Burkina Faso:   Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities President Compaoré Is Deposed Geography Slightly larger than Colorado, Burkina Faso,   formerly known as Upper Volta, is a landlocked country in West Africa. Its   neighbors are Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, and Ghana.   The country consists of extensive plains, low hills, high savannas, and a   desert area in the north. Government Parliamentary. History Burkina Faso was originally inhabited by the   Bobo, Lobi, and Gurunsi peoples, with the Mossi and Gurma peoples   immigrating to the region in the 14th century. The lands of the Mossi   empire became a French protectorate in 1897, and by 1903 France had   subjugated the other ethnic groups. Called Upper Volta by the French, it   became a separate colony in 1919, was partitioned among Niger, the Sudan,   and Côte d'Ivoire in 1932, and was reconstituted in 1947. An   autonomous republic within the French Community, Upper Volta became   independent on Aug. 5, 1960. President Maurice Yameogo was deposed on Jan. 3,   1966, by a military coup led by Col. Sangoulé Lamizana, who   dissolved the national assembly and suspended the constitution.   Constitutional rule returned in 1978 with the election of an assembly and   a presidential vote in June in which Gen. Lamizana won by a narrow margin   over three other candidates. On Nov. 25, 1980, Col. Sayé Zerbo led a   bloodless coup that toppled Lamizana. In turn, Maj. Jean-Baptist Ouedraogo   ousted Zerbo on Nov. 7, 1982. But the real revolutionary change occurred   the following year when a 33-year-old flight commander, Thomas Sankara,   took control. A Marxist-Leninist, he challenged the traditional Mossi   chiefs, advocated women's liberation, and allied the country with North   Korea, Libya, and Cuba. To sever ties to the colonial past, Sankara   changed the name of the country in 1984 to Burkina Faso, which combines   two of the nation's languages and means “the land of upright   men.” While Sankara's investments in schools, food   production, and clinics brought some improvement in living standards,   foreign investment declined, many businesses left the country, and unhappy   labor unions began strikes. On Oct. 15, 1987, formerly loyal soldiers   assassinated Sankara. His best friend and ally Blaise Compaoré became president. Compaoré immediately set about “rectifying” Sankara's revolution. In 1991, he agreed to   economic reforms proposed by the World Bank. A new constitution paved the   way for elections in 1991, which Compaoré won easily, although   opposition parties boycotted. In 1998, he was reelected by a landslide. A   coup against the president was foiled in 2003, and he was reelected a   third time in 2005. Prime Minister Yonli resigned in June 2007 and   was replaced by Tertius Zongo, who has served as the ambassador to the   United States and as the country's finance minister. Violent protests by soldiers and police in the capital of Ouagadougou, sparked by low pay and unpaid housing allowances, were answered by President Blaise Compaore with a new government and a new head of the armed forces in the spring of 2011. In Jan. 2013, Prime Minister Luc Adolphe Tiao's new government was announced; the main portfolios remain unchanged.


In which city are the Petronas Twin Towers?

PETRONAS Twin Towers - Building in Kuala Lumpur PETRONAS Twin Towers Building, Office, and Scenic Lookout Kuala Lumpur City Center, Kuala Lumpur Save "perfect view of the Twin Towers!"(20 Tips) "Come to Malaysia and witness this beauty by your naked eye."(7 Tips) "magnificent location with towers & garden view"(10 Tips) "80RM per adult for accessing towers or Skybridge by tourists."(6 Tips) 275 Tips and reviews Log in to leave a tip here. Post Anna Zhdanova 3 weeks ago A visit card of KL, if you are around, come and visit Say いう 💜 November 22, 2016 The desire to reach for the sky runs very deep in our human psyche. Breathtaking views of KL. Perfect location and amazing place for the entire family. U must come and visit 🇲🇾🙏🏻 Upvoted 1 week ago Rachel Roth November 16, 2016 Definitely book in advance Carrol Nyzam October 22, 2016 THIS IS TUN MAHATHIR LEGACY Bahjat Mansour October 7, 2016 Great place to visit at night and watch the dancing fountain Upvoted Nov 11, 2016 Annie Suarts October 5, 2016 Elevators in Dubai are faster than in Malaysia. But overall a good observation point to have a proper look at the city. Dedy Armstrong September 19, 2016 Petronas view from distance Sedat Özvanlıgil September 13, 2016 Good view, you can even see batu caves if weather is clear. But price is expensive for it. İnstead of this, have a drink in one of the roof Bars around and Enjoy view mery beiglou August 29, 2016 Great place! don't miss it if you're in Kl. Worth a visit 👌 Simple Discoveries August 26, 2016 As an icon of KL, these towers are a must-visit. Tickets to the bridge/observation deck run ~$21 which is steep, recommend just walking around outside & exploring the mall. Bring a wide angle lens! Upvoted 1 week ago Nick Bermudez June 9, 2016 Beautiful, one of a kind towers which are a must come see attraction when you are in Singapore. The price of MYR$82 to go up is well worth it Downvoted 1 week ago Rashed AlDuraiei May 31, 2016 Thing that shouldn't be missed ! RhaLin David May 19, 2016 @SupportRequests #32669271 Siddharth Srivastav April 10, 2016 Giant mall with good opportunity for a photo shoot. It is an office of petronas all 174 floors of it. flor batoon April 8, 2016 Petronas from my hotel... Kaushik Mahato April 4, 2016 Beautiful place to visit with pals Phyllis Ho April 3, 2016 Malaysian pride! 🇲🇾 Shazwan Hausse March 31, 2016 Business world meets fancy lifestyle. Els D. March 23, 2016 A must if you're in KL Elliot Winkler March 16, 2016 Lame. Had no clue how to get inside. The mall completely overpowers the beauty of the towers. eshan @eshan9221 March 16, 2016 Amazing view from the top, Go there at sunset and sunrise ;) Lilla Cséfalvay March 8, 2016 The tour is a bit short and pricey. You have about 15 minutes at the highest point, and five other a few floors down. The view is great but for the price it's a very short time up there. Terror Risk March 7, 2016 Just finished my meeting. Time to run off to avoid traffic jam song Sg Besi road. Terror Risk March 7, 2016 Meeting here with key customer for upcoming project. Waiting s an escort to bring me up to Level 49 Rafidah Adnan March 5, 2016 I work here la. Everyday same only lol Samet March 1, 2016 The symbol of whole country. You should take a selfie with towers otherwise you can not go back to your country😜 wonkyung kwon February 13, 2016 The best place in KL. For upstairs and sky bridge,need to make a reservation. Yasiru Abeygunawardana February 10, 2016 Nice view. But ticket to go up is too pricy Scenic view at different spot. Celeste January 15, 2016 Worth the visit but make sure you arrive early 8am for ticket. 7pm slot great too got to sunset and night views Hana Feberia 🐻 January 13, 2016 better come here in 5 pm or even better at night because when the sun goes out your pic will be backlight Yondering Monkeys January 7, 2016 Prebook or go early for the twin towers tour and note it's shut on a Monday. Mohamed Hisham January 1, 2016 A magnificent man made structure Mieze Katz December 26, 2015 A must-see in KL. It's worth the entrance. You can have a top-view o


From which musical was the song '76 Trombones'?

76 Trombones - The Music Man - YouTube 76 Trombones - The Music Man Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Jun 2, 2012 From the Soundtrack of the Warner Bros Motion Picture "Music Man",Starring Robert Preston & Shirley Jones, Music & Lyrics By Meredith Wilson Category


What was the name of the school in the TV sitcom 'Please Sir'?

Please Sir! (TV Series 1968–1972) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error Weekly situation comedy about a hapless but caring teacher and his class of unruly kids. The teacher sees much good and potential in his pupils much to the dismay of his fellow teachers who... See full summary  » Stars: a list of 981 titles created 24 Sep 2012 a list of 20 titles created 13 Oct 2012 a list of 61 titles created 22 Dec 2012 a list of 31 titles created 12 Jun 2015 a list of 100 titles created 8 months ago Search for " Please Sir! " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Title: Please Sir! (1968–1972) 7.4/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. 1 win & 1 nomination. See more awards  » Photos Mr Hedges takes his class on a field trip, with disastrous consequences. Director: Mark Stuart Jack-the-lad bus driver and conductor Stan and Jack enjoy the female employees more than their work and Inspector Blake is relentless in his attempts to make their lives a misery. Stars: Anna Karen, Bob Grant, Stephen Lewis Eric Sykes and Hattie Jacques play twins. They live together and lead a slightly surreal life, annoying their snobby next-door neighbour Mr Brown and getting into frequent trouble with the ... See full summary  » Stars: Eric Sykes, Hattie Jacques, Deryck Guyler Frank Cannon is an overweight, balding ex-cop with a deep voice and expensive tastes in culinary pleasures; he becomes a high-priced private investigator. Stars: William Conrad, Patrick Culliton, Tom Pittman Comic goings on in this series set in an English holiday camp called Maplins. The title comes from the camp's greeting, which the staff are meant to say with enthusiasm but all too often ... See full summary  » Stars: Paul Shane, Ruth Madoc, Jeffrey Holland The misadventures of the staff of a retail floor of a major department store. Stars: Mollie Sugden, John Inman, Frank Thornton Bless This House centres on life in Birch Avenue, Putney, where travelling stationery salesman Sid Abbott (Sidney James) and his wife Jean (Diana Coupland) live with their teenagers: Mike (... See full summary  » Stars: Sidney James, Diana Coupland, Sally Geeson Finally the house that Robin, Chris and Jo share a flat in is demolished an two spin offs are made - Robin's Nest and George & Minded (Mr & Mrs Roper). Stars: Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett The investigations of Hawaii Five-0, an elite branch of the Hawaii State Police answerable only to the governor and headed by stalwart Steve McGarrett. Stars: Jack Lord, James MacArthur, Kam Fong Arkwright is a tight-fisted shop owner in Doncaster, who will stop at nothing to keep his profits high and his overheads low, even if this means harassing his nephew Granville. Arkwright's ... See full summary  » Stars: Ronnie Barker, David Jason, Lynda Baron Two streetwise cops bust criminals in their red-and-white Ford Torino, with the help of police snitch, Huggy Bear. Stars: David Soul, Paul Michael Glaser, Antonio Fargas The lives and adventures of the pupils of class 5C from 'Please Sir', after they have left Fenn Street School . Stars: Peter Cleall, Carol Hawkins, David Barry Edit Storyline Weekly situation comedy about a hapless but caring teacher and his class of unruly kids. The teacher sees much good and potential in his pupils much to the dismay of his fellow teachers who have lost hope in these kids. Written by Simon Bodger <simon@britnet.com> It's an education in comedy. Genres: 11 November 1968 (UK) See more  » Company Credits Robin Askwith was considered for the role of Eric Duffy. See more » Connections (Coventry, England) – See all my reviews Normally the words "ITV sit-com" are enough to strike fear into viewers. However in the past ITV did produce some good comedies and this is one of them. It is not a great one but it was very en


Central Bureau of Investigation Central Bureau of Investigation Member Countries The word 'INTERPOL' is radio-telegraph code for the  International Criminal Police Organization which consists of 188 member  countries who have agreed to "ensure and promote the widest possible assistance  between all criminal police authorities in the prevention and suppression of  ordinary law crimes". The Organization's headquarters is in Lyon,  France. The INTERPOL organisation now incorporates 188 member countries,  an intergovernmental organisation second in size only to the United Nations,  where Interpol also has observer status. International police co-operation has  become increasingly complex: differing legal systems, definitions of crimes,  rules for evidence, varying responsibilities between law enforcement and  judicial services, incompatible extradition laws, incompatible information  systems, restrictions on sharing information. These are just a few of the  barriers Interpol strives to help the world overcome in the fight against ever  higher levels of international crime. One thing it does not have is the  Interpol agents or detectives who travel the world over, chasing spies,  murderers, etc. and conducting investigations in different countries. The  I.C.P.O.-INTERPOL in fact, is an international police organization to extend  co-operation for co-ordinated action on the part of member countries and their  police forces which may furnish or request for information or services for  combating - international crime. International Crime Top The development of increasingly sophisticated  facilities for rapid travel has made it far easier for criminals to move around  the world. At the same time, the complex structures of modern societies and the  constant growth of international exchanges provide more and more opportunities  for international criminal activity, which has now reached alarming  proportions. But the term "international crime", although in common use,  does not necessarily refer to a specific category of offence defined in  law. Some offences are covered by international conventions, for instance  currency counterfeiting (1929 Convention), traffic in human beings and the  exploitation of prostitution ( 1949 Convention) and drug trafficking ( 1988  Convention). Other offences, however, can be classified as "international" because of the behaviour of the offenders. For instance,  preparations for committing an offence may be made in one country while the  actual offence is committed in one or more other countries. To take another  example, similar offences may be committed one after the other in several  different countries. Finally, an offender may escape across a border after  committing his offence, he may transfer his illicit gains abroad, or he may  conceal objects or documents used to commit the offence in another  country. Tracing and arresting such offenders may prove extremely  difficult; problems can arise in connection with exchanging information,  identification, international investigations and subsequent extradition. Because  of these problems, police departments in different countries must work together  if they are to combat international crime successfully. History Top The principles and procedures governing international  police co-operation have grown up gradually over the years to form the present  INTERPOL system.  1914 During the First International Criminal Police  Congress held in Monaco from14th to 18th April, legal experts and police  officers from 14 different countries and territories studied the possibility of  establishing an international criminal records office and of harmonising  extradition procedures. The outbreak of the First World War prevented any  further progress. 1923 The Second International Police Congress met in  Vienna, Austria, and set up the International Criminal Police Commission  (I.C.P.C.) with its own Statutes, and official Headquarters in Vienna. The  I.C.P.C. operated satisfactorily until the out break of the Second


The Aviator (2004) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error A biopic depicting the early years of legendary director and aviator Howard Hughes ' career from the late 1920s to the mid-1940s. Director: From $7.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 25 titles created 17 Mar 2011 a list of 47 titles created 20 Feb 2012 a list of 28 titles created 16 May 2012 a list of 38 titles created 09 Sep 2013 a list of 41 titles created 15 Jun 2014 Search for " The Aviator " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won     5     Oscars. Another    74 wins & 119 nominations. See more awards  » Videos In 1863, Amsterdam Vallon returns to the Five Points area of New York City seeking revenge against Bill the Butcher, his father's killer. Director: Martin Scorsese A fisherman, a smuggler, and a syndicate of businessmen match wits over the possession of a priceless diamond. Director: Edward Zwick A writer and wall street trader, Nick, finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbor, Jay Gatsby. Director: Baz Luhrmann Twenty-something Richard travels to Thailand and finds himself in possession of a strange map. Rumours state that it leads to a solitary beach paradise, a tropical bliss - excited and intrigued, he sets out to find it. Director: Danny Boyle A CIA agent on the ground in Jordan hunts down a powerful terrorist leader while being caught between the unclear intentions of his American supervisors and Jordan Intelligence. Director: Ridley Scott The cruel King Louis XIV of France has a secret twin brother who he keeps imprisoned. Can the twin be substituted for the real king? Director: Randall Wallace A young couple living in a Connecticut suburb during the mid-1950s struggle to come to terms with their personal problems while trying to raise their two children. Director: Sam Mendes Shakespeare's famous play is updated to the hip modern suburb of Verona still retaining its original dialogue. Director: Baz Luhrmann J. Edgar Hoover, powerful head of the F.B.I. for nearly 50 years, looks back on his professional and personal life. Director: Clint Eastwood     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.7/10 X   The story of the life and career of the legendary rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles , from his humble beginnings in the South, where he went blind at age seven, to his meteoric rise to stardom during the 1950s and 1960s. Director: Taylor Hackford The true story of Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars' worth of checks as a Pan Am pilot, doctor, and legal prosecutor. Director: Steven Spielberg Two documentary filmmakers chronicle their time in Sonagchi, Calcutta and the relationships they developed with children of prostitutes who work the city's notorious red light district. Directors: Zana Briski, Ross Kauffman Stars: Kochi, Avijit Halder, Shanti Das Edit Storyline Biopic of billionaire Howard Hughes , starting with his early filmmaking years as owner of RKO studios but mostly focusing on his role in designing and promoting new aircraft. Hughes was a risk-taker spending several fortunes on designing experimental aircraft and eventually founding TWA as a rival to Pan AM airlines owned by his great rival Juan Trippe. When Trippe's politico Senator Ralph Owen Brewster accuses Hughes of being a war profiteer, it's Hughes who gains the upper hand. Hughes also had many women in his life including a long relationship with actress Katharine Hepburn . From an early age however, Hughes was also germophobic and would have severe bouts of mental illness. Written by garykmcd Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner the passion he couldn't resist. See more  » Genres: Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, sexual content, nudity, language and a crash sequence | See all certificat


Which football team does Rafael Benitez manage?

Zinedine Zidane replaces Rafael Benitez as Real Madrid coach - BBC Sport BBC Sport Zinedine Zidane replaces Rafael Benitez as Real Madrid coach 5 Jan 2016 From the section European Football Share this page Read more about sharing. Zinedine Zidane (left) was named as the new coach of Real Madrid by club president Florentino Perez Rafael Benitez has been sacked as manager of Real Madrid after just seven months in charge, with club legend Zinedine Zidane replacing him. Spaniard Benitez, 55, was relieved of his duties following a meeting of the club's board on Monday. B team coach Zidane, 43, has been made first-team boss, but the length of his contract has not been made public. The World Cup winner said: "I am going to put my heart and soul into this job so that everything works out well." Benitez's final game was Sunday's 2-2 draw with Valencia, which left them third in La Liga, four points behind leaders Atletico Madrid. Zidane, whose first game in charge will be on Saturday against Deportivo La Coruna at the Bernabeu, is the 11th coach to be appointed in Florentino Perez's 12 years as club president. 68 'It's an emotional day' Zidane thanked Perez for giving him the opportunity to train the "best club in the world with the best fanbase in the world". The Frenchman added: "I want to do my very best to ensure that this club at the end of the season will have a trophy. "It is an important day for me, it's an emotional day, even more emotional than the day I signed as a player for the club. "I will be working hard with all the players and I think it will go well. I will put all the heart I have into this job for the club. Thank you very much." Why sack Benitez? Perez is yet to explain why the board of directors took the "difficult" decision to dismiss Benitez, who once coached the club's youth teams. But he acknowledged his "dedication" and called the Spaniard a "great professional and a great person". Benitez lost only three of his 25 games and also took Real into the last 16 of the Champions League with two games to spare. A thumping 8-0 home win over Malmo and a 10-2 victory against nine-man Rayo Vallecano were amongst his most notable successes. But it would seem a combination of factors led to his downfall, among them a 4-0 home defeat by Barcelona in November and reports of a rift with star forward Cristiano Ronaldo. Benitez managed Real Madrid's second team for two years from 1993 The right replacement? Zidane has no experience of managing at the top level, but he has long been seen as a future Real boss. He has been coach of the club's B team, who are second in the Spanish third tier, since 2014 and was a key member of the backroom staff under Carlo Ancelotti, who led Real to a 10th European Cup title. Media playback is not supported on this device World Cup 2014: 100 great World Cup moments During his playing career, Zidane was one of Real's key 'Galacticos', a label given to the expensive players signed by Perez during his first spell as president in the early to mid-2000s. In 2001, Real paid Juventus a then world record fee of £45.8m for the midfielder, who had won the World Cup and European Championship. Zidane helped Real win the league in 2003 and was named Fifa world player of the year for a third time. But perhaps his defining moment for the club came during the 2002 Champions League final, when he scored a stunning volley to give his side a 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden Park. He retired from football after the 2006 World Cup final, when he was sent off in extra time for headbutting Italy's Marco Materazzi in the chest. 'The best person for the job' David Beckham, who played alongside Zidane at Real, thinks his former team-mate will be a big hit. "Does it get any better than this?" he wrote on his Instagram account. "A man that has been the best at a game we all love taking over a club that myself and many more people love." Beckham praised Zidane's "drive" and "passion", adding he "does not accept failure on any level" and is the "best person for the job". Xabi Alonso and Ronaldo, two former Real


With which band did Ray Manzarek play keyboards?

Ray Manzarek: keyboard maestro and custodian of the Doors' legacy | Music | The Guardian Music blog Ray Manzarek: keyboard maestro and custodian of the Doors' legacy Standing out in a band featuring Jim Morrison takes something special, yet people instantly identify Ray Manzarek's distinctive keyboard lines Out of the shadows … Ray Manzarek at a Doors concert in Costa Mesa, California, in Aug 2011. Photograph: Rex Features/Startraks Photo Tuesday 21 May 2013 09.10 EDT First published on Tuesday 21 May 2013 09.10 EDT Share on Messenger Close It took a certain talent to attract attention if you were in a band with Jim Morrison. The latter was a man who even the Doors ' detractors might be forced to concede was quite spectacularly good at being a rock star. Beautiful, troubled, doomed, controversial, a little pretentious and rather given to the self-aggrandising soundbite – at the time of his 1969 arrest for indecent exposure, the Daytona Beach Morning Journal described him as "the self-proclaimed King of Orgasmic Rock" – Morrison was overburdened with the kind of characteristics almost bound to eclipse his bandmates. And yet, Ray Manzarek – a bespectacled, affable jazz fan – somehow managed to get himself noticed. It's no disrespect to John Densmore and Robby Krieger, the band's surviving members, to say that if you think of the Doors, you think first of Jim Morrison and next of Ray Manzarek's keyboard playing: Light My Fire, where his cheery, fairground calliope-like riff makes an intriguing introduction to a song about brooding sexual tension; the eerie, jangling piano on People Are Strange; the cascade of notes 30 seconds into Riders of the Storm; the playing that late rock critic Lester Bangs memorably characterised as "whorehouse piano" on Morrison Hotel's tough blues tracks; Waiting for the Sun's sinister, shimmering bursts of organ. The Doors aren't a particularly hip name to drop as a musical influence these days, certainly not in comparison to the late 70s, when everyone from the Stranglers to Joy Division was fairly obviously under their spell. But there's something about Manzarek's playing that transcends the vagaries of fashion, that offers a way into the Doors even if you don't buy into all the "I am the Lizard King" stuff about their late singer's shamanism and poetry. He was a genuinely creative musician, not in the showboating style of the 70s "keyboard wizard", but in service to the songs (as Manzarek once pointed out, the band's decision to forgo a bass player and let him provide the Doors' basslines with his left hand lent their sound a weird, hypnotic power – he could do things that would cause "a human-being bass-player … to lose it") and to his band. On the nights when Morrison turned up ostensibly too drunk to perform, it fell to the other Doors to somehow keep him going, to push the performance on, something they clearly became remarkably adept at. You can hear it on a live recording of a 1970 Boston show, taped for the Absolutely Live album, but left in the vaults, only to be exhumed a few years ago. Morrison is audibly pissed out of his mind, as evidenced by his slurred between-song "raps" ("I'm a Sagittarius … Adolf Hitler is still alive … would anybody like to see my genitals?"). The whole thing teeters – precariously, grippingly – on the brink of disaster, and yet somehow they manage to pull Morrison back, with the force of their playing alone. One listen to Other Voices and Full Circle, the albums the Doors made after Morrison's death, told you that the band couldn't survive without him. They're not actually bad records, but there's a noticeable void at their centre, although Manzarek had some intriguing ideas about how to fill it. In 1974, he rehearsed and performed live with Iggy Pop , while Patti Smith contributed to Manzarek's solo album The Whole Thing Started with Rock and Roll Now it's Out of Control. He went on to a notable career as a producer, working on all four albums by LA punks X, but his subsequent band Nite City suggested that, at least as a musician, Manzarek wasn't interested


Prometheus -Tthe fire-bringer in Greek Mythology Profile of Prometheus Prometheus Details The term philanthropist is a perfect term for the great titan of Greek mythology, Prometheus. He loved us. He helped us. He defied the other gods and suffered for us. (No wonder he looks Christ-like in the painting.) Read what the stories from Greek mythology tell us about this benefactor of mankind. Prometheus is famous for a couple of seemingly unrelated stories: (1) the gift of fire to mankind [see When was Fire First Controlled? ] and (2) being chained to a rock where every day an eagle came to eat his liver. There is a connection, however, and one that shows why Prometheus, the father of the Greek Noah, was called the benefactor of mankind. Prometheus - Gift of Fire to Mankind Zeus sent most of the Titans to Tartarus [see Hades' Realm ] to punish them for fighting against him in the Titanomachy , but since second-generation Titan Prometheus had not sided with his aunts, uncles, and brother Atlas , Zeus spared him. continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance Zeus then assigned Prometheus the task of forming man from water and earth, which Prometheus did, but in the process, became fonder of men than Zeus had anticipated. Zeus didn't share Prometheus' feelings and wanted to prevent men from having power, especially over fire. Prometheus cared more for man than for the wrath of the increasingly powerful and autocratic king of the gods, so he stole fire from Zeus' lightning, concealed it in a hollow stalk of fennel, and brought it to man. Prometheus also stole skills from Hephaestus and Athena to give to man. As an aside, Prometheus and Hermes, considered trickster gods , both have a claim to the gift of fire. Hermes is credited with discovering how to produce it. Prometheus and the Form of Ritual Sacrifice The next stage in Prometheus' career as benefactor of mankind came when Zeus and he were developing the ceremonial forms for animal sacrifice. The astute Prometheus devised a sure-fire way to help man. He divided the slaughtered animal parts into two packets. In one was the ox-meat and innards wrapped up in the stomach lining. In the other packet were the ox-bones wrapped up in its own rich fat. One would go to the gods and the other to the humans making the sacrifice . Prometheus presented Zeus with a choice between the two, and Zeus took the deceptively richer appearing: the fat-encased, but inedible bones. Next time someone says "don't judge a book by its cover," you may find your mind wandering to this cautionary tale. As a result of Prometheus' trick, for ever after, whenever man sacrificed to the gods, he would be able to feast on the meat, so long as he burned the bones as an offering for the gods. Zeus Gets Back at Prometheus Zeus responded by hurting the ones Prometheus loved most, his brother and the humans. Read the story of Pandora . Prometheus Continues to Defy Zeus Prometheus was still not awed by the might of Zeus and continued to defy him, refusing to warn him of the dangers of the nymph Thetis (future mother of Achilles ). Zeus had tried punishing Prometheus through his loved ones, but this time, he decided to punish him more directly. He bade Hephaestus (or Hermes) chain Prometheus to Mount Caucasus where an eagle/vulture ate his ever-regenerating liver each day. This is the topic of Aeschylus ' tragedy Prometheus Bound and many paintings. Eventually, Hercules rescued Prometheus, and Zeus and the Titan were reconciled. The Human Race and the Great Flood Meanwhile, Prometheus had sired the human man named Deucalion, one of the noble couple whom Zeus had spared when he caused the creatures of the earth to be destroyed by a flood. Deucalion was married to his cousin, the human woman Pyrrha , daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora. During the flood, Deucalion and Pyrrha stayed safely on a boat like Noah's ark. When all the other evil humans had been destroyed, Zeus caused the waters to recede so that Deucalion and Pyrrha could land on Mount Parnassus . While they had each other for company, a


Opera house Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona Tickets for opera perfomances at the Gran Teatre web page With the Barcelona Card you get a 20% discount on guided tours. The success of this opera house inspired a group of leading upper-class men from Barcelona led by Joaquim de Gispert d'Anglí. They wanted to build a new and more glorious opera house than the conservatory could afford under royal direction. In order to raise the funds, they founded a society accumulating profits of stock trade operations. The members of the “Societat de Propetaris”, this building society, had priority claims to most of the theatre boxes. The opera house, built according to the plans of the architect Miquel Garriga i Roca, was inaugurated on April 4, 1847. It was the largest opera house in Europe holding 4,000 seats. Starting in 1855, the Societat de Propietaris was the sole responsible for the operation of the opera house, having effected a separation form the conservatory. In 1861, the Liceu was afflicted by a fire which completely destroyed the auditorium and the stage. However, the opera house was renovated and reopened in the following year already. Reconstruction of the Liceu after the fire in 1994 Already in 1986, there were plans for the extension and modernization of the building. Based on these plans by Solà Ignasi de Morales, the Liceu was reconstructed. Reconstruction was made almost entirely according to original plans as of after the renovations in 1861 and 1877. Many undamaged original parts were re-used. The magnificent foyer and mirror hall were rebuilt according to the original. Below the concert hall, an auditorium with a restaurant was built as a break room for visitors. The stage was equipped with modern technology. The curtain was renovated and designed by the artist Antoni Miró. The seats of the upper floors that did not allow visual contact to the stage were equipped with TV technology. The geometry of the concert hall, while mostly maintaining the original design, was slightly adjusted according to modern concepts of acoustics. The Gran Teatre del Liceu was reopened in 1999 and now holds almost 2,300 seats on six floors. The Liceu has become an important cultural location of Barcelona. Financing of operas at the Liceu Since its first opening in 1847, theatre and opera productions were assigned to investors who in return got the profits of ticket sales. This did not include seats reserved by the Societat. Around 1975, it became obvious that this type of financing would no longer bring the required profits. A consortium was created by the city of Barcelona, the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Societat del Gran Teatre del Liceu, which was the official name of the Societat de Propietaris. In 1980, the purely private financing by sponsors was replaced by public financing in order to save one of the internationally most renowned opera houses. The fire on January 31, 1994 destroyed the Liceu almost entirely. This had extraordinary effects on the Catalan society. There were wide discussions whether the house was to be rebuilt or not. A new legal basis had to be created for the reconstruction of this iconic building. The assets and all privileges were transferred in a foundation, the Fundació del Gran Teatre del Liceu. From then on, the house was entirely subject to public administration. Visiting the Liceu The Gran Teatre del Liceu can be visited daily with a variety of tours. Here, the most important and representative rooms can be visited: The Express Tour is a short, approximately 20 minute tour of the main areas of the house. Here you’ll see the foyer, the hall of mirrors, some theatre boxes and the large hall. The Express Tour starts daily at 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, and 13:00. Moreover there is the major Guided Tour with a tour guide. This takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes, and you will get to see the stage, backstage and other rooms in the background of the Liceu's stage operations. The tour starts daily at 10:00. Please note that tours may not take place for operational reasons, e.g. rehearsal or shows. The entrance f


With which bank was Paul Flowers associated?

Co-op bank considered Paul Flowers to be a 'perfect choice' as chairman | Business | The Guardian Co-op bank considered Paul Flowers to be a 'perfect choice' as chairman Co-op Bank's boardroom review shows Paul Flowers was praised by fellow directors for his 'thorough preparation' Former Co-operative Bank chairman Paul Flowers. Members of the board of the bank described Flowers as 'eloquent' and 'good at engaging people’s views'. Photograph: Press Association Close This article is 2 years old The disgraced Methodist minister Paul Flowers was described as the "perfect choice" to lead the Co-operative Bank, according to a review of its boardroom commissioned by its directors in 2010. The review, published by the Treasury select committee on Friday, says Flowers was praised by his fellow directors for his "thorough preparation, his engagement with the CEO and executive team and his encouragement of non-executive participation without colouring the tone". Flowers is facing allegations of buying illegal drugs just days after appearing before the Treasury select committee in November last year as part of its inquiry into why the Co-op failed to buy 632 branches from Lloyds Banking Group. He left as chairman of the bank – now just 30% owned by the Co-op Group of supermarkets, funeral homes and pharmacies after last year's £1.5bn rescue deal – in June last year, after becoming chairman in April 2010. He had joined the board a year earlier. According to the review, the 21 members of the board of what was then known as Co-operative Financial Services, were interviewed about their experiences and described Flowers as "eloquent" and "good at engaging people's views". "He has radically changed the culture, which is now more open," the directors are reported as saying. The review of the effectiveness of the board was carried out between August and November 2010 by Tracy Long, whose company Boardroom Review was set up in 2004. A founding director of Classic FM, Long now sits on the board of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. She was not available to comment. The 21-page document – marked strictly private and confidential and "not intended for external issue (including the Financial Services Authority)" – was published after being requested during an evidence session with the former deputy chairmen of the bank Rodney Baker-Bates and David Davies . The leadership by the then chief executive, Neville Richardson, who left in 2011, is described as a "breath of fresh of air". The boardroom review, though, warns that the effectiveness of the board was hampered by its sheer scale – 21 people sat around the table. It also says that board meetings were " akin to the United Nations". One director told the review that "if you need a microphone (to be heard at meetings) something is wrong". It suggests that changes needed to be made to the board, which comprised six executive members of what was the co-op's financial services team, two members from the group executive team, five elected non-executive members and eight professional non-executives. When questioned about the review, Davies told the committee: "Broadly – and this seems somewhat ironic now – the conclusions of Dr Long and the people who reported to her was that the chairman was a very good chairman and was leading the board effectively." During his appearance before the committee, Flowers said he had been through a rigorous process before becoming chairman and was one of four candidates. Baker-Bates, who had stood for the role, said he was told Flowers was selected because he did well in psychometric tests . Last November, Flowers was wrong-footed by the committee's chairman, Andrew Tyrie. He said the bank had assets of £3bn. The correct figure was £47bn. According to the review, the board's effectiveness was reduced by its lack of debate and challenge concerning long-term strategy and executive succession. It recommended that the board's agenda be prioritised more effectively and that board meetings be extended. It also highlighted concerns about executives being obverworked.


With which group did Melanie Blatt achieve fame?

Melanie Blatt defends fellow X Factor judge following tirade - Entertainment - NZ Herald News Russell Blackstock is a senior reporter at the Weekend Herald and Herald on Sunday. Melanie Blatt defends fellow X Factor judge following tirade 1:09 PM Sunday Dec 7, 2014 SHARE: Television Willy Moon and Natalia Kills. Photo / Getty Melanie Blatt has defended fellow X Factor judge Natalia Kills after she yelled and swore at shocked young audience members. Kills turned the air blue with a foul-mouthed rant at filmed auditions in Auckland on Tuesday night. Some, including children, walked out of the SkyCity auditorium when the English pop star "lost it" following a performance by X Factor NZ hopeful Hamiora Tuari. Some later took to Twitter to vent their disgust at the "f-bomb" rant. Kills - also known as "Verbalicious" - is a newcomer to the judging panel, as is her Kiwi chart-topping husband Willy Moon. Blatt, who found fame with girl group All Saints, said she understood how Kills could lose the plot after a long day in front of the cameras. "It can be hard. The auditions are such a weird world to step into," Blatt told the Herald on Sunday. "It takes some time to get used to that environment and headaches can start from early in the morning." TV3 representatives and Kills later apologised for the incident, which disgusted several parents who had taken their kids along. Blatt insisted despite the gaffe, the addition of Kills and Moon as judges would prove positive for the popular reality series. "They are great for the show and have a new perspective on things," she said. "I am really enjoying getting to know them and the different experience it has been since they have joined the panel." Blatt said she hoped her second stint as a judge on the show would not be her last. She has fallen for New Zealand and plans to split her time between here and Ibiza, Spain, where she shares a home with her teenage daughter Lilyella. "I love it in New Zealand and I was so exited to come back. I do love my house in Ibiza, so I would be pretty happy to do half the year in both."


Which is the largest desert in the World?

Largest Desert in the World - Desert Map Home » Records » Largest Desert The World's Largest Deserts A map showing the generalized location of Earth's ten largest deserts and a table of over 20 major deserts. World desert map: This map shows the generalized location of Earth's ten largest deserts on the basis of surface area. The table at the bottom of this page provides the names, generalized locations, and surface areas of over twenty major deserts. Base map by NOAA. Sand dunes in the Sahara Desert of Libya: Most people think of deserts as "sandy" landscapes. That is true part of the time. This is a view of sand dunes in the Sahara Desert of Libya - an area known as the Ubari (or Awbari) Sand Sea. Photo © iStockphoto / PatrickPoendl. What is a Desert? A desert is a landscape or region that receives very little precipitation - less than 250 mm per year (about ten inches). Approximately 1/3 of Earth's land surface is a desert. There are four different types of deserts based upon their geographic situation: 1) polar deserts, 2) subtropical deserts, 3) cold winter deserts, and 4) cool coastal deserts.  As shown on the map above, deserts occur on all of Earth's continents. The Largest Desert The two largest deserts on Earth are in the polar areas. The Antarctic Polar Desert covers the continent of Antarctica and has a size of about 5.5 million square miles. The second-largest desert is the Arctic Polar Desert. It extends over parts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. It has a surface area of about 5.4 million square miles. McMurdo Dry Valleys: The largest deserts on Earth are in the polar regions. This is one of the McMurdo "dry valleys" near Lake Hoare, Antarctica. The Canada Glacier is in the background. Photograph by Peter West, National Science Foundation. Non-Polar Deserts The rest of Earth's deserts are outside of the polar areas. The largest is the Sahara Desert, a subtropical desert in northern Africa. It covers a surface area of about 3.5 million square miles. A list of more than twenty of the largest non-polar deserts can be found below. Vegetation of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona: Cacti and grasses in Arizona's Sonoran Desert. Photo © iStockphoto / vlynder. The Desert Environment When most people think of a desert, they imagine a landscape covered with sand and sand dunes. Although many deserts are sand-covered, most are not. Many desert landscapes are rocky surfaces. They are rocky because any sand-size or smaller particles on the surface are quickly blown away. Rocky deserts are barren wind-swept landscapes. Most deserts receive so little precipitation that surface streams usually only flow immediately after rainfall - unless the stream has a source of water outside of the desert. Streams that enter a desert usually suffer major water losses before they exit. Some of the water is lost to evaporation. Some is lost to transpiration (taken up by plants and then released to the atmosphere from the plants). And, some is lost to infiltration (water soaking into the ground through the bottom of the stream channel). Desert Fauna and Flora The plants and animals that live in a desert must be adapted to the environment. Plants must be very tolerant to intense sun, prolonged periods without precipitation, and have an ability to prevent moisture loss to conditions of severe temperature ranges, dry winds, and low humidity. Animals must be able to tolerate temperature extremes, temperature ranges, and have an ability to survive with very little water. Many animals adapt to desert conditions by living underground and being active at night. Major Deserts of the World Name


Capital of Gabon - definition of capital of Gabon by The Free Dictionary Capital of Gabon - definition of capital of Gabon by The Free Dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/capital+of+Gabon Also found in: Thesaurus , Wikipedia . ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: 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: Libreville References in periodicals archive ? The oil minister was speaking on the sidelines of the 5th African Congress and Exhibition of Oil, an event held in the capital of Gabon from 26 to 28 March. IINA urged to highlight world Muslim causes Building on the momentum of the New York Forum, launched in June 2010 by former Davos producer and Clinton Global Initiative and Nobel Laureates Conference co-founder Richard Attias, the first "New York Forum AFRICA" will take place in Libreville, the capital of Gabon, from June 8-10, 2012. Copyright © 2003-2017 Farlex, Inc Disclaimer All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.


Which American State has as a nickname 'The Last Frontier'?

The State of Alaska - An Introduction to the Last Frontier from NETSTATE.COM The State of Alaska Photograph: Harley D. Nygren America's last frontier! On March 30, 1867, the United States agreed to purchase Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million dollars, about two cents an acre; "Seward's Folly" many called it, after Secretary of State William H. Seward. A check for $7,200,000.00 was issued on August 1, 1868 and made payable to Edouard de Stoeckl, the Russian Minister to the United States. On January 3, 1959, Alaska, with a land mass larger than Texas, California and Montana combined, became the 49th state in the union. It is a large state, 1/5 the size of all the other states together, reaching so far to the west that the International Date Line had to be bent to keep the state all in the same day. It's also the only U.S. state extending into the Eastern Hemisphere. In Alaska, the "family car" has wings, vegetables and fruit grow to two times their normal size and moose interrupt golf games when they feel like it. THE STATE NAME: The name "Alaska" was used by the Russians to refer only to the peninsula. This name was used by the United States to refer, first to the entire territory, and then, to the State after its purchase in 1867. The name "Alaska" is taken from the Aleut word "aláxsxaq" that refers to an object to which the sea is directed, in this case the Alaska peninsula and mainland. This is sometimes loosely translated as "great land." Alaska; The Last Frontier The Last Frontier Alaska, admitted as the 49th state to the union is thought of as "America's Last Frontier" because of its distance from the lower 48 states and because of its rugged landscape and climate. This remote and rugged perception is evidenced by the fact that only about 1/3 of the state has been organized into political units; 13 boroughs (similar to counties) are defined. Land of the Midnight Sun This nickname refers to Alaska's northern locations where, for a period of time, in the summer, the sun never completely dips below the horizon. The sun is visible at midnight. Parts of Alaska are bathed in 24 hours of daylight. In Barrow, the sun doesn't set for 84 days. For more information about the extremes of Alaska days and nights, visit this page maintained by the Alaska Department of Community and Economic Development. Seward's Folly When the agreement to purchase the Alaska territory from Russia was struck in 1867 by Secretary of State William H. Seward, there were many in the lower 48 states, who looked upon the deal with skepticism and were critical of the secrecy that had surrounded it and of the high price tag. Though Seward finalized agreement with Russia in March, it was a long and bitter battle to get final Congressional approval for the purchase and then get Congress to approve the money for the purchase. During this period, critics of Seward's agreement to purchase the Alaska territory from Russia called the plan referred to the plan as " Seward's Folly ." Congress, finally relented and on October 18, 1867, in Sitka, the Imperial Russian Flag was lowered and the Stars and Stripes was raised. Seward's Ice Box The is another derisive name given to the Alaska territory during the battle between Secretary of State William H. Seward and the United States Congress over the purchase of the land from Russia. Other satirical names were "Icebergia," "Polaria," and "Walrussia." Critics of the purchase also chastised the President of the United State, Andrew Johnson, by referring to the Alaska territory as "Johnson's Polar Bear Garden."


Who was the ruler of Albania from 1928 to 1939?

Albania:   Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities At Last a New Albanian President Is Elected Geography Albania is situated on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea, with   Montenegro and Serbia to the north, Macedonia to the east, and Greece to   the south. Slightly larger than Maryland, Albania is composed of two major   regions: a mountainous highland region (north, east, and south)   constituting 70% of the land area, and a western coastal lowland region   that contains nearly all of the country's agricultural land and is the   most densely populated part of Albania. Government Emerging democracy. History A part of Illyria in ancient times and later of the Roman Empire,   Albania was ruled by the Byzantine Empire from 535 to 1204. An alliance   (1444–1466) of Albanian chiefs failed to halt the advance of the Ottoman   Turks, and the country remained under at least nominal Turkish rule for   more than four centuries, until it proclaimed its independence on Nov. 28,   1912. Largely agricultural, Albania is one of the poorest countries in   Europe. A battlefield in World War I, after the war it became a republic   in which a conservative Muslim landlord, Ahmed Zogu, proclaimed himself   president in 1925 and king (Zog I) in 1928. He ruled until Italy annexed   Albania in 1939. Communist guerrillas under Enver Hoxha seized power in   1944, near the end of World War II. Hoxha was a devotee of Stalin,   emulating the Soviet leader's repressive tactics, imprisoning or executing   landowners and others who did not conform to the socialist ideal. Hoxha   eventually broke with Soviet communism in 1961 because of differences with   Khrushchev and then aligned himself with Chinese communism, which he also   abandoned in 1978 after the death of Mao. From then on Albania went its   own way to forge its individual version of the socialist state and became   one of the most isolated—and economically underdeveloped—countries in the   world. Hoxha was succeeded by Ramiz Alia in 1982.


Which school did Captain Hook, from Peter Pan attend?

Captain Hook – Neverpedia, the Peter Pan wiki Captain Hook, ill. by Greg Hildebrandt Captain James Hook is the antagonist of J. M. Barrie 's play Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up and its various adaptations. He is the villainous captain of the galleon Jolly Roger , where he commands a crew of pirates through guile and others' fear of him. He wears a big iron hook in place of one hand, which was cut off by Peter Pan and eaten by a crocodile. The crocodile liked the taste so much that he follows Hook around constantly, hoping for more. Luckily for Hook, the crocodile also swallowed a clock, so Hook can tell from the ticking sound when it is near. Hook has sworn revenge on Peter for this. Barrie states in the novel that "Hook was not his true name. To reveal who he really was would even at this date set the country in a blaze." Despite some speculation as to whom Barrie was referring, it seems likely that he was simply teasing, and had no historical figure in mind. Hinting at a resumé for the character, Barrie explains that "he was Blackbeard's boatswain, and that he was the only man Long John Silver ever feared". In the play, Hook's final words are "Floreat Etona", the motto of Eton College , and Barrie confirmed in a speech delivered in 1927 at Eton that Hook had been a student there. In Barrie's story, Hook captures Wendy Darling , the girl who loves Peter and whom Peter views as his surrogate mother, and challenges the boy to a final duel. When Hook is beaten, Peter Pan kicks him overboard to the open jaws of the waiting crocodile below. Just before his defeat, however, he takes a final jab at Peter by taunting him about his "bad form". Peter, with the callousness of youth, quickly forgets Hook and is said to go on to find a new nemesis, but Hook's popularity has made him a staple of sequels, the title character of a big-budget Hollywood feature film, and a household name. Contents 12 Cameos in other Media Creation of the character Although pirates had previously featured in Barrie's play adventures with the Llewelyn Davies boys as he was developing ideas for the play, Hook did not appear in early drafts of the play; the capricious and coercive Peter Pan was the "villain" of the story. The pirate captain was created for a "front cloth" scene to be staged in front of the curtain while the set was changed from Neverland back to the Darling nursery, depicting the children's journey home. Barrie expanded the scene, knowing how much children were fascinated by pirates, and expanded the role of the captain as the play developed. The character was probably named (at least in part) as a play on the name Captain James Cook , the legendary 18th century navigator. The character was originally cast to be played by a woman: Dorothea Baird , the actress also playing Mary Darling . Gerald du Maurier , who was already playing George Darling (and the brother of Barrie's dear friend Sylvia Llewelyn Davies ), persuaded Barrie to let him take the additional role instead, a casting decision that has since been replicated in many stage and film productions of the Peter Pan story. Appearance His most striking feature is his hook. The script of the play and the text of the novel state clearly that the hook replaces his right hand. However, in many presentations, the hook replaces his left hand, usually for the convenience of the (right-handed) actor playing the part, who may be unskilled at handling a sword and performing other routine stage business with his left hand. This was even true in Disney's animated version, in which Hook's actions were modeled for the animators by voice actor Hans Conried , who was right-handed. In both Hook and the 2003 Peter Pan film, the hook was shown to be removable, with various interchangeable prosthetic attachments. In the novel Peter and Wendy , Hook is described as "cadaverous" and "blackavized" (dark-faced), with blue eyes and long dark curls which look like "black candles" at a distance. In most pantomime performances of Peter Pan, and in the film Hook , Hook's hair is simply a wig. He


Which_famons writer also wrote novels using the name Mary Westmacott?

Mary Westmacott | Agatha Christie Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit The name Mary Westmacott was one chosen by Christie with great care. Mary was Christie's own middle name, and Westmacott the name of some family relatives. Mary Westmacott is a distinct person from Agatha Christie. In 1950, when she was invited to a celebration for her work, she quipped, "Thank you for asking me to meet Agatha Christie. If you don't mind, I am bringing my old friend Mary Westmacott with me." The Westmacott novels were simply written for "fun," to put it loosely. Christie had said in her autobiography that she wanted "to do something that is not my proper job," i.e., writing detective novels. She said she wrote the first, Giant's Bread, with a "rather guilty feeling" and enjoyed the project she had undertaken. Although Mary Westmacott was revealed to be Agatha Christie in 1949, it didn't stop her from publishing two more Westmacott novels, still under her pseudonym. This is another affirmation that Agatha could write more than just great detective stories. Structure Edit The focus of the Mary Westmacott novel's is human relationship. There's even a hint of autobiographical elements that Christie inserts. There are several themes, to briefly mention a few: possessiveness, failure in human perception, nature and the inequality of love, self-evaluation, and awareness of one's and others' feelings. In the books there are even contemplation of suicide and supernatural elements. Hick's Essay Edit To celebrate Agatha Christie’s Centenary, Rosalind Hicks , Agatha Christie's daughter, wrote an essay on the Westmacott novels. We have reproduced this here: “As early as 1930, my mother wrote her first novel using the name “Mary Westmacott”. These novels, six in all, were a complete departure from the usual sphere of Agatha Christie “Queen of Crime”. The name Mary Westmacott was chosen after some thought. Mary was Agatha’s second name and Westmacott the name of some distant relatives. She succeeded in keeping her identity as Mary Westmacott unknown for nearly twenty years and the books, much to her pleasure, were modestly successful. Giant’s Bread was first published in 1930 and was to be the first of six books under this nom de plume. It is a novel about Vernon Deyre, his childhood, his family, the two women he loved and his obsession with music. My mother had some experience of the musical world having been trained as a singer and a concert pianist in Paris when she was young. She was interested in modern music, and tried to express the feelings and ambitions of the singer and the composer. There is a lot about childhood and the First World War taken from her own experiences. Her publishers, Collins, were not very enthusiastic about this change of direction in her work as she was at this time becoming quite well known in the world of detective fiction. They needn’t have worried. In 1930 she also published  The Mysterious Mr. Quin  and,  Murder at the Vicarage  – Miss Marple’s first book. During the next ten years there followed no less than sixteen full length Poirot stories including such titles as  Murder on the Orient Express ,  The A.B.C. Murders ,  Death on the Nile , and  Appointment with Death . Her second Mary Westmacott book  Unfinished Portrait  was published in 1934. It also relied a lot on her own experiences and early life. In 1944 she published  Absent in the Spring . She wrote in her autobiography  : “Shortly after that, I wrote the one book that has satisfied me completely. It was a new Mary Westmacott, the book that I had always wanted to write, that had been clear in my mind. It was the picture of a woman with a complete image of herself, of what she was, but about which she was completely mistaken. Through her own actions, her own feelings and thoughts, this would be revealed to the reader. She would be, as it were, continually meeting herself, not recognising herself, but becoming increasingly uneasy. What brought about this revelation would be the fact that for the first time in her life she was alone – completely alone – for


The Nobel Peace Prize 2009 The Nobel Peace Prize 2009 Barack H. Obama The Nobel Peace Prize 2009 Photo: Pete Souza, Obama-Biden Transition Project, licensed by Attribution Share Alike 3.0 Barack H. Obama Prize share: 1/1 The Nobel Peace Prize 2009 was awarded to Barack H. Obama "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples". Photos: Copyright © The Nobel Foundation Share this: To cite this page MLA style: "The Nobel Peace Prize 2009". Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2014. Web. 19 Jan 2017. <http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/>


Which is the lightest naturally occurring element?

Isotopes - Chemistry LibreTexts Isotopes Contributors Atoms that have the same atomic number (number of protons), but different mass numbers (number of protons and neutrons) are called isotopes. There are naturally occurring isotopes and isotopes that are artificially produced. Isotopes are separated through mass spectrometry; MS traces show the relative abundance of isotopes vs. mass number (mass : charge ratio). Introduction As mentioned before, isotopes are atoms that have the same atomic number, but different mass numbers. Isotopes are denoted the same way as nuclides , but they are often symbolized only with the mass numbers because isotopes of the same element have the the same atomic number. Carbon, for example, has two naturally occurring isotopes, \(^{12}_6C\) and \(^{13}_6C\). Because both of these isotopes have 6 protons, they are often written as \(^{12}C\) and \(^{13}C\). \(^{12}C\) has 6 neutrons, and \(^{13}C\) has 7 neutrons. Of all the elements on the periodic table, only 21 are pure elements. Pure, or monotopic, elements are those elements with only one naturally occurring nuclide. The following lists the 21 pure elements: \(^{27}_{13}Al\) Isotopes of the other elements either occur naturally or are artificially produced. Natural and Artificial Isotopes Most elements have naturally occurring isotopes. Percent natural abundances indicate which isotopes of any given element are predominant (occur in greater abundance) and which only occur in trace amounts. Mercury, for example, has seven naturally occurring isotopes: \(^{196}Hg\), \(^{198}Hg\), \(^{199}Hg\), \(^{200}Hg\), \(^{201}Hg\), \(^{202}Hg\), \(^{204}Hg\); these have the percent natural abundances of 0.146%, 10.02%, 16.84%, 23.13%, 13.22%, 29.80%, and 6.85%, respectively. It is clear that \(^{202}Hg\) occurs with greatest abundance, and \(^{200}Hg\) is the next most abundant, but the other isotopes only occur in small traces.  Note: The sum of the percent natural abundances of all the isotopes of any given element must total 100%. There are 20 elements with only artificially produced isotopes. The majority of these are heavier elements; the lightest elements with artificial isotopes are \(^{43}Tc\) and \(^{61}Pm\). The other elements that only have artificial isotopes are those with atomic numbers of 84-88 and 89-103, otherwise known as the actinoids, but excluding \(^{90}Th\) and \(^{92}U\). Some naturally occurring and artificially produced isotopes are radioactive. The nucleus of a radioactive isotope is unstable; radioactive isotopes spontaneously decay, emitting alpha, beta, and gamma rays until they reach a stability,  usually in the state of a different element. Bismuth (\(^{209}_{83}Bi\)) has the highest atomic and mass number of all the stable nuclides. All nuclides with atomic number and mass number greater than 83 and 209, respectively, are radioactive. However, there are some lighter nuclides that are radioactive. For example, hydrogen has two naturally occurring stable isotopes, \(^{1}H\) and \(^{2}H\) (deuterium), and a third naturally occurring radioactive isotope, \(^{3}H\) (tritium). Radioisotope Dating The presence of certain radioisotopes in an object can be used to determine its age. Carbon dating is based on the fact that living plants absorb stable \(^{12}C\), \(^{13}C\) and radioactive \(^{14}C\) from the atmosphere, and animals absorb them from the plants. An organism no longer absorbs carbon after it dies, its age can be determined by measuring the ratio of \(^{13}C\) to \(^{14}C\) in the sample and extrapolating based on its decay rate.  Art forgeries are often detected by similar means. \(^{137}Cs\) and \(^{90}Sr\) do not occur naturally and are only present in the atmosphere today because of nuclear weapons. Any object created before July 1945, then, would have neither of these elements, so finding them through mass spectrometry or other means would indicate that it was created later. Isotopic Masses, Percent Natural Abundance, and Weighted-Average Atomic Mass Because most elements occur as isotopes and different isotope


Which politician did John Bellingham assassinate?

ExecutedToday.com » 1812: John Bellingham, Prime Minister assassin 1812: John Bellingham, Prime Minister assassin May 18th, 2012 Headsman Two centuries ago today, the only man to assassinate a British Prime Minister was hanged for his trouble. The man at the end of the rope, John Bellingham , was a Liverpool businessman who had gone to Archangel, Russia to do some export/import trade and there been spuriously accused a debtor and slapped in prison for five years. His target, Spencer Perceval , was the pious Tory heir to the late William Pitt, and famous (or infamous) for his evangelical personal rectitude and an accompanying status-quo smallness. (He was physically short, too.) “He has looked at human nature from the top of Hampstead Hill,” snorted his contemporary Sydney Smith , “and has not a thought beyond the little sphere of his own vision.”* Though others judge more generously of him, Perceval’s overall reputation is that of the prim caretaker, violently anti-Bonaparte, anti-Catholic, anti-adultery, anti-worker, anti-egalitarian, anti-democratic, anti-slavery. Anti- a lot of things. Anti-cluttering up his schedule was the thing that did him in. John Bellingham returned from his sojourn in the Romanovs’ dungeons in 1809, understandably embittered over his ordeal and the bankruptcy it had driven him into. He then besieged the government with demands for compensation, but met a cold reception all over and got no reply at all for his request to meet with Spencer Perceval. So Bellingham did what anyone would do: he walked up to Perceval at Westminster on May 11, 1812, and shot him dead . Then the strange perpetrator with the private grievance re-seated himself comfortably by the fireplace (rather than exploiting the hubbub to fly), where he was promptly arrested. They didn’t mess around back then: John Bellingham was on trial for his life four days after pulling the trigger. Nevertheless, as the rumor first spread there were fears — or in some cases, hopes — of Jacobin intrigues afoot. And it’s safe to say that the nation’s magnates had better cause than its underclasses to mourn Perceval. “Among the multitude,” one parliamentarian remembered of those days, “the most savage expressions of joy and exultation were heard: accompanied with regret that others, and particularly the attorney-general , had not shared the same fate.” Clearly something less than fully rational, Bellingham was also more than lucid enough for the hemp. A minister who visited him in the hours before his execution found him unsettlingly unrepentant, and attributed to “the perverse inflexibility of his character” Bellingham’s delusional “self-vindication. He had accordingly taken his ground, and there he obstinately stood; and the weakness of his allegations only increased the firmness by which he was determined to maintain them.” He had, indeed, maintained them openly at trial , bizarrely casting his homicide as a blow for better government to remind ministers of state to keep longer office hours. Finding myself thus bereft of all hopes of redress, my affairs ruined by my long imprisonment in Russia through the fault of the British minister, my property all dispersed for want of my own attention, my family driven into tribulation and want, my wife and child claiming support, which I was unable to give them, myself involved in difficulties, and pressed on all sides by claims I could not answer; and that justice refused to me which is the duty of government to give, not as a matter of favour, but of right; and Mr. Perceval obstinately refusing to sanction my claims in Parliament; and I trust this fatal catastrophe will be warning to other ministers. If they had listened to my case this court would not have been engaged in this case, but Mr. Perceval obstinately refusing to sanction my claim in Parliament I was driven to despair, and under these agonizing feelings I was impelled to that desperate alternative which I unfortunately adopted. My arm was the instrument that shot Mr. Perceval, but, gentlemen, ought I not to be redressed; instead of that Mr. R


In which musical was the song 'Summertime' first heard?

Summertime by Various Songfacts Summertime by Various Songfacts Songfacts This soothing standard was featured in the folk opera Porgy and Bess, which started as a 1926 novel by DuBose Heyward called Porgy. The novel is about a black community in Charleston, South Carolina, and it quickly became a top seller. A year later, with help from his wife, Dorothy, Heyward turned the book into a Broadway play (without music). George Gershwin, after reading the book and seeing the play, thought it would make a great stage production. Along with his brother Ira, Gershwin collaborated with Heyward and brought the novel to the stage as a musical in 1935. "Summertime" is the most famous song from the musical and appears four times in the production, most notably as a lullaby to help put a baby to sleep. The lullaby style became very popular and many children grew up hearing this song from their parents, but the variations of the song in the production helped demonstrate the song's versatility, leading to its recording in a wide range of styles and tempos. DuBose Heyward wrote the libretto for Porgy and Bess, which included the lyrics for this song. George and Ira Gershwin, who were very popular composers by then, wrote the music. The Gershwins wrote several plays together and wrote many popular songs, including " I Got Rhythm ," " The Man I Love ," " Someone To Watch Over Me " and " They Can't Take That Away from Me ." Porgy and Bess had a test run in Boston and opened at the Alvin Theatre on Broadway on October 10, 1935. The show had a disappointing stint in New York, lasting just 124 performances before closing in early 1936. The musical was performed in Russia in 1955 and made into a movie in 1959 starring Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Sammy Davis Jr. and Diahann Carroll, who performed the song. After the movie came out, the Opera became much more popular and it continues to be performed as a stage production. George Gershwin didn't get to see his play become a big success - he died in 1937. The song's lyricist, DuBose Heyward, also never saw the song become a standard, as he died in 1940. This is one of the most covered songs in history, with well over 2000 official recordings. The first popular cover was by Billie Holiday, who transformed it into a bluesy number. Janis Joplin's blues-rock version with Big Brother & the Holding Company is probably the best known, but other notable covers were recorded by Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, Mahalia Jackson, Miles Davis, Ricky Nelson, John Coltrane, Julie London, Angelique Kidjo, and Frank Sinatra. The most successful version on the Hot 100 was R&B singer/keyboardist Billy Stewart's 1966 interpretation, which featured Maurice White (later of Earth, Wind & Fire) on drums. It spent seven weeks in the Top 40, peaking at #10. Before writing the music for this song, George Gershwin rented a place in Folly Island, South Carolina, so he could soak up the local atmosphere for his composition. But he actually wrote the piece back home in New York. His friend Kay Halle recalled to theater historian Robert Kimball: "George and I had an arrangement with the man at the desk at the Elysee, where I lived, if I was out and George wanted to come in, he could always have the key to my room. One night I came in after a dinner about 11 o'clock, and as I walked up the stairway to my apartment, I heard the piano. I tiptoed in, George turned and saw me, and said, 'Sit down, I think I have the lullaby.' I knew he had been working hard to get the lullaby and that he had done several versions that didn't suit him. And so he sang in this high-wailing voice 'Summertime,' and it was exquisite. We looked at each other and the tears were just coursing down my cheeks and I just knew that this was going to be beloved by the world." The song is a great example of how an instrumental piece can convey a feeling and a sense of place - even without the lyrics, it still feels like the American South. The song is simple to play, with just six basic notes, which leads lots of room for extrapolation, something many of the jazz grea


Graham Kerr's Website -the former Galloping Gourmet The Former Galloping Gourmet Welcome to my Website! It’s probably been a while since we’ve chatted! I want you to know that I’m doing wonderful! Let’s talk more here . What is UpStreaming? You’ll notice that I talk a lot about upstreaming.  I tell you about what upstreaming means in this video. Learn how we can upstream together in my blog. Visit now! Get a Free Chapter from My New Book! Learn about the importance of humble beginnings and a fate worse than death!


Who, together with Howard Greenfield, co-wrote the song 'Is this the way to Amarillo'?

Howard Greenfield - IMDb IMDb Music Department | Soundtrack Howard Greenfield was born on March 15, 1936 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He is known for his work on Deadpool (2016), Hazel (1961) and Click (2006). He died on March 4, 1986 in Los Angeles, California, USA. See full bio » Born: a list of 663 people created 12 Aug 2012 a list of 389 people created 21 Jul 2014 a list of 179 people created 6 months ago a list of 88 people created 3 months ago Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of Howard Greenfield's work have you seen? User Polls  1977 A Year at the Top (TV Series) (composer: theme music)  1964-1972 Bewitched (TV Series) (composer - 254 episodes)  1968-1969 The Ugliest Girl in Town (TV Series) (composer - 13 episodes) - Matchmates (1969) ... (composer: theme music)  1965 Camp Runamuck (TV Series) (composer - 1 episode) - Fraternize (1965) ... (composer: theme music) Hide   2016 Strictly Come Dancing (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode) - Week Five (2016) ... (writer: "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo" - uncredited)  2016 Who's Doing the Dishes? (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode) - Deena Payne (2016) ... (writer: "Calendar Girl" - uncredited)  2016 The Boss (writer: "Love Will Keep Us Together")  2016 11.22.63 (TV Mini-Series) (writer - 1 episode) - The Kill Floor (2016) ... (writer: "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" - uncredited)  2016 Deadpool (writer: "Calendar Girl")  2016 Legends of Tomorrow (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode) - Pilot, Part 1 (2016) ... (writer: "Love Will Keep Us Together" - uncredited)  2015 Our Brand Is Crisis (writer: "Puppet Man")  2015 Minions (writer: "Bewitched")  2014 Dancing with the Stars (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode) - Most Memorable Year (2014) ... (writer: "Love Will Keep Us Together")  2014 Noble (writer: "Little Devil")  2012 Gila! (TV Movie) (lyrics: "As Long As I Live")   Bullet in the Face (TV Mini-Series) (lyrics - 1 episode, 2012) (music - 1 episode, 2012) - Kiss Me Thrice (2012) ... (lyrics: "Love Will Keep Us Together") / (music: "Love Will Keep Us Together") - Televisió i publicitat (2012) ... (writer: "Bewitched")  2002-2012 American Idol (TV Series) (writer - 6 episodes) - Performance Challenge (2012) ... (writer: "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do") - Top 12 Perform (2005) ... (writer: "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do") - Let's Learn About Ruben and Clay! (2003) ... (writer: "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do") - Episode #2.32 (2003) ... (writer: "Love Will Keep Us Together") - Episode #2.31 (2003) ... (writer: "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do", "Love Will Keep Us Together", "Where the Boys Are") - The Old Crow Medicine Show (2011) ... (writer: "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own")  2011 20 to 1 (TV Series documentary) (writer - 1 episode) - TV's Funniest Neighbours (2011) ... (writer: "Bewitched" - uncredited)  2010/I Flipped (writer: "Crying In The Rain")  2010 Haven (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode) - Welcome to Haven (2010) ... (writer: "Love Will Keep Us Together" - uncredited) - Episode #4.1 (2009) ... (writer: "Oh Carol")  2009 Lost (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode)  2008 Sex and the City (writer: "Love Will Keep Us Together")  2008 The Wrecking Crew! (Documentary) (writer: "Love Will Keep Us Together")  2008 Får jag lov: Till den sista dansen? (Documentary) (lyrics: "Stupid Cupid") / (writer: "Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen", "Calendar Girl', "Stupid Cupid")  2008 Transsiberian (writer: "Love Will Keep Us Together")  2007 Big Love (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode) - Oh, Pioneers (2007) ... (writer: "Stupid Cupid" - uncredited)  2007 It Takes Two (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode) - Episode #2.4 (2007) ... (writer: "Love Will Keep Us Together")  2007 Banished (writer: "WHERE THE BOYS ARE")  2006 Torvill & Dean's Dancing on Ice (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode) - Episode #1.2 (2006) ... (writer: "Is This The Way To Amarillo")  2006 Click (writer: "Love Will Keep Us Together" (1973))  2005 One Hundred and Eighty: The Tour Documentary (Video documentary short) (writer: "Is This the Way to Amarillo")   The Simpsons (TV Series) (1 episode, 2005) (writer - 2 episodes, 1998 - 2005)


Who created the character Robert Langdon?

Robert Langdon | The Dan Brown Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Robert Langdon (born June 22, 1964 in Exeter, New Hampshire, United States) is described as looking like “Harrison Ford in Harris tweed,” [2] with his standard attire being a turtleneck, Harris Tweed jacket, khakis, and collegiate cordovan loafers, which he wears to all events, from lectures to social events. [3] A frequently referred to accessory is his Mickey Mouse watch, a gift from his parents on his ninth birthday. [4] He drives an automatic Saab 900S. [5] [6] Langdon's Mickey Mouse watch Langdon was a diver at Phillips Exeter Academy in prep school and played water polo at Princeton University where he went for college. He suffers from claustrophobia, the fear of enclosed spaces, as he fell into a well when he was 7 years old. His father died when he was 12, and his new mentor father-figure became Peter Solomon, [7] Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. [8] Known for a brilliant problem-solving mind and his genius, Langdon has an eidetic memory and an understanding of semiotics. As a professor at Harvard University, he teaches Religious Iconology and the fictional field of Symbology. Langdon also mentions he was raised a Catholic but that he will never understand God and also said that faith is a gift he has yet to receive. [9] Angels & Demons Edit Langdon's visions - Source: http://www.deviantart.com/art/Visions-of-Robert-Langdon-from-Dan-Brown-s-Inferno-443077534 In  Inferno , Langdon woke up in an Italian hospital with no memory of the events that led him to be in Italy. He kept hallucinating about a silver-haired woman, saying that she was life and telling him to “seek and find,” and a tall, green-eyed figure wearing a beaked mask claiming to be death. Dr. Marconi is the physician tending to him, but he soon calls his colleague, Dr. Sienna Brooks , to help him since he doesn't speak much English. An assassin entered and killed Dr. Marconi in cold blood, so Sienna helped Langdon escape and took him to her apartment. They contacted the American Embassy, but instead of helping him, Embassy sent the same killer after him. Thankfully, he had given the address of Pensione la Fiorentina, a hotel accross the street, and not her apartment's. Source: http://mrinal-rai.deviantart.com/art/Modified-Boticelli-s-map-of-hell-as-in-Dan-Brown-s-449083733 Langdon realized that he was on his own and Sienna showed him an object that he had been carrying which could explain why they were after him. It was a cylinder with the biohazard symbol. Inside the cylinder, there was a pointer with a modified version of Sandro Botticelli's La Mappa dell'Inferno. However, when Langdon accessed his Harvard e-mail account, the authorities were able to locate him and sent a van full of armed men after him. Sienna helped him escape once more, this time they took her Trike and zigzagged through the streets of Florence  to lose them. They ditched the Trike and accompanied a group of students to the Art Institute where they reached the Boboli Gardens, went to the Palazzo Pitti and used the Vasari Corridor to cross the Arno river and arrive at the Palazzo Vecchio . There, he learned through  Marta Alvarez that he had been there the night before with Ignazio Busoni and that the two of them had stolen Dante Alighieri's death mask, which belonged to Bertrand Zobrist , a man who had jumped down the Badia Tower the week before. They got separated afterwards, but Ignazio left a clue as to where he had hidden the mask: “Paradise 25” which referred to Canto XXV from The Divine Comedy. After escaping the police once again and borrowing an iPhone from a tourist, he learned where Ignazio had hidden the mask. Langdon took Sienna to the  Baptistry of San Giovanni ; there they discovered that the mask had a poem in its back and that it led them to Venice. Before they could leave, however, a man named Jonathan Ferris entered and confronted him, saying that he worked for the  World Health Organization (WHO)  and it had been him to fly Langdon from Boston to Florence in Dr. Elizabeth Sinskey's behal


In retrospect: The selfish gene : Nature : Nature Research Matt Ridley reassesses Richard Dawkins's pivotal reframing of evolution, 40 years on. The Selfish Gene Richard Dawkins Oxford University Press: 1976. Terry Smith/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Richard Dawkins in 1976, around the time he published his first best-selling book. Books about science tend to fall into two categories: those that explain it to lay people in the hope of cultivating a wide readership, and those that try to persuade fellow scientists to support a new theory, usually with equations. Books that achieve both — changing science and reaching the public — are rare. Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species (1859) was one. The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins is another. From the moment of its publication 40 years ago, it has been a sparkling best-seller and a scientific game-changer. The gene-centred view of evolution that Dawkins championed and crystallized is now central both to evolutionary theorizing and to lay commentaries on natural history such as wildlife documentaries. A bird or a bee risks its life and health to bring its offspring into the world not to help itself, and certainly not to help its species — the prevailing, lazy thinking of the 1960s, even among luminaries of evolution such as Julian Huxley and Konrad Lorenz — but (unconsciously) so that its genes go on. Genes that cause birds and bees to breed survive at the expense of other genes. No other explanation makes sense, although some insist that there are other ways to tell the story (see K. Laland et al. Nature 514, 161–164; 2014 ). What stood out was Dawkins's radical insistence that the digital information in a gene is effectively immortal and must be the primary unit of selection. No other unit shows such persistence — not chromosomes, not individuals, not groups and not species. These are ephemeral vehicles for genes, just as rowing boats are vehicles for the talents of rowers (his analogy). As an example of how the book changed science as well as explained it, a throwaway remark by Dawkins led to an entirely new theory in genomics. In the third chapter, he raised the then-new conundrum of excess DNA. It was dawning on molecular biologists that humans possessed 30–50 times more DNA than they needed for protein-coding genes; some species, such as lungfish, had even more. About the usefulness of this “apparently surplus DNA”, Dawkins wrote that “from the point of view of the selfish genes themselves there is no paradox. The true 'purpose' of DNA is to survive, no more and no less. The simplest way to explain the surplus DNA is to suppose that it is a parasite.” “Dawkins's ideas helped to explain what was going on inside genomes long before DNA sequencing became routine.” Four years later, two pairs of scientists published papers in Nature formally setting out this theory of “selfish DNA”, and acknowledged Dawkins as their inspiration ( L. E. Orgel and F. H. C. Crick Nature 284, 604–607 (1980) ; W. F. Doolittle and C. Sapienza Nature 284, 601–603; 1980 ). Since then, Dawkins's speculation has been borne out by the discovery that much surplus DNA consists of reverse transcriptase — a viral enzyme whose job is to spread copies of itself — or simplified versions of transposons dependent on it. Thus, Dawkins's ideas helped to explain what was going on inside genomes, as well as between individuals, even though the book was written long before DNA sequencing became routine. The complexity of the structure of the gene itself has since grown enormously, with the discovery of introns, control sequences, RNA genes, alternative splicing and more. But the essential idea of a gene as a unit of heritable information remains, and Dawkins's synthesis stands to this day. On The Selfish Gene's 30th anniversary, many of Dawkins's admirers, including writer Philip Pullman and cognitive scientist Steven Pinker, contributed essays to the book Richard Dawkins (Oxford University Press, 2006) edited by his former students Alan Grafen and Mark Ridley (no relation of mine). In this Festschrift, th


What festival marks the end of Ramadan in the Muslim religion?

- Eid Al-Fitr means "festival of breaking the fast" - It is an official holiday in all Muslim-majority countries - It marks an end to the fasting month of Ramadan Muslims around the world will celebrate the three-day Eid al-Fitr festival this week. It is expected to start on July 6 in most parts of the world but is subject to the  sighting of the moon  on July 4. What is Eid al-Fitr?  Eid al-Fitr means "festival of breaking the fast" and marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Traditionally, it is celebrated for three days and is an official holiday in all Muslim-majority countries.  When does Eid al-Fitr begin?  It begins with the first sighting of the new moon. The starting day varies every year and from country to country depending on geographical location . What are the common Eid greetings? The most popular greeting is Eid Mubarak (Blessed Eid) or Eid Said (Happy Eid) but the greetings vary from country to country. How do people celebrate? Eid traditionally start with prayers. People then visit relatives and sometimes graveyards.   Many people wear traditional clothes, give gifts to children, and donate money to charity. In some countries, the holiday is known as Sweet Eid for its variety of sweets. Source: Al Jazeera Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments       are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct       or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and       global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in       accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines  and  Terms and Conditions . MORE FROM AL JAZEERA


What name was shared by the wives of the English kings Edward IV and Henry VII?

Marrying for Love: The Experience of Edward IV and Henry VIII | History Today Marrying for Love: The Experience of Edward IV and Henry VIII Edwardian , Tudor Britain Edward IV Eric Ives looks at the cases of two English monarchs who broke with convention by selecting spouses for reasons of the heart, rather than political convenience. Should the monarch or heir to the throne marry for love? ‘Of course’ is the answer most people in Britain would give today, but history suggests otherwise. It is not just that the 1689 Bill of Rights and the 1701 Act of Settlement rule out marriage with a Roman Catholic. Monarchs and heirs to the throne have never had the freedom of choice which their subjects enjoy. Since the Norman Conquest (setting aside the present Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles), the only two English or British monarchs to have personally chosen wives are Edward IV (r.1461-83) and his grandson, Henry VIII (r.1509-47). Heirs presumptive have succeeded when already married, but for monarchs, arranged marriage has been the rule and so too for heirs apparent, (Edward the Black Prince was the only exception). In recent centuries some attention has been paid to individual preference. Queen Victoria was allowed the pretence that Albert had freely chosen her. Yet the underlying assumption has always been that reasons of state should determine royal marriages and that monarchs would, if necessary, satisfy their emotional needs elsewhere. Three basic principles have governed the choice of a royal consort. First, international prestige demanded that the ruler marry someone of suitable status; second, a royal marriage was a valuable diplomatic asset not to be wasted; third, a spouse should be a foreigner, since to marry within a realm was to risk disturbing the balance of internal politics. Edward and Henry, however, defied this conventional wisdom, chose Englishwomen known to them and aborted diplomatic negotiations in progress to find wives abroad. The story of Edward IV’s marriage is that in 1464 the twenty-four-year-old king stopped at Stony Stratford on a march north to counter Lancastrian threats. Very early on May Day he slipped away to the manor of Grafton, five miles away and there in secrecy married Elizabeth Grey, née Woodville, the beautiful but impoverished widow of a knight killed fighting against the Yorkists three years earlier. Edward consummated the marriage immediately and then returned to his entourage. Then, before continuing northwards, he took up residence at Grafton for three days during which time Elizabeth was brought to him secretly each night. Edward kept his horrendous mésalliance secret for five months, allowing the Earl of Warwick to continue discussions about a possible royal bride from France. Henry VIII’s marriage to his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, was made in the cause of diplomacy and when it broke down Cardinal Wolsey proposed a French bride. Instead, behind the Cardinal’s back, the King committed himself to Anne Boleyn who had been a lady at court for the previous six years. Eight years later Anne was replaced by Jane Seymour, another court lady, and although Henry’s marriage to her successor, Anne of Cleves, was a reversion to a diplomatic wife, wives five and six, Katherine Howard and Katherine Parr, were also the King’s personal selection from within the court. This personal involvement started off the marriages of Edward IV and Henry VIII on a totally novel basis. All rulers prior to Edward, and every ruler for centuries after Henry, could expect to meet the intended consort only after marriage had been agreed and she had arrived in England. Any choice had been made indirectly, based on second-hand information. Equally limited was a monarch’s freedom to consent. Once a bride had arrived in England it was too late to back out without creating a diplomatic incident of unmanageable proportions. Henry VIII went to his wedding with Anne of Cleves saying ‘If it were not to satisfy the world and my realm, I would not do that I must do this day for none earthly thing’.  Often, too, the di


"Cricket. Who was the batsman when Shane Warne bowled the so-called ""ball of the century"" on 4th June 1993?"

The Ashes Legends – Shane Warne: The Ball of the Century The Ashes Legends – Shane Warne: The Ball of the Century Tribute 09 Jul 2013, 03:42 IST The Ball of the Century: Shane Warne’s first delivery in Ashes to Mike Gatting “Gatting has absolutely no idea what has happened to him.. Still doesn’t know.” Richie Benaud said this on 4th June 1993, after Shane Warne clean bowled Mike Gatting with the most celebrated cricket delivery of all time, and chances are high that Gatting is still clueless and searching for the answers to the delivery. It was the moment when Shane Keith Warne, the superstar, had truly arrived. The 23 year old relatively unknown cricketer was suddenly catapulted into stardom with his first delivery in test cricket on English soil and was the beginning of  a period of his dominance over the English batsmen, which lasted for more than a decade. It was also the moment, which brought about the revival of the art of leg spin bowling. It was the first test of the year’s Ashes, being played at Old Trafford. Shane Warne, despite showing early promise, had a quiet start to his career, having taken 31 wickets in 11 tests at a very modest average of 30.80, coming into the series. In the warm-up games leading to the Ashes, Warne was told by skipper Allan Border to not give the English players a glimpse of his trickery and prevent them from getting familiar with his bowling. The Old Trafford pitch suited spin and the English team played two spinners in Phil Tufnell and Peter Such. But the Aussies went into the match with three pacers and the inexperienced Warne as the lone spinner. English captain Graham Gooch won the toss and invited the Aussies to bat first. Despite Mark Taylor ’s century, the visitors could manage only a moderate total of 289 in their first innings. In reply, the English team was at the score of 80 for 1, losing Mike Atherton to Merv Hughes, with Gooch and Gatting at the crease. It was then that Border tossed the ball to his spinner Warne with Gatting, an excellent player of spin and batting at 4*, to face his bowling, and the story of “the ball” began. Taking a slow and short run up of a few paces, Warne rolled his right arm over and bowled a leg break to Gatting. The rapidly spinning ball bounced several inches outside the right handed Gatting’s leg stump. It seemed as if the ball would end up being a casual first ball to loosen up, and drift down the leg side. The batsman’s response was to thrust his left leg forward towards the pitch of the ball, and pushed his bat next to the pad. It was a commonly used tactic by batsmen, as they couldn’t be given out LBW to a  ball landing outside the leg stump, and in case the ball hit the bat, it would quickly and safely bounce to the ground. However, the ball ended up spinning far more than expected, and went past the outside edge of Gatting’s bat, going on to hit the top of the off stump and dislodging the bails. The look on Gatting’s face as he saw his stumps disturbed was priceless, and Gooch, who was watching from the other end of the pitch, later remarked, “He looked as though someone had just nicked his lunch!” Dickie Bird, umpiring from the bowler’s end, rates the delivery as one of the best he ever umpired in a 23 year career. After the delivery, he told Warne “Shane, you’ll put your name in the record books”. And Warne surely didn’t disappoint. Warne went on to take four wickets each in both innings of the English team in the match to help Australia win by 179 runs. But it was his very first delivery of the game, which totally bamboozled Gatting that has become the stuff of cricketing legends. It is still remembered fondly today by cricket fans worldwide.  More importantly, as pointed out by Mark Taylor, the real legacy of the ball was the revival of the art of leg spin bowling, which was beginning to go stale. The delivery made people get up and notice that a leg spinner could be as effective in troubling the batsmen as a super fast pacer could. Warne recently modestly called the delivery “a fluke… I was lucky for it to happen… It was meant to