Pulex irritans is a parasitic insect. What is.it more commonly known as?

Human Flea - Pulex irritans - Details - Encyclopedia of Life Learn more about this article All fleas have the same general morphology with some minor exceptions in various species. An adult Pulex irritans is reddish-brown in color, with females being 2.5 to 3.5 mm long and males being 2 to 2.5 mm long. The body is laterally compressed and wingless. The abdomen and thorax (nearly continuous) are much larger than the head. The head itself is very short and house a small pair of antennae which are found in small grooves posterior to the ocelli. The antennae have five segments each. Pulex irritans is telmophagus, thus the mouthparts are specialized for piercing and sucking. Unlike most fleas, this species does not have genal or pronotal ctenidia. All fleas have three pairs of legs, each one with five segments (not including the five tarsal segments). The coxae are greatly enlarged and are the source of fleas’ impressive jumping due to a protein called resilin. Pretarsal claws are present on P. irritans. The abdomen is subdivided into ten segments. Setae are found on the tergites (dorsal sclerites). The pygidium is a small, circular depression found on the ninth abdominal tergite that functions as a sense organ. The most posterior portions of the abdomen house reproductive organs and genitalia. Females have a sperm-storing structure called the spermatheca. The male genitalia is known as the aedeagus and is arguably the most complex genitalia in the animal kingdom. Males also have two stylets to hold and position the female during copulation. Pulex irritans eggs are oval and white in color. All flea larvae resemble maggots with neither legs nor eyes. They are opaque-white colored, have several setae and are extremely active. The head has some sclerotization and is darker than the rest of the body. The most posterior segment has two small, brown hooks. Pulex irritans pupae are surrounded by a silken, sticky cocoon which easily picks up debris which aids in camouflage. Range length: 2 to 3.5 mm. Sexual Dimorphism: female larger Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; bilateral symmetry Chandler, A. 1922. Animal Parasites and Human Disease. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. Accessed April 01, 2010 at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18142579#5 . © The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors Learn more about this article As a nidicolous ectoparasite, an adult P. irritans is found on its hosts exterior when it needs to feed. Hosts for this species are generally mammals, and are primarily larger carnivores, including humans. When not feeding, P. irritans can be found in nests of host animals or nearly anywhere within a human house. This species has a cosmopolitan distribution, so its habitat varies extensively depending on geographic location. Eggs, larvae and pupae are usually also found in the immediate habitat of the host, if not on the host. Eggs almost always fall off the host, so pupae are also found in the host’s habitat. Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial Terrestrial Biomes: tundra ; taiga ; desert or dune ; savanna or grassland ; chaparral ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest ; mountains Other Habitat Features: urban ; suburban ; agricultural Roberts, L., J. Janovy. 2009. Gerald D. Schmidt & Larry S. Roberts' Foundations of Parasitology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Theobald, F. 1892. An Account of British Flies (Diptera). London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.C.. Accessed March 31, 2010 at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/20682702#5 . © The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors Learn more about this article Pulex irritans is a parasitic species that uses a wide array of hosts, mostly in Mammalia and some in Aves. Since they feed on blood, excessive bites from this species can lead to anemia in the host. Pulex irritans also serves as a vector for various pathogens including plague-causing bacteria (Yersinia pestis), bacteria causing murine typhus (Rickettsia typhi), bacteria causing feline spotted-fever (Rickettsia felis), protozoa (Nosema pulicis), paras


Who was the only British King of the House of Saxe-Coburg?

1000+ images about The House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha on Pinterest | King george, Alexandra of denmark and England Forward The birth of Edward VII on this day 9th November, 1841, the oldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He married Princess Alexandra of Denmark in 1863 and they had three sons and three daughters. Queen Victoria would not involve Edward, Prince of Wales, in official government matters and Edward chose to indulge in a wild social life becoming implicated more than once in divorce cases. Pin


"The word ""batty"" derives from which expression?"

etymology - Where did the phrase "batsh*t crazy" come from? - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange up vote 14 down vote accepted I started to type up an answer summarizing several theories about its origin and first use, but then I found that since the last time I tried to look it up, the Oxford English Dictionary has in fact added an entry for this term (in the online edition), along with some helpful citations. Turns out the phrase didn't originate with Hunter S. Thompson, or with Kubrick's Col. "Bat" Guano in Dr. Strangelove. Here are the definitions provided by the OED, along with the earliest citation for each: A worthless or contemptible thing; rubbish, nonsense. Cf. bullshit n. (1950 M. Shedd Return to Beach ii. 156: "I felt the minute hand of that bat shit of a Judas clock stand up to me.") Austral. Used in similative phrases as the type of something dull or uninteresting. Chiefly in boring as batshit. (1964 G. H. Johnston My Brother Jack iv. 58: "He would describe somebody as being ‘as silly as a two-bob watch’ or ‘dreary as bat-shit’.") Crazy, mad, insane. Cf. bats at bat *n*. 1 b. Orig. and freq. in to go batshit (cf. to go ape-shit at ape n. Additions). (1971 W. Calley Lieutenant Calley 104: "Most of America's males were in Korea or World War II or I. They killed, and they aren't all going batshit.") As an intensifier, esp. in batshit crazy. (1993 Toronto Life Aug. 6/4: "His mug is emblazoned with the words: full-blown bat shit crazy.") So, while batshit crazy certainly does seem to be influenced by the expression bats in the belfry as you suggest, its first meaning, in use by 1950, was simply a variant of bullshit. This use continued and overlapped with the "crazy" meaning: further citations are given for definition #1 from Dean Koontz's 1985 novel Door to December and from Seattle Weekly in 2002. Also, batshit as a standalone word meaning "crazy" appears to be older than the two-word phrase batshit crazy, at least as far as the written record shows. There's anecdotal evidence scattered around the internet, like in this Straight Dope Message Board discussion, that definition #1 was in common use in the US military during the 1950s. Someone else points out there that Hunter S. Thompson may have picked up the term in the Air Force, from which he was discharged in 1958. Apparently he used the terms batshit, batshit crazy, and/or batshit insane in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and/or Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72, but I don't have either book handy to check, and none of the claims I've found includes a full quotation. From an inexplicably deleted answer is a 1983 cartoon by P. S. Mueller (the voice of Onion News Radio ) captioned: Full blown batshit crazy and still holding down a productive job Mueller adds: Since I first published this cartoon around 25 years ago, I have received more correspondence about it than anything I have done before or since. I guess it struck a chord. As far as I knew at the time or know now, the phrase "Full Blown Batshit Crazy" just sort of fell out of my head and appears to have entered some part of the language. I seem to have the dimmest memory of a guy I knew in my early teens uttering the word "Batshit" on the school bus and nearly killing me with it. I could have it all tangled up with another guy or made it up myself, but it certainly sounds like something Birdy would have said. I'm not sure when Mueller was born, but he "began contributing drawings to the Daily Egyptian at Southern Illinois University-Cabondale" from 1967 , so his early teens batshit memory was probably around the early 1960s. up vote 1 down vote The word crazy is a later addition. Scanning Google Books I find a handful of references starting from the mid-60s where batshit is clearly just a variation on bullshit (nonsense, rubbish) - which meaning still turns up even in 2001 , but it's relatively uncommon now. Here's a relatively early one from 1967 where the meaning is crazy. A decade later most references have this meaning, but the earliest actual "batshit crazy" I can find is this one fr


Which nation is the richest in the world per head of capita?

stumbleupon Email Comment If you’ve had any active participation and awareness of the world we live in over the last decade or so, you no doubt have noticed the unstoppable growth of China and its economy. China began leveraging its massive population to become the manufacturing capital of the world in the early 1980s, and they’ve successfully built on that to become the most important economy in the world. Like the United Kingdom and the United States before them, they’ve used manufacturing as a springboard into trying to become a broader, more professional service based economy. They’re on course to surpass the United States as the world’s largest economy sometime later this year, a changing of the guard that will have both real and symbolic consequences. Generally, when economists are referring to the size of any given nation’s economy they are referring to the GDP (gross domestic product), which is the sum of all economic activity within that nation’s borders. It isn’t a perfect way to measure real economic growth (e.g. being diagnosed with cancer and beginning treatment will increase GDP because treatment is expensive), but it’s a good basis to get a quick snapshot of economic health. For those of you who do not follow economic news at all, this information may come as quite a shock. Anyone who’s ever been to China – or even read about it or watched video footage – knows that there’s still a sizeable gap in the average quality of life between the standard American and the standard Chinese citizen. In short, that difference in lifestyle can explained by the difference in GDP per capita. China may soon have the larger GDP, but it’s also burdened with the largest population. That means that, on average, a citizen of China has significantly less money than a citizen of the United States, even though China is the richer country. When determining individual economic prosperity, GDP per capita is a more appropriate tool than just comparing GDPs. It can therefore be assumed that the countries with the highest GDPs per capita have the richest citizens. To really ensure the figures are comprehensive and the rankings are appropriate, GDP per capita is then adjusted based on purchasing power parity (PPP) a concept in economics that’s used to determine the relative value between currencies. These are the 10 countries with the highest GDP per capita in the world adjusted for PPP, as determined by the International Monetary Foundation (IMF). 10. Australia – GDP Per Capita: $43,073 Via wikipedia.org The land down under opens the list with a GDP per capita of $43,073. Australia is a member of the commonwealth and thus has close trade ties with the UK and its affiliates, but has recently developed an important economic relationship with China and other rising Asian economies. The export of commodities – at the expense of a manufacturing industry – has been the focal point of Australia’s recent economic growth. 9. Canada – GDP Per Capita: $43,427 Via wpmedia.o.canada.com You may have heard about the factoid that the New York Times turned into a story regarding the middle classes of Canada and the United States. For the first time, the middle class of Canada is estimated to be better off than the middle class of the USA. While this is undoubtedly true, Canada still ranks lower than the United States in GDP per capita. Therein lies the main flaw with calculating wealth by using GDP per capita – a massive concentration of wealth among a small group of the elite can skew the rankings. Regardless, Canada has done quite well for itself in the past 10-20 years. A resource based economy mixed with the soaring price of commodities in the international market (and a growing financial industry) has made Canadians much wealthier than they were a generation ago. 8. San Marino – GDP Per Capita: $44,480 via wikipedia.org The tiny microstate of San Marino is also one of the world’s wealthiest per capita. Landlocked and surrounded by Italy, San Marino claims to be the world’s oldest sovereign state, as the current political system is a direct continua


Which toxic protein is extracted from the castor oil plant?

Cornell University Department of Animal Science Ricin Toxin from Castor Bean Plant, Ricinus communis Ricin is one of the most poisonous naturally occuring substances known. The seeds from the castor bean plant, Ricinus communis, are poisonous to people, animals and insects. One of the main toxic proteins is "ricin", named by Stillmark in 1888 when he tested the beans' extract on red blood cells and saw them agglutinate. Now we know that the agglutination was due to another toxin that was also present, called RCA (Ricinus communis agglutinin). Ricin is a potent cytotoxin but a weak hemagglutinin, whereas RCA is a weak cytotoxin and a powerful hemagglutinin. Poisoning by ingestion of the castor bean is due to ricin, not RCA, because RCA does not penetrate the intestinal wall, and does not affect red blood cells unless given intravenously. If RCA is injected into the blood, it will cause the red blood cells to agglutinate and burst by hemolysis. Perhaps just one milligram of ricin can kill an adult. The symptoms of human poisoning begin within a few hours of ingestion. The symptoms are: a decrease in urine, and a decrease in blood pressure. If death has not occurred in 3-5 days, the victim usually recovers. It is advisable to keep children away from the castor bean plant or necklaces made with its seeds. In fact donít even have them in or around a house with small children. If they ingest the leaves or swallow the seeds, they may get poisoned. The highly toxic seeds beaded into necklaces, cause skin irritation at the contact point. If the seed is swallowed without chewing, and there is no damage to the seed coat, it will most likely pass harmlessly through the digestive tract. However, if it is chewed or broken and then swallowed, the ricin toxin will be absorbed by the intestines. It is said that just one seed can kill a child. Children are more sensitive than adults to fluid loss due to vomiting and diarrhea, and can quickly become severely dehydrated and die. Castor bean plants in a garden should not be allowed to flower and seed. [Castor Bean Plant, Poisoning,  and Oil] [Mechanism of Toxic Action] [Ricin Biosynthesis] [Ricin Enzymatic Action] [Ricin Structure] [Ricin Uptake] [Therapeutic Applications of Immunotoxins] [Toxigenic Ablation] [References] [Return to list of toxicants] Castor Bean Plant, Poisoning, and Oil The castor bean plant, Ricinus communis, is a "native of tropical Africa cultivated in several varieties for the oil found in its leaves and for its bold foliage."(Alber and Alber) The "stalked leaves consist of usually eight radiating, pointed leaflets with slightly serrated edges and prominent central veins. Many varieties are green, but some are reddish brown."(Cooper and Johnson) The flowers are green and inconspicuous, but pink or red in the pigmented varieties. Many stamens are near the base and branching pistils are near the top of the flower. The soft-spined fruits containing attractively mottled seeds are distinctive features of the plant. It is grown as an ornamental in gardens, sometimes as a houseplant, and also grows as a weed. It is an annual in the south and a perennial in the tropics, and it may reach "15 feet tall outdoors". It is a woody herb belonging to the family of Euphorbiacea (Spurge). For further details on the plantís characteristics, see "Poisonous Plants Page, Ricinus Communis, http://res.agr.ca./ Castor bean poisoning - Children It is advisable to keep children away from the castor bean plant or necklaces made with its seeds. In fact don't even have them in or around a house with small children. If they ingest the leaves or swallow the seeds, they may get poisoned. The highly toxic seeds beaded into necklaces, cause skin irritation at the contact point. If the seed is swallowed without chewing, and there is no damage to the seed coat, it will most likely pass harmlessly through the digestive tract. However, if it is chewed or broken and then swallowed, the ricin toxin will be absorbed by the intestines. It is said that just o


"Which 1950's pop singer was known as the ""singing barber?"

Popular Singers 1950 - 1959 Extraordinarily Versatile Popular recording artists in the fifties were expected to embrace many types of material.      Perry Como�s hits ranged from the polka duet Hoop-Dee-Do with the Fontane Sisters, to the novelty Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity, Boom), to a moving ren�dition of composer Richard Rogers� No Other Love from the World War II documentary �Victory at Sea.�      Rosemary Clooney scored with the novelty Italian Botch-A-Me and the very melodic and breathy Tenderly.              Eddie Fisher had huge hits with the traditional Lady of Spain, the Swiss Oh My Pa-pa, and Broadway�s rousing (You Gotta Have) Heart.      Patti Page went from the old fashioned Tennessee Waltz, to the exciting flamenco Conquest, to the pseudo-gospel Cross Over the Bridge, to the country Detour, to the classic novelty Doggie in the Window (arf, arf), even to the pulsing All My Love based on Ravel�s Bolero.      Tony Bennett recorded the swinging Rags to Riches and the more classical Stranger in Paradise based on music from the Polovtsian Dances originally composed by 19th century Russian, Aleksandr Borodin.      Doris Day�s hits included the plain�tive Secret Love, the unforgettable lullaby Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be), and the novelty song Choo Choo Train (Ch-Ch-Foo) adapted from the popular French song Le Petit Train. For a list of the 12 most Popular 1950s Singers


Which actress played both Estella and Miss Havisham in 1946 and 1985 respectively?

The Greatest Literature of All Time - Movie: Great Expectations   Great    Expectations It says something    about the basic story line of Great Expectations, that no matter    how many film adaptations are made (over a dozen so far), they    are always engrossing. Each time I come across a new one I start off    thinking, "Ho-hum, here we go again," and then find myself    caught up in it�looking forward    to the latest rendition of each of the well-known  scenes: Pip meeting    the convict in the graveyard, his first visit to Miss Havisham's, his    unrequited courtship of Estella, his discovery of the truth about his    benefactor.... They say that    mediocre books make the best films. Either Dickens is the most mediocre    writer who ever lived or Great Expectations is the exception to    this rule. For years the best adaptation of Great Expectations was considered    the David Lean-directed 1940s cinematic version in black and white. But    more recently a television mini-series has set a new standard. But let's go    through some of the more noteworthy versions in rough chronological order. Lean expectations The 1946 film of Great Expectations is beloved for some very good reasons.    For one thing it stars the likable duo of John Mills    and Alec Guinness as respectively Pip and his roommate Herbert    Pocket. For another it tells the essential story in under two hours. And the ending is    sunnier (both metaphorically and quite literally) than the one Dickens    wrote. In every aspect    this is a brilliantly made movie for its time. The camera angles, the dialogue,    the acting, the staging�they all work to dramatize the Dickens story. Most especially it's a triumph of condensing   genius. It is truly amazing how much of the Dickens novel is compacted   into its short timeframe, and yet the film never seems rushed. The main   characters are fleshed out and memorable. The story seems to be told in   its own time. It is only if you compare pages of the text�or scenes of   some of the later, longer films�to this production that you notice the   cuts and the combination of scenes that have been combined. This compactness    works to exaggerate Dickens's already exaggerated sensibility a a little further. The    hunt for the convicts on the moors is more thrilling, Miss Havisham's home    is spookier and more decrepit�as is Miss Havisham herself (Martita Hunt)�and    Magwitch (veteran character actor Finlay Currie, who won the greatest    acclaim of his career for this role) is larger than life as both villain and reformed    criminal. The climax is a realistic and exciting river chase scene    involving a packet-steamer, more or less as Dickens descibed in the novel. One complaint however is that the character of Orlick�Pip's persecutor and    his sister's murderer�is eliminated, which makes Mrs. Joe's    sister's sudden demise seem arbitrary. It's announced in a voice-over that    she got sick and died. Also the role of Pip's confidante Biddy is greatly    reduced. I have a further gripe    about the character of Estella. Her younger version is played by British    actress Jean Simmons, who would soon become a major Hollywood star and who    is perfect as the beautiful, cruel, and cruelly used girl. But when Estella    reaches adulthod, Simmons is replaced    by Valerie Hobson (wife of the film's producer). Hobson is elegant and    stately but she's no Estella and our fascination in the character is    dissipated. I can't help but think Simmons, who at sixteen was    playing younger than her age for the early Estella, could have made the transition    herself into a great later Estella, the icy    belle of London. Lean's Great    Expectations is often named among the best black-and-white films of    the twentieth century and one of Britain's top ten films ever. The great    respect won by this this adaptation


Who were Liverpool playing when a red balloon scored the only goal?

Balloon Scores for Sunderland | SportsFilter (or sign up ) October 17, 2009 Balloon Scores for Sunderland : A large red balloon scored a goal for Sunderland in its historic 1-0 defeat of Liverpool Saturday. The balloon, which did not have a small child inside, deflected a hard Darren Bent shot past keeper Pepe Reina four minutes into the match. Sunderland hadn't beaten Liverpool at home for 50 years. See the shot and the live reaction on Sky Sports. "Pictures on Sky TV showed a young fan in the Liverpool section throwing the beach ball on the pitch and then looking particularly glum at halftime," the Times reported. posted by rcade to soccer at 04:59 PM - 21 comments The shot keeps getting removed from YouTube. If someone has a link to official Premier League highlights let me know. posted by rcade at 05:04 PM on October 17 Here and here . I'd say "beach ball" over "balloon", but Liverpool definitely had the wind knocked out of them by it (ka-dunk). posted by etagloh at 05:44 PM on October 17 You thought the kid was glum at halftime? Think he's going to sleep tonight? This will probably stay with him for a long time. May want to keep him out of school for a few days -- you can imagine the kids' reaction. posted by jjzucal at 05:44 PM on October 17 at the start of the video of the boy throwing the ball onto the pitch, it looks like someone on playing level hands him the ball.  Seems like that was a bad idea. posted by dviking at 07:45 PM on October 17 Bad luck but I watched the whole match and the Reds were never scoring. Rafa made a big mistake putting in three centerbacks and compounded problems by leaving Jay Spearing in so long. Spearing made so many bad passes he should have a tough time getting in the reserve side any time soon. Babel showed he is just not going to cut it up top and needs to be sold or loaned in January. I empathize with the kid who threw the balloon but the loss isn't on him. posted by billsaysthis at 09:10 PM on October 17 The rules state the referee has the option to allow play to continue if a "second ball" goes on to the field but should call a halt if it interferes with the action. It also states he should stop the game in the case of "any kind of outside interference" but in reality matches are routinely allowed to continue with items like balloons on the pitch. Former FIFA referee Graham Poll told the BBC the referee should have stopped the game and given a drop ball. I could understand why play wouldn't be stopped if the ball was at midfield, against the sidelines or away from the play. But this seems like a perfect opportunity for the official to exercise his option to award a drop ball. That is interference, right? And if not in this case, then when it is proper to? Maybe I don't watch enough soccer. posted by BoKnows at 09:46 PM on October 17 Reminds me of this incident from a few years ago (with both incidents being the fault, so to speak, of their own overzealous supporters). posted by holden at 10:00 PM on October 17 Former FIFA referee Graham Poll told the BBC the referee should have stopped the game and given a drop ball. Graham Poll can bugger off. And Danny Baker has an obvious lead-in next week. I want to hear about park games with in-off-the-dog goals. posted by etagloh at 11:15 PM on October 17 This picture and this one give a sense of what happened since the videos aren't sticking. With the beachball considered an "outside agent" it should have been a drop ball, but the referee Mike Jones, who appeared to have a sound view of the incident, awarded the goal. "I thought it was a deflection off a player," said the Sunderland manager, Steve Bruce. "If anyone knew that rule, that it should have been a drop ball, then you are one saddo. I didn't know." posted by rumple at 03:01 AM on October 18 "I'd say "beach ball" over "balloon", but Liverpool definitely had the wind knocked out of them by it (ka-dunk)." Etagloh will be here at the SportsFilter Cabaret all week! posted by jjzucal at 06:13 AM on October 18 I'm a saddo then, Steve. Pretty common sense rule really - outside int


The gamay grape is most notably used in the production of which French wine?

Gamay Wine Information Gamay   Gamay Wine Gamay (Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc in full) is a grape variety that is most famous for producing the light, fruit-driven red wines of Beaujolais . While the variety offers fresh, red-fruit and candied aromas, it typically delivers little in the way of flavor concentration and body weight, giving light, simple wines. That said, some well-made examples can be deep and complex. In France, Gamay is planted in the Maconnais , Savoie and around Touraine , but its homeland is Beaujolais. It arrived there (most likely from Germany) in the 14th Century and initially received an unenthusiastic welcome. The ruling dukes of Burgundy even tried to outlaw the variety, distrustful of its unfamiliar taste and texture. Gamay was resigned to the granite-based soils in the hills just north of Lyon, a terroir that it was much better suited to anyway. Gamay Grapes Characteristically, Gamay displays flavors of red cherries and strawberries and – when vinified using the carbonic maceration method – boiled sweets and banana. This technique is most often employed for what is arguably the most famous expression of the grape:  Beaujolais Nouveau , a wine rushed to consumers on the third Thursday of the November immediately following harvest. These light, translucent wines were traditionally made for vineyard workers but in the 1970s and 1980s captured the imagination of wine marketers, who quickly made the wine's release each year into an occasion. Unfortunately, Beaujolais Nouveau is a less-than-sterling expression of the variety and Gamay suffers from a somewhat-tarnished reputation as a result. Happily, Gamay is currently experiencing a comeback of sorts in the form of some of Beaujolais' other wines, namely those from the 10 villages, or crus, that bear the Beaujolais name. The most famous of these are Moulin-a-Vent , Fleurie and Morgon , although Chiroubles, Julienas and Brouilly all make excellent examples as well. These are usually vinified traditionally and are often aged in oak; the best can age for up to 10 years. Outside Beaujolais, Gamay is taken most seriously in Switzerland , where it is often blended with Pinot Noir. There are a few examples from Canada, Italy and New Zealand, and the grape is important to the viticultural landscape of Croatia , Kosovo and Serbia . Until the early 2000s Gamay grown in California was the subject of some confusion and debate; wine in California previously labeled as Gamay was identified as Valdeguie (an uninspiring French variety), while wine labeled as Gamay Beaujolais was found to be a clone of Pinot Noir. Some true Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc is planted in California, with the best examples coming from cooler regions at higher altitudes. Synonyms include: Gamay Noir, Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. Food matches for Gamay include: Roast turkey with cranberry sauce Grilled salmon fillet with roasted fennel Moroccan lamb tagine with apricot Last updated 30-Nov-2015


In which constellation is the star Sirius, also called the Dog Star, the brightest in the Northern Hemisphere?

Sirius is Dog Star and brightest star | Brightest Stars | EarthSky Sirius is Dog Star and brightest star By Deborah Byrd in Brightest Stars | Science Wire | February 10, 2016 Sirius – in the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog – is the sky’s brightest star.  It’s very easy to spot on winter and spring evenings. The star Sirius and the nearby star cluster M41 caught on January 2, 2016 in Weatherly, Pennsylvania. Photo by Tom Wildoner at LeisurelyScientist.com The brightest star visible from any part of Earth is Sirius in the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog. Sirius is sometimes called the Dog Star. Follow the links below to learn more about Sirius, the Dog Star and brightest star. The Greater Dog looking super cute in this photo Tom Wildoner ! Brightest star is Sirius. Orion’s Belt points to Sirius How to see Sirius. Most people in the Northern Hemisphere notice Sirius in the southeast – south – or southwest on evenings from winter to mid-spring. February evenings are a grand time to see it. It’s also fun to spot Sirius as it ascends in the east before dawn on late summer mornings. Whenever you see Sirius, you’ll recognize it easily because it is our sky’s brightest star. Although white to blue white in color, Sirius might be called a rainbow star, as it often flickers with many colors. The brightness, twinkling and color changes sometimes prompt first-time observers to report Sirius as a UFO. But these changes have nothing to do with Sirius. Rather, they are what happens when such a bright star as Sirius shines through the blanket of Earth’s atmosphere. The light from Sirius, which often appears fairly low in the sky from the mid-north latitudes, passes through a long column of air before it reaches our eyes. Changes in density and temperature of this air affect the light and cause the flickering and shimmering we see when we gaze at this star. This happens for other stars, too, but it is more noticeable for Sirius because it is so bright, and because it appears low in the sky. From the mid-northern latitudes such as most of the U.S., Sirius rises in the southeast, arcs across the southern sky, and sets in the southwest. In December, you’ll find Sirius rising in mid-evening. By mid-April, Sirius is setting in the southwest in mid-evening. Sirius is always easy to find. It’s the sky’s brightest star! Plus, anyone familiar with the constellation Orion can simply draw a line through Orion’s Belt, to the left. This line will point to Sirius, which is roughly 8 times as far from the Belt as the Belt is wide. The Egyptian god Osiris History and mythology of Sirius. Sirius is also well known as the Dog Star, because it is the chief star in the constellation Canis Major, the Big Dog. Have you ever heard anyone speak of the dog days of summer? Sirius is behind the sun as seen from Earth in Northern Hemisphere summer. In late summer, it appears in the east before sunrise – near the sun in our sky. The early stargazers might have imagined that the double-whammy of Sirius and the sun caused the hot weather, or dog days. Sirius has been known since ancient times, and its name signified its nature as “scorching” or “sparkling.” It was associated with the Egyptian god Osiris and other gods. Ancient Egyptians noted that Sirius rose just before the sun each year immediately prior to the annual flooding of the Nile River. Although the floods could bring destruction, they also brought new soil and new life. Fittingly, Osiris, whom Sirius may have represented, was a god of life, death, fertility and rebirth of plant life along the Nile. In India, Sirius is sometimes known as Svana, the dog of Prince Yudhistira. The prince and his four brothers, along with Svana, set out on a long and arduous journey to find the kingdom of heaven. However, one by one the brothers all abandoned the search until only Yudhistira and Svana were left. At long last they came to the gates of heaven. The gatekeeper, Lord Indra, welcomed the prince but denied Svana entrance. Yudhistira was aghast and told Lord Indra that he could not forsake his good


"In which European City is the ""Monument of Light"" spire?"

Spire of Dublin | Projects | Ian Ritchie Architects Ian Ritchie Architects Mies van der Rohe Award: Shortlist (2005) RIBA Award & Stirling Prize: Shortlist (2004) ICE British Construction Industry International Award: Finalist (2003) Related projects Structural Engineer (August 2005) Spire of Dublin In 1999 Ian Ritchie Architects won the international competition for a monument in the centre of Dublin. The monument was the flagship project of a wider improvement of the centre of Ireland’s capital city and replaced Nelson’s Pillar, destroyed by terrorists in 1966. Creating a national monument involved many interested parties, and construction of what is the world’s tallest sculpture was delayed until 2000 because of legal challenges by two other competitors. The Spire was inspired by the ever-changing light and composition of the Irish skies. Ian Ritchie Architects’ practice demonstrates a fascination with light, and in particular the idea of the presence and absence of light, in the way light materialises and dematerialises matter and object, and the way light appears and disappears – its fugitive qualities. The form continues the tradition of standing stones and obelisks. 120 metres high and 3 metres in diameter at the base, the tapering monument rises above O’Connell Street, breaking the roof line with as slender and elegant a movement as is technically possible. During the day its shot-peened surfaces softly reflect the sky and it sways gently in response to the wind. From dusk, the base is gently lit and the tip illuminated to provide a beacon in the night sky over Dublin. The mirror polished pattern on the lowest 10 metres around the Spire’s base was derived from studies of the rock strata beneath the site, overlaid with the double helix of DNA. The Spire slips through a cast-bronze disc flush with the surrounding paving without touching it, allowing the public to stand close and touch the Spire’s surface. The disc incorporates a logarithmic, varying depth spiral profile that follows the original theme of a spire: the past expanding through time into the future. As the base acquires a patina from the Irish climate and the golden polish of human contact, the historical role of bronze in the development of Irish art is carried into the future. The Spire was completed in 2003 in celebration of Ireland’s confident future in the third millennium. Search for


The sportsman Oscar Pistorius has what nickname?'

Studying Oscar Pistorius: Does The 'Blade Runner' Have An Advantage? [Video] | WBFO Studying Oscar Pistorius: Does The 'Blade Runner' Have An Advantage? [Video] By Howard Berkes • Jul 30, 2012 Related Program:  Oscar Pistorius of South Africa runs in the men's 200-meter event at the Paralympic World Cup in May. Some observers have suggested Pistorius receives an unfair advantage from his carbon-fiber "blade" legs. Michael Steele / Getty Images View Slideshow 2 of 2 "The unaffected leg produces peak vertical forces that are on average 9 percent greater than those produced by the affected leg using a running-specific prosthesis," concluded scientists who studied a Paralympic sprinter. The sprinter ran on one prosthetic like that of Oscar Pistorius; his other leg was unaffected. William McDermott, Ph.D. / The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital, Murray, Utah. Listen / Originally published on July 30, 2012 9:04 pm The technology that makes walking possible for amputees is also making running possible at the Olympics. On Saturday in London, South African Oscar Pistorius will run on artificial limbs in the 400-meter sprint. Pistorius is a double amputee who runs world-class times on his carbon-fiber legs. At last month's Prefontaine Track and Field Classic in Eugene, Ore., Pistorius ran in the inside lane of the 400-meter race. He leaned forward on his knees and fingers, and slipped his feet into the starting blocks — well, they're not actually feet. Instead, Pistorius slipped the flat and spiked bottoms of his curved carbon-fiber legs into the blocks. In the other lanes, all the blocks were filled with track shoes, tied tight around flesh, blood and bones. After the starter's pistol went off, a careful listener could hear a unique sound among sprints: the tap, tap, tapping sound of carbon blades hitting the track. As Pistorius raced past, his gait was fluid, like a gazelle. But he looked otherworldly: a man's body from head to knees, fixed atop curved carbon blades. His nickname, in fact, is "the Blade Runner." Pistorius finished last in this race, but he has qualified for the Olympics, and he'll race with the best runners in the world. "It's not that I don't want to run Paralympic or disabled races, or races for those athletes who are handicapped, or amputees," he says. "But this is just a challenge for me, and any good sportsman that wants to be better has to face up to challenges that aren't always as easy as some of the others." There's actually some question about whether Pistorius has it easier, or has some advantage over runners with fully biological legs. Before the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, the international track federation refused to let him run; so he launched a challenge. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled he had no advantage, and couldn't be barred from the Olympics if he ran a qualifying time. That ruling was based on the work of prosthetics researchers, including Alena Grabowski at the University of Colorado. "So we had him come into the lab. We measured his oxygen consumption — or, how much energy it takes him to run," Grabowski says. "We did a series of different speeds and compared him to elite athletes of similar caliber, and found that his metabolic energy is the same as other elite athletes. So, we didn't see any differences there." Grabowski and other researchers found there's a big difference between carbon fiber and bone and muscle. They put Pistorius on a treadmill, where he hit his top speed of around 25 miles an hour. "He was able to swing his legs a little bit faster, so he had a little bit quicker turnover," Grabowski says. "But he wasn't able to exert as much force on the ground during top-speed sprinting. So, we actually perceived that as a disadvantage. If you're not able to push off on the ground as hard as other people, it could be that that device is limiting that ability, and you're not able to sprint as fast." Researchers at another lab brought in other runners — each of them had one biological leg and one artificial leg. The biological legs generated 9 percent more force. So at the star


The Preraphaelite artist John Collier painted which famous naked person?

BBC - Coventry and Warwickshire Features - The History of Lady Godiva   Coventry's own Godiva, Pru Porretta, in action The significance of the story to Coventry goes beyond titillation, although the main character being naked has certainly helped the story gain momentum over the past nine hundred years. However it is Lady Godiva's generosity that has given her a special place in the hearts of the city's people. Although the story of her horse-ride may be legend, the woman and her influence were definitely real. Lady Godiva lived in the 11th Century and her charity and power is well documented. Godiva was the first woman to be mentioned in the Domesday Book and was married to Leofric, the Earl of Mercia and Lord of Coventry. Together they founded the Benedictine Priory and later the Cathedral of St Mary. On that site recent archaeological excavations have un-earthed some fascinating objects. Information about the finds and the project is now on display at the Priory Visitors Centre.     Statue of Lady Godiva in Cathedral lanes, Coventry The story tells how Lady Godiva was upset with Leofric for crippling the development of Coventry with taxes. She persistently pleaded with her husband, who eventually said he would reduce the taxes if she rode naked on a horse across the town. Of course he never imagined she would complete the challenge. Everyone showed their respect by staying indoors and with only her long hair to cover her, Lady Godiva rode through the deserted streets. Only one person looked - the character we now know as Peeping Tom - but as he gave in to the temptation he was struck blind. Amazed by her compassionate deed, Leofric fulfilled his promise and reduced the taxes immediately.     Costumed participant in the Godiva procession To celebrate this original - and most dramatic - benefactor, the Godiva festival and procession happen annually in Coventry. This traditional foot procession started in 1678 and has been revived in recent years by CV One. Godiva Procession 2003 The Godiva Procession 2003 will take place on Saturday 7 June, departing from the cathedral ruins at 11am and processing around the city before ending in the Memorial Park. There were well over 1000 participants in Godiva Procession 2002 and Godiva Procession 2003 promises to be even bigger, more colourful and more musical. Follow the link on the left to see the spectacular historic costumes from the Godiva Procession 2002.


Which state capital in USA is known as the Athens of America?

Athens of America | Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia Sources Athens of America Centre Square Pump House, model by Frederick Graff, c. 1820. ( Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent , Historical Society of Pennsylvania Collection, gift of Mrs. Charles Graff, 1942, Photograph by Sara Hawken) By Alexandra Alevizatos Kirtley In the decades after American independence, the atmosphere of liberty in Philadelphia spawned an artistic spirit that earned this city its reputation as the Athens of America.  Here, enthusiasm for the arts grew with the same fervor and in the same houses, streets, and shops where the seeds of political freedom had been sown and cultivated a generation earlier. Philadelphia began to grow into a vibrant, varied, and long-lasting center for arts and culture. To many, there were clear parallels between Athens in the Great Age of Pericles (480 BC-404 BC) and Philadelphia in the early national period (1790-1840).  Athens’ architectural monuments, sculpture, wall painting, pottery, furniture, literature, music, and theatre established the fundamental elements of these arts for more than two thousand years.  Philadelphia was poised to take the lead artistically for America in the same way Athens inspired the ancient world. Read More Presented to Charles Thomson in esteem for his service as the first secretary of the Continental Congress in 1774, this hot water urn is considered the first monumental American expression of the Greek-inspired neoclassical style. ( Philadelphia Museum of Art ) For Philadelphians—artists and patrons alike—of the 1790s and early 1800s, the term Athens of America was (and perhaps remains) more an aspiration than an accomplishment; more a vision than a triumph. And it was as much about producing art as it was about a government that fostered artistic creation. Following the 1788 ratification of the U.S. Constitution, many Americans were full of heady ideology as they hearkened back to the purity of the democracy of ancient Athens and the importance of the individual to the success of the whole. Athenian Art Revival Visually, the imitation of ancient Athenian art—broadly referred to as classical art—emerged in the mid-1700s during the archaeological excavations of the cities of ancient Greece.  Europeans soon revived the arts of ancient Athens (and later Rome) as the prevailing taste, evident in everything from temple-like architecture to high-waisted columnar dresses. This embrace of classical art was uniquely timed with Americans’ enthusiasm for  democracy. When the federal government moved to Philadelphia in 1790 for a ten-year stint, the city was ripe for the flowering of a golden age. Not only was it the most populous and most commercially active American city, the new nation’s capital was an epicenter of intellectual thought and visual expression. Philadelphia institutions were the first to provide access to literature, to encourage artistic and scientific innovation, and to display paintings publicly: consider Benjamin Franklin founding the Library Company (1731) and American Philosophical Society (1743) and Charles Willson Peale opening a portrait gallery (1782) and natural history museum (1786). From this foundation, the city embarked on an aggressive campaign to build banks, religious and municipal buildings, theatres, art and music schools, academies, and extraordinary residences. The architecture of the new United States was identified by the Philadelphia court house, which became Congress Hall and still stands at Chestnut and Sixth Streets.  The temple front, proportions, flat surfaces and arches, Greek-key cornice, and interior plaster ornament reference Greek architecture—in contrast to the State House (now Independence Hall, completed in 1753), Christ Church (completed in 1755), and Carpenter’s Hall (completed in 1773). Andalusia, overlooking the Delaware River. (Photograph courtesy of Connie S. Griffith Houchins.) By the 1800s, the subtlety of Congress Hall gave way to more and more pronounced imitation, such as the crea


"The ""Penguin News"" is a local newspaper in which island group?"

Home - Penguin News Home 1 Home Penguin News is the Falkland Islands' only newspaper. A weekly paper, it is available on Fridays from Stanley retailers. The Penguin News covers local and overseas events relating to the Falkland Islands. The paper includes current events, job postings, your letters, local sports results, a TV guide, guest columns and much more. The Penguin News is available in both a printed and online format. To access our online paper please subscribe on our website. Click on 'The Paper' dropdown menu and then click on 'Subscribers'. There you will be given a choice of subscriptions including the FREE subscription which offers the front, back and television pages. We hope you enjoy our content. The Penguin News Team


The 'Battle of Marengo' was fought between Napoleon's army and which European Country?

Battle of Marengo | European history | Britannica.com Battle of Marengo Battle of Mylae Battle of Marengo, (June 14, 1800), narrow victory for Napoleon Bonaparte in the War of the Second Coalition, fought on the Marengo Plain about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Alessandria , in northern Italy , between Napoleon’s approximately 28,000 troops and some 31,000 Austrian troops under General Michael Friedrich von Melas; it resulted in the French occupation of Lombardy up to the Mincio River and secured Napoleon’s military and civilian authority in Paris . Napoleon led his army across several Alpine passes in May and cut Melas off from communication with Austria . Melas concentrated his troops at Alessandria to meet the French. Napoleon mistakenly thought Melas was at Turin , more than 50 miles (80 km) to the west, and his troops were widely separated when Melas attacked. The initial French force of about 18,000 men was at first overpowered by the Austrians and was pushed back 4 miles (6.4 km) by 3 pm. Melas, believing victory was secured, gave the command to a subordinate and retired to Alessandria. The slow Austrian pursuit enabled Napoleon to hold his forces together until the arrival of some 10,000 reinforcements, mainly General Louis Desaix’s corps. The furious French counterattack at 5 pm, in which Desaix was killed almost immediately, forced the Austrians into headlong retreat. Austrian losses included about 7,500 killed and wounded and some 4,000 captured, while French losses totaled about 6,000. The next day Melas signed an armistice. Learn More in these related articles:


Which city in Switzerland is a European heritage site?

UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site - Bern Tourism » City of Fountains Old Town Not only is the City of Bern the capital of Switzerland, it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the heart of Bern is its beautiful Old Town with six kilometers of arcades that offer shelter or shade to visitors strolling through the city. Besides these unique arcades, Bern’s historical townscape, dating back to 1191, is characterized by the Clock Tower (Zytglogge), the Prison Tower (Käfigturm), the sculptural fountains from the Renaissance, the Cathedral (Münster), and the well-kept sandstone facades. Visitors can discover bars, cultural venues, and specialty shops in countless converted cellars. The Old Town of Bern is encircled by the Aare River. The river is not just a stretch of water for Bern’s inhabitants; it’s also the place for summer recreational activities, like swimming and boating in the Aare. And since Bern was built on a peninsula, everything is close together and easy to reach by foot, tram, or bus. Bern Tourism offers tours through the Old Town of Bern, where visitors will hear interesting anecdotes and learn everything worth knowing about the heart of the Swiss capital.


"Which town in the Cotswolds is known as the 'Little Venice of the Cotswolds""?"

Bourton on the Water Tourist Information and Travel Guide Cotswolds UK A walk from Bourton-on-the-Water        to Lower Slaughter (1½  miles – 40 minutes approx) Please note that there are no public toilets along this route.   From the village green, walk along the High Street towards the Parish Church. Turn right to walk through the church gates and continue through the churchyard, passing       close to the church tower. After leaving the churchyard walk straight ahead along a footpath between two hedges,       passing two schools on the left. After 400 yards, you arrive at a road. Turn left and walk to the junction with the A429. Cross the A429 at the traffic lights, turn right and walk for 30 yards. Turn left to pass through a gate into a field. Note the footpath sign. Follow the path over two fields to Lower Slaughter. The village lies on your left so walk a short distance upstream along the river. The best way to return to Bourton-on-the-Water is to retrace your steps. See Lower Slaughter for walk to the village of Upper Slaughter. A circular walk from Bourton-on-the-Water to include river         and lakes (3½  miles – 2 hours approx) From the village green walk along the Little Rissington road. Immediately after passing a car park on the right, turn right along a narrow tarmac road       marked by a no through road sign. Remain on this road for ¾ mile. When the road becomes a stony track, continue ahead. When you reach a solitary house partly hidden by trees, turn left along another track. In 400 yard, where the track makes a sharp right turn, walk ahead and go over a stile       into a field. Walk along the edge of two fields with a woodland on your left. In the second field, at the end of the woodland, go over a stile on your left. Cross the river on a long wooden bridge. When you see a lake in front, bear to the left to pass the lake on your right. Follow the footpath sign and re-cross the river using another wooden bridge. Go through two metal gates that are close to each other. Walk through a narrow strip of woodland with the river and a large lake on your right. At the end of the wood, turn right to re-cross the river using a wide wooden bridge. Follow the track with the lake still on your right and in 150 yard climb the stile on       your right. Walk through the field with the track and a hedge on your left. Climb a stile, rejoin the track and walk to the road. Turn left and return to Bourton-on-the-Water. Pencil Sketch of River Scene at Bourton-on-the-Water by Richard Grassi Ink Sketch of riverside houses in Bourton-on-the-Water by Richard Grassi


In which sport is the Stanley Cup Contested?

Ice Hockey Stanley Cup Home > Events > Ice Hockey The Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup is a championship trophy awarded yearly to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff winner after the playoffs. The Stanley Cup Finals is the championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, symbol of the professional club championship of ice hockey. The Cup already existed in the 1890s but the teams were not established until 1913. The Cup Finals are known to be “World Series” between the champion of the National Hockey Association (NHA) and the champion of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA). After a few league mergers and folds, the Stanley Cup Finals is competed as the championship series of the National Hockey League (NHL). It is a best-of-seven series contested between the winners of the Eastern and Western Conferences. Before the Stanley Cup was inaugurated as the “World Series” of ice hockey, it had been won and contested in 1893 when the Montreal Hockey Club were the first winner, winning the 1893 AHAC season. The championship was rotated between a rink of the NHA and NHL and a rink of the PCHA and WCHL/WHL. The finals were rotated between two finalists’ home ice.  The series allowed tied wins until 1929. The series would later alternate using each league’s rules. The PCHA continue to use seven-man team play and games would rotate around six and seven-man games. The first live broadcast of the Stanley Cup Finals was in 1953 by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). It was hosted by Wes McKnight, play-by-play by Danny Gallivan and color commentary by Keith Dancy. The latest Stanley Cup Finals were from 4 June to 13 June 2014. The Western Conference champions Los Angeles Kings defeated the Eastern Conference champions New York Rangers after four games. Share:


Who beat Maria Sharapova in the 2012 Australian Open Tennis?

Victoria Azarenka Beats Maria Sharapova: Best Moments with 2012 Australian Open Trophy [PHOTOS] Victoria Azarenka Beats Maria Sharapova: Best Moments with 2012 Australian Open Trophy [PHOTOS] By Sreeja VN On 01/29/12 AT 5:46 AM Belarusian tennis star, Victoria Azarenka, beat Russian former World No. 1 Maria Sharapova, in a lopsided match, to win the 2012 Australian Open Women's Singles title. Azarenka, 22, beat Sharapova, 24, in an hour and twenty-two minutes - 6-3, 6-0 - on Saturday. This is Azarenka's first major singles title. Her previous best at a major title was a semi-finals appearance at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships, where she lost to eventual champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic. Sharapova, meanwhile, was looking for her fourth Grand Slam title. The Belarusian, with this win, will take over the title of World No. 1, from Dane Caroline Wozniacki, on Jan. 30. Incidentally, she is also the first female Belarusian to win a Grand Slam.   Check out photographs of a delighted Azarenka with her trophy... Victoria Azarenka of Belarus kisses her trophy as she celebrates after defeating Maria Sharapova of Russia in their women's singles final match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, on January 28. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne Victoria Azarenka of Belarus (L) and Maria Sharapova of Russia pose with their trophies after their women's singles final match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, on January 28. REUTERS/Mark Blinch Victoria Azarenka of Belarus poses with her trophy after defeating Maria Sharapova of Russia in their women's singles final match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, on January 28. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne Victoria Azarenka of Belarus kisses her trophy as she celebrates after defeating Maria Sharapova of Russia in their women's singles final match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, on January 28. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne Victoria Azarenka of Belarus poses with her Australian Open tennis tournament women's singles trophy, next to the Yarra River in Melbourne, on January 29. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz Victoria Azarenka of Belarus poses with her Australian Open tennis tournament women's singles trophy and the trophy for being WTA World No. 1, standing next to the Yarra River in Melbourne, on January 29. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz Victoria Azarenka of Belarus celebrates, next to the Yarra River, with champagne during a photo call, after winning the women’s single title at the Australian Open tennis tournament, in Melbourne on January 29. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz


Little boy and fat man were names for what?

Little Boy and Fat Man | Atomic Heritage Foundation Atomic Heritage Foundation Little Boy and Fat Man Little Boy and Fat Man History Page Type:  Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki An explosive nuclear chain reaction occurs when a sufficient quantity of nuclear fuel, such as uranium or plutonium, is brought together to form a critical mass.  This is the minimum amount of fissionable material needed to start a chain reaction. The chain reaction starts when neutrons strike the heavy uranium or plutonium nucleus which splits releasing a tremendous amount of energy along with two or more neutrons which, in turn split more nuclei, and so on. For more information, see The Science Behind the Atom Bomb .   Little Boy In this gun-type device, the critical mass is achieved when a uranium projectile which is sub-critical is fired through a gun barrel at a uranium target which is also sub-critical.  The resulting uranium mass comprised of both projectile and target becomes critical and the chain reaction begins.  Dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 , it was the first nuclear weapon used in a war.  Weight: 9,700 lbs Approx. 1.38% of the uranium fuel actually fissioned Explosive force: 15,000 tons of TNT equivalent Use:  Dropped on Japanese city of Hiroshima ; August 6, 1945 Delivery:  B-29 Enola Gay piloted by Col. Paul Tibbets   Fat Man "Fat Man" was the second plutonium , implosion-type bomb.  The first was the "Gadget" detonated at the Trinity site on July 16, 1945.  In the implosion-type device, a core of sub-critical plutonium is surrounded by several thousand pounds of high-explosive designed in such a way that the explosive force of the HE is directed inwards thereby crushing the plutonium core into a super-critical state.  Dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945 , it was the second nuclear weapon used in a war. Weight: 10,800 lbs


Newstead Abbey is the ancestral home of which poet?

Newstead Abbey - Ancestral Home of the Byrons Ancient Britain ï¿½ Castles ï¿½ Churches/Cathedrals ï¿½ Houses/Manors ï¿½ Museums ï¿½ Towns ï¿½ Countryside ï¿½ London ï¿½ History & Folklore ï¿½ Travel Tips Test daily news Newstead Abbey - Ancestral Home of the Byrons by Steve Orme Set back at the end of a sweeping mile-long drive that opens out into 320 acres of parkland, the exterior of Newstead Abbey doesn't look particularly inviting. But inside one can glimpse a fascinating insight into the life of George Gordon Byron, the sixth Lord -- better known as Byron the romantic poet, described by his mistress Lady Caroline Lamb as "mad, bad and dangerous to know". Many people who visit Newstead nowadays are eager to learn more about the poet with the racy reputation who was probably Britain's first celebrity. He was, after all, the man who claimed to have bedded 200 women and was rumoured to have had an incestuous relationship with his half-sister Augusta Leigh, and who displayed many of the characteristics which classified his ancestors as eccentrics. Yet many Newstead visitors leave with a totally different impression of Byron. They read his works and revelatory letters, and come to look upon him as a genius who had an immense influence on poetry, music, opera and the arts generally. He was reviled and revered in equal measure -- castigated for his loose morals yet respected for standing up to the establishment and rebelling against injustice and oppression. But there is far more to Newstead than the home of a Romantic poet. Other occupants of the house included the poet's predecessor, the "wicked" Lord Byron who squandered a personal fortune; Thomas Wildman, who fought in the Battle of Waterloo; and big game hunter William Frederick Webb, a great friend of the famous missionary Dr David Livingstone. The Past Newstead Abbey was originally a monastic house, founded by Henry II between 1164 and 1174 in memory of his grandfather. It remained a monastery for almost 400 years. A community of ordained priests devoted themselves to worship, study and meditation. They were known as the Black Canons because they wore black cassocks with white surplices and hooded black cloaks. Evidence of the canons' way of life is rife at Newstead. The remnants of doorways that led into the church can be seen in the cloister, along with the canons' lavatorium or washing place and a recess in a wall where students stored their books. The nearby chapel was once the Chapter House in which the canons met to hear a chapter of the Monastic Rule and to discuss the day's business. Next door the Becket and Plantagenet Rooms, now separated by a 19th century wall, used to form the site of the calefactory or warming room -- the only place apart from the kitchen and the infirmary where there would have been a fire in the winter months. The present-day entrance hall was used for offices and storage while the prior entertained visitors to Newstead in the room above it. Next to the guest hall was the prior's parlour -- the present dining room -- where the prior would conduct meetings with merchants. Hidden behind a door in the panelling is what is left of a toilet which the prior would have used. There is very little remaining from the refectory where the canons ate in silence while one of them read aloud from a Bible. A small section of a wall decoration survives from about 1200. The Byron Family In 1534 King Henry VIII declared himself the head of the Church in England and over the next few years completed the dissolution of all the monasteries. He granted Sir John Byron of Colwick "all the house and site, ground and soil, of the late Monastery or Priory of Newstede". The cost: ï¿½810. Sir John moved in and converted the old priory into his home. He dismantled most of the church and re-used the stone. Apart from that, he kept most of the original structure. When he died in 1567 he was succeeded by his son, known as "Little Sir John with the Great Beard". He was exceptionally extravagant and kept troupes of actors and musicians who were paid to entertain guests o


At which battle of 1403 was Henry Percy (Hotspur) killed?

Henry Percy (de Percy), Sir (1364 - 1403) - Genealogy Henry Percy Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland Wife: May 28 1364 - Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, England Death: May 28 1364 - Alnwick, Northumberland, , England Death: July 30 1403 - Shrewsbury, Shropshire, , England Mother: Margaret De Neville Of Raby Wife: Lady Elizabeth De Percy (born Mortimer) Children: Joan de Percy, Elizabeth De Percy Brother: 1364 - Warkworth Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England Death: Elizabeth Percy, Baroness Camoys (born Mortimer) Children: May 20 1364 - Alnwick, Northumberland, England Death: July 21 1403 - Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England Parents: Henry de Percy, Margaret de Percy (born Neville) Wife: May 20 1364 - Alnwick, Northumberland, England Death: July 21 1403 - Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England Parents: Henry de Percy, Margaret de Percy (born Neville) Wife: Henry de Percy, Lady Elizabeth Percy, Elizabeth Percy Brother: May 20 1364 - Warkworth Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England Death: July 21 1403 - Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, Shrewsbury, England Parents: Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland (born De Percy), Margaret De Neville (born Percy De Neville) Brother: Elizabeth Percy, Baroness of Camoys (born De Mortimer) Son: About Sir Henry "Hotspur" Percy a short summary from Wikipedia: Harry Hotspur (Sir Henry Percy) Spouse: Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland Lady Elizabeth Percy Noble family House of Percy Father: Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland Mother: Margaret Neville Died: 21 July 1403 (aged 39) Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England ===================================================================== "Sir Henry Percy KG (20 May 1364 – 21 July 1403), commonly known as Sir Harry Hotspur, or simply Hotspur, was the eldest son of Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, and Margaret Neville, daughter of Ralph Neville, 2nd Baron Neville de Raby, and Alice de Audley. He was the most famous soldier of his day, but was slain leading the losing side at the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403." ===================================================================== ==================================================================== Citations / Sources: [S11] Alison Weir, Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy (London, U.K.: The Bodley Head, 1999), page 95. Hereinafter cited as Britain's Royal Family. [S125] Richard Glanville-Brown, online <e-mail address>, Richard Glanville-Brown (RR 2, Milton, Ontario, Canada), downloaded 17 August 2005. [S6] G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume XII/2, page 550. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage. [S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume IX, page 712. [S1257] #248 A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland Enjoying Territorial Possessions or High Official Rank; but Uninvested with Heritable Honors (1834-1838), Burke, John, (4 volumes. London: Published for Henry Colburn, by R. Bentley, 1834-1838), FHL book 942 D2bc., vol. 4 p. 358. [S2420] #11886 The Golden Grove books of pedigrees (filmed 1970), (Manuscript, National Library of Wales manuscript number Castell Gorfod 7. Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1950), FHL microfilms 104,349-104,351., book 9 p. G1134, 1186; book 16 p. M1925. [S2411] #11915 British Genealogy (filmed 1950), Evans, Alcwyn Caryni, (Books A to H. National Library of Wales MSS 12359-12360D. Manuscript filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1950), FHL microfilms 104,355 and 104,390 item 2., book 6 p. F4, 9. [S673] #1079 A History of Monmouthshire from the Coming of the Normans into Wales down to the Present Time (1904-1993), Bradney, Sir Joseph Alfred, (Publications of the South Wales Record Society, number 8. Five volumes in 13. London: Mitchell, Hughes and Clarke, 1904-1993),


On which river does Adelaide, South Australia stand?

Must see and do in Adelaide and South Australia - Adelaide Sightseeing Tours Must see and do in Adelaide and South Australia Must See and Do in Adelaide and South Australia Here's our list of great things to do in Adelaide and surrounding regions. Discover Adelaide’s stunning beaches Take a tram ride to Glenelg or visit Henley Beach or Semaphore. Hire a car and drive to beachside hot spots on the Fleurieu Peninsula such as Port Willunga, Normanville, Goolwa or Victor Harbor or jump across to gorgeous Kangaroo Island where pretty much any beach is perfect. Meander along the River Torrens Linear Trail The River Torrens runs from the Adelaide Hills to Henley Beach. The Torrens Lake in Adelaide city is a popular and picturesque spot for lazing in the sun or picnics as well as for walking or jogging. Take a ride on Popeye or get your feet moving on a paddle boat. Visit the picturesque Adelaide Hills The Adelaide Hills, barely a 20 minute drive from the city is a story-book pretty region. The drive itself is worth the time. Take a tour through the picturesque Adelaide Hills to the villages of Hahndorf , Stirling or Aldgate. Discover South Australian Wine See why Adelaide is the gateway to Australia's premier wine regions, with easy access to over 200 cellar doors. Experience wine tastings in one of our many famous wine regions - Barossa , Clare Valley, Coonawarra or McLaren Vale . Get up close to native Australian wildlife Head to Cleland Conservation Park or Gorge Wildlife Park in the Adelaide Hills where you can cuddle koalas or feed kangaroos, wallabies, Emus and many other native Australian animals from the palm of your hand! If you're more interested in seeing kangaroos, koalas, echidnas in the wild, visit Kangaroo Island . Tour Kangaroo Island See Australian wildlife in abundance at Australia's fourth national icon, stunning Kangaroo Island . Walk amongst Australian Sea-lions at Seal Bay, hand feed kangaroos and wallabies or hold a koala. Explore the magnificent Remarkable Rocks, Admirals Arch, Kelly Hill Caves or Little Sahara sand dunes. Cruise the majestic Murray River Take a relaxing Murray River cruise aboard the historic paddle-wheeler PS Murray Princess . Marvel at the stunning rock formations and the abundant bird and wildlife and the lovely little port towns along the way. Discover the unique Australian landscape Explore the magical ancient natural wonders that South Australia has to offer. Marvel at magnificent famous natural formations in the Flinders Ranges, Murray River or Kangaroo Island tourist attractions Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch. Visit the Adelaide Zoo or Monarto Open Range Zoo See Giant Pandas Wang Wang and Funi ™ among other fascinating animals at the Adelaide Zoo. The zoo is home to over 1800 animals and almost 300 species of exotic and native mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. Monarto Zoo is Australia's largest open range zoo and just 50 minutes drive from Adelaide. View a range of animals from the spectacular viewing platforms - Cheetahs, White Rhino, Lions , Chimpanzees plus Giraffes , Antelopes & more. Also see native Australian wildlife. Take a gastronomic tour of the Adelaide Central Markets Explore the Adelaide Central Markets and taste many delights from many produce stalls. Buy some delicious gourmet goods for a picnic in one of Adelaide's picturesque parks or gardens such as the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. Take a stroll along the North Terrace precinct The recently renovated North Terrace precinct is home to the Art Gallery of South Australia, the South Australian Museum, Ayers House, the Botanic Gardens or the National Wine Centre of Australia and Parliament House. Shop 'til you drop! Adelaide is blessed with a myriad of diverse shopping experiences. Some of the best shopping precincts include Rundle Mall and the East End in Adelaide, King William Road in Hyde Park,The Parade in Norwood, Burnside Village, Harbour Town in West Beach for some great bargains, Jetty Road in Glenelg or Magill Road, Norwood for antiques. Wine and Dine Indulge in some of the fantastic and award-winning res


Making its final flight in July 2011, what was the name of the last space shuttle?

Complete Coverage: Final Flight Of Nasa's Space... Atlantis' Crew Leaves the Shuttle July 21, 2011 07:14am ET After gliding to a smooth landing at 5:57 a.m. EDT, the shuttle astronauts worked through a checklist with Mission Control to safe the vehicle on the ground. Atlantis' four astronauts, commander Chris Ferguson, pilot Doug Hurley, and mission specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, have all exited the vehicle now as ground teams continue their work at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. The astronauts are now being greeted by NASA officials, including administrator Charles Bolden, shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach and Lori Garver, the agency's deputy administrator. The four crewmembers will have the opportunity to walk around their vehicle and soak in the moment with other members of the shuttle program. --Denise Chow TOUCHDOWN! Atlantis Lands for the Final Time July 21, 2011 05:57am ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The space shuttle Atlantis glided down to Earth and slowed to a stop here on the runway of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The orbiter arrived less than an hour before dawn, heralding the end of the 30-year space shuttle program. Four astronauts returned to Earth aboard the spaceship, which flew the 135th shuttle mission, called STS-135. --Clara Moskowitz Shuttle Atlantis in Home Stretch July 21, 2011 05:36am ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The space shuttle Atlantis is just 25 minutes away from touching down here at the Kennedy Space Center in the last shuttle landing ever. The orbiter is plunging its way through Earth's atmosphere, and is approaching the point of maximum heat on re-entry. Atlantis is currently approaching the coast of Central America. --Clara Moskowitz Atlantis Begins Descent Back to Earth July 21, 2011 04:53am ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The space shuttle Atlantis has performed a de-orbit burn to come out of Earth orbit and begin the descent back to the ground, where it will touch down here at Kennedy Space Center. The shuttle is a little more than an hour away from its final landing, slated for 5:56 a.m. EDT (0956 GMT). --Clara Moskowitz Atlantis "Go" for De-Orbit Burn July 21, 2011 04:18am ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mission Control gave the space shuttle Atlantis a "go" to conduct a de-orbit burn of its engines at 4:49 a.m. ET (0849 GMT) to begin the descent down to Earth. --Clara Moskowitz Weather 'Go' For Final Shuttle Landing July 21, 2011 04:00am ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The weather here at Kennedy Space Center is "go" for landing today, capcom Charlie Hobaugh told Atlantis' commander Chris Ferguson. The shuttle is about an hour away from making a "de-orbit burn" of its engines to initiate re-entry. --Clara Moskowitz Astronauts Awake for Landing Day July 20, 2011 09:39pm ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The four astronauts aboard shuttle Atlantis' final mission awoke to begin their landing day today at 9:29 p.m. EDT (0129 GMT Thursday). The wakeup song today was Kate Smith's rendition of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America." "What a classic patriotic song," Ferguson said. "So appropriate for what will likely be the shuttle's final day in orbit. Thank you to America for supporting this program, and we'll see you in a few short hours hopefully." The shuttle is slated to land Tuesday (July 21) at 5:56 a.m. EDT (0956 GMT). --Clara Moskowitz Shuttle Crew Goes to Sleep for Last Night in Space July 20, 2011 01:48pm ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.-- The space shuttle Atlantis astronauts have gone to bed for their last sleep in orbit before landing tomorrow at Kennedy Space Center here. Commander Chris Ferguson took time out to mention a significant anniversary. "Forty-two years ago today Neil Armstrong walked on the moon." Ferguson said. "I consider myself fortunate that I was there to actually remember the event. I think there was probably a lot of folks in that room who didn’t have that privilege or honor." The spaceflyers are scheduled to land Thursday (July 21) at 5:56 a.m. EDT (0956 GMT). --Clara Moskowitz Atlantis Deploys Final Satellite in Space Shutt


"In which film did Mae West say 'Why don't you come up sometime, see me""?"

Mae West - Wikiquote Mae West Jump to: navigation , search Why don't you come up sometime and see me? When I'm good, I'm very good. When I'm bad, I'm better. When you got the personality, you don't need the nudity. Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie. Response to an exclamation, "Goodness! What lovely diamonds!" in Night After Night (1932). She later used Goodness had nothing to do with it as the title of her autobiography (1953). Why don't you come up sometime and see me? … Come on up, I'll tell your fortune. She Done Him Wrong (1933) Beulah, Peel me a grape. I'm No Angel (1933) I only like two kinds of men, domestic and imported. I'm No Angel (1933) When I'm good, I'm very good. When I'm bad, I'm better. I'm No Angel (1933) Interview in Life magazine (18 April 1969) It's not the men in your life that matters, it's the life in your men. I'm No Angel (1933) Between two evils, I generally like to pick the one I never tried before. Klondike Annie (1936) Sometimes quoted as: "When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before."' A man in the house is worth two in the street. Belle of the Nineties When women go wrong, men go right after them. She Done Him Wrong One and one is two; two and two is four; and "five will get you ten" if you work it right! My Little Chickadee I feel like a million tonight. But one at a time. Myra Breckinridge To a young actor: How tall are you without your horse? Six foot, seven inches. Never mind the six feet. Let's talk about the seven inches! Myra Breckinridge I'm the kinda girl who works for Paramount by day, and Fox all night Sextette To her British lover about to climb in bed with 80-something Mae: She said that she hoped soon to be able to say what Paul Revere said — 'The British are coming'. This was the last one-liner Mae ever uttered on film. Sextette When you got the personality, you don't need the nudity. Quoted in "For Women, Monologues They Haven't Heard" by Susan Pomerance, Dramaline Publications (1985) Marriage is a fine institution, but I'm not ready for an institution. #149 in The 2,548 Best Things Anybody Ever Said (2006) by Robert Byrne Give a man a free hand and he'll run it all over you. #684 in The 2,548 Best Things Anybody Ever Said (2006) by Robert Byrne I've been in more laps than a napkin. #685 in The 2,548 Best Things Anybody Ever Said (2006) by Robert Byrne She's the kind of girl who climbed the ladder of success wrong by wrong. #832 in The 2,548 Best Things Anybody Ever Said (2006) by Robert Byrne I've always had a weakness for foreign affairs.


In Greek myth, what was the name of the infinite space existing before creation?

10 Creation Myths As Strange As The Bible - Listverse 10 Creation Myths As Strange As The Bible Jackie Fuchs January 11, 2014 Who are we and where did we come from? It’s a question as old as humankind, and everyone seems to have an answer. What’s surprising is not how our creation stories differ, but how much they have in common, even when they originate in vastly different places. 10 China’s Cosmic Egg The first living being was P’an Ku, who grew for 18,000 years inside a cosmic egg . When he hatched, the shell above him became the sky while the piece below became the earth. The opposites in nature were separated as well—male and female, wet and dry, light and dark, yin and yang, etc. After all this effort, P’an Ku literally fell to pieces and his features became the natural world. His limbs turned into mountains, his blood to rivers, his breath the wind, his voice the thunder, his hair the grass, his sweat the rain, and so on . His left eye became the sun and his right became the moon. Some people say that the parasites on P’an Ku’s body became mankind . Others say that, many centuries after P’an Ku’s death, a lonely goddess named Nü Wa saw her reflection in a pond and made some beings like herself out of mud. These became the aristocrats. Creating these beings was hard work, though, so Nü Wa swung a muddy vine through the air and its droplets became the commoners. Years later, the heavens collapsed, creating holes in the earth through which waters rose to form a great flood. Nü Wa patched the earth, but became exhausted by her labors and died. Her body became yet more features of the world. 9 The Blackfoot’s Colored Language Water Old Man came from the south , making the terrain, plants, and animals as he headed north. The first people he created were a woman and her son from clay. Old Man showed them how to collect plants for food and told them which herbs were good for treating sickness. He taught them how to make weapons to kill animals and fire so they could cook them. Most importantly, he told them how to get spirit power by finding their spirit animal in their dreams. Like many other origin stories, Blackfoot legends tell of a great flood. One possible explanation for this are the worldwide floods from melting icebergs that may have occurred around 5,000 BC, possibly the time of Noah. After the flood, Old Man gathered the people on top of a mountain and gave them water of different colors to drink. Each color represented a different language. The Blackfoot, Piegan, and Blood tribes all drank black water, which is why these tribes speak the same language. 8 Yanomamo Sanema’s Moonblood The Sanema people are part of the Yanomamo group of tribes who live in the Amazon rain forest. Each tribe has its own collection of stories , passed orally from generation to generation. Because of this, their creation myths vary. Generally, however, the Sanema believe that all the living things are descended from “original ancestors,” whose spirits still inhabit the forest. One story has Peribo, the Moon, eating the souls of children . This angered Suharina, who shot Peribo in the belly with an arrow. His blood spilled to the earth, forming puddles from which mortal men arose. The most belligerent human beings were created where large amounts of blood fell, and where only a few drops fell, less violent men were born. In another myth, Naro (Opposum), who was ugly and smelly, was jealous of his brother, Yamonamariwa (Honey Bee), who was beautiful and had two wives. Naro shot charms made from his pubic hair at Yamonamariwa and killed him. A third brother, Reha (Lizard), discovered Naro’s treachery and denounced him. The Ancestors destroyed Naro and transformed themselves into spirits and animals by painting themselves with his blood. The sloth, however, was created with a small amount of Naro’s excrement. 7 India: Create, Preserve, Destroy, Repeat Brahma began from nothingness . By thought alone, he created the waters, into which he deposited his semen. This grew into a golden egg, out of which he was born. By thought again, he split


Who, by winning the 1906 Peace Prize, became the first American to win a Nobel Prize?

Dec. 10, 1906: Roosevelt Wins Nobel Peace Prize - Hartford Courant Dec. 10, 1906: Roosevelt Wins Nobel Peace Prize Dec. 10, 1906: Roosevelt Wins Nobel Peace Prize President Theodore Roosevelt became the first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize on Dec. 10, 1906. He was presented the award for negotiating the Treaty of Portsmouth, which ended the Russo-Japanese War. President Theodore Roosevelt became the first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize on Dec. 10, 1906. He was presented the award for negotiating the Treaty of Portsmouth, which ended the Russo-Japanese War. President Theodore Roosevelt became the first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize on Dec. 10, 1906. He was presented the award for negotiating the Treaty of Portsmouth, which ended the Russo-Japanese War.


"From which opera does the aria ""O Caro Nome"" come?"

Anna Netrebko - Caro Nome - Rigoletto - YouTube Anna Netrebko - Caro Nome - Rigoletto Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Jul 10, 2009 Definitely not the best, but if you like it... Aria of Gilda from Rigoletto Giuseppe Verdi


Bongo (Tragelaphus Eurycerus) - Animals - A-Z Animals Five groups that classify all living things Animalia A group of animals within the animal kingdom Chordata A group of animals within a pylum Mammalia A group of animals within a class Artiodactyla A group of animals within an order Bovidae A group of animals within a family Tragelaphus Comprised of the genus followed by the species Tragelaphus eurycerus Most widely used name for the species Bongo The domestic group such as cat or dog Mammal The specific area where the animal lives Dense forests and bamboo thickets The colour of the animal's coat or markings Orange, Red, Chestnut, White, Brown, Black The protective layer of the animal Fur How long (L) or tall (H) the animal is 1.7m - 2.5m (5.5ft - 8.25ft) The measurement of how heavy the animal is 150kg - 220kg (330lbs - 484lbs) The fastest recorded speed of the animal 70kph (43mph) What kind of foods the animal eats Herbivore The food that the animal gains energy from Leaves, Bark, Grasses Other animals that hunt and eat the animal Leopards, Hyenas, Lions Whether the animal is solitary or sociable Diurnal How long the animal lives for 10 - 18 years The average number of babies born at once 1 The likelihood of the animal becoming extinct Near Threatened 10 - 15 white stripes on body Fun Fact: Long and heavy spiralled horns! Bongo Location Bongo Bongo Classification and Evolution The Bongo is a large species of antelope that is found inhabiting the jungles and forests of Eastern, Western and Central Africa . They are the largest forest-dwelling antelope species and one of the most distinctive, with a chestnut coloured coat and long horns that spiral as high as 90cm in males. There are two recognised sub-species of Bongo which are the Mountain Bongo (also known as the Eastern Bongo) and the Lowland Bongo (also known as the Western Bongo), which is primarily found in the forests of Central Africa . Both species of Bongo are threatened by both hunting and habitat loss with populations having declined significantly enough for it to be listed as a near threatened species by the IUCN, as although it still has a relatively wide distribution, populations are becoming more and more isolated. Bongo Anatomy and Appearance The Bongo is a large and heavy-bodied antelope with a short and glossy, orange or chestnut coloured coat that is darker on the underside and patterned with between 10 and 15 vertical white stripes that help the Bongo to remain camouflaged in the dense jungle. They also have distinctive white markings on their cheeks, a white chevron between the eyes and nose and a white crescent-like shape on their chest. The legs of the Bongo are banded with both white and black and their long tail has a tufted tip. Bongos also have large ears giving them very sensitive hearing and a long prehensile tongue which allows them to grip onto leaves higher up and strip them from the branches with ease. Their distinctive spiraled horns usually have either one or one-and-half twists, with those of males being longer and more coiled than the horns of the slightly smaller and lighter-coloured females. Bongos also have a thin mane that runs along their body from the shoulders to the rump. Bongo Distribution and Habitat The Bongo is natively found inhabiting the dense forests of Eastern, Western and Central Africa and although it is still found in a number of different countries today, populations are decreasing in size with the Bongo now actually considered to be extinct from some regions. The Lowland Bongo inhabits the dense lowland forests and bamboo thickets of Western and Central Africa , and although is still found throughout much of it's historical range in Central Africa , is becoming rarer in the West. Mountain Bongos were once found in the highland forests of both Kenya and Uganda but are now restricted to just four areas in Kenya after having disappeared from Uganda at the beginning of the twentieth century. Populations have decreased rapidly throughout much of their natural range due to habitat loss, mainly in the form of defore


In which battle of 1898 did Kitchener defeat the Mahdi?

Battle of Omdurman | History Today Battle of Omdurman Modern East Africa , Sudan Military The massacre of the army of Sudanese Dervishes on a plain near Omdurman on September 2nd, 1898, was an occasion that a new military technology by Britain in battle.  The massacre of the army of Sudanese Dervishes on a plain near Omdurman in the Sudan was an occasion that a new military technology was tested – to devastating effect – by Britain in battle. It proved a major factor in Kitchener’s victory, in his efforts to re-conquer Sudan from the Madhists who had killed General Gordon in 1885, as well as to safeguard the Suez Canal and ensure the region against the threat of French occupation. The key to Britain's presence in Egypt and the Sudan (Egypt's backdoor and the source of the Nile) was the Suez Canal, opened in 1869. The new quick route to India had to be safeguarded. As ‘Sirdar’ or commander-in-chief of the Anglo-Egyptian army, Major-General Herbert Kitchener, an engineer and veteran of the Indian army, had spent over two years  training his troops and building up extensive railway and steamship supply lines with a view to attacking the Mahdist state to the south. The Khalifa Abdullahi, leader of the Sudanese and religious successor to the Mahdi, aware of Kitchener’s intentions, had assembled a large army near Omdurman, since 1885 the Mahdist capital, across the Nile from Khartoum. Kitchener’s  army of 17,600 Egyptian and Sudanese troops and 8,200 British regulars, was  heavily outnumbered, but had at its disposal fifty pieces of artillery, ten gunboats and five auxiliary steamers on the Nile. It also possessed forty single-barrelled, water-cooled Maxim machine-guns, each capable of firing six hundred rounds a minute. The British infantry was equipped with Lee Metford rifles, or its successor, the .303 Lee Enfield.   They both had a range of 2,800 yards, and a skilled rifleman could fire up to ten rounds a minute. The Khalifa’s army consisted of about 60,000 tribesmen, mainly ansars or servants of Allah, referred to as Dervishes by the British. According to the young war correspondent, Winston Churchill, it resembled nothings so much as a ‘twelfth-century Crusader army’ armed with spears, swords, and with hundreds of banners embroided with Koranic texts. In terms of weaponry, however, the Khalifa’s army was not quite as primitive as it looked. The Dervishes possessed some 15,000 captured shoulder arms, even though they were poorly maintained. Their riflemen were dispersed among the spearmen and swordbearers in the hopes of giving the latter a better opportunity of getting to  grips with the enemy. They also possessed some captured pieces of artillery and machine guns but hardly any appropriate ammunition. The Anglo-Egyptian front line had been hastily constructed. The soldiers had their backs to the Nile, behind a zeriba – some mimosa scrub – near the village of Egaiga.  Not a single Dervish,  however, got within 300 yards of it. The shelling of Omdurman by the British occupied the first day of the attack. In the process of testing a new explosive called Lyddite, the Mahdi’s tomb was targetted and destroyed.  The Dervishes’ frontal assault on the British position the following day, September 2nd, was catastrophic – with thousands of men mown down by the British rifles and machine-guns. It was, though, not quite as suicidal as it seemed, or as subsequent accounts have described it. The Khalifa planned to entice Kitchener away from the zeriba towards reserve divisions hidden behind the Jebel Surgham heights. The plan might have succeeded, though their assault on Kitchener as he marched triumphantly to Omdurman was unco-ordinated and another force arrived too late. Even so MacDonald’s Sudanese Brigade had to stand firm against 3,000 Dervishes attacking from three directions, and for the 21st Lancers to charge their lines. This was a rare moment in the battle when the odds were reversed, seventy-one Lancers were killed or wounded in a few minutes, but again superior fire power proved decisive. The battle lasted a little more th


"In which film did Greta Garbo say ""I want to be alone""?"

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What was the name of the United States first satellite, launched in January 1958?

Explorer 1: The First U.S. Satellite Explorer 1: The First U.S. Satellite By Elizabeth Howell, Space.com Contributor | September 28, 2012 04:59pm ET MORE Explorer 1 was the United States' first satellite in space. The 1958 launch of the satellite — twice the size of a basketball — was an important moment for the country, as the Space Race with the Soviet Union was just beginning. Explorer 1 was the first U.S. satellite and the first satellite to carry scientific instruments. Credit: NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory The satellite marked a moment when the United States got its confidence back after a series of unsuccessful launches and the Soviet Union's successful launch of Sputnik. The satellite also helped buttress the nation's technological confidence in the eyes of the world. It signalled that the country was ready to explore the universe. Spurred by the Soviets Explorer 1's ride to space came through a complicated set of circumstances. The United States actually had at least three main rocket options for sending the satellite into space. The ones that are most remembered today are Vanguard — under development by the Navy — and Juno. The latter rocket was based on an Army rocket designed by German scientist Wernher Von Braun , who worked on the V-2 missile program that sent bombs to England during World War II. The satellite was supposed to launch as the United States' contribution to science during International Geophysical Year (which ran from 1957-1958). Then history intervened. The Soviet Union rocketed Sputnik into space on Oct. 4, 1957. This was the first artificial satellite any nation sent out of the Earth. The launch — revealed only after it was a success — stunned most of the Western world. It was a coup for Soviet rocket technology, and led some to muse that bombs could be launched just as easily as a satellite. This accelerated the United States' plans. Rocket and satellite engineers quickly got to work, trying to prove they were also capable of launching into space. Behind the Vanguard On Dec. 6 of that year, a long two months after Sputnik, live reports of the Vanguard rocket carrying Explorer 1 broadcast in televisions and radios across the United States. Vanguard, according to NASA, was chosen because it had more overtones of a civilian program — a policy decision going all the way up to President Dwight Eisenhower, who did not want the appearance of using ballistic rockets intended for military purposes to usher in the new Space Age. Unfortunately, the rocket exploded moments after the launch in front of TV cameras. Amid headlines such as "Kaputnik," senior space officials took stock and examined their alternatives. Behind closed doors, they decided to proceed with the Juno rocket. Preparations at Cape Canaveral went on in secrecy for weeks, according to NASA, but as launch date approached the media was informed. Explorer 1 successfully flew into space on Jan. 31, 1958. One of history's most famous space photos occurred that night. Von Braun and two other people held a model Juno rocket over their heads during a press briefing concerning the successful launch. It was a good night for the Germans, as well as for the American space program. Explorer 1's science Explorer 1's launch was a large policy coup , to be sure, but what was also interesting was the science the little satellite beamed back. Its prime science experiment was a cosmic ray detector designed by James Van Allen, a physicist at the University of Iowa. Cosmic rays are energetic radiated particles from space — bits of atoms that can include protons, electrons or nuclei. The little satellite detected fewer cosmic rays in its orbit (which ranged from 220 miles from Earth to 1,563 miles) than Van Allen expected. The physicist proposed this might be because radiation in Earth's magnetic field may prevent the cosmic rays from coming in. Explorer 3, launched in March 1958, discovered these magnetic field belts. Today, they are known as the Van Allen Belts . Simplicity and reliability Of Explorer 1's 30 pounds, more than 18 pounds of that was made