Whose controversial US presidential campaigning greatly increased his popularity within his party in 2015, yet increased party fears that it would unelectable should he lead it?

2016 Presidential Candidates & Election News - ABC News ABC News President Obama Reveals His Advice to Trump in Final Press Conference In his final White House press conference, President Obama said he's emphasized to President-elect Trump the importance of surrounding himself with a strong team of advisers. "This is a job of such magnitude that you can't do it by yourself," Obama said. "You are enormously reliant on a team: your cabinet, your senior White House staff, all the way to fairly junior folks in their 20s and 30s, but executing on significant responsibilities. And so, how you put a team together to make sure that they are getting you the best information and they are teeing up the options is probably the most useful constructive advice I've been able to give him." http://abcn.ws/2iAO8GV 2. 'I Don't Like to Lie' and Other Notable Recent Trump Quotes In the days before the Inauguration, Donald Trump gave a number of interviews, touching on a range of topics from how he likes to receive his intelligence briefings to lying. The president-elect also showed that he's not only thinking about the big day this Friday but looking four years ahead as well, teasing his re-election's campaign slogan. Here is a round up of six of the most interesting morsels that came out the interviews that Trump granted in the past day. http://abcn.ws/2k5aAbm 3. Trump's HHS Pick, Tom Price, Says It's 'Not Our Goal' for Americans to Lose Health Coverage Rep. Tom Price, R-Georgia, Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, told senators in a confirmation hearing today that the incoming Trump administration aims to prevent Americans from losing their health care in a transition from the current system to any GOP replacement. "There has been a lot of talk about individuals losing health coverage and that is not our goal nor our desire nor our plan," Price said. "Nobody is interested in pulling the rug out from under anybody," he said of Republicans seeking to repeal and replace the health care law. http://abcn.ws/2iAchgU 4. Pence Says 'Obamacare' Users Should Have 'No Anxiety' About Losing Insurance Vice President–elect Mike Pence assured Americans currently covered by the Affordable Care Act that they "should have no anxiety about losing their insurance." "Any American who has insurance today, through an 'Obamacare' exchange or through the Obama plan itself, should have no anxiety about losing their insurance," Pence told ABC News' Martha Raddatz in an interview today. "We're committed to an orderly transition, to a new and better health insurance set of reforms that are going to work for every American, just like the president-elect said." 5.


A 2015 study found that what percentage of former American Football players had degenerative brain damage?

96% of Deceased NFL Players Found to Have Degenerative Brain Disease Charles Dharapak—AP The seal affixed to the front of the Department of Veterans Affairs building in Washington on June 21, 2013. The brain bank's research furthers the argument that football is linked brain injury The brains of 76 out of 79 (96%) of deceased NFL players showed signs of a degenerative brain disease, according to a study released Tuesday by the nation’s largest brain bank. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ brain repository in Massachusetts, a collaboration between VA and Boston University’s CTE Center, found that the instance of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain condition that causes dementia and other cognitive problems, was so high that it doubled the number of CTE cases previously reported by the institution, PBS reported. “Obviously this high percentage of living individuals is not suffering from CTE,” Dr. Ann McKee, the brain bank’s director, told PBS. “Playing football, and the higher the level you play football and the longer you play football, the higher your risk.” Doctors at the brain repository have previously conducted research on brain tissue samples from professional, semi-professional, college and high-school football players. The rate of CTE, while lower than 96%, still remained high, at 80%. The studies were made possible by football players who volunteered their brains for scientific research, because CTE can only be diagnosed posthumously, according to PBS. As a result, doctors who conducted the study said their sample may be skewed, as many volunteers donated their brains because when they were alive, they already suspected that they suffered from CTE. Still, the findings have added fuel to heated discussions that football—both at professional and lower levels—may be linked to degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s, as a recent study showed. The NFL has also come under fire for allegedly covering up the risks of head injuries and concussions, which are linked to individuals who suffer from CTE.


In 2015 Ronda Rousey lost to Holly Holm in what brutal sporting discipline?

Holly Holm hasn't lost in four years, and that was brutal | MMA | Sporting News Holly Holm hasn't lost in four years, and that was brutal December 2, 2015 6:34pm EST December 2, 2015 2:09pm EST Four years ago today, Holly Holm suffered her last professional loss, and boy was it brutal. Holly Holm's last professional loss. (YouTube) Published on Dec. 2, 2015 Dec. 2, 2015 Holly Holm defeated Ronda Rousey with a highlight reel head-kick knockout at UFC 193 to capture the organization's women's bantamweight championship. In doing so, she moved her MMA record to a perfect 10-0. But before testing her skills in the world of mixed martial arts, Holm was a professional boxer and kickboxer, amassing 19 different world championships in the process. Holm finished her professional boxing career with a 30-2-3 record, and her last loss came exactly four years ago on Dec. 2, 2011. MORE: Combat sports' biggest upsets | Relive Holm's stunning UFC win | Holm's awkward beyonce moment Holm didn't just lose the fight, she was knocked out cold in the seventh round of her WBF, IBA and WBAN welterweight title fight again Anne Sophie Mathis.  Holm fought three more times before hanging up the boxing gloves, which included a rematch against Mathis, which she won via unanimous decision. While getting knocked out can be deflating and embarrassing, Holm has rebounded quite nicely and now sits atop the MMA world.


What dating app caused problems for itself in 2015 when increasing its charges?

3nder CEO Dimo Trifonov accuses TransferWise of 'double standards' over ban - Business Insider The  founders of TransferWise, getting naked on the streets of London  to challenge the banks. TransferWise TransferWise is known for its provocative publicity stunts —  particularly those involving nudity. In January 2015 , the Estonian money transfer app sent a dozen  nearly naked employees running through London to protest banks'  "unfair exchange rates." It was at it again in February , leading a 200-strong underwear-only march  through Wall Street in New York to celebrate their launch in the  US. Even the founders have had a go: Back in June 2014 , Taavet Hinrikus and Kristo Käärmann stripped down  to their underpants along with dozens of employees in the City of  London to illustrate how, they said, the banks “screw you by  charging huge hidden charges.” But TransferWise is less keen on risqué activities when they're  not helping to promote the company. Dimo Trifonov is the founder and CEO of 3nder, an alternative  dating app. It focuses on polyamory, kink, and alternative sexual  preferences, describing itself as a "way to date awesome people  around you who are kinky, curious and open-minded." (It has also  been described as "Tinder for threesomes." ) It has 650,000 users — 70,000 of  which are in the UK, where Trifonov is based — and handles 3  million messages a month. However, 3nder's unconventional audience has caused problems for  Trifonov, both in his professional and personal life. TransferWise refused to let the company open a business account  because of the "nature of [his] business," according to an email  seen by Business Insider, with a customer-service representative  classifying the dating app as "adult" content, Trifonov says. And when a landlord discovered what 3nder is, he backed out at  the last minute, refusing to rent to Trifonov, the app developer  says. He claims the landlord said: "I don't want this champ in my  property" — discriminating against him because of his  non-monogomous lifestyle. Cluttons, the estate agents that  Trifonov found the property through, did not respond to a request  for comment. Trifonov argues TransferWise is also guilty of "double standards"  — presenting itself as progressive while acting just like the  banks it seeks to supplant. TransferWise says that its rejection is down to "the requirements  that our payment and banking partners place on us." In a  statement, a company spokesperson said: "Our terms and conditions  reflect the requirements that our payment and banking partners  place on us, and on that basis we don't process payments that are  connected to adult services. Our Terms of Use make it clear that  we reserve the right to refuse users or individual payments at  our discretion." You won't find any nudity  on 3nder. BI However, 3nder doesn't contain pornography. Users can select  frank descriptors of their sexual preferences ("bondage,"  "threesomes," etc.), but when they add photos, they're actively  warned: "No nudity, society is not ready yet. Don’t risk getting  banned." The business has a bank account, as well as an account with  PayPal, which  discriminates  against the adult industry (although the latter is not a  business account). And significantly, it's free to download in Apple's App Store,  which has a ban on "adult" content. A TransferWise spokesperson would not explain why the company  classified 3nder as an "adult" business, because the company  "[doesn't] comment on individual cases." They also declined to  say whether TransferWise would be happy to offer services to  "adult" businesses if there were no restrictions placed on it by  its partners. TransferWise  employees stripped down to their pants at Liverpool Street  Station in June 2014. TransferWise The adult industry is no stranger to battles  with the financial industry . Its struggles with banks are well-documented , with everyone from sex workers to condom  companies refused service by banks and payment processors. "For nearly a d


In 2015 the first ever colour/color photographs were obtained of which celestial body?

Why is Pluto no longer a planet? (Everyday Mysteries: Fun Science Facts from the Library of Congress)     Why is Pluto no longer a planet?          The International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgraded the status of Pluto to that of a dwarf planet because it did not meet the three criteria the IAU uses to define a full-sized planet. Essentially Pluto meets all the criteria except one- it “has not cleared its neighboring region of other objects.” In August 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgraded the status of Pluto to that of  "dwarf planet."  This means that from now on only the rocky worlds of the inner Solar System and the gas giants of the outer system will be designated as planets. The “inner Solar System” is the region of space that is smaller than the radius of Jupiter’s orbit around the sun. It contains the asteroid belt as well as the terrestrial planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. The “gas giants” of course are Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus.  So now we have eight planets instead of the nine we used to have. What is a Dwarf Planet? A “dwarf planet,” as defined by the IAU, is a celestial body in direct orbit of the Sun that is massive enough that its shape is controlled by gravitational forces rather than mechanical forces (and is thus ellipsoid in shape), but has not cleared its neighboring region of other objects. So, the three criteria of the IAU for a full-sized planet are: It is in orbit around the Sun. It has sufficient mass to assume hydrostatic equilibrium (a nearly round shape). It has "cleared the neighborhood" around its orbit. Pluto meets only two of these criteria, losing out on the third. In all the billions of years it has lived there, it has not managed to clear its neighborhood. You may wonder what that means, “not clearing its neighboring region of other objects?”  Sounds like a minesweeper in space!  This means that the planet has become gravitationally dominant -- there are no other bodies of comparable size other than its own satellites or those otherwise under its gravitational influence, in its vicinity in space. So any large body that does not meet these criteria is now classed as a “dwarf planet,” and that includes Pluto, which shares its orbital neighborhood with Kuiper belt objects such as the plutinos. History of Pluto The object formerly known as the planet Pluto was discovered on February 18, 1930 at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, by astronomer Clyde W. Tombaugh, with contributions from William H. Pickering. This period in astronomy was one of intense planet hunting, and Pickering was a prolific planet predictor.   In 1906, Percival Lowell, a wealthy Bostonian who had founded the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff,  Arizona in 1894, started an extensive project in search of a possible ninth planet, which he termed "Planet X."  By 1909, Lowell and Pickering had suggested several possible celestial coordinates for such a planet. Lowell and his observatory conducted the search until his death in 1916, to no avail. Unknown to Lowell, on March 19, 1915, his observatory had captured two faint images of Pluto, but they were not recognized for what they were. Lowell was not the first to unknowingly photograph Pluto. There are sixteen known pre-discoveries, with the oldest being made by the Yerkes Observatory on August 20, 1909. The search for Planet X did not resume until 1929, when the job was handed to Clyde Tombaugh, a 23-year-old Kansan who had just arrived at the Lowell Observatory.  Tombaugh's task was to systematically image the night sky in pairs of photographs taken two weeks apart, then examine each pair and determine whether any objects had shifted position. Using a machine called a blink comparator, he rapidly shifted back and forth between views of each of the plates to create the illusion of movement of any objects that had changed position or appearance between photographs. On February 18, 1930, after nearly a year of searching, Tombaugh discovered a possible moving object on photogr


Which country won the 2015 Davis Cup (world team tennis)?

Davis Cup 2015 Semi Finals Notes | ATP World Tour | Tennis Match Preview Great Britain takes on Australia, while Belgium faces off against Argentina Great Britain has not won the Davis Cup since 1936, but can count on Andy Murray and a supportive home crowd in Glasgow in the semi-finals against 28-time champion Australia. Belgium and Argentina have never gone all the way in Davis Cup competition, combining for a 0-5 final record. Whichever team can get to three wins first this weekend will have a chance to rectify the situation. BELGIUM AND GREAT BRITAIN LOOK TO END BARREN RUN… Belgium and Great Britain are both bidding to end a lengthy wait for a place in the Davis Cup Final. Belgium is looking for its first Final since 1904 when, in its debut year in the competition, it lost to British Isles 5-0, while Great Britain is seeking a place in the Davis Cup Final for the first time since 1978, when it lost 4-1 to USA. By contrast, Argentina last reached the Final in 2011 and Australia won its last appearance in the title decider in 2003. HISTORY IN THE MAKING? Australia is in the most familiar territory of the four semi-finalists, having won the Davis Cup on 28 occasions, most recently in Melbourne 12 years ago. Though Great Britain has won the title on nine occasions, it has been 79 years since its last triumph in 1936. Argentina and Belgium have never won the Davis Cup. GREAT BRITAIN DOMINATING FELLOW GRAND SLAM NATIONS? Great Britain is bidding to become the first nation to defeat the three other Grand Slam nations in consecutive ties since it defeated Australia, USA and France en route to winning the Davis Cup title in 1933. By defeating USA in the first round and France in the quarterfinals to set up a semi-final with Australia, Great Britain has become the first Grand Slam nation to face the three other Grand Slam nations in consecutive ties since France faced USA, Australia and Great Britain in back-to-back ties in 1989-1990. UNSEEDED NATIONS… Australia, Belgium and Great Britain have ensured that three unseeded nations feature in the World Group semi-finals for the first time in World Group history. Croatia (2005) and Serbia (2010) are the only unseeded nations to win the Davis Cup. Two unseeded nations have contested the Final on two occasions – in 2005 (Croatia d. Slovak Republic) and 2010 (Serbia d. France). GREAT BRITAIN v. AUSTRALIA GREAT BRITAIN is bidding to reach the Davis Cup Final for the first time since 1978, when it finished runner-up after losing 4-1 to USA. Great Britain is looking to reach its 20th Davis Cup Final overall. The nation has been crowned Davis Cup champion nine times, with its last title coming in 1936 when it defeated this weekend’s opponents 3-2 in the Challenge Round Final. Great Britain has advanced to the World Group semi-finals for the first time since 1981 after defeating USA 3-2 in the first round in Glasgow and France 3-1 in the quarterfinals at Queen’s Club. Great Britain lost to Argentina 5-0 the last time it reached this stage of the competition 34 years ago. AUSTRALIA is bidding to reach its 49th Davis Cup Final but first since 2003, when it defeated Spain 3-1 in Melbourne. Australia has advanced to the semi-finals for the first time since 2006. It defeated three-time Davis Cup champion Czech Republic 3-2 in the World Group first round in Ostrava and recovered from 0-2 down to defeat Kazakhstan 3-2 in the quarterfinals in Darwin. Australia’s win over Kazakhstan was just the 9th comeback from 0-2 in World Group history and the first time a nation had come back from 0-2 down on grass at any level of Davis Cup since Italy defeated Australia 3-2 on the surface in 1960.   Australia has been crowned Davis Cup champion 28 times, second only to USA (32) on the all-time list of Davis Cup champions. Lleyton Hewitt is the nation’s most successful player, with a total win-loss record of 58-19 and a singles win-loss record of 42-14. Hewitt has also played the most ties for Australia, with 40 (prior to this one) over 17 years. BELGIUM v. ARGENTINA BELGIUM is bidding to reach the Davis Cup


Brazil began to nationalise its (What?) in 2015?

Brazil plans to ‘nationalise’ rainforest in pioneering plan to protect Amazon | The Independent Americas Brazil plans to ‘nationalise’ rainforest in pioneering plan to protect Amazon Proposal to put all natural resources in the forest under state control faces legal wrangles - but if passed could enshrine environmental protection Sunday 10 May 2015 16:50 BST Click to follow The Independent US Proposed legislation would aim to enshrine environmental protection AFP/Getty Images The Brazilian rainforest could be effectively nationalised under a draft bill being considered by the country’s MPs. The proposed legislation would recognise the sovereignty of Brazil over the Amazon’s natural resources and set up a national Amazonian policy council with the aim of enshrining environmental protection and regulating economic activities in the rainforest. Should the law be passed, companies wanting to operate in the area would require approval from the new state entity in return for shares of the proceeds – in a similar way to that which oil exploration concessions are granted through state-controlled company Petrobras in return for royalties. The Jamanxim river in the National Forest reserve (AFP/Getty) The draft bill was put forward by Sergio Zveiter, a Social Democratic MP in Rio de Janeiro, and will go before a special commission created at the end of March. Mr Zveiter said the on-going destruction of the Brazilian rainforest was “unacceptable” and called for the protection of Brazil’s interests in the Amazon. “International leaders have repeatedly insisted that the Amazon is not a national territory, it’s a transnational territory. [This] puts in doubt Brazilian sovereignty over the territory,” Mr Zveiter argued when proposing the bill. The draft was originally drawn up in 2013 and was shelved at the end of January this year after the legislative term came to an end in 2014. Mr Zveiter requested the bill was revisited in February and a special commission of 26 members was established to examine the law. The bill succinctly states: “The Federal Government owns all of the natural resources of the Amazon, therein including mines, the forest and watersheds.” In pictures: Biggest threats to the rainforests In pictures: Biggest threats to the rainforests 1/10 Borneo Destruction of the rainforest, deforestation in Borneo 2/10 Brazil Aerial view af an area devastated by clandestine gold mining in the Jamanxim National Forest, state of Para. With 1,3 million hectares, the Jamanxim National Forest is a microsm that replicates what happens in the Amazon, where thousands of hectares of land are prey of illegal woodcutters, stock breeders and gold miners 3/10 Amazon rainforest Intensive logging makes rainforest fires more likely as the Earth warms Rex 4/10 Peru Miners known as "Maraqueros" ready a rustic type of hydraulic jet known locally as a "Chupadera," after hauling the device about 16-meters deep into a crater at a gold mine process in La Pampa in Peru's Madre de Dios region. A new threat now looms for the estimated 20,000 wildcat miners who toil in huge scar of denuded rainforest known as La Pampa 5/10 Peru A rope hangs around the trunk of a tree at a illegal gold mining process in La Pampa in Peru's Madre de Dios region. An estimated 20,000 miners toil in this malarial expanse of denuded rainforest known as La Pampa 6/10 Amazon rainforest The extent of the environmental damage in the Amazon rainforest afp/getty images 7/10 Indonesia Destruction remains from tropical rainforest in Kuala Cenaku in Riau Province, Sumatra. Norway entered a partnership with Indonesia to support Indonesia's efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation of forests and peat lands. The business of pulp, palm oil and wood are causing the deforestation of Sumatra, the largest island owned by Indonesia, and is contributing global climate change to the extinction of many of the world's rare species 8/10 Malaysia An area that has been cleared of rainforest to make way for a palm oil plantation in Sabah, Malaysia CORBIS 9/10 Indonesia Regenerated pa


Oxford University Press/Dictionaries announced what (most popularly used emoji icon) 'word of the year 2015'?

Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year 2015 is… | OxfordWords blog Home > Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year 2015 is… Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year 2015 is… That’s right – for the first time ever, the Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year is a pictograph: , officially called the ‘Face with Tears of Joy’ emoji, though you may know it by other names. There were other strong contenders from a range of fields, outlined below, but  was chosen as the ‘word’ that best reflected the ethos, mood, and preoccupations of 2015. How well do you know your emojis? Take our quiz. Why was this chosen? Emojis (the plural can be either emoji or emojis) have been around since the late 1990s, but 2015 saw their use, and use of the word emoji, increase hugely. This year Oxford University Press have partnered with leading mobile technology business SwiftKey to explore frequency and usage statistics for some of the most popular emoji across the world, and  was chosen because it was the most used emoji globally in 2015. SwiftKey identified that  made up 20% of all the emojis used in the UK in 2015, and 17% of those in the US: a sharp rise from 4% and 9% respectively in 2014. The word emoji has seen a similar surge: although it has been found in English since 1997, usage more than tripled in 2015 over the previous year according to data from the Oxford Dictionaries Corpus. What would emojis look like in real life? Watch the video. A brief history of emoji An emoji is ‘a small digital image or icon used to express an idea or emotion in electronic communication’; the term emoji is a loanword from Japanese, and comes from e ‘picture’ + moji ‘letter, character’. The similarity to the English word emoticon has helped its memorability and rise in use, though the resemblance is actually entirely coincidental: emoticon (a facial expression composed of keyboard characters, such as ;), rather than a stylized image) comes from the English words emotion and icon. Emojis are no longer the preserve of texting teens – instead, they have been embraced as a nuanced form of expression, and one which can cross language barriers. Even Hillary Clinton solicited feedback in the form of emojis, and  has had notable use from celebrities and brands alongside everyone else – and even appeared as the caption to the Vine which apparently kicked off the popularity of the term on fleek, which appears on our WOTY shortlist. How does your student loan debt make you feel? Tell us in 3 emojis or less.


The movie Toy Story was how many years old in 2015?

Share on Facebook Tweet Share Pin Share Pete Docter took the stage at Pixar's SXSW panel to rapturous applause, the kind of reception you’d expect for a movie star or rock god. But here at SXSW, where movies, technology, and music swirl together in a multimedia stew, he’s pretty much the same thing. He waved at the crowd sheepishly before settling his lanky frame down into one of the overstuffed black chairs, where he and his colleagues were gathered to look back on Toy Story, the first computer-animated feature that Pixar made 20 years ago. Docter was a writer on that film and a key part of Pixar’s original brain trust: a core group of writers, animators, and directors that steered the company’s creative direction. He went on to direct Monsters, Inc. and Up and told the audience that he just finished his latest film — the surreal mindtrip  Inside Out — last Friday. He smiled with obvious relief, and one got the sense that things get a little crazy at Pixar as they wrap up a film; co-founder Ed Catmull, who had originally been scheduled to be part of the panel, wasn’t in Austin after coming down with the flu last week. Pixar started as a division of Lucasfilm, and then became a hardware company, making shorts to show off the capabilities of its hardware. But Catmull’s goal was always to make a computer-animated feature, Docter said, and after after Pixar won an Oscar for its short film Tin Toy, it decided to make a half-hour holiday special as its next step forward. "It was a road picture," Docter said of the planned special, in which a ventriloquist’s dummy would team up with the small, one-man-band toy from the award-winning short. A concept drawing from the original story idea. That project never came together, but the company then brokered a deal with Disney to make several feature films. "We had a deal in place, but no ideas," he said, so expanding the story of the failed special was the logical move. Brainstorming sessions between Pixar’s creative team — which included Docter, Toy Story director John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, and Joe Ranft — led to swapping out the tin toy for a "karate-chop action"-style action figure, which became Buzz Lightyear. The ventriloquist’s dummy character was changed at the request of Disney’s then-CEO Michael Eisner, who found the dummies "creepy," and instead became a pull-string cowboy doll: Woody. "We thought that we would be able to animate the entire film with eight animators." While Pixar had been making commercials and shorts for years, producer Galyn Susman said that the young studio drastically underestimated the resources needed to pull off a full-length feature. "We thought that we would be able to animate the entire film with eight animators," she said. "That didn’t happen. We ended up with 33." The same went with staffing across the board, from editorial to those working on lighting and the computer models — but the most dramatic gap was in raw computing power. According to Susman, the Pixar team initially thought they could render the film over 20 months using 53 processors. Each of the machines in the render farm was named after an animal, and when it completed a frame it would play the corresponding animal’s sound. The number of machines eventually grew to 300, but even that pales in comparison to the computing power Pixar wields today. Susman said that the company now has 23,000 processors at its disposal — enough to render the original Toy Story in real time. From left to right: Pixar president Jim Morris; writer-director Pete Docter; producer Galyn Susman; and technical director Eben Ostby. Pixar’s first run of films were nearly universally acclaimed for their attention to story and character — so much so that the studio has endured some warranted criticism in the last few years for a decline in quality. (Catmull and Lasseter began splitting their time between Pixar and Disney Animation Studios in 2006, and subsequent projects like Cars 2, Monsters University, and Brave haven’t been held in the same high regard.) But as Docter told it, the now-lauded writing instinct


Whose family received $7.4m royalties from Pharrell Williams/Robin Thicke after a legal claim in 2015 for illicit use of the song Got to Give it Up?

Marvin Gaye's family wins over $7m from Pharrell and Robin Thicke in Blurred Lines lawsuit | Daily Mail Online Got to give it up: Pharrell and Robin Thicke ordered to pay $7.4m to Marvin Gaye's children for copying Blurred Lines from the soul legend's music  A jury awarded the family of Marvin Gaye $7.4million in their lawsuit against Pharrell and Robin Thicke Gaye's children Nona, Frankie and Marvin Gaye III sued the singers in 2013 saying they stole the music to Blurred Lines from their father Thicke told jurors he didn't write Blurred Lines, which Williams testified he crafted in about an hour in mid-2012  Gaye's daughter Nona wept as the verdict was being read  'I feel free, free from...Pharrell Williams’ & Robin Thicke’s chains,' said Nona in an emotional statement outside the courtroom following the verdict  The song made a staggering $16million for Pharrell, Thicke and rapper T.I.


Lord Coe ceased working for which brand in 2015 due to conflict of interest?

Sebastian Coe under pressure: why new IAAF president has questions to answer | Sport | The Guardian Lord Coe Sebastian Coe under pressure: why new IAAF president has questions to answer The new IAAF president is under scrutiny for his links with Nike and over the need for reform of athletics’ governing body. Our chief sports correspondent explains his predicament Sebastian Coe struck too combative a tone when first quizzed about his Nike connections. Photograph: Warren Little/Getty Images Wednesday 25 November 2015 12.32 EST Last modified on Monday 4 April 2016 07.43 EDT Close What is Sebastian Coe’s relationship with Nike? Coe signed his first endorsement deal with Nike in 1978 and, barring a short period when he switched to the Italian company Diadora towards the end of his track career, has had a relationship with the US giant ever since. But he only signed his latest contract, to be a global ambassador for its anti-obesity foundation Designed to Move, in 2012. The fee, understood to be worth around £100,000 a year, is paid through CSM, the sports marketing company he chairs. But the newly elected IAAF president has links and informal relationships with other Nike executives stretching back decades. Sebastian Coe digs in over Nike fee while questions grow about Eugene Read more What is Designed to Move? Launched in the UK with a reception at the House of Commons in 2012, the Nike project is designed to combat childhood obesity. Paula Radcliffe, another longstanding Nike athlete, is also involved. Why could the relationship be perceived as a conflict of interest? Nike has wide-ranging and controversial links with athletics, to the extent where it can sometimes seem as if the sport is endorsing the brand rather than the other way round. The company has been embroiled in recent controversies over doping allegations levelled at its Project Oregon training base and its lead coach, Alberto Salazar; its decision to back the twice-banned sprinter Justin Gatlin ; the omission of Nick Symmonds from the US team for this year’s world championships because he rejected an edict to wear its kit at official functions, which were defined to include just being in the team hotel; and the decision to award the 2021 world championships to Eugene without a vote. To name but a few. What is Coe’s defence for not giving up his Nike deal? Immediately after the presidential election Coe was defensive about his Nike links . He pointed out that he had managed to deal with Nike’s rivals perfectly happily throughout his career, not least when Adidas was a main sponsor of London 2012. He also said that he had a team around him who would ensure there was no conflict of interest and offered up a convoluted definition of what constituted one. Those close to him also point out, not unreasonably, that he could not have been expected to give up the contract before he knew whether he was likely to win a tight election against his fellow vice-president Sergey Bubka. But his combative tone was a mistake. Asked by the Guardian whether he would reconsider the relationship he said: “No. Because I don’t see that at any stage it’s ever been a conflict with anything I’ve done.” Since September his tone has shifted slightly and he has said he will look again at the relationship in due course. But he is equally determined that he will not be bounced into a decision when he believes he should be concentrating on the bigger problem of saving his sport in the depths of an unprecedented crisis. Unfortunately, the Nike issue is clouding his attempts to do so and causing some to question his judgment. It has also become a big distraction at a time when he is said to be working 18-hour days firefighting in the wake of revelations of systemic doping in Russia and corruption at the highest levels of the organisation. Is this part of a bigger issue? Coe has always been a master of keeping various balls in the air. Relying on a small team of advisers, he has sought to balance his commercial interests with his public profile – sometimes successfully, sometimes not. But critics


Helmut Schmidt, who died in 2015, once led which nation?

Helmut Schmidt, Who Led West Germany's Economic Gains, Dies : The Two-Way : NPR Helmut Schmidt, Who Led West Germany's Economic Gains, Dies Helmut Schmidt, the former West German Chancellor, has died at age 96. He's seen here with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at a 1979 news conference in London. Steve Burton/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Steve Burton/Getty Images Helmut Schmidt, the former West German Chancellor, has died at age 96. He's seen here with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at a 1979 news conference in London. Steve Burton/Getty Images During his eight years in office, he was admired for the way he steered West Germany through both an economic crisis and violent outbursts of terrorism. Former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt has died at his home in Hamburg at 96. In response to the oil crisis of the early 1970s, Schmidt worked with French leaders to set into motion the monetary system that today unites the economies of the European Union. He also worked with both France and the U.S. to hold global economic summits. "The beloved West German leader helped craft his country's economic success in the 1970s," NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson reports from Berlin. "He took a tough stance toward the Soviet Union and homegrown terrorism, and often clashed with then-President Jimmy Carter over financial and defense issues." Soraya adds, "More recently, the chain-smoking former statesman co-published a prestigious weekly German newspaper." Schmidt was also in office during the "German Autumn," the name given for the sequence of events in 1977 that ranged from violent attacks by the Red Army Faction (also called the Baader-Meinhof Gang) to the deadly hijacking of a Lufthansa plane. The airliner's passengers were eventually rescued by a German force in Mogadishu. Article continues after sponsorship Earlier this year, Schmidt was also one of dozens of influential Germans who signed a petition to protest an anti-Islam movement . And in 2011, as the economic ties that bind Europe were tested by crisis, Schmidt visited the scene of a summit on Greece's economy to urge EU leaders to work together. As NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reported : "Schmidt was brought to the stage in a wheelchair. And in a loud voice, he rebuked the current leaders, saying anyone who considers his own nation more important than common Europe damages the fundamental interests of his own country. And in a clear reference to Greece, he said the strongest must help the weak. And he reminded his successor that after World War II, Germany's debt was also restructured." Schmidt became West Germany's chancellor in 1974; when his run in office ended in 1982, the post went to Helmut Kohl, who oversaw Germany's reunification. President Obama cited Schmidt's leadership during a pivotal period: "He was a firm, sure voice in a time of uncertainty and was widely admired for his principled approach to advancing détente while also standing firmly against aggression and violations of fundamental freedoms and human rights. His work helped advance our shared vision of building a peaceful and democratic Europe."


On what sprung mechanism did Bristolian Jack Sexty break the world record in 2015 achieving 88,047 bounces in 10hrs 21mins?

Poll system, 2 new trivia lists · Twentysix26/Red-DiscordBot@9ce74b6 · GitHub 75 trivia/2015.txt @@ -0,0 +1,75 @@ +In China in 2015 the record for the longest mating session between two giant pandas was broken at?`18 minutes`18 mins +Ford claimed to launch the first 'e-(What?)' at the 2015 Mobile World Congress Show?`Bike +A 2015 intensive listening study discovered that giraffes actually?`Hum +Name the last US president to meet the leader of Cuba before Barack Obama did in 2015?`Eisenhower +Jay Z and Beyonce launched a music streaming service in 2015 called? `Tidal +At auction in 2015, $1.2m was paid for Don McLean's original handrwitten lyrics for which 1971 big hit song? `American Pie +In 2015 what global contest ruled against the use of swimsuits for its 114 competitors, for the first time since 1951 inception? `Miss World +Which vast tech corporation opened its first 'Nest' branded intelligent home store in Palo Alto California in 2015?`Google +In 2015 Japan lowered its voting age to what?`18`eighteen +The abbreviation MERS, significantly impacting South Korea 2015, is otherwise known as?`Camel Flu +Christian is the lead character in the film 2015 adaptation of what extraordinarily successful book?`Fifty Shades of Grey`50 shades of grey +Who stepped down as chief of 21st Century Fox in 2015?`Rupert Murdoch`murdoch +In 2015 a new North Korean schools curriculum reportedly included that leader Kim Jong-un learnt to drive at age?`3`three +Which car company launched the Avensis model in 2015?`Toyota +In 2015 evidence of water was found on which planet?`Mars +Which 'BRIC' country launched the Astrosat space lab in 2015?`India +Who won the 2015 men's tennis French Open?`Stan Warwinka`warwinka +What company launched the S6 Edge smartphone?`Samsung +Which leading professional networking tech corporation, whose main revenue is selling user access/details to recruiters, bought the Lynda learning company for $1.5bn in 2015?`Linkedin`linked in +'Dismaland' was the temporary theme park/exhibition of which famous 'anonymous' artist?`Banksy +Matthais Muller was made chief of which troubled car company in 2015?`Volkswagen`vw +In 2015 the World Anti-Doping Agency suggested banning which nation from the 2016 Olympics?`Russia +The game of Monopoly celebrated what anniversary in 2015?`eighty`80`80th +Name the Princess born 4th in succession to the British throne in 2015, to Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge?`Charlotte +The 2015 Mad Max movie is sub-titled?`Fury Road`mad max: fury road`mad max fury road +The Magna Carta, signed in London, and inspiring constitutional rights globally thereafter, was how many years old in 2015?`eight hundred`800 +In 2015 the Sinabug volcano erupted in what country?`Indonesia +Olav Bjortmont became 2015 world champion in?`Quizzing`quiz +Lars Lokke led his centre-right party to 2015 government election victory in what country?`Denmark +Blackberry's new phone for 2015 was called the...?`Priv +Facebook's new music sharing/streaming feature launched in 2015 was called "Music... "?`Stories +Eddie Jones was appointed head coach of which English sporting team in 2015?`Rugby Union`rugby +According to 2015 survey what fruit was most popular among USA children?`Apples`apple +Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey celebrated what birthday in 2015?`49`fourty-nine`fourty nine`49th +Jon Snow was killed off in what TV series in 2015, adapted from GRR Martin's 'A Song of Ice and Fire'?`Game of Thrones +Finance minister Yanis Yaroufakis caused comment for not wearing a tie in February 2015 when negotiating the debts for which nation?`Greece +What nation hosted the 2015 Women's World (soccer) Cup?`Canada +What iconic equine-alluding company, in countless books/films/cowboy holsters, filed for bankruptcy in 2015?`Colt +Due to a 2015 contamination scandal in India/Afica, which corporation destroyed 400 million packets of Maggi noodles?`Nestle +How many years old was the McDonalds fast food company in 2015?`60`sixty +It was announced in 2015 that Alexander Hamilton would be replaced on?`$10 bill`$10`tendollars`ten dollar bill`ten


Which country has the shortest coastline?

which country has the shortest coastline which country has the shortest coastline Answers to which country has the shortest coastline Monaco has the shortest coastline (3.5 miles). Disclaimer - Answers to the questions are researched using various sources and are meant to increase the knowledge of our visitors. We cannot gurantee the accuracy of answers to questions.


Kim Campbell was the first woman prime minister of which country?

Woman of Firsts | The Right Honourable Kim Campbell, P.C.; C.C.; Q.C.   Woman of Firsts When it comes to blazing the trail for women, the Right Honourable Kim Campbell's career includes many milestones. From the age of 16 when she became the first female student body president of her high school, until 30 years later as the first female prime minister of Canada at the age of 46, Ms. Campbell has spent much of her life breaking barriers for women. Not only does Ms. Campbell still hold the distinction of being Canada's first and only female Prime Minister, she is also the first Canadian Prime Minister to have held office in all three levels of government: Municipal, Provincial and Federal. The Right Honourable Kim Campbell has held the cabinet portfolios of Minister of State for Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Minister of National Defence--the first woman to have held such a position in any NATO country--and Minister of Veterans' Affairs. Additionally, the breadth of her international experience includes participation in major international meetings such as the Commonwealth, NATO, the G-7 Summit and the United Nations General Assembly. After her tenure as Prime Minister, Ms. Campbell continued to serve Canada as a diplomat, and was a Fellow at the Institute of Politics (Spring 1994) and the Joan Shorenstein Center for the Study of Press and Politics (1994-1995) at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. Then, she served as the Canadian Consul General in Los Angeles from 1996-2000. In 2001 Ms. Campbell became a Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership at the Kennedy School and then was invited to join the faculty as a lecturer and remains an Honorary Fellow. For a detailed account of Ms. Campbell's accomplishments, visit her biography . First and Foremost First female Student Council President at Prince of Wales Secondary School in Vancouver; this accomplishment won her press coverage in the Vancouver Sun. First female Frosh President at UBC. First female Justice Minister and Attorney General in Canada. First female Minister of National Defence of Canada and of any NATO country. First female Minister of Veterans Affairs. First female Leader of the PC Party. First female Prime Minister.


What is the French meaning of 'Marmite'?

Marmite - definition of marmite by The Free Dictionary Marmite - definition of marmite by The Free Dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/marmite Also found in: Thesaurus , Wikipedia . Related to marmite: Bovril 1. A large covered earthenware or metal cooking pot. 2. A small, covered earthenware casserole. [French, from Old French, hypocritical, marmite (possibly because the food is hidden inside) : marm-, akin to marmouser, to murmur + mite, cat (of imitative origin).] marmite 1. (Cookery) a large cooking pot 2. (Cookery) soup cooked in such a pot 3. (Cookery) an individual covered casserole for serving soup 4. (Military) military US a container used to bring food to troops in the field [from French: pot] (Cookery) trademark Brit a yeast and vegetable extract used as a spread, flavouring, etc ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: 1. marmite - soup cooked in a large pot     soup - liquid food especially of meat or fish or vegetable stock often containing pieces of solid food 2. marmite - a large pot especially one with legs used e.g. for cooking soup pot - metal or earthenware cooking vessel that is usually round and deep; often has a handle and lid


In architecture, cartouche is a decorative feature resembling what?

The Cartouche | Victoria and Albert Museum Victoria and Albert Museum Open daily from 10:00 to 17:45 Open Friday from 10:00 to 22:00 Section: Engraved Ornament project    Tags: cartouche , design , engraving , print , word and image A number of ornament prints in the V&A collection are designs for cartouches. A cartouche is an elaborate, often scrolled, framing device that quickly became an integral ornamental feature from the 16th century onwards. It has been suggested that the cartouche developed from the flattened oval shape used to highlight the names of royalty in Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs. Henceforth the cartouche form has surrounded anything from important messages, coats of arms and even landscape and genre paintings in architecture and the decorative arts. Most cartouche designs in the engraved ornament collection have blank centres. This would allow the craftsman using the design at a future date to embelish it with appropriate motif or coat of arms according to the client’s wishes. A highly ornamental object, the cartouche has always reflected changing fashions and tastes.  Designs for cartouches in the V&A collection include examples that chart stylistic changes from renaissance order and baroque flourish, to neo-classical austerity.  This early etching  was produced between 1520 and 1530 by an anonymous Italian printmaker (V&A Museum Number 19026).  Here two cartouches form part of a decorative scheme in the grotesque style. The grotesque derived from Ancient Roman decorations rediscovered buried underground in Rome at the end of the fifteenth century and became extremely popular in the sixteenth century. This print may have been used for the decorative scheme of a painted wall or carved sculpted panel. Here the cartouches are part of a balanced composition and neither dominate nor get lost in the surrounding scrolls, gorgons and Sphinxes. This cartouche, first published by the Flemish printmaker Hans Vedreman de Vries in 1569 exemplifies the mannerist style of the mid sixteenth century (Museum Number E.1413-1923). It is extremely ornate and intricate, combining satyrs, nymphs and dogs within a strapwork frame. The complex repeating patterns of the frame are contrasted against the black ground of the print. Dating from 1766, almost two centuries later than the cartouche of of Hans Vedreman de Vries, this design was engraved by the Italian Dionisio Valesi after Gaetano Ottani (museum no. 29850.9). It was first published in the book Libro Primo Di Cartelli. Ottani’s design is in the dramatic Baroque style which had come to dominate European ornament since the beginning of the seventeenth century. Unlike the Renaissance examples above, this cartouche is assymetrical. , The curved, flowing lines of the scrolled forms, typical of Baroque design, add movement to this design.  The shield is surrounded by classical ruins, flags and props to create a somewhat dramatic setting.  Ottani also worked as a mural and theatrical painter, which could explain this grandiose presentation of this cartouche. During the 17th and 18th century ornamental forms became more fluid as printmakers looked to natural forms for inspiration.  The human body, animals and plants were absorbed into cartouche designs and often abstracted and distorted beyond recognition.  This is clearly seen in this cartouche from 1671, designed by Federico Zuccaro and engraved by Robert White (V&A Museum Number E.2135-1908), which was first published in France.  A contorted human figure supports the bulbous blank centre, which is surrounded by abstracted leaves and flowers and crowned with a roaring lion.  This cartouche hints at the auricular style; based upon the distortion and manipulation of the human body and other natural forms, often resembling the human ear – from which it derives its name.  A good example of a cartouche design in the Rococo style is this etching from a book of shields designed by Matthias Locke and printed in Paris in 1801 (Museum Number 29564:122). Here natural forms are combined in a more delicate style than the previous Baroqu


What is the name of the street in London famous for its tailors shops?

Popular Streets of London | London has many famous shopping streets including… Oxford Street Has over over 300 shops and is one of the worlds busiest shopping streets. It runs for approximately a mile and a half (two and a half kilometres). Regent Street Is an upmarket shopping street – shops include Austin Reed, Hamleys Toy Shop, Liberty department store. The street features as one of the locations on the standard London version of the Monopoly board game. Bond Street Situated in Mayfair is more upmarket than nearby Regent Street and Oxford Street. Shops sell Fashion and Accessories; Art and Antiques; Fine Jewellery and Watches; and more Carnaby Street Consists of twelve pedestrianised streets with over 160 fashion and lifesyle retailers, including a large number of independent fashion boutiques. Savile Row


Who was the 'father of medicine' to whom a code of medical ethics is attributed and which bears his name?

Hippocratic oath | definition of Hippocratic oath by Medical dictionary Hippocratic oath | definition of Hippocratic oath by Medical dictionary http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Hippocratic+oath relating to hippocrates . Hippocratic Oath a moral code for ethical conduct and practice in medicine, established according to the ideals of hippocrates . The text is as follows: “I swear by Apollo the physician, by Aesculapius, Hygeia, and Panacea, and I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses, to keep according to my ability and my judgment the following oath: To consider dear to me as my parents him who taught me this art; to live in common with him and if necessary to share my goods with him; to look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them this art if they so desire without fee or written promise; to impart to my sons and the sons of the master who taught me and the disciples who have enrolled themselves and have agreed to the rules of the profession, but to these alone, the precepts and the instruction. I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone. To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug, nor give advice which may cause his death. Nor will I give a woman a pessary to procure abortion. But I will preserve the purity of my life and my art. I will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners (specialists in this art). In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction, and especially from the pleasures of love with women or with men, be they free or slaves. All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or outside of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal. If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my lot.” Hip·po·crat·ic Oath (hip'ō-krat'ik ōth), An oath taken by physicians usually on receiving the doctoral degree, whereby they promise to observe ethical principles in the practice of medicine. The oath is named for Hippocrates of Cos (470-380 bce), who belonged to the medical guild or brotherhood of sclepiads and is honored as the Father of Medicine because he first separated the art and science of medicine from philosophy and religion. But although the oath survives among the numerous and various writings composing the hippocratic corpus, modern scholars doubt that it was the work of Hippocrates himself. Its prohibition of suicide, euthanasia, abortion, and surgery (all of which were accepted or condoned among the Asclepiads) suggests rather a Pythagorean origin. The date of its composition and the original manner of its use are unknown. I swear by Apollo the Physician, Asclepius, Hygeia, Panaceia, and all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will fulfill this oath and this covenant according to my ability and judgment: To regard him who teaches me the art of medicine as equal to my parents; to share my life with him and, if he is in need, my sustenance; to regard his children as my brothers and to teach them this art, if they wish to learn it, without fee or covenant; to give instruction, written, oral, and practical, to my sons and the sons of my teacher, as well as to any students who have signed a covenant and sworn an oath according to the canons of our profession, but to no others. I will apply therapeutic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment, and will abstain from harm and wrongdoing. I will not give a lethal drug to anyone requesting it, nor will I recommend the use of such. Likewise I will not give a woman an abortive drug. I will live my life and practice my art in purity and in holiness. I will not perform surgery, even on sufferers from sto


What is Farfalle Pasta? By Danilo Alfaro Updated November 18, 2016. In the culinary arts, the word farfalle (pronounced "far-FALL-ay") refers to a type of pasta is shaped like little butterflies or bow-ties. Indeed, the word "farfalle" means "butterflies" in Italian. Farfalle is made by cutting fresh pasta into small rectangles and then pinching the centers together to form the bow-tie shape. Farfalle recipes often feature creamy sauces, like this creamy mushroom sauce , fresh tomato sauces or sauces featuring cheeses such as this alfredo sauce . Farfalle is sometimes served with grilled chicken. Farfalle is the traditional pasta used in making the classic Eastern European dish kasha varnishkes ( recipe ). Kasha varnishkes is made by sautéeing onions and mushrooms in chicken fat and simmering buckwheat groats (also known as kasha ) until tender. The farfalle pasta is then mixed with the onion-mushroom mixture and the cooked kasha and then seasoned and garnished with chopped parsley. More Farfalle Recipes


What city did Charles II of England sell to France in 1662 for £40,000?

Charles II of England | Royal Family Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Charles II of England Share Ad blocker interference detected! Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers Wikia is not accessible if you’ve made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected. King Charles II (de jure king from 30 January 1649 ) Born Charles II ( 29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685 ) was the King of England , King of Scots , and King of Ireland from 30 January 1649 ( de jure ) or 29 May 1660 ( de facto ) until his death. His father Charles I had been executed in 1649, following the English Civil War ; the monarchy was then abolished and England , and subsequently Scotland and Ireland became a united republic under Oliver Cromwell , the Lord Protector (see Commonwealth of England and The Protectorate ), albeit with Scotland and Ireland under military occupation and de facto martial law . In 1660, shortly after Cromwell's death, the monarchy was restored under Charles II. He was popularly known as the "Merry Monarch" in reference to the liveliness and hedonism of his court. The exact date at which Charles became King is vague due to the uncertain political situation of the time. His father was executed on 30 January 1649 , making him in theory King Charles II from that moment. He was immediately proclaimed King in Scotland on 5 February and Jersey on 16 February 1649 —but also recognised in a few British colonies (especially the Colony and Dominion of Virginia ). In Scotland Charles was for some time King in title only. It took two years of negotiation with the Presbyterians before he was finally crowned King of Scots in Scone on 1 January 1651 . However, his reign there was shortlived as he was soon driven out by the republican armies, led by Oliver Cromwell. His coronation in England would not be until after Cromwell's death and the monarchy's restoration in May 1660, he spending most of the intervening time exiled in France. Much like his father, Charles II struggled for most of his life in his relations with Parliament, although the tensions between the two never reached the same levels of hostility. He was only able to achieve true success towards the end of his reign, by dispensing with Parliament and ruling alone. Unlike his father's however, this policy did not lead to widespread popular opposition, as he avoided the imposition of any new taxes, thanks in part to money he received as a result of his close relationship with the French king, Louis XIV . The principal conflicts of his reign revolved around a number of interlinked issues in domestic and foreign policy, most of which were related to the conflict between Protestants and Catholics then raging across Europe. As a consequence of this, Charles' reign was racked by political factions and intrigue, and it was at this time that the Whig and Tory political parties first developed. He famously fathered numerous illegitimate children, of whom he acknowledged fourteen, but no legitimate children who lived. Charles was also a patron of the arts, and he and his court were largely responsible for the revival of public drama and music, after their virtual prohibition under the earlier Protectorate . Some historians, such as Maurice Ashley, believe that Charles was secretly a Roman Catholic for much of his life like his brother James while others, such as Antonia Fraser , disagree. All that is known for certain is that he converted to Roman Catholicism on his deathbed. Template:House of Stuart Charles, the eldest surviving son of Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France , was born Charles Stuart in St. James's Palace on 29 May 1630 . At birth, he automatically became (as the eldest surviving son of the Sovereign) Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay ; shortly after his birth, he was crowned Prince of Wales . Due to the disruption caused by the English Civil War , he was never formally invested with the Honours of the Principality of Wales . During the


From which creatures can Newcastle disease transfer to humans, causing mild conjunctivitis and flu symptoms?

Newcastle Disease Virus (PDQ®)—Patient Version - National Cancer Institute The US Food and Drug Administration has not approved NDV as a treatment for cancer (see Question 8 ). Questions and Answers About Newcastle Disease Virus What is Newcastle disease virus? Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is a virus that causes a deadly infection in many kinds of birds. In humans, NDV causes mild flu-like symptoms or conjunctivitis (an infection of the eye that is also called pink eye) and/or laryngitis (an irritation and swelling of the voice box and the area around it). Like other viruses, NDV infects cells (called host cells ) and then uses those cells to replicate (make copies of) itself. Researchers are interested in NDV because it replicates itself more quickly in human cancer cells than in most normal human cells and it can kill the host cells. For these reasons, the virus is being studied as a treatment for cancer. What is the history of the discovery and use of Newcastle disease virus as a complementary or alternative treatment for cancer? The first report that NDV may be useful as a cancer treatment was published in 1964. For 20 years before this report, NDV was used in a vaccine to prevent Newcastle disease in birds. During that time, it was learned that NDV caused only minor illness in humans. The mild side effects caused by NDV in humans and its ability to replicate up to 10,000 times faster in human cancer cells than in most normal human cells, led complementary and alternative medicine researchers to look more closely at NDV as a possible cancer treatment. NDV is now being studied by conventional medicine researchers also. What is the theory behind the claim that Newcastle disease virus is useful in treating cancer? There are many strains of NDV, and they may be either lytic or nonlytic for human cells. Lytic strains kill the infected cell by damaging its outer membrane (layer of tissue ). Nonlytic strains kill by blocking the basic processes a cell needs to live.  Lytic strains of NDV have been studied in humans because they can kill cancer cells directly, but both lytic and nonlytic strains have been used to make vaccines to help the immune system fight cancer. How is Newcastle disease virus administered? The way NDV is given depends on how the virus is used to target cancer cells. It may be used to directly infect the patient with NDV or to make cancer vaccines . Cancer vaccines made with NDV may improve the body’s natural immune response to cancer, causing it to attack and kill more cancer cells than it would if the NDV were not present. Researchers are studying 3 ways of using NDV as a possible cancer treatment: Infection of the cancer patient with NDV NDV can be injected directly into the tumor , a muscle, or a vein ( intravenous injection ), or into the colon . The virus can also be inhaled . As explained in Question 1 , NDV infects cells and then replicates itself, creating more copies of the virus that can then infect cells throughout the body. This process targets and kills cancer cells by damaging the cells' outer membranes. Oncolysate vaccine Oncolysate vaccines are made using pieces of cancer cell membranes infected with NDV. Oncolysate-based vaccines are injected under or into the skin. Whole-cell vaccine Whole-cell vaccines are made using whole tumor cells infected with NDV. The tumor cells used in the vaccine are changed in the laboratory so that they cannot multiply or infect the patient. Whole-cell vaccines with NDV are given only by injection under the skin. Have any preclinical (laboratory or animal) studies been conducted using Newcastle disease virus? A number of preclinical studies have been done with NDV. Research in a laboratory or using animals is done to find out if a drug , procedure, or treatment is likely to be useful in humans. These preclinical studies are done before any testing in humans is begun. The following has been learned from preclinical studies: NDV replicates more quickly in human cancer cells than in any other type of cell. Some types of NDV are able to directly


What household gadget did Melville R Bissell invent 1876?

Carpet Sweeper History - Invention of the Carpet Sweeper Invention: carpet sweeper       in 1876 Function: noun / to       remove from a surface with a brush Definition: A device used to clean rugs and floors,       consisting of a metal or plastic box equipped with rotating brushes       and pushed by means of a long handle. Patent: 182,346 (US)       issued September 19,1876 Inventor: Melville Reuben       Bissell Criteria: First practical.. Entrepreneur. Birth: September 25, 1843, in Hartwick, New York. Death: March 15, 1889, in Grand Rapids, Michigan Nationality: American Milestones: 1811 first floor-sweeping machine     patented by James Hume in England 1858 Lucius Bigelow in England and Hiram Herrick in Massachusetts     invent improved version 1876 Melville Bissell receives     patent for his carpet sweeper invention 1883 The first BISSELL manufacturing plant is built in Grand     Rapids, Michigan. 1889 Anna Bissell becomes America's first female corporate CEO,     after Melville's untimely death CAPs: Bisell, Melville Bissell, Anna Bissell, James Hume, Lucius Bigelow,  Hiram Herrick, SIPs: bissell, carpet sweeper, invention, history,      inventor of, history of, who invented, invention of, fascinating      facts. The Story: Prior to the introduction of "electric suction cleaners", most housewives used brooms and dust pans. Many of   the mid-Victorian homes had large "Axminster" or "Turkish" carpets on   the floors of principal rooms. In order to remove dirt, dust and animal dander from the   nap of these floor coverings, the carpets were removed from the home and beaten with a   device similar to an oversized fly swatter called a rug beater. Beginning in   1811 and again in 1858 many mechanical sweepers were invented. None of the   machines worked very well and in some cases actually stirred up more dust   then they picked up. That was about to change thanks to an American couple living in Michigan. Anna and Melville Bissell owned a small crockery shop in   Grand Rapids, Michigan. While cleaning up after the day's work, Anna often   became frustrated with the sawdust that was embedded in the carpet. The   tiny, stubborn particles clung to the carpet, and trying to sweep them up   was becoming a time-consuming nuisance. Anna presented the problem to Melville, her mechanically inclined husband.   Melville designed and constructed a carpet sweeper machine that he hoped   would solve the problem once and for all.   His ingenious design was a success, and word of Melville Bissell's carpet   sweeper spread quickly. People soon began asking where they could purchase a   sweeper for themselves.Although other companies made sweepers, those didnï¿½t   work very well. Melvilleï¿½s sweeper was lighter, worked on uneven floors and   picked up dirt without creating a cloud of dust. When people saw this, they   wanted one, too. As word of the Bissell sweeper got around, Melville and Anna loaded their   buggy with carpet sweepers and sold them door-to-door, each taking opposite   sides of the street. The brushes were made by local women in their homes,   then assembled in a room above the store.The BISSELL Carpet Sweeper was patented in 1876, and in 1883 the first   BISSELL manufacturing plant was built in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Following Melville untimely death in 1889, Anna Bissell stepped in   and confidently took control of the company, becoming America's first female   corporate CEO.   Under Anna's aggressive and innovative management, The cpmpany soon began to   look in new directions in product development and to expand their business   to include all the continents of the world. Anna ran the company until her   death in 1934, at age 87. Today Bissell Inc. is an industry leader, with   products sold in more than 60 countries. Still privately owned and still   managed by the Bissell family, Bissell Inc. merits its own chapter in the   history of Americ


British Landrace, Pietrain and Tamworth are what sort of animals?

About British Landrace Pigs Yorkshire About British Landrace Pigs The first Landrace pigs were imported into Britain from Sweden in 1949 (4 boars and 8 gilts). In 1950 the British Landrace Pig Society was formed to create a herd book for the first offspring born and very soon an evaluation scheme was created, with the first Pig Testing Scheme for daily gain and fat depths, a testing station was built at Stockton-on-Forest, York. This was one of the first examples of pig testing in the UK. Starting in 1953 more Landrace pigs were imported into Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands. A few years later in 1978 the British Landrace Pig Society joined forces with NPBA and became the British Pig Association.  The popularity of the British Landrace breed has expanded rapidly since then. They are now one of the UK’s most popular breeds of pig. British Landrace Pigs Associations


Lee Kuan Yew became the first officially elected prime minister of which country in 1959?

Commanding Heights : Lee Kuan Yew | on PBS Lee Kuan Yew (b. 1923) The first officially elected prime minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew served in office from 1959-1990, during which time he led his country through a period of remarkable economic growth and diversification. "Lee Kuan Yew." Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2001. (c) 1993-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Profile Born to a wealthy Chinese family, Lee Kuan Yew studied at Cambridge, England, and was admitted to the English bar in 1950. After his return he became a popular nationalist leader, and in 1954 he formed the People's Action Party. Lee was a member of the delegation that negotiated Singapore's independence from the British in 1956-58. After his party's victory in the subsequent elections, he became prime minister in 1959. Lee brought Singapore into the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, but Malay fear of Chinese domination forced Singapore to withdraw in 1965. Under his increasingly restrictive rule, the city-state became a center of international trade and relative prosperity in Asia. Lee resigned as prime minister in November 1990, but retained his leadership of the ruling People's Action Party. Copyright © 1993-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.


Who was rumoured to to have had his first wife Amy Robsart poisoned, in the hope of marrying Queen Elizabeth the First?

Queen Elizabeth I Queen Elizabeth I References Elizabeth, the only child of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn was born on 7th September, 1533. Henry expected a son and selected the names of Edward and Henry. While Henry was furious about having another daughter, the supporters of his first wife, Catherine of Aragon were delighted and claimed that it proved God was punishing Henry for his illegal marriage to Anne. (1) Retha M. Warnicke , the author of The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn (1989) has pointed out: "As the king's only legitimate child, Elizabeth was, until the birth of a prince, his heir and was to be treated with all the respect that a female of her rank deserved. Regardless of her child's sex, the queen's safe delivery could still be used to argue that God had blessed the marriage. Everything that was proper was done to herald the infant's arrival." (2) Although Anne Boleyn visited her daughter, for most of the time she was cared for by a large staff. Lady Margaret Bryan was Lady Mistress (the governess with day-to-day control of the nursery). Lady Margaret had also cared for Princess Mary , Elizabeth's elder half-sister. Elizabeth's earliest portraits suggest that she resembled her father in the shape of her face and her auburn hair, but had inherited her mother's coal-black eyes. (3) The 17-year-old Mary was declared illegitimate, lost her rank and status as a princess and was exiled from Court. She was placed with Sir John Shelton and his wife, Mary Shelton . It has been claimed that "Mary was bullied unmercifully by the Sheltons, humiliated, and was constantly afraid that she would be imprisoned or executed." (4) Alison Plowden has concluded that the treatment Mary received "turned a gentle, affectionate child into a bigoted, neurotic and bitterly unhappy woman." (5) Catherine of Aragon died on 7th January, 1536. Ambassador Eustace Chapuys reported to King Charles V : "The King dressed entirely in yellow from head to foot, with the single exception of a white feather in his cap. His bastard daughter Elizabeth was triumphantly taken to church to the sounds of trumpets and with great display. Then, after dinner, the King went to the Hall where the Ladies were dancing, and there made great demonstrations of joy, and at last went to his own apartments, took the little bastard in his arms, and began to show her first to one, then to another, and did the same on the following days." (6) Anne Boleyn Henry VIII continued to try to produce a male heir. Anne Boleyn had two miscarriages and was pregnant again when she discovered Jane Seymour sitting on her husband's lap. Anne "burst into furious denunciation; the rage brought on a premature labour and was delivered of a dead boy." (7) It has been claimed that the baby was born deformed and that the child was not Henry's. (8) In April 1536, a Flemish musician in Anne's service named Mark Smeaton was arrested. He initially denied being the Queen's lover but later confessed, perhaps tortured or promised freedom. Another courtier, Henry Norris , was arrested on 1st May. Sir Francis Weston was arrested two days later on the same charge, as was William Brereton , a Groom of the King's Privy Chamber. Anne's brother, George Boleyn was also arrested and charged with incest. (9) Anne Boleyn , copy of a portrait painted in about 1534 Anne was taken to the Tower of London on 2nd May, 1536. Four of the accused men were tried in Westminster ten days later. Smeaton pleaded guilty but Weston, Brereton, and Norris maintained their innocence Three days later, Anne and George Boleyn were tried separately. She was accused of enticing five men to have illicit relations with her. (10) Adultery committed by a queen was considered to be an act of high treason because it had implications for the succession to the throne. All were found guilty and condemned to death. The men were executed on 17th May. Anne went to the scaffold at Tower Green on 19th May, 1536. The Lieutenant of the Tower reported her as alternately weeping and laughing. The Lieutenant assured her she would feel no pain, and she accep


Of Albanian descent, by what name is 1979 Nobel Prizewinner Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu better known?

Mother Teresa - Biographical Mother Teresa The Nobel Peace Prize 1979 Mother Teresa Questions and Answers on Mother Teresa Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje * , Macedonia, on August 26 ** , 1910. Her family was of Albanian descent. At the age of twelve, she felt strongly the call of God. She knew she had to be a missionary to spread the love of Christ. At the age of eighteen she left her parental home in Skopje and joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with missions in India. After a few months' training in Dublin she was sent to India, where on May 24, 1931, she took her initial vows as a nun. From 1931 to 1948 Mother Teresa taught at St. Mary's High School in Calcutta, but the suffering        and poverty she glimpsed outside the convent walls made such a deep impression on her that in 1948 she received permission from her        superiors to leave the convent school and devote herself to working among the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta. Although        she had no funds, she depended on Divine Providence, and started an open-air school for slum children. Soon she was joined by voluntary        helpers, and financial support was also forthcoming. This made it possible for her to extend the scope of her work. On October 7, 1950, Mother Teresa received  permission from the Holy See to start her own order, "The  Missionaries of Charity", whose primary task was to love and care  for those persons nobody was prepared to look after. In 1965 the  Society became an International Religious Family by a decree of  Pope Paul VI. Today the order comprises Active and  Contemplative branches of Sisters and Brothers in many countries.  In 1963 both the Contemplative branch of the Sisters and the  Active branch of the Brothers was founded. In 1979 the  Contemplative branch of the Brothers was added, and in 1984 the  Priest branch was established. The Society of Missionaries has spread all  over the world, including the former Soviet Union and Eastern  European countries. They provide effective help to the poorest of  the poor in a number of countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin  America, and they undertake relief work in the wake of natural  catastrophes such as floods, epidemics, and famine, and for  refugees. The order also has houses in North America, Europe and  Australia, where they take care of the shut-ins, alcoholics,  homeless, and AIDS sufferers. The Missionaries of Charity throughout the  world are aided and assisted by Co-Workers who became an official  International Association on March 29, 1969. By the 1990s there  were over one million Co-Workers in more than 40 countries. Along  with the Co-Workers, the lay Missionaries of Charity try to  follow Mother Teresa's spirit and charism in their families. Mother Teresa's work has been recognised  and acclaimed throughout the world and she has received a number  of awards and distinctions, including the Pope John XXIII Peace  Prize (1971) and the Nehru Prize for her promotion of  international peace and understanding (1972). She also received  the Balzan Prize (1979) and the Templeton and Magsaysay  awards. From Nobel Lectures , Peace 1971-1980, Editor-in-Charge Tore Frängsmyr, Editor Irwin Abrams, World Scientific Publishing Co., Singapore, 1997 This autobiography/biography was written  at the time of the award and first   published in the book series Les   Prix Nobel .   It was later edited and republished in Nobel Lectures . To cite this document, always state the source as shown above. * Former Uskup, a town   in the Ottoman Empire. ** Mother Teresa's date of birth is disputed: "So unconcerned was she about accuracy in relation to the chronicling of her own life, and so disinclined actually to read anything written about her, that for many years and in a succession of books her birthdate was erroneously recorded as 27 August 1910. It even appeared in the Indian Loreto Entrance Book as her date of birth. In fact, as she confided to her friend, c


Mjosa (more precisely Mjøsa) is the largest lake of which country?

. Pathway analysis of transcripts enriched in male burbot from... - Figure 2 of 4 Fig. 2. Pathway analysis of transcripts enriched in male burbot from Lake Mjøsa and Lake Losna based sequences from two SSH cDNA libraries. Networks of genes regulated by four top ranked upstream key regulators including (A) hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4A), (B) peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), (C) dexamethasone which is a potent cortisol analog and (D) β -estradiol.  Context Lake Mjøsa is the largest freshwater repository in Norway, receiving runoff from a wide surrounding region of urban country. As a result of industrial activity, large quantities of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been discharged into Lake Mjøsa during the last century. Because of this, organisms in this lake may contain relative large quantities of toxic chemicals like polychlori- nated biphenyls (PCB ' s), brominated fl ame retardants (BFR), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites, and the heavy metal mercury (Hg) (Fjeld et al., 2011). Especially fi sh at the top level of the foodweb, such as brown trout ( Salmo trutta ) and burbot ( Lota lota ), are prone to biomagni fi cation of signi fi cant amounts of these chemicals (Mariussen et al., 2008). A large-scale monitoring program for Lake Mjøsa was initiated in 2003 when extreme levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDE were found in brown trout (Fjeld et al., 2004). Today the PCB concentrations in trout are still high and due to risk of exceeding the threshold level for tolerable intake of dioxin-like PCBs, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (www.mattilsynet.no) has advised consumers to limit their consumption of trout from Lake Mjøsa. The monitoring program has shown that the levels of the BFRs PBDE and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in biota have been reduced over the last few years, however, there still remain hotspots within the lake with high levels of BFRs (Mariussen et al., 2008; Fjeld et al., 2011). After the use of penta- and octa-BDEs was banned, HBCD is now the second most used BFR in Europe, and this BFR is considered to be an emerging POP. BFRs will therefore still represent a serious environmental problem for years to come, necessitating more research into the potential negative effects of these persistent pollutants. Transcriptomic pro fi ling has become a useful toxicogenomic discovery tool for identifying the molecular basis of biological functions underlying responses to toxicants, revealing potential mechanisms of toxicity, and in search for novel biomarkers. Even though microarrays remain the primary technology for transcriptomic pro fi ling, an alternative is the use of next-generation sequencing to directly sequence and quantify transcripts from experimental samples. Compared to microarrays, next-generation sequencing technologies offer several advantages in functional genomics research, including much wider dynamic range of detection and application for non-model species (Nagalakshmi et al., 2008). The aim of this study was therefore to use next-generation sequencing in search for molecular biomarkers in burbot from Lake Mjøsa, a lake containing high levels of POPs. Burbot were collected in Lake Mjøsa near Lillehammer, a hotspot for POP contamination, as well as further north in Lake Losna. In a previous study the health status of burbot from Lake Mjøsa was evaluated using burbot from Lake Losna as reference (Berg et al., 2013). The examination revealed reduced hepatic lipid content, increased diffuse histopathological lesions and signi fi cantly higher prevalences of mycobacterial and parasitic infections in the fi sh from Lake Mjøsa compared to Lake Losna. The endocrine disrupt- ing potency of extracts from burbot liver from the two lakes (Lake Mjøsa; polluted, Lake Losna; background levels) was documented in cell studies in primary porcine theca and granulosa cells and in the human adrenal cell line H295R (Gregoraszczuk et al., 2008; Zimmer et al., 2011). Furthermore, in zebra fi sh ( Danio rerio ) exposed to the same extracts it


How would 'good day' normally be said in Japanese?

4 Ways to Say Hello in Japanese - wikiHow Standard hello 1 Say "konnichiwa" in most settings. [1] This is a fairly all-purpose greeting, and if you only memorize one version of “hello,” this should be it. You can use this greeting for anyone, regardless of social status. While there are separate greetings used during most periods of the day, this greeting also doubles as “good afternoon.” The kanji for this greeting is 今日は. The hiragana is こんにちは. Pronounce this greeting as kohn-nee-chee-wah. 2 Answer the phone with "moshi moshi." [2] This is the standard “hello” to use over the phone. Use this greeting whether you are the caller or the person being called. Moshi moshi is much more appropriate to use for phone conversations than konnichiwa. Do not use moshi moshi in person. The hiragana for this greeting is written as もしもし. Pronounce moshi moshi as mohsh mohsh. Method Informal greetings 1 Use "ossu" between close male friends. [3] This is a very informal greeting used between close male friends or close male relatives around the same age. This phrase is not usually used between female friends or between friends with opposite genders. Ossu is somewhat similar to saying “hey, man!” or “hey, dude!” in English. The hiragana for this phrase is written as おっす. Pronounce this greeting as ohss. 2 3 Etiquette when you bow Bowing is often a used to not only when you meet someone, but it is also a sign of respect. This can be initiated be either party (though often the greeter). 1 Understand that the bow is equivalent to a respectful handshake. The most important thing to remember is when you are returning a bow. 2 When you receive a bow, bow back. You should bow at least as low as, though preferably slightly lower than the one who bowed first. Bowing lower is a sign of respect, so try to bow lower than the person giving the bow if they are of higher social status than you, or if you don't know that person. Greeting bows are generally 15 degrees for people you are familiar with and 30 degrees for people you just met or are of higher social standing. 45 degree bows are usually not used for greetings, unless you're meeting the emperor or Prime Minister. If you're bowing in greeting to a good friend, you can simply nod your head to bow. This is the most casual of bows. 3 Bow with your arms at the side, eyes facing the same direction as your head. Make sure to bow from the waist. Bowing with just your head or shoulders is very casual and can be seen as rude. Method Time-specific greetings 1 Switch to "ohayō gozaimasu" in the morning. When greeting someone before lunch, this is the standard way to say “hello.” Time-specific greetings are more significant in Japan than in the United States. While you can technically say “konnichiwa” in the morning, greeting someone with “ohayō gozaimasu” is much more common. The kanji for this greeting is お早うございます. The hiragana is おはようございます. You could also shorten your morning greeting to "ohayō" when speaking to friends and others with whom you are on familiar terms. The kanji for ohayō is お早う and the hiragana is おはよう. Pronounce this greeting as oh-hah-yoh goh-za-ee-muss. 2 Use "konbanwa" in the evening. After dinner, you would begin greeting others with this phrase rather than “konnichiwa.” As with other time-specific greetings, konbanwa is the standard greeting to use during the evening. You could use konnichiwa, but the latter is far less standard. The kanji for this phrase is 今晩は. The hiragana is こんばんは. Pronounce konbanwa as kohn-bahn-wah. 3 Try "oyasumi nasai" to say good-bye at night. Note that oyasumi nasai is more often used in parting as a way of saying “good night” late at night rather than “hello." You might get some strange looks if you use this when you meet someone, even if it's really late in the night. When you are among friends, classmates, close family members, or anyone else with whom you can speak to familiarly, this phrase can also be shortened to oyasumi. The hiragana for oyasumi is おやすみ. For the entire phrase, oyasumi nasai, the hiragana is おやすみなさい. This greeting is roughly pronoun


Active volcanoes in Africa and the Red Sea: facts & information Schematic map of Africa's most active volcanoes Volcanoes in Africa Adapted from: Simpkin and Siebert, 1994, Volcanoes of the World: Africa is the only region other than the Mediterranean with an historically dated B.C. eruption (at Mount Cameroon, observed by a passing Carthaginian navigator in the 5th century B.C.). By the 15th centuray A.D., however, when Portuguese exploration of Africa had begun and Vasco de Gama sailed to India via the Cape of Good Hope, only 2 more eruptions had been recorded, both from Ethiopia. In the next 3 and two-thirds centuries, another 20 some eruptions were recorded, but the main historical record of the continent began with the opening of the Suez Canal at the end of 1869, and the heyday of African exploration that followed. Most African volcanoes result from hotspots, the rifting in East Africa, or a combination of the two. The East African rift, one of the world's most dramatic extensional structures, has produced the continent's highest and lowest volcanoes, ranging from the massive Kilimanjaro to vents in Ethiopia's Danakil Depression that lie below sea level. Two neighboring volcanoes in Zaire's (today's Democratic Republic of the Congo) Virunga National Park, Nyamuragira and Nyiragongo, are responsible for nearly two-fifths of Africa's historical eruptions.   Western Africa (9 volcanoes): Biu Plateau | Cameroon | Manengouba | Ngaoundere Plateau | Oku Volcanic Field | San Carlos | San Joaquin | Sao Tome | Tombel Graben The East African Rift Valley Map of East Africa showing some of the historically active volcanoes (red triangles) and the Afar Triangle (shaded, center) -- a so-called triple junction (or triple point), where three plates are pulling away from one another: the Arabian Plate, and the two parts of the African Plate (the Nubian and the Somalian) splitting along the East African Rift Zone. From: Kious and Tilling, 1996, This Dynamic Earth: The Story of Plate Tectonics: USGS Online version 1.08 In East Africa, spreading processes have already torn Saudi Arabia away from the rest of the African continent, forming the Red Sea. The actively splitting African Plate and the Arabian Plate meet in what geologists call a triple junction, where the Red Sea meets the Gulf of Aden. A new spreading centre may be developing under Africa along the East African Rift Zone. When the continental crust stretches beyond its limits, tension cracks begin to appear on the Earth's surface. Magma rises and squeezes through the widening cracks, sometimes to erupt and form volcanoes. The rising magma, whether or not it erupts, puts more pressure on the crust to produce additional fractures and, ultimately, the rift zone. East Africa may be the site of the Earth's next major ocean. Plate interactions in the region provide scientists an opportunity to study first hand how the Atlantic may have begun to form about 200 million years ago. Geologists believe that, if spreading continues, the three plates that meet at the edge of the present-day African continent will separate completely; allowing the Indian Ocean to flood the area and making the easternmost corner of Africa (the Horn of Africa) a large island. More on VolcanoDiscovery:


The German Deutschmark was comprised of one hundred what?

ExchangeRate.com - Currency Information German Mark  |  Post  |  View The Deutsche Mark (German mark) was the official currency of West Germany (1948-1990) and Germany (1990-2002) until the adoption of the euro in 2002. It was first issued under Allied occupation in 1948 replacing the Reichsmark, and served as the Federal Republic of Germany's official currency from its founding the following year until 1999, when the Mark was replaced by the euro; its coins and banknotes remained in circulation, defined in terms of euros, until the introduction of euro notes and coins in early 2002. The Deutsche Mark ceased to be legal tender immediately upon the introduction of the euro-in contrast to the other Eurozone nations, where the euro and legacy currency circulated side by side for up to two months. DM coins and banknotes continued to be accepted as valid forms of payment in Germany until 28 February 2002. The Deutsche Bundesbank has guaranteed that all German mark in cash form may be changed into euros indefinitely, and one may do so at any branch of the Bundesbank in Germany. Banknotes can even be sent to the bank by mail. On 31 December 1998, the European Central Bank (ECB) fixed the irrevocable exchange rate, effective 1 January 1999, for German mark to euros as DM 1.95583 = 1. One Deutsche Mark was divided into 100 Pfennig. History Before 1871 A Mark had been the currency of Germany since its original unification in 1871. Before that time, the different German states issued a variety of different currencies, though most were linked to the Vereinsthaler, a silver coin containing 16 2/3 grams of pure silver. Although the Mark was based on gold rather than silver, a fixed exchange rate between the Vereinsthaler and the Mark of 3 Mark = 1 Vereinsthaler was used for the conversion. 1873-1948 The first Mark, known as the Goldmark, was introduced in 1873. With the outbreak of World War I, the Mark was taken off the gold standard. The currency thus became known as the Papiermark, especially as high inflation, then hyperinflation occurred and the currency became exclusively made up of paper money. The Papiermark was replaced by the Rentenmark in late 1923 and the Reichsmark (RM) in 1924. Currency reform of June 1948 The Deutsche Mark was introduced on Sunday, June 20, 1948 by Ludwig Erhard. He did this, as he often confessed, on Sunday because the offices of the American, British, and French occupation authorities were closed that day. He was sure that if he had done it when they were open, they would have countermanded the order. The old Reichsmark and Rentenmark were exchanged for the new currency at a rate of 1 DM = 1 RM for the essential currency such as wages, payment of rents etc, and 1 DM = 10 RM for the remainder in private non-bank credit balance, with half frozen. Large amounts were exchanged for 10RM to 65 pfennigs. In addition, each person received a per capita allowance of 60 DM in two parts, the first being 40 DM and the second 20 DM. The introduction of the new currency was intended to protect western Germany from a second wave of hyperinflation and to stop the rampant barter and black market trade (where American cigarettes acted as currency). Although the new currency was initially only distributed in the three western occupation zones outside Berlin, the move angered the Soviet authorities, who regarded it as a threat. The Soviets promptly cut off all road, rail and canal links between the three western zones and West Berlin - starting the Berlin Blockade. In response the United States distributed the new currency in West Berlin as well. Currency reform in the Soviet occupation zone In the Soviet occupation zone of Germany (later the German Democratic Republic), the East German Mark (also named "Deutsche Mark" from 1948-1964 and colloquially referred to as the Ostmark) was introduced a few days afterwards in the form of Reichsmark and Rentenmark notes with adhesive stamps to stop the flooding in of Reichsmark and Rentenmark notes from the West. In July 1948, a completely new series of East German Mark banknot


'Atoms for Peace', formed in 1957, is now known as what?

Sixty Years of “Atoms for Peace” and Iran’s Nuclear Program | Brookings Institution Sixty Years of “Atoms for Peace” and Iran’s Nuclear Program Stumbleupon On December 8, 1953, President Eisenhower delivered his “Atoms for Peace” speech before the United Nations General Assembly. In his speech, Eisenhower remarked that “…if a danger exists in the world, it is a danger shared by all; and equally, that if hope exists in the mind of one nation, that hope should be shared by all.” Eisenhower recognized the paradoxical danger and promise offered by the atomic age: on one hand, the militarization of the atom for nuclear weapons and, on the other hand, the peaceful utilization of the atom to produce energy. Atoms for Peace provided technology and educational resources for states wanting civilian nuclear programs. As a participant in the program, Atoms for Peace laid the foundation for Iran’s nuclear program beginning in 1957. Today, given the concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, it is worthwhile to examine how much Atoms for Peace contributed to Iran’s nuclear program, specifically the elements that have concerned the international community most. Hopeful that the peaceful atom could prevail, Eisenhower proposed that “governments principally involved, to the extent permitted by elementary prudence, should begin now and continue to make joint contributions from their stockpiles of normal uranium and fissionable material to an international atomic energy agency.” Eisenhower’s speech set into motion the creation of the Atoms for Peace program. This visionary program was based on a bargain between the United States and developing states. The United States provided research reactors, fuel and scientific training to developing countries wanting civilian nuclear programs. In exchange, recipient states committed to only use the technology and education for peaceful, civilian purposes. Get daily updates from Brookings Enter Email Today, the implementation of Eisenhower’s vision is still contested. While well intentioned, the Atoms for Peace program has been criticized for facilitating nuclear proliferation by spreading dual use nuclear technology, i.e., technologies and materials, such as highly enriched uranium, used in early civilian nuclear programs that can also be used for the production of nuclear weapons. Some believe that Atoms for Peace set nuclear aspirants, like Iran, on the path to acquiring necessary technologies and materials for the development of a nuclear weapons program. The Atoms for Peace program provided the foundations for Iran’s nuclear program by providing key nuclear technology and education. Iran’s nuclear program began under Mohamed Reza Shah’s rule in 1957, after the United States and Iran agreed to a civilian nuclear cooperation arrangement, known as the Cooperation Concerning Civil Uses of Atoms, through the Atoms for Peace program. Two years later, the Shah established the Tehran Nuclear Research Center (TNRC), located at the University of Tehran, and began to negotiate with the United States to provide Iran with nuclear technology and materials. In 1967, the United States supplied Iran with a 5 megawatt nuclear research reactor along with highly enriched uranium to fuel the reactor, housed at the TRNC. The reactor, under safeguards, had the capability to produce up to 600 grams of plutonium per year in spent fuel. Akbar Etemad, deemed the father of Iran’s nuclear program, later revealed that the TNRC was the site of experiments with chemically extracting plutonium. Iran also admitted to using the reactor in the early 1990s for the production of small amounts of Polonium-210, a radioactive substance that can be used to start a chain reaction inside a nuclear weapon. However, Iran states the production of Polonium-210 was used for research on production of neutron sources to be used in radio isotopic thermoelectric generators, not nuclear weapons. Moreover, the TRNC is thought to be the location of earlier Iranian experiments on enriching uranium through laser isotope separation, a method that Iran appear