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The Book of One Thousand and One Nights is an old cycle (or group) of stories that mostly come from Arabia and Persia, and a few also from India, Central Asia and China. All these stories were later collected together. There are different layers of the stories:
Uppermost is the story of Queen Scheherazade who needs to entertain her husband, the Sultan or King Sheheryar, or she would be put to death.
The next layer is made up of the actual stories, such as Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, etc.
In those stories, there is often also a narrator who tells the story.
Related pages
Sinbad the Sailor
References
Other website links
The Thousand Nights and a Night in several classic translations, including unexpurgated version by Sir Francis Burton, and John Payne translation, with additional material.
Stories From One Thousand and One Nights, (Lane and Poole translation): Project Bartleby edition
The Arabian Nights (includes Lang and (expurgated) Burton translations): Electronic Literature Foundation editions
The Medieval Arabic Nights - a study
Jonathan Scott translation of Arabian Nights
Notes on the influences and context of the Thousand and One Nights
1001 Resources and Links for A Thousand and One Nights University of Houston
The Book of the Thousand and One Nights by John Crocker
(expurgated) Sir Burton's ~1885 translation, annotated for English study.
Arabian Nights' Tales Dedicated site with just the stories of 1001 nights listed in order.
Persian literature
Arabic literature |
A coup d'état (pronounced []), or just coup ([]) for short, is the removal of a head of state and/or head of government from power (overthrow). Unlike a revolution, which usually takes large numbers of people to take over, a coup can be done by a small number of people. Even one person can cause a coup, such as Idi Amin for example, who controlled the Ugandan army. Coups can also be done by other countries, such as the 1953 Iranian coup d'état. One well-known failed coup was the Beer Hall Putsch, where Adolf Hitler tried to take over the government of the state of Bavaria in Germany.
The term comes from French for "a (sudden) blow (or strike) to a state".
Informally, coup is sometimes used to refer to takeovers, or wins, in places other than government, such as inside a company or corporation. |
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American entrepreneur, animator, writer, voice actor and film producer. Disney was an important person in the American animation industry and throughout the world. He is regarded as an international icon and philanthropist. He is well known for his influence and contributions to the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy Disney, he was the founder of Walt Disney Productions. The corporation is now known as The Walt Disney Company.He is also famous for bringing what is known as the happiest place on Earth, Disneyland.
As an extraordinary animator and entrepreneur, Disney was well known as a film producer and a showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme park design. He and his staff created some of the world's most well-known fictional characters including Mickey Mouse. He provided the original voice for Mickey Mouse. He received four honorary Academy Awards and won 22 Academy Awards from a total of 59 nominations, including a record four in one year. It gave him more awards and nominations than any other person in history. Disney also won seven Emmy Awards. He gave his name to the Disneyland, and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the United States, as well as international resorts like Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland.
He died on December 15, 1966 from lung cancer aged 65. A year later, construction of the Walt Disney World Resort began in Florida. His brother Roy Disney inaugurated the Magic Kingdom in 1971.
Early life
Walter Elias Disney was born on December 5, 1901 at 2156 North Tripp Avenue in Hermosa, Chicago, Illinois. His father Elias Disney had Irish-Canadian ancestry and his mother, Flora Call Disney had German and English ancestry.
His great-grandfather, Arundel Elias Disney, had emigrated from Gowran, County Kilkenny, Ireland where he was born in 1801. Arundel Disney was a descendant of Robert d'Isigny, a Frenchman who had traveled to England with William the Conqueror in 1066. The d'Isigny name was anglicized as "Disney" and the family settled in a village now known as Norton Disney, south of the city of Lincoln, in the county of Lincolnshire.
Career
About the time Disney was entering high school, his family moved to the city of Chicago. Disney took classes at the Chicago Art Institute and drew for the school newspaper. When he was sixteen, Disney decided he wanted to help fight in World War I. Since he was still too young to join the army, he dropped out of school and joined the Red Cross. He spent the next year driving ambulances for the Red Cross in France.
Disney's best-known creation is the cartoon character, Mickey Mouse. Disney even provided the voice for Mickey Mouse for many years. Donald Duck is another famous creation. Minnie Mouse and Pluto are also his creations. Disney was once fired from a newspaper company in Kansas City, Missouri because of his lack of creativity.
Disney began as a cartoonist in the 1920s. He created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit but lost ownership of the character due to a contract problem. He then created Mickey Mouse. Disney started the Walt Disney Studios and created the first full-length animated movie when he created Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). The movie was a huge success. The money from the movie helped Disney create many more cartoons and movies such as Fantasia, Pinocchio (both 1940), Dumbo (1941), and Bambi (1942). New animated and live-action films followed after World War II, including the critically successful Cinderella (1950), Peter Pan (1953), and Mary Poppins (1964), the latter of which received five Academy Awards. He earned 32 academy awards. Disney once refused an offer from Alfred Hitchcock to make a movie at Disney World after Hitchcock filmed Psycho. He also served as the host of The Wonderful World of Disney, a weekly variety show that had Disney cartoons and some live-action skits.
In the 1950s, Disney created Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Disneyland was the first modern theme park. Disney also bought the land for Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Disney did not see Walt Disney World finished though because he died before it opened. Both Disneyland and Walt Disney World (and now other Disney theme parks) are famous for their design, level of detail, being very clean, and animatronics.
Death and legacy
On December 15, 1966, Disney died of lung cancer in Burbank, California at the age of 65. His movies and theme parks are still enjoyed by millions of people around the world. His company continues to produce very successful new theme parks and films.
After Disney's death, many rumors were spreading that Disney's body was cryonically frozen, and that he was stored beneath the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. In reality, he was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery in Glendale, California.
Some people have accused Disney of being racist and antisemitic. This was because he made some insensitive comments and included ethnic stereotypes in his cartoons and films, even though he employed a lot of Jews and people of different backgrounds.
Related pages
The Walt Disney Company
Walt Disney Pictures
Roy E. Disney
Michael Eisner
List of Disney animated movies
References
Other websites
Walt Disney Family Museum
Time Magazine profile
1901 births
1966 deaths
Academy Award Honorary Award winners
American billionaires
American movie editors
American television producers
American voice actors
Artists from Chicago
Businesspeople from Chicago
Cancer deaths in Los Angeles County, California
Chief executives
Congressional Gold Medal recipients
Deaths from lung cancer
Disney actors
Disney animators
Disney people
Emmy Award winners
Movie directors from Chicago
Movie directors from Missouri
Movie producers from Chicago
Movie producers from Missouri
Screenwriters from Chicago
Screenwriters from Missouri |
The Eucharist, also called holy communion, the sacrament, or the Lord's supper, is a kind of religious ritual in many Christian churches. It started when Jesus Christ told his followers to eat bread (His body) and drink wine (His blood) in memory of him, at the Last Supper.
In the Roman Catholic Church
According to the Roman Catholic Church, the Eucharist is the true presence of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. During a Mass, through the act of transubstantiation, the bread and wine offered change, and are no longer bread and wine. They become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The bread and wine do not change appearance, but they are the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, which Catholics in good standing (not in the state of mortal sin) come and receive Christ—they consume Him. This follows what was said by Christ "Eat my Body and Drink my Blood" (John ch.6). Most Protestant denominations believe that this was meant as a symbol, while the Catholic Church bases its beliefs on the tradition handed down through the church.
First century St. Ignatius of Antioch, disciple of the beloved disciple John, in speaking of "the heretics plaguing the church" in their day, wrote: "They abstain from the Eucharist because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ" (Smyrnaeans, 7).
From the second century, St. Justin Martyr wrote:
"This food we call Eucharist, which no one is allowed to share except the one who believes that our teaching is true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and so lives as Christ has handed down. For we do not receive these as common bread and common drink; but just as Jesus Christ our Savior, having been made flesh by the word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise we have learned that the food over which thanks has been given by the prayer of the word which comes from him, and by which our blood and flesh are nourished through a change, is the Flesh and Blood of the same incarnate Jesus" (The First Apology).
In other churches
In most Protestant churches, not including Lutheranism, the sacrament of communion involves eating small wafers or Matzos and drinking wine or grape juice, and not believing that it is the actual body and blood of Jesus, but as a very important symbolic observance, and fulfillment of what Christ commanded. Some churches offer it daily, some weekly, some monthly, and some a few times a year.
Unlike the Catholic teaching, Lutherans teach that the bread and wine is Jesus' body and blood, but is bread and wine also (consubstantiation).
In the Latter Day Saints or "Mormon" Church, followers eat small pieces of bread and drink water. They believe that this is a symbol of the body and blood of Jesus, and they call it the Sacrament. They also believe that it helps them to make the promises of baptism all over again.
Sacraments
Christian terminology |
Stroke can mean one of the following:
Stroke, a cerebral accident, when blood supply to a part of the brain is suddenly interrupted
A sunstroke
Stroke (Chinese character), in graphics of Chinese characters.
A single line without any break, see stroke order
A different name for the typographical character known as slash
Stroke (engine), a single action of some engines
stroke (software), a port scanning utility |
Little House on the Prairie is a book written by Laura Ingalls Wilder in 1935. It is one part of series of books about Wilder's childhood in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Kansas during the late 19th century. The books have been made many times into movies and television series. Some other writers have also written books about Laura and her relatives.
The books became famous during the 20th century. During the 21st century, scholars began to look at them closely as literature and as art. Wilder has been criticized for the way she shows Native Americans and black Americans.
"Little House" books
Pioneer Girl was one of the first books Ingalls-Wilder wrote, but she could not find a publisher that wanted to print it. Pioneer Girl is a nonfiction story of Wilder's life. Her daughter told her to write fictional stories instead. The Little House series is a different from the true story of Ingalls-Wilder's life. She was trying to tell a happy story and to show manifest destiny as a good thing. She wanted the story to make sense, so she left things out if they did not fit her ideas. The fictional books do not talk about when her family moved east to Iowa or her little brother who died young. She also invented fictional characters and made combination characters: Nellie Olson is one person in the fictional books but she was based on more than one person in real life.
In 2015, an edited version of Pioneer Girl was published. It has many footnotes explaining things for twenty-first-century readers.
Original books
Little House in the Big Woods (1932)
Farmer Boy (1933)
Little House on the Prairie (1935)
On the Banks of Plum Creek (1937)
By the Shores of Silver Lake (1939)
The Long Winter (1940)
Little Town on the Prairie (1941)
These Happy Golden Years (1943)
On the Way Home (1962)
The First Four Years (1971),
West From Home (1974)
The Road Back (2006)
Nonfiction
Pioneer Girl (2015)
Screenings
TV movies
Little House on the Prairie (1974)
Little House Years (1978)
Little House: Look Back to Yesterday (1983)
Little House: Bless All the dear Children (1984)
Little House: The Last Farewell (1984)
Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder (1997)
Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder II (1998)
Little House on the Prairie (2005) - miniseries
TV shows
Jackanory - Little House in the Big Woods (1966)
Jackanory - Farmer Boy (1968)
Little House on the Prairie / Little House: A New Beginning (1974-1983) - live action
Laura the Prairie Girl (1975) - animated
Native Americans in the books
In 2018, the Association for Library Service to Children changed the name of its Laura Ingalls Wilder Award to the Children’s Literature Legacy Award because people did not like the way Wilder wrote about Native Americans in Little House on the Prairie. They said the book had "dated cultural attitudes toward Indigenous people and people of color that contradict modern acceptance, celebration, and understanding of diverse communities." For example, in the book, one white character says "the only good Indian is a dead Indian." Some of the words Ingalls use to describe Native Americans makes them sound like non-human animals. Other people disagreed, saying the book showed how complicated things between Native Americans and white settlers were. For example, it shows that the Ingalls family is on Indian land illegally, which means they must leave. It shows Laura asking her parents why they are in Indian territory if they don't want to be near Indians.
Other websites
Little House Wiki: Little House on the Prairie
References
1935 books
1974 television series debuts
1970s American television series
1980s American television series
American drama television series
American novels
Fiction set in the past
Minnesota in fiction
NBC network shows
en:Little House on the Prairie (TV series)
fi:Pieni talo preerialla |
Piccolo Coro dell'Antoniano is an Italian choir of children. It was created in Bologna in 1963 by Mariele Ventre. The children had to help singing children at Zecchino d'Oro festival. In 1995, Mariele Ventre died and the choir has a new director - Sabrina Simoni - and a new name - Piccolo Coro "Mariele Ventre" dell'Antoniano.
Choirs
Italian musical groups
1963 establishments in Europe
People from Bologna
1960s establishments in Italy |
Howard G. "Ward" Cunningham (born May 26, 1949) is an American computer programmer. He started the first wiki website on March 25, 1995, and is considered the inventor of that software. He currently lives in Beaverton, Oregon.
Ward Cunningham got a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and computer science from Purdue University, and then got his master's degree in computer science from there as well. he has worked for Tektronix Computer Research Laboratory, the Eclipse Foundation, and Microsoft, among other places. In 2009, he joined AboutUs, an editable guide to websites.
Other websites
WikiWikiWeb, the first wiki hosted at c2.com
Ward's personal pages on c2.com
1949 births
Living people
American computer scientists
Scientists from Oregon
Scientists from Indiana
People from Michigan City, Indiana |
A chain is like a rope, but made up of several elements called links.
A chain (unit) is also a measure of length
A human chain can be made by people standing next to one another and who hold hands or link arms. It is a chain that has people for its links.
Chain store, retail stores which share a brand and central management, usually with standardized business methods and practices. They may all have the same owners or may be franchised.
Basic English 850 words |
A rope is made out of several threads. The material can be organic, like flax, or it can be small threads of steel (in case of a steel rope, wire or cable). A rope can be used to lift, or pull things, like pulling a ship into a harbor with another ship, or fixing the ship so it does not move away. The twisting of fibers in rope is what leads to its high tensile strength (meaning it's very difficult to pull apart) and this innovation allowed the rope to become a construction staple that has been used for millennia. Ropes have been used for thousands of years, from the Egyptians using them in 4000BCE and modern-day construction that relies heavily on the strength of this tool.
Gallery
Hardware (mechanical)
Ropework |
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series set in Maryland. It ran from its creation in 1993 until 2002, lasting for nine seasons. On January 24, 2016, a new season began airing. The series is about two FBI agents, Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Fox Mulder (David Duchovny). Together, they work to find answers to strange cases. Many of these cases have to do with aliens and the paranormal.
The X-Files was a very popular show; it is the second longest running science fiction show behind Stargate SG-1. It also won awards like the Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards.
Plot
The plot of the show has to do with finding the answer to mysteries, or X-Files. Mulder believes that the answers to many of these mysteries have to do with aliens and the paranormal, while Scully believes that the answer can be found using science. Sometimes, there are monsters that are introduced into the show. Episodes with monsters in them are called "Monster-of-the-week" episodes.
There is a plot in the show about Mulder's sister, Samantha Mulder. She was taken by aliens when she was little. Mulder spends a lot of time looking for her. In season seven, Mulder finds out that both the aliens and the government took his sister for experiments. They wanted to make an alien-human hybrid and used Samantha as a test subject.
Mulder and Scully believe that there is a part of the government that is helping the aliens. They find out this is true. The part of the government that helps the aliens is called "The Syndicate." The Syndicate helps the aliens to take over Earth.
Eventually, Mulder is taken by the aliens and is replaced in the series by John Doggett, another FBI agent. Doggett and Scully then work together in season eight. In season nine, Scully is replaced by Monica Reyes.
Cast and characters
Fox Mulder (played by David Duchovny) is an agent assigned to the X-Files. He first worked in the Violent Crimes Unit, but he later opened the X-Files.
Dana Scully (played by Gillian Anderson) is Mulder's partner. She joins Mulder a year after he opens the X-Files. She was told to join Mulder to make sure that the way they solved mysteries was scientific.
Walter Skinner (played by Mitch Peleggi) is Scully, Mulder, Doggett and Reyes' supervisor at the X-Files.
John Doggett (played by Robert Patrick) joins the show in season eight after Mulder is taken by aliens. He becomes Scully's partner.
Monica Reyes (played by Annabeth Gish) joins the show in season eight. She takes the place of Scully as Doggett's partner.
Movies
In 1998, a movie called The X-Files: Fight The Future was made. In the plot of the series, it is between seasons five and six. It is mainly about aliens. It was directed by Rob Bowman.
Another movie, called The X-Files: I Want to Believe, was made in 2008, six years after the season ended. The movie is more like a horror story than a story about aliens. It was directed by Chris Carter. It earned $20,982,478 in the US, earned $47,386,956 in countries outside the US, and in total earned $68,369,434.
References
1993 American television series debuts
1990s American drama television series
2000s American drama television series
2000s mystery television series
2010s American drama television series
2010s mystery television series
American mystery television series
American science fiction television series
FBI in fiction
Fox television series
Maryland
Emmy Award winning programs
English-language television programs |
A patent gives an inventor the right to stop other people making or using their invention. If someone makes or uses that invention without being allowed to, the inventor can sue that person in court to make them stop. The inventor can sell the patent to another person or company.
A patent lasts for up to 20 years, depending on the country. After that, anyone can copy the invention.
Each country has its own patents. China gives Chinese patents. India gives Indian patents. The United States gives United States patents. An inventor can get a patent in any country the inventor wants. An inventor can get patents in many different countries for the same invention. Each patent in each country costs money to get.
The rules for patents are similar in most countries.
Getting a patent
To get a patent, the inventor must ask the government by describing the invention in writing. This is called a patent application. The inventor can write the patent application, but it is usually written by a person trained to write patent applications. This person is called a patent agent or, if the person is a lawyer, a patent attorney.
The government does not usually just give the inventor a patent. Instead, the government tries to confirm whether the idea is actually new. This is called patent examination. The government will try to find books, stories, or other patents that show that the idea was not new. The inventor, or his or her patent attorney, then tries to show how the inventor's idea is actually new and is different from anything that the government finds.
If the government finds that the inventor's idea is new, it will give the inventor a patent. The government will also send the inventor a copy of his or her patent application with a special seal. This copy is the patent.
The inventor must also pay the government a tax to get a patent. Usually, an inventor pays money to ask for the patent, and the inventor pays money when they get a patent. In some countries, the owner of a patent must also pay money to keep the patent. Some can be cheap and some can be expensive.
Using a patent
The owner of a patent can stop other people from using their invention. If someone other than the patent owner uses the patent, this is called infringing a patent. If the owner knows that someone is infringing his or her patent, the patent owner can ask a court to stop them. If the court agrees that the other person was using the patent, the court can make that person pay a fine to the patent owner.
The patent owner can give other people permission to use their patent. This is called a patent license. A person who wants to use another person's patent will usually pay money to the patent owner.
What can be patented
Patents most often cover products or processes that contain 'new' functional or technical ideas. They are concerned with how things work, how they are made, or what they are made of. Patents cover many different things such as electronics, medicines, agriculture and transport – anything in fact, from a small detail in an electric switch to an entire power station.
Usually, to get a patent there are three rules that the idea needs to follow:
It must be new, so that nobody else has made the same thing or something similar in the past
It must involve an inventive step: this means it is not something that anyone could have easily made
It must have an application to the real world: it must be useful.
Marking
Often a product is marked with a text saying 'patent pending' or 'pat. pending', which means that a patent has been asked for (part of) the product. Then people are warned that they should not copy the invention.
Parts of a patent
Patents are usually very long. They include a number of smaller parts. A patent usually includes a section that briefly describes the idea called the abstract. It also may include a section that describes other people's inventions and how the inventor's idea is different called the "background of the invention."
The patent also includes a long description of the idea itself called a "detailed description." In this section, the inventor tries to describe every detail of his or her invention.
The patent also has a number of pictures called the "figures." The figures are usually drawn by people called draftsman that are trained to draw in a special way. The pictures are labeled with numbers to show different parts of the invention.
At the end of most patents is a section called the claims. These are usually numbered. They include a short statement that lists all of the things needed for the invention. A court will use the claims to decide if another person is "infringing" the patent.
Intellectual property law
Technology |
The Wizard of Oz is an American musical movie. It was produced by MGM and released by RKO in 1939. The movie is based on the children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. This book was first published in May 1900. The book and movie are about a little girl's adventures in the land called Oz. This is still watched from 1939 to 2017.
The song "Over the Rainbow" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The movie was first televised in 1956. It became an annual Thanksgiving television special for many years. The movie was named the most-watched motion picture in history by the Library of Congress.
In 1998, the movie was sixth on the American Film Institute's 100 Years... 100 Movies list. The movie has been chosen for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
Story
Dorothy (Judy Garland) lives on a drab Kansas farm with her Auntie Em and Uncle Henry (Clara Blandick and Charlie Grapewin). A powerful storm sweeps her away to the Land of Oz. She accidentally kills a wicked witch. She wants to go home, but only the Wizard of Oz (Frank Morgan) can send her home. She must go to the Emerald City to see him. She sets off on the Yellow Brick Road wearing the witch's ruby slippers. She makes three friends on the road: a Scarecrow, a Tin Man, and a Cowardly Lion (Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, and Bert Lahr).
On the way to Emerald City, the friends are tormented by The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton). She is the sister of the witch Dorothy killed. She wants the ruby slippers. Dorothy won't give the slippers to the witch. The friends arrive in Emerald City. The Wizard sends them off to kill the witch. The friends are captured by the witch. Dorothy throws a pail of water over the witch. The witch melts.
In the Emerald City, the four friends are welcomed as heroes. The Wizard prepares his hot air balloon to take Dorothy back to Kansas. The balloon takes off without her. A good witch called Glinda (Billie Burke) tells Dorothy she can go home by just clicking the heels of the ruby slippers together and thinking about home. She does this. She wakes up in her bed. Her adventures have been a dream.
References
Other websites
Official DVD Website
Greatest Films
RaveCentral
The Wizard of Oz tornado - on the set
Moria.co.nz Review
1939 movies
1930s fantasy movies
1930s musical movies
American family movies
American fantasy movies
American musical movies
English-language movies
Movies based on books
Movies set in Kansas
United States National Film Registry movies
Movies that won the Best Original Song Academy Award
MGM movies
Movies directed by Victor Fleming
Movies directed by King Vidor
Movies about dreams |
Assassination is the murder of an important or popular person. Usually the person is a political leader, like the head of a country or a political party. Assassinations are usually done for political reasons or for payment. A person who assassinates someone is called an assassin.
Throughout history, assassinations have happened for many different reasons. Sometimes assassinations have been used to take over governments. Other times, assassinations have been used to kill military leaders during wars, or for religious reasons. Some assassins want revenge, or just want to be famous.
In ancient to medieval times
Assassinations have happened ever since people started living in group societies.
The Old Testament of the Bible talks about assassinations in the Books of Judith, Kings, Samuel, and Chronicles.
An ancient Indian writer named Chanakya, who lived from about 350 283 BC, wrote a lot about assassinations in a book called Arthashastra. One of his students later assassinated some of his enemies, including two of Alexander the Great's generals.
Famous victims of assassinations include Philip II of Macedon (336 BC), Alexander the Great's father, and Julius Caesar (44 BC). Emperors of the Roman Empire were often assassinated so that a different leader could take their place.
In the Middle Ages, many kings in the Eastern Roman Empire were killed by assassinations so that new kings could take power.
During the Renaissance, assassinations became more common in Western Europe. Kings William the Silent of the Netherlands (1584), Henry III of France (1589), and Henry IV of France (1610) were all assassinated.
The first American use of state assassination (where a government planned to assassinate someone) happened in 1620. It happened in Plymouth in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where the Pilgrims had landed. Native Americans had lived there before the Pilgrims landed, but the Pilgrims wanted the land to themselves. Myles Standish invited a local Native American tribal chief, the chief's 18-year-old brother, and two other Native Americans to a feast. Then they locked the door, killed the three older men, and hanged the teenager in public as a warning to the other Native Americans to stay away.
In modern history
Assassinations have been common in modern history. This section does not list every assassination that has happened in modern history. It lists some examples of world leaders who were assassinated, and explains some of the reasons why these assassinations happened.
In Imperial Russia, two emperors were assassinated within 80 years: Paul I (1801)pp. 16–17 and Alexander II (1881).p. 419
In the United States, four presidents were assassinated within 100 years. They were Presidents Abraham Lincoln (1865), James Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1901), and John F. Kennedy (1963).
After Abraham Lincoln was killed, Andrew Johnson became President. He was President for four years. During that time, 12 people who held important political jobs were assassinated. The next president, Ulysses S. Grant, led the United States from 18691877. During that time, 11 government leaders were assassinated; another 9 were attacked, but survived.
The World Wars
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated in 1914. Some historians say this assassination started World War I.
In the 1930s and 1940s, Josef Stalin's NKVD assassinated many people outside of the Soviet Union, including Leon Trotsky. These were mostly people who Stalin thought were against him or could take power from him. He wanted to make sure to keep the power he had, so he killed many of his opponents.
Between 1934 and 1944, different individuals and groups tried 27 different times to assassinate Adolf Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany during The Holocaust and World War II. These people wanted to stop Hitler from taking over so many countries and killing so many people. However, he always survived.
During World War II, the Allies used assassinations to kill important Nazi and Japanese leaders:
Czech soldiers assassinated Reinhard Heydrich, one of the most important people in the Nazi government (1942)
The United States Army assassinated Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, an important military leader (1943)
Polish rebels assassinated top Nazi leaders whenever they could
Activists
Some famous human rights activists were also assassinated in the next few decades. They were assassinated by people who did not like the things they were doing to work for human rights. The most famous activists who were assassinated include:
Mohandas Gandhi (1948), a leader of non-violent protests against British control over India
Malcolm X (1965), a civl rights leader
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1968), one of the most important leaders of the Civil Rights Movement
The United States CIA (1960 1970)
Between 1960 and 1965, the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) tried at least eight times to assassinate Cuban leader Fidel Castro.p. 71 Around this time, the CIA also made plans to assassinate Patrice Lumumba, the only democratically elected leader of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.pp. 19–24
Between 1960 and 1970, the CIA also encouraged and in some cases helped with assassination plans against:p. 256
Rafael Trujillo, the President of the Dominican Republic
Ngo Dinh Diem, the President of South Vietnam
General Rene Schneider, the head of the Chilean Army, who refused to let the Army overthrow the democratically elected president, Salvador Allende
The 1970s 1980s
In 1979, the Iranian Revolution turned Iran into an Islamic Republic. A group called Iran Human Rights Documentation Center says that between 1979 and the 1990s, leaders of the Iranian government had 162 people assassinated, in 19 different countries. The group says Iran stopped the assassinations because a German court put out an arrest warrant for the head of Iranian military intelligence.
Anwar Sadat, the President of Egypt, was assassinated in 1981 at a parade. He was killed by people who wanted to take over the country and make it into an Islamic Republic.
In 1983, Benigno Aquino, Jr. was assassinated. Aquino was against Ferdinand Marcos, the dictator who ruled the Philippines. The people of the Philippines were so upset that they started the non-violent People Power Revolution. This led to the end of Marcos's government. Aquino's widow, Corazon Aquino, became President of the Philippines.
In India, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated in 1984. Her son Rajiv Gandhi became the next Prime Minister. He was assassinated in 1991. (They were not related to Mohandas Gandhi.)
The 1990s to today
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated in 1995. The Israelis and Palestinians were working on a peace agreement. Rabin was killed by an Orthodox Jew who did not agree with the peace treaty. Many historians think Rabin's murder is one of the main reasons the peace talks fell apart.
In Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in 2007. Bhutto had been the first woman ever elected to lead a Muslim country. An Al-Qaeda leader said that Al-Qaeda assassins had killed Bhutto. He said they did this because Bhutto was trying to get rid of violent Jihadist militia groups in Pakistan. He said this made her important to the United States, so Al-Qaeda killed her.
Statistics
One research study looked at assassinations of national leaders (leaders of countries, like presidents or prime ministers). The study showed that:
Since 1895, assassins have tried to kill national leaders 298 different times. 59 of those world leaders were killed.
Since 1950, a national leader has been assassinated in nearly 2 of every 3 years.
Another study looked at all assassinations between 1946 and 2013. It included not just national leaders, but also other members of government (including local governments), and people who were against the government. This study found that between 1946 and 2013, a total of 954 people were assassinated in 758 different attacks.
This study also looked at who was most likely to be assassinated. Of those 954 people who were assassinated:
21% were members of parliament
18% were opposition leaders (leaders of political parties or groups that spoke out or fought against the government)
17% were national leaders
14% were government ministers
10% were diplomats
5% were local politicians, like governors or mayorsf
References
Assassinations
Types of crime
Crime |
Gillian Leigh Anderson, (born August 9, 1968) is an American-British film, television and theatre actress, activist and writer. Her credits include the roles of FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the long-running and widely popular series The X-Files, ill-fated socialite Lily Bart in Terence Davies' film The House of Mirth (2000), and DSI Stella Gibson on the BBC crime drama television series The Fall. Among other honours, Anderson has won a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
After beginning her career on stage, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully on the American sci-fi drama series The X-Files for all ten seasons (1993–2002, 2016). Her film work includes the dramas The Mighty Celt (2005), The Last King of Scotland (2006), Shadow Dancer (2012) and two X-Files films: The X-Files: Fight the Future (1998) and The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008). Her other notable television credits include: portraying Lady Dedlock in the successful BBC production of Charles Dickens' Bleak House, Wallis Simpson in Any Human Heart, portraying Miss Havisham in Great Expectations (2011) and Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier on Hannibal. In 2013, Anderson began starring as DSI Stella Gibson on the critically acclaimed BBC crime drama television series The Fall. She has been serving as an executive producer from its second series. She will be appearing as goddess Media in the upcoming TV series American Gods. Anderson is the co-writer of The EarthEnd Saga novel trilogy and the self-help guide book WE: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere.
Aside from film and TV, Anderson has taken on the stage and has received both awards and critical acclaim. Her stage work includes Absent Friends (1991) – for which she won a Theatre World Award for Best Newcomer, A Doll's House (2009) – that earned her a Laurence Olivier Award nomination, and a portrayal of Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (2014, 2016) – for which she won the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress and received her second Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress.
Anderson has been active in supporting numerous charities and humanitarian organizations. She is an honorary spokesperson for the Neurofibromatosis (NF) Network and the co-founder of South African Youth Education for Sustainability (SAYes). Anderson was appointed an honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2016 for her services to drama.
References
Other websites
Gillian Anderson at Emmys.com
1968 births
Actors from Chicago
American activists
American feminists
American movie actors
American stage actors
American television actors
American voice actors
DePaul University alumni
Emmy Award winning actors
Golden Globe Award winning actors
Honorary Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Living people
Screen Actors Guild Award winners |
Debt is what someone owes to someone else. Usually, debt is in the form of money, but it can also be items, services, favors, or other things. Thus if you make an agreement to give or do something for someone else, you now owe a debt. Unpaid debt can lead to problems such as the Greek government-debt crisis. Debt is used by many corporations and individuals to make large purchases that they could not afford under normal circumstances. Popular types of debt owed by households and individuals are mortgage loans, car loans, credit card debt, and income taxes. In the case of individuals, debt is a way to use an anticipated income combined with the future purchasing power at present before earning the same.
On the other hand, corporates have a multitude of options when it comes to debt. Debts can be short term or long term. Companies may use debt for their working capital or day-to-day operations.
Types of debt
Goods, services or money borrowed with the intent of repayment (in kind or not) creates a debt. Debt can be classified as either secured debt, unsecured debt, revolving debt, or a mortgage.
A secured debt uses collateral, which is an asset that is promised to the debt-holder until the debt has been repaid. If the repayment is not made in full, the lender gets the collateral asset. For instance, a car loan typically creates a secured debt. If you still owe money on the car loan and do not make timely payments, the note-holder can take back (or repossess) the car and sell it to get the money still due. A home mortgage is similar.
An unsecured debt is more risky to the debt-holder (the lender, also called creditor). In the event of non-payment of the debt, the lender cannot take assets. Credit card debt is typically unsecured. If you charge items to a credit card and do not make the monthly payments, the credit card issuer can report the non-payment to the credit-reporting agencies. That will reduce your credit score so others will not lend you money. But usually they cannot take back whatever you bought with the card.
Revolving debt is a line of credit or an amount that a borrower can continuously borrow from. In other words, the borrower may use funds up to a certain amount, pay it back, and borrow up to that amount again.
A mortgage is a debt issued to purchase real estate, such as a house or condo. It is a form of secured debt as the subject real estate is used as collateral against the loan.
Related pages
Debt bondage
Loan
References
Basic English 850 words
Economics
Everyday life |
Uranium is a chemical element (a metal) on the periodic table. It has an atomic number of 92, which means that a uranium atom has 92 protons in its center, which is called a nucleus. Uranium that is dug out of the ground will be made from three different isotopes: three different types of uranium with different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei. Most of it is Uranium-238; uranium-235 is less common; uranium-234 is the rarest. Pitchblende is the main ore that is mined for uranium.
Uranium-235 can be used in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons by making a nuclear chain reaction. This turns the uranium-235 into uranium-236 and splits the nucleus into two smaller nuclei. This makes two completely different elements with smaller atomic numbers. This process is called nuclear fission and creates lots of heat. This heat makes it very useful for making steam in nuclear reactors, or for making explosions with nuclear weapons. But most such weapons use Plutonium made from uranium-238. Uranium is a bit radioactive.
Uranium which has had its uranium-235 taken out of it is called depleted uranium. It is less radioactive than natural uranium. It is used in anti-tank weapons. Uranium can also be used as a dye for stained glass or pottery, which is how it was used before people found out that it was radioactive.
Uranium is a dangerous substance. Because Uranium is radioactive it is often seen with the hazard sign for radioactive elements, a group of three triangles with curved outer edges pointing in towards the middle (as you can see on the left). Some people believe that Uranium is light green, and glows, due to the way it is depicted in many movies. However, this is not true. Uranium is a shiny white metal, but is usually seen in its oxide form which is black. Spent or partially spent uranium fuel rods kept underwater, for example inside a nuclear reactor or in a spent fuel pool, can glow blue due to Cherenkov radiation. In addition to being radioactive, uranium is a heavy metal and is chemically toxic.
Characteristics
Uranium is a silvery white, weakly radioactive metal. It has a Mohs hardness of 6. It is malleable, ductile and slightly paramagnetic. It is strongly electropositive. It is a poor electrical conductor. Uranium metal has a very high density of 19.1 g/cm3.
Uranium metal reacts with almost all non-metal elements and their compounds. Hydrochloric and nitric acids dissolve uranium, but non-oxidizing acids other than hydrochloric acid dissolve the element very slowly.
Uranium-235 was the first isotope that was found to be fissile. Other naturally occurring isotopes are fissionable, but not fissile.
As little as 15 lb (7 kg) of uranium-235 can be used to make an atomic bomb. The nuclear weapon detonated over Hiroshima, called Little Boy, relied on uranium fission.
History
Pre-discovery use
The use of uranium in its natural oxide form dates back to the year 79 CE. It was used in the Roman Empire to make ceramic glazes yellow. Yellow glass with 1% uranium oxide was found in a Roman villa on Cape Posillipo in the Bay of Naples, Italy. It was found by R. T. Gunther of the University of Oxford in 1912. In the late Middle Ages, pitchblende was extracted from the Habsburg silver mines in Joachimsthal, Bohemia (now Jáchymov in the Czech Republic). In the early 19th century, the world's only known sources of uranium ore were these mines.
References
Actinides
Chemical elements
Fuel |
The Graduate is a 1967 American movie based on a novel by Charles Webb, and directed by Mike Nichols. It is set in Southern California.
In the movie and book, a recent college graduate (played by Dustin Hoffman) is seduced by Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), the wife of his father's business partner. He later falls in love with their daughter Elaine (Katharine Ross).
The movie was Hoffman's first major role (it was his second role). He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance.
The soundtrack album contained music by folk duo Simon and Garfunkel, and replaced The Beatles's White Album for the number one position (most sales) on the music charts.
Scenes from The Graduate have been well-remembered by many people, since it appeared. In one of them, one-word advice for corporate success ("Plastics") is given by a family friend of Benjamin's. (Reportedly, sales of stock in plastics companies jumped in the months after the movie appeared.) Another scene, where Ben tries to stop Elaine from marrying another man, has been imitated and parodied in television programs, including the cartoon series Daria.
In 1998, a play based on the movie premiered in London and on Broadway; its stars included Kathleen Turner, Alicia Silverstone and Morgan Fairchild.
Cast
Anne Bancroft as Mrs. Robinson
Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock
Katharine Ross as Elaine Robinson
William Daniels as Mr. Braddock
Murray Hamilton as Mr. Robinson
Elizabeth Wilson as Mrs. Braddock
Buck Henry as Hotel Clerk
Walter Brooke as Mr. McGuire
Brian Avery as Carl Smith
Norman Fell as Mr. McCleery
Marion Lorne as Singleman party guest
Alice Ghostley as Singleman party guest
Uncredited:
Mike Farrell as a bellhop at the hotel
Richard Dreyfuss as Boarding House Resident
Ben Murphy as the shaving student in the fraternity house
Kevin Tighe as Carter, Carl Smith's fraternity brother
Eve McVeagh as party guest
Hamilton Camp as Second Hotel Clerk
Donald F. Glut as College Student
Elaine May as Girl with Note for Benjamin
Awards and honors
Anne Bancroft, Dustin Hoffman, and Katharine Ross earned Oscar nominations for their performances.
Along with the acting nominations, the movie received nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture. Mike Nichols won the Academy Award for Best Director.
The movie won the BAFTA Award for Best Film, the BAFTA Award for Best Editing (to Sam O'Steen) and the BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay.
In 1996, The Graduate was picked to keep in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
American Film Institute recognition
1998: AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies - #7
2000: AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs - #9
2002: AFI's 100 Years... 100 Passions - #52
2004: AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs:
"Mrs. Robinson" - #6
2005: AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes:
"Plastics." - #42
"Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me. Aren't you?" - #63
2007: AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) - #17
The movie is listed in the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book.
Alfa Romeo made a "Graduate" edition Alfa Romeo Spider, the car Benjamin drives in the movie.
References
Other websites
NPR feature on movie
Kierkegaard's Narrative : The Graduate
1967 comedy movies
1967 drama movies
1967 romance movies
1960s comedy-drama movies
1960s romantic comedy movies
1960s romantic drama movies
Adultery in movies
American comedy-drama movies
American romantic comedy movies
American romantic drama movies
Cult movies
English-language movies
Movies about suburbia
Movies based on books
Movies directed by Mike Nichols
Movies set in California
Sex comedy movies
American independent movies |
Aquitaine (Occitan: Aquitània; ; ) is a part of southwestern France. It was once an administrative region but is now part of the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. With over 41,000 square kilometers, it is one of the largest regions of mainland France (the largest of all French regions is French Guiana, in South America).
Its capital was Bordeaux, the largest city. The French name of the people living in the region is Aquitain.
The five departments in the region were Dordogne, Gironde, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne, and Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
Geography
The Aquitaine region was the third largest region of Metropolitan France, after Midi-Pyrénées and Rhône-Alpes. Its area was . It bordered with three French regions: Poitou-Charentes to the north, Limousin to the northeast and Midi-Pyrénées to the east. To the south is Spain (Aragon and Navarre) and to the west the Atlantic Ocean. The coast along the Atlantic Ocean, part of the Bay of Biscay, is called the Côte d'Argent (Silver Coast).
The Greenwich Meridian passes through Aquitaine.
Most of Aquitaine is in the Aquitanian basin, a relatively flat and geologically young landscape. High mountains are found only in the south of Aquitaine, in the Pyrenees mountain range. The Pic Palas (), at , is the highest point of Aquitaine; it is on the border with Spain.
The main rivers of the region are the Garonne, that flows through the Gironde and Lot-et-Garonne departments; the Dordogne, that flows through the Dordogne and Gironde departments; the Lot, that flows through the Lot-et-Garonne department; the Dropt, that flows through the Dordogne, Gironde and Lot-et-Garonne departments; and the Adour, that flows through the Landes department.
The climate is mild - except in the high mountains - all year round. On the Atlantic coast, the annual average temperature is above 15 °C, in Bordeaux is about 14 °C and on the border of Limousin is still 11 °C. Rainfall is relatively high and is higher in the south of the region.
History
In the Middle Ages Aquitaine was at times a kingdom and a duchy. Various wars made it larger and smaller. Aquitane came into the control of England when Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry II of England in 1152. It remained in English control until 1453 at the end of the Hundred Years' War.
Departments
The Aquitaine region is formed by five departments:
Demographics
The Aquitaine region had a population, in 2012, of 3,285,970, for a population density of inhabitants/km2.
The 10 most important cities in the department are:
Gallery
Notes
References
Other websites
Regional Council of Aquitain official website
Visit Aquitaine
Regional information and tourist attractions
Aquitaine: the cradle of humanity |
Frances Winfield is the wife of an American politician, L. Paul Bremer III. They have two children.
Life
She is an author. She was born in Connecticut. She met her husband at a music concert. They fell in love in college. They got married in 1966. Both she and her husband are strong Roman Catholics. They are ministers in their home state of Maryland.
Her books
Running to Paradise, 2000,
Coping With His Success: A Survival Guide for Wives at the Top, 1984
Other websites
Web Opens New Window On Prayer, Washington Post March 2, 2003
Faith Gives Him Strength, The Catholic Standard, June 19, 2003
Misty Valley Hosts Author of Paradise , August 2005
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Writers from Connecticut
Writers from Maryland |
A nightmare is a very powerful dream that the sleeper finds disturbing or frightening. Nightmares usually have either physiological causes, like a high fever, or psychological ones, like trauma or stress in the sleeper's life. Nightmares are common, but nightmares that happen very often can cause problems with sleep. They may cause people to get medical help.
Nightmares usually happen during REM sleep.
In earlier times
In earlier times, people thought that such nightmares were really the work of demons. They thought people were having nightmares because an Incubus was sitting on the chest of the sleeper. This can also be seen on the image. Sometimes people also thought magic and demonic possession were involved.
In the 19th century, people thought their diet was responsible. When Ebenezer Scrooge sees a ghost in A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, he thinks "... an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato..." is responsible. Similarly, the Household Cyclopedia (1881) offers this advice about nightmares:
"Great attention is to be paid to regularity and choice of diet. Intemperance of every kind is hurtful, but nothing is more productive of this disease than drinking bad wine. Of eatables those which are most prejudicial are all fat and greasy meats and pastry... Moderate exercise contributes in a superior degree to promote the digestion of food and prevent flatulence; those, however, who are necessarily confined to a sedentary occupation, should particularly avoid applying themselves to study or bodily labor immediately after eating... Going to bed before the usual hour is a frequent cause of night-mare, as it either occasions the patient to sleep too long or to lie long awake in the night. Passing a whole night or part of a night without rest likewise gives birth to the disease, as it occasions the patient, on the succeeding night, to sleep too soundly. Indulging in sleep too late in the morning, is an almost certain method to bring on the paroxysm, and the more frequently it returns, the greater strength it acquires; the propensity to sleep at this time is almost irresistible."
References
Psychology |
Melilla is a city in North Africa, right opposite Spain. It belongs to Spain, and is all surrounded by Morocco, which believes it should belong to them. Ceuta is another such city.
Its surface is about 20 square kilometers, and there are almost 70,000 people living there.
Other websites
Google Maps entry for Melilla
Exclaves |
Ceuta is a Spanish city in North Africa, at the Strait of Gibraltar. The City area is about 20 square kilometers, and there are over 82,000 people living in the city. The city is surrounded by a border fence, which has been built to keep the Moroccans (and other Africans) from moving there unlawfully. Ceuta is part of Spain (and therefore the European Union). Until it became a self-governing city in 1994, it belonged to the Cadiz Province.
It was built by the Phoenicians at a strategic position.
Other websites
Exclaves |
Burkina Faso is a country in West Africa. It used to be called Upper Volta and the name was changed to Burkina Faso in 1984. The country was once ruled by France, but it has been independent since 1960. The capital is Ouagadougou.
In 2005, about 13,228,000 people lived in the country. It is next to Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. It does not have any coast with an ocean or sea. People from Burkina Faso are called Burkinabé (pronounced burr-KEE-na-bay).
History
People have lived in the area of Burkina Faso for thousands of years. At first, they were hunter-gatherers, hunting animals and collecting fruits and vegetables. Later they became farmers. People called the Mossi arrived between the 11th and 13th centuries. They ruled the area until the end of the 19th century. In 1896 France beat the Mossi kingdom and became the colonial rulers of Burkina Faso. After World War I, the country was called Upper Volta.
In 1960, Upper Volta became independent from France. The first president of the new country was Maurice Yaméogo. After he became the president, Yaméogo banned other political parties. For several years the people of Upper Volta were very unhappy with the government and in 1966 the military took over in a military coup. In 1983 the government was taken over again by military men called Thomas Sankara and Blaise Compaoré. Sankara became president. In 1984, he changed the name of the country to Burkina Faso. It means "land of honest people".
In December 1985, Burkina Faso went to war for five days with near-by country Mali. In 1987, there was another military coup and Sankara was assassinated (murdered). Blaise Compaoré became the president.
On 28 October 2014 protesters began to march and demonstrate in Ouagadougou. Compaoré was ready to change the constitution and extend his 27-year rule. On 30 October 2014, some protesters set fire to the parliament. They also took over the national television headquarters. On 31 October 2014, President Compaoré, resigned after 27 years in office.
In 2015 the country held their first election. Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, a former Prime Minister, was elected as president. In 2022, Kaboré was removed from power during a military coup d'état led by Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba.
Regions, provinces, and departments
Burkina Faso is divided into thirteen regions, forty-five provinces, and 301 departments. The regions are:
Boucle du Mouhoun
Cascades
Centre
Centre-Est
Centre-Nord
Centre-Ouest
Centre-Sud
Est
Hauts-Bassins
Nord
Plateau-Central
Sahel
Sud-Ouest
Cities
Below is a list of the largest cities in Burkina Faso. For other cities see List of cities in Burkina Faso.
Geography and climate
Burkina Faso is made up of two major types of countryside. The larger part of the country is covered by a peneplain. It has a gently undulating landscape with a few isolated hills. The southwest of the country forms a sandstone massif. The highest peak, Ténakourou, is found at an elevation of . The area is bordered by sheer cliffs up to high. The average altitude of Burkina Faso is . The difference between the highest and lowest terrain is no greater than . Burkina Faso is a mostly flat country.
Burkina Faso has a tropical climate with two distinct seasons. In the rainy season, the country receives between of rainfall. In the dry season, the harmattan – a hot dry wind from the Sahara – blows. The rainy season lasts about four months, from May/June to September. It is shorter in the north of the country.
Burkina Faso's natural resources include manganese, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt and small deposits of gold.
Burkina Faso's fauna and flora are protected in two national parks and several reserves.
Culture
Literature in Burkina Faso is based on the oral tradition, which remains important. Since the 1970s, literature has developed in Burkina Faso with many more writers being published.
There is also a large artist community, especially in Ouagadougou. Much of the crafts produced are for the growing tourist industry.
The food of Burkina Faso, typical of west African cuisine, is based around staple foods of sorghum, millet, rice, maize, peanuts, potatoes, beans, yams and okra. The most common sources of protein are chicken, eggs and fresh water fish.
Related pages
Burkina Faso at the Olympics
Burkina Faso national football team
List of rivers of Burkina Faso
References
Other websites
Least developed countries
Members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
1960 establishments in Africa |
The Battle of Waterloo was a battle that was fought between the French army and the British and Prussian armies.
Napoleon was crowned as Emperor of France in 1804, and then launched the successful Napoleonic Wars. France soon had an empire that stretched from Spain to the Russian border. Defeated at the Battle of Leipzig and elsewhere, he accepted exile on the island of Elba in 1814. In February 1815 he again took control of the French Army. He attacked his enemies in Belgium and was defeated at Waterloo. It was the last battle of the Napoleonic Wars.
History
Napoleon seemed unstoppable until two separate campaigns failed. He gathered a huge army to invade and conquer Russia in 1812. His army was caught by the Russian winter and destroyed by the weather and lack of food. The countries of Eastern Europe, led by Austria and Prussia, began to ally against him, forcing his troops back towards France. Meanwhile, a small army in Portugal and Spain, led by Arthur Wellesley (later to become Duke of Wellington) began to push Napoleon’s troops out of Spain.
By 1814, Napoleon faced total defeat, with invasions from all sides. A peace treaty was arranged. Napoleon would abdicate (give up the throne) and live on a small Mediterranean island called Elba, with a small army. He was replaced as ruler of France by Louis XVIII, brother of Louis XVI.
The 100 Days
On the island of Elba, Napoleon was not content. He had been promised money by the new French government, but the money did not come. His wife (an Austrian princess) and his sons were forbidden to visit him.
Messages from France showed that his enemies were quarreling. He seized his opportunity, going by ship in February 1815 and landing in France again. His welcome was very mixed. Many French were tired of war and the death and suffering that it made. However, others wanted a return to the power and glory of the old days and saw Napoleon as their best hope.
His first days were tense but, by personal leadership and persuasion, Napoleon managed to gain the support of the army. When the king panicked and fled the country, there was little to stop Napoleon returning to Paris and resuming his title of Emperor.
The Waterloo Campaign
What Napoleon needed now was a period of time to organize himself and the French army. The allies were caught completely by surprise and their only chance to stop him lay with two small armies in Belgium: a British and Dutch army commanded by the Duke of Wellington and a Prussian (German) army commanded by Marshall Blücher.
Napoleon decided on a further gamble. He gathered an army and prepared a surprise attack on Wellington and Blucher, hoping to catch them unprepared. His plan was successful at first and he crossed the Belgian border before Wellington and Blucher could join forces.
Ligny and Quatre Bras
His first battle was at Ligny and, after a fierce day’s fighting, he defeated the Prussian army, forcing it to retreat. Thinking that Blucher would retreat back to Prussia, Napoleon turned his attention towards Wellington. There had already been a small battle at Quatre Bras, as Wellington tried to delay the French advance. This had given Wellington enough time to prepare a full defensive position across the road leading to Brussels, near the village of Waterloo.
The French army advanced towards them and set up their camp on a ridge facing the combined British and Dutch (Anglo-Dutch) army. Heavy rain caused delays and confusion and both armies settled down for the night in the mud to await the dawn and the forthcoming battle.
Napoleon’s army faced the Duke of Wellington’s Anglo-Dutch army near Waterloo on 18th June 1815. Wellington’s troops were deployed behind a low ridge, partially protecting them from the French massed artillery.
Phase 1 – The Attack on Hougoumont
At around 11.00 Napoleon ordered his guns to open fire. French infantry began an attack against the Château of Hougoumont, defended by the British Foot Guards. This was intended to draw Wellington’s reserves away from the centre, where Napoleon’s main attack would fall.
According to records Hougomont was considered to be a vital key to winning the Battle Of Waterloo.
Phase 2 – The French Infantry Attacks
At 13:30 Napoleon launched an infantry attack against Wellington’s centre. Men of the King’s German Legion resolutely defended the farm of La Haye Sainte. This disrupted the French attack. British artillery and musketry succeeded in checking the French assault and the British Household and Union heavy cavalry brigades charged after the wavering Frenchmen. Elated by their success, the British cavalry pursued their enemy too far and in turn suffered terrible casualties at the hands of the French lancers and light cavalry.
Phase 3 – The French Cavalry Attacks
At 15.00 the Anglo-Dutch army appeared to be retreating after the heavy bombardment they had received all day, so Napoleon's general Marshal Ney led a massed French cavalry attack against Wellington’s centre. However, the British infantry had only been moving back to regroup and tend the wounded, and they were able to form squares to defend themselves from cavalry attack. The French took terrible casualties as they circled these impregnable formations of infantrymen.
The situation further deteriorated for Napoleon as Blucher's Prussian troops launched an attack at Plancenoit to his rear at 16.30.
Phase 4 – The Prussians begin to increase pressure
By early evening the French attack at Hougoumont, intended as a diversion, was now having the opposite effect. The French committed more and more troops to the bitter fighting around the château, which was held by only a small force of British Guardsmen. More French reserves were being sent to meet the Prussian threat to the rear of Napoleon’s army at Plancenoit. However, the French had at last succeeded in capturing the farm of La Haye Sainte, only a short distance from Wellington’s centre.
Phase 5 – The Attack by the Imperial Guard
At approximately 19.30 Napoleon committed his last reserves in a final effort to obtain victory. As Prussians arrived to bolster Wellington’s flank, veterans of the French Imperial Guard advanced to 'finish the job'. The British infantry, exhausted from the continuous cannonade they had received all day, rose to meet them. The musketry of the British Guards Brigade defeated Napoleon’s finest troops. They fled, and the whole French army joined them in retreat. Wellington ordered his entire line to advance and the French were driven from the field.
References
Further reading
.
Battle of Waterloo -Citizendium
1815
Waterloo
Waterloo
Waterloo
Waterloo
Wallonia
Walloon Brabant
Waterloo |
São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe is an island nation in Central Africa, it is located off the Gulf of Guinea. The main islands of São Tomé and Príncipe are about 140 km apart and about 250 and 225 km, respectively, off of the northwestern coast of Gabon. The country have a population of 201,800 (2018 official estimate),São Tomé and Príncipe is the second-smallest and second-least populous African sovereign state after Seychelles as well as the smallest and least populous Portuguese-speaking country in the world.
The English translation of the countries name is Saint Thomas and Prince.
The islands were a Portuguese colony, but have been independent since July 1975. Portuguese is the official language.
History
The Portuguese arrived in São Tomé Island on December 21, 1471, and Príncipe Island on January 17, 1492. As these were days dedicated to saints, both islands had saints’ names. S. Antão Island, the former name of Príncipe Island, changed in 1500 to honor the Prince of Portugal.
The official historical version says that the country was uninhabited before the arrival of the Portuguese sailors.
The first successful Portuguese settlement in the archipelago was in 1493. The volcanic soil of the islands proved to be good for sugar crops. Hard work was needed to grow and harvest the sugar crops. Slaves were brought from Portugal to do the work. Because other countries began producing more sugar, the islands were not able to make money from it. Instead it became a stopping place for the slave trade.
In the 19th century, crops of coffee and cocoa were grown. These became successful. By 1908 the country was the largest producer of cocoa. It is the most important crop for the country.
On February 3, 1953, the Batepá massacre occurred. In the massacre hundreds of local people were killed by Portuguese settlers. The Portuguese wanted workers for the crops. The locals said they were being used as slaves. The governor told the military to take any locals who did not want to work.
In the late 1950s a group wanted independence. They were called the MLSTP (Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe). In 1974 they succeeded in removing Marcelo Caetano as their leader. On 12 July 1975 São Tomé and Príncipe became an independent country. The first president was Manuel Pinto da Costa. He was the MLSTP`s General Secretary.
Until 1990 the MLSTP was the only political party. They changed the constitution to allow other political parties. The new Party of Democratic Convergence (PCD) won the most seats in the National Assembly. Miguel Trovoada was elected president.
Politics
The president is elected for a five-year term and can be re-elected. The prime minister is elected for a four-year term. The thirteen members of the cabinet (the group of ministers) are chosen by them. All adult citizens can vote in the elections. They vote by secret ballot.
Provinces
São Tomé and Príncipe is divided into 2 provinces: Príncipe and São Tomé.
The provinces are further divided into seven districts, six on São Tomé and one on Príncipe (with Príncipe having self-government since April 29, 1995).
Cities
Geography and Climate
São Tomé and Príncipe is formed by two volcanic islands - the biggest of which is S. Tomé - and several islets. It is in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Africa. Both islands belong to the Cameroon volcanic mountain line.
The archipelago is 1,001km2 in size. The equator line passes through the Rolas’s Islet which is in the south of S. Tomé Island. The tallest peak is the Peak of S. Tomé at 2,024m tall.
The climate is tropical, hot and humid, with an annual average temperature of 27 C. There are two main seasons. Gravana is the driest season. It has little or no rainfall and the temperatures are lower. Gravana lasts from June to August. The rainy season is from October to May.
Economy
Since the archipelago´s discovery, its economy has been based on agriculture and fishing. Cocoa is 95% of the country’s exports. Other exports are copper, palm oil and coffee. Another economic activity is tourism.
After independence, the country’s economy was nationalized, it was then privatised in the early 1990s. Now the government budget is mainly based on foreign assistance from donors such as the UN Development Programme, the World Bank, and country donors.
The main importers of the archipelago's production are Portugal with 51%, France with 14%, Angola with 11%, and Japan with 10%.
In 2001, petroleum was found in the waters claimed by the archipelago and Nigeria.
Demographics
According to the 2010 census, about 163,000 people lived in São Tomé and Príncipe. 52,000 lived in the capital and less than seven thousand lived on Príncipe Island.
São Tomé is the country’s capital and main city.
The people of S. Tomé and Príncipe are divided into the following ethnic groups: mixed-blood, descendents of Portuguese settlers and African slaves; Forros, the biggest ethnic group and descendents of freed slaves; Angolares, descendents of Angolan slaves; Tonga, mixed blood of Forros and hired workers from Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde; and Cape Verdean descendents.
The country’s official language is Portuguese. Other languages spoken are Forro, a creole spoken by 80% of S. Tomé Island`s people; Angolar, spoken mainly on the southeast of S. Tomé Island; Lung`ié, spoken in Príncipe Island; and Creole from Cape Verde.
Almost everyone is Christian: Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant and Seventh-Day Adventist.
Culture
The country’s culture is the product of Portuguese and African cultural influence. Typical dances on the islands are Ússua, Socopé, Dêxa, and Puita. Tchiloli, Danço Congo and Auto dos Floripes are public theatrical performances, examples of the Portuguese cultural legacy.
Alda Neves da Graça do Espírito Santo was a famous poet from São Tomé.
Education
Children are required to attend school for four years. The National Lyceum (São Tomé and Príncipe) and the University of São Tomé and Príncipe are the two colleges.
References
Portuguese-speaking countries
Least developed countries
1975 establishments in Africa |
The Republic of Equatorial Guinea is a nation in west central Africa, and one of the smallest countries in Africa. It borders Cameroon on the north, Gabon on the south and east, and the Gulf of Guinea on the west. The country's territory is both on the continent and on islands. The continental part is known as Río Muni. On one island, Bioko, is the capital, Malabo.
Equatorial Guinea and the peoples living there were colonized by Spain. Spanish is an official language because of this.
Provinces
Equatorial Guinea is divided into seven provinces (capitals appear in parentheses):
Annobón (San Antonio de Palé)
Bioko Norte (Rebola)
Bioko Sur (Luba)
Centro Sur (Evinayong)
Kié-Ntem (Ebebiyín)
Litoral (Bata)
Wele-Nzas (Mongomo)
The provinces are further divided into districts.
References
Other websites
1968 establishments in Africa
French-speaking countries
Least developed countries
Spanish-speaking countries |
Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (born June 5 1942) has been the President of Equatorial Guinea since 1979. Mbasongo did the military academy in Zaragoza, Spain. He came to power in a military coup, deposing the former leader Francisco Macías Nguema. Ngema had ruled the country for the previous decade. He was known to be very cruel. Ngema was sentenced to death and executed by a firing squad. Mbasonga promised to start over and to do a better job at governing the country.
In 1982, a new constitution was made. MBasogo was given the newly created post of president. He was re-elected in 1989, 1996 and 2002. In 1989 he was the only candidate, in the 1996 and 2002, international observers said the election results were false.
Obiang's regime kept clear authoritarian characteristics even after other parties were legalized in 1991. Most domestic and international observers consider his regime to be one of the most corrupt, ethnocentric, oppressive and undemocratic states in the world. Equatorial Guinea is now essentially a single-party state, dominated by Obiang's Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE). In 2008 American journalist Peter Maass called Obiang Africa's worst dictator, worse than Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. The constitution grants Obiang wide powers, including the power to rule by decree. Nonetheless, Obiang has far less power than Macías. For the most part his rule has been considerably milder. Notably, there have been none of the atrocities that characterized the Macías era.
All but one member of the 100-seat national parliament belong to the PDGE or are aligned with it. The opposition is severely hampered by the lack of a free press to express their views. Around 90% of all opposition politicians live in exile, 550 anti-Obiang activists have been jailed unfairly, and several killed since 1979.
In July 2003, state-operated radio declared Obiang to be a god who is "in permanent contact with the Almighty" and "can decide to kill without anyone calling him to account and without going to hell." He personally made similar comments in 1993. Despite these comments, he still claims that he is a devout Catholic and was invited to the Vatican by John Paul II and again by Benedict XVI. Macías had also proclaimed himself a god.
In November 2021, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo was appointed at his party's congress as a candidate for a sixth term in the 2023 election.
References
1942 births
Living people
African Union chairpersons
Current national leaders
Presidents of Equatorial Guinea |
Lord Voldemort (born Tom Marvolo Riddle) is a fictional character in the Harry Potter series of children's books. The books were written by J.K. Rowling. Voldemort first appears in the 1997 fantasy novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. In the Harry Potter movies, Voldemort is played by actors Richard Bremmer, Christian Coulson, Ralph Fiennes, Hero-Fiennes Tiffin, and Frank Dillane.
Name
"Voldemort" means "flight of death" in French. J.K. Rowling apologized for this in 2009, saying that she did not mean that French people were bad: "I can assure you that no anti-French feeling was at the origin of this choice. As a Francophile, I have always been proud of my French blood. But I needed a name that evokes both power and exoticism." She also said that Voldemort himself was "100 percent English".
Fictional biography
In the world of Harry Potter some people are wizards and can do magic. "Wizarding society" hides from non-magical people, whom they call "muggles". Wizards have separate governments and separate schools where they teach their children magic in addition to normal things like history.
Voldemort's mother named him Tom Marvolo Riddle. His mother, Merope Gaunt, is a descendant of the famous ancient wizard Salazar Slytherin, but by the time she is a young woman, the family is poor. Merope tricks a handsome and rich young non-wizard named Tom Riddle into falling in love with her via Amortentia, or the Love Potion. They run away and got married. After the love potion wears off, Tom Riddle leaves Merope, disgusted when he found out that his wife was a witch. She gives birth to a son and names him Tom Marvolo Riddle. She dies right after that.
Tom Marvolo Riddle grows up in an orphanage in England. He does not know about wizards or magic but does know he can do things other children cannot. He like to scare the other orphans, kill their pets and steal their things from them. When he is 11 years old, a teacher at the wizard school Hogwarts named Albus Dumbledore comes to his orphanage and tells him he is a young wizard and can go to the school.
Tom Marvolo Riddle goes to Hogwarts, where he is sorted into Slytherin. At there, he learns magic, and becomes a handsome young man. He also collects rare objects, sometimes by stealing them. Other people make Tom Marvolo Riddle their leader and he starts calling himself Lord Voldemort. Over the years, Voldemort makes magical objects called Horcruxes and puts part of his soul in each one. This keeps him from dying all the way and makes it possible for his friends to bring him back to life.
Voldemort believes wizards should rule the world and conquer non-magical people instead of hiding from them. He also thinks that "pure-blood wizards", wizards who do not have any non-magical parents or ancestors, are superior to other people. Ironically, he is a "half-blood" wizard himself. He starts a war to make himself the leader of the wizarding world.
Voldemort and his followers kill many wizards and non-magic people. Voldemort hears part of a prophecy saying that a specific boy might grow up and defeat him one day. He decides this boy must be Harry Potter, then still a baby. He finds Harry's family, kills his parents, and tries to kill Harry, but the spell backfires due to Lily's loving sacrifice. Because of his horcruxes, Voldemort does not really die. He is "less than the meanest ghost" but he is still in the world. His spirit runs away and hides. Even with Voldemort gone, most wizards are still so afraid of him that they do not want to say his name. They call Voldemort "You-Know-Who" or "He Who Must Not Be Named".
In the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Voldemort sneaks back into Hogwarts School by partially possessing the body of his secret follower, Professor Quirrell. He and Quirrell try to steal the philosopher's stone to bring Voldemort back to life. Harry and his friends stop them.
In the second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, one of Voldemort's horcruxes, his childhood diary possesses the body of a girl named Ginny Weasley and lets a monster called a basilisk into the school. The basilisk petrified several Muggle-born students, turning them to stone. Harry and his friends stop it, though Harry's friend, Hermione is also petrified in the process. She did left a clue behind, and Harry destroyed the diary, restoring Ginny's vitality.
Voldemort does not appear in the third book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in any form.
In the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Voldemort's followers trick Harry into coming to them so they can use him to cast a spell that brings Voldemort back to life.
In the fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Voldemort and his followers start trying to take over the wizarding world again, but they are hiding while they do it. Harry Potter and his friends prove to the rest of the wizarding world that Voldemort really is alive again.
In the sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Voldemort and his followers fight and take over much of the wizarding government in Britain.
In the seventh book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry Potter and his friends find all of Voldemort's horcruxes and defeat him. Voldemort is defeated, once and for all by Harry Potter, his mortal enemy.
Interpretation
Experts generally say Voldemort is a metaphor for fascism and fear of outsiders. He has also been compared to Rick Perry, Dick Cheney. Many people, including author J.K. Rowling, compared Donald Trump to Lord Voldemort after his 2015 proposal to forbid Muslims from entering the United States.
References
Fictional characters introduced in 1997
Harry Potter characters |
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a fictional boarding school in J. K. Rowling's best-selling Harry Potter series. It is a school of magic for witches and wizards between the ages of eleven and seventeen living in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland.
Hogwarts houses
Gryffindor
Gryffindor house was started by Godric Grand Gryffindor, from whom it gets the name. The house especially values courage. Its symbol (animal) is the lion and its colours are scarlet (red-purple) and yellow / goldish yellow. Nearly Headless Nick is the house ghost. The Gryffindors always compete with the Slytherins.
The Gryffindor Common Room (the place where the Gryffindor students spend their time and do their homework) is in one of the castle's towers, at the seventh floor. At the door, there is the Fat Lady, or the Lady who is fat. She lets the students in only after they give her the password (which changes from the beginning of the school year to the end of the school year). The Fat Lady wears a blue dress. In the room there is a place with fire, many chairs and tables, and two pair of stairs which take the girls and boys to their sleeping rooms.
The head of Gryffindor house is Minerva McGonagall.
List of well known Gryffindors
Hufflepuff
Hufflepuff house was started by Helga Hufflepuff, from whom it gets the name. The house especially values hard work, patience, friendship and fair play. Its symbol (animal) is the badger and its colours are black and yellow. The Fat Friar is the house ghost.
The Hufflepuff Common Room door is near the kitchens, in the dungeons. It is a quite cozy and welcoming place, not at all like a dungeon. In the room there are yellow hangings and fat armchairs, with little underground tunnels that take the students to their sleeping rooms. The tunnels have round doors like barrel-tops.
The head of Hufflepuff house is Pomona Sprout.
List of well known Hufflepuffs
Helga Hufflepuff
Newt Scamander
Nymphadora Tonks
Hannah Abbott
Ernie Macmillian
Zacharias Smith
Justin Finch-Fletchley
Susan Bones
Cedric Diggory
Ravenclaw
Ravenclaw house was started by Rowena Ravenclaw, from whom it gets its name. The house especially values intelligence. Its symbol (animal) is the eagle and its colours are blue and bronze, the house's saying is "Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure". The Grey Lady is the house ghost and when she was alive she was Helena Ravenclaw, daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw.
The Ravenclaw Common Room is in Ravenclaw Tower, on the west side of the Castle. At the door the students must answer a riddle that the eagle-shaped door knocker asks them.
The head of Ravenclaw house is Filius Flitwick.
List of well known Ravenclaws
Slytherin
Slytherin house was started by Salazar Slytherin, from whom it gets the name. The house especially values ambition and determination. Its symbol (animal) is the snake and its colours are green and silver. The Bloody Baron is the house ghost.
The Slytherin Common Room is in the dungeons of Hogwarts and is placed under The Black Lake, in the school grounds.
The house has a negative reputation, with a lot of people saying that it is the house from where almost all dark wizards in Britain, notably Tom Riddle (Voldemort), came from.
The house is usually in competition with the Gryffindor house, as they "don't like each other on principle".
The head of Slytherin house is Severus Snape and in the 7th book Horace Slughorn.
List of well known Slytherins |
The Toronto Maple Leafs are an ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Origin
They were formed in 1917 as one of the six original NHL teams. They were called the Toronto Arenas, but changed their name to St. Patricks, then to Maple Leafs, in the 1920s. The maple leaf is a symbol of Canada. The hockey team was actually named for an older team, a minor league baseball team called the Toronto Maple Leafs.
History
The Maple Leafs have won the Stanley Cup championship 13 times, more than any team except the Montreal Canadiens. However, they have not won since 1967.
Early years
They won in their first year, 1918, and then again in 1922 and 1932. In their early years, they had many NHL scoring champions: "Babe" Dye in 1923 and 1925, "Ace" Bailey in 1929, Harvey "Busher" Jackson in 1932, Charlie Conacher in 1934 and 1935, and Gordie Drillon in 1938. However, no Toronto player has been scoring champion since then.
Victories
They were a strong team in the 1940s. They won the Stanley Cup in 1942 against the Detroit Red Wings, four games to three, even though they were losing three games to none at one point. This was the first of six championships in ten years; they also won in 1945, then three years in a row: 1947, 1948, and 1949, and again in 1951. Some of their best players in that time included goaltender Turk Broda, forward Syl Apps, and defence "Babe" Pratt, who won the Hart Trophy as the most valuable player in 1944. Ted "Teeder" Kennedy won the Hart Trophy in 1955; but no other Maple Leaf has won that award.
The team won four Stanley Cups in the 1960s: three in a row - 1962, 1963, and 1964 - and again in 1967. Frank Mahovlich, a left winger, was the star player. They were also led by defenceman Tim Horton (who began the Tim Horton's doughnut shops), center Dave Keon, goaltender Johnny Bower, and winger George Armstrong. Keon won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the top player in the playoffs in 1967.
Later years
In the late 1970s, the Maple Leafs were a good team, with players such as centre Darryl Sittler (who scored a record 10 points in one game) and Swedish defence Borje Salming (one of the first Europeans to play in the NHL). However, there were 18 NHL teams by then, so it was hard to come first. Wendel Clark was a strong player in the 1980s; he became the team's all-time top scorer. Mats Sundin was another Swedish star in the 1990s and 2000s. They also had some good goaltenders around this time: Curtis Joseph, then Ed Belfour.
References
Notes
Other websites
Official website
Toronto Maple Leafs players
1917 establishments in North America
1910s establishments in Canada |
The Detroit Red Wings are an ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL).
History
Early history
The Red Wings were formed in 1926. The Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) folded that year, and many of the players from the WCHL's Victoria Cougars went to play for Detroit. As a result, the team was first called the Detroit Cougars, then later it changed to Detroit Falcons, before becoming known as the Red Wings.
Later history
In the late 1940s, the line of Sid Abel, Gordie Howe, and Ted Lindsey became very important to the team. Abel won the Hart Trophy in 1949, and Lindsey won the Art Ross Trophy as scoring champion in 1950. Howe then won six Hart and six Art Ross Trophies between 1951 and 1963. Terry Sawchuck was a star goaltender, who ended up with more career shutouts than any other goalie (103). Red Kelly won the first ever Norris Trophy as best defence. As a result of having such great players, the Red Wings won four Stanley Cups in six years: 1950, 1952, 1954, and 1955. Two of these were very close: they were won in overtime of the 7th and deciding game in 1950 (against the New York Rangers) and 1954 (against the Montreal Canadiens). These are the only two times the NHL championship has gone to overtime of game seven.
The Red Wings continued to be a strong team throughout the 1960. They lost the NHL Finals five times between 1956 and 1966. Norm Ullman was their star center in the 1960s.
Comeback
They were not a strong team again until the late 1980s. Steve Yzerman became a star at this time. Sergei Fedorov became the first Russian to win the Hart Trophy in 1994. The Red Wings won the President's Cup as top team in the NHL regular season in 1995, 1996 (with a record number of wins), and 2002. They won the Stanley Cup in 1997, 1998, and 2002. Nicklas Lidstrom won the Norris Trophy as best defenceman three times beginning in 2001. The team was one of the richest in the NHL, which helped them get many good players.
Winnings
The Red Wings have won eleven Stanley Cups, the third most of any team, and the most of the United States teams. They first won in 1936 and 1937, and again in 1943. Ebbie Goodfellow won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player in 1940. Sid Howe was also a star on the team at this time.
Related pages
List of Detroit Red Wings players
References
Other websites
Official website
1926 establishments in the United States |
Wayne Gretzky (born January 26, 1961 in Brantford, Ontario) known as "The Great One", is a Canadian retired ice hockey player. Gretzky played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 20 seasons. He was coach and part-owner of the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes until he stepped down on September 24, 2009. He also managed Canada's Olympic hockey teams in 2002 and 2006, as well as Canada's 2004 World Cup of Hockey team.
Biography
The Gretsky family comes from Belarus, or more precisely from the Brest region (the village of Ogdemer), from where his paternal grandfather Terenty Lavrentiyovych Gretsky emigrated. Grandmother Veyna Maria was Ukrainian and comes from Pidhaitsi (now Ternopil region); he and his grandfather spoke Ukrainian to each other. His parents were Walter and Phyllis Gretsky; his father considered Ukrainian his native language. The family had four other children: Kim, Kate, Brent and Glenn.
Gretsky did not emphasize his Ukrainian roots, but at a large fundraising dinner in Toronto in support of the Canadian medical mission to help victims on the Maidan and the ATO on September 11, 2014, Wayne and his wife Janet were introduced to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper as guests of honor.
Career
Wayne signed his first contract at the age of 16 with the Indianapolis Racers. He then played for the National Hockey League (NHL): "Edmonton Oilers" (Ukrainian-Canadian Dave Semenko was his bodyguard from rival teams), "Los Angeles Kings", "New York Rangers".
Gretzky was a star junior player with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. When he was a boy he went from a bad first season, to great improvement. But this success also brought criticism because his father pushed Gretzky's success over other young players'. In 1978, when he was 17, he began playing as a professional with the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association (WHA), but was sold to the Edmonton Oilers after only a few games. He was third in WHA scoring and rookie of the year.
The WHA folded in 1979, and the Oilers team joined the NHL. At the age of 19, Gretzky won his first Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player (MVP). He won this trophy nine times. In 1981, he won his first of ten Art Ross Trophies as NHL scoring champion. He set many records in the 1980s, including most goals (92), assists (163), and points (215) in a season. In the 1981-82 season, he scored 50 goals in 39 games, when the record had been 50 games. He was named as Sports Illustrated athlete of the year in 1982. He was also called "the greatest player of all time" in Total Hockey: The Official Encyclopedia of the NHL.
Gretzky won four Stanley Cup championships with the Edmonton Oilers: 1984, 1985, 1987, and 1988. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP in the playoffs in 1985 and 1988. Then, in 1988, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. He helped them to the finals in 1993. In 1996, he was traded to the St. Louis Blues, and signed with the New York Rangers at the beginning of the 1996-97 season. He retired, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, in 1999.
When he retired, he had 2857 career points, over 1000 more than the next highest player. To this day, no one else has reached 2000. He still holds the record for most career goals (894) and assists (1963) (he has more assists than anyone else has points). He holds many other records, such as most 100-point seasons (15), most points in the playoffs (47 in one year and 382 career), and most games in a row with at least one point (51). He was named to the first or second all-star team 15 times and was MVP of the NHL all-star game three times. He had 61 official NHL records when he retired.
In 21 years of playing on the ice (1487 games), Wayne Gretsky broke virtually all NHL records. He has 894 goals and 2857 points. He has won the NHL's most prestigious awards nine times (including "Most Valuable Player" and "Best Scorer").
In the Stanley Cup he played 208 matches, scored 122 goals. Four-time (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988) winner and three-time (1983, 1986, 1993) Stanley Cup finalist.
7 seasons in a row he was named the most productive player in the NHL (1980-1987). Awarded the Order of Canada (1984), member of the Hockey Hall of Fame (1999). Participant in the 18th Winter Olympics (Nagano, 1998), executive director of the Canadian national team at the 19th (Salt Lake City, 2002) and 20th (Turin, 2006) Olympic Games. Since 2005 - head coach, later co-owner of the team "Coyotes" (Phoenix, Arizona, USA).
He set 61 NHL records and was nicknamed the Great for his achievements. For his outstanding contribution to the development of world hockey in 1994, Wayne Gretsky was awarded the Lester Patrick Trophy. The athlete is also recognized as the best NHL hockey player of all time, immortalized in the "Hockey Hall of Fame". Number 99, under which he played, is assigned to him in all NHL teams.
Gretzky's number, #99, was retired by the entire league. He was named Canada's male athlete of the 20th century. He has also been honoured with Canada's highest honour for a civilian: the Order of Canada.
Family
Gretzky married American actress Janet Jones in 1988. They have five children: Paulina, Ty, Trevor, Tristan, and Emma.
References
Further reading
Other websites
1961 births
Art Ross Trophy winners
Canadian ice hockey centres
Canadian ice hockey coaches
Conn Smythe Trophy winners
Edmonton Oilers players
Hart Memorial Trophy winners
Hockey Hall of Fame inductees
Ice hockey people from Ontario
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winners
Living people
Los Angeles Kings players
New York Rangers players
Ontario Hockey League players
St. Louis Blues players
World Hockey Association players
Stanley Cup champions |
The Hart Trophy is given to the most valuable player of the National Hockey League every year. It was given to the NHL by Dr. David Hart, father of NHL coach and manager Cecil Hart. It was first awarded in 1924.
Wayne Gretzky has won the most Hart Trophies with nine, followed by Gordie Howe with six and Eddie Shore with four. Howie Morenz, Bobby Orr, Bobby Clarke, and Mario Lemieux have won the award three times each.
The closest vote for the trophy was in 2002, when Jose Theodore and Jarome Iginla tied; Theodore won because he had more first-place votes. In 1999, Chris Pronger won by one point over Jaromir Jagr; and in 1990, Mark Messier won by two points over Ray Bourque.
Winners
Related pages
List of NHL players
List of NHL statistical leaders
National Hockey League trophies and awards |
Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: Frangford am Maa, "Frank ford on the Main"), is one of the biggest cities in Germany. The city of Frankfurt has a population of 700,000. The metropolitan area, called Rhine-Main after its two biggest rivers, has over four million people. Frankfurt is an important centre for traffic and for the financial business. The Frankfurt International Airport is the largest in Germany, and one of the largest in the world. Frankfurt's train station is one of the largest, and its highway crossing is the centre of Germany's street network. Frankfurt is the seat of the European Central Bank, the German Federal Bank (Bundesbank) and of the biggest German banks, and it has an important stock exchange where shares of German companies are traded.
Frankfurt is on the Main river. The city's name means ford of the Franks - a ford is a place in a river where it is so shallow that you can walk through it, and the Franks were a Germanic people which existed in the first millennium. So, this was a place where travellers could cross the river without a boat. The frankish kings built a palace and a church here. Over the centuries, this group of buildings grew to be a big city which was famous for international trade and fairs, like today. Frankfurt was one of the most important cities of the Holy Roman Empire, and its emperors were crowned here. In the 19th century, Frankfurt was the capital of the German Confederation which was founded after the Holy Roman Empire fell apart. During the revolution of 1848, the first freely elected German parliament worked in Frankfurt.
During the Industrial Revolution, many factories and railway lines were built in Frankfurt and its suburbs. In the city centre, a lot of big buildings were built, like an opera house, theatres, stock exchange, railway stations, department stores or museums. Tram lines were constructed to make travelling inside the growing city easier. In World War II, the old city was totally destroyed by airplane bomber attacks. After the war, Germany was divided into two parts, and Frankfurt became the economic capital of West Germany while Bonn was chosen to be the political capital.
Frankfurt is a very international city. Every third inhabitant is not German. Most immigrants come from southeastern Europe, Turkey and North Africa, but there are people from almost every country living in Frankfurt. There are also many international business companies here, and the big airport links Frankfurt with many countries in the world. Many banks are based in Frankfurt, which is why so many are offered there. Frankfurt has some of the tallest buildings in Europe, which is why the city is although called "Mainhattan".
The largest shopping street in Frankfurt is called the Zeil.
Frankfurter is also a name for a hot dog, or sausage, because they are said to have originated in the city.
Frankfurt has an oceanic climate (Cfb in the Köppen climate classification).
Wikimania
The first Wikimania conference was hosted in this city in 2005.
Gallery
Related pages
Goethe University Frankfurt
Notes
References
Citations
1st-century establishments in Europe
Establishments in Germany |
Hugh Capet (French: Hugues Capet) (941–996) was King of the Franks from 987 until his death in 996. The Capetian dynasty he started ruled France in an unbroken line for 300 years.
Early career
Hugh was born in the winter of 941 and was the son of Hugh the Great and Hedwige of Saxony. His grandfather was King Robert I. His grandmother was Beatrice of Vermandois. She was a Carolingian; a daughter of Herbert I of Vermandois. By this connection he was the fifth great-grandson of Charlemagne through Pepin of Italy.
While still a young man Hugh got the nickname "capet" from the cape he wore. These were tokens of the lay abbacies he held.
Elected king of the Franks
When King Louis V died with no heir Adalbero of Reims made a plea for electing Hugh Capet. He proposed the throne was not a hereditary right but that the king should be the best man for the job. The assembly at Senlis agreed and elected Hugh King of the Franks.
Capet is buried in the Saint Denis Basilica.
Family
He married Adelaide of Aquitaine. She was the daughter of William III of Aquitaine. Together they had:
Hedwig, who married Reginar IV, Count of Hainaut.
Gisela, who married Hugh I, Count of Ponthieu.
Robert II 'the Pious', who succeeded Hugh as king.
Adelaide.
References
940s births
996 deaths
Kings and Queens of France |
Disney Channel is a cable television network that is owned by The Walt Disney Company. The channel shows programs that are made for family audiences, mostly pre-teens and teenagers. The channel began on the morning of April 18, 1983. Its programs ran for 18 hours a day until December 1986. In 1983-1997, the channel was called The Disney Channel.
Programming blocks
Disney Junior
Disney Channel programs shows targeted at preschool-age children on weekdays from 6 a.m.-2 p.m. ET/PT (6-10 a.m. during the summer months) and weekends from 6-9 a.m. ET, called Disney Junior. , the only programming featuring classic Disney characters is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the Disney Junior block. Other programming in this block includes Mickey and the Roadster Racers, Hotel Transylvania: The Series, Sofia The First, and Elena of Avalor.
On May 26, 2010, it was announced that the Playhouse Disney block will be re-branded under the name Disney Junior starting on February 14, 2011 which later became its own digital cable and satellite channel on March 23, 2012, replacing SOAPnet. The Disney Junior channel is a direct competitor to Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. network and PBS and Comcast's PBS Kids Sprout.
Programming
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
The ZhuZhus
Hotel Transylvania: The Series
Tangled: The Series
Miles from Tomorrowland
Sofia The First
Elena of Avalor
Alexei: The Series
Mickey and the Roadster Racers
Puppy Dog Pals
Nutri Ventures
Winx Club
Sonic X
Dragon Ball Z Kai
Yu-Gi-Oh!
Yu-Gi-Oh
Jackie Chan Adventures
Eon Kid
Jessie (TV series)
Special Agent Oso
Mona the Vampire
Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures
Pham Viet Dung
PhamVietDung
Phan Viet Dung
PhamVietDung
Scary Larry
Pink Panther & PalsRoboCop: Alpha CommandoSuper 4ClarenceMiraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat NoirThe Powerpuff GirlsDramaZak StormBig City GreensAssorted Hot Wheels TV SpecialsMax SteelRocket MonkeysTai Chi ChasersDuck DodgersTeenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesKirby Right Back At Ya!G.I. Joe Sigma 6Transformers: PrimeLegend GangMy Goldfish is EvilGrizzy and the LemmingsRabbids InvasionBackyard Wizard of OzBilly Dilley's Super Duper Subterranean SummerRight Now KapowComedy BitesStar vs the Forces of EvilTeen TitansRat-a-TatDorothy and the Wizard of Oz
Masha and the bear
Programming
Disney XD
Grossology''
References
1983 establishments in the United States
Disney
American television channels
American Broadcasting Company |
People have carefully bred dogs for thousands of years. Sometimes they inbreed dogs who have the same close ancestors, and sometimes they mix dogs from very different ancestors or even from different breeds. This continues today, resulting in hundreds of dog breeds, some that are similar to each other, and others that are very different.
This list includes common breeds, rare breeds, and breeds that are still being developed into new breeds. See each article for more information.
Breed categories
Dog breeds are often grouped in different ways, such as:
Hunting dogs
Hounds, including Sight hounds and Scent hounds
Gundogs, including Pointers, Retrievers, and Spaniels
Terriers
Curs
Working dogs (or Utility)
Herding dogs, including Sheepdogs
Sled dogs
Bulldogs
Extinct dog breeds
Fighting dogs
Toy dogs
Dog breeds are also sometimes grouped into similar types, such as Mastiff types, spitz types, pit bulls, or Lurchers.
Dog breed list
Dog breeds include:
Nonsporting Dogs
A
Af-Am
Affenpinscher
Afghan Hound
Africanis
Aidi
Airedale Terrier
Akbash Dog
Akita, see also American Akita
Alano Español
Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog
Alaskan Klee Kai
Alaskan husky
Alaskan Malamute
Alopekis
Alpine Dachsbracke
Alsatian
American Akita - see Great Japanese Dog
American Bulldog, including
JDJ American Bulldog
Scott's American Bulldog
Southern White American Bulldog
American Cocker Spaniel
American English Coonhound
American Eskimo Dog
American Foxhound
American Hairless Terrier
American Husky
American Mastiff
American Pit Bull Terrier
American Staghound
American Staffordshire Terrier
American Water Spaniel
An-Az
Anatolian Shepherd Dog
Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie
Appenzeller Sennenhund
Arctic Husky - see Siberian Husky
Argentine Dogo
Ariege Pointer
Ariegeois
Artois Hound
Australian Bulldog
Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Jack Russell Terrier - see also Jack Russell Terrier, Parson Russell Terrier and Russell Terrier
Australian Kelpie
Australian Koolie - see Koolie
Australian Shepherd
Australian Silky Terrier
Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
Australian Terrier
Austrian Brandlbracke
Azawakh
B
Ba-Be
Balkan Hound - see Serbian Hound
Bandog
Barbet
Basenji
Basset Artésien Normand
Basset Bleu de Gascogne
Basset Fauve de Bretagne
Basset Hound
Bavarian Mountain Hound
Beagle
Beagle-Harrier
Bearded Collie
Bearded Tibetan Mastiff - seeTibetan Kyi Apso
Beauceron
Bedlington Terrier
Belgian Griffon
Belgian Shepherd Dog, often divided into:
Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael)
Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois)
Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois)
Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervuren)
Berger Blanc Suisse
Berger Picard
Bergamasco
Bernese Mountain Dog (Berner Sennenhund)
Bi-Bo
Bichon Frisé
Biewer
Billy
Black and Tan Coonhound
Black Mouth Cur
Black Russian Terrier
Bloodhound
Blue Heeler - see Australian Cattle Dog
Blue Paul Terrier
Blue Picardy Spaniel
Bluetick Coonhound
Bolognese
Boerboel
Borador (cross breed).
Border Collie
Border Terrier
Borzoi
Bosanski Ostrodlaki Gonic Barak
Bosnian Tornjak
Boston Terrier
Bouvier Bernois - see Bernese Mountain Dog
Bouvier des Ardennes
Bouvier des Flandres
Boxer
Boykin Spaniel
Br-Bu
Bracco Italiano
Braque d'Auvergne
Braque du Bourbonnais
Braque Francais (Gascogne type)
Braque Francais (Pyrenean type)
Braque Saint-Germain
Brazilian Mastiff - see Fila Brasileiro
Brazilian Terrier
Briard
Briquet Griffon Vendeen
Brittany
Broholmer
Brussels Griffon - see Griffon Bruxellois
Romanian Shepherd Dog
Bull Terrier
Bull Terrier (Miniature)
Bulldog
Bullmastiff
Bully Kutta
C
Ca-Ci
Ca de Bou - see Perro de Presa Mallorquin
Cairn Terrier
Canaan Dog
Canadian Eskimo Dog (Canadian Inuit Dog)
Cane Corso
Estrela Mountain Dog
Cão da Serra de Aires
Portuguese Water Dog
Cão de Castro Laboreiro
Cão de Fila de São Miguel
Cão de Fila da Terceira
Cão de Gado Transmontano
Caravan Hound - see Mudhol Hound
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Carpatin
Catahoula Bulldog
Catahoula Leopard Dog (Catahoula Cur or Catahoula Hog Dog)
Catahoula Bulldog
Catalan Sheepdog
Caucasian Ovcharka
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Central Asia Shepherd Dog
Cesky Fousek
Cesky Terrier
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Chihuahua
Chinese Crested Dog
Korea Jindo Dog
Chinook
Chippiparai
Chow Chow
Cirneco dell'Etna
Cl-Cz
Clumber Spaniel
Cockapoo
Cocker Spaniel - see American Cocker Spaniel or English Cocker Spaniel
Collie - see Rough Collie, Smooth Collie, Bearded Collie or Border Collie
Coolie - see Koolie
Cordoba Fighting Dog
Corgi - see Welsh Corgi, Cardigan Welsh Corgi and Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Coton de Tulear
Croatian Sheepdog
Cur - see also Black Mouth Cur, Catahoula Leopard Dog, Mountain Cur, Stephens Cur, and Treeing Cur
Curly Coated Retriever
Czechoslovakian Wolfdog
D
Dachshund
Dakota Sport Retriever
Dalmatian
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Danish Broholmer
Danish/Swedish Farm Dog
Deerhound
Deutsch Drahthaar - see German Wirehaired Pointer
Deutsche Bracke
Deutscher Wachtelhund
Dhoki apso - see Tibetan Terrier
Do-Khyi - see Tibetan Mastiff
Dobermann (Doberman Pinscher)
Dogo Cubano
Dogue de Bordeaux
Dogue de Majorque - see Perro de Presa Mallorquin
Drentse Patrijshond (Dutch Partridge Dog)
Drever
Dunker
bDutch Shepherd Dog - See Hollandse Herder
bDutch Smoushond
E
East Siberian Laika
English Cocker Spaniel
English Coonhound
English Foxhound
English Mastiff
English Pointer
English Setter
English Shepherd
English Springer Spaniel
English Toy Spaniel - see King Charles Spaniel
English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan)
Entlebucher Mountain Dog/Sennenhund/Cattle Dog
Epagneul Picard - see Picardy Spaniel
Epagneul Pont-Audemer - see Pont-Audemer Spaniel
Eskimo Dog (Esquimaux) - see Canadian Eskimo Dog
Estonian Hound
Estrela Mountain Dog
Eurasier
Eurohound
F
Feist
Field Spaniel
Fila Brasileiro
Finnish Hound
Finnish Lapphund
Finnish Spitz
Flat-Coated Retriever
Foxhound - divided into American Foxhound, English Foxhound
Fox Terrier - divided into Fox Terrier (Smooth), Fox Terrier (Wire), Miniature Fox Terrier, Toy Fox Terrier
Francais Blanc et Noir
Francais Blanc et Orange
Francais Tricolore
Franzuskaya Bolonka
French Bulldog
French Spaniel
French Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
G
Ga-Go
Galgo Español
Gawii
German Longhaired Pointer
German Pinscher
German Rough-haired Pointer
German Shepherd Dog -- see Alsatian
German Shorthaired Pointer
German Spaniel - see Deutscher Wachtelhund
German Spitz - divided into:
German Spitz (Gross)
German Spitz (Klein)
German Spitz (Mittel)
German Wirehaired Pointer
Giant Schnauzer
Glen of Imaal Terrier
Goldendoodle
Golden Retriever
Gonczy Polski - see Polish Scenthound
Gordon Setter
Gos d'atura - see Catalan Sheepdog
Goldendoodle
Gr
Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Noir
Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Orange
Grand Anglo-Francais Tricolore
Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen
Grand Bleu de Gascogne
Grand Gascon Saintongeois
Grand Griffon Vendeen
Gran Mastin de Borínquen
Great Dane
Great Japanese Dog
Great Pyrenees - see Pyrenean Mountain Dog
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund)
Greek Harehound
Greek Shepherd (Greek Sheepdog)
Greenland Dog (Greenland Husky)
Greyhound
Griffon Bleu de Gascogne
Griffon Bruxellois
Griffon Fauve de Bretagne
Griffon Nivernais
Groenendael - see Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael)
Gull Dong
Gull Terr
H
Hairless Khala
Haldenstovare
Hamiltonstövare
Hanover Hound
Harrier
Havanese
Himalayan Sheepdog
Hokkaido
Hollandse Herder (Dutch Shepherd dog)
Hovawart
Hungarian Greyhound - see Magyar Agar
Hungarian Vizsla
Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla - see Hungarian Vizsla
Huntaway
Hygenhund
I
Ibizan Hound
Icelandic Sheepdog
Indian Bullterrier
Indian Pariah dog
Irish Bull Terrier
Irish Red and White Setter
Irish Setter
Irish Staffordshire Terrier
Irish Terrier
Irish Water Spaniel
Irish Wolfhound
Istarski Kratkodlaki Gonic
Istarski Ostrodlaki Gonic (Istrian Coarse-Haired Hound)
Istrian Sheepdog
Italian Greyhound
Italian Spinone - see Spinone Italiano
J
Jack Russell Terrier - see also Australian Jack Russell Terrier, Parson Russell Terrier and Russell Terrier
Jagdterrier
Jämthund
Japanese Chin
Japanese Spitz
Japanese Terrier
Jindo - see Korea Jindo Dog
Jonangi
K
Kai Ken
Kangal Dog
Kanni
Karelian Bear Dog
Kars Dog
Keeshond
Kelpie - see Australian Kelpie
Kelb-tal Fenek - see Pharaoh Hound
Kerry Blue Terrier
King Charles Spaniel
Kishu
Kombai
Komondor
Kooikerhondje
Koolie
Korea Jindo Dog
Korean Mastiff
Korthals Griffon - see Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Krasky Ovcar - see Istrian Sheepdog
Kromfohrlander
Kuvasz
Kyi Leo
L
Labradoodle
Labrador Retriever
Laekenois - see Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois)
Lagotto Romagnolo
Lakeland Terrier
Lancashire Heeler
Landseer (Continental-European type) - see also Newfoundland
Lapinporokoira
Large Munsterlander
Leonberger
Lhasa Apso
Llewellyn Setter - see English Setter
Löwchen
M
Mackenzie River husky
Magyar Agar
Malinois - see Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois)
Maltese
Manchester Terrier
Maremma Sheepdog
Mastiff - see English Mastiff
Meliteo Kinidio
Mexican Hairless - see Xoloitzcuintle
Middle Asian Owtcharka - see Central Asia Shepherd Dog
Miniature Australian Shepherd
Miniature Bull Terrier - see Bull Terrier (Miniature)
Miniature Fox Terrier
Miniature Pinscher
Miniature Schnauzer
Mioritic
Mixed-breed dog
Moscovskaya Storozhevaya Sobaka (Moscow Watchdog)
Mountain Burmese
Mountain Cur
Mudi
Mudhol Hound
Munsterlander - see Large Munsterlander or Small Munsterlander
N
Neapolitan Mastiff
Nebolish Mastiff
Newfoundland
Norfolk Terrier
Norrbottenspets
Northern Inuit -- see Utonagan
Norwegian Buhund
Norwegian Elkhound
Norwegian Lundehund
Norwich Terrier
Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever
O
Old Danish Pointer
Old English Sheepdog
Old English Bulldog
Olde Englishe Bulldogge
Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher
Otterhound
Otto - see Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog
Owczarek Podhalanski
P
Pa-Pl
Pakistani Sheepdog
Pakistani Shepherd Dog (Bhagyari Kutta)
Panja, see American Mastiff
Papillon
Parson Russell Terrier - see also Australian Jack Russell Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier and Russell Terrier
Patterdale Terrier
Pekeapoo
Pekingese
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Perdiguero de Burgos
Perro Cimarron
Perro de Pastor Mallorquin
Perro de Presa Canario
Perro de Presa Mallorquin
Perro de Toro
Peruvian Hairless Dog
Peruvian Inca Orchid
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
Petit Bleu de Gascogne
Petit Brabancon
Petit Gascon Saintongeois
Phalène
Pharaoh Hound
Phung San
Picardy Shepherd - see Berger Picard
Picardy Spaniel
Pinscher - see Affenpinscher, Austrian Short-Haired Pinscher, Dobermann, German Pinscher, Miniature Pinscher, Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher
Pit Bull - see American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bulldog, Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Plott Hound
Po-Py
Podenco Canario
Pointer - see English Pointer
Poitevin
Polish Scenthound (Gonczy Polski)
Polish Greyhound - see Chart Polski
Polish Sighthound - see Chart Polski
Polish Hound (Polish Ogar)
Polish Lowland Sheepdog (Polski Owczarek Nizinny or PON)
Polish Tatra Sheepdog - see Owczarek Podhalanski
Pomeranian
Pont-Audemer Spaniel
Poodle
Porcelaine
Portuguese Podengo
Portuguese Pointer
Portuguese Shepherd Dog - see Cao da Serra de Aires
Portuguese Water Dog
Posavac Hound
Prazsky Krysavik
Pudelpointer
Pug
Puggle
Puli
Pumi
Pyrenean Mastiff
Pyrenean Mountain Dog
Pyrenean Shepherd
Q
Queensland Heeler - see Australian Cattle Dog
R
Rafeiro do Alentejo
Rajapalayam
Rampur Greyhound
Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz
Rat Terrier
Redbone Coonhound
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Rottweiler
Rough Collie
Russian Black Terrier - see Black Russian Terrier
Russian Hound
Russian Spaniel
Russian Toy Terrier
Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka - see Tsvetnaya Bolonka
Russko-Evropeiskaia Laika
Russell Terrier - see also Australian Jack Russell Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier and Parson Russell Terrier
S
Sa-Se
Saarlooswolfhond
Sabueso Espanol
Saluki
Samoyed
Sapsali
Sarail hound
Sarplaninac
Schapendoes
Schillerstovare
Schipperke
Schnauzer - divided into Miniature Schnauzer, Standard Schnauzer, Giant Schnauzer
Schnoodle
Schweizer Laufhund
Schweizer Niederlaufhund
Scottish Deerhound - see Deerhound
Scottish Terrier
Sealyham Terrier
Segugio Italiano
Seppala Siberian Sleddog
Serbian Hound
Serbian Mountain Hound
Serbian Tricolour Hound
Sh-Sp
Shar Pei
Shetland Sheepdog
Shiba Inu
Shih Tzu
Shikoku
Shiloh Shepherd Dog
Siberian Husky
Silken Windhound
Silky Terrier - see Australian Silky Terrier
Sindh Mastiff - see Indian Mastiff
Skye Terrier
Sloughi
Slovak Cuvac
Slovakian Hound
Slovensky Hrubosrsty Stavac (Ohar)
Smalandsstovare
Small Greek Domestic Dog - see Meliteo Kinidio
Small Munsterlander
Smooth Collie
Smooth Fox Terrier - see Fox Terrier (Smooth)
Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
South Russian Ovtcharka
Spanish Alano - see Alano Español
Spanish Galgo - see Galgo Espanol
Spanish Mastiff
Spanish Water Dog
Spinone Italiano
Spitz -- see Spitz for a list of Spitz-type breeds
Springer Spaniel - see English Springer Spaniel or Welsh Springer Spaniel
St-Sw
St. Bernard
Stabyhoun
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Standard Schnauzer
Stephens Cur
Styrian Coarse-haired Hound
Sussex Spaniel
Swedish Elkhound - see Jämthund
Swedish Lapphund
Swedish Vallhund
Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher
T
Tatra Shepherd Dog - see Owczarek Podhalanski
Tenterfield Terrier
Tervuren - See Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervueren)
Thai Bangkaew Dog
Thai Ridgeback
Teddy Roosevelt Terrier
Tibetan Kyi Apso
Tibetan Lhasa Apso - see Lhasa Apso
Tibetan Mastiff
Tibetan Spaniel
Tibetan Terrier
Tosa
Toy Bulldog
Toy Fox Terrier
Toy Manchester Terrier
Toy Mi-Ki
Transylvanian Hound
Treeing Cur
Treeing Tennessee Brindle
Treeing Walker Coonhound
Tsvetnaya Bolonka
Tyrolean Hound
U
Utonagan
V
Valley Bulldog
Vizsla - see Hungarian Vizsla
Volpino Italiano
W
Weimaraner
Welsh Corgi
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Welsh Springer Spaniel
Welsh Terrier
West Highland White Terrier
West Siberian Laika
Westphalian Dachsbracke
Wetterhoun
Whippet
White Shepherd Dog - see Berger Blanc Suisse
Wilkinson Bulldog
Wire Fox Terrier - see Fox Terrier (Wire)
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
X
Xoloitzcuintle
Y
Yorkshire Terrier
Yugoslavian Mountain Hound - see Serbian Mountain Hound
Yugoslavian Tricolour Hound - see Serbian Tricolour Hound
Other websites
See the lists of dog breeds that these important breed registries allow:
Fédération Cynologique Internationale (most of Europe)
American Kennel Club (United States)
The Kennel Club (United Kingdom)
top 10 dog breeds
Canadian Kennel Club
Australian National Kennel Council
New Zealand Kennel Club
United Kennel Club (United States)
Popular UK Dog Breeds
Lists of animals |
Milli Vanilli was a German musical group, formed in Munich. They consisted of Fab Morvan (born 1966) and Rob Pilatus (1965-1998). They were popular in the late-1980s. In 1990, people found out that the group never sang anything at all. Even at concerts, they pretended to sing (lip synching) while a recording was played.
Other websites
Milli Vanilli Music Videos @ MTV.com
MTV Artist Arena: Milli Vanilli
All Music Guide entry for Milli Vanilli
Fabrice Morvan's official website
1980s establishments in Germany
1980s German music groups
1990s German music groups
German pop music groups
Entertainers from Munich
Musical groups disestablished in 1998
Musical groups established in 1988 |
The year 1706 was a common year which started on a Friday.
Events
September 7 – War of Spanish Succession – The armies of Austria and Savoy defeat the French army at the Battle of Turin.
Births
January 17 – Benjamin Franklin, American philosopher, founding father and inventor (d. 1790)
Deaths
March 3 – Johann Pachelbel, German composer (b. 1653)
December 9 – King Peter II of Portugal (b. 1648) |
Geology is the study of the nonliving things that the Earth is made of. Geology is the study of rocks in the Earth's crust. People who study geology are called geologists. Some geologists study minerals (mineralogist) and the useful substances the rocks contain such as ores and fossil fuels. Geologists also study the history of the Earth.
Some of the important events in the Earth's history are floods, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, orogeny (mountain building), and plate tectonics (movement of continents).
Subjects
Geology is divided into special subjects that study one part of geology. Some of these subjects and what they focus on are:
Geomorphology – the shape of Earth's surface (its morphology)
Historical geology – the events that shaped the Earth over the last 4.5 billion years
Hydrogeology – underground water
Palaeontology – fossils; evolutionary histories
Petrology – rocks, how they form, where they are from, and what that implies
Mineralogy – minerals
Sedimentology – sediments (clays, sands, gravels, soils, etc.)
Stratigraphy – layered sedimentary rocks and how they were deposited
Petroleum geology – petroleum deposits in sedimentary rocks
Structural geology – folds, faults, and mountain-building;
See Earth science for details.
Volcanology – volcanoes on land or under the ocean
Seismology – earthquakes and strong ground-motion
Engineering geology – geologic hazards (such as landslides and earthquakes) applied to civil engineering
Geotechnical engineering: It is also called Geotechnics. It is branch of geology that deals with the engineering behavior of earth materials.
Types of rock
Rocks can be very different from each other. Some are very hard and some are soft. Some rocks are very common, while others are rare. However, all the different rocks belong to three categories or types, igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.
Igneous rock is rock that has been made by volcanic action. Igneous rock is made when the lava (melted rock on the surface of the Earth) or magma (melted rock below the surface of the Earth) cools and becomes hard.
Sedimentary rock is rock that has been made from sediment. Sediment is solid pieces of stuff that are moved by wind, water, or glaciers, and dropped somewhere. Sediment can be made from clay, sand, gravel and the bodies and shells of animals. The sediment gets dropped in a layer, usually in water at the bottom of a river or sea. As the sediment piles up, the lowers layers get squashed together. Slowly they set hard into rock.
Metamorphic rock is rock that has been changed. Sometimes an igneous or a sedimentary rock is heated or squashed under the ground, so that it changes. Metamorphic rock is often harder than the rock that it was before it changed. Marble and slate are among the metamorphic rocks that people use to make things.
Faults
All three kinds of rock can be changed by being heated and squeezed by forces in the earth. When this happens, faults (cracks) may appear in the rock. Geologists can learn a lot about the history of the rock by studying the patterns of the fault lines. Earthquakes are caused when a fault breaks suddenly.
Soil
Soil is the stuff on the ground made of lots of particles (or tiny pieces). The particles of soil come from rocks that have broken down, and from rotting leaves and animals bodies. Soil covers a lot of the surface of the Earth. Plants of all sorts grow in soil.
To find out more about types of rocks, see the rock (geology) article.
To find out more about soil, see the soil article.
Principles of Stratigraphy
Geologists use some simple ideas which help them to understand the rocks they are studying. The following ideas were worked out in the early days of stratigraphy by people like Nicolaus Steno, James Hutton and William Smith:
Understanding the past: Geologist James Hutton said "The present is the key to the past". He meant that the sort of changes that are happening to the Earth's surface now are the same sorts of things that happened in the past. Geologists can understand things that happened millions of years ago, by looking at the changes which are happening today.
Horizontal strata: The layers in a sedimentary rock must have been horizontal (flat) when they were deposited (laid down).
The age of the strata: Layers at the bottom must be older than layers at the top, unless all the rocks have been turned over.
In sedimentary rocks that are made of sand or gravel, the sand or gravel must have come from an older rock.
The age of faults: If there is a crack or fault in a rock, then the fault is younger than the rock. Rocks are in strata (lots of layers). A geologist can see if the faults go through all the layer, or only some. This helps to tell the age of the rocks.
The age of a rock which cuts through other rocks: If an igneous rock cuts across sedimentary layers, it must be younger than the sedimentary rock.
The relative age of fossils: A fossil in one rock type must be about the same age as the same type of fossil in the same type of rock in a different place. Likewise, a fossil in a rock layer below must be earlier than one in a higher layer.
Gallery
References |
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Italy. About 90,000 people live in the city. The city has a very long and turbulent history. The "Leaning Tower of Pisa" is a famous landmark of Pisa.
Important buildings
The Leaning Tower, the most famous image of the city.
Campo dei Miracoli (in English: "Square of Miracles") in the north of the old town center.
Duomo di Pisa.
The Baptistry.
The Camposanto (The monumental cemetery of the city).
Piazza dei Cavalieri, (the "Knights' Square" in English).
Church o Santo Steano dei cavalieri,in the "Knights' Square".
St. Sixtus,a small church.
The church of St. Francis, designed by Giovanni di Simone, built after 1276. In 1343 new chapels were added and the church was elevated.
Church of San Frediano, built by 1061.
Church of San Nicola, built by 1097, was enlarged between 1297 and 1313
The small church of Santa Maria della Spina,
The church of San Paolo a Ripa d'Arno,
Lungarno, the avenues along the river Arno.
The Medici Palace, a building of the Appiano family, who ruled Pisa in 1392–1398. In 1400 the Medici acquired it, and Lorenzo de' Medici lived here.
The is Europe's oldest university botanical garden.
The ("Royal Palace").
, a Gothic building of the 14th century.
, a Gothic building
: where there are the original sculptures of Nicola Pisano and Giovanni Pisano.
: showing the sinopias from the camposanto, the monumental cemetery.
: exhibiting sculptures and painting from 12th century–15th century,of Giovanni and Andrea Pisano, the Master of San Martino, Simone Martini, Nino Pisano and Masaccio.
Famous people born in Pisa
Jason Acuña
Guglielmo Agnelli
Christian Amoroso
Anselm of Capraia
Gerardo Appiani
Giovanni di Balduccio
Iacopo Balestri
Michele Bartoli
Ercole Bazicaluve
Alfredo Biondi
Alessandro Birindelli
Bona of Pisa
Guido Buffarini Guidi
Philippe Buonarroti
Ulisse Dini
Pope Eugene III
Fibonacci
Galileo Galilei
Giovanni Galli
Orazio Gentileschi
Ugolino della Gherardesca
Ignazio Hugford
Enrico Letta
Fabio Lione
Dario Marianelli
Francesco Marianini
Giuseppe Melani
Antonio Pacinotti
Pandolfo Masca of Pisa
Andrea Parola
Giovanni Pisano
Nino Pisano
Bruno Pontecorvo
Gillo Pontecorvo
Girolamo Riminaldi
Orazio Riminaldi
Titta Ruffo
Rustichello da Pisa
Paolo Savi
Sidney Sonnino
Marco Storari
Antonio Tabucchi
Terramagnino da Pisa
Francesco Traini
Soozie Tyrell
Sisters cities
, Kolding
, Angers
, Acre
, Niles
, Unna
, Cagliari
Capital cities in Italy |
Cheshire is a county in England. It is the North West part of the country. It is most famous for making salt and cheese. Cheshire is made up of lots of little towns including the Borough of Macclesfield which covers a large area of plains. The main attraction is in Kerridge where there is the famous landmark 'White Nancy.'
Ceremonial counties of England |
The Cayman Islands are a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean Sea. The territory is made up of three islands: Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac. Its capital, George Town, is on the main island (Grand Cayman).
Government
The Cayman Islands are governed by the United Kingdom. The Queen chooses a Governor to represent the territory. The Governor can use his powers freely, but the Queen still has executive power.
Taxation
There are no direct taxes that residents and companies have to pay. The government receives most income from indirect taxes. However, there are tourist taxes and airport taxes.
Climate
The Cayman Islands have a Tropical climate. The wet season runs from May to October, and the dry season runs from November to April.
Tourism
The Cayman Islands are a popular tourist spot because they have coral reefs. This is why many tourists travel on airplanes or on cruise ships to go snorkeling and scuba diving.
Airports
There are three airports in the Cayman Islands. The main one is Owen Roberts International Airport. It is located on Grand Cayman near George Town.
Other websites
Cayman Islands at the CIA World Factbook
References
Caribbean Community |
Events
Taira no Kiyomori becomes the first samurai to be appointed Daijo Daijin, chief minister of the government of Japan
Peter of Blois becomes the tutor of William II of Sicily
Absalon, archbishop of Denmark, leads the first Danish synod at Lund
Absalon fortifies Copenhagen
William Marshal, "the greatest knight that ever lived", is knighted
Afonso I of Portugal is defeated by the Kingdom of León
Amalric I of Jerusalem unsuccessfully invades Egypt
William of Tyre becomes archdeacon of Tyre
May 29 – Battle of Legano, in which The Lombard League defeats Emperor Frederick I |
Events
Edgar I deposes Donald III to become king of Scotland.
The First Crusade reaches Constantinople.
Crusaders besiege Nicaea, win the Battle of Dorylaeum, and capture Latakia from the Seljuk Turks, and begin the siege of Antioch. |
Events
January 7 – The first American commercial bank opens (Bank of North America).
January 15 – Superintendent of Finance Robert Morris goes before the United States Congress to recommend establishment of a national mint and decimal coinage
February 5 – Spanish defeat British forces and capture Minorca.
March 8 – In Ohio the Gnadenhutten massacre of Native Americans takes place in which 29 men, 27 women, and 34 children were killed by white militiamen in retaliation for raids carried out by another Native American group.
April 6 – Rama I succeeded King Taksin of Thailand who was overthrown in an coup d'état.
April 12 – A British fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney defeats a French fleet under the Comte de Grasse at the Battle of the Saintes in the West Indies.
June 18 – In Switzerland, Anna Goldi in sentenced to death for witchcraft – the last legal witchcraft sentence
August 7 – George Washington orders the creation of the Badge of Military Merit to honor soldiers wounded in battle. It is later renamed to the more poetic "Purple Heart".
November 30 – American Revolutionary War: In Paris, representatives from the United States and the United Kingdom of Great Britain sign preliminary peace articles (later formalized in the Treaty of Paris).
London creates Foot Patrol for public security
Jean-Pierre Blanchard and John Jeffries try to cross the English Channel with a hot-air balloon
The Parliament of Great Britain extends James Watt's copyright for the steam engine to the year 1800
Births
Deaths |
1197 (MCXCVII) was .
Events
Amalric II succeeds Henry II of Champagne as King of Jerusalem.
Theobald III becomes Count of Champagne.
The town of Arbroath, Angus, Scotland is consecrated, and dedicated to St Thomas Becket.
Kaloyan becomes tsar of Bulgaria.
Corfu is occupied by the Genoese.
Hubert Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury, negotiates a peace with Wales.
North Crawley is split into Great Crawley and Little Crawley.
Philip of Swabia marries Irene Angela, daughter of Byzantine emperor Isaac II.
Births
October 22 — Emperor Juntoku of Japan (d. 1242)
Amadeus IV of Savoy (d. 1253)
Raymond VII of Toulouse (d. 1249)
Deaths
January — William Longchamp, Lord Chancellor of England and bishop
April 28 — Rhys ap Gruffydd, Welsh ruler (b. 1132)
September 10 — Henry II of Champagne (b. 1166)
September 28 — Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1165)
Marguerite of France, daughter of Louis VII of France (b. 1158) |
1210 (MCCX) was .
Events
End of the reign of Emperor Tsuchimikado, emperor of Japan
Emperor Juntoku ascends to the throne of Japan
Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor excommunicated by Pope Innocent III for invading southern Italy in 1210
Gottfried von Strassburg writes his epic poem Tristan about 1210
Beginning of Delhi Sultanate
Jochi, eldest son of Genghis Khan, leads a Mongol campaign against the Kyrgyz
Births
May 5 – King Afonso III of Portugal (died 1279)
June 24 – Count Floris IV of Holland (died 1234)
July 22 – Joan of England, Queen consort of Scotland, wife of Alexander II of Scotland (died 1238)
Ibn Nafis, Persian anatomist (died 1288)
Deaths
Lu You, Chinese poet (born 1125)
Jinul, Korean Buddhist philosopher
July 17, King Sverker II of Sweden (born in the 1160s), in the Battle of Gestilren |
Electronic mail (or E-mail or email) is an Internet service that allows people who have an e-mail address (accounts) to send and receive electronic letters. Those are much like postal letters, except that they are delivered much faster than snail mail when sending over long distances, and are usually free.
Like with regular mail, users may get a lot of unwanted mail. With e-mail, this is called spam. Some programs used for sending and receiving mail can detect spam and filter it out nearly completely.
To send or receive an email in the traditional way, one needs a device (computer, phone etc.) connected to the Internet and an e-mail program (simply called mailer). Several formats exist for email addresses. The most common, called RFC 2822, looks like [email protected]. E-mail messages are sent mostly by text, and sometimes by HTML style.
Some companies let people send and receive emails for free from a remote website. Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo! are among the many that do this kind of "web mail". Webmail does not follow the pattern below exactly because the webpage is a web application and takes care of many details by itself. The traditional way uses a mailer, as is usual with smartphones.
Microsoft invented its own "communication protocol" (or set of rules) for sending and receiving mail, called "Exchange". Exchange protocol works entirely differently from the traditional method and is not explained here.
Traditional method
This diagram gives an example of what happens when email is sent from one person to another using the traditional method. In this example, Alice is sending email to Bob.
First, Alice writes a message to Bob in her e-mail program. Her e-mail program puts the message together along with some other information, such as her email address, the address of the person she is writing to, the time at which she is sending her message, and so on. When it is ready, Alice's mail program sends the message to a central computer called a mail server (or a Mail Transfer Agent) using some rules called the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.
The mail server that Alice is using to send her message (smtp.a.org) takes Alice's message and looks at the address to see where the message is being sent. The mail server then goes out on the internet and tries to find the mail server that Bob is using. It does this by talking to a Domain Name System (DNS) server, which keeps records about how to find different computers on the internet, including mail servers.
The DNS server gives Alice's mail server the proper address for the server that Bob is using to receive his email (mx.b.org).
Alice's mail server sends the message to Bob's email server, which puts it into Bob's mailbox.
Bob opens his e-mail program and downloads his messages using one of two sets of rules—either the Post Office Protocol (POP) or the Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP). His messages include the new message from Alice.
Other Features
You can send files along with your emails by using the Attachment feature. This is a common way of sending longer documents, spreadsheets, photographs etc. to other people
The CC (Carbon Copy) function lets you send a copy of the email to other people
the BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) function also lets you send a copy of the email to other people. This function hides the names of the recipients from each other
Other websites
RFC 2822 Internet Message Format. April 2001
Messaging |
Births
March 17 – Emperor Shijō of Japan (died 1242)
Guo Shoujing, Chinese astronomer and mathematician
John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey (died 1304)
Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Wigmore (died 1282)
Deaths
April 6 – William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
June 13 – Anthony of Padua, Portuguese saint (born 1195)
November 6 – Emperor Tsuchimikado of Japan (born 1196)
November 17 – Elisabeth of Hungary, daughter of Andrew II of Hungary and saint (born 1207)
Abd-el-latif, Arab physician and traveller |
1242 is a year in the 13th century
Deaths
February 10 – Emperor Shijō of Japan (born 1231)
October 7 – Emperor Juntoku of Japan (born 1197)
William de Forz, 3rd Earl of Albemarle
Archambaud VIII of Bourbon
Hojo Yasutoki, regent of Japan (born 1183)
Richard Mor de Burgh |
Events
Emperor Go-Toba, reign of 82nd emperor of Japan starts (1183-1198)
Deaths
June 11 – Henry the Young King, son of Henry II of England (born 1155)
Alexius II Comnenus, Byzantine Emperor (born 1167)
William Fitz Robert, 2nd Earl of Gloucester
Maria Comnena, the Porphyrogenita, Byzantine princess, by poison (born 1149)
Renier of Montferrat (the Caesar John), Italian husband of Maria Comnena, by poison (born 1162)
References |
Births
February 28 – Henry the Young King, son of Henry II of England (died 1183)
May 17 – Jien, Japanese poet and historian (died 1225)
November 11 – King Alfonso VIII of Castile (died 1214)
Saito Musashibo Benkei, Japanese fighting monk
Kamo no Chomei, Japanese writer (died 1216)
Shahab-ud-din Suhrawardi, a Sufi saint and mystic of Islam. |
Events
The Duke of Alva arrives in the Netherlands with Spanish forces to suppress unrest there. He replaces Margaret of Parma as Governor of the Netherlands. Prince William of Orange is outlawed, and Count Lamoral of Egmont imprisoned.
February 10 – Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, is murdered at the Provost's House in Edinburgh.
May 15 – Mary, Queen of Scots, marries James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell.
June 15 – Mary, Queen of Scots, is defeated at Carberry Hill by the Scottish nobles. She is imprisoned in Lochleven Castle.
July 24 – Mary, Queen of Scots, abdicates the throne, succeeded by her son King James VI of Scotland.
July 25 – The city of Santiago de León de Caracas, in Venezuela, is founded by Diego de Losada.
July 29 – James VI is crowned at Stirling.
September 9 – At a dinner, the Duke of Alva arrests the Count of Egmont and the Count of Horne for treason.
September 29 – Beginning of the Second War of Religion in France when the Prince of Condé and Gaspard de Coligny fail in an attempt to capture King Charles IX and his mother at Meaux. The Huguenots do capture several cities (including Orleans), and march on Paris.
November 10 – Battle of Saint-Denis – Anne de Montmorency, with 16,000 Royalists falls on Condé's 3,500 Huguenots. The Huguenots surprisingly hold on for some hours before being driven off. Montmorency is mortally wounded.
King Frederick II of Denmark and Norway founds Fredrikstad in Norway. |
The Dillinger Escape Plan is an American Mathcore/metal music group. They formed in New Jersey. They are generally a heavy group, with punk roots and influences from punk bands like The Bronx and Bad Brains.
Releases
Calculating Infinity (1999)
Miss Machine (2004)
Ire Works (2007)
Option Paralysis (2010)
One of Us Is the Killer (2013)
American heavy metal bands
American punk bands
Musical groups from New Jersey
Musical groups established in 1997
1997 establishments in the United States
1990s establishments in New Jersey |
Queensryche is an American progressive heavy metal band. They formed in Bellevue Washington in 1981.
1980s American music groups
1990s American music groups
2000s American music groups
2010s American music groups
American heavy metal bands
American hard rock bands
Progressive metal bands
Musical groups from Seattle, Washington
1981 establishments in the United States
Musical groups established in 1981
1980s establishments in Washington (state) |
Midnight Oil is an New Zealand rock band. They formed in Auckland in 1976. The band became famous for its soft-rock sound and calming live performances. The band was politically active supporting environmentalist and indigenous causes.
1970s Australian music groups
1980s Australian music groups
1990s Australian music groups
2000s Australian music groups
2010s Australian music groups
Australian alternative rock bands
Musical groups established in 1976
Musical groups from Sydney
Musical groups disestablished in 2002
2002 disestablishments in Australia
1970s establishments in Australia |
John Francis Bongiovi (born March 2, 1962 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey) better known as Jon Bon Jovi, is an American musician and actor. He is best known as the lead singer of the hard-rock band, Bon Jovi.
Biography
In 1983, Jon was one of the founding members of Bon Jovi. Earlier he sang in bands Starz and Atlantic City Expressway.
In 2006, Jon was ranked in 31st place out of 100 the best vocalist in history.
He starred in 18 films, last time in 2011.
Other websites
1962 births
Living people
People from Perth Amboy, New Jersey
Singers from New Jersey
American heavy metal singers |
Maxi Priest (born Max Alfred Elliot on June 10, 1962) is an English reggae singer.
Sources
English singers
Reggae musicians
1962 births
Living people |
On the Waterfront is a 1954 American movie about mob violence among longshoremen (people who unload ships) in New Jersey. Directed by Elia Kazan, it stars Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint and Karl Malden.
The movie won eight Academy Awards: for Best Picture, Best Actor (Brando), Best Supporting Actress (Saint), Best Art Direction, Best Director (Kazan), Best Cinematography (Boris Kaufman), Best Film Editing (Gene Milford) and Best Original Screenpaly (Budd Schulberg). The catchphrase, "I could've been a contender", is said by Terry Malloy. In 2005, it ranked third on AFI's list of the one hundred most famous quotes in movie history . Five years earlier, it was the eighth most popular movie on the AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies list.
Other websites
1954 drama movies
1950s crime movies
American crime drama movies
Best Picture Oscar
Columbia Pictures movies
Golden Globe Award winning movies
Movies set in New Jersey
United States National Film Registry movies
Movies directed by Elia Kazan |
Faith No More is an alternative metal band. They formed by bassist Billy Gould, drummer Mike Bordin, and keyboarder Roddy Bottum in San Francisco, California, USA, in 1981 and broke up on April 20, 1998. However, they got back together in 2009 and have continued playing since.
They became successful with singer Mike Patton in the early 1990s. Their biggest hits were "Epic" and the cover song "Easy", originally from Lionel Richie.
Discography
So far, Faith No More has released six studio albums, which include:
We Care a Lot (1985)
Introduce Yourself (1987)
The Real Thing (1989)
Angel Dust (1992)
King for a Day...Fool for a Lifetime (1995)
Album of the Year (1997)
Musical groups established in 1981
1998 disestablishments in the United States
1980s American music groups
1990s American music groups
2000s American music groups
2010s American music groups
Alternative metal bands
American heavy metal bands
Musical groups from San Francisco
1981 establishments in California
1990s disestablishments in California
Musical groups disestablished in 1998
Musical groups established in 2009
2009 establishments in California |
The Pretenders are an English rock and punk rock band. They formed in Hereford in 1978.
1978 establishments in the United Kingdom
1970s British music groups
1980s British music groups
1990s British music groups
2000s British music groups
2010s British music groups
English rock bands
Herefordshire
Musical groups established in 1978
Warner Bros. Records artists |
Schindler's List is a 1993 American movie set in World War II, and directed by Steven Spielberg. It is based on Schindler's Ark, a 1982 book by Thomas Keneally. The movie and the book owe their names to the list of over a thousand Jews who worked in the title character's factory.
Plot
It is about businessman Oskar Schindler who saves thousands of Jews from being killed in the Holocaust by putting them to work in a factory. His list was the list of Jews he wanted to save.
Cast
Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler
Ben Kingsley as Itzhak Stern
Ralph Fiennes as Amon Göth
Caroline Goodall as Emilie Schindler
Jonathan Sagall as Poldek Pfefferberg
Embeth Davidtz as Helen Hirsch
Małgorzata Gebel as Wiktoria Klonowska
Mark Ivanir as Marcel Goldberg
Beatrice Macola as Ingrid
Andrzej Seweryn as Julian Scherner
Friedrich von Thun as Rolf Czurda
Jerzy Nowak as Investor
Norbert Weisser as Albert Hujar
Anna Mucha as Danka Dresner
Adi Nitzan as Mila Pfefferberg
Piotr Polk as Leo Rosner
Rami Heuberger as Joseph Bau
Ezra Dagan as Rabbi Menasha Lewartow
Elina Löwensohn as Diana Reiter
Hans-Jörg Assmann as Julius Madritsch
Hans-Michael Rehberg as Rudolf Höß
Daniel Del Ponte as Josef Mengele
Oliwia Dąbrowska as the Girl in Red
Awards
Schindler's List featured on a number of "best of" lists, including the TIME magazine's Top Hundred as selected by critics Richard Corliss and Richard Schickel, Time Out magazine's 100 Greatest Films Centenary Poll conducted in 1995, and Leonard Maltin's "100 Must See Movies of the Century". The Vatican named Schindler's List among the most important 45 movies ever made. A Channel 4 poll named Schindler's List the ninth greatest movie of all time, and it ranked fourth in their 2005 war movies poll. The movie was named the best of 1993 by critics such as James Berardinelli, Roger Ebert, and Gene Siskel. The movie was designated by the Library of Congress in 2004 and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. Spielberg won the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film for his work, and shared the Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture with co-producers Branko Lustig and Gerald R. Molen. Steven Zaillian won the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
It was nominated for twelve Academy Awards, winning seven, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Score, and won numerous other awards, including seven BAFTAs and three Golden Globe Awards. The movie also won numerous other awards and nominations worldwide.
Impact
Among others such as Citizen Kane and Sunset Boulevard, it has been called one of the greatest movies ever. In 1998, the American Film Institute selected it as the ninth most popular of all time in their 100 Years... 100 Movies list.
In February 1997, NBC aired a version without cuts of the movie (in two parts), much to the upset of many viewers. It was the first time a television broadcast had ever received the TV-M rating (soon to be called TV-MA).
References
Other websites
Filmsite's review of the movie
Official site
1982 books
1993 drama movies
1990s biographical movies
1990s war movies
American biographical movies
American drama movies
American war movies
BAFTA Award winning movies
Best Picture Oscar
German-language movies
Golden Globe Award winning movies
Movies based on books
Movies directed by Steven Spielberg
Movies set in the 1930s
Movies set in the 1940s
Kraków
Multilingual movies
United States National Film Registry movies
World War II movies
Universal Pictures movies |
A chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) is a gas used for various purposes including solvents, refrigerants, and aerosol sprays. They are organic chemicals and contain carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine. They were much used in the middle of the 20th century, replacing chemicals that were toxic or flammable or had other problems. In 1978, Sweden became the first country that banned CFC products. Later, the US and Canada did the same. Now, CFC products are not allowed in most countries, because they cause ozone depletion. CFCs are also greenhouse gases. An alternative to chlorofluorocarbons is hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). These do not destroy the ozone layer or increase global warming.
Related pages
Thomas Midgley (American inventor)
Freon
References
Carbon compounds
Greenhouse gases
Fluorine compounds
Chlorine compounds
Hydrogen compounds |
Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American movie musical romantic comedy movie starring Gene Kelly. It was directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen. It is set in Los Angeles, California in 1927. It gives an amusing look at Hollywood's change from silent movies to "talkies".
It is considered to be among the best movie musicals ever made.
Shooting on the movie began on June 18, 1951, and ended on November 21.
Other websites
1952 comedy movies
1950s musical movies
American musical movies
American romantic comedy movies
English-language movies
Movies set in Los Angeles
United States National Film Registry movies
Movies directed by Stanley Donen |
North and South is a novel by John Jakes. It is the first of three books about two friends who must fight against each other during the American Civil War.
North and South had two sequels. They are called Love and War and Heaven and Hell. The books were written in 1982, 1984, and 1987.
There were also TV versions made. Three miniseries were done in 1985, 1986, and 1994. The two main characters were played by James Read and Patrick Swayze (Swayze's character does not appear in the third part).
1982 books
20th-century American novels
English-language novels
Novels about the American Civil War |
Apparatus can refer to:
object which can be used for a certain function. Examples of apparatuses include coffee-makers, pencil sharpeners, and computers. These things are also often called tools, machines, or equipment.
process of an activity. For example, a political party or governmental organization can be called an apparatus.
a set of equipment or tools or a machine that is used for a particular purpose
Notes
Basic English 850 words |
Internet Movie Database (or IMDb for short) is an online database of information (facts) about actors, movies, TV shows, and video games. The IMDb database started in October 1990, moved to the World Wide Web in 1993, and has been owned by Amazon.com since 1998.
References
Other websites
Internet Movie Database (IMDb) website
1990 establishments
Movie industry
Television
Video games
Entertainment websites
Amazon (company) |
The Chicago Blackhawks are an ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). They were formed in 1926, named after the 333rd Machine Gun Battalion of the 86th Infantry Division during World War I which was nicknamed the "Blackhawk Division". The division was named after Chief Black Hawk, a native American leader. The team has won the Stanley Cup Championship six times, in 1933, 1937, 1961, 2010, 2013 and in 2015. The current captain of the Blackhawks is Jonathan Toews.
Early Games
The Regina Capitals were a team in the Western Canada Hockey League until 1925, when they moved and became the Portland Rosebuds. One year later, the league folded. Most of the Portland players then played for the new Chicago team in the NHL.
In the 1930s, Charlie Gardiner was a star goaltender for the team. Players on the Blackhawks won four scoring titles (Art Ross Trophy) in the 1940s: Doug Bentley in 1943, his brother Ben in 1946 and 1947, and Roy Conacher in 1949. Max Bentley also won the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player in 1946. Goalie Al Rollins won the Hart Trophy in 1954. By 1960, however, the team had only made the Stanley Cup final four times, winning the Cup in 1934 and 1938, and losing in 1931 and 1944.
The team was much stronger in the 1960s. Bobby Hull led the NHL in goals seven times, more than any other player. He also won three Art Ross and two Hart Trophies. Stan Mikita won four Art Ross and two Hart Trophies. Between them, they led the NHL in scoring seven times in nine years. Star goaltender Glenn Hall was an all-star many times; and Pierre Pilote won the Norris Trophy as best defenceman three times. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 1961, and also made the finals in 1962 and 1965. Goalie Tony Esposito led them to the finals in 1971 and 1973.
Since that time, they have had many star players such as Doug Wilson, Steve Larmer, Jeremy Roenick, and Tony Amonte; but they have not won the Cup since 1961, the longest wait of any NHL team. They won the Presidents' Trophy as the top team in the regular season in 1991, and made the finals again in 1992, partly due to Ed Belfour (who won two Vezina Trophies as best goaltender) and Chris Chelios (who won two Norris Trophies on Chicago). As of 2006, however, they have only made the playoffs once in the last eight years.
Current
The mascot of the Chicago Blackhawks is named Tommy Hawk. He was introduced in the 2001–02 NHL season. He wears the Blackhawks' four feathers on his head and also wears a Blackhawks jersey and hockey pants. Tommy Hawk sometimes participates in the T-shirt toss and puck chuck with the fans.
The Blackhawks have their own official fight song called, "Here Come the Hawks!" which is also an introduction for them. A song that was called "Keys to the City" was given to the Blackhawks organization as a gift by Ministry & Co Conspirators. After the Blackhawks score a goal at the United Center they play the song "Chelsea Dagger" by The Fratellis.
In 1985, during the Campbell Conference playoff game, a tradition was started where the Blackhawks fans would cheer and applaud loudly during the singing of the national anthem. This is still done today.
Jonathan Toews was named the team's captain prior to the 2008-09 season opener which made him the third-youngest captain at the time. The Blackhawks led the NHL in home attendance with a total of 912,155, averaging 22,247 fans per game during to the 2008-09 season. The number of attendance also included the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field which had 40,818 fans in attendance.
The Blackhawks acquired forward Marián Hossa and signed him to a 12-year contract which was worth 62.8 million dollars. The deal also included Tomas Kopecky, John Madden, and Richard Petiot. Due to the salary cap, the Blackhawks were forced to give up a bunch of their players.
On June 9, 2010 The Blackhawks won their first Stanley Cup in 49 years when Patrick Kane scored the game-winning overtime goal as they defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in game 6 of the best-of-7 series.
On June 24, 2013, the team won their fifth Stanley Cup after they defeated the Boston Bruins 4 games to 2 in the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals. They were down 2–1 and scored two goals from Bryan Bickell and Dave Bolland 1:16 and 0:58.3 (17 seconds apart) to win 3-2.
On June 15, 2015, the Blackhawks won their third Stanley Cup championship in six years after they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4 games to 2 in the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals. It was their first Stanley Cup win on home ice since 1938.
Team captains
Dick Irvin, 1926–29
Duke Dukowski, 1929–30
Ty Arbour, 1930–31
Cy Wentworth, 1931–32
Helge Bostrom, 1932–33
Charlie Gardiner, 1933–34
Johnny Gottselig, 1935–40
Earl Seibert, 1940–42
Doug Bentley, 1942–44
Clint Smith, 1944–45
John Mariucci, 1945–46
Red Hamill, 1946–47
John Mariucci, 1947–48
Gaye Stewart, 1948–49
Doug Bentley, 1949–50
Jack Stewart, 1950–52
Bill Gadsby, 1952–54
Gus Mortson, 1954–57Ed Litzenberger, 1958–61
Pierre Pilote, 1961–68
Pat Stapleton, 1969–70
Pit Martin, 1975–76
Pit Martin; Stan Mikita; Keith Magnuson, 1976–77
Keith Magnuson, 1977–79
Terry Ruskowski, 1979–82
Darryl Sutter, 1982–87
Bob Murray, 1985–86
Denis Savard, 1988–89
Dirk Graham, 1989–95
Chris Chelios, 1995–99
Doug Gilmour, 1999–2000
Tony Amonte, 2000–02
Alexei Zhamnov, 2002–04
Adrian Aucoin, 2005–07
Martin Lapointe, 2006-08
Jonathan Toews, 2008–present
References
Other websites
Official website
1926 establishments in the United States
1920s establishments in Illinois |
Cape Verde () or Cabo Verde (, ) (, ), officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country in Africa. It is a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Western Africa. The islands cover a combined area of slightly over . They have a volcanic origin.
Cape Verde is one of Macaronesia's group of islands.
Name
The Portuguese explorer Dinis Dias (or Denis Fernadez) discovered in 1445 a peninsula along the coast of Senegal that he named Cap-Vert (Dias named it Cabo Verde, "verde" being Portuguese for "green", a reference to the vegetation in the area). Dias did not discover the Cape Verde Islands, but rather the actual cape.
This peninsula is the westernmost point of the African continent.
History
The first Europeans to arrive in Cape Verde were the Portugueses Diogo Gomes and Antonio da Noli in 1460. The islands were uninhabited, and the first settlement was founded in 1462 on the island of Santiago (the main Island) which was divided into two “capitanias”, Alcatrazes and Ribeira Grande. The first one failed and the main activity in Ribeira Grande was the exploitation of cotton farms. Ribeira Grande served also as a slave trade post and as post of slave Christianization before they were sent to the New World.
The city suffered several pirate raids and for this reason in 1712, after a French attack, the authorities were forced to move the capital to Praia, where it is located until now. Cape Verde had the status of Portuguese colony until 1951 when Portugal changed its status to Overseas Province and in 1961 Portugal gave full citizenship to all Cape Verdeans.
Cape Verde has been independent of Portugal since 5th July 1975. The fight for independence was led by the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) and headed by Amilcar Cabral, the national hero of both countries, Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau.
Geography
The Cape Verde archipelago is in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately off the coast of West Africa, near Senegal, Gambia and Mauritania, and is a part, together with the Azores, Madeira, Savage Islands and Canary Islands, of the Macaronesia ecological region. It lies between the latitudes 14°N and 18°N, and the longitudes 22°W and 26°W.
The country is an archipelago with a total area of . It is formed by ten islands (nine inhabited) and several very small islands (islets) divided into two groups, arranged according to the prevailing wind direction:
To the north, the Ilhas de Barlavento (Windward islands), from west to east: Santo Antão, São Vicente, Santa Luzia (without inhabitants), São Nicolau, Ilha do Sal and Boa Vista; and the islets of Branco and Raso, situated between Santa Luzia and São Nicolau, the islet of Pássaros, opposite the town of Mindelo on the island of São Vicente, and the islets Rabo de Junco, on the coast of the Sal island and the islets Sal Rei and Baluarte, on the coast of the island of Boa Vista.
To the south Ilhas de Sotavento (Leeward islands), from east to west: Maio, Santiago, Fogo and Brava; and the islet of Santa Maria, in front of the city of Praia, on Santiago island, the islets Grande, Rombo, Baixo, Cima, do Rei, Luís Carneiro and Sapado, situated about 8 km from the island of Brava, and the islet Areia along the coast of the same island.
The largest islands are, to the southeast, Santiago, where lies Praia, the capital and largest city of the country, and the island of Santo Antão, in the extreme northwest. Praia is also the main population centre of the archipelago, followed by Mindelo on the island of São Vicente.
Extreme points
N North: Ponta do Sol, Santo Antão island
S South: Ponta Nhô Martinho, Brava island
E East: Ilhéu do Roque, Boa Vista island
W West: Ponta Chão de Morgado, Santo Antão island
H Highest mountain: Pico do Fogo, Fogo island, high
Climate
The sun shines 350 days a year and temperatures range between . The breeze (a gentle to moderate wind) blows constantly from the ocean at a relatively low average humidity of 40% to 60%.
The Cape Verde Islands only have two seasons: The Tempo das Brisas ("Time of the winds") from October to mid-July and the Tempo das chuvas ("Rainy season") from August to September, when there may be heavy tropical rainfall. The coolest months are January and February (average temperature of 21 °C), where temperatures can drop down to 16 °C; the warmest is the month of September (up to 36 °C) with an average temperature of 27 °C.
Otherwise, the islands of Barlavento (Santo Antão, São Vicente, São Nicolao, Boa Vista, Sal, Santa Luzia, Branco and Razo) are always somewhat cooler than those of the Sotavento (Maio, Santiago, Fogo and Brava), where summers can be quite hot.
The Köppen climate classification subtype for this climate of Praia (Cabo Verde) is Bwh (Tropical and Subtropical Desert Climate).
Wildlife
Cape Verde's isolation has resulted in the islands having a number of endemic species, particularly birds and reptiles, many of which are endangered by human development. Endemic birds include Alexander's Swift (Apus alexandri), Bourne's Heron (Ardea purpurea bournei), the Raso Lark (Alauda razae), the Cape Verde Warbler (Acrocephalus brevipennis), and the Iago Sparrow (Passer iagoensis). The islands are also an important breeding area for seabirds including the Cape Verde Shearwater. Reptiles include the Cape Verde Giant Gecko (Tarentola gigas).
Administrative divisions
Cape Verde is divided into 22 municipalities (concelhos) and subdivided into 32 parishes (freguesias).
- Tarrafal
- São Miguel
- São Salvador do Mundo
- Santa Cruz
- São Domingos
- Praia
- Ribeira Grande de Santiago
- São Lourenço dos Órgãos
- Santa Catarina
- Brava
- São Filipe
- Santa Catarina do Fogo
- Mosteiros
- Maio
- Boa Vista
- Sal
- Ribeira Brava
- Tarrafal de São Nicolau
- São Vicente
- Porto Novo
- Ribeira Grande
- Paúl
Politics
Cape Verde is a representative parliamentary republic. The constitution —adopted in 1980 and revised in 1992, 1995 and 1999— defines the basic principles of its government. The president is the head of state and is elected for a 5-year term; the Prime Minister is the head of government. The Prime Minister is nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the President.
Economy
The economic resources of Cape Verde are largely dependent on agriculture and fishing. Agriculture frequently suffers the effects of droughts. The most important crops are coffee, bananas, sugar cane, tropical fruits, corn, beans, sweet potato, and cassava. The industrial sector is incipient but is based on the production of “aguardente” (spirits from sugar cane), clothing and footwear, paints and varnishes, tourism, fishing and canned fish, and salt extraction. Banana, canned fish, frozen fish, lobsters, salt, and clothes are the main exports. The national currency is the Cape Verdean escudo. Remittances from emigration are another important source of resources for the State of Cape Verde.
Demographics
In Cape Verde, the annual rate of population growth and mortality are low, compared to average rates of other middle-income countries. The average life expectancy is 66 years and 71 years respectively for men and women. The resident population in the country is estimated at 500,000 inhabitants. There are an estimated additional one million Cape Verdeans living abroad, mainly in the United States, Western Europe, and Africa. Cape Verde has a young population with an average age of 23 years.
Culture
Cape Verdean culture is a unique mixture of European and African elements. Corn is the staple food of Cape Verde. The national or traditional dish is cachupa, which is a stew of hominy (dried maize kernals), beans, and whatever meat or vegetables may be available. Other common foods include rice, beans, fish, potatoes and manioc. A traditional breakfast is a steamed cornbread, eaten with honey and milk or coffee. Grogue, or sugar cane liquor, is manufactured on the islands and is a popular drink, particularly among the men. Cape Verdean music incorporates Portuguese, Caribbean, and African influences. Popular genres include morna, funaná, batuque, coladeira, and cola san jon.
Health
In Cape Verde, other than private clinics, the government guarantees a public health system which comprises several healthcare centers and three central hospitals (Hospital Agostinho Neto, in Praia, Hospital Baptista de Sousa, in São Vicente, and Hospital Regional de Santiago Norte, in Assomada). The cost of public health is supported by the government, but users must pay a fee which varies in accordance with the capacity of the user to afford it.
Education
After independence, the different governments of Cape Verde invested massively in education and illiteracy has been reduced drastically. Today almost one hundred percent of school-age children attend school. Attendance to primary schooling, which comprises 6 years, is compulsory and free of any charge. Education is guaranteed by a network of public schools that span from nursery school to university. There are also several private schools in all levels of education.
References
Other websites
Presidencia da República de Cabo Verde
Goberno da República de Cabo Verde
Instituto Nacional de Estatísticas
Archipelagos
Portuguese-speaking countries
1975 establishments in Africa |
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union.
The archipelago comprises the major part of one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (the other being the Azores located to the northwest), that includes the islands of Madeira, Porto Santo, and the Desertas, administered together with the separate archipelago of the Savage Islands.
The name Madeira could be used for the autonomous region, the geographical group of islands or just the island of Madeira. These islands are part of the Macaronesia.
History
Discovery
Madeira's official written history began in 1418, when two captains under service to Prince Henry the Navigator, João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira, were pushed by a storm to an island which they named Porto Santo (English: holy harbour). The following year, an organised expedition was sent to this new land to take possession of the island on behalf of the Portuguese crown. Later, the new settlers saw an island to the southwest, and so the larger island of Madeira was discovered.
Settlement
The islands were found to be completely uninhabited, and their colonization by the Portuguese began around 1420 or 1425. To get the minimum conditions for the development of agriculture, they had to cut part of the dense forest and to construct a large number of canals (levadas) to carry water, since in some parts of the island there was excess water, while in others water was scarce. During this period, fish constituted about half of the settlers' diet, together with vegetables and fruits cultivated from small pieces of land. Initially, these colonists produced wheat for their own subsistence, but later the quantity cultivated was sufficient to begin sending wheat to continental Portugal.
On the 23 September of 1433, the name Ilha da Madeira (English: Madeira Island, or literally island of wood) began to appear in the first documents and maps. The name given to the islands corresponded to the large dense forests of native trees that covered the island.
However, when wheat production began to fall, the crisis forced to plant other commercial crops. They brought from Sicily plants of sugarcane to produce sugar. After the 17th century, as sugar production went to Brazil, São Tomé and Príncipe and elsewhere, Madeira's most important product became its wine.
Geography
As other islands of the Macaronesia, the Madeira islands are of volcanic origin and with a subtropical climate.
Location
The archipelago is in the African plate, in the Atlantic Ocean between the latitudes 30° and 33° north, southwest of Lisbon and, about west of the African coast, almost at the same latitude as Casablanca.
Islands and islets
The Madeira islands have a total area of . Their individual areas vary between of the largest island (Madeira) to of the Savage Islands.
Of the eight islands, only the two largest (Madeira and Porto Santo) are inhabited, having as main accesses, the Madeira Airport in Funchal and the one in Porto Santo. By sea, Funchal has a port that receives different ships, especially cruise ships. The remaining islands are nature reserves.
Territory
The territory of the archipelago contains two main islands: the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo; besides these, there are two groups of uninhabited islands, the Desertas and Savages.
The island of Madeira has a very irregular and uneven terrain, being the highest points the peaks Pico Ruivo (1862 m), Pico das Torres (1851 m), Pico do Ariero (1818 m) and Pico do Juncal (1800 m). The northern coast is dominated by high cliffs.
The island of Porto Santo, on the other hand, has a completely different geomorphological formation of the island of Madeira. It is very flat where only small plants grow and the soils are poor and not very good for agriculture. This island has some peaks, particularly in the north, and the Pico do Facho (517 m) is the highest point of elevation in the island, followed by Pico Branco (450 m).
The highest point of Desertas Islands is Pedregal (442 m) in Deserta Grande, and of Selvagens Islands is Pico da Atalaia (153 m), in Selvagem Grande.
Climate
The average temperature for the year in Funchal, Madeira island, is 19°C (66.2°F). The warmest month, on average, is August with an average temperature of 22.6°C (72.7°F). The coolest month on average is February, with an average temperature of 16.1°C (61.0°F).
The average amount of precipitation for the year in Funchal is 596.9 mm (23.5"). The month with the most precipitation on average is December with 109.2 mm (4.3") of precipitation. The month with the least precipitation on average is July with an average of 2.5 mm (0.1"). There are an average of 87 days of precipitation, with the most precipitation occurring in December with 13 days and the least precipitation occurring in July with 1 days.
For the Villa de Porto Santo, Porto Santo island, the average temperature for the year is 17.8°C (64.0°F). The warmest month, on average, is August with an average temperature of 21.7°C (71.0°F). The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of 15°C (59.0°F).
The average amount of precipitation for the year in Villa de Porto Santo is 375.9 mm (14.8"). The month with the most precipitation on average is January with 61 mm (2.4") of precipitation. The month with the least precipitation on average is July with an average of 2.5 mm (0.1").
The Köppen climate classification subtype for this climate of Funchal (Madeira) and Villa de Porto Santo (Porto Santo) is Csb (Mediterran Climate).
The climate of Desertas islands and partes of Porto Santo is semi-arid (Bs) and in the Savage islands is a desert climate (Bw).
Administration
In 1976 Madeira became one of the two autonomous regions of the Republic of Portugal (Azores is the other) under the Portuguese name Região Autónoma da Madeira, with its own executive and a regional legislature. The current president of the regional government is Alberto João Jardim. The main offices of the regional government are in Funchal, making this city the capital of the region.
Administrative divisions
Administratively, the Autonomous Region of Madeira (with a population of 267,785 inhabitants in 2011 and covering an area of ) is organised into 11 municípios, of which 10 are in the island of Madeira and one in Porto Santo. Municipalities are further divided into 54 freguesias, 53 in Madeira and 1 in Porto Santo.
Population
According to the 2011 Census, the total population in the Autonomous Region of Madeira was 267,785: 126,268 men and 141,517 women. The density for the whole region is persons/km2; calculating the density taking in account only the inhabited islands (Madeira and Porto Santo), the density would be inhabitants/km2.
Nature
The region of Madeira is home to a great and important biodiversity, with an estimated 7,571 terrestrial species for the whole archipelago. The total number of endemic species and subspecies is about 1,419 (1,286 species and 182 sub-species), which represents 19% of the overall species diversity.
The most known environment of the archipelago is its Laurel forest (laurisilva) which still extends over 15,000 hectares or 20% of the archipelago. These forests, very rich in biodiversity, are the largest and best-preserved Laurel forests in the entire Macaronesia region. They are home to unique plant and animal species, including the famous Trocaz Pigeon or Madeira Laurel Pigeon (Columba trocaz), and the Madeira Kinglet (Regulus madeirensis). The most threatened bird of Europe, the Madeiran or Zino’s Petrel (Pterodroma madeira) inhabits the highest cliffs in the Central Mountainous Massif of the Madeira island.
In the sea around Madeira there are numerous species of marine mammals, including 28 species of cetaceans and the critically endangered Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus).
There are 6 protected areas in the Madeira Archipelago, including the Madeira Natural Park. This park, which covers over 2/3 of Madeira Island and includes the entire Laurel forest, is a European Council Biogenetic Reserve since 1992, and a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site since 1999. Additionally, 11 sites in the whole archipelago are part of the Natura 2000 network and 11 other sites are designated Important Bird Areas.
Economy
The local economy is based mainly on agriculture and tourism, the main resource. Agriculture produces bananas, flowers, and Madeira wine which is exported. The industrial area is not very diverse and they are relationated with food, beverages, tobacco and construction.
Notes
References
Other websites
Freguesias de Portugal
madeira islands - Madeira Tourism Office
Archipelagos |
Cameroon (officially called the Republic of Cameroon) is a country in Central Africa. Its capital is Yaoundé. The largest city in Cameroon is Douala. The population of Cameroon is about 20 million. Cameroon's president is Paul Biya. They speak nearly 250 languages in Cameroon. French and English are the official languages.
Geography
At , Cameroon is the world's 53rd-largest country. It is about the size of Papua New Guinea. The country is in Central and West Africa on the Bight of Bonny, part of the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. The country's neighbours are Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south.
Regions
The constitution divides Cameroon into 10 regions. On 12 November 2008, the President changed the divisions from provinces to regions. Each region is headed by a presidentially appointed governor.
The regions are divided into 58 divisions. These are headed by presidentially appointed divisional officers.
Cities
Some of the largest cities in Cameroon are:
Languages
The official languages of Cameroon are French and English. It is part of both the British Commonwealth and La Francophonie. Most people speak French.
Related pages
Cameroon at the Olympics
Cameroon national football team
List of rivers of Cameroon
References
Other websites
English-speaking countries
French-speaking countries
Members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
1960 establishments in Africa |
Guinea-Bissau is a country in Africa. It borders Senegal to the north, Guinea to the south. The official language is Portuguese, and the capital is Bissau. About 1,442,000 people live in Guinea-Bissau as of 2006. The country was a Portuguese colony in the 19th century. At that time is was called Portuguese Guinea. It became independent in 1973. In 1974, the name of the country's capital was added so that it would not be confused with the neighboring country Guinea.
Regions and sectors
Guinea-Bissau is divided into 8 regions and one autonomous sector. These are divided into thirty-seven sectors. The regions are:
Bafatá
Biombo
Bissau*
Bolama
Cacheu
Gabu
Oio
Quinara
Tombali
* autonomous sector
References
Portuguese-speaking countries
Least developed countries
Members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
1973 establishments in Africa |
The Republic of Mauritius is an island nation in the Mascarene Islands. It includes Rodrigues, Agaléga and St. Brandon as well as Mauritius. It was formerly ruled by the European countries Portugal, France and the United Kingdom, but is now independent.
Port Louis is its capital. In the 2000 census, the country had a population of 1,178,848 people. The country is prosperous, and trades mainly with South Africa and India.
The island of Mauritius was the home of the dodo.
Location
The island is in the southwest Indian Ocean. It is about east of Madagascar. The country includes the island of Mauritius as well as the islands of St. Brandon, Rodrigues and the Agalega Islands. Mauritius is part of the Mascarene Islands along with the French island of Réunion to the southwest.
Flag
The Mauritian flag is made up of four colours of equal width.
The colours represent the following:
Red represents freedom and independence,
Blue is for their Indian ocean which surrounds the island,
Yellow for the sun, and
Green for their agriculture.
History
Mauritius, an island of volcanic origin sheltered by barriers of coral reefs forming natural, safe, crystal clear lagoons, has long been a dream destination. Known to the Arabs as early as the 10th century, but officially explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch in the 17th century. The Dutch were the ones who named the island in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU.
Mauritius was occupied successively by the Dutch (1598-1712) and later by the French (1715-1810). The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing the Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane.
The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars through the Treaty of Paris. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later on, an air station playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. On 12 March 1968, Mauritius became Independent.
Related pages
List of rivers of Mauritius
Mauritius at the Olympics
Mauritius national football team
References
1968 establishments |
It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 movie directed by Frank Capra. It inspired the story similar to A Christmas Carol.
Cast
James Stewart as George Bailey
Donna Reed as Mary Hatch
Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter
Other websites
Essay on the deeper meaning of the movie
Excerpts from Ray Carney's analysis of the movie.
1946 drama movies
American drama movies
Movies based on books
Christmas movies
English-language movies
Movies set in New York
Paramount movies
United States National Film Registry movies
Movies directed by Frank Capra |
Djibouti (officially called the Republic of Djibouti) is a country on the eastern coast of Africa. The capital city is also called Djibouti.
Djibouti gained its independence from France on June 27, 1977. The country was created out of the French Somaliland (later called the French Territory of the Afars and Issas), which was created in the 1800s as a result of French colonialism in Africa.
In 2020, about 920,000 people lived there. It is one of the least populous countries in Africa. Two ethnic groups, the Somali and the Afar people, account for most of the people living in the country.
Djibouti joined the United Nations on September 20, 1977. It is also a member of the Arab League, as well as the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
History
The history of Djibouti goes back thousands of years when it was part of the Sabean Empire (Ethiopia) to a time when Djiboutians traded hides and skins for the perfumes and spices of ancient Egypt, Pakistan, and China. Through close contacts with the Arabian peninsula for more than 1,000 years, the Somali and Afar tribes in this region became among the first on the African continent to accept Islam. Djibouti is a Muslim country which regularly takes part in Islamic as well as Arab meetings.
The country is close to a narrow part of the Red Sea so it is considered an important area from a military viewpoint.
Djiboutians
The Djiboutians () are the people inhabiting or originating from Djibouti (including their diaspora). The country is mainly composed of two ethnic groups, the Somali and the Afar. It has many languages - though Somali and Afar are the most widely spoken ones, Arabic and French serve as the official languages. There is a small Djiboutian diaspora in North America, Europe, and Australia.
Geography
Djibouti is near to the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Awdal of Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east.
In the Great Rift Valley the rift between the African Plate and the Somali Plate meet the Arabian Plate. This makes a geologic tripoint that is the lowest place in Africa.
Djibouti has eight mountain ranges with peaks of over 1,000 m (3,281 ft). The Mousa Ali range is the country's highest mountain range.
The Grand Bara desert covers parts of southern Djibouti.
Most species of wildlife are found in the northern part of the country, in the ecosystem of the Day Forest National Park. This forest area is the main habitat of the endangered and endemic Djibouti francolin (a bird).
Administrative divisions
Djibouti is divided into six administrative regions, with Djibouti city representing one of the official regions. It is further subdivided into twenty districts.
Religion
The people of Djibouti are mostly Muslim. Islam is observed by 94% of Djibouti's population (about 740,000) (2010 estimate). The remaining six percent follow Christianity.
The Republic of Djibouti names Islam as the only state religion. The Constitution of 1992 provides for the equality of citizens of all faiths as well as the freedom to practise any religion.
Sports
Association football is the most popular sport in Djibouti. The country became a member of FIFA in 1994. They have only played in qualifying rounds for both the African Cup of Nations and FIFA World Cup.
Transportation
The country is linked to Ethiopia by way of the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway.
Gallery
References
Other websites
French-speaking countries
Least developed countries
Members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
1977 establishments in Africa |
Mauritania is a country in northwest Africa. The capital city, which is also the biggest city in the country, is Nouakchott. It is on the Atlantic coast. Its president is General Mohamed Ould Ghazouani.
At 1,030,700 km² (397,929 mi²), Mauritania is the world's 29th-largest country (after Bolivia). It is similar in size to Egypt. The land is flat in most places.
References
Other websites
Least developed countries
Members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation |
Lake Huron is one of North America's five Great Lakes. It is the third one up from the mouth. Like Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and Lake Superior, it is also part of the boundary between the USA and Canada. The Huronian glaciation, billions of years ago, is named for the lake.
Lake Huron is more than 200 miles (325 km) long and is as much as 750 feet (230 m) deep. Many boats and ships go back and forth on Lake Huron, carrying useful things such as iron ore.
Lake Huron borders the Canadian province of Ontario and the American state of Michigan. There are no large cities on Lake Huron, but there are some small cities such as Sarnia, Ontario and Bay City, Michigan.
The water that flows out of Lake Huron goes through a river that flows past Detroit, Michigan. The water then flows into Lake Erie on its way to the ocean.
On 1996 an hurricane-like storm appeared on Lake Huron, while the National Hurricane Center was not sure to call it a hurricane or not. Because the storm formed over Lake Huron and that it did not get a name from the NHC, many people nicknamed the storm, "Hurricane Huron".
Huron, Lake
Huron, Lake
Huron, Lake
Lakes of the United States |
Reunion could mean:
Architecture
Reunion Arena, an indoor arena in the Reunion district of downtown Dallas, Texas
Reunion Tower, a building located in Dallas, Texas, United States
Computer science
Reunion (genealogy software), a genealogy application for the Apple Macintosh
Movies
Reunion (movie), a movie directed by Jerry Schatzberg based on a screenplay written by Harold Pinter
Gaming
The Reunion (MMOG), a multiplayer online game
X³: Reunion, a computer game produced by Egosoft and released late 2005,
Reunion, a space strategy game developed by Amnesty Design in 1994. The game was released on Amiga and PC (DOS).
Geography
Réunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean
Reunion District, Dallas, Texas, United States
Literature
Force Heretic: Reunion, the third novel in a three-part story by Sean Williams and Shane Dix
Knights of the Old Republic: Reunion, a two-part story arc in the Knights of the Old Republic series of comic books
Reunion (Buffy comic), a comic based on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
Reunion (novel), a science fiction novel by Alan Dean Foster
Reunion (novella), a novella by Fred Uhlman
Reunion (play), a play by David Mamet
Reunion (The Mediator), a YA novel by Meg Cabot
Music
Mel Tormé and the Marty Paich Dektette - Reunion, a 1988 album by the American jazz singer Mel Tormé
Re-union, a Dutch duo who performed at the Eurovision Song Contest 2004
Reunion (album), a live album released by metal group Black Sabbath in 1997
Réunion (album), an electronic music album by The Flashbulb
Reunion (band), a pop music group best known for their 1974 hit song "Life Is a Rock"
Reunion (Temptations album), a 1982 album by The Temptations for the Gordy label
Reunion: A Decade of Solas, the reunion album of Irish-American Celtic group, Solas, in 2006
Doomed for Live - Reunion 2002, a live album by Candlemass
Reunion Records, a Contemporary Christian music label home to artists like Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns, and Joy Williams
www.ReunionStudio.org, a netlabel with free electronic music for download
The Reunion, a rap album by Capone-N-Noreaga
Reunion, an instrumental dedicated to Dana Reeve composed by British musician Nick Hinton
Television
Reunion (TV series), a 2005 television series on FOX starring Matthew St. Patrick and Sean Faris |
Réunion () is an island of France. It is also a region of France and an overseas department of France, meaning France owns the island nation. It is in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, about 200 km (125 miles) southwest of Mauritius. Its capital is Saint-Denis. The highest point in La Reunion is La piton des neiges. The island is also famous for its black beaches, even though people think that there are white beaches. The island is 63 kilometres (39 mi) long; 45 kilometres (28 mi) wide; and covers 2,512 square kilometres (970 sq mi). It is similar to the island Hawaii as both are above hotspots in the Earth's crust.
The Piton de la Fournaise, a shield volcano on the eastern end of Réunion Island, rises more than 2,631 metres (8,632 ft) above sea level and is sometimes called a sister to Hawaiian volcanoes because of the similarity of climate and volcanic nature. It has erupted more than 100 times since 1640 and is under constant monitoring. It most recently erupted on 2 January 2010. Before that, the most noticeable was during April 2007, when the lava flow was estimated at 3,000,000 cubic metres (3,900,000 cu yd) per day. The Piton de la Fournaise is created by a hotspot volcano, which also created the Piton des Neiges and the islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues.
The Piton des Neiges volcano, the highest point on the island at 3,070 metres (10,070 ft) above sea level, is northwest of the Piton de la Fournaise. Collapsed calderas and canyons are southwest of the mountain. Like Kohala on the Big Island of Hawaii, the Piton des Neiges is an extinct volcano. Despite its name, snow (French: neige) practically never falls on the summit.
Other websites
Facts about Reunion
Pictures of Reunion Island |
Lake Erie is one of the Great Lakes in North America. It is the second to the last in the Great Lake system before water flows into the St. Lawrence River. Like Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and Lake Ontario, Lake Erie is part of the boundary between the USA and Canada. In 1813 a naval battle was fought on the lake.
Most of the water that flows into Lake Erie flows through a small river, the Detroit River, that moves water down from Lake St. Clair past Detroit, Michigan. Some more water flows into Lake Erie from other rivers, including the Maumee and the Cuyahoga. At the foot of the Maumee is Toledo, Ohio. At the bend of the Cuyahoga is Cleveland, Ohio.
Water that flows out of Lake Erie flows past Buffalo, New York, and into the Niagara River. The river pours over Niagara Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in North America, and then into the lowest of all the Great Lakes, Lake Ontario.
Great Lakes
Geography of Michigan
Geography of New York
Geography of Ohio
Geography of Pennsylvania
Lakes of Canada
Geography of Ontario
Lakes of the United States |
Mali (Bambara: ߡߊߟߌ, Fula: 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, ), officially the Republic of Mali (; Bambara: ߡߊߟߌ ߞߊ ߝߊߛߏߖߊߡߊߣߊ); Fula: 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, ) is a landlocked country (a country entirely surrounded by land) in West Africa. Mali is bordered by Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Physical features of Mali include the Sahara desert in the north, with the Niger River and Sénégal River in the southern part of the country. As of a July 2011 estimate, Mali has a population of approximately 14,000,000 people. Mali has a total area of . Most of the people live in the southern part of the country, with Mali's capital and most populated city being Bamako.
History
The Mandé people founded several kingdoms in the Sahel. This was a big area that included Mali. These kingdoms included the Ghana Empire, the Mali Empire, and the Songhai Empire. Timbuktu was an important city in these empires because a lot of trade across the Sahara Desert went there. Timbuktu was also a good place for learning. The Songhai Empire became much smaller after a Moroccan attack in 1591.
France invaded Mali in 1880. After that, France owned Mali. France gave Mali the names French Sudan and the Sudanese Republic. At some times it also included other nearby countries. In early 1959, Mali and Senegal united and they became the Mali Federation. They became independent from France on June 20, 1960. Senegal left the Mali Federation a few months later. The Republic of Mali, with Modibo Keïta as the first president, left the French Community on September 22, 1960.
There was a coup in Mali in 1968. Modibo Keïta lost his job and was put in prison. Mali was then ruled by Moussa Traoré until 1991. He treated the country badly, and so there was another coup in 1991 after protests against the government, and a new constitution was made. The leader of the country was then Amadou Toumani Touré.
In 1992, Alpha Oumar Konaré won Mali's first democratic election. President Konaré won again in 1997 and he made big political and economic changes. In 2002, Amadou Toumani Touré won the election and he started his second term as head of state. He was a retired general and was the military leader of the 1991 coup. Today, Mali is one of the least stable countries in Africa.
Regions and cercles
Mali is divided into 8 regions and 1 district. The country is further divided into 49 cercles, containing 288 "arrondissements" and 703 communes.
The regions and district are:
Gao
Kayes
Kidal
Koulikoro
Mopti
Ségou
Sikasso
Tombouctou (Timbuktu)
Bamako (capital district)
Geography
Mali is the world's 24th-largest country. The area of the country is 1,240,000 km² (478,734 mi²). Mali and South Africa are about the same size. It is two times bigger than Texas.
Most of Mali is part of the Sahara Desert. Mali is does not have any sea coast. It is landlocked. Mali does not have many mountains. Flat areas in the north are covered by sand. Savanna is around the Niger River in the south. The climate is dry. The dry season is hot and dusty. There are many natural resources in Mali, including gold, uranium, phosphates, kaolinite, salt, and limestone.
Economy
Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world. 65% of its land area is desert or something similar. There have been several long droughts over the last hundred years. Therefore, most economic activity is near the Niger River.
About 10% of the people are nomads and 80% of workers have jobs in farming and fishing. Industry is mainly to process farm products. Women also do pottery and the pots are bought and taken to markets. Many foreign tourists like the traditional methods which the women use to make the pots.
Mali's main export is cotton, so if the price of cotton changes, Mali's economy is affected a lot. Mali also receives a lot of financial help from other countries.
In 1997, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommended a programme for changing the economy and the government followed this. Several international companies started exploring for larger amounts of gold in 1996-1998, and the Malian government thinks that Mali will become an important gold exporter soon.
Demographics
There are several ethnic and religious groups in Mali.
Mandé (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke): 50%
Peul (Fula/Fulani): 17%
Voltaic: 12%
Songhai: 6%
Tuareg and Moor: 10%
Others: 5%
These religions are common in Mali.
Islam: 90%
Traditional Mali Beliefs: 9%
Christianity: 1%
Culture
About 90% of people from Mali follow Sunni Islam, but they do not always forget their traditional religions. Muslims have their own schooling system. The number of Muslims from Mali who go to Mecca is increasing and some study in Arab countries. About 1% of the people are Christians. When Mali was under French control, Christian teachers were sent to Islamic areas.
The language of Mali under French rule was French, but now not many people outside towns can read or write this language. However, about 60% of the people use other languages well. Many people can read and write in Bamanakan (the most popular spoken language). This language has its own alphabet, called N'Ko. Other people can read and write in Arabic, after going to an Islamic school. One of the oldest universities in the world is Sankore University in Timbuktu. It began in the 1400s.
Famous musicians from Mali include kora player Toumani Diabaté, and the guitarist Ali Farka Touré, who has died.
References
Other websites
1960 establishments in Africa
Least developed countries
Members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation |
Chief Joseph (1840 – September 21, 1904; whose real name was Hinmaton-Yalaktit) was the chief of the Nez Perce Native Americans, a tribe that lived in what is now the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
His father was the leader of the Nez-Perce before him, and his mother was a member of this tribe too.
When Joseph was young, his father always told him not to trust white men, he actually had problems with settlers. When his father died, Joseph became chief of the tribe, who resided in plateaus in Northeast Oregon, Southeast Washington and Western Idaho.
The turning point in their relationship to white men was the gold rush in 1863. It gave the US Government the opportunity to reduce their reservation to a small area in Idaho. Then, with the new waves of white men settling in the West, the Government wanted to drive Nez-Perces away from their territory.
Chief Joseph was extremely sad: this place was the tribe's territory where their ancestors were buried. In spite of that, he wanted to avoid conflict and remain in peace. In 1873 he decided to negotiate with the US Government. He travelled all the way to Washington D.C. and spoke to President Ulysses S. Grant. But he only got mean looks and little attention.
So a war began in 1877. The living conditions of Chief Joseph's tribe were awful: they had no food and no blankets. Some people were freezing to death. But the Nez-Perces impressed their enemy thanks to all the battles they won. Many men died on both sides. That's why Joseph decided to surrender. He gave up fighting in 1877.
He was destroyed by the death of his people, and also extremely disappointed: he felt betrayed by white people. He knew he could not trust them anymore. He was tired of being considered a savage. He felt it was not fair for people who were born on the same land to be treated differently. He delivered a lot of speeches on this subject, which are still really good examples of eloquence. But he did not feel listened to, and when he died in his reservation in 1904, the doctor said he "died from sadness". He was buried in Colville Native American Burial Ground, in Washington State.
References
Native American people
1840 births
1904 deaths |
Seychelles is an African country in the Indian Ocean. Its capital city is Victoria. The official languages are Creole, English, and French. It is a republic is made up of 115 islands.
Seychelles and the islands to the south, Madagascar and Mauritius, all had legal slavery and were part of the slave trade. Most of the people are descendants of freed slaves, who make up about 90% of the population. Many of them also are descended from slave owners who abused their ancestors. There are small minorities of immigrants from Europe, China and India. Most people are Roman Catholics, about 90% of them. About 8% are Protestants.
Other nearby island countries and territories include Zanzibar to the west, Mauritius, Rodrigues, Agalega and Réunion to the south, and Comoros and Mayotte to the southwest. Seychelles has an estimated population of 86,525. It is the smallest population of any African state.
History
It is thought that Arab sailors first saw the islands in the 7th century. Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama discovered the islands in 1502, and called them Three Brothers (), but he did not visit the islands. The British East India Company visited the islands, but they did not settle there.
Geography
Seychelles is to the northeast of Madagascar and about east of Kenya. The number of islands in the archipelago is often given as 115 but the Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles lists 155.
According to the president of Nauru, the Seychelles has been ranked the ninth most endangered nation due to flooding from climate change.
Some of the districts in Seychelles include: Anse Boileau, Takamaka and Cote D’Or.
Subdivisions
Seychelles is divided into twenty-five administrative regions. Eight of the districts make up the capital of Seychelles. They are called Greater Victoria. Another 14 districts are considered the rural part of the main island of Mahé. There are two districts on Praslin and one on La Digue which also include satellite islands. The rest of the Outer Islands are not considered part of any district.
Mahé
Bel Air
La Rivière Anglaise (English River)
Les Mamelles
Mont Buxton
Mont Fleuri
Plaisance
Roche Caiman
Saint Louis
Victoria
Anse aux Pins
Anse Boileau
Anse Etoile
Au Cap
Anse Royale
Baie Lazare
Beau Vallon
Bel Ombre
Cascade
Glacis
Grand'Anse Mahé
Pointe La Rue
Port Glaud
Takamaka
Praslin
Baie Sainte Anne (Anse Volbert)
Grand'Anse Praslin (Grande Anse)
La Digue and remaining Inner Islands
La Digue (Anse Réunion)
Economy
During the plantation era, cinnamon, vanilla, and copra were the main exports. In the 1960s, about 33% of the working population worked at plantations, and 20% worked in the public or government sector. In 1971, with the opening of Seychelles International Airport, tourism became a serious industry.
Flora and fauna
Like many fragile island ecosystems, the Seychelles had loss of biodiversity during early human history. This included the disappearance of most of the giant tortoises from the granitic islands. There was also the extinction of species such as the chestnut flanked white eye, the Seychelles Parakeet, the Seychelles Black Terrapin and the saltwater crocodile. However, extinctions were far fewer than on islands such as Mauritius or Hawaii. This was partly due to a shorter period of human occupation being only since 1770. The Seychelles today is known for success stories in protecting its flora and fauna. The rare Seychelles Black Parrot, the national bird of the country, is now protected.
The granitic islands of Seychelles are home to about 75 endemic plant species. There are a further 25 or so species in the Aldabra group. Particularly well-known is the Coco de Mer, a species of palm that grows only on the islands of Praslin and neighbouring Curieuse. The jellyfish tree is to be found in only a few locations on Mahe. This strange and ancient plant is in a genus of its own (Medusagynaceae). Other unique plant species include the Wright's Gardenia Rothmannia annae found only on Aride Island Special Reserve.
The freshwater crab genus Seychellum is endemic to the granitic Seychelles. There are a further 26 species of crabs and 5 species of hermit crabs that live on the islands.
The Aldabra Giant Tortoise now lives on many of the islands of the Seychelles. The Aldabra population is the largest in the world. These unique reptiles can be found even in captive herds.
There are several unique varieties of orchids on the Islands.
The marine life around the islands, especially the more remote coral islands, can be spectacular. More than 1,000 species of fish have been recorded. Since the use of spearguns and dynamite for fishing was banned in the 1960s, the wildlife is unafraid of snorkelers and divers. Coral bleaching in 1998 has damaged most reefs, but some reefs show healthy recovery.
The main natural resources of the Seychelles are fish, copra, cinnamon, coconuts, salt and iron.
References
Other websites
Pictures of Seychelles
English-speaking countries
French-speaking countries
Gondwana
1976 establishments in Africa |
A square mile (sometimes written mi² ) is an American unit of measurement of area. It is the area inside a square that has each side equal to one statute mile (5,280 feet or 1,760 yards). This way of talking about area is often used to say how much land there is on a farm, or in a city or country, for example.
One square mile is just less than 2.6 square kilometres.
Imperial units
Units of area |
A Region is the name for one of 25 areas into which the land is divided in Peru.
Provinces of Peru
Name of the region (capital of the region)
Tumbes (Tumbes)
Piura (Piura)
Lambayeque (Chiclayo)
La Libertad (Trujillo)
Ancash (Huaraz)
Lima (Huacho)
Callao (Callao)
Ica (Ica)
Arequipa (Arequipa)
Moquegua (Moquegua)
Tacna (Tacna)
Cajamarca (Cajamarca)
Huánuco (Huánuco)
Pasco (Cerro de Pasco)
Junín (Huancayo)
Huancavelica (Huancavelica)
Ayacucho (Ayacucho)
Apurímac (Abancay)
Cusco (Cusco)
Puno (Puno)
Amazonas (Chachapoyas)
San Martín (Moyobamba)
Ucayali (Pucallpa)
Madre de Dios (Puerto Maldonado)
Loreto (Iquitos)
* Lima Province (Lima)
da:Peru#Regioner
pl:Peru#Podział administracyjny |
Ica is one of 25 regions of Peru. The capital of the region is Ica.
Regions of Peru |
Togo is a small country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. The capital city Lomé is located along the Gulf of Guinea. In 2016, about 7.5 million people lived there. The official language is French. Togo was a hub of the Atlantic slave trade for Europeans. Togo was a part of the Slave Coast. Many Togolese descendants live in the Americas. The country is known for Voodoo. Togo is also known for its various flora and fauna. Monkeys, snakes, and lizards are numerous in many areas in Togo.
History
From the 11th century to the 16th century, various tribes entered the region from all directions: the Ewé from the east, and the Mina and Guin from the west; most of them settled in coastal areas. The Portuguese explored the area in the late 15th century. As Togoland, it became a protectorate of Germany in 1884. After World War I, Togo was ceded to the French. Togo gained independence from French rule in the 1960s. General Gnassingbé Eyadéma became the military leader in 1967. When Eyadéma resigned in 2002 and later died in 2005, his son, Faure Gnassingbe became president.
Economy
The economy of this small African country is based on agriculture. Agriculture provides jobs for 65% of the labor force according to the CIA Factbook. Agricultural products include coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, and sorghum. Industries include phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, and beverages.
Government
The president of Togo is elected for 5 years. The president is also the commander of the armed forces. The president also has the right to begin legislation and dissolve parliament.
After Togo's independence from France, General Gnassingbé Eyadéma became the military leader. When Eyadéma died in 2005, his son Faure Gnassingbe became president. During his re-election campaign, he helped get port concessions in Lomé extended for Bolloré Groupe from 10 to 35 years in exchange for help from the group's public relations subsidiary Havas. In a 26 Feb 2021 civil hearing at the Paris judicial court, French billionaire Vincent Bolloré, along with associates Gilles Alix and Jean-Philippe Dorent, pleaded guilty to corrupt practices in Togo. The President of the court rejected the negotiated plea bargain and ordered that the three be tried in criminal court. In the same trial, Bolloré SE was fined $12 million.
Regions
Togo is divided into 5 regions. The regions are divided into 30 prefectures and 1 commune. From north to south the regions are Savanes, Kara, Centrale, Plateaux and Maritime.
Cities
The largest cities in Togo are:
Religion
About 51% of the population has local beliefs, 29% is Christian, and 20% Muslim.
Food and drink
The Togolese enjoy many foods including tropical fruits, pastries, and many different products made from peanuts. Major drinks include tea, coffee, and wine. Togolese often snack on plantains and French donuts or beignets.
Related pages
List of rivers of Togo
Togo at the Olympics
Togo national football team
References
Least developed countries
French-speaking countries |
Bad Religion is an American band that plays punk rock music. They were created in Southern California in 1979 by Jay Bentley (bass), Greg Graffin (vocals), Brett Gurewitz (guitars) and Jay Ziskrout (drums). People think that they brought back punk rock and helped pop-punk bands during the late 1980s. Since they were created 30 years ago, Bad Religion has had a lot of members come and go. Greg Graffin is the only person that's been in the band the whole time but today there are three of the four members that were in the group when it started.
Today, Bad Religion has fourteen studio albums, two EPs, three compilation albums, one live recording, and two DVDs. Some critics think that their 1988 album Suffer is one of the most important punk rock albums of all time,. People began to notice Bad Religion after their 1993 album Recipe for Hate, which was number 14 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart. Their next album, Stranger Than Fiction, had the band's well-known hits "21st Century (Digital Boy)" and "Infected", did well and was the only Bad Religion album to get gold status in the US. Brett Gurewitz left in 1994. Bad Religion was not as well known after that and did not sell many albums until The Process of Belief in 2002. Brett Gurewitz came back in 2001, and worked with them on their four most recent albums. The band is planning to make another album in 2012.
They are known for their smart use of style, comparisons, word choice, imagery, and voice harmonies (which they call "oozin aahs.) Lyrics sometimes have to do with their emotions or their opinion of society.
Lyrics and ideology
Most of Bad Religion's lyrics are written by Greg Graffin or Brett Gurewitz. Sometimes, but often, they will co-write a song. Other band members, such as Jay Bentley, also write songs, but very rarely.
Brett Gurewitz says he tried to copy The Germs singer Darby Crash early on in Bad Religion's career. "He wrote some intelligent stuff, and didn't shy away from the vocabulary, which I thought was cool." Bad Religion also uses voice harmonies. The Adolescents influenced them with their three-part voice harmonies. Bassist Jay Bentley says, "Seeing The Adolescents live, it was so brilliant. So, in a way, the Adolescents influenced us into saying we can do it too, because look, they're doing it."
Social and political issues
Many of Bad Religion's songs are about what they think are social problems, but they do not blame causes of these problems to any single person or group. Greg Graffin thinks that the politics in the United States can make it hard to talk about the problems.
The band is sometimes direct about the things they want to say. Brett Gurewitz said he was angry at former U.S. president George W. Bush and that The Empire Strikes First is about him. "Our whole album is dedicated to getting Bush out of office. I'm not a presidential scholar but I don't think you'll find a worse president in the history of the United States. He's probably one of the worst leaders in the history of world leaders. I just hate the guy."
Religion
Despite the name of the band, the members say they are not anti-religious. Greg Graffin says that more often than not, the band likes to use religion to represent anything that does not let a person be free. Their songs are more about being against everyone being the same than against religion or God. But Greg Graffin is an atheist. He helped write the book 'Is Belief in God Good, Bad or Irrelevant?' The band's bassist Jay Bentley has stated that he has spiritual beliefs. Brett Gurewitz is a "provisional deist."
Band members
Current members
Greg Graffin – lead vocals, piano, synthesizer, acoustic guitar, songwriter (1979 – 1984, 1986 – present)
Brett Gurewitz – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, backing vocals, songwriter (1979 – 1983, 1986 – 1994, 2001 – present)
Jay Bentley – bass guitar, backing vocals (1979 – 1982, 1986 – present)
Greg Hetson – lead guitar, rhythm guitar (1984, 1986 – present)
Brian Baker – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1994 – present)
Brooks Wackerman – drums, percussion (2001 – present)
Discography
Other websites
Official Website
The Bad Religion Page Fan website, established 1995.
Bad Religion Videos Live videos and Bootlegs
References
1980s American music groups
1990s American music groups
2000s American music groups
2010s American music groups
American punk bands
Musical groups from Los Angeles
Musical groups established in 1979
1979 establishments in California
Musical groups disestablished in 1984
1984 disestablishments in the United States
1980s disestablishments in California
Musical groups established in 1985
1985 establishments in California |
The Meat Puppets are an alternative/punk rock group from Scottsdale, Arizona, USA. They were formed in 1980 by Curt Kirkwood (vocals, guitars), his brother Cris (bass) and Derrick Bostrom (drums). The band is probably best known for their 1994 radio hit "Backwater".
The band went on indefinite hiatus in 2001 as Curt formed two band projects Eyes Adrift (with Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic and Sublime drummer Bud Gaugh) and Volcano (also with Sublime drummer Bud Gaugh). He also released a solo album. His brother Cris was in prison from August 2004 to 21 months.
In 2006, the Meat Puppets reformed and released a new album, Rise to Your Knees in 2007.
As of November 2009, Shandon Sahm is back as the drummer in the Meat Puppets. He replaces Ted Marcus, who was a member from 2006.
The band was chosen by Animal Collective to perform their album Up on the Sun live at the All Tomorrow's Parties music festival in May 2011.
References
1980s American music groups
1990s American music groups
2000s American music groups
2010s American music groups
American punk bands
Musical groups from Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Musical groups established in 1980
1980 establishments in the United States
1990s establishments in Arizona
Musical groups disestablished in 1996
1996 disestablishments in the United States
Musical groups established in 1999
1999 establishments in the United States
Musical groups disestablished in 2002
2002 disestablishments in the United States
Disestablishments in Arizona
Musical groups established in 2006
2006 establishments in the United States
2000s establishments in Arizona
20th-century establishments in Arizona |
Theodore Robert "Ted" Bundy (November 24, 1946 - January 24, 1989) was an American serial killer, kidnapper, and rapist. He confessed to killing 30 women, although the actual number of murders committed is unknown.
Biography
Ted Bundy was born in 1946 in Burlington, Vermont, USA. He lived with his mother Louise Cowell and grandfather Sam Cowell when he was a child. Bundy and his mother moved to Washington where she married a man named John Culpepper Bundy. As a child in Washington, Bundy was a good student and went to church often, yet he found it hard to make friends and he began stealing. As a young man, Bundy became involved in politics and got together with a woman named Diane Edwards, known better by the pseudonym Stephanie Brooks. She left him, and he went on his own for a while. After seeing that he had improved, she got back together with him, but he proposed and left her a few days later. This is when the murders began. The people that Bundy would murder were much like this lady: young, white skinned (Caucasian), and with long dark hair parted in the middle.
Bundy's first known murders were in 1974 with his first known violent attack on January 4 when he crept into the room of an 18-year-old girl called Joni Lenz and beat her with a crowbar while she was asleep. He then sexually assaulted (raped) her with a metal rod that he took from the bed. She was found the next morning in a pool of blood. She was not killed but would remain in a coma and suffered brain damage (damage to the brain that stop the body from working properly). A few weeks later on January 31, Bundy broke into another woman's basement and beat her over the head. He then dressed her, wrapped her in blankets, and carried her away. She was found a year later in Seattle, Washington with no head. In between this time and June 1974, he killed eight more women in Washington. In June, he kidnapped Janice Ott and Denise Naslund from a park near Seattle. These attacks, unlike the attacks before, were in 'broad daylight' - in front of other people.
In the autumn Bundy moved to Utah to begin studying law at the University of Utah. He began killing again in October 1974. Bundy kidnapped and killed three girls in October of 1974, one of them being the daughter of a police officer. On November 8, Bundy told a girl that he was a police officer and he told her to get in his car. She did, believing he really was a police officer. He then tried to handcuff her but she would not let him and she jumped out of the car and escaped. Bundy was angry that she had got away and so a few hours later he kidnapped another girl and killed her. Her body was never found. Bundy was still living in Utah in 1975 and was still attending law school but he began only killing people in Colorado. Bundy kidnapped and killed four women from Colorado and one more from Utah in the first half of 1975 (January to June).
On August 16, 1975, Bundy was arrested for not stopping his car when ordered to by a police officer. When they searched his car they found a ski mask, a crowbar, handcuffs, trash bags, and other items that they thought he must have been using to burglarize houses. The police then noticed that his car was the car the girl who escaped had told them about. Bundy was sentenced on March 1, 1976, to fifteen years in prison for kidnapping her. Bundy escaped from the police twice in 1977 before he could be sentenced for the murders he had committed. By early 1978 he had made his way to Florida where he killed two more women and injured three others. After that he murdered a 12-year-old girl called Kimberley Leach. She was the last girl murdered by Bundy before he was stopped by a police officer on February 15, 1978.
Bundy had antisocial personality disorder. He went on trial on June 25 until July 31 for the murders he had committed. He was sentenced to death by the electric chair. In the time he was in prison and waiting to be executed he helped the police investigate other murders and in 1988 he admitted to having killed eight more women than he was tried for. Bundy was executed by electric chair in Florida State Prison on January 24, 1989. He was 42 years old.
References
American kidnappers
American rapists
Executed American serial killers
People executed by electric chair
People from Burlington, Vermont
People with antisocial personality disorder
1946 births
1989 deaths |
A longboard is a type of skateboard. It is often longer than a regular skateboard. Longboard are made inmany different shapes. They are often faster than regular skateboards. This is because of the size of the wheel and what the board is made of. Longboards are commonly used for cruising, traveling and downhill racing. Downhill racing is known as longboarding. Longboard 'dancing' and 'freestyle' are also popular. In this, the rider uses skateboard-like motions and steps up and down the board.
History
The first longboards were made by Preston Nichols in the 1940s and 50s. They replaced surfing when the waves were too dull. Early skaters made boards out of planks of wood and roller skates. It was called "Sidewalk Surfing". Longboards were first sold in 1959. Makaha, Jack's and Hobie were the first sellers. These early longboards were crude. They had wheels made of metal. Clay wheels were used later to make them safer. Longboarding became popularin the late 1950s and early 1960s. It had become much less popular by 1965. Longboarding started becoming popular again in 1972 when Frank Nasworthy and the Cadillac Wheel Company create the urethane longboard wheel. Urethane wheels let skaters move much faster thanthey could before. Reverse kingpins(RKP) also made them more stable.
These changes made the boards more stable. They helped downhill longboarding grow into a sport. The International Gravity Sports Association (IGSA) was its governing body. The cutout deck was added in the 1990s. It had sections cut out around the wheels. This stopped the wheels from touching the board during hard turns. There has been many changes to longboard technology because of the many different ways people ride them. Modern longboard decks can be made from many materials. These include fiberglass composites, aluminum and carbon fiber.
Dimensions
Most boards are in length. Widths vary from . Longboard are made in many shapes. These include pintails, swallowtails, flat-nose riders, drop-through decks, drop decks and boards with the same shape as a regular skateboard. Pintails have looser trucks and larger wheels. They are better suited for carving or a "smooth" feel. Drop decks and drop throughs let the rider be closer to the ground. This gives them a lower center of gravity which increases stability. This also makes the boards better for downhill racing. Mid-length boards, have many different uses. They have more weight and bulk. This makes them move with a fluid motion by providing more momentum. The longboard's design lets rider make big turns or quick short carves. These movements are similar to the motions of surfers or snowboarders.
References
Skateboarding |
Graffiti is marks, scratching or drawings made on a surface on a public place. It is often created with paint or spray paint (paint that is sprayed from a can). A single mark could be called a graffito but the word graffiti is usually used, meaning that there is more than one mark.
Graffiti can take the form of art, drawings or words. When done without a property owner's permission it is considered vandalism. Sometimes it is just a person's name or a rude word. Sometimes it is a public political protest because graffiti is illegal without permission.
History
Graffiti has been found in very old cities. For example, in the Roman Empire, people wrote messages and drew caricatures on walls. Graffiti is also found in many places. Some people do murals of graffiti rather than just writing one mark in a location. It was used for good instead of vandalism. Probably the simplest graffiti is when a person cuts (or carves) the name of a lover on a tree with a knife.
Today, many graffiti are very complicated mixtures of writing and pictures. They are sometimes made by gangs and applied with spray-paint to buildings, bridges, street signs, and other areas. These are often signed with a tag (in graffiti slang, a signature), which is a shape special.
Graffiti can be thought of as a part of hip hop or street protest. It is often but not always illegal. Some cities have small areas where graffiti can be made. Sometimes graffiti are very beautiful. Some people consider graffiti as not only something bad, but something good, like art. Some people pay graffiti artists to do graffiti on their buildings. In the 1980s, some graffiti artists like Keith Haring became very famous.
Modern graffiti was made famous in New York City in the early 1970s by the children of the working class. They called it "writing," and called themselves "writers." In a 1971 New York Times article, the term "graffiti" was first used to refer to the new urban art explosion that was becoming popular in New York City. This period of the early 1970s is known as the "Original School." Later in the 1980s, the next generation of graffiti artists is known as "Old School."
Other websites
Graffiti.CX Online Graffiti Contest
Graffiti art on train
Graffiti.org.br
Walls & bridges from south Belgium
How to remove graffiti?
Remove Graffiti From Different Surfaces?
Graffiti art or vandalism
Graphics
Murals
Hip hop |
Appellation d'origine controlée (AOC, "controlled designation of origin") is a French phrase which shows that a product comes from a certain area.
Some products must come from a certain area and be made in a certain way in order to have the name of the product. The most famous example is champagne, which must be fermented in the bottle and be made in the Champagne region of France.
The French government set up the Institut national des appellations d'origine et de la qualité (INAO, "National institute of controlled designation of origin") in 1935 to oversee the system. Although usually linked with wines, the start of the system of protecting the name of goods started in the 15th century when the French parliament defined what could be called Roquefort cheese.
AOCs are most often found in connection with:
Wine regions (like Bordeaux Entre-Deux-Mers AOC)
Some ciders
Some cheeses (like Roquefort) and Parmesan (in Italy)
References
Economics
French culture
Food and drink |
Distillation is a process where a mixture made of two or more liquids (called "components") with different boiling points can be separated from each other. The mixture is heated until one of the components boils (turns to a vapor). The vapor is then fed into a condenser, which cools the vapor and changes it back into a liquid that is called distillate. What remains in the original container is called the "residue". This is a physical separation process and not a chemical reaction. Fractional distillation (using a distillation column with more than two outlets) can be used to improve the separation. An oil refinery uses fractional distillation to purify crude oil, separating several different liquids for different uses.
This has been used for a long time, to distill alcohol and produce alcoholic drinks. Distillation is a commonly used operation in many industries.
Distillation can be done anywhere, whether it's in a house or a laboratory, but in most countries it is illegal to distill alcohol without a license. Illegally distilled alcoholic drinks are in some places called moonshine.
Distillation is also the main way of desalination of water. In this case the salt is a solid that is in solution with the water. In alcohol distillation or petroleum distillation, the things to be separated from their solution are two or more distillation liquids.
Gallery
References
Laboratory techniques |
A lawyer (also called an "advocate", "attorney", "barrister", "counsel", "counsellor", or "solicitor") is someone who practices law. A lawyer has earned a degree in law, and has a license to practice law in a particular area.
If people have any problem regarding the law, they can contact a lawyer for advice. A legal problem is referred to as a case. A person can hire a lawyer to start a case against someone else, or to help with a case that has been started against them. If the case goes to court, the lawyer will represent their client in court. The lawyer will use their knowledge of the law to convince the court that the client is on the right side of the argument. Lawyers also help people "settle out of court," which means that both sides of the argument agree to resolve the dispute ahead of time so that they will not have to go to trial.
When a person is accused of a crime, the person has a defense lawyer to try to show they have not committed a crime. The lawyer arguing that they did do the crime is called the prosecutor.
Lawyers also prepare legal documents for their clients. Examples: buying or selling property or making a will (testament). Certain lawyers (called "commissioners of oaths" in England) can take legally binding witness statements which can be presented to the court.
Lawyers work in different settings. Some work by themselves, while some work in law firms. Some lawyers work for hospitals and private companies. Lawyers who work for private companies are usually called in-house counsel.
Lawyers generally charge a fee for the work that they do, but sometimes advice is offered freely, which is called "pro bono," meaning "for the public good." In many countries, if a person is accused of a crime and unable to pay for a lawyer, the government will pay a lawyer to represent them using tax money.
[SEE TALK PAGE. This page has uncorrected misinformation on it from 10 years ago]
Law occupations |
Loreto is Peru's most northern region. Covering almost one-third of Peru's territory, Loreto is the nation's biggest region. It is also one of the least populated ones, because of its remote location in the Amazon rainforest. Its capital is the city of Iquitos.
Boundaries
Northwest: Ecuadorian provinces of Sucumbíos, Orellana, Pastaza and Morona-Santiago
North: Colombian department of Putumayo
Northeast: Amazonas Department, also in Colombia
East: Brazilian states of Amazonas and Acre
South: Ucayali and Huánuco regions
West: San Martín and Amazonas regions
Administrative divisions
The region is divided into eight provinces (provincias, singular: provincia), which are composed of 53 districts (distritos, singular: distrito). The provinces, with their capitals in parenthesis, are:
Maynas (Iquitos)
Alto Amazonas (Yurimaguas)
Datem del Marañón (San Lorenzo)
Loreto (Nauta)
Mariscal Ramón Castilla (Caballococha)
Putumayo (San Antonio del Estrecho)
Requena (Requena)
Ucayali (Contamana)
Other websites
INEI Peru
Regions of Peru |
Iquitos is the capital city of the Loreto Region in northern Peru. It is on the banks of the Amazon River. Iquitos is the biggest city in the rain forest of Peru, with about 400,000 residents. It is a major port on the Amazon.
Excluding towns on islands, Iquitos is thought to be the largest city in the world that can not be reached by road. One can only get to Iquitos by boat, or by airplane. It is very remote, in the middle of the Amazon rainforest.
Iquitos was founded in 1747 by Jesuit José Bahamonde. Originally it was the home of the Iquito native tribe. About 100 years ago, Iquitos was a very rich town, because of the rubber industry. Today Iquitos relies mostly on tourism, wood industry and local trade.
Other websites
http://www.munimaynas.gob.pe/ (in Spanish) (uses Macromedia Flash)
Iquitos information at biopark.org
Cities in Peru
Capitals of regions of Peru
1747 establishments
Establishments in Peru
18th-century establishments in South America |
Apple juice is the juice from apples. It does not have alcohol, and it tastes sweet from the natural fruit sugars. Many companies making apple juice like to say that they do not add more sugar into the drink, and there is only natural sugar.
Origin
The apple tree came from the same era as Elizabethan in the late 1500s and early 1600s (Pyrus malus), and is native to Britain. Even in the Old Saxon papers, apples and cider are mentioned a lot. The fruit is thought to have come in the Caucasus, a place with many mountains between the Black and Caspian Seas.
The Lady apple, a kind of apple still grown today, is believed to be one of the oldest apple trees on record.
Composition
Apple juice is 88% water and 11% carbohydrates (including 9% sugars), with little amounts of protein or fat.
Health
In both facts and stories, the apple appears to be very healthy. There are two types of apple juice. One is the clear apple juice, and the other is the cloudy apple juice. Pectin and starch are taken out during the production process to produce clear apple juice. Cloudy apple juice is cloudy because of evenly-distributed small pulp suspensions in the juice concentrate.
Also, in apple juice, the vitamin C, and other vitamins are contained inside, as well as mineral nutrients such as boron which helps build strong bones.
Apples can also be a main source of fiber, and is a powerful cleanser and an important necessity for the health of your body.
The compounds in apple juice called phytonutrients delay the break down of LDL or cholesterol. In history, the phrase from Benjamin Franklin "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" is very famous. New research is proving this phrase to be a fact. Researchers at UC Davis School of Medicine have recently found out that drinking apple juice seems to slow down the process that may lead to heart disease.
Researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands had studied and found that smokers who ate many fruits and vegetables, especially apples, had reduced their risk of getting the common diseases smokers would get. The risk was reduced by 50%.
For older people, drinking fruit juices should begin with apples, especially if they are suffering from arthritis and rheumatism. This is because apples carry a substantial amount of potassium. Because of this, eating apples or apple juice has been known to help. Drinking apple juice also removes some toxins from the liver and kidneys and is low in calories. Over time, this can reduce the chances of having liver or kidney disease.
Use
Apple juice can be used to make cider and calvados. Some types of cider and all types of Calvados contain alcohol.
Production
Addressed as one of the most popular fruits in the world, the apple is cultivated in around 7,500 different kinds in shape, color, texture, firmness, crispness, acidity, juiciness, sweetness, nutrition, and harvesting time.
Storage
Fresh apple juice needs refrigeration. Closed bottles of canned apple juice can be kept in a dark, cool place, such as a pantry or cupboard. It slows down the spoiling of the product. The way it looks, feels, or tastes could change over time.
Once the juice container is opened. Or if it was not closed and shipped without needing freezing by the producer, it must be closed again tightly and frozen to avoid contamination from microorganisms such as bacteria.
References
Fruit juices
Apple products |
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