Who was the British Prime Minister during the War of American Independence? He was blamed for the inept policy and military failures leading to the loss of the American colonies?

BBC - History -   British History in depth: Prime Ministers and Politics Timeline On This Day Prime Ministers and Politics Timeline Do you know which prime minister brought 'fallen women' to 10 Downing Street? Or which one fought a duel? Or who was known as 'the Goat'? Take a political journey through nearly 300 years of high ideals and low cunning, from Gordon Brown to the first man to hold prime ministerial powers, Robert Walpole. Margaret Thatcher Conservative, 1979 - 1990 Britain's first female prime minister came to power with the country descending into industrial and economic chaos. A relatively inexperienced politician, she nonetheless adopted a personal style of indomitable self-confidence and brooked no weakness in herself or her colleagues. Derisively dubbed the 'Iron Lady' by the Soviet press, she wore the moniker with pride. Her government's free-market policies included trade liberalisation, deregulation, sweeping privatisation, breaking the power of the unions, focus on the individual and the creation of an 'enterprise culture'. 'Thatcherism' has had a profound and lasting economic and social impact on Britain, and still sharply divides opinion to this day. The first PM to serve three consecutive terms (including two 'landslide' victories) she was eventually toppled by her own party following the disastrous imposition of a 'poll tax'. Nonetheless, she is generally considered to be one of the best peace time prime ministers of the 20th Century. James Callaghan Labour, 1976 - 1979 Callaghan inherited the office of prime minister following the surprise resignation of Harold Wilson. With only a tiny parliamentary majority to support him, he faced an increasingly one-sided confrontation with organised labour in the form of rampant strike action. Things came to a head in the so-called 'Winter of Discontent', a phrase from Shakespeare borrowed by Callaghan himself to describe the events leading up to February 1979. Britain was 'strikebound', with public servants staging mass walk outs, leaving food and fuel supplies undelivered, rubbish uncollected and - most notoriously - bodies unburied. Things became so bad in Hull it was dubbed 'the second Stalingrad'. The tabloid press has since been accused of overstating the severity of the situation (and wrongly quoting him as saying 'Crisis? What Crisis?') but it was enough at the time to sound the death knell for Callaghan's government later in the same year. Harold Wilson Labour, 1974 - 1976 In March 1974, Wilson became prime minister for the third time at the head of a minority government, following the first hung parliament (one where no party holds a majority) for 45 years. Often described as a wily fixer and negotiator, it took all of his skills to hold on to power in the face of economic and industrial turmoil. His party was also sharply divided, with many Labour members of parliament (MPs) bitter about Wilson's manoeuvring against his colleagues. He called another general election in October 1974, thereby ending the shortest parliament since 1681, and was returned to office with a majority of just three seats. He presided over a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Economic Community (EEC), and a collapse in the value of the pound which prompted a humiliating 'rescue operation' by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Exhausted, Wilson resigned saying 'politicians should not go on and on'. Edward Heath Conservative, 1970 - 1974 Heath succeeded in taking Britain into the European Economic Community (EEC), the precursor to the European Union, despite two previous failed attempts by Britain to gain entry, in 1961 and 1967. But his government was dogged by torrid industrial relations and recurrent economic crises. Things came to a head in January 1974, when industry was put on a 'three-day week' to conserve fuel. Fuel was in dangerously short supply following a combination of domestic industrial action (coal miners on 'work-to-rule') and a quadrupling of prices by Middle Eastern oil exporting nations in the wake of Israel's victory in the Yom Kipp


"Written in honour of his friend Arthur Hallam, the poem, ""In Memoriam"" was published in 1850. Who was the author of this poem, who was appointed Poet Laureate in the same year?"

10 Classic Tennyson Poems Everyone Should Read | Interesting Literature 10 Classic Tennyson Poems Everyone Should Read Posted by interestingliterature The best poems by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) Alfred, Lord Tennyson lived a long time, and wrote a great deal of poetry. The definitive edition of his Poems stretches to three large volumes. Nevertheless, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to choose ten of the best Tennyson poems, ranging from his narrative poems to lyrics and elegies and everything in between. For those who wish to learn more about Tennyson, we’ve previously treated his interesting life and work here. To enter a world of myth, magic, and emotional depth, click on the links we’ve provided to each poem. Are these the greatest poems Tennyson wrote? Obviously any link will be subjective to a point, so we welcome your thoughts below. 10. ‘ The Lotos-Eaters ‘. One of two poems on this list inspired by Homer’s The Odyssey (see ‘Ulysses’ below for the other), ‘The Lotos-Eaters’ was written by Tennyson following a trip to Spain he undertook with his friend Arthur Henry Hallam. It tells of the mariners who come upon ‘a land / In which it seemed always afternoon’, and, upon taking the lotus plant, enter a dreamlike state. Over a century before Aldous Huxley was opening the doors of perception, Tennyson was transforming the experience of taking drugs into literature. The poem inspired the name of the Lotus Eaters, a New Wave band from the 1980s. 9. ‘ Ulysses ‘. A poem about growing old, but written when Tennyson was a young man in his early twenties, ‘Ulysses’ has also been read as a response to Hallam’s death. It takes the warrior Ulysses (the Roman name for Odysseus) as its focus, and – using the then-new form of the dramatic monologue, which Tennyson helped to pioneer – reveals an ageing king who, having returned from the Trojan war, yearns to don his armour again and ride off in search of battle, glory, and adventure (leaving his poor wife Penelope behind, we might add!). A very popular poem, and one of Tennyson’s best poems for sure. 8. ‘ Morte d’Arthur ‘. Tennyson would write numerous poems based on Arthurian legend, culminating in his vast blank-verse epic Idylls of the King, although this earlier, shorter poem offers a great way into Tennyson’s Arthurian world. Like several poems on this list, ‘Morte d’Arthur’ was written shortly after the death of Tennyson’s friend Arthur Hallam, and the portrayal of kingly Arthur may owe something to Hallam (‘Morte d’Arthur’ means, of course, ‘the death of Arthur’). 7. ‘ Break, Break, Break ‘. This short poem from 1842, also responding to the death of Tennyson’s friend Hallam, embodies the Victorian attitude to death and mourning. It teeters on sentimentality and overblown rhetorical emotion (too much for some modern readers), but behind the public poem is a heartfelt personal grief. 6. ‘ The Charge of the Light Brigade ‘. No list of the best Tennyson poems would be complete without ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’, one of his best-known poems; the poem is one of the rare instances of a Poet Laureate producing a good poem while in office. He wrote the poem on 2 December 1854 in response to an article in The Times about the battle, and the poem was published in The Examiner a week later. You can listen to Tennyson reading the poem here . 5. ‘ Crossing the Bar ‘. A meditation on death, written when Tennyson was in old age, ‘Crossing the Bar’ is one of the shortest poems on this list. There is little more that needs saying, so we’ll let this poem speak for itself. 4. ‘ Mariana ‘. This early poem, published in 1830, ‘arose to the music of Shakespeare’s words’ (according to Tennyson) – the words in question being taken from Measure for Measure, in which ‘the dejected Mariana’ dwells ‘at the moated grange’. The imagery of the poem is vivid and memorable, from the ‘mouse’ that ‘behind the mouldering wainscot shriek’d’ or the ‘blue fly’ that ‘sung in the pane’. It is perhaps Tennyson’s first great success as a poet, written when he was only just into his twenties. 3. ‘ The Lady o


"Composed as an elegy following the death of his friend John Keats, the poem ""Adonais"" was written in 1821 by which poet?"

Percy Bysshe Shelley: Adonais. An Elegy on the Death of John Keats. ENGLISH POETRY 1579-1830: SPENSER AND THE TRADITION Adonais. An Elegy on the Death of John Keats. Adonais. An Elegy on the Death of John Keats, Author of Endymion, Hyperion, Etc. By Percy B. Shelley. TEXT    BIBLIOGRAPHY    INDEXES    55 Spenserians: Shelley, who knew Keats but slightly, admired his later verse and was deeply moved by his death. Richly informed by the whole tradition of pastoral elegy, Adonais is the more surprising when one considers how moribund the formal eclogue had become since Samuel Johnson 's criticism of Lycidas was published half a century earlier. Compare Coleridge's "Monody on the Death of Chatterton" with its sources in Spenser and Milton. Byron, Thomas Moore, and Shelley himself appear as shepherds mourning at Keats's bier. While a number of eclogues had been composed in Spenserian stanzas in the eighteenth century, the use of this stanza in pastoral had become very uncommon; indeed, pastoral eclogues themselves had become uncommon when Shelley, looking back to ancient models, composed this famous elegy. Literary Chronicle: "Of the beauty of Mr. Shelley's elegy we shall not speak; to every poetic mind, its transcendent merits must be apparent" (1 December 1821) 752. Literary Gazette: "It is so far a fortunate thing that this piece of impious and utter absurdity can have little circulation in Britain. The copy in our hands is one of some score sent to the Author's intimates from Pisa, where it has been printed in a quarto form 'with the types of Didot,' and two learned Epigraphs from Plato and Moschus. Solemn as the subject is, (for in truth, we must grieve for the early death of any youth of literary ambition,) it is hardly possible to help laughing at the mock solemnity with which Shelley charges the Quarterly Review for having murdered his friend with — a critique! If Criticism killed the disciples of that school, Shelley would not have been alive to write an Elegy on another: — but the whole is most farcical from a pen which, on other occasions, has treated the soul, the body, life and death agreeably to the opinions, the principles, and the practice of Percy Bysshe Shelley" (8 December 1821) 772. Leigh Hunt to Percy Bysshe Shelley: "I delight in Adonais . It is the most Delphic poetry I have seen a long while; full of those embodyings of the most subtle and airy imaginations, — those arrestings and explanations of the most shadowy yearnings of our being — which are the most difficult of all things to put into words, and the most delightful when put" 26 March 1822; in Correspondence (1862) 1:179. Leigh Hunt : "Since I left London, Mr. Shelley's Adonais , or Elegy on the Death of Mr. Keats has, I find, made its appearance. I have not seen the London edition, but I have an Italian one printed at Pisa, with which I must content myself at present. The other was to have had notes. It is not a poem calculated to be popular, any more than the Prometheus Unbound; it is of too abstract and subtle a nature for that purpose; but it will delight the few, to whom Mr. Shelley is accustomed to address himself. Spenser would be pleased with it if he were living. A mere town reader and a Quarterly Reviewer will find it caviare. Adonais , in short, is such an elegy as poet might be expected to write upon poet. The author has had before him his recollections of Lycidas, of Moschus and Bion, and of the doctrines of Plato; and in the stanza of the most poetical of poets, Spenser, has brought his own genius, in all its etherial beauty, to lead a pomp of Loves, Graces, and Intelligences in honour of the departed" The Examiner 754 (7 July 1822) 419. William Hazlitt : "Mr. Shelley died, it seems, with a volume of Mr. Keats's poetry grasped with one hand in his bosom! These are two out of four poets, patriots and friends, who have visited Italy within a few years, both of whom have been soon hurried to a more distant shore. Keats died young; and 'yet his infelicity had years too many.' A canker had blighted the tender


"Which British composer wrote the music used as the theme for the BBC coverage of the London Marathon? He also composed ""633 Squadron"" and the Miss Marple theme."

Ron Goodwin | The Independent Film composer and arranger who wrote some of the screen's most popular title themes Saturday 11 January 2003 00:00 BST Click to follow The Independent Online Ronald Goodwin, composer, arranger and conductor: born Plymouth, Devon 17 February 1925; twice married (one son); died Brimpton Common, Berkshire 8 January 2003. One of Britain's foremost film composers, as well as a top arranger and conductor, Ron Goodwin wrote the scores for over 60 movies, including The Trials of Oscar Wilde, Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines and Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy. He was particularly known for his work on war stories such as Operation Crossbow, Where Eagles Dare and The Battle of Britain. Besides fulfilling the prime duties of a film composer, creating atmosphere, building a sense of continuity and heightening mood, Goodwin pleased his producers by fashioning some of the screen's most popular title themes. Among his most familiar pieces are the stirring theme he wrote for 633 Squadron (recently used for an insurance commercial in which pigs are seen flying in fighter formation) and the playfully jaunty music he wrote to accompany the sleuthing of Miss Marple in the series that starred Margaret Rutherford. He was also a major recording artist, and as Ron Goodwin and his Concert Orchestra he was signed by the Beatles' producer George Martin and received a gold disc in 1975 for selling over a million albums. One of his best known scores is that for The Trap (1966), in which Oliver Reed starred as a trapper in 19th-century British Columbia, since it is used by the BBC each year to introduce its coverage of the London Marathon. Ronald Goodwin was born in Plymouth, where his father was a policeman, in 1925. When the family moved to London he was educated at Pinner County Grammar School, where he learned to play the trumpet. After a brief spell as an insurance clerk, he formed his own band, Ron Goodwin and the Woodchoppers. He also occasionally filled in as trumpeter with the popular group Harry Gold and his Pieces of Eight. In 1943 he became an arranger for the giant publishing house Campbell and Connelly, and two years later he became the chief arranger for Bron Associated Publishers. Many of the top British dance bands, including Ted Heath, Geraldo and the BBC Dance Orchestra, benefitted from his arrangements. Jimmy Young's No 1 hit, "Too Young", was arranged by Goodwin for the Nixa label in 1951, and 10 years later Goodwin and Jack Fishman composed "My Friend the Sea", a hit for Petula Clark on the Pye label. As music director for George Martin at Parlophone Records he began recording as Ron Goodwin and his Concert Orchestra. He also worked on the legendary comic albums made for the label by Peter Sellers. Keen to break into films, Goodwin scored several documentaries at Merton Park Studios prior to composing his first score for a feature film in 1958, Lewis Allen's Whirlpool starring the French chanteuse Juliette Greco. Though the film was a dreary melodrama, Goodwin's music was effective enough to establish him as a film composer. Goodwin had dreamed of composing for films ever since he saw Albert Lewin's The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) as a young man. The mainly black-and-white movie went into colour when the portrait was shown, and Goodwin was particularly impressed by the contribution made to those sequences by the music. "The colour would have made an impact," he said, but the music tied the whole thing together. I used to love to see things like that. I thought how I would get that sort of forceful effect when I write for films: what sort of sounds and what sort of harmonies, musical intruments, I would use. Goodwin soon displayed his ability for adding appropriate musical colour to any genre. His early work included slyly humorous scores for the comedies I'm All Right Jack (1960) and Invasion Quartet (1961), eerie harmonies for the chillers Village of the Damned (1960) and its sequel Children of the Damned (1964), and his attractively spirited "Miss Marple" music, inspired by the casting


"Which French artist painted ""Haystacks"", ""Rouen Cathedral"" and ""Sunrise""?"

1000+ images about Art Monet Haystacks on Pinterest | Sun, Snow and Search Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas Art Monet Haystacks


"Which insect acts as the transmitting agent in the spread of the infectious disease ""Sleeping Sickness""?"

Trypanosomiasis, African (Sleeping Sickness) - Chapter 3 - 2016 Yellow Book | Travelers' Health | CDC Trypanosomiasis, African (Sleeping Sickness) Two subspecies of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei (T. b. rhodesiense and T. b. gambiense). TRANSMISSION The bite of an infected tsetse fly (Glossina spp.). Bloodborne and congenital transmission are rare. EPIDEMIOLOGY Endemic in rural sub-Saharan Africa. T. b. rhodesiense is found in eastern and southeastern Africa, mainly Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. T. b. gambiense is found in central Africa and in limited areas of West Africa, primarily in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Sudan, Central African Republic, Guinea, Republic of the Congo, Chad, and northern Uganda. In 2012, 7,197 sleeping sickness cases were reported to the World Health Organization; T. b. gambiense accounted for >98% of cases. Tsetse flies inhabit rural, densely vegetated areas; people who only travel to urban areas are not at risk. Flies bite during the day, and <1% are infected. Risk of infection increases with the number of fly bites, which is not always directly correlated with duration of travel. CLINICAL PRESENTATION T. b. rhodesiense Symptoms generally appear within 1–3 weeks of the infective bite and may include high fever, a chancre at the bite site, skin rash, headache, myalgia, thrombocytopenia, and less commonly, splenomegaly, renal failure, or cardiac dysfunction. Central nervous system involvement can occur within a month of infection and results in mental deterioration and eventually, death. T. b. gambiense Nonspecific but may include fever, headache, malaise, myalgia, facial edema, pruritus, lymphadenopathy, and weight loss. Central nervous system involvement occurs after months to years of infection and is characterized by somnolence, severe headache, and a range of neurologic manifestations, including mood disorders, behavior change, focal deficits, and endocrine disorders. The clinical course of disease caused by T. b. gambiense is generally less severe than that caused by T. b. rhodesiense, but both are fatal if not treated. DIAGNOSIS Bites are characteristically painful, and a chancre may develop at the bite location. Identification of parasites in specimens of blood, chancre fluid or tissue, lymph node aspirate, or cerebrospinal fluid. Buffy-coat preparations concentrate the parasite, enabling easier visualization for diagnosis. Diagnostic assistance is available through CDC ( www.cdc.gov/dpdx ; 404-718-4745; parasites@cdc.gov). TREATMENT Infection can usually be cured by a course of antitrypanosomal therapy, although long-term sequelae, including permanent damage to the central nervous system, may remain. Treatment drugs (suramin, melarsoprol, eflornithine) are provided by CDC under investigational protocols. Clinicians can consult with CDC for assistance with treatment. PREVENTION Avoid tsetse fly bites. Travelers should wear clothing of wrist and ankle length made of medium-weight fabric in neutral colors, as tsetse flies are attracted to bright or dark colors and can bite through lightweight clothing. Permethrin-impregnated clothing and use of DEET repellent may reduce the number of fly bites. CDC website: www.cdc.gov/parasites/sleepingsickness BIBLIOGRAPHY Brun R, Blum J, Chappuis F, Burri C. Human African trypanosomiasis. Lancet. 2010 Jan 9;375(9709): 148–59. Simarro PP, Franco JR, Cecchi G, Paone M, Diarra A, Ruiz Postigo JA, et al. Human African trypanosomiasis in non-endemic countries (2000–2010). J Travel Med. 2012 Jan–Feb; 19(1):44–53.


Football - former Italian star Paulo de Canio became manager of which football club in 2011 ?

Paolo Di Canio sacked by Sunderland after ANOTHER bust-up with players | Daily Mail Online     Paolo Di Canio's tumultuous reign as Sunderland manager came to an end after his players turned on him during a furious training ground bust-up. The fiery Italian called his stars in for a crisis meeting at the club’s Cleadon training ground on Sunday following their disappointing 3-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. But the summit quickly turned sour after Di Canio pointed the finger at a number of his players, blaming them for their poor start to the season. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Di Canio booed by his own fans and his last interview Short stint: Paolo Di Canio's spell on Wearside has been terminated by Sunderland Stand-off: Di Canio faced up to the visiting fans after his side's defeat at West Brom DI CANIO'S PREMIER LEAGUE RECORD AT SUNDERLAND G   22  17% A clutch of his players, however, are understood to have responded angrily at Di Canio’s dressing down, telling the Italian in no uncertain terms what they thought of him. It is believed certain players told the manager, who signed 14 players during the summer transfer window, they did not like him and did not want to play for him. Di Canio is then said to have told his disgruntled players to tell the club’s hierarchy to sack him if they no longer wanted him in charge. FIVE REASONS DI CANIO HAD TO GO 1) Results Two wins out of 12 in the Barclays Premier League is simply not enough and not good enough. The 3-0 win at Newcastle may have been a memorable day for Sunderland supporters, as were his touchline antics. Combined, instantly won a place in the hearts of Sunderland fans. It bought him some time, he became an instant Mackem Legend. But his overall record is poor, which is why they are bottom of the league. 2) No one likes him, he doesn’t care The rules, regulations and dietary restrictions were always going to cause a problem because they were so daft and draconian. Even if half of his rules were right, he tried to change too much too quickly and didn’t know when to draw a line and stop. And there was no one strong enough to stand up to him and say 'enough' until it was too late. A Premier League manager cannot run a club by fear and by treating his players like children. And to have everyday staff, particularly the loyal long-serving ones, terrified of doing their jobs with a smile on their faces is just not acceptable. Not at a club like Sunderland. He had no empathy for the common man. 3) Tactics There was very little wrong with the training sessions and the homework and background on opposition was up there with the best. Those are his strengths. But to believe that a 4-2-4 system and trying to pass the ball would work, especially against top class opposition, was frighteningly naïve. He might not have signed the 14 new players, because new director of football Roberto Di Fanti did that. But he couldn’t get them to play together or live up to Di Fanti’s billing. And that is a worry for the club and his successor. 4) Public and private criticism He could not help himself when it came to having a go at his players in public. And it is just not done. Can you imagine how Di Canio would have reacted if David Pleat or Ron Atkinson had criticised him so openly and cruelly in public when he was at Sheffield Wednesday? In fact his book is full of indignation when anyone had a bad word to say about him. The Celtic chapter is rife with incidents. And it’s funny how Di Canio was always right, always the wronged party. And if he was prepared to do it in the press, what must he have been like behind the scenes? The behind locked doors tirade which followed the Crystal Palace defeat was about 45 minutes long, with very few pauses for breath. And 90 per cent of it made no sense. The players switched off weeks ago. 5) The third person 'Paolo Di Canio this', 'Paolo Di Canio that’. It was all about Paolo Di Canio. And he repeatedly talked in the third person. It’s not normal. Just look at the celebrations at St James’ Park. It was all about him. But what Paolo Di Canio


The element of the Periodic Table LUTETIUM has its name derived from the Latin name for the city in which is was discovered. Which city?

Lutetium   - Element information, properties and uses | Periodic Table Chemistry in its element: lutetium (Promo) You're listening to Chemistry in its element brought to you by Chemistry World, the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry. (End promo) This week: an element that was worth the wait. Here's Simon Cotton: Simon Cotton All chemists have their favourite elements, often for some personal reasons. In my case, that would be iron, as I spent three years of a PhD working on iron compounds. But it could also be cobalt, because cobalt is used to make the blue colour in many of my favourite stained glass windows in churches and cathedrals. Or it could be the last of the lanthanides - lutetium. After completing my PhD, I carried out postdoctoral research trying to make new organometallic compounds of the metallic elements with electrons in their 4f subshells, known as the lanthanides. Until then, all the structures of these compounds that had been isolated contained organic rings bound side-on, or as organometallic chemists say, polyhapto-. This research was, well, challenging. The compounds did not just catch fire in air, sometimes they caught fire in the inert atmospheres of glove boxes. It took me two years but eventually I managed to make compounds of lutetium, and also ytterbium. My colleague, Alan Welch, did an X-ray diffraction study using crystals of the lutetium compound, and found that the rings were bound in a way that had not been seen in lanthanides before, end-on or monohapto-. This discovery was particularly pleasing because it was also the first four coordinate compound of any lanthanide. Mind you, what put it into perspective was that on the other side of the bench from me, an extremely talented and productive Indian chemist named Joginder Singh Ghotra made the first three coordinate compounds for yttrium and all the 14 stable lanthanides, not just lutetium. So I've got good memories of lutetium, but what does lutetium matter to other chemists? All the lanthanides took a long while to be discovered. Partly because neighbouring lanthanides tend to be very, very similar chemically, making them hard to separate. Another problem was that no one knew how many there were meant to be, as there were no theories of electronic structure or atomic number at the time. Lutetium was actually the last lanthanide to be isolated in 1907; and was simultaneously discovered by three chemists working in different parts of the world. They were the Austrian Carl Auer von Welsbach, the American Charles James, and Georges Urbain from France. Urbain was first to successfully separate lutetium from its neighbour, ytterbium, so he was given the privilege of naming the element. And being a good Frenchman, he selected the Latin name for Paris, lutetia. So why was lutetium the last lanthanide to be discovered? Two reasons. As the atomic number of an element increases, its abundance decreases. Secondly elements with even atomic numbers, like ytterbium, are more abundant than elements with odd atomic numbers, such as lutetium. This is summarised in what is called the Oddo-Harkins rule, which sounds like something out of a Tolkien novel. Additionally because lutetium has a filled 4f (NB, Simon Cotton says 4d here) subshell, it is spectroscopically rather transparent and it does not form coloured compounds, and so it is quite easy to overlook. There is more than a hundred times more cerium, the most abundant lanthanide, in the earth than there is lutetium, the least abundant. This makes lutetium and its compounds rather expensive. Having said that, it is more abundant in the earth than elements like silver or gold, or the platinum metals. Lutetium is the last of its family and the smallest. In size it is much nearer to yttrium and scandium, so some versions of the Periodic Table have lutetium directly under Sc and Y, preceded by the lanthanides from lanthanum to ytterbium. The pure element is a silvery metal, and is similar to calcium and magnesium in its reactivity. Lutetium and its compounds have found some applications, the most


"ANAGRAMS - Which sport is the link between the follwing anagrams of two famous Americans? ""MERGE OF ORANGE"" and ""MONKEY SIT""."

Internet Anagram Server : Anagrams by Pinchas Aronas The cougar = or Huge cat Alibi = I bail Oscar statue = To ace US star Spermicide = I crimp seed The Titanic disaster = Death, it starts in ice Egalitarian = Anti-regalia Singer Maria Callas = All screaming arias The Cuban cigars = Thus, a big cancer Claustrophobia = Car, ship, loo - tabu Painter Fernand Leger = Prefer 'Engine Land' art Sir Stanley Matthews = Means star with style Crime novelist = Trims violence Diego Maradona = An arm? Good idea! The pornographic websites = It's her boring peep show act Last wish = This's law = With lass Fashion designer = Fine rig and shoes = Oh, gain fine dress! The astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus = Space motion: our Earth circles Sun, no? = Space's our home. I learn construction. The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot = New chemists often active out there, in Zion = A home of true Zetetics & new inventions itch [Zetetic - a seeker] The famous American actor Charlie Chaplin = On air, the small chap of true archaic cinema Olympiad = I do my lap Actor Sylvester Stallone = Very cool talentless star God is everywhere = WORD giver, he eyes! Great city of London = Root city of England = No clarity, fog noted 'Aerosmith' = More A hits Certainly not = Can't rely on it Chairman Gates = A magnate's rich Charles Darwin's theory of evolution = Soul of vital, narrow, chosen heredity Miss Serena Williams = Win slam, smile arises The video camera = A home art device Actor Sidney Poitier = One Oscar. 'Pity, I tried!' The Costa Brava region of Spain = Anchoring of private sea-boats Generalissimo = Legions, armies Bermuda triangle = Mirage & brutal end Parodist = I do parts Sir Lancelot and Guinevere = Intrigues can end real love Spanish senorita = She's not Parisian The group 'Guns'n'Roses' = Ogre runs up the songs Hebrew University of Jerusalem = Sure, our very able Jewish men fit Great Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' = or Versed Italian man's 'La Gioconda' = 'La Gioconda'. As normal, rates -DIVINE = One arrant diva's smile - 'La Gioconda' William Westmoreland = Well, solid wartime man = I will lead war moments To cast pearls before swine = Can refer to possible waste Singer Billy Ocean = Really sonic being Painter Michelangelo Buonarroti = Heart into marble or upon a ceiling Carte blanche = Cancel the bar The aftermath of Katrina = Take that hat off, mariner The Gambino family = Might be Mafia only ...and they lived happily ever after = Delivered that very happy finale Arctic expedition = An exotic iced trip Michel Salgado = He'd claim goals Actor Robin Williams = Clown or a bit similar Motion picture 'A beautiful mind' = Delirium but a fine computation Greenwich station = Whence I got trains Confessional = On scale of sin French composer Claude Achille Debussy = A bunch of classic cheery model preludes Actress Maria Schneider = Dame is a rich screen star The French riots = Torch, then fires Riots in French capital = Conflict in Paris heart Private detective Sherlock Holmes = Let's harm the evil deceptive crooks! The true meaning of Christmas = Feast & other charming minutes = She for using time at merchant = Unearth gifts & memories, chant... = Cherish a great moment, it's fun! South American countries = He came to tour Inca's ruins Actor Louis De Funes = Fatuous screen-idol The famous animator Walt Disney = Author of tiny sweet/mad animals The Golden Globe Awards Ceremonial = Other adorable cinema legends glow 'Ivanhoe' by Sir Walter Scott = His best war-atrocity novel = Brave hero in a costly twist = Best historic novel (art way) = War-taste by historic novel A sore throat = Orators hate The Simpson's cartoons = Spastic Homer, snot son... Poltergeist = It spelt 'ogre' The President of the United States of America George Walker Bush = A gangster from the White House undertakes debate-free politics Heathrow Airport, London = Rain? Hop to another world! Actress Sienna Rose Miller = Star in lesser cinema roles William Henry Gates = Get a share in my will! = My wealth real, I sign = My wealth is in large = Largely, I with means = Regally, I with m


What was the name of the German terrorist gang of the 1970s and 80s? With a Marxist ideology they committed over thirty murders and around 300 bomb attacks.

Rev SM 14: Terrorism Links   Terrorism is the use of violence, usually against civilian targets, as a means of intimidation or social control   Terrorism is the use of violence usually by nongovt groups to achieve political ends   Terrorism is the use of terrorizing methods to produce a state of fear & submission     Terrorism is the use or threat of violence to create fear & alarm, & or to inflict harm     Terrorists murder and kidnap people, set off bombs, hijack airplanes, set fires, and commit other serious crimes     But the goals of terrorists differ from those of ordinary criminals in that most criminals want money or some other form of personal gain     But most terrorists commit crimes to support political causes     The word terrorism first appeared during the French Revolution (1789-1799)     The term terrorism came into use in the modern sense during the Reign of Terror in France & also in Russia to describe a political party who aimed at the demoralization of the govt by terror     Some of the revolutionaries who seized power in France adopted a policy of violence against their enemies     The period of the rule of Fr Revolutionaries became known as the Reign of Terror     See Also:  The History of Terrorism     Terrorism can be committed either by clandestine orgs or by govts, or by the two in cooperation     Clandestine orgs that commit terrorism are usually associated w/ insurgent groups, militant & highly ideological protest groups that are generally revolutionary     See Also:  Rationality & Collective Behavior     Clauswitz ( 1780-1831 ) held that war is "nothing but a continuation of political intercourse w/ an admixture of other means;" i.e. war is politics by other means, or war is an extension of politics     In the Clauswitzian sense, terrorism is war by other means; terrorism is politics by other means     While in many cases the line btwn behaviors that are labeled as terrorism or war is clearly understood by all, there are nearly as many cases where it is not     Often the labeling of a behavior as war or terrorism is drawn by the more powerful, the victor     For Clauswitz, "War is thus an act of force to compel our adversary to do our will."  Force, "that is to say physical forces, [is the] means; to impose our will upon the enemy is the object."     The goals of war & terrorism are often the same, thus the causes of war are often similar in form to the causes of terrorism     The participants in war are often different than the participants in terrorism because war is by definition, conflict conducted by states, & while some terrorism is conducted by states, it is often conducted by nongovt orgs     Terrorism is often used as an alternative to war since terrorists have no state resources & few other resources w/ which to conduct war     States & terrorists sometimes use terrorist tactics when their primary objective is intimidation or fear because they believe war would be ineffective or possibly too costly       International terrorists are generally well educated rebels, & not poor, who act on behalf of an ideology, are "true believers," are "ideological purists," & see their own view as "correct" & see those who disagree w/ them as being in need of "education"     Terrorists groups often form among ethnic or religious separatists or nationalists who seek to create their own state apart form the larger society in which they live     Osama Bin Laden's Al Queda network is based on fundamentalist Islamic nationalism     French speaking separatists in Quebec, Canada are united by their common heritage     Basque separatists in Spain are an ethnic group     Palestinians in the Mideast share a common religion & nationalistic group     In general, domestic terrorists in the US such as the Ku Klux Klan, various neo Nazi & "skinhead" groups, radical environmentalists groups such as the ELF, & radical animal rights groups are linked less by religion & ethnicity than by ideology     Domestic terrorists in the US tend to be poor & relatively uneducated although their leaders probably have more ed


What was the name of the Italian terrorist gang of the 1970s and 80s? With a Marxist ideology they committed many crimes and murders, including that of Prime Minister Aldo Moro.

Inside Terrorism Inside Terrorism Read the Review Defining Terrorism     What is terrorism? Few words have so insidiously worked their way into our everyday vocabulary. Like `Internet' -- another grossly over-used term that has similarly become an indispensable part of the argot of the late twentieth century -- most people have a vague idea or impression of what terrorism is, but lack a more precise, concrete and truly explanatory definition of the word. This imprecision has been abetted partly by the modern media, whose efforts to communicate an often complex and convoluted message in the briefest amount of airtime or print space possible have led to the promiscuous labelling of a range of violent acts as `terrorism'. Pick up a newspaper or turn on the television and -- even within the same broadcast or on the same page -- one can find such disparate acts as the bombing of a building, the assassination of a head of state, the massacre of civilians by a military unit, the poisoning of produce on supermarket shelves or the deliberate contamination of over-the-counter medication in a chemist's shop all described as incidents of terrorism. Indeed, virtually any especially abhorrent act of violence that is perceived as directed against society -- whether it involves the activities of anti-government dissidents or governments themselves, organized crime syndicates or common criminals, rioting mobs or persons engaged in militant protest, individual psychotics or lone extortionists -- is often labelled `terrorism'.     Dictionary definitions are of little help. The pre-eminent authority on the English language, the much-venerated Oxford English Dictionary, is disappointingly unobliging when it comes to providing edification on this subject, its interpretation at once too literal and too historical to be of much contemporary use: Terrorism: A system of terror. 1. Government by intimidation as directed and carried out by the party in power in France during the revolution of 1789-94; the system of `Terror'. 2. gen. A policy intended to strike with terror those against whom it is adopted; the employment of methods of intimidation; the fact of terrorizing or condition of being terrorized.     These definitions are wholly unsatisfying. Rather than learning what terrorism is, one instead finds, in the first instance, a somewhat potted historical -- and, in respect of the modern accepted usage of the term, a uselessly anachronistic -- description. The second definition offered is only slightly more helpful. While accurately communicating the fear-inducing quality of terrorism, the definition is still so broad as to apply to almost any action that scares (`terrorizes') us. Though an integral part of `terrorism', this definition is still insufficient for the purpose of accurately defining the phenomenon that is today called `terrorism'.     A slightly more satisfying elucidation may be found in the OED's definition of the perpetrator of the act than in its efforts to come to grips with the act itself. In this respect, a `terrorist' is defined thus: 1. As a political term: a. Applied to the Jacobins and their agents and partisans in the French Revolution, esp. to those connected with the Revolutionary tribunals during the `Reign of Terror'. b. Any one who attempts to further his views by a system of coercive intimidation; spec. applied to members of one of the extreme revolutionary societies in Russia.     This is appreciably more helpful. First, it immediately introduces the reader to the notion of terrorism as a political concept. As will be seen, this key characteristic of terrorism is absolutely paramount to understanding its aims, motivations and purposes and critical in distinguishing it from other types of violence.     Terrorism, in the most widely accepted contemporary usage of the term, is fundamentally and inherently political. It is also ineluctably about power: the pursuit of power, the acquisition of power, and the use of power to achieve political change. Terrorism is thus violence -- or, equally important, the threat of vi


One of the most successful children's TV shows of all time was The Magic Roundabout. Which French animator created the show?

The Magic Roundabout - Show News, Reviews, Recaps and Photos - TV.com The Magic Roundabout EDIT Welcome to The Magic Roundabout guide at TV.com. Created by Serge Danot in 1965, The Magic Roundabout became a television legend. The five minute slot just before the early evening news guaranteed the programme a viewing figure of over eight million. Seemingly innocent children's animation series included witty commentary for the adults, allowing two generations to enjoy it. Flavoured with a laid-back and surreal view of life, the programme reflected a heavy sixties feel. It soon achieved a cult status. The programme featured a rather off-the-wall cast. Its included Dougal, a shaggy dog who lived on a strict diet of sugar; an eccentric bouncing character called Zebedee, who would announce his arrival with a 'boing'; a rabbit named Dylan,Whos grew drugs in his carrot patch (which may be why the magic roundabout got cancelled and then came back on later. Ermintrude the pink cow, Florence, Brian the snail and their friends in the Garden. Thus The Magic Roundabout staked its place in television history. The most famous sentence of the series was Zebedee's standard declaration "Time for Bed" sending millions of children to sleep every evening. The Magic Roundabout was re-run on channel 4 television at the end of last year, winning yet another generation of young fans. The beginning of the Magic Roundabout series kicks off with an unhappy Mr Rusty wishing that the magic would return to his roundabout, Zebedee achieves this by bringing children to play in the garden and ride the roundabout. Heya sonic revolution her! just saying its been a fun couple of months on the guide.Thanks everyone.moreless


Who created several children's shows for TV, including Bagpuss, Ivor the Engine and Noggin the Nog?

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Bagpuss and Ivor creator dies Bagpuss and Ivor creator dies Advertisement Bagpuss was one of Oliver Postgate's best-loved creations Bagpuss creator Oliver Postgate has died aged 83, his family has confirmed. Postgate, who lived in Kent, created some of the best-loved children's TV series including Ivor the Engine, the Clangers and Noggin the Nog. His work, screened on the BBC and ITV from the 1950s to the present day, was often in collaboration with the artist and puppeteer Peter Firmin. In a poll earlier this year, Bagpuss, a saggy pink cloth cat, was voted the best TV animal of all-time. Postgate's partner, Naomi Linnell, confirmed he died at a nursing home near his home in Broadstairs in Kent on Monday. Oliver said it himself, he was always a little boy Sandra Kerr, colleague of Oliver Postgate Friend and colleague, Sandra Kerr, has been paying tribute to "a creative and eccentric talent". Ms Kerr, the voice of the mice in Bagpuss, said they had so much fun working together, their giggles can be heard on the Bagpuss soundtrack. Asked where his inspiration came from, she said: "Oliver said it himself, he was always a little boy. "He and Peter just responded to that part of themselves they had never lost." Conservative leader David Cameron told BBC Radio 5 Live that Ivor the Engine was his favourite of Postgate and Firmin's characters. "I never really got the Clangers," he added. "My wife's a big Clangers fan - I never quite got that in the same way." Oliver Postgate created many much-loved children's TV programmes Postgate's work was popular with generations of children who loved the strangeness of the characters and the warmth of his story-telling. The short animated films, which he would script and narrate, were created by Smallfilms production company, set up with Firmin. The partners worked in a makeshift studio in a disused cowshed in Kent on a tiny budget often using home-made equipment. Ivor the Engine, a series for ITV about a little Welsh steam engine who wanted to sing in a choir, was their first creation. The 1960s BBC series of Noggin the Nog about a baby-faced king of the race of Nogs followed. The pair swiftly established themselves as reliable purveyors of children's entertainment, in the days when there were just two channels and children's television occupied a privileged teatime slot. 'Praise and encouragement' Describing the commissioning process, Postgate said: "We would go to the BBC once a year, show them the films we'd made, and they would say, 'Yes, lovely, now what are you going to do next?'"


"The pop group ""Simply Red"" had over 20 hit records in the top twenty. What was their only Number One?"

Simply Red | Biography & History | AllMusic google+ Artist Biography               by William Ruhlmann Led by the vocalist Mick Hucknall , the English blue-eyed soul band Simply Red became international stars with their debut album, Picture Book . On the hit ballad "Holding Back the Years," Hucknall proved that he could sing soulfully without affectation, while their cover of the Valentine Brothers ' "Money's Too Tight (To Mention)" proved that they could do light funk capably. With each album, their fan base expanded, especially in the U.K. The band was formed in 1984 by singer Mick "Red" Hucknall (born Michael James Hucknall , June 8, 1960, Manchester, England) with three ex-members of Durutti Column -- bassist Tony Bowers (born October 31, 1952), drummer Chris Joyce (born October 11, 1957, Manchester, England), and keyboardist/brass player Tim Kellett (born July 23, 1964, Knaresborough, England) -- plus guitarist Sylvan Richardson and keyboardist Fritz McIntyre (born September 2, 1956, Birmingham, England). The group signed to Elektra Records and released Picture Book (October 1985), which featured "Money's Too Tight (To Mention)," a Top 40 cover of a 1982 R&B chart single by the Valentine Brothers , and "Holding Back the Years," a Hucknall original that topped the U.S. charts. The single caused the album to go platinum, and made the group one of the major successes of 1986. Men and Women (March 1987), which featured two collaborations between Hucknall and soul songwriter Lamont Dozier , was less popular, though it generated the Top 40 hit "The Right Thing." (In the U.K., "Infidelity" and a cover of Cole Porter 's "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" also made the Top 40.) Richardson left in 1987 and was replaced by guitarist Aziz Ibrahim , who was replaced by Heitor T.P . (born in Brazil). The third album, A New Flame (February 1989), went gold due to the cover of the 1972 Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes hit "If You Don't Know Me by Now" that hit number one and became a gold single. (In the U.K., "It's Only Love" and "A New Flame" also made the Top 40.) By the time of the fourth album, Stars (September 1991), Bowers and Joyce had left, with Shaun Ward joining on bass and Gota on drums, and saxophonist Ian Kirkham had become a permanent member. Stars was a relative commercial disappointment in the U.S. (though it spawned Top 40 hits in "Something Got Me Started" and "Stars" and eventually went gold), but it became a major success elsewhere, especially in the U.K., where it was the best-selling album of 1991, topped the charts for 19 weeks, and spawned the Top Ten hits "Stars" and "For Your Babies" and the Top 40 hits "Something Got Me Started," "Thrill Me," and "Your Mirror." Worldwide, it had sold eight and a half million copies by the second quarter of 1993. Ward and Gota were gone by the release of Simply Red 's fifth album, Life (October 1995), leaving a lineup of Hucknall , McIntyre , Heitor T.P. , Kirkham , and backup singer Dee Johnson . The album again proved more of a success at home than in America, topping charts all over Europe, as did its leadoff single, "Fairground," while spending only three months in the U.S. charts. Blue followed in May 1998. It topped the British charts and spawned Top Ten hits in "Say You Love Me" and a cover of the Hollies ' "The Air That I Breathe" at home, but was a negligible seller in the U.S. In November 1999, Simply Red issued Love and the Russian Winter , which reached the U.K. Top Ten, with the single "Ain't That a Lot of Love" (a cover of a Sam & Dave song) hitting the Top 20. After establishing the simplyred.com label, the band released Home in April 2003. It reached number two in the U.K., with the singles "Sunrise" and a cover of the Stylistics ' "You Make Me Feel Brand New" becoming Top Ten hits. Two years later came Simplified , a collection of old and new songs that hit number three in Britain and number two in the Eurochart. Another two-year absence followed before the notable Stay in April 2007. It hit number four in the U.K. and number two in the Eurochart. By


Bourbon whiskey is named after a county in which US state?

Pinkie's - Whiskey Bourbon Woodford Reserve   Since the dawn of civilization, distilled spirits have been known to mankind as the “water of life.”  In every clime, in every corner of the the  world, people have been enjoying spirits distilled from the grains and fruits growing around them.  The modern process of distillation can be traced to the Arabs, it is the Celtic peoples of the British Isles to whom we are indebted for the origins of one type of spirit – whiskey.  The Celtic ancestors of modern Scotch and Irish called their drink distilled from grain “usigebaugh” (pronounced wis-ge-baugh) – water of life.  The English shortened this to “whisky (spelled without the “e.”  The Irish, and Americans, of course, spell it with the “e”).  A simple definition, one that’s short and to the point is that whiskey is a spirit, aged in wood, obtained from the distillation of a fermented mash of grain.  Whiskey can be produced from any grain, but corn, rye and barley are the principal grains used.   Straight whiskey is an alcoholic distillate from a fermented mash of grain distilled at not exceeding 160 proof and with drawn from the cistern room of the distillery at not more than 110 proof  and not less than 80 proof, and aged for not less than 24 calendar months in new charred oak barrels.  Straight whiskey can be distilled from any grain or combination of grains.  There are several types of straight whiskies in the United States.   Bourbon has been distilled in the United States since the days of the American Revolution, it was not until May 4, 1964, that Congress recognized it as a “distinctive product of the United States.”  Under federal regulations, bourbon is a whiskey distilled at not exceeding 160 proof from a fermented mash of not less that 51% corn.  The balance of the mash may be any other grain but is generally rye and barley malt.  Also the product must be stored in new charred oak barrels.   Bourbon includes both straights and bonds.  Factoid:  Bourbon was first produced by a frontier preacher, Rev. Elijah Craig, who distilled the whiskey in what was then the western part of Virginia, later to be part of the new state of Kentucky.  The immediate area was named Bourbon County and the whiskey became known as Bourbon whiskey.    Corn whiskey is distilled from a fermented mash of grain containing at least 80% corn, and is designated a straight corn whiskey.   It can be stored in either uncharred barrels or re-used charred barrels.  Corn whiskey is a fiery drink of the backwoods that gets little chance to mature at all.  Closest thing to “White Lightning."   Sour Mash whiskey is a type of whiskey which is produced as a result of using part of the previous day’s mash instead of water to start and to assist in the fermentation of a new batch of mash.  A definition of “mash” is a mixture of grain, molasses or sugar with water and yeast, which is fermented and distilled to produce ethyl alcohol.  There is nothing “sour” about Sour Mash Whiskey.  Some good judges of Bourbon feel that this particular type has the most pleasing of all Bourbon flavors.   Rye whiskey is a product that is not distilled more than 160 proof from a fermented mash of grain containing at least 51% rye grain.  Also a straight rye in the United States must be bottled at not less than 80 proof , and be aged in new charred oak barrels for not less than two years.   Tennessee whiskey production process follows that of bourbon, but itdiffers in the extra steps that take place immediately after distilling.  At that point the whiskey is seeped very slowly through vats packed with charcoal.  Charcoal is very important, its use eliminates congeners before aging.   Congeners are the natural flavor constituents in spirits.  They are traces of oils, esters and acids carried through the distillation process and into the distillate.  Spirits distilled at lower proofs have the highest congeneric content.  High proof neutral spirits are practically free of congeners. The charcoal used in the production of Tennessee whiskey comes from the Tennessee hard maple tree.  Whe


"The status of which planet in the Solar System was changed in 2006 by the International Astronomic Union when it was re-classified as a ""dwarf planet"" ?"

Why is Pluto no longer a planet? (Everyday Mysteries: Fun Science Facts from the Library of Congress)     Why is Pluto no longer a planet?          The International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgraded the status of Pluto to that of a dwarf planet because it did not meet the three criteria the IAU uses to define a full-sized planet. Essentially Pluto meets all the criteria except one- it “has not cleared its neighboring region of other objects.” In August 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgraded the status of Pluto to that of  "dwarf planet."  This means that from now on only the rocky worlds of the inner Solar System and the gas giants of the outer system will be designated as planets. The “inner Solar System” is the region of space that is smaller than the radius of Jupiter’s orbit around the sun. It contains the asteroid belt as well as the terrestrial planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. The “gas giants” of course are Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus.  So now we have eight planets instead of the nine we used to have. What is a Dwarf Planet? A “dwarf planet,” as defined by the IAU, is a celestial body in direct orbit of the Sun that is massive enough that its shape is controlled by gravitational forces rather than mechanical forces (and is thus ellipsoid in shape), but has not cleared its neighboring region of other objects. So, the three criteria of the IAU for a full-sized planet are: It is in orbit around the Sun. It has sufficient mass to assume hydrostatic equilibrium (a nearly round shape). It has "cleared the neighborhood" around its orbit. Pluto meets only two of these criteria, losing out on the third. In all the billions of years it has lived there, it has not managed to clear its neighborhood. You may wonder what that means, “not clearing its neighboring region of other objects?”  Sounds like a minesweeper in space!  This means that the planet has become gravitationally dominant -- there are no other bodies of comparable size other than its own satellites or those otherwise under its gravitational influence, in its vicinity in space. So any large body that does not meet these criteria is now classed as a “dwarf planet,” and that includes Pluto, which shares its orbital neighborhood with Kuiper belt objects such as the plutinos. History of Pluto The object formerly known as the planet Pluto was discovered on February 18, 1930 at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, by astronomer Clyde W. Tombaugh, with contributions from William H. Pickering. This period in astronomy was one of intense planet hunting, and Pickering was a prolific planet predictor.   In 1906, Percival Lowell, a wealthy Bostonian who had founded the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff,  Arizona in 1894, started an extensive project in search of a possible ninth planet, which he termed "Planet X."  By 1909, Lowell and Pickering had suggested several possible celestial coordinates for such a planet. Lowell and his observatory conducted the search until his death in 1916, to no avail. Unknown to Lowell, on March 19, 1915, his observatory had captured two faint images of Pluto, but they were not recognized for what they were. Lowell was not the first to unknowingly photograph Pluto. There are sixteen known pre-discoveries, with the oldest being made by the Yerkes Observatory on August 20, 1909. The search for Planet X did not resume until 1929, when the job was handed to Clyde Tombaugh, a 23-year-old Kansan who had just arrived at the Lowell Observatory.  Tombaugh's task was to systematically image the night sky in pairs of photographs taken two weeks apart, then examine each pair and determine whether any objects had shifted position. Using a machine called a blink comparator, he rapidly shifted back and forth between views of each of the plates to create the illusion of movement of any objects that had changed position or appearance between photographs. On February 18, 1930, after nearly a year of searching, Tombaugh discovered a possible moving object on photogr


Who developed the first suvvessful vaccine for Smallpox ?

WHO | Smallpox About Smallpox Smallpox is an acute contagious disease caused by variola virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus family. Smallpox, which is believed to have originated over 3,000 years ago in India or Egypt, was one of the most devastating diseases known to humanity. Smallpox is transmitted from person to person by infected aerosols and air droplets spread in face-to-face contact with an infected person. The disease can also be transmitted by contaminated clothes and bedding, though the risk of infection from this source is much lower. Following an incubation period of about 12-14 days there is a sudden onset of influenza-like symptoms including fever, malaise, headache, prostration, severe back pain and, less often, abdominal pain and vomiting. Two to three days later, a characteristic rash appears, first on the face, hands and forearms and then after a few days progressing to the trunk. Lesions also develop in the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth, and ulcerate very soon after their formation, releasing large amounts of virus into the mouth and throat. Two forms of the disease are recognized, variola minor with a mortality rate of approximately 1%, and the more common variola major with a mortality rate of 30%. Between 65–80% of survivors are marked with deep pitted scars (pockmarks), most prominent on the face. In 1967, WHO launched an intensified plan to eradicate smallpox. Following a successful campaign to achieve high levels of immunization globally, the last case of endemically circulating smallpox occurred in 1977. In 1979, WHO recommended that vaccination against smallpox be stopped in all countries, the only exception being special groups, such as researchers working with smallpox and related viruses. The global eradication of smallpox was certified in December 1979 and endorsed by the World Health Assembly in 1980, marking one of the most successful collaborative public health initiatives in history. Following eradication, smallpox, vaccine production was halted. A large stock of the smallpox vaccine was retained around the world although the storage conditions and potency of these stocks are not known. Two sites in the USA and Russia hold stocks of variola virus. In the interest of global security, these stocks were to be destroyed by the end of the twentieth century. However, due to continued interest in research and development involving variola virus, the destruction of the remaining stocks of smallpox virus has been postponed by the World Health Assembly. Smallpox Vaccines Edward Jenner demonstrated, in 1798, that inoculation of humans with live vaccinia virus (cowpox) could protect against smallpox. This brought the first hope that the disease could be controlled. Vaccinia vaccine has been used continuously since then. Most existing vaccine stocks and the vaccine utilized by the WHO eradication campaign consisted of pulp scraped from vaccinia-infected animal skin, mainly calf or sheep, with phenol added to a concentration sufficient to kill bacteria, but not so high as to inactivate the vaccinia virus. The live vaccine was then freeze-dried and sealed in ampoules for later re-suspension in sterile buffer and subsequent intradermal inoculation by multiple puncture with a bifurcated needle. The vaccinia virus is remarkably stable when lyophilized, and vaccines stored under appropriate conditions for as long as 18 years have not lost their potency. A number of new vaccines produced on cell substrates rather than animal skin have been developed following renewed interest in the production and use of smallpox vaccines. Smallpox vaccine standardization Written Standards WHO recommendations for the production and quality control of smallpox vaccines were first adopted in 1959 and revised in 1965. They were updated in 2003 in case new supplies of vaccine were required. This update includes production on cell substrates and introduces modern requirements for adventitious agent testing.


Who was the chief executive of RBS bank who resigned in 2009, a month before RBS announced a loss of £24 billion, the largest loss in UK corporate history ?

Royal Bank of Scotland investigation: the full story of how the 'world's biggest bank' went bust - Telegraph Banks and Finance Royal Bank of Scotland investigation: the full story of how the 'world's biggest bank' went bust Using diary extracts of the key players and previously hidden memos, The  Sunday Telegraph and The Daily Telegraph piece together the full story of  RBS’s downfall. Royal Bank of Scotland went from one of the world's largest banks to a basket case that almost brought down the entire UK financial system  By Harry Wilson , Philip Aldrick and Kamal Ahmed 9:00PM GMT 05 Mar 2011 Just over three months ago – at 9.29 on the morning of Thursday, December 2 – a relatively innocuous-looking announcement was published by the Financial Services Authority. The note informed those that read it that the UK’s main banking regulator had closed its investigation into the collapse of the Royal Bank of Scotland. It was 304 words long. The FSA said that it had found no regulatory fault in the actions of the RBS board or its senior managers and that the bank’s near collapse, an event only prevented by £45bn in direct taxpayer support and several hundred billions of pounds of state-backed loan facilities, was simply the result of “bad decisions”. Such a short announcement on one of the biggest corporate collapses in global financial history might have been hard enough for the country to stomach, but there was one additional sting left in the tail – none of the report would be made public. Indeed, the FSA’s chairman, Lord Adair Turner, declared there was in fact no actual report after nearly 19 months work at a cost of £7.7m. For politicians, including the Chancellor, George Osborne, the Business Secretary, Vince Cable, and the Treasury Select Committee chairman, Andrew Tyrie, the response was immediate – it was quite clearly not enough The issue was simple. The public had bailed out RBS and they deserved an explanation that ran to more than 12 sentences. Related Articles FSA misjudged help for crisis-hit RBS 07 Mar 2011 After trying to hold the “no publication line” for a week, the FSA folded “at the first sound of grapeshot” according to one key banking figure. They would produce some form of report this month which would give more detailed findings and outline the lessons learnt from the financial debacle. The Sunday Telegraph and The Daily Telegraph have for the past two months conducted their own investigation into the circumstances surrounding RBS’s failure, interviewing for the first time more than 20 senior managers both within RBS and across the financial sector, politicians, Whitehall officials and others involved with the events running up to the multi-billion-pound bail-out. Many of the people have never spoken before about the circumstances surrounding the collapse and many of them have not been spoken to by the FSA. The investigation has also uncovered diaries of key protagonists and never-before-seen internal documents that add more detail on the inner workings of the bank and how it imploded so spectacularly. The result is the most detailed account yet of how a small Scottish retail bank was transformed in less than two decades into not just one of Britain’s, but one of the world’s largest banks. And how it went from a position of global leadership to basket case – a failure at the height of the financial crisis that almost brought down the entire UK financial system. At its most basic, this is the story of The Bank That Went Bust. NAT WEST AND THE ERA OF HUBRIS In late 2005, Sir Fred Goodwin, RBS chief executive, was having a crisis of confidence. Not one given over to self doubt, he nevertheless had been struck by some sharp personal criticisms. Shareholders were angry about the recent £5.8bn acquisition of Charter One in the US – which had not been a good deal – and had banned him from making any more purchases. Then, in August, James Eden, an analyst with Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, said the unthinkable. “Some of our investors think Sir Fred is a megalomaniac who cares more about size than shareho


The classic novel by Emile Zola about a French coalminers strike in the 1860's had what title ?

Germinal: Emile Zola, H. Ellis: 9780236176908: Amazon.com: Books Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. From Dominique Jullien’s Introduction to Germinal   What makes Germinal so compelling is the combination of symbolic force and factual accuracy. Zola approached each one of his novels with extensive research; he was particularly thorough in this and complemented his factual research with a visit to the real location of his story. He first read extensivelyon the mining industry, the mining regions of northern France, the daily lives of miners, technical innovations in the pits, and working-class political movements. Then, at the end of February 1884, for about a week he visited the mining country. He talked to engineers, entered miners’ houses, went deep down into the mining tunnels, and observed the small mining town of Anzin, where a strike had just begun. His voluminous Notes sur Anzin” (Notes on Anzin”; see the Gallimard edition of Les Rougon-Macquart, listed in For Further Reading”) form an extraordinary record of personal impressions and factual information. Zola was very careful to avoid anachronism. Between the late 1860s, when the novel takes place, and 1884, when Zola took notes for his novel, things had been changing in the coal mines, although the technical methods of extraction hadn’t altered dramatically, and the miners’ living conditions remained miserable and were made worse by rising prices and an economic slump. In Germinal we find women, as young as twelve and as old as forty, working in the mines. Women were paid half of a man’s wages. Children of eleven worked fourteen-hour days. Strikes were illegal and often ended in bloody confrontations with the army. But miners were beginning to agitate for better conditions. A series of dramatic strikes in the last years of the Second Empire shocked public opinion and inspired the strike scenes in Germinal. In 1869 the army fired into the crowd of striking miners at La Ricamarie, killing thirteen, including two women. Another fourteen died later in similar circumstances at Aubin. But slowly miners, like workers elsewhere, were organizing to improve their lot. Little by little, the labor laws restricting workers’ rights were relaxed. Workers’ associations gradually became more tolerated. Protective laws were implemented: For example, in 1874 women could no longer be employed underground, and children under twelve were not allowed to work in the mines at all. Solidarity among workers improved, as support for ill, injured, and striking workers was more effectively organized. Karl Marx’s Manifest Der Kommunistischen Partei (Manifesto of the Communist Party) was published in 1848. In 1864 Marx helped found the International Workingmen’s Association in London; this First International” helped radicalize workers’ movements in France. And the French translation of Das Kapital (1867, first volume) was published beginning in 1875. Hard-line Marxism, with its intransigent theory of class warfare, came to dominate LaborCapital relations. This is clearly shown in the novel. Germinal weaves the story of the hero’s political education into the background story of the miners’ plight. When Étienne Lantier first comes to Montsou, he is poor and ignorant. His mind is as barren as the dark plain of the mining country. But when he emerges from the flooded mine at the end of the novel, Étienne is poised to become a professional revolutionary, leaving behind both nihilistic terrorism and conciliatory reformism. Zola’s novel is a fascinating document on the political movements of the time. Rasseneur, who owns the café where miners gather to drink and talk, embodiees the moderates, the supporters of cooperation between Labor and Capital. The moderates are pitted against socialist politicians like Pluchart, the hero’s role model, who is sent by the International to organize and indoctrinate miners of the northern region of France. At the heart of the novel lies the ideological rivalry between Rasseneur and Étienne and their battle for the miners’ hearts and mind


Who was the chief executive of Barclays bank who resigned in July 2012 after Barclays had been severely fined for fixing LIBOR rates ?

BBC News - Timeline: Libor-fixing scandal Timeline: Libor-fixing scandal Libor, the London inter-bank lending rate, is considered to be one of the most crucial interest rates in finance. It underpins trillions of pounds worth of loans and financial contracts. So, when Barclays was fined £290m in June last year after some of its derivatives traders were found to have attempted to rig this key rate, already weak public confidence in banks was harmed further. The scandal led to the resignation of both Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond and chairman Marcus Agius. Here are some of the key dates in the scandal: 2005 As early as 2005 there was evidence Barclays had tried to manipulate dollar Libor and Euribor (the eurozone's equivalent of Libor) rates at the request of its derivatives traders and other banks. Misconduct was widespread, involving staff in New York, London and Tokyo as well as external traders. Between January 2005 and June 2009, Barclays derivatives traders made a total of 257 requests to fix Libor and Euribor rates, according to a report by the FSA . One Barclays trader told a trader from another bank in relation to three-month dollar Libor: "duuuude... what's up with ur guys 34.5 3m fix... tell him to get it up!". 2007 At the onset of the financial crisis in September 2007 with the collapse of Northern Rock, liquidity concerns drew public scrutiny towards Libor. Barclays manipulated Libor submissions to give a healthier picture of the bank's credit quality and its ability to raise funds. A lower submission would deflect concerns it had problems borrowing cash from the markets. Barclays' Libor submissions were at the higher end of the range of contributing banks, and prompted media speculation about the true picture of the bank's risk and credit profile. Glossary in full Senior treasury managers instructed submitters to reduce Libor to avoid negative publicity, saying Barclays should not "stick its head above the parapet", according to the FSA report. From as early as 28 August, the New York Fed said it had received mass-distribution emails that suggested that Libor submissions were being set unrealistically low by the banks. On 28 November, a senior submitter at Barclays wrote in an internal email that "Libors are not reflecting the true cost of money", according to the FSA. In December, a Barclays compliance officer contacted the UK banking lobby group British Bankers' Association (BBA) and the FSA and described "problematic actions" by other banks, saying they appeared to be understating their Libor submissions, according to US regulator the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) . On 6 December, a Barclays compliance officer contacted the FSA, according to the FSA report, to express concern about the Libor rates being submitted by other banks, but did not inform the FSA that its own submissions were incorrect, instead saying that they were "within a reasonable range". The FSA said that the same compliance officer then told Barclays senior management that he told the FSA "we have consistently been the highest (or one of the two highest) rate provider in recent weeks, but we're justifiably reluctant to go higher given our recent media experience", and that the FSA "agreed that the approach we've been adopting seems sensible in the circumstances". In early December, the CFTC said that the Barclays employee responsible for submitting the bank's dollar Libor rates contacted it to complain that Barclays was not setting "honest" rates. The employee emailed his supervisor about his concerns, saying: "My worry is that we (both Barclays and the contributor banle panel) are being seen to be contributing patently false rates. "We are therefore being dishonest by definition and are at risk of damaging our reputation in the market and with the regulators. Can we discuss urgently please?" On 6 December a Barclays compliance officer contacted the FSA about concerns over the levels that other banks were setting their US Libor rate. This was made after a submitter flagged to compliance his concern about mis-reporting


Who developed the first successful vaccine for Polio ?

Salk announces polio vaccine - Mar 26, 1953 - HISTORY.com Salk announces polio vaccine Publisher A+E Networks On March 26, 1953, American medical researcher Dr. Jonas Salk announces on a national radio show that he has successfully tested a vaccine against poliomyelitis, the virus that causes the crippling disease of polio. In 1952–an epidemic year for polio–there were 58,000 new cases reported in the United States, and more than 3,000 died from the disease. For promising eventually to eradicate the disease, which is known as “infant paralysis” because it mainly affects children, Dr. Salk was celebrated as the great doctor-benefactor of his time. Polio, a disease that has affected humanity throughout recorded history, attacks the nervous system and can cause varying degrees of paralysis. Since the virus is easily transmitted, epidemics were commonplace in the first decades of the 20th century. The first major polio epidemic in the United States occurred in Vermont in the summer of 1894, and by the 20th century thousands were affected every year. In the first decades of the 20th century, treatments were limited to quarantines and the infamous “iron lung,” a metal coffin-like contraption that aided respiration. Although children, and especially infants, were among the worst affected, adults were also often afflicted, including future president Franklin D. Roosevelt, who in 1921 was stricken with polio at the age of 39 and was left partially paralyzed. Roosevelt later transformed his estate in Warm Springs, Georgia, into a recovery retreat for polio victims and was instrumental in raising funds for polio-related research and the treatment of polio patients. Salk, born in New York City in 1914, first conducted research on viruses in the 1930s when he was a medical student at New York University, and during World War II helped develop flu vaccines. In 1947, he became head of a research laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh and in 1948 was awarded a grant to study the polio virus and develop a possible vaccine. By 1950, he had an early version of his polio vaccine. Salk’s procedure, first attempted unsuccessfully by American Maurice Brodie in the 1930s, was to kill several strains of the virus and then inject the benign viruses into a healthy person’s bloodstream. The person’s immune system would then create antibodies designed to resist future exposure to poliomyelitis. Salk conducted the first human trials on former polio patients and on himself and his family, and by 1953 was ready to announce his findings. This occurred on the CBS national radio network on the evening of March 25 and two days later in an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Dr. Salk became an immediate celebrity. In 1954, clinical trials using the Salk vaccine and a placebo began on nearly two million American schoolchildren. In April 1955, it was announced that the vaccine was effective and safe, and a nationwide inoculation campaign began. New polio cases dropped to under 6,000 in 1957, the first year after the vaccine was widely available. In 1962, an oral vaccine developed by Polish-American researcher Albert Sabin became available, greatly facilitating distribution of the polio vaccine. Today, there are just a handful of polio cases in the United States every year, and most of these are “imported” by Americans from developing nations where polio is still a problem. Among other honors, Jonas Salk was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977. He died in La Jolla, California, in 1995. Related Videos


Which planet in the Solar System is closest to earth in size and mass ?

What planet in our solar system is closest in size to Earth? | Reference.com What planet in our solar system is closest in size to Earth? A: Quick Answer Venus is, by far, the closest match to the Earth in size. Venus has a measured diameter that is just about 95 percent that of the Earth and a planetary mass equal to 81.5 percent of the Earth's. Full Answer None of the other planets in the solar system are very Earthlike. After Venus, the next-closest planet to Earth in mass and size is Mars. Mars has only half the diameter of the Earth and just over 10 percent of the mass. Venus is also similar to Earth in that it has a substantial atmosphere, though the surface pressure of Venus' atmosphere is 92 times greater than Earth's.


What is the second biggest city in Libya ?

Benghazi(بنغازي) A view of Benghazi from across the lake. Benghazi, the capital of  Benghazi Municipality (Sha'biya), is the main port of Cyrenaica on the Mediterranean coast, in Eastern Libya, and as such it is one of Libya's  major economic centres. The city is the second largest in Libya after the capital Tripoli, with  a population of nearly one million people (with confirmed 500,120 according to 1995 census). Origin & Etymology of The Name Benghazi (Berenice) The name Benghazi occurs in various forms, including Bengazi, Benghazi, Banghazi, Bingazi, Bengasi or Binghazi. During the Greek period the city was initially known as Eusperides or Euesperides (around 525 BC), after it was associated with the mythological Hesperides Garden, owing to the fertility of not only the area around Benghazi but also of the whole verdant Green Mountain we now know as Barqa. After Eusperides was abandoned around 347 BC, a new settlement was started nearby, which became Berenice (one of the five cities of the the Pentapolis) around 249 BC, after the Berber princess Berenice, Bernice, or Berenike, the daughter of the Cyrenaican king Magas. The etymology of the name Berenice means: "the bearer of victory", from which we also have the local name of the region of Cyrenaica, namely Barqa, Barce or Barka. These names appear to have had been used until around 1450 AD, when the name was suddenly changed to its current form Benghazi.     Brief History of Benghazi There is no doubt that the city goes back to the ancient period when the Greek colonists occupied Cyrenaica, as it was mentioned by Herodotus (IV.204) in relation to the revolt of Barca and the Persian invasions in the region. This ancient city (Berenice) was located northeast of modern Benghazi. Coins dating from around the 5th century BC show the famous silphium plant that made Cyrene a prosperous city. It appears that the city was invaded by Greek colonists, rather than being built or founded by them, as historians (e.g., Thucydides) spoke of the Libyan siege of the city around 414 BC by the local Berber Nasamone tribes (the Nasamones). When the Romans arrived in the area, around the middle of the 1st century BC, the city fell under their domain and quickly became a Roman city right down to the 7th century AD. After the city had attained a strategic place in the economy of the region, as a mediator between European merchants and the locals of Libya interior, it was badly vandalised by the Vandals during the 5th century AD, and then when the Ottoman pirates invaded Benghazi in 1578 they continued to ruin rather than run the city until 1911, when the wars demolished what had remained. The Italian invasions of 1911 were strongly opposed by the locals, united under the resistance of Omar Almoukhtar, where more than 100,000 Libyans were said to have disappeared in Mussolini's fascist camps. The destruction of the city reached its climax when it was bombed more than 1000 times during World War II. Then in 1942 the Allied forces invaded the area, defeated the Italians and controlled Benghazi until 1949, when appointed King Idris Assanousi made Benghazi the capital of Cyrenaica (Barqa) and ultimately the second capital of Libya.   Adda'wah Alislamiyah Building, with its distinctive pyramidal cubes. Culture In Benghazi Historical records portray an image of ancient Benghazi as being an important city, with advanced culture, very similar to that was present in prosperous Cyrene. Typical of ancient Libyan customary law, the legal system consisted of a council of elders who resided as the chief magistrates who between them conducted the affairs of the society. Today Benghazi remains one of the main cultural centres in Libya, teeming with renowned academics and scholars, theaters, libraries, and a big university: Gar Younes University (جامعة قاريونس), originally started as an art college.   Benghazi's Tourist Attractions The land journey from Tripolitania to Cyrenaica can take a whole day and therefore most tours are designed to include flying from Tripoli to Benghazi airport and


In what year was the first Eurovision Song Contest held ?

60 years of Eurovision Song Contest - the 10's Host City Düsseldorf A total of forty-three countries took part in the contest held in the German city of Düsseldorf. While initially several cities had been in the running to host the contest, it was Düsseldorf that emerged as the winner. The biggest news at this contest was the return of Italy, after more than a decade. They went on to take second place in the final result with the jazz entry Madness Of Love by Raphael Gualazzi. One Germany's most famous comediennes, Anke Engelke, TV anchor Judith Rakers and all-round showman Stefan Raab hosted the event. Raab had also been in Lena's winning team the year before. More The opening ceremony in Malmo with all the flags. Eurovision Song Contest The audience through years If the founder of Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson Européen, Marcel Bezençon, had lived nowadays, he wouldn't have recognised this event again. Since the very first programme in 1956 that was simultaneously broadcast on radio and TV not only the format and the voting system have changed a lot, but also the celebrating audience in the hall and in front of TVs. Right from the beginning, the Eurovision Song Contest was popular as a family television programme – once a year many families came together for this great musical event, they discussed music and voted for their favourites, while the audience in the hall looked very serious, wearing evening dresses. The atmosphere in the hall was similar to theatre or opera where the audience remained seated throughout the whole show. In the late 80s, when the first fan clubs were founded, the Eurovision Song Contest raised its bar. In the hall, flags of different participating countries were waved. And the audience didn't only applause, but cheered and sang together with their favourite contestants. A huge standing area for all Eurovision fans was first introduced in Malmö in 2013. The theatre atmosphere of early decades turned into a huge disco party on a dance floor in front of the live show. The audience in the evening dresses has been changed to colourful, multicultural fans of all ages celebrating and singing together. The 2001 Eurovision Song Contest took place in Copenhagen at the Parken football stadium with 38,000 places and the biggest live audience in the whole history of competition. In 2002, the catwalk was implemented in the hall, thus, participants could be closer to their fans. The crowd. The flag ceremony, with presenter Petra Mede on the stage. A very happy Emilie de Forest after winning. Emilie performs live on stage in Malmo. A backstage sneak peak. A great atmosphere in the arena. Where would the Eurovision Song Contest be without it's great fans? Bonnie Tyler rehearsing. The arena this year was built in an old shipyard in Copenhagen. Eurovision Song Contest Rules Under new rules, the names of all jury members were announced on the 1st of May. Additionally, the ranking submitted by each individual jury member for all shows were published right after the Final. To increase diversity, music industry professionals could now only take a seat in a national jury if they had not been in the jury during one of the previous two editions of the contest. A spectacular show was given again. Conchita Wurst with the Eurovision Song Contest trophy. Eurovision Song Contest Rising stars It wasn't only the winner that became a huge success but also several of the other songs. One of the biggest successes after the contest, was the Dutch entry Calm After The Storm by The Common Linnets which climbed on top of many charts across Europe and was hailed for its quality. Conchita after winning.


Which French scientist (1736 -1806) is best known for his law of electrostatic force and gives his name to the unit of electric charge ?

Complete Knowledge database of Electricity and Electrical Technology : May 2012 1620  -  Niccolo Cabeo discovers that electricity can be repulsive as well as attractive. 1630  -  Vincenzo Cascariolo, a Bolognese shoemaker, discovers fluorescence.   1638 - Rene Descartes theorizes that light is a pressure wave through the second of his three types of matter of which the universe is made. He invents properties of this fluid that make it possible to calculate the reflection and refraction of light. The ``modern'' notion of the aether is born.    1638  -  Galileo attempts to measure the speed of light by a lantern relay between distant hilltops. He gets a very large answer.   1644  -  Rene Descartes theorizes that the magnetic poles are on the central axis of a spinning vortex of one of his fluids. This vortex theory remains popular for a long time, enabling Leonhard Euler and two of the Bernoullis to share a prize of the French Academy as late as 1743.   1657  -  Pierre de Fermat shows that the principle of least time is capable of explaining refraction and reflection of light. Fighting with the Cartesians begins. (This principle for reflected light had been anticipated anciently by Hero of Alexandria.)   1665  -  Francesco Maria Grimaldi, in a posthumous report, discovers and gives the name of diffraction to the bending of light around opaque bodies.   1667  -  Robert Hooke reports in his Micrographia the discovery of the rings of light formed by a layer of air between two glass plates. These were actually first observed by Robert Boyle, which explains why they are now called Newton's rings. In the same work he gives the matching-wave-front derivation of reflection and refraction that is still found in most introductory physics texts. These waves travel through the aether. He also develops a theory of color in which white light is a simple disturbance and colors are complex distortions of the basic simple white form.   1671  -  Isaac Newton destroys Hooke's theory of color by experimenting with prisms to show that white light is a mixture of all the colors and that once a pure color is obtained it can never be changed into another color. Newton argues against light being a vibration of the ether, preferring that it be something else that is capable of traveling through the aether. He doesn't insist that this something else consist of particles, but allows that it may be some other kind of emanation or impulse. In Newton's own words, ``...let every man here take his fancy.''   1675  -  Olaf Roemer repeats Galileo's experiment using the moons of Jupiter as the distant hilltop. He measures m/s.   1678  -  Christiaan Huygens introduces his famous construction and principle, thinks about translating his manuscript into Latin, then publishes it in the original French in 1690. He uses his theory to discuss the double refraction of Iceland Spar. His is a theory of pulses, however, not of periodic waves.   1717  -  Newton shows that the ``two-ness'' of double refraction clearly rules out light being aether waves. (All aether wave theories were sound-like, so Newton was right; longitudinal waves can't be polarized.)   1728  -  James Bradley shows that the orbital motion of the earth changes the apparent motions of the stars in a way that is consistent with light having a finite speed of travel.   1729  -  Stephen Gray shows that electricity doesn't have to be made in place by rubbing but can also be transferred from place to place with conducting wires. He also shows that the charge on electrified objects resides on their surfaces.   1733  -  Charles Francois du Fay discovers that electricity comes in two kinds which he called resinous(-) and vitreous(+).   1742  -  Thomas Le Seur and Francis Jacquier, in a note to the edition of Newton's Principia that they publish, show that the force law between two magnets is inverse cube.   1749  -  Abbe Jean-Antoine Nollet invents the two-fluid theory electricity.   1745  -  Pieter van Musschenbroek invents the Leyden jar, or capacitor, and nearly kills his friend Cunaeus.   1747  -  Benjamin


In French, what bird is known as Aloutte ?

Alouette Lyrics Alouette Lyrics Alouette Lyrics “Alouette“ is one of the most popular songs for learning French and teaching the language to kids. The song is over 100 years old and is said to have originated in Quebec, Canada. The song is about somebody telling a lark (a kind of bird) that they’ll pluck feathers off of it’s body. For each verse you add an additional body part. The song goes, “Alouette, gentille alouette, alouette je te plumerai.” “Je te plumerai” means “I will pluck your feathers”. Note, it uses ‘plumer’ (to pluck) plus an “ai” making it in the future tense. Watch the video and sing along as you read through the lyrics! Words With English Translation Lark, I will pluck you Je te plumerai la tête I will pluck your head (Je te plumerai la tête) (I shall pluck your head) Et la tête Lark, I will pluck you Je te plumerai le bec I shall pluck your beak Et le bec Sign Up For A FREE Trial French Lesson On Skype And Get Instant Access To My French Pronunciation Crash Course. Get the French Pronunciation Crash Course! Bonjour! My name is David Issokson. I'm an online French teacher. My mission is to help as many people as possible to learn how to speak this beautiful language that's brought me so much happiness in my life. Sign Up For A FREE Trial French Lesson On Skype! You'll Also Get a Headstart With My FREE French Essentials Ebook This book covers all of the most important elements of french pronunciation for the new speaker. It's FREE and yours if you sign up below. Fill in the info below and sign up for a FREE French lesson on Skype. Click to see some student reviews. Members - Crash Course - You Are Logged Out You are not currently logged in. Username: » Lost your Password? Private Lessons Testimonials "David is clearly a very experienced and knowledgeable teacher. He places emphasis on pronunciation and encourages me to recall my vocabulary in a way that is useful for speaking French day-to-day. His French lessons via Skype are both fun and interesting, and he adapts on-the-fly, so that he can always challenge me at the appropriate level." Maria, Cambridge, UK" Maria, Cambridge, UK "David is a great teacher who cares about his students and makes every effort for them to learn French on Skype where he types lessons notes. David has a proactive approach to learning and offers speaking conversation, grammar and reading classes. Check it out :)" Lachlan M., Sydney, Australia "David Issokson is a wonderful French teacher. I've had a number, and he is the best by far. He makes learning the language enjoyable, fun even, while covering the essentials." —Sandra Gulland, Ontario Canada "It is said that 'The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.' David is a great teacher who inspires. He has great patient and explains french pronunciation very nicely. He is very friendly with pleasant personality. I am sure anyone will love to learn french from David." – Dibakar Datta, Brown University, USA


"Which car manufacturer, based in Asia, was named as ""Best Car Manufacturer"" of 2012 ?"

World Top Ranking Car Companies – 1Reservoir.com HEAVY BUS: – 5,686 Details:- With Number of Up and Down remained top company of early 2000s now present at No.1 The company established in 1933 by Toyota Loom work its subsidiary by Kiichiro Toyoda Who traveled in different parts of world it develop all type of Cars, Buses, Wagons etc. now a days it is successfully back at rank 1 as it faces loss because of problem in accelerator of its eight models but this Japanese company strived back successfully   General Motors Company (United States) Sub Category Ranking Buick Division North America, China, Israel, and Taiwan Cadillac Division North America, Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa Chevrolet Division Global, except Australia and New Zealand GMC Division North America, Middle East Holden Subsidiary Australia, New Zealand Opel Subsidiary Global, except North America and United Kingdom Vauxhall Subsidiary United Kingdom HEAVY BUS: – 14,575 Details:- Name of Hyundai is taken from Korean word meaning modernity it have many of working products including steel to defense equipment its automobile industries is started in 1967 after 20 years of its function its Fate is known as Broken Up Its founded by Chung Ju-Yung now its headquarters is located in Seoul, South Korea its serving in all parts of world it normally prefer to develop large vehicles instead of small cars.   Ford Motor Company (United States) Sub Category Ranking Lincoln Division North America, Middle East, Japan and South Korea Mercury Division North America, Middle East, Japan Total Production: – 6,077,126 HEAVY BUS: 43,836 Details:- Fiat Chrysler Automobile was founded in October 12 2014 by merger of Fiat and Chrysler Motors, an American automaker with merger of Fiat the Italian manufacturers, It was founded because of bak ruptcy issue of Chrysler motors and its acquisition by Fiat by getting majority shares of the company. Walter Chrysler formed motor company on June 6, 1925 and it was initially ally with Maxwell-Chalmers company in 1920’s and in 1923 this company got defaulted and after that started as company named as Chrysler Motors forming headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. Now after acquisition from Fiat Motors its headquarters are shifted to United Kingdom and John Elkaann is chairman of FCA.   HEAVY BUS: —- Details:- Honda The continuously growing automobile company having interesting history  founded by a person having great interest in automobiles .Soichiro Honda started his career as mechanic at the Art Shokai garage, later on he started his company to provide piston ring to Toyota but lost contract due to its poor quality than visiting engineering university and various factories around Japan, he didn’t graduate but again started producing pistons, which are acceptable by Toyota. He founded cars company on 24 September 1948 with the Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa its headquarters are located at Minato, Tokyo, Japan its largest Motorcycle manufacturer since 1959 and  2nd largest combustion engine manufacturer now Takanobu is CEO of Honda now   HEAVY BUS: —- Details:- In 1909 Michio Suzuki the founder of Suzuki motors founded Suzuki Loom Works in small village due to great success in it, he started Suzuki Motors in 1937, his vehicles are too much famous in south asia. Mostly Suzuki motors develop cars less than 1000CC and also develop Motorcycles, Engines. Head Quarter of Suzuki Motors is present in Hamamatsu, Shizuoaka Japan and Osamu Suzuki, Chairman Suzuki motors is planning to install another engines making factory.   PSA Peugeot Citroën S.A. (France) Sub Category Ranking Citroën Subsidiary Global, except North America and South Asia Peugeot Subsidiary Global, except North America and South Asia Total Production: – 2,833,781   Some Interesting Facts :- Daimler AG holds 20% shares of Eicher Motor, 10% of of Kamzan and Tesla Motors, 6.75% of of Tata Motors and 3.1% in Renault Nissan Alliance Fiat hold 90% stake in Ferrari and 61.8% stake in Chrysler Ford Motor Company have 3% Shares of Mazda and 12.1% of Aston Martin Geely Automobile have