Who is the female presenter of the UK TV programme ‘Most Haunted’?

Yvette Fielding (Producer) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Yvette Fielding Female Born Sep 23, 1968 Yvette Fielding is an English broadcaster, producer and actress. She is best known for being the presenter of the TV shows Blue Peter, Most Haunted, Most Haunted Live!, and Ghosthunting With.... related links Has Welsh Theatre Found Its Voice?  The Guardian (Blog) Google News - Sep 01, 2011 'Llwyth takes that freedom gloriously literally: though its cast do discuss both the Millennium Stadium and linguistic mutations, you sense they're happier dilating on the subjects of Starlight Express and Yvette Fielding, and one character's assertion' Ãn Viteza A Cincea  Port.Ro Google News - Aug 18, 2011 'Yvette Fielding conduce un Chesil Speedster. Prezentarea filmului: Echipa aflatÄ "Ãn viteza a 5-a" Tiff, Vicki, Adrian Åi Tom Ã®i poartÄ Ã®n vitezÄ pe telespectatori, cu cele mai recente Åtiri, imagini Åi cronici asupra vehiculelor actuale Åi asupra' Most Haunted: A Guilty Pleasure?  The Guardian (Blog) Google News - Aug 17, 2011 'The paranormal investigation show, created by ex-Blue Peter presenter Yvette Fielding and her husband Karl, had a simple premise: pitch up at spooky locations, switch the camera to "night vision" and hunt down ghosts. The fact that over 14 series,' Antix Productions' Most Haunted Spirited Away Off Sky Living  How Do Google News - Aug 15, 2011 'Sky Living has announced that it will not be ordering any further series of Most Haunted, the paranormal investigation show hosted by Yvette Fielding and Karl Beattie. Sky is handing back the rights for the format to Cheshire-based indie Antix' Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Yvette Fielding. CHILDHOOD 1968 Birth Born on September 23, 1968. TEENAGE 1983 14 Years Old Fielding's first major role came in 1983 when she was cast in the children's BBC series Seaview. … Read More The comedy-drama show centred around a teenage girl called Sandy Shelton (played by Fielding), growing up living at her parents' guest house in Blackpool. The show ran for two series and secured Fielding's popularity with younger audiences. After this, Fielding made a guest appearance in an episode of Juliet Bravo. Read Less Show Less In 1987, Fielding became a presenter on the BBC children's show, Blue Peter. To date Fielding holds the record of being the youngest presenter on Blue Peter, starting on 29 June 1987 three months before her 19th birthday. … Read More While on the series Fielding also had an acting role in Last of the Summer Wine (making an appearance in the series while making a Blue Peter report on the show). During her time on the show, Fielding won the SOS Award for the Most Popular Woman on Television, competing with Cilla Black, Victoria Wood and Kylie Minogue. Years after Fielding left the show, her trip on a rollercoaster with fellow presenter Mark Curry was voted the Favourite Blue Peter moment of all time by viewers. After five years of Blue Peter, Fielding co-hosted What's Up Doc?, a Saturday morning children's show on ITV. The series ran for three years and established Fielding with slightly older audiences. Read Less TWENTIES Show Less From 1995 Fielding made a successful transition from children's to television for an older audience. … Read More After leaving What's Up Doc? Fielding presented The Heaven and Earth Show, The General and City Hospital for the BBC. She was a regular host of Karaoke Challenge and contributed weekend continuity for Challenge TV. Read Less Fielding also appeared in the ITV game show Win, Lose or Draw in 1995 and 1996. 1997 28 Years Old Fielding briefly returned to children's television in 1997, appearing in two episodes of the CBBC drama series Byker Grove, playing the role of Samantha Fuller. 1998 29 Years Old From 1998 to 2000, Fielding appeared as a regular alongside Fred Dinenage and Toyah Willcox on a property-pricing based game-show called Under Offer made for Meridian Television. THIRTIES 2003 - 2004 2 More Events 2003 34 Yea


In which sport is an attacking shot called a ‘spike’?

The Game The Game - Volleyball About            the sport   Volleyball is a complex game of simple skills. The ball            is spiked from up to 60 cm above the height of a basketball            hoop (about 3.65 metres) and takes fractions of a second to    travel from            the spiker to the receiver. That means the            receiver must assess incoming angle, decide where to pass            the ball and then control their pass in the blink of an eye.            A purely rebound sport (you can't hold the ball),            Volleyball is a game of constant motion.  A team can touch the ball three times on its side of            the net. The usual pattern is a dig (an underarm pass made            with the forearms), a set (an overhead pass made with the            hands) and a spike (the overhead attacking shot). The ball            is served into play. Teams can also try to block the            opponent's spike as it crosses the net. A block into your            own court counts as one of your three touches in Beach Volleyball, but not in    Volleyball.  Power and height have become vital components of            international teams, but the ability of teams and coaches            to devise new strategies, tactics and skills has been            crucial for continued success.  There              are six players on court in a Volleyball team, who              each must rotate one position clockwise every time their              team wins back service from the opposition. Only the              three players at the net positions can jump and spike              or block near the net. The backcourt players can only              hit the ball over the net if they jump from behind the              attack line, also known as the three-metre line, which              separates the front and back part of the court.  Volleyball              has developed into a very specialised sport. Most teams will include in their starting line-up a setter,              two centre blockers, two receiver-hitters and a              universal spiker. Only certain players will be              involved with service reception. Players will also              have specialist positions for attack and defence.              Substitutions are allowed during the game.  From 1998, Volleyball used a new scoring system. Teams              scored a point on every rally (rally point system), regardless of which              team served. Formerly, a team could only win a point              if it served the ball. Winning the serve back from the              opposition was known as a side-out.  Matches              are played best of five sets. The first four sets are              played to 25 points, with the final set being played              to 15 points. A team must win a set by two points.              There is no ceiling, so a set continues until one of              the teams gains a two-point advantage. Previously, all              sets were to 15 points, with the first four sets              having a ceiling of 17 and the final set requiring at              least a two-point winning advantage.  From 1996, the FIVB introduced a new specialist              role: the libero. This player wears a different              coloured uniform from the rest of the team and can be              substituted in backcourt for any player on the team.              The libero cannot serve, spike the ball over the net              or rotate into the front-line positions, but plays a


The island of Zanzibar is part of which African country?

Tanzania - Country Profile - Nations Online Project Flag of Tanzania Location map of Tanzania Destination Tanzania, formerly known as Tanganyika. In 1964, Tanganyika united with the Island of Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanzania, the largest of the East African countries and sadly one of the poorest countries   in the world. Tanzania is located east of Africa's Great Lakes north of Mozambique and south of Kenya , it has a coastline at the Indian Ocean in east. The nation is bordered by six other African countries: Burundi , the Democratic    Republic of the Congo , Malawi , Rwanda , Uganda , and Zambia , it also shares maritime borders with the Comoros and the Seychelles . It has shorelines at three of the Great Lakes: Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyassa (Lake Malawi). The country occupies an area of 945,087 km², compared it is about three times the size of Italy or slightly larger than twice the size of California . Tanzania has a population of 50.1 million people, capital is Dodoma , largest city, chief port, major economic and transportation hub and de facto capital is Dar es Salaam . Spoken languages are Swahili and English (both official), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar). United Republic of Tanzania Background: Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation   of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held   in the country since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition have led to two contentious   elections since 1995, which the ruling party won despite international observers'   claims of voting irregularities. (Source: CIA - The World Factbook)   Geography: Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique. Area : Tanzania mainland: 945 000 km² (378 000 sq. mi.); Zanzibar: 1,658 km² (640 sq. mi.). Terrain: Coastal plains; a central plateau; highlands in north and south. Highest point: Kilimanjaro 5 895 m. Climate: Varies from tropical to arid to temperate. People: Nationality: Tanzanian(s); Zanzibari(s). Population: 50.1 million (2016) includ. Zanzibar. Ethnic Groups: mainland - native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, native African, mixed Arab and native African. Religions: mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim. Languages : Kiswahili (Swahili, Kiunguja), and English (both official), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages. Literacy: male: 85.9%, female: 70.7% . Natural resources: Hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel. Agriculture products: Coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (organic insecticide), cashew nuts, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; livestock. Industries: Agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine); diamond, gold, and iron mining, oil refining. Exports - commodities: gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton. Exports partners: India 21.4%, China 8.1%, Japan 5.1%, Kenya 4.6%, Belgium 4.3% (2015) Imports - commodities: consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil Imports partners: China 34.6%, India 13.5%, South Africa 4.7%, UAE 4.4%, Kenya 4.1% (2015) Currency: Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) Note: External links will open in a new browser window. Official Sites of Tanzania Official Online Gateway of the United Republic of Tanzania with information abut the country. Diplomatic Missions


English Bible History: Timeline of how we got the English Bible   English Bible History The fascinating story of how we got the Bible in its present form actually    starts thousands of years ago, as briefly outlined in our Timeline     of Bible Translation History . As a background study, we recommend     that you first review our discussion of the Pre-Reformation     History of the Bible from 1,400 B.C. to 1,400 A.D. , which covers     the transmission of the scripture through the original languages of     Hebrew and    Greek, and the 1,000 years of the Dark & Middle Ages when the Word    was trapped in only Latin. Our starting point in this discussion of Bible    history, however, is the    advent of the scripture in the English language with the “Morning    Star of the Reformation”, John Wycliffe. John Wycliffe The first hand-written    English language Bible manuscripts were produced in the 1380's AD by John Wycliffe , an Oxford professor,    scholar, and theologian. Wycliffe, (also spelled “Wycliff” & “Wyclif”), was well-known throughout Europe for his opposition    to the teaching of the organized Church, which he believed to be contrary    to the Bible. With the help of his followers, called the Lollards, and his    assistant Purvey, and many other faithful scribes, Wycliffe produced dozens    of English language manuscript copies of the scriptures. They were translated    out of the Latin Vulgate, which was the only source text available to Wycliffe.    The Pope was so infuriated by his teachings and his translation of the Bible    into English, that 44 years after Wycliffe had died, he ordered the bones    to be dug-up, crushed, and scattered in the river! John Hus One of Wycliffe’s followers, John Hus ,    actively promoted Wycliffe’s ideas: that people should be permitted    to read the Bible in their own language, and they should oppose the tyranny    of the Roman church that threatened anyone possessing a non-Latin Bible    with execution. Hus was burned at the stake in 1415, with    Wycliffe’s manuscript Bibles used as kindling for the fire. The last    words of John Hus were that, “in 100 years, God will raise up    a man whose calls for reform cannot be suppressed.” Almost exactly    100 years later, in 1517, Martin Luther nailed his famous    95 Theses of Contention (a list of 95 issues of heretical theology and crimes    of the Roman Catholic Church) into the church door at Wittenberg. The prophecy    of Hus had come true! Martin Luther went on to be the first person to translate and publish the Bible in the commonly-spoken dialect of the German people; a translation more appealing than previous German Biblical translations. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs records that    in that same year, 1517, seven people were burned    at the stake by the Roman Catholic Church for the crime of teaching their    children to say the Lord’s    Prayer in English rather than Latin. Johann Gutenberg Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press    in the 1450's, and the first book to ever be printed was    a Latin language Bible, printed in Mainz, Germany. Gutenberg’s    Bibles were surprisingly beautiful, as each    leaf Gutenberg printed was later colorfully hand-illuminated. Born as “Johann Gensfleisch” (John Gooseflesh), he preferred to be known    as “Johann Gutenberg” (John Beautiful Mountain). Ironically,    though he had created what many believe to be the most important invention    in history, Gutenberg was a victim of unscrupulous business associates who    took control of his business and left him in poverty. Nevertheless, the    invention of the movable-type printing press meant that Bibles and books    could finally be effectively produced in large quantities in a short period    of time. This was essential to the success of the Reformation. Thomas Linacre In the 1490’s another Oxford professor, and the personal physician


What reached England from Europe in 1348?

The Black Death in England 1348-50 BY DAVID ROSS , EDITOR In 1347 a Genoese ship from Caffa, on the Black Sea, came ashore at Messina, Sicily. The crew of the ship, what few were left alive, carried with them a deadly cargo, a disease so virulent that it could kill in a matter of hours. It is thought that the disease originated in the Far East, and was spread along major trade routes to Caffa, where Genoa had an established trading post. When it became clear that ships from the East carried the plague, Messina closed its port. The ships were forced to seek safe harbour elsewhere around the Mediterranean, and the disease was able to spread quickly. During the Medieval period the plague went by several names, the most common being "the Pestilence" and "The Great Mortality". Theories about the cause of the disease were numerous, ranging from a punishment from God to planetary alignment to evil stares. Not surprisingly, many people believed that the horrors of the Black Death signaled the Apocalypse, or end of time. Others believed that the disease was a plot by Jews to poison all of the Christian world, and many Jews were killed by panicked mobs. The truth The Black Death is a bacteria-born disease; the bacteria in question being Yersinia pestis, which was carried in the blood of wild black rats and the fleas that lived off the rats. Normally there is no contact between these fleas and human beings, but when their rat hosts die, these fleas are forced to seek alternatives - including humans! The symptoms The plague produces several different symptoms in its victims. Bubonic, the most common form of the plague, produces fist-sized swellings, called bulboes, at the site of flea bites - usually in the groin, armpits, or neck. The swellings are intensely painful, and the victims die in 2-6 days. The buboes are red at first, but later turn a dark purple, or black. This black colouring gives the "Black Death" its name. Pneumonic plague occurs when the infection enters the lungs, causing the victim to vomit blood. Infected pneumonic people can spread the disease through the air by coughing, sneezing, or just breathing! In Septicemic plague the bacteria enters the person's bloodstream, causing death within a day. The speed with which the disease could kill was terrifying to inhabitants of the medieval world. The Italian author Boccaccio claimed that the plague victims "ate lunch with their friends and dinner with their ancestors in paradise." The Black Death reaches England The summer of 1348 was abnormally wet. Grain lay rotting in the fields due to the nearly constant rains. With the harvest so adversely affected it seemed certain that there would be food shortages. But a far worse enemy was set to appear. It isn't clear exactly when or where the Black Death reached England. Some reports at the time pointed to Bristol, others to Dorset. The disease may have appeared as early as late June or as late as August 4. We do know that in mid-summer the Channel Islands were reeling under an outbreak of the plague. From this simple beginning the disease spread throughout England with dizzying speed and fatal consequences. The effect was at its worst in cities, where overcrowding and primitive sanitation aided its spread. On November 1 the plague reached London, and up to 30,000 of the city's population of 70,000 inhabitants succumbed. Over the next 2 years the disease killed between 30-40% of the entire population. Given that the pre-plague population of England was in the range of 5-6 million people, fatalities may have reached as high as 2 million dead. One of the worst aspects of the disease to the medieval Christian mind is that people died without last rites and without having a chance to confess their sins. Pope Clement VI was forced to grant remission of sins to all who died of the plague because so many perished without benefit of clergy. People were allowed to confess their sins to one another, or "even to a woman". The death rate was exceptionally high in isolated populations like prisons and monasteries. It has been estimated th


Here lies one whose name was writ in water?

'Here lies one whose name was writ in water' - the meaning and origin of this phrase Famous Last Words Browse phrases beginning with: Here lies one whose name was writ in water more like this... Fame, and indeed life, is fleeting. Origin A version of the words originate from Beaumont and Fletcher's play Philaster, 1611: "All your better deeds Shall be in water writ, but this in Marble." In the better known form 'writ in water' they appeared in Keat's Poetic Works, 1821. 'Here lies one...'. The 'here' in question is Rome. Keats travelled to Rome and died there, aged just 25, in February, 1821. He told his friend Joseph Severn that he didn't want his name to appear on his tombstone, but merely this line: "Here lies one whose name was writ in water." Severn honoured that wish, as the gravestone shows - Keats is commemorated just as 'A young English poet'. Keats's Grave - New Protestant Cemetery, Rome THIS GRAVE CONTAINS


Murdered by a traitor and a coward whose name is not worthy to appear here?

Jesse James is murdered - Apr 03, 1882 - HISTORY.com Jesse James is murdered Publisher A+E Networks One of America’s most famous criminals, Jesse James, is shot to death by fellow gang member Bob Ford, who betrayed James for reward money. For 16 years, Jesse and his brother, Frank, committed robberies and murders throughout the Midwest. Detective magazines and pulp novels glamorized the James gang, turning them into mythical Robin Hoods who were driven to crime by unethical landowners and bankers. In reality, Jesse James was a ruthless killer who stole only for himself. The teenage James brothers joined up with southern guerrilla leaders when the Civil War broke out. Both participated in massacres of settlers and troops affiliated with the North. After the war was over, the quiet farming lifeof the James brothers’ youthno longer seemed enticing, and the two turned to crime. Jesse’s first bank robbery occurred on February 13, 1866, in Liberty, Missouri. Over the next couple of years, the James brothers became the suspects in several bank robberies throughout western Missouri. However, locals were sympathetic to ex-southern guerrillas and vouched for the brothers. Throughout the late 1860s and early 1870s, the James gang robbed only a couple banks a year, otherwise keeping a low profile. In 1873, the James ganggot into the train robbery game. During one such robbery, the gang declined to take any money or valuables from southerners. The train robberies brought out the Pinkerton Detective Agency, employed to bring the James gang to justice. However, the Pinkerton operatives’ botched attempt to kill James left a woman and her child injured and elicited public sympathy for Jesse and Frank James. The James gang suffered a setback in 1876 when they raided the town of Northfield, Minnesota. The Younger brothers, cousins of the James brothers, were shot and wounded during the brazen midday robbery. After running off in a different direction from Jesse and Frank, the Younger brothers were captured by a large posse and later sentenced to life in prison. Jesse and Frank, the only members of the gang to escape successfully, headed to Tennessee to hide out. After spending a few quiet years farming, Jesse organized a new gang. Charlie and Robert Ford were on the fringe of the new gang, but they disliked Jesse intensely and decided to kill him for the reward money. On April 3, while Jesse’s mother made breakfast, the new gang met to hear Jesse’s plan for the next robbery. When Jesse turned his back to adjust a picture on the wall, Bob Ford shot him several times in the back. His tombstone reads, “Jesse W. James, Died April 3, 1882, Aged 34 years, 6 months, 28 days, Murdered by a traitor and a coward whose name is not worthy to appear here.” Related Videos


Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons make up what duo?

Interview: Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons' chemical attraction | The Independent Features Interview: Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons' chemical attraction As their latest album, We Are The Night, tops the charts the duo reveal the secret to their long-lasting music career and friendship. Thursday 18 October 2007 23:00 BST Click to follow Interview: Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons' chemical attraction 1/3 Still block-rocking after all these years: Ed Simons (left) and Tom Rowlands 3/3 What with Klaxons winning the Mercury Prize last month, and young pretenders such as New Young Pony Club, Shitdisco and Hadouken! all storming the charts, it seems that dance music is not as dead as everyone had thought it was. The Chemical Brothers don't seem much bothered either way. Earlier this month they won the award for Best Electronic Artist or DJ at the BT Digital Music Awards and their latest album, We Are the Night, recently topped the chart – the fifth time in a row they have accomplished the feat. And with a nice touch of scene-making serendipity, Jamie Reynolds and James Righton of Klaxons are among the many guest acts featured on the album, lending a touch of spiky nu-rave dynamics to the track "All Rights Reversed". "Whether it is a time of boom or famine for dance music has never made any difference to us," says Tom Rowlands. "We never saw ourselves responsible for a scene or anything. For us it was always all about making a record that would excite people and show them that we had something interesting to offer." Thanks in part to this philosophy, the duo now find themselves cast in the not-altogether-welcome role of last men standing. None of their contemporaries from the 1990s is still in quite such rude health either creatively or commercially as the Chemical Brothers. But Ed Simons doesn't feel that longevity for the sake of it is a particularly worthy aim. "Some people would see it more as a curse," he says. "We didn't set out to last a long time. It's more about making music that's exciting, particularly on stage, where we're playing these festivals all round the world and people seem to be excited when we come on. It's gratifying." Rowlands and Simons are sitting in the bar of The Social, a club in the West End of London. This is not the same Social where the pair famously enjoyed a DJ residency in 1994 when they were still known as The Dust Brothers, an engagement that resulted in the album Live at the Social Volume 1 (eventually released in 1996). "That was the Sunday Social in the Albany at the top of Great Portland Street," Simons says. "It only ran for about 14 weeks and then they had to find somewhere else." Rowlands picks up a copy of the Live at the Social CD, which I have brought along to jog a few memories. "I haven't even got a copy of this myself," he says, looking at the picture of his younger self, long blond hair dangling all over the decks. "That's all gone," he says, ruefully. "It does feel a long time ago. But it's all part of the same thing, really." Maybe so. But a Sunday-night residency mixing and matching a string of obscure tracks to a bunch of James Brown beats in front of 150 people seems a long way removed from the kind of shows that Rowlands and Simons have been playing this year. These have included festival headlining appearances at Creamfields, Glastonbury and the Electric Picnic in Ireland, and a special one-off spectacular in Trafalgar Square. They have more shows coming up all over Eastern and Western Europe, South America, Australasia and a tour of the UK, including a three-night stand at Brixton Academy, the venue where they hold the record for the most gigs played in a single year ("we've got a special plaque for it, somewhere"). It is, perhaps, ironic that a 1990s dance act should have become such a huge and respected live attraction in the 21st century. Neither of them sings or plays an instrument on stage (Rowlands can play keyboards and "bad guitar"; Simons doesn't play an instrument at all). So what exactly do they do when they "play live"? "We always think we should maybe put on a little fi


Which writer’s name means ‘jackdaw’ in Czech?

Jackdaw – Corvid Corner by Corvid Gyrl The beauty of the internet… I love the jackdaw and I couldn’t describe it better than the wonderful editors who contributed to the Wikipedia entry…so I will share that with you…it is well worth the read… The Jackdaw (Corvus monedula), sometimes known as the Eurasian Jackdaw, European Jackdaw, Western Jackdaw, or formerly simply the daw, is a dark-plumaged passerine bird in the crow family. It is found across Europe, western Asia and North Africa, and four subspecies are recognised. At 34–39 cm in length, it is one of the smallest species in Corvus, the genus of crows and ravens. It is a black-plumaged bird with grey nape and distinctive white irises. It is an omnivorous and opportunistic feeder, and eats a wide variety of plant material and invertebrates, as well as food waste from urban areas. The Jackdaw has benefited from clearing of forested areas and is found in farmland and urban areas, as well as open wooded areas and coastal cliffs. Taxonomy The Jackdaw was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th century work, Systema Naturae, and it still bears its original name of Corvus monedula. The species name monedula is Latin for jackdaw. The common name jackdaw first appears in the 16th century, and is a compound of the forename Jack used in animal names to signify a small form (e.g. jack-snipe) and the native English word daw. Formerly jackdaws were simply called daws. Claims that the metallic chyak call is the origin of the jack part of the common name are not supported by the Oxford English Dictionary. Daw, first attested in the 15th century, is conjectured by the Oxford English Dictionary to be derived from an unattested Old English *dawe, citing cognates in Old High German tāha, Middle High German tāhe, tāchele, and modern German Dahle, Dohle, and dialectal Tach, Dähi, Däche, Dacha. The original Old English word cēo (pronounced with initial ch) gave modern English chough, which now refers to corvids of the genus Pyrrhocorax; Chaucer sometimes used this word, as did Shakespeare in Hamlet although there has been debate about which species he was referring to. English dialect names are numerous. Scottish and north England dialect has had ka or kae since the 14th century. The midlands form of this was co or coo. Caddow is potentially a compound of ka and dow, a variant of daw. Other dialect or obsolete names include caddesse, cawdaw, caddy, chauk, college-bird (from dialectal college “cathedral”), jackerdaw, jacko, ka-wattie, chimney-sweep bird, from their nesting propensities, and sea-crow, from their frequenting coasts. It was also frequently known quasi-nominally as Jack. An archaic collective noun for a group of jackdaws is a “clattering.” Another term used is “train,” however, in practice, most people use the more generic term “flock.” Subspecies In Bushy Park, London, England There are four recognised subspecies. All European subspecies intergrade where their populations meet. C. m. monedula integrates into C. m. soemmerringii with the transition zone running from Finland south across the Baltic, east Poland to Romania and Croatia. C. m. monedula (Linnaeus, 1758), the nominate subspecies, breeds in south-east Norway, southern Sweden and northern and eastern Denmark, with occasional wintering birds in England and France. It has a pale nape and side of the neck, dark throat, and a light grey partial collar of variable extent. C. m. spermologus (Vieillot, 1817) occurs in western and central Europe, and winters in the Canary Islands and Corsica. It is darker in colour and lacks the whitish border at the base of the grey collar. C. m. soemmerringii (Fischer, 1811) is found in north-eastern Europe, and north and central Asia, from the former Soviet Union to Lake Baikal and north-west Mongolia and south to Turkey, Israel and the eastern Himalayas. It winters in Iran and northwestern India (Kashmir). It is distinguished by its paler nape and side of the neck creating a contrasting black crown, and lighter grey partial collar. C. m. cirtensis (Rothschild a


Which country withdrew from the Warsaw Pact in 1968?

What are the Warsaw Pact countries? - Quora Quora All of the Eastern European countries between the USSR and East Germany, namely: Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and of course USSR and East Germany. For a short while Albania was a member as well and withdrew in 1968. The pact stopped to exist on July 1st, 1991 Since then Czechoslovakia has since split in 2 different countries: Czech Republic and Slovakia while the USSR has imploded in 15 different countries: Latvia (European Union & NATO member) Lithuania (EU & NATO member) Andrew Hamada , marketing @ Sears, iStock, Amazon, et al How Richard Branson started Virgin Atlantic. In 1979, while on vacation with his fiancee in The British Virgin Islands, he was catching a flight to Puerto Rico which ended up cancelled. Richard decided to phone up some charter companies and chartered a plane for $2,000. After splitting the cost between the available seats, he grabbed a blackboard and wrote: VIRGIN AIRWAYS: $39 for a single ... Written Dec 9, 2015 Aitzaz Hasan Shaheed. It was an ordinary January morning in Hangu district and around 2000 students were attending morning assembly in Ibrahimzai High School, Hangu, Pakistan when a blast occurred outside the school. But luckily everyone was saved by the courage of a 17 year old boy Aitzaz Hasan. According to the sources he was on his way to school along with his two other class fellows when he s... My best friend of 11 years and I have been sending each other letters. Today I received in the mail the handwritten lyrics of a Hamilton song and a short note. I Snapchatted her to let her know I’d gotten it. We’re sending letters even though we text and Skype and talk on a daily basis. It’s our way of being a little closer. Friendships after high school require effort. Now that I’m in college, I do...


Which animal was once thought to sweat blood?

Hippo Facts Hippo Facts By Alina Bradford, Live Science Contributor | October 30, 2014 11:48pm ET MORE Hippopotamuses are large, round, water-loving animals that are native to Africa. Though they're sometimes thought of as cute and cuddly, hippos can actually be quite dangerous; they kill about 3,000 per year, according to the National Wildlife Federation .  Size Hippos are very rotund animals and are the third largest living land mammals, after elephants and white rhinos, according to Animal Planet . They grow to 10.8 to 16.5 feet (3.3 to 5 meters) long and up to 5.2 feet (1.6 m) tall from hooves to shoulders. The tail adds another 13.75 to 19.75 inches (35 to 50 centimeters) to its length. The average female weighs around 3,000 lbs. (1,400 kilograms) while males weigh 3,500 to 9,920 lbs. (1,600 to 4,500 kg) according to the San Diego Zoo .  Underwater, the Nile hippos would glide with their limbs folded beneath their bodies, occasionally pushing off the bottom of the tank with one leg, only making contact with their digits. Credit: Courtesy of Matthew Bennett Habitat Hippos live in sub-Saharan Africa. They can only survive in areas with abundant water, though, so they live in areas with rivers and lakes. Hippos are amphibious animals and spend up to 16 hours per day in the water, according to National Geographic . The water keeps them cool in the African heat. They spend all day in the water and then hunt for food at night.  They are very social and hang out in groups called schools, bloats, pods or sieges. Schools of hippos usually consist of 10 to 30 members of both females and males. Some documented groups of hippos have had as many as 200 members. No matter the size, usually the school is led by a dominant male. Hippos are very aggressive creatures and are very dangerous. They have large teeth and tusks that they use for fighting off others that they see as threats, including humans. Sometimes, their young are the victims of their temper. During a fight between two adults, a young hippo can be hurt or crushed. Though hippos move quite quickly through the water, they can't swim. According to the San Diego Zoo, hippos move through the water by pushing themselves off other objects. Hungry, hungry hippos A hippo eats about 80 lbs. (35 kg) of grass each night, according to National Geographic. They travel up to 6 miles (10 kilometers) in a night to get their fill. They also eat fruit that they find during their nightly scavenging.  Baby pygmy hippo Eve lets out a yawn while out for a stroll with her mom Ellen at the Edinburgh Zoo. Credit: Jon-Paul Orsi Baby hippos Females have a gestation period of eight months and have only one baby at a time, according to the San Diego Zoo. At birth, the baby, called a calf, is a whopping 50 to 110 lbs. (23 to 50 kg). For 18 months, the baby nurses while its mother is on land, or it swims underwater to suckle. When it dives, the calf closes its nose and ears to block out water. All hippos have this ability. They also have membranes that cover and protect their eyes while they are underwater.  At 5 to 7 years old, the hippo calf is fully mature, according to the San Diego Zoo. The median life expectancy of a hippo is 36 years. Classification/taxonomy The taxonomy of hippos, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), is: Kingdom: Animalia Species: Hippopotamus amphibius (common hippopotamus) Subspecies: Hippopotamus amphibius amphibius, Hippopotamus amphibius capensis, Hippopotamus amphibius kiboko Conservation status According to the IUCN, the common hippo population isn't endangered, but it is vulnerable , because their numbers have declined by 7 to 20 percent over the past 10 years, and likely will continue to decline. The IUCN estimates that there are between 125,000 and 148,000 common hippos remaining in the wild. The primary threats to hippos are poaching (for their ivory tusks and their meat), and loss of habitat, as more water is diverted for agriculture, according to the IUCN. Other facts The word "hippopotamus" comes from the Greek word for "water horse"


What is the nickname of Richard Rogers’ new Leadenhall building in London?

Rogers Stirk Harbour new studio inside Leadenhall Building 4 comments Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners has revealed its new home inside the so-called Cheesegrater tower , featuring brightly coloured furnishings, exposed steelwork and a big central meeting space (+ slideshow). Intended to foster a more collaborative working style, the London studio brings together the studio's 200 staff on one floor of the Leadenhall Building , completed by the  Richard Rogers-led firm at the end of 2014 . Photograph by Paul Raftery The layout is left as open as possible, eschewing individual offices in favour of a plan where everyone sits together. This allows plenty of daylight to pass through the space, but also promotes the "democratic philosophy" of the firm . "We have worked hard to preserve the practice's ethos," said Richard Rogers, who runs the firm with 12 other partners. "Our new studio embodies the teamwork, flexibility and sustainable working practices that characterise our architecture." Photograph by Paul Raftery For over 30 years, the architects were based in a riverside building at Thames Wharf, west London, with the River Cafe restaurant founded by Richard Rogers' wife Ruth acting as a de facto staff canteen. But they were forced to move when the lease expired and the freeholder decided to redevelop the site. The partners saw this as an opportunity to bring together staff who previously had been spread out across five floors. They chose to take a floor in the Leadenhall, not just because they designed it, but also because they saw it as the best fit for their needs. It puts them in the heart of the City of London, right next to  Rogers' career-defining Lloyds building . "Thirty-six years after winning the competition for Lloyds of London, we are delighted to have moved across the road," said Rogers. "Offices have changed immeasurably in that time, and this move from Thames Wharf Studios reflects that." Photograph by Mark Gorton "The riverside location was unique but on a daily basis it was hard to get together as a single studio," added senior partner Ivan Harbour. "Our collaborative spirit was ultimately challenged by our workplace." Related story Legorreta and Rogers team up to complete Mexico City bank headquarters "We are now all in one studio, in the very heart of the City," he continued. "Our clients experience our architecture firsthand and how we use it. Our legacy frames both sides of the street." Photograph by Paul Raftery The new office takes up all of the building's 14th floor. Desks are arranged in three groups beside the windows on the west, south and east walls, offering staff views of St Paul's Cathedral, Canary Wharf and the Lloyd's building. Each bank of desks is fronted by a brightly-toned metal cabinet, while HÅG Capisco office chairs are provided in bright blue, red, orange and green. Photograph by Paul Raftery These workspaces wrap around a central presentation space, which has glazed walls so staff can see what's going on inside. It can host up to 200 people for lectures, but can also be subdivided into several meeting areas. The entrance is located at the northern end of the building, along with facilities including toilets, a kitchen and a model-making workshop. The pieces made in this workshop, along with archive models, are displayed on a large shelving unit nearby. Photograph by Paul Raftery There are also quiet areas in the corners of the building surrounded by plants, where staff can take time out from their work. True to the firm's architecture, which typically leaves services exposed, the ventilation ducts and electrical cables running across the ceiling are left uncovered, revealing the full height of the space. Photograph by Mark Gorton "My thoughts were very much ones of how the possibilities of office space, which by its very nature tends to be neutral, could become more expressive of the building's architectural intent," said senior partner Graham Stirk. "This led to our decision to reveal the muscular steelwork, services and all of the components that make a modern office space functi


armoire - definition and meaning armoire from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition n. A large, often ornate cabinet or wardrobe. from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License n. A type of cupboard, cabinet, or wardrobe - originally used for storing weapons. from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia n. An ambry; a large wardrobe or movable cupboard, with doors and shelves; especially, one which is inclosed or shut in with doors from base to cornice, and is simple and roomy in design. from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. n. a large wardrobe or cabinet; originally used for storing weapons Etymologies from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition French armoire, from Old French armaire, from Latin armārium, chest, from arma, tools. from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License Borrowing from French armoire. Examples Opening up the built-in armoire, to place our belongings, I found a few strands of hair in the drawers and make-up stains along the cupboard door: traces of another woman's life.


Brewster, spoonback and fauteuil are all types of what?

521-S / 521-A – Lester Furniture Mfg COM: 2.5 yards Leather: 35 sq feet / 1 hide Option to add contrasting welt: .5 yards for contrasting fabric or 6 yards of decorative cord with lip Fun Fact: Brewster, spoonback and fauteuil are all types of chairs. The “Brewster Chair” was named after Willam Brewster, one of the Pilgrim fathers who landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620. In 1830 the Brewster family of Duxbury donated Elder Brewster’s original chair to Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth, where it remains today. His chair was created in New England between 1630 and 1660 of American white ash. These chairs of great style were referred to as “Fauteuil”, which means “armchair” in French (pronounced foe-toy). In terms of antique furniture, “Fauteuil” specifically refers to an armchair with open sides. Also described as a “wide and deep chair with upholstered back and seat with open arms” with a padded top. The “fauteuil à la reine” refers to a “Queen’s armchair” with a square, high back. Reviews


Mount Toubkal is the highest peak in which range of mountains?

Trekking in Morocco Mt Toubkal 4167m is calling you! We will offer all you need to spend a perfect and a lifetime experience that you have never imagined. We are passionate about trekking in Morocco , and there is no better way to discover Atlas Mountains, its culture, and meet its people, than on foot! Whether you’re travelling in our small guided groups, alone or with friends, our hand picked programs ensure you’ll have an amazing trek!             Come & Trekking in Morocco with us! One of the best trekking areas in Morocco is Toubkal region. As you know, Mt Toubkal is the highest peak in North Africa and in Morocco. It is not that far away from Marrakech city. It takes around 1h30 drive to Imlil valley which is the closer starting point of trekking tours towards this highest peak in Morocco. You would need at least 2 days so as to climb up Mt Toubkal, but this is possible if you are fit enough; otherwise it would be better to opt for the 3 days trek which will give enough time to acclimitize and relax after the climb! In addition to trekking in toubkal, you can do other outdoor activities such as mountain biking which can be done from 1 day trip up to 6 days mountain biking around the high atlas mountains and berber villages & valleys. Moreover, you can do ski touring in the high atlas mountains in winter time from end of December till March; we have off piste skiing tours from 2 days up to 6 days skiing in toubkal area. We have other outdoor activities such as horse riding & camel riding in high atlas mountains; we have days trips or long trips too! Another thing, Toubkal area is not the only region where we run our tours, but there are other nice places too such as Mt Mgoun, Mt Siroua, Mt Saghro, Sahara, and Imperial cities!   HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS Morocco Trekking Trekking through Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The High Atlas is one of three components of the chain of the Moroccan's Atlas. This marks a massive climatic border between the lands of the ocean and those of Moroccan desert , because beyond the High Atlas, the arid expanses of the Sahara begins. Highlight and emblematic site in the region, Jebel Toubkal peaks at over 4000 meters altitude, a visible peak from Marrakech! The High Atlas divides itself into various more or less ancient geological areas and landscapes of this region are as rich and varied between spectacular formation born of chaos reliefs to plateaus and valleys cultivated by the Berber population, who inhabited these places for thousands of years. The Moroccan Sahara is mainly made up of a big rocky plain, which runs from the feet of the Atlantis on the North/East almost to the Atlantic coast, south of Agadir. In Morocco, the desert moves smoothly, the Draa Valley or Wadi Ziz strung a string of villages and lush palm groves, before losing in the dunes of the erg (Chebbi or labidia), which lie at the foot highland last relief before Algeria.Even within the desert you can enjoy different landscapes: the dry, thorny plain where jackals and camels live, the Sahara desert: reign of scorpions and snakes or the northern oasis full of bustle and life. The choice is yours. Trekking in Morocco's sahara is a lifetime experience! A trip to the Sahara desert is definitely an experience everyone should do at least once in his life. The beauty of the desert, its contrasts, its colors, its silence, many memories you will never forget. You walk on foot in the desert with camels carrying your luggage and supplies , and a professional guide as well as a cook who prepares delicious food for your everyday. It is a marvellous experience, just give it a try! come & join us in trekking in morocco's desert in winter time!


Off which country is the Gulf of Carpenteria?

Gulf of Carpentaria | gulf, Australia | Britannica.com Gulf of Carpentaria Norman River Gulf of Carpentaria, shallow rectangular inlet of the Arafura Sea (part of the Pacific Ocean ), indenting the northern coast of Australia . Neglected for centuries, the gulf became internationally significant in the late 20th and early 21st centuries with the exploitation of its bauxite , manganese , and prawn (shrimp) resources. The gulf has an area of 120,000 square miles (310,000 square km) and a maximum depth of 230 feet (70 metres). It is a rare modern example of an epicontinental sea (a shallow sea on top of a continent), a feature much commoner at earlier times in the Earth’s geologic history. Gulf of Carpentaria. Explore the area around Burketown, Queensland, Australia, including the salt pans at the southern … © Fun Travel TV (A Britannica Publishing Partner) The Gulf of Carpentaria is enclosed on the west by Arnhem Land and on the east by the Cape York Peninsula . The gulf floor is the continental shelf common to Australia and New Guinea . A ridge extends across Torres Strait , separating the floor of the gulf from the Coral Sea to the east. Another ridge extends northward from the Wessel Islands to separate the floor of the gulf from that of the Banda Basin of the Arafura Sea to the northwest. The gulf-floor gradient is very low; the great western plains of Queensland slope north or northwestward into the gulf in a very gentle fall of only one foot per mile. As the plains approach the sea, they merge into a belt of salt flats, which are widest just west of the Flinders River . More than 20 rivers drain into the Gulf of Carpentaria; they wind profusely in their lower courses and have extensive deltas. The eastern side of the gulf was first explored by the Dutch between 1605 and 1628, and the southern and western coasts were discovered by the explorer Abel Tasman in 1644. The gulf was named for Pieter Carpenter, who visited the area in 1628. Similar Topics


Islam. What is the name of the festival which immediately follows the end of Ramadan?

After Ramadan After Ramadan Ramadan Quotes Ramadan is one of the most popular celebrations of the Muslims. It is observed through fasting and praying to god during the daytime. The fast is usually broken at sunset after which the celebrations start. Ramadan continues for the entire 9th month of the Islamic Lunar calendar. Read on to know about the celebration after Ramadan. Celebrations and Fasting After Ramadan After Ramadan, the Muslims celebrate the Shawwal on the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. The Shawwal begins with the Eid-ul-Fitr. The Muslims usually observe a fast during the Shawwal except on the day when the Eid-ul-Fitr starts. This is because fasting on the first day of Eid-ul-Fitr is prohibited in Islam. In Islam, it is believed that you may be rewarded 10 times if you perform a good deed. So, fasting 6 days after Ramadan (except on the Eid-ul-Fitr) and around 30 days during the festival is considered to bring good luck and prosperity to all Muslims. However, thereï¿½s no rule that youï¿½ll have to fast continuously for 6 days; you may observe the fast one day at a time. When you observe the fast for 6 days during the Shawwal, it is often considered as if youï¿½re fasting for the whole year. It is stated in Islam that "Whoever observes the Ramadan fast and follows it with six days of fast in Shawwal, it is as if he has fasted Dahr (the whole year)." (Bukhari) ..................................................................................................................................................... Eid After Ramadan The Eid-ul-Fitr is that holiday after Ramadan which marks the completion of the 29-day or 30-day fast observed by Muslims worldwide. Eid-ul-Fitr means the festival of breaking the fast. On the Eid, Muslims conduct early morning prayers in their homes or mosques. The Eid prayer includes a sermon after which the Muslims indulge in a short congregational prayer. Once the Muslims have completed their payers, they visit their friends and family to convey their best wishes and offer exciting gifts on this occasion. Just in case they canï¿½t visit their dear ones, they simply call them or send them Eid-ul-Fitr e-cards to wish good luck, peace and prosperity on this festive occasion. The Eid-ul-Fitr is a 3-day holiday after Ramadan, during which most schools and government organizations in Muslim countries remain closed. In this time period, the Muslims shop around for new clothes and decorate their homes. They also prepare a variety of sweet treats for their families and friends. The Muslims are expected to do charity and perform good deeds during the Eid-ul-Fitr. The purpose is to practice generosity and get rid of all sins which they may have committed. The exact date of Eid after Ramadan 2016 will be fixed depending upon when the new moon can be sighted. ..................................................................................................................................................... Umrah After Ramadan The Umrah is a holy pilgrimage of the Muslims to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Going on such a pilgrimage is not mandatory for the Muslims, but it is highly recommended to the entire community. It is known as the minor Hajj, which is the major pilgrimage of the Islamic community. Usually, the Umrah season starts 2 weeks before Ramadan and continues for 2 weeks after the festival. Following the Umrah after Ramadan is a common practice of the Muslims. However, the Umrah can be performed throughout the year except the days of the Hajj. The purpose of Umrah is to conduct the Tawaf, which means that a Muslim is expected to go around the holy Kaaba in a counterclockwise direction. This should be done for around 7 times. The Kaaba (located in Mecca) is actually a holy building which includes a mosque built around it. All Muslims are expected to face the Kaaba when they offer their prayers from any part of the world. .....................................................................................................................................................


Which ancient religion is followed by Parsees or Parsi?

BBC - Religions - Zoroastrian: The Parsis The Parsis This page provides a brief overview of the history of the Parsis. On this page The Parsis The beginning In the 10th century a group of Iranians fled Iran as refugees in search of somewhere to practise their religion freely. The Iranshah Atash Behram at Udwada - the most scared fire temple in India, which houses the flame brought by the Parsis on their flight from Iran © They finally ended up on the shores of Gujarat and were granted leave to stay there, thus founding the Indian Parsi community (Parsi being Gujarati for Persian). The following centuries and modern Zoroastrians Over the next centuries, Zoroastrianism survived with just a few minor cultural differences creeping in both in India and Iran. It wasn't until the systematic doctrinal attacks of the 19th century by Christian missionaries in India that Zoroastrianism had to seriously re-examine itself in order to survive. The confused response of the Parsi priesthood to these early campaigns marked the beginning of an era of re-interpretation of the Avesta, the effects of which soon began to filter back to Iran. The Parsis begin to introduce deliberate religious reforms The Zoroastrian response to the increasing urbanisation and cultural diversity of the 20th century was one of flexibility and integrity that reflected the three core values of good thoughts, good words and good deeds Respect for Zoroastrianism grew through its generous and healthy contributions to the societies it encountered, and its reputation for the honesty of its businessmen The decline of the priesthood and the global dispersion of the sparse population of remaining Zoroastrians has become a serious issue for the survival of the Zoroastrian faith. However, the same readiness to defy adversity and insistence on remaining true to the values of Zoroastrianism prevails. These are the same qualities which have ensured its survival for the last 3000 years.


Hinduism and Caste System Hinduism and Caste System by Jayaram V Hinduism is a universal religion. Its primary emphasis is on universal brotherhood. It views the world as one family. It believes that man is divine in nature and realization of that supreme truth as the primary aim of all human activity. It is therefore unfortunate that for a very long time this religion of great antiquity has been in the clutches a few privileged castes. It would be a great service to the cause of Hinduism if the present day Vedic teachers identify bright children from the lower castes and start teaching them the Vedas and the Upanishads and allow them to serve God in the temples of India. The strength of Christianity stems from dedicated missionaries who come from all sections of society. The weakness of Hinduism and of Hindu society is caste system, which divides people into divergent and bickering groups and keeps them apart. Perhaps there is no other nation in the world that is as openly and shamelessly as racial as India. To be born in an upper caste is a matter of pride whether the family to which a person belongs deserves it or not. A number of Indians who visit foreign countries often complain about being treated differently on account of their skin color or accent. They overlook the fact that a vast number of people in their own country exhibit a far greater obsession with accent, skin color and caste. Indian film stars put on white makeup, on the screen and off the screen, even if they are black, to look acceptable and desirable. The country's democracy is not a true democracy, but castocracy, where people vote and leaders are elected on caste lines. The Indian political parties thrive and succeed by appealing to this base emotion of people. There are countless scholars who justify Hindu caste system quoting chapter and verse from the scriptures, ignoring the fact that they were convenient interpolations or authored by bigoted scholars in an otherwise sacred lore to justify a cruel and unjust system using the very authority of God. Caste System has been the bane of Hindu society for centuries. In terms of impact, it did much greater damage for a much longer period to a great many people than the slave system of the western world or the witch-hunting practices of medieval Europe. The Hindu caste system was a clever invention of the later Vedic society, justified by a few law makers. The upper castes found it convenient to retain and perpetuate their social and religious distinction and political and economic advantage. With the exception of Saivism and a few ascetic traditions, most of the ancient sects of Hinduism were caste biased. The idea of staying away from unclean people is understandable in a society that was obsessed with the concept of physical and mental purity. There is nothing unusual with people who are selective in choosing their friends and relationships. It is normal behavior to stay away from people who are found to be socially deviant, untrustworthy or unfamiliar. It is an expression of our social intelligence and self-preservation instinct. Personal hygiene, family background and financial status do matter today in society as it was thousands of years ago. But what was wrong with the Vedic society was it recognized inequalities among men based on birth and family lineage and proclaimed it to be the will of God. This line of thought was perpetuated by Vedic scholars for centuries through the authority of scriptures and fear of divine retribution. They wrongfully created human stereotypes to justify a social structure that favored a few at the expense of many, denying a vast majority of people opportunities to use their inborn talents and pursue their own dreams and aspirations. What is the Caste System ? The Hindu caste system is unique in the world, but resembles in some ways Plato's ideal society of philosophers, warriors and commoners. A caste is a division of society based on occupation and family lineage. Hindu caste system recognized four distinct classes or divisions among people based on these criteria


A simian person would resemble which creatures?

Simian - definition of simian by The Free Dictionary Simian - definition of simian by The Free Dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/simian  (sĭm′ē-ən) adj. 1. Relating to, characteristic of, or resembling a monkey or an ape: humans and other simian primates. 2. Relating to, characteristic of, or resembling a monkey or a nonhuman ape: caricatures of politicians with simian features. n. 1. A monkey or an ape. 2. A monkey or a nonhuman ape. [From Latin sīmia, ape, ultimately (probably via the Greek personal name Sīmiās, originally a nickname for a snub-nosed man, perhaps also given to pet apes in reference to their appearance) from Greek sīmos, snub-nosed and of unknown origin.] simian (Animals) of, relating to, or resembling a monkey or ape. Also (rare): simious n (Animals) a monkey or ape [C17: from Latin sīmia an ape, probably from sīmus flat-nosed, from Greek sīmos] sim•i•an 1. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of an ape or monkey. n. 2. an ape or monkey. [1600–10; < Latin sīmi(a) an ape (probably derivative of sīmus flat-nosed < Greek sīmós) + -an 1] sim·i·an 1. simian - an ape or monkey       primate - any placental mammal of the order Primates; has good eyesight and flexible hands and feet Adj. simian - relating to or resembling an ape; "simian features" Translations simian [ˈsɪmɪən] adj → scimmiesco/a Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: View in context He appears to me less human than simian, and whenever I hear him talk I seem to myself to have paused in the street to listen to the shrill clatter of a hand-organ, to which the gambols of a hairy homunculus form an accompaniment. View in context Notwithstanding that both Clayton and his wife kept a sharp lookout they saw nothing of larger animals, though on two occasions they had seen their little simian neighbors come screaming and chattering from the near-by ridge, casting frightened glances back over their little shoulders, and evincing as plainly as though by speech that they were fleeing some terrible thing which lay concealed there.


What do we call a number that divides exactly into another?

Factors Year 7 Interactive Maths - Second Edition Factors A whole number that divides exactly into another whole number is called a factor of that number. So, 4 is a factor of 20 as it divides exactly into 20. So, 5 is a factor of 20 as it divides exactly into 20. Note: If a number can be expressed as a product of two whole numbers, then the   whole numbers are called factors of that number. So, the factors of 20 are 1, 2, 4, 5, 10 and 20. Example 5


Where in the body is the Sartorius muscle?

Sartorius Muscle - Anatomy Pictures and Information Home > Muscular System > Muscles of the Leg and Foot > Sartorius Muscle Sartorius Muscle The sartorius muscle is the longest muscle in the entire human body. It is a long, thin, band-like muscle found in the anterior region of the thigh. The sartorius functions as an important flexor and rotator of the thigh at the hip joint. The sartorius muscle arises from the anterior superior iliac spine on the lateral edge of the hip bone. From the lateral hip, it descends obliquely across the hip joint and thigh, running medially and inferiorly toward the medial edge of the knee. At the knee, the sartorius turns more laterally as it descends to insert on the medial side of the tibia in the lower leg.... Move up/down/left/right: Click compass arrows Rotate image: Click and drag in any direction, anywhere in the frame Identify objects: Click on them in the image 2D Interactive 3D Rotate & Zoom Change Anatomical System Full Sartorius Muscle Description [Continued from above] . . . The sartorius muscle is so long that it crosses and acts upon both the hip and knee joints. Acting on the hip joint, the sartorius works as a flexor, abductor, and lateral rotator of the thigh with the assistance of the other major muscles of the hip. At the knee joint the sartorius helps to flex the leg. Combining all of these functions into one movement, the sartorius pulls the foot and ankle toward knee of the opposite leg. The action of the sartorius is used in many situations, such as crossing the legs so that the ankle rests on the knee of the opposite leg; sitting cross-legged; or looking at the sole of one’s foot. In fact, the name sartorius (from the Latin word for “tailor”) and its nickname, the “tailor’s muscle,” are derived from the common motion of tailors crossing their legs to sit while working. Prepared by Tim Taylor, Anatomy and Physiology Instructor


Where is the body is the Trapezius muscle?

Trapezius Muscle Home > Muscular System > Muscles of the Chest and Upper Back > Trapezius Muscle Trapezius Muscle The trapezius is one of the major muscles of the back and is responsible for moving, rotating, and stabilizing the scapula (shoulder blade) and extending the head at the neck. It is a wide, flat, superficial muscle that covers most of the upper back and the posterior of the neck. Like most other muscles, there are two trapezius muscles – a left and a right trapezius – that are symmetrical and meet at the vertebral column. The trapezius arises from ligaments at its origins along the nuchal crest of the occipital bone and the spinous processes of the cervical and thoracic vertebrae.... Move up/down/left/right: Click compass arrows Rotate image: Click and drag in any direction, anywhere in the frame Identify objects: Click on them in the image 2D Interactive 3D Rotate & Zoom Change Anatomical System Change View Angle Full Trapezius Muscle Description [Continued from above] . . . It extends across the neck and back to insert via tendons on the clavicle, acromion, and spine of the scapula. The name trapezius is given to this muscle due to its roughly trapezoidal shape; the long base of the trapezoid is formed at the origins along the vertebrae and the short base forms at the insertions along the scapula and clavicle. The trapezius can be divided into three bands of muscle fibers that have distinct structures and functions within the muscle. The superior fibers cover the posterior and lateral sides of the neck with their tendons connecting to origins along the occipital bone and insertions on the clavicle. Just below this region is the narrow band of the middle fibers, which extend from origins along the superior thoracic vertebrae and insert into the acromion process of the scapula. Finally, the inferior fibers cover a wide region of the back from their origins along the inferior thoracic vertebrae and insert into the spine of the scapula. The functions of the trapezius are diverse and are best understood by actions of the individual bands of muscle fibers within the trapezius. The superior fibers typically act upon the scapula by elevating it (as in shrugging) or by bracing the shoulder when a weight is carried. When other muscles hold the scapula in place, the superior fibers of both trapezius muscles can extend the head at the neck by pulling the occipital bone closer to the scapula. The middle fibers work to retract and adduct the scapula by pulling the shoulder blade closer to the spine. The inferior fibers depress the scapula by pulling it closer to the inferior thoracic vertebrae. To rotate the scapula, the inferior and superior fibers work together to push the inferior angle of the scapula laterally and raise the acromion. Finally, the trapezius stabilizes the scapula to prevent extraneous movement by lightly contracting all of its fiber bands simultaneously. Prepared by Tim Taylor, Anatomy and Physiology Instructor


The Harmonious Blacksmith Norwegian The Harmonious Blacksmith The ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras (ca. 580 - 500 B.C.) is generally credited with having discovered that musical intervals which are recognized as concordant are related by small integer ratios. Prior to Pythagoras, musicians appreciated that particular notes when sounded together created a pleasant effect, and tuned their lyres so that plucking two strings would generate such a harmony. However, the early musicians had no understanding of why particular notes were harmonious and had no objective system for tuning their instruments. Instead they tuned their lyres purely by ear until a state of harmony was established--a process that Plato called torturing the tuning pegs. Iamblichus, the fourth-century scholar who wrote nine books about the Pythagorean sect, describes how Pythagoras came to discover the underlying principles of musical harmony:   "Once he was engrossed in the thought of whether he could devise a mechanical aid for the sense of hearing which would prove both certain and ingenious. Such an aid would be similar to the compasses, rules and optical instruments designed for the sense of sight. Likewise the sense of touch had scales and the concepts of weights and measures. By some divine stroke of luck he happened to walk past the forge of a blacksmith and listened to the hammers pounding iron and producing a variegated harmony of reverberations between them, except for one combination of sounds." According to Iamblichus, Pythagoras immediately ran into the forge to investigate the harmony of the hammers. He noticed that most of the hammers could be struck simultaneously to generate a harmonious sound, whereas any combination containing one particular hammer always generated an unpleasant noise. He analyzed the hammers and realized that those that were harmonious with each other had a simple mathematical relationship--their masses were simple ratios or fractions of each other. That is to say that hammers half, two- thirds, or three-quarters the weight of a particular hammer would all generate harmonious sounds. On the other hand, the hammer that was generating disharmony when struck along with any of the other hammers had a weight that bore no simple relationship to the other weights. Here is Händels theme for the Harmonious Blacksmith , from his fifth suite for harpsichord. Frontispiece to Theorica Musice, Franchino Gafurio, 1492 The upper left illustration depicts Jubal, the biblical father of music, and six blacksmiths with differing size hammers striking an anvil. This relates to the story that the young Pythagoras was first moved to investigate musical intervals on hearing the notes produced by different size hammers at a blacksmith's shop. The upper right illustration depicts Pythagoras testing the interval of an octave between bells of size 16 and 8 and between glasses filled in the proportion 16 and 8. The lower left illustration shows Pythagoras testing intervals on a stringed instrument and the lower right illustration shows Pythagoras and his pupil Philolaus testing intervals by means of flutes.


Should I Get A Male Or Female Ferret? | Love That Pet™ Home > Small Pet Care > Ferret Care > Should I Get A Male Or Female Ferret? Should I Get A Male Or Female Ferret? Deciding between a male or female ferret can seem like a hard decision, however, there are some slight difference that may make your choice easier. share this page: Pinterest It’s important to note that regardless of whether you choose a male or female ferret both require de-sexing for health reasons when kept as pets and this generally reduces a number of the temperament and behavioural traits between the two sexes. There are, however, some subtle difference that may help you choose. Size Females are smaller than males, with a size difference of up to 1kg. This can mean the difference between a 2.5kg pet and a 3.5kg pet. Ferrets do vary in size and can be as small as 1kg so its best to check out the parents where possible before you buy or rescue a ferret to know what you are in for. De-sexing Both sexes need to be desexed. Females because they come on heat and stay on heat until mated and this process can lead to fatal aplastic anaemia. Males, on the other hand, will become territorially aggressive and urine mark during mating season. Multiple male ferrets may also fight if not de-sexed. The surgery is slightly more costly and complicated for females than for males, but is performed routinely at most Veterinary Practices. Ferrets are great little surgical patients and usually recover brilliantly from surgery. In the US most kits are sold already desexed at 14 weeks of age. However there is a lot of evidence to suggest that such early desexing plays a huge role in US ferrets developing Adrenal Gland Disease later in life. For those who can purchase an intact ferret desexing is generally delayed until 6 months of age. However it is a growing trend to wait until about a year old before desexing. In this time if a female goes into heat you can have them desexed as long as you catch it early. When jills go in heat their vulva swells to the size of a coffee bean, so as long as you desex within the first week of this the surgery is still quite safe! Otherwise a jill jab or vasectomised hob can bring them out of heat for desexing. Smell De-sexing helps the smell problem significantly for both species. Females are, however, slightly less smelly than their male counterparts, who can get SOOO smelly while in rut your neighbours can smell him! Terminology When you are looking at ferrets as pets you may encounter some interesting terminology, so it’s important you know what all that lingo really means: A male ferret is called a ‘hob’, a de-sexed male ferret is called a ‘gib’ and a vasectomised male is known as a ‘hoblet’; A female ferret is called a ‘jill’ and a de-sexed female is called a ‘sprite’ It’s a good idea not to mix up your hobs from your jills if you have a specific sex in mind for your ferret. Final Thoughts Ferret are social animals and you should ideally be looking at getting at least two ferrets so they can play together. This also means they are not so dependent on you alone for fun, particularly if you work during the day. Perhaps getting one of each will allow you to compare the individual characteristics of males and females. Whatever you decide, ferrets all have their own unique characteristics and personalities whether they be male or female. share this page:


In French cuisine, of what are lardons small pieces?

What are Lardons? (with pictures) What are Lardons? Last Modified Date: 16 December 2016 Copyright Protected: 10 most extreme places on Earth Lardons are small pieces of fat, typically pork fat, that are used extensively in French cooking, as well as in some cooking from other regions. They add a distinctly rich, salty flavor to food which some consumers find quite enjoyable. The term “ lardon ” is also used to refer to the strips of fat that are used to lard meat; in larding, strips of fat are threaded into a roast of meat to help keep it moist while it cooks. Some recipes call for lardons in the early stages; many French soups and stews, for example, use them to provide a starting layer of fat for browning meats and vegetables. The fat pieces can also be cooked until they are crispy to add texture and flavor; crisped lardons may be sprinkled onto salads, roasts, and other dishes. They may also be added to quiches, omelettes, and an assortment of other foods. In some regions, lardons can be found for sale, prechopped, in sealed packaging. In other cases, cooks may purchase a piece of fatback and slice it to the right size. Fatback in a fatty cut of pork from the back of a pig that is also used to make bacon. In areas where lardons or fatback are not available, some cooks improvise with fatty strips of bacon cut into small pieces. The pork used to produce lardons is typically cured so that it acquires a salty, slightly smoky flavor and so that it will keep for an extended period of time. Salt curing can also integrate other spices such as pepper and bay leaves, so it is possible to find the fat with a wide range of seasonings. Some cooks like to cure their own fatback, if they have access to fresh pork; this allows them to control the salt and spicing. Lardons should not be confused with rendered lard, pig fat which is processed to make it uniformly smooth and creamy. Although the thought of adding small chunks of pure fat to food might seem odd to some people, lardons really do add a distinctive flavor without making food feel greasy or oily. Pork fat is also a great frying medium, which is why it is used to brown and cook vegetables and meats. When crispy, lardons have a rich, salty flavor that could be likened to potato chips and other fat-rich, salty, crispy foods. When used as the base of a soup or stew, the the fat itself is almost undetectable, but the rich flavor is certainly noticeable. Ad


Of which mollusc are the acorn and goose the two varieties found on British shorelines?

Linnaeus 1. Introduction—The Species Concept Ever since Carl Linnaeus formally established the species concept in 1735, there has been controversy about how a species should be defined [ 1 ]. The boundaries between taxa in botany, especially in groups like the grasses, are very permeable indeed, and would be perplexing to most zoologists, who tend to see their species as more robust. But even in zoology there are problems: decisions may be based on criteria as divergent as biochemistry, genetics, morphology or interbreeding —and which of these is the more appropriate criterion, especially when there is contradiction? Hybridization with viable offspring, between closely related taxa, is not uncommon in invertebrates (e.g., in the Mollusca: Archaeogastropoda), and most of these taxa are afforded full species status. The problem arises because modern species concepts have their origins in the essentialist frameworks developed by Plato and Aristotle [ 2 ]; but ultimately this Old World view was shattered by Charles Darwin, who in 1859 recognized the mutability of species [ 3 ]. The species concept becomes even untidier when we include that most elusive of parameters: time. For in a palaeontological species, definition is almost always morphological. Further, it is rarely based upon more than a fraction of the skeleton, and although this may seem quite “distinct”, the skeleton too is but a portion of the whole. In vertebrates, especially mammals, systematic taxonomy (the system in which organisms are accorded placement into their species, genera, etc .) may be based on part of a tooth… The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once observed, “All is flux”. With the species concept, this may be true in two ways—firstly, where a common origin of related species gives them a predisposition to interbreed, i.e. , speciation forced by environmental pressures may, with subsequent changes in geography, permit interbreeding between previously disjunct populations, (this is evolution in progress); secondly, because the state of our understanding of natural systems is itself still evolving. This essay seeks to unravel how we perceive the world around us, and by this labeling, we have hoped to gain some semblance of mastery over it. 2. Development of the Species Concept 2.1. Origin of Species , 36 ]. Indeed, Sober goes so far as to suggest that Darwin’s book is better understood as explaining ‘the origin of diversity by means of natural selection’ [ 34 ]. Without engaging all of the very large questions about Darwin’s intervention there is one question we do want to address here: how well does the story that Darwin inherited a taxonomy of living forms from Aristotle, via a line of naturalists and theologians, stand up to scrutiny? In particular how well does it make sense of the beguiling story of the barnacle-goose represented all too frequently as a ‘myth’ or a ‘comedy of errors’ but which demonstrated surprising longevity? [ 9 ]. Making sense of the longevity of the barnacle-goose saga across the second millennium in Europe requires a capacity to reflexively grasp the relationship between the writing of history and the role played by sense-making categories available both to the historical actors—and to the historians writing about them. The difficulties are formidable as neither the language categories ( i.e ., the discursive practices of a given community), nor the historical events, nor the practices can be used to adjudicate historical claims that a particular phenomenon was either ‘rational’ or ‘irrational’, or ‘sensible’ or ‘nonsense’. Importantly, this relationship cannot be subject to some kind of Archimedean adjudication relying either on the rationality of the language categories or on the facticity of historical events or practices to secure a stable epistemic basis for such adjudication. This is because we cannot quite escape: …awareness of a gap between historical events and the language used to represent them—both by the agents involved in these events and by historians retrospectively trying to reconstruct them … [ 37 ]. In shor


Who was the Roman counterpart of the Greek goddess Demeter?

Demeter ***   Demeter (Roman Counterpart was Ceres) When the Roman Empire conquered the Greeks in 146BC, the Romans assimilated various elements from other cultures and civilisations, including the gods and goddesses that were worshipped by the Ancient Greeks. Many of the Greek gods and goddesses, such as Demeter, were therefore adopted by the Romans but were given Latin names. The Roman counterpart of Demeter was Ceres. Picture of the goddess Demeter mourning the loss of Persephone Demeter and the Earth Goddesses In ancient Greek mythology there are three great earth-goddesses Gaia, Rhea, and Demeter. Gaia represented the earth as a whole, with its subterranean forces Rhea represented the productive power that caused vegetation to grow, sustaining men and animals Demeter, by presiding over agriculture, directed and utilized Rhea's productive powers Demeter, however, by introducing a knowledge of agriculture, put an end to the primitive nomadic lifestyles which led men to live a settled and civilised way of life. Facts about Demeter The following facts and profile provides a fast overview of Demeter: Demeter Profile & Fact File Personality: Kind, peaceful, patient Appearance: Abundant, golden hair, attractive Role & Function: The function of Demeter is described as being the earth goddess and the goddess of fertility. She was also the goddess of agriculture, nature and the seasons Status: A Major goddess and one of the Twelve Olympians Symbols of Demeter: Torch, wheat, poppy and swine Gender: Female Roman Counterpart: The Roman name for this goddess was Ceres Name of Husband: Unmarried Picture of Arion on a sea horse The Family of Demeter, The Earth Goddess According to Greek legends and myths the family of Demeter were as follows: Father: Cronus Brothers: Zeus, Hades and Poseidon Sisters: Hestia and Hera Husband: Unmarried Children of Demeter: Daughter by Zeus - Persephone. Despoina and Arion (by Poseidon) Plutus and Philomelus (by Iasion) Demeter and Mount Olympus In Greek Mythology the principle Greek gods, that included Demeter, were referred to as the Twelve Olympians and lived on the summit of Mount Olympus which was protected by a special layer of clouds. The gods and goddesses who lived on Mount Olympus attended sumptuous banquets in the council-chamber of the gods and feasted on ambrosia (the food of the gods) and nectar (the drink of the gods). The names of the other Olympian gods were Zeus, Hera, Athena, Hestia or Dionysus, Apollo, Ares, Aphrodite, Poseidon, Demeter, Artemis, Hephaestus and Hermes. The Greek Gods Family Tree and Genealogy The genealogy of these ancient deities can be established via the Greek gods family tree which also provides an overview of the relationship of Demeter to the other Greek gods and deities. The Greek gods family tree and genealogy provides an overview of her relationship to the other Greek gods and deities. The Symbols of Demeter In the sculptures, vases, mosaics and paintings of Greek Art the goddess Demeter was often illustrated with images representing her symbols - the torch, wheat, poppy and pig. Iconography include pictures of the Grain Sheaf, Winged Serpent, Lotus Staff, Torch, Cornucopia. Symbols of Demeter The symbols of Demeter were: The Torch The symbol of the torch represents the pair of flaming torches she carried in her search for her daughter, Persephone Wheat The symbol of a sheaf of wheat and the cornucopia, horn of plenty reflects her role as the goddess of agriculture The Pig The symbol of the pig relates to the blood sacrifices of this animal ensuring the fertility of the earth Statue of Demeter (Ceres) by Rubins The Poppy The symbol of the poppy refers to wild poppies which grew in the grain fields. A poppy was worn by the priestesses who served Demeter. Winged Serpents A pair of winged-serpents (dragons) drew her chariot Lotus Staff The symbolism of the Lotus staff is not clear, however, the fruit of the lotus plant induced apathy, a dreamy forgetfulness and an unwillingness to leave, hence the term 'Lotus Eaters'. It is possible that the use of this migh


Who was the only driver to win a F1 World Championship in a car of his own design?

Jack Brabham - 1959, 1960, 1966 Jack Brabham Share Jack Brabham's three world championships were the product of both his engineering expertise and driving skill. His first two titles, in rear-engined Coopers he helped develop, confirmed the obsolescence of front-engined Formula One cars. His third title, in a Brabham, made him the only driver to become champion in a car of his own make. For his lifetime achievements, which also included nurturing the talents of other notable drivers and pioneering the business side of the sport, he became the first Formula One driver to receive a knighthood. John Arthur 'Jack' Brabham, was born on April 2, 1926, in Hurstville, an Australian town near Sydney where his father was a greengrocer. From an early age Jack was far less interested in fruit and vegetables than in the Brabham shop's delivery vehicles. He learned to drive them long before he was eligible for a licence and by his early teens he was equally adept at keeping them roadworthy. His mechanical aptitude led him to a technical college where he studied practical engineering. Not academically-inclined, he left school at 15 and went to work in an engineering shop, then a garage. At 18 he joined the Royal Australian Air Force in Adelaide, where he wanted to learn to fly but was instead trained to fill a wartime shortage of flight mechanics. Upon his discharge, in 1946, an uncle in the construction business built him a workshop in Sydney, where Jack opened his own engineering establishment.  In 1951 he married Betty, who became the mother of their three sons, Geoffrey, Gary and David, all of whom would race, though not nearly as successfully as their father. Jack's introduction to motorsport came through a friend who raced midgets on dirt track ovals. Jack helped him build a new car and when his friend decided to stop driving Jack took over and became a regular winner. In self-prepared midgets he won four successive Australian championships and was the 1953 hillclimb champion in a British-built Cooper-Bristol. Two years later his growing ambition to expand his motorsport horizons brought Jack to England. A meeting with John and Charles Cooper, constructors of his successful Australian car, led to a friendship and partnership that would propel the tiny Cooper Car Company and 'Black Jack' Brabham into the forefront of Formula One history. With Brabham providing the inspiration (he helped persuade the Coopers to take the rear-engine route into Formula One racing) and the perspiration (he built up his first chassis in Cooper's workshop) the tiny British cars with the engines in the back sped to the front in an era previously dominated by big, front-engined Italian and German roadsters. In the Brabham-led team's first full championship season of 1958 the debut win for a Cooper came courtesy of Stirling Moss, who drove Rob Walker's private entry to victory in Argentina. In 1959 Moss won twice, but Brabham's victories in Monaco and Britain together with his consistently high placings resulted in the Australian winning a drivers’ title that some thought owed more to stealth than skill, an opinion at least partly based on Brabham's low-key presence. Always a man of few words - his nickname 'Black Jack' referred to both his dark hair and his propensity for maintaining a shadowy silence - he avoided small talk and was undemonstrative in the extreme. But behind the wheel he was anything but shy and retiring. He put his head down and drove exceedingly forcefully, opposite-locking his car dirt-track style, and was not averse to deliberately showering gravel in the face of a too closely following pursuer. His aversion for the limelight became more of a problem in 1960, when he completely dominated the nine-race series, winning consecutively in Holland, Belgium, France, Britain and Portugal, en route to his second successive championship. Following an unproductive 1961 season, when the Ferraris were all powerful, Brabham left Cooper to form Motor Racing Developments, in partnership with the talented Australian designer Ron Tauranac. The MRD Brab


Who or what are The Warrior, The Plank and The Downward Dog?

Yoga for Beginners Slideshow: Downward Dog, Cobra, and More Poses 10 Yoga Poses for Instant Energy Feel the Power of Warrior Pose Yoga gives you the energy buzz and stress relief of exercise in simple moves like the warrior pose. Yoga may even help you conquer your homework -- because it makes it easier to focus your thoughts. To warrior: Step one foot forward and bend your front knee. Turn your back foot to a 90-degree angle. Stretch your arms in front and behind you, palms down, and face forward. Reach High in Triangle Pose Straighten your front leg and bend at the hip, resting your hand on your shin. Now reach your other arm high to the sky … and gently turn your head to gaze at it. You'll feel a stretch in your legs and hips. Repeat triangle pose on the other side to stretch your other leg. Move carefully when you begin a new exercise. Don't overdo it -- yoga shouldn't hurt. Find Your Balance in Tree Pose Yoga keeps you grounded: happy, calm, and confident. And tree pose is one move that can help you de-stress and develop balance -- mental and physical. Start with your feet together, rooted to the ground, and slowly raise one foot. Rest it on your calf or thigh (not your knee). Your hands go from prayer position, straight up, and above your shoulders. Trees sway and so will you -- but you'll get stronger with practice. Repeat on the other leg. Stand Tall in Mountain Pose Do you hunch up your shoulders all day at school? Yoga makes you aware of bad posture and helps you release stress and tension. Start mountain pose by dropping your shoulders down and back, arms at your sides -- and relax! Now press your hands together as if you were praying. Stretch your hands to the sky, slightly arch your back, and look upward. Practice this pose anytime just by standing tall with a straight back and taking a deep breath. Get Relief With Cat Pose If your back is achy from a heavy backpack or hunching over a screen, arching like a cat can make you feel better. Get on your hands and knees and make your back flat. Take a deep breath in, then breathe out to release stress and curl your back up high. You'll look like a hissing cat, except your head will hang down. Repeat several times. Stretch Yourself With Downward Dog Downward dog will stretch your legs, tone your arms, and make you more flexible. Start on your hands and knees (like you started cat pose). Move your hands slightly forward with your fingers spread apart. Curl your toes under and lift your knees off the floor to create an upside-down "V." Your feet should be hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Using a yoga mat will help you feel more stable. Work Your Core With Plank Pose Plank pose tones your abs. Move into a push-up position, with your hands shoulder-width apart and your legs straight. Don't let your tummy sag down. Keep your abs, butt, and thigh muscles tight as you hold this pose for about 30 seconds. It's harder than it looks! Line it up: Your body will look straight as a board when you get this position right. Breathe Deep With Cobra Yoga stretches muscles that you don't normally think about. The cobra pose opens your chest to let your lungs take in more air. Deep breathing can help you relax. To Cobra: Lie face down, legs straight, with the tops of your feet on the floor. Lift your chest, keeping your hands under your shoulders and your shoulders relaxed down (not scrunched up by your ears). Straighten your arms, if you can do it easily, but always keep your hips on the floor.  Toning bonus: Stronger abs and spine. Calm Your Nerves With Seated Twist Sit on the floor -- both legs straight out in front. Cross your right leg over your left thigh, so your foot touches the floor. Slowly bend the other leg so that this foot nearly touches your butt. Put your right hand on the floor behind you and your left elbow on your right knee. Feel like a pretzel yet? Sit up tall, breathe out, and twist your body and head gently to the right. Repeat on the other side. Desk Yoga? You can do a simple twist in your desk at school. Gently turn your upper body to face backward. Hold


Where might you go to visit the big gun called Mons Meg?

The History Blog » Blog Archive » Mons Meg leaves Edinburgh Castle for tune-up Mons Meg leaves Edinburgh Castle for tune-up Mons Meg, the six-ton 15th century cannon that guards the parapets of Edinburgh Castle , has left her post for the first time in 30 years . Before dawn on Monday, January 19th, a crew of specialists strapped Meg up so she could be gingerly lifted out of her carriage by a crane, loaded onto a flatbed truck and transported to an off-site facility where Historic Scotland experts will give her a thorough examination and do necessary conservation work. The oak and iron carriage that has been supporting her since 1934 also went along for the ride. Here’s a neat timelapse of Mons Meg being lifted off her carriage while dawn breaks: Richard Welander, Head of Collections for Historic Scotland said: “Mons Meg undergoes regular ‘health checks’ each year and is lifted off its carriage every five years for a closer inspection. “This time it’s getting a major service, which means it must leave the castle for the first time for 30 years. The last time Mons Meg left was in March 1985, when she went to the Royal Armouries research establishment in Kent for a short technical examination. “We’ll be using state-of-the-art equipment to examine the cannon and carriage inside and out, to assess their condition. Then we’ll commence with treatment and restoration, which is a delicate and specialist task.” There have been a great many technological advances since the last time Mons Meg got the full treatment. Historic Scotland conservators will laser-scan the cannon and create a 3D model to reveal issues not visible to the naked eye. The current paint will be stripped using a pressure wash system and bead blasting. That will expose the iron surface for proper conservation. Once Meg is cleaned and dried, she will be re-coated in protective paint. Historic Scotland is hoping their conservation analysis will also shed some light on the history of the cannon. Much legend has grown up around her over the centuries, so this is an exciting opportunity to fill in a few blanks. Mons Meg was made in 1449 for Phillip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, to present as a gift to King James II of Scotland, Phillip’s grand-nephew by marriage. (James’ queen consort was Mary of Guelders, daughter of Catherine of Cleves, whose mother Marie of Burgundy was Phillip’s elder sister.) It was constructed by Phillip’s artillery master Jehan Cambier in Mons, County of Hainaut (modern-day Belgium), out of iron staves clamped together by iron hoops. Its massive 20-inch barrel, still one of the largest cannon calibre in the world, could fire 330-pound balls up to two miles. James II took delivery of Mons Meg, known at the time just by variants of “Mons,” in 1454. Sixteen years later, he had the giant cannon transported 50 miles south to aid in the siege of Roxburgh Castle, one of the last remaining English strongholds in Scotland. The Scottish forces were successful — they ultimately took the castle once and for all — but James was killed in action when one of his own bombards (not Meg) exploded. His wife Mary ordered Roxburgh Castle razed. The records of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland note an expenditure of 18 shillings on July 10th, 1489, to have “Monss” carried by command of King James IV, James II’s grandson, to besiege Dumbarton. There James IV deployed Meg’s might against an insurrection led by Matthew Stewart, Earl of Lennox, and Robert Lyle, Lord Lyle. That venture was less successful. The siege was broken by a negotiated surrender of the rebellious lords on condition that a new Parliament be convened. James used Mons Meg again in 1497 at the siege of Norham Castle in northern England. Meg did her part — the castle took a lot of damage — but the two-week siege ended when English reinforcements arrived. Meg was kept in fighting condition for a few more decades. Her last military service was in James V’s navy, after which, from the 1540s or so, she was retired from active engagement but was fired on important ceremonial occasions like the signing of t