Name the former Thailand Prime Minister (2001-6) who briefly owned Manchester City football club from 2007-8.

April 2008 news archive 7   Apart from three   new US routes (to complement the existing double-daily New York JFK   service), Emirates also started operating to Toronto and Sao Paulo last year   to broaden its presence in the Americas. As a global hub -   linking the Americas and Europe with the Middle East, Asia and Africa - it   helps that Dubai airport operates throughout the day and night. A closer   look at the airlineï¿½s schedules reveals the main peaks in terms of arriving   and departing flights. Source: Derived from OAG Max     Online data for w/c 21 April 2008 There   are two major waves of inbound flights. One is between 23:00 and 01:15 and   the other is between 05:00 and 07:00, while the corresponding outbound waves   occur between 02:00 and 03:45, and 07:00 and 10:15. Since Dubai is   unconstrained in terms of opening hours, many of the flight timings are   influenced by curfews and flight restrictions at the destination airport. Around one quarter   of all flights and seats operated by Emirates from Dubai are to just two   countries - the UK and India. Six destinations are served in the UK: both   major London airports, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and most recently,   Newcastle. Source: OAG Max Online data     for w/c 21 April 2008 A total of nine   destinations are currently served in India, with a 10th (Calicut) due to   start in July. Emirates serves just four destinations in Germany (Dűsseldorf,   Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich) and would like to serve more. However,   Lufthansa has been exerting pressure on the German regulatory authorities to   try and prevent the airline from being allowed access to additional markets,   such as Berlin or Stuttgart. China and South   Africa both appear in the top six country markets and with the Chinese   government investing heavily in various African infrastructure projects,   Emirates offers ideal connections between these two regions serving Beijing   and Shanghai in China and Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa, plus   daily flights to Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sudan and Tanzania. Living in   Dubai 25 April 2008 This is a post   from a crew website written by one of EK's captain's. He is obviously   writing about the decision to move to an airline job in Dubai but this is   good advise to anyone who is considering a move to Dubai in any industry.   There are clearly many frustrations encountered living in Dubai; but most   importantly your expereince here will be based in large part on where you   are coming from. "Moving to a new   job and a new home (let alone a new country with for some, a very different   culture) are two of the most stressful events in life (I think divorce and   death (?) are the other two. Rather than looking at 'happiness' you may wish to investigate the various   factors that influence life here. Also, and this is a 'biggy', where do you   come from. I have learned a lot over the last couple of years as to the   importance of this question. I have worked with people who, to me, have left good jobs with seniority.   But then they tell me about how dangerous their countries are to live in.   They find Dubai a safe and refreshing change and EK a decent company to work   for. EK. It has its frustrations as do most if not all airlines. Some people cope   well with them, others don't. For example, the ULR flights are 'killing' me   because they mess up my sleep so much and I find the bunks to be totally   inadequate. On the contrary I know of some who sleep very well in them and   cope adequately with the sleep patterns. When I joined this was not an issue   ( we had no 'long' trips) and back then we had very few eastern trips. I now   find myself in a state of perpetual fatigue - this ranks high on the list of   reasons why I am looking to leave. My Arab masters have no concern about me and are explicit about this in many   ways so I feel little disappointment when I a


Which TV series features the Chatsworth Estate?

Shameless - All 4 Shameless Having her handbag stolen proves to be a blessing in disguise for Fiona when handsome stranger Steve comes to her rescue. Lip discovers Ian is gay and decides he should pay a visit to Karen Jackson. First shown: 13 Jan 2004 Very strong language and sexual scenes This programme is subtitled


For what, in the world of finance, does the I stand in the acronym ISA?

acronyms finder dictionary and abreviations finder dictionary -       acronyms and abreviations list, definitions and funny acronyms from medical,       military, army, training, business, internet, and emails.   acronyms and abbreviations free acronyms and abbreviations finder and definitions - business,             training, medical, military, technical, funny - acronyms, backronyms and             abbreviations meanings Some of these acronyms could be considered 'politically                 incorrect', including a few which could be interpreted to be rude or offensive.                 As such be careful how and where you use them. And if you are easily offended                 please don't read the page. This free acronyms and abbreviations finder is a dictionary of               useful acronyms and abbreviations for training, learning, teaching, etc. This               collection is also a study in language and communications. This acronyms list               contains acronyms and abbreviations, and 'backronyms' (acronyms constructed               restrospectively to fit a word), with origins in the armed forces, healthcare,               IT and various other business and training fields, including funny lifestyle               and social acronyms and abbreviations. The acronyms and abbreviations in this listing can therefore be               used for various purposes: for simple amusement; for finding unknown meanings;               for illustrating and emphasising points that you wish to make in training or               speaking or presentations; and for examples of how language and expressions               develop and evolve. Whatever, acronyms and abbreviations add colour and texture               to the written and spoken word, and to life in general. They are a fascinating               reflection of the development of communications, language and social               attitudes. Strictly speaking, acronyms are words formed from the abbreviations               of others, but as you'll see, many of these acronyms aren't words at all, and               even some of the best known acronyms like LASER and RADAR have bent the acronym               rules.   'backronyms' (or 'bacronyms' - reverse acronyms) Some acronyms, usually amusing and ironic, are formed in reverse,               i.e., by starting with a word, especially a brand name, or an existing acronym,               and finding new words to fit each of the letters, for example the 'bacronyms'               made from ACRONYM and YAHOO . The amusing term for these types of acronyms               is 'backronyms' (or 'bacronyms'). Backronyms feature strongly in the acronyms               created from aviation and airlines and automotive and car make names, and in corporate name backronyms such as DIAGEO , and more recently AIG . The bacronym or reverse acronym device is not new, as seen in the               old GWR interpretation. Two notable and               quite different examples of bacronyms being used to positive effect are ASDA and PIG . Bacronyms               are often created as hoax explanations for the origins of certain swear words.               The word 'bacronym' is a portmanteau word - which is a               combination of two others, in this case combining the words 'back' and               'acronym'.   acronyms and abbreviations Acronyms, whether true acronyms or not, and abbreviations, add               colour, fun and interest to our language, and thereby they act as mnemonics, or               memory devices. Many technical and process-related acronyms an


Which former Royal Mail Chief Executive was appointed Chief Executive of ITV in 2010?

ITV appoints Adam Crozier as chief executive | Media | The Guardian ITV plc ITV appoints Adam Crozier as chief executive Adam Crozier, head of Royal Mail and former boss of the FA, to take up role as ITV chief executive later this year Adam Crozier. Photograph: Graeme Robertson Thursday 28 January 2010 07.13 EST First published on Thursday 28 January 2010 07.13 EST Close This article is 6 years old ITV has appointed Adam Crozier , the head of Royal Mail and former boss of the FA, as its new chief executive. Crozier, also a former chief executive of ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi, will take up the role later in the year. "ITV is a strong brand with talented people, facing an imperative for change as the media landscape evolves," said the ITV chairman, Archie Norman, who has been focusing on the hunt for a chief executive since taking up the job at the start of the month. "Adam is a very strong leader with a great track record in delivering transformational change. He has worked successfully in talent-driven organisations, with government and regulators, and has a thorough understanding of the media, advertising and branding industries." Today's appointment brings to an end ITV's 10-month search for a new chief executive. Crozier, who acrimoniously left the Football Association in 2002 and joined Royal Mail the following year, said that he was looking forward to putting ITV at the "forefront of change". "I am very excited to be joining ITV, a company with a great heritage and one of the best brands in the UK," he added. "The entire media sector is going through enormous change and that presents both great opportunities and significant challenges for everyone in the industry. The objective for ITV is to rise to those challenges and put itself at the forefront of change." Research by the TaxPayers' Alliance, which publishes an annual public sector rich list, found that Crozier was paid £1,142,000 at the Royal Mail. His pay package at ITV has not yet been revealed. After two years in the mid-1980s at the Pedigree Petfoods division of confectionery giant Mars, Crozier moved over to work in advertising, where he rose to chief executive of Saatchi & Saatchi. In 2000 he left the agency to take the job of chief executive at the FA. "His task is to bring together the skills and talent within ITV to drive the business on its strategic journey," said Norman. "Adam was the unanimous choice of the non-executive directors of ITV after a very full and thorough search process." ITV's share price showed little effect up 0.85p or 1.5% to 57.4p after the announcement, shortly before 1pm. Norman has remained true to his word that he would run a tight recruitment process after last year's futile six-month hunt for a chief executive, which was accompanied by numerous leaks about prospective candidates to the media and culminated in negotiations with former BSkyB chief executive Tony Ball collapsing amid acrimony in late September. Norman declared that the hunt must be watertight and, in private, had even threatened to rule out any candidates who made their interest public . Since he took responsibility for the search, there have been no reports speculating about likely candidates for the role, although it had been assumed for a time that the candidate would not come from the TV industry. ITV's hunt for a new chief executive began in March last year, when the company announced that executive chairman Michael Grade would step back from his day-to-day management role and become non-executive chairman by the end of the year. However, on the same day in September that ITV announced it had broken off talks with Ball, it also emerged that the Grade would be leaving the company altogether, opening the way for Norman's appointment in November. The talks with Ball caused significant divisions among ITV's non-executive board, with a number of members opposed to his abrasive management style and pay demands. Norman, who officially started at ITV on 1 January, made his impact felt before that with a clearout of the board. The 12-member ITV board was cut by 25%


What does the word 'wherefore' mean, as In the phrase, 'Wherefore art thou Romeo?'

‘Wherefore’ does not mean where ‘Wherefore’ does not mean where A headline in today’s Hollywood Reporter: Wherefore art thou, ‘Juliet’? It’s at Uni. The story is about a book set up at Universal. The headline is incredibly frustrating. Wherefore isn’t a fancy way of saying where. It’s a fancy way of saying why or therefore: As longtime readers will know, I’m generally not Mr. Stickler when it comes to word usage. I’ve gotten several terms wrong over the years, including “begging the question.” I fully understand that words change meaning over time as languages grow and adapt. English is particularly nimble in this regard, and that’s a good thing. English is not Latin . So why my beef with “wherefore?” Wherefore isn’t a modern word in any sense. Its only use is in lame callbacks to the balcony scene in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. So every time it’s misused as a synonym for “where,” the writer reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the iconic scene. JULIET O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love and I’ll no longer be a Capulet. ROMEO Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this? JULIET ‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy: thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What’s Montague? It is nor hand nor foot, nor arm nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man. O be some other name! She’s not asking where he is. She’s asking why this hot guy she’s in love with has to be Romeo, a Montague, member of the rival gang. If we were writing that line now, it would be something like: JULIET O Romeo, Romeo, why must thou be Romeo? But the where/wherefore mistake is so fundamentally entrenched that we now expect Juliet to be straining at the edge of the balcony, looking out in the night with hopes of seeing her true love. It sets up the idea that she knows he’s coming, that a rendezvous has been set. It changes the scene in fundamental ways. I’m a realist: this fight will never be won. I’m certain I’ll go to my grave having just read a headline on the Mentalinet which makes the exact same mistake. I’m calling it out simply in hopes that some of my readers might join the fraternity of people who know that it’s wrong, and will bristle when they see it.


Port Ellen is the chief town on which Scottish island, the most southern of the Inner Hebrides?

Port Ellen Ferry - Timetables, prices and Port Ellen ferry tickets at directferries.ie 4 Sailings Daily 2 hr 10 min Get price Port Ellen Ferry Port Port Ellen is a small town on the Isle of Islay’s southern coast, an island famed for producing world-renowned whiskeys in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. As the most popular gateway to the island, the ferry terminal provides frequent crossings to and from Kennacraig on the Kintyre peninsula. The terminal building can be found just off the southernmost point of the A846, the island’s primary road, whilst the nearest bus stop is situated on Charlotte Street around 250 metres from the port. Named after the founder’s wife, Port Ellen is the second largest town on Islay and offers lovely views over the Oa peninsula and Kilnaughton Bay. Also, keep an eye out for the famous square-shaped Carraig Fhada Lighthouse standing in the bay’s western entrance. How To Get To Port Ellen Ferry Port Port Ellen Ferry Port Address Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, PA42 7DW Port Ellen Accommodation If you need to spend a night at or near Port Ellen ferry port before or after your trip or if you are looking for accommodation for your entire stay, please visit our Port Ellen Accommodation page for the best accommodation prices and one of the largest selections available online! Exclusive deals delivered to your inbox Invalid Email


Natrium was the original name for which element?

It's Elemental - The Element Sodium It's Elemental Melting Point: 370.95 K (97.80°C or 208.04°F) Boiling Point: 1156 K (883°C or 1621°F) Density: 0.97 grams per cubic centimeter Phase at Room Temperature: Solid Element Classification: Metal Period Number: 3    Group Number: 1    Group Name: Alkali Metal What's in a name? From the English word soda and from the Medieval Latin word sodanum, which means "headache remedy." Sodium's chemical symbol comes from the Latin word for sodium carbonate, natrium. Say what? Sodium is pronounced as SO-dee-em. History and Uses: Although sodium is the sixth most abundant element on earth and comprises about 2.6% of the earth's crust, it is a very reactive element and is never found free in nature. Pure sodium was first isolated by Sir Humphry Davy in 1807 through the electrolysis of caustic soda (NaOH). Since sodium can ignite on contact with water, it must be stored in a moisture free environment. Sodium is used in the production of titanium , sodamide, sodium cyanide, sodium peroxide, and sodium hydride. Liquid sodium has been used as a coolant for nuclear reactors. Sodium vapor is used in streetlights and produces a brilliant yellow light. Sodium also forms many useful compounds. Some of the most common are: table salt (NaCl), soda ash (Na2CO3), baking soda (NaHCO3), caustic soda (NaOH), Chile saltpeter (NaNO3) and borax (Na2B4O7·10H2O). Estimated Crustal Abundance: 2.36×104 milligrams per kilogram Estimated Oceanic Abundance: 1.08×104 milligrams per liter Number of Stable Isotopes: 1   ( View all isotope data ) Ionization Energy: 5.139 eV


The Eredivisie is the top football league in which country?

Statistically Ranking the World's Top 10 Football Leagues | Bleacher Report Statistically Ranking the World's Top 10 Football Leagues Statistically Ranking the World's Top 10 Football Leagues 1 of 9 Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Claims that one league is better than another have become ever more common in the social media-dominated world of football fandom, so here at Bleacher Report we have decided to take a statistics-based look at the topic. Rather than look at simply "which has the best players," the hope is to look at a range of factors that will help demonstrate how appealing a division is to the spectator. Does it offer goals, good football, high levels of competition etc.? Over the next eight pages, we take initial strides into what could be a massively in-depth area of research, comparing 10 of the world's best leagues over a number of factors. The results are, at times, somewhat surprising. How It Works 2 of 9 Michael Dodge/Getty Images The leagues nominally chosen by B/R to represent the top 10 in world football, while open for debate in itself have been ranked according to the following statistical methods:   1. Goals per game Which league has the most free-scoring football. While not necessarily an indicator of quality, it gives us an impression of which leagues give the fans best entertainment on a regular basis.   2. Disciplinary records By ranking each league by the number of yellow and red cards received per game, with red cards counting as three times the value, we can compare competitions by their concepts of "fair play." Of course, it is a statistic that relies heavily on refereeing consistency, which cannot be in any way guaranteed.   3. Average pass accuracy Which leagues boast the best levels of accuracy with their passing? In theory, this statistic should enable us to see which competitions try to play passing-based football and possess the best technical players. Differing styles of defending and attack-building, though, affect this method of judgement.   4. Average shot accuracy Which competition boasts the sharpest shooters? By comparing the percentage of shots on target in each competition, we get a good impression of striking ability and the quality of chance created. In that respect, it can also be seen as an indication of slack defensive standards. It is interesting to note that the Pearson Product-Moment correlation coefficient between the rankings of leagues with the best shot accuracy and number of goals scored is just 0.33, indicating a negligible correlation. More goals scored does not, then, necessarily mean more clinical finishing, merely more chances created.   5. Standard Deviation of points totals Just how spread-out are the points totals of sides within the division? The standard deviation gives us a clear indication of which leagues are more balanced in level than others. The larger the coefficient, the bigger the gulf in points totals.   6. Attendance figures Just how many people bother to show up to the stadiums and watch each competition? After all, good football is fairly pointless if nobody is watching.   Note: All data collected is for the 2013-14 season, with the exception of the Campeonato Brasileiro and MLS for which 2013 data is used. All statistics are compiled from WhoScored.com data, with the exception of attendance figures, for which transfer market was used. Card data for the Portuguese Primeira Liga is also taken from Transfermarkt, while reliable figures for some categories were not available for the division. Goals Per Game: Eredivisie Leads the Way for Goals 3 of 9 Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images It is perhaps of little surprise to anybody who has tracked the remarkable scoring figures amassed by strikers in the Netherlands over the years that the Eredivisie is the highest scoring of our monitored leagues. League 2.41 10 The Dutch top-flight averages well in excess of three goals per game this season, placing it and the Bundesliga well ahead of all other divisions analysed. Perhaps the most surprising result of the sample is that the stereotypically defensive


Name the Swedish tennis player who in recent years has ended long unbeaten records by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Borg Roots for Nadal to Join Him as New Rival Arises - The New York Times The New York Times Tennis |Borg Roots for Nadal to Join Him as New Rival Arises Search Continue reading the main story Photo Bjorn Borg has followed the career of Rafael Nadal since 2003. He watched him from courtside during the 2008 French Open. Credit Mike Hewitt/Getty Images PARIS — What once seemed a foregone conclusion — that Rafael Nadal would match Bjorn Borg by winning his sixth French Open this year — now looks more like a tennis thriller in the making thanks to the rise and prodigious efforts of Novak Djokovic. But in historical terms, Djokovic, unbeaten in 2011 and 4-0 against Nadal, remains a late-arriving interloper in this clay-court duel across decades. Nadal — with his racket-wrenching topspin, unmistakable athleticism and in-the-moment combativeness — was drawing comparisons to Borg even before he had played a single match at the French Open. He is now 38-1 at Roland Garros and has piled up five titles in six years, putting himself within one more dusty run of tying Borg’s men’s record for the tournament’s international phase, which began in 1925. But what a tough run it may turn out to be if Djokovic keeps ripping backhand winners crosscourt off Nadal’s trademark forehands and refusing to miss. Continue reading the main story “I always have said that records are meant to be beat, not only in tennis but in all sports,” Borg, now 54, said in a recent telephone interview from his home in Stockholm. “I wish Rafa the best of luck. It would be great to see him win the sixth time or seven or eight times. Advertisement Continue reading the main story “I believe he has more French Opens inside of him, but now he has another difficult guy, another kind of challenge. It’s not only from Roger Federer and other good players. Another guy has suddenly started to play unbelievable tennis like no one expected. But that’s great for tennis. It’s rivalries, more people at the top, that’s what everybody wants to see.” Borg has been following Nadal since watching him in a clay-court tournament in Bastad, Sweden, in 2003, when Nadal, then just 17, lost in a third-set tie breaker in the quarterfinals to Nicolas Lapentti, a tough Ecuadorean veteran. “I said this guy is going to be unbelievably good, and I don’t think there was even one person who disagreed,” Borg said. “When you saw him with the way he was playing and moving and the way he was hitting the ball on the court and with that energy. You could see it in his eyes and the face: This guy wants to be the best in the world.” Borg was a shaggy-haired teen idol himself long before Nadal. He ended up at No. 1 for 109 weeks between 1977 and 1981, the year he walked away from the game at 25 after losing first the Wimbledon final and then the United States Open final to his tennis antonym John McEnroe. Photo Bjorn Borg won 6 of his 11 Slam titles on the clay of Roland Garros. Credit Keystone/ Getty Images Earlier in 1981, Borg had swept through the French Open for the last time: dropping no sets until the final, where he needed five to defeat Ivan Lendl. It was Borg’s fourth straight victory in Paris and his sixth in eight years (he did not play at all in 1977 because of contractual conflicts), and there is still a palpable sense of awe tinged with embarrassment among the proud, less-gifted men he beat up on red clay along the way. “He’s the only player I played where I knew I was going to lose; it was just a matter of how many games I was going to get,” said José Higueras, a former top-10 player from Spain who has coached many of the game’s stars. Higueras did actually defeat Borg in their first match, when Borg was still in his mid-teens, but Borg won the next nine. “He would take my legs out in four or five games,” Higueras said. “We played long points, but his foot speed was so good and his ball was so heavy that he would actually beat me physically very early.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story Higueras calls Borg and Nadal “the two toughest players mentally I have ever seen,” citing thei


The Petronas Towers, the world's tallest twin towers, are in which Asian city?

5. & 6. Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur (1,483 ft.) - World's tallest buildings 2012 - Pictures - CBS News World's tallest buildings 2012 Next 1. Burj Khalifa, Dubai (2,717 ft.) An aerial view shows Burj Khalifa, under construction in the Gulf emirate of Dubai on December 17, 2009. The building is 163 stories tall and opened in 2010, and at 2,717 feet tall it is the world's tallest, according to Emporis, a provider of data on global construction. Credit: MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP/Getty Images Dubai's Burj Khalifa building is seen on September 29, 2010. Credit: JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, officially opened the Burj Khalifa tower at an ceremony lit by fireworks, on January 4, 2010. Credit: MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP/Getty Images An Emarati man points toward the city from the observation deck of Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower on January 4, 2010. Credit: KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images 2. Taipei 101, Taipei (1,671 ft.) A tourist takes a photo of the Taipei 101, the world's second-tallest skyscraper, on August 5, 2010. Credit: PATRICK LIN/AFP/Getty Images) 3. World Financial Center, Shanghai (1,614 ft.) The 101-story World Financial Center in the Pudong financial district in Shanghai, June 28, 2011. China's construction boom and appetite for bold buildings have given a host of architects the chance to push design boundaries, and other fast-developing Asian nations have followed suit. Nine of the top 15 tallest buildings in the world today have been completed within the past 15 years - and seven of those new skyscrapers are in Asia. Credit: PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images 4. International Commerce Center, Hong Kong (1,588 ft.) The International Commerce Center (ICC) building is seen next to a silhouette of a palm tree in Hong Kong on November 22, 2011. A recent study found that Hong Kong was the world's most expensive place to rent office space in 2010. Credit: Aaron Tam/AFP/Getty Images 5. & 6. Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur (1,483 ft.) A night shot of Malaysia's landmark Petronas Twin Towers, next to the Maxix building at right, in Kuala Lumpur on February 6, 2010. Tying for fifth and sixth places on the world's tallest buildings list, they remain the tallest twin structures in the world. Credit: SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images 7. Zifeng Tower, Nanching (1,476 ft.) The Zifeng Tower (formerly called the Nanjing Greenland Financial Center) was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and completed in 2009. Credit: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill 8. Willis Tower, Chicago (1,451 ft.) The Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) is seen on March 12, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. The building - once the tallest in the world - was built in the 1970s to house the offices of the then-largest retailer in the world, Sears, Roebuck & Co. Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images Children check out the view from the 1,353-foot-high observatory known as the Ledge, a glass cube that juts out from the 103rd floor Skydeck of the Willis Tower, July 1, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images 9. Kingkey 100, Shenzhen (1,449 ft.) The Kingkey 100 (formerly called the KingKey Finance Center Plaza) is seen under construction in Shenzhen city, south China's Guangdong province, April 13, 2011. Credit: Yuan shuiling 10. International Finance Center, Guangzhou (1,435 ft) An aerial view of the Guangzhou International Finance Center (IFC) and surrounding buildings in Guangzhou city, south China's Guangdong province, October 17, 2010. Credit: Nan sha gz 11. Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai (1,380 ft.) A view looking down upon the Grand Hyatt Hotel within the Jin Mao Tower, in the financial district of Pudong, Shanghai, January 17, 2011. Credit: PETER PARKS/AFP/Getty Images 12. Two International Finance Center, Hong Kong (1,362 ft.) The Var, a French Navy ship, sails through Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor, dwarfed by the territory's largest skyscraper, Two International Finance Center (IFC), June 17, 2007. Credit: LAURENT FIEVET/AFP/Getty Images Images of lightning striking the International Finance Center (IFC) in


What did chef Gino D'Acampo win in 2009?

I'm A Celebrity star Gino D¿Acampo spent two years in prison for burgling Paul Young's house | Daily Mail Online comments Jungle chef Gino D’Acampo spent two years in prison after being convicted of burgling 1980s singer Paul Young’s home. The TV personality, 32, best known for appearing on BBC show Ready Steady Cook, has a starring role on the new series of ITV reality show I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! But he was a 21-year-old waiter when he stole Mr Young’s £4,000 guitar collection, alongside a prized platinum disc, the Mail has learnt. Troubled past: TV chef Gino D'Acampo spent two years in jail for theft when he was 21, it has emerged Italian-born D'Acampo stood before a judge in 1998, and was sentenced under his real name, Gennaro. He was caught after his DNA matched tests on cigarette butts he had dropped in the now 53-year-old star's bedroom in Mill Hill, North London. Following his prison stint, he found television fame on UK TV Food and has regularly appeared on air alongside TV cooks including Ainsley Harriott and Tony Tobin. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share He is also the owner of a supplier of Italian ingredients to the UK food industry, called Bontà Italia Ltd and also designs ready-made meals for major supermarkets. D’Acampo, now happily married to wife Jessica, with whom he has two sons, Luciano and Rocco, left his native hometown of Naples for England in 1995 and went to work in restaurant kitchens in north London. Favourite to win: Gino takes part in an I'm A Celebrity task But he refers to his past crime on his website, admitting: “It was while in England that an involvement with the 'wrong people' landed him a spell at Her Majesty's Pleasure but the sojourn resolved his mind and set him on a new course to succeed.” An ITV source said that I’m A Celebrity…!  Chiefs were aware of D’Acampo’s past. The source said: 'This is a crime committed 11 years ago when Gino was a young man. He has paid for the crime and done his time. 'Everybody deserves a second chance and Gino has worked hard to turn his life around.' A spokesperson for ITV said: 'Gino D’Acampo is a  regular favourite on ITV and we are aware of his spent conviction.' A TV source added: 'This happened 11 years ago. We’re all completely happy Gino’s turned his life around.' Ladbrokes have today made Gino D’Acampo is the new favourite to win I’m A Celebrity, with odds of 7/2.


What 7-letter word beginning with J is a nickname for a US marine?

USMC Dictionary Dictionary of Marine Corps Terms and Words Used in Vietnam ABOARD: on base; with us. ACTUAL: radio talk for unit commander.  ALL HANDS: everyone. AMTRACK: amphibious tractor; landing craft. AO DAI (Viet.): formal attire worn by Vietnamese women. AS YOU WERE!: resume what you were doing; correction. ASSHOLES AND ELBOWS: in a hurry; quickly.  BA MUI BA ("33"): Vietnamese beer. BAC SI (Viet.): Doctor, used for Corpsman. BAM: Broad Ass Marine; derogatory name for Woman Marine.  BARRACKS COVER: garrison (frame) cap. BATTLE PIN: necktie clip. BCD: Bad Conduct Discharge. BELAY: stop; quit. BILLET: assignment or job; place of residence. BIRD: aircraft.  BLOUSE: n. jacket; v. tuck in, secure. BLOUSING BANDS: elastic bands used to secure utility trouser cuffs. BLUES: Dress Blues. BLT: Battalion Landing Team. BOONDOCKS (BOONIES): rugged isolated back country. BOONDOCKERS: low-topped work boots issued to reservists. BOOT: recruit. BOO-COO: (Fr. beaucoup) much, many. BRAIN HOUSING GROUP: your gourd, mind, brain, or head. BRASS: officers. BRIG: jail. BRIG RAT: jail inmate. BRIG CHASER: MP assigned to escort prisoners.  BROTHER: black Marine (also Splib). BROWN SIDE-OUT: desert camouflage pattern. BULKHEAD: wall. BY-THE-NUMBERS: in sequence. CANNON COCKERS: artillerymen. CARRY ON!: resume what you were doing; as you were. CASUAL COMPANY: unit of Marines awaiting reassignment. CC: Corrective Custody; jail, the brig. CHUCK: black Marine's term for white Marine. CG: Commanding General. CHIEU HOI (Viet.): freedom; safe conduct pass; program whereby           VC who surrendered were assured safe conduct. CHIMPO: see choda.  CHIT: written authorization or receipt. CHODA: same as chimpo. CHOW: food. CHOW HALL: mess hall.  CLICK: one notch of adjustment on a rifle. CINDERELLA LIBERTY: time off which ends at midnight. CO (Viet.): girl, woman. COLORS: n. the flag; v. ceremony of raising or lowering the flag.  CON BIET? (Viet) do you understand? C-RATS: C rations, canned field rations. COM RATS: commuted rations; in lieu pay for meals eaten off base. CORPSMAN: Navy medic serving with Marines. COVER: hat.  COVER ASS: take precautions to avoid blame. THE CROTCH: derogatory term for Marine Corps. CRUISE: period of enlistment; tour of duty. DECK: floor. DEUCE-AND-A-HALF: 2 1/2 ton truck. DI-DI (Viet.): leave, go, move out. DI-DI MAU (Viet.): emphatic of Di-di. DIDDY BAG: cloth, drawstring bag for small items.  DIDDY BOP: swagger; affected walk. DINK: Vietnamese. DINKY-DAU (Viet): crazy. DOG-AND-PONY-SHOW: special presentation put on for visiting dignitaries. DOUBLE TIME: quickly; at a run. DRY FIRE: practice. DRY RUN: practice.  DU-DIT (Viet): fuck you! EIGHTH & EYE: Headquarters Marine Corps. ENTRENCHING TOOL (E-TOOL): small folding field shovel. EVERY SWINGING DICK: All hands, everyone. EYE FUCK: scrutinize; inspect closely. FARTSACK: mattress cover. FIELD DAY: general cleanup of barracks. FIELD SCARF: necktie. FIELD STRIP: disassemble; take apart.   FIRE IN THE HOLE!: warning that explosives are about to be detonated. FIRST SHIRT (ALSO TOP): First Sergeant. FLOAT PHASE: sea deployment of a Marine unit. FMF: Fleet Marine Force. FOUR-BY: light truck. FRONT LEANING REST POSITION: pushup position ("the Position"). GALLEY: kitchen. GANG WAY!: stand back! move away! GEDUNK: sweets or a store that sells sweets. GEAR: equipment. GI CAN: garbage can.  GIZMO: gadget; anything that defies discription. GOURD: head; where you hang your cover. GREEN SIDE-OUT: woodland pattern camouflage. GRAB A HAT: leave. GRINDER: parade ground. GUIDON: pennant bearing unit designation. GUNG HO: lit. work together; (from Chinese) highly motivated. GUNGY: gung ho. GUNNY: Gunnery Sergeant. GRABASS (ORGANIZED GRABASS): play; sports, frivolous activity.      GREEN MACHINE: Marine Corps. HAM: Hairy Assed Marine; male Marine. HAM AND MOTHERS: "Ham a


Which god is the twin brother of the goddess Artemis?

The God and Goddess   |   The Story of Artemis Artemis: Goddess of Light And Protector of the Vulnerable In Greek mythology Artemis (also known as the Roman goddess Diana) was the daughter of Zeus, the mighty ruler of the Olympian gods. After an affair and secretly impregnating Leto, Leto had to give birth to Aretmis while being chased by the Python sent by Hera. Fortunately for Leto her first child, Artemis, was birthed without any pain. However Leto had twins so her labor continued, and as weak as she was the newborn Artemis quickly took the roll as midwife and helped birth her twin brother Apollo. You could say that, of all the Greek goddesses, the goddess Artemis was literally born to serve as a nurturer and protector! It looks like though both twins had young knacks for things. On her birthday Artemis asked for Six wishes from Zeus, his father. These wishes were. 1.   To be able to live life chaste. 2.   To be able to be a lifelong bachelorette and never marry. 3.   A bow and arrow like that of Artemis’s 4.   Hunting dogs to assist her hunting. 5.   Stags to lead her chariot. 6.   And 80 virgin nymphs to be her hunting companions. Zeus was amused by wishes and being the good father granted her each wish she asked for. Artemis would never marry, and would be chaste for all eternity. She roamed with her hunting dogs, nymphs, and her stags, hunting all throughout the mountains where she resided. Artemis was very protective of the chastity of her nymphs and was angered when they didn’t keep their purity. In the case of Callisto, Zeus had disguised himself as Artemis and took advantage and impregnated Callisto, Artemis was furious that she was no longer chaste and blamed her loss of purity on her. Artemis then immediately irrevocably turned her into a bear. However before Artemis killed Callisto in bear form Zeus intervened turning Callisto into constellation in the stars, as Callisto the Bear, also known as Ursa Major. The Greek goddess Artemis was frequently called upon to nurture her needy and somewhat ineffectual mother. Many times she came to the aid of her mother healing her from sickness. Artemis very naturally became the patron saint of childbirth, the protector of children, and the goddess who especially heard the appeals of women. Helping women in childbirth by relieving them of the pain they suffer on several occasions. . Artemis is unsurprisingly associated with the wilderness and the natural world. She symbolizes the untamed spirit, never being tied down by things such as love, being the eternal huntress of the forests.The Greek goddess Artemis was famous for her hunting skills, especially with her bow and arrow. She had unerring aim that never missed her target. She was a very able hunter taking down some of the most terrifying beasts with ease and grace. Artemis was also very protective of the animals in her domain. Once the King Agamemnon slaughtered one of Artemis’s sacred stags and boasted that he was a superior hunter to Artemis. In vengeance while Agamemnon and his forces were sailing to Troy for the Trojan War Artemis becalmed the ships so they were stuck in the middle of the sea with no wind. Artemis then demanded Agamemnon sacrifice his daughter and then Artemis would restore the wind. In the end Artemis herself swaps the sacrifice of Artemis was a goddess very comfortable with her female companions and rarely ever had male companions excepting her twin brother. She often bathed and danced with her nymphs and womanly companions. Once the hunter Actaeon saw Artemis bathing with her nymphs and was paralyzed in wonderment staring at all the women bathing in the river. Artemis, was none too pleased at the peeping tom and so she turned him into a stag and made his own dogs attack and kill him. Artemis never had any love affairs, but one. That was with the mortal Orion. Artemis was in love with Orion. However, upset that his sister's time and attentions had been diverted away from him, the God Apollo, her twin, became very jealou. So when Orion was swimming far into the ocean Apollo


Name the former Metropolitan Police Commander convicted in 2010 of perverting the course of justice and sentenced to 4 years imprisonment.

Ali Dizaei granted second appeal against conviction | UK news | The Guardian Ali Dizaei granted second appeal against conviction Sacked Metropolitan police commander given go-ahead to challenge conviction for corruption and misconduct Ali Dizaei has been granted a second appeal against his conviction, which is expected to be heard in the autumn. Photograph: Andrew Winning/Reuters Wednesday 4 July 2012 09.51 EDT First published on Wednesday 4 July 2012 09.51 EDT Close This article is 4 years old The saga surrounding the former police chief Ali Dizaei has taken another astonishing turn after he was given permission for a second time to challenge his conviction for corruption. The court of appeal decided there were sufficient grounds for a full hearing into the safety of Dizaei's convictions for misconduct and perverting the course of justice. A jury convicted Dizaei, then a commander in the Metropolitan police , in February over his false arrest of Waad al-Baghdadi after a dispute over £600. He received a three-year sentence. It was the second time Dizaei had been convicted. The first guilty verdict was quashed by the court of appeal after it emerged Baghdadi was a serial fraudster who had lied in the first trial. Dizaei's new appeal against the conviction came after his lawyers said they had evidence showing that Baghdadi had a propensity for violence. This evidence was not allowed to go before the jury that convicted Dizaei in February after a ruling by the trial judge. The evidence is understood to include social media messages allegedly written by Baghdadi and a covert recording. Baghdadi is the main witness against Dizaei, but the jury in February decided it believed the word of a convicted fraudster over that of a Scotland Yard commander, as it unanimously found the police chief guilty of arresting and framing a man in a row over money. Dizaei told the Guardian: "I will continue in my efforts to clear my name, irrespective of how long it will take, and how many times I have to appear before tribunals or courts." Baghdadi is under investigation for an assault, having been arrested by the Met on the day Dizaei was convicted for a second time. Other allegations against Baghdadi have resulted in the police deciding to take no further action. Dizaei, 49, was sacked from the Met in May following his reconviction. He was first convicted of framing Baghdadi in a street clash in 2010 but the conviction was quashed by the court of appeal a year later. At the first trial it was claimed Baghdadi was an honest man and of good character. But the jury heard Baghdadi was convicted in September 2011 of committing benefit fraud by claiming £27,000 in the name of his dead father, from 2007 to 2010, and sentenced to eight months' imprisonment. The case was brought after an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. The conviction of Dizaei is the biggest scalp claimed by the embattled police complaints body. Dizaei was a long-standing and vocal critic of the police's record on race, and has also previously criticised the IPCC. His detractors claim he played the race card to advance his career and escape being held to account for his shortcomings. The second trial saw the jury take 11 hours to unanimously decide Dizaei was lying when he claimed Baghdadi had threatened him and assaulted him outside a west London restaurant in July 2008. Dizaei, 49, was convicted of misconduct in public office for abusing his powers to falsely arrest Baghdadi, and perverting the course of justice for filing false accounts of the incident. In July 2008 Dizaei had clashed with Baghdadi, who claimed the police commander owed him £600 for a website he had designed. Dizaei then arrested Baghdadi, and claimed to have been assaulted and poked in the stomach with the mouthpiece of a shisha pipe. Baghdadi spent 24 hours in a cell and six weeks on bail before it was decided he would not face charges. The guilty verdict will prove difficult for Dizaei's lawyers to overturn. They may believe they have evidence of further benefit fraud by Baghdadi a


What is the nationality of Manny Pacquiao, considered by many the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

The Mystery of Manny Pacquiao’s Calf Muscles « Manny Pacquiao The Mystery of Manny Pacquiao’s Calf Muscles Have the champ's legs bothered him in recent fights? And could calf pain slow him down against Timothy Bradley? by Gary Andrew Poole on June 5, 2012 It should have been a fairy-tale ending to a classic boxing trilogy. Manny Pacquiao had just won his November 2011 fight against Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacquiao won on the scorecards, but there was no postfight euphoria. Against Marquez, the Filipino boxing icon didn’t seem himself. His trademark flurries of punches and tireless work rate in the ring weren’t there. Marquez, the Mexican counterpuncher, seemed to have defused Pacquiao’s explosiveness, and when the victor was announced, thousands of Mexican boxing fans inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena rained boos on Pacquiao. Later, in the press room, Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, shook his head and tried to explain what went wrong. Pacquiao’s calf muscles have given him troubles over the years, and once again they seemed to hobble the boxer and slow his attack. “We have to do something about them,” Roach said. But what exactly was he saying? It felt like he was speaking in some sort of pugilistic secret code. Those powerful, grapefruit-sized calves are an important part of Pacquiao’s success as a boxer, and, by corollary, his political career. Pacquiao is a sitting congressman in the Philippines and he has grand ambitions to someday lead his country. He won’t be old enough to run for president until 2018, and he’s viewed as a potential candidate for the 2022 election. But Pacquiao’s political fate is inevitably linked to the status, fame, and wealth he gains from being one of the world’s best boxers. If his calf problems submarine his campaigns in the ring, then his political campaigns will likely follow. Pacquiao’s bulbous calf muscles may be the diminutive boxer’s most noticeable physical trait. The knockout power he’s used to drop and bloody far bigger men begins in those legs, as does the speed he’s employed to dance around the larger men’s blows. Those calf muscles are the product of genetics, of course, but they have also been formed over the course of Pacquiao’s life, going back to his childhood. Nearly 30 years ago, when Pacquiao was a boy living in General Santos City, he started carrying water up and down a hill for his family. Back then he was just a poor kid in the southern Philippines, running from place to place to save money on jeepney or pedicab fares. In his youth, Pacquiao ran hundreds of miles, and he fought too, dancing on the balls of his feet for countless hours of sparring and boxing bouts. All of that running and boxing created stamina and those thick, bulging calves. But sometime in the past five years, Pacquiao’s calves started to bother him. I covered him closely for years and even wrote a biography of him, but Pacquiao rarely communicates his inner feelings and no one in his camp seems to know when Pacquiao’s calves started ailing him. He told associates that they had troubled him in his second fight against Marquez, in March 2008. Later that year, as he prepared to fight David Diaz, he told confidantes (who would later tell me) that it felt like his muscles were being ripped from his shin bone. Pacquiao proudly insists that he has never visited any specialists to examine his calves. Ryan Capretta, the founder of Proactive Sports Performance, a Los Angeles–area training facility whose clients include Nick Swisher, Dwight Freeney, and Clay Matthews, says modern athletes are usually seeking more, not less, biomechanical information about their bodies to increase their edge and stay injury-free. Since Pacquiao hasn’t had the problem checked out — or officially admitted he has a problem — no one really knows what’s causing his calf pain. It could be an electrolyte deficiency, a back issue, or even chronic exertional compartment syndrome, a condition that sometimes occurs in endurance athletes and causes their muscles to stop receiving good blood flow. “It’s very easy to work up a diagnosis if h


Titus Oates was a ringleader of the Popish plot to kill which English King in 1678?

The Popish Plot - History Learning Site Home   »   Stuart England   »  The Popish Plot The Popish Plot Citation: C N Trueman "The Popish Plot" historylearningsite.co.uk. The History Learning Site, 17 Mar 2015. 16 Aug 2016. The Popish Plot of 1678 was the result of the fertile mind of Titus Oates. In fact, no Popish Plot existed but the circumstances within the country at the time resulted in many listening to what Oates had to say.   Titus Oates was a renegade who had joined the Church after Cambridge University but was dismissed from his post for drunken blasphemy. He became the chaplain for a Royal Naval ship, the ‘Adventurer’, but he was dismissed from this as well for sodomy.   To get some elevation in society after his fall from grace, it seems that Oates discovered a plot to kill the king – what became known as the ‘Popish Plot’. This was a plot ‘uncovered’ by Oates after he managed to infiltrate Jesuits based in London. The plan was to kill the king, Charles II, and replace him with his Catholic brother James. Then thousands of Protestants would be killed in a blood bath.   It was all nonsense – the invention of a fertile if warped mind – but events at the time conspired to assist Oates.   In 1666 many Londoners had blamed the Catholics for the Great Fire – so blaming the Catholics was not new. London was also in the grip of an economic depression and many were unemployed. Catholics became a convenient scapegoat who could be blamed for just about anything.   Oates gave, under oath, an account of what he had found out from the Jesuits. This account was made to a magistrate called Sir Edmund Geoffrey. He was found murdered in London a while after Oates had given his statement. This only served to heighten tension as many blamed the Catholics for taking their revenge out on a man who was only doing his job.   In September, Oates named many Catholics as being part of the conspiracy. Charles II treated his claims with huge scepticism but Parliament latched on to them and argued that they should be investigated. Oates was given a state apartment in Whitehall and an annual allowance of £1,200.   He also gained much credibility when one of the first names he gave – Edward Coleman – was found to be in treasonable communication with the French. This played into the hands of Oates and ‘proved’ that his claims were true. Coleman had been a secretary to the Catholic Duke of York. To many in London, Oates’ story seemed to make perfect sense. Known Catholics were ordered to leave London and many Protestants in the city openly carried weapons to defend themselves against the impending Catholic ‘onslaught’. This hysteria played into the hands of Oates and only served to elevate his status in London.   Oates continued with his campaign. He accused five leading Catholic lords of treason. This was greeted with laughter by Charles II. The king personally questioned Oates and found many large discrepancies in his story. Oates upped his story by accusing the queen and the royal doctor of plotting to poison Charles. The king was not willing to accept such nonsense and ordered the arrest of Oates. However, he was saved by Parliament such was the paranoia he had created. Unwilling to take on Parliament, Charles agreed not to proceed with the arrest. By the end of 1678, Parliament had passed two acts that forbade Catholics from being members of both the Commons and the Lords.   Oates constantly made outrageous claims that were believed. One was that the king would be shot by silver bullets so that the wound could not be treated. Some even believed that the French had invaded the Isle of Purbeck.   It was only in 1681, that senior legal figures started to question what had gone on. Judge Scroggs declared innocent men accused of treason by Oates. In previous years, Catholics had been executed near enough on the say so of Oates and the ‘evidence’ he presented. Scroggs even declared some of the executed posthumously innocent.   The fall from grace for Oates was swift. The Popish Plot showed just how easy it was to create an enemy that did not e


The Torah and Talmud are holy books in which religion?

Holy Books in Judaism of Judaism The Hebrew Scriptures, referred to by Christians as the Old Testament, are called the TANAKH, which is the Hebrew acronym for the three different parts: The Torah which is the first five books of the Old Testament or the Pentateuch; The Nevi'im which are the books of the prophets; and Ketuvim which are the remaining writings. A chart at NewLife.com explains the different parts of the TANAKH and what's included in each section. The other Holy Book for the Jewish religion is the Talmud which includes the Mishnah, which means "repetition" or "study" and the Gemara, which means "addition" or "completion." As society changed, the Jews found that the Torah needed to be updated from its original agricultural emphasis. Those changes became part of the Mishnah. The Mishnah also includes a description of Jewish life was during the period of the Second Temple. The Mishnah is divided into six sections (sedarim): Zeraim (seeds) regarding the agricultural laws Moed (seasons) regarding the Sabbath and festivals Nashim (women) regarding marriage, divorce and family law Neziqin (damages) regarding civil and criminal laws Qodashim (holy things) regarding sacrificial cult and dietary laws) Tohorot (purifications) regarding ritual defilement and purification The sedarim are divided into 63 treatises. Also included in the Mishnah are a collection of wise sayings called the Pirke Avot (Chapters of the Fathers). After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 A.D., the Talmud defines the Jews' religious life more than the Torah. Jewish tradition says Moses received two Torahs on Mount Sinai.  The first is the written Torah above and the second is an oral Torah passed down from generation to generation. The oral Toral finally was written down at the end of the second century. Biblical scholars and scribes in Babylon edited the written "oral Torah" between 200 and 600 A.D. and that is now known as the Gemara, which means "completion" in Aramaic. Although there is only one Mishna, there are two Gemaras. The first Gemara called the Yerushalmi was created in Israel and the second called the Bavli was created in Babylon. The Gemara is always printed with the Mishnah. The Gemara adds to the Mishna and are a source of history and legend.


The film 'The Shawshank Redemption' was based on a novella by which highly successful writer?

Theresa Chaze: The Shawshank Redemption And Lady Justice Doorway to world of entertainment, mystery and healing. Friday, December 25, 2009 The Shawshank Redemption And Lady Justice The movie The Shawshank Redemption, based on a novella written by Stephan King and originally titled Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption was director-screen writer Frank Darabonts first feature length motion picture. He also went on to direct and write another highly successful King novella, The Green Mile. What pleases us most here in Upper Sandusky and Wyandot County is that he chose our court house for the opening courtroom scene in his movie, and made mention of us in the 10th Anniversary re-release of Shawshank directors cut. It was only fitting that we held a 15th Anniversary reunion of the filming in our town, and also used the opportunity of a reunion to benefit the court house, Lady Justice in particular, which is in great need of restoration. Monies raised helped pay for a large part of Lady Justices restoration and it is our hope this video will convey our sincere gratitude to Frank and company for what they have done. Posted by


Which horse won his 4th consecutive King George VI Chase at Kempton in 2009, beating Desert Orchid's record of 4 wins in 5 years?

KAUTO STAR Print, King George VI Steeplechase Limited Edition Horse Racing Art by Denise Finney National Hunt Order of Merit (2006/07, 2007/08) Horse (Equus ferus caballus) Kauto Star (foaled March 19, 2000) is a French-bred National Hunt racehorse, who is currently trained by Paul Nicholls in Somerset, England. Kauto Star is one of the most successful National Hunt horses of all time. Ultra consistent, incredibly tough and extremely versatile, he possesses a devastating turn of foot, a unique talent among staying chasers. He holds numerous records in the sport; he was the first horse to regain the Cheltenham Gold Cup and is the only horse to have won the King George VI Chase four consecutive times, as well as winning it five times in all. Kauto Star first came to the attention of Paul Nicholls when he saw a video of him in action at Auteuil. Nicholls was so impressed with what he saw that he sought to arrange a purchase through his bloodstock agent in France, Anthony Bromley. Nicholls arranged an owner in the shape of Clive Smith who was looking to purchase a horse and had recently had a 500,000 guineas offer for another horse (Garde Champetre) outbid by J. P. McManus. He used 400,000 euros to purchase Kauto Star from his French owners. Early career After a promising Hurdle career in France where he was known as 'L'Extraterrestre' which translates to 'The Extraterrestrial' Kauto Star made a successful debut in England, winning a Novice Chase at Newbury beating Foreman by 9 lengths. Unfortunately he could only finish runner-up on his next appearance in an extraordinary race at Exeter beaten by Mistral De La Cour by a short head, Kauto Star had cantered into a 12-length lead approaching the second last fence when he fell, his jockey Ruby Walsh was able to re-mount the horse, without his irons they jumped the last and chased the leader down just failing by a nose. Another half stride and he would have got up to win. Sadly he picked up an injury in the race, which ruled him out of the Cheltenham Festival and the rest of the season. 2005/06 Season: Kauto Star started the new season with defeat over two miles and a furlong at Exeter to Monkerhostin. He followed this up though with an excellent one and a half length defeat of Ashley Brook in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown, the first of his numerous Grade One successes. This meant that Kauto Star came into the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival as the 2/1 Favourite, unfortunately for his supporters the horse fell at only the third fence. 2006/07 Season: Kauto Star came into the new season with high hopes and expectations. He didn't let any one down on his seasonal reappearance destroying Armaturk by 21 lengths in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree. Over the next six weeks Kauto Star confirmed himself as the leading chaser in training, completing the first two legs of the Betfair Million thrashing multiple Grade One winner Beef or Salmon by 17 lengths in the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park and then overcoming a final fence blunder to win the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park by 8 lengths defeating Exotic Dancer. In between these two excellent successes over 3 miles, he was able to show his fantastic versatility by dropping back to 2 miles to win the Tingle Creek Chase for the second year running defeating the 2006/07 season Champion Chaser Voy Por Ustedes by 7 lengths. Kauto Star then had his final prep run before Cheltenham Gold Cup in the Aon Chase at Newbury, another final fence blunder meant Kauto Star had to battle all the way to line to defeat L'Ami by a neck, although he never looked like being passed. The 2007 Gold Cup: After 5 straight victories, Kauto Star then headed into the Cheltenham Gold Cup as a very warm favourite, on the day he was sent off the very short priced 5/4. Despite the concerns beforehand about Kauto's jumping he put in an immaculate round of fences, tracking the leaders in mid-division, before cruising into the lead before the second last, he then jumped the final fence to the roars of the Cheltenham crowd seeing off old rival Exot


By what name is the building 30 St Mary Axe in the City of London colloquially known?

The Gherkin - Sightseeing - visitlondon.com The Gherkin 30 St Mary Axe is a tall office building known affectionately as The Gherkin. The Gherkin is not open to the public.Read More About 30 St Mary Axe is a tall round office building in London known affectionately as The Gherkin. The Gherkin was designed by Sir Norman Foster and opened in 2004. The Gherkin is 180m tall. The Gherkin in London is not open to the public. Images and Videos


A league was an old unit of measurement equal to how many miles?

league | measurement | Britannica.com measurement phon League, any of several European units of measurement ranging from 2.4 to 4.6 statute miles (3.9 to 7.4 km). In English-speaking countries the land league is generally accepted as 3 statute miles (4.83 km), although varying lengths from 7,500 feet to 15,000 feet (2.29 to 4.57 km) were sometimes employed. An ancient unit derived from the Gauls and introduced into England by the Normans , the league was estimated by the Romans to be equal to 1,500 paces—a pace, or passus, in Roman measure being nearly 5 feet (1.5 metres). Land leagues of about 2.63 miles (4.23 km) were used by the Spanish in early surveys of parts of the American Southwest. At one time the term was also used as a unit of area measurement. Old California surveys show square leagues equal to 4,439 acres (1,796 hectares ). In the late 18th century the league also came to refer to the distance a cannon shot could be fired at menacing ships offshore. This resulted in the 3-mile offshore territorial limit. Learn More in these related articles: acre unit of land measurement in the British Imperial and United States Customary systems, equal to 43,560 square feet, or 160 square rods. One acre is equivalent to 0.4047 hectares (4,047 square metres). Derived from Middle English aker (from Old English aecer) and akin to Latin ager... hectare unit of area in the metric system equal to 100 ares, or 10,000 square metres, and the equivalent of 2.471 acres in the British Imperial System and the United States Customary measure. The term is derived from the Latin area and from hect, an irregular contraction of the Greek word for hundred.... 1 Reference found in Britannica Articles Assorted Reference Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later. Edit Mode Submit Tips For Editing We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles. You can make it easier for us to review and, hopefully, publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind. Encyclopædia Britannica articles are written in a neutral objective tone for a general audience. You may find it helpful to search within the site to see how similar or related subjects are covered. Any text you add should be original, not copied from other sources. At the bottom of the article, feel free to list any sources that support your changes, so that we can fully understand their context. (Internet URLs are the best.) Your contribution may be further edited by our staff, and its publication is subject to our final approval. Unfortunately, our editorial approach may not be able to accommodate all contributions. Submit Thank You for Your Contribution! Our editors will review what you've submitted, and if it meets our criteria, we'll add it to the article. Please note that our editors may make some formatting changes or correct spelling or grammatical errors, and may also contact you if any clarifications are needed. Uh Oh There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later. Close Date Published: April 29, 2004 URL: https://www.britannica.com/science/league-measurement Access Date: December 23, 2016 Share


Film director Sam Mendes was married to which actress?

Sam Mendes | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos | AllMovie twitter Biography               by Michael Hastings Director Sam Mendes was already a veteran of the Broadway and London stage when he made one of the most auspicious feature film debuts in recent memory with American Beauty , a dark, satirical, and ultimately revelatory vision of suburban discontent. The low-budget Hollywood production struck a chord with audiences and critics, garnering Mendes a truckload of year-end awards. The soft-spoken director was born in 1965 in England, an only child of Portuguese descent. His parents divorced when he was five. After graduating from Cambridge University, the young Mendes made his mark with several popular, innovative stage productions in London's West End before joining the ranks of the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1992. By his mid-twenties, Mendes had staked a claim among such peers as Danny Boyle and Nicholas Hytner -- future film directors themselves -- and had already coaxed attention-getting performances from such luminaries as Dame Judi Dench and Ralph Fiennes . Mendes then became artistic director of London's Donmar Warehouse Theater, where he programmed an eclectic mix of Shakespeare, Stephen Sondheim , and Tennessee Williams . Critics noted the director's ability to attract big-name talents seeking to prove their mettle, exemplified by Nicole Kidman 's daring, multi-character performance in Mendes ' London and Broadway productions of The Blue Room. It was his stark, Tony-winning rendition of Cabaret, however, which prompted Steven Spielberg to hand Mendes the script for American Beauty . Spielberg 's DreamWorks company was the only Hollywood studio to respond to sitcom writer Alan Ball 's elliptical tale of Middle American redemption; and in Cabaret, Spielberg saw the work not just of an actor's director but of a distinctly cinematic visionary. In the film's production, Mendes rehearsed extensively with his cast, storyboarding the film with the aid of Spielberg and legendary cinematographer Conrad Hall . Though the picture was conceived as a dark, ironic comedy, Mendes discovered in the editing process a more reverent, spiritual side to the material. Through careful marketing, the film enjoyed a long run at the box office; in a year filled with scandal and tragedy, American audiences responded to its caustic but inspiring tone. Critics and the industry took note as well, as was particularly evidenced by the slew of year-end attention garnered by the film and its director: among American Beauty 's many honors were 5 Academy Awards, including a Best Picture win and a Best Director Oscar statuette for Mendes . Immediately following the win, Mendes laid low for a while, choosing to focus on the Donmar Theatre instead of the piles of scripts that were being thrown his way. (Among the projects Mendes turned down was Charlie Kaufman's Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, which would later become George Clooney's directorial debut.) He re-emerged in 2002 with the big-budget Tom Hanks vehicle Road to Perdition, a dark rumination on the nature of violence and the seemingly-inextricable bonds between fathers (or father figures) and sons. Prepped for a high-profile Oscar-season bow, Perdition was moved up to the summer to make way for another Hanks/DreamWorks epic, Catch Me If You Can. Still, upon its release, the R-rated Perdition garnered a sizable amount of awards talk for its stark, poetic visual sense, its mournful tone, and a muted, restrained performance from the usually-sunny Tom Hanks. Better yet, DreamWorks' careful, "counter-programming" platform release ensured a healthy box-office life for the film, as it opened to $20 million on less than 2,000 screens. In 2003 Mendes married Titanic actress Kate Winslet, returning to the director's chair shortly thereafter to explore the futility of war in Jarhead (2005) -- a complex drama that drew decidedly mixed reviews. But if Mendes was disapponted it wouldn't last long, because after serving as producer of director Marc Foster's powerful 2007 drama The Ki


Which former FA Chief Executive once played as a midfielder for Tranmere Rovers?

Former FA chief executive Mark Palios in talks to buy Tranmere Rovers - Liverpool Echo Former FA chief executive Mark Palios in talks to buy Tranmere Rovers Discussions are taking place with owner Peter Johnson about Palios taking a 90% stake at Prenton Park  Share Former FA Chief Mark Palios is said to be in negotiations to take over Tranmere Rovers (Photo: Bradley Ormesher)  Share Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Mark Palios, a former Tranmere player and a former chief executive of the Football Association, is in talks to buy the financially troubled Wirral club. The ECHO understands Palios is currently in takeover negotiations with Rovers owner Peter Johnson about purchasing his 90% stake at Prenton Park. Birkenhead born Palios, 61, who now lives in Hertfordshire, is looking to gain control of his hometown club as an individual, rather than as a head of a consortium. Tranmere would make no official comment on the issue. However, Palios was at Prenton Park last month, attending the pre-season friendly between Rovers and Everton. Palios built up his wealth from a successful career in business and finance. He is an award-winning specialist in turning around struggling businesses, a description which fits Tranmere’s current predicament. Rovers are about to start the new League Two season, which kicks off next weekend, under a financial cloud. The club introduced a range of cutbacks in a restructuring plan which followed relegation to the Football League basement division in May and the failure of takeover talks with other potential buyers last season. They owe more than £5m in historical debt to Johnson, the Birkenhead born businessman who bought Tranmere out of administration in 1987. They also owe £2m to the Allied Irish Bank. Johnson is understood to have pumped a further £1m into the club last season to pay the bills as Rovers struggled to cope with falling revenues and rising costs on day-to-day operations. A number of staff were made redundant and new manager, Rob Edwards, will be operating this season with one of the smallest budgets in League Two. Palios has an attractive CV as a potential buyer of Tranmere . The former professional footballer played more than 260 games for Rovers in two spells, between 1973 and 1980 and then from 1982 to 1984. Mark Palios at Tranmere Rovers in the late 1970s He is remembered by older Rovers fans for a man-to-man marking job on Alan Ball which helped Tranmere secure a famous 1-0 win over Arsenal in the League Cup at Highbury in 1973. While Palios was serving as an industrious midfielder for Tranmere and Crewe Alexandra, where he spent two years, both clubs allowed him to pursue a parallel career in accountancy. He developed a career as a chartered accountant with Arthur Young and later became a senior partner in Price Waterhouse Coopers, specialising in business turnaround. He was voted Turnaround Financier of the Year by the Turnaround Finance Group in 2003. Later the same year Palios accepted the post of chief executive at the FA. Palios was with English football’s governing body for just over a year, during which time he resolved the finances of the new Wembley Stadium and help to stabilise the FA’s financial position. However, he resigned in August 2004 following media revelations about his brief relationship with Faria Alam, an FA secretary also had an affair with Sven Goran Eriksson, the England manager at the time. Palios was a single man at the time and maintained he had done nothing wrong but stepped down to protect his five children from the glare of publicity. Palios was reportedly regarded by some FA insiders as the best chief executive officer the organisation had recruited in many years. He returned to work as a consultant in business turnaround and in recent years has appeared on TV as a commentator on football and finance issues. Johnson was close to agreeing the sale of Tranmere last season with Wirral born property developer Michael Wilde. The 73-year-old called off t


Trade union leader Jack Dromey is married to which politician?

Labour frontbencher 'favourited' explicit gay porn tweets - Telegraph Labour Labour frontbencher 'favourited' explicit gay porn tweets Jack Dromey, who is married to Harriet Harman, blames his links to gay porn  sites on a “technological mix up" Harriet Harman and Jack Dromey  Photo: ALAN DAVIDSON Follow A front bench Labour MP is under pressure to explain how he has "favourited" gay porn websites on his Twitter account. Jack Dromey, the husband of Harriet Harman, the Labour Party deputy leader, has blamed the messages on a "technological mix-up". In September, the shadow policing minister favourited a message about black porn stars having sex. When he was challenged Mr Dromey, 65, claimed he had accidentally clicked on the message, which included the name “Paris”, while researching a romantic holiday with his wife, it was reported on political gossip website Guido Fawkes . However, he was left facing further questions when he favourited a second explicit message last week, which showed a picture of two men engaged in a sex act. Related Articles Jacqui Smith: I knew my husband liked porn (even two films a week) 22 Feb 2011 He does not follow either account, and they do not follow him, so it is unclear why he was viewing the messages. Labour sources have suggested he had been trying to block the pages when he accidentally pressed the wrong button. One said: "This is a technological mix-up. We're sure Jack will be taking Twitter lessons to work out the difference between block and favourite." Both tweets have been deleted from the account of the former trade union boss. The revelations could cause tension with Mrs Harman, a staunch feminist, whose campaigns have included attempting stop the Sun using “sexist” pictures of topless women on page three. The original Tweet was discovered by Inside Housing magazine, who wrote about the then shadow housing minister: "Jack Dromey is the latest victim of this murky world after favouriting a tweet that featured a very different type of outstanding member to that normally found in the parliament. "Closed Circuit understands it was all an innocent mistake and Mr Dromey will stick to tweeting about homelessness in the future." It was also discovered yesterday that David Cameron's official Downing Street Twitter account was used to follow an “elite London escort agency”. A spokesperson for Number 10 said that it was due to a facility on the account which was put in place by the last government which meant that @Number10gov automatically followed anyone who followed then. A spokesman told the Sun : "We have stopped following this particular account.” In August Grant Shapps, the Conservative Party Chairman, was also caught out following a explicit twitter account. When political blog Backbencher told him he had been caught “following cheeky Twitter porn account”, Mr Shapps replied “doh! Thx, fixed. Wonder if they’ll stop following me now!” Nearly 300,000 "attempts to access websites categorised as pornography" were made from computers within Parliament in the last year, official records show. Mrs Harman is not the first senior Labour woman to face embarrasment over her husband's links to pornography. Jacqui Smith, the former home secretary, once claimed expenses for two adult films watched by her husband, Richard Timney. The ensuing scandal helped to end her political career.


The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde was a no.1 hit in 1967 for which singer?

The Ballad Of Bonnie & Clyde - Georgie Fame & Blue Flames - YouTube The Ballad Of Bonnie & Clyde - Georgie Fame & Blue Flames 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 Aug 22, 2007 This is "Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames" doing "The Ballad Of Bonnie & Clyde". It was a #1 hit in the United Kingdom, and a #7 hit in the United States in 1968. Category


For what does the 'J' stand in the computer file format jpeg?

What Does JPEG Stand For? | eHow What Does JPEG Stand For?  Email Save JPEG is an acronym for Joint Photographic Experts Group. JPEG is a standard of compression for images. It is a "lossy" format, which means that when the image is compressed, some of the image data becomes lost. JPEG is ideal for displaying images on the web because it dramatically reduces the file size of the image without significantly reducing the quality. Types There are three types of JPEG compression: baseline, progressive and lossless. Baseline is merely the original JPEG compression method. Progressive compression saves the file as a series of scans which improve in quality as they progress. Lossless compression is really "effectively lossless." There is a maximum error which is guaranteed to take place between the source image and the destination image. Features If you're using powerful image processing software, you can vary the compression of a JPEG image. Lower compression produces an image with a higher quality, but results in a larger file size. Higher compression reduces the quality of the image but creates a much smaller file. To save an image in JPEG format and control the amount of compression, you will need an image processing program such as Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro or GIMP. Function JPEG works well when compressing full color or grayscale images. The human eye has difficulty seeing the distortion in a JPEG image. Thus the image looks almost exactly like the original, even though some of the image data has been lost. JPEGs store information in 24-bit color depth, which can contain as many as 16 million colors. GIF, by comparison, is an 8-bit image compression format, which contains just 256 colors. By saving a complex, 24-bit image as a JPEG, there is considerably less distortion than if it were saved as a GIF. The smaller the image is when it is viewed, the less the viewer will be able to see any JPEG distortion. Benefits JPEG format is best for photographs or other images with a smooth, gradual shading. JPEG images not only help to save space on servers, they also reduce bandwidth and download times. The reduction in size of the compressed image is usually significant, even with minimal compression. With a compression rate of just 15 percent, the finished JPEG will typically be about four times smaller than the original. Still, there will be very little noticeable alteration in the picture's appearance. Considerations In some cases, JPEG may distort text or images with bold fields of solid color and line. For these images, use GIF format. JPEG format typically contains blotches called JPEG artifacts which can clearly be seen when the image is magnified. Although these can be reduced with special software, they can't be completely removed. To avoid visible JPEG artifacts in your images, resave your original image with a lower compression rate. Always save your image with a new file name to preserve the original.


Which awards are made each year at about the same time as the Oscars, but are for the year's worst films?

The anti-Oscars: what's the worst film you've ever seen? | Open thread | Opinion | The Guardian The anti-Oscars: what's the worst film you've ever seen? As everyone buzzes about the best cinema moments of the year, we're reflecting on just how bad it can get on the big screen Entertainment Weekly's Oscars 2014 cover. Thursday 27 February 2014 12.01 EST Share on Messenger Close The Oscar run up is in full force as movie goers and celebrity watchers attempt to predict who will be granted Hollywood's highest political (I mean "meritocratic") honour. Entertainment Weekly signalled its bets for big wins with Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave) and Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine) on its cover . Meanwhile, the Guardian's Caspar Llewellyn Smith is still trying to make the case for Philomena . But anyone who has spent way more hours of their life than they'd like to admit in a cinema or watching films on Netflix, DVDs and tapes (remember those?) knows it's equally as entertaining to discuss the worst movies of all time. The ones that shouldn't have been made. The ones you try to imagine studio executives discussing without using the word "crap" or anyone on set keeping a straight face while filming. Take Liam Neeson's latest "save the flight" flick. Guardian reviewer Tom Shone has dubbed Neeson the " B-movie king ". Then again, most of the Twilight franchise actors might consider "B grade" to be a compliment for their work. You get the idea. If you need a refresher on just how bad films can get, I recommend browsing the list of the lowest scored movies ever on the site Rotten Tomatoes. Sure, there are awards like the Razzies to "salute the worst that Hollywood has to offer each year", but we want to know the most substandard of all time. Tell us:


What name is given to the tall slim, stemmed glasses in which sparkling wine should be served?

Which Glass to Use for Which Drink and Why Which Glass to Use for Which Drink and Why Go to permalink You're going to have some friends over for a cocktail housewarming party. No problem, you think to yourself, I'll just pick up some glassware at Crate & Barrel. You get there, and panic sets in. It's an absurd, transparent cornucopia of tumblers and flutes and who knows what else, in every conceivable shape and size. You weren't prepared. Pay attention now, and you will be. Advertisement It's Friday afternoon, you've made it through the long week, and it's time for Happy Hour , Gizmodo's weekly booze column. A cocktail shaker full of innovation, science, and alcohol. Yippitydoo, let's get drunk. Why is my glass shaped like a boot? For a breakdown on different glasses, we headed over to Franny's in Brooklyn and spoke to Jillian, one of their bartenders, who has been featured in the restaurant's cookbooks. In the video above, she gives us the skinny on the most commonly used glasses, but here's a basic summary for those who are stuck at work and can't click play. Standard Wine Glass Obviously, there are hundreds of variations within this group, but your standard wine glass has a stem. Holding the glass by the stem transfers less heat to the wine, so your hand isn't warming it up as fast. Aroma is one of the most important elements with wine, which is why your wine glass should have a large opening. If you can't fit your nose in it while you're drinking, you need yourself some new glasses. Advertisement Yes there are different size wine glasses. Basic rule of thumb: broader openings for reds, narrower for whites. That should get you through most situations just fine. Image credit: Shutterstock / gresei Tumbler Glass This is often considered an all-purpose glass. At Franny's they use it for their table wine. That wine comes in temperature controlled, and because it's served at a table, it will spend more time sitting there than it will in your hand, so the stem isn't necessary for heat control. Advertisement Sponsored Technically, a tumbler is any flat-bottomed glass; we get into more specific variations below. The specific glass shown here, though, is wide enough for your nose to take in the aromatics of your drink (probably wine), it's just not curved around to trap in the vapors like a standard wine glass. Image credit: Shutterstock / violetkaipa Martini Glass Again, we've got stemware here to control the temperature of your alcohol. Why? Because drinks served in this glass will not have ice in them. They will be shaken or stirred with ice first, and then strained into it. That's what ordering a drink "up" means. It's chilled and up in that tall glass (don't confuse it with "neat"). The cone shape serves to help maintain temperature, keep the ingredients pushed together (olives, spirits of different specific gravities , etc), and it provides a nice large surface area for the aroma, since you're typically drinking gin (or a Manhattan) and aroma is 90 percent of flavor. Image credit: Shutterstock / Yuri Samsonov Flute Mainly for champagne and other sparkling wines, the goal is to make the bubble last for as long as possible. There's often a bead etched at the bottom in an attempt to give the bubbles a single point of nucleation. Aroma isn't as important with these wines as they would be a red wine, so the opening is smaller in an attempt to minimize the exposure to air. Advertisement Image credit: Shutterstock / Evgeny Karandaev Rocks Glass (a.k.a. the Old Fashioned Glass) Want your drink on the rocks? This is probably the glass you want. It's especially good for cocktails. The glass can accommodate large cubes of ice and they're still plenty of room to stir within the glass. It's also got a nice big opening so you can really smell the aromatics in your cocktail. Image credit: Shutterstock / Alexey Lysenko Collins Glass Typically for fizzes or collins drinks, this glass is similar to the flute in that it promotes bubble retention (they often have some soda water in them). They're still big enough to accommodate ice, so you'


Which element has the atomic number 55 and the chemical symbol Cs?

Chemical Elements.com - Cesium (Cs) An index of cesium-related web pages on the Internet If you know of any other links for Cesium, please let me know Bentor, Yinon. Chemical Element.com - Cesium. <http://www.chemicalelements.com/elements/cs.html>. For more information about citing online sources, please visit the MLA's Website . This page was created by Yinon Bentor. Use of this web site is restricted by this site's license  agreement . Copyright © 1996-2012 Yinon Bentor. All Rights Reserved.


Which British Prime Minister was born in 1883 and was first elected to parliament in 1922 as MP for Limehouse?

Clement Attlee Biography - Childhood, Life Achievements & Timeline Leaders Clement Attlee Biography Clement Richard Attlee was a British Labour Party politician and Britainâs first post-World War II Prime Minister. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline Quick Facts Clement Richard Attlee, C. R. Attlee, Clem, Lord Attlee, Mr. Attlee, Clement Atlee Famous as Anglicanism, Atheism, Church of England, Agnosticism political ideology Martin Attlee, 2nd Earl Attlee, Alison Elizabeth Attlee, Lady Felicity Ann Attlee, Janet Helen Attlee education Haileybury and Imperial Service College 1904 - University College University of Oxford Image Credit http://socialism.wikia.com/wiki/Clement_Attlee Clement Attlee, was a British Labour Party politician and the countryâs first post-World War II Prime Minister. He served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951 and the leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955. After receiving his primary education from schools in London, he graduated from Oxford University with a BA in Modern History. Initially conservative in his political views, he underwent a change while working as a manager for the Haileybury House. After witnessing the poverty and misery prevailing in the society, he became more inclined towards Socialism. In order to make a difference in the local politics he joined the Independent Labour Party. Attlee was given a commission in the South Lancashire Regiment in 1914 and he served in Gallipoli, Mesopotamia and France during World War I. When the war ended, he held the rank of Major. He was first elected to the Parliament in 1922 as the MP for Limehouse. From there he gradually moved up the political ladder and became the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, eventually becoming the leader of the party itself. The Labour Party under him registered a landslide victory in the general elections after the World War II and he became the Prime Minister. Childhood & Early Life Clement Attlee was born on January 3, 1883 in Putney, Surrey to Henry Attlee and Ellen Bravery Watson. His father was a solicitor. Clement Attlee received his schooling from Northaw School and then went to the Haileybury College. In 1904, he graduated from University College, Oxford, with a Second Class Honors BA in Modern History. After completing his graduation, he trained as a lawyer. Career In 1906, he started working as manager of Haileybury House, a charitable club for working-class boys. There he witnessed the terrible living standards of the slum children which deeply affected his political views. He developed a view that private charities would do no good for the poor people and income redistribution by the state was the only way out. Thus, he joined the Independent Labour Party in 1908 in order to become actively involved in the countryâs politics. In 1911, Clement Attlee was employed as the UK Government's official explainer. He toured Essex and Somerset on a bicycle, explaining Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd George's National Insurance Act at public meetings.. He was a lecturer at the London School of Economics from 1912 to 1914 before being commissioned in the World War I. After the war he came back to the London School and held his position till 1923. He became the mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney in 1919. The council issued and executed orders and directives against slum-lords who didnât maintain habitable conditions in their slums. The council also appointed visitors and sanitary inspectors and dealt with the rising issue of infant mortality. He became the Member of Parliament from Limehouse after the 1922 general elections and also served as Ramsay MacDonaldâs parliamentary private secretary in the brief 1922 parliament. In the 1924 first Labor government led by Ramsay MacDonald he served as the Under-Secretary of State for War. In 1927, he became one of the members of the Simon Commission but found no ministerial post in the Second Labour Government. In 1930 he became the Chancellor of the


In which English county are the towns of Wiveliscombe and Watchet?

Watchet : definition of Watchet and synonyms of Watchet (English) 6 External links   History Watchet is believed to be the place where Saint Decuman was killed and the 15th century, Grade I listed , Church of St Decuman is dedicated to him. [2] The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the early port at Watchet being plundered by Danes led by Ohtor and Rhoald [3] in 987 and 997. The parish of Watchet was part of the Williton and Freemanners Hundred . [4] It is known that it was in frequent use by small boats in 1564 possibly for the import of salt and wine from France . [5] During the English Civil War Royalist reinforcements for the siege of Dunster Castle was sent by sea, but the tide was on the ebb and a troop of Roundheads rode into the shallows and forced the ship to surrender, so a ship at sea was taken by a troop of horse. [6] The primitive jetty was damaged in a storm of 1659 and a larger, stronger pier was built in the early 18th century supported by local wool merchants, although by 1797 the largest export was kelp made by burning seaweed for use in glass making. In the 19th century trade increased with the export of iron ore from the Brendon Hills , paper, flour and gypsum. [5] Harbour trade was aided by the coming of the railway. In the mid-1860s two independent railways terminated at Watchet. The West Somerset Mineral Railway ran down from the iron mines on the Brendon Hills, and the West Somerset Railway came up from the Bristol & Exeter Railway at Norton Fitzwarren . Both lines made extensive use of the harbour at Watchet from where iron ore was shipped across the Bristol Channel for smelting at Ebbw Vale in South Wales . [5] The mines and West Somerset Mineral Railway closed in 1898. The West Somerset Railway, extended from Watchet to Minehead in 1874, survived as part of British Rail until 1971. Reopened as a heritage railway, it still operates today. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution stationed a lifeboat at Watchet in 1875. The station was closed in 1944 by which time the nearby station at Minehead had been equipped with a motor lifeboat that could cover the area around Watchet. [7] The boat was launched from the slipway at the western corner of the harbour, but the boat house was at the southern corner near the railway station and the boat was taken along the quay on a carriage. Since closure the boat house has been converted into a library. In 1900 and 1903 a series of gales breached the breakwater and East Pier with the loss of several vessels each time and subsequent repairs. [5] Before World War II at a site between Watchet and Doniford a gunnery range was established for various army units to practice anti-aircraft gunnery. Unmanned target aircraft were towed by planes from RAF Weston Zoyland and later were fired from catapults over the sea. [8] Little of the camp buildings survive and it is now the site of a holiday park. [9]   Governance   The medieval parish church of Watchet is dedicated to St Decuman. The civil parish of Watchet is governed by a town council , having previously been Watchet Urban District . [10] Administratively, the civil parish falls within the West Somerset local government district and the Somerset shire county . Administrative tasks are shared between county, district and town councils. In 2002, the parish was estimated to have a population of 4,401. [1] [11] Watchet forms part of the Bridgwater and West Somerset county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The current MP is Ian Liddell-Grainger , a member of the Conservatives . [12] Residents of Watchet also form part of the electorate for the South West England constituency for elections to the European Parliament . [13]   Landmarks   A statue of the Ancient Mariner at Watchet Harbour, unveiled in September 2003 as a tribute to Samuel Taylor Coleridge The principal landmark in Watchet is the town's harbour and the surrounding quaysides and narrow streets. In commercial use until 2000


Give a year in the life of composer Antonio Vivaldi?

Some things you may not know about the composer Antonio Vivaldi - Community in Mission : Community in Mission Some things you may not know about the composer Antonio Vivaldi Msgr. Charles Pope • May 3, 2012 • 12 Comments One of my favorite composers is Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741). While I love his secular pieces such as the Four Seasons, I am especially found of his Church music. It is so light, so bright and tuneful, and Vivaldi loved to go up and down the musical scale, varying the theme a half pitch at a time. Ah Vivaldi, he is right up there with Handel, Bach and Mozart. I consider him to be an especially Catholic treasure given his large body of sacred Latin Liturgical music. Just a few things about Vivaldi, that I’d like to share, things you may or may not know: 1. Vivaldi was a Catholic priest. He was ordained in 1703 at the age of 25, in Venice. However, it would seem the active priesthood did not suit Vivaldi. Within a year he asked to be excused form the daily celebration of Mass, due to a “tightness of the chest,” which he complained of his whole life. Most scholars think this is a reference to asthma, though there may have been other causes including heart related matters. But a deeper reason may lie in the fact the he was pressured to become a priest. In those days, going to a seminary was often the only way a poor family had to ensure free schooling for a son. Music seems to have been his passion. While it is hard to gauge the accuracy of the story, it is noted in some of his biographies that he would sometimes leave the altar to go into the sacristy and write down a musical idea that had come to him! 2. He spent most of his musical career working in an orphanage for girls. While this may seem an odd and unfruitful place for a composer, actually it was not. The “Ospedali” where he worked was one of four well endowed orphanages in Venice, some for girls, some for boys. And the residents were largely made up of “illegitimate” children of Venetian noblemen who conceived these children in their (sadly common) dalliances. The noblemen funded orphanages like these to care for such children of theirs. In Venice these homes developed a reputation for fine music, as the children were trained in music from the earliest years and concerts were a way the orphanages also raised money. At the Ospedali della Pieta where Vivaldi worked, some of the girls stayed on well into adulthood and continued to perform there. The video below shows what such a setting was like, and how Vivaldi would give performances, secular and liturgical with “his ladies.” 3. Not all found Vivaldi’s music as outstanding as many of us do today – An Italian Playwright of the time Carlo Goldoni writing in his memoirs described Vivaldi as “This priest, an excellent violinist but a mediocre composer…” Yet, to be fair, Vivaldi had his fans and patrons, and earned a decent living selling copies of his many concertos, operas, and Church works. 4. In 1720 Vivaldi began living with a woman, Anna Giraud. Though to be fair, he always insisted she was only with him as a housekeeper and friend. Further, her sister also shared the house. Vivaldi trained Anna to sing and she had an excellent reputation as a singer. Vivaldi stayed with her till his death. Were they more than friends? It is hard to say, but why not take Vivaldi at his word? 5. Vivaldi works all but disappeared from the scene after his death in 1741, and were not heard regularly or known widely again until the 1950s. In this sense he was an opaque luminary. The expression “opaque luminary” refers to people who shine brightly in their own time, but who, after their death are largely unknown. And until 1950 the name, Antonio Vivaldi was largely unknown. 6. Vivaldi’s  works came back to light beginning in 1926 when the Salesian Fathers wished to sell a large number of “old volumes” in their archive and invited Dr. Alberto Gentili, professor of music history at the National Library of Turin to assess their value. Many of the 97 volumes contained Vivaldi manuscripts, along with other rare music. And thus