Led by Ethan Allen, The Green Mountain Boys, c.1764-1776, established which US state, defeating the British provinces New York and New Hampshire?

Indian Trail - Colonial America .com Indian Trail TICONDEROGA, NY, 12883 Battling French & Indians and on retreat from Snowshoe Battle in 1758, Rogers' Rangers crossed over this mountain where Rogers staged his legendary escape at Rogers Rock on Lake George. Click on heading to visit the website (excludes markers). "His Majesty’s Fort of Crown Point" CROWN POINT, NY, 12928 "The fort is of wood, built in a most masterly manner. It has five Bastions, mounts 105 guns, and has casements for 4,000 Men, and to hold provisions de Guerre et de Bouche for four months. Within the Fort are good Stone Barracks for Officers and Men which … would conveniently contain 500 men." Journal of Lord Adam Gordon August 1765 "There is a Large Fort begun. The Foundation is laid … built with timber and earth and is 25 feet thick. It is to be built twenty feet high. The inside of the Fort contains four and three quarters acres, and the trench around the fort is about 30 feet wide and is to be 14 feet deep. Besides, there are three small forts a-building, and I believe we shall be here until the cold weather drives us away. Our men are kept very hard at work Every Day; not time so much as to wash their clothes …." Letter from Benjamin Crary, New York Militia 1st Sept. 1759 Camp at Crown Point "The Black Watch" TICONDEROGA, NY, 12883 The Saint Andrews Society of Glens Falls, N.Y. erected this tablet to commemorate the heroic gallantry of the 42d Regiment of Foot better known as "The Royal Highlanders" of "The Black Watch" who on July 8, 1758 lost here in killed and wounded over six hundred of the thousand men engaged. -------------------------------- Mortally wounded on that day was their Major Duncan Campbell of Inverawe the hero of one of the most noted ghost stories of Scottish History and of Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem "Ticonderoga." "The Black Watch" Capture of Fort St. Frédéric CROWN POINT, NY, 12928 This tablet is erected by the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of New York AD 1912 to commemorate the capture of Fort St. Frédéric and the erection of this fortress AD 1759 by the British and Provincial Army commanded by General Sir Jeffrey Amherst. British Regiments 1st QR the Royal Regiment of Foot, 17th Regiment of Foot Forbes, 27th Inniskilling Regiment of Foot, 42nd Royal Highlanders - Black Watch, 55th Regiment of Foot - Prideaux, 77th Regiment Montgomery’s Highlanders, 80th Light Armed Regiment of Foot Gages, Royal Artillery - Detachment of Sailors Provincial Regiments Near this spot in 1755-1756 Michel de Chartier de Lotbiniére engineer of Fort Carillon, bridged this stream and harnessed this waterpower for the first time. Sawmills, storehouses and barracks were located here, being within the Seignory of Alainville granted by France in 1758 to Lotbiniére, this was the first patent covering site of Ticonderoga. His vast estate subsequently granted to British soldiers, Lotbiniére in 1776 refused England’s offer of compensation, preferring to aid Franklin in obtaining French support for the American cause. Because of this sacrifice, unrequited by the Continental Congress, this bridge is gratefully dedicated to the Seignior of Alainville who was also an American patriot. Erected by Ticonderoga Chapter, S.A.R. and the State of New York. 1933 Carillon Outpost Ticonderoga, NY, 12883 Major outpost on Lake George, a small palisaded log fort, built in 1756 to defend Fort Carillon from British attack, & named Camp De Contrecoeur, stood in this vicinity. Colonel Ethan Allen TICONDEROGA, NY, 12883 Dedicated to the memory of the gallant band of Patriots led by Colonel Ethan Allen who on the 10th of May, 1775 captured this important fortress and secured for the Americans a valuable base of operations on Lakes George and Champlain. Erected by the Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York MDCCCC killed October 19th, 1780 at Stone Arabia, N.Y. on his thirty-fifth birthday. Was with Ethan Allen, May 10th, 1775. Made a gallant attempt to retake the fort September 17th to 22nd, 1777 but failed owing to the sturdy defence of Brig. Gen. Henry


Amitabh Bachchan Biography - Childhood, Life Achievements & Timeline Film & Theater Personalities Amitabh Bachchan Biography Amitabh Bachchan is a celebrated Indian film actor, known mainly for the cult movies âSholayâ, âZanjeerâ, and âDeewarâ. Read on for detailed information about his childhood, profile, career and timeline. Quick Facts Big B, Munna, Angry Young Man, Bollywood's Shahenshah, Amith, AB Sr. Also Known As Amitabh Harivansh Bachchan, Amitabh Harivansh Srivastav, Amitabh, Shri Amitabh Bachchanji, Shri. Amitabh Bachchan, Shri Amitabh Bachchan, Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, Padmashree Amitabh Bachchan, AB Sr., Mun Famous as Associated with âPETAâ, âUNICEFâ polio eradication campaign awards Filmfare Award for Best Actor - 2010-2006-1992 Padma Bhushan - 2001 Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award - 1991 National Film Award for Best Actor - 2010-2007-1991 Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor - 2001-1974-1972 Stardust Award for Star of the Year â Male - 2010-2006 Star Guild Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role - 2006 Stardust Award for Best Actor - 2009 Zee Cine Award for Best Actor - 2006 IIFA Award for Best Actor - 2010-2006 Indian Telly Award for Best Anchor/s - 2012-2005-2002 Stardust Award for Star of the Century -2013 Filmfare Superstar of the Millenium Award - 2000 Filmfare Power Award - 2004 IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor - 2001 Filmfare Special Jury Award - 2011 Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor - 2006-2002 ITA Achiever Of The Year Award - 2011 Asian Film Award for Lifetime Achievement - 2010 Stardust Award for Lifetime Achievement - 2003 Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievement - 2003 Bollywood Movie Award â Critics Award Male - 2001 ITA Award for Best Anchor - 2001 Indian Telly Award for Best Television Personality - 2001 Bollywood Movie Award â Best Actor - 2006 Screen Award for Jodi No. 1 - 2003 ITA Award for Laurel For 'Ultimate Eminence' - 2007 Stardust Award for Pride of Film Industry - 2011 ITA Award for Best Anchor - Talk/Chat Show - 2010 ITA Award for Best Anchor - Game/Quiz Show - 2013-2006-2005 Bollywood Movie Award â Most Sensational Actor - 2003 Star Guild Award for Lifetime Achievement - 2010 Asianet Film Award for Lifetime Achievement - 2011 Star Guild Award for Special Honour For Films of 2009 - Best Actor - 2011 BIG Star Complete Entertainer of The Decade - 2010 BIG Star 92.7 Big FM Hit The Hit Rahenge Award - 2014 STAR Parivaar Award for Pitamah of STAR Parivaar - 2003 BIG Star Most Entertaining Actor in a Social Role - Male - 2013-2011 Stardust Award for International Icon - 2014 CNN-IBN Indian of the Year in Entertainment - 2011 Stardust Award for Best Artists of the Millennium - 2001 Zee Cine Golden Grade Award - 2004 Stardust Special Award - 2005 star Guild Award for Cinematic Excellence in Television - 2012 Image Credit http://www.hdwallpapernew.in/amitabh-bachchan/amitabh-bachchan-2/ Amitabh Bachchan is a famous Indian actor, who started out by starring in Hindi movies, and gradually moved on to act in Malayalam and English movies. With stellar performances in movies like 'Deewar' and 'Zanjeer', he came to be known as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema. He gained so much popularity during his career that famous French director, FranÃ§ois Truffaut, named him a "one-man industry". Not only has he acted in serious action movies, but has also essayed a variety of roles, in comedies and dramas. The actor has displayed immense versatility and a glowing example of the same is his portrayal of a spurned lover, in the movie 'Parwana'. Though he did go through struggling times in his career, the talented actor managed to come back with solid performances in more recent times, with several hit films. He shares the honour of having received three 'National Film Awards', with Tamil and Hindi film actor Kamal Hassan, and Malayalam actor Mammootty. The Government of India has conferred upon him awards like the 'Padma Shri', 'Padma Bhushan' and 'Padma Vibhushan', for his exceptional contribution to world cinema. He is best known for his movies like âSholayâ,


Who, more known for detective stories, popularized the term 'The Lost World' in his 1912 book of that name?

10 Things You Didn't Know About Sherlock Holmes | The Huffington Post 10 Things You Didn't Know About Sherlock Holmes 09/16/2013 10:13 am ET | Updated Nov 16, 2013 390 Oliver Tearle Author; Lecturer in English, Loughborough Univ. 1) Sherlock Holmes was originally going to be called Sherrinford. The name was altered to Sherlock, possibly because of a cricketer who bore the name. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Holmes, was a fan of cricket and the name 'Sherlock' appears to have stuck in his memory. Doyle was also a keen cricketer himself, and between 1899 and 1907 he played ten first-class matches for the Marylebone Cricket Club -- quite fitting, since Baker Street is situated in the Marylebone district of London. 2) The first Sherlock Holmes novel was something of a flop. The detective made his debut in the novel A Study in Scarlet (1887), written by a 27-year-old Doyle in just three weeks. Famously, Doyle was inspired by a real-life lecturer of his at the University of Edinburgh, Dr. Joseph Bell, who could diagnose patients simply by looking at them when they walked into his surgery. The other important influence was Edgar Allan Poe's fictional detective, C. Auguste Dupin. Doyle wrote the book while he was running a struggling doctor's surgery down in Portsmouth. The novel was rejected by many publishers and eventually published in Beeton's Christmas Annual (named after the husband of Mrs. Beeton). It didn't sell well, and more or less sank without trace. 3) The second Sherlock Holmes novel was the result of a dinner party with Oscar Wilde. One person who had admired the first novel was the editor Joseph Stoddart, who edited Lippincott's Monthly Magazine. He convinced Doyle, at a dinner party in 1889, to write a second novel featuring the detective, for serialization in the magazine. Wilde, who was another one of the diners, agreed to write a novel for the magazine -- his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. 4) Sherlock Holmes didn't wear a deerstalker hat. Much. The famous image of Holmes wearing a deerstalker hat is a product of the celebrated images which accompanied the short stories, which appeared in the Strand magazine from 1891. It is when the stories began to appear that Sherlock Holmes became a worldwide sensation. Sidney Paget, who drew the illustrations, had Holmes wearing a deerstalker when the detective went into the country to investigate mysteries at country houses and in small rural villages, but most people think of the detective as always donning the hat when off to investigate a case. 5) Sherlock Holmes is the most-filmed fictional character. According to IMDb, Holmes has appeared in 226 films and been played by dozens of different actors since the advent of cinema in the late 19th century. 6) Sherlock Holmes is not the most-filmed fictional character. That is, not if you include non-humans (or partial humans). Dracula has been filmed more times than the great sleuth, at 239 times, but since Dracula is part-man, part-vampire, Holmes is the most-filmed fully human character. 7) Sherlock Holmes doesn't make deductions. Instead, and if we want to be technically accurate, he normally uses a logical process known as abduction. The difference between deductive and abductive reasoning is that the latter is based more on inference from observation, where the conclusion drawn may not always necessarily be true. However, in deduction, the conclusion drawn from the available data is always necessarily true. But then again, since Holmes's reasoning always seems to be correct, perhaps it is deduction after all! 8) Holmes never says 'Elementary, my dear Watson.' Not in the canon of original Conan Doyle novels and stories. Holmes says 'Elementary!' and 'my dear Watson' at various points, but the idea of putting them together was a later meme, which possibly arose because it neatly conveys Holmes' effortless superiority to his 'dear' friend and foil. The first recorded use of this exact phrase is actually in a P. G. Wodehouse novel of 1915, Psmith, Journalist. 9) The Sherlock Holmes Museum both is and isn't at


"State the recall aim of the mathematical mnemonic ""How I wish I could recollect (what?) easily today"" ?"

Using Mnemonics to Improve Your Memory - Memory Psychology - Psychologist World Using Mnemonics to Improve Your Memory Using Mnemonics to Improve Your Memory Remember better using the sounds of words. Posted in Memory Psychology First things first - what are Mnemonics? A Mnemonic is something which we can use to remember things much easier. As is often the case, it could be a phrase, a short song, or something that is quite easily remembered, that we use to remember something that would otherwise be difficult to remember. For example, we may use a phrase to remember a series of numbers, such as the mathematical Pi sequence (3.14159 etc) or an ordered list whose numbers or items are not easily memorized. Mnemonics are a way of remembering using association - associating easy to remember things with data. Popular & Useful Mnemonics Colors of the rainbow/spectrum A number of mnemonic devices have been made to help people to remember the order of the colors of the spectrum, proving the power of mnemonics in revising for exams: Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain This phrase, easily remembered when thought about for a few seconds, borrows the first letter of colors in the spectrum as the first letters of each of its words (e.g. R in Richard represents red, Y in York helps us to remember Yellow, etc) Sing a Rainbow Song Many readers will recall singing the 'I can sing a rainbow' song in school in order to remember the colors of the rainbow. This song is useful in remembering easily in that it uses a tune that's easy to memorize, so that we associate the list of colors as we think of the tune. Beginning music students trying to memorize the notes of the staff use the mnemonics "Every Good Boy Does Fine" and "FACE" for the lines and spaces of the Treble Clef respectively. The Bass Clef equivalents are "Good Boys Do Fine Always" and "All Cows Eat Grass". The acronym HOMES is also a mnemonic aid that can be used to remember the names of the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior). The famous mnemonic for approximating the digits of pi: "May I have a large container of coffee?" Counting the letters in each word yields the sequence 3,1,4,1,5,9,2,6. A longer version is: "How I want a drink, alcoholic of course, after the heavy lectures involving quantum mechanics!" Another notable (but shorter) version is "How I wish I could recollect pi". A famous mnemonic used by medical students to remember the cranial nerves is "On Old Olympus' Tiny Top A Finn And German Viewed Some Hops" (with variations; some say "terraced tops," some say "towering top," and "view some hops" is sometimes rendered as "vaulted a hedge"). A mnemonic used by physics students to remember the Maxwell relations in thermodynamics is "Good Physicists Have Studied Under Very Fine Teachers", which helps them remember the order of the variables in the square, in clockwise direction. Another mnemonic used here is "Valid Facts and Theoretical Understanding Generate Solutions to Hard Problems", which gives the letter in the normal left to right writing direction. A mnemonic for remembering the number of days in the months of the year, practically a cultural universal in the United States, is "Thirty days hath September/April, June and November." (Although this is only part of a longer rhyme, this is the only part that most people remember, so they commonly complete it with words similar to "... except February, which has twenty-eight, or twenty-nine in a leap year." The full mnemonic is "Thirty days hath September/April, June and November/All the rest have thirty-one/except February alone/which has eight and a score/until leap year gives it one day more.") Another mnemonic for the days of the months is not a rhyme or a jingle, but a gestalt. Whereas the traditional mnemonic simply associates the name of the month with the number of days, this one emphasizes the sequence. The 31 and less-than-31-day months would be easy to remember if they simply alternated, but this pattern was broken in 27 B.C. by the decision to rename the month of Sextilis to Augustus and t


What common product is named from Greek 'rock oil'?

Petroleum | Define Petroleum at Dictionary.com petroleum [puh-troh-lee-uh m] /pəˈtroʊ li əm/ Spell noun 1. an oily, thick, flammable, usually dark-colored liquid that is a form of bitumen or a mixture of various hydrocarbons, occurring naturally in various parts of the world and commonly obtained by drilling: used in a natural or refined state as fuel, or separated by distillation into gasoline, naphtha, benzene, kerosene, paraffin, etc. Origin of petroleum 1520-30; < Medieval Latin: literally, rock oil, equivalent to Latin petr(a) rock (< Greek pétra) + oleum oil Related forms Examples from the Web for petroleum Expand U.S. Closing Trade Deficit With Better Oil Numbers Daniel Gross June 4, 2013 Historical Examples These petroleum lamps do not give much light, but the graduation of the light is easily effected with them. Commercial Geography Jacques W. Redway In recent years petroleum, long known to the natives, has added much to the wealth of Java. Commercial Geography Jacques W. Redway As fuel, my choice this time fell on petroleum (“snowflake”). British Dictionary definitions for petroleum Expand noun 1. a dark-coloured thick flammable crude oil occurring in sedimentary rocks around the Persian Gulf, in parts of North and South America, and below the North Sea, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. Fractional distillation separates the crude oil into petrol, paraffin, diesel oil, lubricating oil, etc. Fuel oil, paraffin wax, asphalt, and carbon black are extracted from the residue Word Origin C16: from Medieval Latin, from Latin petra stone + oleum oil Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for petroleum Expand n. early 15c. "petroleum, rock oil" (mid-14c. in Anglo-French), from Medieval Latin petroleum, from Latin petra "rock" (see petrous ) + oleum "oil" (see oil (n.)). Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper petroleum   (pə-trō'lē-əm)     A thick, flammable, yellow-to-black mixture of gaseous, liquid, and solid hydrocarbons that occurs naturally beneath the Earth's surface. It can be separated into fractions including natural gas, gasoline, naphtha, kerosene, paraffin wax, asphalt, and fuel and lubricating oils, and is used as raw material for a wide variety of derivative products. It is believed to originate from the accumulated remains of fossil plants and animals, especially in shallow marine environments. The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.


Which common element has the highest melting point of all elements?

Which Material Has the Highest Melting Point? (with pictures) Which Material Has the Highest Melting Point? Last Modified Date: 11 December 2016 Copyright Protected: Top 10 facts about the world This is a difficult question to answer because new materials and alloys are being created all the time, and the material with the highest melting point now could change as new compounds are synthesized. Currently the record-holder is tantalum hafnium carbide (Ta4HfC5), a refractory compound with a melting point of 4488 K (4215 °C, 7619 °F). By mixing together various metals to create alloys, even higher melting points can be achieved. Materials with such exceptional physical properties are sometimes referred to as superalloys. The chemical element with the highest melting point is carbon , at 4300–4700 K(4027–4427 °C, 7280–8000 °F). The second highest melting point of the chemical elements is tungsten , at 3695 K (3422 °C, 6192 °F), which is why it is used as a filament for light bulbs. Sometimes tungsten is called the element with the highest melting point because carbon does not actually melt under atmospheric pressure, rather it sublimates (transitions directly from a solid to a gas) at 4000 K (3727 °C, 6740 °F). When very high melting points are desired in a piece of hardware, sometimes ceramics are used. One example is during Project Pluto in the 1950s, when American scientists attempted to create a nuclear-powered ballistic missile with an unshielded, gigawatt-level reactor. The reactor produced such immense heat that a ceramic chassis and components were necessary. Ad Under extreme pressures, the melting point increases. The Earth’s inner core of iron, for example, has a temperature of approximately 5,000 to 6,000 °C (>9,000 °F), yet it is solid, because the pressure there is about 3 million times greater than on the surface. Conversely, when the pressure is decreased, so does the melting point. On the surface of Mars, pressure is so low that any liquid water would evaporate almost immediately. This is why we have observed evidence of small temporary springs being created on Mars but no permanent bodies of water. Ad


Name the joint US/Europe orbiting telescope launched in 1990?

Fact Sheet | ESA/Hubble | ESA/Hubble Fact Sheet Couldn't save page :( Please try again. Fact Sheet The Hubble Space Telescope is a joint ESA/NASA project and was launched in 1990 by the Space Shuttle mission STS-31 into a low-Earth orbit 569 km above the ground. During its lifetime Hubble has become one of the most important science projects ever. Mission Objectives Hubble's orbit above the Earth's distorting atmosphere allows astronomers to make the very high resolution observations that are essential to open new windows onto planets , stars and galaxies. Hubble was designed as a high standard flagship mission and has paved the way for other space-based observatories. Notably it can access the otherwise invisible ultraviolet part of the spectrum, and also has access to areas of the infrared not visible from the ground. Mission Name The Hubble Space Telescope is named after Edwin Powell Hubble (1889-1953) who was one of the great pioneers of modern astronomy. Spacecraft Design: At the heart of Hubble are a 2.4 m primary mirror and a collection of five science instruments that work across the entire optical spectrum — from infrared, through the visible, to ultraviolet light. Hubble is equipped with cameras, spectrographs and fine guidance sensors. The observatory was designed to be serviced in space, allowing outdated instruments to be replaced. The telescope was placed into a low-Earth orbit by the Space Shuttle and uses modular components so that it can be recovered on subsequent Shuttle Servicing missions and faulty or outdated parts more easily replaced before being re-released into orbit. Power: Power for the computers and scientific instruments onboard is provided by two 2.45 x 7.56 m solar panels . The power generated by the panels is also used to charge six nickel-hydrogen batteries that provide power to the spacecraft for about 25 minutes per orbit while Hubble flies through the Earth's shadow. Manoeuvring: The telescope uses an elaborate system of direction controls to improve its stability during observations. A set of reaction wheels manoeuvres the telescope into place and its position in space is monitored by gyroscopes . Fine Guidance Sensors (FGS) are used to lock onto guide stars to ensure the extremely high pointing accuracy needed to make very accurate observations. The telescope does not have any rockets on board. Boosting the spacecraft’s orbit can only be done during servicing missions, when the telescope is attached to the Space Shuttle. Dimensions: Length: 13.2 m, diameter: 4.2 m. In addition two solar panels each 2.45 x 7.56 m. Mass: 11 110 kg (at the time of launch). Instruments


color - definition and meaning color Definitions from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition n. That aspect of things that is caused by differing qualities of the light reflected or emitted by them, definable in terms of the observer or of the light, as: n. The appearance of objects or light sources described in terms of the individual's perception of them, involving hue, lightness, and saturation for objects and hue, brightness, and saturation for light sources. n. The characteristics of light by which the individual is made aware of objects or light sources through the receptors of the eye, described in terms of dominant wavelength, luminance, and purity. n. A substance, such as a dye, pigment, or paint, that imparts a hue. n. The general appearance of the skin; complexion. n. A ruddy complexion. n. A reddening of the face; a blush. n. The skin pigmentation of a person not categorized as white. n. A flag or banner, as of a country or military unit. n. The salute made during the ceremony of raising or lowering a flag. n. A distinguishing symbol, badge, ribbon, or mark: the colors of a college. n. One's opinion or position: Stick to your colors. n. Character or nature. Often used in the plural: revealed their true colors. n. Outward appearance, often deceptive: a tale with the merest color of truth. n. Appearance of authenticity: testimony that lends color to an otherwise absurd notion. n. Variety of expression. n. Vivid, picturesque detail: a story with a lot of color in it. n. Traits of personality or behavior that attract interest. n. The use or effect of pigment in painting, as distinct from form. n. Music  Quality of tone or timbre. n. Law  A mere semblance of legal right. n. A particle or bit of gold found in auriferous gravel or sand. n. Physics  A quantum characteristic of quarks that determines their role in the strong interaction. transitive v. To impart color to or change the color of. transitive v. To give a distinctive character or quality to; modify. See Synonyms at bias. transitive v. To exert an influence on; affect: The war colored the soldier's life. transitive v. To misrepresent, especially by distortion or exaggeration: color the facts. transitive v. To gloss over; excuse: a parent who colored the children's lies. intransitive v. To take on color. intransitive v. To change color. intransitive v. To become red in the face; blush. from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License n. The spectral composition of visible light n. A particular set of visible spectral compositions, perceived or named as a class; blee. n. Hue as opposed to achromatic colors (black, white and grays). n. Human skin tone, especially as an indicator of race or ethnicity. n. Interest, especially in a selective area. n. Any of the standard dark tinctures used in a coat of arms, including azure, gules, sable, and vert. Contrast with metal. n. A standard or banner. n. The system of color television. n. An award for sporting achievement, particularly within a school or university. n. In corporate finance, details on sales, profit margins, or other financial figures, especially while reviewing quarterly results when an officer of a company is speaking to investment analysts. n. A property of quarks, with three values called red, green, and blue, which they can exchange by passing gluons. n. The relative lightness or darkness of a mass of written or printed text on a page. n. Any of the colored balls excluding the reds. n. A front or facade: an ostensible truth actually false. n. An appearance of right or authority. n. Skin color noted as: normal, jaundice, cyanotic, flush, mottled, pale, or ashen as part of the skin signs assessment. adj. Conveying color, as opposed to shades of gray. v. To give something color. v. To apply colors to the areas within the boundaries of a line drawing using colored markers or crayons. v. To become red through increased blood flow. v. To affect without completely changing. v. To attribute a quality to. v. To assign colors to the vertices of (a gr


Which famous vehicle has used licence plates SCV 00919 and SCV 1 (through to SCV 9)?

The Pope has a Hyundai: Popemobiles through the years - SFGate The Pope has a Hyundai: Popemobiles through the years Take a look back at a short history of modern papal vehicles. By Chris Preovolos Photo: Franco Origlia, Getty Images Image 1of/22 Close Image 1 of 22 | Popemobiles through the years Last year Pope Francis got a new Popemobile, and known for his down-to-earth demeanor and Jesuit ideals, it couldn't be something flashy. Last year Pope Francis got a new Popemobile, and known for his down-to-earth demeanor and Jesuit ideals, it couldn't be something flashy. Photo: Franco Origlia, Getty Images Last year Pope Francis got a new Popemobile, and known for his... Photo-8128811.111368 - SFGate Image 2 of 22 | Popemobiles through the years That's right, it's a heavily modified papal Hyundai Santa Fe. That's right, it's a heavily modified papal Hyundai Santa Fe. Photo: Franco Origlia, Getty Images That's right, it's a heavily modified papal Hyundai Santa... Photo-8128813.111368 - SFGate Image 3 of 22 | Popemobiles through the years But he's the pope, so Francis has as couple of cars — he didn't ditch the G-Wagen yet. In fact the pope was seen just this week in his Mercedes-Benz 230G during his weekly audience at the Vatican. But he's the pope, so Francis has as couple of cars — he didn't ditch the G-Wagen yet. In fact the pope was seen just this week in his Mercedes-Benz 230G during his weekly audience at the Vatican. Photo: FILIPPO MONTEFORTE, AFP/Getty Images But he's the pope, so Francis has as couple of cars — he... Photo-8128790.111368 - SFGate Image 4 of 22 | Popemobiles through the years Nobody has ever seen Pope Francis actually ride it, but he was once gifted a 2013 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail. Nobody has ever seen Pope Francis actually ride it, but he was once gifted a 2013 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail. Photo: Antoine Antoniol, Getty Images Nobody has ever seen Pope Francis actually ride it, but he was once... Photo-8128805.111368 - SFGate Image 5 of 22 | Popemobiles through the years Need proof? The pope put his John Hancock right on the tank. The bike was later sold at auction for charity.  Need proof? The pope put his John Hancock right on the tank. The bike was later sold at auction for charity.  Photo: Antoine Antoniol, Getty Images Need proof? The pope put his John Hancock right on the tank. The... Photo-8128789.111368 - SFGate Image 6 of 22 | Popemobiles through the years Unlike the President of the United States, seen here with a Swiss Guard at the Vatican, the pope doesn't always travel with his cars. Unlike the President of the United States, seen here with a Swiss Guard at the Vatican, the pope doesn't always travel with his cars. Photo: Franco Origlia, Getty Images Unlike the President of the United States, seen here with a Swiss... Photo-8128785.111368 - SFGate Image 7 of 22 | Popemobiles through the years When Pope Francis visited the Philippines this year, at one point he rode in a papal Jeepny. The Jeepney is an iconic form of transportation in that country, though they are usually much, much more colorful.  When Pope Francis visited the Philippines this year, at one point he rode in a papal Jeepny. The Jeepney is an iconic form of transportation in that country, though they are usually much, much more ... more Photo: GIUSEPPE CACACE, AFP/Getty Images When Pope Francis visited the Philippines this year, at one point... Photo-8128803.111368 - SFGate Image 8 of 22 | Popemobiles through the years During that same trip, the pope also rode in the bed of an Izuzu pickup truck. During that same trip, the pope also rode in the bed of an Izuzu pickup truck. Photo: Pacific Press, LightRocket Via Getty Images During that same trip, the pope also rode in the bed of an Izuzu... Photo-8128788.111368 - SFGate Image 9 of 22 | Popemobiles through the years If possible, the pope often travels in a Popemobile converted from a vehicle made in the country he is visiting. In this photo, he's riding in a converted Kia minivan while in South Korea, scoring points with the locals. less If possible, the pope o


The Gini coefficient (or index or ratio), devised by Italian statistician and sociologist Corrado Gini in 1912, is a common measure of?

Gini coefficient - 必应 Sign in Gini coefficient The Gini coefficient (also known as the Gini index or Gini ratio) (/dʒini/ jee-nee) is a measure of statistical dispersion intended to represent the income distribution of a nation's residents, and is the most commonly used measure of inequality. It was developed by the Italian statistician and sociologist Corrado Gini and published in his 1912 paper "Variability and Mutability" (Italian: Variabilità e mutabilità). The Gini coefficient measures the inequality among values of a frequency distribution (for example, levels of income). A Gini coefficient of zero ex ... (展开) xpresses perfect equality, where all values are the same (for example, where everyone has the same income). A Gini coefficient of one (or 100%) expresses maximal inequality among values (for example, where only one person has all the income or consumption, and all others have none). However, a value greater than one may occur if some persons represent negative contribution to the total (for example, having negative income or wealth). For larger groups, values close to or above 1 are very unlikely in practice. The Gini coefficient was proposed by Gini as a measure of inequality of income or wealth. For OECD countries, in the late 2000s, considering the effect of taxes and transfer payments, the income Gini coefficient ranged between 0.24 to 0.49, with Slovenia the lowest and Chile the highest. African countries had the highest pre-tax Gini coefficients in 2008–2009, with South Africa the world's highest, variously estimated to be 0.63 to 0.7, although this figure drops to 0.52 after social assistance is taken into account, and drops again to 0.47 after taxation. The global income Gini coefficient in 2005 has been estimated to be between 0.61 and 0.68 by various sources. There are some issues in interpreting a Gini coefficient. The same value may result from many different distribution curves. The demographic structure should be taken into account. Countries with an aging population, or with a baby boom, experience an increasing pre-tax Gini coefficient even if real income distribution for working adults remains constant. Scholars have devised over a dozen variants of the Gini coefficient. Error when calculating Gini coefficient with user-defined functi... I am trying to use ddply to generate the Gini coefficients of several groups of observations. My data looks something like this: (this is obviously artificial)Group Name Month Wage A Alice January 0 A Alice February 300 A Alice February 400 B Alice March 500 B Bob January 1000 B Bob January 2500 I want to get the Gini coefficients of the wages, grouped by group, name, and month. Right now, I have the below code. It uses a user-defined function for doing the calculation because I needed to modify the data a little before sending it to gini. There's also a user-defined gini function that I found here, because the standard ineq function wasn't working correctly for me. #add up to 5 0's if there are not enough observations fakeinflate <- function(x) { toadd <- 5 - length(x[[1]]) add <- rep(0, toadd) togin <- c(x$wage, add) g <- ineq(togin) return(g) } #calculate the Gini coefficient gini <- function(x, unbiased = TRUE, na.rm = FALSE){ if (!is.numeric(x)){ warning("'x' is not numeric; returning NA") return(NA) } if (!na.rm && any(na.ind <- is.na(x))) stop("'x' contain NAs") if (na.rm) x <- x[!na.ind] n <- length(x) mu <- mean(x) N <- if (unbiased) n * (n - 1) else n * n ox <- x[order(x)] dsum <- drop(crossprod(2 * 1:n - n - 1, ox)) dsum / (mu * N) } #aggregate with ddply allginis <- ddply(allwagesdf, c("Group", "Name"), fakeinflate) When I run this, I get the following error: 'Error: invalid 'times' argument'. I have tried debugging and my function seems to be running fine - the error is thrown in ddply. Does anyone know what this means and how I can fix it? 图片:http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/r 图片:http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/user-defined-functions 图片:http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/plyr 答 The problems is in fakeInflate. toadd c


What fundamental physics term derives from Greek 'not cut' (a temnein)?

Atom | Define Atom at Dictionary.com atom 1. Physics. the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element, consisting of a nucleus containing combinations of neutrons and protons and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus by electrical attraction; the number of protons determines the identity of the element. an atom with one of the electrons replaced by some other particle: muonic atom; kaonic atom. Energy. this component as the source of nuclear energy. 3. a hypothetical particle of matter so minute as to admit of no division. 4. anything extremely small; a minute quantity. Origin of atom Greek 1350-1400 1350-1400; Middle English attomos, athomus < Latin atomus < Greek átomos, noun use of átomos undivided, equivalent to a- a- 6 + tomós divided, verbid of témnein to cut Synonyms 4. shred, speck, scintilla, iota, jot, whit. Dictionary.com Unabridged Examples from the Web for atom Expand Contemporary Examples Uranium is enriched to make fuel for power reactors, but the same process also is used to make the explosive core of atom bombs. The Next Simon Cowell Is... Richard Rushfield May 11, 2010 Historical Examples The atom when it is acting under the direction of a fixed law is a giant in strength. Aether and Gravitation William George Hooper No writer concerning Hook can claim for him an atom of respect. Aether and Gravitation William George Hooper It is these jets which occasionally sweep away an atom from the surface of the sphere. Occult Chemistry Annie Besant and Charles W. Leadbeater British Dictionary definitions for atom Expand 1. the smallest quantity of an element that can take part in a chemical reaction this entity as a source of nuclear energy: the power of the atom See also atomic structure 2. any entity regarded as the indivisible building block of a theory 3. the hypothetical indivisible particle of matter postulated by certain ancient philosophers as the fundamental constituent of matter See also atomism 4. a very small amount or quantity; minute fragment: to smash something to atoms, there is not an atom of truth in his allegations Word Origin C16: via Old French and Latin, from Greek atomos (n), from atomos (adj) that cannot be divided, from a-1 + temnein to cut Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for atom Expand n. late 15c., as a hypothetical indivisible body, the building block of the universe, from Latin atomus (especially in Lucretius) "indivisible particle," from Greek atomos "uncut, unhewn; indivisible," from a- "not" + tomos "a cutting," from temnein "to cut" (see tome ). An ancient term of philosophical speculation (in Leucippus, Democritus), revived 1805 by British chemist John Dalton. In late classical and medieval use also a unit of time, 22,560 to the hour. Atom bomb is from 1945 as both a noun and a verb; cf. atomic . Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper atom at·om (āt'əm) n. A unit of matter, the smallest unit of an element, having all the characteristics of that element and consisting of a dense,   central, positively charged nucleus surrounded by a system of electrons. The entire structure has an approximate diameter   of 10-8 centimeter and characteristically remains undivided in chemical reactions except for limited removal, transfer, or exchange   of certain electrons. This unit regarded as a source of nuclear energy. A part or particle considered to be an irreducible constituent of a specified system. The irreducible, indestructible material unit postulated by ancient atomism. An extremely small part, quantity, or amount. a·tom'ic (ə-tŏm'ĭk) adj. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.


Geococcyx, a ground cuckoo of southern US and Mexico, is the basis of which popular cartoon, its common name?

Chapparal Cock - Geococcyx californianus - Details - Encyclopedia of Life Learn more about this article The Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus), one of two roadrunner species, is found in Mexico and the southwestern and southcentral United States. It is a large, ground-dwelling member of the cuckoo family. The Greater Roadrunner walks and runs on the ground, flying only when necessary. It can run 15 mph (24 kph) and probably sprints briefly at much higher speeds in pursuit of prey. Greater Roadrunners are common in scrub desert and mesquite groves, less common in chaparral and open woodland. The diet of the Greater Roadrunner consists of insects and other arthropods, lizards, snakes, rodents, small birds, and sometimes snails. Some fruits (especially cactus fruit) and seeds are also eaten. In addition to making rapid dashes to grab a prey item with its bill, the Greater Roadrunner may leap straight up from the ground to catch insects or small birds flying over (roadrunners have been observed capturing hummingbirds this way). Greater Roadrunners may mate for life, with a pair defending its territory all year. Courtship includes chases on foot, with frequent pauses to rest. One member of the pair approaches the other with a stick or blade of grass and drops it on the ground or gives to the other bird. In other displays, the male runs away from the female with his tail and wings raised over his back and gradually lowers his wings; the male wags his tail from side to side while slowly bowing. The nest is constructed in a dense bush, low tree, or cactus, usually around 1 to 4 m above the ground (rarely on the ground itself). The nest is a platform of sticks lined with grass, leaves, and feathers and sometimes with pieces of snakeskin or cow manure. The 3 to 5 eggs (sometimes 2 or 6) are white to pale yellowish and are incubated by both parents (but especially the male) for around 20 days. Both parents feed the young, which leave the nest after around 18 to 21 days after hatching. Although young birds may begin capturing their own food shortly after leaving the nest, they are still fed by the parents for another 30 to 40 days. Greater Roadrunners are permanent (i.e., year-round) residents across their range, but some individuals may wander considerable distances. Although the range of the Greater Roadrunner periodically expands to the north and east, it is pushed back by severe winters. This species may be in long-term decline in California. The Greater Roadrunner, with its long tail, expressive crest, and speedy gait, provided inspiration for a popular cartoon character who not only entertains, but also provides opportunities for meaningful discussions of the laws of physics and literary analysis . (Kaufman 1996; AOU 1998; Dunn and Alderfer 2011) © Leo Shapiro Learn more about this article The Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) is probably the most famous bird in the Sonoran Desert. Characterized by a long tail, streaked appearance, frequently erected shaggy crest, and a blue and orange bare patch of skin behind its human like eyes, the great roadrunner is actually a ground-dwelling member of the cuckoo family. The Greater Roadrunner walks and runs on the ground, flying only when necessary. It can run 15 mph (24 kph) and probably sprints briefly at much higher speeds in pursuit of prey. The diet of the Greater Roadrunner consists of insects and other arthropods, lizards, snakes, rodents, small birds, and sometimes snails. Some fruits (especially cactus fruit) and seeds are also eaten. In addition, they hunts by walking briskly and running toward prey once it is located; the adults uses their long tails as a rudders for maneuvering while running. The Greater Roadrunner has also been known to jump straight up in the air when small birds or flying insects are overhead. Greater Roadrunners may mate for life, with a pair defending its territory all year. The nest is constructed in a dense bush, low tree, or cactus, usually around 1 to 4 m above the ground (rarely on the ground itself). Clutch size is about 3 to


In physics/maths, density is defined as mass divided by?

Explaining the Concept of Density: Definition, Formula & Practice Problems What is Density? Definition & Problems written by: Terrie Schultz            • edited by: SForsyth            • updated: 1/5/2012 In your science class, you will learn the definition of density is mass divided by volume. Learn more about how this formula works in every day life and complete some practice problems. slide 1 of 3 What is Density? Density is defined as mass per volume. You can think of it as how many particles of a substance are packed into a certain amount of space. If the particles are packed tightly together, the density would be greater than if they are loosely packed with a lot of empty space around them. Here are some examples: Two people get into an elevator on the 10th floor. As the elevator goes down, it stops at each floor and two more people get in. The density of people in the elevator increases as it descends, because there are more people crowded together in the same amount of space. On the 10th floor, there is a lot of space between the people and not very much mass in the elevator. As more and more people get in, the mass increases and the people are crowded closer and closer together, but the volume (amount of space inside the elevator) remains the same. Therefore, the density is much greater when the elevator reaches the ground floor than it was at the 10th floor. If you put 10 Styrofoam peanuts into a shoe box, there is a lot of space between them, and the density is low. If you cram 1,000 Styrofoam peanuts into the shoe box, the mass will increase but the volume will remain the same, so the density will increase. slide 2 of 3 How to Calculate Density Density is mass per volume. When you see the word "per" it always means "divide." So to calculate the density, we divide the mass by the volume. Mass is measured in grams, and volume is measured in cubic centimeters, so density is usually expressed in grams per cubic centimeter, or g/cm3. Density can be calculated by dividing the mass in grams by the volume in cubic centimeters. Density is an intrinsic physical property of a substance, and the density remains constant even if the total amount of the substance changes. The density of lead is 11.34 g/cm3. If you have a piece of lead with a volume of 1 cubic centimeter, the mass will be 11.34 grams and the density will be 11.34 divided by 1, or 11.34 g/cm3. If you have a larger piece of lead, say 5 cubic centimeters in volume, the mass will be 56.7 grams, but when we divide the mass by the volume, 56.7 divided by 5, the density will still be 11.34 g/cm3. The total mass and volume may change, but the density will always be the same for a particular substance. slide 3 of 3 Practice Problems The formula for calculating density is D = M/V 1. A rock has a mass of 20 grams and a volume of 4 cubic centimeters. What is its density? Solution: 20 g divided by 4 cm3 = 5 g/cm3 2. A piece of aluminum has a volume of 6 cm3 and a mass of 16.2 g. What is its density? Solution: 16.2 g divided by 6 cm3 = 2.7 g/cm3 3. A gold nugget has a density of 19.3 g/cm3 and a mass of 135.1. What is its volume? Solution: In this problem, you know the density and the mass, but not the volume. if you know two of the values, you can solve for the third by rearranging your formula, D= M/V, to solve for volume. The new formula is V = M/D. 135.1 g divided by 19.3 g/cm3 = 7 cm3 4. A brick has a density of 6 g/cm3 and a volume of 150 cm3. What is its mass? Solution: Here again you have two of the values, and you can solve for the third by rearranging your formula to solve for mass. The new formula is M = D x V. 6 g/cm3 x 130 cm3 = 900 g. ◄ ● ● ● ►


Pernio (or perniosis), a human medical condition caused by exposure to cold and humidity, is commonly known as what?

Symptoms of Sarcoidosis Symptoms of Sarcoidosis Parent Category: Public Published: 30 December 2009 Sarcoidosis is often referred to as a masquerader or the ‘snowflake’ disease because patients present with so many different symptoms. The clinical picture can be complicated by intermittent inflammation in many different organs, making diagnosis difficult. While the symptoms may vary from patient to patient, the underlying cause is the same: intracellular bacteria. See Infectious Etiology of Sarcoidosis .  Inflammation Therapy is designed to eliminate intracellular bacteria and effect recovery from sarcoidosis. See Overview of InflammationTherapy The most common sarcoidosis symptoms listed by the Cleveland Clinic are: Tender reddish bumps or patches on the skin Red and teary eyes or blurred vision Swollen and painful joints Enlarged and tender lymph glands in the neck, armpits and groin Enlarged lymph glands in the chest and around the lungs Nasal stuffiness and/or hoarse voice Pain in the hands, feet or other bony areas Kidney stone formation Enlarged liver (or spleen) Development of abnormal or missed heartbeats (arrhythmias), inflammation of the covering of the heart (pericarditis) or heart failure Nervous system effects, including hearing loss, meningitis, seizures or psychiatric disorders (for example, dementia, depression, psychosis) There are many other symptoms that may be due to sarcoidosis, because it can damage or alter the function of any body organ. Elevated 1,25-D Sarcoidosis always results in dysregulated vitamin D metabolism and abnormally high levels of dihydoxyvitamin-D (1,25-D), a powerful hormone which affects many other hormones. Symptoms of too much vitamin D (hypervitaminosis-D) in inflammatory disease may cause may adverse symptoms including: Calcium deposits in the kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, heart and other soft tissues High blood calcium levels Bone fragility in sarcoidosis and relationships with calcium metabolism disorders: a cross sectional study on 142 patients "Serum 25(OH)D level was inversely correlated with disease activity. Of note, vitamin D supplements increased serum 25(OH)D in a dose-dependent manner but had no effect on serum calcium level." "In sarcoidosis, calcium and vitamin D supplementation might be warranted, but desirable 25(OH)D serum levels might be lower than those advised for the general population." Light sensitivity and dietary vitamin D sensitivity Sensitivity to sunlight was detailed in 1950 by Scadding and in 1954 by Anderson. In 1968 a paper by Winnacker, et al , reported that sarcoidosis patients can be 20 times as sensitive to sunlight and dietary Vitamin D as the 'normal' population. In fact, only 9000 IU of Vitamin D was a toxic dose to some sarcoidosis patients, whereas 'normal' people could take 150,000 IU without ill effect. Scadding (in 1950) reported that some sarcoidosis patients were intolerant of any dosage of Vitamin D. The Canadian Lung Association warns sarcoidosis patients to stay out of the sun. Exposure to excessive sunlight can make a sarcoidosis patient feel very ill, with symptoms that include fatigue, drowsiness, pain, "brain fog," memory problems, insomnia, sensitivity to light, visual problems, tingling and numbness, headache and nausea. Someone who is exposed to excessive sunlight (such as on a vacation or moving to a sunnier climate) may have a symptom exacerbation that leads to a doctor visit and a diagnosis. This doesn't mean that the sunlight caused the sarcoidosis…it just made it more apparent. See Light Sensitivity Lungs Patients with sarcoidosis may have some form of pulmonary involvement with the most common symptoms being a chronic cough and shortness of breath. A chest x-ray or CT scan may reveal enlarged lymph nodes. Lymph nodes play a critical role in removing bacteria, abnormal cells and other matter as part of the immune system. A mediastinoscopy biopsy may be ordered to rule out cancer but enlarged lymph nodes are usually a sign of infection. The clinical picture may be enough to diagnosis sarcoidosis and an invasive biops


What marketing term derives from the centuries-old practice of burning an owner's mark on a beast?

Celtic Myth and Moonlight || Holidays and Festivals [2] HALLOWEEN Halloween (also spelled Hallowe’en) is a holiday celebrated on October 31st. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints’ Day. It is largely a secular celebration, but some Christians and Pagans have expressed strong feelings about its religious overtones. Irish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America during Ireland's Great Famine of 1846. The day is often associated with the colors orange and black, and is strongly associated with symbols such as the jack-o'-lantern. Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, ghost tours, bonfires, costume parties, visiting haunted attractions, carving jack-o'-lanterns, reading scary stories, and watching horror movies. History Halloween has origins in the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain; from the Old Irish samain, possibly derived from Gaulish samonios). The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture, and is sometimes regarded as the "Celtic New Year". Traditionally, the festival was a time used by the ancient Celtic Pagans to take stock of supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. The ancient Celts believed that on October 31st, now known as Halloween, the boundary between the living and the deceased dissolved, and the dead become dangerous for the living by causing problems such as sickness or damaged crops. The festivals would frequently involve bonfires, into which the bones of slaughtered livestock were thrown. Costumes and masks were also worn at the festivals in an attempt to copy the evil spirits or placate them. Origin of Name The term Halloween, originally spelled Hallowe’en, is shortened from All Hallows’ Eve (both even and eve are abbreviations of evening, but Halloween gets its n from even) as it is the eve of "All Hallows’ Day", which is now also known as All Saints’ Day. It was a day of religious festivities in various northern European Pagan traditions, until Popes Gregory III and Gregory IV moved the old Christian feast of All Saints’ Day from May 13th (which had itself been the date of a Pagan holiday, the Feast of the Lemures) to November 1st. In the 9th century, the Church measured the day as starting at sunset, in accordance with the Florentine calendar. Although All Saints’ Day is now considered to occur one day after Halloween, the two holidays were, at that time, celebrated on the same day. Symbols On Hallows’ eve, the ancient Celts would place a skeleton on their window sill to represent the departed. Originating in Europe, these lanterns were first carved from a turnip or rutabaga. Believing that the head was the most powerful part of the body, containing the spirit and the knowledge, the Celts used the "head" of the vegetable to frighten off any superstitions. Welsh, Irish and British myth are full of legends of the Brazen Head, which may be a folk memory of the widespread ancient Celtic practice of headhunting - the results of which were often nailed to a door lintel or brought to the fireside to speak their wisdom. The name jack-o'-lantern can be traced back to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, a greedy, gambling, hard-drinking old farmer. He tricked the devil into climbing a tree and trapped him by carving a cross into the tree trunk. In revenge, the devil placed a curse on Jack, condemning him to forever wander the earth at night with the only light he had: a candle inside of a hollowed turnip. The carving of pumpkins is associated with Halloween in North America, where pumpkins were not only readily available but much larger, making them easier to carve than turnips. Many families that celebrate Halloween carve a pumpkin into a frightening or comical face and place it on their doorstep after dark. In America, the tradition of carving pumpkins is known to have preceded the Great Famine period of Irish immigration. The carved pumpkin was originally associated with harvest time in general, in America and did not become specifically associated wit


The famous song Una Paloma Blanca means in Spanish a white?

Paloma Blanca by George Baker Selection Songfacts Paloma Blanca by George Baker Selection Songfacts Songfacts The title of this song translates as "White Dove", although it is perhaps better known as "Una Paloma Blanca" ("One White Dove"). Written by the Dutch singer-songwriter Johannes Bouwens, it has been both widely recorded and a popular choice for budding musicians. In 1977, an arrangement by Michael Burnett for School Ensemble was published by Chappell of London, copyright 1975, 1977 by Witch/Veronica Music, Holland and Noon Music Ltd of London. "Paloma Blanca" was the title track of the fifth album by The George Baker Selection. [Bouwens recorded as George Baker both with his band and later as a solo artist]. Running to just under three and a half minutes, and backed by "Dreamboat," the single was a big hit in many countries. The definitive recording though is that made by Jonathan King as "Una Paloma Blanca." King's version picked up an Ivor Novello Award for Record Of The Year. Unusually, the two versions were released almost simultaneously in the UK and raced up the charts together. In a 1997 interview with The Songwriter magazine, music publisher Terry Noon explained how he heard about the song on a trip to Holland and thought it was a #1 hit. All his connections thought he was mad, he said, but he persisted, and badgered Jonathan King into recording it. At first, King said he would record it only as an album track, but soon relented. The October 4, 1975 issue of Music Week listed "Una Paloma Blanca" at #10 and "Paloma Blanca" at #11, by which time they had been in the charts for 5 weeks. The following week, "Una Paloma Blanca" peaked at #5, and "Paloma Blanca" at #10. It has been suggested the song was inspired by the Portuguese "Carnation Revolution" of 1974 - i.e. the liberation of the dove. Clearly it is a song about freedom, but songs about birds frequently have this theme. The John/Taupin composition " Skyline Pigeon " is strikingly similar, and may have inspired it. This track was re-released as the B Side of " Daniel " in 1973, and it it is not unlikely Bouwens - consciously or otherwise - borrowed its "Let me wake up in the morning to the smell of new mown hay" for his lyric "I can smell the new mown hay." With its distinctive flute solo, "Paloma Blanca" has a melody that lends itself readily to parody, and was soon hijacked by The Wurzels for " I Am A Cider Drinker " which reached #3 in the UK singles chart. >> Suggestion credit:


Which city has the most moving bridges in the world?

Chicago's Moving Bridges over the Chicago River | The Chicag… | Flickr Matt Maldre By: Matt Maldre Chicago's Moving Bridges over the Chicago River The Chicago River cuts through downtown Chicago and is home to the most moveable bridges in the world for any city. Starting from the top, here are the bridges featured in this photo: Franklin Street Bridge, Wells Street Bridge, LaSalle Street Bridge, Clark Street Bridge, and Dearborn Street Bridge.   A little bit of trivia about a couple of these bridges. The top bridge at Franklin Street was an important part of the 2005 film "Batman Begins" because it's the bridge that connects Gotham City with the Narrows. The 2nd bridge from the top (Wells Street) is the double decker extreme bridge. It carries three lanes of southbound traffic along with two sidewalks. The upper deck slams across two sets of CTA trains every day with the brown and purple. The bottom bridge (Dearborn Street) is the only bridge featured here that was not built between 1919 to 1929. It was constructed in 1962, and its straight-line modern style certainly proclaims that.   The Corn Cob towers (aka Marina City Towers) on the right serve as a natural framing device for this photo. Newly reconstructed Wacker Drive happily sits on the left.   One of my favorite parts of this photo (other than the nice number of bridges shown) is how the Chicago River at the top of the photo splits into two branches.   Oh wait, but there's more! In the very back of the photo are two sets of Metra tracks. The set on the ground leads into Union Station. The top set leads into Ogilvie Transportation Center. In fact look at the top tracks NOW! There's a train leaving Ogilvie right now! Well, it's just my guess that it's leaving seeing that this photo was taken in the afternoon. Oh, this was shot on the top floor of Hotel 71.   (This is the east branch of the Chicago River. For a similar view down the south branch, check out this photo: www.flickr.com/photos/spudart/2482844808 ). (And a shot of the same scene in but in a vertical format: www.flickr.com/photos/spudart/2943219167 )   High resolution print available at: www.deviantart.com/print/881140/ Done


The traditional African instrument called a djembe is a small?

The Djembe - Drum Africa The Djembe The Djembe The Djembe The djembe (pronounced JEM-bay) is one of the most versatile and widespread percussion instruments on the planet. Its huge popularity is down to the fact that it can create an unusually wide range of pitches, namely the bass (low), tone (medium) and slap (high). These sounds are created by striking different areas of the djembe skin with the hands. Its Origins The djembe drum is said to have been invented in the 12th Century by the Mandinke tribe in what is now Mali, in West Africa. It has been played by West Africans for generations forming an integral part of ritualistic life in Mali, Guinea, Senegal and other neighbouring West African countries. Its Design The djembe has a very unique and distinctive design, which is fundamental to its versatile sound. The “goblet-shaped” body of the drum is carved and hollowed out of a single piece of tree trunk. The Mandinka people traditionally used wood from Lenge trees, which held great spiritual importance for them while also lending the drum its resounding acoustic. The large bowl-shaped chamber in the upper part of the body creates low resonance for the bass strokes (struck by the whole hand in the middle of the drum), while the narrow elongated lower section helps project the volume of all tones. The head of the drum is traditionally made from goat skin, providing the djembe with piercing high-pitched tone and slap sounds (struck by the hand near the edge of the drum) owing to the thinness of goat skin (compared to antelope or calf-skin). The shaved goat skin is lapped around a steel hoop and placed over the lip at the top of the drum. Another steel hoop wrapped with coiled-rope is placed on top of the skin-lapped hoop so that the tension of the skin can be adjusted by tightening or loosening the attached vertical ropes lining the outside of the bowl of the drum. Tuning In order to make a djembe sound good, the tuning of the skin needs to be fairly tight and, more importantly, even on all sides of the drum. If one side of the skin is significantly tighter than another then unwanted overtones will impair the crispness of the sound. Tuning – rope is horizontally interwoven between the vertical ropes to increase tension in the head The tuning of the drum is achieved by using a double-hoop system in which a lower hoop, lapped with the goat skin head, is pulled down over the rim of the drum by an upper hoop, which is interlocked via a long vertically-winding rope with a smaller hoop just below the bowl of the drum. Once the vertical rope has been pulled tight all the way around the drum it is tied off, and can be continued to be used by weaving horizontally between the ropes to increase the tension further. The horizontal rope is weaved behind and in front of the vertical ropes (various methods can be employed) so as to twist them into an “S” shape and increase the tension of the skin until the desired pitch is reached. The skin will naturally descend in pitch over time, so drummers regularly increase the tension on the skin by continuing to weave the horizontal rope all the way around the bowl of the drum until either the skin is so stretched that it is no longer usable, or the skin rips. Sounds of the djembe There are three main sounds that can be played on a djembe: bass, tone and slap. The bass sound (low-pitched) is achieved by striking the drum in the middle of the skin with a heavy hand. The tone (medium-pitched) is played with the hand on the edge of the skin, using the wrist as well as the arm to propel the hand towards the drum. The slap (high-pitched) is technically the hardest stroke to achieve. There are many types of slap, all of which are played near the edge. Ghanaians play their slap slightly further in than the tone as shown below. Djembe drummers from Guinea, Mali and other countries where the djembe is indigenous, slap slightly further out, with the fingers pointing as shown below. In both cases the fingers should be completely relaxed and thrown towards the head of the drum by the arm and wrist. The bes


Steps and Accidentals A half step (or ''semitone'') is the distance from one key on the keyboard to the next adjacent key. Key 1 to Key 2 is a half step since they are next to each other. A half step is not always from a white key to a black key. In this example, Key 1 and Key 2 are still next to each other. A whole step (or ''whole tone'' or simply ''tone'') is the same distance as two half steps. Key 1 to Key 3 is a whole step. Key 1 to Key 2 is the first half step. Key 2 to Key 3 is the second half step. An accidental is a sign used to raise or lower the pitch of a note. The first accidentals that we will discuss are the flat and the sharp. The flat lowers a note by a half step while the sharp raises a note by a half step. When typing, you can use a # to represent a sharp and a b to represent a flat. Let's examine the black key in between C and D. This key could be called C# since it is a half step above C. It could also be called Db since it is a half step below D. Another example would be E and F. E could also be called Fb since it is half step below F. Likewise, F could be called E#. Whenever a certain pitch has multiple names, it is called an enharmonic spelling. Next, let's discuss the double flat and the double sharp. While flats and sharps alter a note by a half step, the double flat and double sharp alter a note by a whole step. When typing, you can use a x to represent a double sharp and a bb to represent a double flat. For example, both D and Ebb have the same pitch since you can reach D by going a whole step (or two half steps) down from E. D also sounds the same as Cx since it is a whole step above C. Finally, a natural cancels out any accidental and returns a note to its original white key. We will learn more about naturals in an upcoming lesson.


Which South-Asian curry dish is named from Persian 'two onions'?

Dopiaza (Indian Onion Curry Recipe) - Pham Fatale Dopiaza (Indian Onion Curry Recipe) Print Recipe This Indian dish consists of a generous amount of onions , both cooked in the curry (masala) and as a garnish. Onions are added at two stages during cooking, hence the name dopiaza in Urdu ("two onions"), [according to Wikipedia]. The sauce contains onions of course, ghee and yogurt and is flavored with ginger-garlic paste as well as several Indian spices. Our garden is still filled with the red Creole onions Lulu planted this season. The onions are so fragrant and prolific; I thought the best way to use a large quantity was to make dopiaza. I tried to choose same-sized onions for even cooking. If you have leftovers, you can make upside-down savory onion tarts the next day.  Ingredients 2 tablespoons canola oil (or any neutral oil) 1 yellow onion, chopped 2 green cardamom pods, slightly crushed 1 small stick cinnamon 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (see tips) 2 jalapeño peppers 4 dried red chiles, as needed 1 teaspoon ground coriander, freshly ground 1 teaspoon red chili powder 1 teaspoon turmeric powder Directions Prepping the Creole onions: Trim both ends. Remove the stalks and reserve them for another dish (they are very flavorful). Peel the onions. Prepping the chile peppers: Using a paring knife, create a 2-inch incision in the jalapeño peppers. For less heat, I remove the seeds (don't forget to wear disposable gloves). Set aside. Making the curry sauce (masala): In a large pan, heat the canola oil. Cook the yellow onion for about 6-8 minutes until soft and nicely golden. Leaving as much oil as possible in the pan, transfer to a platter. Set aside. In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of ghee. Once it's melted, add the mustard seeds and garlic cloves.  They will start popping in the ghee. Add the ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, ground coriander, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, red chili powder and dried red chiles. Once the ginger garlic paste is fragrant, add the cooked yellow onions, jalapeño peppers and yogurt. Cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Assembly time: Transfer half the amount of cooked sauce into a blender . Coarsely blend the mixture and pour it back into the pot. Add the whole Creole onions. Add 2 to 2-½ cups of water; the water should barely cover the Creole onions. Bring to a boil then lower to a gentle simmer; cook, covered, for about 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Salt half-way through the cooking process (it will bring out the natural flavor of the onions and they'll be more tender) and keep stirring every now and then so the onions don't stick to the bottom of the pot. Check the liquid and periodically add more water and cook a bit longer if not fully cooked. Check the softness of the onions; the texture should be soft but they shouldn't fall apart. Finish with little mounds of ghee over the onions. Adjust seasoning and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes over low-heat. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with paratha (whole wheat flat Indian bread). Bon appétit! Tips I usually make this dish using smaller pearl onions. Ghee is the Indian version of clarified butter. You can find it in jars at Indian stores (I also find it at Costco). But if you don't have ghee, you can use butter instead. For a vegan version, just omit the ghee and yogurt and increase the amount of onions. You could also add cubed chicken, shrimp or lamb to the sauce.


The Greek word praxis refers to what, contrasting with theory?

Episteme and Techne (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Episteme and Techne First published Fri Apr 11, 2003; substantive revision Sun Jun 22, 2014 Epistêmê is the Greek word most often translated as knowledge, while technê is translated as either craft or art. These translations, however, may inappropriately harbor some of our contemporary assumptions about the relation between theory (the domain of ‘knowledge’) and practice (the concern of ‘craft’ or ‘art’). Outside of modern science, there is sometimes skepticism about the relevance of theory to practice because it is thought that theory is conducted at so great a remove from the facts, the province of practice, that it can lose touch with them. Indeed, at the level of practice, concrete experience might be all we need. And within science, theory strives for a value-free view of reality. As a consequence, scientific theory cannot tell us how things should be — the realm of ‘art’ or ‘craft’ . So we must turn elsewhere for answers to the profound, but still practical, questions about how we should live our lives. However, some of the features of this contemporary distinction between theory and practice are not found in the relation between epistêmê and technê. As we move chronologically from Xenophon to Plotinus, we go from an author who does not distinguish between the two terms, to an author who has little use for technê because it is so far from reality. It is in Aristotle that we find the basis for something like the modern opposition between epistêmê as pure theory and technê as practice. Yet even Aristotle refers to technê or craft as itself also epistêmê or knowledge because it is a practice grounded in an ‘account’ — something involving theoretical understanding. Plato — whose theory of forms seems an arch example of pure theoretical knowledge — nevertheless is fascinated by the idea of a kind of technê that is informed by knowledge of forms. In the Republic this knowledge is the indispensable basis for the philosophers' craft of ruling in the city. Picking up another theme in Plato's dialogues, the Stoics develop the idea that virtue is a kind of technê or craft of life, one that is based on an understanding of the universe. The relation, then, between epistêmê and technê in ancient philosophy offers an interesting contrast with our own notions about theory (pure knowledge) and (experience-based) practice. There is an intimate positive relationship between epistêmê and technê, as well as a fundamental contrast. 1. Xenophon Xenophon's only sustained discussions of epistêmê and technê are in two of his Socratic works, Memorabilia and Oeconomicus. The Memorabilia recounts conversations which Socrates held on a variety of topics; the Oeconomicus is a conversation largely devoted to one, i.e., the art of running a successful estate and household. In these works, knowledge is intimately tied to knowing how to do things, especially the more organized kind of knowing-how designated by technê. There is no distinction between epistêmê as theoretical knowledge and technê as mere craft or skill. Socrates explicitly identifies as technai such activities as playing the harp, generalship, piloting a ship, cooking, medicine, managing an estate, smithing, and carpentry; by association with these technai, we can include housebuilding, mathematics, astronomy, making money, flute playing, and painting. Without marking any difference, he also calls many of these activities epistêmai. At the beginning of Memorabilia, Xenophon, in fact, portrays Socrates as uninterested in the abstract investigations of the physical philosophers. Socrates, he says, eschewed the investigation of the kosmos; he preferred looking into human affairs. Besides, humans cannot understand the universe, as shown by the inability of those who engage in these kinds of study to agree (I.i.11-14). In fact, towards the end of the work, Xenophon says that Socrates held that the study of geometry should be pursued to the point where one could measure a parcel of land he meant to


What famous striped creature shares the same genus as the onager and kiang?

Horse - Equus - Details - Encyclopedia of Life This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2013) A zebroid (also zedonk, zorse, zebra mule, zonkey, and zebrule) is the offspring of any cross between a zebra and any other equine : essentially, a zebra hybrid . In most cases, the sire is a zebra stallion . Offspring of a donkey sire and zebra dam, called a zebra hinny , or donkra, do exist but are rare. Zebroids have been bred since the 19th century. Charles Darwin noted several zebra hybrids in his works. Contents Types[ edit ] Zebroid is the generic name for all zebra hybrids. The different hybrids are generally named using a portmanteau of the sire 's name and the dam 's name. There is generally no distinction made as to which zebra species is used. Many times when zebras are crossbred, they develop some form of dwarfism . Breeding of different branches of the equine family, which does not occur in the wild, generally results in infertile offspring. The combination of sire and dam also affects the offspring phenotype. A zorse is the offspring of a zebra stallion and a horse mare . This cross is also called a zebrula, zebrule, or zebra mule. The rarer reverse pairing is sometimes called a horbra, hebra, zebrinny or zebret. Like most other animal hybrids , the zorse is sterile. [1] A zony is the offspring of a zebra stallion and a pony mare. Medium-sized pony mares are preferred to produce riding zonies, but zebras have been crossed with smaller pony breeds such as the Shetland , resulting in so-called "Zetlands". [2] A zebra/donkey hybrid A cross between a zebra and a donkey is known by many terms including: zonkey, zebonkey, zebronkey, zebrinny, zebrula, zebrass, zedonk, and zebadonk. Donkeys are closely related to zebras and both animals belong to the horse family . These zebra donkey hybrids are very rare. [3] In South Africa , they occur where zebras and donkeys are found in proximity to each other. Like mules , however, they are generally genetically unable to breed, due to an odd number of chromosomes disrupting meiosis . Genetics[ edit ] Donkeys and wild equids have different numbers of chromosomes . A donkey has 62 chromosomes; the zebra has between 32 and 46 (depending on species). In spite of this difference, viable hybrids are possible, provided the gene combination in the hybrid allows for embryonic development to birth. A hybrid has a number of chromosomes somewhere in between. The chromosome difference makes female hybrids poorly fertile and male hybrids generally sterile due to a phenomenon called Haldane's Rule . The difference in chromosome number is most likely due to horses having two longer chromosomes that contain similar gene content to four zebra chromosomes. [4] Horses have 64 chromosomes, while most zebroids end up with 54 chromosomes. Common wisdom states that hybrids only occur when the zebra is the sire, but the Barbados hybrid demonstrates otherwise. Two other known zebra hinnies have been foaled, but did not survive to adulthood. The rarity of zebra hinnies indicates the smaller number of chromosomes must generally be on the male side if a viable hybrid is to be produced. Before this comes into account, a successful mating needs to be accomplished in the first place. Zonkeys are interspecific hybrids bred by mating two species from within the same genus. The offspring have traits and characteristics of both parents. Zonkeys vary considerably depending on how the genes from each parent are expressed and how they interact. Physical characteristics[ edit ] A zorse Zebroids physically resemble their nonzebra parent, but are striped like a zebra. The stripes generally do not cover the whole body, and might be confined to the legs or spread onto parts of the body or neck. If the nonzebra parent was patterned (such as a roan , Appaloosa , Pinto horse / paint , piebald , or skewbald ), this pattern might be passed down to the zebroid, in which case the


K'ung Futse (Venerated Master Kong) is better known as which major philosopher and religious founder?

RELI 102 Study Guide (2012-13 Stephens) - Instructor Stephens at Clemson University - StudyBlue Good to have you back! If you've signed in to StudyBlue with Facebook in the past, please do that again. RELI 102 Study Guide (2012-13 Stephens) RELI 102 Study Guide (2012-13 Stephens) StudyBlue the study of human life and culture ethnology The study of how and why recent cultures different and are similar. Advertisement ) describes certain religions, academic agnosticism, diversity and cross-cultural normative (study of religion)  explaining what ought to be, what is true or false about a religion  F. Max Muller -founder of field of science of religon -religions cultural constructions around perception of the infitte -differences are due to language -guest for origins -opposes evolution F. Max Muller -wrote both scholarly and popular works on the subject of Indology, a discipline he introduced to the British reading public, and the Sacred Books of the East, a massive, 50-volume set of English translations prepared under his direction, stands as an enduring monument to Victorian scholarship.[2] He also put forward and promoted the idea of a Turanian family of languages and Turanian people.[3][4] Abington v. Schempp (1963) a Pennsylvania law requiring Bible reading in schools violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment. - Justice Clark "Religious instruction vs. instruction about religion" Establishment Clause a clause in the First Amendment that prevents government from establishing an official religion, treating one religion preferably to another, proselytizing, or promoting religion over non-religion Free exercise clause The First Amendment clause that protects a citizen's right to believe and practice whatever religion he or she chooses Academic agnosticism temporary suspending belief in order to study religion without bias substantive definition of religion religion has unique content or substance relating to the sacred that separated it from other forms of knowledge functional definition for religion what religion does in society (macro)/ individual (micro) as opposed to what religion is  Hermeneutics  (1911) "human understanding of things human" Verstehen  understanding through reasoning and empathic interpretation  Advertisement understanding through shared human experience  Cosmology The science of the origin and the development of the the universe. Theism The belief that there is a God Who intervenes in the universe supernaturally. Monotheism the  doctorine or belief that there is only one god. Polytheism belief in more than one god Henotheism -one god is worshipped among many that exists - there is one god more powerful than the other gods Monism The belief that mind and body are one Existing things in the universe are reducible to one substance Literally, “Against Theism.” without the belief in a godhead. One may be atheist, AND religious. For example, Buddhists don’t have the concept of a God.  agnosticism the belief that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena a doubting or questioning attitude or state of mind, during enlightenment,  myth National stories/narratives, originally oral, that include super-human beings and provide a kind of map or explanation for ritual.  ritual a way of behaving or a series of actions which people regularly carry out in a particular situation   1.) What is the ultimate concern of the person or group? 2.) What is the view of reality? 3.) What is the human predicament? 4.) What is the solution to the human predicament? Indus Valley Civilization  - Still being excavated in modern day Pakistan - Flourished c. 3500 BCE - Traded with Perisa, Mesopotamia, and Egypt - it had grown from a fusion of indigenous religions of the Indus Valley with the faith of the Aryans, as Indo-European people. Harappa  -near Indus River (now Pakistan), civilization were impressive builders, living in planned cities  Mohenjo-Daro One of the two major urban centers of the Harappan period. - The citadel mound here contains a hu


Scorpion W2 (USA), Woodland Pattern (USA), Flecktarn (Germany), and Multi-Terrain Pattern (UK) are notable designs of what?

21st Century Camo Uniforms – the rest of the world | Strike - Hold! 21st Century Camo Uniforms – the rest of the world February 7, 2010 / Strike-Hold / 52 Comments The ongoing American and British camouflage programmes have been getting lots of attention, but many other countries have been also changing / upgrading their camouflage uniforms in the early part of the 21st Century.  The first big new development was when the Canadians introduced the world to the CADPAT pixelated camouflage pattern, and in effect re-wrote the rule book of camouflage pattern design.  Then the US Marine Corps adopted a completely new style of Combat and Utility Uniform that started an irreversible fashion trend – especially once the US Army adopted a broadly similar style in the ACU, which was then copied around the rest of the world as well.  Interestingly, although Crye Precision really stirred things up with their radically re-styled combat clothing designs and multi-terrain “MultiCam” camouflage pattern, they’ve not had the wide-ranging impact on the uniform designs of the rest of the world that CADPAT / MARPAT and the MCCUU have had. Other big influences on the introduction of new camo uniforms have been the ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.  As a result, there have been a whole lot of new desert camouflage patterns put in to service by European countries that don’t have any deserts on their home turf. Worthy of a special note are the Russians.  Their military and para-military forces have been seen wearing a very wide range of new uniforms and camouflage patterns in recent years – this has led a lot of people to debate about what is “authentic issue” and what’s simply commercial.  The answer is that there is not such a clear line between the two – especially for special operations units, who can augment their “official issue” kit and clothing with privately (or unit purchased) items; particularly camouflage uniforms better suited to the types of operations they perform and the terrain where they operate.What’s also especially interesting about the new Russian camo patterns is that several of them are based on revamped versions of WWII camouflage patterns – and in the case of the reversible “Chimera” uniform, even of the Waffen SS! Looking at all the developments around the world there are some other interesting points to note as well though:   First of all, the sheer scale of activity in this field over the past few years is quite interesting.  I’ve been a student of camouflage combat uniforms for probably something like 30 years now, and have never seen so much activity or as many new developments as have been happening in the last few years. But its not just about “pretty new uniforms”, what’s really cool is how the individual soldier is now more and more being rightfully treated as an integrated, multi-purpose, system and is being given a full range of modernised, focussed, mission-adaptable kit accordingly.  Its nice to see the “cannon fodder” and “bullet catcher” days of the “poor bloody infantry” being consigned to the pages of history at last. Secondly, “digital” has clearly become a global craze – and whilst there are many patterns that are simply re-coloured copies of CADPAT, there are also quite a few that are more interesting and innovative. And some which don’t even merit the term.  In the cases of Kazahkstan and Lebanon, they’ve already adopted patterns that are very similar to the US Army’s UCP-Delta pattern now being tested in Afghanistan.Thirdly, its interesting to note that only the Latvian Army has followed the US Army’s lead and adopted a single “universal” camouflage pattern – but the Saab-Barracuda designed Latvian “Legoflage” is probably a more effective pattern than UCP.  In every other case, countries have chosen the more traditional route of different colourations for different environments.On the other hand, the French have completely updated the style and features of their combat uniform – but retained the standard CCE camouflage pattern.Finally, I’ve only included uniforms that are actually being pro


The Astros, Rockets, and (defunct) Oilers are sports clubs of which city?

Is Astros' Carlos Gomez the latest veteran to go bust in Houston? - Houston Chronicle Is Astros' Carlos Gomez the latest veteran to go bust in Houston? By Greg Rajan , Houston Chronicle Updated 10:58 am, Monday, May 16, 2016 Photo: Karen Warren, Staff Close Image 1 of 17 Carlos Gomez's tenure with the Astros has been one marked by massive struggles since he was acquired from Milwaukee last July. Click through the gallery to see other notable veterans who went bust after arriving in Houston. Carlos Gomez's tenure with the Astros has been one marked by massive struggles since he was acquired from Milwaukee last July. Click through the gallery to see other notable veterans who went bust after arriving Image 2 of 17 Ty Lawson, Rockets, 2015-16 The Rockets acquired him from Denver for a first-round pick during the offseason and he proved to be a terrible fit and was eventually bought out in March, becoming a microcosm of a massively underachieving campaign. less Ty Lawson, Rockets, 2015-16 The Rockets acquired him from Denver for a first-round pick during the offseason and he proved to be a terrible fit and was eventually bought out in March, becoming a microcosm of a Photo: Gary Coronado, Houston Chronicle Image 3 of 17 Ed Reed, Texans, 2013 He was supposed to help put the Texans over the top, but was injured and ineffective and was cut after saying the team was outcoached in a loss. Ed Reed, Texans, 2013 He was supposed to help put the Texans over the top, but was injured and ineffective and was cut after saying the team was outcoached in a loss. Photo: Smiley N. Pool, Staff Image 4 of 17 Doug Drabek, Astros, 1993-96 One of Drayton McLane's first big signings as owner, the former Cy Young winner in Pittsburgh didn't flash the same form in Houston, going 38-42 with a 4.00 ERA in four seasons with the Astros. He topped out at 12 wins in Houston. less Doug Drabek, Astros, 1993-96 One of Drayton McLane's first big signings as owner, the former Cy Young winner in Pittsburgh didn't flash the same form in Houston, going 38-42 with a 4.00 ERA in four seasons with Photo: Focus On Sport, Getty Images Image 5 of 17 Greg Swindell, Astros, 1993-96 The former Texas Longhorns great was a heralded free-agent signing and turned in four middling Astros seasons, going 30-34 with a 4.48 ERA. Greg Swindell, Astros, 1993-96 The former Texas Longhorns great was a heralded free-agent signing and turned in four middling Astros seasons, going 30-34 with a 4.48 ERA. Photo: Mitchell Layton, Getty Images Image 6 of 17 Scottie Pippen, Rockets, 1999 After the 1998 lockout, the Rockets landed six-time NBA champion Pippen (right) in a sign-and-trade deal from the Chicago Bulls. He was not a good fit in Houston and after that season, was shipped to Portland. less Scottie Pippen, Rockets, 1999 After the 1998 lockout, the Rockets landed six-time NBA champion Pippen (right) in a sign-and-trade deal from the Chicago Bulls. He was not a good fit in Houston and after that ... more Photo: DAVID J. PHILLIP, AP Image 7 of 17 Joe Barry Carroll, Rockets, 1987-88 Considering his infamous nickname was "Joe Barely Cares," not much should've been expected from this former first-overall pick when he was acquired from Golden State in the Ralph Sampson deal. Carroll slogged through one season as a Rocket, averaging 11.3 points per game before being traded to New Jersey. Photo: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle Image 12 of 17 Carlos Pena, Astros, 2013 The veteran came aboard for the team's inaugural American League season and scuffled at a .209 clip and drove in just 25 runs in 85 games before being jettisoned. Carlos Pena, Astros, 2013 The veteran came aboard for the team's inaugural American League season and scuffled at a .209 clip and drove in just 25 runs in 85 games before being jettisoned. Image 13 of 17 Rahim Moore, Texans, 2015 A starter with Denver, he flopped as a Texan, being benched following his poor play during the team's 2-5 start. He wasn't active the rest of the season. Rahim Moore, Texans, 2015 A starter with Denver, he flopped as a Texan, being benched follo


Oslo University claimed in 2015 that the Bubonic plague outbreaks of the middle ages were caused by flea-carrying?

Black Death | Open Access articles | Open Access journals | Conference Proceedings | Editors | Authors | Reviewers | scientific events File:Blackdeath2.gif Spread of the Black Death in Europe (1346–53) The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history , resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people and peaking in Europe in the years 1346–53. [1] [2] [3] Although there were several competing theories as to the etiology of the Black Death, analysis of DNA from victims in northern and southern Europe published in 2010 and 2011 indicates that the pathogen responsible was the Yersinia pestis bacterium, probably causing several forms of plague . [4] [5] The Black Death is thought to have originated in the arid plains of Central Asia , where it then travelled along the Silk Road , reaching the Crimea by 1343. [6] From there, it was most likely carried by Oriental rat fleas living on the black rats that were regular passengers on merchant ships . Spreading throughout the Mediterranean and Europe, the Black Death is estimated to have killed 30–60% of Europe's total population. [7] In total, the plague reduced the world population from an estimated 450 million down to 350–375 million in the 14th century. The aftermath of the plague created a series of religious, social, and economic upheavals, which had profound effects on the course of European history . It took 7009473364000000000♠150Lua error: Unmatched close-bracket at pattern character 67. for Europe's population to recover.[ citation needed ] The plague recurred occasionally in Europe until the 19th century. Contents Main article: Black Death migration The plague disease, caused by Yersinia pestis , is enzootic (commonly present) in populations of fleas carried by ground rodents , including marmots , in various areas including Central Asia, Kurdistan, Western Asia, Northern India and Uganda. [8] Nestorian graves dating to 1338–9 near Lake Issyk Kul in Kyrgyzstan have inscriptions referring to plague and are thought by many epidemiologists to mark the outbreak of the epidemic, from which it could easily have spread to China and India. [9] In October 2010, medical geneticists suggested that all three of the great waves of the plague originated in China. [10] In China, the 13th century Mongol conquest caused a decline in farming and trading. However, economic recovery had been observed at the beginning of the 14th century. In the 1330s a large number of natural disasters and plagues led to widespread famine, starting in 1331, with a deadly plague arriving soon after. [11] Epidemics which may have included plague killed an estimated 25 million Chinese and other Asians during the 15 years before it reached Constantinople in 1347. [12] [13] The disease may have travelled along the Silk Road with Mongol armies and traders or it could have come via ship. [14] By the end of 1346, reports of plague had reached the seaports of Europe: "India was depopulated, Tartary, Mesopotamia, Syria, Armenia were covered with dead bodies". [15] Plague was reportedly first introduced to Europe at the trading city of Caffa in the Crimea in 1347. After a protracted siege, during which the Mongol army under Jani Beg was suffering from the disease, the army catapulted the infected corpses over the city walls to infect the inhabitants. The Genoese traders fled, taking the plague by ship into Sicily and the south of Europe, whence it spread north. [16] Whether or not this hypothesis is accurate, it is clear that several existing conditions such as war, famine, and weather contributed to the severity of the Black Death. European outbreak The seventh year after it began, it came to England and first began in the towns and ports joining on the seacoasts, in Dorsetshire, where, as in other counties, it made the country quite void of inhabitants so that there were almost none left alive. ... But at length it came to Gloucester, yea even to Oxford and to London, and finally it spread over all England and so wasted the people that scarce the tenth person of any sort was