BelOMO 10x Triplet Loupe Magnifier - the best Jewelry loupe Description Details The BelOMO 10x loupe magnifier is often compared to one of the Bausch & Lomb magnifiers - Hastings Triplet Loupe in terms of quality and reputation for accuracy, however it is necessary to mention that the BelOMO magnifier has a larger viewing area – 0,82 inches versus 0,62 inches. Besides, BelOMA triplet is larger, a bit heavier, and cheaper. The BelOMO 10x magnifying loupe is rugged and convenient to hold in hand, its outer casing is made of steel which prevents it from mechanical damage whereas inside it is of reliable plastic. Due to its high quality and great magnification the BelOMO triplet can be applied in different ways: Magnification of printed texts Reviews Nothing to addReview by erdbunt As a geologist I'm working with my Zeiss 3x6x9 hand lenses nearly any day. So far so good. In an old book I found a hint to Steinheilsches Triplet. German products: None. Than I found Belomo and ordered this in any way marvellous Triplet 10*. All written before is true (except plastics). The entire field of view is sharply and comfortably in focus, true colours and a "light like powder". Now it is the favourite. (Posted on 8/7/2016) A reputable brandReview by Alexandra Isabel I was in need of a good magnifier for everyday use. Many people write that belomo is a reputable brand to buy something decent. I decided to follow their example, though I’ve never heard about this manufacturer before. My choice was made in favor of 10x triplet loupe that provides the standard magnification which is sufficient for many applications. What I do really like about this loupe is that there is no distortion around the edges. Another great feature of the 10x belomo loupe is a special coating for color correction that ensures natural and undistorted colors while looking through the loupe. I’m pleased with product I’ve got, and there are many good reasons why. The only tip I would like to share with everybody, please, make sure you have a proper light source that is not too bright or too dark. (Posted on 12/25/2015) Very goodReview by Peter Ivantsov I was in need of a simple, high magnification device to see small details more closely. And I made my choice on BelOMO 10x magnifier. It is the most popular power magnification triplet of this brand. Particularly, I want to comment on absence of significant distortion and optical aberrations. BelOMO 10x triplet provides high magnification with improved image quality. The only minus for me is that the magnifier must be placed close to both the object and the eye. However, I know it is normal for that kind of device. All in all, the BelOMO can be rated as ‘very good’. (Posted on 11/26/2015) I am pleasedReview by Roxy Received my BelOMO 10x triplet and decided to write about my impressions. Firstly, the field of view is bright, sharp and distortion free, which couldn’t leave me more pleased. Secondly, I’ve become convinced that lens is 100% professionally manufactured. Thirdly, I’ve found this BelOMO triplet to be the best quality vs. price out there. By the way, my order came in two weeks, which is a great plus for the seller. Highly recommend! (Posted on 11/2/2015) UsefulReview by Susanna I was looking for a professional loupe with magnification of 10 times actual size. Finally, I’ve found one produced by BelOMO. According to high resolution and magnification of the 10х, the loupe ensures a wide range of application, just like I need. This classic, three-lensed triplet loupe has no problems with image distortion and blurriness, quite the opposite; it gives a good colorful image. This appears to be luck! What’s more, this 10x triplet model is pretty “affordable”. Definitely, it proves useful for me. (Posted on 10/22/2015) A really good productReview by Mary J I wanna to share my personal opinion about the BelOMO 10х. I have chosen 10x magnifier for work, as this is the most popular power for a hand held magnifier. Thanks to the diameter of the lens, the viewable area is fairly large in comparison with other popular triplet


The Four Hills is a tournament in which sport?

The Four Hills Tournament | LIVE-PRODUCTION.TV The Four Hills Tournament Reinhard Penzel Bergisel Ski Jump in Innsbruck The Four Hills Tournament (Vierschanzentournee) is composed of four Ski Jumping World Cup events and has taken place in Germany and Austria each year since 1952. The tournament is third only to the World Cup and the Winter Olympics as the most sought-after title on the ski jumping world circuit. The Four Hills Tournament comprises four individual World Cup events and points gained in the Four Hills Tournament are added to points gained in other World Cup events throughout the season. advertisement One of the tournament's particularities is its controversial qualifying system. Unlike the other ski jumping events where the best 30 competitors of the first series qualify into the second series, all four tournament's events follow the so called knock-out system, first introduced in the 1996/97 season. 50 first series competitors are divided into 25 pairs. All 25 winners of those internal "duels" plus five best "lucky losers" qualify into the second series. This way, it is theoretically possible that a competitor with the 12th first series result does not qualify into the second series (if he loses his internal duel, five lucky losers and winners of their duels have better results) while the one with the 49th first series result may still qualify (if his "rival" has the worst result). If qualification is postponed until the day of competition, knock-out system is not used, and competition follows regular world cup rules. Bergisel Ski Jump in Innsbruck advertisement Because of that in 2007/08 tournament, knock-out system was used only in Oberstdorf. The 2007–08 Four Hills Tournament was held in only three of the traditional venues of Oberstdorf, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Bischofshofen, located in Germany and Austria. The competition at Innsbruck was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions and replaced by an additional visit to Bischofshofen. The host broadcaster for the competitions in Germany is ARD while ORF is the host broadcaster in Austria. For the events in Oberstdorf, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Bischofshofen more than 20 cameras were installed, including a Sony SuperSloMo, a LMC UltraSloMo, two MiniCams at the take-off area as well as PoleCams and wireless cameras. New at this year’s tournament was the introduction of LMC’s UltraSloMo camera “Antelope”. The camera recorded the ski jumpers with 500 and 1.000 pictures/s. For the playback the system has generated a clip in 1080i and via a dedicated controller impressive pictures of the flying and landing sequences could be visualized. The cameraman can operate the “Antelope” system as a normal camera, zoom and focus control is the same as with all other broadcast cameras. advertisement Dartfish StroMotion - Dartfish SimulCam - LMC Antelope Control Due to the knock-out system at the Four Hills Tournament, also LMC’s sports analyzing-system, which is based on the SimulCam/StroMotion software from Dartfish, was in use to compare some of the head to head competitors. SimulCam™ is based on the idea that whenever two athletes are competing at different times, but over the same terrain, their filmed performances can be composited into a single video showing both competitors seemingly competing together. To create SimulCam™ pictures, DartStudio™ computes and compensates automatically the differences in camera angle (pan, tilt, zoom) between the two recorded performances and blend the two performances creating a new high quality video.SimulCam™ pictures show at each instant, the relative position, speed and posture of the two competitors on a single display support. SimulCam™ pictures allow unparalleled in-depth comparison and analysis. It contrasts and compares the position, style and trajectory of competitors. It illustrates what one 10th of a second’s difference at the take-off area can mean in the jumping width of an athlete. In addition StroMotion™ reveals the evolution of an athlete’s movement, technique, execution and tactics over space and time in an


Definition and Description of King Priam of Troy Share By N.S. Gill Definition: Priam was the last king of Troy, son of Laomedon and Strymo. King Priam was killed at the end of the Trojan War. His wife was Hecuba. Paris , Troilus, and Hector were three of Priam and Hecuba's many sons. Polyxena and Cassandra were two of their daughters. When Hercules sacked Troy during the reign of Laomedon, of the children, only Podarkes, henceforth 'Priam' and Hesione were spared. Pronunciation: preye'-am  (noun)


Which scientific principle is used in a police speed trap?

TCCoA Tech Articles email arjoh@metrolink.net This article has been written for attorneys representing defendants in civil, criminal and administrative proceedings. It is a technical guide on generally accepted police procedure in the enforcement of traffic speed laws using various speed measuring devices. It is not legal advice or a guide on legal proceedings. It does not provide instructions or advice on how to avoid detection or prosecution for the violation of any laws. Due to the number of variations in state laws and the design of individual traffic speed measuring devices, this work is provided without warranty or guarantee, express, or implied, to any particular situation. The author does not recommend or encourage the violation of any traffic laws. Do not operate a vehicle in other than a safe and prudent manner at a speed reasonable for the existing conditions. This work is protected under copyright laws. Always use your seat belt. Never drink and drive. Drive defensively. In 1906, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (Brazier v. City of Philadelphia, 215 Pa. 297, 64 A 508, 510 (1906)), in affirming a ruling under a city ordinance for speeding at the then outrageous speed of 7 m.p.h., said, "It is only necessary to resort to the most cursory observation to find the evidence that many drivers of automobiles, in their desire to put their novel and rapid machines to a test of their capacity, drive such vehicles through the streets with a reckless disregard of the rights of others." And with these words, the contest between the motorist and traffic law enforcement officials began in earnest. The motorist, sometimes traveling at a speed higher than the law allows while evading detection, and the police, trying to find them. Through the years, technology has entered the game and for every new measure taken by one side the other has found, or tried to find, a counter-measure. Radar has been the preferred device by the police for many years and motorists have responded with a variety of counter-measures. Take this short test to find out how much you really know about police traffic radar. 1. Aluminum foil strips placed inside the hubcaps will prevent the vehicle from being detected by police radar. True or false? 2. Metal chains hanging from the metal frame of a car will ground the body and prevent the car from being detected by police radar. True or false? 3. The police can use radar to accurately determine your speed when you are on the far side of a hill because the radar beam follows the Earth's terrain. True or false? 4. When a radar traffic unit is calibrated, that means every reading taken by a police officer is correct. True or false? 5. Radar detectors will always provide ample warning to slow down when police traffic radar is nearby. True or false? 6. An FCC radio license is required for anyone that operates traffic radar. True or false? 7. The picture taken by photo radar is absolute evidence you were speeding. True or false? If you said true to any of the above, read the rest of this article. Every statement is false. The term "radar" is an acronym, it stands for Radio Detection and Ranging. Radar technology was first developed by the British shortly before World War II. The principles of radar are based on the laws of physics. Despite the efforts of any state legislature to write laws to the contrary, anyone operating radar must have a basic understanding of the applicable physics to operate radar correctly. Without this understanding, a police officer running radar is very likely to write speeding citations that are not deserved. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has published a training program for traffic radar operators. (Basic Training Program in Radar Speed Measurement, U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.) This manual is the basis for the training and certification programs presented by all the states. Each state may modify the course to comply with and incorporate state laws but the basic ma


What kind of rock is formed as a result of heat or pressure?

Interactives . The Rock Cycle . Types of Rocks Types of Rocks Rocks are not all the same! The three main types, or classes, of rock are sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous and the differences among them have to do with how they are formed. Sedimentary Sedimentary rocks are formed from particles of sand, shells, pebbles, and other fragments of material. Together, all these particles are called sediment. Gradually, the sediment accumulates in layers and over a long period of time hardens into rock. Generally, sedimentary rock is fairly soft and may break apart or crumble easily. You can often see sand, pebbles, or stones in the rock, and it is usually the only type that contains fossils. Examples of this rock type include conglomerate and limestone. Metamorphic Metamorphic rocks are formed under the surface of the earth from the metamorphosis (change) that occurs due to intense heat and pressure (squeezing). The rocks that result from these processes often have ribbonlike layers and may have shiny crystals, formed by minerals growing slowly over time, on their surface. Examples of this rock type include gneiss and marble. Igneous Igneous rocks are formed when magma (molten rock deep within the earth) cools and hardens. Sometimes the magma cools inside the earth, and other times it erupts onto the surface from volcanoes (in this case, it is called lava). When lava cools very quickly, no crystals form and the rock looks shiny and glasslike. Sometimes gas bubbles are trapped in the rock during the cooling process, leaving tiny holes and spaces in the rock. Examples of this rock type include basalt and obsidian. Here's a chart of some of the key characteristics that can help you identify the rocks within these three main classes. Crystals Small, flat surfaces that are shiny or sparkly, like tiny mirrors. Fossils Imprints of leaves, shells, insects, or other items in the rock. Gas bubbles "Holes," like Swiss cheese, in the rock. Glassy surface A shiny and smooth surface, like colored glass. Ribbonlike layers Straight or wavy stripes of different colors in the rock. Sand or pebbles


To whom did Clive Anderson say ‘Is there no beginning to your talents’?

Clive Anderson: 'For most people, I have ceased to exist!' - Telegraph Comedy News Clive Anderson: 'For most people, I have ceased to exist!' Barrister-turned-comedian Clive Anderson was the nation's darling - and then  he seemed to vanish. Now at the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time in over  a decade, Britain's wittiest 'natural-born pessimist' tells Dominic  Cavendish what happened Clive Anderson: 'I still feel like I’m an 18-year-old in awe of the world' Photo: Rick Pushinsky Follow “Anyone in the public eye goes quite rapidly from ‘Who’s he?’, to ‘Oh, I love him!’, to ‘Oh, not him again!’. That happens to all of us. If you’re lucky, you settle back into ‘Oh, good, it’s him again.’ ” Clive Anderson is sitting in the cultivated gloom of a posh Moroccan eatery off Regent Street being incredibly sanguine – remarkably sunny, really – about the fickle nature of fame. In the shadows, he still looks, so far as one can tell, a lot like the golden boy of yore, or at least the one-time poster-boy for Channel 4’s early days of doing things differently. A bit craggier, to be sure, now he’s 61, but the twinkle in the eye is there, the grin comes naturally, the dimply cheeks remain endearingly cherubic and, surprisingly, there is still a lot of hair for a man who appeared to be going bald in the late-Eighties. “It has gone at a slow rate,” he says with a smile. “Some people have overtaken me.” A dash of gravitas? He now has that too. “I still feel like I’m an 18-year-old in awe of the world,” he continues, in disbelief. But, if time has been relatively kind, the television industry hasn’t been nearly so gentle to the former criminal barrister who made a decisive break for showbusiness after a long, busy, dithery period of having a foot in both camps. Once upon a time, only two decades ago, Anderson was everywhere, the people’s favourite slightly nervy presenter. He shot to success in 1988 as the twitchy, quick-witted host of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, the long-running improvisation game-show that helped usher in the era of comedy’s new cultural dominance. And not long after that became a monster hit, he broke the mould again with a quirky, irreverent C4 chat show that anticipated the teasing, familiar way with celebrities that Alan Carr , Graham Norton and Jonathan Ross have now made almost wearyingly standard. Anderson always stood at the more Wildean end of the spectrum: witness his notorious put-down to Jeffrey Archer who, needled by the insult “Is there no beginning to your talents?”, retaliated with “The old jokes are always the best”, only to be parried with, “Yes, I’ve read your books!” The self-effacing upstart won the 1991 British Comedy Award as Top Entertainment Presenter. In so doing, he struck a blow for the buttoned-up, strait-laced chap-next-door. Key to his appeal was his apparent incongruity in a world of brazen show-offs. Here was someone who looked more like a city commuter than one of those citadel-storming alternative comedians. It was a counter-intuitive radicalism. Related Articles 'I’ve suffered panic attacks all my life’ 23 Jul 2014 When his chat show moved to the BBC around the start of the New Labour era, it looked as if things could only get better. But, after garnering reasonable ratings and some headline-grabbing moments – the Bee Gees huffed off-set, affronted by his far-from-deferential asides – suddenly, in 2001, he became yesterday’s news. It wasn’t that he lost his lustre, he lost his platform. He wasn’t guillotined – he was left dangling by indecision. “It was an odd thing,” he recalls. “They said: ‘We don’t want you to carry on doing the chat show.’ ‘Why’s that?’ The audience figures weren’t going down. ‘We’re keeping ahead of the audience,’ they said. The controller wanted ‘something a bit different’ – we made one series of this different thing, by which time the controller had moved on. So they had a new show they didn’t want anymore. That was that. But it’s not a dreadful thing. You’re not there for life. I had my time in the sun. You can’t complain.” Well, maybe he should have compla


Which artist did Gore Vidal describe as ‘The only genius with an I.Q. of 60’?

BEST GORE VIDAL QUOTES james thurber quotes james thurber quotes "Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say and not giving a damn. '' gore vidal quotes: author & politcal pundit ""I don't see us winning the war. We have made enemies of one billion Muslims." gore vidal quotes: novelist and commentator "In almost every case (where the United States has fought wars) our overwhelming commitment to freedom, democracy and human rights has required us to support those regimes that would deny freedom, democracy and human rights to their own people." gore vidal quotes: from his book the decline and fall of the american empire "I am an obsessive rewriter, doing one draft and then another and another, usually five. In a way, I have nothing to say, but a great deal to add." gore vidal quotes: on writing "Until the rise of American advertising, it never occurred to anyone anywhere in the world that the teenager was a captive in a hostile world of adults." gore vidal quotes: on us advertising "This is not at all bad, except as prose." gore vidal quotes: on writing "For half a century photography has been the "art form" of the untalented. Obviously some pictures are more satisfactory than others, but where is credit due? to the designer of the camera? To the finger on the button? tso the law of averages?" gore vidal quotes: political pundit and author "The idea of a good society is something you do not need a religion and eternal punishment to buttress; you need a religion if you are terrified of death" gore vidal quotes: on religion "The genius of our ruling class is that it has kept a majority of the people from ever questioning the inequity of a system where most people drudge along, paying heavy taxes for which they get nothing in return." gore vidal quotes: on government "Whenever a friend succeeds, a little something in me dies." gore vidal quotes: author and political pundit "What other culture could have produced someone like Hemmingway and not seen the joke?" gore vidal quotes: on other writers "The corporate grip on opinion in the United States is one of the wonders of the Western world. No First World country has ever managed to eliminate so entirely from its media all objectivity - much less dissent." gore vidal quotes: on corporate america "Litigation takes the place of sex at middle age." gore vidal quotes: political pundit and sage " 'Liberal' comes from the Latin liberalis, which means pertaining to a free man. In politics, to be liberal is to want to extend democracy through change and reform. One can see why that word had to be erased from our political lexicon." gore vidal quotes: political commentator, author and essayist "Andy Warhol is the only genius I've ever known with an I.Q. of 60" gore vidal quotes: on andy warhol "As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying it. Words are to confuse, so that at election time people will solemnly vote against their own interests." gore vidal quotes on language "If most men and women were forced to rely upon physical charm to attract lovers, their sexual lives would be not only meager but in a youth-worshiping country like America, painfully brief." gore vidal quotes: politcal pundit and sage " When the white race broke out of Europe 500 years ago, it did many astounding things all over the globe. Inspired by a raging sky-god, the whites were able to pretend that their conqueats were in order to bring the One God to everyone, particularly those with older and subtler religions." gore vidal quotes: on religions " Thomas Paine, when asked his religion, said he subscribed only to the religion of humanity." gore vidal quotes: on religion "He will lie even when it is inconvenient, the sign of the true artist." gore vidal quotes: on artists "Apparently, a democracy is a place where numerous elections are held at great cost without issues and with interchangeable candidates.: gore vidal quotes: on democracy "Apparently, a democracy is a place where numerous elections ar


Who said of Mick Jagger ‘This man has child-bearing lips’?

Joan Rivers | SComedy Joan Rivers Country USA Joan Alexandra Molinsky (born June 8, 1933), better known by her stage name Joan Rivers, is an American television personality, comedian, writer, film director, and actress. She is known for her brash manner; her loud, raspy voice with a heavy New York accent; and her numerous cosmetic surgeries. Rivers' comic style relies heavily on her ability to poke fun at herself and other Hollywood celebrities. Joan Rivers was born Joan Alexandra Molinsky in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants Beatrice (née Grushman; January 6, 1906 – October 1975) and Meyer C. Molinsky (December 7, 1900 – January 1985). She was raised in Brooklyn, New York, and her family later moved to Larchmont, in Westchester County, New York. She attended Connecticut College between 1950 and 1952 and graduated from Barnard College in 1954 with a bachelor-of-arts degree in English literature and anthropology. Before entering show business, Rivers worked at various jobs such as a tour guide at Rockefeller Center, a writer/proofreader at an advertising agency and as a fashion consultant at Bond Clothing Stores. During this period, the agent Tony Rivers advised her to change her name, so she chose Joan Rivers as her stage name.


Who played Dudley Moore’s love interest in the 1981 comedy Arthur?

Arthur (1981) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error | Comedy , Romance | 17 July 1981 (USA) Arthur is a happy drunk with no pretensions at any ambition. He is also the heir to a vast fortune which he is told will only be his if he marries Susan. He does not love Susan, but she ... See full summary  » Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 21 titles created 09 Dec 2010 a list of 43 titles created 09 Mar 2011 a list of 43 titles created 13 Aug 2013 a list of 26 titles created 8 months ago a list of 26 titles created 3 weeks ago Search for " Arthur " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won     2     Oscars. Another    9 wins & 6 nominations. See more awards  » Videos Edit Storyline Arthur is a happy drunk with no pretensions at any ambition. He is also the heir to a vast fortune which he is told will only be his if he marries Susan. He does not love Susan, but she will make something of him the family expects. Arthur proposes but then meets a girl with no money who he could easily fall in love with. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net> See All (35)  » Taglines: I race cars, I play tennis, I fondle women, but I have weekends off and I am my own boss! See more  » Genres: 17 July 1981 (USA) See more  » Also Known As: Arturo, el millonario seductor See more  » Filming Locations: Did You Know? Trivia The scene where Arthur drives his "racing car" around a track was shot at the now defunct Danbury Fair Racearena in Connecticut. The type of car that Arthur drove was never raced there, it was primarily for Modified stock cars and was one of America's great short tracks. Sadly, despite its great success, the land became too valuable and it gave way to a shopping mall. The Danbury Fair Racearena closed on October 12, 1981, shortly after the movie was filmed. See more » Goofs When Burt Johnson takes the knife out of the cheese and starts to approach Arthur and Linda, she reaches her right arm under Arthur's right arm to clutch him. In the next close-up, her right arm is draped over Arthur's right shoulder as she clutches him. See more » Quotes Arthur : Isn't this fun? Isn't fun the best thing to have? Don't you wish you were me? I know I do. See more » Frequently Asked Questions One of the Funniest Films Ever! 1 September 2006 | by (sylviastel@aol.com) (United States) – See all my reviews Let's begin with that theme song sung by Christopher Cross. The song is "If you get caught between the moon and New York City." It's a great theme and song even after all these years, it never gets tiring. It really is a great song about New York City as well. Anyway, the great Dudley Moore CBE stars as a spoiled drunken millionaire who is engaged to Jill Eikenberry's character in the film. Jill would later star on LA Law. Anyway, he is served by his wonderful British butler, Sir John Gielgud OM who won an Academy Award for his performance in the film as Best Supporting Actor. Arthur falls in love with Liza Minnelli's character who is perfect in this film besides her performance in her Oscar winning role in Cabaret. No, Liza doesn't get to sing. She plays a diner waitress. Anyway I love Geraldine Fitzgerald as the Bach matriarch of the family who decides the family's fortune. Anyway, she is fabulous and should have gotten an academy award nomination herself for Best Supporting Actress. Barney Martin best known as Jerry's dad on Seinfeld plays Liza's dad. He's great too. The movie was well-written, acted, and delivered to the audience who wanted more of it. 15 of 20 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? Yes


What is Dorothy’s surname in The Wizard of Oz?

Oz Characters - OzWiki Oz Characters Jump to: navigation , search [NOTE: As with the previous section, some parts of the Oz books may be given away here. If you'd prefer to meet the characters by reading their stories, you may wish to skip this section. Also, questions about characters who appear only in The Movie are answered in the section The Movie — Trivia and Miscellany .] Contents 30 Why doesn't Polychrome recognize the Shaggy Man in Tik-Tok of Oz, even though they traveled together in The Road to Oz? Who are some of the famous citizens of Oz? There are an awful lot of these, as you can imagine from a series of forty books. But here are some of the most famous and important: Dorothy Gale, formerly a Kansas farmgirl and now a princess of Oz. She destroyed two wicked witches on her first trip to Oz, and has had many adventures since. She eventually moved to Oz for good, and has lived there ever since. Her Uncle Henry, Aunt Em, dog Toto, and cat Eureka all have come to live in Oz as well. The Scarecrow. Former ruler of Oz, he is still well beloved by the citizens and a trusted advisor to Queen Ozma. He helped Dorothy on her first adventure, hoping to receive a brain. He got it, and his wisdom has been most helpful in thinking through many problems. Nick Chopper, the Tin Woodman. He was an ordinary woodchopper who, having angered the Wicked Witch of the East, accidentally chopped parts of himself off when the witch enchanted his ax. Fortunately he had a friend who was a skilled tinsmith, who was able to replace each part, until there was nothing left of Nick Chopper but tin. He joined Dorothy looking for a new heart. He is one of the kindest men in Oz, and rules the Winkie Country. The Cowardly Lion. He came with Dorothy to the Emerald City looking for courage, and the Wizard helped him acquire it. He is loyal and brave, and often acts as a bodyguard for Ozma on state occasions. But he's the first to admit that he's still scared sometimes. The Wizard of Oz. After returning to America, the Wizard found his way back to Oz once again, where he was invited to stay and become a real wizard. He has learned much real magic from Glinda the Good, and is now one of Ozma's closest advisors. Glinda the Good. Ruler of the Quadlings, she is also a skilled sorceress, and one of the most respected citizens of Oz because of her power and knowledge. She is able to keep track of all that goes on through her Great Book of Records, where every event is written down as soon as it happens. Jack Pumpkinhead. Made to scare an old witch, she brought him to life instead, and he eventually found his way to the Emerald City. His pumpkinseeds don't seem to always work well as far as brains go, and he must carve a new head when his old one gets soft or mushy, but his simple charm makes him a favorite of all his friends. Professor H. M. Wogglebug, T. E. Once an ordinary small wogglebug (a common Ozian insect), he learned much when he made his home between the floorboards of a schoolhouse. (He gave himself the honorary degree of T. E., for "thoroughly educated.") He was found by the schoolteacher and magically enlarged (hence his first initials, H. M., standing for "Highly Magnified"), and so he made his way to the Emerald City to become a lecturer. He is now dean of the Royal Athletic College of Oz. Ozma. The daughter of deposed king Pastoria and the rightful ruler of Oz, she was discovered and restored to her throne, where she has ruled ever since. Her subjects love and trust her, and she is good and kind to them in return. Billina, a yellow hen who accompanied Dorothy on her second trip to Oz. She was the first character from the Great Outside World since the Wizard to settle in Oz, and she has since raised several chicks, all named Dorothy or Daniel. Tik-Tok. A copper man who runs by clockwork, Dorothy met him in the land of Ev. After helping Dorothy and Ozma in an adventure there, he was invited to come to Oz, and he accepted. Trustworthy and bright, he does have a problem with winding down at inopportune moments, and he is helpless until somebod


The 1992 film Hear My Song involves a search for which tenor?

Hear My Song Movie Review & Film Summary (1992) | Roger Ebert Tweet There once really was a Josef Locke, a legendary Irish singer who found it prudent to disappear for several years while the British tax boys were looking for him. And on that intriguing shred of fact, "Hear My Song" builds a romantic comedy of great charm. Locke is absent for most of the picture, but the search for him, like the search for Harry Lime in " The Third Man ," makes him grow in stature the longer he is absent from the screen. Advertisement The movie is set in Liverpool, where Mickey, the inventive owner of a failing pub, keeps it open through increasingly desperate measures, such as advertising a concert by "Franc Cinatra." He is approached one day by a mysterious Mr. X, who claims to be the missing Josef Locke. The tenor's fans are legion in Liverpool, and so the owner ( Adrian Dunbar ) books Mr. X, who puts on a plausible deception but is unmasked as an impostor. The pub patrons are outraged, but Mickey has bigger problems at home, where his fiancee's mother ( Shirley Anne Field ) was once, long ago, in love with Locke. She too was deceived by Mr. X, and so Mickey feels he must go to Ireland on a mission of honor to find the real Josef Locke, wherever he may be. He has his work cut out for him; the locals in Ireland are so secretive they make Appalachian hillbillies look like talk-show guests. But Dunbar appeals to them with the same kind of know-it-all charm used by Denis Lawson , as the man who seemed to hold every job in " Local Hero ." All of this sounds like fodder for 30 minutes of sitcom, but not the way "Hear My Song" is directed by Peter Chelson . He comes from that small band of British and Irish directors who embrace human comedy, who love the quirks and weaknesses of their characters, and who like to make their points in small, sly asides. Within five minutes the movie has created the sense of a tight-knit community, and within half an hour it has created the considerable miracle of making us care whether Mickey can find Josef Locke. Locke, when he is found, is played by Ned Beatty , who won an Academy Award for his supporting work in " Network ," and who might seem an unlikely choice for an Irish tenor but plays the role with the robust presence of a man who, finding himself on a stage, would know exactly what to do there. The ending goes on a bit too long, but then, when you've spent a whole movie looking for a man, you're probably reluctant to leave him without an encore. Advertisement "Hear My Song" was co-written by Chelsom and Dunbar, is their first feature, and is a labor of love as well as wit. Large parts of it are based on fact, according to the film's notes; not only was there a real Josef Locke who fled the British taxmen, but there was a "Mr. X," who teased club audiences for years with the ad line, "Is he or isn't he?" Chelsom was raised in the seaside town of Blackpool, where Locke performed for 19 seasons, and many of the characters in the pub are drawn more or less from life. I was in a discussion, the other day, about the concept of a "small film." We use the term as shorthand, but what does it mean? That a movie has no major explosions or special effects, I suppose, and contains no superstars. But perhaps also that it prefers to look at people closely and with love, instead of destroying dozens of them in high-speed chases. "Hear My Song" is the very soul of a great small film. Popular Blog Posts


In which ocean is the archipelago of Novaya Zemlya?

Novaya Zemlya | islands, Russia | Britannica.com Novaya Zemlya Alternative Titles: New Islands, Novaia Zemlia Related Topics Lofoten Novaya Zemlya, also spelled Novaia Zemlia, archipelago in northwestern Russia , lying in the Arctic Ocean and separating the Barents and Kara seas. Novaya Zemlya (“New Land”) consists of two large islands, Severny (northern) and Yuzhny (southern), aligned for 600 miles (1,000 km) in a southwest-northeast direction, plus several smaller islands. The two major islands are separated by a narrow strait, Matochkin Shar, only about 1 to 1.5 miles (1.6 to 2.4 km) wide. The most southerly point, the island of Kusova Zemlya, is separated from Vaygach Island and the mainland by the Kara Strait. Novaya Zemlya, a continuation of the Ural Mountains system, is for the most part mountainous, though the southern portion of Yuzhny Island is merely hilly. The mountains, which rise at most to 5,220 feet (1,590 m), consist of igneous and sedimentary materials, including limestones and slates. More than one-quarter of the land area, especially in the north, is permanently covered by ice, and most of the northern island, as well as part of the southern, lies in the zone of Arctic desert. The climate is severe, and temperature varies from 3° to -8° F (-16° to -22° C) in winter to 36° to 44° F (2° to 7° C) in summer. There are frequent fogs and strong winds. The vegetation in those portions of the islands free from ice is predominantly low-lying tundra , with much swamp, though low bushes are found in sheltered valleys. Lemmings, Arctic foxes, seals, walruses, and occasionally polar bears are found on Novaya Zemlya; a rich bird life abounds in summer. Novaya Zemlya has been known since at least medieval times, though it was not explored until the 18th and 19th centuries. Area 31,900 square miles (82,600 square km). Learn More in these related articles:


Which Caribbean island is only 11 kilometres off the Venezuelan coast?

Trinidad and Tobago - GEOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHY Caribbean Islands Table of Contents Trinidad and Tobago are the southernmost islands of the Lesser     Antilles, located close to the South American continental shelf. Trinidad lies 11 kilometers off the northeast coast of     Venezuela and 130 kilometers south of the Grenadines. It is 60     kilometers long and 80 kilometers at its maximum breadth and comprises     an area of 4,828 square kilometers. Trinidad appears rectangular in     shape with three projecting peninsular corners. Tobago is located thirty     kilometers northeast of Trinidad, from which it is separated by a     channel thirty-seven kilometers wide. The island is 42 kilometers long     and 13 kilometers wide, with a total area of 300 square kilometers.     Tobago is cigar-shaped in appearance and has a northeast-southwest     alignment. Geologically, the islands are not part of the Antillean arc. Rather,     Trinidad was once part of the South American mainland, and Tobago is     part of a sunken mountain chain related to the continent. The islands     are now separated from the continent of South America by the Gulf of     Paria; a nineteen-kilometer-wide northern passage-- Dragon's Mouths; and     a fourteen-kilometer-wide southern passage-- Serpent's Mouth. Trinidad is traversed by three distinct mountain ranges that are a     continuation of the Venezuelan coastal cordillera. The Northern Range,     an outlier of the Andes Mountains of Venezuela, consists of rugged hills     that parallel the coast. This range rises into two peaks. The highest,     El Cerro del Aripo, is 940 meters high; the other, El Tucuche, reaches     936 meters. The Central Range extends diagonally across the island and     is a low-lying range with swampy areas rising to rolling hills; its     maximum elevation is 325 meters. The Caroni Plain, composed of alluvial     sediment, extends southward, separating the Northern Range and Central     Range. The Southern Range consists of a broken line of hills with a     maximum elevation of 305 meters. There are numerous rivers and streams on the island of Trinidad; the     most significant are the Ortoire River, fifty kilometers long, which     extends eastward into the Atlantic, and the forty-kilometer-long Caroni     River, reaching westward into the Gulf of Paria. Most of the soils of     Trinidad are fertile, with the exception of the sandy and unstable     terrain found in the southern part of the island. Tobago is mountainous and dominated by the Main Ridge, which is 29     kilometers long with elevations up to 640 meters. There are deep,     fertile valleys running north and south of the Main Ridge. The     southwestern tip of the island has a coral platform. Although Tobago is     volcanic in origin, there are no active volcanoes. Forestation covers 43     percent of the island. There are numerous rivers and streams, but     flooding and erosion are less severe than in Trinidad. The coastline is     indented with numerous bays, beaches, and narrow coastal plains. Tobago has several small satellite islands. The largest of these,     Little Tobago, is starfish shaped, hilly, and consists of 120 hectares     of impenetrable vegetation. Trinidad and Tobago, well within the tropics, both enjoy a generally     pleasant maritime tropical climate influenced by the northeast trade     winds. In Trinidad the annual mean temperature is 26�C, and the average     maximum temperature is 33�C. The humidity is high, particularly during     the rainy season, when it averages 85 to 87 percent. The island receives     an average of 211 centimeters of rainfall per year, usually concentrated     in the months of June through December, when brief, intense showers     frequently occur. Precipitation is highest in the Northern Range, which     may receive as much as 381 centimeters. During the dry season, drought     p


What is the capital of the North Atlantic island of Bermuda?

Bermuda Map and Information, Map of Bermuda, Flags and Geography of Bermuda -Worldatlas.com Print this map Bermuda History Bermuda is a British overseas territory located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It consists of 138 islands that form a fishhook-shaped landmass, stretching some 22 miles in length and about a mile across. Bridges and causeways connect the eight largest islands. Spanish navigator, Juan de Bermudez (for whom the islands are named), discovered the area in 1505 and claimed it for the Spanish Empire. In 1609 Sir George Somers, of England , set sail aboard the Sea Venture. Caught in a storm, the Sea Venture began to founder. In order to keep from sinking, the ship was driven onto the reefs east of Bermuda. All 150 crewmembers and passengers survived and are credited with the settling of Bermuda. In 1612, an additional 60 settlers were sent to Bermuda, led by Sir Richard Moore, the first governor. They founded and built the town of St. George. Slavery and Industry Early in the 17th century, slavery was introduced. Most of them were laborers and domestic workers. Many were treated brutally, resulting in revolts. Finally, in 1807, slave trade was outlawed and by 1834 all slaves were freed. As the arable land was too small for a significant agricultural industry, the focus was on the maritime, with the islands' Bermuda cedar trees used for shipbuilding. In the 18th century many of the merchant vessels built in Bermuda were used for privateering, preying on shipments from Spain and France . During the American War of Independence, the Bermudians were aggressive in their attacks on American ships. In 1815, the capital was moved from St. George's to the port city of Hamilton, in the center of the island. Since Britain had lost its ports in the American colonies , Bermuda became a stopover point between Canada and British possessions in the Caribbean . By the end of the 19th century, exporting of vegetables to the United States , especially the Bermuda onion, became quite profitable and provided a steady income. As the U.S. began producing more of its own crops, the agricultural industry fell, but tourism took its place. The Furness Steamship Company in England picked Bermuda as a stop for their new ships. Wealthy Americans visited Bermuda, especially during the Prohibition Era, as they could drink on the ships and in the hotels. Prev Page 1/2 Next Page See Also


Which painter was born Jacopo Comin, later changed to Jacopo Robusti?

Tintoretto Biography The years of apprenticeship Self portrait Jacopo Tintoretto was born in Venice in 1518, as the eldest of 21 children. His father, Giovanni, was a dyer, or tintore; hence the son got the nickname of Tintoretto, little dyer, or dyer's boy, which is anglicized as Tintoret. The family originated from Brescia, in Lombardy, then part of the Republic of Venice. Older studies gave the Tuscan town of Lucca as the origin of the family. In childhood Jacopo, a born painter, began daubing on the dyer's walls; his father, noticing his bent, took him to the studio of Titian to see how far he could be trained as an artist. We may suppose this to have been towards 1533, when Titian was already (according to the ordinary accounts) fifty-six years of age. Tintoretto had only been ten days in the studio when Titian sent him home once and for all, the reason being that the great master observed some very spirited drawings, which he learned to be the production of Tintoretto; and it is inferred that he became at once jealous of so promising a scholar. This, however, is mere conjecture; and perhaps it may be fairer to suppose that the drawings exhibited so much independence of manner that Titian judged that young Jacopo, although he might become a painter, would never be properly a pupil. From this time forward the two always remained upon distant terms, Tintoretto being indeed a professed and ardent admirer of Titian, but never a friend, and Titian and his adherents turning the cold shoulder to him. Active disparagement also was not wanting, but it passed unnoticed by Tintoretto. The latter sought for no further teaching, but studied on his own account with laborious zeal; he lived poorly, collecting casts, bas-reliefs, &c., and practising by their aid. His noble conception of art and his high personal ambition were evidenced in the inscription which he placed over his studio Il disegno di Michelangelo ed il colorito di Tiziano ("Michelangelo's design and Titian's color"). He studied more especially from models of Michelangelo's Dawn, Noon, Twilight and Night, and became expert in modelling in wax and clay method (practised likewise by Titian) which afterwards stood him in good stead in working out the arrangement of his pictures. The models were sometimes taken from dead subjects dissected or studied in anatomy schools; some were draped, others nude, and Tintoretto was to suspend them in a wooden or cardboard box, with an aperture for a candle. Now and afterwards he very frequently worked by night as well as by day. Early works Adam and Eve c. 1550 The young painter Andrea Schiavone, four years Tintoretto's junior, was much in his company. Tintoretto helped Schiavone gratis in wall-paintings; and in many subsequent instances he worked also for nothing, and thus succeeded in obtaining commissions. The two earliest mural paintings of Tintoretto - done, like others, for next to no pay - are said to have been Belshazzar's Feast and a Cavalry Fight. These are both long since perished, as are all his frescoes, early or later. The first work of his to attract some considerable notice was a portrait-group of himself and his brother - the latter playing a guitar - with a nocturnal effect; this also is lost. It was followed by some historical subject, which Titian was candid enough to praise. One of Tintoretto's early pictures still extant is in the church of the Carmine in Venice, the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple; also in S. Benedetto are the Annunciation and Christ with the Woman of Samaria. For the Scuola della Trinity (the scuole or schools of Venice were more in the nature of hospitals or charitable foundations than of educational institutions) he painted four subjects from Genesis. Two of these, now in the Venetian Academy, are Adam and Eve and the Death of Abel, both noble works of high mastery, which leave us in no doubt that Tintoretto was by this time a consummate painter - one of the few who have attained to the highest eminence in the absence of any formal training. Saint Mark paintings Towards 1546 Tintoretto p


The Goddess of Protection and daughter of Ra, Bastet had the head of which creature?

Bastet - Egyptian Mythology for Smart People Egyptian Mythology for Smart People Bastet Vector image of Bastet by Jeff Dahl Bastet was an ancient Egyptian lioness or cat goddess who had both a gentle, nurturing side and a ferocious, terrifying side. In her oldest form, Bastet was almost invariably depicted as a lioness or a woman with the head of a lioness. Fittingly for a goddess represented in the form of such a fearsome predator, this early version of Bastet had a penchant for slaughter and carnage, much like the similar leonine goddess Sekhmet .[1] Even at that stage, however, Bastet also had a more motherly, protective aspect as well, as a mother lion would in relation to her pride and especially her cubs. Like many ancient Egyptian goddesses, she nursed the pharaoh while he was a child and defended him against his enemies throughout his life. When someone died and had to traverse the perilous paths that led to the court of Osiris in the underworld, Bastet helped to guide them. She was also something of a symbol for motherhood as such, and watched over pregnant women.[2] These two sides of Bastet’s character were combined in her protection of those she loved, including the pharaoh, pious commoners, and Ra , the sun god (whose daughter she was said to be). Bastet was often listed amongst the members of the entourage who accompanied Ra on the ship on which he sailed through the sky every day and through the underworld every night.[3] Over time, Bastet developed into a cat goddess or cat-headed goddess, and the gentler aspects of her personality came more to the fore. By the sixteenth century BC, her cat form had all but completely replaced her lioness form.[4] Even with this decidedly milder temperament, the ferocious aspects of Bastet’s character remained, although apparently almost exclusively as an extension of her protective roles. For example, in her cat form, she was portrayed decapitating the chaos monster Apophis in defense of Ra’s solar ship.[5] Bastet was quite an important goddess from the outset, and her popularity only grew over time.[6] One can imagine that this was both a cause and an effect of her disposition becoming steadily more pleasant and agreeable. Bastet’s main cult center was the city of Bubastis or Tell Basta in the eastern Nile Delta. The Greek historian Herodotus described her temple as being particularly magnificent, and her festivals as being particularly large, elaborate, and hedonistic. Mummified cats were buried in her honor at the main sites of her worship and throughout all of Egypt.[7] Her protective role seems to have been especially invoked around the time of the New Year, as amulets with pictures of cats and kittens were given as gifts to help the recipient through the “Demon Days” of the end of the year, which, as the name implies, were thought to be times when malevolent forces held more sway over the world than usual.[8] If you’d like to learn more about Bastet, as well as ancient Egyptian mythology and religion more broadly, I recommend picking up one or more of the books on this list: The 10 Best Egyptian Mythology Books . References: [1] Wilkinson, Richard H. 2003. The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Ch. 5. [2] Ibid.


What is the name of the Scottish river spirit usually appearing as a horse?

Creatures of Scottish Folklore | Mysterious Britain & Ireland RAF Grimsby (Waltham) was opened in 1941 as a satellite for the larger airfield nearby at Binbrook. During it's time as an operational bomber base three squadrons served there; 100 Squadron, 142 Squadron and 550 Squadron. Read More » You are hereCreatures of Scottish Folklore Creatures of Scottish Folklore A very dangerous female vampire who haunted the highland regions. Bean Nighe The Scottish version of the washer woman at the ford. She always wore green and had webbed feet. She was not always a death portent, and would grant three wishes in certain circumstances. Baisd Bheulach A shapeshifting demon who haunted the Odail Pass on the Isle of Skye, its howls could be heard in the night. Blue Men of The Minch Water spirits that haunted the straight called the Minch, between the Shiant Islands and Long Island in the Highlands. They lived in clans in underwater caves and were blamed for shipwrecks. Bodach A dark grey humanoid figure who was thought to foretell the death of members in a clan. Bodachan Sabhaill (the little old man of the barn) A spirit who haunted barns in Scotland, in common with a brownie he would occupy his time doing farming chores. Boobrie A gigantic black bird, which is supposed to have lived in the lochs of Argyllshire. It had webbed feet and fed on cattle. Booman The name of a brownie in Shetland and Orkney. Brollachan Scots Gaelic for shapeless thing, a creature of the night. Brown Man of the Muirs A supernatural guardian of the wild creatures from the Border region of Scotland. He wore brown clothes, and had a shock of red frizzy hair and wild eyes. Brownie A generic term for fairies in England and Scotland, they were generally benevolent but could turn bad if they were neglected. They were small in appearance and wore brown clothing. Cailleach Bheur A blue faced hag of the highlands associated with winter and a guardian of animals. She may represent a crone aspect of the triple goddess once worshiped by the ancient Britons. Cait Sith A supernatural cat from the Highland region, the creature was as big as a dog and completely black apart from one white spot on its breast. Perhaps the belief is related to some of the mystery black cats that have been caught in the region. Caoineag A banshee like spirit attached to the clans of the Highlands, who could be heard wailing at the bottom of waterfalls before there is death or catastrophe within the clan. Her name means 'the weeper'. Caointeach The Argyll version of the washer woman at the ford, a banshee who foretell death in the clans. Ceasg A Highland mermaid whose contact, in common with most mermaids, is perilous to mankind. If captured she would grant 3 wishes. Ciuthach A cave dwelling spirit localised to the Highlands. Coliunn Gun Cheann (The Headless Trunk) A huge hulking monster with no head who haunted the Macdonald lands near Morar House. Travellers would often be found mutilated by the creature. The creature was banished after defeat by a clan member. Crodh Mara Highland fairy water cattle. Cu Sith A green phantom dog who haunted the highland regions. The creature was the size of large calf and could hunt in silence. Cuachag A dangerous river sprite that haunts Glen Cuaich in Invernesshire. Direach A monster with one leg and one arm who haunted Glen Etive. Doonie A shape shifting Scottish Fairy, who could take the form of a pony or an old man or woman. Dunters Similar to the Red Cap these creatures haunted the old fortresses of the Borders. They are thought to be the folk memory of foundation sacrifices. Each Uisge The highland water horse of the sea and sea lochs. It would usually appears as a fine horse, anybody trying to mount it would become attached to its adhesive skin. It would then rush into the deepest part of the loch and devour its victim. Fachan A highland spirit with one leg and one hand standing from a ridge on its chest. Fideal A highland water demon which inhabited Loch Na Fideil near Gairloch. The creature used to drag women and children under the water and devour th


Which Rolls-Royce engine was fitted into the Spitfire fighter plane?

The Rolls-Royce Spitfire XIX PS853 – Rolls-Royce Home  |  About  |  Our story  |  The Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust  |  Articles  |  The Rolls-Royce Spitfire XIX PS853 The Rolls-Royce Spitfire XIX PS853 The Supermarine Spitfire is one of the best loved and widely recognised British aircraft of all time. It was designed by Reginald J Mitchell, who also designed the Supermarine S-series racing seaplanes which secured the Schneider Trophy after competition wins in 1927, 1929 and 1931. The prototype Spitfire, K5054, first flew on 5 March 1936 powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin, the last of Sir Henry Royce’s engine concepts before his death. Delivery of the first production Mk1 Spitfires into RAF squadron service took place from July 1938. The Spitfire and the Hawker Hurricane with their Merlin engines achieved lasting fame during the Battle of Britain in 1940. By the time production ceased, more than 22,000 Spitfires and Seafires (naval versions of the Spitfire) were built. Merlin engine developments brought the aircraft better performance, but the last marks of Spitfire used the larger, more powerful Griffon engine. A total of 48 variants were made during the development and production of the aircraft over 10 years. They served in every combat theatre, operating as fighters, fighter-bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft as well as the Seafires which operated from aircraft carriers. It was the only allied fighter to remain in full production and front-line RAF service both prior to and after World War Two. The Spitfire also served in 28 other air forces across the world. The Rolls-Royce Spitfire, PS853, is an unarmed, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, one of a batch of 79 Mk XIXs built at Supermarine, Southampton. The Mk XIX was powered by the 2,050 hp Griffon 65 or 66 and represents the pinnacle of the Spitfire’s development in terms of speed and altitude capability with a top speed of 446mph (730 km/h) and a ceiling of 42,000ft (12,800 m). PS853 was delivered to the Central Photographic Reconnaissance Unit at RAF Benson on 13 January 1945, before moving to Belgium and Holland. The aircraft was engaged on active service with 16 Squadron up until the end of the war and participated in “Operation Crossbow” to detect V1 and V2 launch sites. At the end of the war it remained on duty in Germany until March 1946 when it returned to the UK and was placed in storage. In 1950, PS853 was one of several Mk XIX Spitfires assigned to conduct meteorological research, known as the Temperature and Humidity of the Upper Air Masses (THUM) Flight. PS853 performed the last ever THUM sortie on 10 June 1957. Along with sister XIXs PM631 and PS915, PS853 retired into ceremonial and display duties to form the RAF’s Historic Aircraft Flight, the forerunner of today’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF). It spent less than a year with the HAF before being transferred to other duties. In 1963 PS853 was selected for a very special mission where it was used in combat trials with an English Electric Lightning at RAF Binbrook. After completing these trials PS853 was returned to the BBMF in 1964 where it remained until 1995. In 1996, Rolls-Royce bought PS853 to replace the original Rolls-Royce Spitfire XIV, G-ALGT. The aircraft was re-registered as G-RRGN; the RR for obvious reasons and the GN after the drawing number prefix allocated to Griffon engine parts. The aircraft is painted as 'C' of No. 16 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 2nd Tactical Air Force, being the identity PS853 wore during its wartime service. The Rolls-Royce Spitfire, as PS853 is now popularly known, has become widely renowned as an ambassador for Rolls-Royce appearing at air displays and charity events as well as at our own corporate events. Not only does it represent the heritage of the Spitfire and the Rolls-Royce engines that powered them, it honours the pilots of all nations who flew them and the men and women who built and maintained them. The aircraft is based in a dedicated hangar at East Midlands Airport, near Derby. It can be seen around the display circuit between Ap


Which luxury train which linked London and Paris was withdrawn in 1972?

Golden Arrow: A one-off chance to take the steam train to Paris - Telegraph Articles Golden Arrow: A one-off chance to take the steam train to Paris The train usually consisted of 10 British Pullman cars, hauled by one of the Southern Railway's Lord Nelson class locomotives Adrian Bridge , Travel writer 24 August 2015 • 12:00am Lovers of a more glamorous age of travel will have a unique opportunity this autumn to travel from London to Paris by steam train, boat and then steam train again in a recreation of the luxury ‘Golden Arrow’ service that linked the two cities between 1929 and 1972. The trip will commence at 7am at London Victoria on Friday October 9 and will involve travel by steam train to Dover via Ashford, Canterbury and Deal, a trip across the Channel by P&O ferry to Calais and a further journey to Paris by steam train in the ‘Flèche d’Or’ (the French name of the service), via Abbeville, with arrival at the Gare du Nord in the early evening. The return trip is scheduled for two days later. • The best hotels in Paris The re-constituted ?Golden Arrow? service will almost certainly be a one-off On the British leg of the journey, the ‘Golden Arrow’ will be steam hauled by either the 1947, Brighton-built, Battle of Britain class No. 34067 Tangmere or the 1951, Crewe-built Britannia Pacific No. 70000 Britannia. The coaches will be First Class Mark 1 open carriages dating from the 1950s, including one Pullman coach. In France, the Flèche d’Or will be hauled by the ex-Paris-Lyon-Méditerranée ‘Pacific’ steam locomotive No. 231 K8 and the train will be comprised of SNCF coaches, some dating back to the 1930s, including a Pullman coach and a genuine wagon lit day coach. • The lost delights of Britain's railways The re-constituted ‘Golden Arrow’ service has been painstakingly put together by The Railway Touring Company, a firm specialising in tours and day-trips by steam train in the UK and beyond. Given the tricky logistics, it will almost certainly be a one-off. The company’s MD Nigel Dobbing said: “We wanted to do something a bit different. We run lots of steam in this country and thought it would be fun to take it further and go across to Paris. Everyone loves Paris, it’s a good destination, and this restaging of The Golden Arrow and Flèche d’Or should be an enjoyable and nostalgic reminder of the boat trains which ran before the Channel Tunnel opened. But it really has been quite a challenge to re-stage this iconic journey, so I think it’s unlikely to happen again.” The train usually consisted of 10 British Pullman cars, hauled by one of the Southern Railway's Lord Nelson class locomotives  Photo: GETTY The original Flèche d’Or service was introduced in 1926 as an all-first-class Pullman service between Paris and Calais. Three years later Southern Railway introduced the equivalent between London and Dover. The train usually consisted of 10 British Pullman cars, hauled by one of the Southern Railway’s Lord Nelson class locomotives, and took 98 minutes to travel between London and Dover. Ordinary first- and third-class carriages were added in 1931. Similarly the first-class-only ferry, Canterbury, was modified to allow other classes of passenger.


Which Premiership football club started out as St Domingo?

Premier League clubs | VisitBritain Middle East - العربية | English Premier League clubs The Premier League is the world’s number one football league, with amazing teams, stunning stadiums and passionate fans. Broadcast to 4.8 billion people worldwide every football club has an army of loyal followers cheering them on throughout the season from all parts of the world. Arsenal F.C In 1886, workers at the Woolwich Arsenal Armament factory started a team called Dial Square. They turned professional in 1891 and became known as Arsenal F.C in 1913. Find out more Leicester City Football Club Also known as ‘the Foxes’, Leicester City Football Club was formed in 1884. They play at the King Power Stadium, commonly known as Filbert Way, in Leicester in the East Midlands. Find out more Manchester City F.C Formed in 1880 by St Mark’s Church, Manchester City took its current name in 1894. The club’s home ground is now the magnificent Etihad Stadium, having previously played at Maine Road since 1923. Find out more Tottenham Hotspur F.C Boys from Tottenham Hotspur Cricket Club formed Hotspur FC in 1882. In 1901 it became the only non-league club to win the FA Cup since the formation of the football league. Find out more Manchester United F.C Formed as Newton Heath LYR in 1878, the club became Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910. One of the most successful clubs in the history of English football, it boasts a record 20 English League titles.  Find out more West Ham United F.C Originally named the Thames Ironworks & Shipbuilding football team (hence its nickname, ‘the Hammers’) the club reformed as West Ham United in 1900. In 1904 it relocated to its current Boleyn Ground stadium, and to date its honours include 3 FA Cup wins. Find out more Liverpool Football Club Liverpool Football Club was formed in 1892 and has to date won more European trophies than any other English team, in addition to 7 FA Cup wins and numerous other honours. Find out more Southampton FC Southampton FC has been known as ‘the Saints’ since its formation in 1885 due to its history as a church football team. Its honours include 1 FA Cup win. Find out more Stoke City F.C Stoke became a professional team in 1885 – and it's been wearing its distinctive red and white striped kit continuously for over 100 years. Find out more Watford Football Club Watford Football Club was founded in 1881. The long established Hertfordshire team has a number of nicknames including ‘the Hornets’, ‘the Golden Boys’ and ‘the ‘Orns’. They were once owned by legendary British music star Sir Elton John, who oversaw several successful seasons under manager Graham Taylor. Both men are now Honorary Life Presidents of the club. Find out more Crystal Palace F.C Founded in 1905, Crystal Palace FC was originally nicknamed ‘the Glaziers’, after the mass of glass panes used in Crystal Palace itself. It was promoted to the Barclays Premier League during the 2012-13 Football League season. Find out more Everton F.C Originally called St Domingo FC – for the people of St Domingo’s Church parish – the club was renamed Everton when people from outside the parish wanted to play too. The club’s honours include 5 FA Cup wins. Find out more Chelsea F.C Nicknamed ‘the Blues’ for the colour of its strip. Chelsea FC was formed in 1905 and has won a long list of honours including 4 Barclays Premier League titles and 7 FA Cups. Its home ground is Stamford Bridge. Find out more West Bromwich Albion F.C The club was formed in 1878 by workers in West Bromwich, and took the name West Bromwich Albion in 1880. Its honours include 5 FA Cup wins, and its home ground is The Hawthorns.  Find out more Swansea City A.F.C Formed in 1912, Swansea City AFC became the first Welsh club to be promoted to the Premier League in 2010-11. Since 2005, Liberty Stadium has been the club’s home turf.  Find out more A.F.C Bournemouth A.F.C Bournemouth, or ‘the Cherries’ due to the bright red kit they wear when they play at home, was founded in 1890. In 2015, the Dorset team entered the top flight for the first time in th


Band leader Glenn Miller also played which instrument?

Glenn Miller - Biography - IMDb Glenn Miller Jump to: Overview  (3) | Mini Bio  (1) | Spouse  (1) | Trade Mark  (1) | Trivia  (14) Overview (3) Alton Glenn Miller Mini Bio (1) Alton Glenn Miller was born on March 1, 1904, in Clarinda, Iowa; the son of Lewis Elmer and Mattie Lou Cavender Miller. He started his music studies when his father gave him a mandolin. He soon traded the mandolin for an old horn. In 1916 he switched to trombone. In 1923, he enrolled in the University of Colorado, but after a year, he dropped out of school and moved to Los Angeles, where he joined Ben Pollack's band. He spent most of his time playing gigs and attending auditions. In 1928, Miller moved to New York, where he played session gigs and made orchestrations. At that time he studied with the Russian musician and mathematician Joseph Schillinger, whose star apprentice was George Gershwin. Miller took Schillinger's instruction on orchestration of a practice exercise, which he developed into the song "Moonlight Serenade", making a small fortune with it. In 1934, Miller joined the Dorsey Brothers' Orchestra for a year, then organized an American band for Ray Noble, and made his debut at the Rainbow Room in New York's Rockefeller Center. The special sound of his band was developed in Miller's orchestration by using the "crystal chorus" and other inventive ways of arrangement. Miller recorded his own band first time for Columbia Records on April 25, 1935. His instrumental "Solo Hop" reached the Top Ten in 1935, but he did not organize the real "Glenn Miller Orchestra" until March of 1937. In 1939, Miller and his new band got an engagement at the Glen Island Casino in New Rochelle, NY, which was a major spot with a radio wire. In 1939, he scored seventeen Top Ten hits, including such songs, as "Sunrise Serenade", "Moonlight Serenade", "Stairway to the Stars", "Moon Love", "Over the Rainbow", "Blue Orchids", "The Man With the Mandilon", and other popular songs, which he composed or orchestrated. Miller scored 31 Top Ten hits in the year 1940, and another 11 Top Ten hits in 1941. His number one hits included "Song of the Volga Boatmen", "You and I", "Chattanooga Choo Choo", from his first film, 'Sun Valley Serenade'. Miller worked with the vocalists Tex Beneke, Ray Eberle, and the Modernaires with Paula Kelly. On February 10, 1942, Miller was presented with the first ever "Gold record" for "Chattanooga Choo Choo" and scored another 11 Top Ten hits in 1942. That was the first full year of his country's participation in the Second World War. He organized a large dance band in the Army Air Force at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. From January 1943 to June 1944 the Glenn Miller Band made hundreds of live performances, "I Sustain the Wings" radio broadcasts, and scored another 10 Top Ten hits in the year 1943. Miller took his band to Britain in June 1944. There he performed for the allied troops and did radio shows. His last recording of 20 new songs was made weeks before his death; it was released only in 1995. Maj. Glenn Miller was seen boarding on a plane to Paris, where he was invited to perform for the allied troops and senior commanders of the allied armies. Later the plane on which he was supposed to be traveling was officially reported crashed on December 15, 1944, in the waters of the English Channel. In 1985, the British Ministry of Defence came up with explanation of Miller's disappearance, claiming that his plane was struck by a British bomb dropped in the waters by returning RAF pilots. No wreckage, remains, or IDs were found. Glenn Miller was officially declared dead in a plane crash on December 15, 1944. His tombstone was placed in Memorial Section H, Number 464-A on Wilson Drive in Arlington National Cemetery in April of 1992, at Miller's daughter's request. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Steve Shelokhonov Spouse (1) ( 6 October  1928      - 15 December  1944) (his death) (2 children) Trade Mark (1)


In which city is Cain’s brewery situated?

Cains Brewery Village REGISTER GO-AHEAD IS GIVEN FOR CAINSï¿½ MULTIMILLION POUND BREWERY VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT CONSTRUCTION on a new tourism, leisure and retail attraction in Liverpool will start within a year after councillors approved plans for the ï¿½150m development of Cains Brewery Village. The first phase of the new one million square feet development, which will secure the cityï¿½s iconic beer brand and grade II listed brewery for generations to come, is expected to be complete by summer 2016. Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson described the project as an exciting and transformational development which would breathe new life into the cityï¿½s Baltic Quarter. City planning councillors approved the scheme and granted listed building consent at a meeting on Nov 19th. Cains Brewery Village bosses are now seeking development partners and operators for the hotel and independent cinema elements of the scheme, as well as an upmarket quality supermarket operator for the food retail element. The scheme will secure and create in the region of 800 full-time jobs and attract 2.5 million visits per annum. A net additional ï¿½25m of GVA economic benefit would be delivered to the city per year. The plans will see the restoration of the grade II listed brewery building to its former glory, described by planning officers ï¿½as an outstanding example of Victorian industrial / commercial architecture and one of the finest examples of a purpose built brewery in Britainï¿½ housing the new Cains brewery, museum and event centre with a spectacular ï¿½Sky Barï¿½ in the roof which will offer views over the city and the river Mersey. The building will also house a 94 room boutique hotel, courtyard bistro bar & restaurants and a large open plan retail hall for artisan food producers to make and sell their produce on site. There will also be a designer retail market for independent fashion businesses and function rooms. The existing historic Brewery Tap pub will be restored and retained. The plans also include a four-screen independent art-house cinema, a supermarket, health / beauty and fitness centre, up to 775 high quality homes or 2,500 student bedrooms and 500-plus car parking spaces. The independent art-house cinema is to have treated copper panels on the outside to reflect the copper vessels traditionally used as part of the brewing process. The new Cains brewery which will be installed will enable the business to brew a full range of international craft beer styles for consumption in the UK and export around the world. It will also be an integral part of the wider destination. Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said: ï¿½The Cains Brewery Village scheme will transform one of the cityï¿½s most important historic buildings and create a new tourist destination capable of holding food, craft and cultural events which will complement the cityï¿½s existing retail and leisure offer. It will also be a perfect neighbour to the vibrant cultural community in the Baltic Quarter. Weï¿½re delighted this scheme is progressing.ï¿½ Sudarghara Dusanj, Managing Director of Cains Brewery Village, said: ï¿½We are going to create a major new tourism and leisure asset for the city which will secure the future of the Cains beer brand and the grade II listed brewery for decades to come. ï¿½We are now seeking development partners and operators for the cinema, hotel and supermarket to help take the scheme forward. We are particularly keen to speak to upmarket quality supermarket operators who want to take advantage of what is a clear gap in the city market.    ï¿½Weï¿½d like to thank the cityï¿½s planning and regeneration team for all their help in bringing this forward as well as our Baltic Triangle neighbours who have been extremely supportive and have bought into our vision.ï¿½ Louise Ellman, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said: ï¿½The planning permission means we will see the restoration of one of the cityï¿½s key heritage assets and the creation of a new visitor attraction for an important part of Liverpool. Itï¿½s really good news for the city.    Max Ste


Which Premiership football club started out as Ardwick FC?

History of the English Premier League - SuperSport - Football History of the English Premier League William McGregor statue © Action Images What is now known as the English Premier League has its roots in an earlier league, called the Football League, which was originally founded in 1888. The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football. It was the top level football league in England from its foundation until 1992. Since 1995 it has had 72 clubs evenly divided into three divisions, which are currently known as The Championship, League One and League Two. Promotion and relegation between these divisions is a central feature of the League and is further extended to allow the top Championship clubs to exchange places with the lowest placed clubs in the Premier League. A director of Aston Villa, William McGregor, was the first to set out to bring some order to a chaotic world where clubs arranged their own fixtures. On March 2, 1888, he wrote to the committee of his own club, Aston Villa, as well as to those of Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion, suggesting the creation of a league competition that would provide a number of guaranteed fixtures for its member clubs each season. The first meeting was held at Anderson's Hotel in London on March 23, 1888, on the eve of the FA Cup Final. The Football League was formally created and named in Manchester at a further meeting on April 17 at the Royal Hotel. In 1992, the First Division clubs resigned from the Football League to take advantage of a lucrative television rights deal and on May 27, 1992, the Premier League as we know it today was formed. This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions; the Premier League would operate with a single division and the Football League with three. There was no change in competition format; the same number of teams competed in the top flight, and promotion and relegation between the Premier League and the new First Division remained on the same terms as between the old First and Second Divisions. The 22 inaugural members of the new Premier League were Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Coventry City, Crystal Palace, Everton, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Oldham Athletic, Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Wimbledon. A total of 43 clubs have played in the Premier League from its inception in 1992 until the end of the 2009/10 season. Two other clubs (Luton Town and Notts County) were signatories to the original agreement that created the Premier League, but were relegated prior to the inaugural Premier League season and have not subsequently returned to the top flight. Seven clubs have been members of the Premier League for every season since its inception. This group is composed of Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur. Due to insistence by Fifa that domestic leagues reduce the number of games clubs played, the number of clubs was reduced to 20 in 1995 when four teams were relegated from the league and only two teams promoted. On June 8, 2006, Fifa requested that all major European leagues, including Italy's Serie A and Spain's La Liga be reduced to 18 teams by the start of the 2007/08 season. The Premier League responded by announcing their intention to resist such a reduction. Ultimately, the 2007/08 season kicked off again with 20 teams. The league changed its name from the FA Premier League to simply the Premier League in 2007. FOREIGN PLAYERS At the inception of the Premier League in 1992/93, just 11 players named in the starting line-ups for the first round of matches were 'foreign' (players hailing from outside of the


Band leader Benny Goodman also played which instrument?

Benny Goodman's Clarinet   |   Arts & Culture | Smithsonian Contact Privacy Policy Terms of Use Benny Goodman's Clarinet Late in his career, jazz musician Benny Goodman favored a Parisian “licorice stick” as his instrument of choice Goodman played the clarinet even "during the commercial breaks of the World Series," according to one of his daughters. (Bettmann / Corbis) Smithsonian Magazine              | Subscribe April 2009 In the hierarchy of musical instruments, the clarinet tends to get short shrift—at least compared with the violin, cello or piano. But the inauguration of Barack Obama raised the instrument's profile when Anthony McGill, principal clarinetist of the Metropolitan Opera orchestra, performed with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman and pianist Gabriela Montero before a global television audience estimated at a billion viewers. (The fact that cold weather forced the musicians to finger-sync to their own recording hardly diminished the clarinet's star turn.) From This Story [×] CLOSE Benny Goodman's National Museum of American History clarinet was crafted in the workshops of the legendary Parisian woodwinds manufacturer Buffet Crampon in 1967. (Hugh Talman / NMAH, SI) Goodman played the clarinet even "during the commercial breaks of the World Series," according to one of his daughters. (Bettmann / Corbis) Under the Radar with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles The clarinet's other notable high notes include 1771, when Mozart composed the first of his clarinet works, a divertimento, and 1920, when 11-year-old Beno Goodman first picked up the instrument in a Chicago tenement. Beno, the ninth of 12 children born to Russian-immigrant parents, would of course become Benny Goodman, and would perform some of the greatest music of the big-band or any other era. One of Goodman's clarinets now resides within the collections of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History (NMAH), where Jazz Appreciation Month is celebrated each April and where Goodman's centenary year—he was born May 30, 1909—will be enthusiastically observed next month. In the hands of a man who was equally at home in jazz and classical music, the clarinet was—to use its affectionate nickname—one sweet licorice stick. "Benny Goodman was the most popular clarinetist in American history," says curator John Edward Hasse. "As a clarinetist and a band leader, he played a key role in moving jazz from the margins of American society to the mainstream. He led the most influential, for a time the most popular, and perhaps the most polished of the big bands of the swing era." Goodman's NMAH clarinet was crafted in the workshops of the legendary Parisian woodwinds manufacturer Buffet Crampon in 1967. The maestro used it during the latter part of a long career. "He was playing in smaller jazz groups by then," says Russ Connor, author of Benny Goodman: Listen to His Legacy. In the years after the big-band heyday, Connor adds, Goodman "had more time to play classical music. He was very choosy about instruments and reeds; even though he'd played Selmer clarinets and advertised for them earlier in his career, he had a natural affinity for the Buffet." In 1990, four years after Goodman's death at age 76, his daughters Rachel Goodman Edelson and Benjie Alice Goodman Lasseau donated the instrument, along with a music stand and chair used by their father during practice sessions, to the Smithsonian. "He practiced all the time," recalls Lasseau, "and he always seemed to have a clarinet handy. He even practiced during the commercial breaks of the World Series." Goodman performed until the end of his life. "He died of a heart attack in his New York City apartment in June 1986 while rehearsing for a Mostly Mozart concert," says Susan Satz, business manager for the Goodman estate. Goodman's crossover genius—he brought classical training to jazz, even as he raised the stature of jazz and expanded its audience—was on brilliant display in the now-legendary Carnegie Hall concert of January 16, 1938. On that memorable night, Goodman brought his big band,


Iodine is necessary for the functioning of which gland?

Iodine and Your Thyroid: What You Need to Know Iodine and Your Thyroid: What You Need to Know Search the site Updated June 20, 2016 Iodine is an essential element that enables the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones. Three iodine molecules are added to make T3 (triiodothyronine), and four for T4 (thyroxine) -- the two key hormones produced by the thyroid gland -- so iodine is essential to the production of these two hormones of the master gland of metabolism. One needs the proper amount of iodine for optimal thyroid function . A severe iodine deficiency can cause hypothyroidism, and even developmental brain disorders and severe goiter . Less severe iodine deficiency is linked to hypothyroidism, thyroid enlargement (goiter) and hyperthyroidism. At the other end of the spectrum, excessive iodine intake -- both severe and moderate -- is also associated with hypothyroidism and goiter. Iodine Deficiency There are many areas around the world where soils are deficient in iodine, and iodine must be added to the diet -- usually through iodized salt. In the U.S., for example, the area around the Great Lakes used to be known as the goiter belt because the soil is particular iodine-deficient, and this resulted in higher incidence of goiter among residents of the area. Earlier in the 20th century, however, iodized salt almost wiped out iodine deficiency in the U.S. entirely. Other countries have not had such concerted iodization programs. In 1999, global health experts announced that iodine deficiency continues to be a serious threat to global health. Insufficient iodine is, in fact, considered is the most common -- yet also most preventable -- cause of brain damage throughout the world, with 1.6 billion people at risk. Children with iodine deficiency and its resulting hypothyroidism can suffer from stunted growth, with mental retardation and problems in movement, speech or hearing. Worldwide, iodine deficiency actually affects some 50 million children. When a woman with iodine deficiency becomes pregnant, she risks miscarriage, stillbirth and mental retardation in her baby. Even what's considered a mild iodine deficiency can hamper the growth of children's brains, reduce their IQ, and cause learning disabilities. The World Health Organization estimates that some 1 billion people around the world are at risk of health problems due to iodine deficiency. In Latin America and the Caribbean, for example, as many as 25 percent of the population -- a total of almost 200 million people -- are at greater risk of goiter, at minimum. While iodine deficiency was not common in the U.S., it is again on the rise here as well. The first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I), which took place between 1971 - 1974, found that just 2.6% of US citizens had iodine deficiency. The followup NHANES III survey, conducted between 1988 - 1994, found that 11.7% are iodine deficient. The October, 1998 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism reported that over the previous 20 years, the percentage of Americans with low intake of iodine has more than quadrupled. Of particular concern is the fact that the percentage of iodine-deficient pregnant women has increased from 1% in 1974 to 7% in 1994. Maternal iodine deficiency is particularly dangerous to a developing fetus. The researchers do not have a cause for the drop in levels, though it is suspected that reduced salt in the diet, plus a reduction in the use of iodine as a food ingredient, may be responsible. This trend, however, may necessitate concerted efforts to increase iodine levels in people at risk of deficiency even in the U.S. What About Iodine Supplementation? The relationship between iodine and the thyroid is complicated. Some alternative practitioners simplistically declare that all thyroid patients should take iodine -- or an iodine-containing herb like kelp. That practice can be problematic for many people, because many cases  of autoimmune thyroid disease  -- which is by far the most common cause of thyroid conditions in the U.S. -- are not due to io


What was Lester Piggott’s first Derby winner?

Horse racing: Lester Piggott, king of the Derby | Sport | The Guardian King of the Derby Clare Balding The great Lester Piggott was the best jockey in the world for decades. He rode his first winner aged 12, his first Derby at 18 and went on to win racing's most famous Classic nine times, a record that will surely never be beaten. Fifty years after that first Epsom success, Lester, famed for his wry sense of humour, a love of money that landed him in jail, his troubled relationships and his astute judgment of horses, talks about his long and eventful life in racing... but not in long sentences Saturday 29 May 2004 19.30 EDT First published on Saturday 29 May 2004 19.30 EDT Share on Messenger Close What is the key quality that a horse must possess if it is to win the Derby? Is it impeccable breeding, stamina, a calm temperament, an ability to quicken up in a matter of strides, the preparation of the trainer, the skill of the jockey or the quality of his form leading up to the race? All of these things matter, but, according to the man who has won more Derbys than anyone else, there is a one-word answer. Lester Piggott thinks, but not for long, before muttering: 'Balance.' A meeting with Lester in the run-up to the Derby is akin to being granted an audience with the Dalai Lama in an attempt to discover the meaning of life. The answer is often shorter than expected. In Lester's case (it is impossible to refer to him as Piggott, for he supersedes the surname epithet), the answer to the eternal conundrum is, and always will be, balance. 'It doesn't matter how big the horse is, you can tell if it's going to act around Epsom,' he says. But how do you know? Do you have to gallop them down a hill? Do you have to ride them in a race? Do you have to feel how they handle a left-hand bend? Do you? Do you? Lester looks mildly amused. The man with all the answers but neither the will nor the capability to explain. 'You just know,' he says. 'A lot of them you can tell just by looking.' Of course you can. Silly me. Lester is not big on words. Nor on giving an opinion, even though he is asked for one on everything from breeding to bread by everyone he meets. His partial deafness and the speech impediment that muffles his voice have contributed to his lack of ostentation although, in truth, his character would have impeded any effort at gregariousness. It suits him just fine not to be the greatest interviewee in the world; and Lester makes himself perfectly understandable when he wants to be understood. The reason that balance is so crucial to success in the Derby is the nature of the course. From the mile-and-a-half start, Epsom climbs to a height of 500 feet above sea level between the seven- furlong marker and the six, from where it sweeps violently downhill and left-handed into Tattenham Corner. Any horse struggling to maintain its pace or being asked to quicken feels as if its legs are being taken from underneath it. Over the next three furlongs, the course drops 90ft, but the gradient becomes more gradual with half a mile to run. As the horses enter the straight, the camber (the course slopes away from the Grandstand to the far rail) accentuates any tiring and any tendency to hang to the left. According to trainer David Elsworth, Epsom is no better than a funfair ride. For Lester, Epsom was a problem to be solved and no one in the history of racing has cracked it more often and with more assurance than L Piggott. The old sage will be 69 this year. He is alert, polite and reserved. It is 50 years since he first won the Derby on Never Say Die, the first of an unprecedented nine victories. His first Derby ride, in 1951 at the age of 15, was an inauspicious start. Lester was on board a talented but temperamental horse called Zucchero, who planted himself at the start and refused to go forward until the rest of the field were granted an unassailable advantage. What did the young jockey learn from his first experience of the Derby? 'Not to get left at the start.' Three years later, and having been suspended for six months for dangerous rid


Goodluck Jonathan is president of which African country?

African countries happy over President Jonathan’s defeat – Obasanjo - Premium Times Nigeria African countries happy over President Jonathan’s defeat – Obasanjo FILE PHOTO: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan at the President niece's wedding celebration Related News Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Thursday said countries across the African continent are happy over the outcome of the presidential election in Nigeria, which saw the defeat of incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. Mr. Obasanjo said his checks in a number of African countries suggested they were as happy over the result of the election as majority of Nigerians are. He referred to President Goodluck Jonathan as a moving train who was providentially stopped from collapsing Nigeria. “I have visited six countries since the election, they are as happy about the results as we are in Nigeria. It is good not only for Nigeria, it is good for Africa and I believe it is good for the world.” Mr. Obasanjo, who led the African Union Observation Mission to the April 2015 General Election in Sudan, spoke on Thursday at a Washington DC event. The former president described Nigeria as a country that obsessively plays “a dangerous game of moving close to the precipice”. He said the country came close to disintegration in the run-up to the 2015 elections but switched swiftly to the path of redemption after the polls. “I hope we will not fall over one of these days,” he said. He said one month to the election, no one believed “we will have a peaceful election that is reasonably free and fair.” Describing his role in the election as that of a person standing on the track of a moving train, the former president said during the countdown to the elections, he faced the option of “jumping off” the tracks or “be crushed” if the train did not providentially get “derailed and stop.” He said he did not jump and was not crushed adding that “at every stage, there must be leaders imbued with sufficient courage and will to stand firm when you have to stand firm.” He described the results of the elections as what Nigerians “deserve” though some Nigerians “did not want it”. Mr. Obasanjo was the featured speaker at the United States Institute for Peace (USIP) event titled What is Right with Africa: Reframing Africa’s Leadership Challenges. He made these remarks in response to a question by Princeton Lyman, a former ambassador to Nigeria. Mr. Obasanjo observed that Nigeria’s tendency to flirt with near-death experiences stretches back to colonial times when it almost cost the country the chance of gaining political independence from Britain. Recalling colonial-era disagreements over self-rule, the former President said at a stage, advocates of self-rule from the Eastern and Western Regions decided to “let the North go” since their leaders were reluctant to accept regional autonomy back then. “But reason prevailed,” he said, “East and West got internal autonomy in 1957, North got same in 1959 and the whole country got independence in 1960.” Listing the 1964 post-election violence in the south west and the 1966 coup d’etats which led to “pogrom and civil war” as other self-destructive phases in the country’s history, the former president remarked that Nigeria emerged from all of these as “one entity” in spite of contrarian speculations. “Not only did we survive the civil war but, within nine years, somebody from the rebel side, as we called them, and somebody from the vandal side, as they called us, became president and vice-president of Nigeria. Not many countries achieve that,” he said. President Obasanjo described the 2015 election as “almost in the same category” as other near-death experiences in Nigeria’s history. He said one month to the election, no one believed “we will have a peaceful election that is reasonably free and fair.” “I think we are now building institutions that can withstand what we may see as danger to good governance in Africa. The election has moved Nigeria one very important step up in our democratic dispensation, process and practic