On which date is St Valentine’s Day traditionally celebrated?

Facts and information about Saint Valentine's Day Traditions This site uses cookies. See our Cookie Policy for information Valentine's Day   Valentine's Day (Saint Valentine's Day) is an occasion celebrated on February 14. It is the traditional day on which people express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. Who is St. Valentine? There were many Christians names Valentine. According to the Catholic Encyclopaedia, at least three Saint Valentines are mentioned who are associated with 14 February. One is described as a priest at Rome, another as a Bishop of Interamna (now Terni in Italy) and the other lived and died in Africa. The Valentine that most experts believe is the actual one remembered on St. Valentine's Day was a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity. What happens on Valentines day in Britain? Each year in Britain, we spend around £503m on cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts for Valentine's Day. Traditionally these were sent anonymously, but nowadays we often make it clear who is sending each 'Valentine'. Valentine's Day Superstitions & Traditions Traditionally, spring begins on St Valentine's Day (February 14th), the day on which birds chose their mates. In parts of Sussex Valentines Day was called 'the Birds' Wedding Day'. There are many other traditions and superstitions associated with romance activities on Valentine's day including: the first man an unmarried woman saw on 14th February would be her future husband; if the names of all a girl's suitors were written on paper and wrapped in clay and the clay put into water, the piece that rose to the surface first would contain the name of her husband-to-be. if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine’s Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a rich person. In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favourite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heart!"


What is Arnold Scwarzeneggar’s profession in the 2002 film ‘Collateral Damage’?

Collateral Damage (2002) - 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 After his family is killed by a terrorist act, a firefighter goes in search of the one responsible. Director: From $0.99 (HD) on Amazon Video ON DISC Naomie Harris Shines In Floral Rosie Assoulin Dress At ‘Collateral Beauty’ Premiere 14 December 2016 8:58 AM, -08:00 | Uinterview a list of 47 titles created 30 Oct 2010 a list of 24 images created 02 Mar 2013 a list of 25 titles created 10 Nov 2013 a list of 32 titles created 23 May 2014 a list of 33 titles created 16 Nov 2015 Search for " Collateral Damage " 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. A Witness Protection specialist becomes suspicious of his co-workers when dealing with a case involving high-tech weapons. Director: Chuck Russell Futuristic action about a man who meets a clone of himself and stumbles into a grand conspiracy about clones taking over the world. Director: Roger Spottiswoode At the end of the century, Satan visits New York in search of a bride. It's up to an ex-cop who now runs an elite security outfit to stop him. Director: Peter Hyams A tough Russian policeman is forced to partner up with a cocky Chicago police detective when he is sent to Chicago to apprehend a Georgian drug lord who killed his partner and fled the country. Director: Walter Hill A former FBI agent turned small-town sheriff agrees to help the FBI chief infiltrate the Chicago mafia when the FBI chief's son is killed by them. Director: John Irvin With the help of a magic ticket, a young film fan is transported into the fictional world of his favorite action film character. Director: John McTiernan A physically perfect but innocent man goes in search of his long-lost twin brother, who is a short small-time crook. Director: Ivan Reitman A tough cop must pose as a kindergarten teacher in order to locate a dangerous criminal's ex-wife, who may hold the key to putting him behind bars. Director: Ivan Reitman A retired elite Black Ops Commando launches a one man war against a group of South American criminals who have kidnapped his daughter . Director: Mark L. Lester A fearless, globe-trotting, terrorist-battling secret agent has his life turned upside down when he discovers his wife might be having an affair with a used car salesman. Director: James Cameron Conan leads a ragtag group of adventurers on a quest for a princess. Director: Richard Fleischer A wrongly convicted man must try to survive a public execution gauntlet staged as a game show. Director: Paul Michael Glaser Edit Storyline Firefighter Gordon Brewer is plunged into the complex and dangerous world of international terrorism after he loses his wife and child in a bombing credited to Claudio "The Wolf" Perrini. Frustrated with the official investigation and haunted by the thought that the man responsible for murdering his family might never be brought to justice, Brewer takes matters into his own hands and tracks his quarry ultimately to Colombia. Written by Jason The Act Itself Wasn't Personal...HIS VENGEANCE WILL BE [UK tag-line] See more  » Genres: Rated R for violence and some language | See all certifications  » Parents Guide: 8 February 2002 (USA) See more  » Also Known As: $15,058,432        (USA) (8 February 2002) Gross: Did You Know? Trivia An early draft of this film's screenplay set the action in Libya and involved the Gordon Brewer character tracking down the Arab terrorists who killed his family. Andrew Davis changed the story's setting (and terrorists) to Colombia. See more » Goofs When Selena is looking at potential terrorist attack sites on a flat screen computer monitor, a Department of Justice sticker appears at the top right corner of the monitor, then disappears. See more » Quotes [referring to Gordon as Armstrong's replaceme


How many double letter squares are on a standard Scrabble board?

Scrabble | Letter Tile Games Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Letter Tile Games Wiki Scrabble brand logo by Mattel, Inc., used throughout the rest of the world |250px]] No Title No information Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15-by-15 grid. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary . Official reference works (e.g. The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary ) provide a list of permissible words. The Collins Scrabble checker can also be used to check if a word is allowed. [1] The name Scrabble is a trademark of Hasbro, Inc. in the United States and Canada. Elsewhere, Scrabble is trademarked by Mattel . The game is sold in 121 countries; there are 29 different language versions. One hundred and fifty million sets have been sold worldwide, and sets are found in roughly one-third of American homes. [2] [3] [4] Contents File:Alfred Butts letter frequencies.JPG In 1938, architect Alfred Mosher Butts created the game as a variation on an earlier word game he invented called Lexiko . The two games had the same set of letter tiles, whose distributions and point values Butts worked out meticulously performing a frequency analysis of letters from various sources including The New York Times . The new game, which he called "Criss-Crosswords," added the 15-by-15 game board and the crossword-style game play. He manufactured a few sets himself, but was not successful in selling the game to any major game manufacturers of the day. [5] In 1948, James Brunot, [6] a resident of Newtown, Connecticut – and one of the few owners of the original Criss-Crosswords game – bought the rights to manufacture the game in exchange for granting Butts a royalty on every unit sold. Though he left most of the game (including the distribution of letters) unchanged, Brunot slightly rearranged the "premium" squares of the board and simplified the rules; he also changed the name of the game to "Scrabble," a real word which means "to scratch frantically." In 1949, Brunot and his family made sets in a converted former schoolhouse in Dodgingtown , a section of Newtown. They made 2,400 sets that year, but lost money. [7] According to legend, Scrabble's big break came in 1952 when Jack Straus, president of Macy's , played the game on vacation. Upon returning from vacation, he was surprised to find that his store did not carry the game. He placed a large order and within a year, "everyone had to have one." [8] In 1952, unable to meet demand himself, Brunot sold manufacturing rights to Long Island-based Selchow and Righter (one of the manufacturers who, like Parker Brothers and Milton Bradley Company , had previously rejected the game). Selchow & Righter bought the trademark to the game in 1972. [9] JW Spears began selling the game in Australia and the UK on January 19, 1955. The company is now a subsidiary of Mattel , Inc. [5] In 1986, Selchow and Righter sold the game to Coleco , who soon after went bankrupt. The company's assets, including Scrabble and Parcheesi , were purchased by Hasbro . [9] In 1984, Scrabble was turned into a daytime game show on NBC . Scrabble ran from July 1984 to March 1990, with a second run from January to June 1993. The show was hosted by Chuck Woolery . The tagline of the show in promo broadcasts was, "Every man dies; not every man truly Scrabbles." In 2011, a new TV variation of Scrabble, called "Scrabble Showdown", aired on "The Hub" cable channel, which is a is a joint venture of Discovery Communications, Inc. and Hasbro. Game details File:Scrabbletileset.png The game is played by two to four players on a square (or nearly square) board with a 15-by-15 grid of cells (individually known as "squares"), each of which accommodates a single letter tile. In official club and tournament games, play is always between two players (or, occasionally, between two teams each of which collaborates on a single rack). The board is marked with "premium" squares, which multiply the number


Which English Romantic Poet had a Newfoundland dog named Boatswain?

Epitaph to a Dog - Poems | Academy of American Poets Academy of American Poets The Academy of American Poets is the largest membership-based nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation for contemporary poetry and supporting American poets. For over three generations, the Academy has connected millions of people to great poetry through programs such as National Poetry Month, the largest literary celebration in the world; Poets.org, the Academy’s popular website; American Poets, a biannual literary journal; and an annual series of poetry readings and special events. Since its founding, the Academy has awarded more money to poets than any other organization. browse poems & poets sign up to receive a new poem-a-day in your inbox sign up poem About this poet George Gordon Byron was born on January 22, 1788, in Aberdeen, Scotland, and inherited his family's English title at the age of ten, becoming Baron Byron of Rochdale. Abandoned by his father at an early age and resentful of his mother, who he blamed for his being born with a deformed foot, Byron isolated himself during his youth and was deeply unhappy. Though he was the heir to an idyllic estate, the property was run down and his family had no assets with which to care for it. As a teenager, Byron discovered that he was attracted to men as well as women, which made him all the more remote and secretive. He studied at Aberdeen Grammar School and then Trinity College in Cambridge. During this time Byron collected and published his first volumes of poetry. The first, published anonymously and titled Fugitive Pieces, was printed in 1806 and contained a miscellany of poems, some of which were written when Byron was only fourteen. As a whole, the collection was considered obscene, in part because it ridiculed specific teachers by name, and in part because it contained frank, erotic verses. At the request of a friend, Byron recalled and burned all but four copies of the book, then immediately began compiling a revised version—though it was not published during his lifetime. The next year, however, Byron published his second collection, Hours of Idleness, which contained many of his early poems, as well as significant additions, including poems addressed to John Edelston, a younger boy whom Byron had befriended and deeply loved. By Byron's twentieth birthday, he faced overwhelming debt. Though his second collection received an initially favorable response, a disturbingly negative review was printed in January of 1808, followed by even more scathing criticism a few months later. His response was a satire, English Bards and Scotch Reviewers, which received mixed attention. Publicly humiliated and with nowhere else to turn, Byron set out on a tour of the Mediterranean, traveling with a friend to Portugal, Spain, Albania, Turkey, and finally Athens. Enjoying his new-found sexual freedom, Byron decided to stay in Greece after his friend returned to England, studying the language and working on a poem loosely based on his adventures. Inspired by the culture and climate around him, he later wrote to his sister, "If I am a poet ... the air of Greece has made me one." Byron returned to England in the summer of 1811 having completed the opening cantos of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, a poem which tells the story of a world-weary young man looking for meaning in the world. When the first two cantos were published in March of 1812, the expensive first printing sold out in three days. Byron reportedly said, "I awoke one morning and found myself famous." His fame, however, was among the aristocratic intellectual class, at a time when only cultivated people read and discussed literature. The significant rise in a middle-class reading public, and with it the dominance of the novel, was still a few years away. At 24, Byron was invited to the homes of the most prestigious families and received hundreds of fan letters, many of them asking for the remaining cantos of his great poem—which eventually appeared in 1818. An outspoken politician in the House of Lords, Byron used his popularity for publ


What must a referee count to when a professional wrestler is pinned?

Professional wrestler | Pro Wrestling | Fandom powered by Wikia [ show ] Rules The simulated nature of professional wrestling is only one of the many differences it has with traditional wrestling. Other differences can vary from company to company. The assigned referee is often the one who controls the outcome of the match barring certain matches with special rules or for storyline reasons. A common storyline angle of this is a promotion owner or other high official modifying the stipulations of a match to invalidate a referee's decision, such as declaring it a no-disqualification match after a wrestler wins by disqualification. A "motto" in the pro-wrestling world used to describe the interpretation of the rules (actually more like loose guidelines) is: "You can't call what you don't see", implying that anything is justified as long as the referee doesn't see. This is often used as a plot twist to drastically change the momentum in a match. One of the better-known occurrences has a referee being "accidentally" knocked senseless or thrown outside of the ring (often referred to as a "ref bump"). While he's stunned, one wrestler, usually a face , will suddenly have the match won, only to then have it robbed from them via outside interference, the use of a foreign object, or some other unfair means. The referee, unaware of what happened, will recover just in time to notice a pin that reflects the new situation, and make an arduous three-count . A variation on this finish, the "Dusty finish" (after Dusty Rhodes , who frequently used such finishes as a booker), has the substitute referee making the three-count in favor of the face, only to have it overturned by the original referee. In addition to pinfall, a match can be won by submission , count-out , disqualification , or failure to answer a ten count. Punching is permitted as long as the wrestler's fist is open. This is probably the most ignored rule in WWE, as referees almost never disqualify a wrestler for throwing closed-fist punches. Instead, the referee simply admonishes the wrestler to stop, which is rarely successful. In addition, wrestlers may only kick with the flat part of the foot, and "low blow" only refers to actually striking the crotch. If either wrestler is in contact with the ropes or if any part of the wrestler is underneath the ropes, all contact between the wrestlers must be broken before the count of five. This strategy is often used in order to escape from a submission hold , and also, more seldom, a wrestler can place his foot on (or under) the ropes to avoid losing by pinfall. Participants may try to abuse these rules, and it will often result in verbal or physical sparring with the ref. Pinfall In order to win by pinfall , a wrestler must pin both his opponent's shoulders against the mat while the referee slaps the mat three times. This is the most common form of defeat. If a wrestler's shoulders are down (both shoulders touching the mat) and any portion of the opponent's person is laying over the fallen man, it is completely legal for the three count to be made. Illegal pinning methods include using the ropes for leverage and hooking the opponent's tights, therefore they are popular cheating methods for heels . Such pins as these are rarely, if ever, seen by the referee and are subsequently often used by heels and on occasion by cheating faces to win matches. Submission To win by submission, the wrestler must make his opponent give up, usually, but not necessarily, by putting him in a submission hold (i.e., leg-lock, arm-lock, etc.). Passing out in a submission hold constitutes a loss by knockout . To determine if a wrestler has passed out in WWE, the referee usually picks up and drops his hand. If it drops three consecutive times without the wrestler having the strength to stop it from falling, the wrestler is considered to have passed out. At one point this was largely ignored, however the rule is now much more commonly observed. Often the third time, the WWE wrestler in the hold will fight their way out. Also, a wrestler can indicate a submissi


Free Byrd is a tribute band to which US band?

FREE BYRD | tribute-band.com - tribute band directory for tribute bands FREE BYRD Shinelle Reid " Hawkins " Back Up Singer FREE BYRD is an authentic 10 piece Classic Skynyrd Tribute band and we put on a concert style show. Our goal is to showcase it in venues across North America and the world. FREE BYRD is unique in the fact that most of our band members resemble & sound like the 1977 line up," Scary in Fact " FREE BYRD is Canada's only authentic Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band and we are based in Calgary, AB. We derived our inspiration from our love of classic Lynyrd Skynyrd as well as the current Skynyrd line-up and their new God and Guns album. FREE BYRD is new in the last year and has come together in amazing time. Our players each have well over 20 years experience and are working with each other as though they have played together for years. We highly respect the musical maturity of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s brand of Southern Rock. We are very excited to be able to make the live version of this music more accessible in Canada and across the globe.Book us for the experience of walking back into time, that will last a life time.


Which 2009 film was a sequel to the 2006 film ‘The Da Vinci Code’?

Cast Revealed for The Da Vinci Code Sequel Inferno! - ComingSoon.net Cast Revealed for The Da Vinci Code Sequel Inferno! February 17, 2015 SHARE Columbia Pictures has just revealed the full cast of the upcoming Inferno , the third film in the franchise that launched with The Da Vinci Code in 2006 and continued with Angels & Demons in 2009. Ron Howard returns as both director and producer with Tom Hanks set to reprise his role as Robert Langdon opposite Oscar nominee Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) as Dr. Sienna Brooks, Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi) as Harry Sims (also known as The Provost), Omar Sy (The Intouchables) as Christoph Bruder and Sidse Babett Knudsen (“Borgen”) as Dr. Elizabeth Sinskey, the head of the World Health Organization. The filmmakers — which also includes returning producer Brian Grazer — are also in talks with several other internationally-recognized actors for major roles. The Imagine Entertainment production, which has a screenplay by David Koepp based on the book by Dan Brown, is slated for release on October 14, 2016 and will begin principal photography at the end of April. The project’s executive producers include Dan Brown, Anna Culp, Bill Connor, and David Householter. Inferno continues the Harvard symbologist’s adventures on screen: when Robert Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Sienna Brooks, a doctor he hopes will help him recover his memories and prevent a madman from releasing a global plague connected to Dante’s immortal tome. “For this film, I wanted Tom Hanks to be surrounded by an international cast of actors whose energy will underscore Robert Langdon’s life-or-death peril,” Howard explains, “the high-stakes action he takes, and the global threat that he’s trying to prevent. Felicity, Irrfan, Omar, and Sidse have all broken through with recognition here in America as well as their home countries – they are phenomenal talents and we can’t wait to get started.” “We’re thrilled to be making a third Robert Langdon film with Ron, Tom and Brian,” adds Doug Belgrad, President, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group. “‘Inferno’ will deliver all of the excitement, intrigue and international adventure that audiences expect from a film based on Dan Brown’s huge selling Langdon book series. We can’t wait to see this character back on the big screen.” Michael De Luca and Andrea Giannetti are overseeing the project for Columbia Pictures. You can check out official announcement photos of the new cast in the gallery viewer below: Inferno Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) and Sienna (Felicity Jones) run for their lives through Boboli Gardens in Columbia Pictures' INFERNO. Inferno Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) in the Hall of 500, Palazzo Vecchio, Florence in Columbia Pictures' INFERNO. Inferno Langdon (Tom Hanks) and Sienna (Felicity Jones) make their way through St. Marks Square in Venice in Columbia Pictures' INFERNO. Inferno Bouchard convinces Langdon (Tom Hanks) and Sienna (Felicity Jones) to trust him in Columbia Pictures' INFERNO. Inferno Langdon (Tom Hanks) and Sienna (Felicity Jones) run for their lives through Boboli Gardens, Florence in Columbia Pictures' INFERNO. Inferno Sinskey (Sidse Babett Knudsen) and Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) analyze Dante's text in Columbia Pictures' INFERNO. Inferno Langdon (Tom Hanks) and Sienna (Felicity Jones) make their way through St. Marks Square in Venice in Columbia Pictures' INFERNO. Inferno Langdon (Tom Hanks) and Sienna (Felicity Jones) discover Dante's Death Mask in the Baptistry in Columbia Pictures' INFERNO. Inferno Langdon (Tom Hanks) and Sienna (Felicity Jones) arrive at the Hall of 500 in Columbia Pictures' INFERNO. Inferno Langdon (Tom Hanks) and Sienna (Felicity Jones) look for a way out of the Palazzo Vecchio in Columbia Pictures' INFERNO. Inferno Zobrist (Ben Foster) presents his over population theory in Columbia Pictures' INFERNO. Inferno Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) and Ignazio (Gabor Urmai) inspect Dante's Death Mask in Columbia Pictures' INFERNO. Inferno Langdon (Tom Hanks) and Sienna (Felicity Jones)


‘Staying Alive’ represents which Bingo number?

Bingo Number Names History And Meanings Part 3: Calls 46 - 90 - Bingo History - Playing Bingo 48. Four dozen 49. Rise and Shine, PC 49, Copper, Nick-Nick. ‘PC 49’ is taken from the popular radio show that was broadcast by the BBC from 1947 to 1953: ‘Incidents in the career of Police Constable Archibald Berkeley-Willoughby’. This call, unlike the call for 22, ‘PC Parker’ has evolved over time to become ‘Copper’, and later to borrow the working class comedian Jim Davidson’s catch phrase ‘Nick Nick’ (c.1977). 50. Blind fifty. Bull’s Eye (on a dart board). 51. The Highland Div[ision], Tweak of the Thumb, I Love My Mum. The 51st  Highland Division was a first line division of the territorial force, formed in 1908. They saw continuous front-line action during the First World War. [ 1 ] The other two calls here are rhymes. 52. The Lowland Div[ision], Danny La Rue, Weeks of the Year. The 52nd were a Territorial Army division and saw action in the first and second world wars. Danny La Rue became famous in the early 1960s as a glamorous drag artist and entertainer, especially on the BBC television programme ‘The Good Old Days’. 53. The Welsh Div[ision], Stuck in the Tree. The 53rd were a Territorial Army division and saw action in the First and Second World Wars. 54. Clean the Floor. A simple rhyme. 55. All the fives, Snakes Alive. Snakes Alive was a phrase used in American comic strips of the inter-war and immediate post-war era, including in Little Orphan Annie. 56. Five and Six. 57. Heinz Varieties, All the Beans, Heinz. Heinz canned products have been available in Britain throughout the twentieth century. The ‘Heinz 57 Varieties’ slogan was first used in 1896. The origin of the slogan was an advertisement for ‘21 styles of shoes’. Henry John Heinz thought he could adopt a similar slogan but that his own products were varieties. The number 57 does not relate to the number of products made by the company, which was greater than 57 even in 1896, but rather to the significance of the 5 and 7 to Henry Heinz and his wife. [ 2 ] 58. Make them Wait. A simple rhyme. 59. The Brighton Line. This call also survives, although seemingly only in the south of England. It was heard in Folkestone and Margate during July 2002. The call has Royal Navy origins: The LBSG fare from Portsmouth to London was 5/9. 60. Blind sixty, Three Score. 61. Baker’s Bun. A simple rhyme. 62. Turn of the Screw, Tickety-boo, To Waterloo. ‘To Waterloo’ is a Royal Navy call; the LSW fare from Portsmouth to London was 6/2. Tickety-boo is army slang for something being satisfactory, and was first recorded in 1939. [ 3 ] ‘Turn of the Screw’ was a popular novella first published in 1898. 63. Tickle Me. A simple rhyme. 64. Red Raw, When I’m Sixty-Four, The Beatles Number. Red Raw is one of the many rhyming calls with no particular origin; the other two calls have origins in the 1960s, with the song ‘When I’m Sixty-Four’ released by The Beatles in 1967. 65. Old Age Pension, Stop Work. The Contributory Pensions Act (1925) introduced a 10s per week pension for manual workers and those earning up to £250 per year. 66. Clickety-click, All the sixes, Clickety Click This is onomatopoeic – sounding like sixty six and has become shorthand for bingo, and was used in the famous Monty Python sketch that parodied ideas of Britishness. In the sketch Russian and Chinese characters famously confused cricket with the clickety-click used in bingo; the characters assumed that all the British played both cricket and bingo; the joke lies in the failure to understand the class distinctions that ran through the various games of cricket, bridge and bingo. 67. Made in Heaven. A simple rhyme. 68. Saving Grace. This could be linked to the hymn Amazing Grace: it seems unlikely to be linked to the novel of that title as it was published in 1981 and was not a huge popular success. Although the novel was adapted as a film and had some success it does not seem the most likely source for the call which appears in sources from the 1950s. 69. Whichever way you look at it (see number six), Meal for Two, Yo


In a standard game of chess, how many pawns does each player start with?

How to Play Chess: Rules and Basics - Chess.com Chess.com Forums Learn to Play Chess It's never too late to learn how to play chess - the most popular game in the world! If you are totally new to the game or even want to learn all of the rules and strategies, read on! Getting Better at Chess History of Chess The origins of chess are not exactly clear, though most believe it evolved from earlier chess-like games played in India almost two thousand years ago.The game of chess we know today has been around since the 15th century where it became popular in Europe. The Goal of Chess Chess is a game played between two opponents on opposite sides of a board containing 64 squares of alternating colors. Each player has 16 pieces: 1 king, 1 queen, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights, and 8 pawns. The goal of the game is to checkmate the other king. Checkmate happens when the king is in a position to be captured (in check) and cannot escape from capture. Starting a Game At the beginning of the game the chessboard is laid out so that each player has the white (or light) color square in the bottom right-hand side. The chess pieces are then arranged the same way each time. The second row (or rank) is filled with pawns. The rooks go in the corners, then the knights next to them, followed by the bishops, and finally the queen, who always goes on her own matching color (white queen on white, black queen on black), and the king on the remaining square. The player with the white pieces always moves first. Therefore, players generally decide who will get to be white by chance or luck such as flipping a coin or having one player guess the color of the hidden pawn in the other player's hand. White then makes a move, followed by black, then white again, then black and so on until the end of the game. How the Pieces Move Each of the 6 different kinds of pieces moves differently. Pieces cannot move through other pieces (though the knight can jump over other pieces), and can never move onto a square with one of their own pieces. However, they can be moved to take the place of an opponent's piece which is then captured. Pieces are generally moved into positions where they can capture other pieces (by landing on their square and then replacing them), defend their own pieces in case of capture, or control important squares in the game. The King The king is the most important piece, but is one of the weakest. The king can only move one square in any direction - up, down, to the sides, and diagonally. Click on the '>' button in the diagram below to see how the king can move around the board. The king may never move himself into check (where he could be captured). The Queen The queen is the most powerful piece. She can move in any one straight direction - forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally - as far as possible as long as she does not move through any of her own pieces. And, like with all pieces, if the queen captures an opponent's piece her move is over. Click through the diagram below to see how the queens move. Notice how the white queen captures the black queen and then the black king is forced to move. The Rook The rook may move as far as it wants, but only forward, backward, and to the sides. The rooks are particularly powerful pieces when they are protecting each other and working together! The Bishop The bishop may move as far as it wants, but only diagonally. Each bishop starts on one color (light or dark) and must always stay on that color. Bishops work well together because they cover up each other’s weaknesses. The Knight Knights move in a very different way from the other pieces – going two squares in one direction, and then one more move at a 90 degree angle, just like the shape of an “L”. Knights are also the only pieces that can move over other pieces. The Pawn Pawns are unusual because they move and capture in different ways: they move forward, but capture diagonally. Pawns can only move forward one square at a time, except for their very first move where they can move forward two squares. Pawns can only capture one square diagonally


Which two colours make up the Arab League flag?

Fllags of the Middle East ( the Hejaz , Palestine , Syria , Iraq , Lebanon , Egypt , Iran , Yemen ) Description of the flag The official description of the flag of Jordan is that it symbolizes the Kingdom's roots in the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, as it is adapted from the revolt banner. The black, white and green bands represent the Arab Abbasid, Umayyad and Fatimid dynasties respectively, while the crimson triangle joining the bands represents the Hashemite dynasty. The seven-pointed Islamic star set in the centre of the crimson triangle represents the unity of Arab peoples in Jordan. As a part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th century, Jordan was one of several aspirant nations which adopted the Pan-Arab colours of black, red, white and green, all expressive of Arab nationalism; the green colour has additional symbolism, in that it is traditionally associated with Islam and its followers. In 1921 the green and white bands were transposed from their positions on the flag which had been used by the independence movement in the 1918 revolt against the Turks. In 1928 the official version of the flag saw the addition of a seven-pointed white star to the red triangle in the hoist. This has been interpreted as representing the first seven verses of the Koran, the basis of the Islamic religion, and the star is what distinguishes the Jordanian flag from that used by the Palestinian Arabs. The Royal Standard of Jordan Jordan's royal standard is quite unique, it has a small national flag in the centre, on a white oval, only the star in the triangle is replaced by an arched crown. The field is made up of rays in the state colours, black in each corner (like a St Andrew's cross) then white, green, white, red, white, repeats. The royal coat of arms "The crown symbolizes the system of monarchy. The sash upon which the crown is placed symbolizes the Hashemite throne. Its scarlet colour represents sacrifice, while the white inner background symbolizes purity. The two flags are the flags of the Great Arab Revolt. The eagle in the centre of the coat of arms symbolizes power, might and loftiness. The eagle is perched on the globe, and his wings touch the two flags of the Great Arab Revolt. The blue colour of the globe symbolizes the spread of Islam across the world. The bronze shield in front of the globe represents the defence of truth and right in the world. The spears, swords, bows and arrows are traditional Arab weapons. Below the shield to the left are three branches of wheat, and to the right is a palm branch. Stretching down from between the wheat and palm branches is the highest Jordanian medal, the decorative order of al-Nahda. Above the al-Nahda medal are three phrases inscribed on a golden ribbon. In the middle: King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. To the right: Al-Hussein bin Talal bin Aoun (Aoun, one of the Hashemite patriarchs, was great great-grandfather of Sherif Hussein)." History of the national flag of Jordan - the flag of the Hejaz The flag is evolved from the flag of the Arab Revolt, sometimes called the flag of the Hejaz. Sherif Hussein designed this as the flag of the Arab Revolt on June 1916. The Palestinian people raised it as the flag of the Arab National movement in 1917. In 1947 the Arab Ba'ath Party interpreted the flag as a symbol of the liberation and unity of the Arab nation. The Palestinian people readopted the flag at the Palestinian conference in Gaza in 1948 and the flag was recognized by the Arab League as the flag of the Palestinian people. It was further endorsed by the PLO, the representative of the Palestinians, at the Palestinian conference in Jerusalem in 1964. In 1921 or thereabouts the white and green were swapped, making it like the modern Palestinian flag, which is directly derived from it. After the fall of Hejaz the colours were used by Hussein's sons Abdulla (emir of Transjordan) and Faisal (king of Iraq). Later on they became known as the Pan-Arab colours. I give the official explanation below, but I have also heard them described as symbolizing "green for the


Which English football club is nicknamed ‘The Tractor Boys’?

Soccer Club Nicknames And What They Mean Soccer Club Nicknames And What They Mean Soccer Club Nicknames And What They Mean A selection of the weird and wonderful club nicknames in world soccer Juventus' nickname reflects a long and successful history.  Valerio Pennicino / Getty Images By Stewart Coggin Updated April 23, 2016. The origins of some soccer club nicknames are fascinating, often unique to a certain area or moment in history. It is common for clubs to have a variety of nicknames, but here are 10 of the most interesting ones. Arsenal (the Gunners) The club was formed in 1886 by workers at Woolwich Arsenal Armament Factory. Initially called Dial Square, the club would be renamed as Woolwich Arsenal before dropping the prefix in 1913. The connection to the Armament Factory remained despite the club moving to north London, and they are still known as the Gunners. River Plate (millionaires) The Argentinean giants became known as Los Millionaros (millionaires) after they moved from Boca, a working class district of Buenos Aires to a wealthier area in 1938. The Spanish club are known as Los Colchoneros (the mattress makers) because their shirts resemble a traditional pattern on Spanish mattresses. continue reading below our video The Fastest Miles Ever Run Everton (the Toffees or Toffeemen) There are several explanations for the origin of this moniker. Some believe it hails from a toffee shop near the ground which sold the Everton Mint, while another explanation is that ‘Toffees’ was a nickname for the Irish, of whom there were many in Liverpool. FC Koln (billy goats) The club were founded in one of the working class districts of the Rhineland city, and goat is a derogatory name for the poor. Geissbock (billy goat) stuck and Koln still parade a mascot goat called Hennes – after former coach Hennes Weisweiler – before every home match. Nimes (the Crocodiles) The emblem of the French city is a crocodile tied to a palm tree. Nimes was once a favorite resting place of Roman soldiers who had conquered Egypt (the crocodile stands for Egypt and the palm symbolizes victory). The shirt has a crocodile graphic on the body. Ipswich Town (the Tractor Boys) The English club are widely known as the ‘Blues’ or ‘Town’, but acquired a new nickname during their first appearance in the Premier League. Ipswich are called The Tractor Boys because of the agricultural links to the area. When they played Birmingham City, the opposition fans sang “no noise from the Tractor Boys” during a routine win, and soon their own supporters began using the name to refer to themselves as they jovially highlighted the club’s lack of glamor compared to their more illustrious opponents. Galatasaray (Cim Bom Bom) The Turkish club, set up by students of a French high school, went on tour to Switzerland in the early 1900s where they learnt a Swiss song called Jim Bom Bom. Once they returned home it got lost in translation. Olympiakos (legend) The Greek outfit became known as Thrylos (legend) after a successful run in the 1930s which garnered six league titles. For a spell, the side featured a forward line made up exclusively of the five Andrianopoulos brothers.


‘Fagus sylvatica’ is the Latin name for which tree?

Fagus sylvatica Fagus sylvatica Form large shade tree maturing at about 60' tall by 40' wide, although it can become much larger under favorable conditions upright oval growth habit (for the species form, and many of the cultivars) slow growth rate (becoming a medium growth rate by middle age) Culture full sun to partial sun (tolerant of partial shade to full shade in youth) performs best in deep, rich, evenly moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soils, but is tolerant (although not especially happy) of neutral to alkaline pH soils, average soils, compacted soils, heat, and drought (once established) species form is propagated by seeds, while the cultivars are usually propagated by grafting onto seedling rootstock Beech Family, with few disease or pest problems of significance; European Beech adapts much better than American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) to moderate urban stresses, but still struggles with urban stresses (heat, drought, poor soils, and soil compaction), performing best in areas with cool Summers and good, moist soils abundantly available in ball and burlap form, including many cultivars many specimens are allowed to branch low to the ground, due to their exquisite foliage and graceful horizontal to upswept branching European Beech is somewhat sensitive to being transplanted in Autumn, and care should be taken to amend the soil, fertilize, water thoroughly, mulch adequately, and avoid Winter salt spray, to enhance survival chances during the first Winter Foliage the species form and several cultivars are medium to dark green and shiny, but several foliage-color variants exist (mostly purple or variegated) alternate, ovate to elliptical, entire to crenate along the margins, often with an undulating margin, and short-petioled; some cultivars are cutleaf or deeply crenate fall color for the species form is chartreuse, golden, or yellow-brown Flowers separate staminate (male) and pistillate (female) inflorescences occur on the same tree (monoecious), flowering in late April and early May, ornamentally insignificant and partially obscured by the expanding foliage Fruits three-sided pointed nuts, with one to three nuts per fruit, are exposed as the external bristly husk splits open in September and October nuts are quickly devoured by squirrels and larger birds Twigs somewhat thin olive-brown twigs, with prominently long, pointed, tan Winter buds twigs and branchlets often lie more or less within the plane of the branch, for an overall layered branching effect, with the horizontal lower branches having upswept twigs and buds at their extremities Trunk usually single-trunked, with the bark being very thin and smooth, medium to light gray, and quite ornamental in Winter (especially if limbed up in youth to yield a scarless smooth trunk) the straight trunk of the species form eventually loses its central leader to several upright branches in the upper one-half of the mature canopy trunk exhibits a graceful basal flare with age to the shallow root system ID Summary a species with several cultivars exhibiting variation in growth habit (upright oval versus columnar versus pendulous) and foliage color (green versus purple versus variegated) in general, foliage is alternate, ovate, wavy-margined, and entire or subtley crenate, on short petioles trunks (with basal flare to the shallow root system) have smooth, gray, ornamental bark, while Winter buds are tan and very elongated, on stems that lie within the plane of the branch, for layered branching small, husky and prickly fruits dehisce in Autumn to reveal small, three-sided, pointed nuts that are consumed by wildlife Function specimen, shade, focal point, or wildlife attraction tree although rarely seen, this tree can be planted in a row and pruned into tall hedge form, being especially attractive if one of the purple-leaved cultivars is used Texture medium-textured in foliage and fine-textured when bare thick density in foliage and when bare (except in youth, when the branching is sparse, very open, and often asymmetrical) Assets many cultivars are available for alterna


What is the name of fictional character Dr Doolittle’s parrot?

The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle Submissions The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle "My community in San Rafael, CA just finished a 3 weekend run, and it was fantastic. Furthermore, the entire cast is considering going into group treatment to help us stop singing the play's songs day and night, to anyone who will listen. Just yesterday, I picked up my seven-year-old and started singing "Yo-ho, yo-ho..." And she was like, "Oh no, Mommy, I just finally got it out of my head and now you put it in again!" This play is so extremely well written, so full of wonderful characters and top notch, clever, and uplifting songs." —Julie Fingersh, San Rafael Community Services, Calif. "Get ready for the most exciting musical production to hit the Glenrock Auditorium Stage in years! Elliott B. Baker's music and lyrics, in his play as adapted from the book by Hugh Lofting, are captivating, exciting, and just downright fun. Make it a point not to miss this unbelievable, enjoyable, and delightful home-town production." —Casper Star Tribune American Stage Festival—2009 By Elliott Barry Baker. Adapted from the book by Hugh Lofting. Cast: 16-26+ actors (gender flexible) with as many villagers, animals, pirates, and Jolliginki as desired. "Who would have believed that animals have their own side of things?" One very special doctor with a deep understanding and love of animals finds he is able to speak with them. This one moment of comprehension is a light that carries John Dolittle, M.D., from one adventure to the next. Doctor Dolittle, Polynesia the parrot, Gug-Gub the pig, Jip the dog, Dab-Dab the duck and Chee-Chee the monkey travel to Africa to save the monkeys from a terrible plague. Once there they are captured and escape from the Jolliginki who want to serve them for dinner, elude misguided pirates who want to ransom them, and discover wild and wonderful never-before-seen animals. Even the famous African cannibal food critic, Mimi Eataton, makes an appearance. Doctor Dolittle comes to see that his love of learning coupled with his love of animals affords him a unique opportunity to speak on behalf of all animals. With the cooperation of all the animals of Africa, the doctor creates a solution that in the end protects the animals while providing new and better employment for the pirates and Jolliginki. Perseverance, patience and creativity win over ignorance every time." Area staging with set props. Approximate Running Time: 1 hour and 40 minutes. Also Available: An optional accompaniment CD is available for use with this show. See Rental Info for details. Music Samples


Which gemstone is known as ‘The Bishop’s Stone’?

Amethyst meaning nice colors Amethyst Gemstone meaning Crystalline quartz in shades of purple, lilac or mauve is called amethyst, a stone traditionally worn to guard against drunkeness and to instill a sober mind. The word amethyst comes from the Greek meaning "without drunkenness" and amethyst is believed to protect one from poison. Power Stone It is used as a dream stone and to help insomnia. Put an amethyst under your pillow to bring about pleasant dreams, or rub it across your forehead to offer relief from a headache. Protection Stone Ancient Egyptians used the amethyst guard against guilty and fearful feelings. It has been worn as protection from self-deception, as well as a protection against witchcraft. The amethyst has long been used to open the spiritual and psychic centers, making it one of the power stones. It is also used as a meditation aid when worn as a necklace. Wisdom Stone The amethyst is known as the Bishop's Stone and is still worn by Catholic Bishops. The amethyst symbolizes piety, humility, sincerity and spiritual wisdom. It is thought the amethyst is the perfect stone to symbolize The Age of Aquarius. Healing properties of Amethyst Amethyst is a gemstone often worn by healers, as it has the power to focus energy. A healer will usually wear several pieces of jewelry with amethysts set in silver, especially an amethyst necklace. The person to be healed will have an Amethyst to hold while the healing is being done. The healer will place another piece of Amethyst on the area of the body in need of healing, the heart or lungs usually. Amethyst is used for problems in the blood and in breathing problems. Amethyst crystal clusters are used to keep the air and life force in the home clean and positive. Amethyst clusters, points or several tumbled Amethysts placed in a window that receives sun most of the day are very beneficial to use in healing and to heal negativity in the home. Place Amethyst clusters, points or several tumbled Amethysts in moonlight and everyone in the home will be feeling calmer. Using an Amethyst as a meditation focus will increase the positive spiritual feelings.  Amethyst helps overcome fears and cravings. It also helps relieve headaches.


Which professional American bodybuilder, born in 1938, was known by the nickname ‘The Legend’?

Larry Scott (Bodybuilder) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Larry Scott Male Born Oct 12, 1938 Larry Scott, nicknamed "the Legend", born on October 12, 1938 in Blackfoot, Idaho is an American former IFBB professional bodybuilder. He won 1965 Mr. Olympia and the 1966 Mr. Olympia competition. related links View newly released photos of Larry Scott. No photos found for Larry Scott News + Updates Buffalo School Board Passes Resolution Telling Carl Paladino To Resign Within 24 Hours Huffington Post - Dec 29, 2016 ' \n BUFFALO, N.Y. â The Buffalo Board of Education voted 6-2 Thursday to issue a stunning ultimatum to Carl Paladino, one of their own members who has been under national fire for his racially charged comments about the Obamas: Resign within 24 hours, or the board will petition the state to remove you.Â  \n Paladino was Donald Trumpâs New York campaign co-chair and currently sits on the nine-member Buffalo school board. In recent days, heâs faced intense criticism for his answers to a local ... The Most Iconic Faces To Inspire Men's Grooming Over The Past 30 Years Huffington Post - Mar 27, 2015 'This article was written by Emma McKay and was originally published on AskMen. \n \nOn a crisp late January evening in Paris, in a sprawling bar, Le Perchoir, spanning several stories high above the streets of the 11th arrondissement, pro kiteboarder Youri Zoon ambles in for his interview. As we talk, the bar fills up with a who\'s who of Parisian cool, posing for photos and sipping bespoke cocktails: fashion industry savants, women in faux fur and big felt hats, avant-garde musicians. We\'r... Wsu Has Bye Week Before Playing Arizona Seattle Pi - Nov 06, 2013 '\n  (AP) â Washington State has lost three straight games by big scores and is in danger of missing out on a bowl game again.\n\nToo often the Cougars defense seemed unsure who had the ball, and gave up big yards\n\nThe Cougars need to win two of their remaining three games to become eligible for a bowl.\n\nJunior quarterback Connor Halliday had some harsh words for his team after the loss to Arizona State.\n\nPlayers must handle their own assignments and trust their teammates to do the sam... Ref Coordinator Resigns After 'inappropriate Joke' About Coach Huffington Post Sports - Apr 05, 2013 '\n     SAN FRANCISCO â Joking or not, perception proved to be too much for Ed Rush to remain the Pac-12\'s Conference\'s coordinator of officials. \n\n Rush resigned Thursday following comments during internal meetings before the league tournament that appeared to target Arizona\'s Sean Miller, including perceived accusations that he placed a bounty on the Wildcats coach. \n     \"I want to express my appreciation for the great contribution Ed made to basketball officiating for the C... Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Larry Scott. CHILDHOOD 1938 Birth Born on October 12, 1938. TEENAGE 1956 17 Years Old Scott is said to have possessed little apparent genetic potential when he started training with weights in 1956, his narrow shoulders having been a particular weak spot. … Read More He trained with Vince Gironda, another well-known bodybuilder of the golden age. Scott is best known for his arm development - and perhaps most for his impressive biceps which were unusually long, allowing for good development and shape. Scott attributes his football-shaped biceps to an exercise invented by Gironda, "The Preacher Curl," which became standard repertoire among many bodybuilders, and is often called the Scott Curl due to the association with Scott. Nowadays Scott lives in Salt Lake City, Utah where he runs his own personal training company. Read Less TWENTIES 1960 21 Years Old From 1960 until his retirement from competition in 1966, Scott was bodybuilding's top superstar. … Read More Bodybuilding magazines soon began capitalizing on his image, but Larry - an IFBB athlete - wrote exclusively for Joe Weider's publications. Larry's popularity completely eclipsed all other bodybuilders of his time, including such famous personalities as Freddy Ortiz, Chuc


Every month which has a Friday 13th begins on which day of the week?

2015 has three Friday the 13ths. What are the odds? | Human World | EarthSky 2015 has three Friday the 13ths. What are the odds? By Bruce McClure in Human World | Science Wire | November 13, 2015 November 13, 2015 presents the third of three Friday the 13ths in 2015. Here’s the story behind 2015’s trio of Friday the 13ths. Scared of Friday the 13th? An irrational fear of this date is called friggatriskaidekaphobia (Frigga is the Norse goddess for whom Friday is named).  Image via Kelli Marshall November 13, 2015 is a Friday, ushering in Act III of this year’s epic Friday the 13th trilogy. We had a Friday the 13th in February and March. To cap things off, we’ll have a Friday the 13th in November, exactly 39 weeks (3 x 13 weeks) after Friday, February 13, 2015! Not that we at EarthSky suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia – an irrational fear of Friday the 13th – but, gosh darn, it’s Friday the 13th three times over in 2015. What’s more, last year’s lone Friday the 13th on June 13, 2014, occurred exactly 39 weeks (3 x 13 weeks) before the Friday the 13th in March 2015. Also, next year’s lone Friday the 13th on May 13, 2016, will happen exactly 26 weeks (2 x 13 weeks) after the Friday the 13th in November 2015. Follow the links below to learn more about why some people fear this day and about 2015’s three Friday the 13ths. Can three Friday the 13ths occur in a leap year? The Friday the 13th slasher-movie franchise helped keep this day maintain its notoriety. Image via Wikimedia Commons Gioachino Rossini, a 19th century Italian composer. Folklorists say there's no written evidence that Friday the 13th was considered unlucky before the 19th century. The earliest known documented reference in English appears to be in Henry Sutherland Edwards' 1869 biography of Rossini. Scary coincidence or super unlucky? Neither. It’s just a quirk of our calendar, as you’ll see if you keep reading. The fact is that, according to folklorists, there’s no written evidence that Friday the 13th was considered unlucky before the 19th century. The earliest known documented reference in English appears to be in Henry Sutherland Edwards’ 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini. His portrait is on this page. He doesn’t look scary. Friday has always gotten a bad rap. In the Middle Ages, people would not marry – or set out on a journey – on a Friday. There are also some links between Christianity and an ill association with either Fridays or the number 13. Jesus was said to be crucified on a Friday. Seating 13 people at a table was seen as bad luck because Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, is said to have been the 13th guest at the Last Supper. Meanwhile, our word for Friday comes from Frigga, an ancient Scandinavian fertility and love goddess. Christians called Frigga a witch and Friday the witches’ Sabbath. In modern times, the slasher-movie franchise Friday the 13th has helped keep friggatriskaidekaphobia alive. Enjoying EarthSky so far? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today! In 2015, blame Thursday. The year 2015 started on a Thursday. Whenever a common year of 365 days starts on a Thursday, it’s inevitable that the months of February, March and November will start on a Sunday. And any month starting on a Sunday always has a Friday the 13th. Of course, February has exactly four weeks in a non-leap year. So, for that reason, the days of the week have to match up with the same dates in both February and March during any common year. In any year, the days of the week always fall on the same dates in both March and November. In short, because the year 2015 started on a Thursday, that means February, March and November all have to start on a Sunday and all must have a Friday the 13th. The February-March-November Friday the 13th trilogy repeats … More often than you might imagine! The last February-March-November Friday the 13th year happened six years ago, in 2009, for the first time in the 21st century (2001-2100). It will next happen eleven years from now, in 2026. After that, the following February-March-November Friday


What do the French ‘Appellation d’Origine Controlee’ laws regulate?

French Wine Classifications AOC Law Wine Grapes Vineyards of France French Wine Classifications AOC Law Wine Grapes Vineyards of France Vineyards of France France is not only the world’s most famous wine growing country, it also takes credit for being one of the world’s oldest wine regions as well. The ancient Romans began cultivating vines in France about 125 BC. They moved into the Rhone valley not too long after that. By the first century AD, the Romans were also active in Bordeaux . Ancient ruins and antiquities can be easily spotted all over France, especially in Bordeaux as well in the Rhone Valley. The Romans knew what to look for. They wanted to plant on hillsides with exposure to the sun and natural drainage. Plus the vineyards could not be too far from towns and cities to allow for ease in trading. As of 2016, France is second in production of wine, at least in terms of volume all over the world. Only Spain makes more wine today. Currently, over 792,000 hectares of vines are planted with the purpose of growing grapes for wine in France. This is a change in the amount of planted hectares as less than a decade ago, France had 861,000 planted hectares. The French Governmental Agricultural board has helped force the reduction in the amount of vines planted, as several small vineyards in poor areas were not able to make money selling their grapes or wine. Those 792,000 hectares planted in France, depending on the vintage can produce between 7 and 8 billion bottles of wine per year! Yes, that is Billions with a B! That makes France the world’s most important wine producing region in terms of volume and in dollar value. France, Spain, Italy and America are the world’s largest producers of wine in terms of dollars and hectoliters. However, that could one day change as China is rapidly catching up in production as they are now in the top 5 producers as well. In fact, China now has more more planted hectares of vines than France. Chinese vineyards now occupy up to 11% of the world’s plantings for grapes used to produce wine. The growth in China is massive when you consider that in 2000, they had less than 4% of the world’s vineyards. But the amount of wine and dollar value of the wine remains dwarfed by France. In fact, at least 85 of the world’s most important wines are produced in France. France still stands above all the other wine producing countries with its massive volume of wine, and more importantly, its ability to export their wine all over the world! However, for those of you that like to look at numbers, Spain has 1.02 Million hectares, China, 799,000 hectares, France, 792,000 hectares, Italy, 690,000 hectares and Turkey comes in at #5 with 502,000 hectares. For years, France claimed the record for the most hectares of land, cultivated with wine grapes. That is no longer the case, at least as of 2016. Today, Interestingly, the areas with the most land planted with grapes are Spain, China, France and Australia. This is not to be confused with volume in terms of hectoliters, number of bottles, or value, but in pure raw land, France has fallen behind, and that trend is expected to continue. For those that like vineyards by the numbers, the largest appellation is the Languedoc with almost 2000,000 hectares of vines. The honor for the single largest vineyard belongs to San Bernabe Vineyards in Monterey California . Today it has close to a whopping 2,800 hectares of vines! France, with its ocean of wine makes both red wine and white wine. Out of all that French wine, about 70% of it is devoted to the production of French red wine and 30% is devoted to making French white wine. While wine is produced all over France, the most important, top wine producing appellations of France are: Alsace, Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Corsica, Jura, Languedoc-Roussillon, Lorie, Provence, Rhone Valley, Savoy and South West France. The most top, most important appellation for wine production in France based on volume per vintage and dollar value is Bordeaux. In fact Bordeaux produces an average of more than 450 million


The browning of apples - Materials Today The apple story 15 September 2015 | David Bradley Earlier this year, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved genetically modified apples - "Arctic Grannies" - that do not express at high levels the enzyme PPO when they are sliced open and so, purportedly do not turn brown, these Grannies stay whiter than white or greener than green, depending on your perspective. Now, our dog is a malophile, loves apples. Well actually, she is a yellow Labrador retriever and will eat almost anything. This week, however, when our backs are turned she has taken to plucking the low-hanging fruit from the apple tree in our garden. My wife caught the little malophile red-pawed and harvested for the humans in the family the few apples that were left. She then proceeded to juice them and, not surprisingly, the liquor took on the familiar brown hue of apple exposed to the air and having undergone enzymatic browning through the action of that aforementioned enzyme PPO (polyphenol oxidase). It's not an attractive color, so, on a whim and with a little chemical savvy she added some ascorbic acid (vitamin C) along with the sugar to the pan in which she was simmering the brew. The addition of the vitamin C visually reversed the browning and the pan carried on gently bubbling with fifty shades of green...not even a hint of beige to be seen. As a lowly chemist, I'd always assumed that the oxidative and enzymatic degradation of apples to that brown color was an irreversible biochemical process. Obviously, you can use lemon or lime juice to stave it off (ascorbic, anti-scurvy, acid, you see?) but once it has gone over to the brown side, I'd assumed (in fact, we both assumed) that that was it. A quick web search gave a few vague hints. A research paper from the journal HortScience entitled " Enzymatic Browning, Polyphenol Oxidase Activity, and Polyphenols in Four Apple Cultivars: Dynamics during Fruit Development " from a team at the University of Santa Catarina in Brazil who had this to say: "Enzymatic browning is one of the most important reactions that occur in fruits and vegetables, usually resulting in negative effects on color, taste, flavor, and nutritional value. The reaction is a consequence of phenolic compounds' oxidation by polyphenol oxidase (PPO), which triggers the generation of dark pigments. This is particularly relevant for apples, which are rich in polyphenols and highly susceptible to enzymatic browning." As plant secondary metabolites, phenolic compounds produce colors, astringency, flavor, and have nutritional qualities in fruits and vegetables. Now, I should have known, and maybe I did in my chemical youth, that these compounds are perhaps acting as indicators of oxidation state and thus, as with many other indicator compounds will exist in equilibrium and thus oscillate between colors (or colorless states) depending on the concentrations of other chemicals (acids, alkalis) present in the mix. But, I wasn't sure. Further web searching revealed that various people who put sliced apple in their kids' school lunchboxes discovered that a sprinkling of vitamin C protected the slices from browning, and at least one "soccer mom" discovered that she could reverse the browning, even after the fruity snack had been ignored in the lunchbox for a whole day...making it fine for eating as an enforced, after-school snack for "Junior"... There are countless web pages with tips for malophiles with the knowledge to keep their beloved fruit of life from turning brown. And, of course you could opt for those GM apples that apparently never turn brown, once the regulators and the market perish the thought of leaving them on the shelf, as it were. David Bradley blogs at  Sciencebase Science Blog  and tweets @sciencebase, he is author of the bestselling science book "Deceived Wisdom".


Which actor played the title role in the 1968 film ‘Bullitt’?

Bullitt (1968) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb Full Cast & Crew (novel) (as Robert L. Pike) Cast (in credits order) verified as complete   Create a character page for: Create » hair designer: Steve McQueen (uncredited) Production Management  a list of 30 titles created 18 Mar 2011 a list of 25 titles created 08 Aug 2011 a list of 30 titles created 16 Nov 2014 a list of 35 titles created 2 months ago a list of 34 titles created 1 month ago   IMDb Everywhere Find showtimes, watch trailers, browse photos, track your Watchlist and rate your favorite movies and TV shows on your phone or tablet!


Professor Philip Brainard, Wilson Croft and Martha George are all characters in which Disney film?

Wilson Croft | Disney Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Professor Wilson Croft is one of the main antagonists of the 1997 film Flubber . The other being Chester Hoenicker. He is established as a long-time rival of the protagonist, Professor Philip Brainard , and often profited by stealing his ideas. Role in the film When introduced, Wilson is very blunt in his approach and declares his intent to not only continue stealing from Brainard, but also takes his fiancée, Dr. Sara Jean Reynolds , from him and make her his own (in effect, this means stealing even more from Brainard than he already has). This character article is a stub . You can help Disney Wiki by expanding it .


The Brockton Blockbuster was the nickname of which American boxer?

rompedas: THE BROCKTON BLOCKBUSTER THE BROCKTON BLOCKBUSTER Birth Name: Rocco Francis Marchegiano Born: 1923-09-01 Trainers: Charley Goldman & Al Columbo Officiating Record: Referee (Wikipedia) On Sept. 1, 1923 Mr. and Mrs. Pierino Marchegiano of Brockton, Massachusetts became the proud parents of an extraordinarily robust baby boy. The twelve pound child was christened Rocco Marchegiano, but the world would one day know him as the legendary boxer Rocky Marciano. When "bambino Rocco" was 18 months of age, he contracted pneumonia. Even though the infection nearly killed him - his doctor claimed that his remarkably strong constitution enabled him to survive without impairment. As a child, Rocky relished his mother's Italian cooking so much he often bordered on being a bit stocky, which was underscored by his relatively short but muscular arms and legs. However, even at this tender age, his overall bearing suggested he possessed unusual physical strength.... During his early teenage years, Rocky took great advantage of living across the street from Brockton's James Edgar Playground, where he especially enjoyed playing baseball. It was during this period that he began the habit of exercising to his limit. Spending countless hours hitting and chasing after baseballs, he would ultimately go home and do chin-ups and lift homemade weights until he was totally fatigued. After supper, he and his pals spent many happy hours pummeling a stuffed mail sack that hung from an oak tree in the Marchegiano's back yard. In hot weather, they usually finished off such workouts "by racing over to Saxton's Spring to get a drink of its sparkling cold water....." ( Gerald Beals, An Abridged Biography Of The Life Of Rocky Marciano. . . June, 1999 at rockymarciano.com) Rocky Marciano..... born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, was an Italian-American boxer and the heavyweight champion of the world from September 23, 1952, to April 27, 1956, when he retired as the only heavyweight champion in boxing history to retire having won every fight in his professional career. In March 1943, Marciano was drafted into the army for a term of two years. Stationed in Wales, he helped ferry supplies across the English Channel to Normandy. After the war ended, he completed his service in March 1946 at Fort Lewis, Washington. While awaiting discharge, Marciano, representing the army, won the 1946 amateur armed forces boxing tournament. His amateur career was interrupted on March 17, 1947, when Marciano stepped into the ring as a professional competitor. That night, he knocked out Lee Epperson in three rounds. In an unusual move, however, Marciano returned to the amateur ranks and fought in the Golden Gloves All-East Championship Tournament in March 1948. He was beaten by Coley Wallace. He continued to fight as an amateur throughout the spring and competed in the AAU Olympic tryouts in the Boston Garden. There, he knocked out George McInnis, but hurt his hands during the bout and was forced to withdraw from the tournament. That was his last amateur bout. His amateur years, with an 8-4 record, would be the last time Marciano experienced a loss. (Wikipedia) From Wikipedia From AAIB Ever since he was a teenager in Brockton, Massachusetts, people have often referred to Rocky Marciano as "that tough Italian kid" with incredible punching power. To many, Rocky Marciano's fabled story was the inspiration for the ever-popular "Rocky" series made famous by Sylvester Stallone. His trademarks were a powerful right cross and an ability to endure punishment. Rocky was one of the toughest, hardest working, and hardest hitting champions of all time. He was a complex and charming individual who happened to have an amazing ability to knock opponent out of the ring..... Throughout his career, the gritty and seemingly indestructible Marciano never forgot and always revered his Italian heritage. It was said that he was able to draw upon his modest upbringing in a working class Italian neighborhood in Brockton, Massachusetts, to help him overcome adversity in the ring. (Art by Coupe) Signed in B


Hu Jintao became President of which country in 2003?

Hu Jintao Hu Jintao Hu Jintao was elected president of the People's Republic of China on March 15, 2003. He is now general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, president of the People's Republic of China, chairman of the Central Military Commission. Hu Jintao, a native of Jixi, Anhui Province, was born in December 1942. He joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in April 1964 and began to work in July 1965 after he graduated from the Water Conservancy Engineering Department of Tsinghua University, where he had a major in the study of hub hydropower stations. He is an engineer. Hu began to work at the grassroots in west China's Gansu Province in 1968 and stayed there until 1982 when he became a member of the Secretariat of the Communist Youth League of China Central Committee and president of the All-China Youth Federation. Beginning in 1985, he was appointed, successively, secretary of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee and of the CPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee. In 1992, 49-year-old Hu was elected member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee at the First Plenum of the 14th CPC Central Committee, which was then widely considered as an important step the CPC had taken toward generational transition of the central leadership. From 1993 to the end of 2002, Hu was concurrently president of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, which has been the training base for senior CPC cadres and backbones of theoretical studies over the past 70 years. In September 1997, Hu was re-elected member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee at the First Plenum of the 15th CPC Central Committee. Hu became vice-president of China in March 1998 and vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission in September 1999. In November 2002, Hu was elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee at the 16th National Congress of the CPC. In March 2003, He was elected president of China at the First Session of the 10th National People's Congress, the top legislature of the country. Hu and his wife Liu Yongqing were schoolmates at Qinghua University. The couple have a son and a daughter, who are also graduates of Qinghua University. 1959-1964: Student at the Water Conservancy Engineering Department of Tsinghua University. 1964-1965: Postgraduate and political instructor at the Water Conservancy Engineering Department of Tsinghua University. 1965-1968: Participated in R&D at the Water Conservancy Engineering Department of Tsinghua University and served as political instructor before the start of the "cultural revolution." 1968-1969: Worked with the housing construction team of Liujia Gorge Engineering Bureau, Ministry of Water Conservancy. 1969-1974: Technician and secretary of No. 813 Sub-Bureau, Fourth Engineering Bureau, Ministry of Water Conservancy and deputy-secretary of the general Party branch of the sub-bureau's head office. 1974-1975: Secretary of the Gansu Provincial Construction Committee (GPCC). 1975-1980: Deputy director of the design management division, GPCC. 1980-1982: Vice chairman of GPCC and secretary of the Gansu Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League (Sept.1982-Dec.1982). 1982-1984: Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, chairman of the All-China Youth Federation. 1984-1985: First secretary, Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China. 1985-1988: Secretary of the Guizhou Provincial Party Committee. 1988-1992: Secretary of the Party Committee of Tibet Autonomous Region. 1992-1993: Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee. 1993-1998: Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, president of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee. 1998-1999: Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee,


What does Nature require five of, Custom require seven of, Laziness take nine of and Wickedness take eleven of?

Accidental Insomniac - CatholicMom.com - Celebrating Catholic Motherhood Wickedness eleven. Hmm. Vacation days? Hot tub soaks? Martinis? The answer was hours of sleep. The human body, it was said, can function on a mere five hours of sleep nightly. Remember, now, Mike and I were newlyweds at the time, making the transition from single to married life. My own single life had consisted of forty hours of work per seven days, with the remaining time divided between sleeping and disco dancing. Married life, I found, was not much different; I just replaced disco dancing with housekeeping activities, while maintaining a rather indulgent sleep schedule. So, naturally, when I learned that I was supposed to be able to function on a nickel’s worth of sleep each night, I was incredulous. One year later, though, I couldn’t muster feelings of incredulity for all the z’s in dreamland. I was just too exhausted. If “nature needs but five,” my lifestyle had become downright unnatural. I’d become a mother. Little did I know that my hands-on education in sleep deprivation had just begun. It took nine children and 10,000 wakeful nights to earn my degree. Here are a few of the tough lessons I learned: 1) “Sleep like a baby” is a contradiction in terms. When I was expecting our first child, my mother-in-law told me that newborns sleep 22 hours per day. And maybe they do…on Pluto, where a day lasts 153 hours. In our corner of the galaxy, however, newborns don’t sleep; they simply switch to standby mode. The closed eyes, relaxed fists, and angelic expressions of infants in standby give the appearance of total shutdown. However, the sounds produced by such things as hand embroidery, the folding of bath towels, and the practice of meditation will cause instant reactivation. 2) Mommy and Daddy’s bed is the center of gravity. Girls’ bedroom sets feature pastel princesses and enough frilly accessories to keep Cinderella dusting past midnight. Boys’ ensembles flaunt unnaturally-colored dinosaurs embedded with computer chips that “roar” each time Junior springs out of bed. Appealing, yes, but the kids won’t stick around long enough to enjoy such finery. Most nights they’ll abandon their charmed quarters for their parents’ fuddy-duddy posturepedic. Even if Daddy does end up doing some roaring of his own – without the aid of a computer chip. 3) Once Dad starts packing, the kids begin hacking. Or worse. No sooner had Mike departed for a business trip to England than a stomach virus intruded on our family, taking down everyone under age 12. While Mike was toasting London, I was home toasting Wonder bread to settle queasy stomachs. Seventy-two hours later, I stood among the dirty laundry and dry toast crusts, trying to wish myself into some condition which would require complete bed rest and a call to the local maid service. I never made it into bed, but I did come down with the stomach flu – at a more opportune time. (See #4.) 4) Husbands need their blankies, too. Your husband will suffer acute pains of loneliness while you are off feeding Baby at 2:00am. He may even swipe your blanket in a touching attempt to recreate the nearness of you. Don’t disturb his slumber by taking back your blanket when you return to the bedroom. Instead, get down on the dark floor and feel your way among the articles of work clothing which he has been tossing there every afternoon for the past 5 days. Try to locate something snuggly and warm – a terrycloth piece, perhaps- and wrap yourself in it before climbing into bed. With luck, you’ll experience a sudden, violent episode of stomach flu while nestled in Hubby’s plush monogrammed bathrobe. 5) 3:12 on a Tuesday morning is a good time to redecorate. Just you and your wee nursling, in the wee hours, cuddling in your own special recliner. And since the clutter was shoved under the sofa when Mom came to visit last evening, the furniture is free of its usual veneer of books, blocks, and burp cloths. Never mind that the late hour has you feeling more like Rip Van Winkle than Martha Stewart; there’s no better time to uncross your tir


Which US President is depicted on a $2 bank note?

Six Kinds of United States Paper Currency Six Kinds of United States Paper Currency On 10 July 1929 the United States replaced its large size currency, like the Series 1923 Silver Certificate One Dollar bill above (click on the image for the reverse design), with small size notes, like the corresponding Series 1928 note following: The purpose of this change was simply to save some money on paper, but the timing inadvertently signified a new era in United States money. When the change was made there were no less than six kinds of United States paper currency, but only three months later the stock market crash ushered in the era of the Great Depression, during which three of those kinds of currency would disappear. Thirty years later, two of the remaining kinds of currency would also disappear, leaving only one. The six kinds of currency in 1929, colored coded with the colors of their seals and serial numbers, and with the denominations they were issued in series 1928 and 1929 (though not always in those years themselves), were: United States Notes (Series 1928: $1 $2 $5) Go! Gold Certificates (Series 1928: $10 $20 $50 $100 $500 $1000 $5000 $10,000) Go! National Bank Notes (Series 1929: $5 $10 $20 $50 $100) Go! Silver Certificates (Series 1928: $1) Go! Federal Reserve Bank Notes (Series 1929: $5 $10 $20 $50 $100) Go! Federal Reserve Notes (Series 1928: $5 $10 $20 $50 $100 $500 $1000 $5000 $10,000) Go! The three kinds of currency that remained after the Depression were: United States Notes (Series 1953: $2 $5) Go! Silver Certificates (Series 1953: $5 $10 -- Series 1957: $1) Go! Federal Reserve Notes (Series 1950: $5 $10 $20 $50 $100) Go! And all that remained by 1970 were: Federal Reserve Notes (Series 1969: $1 $5 $10 $20 $50 $100 -- Series 1976: $2) Go! . The origin and nature of these kinds of currency will be considered below. Although the color of the seals and serial numbers on Gold Certificates was yellow, here orange is used for greater contrast. The reverse of large note Gold Certificates had actually been orange, "goldbacks" as opposed to "greenbacks"; but small note Gold Certificates were made "greenbacks" also. (That was reversed with series 1934 Gold Certificates, which again had orange reverses, but those notes never circulated to the public). That was part of a process to unify the design of all the currency. The variety of large note design gave way to common elements and a common look for the small notes. This changed little over the years, until a radically redesigned $100 bill was introduced in the 1990's, inaugurating a gradual change in all the currency for security reasons. United States currency had never featured anti-counterfeiting devices like watermarked paper and security threads, which had appeared in foreign money decades earlier. All the small notes featured a portrait of Washington for the $1 note, Jefferson for $2, Lincoln for $5, Hamilton for $10, Jackson for $20, Grant for $50, Franklin for $100, McKinley for $500, Cleveland for $1000, Madison for $5000, and Chase for the $10,000. When one series of $100,000 notes was issued (1934 Gold Certificates), Wilson was put on them. Although these portraits are often called "dead presidents," three of them, Hamilton, Franklin, and Chase, were never Presidents. Large notes had featured many more portraits, including Martha Washington, William Tecumseh Sherman, John Marshall, James Monroe, the Sioux Indian Takokainyanka, Samuel F.B. Morse, and many others. Salmon P. Chase, on the $10,000 bill, was an old Abolitionist lawyer and politician (from the pre-Republican Liberty Party). As it happened, he was appointed by Abraham Lincoln to be Secretary of the Treasury and was responsible both for the introduction of federal paper money during the Civil War and for the motto "In God We Trust," which was introduced on the coinage at that time (but which did not appear on currency until 1957). In 1864 Chase was appointed Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, and in that capacity he ruled that the "Legal Tender" United States Notes had


Speleology is the scientific study or exploration of what?

Speleology | Define Speleology at Dictionary.com speleology [spee-lee-ol-uh-jee] /ˌspi liˈɒl ə dʒi/ Spell the exploration and study of caves. Origin of speleology 1890-95; < Latin spēlae(um) (see spelaean ) + -o- + -logy Related forms [spee-lee-uh-loj-i-kuh l] /ˌspi li əˈlɒdʒ ɪ kəl/ (Show IPA), adjective speleologist, noun British Dictionary definitions for speleology Expand noun 1. the scientific study of caves, esp in respect of their geological formation, flora and fauna, etc 2. the sport or pastime of exploring caves Derived Forms C19: from Latin spēlaeum cave Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Actors Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly appeared together on screen for the first time in which 1946 film?

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


John Alderton played teacher Bernard Hedges in which UK television series?

PLEASE SIR! | A TELEVISION HEAVEN REVIEW   PLEASE SIR! / THE FENN STREET GANG (1968) Possibly inspired by the 1967 Sidney Potier movie, 'To Sir, With Love' -'Please Sir!' starred former Emergency Ward 10 actor John Alderton as newly qualified teacher Bernard Hedges (specialising in History and English), as he tried to tame the most unruly class at Fenn Street School; 5C. On his first day at school Bernard crossed swords with caretaker Norman Potter (Deryck Guyler), a former Desert Rat with delusions of grandeur, although with some credibility as he was the right hand man of incompetent headmaster, Maurice Cromwell (Noel Howlett), who in turn was the subject of infatuation by formidable deputy head Doris Ewell (Joan Sanderson). This trio virtually ran the school much to the resignation of the rest of the disillusioned staff and the last thing they wanted to disturb the balance was a young schoolmaster fresh out of teachers training college and full of bright ideals about modern teaching. In order to curb Bernard's naïve enthusiasm it was conspired between the trio to give him a class of 'no-hopers', namely 5C. In their last year at school the pupils of this class were an uneducable bunch of delinquents who were simply biding their time until the final bell sounded on the last day of term. This of course did not involve participating in any school activities such as lessons. However, through a series of (comical) events Bernard managed to win over not only the staff but also the class of pupils (who nicknamed him 'Privet' Hedges) that contained 'hard case' Patrick Duffy (Peter Cleall), the tough talking but wimpish Frankie (Hank) Abbott (David Barry), slow witted Dennis Dunstable (Peter Denyer), flirtatious Sharon (Penny Spencer in the first two season's, Carol Hawkins thereafter), and Maureen (Liz Gebhart), who had a crush on her teacher. Support on the teacher front came from Richard Davies who gave a first class performance as the down to earth no-nonsense Welsh science teacher, Mr Price, and the aging Eric Chitty as Mr Smith, a teacher that was clearly beyond retirement age at the series outset. In fact most of the actors who played the students were already in their twenties when Please Sir! began in 1968 and two years later (at the end of the longest last year in school history) the pupils were clearly showing their age. The series made stars of several actors although oddly none of the students found lasting television fame. LWT Head of Light Entertainment, Frank Muir, cast Alderton as Bernard Hedges after he had spotted him as a teacher in the opening episode of Never A Cross Word. After leaving Fenn Street School the actor went on to several successful series such as Upstairs, Downstairs, it's spin-off series Thomas and Sarah, the LWT sitcom No-Honestly and a series of Wodehouse plays (Wodehouse Playhouse) for BBC (all of which Alderton co-starred alongside his wife, Pauline Collins), and the BBC sitcom My Wife Next Door with Hannah Gordon. Joan Sanderson won television immortality as Mrs Richards, the hotel guest with hearing problems in Fawlty Towers and after Please Sir! had finished she teamed up again with Deryck Guyler (who was originally cast as Fenn Street's headmaster) on a BBC radio show (also penned by the same writers), You're Only Young Once. A 1971 feature movie was released in which Bernard meets and begins to date Penny Wheeler (Jill Kerman), and this was carried on in subsequent TV series of Please Sir! and its predecessor, The Fenn Street Gang (which in turn spawned Bowler), which briefly followed the fortunes of the pupils after they left school. The series was the creation of former school chums and a new-to-television comedy writing team of John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, who went on to write Get Some In!; Ever Decreasing Circles; As Time Goes By and the enormously successful The Good Life. Actor David Barry has fond memories of working on the show and told Television Heaven that he thought the writing was always of the highest quality. "(They) wrote some wonderful comedy dialogue," he said, not


What was the first name of US army officer Custer, who died at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876?

Battle of Little Bighorn - Jun 25, 1876 - HISTORY.com Battle of Little Bighorn Publisher A+E Networks On this day in 1876, Native American forces led by Chiefs Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull defeat the U.S. Army troops of Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer in a bloody battle near southern Montana’s Little Bighorn River. Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, leaders of the Sioux tribe on the Great Plains, strongly resisted the mid-19th-century efforts of the U.S. government to confine their people to reservations. In 1875, after gold was discovered in South Dakota’s Black Hills, the U.S. Army ignored previous treaty agreements and invaded the region. This betrayal led many Sioux and Cheyenne tribesmen to leave their reservations and join Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse in Montana. By the late spring of 1876, more than 10,000 Native Americans had gathered in a camp along the Little Bighorn River–which they called the Greasy Grass–in defiance of a U.S. War Department order to return to their reservations or risk being attacked. In mid-June, three columns of U.S. soldiers lined up against the camp and prepared to march. A force of 1,200 Native Americans turned back the first column on June 17. Five days later, General Alfred Terry ordered Custer’s 7th Cavalry to scout ahead for enemy troops. On the morning of June 25, Custer drew near the camp and decided to press on ahead rather than wait for reinforcements. At mid-day, Custer’s 600 men entered the Little Bighorn Valley. Among the Native Americans, word quickly spread of the impending attack. The older Sitting Bull rallied the warriors and saw to the safety of the women and children, while Crazy Horse set off with a large force to meet the attackers head on. Despite Custer’s desperate attempts to regroup his men, they were quickly overwhelmed. Custer and some 200 men in his battalion were attacked by as many as 3,000 Native Americans; within an hour, Custer and every last one of his soldier were dead. The Battle of Little Bighorn–also called Custer’s Last Stand–marked the most decisive Native American victory and the worst U.S. Army defeat in the long Plains Indian War. The gruesome fate of Custer and his men outraged many white Americans and confirmed their image of the Indians as wild and bloodthirsty. Meanwhile, the U.S. government increased its efforts to subdue the tribes. Within five years, almost all of the Sioux and Cheyenne would be confined to reservations. Related Videos


Who is the title character in the Shakespeare play ‘The Merchant of Venice’?

SparkNotes: The Merchant of Venice: Character List The Merchant of Venice Plot Overview Analysis of Major Characters Shylock -  A Jewish moneylender in Venice. Angered by his mistreatment at the hands of Venice’s Christians, particularly Antonio, Shylock schemes to eke out his revenge by ruthlessly demanding as payment a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Although seen by the rest of the play’s characters as an inhuman monster, Shylock at times diverges from stereotype and reveals himself to be quite human. These contradictions, and his eloquent expressions of hatred, have earned Shylock a place as one of Shakespeare’s most memorable characters. Read an in-depth analysis of Shylock. Portia -  A wealthy heiress from Belmont. Portia’s beauty is matched only by her intelligence. Bound by a clause in her father’s will that forces her to marry whichever suitor chooses correctly among three caskets, Portia is nonetheless able to marry her true love, Bassanio. Far and away the most clever of the play’s characters, it is Portia, in the disguise of a young law clerk, who saves Antonio from Shylock’s knife. Read an in-depth analysis of Portia. Antonio -  The merchant whose love for his friend Bassanio prompts him to sign Shylock’s contract and almost lose his life. Antonio is something of a mercurial figure, often inexplicably melancholy and, as Shylock points out, possessed of an incorrigible dislike of Jews. Nonetheless, Antonio is beloved of his friends and proves merciful to Shylock, albeit with conditions. Read an in-depth analysis of Antonio. Bassanio -  A gentleman of Venice, and a kinsman and dear friend to Antonio. Bassanio’s love for the wealthy Portia leads him to borrow money from Shylock with Antonio as his guarantor. An ineffectual businessman, Bassanio proves himself a worthy suitor, correctly identifying the casket that contains Portia’s portrait. Gratiano -  A friend of Bassanio’s who accompanies him to Belmont. A coarse and garrulous young man, Gratiano is Shylock’s most vocal and insulting critic during the trial. While Bassanio courts Portia, Gratiano falls in love with and eventually weds Portia’s lady-in-waiting, Nerissa. Jessica -  Although she is Shylock’s daughter, Jessica hates life in her father’s house, and elopes with the young Christian gentleman, Lorenzo. The fate of her soul is often in doubt: the play’s characters wonder if her marriage can overcome the fact that she was born a Jew, and we wonder if her sale of a ring given to her father by her mother is excessively callous. Lorenzo -  A friend of Bassanio and Antonio, Lorenzo is in love with Shylock’s daughter, Jessica. He schemes to help Jessica escape from her father’s house, and he eventually elopes with her to Belmont. Nerissa -  Portia’s lady-in-waiting and confidante. She marries Gratiano and escorts Portia on Portia’s trip to Venice by disguising herself as her law clerk. Launcelot Gobbo -  Bassanio’s servant. A comical, clownish figure who is especially adept at making puns, Launcelot leaves Shylock’s service in order to work for Bassanio. The prince of Morocco -  A Moorish prince who seeks Portia’s hand in marriage. The prince of Morocco asks Portia to ignore his dark countenance and seeks to win her by picking one of the three caskets. Certain that the caskets reflect Portia’s beauty and stature, the prince of Morocco picks the gold chest, which proves to be incorrect. The prince of Arragon -  An arrogant Spanish nobleman who also attempts to win Portia’s hand by picking a casket. Like the prince of Morocco, however, the prince of Arragon chooses unwisely. He picks the silver casket, which gives him a message calling him an idiot instead of Portia’s hand. Salarino -  A Venetian gentleman, and friend to Antonio, Bassanio, and Lorenzo. Salarino escorts the newlyweds Jessica and Lorenzo to Belmont, and returns with Bassanio and Gratiano for Antonio’s trial. He is often almost indistinguishable from his companion Solanio. Solanio -  A Venetian gentleman, and frequent counterpart to Salarino. The duke of Venice -  The ruler of Venice, who presides ov