charles was like a call from the Grim Reaper. When you got it you knew you were now the oldest on the list.”) The thoroughness of the research, the hundreds of interviews, and above a


John ‘Swift Nick’ Nevison found notoriety as what?

John Swift Nick Nevison - Highwaymen and Highway Robbery John "Swift Nick" Nevison "The Glamorous Highwayman" John (also known as William) Nevison was    one of Britain's most flamboyant highwaymen, a man whose exploits earned    him praise from even King Charles II, who was so impressed by the    activities of this gentleman-rogue that he nicknamed the highwayman Swift    Nick - allegedly! A measure of his fame may be surmised from the fact he    is the only highwayman except Claude Du Vall mentioned (albeit briefly) by    name in Lord Macaulay's History of England. Much about his life is shrouded in mystery, and confused by conflicting    accounts from such writers as Macaulay and seventeenth century    pamphleteers, so it can be hard to sort fact from fiction. The Newgate Calendar entry     on William (John) Nevison forms the basis for most modern    biographical entries, although it doesn't mention the feat for which he is    best known - the fabled ride to London that was later attributed to Dick    Turpin. Most probably, Nevison was born at Wortley near Sheffield around    1639/40. He came from a good family - according to reports his father is    variously named as comfortably off wool merchant or  a steward    at Wortley Hall. Although he seems to have been prone to stealing and troublemaking    at school, he worked as a brewer's clerk in London for several years    before absconding to Holland with a debt he had been sent to collect. He    then apparently served in an English regiment under the command of the    Duke of York in  Flanders, distinguishing himself as a soldier,    before returning to England. He seems to have lived quietly with his    father until the old gentleman passed away, leaving him impoverished - at    which point he decided to take to the road. A charming man of tall gentlemanly    appearance and bearing, it is claimed that Nevison never used violence    against his victims. It seems that his romantic reputation was sealed    through a renowned ride from the south of England to York in 1676, a feat    later mistakenly attributed in popular legend to Dick Turpin and his horse    Black Bess. The error arose in a novel called Rookwood written in    1834 by    Harrison Ainsworth, who wrongly attributed the feat to Turpin. In fact the    ride was already on record in 1724 (when Turpin was still a butcher's lad    in Whitechapel), in Daniel Defoe's A Tour Through the Whole Island of    Great Britain , from which the following account is drawn: The Ride to York At 4am one summer morning in 1676, a    traveller at Gads Hill in Kent, England was robbed by John Nevison. The    highwayman then made his escape on a bay mare, crossed the River Thames by    ferry and galloped towards Chelmsford. After resting his horse for half an    hour, he rode on to Cambridge and Huntingdon, resting regularly for short    periods during the journey. Eventually, he found his way to the Great    North Road where he turned north for York. He arrived in York at sunset after a    journey of more than 200 miles, a stunning achievement for both man and    horse. He stabled his weary horse at a York inn, washed and changed his    travel-stained clothes, then strolled to a bowling green where he knew the    Lord Mayor was playing bowls. He engaged the Lord Mayor in a conversation    and then laid a bet on the outcome of the match - and Nevison made sure    the Lord Mayor remembered the time the bet was laid - 8pm that evening. Later, Nevison was arrested for the    robbery in Gads Hill and in his defence, produced the Lord Mayor of York    as his alibi witness. The Lord Mayor could prove Nevison was in York at    8pm on the day of the robbery and the court refused to believe that a man    would have committed that time in Kent and ridden to York by 8pm the same    day. He was found not guilty of that crime and emerged as a folk hero,    even impressing the king of England. The


Which TV series is based on the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ book series?

Game of Thrones 4-Book Boxed Set (A Song of Ice and Fire Series) by George R. R. Martin | 2900345529052 | Paperback | Barnes & Noble® Overview A NEW ORIGINAL SERIES, NOW ON HBO. George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series has become, in many ways, the gold standard for modern epic fantasy. Martin—dubbed the “American Tolkien” by Time magazine—has created a world that is as rich and vital as any piece of historical fiction, set in an age of knights and chivalry and filled with a plethora of fascinating, multidimensional characters that you love, hate to love, or love to hate as they struggle for control of a divided kingdom. It is this very vitality that has led it to be adapted as the HBO miniseries “Game of Thrones.” This boxed set includes the following novels: A GAME OF THRONES


The Golden Wattle is one of the national symbols of which country?

The Golden Wattle Flag The Golden Wattle Flag Support us Introduction The wattle is our only authentic national symbol – totally, unambiguously of this land. It is not conflicted or qualified in its identity or loyalty. It is eloquently, elegantly and undoubtedly Australian. — SCROLL DOWN Introduction The wattle is our only authentic national symbol – totally, unambiguously of this land. It is not conflicted or qualified in its identity or loyalty. It is eloquently, elegantly and undoubtedly Australian. — President, Wattle Day Association A proposal for a new Australian Flag The Golden Wattle Flag is designed to be a ‘new’ symbol that expresses our Australian identity. Over the last three decades, there have been many design proposals put forward for a new Australian flag. Most incorporate familiar symbols such as the Southern Cross, Commonwealth Star and kangaroo.  Much like the wattle, these symbols are some of our most enduring national emblems and will always be part of our collective identity.  The Golden Wattle Flag finds inspiration in these symbols, drawing them in conceptually and concretely, to build on the story of who we are as a nation and a people. Golden Wattle Flag SCROLL DOWN Golden Wattle Flag The Golden Wattle Flag was designed to communicate a primary story of unity, and to celebrate the natural beauty of our land that unites us all.   The Golden Wattle Flag The Golden Wattle Flag is a symbol of our nation’s diversity and aspirations of unity. It represents all the people of Australia, without distinction of race, language, belief or opinion, united equally as one. Wattle star emblem The wattle star emblem represents seven stylised wattle blossoms and the Commonwealth Star. Two national symbols combined as one. The individual flowers arranged around the star suggest the idea of diversity and the unity of our nation. “We are one, but we are many“. The golden wattle is one of our most enduring symbols – it has part of Aboriginal culture for thousands of years, it’s the inspiration behind our national colours, green and gold, and is Australia's national flower. The Commonwealth Star has been the emblem of Australian Federation since 1901.   Colour Green and gold, are the national colours of Australia, first used in 1899. They were derived from the palette of the golden wattle leaf and yellow blossom.    Green and gold are primarily a symbol our land, and associated with sport through its historical use on Australia's national sporting uniforms. The shade of green used on the Golden Wattle Flag is dark myrtle, known in Australia as 'baggy green'. The central yellow emblem also provides an important visual connection to the yellow sun on the Australian Aboriginal Flag  and the Dhari and star on the Torres Strait Islander Flag. Distinctly Australian


CAD - What does CAD stand for? The Free Dictionary CAD - What does CAD stand for? The Free Dictionary http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/CAD C'est A Dire (French: That Is to Say) CAD Ctrl Alt Del (gaming webcomic) CAD Canadian Association of the Deaf CAD Carol Ann Duffy (British poet) CAD Communauté d'Agglomération Dracénoise (French: Agglomeration Community of Dracénoise; Draguignan, France) CAD Communauté d'Agglomération du Douaisis (French: Urban Community of Douai; Douai, France) CAD Collisionally Activated Dissociation (mass spectrometry) CAD California Association of the Deaf CAD Connecticut Association of the Deaf CAD collective address designator (US DoD) CAD Colorado Association of the Deaf CAD Crown Assets Distribution (Public Works and Government Services Canada) CAD Comité de l'Aide au Développement (French: Development Assistance Committee) CAD Coalition des Alternatives Africaines Dettes et Développement (French: African Debt and Development Alternatives Coalition; Mali) CAD Comportementalistes d'Aujourd'hui et de Demain (French: Behaviorists Today and Tomorrow; behavioral specialists association) CAD Communauté d'Agglomération Dijonnaise (French: Agglomeration Community of Dijon; Dijon, France) CAD Centre d'Archives et de Documentation (French: Centre for Documentation and Archives) CAD Characterization and Assessment Division (EPA) CAD Club Alpine Dieppe (French automobile club; Dieppe, France) CAD Capability Analysis Document (US DoD) CAD Cultural Affairs Department (various locations) CAD Coordination and Development (committee; various organizations) Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: Write what you mean clearly and correctly. References in periodicals archive ? 1) After creating or importing a 3-D part model, users create cores and cavities around that model, using either automated routines, generic CAD operations, or some combination of the two to arrive at the parting surfaces. Blow molds grow in sophistication We considered several possibilities, from updating our current system, to evaluating a variety of other CAD solutions. CAD/CAM wises up for the nineties a leading developer of 3D CAD translation software, announced today that it will partner with Autodesk, a leading software and services company, to provide shared customers with the ability to publish 3D-translated CAD drawings into DWF format through the Autodesk DWF Partner Program. Copyright © 2003-2017 Farlex, Inc Disclaimer All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.


Which tree is sometimes called the false plane?

Plane Tree | All About Plane Trees Wood and medicine Plane Trees Don't let the Plane tree's numerous names confuse you. The large deciduous tree is part of a small genus called Platanus, and is often referred to as Plane, Sycamore, Buttonball or Whitewood. Regardless of its many monikers, the tree has definite characteristics that make it a top pick among landscapers. In addition to being admired for its massive size, shade and beauty, the Plane tree's tolerance of pollution make it especially popular with city slickers looking to add some green around their urban dwellings. Appearance of the Tree Plane Tree Leaves Some Plane trees tower to 100 feet or more making them hard to miss amongst a forest of shorter specimens. The fast-growing tree has several distinguishing characteristics, including: Flowers: The tree's flowers form small mesh covered balls containing tiny seeds. The fuzzy, ball-like seed clusters hang from the tree's branches and typically measure between two and four centimeters in diameter. The male flowers are greenish-yellow while the females have a reddish-brown color. Fruit: Similar to the flowers, the Plane tree's fruit resemble small pompoms covered with tiny hairs. In the spring, the fruits break up and are carried away in the wind. Bark: Mature Plane trees sport a distinctive thick, grey, cracked bark. Often the bark will peel off in patches, exposing yellow scales underneath. Leaves: The tree's smooth and shiny broad leaves are indented and feature triangular lobes with pointed teeth. While the Plane tree's large leaves are excellent for shading purposes, they are also apt to clog gutters and storm drains when they fall. In addition, Plane tree foliage that is left in piles on lawns during autumn can kill grass if not cleared in a timely manner.   Plane Tree Types London Plane Tree Plane trees are embraced for their ornamental value. The species is extremely popular in urban areas, though some varieties can also thrive in suburban settings. The most popular types of Plane trees are: London Plane: The tree is a common sight throughout urban England. It is often seen lining city streets or acting as borders around parks. Its large canopy provides ample shade and its tolerance of difficult soil conditions allows it to thrive in various locations. The London Plane is a tough and adaptable specimen, though its large size and expansive root system can wreck havoc in sidewalks and sewer systems. American Plane: The American version of the Plane tree is often referred to as Sycamore, Buttonball or Whitewood. Some trees from this species have exceeded 160 feet tall, though most top off at around 100 feet. The tree is known for its dangly seed balls that remain on the tree's branches throughout the winter months. The seed cluster's bristly hairs are carried in the wind and can exacerbate allergies in some sufferers. Oriental Plane: This type of Plane tree is a bit shorter than its American counterpart. However, what make the Oriental plane even more distinct are the tree's bole (trunk). The unusually flaky trunk molts in most temperate latitudes, though this type of tree benefits more from warm summers. The Many Looks of the Plane Tree Plane Tree in Summer Where the Plane Grows Mature Plane Tree The large trees grow abundantly in North America, Eastern Europe and Asia. They thrive in moist soil and need partial to full sunlight in order to prosper. Some Plane tree specimens can survive in sandy or clay-like soil, though most prefer wetter conditions. Regardless of soil type, the tree's roots need room to expand. In addition, the tree's canopy stretches far and wide and should not be limited to small growing spaces peppered with power lines. Popular Uses Plane Tree Wood While the Plane tree is celebrated for its natural beauty, it also serves other purposes as well, including: Timber: The Plane tree's wood is moderately strong and is often used to construct outdoor furniture. The timber is also used for veneer. Food: The tree's sugary sap can be tapped and used as a topping on pancakes, bread and waffles.


Dying aged 28, who is considered the first great white jazz musician?

Ten Important Musicians of Early Jazz 1.  Scott Joplin (1868-1917) Scott  Joplin is considered the foremost composer of ragtime music. Many of his compositions, including “Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer,” were published and sold across the country. Ragtime, although based on European classical music, led to the development of the style known as stride piano, one of the first forms of jazz. More » continue reading below our video Highest Paid Male Actors Ever Courtesy of Cassel Buy from Amazon Trumpeter Buddy Bolden is credited with bringing a loose, raw approach to instrumental jazz with his loud tone and emphasis on improvisation. He infused ragtime with the blues and black church music and organized ensembles consisting of brass instruments and clarinets, changing the way jazz composers orchestrated their music. Check Amazon rating » Courtesy of Decca Jazz Buy from Amazon Best known as a bandleader, King Oliver was also Louis Armstrong’s teacher and was responsible for launching Armstrong’s career by featuring him in his band. Oliver played with many of the great musicians of early jazz including Jelly Roll Morton. He famously turned down a regular gig at New York’s Cotton Club in 1927 that was snatched up instead by Duke Ellington  and which subsequently helped Ellington rise to fame. Check Amazon rating » Courtesy of ASV Records Buy from Amazon Cornetist and trumpeter LaRocca was the leader of the Original Dixieland Jass Band (later changed to the Original Dixieland Jazz Band) which made the first jazz recordings in 1917. The group consisted of drums, piano, trombone, cornet, and clarinet. Their first cut was called “Livery Stable Blues.” Check Amazon rating » Courtesy of Milestone Buy from Amazon A prolific performer who began by playing in New Orleans brothels, Jelly Roll Morton combined ragtime with various other musical styles, including blues , minstrel show tunes, Hispanic music, and white popular songs. His virtuosity at the piano, and his mixture of composition and improvisation had a lasting effect on jazz performance. Near the end of his life, folklorist Alan Lomax recorded a series of interviews with the pianist. To this day, the recordings of Morton speaking about his early days in New Orleans, and playing examples of various musical styles, provide a valuable glimpse into the beginnings of jazz. Check Amazon rating » Courtesy of Musicmasters 6.  James P. Johnson (1891-1955) Growing up listening to Scott Joplin ’s rags, James P. Johnson was one of the originators of the stride piano style. His music, which used most of the conventions of ragtime, also included improvisation and elements of the blues, two aspects that were widely influential in the development of jazz. The music of Fats Waller , Duke Ellington , and Thelonious Monk is due in large part to the innovations of James P. Johnson. More » Courtesy of Living Era Records 7.  Sidney Bechet (1897-1959) Bechet began playing the clarinet , but developed skill on a multitude of instruments. He is best known for his virtuosic playing on the soprano sax, on which he played lyrical melodies with a voice-like wide vibrato. He is considered the first great jazz saxophonist , and he was the major influence on later stars, especially Johnny Hodges. More » Courtesy of GNP Records 8.  Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) With his unique lyrical approach to the trumpet, Armstrong changed the face of jazz, shifting the focus from collective improvisation to personal expression through soloing. He was also a singer with a distinctive voice, and had a knack for scat singing . Throughout his career, he never lost the ability to appeal to a wide audience, and because of his celebrity and his lovable persona, he was selected by the U.S. State Department to represent his country as a musical ambassador, promoting jazz on international tours. Read my profile of Armstrong's life and work. More » Courtesy of Old Masters Trumbauer, who played alto and C melody saxophones, is best known for his collaborations with Bix Beiderbecke. Trumbauer’s sound was clear and refined, and hi


What was the stage name of jazz pianist Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe?

Jelly Roll Morton - Pianist, Songwriter - Biography.com Jelly Roll Morton Jelly Roll Morton was an American pianist and songwriter best known for influencing the formation of modern day jazz during the 1920s. IN THESE GROUPS Famous People Who Died in 1941 quotes “It is evidently known, beyond contradiction, that New Orleans is the cradle of Jazz and I, myself, happened to be the creator in the year 1902.” Jelly Roll Morton Synopsis Born on October 20, 1890 (some sources say 1885), in New Orleans, Louisiana, Jelly Roll Morton cut his teeth as a pianist in his hometown's bordellos. An early innovator in the jazz genre, he rose to fame as the leader of Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers in the 1920s. A series of interviews for the Library of Congress rekindled interest in his music shortly before his death, on July 10, 1941, in Los Angeles, California. Early Years Ferdinand Joseph Lamothe was born on October 20, 1890 (though some sources say 1885), in New Orleans, Louisiana. The son of racially mixed Creole parents—he was a mix of African, French and Spanish—he eventually adopted the last name of his stepfather, Morton. Morton learned to play piano at age 10, and within a few years he was playing in the red-light district bordellos, where he earned the nickname "Jelly Roll." Blending the styles of ragtime and minstrelsy with dance rhythms, he was at the forefront of a movement that would soon be known as "jazz." National Star Morton left home as a teenager and toured the country, earning money as a musician, vaudeville comic, gambler and pimp. Brash and confident, he enjoyed telling people that he had "invented jazz"; while that claim was dubious, he is believed to have been the first jazz musician to put his arrangements to paper, with "Original Jelly Roll Blues" the genre's first published work. After five years in Los Angeles, Morton moved to Chicago in 1922 and produced his first recordings the following year. Beginning in 1926, he led Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers, a seven- or eight-piece band comprised of musicians who were well-versed in the New Orleans ensemble style. The Red Hot Peppers earned national fame with such hits as "Black Bottom Stomp" and "Smoke-House Blues," their sound and style laying the foundation for the swing movement that would soon become popular. Morton's four-year run with the group marked the pinnacle of his career, as it provided a prominent platform for him to display his immense talents as a composer and a pianist. Morton moved to New York in 1928, where he recorded such tracks as "Kansas City Stomp" and "Tank Town Bump." Despite making use of homophonically harmonized ensembles and allowing more room for solo improvisation in his music, he remained true to his New Orleans roots, producing music that gradually came to be viewed as old-fashioned within the industry. As a result, Morton fell out of the limelight and struggled to earn a living during the bleak times of the Great Depression. Late Career, Death and Legacy Morton was managing a jazz club in Washington, D.C., in the late 1930s when he met folklorist Alan Lomax. Beginning in 1938, Lorax recorded a series of interviews for the Library of Congress in which Morton offered an oral history of the origins of jazz and demonstrated early styles on the piano. The recordings helped rekindle interest in Morton and his music, but poor health prevented him from staging a legitimate comeback, and he died in Los Angeles, California, on July 10, 1941. Although Morton may not have been the inventor of jazz, he is regarded by fans and experts as one of the art form's great innovators. He was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005, underscoring the far-ranging impact of his influence as a musician. Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Citation Information


Who was the leader of the famous Creole Jazz Band, which first performed in 1922?

musicians   Joe "King" Oliver :       King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band was the most popular band of the early 1920s. This band was originally from New Orleans. King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band best captured the feel of New Orleans jazz music. Oliver played the trombone as a child, but later switched to cornet . While playing in the band of Edward "Kid" Ory in 1917, the famous trombonist coined Joe Oliver "King" of the cornet. Oliver joined Bill Johnson in Chicago in 1919, and soon after assumed control of the band. This famous band consisted of some of the greatest jazz musicians of the 1920s. Oliver played cornet, Johnson played bass, Johnny Dodds played clarinet, and Baby Dodds played on the Drums.        In 1922, Oliver invited a young musician, Louis Armstrong, to join the band as a second cornetists. Armstrong was immediately popular and added to the growing prestige of King Oliver's band. They were recorded in 1923, and were famous as a New Orleans jazz band. The Band played in Chicago's Lincoln Gardens until 1924. From 1925-1927, Oliver led the Dixie Syncopators at the Plantation Cafe. During a disastrous tour in 1927, Joe Oliver made the biggest error of his career. He was offered a position as performer and band leader in a club in New York. Oliver was unsatisfied with the starting pay, and had refused to compromise. As a result, The Cotton Club hired a young man named Duke Ellington. By 1929, Oliver's failing health, bad investments, and changes in the direction of jazz, led to the dissipation of Oliver's career. Although Oliver died in relative obscurity, he was a true giant of the Jazz Age, and his contributions to jazz were unsurpassed in the early 1920s. More On King Oliver Edward "Kid" Ory:      Kid Ory was the first great jazz trombonist, and was in high demand in the 1920s. His New Orleans band ( formed in 1912) fostered many young and rising jazz musicians, including: King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Johnny Dobbs, Sidney Bechet, and many others. Ory brought the New Orleans sound to Los Angeles in 1919. He became the leader of the first African American band to record New Orleans jazz music in 1922. This recording included "Ory's Creole Trombone and Society Blues." Ory joined King Oliver's Dixie Syncopators in Chicago in 1925 and played with him until 1927. Kid Ory played on many of the early recordings of King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, and Jelly Roll Morton, and was unparalleled in his mastery of the trombone. He went on to have an extremely successful career, not retiring until 1966. Louis Armstrong:       Louis Armstrong rose to fame in the 1920s. His mentor had been Joe "King" Oliver. Oliver had often sent Armstrong out on jobs that he could not fit into his schedule. In 1919 Oliver went to Chicago, leaving Louis to fill his place in the best jazz band in New Orleans, that of Kid Ory. In 1921, King Oliver wired Armstrong from Chicago and asked Louis to join him in Chicago's Lincoln Gardens. This was a pivotal point in Armstrong's life. Armstrong felt that New Orleans was his home, but he admired King Oliver too much to reject the offer. Later in life, Armstrong stated, "His (Oliver's) calling for me was the biggest feeling I had musically." In Chicago, Oliver utilized Louis' harmonic talent by improvising a line, and letting Louis complete the melody. This awed jazz enthusiasts, and word of Louis' talent spread throughout the city. While King Oliver was Armstrong's mentor, his talent as a soloist dimmed in comparison to Louis'.          Louis married for the second time in 1924, to jazz pianist Lil Hardin. She encouraged Louis to break off from Oliver's band in 1924. He accepted a position with Fletcher Henderson, the leader of one of the most prestigious dance halls in New York City. It was from Fletcher Henderson that Louis learned about composition and music terminology. Through this band, Louis was able to directly influence the sound of the dance hall jazz. At the Rosewood Ballroom on Broadway, Armstrong added the classic New Orleans sound to the sophisticated sound of the popular jazz. Amazed by Louis


Which hunter is the arch-enemy of Bugs Bunny?

All this and rabbit stew - YouTube All this and rabbit stew Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Nov 18, 2008 All This and Rabbit Stew is a one-reel animated cartoon short subject in the Merrie Melodies series, produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on September 20, 1941 by Warner Bros. Pictures and The Vitaphone Corporation. It was produced by Leon Schlesinger and directed by an uncredited Tex Avery, with musical supervision by Carl W. Stalling and voices by Mel Blanc. All This and Rabbit Stew features Bugs Bunny being hunted by a slow-witted Black hunter The cartoon's central gag sequence, involving the hunter constantly ending up on the wrong side of a rolling log hanging over a cliff, was repurposed for Bob Clampett's 1946 Looney Tunes short The Big Snooze. For that film, the animation of the Black hunter was redrawn into animation of Elmer Fudd. Due to the film's racial stereotyping, All This and Rabbit Stew has not been seen on television since 1968, and is one of the "Censored Eleven" group of banned Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies shorts. Category


Whose mother-in-law is Pearl Slaghoople?

Fred and the Old Fossil - YouTube Fred and the Old Fossil Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Aug 20, 2013 When Fred arrives back to home after he won in bowling, he's surprised to see his "beloved" mother-in-law waiting for him. Starting: Dame Elizabeth Taylor as Pearl Pebble-Slaghoople John Goodman as Fred Flintstone Elizabeth Perkins as Wilma Slaghoople-Flintstone Elaine and Melanie Silver as Pebbles Flintstone Category


Which animal has species called Burchell’s and Grevy’s?

How Many Zebra Species Are There? | Animals - mom.me How Many Zebra Species Are There? Zebras form large herds to investigate new feeding areas. Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images There are three species of zebra: Burchell's or the plains zebra, Grevy's zebra and the mountain zebra. Although each species looks similar, there are differences in appearance. Zebra of all species prefer to live in open grassland, and you'll find them in Eastern Africa, particularly in Kenya, and in parts of southern Africa, especially around the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers. Zebra Species Like horses and asses, zebras belong to the equid family. The main characteristics shared by the group are that they are long-lived, fast movers with large teeth suitable for chewing anything herbivorous. Zebra, regardless of species, live approximately 25 years in the wild and up to 40 in captivity. The zebra looks similar to a horse, except he has a short, tufted mane and those distinctive stripes. Each zebra species has its own general stripe pattern, but more fascinatingly, every zebra has his own unique stripe pattern, in the way that a person has a unique set of fingerprints. Scientists offer a few suggestions about the purpose of a zebra's stripes. They may act as camouflage or like sunscreen, or they may keep flies away or help zebras to recognize each other according to the National Geographic. Burchell's Zebra As is typical in the sciences, two species of zebra are named after the scientists who discovered and identified them. Burchell's zebra, which also is referred to as the plains zebra, is the most numerous of the three species. One of the best places to see plains zebra is in the Serengeti park in Tanzania, according to the African Wildlife Foundation. The plains zebra likes to live in smallish units consisting of a stallion, a few mares and their young. These small units occasionally get together with others to form spectacularly enormous herds. These herds usually are the first to enter new grazing pastures, particularly wetlands. They trample down the long vegetation so the gazelle and wildebeest can follow. Grevy's Zebra Grevy's zebra is larger than Burchell's, weighing between 770 and 990 pounds compared to 485 to 550 pounds for a Burchell's zebra. Two features distinguish it from the other zebra species: it has a longer mane and larger ears. The Grevy is only about 5 inches taller than Burchell's zebra, which indicates that Burchell's zebra has a much stockier body. Perhaps that is why the Romans used Grevy's zebra, which they called hippotigris, to pull carts in circuses. Grevy's zebra are found mostly in northern Kenya, but in substantially reduced numbers. There are only around 2,500 Grevy's in Africa compared to 15,000 just a few decades ago, according to the AWF. Converting grazing land to agricultural use is one major threat to these animals. The Mountain Zebra The mountain zebra has two subspecies: Hartmann's and the Cape mountain zebra. These species mostly live in southern Africa, particularly Namibia and western South Africa. Compared to Burchell's and Grevy's zebra, this species prefers mountainous areas. His stripes are thinner and more numerous than those of the Burchell's zebra, and he has broad stripes on his rump that distinguish him from the other two species. He also has a fold of skin on his throat, called a dewlap, that other zebras don't have. Both subspecies are classified as endangered. In the past hunting decimated herds, but land cultivation now is a bigger threat. Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images Author Based in London, Eleanor McKenzie has been writing lifestyle-related books and articles since 1998. Her articles have appeared in the "Palm Beach Times" and she is the author of numerous books published by Hamlyn U.K., including "Healing Reiki" and "Pilates System." She holds a Master of Arts in informational studies from London University. See More Animals


Which is the only mammal able to kneel on all fours?

Mammals of Costa Rica Sloth by Adrian Hepworth Before man hunted them to extinction, there were many more mammal species. Even today all large- and many small-mammal populations are subject to extreme pressure from hunting or habitat destruction, and it is only recently that large-mammal populations in the national parks are beginning to recover. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times for wildlife viewing, particularly around water holes (the dry regions of Guanacaste offer prime locations). Anteaters Anteaters are common in lowland and middle-elevation habitats throughout Costa Rica. Anteaters are purists and subsist solely on a diet of ants and termites, plus a few unavoidable bits of dirt. There is no doubt about what the best tool is for the job--a long tongue with zillions of microscopic spines. The anteater's toothless jaw is one long tube. When it feeds using its powerful forearms and claws to rip open ant and termite nests, its thong of a tongue flicks in and out of its tiny mouth, running deep into the galleries. Each time it withdraws, it brings with it a load of ants, which are scraped off inside the tunnel of its mouth and swallowed, ground down by small quantities of sand and gravel in its stomach. The most commonly seen of Costa Rica's three anteater species is the tree-dwelling lesser anteater (or tamandua locally), a beautiful creature with a prehensile tail and the gold-and-black coloration of a panda bear. It can grow to 1.5 meters and weigh up to eight kilograms. One of my fondest memories is seeing a tamandua climbing down a tree in Santa Rosa National Park. When it saw me, it climbed back up again! The giant anteater, with its huge, bushy tail and astonishingly long proboscis, is now restricted to the less sparsely forested areas of the Osa Peninsula. It can grow to two meters long and when threatened rears itself on its hind legs and slashes wildly with its claws. It also raises its tail over its head. Even machetes cannot cut through the tough bristles; thus the fearsome critter is revered among campesinos for its magical abilities. At night you may with luck see the strictly arboreal, cat-sized silky anteater, which can hang from its strong prehensile tail. Bats The most numerous mammals by far are the bats, found throughout Costa Rica. You may easily come across them slumbering by day halfway up a tree or roosting in a shed. In true Dracula fashion, most bats are lunarphobic: they avoid the bright light. On nights one week before and after the full moon, they suspend foraging completely and stay in their roosts while the moon is at its peak, probably for fear of owls. Many bat species--like the giant Jamaican fruit bat (murciélago frútero), with a wingspan of more than 50 cm--are frugivores (fruit eaters) or insectivores, and quite harmless. The Jamaican bat favors figs, taken on the wing. The vampire bats (Ticos call them vampiros)--which belong to the Neotropics, not Transylvania--are a different matter: they inflict an estimated $100 million of damage on domestic farm animals throughout Central and South America by transmitting rabies and other diseases. The vampire bat's modus operandi is almost as frightening as the stuff of Bram Stoker's Dracula. It lands on or close to a sleeping mammal, such as a cow. Using its two razor-sharp incisors, it then punctures the unsuspecting beast and, with the aid of an anticoagulant saliva, merrily squats beside the wound and laps up the blood while it flows. They're pretty much harmless to humans. The most interesting of bats, however, and one easily seen in Tortuguero, is the fishing bulldog bat (murciélago pescador), with its huge wingspan (up to 60 cm across) and great gaff-shaped claws with which it hooks fish. It fishes by sonar. Skimming the water surface it is able to detect slight ripples ahead. The bat then drops its hooked feet at just the right moment and--presto!--supper. Cats Costa Rica boasts six endangered members of the cat family. All are active by day and night, but are rarely seen. Although they are legally protected and spo


What will be taking place in a town called Sochi in February?

National Geographic Magazine - NGM.com Sochi, Russia Putin’s Party For Russia, hosting the Winter Olympics could prove it has finally reemerged as a global power. But the beach resort of Sochi—a target for Islamist insurgents, on the site of an alleged genocide—is an unlikely place to stage the celebration. By Brett Forrest Photograph by Thomas Dworzak Valery Inozemtsev ascends a high mountain path through the churned mud of development. He climbs past an Olympics dormitory, past a Moscow bureaucrat’s sprawling new dacha and trucks hauling gravel and steel beams—past all the things that were never here before. Inozemtsev has lived in this formerly sleepy village of Krasnaya Polyana in the Russian North Caucasus for a half century, since before it became a matter of urgent Kremlin concern. “This was the best place in the Soviet Union,” he says. “Virgin nature. And now... ” His voice trails off in discontent. Inozemtsev, 73, continues up the mountain in long, youthful strides. Reaching a wood of chestnut trees, he pauses to fling back his brown cape. He runs two fingers over his white, bushy mustache, then points down the mountainside to the cranes and the construction workers who are busy shredding Krasnaya Polyana, shaping it into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s grand public achievement. “Sometimes I imagine that an earthquake will come and destroy it all,” Inozemtsev says. Through alpine mist, in the southern depths of a once powerful empire, the Olympics have nearly arrived. Russia is an empire no more. Like other great and large nations, however, it still aches to be one. It must find an outlet for its urges, and over two weeks in February, it will have it. Through force of Russian will, the Winter Olympics are coming to an unlikely location. The Sochi Games on the Black Sea coast will take place in the backyard of a recent war with Georgia, on the site of what many call the genocide of a people (the Circassians), and in the orbit of an Islamic insurgency (in Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetiya, and Kabardino-Balkariya). The state has resurrected a fearsome militia, the Cossacks, to help keep the peace that some might design to upend. Allegations of graft circulate widely, high temperatures threaten the snowfall necessary for competition, and activists have called for a boycott over antigay legislation enacted by the Russian parliament. In response Putin has banned protests and rallies in Sochi during the games. A resort town along the Black Sea’s beaches, Sochi drew the wealthy under Tsar Nicholas II, then Soviet leaders and communist workers, with a complex of sanatoriums built to soothe the ill effects of northern winters. These structures are now wan and disintegrating, the fronds of Slavic palm trees wafting over a more provincial clientele in one of Russia’s few subtropical cities. Though Sochi is host to these Olympic games, however, the actual competitions will be staged elsewhere. The skating events will take place in Adler, 17 miles south along the coastline. Ski races will be in Krasnaya Polyana, 29 miles east into the Caucasus range. Nearly every venue for the games has been built from scratch—the ice rinks in Adler, the bobsled run and facsimile alpine villages of Krasnaya Polyana, the rail and infrastructure that connect and enable. The current official price tag, $50 billion, is probably lowballed. Even so, the Sochi Olympics have cost more than any games before them. With many billions of dollars conjured up and carried away, this is not the tightest business plan ever designed. But this is not business. Nor is it mainly a sporting matter. The event is intended to be the culmination of the achievements of Putin, a leader who many Russians believe was dispatched by God to guide Russia away from its defeats and ignominies. The seed of these games was planted in his mind more than a decade ago. A single two-lane road runs through the valley formed by the many Caucasian peaks of Krasnaya Polyana. Just a few years ago this was a humble skiing village of a few thousand people, its innocence guarded by the loc


Which unlikely country qualified for the 2015 Cricket World Cup Finals by beating Kenya?

Afghanistan qualify for ICC World Cup 2015 after beating Kenya by 7 wickets - Cricket Country › Afghanistan qualify for ICC World Cup 2015 after beating Kenya by 7 wickets In a fantastic display of grit and determination, strife-torn Afghanistan qualified for its maiden ICC World Cup after defeating Kenya by seven wickets to finish second in the World Cricket League Championship in Sharjah. | Updated : October 4, 2013 4:21 PM IST Afghanistan join Ireland in qualifying for the ICC World Cup 2015 © Getty Images Sharjah: Oct 4, 2013 In a fantastic display of grit and determination, strife-torn Afghanistan qualified for its maiden ICC World Cup after defeating Kenya by seven wickets to finish second in the World Cricket League Championship in Sharjah. Deciding to field first after winning the toss, Afghanistan dismissed Kenya for 93 in 43.3 overs and then achieved the target in 20.5 overs with seven wickets to spare. The victory meant Afghanistan finished on 19 points — five behind champions Ireland , which qualified for ICC’s flagship event to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 2015. The architects of Afghanistan’s victory were left-arm spinner Hamza Hotak, captain Mohammad Nabi and Hashmatullah Shaidi . Hotak finished as the pick of bowlers with figures of 10-1-19-3, while Nabi scored 46 not out and Shaidi 13 not out. The pair of Nabi and Shaidi put on 62 for the fourth wicket, after Shem Ngoche had taken two wickets in five balls to reduce Afghanistan to 34 for three. By virtue of finishing second in the World Cricket League Championship, Afghanistan has earned a place in Pool A that includes co-hosts Australia and New Zealand, as well as Bangladesh, England, Sri Lanka and Qualifier 3. Afghanistan will play its opening match in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 against Bangladesh at Manuka Oval, Canberra, on February 18 while its other matches will be against Sri Lanka (February 22 Dunedin), Qualifier 3 (February 26, Dunedin), Australia (March 4, Perth), New Zealand (March 8, Napier) and England (March 13, Sydney). It has been a remarkable journey for Afghanistan which was playing in the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 5 in 2008. In 2010, it qualified for the ICC World Twenty20 West Indies 2010 by winning the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier UAE 2010. It then finished second to Ireland in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier UAE 2012, to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 2012 . Afghanistan also played in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2010 in New Zealand and the 2012 edition in Australia. Brief scores: Kenya 93 in 43.3 overs (Morris Ouma 39, Rakep Patel 18; Hamza Hotak 3 for 19, Karim Sadiq 2 for 10, Mohammad Nabi 2 for 10, Hamid Hassan 2 for 11) lost to Afghanistan 96 for 3 in 20.5 overs (Mohammad Nabi 46*, Hashmatullah Shaidi 13*; Shem Ngoche 2 for 30) by 7 wickets. First Published on October 4, 2013 4:21 PM IST Last updated on October 4, 2013 4:21 PM IST TOPICS: 20 Jan, 2017 16:00 IST Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 20 Jan, 2017 21:30 IST SuperSport Park, Centurion 22 Jan, 2017 08:50 IST | 03:20 GMT Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney 22 Jan, 2017 13:30 IST | 08:00 GMT Eden Gardens, Kolkata 22 Jan, 2017 18:00 IST | 12:30 GMT The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg 25 Jan, 2017 21:30 IST | 16:00 GMT Newlands, Cape Town 26 Jan, 2017 08:50 IST | 03:20 GMT Adelaide Oval, Adelaide


Which England football manager has the highest win percentage (67%) of all?

World Football: 11 Best Currently Active Managers | Bleacher Report World Football: 11 Best Currently Active Managers By Manuel Traquete , Senior Analyst Sep 2, 2010 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow 6.6K 624 Comments In football, having good players is not enough to create a winning team: you need a skilled manager to turn those players into a strong collective force. Behind every successful team there is a brilliant manager pulling the strings. The following list contains those who are, in my opinion, the 11 best managers in the world. I've based my choice mainly on success, since I believe that, as José Mourinho once said, "the best coach is the one who wins most." I'm aware that I left out some excellent managers, but it's hard to pick 11 when there are so many great managers around. Here's the list. Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images How could the World Cup winner be left out? Simply put, he just couldn't. Del Bosque's career is filled with success. He has won everything with Real Madrid (two La Liga titles, one Spanish Super Cup, two Champions Leagues, one Uefa Super Cup and one Intercontinenal Cup), except the Copa del Rey. Then he has led Spain to World Cup glory for the first time in their history. One might argue that he always had fantastic squads at his disposal, but in no way does that belittle his success. This amazing tactician has always managed to take the most out of his players, thus building an incredibly successful career. Winning percent throughout his career: 58.3 percent Guus Hiddink Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Guus Hiddink always takes success and excellent football everywhere he goes. At the club level, he had an incredible career at PSV, leading the club to six Dutch Leagues and a Champions League. He had short stays at Real Madrid and Chelsea, but in both cases managed to win a trophy. At the international level, he worked a miracle by leading South Korea to the semi-finals at the 2002 World Cup and, in 2006, he led Australia to the knockout stages, something that had never been achieved by the Australians before. He also did a great job with Russia, reaching the semi-finals of the Euro 2008. He is currently coaching Turkey and it's pretty much guaranteed that he will do a great job. Winning percentage: 57.7 percent Louis Van Gaal Alex Livesey/Getty Images Another manager who takes success everywhere he goes. Van Gaal has won four Dutch Leagues (three with Ajax, one with AZ), two Spanish Leagues with Barcelona and one Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. He has also won the Champions League with Ajax. To this day, he has won 19 trophies in his coaching career. Every club he coached won trophies. In 2009/2010, in his first season with Bayern Munich, he led the club to the domestic double and reached the final of the Champions League. There's no denying it: Van Gaal is a winner. Winning percentage: 61.7 percent Rafael Benitez Claudio Villa/Getty Images Some might not like Rafa, but his success is undeniable. With Valencia, he won two Spanish Leagues, beating the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid. (Galaticos) Then, in Liverpool, he won the Champions League in his first season, by defying all odds and beating much stronger teams along the way. He then got to the final again in 2007 but couldn't win again. Since 1984, he is the only manager to bring European glory to the Reds. He was recently appointed as Inter Milan's manager and he'll finally have the chance to lead a star-filled team. If he manages to lead Inter to glory, he will have proved once and for all that he is one of the best managers in the world. Winning percentage: 54.3 percent Fabio Capello Michael Regan/Getty Images Fabio Capello is one of the most successful managers in the world. He started his coaching career in Milan (1991-1996), where he won four Leagues, three Italian Super Cups, a Champions League, a European Super Cup and an Italian Cup. He won almost everything and became an AC Milan coaching legend. He was two seasons in Real Madrid (1996-1997 and 2006-2007) and he won La Liga on both occasions. With Roma, he won an


Who became chief editor of Cosmopolitan magazine in 1965?

Cosmopolitan Magazine | Flickr Cosmopolitan Magazine First issue1886 (as a literary magazine) 1965 (as a women's magazine) CompanyHearst Corporation LanguageEnglish Websitehttp://www.cosmopolitan.com Cosmopolitan is an international magazine for women. It was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women's magazine in the late 1960s. Also known as Cosmo, its content as of 2011 included articles on relationships and sex, health, careers, self-improvement, celebrities, as well as fashion and beauty. Published by Hearst Magazines, Cosmopolitan has 63 international editions, is printed in 32 languages and is distributed in more than 100 countries. Contents 1.1 Helen Gurley Brown arrives 2 Cosmopolitan in 2011 3 Awards by Cosmopolitan, and features 4 Criticism History Cosmopolitan began as a family magazine, launched in 1886 by Schlicht & Field as The Cosmopolitan. Paul Schlicht told his first-issue readers that his publication was a "first-class family magazine", adding, "There will be a department devoted exclusively to the interests of women, with articles on fashions, on household decoration, on cooking, and the care and management of children, etc.There was also a department for the younger members of the family." Cosmopolitan's circulation reached 25,000 that year, but by March 1888, Schlicht & Field were no longer in business. John Brisben Walker acquired the magazine in 1889. That same year, he dispatched Elizabeth Bisland on a race around the world against Nellie Bly to try to draw some attention. Under John Brisben Walker's ownership, E. D. Walker, formerly with Harper's Monthly, took over as the new editor, introducing color illustrations, serials and book reviews. It became a leading market for fiction, featuring such authors as Annie Besant, Ambrose Bierce, Theodore Dreiser, Rudyard Kipling, Jack London, Willa Cather, and Edith Wharton. The magazine's circulation climbed to 75,000 by 1892. In 1897, Cosmopolitan announced plans for a free correspondence school: "No charge of any kind will be made to the student. All expenses for the present will be borne by the Cosmopolitan. No conditions, except a pledge of a given number of hours of study." When 20,000 immediately signed up, Walker could not fund the school and students were then asked to contribute 20 dollars a year. Also in 1897, H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds was serialized, as was his The First Men in the Moon (1900). Olive Schreiner contributed a lengthy article about the Boer War. In 1905, William Randolph Hearst purchased the magazine for US$400,000 (approximately $11,000,000 in 2007 prices) and brought in journalist Charles Edward Russell, who contributed a series of investigative articles, including "The Growth of Caste in America" (March 1907), "At the Throat of the Republic" (December 1907 - March 1908) and "What Are You Going to Do About It?" (July 1910 - January 1911) and "Colorado - New Tricks in an Old Game" (December 1910). Other contributors during this period included Alfred Henry Lewis, Sinclair Lewis, A. J. Cronin, David Graham Phillips, George Bernard Shaw, Upton Sinclair, and Ida Tarbell. A constant presence from 1910-18 was Arthur B. Reeve, with 82 stories featuring Craig Kennedy, the "scientific detective." Magazine illustrators included Francis Attwood, Dean Cornwell, James Montgomery Flagg, and Harrison Fisher. March 1894 issue With a circulation of 1,700,000 in the 1930s, Cosmopolitan had an advertising income of $5,000,000. Emphasizing fiction in the 1940s, it was subtitled The Four-Book Magazine since the first section had one novelette, six or eight short stories, two serials, six to eight articles and eight or nine special features, while the other three sections featured two novels and a digest of current non-fiction books. During World War II, sales peaked at 2,000,000. The magazine began to run less fiction during the 1950s. Circulation dropped to slightly over a million by 1955, a time when magazines were overshadowed during th


The State of Iowa - An Introduction to the Hawkeye State from NETSTATE.COM The State of Iowa Iowa State Capitol, Des Moines Welcome to Iowa, the Hawkeye State. With its fertile, rolling prairies, Iowa is one of the foremost farming states in the United States. One fifth of the nation's corn harvest is produced in Iowa. Wet springs combined with warm summers create a favorable environment for plantings of corn and soybeans in the state's top-grade farmland. Although agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, Iowa has also encouraged the growth of manufacturing and service industries. If you are going to have large farms, you might as well ensure that you have the right equipment to work those farms, and in that spirit Iowa produced the first gasoline-powered tractor in 1892 (John Froelich, Clayton County). Today, the state claims the largest tractor manufacturing plant in the U.S. THE STATE NAME: The state of Iowa, originally a territory of Wisconsin west of the Mississippi River, was named after the Iowa River. The Iowa River was named after the Iowa Indians who lived in the territory. The tribal name "Ayuxwa" was spelled by the French as "Ayoua" and by the English as "Ioway." "Ayuxwa" means "one who puts to sleep." James Fenimore Cooper The Hawkeye State This popular nickname for the state of Iowa is said to have come from the scout, Hawkeye, in James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans published in 1826. According to the Iowa State web site, "Two Iowa promoters from Burlington are believed to have popularized the name." The nickname was given approval by "territorial officials" in 1838, twelve years after the book was published and eight years before Iowa became a state. The two men responsible for the promotion of this nickname are thought to be Judge David Rorer of Burlington and the newspaper publisher, James G. Edwards of Fort Madison and, later, Burlington. Burlington had been established in 1833 after the Black Hawk War of 1832. Mr. Edwards changed the name of his Burlington newspaper, The Iowa Patriot , to The Hawk-Eye and Iowa Patriot in tribute to his friend Chief Black Hawk. Judge Rorer is said to have suggested "The Hawkeye State" after finding the name in The Last of the Mohicans while Mr. Edwards proposed the nickname "Hawk-eyes" in 1838 to "...rescue from oblivian [sic] a momento [sic], at least of the name of the old chief," Black Hawk. Marshall County, Iowa The Corn State This nickname pays tribute to Iowa's corn crop. Iowa leads the country in the production of corn. Iowa has also been called the "Land Where the Tall Corn Grows," in tribute. Land of the Rolling Prairie Iowa has been referred to as the "Land of the Rolling Prairie" because of the vast rolling prairies that covered the state. THE STATE QUARTER: United States Mint Image The Iowa quarter is the fourth of 2004, and the 29th in the 50 State Quarters® Program. On December 28, 1846, Iowa became the 29th state to be admitted into the Union. The Iowa quarter design features a one-room schoolhouse with a teacher and students planting a tree, and the inscriptions "Foundation in Education" and "Grant Wood." The design is based on "Arbor Day," a painting by Grant Wood, who was born near Anamosa, Iowa. He spent his career as a proponent of small-town values, which he celebrated in the iconic images of small-town plain folk and verdant Midwestern vistas for which he is world-renowned. Iowans have had a commitment to education since the State's earliest days. When Iowa became a state in 1846, it already had a number of rural country schools in each of its counties. Iowa established its first high school in the 1850s, although high schools generally did not become widespread in the United States until after 1900. Private and public colleges also quickly took root in the new State. Although Iowa has long been a leader in agriculture, the State is unique in that it is the only one whose east and west borders are completely formed by rivers - the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. In May 2002, Governor Thomas J. Vilsack established the 16-member Iowa


Which phrase used in English stems from the French meaning ‘already seen’?

Which French Phrases and Sayings are used in English - the meaning and origin of this phrase High quality, especially of cooking. Cordon sanitaire A political or medical buffer zone. Coup d'état An abrupt overthrow of a government through unconstitutional means, for example, by force, or by occupation of government structures during the leader's absence. Coup de grâce Originally a blow by which one condemned or mortally wounded is 'put out of his misery'. Figuratively, a finishing stroke, one that settles or puts an end to something. Crème brûlée 'Burnt cream' - baked custard with a carmelized crust Crème caramel A flan. A custard dessert with a layer or caramel on top. Crème de la crème The best of the best. Literally the cream of the cream. Cri de coeur 'Cry of the heart' - a heartfelt cry of anguish. Cul-de-sac A thoroughfare that is closed at one end - a blind alley. Also, figuratively, a venture leading to no successful outcome. Déjà vu Obligatory or expected, especially with reference to fashion. Double entendre A word or phrase that has a double meaning - one of which is often vulgar or sexual in nature. A staple form of British toilet humour - Carry On films would be virtually silent without it; for example, see 'gone for a P' in wee-wee . Du jour 'Of the day' - as in 'soup du jour' ('soup of the day'). Éminence grise A powerful adviser or decision-maker who operates secretly or unofficially. Literally 'grey eminence'. Enfant terrible Literally, a "terrible child". It is sometimes used to describe unruly children. More commonly, it is used in relation to adults who cause trouble by unorthodox or ill-considered speech or behaviour - especially those who have habitually done this from an early age. En masse In a group; all together. En passant


Which poet wrote The Pied Piper of Hamelin?

The Pied Piper of Hamelin - Poems | Academy of American Poets Academy of American Poets The Academy of American Poets is the largest membership-based nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation for contemporary poetry and supporting American poets. For over three generations, the Academy has connected millions of people to great poetry through programs such as National Poetry Month, the largest literary celebration in the world; Poets.org, the Academy’s popular website; American Poets, a biannual literary journal; and an annual series of poetry readings and special events. Since its founding, the Academy has awarded more money to poets than any other organization. browse poems & poets sign up to receive a new poem-a-day in your inbox sign up Pirate Story by Robert Louis Stevenson Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson Loneliness by Trumbull Stickney read this poet's poems Robert Browning was born on May 7, 1812, in Camberwell, England. His mother was an accomplished pianist and a devout evangelical Christian. His father, who worked as a bank clerk, was also an artist, scholar, antiquarian, and collector of books and pictures. His rare book collection of more than 6,000 volumes included works in Greek, Hebrew, Latin, French, Italian, and Spanish. Much of Browning's education came from his well-read father. It is believed that he was already proficient at reading and writing by the age of five. A bright and anxious student, Browning learned Latin, Greek, and French by the time he was fourteen. From fourteen to sixteen he was educated at home, attended to by various tutors in music, drawing, dancing, and horsemanship. At the age of twelve he wrote a volume of Byronic verse entitled Incondita, which his parents attempted, unsuccessfully, to have published. In 1825, a cousin gave Browning a collection of Percy Bysshe Shelley ’s poetry; Browning was so taken with the book that he asked for the rest of Shelley's works for his thirteenth birthday, and declared himself a vegetarian and an atheist in emulation of the poet. Despite this early passion, he apparently wrote no poems between the ages of thirteen and twenty. In 1828, Browning enrolled at the University of London, but he soon left, anxious to read and learn at his own pace. The random nature of his education later surfaced in his writing, leading to criticism of his poems' obscurities. In 1833, Browning anonymously published his first major published work, Pauline, and in 1840 he published Sordello, which was widely regarded as a failure. He also tried his hand at drama, but his plays, including Strafford, which ran for five nights in 1837, and the Bells and Pomegranates series, were for the most part unsuccessful. Nevertheless, the techniques he developed through his dramatic monologues—especially his use of diction, rhythm, and symbol—are regarded as his most important contribution to poetry, influencing such major poets of the twentieth century as Ezra Pound , T. S. Eliot , and Robert Frost . After reading Elizabeth Barrett’ s Poems (1844) and corresponding with her for a few months, Browning met her in 1845. They were married in 1846, against the wishes of Barrett's father. The couple moved to Pisa and then Florence, where they continued to write. They had a son, Robert "Pen" Browning, in 1849, the same year his Collected Poems was published. Elizabeth inspired Robert's collection of poems Men and Women (1855), which he dedicated to her. Now regarded as one of Browning's best works, the book was received with little notice at the time; its author was then primarily known as Elizabeth Barrett's husband. Elizabeth Barrett Browning died in 1861, and Robert and Pen Browning soon moved to London. Browning went on to publish Dramatis Personae (1864), and The Ring and the Book (1868–1869). The latter, based on a seventeenth-century Italian murder trial, received wide critical acclaim, finally earning a twilight of reknown and respect in Browning's career. The Browning Society was founded while he still lived, in 1881, and he was awarded honorary degrees by Oxford University