In which film, winner of the Best Animated Feature Oscar for 2011, is the central character a chameleon, voiced by Johnny Depp?

2011 Academy Awards® Winners and History Kung Fu Panda 2: The Kaboom of Doom (2011) Puss in Boots (2011) Actor: JEAN DUJARDIN in "The Artist,"Demián Bichir in "A        Better Life," George Clooney in "The Descendants," Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," Brad Pitt in "Moneyball" Actress: MERYL STREEP in "The Iron Lady," Glenn Close in "Albert        Nobbs," Viola Davis in "The Help," Rooney Mara in "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," Michelle Williams        in "My Week With Marilyn" Supporting Actor: CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER in "Beginners," Kenneth Branagh in "My        Week with Marilyn," Jonah Hill in "Moneyball," Nick        Nolte in "Warrior," Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" Supporting Actress: OCTAVIA SPENCER in "The Help," Bérénice        Bejo in "The Artist," Jessica Chastain in "The Help," Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids," Janet McTeer in "Albert        Nobbs" Director: MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS for "The Artist," Alexander Payne        for "The Descendants," Martin Scorsese for "Hugo," Woody Allen for "Midnight        in Paris," Terrence Malick for "The Tree of Life" There         were 24 different categories in this year's Oscars race. In the         first year of Oscar presentations (for 1927/1928 films), there         were only 12 categories. This year's nine Best Picture         nominees in the top category included the most acclaimed and         awarded films of the year. There were nine nominees for Best Picture, using          a new nomination process, announced in June of 2010. The Academy          of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had once again changed          its Oscar's Best Picture nomination process for the second          time in three years. It followed a very brief, two-year period          in which the Best Picture field included 10 nominees, making          the choices extremely inclusive. The new system made the voters' ranking order          of favorite films more important. In the new nomination process,          Academy members were asked to rank five films for Best Picture          (rather than 10, as in the last two years). In order to acquire          a Best Picture nomination, a film had to earn at least 5% of          the total number of first-place votes (projected to be around          240 ballots), allowing for between five and 10 nominees. Nominees/Wins by Studio: The Weinstein Company          had 16 nominations (from 5 films) and 8 wins; Paramount had          18 nominations (from 6 films) and 6 wins; Buena Vista had 12          nominations (from 4 films) and 2 wins; while Sony Pictures          with 21 nominations (from 8 films) had only 3 wins. The two top films, with a combined 21 nominations         and 10 Oscar wins, were both nostalgic odes to the history of         film-making and the early bygone days of cinema, followed by         a few other films also set in the past. Six of the nine Best         Picture nominees were adapted from literary works, and the top         two were both French-related, as was Woody Allen's nominee! The         two top films were also competing against each other in seven         categories. The lineup of Best Picture nominees with their         wins (in descending order), are found below: The Artist (with 10 nominations and five          major wins: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Original          Score, and Best Costume Design), a low-budget, black and white          film with only $32.1 million (domestic) box-office, by French          director Michel Hazanavicius, a nearly-silent film from the          Weinstein Company that recalled the first-ever Best          Picture winner, Wings (1927/1928) - the only non-speaking          'Best P


In Greek mythology, who were Clotho, Atropos and Lachesis?

Lachesis Lachesis See More Lachesis Pictures > Lachesis was one of the Three Moirai (Fates) in Greek mythology. Her sisters were Clotho and Atropos , and they were all daughters of Zeus and Themis . The name Lachesis derives from th everb meaning "to obtain by fate, lot, or divine will". She had the task of measuring the thread of life that was spun on the spindle Clotho held. As a result, she was responsible for deciding how much life each living being on Earth had. After measuring the thread, she also was the decider of a person's destiny. Lachesis Is also called Decima.


Because of its shape the German WW2 bomber The Dornier DO-17 was known by what nick-name?

1000+ images about Planes - Dornier Do-17/215/217 on Pinterest | D day, Athens greece and Search During the ‘Battle of Britain’ a shot down Dornier Do17 See More


Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII was the niece of which Duke?

Catherine Howard - Henry VIII's Scandalous Fifth Wife Catherine Howard Fifth Queen of King Henry VIII of England Katherine Howard.  The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images Updated July 29, 2016. About Catherine Howard: Known for: short-lived marriage to Henry VIII: she was his fifth wife, and was beheaded for adultery and unchastity after less than two years of marriage Occupation: fifth queen consort to King Henry VIII of England ; previously, lady in waiting to Anne of Cleves Dates: about 1524? - February 13, 1542 (estimates of her birth year range from 1518 to 1524) Also known as: Catharine, Katherine, Katharine, Kathryn, Katheryn Background, Family: Mother: Joyce (Jocasta) Culpeper Legh, daughter of Sir Richard Culpeper (second marriage; her first to Ralph Legh) Father: Lord Edmund Howard, younger son of Thomas Howard, second Duke of Norfolk, and Elizabeth Tilney Siblings: both her parents were remarried. She had about five full siblings. Of her mother's children, Katherine had nine siblings and was the fourth child. Elizabeth Cheney was her great-grandmother; other great-granddaughters of Elizabeth Cheney included Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour , the second and third wives of Henry VIII continue reading below our video What are the Seven Wonders of the World Catherine Howard was a first cousin of Anne Boleyn, whose mother (Elizabeth Howard, married to Thomas Boleyn) was the sister of Catherine's father Marriage, Children: husband: Henry VIII (married July 28, 1540) children: none Education: Agnes Tilney, stepmother of Catherine's father, was in charge of Catherine's upbringing and education from 1531 More About Catherine Howard: Catherine's father, Lord Edmund Howard, was a younger son, and with nine children and no right to inheritance under primogeniture, he depended on the generosity of wealthier and more powerful relatives. In 1531, through the influence of his niece, Anne Boleyn, Edmund Howard obtained a position as comptroller for Henry VIII in Calais. When her father went to Calais, Catherine Howard was sent to the home of Agnes Tilney, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, her father's stepmother. Catherine was one of many young nobles sent to live under Agnes Tilney's supervision -- and that supervision was notably loose. Youthful Indiscretions: About 1536, while living with Agnes Tilney, Catherine Howard had a sexual relationship -- one that did not get consummated -- with a music tutor, Henry Manox (Mannox or Mannock). Agnes Tilney reportedly struck Catherine when she caught her with Manox. Henry Manox was replaced in young Catherine's affections by Frances Dereham, a secretary. Katherine Howard shared a bed at the Tilney home with Katherine Tilney, and the two Katherines were visited a few times in their bedchamber by Dereham and by Edward Malgrave, a cousin of Henry Manox, Katherine Howard's former love. Katherine and Dereham apparently did consummate their relationship, reportedly calling each other "husband" and "wife" and promising marriage -- what to the church amounted to a contract of marriage. Henry Manox heard gossip of the relationship, and reported it to Agnes Tilney, who ended the relationship. Catherine Howard at Court: Catherine was then sent to court to serve as a lady in waiting to Henry VIII's newest (fourth) queen, Anne of Cleves , soon to arrive in England. This assignment was probably arranged by her uncle, Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk and one of Henry's advisors. Anne of Cleves arrived in England in December of 1539, and Henry may have first seen Catherine Howard at that event. At court, Catherine drew the king's attention, as he was quite quickly unhappy in his new marriage. Henry started courting Catherine, and by May was publicly giving her gifts. Anne complained of this attraction to the ambassador from her homeland. Marriage Number Five: Henry had his marriage to Anne of Cleves annulled on July 9, 1540. Henry married Catherine Howard on July 28, generously bestowing jewelry and other expensive gifts on his much-younger and very attractive bride. On their wedding day, Thomas Cromw


Which river forms most of the border between Suffolk and Essex?

John Constable and the Essex fox – Dedham – Flatford – Cattawade round | Constable Country Walks | Walking Guide The Walks » Constable Country Walks » John Constable and the Essex fox – Dedham – Flatford – Cattawade round John Constable and the Essex Fox Dedham – Flatford – Cattawade round Mobile friendly version Dedham an attractive village in the borough of Colchester is situated on the River Stour and on the border of Essex and Suffolk. Dedham has some of the most beautiful lowland landscapes in England especially the water meadows of the River Stour, the river forming the boundary between the counties of Essex and Suffolk. The water meadows are an ideal place to relax, walk or hire a boat for a paddle down the river. Dedham, Dedham Vale and the River Stour are in the heart of Constable Country where John Constable got his inspiration to paint from. John Constable lived in East Bergholt, just north of Dedham, but went to school in Dedham. Many of his paintings feature Dedham, including Dedham Mill which his father owned, and the 15th century St. Mary’s Church whose massive 131 foot steeple dominates the surrounding Dedham Vale. Dedham was once a wealthy wool and market town and now agriculture is the main industry with mainly arable land of sugar beet and wheat. There is also some grazing of cattle and sheep. The village has become a very popular tourist attraction with plenty to do for everyone, from the young to the old to the disabled. The nearest town is the small market town of Manningtree. Flatford, also situated on the River Stour just a few miles east of Dedham, is the most interesting and beautiful place with so much to see and do. You can understand how John Constable got his inspiration to paint in this very attractive and quaint dale. His paintings of Flatford often featured the Granary and of Flatford Mill which his father also owned along with Dedham Mill. The Granary is now privately owned and offers B&B accommodation and only yards away is Flatford Mill and Willy Lott’s House both the latter owned by the National Trust and it is here between the two buildings that Constable painted his most famous painting “The Hay Wain”. Flatford Mill is a Grade 1 listed 18th century watermill and attached to the mill is a 17th century miller’s cottage and Willy Lott’s Cottage is 16th century but was restored in 1920’s both the latter are Grade 1 listed. Bridge Cottage, also owned by the National Trust, has a free exhibition of Constable’s work and next door there is a tearoom and shop. Adjacent to the tearoom is the dry dock which was featured in his “Boat Building” painting. Rowing boats can be hired from the landing stage next to Flatford Bridge and river trips on the River Stour Trust’s electric boat are available on certain days during the summer season. There is a large coach and car park at the top of the hill. The car park at the National Trust Visitors Centre is for the disabled where there are public toilets with disabled and baby facilities. Opposite the disabled car park there is the RSPB Flatford Wildlife Garden, a new project which opened on the 15th June 2011. The garden has been landscaped and planted with many species of garden and wild flowers to attract wildlife, birds, insects and butterflies to nest and feed. Entry is free and during the summer months children and families can take part in the activities and events of the day. There are a few small circular walks around Flatford which can be obtained from the visitors centre. The River Stour is 47 miles long and forms most of the border between Suffolk and Essex. Cattawade picnic area is where the River Stour enters the estuary and meets the sea. The picnic area on the Cattawade Marshes and the right of way on the Essex or the South side of the river towards Flatford and Dedham are excellent for bird watching. The Walk We park in Dedham car park and walk to the bridge. We take a short detour to the left to take a look at the lock keepers cottage and Dedham Mill. We then go back to the bridge and follow the Stour Valley Path with the River Stour o


Who was the last French tennis player to win the men's singles title at the French Open?

Ranking the 10 Greatest Finals in French Open History | Bleacher Report Ranking the 10 Greatest Finals in French Open History Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow Clive Brunskill/Getty Images 12 Comments Wimbledon has the famous grass courts, the snooty British uppityness and the  awful movie association . The U.S. Open has the glitz and glamor of Arthur Ashe Stadium and New York City. The Australian Open has...well...we're not really sure what it has, but it is part of tennis' Grand Slam. And the French Open has the bright red clay courts and the rich history at one of tennis' most hollowed grounds.  As we reach the final weekend of the tournament's 2013 edition, let's take a look at the best championship matches in French Open history. For this list, we take into account not only the quality of play, but place even more emphasis on just how memorable of a match it was.  This could be an historic Saturday and Sunday with the men's and women's finals at Roland Garros, but it would take quite a memorable match to nudge its way onto this list. 10. Rafael Nadal Wins First of Seven ... and Counting (2005) Michael Steele/Getty Images Trying to come up with one word to describe Rafael Nadal at the French Open is easy. Unless it's only one word, then that's just mean. For a guy who is dominating, unstoppable, brilliant, masterful and awe-inspiring all at once, we need as many adjectives as possible to describe the beauty of Nadal at Roland Garros.  The problem with his utter unflappability at the French Open is that many of his championship matches have been ho-hum. But a French Open list without Nadal, who is gearing up for perhaps his eighth French Open crown, would be sacrilege. So, we highlight his first ever title in 2005, where he dominated Mariano Puerta 6–7 (6-8), 6–3, 6–1, 7–5 to win his first Coupe des Mousquetaires . It was his semifinal defeat of Roger Federer on his 19th birthday that had more fireworks. With just one loss in 57 matches at the French Open, it won't be a surprise if he wins title No. 8 this weekend. What would be surprising, is if the match is close enough to make it one of the greatest finals in French Open history.  Tweet Steffi Graf is one of the greatest tennis players of her generation. Martina Hingis had a fantastic run as well. So when Hingis nearly broke down in the 1999 French Open final at the hands of Graf, no one could have seen it coming. The 4–6, 7–5, 6–2 win for Graf was her sixth French Open title. After a call went in Graf's favor in the second set, with Hingis on track to win the match, the wheels came off. As seen in the video of highlights from above, Hingis even goes with an underhand serve at one point (she even wins the point!). It was a final where the crowd turned completely in Graf's favor, even booing Hingis at points. Hingis stormed off the court immediately following the loss, but eventually returned for the trophy ceremony.  It was Graf's final Grand Slam win, but probably one of the few times she faced, as many rightfully pointed out, a real life Richie Tenenbaum . 8. Gustavo Kuerten Loves Roland Garros (2001) Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Look close: you can see the carving in the clay in the shape of a heart. There are only five men who have won three or more French Open titles in the Open era. Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil is one of them. The champion in 1997, 2000 and 2001, it was his understated yet brilliant celebration after his final French Open crown that will leave him forever engraved in the Roland Garros lore. After winning his third Coupe des Mousquetaires, the oft crazy-haired Gustavo Kuerten shook hands with the defeated Àlex Corretja, walked just past the service line, and, in the brick red clay surface synonymous with the French Open, drew a heart with his racket before laying down victorious to a rousing ovation . After professing his love for the French Open with a simple drawing in the clay, Kuerten was forever more a fan favorite. In his final professional singles match on May 25, 2008, Kuertin wore the same blue and yellow outfit he won th


The 2013 book An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris is a fictional account of real life events. Whose life is it based on?

An Officer and a Spy An Officer and a Spy February 6, 2014 Share Robert Harris’s An Officer and a Spy , a novel based on the Dreyfus Affair, is a brilliant and audacious example of the sort of historical novel that would have been inconceivable until relatively recently. Going beyond costume drama and period effects, it enters deeply into the lives and thoughts of real people, an authorial license I believe is owing to a changed idea of what history is. In the olden days — which is to say from the mid-eighteenth century to the mid-1960s —  history was generally considered to be made up of facts. Novels set in the past were fine, but attributing invented words and thoughts to real historical figures — beyond the likes of Roman emperors, French kings, and Bonny Prince Charlie — struck right-thinking people as a violation of truth. But today, broadly speaking, history has moved from fact to point of view — or put another way, history is understood to be rhetoric, a form of persuasion, and facts don’t seem so factual anymore. The whole matter is open to infinite argument and refinement, of course, but try to imagine Gore Vidal’s Burr and the rest of his Narratives of Empire series, William Styron’s The Confessions of Nat Turner, Beryl Bainbridge’s Young Adolf, James Elroy’s American Tabloid, T. C. Boyle’s The Circle, or Colum McCann’s TransAtlantic written before the 1960s. Impossible. An Officer and a Spy purports to be the actual French army officer Georges Picquart’s account of the events that make up the Dreyfus Affair from 1894 to 1906. Harris’s Picquart moves through fin-de-siècle Paris, a prosperous capital city with a flourishing avant-garde movement, a happily decadent demimonde, and a rambunctious press; but this is also a city that has not gotten over the humiliation of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and the subsequent annexation of Alsace and Lorraine by Germany. It is, in addition, a city riven by enmities — in part the legacy of the Commune — between the conservative forces of Army and Church and those of liberal Republicans. Moreover, fear of Germany and its machinations is driving France into what will turn out to be a disastrous treaty with Russia and, of signal importance to this story, feeding an obsession with spies. Pervading Harris’s portrait of Paris is deep-dyed French anti-Semitism and, appropriately enough, a strong smell of sewage.   What became known as the Dreyfus Affair began with the discovery — from a ripped-up note retrieved from the German ambassador’s trash — that a French officer was passing military secrets to the Germans. In an army rife with anti-Semitism, Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a Jew as well as a native of Alsace (thus supposedly German in sympathies) became a gratifying target. He was especially attractive to the minister of war, General Mercier, who, in Harris’s telling, hoped that the conviction of a German Jew would be so popular as to propel him into the presidency. Dreyfus, found guilty based on secret “evidence” withheld from the defense on the grounds of national security, was subjected to a ritual of public “degradation” and given a life sentence of solitary confinement on Devil’s Island. “It is,” Harris’s Picquart reflects, “as if all the loathing and recrimination bottled up since the defeat of 1870 has found an outlet in a single individual.” A year later, we find Picquart mid-course in what looks to be a stellar military career, now in command of the Army’s counter-espionage unit  — where he happens upon evidence showing that Dreyfus is innocent. This appalling discovery and the persistent agitation from the Dreyfus family and their supporters lead him to believe that the man’s innocence is sure to come out and that the army should admit its mistake, adhering to the “basic military principle: that we should be the ones taking the initiative, while there still time.” Met with various forms of stonewalling from his colleagues and superiors, Picquart investigates further, uncovering the actual spy and an ever-deepening conspiracy to sacrifice Dreyfus. What to do? Harris, wh


What are neon, argon, xenon and krypton?

Universal Industrial Gases, Inc...Rare Gases - Neon, Krypton, Xenon Properties, Uses, Applications Interesting Facts and Information about the "Rare Gases":   The so-called "rare" gases Neon    (Ne), Krypton (Kr)    and Xenon (Xe), are present in air in very low concentrations.  Like    the other "noble" or "inert" gases, helium (He), argon (Ar) and    radon (Rn), Neon, Krypton    and Xenon remain in the air because they do not combine with other    materials to form solid or liquid compounds. All of these gases are  monatomic.  Neon, Krypton    and Xenon are valued for their light emitting properties when electrically    charged.  Krypton and Xenon are also valued for their total inertness coupled with high molecular    weight (83.80 and 131.30, respectively).  Krypton and Xenon are about    two to three times as heavy as argon (molecular weight 39.95)  and    approximately three to four times as heavy as nitrogen (molecular weight    28.0) which is used as in inert gas in many applications, but is not a    true inert gas. These properties are put to good use in multi-pane windows    to reduce heat loss due to convection between the panes; and in light    bulbs, where their high molecular weight slows evaporation of the hot    tungsten filament, leading to longer useful operating life.  Krypton    and Xenon have also been considered for a more exotic application - as the    propulsion gas for deep space exploration using ion engines.  Neon, Krypton and Xenon can be economically recovered by adding     additional purification steps in large air separation plants or ammonia     production plants (which use large amounts of air as a raw material).  The boiling point of Neon is     significantly lower than nitrogen (lower than all the gases except     helium and hydrogen). It can be used as a very low temperature working     fluid in refrigeration cycles.  Neon can be recovered from large nitrogen plants as well as multi-product air     separation units.  Krypton and Xenon have higher     boiling points than oxygen, from which they can be separated by     distillation in air separation plants.  When these products are     recovered from ammonia plant purge gas, the neon must be separated from     hydrogen and nitrogen, and the krypton and xenon from methane.       All of the naturally inert or "noble" gases are members of "Group 18" of the Periodic    Table.          Group 18     materials have a complete outermost electron shell; the "valence" shell    that is highly involved in the formation of compounds.  Moving    down the Periodic Table from Helium, to Neon, Argon, Krypton, Xenon and    Radon, the valence shells are located further from the nucleus, above the    previous element's valence shell.  Helium has two valence electrons,    the other noble gases have eight.     Rare Gases Applications and Uses for Neon (Ne), Krypton (Kr)    and Xenon (Xe):   Lighting: Neon is     commonly recognized as the gas that produces the glow in "neon" lights (which often contain other gases as well).  Neon's natural red color can be turned into a wide range of effective     decorative lighting colors by mixing neon with other gases, by using colored glass tubes or     by depositing fluorescent powder coatings inside the glass tubes. Neon is also used     to produce a red glow in     indicator lamps and lasers. Krypton is     used in halogen sealed beam headlights to increase light output by     allowing thinner filaments to be used with acceptable useful lifetimes.     Krypton is     also used in in lasers, in particular mixed with     fluorine to create an "excimer" mixture that is a precursor to a molecule which exists in the excited state but not in the ground     state.  In excimer lasers, the gas mixture is pulsed to form     short-lived excited molecules which release energy by light emission as     th


In film production what is the job of a foley artist?

Foley Artist | Get In Media Get In Media Twitter Foley Artist Jack Donovan Foley is the father of motion picture sound effects. Though he never received a screen credit for his work, Foley invented many of the techniques for creating (or re-creating) sound effects for film, television, and radio. During the filming of Spartacus (1960), Stanley Kubrick wanted to reshoot a scene of the massive Roman army to get the sound of their metal shields and swords clashing just right; Foley jingled a set of keys in front of a microphone and called it a day. The pioneer has since been vindicated, as every Foley artist working in film, TV, and video games bears his name. Duties In real life, everything makes a sound. We associate all actions with a certain noise, and without that familiar auditory indicator, the images we see on screen feel artificial and flat. Live sound is recorded during principal photography, but after reshooting and editing, that audio track does not always match. It is the job of the Foley artist to fill in the footsteps, crash-bangs, and other movement-associated sounds. To do this, the artist has at his or her disposal an arsenal of props: sandbags; an endless collection of shoes, hammers, car doors, and weapons; and a refrigerator stocked with noisy food  like celery, pudding, and ice cubes. Pulling from their bag of tricks, these artists turn pine cones into cracking knuckles or a feather duster into flapping wings. During post-production, the artist performs on a Foley stage while watching the film or video in real time. For every sound effect that must be recorded, movement is physically re-created to produce the appropriate effect. If the scene calls for a woman to run down a fire escape in her Manolo Blahniks, the Foley artist will put on a pair of heels and stomp along a metal stair, matching the actress step-for-step. The artist duplicates every car-door slam, sucker punch, and window smash—or something acoustically approximate—live. Foley artists also devise brand-new sounds for computer-generated characters and objects, creatively imagining the gnashing of Gollum’s teeth or the charging gait of the Jabberwocky. Skills & Education There are no specific educational requirements for this job. Most Foley artists pick up the craft while training under a veteran mentor. An education in audio production and recording arts can give you the necessary technical expertise, and coursework in film and TV production can teach you about the post-production process. To learn how best to approximate the sound of ribs cracking or laundry blowing in the wind, you’ll just have to experiment for yourself. This job requires a creative thinker, someone who is observant and has a keen ear for subtle sonic differences. What to Expect Skilled Foley artists are needed for film, television shows, and video games. This is a freelance role, and the trade can take years to master. To move toward a career in Foley, look for positions in the production sound department, at a post-production studio, or as an assistant on the sound editing crew. Most importantly, you must network. Be proactive in seeking out other artists. Most Foley artists who realize their dream of working on major motion pictures, TV shows, and games will spend a lifetime dedicated to honing their skills and innovating new techniques. These artists rarely make a lateral leap from this role, but work their way up from unknown noisemaker to sought-after master craftsman. Industries:


In which Scottish city are Salisbury Crags?

Salisbury Crags: Overview of Salisbury Crags Salisbury Crags, Edinburgh ©2016 Gazetteer for Scotland The cliff face of Salisbury Crags looks down on Edinburgh like a grand fortress. Situated in Holyrood Park , less than a half-mile (1 km) southeast of Princes Street , the Crags represent the glaciated remains of a Carboniferous sill, injected between sedimentary rocks which formed in a shallow sea some 340 million years ago. Glaciers sweeping outwards from the centre of Scotland have left a classic crag-and-tail, descending gently towards Arthur's Seat and Whinny Hill in the East. Salisbury Crags are of great significance in the development of modern geology. At Hutton 's Section, the Edinburgh geologist James Hutton (1726-97) recognised that the rock now forming the Crags had been injected in a molten state. He was able to use this evidence to disprove the suggestion of the influential German, Abraham Werner, that all rocks had crystallised from a supposed primordial sea. The hard dolerite which forms the crags was quarried for use as street cobble stones from the mid-17th C. on the authority of the Earls of Haddington who were hereditary keepers of Holyrood Park . However, the use of explosives from the beginning of the 19th C. increased the level of extraction to the point that the citizens of the city complained the landmark was beginning to disappear. Legal action was taken in 1819, but it was not until 1831 that the matter was resolved when the House of Lords decreed that no more stone should be removed. In 1845, Thomas Hamilton, the 9th Earl of Haddington (1780 - 1858), was paid the astronomical sum of £30,000 to relinquish his office as Keeper of the Royal Park. Gentlemen of the Scottish Enlightenment would walk along a track around the base of the crags to gain inspiration. Around 1820 this was formed into a good road, known as the Radical Road , so-named after Sir Walter Scott (1771 - 1832) promoted its creation to provide jobs for unemployed radical weavers. Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry If you have found this information useful please consider making a donation to help maintain and improve this resource. More info...


Which European football club did Jose Mourinho manage before returning to manage Chelsea in 2013?

Jose Mourinho Refuses to Rule out Managing Another English Team After Chelsea | Bleacher Report Jose Mourinho Refuses to Rule out Managing Another English Team After Chelsea By Nick Akerman , Featured Columnist Sep 30, 2014 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories Clive Rose/Getty Images 23 Comments Jose Mourinho has suggested he may be willing to join another Premier League club after his second spell with Chelsea is complete, even though his "priority will always be" the Stamford Bridge club. The Portuguese manager spoke ahead of his side's Champions League trip to face Sporting Lisbon. Questions toward Mourinho's potential future jobs are not uncommon, particularly when he's back in his home nation. He answered honestly when asked if he would join another English team, reported  Martin Lipton of the Daily Mirror: If it had to be, yes. My priority will always be Chelsea and I never think about the interest of others. But I know football and know I won’t be here five, eight, ten years if I don’t manage to win. Of course not. That’s not my essence as a coach, because I don’t like to live in those comfort zones. It doesn’t fit my personality. Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Mourinho added, "I will only leave when [Chelsea] want me to leave. There's no other country, club or investment that motivates me. I will only leave when Mr Abramovich calls me to tell me it's over." He also went on to say "we'll see" whether an English outfit comes calling at this point, a storyline that could fray his relationship with the Blues. Currently in his second spell with the club, Mourinho won two Premier League titles, two League Cup titles, the FA Cup and Community Shield during his initial tenure between 2004-2007. He is yet to increase his silverware collection, having returned last year, but his Chelsea side are currently three points clear at the top of the English division with five wins and one draw from six games. Only one other English side has looked capable of luring the former Real Madrid man, and that's Manchester United . Rumours went into overdrive once Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, placing Mourinho as one of the favourites alongside David Moyes. While Moyes eventually got the job, United fans may be wondering if things would have gone so badly if Mourinho took over the Old Trafford hot seat. Alex Livesey/Getty Images 9.3% Total votes: 2,346 Spanish journalist Diego Torres , reporting via The Guardian, suggested Mourinho was heard to "sob loudly" when he found out he wasn't to succeed British football's most successful manager. The Telegraph's Jason Burt reported Sir Bobby Charlton called Mourinho " a really good coach " but stated "a United manager would not" attempt to poke former Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova in the eye. Mourinho would be unlikely to receive one of the other top English jobs. His relationship with Arsenal remains sour after he labelled Arsene Wenger " a specialist in failure ," reports The Guardian, while his continued war of words with Manuel Pellegrini ensures a stint at Manchester City is unlikely. During his first spell with Chelsea, Mourinho also endured a difficult relationship with then- Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez, creating animosity between him and the Merseyside club. Perhaps Tottenham could be a viable choice, as the north London side generally have a decent budget to work with and have everything in place to be successful. Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Mourinho's association with Chelsea makes the prospect of him managing another English club difficult to acknowledge. It will be interesting to see how his mindset develops alongside his current reign. If things go badly at Chelsea and he is mistreated, the decision to join another Premier League side may become a whole lot easier. A revenge mission could certainly fuel Mourinho into accepting a rival post. He is well-placed to take over the Portuguese national team at some point, a position he would like "to end" his career, reported by  Yahoo Eurosport .  Of course, when discussing further jobs in England, the Three Lions national


Who, in 1846, composed the oratorio Elijah?

The History of Mendelssohn's Oratorio 'Elijah,' by F.G. Edwards. The Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of Mendelssohn's Oratorio "Elijah", by Frederick George Edwards This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net  Title: The History of Mendelssohn's Oratorio "Elijah" Author: Frederick George Edwards Contributor: Sir George Grove Release Date: December 5, 2011 [EBook #38223] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF MENDELSSOHN'S ELIJAH ***   Produced by Linda Cantoni, Bryan Ness, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) Transcriber's Notes: Click on the [Listen] link to play a MIDI (or, in some cases, MP3) file of the music. Your browser may need a plug-in to play sound files. Full-page illustrations have been moved to the nearest paragraph break so as not to break the flow of the text. Missing page numbers are due to blank pages in the original. This e-book contains an ancient Greek phrase and some musical symbols, the display of which may depend on what fonts you have installed. In the HTML version, hover your mouse over these items to view a pop-up transliteration or description. (iii) INTRODUCTION. I have been asked to say a few words as introduction to this volume, and I do so with pleasure. To the mass of music-loving people of this country, however, I believe that Mendelssohn requires no introduction. It has been the fashion in some quarters to speak of him slightingly, nay injuriously; but this will pass, and he needs no defence—certainly not when "Elijah" is in question. In England the oratorio has taken its place, if not on a level with "The Messiah," very near it; and what more does any work of musical art require? Fortunately every additional fact that is elicited about this great composer testifies all the more to his insight, to the depth and warmth of his feelings, and to the indefatigable earnestness with which he worked until he had realised the entire meaning of his text and expressed it in music to the utmost of his power and with all the dramatic force that it was capable of. The letters now given—many of them for the first time—abound in instances of this. The information which my friend Mr. Edwards has so carefully collected and so clearly stated, the new portrait which is due to the kindness of Mrs. Victor Benecke, and the fac-simile , will be very welcome; and the book is in my opinion a gain to musical literature, while it forms the fittest symbol to mark the anniversary of the production of the greatest oratorio of this century. George Grove. (v) PREFACE. It is fifty years since Mendelssohn's "Elijah" was first performed. The place was Birmingham: the date August 26, 1846. The Jubilee of this event provides a fitting opportunity for presenting a history of Mendelssohn's familiar oratorio. In compiling the following pages, I have been favoured in having had access to much original matter on the subject of "Elijah." Especially is this the case in regard to the numerous letters from Mendelssohn and his correspondents which are here made public for the first time. These letters are not only unique in the information they convey, but they form the most interesting links in the chain of this "History." For the rest, I have carefully kept in view the duty of the historian, which is—I take it—that he should tell his story in as accurate, straightforward, and pleasant a manner as he can. I have to acknowledge the kind help of those who have so greatly facilitated my work. In addition to those specially mentioned in the course of the book, I tender my best thanks to Mrs. Carson (granddaughter of the late Mr. Edward Buxton, the former proprietor of the business of Messrs. Ewer & Co.); Dr. Carl and


In the world of the American Secret Service who, or what, is POTUS?

Who is POTUS? (with pictures) Who is POTUS? Images By: Donkeyhotey,                Ragne Kabanova, Camrocker,                Dana S. Rothstein,                Hallucion_7,                Mark Markau Last Modified Date: 13 December 2016 Copyright Protected: 10 most extreme places on Earth The President of the United States (POTUS) is the head of the American state and government, in addition to heading up the executive branch of the United States government. Together with the judicial and legislative branches, the president makes decisions about running the United States. The abbreviation “POTUS” was originally used by the Secret Service to refer to the president, and the term was adopted by the Department of Defense, along with other government agencies , in the 1990s. Most American citizens do not use the term, although many know what it means. The duties and powers of the POTUS are laid out in Article Two of the United States Constitution, which details how the president will be elected, what he or she can do while in office, and the duties that the he or she is expected to fulfill while elected. The requirements to hold the office include a stipulation that the president must be a natural born American citizen of age 35 or older, although some lawmakers have tried to change these requirements to allow naturalized citizens to run for office as well. A term lasts for four years, and a president may be in office for two terms only. The president can be removed from office through a process called impeachment if he or she commits and act of treason, bribery , or another serious crime. Ad While in office, the president receives a salary , along with the right to access the White House in addition to other government held facilities and equipment such as specialized aircraft set aside for his or her use. The president's security is handled by the Secret Service, which also provides security to members of the president's family, and the equipment that the President uses. After leaving office, a former President gets a pension and is guarded by the Secret Service for the next 10 years: the last president to receive lifetime Secret Service protection was William Jefferson Clinton, who left office in 2000. The POTUS is the only nationally elected figure in America and is technically elected by the Electoral College , not individual citizens. Within each state, citizens go to the polls to cast votes for their preferred candidate, and the board of electors for the state meets to affirm those votes. Traditionally, electors agree to vote for the candidate who won their state, although electors historically have been known to cast protest ballots, which are blank. These votes are certified by Congress shortly before the new president takes office. Ad feasting Post 7 Accepting the position of POTUS means agreeing to the likelihood that you will soon become the most criticized and possibly hated man or woman in the United States. It's sad that this is how it usually turns out, but people need someone to blame, and since the POTUS is in charge of nearly everything, he bears the brunt of their accusations. He is blamed for everything from wars to terrorist attacks. He takes responsibility for budget cuts and unemployment rates. Actually, the POTUS himself may have very little to do with any of these things. Sometimes, situations just don't seem to have a solution, and though he may attempt several different measures to fix them, a bad outcome is inevitable. StarJo Post 6 POTUS almost sounds like some sort of virus! Do newscasters ever use this term when referring to the president? If they did, I bet the viewers would be confused. strawCake Post 5 @SZapper - I've never heard this turn of phrase before either and quite frankly I hope it never catches on. It doesn't even sound good and I think our leader deserves a little more respect! What's wrong with simply referring to him as "the president"? SZapper Post 4 I don't think the term POTUS is used very often because I've


Who replaced William Hague as Foreign Secretary in July 2014?

William Hague quits as foreign secretary in cabinet reshuffle - BBC News BBC News William Hague quits as foreign secretary in cabinet reshuffle 15 July 2014 Close share panel Media captionNewsnight's Allegra Stratton looks back at William Hague's political career William Hague has stood down as foreign secretary, but will stay in the cabinet as Leader of the Commons, Downing Street has said. At least 12 men will leave their posts in the significant reshuffle, including Ken Clarke who is standing down. Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is leaving the cabinet and is expected to be replaced by education minister Liz Truss. Philip Hammond has accepted the role of foreign secretary. Labour described the reshuffle as "the massacre of the moderates". Mr Hague is to leave Parliament at the 2015 general election after 26 years as MP for Richmond, North Yorkshire. Senior ministers have told the BBC that the current defence secretary, Philip Hammond, will replace Mr Hague. Image caption William Hague leaves Downing Street after a brief visit on Tuesday morning Prime Minister David Cameron said: "William Hague has been one of the leading lights of the Conservative Party for a generation, leading the party and serving in two cabinets. "Not only has he been a first-class foreign secretary - he has also been a close confidant, a wise counsellor and a great friend. "He will remain as first secretary of state and my de facto political deputy in the run up to the election - and it is great to know that he will be a core part of the team working to ensure an outright Conservative victory." Ken Clarke told Radio 4's Today programme that he felt it was "time to step down". He said: "If you do work beyond the normal retirement age, I think actually you should prepare to decide you're going to go before people are starting to scratch their head and think of reasons to get rid of you." Speaking on Mr Cameron's latest changes, he said: "He doesn't have many reshuffles which is a very good thing so ministers find out what their job is and then he wants a reshuffle, which looks like the sort of government he wants in the next Parliament. "That's what he's done and guys like me who have done a few decades in government took the opportunity to retire." He added it was "superficial" for people to become obsessed with the gender balance of the cabinet and that Mr Cameron had made "enormous efforts" to get women in. Analysis Chris Mason, BBC political correspondent As reshuffles go, this is David Cameron's biggest. And if you want to know how it looks, you needn't look any further than a tweet from Conservative MP Alistair Burt: "I'm really worried that this reshuffle will leave the PM short of middle aged white men in Govt. I'm selflessly ready Dave!" In other words, there is something of a cull of what critics have called "the male, pale and stale" and what is expected next is the promotion of faces and voices that are seen to better represent contemporary Britain. So popping up on a telly near you soon: more ministers who are women and more ministers with regional accents, in more prominent roles. Mr Hague said: "I am delighted to be able to serve as Leader of the House of Commons, and to be able to campaign for Conservative candidates across the country. I want to finish in frontline politics as I began - speaking in Parliament and campaigning among the voters. "After the general election I will return to my writing, while still giving very active support to the Conservative Party and campaigning on international causes I believe in." The prime minister is understood to have held a series of meetings in his House of Commons office on Monday with ministers. Astonishing early success, followed by bitter failure and a rise to the top of national - and even international - politics BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the current occupant of the Commons leader post, ex-health secretary Andrew Lansley, had left the government. Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is effectively being fired, our correspondent added. Other Conservative MPs to have los


Income tax was introduced in Gt. Britain to pay for Britain's war with whom?

BBC - History : British History Timeline 1838 Charles Dickens' 'Oliver Twist' is published Charles Dickens was one of the greatest Victorian novelists. 'Oliver Twist' was, like many of Dickens' other novels, originally published in serial form and brought to public attention contemporary social evils. Dickens' other works included 'The Pickwick Papers', 'A Christmas Carol', 'David Copperfield' and 'Great Expectations'. 8 May 1838 People's Charter advocates social and political reform The People's Charter advocated democratic reform on the basis of six points: one man, one vote; equal electoral districts; payment of members of parliament; elections by secret ballot; removal of property qualifications for MPs; and parliaments elected every year. 'Chartism' gained substantial support among working people during the next decade and presented three national petitions to parliament in 1839, 1842 and 1849. It was the most significant radical pressure group of the 19th century. 1 August 1838 Slavery is abolished in the British empire In 1834, slaves in the British empire started a period of 'apprenticeship', during which they were obliged to work without pay for their former owners. Abolitionists campaigned against the system and in the Caribbean there were widespread protests. When the apprenticeship period ended in 1838, over 700,000 slaves were freed in the British Caribbean. Plantation owners received about £20 million in government compensation for the loss of their slaves. The former slaves received nothing. 17 September 1838 London-Birmingham line opens and the railway boom starts This line, which connected London to the Midlands for the first time, had been planned since 1833, with sections opened in 1837. The completion of the Kilsby Tunnel enabled the full 112-mile line, designed by the engineer Robert Stephenson, to be opened. London-Birmingham was the first railway line into the capital city, with passengers disembarking in the newly-designed Euston station. The line precipitated the first of the great railway booms. 7 May 1839 Prime Minister Viscount Melbourne resigns and sparks a political crisis When the Whig prime minister, Viscount Melbourne, resigned over a constitutional matter concerning government in Jamaica, Victoria asked Sir Robert Peel, as leader of the Tory opposition, to form a government. Peel refused to do so, apparently because the queen refused to dismiss her pro-Whig ladies of the bedchamber. Melbourne resumed office. Peel was probably waiting for an opportunity to take office in more favourable circumstances, as he did in 1841. 10 January 1840 A uniform postage rate of one penny is introduced Britain's postal system was expensive, complex and open to abuse. As a response to widespread discontent, a committee of enquiry was set up in 1835. In 1837, Rowland Hill proposed a uniform post rate of one penny, irrespective of distance. His proposals were implemented three years later. In the decade after the implementation of the 'penny post', the volume of letters sent in Britain increased five-fold to almost 350 million a year. June 1840 Vaccination for the poor is introduced Parliament enabled local poor law authorities to provide vaccination at the expense of ratepayers. Battles over the ethical and practical issues involved lasted for the remainder of Victoria's reign. Some authorities were reluctant to pay, even after infant vaccination was made compulsory in 1853. Further tightening of the regulations in 1867 and 1873 saw a number of anti-vaccination campaigns. In 1898, parents were allowed a certificate of exemption for their children on grounds of conscience. August 1841 Sir Robert Peel forms a Conservative government The Whig government under Viscount Melbourne faced increasing financial and public order difficulties, and Sir Robert Peel forced a general election after defeating the Whigs on a no-confidence motion in the House of Commons. The Conservatives won a Commons majority of more than 70. This was the first election in modern times when one political party with a parliamentary majority


In which year did the UK first win the Eurovision Song Contest with Sandi Shaw's Puppet on a String?

Sandie Shaw - Puppet On A String (United Kingdom 1967) | Eurovision Song Contest Sandie Shaw 14th with 2 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 Belgium 7th with 8 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 Finland 12th with 3 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 France 3rd with 20 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 Germany 8th with 7 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 Ireland 2nd with 22 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 Italy 11th with 4 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 Luxembourg 4th with 17 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 Monaco 5th with 10 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 Norway 14th with 2 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 Portugal 12th with 3 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 Spain 6th with 9 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 Sweden 8th with 7 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 Switzerland 17th with - points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 The Netherlands 14th with 2 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 United Kingdom 1st with 47 points in Eurovision Song Contest 1967 Yugoslavia


What appear on a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram?

Classifying Stars - The Hertzsprung -Russell Diagram   Classifying Stars - the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram There are a few hundred billion stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way and billions  of galaxies in the Universe. One important technique in science is to try and  sort or classify things into groups and seek out trends or patterns. Astronomers  do this with stars. So far we have discussed the luminosity and colour or effective temperature  of stars. These can be plotted to form what is one of the most useful plots  for stellar astronomy, the Hertzsprung-Russell (or H-R) diagram. It is named  after the Danish and American astronomers who independently developed versions  of the diagram in the early Twentieth Century. In an H-R diagram the luminosity or energy output of a star is plotted on the  vertical axis. This can be expressed as a ratio of the star's luminosity to  that of the Sun; L*/Lsun. Astronomers  also use the historical concept of magnitude as a measure of a star's  luminosity. Absolute magnitude is simply a measure of how bright a star would  appear if 10 parsecs distant and thus allows stars to be simply compared. Just  to confuse things, the lower or more negative the magnitude, the brighter the  star. By definition a star of magnitude 1 is 100 × brighter than one of  magnitude 6. Our Sun has an absolute magnitude of + 4.8. Credit: CSIRO Possible axes for a Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram. Note how the temperature scale is reversed on the horizontal axis. Also take   care if using magnitude to work upwards to negative values. The effective temperature of a star is plotted on the horizontal axis of an  H-R diagram . One quirk here is that the temperature is plotted in reverse order,  with high temperature (around 30,000 - 40,000 K) on the left and the cooler  temperature (around 2,500 K) on the right. In practice astronomers actually  measure a quantity called colour index that is simply the difference  in the magnitude of a star when measured through two different coloured filters.  Stars with a negative colour index are bluish whilst cooler orange or red stars  have a positive colour index. The third possible scale for the horizontal axis is a star's spectral class.  By splitting the light from a star through a spectrograph its spectrum can be  recorded and analysed. Stars of similar size, temperature, composition and other  properties have similar spectra and are classified into the same spectral class.  The main spectral classes for stars range from O (the hottest) through B, A, F, G, K and M (coolest).  Our Sun is a G-class star. By comparing the spectra of an unknown star  with spectra of selected standard reference stars a wealth of information, including  its colour or effective temperature can be determined. If we now plot a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for a few thousand nearest or  brightest stars we see the following: Each dot represents a star. As we can see, stars do not appear randomly on the plot but appear to be grouped  in four main regions. This is highly significant as it suggests that there may  be some relationship between the luminosity and temperature of a star. Whilst  not surprising (indeed we have already seen that a hotter star emits more energy  per unit surface area than a cooler star) the relationship is complicated by  the presence of these four groups. Let us examine these more closely. Most stars seem to fall into group A. It shows a general trend  from cool, dim stars in the lower right corner up to hot, extremely bright stars  in the top left corner which fits in with our expected relationship between  temperature and luminosity. This group is called the Main Sequence so stars found on it are main sequence stars. Our Sun is one such example. Others  include α Cen, Altair, Sirius, Achernar and Barnard's Star. Stars in group B are mostly 6,000 K or cooler yet more luminous  than main sequence stars of the same temperature. How can this be? The reason  is that these stars are much larger than ma


The songs People Will Say We're in Love and The Surrey with the Fringe on Top are from which stage show?

The Dramatic Function of Songs in Musical Theater The Dramatic Function of Songs in Musical Theater   by Dr. Larry A. Brown Professor of Theater     Musical theater has become one of the most popular forms of stage entertainment today. Musicals combine the full spectrum of all the arts: words, singing, dancing, stage spectacle, providing audiences with something for just about every taste. The addition of music to a standard play heightens emotion, reinforces dramatic action, evokes atmosphere and mood in ways that words alone cannot. Musical theater encompasses a wide range, from revues to Broadway musicals to grand opera, depending on how music functions dramatically in the work. In a revue such as ï¿½An Evening with Cole Porterï¿½ or ï¿½Side by Side by Sondheim,ï¿½ popular songs by a composer are performed for their own sake without any dramatic context, whereas in opera the entire drama is conveyed through music. The critical distinction concerns how closely the different elements mesh to form a synthesis of the arts, with all contributing to the development of the dramatic action. In the best musicals, songs do not exist only for their entertainment value, but develop story, mood, theme, communicating drama through music.   In 1943 Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma ! established a successful pattern for the integration of music and lyrics in a musical, setting a phenomenal precedent. The standards for the musical were now high, and all who succeeded these creative partners were expected to meet the challenge. Most Broadway musicals since that time have followed the example set by this musical team. Previously lyricists and composers wrote songs, but now they became dramatists, using songs to develop character and advance the plot. Rodgers and Hammerstein abandoned the sure-bet formulas of their day, slapstick comedy and chorus lines of scantily clad females. All elements in the musical now had to have a dramatic function. Oklahoma ! demonstrates several techniques of integration that Rodgers and Hammerstein continued to use throughout their career (Spurrier 148-54). (1) The script, often referred to as ï¿½the book,ï¿½ has priority; all other elements exist only to further the dramatic needs of the book. A good book provides the narrative skeleton for a musical as well as ample opportunities to allow singing and dance to enhance the story. The book for a musical may be based on a play, novel, film, or develop from an original idea. The story for Oklahoma ! came from a play, Green Grow the Lilacs, unmemorable except for its musical transformation. (2) Opening numbers help to establish the mood and setting and to prepare for the themes of the musical. The slow beginning with a lone baritone singing offstage, "There's a bright golden haze on the meadow" set a different tone from the usual opening spectacle of high-kicking chorus girls. Reprising this number near the end of the show also creates a sense of unity for the entire production. (3) The collaborators worked to achieve smooth transitions from script to music. Lyrics begin as a continuation of dialogue, as when Will Parker warns his girl Ado Annie that with him itï¿½s ï¿½All or Nuthinï¿½ï¿½ in their relationship. In this manner songs do not interrupt dramatic dialogue but develop and expand it. (4) Songs should express the deepest thoughts and feelings of the characters at that moment. Lyrics describe specific actions and events within the story and follow the natural speech patterns of the characters in the vernacular of the play. The characters of Oklahoma ! speak and sing as westerners, not opera virtuosos. (5) The style of music relates closely to the specific lyrics, as heard in "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" with its steady, clip-clop rhythm mimicking the sound of horsesï¿½ hooves. (6) Reprises are often used to show development of character. During ï¿½People will Say Weï¿½re in Loveï¿½ Laurie and Curly caution each other that they should not stand too close or talk too long, or else people will get the wrong idea. Near the end of the show, the repris


From which country does tokay wine come?

STICKIES Australian/New Zealand Dessert Wines When you stop to think about dessert wines, it shouldn't be surprising that Australia, settled by people from a country where Portuguese and Spanish "fortified" wines were popular, would also produce similarly-styled wines to those produced in Europe. In fact, through the first half or so of the 20th century, most wines produced in Australia were "fortified" wines such as Muscats, or Sherry and Port-styled wines.  The latter half of the 20th century has seen the tides shift to table wine production. The Australians call dessert wines "stickies".  In addition to some glorious fortified wines, producers of Semillon often make wines from botrytized grapes (a mold which dehydrates them, concentrating the character of the fruit and contributing a honey-like quality to the wines).  We even see some late-picked Rieslings from Australia which can be remarkable.  The major region for top quality fortified wines is Victoria, specifically north-east Victoria.  Especially fine are the dessert wines labeled "Muscat", "Tokay" and "Port".  The wines labeled as "Tokay" are made from a grape which is either the same or related to the very minor variety used in many French Sauternes wines:  Muscadelle.   Australian "Tokay" has little to do with those wines produced in Hungary.   Nor is it related to the Italian variety from Friuli which goes by the name "Tocai" or, these days, "Friulano.".  Nor is it similar to France's "Tokay-Pinot Gris" wine.   "Port"-styled wines are also of serious quality.  The most famous is Seppelt's "Para Liqueur Tawny Port", but Penfolds makes a good one as does Yalumba and a small producer called Sevenhills.  These are rarely made of traditional Portuguese "Port" varieties, but Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre and Cabernet Sauvignon.  The Aussies are extremely patient in waiting for these wines to mature, as most are in the style of a Tawny Port.  Seppelts, for example, has more than a hundred years' worth of Port-styled wines aging and releases a tiny amount of 100 year-old "Para Liqueur Tawny Port" each year.    Some of the dessert Muscats are also patiently matured in wood and these easily rival the famous Setubal wines of Portugal or some of the wood-matured Muscat wines from the Sherry region of Spain.  Some Aussie/New Zealand Dessert Wines in Stock:


A deficiency of which vitamin is the predominant cause of rickets?

Rickets: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments - Medical News Today Rickets: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments Written by Stephanie Brunner B.A. 4 16 Rickets is a childhood bone disorder in which bones soften and become prone to fractures and deformity. Although rare in industrialized nations, it is still fairly common in some developing countries. The main cause of rickets is a lack of vitamin D . Not having enough calcium in one's diet may also be a cause of rickets, as may vomiting and diarrhea . Some childhood kidney and liver diseases can cause rickets, as may a digestive disorder complication that affects calcium and phosphorous absorption. Rickets affects mainly children, although the disorder may also affect adults (osteomalacia). In most cases, the child suffers from severe and long-term malnutrition , usually during early childhood. The term rickets comes from the Old English word "wrickken", meaning to twist or bend. Rickets was common in the UK and USA during the 19th century. For proper absorption of calcium and phosphorous from the gut, we need vitamin D. If vitamin D levels in a child are low, he/she may have inadequate calcium and phosphorous bone levels. A study published in JAMA in 2013 suggested that babies should be given a daily dose of vitamin D of 400 IU (international units) to help them stay healthy . Providing a child with extra vitamin D and some minerals usually resolves the rickets problem. Symptoms of rickets A symptom is something the patient feels and reports, while a sign is something other people, such as the doctor detect. For example, pain may be a symptom while a rash may be a sign. Symptoms of rickets may include: Baby is floppy Causes of rickets Some of the conditions that can be caused by vitamin D deficiency. Lack of vitamin D - the main cause of rickets. Our bodies need vitamin D in order to absorb calcium from the intestines. Ultraviolet light (from sunlight) helps our skin cells convert vitamin D from an inactive into an active state. If we do not have enough vitamin D, calcium that we get from the food we eat is not absorbed properly, causing hypocalcemia (lower-than-normal blood calcium) to develop. Hypocalcemia results in deformities of bones and teeth, as well as neuromuscular problems. The following foods are known to be rich on vitamin D: eggs, fish oils , margarine, some fortified milks and juices, some oily fishes, and some soymilk products that have vitamin D added. Genetic defect - hypophosphatemic rickets is a rare genetic fault that undermines the way the kidneys process phosphates. Phosphate blood levels are too low, leading to weak and soft bones. Some diseases - some renal (kidney), hepatic (liver) and intestinal diseases can interfere with the way the body absorbs and metabolizes minerals and vitamins, resulting in rickets. Risk factors for rickets Vitamin D is described as the sunshine vitamin. A study published in the journal Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics in 2012 suggested that 50% of the worldwide population may be deficient in vitamin D ( source ). A risk factor is something which increases the likelihood of developing a condition or disease. For example, obesity significantly raises the risk of developing diabetes type 2. Therefore, obesity is a risk factor for diabetes type 2. Risk factors for rickets include: Poverty - rickets is more likely to occur among children who are poor. Sunlight - children who do not get enough sunlight are more dependent on excellent nutrition to make sure they are getting enough vitamin D. Malnutrition - rickets is more common in areas of the world where severe droughts and starvation occur. On the next page we look at the diagnosis of rickets, complications caused by the condition and the available treatments for rickets.


Which capital city's name means 'smoky bay'?

14 exotic city names that sound boring when translated 14 exotic city names that sound boring when translated Welcome to Smoky Bay, or as you know it, Reykjavik. CC BY: Rob Young July 1, 2013 10 things you need to know today Today's best articles The week's best photojournalism Daily business briefing Some cities have names that mean something obvious, like Portland, Little Rock, Long Beach, and Salt Lake City. If you take a moment to think about them, these names are awfully boring and plain, especially when compared to city names that seem rather exotic: Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro, Reykjavík, Tokyo… But plenty of these romantic-sounding names mean something in the language spoken by people who live in these cities, and sometimes what they mean is a little less charming. Here are a few good examples of city names that just don't sound as fascinating when translated. 1. Muddy Confluence This city grew up at the place where two muddy rivers flow together. That place happens to be in Malaysia, so when they named it Muddy Confluence they did so in Malay: Kuala Lumpur. 2. On the Sea This city used to be on the sea (now it's a bit inland). Specifically, it was on the sea in China. In Mandarin Chinese, the way to say On the Sea is Shanghai. 3. Sheltered Bay Yes, this city has a very nice sheltered bay. Most people who live there now speak English, but some of them still speak Hawai'ian, and the name is in Hawai'ian too: Honolulu. 4. Smoky Bay Another bay. This one isn't really smoky, it's steamy from geothermal activity. But the name originally given to it stuck — in the local language, Icelandic: Reykjavík. 5. Northern Capital Can you imagine calling the capital of your country Northern Capital? Seems kinda basic, no? And why Northern? Well, the older capital was in the south and is now called Southern Capital, though it's not a capital anymore. Who has these plain capital city names? More than a billion people — in China: the northern one is Beijing (the old transliteration is Peking) and the southern one is Nanjing (the old transliteration is Nanking). 6. Eastern Capital China isn't the only country with a really plain name for its capital. In Japan, they have Eastern Capital — or, as they call it, Tokyo. The former capital of the country is even better: Kyoto. Does that mean Capital of the East? Nope — it just means Capital City. 7. Peace OK, this is not bad for a name. But it's pretty simple. And it's another capital. The country is Bolivia, and the language they speak is Spanish — which uses a definite article ("the") in a name like this: La Paz. Actually, the full name is Nuestra Señora de la Paz: Our Lady of Peace. 8. Pass Paz may sound like Pass, but this city's name actually means Pass. Or, since it's in Spanish, The Pass. And in west Texas, there are plenty of Spanish speakers who know that's what they mean when they say El Paso. 9. Spring Mound To be fair, "mound" here refers to the kind of mound or hill that has resulted from towns being built on towns built on towns — very archeological. That was a deliberate choice when this city near an old port was given a new name… in Hebrew: Tel Aviv. 10. January River This is almost a cool name, really. It would sound OK in English. But it sounds like more fun in Portuguese: Rio de Janeiro. 11. New Flower Another reasonably charming name. But not exotic. Put it in Amharic, though, and you get Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. 12. Red Stick To be fair, not that many people in this city speak French anymore. But once upon a time French was the dominant language here, as throughout Louisiana — which is where you find Baton Rouge. (In French, you add a circumflex and, for place names, a hyphen: Bâton-Rouge.) 13. Lakes This is another little cheat — I don't think too many people in this city speak Portuguese now. But I had to include it because it's such a plain, plain name… for a massive, not-at-all-plain city, the capital of Nigeria: Lagos. 14. Meadows This is a funny name for this city. You'll know why when you find out what the Spanish word for Meadows is. Yep, another cit


In which film, winner of the Best Animated Feature Oscar for 2006, are all the central characters penguins?

2006 Academy Awards® Winners and History Monster House (2006) Actor: FOREST WHITAKER in "The Last King of Scotland," Leonardo         DiCaprio in "Blood Diamond," Ryan Gosling in "Half         Nelson," Peter O'Toole in "Venus," Will Smith         in "The Pursuit of Happyness" Actress: HELEN MIRREN in "The Queen," Penelope Cruz in "Volver," Judi         Dench in "Notes on a Scandal," Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada," Kate Winslet         in "Little Children" Supporting Actor: ALAN ARKIN in "Little Miss Sunshine," Jackie Earle         Haley in "Little Children," Djimon Honsou in "Blood         Diamond," Eddie Murphy in "Dreamgirls," Mark Wahlberg in "The Departed" Supporting Actress: JENNIFER HUDSON in "Dreamgirls," Adriana Barraza in "Babel," Cate         Blanchett in "Notes on a Scandal," Abigail Breslin in "Little Miss Sunshine," Rinko         Kikuchi in "Babel" Director: MARTIN SCORSESE for "The Departed," Clint Eastwood         for "Letters From Iwo Jima," Stephen Frears for "The         Queen," Paul Greengrass for "United 93," Alejandro         González Iñárritu for "Babel" The          2006 nominees continued Hollywood's trend of nominating relatively          low-to-modestly budgeted films with ensemble casts and personal          subjects, again eschewing big budgeted Hollywood studio epics,          though in this year, three of the Best Picture-nominated films          were at least partially bankrolled by a major studio. Three          of the five films were released by specialty divisions, while          director Clint Eastwood's Letters From Iwo Jima was          able to be made by a studio, using his reputation to get financing          for its narrowly-appealing content. It was one of the most diverse and international          rosters of nominees and winners in recent Academy history.          The five films that were nominated for Best Picture had a total          of only 26 nominations -- the fewest since 1932/1933 (when          10 films were nominated for the top prize but there were fewer          awards categories). No single film received nominations in          more than six categories. And the Oscar wins were spread out          over numerous films - many received either one or two awards. As with last year, there was a perceived backlash          against flashy, "popcorn" Best Picture nominees and          winners. Mega-budget, special effects-heavy box-office blockbusters          that received minimal nominations included: Gore Verbinski's Pirates           of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (4 technical           nominations, with a sole Oscar win for Best Visual Effects),           one of the fastest grossing films in history, reaching           $100M and $200M box office dollars in record time, and           grossing over $1B worldwide, as the second part of a           planned trilogy Brett Ratner's X-Men:           The Last Stand (no nominations), the third film           in the series, grossing box-office of about $460 worldwide Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code (no           nominations), which grossed over $750M worldwide despite           savage reviews Superman           Returns (one nomination for Best Visual Effects),           the fifth in the series, directed by former X-Men director           Bryan Singer and a total worldwide box-office of almost           $400M Martin Campbell's Casino           Royale (no nominations), the exciting 007 "reboot" starring           Daniel Craig as the new James Bond, which grossed about           $550M worldwide J.J. Abrams' Mission           Impossible III (no nominations), starring and


The actress Liz Dawn was appointed as Lady Mayoress of which city in 2000?

BBC News | ENTERTAINMENT | Street star takes city honour Tuesday, 23 May, 2000, 10:55 GMT 11:55 UK Street star takes city honour Meet the mayors: Liz Dawn and Bernard Atha Coronation Street stalwart Liz Dawn - better known as Vera Duckworth - has been made lady mayoress of her home city of Leeds. The actress joined Lord Mayor Bernard Atha at a ceremony at the city's Civic Hall to accept their new positions. Mr Atha teamed up with the 60-year-old actress four years ago to set up a cancer charity and chose her to join him as mayoress in recognition of her work for good causes in the city. Liz Dawn shows off her chains of office He explained: "Liz was the ideal choice. She is a Leeds girl who has had so much success but has never forgotten her roots, and she has done so much for the city." The Liz Dawn Cancer Appeal has raised �700,000 to fund a specialist cancer unit at the city's St James's Hospital. She told reporters after the ceremony: "I was really thrilled to be asked to be lady mayoress because Leeds is my home town. "I've worked in Manchester for 30 years and even though I love that city, I'm still a Yorkshire woman inside." The former Rovers Return landlady's links with St James's Hospital go back to her childhood - she was admitted there at the age of seven after being involved in an accident which caused an injury to her top lip. Dawn has also been given an honorary doctorate by Leeds Metropolitan University for her voluntary work. Her 26-year career in the ITV soap will not be put in jeopardy by her new duties - Mr Atha has recruited various other Leeds women, including a breast cancer nurse and a cleaner, to help her carry out her work as lady mayoress. Search BBC News Online


Which world famous building is said to resemble 'nuns in a scrum'?

Nickname the landmarks: here they are … « Names « Glossophilia 3 Replies Each of these extraordinary architectural landmarks has been bestowed at some point in its history — either before, during or after its design and construction — with a colorful nickname. Clues to most of the nicknames lie in the resemblance of the building to a common household object — but not in every case … Answers (official building name or address, city, nickname, and origin of nickname if not immediately apparent) are below each picture. 1. The great bell of the clock (and usually the clock and the clock tower as well) at the north end of the Palace of Westminster (London) – Big Ben. Big Ben was most likely named after Sir Benjamin Hall, First Commissioner for Works, whose name is inscribed on the bell; or it might have been named after Ben Caunt, a champion heavyweight boxer.   2. Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral (Liverpool) – Paddy’s Wigwam   3. Clyde Auditorium (concert hall, Glasgow) – The Armadillo   4. Soccer City Stadium (Johannesburg) – The Calabash. The Calabash was named after the African cooking pot, one of the inspirations for the stadium, and reflected the “melting pot” that is South Africa.   5. House of World Cultures (art museum, Berlin) – The Pregnant Oyster   6. Absolute World Building (Mississauga, Canada) – The Marilyn Monroe   7. Sydney Opera House (Sydney) – Nuns in a Scrum   8. MIT’s Simmons Hall (Boston) – The Sponge   9. Kaiser Wilhelm Church (rebuilt after WWII bombings in Berlin) – The Lipstick and Compact   10. Casa Mila (Barcelona) – The Quarry   11. Sydney Harbour Bridge (Sydney) – The Coathanger   12. Velodrome (London) – The Pringle   13. 30 St Mary Axe (London) – The Gherkin   14. 60-70 St Mary’s Axe (London) – Can of Ham   15. 20 Fenchurch Street (London) – Walkie-Talkie   16. 122 Leadenhall Street (London) – Cheese Grater   17. Strata tower (London) – The Razor   18. The Shard in London was given its name because the English Heritage claimed the building would be “a shard of glass through the heart of historic London”. The Shard appears to be the official name of the building, not just its nickname, so this building should really be disqualified from this list.   19. St. John’s, Smith Square (London) – Queen Anne’s Footstool. According to Wikipedia: “As legend has it, when [Thomas] Archer was designing the church he asked the Queen what she wanted it to look like. She kicked over her footstool and said ‘Like that!’, giving rise to the building’s four corner towers.”   20. 175 Fifth Ave (New York) – The Flatiron   21. CBS building at 51 West 52nd St (New York) – Black Rock (for its dark-gray granite and dark tinted windows)   22. 209 South LaSalle St (Chicago) – Rookery Building. The Rookery assumed same name as the building that it replaced: named for crows and pigeons that inhabited its exterior  walls and for shady politicians it housed, given the rook’s reputation for being acquisitive.   23. CCTV media building (Beijing) – Hemorrhoid or Big Underpants     24. Frost Bank Building (Austin) – The Owl building. If you view the top of the tower from a corner, the two faces of the tower clock resemble owl eyes and the corner of the observation deck a beak. According to UT Austin legend, this was  designed deliberately, as the tower’s architect was supposedly a graduate of Rice University, whose athletic mascot is an owl. The Owl’s architect was in fact Paul Cret, born in Lyon, France, who graduated from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris.   25. George Pompidou Centre (Paris) – The Cruise Liner   26. Stedelijk Museum’s new addition (Amsterdam) – The  Bathtub   27. Beijing National Stadium (Beijing) – The Bird’s Nest


How many houses are there in Downing Street?

History of 10 Downing Street - GOV.UK GOV.UK Larry, Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office Introduction – by Sir Anthony Seldon 10 Downing Street, the locale of British prime ministers since 1735, vies with the White House as being the most important political building anywhere in the world in the modern era. Behind its black door have been taken the most important decisions affecting Britain for the last 275 years. In the 20th century alone, the First and Second World Wars were directed from within it, as were the key decisions about the end of the empire, the building of the British nuclear bomb, the handling of economic crises from the Great Depression in 1929 to the great recession, and the building up of the welfare state. Some of the most famous political figures of modern history have lived and worked in Number 10, including Robert Walpole, Pitt the Younger, Benjamin Disraeli, William Gladstone, David Lloyd George, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. Number 10 has 3 overlapping functions. It is the official residence of the British Prime Minister: it is their office, and it is also the place where the Prime Minister entertains guests from Her Majesty The Queen to presidents of the United States and other world leaders. The Prime Minister hosts countless receptions and events for a whole range of British and overseas guests, with charitable receptions high up the list. The building is much larger than it appears from its frontage. The hall with the chequered floor immediately behind the front door lets on to a warren of rooms and staircases. The house in Downing Street was joined to a more spacious and elegant building behind it in the early 18th century. Number 10 has also spread itself out to the left of the front door, and has taken over much of 12 Downing Street, which is accessed by a corridor that runs through 11 Downing Street – the official residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Explore 10 Downing Street Downing Street Approach Entrance Hall Many famous feet have trodden across this entrance hall: from world leaders to sporting heroes. But this is also where the PM's staff enter each day to work among the myriad corridors and staircases which snake around the building. 10 Downing Street fulfils many roles – as meeting place, home and office. The Prime Minister does not have keys to Number 10 but there is always someone on duty to let him in. Grand Staircase Sir Robert Walpole took up residence as Prime Minister in 1735 and wanted the design of Number 10 to match his status. He employed a famous architect of the day to renovate the crumbling building and many of the features he installed, including the central staircase, still exist. Portraits of every Prime Minister line the walls in chronological order, with the most recent incumbents at the top and group photographs from past Cabinets and Imperial Conferences at the bottom. White Drawing Room Until the 1940s Prime Ministers and their wives kept the White Room for their private use. It was here that Edward Heath kept his grand piano. The room contains works by one of the most important English landscape painters of the nineteenth century, J M W Turner. These days it is often used as the backdrop for television interviews and is in regular use as a meeting room for Downing Street staff. The room links through to the Terracotta Room next door. Cabinet Room Gordon Brown held Cabinet meetings every Tuesday but they were previously held on Thursday mornings. The only exceptions were during the Second World War and when the house was being renovated. The room was extended in 1796 by knocking a wall down and inserting columns to carry the extra span. The Cabinet room is separated from the rest of the house by soundproof doors. A terrorist bomb exploded in the garden of Number 10 in 1991, only a few metres from where John Major was chairing a Cabinet meeting. Terracotta Room This was used as the dining room when Sir Robert Walpole was PM. The name of this room changes according to the colour it is painted. When Margaret Thatcher came to power it was the Bl


Which Prime Minister was born on Rodney Street, Liverpool?

One of Liverpool's most influential sons - William Gladstone - Liverpool Echo News One of Liverpool's most influential sons - William Gladstone INTERNATIONAL statesman, political reformer, three times Chancellor of the Exchequer and four times British Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone was born in Rodney Street, Liverpool on December 29, 1809.  Share Lord Alton with statue of William Gladstone  Share Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Peter Elson speaks to Lord David Alton about putting Gladstone on the city’s tourist trail INTERNATIONAL statesman, political reformer, three times Chancellor of the Exchequer and four times British Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone was born in Rodney Street, Liverpool on December 29, 1809. And on Tuesday the city will celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the ‘Grand Old Man’s’ birth. A wreath will be laid at his statue in St John’s Gardens and a special Gladstone exhibition opened at St George’s Hall. The statesman is a hero of Lord David Alton who feels now is the time for the city to make more of his birthplace on the tourism trail. He says: “He was born at 62 Rodney Street and brought up in Liverpool and in the palatial Seaforth Hall. So why not package that with the historic links in his home city for visitors? “Once again, Gladstone’s reputation is growing and Liverpool should make the most of its greatest son, especially as this month is the bicentennial of his birth. “The city’s tourism is based on the Beatles and football, for which we’re very grateful, but there is so much more. The place is bursting with potential. “It would have been truly fitting for our Culture year if his home was turned into a museum dedicated to his memory and achievements.” As 62 Rodney Street is now divided into flats, even partial conversion would be difficult. Yet the former Irish Centre, or Wellington Rooms lies derelict. Surely that would be ideal? “Gladstone’s family would have used the Wellington Rooms, which were built in 1815 for assemblies, or gatherings, of Liverpool’s great and good,” says Lord Alton. “Better still for a museum would be St Andrew’s Scottish Presbyterian Church, in Rodney Street, which is one of three churches which Gladstone’s father John built.” John Gladstone, of Scottish Presbyterian stock, embraced his wife’s evangelical Anglicanism and built up a formidable trading empire. High over the town in their Rodney Street mansions these merchant princes could easily see the Mersey – the source of their wealth. “In his childhood reminiscences Gladstone recalled the picturesque nature of the white-winged vessels waiting to catch the winds out of Liverpool,” says Lord Alton. “But these great sailing ships represented something darker; and as the young Gladstone grew up he would have encountered the anti-slavery movement – and its leading figures, Wilberforce, Thomas Clarkson and Granville Sharp.” With the West Indian sugar plantations a major source of the Gladstones’ wealth being worked by slaves, John Gladstone fell out with Liverpool MP William Roscoe who opposed the slave trade. “Young William had his first political encounters at Rodney Street, in 1812,” says Lord Alton. “His father John was one of the merchant princes who invited George Canning to accept the Tory nomination for the Liverpool constituency against Henry Brougham for the Whigs. “They were the two greatest orators of their age. John Gladstone, now alienated by Roscoe’s intellectualism and opposition to the slave trade, deserted the Whigs to support Canning. Every evening the crowds gathered to hear Canning declaim from the Gladstones’ house in Rodney Street. St George’s Hall was the scene of both political triumph and disaster for Gladstone as he lost his South West Lancashire seat in 1868, but kept his Greenwich one and so formed his first premiership. Says Lord Alton: “His support for Irish Catholics, mission to pacify Ireland and desire for Irish Home Rule had put him on collision course with the Tories and the


What is the area of a rectangular piece of land with sides of one furlong and one chain?

What is an acre? See also Cheshire acre , Churchland acre , Cornish acre , Cunningham acre , Forest acre , Devonshire acre , Herefordshire acre , Inverness acre , Irish acre , Lancashire acre , Leicester acre , Rhynland acre , Scottish acre , Somersetshire acre , Staffordshire acre , Welsh acre , West Derby acre , Westmoreland acre , Wiltshire acre , Woodland acre 1 The statute acre, in the English-speaking world, before 8th – 21st century, the principal unit of land area. At one time many different acres existed in England (notice the see-also list above), and this acre was often called the “statute acre”, to indicate it was the one established by law, at least as early as the 14th century. In places like the United States, where the statute acre is overwhelmingly predominant, the word “statute” is usually omitted. The (statute) acre is: = 43,560 square feet = 1/640 square mile (that is, 0.001 562 5 sq. mile) about 0.404 687 3 hectare In the United States, because the acre is a land measure it is currently based on the U.S. survey foot and not on the international foot. One acre is about 4,046.873 square meters. A square plot of ground 208.7 feet on a side will cover an acre. An American football field, 360 feet by 160 feet, is about 1.3 acres; 12 high school basketball courts are a little more than 1 acre. Here's a way for city dwellers to use a Google map of their neighborhood to get a feel for how big an acre is. The acre is not a measure of surface area on the actual surface of the earth, but on an imaginary, hill-less, standardized ellipsoid. That result comes from using only strictly horizontal dimensions in calculating acreage. For more information, please see the FAQ . The rest of this entry on the statute acre contains the following  sections: B. Frequently asked questions about the acre 1 . What are the dimensions of the acre? “I just wanted to know what are the dimensions of an acre—how many feet wide and long?” “If an acre is a square or rectangular why doesn't anybody on the web know what the measurements are in feet, not sq. feet. I have looked in about 1000 different places and no one has an answer that simple.” “If I am to measure an acre as length x width what would that measure be? I have looked up many sites but cannot find this measurement.” Answer: Since 1305  the acre hasn’t had any fixed length or width. Unlike the square foot, square yard, square meter, etc., the acre has no linear dimensions. It is purely a unit of area, = 43,560 square feet. The two sides of a 1-acre rectangular lot      can be any lengths as long as multiplying one by the other gives 43,560 (if the sides were      measured in feet). if a 1-acre lot is a square, its sides      will be 208.7103256 feet long (208.7103256 × 208.7103256 = 43,560). Imagine a sidewalk 5 feet wide. If it were (43560 ÷ 5 = ) 8712 feet long it would take up an acre, a long skinny acre.   2 . What is the perimeter of an acre? “Can you tell me [if the distance around] one acre of land is more than a mile? I want to purchase property, but I want the distance around the property to be at least 1 mile.” Answer: Because the acre is a measure of area, it has no definite perimeter. For example, using the examples in question one, the perimeter of the long, skinny sidewalk acre would be 17,434 feet (more than 3 miles), but the perimeter of the square acre would be 835 feet. If you don’t know the shape of the lot you can’t determine the perimeter.   3 . How are acres measured on hillsides? “If I buy a hill, it being sold as 242 acres, how are the acres measured? Are they as if the hill were cut off and the land was level? Or up one side of the hill and down the other as if it were covered with a blanket and then the size of the blanket was measured?” Answer: It's as if the hill were cut off and the land was level. To quote from an old authoritative surveying text, by two professors at MIT: Horizontal Lines. -- In surveying, all measurements of lengths are horizontal or else are subsequently reduced to horizontal distances. As a m


Which animal is seen on a tin of Tate & Lyle's Golden Syrup?

BBC NEWS | UK | England | London | Golden celebration for 'oldest brand' Golden celebration for 'oldest brand' By Colette Hibbert Lyle's Golden Syrup was first canned at Plaistow Wharf in 1885 It has become one of the most familiar sights in kitchen cupboards across the world. Yet Lyle's Golden Syrup actually began life as a by-product from refining sugar cane. However, Abram Lyle soon realised that the treacly substance could be turned into a delicious preserve and sweetener for cooking - and now the syrup, which was canned for the first time at Plaistow Wharf in London's Docklands, is celebrating its 125th anniversary. Despite being more than a century old, not much has changed over the years, including the contents, the packaging and branding of Lyle's Golden Syrup. However, over the next 12 months, it will undergo its first change, in celebration of its 125 years. Workers canning Lyle's Golden Syrup at Plaistow Wharf The iconic Victorian-style tins, which were established the same year as the first electric railway and has survived two World Wars, are getting a makeover. For the entire year of the anniversary, alongside its usual green tins, Lyle's Golden Syrup will also be available in gold tins. The brand already made history in 2006 when it was recognised by Guinness World Records as having the world's oldest branding and packaging. The syrup's trademark, "out of the strong came forth sweetness" and image of a dead lion and bees, is taken from the Bible, influenced by Abram Lyle's strong religious beliefs. In the Old Testament, Samson killed an attacking lion, and later noticed a swarm of bees had formed honey in the carcass. He later turned this into a riddle: "Out of the eater came forth meat and out of the strong came forth sweetness". It's in our interest to support the local community Factory manager Ian Clark The syrup started when Abram Lyle, a Scottish businessman, sent his five sons from Greenock to London to build a sugar refinery. The refinery at Plaistow Wharf ceased trading in sugar in 1967 but continued producing the syrup. In 1921, Mr Lyle merged his company Abram Lyle & Sons with Henry Tate & Sons to become Tate & Lyle, which is now the only cane sugar refiner in the UK. More than a century later the Plaistow Wharf factory remains the sole producer of the product under Tate & Lyle, producing about one million tins of syrup a month. Although founded in the UK, Tate & Lyle's roots can be traced back to several companies established in the middle of the 19th century focused on sugars in Europe and corn milling in the US and Europe. About 42 of Tate & Lyle's 1,000 employees are based at the Plaistow factory. The remainder are based at the company's nearby Thames Refinery. Factory site manager, Ian Clark, who collects Lyle's Golden Syrup brand memorabilia, says: "The factory has a long, long history and Tate & Lyle has always been seen to be an excellent employer. "The fact that we've had generations of families work here at the factory for years and years is proof of this." Tate & Lyle, now a global company, has a long history of supporting the communities in which it operates in Europe, the Americas, and South East Asia, which all began with the philanthropic approach of its co-founders. Lyle's Golden Syrup Lyle's Golden Syrup is older than the first petrol motorcar (1885), Coca-Cola (1886), Marmite (1902), and Cadbury's Dairy Milk (1905). Gymnasts sometimes use the syrup instead of talc for better grip Make-up artists have been known to use the syrup mixed with red food dye to create fake blood for films The company's charitable spend allocations are the areas of education, the environment, health and the arts. Last year more than 3,000 primary school children visited the Thames Refinery for its annual child safety awareness programme run by the Metropolitan Police. Each year the two London factories also take in 40 work experience students between them and also work closely with school children on the National Curriculum. Mr Clark said: "It's in our interest to support the local community. If we hel