Who was the voice of Matt Dillon for 11 years on radio's Gunsmoke?

Gunsmoke: Radio's Last Great Dramatic Series Radio's Last Great Dramatic Series (1952-1961) Gunsmoke's four continuing characters on both radio and television were Matt Dillon, United States Marshall, Chester Wesley Proudfoot, his middle aged "helper," Charles "Doc" Adams, the town physician, and Kitty Russell, a "saloon girl" at the Texas Trails. Front Street, Dodge City, KS 1876 Gunsmoke was set in Dodge City, Kansas between 1872, when the Santa Fe Railroad reached town, and 1885, when local farmers forced the end of the Texas cattle drives along the Western Trail. Dodge City, known as the "Queen of the Cow Towns," the "Wicked Little City," the "Gomorrah of the Plains," had a reputation as a hostile, lawless town where the "fastest gun" ruled. As the opening of the show proclaimed: "Around Dodge City and in the territory on west, there's just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers and that's with a U.S. Marshal and the smell of gunsmoke." That marshall, Matt Dillon, was modeled after the real lawmen who "tamed" (or at least kept a lid on) Dodge City: US Deputy Marshall Wyatt Earp (1848-1929), Sheriff Bat Masterson (1856-1921), Sheriff Bill Tilghman (1854-1924), and Sheriff Charlie Bassett (c.1847-1869). After Gunsmoke... During Gunsmoke's nine years on the radio, CBS presented 480 performances of 413 scripts. Many of these radio plays were adapted to television. One, The Ride Back by Anthony Ellis, became a full length movie starring William Conrad and Anthony Quinn. When the series went off the air in 1961, the four actors who played the continuing characters moved on to other things. William Conrad on the cover of TVGuide (1976) William Conrad as Frank Cannon Cannon William Conrad as J. L. McCabe Jake and the Fatman William Conrad (1920-1994), who was the original Marshall Dillon and one of radio's most prolific actors (he claimed he performed in 7500 radio programs) became a television producer and director. According to a "TV Episode List" published on Gunsmoke: The Great American Western, he directed two television episodes of Gunsmoke: "Panacea Sikes" (April 13, 1963) and "Captain Sligo" (January 4, 1971) , and narrated a third-- "Women for Sale" (September 10 & 17, 1973). Between 1963 and the series finale in 1967 his deep, resonant voice was heard under the opening credits of The Fugative. He was also the voice of the unseen narrator on The Bullwinkle Show (1961-1962), The Wild, Wild World of Animals (1973-1978), Tales of the Unexpected (1977) and How the West Was One (1978-1979).  His first major on camera, television role was Frank Cannon in Cannon (1971-1976). This was followed by Nero Wolf (1981) and J.L. McCabe, the Fatman, in Jake and the Fatman (1987-1992). In addition to radio and television, Conrad appeared in at least 25 films between 1946 and 1960. His first on screen appearance was as Max, one of the killers in The Killers (1946). In most of these films he was cast as the villain or heavy. In his last movie Hudson Hawk (1991) he was once again the narrator. Between 1957 and 1968 he directed four and produced ten feature length films. The first film he produced was The Ride Back (1957) (also known as "The Way Back"), a western based on a 1952 Gunsmoke radio script. According to Leonard Maltin's Movie and Video Guide it is a "Well-handled account of a sheriff (William Conrad) and prisoner (Anthony Quinn) who find they need each other's help to survive the elements and Indian attacks."  He died of cardiac arrest in February 1994 and was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1997. Howard McNear Howard McNear (1905-1969), Gunsmoke's Doc Adams, was in 19 films. His first was Drums Across the River (1954); his last was The Fortune Cookie (1966). On television he made a number of guest appearances on Gunsmoke, but he is probably best remembered as Floyd Lawson , the barber of Mayberry USA, on The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968). He died in January 1969. Howard McNear cutting Andy Griffith's hair The Andy Griffith Show Parley Baer as Miles Dugan, The Young & the Restless P


Where was the UN Atomic Energy Agency based when it was set up in 1957?

United Nations News Centre - Interview with Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) United Nations News Centre Interview with Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano , Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). UN Photo/Mark Garten 1 May 2015  Yukiya Amano , a former Japanese diplomat, has served as Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) since 2009. The Vienna-based UN body was set up in 1957 as the world’s centre for cooperation in the nuclear field. It works with its member States and multiple partners worldwide to promote the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technologies, as well as to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Mr. Amano served as Japan’s representative at the IAEA for several years before his appointment as Director General and gained a great deal of experience in disarmament and non-proliferation diplomacy, as well as nuclear energy issues. While in New York this week for the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons ( NPT ), the head of the UN nuclear watchdog spoke to the UN News Centre about the Conference and the work of the IAEA to strengthen the Treaty’s three pillars – disarmament, non-proliferation, and the peaceful uses of nuclear technology.When I became the Director General, I said that as I come from a country with the experience of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I will stay firm against the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The interview has been edited for content and clarity. News Centre: As the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference gets underway, what is the IAEA’s main message at the forum? Yukiya Amano: The NPT treaty has three pillars and I think it is very important for the NPT that progress would be made in all of the three pillars. News Centre: Could you tell me a little bit more about those three pillars? Yukiya Amano: One is nuclear disarmament; another is non-proliferation; and the other is the peaceful use of nuclear technology. These are said to be the three pillars of the NPT. Excerpts from interview with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano. Credit: United Nations News Centre: What do you see as the major concerns today in the area of proliferation? Yukiya Amano: In the area of proliferation, one of the important areas of concern is the Iranian nuclear issue. The IAEA is implementing safeguards in Iran and we can say that nuclear materials and facilities under safeguards are for peaceful purposes. But we cannot say that all the nuclear materials and facilities are for peaceful purpose. There have been very good developments since autumn 2013. The IAEA and Iran agreed on a so-called Framework for Cooperation to resolve issues through cooperation. The six Powers – six countries – and Iran agreed on another agreement for interim purposes and now the six countries and Iran are negotiating to reach agreement on the comprehensive agreement. The IAEA will play an essential role in the implementation of the agreement once agreement is reached. The IAEA mission team studies a water purification system that removes radioactive elements from water during a February 2015 visit to the Fukushima power plant in Japan that was damaged in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Photo: Susanna Loof/IAEA News Centre: What do you hope is going to be the outcome of this NPT conference? Yukiya Amano: It is for the Member States of the NPT to decide but I hope a good agreement will be reached to promote progress on all three pillars of the NPT. News Centre: Can you give me some examples of how the Agency is assisting countries with the peaceful uses of nuclear technology to promote development? Yukiya Amano: The IAEA is very active in transferring technology – nuclear technology – for peaceful applications. Nuclear technology is very effective in promoting causes like the protection of health and the environment, controlling water, figh


Oran international airport is in which country?

Oran Es Senia Airport, Oran, Algeria Tourist Information Locals and travelers to connect with About Oran, Algeria 35.6969-0.6331 Oran Es Senia Airport is an international airport serving Oran City  near Es Senia in the North African nation of the Democratic Peoples  Republic of Algeria . Oran is the second largest major city in the  country spread along the north-western Mediterranean coast of Algeria.  Located at a distance of 8.7 kilometers to the south of the city  centre, this public airport was first used by the French Air Force as a  military airfield in the 1940s during World War II. Situated at an  elevation of 295 feet above mean sea level, the Oran Es Senia Airport is  owned and operated by EGSA Alger, which is an airport management  services establishment of the government of Algeria operating a total  number of 18 airports within this country. There are a couple of concrete surfaced runways at this  airport measuring 10,039 feet and 9,843 feet catering to all types of  flight movements including many charter services. Apart from a separate  cargo terminal, there is a well equipped single passenger terminal  serving all domestic as well as international flights to/from the Oran  Es Senia Airport. Moreover, there is a brand new terminal building  under construction which along with modernization of the existing  facilities is expected to raise the standards and quality of services  of this airport to international levels. This project will be able to re-dimension and gradually  refurbish the facilities at this airport in order to significantly  accommodate traffic increases over the next 15 years. Private taxis and  car rental services are also available at this airport along with most  other passenger convenience facilities. Moreover, many hotels are  offering complementary hotel shuttle services to/from the Oran Es Senia  Airport for guests seeking comfortable hotel-stays around Oran. Map


The night Johnny Ace died in the City Auditorium - Bayou City History Bayou City History The night Johnny Ace died in the City Auditorium By J.R. Gonzales on December 25, 2013 at 12:05 AM Old City Auditorium, site of Jones Hall today. Dry your eyes, no tears, no sorrow. Cling to me with all your might, And never let me go. — “Never Let Me Go” by Johnny Ace More than 2,000 people had gathered at the old City Auditorium on Dec. 25, 1954, for the dance. It being Christmas night and all, it was probably a pretty festive occasion. On the bill that evening was one John Marshall Alexander Jr., better known as R&B crooner Johnny Ace. The Memphis-based pianist cut his teeth in a band with B.B. King in the early days. As King’s star rose and provided new opportunities, Johnny took over the band and soon amassed a string of R&B hits in the early 1950s. Johnny was a familiar sight in Houston’s R&B scene back then. In 1952, Don Robey, founder of Houston-based Peacock Records, acquired Memphis’ Duke Records, which had signed Johnny. In Down in Houston: Bayou City Blues,   Roger Wood noted: “The synthesis achieved via this commercially triggered dialectic of performers from the Delta and the Lone Star state resulted in some of the most potent blues, and especially rhythm and blues, of the fifties and sixties — including the first major R&B ‘crossover’ star, Johnny Ace.” According to the Houston Post, Johnny had finished his set with Yes, Baby and retired to the City Auditorium dressing room. Some drinking ensued and, according to newspaper accounts, Johnny started playing a game of Russian roulette with a .22 caliber revolver. (Some say Johnny used a different caliber weapon that night.) Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton wasn’t having any of it, the Houston Chronicle reported. She took the gun and removed the bullet. Johnny demanded she put the bullet back in the gun and give it back. Thornton relented but told him to put the gun away. Nothing will happen, Johnny said. To prove it, he cocked the gun, put it to the temple of 22-year-old Olivia Gibbs, and pulled the trigger, the Chronicle reported. Click. He spun the cylinder again, put it to his temple and pulled the trigger. The ensuing blast instantly killed the 25-year-old. Even though the local papers blamed his death on a game of Russian roulette, other accounts — on Wikipedia for example — say Johnny believed the weapon wasn’t loaded. Nonetheless, though his life was cut short that night, Johnny’s music legacy continued through posthumous releases. That music would inspire a class of musicians who would shape rock ‘n’ roll in the 1960s and 1970s. One was Paul Simon, who referenced Johnny’s story in the 1983 recording, The Late Great Johnny Ace. More recently, Dave Alvin kept the story alive in 2011’s Johnny Ace is Dead. If you’re having trouble placing any of his music, one posthumous hit, Pledging My Love, can be heard in the film Christine. You can hear it in this playlist here . The incident garnered a brief mention on the front page of the next day’s Houston Post. The Chronicle had a longer story inside its editions. Both accounts can be found via this link . The Houston Press didn’t appear to mention it in its final editions in the days after the shooting. J.R. Gonzales


Who was the first chemist to be Britain's Prime Minister?

Margaret Thatcher Publicity photo for the 1951 election campaign. Margaret Thatcher died today at 87. She'll be remembered as the first (and only) woman to be prime minister of Britain, but what's often missed or only glanced over in her biographies, and now her obituaries, is her career as a chemist. Thatcher graduated from Oxford in 1947 with an undergraduate degree in chemistry. Her fourth-year dissertation was on X-ray crystallography of the antibiotic cocktail gramicidin, and her supervisor, Dorothy Hodgkin, was working at the time on the structure of penicillin. In the years after, Thatcher worked as an industrial chemist at British Xylonite Plastics and at Lyons, with a probably apocryphal story circulating that she helped produce a form of soft-scoop ice cream . It's seldom discussed how much her degree might've affected her politics. A paper by science and technology professor Jon Agar , written for Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London and published in 2010, took a look at that connection, first by examining her as a student: All of her biographers agree that the future Mrs Thatcher devoted her free time to politics rather than science, and even regretted her choice of undergraduate study. One repeated anecdote has her walking with a friend at graduation in 1947 saying, 'You know, I oughtn't to have read chemistry. I should have read law. That's what I need for politics. I shall have to go and read law now.' Another repeatedly recalled incident, at an unspecified date, but presumably during her undergraduate years, was a conversation between the young scientist and Norman Winning, the Recorder, or municipal clerk, of her hometown, who had a Cambridge natural sciences degree. Winning advised her to continue with chemistry as a means to getting into law as a patent lawyer. All these anecdotes serve to prepare the narrative for the next stage in Thatcher's career, her training and employment as a lawyer in the later 1950s. But instead Thatcher took a position at British Xylonite (BX) Plastics in 1947, Agar writes. It's not clear exactly what her work entailed, but she, perhaps unexpectedly, joined a union there. In 1949, after gaining an opportunity as a parliamentary candidate, Thatcher became a food research chemist at "the cakes and teashop business J. Lyons & Co." She likely researched the chemical process saponification , but not much else can be confirmed about her work there. By 1951, Thactcher resigned from Lyons and switched career paths, studying tax law and passing the Bar in 1953. In 1959, she won a seat in Parliament. The popular theory, then, is that Thatcher studying chemistry was "incidental," Agar writes. It kept the lights on while she pursued politics. He quotes journalist Hugo Young's summary: These two jobs, lasting barely three years in all, constitute the totality of Margaret Thatcher's first-hand contact with the world of commerce and industry. . . . In any case, prime minister Thatcher never tried to make political capital out of these fugitive involvements. They were incidental to her political ambition and she has never pretended otherwise. They made her a living, while she devoted most of her psychic energy to the greater and more glamorous task. But that doesn't mean her career as a chemist and politician never intertwined, Agar argues. In 1971, Lord Victor Rothschild proposed laws to make government funding of science closer to a business proposition: policy would be shaped by market forces. "Basic" research science (or just "cheap" science) wouldn't be affected, but other research would. Thatcher, then Education Secretary, strangely seemed to shift positions in a decisive meeting on the subject, ultimately agreeing that the market should play a role in government funding of science. It was a controversial decision--121 scientists and doctors signed letters of protest to _The Times_--but Agar marks this as a defining moment, when Thatcher's hard-line conservative policies first took shape. It wasn't a coincidence that the battle was fought over science, either, Agar writes:


In which Olympics was taekwondo a demonstration sport?

Taekwondo - Summer Olympic Sport Taekwondo Taekwondo is a traditional Korean martial art practised in 206 countries. What is Taekwondo? Taekwondo is a traditional Korean martial art, which means "the way of kicking and punching". In taekwondo, hands and feet can be used to overcome an opponent, but the trademark of the sport is its combination of kick movements. A Long History The origin of taekwondo dates back to Korea's Three-Kingdom era (c.50 BC) when Silla Dynasty warriors, the Hwarang, began to develop a martial art - Taekkyon ("foot-hand"). Go Global During the early 20th century, taekwondo became the dominant form of martial arts practised in Korea. Subsequently taekwondo was designated as the Korean national martial art to be promoted internationally. In 1973, the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) was founded as the worldwide legitimate governing body of the sport, and the first World Championships were held in Seoul, Korea that year. Recent Olympic history Taekwondo is one of the two Asian martial arts included on the Olympic programme. Taekwondo made its debut as a demonstration Olympic sport at the 1988 Seoul Games, and became an official medal sport at the 2000 Sydney Games.


Jimi Hendrix - Biography - IMDb Jimi Hendrix Jump to: Overview  (5) | Mini Bio  (1) | Trade Mark  (7) | Trivia  (51) | Personal Quotes  (5) Overview (5) 5' 11" (1.8 m) Mini Bio (1) Jimi Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942 in Seattle, Washington, to African-American parents Lucille (Jeter) and James Allen Hendrix. His mother named him John Allen Hendrix and raised him alone while his father, Al Hendrix, was off fighting in World War II. When his mother became sick from alcoholism, Hendrix was sent to live with relatives in Berkeley, California. When his father returned from Europe in 1945 he took back Hendrix, divorced his wife, and renamed him James Marshall Hendrix. When Jimi was 13 his father taught him to play an acoustic guitar. In 1959 Jimi dropped out of high school and enlisted in the U.S. Army, but soon became disenchanted with military service. After he broke his ankle during a training parachute jump, he was honorably discharged. He then went to work as a sideman on the rhythm-and-blues circuit, honing his craft but making little or no money. Jimi got restless being a sideman and moved to New York City hoping to get a break in the music business. Through his friend Curtis Knight, Jimi discovered the music scene in Greenwich Village, which left indelible impressions on him. It was here that he began taking drugs, among them marijuana, pep pills and cocaine. In 1966, while Jimi was performing with his own band called James & the Blue Flames at Cafe Wha?, John Hammond Jr. approached Jimi about the Flames playing backup for him at Cafe Au Go Go. Jimi agreed and during the show's finale, Hammond let Jimi cut loose on Bo Diddley 's "I'm the Man." Linda Keith, girlfriend of The Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards , was one of Jimi's biggest fans and it was she who told friend Chas Chandler , a band manager, about Jimi. When Chandler heard Jimi play, he asked him to come to London to form his own band, and while there Chandler made the simple change in Jimi's name by formally dropping James and replacing it with Jimi. Having settled in England with a new band called the Jimi Hendrix Experience, which consisted of Jimi as guitarist and lead singer, bass player Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell , Jimi took the country by storm with the release of his first single "Hey, Joe." In the summer of 1967 Jimi performed back in the USA at the Monterey Pop Festival, a mix-up backstage forced Jimi to follow The Who onstage, where after a superb performance Jimi tore up the house by trashing his guitar in a wild frenzy. Afterwards, Jimi's career skyrocketed with the release of the Experience's first two albums, "Are You Experienced?" and "Axis: Bold as Love," which catapulted him to the top of the charts. However, tensions, possibly connected with Jimi's drug use and the constant presence of hangers-on in the studio and elsewhere, began to fracture some of his relationships, including Chas Chandler, who quit as manager in February 1968. In September 1968 the Experience released their most successful album, "Electric Ladyland." However, in early 1969 bassist Redding left the Experience and was replaced by Billy Cox , an old army buddy who Jimi had jammed with. Jimi began experimenting with different musicians. For the Woodstock music festival Jimi put together an outfit called the Gypsies, Sun and Rainbows, with Mitchell and Cox as well as a second guitarist and two percussionists. Their one and only performance in August 1969 at Woodstock took place near Bethel, New York, where Hendrix and his band were to be the closing headline act. Because of the delay getting there and the logistical problems, Jimi performed on the morning of the fourth and final day. Only 25,000 people of the original 400,000 stayed to watch Jimi and his band as the closing music number, where Jimi's searing rendering of "The Star-Spangled Banner" became the anthem for counterculture. After Woodstock, Jimi formed a new band with Cox on bass and Buddy Miles on drums with the May 1970 release of the album "The Band of Gypsys." Jimi's last album, "Cry


Who was buried in Milan under the name of Maria Maggi to discourage grave robbers?

Digging Up the Dead: History’s Most Famous Exhumations - History in the Headlines Digging Up the Dead: History’s Most Famous Exhumations November 14, 2013 By Christopher Klein Lee Harvey Oswald arrives at the Dallas police department after his arrest on November 22, 1963. (Credit: Archive Photos/Getty Images) Share this: Digging Up the Dead: History’s Most Famous Exhumations Author Digging Up the Dead: History’s Most Famous Exhumations URL Google Authorities yesterday exhumed the remains of former Brazilian president Joao Goulart, deposed in a 1964 coup, to investigate claims that Uruguayan agents acting at the behest of Brazil’s military government poisoned the exiled leader in 1976. As toxicology tests on Goulart’s body begin, explore 10 of history’s most famous exhumations. 1. Jesse James The infamous Wild West outlaw may have died in 1882, but his legend lived on—as did persistent rumors that James faked his own death. Although it was widely accepted that fellow gang member Bob Ford shot and killed James to collect the bounty on his head, some speculated that Ford had actually murdered another man to assist James in his ruse, a claim boosted when a 100-year-old man named J. Frank Dalton came forward in 1948 saying he was the real Jesse James. In 1995, the James family requested the exhumation of their ancestor’s corpse from a Kearney, Missouri, cemetery, and DNA tests confirmed the remains were indeed those of the outlaw. 2. Eva Peron After the death of Argentina’s beloved first lady in 1952, Peron’s embalmed body was put on display inside a Buenos Aires trade union headquarters until an enormous mausoleum could be constructed. The Argentine military leaders who seized power from Juan Peron in 1955 feared the symbolic power of his wife’s corpse, so they hid it in locations around the city that included a movie theater and water works. In 1957, Peron was secretly buried in Milan, Italy under the assumed name “Maria Maggi.” Fourteen years later, Evita’s body was exhumed and moved to Madrid, where her husband lived in exile. Finally in 1974, her remains were returned to Buenos Aires and buried in a fortified crypt in La Recoleta Cemetery. 3. Abraham Lincoln In 1876 a gang of Chicago counterfeiters hatched a scheme to snatch the slain president’s body from his tomb in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois, and hold the corpse for a ransom of $200,000 and the release of their best engraver from prison. After law enforcement officials thwarted the grave robbers in the middle of the crime, Lincoln’s body was quickly moved to various unmarked graves until it was eventually encased in a steel cage and entombed under 10 feet of concrete in the same Springfield cemetery in 1901. 4. John Wilkes Booth The man who murdered Lincoln also had his final resting place disturbed. After the Union Army killed Booth during the manhunt for the presidential assassin, his body was buried inside the Washington Arsenal in the national capital. In 1869, the Booth family disinterred the assassin and buried him in a family plot in Baltimore’s Green Mount Cemetery. (To answer persistent rumors that Booth actually escaped the manhunt, family members are split on whether to exhume the body of his brother Edwin to obtain DNA samples to compare with vertebrae purported to be the assassin’s stored at the National Museum of Health and Medicine.) 5. Zachary Taylor While America was engaged in a fierce debate about extending slavery to Western territories, the robust twelfth president died suddenly on July 9, 1850. His passing was attributed to natural causes such as cholera or even a fatal case of gastroenteritis brought on by overindulging in cherries and milk. Some historians, however, believed the true cause to be arsenic poisoning perpetrated by his political enemies. In 1991, Taylor became the first president to have his remains exhumed, and tests conclusively showed that he was not assassinated by poison. 6. Christopher Columbus Death did little to slow the explorer’s global travels. Following his passing in 1506, Columbus was buried in Vallad


In which month of the year did Bing Crosby record White Christmas?

White Christmas by Bing Crosby Songfacts White Christmas by Bing Crosby Songfacts Songfacts This 8-line song that paints a picture of holiday nostalgia was written by Irving Berlin for the 1942 movie Holiday Inn, where Bing Crosby sings it from the perspective of a New Yorker stranded in sunny California during Christmas. In the film, the song begins with this verse: The sun is shining, the grass is green The orange and palm trees sway There's never been such a day In Beverly Hills, LA But it's December the 24th And I'm longing to be up north Crosby recorded a version of the song for release as a single with the Kim Darby Singers and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra on May 29, 1942 - a few months before the movie hit theaters. At the advice of Bing's record producer Jack Kapp, this original first verse was excised as it made no sense outside of the context of the film. Now starting with the familiar, "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas," the song became a huge hit, going to #1 on the Billboard chart (measuring sales) in October, and staying in the top spot for 11 weeks, taking it through the first two weeks of 1943. Irving Berlin wrote another holiday song that Crosby also sang in the film: "Let's Start the New Year Right." This was released as the B-side of the "White Christmas" single. The song enjoyed a sales resurgence every Christmas after it was first released in 1942. It went to #1 that year in America, and again reached the top spot in 1945 and 1947. The song appeared on various Billboard charts every year until 1963 when it finally dropped off the Hot 100. A perennial seller for an entire generation, the song is by far the biggest-selling Christmas song of all time. It was the biggest-selling song of all time, going back and forth with Bill Haley's " Rock Around The Clock ," until Elton John released his tribute to Princess Diana - " Candle In The Wind ." Bing re-recorded the song on March 19, 1947, again with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra because the original masters had been worn out from all the pressings. It is this version that is most often heard today. The original Drifters with Clyde McPhatter as their lead vocalist recorded their Doo-Wop version in November 1953. It hit #2 on the R&B charts in 1954, and made the Pop charts in 1955. The deep bass-tenor voice you hear on this version was Bill Pinkney, who was an early member of the group. The Drifters version made the Hot 100 (the chart was introduced in 1958) twice alongside Crosby's version: in 1960 (Bing #26, Drifters #96) and in 1962 (Bing #38, Drifters, #88). >> Suggestion credit: Jeff - Boston, MA By 1954, this song was a holiday favorite, and that year Paramount Pictures released a movie called White Christmas to tie in with it. Crosby starred in the film along with Danny Kaye, and of course performed his famous song. This won the Academy Award for Best Song of 1942. Elvis Presley recorded this song in 1957 along with other holiday standards for his Elvis' Christmas Album. Most songwriters dream of having Elvis record their songs, but Irving Berlin spoke out against the King's cover, calling it a "profane parody of his cherished yuletide standard" and claiming that his staff was ordered to call radio stations and ask them not to play it. There's a chance that Berlin was simply drumming up publicity for his song, as there was nothing all that offensive about the Elvis version, and The Drifters had already done an R&B version. Elvis doing Christmas songs did rub some people the wrong way, but much of the controversy was manufactured, helping Elvis' Christmas Album stay at #1 for an amazing five weeks in late 1957 and early 1958. The best publicity stunt may have been the one pulled off by the Portland, Oregon radio station KEX, which refused to play the song and sparked a debate among listeners as to the merits of Presley's Christmas output. Their disc jockey Al Priddy played the song on a Sunday, and was "fired" the next day, making national news - Priddy even played the phone call of his firing on the air before he left. The station continued to


What was the last name of Judy in radio's A Date With Judy series?

A Date with Judy Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 17 January 2017 8:34 AM, PST NEWS 27 out of 35 people found the following review useful: Classic Teenie-Bopper of it's time. from New York City, NY 30 May 2004 1948 produced some of MGM's top teenagers to movie audiences. Put them in a gorgeous technicolor musical comedy, add some veteran adults and you have one of the best of it's time. Jane Powell, lovely voice and all, plays Judy. Her best friend is the now-sophisticated Elizabeth Taylor, all of 15 years old, looking absolutely lovely that you know she's headed for glamorous grownup roles down the road. The camera loved her. Then there's Scotty Beckett, having started his career at the age of four, now in the awkward teens, doing one of his best performances as Judy's date. Sad he died such a tragic death at an early age. Scatter many film veterans to the likes of Wallace Berry and Selena Royale as Judy's parents, Robert Stack, young and handsome as Elizabeth's love interest, Leon Ames as Elizabeth and Scotty's dad, Clinton Sundberg as the butler to Ames, Xavier Cugat and his band with Carmen Miranda his star attraction, and one of her last films, and George Cleveland as Judy's Grandpa. A trivia note: watch the scene with Judy waiting to be picked up for the prom. Early in the picture. Grandpa enters and actually kicks the dog to make his entrance. I had to rewind to believe what I saw. The dog also yelped when he did. And this is the guy who later played all those "Lassie" TV programs. Shame on you George! All in all a charming and lighthearted film with the beauty of Taylor, the voice of Powell and the comedy of Beckett. Jane sings "A Most Unusual Day" and "Love Is Where You Find It". Was the above review useful to you? 23 out of 28 people found the following review useful: The exhilarating Carmen Miranda almost stole the show... 5 June 2005 *** This review may contain spoilers *** In "A Date with Judy," Liz is fully the poor little rich girl, snobbish and out for trouble because her father's real attention is elsewhere, on making money Unhappy at home, she stirs up trouble abroad, giving naive Jane Powell bad advice on how to handle boys, and stealing one of Jane's boyfriends right out from under her twitching nose Very pre-Lolita, a Forties style teenaged sex kitten, this is the first version of the Taylor minx and she seems highly sophisticated for a small-town high school girl, even if she is rich... "A Date with Judy" is a pleasant musical, antiseptic and cheery, suggesting Hollywood's conception of high school Life in the Forties Like "Cynthia," the film is very class conscious, contrasting Taylor's cold, upper class household with Jane Powell's comfortable middle-class home Typically, Liz is rich, spoiled, and reserved, but typically, too, when all is said and done, she's not bad-mannered or troublesome one; she's a good kid who just needs a little love and attention Taylor's character finally allowed her to use the sexiness that everyone had sensed since she rode that horse in "National Velvet." Was the above review useful to you? 30 out of 42 people found the following review useful: Scotty Beckett's best from LOS ANGELES 20 August 2000 This film is a real riot of charm, song, wit and dazzling color. This kind of movie-making has been dead for a very long time, to my everlasting regret. Scotty Beckett and Jane Powell stand out. Unfortunately, Carmen Miranda is made to sing Hollywood's version of Brazilian songs, rather than the authentic stuff. It is disappointing that foreigners should so often be the object of amusement in American films. They are not allowed any dignity. However, Miranda makes the best of what she is given, and shines like a star. The fun is wholesome, but not too wholesome. The plot involves suspected adultery by a venerable father!!! Plots and subplots are gloriously interwoven. Every time I see this film I am reassured that there IS such a thing as perfection. Was the above review useful to you? 17 out of 20 people found the following review useful: A charmer from 1948!!! from Carme


In the 1940s, the University of North Carolina was founded at Charlotte and where else?

About the University - University of North Carolina at Charlotte - Acalog ACMS™ University of North Carolina at Charlotte     Undergraduate Catalog | 2015-2016 [ARCHIVED CATALOG] About the University The University of North Carolina History In North Carolina, all the public educational institutions that grant baccalaureate degrees are part of the University of North Carolina . The multi-campus state university encompasses 16 such institutions, as well as the NC School of Science and Mathematics, the nation's first public residential high school for gifted students. Chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1789, the University of North Carolina was the first public university in the United States to open its doors and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century. The first class was admitted in Chapel Hill in 1795. For the next 136 years, the only campus of the University of North Carolina was at Chapel Hill. Additional institutions of higher education, diverse in origin and purpose, began to win sponsorship from the General Assembly beginning as early as 1877. Five were historically black institutions, and another was founded to educate American Indians. Some began as high schools. Several were created to prepare teachers for the public schools. Others had a technological emphasis. One is a training school for performing artists. The 1931 session of the General Assembly redefined the University of North Carolina to include three state-supported institutions: the campus at Chapel Hill (now the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), North Carolina State College (now North Carolina State University at Raleigh), and Woman's College (now the University of North Carolina at Greensboro). The new multi-campus University operated with one board of trustees and one president. By 1969, three additional campuses had joined the University through legislative action: the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. In 1971, legislation was passed bringing into the University of North Carolina the state's ten remaining public senior institutions, each of which had until then been legally separate: Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, North Carolina Central University, the North Carolina School of the Arts (now the University of North Carolina School of the Arts), Pembroke State University (now the University of North Carolina at Pembroke), Western Carolina University, and Winston-Salem State University. In 1985, the NC School of Science and Mathematics was declared an affiliated school of the University; in July 2007, NCSSM by legislative action became a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina. All the schools and universities welcome students of both sexes and all races. Board of Governors The UNC Board of Governors is the policy-making body legally charged with "the general determination, control, supervision, management, and governance of all affairs of the constituent institutions." The 32 voting members of the Board of Governors are elected by the General Assembly for four-year terms. Former board chairmen and board members who are former governors of North Carolina may continue to serve for limited periods as non-voting members emeriti. The president of the UNC Association of Student Governments or that student's designee is also a nonvoting member. President & General Administration The chief executive officer of the University is the president. The president is elected by and reports to the Board of Governors. The President's office is the operations level between the constituent institutions and the Board of Governors. The President has complete authority to manage the affairs and execute the policies of the University of North Carolina and its constituent institutions, subject to the direction and control of the Board of Governors. Chance


Which country was the first to make catalytic converters compulsory?

Catalytic Converters | Tenneco Inc. Tenneco Automotive Inc. (ticker: TEN, exchange: New York Stock Exchange) News Release September 1, 2000 CATALYTIC CONVERTERS Walker - a pioneer of catalytic converters Walker, founded in 1888 in Racine, WI., USA, began making exhausts in the early 1930s. It soon established a reputation for innovation, patenting the first louvered tube silencer. In 1963 Walker continued breaking new technological ground, working on the development of a device to convert the harmful gases produced by a vehicle's engine into less harmful emissions - a catalytic converter Although catalytic converters soon began to be introduced in American cars, it took almost 15 years before 'cats' were generally regarded as an acceptable emission treatment, and concerns about safety, capability and costs had to be overcome. Cars in Germany, Sweden and Switzerland were first fitted with catalytic converters in 1985, the year in which Walker became one of the very first companies selling catalytic converters in Europe Today, Walker makes 220 catalytic converters for some 1300 applications, and this number is growing all the time Vehicle Pollution Catalytic converters were developed in response to growing concern about environmental pollution. As early as 1947, vehicle pollution was deemed to be a serious health hazard in California, USA, where smog had increased dramatically as the population and number of cars on that state's roads rose Vehicle pollution is primarily caused by the dangerous by-products produced as petrol or diesel is burnt in an engine to provide the energy necessary to power the car. Among the main culprits are hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrous oxides (NOx) Concentrations of hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides react with oxygen in the presence of sunlight to form smog, which causes irritation of the mucous membranes, difficulties in breathing, and can aggravate such conditions as bronchitis and asthma. Smog also interferes with plant growth and can damage buildings. Carbon monoxide is highly toxic, and 90% of it comes from road vehicles. It affects the central nervous system, impairs vision, slows reflexes and causes headaches. It is also a factor in global warming. Nitrous oxides are a component of low-level ozone, another respiratory irritant, and are also a major contributor to acid rain Since the widespread introduction almost a decade ago of catalytic converters, which reduce harmful emissions from petrol cars by an average of 75%, vehicle pollution has decreased dramatically. The effectiveness of 'cats', combined with vast improvements in the quality of fuels, means that today it would take up to 100 new cars to produce the same emissions as just one made 20 years ago However, the number of vehicles on our roads continues to grow, and 70% of Europeans now cite air pollution as their main environmental concern (source: the European Commission Eurobarometer). The automotive industry is investing heavily in response. A large part of the estimated £2 billion the industry spends on research and development across Europe every year is committed to researching technology to further reduce vehicle emissions In heavy traffic, the air quality inside a car can be three times as polluted as the air outside (source: Environmental Transport Association) Legislation In 1968 the USA introduced the first restriction on vehicle emissions, followed, in 1971, by emission limits in Europe. Legislation has continued to be passed by governments around the world, setting stricter and stricter limits In 1992 catalytic converters became compulsory on all new cars sold in Europe. The impact has been dramatic - in the UK alone, harmful road transport emissions have fallen by 45%. This figure is set to fall yet further as older cars are gradually replaced with newer ones which meet the higher EU emissions standards 1992 also saw the formation of the Auto Oil Programme, a cooperative project of the European Commission and the oil and auto industries. This led to the most stringent emissions laws to date in Europ


Christa McAuliffe died in an accident in what type of vehicle in 1986?

Challenger: Shuttle Disaster That Changed NASA Challenger: Shuttle Disaster That Changed NASA By Elizabeth Howell, Space.com Contributor | October 16, 2012 01:21pm ET MORE The space shuttle Challenger was one of NASA's greatest triumphs. It was the second shuttle to reach space, in April 1983. It successfully completed nine milestone missions. But Challenger was also NASA's darkest tragedy. On its 10th launch, on Jan. 28, 1986, the shuttle exploded 73 seconds after liftoff, killing the seven crewmembers. The accident changed the space program forever. This full view of Challenger in space was taken by a satellite. A heavily cloud-covered portion of the Earth forms the backdrop for this scene of Challenger in orbit. This image was taken during Challenger's STS-7 mission, which launched on June 18, 1983. Credit: NASA From test vehicle to space vehicle NASA originally intended Challenger to be a test vehicle. Rockwell began building the shuttle in November 1975 and then sent it to Lockheed for structural testing starting on April 2, 1978. According to NASA, computer models at the time were not sophisticated enough to calculate the stresses on the shuttle during different phases of flight. The shuttle, then known as STA-099, went through 11 months of vibration testing in a specially formulated rig. This custom-designed machine could bring the shuttle through a simulation of all phases of flight, from liftoff to landing. Three hydraulic cylinders, each with one million pounds of force, were used as substitute space shuttle main engines. In 1979, NASA awarded Rockwell a supplemental contract to convert the test vehicle to a spacecraft. This would expand the shuttle fleet to two spacecraft, the first one being Columbia . It took two more years for Rockwell to perform the conversion. Among other things, workers had to strengthen the wings, put in a real crew cabin instead of a simulated one, and install heads-up displays for the astronauts working inside. Work completed on Oct. 23, 1981. Delays for the first flight Challenger was expected to go into space on Jan. 20, 1983, to release the first Tracking and Data Relay Satellite , which later became part of a series of satellites that astronauts used to stay in touch with controllers back home. Several technical malfunctions pushed the launch back, though. First, NASA discovered a hydrogen leak in the No. 1 main engine aft compartment during a flight readiness test in December. In a second test on Jan. 25, 1983, NASA discovered cracks in the engine that were causing the leak. The agency then took several months to remove the engines and test them. While engines two and three were deemed healthy, NASA replaced Engine No. 1. A view of the shuttle Challenger's maiden STS-6 launch on April 4, 1983. In this view, Challenger is just clearing the launch pad in a cloud of smoke. Credit: NASA After another delay due to a problem with TDRS, Challenger launched successfully on April 4, 1983, on mission STS-6. Crew members set the satellite free; astronauts Story Musgrave and Donald Peterson also did the first spacewalk of the shuttle program. Cultural and technical firsts Besides the milestones in space technology, Challenger also was the vehicle by which several cultural firsts happened in the space shuttle program. The first American female astronaut, Sally Ride , rode up on Challenger on STS-7 in June 1983.  The first African-American , Guion Bluford, reached space on STS-8. On STS-41G in 1984, two women — Ride and Kathryn Sullivan — flew on one mission for the first time – as well as the first Canadian, Marc Garneau. Other milestones Challenger marked included the first night launch and landing (STS-8) and the first operational Spacelab flight (STS-51B). Spacelab was a European space laboratory that fit into a shuttle's cargo bay and included several experiments designed for tests in microgravity. It flew on Columbia on STS-9 for the first time, but Challenger's mission is considered the first working one. The flying repairman Some of Challenger's most memorable moments took place in Apr


Who was Benazir Bhutto's Father who was executed in 1988?

Benazir Bhutto elected leader of Pakistan - Nov 16, 1988 - HISTORY.com Benazir Bhutto elected leader of Pakistan Share this: Benazir Bhutto elected leader of Pakistan Author Benazir Bhutto elected leader of Pakistan URL Publisher A+E Networks In Pakistan, citizens vote in their first open election in more than a decade, choosing as prime minister the populist candidate Benazir Bhutto, daughter of former Pakistani leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. She was the first woman leader of a Muslim country in modern history. After General Mohammed Zia-ul-Haq seized power in Pakistan in a military coup in 1977, Zulfikar Bhutto was tried and executed on the charge of having ordered an assassination in 1974. Benazir Bhutto endured frequent house arrests during the next seven years. In 1984, she fled to England, where she became head of her father’s former party, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). In 1988, President Zia died along with the American ambassador to Pakistan in a mysterious plane crash, leaving a power vacuum. Bhutto returned to Pakistan and launched a nationwide campaign for open elections. In elections on November 16, Bhutto’s PPP won a majority in the National Assembly, and on December 1 Bhutto took office as prime minister of Pakistan. Her government fell in 1990, but from 1993 to 1996 she again served as Pakistani leader. More on This Topic


Which form of death penalty was abolished by Francois Mitterrand?

Abolition: One Man's Battle Against the Death Penalty, featuring Robert Badinter in conversation with Neal Katyal | The New York Public Library The New York Public Library Embed Copy the embed code below to add this video to your site, blog, or profile. <embed src='http://www.nypl.org/sites/all/themes/nypl_new/jwplayer/player-licensed.swf' width='320' height='286' bgcolor='000000' allowscriptaccess='always' allowfullscreen='true' play='true' wmode='opaque' flashvars='image=https%3A%2F%2Fd140u095r09w96.cloudfront.net%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fimages%2Fav%2Flive_2008_09_19_death_penalty.jpeg&file=live_2008_09_19_death_penalty.mp4&streamer=rtmp%3A%2F%2Fflash01.nypl.org%2Fvod%2Flive_2008_09_19_death_penalty&skin=%2Fsites%2Fall%2Fthemes%2Fnypl_new%2Fjwplayer%2Fskins%2Fstormtrooper.zip&plugins=gapro-1,adtvideo%2Cviral-2&adtvideo.config=/xml/ad_config/seed&gapro.accountid=UA-1420324-3&gapro.trackstarts=true&gapro.trackpercentage=true&gapro.tracktime=true&gapro.idstring=||streamer||&viral.onpause=false&viral.oncomplete=true&viral.allowmenu=false&viral.functions=embed'></embed> Stream: Video (216.2MB MP4, 1 hr 53 min) Audio (104MB MP3, 2 hr 4 min) Also available on: iTunes (Audio) Robert Badinter, the French Minister of Justice between 1981 and 1986, led the battle to abolish the death penalty in France. He became a militant abolitionist after watching one of his clients unjustly guillotined in 1972. Over the next decade, he fought the death penalty in the courts and saved six men from the guillotine. After the election of François Mitterrand in 1981, Badinter was named Minister of Justice and pushed through the legislation that abolished the death penalty. Badinter's book, Abolition: One Man's Battle Against the Death Penalty, serves as a guidebook on the various legal and political strategies that can be used in the quest for abolition. With U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, Badinter recently co-authored a book on the role of judges. In a discussion about the death penalty, Badinter will be joined by Neal Katyal who recently won Hamdan v. Rumsfeld in the United States Supreme Court and who in July of this year agreed to serve as lead counsel for the State of Louisiana in asking the United States Supreme Court to reconsider its June decision abolishing the use of the death penalty for child rapists. Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, will introduce the evening. He has written the forward for Badinter's book, Abolition. About Robert Badinter Robert Badinter is the author of over a dozen books including work on Oscar Wilde and Condorcet. He also co-authored a recent book on the role of judges with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. Badinter is married to the prominent feminist Elisabeth Badinter. Together, they form one of France?s most influential couples. He is currently a member of the French Senate and celebrated his 80th birthday in March 2008.     About Neal Katyal Georgetown University Law Professor, Neal Katyal, named one of the leading "40 lawyers under 40" by the National Law Journal, recently won Hamdan v. Rumsfeld in the United States Supreme Court, a case that challenged the policy of military trials at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, Cuba. Katyal served as co-counsel for Vice President Al Gore in the U.S. Supreme Court election case Bush v. Palm Beach Canvassing Board, which challenged the Florida voting system. He has clerked for Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer as well as Judge Guido Calabresi of the U.S. Court of Appeals. Katyal has appeared on every major American nightly news program including the Colbert Report. Chat with a librarian now


Which capital city was the scene of a major summit between Reagan and Gorbachev in 1986?

Reykjavik Summit, Perestroika, and Glasnost Homework - Reykjavik Summit, Reykjavik Summit, Perestroika, and Glasnost Homework Reykjavik Summit, Perestroika, and Glasnost Homework -... SCHOOL View Full Document Reykjavik Summit, Perestroika, and Glasnost Homework Reykjavik Summit The Reykjavík Summit was a summit meeting between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev, held in Reykjavík, the capital city of Iceland, on October 11–12, 1986. The talks collapsed at the last minute, but the progress that had been achieved eventually resulted in the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union. At Reykjavík, Reagan sought to include discussion of human rights, emigration of Soviet Jews and dissidents, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. However, Gorbachev sought to limit the talks solely to arms control. The Soviets also proposed to eliminate 50% of all strategic arms, including ICBMs, and agreed not to include British or French weapons in the count. All this was proposed in exchange for an American pledge not to implement strategic defenses for the next ten years, in accordance with SALT I. The Americans countered with a proposal to eliminate all ballistic missiles within ten years, but required the right to deploy strategic defenses against remaining threats afterwards. This preview has intentionally blurred sections. Sign up to view the full version. This is the end of the preview. Sign up to access the rest of the document. TERM Joseph Stalin Notes The Czar is toppled by the Bolsheviks Lenin didnt really know who Stalin Notes


Which drink did the Coca Cola Company launch in 1982?

The Extraordinary Story of How Diet Coke Came to Be: The Coca-Cola Company Until that point, extending the Coca-Cola Trademark to another brand had been a no-no. But times had changed. Soft drink consumers were gravitating to low- or no-calorie brands, and the company’s business in the U.S. was struggling following years of inflation and rising costs, resulting in inefficiencies. Members of the Diet Coke team beneath the Radio City Music Hall marquee before the filming of the brand’s debut TV commercial. “We needed a big idea to come out of one of the toughest decades we’d ever seen,” Carew explains. Diet Coke was pegged a top priority. The project was strictly top secret; only a handful of senior executives knew about it, and team members had to agree to the assignment before getting the details. “It was an entrepreneurial, cloak-and-dagger operation in the purest sense,” said Jerry Bell, who worked with Carew in the Planning Department. “I remember getting this weird phone call from Jack... and I couldn’t say no.” Within a few weeks, they presented a draft study to Coca-Cola USA President Brian Dyson, followed by Roberto Goizueta, who had been elected Chairman and CEO just months earlier, President Don Keough and Chief Marketing Officer Ike Herbert. No Risk, No Reward Goizueta green-lighted the Diet Coke project, which shifted quickly from planning to implementation. “This was a difficult decision because there were two big risks,” Carew said. “TaB was the moneymaker at the time, so if Diet Coke turned out to be a disappointment, the company would seriously complicate its future. Second, if senior leadership said no to Diet Coke, then we likely would have lost cola position.” Despite concern that Diet Coke would cannibalize TaB – which was the No. 1 diet soft drink brand in the U.S. at the time – and erode the long-term health of the Coca-Cola Trademark, the team’s research concluded just the opposite. Colas accounted for 60 percent of all soft drink sales in the U.S. back then, but diets were growing three times faster than the rest of the category. Diet Coke was seen as the right product for the right time. “We said Diet Coke would be more accretive to Coca-Cola brand value, because we would source volume from the competition versus the Coke franchise,” said Pat Garner, who joined the Diet Coke team with 10 years of bottler and field marketing experience. “And we were right.” What’s in a Name? The team debated over whether to adopt the “diet” prefix – the label Nielsen had given to the relatively new category because the term was used in the names of two of its top three brands. “Sugar Free” was one alternative, but many saw it as a slur on Coca-Cola ’s main ingredient. And “Light” was already taken by a competitor brand. Diet Coke was the most straightforward articulation of the promise of the brand. “It just seemed like the logical answer,” said John Farrell, who joined the team from Corporate Finance. “The equity of the Coca-Cola name promised the delivery of taste, and ‘diet’ told you it didn’t have sugar or calories.” For many years, the brand name was written and marketed as diet Coke – with a lowercase “d” – to reinforce the positioning of the product. Coke’s trademark lawyers wouldn’t allow the uppercase “D.” Their reasoning: Diet with an uppercase “D” was a noun, and the use of a noun changed the name of the trademark. Use of the lowercase “d” was an adjective and, therefore, did not alter the legal basis of the trademark. A Plan that Pays As the positioning began to come together, Farrell built a financial model to demonstrate the link between the brand’s marketing activities and bottler revenue. The plan motivated the system and turned bottlers into full-fledged Diet Coke enthusiasts. “John’s model made us highly credible,” Carew said. “We’d present our marketing plan to a bottler, and then he’d explain how it would pay out.” As Farrell explains it, “The economics of Diet Coke were so unbelievably simple because it didn’t have any sugar. When you remove the second-highest cost item after aluminum cans, you


Which telescope was launched into space on board a space shuttle in 1990?

BBC ON THIS DAY | 24 | 1990: Hubble telescope takes off for space About This Site | Text Only 1990: Hubble telescope takes off for space The American space agency Nasa has successfully launched the space shuttle Discovery from Cape Canaveral in Florida on its historic mission to carry the Hubble space telescope into orbit 380 miles (611.5 km) above the Earth. The telescope will operate from high above the atmosphere, thus avoiding the interference which limits ground-based telescopes. It will be able to see up to the edge of the known universe, taking images of objects and events which happened up to 14 billion years ago. The telescope, the size of a railway carriage, has taken 20 years to build, at a cost of $1.55 billion. It has been dogged by technical hitches, huge budget over-runs and other delays. Seven years late Its launch is seven years overdue, held up by problems in the space shuttle program, including the explosion of the Challenger shuttle in 1986. The problems continued even once it was safely in space, as the British-made solar panel arrays which provide power for the six separate instruments on board malfunctioned. However, scientists said they were expecting it to be difficult. "Deploying the solar panels is technically more challenging than the launch of a shuttle one more time," said Nasa scientist Stephen Maran. The fault was resolved, and now the telescope faces six months of testing before becoming fully operational. Test image Nasa hopes to release the first test image - of an open star cluster known as NGC 3532 - in about a week. Hubble's main instrument is a finely-polished mirror 94 inches (240 cm) across. There are also two cameras - one which can achieve image resolutions 10 times greater than that of even the largest Earth-based telescope, and a second which can detect an object 50 times fainter than anything visible from Earth. "We are going to have the ability to observe the most distant objects, among the earliest in the universe, and thus probe the secrets of creation," said Nasa's chief scientist, Leonard Fisk. The telescope will be controlled by the specially-created Space Telescope Science Institute at Baltimore. It's thought Hubble's images will provoke a drastic revision of the shapes, sizes and content of galaxies already identified by ground-based telescopes. It is also likely to find new stars and phenomena, and astronomers suggest the telescope provides the best chance yet of working out the true age of the universe.


Jonas Salk developed the Salk vaccine against which disease?

Jonas Salk, M.D. - Academy of Achievement Jonas Salk, M.D. Listen to this achiever on What It Takes What It Takes is an audio podcast on iTunes produced by the American Academy of Achievement featuring intimate, revealing conversations with influential leaders in the diverse fields of endeavor: music, science and exploration, sports, film, technology, literature, the military and social justice. Risks, I like to say, always pay off. You learn what to do or what not to do. Congressional Gold Medal Date of Death June 23, 1995 In America in the 1950s, summertime was a time of fear and anxiety for many parents; this was the season when children by the thousands became infected with the crippling disease poliomyelitis, or polio. This burden of fear was lifted forever when it was announced that Dr. Jonas Salk had developed a vaccine against the disease. Salk became world-famous overnight, but his discovery was the result of many years of painstaking research. Jonas Salk was born in New York City. His parents were Russian-Jewish immigrants who, although they themselves lacked formal education, were determined to see their children succeed, and encouraged them to study hard. Jonas Salk was the first member of his family to go to college. He entered the City College of New York intending to study law, but soon became intrigued by medical science. Dr. Jonas Salk (1914-1995), developer of the polio vaccine, holding a bottle in the laboratory, mid-20th century. While attending medical school at New York University, Salk was invited to spend a year researching influenza. The virus that causes flu had only recently been discovered, and the young Salk was eager to learn if the virus could be deprived of its ability to infect, while still giving immunity to the illness. Salk succeeded in this attempt, which became the basis of his later work on polio. After completing medical school and his internship, Salk returned to the study of influenza, the flu virus. World War II had begun, and public health experts feared a replay of the flu epidemic that had killed millions in the wake of the First World War. The development of vaccines controlled the spread of flu after the war, and the epidemic of 1919 did not recur. In 1947, Salk accepted an appointment to the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. While working there, with the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, Salk saw an opportunity to develop a vaccine against polio, and devoted himself to this work for the next eight years. April 23, 1955: Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the vaccine that is believed to have struck the death knell of polio, as he received a special citation from President Dwight David Eisenhower in the White House Rose Garden. The President praised the young doctor as a “benefactor of mankind” and said that his work was in the “highest tradition of selfless and dedicated research.” At right is Mrs. Oveta Culp Hobby, Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. Meanwhile, government officials and medical representatives were conferring on distributing the vaccine. In 1955, Salk’s years of research paid off. Human trials of the polio vaccine effectively protected the subject from the polio virus. When news of the discovery was made public on April 12, 1955, Salk was hailed as a miracle worker. He further endeared himself to the public by refusing to patent the vaccine. He had no desire to profit personally from the discovery, but merely wished to see the vaccine disseminated as widely as possible. 1973: Jonas Salk, and his wife, French painter Françoise Gilot. “In 1969, during an exhibition in Los Angeles, Françoise traveled to La Jolla and was introduced to Dr. Jonas Salk. Their mutual admiration of architecture prompted Dr. Salk to offer Françoise a tour of The Salk Institute.” They married in 1970 in Paris and were together for twenty-five years until Salk’s death in 1995. (Photo Credit: Albane Navizet/Kipa/Sygma viaGetty Images) Salk’s vaccine was composed of “killed” polio virus, which retained the ability to immunize without running the risk of infecting th


Which of London's four airports is the only one to be connected to the city Underground system?

1906 - Elephant & Castle station opens 1915 - The line is extended from Baker Street to Queen's Park 1939 - The Bakerloo line takes over the Stanmore branch of the Metropolitan line 1979 - The Jubilee line opens and, after 40 years, the Stanmore branch of the Bakerloo line closes 1982 - The four peak period trains between Queen's Park and Watford Junction are withdrawn 1989 - Services between Queen's Park and Harrow & Wealdstone restart Central Line The Central Line, originally called the Central London Railway, opened on 30 July 1900 as a cross-London route from Bank to Shepherd's Bush. Popular from the start, part of its success stemmed from the cost: a flat fare of two old pence to travel. This inspired the press to call it the 'Tuppenny Tube.' In 1908, London hosted the Franco-British exhibition, the largest fair of its kind, which attracted 8 million visitors. At the time, the exhibition site was little more than a cluster of white buildings with no official name but when the Central line extended to the site, it officially became known as White City. In the 1990s, the Central line was upgraded to automatic operation, making it the second Underground line, after the Victoria line in the 1960s, to use this technology. Key Central line dates 1900 - Central London Railway opens 1908 - The line extends west to Wood Lane to support the White City Exhibition 1912 - The line extends east from Bank to Liverpool Street 1920 - The line extends west to Ealing Broadway 1945 - After the war, new tracks next to to the main line railway start to be used. They run from North Acton to West Ruislip and include new tunnels from Liverpool Street to Leyton 1994 - The Epping to Ongar shuttle service closes, due to low passenger numbers Circle line Although the first circular service started in 1884, the Circle line as we know it didn't really begin until the 1930s. The 'Circle line' name first appeared on a poster in 1936 but took another 13 years for it to get its own, separate line on the Tube map. The tracks used by the Circle line were run by the Metropolitan Railway and District Railway, two companies who couldn't agree on how to run the line. Their differences initially meant that District Railway ran the clockwise trains and Metropolitan Railway, the anti-clockwise trains. In December 2009, the Circle line was broken and replaced by an end-to-end service between Hammersmith and Edgware Road, via Aldgate. Key Circle line dates 1884 - The first circular service begins 1868 - The Paddington to Farringdon (Metropolitan Railway) line extends to South Kensington. The District Railway opens its new line from South Kensington to Westminster at the same time 1884 - The District Railway line finally extends to Mark Lane (now Tower Hill). It meets the Metropolitan Railway line to create a full circle 1905 - The line is electrified 1933 - Metropolitan Railway and District Railway become part of the London Passenger Transport Board 1936 - The 'Circle line' name appears on a poster for the first time 1949 - The Circle line gets its own line on the Tube map 2009 - The Circle line is broken and replaced by and end-to-end service District line The District line first opened on Christmas Eve 1868, between South Kensington and Westminster. In the years following, it extended both east and west, even going as far as Windsor. In 1883, the line was extended from Ealing Broadway to Windsor and has run services as far as Southend, during its time. Uxbridge and Hounslow were part of the District line until they were transferred to the Piccadilly line in 1933 and 1964. Key District line dates 1868 - The first section of what is now the District line begins. It runs between South Kensington and Westminster 1869 - New tracks open between Gloucester Road and West Brompton 1874 - The line extends to Hammersmith, Richmond in 1877 and Ealing Broadway in 1879 1885 - The two-year old Ealing to Windsor service ends 1884 - The line extends to Mark Lane (now Tower Hill) 1910 - The line extends to Uxbridge, following an earlier extension to Hounslow (in 1884) Hammersm


Who constructed the world's first laser?

The first laser The first laser from A Century of Nature: Twenty-One Discoveries that Changed Science and the World Laura Garwin and Tim Lincoln, editors When the first working laser was reported in 1960, it was described as "a solution looking for a problem." But before long the laser's distinctive qualities—its ability to generate an intense, very narrow beam of light of a single wavelength—were being harnessed for science, technology and medicine. Today, lasers are everywhere: from research laboratories at the cutting edge of quantum physics to medical clinics, supermarket checkouts and the telephone network. Theodore Maiman made the first laser operate on 16 May 1960 at the Hughes Research Laboratory in California, by shining a high-power flash lamp on a ruby rod with silver-coated surfaces. He promptly submitted a short report of the work to the journal Physical Review Letters, but the editors turned it down. Some have thought this was because the Physical Review had announced that it was receiving too many papers on masers—the longer-wavelength predecessors of the laser—and had announced that any further papers would be turned down. But Simon Pasternack, who was an editor of Physical Review Letters at the time, has said that he turned down this historic paper because Maiman had just published, in June 1960, an article on the excitation of ruby with light, with an examination of the relaxation times between quantum states, and that the new work seemed to be simply more of the same. Pasternack's reaction perhaps reflects the limited understanding at the time of the nature of lasers and their significance. Eager to get his work quickly into publication, Maiman then turned to Nature, usually even more selective than Physical Review Letters, where the paper was better received and published on 6 August. With official publication of Maiman's first laser under way, the Hughes Research Laboratory made the first public announcement to the news media on 7 July 1960. This created quite a stir, with front-page newspaper discussions of possible death rays, but also some skepticism among scientists, who were not yet able to see the careful and logically complete Nature paper. Another source of doubt came from the fact that Maiman did not report having seen a bright beam of light, which was the expected characteristic of a laser. I myself asked several of the Hughes group whether they had seen a bright beam, which surprisingly they had not. Maiman's experiment was not set up to allow a simple beam to come out of it, but he analyzed the spectrum of light emitted and found a marked narrowing of the range of frequencies that it contained. This was just what had been predicted by the theoretical paper on optical masers (or lasers) by Art Schawlow and myself, and had been seen in the masers that produced the longer-wavelength microwave radiation. This evidence, presented in figure 2 of Maiman's Nature paper, was definite proof of laser action. Shortly afterward, both in Maiman's laboratory at Hughes and in Schawlow's at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, bright red spots from ruby laser beams hitting the laboratory wall were seen and admired. Maiman's laser had several aspects not considered in our theoretical paper, nor discussed by others before the ruby demonstration. First, Maiman used a pulsed light source, lasting only a few milliseconds, to excite (or "pump") the ruby. The laser thus produced only a short flash of light rather than a continuous wave, but because substantial energy was released during a short time, it provided much more power than had been envisaged in most of the earlier discussions. Before long, a technique known as "Q switching" was introduced at the Hughes Laboratory, shortening the pulse of laser light still further and increasing the instantaneous power to millions of watts and beyond. Lasers now have powers as high as a million billion (10 15 ) watts! The high intensity of pulsed laser light allowed a wide range of new types of experiment, and launched the now-burgeoning field of nonlinear optics. Nonlinear


Which Wisconsin salesman developed a safety razor in 1901?

Gaston County Museum Gaston County Museum   Object of the Week On December 3rd 1901 the Safety Blade was first patented.  The first safety razor was actually designed towards the end of the 1700’s by Jean-Jacques Perret, a Frenchman. Throughout the 1800’s razors were continually being developed, particularly in England and Germany. However, in 1901, King Camp Gillette, a salesman from Wisconsin, patented the first razor with disposable blades. Before this, men had to shave with a straight edge razor, which was kept sharp by using a leather strap. Nicks to the skin were a lot more common! This innovation came at a great time, as by the turn of the century the clean- shaven look was coming back into fashion, particularly for the younger generations. The new razors had a guard that prevented the blade from cutting the skin and could be disposed of afterwards. During the First World War, Gillette provided safety razors to every man who had enlisted, as part of their standard- issue belongings. So by 1918 3.5 million razors were being used by the military. This particular razor in our collection is from the early 1900’s. There is the reusable razor handle and the packet of disposable blades.


In which country were Daewoo cars originally produced?

GM Daewoo GM Daewoo Headquarters and R&D center: Bupyung Main plants: Bupyung (Gentra, Tosca, Windstorm), Gunsan (Lacetti), Changwon (Matiz). Sales figures 2010: 1,842,374 units* (domestic sale: 125,730 units) 2007: 1,886,632 units* 2004: 900,000 units 2003: 580,000 units * A large number of cars produced were badged as Chevrolet, Pontiac, Holden and Buick for export. Introduction GM Daewoo is increasingly important to the fortune of GM. Previously it was seen as a cheap source of small cars feeding North America and Europe. Now with increased investment upping its R&D and design capability, Korea has become the leading engineering center for developing its global small car platform, Delta. GM Korea's designs are extensively used in overseas market - as Chevrolet in America, as Chevrolet / Opel / Vauxhall in Europe, as Holden in Australia and Chevrolet / Buick in China. Previously, Suzuki also sold rebadged Leganza in the US market in order to fill its vacancy in mid-size cars. As a result, it acquired minority stakes in GM Daewoo. Note: since Jan 2011, GM Daewoo becomes GM Korea and the Daewoo brand gives way to Chevrolet. Following its full integration into GM, it would be meaningless to continue updating this page. From now on related information will be reported on the GM page instead. Brief History The story of Daewoo began with General Motors. In order to enter the Korea market, GM established GM Korea in 1972 as a joint-venture with Shinjin (a small Korean car maker previously partnered with Toyota). 6 years later, majority stakes were sold to local industrial giant Daewoo group, thus the company was rename to Daewoo. However, GM still controlled the development of its cars. Daewoo did not really involve much its new car development because GM could always find some outdated designs from its backyard - for example, Opel Kadett became Daewoo Le Mans / Racer. This car was also rebadged as Pontiac for sale in North America as GM wanted to make use of its cost advantage to fight against Japanese cars. The project gave Daewoo the first taste of large volume export as well as a modern assembly plant with annual capacity of 170,000 units. GM quit in 1992 as it sold the remaining stakes to Daewoo group. As the US influence withdrew, Daewoo started developing its own cars. That called for hunting ex-Porsche engineer Ulrich Bez to head its engineering operation, setting up R&D centers in Europe and subcontracting development jobs to overseas consultants. Besides, Italian design houses were employed to style its new cars. The result was a trio of new models, Lanos, Nubira and Leganza, all launched in 1997. Next year arrived its smallest car, Matiz, designed by Giugiaro based on a proposal abandoned by FIAT Punto. Daewoo also established a  joint-venture in Poland with FSO to produce Matiz for European market.   Matiz (1998) The Asian financial crisis in 1997/98 hit South Korea hard. Many companies went burst because of their high debt level resulted from over-expansion in the last few years. Daewoo received the SUV maker Ssangyong in 1998, but this ownership lasted for less than two years, because Daewoo itself also went into bankruptcy in 2000. It wasn't too bad indeed. Operated under creditor banks, Daewoo kept production as usual and even introduced some decent new models - Kalos, new generation Lanos, Nubira and Lacetti. In 2002, GM came back and bought the majority assets of Daewoo. The company was renamed to GM Daewoo. GM also invested to upgrade its R&D and quality control, improving its product lineup. As Daewoo had poor quality image overseas, its cars were rebadged as Chevrolet for the American and European market and sold as Holden in Australia. In the latter half of 2000s, GM built its Korean subsidiary into a leading development center for its global small car platform (Delta), not merely a production base. The first fruit was the 2008 Lacetti, which was derived into Chevrolet Cruze. In early 2011, the name Daewoo finally came to the end. GM Daewoo was renamed to GM Korea, while its domestic cars were rebranded


Which toy company did Ruth and Elliot Handler found?

Elliot Handler Remembered Elliot Handler (April 1916 — July 2011) Elliot Handler, founder of Mattel, Inc., the world's largest toy company and well-known as the creator of the Hot Wheels® mega-brand, died at the age of 95. With his wife Ruth Handler, Elliot transformed what began as a home-based business into the largest global toy company, with a rich portfolio of popular brands beloved by generations of children around the world, including Hot Wheels®, Barbie®, Fisher-Price®, and American Girl®. The Handlers started Mattel Creations in 1945 with Harold "Matt" Matson, whose name was fused with Elliot's to form "Mattel." Originally a small business enterprise headquartered in the Handlers' garage in suburban Los Angeles, Calif., the company launched with three pieces of shop equipment purchased on installment from Sears. The first Mattel products produced from that location were picture frames, and Elliot soon developed a side business in dollhouse furniture made from picture frame scraps. Elliot's product development talents were complemented by Ruth's marketing savvy, and the company turned a profit in its very first year. The Uke-A-Doodle®, a child-size ukelele, was the first in a line of musical toys that gave Mattel its first 'staple' business. After the Uke-A-Doodle introduction in 1947, Matson sold his share of the business. Encouraged by their success, the Handlers soon shifted the company's emphasis to toys. A popular jack-in-the-box followed the Uke-A-Doodle, and by 1955, the company was valued at $500,000 and well on its way to becoming the world's number-one selling toy brand. In 1955, a new television series produced by The Walt Disney Company called the "Mickey Mouse Club" was set to debut, and Disney and ABC Television asked if Mattel would consider sponsoring a 15-minute segment of the show. The drawback was that Mattel would be obligated to sponsor the program for one entire 52-week season, which would cost Mattel $500,000 - nearly its entire net worth. The campaign was an unabashed success, and Mattel instantly revolutionized the toy industry by turning a 'mom-and-pop' business with a seasonal focus on Christmas into a large-scale business enterprise that garnered impressive sales year-round. In fact, annual sales grew from $5 million to $14 million in just three years. Advertising on television was one of two key decisions that the Handlers made during the 1950s, which transformed Mattel from a profitable business into an industry leader. The other key turning point was the invention and marketing of a three-dimensional doll through which little girls could act out their dreams of growing up. An instant sensation upon its introduction in 1959, Barbie® has since grown into a multi-billion dollar brand. In the late 1960s, Mattel eagerly was in search of a toy hit that would capture boys’ imaginations the way that Barbie® did for girls. Elliot had an idea for miniature die-cast vehicles that would incorporate speed, power and performance, as well as cool car designs. Introduced in 1968, Hot Wheels® were distinguished with customized designs and outrageous paint jobs, and also became a number-one selling toy brand. Known as the "whiz kids of the toy industry," the Handlers were renowned for inventing some of the world’s best-known toy brands. In 1973, Elliot was named Mattel’s Chairman of the Board, a position he would share with Ruth until 1975 when, after having helped nurture Mattel from a dollhouse furniture shop into a leading manufacturer, the Handlers left the company after more than 30 years. Elliot and Ruth became the first living inductees to the Toy Industry Hall of Fame in 1989. Employees also held the Handlers in high esteem, due to their thoughtfulness and ability to make every employee feel that his or her contribution to the organization was valuable. In fact, the Handlers insisted that all of their employees call them by their first names at a time when such informality was unprecedented. Elliot, the second of four brothers, grew up in Denver, Colorado and met Ruth Mosko at a ch


Which country was the first in the world to introduce a driving test?

History of Driving and the introduction of the UK driving licence. A Potted History of Driving, and the UK Driving Licence. The History of Driving and the UK Driving Licence. We've started with the invention of motorised road vehicles. At that time there was no such thing as a driving licence. The development of the motor car, and the rapid increase over the years in the volume of vehicles on Britain's roads, resulted in the necessity for some means by which the government could ensure that safety prevailed. This 'History of Driving' starts before the driving licence was devised and follows the development of roads, cars and licences over the last 120 years or so. Read on to get an idea of how it all happened. A History of Driving: 1860 - 1900 The invention of the motor car really began in the mid-late 18th century with the invention of small, passenger-carrying steam-powered road vehicles. Due to the size and power of these vehicles a 'Red Flag Act' was introduced in 1865, whereby it was compulsory for two people to operate and power the vehicle, while a third walked in front waving a red flag to warn other road users of its presence. Germany's Karl Benz has, for the most part, been credited as the inventor of the first real, 'proper', motor car that was specifically designed to be operated by a sole driver on public highways. His car, invented in 1885-86, was a three-wheeled vehicle, with no windows, that ran on petrol. The mid-1880's to the mid-1890's witnessed the development of numerous four-wheeled, petrol-powered road cars, and in 1896 'The Red Flag Act' was abolished and 'The Light Locomotives on the Highways Act' (The Emancipation Act) was introduced, stipulating an upper speed limit of 12mph for motorised road vehicles. Cars were on Britain's roads! The first motor car race took place in 1895. Front wheel drive appeared in 1897, the honeycombed radiator in 1898, and front suspension in 1899. A History of Driving: 1901 - 1920 The Grand Prix was established in 1901 and was held in France, (although the first actual built-for-purpose race track was located at Brooklands in Surrey, built in 1907). In 1903 the 'Motor Car Act' was introduced in the UK. The Act required all motor car owners to register their vehicles with their local county borough council and to display their registration at all times. It also made the driving licence compulsory. The licence was fabric-bound and similar in style to today's passports. It could be bought at local council office for 5 shillings; no test of driving competency was required. However, the 1903 Motor Act also introduced a penalty for reckless driving. The car continued to develop rapidly over the next ten years and began to look more like the modern car, with headlights, windscreens, rubber tyres with pressure gauges, number plates and coil ignition, all by about 1908. Henry Ford's 'Model T' was developed in America in 1909, and by 1913 he was manufacturing factory produced cars. Between 1909 and 1913 four-wheel brakes, the electric starter and four-wheel steering for off-road vehicles had been introduced, with mechanical wipers being developed in 1916. A History of Driving: 1921 - 1940 Hydraulic wheel brakes appeared in 1921 and by 1922 Henry Ford had built one million cars. General Motors came to Britain in 1925. The first British Grand Prix was held at Brooklands in 1926 and the first Monaco Grand Prix was raced in the street in 1929. Between 1922 and 1929 world land speed records increased from 133mph to 231mph. It is estimated that, by the mid-1890's, there were approximately 15 motor cars on the Britain's roads. By 1900 there were about 800 cars. By 1930, this had dramatically increased to approximately one million cars on the roads of Britain, and by 1934 there were 1.5 million. In 1930 age restrictions were applied to driving, and a driving test for disabled drivers was introduced. Compulsory motor vehicle insurance was also introduced. In 1931 the first edition of 'The Highway Code' was introduced, and the Morris Minor retailed at £100 (equivalent to £3,34


Who launched the short-lived Skytrain air service?

Sir Freddie Laker - Telegraph Sir Freddie Laker 12:05AM GMT 11 Feb 2006 Sir Freddie Laker, who died on Thursday aged 83, pioneered the idea of cheap air travel with his Skytrain to America in 1977; his entrepreneurial spirit brought him immense public affection and the wrath of rivals who conspired successfully to break his business. Before Skytrain, international flights were largely the preserve of the rich. After the Second World War it was thought that competition between airlines might prejudice passenger safety, and hence the market was strictly regulated by the International Air Transport Association. IATA allowed state airlines to maintain an inefficient monopoly offering identical services at high prices. By 1971 the only exception was charter airlines catering for the growing package holiday trade. Under a bizarre IATA rule intended to preserve the monopoly, charter passengers needed six months' membership of an "affinity group" whose main purpose was not travel, groups such as the Dahlia Society or the Left Hand Club. Backdated membership soon became openly obtainable at airports. Laker, whose airline was being regularly fined for carrying large numbers of bogus Rose Growers to America, proposed an easier system. Passengers who wanted a cheap flight could queue for a ticket at the airport, just as they would at a railway station before taking a train. It took six years of strenuous argument to persuade the British and American governments to see the idea's merits. The first Skytrain took off for New York in September 1977. Although Laker offered no frills (such as meals), at £59 it cost a third of any other ticket. He made £1 million profit in the first year, and by 1980 was carrying one in seven transatlantic passengers. Laker took a boyish delight in his success; he was memorably photographed zooming around the Gatwick runway pretending to be a Spitfire. Yet his concern for the consumer's interest endeared him to the public. He was voted "Man of the Year" and in 1978 knighted by the Callaghan government. Then, in February 1982, Laker Airways abruptly went into receivership with debts of £264 million. The collapse was so sudden that its flights were turned round in mid-air. At first it appeared that Laker had overreached himself, borrowing heavily to finance 15 new planes just as the pound plunged against the dollar. The major airlines had also taken concerted action, offering cheap fares for the first time; and when Pan Am cut the price of its regular service by two-thirds in October 1981, Laker's passengers deserted him. In 1983 the liquidators Touche Ross began an anti-trust action in America, claiming a billion dollars from 10 major airlines. The allegations went beyond predatory pricing; British Airways, Pan Am, TWA and Lufthansa were said to have met to plot Laker's downfall. In particular, several airlines had threatened the manufacturer McDonnell Douglas that they would buy elsewhere if it rescheduled Laker's debt. The Justice Department found the evidence in a school project by the daughter of a McDonnell Douglas director. The action threatened BA's privatisation, and in 1985 the defendants settled out of court the £35 million owed to Laker's creditors, staff and passengers. Laker himself reluctantly accepted £6 million in compensation and retreated to the Bahamas. The lessons have since been absorbed by Sir Richard Branson. Frederick Alfred Laker was born at Canterbury on August 6 1922. His father, a merchant seaman, deserted the family when Freddie was five, and his mother then worked as a cleaner. At the local Simon Langton School Freddie did not shine academically, amusing friends by saying he was going to be a millionaire. His first job was delivering coal for an uncle. At 16 he joined the flying-boat builders Short Brothers of Rochester as a teaboy and apprentice engineer, and studied maths and economics at night school. In the Second World War he worked for the Air Transport Auxiliary where he excelled at improvising repairs. He became flight engineer to Jim Mollison, Amy Johnson's husband, be


What did Guinness adopt as its trademark in the 60s?

The 60s and 70s Beer Guide 60s and 70s Beer Guide Changing fashions ruled beer drinking in the 50s, 60s and 70s. First bottled pale ale challenged draught mild as the Nation's favourite drink. Then a few years later, everyone was drinking draught keg bitter, with Watneys Red Barrel the best known brand. Lager was the drink of the 70s. The hot summer of 1976 provided a reason to try the beverage, but tastes were changing. In 1971 there was a backlash against the relentless spread of keg bitter and lager when CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, formed. In the latter part of the seventies there was a resurgence of some traditional brews; real ale, though, still remained a minority taste. From mild to bitter Mild was the working man's drink for the first half of the twentieth century. The only choice was between mild and stout; bitter was a luxury. In 1900 best bitter was almost unknown and in 1929 it was still only a tiny fraction total beer sales. At the start of the sixties, mild was the dominant beer. Around 40% of the output of Bass Charrington, Britain's largest brewer, was mild. By 1967 this had fallen to 30%. Mild was losing favour, though it was the cheapest beer. It did have strongholds in the Midlands (notably M & B Mild), but the majority chose best bitter. Best bitter on draught and its bottled equivalent, best pale ale, were the favourite beers of the 60s. Pale ale was sold as a premium beer; it was a popular luxury. From cask to keg Keg bitter is pasteurised to stop any fermentation. Carbon dioxide is added to give the beer sparkle. The pressure of carbon dioxide is used to draw the beer up from the cellar. So keg beer does not need a traditional long handled beer pump. The first keg beer was Watneys Red Barrel , developed in the 30s. The big brewers though, did not heavily promote keg bitter until the late 50s. The first brewer to use the term keg and to promote sales of keg beer was Flowers (later taken over by Whitbread). Many of the others followed suit and each launched their own brand of keg bitter: Worthington 'E', Whitbread Tankard, Ind Coope Double Diamond, Youngers Tartan and Courage Tavern. Sales of keg beer increased steadily throughout the sixties. In 1960 it was 1% of the total beer market, by 1965 7% and by 1971 18%. Keg beer was most popular with the young. It was the natural choice for the new themed pubs and disco pubs of the 60s. Keg bitter was more expensive than traditional cask conditioned ales and was marketed as a premium brand. There was a tendency for brewers to reduce the strength and original gravity (a measure of the proportion of ingredients, hops, barley etc to water) of cask beers. The keg beers were the best the brewery had to offer so there was no need to spend as much on the cask conditioned beers. Throughout the sixties people suspected that that beer was getting weaker; they were right. By the latter part of the sixties, carbon dioxide was often added to cask beers as well; they were drawn up from the cellar under pressure in much the same way as keg beer. For the drinker at the bar, there was little to choose between them. The more discerning opted for keg. Bottled and canned beer The rise of keg bitter in the sixties stopped a trend that had begun after the War of increasing sales of bottled beer. It even appeared that sales of bottled beer might overtake draught beer. Reasons for choosing it over traditional ales were consistency, brightness, a clean palette and sparkle. Keg bitter provided all these qualities at a cheaper price. Canned beer was in its infancy in the late 50s. Ind Coopes Long Life was one of the first. The brewer picked up on concerns about the quality of cask ales and claimed Long Life was brewed for the can and never varied. Canned beer sales increased throughout the sixties, but did not become important until the seventies. Watneys Party Seven was a new take on canned beer. National brands Before the 60s, the supply of beer had been regional. There were a few exceptions with bottled Guinness, Bass and Worthing


Which city was the HQ of the European Space program?

Russia and Europe Team Up for Mars Missions Russia and Europe Team Up for Mars Missions By SPACE.com Staff | March 14, 2013 06:00pm ET MORE Artist's concept of the ExoMars 2016 spacecraft, which consists of the Trace Gas Orbiter and the Entry, descent and landing Demonstrator Module (EDM). Credit: ESA-AOES Medialab Russia and the European Space Agency have officially teamed up to send a series of spacecraft to search for signs of life on Mars. European space officials and Russia's Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) signed a deal Thursday (March 14) to launch a Mars orbiter mission in 2016 and a rover in 2018 as part of what is now a joint ExoMars program. The Mars exploration agreement outlines the two agencies' responsibilities for the upcoming unmanned missions. In 2016, ESA will provide the Trace Gas Orbiter to study the atmosphere of Mars to measure its chemical composition, as well as an  entry, descent and landing demonstrator module. For the 2018 mission, ESA will provide the carrier and the ExoMars rover , which will search for signs that life on Mars existed in the past or present, collecting samples from as deep as 6.5 feet (2 meters) beneath the surface of the Red Planet. "It will be the first Mars rover able to drill to depths of 2 m, collecting samples that have been shielded from the harsh conditions of the surface, where radiation and oxidants can destroy organic materials," ESA officials said in a statement. ExoMars rover Credit: ESA Roscosmos, meanwhile, will supply the rockets to launch both Mars missions, as well as the 2018 descent module and surface platform. Both space agencies will provide scientific instruments and will work together on the scientific goals of the missions, according to ESA officials. ESA director-general Jean-Jacques Dordain called Thursday's agreement a "momentous occasion" for the ExoMars program after meeting with the head of Roscosmos, Vladimir Popovkin, at the ESA headquarters in Paris. Dordain said in a statement that the agreement "will demonstrate the competitiveness of European industry, be important for preparing a solid participation of ESA in future international exploration missions and address the key question of whether life ever arose on Mars." NASA pulled out of the ExoMars program last year due to budget cuts in its planetary science program, but ESA officials said the U.S. space agency will still contribute some communications and engineering support for the new Mars missions. Follow SPACE.com on Twitter  @Spacedotcom . We're also on  Facebook  and  Google+ . Original story on  SPACE.com . No planet is more steeped in myth and misconception than Mars. This quiz will reveal how much you really know about some of the goofiest claims about the red planet.