From which country did Angola gain independence in 1975?

BBC ON THIS DAY | 11 | 1975: Divided Angola gets independence 1975: Divided Angola gets independence The southern African state of Angola has gained its independence from former colonial power Portugal. The leader of one of the country's rival factions, Dr Agostinho Neto, of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), has been proclaimed the country's first president. In the capital, Luanda, huge crowds cheered and soldiers fired shots into the air as the new country's flag was raised at midnight. However, the main groups vying for power held separate independence ceremonies. The MPLA held a huge ceremony at a stadium in the capital, Luanda, attended by a representative from the Soviet Union. 'Slave pool' In a speech, Dr Neto was critical of the Portuguese for not recognising the MPLA as the "sole legitimate representative" of the Angolan people. Meanwhile, the rival Union for the Total Independence of Angola (Unita) announced it had joined forces with another liberation movement to form a national council which would act as Angola's government. Angola's independence ends nearly 500 years of Portuguese rule. Initially the Portuguese used Angola as a "slave pool" for its more lucrative colony in Brazil and mined Angola's precious gemstones and metals. Resistance to Portuguese rule was widespread by the mid-20th century but was complicated by clashes between the various African communities.


After Brazil which is the largest coffee producing country in the world ?

Top Coffee Producing Countries - WorldAtlas.com Economics Top Coffee Producing Countries The top coffee producers on the planet. The 10 nations who produce and export the most coffee per year. A map of the world made up of coffee beans With a café on nearly every corner in countless cities around the globe, it comes as no surprise that coffee is one of the top commodities worldwide. As the global third most consumed beverage, after water and tea, coffee beans are in high demand everywhere. The top producing nations each produce millions of kilograms of coffee beans that find their way into the hands of eager consumers. Second only to oil, coffee is the world's second most traded commodity , with about half a trillion cups drank per year. Not only used for brewing a cup of joe, the coffee bean (through decaffeination) provides caffeine for beverages (cola), pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Despite the different flavours there are two main commercially grown beans Arabica which accounts for 70% of coffee and the Robusta bean which is far cheaper and easier to grow. These are the ten nations that the International Coffee Organization named the world's top producers of coffee: 10 – Guatemala 224,871 US tons Guatemalan Coffee Workers Empty Beans for Sorting Guatemala produced 204,000,000 kilograms of coffee beans in 2015, and their production numbers have remained fairly consistent over the past few years. Coffee beans are most abundant in Guatemala in years where the temperature hovers between 16 and 32°C, and at altitudes between 500 and 5,000 metres above sea level. Guatemala was Central America's top producers till it was overtaken by Honduras in 2011. Guatemala came into the coffee game predominantly to find an export to replace indigo and cochineal, two of their early exports that were rendered useless once chemical dyes were invented in the 1800s. At the time, the government began a policy of support for the industry by offering trade and tax benefits. In the 1960's the government further pushed for greater global demand for Guatemalan coffee through the establishment of Anacafé (Asociación Nacional del Café), a marketing association which, to this day, continues to promote the nation's coffee products worldwide. 9 – Mexico 257,940 US tons Ancient Pyramids in Mexico In 2015, Mexico produced over 234,000,000 kilograms of coffee beans. The nation predominantly produces high quality Arabica beans grown in the coastal regions near the border of Guatemala and is responsible for majority of U.S. coffee imports. In the 1990s there was a crisis in Mexico's coffee production, as the International Coffee Agreement was dismantled and worldwide coffee prices and export quotas were no longer strictly controlled, leading to an inability for Mexico to compete in the global market. This decline in coffee prices and production led to lost income and social issues throughout the nation of Mexico. While coffee production declined over the 90s and into the 2000s, steady demand from the United States has led to a recovery in the Mexican coffee market, from an all time low of 1.7 million bags (60 kg) in 2005, to 4.0 million in 2014. 8 – Uganda 314,489 US tons The Ugandan Virunga Mountains While Uganda may not come to mind when you think of coffee production, at 285,300,000 kilograms produced in 2015, it is the Central African nation's top-earning export. It has moved past Mexico in 2015 to become the 8th largest producer of coffee. The nation grows both Robusta beans – a crop native to the Kibale forest area – as well as Arabica beans from nearby Ethiopia. Coffee is a vital part of the Ugandan economy, with a large portion of the population working in coffee related industries. Coffee production was initially a reasonably unsuccessful state-controlled sector, however, after government privatization in 1991, a strong revival of the sector was seen, leading to a 5100% increase in production since 1989. However, the government does still exert control on the industry, with flow out of the country controlled by the Uganda Coffee Development Auth


Which 1847 book tells the story of the four orphaned Beverley children who are saved by gamekeeper Jacob Armitage?

LibriVox Librivox Acoustical liberation of books in the public domain Menu Frederick MARRYAT (1792 - 1848) The Children of the New Forest is a children's novel published in 1847 by Frederick Marryat. It is set in the time of the English Civil War and the Commonwealth. The story follows the fortunes of the four Beverley children who are orphaned during the war, and hide from their Roundhead oppressors in the shelter of the New Forest where they learn to live off the land. The story begins in 1647 when King Charles I has been defeated in the civil war and has fled from London towards the New Forest. Parliamentary soldiers have been sent to search the forest and decide to burn Arnwood, the house of Colonel Beverley, a Cavalier officer killed at the Battle of Naseby. The four orphan children of the house, Edward, Humphrey, Alice and Edith, are believed to have died in the flames. However, they are saved by Jacob Armitage, a local gamekeeper, who hides them in his isolated cottage acting as his grandchildren. Under Armitage's guidance, the children adapt from an aristocratic lifestyle to that of simple foresters. After Armitage's death, Edward takes charge and the children develop and expand the farmstead, aided by the entrepreneurial spirit of the younger brother Humphrey. They are assisted by a gypsy boy, Pablo, who they rescue from a pitfall trap. A sub-plot involves a hostile Puritan gamekeeper named Corbould who seeks to harm Edward and his family. Edward also encounters the sympathetic Puritan, Heatherstone, placed in charge of the Royal land in the New Forest, and rescues his daughter, Patience, in a house-fire. Edward leaves the cottage and works as a secretary for Heatherstone, but Edward maintains the pretence that he is the grandson of Jacob Armitage. (Summary from Wikipedia) Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Historical


In which European city is Marco Polo Airport?

Venice Marco Polo Airport Top 11 Free Sights Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) What you need to know before arriving or departing at Venice's international airport, including advice on reaching the city by boat, bus, or taxi. By Durant Imboden For many foreign visitors, flying to Italy means booking a ticket to Milan or Rome. And that's a shame, because Venice's Marco Polo International Airport is often a more convenient gateway. Why? Distance to the city center is one reason. The Piazzale Roma is just 20 minutes away by land taxi or airport bus , and the Lido, the Piazza San Marco, and other locations in the historic center are easy to reach via the Alilaguna airport boat . ABOVE: An aerial view of Venice's international airport, which is built on the edge of the Venetian Lagoon. INSET BELOW: An Emirates jet arrives in Venice, and a ticket counter for Venice's public bus and boat services. Marco Polo Airport is also more manageable in size than its counterparts in Milan and Rome, although it can feel like a Third-World airport if you're departing on a weekend or on a day when thousands of passengers have been disgorged by cruise ships. Consider yourself fortunate if you arrive or depart on a clear day, when views from the air can be breathtaking. You'll see the Dolomites, the Adriatic, and the Venetian Lagoon. You'll see land that's submerged at high tide, suggesting a Northern Italian version of Atlantis. And if you're on the right side of the plane, you'll see the city itself, with instantly recognizable landmarks like the Campanile di San Marco and the Grand Canal. Arriving at VCE If you're renting a car, you'll find rental counters in the arrivals lounge. Other services include free luggage carts, public telephones, baggage storage, toilets, tourist information, hotel bookings, currency exchange, and tickets for local and regional transportation. (See the links to the Marco Polo airport's Web site on the next page if you have questions about passenger services.) For information on ground transportation, use the "Also see" navigation links below. You may also find our aerial photo map helpful, although some of Google's satellite details may not be up to date. Warning: If you have a luggage problem, filing a claim can be a frustrating experience . Not long ago, one of our suitcases didn't arrive on an Air France from Paris, and we had to stand in line for more than three hours to make a report.


Jonny and Colin Greenwood are members of which alternative rock band?

Jonny Greenwood | Radiohead Knowledge Base | Fandom powered by Wikia Guitar, piano, keyboards, ondes Martenot Years active 1985—present Jonathan Richard Guy "Jonny" Greenwood (born 5 November 1971) is an English musician and composer best known as the lead guitarist and keyboardist of the alternative rock band Radiohead . Noted for his aggressive playing style, which features heavy use of effects, melodic arpeggios - often played in unusual time signatures - and unique use of noises and feedbacks (particularly from the album Kid A onward), Greenwood is considered by many to be one of the greatest guitarists of all time. A multi-instrumentalist, Greenwood also plays instruments including the bass guitar, drums, viola, harmonica, and the ondes Martenot, an early electronic instrument. Along with the other members of Radiohead , he also works with electronic instruments and techniques such as programming, sampling and looping, and writes music software used by Radiohead . Greenwood composed the soundtracks for the films Bodysong (2003), There Will Be Blood (2007), Norwegian Wood (2010), We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011), The Master (2012) and Inherent Vice (2014), and serves as composer-in-residence for the BBC Concert Orchestra. He is the younger brother of Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood . Early Life Edit Jonny Greenwood was born on 5 November 1971 in Oxford, England. When he was a child, Jonny's family only had four cassettes in their car: the songs of Simon and Garfunkel "(though bizarrely not sung by them)", Mozart’s horn concertos, and two musicals ("Flower Drum Song" and "My Fair Lady"). When the cassettes weren't playing, Jonny would listen to the noise of the engine and try to recall every detail of the music. Along with his older brother, Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood , he attended the private boys' school Abingdon School, where he met his bandmates Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar), Ed O'Brien (guitar, backing vocals), and Phil Selway (drums) and joined their band On a Friday . The youngest member of the band, Greenwood was two school years below Yorke and his brother, and the last to join. He first played harmonica and then keyboards, but soon became the lead guitarist, and had previously been in a band called Illiterate Hands with Nigel Powell and Yorke 's brother Andy Yorke . Career Edit Greenwood is the only member of Radiohead to have been classically trained on any instrument, and the only band member without a university degree; he was three weeks into a degree in music and psychology at Oxford Brookes University when Radiohead , then known as On a Friday , signed a recording contract with EMI in 1991, and left soon after. Greenwood stated that hearing Krzysztof Penderecki during that time had a significant influence on his perception of modern classical music. Greenwood's influence on Radiohead's recording and writing can be heard in many songs, as he usually takes the traditional lead guitarist role. In the 1990s, Greenwood wore an arm brace due to a repetitive strain injury attributed to his aggressive playing, saying "it's like taping up your fingers before a boxing match." Greenwood is often credited as the second major influence on songwriting in Radiohead , next to Thom Yorke . He wrote the music for the closing track of OK Computer , ("The Tourist"), and the intro, chorus and outro sections of the song "Subterranean Homesick Alien" from the OK Computer album, as well as the final section of " Paranoid Android ". According to Yorke, the track "Just" from The Bends was "a competition by me and Jonny to get as many chords as possible into a song". An example of Greenwood's versatility is his use of the ondes Martenot, which is featured on songs such as "The National Anthem" and "How to Disappear Completely" from the album Kid A , and " Pyramid Song " from the album Amnesiac . The song "Where I End and You Begin" from Hail to the Thief , which also features the instrument, was dedicated to the memory of Jeanne Loriod, a pioneer of the Martenot. Greenwood is interviewed by Suzanne Binet-Audet about his


At the 2016 Oscars a film about which singer won the Oscar for best documentary?

Amy wins best documentary feature Oscar | Film | The Guardian Oscars 2016 Amy wins best documentary feature Oscar Asif Kapadia’s tribute to the jazz and pop singer beats Joshua Oppenheimer’s The Look of Silence to win the prize Sunday 28 February 2016 22.43 EST Last modified on Sunday 28 February 2016 22.46 EST Share on Messenger Close Amy, Asif Kapadia’s tribute to the jazz and pop singer Amy Winehouse , has won the Oscar for best documentary feature. Kapadia’s film examines how Winehouse’s addictions to alcohol and drugs intensified in fame’s glare, culminating in her death from alcohol poisoning in 2011. It was the favourite to win from early on in the awards race, and won the top documentary prizes at a clutch of ceremonies, including the Baftas and Producers Guild Awards. Amy, which is the UK’s highest grossing non-fiction film , marks Kapadia’s first Oscar win, from his first nomination. His previous film, Senna, about the Brazilian Formula One racing driver, controversially didn’t make the 2012 shortlist . Sign up to our Film Today email Read more One person who won’t be celebrating Kapadia’s win is Amy’s father, Mitch. He has called Kapadia’s film “a one dimensional, miserable and misleading portrayal of Amy” , and has contested the film’s portrayal of him exploiting her talent . Kapadia and his team have said the film is a fair representation that they got of Amy from conducting more than 100 interviews with friends and family.


At which Battle of 1812 did the British and allied forces under Wellington defeat a French Army led by Marmont?

The 20 greatest battles in British history - Telegraph Britain at War The 20 greatest battles in British history The National Army Museum is launching a contest to find Britain's greatest  battle, from a list of 20 it has drawn up. Culloden (1745), which marked the end of the Jacobite rebellion  7:40AM GMT 20 Jan 2013 This is the National Army Museum's list of the 20 battles it considers the greatest in British history. It is launching a competition to identify which one is considered the greatest of all. Naseby (First English Civil War) 14 June 1645 Naseby, Northamptonshire, England The decisive battle of the First English Civil War. The Royalists, under King Charles I, clashed with the Parliamentarians, led by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell. The Royalists were thoroughly defeated by the disciplined New Model Army. More than 1,000 Royalists were killed and around 6,000 captured. Related Articles Blenheim (War of the Spanish Succession) 13 August 1704 Blenheim, Bavaria (in modern-day Germany) Fought between a Grand Alliance and the French-Bavarian Army. Blenheim has gone down in history as one of the turning points of the War of the Spanish Succession. The overwhelming Allied victory ensured the safety of Vienna from the Franco-Bavarian army, thus preventing the collapse of the Grand Alliance. Allied casualties were 4,500 killed and 7,500 wounded, whereas the enemy suffered losses of 38,600 killed, wounded or taken prisoner. It destroyed the myth of French invincibility. Culloden (Jacobite Rebellion of 1745) 16 April 1746 Drumossie Moor (to the north-east of Inverness), Scotland The last pitched battle fought on British soil. Charles Edward Stuart (The Young Pretender) led the Jacobite forces into battle with a Royalist army, under the Duke of Cumberland. The battle ended any hope of the Stuarts regaining the throne, safeguarding the succession of the Protestant House of Hanover. Plassey (Seven Years War) 23 June 1757 Plassey (in present-day West Bengal, India) Fought between the forces of Siraj Ud Daulah, the last Nawab of Bengal (and his French support troops) and the troops of the British East India Company, led by Robert Clive (later referred to as Clive of India). This battle ultimately led to the establishment of British rule in India. Quebec (Seven Years War) 13 September 1759 Plains of Abraham, outside Quebec City (in present-day Canada) General Wolfe’s army won a stunning victory over the French. It is one of the greatest victories of the Seven Years War (1756-63) and marked the beginning of the end of French power in North America. Lexington (American War of Independence) 19 April 1775 Lexington, Massachusetts (in present-day USA) The famous ‘shot heard round the world,’ marked the start of the American War of Independence. This momentous event has taken on an almost mythical quality in the American consciousness. The episode was not a large affair, but was politically disastrous for the British. The violence turned a colonial revolt against British economic policy into a fight for political independence. Salamanca (Peninsular War) 22 July 1812 Arapiles, Salamanca, Spain The Battle of Salamanca saw Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish armies under the Duke of Wellington defeat Marshal Auguste Marmont 's French forces. The victory was one of Wellington’s finest and proved that he was more than just a good defensive general after he had quickly seized on an opportunity to attack Marshal Marmont’s divisions when they became too extended after marching across his front. Waterloo (Napoleonic Wars) 18 June 1815 Waterloo (in present-day Belgium) The Battle of Waterloo was the last great battle of the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815) and marked the end of France’s attempt to dominate Europe. Aliwal (First Sikh War) 28 January 1846 Aliwal (in present-day Punjab, India) The British were led by Sir Harry Smith, while the Sikhs were led by Ranjodh Singh Majithia. The British won a victory which is sometimes regarded as the turning point of the First Anglo-Sikh War. Balaklava (Crimean War) 25 October 1854 Balaklava, Crimean Pe


The Missouri Breaks National Monument is in which US State?

Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument – Travel guide at Wikivoyage Understand[ edit ] From Fort Benton to the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, the monument spans 149 miles of the Upper Missouri River, the adjacent Breaks country, and portions of Arrow Creek, Antelope Creek, and the Judith River. The Missouri is the longest river in the United States, flowing more than 2,500 miles from its source on the eastern slope of the Rockies near Three Forks , Montana, to its confluence with the Mississippi River at St. Louis , Missouri . History[ edit ] The Breaks country was a model for many of the paintings done by painter Charles M. Russell. The area has remained largely unchanged in the nearly 200 years since Meriwether Lewis and William Clark traveled through it on their epic journey. Created by Proclamation by President William J. Clinton on January 17, 2001, it encompasses 495,502 acres (200,523 ha). The adjacent Missouri River was designated a Wild and Scenic River in 1976 and forms a western boundary while the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge is to the east. Congress designated 149 miles of the Upper Missouri (UMNWSR) as a component of the National Wild and Scenic River System in 1976, calling it an irreplaceable legacy of the historic American west. Congress further stated that the river, with its immediate environments, possesses outstanding scenic, recreational, geological, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, and other similar values. BLM was directed to preserve the Upper Missouri River in a free-flowing condition and protect it for the benefit of present and future generations. The UMNWSR boundary starts at Fort Benton, Montana, and runs 149 miles downstream ending at the James Kipp Recreation Area. Landscape[ edit ] The Breaks is a series of badland areas characterized by rock outcroppings, steep bluffs and grassy plains. The valley of the Upper Missouri was originally laid down in horizontal layers, the sediments and shorelines of a great inland sea that once covered most of the Great Plains . These layers have since been folded, faulted, uplifted, modified by volcanic activity and sculpted by glaciers. Erosion then added to the variety seen along the river today, a landform known as the Breaks. Flora and fauna[ edit ] The Breaks is home to at least 60 mammal species and hundreds of bird species. Willows and shrubs are found along the Missouri River banks while sagebrush and short grass prairie are dominant elsewhere. Forty-nine species of fish (ranging from 1/2-oz. minnows to 140 lb. paddlefish) reside in the river. Fishermen are most likely to catch goldeye, drum, sauger, walleye, northern pike, channel cat, carp, and small mouth buffalo. Of the six remaining paddlefish populations in the United States, the Upper Missouri's appears to be the largest in average size. Generally only taken by snagging in the spring during upstream spawning runs, they are excellent table fare. Occasionally floaters may see these lunkers roll on the surface. Other unusual species in the river are the endangered pallid sturgeon and shovel nose sturgeon. Pronghorn antelope and mule deer are the most prevalent on the bench land above the river. You may also see beaver, coyotes, bald and golden eagle, white-tailed deer, and the occasional bighorn sheep while you are floating the river. Get in[ edit ] The Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center is located at 701 7th Street, Fort Benton, Montana. From Great Falls : Travel on U.S. 87 north for 40 miles to Fort Benton. Once in town, turn left onto 13th Street and right on Front Street. Take Front Street to 7th and turn left. From Glacier National Park : Follow U.S. 2 to Highway 223 in Chester. Travel south on Hwy 223 for 54 miles to Fort Benton. Once in town, turn left on 13th Street and right on Front Street. Take Front Street to 7th and turn left. Traveling from Lewiston : Travel west on U.S. 200 to Stanford. Turn right (north) on Highway 80 and travel 57 miles to Fort Benton. In town, turn left on Front Street. Take Front Street to 7th and turn left. The Misso


In Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf what animal does the clarinet represent?

Amazon.com: Prokofiev: Peter and The Wolf/Carnival of the Animals and Other Great Children's Classics: St. Petersburg Radio & TV Symphony Orchestra Stanislav Gorkovenko: MP3 Downloads By HB on March 2, 2005 Format: Audio CD The previous review complains that the CD does not mention the fact that Peter and the Wolf is without narration. He must have not looked very closely. In the left hand corner, it clearly states "without narration". That is the main reason I bought it. The performance of Peter is simply amazing. The orchestral playing is as close to perfection as you will ever hear. Heard with narration, the music sounds trite. Without the talk, it is beautiful. And the recorded sound is outstanding, clear as a bell. The second Prokofiev work is the rarely played "Tales of an old Granmother". It is quite forgettable. The Saint-Saens Carnival of the Animals performance is several notches below Peter and the Wolf. Indeed, I found the performance to be on the flat side. However, at less than 5 dollars, and with a unique perspective of a highly familiar warhorse, this CD is still an excellent value. If you enjoy great orchestral playing, buy this CD before it is deleted. By tbbbnbab on May 2, 2001 Format: Audio CD The first time I heard this album was the first time I had heard "Peter and the Wolf" since I was a kid. The wave of nostalgia was wonderful. The sound quality is very good (important to me) and my young sons have really enjoyed the music as way of following the story. The "Carnival of the Animals" is also a treat. I would recommend this disc highly for your own enjoyment, but also for those who want to introduce their children to classical music in a way that will capture their interest and make it fun for all of you. By Mr Lapin on June 6, 2009 Format: Audio CD|Verified Purchase I've been looking for an "adult" performance of Peter and the Wolf for quite some years. All the narrated recordings I've heard have clearly been aimed at children. Besides, if I want to follow the story while I listen, I think I can do so reasonably well without some popular actor or rock star reading it to me. So I was pleased to see that finally someone had allowed the music to speak for itself. But we seem to have a misunderstanding here. By "adult," I didn't mean "humorless." I can't recall ever hearing a more wooden reading of Peter and the Wolf. Sure, most of the notes are there, although the string playing in the regional orchestra up the road rather handily beats that of this St Petersburg group for expression, ensemble, and intonation. But in spite of valiant attempts by some of the instrumental soloists to breathe a little life into the performance, our time-beater Stanislav Gorkovenko seems grimly determined to stomp it all out. If you want your Peter without patter, it appears that you haven't many other choices. Pity. By Eric S. Kim on October 12, 2009 Format: Audio CD Sergei Prokofiev and Camille Saint-Saens have created unique compositions of their own. Here, we have "Peter and the Wolf, "Tales of an Old Grandmother," and "Carnival of the Animals." All three pieces seem more appropriate for children because of their playful melodies and simplistic structures, but adults and teenagers can get a kick out them as well. Prokofiev wrote "Peter and the Wolf" back in 1936 during the early Soviet era. Written obviously for children, each character in the musical story are given their own instrumental themes. The strings represent Peter, while the French Horns represent the Wolf. A duck is represented by an oboe, a cat a clarinet, and so on. Originally, a narrator tells the story while the music plays on. This particular recording, however, omits the original narration, and I'm glad that they cut it out. I don't want to hear celebrity voices (Captain Kangaroo, Patrick Stewart, etc.) during the entire performance as they really distract me from listening to the actual music. It was a good decision from the producers and the conductor, since the text is pretty corny, anyway (no offense to Prokofiev). In Sa


From which country does Fynbo cheese come?

Where Does Swiss Cheese Come From? Where Does Swiss Cheese Come From? 2008.12.15 | Filed Under: The World 1 Comment We use the term Swiss cheese for a certain kind of cheese with holes in it. In other countries, and in Switzerland too, this cheese is known as Emmentaler, because it was first made during the fifteenth century in the Emmen Tal, a valley in Switzerland. Did you know that little of the Swiss cheese we eat in the United States actually comes from Switzerland? In an average year, some 60 million pounds of Swiss cheese are imported by the United States, but only about 11 percent of that cheese comes from Switzerland. Much of our imported Swiss comes from Finland and Denmark, and many other countries produce it, including the United States. The holes in Swiss cheese are caused by the mold cultures used to produce the cheese. Gases given off by the molds form small holes in the cheese, which enlarge as the cheese “rises” while curing. Swiss cheese is usually shipped in gigantic wheels. The average weight of one of these wheels is 160 pounds! Swiss cheese-makers once had to pay a highway tax. The tax was based on how many cheeses they carried, not the total weight of their cheese. So to save money, the Swiss made their cheese in huge wheels. Read More


Which star, the brightest in the constellation Lyra, is the fifth-brightest of all the stars visible in the night sky?

Lyra Constellation on Top Astronomer Lyra Please hover over any star to get more information Lyra is a constellation in the northern hemisphere. It was introduced by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. The constellation is associated with the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus, the great musician killed by the Bacchantes. Orpheus carried with him the first lyre ever made, invented by Hermes and given to him by the god Apollo. After Orpheus' death, Zeus dispatched an eagle to fetch the lyre from the river into which it had fallen and then turned both into constellations in the sky. The lyre became the constellation Lyra and the eagle became Aquila . The constellation is sometimes depicted as an eagle or a vulture carrying a lyre and was also once known as Aquila Cadens ("falling eagle") or Vultur Cadens ("falling vulture"). The constellation Lyra occupies an area of 286 square degrees and contains five stars with known planets. It can be seen at latitudes between +90° and -40° and is best visible at 9 p.m. during the month of August. The brightest star in Lyra is [5350] alpha Lyrae, better known as Vega, the second brightest star in the northern hemisphere and fifth brightest star in the sky. Lying only about 25 light-years away, Vega was the first star outside our solar system to have its photograph taken. Its name derives from the Arabic phrase "al-nasr al-waqi," which means either "the swooping eagle" or "the swooping vulture." Along with stars [435] Altair in Aquila and [3067] Deneb in Cygnus , Vega forms the Summer Triangle, an asterism that can be seen overhead in mid-northern latitudes in the summer. Around the year 12,000 BC, Vega was the polar star. In northern Polynesia, it was known as "whetu o te tau," or "the year star" because at one point it marked the beginning of a new year. Assyrians called the star the "Judge of Heaven," while the Akkadian name for it was Tir-ana, or "Life of Heaven." To ancient Babylonian astronomers, Vega represented one of the "Messengers of Light." The Chinese identify the star with Zhi Nu, a fairy separated from her mortal husband and children. The Japanese, who call the star Orihime, have a similar legend. [5352] beta Lyrae or Sheliak ("harp") is a binary star composed of two B-type stars that are so close together that it is impossible to resolve them with an optical telescope. It is a variable star that serves as the prototype for the Beta Lyrae group of stars. [5351] gamma Lyrae, also known as Sulafat ("tortoise") and Jugum ("yoke"), is a multiple star system lying approximately 635 light-years from Earth. The main component is a B-type bright giant, with luminosity about 2,100 times that of the Sun. [5362] - [5364] epsilon Lyrae, also known as The Double Double, is a quadruple star system, with two binary stars orbiting each other. Epsilon Lyrae is about 162 light-years distant from Earth. It can be spotted with the naked eye. Another star that serves as a prototype for an entire group of stars is RR Lyrae, a variable star that varies in brightness between magnitudes 7 and 8 within a period of about 13 hours. The constellation is home to several notable deep sky objects. Messier 56 (NGC 6779) is a globular cluster 84 light-years across in size, lying approximately 32,900 light-years from Earth. Messier 57 (NGC 6720) or the Ring Nebula, is a bipolar planetary nebula formed by a shell of gas expelled by a dying star, located between [5352] beta and [5351] gamma Lyrae. Gliese 747AB is a red dwarf lying near [5366] 17 Lyrae. It is also known as Kuiper 90 or 17 Lyrae C. It was previously believed to be a part of the 17 Lyrae system.


Who founded the Order of the Thistle in 1687?

Order of the Thistle - 必应 Sign in Order of the Thistle The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland (James II of England and Ireland) who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order. The Order consists of the Sovereign and sixteen Knights and Ladies, as well as certain "extra" knights (members of the British Royal Family and foreign monarchs). The Sovereign alone grants membership of the Order; he or she is not advised by the Government, as occurs with mo ... (展开) st other Orders. The Order's primary emblem is the thistle, the national flower of Scotland. The motto is Nemo me impune lacessit (Latin for "No one provokes me with impunity"). The same motto appears on the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom for use in Scotland and some pound coins, and is also the motto of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, Scots Guards, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada and Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. The patron saint of the Order is St Andrew. Most British orders of chivalry cover the whole United Kingdom, but the three most exalted ones each pertain to one constituent country only. The Order of the Thistle, which pertains to Scotland, is the second-most senior in precedence. Its equivalent in England, The Most Noble Order of the Garter, is the oldest documented order of chivalry in the United Kingdom, dating to the middle fourteenth century. In 1783 an Irish equivalent, The Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick, was founded, but has now fallen dormant. The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Thistle Order of the Thistle电影简介和剧情介绍,Order of the Thistle影评、图片、预告片、影讯、论坛、在线购票 ... 我要写影评 Order of the Thistle的影评 · · · · · · (全部 0 条) ... https://movie.douban.com/subject/5175934 The Order of the Thistle is the greatest order of chivalry in Scotland, recognising sixteen Knights with the highest honour in the country and recognises Scottish men ... https://www.royal.uk/order-thistle 分类“Order of the Thistle ”中的媒体文件 以下13个文件属于本分类，共13个文件。 Aristide Michel Perrot - Collection historique des ordres de chevalerie civils et militaires ... commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Order_of_the_Thistle?... Order of the Thistle is a featured article; it (or a previous version of it) has been identified as one of the best articles produced by the Wikipedia community. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Order_of_the_Thistle


"Who wrote the 12 volume novel sequence ""A Dance to the Music of Time”?"

Dance to the Music of Time Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665), A Dance to the Music of Time The Wallace Collection, London. Used by permission. Poussin's painting above provides both the title for Anthony Powell's series and also the inspiration for its structure and themes. "These classical projections, and something from the fire, suddenly suggested Poussin's scene in which the Seasons, hand in hand and facing outward, tread in rhythm to the notes of the lyre that the winged and naked greybeard plays. The image of Time brought thoughts of mortality: of human beings, facing outward like the Seasons, moving hand in hand in intricate measure, stepping slowly, methodically sometimes a trifle awkwardly, in evolutions that take recognizable shape: or breaking into seemingly meaningless gyrations, while partners disappear only to reappear again, once more giving pattern to the spectacle: unable to control the melody, unable, perhaps, to control the steps of the dance." (A Question of Upbringing, 2) Introduction      Anthony Powell wrote the 12-novel sequence called Dance to the Music of Time during the years 1950-1974. A comic masterpiece, it follows the life of Nicholas Jenkins, the narrator, for nearly fifty years, from, 1926 to 1971. Here, Powell is seen holding his favorite cat, Trelawney, who was named for the disreputable mystic, Dr. Trelawney, of the sixth volume, The Kindly Ones.      This set of pages, dedicated to Powell's comic epic, is the product of two English classes at Phillips Academy, Andover -- English 574, "The Longest Novel Ever Written." During the academic years 2001-2 and 2007-8 students, mostly twelfth graders, studied the entire duodecology, book by book. As they finished each one, they produced essays on various critical issues raised within it. What has resulted is a sort of intellectual journal of their reading, as they worked deeper and deeper into this fascinating, complex work.      Each set of essays appears on the page dedicated to the relevant novel. For those unfamiliar with Dance, each page begins with a short synopsis and a character list for that novel -- both written by the class. Each list mentions only significant characters. The essays follow.       Page numbers refer to the University of Chicago editions, which are identical to the revised Little Brown and Heinemann ones.       Two final remarks: members of the class have some great debts to record. First, we owe many thanks to the Wallace Collection, and its representative Ms. Emma Baudey, who have generously allowed us use of the Poussin image while our class is in progress. Those who wish to visit the collection virtually or in person can find much information at their website:


What was the name of the Celtic fire festival, which marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter?

The Sacred Fire - Celtic Festivals Samhain Our modern celebration of     Halloween is a descendent of the ancient Celtic festival     called "Samhain;" meaning Summer's End. Samhain     was the first day of winter, and the end of one pastoral     year. It was the time when the night became longer than     the day, the last apples were picked, and the year began     again with its dark winter half. Also called Samhiunn or     Hallowe'en, this festival is sometimes called Trinoux     Samonia or "Three Nights of the End of Summer." Originally a Druidic festival, it was     celebrated on the eve of November 1 (October 31 -     technically, either date is appropriate as the Celts     measured the day from sunset to sunset.) It is balanced     by Beltane (or Bealtaine, Beltaine) which signals the     start of summer, 6 months later. The ancient Celts     probably held them exactly mid-way between an equinox     (when day and night were equal) and the following     solstice (when the nighttime was shortest or longest). In ancient times all of the fires of     Ireland were extinguished and relighted from the one     great fire kindled by the King's chief Druid, on the hill     of Tlachtga. Members of each family would light torches     to carry back and rekindle their own hearth-fires, which     were then kept burning the rest of the year. The     assemblies of the five Irish provinces at Tara Hill, the     seat of the Irish king, took place at Samhain. These     gatherings were celebrated with horse races, fairs,     markets, assembly rites, political discussions, and     ritual mourning for the passage of summer. Samhain is a time when the veil between     this world and the Otherworld (or the Sï¿½dh,) was very     thin, and divine beings, the spirits of the dead, and     mortals can move freely between one world and the next. In some Celtic     traditions, most notably the Scottish Highlands, young     men would run the boundaries of their farms after sunset     with blazing torches to protect the family from the     Faeries and malevolent forces that were free to walk the     land at night, causing mischief. Samhain was seen as a     time when the future could most easily be predicted, and     was a favored time among Druids for ritual     fortune-telling. As in     other major Celtic Festivals, Samhain was a gateway, a     celebration of the transition from one season and     another. In Celtic mythology, at the heart of every     gateway is a paradox. The threshold is literally between     two worlds but is, in itself, in neither and in both at     the same time. Thus Samhain belonged to both Summer and     Winter...and to neither. It was the gateway to the     winter, and a magical time of passage between the     seasons. As in     many pastoral societies, winter was regarded with a     mixture of anticipation and dread. Samhain was the last     gasp of summer... a time of uninhibited feasting, dancing     and celebration. It was a time of release; a time to let     go of all unwanted baggage, fears and attitudes, just as     the trees let go of their leaves. So the lives of men     parallel the sacred cycles of nature.   Imbolc Imbolc, which literally means "in milk", traditionally has marked the     lactation period of ewes and cows. Ewes are unable to produce milk until after they bear their young, which     occurs at this time. Since milk was very important to the     basic survival of the tribes, this was a time of great     joy. It meant that the end of a long winter was in sight,     and green pastures were only a few months away. During the Imbolc ritual it was customary     to pour milk (or cream) onto the earth. This was done in     thanksgiving, as an offering of nurturing, and to assist     in the return of fertility and generosity of the earth to     its people (the


The brightest star in the constellation Canis Minor is also the eighth brightest in the whole night sky. What is its name?

The ten brightest stars in the night sky « La bitácora de Galileo » Basic astronomy Sirius (Alpha Canis Majoris) The brightest star in the entire night sky. Located further south of the celestial equator at -16.7 °, it is visible from virtually the entire planet. White, with a magnitude of -1.5 and a distance of about 8 light-years, is the main star of the constellation Canis Major (The Greater Dog), so it is also known as Dog Star. Important since ancient times, in ancient Egypt it marked the beginning of the Nile flood, which is essential for the agricultural survival of this well-known civilization. Canopus (Alpha Carinae) The second brightest star, after Sirius, with a visual magnitude of -0.72. It is the main component of Carina (The keel), and in the works of Homer represents Canopus, the pilot of the ship of King Menelaus . As it is a star of the deep Southern Hemisphere, south of Bahía Blanca (Argentina) and Valdivia (Chile), it is circumpolar, which means it never sets below the horizon. However, it is not visible from anywhere in Europe, requiring latitudes from 20 ° N for contemplation. It is a yellowish-white giant. Rigil Kentaurus (Alpha Centauri) The third brightest star is a system consisting of three components, the main of which is a yellow magnitude -0.01, but considering that the system can’t be resolved with the naked eye, its magnitude -0.29 jointly makes it occupy this place. Found in the constellation of Centaurus, just 4.36 light-years from our solar system, constituting the closest system. One of its components, Proxima Centauri, is the star that is closest to us, 4.23 light-years away. It is a very small Red Star, only visible with powerful telescopes. The system is not visible at higher latitudes of 20 ° N. Centaur is one of the best known classical myths, it’s Chiron, a creature with the body and legs of a horse and man torso and arms. Arcturus (Alpha Bootis) The fourth star in order of brightness is the main member of the Bootes constellation, visible at latitudes up to 50 ° S, and is the brightest of the northern Celestial Hemisphere, presenting a magnitude of -0.04. It is an orange giant about 37 light years away, and that is the most prominent in the spring sky. In the picture appears compared with the Sun. It was known in ancient Greece as The Guardian Bear, from which it derives its name, which is a reference to its proximity to the constellations of the Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Vega (Alpha Lyrae) The fifth brightest star. It is the principal component of Lyra, boreal summer constellation, visible up to 40 º S. It is a white star of the main sequence, which means that it is still transforming its hydrogen into helium as a result of combustion. It was taken as “zero value” to be a reference with the others star magnitudes, but further measurements have diverted this value to +0.03. Along with Altair (Alpha Aquilae) and Deneb (Alpha Cygni), it forms the so-called Summer Triangle, an important reference for the night sky orientation of this boreal season. There is also a Winter Triangle, formed by Betelgeuse, Sirius and Procyon, which we discussed in the article about Orion. In hellenistic classical mythology, it is the lyre of the Muses, invented by Hermes, who gave it to Apollo in reparation for a burglary he committed against him. Apollo in turn gave it to Orpheus, and when he died, Zeus turned the Lyre into a constellation. Capella (Alpha Aurigae) It is the most important star in the constellation of Auriga (The Driver) and, with magnitude +0.08, the sixth brightest in the entire sky. This is the closest first magnitude star to the north celestial pole, making it impossible to observe from latitudes below 40 º S. It is located about 42 light years from us and it is a multiple star system, consisting of two yellow binaries. There are many versions the myth of the Auriga, the most enduring is that of a human figure with a goat in his arms. Rigel (Beta Orionis) The seventh brightest star around the night sky is a star system located in the constellation of Orion: Rigel (pictured next to


Which team caused the first major upset in the Rugby World Cup when they beat Wales 16-13 in a pool match at Cardiff Arms Park in 1991?

20 Biggest Shock Results in Rugby History | Bleacher Report 20 Biggest Shock Results in Rugby History By Danny Coyle , Featured Columnist Sep 17, 2014 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow David Rogers/Getty Images What constitutes a shock? David beating Goliath, certainly. But that’s not all. There can be—and have been—shocks within games between sides of equal standing, too. One side can seem so superior both before kick-off and most definitely during a game as they race into a commanding position. But momentum in the ebb and flow of a rugby match is a curious beast. It can leave a side in one instant and go flooding through the veins of their previously listless opponents just as quickly. This list covers the spectrum of moments that have tilted the rugby world on its axis. From unfancied lower-tier teams pulling off the unexpected to heavy favourites blowing clear winning positions. There is also the romance of those halcyon days of "proper" rugby tours, when clubs and regions got their chance for a slice of history. They all help weave a rich tapestry of pivotal moments in the game's past that, to no small extent, make it such a great sport to enjoy. Here are the top 20 show-stopping shocks. 19. South Africa 9-18 England, 1972 Anonymous/Associated Press The Red Rose Brigade made their way to South Africa in 1972 off the back of a horrendous Five Nations campaign in which they had lost all four matches. The English side of that era was described by Brendan Gallagher of The Telegraph as having: "Talent aplenty but no consistency and a laughable selection policy. But when they got it right, they got it very right." Things came together in their warm-up matches as England won five from six before facing the Springboks in a one-off Test. This was a time when touring South Africa was met with derision from much of the sporting and political world against the backdrop of apartheid. Protests such as the one depicted above were commonplace around any Springbok fixture of the era. Facing criticism of the field and a monstrous Bok team on it, England prop Mike Burton recounted the match in The Rugby Paper : They had huge forwards. I thought to myself: “Christ, what’s going to happen here?” We were leading something like 9-6. We were doing all right and then suddenly Alan Morley cut in off his wing, hit a perfect 45-degree angle and scored. We knew we had a real chance then, but they responded by cutting up rough. With his fellow prop Stack Stevens off the field, Burton made do with flanker John Watkins as a makeshift front-rower, and England held on for a momentous win thanks largely to 14 points from Sam Doble. Burton added: I had to make sure my opposite number understood we were playing on our terms. And he did. We did what we had to do, he was nice and quiet after that and we got through. There were no citing officers to put you on report, it was just a jungle out there and we won. Tweet Ireland had never beaten Australia at a World Cup. The Wallabies had broken their hearts in 1991 in Dublin with Michael Lynagh's late try and beaten them again on the same ground in pool play in 1999. In 2003 Australia hosted the tournament and crept past the Irish once again at the pool stage. So history was heavily on the two-time winners' side when they pair came together for a fourth occasion in 2011. This time, things turned out differently, as Ireland claimed the biggest scalp of the pool stages by turning over the Tri-Nations champions. Declan Kidney's side comprehensively battered the Australians up front as two penalties apiece from Johnny Sexton and Ronan O'Gara, plus a Sexton drop goal sealed a 15-6 win that should have been more. Tommy Bowe almost scored a length-of-the-field interception try late on. It was Ireland's greatest performance in their World Cup history as they went on to top the group and set up a meeting with Wales in the last eight. They could not reach the same level against their Celtic rivals, however, and went out of the tournament, at least with a famous night in Eden Park to savour. Tweet The 1


"Which 1961 film starred Paul Newman as pool shark ""Fast"" Eddie Felson?"

The Hustler (1961) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error An up-and-coming pool player plays a long-time champion in a single high-stakes match. Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 31 titles created 13 Jan 2011 a list of 33 titles created 24 Aug 2013 a list of 21 titles created 01 Feb 2015 a list of 35 images created 24 Jun 2015 a list of 40 titles created 1 week ago Search for " The Hustler " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won     2     Oscars. Another    11 wins & 20 nominations. See more awards  » Videos Fast Eddie Felson teaches a cocky but immensely talented protégé the ropes of pool hustling, which in turn inspires him to make an unlikely comeback. Director: Martin Scorsese A man refuses to conform to life in a rural prison. Director: Stuart Rosenberg In Chicago in September 1936, a young con man seeking revenge for his murdered partner teams up with a master of the big con to win a fortune from a criminal banker. Director: George Roy Hill Honest and hard-working Texas rancher Homer Bannon has a conflict with his unscrupulous, selfish, arrogant and egotistical son Hud, who sank into alcoholism after accidentally killing his brother in a car crash. Director: Martin Ritt A lawyer sees the chance to salvage his career and self-respect by taking a medical malpractice case to trial rather than settling. Director: Sidney Lumet Two Western bank/train robbers flee to Bolivia when the law gets too close. Director: George Roy Hill     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.1/10 X   Brick, an alcoholic ex-football player, drinks his days away and resists the affections of his wife, Maggie. His reunion with his father, Big Daddy, who is dying of cancer, jogs a host of memories and revelations for both father and son. Director: Richard Brooks When two escaping American World War II prisoners are killed, the German POW camp barracks black marketeer, J.J. Sefton, is suspected of being an informer. Director: Billy Wilder The World War II phase of the career of the controversial American general, George S. Patton . Director: Franklin J. Schaffner In a murder trial, the defendant says he suffered temporary insanity after the victim raped his wife. What is the truth, and will he win his case? Director: Otto Preminger A senator, who became famous for killing a notorious outlaw, returns for the funeral of an old friend and tells the truth about his deed. Director: John Ford Edit Storyline "Fast" Eddie Felson is a small-time pool hustler with a lot of talent but a self-destructive attitude. His bravado causes him to challenge the legendary "Minnesota Fats" to a high-stakes match, but he loses in a heartbreaking marathon. Now broke and without his long-time manager, Felson faces an uphill battle to regain his confidence and his game. It isn't until he hits rock bottom that he agrees to join up with ruthless and cutthroat manager Bert Gordon. Gordon agrees to take him on the road to learn the ropes. But Felson soon realizes that making it to the top could cost him his soul, and perhaps his girlfriend. Will he decide that this is too steep a price to pay in time to save himself? Written by <jgp3553@yahoo.com> Only the angel who falls knows the depths of hell. See more  » Genres: 27 October 1961 (Italy) See more  » Also Known As: Robert Rossen's The Hustler See more  » Filming Locations: Did You Know? Trivia Robert Rossen had been a pool hustler in his youth and even tried to write a play about it called Corner Pocket before stumbling across Walter Tevis ' novel The Hustler and deciding Tevis had done a better job. See more » Goofs During the first match with Fats, the time at one point is shown to be 4:00. Later, the time shown is again 4:00. See more » Quotes Fast Eddie : You know, I got a hunch, fat ma


Who was the founder of King's College, Cambridge?

College history | King's College, Cambridge King's College, Cambridge » College history College history Larger image The King's College of Our Lady and St Nicholas in Cambridge was founded in 1441 by King Henry VI and munificently endowed. The Founder's statutes provided for a Provost and seventy poor scholars. Scholarships were restricted to Etonians, but a few pensioners and Fellow commoners from other schools were admitted from the middle of the sixteenth century. By the statutes of 1861 open scholarships, financed by the Fellows greatly reducing their dividends for many years, were founded, and since then pensioners and scholars from other schools have been admitted in increasing numbers. Until 1853 students at King's were exceptional in being awarded University degrees by the College. The original site of the College lay to the north of the current College, between the present Chapel and Senate House Passage. The first College buildings were begun in 1441 on what is now the site of the western quadrangle of the Old Schools. Only the south and part of the west sides of this old Court were completed to the intended design: the rest was hastily finished when the King began to build a larger court on the site further south; but until 1828 the Old Court provided nearly all the undergraduate College rooms. It was then sold to the University, which demolished most of it apart from the gateway arch opposite Clare College. Map of the College Larger image In 1443 King Henry began to buy up the site of the present Front Court and Back Lawn. This was a built up part of the town with shops, houses, several university hostels, the parish church of St JohnZachary, and the original site of Godshouse (now Christ's College). He had always meant the College to be built south of the Chapel but this was prevented by shortage of money and the Wars of the Roses. However, he acquired ground across the river, including Scholar's Piece, the walks beside Queen's Road as far as Garret Hostel Lane, and the site of Clare gardens (ceded to Clare in the seventeenth century). In 1805 the College acquired the ground beyond Queen's Road now occupied by the Fellows' Garden, the Garden Hostel and King's College School. The land where the University Library stands was King's and Clare's sports ground at one time, but was sold to the government for a temporary hospital during World War I. Buttresses of the Chapel, showing the paler stones at the bottom Larger image On his new site east of the river, King Henry planned three domestic ranges closing up to one another and, on the north side, to the Chapel, to form the new court. Between the Chapel and the river there was to be a cloistered cemetery and a bell tower. He laid the foundation stone of the Chapel in 1446; but the work came to a standstill, when he was deposed in 1461, with the Chapel only about 60 feet high at the east end sloping away to about six at the west, and still temporarily roofed. The Founder's stonework in the Chapel is recognisable by being white (magnesium limestone from Yorkshire), while later work is in Northamptonshire sandstone. Only the east range of the domestic buildings was begun; its foundations are still there under the lawn and can be seen in very dry summers. Work on the Chapel was resumed in 1476, and by 1485, with the help of contributions from Edward IV and Richard III (rather surprisingly as both were Yorkists), the five eastern bays had been built and roofed. Then the work stopped again until 1508, when Henry VII provided funds and promised to see the Chapel finished. The fabric with its superb fan vaults was completed after his death, in 1515; by 1544 it had been fitted out for use, largely at the expense of Henry VIII who gave the magnificent windows, the rood screen (on which the organ was placed after the Restoration) and the stalls in the Choir. In 1961 Rubens' painting of The Adoration of the Magi was presented by the late Major A. E. Allnatt and the east end of the Chapel was radically altered to house it. The Gibbs Building and Front Court Larger image In 17


Which novel, first published in the UK in 1921, was the first to feature Agatha Christie's detective, Hercule Poirot?

Agatha Christie, First Edition - AbeBooks Agatha Christie, First Edition Results (1 - 30) of 6576 1 Published by Bodley Head (1921) Used Hardcover First Edition Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: Bodley Head, 1921. Hardcover. Book Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. An exceptionally fine first edition of Agatha Christie's debut novel introducing Hercule Poirot. Octavo, original brown cloth without the stains or tears one typically encounters. At the start of the First World War, Christie "returned to the Voluntary Aid Detachment nursing she had taken up and the dispensary work that followed. It was during lulls in the dispensary that she began a detective story. Seeking some point of originality for a sleuth in the Sherlock Holmes tradition she thought of the Belgian refugees in Torquay and Hercule Poirot, retired Belgian policeman evacuated to England, was born, though it was not until 1920 and six unsuccessful trips to publishers that he saw the light of day in The Mysterious Affair at Styles, a book that shows little indeed of the prentice hand" (DNB). "Poirot was created for the reader who identified with an individual detective a private detective who relied on his 'gray cells" (Woellert & Cassiday, 116). "Happily, Poirot richly merited the attention he received. For when he is at the top of his form few fictional sleuths can surpass the amazing little Belgian either for individuality or ingenuity He still comes closer to symbolizing his profession in the popular mind than any story-book detective since Holmes Agatha Christie is easily one of the half-dozen most accomplished and entertaining writers in the modern field" (Haycraft, 131-33). First published in New York and Toronto in 1920. Barzun & Taylor 780. Penciled owner signature. Cheaply printed and bound, surviving copies of this work are almost always found in deplorable condition, due to paper shortages after WW I. This is by far the best copy to come on the market in the last two decades, and should be considered the cornerstone of any serious rare mystery novel collection. The book is internally fresh and free from foxing, with only a small pencil ownership signature. Without the extremely rare Dust Jacket. The book is housed in a custom half marocco clamshell box. Bookseller Inventory # ABE-18610497178 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: Collins Crime Club, London, 1932. Book Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. HARDBACK - The book is in very good or better condition. The front and rear red boards are clean with no soiling. The spine is a touch faded, but still fresh in appearence. The inner pages are clean with a little foxing to the outer pages. The book is tightly bound with no spine lean. The book has been walmly Inscribed by the author to the ffep. The dust wrapper is in very good condition. The wrapper is the correct first edition from 1932 with the price of 7s.6d.net to the spine. The dust wrapper has had some light restoration performed to the tip and tail of the spine, and to the corners of the front and rear flap folds. The restoration is of the highest quality, and the dust wrapper presents very well indeed. There is soiling to the spine, and a little to the rear panel. Overall, a nice early Christie title in an original first Impression dust wrapper, Inscribed by the author. Signed by Author. Bookseller Inventory # 000584 Destination, Rates & Speeds Item Description: Bodley Head, 1921. First edition. Original brown cloth with black titles and Art Deco design. Top edge stained blue. A near fine copy with beautifully clean cloth and distinct lettering and design. There are a couple of small production blemishes to the rear cover and some minor fraying to part of the rear joint, but beyond that looks barely handled. Internally fresh and clean and most unusually free from foxing. An exceptional copy. The author's first novel, which sees the first appearance of M. Hercule Poirot. Due to the wartime restrictions this book was made from poor quality stock which browns very e


Who was the thunder god in Celtic mythology?

TARANIS - the Celtic God of Storms (Celtic mythology) TARANIS Celtic Storm God One of those Storm Gods. Thunder, Lightning, etc He has a wheel emblem. Celts, Gauls and folks of that ilk revered him. He’s very partial to human sacrifices by drowning or burning. GodNote: Sorry this Taranis article is a bit short. We have sent our Data Dwarves off to find more nuggets of information. Updates coming soon. TARANIS FACTS AND FIGURES Celebration or Feast Day : Unknown at present Good/Evil Rating : NOT OKAY, be careful Popularity index : 15739 Cite this Link to this page HTML: To link to this page, just copy and paste the text below into your blog, web page or email. Godchecker entry on TARANIS, the Celtic God of Storms BBCODE: To link to this page in a forum post or comment box, just copy and paste the text below: [url=http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/celtic-mythology.php?deity=TARANIS]Godchecker entry on TARANIS, the Celtic God of Storms[/url] Cite this article Here's the info you need to cite this page. Just copy the text in the box below. Saunders, Chas, and Peter J. Allen, eds. "TARANIS - the Celtic God of Storms (Celtic mythology)." Godchecker. Godchecker.com / CID, 09 Jan. 2014. Web. 20 January 2017. . 09 January 2014 by Rowan Allen. Editors: Peter J Allen, Chas Saunders References: Coming soon.


"Chris Gittins played which character in BBC Radio's ""The Archers"" for thirty five-years between 1953 and 1988?"

List of The Archers characters - WikiVisually FEATURED ARTICLES · CHANGE LANGUAGE · hover over links in text for more info click links in text for more info List of The Archers characters From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation , search This is a list of many of the characters from the long-running British radio soap The Archers . Contents The Archer family tree[ edit ] Archer family tree (Brookfield Farm) (1) Grace Archer family tree (Bridge Farm) (1) Jack Tom The Archer family[ edit ] Jill Archer née Patterson (born 3 October 1930) ( Patricia Greene ) is the widow of Phil Archer and matriarch of the family. She was his second wife, and with him had four children: twins Shula and Kenton, and David and Elizabeth. She is busily involved in village life and supports her children by taking on child-minding duties. Jill is an active member of the Women's Institute , opened up a holiday cottage business, and is teaching her grandson, Josh, how to keep bees . Jill has a less traditional outlook on life than her late husband, who had been a Justice of the Peace , reflected in her opposition to both fox hunting and private education. Following a burglary at Glebe Cottage she was asked by David and Ruth to return to Brookfield which subsequently became permanent. Christine Barford née Archer, formerly Johnson (born 21 December 1931) (Lesley Saweard, formerly played by Pamela Mant [1] and briefly Joyce Gibbs), is the younger sister of Phil. A skilled horsewoman, she ran the local riding stables for many years. In the early 1950s she was a close friend of Grace Fairbrother who later married her brother Phil. Christine married Paul Johnson; it was discovered she was infertile, and they adopted a son, Peter. In the mid-1970s Paul deserted the family and he was later killed in a helicopter crash in Germany. In 1979 Christine married George Barford, a gamekeeper , which was seen as a class transgression, even though her uncle, Tom Forrest was also a gamekeeper, and colleague of her future husband. Her marriage to George lasted over 25 years and was happy, but latterly they experienced difficult times as their house burned down due to an arson attack by Clive Horrobin . George died peacefully whilst they were waiting for the house to be re-built. Christine currently shares a house with Peggy Woolley. Peggy Woolley, née Perkins, formerly Archer (born Margaret Perkins, 13 November 1924) ( June Spencer , briefly played by Thelma Rogers) is the widow of Jack Archer, Phil's elder brother and Jack Woolley . When married to Jack Archer, they managed (and later owned) the Bull. After many years of close friendship, Peggy married Jack Woolley. Peggy has two daughters, Jennifer and Lillian, and a son, Tony, by her first husband. She is indulgent of her grandchildren and has provided several of them with significant financial support. She is a natural conservative. Jennifer Aldridge, (née Archer, formerly Travers-Macy) (born Jennifer Elizabeth Archer, 1945) (Angela Piper) is the older daughter of Peggy Archer (and step-daughter of Jack Woolley). She is married to Brian Aldridge. She was formerly married to Roger Travers-Macy (hence her elder son is Adam Macy). Lilian Bellamy, née Archer (born 8 July 1947) (Sunny Ormonde, formerly played by Elizabeth Marlowe) is the twice-widowed, gin-soaked, chain-smoking second daughter of Peggy Archer (and step-daughter of Jack Woolley). After acquiring her second husband Ralph Bellamy in 1971, she left Ambridge to live with him in tax exile in the Channel Islands ; she has by him a grown-up son James (rarely encountered except when he needs money). Bellamy senior died in 1980, but Lilian unaccountably returned to Ambridge in 2003 and took up with Matt Crawford (then a married man); her exploits cause much gnashing of teeth from her respectable sister Jennifer Aldridge. Lilian was elected to the parish council in January 2006. Lilian took dancing lessons from Mike Tucker after she discovered that Crawford's ex-wife was a much better dancer than she. In 2008 she and Crawford were briefly separat


Who was the Ireland rugby coach when they achieved the Grand Slam in 2009?

Declan Kidney sacked as Ireland rugby union coach - BBC Sport BBC Sport Declan Kidney sacked as Ireland rugby union coach 2 Apr 2013 From the section Rugby Union Share this page Read more about sharing. Declan Kidney has been removed as Ireland coach after a five-year reign. Kidney, 53, led Ireland to the 2009 Grand Slam but this year they could only finish fifth in the Six Nations. We would like to sincerely thank Declan for his commitment to Irish rugby Philip Browne IRFU chief The Irish Rugby Football Union revealed it would not offer him a new deal when his contract expired at the end of June and that he was leaving immediately. An IRFU statement thanked him for the "unquestionable commitment, passion, professionalism and success he has delivered to Irish rugby". Since the 2009 Grand Slam triumph, Ireland have won only 16 out of 40 Tests, while their performance in this year's Six Nations was their worst in the Championship since they ended up with the Wooden Spoon in 1998. They have also slipped to their lowest ever world ranking of ninth. "We would like to sincerely thank Declan for his commitment to Irish rugby," said IRFU chief executive Philip Browne. "With a host of new and emerging talent at every level, and despite the clear challenges ahead, we are confident of securing another world-class coach to work with this talented and ambitious group of Ireland players." Declan Kidney factfile Born: 20 October 1959, Ballincollig, County Cork Clubs played for: University College Cork, Dolphin RFC Coaching career: Irish schools, Ireland U-19s, Munster (two stints), Ireland assistant coach, Newport Gwent Dragons, Leinster, Ireland head coach Honours: Under-19 World Cup (1998); two Heineken Cups with Munster (2005-06, 2007-08); Six Nations Grand Slam (2009) Lows: Won 16 of 40 Tests since winning the Grand Slam; finished fifth in 2013 Six Nations The decision to axe Kidney was widely expected and was made following an in-depth review process carried out by the IRFU's National Team Review Group (NTRG), which will now lead the search for a new coach. Ireland's tour of North America - they play the USA in Houston on 8 June and Canada in Toronto on 15 June - will be led by interim head coach Les Kiss, who will be assisted by Gert Smal and Anthony Foley. Among the possible candidates to replace Kidney, who succeeded Eddie O'Sullivan in 2008, are Ireland Under-20 coach Mike Ruddock, Conor O'Shea, currently at Harlequins, Saracens boss Mark McCall, interim boss Kiss and former South Africa coach Jake White, now in charge at the ACT Brumbies in Australia. The 2009 Grand Slam was the undoubted highpoint of Kidney's Ireland reign. In the 2011 World Cup, they lost against Wales in the quarter-finals and last summer they suffered a record 60-0 defeat against world champions New Zealand. Ireland began the 2013 Six Nations campaign with an impressive win away to eventual champions Wales but back-to-back defeats against England and Scotland were followed by a draw against France, before a surprise loss in Italy on the final weekend. There were some extenuating circumstances during the championship, with Ireland dealing with a debilitating injury list that robbed them of key players such as Paul O'Connell, Jonathan Sexton and Simon Zebo. But their inability to rediscover the heights they hit in 2009 meant Kidney's future was under scrutiny long before the final defeat in Rome.


The Harrow and Halifax bomber-aircraft, which saw service with the R.A.F. during the Second World War, were built by which company?

Corgi From Manchester to Lancaster / News | Lancaster 75 image created by Aerodrome reader Michael Collins   Saturday 9th January 2016 will mark the 75th anniversary of the first flight of one of the most famous bomber aircraft of the Second World War – the mighty Avro Lancaster.  The Lancaster proved to be one of the most significant aircraft of WWII and as RAF Bomber Command began to take its night bombing strategy to targets and cities across occupied Europe and deep into Germany, the Avro Lancaster and her brave crews would make a telling contribution towards eventual victory. As was the case with many important aircraft of WWII, the development history of the Lancaster was not altogether straightforward and owed much to the perceived failure of an earlier Avro design.  Its predecessor, the twin engined Avro Manchester, is viewed by many historians and aviation enthusiasts as an extremely disappointing aircraft, but we will see how it cannot have been all that bad, as it was to give rise to arguably the most effective bomber of the Second World War.  In this latest edition of Aerodrome, we will be looking at why the Avro Lancaster proved to be such an effective design and how despite its name change, was still inextricably linked to the Greater Manchester area.   WWII – Britain needs a Heavy Bomber With the German invasion of Poland, the world watched in awe as the Wehrmacht war machine swept all before it and seemed to be all but invincible.  Central to the effectiveness of Blitzkrieg was the close coordination between air and ground units, identifying strategic targets that may hold up the offensive and destroying them from the air, before they could pose too great a threat.  Importantly, as these operations were taking place on mainland Europe, Luftwaffe aircraft were not operating over long distances and were able to mount several missions each day – the all important supply lines were rarely stretched and despite the relatively light bomb loads of these early German attack aircraft, air superiority and effective supply infrastructure dictated that their missions proved to be highly effective.  It was only when the Luftwaffe were looking towards Britain and the significant natural barrier of the English Channel that the modest range of their aircraft became a significant strategic deficiency. Even though the RAF were desperately trying to produce as many fighter aircraft as possible in the weeks leading up to the Battle of Britain, many senior commanders were clear that if Britain were to eventually prevail in this conflict, an effective bomber force would be essential.  As the savage air battles above southern England were taking place, Bomber Command were already planning to introduce a new breed of bomber aircraft, which would be capable of striking at the heart of the German nation.   The Vickers Wellington was the most capable RAF bomber in the early months of WWII   At the outset of war, Britain’s existing bomber force was woefully inadequate and was not capable of mounting a concerted, effective bombing strike campaign.  Many of the aircraft in service were very much from an earlier era of aviation technology and were significantly inferior to the Luftwaffe aircraft they would be facing.  Not only lacking in speed, manoeuvrability, range and bomb load, the aircraft also lacked modern equipment to allow crews to bomb accurately and poor defensive armament left them in an incredibly perilous position.  Aircraft such as the Fairey Battle, Bristol Blenheim and even the unusual looking Handley Page Harrow were fulfilling the RAF bomber role at the outset of WWII, with the former pair being asked to carry the burden of the RAF strike response, in the face of some horrendous losses.  Even the most capable bombers available to the RAF in early 1940, such as the Vickers Wellington and the Handley Page Hampden proved to be extremely vulnerable to fighter attack, should operations be mounted in daylight and were also lacking the range to mount operations deep into Germany.  Bomber Command was desperately in need of a


What do the Americans call the vegetable known in the UK as a courgette?

american english - "courgettes" vs. "zucchini" under a historical perspective - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange 6   I assume it's because England is pretty close to France, and there are lots of Americans of Italian descent. –  Peter Shor Mar 30 '13 at 22:11 5   The British words are borrowed from French, while the American ones come from elsewhere. Eggplant is a novel coinage from a standard formula; zucchini is an Italian borrowing. There's also the vegetable which is called okra (an African borrowing) in the USA, but which I've seen called lady fingers in Malay and Indian English. This is the way dialects diverge and get distinguished, and food items, like other local quotidian terms, are the fastest and most likely to diverge. –  John Lawler Mar 30 '13 at 22:13 2   @tchris, I used "fruit" sic et simpliciter, but now I changed it with "food", thus improving enormously the question :^) – user19148 Mar 30 '13 at 22:42 3   Only tangently realted, when an AmEng speaker hears "lady's fingers" or "lady fingers" the connotation is likely either cookies or tiny fire-crackers. –  TecBrat May 1 '13 at 15:16 2   Italians have had more influence on USA than Britain and the French have had more influence on Britain than USA. That is the simple historical reason (i.e. the question being asked at the top). –  Sam May 21 '13 at 21:17


Which waterway was developed by Ferdinand de Lesseps and opened in 1869?

Suez Canal | The Oil Exchange The Oil Exchange Suez Canal History The Suez Canal is a man-made waterway created by the Frenchman Ferdinand de Lesseps using forced Egyptian labour between 1859-1869. The waterway was officially opened to international traffic on the 17th November 1869. The official cost of the Canal was estimated as $100 million. It has been estimated that over 1.5 million workers were used to create the Suez Canal during this period and over 100,000 workers died during its creation. Route The Suez Canal links the Mediterranean and Red seas together and provides a short route of transit between the East and West. It runs between the Port Said harbour (at the Mediterranean Sea) and the Gulf of Suez (at the Red Sea). The Canal has been constantly developed and improved since 1869 to accommodate larger tankers both in terms of Dead Weight Tonnage (DWT), length, width and draft. In 1869, the Canal was only 164km long but has constantly been lengthened and in 2010, total length is 193km. At its narrowest point, the Canal is 300 metres wide. The Canal has no locks since the height of the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea are very similar, differing only by around 2 metres at the maximum, and so water is allowed to flow freely between the two seas. In 1869, there were no bypasses to allow two-way traffic, however several have been created along the distance of the route and the total bypass length as of 2010 is 80.5km. From North to South the bypasses are: 3 bypasses at the Port Said entrance, the Ballah bypass and anchorage site, the Timsah bypass at the Timsah lake and lastly the bypass just north of the Great Bitter lake. These bypasses act as both passages and anchorage sites and allow the safe transition of convoys through the Suez Canal, avoiding any major accidents. The Ballah bypass has smaller dimensions than the main shipping route and so any convoy that uses the bypass for anchorage or passage will usually contain smaller and often unloaded vessels. The Great Bitter Lake is used for passage and as a waiting area for all convoy sizes as it is much more capable of handling larger tankers. Capacity At its beginning, the Canal was unable to accommodate any tankers whose DWT exceeded 5000 tonnes, but over time, as the Canal has developed with increased width and depth, it is now able to occupy tankers whose DWT is up to 240,000 tonnes. These vessels are known as SuezMax tankers. A SuezMax  is the largest tanker with a full cargo that can pass through the Suez Canal. The maximum DWT of a SuezMax changes with the development of the Canal and is dictated by the Suez Canal Authority, but it is limited by a few key factors. Given that the Canal has no locks, the only limiting factors of the Canal are the draft (the maximum depth of water below a tanker’s plimsoll line) and the height of the Suez Canal Bridge (also known as the Shohada 25 January Bridge) and not the beam (width of the tanker). Since the height of the bridge is unchangeable at 70 metres above the waterline, the only way to increase maximum tonnage of the SuezMax is to increase the depth of the Canal. Currently, the Suez Canal allows passage of tankers with a draft of up to 20 metres or 240,000 DWT, and a maximum height of 68 metres above the waterline. The maximum beam that a tanker is able to possess is  77.5 metres. As a result of these restricting conditions, some fully laden supertankers cannot transit with a full cargo and must partially unload their cargo onto another tanker or into a pipeline before passing through the Canal. The Canal is not wide enough to allow two-way traffic and so tankers travel in convoys and use bypasses in order to avoid collision and optimise traffic flow. Navigation and Convoy Sailing The Canal has one main shipping lane suitable for only one convoy to pass at a time. Along the route there are many bypasses whereby convoys coming the opposite way are able to set anchor and wait for the convoy to pass before continuing their journey through the Canal. It has always been the case that on any day, three convoys are able


Which fictional character, in books and on TV, often spoke of dealing with the Penge Bungalow Murders as the great event of a long career?

John Mortimer & Elliot Perlman - Books and Writing - ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) John Mortimer & Elliot Perlman Broadcast: Saturday 13 September 2003 11:00AM This week Books & Writing dons its wig and gown and speaks to two lawyers who just happen to be writers. John Mortimer is a national treasure in the United Kingdom. He transformed our understanding of the British legal system, giving us a peek at the pomp and predilections of the judiciary through the eyes of a shambling and champagne-loving character called Rumpole. Not averse to the odd glass of bubbly himself, John Mortimer spoke to Ramona Koval, at the recent Edinburgh International Book Festival, about his life and his champagne-lubricated longevity. Our other guest is the Melbourne barrister and author Elliot Perlman, who speaks to Radio National's Lyn Gallacher about his latest novel: Seven Types of Ambiguity, a novel in seven chapters, from seven points of view, each in their own way a scathing attack on Australian contemporary life. what are these? Transcript Ramona Koval: On Books and Writing this week, Literature and the Law. Or to be more precise, two lawyers and the books they write. First up, Sir John Mortimer, all the way from the Edinburgh International Book Festival. And later in the program, Melbourne barrister, novelist and short story writer, Elliot Perlman. But age before beauty. Sir John Mortimer is a distinguished playwright, novelist and former practising barrister, and creator of a character recognised world-wide: Rumpole of the Bailey, who's been described as a tough, strong-willed character, with an abiding belief in liberty and the jury system-not to mention the remedial health-giving qualities of champagne. Mortimer's plays have included A Voyage Round My Father, the Rumpole plays, and the adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited. When I spoke to him at the Edinburgh International Book Festival recently, he was sitting comfortably in his wheelchair, eighty years old, with a bottle of champagne opened and his glass cocked up. A glass that, as you'll hear, he has beside him each day at 6am. And so I told him that he was the first person that I'd interviewed who was holding and drinking a glass of champagne. John Mortimer: Oh well, I hope it's all right. I did a radio program, on Radio 5, and there's a sort of host and people come in while you're there, and a boy band came in. And the head of the boy band had just come out of de-tox. And the host said, 'Oh, you've done so wonderfully, you've kicked the habit, you've come out of de-tox.' And we were all silent, in silent prayer for about two minutes. And then he said to me, 'Have you got any addictions?' And I said, 'No, I haven't got any addictions at all. I do just have my first glass of champagne at 6 o'clock in the morning.' So there was a terrible silence. And he said, 'Are you having counselling for that?' So I said, 'Well no, I'm not having counselling.' So he said, 'Well how long has that been going on?' So I said, 'Ever since I could afford to have a glass of champagne.' So that's my addiction. Ramona Koval: So you're not worried about the effect on longevity? John Mortimer: No, I think it'll go on till I die. Ramona Koval: You said that 'it's a popular misconception that free choice brings wisdom, tolerance and reliability in old age.' You say, 'Some of the worst misdeeds, crimes and follies are committed by irresponsible old men.' John Mortimer: Yeah. Ramona Koval: Are you irresponsible? John Mortimer: Totally. I hope, yes. But I hope I don't commit too many crimes and follies. But I don't think old age brings wisdom. I think I said in that paragraph, an intelligent teenager is better than a woman with ten pay-slips, probably. Or an old man who is conducting some unsatisfactory new marriage. Ramona Koval: You also said that the experience of old age is that in a body maimed and incapacitated by time, you feel much as you did when you were eleven. John Mortimer: You see, I don't think people change. I think if you look in the playground of any


"Which opera singer was known as the ""Swedish Nightingale""?"

Jenny Lind | Swedish Opera Singer Promoted By P.T. Barnum When the “Swedish Nightinagle,” opera star Jenny Lind, sailed into New York Harbor in 1850 the city went crazy. A massive crowd of more than 30,000 New Yorkers greeted her ship. And what makes that especially astounding is that no one in America had ever heard her voice. Who could make so many people so excited about someone they had never seen and never heard? Only the great showman, the Prince of Humbug himself, Phineas T. Barnum . Early Life of Jenny Lind Jenny Lind was born October 6, 1820 to an impoverished and unmarried mother in Stockholm, Sweden. Her parents were both musicians, and young Jenny began singing at a very early age. As a child she began formal music lessons, and by the age of 21 she was singing in Paris. She returned to Stockholm and performed in a number of operas. Throughout the 1840s her fame grew in Europe. In 1847 she performed in London for Queen Victoria, and her ability to make crowds swoon became legendary. Phineas T. Barnum Heard About, But Had Not Heard, Jenny Lind The American showman Phineas T. continue reading below our video Test Your General Science Knowledge Barnum, who operated an extremely popular museum in New York City and was known for exhibiting the diminutive superstar General Tom Thumb , heard about Jenny Lind and sent a representative to make an offer to bring her to America. Jenny Lind drove a hard bargain with Barnum, demanding that he deposit the equivalent of nearly $200,000 in a London bank as an advance payment before she would sail to America. Barnum had to borrow the money, but he arranged for her to come to New York and embark on a concert tour of the United States. Barnum, of course, was taking a considerable risk. In the days before recorded sound, people in America, including Barnum himself, had not even heard Jenny Lind sing. But Barnum knew her reputation for thrilling crowds, and set to work making Americans excited. Lind had acquired a new nickname, “The Swedish Nightingale,” and Barnum made sure that Americans heard about her. Rather than promote her as a serious musical talent, Barnum made it sound like Jenny Lind was some mystical being blessed with a heavenly voice. 1850 Arrival in New York City Jenny Lind sailed from Liverpool, England, in August 1850 aboard the steamship Atlantic. As the steamer entered New York harbor, signal flags let crowds know that Jenny Lind was arriving. Barnum approached in a small boat, boarded the steamship, and met his star for the first time. As the Atlantic approached its dock at the foot of Canal Street massive crowds began to gather. According to a book published in 1851, Jenny Lind in America, “some thirty or forty thousand people must have must have been collected together on the adjacent piers and shipping, as well as on all the roofs and in all the windows fronting the water.” The New York police had to push back the enormous crowds so Barnum and Jenny Lind could take a carriage to her hotel, the Irving House on Broadway. As night fell a parade of New York fire companies, carrying torches, escorted a group of local musicians who played serenades to Jenny Lind. Journalists estimated the crowd that night at more than 20,000 revelers. Barnum had succeeded in drawing enormous crowds to Jenny Lind before she had even sung a single note in America. First Concert in America During her first week in New York, Jenny Lind made excursions to various concert halls with Barnum, to see which might be good enough to hold her concerts. Crowds followed their progress about the city, and anticipation for her concerts kept growing. Barnum finally announced that Jenny Lind would sing at Castle Garden. And as demand for tickets was so great, he announced that the first tickets would be sold by auction. The auction was held, and the first ticket to a Jenny Lind concert in America was sold for $225, an expensive concert ticket by today’s standards and a simply staggering amount in 1850. Most of the tickets to her first concert sold for about six dollars, but the publicity surrounding


Which Avro delta wing bomber entered service in the RAF in 1956 and was retired in 1984?

Avro Vulcan Avro Vulcan Avro Vulcan (8/12/2014) source : http://www.onwar.com/weapons/aircraft/thumbs/Avro_Vulcan.jpg The Avro Vulcan is a delta wing subsonic bomber that was operated by the Royal Air Force from 1953 until 1984. The Vulcan was part of the RAF V-bomber force, which fulfilled the role of nuclear deterrence against the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It was also used in a conventional bombing role during the Falklands conflict with Argentina.  The Air Ministry required a bomber with a top speed of 500 knots (930 km/h), an operating ceiling of 50,000 ft (15,000 m), a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,500 km) and a bomb load of 10,000 lb (4,500 kg); intended to carry out delivery of Britain's nuclear armed gravity bombs to strategic targets within Soviet territory (east of the Ural mountains). Design work began at A. V. Roe in 1947 under Roy Chadwick. The Type 698 as first envisaged was a delta wing tailless, almost flying wing design. This design was reworked and became more conventional adopting a centre fuselage with four paired engines and a tail.  In September 1956, the RAF received its first Vulcan B.1; the second Vulcan was not delivered until 1957 and the delivery rate then increased. The B.2 variant was first tested in 1957 and entered service in 1960. A total of 134 production Vulcans were manufactured (45 B.1 and 89 B.2), the last being delivered to the RAF in January 1965. The last operational Vulcan squadron was disbanded in March 1984. Avro Vulcan


Mendoza and La Rioja are wine regions in which country?

Argentina | Wines Of Argentina WINES OF ARGENTINA Media Room Follow us on Twitter , Facebook and Google+ Argentina Patagonia Argentina: the ideal terroir Argentina boasts a wealth of natural resources and areas of great scenic beauty, including high summits and plains, lush forests and absolutely arid deserts, woods and steppes, glaciers and waterfalls. Any landscape you may imagine, you can find somewhere on Argentine soil. Argentine winemaking regions are often located in broad valleys or sloping plains and offer ideal conditions for grape growing. It should also be noted that most of our vineyards are located far from the cities and their pollution, and grow on young, scarcely tilled soils. Every detail makes Argentine wine unique, authentic, remarkable due to its intense colors, deep aromas and broad range of flavors. The fact that the Argentine wine regions develop amidst the aridity and dryness of our landscape leads us to refer to them as oases. These oases can be classified into regions and subregions. Some stand out for their altitude, such as the Calchaquíes Valleys, in the North; others for the aridity of the land, such as the valleys in the provinces of Mendoza, San Juan and La Rioja; and there are also low altitude oases in Patagonia, with intense ripening periods.   VIDEO


Eritrea gained independence from which country in 1993?

Erythrea - definition of Erythrea by The Free Dictionary Erythrea - definition of Erythrea by The Free Dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Erythrea Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . Related to Erythrea: Eritrea Er·i·tre·a  (ĕr′ĭ-trē′ə) A country of northeast Africa bordering on the Red Sea. Once part of the Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum, it became an Italian colony in 1890 and was named after the Roman term for the Red Sea, Mare erythraeum. Captured by the British during World War II, Eritrea later became a federated part (1952) and then a province (1962) of Ethiopia, from which it gained its independence in 1993. Asmara is the capital and largest city. Er′i·tre′an adj. & n. Eritrea (ˌɛrɪˈtreɪə) n (Placename) a small country in NE Africa, on the Red Sea: became an Italian colony in 1890; federated with Ethiopia (1952–93); an independence movement was engaged in war with the Ethiopian government from 1961 until independence was gained in 1993; consists of hot and arid coastal lowlands, rising to the foothills of the Ethiopian highlands. Languages: Tigrinya, Arabic, English, Afar, and others. Religions: Muslim and Christian. Currency: nakfa. Capital: Asmara. Pop: 6 233 682 (2013 est). Area: 117 400 sq km (45 300 sq miles) Er•i•tre•a (ˌɛr ɪˈtri ə) n. a republic in NE Africa, on the Red Sea: Italian colony 1890–1941; province of Ethiopia 1962–93; independent since 1993. 3,984,723; 47,076 sq. mi. (121,927 sq. km). Cap.: Asmara. Er`i•tre′an, adj., n. ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:


King Albert II abdicated as monarch of which country on July 21st 2013 in favour of his son Crown Prince Phillipe?

Philippe becomes new Belgian king as Albert II abdicates - BBC News BBC News Philippe becomes new Belgian king as Albert II abdicates 21 July 2013 Close share panel Media captionHighlights from the abdication of Albert II and coronation of King Philippe Crown Prince Philippe has been sworn in as the new Belgian king after the emotional abdication of his father Albert II. The Oxford- and Stanford-educated, trained air force pilot took the oath as the country's seventh king in a ceremony in parliament. To warm applause, King Philippe, 53, promised to uphold the constitution. Belgium has a constitutional monarchy in which the king plays a largely ceremonial role. One of the duties the monarch does have is trying to resolve constitutional crises. In his final address before signing a legislative act to step down, 79-year-old King Albert said his country must remain a "source of inspiration" to Europe. Image copyright AFP Image caption Albert II's final day as king began with a thanksgiving Mass at the St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral Image copyright AFP Image caption He hugged his son before signing the abdication treaty at the palace in Brussels Image copyright Reuters Image caption After a service celebrating Albert's 20 years on the throne, Philippe and his wife Mathilde waved to the crowd Image copyright Reuters Image caption They were joined by their children to wave to supporters from the royal palace balcony His resignation on the grounds of ill-health came after nearly 20 years on the throne and was timed to coincide with Belgium's national day. He stressed his wish that Belgium - split between the Dutch-speaking north and the French south - remained united. Balcony appearance In a colourful ceremony topped off by trumpet fanfare and cannon-fire, Philippe took his oath in the country's three official languages - Dutch, French and German. Analysis By Chris MorrisBBC News, Brussels Along with the national football team, the monarchy is often regarded as one of the few institutions that actually holds Belgium together. Even so, opinion polls suggest French-speaking Wallonia is now a good deal more royalist than Dutch-speaking Flanders, and the new king will have to convince some citizens of his credentials. His big challenge will come next year when national elections are due to be held, and separatist parties in Flanders are expected to do well. After the last election it took more than 500 days to form a national government, because of the deep divisions between Flanders and Wallonia. As king, Philippe (or Filip in Dutch) has an important constitutional role to play, and he will need to prove that he has the political skills to mediate between very different visions of his country's future. This was a reminder of the delicate political task that awaits him - trying to mediate across the divide between French-speaking Wallonia and Dutch-speaking Flanders, where support for independence has been rising fast, says BBC Europe correspondent Chris Morris. Flag-waving supporters gathered in the midday sun waiting for their new king and his wife, Mathilde, to greet them from the balcony of the nearby royal palace. "The new king is a bit of history," said Xavier De Graef, draped in the red, yellow and black of the Belgian tricolour. "That doesn't happen very often so we wanted to be here," Mr De Graef, from French-speaking Liege, told Reuters news agency. But not everyone was celebrating. The far-right separatist Vlaams Belang party boycotted the swearing-in ceremony. Meanwhile, Jan Jambon, parliamentary head of the N-VA party that wants Dutch-speaking Flanders to break away from Belgium and favours a republic, said the occasion "leaves me cold". Constitutional crises In the abdication ceremony at the royal palace in Brussels, the former monarch told his son: "You have all the emotional and intellectual qualities to serve our country well." He thanked an audience of some 250 dignitaries and political leaders "for all that you have achieved during my reign". Ex-king Albert also thanked his wife, Paola, for the support she had