The 'Pilgrim's Way' runs in an easterly direction from Winchester in Hampshire, to which city?

The Pilgrims' Way from Winchester to Canterbury, by Julia Cartwright The Pilgrims' Way from Winchester to Canterbury, by Julia Cartwright   T H E   P I L G R I M S’   W A Y FROM WINCHESTER E. P. DUTTON AND COMPANY 1911 “From every shire’s ende Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende, The holy blissful martyr for to seeke, That them hath holpen when that they were sicke.” All Rights Reserved THE APPROACH TO WINCHESTER FROM THE SOUTH PREFACE T HIS account of the Way trodden by the pilgrims of the Middle Ages through the South of England to the shrine of St. Thomas of Canterbury originally appeared in the Art Journal for 1892, with illustrations by Mr. A. Quinton. It was published in the following year as a separate volume, and reprinted in 1895 and 1901. Now by the courtesy of Messrs. Virtue’s representatives, and in response to a continued demand, it appears again in a new and revised form, with the {vi} additional attraction of illustrations from original drawings by Mr. Hallam Murray. During the twenty years which have elapsed since these pages were first written, a whole literature has grown up round the Pilgrims’ Way. Not only have scholarly papers on separate sections of the road appeared in the Journals of Archæological Societies, but several valuable works on the subject have been issued by writers of authority. Mr. H. Snowden-Ward has written a book on “The Canterbury Pilgrimages,” in Messrs. A. & C. Black’s Pilgrimage Series, in which he deals at length with the life and death, the cult and miracles of St. Thomas, and the different routes taken by pilgrims to his shrine. Mr. Palmer has described a considerable portion of the Way in his treatise on “Three Surrey Churches,” and only last autumn Mr. Elliston-Erwood published an excellent little guide-book called “The Pilgrims’ Road,” for the use of cyclists and pedestrians, in Messrs. Warne’s Homeland Pocket-book Series. But the most thorough and systematic attempt to reconstruct {vii} the route taken by pilgrims from Winchester to Canterbury has been made by Mr. Belloc in his admirable work, “The Old Road.” The author himself walked along the ancient track, and succeeded in filling up many gaps where the road had been lost, and in recovering almost the whole of the Way, “yard by yard from the capital of Hampshire to the capital of Kent.” This intimate knowledge of the road and its characteristics have led him to make several alterations in the line of the Way marked on the Ordnance Map, which had hitherto served as the basis of most descriptions. But as Mr. Belloc himself recognises, it is clear that pilgrims often left the original road to visit churches and shrines in the neighbourhood. Thus, in several places, new tracks sprang up along the downs to which local tradition has given the name of the Pilgrims’ Way, and which it is not always easy to distinguish from the main road. Like Bunyan’s pilgrims, when they came to the foot of the hill Difficulty, “one turned to the left hand, and the other to the right, but the narrow way lay right up the hill.” {viii} In this edition of my book some obvious errors have been corrected, and certain doubtful points have been cleared up with the help of experience gained by other workers in the same field. But, as a rule, my object has been not so much to draw attention to the actual road as to describe the antiquities and objects of interest which arrest the traveller’s notice on his journey. From whatever side we approach it, the subject is a fascinating one. All of these different studies, varied in aims and scope as they may be, bear witness to the perennial interest which the Pilgrims’ Way inspires. The beauty of the country through which the old road runs, its historic associations and famous memories, the ancient churches and houses which lie on its course, will always attract those who love and reverence the past, and will lead many to follow in the footsteps of the mediæval pilgrims along the Way to Canterbury. Julia Cartwright. ST. CROSS AND ST. KATHERINE’S HILL. CHAPTER I T HREE hundred and seventy years have passed s


In which country was Mike Gatting once involved in a slanging match with Umpire, Shakoor Rana?

BBC ON THIS DAY | 9 | 1987: Gatting row halts play in Pakistan About This Site | Text Only 1987: Gatting row halts play in Pakistan The England cricket tour to Pakistan could be called off following a row between Mike Gatting and the umpire Shakoor Rana. There was no play during the second test today after Rana refused to take the field until the England captain apologised to him for a heated exchange which broke out between them yesterday. But Gatting is demanding an apology from the umpire. The deadlock comes after both men clashed twice at Faisalabad yesterday on the second day of play. 'Furious row' Gatting stood shaking his head and was heard saying, "One rule for one, one for another", after his appeal for a catch was turned down. Later, the umpire triggered a furious row - in which the captain began pointing and shouting - when he accused Gatting of cheating. It has thrown the series into chaos after the England side waited on the field for play but the umpire remained in the pavilion. The players are said to have given Gatting their full support. Behind the scenes a series of negotiations have been taking place and both men met to reach a compromise but failed. It is understood Gatting is prepared to apologise but only if Rana withdraws his allegation of cheating. Discussions England tour manager Peter Lush said discussions between the two men had been a "little bit tense" and he described Mr Rana as being "very sensitive". But the umpire said: "He [Gatting] just abused me. I cannot tell you what did he say but he used filthy language." Pakistan Cricket Board official Ijaj Butt said: "The series might be called off because there is no point in playing the game of cricket if this is the feeling to prevail between the umpires and one of the sides." England pulled out of a tour of Pakistan in 1969 after disruptive anti-British riots. A cancellation now would mean the first time events on the field have brought players home in test cricket's 111 year history.


A favourite in Asian cookery, what fragrant herb's Latin name is Cymbopogon citratus?

1000+ images about Lemon Grass on Pinterest | Melissa clark, Plants and Indian curry Forward Going to plant lemon grass to keep mosquitos away. Did you know that lemon grass is also an effective herbal anti-fungal medicine (lemon grass tea) and in Puerto Rico people use the fibrous stalks as a natural toothbrush? What a cool plant. See More


Which Puccini opera is set in a garden, in the Japanese city of Nagasaki?

Madama Butterfly — Productions — Royal Opera House View more news and features On Wikipedia Madama Butterfly ([maˈdaːma ˈbatterflai]; Madame Butterfly) is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. The opera is based in part on the short story "Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Luther Long, which in turn was based partially on stories told to Long by his sister Jennie Correll and partially on the semi-autobiographical 1887 French novel Madame Chrysanthème by Pierre Loti. Long's version was dramatized by David Belasco as a one-act play, Madame Butterfly: A Tragedy of Japan, which, after premiering in New York in 1900, moved on to London, where Puccini saw it in the summer of that year. The original version of the opera, in two acts, had its premiere on 17 February 1904 at Teatro alla Scala in Milan. It was poorly received, despite such notable singers as soprano Rosina Storchio, tenor Giovanni Zenatello and baritone Giuseppe De Luca in its lead roles; this was due in part to a late completion by Puccini, and thus inadequate time for rehearsals. Puccini revised the opera, splitting Act II into two (with the Humming Chorus as a bridge to what became Act III) and making other changes. Success ensued, starting with the first performance, on 28 May 1904 in Brescia. Between 1915 and 1920, Japan's best-known opera singer Tamaki Miura won international fame for her performances as Cio-Cio-san. (" Butterfly" is chōchō in Japanese; san is a plain honorific. ) A memorial to this singer, along with one to Puccini, can be found in the Glover Garden in the port city of Nagasaki, where the opera is set. Madama Butterfly is a staple of the operatic repertoire around the world, ranked 6th by Operabase; Puccini's La bohème and Tosca rank 3rd and 5th. Abstract taken from the Wikipedia article , available under a Creative Commons license . Book a package Book tickets for Madama Butterfly within a package and receive a discount. Madama Butterfly


"Which Mozart opera is seen as a contest between ""Good"", the priest Sarastro, and ""Evil"", the Queen of the Night?"

The Magic Flute: characters | The Magic Flute The Magic Flute Characters The characters of Die Zauberflöte: thumbnail sketches Die Zauberflöte is a fairytale. The traditional oppositions between the characters of the chosen ones (Tamino/Pamina) and the non-initiated (Papageno), the good and wise (Sarastro, the priests) and their enemies (the Queen of the Night, the Three Ladies, Monostatos), are clearly motivated in dramaturgical terms, even if this does not forbid us from seeing them in a slightly different light. Here are a few cursory – and personal – sketches of them, rather like those one might make for use, say, in a little puppet theatre. Papageno : the birdcatcher, a clumsy, comical character written for the librettist to play, is the heir to the Kasperl and Hanswurst figures of Viennese popular theatre, a trace of whose accent he retains. The attribute of this ‘know-all’ who really knows nothing is a set of panpipes that can charm birds (he will also make incidental use of a set of magic bells). In a sense he lies at the centre of the opera: his failed, even parodic initiation sets in perspective the gravity of the itinerary followed by the Tamino/Pamina couple and the solemnity of a discourse which thus always remains human and accessible. He emerges as an amiable coward with a tendency to put his foot in it, deeply in love with life and with his Papagena, and his feathered person and catchy tunes add a touch of bright colour to the austere interplay of shadows and light which structures the drama. Tamino : the young man is in love with Princess Pamina. We admire his fine bearing, his extreme sensibility, his steadfastness in the trials, his sublime arias. Yet he makes an unexpected entrance by fainting before a serpent that pursues him. Of course it is not the serpent that frightens him, but what it symbolises. The Three Ladies save the young prince, the better to deceive his innocence and subject him to the power of the Queen of the Night. Only once he is inside the Temple does he understand that he has been tricked, a sign that his initiation has been successful. It is on this initiation of Tamino and Pamina – and alongside them the audience – that the entire drama rests. His attribute is a flute. As his initiation progresses, he will discover all its enchanted powers: it can charm the animals of the forest and will assist him in passing through the terrible trials of Fire and Water, thus helping to make the world a better place. Pamina : the object of both the noblest and the basest desires (Tamino and Monostatos respectively), she is Tamino’s reward for successfully undergoing his initiation. She is depicted in a portrait given to Tamino by the Three Ladies, in which, according to Papageno, she is seen with dark eyes, red lips and blonde hair. She encounters her beloved in a particularly dramatic scene, only to be separated from him again until they are at last reunited to accomplish the final trials of purification together. As the daughter of the Queen of the Night, she is torn between her filial love and her love for Tamino. She plays an active role on the path towards wisdom, leading Tamino behind her in the final trials. Mozart assigned her the most deeply-felt arias, quivering with emotion, sometimes desperate, in which she displays a nobility and resolution that foreshadow the qualities of the heroines of early Romanticism, such as Beethoven’s Leonore or Agathe in Der Freischütz). Papagena : she appears quite late in the opera, in a comic role (disguised as an old woman both physically and vocally) that culminates in a magnificent love duet with Papageno (the only true love duet in the opera). The Second Priest had promised her to Papageno if he passed his trials. Since such is not the case, she appears to him in the least attractive form imaginable. Yet love will transform her into a beautiful female birdcatcher. Her role is at once tender and mischievous. The father and the mother : Sarastro and the Queen of the Night. They too may be seen though the eyes of childhood. Sarastro : outward appearan


Which British aeronautical engineer, knighted in 1968, designed the first swing-wing aircraft?

Engineering Timelines - Birthplace of Sir Barnes Neville Wallis Birthplace of Sir Barnes Neville Wallis Ripley, Derbeyshire date  26th September 1887 era  Victorian  |  category  Birthplace of Engineer  |  reference  SK408509 Sir Barnes Neville Wallis was a pioneer of geodetic airframe construction and a leading figure in British aeronautical and aerial warfare design. Barnes Wallis was born in Ripley, where for a short time his father Charles ran a medical practice. His father moved to London when Barnes was four years old. The boy received his education at Christ�s Hospital School in Horsham (founded in 1552), to which he had won a scholarship. He left school at 17 and became an apprentice first at the Thames Engineering Works, Blackheath, and then J.S. White's shipyard, Cowes. Known for his work on the R100 airship built at Howden, which made a successful flight to Montreal and back in 1930, he went on to design aircraft such as the Wellington bomber used in WWII, and the famous dambusting �bouncing� bomb. After wartime work, he contributed to the progress made in radio telescopy, and to the design of swing wing aircraft. Barnes Wallis was appointed a CBE in 1943 and knighted in 1968. He was awarded an number of distinguished medals for his work, held six honorary doctorates, was an honorary fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge, and a freeman of the City of London. He died on 30th October 1979 in Leatherhead Hospital, aged 92. Research: ND "Barnes Wallis, A Biography" by J.E. Morpurgo Ian Allen Ltd, Shepperton, Surrey, 1981 "Dictionary of National Biography"


In which country is the vast plateau, known as the Nullarbor Plain?

Nullarbor Plain Ooldea Range The name derives from "null (Latin for no) and arbor (Latin for tree)". By sheer coincidence, apparently, in some Aboriginal languages nulla means "none" or "not any". Maybe there is some basis to a story told in Ancient Rome by some sailors returning home with apparently wild stories about large hopping animals. Unfortunately, I can't remember where I read it. At about 250,000 km2, the Nullarbor is the largest block of limestone, or karst (limestone characterised by caves and underground drainage) on Earth, raised from  the sea 3 million years ago. Longest straight length of railway in  world, 470 km, connects the east coast to the west coast across it. There are no trees because the soil is a shallow calcium-rich loam derived mainly from sea shells. Its vegetation consists of succulents (not cactus type of succulents) such as saltbush and bluebush. The total lack of trees implied by the name refers to an area at the centre of the plain, there is in fact a cover of saltbush (Atriplex spp.) and bluebush (Maireana  and Bassia spp.) with some mallee (Eucalyptus spp.) and a number of stunted eucalypts, making it different from any other arid area in Australia. In this it is more like the arid areas in other countries such as North America. Another "un-Australian" characteristic of the Nullarbor was, until the arrival of Europeans with their feral animals, a land of mammals, whereas the rest of the arid zone of Australia is more accurately described as a land of lizards. It stretches from the arid salt lake region of Western Australia to  the similarly arid plains of South Australia, and north from the Great  Australian Bight to the edge of the Great Victoria Desert , though its  borders are not exactly defined, it is usually said to be about 700 km  east to west and about 300 km south to north. About 2/3 of its total  area being in Western Australia, the remainder in South Australia. The surface of the plain is flat, but it dips gradually from about  200-300 m above sea level in the north to between 40 and 120 m above sea  level at the southern coast. The Nullarbor Plain is composed of 3 separate parts, the Bunda  Plateau, the large main section, the southern scarp which is divided  into 4 sections, Wylie Scarp, Baxter Cliffs, Hampton  Range and Bunda Cliffs, and 2 coastal plains, Roe Plains and Israelite Plains. Dunes partially cover the 2 coastal plains  that are backed by the scarp. The cliffs are in 2 sections, in the west the Baxter Cliffs rise to  60-100 m and in the east the Bunda Cliffs are 49-75 m high. Both  sections of cliff are about 200 km long, and are coloured hues of brown  in their upper portions and white lower portion. The sea pounds the  cliffs relentlessly with huge waves and powerful southerly winds, but  the rock strata are horizontal and vertical joints are very regular,  with no weaker sections for the sea to gouge out caves or valleys. The  result is that the cliffs erode by being undercut, whole slabs falling  off at a time, leaving a very straight coastline, the plateau continuing  to drop vertically to the sea. Behind the Israelite and Roe plains the  cliffs are some distance inland from the sea, but remain vertical,  having been eroded by being undercut in times of higher sea level. The largest area of karst (cave landforms) is found in the southern  part of the Bunda Plateau where massive cave systems have been weathered  out of the limestone by seepage from the surface at times when the  climate was wetter than the present. The caves have been divided into 2  types, shallow caves that are less than 25 m below the surface, and deep  caves that can reach up to 120 m beneath the surface. The water table is  reached by a lot of the larger deep caves, and where it does there are  often clear lakes and complex networks of underwater passages. It is  believed the water found in a number of the deeper caves may underlie  much or all of the plain. The deeper caves often have very large  caverns,


The Sonoran Desert, one of the world's largest, is situated in which country?

The world's largest yacht club is located in the Arizona desert | Roadtrippers Your guide to all places other‑worldly, haunted, and just plain weird. The world's largest yacht club is located in the Arizona desert Greg Newkirk 27 October, 2014 Just off the border of California, in the Sonoran Desert, is the tiny town of Quartzsite, and while you might not peg a desert for a sailor's paradise, its home to a yacht club that boasts the largest membership in the world, even though it's located hundreds of miles from a body of water. Quartzsite is something of a mecca for rock, gem, mineral enthusiasts (I promise, they do exist), where every January and February, precious rock collectors gather for a two-month-long gem show and swap meet that happens in town. But while that might be the biggest draw to Quartzsite, it's definitely not the weirdest. That distinction would have to go to the Quartzsite Yacht Club. So how does a yacht club wind up in the middle of the desert? A great sense of humor, basically. Back in the 70s, a man by the name of Al Madden bought Quartzsite's old beer bar "The JIGSAW", and jokingly renamed it to The Yacht Club, even coming up a rather snappy motto: "long time so sea". Before long, the business had taken off, and Madden was selling memberships to the Yacht Club at $10 a piece. It was a hit. Today, membership at the Quartzside Yacht Club only costs $25 a person, but members will tell you it's worth it. Any visitors to the club have the option of joining, and with their membership they recieve their a t-shirt, a flag, signed certificates for framing, and official membership cards. There is one particular perk, though, that ends up being the best of the bunch: reciprocity. You see, a good majority of Yacht Clubs around the country, from the   Hermosa Beach Yacht Club  to the Miami Beach Intracoastal Yacht Club  offer reciprocal memberships, which means that those belonging to another club can present their card and gain access without a fee. Hilariously enough, members of the Quartzsite Yacht Club  began to notice that their joke membership was being taken seriously at other clubs around the country, their one-time fee of $25 allowing them to enter much swankier, actually-real yacht clubs. Not a bad deal. Want to join the weirdest Yacht Club in America? Just head to Quartzsite, and remember to bring your precious gems. MORE RAD STORIES FROM ROADTRIPPERS:


Which 19th century monarch had a much-publicised affair with an actress called Mrs. Robinson?

Wikijunior:Kings and Queens of England/The Whole Book - Wikibooks, open books for an open world Wikijunior:Kings and Queens of England/The Whole Book From Wikibooks, open books for an open world This is the latest reviewed version , approved on 25 September 2016. (+)  Quality: good   Introduction[ edit ] Welcome to the Wikijunior book on Kings and Queens of England. In this book we start by looking at the very first Anglo-Saxon Kings of England. We then move on to show how the Crown changed hands many times as a result of conquest. We see some powerful kings and some weak ones. We see how the Crown has battled Parliament. We look at the period where power finally did transfer to Parliament through to the times of our current queen, Elizabeth II. At the end we also look at who the next kings of England may be. We will find out about eleven Kings called Edward and nine called Henry. We will find out about a nine-day queen and a King Philip, who most people have now forgotten about. But first let's start way back in 871 with the Anglo-Saxons and the only king of England to be called "Great," Alfred. The Anglo-Saxons (871-1016)[ edit ] Our history of the kings of England starts with the Anglo-Saxons, at the beginning of the 9th century. Because it was so long ago, the dates, and even the years are uncertain. At this point in time, England, as you know it, doesn't exist yet. The land is divided into several small kingdoms, and the people who live there are called Anglo-Saxons. It was during this time, around the year 830, that the Vikings realized that England was a very interesting country to loot and plunder. Between 830 and 865 they came by more and more often, much to the dismay of the people living there. In 865 these Vikings formed a "Great Army". While their previous raids were aimed at looting and plundering, the Great Army was sent to actually conquer England. They were surprisingly good at that - in only three years they had conquered northern and eastern England. Even in the west, one by one the small kingdoms fell until only one of them remained independent. It was the kingdom of Wessex. It's here that we find Alfred the Great, the first of the Kings and Queens of England. Alfred the Great (871-899)[ edit ] King Alfred the Great Alfred the Great was born around 850 in Wantage, in what is now Oxfordshire. Alfred was the fourth son of King Ethelwulf of Wessex. He became king of the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex in 871, when his brother Ethelred I died. When the Danish Vikings had conquered most of England, they finally came to Wessex. Alfred had only just been crowned, and now had to face the invaders at his borders. During a fierce series of battles, he managed to drive them from Wessex. Defeated, the Vikings retreated. However, seven years later they returned in full force. In May of 878, Alfred had to confront his enemies once more, and crushingly defeated them near Edington in Wiltshire. This victory earned him the name "the Great", making him the only English monarch called by that name. With the Danes defeated, the way was cleared to unite England. By building a system of fortifications, the kingdom of Wessex managed to expand its borders. Alfred encouraged education, being educated himself, and improved the kingdom's laws. Under his guidance, the kingdom began to prosper. Public life[ edit ] Very little is known about what Alfred did during the short reigns of his two eldest brothers, but when his third brother, Ethelred, became king in 866, Alfred became active in public life. In particular, he worked hard to free England from the influence of the Danes, and Alfred was appointed as Ethelred's successor. In 868, Alfred tried unsuccessfully to relieve the central English kingdom of Mercia from Danish influence. For nearly two years after, though, the Danes did not attack Alfred's native Wessex. At the end of 870 this era of peace ended, and the next period of time became known as "Alfred's year of battles". The Kingdom of Wessex fought nine battles in 870 and 871, winning some, and losing others. In A


In 1712, who became the first engineer to introduce steam to an engine with a piston?

The History of Steam Engines The History of Steam Engines The History of Steam Engines James Watt the inventor of the modern steam engine.  Updated August 13, 2016. Thomas Savery (1650-1715) Thomas Savery was an English military engineer and inventor. In 1698, he patented the first crude  steam engine , based on Denis Papin's Digester or pressure cooker of 1679. Savery had been working on solving the problem of pumping water out of coal mines when he came up an idea for an engine powered by steam. His machine consisted of a closed vessel filled with water in which steam under pressure was introduced. This forced the water upwards and out of the mine shaft. A cold water sprinkler was then used to condense the steam. This created a vacuum which sucked more water out of the mine shaft through a bottom valve. Thomas Savery later worked with Thomas Newcomen on the atmospheric steam engine. Among Savery's other inventions was an  odometer  for ships, a device that measured distance traveled. To learn more about Thomas Savery the inventor, check out his biography here . Savery’s description of his crude steam engine can be found here . continue reading below our video Profile of James Watt Thomas Newcomen (1663-1729) Thomas Newcomen was an English blacksmith who invented the atmospheric steam engine. The invention was an improvement over Thomas Slavery's previous design. The Newcomen steam engine used the force of atmospheric pressure to do the work. This process begins with the engine pumping steam into a cylinder. The steam was then condensed by cold water, which created a vacuum on the inside of the cylinder. The resulting atmospheric pressure operated a piston, creating downward strokes. With Newcomen's enginee, the intensity of pressure was not limited by the pressure of the steam, a departure from what Thomas Savery had patented in 1698. In 1712, Thomas Newcomen, together with John Calley, built their first engine on top of a water filled mine shaft and used it to pump water out of the mine. The Newcomen engine was the predecessor to the Watt engine and it was one of the most interesting pieces of technology developed during the 1700's. To learn more about Thomas Newcomen and his steam engine check out this biography here . Photos and a diagram of Newcomen’s steam engine can be found at Niagara college’s professor Mark Csele’s website . James Watt (1736-1819) Born in Greenock, James Watt was a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer who was renowned for the improvements he made to the steam engine. While working for the University of Glasgow in 1765, Watt was assigned the task of repairing a Newcomen engine that was deemed inefficient but the best steam engine of its time. That started the inventor working on several improvements to Newcomen's design. Most notable was Watt's 1769 patent for a separate condenser connected to a cylinder by a valve. Unlike Newcomen's engine, Watt's design had a condenser that could be cool while the cylinder was hot. Eventually Watt's engine would become the  dominant design  for all modern steam engines and helped bring about the industrial revolution. A unit of power called the Watt was named after James Watt. the Watt symbol is W, and it is equal to 1/746 of a horsepower, or one volt times one amp.


"Her portrayal of which character won Julia Roberts a ""Best Actress"" 'Oscar' in 2001?"

Oscars 2001: Contenders in the main categories | Film | The Guardian Contenders in the main categories Thursday 22 March 2001 22.01 EST Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 4-1 Traffic 5-1 Erin Brockovich 6-1 Chocolat 15-1 Using nifty computer-generated images, Gladiator recreated the blood, intrigue, sandals and pageantry of ancient Rome. It won a Golden Globe and is now bookies' favourite. With another double nomination, Steven Soderbergh et al may be miffed if neither Erin Brockovich nor Traffic wins best film or direction; but tipsters put Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ahead of both. Best actor in a leading role Russell Crowe (Gladiator) 5-9 Tom Hanks (Cast Away) 3-2 Ed Harris (Pollock) 7-1 Geoffrey Rush (Quills) 7-1 Javier Bardem (Before Night Falls) 8-1 Antipodean demigod Russell Crowe is favourite for his portrayal of Colosseum butcher Maximus Meridius. But going by this year's Golden Globes, gushing Academy veteran Tom Hanks could take home his third Oscar for playing Chuck Noland - the Cast Away Fed-Ex brownshirt with yo-yoing waistline and fearsome beard. Outsider Ed Harris is worth a flutter. Best actress in a leading role Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich) 1-10 Joan Allen (The Contender) 5-1 Juliette Binoche (Chocolat) 6-1 Ellen Burstyn (Requiem for a Dream) 9-1 Laura Linney (You Can Count on Me) 9-1 Tipsters reckon Golden Globe-winner Julia Roberts has this stitched-up for her portrayal of Erin Brockovich. It garnered Hollywood's highest-paid actress her second Oscar nomination. Joan Allen, the character-assassinated vice-president nominee in The Contender, and Juliette Binoche, Chocolat's mysterious chocolatier, are worth a bet too. Best actor in a supporting role Benicio Del Toro (Traffic) 1-6 Albert Finney (Erin Brockovich) 3-1 Joaquin Phoenix (Gladiator) 6-1 Willem Dafoe (Shadow/Vampire) 8-1 Jeff Bridges (The Contender) 13-1 Benicio Del Toro is out in front with his portrayal of Traffic's Javier Rodriguez - the Tijuana cop caught up in the drug trade. Eating his dust are five-times nominated Albert Finney, the world-worn attorney in Erin Brockovich; Joaquin Phoenix, the deliciously reptilian Commodus in Gladiator; and Willem Dafoe - uncanny in Shadow of the Vampire. Best actress in a supporting role Kate Hudson (Almost Famous) 1-1 Judi Dench (Chocolat) 7-5 Frances McDormand (Almost Famous) 7-5 Marcia Gay Harden (Pollock) 6-1 Julie Walters (Billy Elliot) 8-1 Favourite is celebrity du jour Kate Hudson, for her Golden Globe-winning portrayal of Penny Lane in Almost Famous - the epitome of groupie chic. If she wins, Hudson and Oscar-winning mum Goldie Hawn could be the first mother-daughter winners. It may be two times lucky for Judi Dench for Chocolat, though a Julie Walters win is possible too. Best director*


The 'Bullet Train' of Japan runs between Tokyo and which other city?

What is a Bullet Train? (with pictures) What is a Bullet Train? Last Modified Date: 29 November 2016 Copyright Protected: These 10 facts about space will blow your mind A bullet train is a term used to describe a high-speed passenger rail train. Originating in Japan, it is so named because of its sleek, aerodynamic appearance and its speed. The actual Japanese word for this rail service is Shinkansen, which, when literally translated into English, means “new trunk lines.” Public transportation is an important element of Japanese society, as the topography of the island nation limits the amount of available and usable space for roads. For many people, mass transportation is their main means of transportation. In light of this fact, the bullet train was conceived as a high-speed railway that would reduce the travel time between Japan’s large cities. The train achieves its high speed through the use of an aerodynamic shape and technology designed to fully maximize the power of the train. The railroad tracks for it were developed specifically for high-speed rail service. Conventional trains do not run on the Shinkansen lines and high-speed trains do not run on conventional tracks. This allows the trains to run at consistently high speeds, without having to reduce their operating speeds for slower trains on the tracks. The tracks are not designed to go around hills or mountains. Rather, a system of tunnels and viaducts allow the trains to go through any obstruction, which helps the Shinkansen maintain its high speeds. There are no railroad crossings, no changes of the right-of-way, and limited stops on the route. The bullet train began service in Japan in late 1964, connecting the cities of Tokyo and Osaka. The original trains traveled at approximately 125 miles per hour (200 kilometers per hour.) This allowed the 320 mile (550 kilometer) distance between Tokyo and Osaka to be traveled in about three hours. Today, the system consists of eight lines of service throughout most of Japan. It can reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour (322 kilometers per hour) and make the journey between Tokyo and Osaka in approximately two and one-half hours. Since the Shinkansen began operation in 1964, over 6 billion passengers have traveled on the railway, and there have been no major accidents. The success of the high-speed rail line in Japan encouraged other nations to develop their own similar programs. High-speed rail is now a fixture of mass transportation in many European and Asian nations. Two of the more notable services are in France and Spain. The French Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV) line is widely considered to be the most extensive high-speed rail system in Europe. The TGV began service in 1981 between the cities of Paris and Lyon. By 2007, the line had over 200 destinations throughout France and in neighboring countries such as Germany, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. It is estimated that, as of 2009, the system has carried in excess of 1.3 billion passengers since service began. Spain's bullet train service, known as the Alta Velocidad Española, or AVE, began service in 1992 between the cities of Seville and Madrid. It has now expanded north to the city of Barcelona and south of Seville to the city of Malaga. Spain is planning future expansion of the line, which would ultimately create a larger network than the French line. Other nations with high-speed rail include the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Portugal Taiwan and South Korea. China began development of its own program in the late 1990s and early 2000s. High-speed service began in Shanghai in 2004, and in 2008, service between Beijing and Tianjin was inaugurated. China is now embarking on an ambitious expansion program to provide high-speed service throughout the nation. Ad


A British pair won the mixed doubles at the 1987 Wimbledon Tennis Champioships, Jeremy Bates and who elase?

Who was really the last British winner of a Wimbledon final? - Mirror Online Sport Who was really the last British winner of a Wimbledon final? Who were the last British players to claim Wimbledon titles in the men's singles, women's singles, mens doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles events? We bring you right up to speed  Share Triple crown: Fred Perry claimed three consecutive titles between 1934-1936 (Photo: Hulton Archive)  Share Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Andy Murray will carry the weight of history and a nation on his shoulders tomorrow as he steps out on Centre Court to face Roger Federer . While the Swiss ace has clocked up six Wimbledon titles by himself already, British tennis fans have had few final triumphs to cheer. But we have had some Wimbledon winners, so here is our rundown of the last British winners in Wimbledon finals... Men's singles final No Brit man has won the men's singles event at Wimbledon since Fred Perry sealed a hat-trick of titles in 1936. Until Murray's win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Friday, Bunny Austin was the last Brit to get there - in 1938. (Photo: Getty)   Andy Murray plays Roger Federer in this year's final as the first Brit to reach the Wimbledon men's final in 74 years.  It's a far cry from 1877 to 1904 where every final was contested by the British. Australian Norman Brookes crashed the party as runner up in 1905 before winning in 1907. How brash of him. (Photo: Wikipedia) No British woman has won the ladies' singles since Virginia Wade did so in 1977.  (Photo: Getty)     Women's doubles Virginia Wade was runner up with French player Francoise Durr in 1970, following Ann Haydon Jones - also with Francoise Durr - in 1968. (Durr was a losing doubles finalist six times without ever winning). Anglea Buxton was the last Brit to win the title with American Althea Gibson in 1956. The best year was 1955, when all four finalists were Brits with Angela Mortimer and Anne Shilcock beating Patricia Ward Hales and Shirley Brasher Broomer. Those were the days. (Photo: Getty) Mixed doubles Andy's older brother Jamie Murray won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 2007 with Jelena Jankovic. He was the first Briton to do so since the all-British triumph of Jeremy Bates and Jo Durie in 1987. (Photo: Getty) Wheelchair Ladies' finals Lucy Shuker and Jordanne Whiley became the first all-British wheelchair tennis pair to reach a Wimbledon final this year. They play Griffoen and Van Koot on Sunday. (Photo: Getty)


Who starred as 'Arthur Parker', a sheet music salesman, in the Dennis Potter TV drama, 'Pennies From Heaven'?

Pennies from Heaven (TV Mini-Series 1978) - IMDb Pennies from Heaven  Arthur, a sheet music salesman, has an ear for the hit tunes, but nobody will trust it. And his imagination often bursts into full song, building musical numbers around the greatest ... See full summary  » Stars: a list of 39 titles created 15 Oct 2011 a list of 47 titles created 08 Jun 2012 a list of 39 titles created 26 Sep 2012 a list of 22 titles created 10 Apr 2014 a list of 33 titles created 3 months ago Title: Pennies from Heaven (1978– ) 8.5/10 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. 2 wins & 9 nominations. See more awards  » Photos Tormented and bedridden by a debilitating disease, a mystery writer relives his detective stories through his imagination and hallucinations. Stars: Michael Gambon, Patrick Malahide, Joanne Whalley During the Great Depression, a sheet music salesman seeks to escape his dreary life through popular music and a love affair with an innocent school teacher. Director: Herbert Ross     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.7/10 X   Larry Poole, in prison on a false charge, promise an inmate that when he gets out he will look up and help out a family. The family turns out to be a young girl, Patsy Smith, and her ... See full summary  » Director: Norman Z. McLeod Brimstone and Treacle (TV Movie 1987) Drama     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.6/10 X   The Bates sadly care for their severely disabled daughter Pattie. Martin arrives at their door claiming to be her college friend. He charms them into accepting him as a lodger and carer for Pattie. But Martin is not all he seems. Director: Barry Davis Cold Lazarus (TV Mini-Series 1996) Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller Dr. Emma Porlock and her colleagues, attempting to unlock the secrets of human memory for the Masdon drug empire, get a cryogenically stored 400-year-old human head to project its memories ... See full summary  » Stars: Albert Finney, Ciarán Hinds, Frances de la Tour Popular BBC sketch show that introduces a whole host of memorable characters such as Tim-Nice-But-Dim, Wayne and Waynetta Slob, The Old Gits and teenagers Kevin and Perry. The show spawned a slew of spin-off series and films. Stars: Harry Enfield, Paul Whitehouse, Kathy Burke A reclusive, elderly author is visited by a young admirer...but both men are more than they claim to be. Director: Richard Loncraine BBC Television comedy detailing the fortunes of Reginald Iolanthe Perrin. Disillusioned after a long career at Sunshine Desserts, Perrin goes through a mid-life crisis and fakes his own ... See full summary  » Stars: Leonard Rossiter, Pauline Yates, John Barron Past and present intertwine: An elderly couple returns to the hotel where they became close when they were young and flashbacks to the earlier visit reveal the origins of both their ... See full summary  » Director: Gavin Millar The mysterious murder of an environmental activist leads her straight-laced father, an Inspector of the local police force, through a haunting revelation of the murkiness of the British ... See full summary  » Stars: Bob Peck, Joe Don Baker, Charles Kay A satire show using puppets that are charicatures of major public figures. Stars: Steve Nallon, Kate Robbins, Chris Barrie Blackeyes is an attempt to explore "what does go on between men and women in their heads, to show the possibilities of the ways that they see each other." Complex and multi-layered, the ... See full summary  » Stars: Michael Gough, Carol Royle, Nigel Planer Edit Storyline Arthur, a sheet music salesman, has an ear for the hit tunes, but nobody will trust it. And his imagination often bursts into full song, building musical numbers around the greatest frustrations in his life. He meets an innocent young school teacher, Eileen, who seems to hear the same music, but when Eileen learns that he's married, and that she's pregnant with his child, she runs away. Arthur gives up everything to find and protect her, but fate and the music haven't finished with Arthur Parker. Written by Kathy


Which Ian Fleming novel first introduced us to secret agent, James Bond?

"Climax!" Casino Royale (TV Episode 1954) - 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 American spy James Bond must outsmart card wiz and crime boss LeChiffre while monitoring his actions. Director: William H. Brown Jr. (as William H. Brown) Writers: 16 April 2007 4:34 AM, -08:00 | WENN Around The Web a list of 27 titles created 10 Nov 2012 a list of 26 titles created 29 Nov 2012 a list of 27 titles created 08 Mar 2013 a list of 27 titles created 17 Nov 2015 a list of 28 titles created 05 Jan 2016 Search for " Casino Royale " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Title: Casino Royale (21 Oct 1954) 5.8/10 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. Edit Storyline American Combined Intelligence Agency spy James Bond aka Jimmy Bond arrives at the Casino Royale in Monte Carlo, Monaco but is shot at whilst entering. He meets up with British Secret Service secret agent Clarence Leiter (this character was called Felix Leiter in the original Ian Fleming novel). He briefs Bond about his mission then Bond runs into old flame Valerie Mathis (she is an amalgam of the Vesper Lynd and Rene Mathis characters from the novel). She introduces him to Le Chiffre who is the Chief Soviet Agent in the area and is nearly always accompanied by three henchman called Basil, Zoltan and Zuroff. Le Chiffre has been gambling with the Soviet funds of his employers and he's down several million francs. Bond's mission is to beat him at a high-stakes card game of Baccarat so Le Chiffre will be ruined. Written by Jamie Skinner 21 October 1954 (USA) See more  » Filming Locations: Did You Know? Trivia First on-screen appearance of James Bond. The popular James Bond is also known as "Jimmy" Bond or 'Card Sense' Jimmy Bond or 'Card Sharp' Jimmy Bond, as well as James Bond. [In point of fact, Bond is a "Card Shark", not a "Card Sharp"; a Sharp cheats to make money, while a Shark deliberately plays against weaker players in order to make money]. According to the telefilm, he got the nickname "Card Sense Jimmy Bond" whilst playing the Maharajah in Deauville. See more » Goofs Camera shadow is visible several times in the final scene. See more » Quotes Clarence Leiter : You're a legend old boy - Card Sense Jimmy Bond they call you. I knew you right away. James Bond : I didn't know I had that much of a reputation. Clarence Leiter : Oh my dear fellow - look here - how about you give me the lowdown how to play - over a drink? Oh, I'm very sorry, my name's Clarence Leiter. James Bond : Clarence sure - What have I got to lose? Clarence Leiter : Do you ever lose old boy? Bar's over there - lead on! Character name Leiter is misspelt as Letter in the closing credits. See more » Connections (Las Vegas, Nevada) – See all my reviews When Ian Fleming published the first 007 novel, "Casino Royale", in 1952, he envisioned it as being made as a movie, and began 'selling' it to anyone who might be interested. He quickly struck a deal, but soon discovered that he'd made a bad bargain; once he'd relinquished the rights, not only did he lose any control over how it would be used, or where, but on any potential revenue from it, as well. He'd be far more cautious in future, but "Casino Royale" became the one 'Bond' title that Eon Productions wouldn't own...giving it a convoluted history that is worth a book on it's own! American television, in the 1950s, was called the "Golden Age" of 'live' drama, in part because recording techniques were so primitive. Short of actually filming productions, which was costly and time-consuming, the only way of recording was on videotape's predecessor, which was grainy, dark, and really awful. As a result, much would be performed 'live', with the taping only made as a record of the airing. A lot of plays, stories, and novels were edited into half-hour and hour-long television programs, and "C


Which Dennis Potter TV drama featured Ewan McGregor as 'Private Mick Hopper'?

Ewan McGregor — The Movie Database (TMDb) Report Biography Ewan Gordon McGregor was born 31 March 1971 in Crieff, Scotland. At 16, he left Crieff and Morrison Academy to join the Perth Repertory Theatre. His parents encouraged him to leave school and pursue his acting goals rather than be unhappy. McGregor studied drama for a year at Kirkcaldly in Fife, then enrolled at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama for a three-year course. He studied alongside Daniel Craig and Alistair McGowan among others, and left right before graduating after snagging the role of Private Mick Hopper in Dennis Potter's 1993 six-part Channel 4 series "Lipstick on Your Collar" (1993). His first notable role was that of Alex Law in Shallow Grave (1994), directed by Danny Boyle, written by John Hodge and produced by Andrew MacDonald. This was followed by The Pillow Book (1996) and Trainspotting (1996), the latter of which brought him to the public's attention. He is now one of the most critically acclaimed actors of his generation, and portrays Obi-wan Kenobi in the first three Star Wars episodes. McGregor is married to French production designer Eve Mavrakis, whom he met while working on the TV show "Kavanagh QC" (1995). They married in France in the summer of 1995 and have two daughters, Clara Mathilde and Esther Rose. McGregor has formed a production company with friends Jonny Lee Miller, Sean Pertwee, Jude Law and Sadie Frost. Called Natural Nylon, they hope it will make innovative films that do not conform to Hollywood standards.


Who won Wimbledon mixed doubles titles with Paul McNamee, Mark Woodforde and Jonathan Stark?

Navratilova takes title No 20 to equal King record - Telegraph Navratilova takes title No 20 to equal King record Courting triumph: Martina Navratilova wins her 20th title  By William Johnson 12:01AM BST 07 Jul 2003 At the ripe old age of 46 years, eight months and 18 days, Martina Navratilova, the finest women's singles player Wimbledon has known , last night fittingly claimed a share of the record of 20 Championship titles established 24 years ago by one of her former doubles partners, Billie Jean King. The last title won by King, the six-time singles champion, was in tandem with Navratilova in the 1979 women's doubles. Navratilova had 12 months earlier secured the first of her nine singles crowns, and, eight years ago, she raised her total to 19 by partnering Jonathan Stark to her third mixed doubles honour. All three of those came with different partners - the Australians Paul McNamee and Mark Woodforde were the others, and she arrived on Centre Court last night with yet another, Leander Paes, the renowned doubles specialist from India who won the men's title in 1999 with his countryman Mahesh Bhupathi. Paes was only three years old when Navratilova first had her name inscribed on the Wimbledon roll of honour after the opening one of seven women's doubles triumphs - five of them with Pam Shriver - and he was delighted to play his part in Wimbledon history. Related Articles Sugiyama forgives Clijsters 06 Jul 2003 He and Navratilova, who last Friday became the first player of either gender to appear in 300 matches at Wimbledon, always had the measure of their unseeded opponents, Israel's Andy Ram and Anastassia Rodionova, a Russian whose serve they broke once in each set to secure a 6-3, 6-3 victory. Paes, who hammered in the clinching smash as he served out to love, bowed in an "I'm not worthy" manner to his illustrious partner as Navratilova briefly wept in his arms. She recovered swiftly to tell her supporters as she savoured the making of history: "They are all special, but the last one was eight years ago so it's great to bridge such a long gap with this very, very special honour. I'll be back next year," she promised, "but I don't know in what capacity". Kim Clijsters, who allowed a glorious chance to reach her first Wimbledon singles final slip through her grasp against the injured Venus Williams , claimed the consolation prize of the women's doubles title when she partnered Japan's Ai Sugiyama to a 6-4, 6-4, victory over the top seeds, Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suarez. The match was a repeat of a semi-final here last year and the final of this year's French Open, both of which were won by Clijsters and Sugiyama and that Grand Slam sequence was extended when the second seeds made the decisive break of the Suarez serve to complete their 76-minute triumph. The men's doubles final was played on Saturday evening and saw Australian Todd Woodbridge equal the record of eight titles set 98 years ago by the Doherty brothers. Woodbridge, who won the first six of his titles as part of the "Woodies" with his compatriot Woodforde, combined with Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman to defeat the top seeds, Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi, in four sets. Bjorkman and Woodbridge were seeded only fourth despite winning The Championship last year and they retained their title for the loss of only two sets, albeit going through one of their six matches on a walk-over. This was Woodbridge's 14th Grand Slam triumph and his 76th doubles title at all venues. He now needs to win two more events to equal the record of 78 set by Tom Okker in 1980. One more honour would take him into joint second with John McEnroe. There was mixed news on the home front in the senior events. Jeremy Bates and Nick Fulwood won the men's 35 and over title but Jo Durie and her American partner Gretchen Majors were beaten in the women's final.


Which distinctive wild flower, a member of the 'Campion' family, is sometimes known as the 'Cuckoo Flower'?

Featured Species | Wildflower Europe Wildflower Europe Our Supporters Featured Species Please click on the pictures to find out more about the wild plants featured. We hope you will be inspired to learn more about them and please also visit our theme pages to find out how these plants are linked to culture and history. (inula verbarscifolia) Alder (Alnus glutinosa) Alder was formerly an important timber tree and has been found in many archaeological sites across Britain and Ireland. Bronze age alder shields are known from County Leitrim and County Down and they are the first tree mentioned in the Welsh poem 'Cad Goddeu - the Battle of the Trees'. Oakbank Iron Age Crannog on Loch Tay was built on alder piles. Alder or Fearn is one of the letters of the Ogham Tree Alphabet and the name Fearn is found in many places names in Scotland and Ireland. Alpine aster (Aster alpinus) Alpine catchfly (Lychnis alpina) Most of the UK population of this beautiful alpine plant is found on one hill top in Angus. The plant favours rocks with a heavy metal content and has been used by prospective miners to indicate ore deposits. It is the county flower for Angus. Photo copyright Andrew Gagg. Find out more about this plant Alpine Gentian (Gentiana nivalis) The snow or alpine gentian is one of our rarest plants, a alpine growing on the slopes of Ben Lawers in Perthshire. It is also found in the Alps and in Scandinavia. It is the county flower or Perthshire and there are three snow gentian flowers on the coat of arms of the municipality of Nord-Aurdal in Oppland county, Norway. Photo copyright Andrew Gagg Arnica species Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) The ash tree is central to Norse mythology (Yggdrassil), the wood is also used for many purposes. Ash is used for the letters Nin and Nuin in the Ogham and Gaelic alphabets. Photo copyright Laurie Campbell. Aspen (Populus tremula) Basil (Ocimum basilicum) Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera) The bee orchid is one of our most dramatic native orchids. It prefers well drained grasslands and can be found growing on scrub, railway banks, sand dunes, and quarries. It is the county flower of Bedfordshire. It has also been depicted in illuminated manuscripts. Photo copyright Sue Nottingham. Beech (Fagus sylvatica) The beech is native to the south east England and Wales at least and naturalised all over the UK. Its wood has been widely used for furniture and building, and its nuts used as food and oil for animals and also humans during times of famine. The nuts used to be called 'buck' and the county of Buckinghamshire derived its name from the beech nut. Beech boards were used for writing by the Anglo-Saxons. Beefsteak mushroom (Fistulina hepatica) Bindweed (Convolvulaceae) Birch (Betula species) Birch gives its name 'Beith' to the first letter of the Ogham and Gaelic tree alphabets. It is one of our most distinctive, useful and versatile trees. The bark has been used for millennia for making containers, including coffins, and can be used as a writing material. The sap can also be used to make wine and the wood is still used for a wide variety of purposes. Birds-Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculata) The birds-foot trefoil is a bright and colourful plant of grasslands across Europe. It has many different names including 'boots and shoes', 'cheese cakes', 'Grandmother's slippers', 'Devil's fingers' and 'Lady's pincushion'. Photo copyright Luke Morton Bird's eye primrose (Primula farinosa) Black Bryony (Dioscorea communis) Blackberry (Rubus sp) Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) The blackthorn is one of the first hedgerow blossoms and it used for its wood, as food and medicine. The blackthorn has a mixed reputation as a plant of ill omen, associated with witches and with the Christian crown of thorns, and a useful plant. It is the letter 'Straif' in the Ogham Tree Alphabet. The mayor of Sandwich in Kent uses a blackthorn staff as a badge of office, and it is the clan plant badge of Clan MacQuarrie. Photo copyright Beth Newman Bladder senna (Colutea arborescens) Bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum) Blue Alpine Sow Thistle (C


Which famous example of Indo-Islamic architecture was built between 1630 and 1653?

Taj Mahal, India                      : eVideo : Toronto Public Library Learn about our affiliate program Summary/Review: "Islamic architecture's most beautiful building, the Taj Mahal, is located on the southern shore of the Jumna Rive close to Agra in Northern India. Th more... Summary/Review: "Islamic architecture's most beautiful building, the Taj Mahal, is located on the southern shore of the Jumna Rive close to Agra in Northern India. This mighty mausoleum was built on the orders of the Mogul King, Shah Jehan, for his favourite wife.  Surrounding an inner core of stone, the Taj Mahal is mainly of brick construction encased in marble. The marble was transported from quarries about 300 km from Agra and in addition to its richly decorated, precious white marble, red sandstone was also used for its massive main gateway. Floral reliefs, tendrils and other carefully created stone works adorn the building's magnificent exterior.  On its walls there are artistic images taken from the Koran and there are also non-Islamic decorations that were designed by 17th century architects. The stunning Persian motifs of blossom and plants consist partly of precious stones such as diamonds. garnet, sapphires and onyx. In 1629 the wife of the Indian Mogul, Shah Jehan, died at the birth of her 14th child. In her memory, her husband promised to build a mighty monument: the result was the Taj Mahal. It was built between 1630 and 1653 and its Persian character is due to its first architect, Isa Afandi, who originated from Iran. Its onion-like cupolas were a real architectural achievement of their day and the symmetry of the building is truly remarkable. A perfect example of Indo-Islamic architecture, today the Taj Mahal is India's most famous structure."--Container


What food, although not rationed during the Second World War, was rationed after it?

What You Need To Know About Rationing In The Second World War | Imperial War Museums Quick read What You Need To Know About Rationing In The Second World War In January 1940, the British government introduced food rationing. The scheme was designed to ensure fair shares for all at a time of national shortage. The Ministry of Food was responsible for overseeing rationing. Every man, woman and child was given a ration book with coupons. These were required before rationed goods could be purchased. Basic foodstuffs such as sugar, meat, fats, bacon and cheese were directly rationed by an allowance of coupons. Housewives had to register with particular retailers. A number of other items, such as tinned goods, dried fruit, cereals and biscuits, were rationed using a points system. The number of points allocated changed according to availability and consumer demand. Priority allowances of milk and eggs were given to those most in need, including children and expectant mothers. As shortages increased, long queues became commonplace. It was common for someone to reach the front of a long queue, only to find out that the item they had been waiting for had just run out. Not all foods were rationed. Fruit and vegetables were never rationed but were often in short supply, especially tomatoes, onions and fruit shipped from overseas. The government encouraged people to grow vegetables in their own gardens and allotments. Many public parks were also used for this purpose. The scheme became better known as ‘Dig For Victory’. Certain key commodities were also rationed – petrol in 1939, clothes in June 1941 and soap in February 1942. The end of the war saw additional cuts. Bread, which was never rationed during wartime, was put on the ration in July 1946. It was not until the early 1950s that most commodities came ‘off the ration’. Meat was the last item to be de-rationed and food rationing ended completely in 1954. One way to get rationed items without coupons, usually at greatly inflated prices, was on the black market. Shopkeepers sometimes kept special supplies ‘behind the counter’, and ‘spivs’ - petty criminals - traded in goods often obtained by dubious means. By March 1941, 2,300 people had been prosecuted and severely penalised for fraud and dishonesty. Follow us


"Which family did Clint Eastwood deliberately pit against the 'Rojo family'. in ""A Fistful Of Dollars""?"

Novelization Appreciation: A Fistful of Dollars A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS by Frank Chandler Technically, today's 50th anniversary of A Fistful of Dollars is not an American celebration. Due to protracted legal issues over Sergio Leone's liberal appropriation of plots 'n shots from Yojimbo, the pioneering spaghetti western wouldn't be ushered into western theaters until early 1967. But 50 years ago the Man With No Name fired up Italian screens for the first time and his violent pistol opera swiftly become the country's highest grossing film to date, thus assuring its unshaven anti-hero's massive crossover success in the states and iconic status in the annals of action cinema. Short of actually going out and shooting some Italian character actors, what better way to mark this occasion than to talk a little about the movie's novelization, which also didn't debut in America (it was published by Tandem, Universal Publishing's U.K. subsidiary) and also isn't 50 years old (it didn't materialize until 1972). Obviously, the biggest challenge of shoehorning this or any Sergio Leone film into a cash-in novelization that dropped eight years after the movie's debut is the inescapable lack of Sergio Leone. And of all five of his westerns, A Fistful of Dollars doesn't offer much story to work with - for all its excessive shootouts, epic scope and piercing Morricone score, the narrative itself couldn't be more economical. The small cast and centralized location are the antithesis of a monumental John Ford production. The simplicity of the hero's motivation is a pale shade of the psychological complexity built into a Mann or a Boetticher protagonist. Although it's not without its dark and funny moments, Leone steered clear of Hawks' common sojourns into comedic territory, the moral grey areas of de Toth and Peckinpah's visceral portraits of men who've outlived their time in the world (at least until Once Upon a Time in the West). Deliberately stripped down to the sparsest possible structure, the Dollar trilogy - particularly the first one - rely less on storytelling techniques than cinematic design: extreme close-ups, POV shots and rapid editing to heighten the tension of deadly stand-offs, jarring music cues and sound effects that echo up and down the hills of Almerï¿½a (er, San Miguel), characters introduced through actions rather than dialogue. An introductory shot of Clint Eastwood's stranger riding into town under a tall leafless tree with jutting branches from which hang an ominous noose tells you everything about the town you need to know: its desperate poverty, the omnipresent threat from any one of its various criminal chapters, that the stranger has wandered into a situation not as easily manipulated as he might expect. But as oblivious as he might seem to death hanging directly above him, the stranger riding tall and stoically in his saddle immediately establishes his strategy to come as close to the danger as possible without letting his neck slip into the noose. All this from one shot, before a word of dialogue has been spoken. This kind of very visual storytelling presents an obvious challenge to British writer Terry Harknett, writing under the name Frank Chandler (more American sounding I guess?) Even less enviable a task is having to transform Clint Eastwood's detached gunslinger into an internalized character: how many different ways can Harknett describe the stranger's "impassive expression" and "steady gaze?" It's the equivalent of a sketch artist sitting on the sidelines as the gunslinger saunters into town: Eastwood's visage is better seen than transcribed. In Red Harvest, the novel Kurosawa may or may not have based Yojimbo on, Dashiell Hammett avoided having to constantly explain what his similarly unnamed protagonist was thinking by keeping the narrative in first person, letting the enigmatic detective report on events happening around him rather than glancing omnipotently inward. Of course, that approach to the Man With No Name wouldn't have worked - his mysterious aura is based on his impenetrable stoicism.* There's


'Michaelwood Services' are located on which Motorway?

Michaelwood Services M5 - Motorway Services Information Michaelwood Services M5 Other ratings from visitors to the site Truckers Type: Separate facilities for each carriageway, but linked by a pedestrian footbridge Operator: Welcome Break Eat-In Food: Starbucks, Eat In, Burger King, KFC Takeaway Food / General: WH smith Picnic Area: yes Cash Machines in main building: Yes (transaction charge applies) Parking Charges: Free for two hours, charges apply for longer stays. Cars: £10.00. Caravans, Coaches and HGVs: £18.50 including meal voucher or £16.00 without. Other Facilities/Information: Gaming area, free Wi fi, tourist information area, highways traffic information, large seating area, toilets. Motel: Days Inn


BBC News - Suriname country profile Printable version Suriname country profile Suriname, once known as Dutch Guiana, is one of South America's smallest countries. It enjoys a relatively high standard of living but also faces serious political and economic challenges. Since independence from the Netherlands in 1975 Suriname has endured coups and a civil war. Former military strongman Desi Bouterse dominated politics for much of the post-independence era, but the country is now under civilian rule. Overview Media Suriname is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the Americas. Most of its people are descended from African slaves and Indian and Indonesian indentured servants brought over by the Dutch to work as agricultural labourers. However, there is little assimilation between the different ethnic groups, which confine their contacts to the economic sphere. Similarly, most political parties are ethnically based. This acts as an obstacle to consensus-building. Suriname has potential for tourism, boasting rainforests, abundant wildlife and colonial architecture in the capital. But the sector is undeveloped, hampered by the inaccessibility of the interior and the lack of infrastructure. So, Suriname depends heavily on mining and processing its declining reserves of bauxite and is vulnerable to falls in commodity prices. Suriname and neighbouring Guyana have been engaged in a long-running territorial dispute over a potentially oil-rich offshore area. A UN tribunal settled the issue in 2007, redrawing the maritime border and giving both countries access to the basin. The ruling is expected to bring a surge of exploration by major oil companies. The issue flared up in 2000 when Surinamese patrol boats evicted a Canadian-owned rig from a concession awarded by Guyana. Facts Media President: Desire "Desi" Bouterse The former military leader of Suriname in the 1980s and early 1990s, Desi Bouterse won enough parliamentary support in July 2010 to be elected president. Desi Bouterse first led Suriname following a coup in 1980 This followed his Mega Combination coalition's winning 23 out of the 51 seats in parliament in May, thereby becoming the largest single party. He won the presidency with the help of two smaller parties after weeks of strenuous efforts by the opposition to stop him. Mr Bouterse's election campaign concentrated on winning over poorer voters who felt let down by the previous government's economic austerity programme. Mr Bouterse is a controversial figure. In 2007, he was put on trial for allegedly ordering the killing of 15 political opponents as military ruler in 1982. But the slow-moving case was put on hold when parliament passed a law giving Mr Bouterse and his 24 co-defendants blanket immunity for human rights violations committed during military rule. The amnesty law provoked outrage among his opponents, while former colonial power the Netherlands recalled its ambassador and froze aid in protest. In 1999, the Netherlands convicted Mr Bouterse in absentia of drug-trafficking in 1999. He denied all charges in the case. As head of state he is immune from prosecution abroad. Media


Who was the first and only President of the Confederate States of America?

Who was the first and only president of the Confederate States of America?      A. Andrew Jackson      B. Abraham Lincoln      C. Jefferson Davis      D. Franklin Pierce You have new items in your feed. Click to view. Question and answer Who was the first and only president of the Confederate States of America?      A. Andrew Jackson      B. Abraham Lincoln      C. Jefferson Davis      D. Franklin Pierce C. Jefferson Davis was the first and only President of the Confederate States of America. Who was the first and only president of the Confederate States of America?   A. Andrew Jackson   B. Abraham Lincoln   C. Jefferson Davis   D. Franklin Pierce New answers This answer has been added to the Weegy Knowledgebase 3 This answer has been added to the Weegy Knowledgebase Comments Log in or sign up first. Questions asked by the same visitor Weegy: A. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1846. (More) Question Asked 11/17/2011 12:03:54 PM 0 Answers/Comments Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860. Added 9/23/2014 7:11:24 PM This answer has been added to the Weegy Knowledgebase Weegy: D. He attended Harvard College (More) Question Asked 11/17/2011 12:09:38 PM 0 Answers/Comments Weegy: The statement B. The North had far better military leadership than the South, was untrue. (More) Question Asked 11/23/2011 10:48:45 AM 0 Answers/Comments The first shots of the Civil War were fired: B. the Battle of Fort Sumter Added 11/23/2011 11:19:36 AM This answer has been added to the Weegy Knowledgebase 3 The first shots of the Civil War were fired at the Battle of Fort Sumter. Added 11/23/2011 11:22:36 AM Weegy: -54 + 18 = -36  User: Simplify 3(x - 4) + 8(x + 2) User: What is the equation of the line that passes through ... 1/17/2017 1:07:03 PM| 5 Answers Weegy: r(r+3) = 1  User: 5x + 2y = 20, when x = 0.3? User: What is the value of a in the equation 3a + b = 54, when b ... 1/17/2017 9:50:12 AM| 3 Answers Weegy: C. [ July  On July 4, 2008, our planet is at the distant end- a point astronomers call "aphelion." This puts ... 1/18/2017 1:59:28 AM| 3 Answers


Who manufactured the U2 spy plane in which Gary Powers was shot down in 1960?

U-2 spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers honored with Silver Star at Pentagon - CBS News By David Morgan CBS News June 15, 2012, 3:02 PM U-2 spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers honored with Silver Star at Pentagon U.S. Air Force Pilot Captain Francis Gary Powers is pictured before his U-2 spy plane on June 1, 1959. While flying a joint Air Force-CIA mission, Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union and held for nearly two years. AP Photo Email (CBS News) Capt. Francis Gary Powers, the Air Force pilot whose U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960, was posthumously honored Friday in a medal ceremony at the Pentagon. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz presented the Silver Star Medal to Capt. Powers' children, Gary Powers Jr. and Dee Powers, in the Hall of Heroes, in tribute to Powers' "heroic action and his loyalty to the United States of America during a pivotal time in our nation's history." "My sister, myself, my wife, my son, aunts and uncles, cousins, the Powers family is deeply grateful and deeply appreciative for the awarding of the Silver Star to my father," said Gary Powers Jr. "It goes to show that it's never too late to set the record straight." U.S. pilot whose spy plane was shot down in Soviet air space in 1960 is posthumously awarded Silver Star Powers, whose reconnaissance plane was shot down over the U.S.S.R. on May 1, 1960, was honored for demonstrating "exceptional loyalty" while enduring harsh interrogation in a Russian prison for nearly two years. After taking off from Pakistan and flying at an altitude of 70,000 feet, Powers was more than 1,200 miles inside the Soviet Union's border when he was shot down by surface-to-air missiles. He parachuted safely to the ground and was captured by Soviet troops. The plane's camera and film was also captured - a propaganda boon for Soviet Premier Nikita Krushchev. Under intense interrogation, Powers was threatened with death and suffered sleep and food deprivation. He was eventually tried in Moscow. U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers (right) sits in the dock in a Moscow court, August 17, 1960, at the opening of his espionage trial. At left is his defense counsel, Mikhail Griniev. AP Photo "Captain Powers steadfastly refused all attempts to give sensitive defense information or be exploited for propaganda purposes," the medal citation reads. In August 1960 Powers was convicted of espionage and sentenced to three years in prison and seven years in a prison colony. After 21 months in prison Powers was exchanged was turned over to U.S. officials in Berlin in 1962, exchanged in a prisoner swap for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel. After returning to the U.S., Powers was exonerated by a CIA board of inquiry, and he was awarded an Intelligence Star. But many criticized him for not destroying the plane and its sensitive surveillance instruments - and for allowing himself to be taken alive. Powers' daughter, Dee, that the trauma of her father's detention and show trial was exacerbated by a teacher in third grade, who voiced the sentiment of many over the pilot's capture: "A teacher told me my father should have killed himself," she told CBS Radio's Howard Arenstein. Powers later worked as a test pilot at Lockheed and wrote a 1970 memoir, "Operation Overflight." A TV-movie was made in 1976 about the U-2 incident starring Lee Majors. Powers died in 1977 when the helicopter he was piloting for KNBC crashed in Los Angeles. Documents declassified in the 1990s revealed that the U-2 spy flight had been a joint operation of the CIA and the Air Force, making him eligible for military honors. Powers was awarded a posthumous POW medal - and now, the Silver Star. © 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.


The building originally known as the G-Mex Centre in Manchester was built on the site of which railway station?

Rail History — Manchester Metrolink — LRTA Metrolink Introduction > A Brief Rail History: updated 8 October 2016 A Brief Rail History of Manchester This page is an outline of the history of railways in the Manchester area from 1830. It summarises information obtained from various books about railways and includes observations of recent developments. When mainline railways arrived, during the 1830s and early 40s, the town was already a considerable size with valuable properties in the central area. Terminal stations were built on the outer edges of the town. This resulted in problems for passengers arriving at one station and wanting to depart from another. Victoria station with its connecting lines opened in 1844 on the north side of the city centre, the adjacent Exchange station opened in 1884. The Manchester South Junction and Altrincham lines opened in 1849 on the south side. By the 1980s the north and south side networks were still unconnected and without effective central area penetration. The Metrolink six line plan came out of several studies into light rail. The 19th Century saw the arrival and expansion of railways in the Manchester area. Topics in this section are Liverpool and Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire, Manchester and Birmingham, Sheffield and Manchester, Diagram of Central Manchester Railways and Stations in 1890, Victoria and Exchange Stations, Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJAR), Manchester to Leeds via Stalybridge and Huddersfield, Midland Railway (MR) and Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC). 1900 to 1960s , during this period the railways faced increasing competition from road based transport. Topics in this section are Bury Line Electrification (LYR), Railway Grouping 1923, The Altrincham Line Electrification (MSJAR) and Modernisation and Contraction. Late 1960s to Metrolink . It became clear that previous attempts to solve the railway’s problems were not working which lead to the setting up of the Passenger Transport Authorities and Executives. Other topics covered in this section are Altrincham line first re–electrification, North–South Connections, Hadfield and Glossop line re–electrification, Hazel Grove Chord and Windsor Link, Transpennine Services, Manchester Airport Link, Diagram of Central Manchester Railways, Stations and Metrolink in 2015 and Conclusions 19th Century Liverpool and Manchester By the early nineteenth century Manchester was already a thriving town based on the cotton and related industries. The existing road and canal links to Liverpool, through whose docks most of the raw cotton was imported and also finished goods exported, were considered inadequate. A group of Liverpool businessmen got together and promoted a rail line between Liverpool and Manchester. The ‘Rocket’ won the Rainhill locomotive trials in October 1829. The line opened on 15th September 1830 the Manchester terminus was Liverpool Road Station. The Grand Junction Railway (GJR), opened in 1837, linked the mid–point of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway with Birmingham. Early in 1844 Liverpool Road became a goods station and closed in 1975. It is now preserved as part of the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry. Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway This was formed in 1847 from a number of smaller railways in the two counties from which it is named. The Manchester and Bolton opened in 1838 from a terminus at Salford (present day Salford Central) to Bolton. The Manchester and Bury was promoted by a company which became the East Lancashire Railway (ELR). It ran from Clifton Junction on the Manchester and Bolton to Bury and on to Accrington. The Manchester and Leeds was first of the Transpennine railways and one of the easiest in terms of gradients. The route is through Rochdale and Hebden Bridge. The line opened throughout in 1841 from a terminal station in Oldham Road. Oldham Road became a goods station after Victoria opened. Later it closed completely and has now been demolished, it was about 800 metres or half a mile from Piccadilly Gardens. By 1842 there was a steeply graded branch from


Which is the only athletics world record never to have been broken at the Olympic Games?

Unattainable records leave female athletes struggling for acclaim | Anna Kessel | Sport | The Guardian Sportblog Unattainable records leave female athletes struggling for acclaim Women at the World Athletics Championships are competing in the shadow of a murky past but deserve more acclaim Sanya Richards' best at 400m iis still 1.10sec slower than Marita Koch's in 1985. Photograph: Hannibal Hanschke/EPA Sportblog Unattainable records leave female athletes struggling for acclaim Women at the World Athletics Championships are competing in the shadow of a murky past but deserve more acclaim Saturday 15 August 2009 19.15 EDT First published on Saturday 15 August 2009 19.15 EDT Share on Messenger Close It was an enduring image: Usain Bolt, centre stage, at the Jamaican team press conference in Beijing, while squeezed to one side were his female Olympic gold medal winning team-mates. A thousand camera flashes illuminated the triple world record holder's grin as the women were comprehensively ignored. Pursing their lips, Shelly-Ann Fraser, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Melaine Walker had been here before. Yes, Bolt's achievements were extraordinary, but for the female athletes the dynamics were all too familiar. So why are women so routinely consigned to the bottom of the page? When she was finally given the microphone, Campbell-Brown bravely broached the issue. "It's a touchy subject, but if I should be honest, I really believe men get more attention in this sport. It's based on the fact that the world record in the 100m and 200m for men is reachable. For me, my PRs [personal records] are 10.85[sec] and 21.74[sec], which I just accomplished here and I only ran that once. It is hard for me to even think about the world record." Why so? Because since Florence Griffith-Joyner's 1988 world records in the 100m and 200m, no female sprinter has come anywhere near breaking them – not even a drug-fuelled Marion Jones. Meanwhile, in the men's sprints, the 100m world record has been broken 11 times in the past two decades. With Fraser and Walker nodding in unison, Campbell-Brown spelled out the awkward truth. "It is beyond my reach. The 200m world record is 21.34[sec] and the 100m record is 10.49[sec]. How many females have even run 10.6[sec] in the past 20 years since Flo Jo set that record?" Actually the only other woman to run a 10.6sec time was Jones, ahead of the Sydney Olympics, but after admitting that she took performance-enhancing drugs in 2007, that mark was swiftly erased. "It's disappointing to not get the respect that the males do," Campbell-Brown said, "because they are capable of breaking the record and people are excited to see them run because they know the possibility of breaking the record is close. I don't have that luxury." The problem is not unique to the sprints. With 13 women's world records in the Olympic track and field events still standing from the 1980s – all before the introduction of mandatory random drug testing in 1989 – some feel that a clean athlete will never be able to surpass those marks. Compare that to the men's events, in which only the hammer and the discus world records date back to the 1980s, and the opportunities for male and female athletes could not be more different. The frustrations are obvious. How can it be that no contemporary athlete has managed to get within the same second as Jarmila Kratochvilova's 1983 mark in the 800m? Why is Sanya Richards' best – the fastest 400m runner in over a decade – still 1.10sec slower than Marita Koch's effort in 1985? Why is the legendary Carolina Kluft's best score in the heptathlon 259 points behind the world record set in 1988 by Jackie Joyner-Kersee? There are no easy answers. Flo Jo and the others never failed a drugs test, but the flamboyant American's achievements were dogged by rumour and suspicion as critics whispered about increased muscle tone, an elongated jawline, a deeper voice, a hasty retirement and death by heart seizure aged just 38. So why the discrepancy between the sexes? We know that doping has a greater effect on women than on men.


Which exotic creatures reside in St. James Park, London?

Pelican Feeding in St James's Park Pelican Feeding in St James's Park Pelican Feeding in St James's Park Pelican Feeding Time in St James's Park.  © Laura Porter, licensed to About.com, Inc. Share By Laura Porter If you have visited St James Park - between Buckingham Palace , Trafalgar Square and the Houses of Parliament - you will have seen the resident pelicans . They are not shy and will often wander along the paths near the lake and try and get treats from visitors. Why Are There Pelicans Here? This area was a deer park and hunting land for King Henry VIII in the 1500s. When James I became king in 1603 he kept more exotic animals here in the park that included camels, crocodiles and an elephant. There were also aviaries of exotic birds along what is now Birdcage Walk. After the English Civil War and the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Charles II re-landscaped the park in a formal French style. The first pelicans were brought to St James's Park in 1664 as a gift from the Russian Ambassador and pelicans are still offered to the park by foreign ambassadors today. How Many Pelicans? There are currently four Eastern (or Great) White Pelicans living near Duck Island at St James's Park. continue reading below our video Best Ride Sharing Apps of 2015 All have been bred in captivity. What Do They Eat? Visitors are actually asked not to feed the pelicans, or pigeons or any birds in the park, but that point is missed by most people. These lucky pelicans are fed 12lb (5.4kg) of fish a day, plus a vitamin supplement. In more recent years there have been more sightings, and videos uploaded by shocked tourists, of pelicans eating live pigeons. This is opportunistic behavior as, simply, pigeons look like food to them. But, this is still unusual and these pelicans are generally happy with their daily fish.   What Time is the Daily Feeding? Head to Duck Island at the east end of St James's Park Lake, near Horse Guard's Parade, to see the pelicans receive their daily fish between 2.30pm and 3pm daily. A member of Royal Parks staff comes out from the cottage (Park Office) with a large bucket or bowl and throws the fish individually to each pelican to ensure all get their fair share. It's fine to take photos and to watch the feeding but please don't ask to throw a fish yourself as that's not allowed. If staff have time they can answer some questions when they have finished feeding the pelicans but while they are throwing the fish let them do their job as they are also assessing the pelicans at the same time. Did you Know?


Which King married Alexandra, daughter of Christian IX of Denmark?

Alexandra | queen consort of Great Britain | Britannica.com queen consort of Great Britain Written By: Alternative Titles: Alexandra Caroline Mary Charlotte Louisa Julia, Alexandra, Princess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Alexandra, Princess of Wales Alexandra Queen consort of Great Britain Also known as Alexandra Caroline Mary Charlotte Louisa Julia Alexandra, Princess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg David Cameron Alexandra, in full Alexandra Caroline Mary Charlotte Louisa Julia, also called (1844–63) Princess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, or (1863–1901) Princess of Wales (born Dec. 1, 1844, Copenhagen , Den.—died Nov. 20, 1925, Sandringham , Norfolk , Eng.), queen consort of King Edward VII of Great Britain. Queen Alexandra. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The eldest daughter of Christian IX of Denmark , Alexandra was married to Edward (then Albert Edward, prince of Wales) in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, on March 10, 1863. The exceptional beauty and graceful manner of the princess made her an immediate and lasting favourite with the British public. She had six children: Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence; George, Duke of York, afterward King George V; Louise, afterward Duchess of Fife; Victoria; Maud, afterward queen of Norway; and John, who died in infancy. A serious illness in 1867 left Alexandra lame and accentuated a hereditary deafness. As queen she devoted much of her income and time to the poor and suffering; she founded the Imperial Military Nursing Service in 1902 and started Alexandra Rose Day to raise funds for British hospitals. Learn More in these related articles: Edward VII Nov. 9, 1841 London, Eng. May 6, 1910 London king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British dominions and emperor of India from 1901, an immensely popular and affable sovereign and a leader of society. in choker ...early form of choker had one or more rows of pearls, which sometimes covered the neck from the base to the chin. Another popular choker was a band of velvet with a cameo pinned to its centre. Queen Alexandra, consort to Edward VII of Great Britain, in the late 19th century introduced a wide pearl and diamond choker that was soon dubbed the “dog collar.” 2 References found in Britannica Articles Assorted References association with Edward VII  (in Edward VII ) introduction of choker as fashion  (in choker ) External Links Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later. Edit Mode Queen consort of Great Britain Tips for Editing Submit Tips For Editing We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles. You can make it easier for us to review and, hopefully, publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind. Encyclopædia Britannica articles are written in a neutral objective tone for a general audience. You may find it helpful to search within the site to see how similar or related subjects are covered. Any text you add should be original, not copied from other sources. At the bottom of the article, feel free to list any sources that support your changes, so that we can fully understand their context. (Internet URLs are the best.) Your contribution may be further edited by our staff, and its publication is subject to our final approval. Unfortunately, our editorial approach may not be able to accommodate all contributions. Submit Thank You for Your Contribution! Our editors will review what you've submitted, and if it meets our criteria, we'll add it to the article. Please note that our editors may make some formatting changes or correct spelling or grammatical errors, and may also contact you if any clarifications are needed. Uh Oh There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later. Close Date Published: July 20, 1998 URL: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexandra-queen-consort-of-Great-Britain Access Date: January 20, 2017 Share


Counterfeit Billycock - Official TF2 Wiki | Official Team Fortress Wiki Counterfeit Billycock This hat is a spy. “ — The Spy on imposter hats ” The Counterfeit Billycock is a community-created cosmetic item for the Spy . It is a top hat, adorned with a paper disguise mask bearing an image of the Backbiter's Billycock . The item was designed by A trained chimpanzee , and the backpack icon was contributed by smash.mn . The Counterfeit Billycock was contributed to the Steam Workshop. Contents


Which group was voted 'Best British Group' at the 2007 Brit Awards?

Who will win Best British Group at the Brit Awards 2014? Vote for your favourite Brits nominee - Mirror Online Celebs Who will win Best British Group at the Brit Awards 2014? Vote for your favourite Brits nominee It's seriously tough in this category, with the likes of One Direction, Bastille, the Arctic Monkeys, Disclosure and Rudimental battling it out  Share The One Direction boys are hoping for the crown (Photo: WENN)  Share Get celebs updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email It looks like it's going to be men ruling the group category at the Brit Awards this year, and there is some serious competition. Heartthrobs One Direction are up against big names including Rudimental and the Arctic Monkeys for a chance of being crowned Best British Group. They will also have to contend with chart topper Bastille and newcomer Disclosure, who made a name for themselves with their hit White Noise. But unfortunately for these guys, there can only be one winner at the annual bash later this month. Last year's champion was Mumford and Sons, who have gone on to have a VERY successful year indeed, so it's bound to be something worth fighting for this time round too. Check out our guide below as we break down every nominee, and don't forget to vote for your favourite star at the bottom of the page. One Direction


what is the chemical symbol for Mercury?

Chemical Elements.com - Mercury (Hg) Bentor, Yinon. Chemical Element.com - Mercury. <http://www.chemicalelements.com/elements/hg.html>. For more information about citing online sources, please visit the MLA's Website . This page was created by Yinon Bentor. Use of this web site is restricted by this site's license  agreement . Copyright © 1996-2012 Yinon Bentor. All Rights Reserved.


What make of car was JF Kennedy traveling in when he was shot dead?

The Strange Saga of the JFK Assassination Car | Boundary Stones: WETA's Washington DC History Blog The Strange Saga of the JFK Assassination Car 11/22/2013 in DC by Patrick Kiger You may have assumed that the Presidential limosine that carried President Kennedy through Dallas on November 22, 1963 was taken out of service after the assassination... But that would be incorrect. Four more presidents used it afterwards. The photo above is from LBJ's term. (Photo source: Flickr user That Hartford Guy via Creative Commons license.) On Oct. 5, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson joined a visiting head of state, Philippines President Diosdad Macapagal, in a 25-minute noontime parade through downtown Washington . In the annals of Presidential events, it was unremarkable, save for one odd and unsettling detail. LBJ and Macapagal rode thorugh the capital's streets in the same customized black 1961 Lincoln limousine in which, not quite a year before, President John F. Kennedy had been killed by a sniper as he rolled in a motorcade through the streets of Dallas.  It may seem puzzlingly strange, even macabre, that LBJ — who had been riding two cars behind JFK in Dallas — would reuse the same car in which his predecessor had been slain. But apparently, the Secret Service decided that it was faster and more economical to recycle JFK's old Lincoln than it was to order the building of a new Presidential parade limousine.  Those who'd seen JFK in the limousine in Dallas might not have recognized it. The navy blue Lincoln no longer was a convertible, having been equipped with a bulletproof metal-and-glass hardtop roof. There were numerous other security modifications as well, which bystanders couldn't see.   The strange saga of JFK's recycled death car began a few years before, when the Secret Service decided to add a new car to the fleet of 10 1950 Lincolns that Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower had used, whose roofs had been modified to provide with extra headroom to accommodate the tophats that once were the fashion for chiefs of state. The President's new car started out as a stock 1961 Lincoln Continental 4-door convertible, manufactured at Ford's plant in Wixom, Mich. in January 1961.  The auto maker then sent it to another company, Hess & Eisenhardt, in Cincinnati, Oh., which customized it to serve as a parade limousine. That involved fairly radical alternations, including cutting the car in half and adding a 3-and-a-half-foot section to the middle. According to  Popular Mechanics,  the vehicle — code-named X-100 by the Secret Service — was the most sophisticated presidential limousine that had ever been built. Its equipment included a pair of radio telephones, interior floodlights, spotlight-illuminated flagstaffs on the fenders, and a rear seat equipped with a hydraulic lift capable of raising it 11 inches off the floor. But the car's crowning feature was its set of three removable roofs — a standard cloth convertible roof, another of lightweight metal, and a third of transparent plastic. The roofs were composed of multiple removable panels that could be used separately or in different combinations, depending upon the weather and the President's wishes.   The designers' intention was to make the President more visible to spectators — a decision that would seem ill-considered after Nov. 22, 1963. For all its sophisticated features, the car was woefully short on protection against attack. It wasn't armored, and even if the plastic bubbletop hadn't been removed that day because of the clearing skies over Dallas, the Warren Commission report would note that it "was neither bulletproof nor bullet-resistant." After the assassination, the limousine was scoured by investigators for evidence. The windshield, which had been hit by the third bullet fired by assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, was removed by the FBI and Secret Service, and became Exhibit (CE) 350 of the Warren Commission. You might suspect that after that, the car would have been set aside as an historical artifact. Instead, oddly, the fateful Lincoln was shipped back to Ohio, where He