Which ‘Eastenders’ character carried the Olympic torch on the programme?

Olympic torch visits EastEnders - BBC News BBC News Read more about sharing. Close share panel Media captionViewers saw Billy Mitchell, played by Perry Fenwick, carry the torch past some of E20's most famous TV landmarks The Olympic torch visited the fictional London borough of Walford when it appeared in a special live section of BBC soap EastEnders on Monday. Viewers saw Billy Mitchell, played by Perry Fenwick, carry the torch past some of E20's most famous TV landmarks, including the Queen Vic pub. Speaking ahead of the show, Fenwick said it was "quite terrifying". Nineteen cameras were on Albert Square to capture the 31 regular cast members and 11 children involved. The live insert during EastEnders saw Billy Mitchell cheered on by the residents of Walford. With drama always high on the agenda, Billy's granddaughter Lola Pearce gave birth during the episode. London 2012 Olympic torch relay Search maps, check street routes and join in 70 days of live coverage in video, stories and pictures Find out where the Olympic torch is going Fenwick admitted he was somewhat nervous about the performance, adding: "I just want to do it and make everyone proud". The torch is scheduled to arrive at the Olympic Stadium in east London in time for the opening ceremony on Friday. This not the first time the Olympics and EastEnders have crossed paths. In March, Royal Mail revealed that the Olympic Park was to be given the same E20 postcode as the soap's Walford home. EastEnders viewers have already seen characters Fat Boy and Billy discover that they have been nominated as torchbearers. In November 2011, regulars in The Queen Vic found out that the torch would pass through Walford and the following month Billy discovered he had been chosen to carry it. The flame was seen in EastEnders on BBC One in an episode starting at 21:00 BST.


At which indoor sport was TV presenter Matt Baker talented in his younger days?

The fabulous Baker boy: Saviour of Countryfile, star of The One Show and Strictly¿s surprise hit... so what¿s Matt's secret? | Daily Mail Online In demand: Matt Baker is one of the BBC's hottest presenters Television presenters don’t come much more user-friendly than Matt Baker. So much so that if you cut him in two, I’m pretty sure he’d have ‘thoroughly likeable’ written through him like a stick of rock. The powers that be at the Beeb certainly seem to think so. A programme (BBC1’s Countryfile, as it happens) starts slipping in the ratings. Quick. Revamp. Who you gonna call? Matt Baker. Married presenter disgraced in Twitter scandal. (Yup, The One Show’s Jason Manford, who was caught having web sex sessions in his hotel room with as many as 12 different women.) Hurry. Find a replacement. Who you gonna call… Add to this the fact that when Matt, a former Blue Peter presenter, sits on a sofa or slips on a pair of wellies, audience figures skyrocket. Oh, and that he loves his wife, doesn’t have affairs or drink to excess, or even send sexy texts… Hang on a minute, there must be something, Matt? ‘Before I got the job at Blue Peter, they sat me down and told me, “You’ve got to be honest about any skeletons there might be in your closet”,’ he says. ‘“Well, there is something pretty big,” I replied… “I’ve got three points on my driving licence.” The worst thing was, I hadn’t told my dad. The editor came round to the farm [in the Durham Dales where Matt grew up] and we were sitting round the kitchen table. He said, “Well, there was that point when we asked him if there was anything in his past, and he told us about the three points on his driving licence.” My dad went, “What!”’ Hmmm. What were the points for? ‘Speeding.’ I’m guessing 43mph in a 40mph zone. ‘The licence is clean now,’ he says, deadpan. Matt, you see, is teasing. For, as well as being thoroughly likeable, he’s also – as Countryfile’s nine million viewers know – very funny in the sort of dry, clean way that the late Mary Whitehouse would have applauded. No bawdiness. No playing for cheap laughs. Just funny. We meet as Matt is being lined up to replace Jason Manford permanently on The One Show. Negotiations have been going on for several weeks. A sticking point was Countryfile. Matt loves the programme and didn’t want to give it up. He joined last year when the rural affairs show was moved to its current primetime slot and the presenting team was changed – leading to accusations of sexism and ageism by sacked presenter Miriam O’Reilly. She is currently suing the BBC. I wonder what Matt makes of the allegations. ‘Look at John Craven,’ he says. ‘He’s been on Countryfile for 20-odd years.’ Mmmm, but he’s a bloke. Women don’t seem to fare so well. Is the BBC sexist? ‘I don’t think so,’ he says. ‘There will come a day when somebody takes over from me. That day will arrive. I’ll just have to move on and do something else.’ Not, though, any day soon. Right now, Matt is one of the Corporation’s hottest presenters. Which just goes to show that you can be a thoroughly nice chap and get ahead. So what does this 32-year-old from the Durham Dales  make of those who aren’t quite so… well, nice? More to the point, does he know what possessed Jason Manford to blow his presenting career so spectacularly? Enlarge   Agile: Matt was junior British gymnastics champion until anaemia forced him to quit at the age of 14 ‘I honestly don’t,’ he says. Could he, though, see himself ever getting quite so carried away on Twitter? ‘I certainly hope not.’ Matt’s been married to his physiotherapist wife Nicola – with whom he has two children, Luke, three, and Molly, one – for six years. She’s only the second woman he’s ever loved and, he says, from the moment he met her at a local disco he knew she was ‘the one’. I had my first proper, proper girlfriend at school,’ he says. ‘We saw each other for a couple of years. I don’t want to start blaming her…’ Dumped? ‘Yeah.’ Heartbroken? ‘I was upset. I must have been about 16 when it ended.’ He smiles. ‘Then I met Nicola at university. She’s my rock,’ he s


In The Scaffold’s ‘Lily the Pink’, which young lady “had terrible freckles”?

Terrible Love Songs: Another Music Blog What Was 60’s Song ‘Lily The Pink’ Actually About? She Was After All ”Saviour Of The Human Race”! I have always wanted to know what the 60’s song ‘Lily the Pink’ was about. Written by Liverpudlian band The Scaffold , the song was Christmas number one in December 1968 and stayed there for four weeks. The song was apparently based on the folk song “The Ballad Of Lydia Pinkham”. Who Was Lydia Pinkham? Lydia Estes Pinkham (American, February 9, 1819 – May 17, 1883) was an iconic concocter and shrewd marketer of a commercially successful herbal-alcoholic "women's tonic" meant to relieve menstrual and menopausal pains. Like many women of her time Lydia Pinkham brewed home remedies, which she continually collected. Her remedy for "female complaints" became very popular among her neighbours to whom she gave it away. In Lydia Pinkham's time and place the reputation of the medical profession was low. Medical fees were too expensive for most Americans to afford except in emergencies, in which case the remedies were more likely to kill than cure. For example a common "medicine" was calomel, in fact not a medicine but a deadly mercurial toxin, and this fact was even at the time sufficiently well known among the sceptical to be the subject of a popular comic song. In these circumstances there is no mystery why many preferred to trust unlicensed "root and herb" practitioners, and to trust women prepared to share their domestic remedies such as Lydia Pinkham. It is reputed to have been her son Daniel who came up with the idea, in 1875 of making a family business of the remedy. Lydia initially made the remedy on her stove before its success enabled production to be transferred to a factory, she answered letters from customers and probably wrote most of the advertising copy. Mass marketed from 1876 on, Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound became one of the best known patent medicines of the 19th century. Descendants of this product are still available today. Lydia's skill was in marketing her product directly to women and her company continued her shrewd marketing tactics after her death. Her own face was on the label and her company was particularly keen on the use of testimonials from grateful women. Although Pinkham's motives were partly self-serving, many modern-day feminists admire her for distributing information on menstruation and the "facts of life," and consider her to be a crusader for women's health issues in a day when women were poorly served by the medical establishment. In 1922, Lydia's daughter Aroline Chase Pinkham Gove founded the Lydia E. Pinkham Memorial Clinic in Salem, Massachusetts. The clinic, still in operation as of 2004, provides health services to young mothers and their children. It is designated Site 9 of the Salem Women's Heritage Trail. What Was In The Original Vegetable Compound? * Unicorn root (Aletris farinosa L.) 8 oz. * Life root (Senecio aureus L.) 6 oz. * Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt.) 6 oz. * Pleurisy root (Asclepias tuberosa L.) 6 oz. * Fenugreek seed (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) 12 oz. * Alcohol (18%) to make 100 U.S. pints Is It Available Today? The answer is yes! Numark Laboratories of Edison, New Jersey markets a similar product named " Lydia Pinkham Herbal Compound ." The product is carried by the Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid. drugstore chains. Ingredients listed in this product are: * Motherwort (Leonorus cardiaca) * Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). How Did Lydia Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound Become A Song? One of the reasons given for why this women’s tonic became a part of drinking ballads and an increasing success in the twenties and early thirties was its availability as a 40 –proof patent eye-opener, during Prohibition . Some also suggest that it might have been a music hall song ( vaudeville ) which might have gone on to become a children’s rhyme or the other way round. How The Scaffold got involved is information I don’t have available to me, maybe if they read this article they could leave a message? Suffice to say, if it


What Islamic religious title was given to General Gordon’s nemesis?

Is Identity the Root Cause of Sudan’s Civil Wars? Is Identity the Root Cause of Sudan’s Civil Wars? Monica Fahmi , Apr 9 2012, 13038 views This content was written by a student and assessed as part of a university degree. E-IR publishes student essays & dissertations to allow our readers to broaden their understanding of what is possible when answering similar questions in their own studies. Chapter One   General Background Sudan, Africa’s largest country is located in the North East of the continent, covering a total area of 2,505,813 square kilometres. It borders the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya and Uganda.  Africa’s longest river, the Nile, divides the country on an East West axis (Appendix 1) (Levy and Abdul Latif, 2007:7, The World FactBook, 2010). Sudan shelters a diverse religious and ethnic population, which during the vigorous spread of Islam in North Africa became divided along clear geographical, ethnic and religious lines; of the mostly Arab Muslim North and the Christian/Animist South (Appendix 2). Timothy Insoll (2003) in The Archaeology of Islam in sub-Saharan Africa provides a detailed account of the spread of Islam in Sudan. Insoll (2003) explained that in 652AD Muslim Arabs entering from Egypt invaded the Northern part of what is now modern Sudan, transformed its people’s religious identity, changed its ethnic affiliations and acquired African slave [1] recruits from the Southern region. Christianity however persisted in the South since arrival in 569AD (Insoll, 2003; Yoh, 1999). This ideological division later became more apparent when politicised and consolidated during the British colonial era when Sudan acquired its first governmental structure, and which later led to its on-going civil war [2] . Ethnicity and Religion In July 2000, the population of Sudan was estimated at 35,079,814 representing a net growth of 2.84 per cent in comparison with 1999 and estimates increased to 36,080,373 by July 2001 (Encyclopaedia of the Nations, 2010). The Sudanese population consists of about 19 different ethnic groups and almost 600 subgroups (ibid). Most of the inhabitants are of Black origin, accounting for 54.8 per cent (Nilotic 24.4 per cent who predominantly inhibit the Southern region and Sudanic 12.9 per cent, Nuba Mountain people 6.5 per cent, Cushitic 6 per cent and other 6 per cent all spread across the Centre, Eastern and Western regions) (Operation World, 2010). Arabs account for 45.2 per cent of the population and are predominantly in the North (ibid). Due to the deeply religious nature of the Sudanese people, most of the population are adherents to a certain faith, mainly to Christianity or Islam, however indigenous religions still persist. In the North, Islam not only served as a faith but it became a way of life, and a specific prestigious cultural and ethnic identity associated with Arabism. Northerners acquired the ideological belief that “human history is a salvation history that has reached its culmination with the prophetic mission of Mohamed” (Ajwain & De Waal, 2002:275). For that reason, the Northerners have always aspired to build a bridge connecting them to the Arab world in order to collectively revive the divine plan of salvation communicated by Mohamed and spread Islam, the divine truth (Insoll, 2003). Conversely, the identity of Southern Sudan has been shaped primarily by the prolonged resistance to the imposition of Arab and Islamic culture from the North (Deng, 2001), which unified them as Black Africans and has geared them toward Christianity as means of combating Islam and Arabism. For Southerners, Islam symbolises not just a religion, but also (and linked to Arabism) an ethnic and cultural phenomenon that historically suppressed them as slaves and remains to exclude them as Black Africans and adherents to a different faith (Yoh, 1999). The Southerners have long resisted the reconstruction of their religious and ethnic identity to be constructed any differently, which therefore led to on-going civil strife. E


What long, loose over-garment was the distinctive garb of Jews in the Middle Ages?

Gaberdine - Encyclopedia Gaberdine GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES GABERDINE, or Gabardine, any long, loose over-garment, reaching to the feet and girt round the waist. It was, when made of coarse material,commonly worn in the middle ages by pilgrims, beggars and almsmen. The Jews, conservatively attached to the loose and flowing garments of the East, continued to wear the long upper garment to which the name "gaberdine" could be applied, long after it had ceased to be a common form as worn by non-Jews, and to this day in some parts of Europe, e.g. in Poland, it is still worn, while the tendency to wear the frockcoat very long and loose is a marked characteristic of the race. The fact that in the middle ages the Jews were forbidden to engage in handicrafts also, no doubt, tended to stereotype a form of dress unfitted for manual labour. The idea of the "gaberdine" being enforced by law upon the Jews as a distinctive garment is probably due to Shakespeare's use in the Merchant of Venice, I. iii. 113. The mark that the Jews were obliged to wear generally on the outer garment was the badge. This was first enforced by the fourth Lateran Council of 1215. The "badge" (Lat. rota; Fr. rouelle, wheel) took generally the shape of a circle of cloth worn on the breast. It varied in colour at different times. In France it was of yellow, later of red and white; in England it took the form of two bands or stripes, first of white, then of yellow. In Edward I.'s reign it was made in the shape of the Tables of the Law (see the Jewish Encyclopedia, s.v. "Costume" and "Badge"). The derivation of the word is obscure. It apparently occurs first in O. Fr. in the forms gauverdine, galvardine, and thence into Ital. as gavardina, and Span. gabardine, a form which has influenced the English word. The New English Dictionary suggests a connexion with the O.H. Ger. wallevart, pilgrimage. Skeat (Etym. Dict., 1898) refers it to Span. gaban, coat, cloak; cabana, hut, cabin. - Please bookmark this page (add it to your favorites). - If you wish to link to this page, you can do so by referring to the URL address below this line. http://www.theodora.com/encyclopedia/g/gaberdine.html Copyright © 1995-2011 ITA all rights reserved. Encyclopedia Alphabetically


Gallery:Aust Ferry - Roader's Digest: The SABRE Wiki Gallery:Aust Ferry This gallery has no child categories Aust Ferry     The English end of Aust Ferry, at Aust, in 1964. The view looks across the River Severn to Wales. The Severn Bridge is being constructed but has no roadway yet. From 11 February 1931, a ferry service was operated by the Old Passage Severn Ferry Company Ltd between Beachley and Aust. Services, first carrying just foot passengers and bicycles, and later extended to cars, operated until 1966, when the Severn Bridge opened and there was no longer any need for the crossing. Aust Ferry (Looking along the pier to the slipway) Cars queue for one of the last Aust ferries to Beachley on the Welsh side of the River Severn as the new Severn Bridge which was soon to replace the ferries nears completion Severn Crossing - cars waiting on the slipway for a ferry to dock 1949 OS map showing the Aust Ferry This page contains scans from Ordnance Survey New Popular Edition maps supplied by http://npemap.org.uk and are distributed via the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial Licence, which can be viewed at http://www.npemap.org.uk/tileLicence.html The slipway on the Beachley side of the ferry crossing, with the Severn Bridge in the background. pre-Warboys - Aust Ferry, the old sign with the word "ferry" painted over. Pre Worboys sign near Almondsbury. This dates from before the Severn Bridge. Ferry has been painted over. == Summary == Aust Ferry screenshot The Aust Ferry in 1953. This page contains scans from a map that is believed may be out of copyright according to UK Crown Copyright , UK Copyright Law for other maps published in the United Kingdom, or Irish Government Copyright , is not being used to generate profit in this context, and presents information that cannot be exhibited otherwise. If the copyright holder considers this is an infringement of their rights, please contact the site management team to discuss further steps. Road junction, complete with old roadsign Severn Ferry 'Terminal' - The remains of the ferry buildings. Slipway - Looking down the slope to the river. B4055 - View down from the village to the slipway. The A403 bypassed this village and the B road became u/c, on a 1970 OS map Usurper - Looking across to the cause of the ferry's demise, on Sept 8 1966 Slipped away - Beyond the tall reeds, is the rest of the slipway to the ferry. Ghosts of Morris Minors and Ford Anglias haunt this spot.....probably. Double usurper - On the other side, the 1996 bridge doesn't even notice the old ferry. Terminal demise - The old building gradually succumbs to nature. The cafe and ticket office have almost disappeared now. Bob - Bob Dylan was famously photographed waiting for a ferry here in May 1966. His image lives on. One at a time. - Turnstiles still guard the entrance. Gents - The Gents haven't been cleaned for ages. Did Bob go here? Seized up stiles - More turnstiles guard the Ladies Landing for the former Severn Ferry The 'original crossing' Beachey. Prior to 1966 this was the ONLY way to get across here - by ferry! Originally uploaded to Coppermine on Oct 08, 2006 by chglm


In which country is the cake known as ‘stollen’ traditionally eaten at Christmas?

Guide to German Cookies and Cakes - Germanfoods.org Guide to German Cookies and Cakes for german speaking exporters Guide to German Cookies and Cakes German cookies and cakes are known all over the world, not only for their quality but also because of their uniqueness. The selection of premium ingredients combined with recipes which have been perfected in family-owned businesses for generations guarantee the extraordinary flavor of the baked goods. Compared to American cookies and cakes you will find that products from Germany are usually less sweet than their American counterparts. The cookie assortment in Germany ranges from The cookie assortments range from crisp wafer creations to rich butter cookies with layered or glazed with delicious chocolate. The cookies come in various shapes, some of which are unique to the respective companies (a popular example would be the Bahlsen butter cookie with its 52 “teeth”). The variety of German cakes is truly remarkable and ranges from simple pound cakes all the way to elaborate cakes (Torten) which are either made with whipped cream or buttercream. German Christmas specialties enjoy great popularity all around the globe. The most well-known seasonal baked goods are the ubiquitous Stollen (yeast sweetbread with dried fruits and nuts)and highest quality gingerbread (Lebkuchen). Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich) This is a sheet cake made with a Hefeteig (sweet yeast dough) filled with vanilla custard, glazed with a honey mixture and sprinkled with almonds. The cake gets its name “Bienenstich” (Bee Sting) from the honey glaze and the thin pieces of almonds. Please see recipe here.   For baking mixes, click here . Black Forest Cake (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte) Black Forest Cake is perhaps Germany’s most well-known and most-loved cake. It consists of a chocolate cake with a filling of fresh cream and cherries soaked in Kirschwasser, a clear cherry schnaps that is a specialty in the Black Forest. The cake is decorated with cream, chocolate shavings and cherries. While this cake bears the name of the area of Germany known as the Black Forest, a pastry chef from Bad Godesberg, near Bonn, claims to have invented it in 1915. He was originally from Lake Constance, which is in the Black Forest, so maybe that’s why he named it Black Forest Cake. There are a number of other theories as to how the cake got its name. Firstly, the chocolate shavings on the top of the cake resemble a black forest. Then, perhaps, the name was thought up because the cake contains Kirschwasser, which is a specialty of the Black Forest. And last but not least, there’s a theory that the name came from the traditional dress of the women in the Black Forest which consists of a black dress, white blouse and a hat with a white base and red balls on top resembling the cherries. Please see recipe here. Butter Cake/ Sugar Cake (Butterkuchen/ Zuckerkuchen) Butterkuchen (Butter Cake) or Zuckerkuchen (Sugar Cake) is a simple sheet cake made with a Hefeteig (sweet yeast dough). Small holes are pressed into the dough with your fingers and butter is spread over the top. It then gets sprinkled with sugar and almonds. It’s a popular cake at both weddings and funerals and is sometimes referred to either as Freud- und Leidkuchen (Joy and Sympathy Cake) or as Beerdigungskuchen (Funeral Cake). It is especially popular in Northern Germany and in Westphalia. Please see recipe here . For baking mixes, click here . Cheese Cake (Käsekuchen) Genuine German cheesecake is made with Quark cheese. It’s sometimes also called Quarkkuchen or Quarktorte in Switzerland. In Austria it’s known as Topfenkuchen. For variety, berries such as raspberries or blueberries can be added, as can cherries and raisins. Please see recipe here. Donut (Krapfen / Berliner) Known as Pfannkuchen in Berlin and large parts of Eastern Germany, Kreppel in Hessen, Krapfen in Southern Germany and Berliner in much of Western Germany, the jelly-filled donut is a pastry which enjoys great popularity. Especially during the carnival season, which is known as Fasching, Karneval or Fastnach


Where in London do some swimmers take a bracing dip on Christmas Day?

Brace yourselves for the cold! Christmas Day swimmers prepare to take the plunge into icy water | Daily Mail Online Brace yourselves for the cold! Christmas Day swimmers prepare to take the plunge into icy water   Bathers brave temperatures as low as seven degrees in traditional swims across the country Swimmers defy order not to enter water at Brighton beach comments While most of the country was snuggling under a duvet or pulling on a Christmas jumper, these hardened swimmers were squeezing into their costumes. Hundreds of hardened bathers have been braving wet and wintry conditions across the country to take a Christmas Day dip. Despite torrential rain, winds of up to 30mph and temperatures as low as seven degrees - determined swimmers took the plunge at traditional swims in locations around Britain. Scroll down for video Members of the Peter Pan club prepare to compete in the annual handicapped 100 yard swimming race in the Serpentine, Hyde Park, London Around 100 swimmers took part in the annual Christmas Day race in Hyde Park Torrential rain batters the swimmers as they finish the race this morning Members of the public braved the weather to come down and support the swimmers Around a 100 people from the Serpentine swimming club jumped into the lake at Hyde Park for the annual 100-yard dash which has been held every year since 1864. And a group of determined swimmers took their annual Christmas dip at Brighton beach this morning - despite orders from the council not to enter the water because of dangerous weather conditions. Brighton and Hove City Council had announced yesterday that the traditional Christmas Day swim - which dates back to 1860 - could not go ahead with winds of up to 30mph predicted and 'volatile sea conditions'. But these pictures reveal how a handful of hardy individuals got up at 7.30am to defy the ban and dive into water temperatures of only five degrees. Swimmers make it across the finish line at the Peter Pan 100m dash in Hyde Park The race at Hyde Park has been held on Christmas Day every year since 1864 A pair of swimmers celebrate finishing the race as rain lashes down on the lake Hardened swimmers line up before deciding to take the plunge at 7.30am at Brighton Beach Swimmers from Brighton Swimming Club have taken a Christmas dip every year since 1860 Swimmers defied an announcement by Brighton and Hove City Council that the beach would be closed this year because of the weather conditions Council officials had said they were planning to be on the beach warning off swimmers from 8.30am ahead of the traditional start time of 11am. Seafront manager Viki Miller said yesterday: 'It can be tempting to have a splash in the sea at Christmas, but it’s absolutely not worth putting yourself at risk. Not only could you be caught out by the strong currents, but the sea temperature is extremely cold this time of year. 'We will be monitoring the weather on the day and will be advising people about safety. The conditions are already hazardous, with the forecast set to get worse, so as a last resort we will be closing the beach tomorrow. Brighton and Hove city council has closed the beach today due to bad weather conditions - but some swimmers managed to get in early The sea temperature during winter at Brighton beach is expected to be around five degrees at most Swimmers got into the sea before council officials turned up to advise people the beach is closed 'We want people to be able to enjoy the beach, but safety is a top priority.' Brighton and Hove Swimming Club has organised the event every year since 1860. President of Brighton Swimming Club Margaret Tuppen said: 'We are quite happy with the responsible decision the council has made - safety comes first.' But it seems several swimmers weren't to be told that this year was any different and took a dip nonetheless. Brave swimmers also jumped into the water at Sutton Park in Sutton Coldfield A Christmas dip has been a tradition at Sutton Park since the 1800s A brave couple are about to get a cold shock as they jump into the water at Sutt


Which British physicist and mathematician was born on 25/12/1642?

Newton, Isaac (1642-1727) -- from Eric Weisstein's World of Scientific Biography as Newton claimed it should be, rather than prolate spheroidal , as claimed by the Cartesians. Newton's equations also described the motion of Moon by successive approximations, and correctly predicted the return of Halley's Comet. Newton also correctly formulated and solved the first ever problem in the calculus of variations which involved finding the surface of revolution which would give minimum resistance to flow (assuming a specific drag law). Newton invented a scientific method which was truly universal in its scope. Newton presented his methodology as a set of four rules for scientific reasoning. These rules were stated in the Principia and proposed that (1) we are to admit no more causes of natural things such as are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances, (2) the same natural effects must be assigned to the same causes, (3) qualities of bodies are to be esteemed as universal, and (4) propositions deduced from observation of phenomena should be viewed as accurate until other phenomena contradict them. These four concise and universal rules for investigation were truly revolutionary. By their application, Newton formulated the universal laws of nature with which he was able to unravel virtually all the unsolved problems of his day. Newton went much further than outlining his rules for reasoning, however, actually describing how they might be applied to the solution of a given problem. The analytic method he invented far exceeded the more philosophical and less scientifically rigorous approaches of Aristotle and Aquinas. Newton refined Galileo's experimental method, creating the compositional method of experimentation still practiced today. In fact, the following description of the experimental method from Newton's Optics could easily be mistaken for a modern statement of current methods of investigation, if not for Newton's use of the words "natural philosophy" in place of the modern term "the physical sciences." Newton wrote, "As in mathematics, so in natural philosophy the investigation of difficult things by the method of analysis ought ever to precede the method of composition. This analysis consists of making experiments and observations, and in drawing general conclusions from them by induction...by this way of analysis we may proceed from compounds to ingredients, and from motions to the forces producing them; and in general from effects to their causes, and from particular causes to more general ones till the argument end in the most general. This is the method of analysis: and the synthesis consists in assuming the causes discovered and established as principles, and by them explaining the phenomena preceding from them, and proving the explanations." Newton formulated the classical theories of mechanics and optics and invented calculus years before Leibniz . However, he did not publish his work on calculus until afterward Leibniz had published his. This led to a bitter priority dispute between English and continental mathematicians which persisted for decades, to the detriment of all concerned. Newton discovered that the binomial theorem was valid for fractional powers, but left it for Wallis to publish (which he did, with appropriate credit to Newton). Newton formulated a theory of sound, but derived a speed which did not agree with his experiments. The reason for the discrepancy was that the concept of adiabatic propagation did not yet exist, so Newton's answer was too low by a factor of , is the ratio of heat capacities of air. Newton therefore fudged his theory until agreement was achieved (Engineering and Science, pp. 15-16). In Optics (1704), whose publication Newton delayed until Hooke's death, Newton observed that white light could be separated by a prism into a spectrum of different colors, each characterized by a unique refractivity, and proposed the corpuscular theory of light. Newton's views on optics were born out of the original prism experiments he performed at Cambridge. In his "e


Which statesman, Egypt’s third President, was born on 25/12/1918?

There is no happiness for people at the expense of other people. Died: October 6, 1981 (aged 62) Nationality: Egyptian Occupation: Statesman Bio: Anwar El Sadat was the third President of Egypt, serving from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 October 1981. In his eleven years as president, he changed Egypt's direction, departing from some of the economic and political principles of Nasserism by re-instituting the multi-party system and launching the Infitah economic policy.


Which former dictator was executed on 25/12/1989?

BBC ON THIS DAY | 25 | 1989: Romania's 'first couple' executed About This Site | Text Only 1989: Romania's 'first couple' executed Deposed Romanian president Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena have been shot by a firing squad after a secret military tribunal found them both guilty of crimes against the state. They were charged and convicted of genocide and undermining the national economy among a series of other offences, officials said. News of their death was announced to the people of Romania on national television amid reports the couple had been found smuggling large amounts of money out of the country. A stunned reaction from the public gave way to scenes of delight and a public outpouring on the streets to celebrate. But there was some unrest from troops who supported the former leader. The deaths end the dictator's 24 years as communist party leader - 21 of them as Romania's president - during which he suppressed all opposition using brutal force. The National Salvation Front is now running Romania, and America and the Soviet Union have recognised the new government. But the White House said it was "regrettable" the trial had not been held in public. Christmas celebrated The new government has pledged democracy will replace the tyranny of Ceausescu's rule and promised to allow free speech, free thought and free enterprise in Romania. Party leaders called on the West to aid and support its new reform programme. The executions come after 10 tumultuous days of violence and an upsurge of mass protests against Ceausescu's regime. Demonstrations began in the western city of Timisoara against the harassment of a dissident ethnic-Hungarian priest, Laszlo Tokes. It led to protests about a lack of basic supplies such as bread but the backlash from Ceausescu's armed forces led to accusations many people were massacred. Demonstrators stormed Ceausescu's palace and he and his wife tried to flee Bucharest but they were captured by military forces who had turned against them.


In ‘Pickwick Papers’, where did Mr. Pickwick and friends have a fine time at Christmas?

The Pickwick Papers - Dickens THE PICKWICK PAPERS Chapter 28 .  A good-humoured Christmas Chapter, containing   an Account of a Wedding, and some other Sports   beside: which although in their Way even as good   Customs as Marriage itself, are not quite so   religiously kept up, in these degenerate Times Chapter 29 .  The Story of the Goblins who stole a Sexton A GOOD-HUMOURED CHRISTMAS CHAPTER, CONTAINING   AN ACCOUNT OF A WEDDING, AND SOME OTHER SPORTS   BESIDE: WHICH ALTHOUGH IN THEIR WAY, EVEN AS GOOD   CUSTOMS AS MARRIAGE ITSELF, ARE NOT QUITE SO   RELIGIOUSLY KEPT UP, IN THESE DEGENERATE TIMES As brisk as bees, if not altogether as light as fairies, did the four Pickwickians assemble on the morning of the twenty-second day of December, in the year of grace in which these, their faithfully-recorded adventures, were undertaken and accomplished.  Christmas was close at hand, in all his bluff and hearty honesty; it was the season of hospitality, merriment, and open-heartedness; the old year was preparing, like an ancient philosopher, to call his friends around him, and amidst the sound of feasting and revelry to pass gently and calmly away.  Gay and merry was the time; and right gay and merry were at least four of the numerous hearts that were gladdened by its coming. And numerous indeed are the hearts to which Christmas brings a brief season of happiness and enjoyment.  How many families, whose members have been dispersed and scattered far and wide, in the restless struggles of life, are then reunited, and meet once again in that happy state of companionship and mutual goodwill, which is a source of such pure and unalloyed delight; and one so incompatible with the cares and sorrows of the world, that the religious belief of the most civilised nations, and the rude traditions of the roughest savages, alike number it among the first joys of a future condition of existence, provided for the blessed and happy!  How many old recollections, and how many dormant sympathies, does Christmas time awaken! We write these words now, many miles distant from the spot at which, year after year, we met on that day, a merry and joyous circle.  Many of the hearts that throbbed so gaily then, have ceased to beat; many of the looks that shone so brightly then, have ceased to glow; the hands we grasped, have grown cold; the eyes we sought, have hid their lustre in the grave; and yet the old house, the room, the merry voices and smiling faces, the jest, the laugh, the most minute and trivial circumstances connected with those happy meetings, crowd upon our mind at each recurrence of the season, as if the last assemblage had been but yesterday!  Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fireside and his quiet home! But we are so taken up and occupied with the good qualities of this saint Christmas, that we are keeping Mr. Pickwick and his friends waiting in the cold on the outside of the Muggleton coach, which they have just attained, well wrapped up in great- coats, shawls, and comforters.  The portmanteaus and carpet- bags have been stowed away, and Mr. Weller and the guard are endeavouring to insinuate into the fore-boot a huge cod-fish several sizes too large for it--which is snugly packed up, in a long brown basket, with a layer of straw over the top, and which has been left to the last, in order that he may repose in safety on the half-dozen barrels of real native oysters, all the property of Mr. Pickwick, which have been arranged in regular order at the bottom of the receptacle.  The interest displayed in Mr. Pickwick's countenance is most intense, as Mr. Weller and the guard try to squeeze the cod-fish into the boot, first head first, and then tail first, and then top upward, and then bottom upward, and then side-ways, and then long-ways, all of which artifices the implacable cod-fish sturdily resists, until the guard accidentally hits him in the


Which popular sitcom ended on Christmas Eve 1998, after a nine-year run?

BBC 1998 - UK Christmas TV   UK Christmas TV   Christmas Eve Thursday 24th December 1998   BBC1                    Tales of the Tooth Fairies                     animated fun (Repeat)                    Justin has his first photo shoot (Repeat)   9.55am  The Teletubbies                     Christmas in Spain, Laa Laa makes a snowball 10.20am  News 10.30am  Film : All I Want for Christmas (1991)                      starring Lauren Bacall, Leslie Nielsen 11.55am  The New Adventures of Superman                    Return of the Prankster                   fans reminisce about their favourite moments from "Neighbours" 12.55pm  News  and Weather                   Bill tells Susan that he wants to leave home   1.35pm   Film : Lassie : A New Generation (1994)                    starring Jon Tenney, Helen Slater  Première   3.05pm  Live and Kicking Mystery Toons                      A Live and Kicking Murder Mystery                     A Christmas party at an English country mansion goes                     horribly wrong when the host mysteriously dies   3.45pm  Film : The Santa Clause (1994)                    starring Tim Allen Première   5.40pm  Whatever You Want . . . for Christmas                      Gaby Roslin presents a Christmas special of the dream-fulfilment show   6.30pm  News with Peter Sissons                      Weather Michael Fish   7.00pm  Celebrity Ready, Steady Cook                      a special Christmas edition                     Lily Savage and Barbara Windsor join chefs Antony Worrall Thompson                      and Ainsley Harriott, with Fern Britton   7.30pm   EastEnders                     Grant's freedom is in the balance as Tiffany gives her version                    of what happened on the stairs   8.00pm  Animal Hospital                        first of three festive editions, with Rolf Harris   8.30pm  Birds of a Feather                       Holy Ground concluding the final series   9.10pm  News with Peter Sissons                    Regional News, Weather Michael Fish   9.30pm  Jonathan Creek                       starring Alan Davies, Caroline Quentin 11.00pm  The Frank Skinner Christmas Show                     featuring Mel C, Aled Jones and a special mystery guest 11.40pm  Christmas is Coming                      Watchnight from Edinburgh, live from St Giles Cathedral on                     Edinburgh's Royal Mile 12.40am  Film : Carry On Again Doctor (1969)                    starring Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale, Sid James                     followed by                      The first of tonight's two offerings from Albert Square. Grant                     finally opens up to his brother, and Bianca is taken by surprise    5.55pm  Auntie's Spanking New Christmas Bloomers                    Terry Wogan reveals more moments to bring a festive blush to                     the stars of the BBC's most popular programmes, including                     EastEnders, Changing Rooms, Jonathan Creek, Can't Cook Won't                                           Cook and Dalziel and Pascoe    6.30pm  Changing Rooms at Christmas                       A special yuletide edition of the interior-design challenge show.                      Carol Smillie is on the isle of Arran, where two neighbours try to                      give each other's living rooms a special festive feel, with the help of                                      design experts Linda Barker and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen    7.00pm  Film : Babe (1995)                       first of three new episodes starring Martin Clunes, Neil Morrissey,                       Caroline Quentin, Leslie Ash 10.35pm  They Think It's All Over                     hosted by Nick Hancock with Gary Lineker, David Gower, Rory McGrath,                              Jonathan Ross, Phil Cornwell, Colin Montgomerie 11.10pm  A Many Splintered Thing                    adult romantic comedy starring Alan Davies 11.40pm  The People's Nativity                     a reading of the Christmas story withTom Jones, Barbara Windsor,                     Alan Titchmarsh, Des Lynam 11


‘Hollyoaks’ is set in which English town or city?

Hollyoaks Fan Reviews & Ratings - TV.com 10 By skooch50 ,    Nov 01, 2013 I was highly disappointed to see that nancys tattoo has all of a sudden vanished (on 30/10/13 and 31/10/13) after a few years back when there was a big storyline of when her older sister becca hit the roof for nancy getting a tattoo. I am more disappointed at the fact that I like that tattoo so much I went and got it done my self and now the writers of the show have took it upon themselves and assumed that the viewers have forgot about the tattoo too and in no part of the show has there been any discussion about her tattoo getting removed. I would like an explanation for this. DO YOU AGREE? 1.0 By COMEON ,    May 19, 2013 THE WORST SHOW IN THE WORLD. DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHARACTERS IS AN ABSOLUTE JOKE. STORY LINES ARE EITHER PREDICTABLE OR THE WRITERS ARE TOO LAZY TO GIVE THE VIEWERS THE ENDING THAT THEY DESERVE. THEY CREATE A SO-CALLED "EPIC" STORY LINE, AND MOUNT THE STORY LINE UP AND UP WITHOUT ANY SORT OF DIRECTION AND IN THE END, NOTHING IS UNCOVERED APART FROM THE OBVIOUS. THE ONLY THING THEY LOVE TO DO IS KILL EVERYONE OFF. (IE) TEXAS - DOES SHE FIND ABOUT THE BROOCH AMONG ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WILL DID IN THE BUILD UP TO THEIR "EPIC" WEDDING. SILAS - STORY LINE WAS DRAGGED ON A FEW HALF CENTURIES ONLY TO UNCOVER THE MINOR ANSWER THAT SILAS WAS THE MURDERER IN HALF AN EPISODE. MADDIE - BULLY STORY LINE WAS DRAGGED FOR A PAINFUL NUMBER OF MONTHS ONLY TO KILL HER OFF. AND WHY? BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO LAZY TO CREATE AN AFTERMATH STORY. OH, BUT THEY LOVE TO FILM SHOTS OF THERESA PARADING AROUND IN HER UNDERWEAR, OR HAVE THEY FORGOTTEN THAT THEY LUMBERED HER OFF WITH A CHILD A FEW "EPIC" STORY LINES DO YOU AGREE? Hollyoaks follows the lives of young and old adults as they go through their daily routines, and not the regular things normal people go through. 5.5 By aluminae ,    May 07, 2011 I used to watch Hollyoaks religiously i.e. if I missed an episode I would curse more than usual. Unfortunately in the past few months the storylines have become more outrageous and they have introduced more new characters which makes it hard to keep up. There a spin offs aplenty which also makes it hard for the regular 18:30 viewer to know what on earth is going on. Many likeable characters are going off track and many new characters are too young or annoying for anyone to really relate to them. Its a shame, this show has finally hit its peak and even then it wasn't exactly the soap to watch. DO YOU AGREE? I actually think to myself "Why Did I Watch That?" after each and every episode and yet I watch it most days. 2.0 By randomshat ,    May 07, 2011 Its amazing, I have never come accross a TV show that is so inherently bad and yet I watch every day. The plots are ludicrous, the acting is worse than a secondary school Drama class, the script is bad, the characters are shallow and fake. Its so bad in fact, that its actually good. The women are awesome, over the years there have been some absolutely unbelievable lasses in the show (although at the moment Becca is the only one really). This is the main reason for me watching it, although recently it had a few stories that werent just bad - they were unwatchable, and I left it for a few weeks. I dont recommend it to anyone, but no doubt ill tune in at 6.30 tonight. DO YOU AGREE? A teen soap about lifes problems, far fetched beyond belief which makes it all the more fun to watch. 7.0 By EmzRedDevil ,    Feb 04, 2009 Hollyoaks is a typical British soap which revloves mainly around the lives of a younger age range. I use to be addicted to this show but then I got a bit sick of the same old story, don't get me wrong Hollyoaks is full of new twists and turns but seems to use the same storylines in separate situations, not to mention it does drag on with some pointless ones at times. However if you are ever bored through the week it is good trash TV to watch. Some of the actors are a bit lame whereas others can be very effective and believable in their roles, depends on how you look at it. At the end o


What was the name of Scrooge’s late partner? (Both names needed.)

"Ebenezer Scrooge" - The Meaning of the Name - Mark D. Roberts   Why Did Jesus Have to Die? The Roman Perspective, Part 1 The fact that Jesus was crucified rather than stoned, hanged, or killed in some other way means that the Romans were ultimately responsible for his death. Of course this is clear in the biblical gospels. But even if we lacked such primary sources, the simple fact that a man was crucified in Jerusalem around A.D. 30 implies that, for some reason or other, he was condemned by Roman authorities. Jews in the first-century A.D. didn’t crucify people. This horrible means of execution was the prerogative of the Romans, who used it with chilling effect. The Roman Practice of Crucifixion If we want to know why a Roman authority, in this case, the prefect Pontius Pilate, would choose to crucify someone, we might look first at the Roman practice of crucifixion in general. Although Rome didn’t invent this means of execution, the nation perfected it as one of the most horrible means of putting criminals to death. In fact, not all Roman convicts sentenced to death were crucified. Crucifixion was reserved for the lowest of the low, and most of all for those who openly opposed Roman power. Commit a serious crime and Rome might cut off your head; rebel against Roman rule or upset Roman peace and you might be headed to a cross. I say “might be” because Roman citizens were protected from crucifixion, unless they happened to be treasonous soldiers. (Photo: The Via Appia in Rome. When the slave Spartacus led a rebellion against Rome in 73-71 B.C., the Romans finally prevailed. They crucified 6,000 men, stringing them along the Via Appia for 120 miles, from Rome to Capua.) Why was crucifixion so horrible? For one thing, the victim experienced some of the most extreme pain that a person can experience and the duration of suffering often lasted several days. But, even beyond personal suffering, the crucified person experienced extreme shame in a world that valued honor supremely. Contrary to most portrayals of Jesus’ death, those sentenced to crucifixion were naked when attached to the cross, in full view of the masses. The Romans made every effort to crucify people in public places, such as along major thoroughfares. The point was to augment the dishonor and suffering of the one being killed, not to mention his family and colleagues. (It seems, by the way, that the Romans did not crucify women.) As the Roman rhetorician Quintilian explained, “Whenever we crucify the guilty, the most crowded roads are chosen, where most people can see and be moved by this fear. For penalties relate not so much to retribution as to their exemplary effect” (Quintilian, Declamations 274). Thus the point of crucifixion was not only punishment, but also deterrence. Not surprisingly, the Romans crucified Jews when they rebelled against imperial rule. I’ll examine a couple of telling instances in my next post. The Roman Perspective, Part 2 In my last post I began to examine the Roman practice of crucifixion, arguing that if we want to understand why a Roman governor had Jesus crucified, we should first understand why Rome used crucifixion in general. What we discovered was that crucifixion, in addition to being an extremely horrific punishment of criminals, was thought to be an effective deterrent against sedition. “Watch someone get crucified for challenging our authority,” the Romans believed, “and you’ll be unlikely to challenge our authority yourself.” If you’ve seen The Passion of the Christ, you can certainly understand Roman logic here. Crucifixion was cruel beyond cruel. Roman Crucifixion Among the Jews Even the threat of crucifixion didn’t completely squelch attempts to overthrow Roman rule, however, least of all among the Jews. Shortly after the death of Herod the Great in 4 B.C., thousands of Jews sought to toss the Romans out of Judea. Of course the Romans didn’t take kindly to this, sending an army to squash the rebellion. When the rebels fled into the country, the Roman general Var


Who wrote the poem ‘A Visit From St. Nicholas’, aka ‘The Night Before Christmas’?

The Mystery Behind the World's Most Famous Christmas Poem | Mental Floss The Mystery Behind the World's Most Famous Christmas Poem Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain Like us on Facebook It's a literary mystery: Nearly 200 years after it was published in New York's Troy Sentinel, we still don't know who really wrote "A Visit from St. Nicholas." When it first appeared in the newspaper on December 23, 1823, there was no name attached to it. It wasn't until 13 years later that Clement Clarke Moore, a professor and poet, was named as the author. A story emerged that a housekeeper had, without Moore’s knowledge, sent the piece—which he had written for his kids—to the newspaper, and in 1844, the poem was officially included in an anthology of Moore's work. The problem? The family of Henry Livingston, Jr., claimed their father had been reciting "A Visit From St. Nicholas" to them for 15 years before it was published. Here's the view from both sides. THE LIVINGSTON ARGUMENT Livingston's Dutch background is a key component in this mystery. His mother was Dutch, and many references in the poem are as well. For example, "A Visit from St. Nicholas" is likely where we got the popular names for Santa's reindeer—there seems to be no reference to their names prior to the poem. A couple of the names have skewed slightly over the years; instead of Donner and Blitzen, the latter two reindeer recited were called "Dunder" and "Blixem," the Dutch words for "Thunder" and "Lightning." (These days, the spellings have changed slightly to "donder" and "bliksem.") According to proponents of this hypothesis, Blixem first became Blixen to better rhyme with Vixen , and then, in 1844, Moore changed it to the more German Blitzen . Dunder would become Donder, and then, in the early 20th century, was changed to Donner to match Blitzen’s new German name. (Clement Moore proponents counter that the original editor of the poem may have altered the names to better fit a pseudo-Dutch framework , and Moore was simply changing them back to the original.) Also piling up in the case against Moore is the fact that at least four of Livingston's children and even a neighbor girl said they remembered Henry telling them the tale of St. Nick as early as 1807. They even said they had evidence—a dated, handwritten copy of the original poem with revisions and scratch marks all throughout. Unfortunately, the house containing this gem burned down, taking the Livingston family's proof with it. When a professor from Vassar analyzed poetry by both authors, he declared that there was virtually no possible way Moore could have written "A Visit from St. Nicholas." According to the professor, the style of the Christmas favorite was completely different—both structurally and content-wise—than anything else Moore had ever written. But the anapestic scheme used matched up with some of Livingston's work perfectly. Earlier this year, a New Zealand professor wrote a book where he tackled this question by applying complex statistical analysis to works by both authors. He found that “if we did not know whether the poems in Moore’s manuscript notebook were by him or by Livingston, our full range of tests would, in combination, categorize every one of them as much more probably Moore’s. In this they contrast sharply with ‘The Night Before Christmas,’ which is consistently associated more closely with Livingston.” But the Moore camp usually argues that these studies are constructed in such a way that they would always discount Moore, especially through ignoring works like “The Pig & The Rooster,” which is anapestic. The Livingston camp dismisses it and another anapestic poem by saying, “If Moore wrote ‘The Night Before Christmas’ he displayed in it a facility that deserted him in his efforts in the same meter both at about the same time and a decade later.” THE MOORE ARGUMENT Aside from the obvious fact that Moore stepped forward to take credit first, one big key seems to be his relationship with Rip Van Winkle author Washington Irving. In Irving's A History of New York, he referred to St. Nick


Who were the runners up in the men’s rugby union 2012-13 Six Nations competition?

2016 World Rugby U20 Championship live on Sky Sports | Rugby Union News | Sky Sports 2016 World Rugby U20 Championship live on Sky Sports By Emma Thurston Last Updated: 08/06/16 1:34pm New Zealand celebrate winning the 2015 World Rugby U20 Championship The 2016 World Rugby U20 Championship kicks-off on Tuesday at the AJ Bell Stadium in Salford live on Sky Sports, with New Zealand looking to retain their title and hosts England hoping to go one better than their runners-up position last year. The Championship brings together the best young talent from across the globe and during the 18 days of competition, new stars will emerge onto the world stage. Since 2008, only three sides have lifted the title - New Zealand, South Africa and England. However, with Wales taking the 2016 U20s Six Nations Grand Slam and Australia recently beating New Zealand, we're set for a highly competitive Championship. Ahead of Tuesday's opening matches in Salford and the Manchester City Academy Stadium, we cast our eye over the three pools and mark your card with a few players that you'll want to keep an eye out for... Pool A The reigning champions New Zealand are joined by Wales, Ireland and Georgia. Georgia qualified by winning the U20s trophy last year and the Junior Lelos start in the most difficult manner possible by facing New Zealand. Scrum-half Vasil Lobzhanidze will captain the side and his experience, playing in last year's senior Rugby World Cup, will be vital.   Georgia's scrum-half Vasil Lobzhanidze became the youngest player in tournament history at RWC 2015 New Zealand have two returnees from the 2015 Championship and have an impeccable record at this level. Jordie Barrett, brother of Beauden, will pull the strings at fly-half and prop Alex Fidow has impressed with his set piece ability and play in the loose. Wales should be confident after their Grand Slam title and one player that excelled in that tournament is Harrison Keddie, whose physicality and leadership are expected to come to the fore over the coming fortnight. Nigel Carolan's Ireland will be led by James Ryan, an athletic lock also tipped to have an excellent future, and the Irish will start their tournament by facing their Six Nations compatriots.   Pool B Italy and Scotland will join two sides that are familiar opponents on the world stage, England and Australia. Bath Rugby's Adam Hastings is the third Hastings to represent Scotland, following in the footsteps of his father Gavin, and uncle Scott The victories that Scotland recorded over England and Italy in the Six Nations will provide them confidence and head coach John Dalziel retains 23 of the squad that took part in that tournament. Italy have avoided relegation on the final day of the last two Championships, the last placed side drops into the World Rugby U20 Trophy, and it's a relatively inexperienced Azzurrini side that will wish to do so again this time around.  Australia boast a number of players with Super Rugby experience including Lukhan Tui, James Tuttle and Sione Tuipulotu. Coach Adrian Thompson has openly highlighted his side's need to counter the Northern Hemisphere's teams' 'focus on the set piece' and that will be tested straight away in their opener against Scotland.  Jack Walker will captain hosts England who start their Championship against Italy Hosts England will field a plethora of players with Premiership experience and ones that turned heads during this domestic season including Harry Mallinder, Will Evans, Ollie Thorley and Johnny Williams.   The home side know the pressure that's on their shoulders given England's early exit in the senior competition and have to step up from their Six Nations outings to deliver. Pool C Argentina, France, Japan and South Africa make up the final pool in tournament The Junior Springboks start their tournament against Japan and will be hoping that history doesn't repeat itself at age-grade level. The squad features just two players that were involved in Italy last year and coach Dawie Theron has had to contend with a few more injuries than he'd like in the bui


Which African country was known as South-West Africa, prior to 1968?

Namibia | South African History Online South African History Online View full archive Namibia, a former German colony, is situated towards the north west of South Africa. The Orange River marks the border between the two countries. The country is about 800 000 square kilometers big and borders on Angola to the north and Botswana in the east. The Caprivi Strip, which stretches off its northern edge, extends between Botswana and Zambia. The first European that landed in Namibia was the Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão, who came ashore north of Swakopmund at Cape Cross in 1484. Parts of Namibia are notoriously dry and much of the country is made up of the Namib Desert and the Kalahari. Towards the north the country becomes greener with the Etosha Pan filling with water from northern rivers. This area is rich in diverse wildlife. The Skeleton Coast marks the area where the Namib meets the Atlantic Ocean and is littered with wrecks of ships that ran ashore in the treacherous waters, whalebone shelters used by the San and ghost towns that boomed during the early diamond days. Due to its harsh environment Namibia is sparsely populated with various different groups. Its population is made up of San, Damaras, Ovambos, Namas, Hereros, Oorlams, Kavangos, East Caprivians, Rehoboth Basters, Kaokovelders, Tswanas and European settlers, mostly German. The country is rich in natural resources and its main mineral products are copper, diamonds, gold, lead and uranium. The South African and Portuguese governments jointly developed the Kunene hydroelectric scheme in 1969. Fishing is also a prominent industry in Namibia, but exploitation of the rich marine resources led to the near extinction of pilchards and anchovies in the 1960s and 70s. Strict controls were put in place and the numbers of fish have steadily increased since then. In 1885 the Chancellor of the German Empire, Bismarck, held a convention in Berlin where European powers divided Africa among themselves. This was called the “Scramble for Africa”. In 1886 the border between Angola and what would become German South West Africa was negotiated between the German and Portuguese nations. In 1890 the first German military fort was built at Windhoek and, in July of the same year, the British government also apportioned the Caprivi Strip to the Germans. This would give Germany access to the Zambezi River and its other East African territories, and it would give up its claims on Zanzibar. The reason Germany selected Namibia as its “protectorate” was influenced by the fact that a tobacco merchant from Bremen, Franz Luderitz, bought up coastal land in the area in 1882. This resulted in Germany actively establishing itself in the African country by 1884. They occupied Herero lands. Initially the Herero accepted the “treaties of protection”, but the Nama people resisted. In 1888 the Germans confiscated Herero lands and large numbers of their cattle. The aim was to turn South West Africa into a settler colony. In 1890 German soldiers attacked the Nama and by 1892, despite efforts by the Nama and Herero to put up a united front, they were crushed. By the beginning of the twentieth century African resistance become the central theme under local leaders. German forces were still occupied in crushing the 1903 Bondelswarts Uprising and were hard pressed when the Herero rose in revolt in 1904. Once reinforcements arrived with superior guns German troops defeated them. The new German commander-in-chief, General Lothar von Trotha, ordered the extermination of all Herero people. Pursued by German troops they fled into the desert, into northern Ovamboland and into eastern Bechuanaland, or Botswana. While the German troops were destroying the Herero, the Portuguese launched a new offensive against the northern Ovambo. In 1905 the Nama, who responded a band of guerrilla fighters. After a year of fierce fighting, Witbooi was killed in action but Jacob Marengo continued to lead the Nama resistance for a further two years. In 1907, the death of Marengo brought about the end of the war of resistance. Many


The 9-inch tall pyramid at the top of the Washington Monument is made of what?

What's the Point? The Pyramid Atop the Washington Monument | Mental Floss What's the Point? The Pyramid Atop the Washington Monument Getty Images Like us on Facebook There's an aluminum pyramid perched on top of the Washington Monument. Here's how and why it got up there. Medioimages/Photodisc When the monument was constructed in the 1880s, aluminum was pretty rare and pretty expensive. Although it's very abundant in the Earth’s crust, the metal occurs tightly bonded and combined with other minerals, so it was very difficult and costly to extract. In 1884, aluminum was $1 per ounce, or about the same price as silver, and equal to the wage a laborer working on the monument got for one of his 10+ hour workdays. Modern myth says that the pricey topper was sort of an "only the best" tribute to the first President, but the metal's value had no real impact on the decision, nor did the choice seem to involve any design evaluation, testing, or comparative competition among available materials. Instead, aluminum was selected because William Frishmuth*, conveniently one of the only U.S. aluminum producers at that time, thought it could take a shock. The pyramid was supposed to serve as a lightning rod, and since Frishmuth had already done some plating work for the monument, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers called on him to fashion the topper as well. They requested a small metal pyramid, preferably made from copper, bronze, or platinum-plated brass. Frishmuth suggested that he instead use aluminum for its conductivity, color, and the fact that it wouldn't stain. He gave them a quote of $75, and the Corps agreed. Frishmuth cast a cap that he called a “perfect pyramide of pure aluminum," weighing in at 100 ounces and standing nine inches tall. It was the largest piece of cast aluminum that had ever been created at the time, and Frishmuth was so tickled with his accomplishment that he arranged with the Corps to exhibit the pyramid in New York before he brought it to Washington. For two days, the pyramid sat in the window of Tiffany's in New York City, displayed like a precious jewel. Later, it was put on public display, on the floor, and visitors were allowed to carefully step over so they could tell their friends that they had walked "clear over the top of the Washington Monument." Frishmuth's delays in delivering the pyramid to the monument site finally wore thin, and its tour came to an end when Colonel Thomas Lincoln Casey, the engineer in charge of the monument project, threatened him with force. The pyramid finally arrived with Frishmuth's request that it be displayed in the House and the Senate. He also wanted it wiped free of fingerprints with a chamois after being set atop the monument. Budget Problem Casey's eroded patience with Frishmuth completely gave way when he received the bill. Frishmuth exceeded his estimate by more than three times and submitted an invoice for $256.10. No more than a few hours after the papers arrived, Casey sent his assistant to Frishmuth's foundry in Philadelphia to investigate the bill. The entire accounting of the bill isn't clear, but one major factor in the unexpected cost appears to have been that Frishmuth could not use a standard sand mold to cast the pyramid and had to construct an iron one for the project. Another problem was that the cost of the aluminum alone, at the day's prices, was higher than Frishmuth's estimate of materials plus labor. Davis managed to negotiate Frishmuth down to a final price of $225 and the pyramid was placed on top of the monument on December 6, 1884. But just a few months later, the pyramid fell down on the job. In June 1885, lightning struck the monument and cracked the north face of the spire just under the capstone. The pyramid was apparently not cut out to handle lightning on its own, and it was soon surrounded by a crown of gold-plated copper bars. During a 1934 rehab of the monument's exterior, workers found another flaw in Frishmuth's pyramid. Repeated lightning strikes had blunted its tip, and pieces had melted and re-fused to the sides. Frishmuth's p


Below the ‘out’ line, what is the only part of a squash court that is out of bounds?

Your Email - optional: Squash Rules The basic rules of squash are fairly simple. First the winner of the toss gets to choose which side they want to serve from and alternates sides until they lose a point. The toss is typically done by spinning the racquet, with one player guessing whether the racquet will land up or down based on the direction of the logo at the end of the grip. The ball can hit any number of walls ( i.e sidewall, backwall ) but must eventually hit the front wall before bouncing on the floor. A rally ( the exchange of shots ) ends when one of the following occurs: The ball bounces twice The ball hits the tin The ball is hit outside the out lines Interference resulting in a stroke, i.e. point to the obstructed player. The serve is done by having at least one foot in the service box, then hitting the ball to the front wall, above the service line and having it bounce in the opposite quarter-court. The receiver can stand anywhere as long as they do not interfere with the server. Only one serve is allowed. There is no second serve as in tennis. Your opponent has the option of volleying return your serve before it hits the ground. After hitting the front wall first, the ball may hit any other number of walls before landing in the opponent�s quarter court. However, a serve is illegal if it hits any sidewall before hitting the front wall! Following the serve, the ball can hit any number of sidewalls before hitting the front wall. The red lines mark the out of bounds of the court. So all shots must be below the lines. If the ball touches the line it is considered out! Scoring is to 11 or point-a-rally ( PAR ), where every rally is a point, regardless of who served. So if you serve and lose the rally, then your opponents get a point and gets to serve. The professionals play best of five games , PAR scoring to 11. Where the score reaches ten all, the game will be won by two clear points (which will be expressed as 11-10, irrespective of the actual score ). You also have traditional English scoring to 9 points, where only the server can win a point. This means if you serve the ball and lose the point, then your opponent gets to serve and the score does not change. If you win the point , then you get a point and get to serve from the next side. When service changes it is often called 'hand-out'. When hand-out you can pick which side to serve from, after which you alternate sides if you continue to win points. The first player who gets to 8-8 chooses 9 or 10, called set 1 or 2. The 11 point scoring is now the official scoring for squash so one should only use this to avoid confusion. Some not-so-obvious rules of squash are you can not carry the ball or hit the ball twice, but you can make several attempts at striking the ball as long as only contact is made once. Understanding interference Regarding interference, one should always say "Let please" whenever you sense interference may occur. In the interest of safety one should never play the shot and allow the interference to occur. If your opponent is interfering with your path to the ball, it is usually a "Let" or play the point again. If your opponent is interfering with your direct swing to the ball, then it should be "stroke" or your point. There are a lot of grey areas and many other situations that could change the call. With experience you will learn what is let , no let, and stroke. As a beginner it is best to play a let on most interferences. In squash you must make every effort to clear your shot to give your opponent direct access to the ball once you have played it. In other words you can not play your shot and remain standing directly in the path your opponent would take to retrieve your shot. When interference does occur it results in either a "Let" which is to replay the point or a "Stroke" which is a point to the person who's shot was obstructed. Keep in mind the following rule of thumb regarding Let and Stroke. Interference far from ball (>1m): Could have got to it --> LET (replay point) Otherwise --> NO LET Interference close to ball (<1 m)


On Sept. 20th 2013 , who were runners-up to Nottinghamshire in the YB40 final at Lords?

BBC Sport - YB40: Nottinghamshire beat Glamorgan to win Lord's final BBC Sport YB40: Nottinghamshire beat Glamorgan to win Lord's final By Ged Scott BBC Sport at Lord's YB 40 final, Lord's Match scorecard Nottinghamshire claimed their first Lord's one-day final win in 24 years as they beat Glamorgan by 87 runs. Chasing Notts' 244-8, spinner Samit Patel took three Glamorgan wickets in nine balls to inspire his side on the way to a comfortable YB40 final win. Nottsl owed much to a 99-run fifth-wicket stand between captain Chris Read (53) and Aussie David Hussey (42). Ajmal Shahzad and Stuart Broad then both chipped in with three wickets each as Glamorgan were bowled out for 157. That kept up the Welsh club's unwanted record as the only first-class county never to have won a final at Lord's. Notts/Glamorgan in Lord's finals Of the original 17 first-class counties who began playing one-day cricket 50 years ago, this year's YB40 final was contested by the two with the fewest appearances at Lord's. Nottinghamshire, runners-up in the 1985 NatWest Trophy came back to win the same competition two years later, in 1987. And, having been runners-up in their first-ever Lord's final in 1982, in the Benson & Hedges Cup, they won that trophy too seven years later in 1989 - on their fourth appearance at Lord's, 24 years ago. Glamorgan have an even worse record in St John's Wood, having previously been to Lord's only twice before, as runners-up in the 1977 Gillette Cup final before suffering the same fate in the 2000 Benson & Hedges Cup final. England all-rounder Broad, called in to play his first one-day game for Notts since 2010, finished the game off with a burst of three wickets for two runs in six balls to earn his country their first silverware since claiming the Benson and Hedges Cup in 1989. And that made up for the taunting of this summer's Ashes central figure by Glamorgan supporters when he came in to bat earlier in the afternoon. The defeat maintained the Welsh club's unwanted record as the only first-class county never to have won a final at Lord's. Having won the toss and put Notts in, it soon looked ominous for Glamorgan when their opponents passed 50 in the ninth over. After beginning with a massive wide, Australian fast bowler Michael Hogan's unsuccessful shout for lbw against Michael Lumb with the last ball of his first over was the only sign of early danger. But, after Lumb in particular had tucked into Jim Allenby, a double bowling change after eight overs brought a double reward. With the score on 52, Lumb returned a catch to young spinner Andrew Salter to depart for 28 before Alex Hales followed in the next over, carving a catch to the deep cover boundary. On 80-2, Salter then struck again from the first ball of his fifth over when he removed Patel. And, again, the fall of one wicket triggered another. When Simon Jones had James Taylor caught behind to leave Notts 90-4 in the 19th over, underdogs Glamorgan were suddenly looking a good bet. It could have been worse for Notts if, in the next over, Gareth Rees had held onto a hard, low drive from Hussey to mid-off when he had made just three. As it was, Read and Hussey put on 99 from 93 deliveries, a stand that ended just after the start of the Notts powerplay. A ball after Read had reached a run-a-ball 50, with a lofted six over mid-on, he went for a short single on his own call to mid-off - and non-striker Hussey was run out by a sharp piece of work from Ben Wright. Hogan's Haul Michael Hogan's last-ball yorker to remove Stuart Broad leaves him on 99 wickets in all competitions this season - 63 in the Championship, 28 in the YB40 (the top wicket taker in the competition) and eight in the Twenty20. Read rapidly followed, hoisting Hogan to deep square cover. But the loss of two quick wickets for the third time in the innings did not halt Notts, as Graeme Swann and Steven Mullaney helped complete a tally of 47 from the powerplay. Graham Wagg bowled Mullaney for 21 with the last ball of the penultimate over but, with Swann scraping seven more off the final over to finish


In 1967, who became the first recipient of a human heart transplant?

Dec. 3, 1967: Patient Dies, but First Heart Transplant a Success | WIRED Dec. 3, 1967: Patient Dies, but First Heart Transplant a Success subscribe 6 months for $5 - plus a FREE Portable Phone Charger. Author: Tony Long. Tony Long Science Date of Publication: 12.03.07. Time of Publication: 12:00 pm. 12:00 pm Dec. 3, 1967: Patient Dies, but First Heart Transplant a Success Surgeon Christian Barnard shows an X-ray image of Louis Washkansky's chest taken during the first heart transplant. Photo: Bettman / Corbis 1967: The first human-to-human heart transplant is performed. The operation is a success, but the patient dies after complications set in. This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Contact wiredlabs@wired.com to report an issue. South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard , who prepared for this day by performing a number of experimental heart transplants involving dogs, led a 30-member surgical team in implanting the heart of a young woman into 53-year-old Louis Washkansky, a Cape Town grocer suffering from diabetes and incurable heart disease. Washkansky received the heart of Denise Darvall, a 25-year-old bank clerk who was left brain-dead following an automobile accident the day before. She was removed from life support, and her father gave permission for her heart to be given to Washkansky. The transplant, performed at Cape Town's Groote Schuur Hospital , was a success. Washkansky's body did not reject the heart, due in large part to the immunosuppressive drugs he received. But those drugs also weakened his immune system, and he contracted double pneumonia, which killed him 18 days after the transplant. Barnard, who became an international celebrity (and reveled in it) as a result of the transplant, soldiered on. Over the next several years he performed additional heart transplants, with the survival times for his patients gradually improving. One patient, Dorothy Fisher, survived for 24 years after receiving a new heart in 1969. Other surgeons, however, weren't as bullish on transplant surgery, because of the high risk of organ rejection by the recipient. It wasn't until cyclosporine came into widespread use in the early 1980s that an effective means of reducing that risk was found. After that, organ-transplant surgery took off. Barnard, meanwhile, became more interested in anti-aging research, and his reputation took a hit when he lent his name to Glycel, an anti-aging skin cream that in the end did nothing at all to slow the process. Barnard died in 2001. (Source: Various)


Who wrote the series of children’s books about Dr. Dolittle?

Doctor Dolittle: The Author Hugh John Lofting was born in Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, on January 14, 1886. He was one of six children of an English father, John Brien Lofting, and an Irish mother, Elizabeth Agnes (Gannon) Lofting. Below Left: Hugh Lofting with his mother and siblings. Below Right:  Several years later, HL with two of his siblings and his parents. [Click on each picture to see a larger version of it.] With the benefit of 20-20 hindsight, one can identify a few facts about Hugh Lofting's childhood which seem to "foreshadow" his later career.  For instance, the standard biographical sketches say that, as a boy, the future children's author liked to tell stories to his siblings.  And apparently Doctor Dolittle's creator-to-be evinced an early interest in nature, even bringing some of it indoors (as little boys are wont to do) and maintaining a sort of personal "natural history museum and zoo"...that is, until his mother found it in her linen closet!  And animals in particular must have held some attraction for young Hugh, as we are told that one of his favorite outings was to go to London with his mother to look at the puppies in a certain pet shop. But however clear it may seem that Hugh Lofting was "destined" for his eventual career, it may also be said that he arrived at it via the long route. For, at the end of his ten years (1894-1904) at Mount St. Mary's, the Jesuit boarding school in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, where he received a classical education, the young man had made up his mind to become a civil engineer and see the world. Below Center: Mrs. Lofting with her children, four of whom are almost grown, it appears. Below Left: Hugh Lofting, in his teens (?).   Right: HL as a young man. The desired world travel actually commenced before the career did, as Lofting went straight to America to begin studies for his engineering degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After a year (1904-05) at MIT, it was back to England, to finish up (1906-07) at the London Polytechnic. Then there followed a brief stint as an architect, after which the odyssey began in earnest. The newly minted civil engineer did some prospecting and surveying in Canada in 1908-09, and went on between 1910 and 1912 to work first for the Lagos Railway in West Africa and then for the Railway of Havana in Cuba.  But the attractions of the life faded sufficiently that by 1912 Hugh Lofting was ready to do something else. That year, he returned to America, married Flora Small, and settled in New York City to begin a writing career. HL's entry in the 1931 edition of Living Authors says that the ex-engineer's first story was about "culverts and a bridge."  :-) He soon hit his stride, however, and was producing short pieces which were published in magazines. Of course, these stories were different from the books on which his fame would ultimately rest. For one thing, they were not written for children. Nor did they include any drawings by their author: Lofting's experience as an illustrator was confined, at this point, to the technical drawing he had done as an architect and civil engineer. A new career was not the only thing begun during these first few years of the Loftings' marriage: they also started a family. Elizabeth Mary was born in 1913; Colin MacMahon followed in 1915.  Meanwhile, Europe went to war, and the Lofting family would not be unaffected. Below: What appears to be an interesting trick photo of Lofting "times five." The "Great War" broke out 1914, and in 1915 Hugh Lofting, still a British subject, worked for the British Ministry of Information while remaining in New York. A year later, though, he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Irish Guards, and he saw action in Flanders and France in 1917-18.  To say that "the experience affected him profoundly" seems trite and unnecessary; how could a person of any sensitivity not react deeply to the horrors of war? And yet out of what was surely a terrible experience came something altogether lovely: the charming story, told in s


What eight-letter word is the Japanese for ‘goodbye’?

10 Useful Ways to Say Goodbye in Japanese | FluentU Japanese 10 Useful Ways to Say Goodbye in Japanese We all know how to say “goodbye” in Japanese. Right? Believe it or not, Japanese people don’t walk around saying “sayounara.” Sorry to burst your bubble. Sayounara (さようなら ) is the direct Japanese equivalent of goodbye, but is not commonly used by native Japanese speakers. Actually, sayounara has a strong sense of finality to it, and means there is a good chance you might not be meeting the other person for quite some time. It’s all well and good that you can whip out some  fantastically useful Japanese phrases and know how to communicate politely  while speaking with a language exchange partner . However, after all your hard work reading Japanese learning blogs and listening closely to podcasts , you could end up causing some serious misunderstandings simply by saying the wrong goodbye phrase. Shraying sayounara to a boss or loved one may leave them feeling confused or  upset. You’ve already learned how to speak conscientiously and behave tactfully in tune with Japanese etiquette . Now it’s time to finish your Japanese conversations with the same level of care. Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download) How to Say Goodbye in Japanese: 10 Useful Expressions 1. 行って来ます (いってきます, itte kimasu) – I’m leaving home If you are leaving your home, you should say 行って来ます (itte kimasu). Literally it means “go and come back.” It is usually shouted out as you slip your shoes on in the 玄関 (げんかん, genkan), or the entrance way of the house. The appropriate response is 行ってらっしゃい (いってらっしゃい, itte rashai), or “go and come back” and is said by the people remaining in the house. 2.  お先に失礼します (おさきにしつれいします, osaki ni shitsurei shimasu) – Excuse me for leaving first It is well known that Japanese people work long hours. In western countries, there might be a mad rush to the door when it is time to finish work, but in Japan, people will usually keep working away at their desk. Of course eventually you will need to leave the office, so people politely excuse themselves from leaving, by saying: お先に失礼します (osaki ni shitsurei shimasu). It literally means, excuse me for leaving first. You can also just say the abbreviated form お先に (おさきに, osakini), to close colleagues, but not your boss. 3. お疲れ様でした (おつかれさまでした, otsukaresama deshita) – Thank you for your hard work The usual response to: お先に失礼します (osaki ni shitsureishimasu) said by the people who remain in the office is: お疲れ様でした (otsukaresama deshita). There is no real translation to this phrase in English, but you can think of it as something like “thank you for your hard work.” You can also say it to a colleague who might have just told you a story about a difficult client, but not of course in front of the client! Another similar phrase you might hear is: 御苦労様でした (ごくろうさまでした, gokurousama deshita). It has a similar meaning to otsukaresama deshita, but is said to people of a lower than you. For example, a boss might say it to his staff. In terms of politeness you are safer with  お疲れ様でした (otsukaresama deshita). If you are in an office and going out say to a meeting outside of the office, you should use 行って来ます (itte kimasu), like you would when leaving your home, and your colleagues will reply 行ってらっしゃい (itte rashai). In this case, be careful not to use お先に失礼します otherwise your colleagues might think you are heading home early. 4. じゃあね (jaa ne) – See you With friends, you can be more casual, by saying: じゃあね (jaa ne)  “see you,” or またね (mata ne). 5. バイバイ (ばいばい, bai bai) – Bye bye You will also hear young people, especially girls use the English phrase: バイバイ (bai bai). Be careful using it if you are guy, because it can sound kind of feminine. 6. また明日 (またあした, mata ashita) – See you tomorrow There are also many phrases that relate to the time you will meet the person again, such as また明日 (mata ashita), see you tomorrow, or また来週 (またらいしゅう, mata raishu), see you next week. They are still considered casual forms, so they shouldn’t be


The European prince Henry the Navigator was born in 1394 in which country?

Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460) of Portugal Prince Henry the Navigator By Matt Rosenberg Updated March 03, 2016. Portugal is a country that has no coast along the Mediterranean Sea so the country's advances in worldwide exploration centuries ago comes at no surprise. However, it was the passion and goals of one man who truly moved Portuguese exploration forward. Prince Henry was born in 1394 as the third son of King John I (King Joao I) of Portugal. At the age of 21, in 1415, Prince Henry commanded a military force that captured the Muslim outpost of Ceuta, located on the south side of the Strait of Gibraltar. Three years later, Prince Henry founded his Institute at Sagres on the southwestern-most point of Portugal, Cape Saint Vincent - a place ancient geographers referred to as the western edge of the earth. The institute, best described as a fifteenth century research and development facility, included libraries, an astronomical observatory, ship-building facilities, a chapel, and housing for staff. The institute was designed to teach navigational techniques to Portuguese sailors, to collect and disseminate geographical information about the world, to invent and improve navigational and seafaring equipment, to sponsor expeditions, and to spread Christianity around the world - and perhaps even to find Prester John . continue reading below our video 10 Facts About the Titanic That You Don't Know Prince Henry brought together some of the leading geographers, cartographers, astronomers, and mathematicians from throughout Europe to work at the institute. Although Prince Henry never sailed on any of his expeditions and rarely left Portugal, he became known as Prince Henry the Navigator. The institute's primary exploration goal was to explore the western coast of Africa to locate a route to Asia. A new type of ship, called a caravel was developed at Sagres. It was fast and was much more maneuverable than prior types of boats and though they were small, they were quite functional. Two of Christopher Columbus' ships, the Nina and the Pinta were caravels (the Santa Maria was a carrack.) Caravels were dispatched south along the western coast of Africa. Unfortunately, a major obstacle along the African route was Cape Bojador, southeast of the Canary Islands (located in Western Sahara). European sailors were afraid of the cape, for supposedly to its south lay monsters and insurmountable evils. Prince Henry sent fifteen expeditions to navigate south of the cape from 1424 to 1434 but each returned with it's captain giving excuses and apologies for not having passed the dreaded Cape Bojador. Finally, in 1434 Prince Henry sent Captain Gil Eannes (who had previously attempted the Cape Bojador voyage) south; this time, Captain Eannes sailed to the west prior to reaching the cape and then headed eastward once passing the cape. Thus, none of his crew saw the dreadful cape and it had been successfully passed, without catastrophe befalling the ship. Following the successful navigation south of Cape Bojador, exploration of the African coast continued. In 1441, Prince Henry's caravels reached Cape Blanc (the cape where Mauritania and Western Sahara meet). In 1444 a dark period of history began when Captain Eannes brought the first boatload of 200 slaves to Portugal. In 1446, Portuguese ships reached the mouth of the Gambia River. In 1460 Prince Henry the Navigator died but work continued at Sagres under the direction of Henry's nephew, King John II of Portugal. The institute's expeditions continued to venture south and then rounded the Cape of Good Hope and sailed to the east and throughout Asia over the next few decades.


Which element in the periodic table has the chemical symbol W?

Tungsten»the essentials [WebElements Periodic Table] Small and large samples of tungsten wire like this, as well as foil, sheet, wire straight cut lengths, insulated wire, and mesh (and tungsten alloys in wire form), can be purchased from Advent Research Materials via their web catalogue. Tungsten: historical information Tungsten was discovered by Fausto and Juan Jose de Elhuyar in 1783 at Spain. Origin of name : from the Swedish words "tung sten" meaning "heavy stone" (the origin of the symbol W is "wolfram ", named after the tungsten mineral wolframite). Tungsten used to be known as wolfram (from wolframite, said to be named from wolf rahm or spumi lupi, because the ore interfered with the smelting of tin and was supposed to devour the tin). The de Elhuyar brothers found an acid in wolframite in 1783 that they succeeded in reducing to the elemental metal with charcoal. Tungsten around us Read more » Tungsten has a limited biological role. A number of enzymes (oxidoreductases) employ tungsten in a way related to molybdenum, (using tungsten.pterin complex). The structure of a tungstoenzyme aldehyde ferredoxin oxidoreductase is known (Protein Data Bank code 1AOR). Tungsten is found in wolframite (iron-manganese tungstate, FeWO4/MnWO4) and scheelite (calcium tungstate, CaWO4) ores. China produces 75% of the world's tungsten. Abundances for tungsten in a number of different environments. More abundance data » Location


Which sport was played at Wimbledon prior to lawn tennis?

A journey with tennis through time - The Championships, Wimbledon 2017 - Official Site by IBM A journey with tennis through time Wimbledon.com is marking National Sports Heritage Day with this blog to take a look back at not only how past events have affected tennis but also how the sport has impacted on history READ MORE By Bianca Harrisskitt The Championships at Wimbledon have long been a key part of the British sporting calendar. Talented tennis players, Henman Hill and strawberries and cream have all played their part in enshrining Wimbledon’s iconic place in Britain’s sporting heritage. However, the game of tennis has a long history dating back to the 14th century. From advancements in game play to tennis related deaths, tennis-inspired fashion and even a tennis-incited war, this blog post considers not only how past events have affected tennis but also how the sport has impacted on history. Have a look through and see how much tennis history you really know! 14TH CENTURY Did you know that tennis has been an important part of life in Britain since the 14th century? It is widely believed that the game we now know as tennis first emerged from early ball games which involved using hitting a ball back and forth using the palm of the hand, popular in the Southern regions of Europe. This game was given the name Jeu de Paume (game of the hand or hand ball). Despite the tensions between Britain and France during the 14th and 15th centuries, one thing they had in common was a love for Jeu de Paume, with the game spreading from France to Britain in the mid-14th century. 24 May 1337 Hundred Years' War between England and France begins. 7 July 1348 'Black Death' enters Britain On average, between 30% and 45% of the general populace died. 30 September 1399 Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 15TH CENTURY Developments in game play/equipment In the first half of the 15th century a stiff double glove started to be widely used in Jeu de Paume in order to avoid nasty broken fingers! Did you know that tennis balls played a role is kicking off the Battle of Agincourt? Henry V was the first monarch who played tennis regularly. In 1414, he allegedly received some tennis balls from France’s Dauphin, an act which he chose to interpret as a grave insult following the breakdown of recent negotiations. Shakespeare even wrote about the event, stating that the balls were sent to signify the king’s wild youth. After this ‘provocation’ Henry V sailed to France to meet with them in battle. Recent historians have questioned whether any balls were actually sent; nevertheless, the story certainly legitimised Henry’s decision to embark on the Agincourt campaign. Did you know that King James I of Scotland met a grizzly end due to his love of tennis? In 1437 at the Blackfriars in Perth, the drain outlet through which the King hoped to escape when the building was invaded by dissident Scottish nobles had been blocked, to prevent the loss of tennis balls when the King was playing in the courtyard. James was trapped and killed. Developments in game play/equipment: By the second half of the 15th century wooden battoirs, covered with parchment, were starting to be used. This soon developed into the use of strung rackets, usually made with sheep gut or silk stringing. By the 16th century, the game had moved to an enclosed playing area, and the rules had stabilized and thus Real Tennis was born. The game was particularly popular amongst European royalty and was referred to solely as ‘tennis’. 20 March 1413 Henry IV dies and is succeeded by his son, Henry V. 25 October 1415 Henry V defeats the French at the Battle of Agincourt. 21 May 1420 Charles VI cedes France to Henry V in the Treaty of Troyes. 1424 James I crowned King of Scotland in 1424 at Scone in Perthshire. 22 May 1455 - 22 August 1485 Wars of the Roses. 16TH CENTURY Did you know that Anne Boleyn was watching tennis when she was arrested on the 2nd May 1536? Real tennis received growing popularity under Henry the VIII and throughout his reign he doubled the number of courts he owned by building te


Who wrote the 1927 poem ‘The Journey of the Magi’?

Poetry By Heart | The Journey of the Magi The Journey of the Magi 1927 The Journey of the Magi (1927) T. S. Eliot ‘A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a long journey:’ ….. Image © T.S. Eliot by John Gay, vintage print, 1948 © National Portrait Gallery, London Learn more about the language of this poem in the Oxford English Dictionary: Listen to a recording of this poem or poet Background to the poem T.S. Eliot’s dramatic monologue focuses upon the famous biblical story of the three kings from the East travelling to Bethlehem to pay homage to the baby Jesus. He imagines one of the kings giving an account of the journey. Within the Christian tradition, the journey of the Magi is associated with celebration and wonder and gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. However, this seems like an arduous journey. What details in the first twenty lines suggest that the kings had ‘a hard time’ of it? In lines twenty‑one to thirty‑one, they arrive at their destination. Given what we know of the life and death of Christ, what is the significance of some of the images in this section, such as ‘the three trees on the low sky’ and the hands ‘dicing for pieces of silver’? In the last twelve lines we learn that the kings were deeply affected and changed by their experience. The birth of Christ heralds the start of a new order and new truth, and yet the kings have to return to their kingdoms and to ‘an alien people clutching their gods’. About T. S. Eliot T.S. Eliot was a poet, verse dramatist and literary critic who grew up in America and studied at Harvard, the Sorbonne and Oxford. He settled in England in 1914 and worked initially in teaching and banking. Later, he became a significant figure in the publishing company Faber and Faber. His first collection of poems, Prufrock and Other Observations, in 1917 was an immediate success and established him as a leading figure in the modernist movement, which sought to break with literary traditions in an era of technological advancements and global conflict. In 1922 Eliot wrote The Waste Land, one of the most influential and important poems of the twentieth century. Stylistically complex and innovative, it uses myth and symbolism to express the crisis in postwar modern life and culture. Between the publication of The Waste Land and his death in 1965, Eliot was a consistently dominant figure in Western culture.