The Sahara is Africa's largest desert, what is its second largest?

Biggest Deserts on Earth | Sahara Desert & Antarctica Credit: NASA/Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC Big deserts Earth is a planet covered with habitable areas, but some of those locations are a little more hostile to life than others. In deserts, which generally are defined as areas that receive less than 10 inches (254 millimeters) of rain or snow annually, the plants and animals must subsist on this meager precipitation. The world's 10 biggest deserts are found on just about every continent, many of them forming in the shadow of immense mountain ranges that block moisture from nearby oceans or bodies of water. They're often the site of unusual rock formations and, in some cases, amazing archaeological finds. 2 of 12 Credit: Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center Chihuahuan Desert 175,000 square miles (282,000 square km) Straddling the U.S.-Mexico border, the Chihuahuan Desert is bigger than the state of California, according to New Mexico State University. Parts of it are in the states of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Less than 9 inches (228 mm) of rainfall falls on average every year, according to the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition. As with many other deserts worldwide, the Chihuahuan Desert formed in the rain shadow of both the Sierre Madre Occidental (on the west) and the Sierra Madre Oriental (on the east), which both stop water from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico from getting inland. Underneath the desert and New Mexico's Guadalupe Mountains lies more than 300 caves . Those in at least one of those regions, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, were created after sulfuric acid penetrated the surrounding limestone. 3 of 12 Credit: NASA/Robert Simmon, based on Landsat 5 data from the Global Land Cover Facility Great Basin Desert 190,000 square miles (492,000 square km) Unlike every other desert in the United States, the Great Basin is a "cold" desert — one where most of the precipitation falls as snow. Its geographic extent includes most of Nevada, part of Utah and parts of many surrounding states. Rainfall in the region ranges between 6 and 12 inches (150 and 300 mm) annually. The desert came to be because it was in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of eastern California , according to the National Park Service. The desert, in turn, also affects surrounding areas. Strong winds known as the Santa Ana often blow into Southern California after forming in areas of high pressure in the Great Basin. The Great Basin is also home to some unusual rocks, such as some found in central Nevada in 2009 that were described as dripping like honey . The deformation is taking place due to changes in the Earth's mantle, which alters due to intense pressure and heat within Earth's surface. Heavier material in the lithosphere, as it warms up, sinks through the lighter mantle, trailing material after it. 4 of 12 Credit: NASA/Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC Syrian Desert 200,000 square miles (518,000 square km) The Syrian Desert is described as an "arid wasteland" by Merriam-Webster. Covering much of Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Syria, the region is marked by lava flows and was an "impenetrable barrier" to humans until recent decades. Now, highways and oil pipelines cross the region, which receives less than 5 inches (125 mm) of rain annually, on average. Humans were able to reach parts of it in ancient times, though. One area, now dubbed " Syria's Stonehenge ," was discovered in 2009. It includes stone circles and possibly, tombs, according to a 2012 Discovery News report. The Es Safa volcano field near Damascus is Arabia's largest volcanic field. The vents found in that area were active about 12,000 years ago, during the Holocene Epoch. More recently, a boiling lava lake was spotted in the region around 1850. 5 of 12 Credit: NASA/Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC Great Victoria Desert 250,000 square miles (647,000 square km) The Great Victoria Desert covers a great deal of Australia and is mostly made up


Which part of the body does a reflexologist most commonly focus on?

Reflexology | Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing More resources Reflexology is the application of appropriate pressure to specific points and areas on the feet, hands, or ears. Reflexologists believe that these reflex points correspond to different body organs and systems, and that pressing them has a beneficial effect on the person's health. For example, reflexology holds that a specific spot in the arch of the foot corresponds to the bladder. When a reflexology practitioner uses thumbs or fingers to apply appropriate pressure to this area, it may affect bladder functioning. Although reflexology is not used to diagnose or cure health disorders, millions of people around the world use it to complement other treatments when addressing conditions like anxiety, asthma, cancer treatment, cardiovascular issues, diabetes, headaches, kidney function, PMS, and sinusitis. Reflexology may:


For what did the 'O' originally stand in the name of the breakfast cereal, Cheerios?

What’s the story behind Cheerios®? What’s the story behind Cheerios®? A healthy history, wholesome ingredients, and a love of breakfast. The original toasted whole grain O The tasty, trusted breakfast cereal has been feeding families for generations. A little history Original Cheerios® was invented in 1941 by food science innovator Lester Borchardt. Originally named “Cheerioats,” healthy, wholesome oats have always played an important role as the cereal’s main ingredient. Borchardt spent months experimenting with new ways to “puff” oats into the now familiar shape people and families have loved for generations. Not only did he invent the original Cheerios®, Borchardt went on to be a leader in finding practical and affordable ways to feed the world. Although the name was changed to Cheerios® in 1945, the cereal’s commitment to healthy oats has remained since the day it was introduced. Filling bowls with health and happiness The beloved breakfast cereal made with whole grain oats, original Cheerios® cereal can help lower cholesterol and risk of heart disease when it’s part of a heart-healthy diet.* Original Cheerios is also a low-fat source of whole grain**, soluble fiber, 12 vitamins and minerals and 1 gram of sugar. It’s good for kids, too — original Cheerios is recommended by pediatricians as a first finger food. * 3 grams of soluble fiber daily from whole grain oat foods, like Cheerios cereal, in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Original Cheerios cereal provides 1 gram per serving. ** All Cheerios cereal varieties have at least 14 grams of whole grain per serving. At least 48 grams recommended daily.


What liquid flows through your lacrimal canaliculi?

Patent US4915684 - Method and apparatus for modulating the flow of lacrimal fluid through a ... - Google Patents Claims(12) We claim: 1. A lacrimal fluid modulating device for controlling the flow of the lacrimal fluid through the punctum and associated canaliculus of a human eye comprising: a generally cylindrical body member having an axial bore extending from a first, inlet, end of said generally cylindrical body to a second, outlet, end thereof; an arcuate head member fashioned at said first end of said generally cylindrical body, said arcuate head member having, a bore coaxial with the bore of said generally cylindrical body, and the exterior diameter of said arcuate head member being greater than the exterior diameter of said generally cylindrical body member; means peripherally fashioned about the exterior surface of said generally cylindrical body member at said second end of said body member, for facilitating placement of said generally cylindrical body member through a punctum of a patient and for retaining said cylindrical body member within an associated canaliculus; and said axial bore extending completely through said generally cylindrical body member to operably modulate the flow of lacrimal fluid through the punctum and associated canaliculus and thus enhancing the retention of lacrimal fluid within the eye of a patient. 2. A lacrimal fluid modulating device as defined in claim 1 wherein: the internal diameter of said axial bore at said first, inlet, end is greater than the internal diameter of said axial bore at said second, outlet, end. 3. A lacrimal fluid modulating device as defined in claims 1 or 2 wherein: the internal diameter of said axial bore of said generally cylindrical body member at said second, outlet, end is not less than 0.12 mm and not greater than 0.36 mm. 4. A lacrimal fluid modulating device as defined in claim 3 wherein: the internal diameter of said axial bore of said generally cylindrical body member at said second, outlet, end is substantially equal to 0.24 mm. 5. A lacrimal fluid modulating device as defined in claim 2 wherein: said axial bore is tapered from said first, inlet, end to said second, outlet end. 6. A lacrimal fluid modulating device as defined in claim 2 wherein: said axial bore is stepped from a first diameter at said first, inlet, end of said generally cylindrical body to a smaller, second diameter at said second, outlet, end of said generally cylindrical body. 7. A lacrimal fluid modulating device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means peripherally fashioned about the exterior surface of said generally cylindrical body member comprises: a single conical exterior surface extending upwardly and outwardly from an initial position at the second, outlet, end of said generally cylindrical body. 8. A lacrimal fluid modulating device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means peripherally fashioned about the exterior surface of said generally cylindrical body member comprises: a first conical exterior surface extending upwardly and outwardly from said second, outlet, end of said generally cylindrical body member; and at least a second conical surface extending upwardly and outwardly upstream of said first conical surface from a position upon the exterior surface of said generally cylindrical body member upstream of said second, outlet, end of said generally cylindrical body member. 9. A lacrimal fluid modulating device as defined in claim 8 wherein: said axial bore is stepped from a first diameter at said first, inlet, end of said generally cylindrical body to a smaller, second, diameter at the second, outlet, end of said generally cylindrical body member. 10. A lacrimal fluid modulating device as defined in claim 9 wherein: said second diameter of said axial bore of said generally cylindrical body member at said second, outlet, end is not less than 0.12 mm and not greater than 0.36 mm. 11. A method for modulating the flow of lacrimal fluid through the punctum an associated canaliculus of a human eye comprising: dilating a punctum opening of a patient; inserting through


The adjective 'vermiform' is used to describe which small bodily organ?

Appendix - definition of appendix by The Free Dictionary Appendix - definition of appendix by The Free Dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/appendix n. pl. ap·pen·di·ces (-dĭ-sēz′) or ap·pen·dix·es 1. a. An appendage. b. A collection of supplementary material, usually at the end of a book. 2. Anatomy Any of several supplementary or accessory parts of a bodily organ or structure, especially the vermiform appendix of the large intestine. [Latin, from appendere, to hang upon; see append.] appendix (əˈpɛndɪks) n, pl -dices (-dɪˌsiːz) or -dixes 1. (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) a body of separate additional material at the end of a book, magazine, etc, esp one that is documentary or explanatory 2. any part that is dependent or supplementary in nature or function; appendage 3. (Anatomy) anatomy See vermiform appendix [C16: from Latin: an appendage, from appendere to append] ap•pen•dix n., pl. -dix•es, -di•ces (-dəˌsiz) 1. supplementary material at the end of a text. 2. any additional or supplemental part; appendage. 3. Also called vermiform appendix. a wormlike tube, closed at the end, extending from the cecum of the large intestine. [1535–45; < Latin: appendage =append(ere) to append + -ix n. suffix] usage: appendices, a plural borrowed directly from Latin, is sometimes used, esp. in scholarly writing, to refer to supplementary material at the end of a book. ap·pen·dix (ə-pĕn′dĭks) Plural appendixes or appendices (ə-pĕn′-dĭ-sēz′) A tubular projection attached to the cecum of the large intestine in humans and some other mammals. ♦ Inflammation of the appendix is called appendicitis (ə-pĕn′dĭ-sī′tĭs). ♦ Surgical removal of the appendix is called an appendectomy (ăp′ən-dĕk′tə-mē). appendix A document appended to an annex of an operation order, operation plan, or other document to clarify or to give further details. Appendix, Appendices  something attached as if by being hung on; appendage. Example: the ark . . . the heavenly fire, and the rest were ceremonial appendices, 1665. appendix (or vermiform appendix) A short, slim, wormlike tube opening into the cecum but closed at the other end. It contains lymphoid tissue, which is involved in immunity. ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:


Which author's first novel begins; 'The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning'?

Ian Fleming - Wikiquote Ian Fleming Jump to: navigation , search Against the background of this luminous and sparkling stage Bond stood in the sunshine and felt his mission to be incongruous and remote and his dark profession an affront to his fellow actors. Ian Lancaster Fleming ( 28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964 ) was a British author and journalist; during the Second World War he served in the Naval Intelligence Division and, as part of his appointment, he was commissioned into the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, rising to the rank of commander. Fleming is probably best known for creating the character of James Bond and chronicling his adventures in twelve novels and two short story collections . He also wrote the children's story Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang and two non-fiction books. See also: Quotes[ edit ] Surround yourself with human beings, my dear James . They are easier to fight for than principles . I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time . Casino Royale (1953)[ edit ] The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning. Then the soul erosion produced by high gambling — a compost of greed and fear and nervous tension — becomes unbearable and the senses awake and revolt from it. Opening line. Against the background of this luminous and sparkling stage Bond stood in the sunshine and felt his mission to be incongruous and remote and his dark profession an affront to his fellow actors. Ch. 5. Bond insisted ordering Leiter's Haig-and-Haig "on the rocks" and then he looked carefully at the barman. "A Dry Martini", he said. "One. In a deep champagne goblet." "Oui, monsieur." "Just a moment. Three measures of Gordons, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?" "Certainly, monsieur." The barman seemed pleased with the idea. Ch. 7. 'I take a ridiculous pleasure in what I eat and drink. It come partly from being a bachelor, but mostly from a habit of taking a lot of trouble over details. It's very pernickety and oldmaidish really, but then when I'm working I generally have to eat my meals alone and it makes them more interesting when one takes trouble.' Ch. 8. "Surround yourself with human beings, my dear James . They are easier to fight for than principles ." He laughed. "But don't let me down and become human yourself. We would lose a wonderful machine." Ch. 21. It was the same with the whole Russian machine. Fear was the impulse. For them it was always safer to advance than retreat. Advance against the enemy and the bullet might miss you. Retreat, evade, betray and the bullet would never miss. Ch. 27. "The bitch is dead now." Closing line. He sat down next door in the seat she had left and watched the grim suburbs of Philadelphia showing their sores, like beggars, to the rich train. Ch. 10. He disagreed with something that ate him. Ch. 14. From Russia with Love (1957)[ edit ] It was a dark, clean-cut face, with a three-inch scar showing whitely down the sunburned skin of the right cheek. The eyes were wide and level under straight, rather long black brows. The hair was black, parted on the left, and carelessly brushed so that a thick black comma fell down over the right eyebrow. The longish straight nose ran down to a short upper lip below which was a wide and finely drawn but cruel mouth. The line of jaw was straight and firm. A section of dark suit, white shirt and black knitted tie completed the picture. ”And I would like a medium Vodka dry Martini — with a slice of lemon peel. Shaken and not stirred, please. I would prefer Russian or Polish vodka.” James Bond. You are right, Mr. Bond. That is just what I am, a maniac. All the greatest men are maniacs. They are possessed by a mania that drives them towards their goal. The great scientists, the philosophers, the religious leaders — all maniacs. Dr. Julius No. Goldfinger (1959)[ edit ] Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, the third time it's enemy action. (Auric Goldfinger) The difference between a good golf shot an


Which legendary king was the father of King Arthur?

The Legendary King Arthur | King Arthur & The Knights of the Round Table     Name. The name Arthur may be (and according to K. H. Jackson certainly is) a form    of Artorius, a Roman gens name, but, according to J. D. Bruce, it is possibly    of Celtic origin, coming from artos viros (bear man) - see The Marriage of King Arthur       and Guinevere. Welsh arth gwyr (T. R. Davies). Bruce also suggests    the possibility of a connection with Irish art (stone). Life. An outline of the hero's life is given by Geoffrey of Monmouth (twelfth    century) in his Historia Regum Brittaniae - History of the Kings    of Britain. Just how much of this life was Geoffrey's invention and how    much was culled from traditional material is uncertain. He tells us that    King Arthur was the son of Uther and defeated the barbarians in a dozen    battles. Subsequently, he conquered a wide empire and eventually went to    war with the Romans. He returned home on learning that his nephew Mordred    had raised the standard of rebellion and taken Guinevere, the queen. After    landing, his final battle took place. The saga built up over the centuries and Celtic traditions of Arthur reached    the Continent via Brittany. Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur would become what    many considered the standard 'history' of Arthur. In this, we are told of    Arthur's conception when Uther approached Igraine who was made, by Merlin's    sorcery, to resemble her husband. The child was given to Ector to be raised    in secret. After Uther's death there was no king ruling all England. Merlin    had placed a sword in a stone, saying that whoever drew it out would be    king. Arthur did so and Merlin had him crowned. This led to a rebellion    be eleven rulers which Arthur put down. He married Guinevere whose father    gave him the Round Table as a dowry; it became the place where his knights    sat, to avoid quarrels over precedence. A magnificent reign followed, Arthur's    court becoming the focus for many heroes. In the war against the Romans,    Arthur defeated the Emperor Lucius and became emperor himself. However,    his most illustrious knight, Lancelot, became enamoured of Guinevere. The    Quest for the Holy Grial began and Lancelot's intrigue with the Queen came    to light. Lancelot fled and Guinevere was sentenced to death. Lancelot rescued her    and took her to him realm. This led Arthur to crossing the channel and making    war on his former knight. While away from Britain, he left Mordred in charge.    Mordred rebelled and Arthur returned to quell him. This led to Arthur's    last battle on Salisbury Plain, where he slew Mordred, but was himself gravely    wounded. Arthur was then carried off in a barge, saying he was heading for    the vale of Avalon. Some said he never died, but would one day return. However,    his grave was supposedly discovered at Glastonbury in the reign of Henry    II (1154-89). ï¿½ 1993, Illustrated Encyclopedia of Arthurian Legends - Claremont Books. King Arthur


What Brooklyn landmark is named after the rabbits that over-ran it in the 17th century?

enter name and hit return Find in Page BROOKLYN NEIGHBORHOODS.. Present & Past BATH BEACH & FORT HAMILTON Named for the famous watering place of Bath, England, this territory consisted mostly of farmlands and forests until the 1870s when affluent families built summer homes in the area.  The neighborhood is on Gravesend Bay. Bounded by Shore Parkway along Gravesend Bay to the south, 86th Street to the north, 14th Avenue to the west and 23rd Avenue to the east. Early summer resort for wealthy New Yorkers. BAY RIDGE 1873 MAP Was originally part of a tract of land that was purchased from the Nyack Indians in 1652 and settled by the Dutch in 1653. It lies at the southwestern tip of Brooklyn. The area was originally called Yellow Hook for the yellow clay found there. But after an outbreak of yellow fever in 1853 its name grew out of favor and it became known as Bay Ridge. FORT HAMILTON 1873 MAP Named after Alexander Hamilton. Today, the fort, built in 1831 to protect the Narrows. Strategically situated at the entrance to New York Harbor, it was the site where the Continental Army barraged the British ship H.M.S. Asia in 1776. BEDFORD-STUYVESANT Named after the Duke of Bedford & the town of Stuyvesant (namesake of New Amsterdam Governor, Peter Stuyvesant), the area was originally part of the land purchased by the Dutch in the 1640s. This farmland turned residential after the American Revolution. The area was originally comprised of two distinct sections with two separate histories. The neighborhood name is derived from the joining of two 19th-century middle-income communities: Bedford to the west and Stuyvesant Heights to the east. The woodlands of Bedford were purchased in the mid-1600s by the Dutch West Indies Company from the Canarsee Indians, and the land was used as a farming village inhabited by Dutch farmers and black slaves.  Over the years, farmland was gradually divided into housing lots. By 1873, the population had reached 14,000, and included Irish, Germans, Jews, Scots, Dutch and free blacks. Further growth was spurred in the 1880s by the opening of the elevated railway and then the Brooklyn Bridge; by 1920, the population had grown to 45,000. BEDFORD was a modest Dutch village established in 1663, STUYVESANT was an upscale community built in the 1890s, In 1835, a portion of Stuyvesant was sold,  combining the two. STUYVESANT HEIGHTS ghost neghborhoods: BEDFORD / CROW HILL BEDFORD CORNERS CARRVILLE : Formed by the merger of two communities: Bedford and Stuyvesant Heights. Freed slaves bought land here after slavery was abolished in New York in 1827 WEEKSVILLE BENSONHURST Originally settled by the Dutch in 1661 as part of the town of New Utrecht, today it is bordered by 61 St, McDonald Ave, Gravesend Bay and 14th Ave. Includes the areas known as Mapleton and New Utrecht, whose origins date back to the late 1880s when the Benson farm was parceled into 20 x 100 foot lots and sold to newly arrived immigrants.  * The New Utrecht Reformed Church , (1827 84 Street) constructed in 1828 as the center of the original Dutch settlement. During the time of the British occupation (1776-1783), Bensonhurst residents erected flagpoles, (liberty poles), on which they raised the flag of independence, as a sign of derision for the British. The liberty pole that stands on the lawn of The New Utrecht Reformed Church marks the site of the first liberty pole. BERGEN BEACH Named after the descendants of Hans Hansen BERGEN, a Dutch settler of the 17th century. GEORGETOWN BOERUM HILL Bounded by 4 Avenue, State, Warren and Court Streets, named for the colonial farm of the Dutch BOERUM family. Developed in the mid-1800s BOROUGH PARK Settled in the 1880s by major landowners in the area, it was originally named Blythebourne, while a neighboring expanse of land was called Borough Park. The influx of more and more Eastern Europeans into Borough Park caused its expansion into, and overtaking of, the Blythebourne area. MAPLETON ghost neighborhood: Blythebourne BRIGHTON BEACH Named after the British sea resort Bri


What shoulder condition, related to tennis elbow, was first diagnosed in 2007 and is one of the only words in English to contain a triple-repeated letter?

Platelet-rich therapies for musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries - Moraes - 2014 - The Cochrane Library - Wiley Online Library Platelet-rich therapies for musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries Comment Corresponding author Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil Vinícius Y Moraes, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Borges Lagoa, 778, São Paulo, São Paulo, 040450001, Brazil. vymoraes@gmail.com . vym70@yahoo.com.br . Abstract Background Platelet-rich therapies are being used increasingly in the treatment of musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries such as ligament, muscle and tendon tears and tendinopathies. These therapies can be used as the principal treatment or as an augmentation procedure (application after surgical repair or reconstruction). Platelet-rich therapies are produced by centrifuging a quantity of the patient’s own blood and extracting the active, platelet-rich, fraction. The platelet-rich fraction is applied to the injured tissue; for example, by injection. Platelets have the ability to produce several growth factors, so these therapies should enhance tissue healing. There is a need to assess whether this translates into clinical benefit. Objectives To assess the effects (benefits and harms) of platelet-rich therapies for treating musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries. Search methods We searched the Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group Specialised Register (25 March 2013), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL 2013 Issue 2), MEDLINE (1946 to March 2013), EMBASE (1980 to 2013 Week 12) and LILACS (1982 to March 2012). We also searched trial registers (to Week 2 2013) and conference abstracts (2005 to March 2012). No language or publication restrictions were applied. Selection criteria We included randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials that compared platelet-rich therapy with either placebo, autologous whole blood, dry needling or no platelet-rich therapy for people with acute or chronic musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries. Primary outcomes were functional status, pain and adverse effects. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently extracted data and assessed each study's risk of bias. Disagreement was resolved by discussion or by arbitration by a third author. We contacted trial authors for clarification of methods or missing data. Treatment effects were assessed using risk ratios for dichotomous data and mean differences (MD) or standardised mean differences (SMD) for continuous data, together with 95% confidence intervals. Where appropriate, data were pooled using the fixed-effect model for RR and MD, and the random-effects model for SMD. The quality of the evidence for each outcome was assessed using GRADE criteria. Main results We included data from 19 small single centre trials (17 randomised and two quasi-randomised; 1088 participants) that compared platelet-rich therapy with placebo, autologous whole blood, dry needling or no platelet-rich therapy. These trials covered eight clinical conditions: rotator cuff tears (arthroscopic repair) (six trials); shoulder impingement syndrome surgery (one trial); elbow epicondylitis (three trials); anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (four trials), ACL reconstruction (donor graft site application) (two trials), patellar tendinopathy (one trial), Achilles tendinopathy (one trial) and acute Achilles rupture surgical repair (one trial). We also grouped trials into 'tendinopathies' where platelet-rich therapy (PRT) injections were the main treatment (five trials), and surgical augmentation procedures where PRT was applied during surgery (14 trials). Trial participants were mainly male, except in trials including rotator cuff tears, and elbow and Achilles tendinopathies. Three trials were judged as being at low risk of bias; the other 16 were at high or unclear risk of bias relating to selection, detection, attrition or selective reporting, or combinations of these. The methods of preparin


The 'Saladin Tithe' was a tax levied to finance the third of nine what?

Saladin Tithe - The Crusades The Crusades Page 825 Saladin Tithe A tax levied by Henry II, king of England, and Philip II Augustus, king of France, on their respective dominions in order to finance a crusade intended to recover the Christian possessions in the Holy Land overrun by Saladin, ruler of Egypt and Muslim Syria, in the aftermath of the battle of Hattin (4 July 1187). The tax was proclaimed when the two kings took the cross together in January 1188 and fixed at the rate of one-tenth of the value of revenues and movable goods, to be paid by all those not going on crusade, although the assessment excluded certain categories of property such as precious stones, as well as possessions required for professional purposes by knights (such as horses and weaponry) and clerics (such as books and vestments). Crusaders were exempt from the tax, and were entitled to receive the tithes paid by their vassals and tenants. The tithe aroused much resentment in both realms, particularly as it was feared that it would create a precedent for future taxation. In Philip’s lands it was collected by lay and ecclesiastical lords, with patchy results. Opposition was so great that Philip eventually suspended collection, rescinded the tithe on movables, and promised never to levy such a tax again. In England and in Henry’s lands in France, collection of the tax was carried out by a system of committees and juries at parish level with the participation of royal officials, and those who failed to pay were threatened with excommunication. The taxes raised from Henry’s dominions went to fund the expedition of his son Richard the Lionheart in the Third Crusade (1189-1192), and the more effective collection in the Angevin realm was one of the reasons why Richard’s expedition was better financed than that of Philip. Quotes “ Men are basically smart or dumb and lazy or ambitious. The dumb and ambitious ones are dangerous and I get rid of them. The dumb and lazy ones I give mundane duties. The smart ambitious ones I put on my staff. The smart and lazy ones I make my commanders. Erwin Rommel Sometimes you can't see yourself clearly until you see yourself through the eyes of others. Ellen DeGeneres All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them. Walt Disney Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning. Albert Einstein If you are not willing to risk the usual, you will have to settle for the ordinary. Jim Rohn Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success. Swami Vivekananda Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out. John Wooden Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. Winston Churchill I love the name of honor, more than I fear death. Julius Caesar Success is most often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable. Coco Chanel It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop. Confucius Courage is grace under pressure. Ernest Hemingway You can do anything, but not everything. David Allen You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take. Wayne Gretzky Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear. Ambrose Redmoon You must be the change you wish to see in the world. Gandhi When hungry, eat your rice; when tired, close your eyes. Fools may laugh at me, but wise men will know what I mean. Lin-Chi The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking. A. A. Milne To the man who only has a hammer, everything he encounters begins to look like a nail. Abraham Maslow We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. Aristotle A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fo


In Greek myth, who led the quest to find the Chrysomallos?

Rogier van der Weyden (c. 1399-1464) - Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy (1396-1467) References Description Philip the Good ruled the duchy of Burgundy from 1419 to 1467. An active patron of the arts, he had strong links with Henry VI’s court in England though he preferred to concentrate on the expansion of his own land rather than becoming embroiled in the Hundred Years’ War. He is shown here wearing the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece, which he established on 10 January 1430 in emulation of the English Order of the Garter; he had been invited to become a Garter Knight but declined for fear of offending the French King Charles VII. The symbol of the Order refers to the tale from Greek mythology in which Jason led the band of Argonauts on a quest to find the golden fleece of the ram Chrysomallos, which was hung on a tree guarded by a dragon. It was controversial to use a pagan symbol for a Christian order, but the chivalrous overtones of the story clearly appealed to the Duke, who had the legend illustrated for him numerous times. This portrait conforms to a standard type of image of Philip the Good created by various artists to satisfy popular demand. There is no known painted prototype and it is possible that the numerous versions derive from an original drawing by Rogier van der Weyden, unofficial painter to the Burgundian court. The prototype for portrait may have formed part of a matrimonial diptych, which would have included a portrait of Isabella of Portugal, Philip’s third wife whom he married in 1430. The portrait was probably painted by a member of Rogier van der Weyden’s large workshop and is a stylised, emotionless and idealised image of the ruler. Comparison with other versions, such as that in Bruges Musée Communal, highlight the pattern-book nature of the image. Philip is depicted in three-quarter profile, wearing a black chaperon (a hood or hat), with a scroll prominently held in his hands. The gesture of his hands is striking; his right is outstretched as though in prayer, whereas his left is foreshortened, thereby demonstrating the artist’s grasp of perspective. The age of the sitter - around 50 - combined with the style of his clothing indicates a date around the mid 1440s. Text adapted from 'Bruegel to Rubens: Masters of Flemish Painting', London 2007 Provenance First recorded in the collection of Henry VIII at Whitehall in 1542 People involved


With UK number one hits 'Right Round' and 'Club Can't Handle Me', what is both the stage name and home US state of rapper Tramar Dillard?

Flo Rida - iSnare Free Encyclopedia Flo Rida Not to be confused with Florida . Flo Rida Flo Rida in Sydney on April 12, 2012 Background information .com Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), [1] [2] [3] better known by his stage name Flo Rida (pronounced /ˌfloʊ ˈraɪdə/ ), is an American singer, songwriter and rapper from Carol City, Florida . [4] His 2008 breakout single " Low " was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the record for digital download sales at the time of its release. Flo Rida's debut studio album , 2008's Mail on Sunday , reached number four in the US. The album was succeeded by R.O.O.T.S. , the next year. His subsequent albums, 2010's Only One Flo (Part 1) and 2012's Wild Ones , also charted on the US Billboard 200 chart. Flo Rida has sold over 80 million digital downloads, making him one of the best-selling music artists . [5] [6] His catalog includes the international singles " Right Round ", " Club Can't Handle Me ", " Good Feeling ", " Wild Ones ", " Whistle ", " I Cry ", " G.D.F.R. ", and " My House ". Contents Life and career 1979–2006: Early life and career beginnings Flo Rida was born as Tramar Lacel Dillard in Carol City, Florida , on September 16, 1979. [4] His parents raised him and his seven sisters together, some of whom sang in a local gospel group. [7] His brother-in-law was a hype man for local rap group 2 Live Crew , and while in ninth grade, Flo Rida joined an amateur rap group called the GroundHoggz. [8] The GroundHoggz had been a three-man group, with members who lived in the same apartment complex as Flo Rida. They started recording at underground studios in Carver Ranches . [9] The GroundHoggz, in this four-man incarnation, remained together for eight years. Flo Rida's work with 2 Live Crew member Fresh Kid Ice , attracted the attention of DeVante Swing , a member of the band Jodeci . However, he was rejected by several of the major labels , so he sought many other jobs outside of music. [10] After graduating from high school in 1998, he studied international business management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for two months and attended Barry University for two months. [10] [11] He returned to Florida to continue pursuing his music career after receiving a phone call from a representative of the independent label Poe Boy Entertainment . [10] Flo Rida signed with Hot Boyz , in 2000 and with Poe Boy, in 2004 and began affiliating himself for Cash Money with other Southern hip hop artists, such as Rick Ross , Trina , T-Pain , and Trick Daddy . A promotional single entitled "Birthday", featuring Rick Ross, was his first significant release. He made his debut guest appearance with the song "Bitch I'm From Dade County" on DJ Khaled 's album We the Best (2007), which also features Trick Daddy, Trina, Rick Ross, Brisco , C-Ride, and Dre . [12] 2007–2008: Mail on Sunday Rehearsing for the 2008 Much Music Video Awards in Toronto Flo Rida's debut album, Mail on Sunday , was released in March 2008. The first single was " Low ", featuring T-Pain , which was also included in the soundtrack to the movie Step Up 2: The Streets . "Low" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. [12] " Elevator ", featuring Timbaland , " In the Ayer " featuring will.i.am , and "Roll" featuring Sean Kingston followed, and both charted on the Hot 100 and other charts. [13] Other than T-Pain , there were many featured guests throughout Mail on Sunday. Timbaland , who produced the second single " Elevator ", is also featured on the track. Rick Ross , and Trey Songz made appearances as well. [14] Lil Wayne [14] appeared on the track "American Superstar", while Sean Kingston appeared on the J. R. Rotem -produced "Roll", which was co-written by Compton rapper Spitfiya. Various other guests include Birdman , Brisco, and Yung Joc . "Money Right", featuring Brisco and Rick Ross , was scheduled to be the fourth single, but this was canceled due to the upcoming release of Flo Rida's second studio album, R.O.O.T.S. His second collaboration with T-Pain , "I Bet", as well as his collaboration


'The Sons of the Desert' is the international fan club of which movie pair?

Sons of the Desert -- The International Laurel & Hardy    Appreciation    Society Welcome to SONS OF THE DESERT The International Laurel & Hardy Society ABOUT SONS OF THE         DESERT Sons of the Desert is devoted to keeping the lives and     works     of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy before the public, and to have a     good     time while doing it. The group takes its name from a lodge that the comedians     belong     to in the 1933 film Sons of the Desert. In     keeping with     the tongue-in-cheek “desert” theme, each local chapter of the     society     is called a “tent,” and is named after a Laurel & Hardy     film.     Worldwide, there are well over 100 active tents, whose members     meet     regularly to enjoy Laurel & Hardy movies in an informal     atmosphere. “It is important, I think, to realize that Sons of the     Desert     is not a fan club,” explained John McCabe, the team's     biographer, who     founded the Sons in 1965. “The word ‘fan’ derives from ‘fanatic’ and I     hope we are none of us that. I consider us ‘buffs,’ people     having a     connoisseur-like affection for Laurel & Hardy, and being     discriminating in that affection, with fun as our goal and     operative     guide.” To find a Sons tent near you, use the Tent       Search feature in the Sons’ international database. If there is no tent near you, please click       here for more information about our     Utopia tent for delegates-at-large.  If you’d like to form a tent yourself, please click here to     e-mail for     more information, or write to:     Scott MacGillivray     P.O. Box 2102     Natick, MA 01760 USA For answers to frequently asked questions about the     Sons     of the Desert and Laurel & Hardy's films, please click here . Thanks for your interest. We invite you to join us. Best wishes – Scott MacGillivray


Which singer has been known as 'The Red-Headed Stranger' since his 1975 album of that name?

41 Years Ago: Willie Nelson Releases 'Red Headed Stranger' REDDIT Columbia Records When Willie Nelson recorded Red Headed Stranger in 1975, his record label thought it was too difficult a listening experience to succeed. But the album — released 41 years ago this month — was a commercial and critical smash, and has gone on to become one of the keystone albums in the history of country music. Nelson had already experienced significant success prior to signing with Columbia Records, and that allowed him to bargain for complete creative control of his work for the label. Nelson conceptualized the themes that would become Red Headed Stranger during a car ride from Colorado to his home in Austin, and recorded a demo of the resulting songs at his ranch. “I started out with the song “Red Headed Stranger” itself, a song that I didn’t write but I used to sing when I was a disc jockey many years ago,” Nelson recalled in 2000. “So, when I had the chance to do an album with CBS, what was almost unheard of in those days was artistic control. I had to stop and think of what I wanted to do. I took the Red Headed Stranger album and thought, “I’ll write a concept album about what happened up until that song started, and then what happened after the end of it.” The new work turned into a dark, thematic album about a man who murders his unfaithful wife and her lover and goes on the run, weaving Nelson’s own compositions with classic songs and bits of narration to create one of country music’s first true concept albums. Hoping to avoid the slick commercial production that had characterized much of his work in Nashville, Nelson recorded his new album at a studio in Garland, Texas, using his own band instead of Nashville session players. He produced the album himself, and the result was a bold step in a strikingly different direction from anything else that was going on in country music at the time. Not only was the new music intellectually challenging, it had nothing in common sonically with the lush, string-laden sound that had lately dominated radio. When he played the album for his new label, they were hesitant to release it. “Well, yeah. They’d never heard anything, probably, that sparse turned in as a session,” Nelson admits with a laugh. “They thought it needed a little … you know, maybe it sounded pretty good as a demo, but I couldn’t be serious about it being a finished product.” But Nelson, citing his deal, insisted that the album be released as recorded, and Columbia reluctantly complied. Released in May of 1975, Red Headed Stranger became a runaway hit, landing at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart and eventually selling more than 2 million copies. Nelson’s sparse, mournful recording of Fred Rose’s 1947 standard “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” reached No. 1, and the album’s other single, “Remember Me,” reached No. 2. Critical reception was equally enthusiastic:  Texas Monthly called the record “an album so remarkable that it calls for a redefinition of the term ‘country music’ … the world that Nelson has created is so seductive that you want to linger there indefinitely.” Mother Jones said, “Texans have known for 15 years what Red Headed Stranger finally revealed to the world; that Nelson is simply too brilliant a songwriter, interpreter and singer — just too damn universal — to be defined as merely a country artist.” The album launched Nelson into the vanguard of the growing “outlaw” movement in country music and simultaneously made him one of country music’s biggest-selling stars. He would go on to star in a movie based on the album; Red Headed Stranger has also received numerous accolades in the decades since its release. Rolling Stone places Red Headed Stranger at No. 183  on its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, and CMT places it at No. 1 on their  40 Greatest Albums in Country Music  list. In 2009, the album was adopted into the National Recording Registry , which recognizes work that is “culturally, historically or aesthetically important, and / or informs or reflects life in the United States.” Country Stars


The second largest city in Queensland and the pre-1957 name for an African nation share what name?

Rain Forests of the World Rain Forests of the World        Tropical  rain forests are found only in a relatively small area on earth, between the latitudes 22.5 degrees North (Tropic of  Capricorn) and 22.5 degrees South of the equator (Tropic of Cancer).  Originally covering much vaster areas, rain forests in the world, though  man's activities, have been reduced only about 2% of the earth's  surface, (about 2.41 millions square miles or 625 million hectares).  They are found in 85  countries in the world but the  largest continuous rain forest is found in the Amazon river basin in  South America, much of which lies in Brazil. The second largest  contiguous rain forest is that found in the Congo Basin in Africa. Ninety percent of the  tropical rain forests i the world are concentrated in fifteen countries. There are five major  tropical rain  forest regions in the world: Central America, the Amazon Basin, Africa,  Southern Asia and Australia.   This region was once entirely covered with rainforest, but large areas  have been cleared for cattle ranching and for sugar cane plantations.  Extensive rain forest tracts are found in Belize, where  65% of the frontier forest (large tracts of relatively undisturbed, old  growth forest) remain. This is the highest percentage among Central  American countries, and while only 800 acres of Belize's forests are  protected, it is 12.7% of the country's total land base, the second  highest in Central America. Costa  Rica, another Central American country with  extensive tropical rain forests, has made great efforts to conserve its  natural environment and over 12% of the country's total land mass is  protected. It also has one of the largest national park systems in  Central America. However, even with these efforts, many of Costa Rica's  rain forest plant and animal species are still threatened. El Salvador,  on the other hand, with one of the most dense populations in Central  American (6,000,00+ in only 8,009 square miles) has experienced  deforestation on a catastrophic scale, and its rainforests, once  abundant, have all but disappeared. Guatemala has also lost extensive rain forests, with over 98% of its original  undisturbed old growth forest disappeared. It is home some of the most  threatened tropical rain forests in the world. The cutting of forests  for firewood, agriculture and timber sales, exacerbated by the extreme  poverty among the rural population, have been the driving forces for  this forest loss. Honduras is also home to some of the most threatened forests in Central America.  Both temperate and tropical rain forests have been cleared to support  urban development and huge banana plantations, operated by United States  corporations. Only a very small percentage of the country's land is  protected, just under 5%. Mexico,  with both extensive  temperate and tropical rain forests, is one of  the most biologically diverse of the world's countries. Nicaragua has some of the largest remaining rainforests in  Central America, but unfortunately, this country too is experiencing  rapid deforestation. The Indio-Maiz Biosphere and the Bosawas Biosphere  Reserves in southeastern and northeastern Nicaragua are large protected  tracts of intact rain forests. Panama,  with over 30% of its original old growth forests still intact has the  second largest percentage of such forests of any Central American  country. It does have the largest protected percentage (17%)  but  in spite of this, many species of plants and animals are still  threatened.   South  America is home to the world's  largest contiguous tropical rainforest, the vast Amazon rainforest.  This  lush and biologically rich forest covers the basin of the Amazon (also  known as Amazonia),  the world's second longest river and spreads into nine countries: Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela,  Guyana, Surinam and French Guiana. The Amazon basin encompasses  7,000,000 square kilometers (1.2 bil


In the combat sport MMA for what does the first M stand?

MMA GLOVES BCS - ufc grappling stand up mixed martial arts fight training | eBay Have one to sell? Sell now Details about  MMA GLOVES BCS - ufc grappling stand up mixed martial arts fight training MMA GLOVES BCS - ufc grappling stand up mixed martial arts fight training bossman_combat_sports has no other items for sale. Item Information More than 10 available / 2 sold Please enter a quantity of $qty_dummy$ or less Please enter a quantity of 1 Purchases are limited to $qty_dummy$ per buyer Please enter quantity of 1 or more Please enter a lower number Choose quantity that is less than $qty_dummy1$ or equal to $qty_dummy$ You can only choose quantity that is equal to $qty_dummy$ Price: See details about international shipping here.  help icon for Shipping - opens a layer Items shipping internationally may be subject to customs processing depending on the item's declared value. Sellers set the item's declared value and must comply with customs declaration laws. Buyers may be subject to additional charges for customs clearance. Visit eBay's page on international trade .   Worldwide Import charges: (amount confirmed at checkout) To be provided at checkout  help icon for Shipping - opens a layer This amount includes applicable customs duties, taxes, brokerage and other fees. This amount is subject to change until you make payment. For additional information, see the Global Shipping Program terms and conditions- opens in a new window or tab This amount includes applicable customs duties, taxes, brokerage and other fees. This amount is subject to change until you make payment. If you reside in an EU member state besides UK, import VAT on this purchase is not recoverable. For additional information, see the Global Shipping Program terms and conditions- opens in a new window or tab No additional import charges on delivery Delivery: Estimated delivery dates - opens in a new window or tab include seller's handling time, origin ZIP Code, destination ZIP Code and time of acceptance and will depend on shipping service selected and receipt of cleared payment - opens in a new window or tab . Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods. Ships today if paid within 5 hrs 43 mins Details Payments: International shipping and import charges paid to Pitney Bowes Inc. Learn More- opens in a new window or tab Any international shipping and import charges are paid in part to Pitney Bowes Inc. Learn More- opens in a new window or tab International shipping paid to Pitney Bowes Inc. Learn More- opens in a new window or tab Any international shipping is paid in part to Pitney Bowes Inc. Learn More- opens in a new window or tab Returns: 30 days money back, seller pays return shipping |  See details Guarantee: Money Back Guarantee Covered by eBay Money Back Guarantee  |  See details - opens in a new window or tab Get the item you ordered or get your money back. Covers your purchase price and original shipping. Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. Last updated on  Mar 13, 2016 07:32:55 PDT  View all revisions Item specifics Condition: New: A brand-new, unused, unopened, undamaged item in its original packaging (where packaging is applicable). Packaging should be the same as what is found in a retail store, unless the item is handmade or was packaged by the manufacturer in non-retail packaging, such as an unprinted box or plastic bag. See the seller's listing for full details. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab ... Read moreabout the condition Brand: BOSSMAN COMBAT SPORTS Suitable For: Aikido, Boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Karate, Kendo, Krav Maga, Kung Fu, MMA, Muay Thai, Ninjitsu, Tae Kwon Do Type: BOSSMAN COMBAT SPORTS AND ATHLETICS Visit my eBay store   Questions and answers about this item No questions or answers have been posted about this item. Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. Shipping and handling This item will ship to United States, but the seller has not specified shipping options. Contact the seller- opens in a new window or tab and request a shipping method to your location.


What hit 2008 film was based on the 2005 novel 'Q & A' by Vikas Swarup?

Amazon.com: Q & A: A Novel (9780743267472): Vikas Swarup: Books Vikas Swarup Page 1 of 1 Start over Sponsored Products are advertisements for products sold by merchants on Amazon.com. When you click on a Sponsored Product ad, you will be taken to an Amazon detail page where you can learn more about the product and purchase it. To learn more about Amazon Sponsored Products, click here . The Last Faith: A book by an atheist believer Karmak Bagisbayev Warning: reading this book may alter your view of the world and permanently change your established moral principles. Readers discretion advised. Walking with Shadows Luke Romyn Left for dead after crashing in the Amazon, Jonas Drake must save not only himself but also the one other survivor: a ten-year-old boy. Snow Song R M Rowan Keeping her terminal cancer a secret, Sarah seeks meaning and purpose for her young life and finds that the art of dying is learning how to live. Kindle Edition Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly When Ram Mohammad Thomas, an orphaned, uneducated waiter from Mumbai, wins a billion rupees on a quiz show, he finds himself thrown in jail. (Unable to pay out the prize, the program's producers bribed local authorities to declare Ram a cheater.) Enter attractive lawyer Smita Shah, to get Ram out of prison and listen to him explain, via flashbacks, how he knew the answers to all the show's questions. Indian diplomat Swarup's fanciful debut is based on a sound premise: you learn a lot about the world by living in it (Ram has survived abandonment, child abuse, murder). And just as the quiz show format is meant to distill his life story (each question prompts a separate flashback), Ram's life seems intended to distill the predicament of India's underclass in general. Rushdie's Midnight's Children may have been a model: Ram's brash yet innocent voice recalls that of Saleem Sinai, Rushdie's narrator, and the sheer number of Ram's near-death adventures represents the life of the underprivileged in India, just as Saleem wore a map of India, quite literally, on his face. But Swarup's prose is sometimes flat and the story's picaresque form turns predictable. Ram is a likable fellow, but this q&a with him, though clever, grows wearying. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist Swarup's inventive debut traces the fortunes of Ram Mohammad Thomas from "Asia's biggest slum" to his sudden acquisition of enormous wealth as the biggest winner on the popular quiz show, Who Will Win a Billion? A poor, uneducated waiter, Ram is arrested after the final episode in the belief that he must have cheated. In jail he shares his hardscrabble life with his lawyer: his abandonment at birth in a used clothing bin, the church orphanage where he was dubbed an "idiot orphan boy," the foster home where children were purposely crippled and forced to beg, the estate of an Australian diplomat who was really a spy, the home of an aging Bollywood actress, and his meager waiter job. Each chapter in Ram's life provided him with a correct answer on the show, as a la Forrest Gump, he has been in the right place at the right time. Ram's funny and poignant odyssey explores the causes of good and evil and illustrates how, with a little luck, the best man sometimes wins. Deborah Donovan Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here , or download a FREE Kindle Reading App . New York Times best sellers Browse the New York Times best sellers in popular categories like Fiction, Nonfiction, Picture Books and more. See more Product Details Publisher: Scribner; First Edition edition (August 2, 2005) Language: English Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.1 x 8.4 inches Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces By A. Ross HALL OF FAME TOP 1000 REVIEWER VINE VOICE on November 26, 2005 Format: Hardcover Despite heartrending descriptions of sexual abuse, racism, poverty, homeless and much, much, more in modern India, this is an utterly enjoyable picaresque adventure that is one of the best reads of the year.


'One could change the world in 140 characters' is the motto of Jack Dorsey, the founder of which website?

140 Characters – Press Release | 140 Characters 140 Characters – Press Release 140 CHARACTERS: A Style Guide for the Short Form By Dom Sagolla, Co-Creator of Twitter “One could change the world with one hundred and forty characters.” – Jack Dorsey , Co-Founder of Twitter San Francisco, CA – Twitter – the 140 character online service that allows users to share, discover and connect with anyone, anywhere in the world – has abruptly swept the globe, taking many by surprise. Business owners, celebrities and regular Joe’s alike have unabashedly criticized or made fun of the medium, rather than fully understanding its purpose, potential, and power. Several books have been written by “social media experts” trying to explain the secrets behind Twitter and how anyone can use it to their advantage. Convincing companies to incorporate Twitter into their marketing strategies has become easier since competing companies have seen phenomenal results. However, according to Dom Sagolla, a co-creator of Twitter and author of the new book, 140 CHARACTERS: A STYLE GUIDE FOR THE SHORT FORM (Wiley; $17.95; Paperback Original), “The constraint of 140 characters is an opportunity for creative self-expression of all kinds. With Twitter and the short form, we have inadvertently invented a new genre of literature.” With 140 CHARACTERS, Sagolla shares the way to develop a personal voice and make the most of your messages. 140 CHARACTERS aims to do for Twitter and other social networking sites what Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style did for good writing via lessons in grammar and composition. “Fragment. Then there is a sentence. Sentences become paragraphs. Inch by inch, a book is written.” – Dom Sagolla “The talkative habits of e-mail and superfluous chatter will be replaced by poetry and one-liners, the haiku and the hyperlink,” predicts Sagolla. In a world of three second attention spans, the short form is not just confined to Twitter, but also Facebook , LinkedIn , and text messaging. One will have to learn to say more with less: if there is a smaller word that means the same thing, use it. If there is a link to a reference, shorten it. “Wherever possible, use fewer words,” explains Sagolla. “This is harder than it sounds, but once you get past the basics of grammar you start getting into the really interesting aspects of poetry and word design.” Most of the advice in 140 CHARACTERS is focused on helping the reader to find the right words. A handbook for an emerging class of writers and journalists, this book is written to include readers in the evolution of Twitter and the short format. “We’ve defined a mere 1% of what Twitter is today. The other 99% is up to you.” – From the Foreword by Jack Dorsey The print and digital download is accompanied by an interactive Hypertext Edition for iPhone , published by Sagolla’s company DollarApp. See 140characters.com or twitter.com/thebook for details. About the Author Dom Sagolla (San Francisco, CA) helped create Twitter.com. After attending Swarthmore College, he worked as a software engineer in Silicon Valley during the dot-com boom. Dom earned his Masters in Education from Harvard University in 2000. Since then he has helped engineer Macromedia Studio, Odeo and Twitter, Adobe Creative Suite, and now produces iPhone software with his company DollarApp in San Francisco. His successes include the official Obama ’08 iPhone App, as well as two iTunes Staff Favorites: Big Words, and Math Cards. @Dom has over 9,200 followers on Twitter as of September 2009, and manages more than 25 other brands. 140 Characters: A Style Guide for the Short Form By Dom Sagolla


'Nevermore' is the last word of the final eleven stanzas of what famous poem?

Poe’s Poetry “The Raven” Summary and Analysis | GradeSaver Buy Study Guide Summary: The unnamed narrator is wearily perusing an old book one bleak December night when he hears a tapping at the door to his room. He tells himself that it is merely a visitor, and he awaits tomorrow because he cannot find release in his sorrow over the death of Lenore . The rustling curtains frighten him, but he decides that it must be some late visitor and, going to the door, he asks for forgiveness from the visitor because he had been napping. However, when he opens the door, he sees and hears nothing except the word "Lenore," an echo of his own words. Returning to his room, he again hears a tapping and reasons that it was probably the wind outside his window. When he opens the window, however, a raven enters and promptly perches "upon a bust of Pallas" above his door. Its grave appearance amuses the narrator, who asks it for its names. The raven responds, "Nevermore." He does not understand the reply, but the raven says nothing else until the narrator predicts aloud that it will leave him tomorrow like the rest of his friends. Then the bird again says, "Nevermore." Startled, the narrator says that the raven must have learned this word from some unfortunate owner whose ill luck caused him to repeat the word frequently. Smiling, the narrator sits in front of the ominous raven to ponder about the meaning of its word. The raven continues to stare at him, as the narrator sits in the chair that Lenore will never again occupy. He then feels that angels have approached, and angrily calls the raven an evil prophet. He asks if there is respite in Gilead and if he will again see Lenore in Heaven, but the raven only responds, "Nevermore." In a fury, the narrator demands that the raven go back into the night and leave him alone again, but the raven says, "Nevermore," and it does not leave the bust of Pallas. The narrator feels that his soul will "nevermore" leave the raven's shadow. Analysis: " The Raven " is the most famous of Poe's poems, notable for its melodic and dramatic qualities. The meter of the poem is mostly trochaic octameter, with eight stressed-unstressed two-syllable feet per lines. Combined with the predominating ABCBBB end rhyme scheme and the frequent use of internal rhyme, the trochaic octameter and the refrain of "nothing more" and "nevermore" give the poem a musical lilt when read aloud. Poe also emphasizes the "O" sound in words such as "Lenore" and "nevermore" in order to underline the melancholy and lonely sound of the poem and to establish the overall atmosphere. Finally, the repetition of "nevermore" gives a circular sense to the poem and contributes to what Poe termed the unity of effect, where each word and line adds to the larger meaning of the poem. The unnamed narrator appears in a typically Gothic setting with a lonely apartment, a dying fire, and a "bleak December" night while wearily studying his books in an attempt to distract himself from his troubles. He thinks occasionally of Lenore but is generally able to control his emotions, although the effort required to do so tires him and makes his words equally slow and outwardly pacified. However, over the course of the narrative, the protagonist becomes more and more agitated both in mind and in action, a progression that he demonstrates through his rationalizations and eventually through his increasingly exclamation-ridden monologue. In every stanza near the end, however, his exclamations are punctuated by the calm desolation of the sentence "Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore,'" reflecting the despair of his soul. Like a number of Poe's poems such as "Ulalume" and " Annabel Lee ," "The Raven" refers to an agonized protagonist's memories of a deceased woman. Through poetry, Lenore's premature death is implicitly made aesthetic, and the narrator is unable to free himself of his reliance upon her memory. He asks the raven if there is "balm in Gilead" and therefore spiritual salvation, or if Lenore truly exists in the afterlife, but the raven confirms his worst suspic


Only 69 men have ever held the top rank at sumo wrestling; by what name is that title known?

Sea of Crises « by brian phillips illustration by Jun Cen and Thoka Maer • THE WHITE BIRD • when he comes into the ring, Hakuho, the greatest sumotori in the world, perhaps the greatest in the history of the world, dances like a tropical bird, like a bird of paradise. Flanked by two attendants — his tachimochi, who carries his sword, and his tsuyuharai, or dew sweeper, who keeps the way clear for him — and wearing his embroidered apron, the kesho-mawashi, with its braided cords and intricate loops of rope, Hakuho climbs onto the trapezoidal block of clay, two feet high and nearly 22 feet across, where he will be fighting. Here, marked off by rice-straw bales, is the circle, the dohyo, which he has been trained to imagine as the top of a skyscraper: One step over the line and he is dead. A Shinto priest purified the dohyo before the tournament; above, a six-ton canopy suspended from the arena’s ceiling, a kind of floating temple roof, marks it as a sacred space. Colored tassels hang from the canopy’s corners, representing the Four Divine Beasts of the Chinese 1 constellations: the azure dragon of the east, the vermilion sparrow of the south, the white tiger of the west, the black tortoise of the north. Over the canopy, off-center and lit with spotlights, flies the white-and-red flag of Japan. Japanese mythology, like many aspects of early Japanese culture, was heavily influenced by China. Hakuho bends into a deep squat. He claps twice, then rubs his hands together. He turns his palms slowly upward. He is bare-chested, 6-foot-4 and 350 pounds. His hair is pulled up in a topknot. His smooth stomach strains against the coiled belt at his waist, the literal referent of his rank: yokozuna, horizontal rope. Rising, he lifts his right arm diagonally, palm down to show he is unarmed. He repeats the gesture with his left. He lifts his right leg high into the air, tipping his torso to the left like a watering can, then slams his foot onto the clay. When it strikes, the crowd of 13,000 souls inside the Ryogoku Kokugikan, Japan’s national sumo stadium, shouts in unison: “Yoisho!” — Come on! Do it! He slams down his other foot: “Yoisho!” It’s as if the force of his weight is striking the crowd in the stomach. Then he squats again, arms held out winglike at his sides, and bends forward at the waist until his back is near parallel with the floor. Imagine someone playing airplane with a small child. With weird, sliding thrusts of his feet, he inches forward, gliding across the ring’s sand, raising and lowering his head in a way that’s vaguely serpentine while slowly straightening his back. By the time he’s upright again, the crowd is roaring. In 265 years, 69 men have been promoted to yokozuna. Just 69 since George Washington was a teenager. 2 Only the holders of sumo’s highest rank are allowed to make entrances like this. Officially, the purpose of the elaborate dohyo-iri is to chase away demons. (And this is something you should register about sumo, a sport with TV contracts and millions in revenue and fan blogs and athletes in yogurt commercials — that it’s simultaneously a sport in which demon-frightening can be something’s official purpose.) But the ceremony is territorial on a human level, too. It’s a message delivered to adversaries, a way of saying This ring is mine, a way of saying Be prepared for what happens if you’re crazy enough to enter it. There are two additional yokozuna who supposedly practiced before 1749, but it’s only with the ascension that year of Maruyama Gondazaemon, the third holder of the title, that we reach a point where we can be pretty sure about names and dates and whether people actually existed outside folklore, etc. Hakuho is not Hakuho’s real name. Sumo wrestlers fight under ring names called shikona, formal pseudonyms governed, like everything else in sumo, by elaborate traditions and rules. Hakuho was born Mönkhbatyn Davaajargal in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in 1985; he is the fourth non-Japanese wrestler to attain yokozuna status. Until the last 30 years or so, foreigners were rare in the upper ranks of


Manuel Quezon was a founding father and early president of what nation?

QC gov’t acts to save house of founding father | Inquirer News QC gov’t acts to save house of founding father Philippine Daily Inquirer / 01:15 AM August 14, 2011 HERITAGE FOR SALE This house of Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon on Gilmore Ave. in New Manila, Quezon City, is on sale and the QC government wants to buy and declare it a heritage site for a museum, the better to memorialize its significance not only to Quezon City but in the life of the nation. RAFFY LERMA The government of Quezon City wants the house of its founding father declared as a heritage site. It has made the request to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) following reports that President Manuel Luis Quezon’s heirs were planning on selling the 3,678-square-meter property where he lived while recovering from tuberculosis before World War II. Quezon was the president during the Commonwealth era. Quezon City was established in 1939 and was named after him. ADVERTISEMENT He briefly served as the city’s acting mayor in 1939 until Tomas Morato took over the post. The sprawling property on Gilmore Avenue in Barangay (village) Mariana, New Manila, includes a two-story house, two one-story structures, quarters for servants and a swimming pool. In the city government’s documents, the two-story house where Quezon lived was described as a colonial-type structure with five rooms built in the 1920s. The city government learned of the purported plan to sell the property as early as 2008, during the term of Mayor (now House Speaker) Feliciano Belmonte Jr. In an interview with the Inquirer, Belmonte said only three or four old houses remained in upper-middle-class New Manila. “I really think the city government should move not only to declare [the Quezon property] a heritage site but also to acquire and preserve it,” Belmonte, a history buff, pointed out. Cultural treasure Quezon City planning and development officer Tomasito Cruz has written NHCP chairperson Maria Serena Diokno declaring the city government’s intention of registering the property as “an important cultural treasure.” In a letter dated August 8, Cruz wrote: “It was brought to the attention of the city government that the Quezon-Avanceña property located along Gilmore Avenue is being offered for sale. “May we therefore request your good agency [to tell us] the possible options on how to acquire subject property and declare it a heritage site in accordance with the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.” The Inquirer tried to confirm the planned sale of the property with Quezon’s grandson, Enrique Quezon-Avanceña. But he responded in a text message: “The family has no comment on private family affairs.” Former Inquirer columnist and now Palace Undersecretary Manuel Quezon III did not reply to inquiries by text message. The city government itself has yet to receive official word from the family about the supposed planned sale. “They haven’t officially told us. But the reports on the sale prompted us to act on it,” said Quezon City administrator Victor Endriga, citing real estate sources. Prime property A conservative estimate puts the value of the property at P110 million. “I believe it could go beyond that figure because that area is prime property. The house has historical and cultural value to Quezon City and the entire country as well,” Endriga said in an interview. He said the city government was “very worried about the proposed sale” of the precious landmark. In documents furnished to the Inquirer, the property was described as occupying two lots and bounded by Gilmore Avenue and 7th and 8th Streets in Barangay Mariana. The lots are registered to Zenaida “Nini” Quezon-Avanceña, the late President’s surviving daughter. Avanceña, now in her 90s, lived in the house for 62 years. She has been living in Ayala Alabang since 2006. The family had rented the house before buying it on installment, Avanceña said in an article run in the Inquirer in September 2008. She said the family had come to consider it a “lucky” house. A caretaker now looks after the property that also inc


What is the common name for a Cydia moth larva inside a seed of the Sebastiana shrub?

Where To Purchase Jumping Beans On-Line The vast southwest desert region of North America contains many fascinating wild plants, but none are more intriguing than the Mexican jumping bean. Jumping beans are commonly sold in novelty shops and by street vendors on both sides of the border, and probably everyone has marveled at their erratic movements, or heard a fabulous tale about them. In the regions where they grow wild, they are often collected by children and sold to local dealers who export them to the United States. The actual jumping "bean" is not a bean at all. It is produced by a native shrub or small tree that grows wild in the deserts of mainland Mexico and in the rugged Cape region of Baja California. An assortment of Mexican jumping beans. They are actually the separate sections (carpels) of seed capsules from the Mexican shrub (Sebastiana pavoniana). The common jumping beans sold in novelty shops throughout the southwestern United States come from a deciduous shrub (Sebastiana pavoniana) with dark green, leathery leaves that turn red during the winter months. The jumping bean shrubs grow on rocky desert slopes and along arroyos in the region of the Rio Mayo in the states of Sonora and Chihuahua. One of the best places to see this shrub is in the vicinity of Alamos, Mexico, known locally as the "jumping bean capital of the world." Mr. WOLFFIA (the editor of WAYNE'S WORD) recently photographed this interesting shrub in canyons of the Sierra de la Laguna in the Cape region of Baja California. By late winter the shrubs become a blaze of red, in sharp contrast with the beautiful green fan palms (Erythea brandegeei). Another lesser-known jumping bean shrub (Sapium biloculare) is sometimes called the Arizona jumping bean, although it is by no means limited to Arizona. The Arizona jumping bean occurs along washes and rocky slopes from the vicinity of Ajo, Arizona, south through the desert areas of Sonora, Mexico and Baja California. It also occurs on some of the islands in the Gulf of California. Like many other members of the diverse Euphorbia Family (Euphorbiaceae), freshly cut stems of both species of jumping bean shrubs exude a poisonous milky sap. In fact, several tribes of native Indians reportedly used the sap to poison their arrow tips. In Mexico the shrubs are sometimes called "yerba de la flecha," which translated means herb of the arrow. Showy red clumps of Mexican jumping bean shrubs (Sebastiana pavoniana) and stately fan palms (Erythea brandegeei) dot a canyon bottom of Sierra de la Laguna in the rugged Cape region of Baja California. Probably the most interesting thing about Mexican jumping bean shrubs are the remarkable "beans" that jerk and roll about with seemingly perpetual motion. It is doubtful (or very rare) that they actually "jump" above the surface of the ground, but they can certainly roll and tumble along in different directions. Just as pineapples are not apples and peanuts are not nuts, the jumping bean is not a bean, nor is it a seed. It is actually a small, thin-shelled section of a seed capsule containing the larva of a small gray moth called the jumping bean moth (Laspeyresia saltitans). After consuming the seed within the capsule section, the robust, yellowish-white larva has the peculiar habit of throwing itself forcibly from one wall to the other, thereby causing the jumping movements of the capsule. Mexican jumping bean capsules typically separate into three parts or sections, some of which contain a moth larva. It is these separate sections (technically called carpels) that are sold as "jumping beans." Note: According to American Insects by R.H. Arnett (1985), the jumping bean moth belongs to the Order Lepidoptera, Family Tortricidae, and is listed under the scientific name of Cydia saltitans. It is listed as Cydia deshaisiana in Volume 3 of Nomina Insecta Nearctica (1996) and more recent publications in entomology. The scientific name Laspeyresia saltitans is a synonym used in most older entomology references. Go To The University of Hawaii Entomology Data


What movie star was nominated for acting awards for playing Anna Christie in 1930 and Anna Karenina in 1935?

Greta Garbo - Biography - IMDb Greta Garbo Jump to: Overview  (5) | Mini Bio  (1) | Trivia  (68) | Personal Quotes  (20) | Salary  (16) Overview (5) 5' 7½" (1.71 m) Mini Bio (1) Greta Garbo was born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson on September 18, 1905, in Stockholm, Sweden, to Anna Lovisa (Johansdotter), who worked at a jam factory, and Karl Alfred Gustafsson, a laborer. She was fourteen when her father died, which left the family destitute. Greta was forced to leave school and go to work in a department store. The store used her as a model in its newspaper ads. She had no film aspirations until she appeared in short advertising film at that same department store while she was still a teenager. Erik A. Petschler , a comedy director, saw the film and gave her a small part in his Luffar-Petter (1922). Encouraged by her own performance, she applied for and won a scholarship to a Swedish drama school. While there she appeared in at least one film, En lyckoriddare (1921). Both were small parts, but it was a start. Finally famed Swedish director Mauritz Stiller pulled her from the drama school for the lead role in The Saga of Gösta Berling (1924). At 18 Greta was on a roll. Following The Joyless Street (1925) both Greta and Stiller were offered contracts with MGM, and her first film for the studio was the American-made Torrent (1926), a silent film in which she didn't have to speak a word of English. After a few more films, including The Temptress (1926), Love (1927) and A Woman of Affairs (1928), Greta starred in Anna Christie (1930) (her first "talkie"), which not only gave her a powerful screen presence but also garnered her an Academy Award nomination as Best Actress (she didn't win). Later that year she filmed Romance (1930), which was somewhat of a letdown, but she bounced back in 1931, landing another lead role in Mata Hari (1931), which turned out to be a major hit. Greta continued to give intense performances in whatever was handed her. The next year she was cast in what turned out to be yet another hit, Grand Hotel (1932). However, it was in MGM's Anna Karenina (1935) that she gave what some consider the performance of her life. She was absolutely breathtaking in the role as a woman torn between two lovers and her son. Shortly afterwards, she starred in the historical drama Queen Christina (1933) playing the title character to great acclaim. She earned an Oscar nomination for her role in the romantic drama Camille (1936), again playing the title character. Her career suffered a setback the following year in Conquest (1937), which was a box office disaster. She later made a comeback when she starred in Ninotchka (1939), which showcased her comedic side. It wasn't until two years later she made what was to be her last film, Two-Faced Woman (1941), another comedy. But the film drew controversy and was condemned by the Catholic Church and other groups and was a box office failure, which left Garbo shaken. After World War II Greta, by her own admission, felt that the world had changed perhaps forever and she retired, never again to face the camera. She would work for the rest of her life to perpetuate the Garbo mystique. Her films, she felt, had their proper place in history and would gain in value. She abandoned Hollywood and moved to New York City. She would jet-set with some of the world's best-known personalities such as Aristotle Onassis and others. She spent time gardening and raising flowers and vegetables. In 1954 Greta was given a special Oscar for past unforgettable performances. She even penned her biography in 1990. On April 15, 1990, Greta died of natural causes in New York and with her went the "Garbo Mystique". She was 84. Interred at Skogskyrkogården Cemetery, Stockholm, Sweden. Lived the last few years of her life in absolute seclusion. October 1997: Ranked #38 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. Letters and correspondence between Garbo and poet, socialite and notorious lesbian Mercedes de Acosta were unsealed on April 15, 2000, exactly 10 years after Garbo's death (per De Acost


Geraldine Brooks' 2005 novel 'March' is narrated by the absentee father of which classic novel?

March: Geraldine Brooks: 8601410932343: Amazon.com: Books Geraldine Brooks Page 1 of 1 Start over Sponsored Products are advertisements for products sold by merchants on Amazon.com. When you click on a Sponsored Product ad, you will be taken to an Amazon detail page where you can learn more about the product and purchase it. To learn more about Amazon Sponsored Products, click here . Flash Tim Tigner âThe Bourne Identity meets The Firm.ââGwen Norcross.âUp there with Flynn, Thor, and Baldacci.ââGina Carlson."Incredible! I couldn't put it down!" Unrelenting: Love and Resistance in Pre-War Germany (World War II Trilogy Book 1) Marion Kummerow A WW2 novel about resistance, love and the courage to stand up and do the right thing. Based on a true story. A Love and Beyond: A Mystery and Adventure Novel in Jerusalem Dan Sofer A mysterious crime. A ruthless secret society. And a desperate bachelor... Winner of the 2016 Best Book Award for religious fiction. Sisters of Sorrow Axel Blackwell Anna lives in a factory that eats children, but what waits for her beyond its walls is far more terrifying. In Love With a Haunted House Kate Goldman The last thing Mallory Clark wants to do is move back home. She has no choice, though, since the company she worked for in Chicago has just... The Fight for Love Kate Goldman After the incident at the parking lot near her work Lucie Walters realizes that her savior is a famous fighter Dalton Hughes. The Perfect Couple Emily Walters Cara aspires to perform on the worldâs top stages as a ballet dancer. She joins a popular dancing TV show with a partner who can change her life. Ad feedback Special Offers and Product Promotions Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. Brooks's luminous second novel, after 2001's acclaimed Year of Wonders, imagines the Civil War experiences of Mr. March, the absent father in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. An idealistic Concord cleric, March becomes a Union chaplain and later finds himself assigned to be a teacher on a cotton plantation that employs freed slaves, or "contraband." His narrative begins with cheerful letters home, but March gradually reveals to the reader what he does not to his family: the cruelty and racism of Northern and Southern soldiers, the violence and suffering he is powerless to prevent and his reunion with Grace, a beautiful, educated slave whom he met years earlier as a Connecticut peddler to the plantations. In between, we learn of March's earlier life: his whirlwind courtship of quick-tempered Marmee, his friendship with Emerson and Thoreau and the surprising cause of his family's genteel poverty. When a Confederate attack on the contraband farm lands March in a Washington hospital, sick with fever and guilt, the first-person narrative switches to Marmee, who describes a different version of the years past and an agonized reaction to the truth she uncovers about her husband's life. Brooks, who based the character of March on Alcott's transcendentalist father, Bronson, relies heavily on primary sources for both the Concord and wartime scenes; her characters speak with a convincing 19th-century formality, yet the narrative is always accessible. Through the shattered dreamer March, the passion and rage of Marmee and a host of achingly human minor characters, Brooks's affecting, beautifully written novel drives home the intimate horrors and ironies of the Civil War and the difficulty of living honestly with the knowledge of human suffering. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.              --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition. Read more From School Library Journal Adult/High School-In Brooks's well-researched interpretation of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, Mr. March also remains a shadowy figure for the girls who wait patiently for his letters. They keep a stiff upper lip, answering his stiff, evasive, flowery letters with cheering accounts of the plays they perform and the charity they provide, hiding their own civilian priv


What country's economy melted down in 2008 following the collapse of banks Glitnir, Landsbanki and Kaupthing?

The inside story of Iceland's economic meltdown. - Dec. 2, 2008 Fortune in the Icelandic press Inside the embassy, Russian ambassador Victor Tatarintsev listened intently. The seasoned diplomat, a canny political operator reputed to be close to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir         Putin, knew an opportunity when he saw one. As he heard the plea, says the Icelandic source, "there was a big grin on his face." Iceland's Russian gambit did indeed stir a reaction when it became public in early October. "Of course we would not have accepted any political strings," Prime Minister Geir Haarde         tells Fortune. "This loan would not have indicated any change in our foreign or security policy." Still, his phone rang off the hook, and IMF officials rushed to put in place an emergency $2.1 billion rescue package. By then it was too late. Iceland had already become the first         nation to fall victim to the global financial crisis. Today the economy is in unbelievably horrible shape: The three banks - Kaupthing, Landsbanki, and Glitnir - are in receivership. The stock market has lost 90% of its value. The         central bank is technically insolvent, its modest pile of assets dwarfed by a mountain of liabilities. The currency, the krona, has lost more than half its value. GDP is expected to drop by a stomach-churning 10% in 2009, and unemployment will probably hit a 40-year high. At         Reykjavík's port sit gleaming new Range Rovers and other SUVs that are now unsellable, and newspapers are exhorting the public to buy no-frills Icelandic goods. Above all, the nation's future is heavily mortgaged. Claims from Britain alone amount to half of what's left of its GDP. "It's like a neutron bomb that has wiped out all monetary         assets but left the people intact," says Ólafur Isleifsson, a former IMF official who teaches at Reykjavík University's business school. If it has become conventional wisdom that the U.S. decision in September to allow the collapse of Lehman Brothers was a critical error that caused a worldwide seizing-up of bank         lending, then Iceland is the sovereign version of Lehman Brothers. It was a bubble everyone knew about, one that was allowed to inflate to perilous proportions - and then was popped,         partly for reasons of political expediency. As with Lehman, the damage has spread. Creditors - owed more than $70 billion - can expect just pennies on their dollar; they include about 150 British and Dutch municipalities, the         German banks that were Iceland's biggest lenders, and hedge funds from Manhattan and Milan that used the island nation's sky-high interest rates and buoyant currency to finance highly         leveraged transactions. The blame game is only just beginning. But it's already clear that Iceland's demise was a result of flawed economic and monetary policy, bungled crisis management, and a calamitous         breakdown of international cooperation. Iceland's business and political community bear an important part of the responsibility, even as they now play the victim. But others share the blame, including the government of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, which used controversial antiterrorism legislation to deliver the death blow to Iceland's         banks. Other governments, too, adopted an every-nation-for-itself attitude during the crisis that raises doubts about future cooperation among European Union countries. For Icelanders, the big question is how they ended up in such a mess. (Even Iceland-born singer Björk has complained about the crisis in the London Times.) For a few heady         years they binged on the country's newfound wealth and borrowed heavily to buy houses, fancy cars, and flat-screen TVs.


Which man's 'second rebellion' was the Rum Rebellion, which deposed him as Governor of New South Wales in 1808?

The Rum Rebellion - CBHS Year 5 History The Rum Rebellion Watch the below from 31 mins to learn about Bligh and the Rum Rebellion The Rum Rebellion In 1808, exactly 20 years after colonisation, the spirit of enterprise in the settlers and freed convicts has transformed Sydney from a rogue penal colony into a bustling trading port. New Governor William Bligh (of Mutiny on the Bounty infamy) has strict orders – restore New South Wales to a colonial backwater for farmers and convicts. Bligh declares war on the merchants of Sydney and anyone else who tries to make a quid. His coup de grâce - he makes it illegal for soldiers and their families to trade in rum. The result is a very Australian rebellion and the first of many challenges to London’s authority. (Source: au.prime7.yahoo.com) Governor Bligh arrives in NSW Governor Bligh arrives in NSW is an excerpt from the documentary Rites of Passage the second episode of the two-part series entitledRogue Nation, produced in 2008. Click on the image on the right to access the video from National Film and Sound Archive  Bligh, Macarthur and The Rum Rebellion Bligh, Macarthur and The Rum Rebellion is an excerpt from the documentary Rites of Passage the second episode of the two-part series entitled Rogue Nation, produced in 2009. Click on the image on the right to access the video from National Film and Sound Archive  Governor Bligh - Hero or Coward? Governor Bligh – Hero or Coward? is an excerpt from the documentary Rites of Passage the second episode of the two-part series entitled Rogue Nation, produced in 2008. Click on the image on the right to access the video from National Film and Sound Archive Click on the picture to listen to Michael Duffy explain about how 200 years ago Australia was rocked by its first and only military coup. On January 26, 1808, members of the NSW Corps marched up Sydney's Bridge Street to what was then Government House and arrested and deposed Captain William Bligh, the governor of the tiny convict colony. The event, which has become known as the Rum Rebellion, was the most dramatic incident in early white Australia history. Click to download the above File Size: Download File Sydney, 1808 In the period leading up to the 1808 rebellion, Sydney was a garrison town. Much of the town's buildings and infrastructure were centred around the military. This 1808 map clearly shows the parade ground, around which the military barracks were located (now Wynyard Park). On the evening of January 26, 1808, the men of the New South Wales Corps marched from the parade ground on High Street (now George) up Bridge Street to Government House. They marched to the tune of 'British Grenadiers' and were followed by hundreds of spectators. When they arrived at Government House, the soldiers searched the property, before finally locating Governor Bligh, who, according to legend, was hiding under the bed. He was arrested and deposed and the Corps' commanding officer George Johnston took control of the Colony. (Source: http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/) Bligh and the Rum Rebellion Overthrown On 26 January 1808, the 'Rum Rebellion' took place when 400 New South Wales Corps soldiers, led by Major George Johnston (1764–1823), marched from their barracks and arrested Governor William Bligh. The day was significant as it was the 20th anniversary of their arrival in the colony. Captain William Bligh (1754–1817) was the fourth and last naval officer to be appointed Governor of the New South Wales penal colony, replacing Governor Phillip King (1758–1808) in 1806. Although he was a man of great integrity and courage, he was known for his hot temper and intemperate language. When Bligh arrived in the British colony it was in a poor state. Floods, the lack of supply ships and a reduction in convict labour had severely diminished the self-sufficiency of the colony. Bligh set up flood relief for the struggling farmers and promised immigrants that the government stores would buy their crops after the next harvest. Bligh also set up a government farm on the Hawkesbury as a 'model', to show the colonis


Duncan Zowie Jones, director of sci-fi films 'Moon' and 'Source Code', is the son of which musician?

David Bowie's son Duncan Jones: 'I've never needed to use my father's name' | Daily Mail Online He is a blockbuster movie director in his own right – which is why he’s never given a full account about growing up with his father. Until now... 'In many ways it was an incredible childhood. We travelled all over the world,' said Duncan Jones When Bafta-winning film director Duncan Jones was a little boy, his dad tried, tried and tried again to get him excited about music. His father is David Bowie, so Jones’s musical genes must be first-rate. ‘He really, really wanted me to learn an instrument,’ says Bowie’s son. ‘He tried to get me to learn the drums but I didn’t want to. The saxophone? No. Piano? No. Guitar – no thanks! Bless him. He kept on trying and nothing was happening. Nothing would take. I don’t know if subconsciously there was some reaction going on; if there was something in me that didn’t want to learn an instrument – because I couldn’t have been that incompetent! He’d say, “You have to practise…” and I was like, “But I don’t want to practise…” It didn’t interest me so it wasn’t going to happen.’ Stubborn resistance to his legendary father’s vocation didn’t stop there. Aged 11, Duncan Zowie Haywood Jones (Bowie’s real surname) changed his name to his nickname ‘Joe’ before, aged 18, settling on his resolutely ordinary first name, Duncan. It doesn’t require a therapist to observe that Jones has determinedly avoided trading on his heritage. ‘I’ve certainly never used my father’s name as a way of getting a meeting,’ says Jones. ‘And fortunately, I’ve never needed to…’ That said, Jones clearly adores his dad and throughout our interview he talks of him with genuine affection, sharing anecdotes of a unique childhood spent loitering in the wings of vast stadia, while his father defined the musical tastes of a generation. But Jones is not, and never wanted to be, Bowie Mark II. Music wasn’t his passion – film-making is. And it is testimony to Bowie that he nurtured and supported his son, helping him find his own creative path through life. 'Often I'd sit around being bored backstage at a concert': Duncan on life with dad David Bowie It paid off. At 40, Jones is the hottest director in Hollywood, thanks to two sci-fi films. The first is his award-winning debut, Moon, a tiny £3 million-budget, exquisitely shot, nightmarish tale of an astronaut on the last days of his mining mission. The Bafta Jones received for Moon provided the perfect calling card to major Hollywood studios, swiftly resulting in the critically acclaimed Source Code. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, to date the £19m film has grossed more than £75m worldwide. At first glance, you wouldn’t mark Jones as a player. He slips through the reception area of the plush, discreet and trendy London hotel where we meet without attracting a second glance. His ensemble – brown stubble, dishevelled light blond hair, scruffy jeans, a T-shirt emblazoned with the iconic anti-hero Sid Vicious – shouts ‘geek’ rather than Hollywood power broker, and there isn’t any immediate physical similarity with his father. Indeed, there are times when I have to remind myself how easily Jones could have been a selfish, spoilt rock brat rather than the down-to-earth, affable man who settles back into his chair and politely orders a coffee. ‘Well, thank you. I think...’ he laughs when I compliment him on his seemingly well-adjusted outlook. ‘I don’t know why but for whatever reason that side of life – the celebrity and the spectacle – has never interested me. I love my work but I don’t like being in the spotlight. I was never going to be an actor, that’s for sure.’ Performing centre-stage to anthems like Diamond Dogs and Starman was always the proclivity of his father, while Jones prefers to observe: either behind the lens directing (today) or watching from the wings (back then). 'I love my work but I don't like being in the spotlight. I was never going to be an actor' ‘That’s where I feel completely at home,’ he says. ‘You know, it was work. Dad was working. And it was like any kid going to watch