In Sumo wrestling, a handful of what is thrown into the ring before combat?

Sumo | Geisha world Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit In addition to its use as a trial of strength in combat, sumo has also been associated with Shinto ritual, and even certain shrines carry out forms of ritual dance where a human is said to wrestle with a kami (a Shinto divine spirit). It was an important ritual at the imperial court. Representatives of each province were ordered to attend the contest at the court and fight. They were required to pay for their travels themselves. The contest was known as sumai no sechie, or "sumai party." Sumo wrestler Somagahana Fuchiemon, c. 1850. Over the rest of Japanese recorded history, sumo's popularity has changed according to the whims of its rulers and the need for its use as a training tool in periods of civil strife. The form of wrestling combat probably changed gradually into one where the main aim in victory was to throw one's opponent. The concept of pushing one's opponent out of a defined area came some time later. Also, it is believed that a ring, defined as something other than simply the area given to the wrestlers by spectators, came into being in the 16th century as a result of a tournament organized by the then principal warlord in Japan, Oda Nobunaga. At this point wrestlers would wear loose loincloths, rather than the much stiffer mawashi of today. During the Edo period, wrestlers would wear a fringed kesho-mawashi during the bout, whereas today these are worn only during pre-tournament rituals. Most of the rest of the current forms within the sport developed in the early Edo period. Professional sumo (大相撲, ōzumō) can trace its roots back to the Edo period in Japan as a form of sporting entertainment. The original wrestlers were probably samurai, often rōnin, who needed to find an alternative form of income. Current professional sumo tournaments began in the Tomioka Hachiman Shrine in 1684, and then were held in the Ekō-in in the Edo period. They have been held in the Ryōgoku Kokugikan since 1909, though the Kuramae Kokugikan had been used for the tournaments in the post-war years until 1984. Nations adjacent to Japan, sharing many cultural traditions, also feature styles of traditional wrestling that bear resemblance to sumo. Notable examples include Mongolian wrestling, Chinese Shuai jiao (摔角), and Korean Ssireum. Examples of Chinese art from 220 BC show the Korean wrestlers stripped to the waist and their bodies pressed shoulder to shoulder. Winning a Sumo Bout The winner of a sumo bout is either: The first wrestler to force his opponent to step out of the ring. The first wrestler to force his opponent to touch the ground with any part of his body other than the bottom of his feet. On rare occasions the referee or judges may award the win to the wrestler who touched the ground first; this happens if both wrestlers touch the ground at very nearly the same time and it is decided that the wrestler who touched the ground second had no chance of winning as, due to the superior sumo of his opponent, he was already in an irrecoverable position. The losing wrestler is referred to as being shini-tai (“dead body”) in this case. There are also a number of other rarely used rules that can be used to determine the winner. For example a wrestler using an illegal technique (or kinjite) automatically loses, as does one whose mawashi (or belt) becomes completely undone. A wrestler failing to turn up for his bout (including through a prior injury) also automatically loses (fusenpai). After the winner is declared, an off-stage gyōji (or referee) determines the kimarite (or winning technique) used in the bout, which is then announced to the audience. Matches often last only a few seconds, as usually one wrestler is quickly ousted from the circle or thrown to the ground. However, they can occasionally last for several minutes. Each match is preceded by an elaborate ceremonial ritual. The wrestlers themselves are renowned for their great girth as body mass is often a winning factor in sumo, though with skill, smaller wrestlers can topple far larger opponents. The wrestling ring


Which 1945 film was based on the Noel Coward play ‘Still Life’?

Brief Encounter | film by Lean [1945] | Britannica.com film by Lean [1945] A Christmas Carol Brief Encounter, British film drama, released in 1945, that pivots on the subject of forbidden love, as set against the strictures of suburban British life. The film, based on Noël Coward ’s play Still Life , was one of director David Lean ’s first great successes. Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard in Brief Encounter (1945), directed by … © Eagle-Lion Films At an English train station, middle-class housewife Laura Jesson (played by Celia Johnson) meets the handsome married doctor Alec Harvey ( Trevor Howard ). A friendly conversation over tea leads to a series of arranged meetings, and a platonic relationship gradually develops. Eventually, however, the two realize they are in love with each other and become agonized by guilt over their feelings. After a thwarted attempt at a private rendezvous, their future as a couple is decided when Alec announces he has accepted a job in South Africa . The low-key production was filmed in London during the dreary aftermath of the post-World War II years and found favour both at home and abroad. Brief Encounter is an emotionally shattering film directed with great sensitivity by Lean, who carefully handled the rising tension over whether Laura and Alec’s relationship would turn physical. The film neither sentimentalizes nor vilifies the pair’s spouses, conveying the idea that one could be in love with one person but still fall in love with another. The acclaimed sound track features Sergey Rachmaninoff ’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor. Production notes and credits


Which former English cricketer is nicknamed ‘The Cat’?

CRICKET PLAYERS & NICKNAMES ... endless! by Chinaroad Australia's 1948 tour of England ï¿½ The Invincibles  Australian national cricket team ï¿½ Baggy Greens  Bangladeshi national cricket team ï¿½ The Tigers  Canadian national cricket team ï¿½ One Man Band  New Zealand national cricket team ï¿½ The Black Caps, The Kiwis  South African national cricket team ï¿½ The Proteas  West Indian national cricket team ï¿½ The Windies, The Calypsos  Indian national cricket team ï¿½ The Men in Blue  Pakistani national cricket teamï¿½ The Stars  Officials, umpires and commentators Harold Bird ï¿½ Dickie Bird  Henry Blofeld ï¿½ Blowers  Brent Bowden ï¿½ Billy  Steve Bucknor ï¿½ Slow Death  Bill Ferguson ï¿½ Fergie  Bill Frindall ï¿½ The Bearded Wonder  Brian Johnston ï¿½ Johnners  Christopher Martin-Jenkins ï¿½ CMJ  Don Mosey ï¿½ The Alderman  David Shepherd ï¿½ Shep  Bryan Waddle ï¿½ Wads  Players Bobby Abel ï¿½ The Guv'nor  Jimmy Adams ï¿½ Padams  Paul Adams ï¿½ Gogga ("insect" in Afrikaans), A frog in a blender (for his unusual bowling action)  Ajit Agarkar ï¿½ Bombay Duck (for his horror streak of ducks against Australia)  Jonathan Agnew ï¿½ Aggers  Shoaib Akhtar ï¿½ Rawalpindi Express  Wasim Akram ï¿½ Prince of Pakistan, Was, Sultan of Swing  Terry Alderman ï¿½ Clem (after Clem Jones, mayor of Brisbane, curator of Gabba and an alderman)  Mark Alleyne ï¿½ BooBoo  Mohinder Amarnath ï¿½ Jimmy, Amarnought  Surinder Amarnath ï¿½ Tommy  Warwick Armstrong ï¿½ the Big Ship  Jason Arnberger ï¿½ Cheesy  Geoff Arnold ï¿½ Horse  Shahid Afridi ï¿½ The Boom  Michael Atherton ï¿½ Athers  B Trevor Bailey ï¿½ The Boil, Barnacle  Omari Banks ï¿½ Bankie, Cowheb  Richie Benaud ï¿½ Diamonds  Tino Best ï¿½ The Best, Ntini  Michael Bevan ï¿½ Bevvo  Andrew Bichel ï¿½ Bic  Jack Blackham ï¿½ Black Jack  David Boon ï¿½ Boonie, Keg on Legs, Stumpy  Allan Border ï¿½ A.B., Captain Grumpy  Ian Botham ï¿½ Beefy,The Both,Guy  Mark Boucher ï¿½ Guinness, Billy  Nicky Boje ï¿½ Bodge  Nathan Bracken ï¿½ Bracks  Don Bradman ï¿½ The Don  Ian Bell ï¿½ Belly, the team baby  C Andy Caddick ï¿½ Caddyshack  Chris Cairns ï¿½ B.A. (Bad Attitude)  Shivnarine Chanderpaul ï¿½ Tiger  Ian Chappell ï¿½ Chapelli  Ewen Chatfield ï¿½ Chats, Farmer (Mer) or The Naenae Express  Stuart Clark ï¿½ Sarfraz, Stu  Michael Clarke ï¿½ Pup  Paul Collingwood ï¿½ Nice Ginger, Colly  Herbie Collins ï¿½ Horseshoe  Corey Collymore ï¿½ Screw  Jeremy Coney ï¿½ Mantis  Colin Cowdrey ï¿½ Kipper  Jeff Crowe ï¿½ Chopper  Martin Crowe ï¿½ Hogan  D Adam Dale ï¿½ Chipper  Joe Darling ï¿½ Paddy  Phillip DeFreitas ï¿½ Half-Chocolate, Daffy  Aravinda de Silva ï¿½ Mad Max  Fanie de Villiers ï¿½ Vinnige Fanie ("Fast Fanie" in Afrikaans)  Kapil Dev ï¿½ The Haryana Express  Mahendra Singh Dhoni ï¿½ Mahi  Graham Dilley ï¿½ Pica  Boeta Dippenaar ï¿½ Dipps  Allan Donald ï¿½ White Lightning  Brett Dorey ï¿½ Hunky, John  J.W.H.T. Douglas ï¿½ Johnny Won't Hit Today  Rahul Dravid ï¿½ Jammy, The Wall  E Bruce Edgar ï¿½ Bootsy  F Damien Fleming ï¿½ Flemo  Stephen Fleming ï¿½ Flange  Duncan Fletcher ï¿½ Fletch  Keith Fletcher ï¿½ The Gnome of Essex  Andrew Flintoff ï¿½ Freddy, Twiggy, Fred, family man  James Foster ï¿½ The Child  Graeme Fowler ï¿½ Foxy  C. B. Fry ï¿½ Lord Oxford, Charles III, Almighty  G Saurav Ganguly ï¿½ Maharaj, Prince of Calcutta, Dada, Bengal Tiger  Joel Garner ï¿½ Big Bird  Sunil Gavaskar ï¿½ Sunny, The Little Master  Chris Gayle ï¿½ Cramps, Crampy  Herschelle Gibbs ï¿½ Scooter, The Sack Man  Adam Gilchrist ï¿½ Churchy, Gilly, The Demolition Man  Ashley Giles ï¿½ Ash, the King of Spain  Jason Gillespie ï¿½ Dizzy  Darren Gough ï¿½ Rhino, Goughy, the Dazzler, Dancing Darren  E. M. Grace ï¿½ The Coroner  W.G. Grace ï¿½ The Doctor  Mark Greatbatch ï¿½ Paddy  Clarrie Grimmett ï¿½ The Old Fox, Grum  Subhash Gupte ï¿½ Fergie  H Brad Haddin ï¿½ BJ, Harry, Guildo  Richard Hadlee ï¿½ Paddles  Andrew Hall ï¿½ Brosh, Merv, Hally  Stephen Harmison ï¿½ Harmy (or Harmi), Tinker, GBH  (Grievous Bodily Harmison) Chris Harris ï¿½ Harry, Lugs  Ian Harvey ï¿½ Freak  Nathan Hauritz ï¿½ Horry  Matthew Hayden ï¿½ Haydos, Unit


What is the highest number on a Euromillions lottery ticket?

About EuroMillions | Games | The National Lottery How to play EuroMillions - it's just got even better! What is EuroMillions? EuroMillions is the game with the kind of jackpots that will make you fabulously wealthy. Play for the chance to live the kind of lifestyle usually reserved for the rich and famous. The EuroMillions draw takes place every Tuesday and Friday. How much does a EuroMillions ticket cost? EuroMillions costs £2.50 and includes the UK Millionaire Maker, which creates four new UK millionaires every week – guaranteed! What is a Mega Week? Mega Week is usually the last Tuesday and Friday of every month. During that week, the UK Millionaire Maker draw creates multiple millionaires, and each millionaire also wins an exclusive millionaire lifestyle experience. Discover more about Mega Weeks and the prizes on offer. How to play EuroMillions 1. Simply select five numbers from 1-50 and two Lucky Star numbers from 1-12, or pick Lucky Dip® for a random selection. You also get an automatic UK Millionaire Maker entry with every line of numbers you play. You can play up to 7 lines of numbers on each play slip and buy up to 10 play slips at a time. 2. Choose the draws and weeks you'd like to play – you can play up to 4 weeks in advance or continuously by Direct Debit. Play EuroMillions online every day from 8am (sometimes earlier) until 11.00pm. Remember that EuroMillions ticket sales close at 7.30pm on Tuesdays and Fridays for that evening's draw. Tickets are available again from 9pm – all tickets purchased after this time will be entered into the next draw. If you want to make sure you're always in the EuroMillions draw, play by Direct Debit . You can also increase your chances of winning and share the excitement of playing EuroMillions by starting a syndicate . EuroMillions prize breakdown Match 5 main numbers and 2 Lucky Stars to win the jackpot. If there's more than one jackpot winner, the prize will be shared between all the jackpot winners. Plus, match the UK Millionaire Maker code to win £1,000,000. It is possible to win both the jackpot and the UK Millionaire Maker on the same ticket. Prize table for EuroMillions For more information about playing EuroMillions and UK Millionaire Maker online, see the EuroMillions and UK Millionaire Maker Game Procedures . How big can the EuroMillions jackpot get? The jackpot can rise to €190 million (approximately £163 million based on exchange rate on 23rd September 2016). If it reaches this level, it will be capped - if the jackpot is not won, any additional money in the jackpot prize fund over and above €190 million will roll down to boost the prize money at the next highest tier where there are winners (most likely the 5+1 tier). This can happen four times before the €190 million must be won. If this happens and the jackpot is still not won, the entire €190 million - plus any additional money in the jackpot prize fund over and above this amount - would roll down to the next highest tier where there are winners (most likely the 5+1 tier). £161M – the biggest EuroMillions jackpot win to date


What was the name of the first American space station, which fell to Earth in 1979?

Skylab: First U.S. Space Station Skylab: First U.S. Space Station By Elizabeth Howell, Space.com Contributor | February 1, 2013 06:40pm ET MORE The Skylab Orbital Workshop experienced a failure that led to a replacement shield to protect against solar heating. Credit: NASA. Skylab was the first space station operated by the United States. It spent six years orbiting Earth until its decaying orbit caused it to re-enter the atmosphere. It scattered debris over the Indian Ocean and sparsely settled areas of Western Australia. Three crews successfully lived on board the station for several months each. The last crew spent 84 days in orbit — an American record that stood until the shuttle era. [ Photos: Skylab, the 1st U.S. Space Station ] Rocky start Various NASA centers had kicked around ideas for a space station for years before Skylab launched. However, the agency was very focused on the space race and moonshots that dominated public consciousness in the 1960s. Money for other endeavors was not as available. As Apollo began to wind down in the early 1970s, NASA began an Apollo Applications Program to fly unused hardware from the moon program. One idea, proposed by famous Apollo rocket engineer Wernher von Braun , would be to build a space station out of an unused rocket stage. The design evolved over the years as NASA struggled with reduced funding. Skylab finally aimed for space on May 14, 1973. However, a meteoroid shield that was supposed to shelter Skylab accidentally opened about 63 seconds into the launch. The still-thick atmosphere tore the shield off, plunging Skylab into a serious situation. The facility experienced communications problems with the antenna as a result of the incident, but that was the least of the agency's worries. "When the meteoroid shield ripped loose, it disturbed the mounting of workshop solar array wing No. 2 and caused it to partially deploy. The exhaust plume of the second stage retro-rockets impacted the partially deployed solar array and literally blew it into space," NASA wrote. Workers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center scrambled to stabilize the station. Among other measures, they put the station in an attitude that would minimize overheating, and came up with ways to cope with the station's reduced power situation. Meanwhile, the first crew – led by Apollo 12 commander Pete Conrad – would need to make the station habitable before they could get to work. The crew's first challenge during the spacewalk, just hours after launch, was deploying the solar array, but initial attempts met with no luck as a metal strip holding it down refused to give way. Crew members emerged from an expected communications blackout in a foul mood, according to an official NASA account of the mission. "The astronauts were venting their frustration with four-letter words, while Houston repeatedly tried to remind them that communication had resumed," NASA wrote. Realizing the tools they had with them that day would not work, Conrad abandoned the exercise and focused on trying to dock his spacecraft with the station. Unfortunately, the docking mechanism failed and the crew had to depressurize the spacecraft and bypass electrical connections to achieve it. In subsequent days, Conrad's crew erected a sun shade , successfully deployed the stuck array, and began operational work aboard the station. While the incident was frustrating for the teams involved, it also demonstrated that it was possible to fix a badly damaged space station while it is in orbit. Cutaway view of Skylab


Which is the hottest planet in our solar system?

What is the Hottest Planet in the Solar System? - Universe Today   Universe Today What is the Hottest Planet in the Solar System? Article Updated: 18 Oct , 2016 Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the climate here is just right for life. Here in our Solar System, there are planets both hotter and colder than Earth. So… which one is the hottest? You might think it’s Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun. Mercury orbits at a distance of only 58 million kilometers, travelling in a blast-furnace of scorching radiation. Its temperature can skyrocket to 700 Kelvin, or 426 degrees Celsius on the sunward side. In the shadows, temperatures plunge down to 80 Kelvin, which is -173 degrees Celsius Mercury sure is hot, but Venus is hotter. Venus imaged by Magellan Image Credit: NASA/JPL Venus is much further from the Sun, orbiting at a distance of more than 108 million kilometers. Average temperature there is a hellish 735 Kelvin, or 462 degrees Celsius – hot enough to melt lead. Venus remains that same temperature no matter where you go on the planet. At the North Pole? 735 Kelvin. At night? 735 Kelvin. Daytime at the equator? You get the point. So, why is Venus so much hotter than Mercury, even though it’s further away from the Sun? It’s all about the atmosphere. Mercury is an airless world, not unlike the Moon. Venus, has a very thick atmosphere of CO2, which adds incredible pressure, and traps in the heat. Atmosphere of Venus. Credit: ESA Consider our own planet. When you stand at sea level on Earth, you’re experiencing one atmosphere of pressure. But if you could stand on the surface of Venus – and trust me, you don’t want to – you’d experience ninety-two times as much atmospheric pressure. This is the same kind of pressure as being a kilometer underneath the surface of the ocean. Venus also shows us what happens when carbon dioxide levels just keep on rising. Radiation from the Sun is absorbed by the planet, and the infrared heat emitted is trapped by the carbon dioxide, which creates a runaway greenhouse effect. You might think a planet this hot with such extreme temperature and pressure, would be impossible to explore. And if you did, you’d be wrong. The Soviets sent a series of spacecraft called Venera, which parachuted down through the thick atmosphere and returned images from the surface of Venus. Although the first few missions were failures, this taught the Soviets just how hellish the Venusian environment really is. Surface of Venus by Venera. Venera 13 made it down to the surface in nineteen-eighty-one and survived for one-hundred-and-twenty-seven minutes, sending back the first color pictures of Venus’ surface. The hottest planet in our solar system is Venus, When it comes to temperature, distance from the Sun matters, but it takes a backseat to wrapping a planet in a atmospheric blanket of carbon dioxide.


What is the hardest substance known to man?

Scientists just got the first direct proof of stable carbyne - the world's strongest material - ScienceAlert Scientists just got the first direct proof of stable carbyne - the world's strongest material 40 times stronger than diamond. KATHLEEN RILEY, FUTURISM 12 APR 2016   Elemental carbon is extremely versatile, and scientists have long been able to create new carbon allotropes that make for super durable and multi-functioning materials - such as  everyone’s favourite material, graphene . The 'carbon family' is one very resourceful family. But even with all these developments, carbyne remained elusive. In fact, it is the only form of carbon that has not been synthesised, even though researchers have been studying its properties for over 50 years.   The reason for this is that carbyne is extremely unstable. This one-dimensional carbon chain was first discovered in 1885 by Adolf von Baeyer, who even stated that carbyne would remain elusive, as its high reactivity would  always lead to its immediate destruction . Carbyne’s mechanical properties are hypothesised to exceed all known materials. It’s assumed to be twice as stiff as graphene, 40 times stiffer than diamond, and have greater tensile strength than any other carbon material. With these kinds of properties, no wonder we’ve been trying to find ways to stabilise it. And now, an international team of researchers have now found a way to mass-produce carbyne. The team took two layers of graphene, pressed them together, and rolled them into thin, double-walled carbon nanotubes. The tubes were then wrapped around the atoms. These nanotubes protect the carbyne chains from meeting imminent doom. Their research is published in the journal  Nature Materials .  Before their discovery, the record-holding number of carbon atoms in one continuous chain was 100. Now, the record has been broken with an astounding 6,400 atoms utilizing this novel method – and the chain continues to be stable. Also, carbyne’s electrical properties increase with its chain length. This means that researchers will be able to experiment with the material more effectively with success from the nanotubes. There is a huge wealth of possible applications using carbyne, and we’re excited to see what kinds of devices will arise with the delivery of this 'miracle' material. Image: Lei Shi/Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna This article was originally published by Futurism. Read the  original article.  More From ScienceAlert


The term ‘Googol’ is written in number form as number 1 followed by how many zeros?

Googol, googolplex — & Google By Ryan Goodrich, LiveScience Contributor | May 13, 2013 07:36pm ET MORE A googol equals 1 followed by 100 zeros. Googol is a mathematical term to describe a huge quantity. It is not an incorrect spelling of the search engine giant’s name, Google — actually, it's the other way around. Googol, a quantity that surpasses even the number of hydrogen atoms in the observable universe, is a number dating back to the mid-1900s and is still used by mathematicians today. Silly name for a silly sum Googol is the label for 10 to the hundredth power (10100), or 1 followed by 100 zeros . Invented by Edward Kasner, the American mathematician referenced the quantity extensively in his 1940 book, "Mathematics and the Imagination." Kasner intended the number to serve as an example for students in showing how a number could be so incredibly large, it could baffle their minds. While the term wasn’t more universally accepted and used until his book’s publishing, Kasner dated its creation to 1920 when he asked his 9-year-old nephew, Milton Sirotta, what he should call the number. Milton appropriately responded that such a silly sum required an equally silly name, from which the term "googol" was coined. Googolplex After naming googol, Milton proposed the further term of "googolplex," describing it as “one, followed by writing zeros until you get tired.” Rather than gauging a mathematician’s skill by their endurance in writing zeros, Kasner adopted a more formal interpretation of 10 followed by googol zeros, as opposed to a googol’s 100 zeros. To quantify a googolplex, astronomer and astrophysicist Carl Sagan gave the example of filling the entire volume of the observable universe with fine dust particles roughly 1.5 micrometers in size. From this, the total number of different combinations in which these particles could be arranged would equal approximately one googolplex. Ginormous numbers For its time, googol was the largest known number. Since the invention of the supercomputer, even larger numbers can be easily calculated, such as Graham’s number or Skewes’ number. For example, a centillion, a one and 303 zeros, is one of many large numbers. While the creation and naming of such large numbers is readily possible for any non-mathematician, their invention requires a specific purpose as opposed to an arbitrary notion. Neither googol nor googolplex truly has any mathematical significance beyond acting as reference points for visualizing large numbers. For example, such numbers are used to speculate on things like the number of particles in the universe, the total number of chess game variances possible, or even 70 factorial. In other words, numbers as large as, even larger than, googols and googolplexes are used to quantify potential rather than physical things, thus increasing the potential application. In mathematical circles, their use is likely to be much more often than in everyday life, and only to quantify extremely large bodies of data. Googol and Google Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two of the founders of Google, grew up fascinated with mathematics and decided to name their company after the number. As the early Google team searched available domain names, the Stanford graduate student at the computer accidentally typed googol as “google” and the name stuck. While Google is a misspelling of googol, the company is based upon the same mathematical principles, choosing even to name Google’s headquarters in Mountain View as Googleplex. Related:


Which scientist discovered the radioactive element Radium in 1898?

Learn More About Marie Curie and Radioactive Elements By Mary Bellis Updated August 20, 2016. Dr. Marie Curie is known to the world as the scientist who discovered radioactive metals such as radium and polonium. Curie was a Polish physicist and chemist who lived between 1867-1934. She was born Maria Sklodowski in Warsaw, Poland, the youngest of five children. When she was born, Poland was controlled by Russia. Her parents were teachers, and she learned at an early age the importance of education. Her mother died when she was young, and when her father was caught teaching Polish - which had been made illegal under the Russian government. Manya, as she was called, and her sisters had to get jobs. After a couple of failed jobs, Manya became a tutor to a family in the countryside outside Warsaw. She enjoyed her time there, and was able to send her father money to help support him, and also send some money to her sister Bronya in Paris who was studying medicine. Bronya eventually married another medical student and they set up practice in Paris. The couple invited Manya to live with them and study at the Sorbonne - a famous Parisian University. In order to fit in better at the school, Manya changed her name to the French "Marie." Marie studied physics and mathematics and quickly received her masters' degrees in both subjects. She remained in Paris after graduation and started research on magnetism. For the research she wanted to do, she needed more space than her small lab. A friend introduced her to another young scientist, Pierre Curie, who had some extra room. Not only did Marie move her equipment into his lab, Marie and Pierre fell in love and married. Radioactive Elements Together with her husband, Curie discovered two new elements (radium and polonium, two radioactive elements that they extracted chemically from pitchblende ore) and studied the x-rays they emitted. She found that the harmful properties of x-rays were able to kill tumors. By the end of World War I, Marie Curie was probably the most famous woman in the world. She had made a conscious decision, however, not to patent methods of processing radium or its medical applications. Her co-discovery with her husband Pierre of the radioactive elements radium and polonium represents one of the best-known stories in modern science for which they were recognized in 1901 with the Nobel Prize in Physics. In 1911, Marie Curie was honored with a second Nobel prize, this time in chemistry, to honor her for successfully isolating pure radium and determining radium's atomic weight. As a child, Marie Curie amazed people with her great memory. She learned to read when she was only four years old. Her father was a professor of science and the instruments that he kept in a glass case fascinated Marie. She dreamed of becoming a scientist, but that would not be easy. Her family became very poor, and at the age of 18, Marie became a governess. She helped pay for her sister to study in Paris. Later, her sister helped Marie with her education. In 1891, Marie attended the Sorbonne University in Paris where she met and married Pierre Curie, a well-known physicist. After the sudden accidental death of Pierre Curie, Marie Curie managed to raise her two small daughters (Irène, who was herself awarded a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935, and Eve who became an accomplished author) and continue an active career in experimental radioactivity measurements. Marie Curie contributed greatly to our understanding of radioactivity and the effects of  x-rays . She received two Nobel prizes for her brilliant work, but died of leukemia, caused by her repeated exposure to radioactive material.


General Chemistry Online: FAQ: Redox reactions: How does iron rust? How does iron rust? When a droplet of water containing a little dissolved oxygen falls on an iron pipe, the iron under the droplet oxidizes: Fe(s) Fe2+(aq) + 2 e- The electrons are quickly snatched up by hydrogen ions and oxygen at the edge of the droplet to produce water: 4e- + 4 H+(aq) + O2(aq) 2 H2O(l) More acidic water is expected to increase corrosion so long as there is a sufficient supply of oxygen. If the pH is very low, and there isn't enough oxygen, the hydrogen ions will snatch up the electrons anyway, making hydrogen gas instead of water: 2 H+(aq) + 2 e- H2(g) But where's the rust? The equations above tell only a small part of the story. Hydrogen ions are being consumed by the process. As the iron corrodes, the pH in the droplet rises. Hydroxide ions (OH-) appear in water as the hydrogen ion concentration falls. They react with the iron(II) ions to produce insoluble iron(II) hydroxides: Fe2+(aq) + 2 OH-(aq) The iron(II) ions also react with hydrogen ions and oxygen to produce iron(III) ions. Fe2+(aq) + 4 H+(aq) + O2(aq) 4 Fe3+(aq) + 2 H2O(l) The iron(III) ions react with hydroxide ions to produce hydrated iron(III) oxides (also known as iron(III) hydroxides). Fe3+(aq) + 3 OH-(aq) Fe(OH)3(s) These can dry to make plain iron(III) oxide, Fe2O3. This is the red, powdery stuff we call "rust". Since these processes involve hydrogen ions or hydroxide ions, they will be affected by changes in pH. If you have other ions like calcium or carbonate present, they make a variety of precipitates that mix in with the iron hydroxide precipitates to produce a crusty, gnarled coating which can slow corrosion under some circumstances by cutting the iron off from the acid, water, and air supply.


In 1907 Belgian-born chemist Leo Baekeland created which type of plastic?

All Things Bakelite - The Filmmakers Hugh Karraker, Executive Producer Hugh Karraker is Executive Producer of the documentary film, All Things Bakelite. He is a great grandson of Leo H. Baekeland, the Belgian-born American who invented Velox photographic paper and created the first wholly synthetic plastic, Bakelite. Hugh is co-founder of The L.H. Baekeland Project, LLC, which through world-wide exhibitions, presentations, and media, promotes the history, the science and the art of Bakelite, and celebrates the life and achievements his great grandfather. For 30 years, Hugh was a successful actor in New York and Los Angeles, working in theater, motion pictures, television and print. He earned a BFA in acting at the University of Connecticut, studied in London at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and later co-founded the Magic Circle Theater in Chicago. Now retired from acting and devoted to his Baekeland Project, Hugh lives in CT with his actress wife, Sherry Arell Karraker, where he finds a creative outlet in building rustic furniture, gates and fences on commission. John Maher, Director As a cinematic artist, John Maher is the true definition of a Renaissance man. His interest and knowledge in a broad range of subjects is only matched by his expertise in the specialized skills of filmmaking. His just-released film, All Things Bakelite, about Leo H. Baekeland, the “father of modern plastics”, exemplifies how John pushes the boundaries of the documentary form with a masterful blend of factual information, entertainment, and innovative production techniques to tell a little known, but compelling story. “I believe production choices have to serve the story first,” John says. “Because of its broad scope and rich content, we created a lot of little surprises in All Things Bakelite that help engage the audience.” All Things Bakelite is the fifteenth independent film that John’s company JEM Films has produced. Executive producer Hugh Karraker first brought the idea to John and together they collected the resources and shaped the story of Baekeland and his transformative invention. Craig Mikhitarian, Editor Craig brings over thirty years of production experience to All Things Bakelite, and a long association with filmmaker John Maher. Craig, partnered with his brother Bud, has been making movies nearly all his life and is accomplished in all phases of production, from the creative to the technical. As a writer, producer, director, as well as a cinematographer and editor, Craig’s work has earned many awards in television, film, news and business. They include Emmy honors and an Oscar nomination for documentaries, and Telly Awards for commercials. While John Maher has joined Craig and Bud on many of their productions, Craig has also worked with John on several of his previous films, including John’s award-winning documentary Throw It Down, A Georgetown Story and Vision of Iron. Craig has been a part of All Things Bakelite since 2010, when John first brought him in on the project to consult, shoot and, primarily, edit the film. Craig lives in Ridgefield with his wife Dana and has two children, both wisely occupied well outside of show business. Martin J. Fegy, Music Composer Marty Fegy is a video producer as well as a composer of music for film and television. All Things Bakelite is his fourth film score for John Maher and JEM Films. He has also created sound design for numerous regional theatrical productions and has written and produced many jingles for radio and television advertisers.


Relating to mobile phones, what is the area covered by a base station (or aerial) called?

Base Stations and Masts Base Stations and Masts What Is A Mast? Radio base stations are commonly called masts. The terms are used interchangeably, but they are in fact two different things. A mast is a freestanding structure (the same as a telegraph pole) which supports antennas at a height where they can transmit and receive radio waves. A mast is typically 15m high and plays no part in the transmission of radio waves. To minimise the environmental impact, more slim line versions with smaller head frames are now in place. These can be painted to blend in with their surroundings, disguised as trees or used in conjunction with street lighting. Radio base stations are sites that enable mobile phones to work. They can be big or small and have transmitters and receivers in a cabin or cabinet connected to antennas. They can be mounted on a large mast or tower, an existing building, rooftops or street furniture such as street lamps. Without base stations, mobiles will not work. There were approximately 52,500 base station sites in the UK. How It All Works A mobile phone is a low-powered two-way radio - converting human voice and data messages into radio waves. When making a call, these radio signals are transmitted from the mobile phone to the nearest base station. Once a signal reaches a base station it is then transmitted to the main telephone network where it is transferred to the network of the person receiving the call. What Is A Cell? In order to enable millions of people across the country to make calls, each of the five mobile phone operators divides the UK into thousands of individual geographic areas known as 'cells'. At the heart of each cell is a base station. The cells overlap at the edges to prevent holes in coverage. If the radio base stations are too far apart, calls cannot be handed over from one area to another and are interrupted or 'dropped' when mobile users are on the move. There are three types of cells: macrocells, microcells and picocells. A macrocell provides the main coverage in a mobile network. The antennas for macrocells are mounted on ground-based masts, rooftops and other existing structures. They must be positioned at a height that is not obstructed by surrounding buildings and terrain. Macrocell base stations have a typical power output of tens of watts. Microcellsprovide infill radio coverage and additional capacity where there are high numbers of users within macrocells. The antennas for microcells are mounted at street level, typically on the external walls of existing structures, lamp posts and other street furniture. The antennas are smaller than macro cell antennas and, when mounted on existing structures, often blend in with building features to minimise visual impact. Typically, microcells provide radio coverage across smaller distances and are placed 300m-1000m apart. They have lower outputs than macrocells, usually a few watts. A picocell provides more localised coverage than a microcell. They are normally found inside buildings where coverage is poor or where there are a high number of users, such as airport terminals, train stations or shopping centres. The size of a cell depends on: current and future customer call use because each base station can only support a limited number of calls simultaneously the physical terrain of an area as radio signals are blocked by man-made and natural obstacles such as buildings, trees and hills the frequency band in which the network operates can affect cell size - normally the higher the radio frequency (as in 3G technology) the smaller the cell The cells in the third generation (3G) network are smaller because 3G uses a higher radio frequency. These cells also expand and contract in size depending on the number of simultaneous calls being made. For this reason, 3G cells have to overlap more than 2G cells. Expanding The Mobile Network More base stations were built to enhance the infrastructure for 2G and 3G mobile phone networks; operators are using the existing base station network as far as possible for 4G antennas, although some additional si


The Ishihara Test is used for testing for what in humans?

Ishihara Color Test – Color Blindness got to 3 and thats it bradley says: tried test only got test 2 admin says: June 11, 2009 at 8:16 am Hi Bradley, You should keep trying each ishihara test until the bottom, dont stop at the first test you can’t do:) Doing them all helps you understand the severity of your color blindness. Also try the color arrangement test to get a mathematical readout of your color blindness, and its severity! Charles July 9, 2009 at 8:17 am Hi, I found this website to be really helpful! I was told when I was small that I was color blind, and knew it had something to do with Red, Green and Brown. This website has helped me understand that I’m definately red/green color blind. 20 years after I was told, I now know for sure, thanks to this website. Great stuff. Excellent. admin says: July 9, 2009 at 2:05 pm Jim, Glad you found the ishihara test useful:) I trialled it on a friend of mine, he’s 40 and just found out he’s mildly color blind too. To some of us it barely makes a difference i guess! Charles 🙁 i applied for the air force on thursday, a medical was involved… including an isihara eye test…….. i failed it 3 times 🙁 not my job oportunities are extremely limited im 3CP color blind & a female… i never knew, still quite shocked!!!!!!! BERTIE says: September 2, 2009 at 9:20 pm Just looking at these tests makes me feel more at rest. I have moderate colour acuity due to long sightedness but not colour blind although eyesight does affect your colour vision, yet i can see 22 of the 24 plates. Do you think i would pass an RAF medical colour test? admin says: Hi Bertie, I redid your post without full capitals for you:) The Air Force is probably the strictest career path in the world when it comes to color blindness. Whether or not you are accepted depends on how well you do with your visual tests, and which position you are seek. Which plates did you get wrong? A couple of the plates are supposed to appear blank if you have normal vision:) You could also try my color arrangement test, it was designed by american military personel originally, though i doubt it is used in the UK. Charles September 24, 2009 at 11:03 pm Thanks Admin I can do the colour arrangement test and it reports I’m not colour blind because I complete it correctly. A couple of the plates above that I couldn’t see were 73 and 5. Must point out that some of these plates I have to really look at to get the numbers. I have done the Farnsworth 100 Hue Test and manage to do very well on it. I know my current perscription for glasses has been changed slightly and these glasses are heavily scratched. I find my glasses do affect my colour vision, making colours appear slightly darker then normal. Without the glasses I have very good colour acuity but at a restricted distance. Can I just ask how accurate are these tests? Are your plates a true representation or do you think the reproduction of your plates makes it harder to see the numbers. Thanks again, Bertie September 25, 2009 at 8:20 am Hi Bertie, The plates do get progressively harder to see, though my wife (who is not color blind) can easily see every plate correctly. Being color blind, i know that some are harder than others for me to see, but cannot really tell you how people with normal color vision see them:). What you hinted at is correct, these plates are as accurate as possible, but there is every risk that they aren’t exactly the same as a physical copy of the test plates. The images are very close to the same, but everything from the lighting in your room to the quality of your monitor, and its settings will adjust this. Try doing the test from someone elses computer and see how you go – you’d be amazed how different computer monitors show colors differently! My glasses are not scratched too badly, but if yours are as bad as you say, then i am sure they would manipulate the colors to some extent – much like cataracts? Cataracts dont directly modify your color vision, but the clouding does filter any light entering the eye. Hope this helps,


What is the science that deals with the origin, nature, chemistry, effects and use of drugs?

Pharmacology | definition of pharmacology by Medical dictionary Pharmacology | definition of pharmacology by Medical dictionary http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/pharmacology Related to pharmacology: pharmacokinetics , Clinical pharmacology pharmacology  [fahr″mah-kol´o-je] the science that deals with the origin, nature, chemistry, effects, and uses of drugs; it includes pharmacognosy, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacotherapeutics, and toxicology. adj., adj pharmacolog´ic. phar·ma·col·o·gy (far'mă-kol'ŏ-jē), The science concerned with drugs, their sources, appearance, chemistry, actions, and uses. [pharmaco- + G. logos, study] pharmacology /phar·ma·col·o·gy/ (-kol´ah-je) the science that deals with the origin, nature, chemistry, effects, and uses of drugs; it includes pharmacognosy, pharmocokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacotherapeutics, and toxicology. pharmacology 1. The science of drugs, including their composition, uses, and effects. 2. The characteristics or properties of a drug, especially those that make it medically effective. phar′ma·co·log′ic (-kə-lŏj′ĭk), phar′ma·co·log′i·cal (-ĭ-kəl) adj. phar′ma·co·log′i·cal·ly adv. phar′ma·col′o·gist n. pharmacology (phar) Etymology: Gk, pharmakon + logos, science the study of the preparation, properties, uses, and actions of drugs. pharmacology The field that studies the characteristics, effects and uses of drugs and their interactions with living organisms. pharmacology The study of the science and clinical application of medications; the study of drugs, their sources, their nature and properties. See Clinical pharmacology, Cosmetic pharmacology, Recombinant pharmacology . phar·ma·col·o·gy (fahr'mă-kol'ŏ-jē) The science concerned with drugs and their sources, appearance, chemistry, actions, and uses. [pharmaco- + G. logos, study] pharmacology The science of DRUGS . Pharmacology is concerned with the origins, isolation, purification, chemical structure and synthesis, assay, effects, uses, side effects, relative effectiveness of drugs and the influence of genetic factors on drug action. It thus includes, among other disciplines, GENETICS , ORGANIC CHEMISTRY , PHARMACOKINETICS , THERAPEUTICS and TOXICOLOGY . pharmacology the study of pharmaceutical agents, their preparation, uses and effects. phar·ma·col·o·gy (fahr'mă-kol'ŏ-jē)


Anglophobia is the fear of which country and its people?

Anglophobia - definition of Anglophobia by The Free Dictionary Anglophobia - definition of Anglophobia by The Free Dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Anglophobia Also found in: Thesaurus , Wikipedia . Related to Anglophobia: Anglophobic One who dislikes or fears England, its people, or its culture. An′glo·pho′bi·a n. An′glo·pho′bic adj. Anglophobia Anglophobia - dislike (or fear) of Britain and British customs dislike - a feeling of aversion or antipathy; "my dislike of him was instinctive" Anglophilia - admiration for Britain and British customs Translations Anglophobia n → Anglophobie f (form), → Englandhass m 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: England References in classic literature ? Well, then, you shall have plenty of it; and first, I see you've not much more sense than some others of my acquaintance"(indicating me with his thumb), "or else you'd never turn rabid about that dirty little country called England; for rabid, I see you are; I read Anglophobia in your looks, and hear it in your words. View in context He begins with a discussion of Hegel's reform-bill article claiming that, contrary to the traditional view, it was not a sour mix of anglophobia and Prussian chauvinism but a shrewd analysis of the political situation as of mid-1831 which correctly identified the structural weaknesses of the existing British state, most notably its dominance by a corrupt and incompetent aristocracy, and pointed the direction that politics must take if the nation was to avoid revolution. As Britain's elections near, voters are facing a wall of falsehoods Anglophobia ruled for a decade until former Education Minister Leighton Andrews invited in Tony Blair's Sir Michael Barber. End the debate and just get on with the teaching; The groundswell of support for the Welsh Government's review of curriculum arrangements are supposed to bode well for the future. But in a hard-hitting column, education expert Terry Mackie argues otherwise A Call to Arms: Propaganda, Public Opinion, and Newspapers in the Great War (Westport, CT: Praeger, 2004); Matthew Stibbe, German Anglophobia and the Great War (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001); David Welch, Germany, Propaganda and Total War, 1914-1918: The Sins of Omission (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2000). Mencken's nietzsche Multicultural Nationalism: Islamaphobia, Anglophobia, and Devolution. Ghanaian and Somali immigrants in Toronto's rental market: a comparative cultural perspective of housing issues and coping strategies 25) Crawford told Stonehaven that the American actions at Geneva would undoubtedly cause a wave of Anglophobia to arise in the United States due to a number of things. Imperial networks, imperial defence, and perceptions of American influence on the British Empire in the interwar period: the case of the 27th Earl of Crawford and Balcarres For one, he had none of the French Anglophobia stimulated by events like Mers-el-Kebir (the battle in 1940 off the coast of French Algeria when the British Navy attacked and destroyed much of the French fleet), which soldiers like Colonel Serge-Henri Parisot never got over even up to his death last February at age 100.


PAMPLEMOUSSE, THE (FRENCH) GRAPEFRUIT - Urban Darling PAMPLEMOUSSE, THE (FRENCH) GRAPEFRUIT June 17, 2014 Written by: Siena McLees 6 Comments It’s true that words sound undeniably romantic when spoken in the French language. For example, take grapefruit, one of my favorite summer fruits, denoting the scent of fresh citrus and sweet-smelling spice all wrapped into one big, bright, beautiful fruit. In French, grapefruit is ‘pamplemousse’ , which, to me, is reminiscent of the English word ‘pampering’, suggesting images of indulgence and luxury. So, thankfully, this lovely, citrus fruit is all the rage in beauty this summer and found in a wide array of products in a vast price range. Better yet, a recent study published in Allure Magazine found that this summery citrus scent makes people believe you are ten years younger! Two of my favorite fragrances are Jo Malone Grapefruit, a musky, spicy grapefruit aroma, which comes in a pretty package, and fresh Hespirides,  which smells as sweet, as a sugary, summer grapefruit. Grapefruit, my summer citrus of choice; it’s healthy, found in a diverse array of beauty products, and evokes a youthful image. C’est fantastique!   Beauty Products:  Fragrance (exact Here & Here ), Lotion (exact Here & Here , similar Here ) / Lipcare (exact Here & Here ) / Cleansers (exact Here ,  similar Here ) [wpsharely]Thanks for spreading the love! The coupon codes below were working as of the date of this post: Macys SUMMER – Save 15%-20% off Most Departments Site Wide (Expires Jun 22, 2014) [/wpsharely]


What is the name of actor Vin Diesel’s character in the 2002 film xXx?

xXx (2002) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb Full Cast & Crew Zither Player (as Michal Muller) Rest of cast listed alphabetically: Party Attendee with Boxing Gloves     (uncredited) Create a character page for: Create » co-designer/sculptor: Samuel Jackson's prosthetic makeup (uncredited) Production Management  production supervisor: Sacramento Unit (uncredited) Second Unit Director or Assistant Director  special effects miniature pyro (uncredited) Visual Effects by  effects technician: miniature pyrotechnic (uncredited) Stunts  medic: second unit stunts Los Angeles (uncredited) Thanks  this film is dedicated to the memory of (as Harry L. O'Connor) See also a list of 43 titles created 13 Oct 2011 a list of 49 titles created 28 Apr 2012 a list of 32 titles created 15 May 2012 a list of 22 titles created 25 Nov 2012 a list of 40 titles created 3 months ago   IMDb Everywhere Find showtimes, watch trailers, browse photos, track your Watchlist and rate your favorite movies and TV shows on your phone or tablet!


What is the official language of Uruguay?

Spanish in Uruguay | Learn Spanish online for free with VeinteMundos More VeinteMundos’ articles hier . Other languages spoken Portuguese – spoken by around 28,000 speakers not including those who speak the Portuguese dialect of Portuñol riverense (mix of Spanish and Portuguese) Italian and Standard German – over 20,000 speakers, due to immigration in the 20th century Because English is the language of commerce and because of Uruguay’s important economic advances it is spoken by much of the population as a second language Spanish dialects and variations Because of its smaller size there are fewer variations in accents acrros the country, but you can find Portuñol (or brasiliero), a mix of Spanish and Portuguese, in towns and cities along the border with Brazil. (Most linguists classify this dialect as a variety of Portuguese) Lunfardo – is an argot that developed in the suburb of Buenos Aires and Montevideo. One characteristic is the reversal of syllable order (tango – gotan). Some Tangos and Milongas today are still sung in Lunfardo. There are slight variations in Uruguayan Spanish spoken in Montevideo and in the rest of the country. Geography and Climate Uruguayan territory is predominantly composed of plains and small hill ranges split by rivers and basins. The weather is temperate and humid with warm to hot summers and tropical air flowing down from Brazil. In the winter, polar air can make it cool to cold although it rarely goes below 0 degrees (Celsius) and it rarely snows. Weather changes can be abrupt since there are no mountains to shield from winds. Destinations in Uruguay Beaches and coast (Punta del Este, Cabo Polonio, Isla de Lobos) Montevideo (Old City, architecture, the Rambla) Colonia del Sacramento (its historic quarter is a UNESCO World Heritage Site) Casapueblo River cities (Salto, Fray Bentos, Paysandu) Nature and countryside (Laguna del Sauce, Rio Negro) Wine orchards and estancias (ranches – Posta del Chuy) History & Politics Uruguay was first claimed by the Portuguese and in the 18th century taken by the Spanish resulting in an almost total annihilation of the indigenous population. It gained its independence with the fall of the Spanish monarchy in 1808 but spent the following 20 years fighting against Brazil and Argentina. In the early 20th century liberal president Jose Batlle installed important social and economic reforms. The military dictatorship of 1973 gave Uruguay the nickname of the “torture chamber of Latin America”. Today Uruguay is one of the more stable and least corrupt countries in Latin America. ¿Sabías qué….? Uruguay is by far the smallest country, in terms of population, to ever win a World Cup. Famous People Jorge Drexler (musician, Al otro lado del Rio – Motorcycle Diaries Soundtrack) Eduardo Acevedo Díaz (writer, Soledad) Diego Forlán (footballer) Gerardo Matos Rodriguez (Tango Composer, La Cumparsita) José Enrique Rodó (writer, Ariel) Marcelo Bertalmio (movie director) Juan carlos Onetti (writer – No Man’s Land) China Zorilla (actress)


What was the name of the space shuttle in which Alan Shepard went into space in 1961?

Alan Shepard: First American in Space Alan Shepard: First American in Space By Nola Taylor Redd, Space.com Contributor | May 5, 2014 10:00am ET MORE Alan Shepard became the first American in space when the Freedom 7 spacecraft blasted off from Florida on May 5, 1961. Ten years later, Shepard would leave Earth's atmosphere again to become the fifth man to walk on the moon — and the first one to play golf there. Born Nov. 18, 1923, to Renza Emerson and Alan Shepard, Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr . grew up in rural New Hampshire. After graduating from high school, he attended the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating the day after D-Day. An ensign, Shepard spent the last year of World War II on a destroyer in the Pacific. NASA astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American in space on May 5, 1961 aboard his Mercury spacecraft Freedom 7. Credit: NASA. Over the next 15 years, Shepard served in the Navy in various capacities. He received a civilian pilot's license while in naval flight training, and spent several tours on aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean. He attended the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School in 1950, and then went on to participate in a number of developmental tests for various crafts, as well as trials of the first angled carrier deck. He then became an instructor in the Test Pilot School. He logged more than 8,000 hours of flight time over the course of his career. [ Photos: Freedom 7, America's 1st Human Spaceflight ] Shepard attended the Naval War College in Rhode Island. Following his 1957 graduation, he was assigned as an aircraft readiness officer on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet. Upon his return home at the close of World War II, Shepard married Louise Brewer, whom he had met while attending the Naval Academy. The couple had two daughters. The right stuff In 1959, 110 test pilots were invited to volunteer for the space flight program headed by the new National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Although Shepard was on the list, a snafu kept him from receiving his invitation. Regardless, he was selected as one of the first seven astronauts for the organization. Known as the Mercury 7, the group included John Glenn , Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Donald "Deke" Slayton, Malcolm "Scott" Carpenter, Walter "Wally" Schirra, and Gordon Cooper. From this prestigious group of highly trained fliers, Shepard was selected to man the first space flight , with Glenn acting as his backup. Astronaut Alan B. Shepard is rescued by a U.S. Marine helicopter at the end of his sub-orbital Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) flight May 5, 1961. Credit: NASA The stakes were raised in the space race on April 15, 1961, when the Soviet Union launched cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into space and he became the first person to orbit the Earth. Gagarin beat the Americans by less than a month. Shepard's launch was initially scheduled for May 2, but was rescheduled twice because of weather conditions. On May 5, Freedom 7 lifted off, carrying Shepard to an altitude of 116 miles for a 15-minute flight. Because of the placement of the porthole windows, the first American in space was unable to catch a glimpse of the stars, and he was strapped in too tight to experience weightlessness. Also, a filter left on the periscope window rendered the Earth below in black and white. Although the Soviets had reached the historic milestone first, Shepard's suborbital flight made a significant worldwide impact because its launch, travel and splashdown were watched on live television by millions of people. By contrast, the details of Gagarin's landing were kept confidential for more than a decade. For his daring achievement, President John F. Kennedy awarded Shepard the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. [ Infographic: America's First Spaceship: Project Mercury ] Shepard worked on the ground for subsequent flights in the Mercury program and was slated to pilot the Mercury 10 mission. However, after successfully putting an astronaut in orbit for a full day with Mercury 9, NASA decided to close the first manned space program and move on with Gemini, the next step


Which British comedian has a character called ‘The Pub Landlord’?

Al Murrary: the Pub Landlord and me - Telegraph Comedy Al Murrary: the Pub Landlord and me Comedian Al Murray tells the story of his 20-year relationship with his  hilariously awful alter-ego, the Pub Landlord. By Al Murray 3:36PM BST 24 Oct 2012 "But you’re nothing like him.” I’ve been playing the Pub Landlord for the best part of 20 years now and I’m still amazed when people say this. “Of course, I’m nothing like him,” I say. After all, as far as I can tell, the Pub Landlord is so preposterous, so ghastly, so plainly — how can I put this? — a joke, I find myself marvelling at the idea that anyone could be like him, let alone me. This is just one of the occupational hazards of playing an alter ego, but one that I’m fine with. Because the gap between him and me is one of the things that, I think, allow the character to work. I stumbled across the Pub Landlord by accident; he was conceived in the teeth of a particularly immediate deadline in 1994, backstage, 10 minutes or so before I had to go on and compère at the Edinburgh Fringe. Harry Hill, his “adopted son Alan” (Matt Bradstock-Smith, a GP) and I had put together a deliberately ropy band called the Pub Band and taken it to Edinburgh as part of a new show. The show consisted of Harry doing a set, some dancing, a film and then the band providing the big finish. I was meant to compère, but had failed to come up with any shtick that worked. Ten minutes before the first show I had what, in retrospect, was a Eureka moment. As we were playing in a bar, and the show was called *Pub Internationale*, why not say the compère hadn’t shown up (which was true, figuratively speaking) and that the barman, the Pub Landlord, had offered to fill in? Harry said “Yeah OK fine whatever”, and 10 minutes later, with some stuff jotted down, on I went. It worked. While Harry did his set, I jotted some more. The following day I cut off my hair, the Edinburgh run was a big hit, we went on tour and six months later I had an hour of material — in other words, an act. Comedy has always felt like a detour from what I imagined I’d end up doing. I went to Oxford, did a history degree (well, got through a history degree) and found that the comedy scene there was incredibly exciting and offered a possible career that contained things the 21-year-old me liked the look of: interesting and funny people, a fair continuation of a laid-back student lifestyle and plenty of opportunities to show off. Right from the start it was clear to me that the act had legs, because the margins seemed so clear. When you know where the edges are it’s much easier to fill in the rest of the picture. Precisely because I wasn’t being me, I could talk about the things I wanted to talk about without having to wonder whether anyone was interested. Performing as myself I wouldn’t know how to begin. And the last thing I want to do is talk about myself. Related Articles The world of Al Murray, comedian 12 Aug 2011 The quest for authenticity in stand-up is one I can’t really relate to. Performance is so tied up in ritual and repetition that the idea of “telling the truth” seems to me to be impossible, if not bogus (not to mention solipsistic). Surely authenticity or telling the truth — like being “edgy”, which has somehow been elevated to become “the point of comedy” by people who simply haven’t thought about what they’re saying — are merely tools at comedy’s disposal? Means, not ends. Also, instead of being “truthful”, why not create something? Most of all, I find certainty and being definite very difficult. I have a habit of seeing both sides of lots of things, an attitude which really doesn’t cut it in a stand-up environment. Stand-up involves being definite, certain, sure-footed. And being definite in real life can land you in all sorts of trouble — in fact, it’s often pretty absurd. This is why the Pub Landlord is so certain about lots of things — and often wrong. Or he starts off somewhere reasonable enough and then pushes his argument to the point of certain destruction. I like the act to contain ambiguity and ambivalence: w


Lady Jane Grey, known as the ‘Nine Day Queen’, was executed during the reign of which English monarch?

BBC - History -   Historic Figures: Lady Jane Grey (1537 - 1554) z Lady Jane Grey    © Jane was nominal queen of England for just nine days in 1553, as part of an unsuccessful bid to prevent the accession of the Catholic Mary Tudor. Jane was born in the autumn of 1537, the daughter of the Marquess of Dorset. Through her mother, Lady Frances Brandon, she was the great-granddaughter of Henry VII. At around the age of 10, Jane entered the household of Henry VIII's last queen, Katherine Parr where she was exposed to a strongly Protestant, academic environment. Jane developed into an intelligent and pious woman. In October 1551, her father was created duke of Suffolk and Jane began to appear at court. There, real power lay in the hands of the fiercely Protestant Duke of Northumberland, who acted as regent to the young king, Edward VI. In May 1553, Jane was married to Northumberland's son, Lord Guildford Dudley. It became clear that Edward was dying, and Northumberland was desperate to prevent the throne passing to Edward's half-sister and heir, the Catholic Mary Tudor. Northumberland persuaded the king to declare Mary illegitimate, as well as Edward's other half-sister Elizabeth, and alter the line of succession to pass to Jane. Edward died on 6 July 1553. Four days later, Jane was proclaimed queen. However, Mary Tudor had widespread popular support and by mid-July, even Suffolk had abandoned his daughter and was attempting to save himself by proclaiming Mary queen. Northumberland's supporters melted away and Suffolk easily persuaded his daughter to relinquish the crown. Mary imprisoned Jane, her husband and her father in the Tower of London. While Suffolk was pardoned, Jane and her husband were tried for high treason in November 1553. Jane pleaded guilty and was sentenced to death. The carrying out of the sentence was suspended, but Suffolk's support for Sir Thomas Wyatt's rebellion in February 1554 sealed Jane's fate. On 12 February, she and her husband were beheaded. Her father followed them two days later.


The medical condition arthralgia affects which parts of the human body?

Joint pain: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia Unusual exertion or overuse, including strains or sprains Home Care Follow your health care provider's recommendation for treating the cause of the pain. For nonarthritis joint pain, both rest and exercise are important. Warm baths, massage, and stretching exercises should be used as often as possible. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may help the soreness feel better. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen or naproxen may help relieve pain and swelling. Talk to your provider before giving aspirin or NSAIDs such as ibuprofen to children. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your provider if: You have fever that is not associated with flu symptoms. You have lost 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) or more without trying (unintended weight loss). Your joint pain lasts for more than 3 days. You have severe, unexplained joint pain and swelling, particularly if you have other unexplained symptoms. What to Expect at Your Office Visit Your provider will perform a physical exam and ask you questions about your medical history and symptoms, including: Which joint hurts? Is the pain on one side or both sides? What started the pain and how often have you had it? Have you had it before? Did this pain begin suddenly and severely, or slowly and mildly? Is the pain constant or does it come and go? Has the pain become more severe? Have you injured your joint? Have you had an illness, rash, or fever? Does resting or moving make the pain better or worse? Are certain positions more or less comfortable? Does keeping the joint elevated help? Do medicines, massage, or applying heat reduce the pain? What other symptoms do you have? Is there any numbness ? Can you bend and straighten the joint? Does the joint feel stiff? Are your joints stiff in the morning? If so, for how long does the stiffness last? What makes the stiffness better? Tests that may be done include: Sedimentation rate Blood tests specific to various autoimmune disorders Physical therapy for muscle and joint rehabilitation may be recommended. A procedure called arthrocentesis may be needed to remove fluid from the sore joint. Alternative Names Stiffness in a joint; Pain - joints; Arthralgia Images The structure of a joint References Bykerk VP, Crow MK. Approach to the patient with rheumatic disease. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine. 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 256. Schaible H-G. Joint pain: basic mechanisms. In: McMahon SB, Koltzenburg M, Tracey I, Turk DC, eds. Wall & Melzack's Textbook of Pain. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2013:chap 44. Read More


Who won the Yashin Award for the Best Goalkeeper in the 1998 World Cup?

10 Legendary Goalkeepers In Fifa World Cup History 10 Legendary Goalkeepers In Fifa World Cup History by Sameer Arshad | Posted on Friday, April 25th, 2014 | 0 #1. Lev Yashin (USSR) World Cups: 4 (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970) World Cup Wins: none International Caps: 78 (1954–1970) Widely regarded as the best goal keeper in the history of world football by IFFHS. “Golden Glove award” is named after him and being considered the greatest goalkeeper of all times without winning the world cup is saying somthing. Playing under the flag of soviet union, Yashin guided his national side to European Championship glory in 1960, he also played a big role in gold medal victory in Olympic football event. He also won the “European footballer of the year” award as a goalkeeper first time in history. Yashin stopped 151 penalty kicks in his career and kept 270 cleansheets while playing for both national side and the club side Dynamo Moscow. He started the trend of pushing ball out of danger instead of trying to catch. He also started quick throwballs to start counter attacking football. #2. Dino Zoff (Italy) World Cups – (1970, 1974, 1978, 1982) World Cup Wins – (1982) Total Italy Caps – 112 (1968 to 1983) The greatest Italian goalkeeper, yes even better than Gigi Buffon. Zoff played through 60’s to 80’s with Italian national side and big name in Juventus history. He was part of Italy squad in 4 fifa world cups and won the trophy as a captain in 1982. He also won 5 back to back league titles with Juventus. Zoff has many records to his name the most notable of longest time without conceding a goal in international football which is around (1,142 minutes). Once retired, he started coaching career and managed several clubs in Italy before took on the role as national team coach. #3. Iker Casillas (Spain) World Cups: (2002, 2006, 2010) World Cup Wins: (2010) International Caps: 153 The greatest shot stoppers in the history of world football ? fair enough ? Iker Casillas has won everything with his national side and club side Real Madrid, since we are talking about international football we stick to his achievments in world cups and european championships. Casillas was part of spain squad in 2002 world cup, started as the main goal-keeper in 2006 and won his first major trophy with spain team in 2008 euro championship. In 2010 he guided Spain to World Cup glory and only conceded two goals in whole tournament keeping 5 clean sheets, he won the golden glove award for his impressive performances in world cup 2010. In Euro 2012 he again guided spain to championship glory winning three back to back major international tournaments as captain. He is still going strong and already have more than 150 caps to his name, will probably captain Spain in 2014 world cup in Brazil. #4. Gylmar dos Santos Neves (Brazil) World Cups: 3 (1958, 1962, 1966) World Cup wins: 2 (1958, 1962) International Caps: 104 (1953–1969) Gylmar played 104 times for Brazil and only conceded 95 goals in his international career, he was part of three consecutive world cups for Brazil from 1958 to 66 and won the world cup twice. Gylmar is the only goalkeeper in the history to have won back to back world cups which makes his record even more unique. #5. Sepp Maier (West Germany) World Cups: 4 (1966, 1970, 1974, 1978) World Cup wins: 1 (1974) International Caps: 95 (1966–1979) Maier was a German legend in every sence, he played around 550 games for Bayern Munich won three back to back European cups in 1970’s. He was part of West Germany squad for 4 consecutive world cups, He hit the peak of his career in 1974 world cup and guided germany to world cup glory in home soil while a couple of years before he won European Championship with Germany. #6. Gordon Banks (England) World Cups: 2 (1966, 1970) World Cup wins: 1 (1966) International Caps: 73 (1963–1972) The greatest English goalkeeper to have graced the game of football. Banks started each and every game of 1966 world leading England to glory for the first time in world cup history. He was also part o 1970 world cup where his performances wer


On a mobile phone keypad, the letters ‘jkl’ are on which number button?

Phone Keyboard Alphabet Mode uses 12 Keys to Text Message Internet Access, Text Messaging and Alphanumeric Paging from any Phone in the World Press [*] key to enter Upper-Case Alphabet Mode: 1) Sequential Key Presses 2) Sequential Middle-Mode Key Presses 3) Sequential Most-Use-Mode Key Presses 4) Simultaneous Key Presses 5) Simultaneous Middle-Mode Key Presses 6) Simultaneous Most-Use-Mode Key Presses Press [*] key 2 times to enter Shiftable Alphabet Mode: 7) Sequential Key Presses 8) Sequential Middle-Mode Key Presses 9) Sequential Most-Use-Mode Key Presses 10) Simultaneous Key Presses 11) Simultaneous Middle-Mode Key Presses 12) Simultaneous Most-Use-Mode Key Presses Press [*] key 3 times to enter Multi-Tap Mode: 13) Sequential Key Presses Any 12 key telephone keypad ca be used as a computer terminal keyboard. The speed and efficiency of the Phone Keyboard is faster and easier than all previous data entry methods using any phone or any twelve sensor keypad. All data entered on any standard computer keyboard can be entered using any 12 key phone keypad. A demonstration of the working invention is found on PhoneKeyboard.com . The Phone Keyboard uses the phone in the same standard way. Pressing the desired number keys [1] through [9] and a [0] still produces the numbers 1 - 9 and 0. Pressing the left asterisk [*] key once exits the standard number mode and enters a 2 key Alphabet Mode. Letters are produced in the Alphabet Mode by pressing the desired letter on a number key [1] through [9], followed by one of three position keys: the "left" asterisk [*] key for the left letter, the "middle" zero [0] key for the middle letter or the "right" pound [#] key for the right letter. The [2] key has the letters "A", "B" and "C" located on it. The left "A" is produced by pressing the [2] key followed by the left asterisk [*] key. The middle "B" is produced by pressing the [2] key followed by the middle zero [0] key. The right "C" is produced by pressing the [2] key followed by the right pound [#] key. The phone code uses the "Q", "space" and "Z" located on the [1] key or the "Q - Z" on the [1]. The space can be produced by pressing the [1] key by itself or the middle zero [0] key while in the alphabet mode. Pressing the right pound [#] key followed by the zero [0] key exits the alphabet mode and re-enters the number mode. Pressing the left asterisk [*] key 2 times exits the standard number mode and enters a Shiftable Alphabet Mode. Letters are produced in the Shiftable Alphabet Mode by pressing the desired letter on a number key [1] through [9], followed by one of three position keys: the "left" asterisk [*] key for the left letter, the "middle" zero [0] key for the middle letter or the "right" pound [#] key for the right letter. The [2] key has the letters "A", "B" and "C" located on it. The left "a" is produced by pressing the [2] key followed by the left asterisk [*] key. Pressing the left asterisk [*] key twice produces the capital "A". The middle "b" is produced by pressing the [2] key followed by the middle zero [0] key. Pressing the middle zero [0] key twice produces the capital "B". The right "c" is produced by pressing the [2] key followed by the right pound [#] key. Pressing the right pound [#] key twice produces the capital "C". Pressing the right pound [#] key followed by the zero [0] key exits the alphabet mode and re-enters the number mode. Pressing the left asterisk [*] key 3 times exits the standard number mode and enters a Multi-Tap Mode. Letters are produced in the Multi-Tap Mode by pressing the desired letter on a number key [1] through [9] once, twice or three times. The [2] key has the letters "A", "B" and "C" located on it. The left "A" is produced by pressing the [2] 1 time. The middle "B" is produced by pressing the [2] 2 times. The right "C" is produced by pressing the [2] 3 times. When a device does not have a time delay entry function, the right pound [#] key enters the character choice when the next character choice is on the same key. Pressing the right pound [#] key fol


Which band released a 2007 album entitled ‘Favourite Worst Nightmare’?

Arctic Monkeys: Favourite Worst Nightmare (Standard Version) - Music on Google Play Full Review Lisa Wms March 19, 2016 I was lucky enough to pay 99¢... ... so even if you've never heard of AM before, go ahead, buy this album 'cause every song is certainly worth that $1 and more. Maybe they all just got together and jammed. But to me, the entire album sounds like a well-oiled machine where nothing was left to chance. I hear a great deal of effort and dedication put into each part. I feel everybody on board, having fun making a quality production. And so to AM I say, “Thanks for a wonderful album and a job well done!” Full Review Joel Curran December 25, 2014 Genius The album AM and Favorite Worst Nightmare are both wonderful crafts all in their own. The poetic elements that create the persona of this band and their albums thrills me every time I listen to their music. I'm a big fan of the band and their work, an even bigger fan of the two albums AM and Favorite Worst Nightmare. They bring a lot of poetic justice to alternative rock. I love it. Full Review Claudia Wu January 25, 2015 This album is D is for Divine Favourite Worst Nightmare beats AM by a trillionfold; sucks that they were thrown into the mainstream because of AM. It's extremely irritating that many fangirls say they "love" Arctic Monkeys when they only listen to their AM album. The lyrical imagery in the album is truly astounding and it never fails to give me great chills. Undoubtedly, Alex has a way with words. FWN is a perfect album for any mood. Listen to Balaclava! I think it's underrated, but a true masterpiece along with the rest of their songs. Full Review Carlos Demarchi March 11, 2014 Aweso.. Wait, Amazi... No, Incredibly This album has so much quality, it has that energy that makes you just wanna listen to it all day. All the song are brilliant. Someone can't just define this album in one word. Full Review Alex H January 26, 2016 Listened to every album I've listened to every album and my favorite by arctic monkeys has to be either Suck it and See or Humbug. But my favourite song comes from this album, I haven't found a song better than fluorescent adolescent in quite sometime now Full Review Bobby Meyer April 20, 2015 10/10 litaraly my favorite album ever Every single song on this album is perfect. They all are unique. Each song experience's some original. Top songs of album are D is for dangerous , This house is a circus Full Review DJ LEGION March 19, 2016 I want more These guys are obviously crackerjack musicians and good song writers and this album is way better than the drivel most of the other teen audience bands are putting out - I'll give them that. But most of these songs just never took it to the next level for me. It wasn't until the 5th track: Florescent Adolescent that a song really held my interest. All the kiddies give this album 5 stars. Zeppelin IV is a 5 star album. This is a 3 star one. For 99cents, I did pick it up though. Full Review Garrett Luttrell September 10, 2013 Masterpiece AM at their best. Each song is distinctly unique. Beautifully constructed rhythms and imaginative lyrics. Not just run of the mill chord changes (like 95% of music is nowadays -_-) Full Review Kasmira Trevorrow March 11, 2013 One of my top ten fav. bands I love arctic monkeys, its so different from the poppy crap (no offence if you like that stuff) that everyone listens to, you should definitely get this album, if only one song, florescent adolescence or old yellow bricks in my opinion. Full Review rudy villegas June 9, 2013 5+ This is one of the albums with most of my favorite songs like old yellow bricks 505 ready picker and brainstorm we're really good songs I like how they use 505 to end the album ;) Full Review Lizeth Tizoc-Perez July 6, 2014 505 Keeps Glitching Purchased this album as a huge long time fan of AM but I'm disappointed at this song that just won't play. (Nexus 5) please fix. shaun montgomery June 1, 2015 Arctic monkeys, favorite worse nightmare Arctic monkeys keep getting better Full Review Cody Dickinson December 27, 2012


Which was the first English football club to win the European Cup Final?

BBC ON THIS DAY | 29 | 1968: Manchester Utd win European Cup About This Site | Text Only 1968: Manchester Utd win European Cup Manchester United have become the first English club to win the European Cup beating Portuguese side Benfica by four goals to one. Ten years after the Munich air crash, which killed eight of Matt Busby's young team, Manchester United have reached the pinnacle of European football. Celtic became the first Scottish and British club to win the cup the previous year. United's star player, George Best, was named European Footballer of the Year - just a fortnight after being named the football writers' Footballer of the Year. Massive crowd Tonight's match at Wembley was watched by a crowd of 100,000 and an estimated 250 million TV viewers. It was the biggest television audience since the World Cup final two years before. As both teams wear red kit, United opted to play in their blue away strip for the game. The first half passed in a flurry of fouls before Bobby Charlton headed the opening goal in the second half to make it 1-0. With only 10 minutes left to go, Benfica scored the equaliser - and very nearly won the match when their feared striker Eusebio broke away from Nobby Stiles, the player tasked with marking him, and blasted the ball towards the net. But it was saved by keeper Alex Stepney and the game went into extra time. Winning goal Two minutes into extra time Best put United ahead again, slipping round the keeper and gently tapping it over the line. It was followed by two more United goals, from 19-year-old Brian Kidd and captain Bobby Charlton, taking the final score to 4-1. Manager Matt Busby said: "They've done us proud. They came back with all their hearts to show everyone what Manchester United are made of. This is the most wonderful thing that has happened in my life and I am the proudest man in England tonight." Busby was seriously injured in the crash which claimed the lives of his so-called Busby Babes and there was speculation at the time that the club had been so badly damaged it would have to fold. But they struggled on to complete the 1958/59 season and when Busby returned to the manager's role the following season he began the task of rebuilding the side. The club won the league in 1965 and 1967, but today's win marks the pinnacle of the club's achievements. Charlton and Bill Foulkes were the only survivors of the crash who played in today's final.


What type of weather condition is a Meltemi?

Meltemi wind - Greek Meltemi winds Turkey Greece - Yachting and Sailing vacations the Aegean. The Meltemi in Greece & Turkey The Meltemi wind was known by the old Greeks as the Etesian northern winds, and results from a high pressure system (>1025) laying over the Balkan/Hungary area and a relatively low pressure (<1010) system over Turkey . Although this katabatic wind can bring about harsh sailing conditions it also provides cooling, low humidity and good visibility. Furthermore, it can be characterized as one of the few Mediterranean winds that do not necessarily die out at the end of the day and can easily last more than three to six days. See my climate page for Greek weather statistics. The onset is the monsoonal effect of the summer season that leads to the development of an  intense heat trough over southern Asia extending westward over the Anatolian plateau. Higher pressure dominates over the relatively cooler surface of the  Mediterranean Sea, and settled, dry weather persists.  Northerly winds prevail along the Greek coast during the  winter also, but only those northerly winds occurring between May and  November are considered Etesian. The pressure gradients necessary to drive the  Meltemi result from a combination of: The monsoonal effect during the summer that leads to a low pressure   trough over Turkey. Etesian winds flow from a high pressure ridge over   the Balkans toward the trough. During a strong Etesian, the trough may   extend relatively far to the west and beyond Rhodes . It may also form   a closed low, resulting in almost calm winds at Rhodes. Synoptic conditions leading to anti-cyclogenesis over the Balkans. A jet-effect increase of wind caused by channelling of the wind between   islands and mountain valleys. These effects tend to render wind reports   from certain locations unrepresentative. In the lee of Crete, katabatic   flow off the mountains generates gusty winds similar to the Föhn of the   Alps. The mountain valleys tend to channel the flow which increases the   wind velocity. The surface flow is generally divergent in an Etesian situation, and  the weather is generally thought to be dry with clear skies. However,  this is mostly true only during the main yacht charter season of July and August  when scattered altocumulus appear a day before an Etesian, and the only other clouds are orographic types that may form on the lee  side of islands in stronger Etesian winds. The Meltemi occurs mainly during the summer season (June - September with 70%), but also in May and October one may frequently experience this dry wind. One should anticipate its maximum during July and August. Usually the wind starts in the early afternoon reaching 4-5 Beaufort and dies out at sun set. However, not uncommonly it reaches 5-7 Bft during the day, perseveres during the night and blows 5-7 Bft again the next day; a pattern which can easily be repeated over many days, sometimes even up to ten days. If during this period sailing to windward cannot be avoided, it can be very wise to lift anchor at dawn and to cover as many miles as possible before the wind starts .   Important guidelines Due to the katabatic nature of the meltemi one can experience strong fall winds on the leeward side of the islands, notorious are Kea (we did survive though), Evvia, Tinos and Andros , Folegandros , Kos , Serifos , Amorgos and Sifnos . An orographic cloud to leeward of the mountain spells danger. When the wind encounters very high cliffs on the North shore of an island, a calm - extending several miles off shore - can be expected. Good examples are Amorgos, Paros and Naxos . In the wide corridor between de dodecanese and cycladic islands the Meltemi blows undisturbed over 100 miles. Within six hours of a 30-knot wind, the waves can reach heights over three meters. The adverse currents make these waves steeper, which can be seriously dangerous for yachts smaller than 10 meter. The Ionian Sea in the west of Greece is not affected by these Etesian winds but experiences a reliable Maistro wind throu


Which US entertainer had a twin brother named Jesse Garon, who died at birth?

Celebrities Whose Twin Sibling Died 17 Famous People Whose Twin Siblings Died By Celebrity Lists 686k views 17 items tags f t p @ List of famous people whose twin sibling died, loosely ranked by fame and popularity. Several famous people are twins. Unfortunately, a few celebrities who had a twin sibling had their twin died. Some of these famous people lost their twins at birth while others lost their twin sibling later in life. One of the most famous singers of all time had a twin who died. Who is the most famous person who had a twin sibling who died? Elvis Presley tops this list. Elvis Presley's twin brother, Jesse Garon Presley, was stillborn. Actor Andy Garcia was born with a conjoined twin on his shoulder. The undeveloped fetus was removed when Garcia was a toddler. Heather O'Rourke's twin brother was miscarried. Heather also died young when, at age 12, she suffered a cardiac arrest after a misdiagnosed intestinal stenosis. Jackson 5 singer Marlon Jackson's twin brother, Brandon, died the day they were born. Do you think that these famous people were haunted by the death of their twins? Share your thoughts in the comments section. Collection Photo: user uploaded image <


The laws of cricket state that the length of a cricket bat must be no more than how many inches?

EVOLUTION OF CRICKET BAT - crickettamasha crickettamasha EVOLUTION OF CRICKET BAT: FROM   SRILANKAN CRICKETERS WIFE/ GIRL FREINDS/ COUPLES Cricket is often called as a game dominated by batsmen. The advent of formats like ODI and Twenty20 has further added to the woes of bowlers. The field restrictions, the free hit goes all against the bowlers. The justifications point to the only idea to make the game more entertaining. Its true that the crowd cheers more when a batsman hit the ball for a boundary or a six than when a bowler takes a wicket.     Let now talk about the origin or the evolution or the instrument called a bat in cricket. The shape of the initial bat was like a hockey stick to facilitate hitting the ball which used to be delivered underarm. After the law of the game allowed the bowlers to loop the ball in the air underarm, the transition began to happen to the shape of the cricket bat. This led to vertical swing by the batsman rather than horizontal sweeping as the ball started to bounce. It was only in the year 1820 when the law permitted round arm bowling, the shape of bat started to take the modern form. Having reached the present shape, the size of the bat became an apple of discord. It went to the extent of players resorting to high width bats and one even to the size of stumps perfectly protecting the wickets. This happened by a player named Shock White playing for Ryegate against Hambleton in 1771.To end such unsportsmanlike like activities, Hambledon’s recommendation that the size of the bat can be only maximum four and quarter inches was universally accepted. This led to change in batting techniques and batsmen started playing both vertical and horizontals shots instead of going only for horizontal wild swings. With the changed shape of the bat, experimentation went on to choose the right quality of wood which can withstand the strokes of the hard cricket ball having the desired resilience. English Willow or the Salix Alba Caerulea was the initial choice for being resilient. Such bats were comparatively lighter of the time but used to weigh up to a massive five pounds. Necessity is the mother on invention. Hence the search was to find better options. English bat manufacturer M/S C.C.Bussey started using sapwood which happened to be lighter and attractive. Subsequently, the bat manufacturers started using white willows which proved to be much lighter. These bats were thinner and of straight. The blades used to carry more weight. The handle and the length were smaller. The weight of the bats was between two pounds to two pounds four ounces. With such changes in the shape of bats, the techniques of batting underwent changes. Improvisations like cuts, late cuts, leg glances, gliding were visible. In other words, timing of the ball became more evident than sere power hitting. But again in the late 1920s saw use of heavier bats by players of the calibre of Sir Don Bradman, Jak Hobbs, Bill Ponsford. While Bradman used to prefer bats weighing about two pounds and two ounces, Ponsford used much heavier bat weighing two pounds and nine ounces. His bat was called “Big Bertha” bat. The willow of these bats were subjected to heavy compression during manufacturing. The shape of cricket bats remained almost similar from 1890. Use of golf putters with perimeter and Super Scoop bats with bigger hollow of the back were also experimented during these periods From the year 1960 onwards, some players like Clive Lloyd, Graeme Pollock started using heavier bats weighing more than three pounds. We all know how Clive Lloyd used to hit sixers at will. But such heavy bats put bottlenecks for many players to cuts, leg glance, hooks. A player to cite here is Garfield Sobers who always played with a lighter bat. Sachin Tendulkar however uses a heavy bat weighing more than three pounds. His bat has a standard short handle size with large profiles and extremely thick edges. The cricket bat has thus changed with the changing needs of the game. Every bat manufacturer innovated newer methods by careful design of scoops, hollow, plugs


The novels of which English author are set in the ‘Five Towns’?

Arnold Bennett | British author | Britannica.com Arnold Bennett Alternative Title: Enoch Arnold Bennett Arnold Bennett George Bernard Shaw Arnold Bennett, in full Enoch Arnold Bennett (born May 27, 1867, Hanley, Staffordshire , England —died March 27, 1931, London ), British novelist, playwright, critic, and essayist whose major works form an important link between the English novel and the mainstream of European realism. Arnold Bennett. From The New York Times Current History: The European War, Volume 1, 1915 Bennett’s father was a self-made man who had managed to qualify as a solicitor: the family atmosphere was one of sturdy respectability and self-improvement. Arnold, the eldest of nine children, was educated at the Middle School, Newcastle-under-Lyme; he then entered his father’s office as a clerk. In 1889 he moved to London, still as a solicitor’s clerk, but soon gained a footing in literature by writing popular serial fiction and editing a women’s magazine. After the publication of his first novel, A Man from the North (1898), he became a professional writer, living first in the Bedfordshire countryside, then, following his father’s death, moving to Paris in 1903. In 1907 he married a French actress, Marguerite Soulié; they separated in 1921. Bennett is best known for his highly detailed novels of the “Five Towns”—the Potteries , since amalgamated to form the city of Stoke-on-Trent , in his native Staffordshire. As a young writer he learned his craft from intensive study of the French realistic novelists, especially Gustave Flaubert and Honoré de Balzac , who emphasized detailed description of people, scenes, and events. He also owes an immediate debt to George Moore , who was influenced by the same writers. Bennett’s criticism was of such high calibre that, if he had never written fiction, he would rank as an important writer. He was less successful in his plays, although Milestones (1912), written with Edward Knoblock, and The Great Adventure (1913), adapted from his novel of five years earlier, Buried Alive (1908), both had long runs and have been revived. Arnold Bennett, drawing by Walter Ernest Tittle, 1923; in the National Portrait Gallery, London Courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, London As early as 1893 he had used the “Five Towns” as background for a story, and his major novels— Anna of the Five Towns (1902), The Old Wives’ Tale (1908), and Clayhanger (1910; included with its successors, Hilda Lessways, 1911, and These Twain, 1916, in The Clayhanger Family, 1925)—have their setting there, the only exception being Riceyman Steps (1923), set in a lower-middle-class district of London. Britannica Stories


A Gold Medal is traditionally awarded for which place in a race or competition?

The Gold Medal - definition of The Gold Medal by The Free Dictionary The Gold Medal - definition of The Gold Medal by The Free Dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/The+Gold+Medal Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . gold medal n (Individual Sports, other than specified) a medal of gold, awarded to the winner of a competition or race. Compare silver medal , bronze medal gold′ med′al n. a medal, traditionally of gold, awarded to a person or team finishing first in a competition. Compare bronze medal, silver medal. [1905–10] Noun 1. gold medal - a trophy made of gold (or having the appearance of gold) that is usually awarded for winning first place in a competition trophy , prize - something given as a token of victory Translations gold (gould) noun 1. an element, a precious yellow metal used for making jewellery etc. This watch is made of gold; (also adjective) a gold watch. goud ذَهَب злато ouro zlato; zlatý das Gold, golden guld; guld- χρυσός oro kuld طلا kulta or ; en or, d'or זהב सोना zlato arany emas gull oro ; d'oro 金 금 auksas; auksinis zelts; zelta- emas goud ; goud- gull złoto سره، سره زر، طلا ouro (de/din) aur золото zlato; zlatý zlato; zlat zlato guld ทอง altın 黃金 золото سونا vàng 黄金 2. coins, jewellery etc made of gold. goud نُقود أو عُملة من الذَّهَب злато ouro zlato das Gold guldmønter; guldsmykker χρυσαφικά oro kuld هر چیزی که از جنس طلا باشد kulta or עָשוּי זָהָב सोने के शिक्के, सोने के आभूषण zlatnici arany emas gull oro 金製品 금제품, 금화 auksas zelts emas goudstukken gull złoto سره زر ouro ban de aur золото ; б��гатства zlato zlatnina zlatnik guld เหรียญทอง altın 金幣，金首飾 золото سونے سے بنے زیورات ، سکے وغیرہ tiền vàng 金币，金饰 3. the colour of the metal. the shades of brown and gold of autumn leaves; (also adjective) a gold carpet. goud اللون الذَّهَبي златист dourado zlato; zlatý die Goldfarbe, goldfarben gylden χρυσαφί , χρυσαφένιος oro ; dorado kuld(-) رنگ طلایی kullanvärinen or ; doré זהב सूनहरा zlatan arany(sárga) szín warna emas gulllitur; gylltur oro ; dorato 黄金色の 금색 auksinė spalva zelta krāsa; zelta krāsas- berwarna keemasan goud ; goud- gull , gyllen farge złoty طلایی رنګ dourado auriu, ca aurul золотистый цвет zlato; zlatistý zlata barva zlatan guld; guld-, gyllene มีสีทอง altın 金色 золотистий колір سنہرا رنگ màu vàng 金色 ˈgolden adjective 1. of gold or the colour of gold. golden hair. goue ذَهَبي златен dourado zlatý; zlatavý golden gylden χρυσός , χρυσαφένιος dorado , de oro kuld(kolla)ne طلایی؛ زرین kultainen d'or , doré מוּזהָב सुनहरा zlatan arany(ból való) keemasan gull-, úr gulli dorato , d'oro 金 (色) の 금빛의 auksinis, aukso zelta-; zeltains berwarna keemasan gouden gyllen , gull- złoty , złocisty دسرو، دسرو زرو، طلايى، قيمتى، نيكمرغه، لاييى رنګ dourado de aur; auriu золотистый zlatý; zlatistý zlat zlatan guld-, gyllene สีทอง altın , altın sarısı 金色的 золотистий سونے سے متعلق یا سنہرے رنگ کا bằng vàng 金色 2. (of a wedding anniversary, jubilee etc) fiftieth. They will celebrate their golden wedding (anniversary) next month. goue اليوبيل الذَّهَبي петдесeтгодишнина bodas de ouro zlatý golden guldbryllup χρυσός , πεντηκοστός de oro kuld- پنجاهمین سالگرد kultahäät d'or חֲתוּנַת הַזָהָב स्वर्ण जयंती इत्यादि zlatna obljetnica aranylakodalom emas gull(brúðkaup) d'oro 50周年の (결혼 기념일 등이) 50년째의 auksinis (par kāzām u.tml.) zelta- ke lima puluh gouden gullbryllup złoty پنځوسمه كليزه bodas de ouro de aur золотой zlatý zlat zlatan guld- การฉลองครบรอบแต่งงานปีที่ 50 ellinci evlilik yıldönümü 金婚的 золотий شادی وغیرہ کی پچاسویں سالگرہ đám cưới vàng 金婚的 ˈgoldfish – plural ˈgoldfish – noun a small golden-yellow fish often kept as a pet. The child kept a goldfish in a bowl. goudvis سَمَك بلون ذَهَبي златна рибка peixe dourado zlatá rybka der Goldfisch guldfisk χρυσόψαρο pez de colores kuldkala ماهی طلایی؛ ماهی قرمز kultakala poisson rouge דָּג זָהָב स्वर्ण मछली zlatna ribica aranyhal ikan emas gullfiskur pesce rosso 金魚 금붕어 auksinė žuvelė zelta zivtiņa ikan emas goudvis gullfisk złota rybka سور كب، طلايى كب peixe dourado caras auriu золотая рыбка zlatá rybka zlata ribica zlatna ribica guldfisk ปลาทอง kırmız