Units: The International System Using the Dictionary The International System of Units (SI) All systems of weights and measures, metric and non-metric, are linked through a network of international agreements supporting the International System of Units. The International System is called the SI, using the first two initials of its French name Système International d'Unités. The key agreement is the Treaty of the Meter (Convention du Mètre), signed in Paris on May 20, 1875. 48 nations have now signed this treaty, including all the major industrialized countries. The United States is a charter member of this metric club, having signed the original document back in 1875. The SI is maintained by a small agency in Paris, the International   Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM, for Bureau   International des Poids et Mesures), and it is updated every few years   by an international conference, the General Conference on Weights and Measures   (CGPM,  for Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures),  attended by representatives of all the industrial countries and international  scientific and engineering organizations. The 24th CGPM met in 2011;  the next meeting will be in 2014. As BIPM states on its web site, "The SI  is not static but evolves to match the world's increasingly demanding requirements  for measurement." At the heart of the SI is a short list of base units defined in an absolute way without referring to any other units. The base units are consistent with the part of the metric system called the MKS system . In all there are seven SI base units: the meter for distance, the mole for amount of  substance, and the candela for intensity of  light. Other SI units, called SI derived units , are defined algebraically in terms of these fundamental units. For example, the SI unit of force, the newton , is defined to be the force that accelerates a mass of one kilogram at the rate of one meter per second per second. This means the newton is equal to one kilogram meter per second squared, so the algebraic relationship is N = kg·m·s-2. Currently there are 22 SI derived units that have special names and symbols. They include: the radian and steradian for plane and solid angles, respectively; the newton for force and the pascal for pressure; the joule for energy and the watt for power; the degree Celsius for  everyday measurement of temperature; units for measurement of electricity: the coulomb (charge), volt (potential), farad (capacitance), ohm (resistance), and siemens (conductance); units for measurement of magnetism: the weber (flux), tesla (flux density), and henry (inductance); the lumen for flux of light and  the lux for illuminance; the hertz for frequency of regular events   and the becquerel for rates of radioactivity   and other random events; the gray and sievert for radiation dose; and the katal , a unit of catalytic  activity used in biochemistry. Future meetings of the CGPM may make additions to this list; the katal was  added by the 21st CGPM in 1999. In addition to the 29 base and derived units, the SI permits the use of certain additional units, including: the traditional mathematical units for measuring angles  ( degree , arcminute, and arcsecond ); the traditional units of civil time ( minute , hour , day ,  and year ); two metric units commonly used in ordinary life: the liter for volume and the tonne (metric  ton) for large masses; the logarithmic units bel and neper (and their multiples, such as  the decibel ); and three non-metric scientific units whose values represent  important physical constants: the astronomical  unit , the atomic mass unit or dalton , and the electronvolt . The SI currently accepts the use of certain other metric and non-metric units traditional in various fields. These units are supposed to be "defined in relation to the SI in every document in which they are used," and "their use is not encouraged." These barely-tolerated units might well be prohibited by future meetings of the CGPM. They include: the nautical mile and knot


What Is the first name of the wife of US President Barack Obama?

Barack Obama | whitehouse.gov Air Force One Barack Obama Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States. His story is the American story -- values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others. Barack H. Obama is the 44th President of the United States. His story is the American story — values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others. With a father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas, President Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961. He was raised with help from his grandfather, who served in Patton's army, and his grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management at a bank. After working his way through college with the help of scholarships and student loans, President Obama moved to Chicago, where he worked with a group of churches to help rebuild communities devastated by the closure of local steel plants. He went on to attend law school, where he became the first African—American president of the Harvard Law Review. Upon graduation, he returned to Chicago to help lead a voter registration drive, teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago, and remain active in his community. President Obama's years of public service are based around his unwavering belief in the ability to unite people around a politics of purpose. In the Illinois State Senate, he passed the first major ethics reform in 25 years, cut taxes for working families, and expanded health care for children and their parents. As a United States Senator, he reached across the aisle to pass groundbreaking lobbying reform, lock up the world's most dangerous weapons, and bring transparency to government by putting federal spending online. He was elected the 44th President of the United States on November 4, 2008, and sworn in on January 20, 2009. He and his wife, Michelle, are the proud parents of two daughters, Malia, 14, and Sasha, 11.


Which flower is classified into 9 categories, which include; incurve, reflex, spiders, singles, sprays?

Chrysanthemum - Gardenology.org - Plant Encyclopedia and Gardening wiki var. , If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks! The Chrysanthemum genus is very broad with about 160 species. The more popular ones are of the species C. morifolium, better known as Florists' Chrysanthemum. These bloom in autumn, are the most useful, with a rainbow of colors and flower forms, as well as growth habits. The flowers are good cut flowers as well. The Shasta Daisy (C. maximum) is another popular species that is a heavy summer and fall bloom of white flowers with gold centers, with varying flower forms. The number of cultivars is probably countless, and growing quickly. Below is a general breakout of the many types of groupings, which will simplify how to care for them. The species of Chrysanthemum are herbaceous perennial plants , with deeply lobed leaves and large flowerheads, white, yellow or pink in the wild species. Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture Chrysanthemum (Greek golden flower). Including Pyrethrum. Compositae. Plate XXX. A diverse group of herbaceous and sub-shrubby plants, mostly hardy, and typically with white or yellow single flowers, but the more important kinds greatly modified in form and color, grown in the open or flowered under glass in fall. Annual or perennial herbs, sometimes partly woody, glabrous or loosely pubescent or rarely viscid, usually heavy-scented: lvs. alternate, various, from nearly or quite entire to much dissected: heads many-fld., terminating long peduncles or disposed in corymbose clusters, radiate (rays sometimes wanting); disk-fls. perfect and mostly fertile; ray-fls. pistillate, mostly fertile, the ray white, yellow, rose-colored, toothed or entire; receptacle naked, flat or convex; involucre-scales imbricated and appressed, mostly in several series, the margins usually scarious: achene of disk- and ray-fls. similar, striate or angled or terete or more or less ribbed, those of the ray-fls. often 3-angled; pappus 0, or a scale-like cup or raised border.—Probably nearly 150 recognizable species, in temperate and boreal regions in many parts of the globe, but mostly in the Old World. The genus Chrysanthemum, as now accepted by botanists, includes many diverse species so far as general appearance is concerned, but nevertheless well agreeing within themselves in systematic marks and by these same marks being separated from related groups. The marks are in large part set forth in the preceding paragraph. Bentham and Hooker make twenty-two sub-groups (of which about six include the garden forms), based chiefly on the way in which the seeds are ribbed, cornered, or winged, and the form of the pappus. The garden pyrethrums cannot be kept distinct from chrysanthemums by garden characters The garden conception of Pyrethrum is a group of hardy herbaceous plants with mostly single flowers, as opposed to the florists' or autumn chrysanthemums, which reach perfection only under glass, and the familiar annual kinds which are commonly called summer chrysanthemums. When the gardener speaks of pyrethrums, he usually means P. roseum. Many of the species described below have been called pyrethrums at various times, but they all have the same specific name under the genus Chrysanthemum, except the most important of all garden pyrethrums, viz., P. roseum, which is C. coccineum. The feverfew and golden feather are still sold as pyrethrums, and there are other garden species of less importance. The botanical conception of Pyrethrum is variously defined; the presence of a rather marked pappus-border on the achene is one of the distinctions; the pyrethrums are mostly plants with large and broad heads either solitary or in loose corymbose clusters, the rays usually conspicuous and commonly not yellow, and the fruits five- to ten-ribbed. Hoffmann, in Engler & Prantl "Naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien," adopts eight sections, one of them being Tanacetum (tansy) which most botanists prefer to keep distinct. Although the genus is large and


Which flower has varieties which include, pompom, ball, decorative and cactus?

Dahlia Flower Varieties | Garden Guides Dahlia Flower Varieties Submit A genus of perennial plants, dahlias come in many varieties. Some varieties of the dahlia are bush plants, and many others are commonly grown garden flower varieties. Knowing about some of the different kinds of dahlia flowers gives you the experience to choose an array of textures for your garden landscape. Anemone Anemone dahlias produce interesting petal formations in that the pom-pom like floral center is surrounded by a fan of flat,wide petals. Anemone dahlias, such as Brio, Blue Bayou, Lucky Duck, thrive in full sun during the spring and summer months in a temperate climate setting. Give anemone variety dahlias compost-enriched soil and moderate amounts of moisture. Ball Ball dahlia varieties live up to their name in that their double-petals form a perfect spherical shape atop the stem. Ball variety dahlias include Amira, Barbarry Glamor, Barbarry Ideal and Red Balloon. Like most dahlia types, ball dahlias thrive in sunlit flower beds, adding a splash of rainbow color to your landscape environment. Cactus Cactus dahlias produce double blooms that are slender, wispy and end in points. The pointed, double petals of the cactus dahlia conceal the innermost part of the flower, making it look like a colorful cactus atop the slender tall stem of the plant. They vary in color from white to deep purple-black and every color in between, making them excellent choices for a colorful splash of color in your yard. Varieties include Aitara Caress, Blackberry Ripple, Poppers and Rose Jupiter. Dwarf Dwarf dahlias are best suited for bordering a flower bed or garden pathway, as they are stout with thick clusters of shrub-like deep green foliage. The flowers of dwarf dahlias vary from pom-pom-like to cactus-like, and resemble a wide array of other dahlia varieties in smaller form. Rembrandt, Binky, Tudor and Art Nouveau are dwarf varieties that prove popular as edge plants or decorative flowers for hanging baskets and other containers. Who Can Help


"""Suicide Is Painless"" Is associated with which American TV Show?"

Suicide is Painless (M.A.S.H Theme) - YouTube Suicide is Painless (M.A.S.H Theme) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Apr 1, 2009 This is one of my favorite songs... because it's one of my favorite shows ^_^ Lyrics: Through early morning fog I see visions of the things to be the pains that are withheld for me I realize and I can see... that suicide is painless It brings on many changes and I can take or leave it if I please. The game of life is hard to play I'm gonna lose it anyway The losing card I'll someday lay so this is all I have to say. suicide is painless It brings on many changes and I can take or leave it if I please. The sword of time will pierce our skins It doesn't hurt when it begins But as it works its way on in The pain grows stronger...watch it grin. suicide is painless It brings on many changes and I can take or leave it if I please. A brave man once requested me to answer questions that are key is it to be or not to be and I replied 'oh why ask me?' suicide is painless it brings on many changes and I can take or leave it if I please. ...and you can do the same thing if you please...... Category


Sphalerite is the main ore of which metal?

Sphalerite blende: The mineral sphalerite information and pictures Advertising Information The Mineral sphalerite Sphalerite is a common mineral, and occurs in many distinct colors and forms. Iron impurities are often present in this mineral, and for this reason it is not commonly transparent. If Sphalerite contains a large amount of iron impurities, it will have a metallic dark gray or black color, which is typical of most sulfide minerals. Sphalerite is one of the few minerals that can range from gemmy transparent crystals to dark, metallic -black crystals. An interesting variety of Sphalerite is known as Schalenblende. Schalenblende is banded variety associated with Wurtzite and often also Pyrite and Galena that forms strange concentric shapes. It is often polished into slab s or cross-sections which are very popular with collectors. Schalenblende is known from a select few mineral in Europe, most notable is the Segen Gottes Mine, Wiesloch, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. USES Sphalerite is the principle ore of zinc. In some localities, it occurs with significant amounts of the rare element s cadmium, gallium, and iridium, and it is also the main ore of those metal s. Sphalerite is an important mineral to collectors, and some transparent varieties are occasionally faceted for collectors. NOTEWORTHY LOCALITIES Sphalerite is a common mineral, and there are many localities where fine specimens have come from. Notable European occurrences include the Troya Mine, Mutiloa and the Aliva Mine (Las Manforas), Camaleño, Spain; Alston Moor, Cumberland, England; and the Lengenbach Quarry, Binn Tal, Wallis, Switzerland. Other classic European localities are Trepca, Croatia (former Yugoslavia); the Madan ore field, Rhodope Mts, Bulgaria; the Herja Mine, Baia Mare; and the Turt Mine, Satu Mare; and Kapnick, all in Maramures Co., Romania. Banded Schalenblende has come from the Segen Gottes Mine, Wiesloch, Baden-Württemberg, Germany; the Schmalgraf Mine, Kelmis, Belgium; and Olkusz, Poland. China has recently become a significant producer of Sphalerite specimens, most notably at Kangjiawan, Shuikoushan ore field, Hunan Province; the Taolin Mine, Yueyang, Hunan Province; and Nandan, Guangxi Province. In Peru, excellent Sphalerite comes from the Huaron Mines, Cerro de Pasco. In Mexico, large iron-rich, crystals associated with Galena were found in Santa Eulalia and Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico. In Canada, good specimens have recently come from the rock dump of the hydroelectric station canal at Niagara Falls, Ontario. Good examples also come from the Lafarge Quarry, Dundas, Ontario, and Mont Saint Hilaire, Quebec. In the U.S., some of the finest specimens come from the tri-state mining district of Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. These areas include the Joplin area, Jasper Co., Missouri; Treece, Galena, and Baxter Springs, Cherokee Co., Kansas; and Picher, Ottawa Co., Oklahoma. Two other notable Midwestern regions are the Elmwood and Gordonsville Mines, Carthage, Smith Co., Tennessee; and the Denton mine and Cave-in-Rock, Hardin Co., Illinois. In Colorado, fine Sphalerite has come from the Commodore and Bachelor Mines, Creede District, Mineral Co; and the Eagle Mine, Gilman, Eagle Co. Dark green crystals come from the Iron Cap Mine in Graham Co., Arizona. New York State has some noteworthy occurrences, especially Balmat and Pierrepont, St. Lawrence Co., the Redlands Quarry, Niagara Falls, Niagara Co.; and the Walworth Quarry, Wayne Co. Many specimens also have come from Franklin and Ogdensburg, Sussex Co., New Jersey.


Malachite is the main ore of which metal?

Malachite A mineral is a naturally occuring, homogeneous, solid with a crystalline atomic structure. Crystallinity implies  that a mineral has a definite and limited range of composition, and that the composition is expressible as a chemical  formula. Some definitions of minerals give them as inorganic materials, however both diamonds and graphite are considered  minerals, and both are primarily comprised of carbon, which would make them organic. So this leads me, as an  engineer, to believe that mineralogists do not have a good, precise definition of a mineral, but rather a loose  definition. The definition above, is the most inclusive and would include all substances currently described as minerals.  The key items that make something a mineral are occurring naturally, and the definite crystal structure, that is  expressible as a chemical formula. Rocks that do not meet this criteria are referred to as amorphis - not having a  definite structure or expressible as a chemical formula. Some elements that occur naturally and are minerals are arsenic,  bismuth, platinum, gold, silver, copper, and sulphur. THE DEFINITION OF ORGANIC: Organic chemistry is the study of those substances containing carbon in combination with hydrogen (H), and a few other non metals, namely oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S) and the halogens (F2, Cl2, Br2, and I2). Malachite is a copper bearing mineral, with as much as 58% copper content. The distinctive bright-green hydrous CARBONATE MINERAL malachite is a common but minor ore of copper. It is usually found in copper deposits associated with LIMESTONE, occurring with AZURITE as the weathering product of other copper ore minerals. Hardness is 3 1/2 to 4, streak is pale green, specific gravity is 3.9 to 4.1, and luster is adamantine to silky. Malachite forms needlelike prismatic crystals (monoclinic system) that are rarely distinct; it is usually found in granular, earthy, or fibrous masses and rounded, banded crusts. Malachite is used as a decorative stone when cut and polished, a semiprecious gem, and a green pigment. Half of the world's copper deposits are in the form of chalcopyrite ore. All important copper-bearing ores fall into two main classes: oxidized ores and sulfide ores. Sulfide ores are more important commercially. Ores are removed either by open-pit or by underground mining. Ores containing as little as 0.4% copper can be mined profitably in open-pit mining, but underground mining is profitable only if an ore contains 0.7%-6% copper. The oxidized ores, such as cuprite and tenorite, can be reduced directly to metallic copper by heating with carbon in a furnace, but the sulfide ores, such as chalcopyrite and chalcocite, require a more complex treatment in which low-grade ores have to be enriched before smelting begins. This involves the ore-flotation process, in which the ore is crushed and powdered before it is agitated with water containing a foaming agent and an agent to make the copper-bearing particles water-repellent. These particles accumulate in the froth on the surface of the flotation tank, and this froth is skimmed off and heated to about 800 deg C to remove some of the water as well as antimony, arsenic, and sulfur, which are also present.


Burkina Faso was known by which name until 1984?

Why the name: Burkina Faso? | African Heritage African Heritage Posted by: Dr. Y. | September 12, 2013 Why the name: Burkina Faso? Burkina Faso Flag of Burkina Faso Have you ever wondered about the name of the country Burkina Faso?  Why would a country have two names, i.e. Burkina and then Faso?  or even simply two names in its history: Upper Volta and then Burkina Faso?  Well, the country named Upper Volta  was given a new name in 1984 by then President Thomas Sankara , who chose the name Burkina Faso . Flag of Upper Volta Originally, Haute Volta or Upper Volta, was just given by the European colonizer, the French, more as an indicator or geographic pointer, and had no real attachment to the people of that region themselves.  Thus Upper Volta was named for the region above the Volta river  flowing in the area; the people of that country/area where thus known as the ‘Voltaics’ (Voltaiques in French).  Since the river had three tributaries: the Black Volta, the white Volta, and the red Volta, Upper Volta’s flag also had those three colors.  The Volta river also flew into Ghana , which was never known as the ‘Lower Volta’.  No wonder the name needed to change, as it had no real meaning! Thomas Sankara a Ouagadougou Well, on 4 August 1984, Thomas Sankara , with his usual charisma and revolutionary spirit, decided to change the country’s name to Burkina Faso.  He chose two names after two main languages of the country: the Moore  (or Mossi language) and the Dioula .  Burkina from Mòoré means ‘men of integrity‘, while Faso in Diouala means ‘fatherland‘.  Thus the Burkina Faso is ‘the land of upright people‘ or ‘the land of honest people‘.  The people of the country are known as the Burkinabé, where the suffix ‘bé’ comes from the Foufouldé language spoken by the Peulh  people (a tribe found in many countries across West Africa), and means ‘men or women’.  Thus, Thomas used three of the main languages in his country to choose a name that was truly representative of the country and its people.  Sankara was then addressed as the PF or the President of the Faso.  The national cloth made up of woven strips of cotton or silk was called faso dan fani (this will be the subject for another post). Enjoy this video, and travel to Burkina Faso, the land of the upright people. Share this:


In Morse code what letter is signified by dash dash?

International Morse Code International Morse Code For learning Morse code it is recommended that you do not try to remember dots and dashes, but remember the Morse code sounds instead. Letter CL, Going off the air ("clear") -.-..-.. DO, Change to wabun code -..--- KN, Invite a specific station to transmit -.--. SK, End of transmission (also VA) ...-.- I am ready to copy QRV? Are you ready to copy? QRL The frequency is in use QRL? Is the frequency in use? QTH What is your location? Notes If the duration of a dot is taken to be one unit then that of a dash is three units. The space between the components of one character is one unit, between characters is three units and between words seven units. To indicate that a mistake has been made         and for the receiver to delete the last word, send ........ (eight dots). The prosigns are combinations of two letters sent together with no space in between. The other abbreviations and Q codes are sent with the normal spacing. I am a father and foster carer a principal research engineer at the IT Innovation Centre a Woodcraft Folk district coordinator a salsa teacher and in my spare time I write and maintain this web site © Copyright Stephen C. Phillips, 2015


What does the adjective taurine signify?

Taurine | definition of taurine by Medical dictionary Taurine | definition of taurine by Medical dictionary http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/taurine taurine  [taw´rēn] a crystallized acid from the bile; found also in small quantities in lung and muscle tissues. tau·rine (taw'rin, -rēn), 1. An aminosulfonic acid, synthesized from l-cysteine and used in a number of roles, including in the synthesis of certain bile salts. 2. Of or pertaining to a bull. [L. taurinus, of bulls, fr. taurus, bull, + suffix -inus, pertaining to] taurine /tau·rine/ (taw´rēn) an oxidized sulfur-containing amine occurring conjugated in the bile, usually as cholyltaurine or chenodeoxycholyltaurine; it may also be a central nervous system neurotransmitter or neuromodulator. taurine (tôr′ēn′) n. A colorless crystalline substance, C2H7NO3S, formed by the hydrolysis of taurocholic acid and found in the fluids of the muscles and lungs of many animals. taurine [tôr′in] a derivative of the amino acid cysteine. It is present in bile in combination with cholic acid. It is used in the synthesis of bile salts. taurine adjective Bull-like.   noun An amino sulfonic acid synthesised from L-cysteine, which is involved in the synthesis of bile acid; it is present in meats and dairy products, and is believed by some to be useful for hypertension. tau·rine (tawr'īn) 1. An aminosulfonic acid, synthesized from L-cysteine and used in a number of roles, including in the synthesis of certain bile salts. 2. Of or pertaining to a bull. [L. taurinus, of bulls, fr. taurus, bull, + suffix -inus, pertaining to] taurine an amino acid that is thought to be a neurotransmitter in some invertebrates. taurine (tôˑ·rēn), n an amino acid often found in nerve and muscle tissues. Has been reported as an adjuvant treatment for congestive heart failure, viral hepatitis, alcoholism, cataracts, cerebrovascular accidents, diabetes, gallbladder conditions, high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and seizure disorders. No known precautions. Also called L-taurine. taurine a sulfur-containing amino acid found in mammalian tissues. Because of obligatory excretion and only limited ability to synthesize taurine, it is a dietary essential amino acid for cats. Called also 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid. taurine nutritional deficiency taurine is the predominant free amino acid in the retina and in cats a dietary deficiency of the acid may result from diets low in animal protein, causing generalized retinal atrophy. Dilated cardiomyopathy has also been associated with taurine deficiency in cats.


In which English city would you board a train at Thorpe Station?

Rail travel in the United Kingdom travel guide - Wikitravel Historical background[ edit ] From the 1930s, streamlined locomotives of the 'A4' class such as Mallard symbolised a golden age of rail travel. Mallard is now at the National Railway Museum, York 1940s and 50s railway posters used art to entice travellers to visit resorts by train. The world's first public railway opened between Stockton and Darlington in north-east England in 1825. Passengers were originally carried in coaches pulled by horses until 1833, when they were replaced by Locomotion No. 1, the first ever steam locomotive to operate a passenger rail service. The financial success of the early pioneering railways resulted in a large number of entrepreneurs eager to capitalise in the fledgling industry, in a time known as "Railway Mania". From 1836 to 1847, about 8,000 miles of track were laid which eventually grew into a national network serving most towns and villages in Britain. Many majestic stations such as London St. Pancras, Kings Cross, Paddington and Liverpool Street were erected, showcasing the success of the companies who built them. Iconic bridges and viaducts of the Victorian era such as the Forth Bridge have come to symbolise the regions they run through. In 1923 the government decreed that the railways should be grouped into four large companies, which together were known as the '"Big Four". These were the Southern Railway (SR), the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), the London, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) and the Great Western Railway (GWR). What followed is considered to be the golden age of speed records, with iconic locomotives such as the Flying Scotsman and Mallard becaming symbols of speed and modernity. Railway travel posters from the 1930s to the 1950s pioneered a style of art which enticed travellers to visit resorts by train and showcased the British rail system as an elegant yet everyday form of travel. Even today many modern train company names hark back to this era. Following the Second World War, in which most of the infrastructure was worn down by war duties or destroyed by bombing raids, all of the Big Four companies were in dire financial straits and were unable to cope with the backlog of maintenance and repairs that had built up during the war. As a result, the government nationalised all railways in 1948. The resulting state-owned British Rail ran trains for nearly fifty years during a time of change. In an attempt to stem passenger losses resulting from increased car usage, steam locomotives were replaced by diesel and electric trains, while some lines were electrified and upgraded to allow for higher speeds. The darkest era in British railway history came during the 1960s, in a time known as the "Beeching Axe". In an attempt to eliminate daily losses of £300,000, British Rail closed a large number of unprofitable lines and scrapped many passenger services. Spearheaded by a report published by civil servant Dr. Richard Beeching, nearly 4,000 miles of track and over 2,000 stations were abandoned with much of the land sold for redevelopment. British Rail rebounded in the 1970s and 1980s as it fought back against the new motorways, developing a new unified brand for its long distance express services known as InterCity. Together with electrification of the two main line routes from London to Scotland and the introduction of InterCity 125 high speed locomotives that could travel up to 125mph, British Rail saw a boom in patronage that in turn safeguarded the loss making regional routes and saved the remaining branch lines from closure. British Rail's iconic double-arrow logo and typeface, which were introduced from the 1960s, defined the look and feel of the railway in the modern era and are recognised as design classics of the period. The logo is still used to identify a station today. However, decline and neglect were still very evident throughout the system as it suffered from a lack of government investment. With the political climate of the time favouring private operation of public services, it was inevit


On which Caribbean island were England dismissed for 51 in a test match in 2009?

Frustration at test match farce in Antigua | Cricbuzz.com Frustration at test match farce in Antigua by Cricbuzz Staff •  Fans in the pool watch as play was abandoned for the day at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound February 13, 2009. REUTERS/Philip Brown © Cricbuzz By Simon Evans. ST JOHN'S, Antigua (Reuters) - Players, officials and fans were left bemused and angered by the abandonment of the second test between West Indies and England on Friday after the pitch at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium proved unplayable. Sandy and loose run-ups were judged too dangerous for the bowlers and the match was abandoned after just 10 balls. Officials later decided to host the third test at the Antigua Recreation Ground -- the island's old test venue -- starting on Sunday with the series extended to five matches. While the meetings got underway to make that decision, England fans, some of whom had spent as much as 6,000 pounds ($8,670) on the journey to the Caribbean island for the game and a vacation, trudged out of the ground despondently. "It should have been inspected last week shouldn't it? It is a disaster for Antigua because people won't come back -- people aren't going to come if there isn't going to be cricket. I don't know what the problem is," said England fan Anthony Goldsmid. "In the crowd we weren't given any information -- just loud music. People only found out by ringing home and being told what was going on by people watching television. I wouldn't come back here -- not for the cricket anyway," he said. England captain Andrew Strauss, who had a brief bat in the middle, said the players were spending time chatting with the fans and that they sympathised with their situation. DISAPPOINTED FANS "It's terrible, and no one feels worse for the spectators than we do and they have every right to feel disappointed just as we do. We are trying to do everything we can to mingle with them but the game of cricket doesn't need this," he said. England were desperate to play after suffering a humiliating defeat in the first test in Jamaica last week when they lost by an innings and 23 runs after being skittled for 51. Former England captain Ian Botham was scathing in his assessment of the conditions at the Sir Viv Richards ground. "This is shambolic, it's a joke and it is a beach. Why the players agreed to play here is beyond me," he said. "It is beyond a joke. They've got a real problem here as the only supporters here are from England," he said referring to the low turnout of Antiguan fans at the ground which was opened two years ago. West Indies team manager Omar Khan said their physiotherapist had warned the West Indies Cricket Board about the dangers of the run-ups on Thursday and said he had feared the worst. "We came to play cricket this morning and whatever happened, happened. We were concerned with the outfield and had our doubts over whether it would last the whole five days," he said. © Reuters


Which horse won the 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup?

Cheltenham totesport Gold Cup 2008 - YouTube Cheltenham totesport Gold Cup 2008 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Jan 11, 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase 2008 won emphatically by Denman. Category


On which Caribbean island was a test match abandoned in 2009 after only 10 balls were bowled?

Test switched after Antigua 10-ball farce | Cricbuzz.com Test switched after Antigua 10-ball farce North Sound, Antigua, by Cricbuzz Staff •  Last updated on Fri, 19 Apr, 2013, 06:46 PM Share England captain Andrew Strauss (left) with Alastair Cook after the play was stopped on February 13, 2009. West Indies cricket was plunged into fresh controversy on Friday when the second Test against England was abandoned after just 10 balls because of a dangerous outfield. © Cricbuzz Groundsmen check the outfield after the play was abandoned on February 13, 2009. West Indies cricket was plunged into fresh controversy on Friday when the second Test against England was abandoned after just 10 balls because of a dangerous outfield. © Cricbuzz England captain Andrew Strauss (left) and his West Indies counterpart Chris Gayle (centre) talking to umpires on February 13, 2009. West Indies cricket was plunged into fresh controversy on Friday when the second Test against England was abandoned after just 10 balls because of a dangerous outfield. © Cricbuzz England captain Andrew Strauss plays a shot on February 12, 2009. West Indies cricket was plunged into fresh controversy on Friday when the second Test against England was abandoned after just 10 balls because of a dangerous outfield. © Cricbuzz "We are 1-0 up in the series. We put England into bat, we tried to pick up some wickets and wanted to keep the momentum going but it was disappointing. With better facilities we hope this will not happen again." England captain Andrew Strauss, who was on six when play was abandoned, believes the Antigua Recreation Ground would be safer. "It's not in a great state but in terms of injuries it is fit to play on," said Strauss. "We don't know what state the wicket is in. It might not have been covered all night but I think it's fit for bowlers to bowl on and batsmen to play on. "It's not right that Test cricket matches have to be abandoned like this, lessons definitely need to be learned. The game of cricket doesn't need this." England opener Alistair Cook admitted the situation was a farce. "It's a bit of a shambles," said Cook. "Fidel Edwards was bowling and couldn't get his feet down. "When we turned up a few days ago to practice, some of the lads were falling over as they played football. Today, the bowlers were coming in, the areas where they were running got deeper and deeper. We kind of knew what was going to happen. West Indies cricket was plunged into fresh controversy on Friday when the second Test against England was abandoned after just 10 balls because of a dangerous outfield. Only 45 minutes of action was possible at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground before play was called off with England at 7-0 in their first innings. International Cricket Council (ICC) referee Alan Hurst later revealed that a new match will start on Sunday at the long-established Antigua Recreation Ground in St John's. The second Test will be recorded as an abandoned match with the game on Sunday to be considered as the third Test of what is now a five-match series. The ARG hosted 21 Tests between 1981 and 2006 before the Sir Vivian Richards Ground replaced it two years ago ahead of the World Cup. West Indies bowlers constantly struggled to keep their feet on the soft SVRG outfield which had been smothered in layers of sand after heavy rain. West Indies captain Chris Gayle said the team was shocked by the developments. "I'd like to apologise to the fans - it's very embarrassing," said Gayle. "I know that Hugh Morris (England and Wales Cricket Board's managing director) sent a letter to the ICC to say that we weren't happy with the pitch." Hurst said the decision to switch the venue had been made because there wasn't the time to bring the Sir Vivian Richards ground up to the required standard. "We may have been able to improve it, but we could not guarantee that some further occurrence might happen on the surface as it is," said Hurst. "We investigated going to a new venue - in this case the ARG - and we have had a good look at the ground. It has a suitable pitch, t


Who is the only Croatian to win men's singles at Wimbledon?

Croatian Tennis - Visit Croatia - a travel guide Blog | Visit Croatia Forum | Holiday Rentals Croatian Tennis The Visit Croatia guide to Croatian tennis, one of our favourite sports! Read more on some of the most famous Croatian tennis players, male and female, past and present. Croatian Tennis – Men’s When you think of Croatian tennis you undoubtedly think of Goran Ivanisevic, who is Croatia’s most famous tennis player…at least certainly in the eyes of Wimbledon fans. The lanky Croat reached the final there four times – in 1992 (losing to Andre Agassi), and in 1994 and in 1998 (losing to Pete Sampras both times). Finally, in 2001, Ivanisevic won his most coveted title in a truly thrilling final, beating Australian Pat Rafter 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 9–7. Ivanisevic was a wild-card entrant at that year’s tournament as he was only ranked at a lowly 125th in the world at the time. Nearly 30 years old, he had also been struggling with a shoulder injury for the preceding few years – hence his low world ranking. He remains the lowest ranked player, and the only wild card ever, to win Wimbledon. (And he also unusually won on a Monday, as the schedule of the second week of that year’s Wimbledon was delayed by bad weather.) Watch the final game of this epic match – and the immediate celebrations – below (commentary in Croatian): Ivanisevic also won 21 other ATP Tour titles during his career, as well as bronze medals in both the mens’ singles and doubles tournaments at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, the first Olympics in which Croatia competed. He was the proud flag carrier for Croatia at that Games. In September 2014, Croatia celebrated it’s second ever Grand Slam champion! 25-year-old  Marin Cilic  won the U.S. Open, defeating Kei Nishikori of Japan in straight sets, 6-3 6-3 6-3. Coached by Goran Ivanisevic, Marin had an amazing run in the second half of the tournament, winning his quarter-final, semi-final (against Roger Federer, no less) and the final without losing a set. Following the tournament, Marin achieved his equal highest ever ranking of ninth. Marin Cilic at the French Open Another top player is Ivo Karlovic , who is famous for being incredibly tall – 6ft 10! – and has the fastest serve ever recored in men’s tennis, at 251km/h (156mph). Ivo is also a highly amusing personality on Twitter – make sure you follow him on @ivokarlovic . Ivan Dodig is another Croatian player in the top 50 in singles, but who’s also well known as a doubles player having reaching a top world ranking of 6. Partnering Brazilian Marcelo Melo, he reached the Wimbledon mens’ doubles final in 2013. One famous recent name in the Croatian tennis world is Mario Ancic (who, like Goran Ivanisevic, is also from Split). Mario unfortunately retired from tennis in early 2011 at the age of only 26, having battled with injury and illness in the previous few years. He was also famous for having studied law (at the University of Split) during his tennis career so don’t worry, he has something to fall back on! The New York Times featured a great article on what Mario is up to these days – namely, studying at Columbia Law School: Former Tennis Star Makes a Mark at Columbia Law School . Ivan Ljubicic was also another big name in Croatia tennis, who reached a high of number three in the world rankings. Ivan retired from tennis in April 2012. Another top achievement for Croatia in tennis was winning the 2005 Davis Cup, defeating Slovakia 3-2 in Bratislava. The only players to play in the matches of the final were Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic, who played all the singles matches and then partnered up for the doubles as well. A player to watch for the future is Borna Coric , who won the 2013 US Open Junior tournament. Croatian Tennis – Women’s Croatia’s most famous female tennis player is Iva Majoli who won the 1997 French Open, beating Martina Hingis final. Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, who turned pro that same year and achieved her best result at Wimbledon in 1999, reaching the semi-finals, is still active. After quite a few tough years both on and off the court, Mirjana


Which horse won the 2008 Grand National?

BBC SPORT | Other sport... | Horse Racing | Comply Or Die wins Grand National Replay: Comply or Die wins the Grand National JOHN SMITH'S GRAND NATIONAL 1 Comply Or Die (T J Murphy) 7-1 Jt Fav 2 King Johns Castle (P Carberry) 20-1 3 Snowy Morning (D J Casey) 16-1 4 Slim Pickings (B J Geraghty) 10-1 (40 ran) Highlights: BBC One at 2340 BST By Phil Harlow Joint favourite Comply Or Die held off a strong challenge from King Johns Castle to take victory by four lengths in the 2008 Grand National at Aintree. Irish jockey Timmy Murphy rode the David Pipe-trained nine-year-old for his first Grand National win after 11 previous attempts. Snowy Morning claimed third place, while Slim Pickings took fourth. Cloudy Lane, who started as 7-1 co-favourite, finished sixth but was never really in contention. Reaction: Comply or Die's trainer, owner and jockey The pre-race attention had largely centred on Cloudy Lane, trained by Donald McCain, but many gamblers on and off the course took a fancy to Comply Or Die on the day as his odds tumbled from 10-1. And the money that went in Comply Or Die's direction proved a shrewd investment as Murphy gave his mount a trademark ride, cruising along with something to spare before asking for an extra effort off the last fence. Several horses, with Chelsea Harbour, Bewleys Berry and Hedgehunter joining the first four home, were vying for the lead as the race reached its closing stages, but it was Murphy who found the extra gear to claim the victory. 606: DEBATE 606: DEBATE "I can't believe it yet, it's the best ride I've ever had over these fences," Murphy told BBC Sport. "He got into a lovely rhythm and he jumped fantastic, he picked up again when Paul (Carberry, on King Johns Castle) came at me. "It's not sunk in, I'm delighted for David Pipe and my boss David Johnson - it's a race he's always wanted to win." It was a fairytale victory for Murphy, with the popular Irishman having to battle back from alcoholism and a short spell in prison to claim the most famous race in the sport. The victory was also a memorable one for the Pipe family, as David followed in the footsteps of his father Martin by training a Grand National winner. "I had slightly better ammunition than what he started off with," said David Pipe, in reference to his father taking 19 years to train a National winner compared to his success in his second season. "I can't really describe it. It's great for everyone, for the whole team. We couldn't do any of it without them. "I've had a great teacher in my father, David Johnson has been brilliant and Timmy gave him a fantastic ride - there's no feeling like it." Owner David Johnson was equally delighted with his first Grand National winner. Murphy gave his horse an almost faultless ride "I've probably run 20 in it before and it's a thrill," he said. "Timmy did nothing wrong and it was a typical Timmy ride really, he showed how good he really is." But Tony McCoy's wait for a Grand National winner goes on after his horse Butler's Cabin fell at Becher's on the second circuit. Champion trainer Paul Nicholls will also have to wait another year to find a winner in a race that continues to elude him. Nicholls had three runners, with Mr Pointment giving his backers a good run for their money until being pulled up at the very last fence. "They've all come back safe, that's the main thing and I'm not complaining," said Nicholls. "Turko fell, Mr Pointment was leading for a long way but ran a bit free, while Cornish Sett gave Nick Scholfield a great ride round." Milan Deux Mille, who led for much of the first circuit, was the final horse to complete the four-and-a-half-mile course in 15th place, with 25 horses failing to get round the 30 fences. McKelvey, who finished a brave second in last year's race, had to be put down after unseating jockey Tom O'Brien at the 20th fence. The nine-year-old then ran on but collided with a barrier and proved unable to regain his feet. "Any death is very regrettable and we can't defend them, but as an animal welfare organisation our duty is to work with the organisers t


In which George Elliot novel are the characters Tom And Maggie Tulliver?

SparkNotes: The Mill on the Floss: Character List The Mill on the Floss George Eliot Plot Overview Analysis of Major Characters Maggie Tulliver  -  The protagonist of The Mill on the Floss. The novel tracks Maggie as she grows from an impetuous, clever child into a striking, unconventional young woman. Maggie's closest tie is to her brother Tom, and she seeks—and constantly feels denied—his approval and acceptance. Maggie is clever and enjoys books, the richness of intelligent conversation, and music, but her family's downfall lends her a quieter, troubled side that tends toward self- abnegation. With her dark skin, dark hair, and dark eyes, Maggie is often associated with the Tulliver side of the family, and, specifically her father's sister, Mrs. Moss. Read an in-depth analysis of Maggie Tulliver. Tom Tulliver  -  The Tullivers' older son. Tom has his own clear sense of duty, justice, and fairness, and these standards affect his action more so than emotion. Tom has affection for Maggie, but he dislikes her impetuous way of doing what she wants, assuming that she knows better than Tom. When Mr. Tulliver goes bankrupt, Tom must go to work at a young age and with little experience other than the Latin and Euclid he has learned in school. Tom brings the family out of debt and becomes a promising young worker at his uncle Deane's company, Guest & Co. Tom may be in love with Lucy Deane, but he focuses only on his work. Read an in-depth analysis of Tom Tulliver. Elizabeth Tulliver  -  Maggie Tulliver's mother. Mrs. Tulliver is a dull-witted, stout, blond woman. Formerly a Miss Dodson, Mrs. Tulliver still maintains that the respectable ways of the Dodson family are better than the ways of Mr. Tulliver. Mrs. Tulliver's mind works in small circles—she focuses mainly on tactile objects like the linens and the china. Her husband's bankruptcy makes her confused and listless, and all she can do is wonder what she has done to receive such bad luck. Mrs. Tulliver likes Tom more than Maggie as children, but she grows prouder of Maggie as Maggie grows tall, striking, and more demure. Jeremy Tulliver  -  Maggie Tulliver's father. Mr. Tulliver works the mill on the Floss river, which is on land his family has held for generations. Mr. Tulliver is fond of Maggie, especially her cleverness, and he often takes her side in family quarrels. Mr. Tulliver's bankruptcy is, in part, the result of his own single- mindedness and pride. Associated with the older, provincial ways, Mr. Tulliver senses enough of the changing economic world around him to be puzzled by it. Tulliver is an affectionate man, who is soft with his daughter, wife, and sister, yet his bitterness toward Mr. Wakem consumes and changes him in the end. Lucy Deane  -  The pretty, petite, blond cousin of Tom and Maggie. Lucy is genuinely good-hearted, thinking often of the happiness of others. She is also enough of a child of society life, though, that she pays heed to social conventions and to her own appearance. Philip Wakem  -  The sensitive and intelligent son of Lawyer Wakem. Philip has had a hunched back since birth. Of small stature and with a pale face, Philip is often described as "womanly." Philip's love of art, music, and knowledge go some way toward counteracting the severe sadness he feels about his deformity. Philip first meets Maggie when he is at school with Tom. He falls in love with her the year that they meet in secret during Maggie's father's bankruptcy. Read an in-depth analysis of Philip Wakem. Lawyer Wakem  -  Lawyer Wakem is a powerful, and increasingly wealthy member of St. Ogg's society. He remembers his late wife lovingly and is very indulgent but close to his deformed son, Philip. Wakem holds strict ideas about class and money. He is scornful of the vindictive Mr. Tulliver. Stephen Guest  -  Stephen Guest is courting Lucy Deane when we meet him but has not yet proposed marriage. He is the son of the senior partner of Guest & Co., where both Tom and Mr. Deane work. Stephen is handsome and self-assured. Though he cares for Lucy, and for the life they would ha


Who was the first Poet Laureate appointed in 1668?

Poets Laureate of Great Britain Poets Laureate of Great Britain Poets Laureate of Great Britain by J. Zimmerman Several of the other Laureates were famous poets, particularly Ted Hughes , Robert Southey , John Masefield , Sir John Betjeman , Cecil Day-Lewis , and the current Laureate, Andrew Motion . History and responsibilities. In Great Britain, the Poet Laureate is: The realm's official poet. A member of the royal household. Charged with writing verses for court and national occasions (such as for a Royal Wedding or the New Year). Awarded the position for life. Chosen by the British reigning monarch, from a list of nominees that the Prime Minister compiles after a poet laureate dies. Shortly after the 1668, the position became the Poet Laureate of Great Britain in 1707, when The Act of Union created "Great Britain" as the political name of England, Scotland, and Wales. The name Laureate derives from the Latin laureatus ("crowned with laurel"). It comes from an ancient Roman tradition of honoring a person (especially a poet) who has shown excellence of achievement. The honor is signified by presenting the person with a wreath of laurel leaves. FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) on the Poets Laureate of Great Britain. What does "Laureate" mean? Answer . Who was the best? Most frequently this is said to be Tennyson . John Dryden (1631-1700). Laureate 1668-88. Appointed in 1668 by King Charles II, who gave John Dryden a formal royal warrant  that awarded him the official titles of  Poet Laureate and Historiographer Royal. This role continued under King James II. As a powerful satirist, Dryden was a strong advocate and spokesman for his monarch, and "the best poet, dramatist, translator and critic of the age" [ Levin in Verses of the Poets Laureate] In 1689, sacked [or fired] by William III for failing to take an oath of allegiance. Thomas Shadwell (1643?-1692). Laureate 1689-92. The successful dramatist Thomas Shadwell was chosen in large part  because he was a Protestant Whig, essential to replace the Catholic Dryden.  met an inglorious end in 1693, A weak poet, a heavy drinker, and an opium user,  Shadwell died from an overdose of opium, which he took in part to relieve his gout.  He was said to have found the laureateship unimportant.  Disrespected by John Dryden , among others, for his poetry as well as for his politics. Shadwell wrote a yearly ode on the monarch's birthday, and introduced the  tradition of writing a New Year ode; his odes are crashingly uninspired and mechanistic,  as if written by an unusually dimwitted computer program. Nahum Tate (1652-1715). Laureate 1692-1715. Born in Dublin, Tate was awarded the Poet Laureate position (and its £100 per year)  but the post of Historiographer Royal (and its annual £200) became a separate assignment. Tate is most known today for his authorship of the widely loved Christmas carol "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night".  He is notorious for his (creative?) revision of Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear,  giving it a happy ending. In response to public events, Tate wrote poems for victories against the French (1704),  the Act of Union between the Parliaments of England and Scotland (1707),  and the signing of the Peace of Utrecht with France (1713). Nicholas Rowe (1674-1718). Laureate 1715-18. Nicholas Rowe was celebrated as a dramatist rather than as a poet.  The Poet Laureate's role was now general praise of the sovereign, rather than  political and historical. In addition to the annual New Year ode,  the Laureate acquired the duty of writing a birthday ode to the monarch, a practice which was  to last over 100 years. Laurence Eusden (1688-1730). Eusden never published a book of poetry.  His work is mediocre. Colley Cibber (1671-1757). The poetry of dramatist Colley Cibber was conscientious but not inspired. William Whitehead (1715-85). Laureate 1757-85.  [The appointment was first offered to and declined by Thomas Gray.] William Whitehead (a respectable though perhaps dull dramatist)  was good humored and amiable. For example, h


"Who wrote the best seller ""The Associate""?"

Books | John Grisham John Grisham The Whistler From John Grisham, America’s #1 bestselling author, comes the most electrifying novel of the year, a high-stakes thrill ride through the darkest corners of the Sunshine State. We expect our judges to be honest and wise. Their integrity and impartiality are the bedrock of the entire judicial system. We trust them to ensure fair trials, to protect the rights of all litigants, to punish those who do wrong, and to oversee the orderly and efficient flow of justice. Witness to a Trial An all-new digital short story! This startling and original courtroom drama from New York Times #1 Bestseller John Grisham is the prequel to his newest legal thriller, THE WHISTLER.   A judge’s first murder trial. A defense attorney in over his head. A prosecutor out for blood and glory. The accused, who is possibly innocent. And the killer, who may have just committed the perfect crime. Theodore Boone: The Scandal Thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone knows every judge, police officer, and court clerk in Strattenburg. He has even helped bring a fugitive to justice. But even a future star lawyer like Theo has to deal with statewide standardized testing. When an anonymous tip leads the school board to investigate a suspicious increase in scores at another local middle school,... Read More A Rogue Lawyer Short Story JOHN GRISHAM’S FIRST ORIGINAL E-SHORT In this standalone prequel to his #1 bestseller ROGUE LAWYER, John Grisham tells the story of how Sebastian Rudd finally found someone he could trust to be his driver, bodyguard, law clerk, and partner. Sebastian Rudd, rogue lawyer, defends people other lawyers won’t go near. It’s controversial and dangerous work, which is why Sebastian needs his bodyguard/assistant/sidekick: Partner. So if Sebastian is just about the most unpopular lawyer in town, why is Partner so loyal to him? How did they meet? And what’s the real story of this man of few words who’s as good with a gun as he is with the law? The surprising answers are all in PARTNERS, John Grisham’s first exclusively digital short story.   Rogue Lawyer On the right side of the law. Sort of.   Sebastian Rudd is not your typical street lawyer. He works out of a customized bulletproof van, complete with Wi-Fi, a bar, a small fridge, fine leather chairs, a hidden gun compartment, and a heavily armed driver. He has no firm, no partners, no associates, and only one employee, his driver, who’s also... Read More Theodore Boone: the Fugitive "Not since Nancy Drew has a nosy, crime-obsessed kid been so hard to resist." —The New York Times   Thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone thought the danger had passed, but he’s about to face off against an old adversary: accused murderer and fugitive Pete Duffy.  On a field trip to Washington, DC, Theo spots a familiar face on... Read More Gray Mountain John Grisham has a new hero . . . and she’s full of surprises The year is 2008 and Samantha Kofer’s career at a huge Wall Street law firm is on the fast track—until the recession hits and she gets downsized, furloughed, escorted out of the building. Samantha, though, is one of the “lucky” associates. She’s offered... Read More Sycamore Row John Grisham takes you back to where it all began . . . John Grisham's A Time to Kill is one of the most popular novels of our time. Now we return to that famous courthouse in Clanton as Jake Brigance once again finds himself embroiled in a fiercely controversial trial-a trial that will expose old racial tensions and force Ford County to confront its tortured... Read More Theodore Boone: The Activist Theodore Boone is back, and he’s facing his most dangerous case yet. As Strattenburg sits divided over a hot political and environmental issue, Theo finds himself in the middle of the battle. When he uncovers corruption beneath the surface, Theo will confront bigger risks than ever to himself and those he loves. But even face-to-face … Read More The Racketeer Given the importance of what they do, and the controversies that often surround them, and the violent people they sometimes confront, it


In which Jane Austin novel are the characters Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth?

SparkNotes: Persuasion: Analysis of Major Characters Analysis of Major Characters Themes, Motifs, and Symbols Anne Elliot Anne Elliot, the protagonist of Persuasion, is, like most Austen heroines, witty, clever, and considerate. Austen referred to her in one of her letters as "a heroine who is almost too good for me." Though Austen very frankly notes that the bloom of youth has left Anne, and that she is not the prettiest of the young ladies in the novel, Anne becomes most decidedly more attractive when her better qualities are noted. Anne is proud of her appearance, and she is deeply hurt after overhearing that Captain Wentworth thinks her appearance much changed for the worst. Unlike her father, Anne also takes pride in practicality, intellect, and patience. Anne is feminine while possessing none of what Austen clearly sees as the negative characteristics of her gender; Anne is neither catty, flighty, nor hysterical. On the contrary, she is level-headed in difficult situations and constant in her affections. Such qualities make her the desirable sister to marry; she is the first choice of Charles Musgrove, Captain Wentworth, and Mr. Elliot. That Anne has her own mind is clear from the way she rebels against the vanity of her father and elder sister. But Anne is not one to avoid her responsibility and duty as a member of the upper class. She understands and respects the importance of making a "suitable" match, and is offended by the prospect of someone as low as Mrs. Clay entering into her family through marriage. She is conscious of the social structure in which her relations operate, and though she may seek a bit more flexibility, she by no means wishes to seriously challenge notions of class. In the end, Anne concludes that she is right to have been persuaded by Lady Russell, even if the advice itself was misguided. The conclusion implies that what might be considered Anne's flaw, her ability to be persuaded by others, is not really a flaw at all. It is left to the reader to agree or disagree with this. But overall, she must be highly regarded; for in her respect for duty and with an independent mind, Anne balances passion and practicality. Sir Walter Elliot Sir Walter acts as a foil to both Captain Wentworth and to Anne Elliot. As a vain, pretentious, and stubborn baronet, he maintains personal qualities that are abhorrent to Austen's protagonists. Selfish and self-absorbed, he is unable to think past himself and his own immediate desires. Yet Sir Walter is not at all evil or ill-inclined; rather, he is comically ridiculous, a caricature of the old, titled class. Sir Walter allows Austen to poke fun at the declining aristocracy. With the rise of industry in Great Britain beginning in the late eighteenth century, old, titled families were forced to consider accepting the nouveau riche into their circle. Such industrial magnates and wealthy merchants who had made their fortunes trading with the colonies had large amounts of money, and could afford to challenge the importance of birth in social interaction. Sir Walter's strong attachment to the significance of birth appears antiquated in the new century of progress. Sir Walter is an impractical man; his habits of lavish spending and his strong desire to maintain appearances threaten the very future of the Elliot family. This is a grave character flaw, which Anne does not easily forgive. But his vanity is perhaps the defining character of Sir Walter. With a dressing room surrounded by mirrors, a Baronetage book treasured for its description of the Elliot family, and a predilection to be seen only with attractive and socially important people, Sir Walter is the very image of conceit. Yet, Sir Walter's ridiculousness highlights the fact that his kind is no longer the preferred version of manliness. He is an effeminite man, one who would shy away from the sun for fear of a negative reaction of his complexion. In stark contrast is the gallant, brave naval officer, Captain Wentworth, a very different and more modern ideal of the British gentleman. Captain Frederick Wentworth


"Which character in Shakespeare's Hamlet says ""Beware of entrance to a quarrel but being in, bear't that the opposed may be aware of thee""?"

SparkNotes: Hamlet: Important Quotations Explained Important Quotations Explained O that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew! Or that the Everlasting had not fix’d His canon ’gainst self-slaughter! O God! O God! How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on’t! O fie! ’tis an unweeded garden, That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature Possess it merely. That it should come to this! But two months dead!—nay, not so much, not two: So excellent a king; that was, to this, Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother, That he might not beteem the winds of heaven Visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth! Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him As if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on: and yet, within a month,— Let me not think on’t,—Frailty, thy name is woman!— A little month; or ere those shoes were old With which she followed my poor father’s body Like Niobe, all tears;—why she, even she,— O God! a beast that wants discourse of reason, Would have mourn’d longer,—married with mine uncle, My father’s brother; but no more like my father Than I to Hercules: within a month; Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her galled eyes, She married:— O, most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor it cannot come to good; But break my heart,—for I must hold my tongue. This quotation, Hamlet’s first important soliloquy, occurs in Act I, scene ii (129–158). Hamlet speaks these lines after enduring the unpleasant scene at Claudius and Gertrude’s court, then being asked by his mother and stepfather not to return to his studies at Wittenberg but to remain in Denmark, presumably against his wishes. Here, Hamlet thinks for the first time about suicide (desiring his flesh to “melt,” and wishing that God had not made “self-slaughter” a sin), saying that the world is “weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable.” In other words, suicide seems like a desirable alternative to life in a painful world, but Hamlet feels that the option of suicide is closed to him because it is forbidden by religion. Hamlet then goes on to describe the causes of his pain, specifically his intense disgust at his mother’s marriage to Claudius. He describes the haste of their marriage, noting that the shoes his mother wore to his father’s funeral were not worn out before her marriage to Claudius. He compares Claudius to his father (his father was “so excellent a king” while Claudius is a bestial “satyr”). As he runs through his description of their marriage, he touches upon the important motifs of misogyny, crying, “Frailty, thy name is woman”; incest, commenting that his mother moved “[w]ith such dexterity to incestuous sheets”; and the ominous omen the marriage represents for Denmark, that “[i]t is not nor it cannot come to good.” Each of these motifs recurs throughout the play. 2. Give thy thoughts no tongue, Nor any unproportion’d thought his act. Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar. Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel; But do not dull thy palm with entertainment Of each new-hatch’d, unfledg’d comrade. Beware Of entrance to a quarrel; but, being in, Bear’t that the opposed may beware of thee. Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice: Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgment. Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, But not express’d in fancy; rich, not gaudy: For the apparel oft proclaims the man; And they in France of the best rank and station Are most select and generous chief in that. Neither a borrower nor a lender be: For loan oft loses both itself and friend; And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. This above all,—to thine own self be true; And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. This famous bit of fatherly advice is spoken by Polonius to Laertes shortly before Laertes leaves for France, in Act I, scene iii (59–80). Polonius, who is bidding Laertes farewell, gives him this list


Of what are you afraid if you suffer from hydrophobia?

Hydrophobia. Do You Suffer From Hydrophobia? [ ? ]Subscribe To This Site Best Technique To Get Rid Of Hydrophobia Hydrophobia is the other name for fear of water or you can say fear of swimming even. When talking about fear of water it does not mean a bucket of water. It usually means fear of getting drowned in deep water conditions. Aquaphobia is however the other way of referring to this type of phobia. This particular fear form can make you go out of control or it may also cause disturbance in your daily life. The worst part is that victims of aquaphobia experience levels of anxiety when they see an ocean, a river, a pond or even a bathtub full of water knowing jolly well that there is really nothing to be so much afraid of. The condition is such that the sufferers cannot help themselves from being afraid. A victim of aquaphobia always tries to avoid activities like boating and swimming. They even refuse to have baths and showers at home. Causes of Hydrophobia Hydrophobia as it is commonly known is caused either due to individual experiences or due to biological factors. You may have seen someone drowning or may have gone through similar experiences in life and this has caused the phobia. Some have the feeling that once they are in the water they may lose breath and get drowned. You may come across people who will tell you that they dream of being drowned at night. They just cannot stand the sight of water. They develop the insanity in their behavior. Symptoms You are afraid to face reality in life You may experience full blown anxiety attack How To Treat Hydrophobia Treatments are several but not all of them are so effective. Success rates differ a lot. Some of the treatments do come with side effects too. Thus, it becomes very difficult for you to get rid of the situation. Some doctors may recommend you to have medicines to get rid of the condition, but medicines are temporary solutions. They can only subside the illness but can never cure it from the root. Best Technique To Get Rid Of Hydrophobia We know from NLP that the root of a phobia is an erroneous assemblage of your mental codes. NLP is a set of methods that have been refined and tested over several decades with hundreds of thousands of patients in many countries – and it’s been effective time and time again. The basis of the method is pretty simple. NLP uses the power of imagination to reprogram your fear reactions through quick, painless, and long-lasting techniques. That is how NLP differs from other methods. NLP attacks the problem at the source and takes care of it for good. My Phobia Release Program teaches these well-established NLP techniques that are proven and effective. Medication, talk-therapy, and cognitive behaviour therapy only treat the symptoms. NLP cures the problem. There is a huge difference. You actually cure yourself by going into your unconscious mind and rearranging these mental codes. Your Hydrophobia will be gone forever! Fast and easy. Tired of Tiptoeing Around Your Fears? Cure Your Phobia In Just 10 Minutes A Day, Guaranteed! Whatever your phobia, regardless of how long you have suffered from it, despite the dreadful life limitations you have endured because of your fear, your phobia can be cured.


Hamilton Bermuda // Burmuda's Capital & Beating Heart Article City of Hamilton & Nearby Parishes The City of Hamilton is not only the capital of Bermuda – it’s also the island's beating heart. A picturesque harbour city graced with shops, museums, galleries and gardens, the city is also a hub for local and international businesses. Topics // Central Bermuda City of Hamilton, the capital of Bermuda On any given morning in downtown Hamilton, you might see commuters in Bermuda shorts travelling to work on scooters, passing each other with a warm “good morning.” It's the blend of global sophistication and local flavour and that makes the city so intriguing and inviting. Hamilton in History Founded in 1788, the  City of Hamilton was named after Sir Henry Hamilton, who served as Governor of Bermuda until 1794. People in the Town of St. George, then the capital, objected to the new upstart town, but the governor felt it made sense to have a town in the centre of the island. That explains the city's motto: 'Sparsa Collegit', which translates to "brought together the scattered." The new town overtook the Town of St. George, growing into a thriving hub on Hamilton Harbour and becoming the capital of Bermuda in 1815. Touring the City Today Front Street in Hamilton Today, the City of Hamilton has those same great harbour views and a more energetic, cosmopolitan vibe than ever before. To see its major sites start on Front Street , which is lined with jewel-toned shops, restaurants and museums. It bustles with energy, especially come nightfall when the bar scene heats up.  Then head east towards Sessions House, home to both Bermuda’s House of Assembly and Supreme Court. Here, you can pop in on a session of Parliament and see how it plays a powerful, sometimes lively role in Bermuda history. From there, visit the Cathedral of The Most Holy Trinity , an 1869 Anglican Church built of native stone and imported Caen stone. Climb the tower for a view of Hamilton. Close by, City Hall and Arts Centre houses the Bermuda National Gallery , with exhibits of art and artefacts from Bermuda, Africa and Europe. It's also home to the City Hall Theatre, a venue for concerts, plays and dance. Front Street is lined with jewel-toned shops, restaurants and museums. Finally, stroll through Victoria Park, a serene oasis designed in the traditional English style with sunken gardens, flowerbeds and an ornate 19th-century bandstand. Or, follow a ready-made walking tour to discover Hamilton. Natural Attractions The Bermuda Aquarium is home to more than 200 species of sea life Since Hamilton is a harbour town on a lush island, plenty of its attractions delve into local flora and fauna. In the surrounding, the  Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute explores the mysteries of the deep with displays of shipwreck treasures (coins, gold crosses and more), an interactive submarine exhibit and a collection of over 1,200 seashells.  In linked buildings and outdoor spaces, the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo  showcases a range of island life. There's a 140,000-gallon fish tank mimicking a coral reef, an outdoor seal exhibit with popular feeding times and hands-on activities for kids. The Botanical Gardens  fills 36 acres with a palm grove, a tropical fruit garden and a large collection of blooming hibiscus plants. Don't miss the aromatic garden meant for sight-impaired visitors. Artful Hamilton At the  Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art , you'll find over 1,500 works by international names like Georgia O’Keeffe as well as pieces by numerous Bermudian artists. The on-site Homer's Cafe (named after Winslow Homer) serves pastries and snacks. Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art What's Nearby Outside of the city centre, Hamilton Parish and neighboring parishes offer numerous other attractions. Fort Hamilton , an 1870s stronghold-turned-park, boasts views over Hamilton and down to the port. It's also the jumping-off point for watersports and boat tours. Jessie James Cruises offers shipwreck and snorkelling boat trips, glass-bottom catamaran jaunts and fishing excursions departin


In which year did Yuri Gagarin become the first man in space?

Yuri Gagarin became first man in space 55 years ago - CNN.com Yuri Gagarin became first man in space 55 years ago By Gabrielle Sorto. Special to CNN Updated 2:40 PM ET, Tue April 12, 2016 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Photos: Famous firsts in space On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 mission put the first humans on the moon. Neil Armstrong famously commemorated his first steps on the moon by saying, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Hide Caption 1 of 21 Photos: Famous firsts in space Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Armstrong's fellow astronaut on Apollo 11, salutes the U.S. flag on the lunar surface. Aldrin followed Armstrong and became the second man to walk on the moon on July 21, 1969. Hide Caption 2 of 21 Photos: Famous firsts in space This is the first photograph of Earth's south polar ice cap. It was taken by the crew of Apollo 17 as the astronauts traveled to the moon in December 1972. Hide Caption 3 of 21 Photos: Famous firsts in space The Soviet Union launched the Space Age and the space race with the successful launch of Sputnik I, the world's first satellite, on October 4, 1957. It orbited the Earth every 98 minutes. Hide Caption 4 of 21 Photos: Famous firsts in space Laika the dog is pictured aboard Sputnik II on November 13, 1957. She was the first animal to orbit the Earth. She did not survive her trip, but the mission provided valuable data that paved the way for the first human in space. Hide Caption 5 of 21 Photos: Famous firsts in space Soviet pilot and cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made history as the first human to fly into space. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin took off in the Vostok 1, orbited the Earth and parachuted back to firm ground. Hide Caption 6 of 21 Photos: Famous firsts in space Less than a month after Gagarin's trip, astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American to travel into space. On May 5, 1961, Shepard piloted Freedom 7, the first manned Mercury program mission, in a suborbital flight that lasted a little more than 15 minutes. Hide Caption 7 of 21 Photos: Famous firsts in space John Glenn, aboard the Friendship 7, became the first American to orbit the planet on February 20, 1962. He also set a record as the oldest astronaut in space when, at the age of 77, he went on a mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in November 1996. Hide Caption 8 of 21 Photos: Famous firsts in space Valentina Tereshkova, seen here with Gagarin, piloted the Vostok 6 on June 16, 1963, becoming the first woman to fly into space. Hide Caption 9 of 21 Photos: Famous firsts in space Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov died during his second flight when the Soyuz 1 spacecraft crashed during its return to Earth on April 23, 1967. He was the first human to die during a space mission. Hide Caption 10 of 21 Photos: Famous firsts in space Skylab, the United States' first space station, orbited Earth from 1973 to 1979. The Soviet program had launched their first space station, Salyut, in 1971, and it stayed in space for 15 years. Hide Caption 11 of 21 Photos: Famous firsts in space On July 15, 1975, Cold War adversaries temporarily broke the thaw when the United States and the Soviet Union embarked on their first joint space mission. Russia's Soyuz craft launched seven hours before the U.S. Apollo craft, and the two vehicles linked up 52 hours after Soyuz lifted off. Here, the two crews pose for a portrait. Hide Caption 12 of 21 Photos: Famous firsts in space At left is Alexei Leonov, commander of the Soviet crew of Soyuz 19, shaking hands with Thomas Stafford, commander of the American crew of Apollo 18, on July 17, 1975. This would be the last Apollo mission conducted by NASA. Hide Caption 13 of 21 Photos: Famous firsts in space Gen. Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez, center, looks at a homemade rocket in Havana, Cuba, in 2009. Mendez became the first Latin American, the first person of African descent and the first Cuban to fly in space when he flew aboard the Soviet Soyuz 38 on September 18, 1980. Hide Caption 14 of 21 Photos: Famous firsts in space Taking off


Of what are you afraid of if you suffer from chromophobia?

Do You Suffer From Chromophobia? [ ? ]Subscribe To This Site Do You Suffer From Chromophobia? When you are afraid of colors it is said that you have chromophobia. Chromatophobia is however, the other name of the condition. Causes of chromatophobia When external events combine with internal predispositions, chromophobia occurs. The fear form usually occurs due to a specific triggering event at an early stage of life. The causes of the condition are at times quite complicated for you to decipher. Generally when several experiences of life well combine with hereditary, genetics and brain chemistry, chromatophobia develops. Symptoms of the condition Symptoms of this particular fear form vary from person to person and they include a feeling of dread, irregular heart beat, extreme sweating, mouth becoming dry, inability to speak or express, occasional shaking, extreme anxiety, shortness of breath, relentless sweating and nausea. Phobia Secrets Revealed My free Phobia Secrets Revealed E-Course will reveal phobia secrets so you can learn how to vanquish phobia and fear forever without taking any pills. Enter your name and email address to instantly get your first Phobia Secrets Revealed lesson Fill in your information below and I will send you this 5 day free E-Course. You'll receive your first lesson in about five minutes where I explain the entire system in step-by-step format. Your Name Your E-Mail : Note: I greatly respect your privacy and will never sell or share your email address with anyone. Never. You may unsubscribe anytime. No hassles. No questions. Medicines for chromophobia You can have medicines for chromatophobia but drugs always come with harmful side effects. Even in such cases, withdrawal symptoms tend to be severe. Moreover, medicines are not permanent solutions to chromatophobia. Drugs can suppress the condition for a while but can never cure the condition from root. Treatments for chromatophobia are several including psychotherapy, counseling and hypnotherapy. These treatments work but they come with one or more disadvantages. More about the condition Chromophobia can ruin the quality of your life. Due to this particular phobic condition, you can suffer from frequent panic attacks and you tend to behave awkwardly when interacting with friends, colleagues and relatives. The situation is indeed ridiculous when you start being hyper at the sight of different color shades. Most of the time people around you fail to understand what actually makes you behave so strangely. The roles of self help NLP in curing a condition of chromophobia Self help Neuro Linguistic Program truly functions in curing a state of chromophobia. It heals your phobia quickly and completely. With the help of self help NLP techniques, you can easily create reality for yourself. Thus, it becomes easy for you to restructure your mental set up and exert a better grip over your emotions and sentiments in life. Colors add flavor to your life and so they should be accepted and treated with utmost confidence and rational attitude. Tired of Tiptoeing Around Your Fears? 5 Days From Now, You Could Be Phobia-Free. Yes, Cured! Whatever your phobia, regardless of how long you have suffered from it, despite the dreadful life limitations you have endured because of your fear, your phobia can be cured.


Who In 1963 became the first woman in space?

First woman in space - Jun 16, 1963 - HISTORY.com First woman in space Publisher A+E Networks On June 16, 1963, aboard Vostok 6, Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman to travel into space. After 48 orbits and 71 hours, she returned to earth, having spent more time in space than all U.S. astronauts combined to that date. Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova was born to a peasant family in Maslennikovo, Russia, in 1937. She began work at a textile factory when she was 18, and at age 22 she made her first parachute jump under the auspices of a local aviation club. Her enthusiasm for skydiving brought her to the attention of the Soviet space program, which sought to put a woman in space in the early 1960s as a means of achieving another “space first” before the United States. As an accomplished parachutist, Tereshkova was well equipped to handle one of the most challenging procedures of a Vostok space flight: the mandatory ejection from the capsule at about 20,000 feet during reentry. In February 1962, she was selected along with three other woman parachutists and a female pilot to begin intensive training to become a cosmonaut. In 1963, Tereshkova was chosen to take part in the second dual flight in the Vostok program, involving spacecrafts Vostok 5 and Vostok 6. On June 14, 1963, Vostok 5 was launched into space with cosmonaut Valeri Bykovsky aboard. With Bykovsky still orbiting the earth, Tereshkova was launched into space on June 16 aboard Vostok 6. The two spacecrafts had different orbits but at one point came within three miles of each other, allowing the two cosmonauts to exchange brief communications. Tereshkova’s spacecraft was guided by an automatic control system, and she never took manual control. On June 19, after just under three days in space, Vostok 6 reentered the atmosphere, and Tereshkova successfully parachuted to earth after ejecting at 20,000 feet. Bykovsky and Vostok 5 landed safely a few hours later. After her historic space flight, Valentina Tereshkova received the Order of Lenin and Hero of the Soviet Union awards. In November 1963, she married fellow cosmonaut Andrian Nikolayev, reportedly under pressure from Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, who saw a propaganda advantage in the pairing of the two single cosmonauts. The couple made several goodwill trips abroad, had a daughter, and later separated. In 1966, Tereshkova became a member of the Supreme Soviet, the USSR’s national parliament, and she served as the Soviet representative to numerous international women’s organizations and events. She never entered space again, and hers was the last space flight by a female cosmonaut until the 1980s. The United States screened a group of female pilots in 1959 and 1960 for possible astronaut training but later decided to restrict astronaut qualification to men. The first American woman in space was astronaut and physicist Sally Ride, who served as mission specialist on a flight of the space shuttle Challenger in 1983. Related Videos


Who composed the opera Tristan and Isolde?

The opera novice: Tristan and Isolde by Richard Wagner - Telegraph Opera The opera novice: Tristan and Isolde by Richard Wagner Richard Wagner's works produce extreme reactions and none more so than his  romantic tragedy Tristan and Isolde, finds Sameer Rahim. Ship of fools: Tristan and Isolde meet each other's gaze after drinking the love potion. Photo: Herbert James Draper By Sameer Rahim , Assistant Books Editor 11:44AM GMT 09 Mar 2012 Follow I wrote in my first column how Wagner first drew me to opera. Though many opera lovers adore the German composer others almost physically recoil when I mention his name. The anti-Wagner crowd can’t stomach his appalling anti-Semitic writings or the cult around his opera house in Bayreuth that Hitler embraced. His operas are accused of being too long, too loud and, well, just too much. (Actually he didn’t call them operas but “total works of arts”: so for this week, at least, I am the Gesamkunstwerk novice.) Wagner fans counter that he is more self-aware than his opponents imagine. Of all his works none produces such extreme reactions as Tristan and Isolde. Based on a medieval love story and premiered in 1865, Tristan tells the story of a Cornish knight bringing home a captured Irish princess to his king. The only problem is that Sir Tristan and Princess Isolde have fallen in love – an urge they resist until they both accidentally drink a magic potion. While composing Tristan, Wagner wrote the following to Mathilde Wesendonck, the married singer who may also have been his mistress: “This Tristan is turning into something terrible! This final Act!!!! – I fear the opera will be banned…only mediocre performances can save me! Perfectly good ones will be bound to drive people mad”. It was with some trepidation, therefore, that I travelled to the Midlands on Saturday to hear a semi-staged production by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andris Nelsons. Fortunately I was not alone: Hannah Ivison, an opera fan from near Coventry, took up my offer of a press ticket. Tristan starts with one of the most famous chords in music, which slides onto another pregnant chord via a yearning upward phrase. Musicologists have written reams on the subject and I have no intention of butting in on their turf. All I will say is that to the ordinary listener it has a melancholy unresolved quality that grows increasingly hypnotic. Isolde relates the backstory to her servant Brangäne. She found a dying Tristan and healed him with her magic potion. While doing so she spied a notch in his sword that matched the splinter she found in the severed head of her fiancé. Tristan, she realised, was the man who killed him. Not the most promising start to a relationship you might think, but she cannot help catching his eye: “Into my eyes he gazed,” Isolde sings. Related Articles Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss 10 Feb 2012 Most of the first act is taken up with Isolde and Tristan trying to avoid each other’s dangerous gaze. Only when they accidentally drink a love potion do all their moral inhibitions – Tristan’s loyalty to King Marke; Isolde’s guilt over her dead fiancé – magically dissolve. This is why the mesmerising Tristan chord is so important: it symbolises the lovers’ desire, while also acting as a kind of love potion on the audience, liberating their feelings as well. The most sublime part of Tristan is the love duet from the second act. “Extinguish the light’s last glimmer,” says Isolde as she puts out a flaming torch. The day world with its duty to society, morality and chivalry – “Spiteful day/the most bitter foe” sings Tristan – gives way to the night world in which desire is free of all constraint – “Descend O night of love,” they sing together. For two people so desperately in love they don’t seem keen to go to bed. Sex for them, though, would be an inadequate imitation of the spiritual union their selves crave. Together they sing: “namelessly/enveloped in love,/ given up to ourselves/to live only for death”; their souls will be fused in “world redeeming” love. The music builds fi


Tom Barnaby | Midsomer Murders Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Geoffrey "Tom" Barnaby is a fictional detective created by Caroline Graham. DCI Barnaby is featured in the Chief Inspector Barnaby book series which began with The Killing at Badger's Drift in 1987. Barnaby is also the main detective in Midsomer Murders, a popular television show based on the novels. There, Barnaby is played by John Nettles (who also has acted in British crime series Bergerac). In both the books and the television series, Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby is based in the fictional town of Causton in the southeast of England. From that base of operations, Barnaby travels out into the English countryside to solve murders as they occur in a variety of small villages. A genius in the field of criminal investigation, he is a highly experienced and methodical detective; prone to taking his time. However, despite his slow and steady nature, he is an extremely perceptive and sagacious individual, detecting even the smallest of clues, which ultimately aid him in solving the gruesome and barbarous crimes which are committed in the county of Midsomer. It is worthy of note that in many cases, he has already reached a conclusion as to the identity of the murderer; only to reveal this fact later on after he has accumulated enough evidence. Barnaby has been happily married to Joyce for many years, and they have an adult daughter named Cully. They may have lived or worked in London at one point, as around the time of their wedding Barnaby was trying to solve the case of the 'Pimlico Poisoner'. In the episode "Picture of Innocence" of the British drama Midsomer Murders, his full name was revealed as was his date of birth, 20 April 1943. In the episode "Secrets and Spies", Barnaby revealed to his wife and colleagues that he previously worked for MI6. Characteristics Edit Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby is a kind, honest and hardworking middle-aged policeman who often stands out from his fellow fictional detectives on television and in novels, in that he is very ordinary and does not use violence to interrogate his suspects. Another thing which makes him stand out is that he is also a family man, being married to Joyce and having a daughter Cully, whom he gets on well with - which is also a rarity, with most of the detectives we see in crime fiction either going through bitter divorces or end up being widowed and suffering from alcohol depression, smoking, and gambling - or going through a series of love interests, none of them lasting. Tom Barnaby is none of these things and as a policeman is taking his time when it comes to solving a murder. Throughout the series, Barnaby often wears smart three-piece suits and ties. He has blue eyes, but in the novels they are brown. He is dedicated to his job and his family, and they support him at every turn.  Relationships Edit Joyce is Barnaby's wife. She is known to have an interest in many things, depending on the focus of the episode - including painting, singing, tango dancing, arts appreciation, drama, cycling, running, cooking, charity work and crafts. There is at one point when she is taking part in the Midsomer Worthy Choir and she recommends that DC Ben Jones joins after she and Tom hear him singing in the choir in Death in Chorus. Cully Barnaby Cully is Tom and Joyce's only child. She is not very interesting to some members of the audience, because she is quite wrapped in herself and her partner, Simon, whom she marries.  John Barnaby Edit Barnaby's cousin John makes his first appearance in " The Sword of Guillaume ", where he is based in Brighton CID. He has a bluff and ironic personality but the two have a warm relationship. They join forces to solve the murders of Douglas Wakely and Jenny Russell, who were both murdered. The real reason for Tom going to Brighton was that he was suspicious of the plans of the mayor of Causton, Dave Hicks, who was going to buy up coastal lands for holiday chalets. Tom is older than John and when Tom announces he is retiring, John


James Gandolfini - IMDb IMDb Actor | Producer | Soundtrack James Gandolfini was born in Westwood, New Jersey, to Santa (Penna), a high school lunchlady, and James Joseph Gandolfini, Sr., a bricklayer and head school janitor. His parents were both of Italian origin. Gandolfini began acting in the New York theater. His Broadway debut was in the 1992 revival of "A Streetcar Named Desire" with Jessica Lange ... See full bio » Born: a list of 40 people created 16 Jul 2011 a list of 36 people created 11 Jun 2015 a list of 21 people created 11 months ago a list of 36 people created 3 months ago a list of 48 people created 1 month ago Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of James Gandolfini's work have you seen? User Polls Won     1     Golden Globe. Another    21 wins & 52 nominations. See more awards  » Known For  2012 Hemingway & Gellhorn (TV Movie) (executive producer)  2010 Wartorn: 1861-2010 (TV Movie documentary) (executive producer)  2007 Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq (TV Movie documentary) (executive producer) Hide   1999-2007 The Sopranos (TV Series) (performer - 9 episodes) - Made in America (2007) ... (performer: "Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)")  2005 Romance & Cigarettes (performer: "A Man without Love", "Prisoner of Love", "Red Headed Woman", "The Girl That I Marry")  2004 Surviving Christmas (performer: "O Christmas Tree") Hide  - The Call of the Wild (2016) ... (in loving memory of)  2013-2014 Special Collector's Edition (TV Series) (in memory of - 2 episodes)  2013 Enough Said (dedicatee - as Jim)  2013 The Cinema Snob (TV Series) (in memory of - 1 episode) - Shock! Shock! Shock! (2013) ... (in memory of) Hide   2010 Guys Choice (TV Movie) Himself  2009 Charlie Rose (TV Series) Himself - Guest  2007 The Making of 'Lonely Hearts' (Video documentary short) Himself  2007 Guys Choice (TV Movie) Himself - Kingpin Award Winner  2007 The Sopranos: A Sitdown (TV Short documentary) Himself (uncredited)  2006 20/20 (TV Series documentary) Himself  2006 Film 2016 (TV Series) Himself  2005-2006 Corazón de... (TV Series) Himself  2001-2004 HBO First Look (TV Series documentary) Himself  2002 Rank (TV Series documentary) Himself  2002 Sesame Street (TV Series) Himself  2001 The Sopranos: Family Business (TV Movie documentary) Himself Himself - Nominated: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Hide   2013 Democracy Now! (TV Series) Himself  2008 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (TV Series) Himself  2008 The O'Reilly Factor (TV Series) Himself / Patriot (segment "Pinheads & Patriots")  2008 Reinventando Hollywood (TV Movie documentary) Himself  2002 Brilliant But Cancelled (TV Movie documentary) Related Videos Personal Details Other Works: (April 5 to May 29, 2011) He acted in Christopher Hampton's translation of Yasmina Reza's play, "God of Carnage," in a West Coast premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, California with Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis and Marcia Gay Harden in the cast. Matthew Warchus was director. See more » Publicity Listings: 1 Print Biography | 2 Interviews | 18 Articles | 10 Magazine Cover Photos | See more » Alternate Names: