Where was the eventual destination of the borrowed London bus in the UK film 'Summer Holiday'?

Shows by Crossed Keys Musical Theatre Company | Crossed Keys Musical Theatre Company | Old Rep Theatre | Dovehouse Theatre | Birmingham and Solihull Shows Summer Holiday June 2014. Crossed Keys are pleased to announce that we will be performing the musical Summer Holiday @ The DoveHouse Theatre, Langley Arts and Sports Complex, Solihull B92 7ER. 11th – 14th June 2014. The musical is based on the film made famous by Cliff Richard.  The story concerns Don  and his friends who are London bus mechanics. During a miserably wet British summer break, Don arrives, having persuaded London Transport to lend him and his friends a London Double Decker Bus.  This they convert into a holiday caravan, which they drive across continental Europe, intending to reach the South of France. However, their eventual destination is Athens. On the way, they are joined by a girl trio singing group and a runaway singer, initially pretending to be male, pursued by her mother and her agent. The musical includes songs such as The Young Ones, Bachelor Boy, Move It, Livin’ Doll and of course Summer Holiday. We are currently looking for New Members to join Crossed Keys Musical Theatre group to take part in the production.  If you are interested we holding a workshop Monday 7th October 2013 @ The Grange Social Club Acocks Green Birmingham.  Please contact us if you would like attend the workshop. Into the Woods - Crossed Keys are performing the popular musical “Into the Woods”, written by Stephen Sondheim @ The DoveHouse Theatre, Langley Arts and Sports Complex, Solihull B92 7ER. 12th – 15th June 2013. Into the Woods combines the well-known fairy tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack  and the Beanstalk and Little Red Ridinghoood.  It tells the story of the Baker and  his Wife who desperately want a child.  Unfortunately, the Baker and his Wife have been cursed by  a Witch which means they are unable to have a child until the curse is reversed.  In order to rid themselves of the curse they must perform various tasks. While completing these tasks they encounter various well known fairy-tale characters in the woods. and must all learn about the need for community and family when they must unite to fight against the wife of the giant Jack killed who has decided to come back for  revenge. Will they all live Happily Ever After? Journey with us ‘Into the Woods’ this lyrical comic adventure is not to be missed! Book your tickets by calling The DoveHouse Box office 0121 704 6962 or by clicking the link -


Passerini: "When Milk Makes You Sick" are available for downloading in PDF format Just click on the blue "codes" at bottom of this page INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER MOTHER'S MILK: The milk produced by human mammary glands contains about the    same percentage of fat and less protein than cow's milk, but    it has more carbohydrate than that of other mammals. This carbohydrate    is in the form of lactose, a disaccharide. Mammalian infants    depend on their mother's milk for nourishrnent and immunological    protection. As a fresh, temperature-controlled, uncontaminated    food source, the milk from mother's breast is the best at meeting    the needs of the infant. Except for certain populations of Western humans, milk consumption    stops ( or is greatly reduced) with weaning. It also happens    that in animals and most humans there is a decline in the level    of production of lactase with aging. Lactase is the enzyme that    digests milk sugar. (Curtis). Since the sugar lactose is known to occur only in milk, the    advantages offered during infancy by this nutrient have been    studied. A component of the disaccharide, called galactose, is    not found free in nature, and in the synthesis of lactose by    the body a molecule of glucose is converted to galactose then    joined with another glucose molecule. A special advantage of    galactose in infant nutrition may be as a building material in    brain formation (glycolipids usually contain galactose). During    digestion lactose is digested and absorbed more slowly than other    sugars and may improve calcium retention and absorption for increasing    the mineral content of bone. In addition, growth factors, for Lactobacillus bifudus present in human milk may establish    and maintain intestinal flora that are favorable. (Kleiner and    Orten) SYNTHESIS OF LACTOSE ( Keeton and Gould) LACTOSE CHEMISTRY: Galactose and glucose are combined in b-linkage to    yield the sugar lactose. The enzyme lactase, secreted by the    brush border cells of the intestinal epithelium, is capable of    splitting the molecule by hydrolysis. Without lactase the lactose    would pass into the colon undigested. (Keeton and Gould) HYDROLYSIS OF LACTOSE (Keeton and Gould) Since in most persons the body does not continue to secrete    large amounts of lactase enzyme after weaning, milk is indigestible    by a large majority of the world's population. The term "primary    adult lactase deficiency" refers to the NORMAL condition    for most people in whom lactase production has practically ceased.    The decline begins in youth and continues to decline, but the    onset of symptoms varies as to age. There is also a condition    known as "secondary lactase deficiency" which is temporary    and the result of a nutritional deficiency or digestive tract    disease. Primary adult lactase deficiency leads to lactose malabsorption. Lactose intolerance is a condition that results from the    malabsorption and produces symptoms that may cause the person    to avoid milk and other dairy products (some authors would prefer    to change the terrn to lactose malabsorption). (Hein) This is    not an allergy to milk. Allergy is associated with hypersensitivity    to the protein component of milk. (Houts)   GENETICS AND EVOLUTION: Studies concerning the development of lactose deficiency centered    on an induction hypothesis have not been supported by the evidence.    Because the age at which the lactase activity declines varies    (from 3 years of age to more than 20 years), it was postulated    that the presence of lactose in the diet induced the intestinal    cells to continue lactase production. However, long-term feeding    of lactose to people who are malabsorbers did not result in an    increase in lactase activity. Also, depriving persons who are    absorbers of lactose for months at time, did not produce a loss    of lactase activity. Although in the enti


Which incompetent police force featured in the silent film comedies produced by Mack Sennett?

Keystone Cops - YouTube Keystone Cops 11,115 views Last updated on Mar 26, 2015 The Keystone Cops (often spelled "Keystone Kops") were fictional incompetent policemen, featured in silent film comedies in the early 20th century. The movies were produced by Mack Sennett for his Keystone Film Company between 1912 and 1917. The idea came from Hank Mann who also played police chief Tehiezel in the first film before being replaced by Ford Sterling. Their first film was Hoffmeyer's Legacy (1912) but their popularity stemmed from the 1913 short The Bangville Police starring Mabel Normand.


Which unit of power is represented by the symbol W?

Units: W the SI symbol for the watt (see below). wah a traditional unit of distance in Thailand, now aligned with the metric   system as exactly 2 meters (6.562 feet ). This   unit is the Thai version of the fathom . It   is seen mostly in connection with the talangwah or square wah (4 square meters or 4.784 square yards), a common unit of area   in Thailand. Wales in Britain, Wales has long served as an informal unit of area, much as Rhode    Island has been used in the U.S. Wales has an area of about 8015 square miles   or 20 760 square kilometers; it is 7.67 times the size of Rhode Island. wan a unit of quantity in China equal to 10 000. In Chinese, the wan is used   much as the thousand is used in the West, as a basic unit for large quantities.   Thus 100 000 is 10 wan, and 1 000 000 is 100 wan. However, as in the case   of the Greek word myrios (myriad), the word wan is also   used in Chinese to mean an indefinitely large number. watch [1] a traditional unit of time, defined as the time a sentry stands watch or   a ship's crew is on duty. In ancient Rome, the night was divided into four   watches, each roughly three hours long. More recently, one watch is usually   equal to 4 hours on both land and sea. At sea, the evening watch (16-20   hours, or 4-8 pm) is often divided into two shorter watches called "dog   watches." When   dog watches are in effect, sailors will have watch assignments that rotate   through the day instead of falling at the same hours every day. Watches at   sea are divided into 8 bells (4 bells for dog watches). The word watch is   derived from an old English word wæccan which   meant "stay awake." watch [2] another name for a shift . This use was   popularized in the U.S. by CNN Headline News and by the NBC television series Third Watch. water column (WC) a notation seen in pressure measurements. See inch   of water , centimeter of water , or millimeter   of water . water horsepower (whp or Whp) a unit of power used in the U.S. primarily in rating pumps. If a pump has   a capacity of Q gallons per minute   and develops a pressure ("head") of P feet   of head , then its power rating is QP/3956 water horsepower. This   calculation assumes the density of water to be 8-1/3 pounds per U.S. gallon, which is approximately correct but not exact. As a result,   the water horsepower equals 746.043 watts (550.253 foot   pounds per second), slightly more than the ordinary mechanical horsepower . water inch a traditional unit of water flow, supposed to equal the flow through a   circular opening one inch in diameter, assuming the flow is caused only   by gravity. However, this flow rate also depends on the pressure of the   water above the opening. One estimate is 14 U.S. pints per   minute or 2520 U.S. gallons per day [2]   (this is equivalent to 6.624 liters per minute); this estimate assumes the   water level is constantly 1/12 inch (1 line )   above the top of the opening. Another is 500 cubic feet per day, which is   much larger: 3740 U.S. gallons per day or about 9.832 liters per minute.   The latter estimate may depend on a mid-nineteenth century British engineering   definition which required the hole to be centered 1 inch and 1 line below   the water surface, placing the top of the opening 7/12 inch (7 lines) below   the water level. See also miner's   inch . watt (W) [1] the SI unit of power. Power is the rate at which work is done, or (equivalently)   the rate at which energy is expended. One watt is equal to a power rate of   one joule of work per second of time. This   unit is used both in mechanics and in electricity, so it links the mechanical   and electrical units to one another. In mechanical terms, one watt equals   about 0.001 341 02 horsepower (hp) or   0.737 562 foot-pound per second (lbf/s).   In electrical terms, one watt is the power produced by a current of one ampere flowing through an electric potential of one volt .   The name of the unit honors Ja


According to Greek legend, who was the father of Telemachus?

TELEMACHUS, Greek Mythology Index TELEMACHUS ΤΗΛΕΜΑΧΟΣ The son of Odysseus and Penelope (Hom. Od. i. 216). He was still an infant at the time when his father went to Troy, and in his absence of nearly twenty years he grew up to manhood. After the gods in council had determined that Odysseus should return home from the island of Ogygia, Athena , assuming the appearance of Mentes , king of the Taphians, went to Ithaca, and advised Telemachus to eject the troublesome suitors of his mother from his house, and to go to Pylos and Sparta, to gather information concerning his father. Telemachus followed the advice, but the suitors refused to quit his house; and Athena, in the form of Mentes, accompanied Telemachus to Pylos. There they were hospitably received by Nestor , who also sent his own son to conduct Telemachus to Sparta. Menelaus again kindly received him, and communicated to him the prophecy of Proteus concerning Odysseus. (Hom. Od. i.--iv.) From Sparta Telemachus returned home; and on his arrival there, he found his father, with the swineherd Eumaeus . But as Athena had metamorphosed him into a beggar, Telemachus did not recognise his father until the latter disclosed to him who he was. Father and son now agreed to punish the suitors ; and when they were slain or dispersed, Telemachus accompanied his father to the aged Laertes . (Hom. Od. xv.--xxiv.; comp. ODYSSEUS .) In the Post-Homeric traditions, we read that Palamedes , when endeavouring to persuade Odysseus to join the Greeks against Troy, and the latter feigned idiocy, placed the infant Telemachus before the plough with which Odysseus was ploughing. (Hygin. Fab. 95 ; Serv. ad Aen. ii. 81; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 384 ; Aelian, V. H. xiii. 12.) According to some accounts, Telemachus became the father of Perseptolis either by Polycaste , the daughter of Nestor, or by Nausicaa , the daughter of Alcinous . (Eustath. ad Hom. p. 1796; Dict. Cret. vi. 6.) Others relate that he was induced by Athena to marry Circe , and became by her the father of Latinus (Hygin. Fab. 127 ; comp. TELEGONUS ), or that he married Cassiphone , a daughter of Circe, but in a quarrel with his mother-in-law he slew her, for which in his turn he was killed by Cassiphone. (Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 808.) He is also said to have had a daughter called Roma , who married Aeneas . (Serv. ad Aen. i. 273.) One account states that Odysseus, in consequence of a prophecy that his son was dangerous to him, sent him away from Ithaca. Servius (ad Aen. x. 167) makes Telemachus the founder of the town of Clusium in Etruria.


Which Swiss resort is famous for its Cresta Run?

Fear and adrenaline in St Moritz - SWI swissinfo.ch Fear and adrenaline in St Moritz Experienced riders can reach speeds of 130 kilometres per hour (Keystone) Built 125 years ago in St Moritz by bored, barmy English tourists looking for winter fun, the Cresta Run is considered one of the last bastions of true amateur sport. Some 500 club members and friends celebrated the thrilling, historic toboggan run’s birthday last week at a ten-day “bash” in the ultra-chic mountain resort in eastern Switzerland. “It is addictive – I have the X-rays to prove it,” says 74-year-old New Yorker Doug Wilson on the spectator’s bridge outside the St Moritz Tobogganing Club. Dressed in the club’s traditional uniform – yellow-and-burgundy tweed plus-twos, long socks, flat cap and other hunting garb – Wilson lets out a hearty laugh: “I have a few “Cresta kisses” as permanent reminders of the marvellous exciting times.” Beneath us Cresta riders taking part in the annual “Grand National” race launch themselves headfirst down the steep icy track, negotiating its ten perilous curves, including the infamous Shuttlecock corner, at speeds of up to 130 kilometres per hour with just a tilt of the head and deft touch of a spiked boot. “Next up Lord Wrottesley,” echoes the clubhouse tannoy. And in the blink of an eye the black-suited Clifton Hugh Lancelot de Verdon Wrottesley hurtles past for the best time of the day – 50.46 seconds. The Cresta story began in 1885 when English tourists staying at the Kulm Hotel in St Moritz built a banked toboggan course together with locals to compete against rivals from Davos. Some 125 years later the 1,200-metre run still takes exactly the same route. Starting at St Moritz it snakes its way down a narrow gulley following the natural contours, dropping around 150m as it passes through the hamlet of Cresta to the pretty town of Celerina. Every year local workmen rebuild the course by hand and from memory; it remains open for nine weeks from late December until the end of February. Shuttlecock Inside the packed white clubhouse building at “Junction”, from where beginners start, members nervously follow the big race. A huge groan goes up as course record holder James Sunley crashes spectacularly at the long left-hand Shuttlecock bend. There is a very long silent wait until he slowly rises. “James is back on his feet and a bit shaken up,” says the cut-glass tannoy voice. Straw bales and extra piles of soft snow helped cushion his nasty fall but Sunley still has to go for a medical check-up just in case. “Shuttlecock acts as a stop value otherwise you’d be going too fast at the bottom,” explained Matthew Gimlette, who has been a Cresta rider for 25 years. “The Cresta has shallow saucer-like banks so you need to work hard to steer round them or you go out.” This is what makes the Cresta unique compared with luge or bobsled runs, where you can usually get to the end come what may, say club members. Going out at Shuttlecock is also a question of honour. People automatically become members of the Shuttlecock Club, earning them permission to wear the Shuttlecock tie and an invitation to an exclusive dinner. Death talk So how dangerous is the Cresta? Since 1885 four people have died on the course, the last in 1974. On average one ride out of every 1,000 lands in hospital; there are around 12,000 rides per year. “People get fingers run over, bones broken, vertebrae cracked in necks or backs. There have been some serious injuries no doubt, but it’s very unusual for something like that to happen,” said Gimlette, referring to the recent death of Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili, at the Vancouver Olympic Games. Beginners, who sign up for five practice rides, are given clear warnings of the risks in the “Death Talk” given by course “gurus”. “It does frighten people, but that’s the idea,” said Nigel Broadhead, a 66-year-old retired farmer who teaches novices. “But once they’ve done their first run they come back up for more with smiles on their faces.” Bullshots at the bar At the clubhouse bar waiters prepare Bloody Marys and Bulls


Which actress starred in the films Cabaret and Arthur?

Liza Minnelli Cabaret - YouTube Liza Minnelli Cabaret Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Feb 15, 2013 Liza May Minnelli (born March 12, 1946) is an American actress and singer, often referred to as The Queen of Broadway and/or Hollywood. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli. Already established as a nightclub singer and musical theatre actress, she first attracted critical acclaim for her dramatic performances in the movies The Sterile Cuckoo (1969), and Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970); Minnelli then rose to international stardom for her appearance as Sally Bowles in the 1972 film version of the Broadway musical Cabaret, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. She later co-starred in Arthur (1981), starring with Dudley Moore (in the title role) and Sir John Gielgud, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as Arthur's snobbish but loveable butler. While film projects such as Lucky Lady, A Matter of Time and New York, New York were less favorably received than her stage roles, Minnelli became one of the most versatile, highly regarded and best-selling entertainers in television, beginning with Liza with a Z in 1972, and on stage in the Broadway productions of Flora the Red Menace, The Act and The Rink. Minnelli also toured internationally and did shows such as Liza Minnelli: At Carnegie Hall, Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event, and Liza Live from Radio City Music Hall. She starred in Liza's Back in 2002. She had guest appearances in the sitcom Arrested Development and had a small role in the movie The OH in Ohio, while continuing to tour internationally. In 2008/2009, she performed the Broadway show Liza's at The Palace...! which earned a Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event. Minnelli has won a total of four Tony Awards awards, including a Special Tony Award. She has also won an Oscar, an Emmy Award, two Golden Globes and a Grammy Legend Award for her contributions and influence in the recording field, along with many other honors and awards. She is among the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liza_Min... Lyrics


Which British novelist wrote 'Brideshead Revisited'?

‘Brideshead Revisited,’ 30 Years Later - The New York Times The New York Times Television |30 Years Later, Revisiting ‘Brideshead’ Search 30 Years Later, Revisiting ‘Brideshead’ By THOMAS VINCIGUERRA Continue reading the main story Photo Jeremy Irons, left, and Anthony Andrews in “Brideshead Revisited,” the British mini-series, based on Evelyn Waugh's novel, that started running 30 years ago this month on PBS. Credit ITV / Rex Features REVIEWING Evelyn Waugh’s “Brideshead Revisited” in 1946, Edmund Wilson found himself “cruelly disappointed.” After a promising start, he wrote, Waugh abandoned his usual comic motif for a “mere romantic fantasy,” shot through with “shameless and rampant” snobbery and characters both “implausible and tiresome.” Legions of public television viewers ultimately didn’t care. PBS may have enjoyed record ratings and 11 Emmy nominations with “ Downton Abbey ,” the between-the-wars period mini-series returning for a second season next Sunday. But 30 years ago this month another period mini-series, the 11-episode production of “ Brideshead Revisited ,” constituted the biggest British invasion since the Beatles. It made stars of Jeremy Irons , who played the moody, disillusioned painter Charles Ryder, and Anthony Andrews as the outwardly insouciant but desperately dissolute aristocrat Sebastian Flyte. It popularized such English fashions as Oxford bags and terms like “spiffing” (meaning “excellent”). And it proved that people will watch 659 very slow minutes of a costume drama if it is sumptuous enough. The American debut of “Brideshead,” about three months after its premiere in Britain, was a major event. A critic for The Washington Post declared it “the best series ever seen on American television.” Continue reading the main story The series’s lush evocation of a bygone era of English high living was infectious. In New York, Bloomingdale’s unveiled display windows of “Brideshead”-inspired fashions. Young men emulated Sebastian by toting teddy bears they named Aloysius. A New Yorker cartoon depicted a woman introducing a dowdy middle-aged companion: “This is my cousin Sebastian. But, of course, not the Sebastian.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story “I still get letters from people saying, ‘We’re having a “Brideshead” party tonight and dressing up,’ ” Mr. Andrews said in a telephone interview. “It’s strangely comforting.” Nickolas Grace, who played the flamboyant and stuttering aesthete Anthony Blanche, recalled a fan club in Toronto that gathered monthly to dress in purple smoking jackets, apply purple nail polish and discuss decadence. “I said, ‘My God, what have I done to these people?’ ” he said. “People would come up to me in the street and say, ‘Just say “B-brandy Alexander.” ’ ” Was it good television? Mark Broughton, the author of a history of the show to be published this year by the British Film Institute and Palgrave Macmillan, thinks so. He called the mini-series “far more effective” than Waugh’s novel because it better revealed the damage done to Jeremy Irons’s character by a deceptively charming, immensely wealthy family. “Perhaps no other television program or film has captured the experience of a place over time with such lyricism and sophistication,” he wrote in an e-mail. “This lyricism is, however, tempered with a sense that the beauty fetishized by the protagonist, Charles Ryder, is a facade. The historical, cultural and personal forces that wear away at Ryder are unveiled at the same time as his self-deception becomes apparent.” Photo A DVD reissue of the show for the anniversary. Yet that very depth of theme, even when evinced by John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier and Claire Bloom, inspired plenty of criticism. Many viewers, bored by the languid pace of the show, tuned out early. “ Too many tuxedoes ,” Ginia Bellafante wrote in The New York Times, looking back on the series in 2008, “too many luncheons and plover eggs, too many Champagne flutes and too much recuperation: it feels like 24 hours of the Fine Living Network.” “Brideshead” was the product of a uniquely ambitio


What is the largest lake in the British Isles?

The British Isles' Extreme Bodies of Water - Major Rivers Of The British Isles Major Rivers Of The British Isles The British Isles' Extreme Bodies of Water                                                   The British Isles consist of six thousand, two hundred and eighty nine islands, one hundred and forty of which are inhabited, which have a combined coastline of twelve thousand, eight hundred and ten miles.   The islands consist of two sovereign states, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, and two self governing crown dependencies,  the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, which between them are home to around four thousand miles of rivers and canals.    Listed below are the extreme bodies of water found within the British Isles. The lists include the longest rivers, the largest freshwater lakes, the largest (man made) reservoirs, the largest (sea) bays, the longest (man made) canals and the highest (tallest drop) waterfalls.      Longest River - River Shannon, Republic of Ireland - 240 miles. Largest Lake - Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland - Surface area of 147.87 square miles. Largest Reservoir - Silent Valley Reservoir, Northern Ireland - (pictured above)   Surface area of 13.9 square miles.  Largest Bay - Moray Firth, Scotland - Surface area of 12,000 square miles.  Largest Natural Harbour - Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, Scotland - 120 square miles.  Longest Canal - Leeds / Liverpool Canal, England - 142.6 miles. Highest Waterfall - Eas a Chual Alluinn, Scotland - 200 meter drop.     Longest River - River Thames -  215 miles. Largest Lake - Lake Windermere - Surface area of 5.69 square miles Largest Reservoir - Kielder Water - Surface area of 10.86 square miles. Largest Bay - The Wash - Surface area of 100 square miles.    Largest Natural Harbour - Poole Harbour, Dorset - 14 square miles. Longest Canal - Leeds / Liverpool Canal - 142.6 miles. Highest Waterfall - Cautley Spout - 175 meter drop.     Longest River - River Severn, England / Wales – 220 miles. Largest Lake - Loch Lomond, Scotland - Surface area of 27.45 square miles. Largest Reservoir - Kielder Water, England - Surface area of 10.86 square miles.  Largest Bay - Moray Firth, Scotland - Surface area of 12,000 square miles.   Largest Natural Harbour - Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands - 120 square miles.  Longest Canal - Leeds / Liverpool Canal, England - 142.6 miles.  Highest Waterfall - Eas a Chuall Alluinn, Scotland - 200 meter drop.    Longest River - River Sulby - 11 miles. Largest Lake - Mooragh Park Lake - Surface area of 40 square acres. Largest Reservoir - Sulby Reservoir - Surface area of 128 square acres. Largest Bay - Ramsey Bay - Surface area of 216 square miles.   Largest Natural Harbour - Douglas Harbour - 3 square miles.  Highest Waterfall - Ineen Vooar - 40 meter drop.     Longest River - River Bann - 42 miles. Largest Lake - Lough Neagh - Surface area of 147.87 square miles. Largest Reservoir - Silent Valley Reservoir - Surface area of 13.9 square miles.  Largest Bay - Lough Foyle - Surface area of 2,204 hectares. Longest Canal - Ulster Canal - 46 miles.  Highest Waterfall - Ness Wood Falls - 9 meter drop.    Longest River - River Shannon - 240 miles. Largest Lake - Lake Corrib - Surface area of 110 square miles Largest Reservoir - Poulaphouca Reservoir - Surface area of 7 square miles. Largest Bay - Donegal Bay - Surface area of 616 square miles.  Largest Natural Harbour - Cork Harbour  - 27 square miles.  Longest Canal - Grand Canal - 82 miles.  Highest Waterfall - Power's Court Waterfall - 121 meter drop.    Longest River - River Tay - 120 miles. Largest Lake - Loch Lomond - Surface area of 27.45 square miles. Largest Reservoir - Carron Valley Reservoir - Surface area of 1.51 square miles.  Largest Bay - Moray Firth - Surface area of 12,000 square miles.   Largest Natural Harbour - Scapa Flow - 120 square miles.  Longest Canal - Caledonian Canal - 62 miles. Highest Waterfall - Eas a Chuall Alluinn - 200 meter drop.


Which British scientist discovered benzene?

Benzene Benzene A Shining Molecule The hydrocarbon that we now call benzene was first isolated in 1825 by Michael Faraday from an oily film that deposited from the gas used for lighting. Faraday did some experiments, and discovered that the new compound had equal numbers of carbons and hydrogens, and so named it 'carbureted hydrogen'. Another chemist, Laurent, proposed that due to it being discovered in illuminating gas, it should instead be called pheno, from the Greek phainein, meaning to shine. This name never really gained acceptance, but persists to this day as phenyl - the name for the C6H5- group. Michael Faraday - the discoverer of benzene Nine years after its discovery, another chemist, Mitscherlich, found he could produce the same substance by heating a chemical that had been isolated from gum benzoin - so he decided to call the compound benzin. Other chemists rejected this name because it implied the compound was similar to alkaloids, such as quinine. Another suggestion was the German name, benzol, from the German öl, meaning oil. But in France and England the name benzene was used instead, to avoid the -ol ending confusing it with an alcohol. The Bonding Enigma The fact that benzene had a formula (C6H6) that suggested a polyene structure (i.e. many double- or triple-bonds), but did not behave at all like the other polyenes was an enigma for 19th Century chemists. In fact, whereas all the other known polyenes (e.g. butadiene) were highly reactive, benzene was remarkably inert. It became increasingly clear that there was something fundamentally different about benzene, and the family of related molecules that were gradually being synthesised from it. Because of their characteristic smells, these relatively inert, benzene-like compounds became known as aromatic compounds. The Kekulé Structure In 1865, Kekulé suggested that the structure of benzene was a regular hexagon with a hydrogen at each corner. "My mental eye..could now distinguish larger structures of manifold conformations; long rows, sometimes more closely fitted together; all twisting and turning in snake-like motion. But look! What was that? One of the snakes had seized hold of its own tail...". Later on he modified this theory to treat benzene as a mixture of cyclohexatrienes in rapid equilibrium: "...the form whirled mockingly before my eyes...". Cyclohexatriene But such a structure should be highly reactive, and so didn't account for the unreactive nature of benzene. Other structures that were proposed at the time were Armstrong's centroid structure and Ladenburg's prismane. Armstrong's 'centroid' Ladenburg's prismane We now know that the best representation for the structure of benzene is indeed, hexagonal, with each C-C bond distance being identical, and intermediate between those for a single and double bond. The p-orbitals from each neighbouring C overlap to form a delocalised molecular orbital which extends around the ring, giving added stability and with it, decreased reactivity. delocalised p-orbitals Thus, benzene is often written as: or The extra stability that is conferred by the resonance energy makes benzene by far the most stable compared to some of the valence isomers of C6H6 shown below. Their relative stabilities are in the order benzene > benzvalene > Dewar benzene > prismane > bicyclo-propenyl, and their energies from highest to lowest differ by almost 546 kJ/mol. Toluene and Xylene Toluene is simply benzene with an extra methyl group added to the ring, and is well-known as the precursor to TNT. It got its name because it was originally obtained from the gum of the South American tree Toluifera balsamum. This balsum, commonly called Tolu balsum, is a yellowy-brown with a pleasant aroma, and has been used in perfumes and cough syrup.  On the other hand, the xylenes (from the Greek xulon for wood, since they were once obtained by distilling wood in the absence of air), have 2 methyl groups attached to the ring.  There are 3 possible isomers of xylene, ortho-xylene , where the to methyls are next to each other, meta-


Which British novelist wrote 'The Scarlet Pimpernel'?

Author Baroness Emma Orczy - creator of the Scarlet Pimpernel   The creator of the Scarlet Pimpernel was the Hungarian-born           novelist Baroness Emmuska Orczy. Emma Magdalena Rosalia Maria Josefa Barbara Orczy was born           on 23 September 1865 at the family estate "Tarna-ï¿½rs" in Hungary, the second daughter of Baron Felix Orczy, a composer           and conductor, and his wife Emma. baron Orczy was a friend           of the great composers Wagner, Liszt and Gounod, who were           regular visitors to the family's estate. The baron, fearful           of the consequences of a peasant revolt         in Hungary, moved himself and his family from Budapest to Brussels         and then on to Paris. In Brussels and Paris young Emma was educated         in convent schools and studied music without success. The family         soon thereafter moved to London where Emma was 15 when she learned         to speak English. In London she studied at the West London School         of Art. Later, while studying at the Heatherby School of Art,         Emma Orczy met Montague Barstow, who she married in 1894. Together         they wrote and illustrated books and magazine articles and together         published an edition of Hungarian folk stories. The         gifted young Emma was also a talented artist and her works were         exhibited at the Royal Academy, London. Hard           times As a young married couple starting life together Emma and           Montague had little money. He had to work as a translator           and an illustrator to supplement his meagre income. Emma started           writing soon after the birth of her only child, John Montague           Orczy-Barstow, in 1899. Her first novel, The Emperor's           Candlesticks (1899), was a failure. She did, however,           fare better with a series of detective         stories, The Old Man in the Corner, which were published         in the Royal Magazine. (The stories later featured in a         series of British movies from 1924 onwards.) Emma enjoyed more sucess with next novel, In Mary's Reign, which         was published in 1901. Birth of         the Pimpernel A turning point         came in 1903 when Emma and Montague wrote a play based on one         of Emma's short stories. The story was about an English aristocrat,         Sir Percy Blakeney, who rescued his French counterparts from the         bloody revolution taking place in that country. Emmy drew on her         own family's plight of having to flee from the empowered working         classes in penning the famous literary character. She submitted her novelization of the story under the same title to         12 publishers before it was published in 1905. An interesting         aside is that while waiting for a publisher to take up her novel,         Emma had her play accepted by Fred Terry and Julia Neilson for         production in the West End. Initially, it drew small audiences         but ended up running for four years in London. The play broke         many stage records and was translated and produced in other countries.         It underwent a number of revivals. Most importantly, the theatrical         success of the play generated huge sales for the novel. Other work Baroness         Orczy is best remembered for The Scarlet Pimpernel but         she also wrote scores of mystery novels, adventure romances and         other titles. At least a dozen of her novels were follow-ups to The Scarlet Pimpernel. These, however, were generally regarded         as less successful. Still, her work was commercially successful         and she was able


Which Armenian composer wrote the ballets Gayaneh and Spartacus?

Aram Ilyich Khachaturian: Composer's life & music | Classic FM Aram Ilyich Khachaturian Biography Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978) was an Armenian composer who continued the nationalist tradition of the St. Petersburg school, and is known principally for his Piano Concerto and the ballets Gayaneh and Spartacus. Life and Music Khachaturian was born to a poor Armenian family in Tbilisi, Georgia. His first experience of music was hearing his mother's singing and other folk music in Tbilisi. This Armenian folk tradition later inspired some of his music. In 1921 he moved to Moscow and entered the university to study biology, for a while intending to become a biologist. At the same time as studying biology, he also studied the cello at the Gnesin Institute. He then switched to the composition faculty at the Gnesin Institute, before studying at the Moscow Conservatory. He was accepted into the Composers’ Union in 1932 but incurred official disapproval for his Second Symphony and Violin Concerto in 1948. Khachaturian wrote about 25 film scores, mainly very patriotic. He is known principally for his Piano Concerto and the ballets Gayaneh and Spartacus. The theme tune to The Onedin Line is the Adagio from Khachaturian's Spartacus and Phrygia. Khachaturian mixed with a wide range of artists throughout his life, including writers Gorky and Hemingway, Oistrakh, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Boulanger, Chaplin, Karajan, Messiaen, Rostropovich, Rubinstein, Sibelius, Stravinsky and Szeryng. Khachaturian was the first composer to synthesise the musical styles of his age with his traditional Armenian heritage. Did you know?


Of which country is the Glomma the longest river?

Glomma | river, Norway | Britannica.com Glomma Volga River Glomma, also spelled Glåma, river , eastern Norway . Rising in a series of small lakes and streams that drain into Aursunden (lake) about 80 miles (130 km) southeast of Trondheim, near the Swedish-Norwegian border, the Glomma flows out of the lake southward through Østerdalen (Eastern Valley) to Kongsvinger, then westward and southwestward into Øyeren (lake). From there it continues southward to Sarpsborg and enters Oslo Fjord at Fredrikstad after a course of 372 miles. The longest river in Scandinavia, it drains an area of 16,236 square miles (42,051 square km). Its chief tributaries are the Atna, Rena, and Vorma. Glomma river at Elverum, Nor. Jensens The Glomma flows through Norway’s richest timber forests to Sarpsborg, which has extensive sawmills and paper mills to handle the logs that are floated downstream. The river is a major source of hydroelectric power. Flumes (artificial channels) bypass the falls and power plants, and the Glomma is navigable from its mouth up to the Sarpsfoss (Sarps Falls) at Sarpsborg. Learn More in these related articles: Norway country of northern Europe that occupies the western half of the Scandinavian peninsula. Nearly half of the inhabitants of the country live in the far south, in the region around Oslo, the capital. About two-thirds of Norway is mountainous, and off its much-indented coastline lie, carved by deep... Østerdalen narrow valley, Hedmark fylke (county), southeastern Norway. It extends in a general north-south direction from the eastern flanks of the Dovre Mountains and is approximately 75 miles (120 km) long. The Glomma (Glåma), Norway’s longest river, flows through the valley. Lumbering,... in Norway: Drainage The Glåma (Glomma) River, running south almost the entire length of eastern Norway, is 372 miles (600 km) long—close to twice the length of the two other large drainage systems in southern Norway, which meet the sea at the cities of Drammen and Skien. The only other long river is the 224-mile- (360-km-) long Tana-Anarjåkka, which runs northeast along part of the border with... 2 References found in Britannica Articles Assorted References drainage of Norway  (in Norway: Drainage ) physiography of Østerdalen  (in Østerdalen ) External Links Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later. Edit Mode Submit Tips For Editing We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles. You can make it easier for us to review and, hopefully, publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind. Encyclopædia Britannica articles are written in a neutral objective tone for a general audience. You may find it helpful to search within the site to see how similar or related subjects are covered. Any text you add should be original, not copied from other sources. At the bottom of the article, feel free to list any sources that support your changes, so that we can fully understand their context. (Internet URLs are the best.) Your contribution may be further edited by our staff, and its publication is subject to our final approval. Unfortunately, our editorial approach may not be able to accommodate all contributions. Submit Thank You for Your Contribution! Our editors will review what you've submitted, and if it meets our criteria, we'll add it to the article. Please note that our editors may make some formatting changes or correct spelling or grammatical errors, and may also contact you if any clarifications are needed. Uh Oh There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later. Close Date Published: September 15, 2010 URL: https://www.britannica.com/place/Glomma Access Date: January 18, 2017 Share


The characters Dame Caruthers and Jack Point appear in which Gilbert & Sullivan opera?

C20th Gilbert & Sullivan - archive     Items on this page      have mostly (but not exclusively) already sold. Although the main aim      of this site is not to be educational, the programmes we have sold in      the past form an interesting record of the work of Gilbert, Sullivan      and D'Oyly Carte. Items are listed in date order, according to printing      date of the item (where known) and hopefully this page will be of interest      to researchers and collectors. Titles of items relating to just Gilbert appear in PINK, Sullivan's works      are in BLUE and joint works are GREEN. London      opening night dates are given in purple.      Early items which are currently for sale will be found here on the site.     ROBERT      THE DEVIL Gilbert's opera, Robert the Devil was the first production at the new Gaiety Theatre      on 21st December 1868. This programme dates      from January 30th 1869, when the piece      was preceded by the curtain raisers On the Cards and The Two      Harlequins. It includes a full page of extracts from London newspapers,      reviewing both the venue and the entertainments.     ROBERT      THE DEVIL By March 29th 1869, Robert the Devil was preceded by T.W. Roertson's play Dreams and The Two Harlequins. There had been a few minor changes in      the cast, but the title role was still played by Nellie Farren. The      piece ran until at least April 19th, but had definately been withdrawn      by May 17th, so ran for less than 150 performances.     ROBERT      THE DEVIL Robert the Devil was in fact a parody of Meyerbeer's opera Robert Le Diable and      was the last in a series of three such burlesques. It was revived at      the Gaiety Theatre many times. This programme dates from June      1871, when the piece followed a "new" arrangement of      Balfe's, Letty, the Basket Maker.     THESPIS The first Gilbert & Sullivan collaboration opened at the Gaiety Theatre on 26th      December 1871. This early example of the programme was printed      sometime before Jan 13th. The companion piece, Dearer Than Life,      was replaced by Ganymede & Galatea and Off the Line on 20th January, and by Paul Pry on 26th February. Thespis closed on 8th March 1872 and was given just one revival, at Mdlle.      Clary's benefit on 28th April 1872.     THESPIS INTERRUPTED Thespis ran      for 63 nights, not 64 as often stated, as there was a one-night break      in the run. Most London theatre managements declined to present a fully      costumed performance on Ash Wednesday, in order to show respect for      the start of Lent. Hollingshead therefore replaced Thespis on      14th February 1872 with a Miscellaneous Entertainment. By a      remarkable coincidence George Grossmith (presumably the younger) gave      a parody of a Penny Reading as part of a bill which also featured ventriloquists      and performing dogs !     PYGMALION & GALATEA Gilbert's Pygmalion & Galatea opened at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on December 9th 1871. This programme is for      the 40th performance, on January 25th 1872; Mr Kendal and Miss Robertson      in the title roles. The play was preceded by a Buckstone farce, The      Irish Lion, and followed by Charles Mathhews' farce, Uncle Foozle.     CREATURES      OF IMPULSE This Gilbert play      first opened at the Royal Court Theatre on 2nd      April 1871. Edward Righton recreated his role of the miser Boomblehardt,      in this revival, from October 1872, although most of the cast is different      from that seen at the premiere. Interestingly, it is still described      as a "New Fairy Tale".     PYGMALION & GALATEA The author sanctioned      a tour of Pygmalion & Galatea by L. J. Sefton's London Comedy      Company, the production reaching Worcester on 26th December 1872, where      it played for


In 2013 the drinks brands Lucozade and Ribena were bought by which Japanese company?

Japanese clinch £1.35bn Ribena and Lucozade buy from GlaxoSmithKline | The Independent Home News Japanese clinch £1.35bn Ribena and Lucozade buy from GlaxoSmithKline The drinks are made in the UK at a factory in Coleford, Gloucestershire, which employs around 500 staff Monday 9 September 2013 08:34 BST Click to follow The Independent Online Japan's Suntory Beverage & Food has bought GlaxoSmithKline's Lucozade and Ribena PA Ribena and Lucozade were today sold to the Japanese for £1.3bn — the price of 2.3 billion cartons of the blackcurrant drink. GlaxoSmithKline, Britain’s biggest drugmaker, put the drinks up for sale in February as part of chief executive Sir Andrew Witty’s push on healthcare brands and vaccines. Private equity firms including Blackstone and Lion Capital were thought to be interested in the brands but Japan’s Suntory Beverage & Food, which entered the European market four years ago when it bought Orangina Schweppes for £2.2 billion, won out. Suntory secured global rights to the drinks, which together have sales of £500 million a year, and GSK’s Coleford manufacturing site in the Forest of Dean. “The vast majority of employees at the site and those working on Lucozade and Ribena in commercial and R&D functions will transfer to [Suntory] under the provisions of English employment law,” Glaxo said. But it will continue to make and distribute Lucozade and Ribena under licence in Nigeria. “Glucozade”, first manufactured by Newcastle chemist William Owen in 1927, has become the second-biggest soft drinks brand in the UK last year, according to retail analyst Nielsen. David Redfern, chief strategy officer at GSK, which is facing claims of corruption at its Chinese business, said: “Lucozade and Ribena are iconic brands that have made a huge contribution to GSK, but now is the right time to sell them as we increase the focus of our consumer healthcare business and execute the delivery of our late stage pipeline of pharmaceuticals and vaccines.” More about:


Who, in 2013, became King of Belgium on the abdication of his father King Albert II?

Philippe becomes king of Belgium Philippe becomes king of Belgium Belgium will get a new king when Albert's son, Philippe, takes the oath. Post to Facebook Philippe becomes king of Belgium Belgium will get a new king when Albert's son, Philippe, takes the oath. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: http://usat.ly/16S6otk CancelSend A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. 7 To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs Philippe becomes king of Belgium Raf Casert and Mike Corder, Associated Press Published 4:57 a.m. ET July 21, 2013 | Updated 12:28 p.m. ET July 21, 2013 CLOSE x Share King Philippe I became Belgium's seventh monarch on Sunday's national day after his father Albert abdicated as the head of the fractured nation. (July 21) AP Prince Philippe of Belgium takes his oath following the abdication of his father King Albert II at the Federal Parliament on Sunday in Brussels. (Photo: Getty Images) Belgium's King Albert abdicates after a 20-year reign Son takes oath as the nation's seventh king 79-year-old Albert signed away his rights as the kingdom's largely ceremonial ruler BRUSSELS - King Philippe I became Belgium's seventh monarch during a national holiday on Sunday after his father Albert abdicated as the head of this fractured nation. After he took the oath at the parliament filled with representatives of the 6 million Dutch-speaking Flemings and 4.5 million Francophones, Philippe insisted "the wealth of our nation and our institutions consists in turning our diversity into a strength." The ceremony capped a day of transition which started when Philippe's father, the 79-year-old Albert, signed away his rights as the kingdom's largely ceremonial ruler at the royal palace in the presence of Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, who holds the political power in this 183-year-old parliamentary democracy. Less than two hours later, the nation got a new king While crowds of well-wishers cheered the royal family's every move Sunday, far from everybody in Belgium was happy with the new king.when Philippe, 53, pledged to abide by Belgium's laws and constitution. One Flemish separatist group, the Flemish Interest party, boycotted the parliamentary ceremony, while the legislature's biggest party, the N-VA New Flemish Alliance, sent only a limited delegation without its leader, Bart De Wever. "We are full-blooded democrats and the purest form of democracy is the republic," said Jan Jambon, the parliamentary leader of the party, which has surged to become the main opposition party seeking Flemish independence through transition. Their absence also highlighted one of the biggest challenges Philippe will face in his reign — how to remain relevant as a unitary symbol in a nation ever more drifting apart between the northern Flemings and the southern Francophones. Philippe made no attempt to paper over those cracks, instead casting the country's division as one of its strengths. "Time and again we find the balance between unity and diversity," King Philippe said. "Belgium's strength is precisely that we make room for our differences." There was enough unity on show when the new royal couple appeared at the palace's balcony cheered by some 10,000 well-wishers braving the relentless sun and 30C (86F) heat. Flanked by huge bouquets of white roses, lilies and gerbera, King Philippe kissed new Queen Mathilde's hand and got a peck on the cheek in return. President Obama sent the new king congratulations, said American National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden. "The president also sends his heartfelt appreciation to King Albert II for his warmth, service, and leadership as he steps down after nearly 20 years," the statement said. "Belgium is a valued friend of the United States, and the president looks forward to continuing to deepen this bond in the years to come." Unlike a disturbance during the oath-taking by King Albert 20 years ago, when one legislator shouted "Long live the European Republic," Sunday's ceremony in th


Who, in 2013, became King of the Netherlands on the abdication of his mother Queen Beatrix?

Willem-Alexander Is New King of Netherlands - The New York Times The New York Times Europe |A King Takes the Throne, and a Nation Celebrates Search Continue reading the main story Photo Willem-Alexander, the new king of the Netherlands, received a kiss from his mother, Beatrix, who abdicated on Tuesday. His wife, Maxima, looked on. Credit Jeroen Van Der Meyde/Dutch Royal House AMSTERDAM — To the cheers of tens of thousands of people crammed shoulder to shoulder outside the royal palace here, Willem-Alexander of the House of Orange-Nassau became the Netherlands ’ first king in 123 years on Tuesday as his mother, Queen Beatrix , ended a 33-year reign with the stroke of a pen, signing the act of abdication in an ornate chamber at the palace. Seated on a gilded chair and flanked by the Dutch cabinet, Beatrix, 75, became the third successive Dutch queen to abdicate, changing her title to princess as supporters celebrating the continuity of the monarchy thronged Dam Square outside the palace. Many had gathered for hours, clad in orange, the royal color, to watch the brief, long-planned and relatively low-key event on large television screens. The day’s events, a mix of tightly choreographed official pageantry and boisterous street parties across Amsterdam, helped lift the gloom created by a slumping economy, unpopular austerity measures and growing public recognition that, as the new king noted in an afternoon address, “it now seems less self-evident that the next generation will be better off than the last.” Dressed in an orange suit, Bart Koops, an executive at a bed company and a fervent royalist, joined the throng of other revelers early on Tuesday. “Monarchy is what unites us and makes us Dutch,” Mr. Koops said. “This is a great day.” Photo Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, front, in hat, who abdicated the throne in favor of her son, Willem-Alexander, with her granddaughters during his investiture ceremony.  Credit Michael Kooren/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images He added: “The monarchy is a point of stability and unity. Politicians just fight each other.” In contrast to the British royal family, he said, Dutch royals are far less formal, and they are in tune with the open, easygoing spirit of the Netherlands. “Look at the countries that don’t have royalty,” he said. “They are missing something.” Continue reading the main story Beatrix announced in January that she would step down to make way for a younger generation. After signing the formal declaration of abdication shortly after 10 a.m., Beatrix, the new king and his Argentine-born wife emerged onto a flower-bedecked balcony to cheers from the crowd. Church bells rang out across the city. Advertisement In the early afternoon, the crowd in Dam Square roared as King Willem-Alexander, trailing a long fur-trimmed cape, and his wife, Queen Maxima, entered the 15th-century Nieuwe Kerk, or New Church, next to the royal palace for the investiture ceremony. Unlike royal rituals in England, there was no religious blessing or coronation. Paying tribute to his mother and promising to continue her course, Willem-Alexander, 46, stressed the need to respect diversity and promised that “however varied our backgrounds, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands everyone can have a voice and can contribute to society on an equal footing.” Photo Dancing in Amsterdam, where throngs of people, most dressed in orange, celebrated the monarchy. The day was a mix of tightly choreographed pageantry and boisterous street parties. Credit Emilio Morenatti/Associated Press He also acknowledged his subjects’ growing economic woes as the country’s once robust economy struggles with its third recession since 2009. Populist politicians have exploited this pain to press demands that the Netherlands halt immigration and crack down on welfare payments to foreign-born residents. “I succeed to the throne at a time when many in the kingdom feel vulnerable and uncertain,” he said, according to an official translation of his remarks. “Vulnerable in their jobs or their health. Uncertain about their income or the en


Cadbury changed the recipe for creme eggs and Brits say it’s “ruining Easter” — Quartz Chocolate is very important to the British. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Share Sonali Kohli January 12, 2015 British chocoholics have not been happy since the American company Kraft bought Cadbury in 2010. They’ve expressed displeasure with a variety of offenses, including a factory shutdown , the new shape of the brand’s iconic Dairy Milk chocolate bars, and a decision by Mondelez (the candy business that Kraft spun off in 2012 and left in charge of the Cadbury brand) to quit giving Christmas gifts to Cadbury pensioners. Now they have a new gripe, tied to changes made to the Cadbury Creme Eggs that hatch for Easter. With varying degrees of indignation, newspapers in the UK reported that the fondant-stuffed chocolate eggs are no longer held together (paywall) by a shell of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk chocolate, and that cartons that formerly held six-packs of eggs now nest only five . The Telegraph went so far this morning as to include the recipe change in a list of six ways in which the Cadbury brand “has been trashed,” and WalesOnline.com quotes a consumer who has accused the candy company of “ ruining Easter .” A Mondelez spokeswoman confirms that the recipe for the eggs produced and sold in the UK has been changed from Dairy Milk Chocolate to “standard, traditional Cadbury milk chocolate.” Some might find such a change worthy of little more than a shrug; others have felt compelled to comment on the product’s own Facebook page , which has received comments such as this: Thanks, Kraft, for ruining Creme Eggs—they now taste like any other generic chocolate egg… I only liked them with the Dairy Milk. No more for me! Oh, and I shan’t be buying any of your other ‘chocolate’ either! We haven’t tasted the new egg, so it’s unclear to us how different they might be—and indeed some might question whether they were any good in the first place. But the sheer act of Mondelez co-opting and tinkering with a classic British treat is enough to stoke anger; our attachment to brands is a powerful thing. Read full story


The characters Mad Margaret and Robin Oakapple appear in which Gilbert & Sullivan opera?

Ruddigore by W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan You are here: Archive Home > Ruddigore 1887 Publicity Drawing "Ruddigore, or The Witch's Curse" was the 10th collaboration between Gilbert and Sullivan. The "supernatural opera" opened on January 21, 1887 at the Savoy Theatre and ran for 288 performances. It was not revived until 1920 when it was substantially cut and provided with a new overture arranged by Geoffrey Toye. The opera is a parody of the stock melodrama — the villain who carries off the maiden; the priggishly good-mannered poor-but-virtuous-heroine; the hero in disguise, and his faithful old retainer who dreams of their former glory days; the snake in the grass who claims to be following his heart; the wild, mad girl; the swagger of fire-eating patriotism; ghosts coming to life to enforce a curse; and so forth. But as one critic noted, Gilbert turns the moral absolutes of melodrama upside down: Good becomes bad, bad becomes good, and heroes take the easy way out. The Baronets of Ruddigore are cursed. Anyone who succeeds to the title has to commit a crime every day — or perish in inconceivable agony. Robin Oakapple, a young farmer loves Rose Maybud, but both are too shy to tell the other. But Robin has a secret. He is really Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd, the rightful Baronet of Ruddigore, in disguise. His younger brother, Despard, believing Ruthven to be dead, has assumed the title. Robin's foster brother, Richard, seeking Rose for himself, tells Despard of Robin's deception, and Robin is forced to accept his true position, losing Rose to Richard in the process. Now the Baronet of Ruddigore, Robin is confronted by the he ghosts of his ancestors who step from their picture frames in the gallery of Ruddigore Castle to confront him for failing to conscientiously commit his daily crime. Robin eventually finds a way of satisfying his ancestors demands whilst continuing to live a blameless life... All the Music 1950 D'Oyly Carte Decca recording [at the Internet Archive] Download a Vocal Score: We have a vocal score available for downloading. It is based on the vocal score issued during Sullivan's lifetime and so does not incorporate the changes made by Geoffrey Toye for Rupert D'Oyly Carte's 1921 production. It also differs from the Vocal Score published by Oxford University Press in some details. There are two PDF Files: Act 1 [2.03MB] and Act 2 [1.14MB]. Internet Archive: A copy of the Vocal Score published by Chappell in the early 20th century (before Toye's "revision") can be downloaded in a variety of formats. IMSLP has band parts for the score as "revised" by Geoffrey Toye. Original Finale : Vocal Score, Full Score and Band Parts in PDF format contributed by Larry Byler . Dance Arrangements


Who painted 'The Adoration of the Magi' and 'The Last Supper'?

The Adoration of the Magi - by Leonardo Da Vinci The Adoration of the Magi Courtesy of LeonardoDaVinci.net The Adoration of the Magi is an early painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo was given the commission by the Augustinian monks of San Donato a Scopeto in Florence, but departed for Milan the following year, leaving the painting           unfinished. It has been in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence since 1670. The Virgin Mary and Child are depicted in the foreground and form a triangular shape with the Magi kneeling in adoration. Behind them is a semicircle of accompanying figures, including what may be a self-portrait of the young           Leonardo (on the far right). In the background on the left is the ruin of a pagan building, on which workmen can be seen, apparently repairing it. On the right are men on horseback fighting, and a sketch of a rocky landscape. The ruins are a possible reference to the Basilica of Maxentius, which, according to Medieval legend, the Romans claimed would stand until a virgin gave birth. It is supposed to have collapsed on the night of Christ's birth (in fact           it was not even built until a later date). The ruins dominate a preparatory perspective drawing by Leonardo, which also includes the fighting horsemen. The palm tree in the centre has associations with the Virgin Mary, partly due to           the phrase 'You are stately as a palm tree' from the Song of Solomon, which is believed to prefigure her. Another aspect of the palm tree can be the usage of the palm tree as a symbol of victory for ancient Rome, whereas in           Christianity it is a representation of martyrdom triumph over death so in conclusion we can say that the palm in general represents triumph. The other tree in the painting is from the carob family, the seeds from the tree are used as           a unit of measurement. They measure valuable stones and jewels. This tree and its seeds are associated with crowns suggesting Christ as the king of kings or the Virgin as the future Queen of heaven, also that this is nature's gift to           the new born Christ. As with Michelangelo 's Doni Tondo the background is probably supposed to represent the Pagan world supplanted by the Christian world, as inaugurated by the events in the foreground. Courtesy of LeonardoDaVinci.net The Adoration of the Magi is perhaps one of Leonardo da Vinci's strangest and most fertile compositions. By combining figures of pleading old men and armed horsemen, he transformed a banal biblical subject into a scene from human    history. At the same time, he took the technique of non finito to its extreme. The figures and architectural elements boldly delineated and filled out in earth colors on the five boards that make up this panel anticipate the type of    sketchwork that will characterize modern art. This picture is remarkable for its extreme concentration and power. Leornardo's contemporaries erroneously assumed that it was unfinished.


Who, between 1032 and 1048, became the only man to become Pope more than once and also the only one to sell the papacy? (name only required)

A history of papal resignations | Euronews A history of papal resignations Now Reading: A history of papal resignations Today's Top Stories last updated: 11/02/2013 Euronews Benedict XVI is the first pope to resign in almost 600 years and in all of papal history there have been only four others who are known to have stepped down and they are some of the more colourful characters in Catholicism. Benedict IX and Gregory VI – A Pope Opera (1032 – 1048) We begin with the current pope’s namesake Pope Benedict IX, who also holds the distinctions of being the only man to be Pope more than once – he held the office three times – and the only man to sell the papacy. Unlike the current pope, Benedict IX was a young man when he was made Pontiff in 1032, aged somewhere between 11 and 20. He is said to have got the top job only due to his family connections and was by all accounts a very bad egg, “a demon from hell in the disguise of a priest,” as anti-papal historian Ferdinand Gregorovius put it. While St Peter Damian allegedly described him as “feasting on immorality”. As well as being accused of committing “many vile adulteries and murders”, he is also said to be the first pope who was primarily homosexual and was said to have held orgies in the Lateran palace. The scandalous Benedict faced a couple of attempts to oust him, including one in 1036 from which he returned to Rome with the help of Emperor Conrad II, and a second in 1044 in which the opposition forced him from the city and elected John, Bishop of Sabina as Pope Sylvester III. In April 1045 Benedict IX’s forces returned and expelled his rival. However soon after this it is said he decided to marry and just a month later his godfather, the pious priest John Gratian, paid him to resign the papacy to himself become Pope Gregory VI. Benedict IX’s Godfather was an entirely different figure, known as a man of great reputation and uprightness of character. Though it was hailed with joy all round, Gregory VI’s accession did not bring peace to the church. Pope Sylvester III still claimed the papal throne and connived with his allies. To further complicate things Benedict IX, unable to woo his intended bride, soon regretted his resignation and staked his claim on the papacy once more. Gregory VI tried to bring about civil and religious order, but his rivals were too strong and confusion only increased. At this point a number of influential clergy and laity separated themselves from all contenders and called on Emperor Henry III to cross the Alps from Germany and restore order, which he did in 1046. Gregory VI and Sylvester III presented themselves to the Emperor and both Benedict IX and Sylvester’s claims to the papacy were soon dismissed. But Gregory VI did not get his way either, the bishops of the synod said that as he had purchased the papacy, it constituted simony and they called on him to resign. Having no other obvious choice, he did just that, making way for Pope Clement II who then died in 1047 allowing Benedict IX to take the top job once more. Celestine V – A reluctant pope (1294) Born Pietro Angelerio in Monlise, Italy to a farming family he soon showed great intelligence and a preference for solitude. The life of a monk therefore suited him very well and in 1239 he retired to a solitary cavern on the mountain Morrone from where he acquired the name Pietro di Marrone. Five years later he moved to the Mountain of Mailla in central Italy, where he lived as strictly as possible according to the example of St. John the Baptist and while living there founded the order later named after him, the Celestines. Following the death of Pope Nicholas IV in April 1292, Morrone sent a letter to the cardinals who were assembled at Perugia to warn them that if they did not elect a pope quickly vengeance would fall upon them. Latino Malabranca, the aged and ill dean of the College of Cardinals cried out: “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, I elect brother Pietro di Morrone.” When sent for, Morrone refused to accept the papacy and even tried to flee, but was finally p


How many carbon atoms make up a benzene molecule?

Molecule Gallery - Aromatic Rings Molecule Gallery Aromatic Rings Aromatic rings (also known as aromatic compounds or arenes) are hydrocarbons which contain benzene, or some other related ring structure .  Benzene, C6H6, is often drawn as a ring of six carbon atoms, with alternating double bonds and single bonds: This simple picture has some complications, however.  (Everything in organic chemistry has complications!)  Carbon-carbon single bonds are longer than carbon-carbon double bonds, so if there were "real" single and double bonds in the molecule, the shape of the benzene molecule would be a distorted hexagon: What is actually found is that all of the bond lengths in the benzene rings are 1.397 angstroms, which is roughly intermediate between the typical lengths of single bonds (~1.5 angstroms) and double bonds (~1.3 angstroms).  All of the carbon atoms in the benzene rings are sp2-hybridized:  the overlap of the sp2 orbitals around the ring produces a framework of six sigma bonds, while the unhybridized p-orbitals which are perpendicular to this plane overlap in a side-to-side fashion to form three pi-bonds.  These pi-bonds are delocalized around the ring, leading to an unusual stability for the benzene ring compared to other alkenes. Instead of three "real" single bonds and three "real" double bonds in the ring, benzene may be thought of as consisting of "six one-and-a-half" bonds, represented by the resonance structures shown below: All of the positions on the benzene ring are thus equivalent; benzene is sometimes represented as a hexagon with a circle inside it to emphasize this equivalence: Since all of the atoms in the ring are sp2-hybridized, they are all trigonal planar, with bond angles of 120ï¿½, and the benzene ring is a flat molecule, shaped like a hexagon. Aromatic hydrocarbons are nonpolar, and are insoluble in water.  However, when other atoms are substituted on the benzene ring, they may be very water-soluble.  For instance, phenol , which has an —OH group attached to the benzene ring, is very water-soluble. Because of the stability imparted by the delocalized pi-electrons in the ring, aromatic molecules do not undergo many of the reactions which are typical for alkenes, but there are a number of interesting and useful substitution reactions that they undergo, in which hydrogen atoms on the ring are replaced with other functional groups. Molecules which do not contain benzene rings are referred to aliphatic ("fat-like") compounds. Aromatic molecules with simple alkyl groups as substituents are named as derivatives of benzene.  For instance, a benzene with an ethyl group attached to one of the carbons in the ring is simply called "ethylbenzene." A number of aromatic molecules are known by common names; for instance, benzene with a —CH3 group attached is called " toluene "; benzene with an —NH2 group attached is called " aniline "; a benzene with a —CO2H group is called "benzoic acid," etc. For more complicated substituents, the benzene ring is named as a substituent, in which case it is called "phenyl."  For instance, an eight-carbon chain with a benzene ring on the third carbon is called "3-phenyloctane." When there are two substituents on the benzene ring, numbers can be used to identify the position of the substituents, but an older system of nomenclature is often used instead, in which the prefixes ortho-, meta-, and para- (often abbreviated as o-, m-, and p-) are used to indicate the relative placement of the substituents: For three or more substituents, numbers must be used to indicate the placement of substituents.   Annulenes 4n+2 rule Molecules whose Lewis structures can be drawn as a ring with alternating single and double bonds are known as annulenes.  Annulenes are named by prefixing the number of carbon atoms in the rings in brackets before the word annulene:  hence, benzene can be named as [6] annulene. Hï¿½ckel's Rule (Erich Hï¿½ckel, 1931) states that annulenes with have (4n + 2) p electrons (where n is an integer from 0, 1, 2, 3, ...) are resonanc


Which former snooker player was a co-presenter on the TV show 'Big Break'?

Big Break - Show News, Reviews, Recaps and Photos - TV.com EDIT Big Break is a British game show based around the game of snooker, it is presented by comedian Jim Davidson and former snooker player John Virgo. There are three contestants participating, each joined by a professional snooker player chosen at random. The contestant would answer the questions and the pro player would take care of the elements occurring on the snooker table. The following are the rounds in Big Break: Red Hot Each contestant starts with ten seconds on their clock, they are then given three questions, for each one they get right ten seconds is added to their clock. The snooker player then has to pot as many of the 10 red balls in the time won by the contestants. The lowest scoring team is eliminated. Virgo's Trick Shot The contestant eliminated in Red Hot is given the chance to win a consolation prize, they have to recreate a trick shot performed by John Virgo. Pocket Money The snooker player would play by traditional snooker rules for ninety seconds. For every ball they potted it would be worth money for their contestant, the values in pounds were ten times the points in snooker (so the reds are worth £10, the yellow is £20 and so on). If the player missed a ball the contestant would have to answer a question before play is resumed, the category of the question is determined by which ball is missed. The lowest scoring team is eliminated. Categories:


How many hydrogen atoms make up a methane molecule?

CHEMISTRY I: ATOMS AND MOLECULES CHEMISTRY I: ATOMS AND MOLECULES Table of Contents Atoms | Back to Top Most of the Universe consists of matter and energy . Energy is the capacity to do work. Matter has mass and occupies space. All matter is composed of basic elements that cannot be broken down to substances with different chemical or physical properties. Elements are substances consisting of one type of atom , for example Carbon atoms make up diamond, and also graphite. Pure (24K) gold is composed of only one type of atom, gold atoms. Atoms are the smallest particle into which an element can be divided. The ancient Greek philosophers developed the concept of the atom, although they considered it the fundamental particle that could not be broken down. Since the work of Enrico Fermi and his colleagues, we now know that the atom is divisible, often releasing tremendous energies as in nuclear explosions or (in a controlled fashion in) thermonuclear power plants. Subatomic particles were discovered during the 1800s. For our purposes we will concentrate only on three of them, summarized in Table 1. The proton is located in the center (or nucleus ) of an atom, each atom has at least one proton. Protons have a charge of +1, and a mass of approximately 1 atomic mass unit (amu). Elements differ from each other in the number of protons they have, e.g. Hydrogen has 1 proton; Helium has 2. The neutron also is located in the atomic nucleus (except in Hydrogen). The neutron has no charge, and a mass of slightly over 1 amu. Some scientists propose the neutron is made up of a proton and electron-like particle. The electron is a very small particle located outside the nucleus. Because they move at speeds near the speed of light the precise location of electrons is hard to pin down. Electrons occupy orbitals, or areas where they have a high statistical probability of occurring. The charge on an electron is -1. Its mass is negligible (approximately 1800 electrons are needed to equal the mass of one proton). Table 1. Subatomic particles of use in biology. Name electron orbital 9.1095 X 10-31 kg The atomic number is the number of protons an atom has. It is characteristic and unique for each element. The atomic mass (also referred to as the atomic weight) is the number of protons and neutrons in an atom. Atoms of an element that have differing numbers of neutrons (but a constant atomic number) are termed isotopes . Isotopes, shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, can be used to determine the diet of ancient peoples by determining proportions of isotopes in mummified or fossilized human tissues. Biochemical pathways can be deciphered by using isotopic tracers. The age of fossils and artifacts can be determined by using radioactive isotopes, either directly on the fossil (if it is young enough) or on the rocks that surround the fossil (for older fossils like dinosaurs). Isotopes are also the source of radiation used in medical diagnostic and treatment procedures. Figure 1. Note that each of these     isotopes of hydrogen has only one proton. Isotopes differ     from each other in the number of neutrons, not in the number     of protons. Image from Purves et al., Life: The Science of Biology, 4th Edition, by Sinauer     Associates ( www.sinauer.com )     and WH Freeman ( www.whfreeman.com ),     used with permission. Some isotopes are radioisotopes, which spontaneously decay, releasing radioactivity . Other isotopes are stable. Examples of radioisotopes are Carbon-14 (symbol 14C), and deuterium (also known as Hydrogen-2; 2H). Stable isotopes are 12C and 1H. Figure 2. Carbon has three isotopes, of     which carbon-12 and carbon-14 are the most well known. Image     from Purves et al., Life: The Science of Biology, 4th     Edition, by Sinauer Associates ( www.sinauer.com )     and WH Freeman ( www.whfreeman.com ),     used with permission. The Periodic Table of the Elements, a version of which is shown in Figure 3, provides a great deal of information about various elements. An on-line Periodic Table


The last Pope prior to Benedict 16th to resign did so in 1415, what was his name? (name only required)

Pope Benedict to become first pontiff in 600 years to resign | Fox News Pope Benedict to become first pontiff in 600 years to resign Published        February 11, 2013 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 livefyre Email Print In a sudden announcement that caught Catholics around the world off guard, Pope Benedict XVI said he will resign at the end of February, becoming the first pontiff to step down in nearly 600 years. The 85-year-old pontiff made the announcement Monday, saying he no longer had the strength to carry out his papal duties.  "After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry," the pope said according to a statement released by the Vatican. [pullquote] He said he is aware of the "seriousness" of his resignation, but that he did so in "full freedom." He will live out his days on Vatican grounds, according to officials. More On This... Pope Benedict XVI's legacy The last pope to resign was Pope Gregory XII, who stepped down in 1415 in a deal to end the Great Western Schism among competing papal claimants. The sudden announcement sets the stage for the Vatican to hold a conclave to elect a new pope by mid-March, since the traditional mourning time that would follow the death of a pope doesn't have to be observed. There are several papal contenders in the wings, but no obvious front-runner, according to Vatican watchers. A Vatican spokesperson told "Fox & Friends" that Pope Benedict "will not take part in conclave" to choose his successor. Officials hope to have a new pope in place in time for the start of Holy Week, on March 14. Although there has been much speculation about Pope Benedict's health, a Vatican spokesman said he is not in any immediate danger. "There's nothing immediately serious or grave," the Vatican spokesman told ABC. The pope's 89-year-old brother, Georg Ratzinger, told a German news agency that the pope has had difficulty walking recently and has considered stepping down for months. “His age is weighing on him,” Georg Ratzinger said. “At this age my brother wants more rest.” Fox News Executive Vice President John Moody, former Vatican bureau chief for Time magazine, told Fox News Channel that Pope Benedict showed courage by accepting that the rigors of the papacy had become too much for him. "I think it is one of the bravest things I’ve ever heard of," said Moody, who is author of a 1996 biography of Pope John Paul II. "Nobody gives up power willingly. Nobody gives up power without forethought. For this man, who really the world hasn’t gotten to know very well, despite the fact that he’s been around as pope for seven years, to do this speaks volumes about the kind of man he is and the kind of leader of the church that he insisted on being." Born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, Pope Benedict became the 265th pope after being elected by his fellow cardinals on April 19, 2005, at the age of 78 following the death of the popular John Paul II. The ninth German pope and first in nearly 500 years, Benedict was ordained in 1951 and was a major figure at the Vatican stage for decades before his ascension. Ratzinger chose the name Benedict, which comes from the Latin word meaning "the blessed," in homage to Pope Benedict XV, who was pope during World War I, and Saint Benedict of Nursia, who established the Benedictine monasteries. During his papacy and in the years prior, Benedict was a key figure in the church's efforts to address widespread instances of sexual abuse of children by priests. In 2001, then-Cardinal Ratzinger convinced John Paul II to put the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which he led, in charge of investigating cases and setting policy regarding what he termed "filth" in the church. As a cardinal, Ratzinger pushed through important reforms, including making Internet offenses against children a violation covered by canon law, extending child abuse offenses to include the sexual abuse of all under 18, waiving of the statute of limitation


Which singer released the album 'Closer to the Truth' in 2013, twelve years after her previous album 'Living Proof?

Album Review: Cher – Closer To The Truth (Track by Track) – CHART SHAKER nickbassett1981 Album Review: Cher – Closer To The Truth (Track by Track) Forget what you thought you knew. This week. This month. This year. It is and always has been all about the return of Cher. After a twelve year absence, Cherilyn Sarkisian is getting ready to release the TWENTY SIXTH (count ’em) studio album of her career, Closer To The Truth. The album is now available to stream in full via Amazon. The link is here . Below is a summary of my findings, as I delve in to Cher’s first full length release since 2001’s Living Proof. 1. WOMAN’S WORLD The album’s Paul Oakenfold-produced lead single is still enough to send every one of my hormonal impulses in to the stratosphere. Cher is no stranger to dancefloor stompers – her 1998 single Believe remains to this day the biggest selling UK single by a female solo artist of all time – but it is still pretty amazing that she can come back with an empowering banger that is as brilliant as this. The video is here . 2. TAKE IT LIKE A MAN The one Cher that features Jake Shears. I had high hopes that it was going to be camper. Instead, it’s just another belter of a pop song that goes along the lines of: “Boy, if you want my heart, you gotta take it like a man…” Which I guess could become a pretty rad chat up line. 3. MY LOVE An uplifting ballad that builds and builds in to a euphoric, electronic anthem of a chorus where Cher sings: “You’re not alone ‘cos i’m from a place where you can belong. Some where you know you can run to. So if you need me to hold you, you can be my love…” This is one of my favourites. 4. DRESSED TO KILL Any discerning pop fan will have downloaded Preston from The Ordinary Boys’ debut solo single because it was very good. Cher vocodes it into eternity but gives the chorus some proper welly and it would make a very good follow up single to Woman’s World. 5. RED Red is the colour Cher sees when she thinks of that damned son of a gun who treated her badly. It’s also the title of this track in which Cher really vents. Like a censored, musical version of a Cher tweet. Imagine it being sung in CAPS. Great chorus. It’s basically awesome. 6. LOVERS FOREVER This is the song that Cher wrote originally for the 1994 movie, Interview With A Vampire. “Surrender to me now” Cher demands with brooding menace, over an electronic, Eurovision-worthy dancefloor beat. 7. I WALK ALONE This is the first of two track on the album to have been co-written by Pink. Cher straddles a banjo beat and it’s from whence the album’s title came. With a nifty, foot-tappable chorus, she expresses her need to go it solo. “There’s a gypsy in me that keeps on roaming, and there’s an anger as I get closer to the truth…” 8. SIRENS A big early 90s Cher-style power ballad that reminds me a lot of I’ll Never Stop Loving You from her Love Hurts album. It’s the sound of Cher that reeled me in to her stupidly brilliant back catalogue as a lost teenager. Strong, powerful vocals and lyrics that you can close your eyes and sing along to, whilst yearning for LOVE COMING THROUGH IN THE END. It was written and released a few years ago by New York singer songwriter Nell Bryden. 9. FAVOURITE SCARS Favorite Scars is a lovely song but it is probably my least favourite on the album. This is perhaps because it neither falls in to ballad or dancefloor territory, instead being a bit of a mid-tempo affair with some pleasant woo-oohs and whatnot. That said, you may be yearning for something that is catchy without the bombast and, if so, you’ll find brief respite here. 10. I HOPE YOU FIND IT Cher covers Miley Cyrus’ I Hope You Find It – another big ballad that was played on Ken Bruce’s Radio 2 show earlier today. It will be the next single and it’s ticks every box on the checklist of things you want from a big country-tinged ballad about letting go of the one you love and moving on… EMOTIONAL. 11. LIE TO ME Lie To Me is the second track on the album to be written by Pink and a final ballad. It’s beautifully written and allows Cher to give a piercingly


East and West Germany reunite after 45 years - Oct 03, 1990 - HISTORY.com East and West Germany reunite after 45 years Share this: East and West Germany reunite after 45 years Author East and West Germany reunite after 45 years URL Publisher A+E Networks Less than one year after the destruction of the Berlin Wall, East and West Germany come together on what is known as “Unity Day.” Since 1945, when Soviet forces occupied eastern Germany, and the United States and other Allied forces occupied the western half of the nation at the close of World War II, divided Germany had come to serve as one of the most enduring symbols of the Cold War. Some of the most dramatic episodes of the Cold War took place there. The Berlin Blockade (June 1948–May 1949), during which the Soviet Union blocked all ground travel into West Berlin, and the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 were perhaps the most famous. With the gradual waning of Soviet power in the late 1980s, the Communist Party in East Germany began to lose its grip on power. Tens of thousands of East Germans began to flee the nation, and by late 1989 the Berlin Wall started to come down. Shortly thereafter, talks between East and West German officials, joined by officials from the United States, Great Britain, France, and the USSR, began to explore the possibility of reunification. Two months following reunification, all-German elections took place and Helmut Kohl became the first chancellor of the reunified Germany. Although this action came more than a year before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, for many observers the reunification of Germany effectively marked the end of the Cold War. Related Videos


Who wrote the novel 'The White Queen', on which the BBC TV series is based?

BBC Blogs - TV blog - The White Queen: Philippa Gregory on resurrecting history The White Queen: Philippa Gregory on resurrecting history Wednesday 12 June 2013, 09:54 Read more about sharing. Philippa Gregory is a historian and author of three novels on which the BBC One series The White Queen is based: The White Queen, The Red Queen and The Kingmaker's Daughter. She spoke to the BBC TV blog about translating history into novels and television. Are there any scenes which were as you had pictured when you wrote the novels? On the first day of filming they filmed the scene under the oak tree where Edward IV rides down the track on his white horse and sees Elizabeth Woodville and stops. It looked exactly how I had imagined it would. It was a beautiful day, a fantastic oak tree and it was a lovely glade. Edward IV (Max Irons) sets eyes on Elizabeth Grey née Woodville (Rebecca Ferguson) and her sons I think anyone who really loves history, there’s always a sort of a hope that one day you’ll just slide through time, that it’s only a dimension and it’s not really substantial. And there are moments on location, filming, that I felt before with previous films that you just go, “I feel like I’m there now.” It’s very powerful when it happens. How do you bring the narrative from the novels to the screen? It was really difficult because in the three books, the reader starts the page and steps into the mind of Elizabeth Woodville , or the mind of Margaret Beaufort , or the mind of Anne Neville . So when you start combining these three stories you’re always having to go, how are we going to make Margaret really stand up as a character when you’ve got this fantastic character of Elizabeth? How are we going to make Anne, when we first meet her, so much younger and naïve and not at all powerful? In terms of the scripting, it was quite tricky and I think Emma Frost did a wonderful job of combining these three books back together. I read the history and pulled the three stories out, and then she had to put them back together again. What was most evocative for you when researching the period? Discovering these women and particularly Elizabeth and her mother Jacquetta . Daughters of Melusina the water goddess: Jacquetta Woodville (Janet McTeer) and Elizabeth This extraordinary line of very powerful women, who clearly ruled their own domestic terrain. Who occupied a high status position in the world because of the connection to the Dukes of Burgundy and the witchcraft which they were clearly highly involved in. Jacquetta was put on trial for witchcraft and they produced evidence against her, two little figures bound together with gold wire. So I imagine she was, like a lot of women, doing a bit of herbalism , prayer, spells, magic. We in the modern, post- Enlightenment era see that that can’t work. But of course for the medieval world this is the closest you get to being able to control your universe. How do you blend the historical research of the battles with the witchcraft thread that runs through the novels? Partly, the history does that for me. The famous Battle of Barnet , where Edward IV really disappears into the fog. At the time people said it was a magic fog, witchcraft. Edward is extraordinarily lucky with his weather in battles. It is partly that he is a very brilliant commander so he takes advantage of these things, but if you look at him in the mist in Barnet, and the snow at Towton there does come a point where it’s quite uncanny how often the weather suits him, with the floods as well. If you weren’t post-Enlightenment, that’s three pieces of evidence. People at the time thought obviously someone is doing this for him. ‘You will have to wade through blood’: A war that won’t be won on the battlefield What do you think about the ways in which women are characterised in history? I think the medieval historians naturally incline to a stereotype of women because anybody who is writing at that time is going to be a man, all of them would have been educated by the church, most of them would probably be monks in a monastery, never mee


In the nursery rhyme 'Sing a Song of Sixpence', what was the queen eating?

English Historical Fiction Authors: Sing a Song of Sixpence - A Nursery Rhyme, a King and Queen, and a novel. Sing a Song of Sixpence - A Nursery Rhyme, a King and Queen, and a novel. Judith Arnopp Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye, Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie. When the pie was opened the birds began to sing, Oh wasn't that a dainty dish to set before the king? The king was in his counting house counting out his money, The queen was in the parlour eating bread and honey The maid was in the garden hanging out the clothes, When down came a blackbird and pecked off her nose. There are many theories as to the origins of the nursery rhyme Sing a Song of Sixpence. Some see it as an early lampoon about the extravagances of royalty, some as a representation of Henry VIII, Katherine of Aragon with Anne Boleyn playing the part of the maid. The blackbirds baked in the pie being the disaffected monks after the dissolution of the monasteries. One account I stumbled across equated it with the pirate Blackbeard as ‘a coded message that evolved over several years and was used by confederates of the notorious pirate Blackbeard to recruit crew members for his prize-hunting expeditions.’ There is much more about Blackbeard here: http://www.snopes.com/lost/sixpence.asp I tend to prefer the Tudor links to the rhyme for although Sing a Song of Sixpence was first published in the 18th century it certainly has origins in the 16th. Perhaps sixpence was the going rate for a good song during this time. There are references to singing for sixpence in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night during a drunken conversation between Sir Toby Belch and Sir Andrew.  “SIR ANDREW: Excellent! Why, this is the best fooling, when all is done. Now, a song. SIR TOBY BELCH: Come on; there is sixpence for you: let's have a song.” (Twelfth Night, Act II Sc. III) Elizabeth of York Of course, no Tudor banquet was complete without minstrels to play the favourite songs. One can easily imagine the king and queen seated with their court at groaning tables, dining on exotic dainties to the strains of fabulous music. In the Tudor period (and certainly before that) extravagant dishes were created to amaze and enthrall the king. Swans and peacocks were roasted and the feathers then replaced to make it appear the birds were still living. Dishes such as dolphin and porpoise were not unheard of and, with recipes like these, one can imagine the chef’s unenviable task of thinking up new and innovative ideas to tease the royal palate. Song birds were regularly eaten, it is only one step further to serve the dish a little al dente. Why not a pie full of live birds? It wouldn’t have been so unusual. An Italian cookbook from 1549 contains a recipe ‘to make pies so that birds may be alive in them and flie out when it is cut’. (See note 1) A description of the wedding of Henry IV of France and Marie de Medici says, ‘The first surprise, though, came shortly before the starter – when the guests sat down, unfolded their napkins and saw songbirds fly out.’ (See note 2) One version of the rhyme was published in Tom Thumb’s Pretty Song Book in around 1744. Instead of four and twenty black birds it has four and twenty ‘naughty boys’ beneath the crust.       Sing a Song of Sixpence,   A bag full of Rye,   Four and twenty Naughty Boys,   Baked in a Pye.  What else, one wonders, would you do with twenty four disobedient children? Eating bread and honey Personally, I was taught as a child that the king and queen concerned were Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. (Incidentally, Elizabeth also graces the playing card and the likeness to her contemporary portraits are quite clear.) Henry Tudor is often depicted as being ‘careful’ with money and so fits quite well within his 'counting house.’ Whether this idea of kingly miserliness originates with the poem or vice versa it is not possible to say. His taxes were unpopular enough for the Cornish to rise in arms against him. (Mind you, that is not at all unusual, people never like to pay tax.) But, miserly or not, his careful control of his fin