In which modern country is the ancient Roman province of Africa?

List of Roman provinces | Romapedia | Fandom powered by Wikia List of Roman provinces Share Ad blocker interference detected! Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers Wikia is not accessible if you’ve made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected. Contents THIS PAGE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS Achaea Aegyptus Cyprus Dacia Dalmatia | Epirus | Galatia | Gallia Aquitania | Gallia Belgica | Gallia Lugdunensis | Gallia Narbonensis | Germania Inferior | Germania Superior | Hispania Baetica | Hispania Lusitania | Hispania Tarraconensis | Italia | Iudaea | Lycaonia | Lycia | Macedonia | Mauretania Caesariensis | Mauretania Tingitana | Moesia | Noricum | Numidia | Osroene | Pannonia | Pamphylia | Pisidia | Pontus | Raetia | Sicilia | Sophene | Syria | Thracia List of Roman Provinces - AD 300 to AD 476 Edit Emperor Diocletian introduced a radical reform known as the Tetrarchy (284-305), with a western and an eastern Augustus or senior emperor, each seconded by a junior emperor (and designated successor) styled Caesar, and each of these four defending and administering a quarter of the empire. The scheme was not to last in detail, but although the Caesars were soon eliminated from the picture, the four administrative resorts were restored in 318 by Emperor Constantine I, in the form of praetorian prefectures, whose holders generally rotated frequently, as in the usual magistracies but without a colleague. Constantine also created a second capital, Nova Roma, known after him as Constantinople, and each of these two cities had its own extraordinary governor or Praefectus Urbi. In general, between the acclamation of Diocletian and the formal end of the western Empire in 476, the Empire was recognised as being divided into two, with separate Emperors for the Eastern and Western halves. Diocletian set up twelve dioceses, each governed by a Vicarius. Three more were created by splits in the fourth century: in the west, Italia was split in two, and in the east Egypt was detached from Oriens. Detailed information on these arrangements is contained in the Notitia Dignitatum (Record of Offices), a document dating from the early 5th century. It is from this authentic imperial source that we draw most data, as the names of the areas governed and titles of the governors are given there. There are however debates about the source of some data recorded in the Notitia, and it seems clear that some of its own sources are earlier than others. It is interesting to compare this with the list of military territories under the Duces, in charge of border garrisons on so-called limites, and the higher ranking Comites rei militaris, with more mobile forces, and the later, even higher Magistri Militum.  This administrative subdivision was later changed in Byzantine times, with the creation of extraordinary Exarchs and originally military Themas. Praetorian prefecture of Galliae Edit In Latin, Gallia was also sometimes used as a general term for all Celtic peoples and their territories, such as all Britons, while the Germanic and Iberian provinces had a mixed, largely Celtic population. The plural, Galliae in Latin, indicates that all of these are meant, not just Caesar's Gaul (several modern countries). Diocese of Galliae Edit Covered about half of the Gallic provinces of the early empire: in what is now northern France roughly the part north of the Loire (called after the capital Lugdunum, modern Lyon) Gallia Lugdunensis I Gallia Lugdunensis III Gallia Lugdunensis IV Edit The Prefecture of Illyricum was named after the former province of Illyricum. The Prefecture of Illyricum originally included two dioceses: the Diocese of Pannoniae and the Diocese of Moesiae. The Diocese of Moesiae was later split into two dioceses: the Diocese of Macedonia and the last conquest, the Diocese of Dacia. Diocese of Pannonia Edit This was one of the two dioceses in the eastern quarters of the Tetrarchy not belonging to the cultural Greek half of


In which modern country is the ancient Roman province of Asia?

Roman Empire - All About Turkey Home > History > Roman Empire Roman Empire in Asia Minor The Roman Empire, also known as Res Publica Romana or Imperium Romanum or Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR), was one of the most important civilizations of the world history. The Roman Empire succeeded the 500 year old Roman Republic (510 BC � 1st century BC) and ruled a large territory between 27 BC � 1453 AD (approximately 5,9 million square kilometers, or 2,3 million square miles). The Roman Empire was divided in the 4th century AD into East and West. The Western Roman Empire fell apart in the 5th century AD. The Eastern Roman Empire, known as Byzantine Empire after emperor Constantine , collapsed with the conquest of Constantinople (modern Istanbul ) by the Ottomans in the 15th century AD. The Romans knew the importance of Asia Minor because it formed a natural land-bridge between East and West in terms of trade routes , culture , agriculture and military. After Alexander the Great and many other small Anatolian kingdoms, Romans captured Asia Minor after the 2nd century BC and ruled it for many centuries. They first set their foot in Anatolia in 190 BC after defeating King Antiochus III of Seleucia in Magnesia . Then after the death of Attalos III of Pergamon Empire in 133 BC, they established the province of Asia Minor with Ephesus as its capital. During the Pax Romana period (Roman Peace), trade and culture was increased in Asia Minor . Many ancient cities flourished and became important commercial and cultural centers in this part of the world. Roman emperors such as Augustus, Hadrian, Trajan, etc. they all traveled here and helped to the development of the province. Great Roman cities were built in Anatolia during the Roman period; Ephesus , Aphrodisias , Perge and Aspendos were some of the most important of the Roman cities in Asia Minor , amongst hundreds of others. Excellent Roman road network connected these cities with the rest of the Empire, many colossal temples and public works (libraries, fountains, suege systems etc) were built by the architects. Also, a new religion spread in Anatolia during the reign of the Roman Empire; the Christianity . Early Christians, escaping from the Roman persecutions, settled in Antioch (modern Hatay ), Iconium (modern Konya ), Ephesus , Cappadocia and so on. Saint Paul made his journeys in Asia Minor in order to spread the word, finally becoming the official religion of the Eastern Roman Empire. At its zenith, the Roman Empire included these today's countries and territories: most of Europe (England, Wales, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Gibraltar, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine), coastal northern Africa (Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt), the Balkans (Albania, Greece, Hungary, Bosnia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Turkey ), the Mediterranean Sea , the Black Sea , Asia Minor , and some parts of Mesopotamia and the Middle East (Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Israel). All About Turkey © Burak Sansal 1996–2016, a certified professional tour guide in Turkey. Contact Burak at info@allaboutturkey.com for all kinds of regular and/or private travel services throughout the country.


Who painted 'Mr and Mrs Robert Andrews', 'The Watering Place' and The Blue Boy'?

Thomas Gainsborough | English painter | Britannica.com Thomas Gainsborough William Hogarth Thomas Gainsborough, (baptized May 14, 1727, Sudbury , Suffolk , Eng.—died August 2, 1788, London ), portrait and landscape painter, the most versatile English painter of the 18th century. Some of his early portraits show the sitters grouped in a landscape (Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, c. 1750). As he became famous and his sitters fashionable, he adopted a more formal manner that owed something to Anthony Van Dyck (The Blue Boy, c. 1770). His landscapes are of idyllic scenes. During his last years he also painted seascapes and idealized full-size pictures of rustics and country children. Early life and Suffolk period Gainsborough was the youngest son of John Gainsborough, a maker of woolen goods. When he was 13, he persuaded his father to send him to London to study on the strength of his promise at landscape. He worked as an assistant to Hubert Gravelot , a French painter and engraver and an important figure in London art circles at the time. From him Gainsborough learned something of the French Rococo idiom , which had a considerable influence on the development of his style. In 1746 in London he married Margaret Burr, the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Beaufort. Soon afterward he returned to Suffolk and settled in Ipswich in 1752; his daughters Mary and Margaret were born in 1748 and 1752, respectively. In Ipswich Gainsborough met his first biographer, Philip Thicknesse. He early acquired some reputation as a portrait and landscape painter and made an adequate living. Thomas Gainsborough’s house in Sudbury, Suffolk, Eng. Oxyman Gainsborough declared that his first love was landscape and began to learn the language of this art from the Dutch 17th-century landscapists, who by 1740 were becoming popular with English collectors; his first landscapes were influenced by Jan Wynants. The earliest dated picture with a landscape background is a study of a bull terrier, Bumper—A Bull Terrier (1745), in which many of the details are taken straight from Wynants. But by 1748, when he painted Cornard Wood, Jacob van Ruisdael had become the predominant influence; although it is full of naturalistic detail, Gainsborough probably never painted directly from nature. The Charterhouse, one of his few topographical views, dates from the same year as Cornard Wood and in the subtle effect of light on various surfaces proclaims Dutch influence. In the background to Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, he anticipates the realism of the great English landscapist of the next century, John Constable , but for the most part fancy held sway. In many of the early landscapes the influence of Rococo design learned from Gravelot is evident, together with a feeling for the French pastoral tradition. The Woodcutter Courting a Milkmaid is an Anglicized version of a French theme, which recalls compositions by Jean-Honoré Fragonard . Although Gainsborough preferred landscape, he knew he must paint portraits for economic reasons. The small heads painted in Suffolk, although sometimes rather stiff, are penetrating character studies delicately and freely pencilled, particularly the jaunty self-portrait in a cocked hat at Houghton. Gainsborough painted few full-length portraits in Suffolk. Mr. William Woollaston, although an ambitious composition , is intimate and informal. The Painter’s Daughters Chasing a Butterfly, composed in the last years at Ipswich, is, in its easy naturalism and sympathetic understanding, one of the best English portraits of children. Britannica Stories Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent As well as straight portraits, he painted in Suffolk a number of delightful spontaneous groups of small figures in landscapes closely related to conversation pieces. Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, which has been described as the most English of English pictures, is set in a typical Suffolk landscape. Lady and Gentleman in Landscape is more Frenchified, with its vivacious Rococo rhythms, but Heneage Lloyd and His Sister is more stylized, the charming little figures being posed against a conven


Who was Fred Astaire's female leading lady in the 1948 film `Easter Parade'?

Fred Astaire at Reel Classics: Biography Reel Classics > Stars > Actors > Fred Astaire > Fred Astaire Biography | Filmography | Awards | Articles | Bibliography | News | Links | Downloads | Image Credits | Screen Teams: Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire | FUNNY FACE Biography: Though on screen Fred was most often associated      with a top hat, white tie and tails, in real life he detested formal      dress and looked on his signature costume as work clothes. FREDERICK AUSTERLITZ was born on May 10, 1899 in Omaha, Nebraska to    Frederic E. Austerlitz, an Austrian immigrant and traveling salesman, and    his wife Ann Geilus Austerlitz. His sister Adele, older by eighteen    months, showed a talent for dancing at an early age, and although only    four years old, young Fred accompanied his sister to ballet school. In    1904, Mrs. Austerlitz moved with the children to New York where they were    enrolled in a performing arts school run by Ned Wayburn, one of the    pioneers of modern tap dancing. The following year Fred and Adele made    their vaudeville debut on a stage in New Jersey as a miniature bride and    groom, and began touring on the Orpheum circuit in an act called "Juvenile    Artists Presenting an Electric Musical Toe-Dancing Novelty." Though Fred    sporadically attended public school in New Jersey, most of his schooling    came on the road under his mother's tutelage. With the advent of World War I, the Austerlitz's anglicized their name    to "Astaire" and the teenage brother-sister hoofers began to make the new    name famous. In 1917 the pair made their Broadway debut in a musical revue    called "Over the Top," and although the show itself didn't fare well, the    Astaires received very positive notices. Though they seldom had any lines,    Fred and Adele danced their way through a number of musical revues until    in 1922 they were cast in "For Goodness' Sake" with songs by George and    Ira Gershwin. Although they had sixth billing, they stole the show. Throughout the 1920s, the Astaires danced their way to stardom by way    of such triumphs as "Funny Face," "Lady, Be Good!" and "The Band Wagon." However in 1932, Adele retired from show business to marry Lord Charles    Cavendish, and Fred was left to fend for himself. Because his sister was    usually regarded as the better dancer of the two, and the plots of most of    their shows together accommodated the fact that they were siblings in real    life, Fred was not regarded as a much of a romantic leading man. In 1932    however, he struck out on his own with a new partner, Claire Luce,    starring in Cole Porter's comedy musical "The Gay Divorce" in which he    introduced the song "Night and Day." "The Gay Divorce" would be Fred's    last stage musical. That same year, anxious to escape his reputation as Adele's brother,    Fred made a screen test for RKO and was signed by studio head David O. Selznick despite doubts about his physical appearance and    acting ability. Because RKO had no    projects ready for him, Fred made his film debut on loan-out to MGM in DANCING LADY (1933) with Joan Crawford and Clark Gable . He had    one number. Still without work at RKO ,    Fred went to London to tour with "The Gay Divorce." When he returned, he    was cast as an accordion player in a musical love-triangle story starring    Gene Raymond, Dolores Del Rio and Raul Roulien called FLYING DOWN TO RIO (1933). His female counterpart in the film was an up-and-coming RKO contract player named Ginger    Rogers , and after their one dance number together stole the picture    from the three stars, Fred and Ginger became the silver screen's most popular dancing duo.  Astaire with composer Irving Berlin who      contributed songs to six of Fred's films including TOP HAT (1935)      and EASTER PARADE (1948). Astaire and Rogers made a total of nine musicals together at RKO between 1933 and 1939, and thoug


Who was Fred Astaire's female leading lady in the 1957 film 'Silk Stockings'?

Fred Astaire - Biography - IMDb Fred Astaire Biography Showing all 82 items Jump to: Overview  (4) | Mini Bio  (1) | Spouse  (2) | Trade Mark  (3) | Trivia  (46) | Personal Quotes  (26) Overview (4) 5' 9" (1.75 m) Mini Bio (1) Fred Astaire was born in Omaha, Nebraska, to Johanna (Geilus) and Fritz Austerlitz, a brewer. Fred entered show business at age 5. He was successful both in vaudeville and on Broadway in partnership with his sister, Adele Astaire . After Adele retired to marry in 1932, Astaire headed to Hollywood. Signed to RKO, he was loaned to MGM to appear in Dancing Lady (1933) before starting work on RKO's Flying Down to Rio (1933). In the latter film, he began his highly successful partnership with Ginger Rogers , with whom he danced in 9 RKO pictures. During these years, he was also active in recording and radio. On film, Astaire later appeared opposite a number of partners through various studios. After a temporary retirement in 1945-7, during which he opened Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Astaire returned to film to star in more musicals through 1957. He subsequently performed a number of straight dramatic roles in film and TV. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Diana Hamilton <hamilton@gl.umbc.edu> Spouse (2) ( 12 July  1933      - 13 September  1954) (her death) (2 children) Trade Mark (3) Often wore top hat and tails His unique dancing Ending an active dance sequence by calmly strolling off Trivia (46) Ranked #73 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997] Following his death, he was interred at Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth, California, where longtime dancing partner, Ginger Rogers , is located. The evaluation of Astaire's first screen test: "Can't act. Can't sing. Balding. Can dance a little." Astaire disguised his very large hands by curling his middle two fingers while dancing. First met lifelong best friend Irving Berlin on the set of Top Hat (1935). After Blue Skies (1946), New York's Paramount Theater generated a petition of 10,000 names to persuade him to come out of retirement. Born at 9:16pm-CST The only time he and Gene Kelly ever danced together on screen (other than the linking-segments in the 1976 compilation movie, That's Entertainment, Part II (1976)) was in one routine, titled "The Babbitt and the Bromide" in the 1946 movie Ziegfeld Follies (1945). Appears on the cover of The Beatles ' "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album. He was one of the first Kennedy Center Honorees in 1978. Don McLean 's song "Wonderful Baby" was written with Astaire in mind; Astaire reportedly loved the song, and recorded it for an album. Made a cameo appearance in John Lennon and Yoko Ono 's film Imagine (1972), escorting Yoko through a doorway; after one successful take, he asked to try again, believing he could do a better job. In 2000, the following album was released as a tribute to him: "Let Yourself Go: Celebrating Fred Astaire". All songs were performed by Stacey Kent . He was voted the 19th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly. His legs were insured for one million dollars. Famously wore a necktie around his waist instead of a belt, an affectation he picked up from his friendship with actor Douglas Fairbanks but often mistakenly attributed to Astaire alone. He was voted the 23rd Greatest Movie Star of All Time by Premiere magazine. Named the #5 Greatest Actor on the 50 Greatest Screen Legends by the American Film Institute. Born only 18 months after his sister Adele Astaire . Is one of the many movie stars mentioned in Madonna 's song "Vogue" He and Ginger Rogers appeared in 10 movies together: Flying Down to Rio (1933), The Gay Divorcee (1934), Roberta (1935), Top Hat (1935), Follow the Fleet (1936), Swing Time (1936), Shall We Dance (1937), Carefree (1938), The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) and The Barkleys of Broadway (1949). Although he spent most of his childhood touring on the vaudeville circuit, he would occasionally settle down with his family and their neighbors and friends, who were almost all families of Austrian immi


"Who painted 'The Scapegoat', 'The Hireling Shepherd' and ""The Light of the World?"

The Hireling Shepherd The Hireling Shepherd William Holman Hunt on Poetry F. G. Stephens's Praise of Hunt's Color Stephens praises the painting as one which "embodied a genuine thought, in glowing and intense colours, victorious rendering of nature in every detail, solid and manly execution unflinchingly carried out, with the representation of sunlight effect, which was an entirely new thing in art. For the painter first put into practice, in an historical picture, based upon his own observations, the scientific elucidation of that peculiar effect which, having been hinted at by Leonardo da Vinci . . . was partly explained by Newton, and fully developed by Davy and Brewster. He was absolutely the first figure-painter who gave the true colour to sun-shadows, made them partake of the tint of the object on which they were cast, and deepened such shadows to pure blue where he found them to be so, painted trees like trees, and far-off hedgerows standing clearly in pure summer air" (William Holman Hunt and His Works, A Memoir of the Artist's Life, with a Description of His Pictures (London, 1860), pp.19-20). See also Allen Staley, The Pre-Raphaelite Landscape (Oxford, 1973), 24, and Macmillan, 194-95. Hunt's first Hogarthian subject was The Hireling Shepherd, which several wscholars have recently demonstrated to be a work of art with a complex symbolical program that draws upon a number of literary and artristic sources. In a well-known letter to J. E. Pythian, the artist himself explianed that although his first intention was to present a realistic shepherd and shepherdess, he also had 'an occult suggestion in mind oif a simple character'. When he exhibited the painting at the Royal Academy, he included these lines from King Lear as an epigraph: Sleepeth or waketh thou, jolly shepherd? Thy sheep be in the corn; And for one blast of thy minikin mouth, Thy sheep shall take no harm. [Act III, scene 6] The letter to Pythian explains that Shakespeare's song represents a Shepherd who is neglecting his real duty of guarding the sheep: instead of using his voice in truthfully performing his duty, he is using his "minikin mouth" in some idle way. He was a type thus of other muddle headed pastors who instead of performing their services to their flock — which is in constant peril — discuss vain questions of no value to any human soul. My fool has found a death's head moth, and this fills his little mind with forebodings of evil and he takes it to an equally sage counsellor for her opinion. She scorns his anxiety from ignorance rather than profundity, but only the more distracts his faithfulness: while she feeds her lamb with sour apples his sheep have burst bounds and got into the corn. It is not merely that the wheat will be spoilt, but in eating it the sheep are doomed to destruction from becoming what farmers call "blown." [21 January 1897; London (Manchester City Art Gallery MS.)] Pointing out that Hunt's Shakespearean gloss provides only a partial source for his complex intentions in this picture, John Duncan Macmillan has convincingly argued that the painter drew upon St. John's Gospel and Milton's "Lycidas" as well. According to Macmillan, Hunt took the idea of the hireling shepherd as false pastor from John 10:11-14 and the more detailed working out of his satire on unfaithful ministers from the elegy for Edward King ("Holman Hunt's Hireling Shepherd: Some Reflections on a Victorian Pastoral," Art Bulletin 54 [1972], 190-91.). He also explains the presence of the dallying shepherdess as an allusion to Milton's Amaryllis, who naughtily sports in the shade, and to the engraving of a work by Boucher (Macmillan, 191). Hunt's Amaryllis, which was exhibited at the Grosvenor Gallery in 1887, might well echo The Hireling Shepherd. In this later painting, of which I have only seen the reproduction which Hunt included in his memoir (facing II.62), sheep again seem to be escaping from their pen, while an abstracted-looking shepherdess plays on her pipes. Leslie Parris and Conal Shields offer the further suggestion that Hunt drew directly


Which company sponsored the 2013 Epsom Derby?

Epsom Derby to be sponsored by Investec - Mirror Online Epsom Derby to be sponsored by Investec Maybe things aren't so bad in the banking world, after all.  Share Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Maybe things aren't so bad in the banking world, after all. After a prolonged search, Epsom yesterday unveiled leading bank specialists Investec as the new sponsors of the Derby. Investec have signed a five-year deal to back the two-day Derby meeting until 2013 - the Oaks and Coronation Cup are part of the package. They become only the third sponsors of the world's most famous classic, following Ever Ready and Vodafone. Said Epsom managing director Nick Blofeld: "Investec are a very successful international company and have worked in other sports already, probably best known in the UK is their England Autumn International Rugby sponsorship at Twickenham, the Investec Challenge Series." Meanwhile Curtain Call, who flopped when well-supported for last year's Derby, made a winning comeback at the Curragh yesterday when he took the High Chaparral EBF Mooresbridge Stakes for Luca Cumani. Most Read Most Recent Most Read Most Recent


Anne Hathaway won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2013 for her role in which film?

Oscars 2013: Argo wins Best Picture | Toronto Star Movies Oscars 2013: Argo wins Best Picture Other wins: Daniel Day-Lewis wins Best Actor, Jennifer Lawrence wins Best Actress, Christoph Waltz for Best Supporting Actor; Brave for Best Animated Feature. Ben Affleck accepts the Best Picture award for Argo onstage during the Oscars held at the Dolby Theatre on Feb. 24 in Hollywood, California.  (Kevin Winter / GETTY IMAGES)   Steven Spielberg poses with Daniel Day-Lewis at the 85th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California.  (LUCY NICHOLSON / REUTERS)   Jennifer Lawrence won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Silver Linings Playbook.  (LUCAS JACKSON / REUTERS)   Toronto composer Mychael Danna accepts the Oscar for best original score for the film Life of Pi.  (MARIO ANZUONI / REUTERS)   Anne Hathaway arriving at the Academy Awards. She went on to win Best Actress.  (LUCY NICHOLSON / REUTERS)   Singer Shirley Bassey performs as part of a James Bond tribute during Sunday's Oscar ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.  (Chris Pizzello / AP)   Host Seth MacFarlane speaks onstage during the Oscars held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.  (Kevin Winter / GETTY IMAGES)   “We participated in a hero’s journey," said Christoph Waltz, accepting his Best Supporting Actor award.  (Kevin Winter / GETTY IMAGES)   A kilted Mark Andrews accepts the Oscar for best animated feature film for Brave.  (Chris Pizzello / AP)   By The Associated Press Sun., Feb. 24, 2013 LOS ANGELES—If Ben Affleck was snubbed by the Oscars, everyone should be so lucky. His Iran rescue thriller Argo has won best picture from the Academy Awards. It's the first best picture winner not to be nominated for best director since 1989's Driving Miss Daisy. But despite the omission of Affleck — or perhaps buoyed by it — Argo emerged as the Oscar favourite, winning top honours from the directors, producers, screen actors and writers guilds. Affleck and fellow producers George Clooney and Grant Heslov accepted the award Sunday night. Among the other eight nominees, Steven Spielberg's Lincoln was perceived as the biggest competition to Argo. The other nominees were Life of Pi, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty, Les Misérables, Amour, Beasts of the Southern Wild and Django Unchained. Daniel Day-Lewis won the Best Actor Oscar on Sunday for playing U.S. President Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln, becoming the first man to win the trophy three times. And in what was perhaps a bigger surprise, Jennifer Lawrence took the Best Actress prize for Silver Linings Playbook. Article Continued Below Day-Lewis, 55, was favoured to win the Academy Award for his quiet, intense performance as one of America’s most respected presidents as he battled to end slavery and the U.S. Civil War. The British-born actor with dual Anglo-Irish citizenship won virtually every award in the run-up to Sunday’s Oscar ceremony, including a Golden Globe, British BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild statuettes. He is already the holder of Best Actor Oscars for his roles in My Left Foot. Jennifer Lawrence won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as a young widower in Silver Linings Playbook. It's the first Oscar for the 22-year-old Lawrence, who was also nominated for Winter's Bone in 2011. The actress tripped on her way to the stage, but by the time she got to the microphone, the Dolby Theatre crowd applauded her with a standing ovation. Toronto composer Mychael Danna won an Oscar for best original score for his work on Life of Pi. The musician bested giants in the field including Dario Marianelli for Anna Karenina, Alexandre Desplat for Argo, John Williams for Lincoln and Thomas Newman for Skyfall. Last month, Danna won the Golden Globe in the same category for his work on Life of Pi. At the Oscars, the musician was also nominated for best original song for “Pi’s Lullaby.” Life of Pi marked the third collaboration between Danna and director Ang Lee. The two also worked together on 1997’s The Ice Storm and 1999’s Ride With the Devil. Danna credits his career in film to longtime friend and direc


Asmara is the capital city of which African country?

Asmara, capital city of Eritrea All... Asmara, capital city of Eritrea Asmara is a diamond of a city. The sun shines down on its peaceful neighborhoods for eight straight months of the year, and the streets are lined with tantalizing pastry shops, vintage-style cafes and cheerful pizza parlors. This may sound like a small Italian village, but it really is the Eritrean capital. The European atmosphere and relaxed pace of life really make you feel like you are on an entirely different continent and so will the architectural wonders that are relics of the colonial era. It is one of the most enchanting and agreeable cities in Africa, and you will leave wanting more, no matter how long you stayed. The best thing to do in Asmara is to let your feet and heart be your guide. Wander the streets, taking in the stunning Italian architecture, and let your mind wander to another time and place. The palm-lined Independence Avenue is a good place to start. Known by locals as ìKombishtato,î the avenue is lined with old cinemas, mom-and-pop shops and cafes that have perfected the art of the cappuccino. The city's tallest building, the Nyala Hotel, towers above the avenue's south end, and to the right of the cathedral is the capital's bustling and colorful marketplace. Stroll through the stalls taking in the incredible array of goods, including detailed olivewood carvings, gold-embroidered handmade garments, intoxicatingly aromatic spices and traditional goat-skin rugs. The nearby National Museum is worth a visit for a small but still impressive glimpse of Eritrea's history. The most interesting exhibits detail traditional countryside life and introduce the country's many ethnic groups. The Biet Ghiorghis Zoo and Park is located near the city outskirts, and it is worth the short trip. The zoo itself is not anything special, but the views from the eastern escarpment can't be beat. If the architecture in central Asmara makes you feel like you are in another land, the lifestyle in the nearby village of Tselot will convince you that you are in a completely different time. Located just outside the city, the village exemplifies the traditional rural lifestyle. Stone houses sit on small, dusty plots of land, herds of goat and sheep graze in front of ancient Christian and Muslim temples and locals transport themselves and their goods on camelback or mule. Martyrs National Park is a short walk away from the village. Founded in 2000, the wildlife reserve offers spectacular scenery and views, from serene valleys to dramatic ridges. If you trek to the highest viewpoint, you will feel like you are standing above the clouds because of the thick fog that usually covers the mountaintops and gorges. It is a remarkable experience, and the park is one of the highlights of Asmara. After working up an appetite strolling through the city, feast on an authentic Italian meal at one of the many restaurants in the city, or try some delicious traditional Eritrean food. It is quite spicy, so be prepared to sweat a bit, and most dishes are served with ìinjera,î a sour-dough staple that resembles flatbread or pancakes. Follow your meal with a cup of strong Italian-style coffee or a lager from the country's only brewery, located in Asmara. Asmara Geographical Location Asmara is located in the Maekel Region near the center of Eritrea. The population of Asmara is approximately 650,000 people and is the largest city in Eritrea. Asmara Language Eritrea’s three official languages are Tigrinya, Arabic, and English. Tigre, Kunama, Afar, and other Cushitic languages are spoken in smaller populations throughout the country. Asmara Predominant Religion 48% Muslim 2% Indigenous Beliefs There is almost an equal split between the populations of Muslims and Christians and for the most part they live geographically separate with the Muslims living in the lowlands and Christians living in the highlands. Asmara Currency The official currency of Eritrea is the Nakfa. Asmara Climate Asmara experiences warm summers and mild winters with subtle temperature changes between the two seasons.


Kigali is the capital city of which African country?

Kigali | capital of Rwanda | Expert Africa Good Kigali Rwanda is a small country, with its modern capital, Kigali, at the centre. From here the roads radiate outwards, like the spokes of a wheel, and hence on most Rwanda holidays you'll occasionally spend a night here as part of any itinerary. It’s a pleasant city scattered over several hills with enough to do to keep visitors occupied for a couple of days, easy to walk around with plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants for sustenance. One of the first things most people notice is that, particularly for an African city, Kigali is spotlessly clean, partly because plastic bags are banned in the country but also because of a universal service called Umuganda when everyone gets together on the last Saturday morning of each month working on community projects like keeping streets clean, tending to gardens and helping neighbours. Do bear this in mind should you be on holiday in Rwanda during this time – many shops and businesses will be closed for the morning. Kigali has relatively few tourists but those that take the time to explore the city are rewarded by a friendly response from locals and a more rounded insight into the country as a whole. Hotels in Kigali Kigali’s accommodation options are spread around the city and range from smart four or five star hotels to lower budget bed and breakfasts. While many are of a good international standard, including Hotel des Mille Collines which was the basis for the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda, you should be aware that service can often be quite slow in their bars and restaurants. Take a look here to see our recommended hotels in Kigali. What to do in Kigali Shopping in Kigali There are a number of smart shopping malls in Kigali city centre with some chic boutiques and coffee shops. But if you’re after something more authentic, take a stroll around one or two of its lively markets, you'll usually be met with great friendliness. If you like browsing for curios and souvenirs from your Rwanda holiday, pay a visit to the Caplaki handicrafts cooperative, which sells a variety of local crafts. Alternatively, the lively Nyamirambo area of Kigali is regarded as the most vibrant quarter of the city, known for its excellent tailors and hair salons, as well as its many bars and cafes. As with any city, take care if visiting at night but during the daytime, Nyamirambo Women’s Centre offers interesting walking tours around their neighbourhood that takes in their own craft shop, a typical Rwandan meal and the local market too. Kigali Museums and the Kigali Genocide Memorial Kigali’s museums include the State House Museum and the Natural History Museum, both worthy of a visit if you’re in town with the latter having superb views over the city. Perhaps the city’s best known landmark, and with good reason, is the very insightful and moving Kigali Genocide Memorial standing amid beautiful rose gardens and fountains. The memorial sets out the history leading up to the genocide in Rwanda and also explains other genocides around the world. It includes poignant displays of victims’ photographs and belongings, bringing the realities of the atrocities to life. While it might seem an unusual tourist attraction and can be upsetting, it does help to put into context how and why the genocide happened and to better appreciate just how far the country has moved on together in the intervening years. It also plays a vital role in educating Rwanda’s new and future generations about the genocide. Enquire now


'Hoochie Coochie Man' and 'Got my mojo working' were originally recorded by which Chicago blues singer?

Muddy Waters’s Biography —   Free listening, videos, concerts, stats and photos at Last.fm Listeners Biography Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield, Issaquena County, Mississippi, April 4, 1913 - Westmont, Illinois, April 30, 1983) was an American blues musician and is generally considered "the father of Chicago Blues ." His career spanned over thirty years and he produced what are considered to be some of the finest blues songs ever, such as Hoochie Coochie Man , Mannish Boy and Got My Mojo Working . Muddy Waters is generally considered one of the most influential bluesmen of all time. His fondness for playing in mud earned him the nickname "Muddy" at an early age. He later changed it to "Muddy Water" and finally "Muddy Waters". Waters was born McKinley Morganfield in Issaquena County, Mississippi in 1913 (He later told people that he was born in 1915 in Rolling Fork, Mississippi; the reason for this remains unknown). His grandmother Della Grant raised him after his mother died in 1918. Waters started out on harmonica but by age seventeen he was playing the guitar at parties and "fish fries", emulating two blues artists who were extremely popular in the south, Son House and Robert Johnson. "His thick heavy voice, the dark coloration of his tone and his firm almost solid personality were all clearly derived from House," wrote Peter Guralnick in Feel Like Going Home, but the embellishments which he added, the imaginative slide technique and more agile rhythms, were closer to Johnson." In 1940 Waters moved to St. Louis before playing with Silas Green a year later and returning back to Mississippi. In the early part of the decade he ran a juke house, complete with gambling, moonshine, a jukebox and live music courtesy of Muddy himself. In the Summer of 1941 Alan Lomax came to Stovall, Mississippi, on behalf of the Library of Congress to record various country blues musicians. "He brought his stuff down and recorded me right in my house," Waters recalled in Rolling Stone, "and when he played back the first song I sounded just like anybody's records. Man, you don't know how I felt that Saturday afternoon when I heard that voice and it was my own voice. Later on he sent me two copies of the pressing and a check for twenty bucks, and I carried that record up to the corner and put it on the jukebox. Just played it and played it and said, `I can do it, I can do it.'" Lomax came back again in July of 1942 to record Waters again. Both sessions were eventually released as Down On Stovall's Plantation on the Testament label. In 1943 Waters headed north to Chicago in hopes of becoming a full-time professional. He lived with a relative for a short period while driving a truck and working in a factory by day and playing at night. Big Bill Broonzy was the leading bluesman in Chicago until his death in 1958 and the city was a very competitive market for a newcomer to become established. Broonzy helped Waters out by letting him open Broonzy's show in the rowdy clubs. In 1945 Waters's uncle gave him his first electric guitar, which enabled him to be heard above the noisy crowds. In 1946 Waters recorded some tunes for Mayo Williams at Columbia but they were never released. Later that year he began recording for Aristocrat, a newly-formed label run by two brothers, Leonard and Phil Chess. In 1947 Waters played guitar with Sunnyland Slim on piano on the cuts "Gypsy Woman" and "Little Anna Mae." These were also shelved, but in 1948 Waters's "I Can't Be Satisfied" and "I Feel Like Going Home" became big and his popularity in clubs began to take off. Soon after, Aristocrat changed their name to Chess and Waters's signature tune, "Rollin' Stone", became a smash hit. The Chess brothers would not allow Waters to use his own musicians (Jimmy Rogers and Blue Smitty) in the studio; instead he was only provided with a backing bass by Big Crawford. However, by 1952 Waters was recording with perhaps the best blues group ever: Little Walter Jacobs on harmonica; Jimmy Rogers on guitar; Elgin Evans on drums; Otis Spann on piano; Big Crawford on bass; and


'Smokestack Lightnin' and 'Red Rooster' were originally recorded by which Chicago blues singer?

Howlin' Wolf Smokestack Lightnin' Home Page -- The Blues Profile Page Chester Arthur Burnett (June 10, 1910 ï¿½ January 10, 1976), better  known as Howlin' Wolf, was an influential blues singer, guitarist and  harmonica player. With a booming voice and looming physical presence, Burnett is  commonly ranked among the leading performers in electric blues; musician  and critic Cub Koda declared, "no one could match [Howlin' Wolf] for the  singular ability to rock the house down to the foundation while  simultaneously scaring its patrons out of its wits." Many songs written  or popularized by Burnettï¿½such as "Smokestack Lightnin'," "Back Door  Man" and "Spoonful"ï¿½have become standards of blues and blues rock. Early life Born in White Station near West Point, Mississippi, he was  named after Chester A. Arthur, 21st President of the United States, and  was nicknamed Big Foot Chester and Bull Cow in his early years because  of his massive size. He explained the origin of the name Howlin' Wolf  thus: "I got that from my grandfather [John Jones]." He used to tell him  stories about the wolves in that part of the country and warn him that  if he misbehaved, they would "get him". As a youth he listened to  Charley Patton, who taught him the rudiments of guitar, as well as to  the Mississippi Sheiks , Tommy Johnson, and Jimmie Rodgers, whose famous "blue yodel" Burnett integrated into his singing style. His harmonica  playing was modeled after that of Rice Miller (also known as Sonny Boy  Williamson II), who had lived with his sister for a time and taught him  how to play. He played with Robert Johnson and Willie  Brown in his  youth. He farmed during the 1930s, served in the United States Army as a  radioman in Seattle during World War II, and by 1948 had formed a band  which included guitarists Willie Johnson and M. T. Murphy, harmonica  player Junior Parker, a pianist remembered only as "Destruction", and  drummer Willie Steele. He began broadcasting on KWEM in West Memphis,  Arkansas, alternating between performing and pitching farm equipment,  and auditioned for Sam Phillips's Memphis Recording Service in 1951. According to the documentary film The Howlin' Wolf Story, Howlin'  Wolf's parents broke up when he was young. His very religious mother  Gertrude threw him out of the house for refusing to work around the farm  while still a child; he then moved in with his uncle, Will Young, who  treated him badly. When he was 13, he ran away and claimed to have  walked 85 miles barefoot to join his father, where he finally found a  happy home within his father's large family. During the peak of his  success, he returned from Chicago to his home town to see his mother  again, but was driven to tears when she rebuffed him and refused to take  any money he offered her, saying it was from his playing the "Devil's  music". Career Howlin' Wolf quickly became a local celebrity, and soon began  working with a band that included both Willie Johnson and guitarist Pat  Hare. His first recordings came in 1951, when he recorded sessions for  both the Bihari brothers at Modern Records and Leonard Chess' Chess  Records. Chess issued Howlin' Wolf's How Many More Years in August 1951;  Wolf also recorded sides for Modern, with Ike Turner, in late 1951 and  early 1952. Chess eventually won the war over the singer, and Wolf  settled in Chicago, Illinois c. 1953. Upon arriving in Chicago, he  assembled a new band, recruiting Chicagoan Joseph Leon "Jody" Williams  from Memphis Slim's band as his first guitarist. Within a year Wolf  enticed guitarist Hubert Sumlin to leave Memphis and join him in  Chicago; Sumlin's terse, curlicued solos perfectly complemented Burnett's huge voice and surprisingly subtle phrasing. Although the line  up of Wolf's band would change regularly over the years, employing many  different guitarists both on recordings and in live performance  including Willie Johnson, Jody Williams , Lee Cooper, L.D. McGhee, Otis "Big Smokey" S


Who wrote the detective novel 'The Nine Tailors' in 1934?

The Nine Tailors - Dorothy Leigh Sayers - Google Books Dorothy Leigh Sayers 3 Reviews https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Nine_Tailors.html?id=CMJvCV9WZ8MC The Nine Tailors is Dorothy L. Sayers's finest mystery, featuring Lord Peter Whimsey, and a classic of the genre. � The nine tellerstrokes from the belfry of an ancient country church toll out the death of an unknown man and call the famous Lord Peter Whimsey to investigate the good and evil that lurks in every person. Steeped in the atmosphere of a quiet parish in the strange, flat fen-country of East Anglia, this is a tale of suspense, character, and mood by an author critics and readers rate as one of the great masters of the mystery novel.   What people are saying -  Write a review As Always.... User Review  - milesjay213 - Overstock.com The product arrived from Overstock on time. It was well packaged for shipping and arrived in the same condition it would have been in had I slid it off a shelf in a bookstore. Im always impressed with my interactions with this site! Read full review This is one of the best mysteries I have ever read. Selected pages A Full Peal of Grandsire Triples 67 lord peter is called into 97 lord peter is taken from lead 128 tailor paul is called before 183 lord peter is called wrong 281 A Short Touch of Stedmans Triples 299 the waters are called out 367 the waters are called home 377 the bells are rung down 393 View all » Common terms and phrases All Book Search results » About the author (1934) Dorothy Sayers's impressive reputation as a contemporary master of the classic detective story is eclipsed only by Agatha Christie's. Sayers was born in Oxford and attended Somerville College, where she received a B.A. in 1915 and an M.A. in 1920. During that period, Sayers worked as an instructor of modern languages at Hull High School for Girls in Yorkshire and as a reader for a publisher in Oxford. Her early literary work was in poetry; she published several volumes and served as an editor for the journal Oxford Poetry from 1917 to 1919. Sayers also worked as a copywriter for a major advertising firm in London. She was president of the Modern Language Association from 1939 to 1945 and of the Detection Club in the 1950s. Around 1920 Sayers developed the idea for her detective hero Lord Peter Wimsey, and she soon published her first mystery, Whose Body? (1923), in which Lord Peter is introduced. For the next dozen or so years, Sayers wrote prolifically about Wimsey, creating in the process what many critics of the genre consider to be the finest detective novels in the English language. Perhaps her most famous Wimsey mystery was The Nine Tailors (1934). Although Sayers essentially followed the classic form in her detective fiction---a formula in which the plot assumes a greater importance than do the characters---Sayers maintained that a detective hero's greatness depended on how effectively the character was portrayed. All but one of Sayers's mysteries feature Lord Peter Wimsey. By the late 1930s, Sayers had apparently tired of writing detective fiction. She stated in 1947 that she would write no more mysteries, that she wrote detective fiction only when she was young and in need of money. Thus saying, Sayers turned her attention to her early loves, medieval and religious literature, spending her remaining years lecturing on and translating Dante (see Vol. 2).


In which year was the M25 opened by Margaret Thatcher?

M25 comes full circle | Joe Moran | Opinion | The Guardian M25 comes full circle Joe Moran Margaret Thatcher opened the London orbital 25 years ago, in an era of City braggadocio. Not much has changed then Margaret Thatcher opened the final section of the M25 25 years ago, on 29 October 1986. Photograph: News (UK) Ltd / Rex Features Friday 28 October 2011 14.00 EDT First published on Friday 28 October 2011 14.00 EDT Share on Messenger Close The M25 is 25 on Saturday. On 29 October 1986 , Margaret Thatcher cut the ribbon across an eight-mile section of the London Orbital near Watford, closing the circle. If there are any official anniversary celebrations, I have missed them; a birthday party for the most hated road in the country would perhaps not be well attended. Our antipathy to the M25 reveals much about shifting attitudes to roads over the last half-century. In its thrilling early days, the motorway system was known by its epic cross-country routes (the M1 being called, with some fanfare, "the London-Yorkshire motorway"), but it is now the M25, mentioned daily on traffic reports as a vortex from which none can escape, that best sums up the public mood. The motorways that once carried hopes of uniting the nation now evoke images of eternal circularity, encapsulated in those mythical tales of foreign tourists (or, in some versions, confused pensioners, or naive northerners) who drive round the M25 for days in the mistaken belief that it is the M1. But perhaps the anniversary should be celebrated, if only as a reminder of how distant the year 1986 now seems. For one thing, the M25 was opened by a prime minister prepared to attend a road opening and celebrate it as "a showpiece of British engineering skills, planning, design and construction". In response to those who were arguing the road was already congested, Thatcher said: "I can't stand those who carp and criticise when they ought to be congratulating Britain on a magnificent achievement and beating the drum for Britain all over the world." The M25's popularity, she argued, was a sign of its success, and criticisms of it reminded her of an old saying that "nobody shops at Sainsbury's because of the queues". The prime minister was not alone in this attitude: the inauguration of the M25 was the last major road-opening to generate real public excitement. The queues at both ends of the final section were much longer than usual because drivers were itching to be the first to complete an orbit. When the Guardian's Terry Coleman drove along it shortly after the cones had been removed, he saw crowds waving from the bridges just as they had done when the M1 opened in 1959 . His main complaint was that, at just three lanes, the M25 was not big or bold enough. It was also "absurdly too far out from the centre, which must be obvious even to those bicycling protectors of disused allotments and the like, who ensured by their protests that it should not be closer in". The M25, Coleman argued, summed up "the mangy poverty of our present expectations". The completion of the M25 now seems to symbolise the high-water mark of Thatcherism. It was accompanied by that mid-1980s phenomenon – a huge surge in house prices – all the way round its perimeter. Property prices in west Kent, in towns such as Sidcup and Sevenoaks, rose by a quarter in 1986, exceptional even for the south-east equity bonanza of the period. The M25 also opened just two days after the City's Big Bang , which ended restrictive practices in the City and ushered in a frantic era of takeovers and salary hikes. Some of those high-flying traders used the M25's 117-mile circuit as an illegal racetrack. They would meet at a service station early on a weekend morning and race round in their Porsches and Ferraris, the Dartford tunnel serving as a pitstop. The story of these Cannonball runs was uncovered by a young reporter for The Times, Boris Johnson. It all seems so 80s, a vanished world of red braces and brick-sized mobile phones. But the M25 is still here and, even if nobody loves it, it hasn't taught us much. The coalition


Which Oscar winning actress plays Abraham Lincoln's wife in the film Lincoln?

Sally Field to Play Abraham Lincoln's Wife in Steven Spielberg Movie | Hollywood Reporter Sally Field to Play Abraham Lincoln's Wife in Steven Spielberg Movie 3:24 PM PDT 4/13/2011 by Gregg Kilday Getty Images The "Brothers & Sisters" star has been cast opposite Daniel Day-Lewis in "Lincoln." Sally Field will star as Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of the 16th president of the United States, in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln. Daniel Day-Lewis has already been cast to play the president. Spielberg and DreamWorks co-chairman and CEO Stacey Snider announced the casting Wednesday.  "I'm excited to be working with Sally for the first time," Spielberg said of the two-time Oscar winner. "I've admired her films, and she has always been my first choice to portray all the fragility and complexity that was Mary Todd Lincoln." The film, which centers on the political clashes between Lincoln and the officers of his cabinet, is based on the book Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which has been adapted for the screen by Tony Kushner. It will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Spielberg. Filming is expected to begin in the fall for release in fourth-quarter 2012 through Disney's Touchstone label. Field, who currently stars in the ABC series Brothers & Sisters, for which she won an Emmy in 2007, has long been attached to the project.


Who replaced Hilary Clinton as U.S. Secretary of State?

Kerry to replace Hillary at State Dept.: report  - NY Daily News Obama will name John Kerry to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State: news report  Kerry to replace Hillary at State Dept.: report Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts  is now believed to be President Obama’s pick to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Saturday, December 15, 2012, 10:56 AM  President Obama has chosen Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) to succeed Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, according to a report. Obama will announce his choice of Kerry in the coming weeks, the Chicago Sun-Times reported , citing a source. The White House has not confirmed the selection. It is widely known that Kerry was interested in the job, and the former presidential nominee emerged as the clear favorite after another contender, UN Ambassador Susan Rice, withdrew from consideration last week. Rice, who many believe was Obama's first choice, backed out before facing a contentious confirmation battle. Several key Republicans vowed to fight her selection, believing that she misled Congress and the American public about the investigation into September's deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Rice is expected to stay in her current post and may eventually take another position — perhaps national security adviser — within the administration. Kerry, who is rumored to be Clinton's choice to follow her to the State Department, is widely respected on the international stage and currently chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. His spot on the prestigious committee will be filled by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), according to the Sun-Times. Kerry's looming departure from the Senate could trigger a fascinating political battle in Massachusetts. It is widely expected that Republican Scott Brown, who lost his own Senate seat to Elizabeth Warren last month, would run in a special election to fill Kerry's vacant seat. Evan Vucci/AP UN Ambassador Susan Rice has withdrawn from consideration for Secretary of State after vocal opposition from several key Republican senators. Brown won Sen. Ted Kennedy's old seat in 2010 and, despite his defeat, retains a high favorability rating in the Bay State. It is not known who Democrats would choose to run against him. Several prominent Republicans have signaled that they would not oppose Kerry's nomination — in part because it would open up the seat in Massachusetts. Obama will continue to fill out his national security team in the coming days and Beltway gossip has him leaning toward choosing former Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, a Republican, to become Secretary of Defense. Clinton had long said she was only interested in serving one term as Secretary of State, and she is expected to step down next month. She has said she will take some time off before deciding on her next career move — which could include a run for the White House in 2016. Tags:


Pope Alexander VI who died in 1503 was a member of which family?

The Death of Alexander VI, 1503 Printer Friendly Version >>> The collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century created a political and cultural vacuum that was filled, in part, by the Roman Catholic Church. For the next 1000 years the continuity of the Church of Rome provided a semblance of stability as Europe sank into barbarism. By the dawn of the Renaissance, however, the mission of the papacy had been corrupted by the conflict between its sacred duties as the Vicar of Christ and its temporal responsibilities as head of the Papal States. This was not the papacy's finest hour. Pope Alexander VI Pope Alexander VI epitomizes this corruption. Born as Rodrigo Borgia in Spain in 1431, he was elected Pope in 1492, an event that spawned rumors that he had spent a considerable fortune bribing the appropriate Cardinals to assure his success. The new Pope loved the good life. He sired at least twelve children through a number of mistresses. The most famous of his offspring were his son Cesare, noted for the murder of political rivals, and his daughter Lucrezia who was married off to a number of husbands for political gain. Pope Alexander VI was in constant need of money - to support his lavish life style, to fill the coffers for his political bribes and to fund his various military campaigns. The sale of Cardinalships was a major source of cash, so too was the sale of indulgences. An indulgence was a written proclamation that exonerated - for a fee - the individual (or his relatives) from punishment in the after-life for sins that had been committed, or in some cases, may be committed in the future. Fourteen years after his death, the corruption of the papacy that Alexander VI  exemplified - particularly the sale of indulgences - would prompt a young monk  by the name of Martin Luther to nail a summary of his grievances on the door  of a church in Germany and launch the Protestant Reformation. ". . . the Pope felt unwell." Johann Burchard was a Papal Master of Ceremonies from 1483 to his death in 1506. His responsibilities at the Vatican included oversight of protocol and procedures for official ceremonies. He kept a detailed diary of his experiences that provides an insight into the papacy of the Borgias. He was present at the death of the last Borgia Pope: ADVERTISMENT "On Saturday morning, August 12th, the pope felt unwell, and at about three o'clock in the afternoon he became feverish. Fourteen ounces of blood were taken from him three days later and tertiary fever set in. Early on August 17th, he was given some medicine, but he worsened and at about six o'clock on the following morning, he made his confession to Don Pietro Gamboa, the Bishop of Carinola, who then celebrated Mass in His Holiness's presence. After he had made his own communion, he gave the pope the Host as he sat in his bed and then completed the Mass. The service was also attended by five cardinals - Serra, Francesco Borgia, Giovanni Castelar, Casanova and de Loris of Constantinople - to whom His Holiness stated that he felt ill. At the hour of Vespers he was given Extreme Unction by the Bishop of Carinola, and he expired in the presence of the datary, the bishop and the attendants standing by. Don Cesare, [the Pope's illegitimate son] who was also unwell at the time, sent Michelotto with a large number of retainers to close all the doors that gave access to the pope's room. One of the men took out a dagger and threatened to cut Cardinal Casanova's throat and to throw him out of the window unless he handed over the keys to all the pope's treasure. Terrified, the cardinal surrendered the keys, whereupon the others entered the room next to the papal apartment and seized all the silver that they found, together with two coffers containing about a hundred thousand ducats. Cesare Borgia At four o'clock in the afternoon, they opened the doors and proclaimed that the pope was dead. In the meantime, valets took what had been left behind in the wardrobe and the apartments, and nothing of value remained except the papal chairs, some cushions and the tapes


Amelia Bullmore plays DCI Gill Murray in which TV crime drama?

Amelia Bullmore - IMDb IMDb 17 January 2017 4:34 PM, UTC NEWS Actress | Writer Amelia Bullmore was born on January 31, 1964 in London, England as Amelia Mary Bullmore. She is an actress and writer, known for Scott & Bailey (2011), What We Did on Our Holiday (2014) and Festival (2005). She is married to Paul Higgins . They have two children. See full bio » Born: a list of 22 people created 23 Feb 2012 a list of 101 people created 29 Aug 2012 a list of 43 people created 09 Sep 2014 a list of 30 people created 15 Dec 2015 a list of 54 people created 5 months ago Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of Amelia Bullmore's work have you seen? User Polls 2 wins & 2 nominations. See more awards  » Known For Scott & Bailey DCI Gill Murray (2011-2014)  2016 The Crown (TV Series) Kathleen Sutherland  2016 Power Monkeys (TV Mini-Series) Lauren  2016 Happy Valley (TV Series) Vicky Fleming  2015 Jekyll & Hyde (TV Series) Renata / Renata Jezequiel  2013 It's Kevin (TV Series) Various  2013 Common Ground (TV Series short) Becky  2011 Inspector Lewis (TV Series) Caroline Hope - Wild Justice (2011) ... Caroline Hope  2011 Shameless (TV Series)  2010 Little Crackers (TV Series) Helen  2010 Agatha Christie's Poirot (TV Series) Judith Butler  2010 Bellamy's People (TV Series) Various characters  2008 Mrs In-Betweeny (TV Movie) Emma  2006-2007 Suburban Shootout (TV Series) Joyce Hazledine  2007 Dalziel and Pascoe (TV Series) Frances Cunningham  2007 Director's Debut (TV Series) Tara Vaughan - Baby Boom (2007) ... Tara Vaughan  2006 Sorted (TV Series) Winona the Dog / Additional Voices - Home (2004) ... Winona the Dog / Additional Voices (voice) - A Star Is Hatched (2004) ... Winona the Dog / Additional Voices (voice) - My Fair Mare (2004) ... Winona the Dog / Additional Voices (voice) - Money (2004) ... Winona the Dog / Additional Voices (voice)  2004 Coming Up (TV Series) Psychiatrist  2002 The Gist (TV Movie) Freda Cooper  2001 Linda Green (TV Series) Lucy Cooper  1997-2001 Brass Eye (TV Series) Beauty Pageant Mother / Role Play Wife / Honolee Dolholly / ... - Paedophilia (2001) ... Beauty Pageant Mother - Sex (1997) ... Role Play Wife / Honolee Dolholly - Science (1997) ... Suzanzee Wooola-Koopus Mother In Park / Competitive Mother / Office Worker #1 / ... - Episode #1.6 (2000) ... Mother In Park / Competitive Mother / Office Worker #1 / ... - Episode #1.5 (2000) ... Patient With Daughter / Mrs. Lulch / Anthony's Wife - Episode #1.4 (2000) ... Rosa / Russ' Wife / Molly Padly / ... - Episode #1.3 (2000) ... Dr. Alison Basingstoke / Mrs. Riley / Andrew's Boss / ... - Episode #1.2 (2000) ... Woman Travelling In Car Boot / Mother-To-Be / Martina / ...  1999 Tilly Trotter (TV Mini-Series) Eileen Sopwith


The Medici's were rulers of which region of Italy from 1569 to 1739?

The Medici Family - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com The Medici Family A+E Networks Introduction The Medici family, also known as the House of Medici, first attained wealth and political power in Florence in the 13th century through its success in commerce and banking. Beginning in 1434 with the rise to power of Cosimo de’ Medici (or Cosimo the Elder), the family’s support of the arts and humanities made Florence into the cradle of the Renaissance, a cultural flowering rivaled only by that of ancient Greece. The Medicis produced four popes (Leo X, Clement VII, Pius IV and Leon XI), and their genes have been mixed into many of Europe’s royal families. The last Medici ruler died without a male heir in 1737, ending the family dynasty after almost three centuries. Google Birth of the Medici Dynasty The Medici story began around the 12th century, when family members from the Tuscan village of Cafaggiolo emigrated to Florence. Through banking and commerce, the Medicis rose to become one of the most important houses in Florence. Their influence had declined by the late 14th century, however, when Salvestro de’ Medici (then serving as gonfaliere, or standard bearer, of Florence) was forced into exile. Did You Know? When Cosimo I (1519-1574) moved the Florentine administrative offices into a building known as the Uffizi, he also established a small museum. The building is now the site of Florence's famed Uffizi Gallery, home to many of the great Renaissance-era treasures amassed by the Medicis since the time of Cosimo the Elder. Another branch of the family, descended from Salvestro’s distant cousin Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici, would begin the great Medici dynasty. Giovanni’s elder son, Cosimo (1389-1464), rose to political power in 1434 and ruled Florence as an uncrowned monarch for the rest of his life. Known to history as Cosimo the Elder, he was a devoted patron of the humanities, supporting artists such as Ghiberti, Brunelleschi, Donatello and Fra Angelico. During Cosimo’s time, as well as that of his sons and particularly his grandson, Lorenzo the Magnificent (1449-1492), Renaissance culture flourished, and Florence became the cultural center of Europe. The Descendants of Cosimo de’ Medici Lorenzo was a poet himself, and supported the work of such Renaissance masters as Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo (whom the Medicis commissioned to complete their family tombs in Florence). After Lorenzo’s premature death at the age of 43, his eldest son Piero succeeded him, but soon infuriated the public by accepting an unfavorable peace treaty with France. After only two years in power, he was forced out of the city in 1494, and died in exile. Thanks in part to the efforts of Piero’s younger brother Giovanni (a cardinal at the time and the future Pope Leo X), the Medici family was able to return to Florence in 1512. The next few years marked the high point of Medici influence in Europe, as Leo X followed in his father’s humanistic footsteps and devoted himself to artistic patronage. Piero’s son, also named Lorenzo, regained power in Florence, and his daughter Catherine (1519-1589) would become queen of France after marrying King Henry II; three of her four sons would rule France as well. A New Medici Branch Comes to Power By the early 1520s, few descendants of Cosimo the Elder remained. Giulio de’ Medici, the illegitimate son of Lorenzo the Magnificent’s brother Giuliano, abdicated power in 1523 to become Pope Clement VII, and the short and brutal rule of Alessandro (reputed to be Giulio’s own illegitimate son) ended with his assassination in 1537. At this point, the descendants of Cosimo the Elder’s brother (known as Lorenzo the Elder) came forward to launch a new Medici dynasty. Lorenzo’s great-great-grandson Cosimo (1519-1574) became duke of Florence in 1537, then grand duke of Tuscany in 1569. As Cosimo I, he established absolute power in the region, and his descendants would rule as grand dukes into the 1700s. Cosimo’s elder son Francis succeeded his father, but proved a less effective ruler. His daughter Marie would b


With which University did a Panorama reporter travel to North Korea to make an undercover film?

BBC denies endangering students with undercover visit to North Korea | Media | The Guardian BBC denies endangering students with undercover visit to North Korea Panorama reporter accompanied London School of Economics students to communist country to carry out secret filming The Panorama reporter John Sweeney, who joined LSE students on a field trip to North Korea. Photograph: Eamonn Mccabe Press Association Sunday 14 April 2013 07.55 EDT First published on Sunday 14 April 2013 07.55 EDT Close This article is 3 years old The BBC has denied claims that it put students from a London university at risk when an undercover journalist accompanied them on a field trip to North Korea . John Sweeney, a reporter for the Panorama programme, is said to have joined the student group from the London School of Economics (LSE) on a visit to the communist country so he could carry out secret filming. The LSE says the students "were not given enough information to enable informed consent", and were "endangered", the BBC reported . The LSE's director, Prof Craig Calhoun, accused the corporation of "lies and deception from the outset" and of putting the students at risk, telling Sky News it was "unwilling to take responsibility" for the risks it had caused. But the BBC denied giving students insufficient information about the plans for secret reporting. In a statement, a Panorama spokeswoman said: "We recognised that because it could increase the risks of the trip, the students should be told in advance that a journalist intended to travel with them, in order to enable the students to make their decision about whether they wanted to proceed. "They were given this information, and were reminded of it again, in time to have been able to change their plans if they wanted to. The students were all explicitly warned about the potential risks of travelling to North Korea with the journalist as part of their group. "This included a warning about the risk of arrest and detention and that they might not be allowed to return to North Korea in the future." Calhoun said the students acknowledged that they were told a journalist would be accompanying them, but said they were not told who, or that two other journalists would be filming. He told Sky News: "The school was not informed at all in any way about this. The BBC chose to present this as though the reporters were LSE students or staff. "The BBC chose also to make this appear as if it was an LSE trip, when it was not." He added: "I would like the BBC to pull the programme so that it is not showing footage of our students and creating dangers." An email sent to LSE students and staff said university authorities did not have advance knowledge of the visit, the BBC reported. The email said: "At no point prior to the trip was it made clear to the students that a BBC team of three had planned to use the trip as cover for a major documentary to be shown on Panorama. "It is LSE's view that the students were not given enough information to enable informed consent, yet were given enough to put them in serious danger if the subterfuge had been uncovered prior to their departure from North Korea." On its website Panorama says Sweeney spent eight days undercover in the "most rigidly controlled nation on Earth", in which he "witnesses a landscape bleak beyond words, a people brainwashed for three generations and a regime happy to give the impression of marching towards Armageddon". Writing on Twitter , Sweeney said he disputed the LSE statement. Six students back BBC Panorama documentary and accuse university of exposing them to greater danger by going public. By Josh Halliday Published: 17 Apr 2013 Head of news says Tony Hall was involved in discussions over undercover Panorama journalists embedded with LSE students Published: 15 Apr 2013 Broadcaster rejects LSE chair's request to shelve film, calling it an 'important piece of public interest journalism' Published: 14 Apr 2013


Who plays Detective Inspector Richard Poole in the crime drama 'Death in Paradise'?

Actor Ben Miller on dramatic exit from BBC's Death In Paradise | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV | Daily Express 00:01, Sat, Jan 11, 2014 Ben Miller as Death In Paradise detective, Richard Poole [BBC] It’s got to be right up there with the best jobs in acting – jetting off for six months to film on a sun-drenched Caribbean island. Not only that, but it just happens to be for one of the highest-rated shows on the BBC. So when it was announced last spring that Ben Miller had quit his starring role in crime comedy drama Death In Paradise, filmed on tropical Guadalupe, many fans were left scratching their heads in disbelief. What could have prompted him to leave one of the cushiest jobs in showbiz? Ben, 47, explains that it was love for his family that made the decision inevitable. “I had just begun work on the first series of Death In Paradise when my wife Jessica discovered she was pregnant,” he says.  “Our son, Harrison, was born just after I finished filming, but when I went back out for the second series, I didn’t see much of him at all. It was hard, and I just didn’t feel like I could do that again.  My Family star Kris Marshall joins series regular Sara Martins in Guadalupe [BBC] I didn’t see much of my son at all. It was hard and I didn’t feel like I could do that again Ben Miller “My elder son, [seven-year-old] Sonny, was at nursery at the time, but now he’s started school so he couldn’t come out either. It just wasn’t going to work. That said, I’m very sorry to be leaving.” The actor, who portrays Richard Poole, a grumpy English detective inspector on the fictional island Saint-Marie, has another surprise up his sleeve for fans.  In true Death In Paradise fashion, his character is set to be bumped off in a major whodunnit plot in the first episode. While the exact details of the murder – and culprit – are being kept under wraps, the first episode will see a host of stars making a guest appearance as suspects, most notably Cold Feet and Cuckoo actress Helen Baxendale. Heading up the murder investigation is the bright, but rather disorganised and gawky DI Humphrey Goodman (played by My Family and Lightfields star Kris Marshall), fresh off a plane from London.  “I’m thrilled,” says Kris, 40, who will join series regulars Sara Martins (Camille), Danny John-Jules (Dwayne) and Gary Carr (Fidel) as the show’s new lead detective. “Six months filming on a tropical island with an amazing cast and glorious sunshine? What isn’t there to love?” Thankfully for Kris, his family (wife Hannah Dodkins and his baby son, Thomas) were able to make the move out to Guadalupe to be with him for the entire duration of filming, making the transition easier. However, he does admit to feeling apprehensive about the public’s reaction to such a major cast change. “It is a risk,” says Kris. “Ben has done such a fantastic job. I know some people are not going to be happy; there’s no two ways about it. But I just hope that the majority of people are.” Ben says he’s confident that Kris will be a worthy successor. In fact, far from offering him any pearls of wisdom, he reveals Kris slotted seamlessly into the cast – leaving him to enjoy the perks of being a guest star.  “Guesting on Death In Paradise is probably one of the best jobs in TV. We always find that there’s one person every series who comes out and then never goes home,” he laughs.  Related articles TV pick of the day: Supersize vs Superskinny “While poor Kris was slogging his guts out, I ambled off and did a tour of the island, sipped a few pina coladas and put in some serious beach hours…”  The actor and comedian, previously best known as one half of double act Armstrong and Miller with Alexander Armstrong, says there are many things he’ll miss about the series, not least the fantastic people he’s worked with. But he’s hoping it won’t be the last we’ve seen of him in Death In Paradise. “Perhaps, once my kids are a little older and Kris has worked on his tan for long enough, I could return to the show.  “I’m not sure how yet, but I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Richard’s long lost twin


Which Country won the men's hockey gold at the 2012 Olympics?

Tags: Germany hockey team , Netherlands hockey team , London Olympics 2012 , Olympics news London: Jan Phillip Rabente left a stamp of his brilliance to score twice in the final as defending champions Germany won the gold medal in men`s hockey at the London Olympic with a 2-1 victory over The Netherlands. Compact defence on both sides kept the initial play confined to the midfield before the Netherlands mounted a series of raids and German goalkeeper Max Weinhold had to come out to block a couple of shots in the goalmouth. Rabente tilted the scales in Gemany`s favour when he opened the scoring two minutes before half time by dribbling past two defenders in the circle and then beating the Dutch goalkeeper Jaap Stockmann with flick that ended in the right side of the net at the Riverbank Arena here yesterday. Netherlands had to keep out some more German raids early in the second half before young shooter Mink van der Weerden converted their third penalty corner by sending the drag flick into the net in the 54th minute. Germany enjoyed territorial domination for an extended period as they broke into the circle on three occasions, but were unable to breach the Dutch defence who fell back to crowd the scoring zone. Rabente scored the gold medal winning goal in four minutes from the hooter when he lunged forward to deflect a long diagonal ball from Tobias Hauke into the boards. Stunned by the goal, the Dutch pushed hard for an equaliser for the last three minutes, but all 11 Germany players fell back into their 25-year zone to deny the Netherlands strikers. This is Germany`s fourth Olympic gold medal starting with 1972. It makes them the second most successful nation in Olympic men`s hockey history behind India`s eight gold medals. Before Saturday`s final, Germany were level on three golds with Pakistan. The Netherlands have won the Olympic men`s title twice -- in successive Games of 1996 and 2000. After India`s six successive gold medals and two for Netherlands, this is only the third instance of a country retaining the Olympic men`s hockey title. Netherlands were on the verge of a unique double after their women`s team won the gold medal on Friday. Had the Dutch won on Saturday, they would have become the first ever country to win both the men and women`s hockey gold medals in Olympic history. Netherlands had beaten Germany 3-1 in their pool match encounter, which was the only match the defending champions lost in this tournament. Germany knocked out World champions Australia in the semifinal, while the Netherlands had hammered hosts Great Britain to storm into the title round. World`s No. 1 ranked Australia claimed the bronze medal with a 3-1 win over Great Britain. PTI


Who created the fictional character Alex Cross?

Order of Alex Cross Books - OrderOfBooks.com Home | Characters | Authors Order of Alex Cross Books Alex Cross is the fictional character created by James Patterson, and is a detective slash psychologist based in Washington. Cross lives with his kids and Nana Mama. Below is the order of all of the Alex Cross novels: Publication Order of Alex Cross Books Along Came a Spider (2016) Alex Cross Books in Chronological Order: The chronological order of the Alex Cross books are the exact same as the publication order. Publication Order of Alex Cross Bookshots Cross Kill Order of Books » Characters » Order of Alex Cross Books Gwendolynhill I’m truly in love with Alex Cross and hate that I didn’t start reading them earlier Stacy Jolley What about cradle and all? Dan_Malone Hi Stacy – Cradle and All was not part of the Alex Cross series. It’s listed on our James Patterson page: http://www.orderofbooks.com/authors/james-patterson/ dolphin558 When is the next book after Cross My Heart Dean Cowie Hope To Die is due out this year, although very little information is known at this point. David Winfrey Mary, Mary … is the peak of the Alex Cross novels. Cross Country.. I don’t think Patterson even wrote that one. the latest book, no one is mentioning that it didn’t finish the story.. a total gimmick to get readers to buy the next one. And its not a cliff hanger. its simply Unfinished…. And I like Alex Cross. DeAnna Wing-Larson I’m reading Cooss Country right now and it is most definitely written by James Patterson. and the part you read is a preview, his book hasn’t been published yet!! Rex Dixon I dont think he’s written half thge books he’s supposed to have. I’m sure that he has two or three writers and he gives them a start on a story and then leaves them to it. I read once that he spends a lot of time down South playing golf with D.Trump so I’m sure that doesn’t leave him much time for writing but plenty for going to the bank. Patti Jones Does anyone know where little Alex came from? In the book “Cross” His wife is killed when Jannie is 6 months old, then 7 to 10 years later little Alex is mentioned. No second wife or even a girlfriend is mentioned. http://www.bookseriesinorder.com/ Graeme I stopped reading these books a few years ago – but if memory serves me correct you are talking about Ali, who is Alex Cross Jr. This was the child they had with Christine. There was big custody battles over it and all that. info They mention her in Cross Fire Sherry I am a huge Alex Cross fan, no matter who is writing them….hopefully, they are getting paid well James Dickison I am just starting Cross Fire, I love the Alex Cross series, I started them out of series and went back, now I’m reading them in order, it really helps. Rick`


The painting 'The Haywain' by Constable depicts a cart crossing which river?

John Constable | The Hay Wain | NG1207 | National Gallery, London More paintings in this room Constable's painting is based on a site in Suffolk, near Flatford on the River Stour. The hay wain, a type of horse-drawn cart, stands in the water in the foreground . Across the meadow in the distance on the right, is a group of haymakers at work. The cottage shown on the left was rented by a farmer called Willy Lott and stands behind Flatford Mill. Today, the cottage and river path are still much as they were in Constable's time. Although the painting evokes a Suffolk scene, it was created in the artist's studio in London. Constable first made a number of open-air sketches of parts of the scene. He then made a full-size preparatory sketch in oil to establish the composition . The painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1821, the year it was painted, but failed to find a buyer. Yet when exhibited in France, with other paintings by Constable, the artist was awarded a Gold Medal by Charles X. Share this painting


The song Burning Bridges by the Mike Curb Congregation is sung over the opening credits of which film?

Kelly's Heroes - Theme Song HD (Burning Bridges) - YouTube Kelly's Heroes - Theme Song HD (Burning Bridges) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Aug 28, 2013 The Theme Song to the hillarious film ''Kelly's Heroes'' Directed by Brian G. Hutton and starring Clint Eastwood. The song is sung by The Mike Curb Congregation. I do not own anything in this video. Category


With which of the arts is Twlya Tharp associated?

Twyla Tharp Dance | Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University View Seating Preview the Program HERE. Fiftieth Anniversary. John Zorn provides the show’s vibrant introductory Fanfare, followed by Preludes and Fugues. Radiating with Tharp’s generous spirit and humanity, the dance is set to J.S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier. The wild and raucous humor that Tharp locates in the jazz of Steve Bernstein and MSU alumnus Henry Butler runs rampant through Yowzie, the second new dance. With their immaculate technique and joy, her fierce band of dancers brings the choreography to life. In each premiere, Tharp turns her decades of experience – dances for Hollywood films, television, and the Broadway stage, ballets, modern dances – into living proof that time is her partner as she continues to deepen and expand the singular imagination which makes her one of the century’s most treasured artists. “In her amazing ability to tap into the very core of the American spirit through dance, Twyla Tharp stands unchallenged as the supreme choreographer of her time.” –Chicago Tribune “Nonstop, fierce bravura, delivered with mind-boggling stamina.” –The New York Times Read the The New York Times Review HERE . Performance Run Time: 2 hours which includes a 20 minute intermission. Ideal for ages 12 and up.


Who was the Prince of Wales killed by forces of Edward 1st in 1282?

BBC Blogs - Wales - The investiture of Edward VIII - success before tragedy Read more about sharing. No matter what your feelings or opinions about the post, position, honour (call it what you will) of Prince of Wales, the 1911 investiture of Edward , later king Edward VIII, has to be one of the most interesting moments in the long and often troubled relationship between Wales and England. With hindsight, it is also one of the saddest. HRH the Duke of Windsor (became Edward VIII in 1936) broadcasting to the empire from Broadcasting House, April 1935. Arguably, the last true Prince of Wales was Owain Glyndwr who was crowned in 1404 - although there are many who would say that Llywelyn, killed by the forces of Edward Longshanks in 1282, was really the last man to hold the title. The title of Prince of Wales as we know it was invented and first bestowed by Edward 1st in 1301, the recipient being his infant son. Legend, of course, has had a field day with this event. The Welsh leaders, says the story, wanted a Prince who could speak no English. Edward gave them his baby son who could speak neither Welsh nor English. It is just a story and one that bestows far more credit on Edward than it does on the Welsh chieftains - which is what the circulation of the legend was all about anyway. It quickly became traditional for English kings to make their heirs Prince of Wales. And to begin with the coronet of Llywelyn the Last - deposited by him for safe keeping with the monks at Cymer Abbey but which soon to fall into the hands of the avaricious Edward - was used in the ceremony. Interestingly, a public investiture was not always thought to be necessary. The title Prince of Wales was created by Letters of Patent and the ceremony - usually held in front of the members of the Houses of Parliament - was only a formal piece of pomp. Nevertheless the coronet of Llywelyn was always used until it became too old and new ones had to be made. George V ordered the coronet of George, Prince of Wales to be made for his investiture at the end of the 19th century and went on to wear it, both then and at his later coronation. When the time came for his son to succeed to the title he also used the coronet. When Edward (David as he was always known) went into exile after his abdication he took the coronet with him, something that was actually illegal. So when the time came for Prince Charles to be invested in 1969 another new coronet had to be made. The decision to make the investiture of Prince Edward (Edward VIII as he became) a public occasion owed much to the machinations of David Lloyd George. Concerned about his own popularity - and the clear growth of Welsh nationalism - he persuaded King George V to agree to a public ceremony. This was most unusual and was undoubtedly playing on the king's immense popularity. He had been a well respected prince of Wales who had taken considerable interest in his adopted country - as he did with many other parts of the British Empire. As a result there was a groundswell of support for the new king and a clear expectation that the title would quickly be passed on to his eldest son. Edward was actually created Prince of Wales on his 16th birthday, 23 June 1910. The investiture came a year later, on 13 July 1911. Edward was duly dressed in ceremonial robes - a garb that he considered ludicrous - and underwent the Investiture ceremony at Caernarfon Castle. The location, once more, owed much to Lloyd George. It was a distant spot, hard to reach from other parts of Wales, let alone England, but it was in Lloyd George's constituency and was, of course, the place where Edward I had originally purloined the title back in the 14th century. As Prince of Wales, Edward was hugely popular. He served with distinction in World War One and, during the Depression years, toured the badly hit parts of Britain - the Welsh mining valleys in particular. His phrase "Something must be done" when confronted by the poverty and hardship has gone down in folk lore. Of course, nothing was actually done - either by the prince or by governmen


What was the name of Boycie's wife in 'Only Fools and Horses?

Only Fools And Horses characters - British Comedy Guide Del AKA: Derek Trotter; Del Boy; Del Trotter.  Trader.   Played by: David Jason Derek Trotter - Del Boy to his friends (and enemies) - is a loveable rogue and dodgy market trader. In the 1980s and early 1990s he and his brother worked their socks off trying to make some easy money with the help of their yellow 3 wheeled van and a suitcase, but none of their deals amounted to anything. However, Del's luck changed in 1996 when an antique watch hidden in his garage made him an overnight millionaire. He lived the high life for 5 years before losing it all in 2001 due to a stock market crash. Del thinks of himself as very cultured but doesn't realise that his pretentious cocktails and misunderstood French phrases don't quite make him a connoisseur. Rodney AKA: Rodney Trotter; Rodders.  Played by: Nicholas Lyndhurst Tall and thin Rodney (or "Rodders" as Del calls him) is Derek's brother. Rodney looks upon his brothers dodgy dealings with an air of pessimism, usually well-founded, yet he always somehow ends up getting involved. Academically, Rodney is much brighter than Del but he lacks his elder brother's street-smart, blinding confidence and self-assurance. His romantic life has never been very stable, largely thanks to Del. He eventually married girlfriend Cassandra, but a trial separation, miscarriage and her high-stress job caused plenty of arguments between the pair. Uncle Albert (Series 4-7) AKA: Albert Gladstone Trotter.  Played by: Buster Merryfield Uncle Albert is taken in by Del and Rodney after Grandad's funeral, when it becomes apparent he has nowhere to live. Albert's an old sea dog, seemingly with a Navy tale to suit every occasion - much to Del and Rodney's annoyance. Some of his tales are a little suspect in the truth department too! Uncle Albert is often more of a hindrance than help to Del, but his heart's in the right place. Grandad (Series 1-3) AKA: Edward Trotter.  Played by: Lennard Pearce Del and Rodney's paternal grandfather, Grandad is described in the first ever episode as an "out of work lamplighter, hoping that gas'll make a comeback". The original third member of the TIT gang, he's an indolent, scruffy man constantly moaning about his lot in life. Despite giving off the aura of not being the smartest card in the deck, Grandad could be extremely crafty if required. Having trained as a chef at one of London's largest venues (the Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital), Del and Rodders' stomachs were the main beneficiaries when Grandad passed away. Trigger AKA: Colin Ball.  Roadsweeper.   Played by: Roger Lloyd-Pack Trigger is an old school friend of Del's, and is probably one of the simplest people ever. A roadsweeper by trade, he holds just one qualification: a Grade 3 Cycling Proficiency Diploma. Trig is constantly providing the boys with laughs and causing them to sigh in despair because of the dopey things he says. For some unknown reason, Trig believes Rodney to be called 'Dave' - no amount of correction will get through to him! Boycie AKA: Aubrey Boyce.  Car Dealer.   Played by: John Challis Wealthy Boycie is the local second hand car dealer. He's extremely arrogant, a scrooge and a complete snob; no surprise, therefore, that he's the but of many of the pub regulars' jokes. Despite this he is still regarded as "one of the boys", and one of Del's best mates. Despite appearances, and their constant jokes and remarks at each others' expense, Boycie and Marlene's marriage is strong. If only he wasn't, as Del puts it, "a jaffa"... Marlene (Series 3-7) Played by: Sue Holderness The long-suffering wife of Boycie, Marlene has developed somewhat of a taste for the finer things in life. She was a bit of a go-er when younger, but her expensive lifestyle means she'd never leave her husband - after all, who else would be able to afford her keep? After years spent pining for a child, and treating her beloved dog Duke as a surrogate offspring, Marlene eventually fell pregnant with baby Tyler. Raquel (Series 5 & 7) AKA: Rachel Turner.  Played by: Tessa Peake-Jones


Storm Thorgerson who died in April 2013 was particularly famous for designing what?

Storm Thorgerson (From HeraldScotland) Graphic designer famous for Pink Floyd album covers; Born: February 28, 1944; Died: April 18, 2013. Storm Thorgerson, who has died aged 69, was a graphic designer known for his striking, sometimes- disturbing album cover art. His most famous work was the rainbow prism design on the cover of Pink Floyd's 1973 album Dark Side of the Moon. The band have often said Thorgerson's art was an integral part of their work. It is certainly one of the most recognisable album covers ever. Loading article content His career was not limited to Pink Floyd however. He also designed covers for Led Zeppelin, Peter Gabriel and Muse and even those not familiar with Thorgerson's name will have seen his work on vinyl collections and CD racks. Some of his covers — such as the disturbing image of a burning man in a business suit featured on Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here — have become icons in their own right. His art tended toward the unsettling or the bizarre. One particularly weird CD front for The Cranberries' Bury The Hatchet featured a monstrous, disembodied eye staring at a crouching, naked figure in a desert. Another Pink Floyd album cover — which Thorgerson said had left the record company completely berserk — featured nothing more than a picture of a cow staring out from a field. He was born in Potters Bar and after school in Cambridge, went to Leicester University in the early 1960s. He began his career with the design group Hipgnosis in the late 1960s after studying at the Royal College of Art in London and his first cover for Pink Floyd was A Saucerful of Secrets in 1968. Thorgerson described his work as a kind of fantasy job. "People pay me for my thoughts and my dreams," he once said. "I think in that sense I'm very fortunate." He said he worked by speaking to the musicians as much as possible about the music. "I listen to the music," he said, "read the lyrics, speak to the musicians as much as possible. I see myself as a kind of translator, translating an audio event into a visual event." After the growth of the CD downgraded cover art from the status it once had, Thorgerson began to work in advertising (including for Tennent's lager) although he never found it as professionally satisfying as his work on albums. He never abandoned album cover art, however, and continued to work with modern artists such as Biffy Clyro and Muse. He is survived by his mother Vanji, his son Bill, his wife Barbie Antonis, and her two children Adam and Georgia.