Sir Edwin Landseer Monarch of the Glen Painting Reproduction Art On Canvas How To Order A Frame? Select the frame types you desire: Museum Ornate, Modern Classic, Traditional, Cream / White Scroll to find the frame you like and select the size to fit your painting, then Add To Cart Please Note: You need to add the painting to Cart as well as add the frame to Cart Due to shipping restriction, not all frame sizes are available for purchase To estimate the final frame dimensions, add frame width around painting size Related Articles: - Don�t Settle For A Print Or Poster � Buy Painting Reproductions Instead Sir Edwin Landseer Monarch of the Glen Painted in 1851, Sir Edwin Landseer's Monarch of the Glen is one of the most famous paintings of the Victorian era , and became the subject of countless reproductions through all manner of print media; engraving, reproduction, and lithograph. By the twentieth-century the painting had become utterly ubiquitous and emerged as an object of kitsch, the ultimate symbol of Victoriana. The fate of this startling canvas was sealed when it was first purchased by a soap company for use as their advertising image. It subsequently changed hands between brands who utilized its popularity to promote their products before finally falling into the Diageo collection at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. Yet Landseer originally intended that this large solitary deer standing proudly in front of the last rays of sunlight illuminating the summit of Ben Lomond, would articulate a perfect balance between political power and the energy of nature. Painted on commission for the Houses of Parliament in London by the preeminent animal painter of the nineteenth century, Monarch of the Glen was intended to remind visitors to the House of the part played by Scotland in the union of the United Kingdom. Although much to the chagrin of many in Scotland, this English painting by the English painter Landseer has become a symbol of a chastened Scotland. The Highlands of the artist's Monarch of the Glen are emptied of their inhabitants, replaced instead by a romantic installation of a deer in the landscape. The regal posture, and the reminder that the beast in the 'monarch' of the glen, appears to dissolve any right of a scotsman the right to self-rule. Although an eloquent and towering achievement of form and balance, Monarch of the Glen is a manifestation of submission and control. Landseer's deer embodies the brute force of nature and the freedom of the wild world submitted to the rule of the British empire. Landseer attempted to use the figure of the deer as a powerful and resonant emblem of the Scottish nation. Commonly the creature was understood to be neither a predator nor a tyrant, instead posing as a legitimate sovereign reigning alone in a herd reminiscent of the clan structure of Scotland. The message could not be clearer: Queen Victoria was to be the sole human monarch over this anthropomorphic highland beast. Cloaked in the flattery of national pride, Landseer's beautiful image is a mythical landscape that both individual and nation have strived hard to own and use for their own means. Other Beautiful Oil Paintings We Recommend


In which year was Britain's first adhesive postage stamp the Penny Black issued?

Great Britain 1840 Penny Black Great Britain 1840 Penny Black 0 0 The Great Britain 1840 Penny Black was the world's first adhesive postage stamp used in a public postal system. It was issued by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 1 May 1840, for official use from 6 May of that year. Prior to the Penny Black's existence, post was paid for by the recipient, a process which was slow, expensive and inefficient. Teacher and educational reformer, Rowland Hill had a new idea whereby postage was prepaid, which he claimed could reduce costs of the arduous handling involved in the old method. Hill's work inspired the Penny Black, a postage stamp which was paid for in advance and attached to the letter. History and Design The idea of a stamp to indicate pre-payment of postage (instead of the cost being paid on delivery) was that of the teacher and social reformer Sir Rowland Hill , as part of his plans to reform the British postal system. He described it as "a bit of paper… covered at the back with a glutinous wash which the user might, by applying a little moisture, attach to the back of a letter". His proposals led him to be awarded a two-year contract to run the new system, and he launched the service in 1840 with a stamp bearing a representation of the easily recognisable profile of the reigning British monarch, Queen Victoria . This design, taken from a Commemorative Coins when she was a 15-year-old princess, was submitted in a competition by an engineer named Mr Cheverton. It was endorsed by Rowland Hill, who thought the design would prove difficult to forge. The image, printed in black, was based on a sketch provided by Henry Corbould and engraved by the father and son team of Charles and Fredrick Heath. The design showing Queen Victoria, without country name, laid the foundations for British stamps. From then on, British stamps, known as definitives, were issued with a portrait - often in profile or semi profile - of the reigning sovereign. Together with the image, the word ‘postage’ appeared at the top of the stamp with its value ‘one penny’ at the bottom. The original printing press for the Penny Black, the D cylinder press, was invented by Jacob Perkins and patented in 1819. It was printed with the line engraved printing method using 11 numbered plates. However, the first plate suffered much deterioration and was repaired to such an extent that it is generally thought of as two separate plates, making a total of 12. In an attempt to prevent forgery the stamps had small crown watermarks on the back and letters in the bottom corners, which were impressed by hand. The letters were marked 'A' through 'T' horizontally on the plate and 'A' through 'L' vertically so 'AA' was found at the top left of the sheet and the final stamp position at the bottom right was 'TL'. The stamps were printed in un-perforated sheets consisted of 240 stamps in 20 rows and 12 columns, to be cut with scissors for sale and use. Social impact The Penny Black had an enormous impact on British society, bringing an affordable postal service to the masses which in turn lead to the spread of information. In this way it can be easily compared to innovations such as the telegraph and the internet as a vital tool for mass communication. By 1860 85 countries around the world had issued their own postage stamps, leading Prime Minister Gladstone to describe the reform as having "run like wildfire throughout the civilised world". Dates Although May 6 was the official date that the Penny Black became available, many postmasters sold the stamps from the date they were issued, May 1. It was in use for only a little over a year, and replaced by the Penny Red in 1841. This was an attempt to prevent re-use of the stamps, as it was found that a red cancellation mark was hard to see on a black background and the ink was easily removed. The Penny Red had a black cancellation mark which proved both much easier to see and harder to remove. Rarity The supposed rarity of the Penny Black is a common misconception. Its total print run was 286,700 sheets with 68,


In US politics who replaced Spiro Agnew as Richard Nixon's vice-president in 1973?

Vice President Agnew resigns - Oct 10, 1973 - HISTORY.com Vice President Agnew resigns Publisher A+E Networks Less than a year before Richard M. Nixon’s resignation as president of the United States, Spiro Agnew becomes the first U.S. vice president to resign in disgrace. The same day, he pleaded no contest to a charge of federal income tax evasion in exchange for the dropping of charges of political corruption. He was subsequently fined $10,000, sentenced to three years probation, and disbarred by the Maryland court of appeals. Agnew, a Republican, was elected chief executive of Baltimore County in 1961. In 1967, he became governor of Maryland, an office he held until his nomination as the Republican vice presidential candidate in 1968. During Nixon’s successful campaign, Agnew ran on a tough law-and-order platform, and as vice president he frequently attacked opponents of the Vietnam War and liberals as being disloyal and un-American. Reelected with Nixon in 1972, Agnew resigned on October 10, 1973, after the U.S. Justice Department uncovered widespread evidence of his political corruption, including allegations that his practice of accepting bribes had continued into his tenure as U.S. vice president. He died at the age of 77 on September 17, 1996. Under the process decreed by the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, President Nixon was instructed to the fill vacant office of vice president by nominating a candidate who then had to be approved by both houses of Congress. Nixon’s appointment of Representative Gerald Ford of Michigan was approved by Congress and, on December 6, Ford was sworn in. He became the 38th president of the United States on August 9, 1974, after the escalating Watergate affair caused Nixon to resign. Related Videos


Who was crowned King of the Scots in 1306?

King Robert the Bruce of Scotland | Britroyals Name: King Robert the Bruce of Scotland Father: Robert de Brus Mother: Marjory Countess of Carrick Relation to Elizabeth II: 19th great-grandfather House of: Bruce Born: July 11, 1274 at Turnberry Castle, Ayrshire Ascended to the throne: February 10, 1306 aged 31 years Crowned: March 27, 1306 at Scone Abbey, Perthshire Married:(1) Isabella of Mar, 1295 Married:(2) Elizabeth de Burgh, 1302 Children: Marjorie, David, John, Matlida, Margaret plus several illegitimate Died: June 7, 1329, at Cardross, Dumbartonshire, aged 54 years, 10 months, and 26 days Buried at: Dunfermline Abbey (body) and Melrose Abbey (heart) Succeeded by: his son David After Balliol�s abdication in 1296 Scotland was without a monarch for 10 years and ruled remotely by King Edward I of England. Scots national resistance developed into a war of independence in which William Wallace and then Robert Bruce played a leading role. Wallace won a victory over the English at Stirling Bridge in 1297 and proclaimed himself Guardian of Scotland. The following year Edward invaded Scotland again and defeated William Wallace at Falkirk. Wallace went underground but was captured and in 1305, tried and hung in London. In 1298 Robert Bruce took over the title of Guardian of Scotland and, having killed his rival John Comyn, claimed the throne as the great-great grandson of David I and in 1306 had himself crowned king at Scone as Robert I. Independence was made easier by the death of Edward I as he set out to claim back Scotland. Bruce set about removing the English from Scotland and by early 1314 Stirling was the only castle in English hands. An English army sent to break the siege was routed by Bruce�s smaller Scottish force at Bannockburn in June 1314. Six year later in 1320 Bruce and the Scottish nobles issued the Declaration of Arbroath asserting Scottish Independence �For as longs as one hundred of us shall remain alive we shall never in any wise consent to submit to the rule of the English, for it is not for glory that we fight � but for freedom alone.�. However, a truce with Edward II of England failed to stop hostilities which continued until Edward II was deposed in 1327. The Treaty of Edinburgh between Robert I and Edward III in 1328 recognised Scotland's independence, ending the 30 years of Wars of Independence. Edward agreed to the marriage of Robert Bruce�s son David to his younger sister Joan daughter of Edward II. Robert Bruce died at his house in Cardross a year later of a serious illness described by some as leprosy. Timeline for King Robert the Bruce of Scotland Year


The Royal Mint is in which country of the UK?

The Royal Mint | Britannia Gold | Sovereign Gold | coininvest.com The Royal Mint Royal Mint - the most famous mint worldwide The bullion coins of the tradition-rich Royal Mint have been solid parameters on the market for many decades. The collectors' coins of the British Royal Mint have always been very popular thanks to their sophisticated design and classical motifs. If you want to complement your investment portfolio, your collection or both with coins from one of the oldest mints in the world, take a look at our comprehensive offer. Should you have any questions, please contact our advisers by telephone or e-mail . Coin minting for more than 1100 years The Royal Mint is one of the oldest still existing mints in the world. In 886, this mint - which was then known as the London Mint - was first mentioned in a public deed. After it was moved to the Tower of London in 1279, it still took about 260 years until the mint was renamed the Royal Mint, and it was given the monopoly to mint coins in the British kingdom in the 1540s. A few years later the first attempts were made to mechanically mint coins. But it still took until the 1660s to mostly mechanise the production using horse-operated roller mills and screw presses. Both famous coins and famous personalities are linked to the Royal Mint. In addition to the British monarchs whose faces have adorned many coins we must mention the Master of the Mint from the years 1699 to 1727. The scientist Isaac Newton, whose findings have revolutionised our understanding of physics, was the head of the Royal Mint until he died. As the extended capacities of the Royal Mint had led to conflicts with the military that was also stationed in the Tower, the Royal Mint was moved to a new establishment in 1809. After the coin system was comprehensively reformed in 1851, the first branches of the Royal Mint were established in the different colonies of the British Crown from 1855. This created two very important mints: the Perth Mint in Australia and the Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa. Shortly before the end of the 19th century, the mint exceeded the threshold of 100 million minted coins per year for the first time in 1899. In World War I, German planes brought the war to London, and four workers were killed during an attack on the mint. It quickly recovered from the destruction and loss, and gained two minting orders from abroad. The Soviet Union became an important customer of the Royal Mint. In 1922 the Royal Mint Advisory Committee was formed, which has since then been responsible for drafting the coins, medals and seals. World War II also did not pass the Royal Mint without it having to suffer losses. Eight workers were killed during a bomb attack, and the destructions forced the British finance ministry to build a substitute mint in Buckinghamshire, which was operated until the end of the war. However, the Royal Mint could quickly recover from these setbacks and produced more than 1 billion coins per year in 1964. Seven years later the British coin system, which was still based on the Carolingian system , was changed to the decimal system. Only a few years later the remaining rooms at Tower Hill were abandoned, and the coin minting was fully transferred to Llantrisant in the south of Wales. The last change of the Royal Mint took place in 2009, when it was transformed into a state-owned limited company. The Royal Mint today When looking back at its long history the Royal Mint today is one of the biggest and most important mints in the world. In addition to the British circulatory coins and bullion coins, collectors' coins, civil and military medals and coins from more than 60 countries are minted here. Thanks to this varied range of duties 15% of the worldwide production of coins is handled by the Royal Mint today. Only such a state-of-the-art and efficient facility can cope with such a large amount of production. Therefore, not only the design, but also the method of production and the minting quality of the coins of the Royal Mint are trend-setting. These are the best prerequisites to be


Who resigned as Ireland's Taoiseach (pronounced 'teeshock' - it is the head of government) in May 2008 after more than ten years in the position?

TM-FORUM • View topic - [Xaseco] Quiz-plugin (finnish) v9.0 update 23.2.2010 [Xaseco] Quiz-plugin (finnish) v9.0 update 23.2.2010  Post subject: [Xaseco] Quiz-plugin (finnish) v9.0 update 23.2.2010 Posted: 02 Jul 2009 22:42  smooth traffic navigator Joined: 02 Jul 2009 22:24 Posts: 213 Owned TM-games: TMUF 23.2.2010 - now version 9.0 Lots of improvements, but lacks function to read questions from file, but you can copypaste it from version 1.5, hopefully * Admins * Ingame help * Admin can grant / remove points with single click * Questions queue, users can ask questions and they are shown by the order what they were asked * check for non-normal charracters on answer like ¨ ^ ´ ` etc etc.. http://koti.mbnet.fi/reaby/xaseco/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, on one server we have a tradition of having a quiz run by a player. Today I had an idea to make actually a point calculating system for it. Apparently this script is so fresh that it isn't in use of any servers yet, but hopefully it finds its place on that server. Update: The script without reading questions from file is now in use on the server. how it works? type /quiz and new question is asked from file. how to ask questions outside of file? /quiz_ask what color is a red car ? red how to answer? simply type answer to chat, and if you get it right you will be given a point. other commands are /quiz_points and /quiz_reset The script doesn't require local database, and scores are only stored temporarily. Quiz questions are placed on xaseco folder, where all xml files are, but it's named quiz_questions.txt, the format is same as asking custom question and 1 question/line. End of this posting is some sample questions. Code: /* plugin.quiz_en.php English version of QuizBot 1.5 by Reaby Many thanks for Assembler Maniac for Chatbot which this bot utilizes the main loop for getting chat-text from users. How it works? To ask manually question simply type /quiz_ask [question] ? [answer] To ask question from file type /quiz To reset points /quiz_reset /quiz_ask which color has red car on ? red answering normally by typing to chat. */ Aseco::addChatCommand('quiz_ask', 'Ask a question, right answer after questionmark'); Aseco::addChatCommand('quiz', 'Ask a question from file'); class quizbot       // ignore text that comes from the server       // also ignore anything that looks like it's a command       if ( $command[0] == 0 || substr($command[2], 0, 1) == '/' )      // $command[0] is the player id, 0 = server          {          if ( strtolower($command[2]) == strtolower($this->rightAnswer) )             {          $message = "\$0b0 Right answer! \$fff".$this->rightAnswer;           $this->Aseco->client->query('GetPlayerInfo', $command[1]);          $info = $this->Aseco->client->getResponse();          $nick = $info['NickName'];          $this->points[$command[1]]['NickName'] = $nick;          $this->points[$command[1]]['Points']++;             $this->Aseco->client->query("ChatSendServerMessage", $message);             $this->points();  // show points at successcull answer       unset($this->rightAnswer);     $this->Aseco->client->query("ChatSendServerMessage", $message);     }     $this->Aseco->client->query("ChatSendServerMessage", $message);     }    foreach ($this->points as $info) {    $message .=$info['NickName'].": \$z\$s\$fff".$info['Points']." ";    }     $this->Aseco->client->query("ChatSendServerMessage", $message);     } $message = "Scores are now reset!"; $aseco->client->query('ChatSendServerMessage', $aseco->formatColors($message)); unset($quizbot->points); And the sample questions file: quiz_questions.txt Code: Which world famous landmark is found on Mount Lee? Hollywood Sign What is sake made from ? Rice In George Orwell`s Animal Farm, what type of animals were Clover, Mollie and Boxer? Horses What is the hardest natural substance? diamond How many different scoring areas are there on a standard dart board (type only number)? 82 The pop groups Ace Of Base and The Cardigans both hail from which country? Sweden What colou


In 2008 billionaire financier Carl Icahn joined the board of what large internet corporation in a deal which saw him cease his fight to oust its leaders?


The South Ossetia war was fought between Russia and which other country?

South Ossetia profile - BBC News BBC News Read more about sharing. Close share panel South Ossetia, officially part of Georgia, is separated from Russia's North Ossetia region by a border running high in the Caucasus Mountains. Much of the region lies more than 1,000 metres above sea level. A source of tension since the break-up of the Soviet Union, South Ossetia hosted a brief war between Russia and Georgia in 2008. Moscow subsequently recognised South Ossetia as an independent state, and began a process of closer ties that Georgia views as effective annexation. South Ossetia is inhabited mostly by Ossetians, who speak a language distantly related to Persian. Most ethnic Georgians have been displaced from the region by the two conflicts. They had accounted for about a third of the population prior to the fall of the Soviet Union. Read more country profiles - Profiles by BBC Monitoring Image copyright Getty Images Image caption South Ossetians celebrate Russian recognition of their territory in 2008 Russian conquest The Ossetians are believed to be descended from tribes which migrated into the area from Asia many hundreds of years ago and settled in what is now North Ossetia. As the Russian empire expanded into the area in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Ossetians did not join other peoples of the North Caucasus in putting up fierce resistance. They sided with the Bolshevik forces that occupied Georgia in the early 1920s and, as part of the carve-up which followed, the South Ossetian Autonomous Region was created in Georgia, and North Ossetia was formed in Russia. Separatism In the twilight of the Soviet Union, when nationalist leader Zviad Gamsakhurdia came to power in Georgia, separatist sentiment burgeoned in South Ossetia. After several outbreaks of violence, the region declared its intention to secede from Georgia in 1990, and in 1992 proclaimed independence. Sporadic violence involving Georgian irregular forces and Ossetian fighters continued until the summer of 1992 when agreement on the deployment of Georgian, Ossetian and Russian peacekeepers was reached. Political stalemate followed. Separatist voices became less strident during President Shevardnadze's rule in Georgia, but the issues returned to the foreground when Mikheil Saakashvili replaced him. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity welcomed Russian troops in August 2008 Making clear his intention to bring South Ossetia and another breakaway region Abkhazia to heel, Mr Saakashvili offered them autonomy. South Ossetians overwhelmingly rejected the overture in a 2006 referendum. Tensions came to head in early August 2008, when, after nearly a week of clashes between Georgian troops and separatist forces, Georgia launched a concerted air and ground assault attack on South Ossetia's main city, Tskhinvali. Within days, Russian forces swept the Georgians out of both South Ossetia and Abkhazia, briefly pursuing them into Georgia proper. Russian domination Russia formally recognised both South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states after the war, followed by its Latin-American allies Venezuela and Nicaragua and a few Pacific island states. In April 2009, Russia bolstered its position in South Ossetia by signing a five-year agreement to take formal control of its frontiers with Georgia proper, as well as those of Abkhazia. In 2015 Russia started to put more pressure on Georgia over South Ossetia. It signed an "alliance and integration agreement" with South Ossetia that abolished border checkpoints. Georgia viewed this as a closer step towards Russian annexation of the region, and expressed further concern when Russian forces pushed the border fence 1.5 km further into Georgia proper - a short distance from the country's main west-east highway.


Human Rights Watch announced in October 2008 that what country is the world's most ignored tragedy?

October 2008 : definition of October 2008 and synonyms of October 2008 (English) U.S. President George W. Bush signs the US$ 700,000,000,000 bailout bill after it is passed by the House . (NPR News) In response to the 2008 Chinese milk scandal , Australia begins withdrawing Chinese-made Kirin milk tea from shops after discovering it contained melamine in tests. (The Australian) Greece announces it will follow Ireland's lead and guarantee all bank deposits in the country. (RTÉ) 2008 Russian financial crisis : Both of Russia 's main stock exchanges, the MICEX and RTS , suspend trading of stocks "for technical reasons" as the markets rally after a 1-1/2 day trading halt that ended earlier in the morning. (Financial Times) Trading is suspended for a second and a third time in the same day at the RTS stock exchange as Russian equities tumble. The dollar-denominated stock index was last down 7.8% in intraday trading. At MICEX , index fell 6.2% in intraday trading. (MarketWatch) Investigators in the United States announce that they have found human remains in what is believed to be the wreckage of Steve Fossett 's plane, which went missing over California a year ago. (BBC News) United States government announces sale of billions of dollars of arms to Taiwan to keep a balance with China 's massive arms buildup aimed at Taiwan. (CBC News) Russia 's foreign minister calls for international action to halt piracy in Somalia . (BBC News) The remains of a Viking -era stave church , including the skeletal remains of a woman , is uncovered near the cemetery of the Lännäs church in Odensbacken outside Örebro in central Sweden . (The Local) 2008 South Ossetia war Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered the Defense Ministry, law enforcement agencies and the Foreign Ministry to investigate a bombing in the South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali , on 3 October, 2008. A car, carrying weapons, was detained by Russian peacekeepers in Georian village and transported to Tskhinvali, where it exploded. EU and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development earlier condemned this 'act of terrorism'. Georgian authorities claimed 'Russian special services' 'were behind' the blast that left 7 servicemen of Russian peacekeeping forces dead. (Rustavi 2) (RIAN) (NY Times) Earlier, on October 2, an attempt of assassination of head of the Akhalgori Ossetian administration, Anatoli Margiev failed. He survived the explosion of a bomb planted on a road in Georgian village while driving to Tskhinvali , South Ossetia. (Rustavi 2) Russian troops are dismantling positions in security zones on the border of South Ossetia and Georgia created after the war , a Georgian Interior Ministry official said. (AP via Google News) . Authorities detain separatist leader and impose curfew in anticipation of a separatist rally to be held on Monday in Kashmir . (BBC News) Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari acknowledges his government's consent to US air strikes in Pakistan and says India has never been a threat. (BBC News) Senior British Commander says military victory in Afghanistan is impossible. (CBC News) Current events of October 6, 2008 (2008-10-06) (Monday) Subprime mortgage crisis : The Dow Jones industrial average falls by as much as 800.06 points, its biggest intraday drop on record; the Dow closed below the 10,000 mark for the first time since October 26, 2004. (MarketWatch) Speaking before a U.S. House Committee , Richard Fuld , CEO of failed Lehman Brothers says that he believed all his decisions "were both prudent and appropriate" given the information he had at the time. (New York Times) Significant losses are marked on stock exchanges world-wide: São Paulo Stock Exchange suspended trading after a 15 percent drop in its benchmark index. (Reuters) The UK 's leading share index, the FTSE 100 closes down 391.1 points (7.85%), the largest single day points fall since it was launched in 1984. The French CAC 40 also recorded a record drop of 9.04%, whilst Germany 's DAX finished down 7.09%. (BBC News) 2008 Russian financial crisis : Trading is suspended on Russia


Who in 2008 was re-elected Prime Minister of Canada?

Harper re-elected as PM of Canada | Formae Mentis NGO™ in Canada Harper re-elected as PM of Canada Stephen Harper is re-elected as Prime Minister of Canada, as his Conservative Party wins a minority in the 2008 Canadian Elections. Stephen Harper The 40th Canadian General Election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008. The election resulted in another minority government for Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative Party. The election call resulted in the cancellation of four federal by-elections that had been scheduled to occur in September. Summary of the 14 October 2008 Canadian House of Commons election results Party


George Tupou V was crowned monarch of which country in August 2008?

The New King of Tonga - Photos - The Big Picture - Boston.com The New King of Tonga On August 1st, the Kingdom of Tonga crowned its newest ruler, King George Tupou V. In a ceremony that lasted for days, and cost over $2.5 million (US), the 60-year old King was crowned as one of the few remaining monarchs with true ruling power - but that is about to change. In 2006, pro-democracy riots shook the small island nation of 112,000. The coronation was postponed, and now King George pledges that "The Sovereign of the only Polynesian kingdom... is voluntarily surrendering his powers to meet the democratic aspirations of many of his people." He promised to cede most power to a prime minister, and to hold parliamentary elections in 2010. ( 14 photos total ) The King of Tonga George Tupou V, right, is crowned by His Grace the Archbishop Jabez Bryce in Nuku'aloka,Tonga, Friday, Aug. 1, 2008. The coronation, which included singing by a choir of more than 300, was the first in Tonga since 1967 when King George V's father, the late King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, ascended to the throne. (AP Photo/New Zealand Herald) Thousands of school children gather for Education Day with The King of Tonga George Tupou V in Nuku'aloka,Tonga, Monday, July 28, 2008. Preparations have begun for a lavish coronation ceremonies starting Wednesday to formally enthrone George V, a hugely ceremonial event that is expected to bring Tonga to a standstill for four days and be watched throughout the region. (AP Photo/New Zealand Herald, Glenn Jeffrey) Tongan students wearing fa seed necklaces perform the Lakalaka dance for King George Tupou V during the Cultural Day celebrations in the capital, Nuku'alofa on July 29, 2008. The monarch was formally installed as the 23rd ruler of the South Pacific's only absolute aristocracy at a coronation ceremony on August 1. (Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images) Tongan nobles wearing 'aofivalas (waist mats) await the arrival of King George Tupou V for the taumafa kava ritual and coronation ceremony in the sacred Pangai Lahi gathering area of Nuku'alofa on July 30, 2008. Consuming a coconut shell of kava in a single motion meant that the monarch formally became the 23rd ruler of the South Pacific's only absolute aristocracy. (Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images) Tongan school children perform during Education Day for King George Tupou V in Nuku'aloka,Tonga Monday, July 28, 2008. (AP Photo/New Zealand Herald, Glenn Jeffrey) Tonga's newly crowned monarch, King Siaosi (George) Tupou V (L, standing in Land Rover), inspects his troops during the Coronation Military Parade in Nuku'alofa on August 2, 2008. The 60-year-old ruler is remaking his former image as an eccentric bachelor prince with a love of elaborate military uniforms into a sovereign leading Polynesia's last kingdom towards democracy. (Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images) Tonga's newly crowned monarch, King Siaosi (George) Tupou V, salutes as he departs the Coronation Military Parade in Nuku'alofa on August 2, 2008. (Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images) Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito (2nd L) arrives to join Tonga's crowned monarch, King Siaosi (George) Tupou V, for the Coronation Military Parade in Nuku'alofa on August 2, 2008. (Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images) Over 100 slaughtered pigs are offered to King George Tupou V during the taumafa kava ritual and coronation ceremony in the sacred Pangai Lahi gathering area of Nuku'alofa on July 30, 2008. (Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images) Tongan school children burn torches during the ancient Tupakapakanava ceremony to honour the coronation of King George Tupou V in Nuku'alofa on July 30, 2008. Some 30,000 torches illuminated the coastline of the archipelago to herald the annointment of the 23rd ruler of the South Pacific's only absolute monarchy. (Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images) Tonga's King George Tupou V, seated in his throne, attend his coronation ceremony in the nation's capital city Nuku'alofa August 1, 2008. Amid pealing bells, booming cannons, balloons and cheering children, Tonga crowned its new king on in a British-styled


Chinese Democracy was the long awaited 2008 album release of which band?

Guns N Roses 'Chinese Democracy' Set For Wal-Mart Release | Gigwise Guns N Roses 'Chinese Democracy' Set For Wal-Mart Release Band are in talks... Guns N Roses Tickets Buy tickets safely & securely with Seatwave Guns N’ Roses long-awaited new studio album could be released exclusively in retail stores, it’s been reported. Wal-Mart and Best Buy are understood to be leading negotiations to acquire 'Chinese Democracy's' release - possibly before the end of 2008. Industry reports have escalated since Irving Azoff's Front Line Management took over all of the bands business duties. Last year, the company were influential in instigating the release of The Eagles ‘Long Road To Eden’ via Wal-Mart chains. The album enjoyed huge, chart-topping success in the US. According to Billboard, Guns N Roses are also in negotiations for a more traditional release which would take in the rest of the world. As previously reported on Gigwise , Guns N Roses will release their first song in over a decade on the next installment of Rock Band. 'Shackler's Revenge' leads a playlist that spans music releases from the 1960s to today. Guns N Roses – Through The Years.


Who was Fiona Shackleton representing when she had a jug of water poured over her in February 2008?

BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | Faces of the year - the women Printable version Faces of the year - the women Some of the women who have made the headlines in 2008, clockwise from top left: Duffy, Simone Wallmeyer, Fiona Shackleton, Shannon Matthews, Ingrid Betancourt, Fern Britton, Cheryl Cole, Christine Ohuruogu, Georgina Baillie, Sarah Palin, Carla Bruni and Yang Peiyi. Cheryl Cole SIMONE WALLMEYER If the credit crunch, which started in 2007, grew to become the story of the year, one face represents the turmoil of the financial meltdown better than any other - Simone Wallmeyer. The Frankfurt Stock Exchange broker's emotion-wracked face became a fixture on the front pages of many newspapers around the world. Behind her designer spectacles, Ms Wallmeyer's animated features seemed to reflect every bad twist and turn in the world economy. The 47-year-old broker with Germany's ICF securities bank thinks her fame may be partly to do with the fact that she sits in front of the share price index board. But she admits the adrenaline high caused by the markets crashing has caused her to "run the full gamut of emotions". Click to return to top DUFFY Presenting a far more beatific face to the world was the British singer Duffy. The 24-year-old diminutive blonde chanteuse from Bangor in north Wales headed a charge of female British soul talent with a retro feel. Duffy's album Rockferry was the biggest selling album of the year, outperforming Coldplay and Take That. It included her hit, Mercy, which was voted Song of the Year at the MOJO awards. Duffy, real name Aimee Duffy but never referred to as such except by friends, has also received three Grammy nominations. She has been compared to Dusty Springfield in both looks and voice and, like Dusty, has found fame in America. She has made 15 trips to New York and has sung at the legendary Harlem Apollo. Click to return to top FIONA SHACKLETON Emotions were in plentiful supply in court 34 of the Royal Courts of Justice earlier this year when Heather Mills poured a jug of water over the head of Fiona Shackleton. Ms Shackleton was the lawyer representing her husband Sir Paul McCartney in their divorce proceedings. But the 51-year-old legal eagle had the last laugh, convincing the judge that her client, the former Beatle, was worth only half of the ï¿½800m that Ms Mills alleged. Ms Mills asked for ï¿½125m, but was granted only ï¿½24.3m. It was another triumph for the woman whose charm, resoluteness and blonde looks have earned her the nickname Steel Magnolia. It was because of Ms Shackleton's high-profile success when acting for the Prince of Wales in his divorce case against Diana that McCartney is said to have chosen her. Click to return to top SHANNON MATTHEWS If Heather Mills has become something of a hate figure in the British media, it is nothing compared with the mother of nine-year-old Shannon Matthews. Karen Matthews reported her daughter missing in February, made an emotional appeal to her "kidnappers" and had many of her neighbours in Dewsbury go looking for the child. In fact, Shannon had been abducted by Mrs Matthew's boyfriend's uncle, Michael Donovan, described in court as "inadequate", in connivance with Miss Matthews. Shannon was drugged, tethered and kept in the drawer of a divan bed. The debt-ridden mother had hoped to profit from a reward. The pair were convicted of abduction charges. The case, however, raised the lid on the extent of poverty, welfare dependency and child neglect in many of Britain's sink council housing estates. Click to return to top INGRID BETANCOURT There was nothing fake about the kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt. In 2002, nine months after announcing that she would run for President of Colombia, she was captured by the guerrilla group Farc and held for six years in the jungle. She and 14 others were rescued this year in a daring mission launched by her former rival, President Alvaro Uribe. During her captivity, she says she was "abused, insulted and tortured". She spoke to the BBC's Alan Johnston, himself a kidnap victim, about her struggle to maintai


Architect Rafael Viñoly designed what notable Leicester building which opened in 2008?

Rafael Vinoly | Building Design Building Design Have we learnt anything from the Walkie Scorchie? 2 September 2015 Behind the headlines ridiculing the Walkie Talkie for its death ray and wind scoop effects are serious issues that should concern us all, says architect and urban climatologist Julie Futcher Carbuncle Cup: Woodward Hall, North Acton, London 23 July 2015 Our nominator despised this Careyjones Chapmantolcher-designed student halls of residence so much he stood for Parliament to oppose inappropriate development 15 July 2015 Here it is, the one so many have been waiting for: Rafael Vinoly’s 20 Fenchurch Street 20 Fenchurch Street by Rafael Viñoly Architects 24 July 2013 Rafael Viñoly’s Walkie-Talkie tower is now flaring out over the London skyline, thanks to 13,000 tonnes of structural steel and 37 unique floor plates Rafael Viñoly: the outsider 23 September 2011 As the public at last begins to look round Firstsite, we remember when its architect won his first big commission in 1989 Colchester slips up on Viñoly’s golden banana 22 September 2011 There are many reasons not to like Rafael Viñoly’s Colchester Firstsite, which finally opens this week, four years late and, at £28 million, costing almost twice its original budget. Vinoly on board for Park Avenue tower 5 September 2011 Property investor CIM Group and developer Harry Macklowe have confirmed that Rafael Viñoly has been hired to draw up plans for a 70-storey tower in New York. Vinoly's Oxford job starts work 19 August 2011 A new academic building on the site of the former Radcliffe Infirmary for Oxford University by Rafael Vinoly Architects has broken ground. Manchester City FC consults on Viñoly's training facility plans 19 July 2011 Manchester City Football Club has begun public consultation on Rafael Viñoly’s plans for the redevelopment of a 32ha brownfield site in Openshaw West as a training facility. 11 May 2011 Extraordinary planning powers will be used to protect Rafael Viñoly’s Walkie Talkie tower from possible objections 11 February 2011 Ian Simpson and DRMM are first to be selected as Viñoly’s Battersea masterplan wins final approval. Battersea developer launches competition to design first phase of Viñoly's masterplan 12 November 2010 Architects will have the chance to design the first major part of the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station under an international design competition. Council approves Viñoly's Battersea Power Station plans 12 November 2010 Wandsworth Council has given the go-ahead for the £5.5 billion Rafael Viñoly-designed redevelopment of Battersea Power Station in south London. MP hits out at Viñoly's 'Golden Banana' 20 October 2010 The MP for Colchester, Bob Russell, has launched a scathing attack on Rafael Viñoly and his beleaguered visual arts centre – which he dubbed “the most hated building in the city”. Construction to start immediately on Viñoly's Walkie-Talkie 19 October 2010 Land Securities has finalised its joint venture agreement with developer Canary Wharf Group to build Rafael Viñoly’s Walkie-Talkie tower. Battersea developer defers interest on loan repayments 11 October 2010 The firm bankrolling Rafael Viñoly’s planned £5.5 billion redevelopment of Battersea power station in south London has said it has reached agreements with its banks to defer interest repayments on its loans to next May. John Drew teams up with Pringle Brandon 11 October 2010 John Drew, a former director at Rafael Viñoly Architects and partner at Foster & Partners, has joined forces with Pringle Brandon to form new practice Pringle Brandon Drew.  Rafael Viñoly: Manchester City’s hot new signing 25 June 2010 Rafael Viñoly speaks to BD about the World Cup, his plans for the world’s richest football club, and whether at Battersea Power Station he can end 30 years of hurt. Viñoly and Bennetts given green light for Oxford campus 2 June 2010 Major new academic buildings by Rafael Viñoly, Bennetts Associates and Wilkinson Eyre for Oxford University have been granted planning permission. Viñoly to design £1bn scheme for Manchester City 17 May 2010


For which national team did the cricketer play who was alleged to have called an Australian opponent a monkey, resulting in the suspension of the Australian tour of that country?

Sledging: a convert writes | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo Sledging: a convert writes I used to enjoy sledging because it mirrored life. Not anymore. There is only so much trouble everybody can stomach 45 McGrath v Sarwan in 2003: 'sledges involving wives and Brian Lara get a bit out of hand' © Getty Images The other day Tim de Lisle called in these pages for the end of sledging, as he has done before, as have many other respected commentators and cricketers for a while now. It was not a sentiment I ever agreed with. I was foolish. I felt it unwarranted because sportsmen, as we are reminded often, are products of the world around them. It is to our benefit that they mirror it, as art - which sport is - should. Not to advocate nastiness, but I felt it was not absurd, or even out of place, for cricket to contain the less edifying aspects of our behaviour, to occasionally disturb. Besides, much of cricket's bad behaviour is kind of Tom-and-Jerry amusing. I did not find Andre Nel offensive; I found him silly, endearing and entertaining. To take him seriously was to miss something. I felt, too, the onus on sportsmen to set an example while throwing themselves into the most competitive, over-hyped, ego-fuelled of endeavours was not entirely fair. This was wishful and misguided reasoning. As we have now seen too often, there is no containing the flames. One moment it is a cricketer mouthing off, the next there are hundreds of thousands going at each other on message boards. One moment a confrontation has added to the viewing drama, the next entire communities have drawn battle lines against one another. It is patently not worth the price. What a useless spiral it all is. The Australian team's demeanour has generally been obnoxious, the response of Indian crowds to Andrew Symonds was deplorable, the Australian provocation of Harbhajan Singh was petty, Harbhajan's alleged response woeful. Most pointless of all have been the debates emerging out of the affair. One man's pig is another man's monkey. How far down this road do we want to go? More jingoism, more rabble-rousing, more unpleasantness. As it is, watching cricket, at least in India, is an increasingly disagreeable affair. The more the supposed confidence of the nation grows, the more graceless it becomes in acknowledging the efforts of opponents, the more hungry it becomes to beat its own chest. Every new controversy brings fresh rage, fresh ego, fresh delusions. This is bigger than "a few idiots". Players could help by taking the lead. Often they miss the wood. As Peter English illustrated beautifully , Ricky Ponting's inability to connect with anything outside the mood in the Australian dressing room was startling. So is his hypocrisy. The contrast with Anil Kumble has been embarrassing. No lover of the game wants a sport stimulated by, in Peter Roebuck's words , "a dangerous pill called vengeance". If Ponting is genuinely concerned about cricket played "hard but fair", he should leave the decision-making to the umpires and instead approach rival captains to agree to, in modern lingo, "control the controllables". That is, hold back abusive behaviour.     Most pointless of all have been the debates emerging out of the affair. One man's pig is another man's monkey. How far down this road do we want to go?   There will never be clean demarcations on sledging. Most seem to like the funny ones, even when they involve wives, children and retards. Or wives and biscuits for that matter. (Though ones with wives and Brian Lara get a bit out of hand.) Maybe there needs to be a far greater upholding of the right to take rather than give offence. We also know that match referees tend to worsen things. Nothing is funny with lawyers around. Umpires, preferably of reliable vision and hearing, are best placed to feel the pulse of a game and they must be not merely empowered but instructed to be more proactive. If nothing, there might be some worthy sledging from the white coats, at which point there can be a new war. At least it will be different. The elders have been wise all along. There


Which film director, with successes including Cold Mountain and The Talented Mr Ripley, died on 18 March 2008?

'English Patient,' 'Cold Mountain' Director Minghella Dead at 54 - The New York Sun 'English Patient,' 'Cold Mountain' Director Minghella Dead at 54 By JILL LAWLESS, | March 18, 2008 http://www.nysun.com/arts/english-patient-cold-mountain-director-minghella/73148/ LONDON ï¿½ The Oscar-winning director who turned such literary works as "The English Patient," "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and "Cold Mountain" into acclaimed movies, Anthony Minghella, died Tuesday of a hemorrhage following surgery. He was 54. Click Image to Enlarge Reed Saxon/AP Filmmaker Anthony Minghella after winning the Best Director Oscar for 'The English Patient' in 1997. Minghella's agent confirmed today that he has died at the age of 54. Minghella's publicist, Jonathan Rutter, said the filmmaker died at London's Charing Cross Hospital. He said Minghella was operated on last week for a growth in his neck, "and the operation seemed to have gone well. At 5 a.m. today he had a fatal hemorrhage." The former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who became friends with Minghella after the filmmaker directed a Labour Party election ad in 2005, said he was "really shocked and very sad." "Anthony Minghella was a wonderful human being, creative and brilliant, but still humble, gentle and a joy to be with," Mr. Blair said. "Whatever I did with him, personally or professionally, left me with complete admiration for him, as a character and as an artist of the highest caliber." Jude Law, who starred in Minghella's "Cold Mountain," "The Talented Mr. Ripley," and 2007's "Breaking and Entering," said he had "come to value him more as a friend than as a colleague." "He was a brilliantly talented writer and director who wrote dialogue that was a joy to speak and then put it onto the screen in a way that always looked effortless. He made work feel like fun. He was a sweet, warm, bright and funny man who was interested in everything from football to opera, films, music, literature, people and most of all his family." The 1996 World War II drama "The English Patient" won nine Academy Awards, including best picture, best director for Minghella, and best supporting actress for Juliette Binoche. Based on the celebrated novel by Canadian writer Michael Ondaatje, the movie tells of a burn victim's tortured recollections of his misdeeds in time of war. In a 1996 interview with The Associated Press, Minghella said too many modern films let the audience be passive, as if they were saying, "We're going to rock you and thrill you. We'll do everything for you." "('The English Patient') goes absolutely against that grain," he said. "It says, 'I'm sorry, but you're going to have to make some connections. There are some puzzles here. The story will constantly rethread itself and it will be elliptical, but there are enormous rewards in that.'" Minghella also was nominated for an Oscar for best screenplay for the movie and for his screenplay for "The Talented Mr. Ripley." His 2003 "Cold Mountain," based on Charles Frazier's novel about the American Civil War, earned a best supporting actress Oscar for Renee Zellweger. The 1999 "The Talented Mr. Ripley," starring Matt Damon as a murderous social climber, was based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith. It earned five Oscar nominations. Among his other films were "Truly, Madly, Deeply" (1990), and last year's Oscar-nominated "Michael Clayton," on which he was executive producer. Minghella also turned his talents to opera. In 2005, he directed a highly successful staging of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" at the English National Opera in London ï¿½ choreographed by Minghella's wife, Carolyn Choa. The following year, he staged it for the season opener of New York's Metropolitan Opera. It was the first performance of the Met's new era under general manager Peter Gelb. Minghella was recently in Botswana filming an adaptation of Alexander McCall Smith's novel "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency." Due to air on British television this week, the book is the first in a series about the adventures of Botswanan private eye Precious Ramotswe; a 13-part television


Which chain announced the closure of 600 US branches in July 2008?

Starbucks Announces It Will Close 600 Stores - The New York Times The New York Times Business Day |Starbucks Announces It Will Close 600 Stores Search Continue reading the main story In a harsher economic climate, Starbucks ’s green-and-white mermaid logo is about to become a little less ubiquitous. The company, the world’s largest coffee chain, said Tuesday that it would close 600 stores in the United States beginning this year. It will lay off more than 12,000 employees in the process, the most in its history. The plan builds on an earlier decision to close 100 stores, which are included in Tuesday’s numbers. Starbucks is retrenching in an effort to recapture the once-mighty growth it built upon venti soy lattes. A cavalcade of economic troubles, from imploding housing markets to rising gas prices, has pinched consumers, hurting not just Starbucks but nearly all retailers. The chain is struggling to attract customers for the afternoon frappuccinos they once bought eagerly, said Sharon Zackfia, an analyst at William Blair & Company. “I don’t think it’s overly surprising,” she said of the announcement. “These stores were in aggregate unprofitable.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story Shares in Starbucks rose as high as $16.53 in after-hours trading Tuesday after closing at $15.62. They have fallen about 24 percent this year. For years, Starbucks was known for aggressive growth, opening some stores only a few city blocks away from others. As of Sept. 30, the company operated 6,793 outlets in the United States, according to a regulatory filing. About 70 percent of the stores that will be closed have been open for fewer than three years. Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up Privacy Policy As financial stumbles took a toll on the stock price, Starbucks’s former chairman and chief executive, Howard Schultz, reclaimed the company’s reins in January. Starbucks said in May that its second-quarter profit fell 28 percent, to $108.7 million, in what was its weakest quarter as a public company. In addition to the cutbacks, Starbucks said it would open fewer than 200 new stores in the United States next fiscal year, down from the 250 initially planned. Starbucks said that it could take up to $348 million in charges and write-offs related to the closings, including costs tied to lease terminations and severance payments. Starbucks began scrutinizing its stores’ performance this year, Peter J. Bocian, the company’s chief financial officer, said Tuesday in a conference call. Though he said there were no additional plans to close stores on such a broad scale, Mr. Bocian said that the company would continue to examine its options. “We believe we’ve improved the profit potential of the U.S. store portfolio,” Mr. Bocian said. “We continue to take action in areas we can continue to control.” Mr. Bocian said Starbucks would continue to focus on expanding internationally. It is too early to tell if Starbucks’s other efforts to rejuvenate its business, including introducing new products like fruit smoothies, are working, said Ms. Zackfia, the analyst. The company has been successful with its introduction of Pike Place, a mild drip-blend coffee. A version of this article appears in print on , on Page C1 of the New York edition with the headline: Starbucks Announces It Will Close 600 Stores. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe


In which city did the Newseum museum of news and journalism re-open in April 2008?

Places: The Newseum: A Museum of News in Washington (VOA Special English 2008-04-20) The Newseum: A Museum of News in Washington Download MP3   (Right-click or option-click the link.) Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English.  I'm Steve Ember. And I'm Barbara Klein. This week on our program, we take a look at Washington's newly opened museum of news, the Newseum."There's a big story breaking at the circus but nobody seems to know what's going on. [Animal sounds.] O.K., rookie, it's your job to get the story and scoop the competition. We know what happened, when and where. You need to find out who did it, how and why. Ask questions, get the facts and file the story with this P.D.A. as soon as you can. Now get going." So begins one of the many interactive games at the Newseum in Washington. This game, "Be a Reporter," is played on a small screen in the Interactive Newsroom and Ethics Center. This area of the Newseum also includes an activity called "Be a TV Reporter." For an extra eight dollars, visitors can read the news in front of a camera. Afterward, they receive a picture of themselves and instructions about how to download a video of their performance.The Newseum opened on Pennsylvania Avenue, next to the Canadian Embassy, on April 11th. It was formerly located across the Potomac River from Washington. The Newseum opened in Arlington, Virginia, in 1997. But it closed in 2002 after a decision to move to a bigger space. The newly built museum has 14 galleries, 15 theaters and 16 zillion video screens. One of the galleries is the Berlin Wall Gallery. It tells the story of the four meter high concrete wall built in 1961. Communist East Germany built the wall to separate itself from democratic West Germany. The wall was torn down, and the two Germanies reunited, in 1989. The gallery contains eight pieces of the Berlin Wall. It also includes a watch tower that stood not far from the "Checkpoint Charlie" crossing between east and west Berlin. Three large screens in the gallery show three different movies about the history of news reporting on the Berlin Wall. Another gallery tells the story of the al-Qaida terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001. The 9-11 gallery explores how the media covered the story of the attacks that killed almost 3,000 people. SOUND: "The building is falling right now. People are running through the streets. Smoke is everywhere. People are filling all of Broadway." The Twin Towers, New York's tallest buildings, collapsed after being struck by hijacked passenger planes. In the center of the gallery is a burned and twisted part of the broadcast antenna that stood on the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Also in the gallery is a damaged piece of the Pentagon, the Defense Department headquarters, which was also struck by a plane. And there is a piece of the fourth plane used in the attacks. Investigators found that the hijackers of United Flight Ninety-three crashed the plane in a Pennsylvania field after passengers revolted. The gallery also has items from news photographer William Biggart. He was covering the attacks in New York City when the second tower collapsed and he was killed. On the wall of the gallery are front pages from 127 newspapers reporting the attacks. The newspapers are from across the United States and 34 other nations.The Newseum has a newspaper gallery that changes daily. Copies of front pages are received electronically from more than 500 newspapers around the world. Eighty are printed for display. The others can be seen on touch screens. A nearby gallery displays thousands of historic publications. The oldest is a clay brick from more than 3,000 years ago. The brick has cuneiform writing on it. The symbols tell about the building of a chapel in a temple of a Sumerian king. Also in the Early News Gallery are reports on the Battle of Agincourt and the Salem witch trials. The battle took place in France in 1415; the handwritten news report appeared the following year. The Salem witch trials took place in Massachusetts in 1692. The gallery desc


Who wrote the much covered and 2008 hit song Hallelujah?

LEONARD COHEN LYRICS - Hallelujah LEONARD COHEN LYRICS Now I've heard there was a secret chord That David played, and it pleased the Lord But you don't really care for music, do you? It goes like this The minor fall, the major lift The baffled king composing Hallelujah Hallelujah Your faith was strong but you needed proof You saw her bathing on the roof Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you She tied you to a kitchen chair She broke your throne, and she cut your hair And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah You say I took the name in vain I don't even know the name But if I did, well really, what's it to you? There's a blaze of light In every word It doesn't matter which you heard The holy or the broken Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah I did my best, it wasn't much I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you And even though it all went wrong I'll stand before the Lord of Song With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah


On Rudy Giuliani's withdrawal from the contest for the Republican 2008 US presidential election nomination who received Giuliani's endorsement?

Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008 : Wikis (The Full Wiki) The Full Wiki More info on Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008   Wikis Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008: Wikis Advertisements       Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles . Related top topics January 3 to June 3, 2008 Nominee 21.73% Delegate Count = 140 Republican Primary Results. Green denotes a McCain win, yellow a Romney win, and blue a Huckabee win. Incumbent Republican Nominee This article refers to the selection process of the Republican U.S. presidential candidate in the 2008 general election . For results of specific primaries and caucuses, see Results of the 2008 Republican Party presidential primaries . Contents Notes for the following table: Delegate counts is the final estimated delegate count. [1] Candidate campaign article , campaign website 31 (Alabama, Arkansas, Utah, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Georgia, Tennessee, Minnesota, Colorado, North Dakota, Kansas, Louisiana) 3 ( Alabama , Arkansas , Georgia , Iowa , West Virginia (caucus), Tennessee , Kansas , Louisiana ) 15 (South Carolina, Oklahoma, Missouri, Alaska, Washington, Virginia, Maryland, Wisconsin, Washington, Kentucky, Vermont, Rhode Island, Ohio, Texas, Mississippi, Washington DC, Northern Mariana Islands) 14 (Michigan, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Illinois, Arizona, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Minnesota, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, California) (Iowa, New Hampshire, Florida, West Virginia, Illinois, New York, Arizona, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, California) 9 0 10 (Nevada, Montana, Pennsylvania, Indiana, North Carolina, Nebraska, Oregon, Idaho, South Dakota, New Mexico, Northern Mariana Islands) 17 (North Dakota, Utah, Alaska, Maine, Kansas, Washington, Virginia, Wisconsin, Vermont, Rhode Island, Ohio, Texas, Mississippi, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, North Carolina, Washington DC, Puerto Rico) (Florida) Calendar and representation Republican candidates in the 2008 U.S. presidential election campaigned for the nomination of their party in a series of primary elections and caucus events. [4] Advertisements Voters may only select candidates of the party for which they are registered Open Anyone is allowed to vote for candidates from either party Modified open Voters registered to a party may only select candidates of that party, but independents may choose candidates from either party Caucus Party members meet among themselves to select candidates. Rules may be very complicated, including members having to choose publicly by standing in groups by preference, instead of secret ballot Primary An election-type selection process, with general voters going to polling places for a secret ballot Convention Delegates chosen locally by each party meet in a central location and select a candidate Presidential preference Those polled get to list candidates in the order of whom they like most. As candidates are eliminated, the highest remaining on their list becomes their vote WTA Winner Take All -- whoever wins the most votes in the state, even if not a majority, gets all of the delegates Proportional The state's delegates are divided up among the candidates, in proportion to their percentage of the vote Unlike the Democratic Party , which mandates a proportional representation for delegate selection, the Republican Party has no such limitation. For states with primaries, some states choose to use the "winner-take-all" method to allocate delegates within a state, while others do winner-take-all within a specific congressional district, and still others use the proportional process. Unlike the Democratic Party state party by-laws determine whether each delegate is pledged and for long the delegate is pledged. In caucus states, most state parties use a two pronged process. A straw poll , often called a presidential preferen


Which original and long lost member of the Manic Street Preachers was declared dead on 24 November 2008?

20 years on: the strange disappearance of Richey Edwards of Manic Street Preachers (From HeraldScotland) 20 years on: the strange disappearance of Richey Edwards of Manic Street Preachers 20 years on: the strange disappearance of Richey Edwards of Manic Street Preachers The sister of missing Manic Street Preachers lyricist Richey Edwards has spoken of how difficult it was for her father to die without knowing what happened to his son. This Sunday marks 20 years since the guitarist checked out of a London hotel never to be seen again. Two weeks later his car was found abandoned at a motorway service station. Despite numerous and high-profile appeals in the media, no trace of Edwards has been found - either dead or alive. Loading article content Although rock's prolific poet was declared legally dead in 2008, Edwards' sister Rachel Elias hopes he will be remembered for his talents rather than his troubles - which culminated in him being admitted to a mental health unit. But while Mrs Elias is aiming to secure a more positive legacy for her brother, coming to terms with the events of February 1 1995 is still a long way off for her family - especially in light of the death of her dad Graham two years ago. She said: "It was difficult losing dad....he had terminal cancer. "He knew towards the end that his life was limited. It wasn't a sudden death. It was difficult because he had to face up to that realisation - that we all may have to - we may not find out what happened to Richard. It was obviously difficult for my father. "Going through his bereavement, I recognised the difference between that and someone who is missing. "It is very different. When someone dies you have that acute loss. It sounds like a cliche, that bereavement is a process - but it really is. "You can go to a crematorium, graveyard or place where you have scattered their ashes and remember.....but when someone goes missing you are left with this ongoing uncertainty. "Not knowing makes it worse." Much has been made about Edwards' sudden disappearance - which came against a backdrop of personal turmoil. In 1994, Manic Street Preachers released their third album and dark masterpiece The Holy Bible. With 70% of the words written by Edwards, a man who once famously carved the words 4 REAL into his arm in response to a journalist who questioned his band's integrity, many sought to draw parallels between his state of mind and songs on subjects such as prostitution, anorexia and the horrors of the Holocaust. In the run up to the LP's release, Edwards was admitted to Whitchurch Psychiatric Hospital in Cardiff before being checked into the Priory Clinic as his alcoholism and self-harming spiralled out-of-control. Less than two months on from smashing his guitar to smithereens at a sold out London show in Christmas, a now shaven haired Edwards appeared to be on the mend. As well as writing lyrics for new Manic Street Preachers songs, the ever-professional and punctual university graduate prepared to for an upcoming promotional tour of the US. He and his band's singer James Dean Bradfield checked into London's Embassy Hotel ahead of a flight across the Atlantic the next day. But the following morning when Bradfield went to rouse his bandmate, no answer came from room 516. When hotel staff opened up the room, they found the room empty - save for a handful of personal items. His sister said that immediately sent alarm bells ringing. "Despite what people may think, his disappearance really was out of character for him. He was always constantly there, if not physically, in conversation with you," she added. "Even when he was touring, we always knew where he was. "The idea he was acting out and walked off as to say 'I'm not getting on this flight' was not him. "He was always passionate and professional about the band. He had never done anything like this before." The days that followed were pure agony for the Edwards family as well as his bandmates - who were all childhood friends. Eventually his silver Vauxhall Cavalier was found at the now defunct Aust Service Station - n


What is the name of Google's web browser, launched in September 2008?

Our history in depth – Company – Google 1995-1997 1995 Larry Page and Sergey Brin meet at Stanford. Larry, 22, a U        Michigan grad, is considering the school; Sergey, 21, is assigned to show him around. 1996 Larry and Sergey begin collaborating on a search engine called BackRub . BackRub operates on       Stanford servers for more than a year—eventually taking up too much bandwidth. 1997 Google.com is registered as a domain on September 15. The name—a play on the word       "googol," a mathematical term for the number represented by the numeral 1 followed by       100 zeros—reflects Larry and Sergey's mission to organize a seemingly infinite amount       of information on the web. 1998 April Larry launches a monthly " Google Friends Newsletter " to inform       fans about company news. (We've since shut down Google Friends Newsletter in favor of       blogs, Google+ and other methods of sharing       news .) August Sun co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim writes a check for $100,000 to an entity that       doesn't exist yet—a company called Google Inc. Before heading to the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert, Larry and Sergey       incorporate the iconic Man into the logo to keep people informed       about where the Google crew would be for a few days—our first doodle . September On September 4, Google files for incorporation in California. Larry and Sergey open       a bank account in the newly-established company's name and deposit Andy Bechtolsheim's       check. Google sets up workspace in Susan Wojcicki's garage on Santa Margarita Ave., Menlo       Park, Calif. Larry and Sergey hire their first employee. Craig       Silverstein is a fellow CS grad student at Stanford who works at Google for 10+       years before joining education startup Khan Academy. December "PC Magazine" reports that Google "has an uncanny knack for returning extremely relevant        results" and recognizes us as the search engine of choice in the Top 100 Web Sites        for 1998. 1999 February We outgrow our garage office and move to new digs at 165 University       Avenue in Palo Alto with just eight employees. April Yoshka, our first "company" dog, comes to work with our senior vice president of operations, Urs Hölzle. May Omid Kordestani joins to run sales—employee #11. Ten years later, Omid steps down       from his active role in the company, becoming a senior advisor. June Our first       press release announces a $25 million round from Sequoia Capital and Kleiner       Perkins; John Doerr and Michael Moritz join the board. August We move to our first Mountain View location: 2400       Bayshore . Mountain View is a few miles south of Stanford University, and north of       the older towns of Silicon Valley: Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, San Jose. November We hire our first chef, Charlie       Ayers (his previous claim to fame was catering for the Grateful Dead; he now owns a       cafe in Palo Alto). Today Google's food programs focus on providing healthy,       sustainably sourced food to fuel Googlers around the world. 2000 April We announce the MentalPlex : Google's       ability to read your mind as you visualize the search results you want. Thus begins our       annual foray in the Silicon Valley tradition of April 1 hoaxes. May We win our first Webby Awards: Technical Achievement (voted by judges) and Peoples'       Voice (voted by users). We run a series of       doodles featuring a little alien—our first doodle series and the first doodle not       associated with any particular event. The first 10 language versions of Google.com are released : French, German, Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch,        Norwegian and Danish. Today, search is available in 150+ languages. July Our first international doodle celebrates Bastille Day in France. September Google New York starts        in a Starbucks on 86th Stree


What 2008 film set in 1880s America starred and was directed by Ed Harris?

Appaloosa Movie Review Starring Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris, Renee Zellweger, Jeremy Irons, Timothy Spall, Lance Henriksen | Reviews Appaloosa SHARE After this crummy week for American capitalism, people might be in the mood for the wide-open spaces and stripped-down narrative objectives of director Ed Harris' "Appaloosa." It's less a Western than a loping buddy picture, based on Robert B. Parker's novel, that happens to be set in the territory of New Mexico, 1882. Harris plays Virgil Cole, whose friend and backup, Everett Hitch, is portrayed by Viggo Mortensen. They're guns for hire, in "the peacekeeping bidness." A ruthless rancher (Jeremy Irons, cast against type and hidden behind a full set of whiskers) effectively runs the town of Appaloosa as he pleases, killing off the marshal when it best suits him, going about his business. Enter Cole and Hitch. Order's restored, uneasily, until the appearance of piano player and hot-to-trot widow Allison French. She's played by Renee Zellweger, and as this coy bundle of availability squeezes into Cole's life, she keeps a side door open for whoever else tickles her fancy. While "Appaloosa" has its share of revenge killings, there's a fair amount of leisurely conversation between Cole and Hitch as they regard their newfound town and sort through the mysteries of life, women and a universe where a lout like Irons' rancher can start out a lawless varmint and turn into a respectable man of business. Harris co-wrote the screenplay with Robert Knott, and while the story's locale is meant to be dusty and sparsely populated, it is not, I think, meant to be as two-dimensionally fakey as it seems on screen. I admired "Pollack," Harris's directorial debut, and I enjoyed much of "Appaloosa," but Harris has yet to figure out how to energize a scene visually. He's not going for anything fancy, but his compositions are more functional than compelling. Mortensen comes off best. Not only does he seem like a genuine artifact of the late 19th century, his plainspoken charisma is well-suited to the Western genre. Irons is effective as well, even with a wobbly dialect, and unlike so many frontier adversaries, this one becomes more interesting and dangerously respectable as "Appaloosa" winds its way to the close. In the end what you have is a mixed bag. The conception of the Zellweger character seems way off, as written and as acted. But with or without that fantastic mustache, Mortensen should certainly do another Western, soon. Preferably he should do one with a real sense of danger to go along with all the neat, tidy, highfalutin' honor and decency.   MPAA rating: R (for some violence and language). Running time: 1:54 Starring: Viggo Mortensen (Everett Hitch); Ed Harris (Virgil Cole); Renee Zellweger (Allison French); Jeremy Irons (Randall Bragg); Timothy Spall (Phil Olson); Lance Henriksen (Ring Shelton) Directed by Ed Harris; written by Robert Knott and Harris, based on the novel by Robert B. Parker; photographed by Dean Semler; edited by Kathryn Himoff; production design by Waldemar Kalinowski; music by Jeff Beal; produced by Harris, Knott and Ginger Sledge. A New Line Cinema release.   Appaloosa Movie Trailer About the Movie "Appaloosa" We've been all over out here. Virgil gets hired to settle things down in towns that need settling, and I go with him. -- Everett Hitch Oscar nominee Viggo Mortensen ("Eastern Promises"), four-time Oscar nominee Ed Harris ("Pollock"), Academy Award winner Ren�e Zellweger ("Cold Mountain") and Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons ("Reversal of Fortune") star in the Western "Appaloosa," adapted from the Robert B. Parker novel. Set in 1882 in the Old West territory of New Mexico, "Appaloosa" revolves around city marshal Virgil Cole (Harris) and his deputy and partner Everett Hitch (Mortensen), who have made their reputation as peacekeepers in the lawless towns springing up in the untamed land. In the small mining community of Appaloosa, a ruthless, powerful rancher named Randall Bragg (Irons) has allowed his band of outlaws to run roughshod over the town. After the


Which country won the most medals in total at the 2008 Summer Olympics?

Most medals won at the Summer Olympics (country) | Guinness World Records Most medals won at the Summer Olympics (country) Share When from 1896 to 2016 The most medals won at the Summer Olympics by a country is 2,520, achieved by USA from 1896 to 2016. The USA have won 1,022 golds, 794 silver and 704 bronze medals. All records listed on our website are current and up-to-date. For a full list of record titles, please use our Record Application Search. (You will be need to register / login for access)


In October 2008 which country was first to follow Ireland in announcing it would guarantee all bank deposits, in the wake of the global financial crisis?

Full Timeline Full Timeline February 2007 February 27, 2007 | Freddie Mac Press Release The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) announces that it will no longer buy the most risky subprime mortgages and mortgage-related securities. April 2007 April 2, 2007 | SEC Filing New Century Financial Corporation, a leading subprime mortgage lender, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. June 2007 June 1, 2007 | Congressional Testimony Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s Investor Services downgrade over 100 bonds backed by second-lien subprime mortgages. June 7, 2007 Bear Stearns informs investors that it is suspending redemptions from its High-Grade Structured Credit Strategies Enhanced Leverage Fund. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) votes to maintain its target for the federal funds rate at 5.25 percent. July 2007 July 24, 2007 | SEC Filing Countrywide Financial Corporation warns of “difficult conditions.” July 31, 2007 | U.S. Bankruptcy Filing Bear Stearns liquidates two hedge funds that invested in various types of mortgage-backed securities. August 2007 August 6, 2007 | SEC Filing American Home Mortgage Investment Corporation files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The FOMC votes to maintain its target for the federal funds rate at 5.25 percent. August 9, 2007 | BNP Paribas Press Release BNP Paribas, France’s largest bank, halts redemptions on three investment funds. August 10, 2007 | Federal Reserve Press Release The Federal Reserve Board announces that it “will provide reserves as necessary…to promote trading in the federal funds market at rates close to the FOMC’s target rate of 5.25 percent. In current circumstances, depository institutions may experience unusual funding needs because of dislocations in money and credit markets. As always, the discount window is available as a source of funding.” August 16, 2007 | SEC Filing Fitch Ratings downgrades Countrywide Financial Corporation to BBB+, its third lowest investment-grade rating, and Countrywide borrows the entire $11.5 billion available in its credit lines with other banks. August 17, 2007 | Federal Reserve Press Release The Federal Reserve Board votes to reduce the primary credit rate 50 basis points to 5.75 percent, bringing the rate to only 50 basis points above the FOMC’s federal funds rate target. The Board also increases the maximum primary credit borrowing term to 30 days, renewable by the borrower. Following an intermeeting conference call, the FOMC releases a statement about the current financial market turmoil, and notes that the “downside risks to growth have increased appreciably.” September 2007 March 7, 2008 | Federal Reserve Press Release The Federal Reserve Board announces $50 billion TAF auctions on March 10 and March 24 and extends the TAF for at least 6 months. The Board also initiates a series of term repurchase transactions, expected to cumulate to $100 billion, conducted as 28-day term repurchase agreements with primary dealers. March 11, 2008 | Federal Reserve Press Release | Additional Information The Federal Reserve Board announces the creation of the Term Securities Lending Facility (TSLF), which will lend up to $200 billion of Treasury securities for 28-day terms against federal agency debt, federal agency residential mortgage-backed securities (MBS), non-agency AAA/Aaa private label residential MBS, and other securities. The FOMC increases its swap lines with the ECB by $10 billion and the Swiss National Bank by $2 billion and also extends these lines through September 30, 2008. March 14, 2008 | Federal Reserve Press Release The Federal Reserve Board approves the financing arrangement announced by JPMorgan Chase and Bear Stearns [see note for March 24]. The Federal Reserve Board also announces they are “monitoring market developments closely and will continue to provide liquidity as necessary to promote the orderly function of the financial system.” March 16, 2008 | Federal Reserve Press Release | Additional Information The Federal Reserve Board establishes the Primary Dealer Credit Facility (PDCF)


Which Eastern guru to the Beatles died on 5 February 2008?

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; Was Meditation Guru to the Beatles Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; Was Meditation Guru to the Beatles PHOTOS      Previous            Next      John Lennon, from left, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison with the Maharishi in 1967. The Beatles had gone to Wales to meditate with the Indian guru, whom they helped turn into a pop culture phenomenon. (Associated Press) Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the International Meditation Society and "The City of Nations" in Kashmir, is seen in London, England, in this Aug. 24, 1967 file photo. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the Indian guru to the Beatles and millions of meditators, died late Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008 at his home in the Dutch town of Vlodrop, a spokesman said. The Maharishi was believed to be 91. (AP) Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, one of India's spiritual teachers, sits with actress Mia Farrow at Kennedy Airport in New York in this Jan. 23, 1968, file photo. (AP) TOOLBOX Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, February 7, 2008 The man who introduced transcendental meditation to the West, who briefly became a guru to the Beatles and other pop musicians and who built a multimillion-dollar global business based on teaching people how to pause and close their eyes twice a day, died Feb. 5 at his home in Vlodrop, Netherlands. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was thought to be 91. The Maharishi, a Hindi title that means "great seer," had announced last month that he would withdraw from day-to-day administrative duties to complete his commentaries on the Veda, the ancient Indian texts that underpin his movement. No cause of death was reported. The spare, self-effacing leader, once known as the "Giggling Guru," appeared on newsmagazine covers and on Merv Griffin's talk show in the 1960s and 1970s. In recent years, he had confined himself to two rooms in his Dutch log house, accessible only to a small group of aides, and he communicated primarily by videoconference. A bald head replaced his long hair, although his profuse beard remained. He still exercised global influence, derived from the 6 million people his organization said have been trained in transcendental meditation, a technique of quiet "restful alertness" based on quietly repeating a Sanskrit word. Advocates say the practice can lead to clearer thinking, improved health, increased creativity and ultimately, enlightenment. If enough people practiced it, the Maharishi said, world peace would follow. His course cost $2,500. The Maharishi began promoting the technique in the United States in 1959, but it wasn't until the Beatles met him in 1967 that he became widely known. The four members of the world's best-known band renounced illicit drugs and, along with singer Mike Love of the Beach Boys, folk singer Donovan, actress Mia Farrow and her sister Prudence, moved to his ashram in India the following year to study. The venture ended badly. None of the Beatles completed the three-month course, and they circulated unproven allegations of sexual improprieties by the Maharishi, who said he was celibate. Others said the Beatles resumed drug use at the ashram. John Lennon wrote many songs while he was there, but it was his bitter "Sexy Sadie" that described his ultimate opinion: "Sexy Sadie what have you done/You made a fool of everyone." "We made a mistake," Paul McCartney later said. "We thought there was more to him than there was. He's human. We thought at first that he wasn't." The exposure brought the Maharishi fame that waned after the 1970s but never really vanished. Five years ago, declaring that he was tired of waiting for governments to bring about peace, he asked his many well-wishers to take on the task. They were to gather near the trouble spots around the world and meditate. "Problems will disappear as darkness disappears with the onset of light," he promised. Part of the problem with the long-promised, long-delayed advent of world peace was that the government capitals were in the wrong places, he said. For example, the White House should face east for optimal harmony, and in fact the entire federal government sh


Super Bowl Locations: Latest Info on Future Venues for NFL Championship | Bleacher Report Super Bowl Locations: Latest Info on Future Venues for NFL Championship Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press 2 Comments Hosting the Super Bowl is an honor all 32 NFL franchises and their respective cities would love to experience. Super Bowl XLVIII is being held in East Rutherford, N.J., at MetLife Stadium. It's the first cold-weather venue the NFL has utilized for the Super Bowl in the modern era, which has certainly been a hot topic of debate. Since the start of the selection process, the league has made it a point to only consider warm-weather sites. But this year's extravaganza in New York could be the start of something new. However, after the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos compete in 2014, the big game will move down the ladder in terms of latitude for at least the next three years. With that in mind, here's a look at where future Super Bowls will take place.  Venue: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.   If there's any residual cold left over from Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium, then you can be sure it will disappear by the time the league's top two teams arrive in Glendale, Ariz., for Super Bowl XLIX. The University of Phoenix Stadium is still a relatively new venue, having opened its doors to the public in 2006. The state-of-the-art facility hosted its first Super Bowl just two years later, when Eli Manning, David Tyree and the New York Giants knocked off the previously undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. One can only hope for a similarly exciting conclusion to the next big game held in the desert.  After Arizona won the right to host Super Bowl XLIX, Cardinals president Michael Bidwill offered his thoughts on what attracted the league to the city once again, via the venue's official website . He also delved into what it means to the local community: We have a great stadium. Our hotel, resort and tourism infrastructure is really unparalleled, and since 2008, great new amenities have been built, particularly in downtown Phoenix.   This is going to come at a great time for our local community and give us the ability to really rally around a great, big event. It's going to be huge for tourism, our economic development and our visibility not only in the United States but around the world. Even better, the Arizona Cardinals could potentially play at home for Super Bowl XLIX after posting an impressive 10-6 record in the brutal NFC West under rookie head coach Bruce Arians.  Venue: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.   It wasn't a big surprise when the San Francisco 49ers beat out the Miami Dolphins to host Super Bowl L. While Miami has a special place in NFL history thanks to Don Shula and his two Super Bowl championships (including the 1972 undefeated team), and 10 previous hosted Super Bowls, there isn't another team in the league with more history and tradition as San Francisco.  The 49ers will be moving into a shiny new venue at the start of the 2014 season, and Levi's Stadium will be the most state-of-the-art facility in the league—at least until the next stadium is erected.  According to Taylor Price of 49ers.com , Levi's Stadium "will be the most technologically advanced venue to ever host a Super Bowl." Team CEO Jed York revealed the successful bid to land the Super Bowl was something the franchise had been planning toward even before breaking ground on the new stadium, per Price: Even before breaking ground in April of 2012, the vision for Levi’s® Stadium has always been to build a venue that showcases all that is special about the Bay Area innovation, sustainability and fan experience are the pillars on which we designed and constructed this world-class facility.  We look forward to NFL fans from around the globe enjoying our region and our stadium, the likes of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. And given the powerhouse roster general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Jim Harbaugh have assembled in San Francisco, it w


Which American entertainer famously parodied Sarah Palin during the 2008 US presidential elections?

11 of “Saturday Night Live’s” most hilarious election-year sketches - Salon.com Monday, Oct 5, 2015 11:00 PM UTC 11 of “Saturday Night Live’s” most hilarious election-year sketches "SNL" loves presidential elections and never fails to mine them for comedy gold. Here are some of the funniest VIDEO (Credit: NBC) This article originally appeared on AlterNet . Presidential elections are always gold mines of comedy riches for the writers of “Saturday Night Live,” but this year’s Trump-led pack must be like a dream. “SNL” has a long history of making politicians into recognizable caricatures whose foibles and follies are played up for laughs. This election season, the heavy comedic lifting has already been done by the candidates themselves. To welcome the show’s 41st season, here’s a look at some of the best political sketches featured in its more than four decades on air. There are plenty more where these came from, but among the list that follows are 11 moments both classic and overlooked, chosen from both the early days of “SNL” and more recent seasons. 1. Palin-Hillary Press Conference, 2008. The instant Sarah Palin appeared on the political scene, with her “Aw, shucks” style and word salad interview answers, she was destined for comedic roasting. Tina Fey had already departed “SNL” for “30 Rock,” but she so thoroughly looked the part that it only made sense for her to return and take on the role. Though she only appeared as Palin in a handful of skits, they remain among the most memorable — and widely watched — political sketches in the show’s history, and researchers claim a little thing called “ The Fey Effect ” may have helped keep McCain out of the White House. While this sketch  mocking Palin’s famously poor showing during an interview with Katie Couric is equally hilarious, the skit below edged it out thanks to the presence of the now iconic misquote, “I can see Russia from my house.” 2. Ronald Reagan: Mastermind, 1986. As the real-life Reagan feigned ignorance of the Iran-Contra affair and kept up his grandfatherly public image, “SNL” offered this alternate take on the president as a ruthless political puppet master behind the scenes. Phil Hartman, one of the show’s most prolific talents, is pitch-perfect as a Jekyll-and-Hyde Reagan who, depending on who’s in the room, switches between the kindly Gipper to a hotheaded genius mastermind. It’s very nearly impossible not to laugh when Hartman’s Reagan, his evil scheming interrupted by a photo op with a Girl Scout, shouts, “This is the part of the job I hate!” 3. A Message from President Gerald Ford, 1976. Chevy Chase — an “SNL” cast member only for its inaugural season — portrayed Gerald Ford as a bumbling klutz who spent most of his time falling down and being confused by relatively easy concepts. In this sketch, Chase’s Ford mucks up a call between Kissinger and Anwar Sadat, mistakes a cup of water for a telephone and effectively ends up, as always, in a heap on the floor. 4. George H.W. Bush Gives Debate Advice to George W. Bush, 2000. Two of “SNL’s” most iconic Bushes — Dana Carvey as George Sr. and Will Ferrell as George Jr. — appear in this sketch in which a short-tempered 41 attempts to educate his son on how to handle himself in a presidential debate. Even by 2000, Ferrell had perfected the image of Bush he would go on popularize — a goofy, earnest, dimwitted frat boy oblivious to how far in over his head he is. 5. Undecided Voter, 2012. Every four years, in the weeks before the general election, the media and pollsters spend an inordinate amount of time talking with “undecided voters.” You know who I’m talking about: those who claim they haven’t yet made up their minds despite vast amounts of available information explaining the polar opposite platforms of the two candidates. In late September 2012, “SNL” parodied these holdouts, highlighting the kind of questions that might remain for someone who could possibly still be on the fence so late in the game. Questions like “When is the election?” “What are the names of the two people running?” and “Who is the pre


What hip-hop artist was controversially chosen to headline the 2008 Glastonbury Festival?

Jay Z - Biography - IMDb Biography Jump to: Overview  (4) | Mini Bio  (1) | Spouse  (1) | Trivia  (39) | Personal Quotes  (2) Overview (4) 6' 1½" (1.87 m) Mini Bio (1) Shawn Corey Carter was born 4 December 1969 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Raised in Brooklyn, Carter was a school friend of The Notorious B.I.G. . He first started releasing records in the late 1980s. In 1990, he appeared on records by his close friend, Jaz ("The Originators") and Original Flavor ("Can I Get Open"), and later scored an underground hit single with 1995's "In My Lifetime". Drawing on Jaz's dealings with mercenary labels, Jay-Z set up his own Roc-A-Fella imprint in 1996 with entrepreneur 'Damon Dash' and 'Kareem 'Biggs' Burke'. His debut set, "Reasonable Doubt", which reached US number 23 in July, attracted fans with a mixture of hard-hitting street lyrics and rhymes, epitomized by the collaboration with The Notorious B.I.G. on "Brooklyn's Finest". The follow-up, "In My Lifetime, Vol. 1", was released in the aftermath of The Notorious B.I.G. 's murder, and debuted at US number 3 in November 1997. Featuring guest appearances from Sean Combs (aka "Puff Daddy"), Lil' Kim , Too $hort , Blackstreet and DJ Premier , this sombre and intensely personal album included the stand-out tracks, "You Must Love Me" and "Where I'm From". Although in demand as a guest artist, Jay-Z found the time to write, produce, and direct the semi-autobiographical short, "Streets is Watching". The gold-selling soundtrack introduced several of Roc-A-Fella's rising stars, including Memphis Bleek , Rell and Diamonds N' Ruff , and featured the hit single, "It's Alright". Jay-Z then became a major star with the hit singles, "Can I Get A ... " and "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)", the latter built around a line from the musical, "Annie". One of the more bizarre samples to be used on a hip-hop track, the single nevertheless became an international hit (UK number 2, December 1998/US number 15, March 1999). The album of the same name featured hotshot producer Tim Mosley (aka "Timbaland"), in addition to the usual team of Ski and DJ Premier . Guest rappers included DMX , Foxy Brown and Too $hort , on a package that diluted Jay-Z's hard-hitting lyrical edge in an attempt to corner the crossover market. "Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life" easily succeeded in its aim, staying at US number 1 for five weeks, before finally being deposed by Alanis Morissette 's new album. Despite a hectic schedule as a guest producer/writer and rapper, Jay-Z still found the time to enter the studio and record tracks for his new album. Released in December 1999, "Vol. 3: The Life and Times Of S. Carter" confirmed his status as one of hip-hop's most popular artists when it topped the album charts the following month. The following year's "The Dynasty: Roc La Familia 2000", another US chart-topper, was originally planned as a supergroup collaboration with fellow Roc-A-Fella rappers Beanie Sigel , Memphis Bleek and Amil . - IMDb Mini Biography By: J.M. Spouse (1) ( 4 April  2008      - present) (1 child) Trivia (39) "Ghostwriter" for such stars as: Foxy Brown , Mase , Dr. Dre and others. His ex-girlfriend's pregnancy led to a miscarriage two years ago, a fact he laments in the song "This Can't Be Life", from 2000's The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (2000). Has had six consecutive albums make #1 debuts on The Billboard Hot 100 Pop Charts: "Volume 2: Hard Knock Life"; "Volume 3: The Life and Times of S. Carter"; "The Dynasty/Roc la' Familia"; "The Blueprint"; "Blueprint 2: The Gift and the Curse", and "The Black Album". Since his album "Hard Knock Life/Volume 2", every Jay-Z solo album has gone at least double platinum. 2003" Opened a sports bar called 40/40 Club. His "The Blueprint 2" has sold a total of 3 million copies. Created urban clothing line 'Roca Wear' His album, "The Black Album", was supposed to be his last. Calls "Reasonable Doubt" the favorite of his own recordings because "it's the first.". Calls "Blueprint 2" his weakest album because of "too many songs.". The second rapper to have his own signature sneak